#2 weeks post labor day still counts as summer right...

[grapenehifics]

It's not Wednesday, WIP or otherwise, but here's a sentence from my fic for the @obikinlifeguardau collection that made me giggle:

It was a relief when Obi-Wan kissed him, because that saved Anakin from having to make any inane suggestions like, 'Do you want to take your pants off yourself or should I do it for you?', which sounded just a little too much like something Anakin would have said to one of the twins a couple years previously when they were being stubborn about bedtime.

[sirenreading]

Sweet girl (Part 1)

pairing : Javier Peña x f!reader

rating : T

word count : 638

warning : age gap (legal), flirting, just a kiss, mentions of food/eating, farm life, massage(f! receiving)

A/N : i wrote like 3 fics in a day and now i have enough to post for a whole week, sorry for lacking on pedro fics, i’ve run out of ideas😭writing is hardd

part 2

You watched from the other side of the farm as Javier walked through. He’d just finished feeding all the chickens and was heading inside to make breakfast for the three of you.

Javier had just arrived back in Texas from all his business with the narcos just two weeks ago. Chucho had hired you right after you finished your studies and had moved around for the summer. Ever since he got back, it’s been nothing but heart eyes between the two of you. You had to admit you had a slight crush on the older man, but he probably had plenty of women waiting for him back in Columbia. You didn’t stand a chance.

You put on your robe, still leaving it so you could see some of your bare skin, and made your way to the main house, the smell of bacon and pancakes hitting your nose. It smelled delicious.

“Morning, Javi.”

“Darling, I got you.” he placed a plate of chocolate chip pancakes in front of you, your favorite.

“How’d you know?”

“Ah, an old man told me you’d cook them for him all the time while I was away, told me you were the best damn cook he’s head around to.”

“I told him you could be better than me, but we’ll put it to that theory when the time comes.” You both chuckled. You heard Chucho’s loud feet as he made his way down the stairs.

“I smell food, and please tell me that you made it and not my son here.”

“Sorry to disappoint.”

“Thank god you didn’t burn the house done, son, But you.” Chucho pointed to you, “need to cook for us tomorrow, show this man who runs the house now.”

“I’ll be on it the first time tomorrow.” You wiggled your eyebrows at Javi as you took another bite at your pancakes.

*

That afternoon you sat in your room fresh from the bath you took to relax your body from the hard labor. Running a farm is like having many little children around. You felt like your body could break at any moment.

You look in the mirror as you hear a knock on your door.

You told them to enter, and you turned as you saw Javier come in through your mirror.

“Javi, what do I owe the pleasure at almost 11 pm?”

“Wanted to come to check up on you, make sure you didn’t break anything, saw you out there today, this farm shit, ain’t easy, one of the reasons I was glad to get out.”

“And chasing drug dealers and murders down is easier?” You chuckled at him, and he raised his hands as if you’d caught him in a lie.

“But I just wanted to come to check up on you, and You need anything?”

“ Well, my arms feel as if they might fall off. Do we have any cream or anything I could rub on them?”

“Let me help you with that.” Before you knew it, Javi was right beside you, turning you back to face the mirror. You watched in the reflection as you lowered the oversized t-shirt you worse below your shoulders and began to rub them.

It felt incredible, as if all the stress from the day was being washed away with a straightforward motion.

You closed your eyes from the feeling of bliss, only opening them when you felt his hot breath on your neck. Seeing him so close, you turned your head looking into his eyes before placing a kiss on his soft lips.

When you pulled away, the look of shock flushed both of your faces.

“I’m sorry I shouldn’t hav-.”

“It’s fine, goodnight Javier.”

He had closed the door behind you. All you could do was feel the heat in your cheeks warming, touching your lips once more.

taglist :

@anaaaispunk @peach-child @jedifarmerr @miraclesabound @marvel-ingatbucky @greeneyedblondie44 @pedrosbrat @allthe-ships @thevoiceinyourheadx @donnaa @andistrurgss

@lafresamilk @athalien @rosie-posie08 @wyofabdoms @frankiemoraleswifexo

[managingmymuse]

employment

for writer's month day 2: coffeeshop AU

(original work, time-traveler universe)

No one in my family had ever really had a job.

We worked, of course. Running the farm was an entire summer's worth of back-breaking labor. Our portion of the homestead, too, required a lot of work to keep and maintain. When we were away, in another town or another century, we took on odd jobs to keep ourselves fed. In the pre-industrial age, my mother and sister and I took on laundry and mending, while my brother and my father hired themselves out as hands. Sometimes we'd stay for a week, other times for a whole season, but no matter where or when we were, there was always work to be found.

But that was the pre-industrial age. I was beginning to discover that the twentieth century was a lot harder to work around.

"Do you have your social security card?" the woman behind the counter asked.

I was standing in the pleasantly blank hallways of a large department store. The carpet was a dingy peach, and the walls had a magic-eye-like pattern to them. The faint sounds of classical music drifted through the air, piped in from a speaker that I hadn't yet been able to locate.

I shifted uneasily on my feet. "My what?"

"Your social security card," she said. "It's a blue card about this big." She held up her thumb and forefingers about three inches apart. "It's a government document."

"I don't think I have one," I said slowly.

The woman behind the counter popped her gum. "Sure you do. Everyone has one. It's probably at your parents' house."

"Right," I said, already thinking of how I could lay my hands on someone else's. "Can I call them and get back to you?"

"You sure can." The woman blew another bubble and removed the clipboard containing my half filled out job application. "You don't need to start today, do you?"

"I can't start without the card?" I asked. "Really?"

"Yeah," she said. She gave me a sympathetic smile. "It's corporate policy. We get in big trouble if we hire you without it. But don't worry, we've got tons of available positions. Come back with it by next week, and we'll start you on the floor. Okay?"

I pressed my hands flat against the counter, struggling to take deep breaths. "I don't think I'm going to be able to get the card that fast," I said. "My parents... they live out of state."

"They haven't lost it, have they?"

I shrugged. "I have no idea."

The woman stared at me over the counter. Her jaw worked furiously, but her eyes held sympathy. "You can always write to the records office where you were born if your mom can't find it," she said. "Though that's going to take longer."

"I really need this job," I said. "I can't... I don't know if I can wait a week.

The woman tilted her head to the side. I don't know if she sensed my desperation or not, but she must have felt bad for me, because she pressed up on her toes, looking out into the empty hall behind me before rummaging around on the counter for a piece of paper.

"Okay," she said. "You didn't hear this from me, but I've got a friend in town. Her name's Sherri. She owns a little place down by the university. Java and Jams. You ever heard of it?"

I shook my head, and the woman wrote down an address. "Sherri's got a bit of a bleeding heart. You tell her you've got no papers, and she'll probably take you on."

"You think she has a job for me?"

"Fall term is set to start in another week," the woman said. "I know she's got a job from you." She smiled brightly. "Tell her Karen sent you."

"Karen," I said.

She pointed to her name tag and smiled again. "That's right. You take care now, dear. And if you do get your card and you still want to a job, well, give me a call."

She extended a card to me along with the paper she'd written the address on.

"I... thank you," I said.

"No trouble," she said.

Behind me, the sound of footsteps heralded the arrival of someone else. Karen straightened up, smoothing her vest down over her shirt. "Well, miss, if that will be all?"

I glanced at the corner, and a man, heavy-set and wearing a thick tie, came into view. Karen's manager, if the squinty look in his eye and his name badge was to believed. "Thanks for your help," I said, before disappearing down the crowded aisles of the store.

It was a forty minute walk from the mall to the university district in the center of town. On an ordinary day, I would have hated it. But today it gave me some time to think.

Some time to think about how screwed I was, that is. I'd been in the 1985 for three days now, and already my supply of emergency rations was running dry. I hadn't planned to come here, so I didn't have any kind of modern currency on my person. Before my jump, I'd been in pre-colonial America, and the things the Iroquois had traded-- corn and squash and tobacco-- wouldn't get me anything here.

(Also, they were precious difficult to carry; say what you will about the modern capitalist economy, but it did make emergency funds easy to carry around).

I'd lucked into a place to stay, an apartment that was, blessedly, vacant. But if the calendar on the wall was to be believed, the professors that lived there would be coming back, and soon. I had to find a new place to stay, and enough money to buy it with. Not to mention a little extra to buy some food to eat.

My stomach rumbled even as I thought about it, and the sound tempted me to just jump home. To find a nice, shadowy alleyway, cross my fingers, and jump. But even as my stomach begged me to do it, my mind pulled back on the idea.

It wasn't that I didn't have the juice for it; after three days' rest, I had the stamina to jump back five hundred years at least, let alone a paltry one hundred. But the last time I'd jumped, Micah had found me. Not after an hour or a day or a week, but immediately. Within moments of my arrival.

I supposed I was lucky he hadn't turned up here. That I hadn't turned a corner and run smack into him. But even though I was in the clear-- for now-- I couldn't help but worry that by jumping to the Homestead, I was endangering everyone within it. Turning our only safe haven into a trap we couldn't escape.

A shiver rolled down my spine, even in the afternoon spine. I'd jumped with with Micah literally on top of me that last time. His knee had held me down while his hands wrapped around my neck. If I'd been anyone else-- my brother, or my mother, even -- I'd be dead now. I would have been too drained from the last jump to jump away.

But I was a freak among freaks. Damaged almost too far for repair. I screamed and kicked and fought, and somehow I drew in just enough air to pull it down into my middle. To speak the words to send me away.

I hadn't been terribly concerned with where at the time. I certainly hadn't been thinking of 1985. But apparently my subconscious was ready for hair bands and spandex, because here I was.

It wasn't a bad place to be, I told myself, as I turned onto the coffee shop's street. It could have been worse.

The coffee shop was tucked away in a Tudor-style building that looked more like a home than a shop. Though it stood on a relatively busy street, it had a front garden fit for the suburbs. Wildflowers grew in great plumes on either side of the walk. A sign hanging from a wooden post in the yard read "Java and Jams."

I sighed and started for the door.

At nearly four o'clock in the afternoon, the place was almost empty. A man sat behind a bistro table in a corner reading a book and nursing a cup of coffee. A woman with frizzy red hair in a bun swept the floor in the middle of the room.

She looked up when I entered and set the broom down. "Need an afternoon pick me up?" she asked. "Today's special is the Colombian blend."

I wrinkled my nose. "No, no thank you. Are you Sherri?"

She wiped her hands on her apron, red and splattered with what looked like foam. "Who's asking?"

"I'm Allison," I said, putting a hand over her chest. "Karen sent me. From the mall."

Sherri tilted her head to the side, and the resemblance between the women instantly resolved itself. Sisters. They were sisters. "You looking for a job?"

"If you're hiring," I said. "I didn't see a sign."

"I don't advertise much," Sherri said. She sighed and moved behind the counter. "What was wrong with the mall? Don't you want to work in that over air-conditioned tundra?"

I risked a smile and stepped closer. "Karen said she would hire me if I came back with my social security card," I said. "But I... I don't think I have one."

Sherri's eyes flashed wide in alarm. She glanced over my shoulder at the man in the corner. He was still deeply absorbed in his book. "Well then. Have you ever worked in a coffee shop before?"

I suspected that doling out cups to hungry miners in California didn't count. "I've done some food service before with my family," I said. "But not coffee."

"Well." Sherri sucked on her teeth, looking me up and down. She must have decided something, because she nodded once, fiercely. "You seem a good sort. I can give you a try. We can fit in two weeks of training before the poets come back."

"The poets?" I asked.

Sherri's lips spread into a broad, genuine smile. "That's who mostly comes in here, in the first weeks of term. It's poets and novelists, starving and otherwise. They come to discuss literature and human misery. It's all quite dramatic."

I gaped at her, but the sparkle didn't leave Sherri's eyes. "We'll have college students later in the term, too," she said. "They don't usually show up until they've got midterms, though. Are you at the university?"

I shook my head. "Not yet."

Sherri looked at me, thoughtfully. "Well then. Two week trial. Cash okay? We'll do under the table unless you've got a bank."

A sigh of relief bubbled up from my stomach. "Cash is great," I said. "When can I start?"

Sherri untied her apron, pulled it off her neck, and offered it to me. "Right now. There's only an hour until we close up-- summer hours and all that-- but I think I can run you through the basics. Does that work?"

I tied the apron behind my back. "That works," I said. "That works really well."

[shark-myths]

Writing Reflection: 2018

I was tagged by @horsegirlharry, who i will smooch in person in ONE WEEK! 

1. Number of stories (including drabbles) posted to AO3: 15. I'm trying not to feel critical about my output this year: I was distracted by ~boy problems and emotional turmoil for a lot of 2018, so I absolutely slayed some journals but neglected my fic. but I also tackled some difficult projects, some of which I'm really proud of, and translated a lot of those big emotions back into writing, so there's a lot to give myself credit for.

2. Word count posted for the year: 224,001

3. List of works published this year (in order of posting)

Roman Candle Hearts

I'm A Wing, I'm A Prayer

The Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique

your hips, your lips, are mine

in space, no one can hear you misgender me

Girl Firsts

halfway to your heart (starting from your knees)

Boys Next Door/Assholes

Vices & Vices

Early Morning Company

Jaws of Death

Baby You're A Haunted House

The Fixed Stars of Heaven

Sell Out Girl

Think of All The Fellas I Haven't Kissed

4. Fandoms I wrote for: Fall Out Boy, Battlestar Galactica, Panic! at the Disco, My Chemical Romance

5. Pairings: Pete/Patrick, Starbuck/Apollo, Pete/Brendon, Brendon/Ryan, Patrick/Michael Day, Frank Iero/Gerard Way, Joe/Andy

6. Story with the most:

Boys Next Door/Assholes, aka the peterick SUMMER BOYFRIENDS au, aka the fic I wrote about falling in love with my ex that captures the sweetness and suffering of new summer love in a very specific and tactile way. It has the most hits, kudos, and comments of anything I wrote in 2018. I'm so glad you guys loved it so much!

9. Work I’m most proud of (and why):

Sell Out Girl, the sequel to girl out boy, is incredibly important to me and I'm so fucking proud of how it turned out. emotionally, i am prouder of the girl out boy stories  than anything else i've ever done. girlfic is how I am cleaning my wounds and healing my heart, and it is an honor to be doing that with you walking alongside me, and being touched and changed too. this fic was incredibly emotionally demanding but also, on a technical level, easy: there was lots of rambly internal monologues and angst, glitter-sharp language and poetical pain, which is my comfort zone as a writer for sure.

on a technical and writerly level, the one I'm most proud of is Baby You're A Haunted House, because i wrote it *fast*, in a fandom I'm not comfortable or familiar in, in a style I don't usually use, and to achieve a very specific artistic effect with the unreliable narrator and shifting sands of reality, while heartbroken. so I'm pleased as fuck with how it came out. it's one of my favorite things I've written in the past several years, and the perfect kind of challenge for me.

10. Work I’m least proud of (and why):

ugh, The Fixed Stars of Heaven . I usually love everything I write, but my experience of writing this fic was terrible. I was never inspired (except when researching the ISS and zero-g botany!) and the epistolary format meant I didn’t know how to develop the kind of tension I *live* for. the whole time I was writing, I didn’t go back and reread (a typical part of my process for matching tone) because I loathed it so much! I kept saying “well, something has to be my worst story” about it... and I still feel that way.

11. A favorite excerpt of your writing:

It's impossible to choose--I like my writing a lot, that's why I write the way i do. all of Baby You're A Haunted House and I'm A Wing, I'm A Prayer are beautiful to me; the love letter Pete writes in Boys Next Door/Assholes; and the whole bathtub scene from chapter 5 of Sell Out Girl, of which this is the very best part:

“Pete is safe and warm and submerged, an egg in a mermaid’s purse, waiting to swim out as a shark whenever she’s ready. She holds her breath and feels her baby beat within her. She looks up at Pat and fears nothing, nothing but love.”

12. Share or describe a favorite review you received:

every review I get makes impact on my heart. I take screenshots and save my favorites; you guys bolster me and keep me going. The best and most important reactions are the ones I get on Girl Out Boy stuff, and the outpouring of fanworks and support means the world to me. especially the way you guys showed up for and stood with me during my difficult breakup this year—wow. I love you so much.

my favorite reviews I’ve gotten this year have been a few different people who told me I was skilled at capturing the feeling of falling in love. as a feelings-and-process oriented romance writer, that means the world to me! I never know what plots my stories are going to have (my characters always surprise me), but I always know how I want a fic to feel. I’m never more honored than when you feel it too.

13. A time when writing was really, really hard:

during the slow-motion process of one of my romantic relationships coming apart in September and October! I was so anxious and keyed up and self-obsessed and miserable during that time, I literally couldn’t bear to write, and when I tried I just kept wrecking the Girl Out Boys’ lives. you guys carried me through.

14. A scene or character you wrote that surprised you:

I don’t want to spoil Sell Out Girl, but a ship I don’t typically ship popped up and I went with it, and I was exactly as surprised as everyone reading that it happened and that it felt so right and good!

15. How did you grow as a writer this year:

i tried new types of projects, like the fucking epistolary scifi fic, a flash fiction exercise, the unreliable narrator trope, and sequels. i wrote in a couple fandoms I'm less comfortable in, fairly often off of other people's prompts. I am trying to hone a cleaner writing style: I spend so much time lost and rambly in describing how characters feel, my stories lose a lot of chances for action and motion. i like my writing best when it is spare and vivid, able to actually evoke emotions rather than just tell you what they feel like. i think some of my fic this year really showcases that (like Vices & Vices ). i still grow so much as a writer, and learn so much about the craft, with each work.

i used an editing and revision process for Fixed Stars of Heaven, thanks to my dear friend JM, that i don't usually subject my work to. i also wrote through a project i was not enjoying, rather than dropping it as soon as my interest waned. my discipline as a wild, reckless writer is, slowly but surely, improving.

i wrote through my own shitty emotionally abusive relationship with a parent through the character of Andy in sell out girl, and got better at naming trauma and abuse and setting my own boundaries as a result of that.

i started reading (and a little bit writing) poetry again.

16. How do you hope to grow next year:

oh, i can't see that road! i hope i grow in ways i never expected cuz i'm faced with challenges in my work i could never have anticipated. generically, i hope i keep tightening my style and improving my discipline, and getting better at defending regular writing time.

17. Who was your greatest positive influence this year as a writer (could be another writer or beta or cheerleader or muse etc etc):

- i read only works by women for the entire year of 2018, and the nourishing impact of that on my entire inner life cannot be overstated. i didn't even read a comic book or a work book if it was written by a man. i kept myself entirely pure of the labor of perspective-taking for men, or subjecting myself to men's conception of anybody else's experiential reality.

- @leyley09 my official Fic Enabler, who is SINGULARLY AND SOLEY to blame for at least two fics this year, and has encouraged my very worst ideas about a hundred more

- my unofficial cheerleading squad family on tumblr, who lifted me up and made sure i was healthy, supported, and well through my whole shitty relationship ending debacle. @glitterandrocketfuel, @secretstudentdragonblog, @allkindsofplatinumandpercocet, and @laudanumcafe -- not to mention every other beauty who commented on my sad-ass selfies or my fic. thank you, my loves.

18. Anything from your real life show up in your writing this year:

EVERYTHING IS REAL

most notable and egregious examples:

- the letter pete writes for patrick in boys next door/assholes is a real love letter i gave someone

- the fight brendon and ryan have in vices & vices is a real fight i had with a partner

- the climactic kiss on the streets of new york at the end of sell out girl is my real first kiss with my new boo

the worst thing is that i don't generally farm my *past* life for my fic--everything that shows up is really recent and fresh, because i'm most interested in writing things i'm currently dealing with and experiencing. and yes, i especially steal the sex scenes.

19. Any new wisdom you can share with other writers:

be curious about yourself and your characters. if you've never written / published in a serial format, where you're only writing a week or so ahead of posting, you must try it at least once! listen to what your readers are noticing about your themes and characters! i learn so much about my the emotional resonance and direction of my stories from the people who read them and comment. my writing is so much stronger as a result of writing the majority of my work this way, and i have much more fun with it than when i write a long piece in an echo chamber with no input from you guys!

20. Any projects you’re looking forward to starting (or finishing) in the new year:

- i'm working on a Rent-A-Family trope + law firm AU + kidfic thing i started messing with last year

- Pete Wentz's Bisexual Realizations, a fic dreamed up and playlist-empowered by @nikadd

- a Venom AU for my beloved @immoral-crow

- Girl Out Boy hiatus fic

- and a MANIA anniversary surprise <3

21. Tag some writers whose answers you’d like to read.

all of my Peterick creator pals! @leyley09 @shatteredmirrors-and-lace23 @allkindsofplatinumandpercocet @laudanumcafe @glitterandrocketfuel and everyone/anyone else!

[beechroof80-blog]

Thrill of the Grill

Labor Day is right around the corner, signifying the dwindling days of summer while offering one last chance to celebrate. That means it’s time to gather up all your friends, neighbors, and coworkers, throw down an ice bucket packed with refreshing beverages, and uncloak that glorious grill in the heat of the midday sun. It’s your last best chance to fire that baby up, so make it count!

I’m probably the last person to ask about expert grilling practices, but I’d like to think that my novice status is actually my greatest asset here. I’m not about to pull some crazy, unreasonable, daredevil tricks when the metal grates get hot and the smoke starts blowing. While I can’t weigh in on the timeless debate of gas vs. charcoal, steering clear of debates over specific fuels or equipment, it shouldn’t be so complicated just to start a fire and get cooking outdoors. No matter what that means to you, even if the party gets rained out and you use a simple grill pan over the stove instead, it’s still important to start searing and making a mark!

Speaking of which, there are a few key principles to remember for emblazoning perfect stripes every time:

1. Start with a VERY hot grill. Give it at least 15 minutes, if not 25, to preheat before lubing up. If the food is par-cooked or semi-cooked (like meatless hotdogs or burgers, fruits or softer veggies,) aim for about 400 degrees.

2. Grease well to prevent sticking but do NOT use an aerosol non-stick spray over a hot grill! Trust me, you don’t want to light your backyard up like a torch here. Opt for an oil with a high smoke point, like rice bran oil, avocado oil, or peanut oil.

3. Don’t walk away, but don’t fuss with your feast either. Once you throw something on the hot grates, leave them there! Don’t start pushing them around, flipping again and again, repositioning them closer or farther apart. To leave a dark, solid mark, you need to allow full, uninterrupted contact. Yes, the food does still need to be turned over to even cooking, but just once, and only after a solid 5 minutes at minimum.

4. Use tongs. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve chased around ears of corn with a flat spatula because I was too stubborn to go back inside to get the right utensils. Seriously, save yourself the frustration, potential burns, and charred food. Just use the right tools for the job.

5. Go ahead and grill EVERYTHING! Once you’ve made the effort of dragging that beast out of storage, cleaning it up, and bringing it back to life, keep it busy from noon to night. Grill your tofu pups and corn on the cob, of course, but don’t stop there. Grill the buns! Grill the avocados! Grill pineapples and watermelon for a palate cleanser! Keep the party going and grill s’mores for dessert! Heck, if you’ve still got fire to burn and time to spare, grill any leftover veggies in the fridge to start meal prep for the coming week. After all, Labor Day is but a short respite from the daily grind… It’s right back to work tomorrow, ready or not.

Do you have any simple grilling secrets to share? I’m all ears, and not just with yellow kernels of corn. There’s a wide world of charbroiled delights to discover; I’m just getting started.

Many thanks to LightLife for simply providing meatless dogs to inspire this post. All content remains my own original creations, free of bias, and dedicated to an honest appreciation of cruelty-free food.

Source: https://bittersweetblog.com/2018/08/27/thrill-of-the-grill/

[littleredroseonthevalley]

Red Rose - Chapter 16

Prologue Ch. 1 Ch. 2 Ch. 3 Ch. 4 Ch. 5 Ch. 6 Ch. 7 Ch. 8 Ch. 9 Ch. 10 Ch. 11Ch. 12 Ch. 13 Ch. 14 Ch. 15 CH. 16

Summary: Riley manages the fallback from the hedgemaze fiasco, but she’s soon reminded that there’s no dull moment in Cordonia, as Tariq barges into her room and her and Drake have a moment.

Rating: M -  Not suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 with non-explicit suggestive adult themes, references to some violence, or coarse language.

Theodora sat at her dresser, brushing her thick, platinum blonde mane. Puberty has done her very well, with her skin as fair and spotless as it was at her birth, the hourglass figure and the harmonious breast also being God-given gifts. Her eyes were cold and cutting as a knife.

That night, they shone in determination.

“Promises are made, promises are broken.” She told to her own reflection. “Well, father, two can play at that game.”

She took off the brush from her hair and placed the richly-engraved brush back into the dresser drawer. She then rose from the chair and walked over to her closet. She took some clothes from the racks and threw them at a bag open at the door. She then proceeded to change her blue dress into a pair of pants, a shirt and a green parka.

All dressed, she threw the bag over her shoulders and sneaked off to her parents’ room. At that time of day, it was predictably empty. Behind a painting, lay a safe, and the code was 1918.

Inside the safe, there was cash, jewels, and most importantly, a hostage for her escape operation.

She refused to end up like her parents and siblings. She refused living that odious life. There it was a passport for another life, another herself.

Theodora threw everything inside the bag and sneaked her way into the house’s backdoor.

Half an hour later, safely on a train going away from the life she knew, she took a deep breath. Relief washed her lithe body.

Escape seemed at hand’s reach.

Applewood, Neokastron, Cordonia, Fall 2015

“Oh, God.” Riley bemoaned. “I’m so screwed.”

“This does hamper our initial plans, yes.” Charlotte noted. “We would stay in Cordonia until Theophany, and, when Liam did not pick you, we would have a good reason to leave. Riley would be killed off in some tragic accident a few months later, and that would be that.

“What we didn’t count on is the fact that you want to stay.”

“No matter, we are sticking with our original plan.” Riley said, determined. “Regardless of what I may be feeling about Liam or about anyone else, there is no way I can stay in Cordonia come February. Even if the impossible happens and Liam does choose me.”

“But there is a way.” Charlotte said, thoughtful. “Think about it: your story held uncontested up until now, even with the security services looking thoroughly into it. I doubt anyone except perhaps the MI-5 or the CIA could blow it now, much less some lowly yellow press, sketch of a reporter. And that’s only in the first few months, once the rage of your marriage passes, they stop snooping on the dirty secrets of your past and start snooping on the dirty secrets of your present.

“You have files of the marriage of Amara Grey and Brennan Flowers, the latter of whom died without any relatives to say you weren’t related to them, and the former is so deep in this as yourself, she won’t blab or else she’ll be packing to a federal prison.

“You planted school records in not one, not two, but in three different institutions, you swapped the yearbooks from the library in Cedar Cove, and all your supposed colleagues seem to remember a shy, quiet student at the corner they don’t quite remember the name of.

“You fed a fake Facebook for years, for Christ’s sakes!” Charlotte exasperated. “Honestly, if I didn’t know you, if I didn’t know you were lying, I would fucking think you were really Riley Flowers.”

Riley weighed what has been said by Charlotte, and she had to give her a point, by now there is no conceivable way for her to be discovered, not by the Cordonian court, and not if she didn’t screw up. However, one thing weighed heavily on her mind: “What about Karen and Ludwig?”

“Riley, my promise holds regardless of you deciding to be a queen or not. A week in February, and you’ll be free.” Charlotte said, in all seriousness. “We could tell everybody you were off to New York tying up some loose ends, we could even have Amara backing up these claims.”

Riley grumbled. “It still don’t change what happened today. Liam and I still had this huge fight, and we both said things we shouldn’t have, even if we did meant them.”

“Hey, sweetie, do you still have your journals?” Charlotte asked.

“My journals?” Riley said, confused.

“When you were younger, every time you got upset, you used to write your feelings away. Don’t you do that anymore?”

Then it dawned on her. Her notebooks. She used to write on them every day, as in to chase away the feelings of loneliness and fear from getting caught by the Rosenbergs. She remembered to take them to Cordonia, but she hadn’t touched a single one of them ever since she left New York.

Riley rummaged her trunk and pulled out six leather-bound notebooks. “Here they are. All the way back from the time I moved to New York.”

“Now, why don’t you give them to Liam as an apology gift?” Charlotte proposed.

“What?” Riley shouted. “Are you insane?!”

“Why not? I know you are paranoid enough not to put any names on those, and yet they are personal enough for him to see you’re making an effort to reach out. Besides, they’re the most genuine piece of yourself we can afford to give him right now.”

“That… That…” Riley stuttered while the wheels of her brain turned. “That might be actually a good idea.”

“I’m full of those today.” Charlotte said, smugly. “Now, come, we have to re-do your make-up and accessorize with this dress. Lord, for as much Bertrand is a stick-in-the-mud, he really has no sense of style!”

Riley giggled. “He really don’t. All that ‘country lord’ look of his isn’t working on his favor.”

New York City, Summer 1979

Melissa payed her cabby and got out of the car. Her meager belongings, mostly clothing, were packed into a small, black bag.

She had just arrived from the airport, she was at her parents’ home, in Georgia, and it certainly did not end her way. Not that she really blames them, she had thrown them a bomb.

She had met Kristijan during her internship at the United Nations. She was working under the Spanish ambassador, while Kristijan was a guard to Lord Talmai Bartholomaios, the Cordonian envoy.

They had met when he helped her when she got lost on her way to a meeting at the UN. He had been posted there for over three years and could probably walk through those halls in his sleep. He had a rare afternoon off, as Lord Bartholomaios was otherwise engaged, so, after her meeting, they went out for a coffee and became friends.

After some outings through the city, they started dating. It was a whirlwind romance, one she threw herself into head first.

However, Labor Day was just around the corner, and Lord Bartholomaios was due to return to Cordonia, and Kristijan is supposed to go with. He had told her his ‘commander’, the head of the security services he wasn’t allowed to disclose, was impressed with his work, and offered him a superior position, one that required him to move back to his homeland, permanently.

Facing the possibility of never seeing each other again, Kristijan proposed to Melissa last Friday night. She said she had to talk it over with her family first and promised him an answer the following Monday.

Today.

She used the card key Kristijan had given her and waltzed into the hotel. She went up to his floor and knocked on his door.

He answers her with a grin and a: “Melissa, you’re back!”

“Let’s do it, Kristijan!” She said, overwhelmed. “Let’s go to Cordonia! Let’s get married!”

She didn’t give him time to respond, as she kissed him passionately.

It might be against every ounce of reason in her body, but Melissa Walker was in love.

Applewood, Neokastron, Cordonia, Fall 2015

An hour later, Riley snuck off to Liam’s chambers. No-one saw her, as the servants were busy with preparations for the party downstairs, while the noblepeople were in their rooms dressing up.

She knocked three times, slow and steadily, waiting for a response. After a moment, a tortured ‘Enter!’ was heard from the other side of the heavy, engraved doors.

Prompted, she pushed the heavy doors weakly, as if she was afraid of it disturbing someone’s sleep. The room behind it looked the part, as its thick curtains were drawn, letting none of the sunset light into the room. The bed was also disheveled, as if none of the servants remembered to make it that morning.

Sat on a chair, with his back turned to the door, sat Liam. He had a glass on his hand and a tumbler on the coffee table in front of him, the brown color of the liquid suggested it was bourbon.

“If you came here to tell me I should be getting ready for dinner, pass along the message to my father I will be out shortly.” His tired voice rasped through the room.

“I did not come here to tell you that.” Riley said, in a meek tone. “Though, I can try to reach the King.”

“Riley!” The blond exclaimed, turning to see her. “What are you doing here?”

The woman sighed. “I came here to talk. To apologize, actually. I said some things I shouldn’t have, and I overreacted a little about… that.”

He gaped. “No, no, you were right, I shouldn’t have read that file. I just got scared and did something stupid, and when you caught me, I got scared again and just made everything worse. I should be the one to apologize.”

“Let’s agree we were both on the wrong, then.” She offered. “Regardless, I haven’t been doing a very good job of soothing your worries. You felt the need to read that file because I don’t talk about the past often, and while you’ve never asked, I also haven’t been going out of my way to tell you about it either.

“I don’t do that because it is painful for me to remember. Not the thing about my mother or my aunt and uncle, but for me it feels like every step of the way so far have been difficult somehow, and I just keep hoping for the next to be easier, to be painless. For me to be able to do that, I have to try and forget a little bit of the past and try to move forward, without looking back.

“When I moved to New York, I got into a little of a rough path and I found that writing my feelings helped sorting them out. So, I want you to keep these.” She handed him the six notebooks.

Liam inspected the objects. “What are these?”

“Those are my journals. Six years-worth of them, from the time I moved to New York to the day before I’ve met you. I haven’t written on them ever since I arrived, though, because every day seems more hectic then the one before, so…” She trailed off.

He placed them neatly on the coffee table, away from the tumbler and the glass of booze. “Are you sure you want me to read them?” He looked deep into her charcoal eyes.

“No, I’m not.” She said, honestly. “But I’m sure I want to give you, us, a sincere attempt, and if that’s what it takes, then so be it.”

Liam quickly crossed the distance between them and hugged her tightly. “Thank you, Riley.” He whispers into her hair. “Thank you for being so kind and patient with me, even when I don’t deserve it.”

He kissed her deeply, making her knees go weak.

Palace of the Brigades, Avlona, Cordonia, Summer 1984

Melissa had her finest dress on, and her little child was also dress impeccably. She lived at the Brigades for five years, now, but she wasn’t quite used to the idea of royalty, and the prospect of actually meeting one made her giggly.

She walked over to some French doors, where Bastien, one of her husband’s apprentices, waited stoically for her.

“Good afternoon, Bastien.” She greeted, amicably. More than once the young man has had a meal with them at their apartment on the service lodge of the palace, and both Kristijan and Melissa had a soft spot for the boy.

“Good afternoon, ma’am.” He smiled at her. “Your Majesty waits for you.”

“Lead the way!”

He nodded and opened the door for her. It leads into a small drawing room, in which the Queen have had served some tea and biscuits.

The young royal rose to her feet, with some difficulty, taking upon account she was heavily pregnant, and greeted her. “Madam Walker, I am very glad you took upon my invitation this afternoon.”

Melissa’s face probably betrayed the frantic thoughts running through her head. “Y-Your Majesty!” She bowed hastily. “It is I who is glad about your invitation!”

She laughed softly. “Please, call me Carmela. We are alone, and I was hoping we could have a more relaxed conversation.”

“Of course, ma’am. I mean, Carmela.” It was rather strange calling a girl younger than herself ‘ma’am’, after all.

“Great!” She smiled. “Is this little Drake I hear so much about?” The blue-blooded approached the carriage, where the boy slept soundly. “How old is he again?”

“Six months.” The woman answered, with a soft smile. “He was born in late Fall last year.”

“How adorable.” She gushed. “Pardon me, I have the baby fever. I must run poor Bastien haggard with all my questions about all the mothers at the palace.”

Melissa giggled. “I remember how I was with Drake. I spent the day looking through baby clothes catalogs and pregnancy books. When are you due?”

“The doctors say All-Hallows, but I think this one’s going to be an early bird.” She patted her own protuberant stomach fondly. “I’m thinking of naming him Liam if it’s a boy.”

The other did a small double-take at the revelation. “It is different in Cordonia.”

“It is unusual in Italy as well.” She dismissed, with a faint smile. “But I’m a fan of Liam Clancy. Constantine’s going to take some convincing, though.”

“I thought the King wanted something more traditional.”

Carmela shrugged. “Some Greek mouthful, yes.” She poured two cups of tea and handed one to Melissa. “Speaking of things unusual, I never expected to see a surname like Kristijan’s in Cordonia. Walker,” She tested on her tongue, with her foreign accent. “It’s English, right?”

“It’s actually my name.” Melissa pointed out. “Kristijan said his surname carried a stigma in Cordonia, and he wanted to change it when we married.”

“Oh, my! There’s so much I know not.” Carmela commented. “Was it Slavic? I’ve noticed our Serbian subjects are very hostile to our rule. It would make sense for Kristijan to change it when he joined our employment.”

The other woman shook her head. “No, it was Greek. Bunas, after the river.”

“No, it doesn’t ring any bells.” She commented.

“How about the social season, ma’am?” She tried to change the subject. “You’ll probably be bed-ridden by then.”

“Don’t tell me.” She grimaced. “It would be my first one as Queen. Fortunately, Constantine is able to attend alone the events elsewhere. What worries me are the ceremonies held here at the Brigades. Which reminds me, Melissa?”

“Yes?” The woman responded.

“You were a diplomat once, right? Before marrying?”

She laughed uncomfortably. “I wouldn’t say that. I worked at an embassy, and I have a degree in International Relations.”

“But you do understand about ceremonials?”

“I suppose? Somewhat, at least.” Melissa said.

Carmela smiled broadly. “Great! You see, I was looking for a secretary, to help me with the preparations for the season. I would do it myself, but with the pregnancy and everything…” She trailed off.

The woman made a double-take. “Are you sure you want me?”

“Of course. You know the ropes, and I know I can trust you. It is more I can say about any other woman in this house.” The monarch answered. “And you will be paid handsomely for the job.”

Melissa weighs her options. As the wife of Kristijan, she was not allowed to take employment outside the palace and caring for Drake full time get really boring fast. Besides, with the money, they could save for retirement, which came early for royal bodyguards.

“Okay. I’m in.” The eldest smiled.

Applewood, Neokastron, Cordonia, Fall 2015

Riley arrived at dinner rigorously on time, perfectly composed and her head held high. Liam wasn’t with her, staying behind as in not to arise suspicion, but aside from him, all of the guests at the chateau were already in attendance.

Servants bustle about, keeping the tables freshly stocked with foods and drinks. Over a couple of tables, a few girls conversed in rushed tones.

“The King and the Queen seemed quite taken with you today, Lady Madeleine.” Some random suitor commented with said blonde.

She smirked. “They respect my opinions. And I believe we have a lot in common. I hope I’ll have the support and respect of all the ladies of the court if I’m chosen.”

The tone of her ‘if’ portrayed no doubt.

Penelope sat next to the pair and whispered back: “To tell you the truth, I think Lady Riley may be the one to be chosen, and I think she would be a wonderful queen.”

As much as Penelope’s heart was in the right place, that certainly wasn’t the moment to make that kind of statement. Much less to Madeleine, who frowned quite pronouncedly: “I suppose you are entitled to have your own opinion.” She said.

Charlotte waved at her, as if they were just meeting. Riley started walking over to her, also keeping up the appearances, when she crossed paths with Tariq.

“Good evening, Tariq.” She greeted, politely.

“Lady Riley.” He nodded, acknowledging. “It is always a pleasure seeing you.”

“A rare one, it seems. How have you been?” She engaged in conversation. Bertrand would be proud.

He laughed. “Indeed. I’ve been as splendid as you look, my dear.”

“You seem flirty tonight.” She pointed out.

“It comes from the deepest recesses of my being.” He winked. “This event can hardly bear a star as bright as yours.”

Riley thought it to be strange behavior from the young nobleman but preferred not to probe. She has enemies enough, no need going out and making more. “Thank you, Tariq. You flatter me.”

“It feels me with joy to hear you say that.” He beamed. “You know, I have to tell you, after talking to most of the other ladies here, I find myself having nurtured such an… appreciation for you. You are like a breath of New York fresh air.”

Knowing those same girls he speaks of, Riley can only agree to the sentiment, even if the phrasing is hardly ideal. “I don’t think anyone says that.”

“The other suitors are absolutely boring.” He admonished. “One talks only about her dogs, another merely sulks to the corners. And don’t get me started on Olivia.”

“Some of the other girls have their charms.” Riley weighed.

Tariq scoffed. “If they do, I have yet to find them. They have good breeding, wealth and manners, but they’re absolutely dull. How disappointing.”

There it was. Tariq the Plutocrat. Riley was starting to worry he had banged his head at some table corner.

He, however, wasn’t done: “Whereas with you, Lady Riley, you grow more interesting every time we speak. I must, however, take my leave. May you have a fantastic evening.”

Tariq bows and left, while Maxwell approaches.

“There’s our little social star!” He greets, with an unusual dose of excitement. “Is that Tariq you were talking to?”

“Yeah, and it was weird.” She commented, while looking at the place the young middle-eastern left empty.

“Strange?” Maxwell inquired, confused. “How so?”

“He was so amicable! And before today, we barely talked.”

The man tutted. “I’ll keep an eye on him. Now, come, Bertrand and I got a table this way.”

Palace of the Brigades, Avlona, Cordonia, Spring 1993

Melissa was sitting on the kitchen table. The dinner was served, and the children already ate. Drake and Savannah were at the conjoined living room, having their TV time.

Kristijan was late for dinner, again. Melissa knew his patrol schedule was messy, but he had said he would be home that evening. She tapped her fingers against the table, anger and hungry, as she had been kind enough to wait for him.

She sighed angrily and walked over to the living room. “Kids,” She told them while turning off the TV. “It’s bed time.”

“But, mommy!” Little Savannah complains. “Daddy isn’t here yet!”

The woman sighed once more. Her husband gave her nothing but trouble. “I know, darling. But it’s late, it’s way past the time for little girls to be in bed.”

She pouted. “I’m not a little girl anymore.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Grown-Up.” She smiled at her daughter’s antics. “Tell you what, go to bed now and I’ll have daddy giving you a good-night kiss when he gets here, ‘kay?”

“’Kay…” Savannah caved and walked over to the bedroom she shared with his older brother.

“Drake?” The woman called.

“Yeah?” He grumbled. Sometimes, she swore that boy was born sour.

“Watch your sister, okay? I’ll go over to the kitchens, but I’ll be right back.”

He looked at her warily but nodded his head. She kissed his hair and went out the front door.

Closing and locking her apartment’s door for security, she started walking down the hall. However, instead of going down to the kitchens like she said she would, Melissa walked over to the bachelors’ wing and knocked on an apartment’s door.

A man came out. “Mrs. Walker?” He asks, confused. “What are you doing here?”

“Bastien, you’re on the night shift tonight, aren’t you?” She inquired, feverishly.

“Yeah, I was going out right now.” He said. “Why? Do you need anything?”

“Actually, I do.” She smirked, with a hint of crazy in her eyes. “I need you to take me to the Queen’s chambers. It’s where you’re supposed to switch guard, isn’t it?”

He looked at the woman he so deeply respected and cared for. Bastien was sure that if she was asking such a thing, she had a legitimate reason for it, no matter how unorthodox. “Follow me.” He said and led the way.

On a hurried place, they made their way through the labyrinthine, ghastly hallways of the Brigades at nighttime. When they arrived at the heavy, mahogany doors of the quarters, Melissa eyed Bastien for him to make himself scarce.

The look he gave in response said that he would not hinder her, but he sure wasn’t leaving.

It was his own peril. Taken by murderous rage, she opened the door and walked right into the room. Unfortunately for Melissa, she saw exactly what she was looking for.

She picked up a shirt laid on the ground and placed on her nose. She knew that aftershave anywhere. She let it fall to her feet as she walks over to the bed. The couple laying there was fast asleep.

Melissa sat on a chair by the dresser and turned on the lamp. She took a good look at the face of the man resting on there. Tan skin, shaved neatly, but with a defined, rugged, hairy chest.

She picked up a heel on the floor and admired it. A dark blue, satin Zanotti, with silver fastenings. A beautiful shoe for a beautiful woman. Melissa twirled it by the heel, and then threw at the man.

He woke up, of course, startled. His eyes focused on her: “Melissa! What are you doing here?”

Her eyes glinted with the light of the lamp. “Why, Kristijan, you’re late for dinner. I came looking for you.”

The woman woke up, dizzy, and looked over at Melissa. “What is the meaning of this?!”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Regina, did I wake you up?” She asks, sickly sweet. “Now you can join us.”

“I would ever.” She admonished. “Have some respect!”

Melissa clicked her tongue and shook her head. “Oh, Regina, I find it terribly funny how you Cordonians think everybody owe you respect. When will you learn respect is earned?”

She leaned over the bed, over Kristijan, and whispered to her: “Don’t try evoking any Laws of Exception on me. I’m not a Cordonian citizen. You can’t throw me on jail.”

The Queen fumed but did not say a thing. Kristijan, however, pulled her away and stood up. He was as naked as the day he was born, his intimacy hanging limp by his leg.

He tugged on her arm, and whispered menacingly: “Let’s go, Melissa.”

“I’m going, I’m going.” She wriggled her arm away, and then lowered her sight to his genitalia. “But I think you should change first. I know you clearly don’t really care who see your bits, but some people may.”

She stood up and started to leave. Kristijan came after her, thankfully using some underwear, shouting: “Melissa! Melissa, wait!”

“What?!” She turned and barked.

“Just hear me out, okay?!” He said, frozen in place by her glare.

“What are going to say, huh?! It wasn’t what it looked like?!” She shouted, the sound bounced from the walls and empty rooms.

He sighed. “It is what it looked like. Or not, I don’t know. I did sleep with the Queen, I have been sleeping with her for some time, too. But what did you want me to do? She’s the Queen, for Christ’s sake!”

“I wanted you to keep it in your pants. I expected you to keep your vows. I expected you to, at least, tell me what was going on.” She said, cold.

He scoffed. “And then what? You think I’d still have a job here? A place to live?”

“We would find a way, Kristijan!” She shouted, frustrated. “I’m not an invalid!”

He sighed one more time. “What now?”

“I’m going back to the US.” She said, seriously. “I’m taking the kids. There’s nothing for us here anymore.”

With that, Melissa left, and Kristijan did not try to stop her.

Applewood, Neokastron, Cordonia, Fall 2015

Riley followed Maxwell to the table and sat down between him and Charlotte, who accompanied them on that meal.

Soon enough, the sound of glass clinking fell through the al-fresco dining area. Everyone then turns to the source of the noise, which was the figure of Prince Liam, standing up next to Constantine and Regina.

“If I may have everyone’s attention, I’d like to say a few words before we serve the main course.” The blond announced. “First, I would like to thank everyone for joining us out here at the country estate. I had the honor and privilege of having you in my court, and I could not ask for better company.

“As I step into my father’s place in the next few weeks, I can only hope I am half the man he was for Cordonia.”

“Long live Prince Liam!” Maxwell pulls the chant, followed by claps and cheers by all attendees.

“Thank you all.” Liam bowed. “When we next meet like this, it will be on the next event of the season, the traditional New Year’s party hosted by the illustrious House Beaumont.”

The crowd applauds, and Maxwell hollered: “Woo-hoo!” He then turns to Riley. “I can’t wait to show you the manor.”

“Maxwell, aren’t we a little strapped for cash right now?” She asks, concerned. “Can we afford hosting a party this big right now?”

He grimaced. “I don’t think we have a choice. Like Liam said, it’s tradition. We can’t back out now.”

“Yes. If we back out, we might as well announce to the whole world we are officially ruined!” Bertrand barked.

“Bertrand has a point.” Charlotte pointed out. “The manor house is big and opulent enough, we’ll be fine as long as we keep them busy. If the food is a little lacking, I bet no-one will notice.”

As the applause dies out, Liam continues: “The Beaumonts will surely give us another legendary night to remember. Until then, I thank you once again and wish you a good night.”

Palace of the Brigades, Avlona, Cordonia, Spring 1993

The Walker family, the personnel of the palace division of the Security Services and the Royal Family was congregated at the chapel within the Brigade Hill, honoring a sacrifice of one of their own.

As per request, there would be no speeches, no talking, no medals. There would only be a prayer conducted by the chaplain, which was over. The people were walking on a line, saying their condolences to the widow, standing by the casket.

After a big group of maids, security guards and other relatives payed their respects, there came the turn of the Royal Family. The youngest boy, Liam, was spared from the ceremony, thankfully.

Melissa couldn’t spare Drake of many uncomfortable comparisons he was subject to as the ‘common’ friend of one of the Princes, but the absence of a parent was a circumstance she really hadn’t considered to face up to a few weeks before.

Then, when Kristijan’s sins had come to light, Melissa was ready for filing divorce. She had bought the plane tickets, prepared the kids’ passports, wired her savings, called some relatives. And now she was a widow.

The first one to offer his sentiments was Prince Leo. The teenaged aristocrat couldn’t be bothered to play the part appropriately, appearing bored throughout the ceremony. Though, it was fair to say he would have rather for Kristijan to have failed on his mission.

Following him, there was Constantine. He hugged her softly, and said, on a low tone: “Your husband died a hero. The Royal Family has an eternal debt to you, ma’am.”

Then, it was the face she dreaded the most. Regina. Her dead husband’s lover. The woman he died to protect. There was something salacious, belonging to a cheap paperback novel, having such an encounter.

She was wearing a black, embroidered silk dress, her head covered with a shawl and a Spanish mother-of-pearl clasp. As she often does, Regina was asserting her power with subtlety.

The royal approached her and whispered softly to her ear. “I want to see you out of this country by nightfall. Take your snotty twerps with you.”

“Say, Regina, doesn’t your husband find most strange for you to be all alone with Kristijan on the gardens? At the middle of the night?” She asks, with a smirk.

“Are you really threatening me?” She barked.

“Not at all, Your Majesty. I am merely showing you I am not without my own bite.” She said, neutral. “But rest assured, by this time tomorrow, I’ll be far away from your sight.”

The Queen huffs and backs off her.

Applewood, Neokastron, Cordonia, Fall 2015

Riley walked down the hallway leading to her chambers. She was alone, as Bertrand and Maxwell were busy arranging their suitcases, and Charlotte said she would retire early.

Speaking of the Beaumonts, they said they would be spending their Christmas on a ski lodge in Switzerland. Given the price of the room and the fact the holiday was upon them, Bertrand made it clear she wasn’t invited. Charlotte said she could spend the week in Italy with her, but Riley knew how it was at her place, and she had her fill of aristocratic parties.

She reached her door and opened it. “Charlotte!” She called. “I’m here.”

The room was empty. Shrugging, Riley tried to lock the door, but the lock seemed stuck. As it was very late, the two women would have to make do with a chair against the handle.

Deciding to place it only after Charlotte’s return, Riley started taking off her clothing and her bodice. Butt-naked, she put on a silk robe and started walking over to the dresser to remove her make-up.

It was when she heard the door open and shut. “Is it you?” She called, distracted.

“It is I, love, and good Lord! Disrobing in my room! What a forward gesture. I like it.”

It wasn’t Charlotte’s voice. Riley turned to the intruder and shouted: “Tariq! What the Hell are you doing here?!”

“Please don’t misunderstand. I’m not upset. I’m just surprised. I suspected, but I’ve never thought it would happen so soon.” He said, approaching her.

She tried to cover herself better, while taking a step back. “Tariq, I think there’s something wrong here…”

He takes her hand and places over his heart. “No, I must say this! Your feelings are most ardently returned! You’ve enchanted me just as you enchant everybody you come across, and now I know you feel the same way about me.”

She raises an eyebrow at him. “About that…”

Before she can say anything else, he lowers his head and take her mouth into a kiss.

Riley starts trying to push him away, when the door is pushed open and a figure launch itself into Tariq.

“Get away from her!” The deep voice commands, pining the middle-eastern man away from her by the shoulder.

“Unhand me!” Tariq spats back. “How dare you enter my room without my permission!”

“He’s one to say!” Riley sneered to herself, as Tariq punches the figure squarely on the face. Just then she is able to take a good look to the man, who reveals himself to be Drake.

The commoner reels back for a split second and then tackles the nobleman to the ground. They grapple intensely for a second until they pull apart.

“Who the Hell do you think you are busting into my room?!” Tariq shouts, angry.

“This is Riley’s room!” Drake spats back. “And I heard her screaming, I think she wanted the interruption.”

“Oh, God!” She ran her hand through her hair. “Tariq, someone pulled a prank on you. I’m not, in any way, interested in you, I’m sorry.”

He looked at her with puppy eyes. “So, this isn’t going to be the bold, romantic beginning to our love story?”

“No.” She doubled the ‘o’, shaking her head.

He sighed and tried to gather whatever little dignity he had. “I see. Let me deeply apologize here. I’m so sorry for this transgression. I was incredibly wrong. Now, before I can humiliate myself any further, let me take my leave. Good night, Lady Riley. Whomever has your heart, he is indeed a lucky man.”

As the man leaves, Drake slams the door shut behind him.

Riley threw herself on the bed, covering her face with her hands. “Before I bemoan my luck, thanks, Drake. If you hadn’t intervened, I would have kicked him in the nuts and it everything would be worse.”

“Aw, shucks, Flowers, don’t go soft on me now.” He sideline-smirked at her. “I’ll always be here for you. Because of Liam, of course.”

She sat up straight and looked at him. “What Liam got to do with anything?”

“Liam would never forgive me if something… bad… happened to you.” He sighed and withered under her inquisitive look. “And I wouldn’t forgive myself, either.”

She smirked, defiantly, at him, while he averts his eyes, embarrassed.

He clears his throat. “Anyways, you can see why it looked bad. I heard a scream and I saw you half-naked, with Tariq all over you…” He trailed off. “Are you okay, though.”

“I’m fine.” She said, earnestly.

“Well, I should get out of here before we really cause a scandal.” He said, and turned to leave when he winced in pain, clutching at his side.

“You’re hurt.” She pointed out.

He dismissed it with a: “Nothing some whiskey won’t heal.”

“Come on, big boy, I’ve got some ice.” She said, motioning for him to sit on the bed.

He smirked. “You trying to get me to take my shirt off, Flowers?”

“I am succeeding.” She smirked at him. “Chop-chop, I don’t have all night.”

“You have a real bossy side to you.” He murmurs while obeying her order.

“Take it to someone who cares.” She rolled her eyes, picked up a handkerchief and some ice, and started evaluating the bruise.

“So, doc, do you see anything alarming?” He asks, ironic.

“Other than the fact you bruise like a peach, it seems you’ll be okay.” She said, snarky.

He scoffed. “Tariq hits harder than you’d think.”

Riley laughed, ironically, while standing up. “I can’t believe you lost a fight to Tariq!”

“I didn’t say I lost! I never said that!” He defended, desperately. “I definitively won, I’m just saying he got in some good hits and I didn’t expect that from a palace brat.”

“Whatever floats your boat.” She smirked.

From Drake’s point of view, the moonlight coming from her window framed her profile. Her petite, princess-like nose and superior smirk were features he was sure he was supposed to despise, but it seemed right on her, like if it was supposed to be so.

Drake runs his fingers through his hair. “You can be so…” He started, but then lost his nerve. “Never mind. Hey, aren’t you supposed to be treating my wounds?”

“Before I ice your wounds, wouldn’t you like something to drink?” She offered. “Lest of all you bitch when I put it on your rib.”

“Hit me.”

She walked over to the bar and poured two glasses of whiskey on the rocks. Handing him one of them, she says: “I wouldn’t make you drink alone.”

“Heh. Thanks.” He smirks.

Drake downs his glass as Riley presses the ice against his body. “Hey! It hurts!” He complains.

“Grow a pair!” She bit back but pressed more gently the ice.

Drake turns and catches her eye. After a long second, he lowers his gaze. “Thanks.” He breathed out and paused. “I know I don’t act very grateful for anything most of the time, but I do… care about you.”

“Mighty way to show it.” She complains. “Most of the time you act like you hate me.”

“I do not.” He defended.

She raised an eyebrow at him. “Drake.”

“Okay, I do, don’t I?” He sighed. “It’s not personal. It’s just… easier that way.”

“Easier? For whom?” She questions while keeping up with the ministrations.

“You’re here for Prince Liam. All of the suitors are. And, well, so is the entire court. All the nobles, all the servants, even. Everything and everyone in this place exists to orbit around Liam. You could almost hate him for it, if he weren’t so damn likeable. It’s dangerous for people like you and me to forget about that.” He grumbled the last part.

“Where are you getting at, Drake?”

“Hell, Flowers. Don’t make me say it.” He whispers and gulps down his drink. “If we’d met somewhere else, anywhere else. At a club in New York, or in the airport, or at a party… If you hadn’t been our waitress that night, and I hadn’t been sitting next to Liam… Do you think it would be different?”

“Drake, Drake, Drake.” A woman’s voice came from the door. The two of them broke apart, and faced the source of the sound, which was Charlotte’s frame. “Don’t you ever tire of being a whiny, charity case? Because I do, constantly.” She sneered.

“Fuck you, Rosenberg.” He barked at her.

“Drakey-poo is mad? How sad!” She ironized. “Let me answer this one for Little Miss Flowers over here. It wouldn’t be any different. You know why? Because you’ll always be the same, you’ll always look over your shoulder, worried that Liam will take your happiness away from you, that they will move on to greener pastures. And so, you make their lives a living Hell, so when they finally leave, you can act like if you had known all along.”

He lunged at her, and it seemed like he was going to hit her, but he lowered his hand and said on a dangerous tone: “You are just some left-over, bitter, society wife. Look yourself in the mirror before preaching about my life.”

With that, he left the bedroom.

Charlotte then shuts the door. Riley runs over to her. “God gracious, Charlotte! Where were you?”

“Constantine called me over to his study. He was trying to negotiate part of their debt.” She said, dismissive. “What is more interesting is why Walker was here in the first place.”

Riley then explained everything to Charlotte about what had happened that night. The blonde walks over to the door to check it. “Riley, I locked the door on my way out.”

“But it was open when I arrived!” She said, nervously.

“Check the trunk!” The blonde commanded.

It was still locked, with no signs of forced entry. “It seems our secret is safe, at least.”

Charlotte was fretful, still. “Regardless, there’s blood in the water. Come, we’re leaving now.”

The two girls packed everything on the room quickly, and on the silence of the night, they fled Applewood.

Atlanta, Georgia, Summer 2010

A middle-aged man climbed slowly the stairs. He was struggling with the steps, having been hindered with a crutch. Unfortunately for him, the building had no elevators and his destination was on the fifth floor.

It was a very important meeting, which is why he had come from so far away, and the delicacy of the matter had him prescinding of his assistant.

When he finally reached the floor, he stopped for a moment, to catch his breath and to dispel his flustering. He wiped his forehead with a handkerchief, as Georgia was much warmer than he had expected. Then, he continued his walk and knocked on an apartment door.

A woman answers. “Hello. How may I help you?”

He cleared his throat and asks: “Are you Melissa Walker?”

Her face paled. “Who are you?”

“I am Ludwig von Rosenberg.“ He said, solemn. “I wish to speak about your husband.”

Red Rose - Masterlist

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Taglist: @boneandfur; @mfackenthal

[donald-clemons]

Five Ways to Get Your Ecommerce Store Ready for Labor Day

When you consider holiday shopping, Labor Day might not be the first holiday that comes to mind. But for ecommerce merchants, Labor Day represents a major seasonal milestone and a critical chance to reinvigorate your revenue after the dreaded “summer slump” that many ecommerce stores experience.

If Labor Day weekend snuck up on you this year (it’s the first Monday of September), it’s not too late to gear up your ecommerce store for this pivotal holiday. Here are five last-minute preparations you can make during the month of August to master the Labor Day sale and kick off your best holiday shopping season yet.

1. Highlight the Right Products

As you shore up your Labor Day sales strategy, consider the types of products that have historically performed well on Labor Day. While all types of industries can throw successful Labor Day sales, certain verticals perform better than others: namely, consumer-friendly “Back to School/Work” products like apparel, school or office supplies, and electronics.

It’s also a good idea to consider the economic realities of today’s consumer. Last year, 66% of shoppers celebrated Labor Day on a smaller scale, and 39% were more budget conscious. It may take steeper discounts than usual to entice this year’s consumers, so factor that into your strategy.

2. Count on Email

Studies show that email marketing drives 30% of all Labor Day sales—more than any other channel including direct traffic, paid search, and organic traffic. That’s great news for your last-minute Labor Day planning, because unlike the more time-intensive strategies like SEO, a month leaves you with plenty of time to prepare an email campaign (as long as you’re already running an email marketing strategy).

This month, prepare the design and messaging of the emails you’ll send out to your customers to remind them of the Labor Day sale. In addition to sending out an email blast the day of or before the sale, you can also build a series of countdown emails to get customers excited in advance.

3. Prepare Your On-Site Merchandising

It may seem like a headache to switch out your banners and other merchandising slots for a minor holiday, but fortunately, design programs like Canva can make whipping up a new banner fairly painless. If you’re not a design expert, stick with a template and change only the colors and messaging to fit your brand. Canva templates may not have the flash of your traditional homepage banners, but they’ll get the important work done: delivering your message while standing out to the customers who have grown “blind” to your usual on-site banners.

Remember, too, the onsite merchandising slots that offer you quick, easy wins. For example, sticky headers are a fantastic way to announce a holiday sale or link customers to a particular page, and they take about 30 seconds to update.

4. Get Social

As you map out your social strategy, remember what Labor Day is really about: it’s a celebration of American workers and laborers. If you can, try to wrap the spirit of Labor Day into your sale by focusing on American-made products or giving special discounts to “Essential Workers” who can’t take the day off. When that’s not possible, you can at least keep the spirit of the holiday alive through your social media posts. This is a great time to publicly highlight and thank your own workers, too.

5. Think Forward

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or concerned that you’ve missed the boat on Labor Day sales this year, don’t worry—just plan ahead. Labor Day is a great reminder that your major holidays—Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Christmas, etc.—are just around the corner. You still have plenty of time to prepare for these business-critical holidays, so if you’re feeling under the water, let go of Labor Day and parlay the missed opportunity into a redoubled focus on this year’s major holiday season.

Also, remember that Labor Day sales don’t need to be complicated. You can often use Labor Day to kick off a longer, more complex promotion like a “Back to School Week/Month,” which makes the sale on the day itself less of an “end all be all.” Or, you can simply use Labor Day as a time to send out an email or put up a social media post calling out and thanking your workers.

In Conclusion

No matter how you decide to wrap Labor Day into your larger sales strategy, there’s still time to prepare. Start with the tips on this list, and get ready to say goodbye to the summer ecommerce slump—your busiest and most exciting season is about to begin.

Five Ways to Get Your Ecommerce Store Ready for Labor Day published first on https://yousweetluxury.weebly.com/

[olko71]

New Post has been published on All about business online

New Post has been published on http://yaroreviews.info/2020/12/airbnbs-stock-price-more-than-doubles-in-market-debut

Airbnb's Stock Price More Than Doubles in Market Debut

Airbnb shares debuted on the Nasdaq stock exchange in New York Thursday.

Photo: carlo allegri/Reuters

By

Preetika Rana

Close

Preetika Rana

,

Maureen Farrell

Close

Maureen Farrell

and

Micah Maidenberg

Close

Micah Maidenberg

Updated Dec. 10, 2020 4:32 pm ET

Airbnb Inc.’s ABNB 112.81% shares more than doubled in their trading debut on Thursday, reflecting a soaring market for new stock listings and the home-sharing company’s ability to navigate the coronavirus-induced downturn in travel this year.

The stock began trading at $146 on the Nasdaq Stock Market, higher than its initial-public-offering price of $68 a share. It closed slightly lower than its opening price at $144.71.

Airbnb, co-founded in 2008 by now-Chief Executive Brian Chesky, changed the hospitality industry by demonstrating that millions of people were willing to skip hotel stays and book spaces offered by hosts on its platform. The company says it has built a powerful brand, with the majority of guests this year going directly to Airbnb when booking short-term rentals.

The company ended the day worth $100.7 billion, based on a fully diluted share count, greater than the combined market value of Marriott International Inc., Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. and Hyatt Hotels Corp.

Airbnb’s first-day performance is likely to continue to fuel excitement over the IPO market, where investors have been clamoring for shares of hot newly public companies.

In addition to Airbnb, shares of DoorDash Inc. and C3.ai Inc. also surged on their first day of trading, jumping 86% and 120% respectively on Wednesday. DoorDash’s stock slipped 1.9% Thursday, while C3.ai continued to rise, gaining 40.6%.

By both volume and stock price performance, these companies are trading into one of the hottest IPO markets in history. So far in 2020, more than $155 billion has been raised on U.S. exchanges, far exceeding the previous full-year record set at the height of the dot-com boom in 1999, according to Dealogic data that date to 1995.

Airbnb’s listing caps a difficult year in which the company was whipsawed by a sharp decline in travel caused by the spread of Covid-19. The pandemic upended vacations and work-related trips, forcing Airbnb and other companies—including airlines, hotel chains and cruise operators—to retrench.

“If you can survive a global pandemic that shuts down global travel, you can survive anything,” said Alfred Lin, partner at Sequoia Capital and an Airbnb board member and early investor.

This spring, as consumers sheltered in place, Airbnb borrowed $2 billion to shore up its cash reserves. In May, the company said it would cut 1,900 jobs, or one-quarter of its staff, and pause investments in noncore operations. Airbnb slashed other big expenses, including for marketing.

“I assumed that this crisis was a storm that could be unrelenting for years,” Mr. Chesky said in an interview.

Airbnb was bleeding cash earlier this year, making its plans to go public by the end of 2020 look bleak. But by adapting its business to the pandemic, Airbnb looks to have salvaged its IPO and possibly its future. Photo illustration: Jacob Reynolds/WSJ

But the company was able to latch on to demand from people looking for trips closer to home during the pandemic, fueled by consumers wanting a change of location. In August, for example, more than half of bookings made through Airbnb were for stays within 300 miles of the guest’s location. Revenue is nowhere close to pre-pandemic levels—down 32% year over year in the first nine months of the year—but has still recovered from lows in the spring.

“One of the benefits of the crisis is that it did require us to get really focused.…That enabled us to tell a story about who we are and what we’ll be,” Mr. Chesky said. In the weeks leading up to the debut, Mr. Chesky spoke to prospective investors on video wearing sweatpants.

As of the end of September, the company had more than 4 million hosts and 7 million listings of home rentals and experiences, such as guided activities, in more than 220 places globally, according to a prospectus about the IPO.

The company’s costs jumped fivefold between 2015 and 2019 as it expanded into new areas such as media and transportation, built a new headquarters and aggressively invested in sales and marketing. Mr. Chesky said he ran through hundreds of expense items during the pandemic. Total costs dropped 22% in the first nine months of this year compared with the year-earlier period. The company’s hefty sales and marketing budget was cut by more than half.

The cost cuts, along with the unforeseen pickup in local stays, led the company to post a profit in the third quarter of this year. The June-September quarter is typically strong for the platform because of seasonal factors including summer vacations, and Airbnb has turned a profit in that period since 2018.

But like many Silicon Valley startups that are bleeding red ink when they go public, Airbnb has never posted a full-year profit. Its loss last year was greater than its losses in the previous four years combined. And it lost more than twice as much through the first nine months of this year than it did in the year-earlier period, largely because of shrinking revenue earlier in the health crisis.

“I don’t know what the future brings but that we can adapt to it,” Mr. Chesky said. He pointed to Airbnb redesigning its app and website to focus on local stays during the pandemic.

Some investors said the run-up in prices for Airbnb’s shares made them too expensive and avoided buying the stock during Thursday’s debut.

“I’m a big fan of Airbnb, and I really wanted to buy some today myself. But I wasn’t able to do it because I just don’t feel that the math is reasonable, and the stock should come down in my view,” said Tony Roth, chief investment officer for Wilmington Trust, which manages $124 billion in assets.

The company’s growth in recent years has drawn sharp opposition from many corners. Many homeowners have been pushing to combat Airbnb, raising objections to living near short-term rentals because of noise, parties and worries about property values. In its stock-offering prospectus, the San Francisco company notes that landlords, neighborhood groups and condominium associations have moved to prohibit or restrict home sharing.

Denver, Boston and other cities have tightened rules covering short-term rental operations, as have cities that before the pandemic were major tourist destinations, including Rome and Barcelona. Meanwhile, some mayors have said that investors have purchased homes to rent out through Airbnb, exacerbating housing shortages and affordability. Airbnb said in its prospectus that it will continue “to collaborate with policymakers to implement sensible legislation in cities around the world.”

Organized-labor groups tied to hotels have also fought the company. In New York, for example, a major hotel-employee union had put together a lobbying effort to try to curtail it. Airbnb earlier this year said it would hire union construction workers for new-real estate projects where it is involved.

Write to Preetika Rana at preetika.rana@wsj.com, Maureen Farrell at maureen.farrell@wsj.com and Micah Maidenberg at micah.maidenberg@wsj.com

Copyright ©2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

[godsheadangel]

📖📖📖📖📖 JOHN 1: 32-33 KJV📖📖📖📖📖

AND JOHN BARE RECORD, SAYING, I SAW THE SPIRIT💫DESCENDING FROM HEAVEN LIKE A DOVE, AND IT ABODE ABOVE HIM.

AND I KNEW HIM NOT: BUT HE THAT SENT ME TO BAPTIZE WITH WATER🌊THE SAME SAID UNTO ME, UPON WHOM THOU SHALT SEE THE SPIRIT💫DESCENDING, AND REMAINING ON HIM, THE SAME IS HE WHICH BAPTISETH WITH THE HOLY💫SPIRIT

#1 THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST✝

PAINTED IN 1710 AERT DE GELDER✝

📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖

#2. THE MIRACLE OF THE SNOW

MASOLINO DA PANICALE IN 1400

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷

#3. PAINTED IN THE 15TH CENTURY

THE MADONNA WITH SAINT GIOVANNINO

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷

#4. THE CRUCIFIXION PAINTED IN YEAR 1350

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷

📖📖📖📖📖 LUKE 1:34-36 KJV 📖📖📖📖📖

THEN SAID MARY UNTO THE ANGEL, HOW SHALL THIS BE, SEEING I KNOW NOT A MAN?

AND THE ANGEL ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HER, THE HOLY💫GHOST💫SHALL COME UPON THEE, AND THE POWER OF THE HIGHEST SHALL OVERSHADOW THEE; THEREFORE ALSO THAT HOLY💫THING WHICH SHALL BE BORN OF THEE SHALL BE CALLED THE SON✝ OF GOD✝

#5. THE ANNUNCIATION

PAINTED BY CARLO CRIVELLI IN YEAR 1486

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷

📖📖📖📖📖[DANIEL 7:9 KJV]📖📖📖📖📖

I BEHELD TO THE THRONES WERE CAST DOWN, AND THE ANCIENT OF DAYS🌅DID SIT WHOSE GARMENT WAS WHITE AS SNOW AND THE HAIR OF HIS HEAD LIKE THE PURE [WOOL:] HIS THRONE LIKE THE FIERY🔥 FLAME, AND HIS WHEELS AS BURNING FIRE.

#6. GLORIFICATION OF THE EUCHARIST

👁GOD💫HIMSELF IS PICTURED ON THE RIGHT SIDE [HIS IMAGE INCORRECT] BUT NONE THE LESS THIS HAPPENED AS IT WAS [FORETOLD TO PROPHETS] IT IS SO ENOCH✝ WHO GRACED 👁GOD💫ON THE LEFT SIDE WITH [HIS✝ BLESSED✝ PRESENCE] FOR OUR 👁GOD💫[DID SO DELIGHT IN HIM✝ SO!!!]

LET TRUTH REALITY BE FOREVER KNOWN!!!

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷

#7. THE MAGNIFICAT

PAINTED IN THE 15TH CENTURY

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷

#8. THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST✝

PAINTED IN THE 17TH CENTURY

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷

#9. BACCHUS AND ARIADNE

BY LUCA GIORDANO 16TH CENTURY

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷

#10. ANNALES LAURISSEN 12TH CENTURY

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖

GODSAYS💫IT IS REAL DEMONS👹IN FLESH WHO IN [ANCIENT TIMES CENTURIES AGO] WHO DID SO GO AGAINST ME, THY 👁GOD💫

🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀

AND IT IS SO REAL DEMONS👹IN [FLESH] WHO NOW GO AGAINST ME, THY 👁GOD💫

🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀

MANY [EVANGELICALS IN THE DEEP SOUTH] OF AMERICA🇺🇸CLAIMING TO THEIR MANY EAGER CHURCH MEMBERS THAT THERE IS [NO CONNECTION BETWEEN HOLY💫SPIRIT] AND WHAT [MANKIND CALLS UFO'S] WHICH IS, AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY ANGELS👽WHOM COME IN MANY FORMS, I SPEAK IT!!!

👉LOOK UPON THESE ANCIENT PAINTINGS🙏LET YOUR OWN 💫SPIRIT💫GUIDE YOU🙏👉GET THEE, AND THY FAMILIES FAR AWAY🙏FROM THESE FALSE ONES MISLEADING👉WITH FALSEHOODS FOR SURELY THIS IS 🙏YOUR WARNING MY CREATED CHILDREN

🌄THE SIGNS HAVE BEEN LEFT FOR YOU🌄▶WHERE IS YOUR BELIEF IN ME? THY GOD

📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖

SURELY, [TRUTH REALITY] OF SIGHTINGS OF MY ANGELS😇HAVE BEEN WITNESSED FOR MANY CENTURIES YET THEY ARE HIDDEN IN 👉MUSEUMS AND CHURCHES⛪AND ART👈 👉COLLECTORS HOMES MANY STOLEN👈 [SO PASSED AROUND AND LIED UPON!!!]

IT SICKENS ME, I AM HE, THY LIVING GOD💫TO WATCH [MY CREATED CHILDREN] TRULY MISLEAD BY THESE FALSEHOODS TOLD BY THESE SPIRITLESS, WHO CLAIM TO BE SO CONNECTED TO ME, [THIS IS A GREAT LIE]

THEY PROPHECY TO YOU FROM THEIR EVIL PULPITS DENYING YOU [TRUTH REALITY!!!]

[PREACHING AND LECTURING] THAT THE ONE KNOWN IN HOLY💫HEAVEN ABOVE💫

AND HELL🔥ITSELF AS DEMONTRUMP👹IS NOT WHO MY ANGEL BROTHER AND MANY ANGEL MESSENGERS OF MY HOLY💫WORD HAVE SPOKEN HIM👹 TRUTH TO BE,

BUT HE👹IS SO, WHOM I AM HE✝ I SPEAK IT OF WHO LEADS MANY DEMONS👹IN FLESH WHO IN TURN [DO HIS BIDDING TO] TO KEEP THE MANY SPIRITUALLY💫SLEEPING ONE'S IN HIS👹DEMON FLOCK!!!

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

[REAL PROOF] OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY CHANGE WAS GIVEN IN THE YEAR OF 2000

WHEN THE EVIL👹 LEADERSHIP TURNED TO SATAN👹HIMSELF AS THEY TURNED THE SPIRIT💫LIFE✝ 5🌟STAR PENDGRAM UPSIDE DOWN TO REPRESENT THE EVIL👹GOP!!!

👉👉DEMONS👹INVERTED THE STARS👈👈

AND MOST OF YOU MY CHILDREN KNOW THIS, YET YOU STILL STAY IN THE GOP?

👉DEEP INSIDE YOUR SOULS LAST CRY FOR SURVIVAL YOU KNOW IT HAS NOT BEEN THE SAME SINCE 1999!!! WHY? THINK!!!

WHY WOULD THE EVIL👹GOP👹SENATORS BLOCK ANY WITNESSES FROM TESTIFYING? ♦♦♦ [REPUBLICAN WITNESSES] ♦♦♦ ♦♦▶WILLING TO TELL THE TRUTH◀♦♦

YOU KNOW THE TRUTH!!! ITS IN YOUR SPIRIT 👉DO SO LEAVE THAT POLITICAL👹PARTY AND DO AS YOU DESIRE [START ONE] IF YOU WISH, AS LONG AS IT INVOLVES ME, GOD💫

FOR THE GOP USE TOO BUT IT HASN'T DONE SO FOR 20+YEARS SATAN👹HAS THE YOUR CALLED LEADERS AND THEY DO HIS WORK!!

I AM HE, THY LIVING SPIRITUAL💫GOD💫DO SPEAK IT TRUTH REALITY TO MY CHILDREN!

🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀

I AM HE✝ THY GOD💫CONTROL ALL THAT IS!

👉DO NOT HATE THE TRUTH NOR THOSE👈 👉MESSENGERS I HAVE SENT BACK TOO👈👉AWAKEN🌄YOU SPIRITUALLY💫WAKE UP!

👽😇👽😇👽😇👽😇👽😇👽😇👽😇👽😇👽

👁 GODSHEADANGEL.POSTHAVEN.COM 👁

👽😇👽😇👽😇👽😇👽😇👽😇👽😇👽😇👽FEBRUARY 2ND SUNDAY 2020🇺🇸 0526HRS 📖📖📖📖📖 PSALMS 91:11 KJV 📖📖📖📖📖

"FOR HE SHALL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE OVER THEE, TO KEEP THEE IN ALL THY WAYS."

FOR SURELY, STANDING THERE EVEN THEN EAST OF [THE GARDEN OF EDEN] AT THE VERY [EDGE OF IT] WHERE THE FLAMING🔥SWORD WAS ROTATING BACK AND FOURTH PROTECTING THE TREE🌳OF LIFE✝ FROM ADAM RETURNING TO SPEAK WITH GOD💫ABOUT HIS SIN, WAS SO OUR BROTHER THE HEAD ANGEL KING👑 OF MERCY💫

WHO SPOKE WITH HIM✝ AND CALMED HIS✝ MIGHTY ANGER, FOR GOD✝ DID SO REGRET CREATING MANKIND✝ FOR IT GRIEVED HIM✝ IN HIS✝ HEART❤OUR GOD✝ LISTENED✝ AND AND FORGAVE ADAM😇 AND EVE😇THEN [SO PASSED HARD JUDGEMENT ON THEM] ADAM✝ TO LABOR HARD THE GROUND AND EVE✝ TO LABOR HARD GIVING BIRTH👣

YET, IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE HEAVENLY💫WISDOM THE HEAD ANGEL KING OF MERCY CHOSE TO SPEAK TO OUR GOD💫SURELY MANKIND✝ WOULD HAVE ENDED!!!

SO, IF ANY LIVING IN OUR GODS💫CREATED WORLD🌎THINKS THAT I AM IN CHARGE ALONE OF THIS PLANET CALLED EARTH🌍

DO THINK AGAIN AND AGAIN!!! AND READ PSALMS 91:11 KJV AND SEE WHERE IT SAYS FOR HE✝ SHALL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE OVER THEE, [NOT ANGEL] CHARGE OVER THEE!!!

👉CHARGE TO [HELP] GUIDE MANKIND AND DELIVER ALL OF OUR 👁GODS💫MESSAGES FOR ONLY 👁GOD💫IS IN TOTAL CONTROL!!!

🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊

👉DON'T FORGET TO REFRESH THIS POST

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷👁GOD💫HAS CHOSEN HIS ANGEL TO LEAD🇺🇸🇺🇸2020🇺🇸JOE C😎😎L BIDEN🇺🇸2020🇺🇸🇺🇸🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦TUESDAY FEBRUARY 4TH 2020🇺🇸 0540HRS ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦📉📉📉📉📉📉📉📉📉📉📉📉📉📉📉📉📉U.S.🇺🇸 INDICATORS SHOW BIG SLOWDOWN 👉👉 WEAKNESS BUT NO RECESSION 👈👈JUST LIKE IN 2008 BEFORE THE BIG CRASH!♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾

FALSE JOBS NUMBERS✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔✔ LIES 👉[BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS]👈

[501,000 FEWER JOBS CREATED IN U.S.🇺🇸] THAN REPORTED BY EVIL ADMINISTRATION SEE MARKETWATCH ARTICLE 8/24/2019!!!

♦ NOT 5,000, NOT 50,000 BUT 500,000 ♦ JOBS REPORTED FALSELY TO AMERICANS!!!

DEMONTRUMPS👹TAX CUTS CREATED NO JOBS!!! IT SAVED THE WEALTHY MONEY 💰◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

FALSE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE✔

FALSE MANUFACTURING JOBS NUMBERS✔

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻

HISTORIC HOMELESS CRISIS IN U.S.🇺🇸✔

🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦***♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾

FARM🚜BANKRUPTCIES AT ALL TIME HIGH⬆ AGRICULTURE🚜 SURPLUS SMALLEST IN THE LAST 🚩40 YEARS!!!🚩

👉WISCONSIN🇺🇸LOSING 2 FARMS A DAY👈✔NOW FACING SERIOUS DAIRY🐄CRISIS✔

◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

GLOBAL OIL🛢MARKET WORSEN'S AS OPEC TAKES 🚩EMERGENCY ACTION🚩TO DEAL WITH 💥[CORONAVIRUS]💥

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

BRITAIN🇬🇧PRODUCTIVITY DECLINE IS THE WORSE IN 250 YEARS. -BLOOMBERG NEWS

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾

WALL STREET BROKERS BRACING FOR WILD 👉VOLATILITY ADVISING MOST INVESTORS 👉TO BUY ON THE DIP👈 🚩RED FLAGS🚩

◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

🚩🚩YIELD-CURVE INVERSION REDUX🚩🚩SPREAD BETWEEN A 3 MONTH AND 10 YEAR 📉TREASURIES GETTING WORSE DAILY📉

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾

MANUFACTURING JOBS FELL IN THE U.S.🇺🇸👉[RUST-BELT SWING STATES🇺🇸IN 2019]👈INDIANA, MICHIGAN, PENNSYLVANIA, OHIO ◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

CHINA🇨🇳WISELY INJECTS 380 BILLION YUAN VIA 7DAY REVERSE REPOS THEN ANOTHER 120 BILLION YUAN IN 14DAYS A TOTAL OF 500BILLION YUAN OR $71 BILLION U.S.🇺🇸 WHY? [TO SAVE THE GLOBAL🌎MARKET📉]

👉BECAUSE OF THE GLOBAL SLOWDOWN👈GOD💫PROPHECY OF GLOBAL RECESSION!!!

🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳BLESSINGS4 GODS💫SPECIAL💫ANGEL💫PRESIDENT🇨🇳 XI JINPING😇

🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳

GODS💫CREATED CHILDREN IN HIS WORLD 👉HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU DID TO HELP👈 👉👉[SAVE THE WORLD'S🌎ECONOMY]👈👈

☝THAT'S WHY THE STOCK MARKET IS UP☝

◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹

UNFORTUNATELY, DEMONTRUMP👹WILL WAG HIS LYING TONGUE AND TAKE CREDIT FOR IT!!! ♦STUPID PEOPLE WAKE UP🌅♦

👉👉A GLOBAL RECESSION IS CLOSE👈👈

👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹

YET, SATAN'S DEMONTRUMP👹WILL KEEP MANY FOOLS ASLEEP WITH OBVIOUS LIES!!!

BUT THE OBEDIENT ONE'S OF OUR👁GOD💫ARE AWAKENED🌄SPIRITUALLY💫AND WILL [NOT BE FOOLED]FOR THEY ARE BLESSED✝🤜🤜🤜🤜🤜🤜🤜💀💀💀🤛🤛🤛🤛🤛🤛🤛

GODSAYS💫10,000 DEMONS👹WILL PERISH THE CURRENT DEATH COUNT IS🤜💀50!!!

🤜🤜🤜🤜🤜🤜🤜💀💀💀🤛🤛🤛🤛🤛🤛🤛🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄

👉👉👉 WWW.NINACUBANA.COM 👈👈👈

👉HTTP://NINACUBANA.COM/#DONATE👈

HELP MAKE A DREAM💫BECOME REALITY

🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

GODS💫HOLY💫SIGN✝ABOVE NAZARETH✝ REPRESENTING HIS✝COMING HOLY BIGSIGN [WITNESSED] BY MANY INCLUDING SINGER JOVANA TIPSIN [2/2/2020]

BLESSINGS4 JOVANA TIPSIN🔥SHE HAS SO RECEIVED A FLAMING FIRE🔥SYMBOL AND SHALL BE INVITED TO A FUTURE ANGEL😇QUEENS💜PARTY🎉

LOOK UPON THE SPIRITUAL FLAMING GLOW SEEN A TOP [THIS TUMBLR PAGE] RIGHT [ABOVE] THE ANGEL👑OF DEATH💀IMAGE!!!

👉IT SEEMS [NO MEDIA OUTLETS] WANT👈 THIS REAL PROOF SIGN FROM GOD POSTED

WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT, IT SHALL BE!!!

👁GOD✝ HAS SENT HIS✝SIGN AND CHOSEN!🇺🇸🇺🇸2020🇺🇸JOE C😎😎L BIDEN🇺🇸2020🇺🇸🇺🇸

🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀��🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀

GODSAYS💫SURELY MY PROPHECY OVER [2] YEARS AGO POSTED THEN ON [GOOGLE+] [SHALL BE SO TRUTH] ON A COLD🌬AND CLOUDY☁JULY SUMMER DAY!!!

🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀

👉5 PROPHECIES GIVEN SHALL BE JUST AS THEE OTHER [6] THAT CAME TO BE REALITY

◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾

[3,3 AND3 AFTER THE EARLY DAWN✔]

👁GODS💫PROPHECY✝ CAME TO REALITY JUST [3] DAYS AFTER ON JUNE 14TH AT A [GOP CHARITY] BASEBALL PRACTICE IN ALEXANDRIA, VA. WHEN A SHOOTER SHOT MULTIPLE ROUNDS STRIKING THEN [GOP] MAJORITY WHIP STEVE SCALISE👹[3RD] IN LINE FROM THE PRESIDENCY AND OTHERS FROM [3RD] BASE!!!

[JUNE 14TH 2017!!!]

◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾

[WHITESTARS WARNED TO OBEY✔]

👉THEY WERE TOLD TO GET READY!!!👈

2 DAYS AFTER 👁GODS💫PROPHECY✝ [59] CONCERTGOERS IN PARADISE, NEVADA WERE KILLED BY SHOOTER!!!

[OCTOBER 2017!!!]

#SPIRIT💫JUMP!!!

◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾

[TRAIN ACCIDENT✔]

5 WEEKS AFTER 👁GODS💫PROPHECY✝ A AMTRAK TRAIN🚆CARRYING REPUBLICANS TO A RETREAT CRASHES INTO TRUCK🚚 NEAR CORZET, VIRGINIA AND KILLS DRIVER!

[JANUARY 2018!!!]

◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾

[MEGA EARTHQUAKES IN MEXICO🇲🇽✔]

2 DAYS AFTER 👁GODS💫PROPHECY✝ A 7.2 MEGA EARTHQUAKE KILLS OVER [200+] PEOPLE!!! GOD💫GAVE ME INSTRUCTIONS TO HAVE HEAVENS💫SPIRITUAL ANGELS💫TO STIR THE GROUND AND KILL!!! THEY DID!!

[FEBRUARY 2018!!!]

◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾

[BIG VOLCANO ERUPTING🌋✔]

AFTER 250 YEARS JAPAN VOLCANO BLOWS! 2 MONTHS AFTER 👁GODS💫PROPHECY✝ IT DID SO SHOCK MANY PEOPLE!!!

[APRIL 2018!!!]

◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾

[DARKSTARS WARNED TO OBEY✔]

👉THEY WERE TOLD TO GET READY!!!👈

A WEEK AFTER GODS💫PROPHECY✝ [22] PEOPLE WERE SHOT AND INJURED AT A ART FESTIVAL IN TRENTON, NEW JERSEY!

[JUNE 2018!!!]

#SPIRIT💫JUMP!!!

◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾◾

NONE OF MANKIND CAN STOP GODS PLANS

NONE OF MANKIND CAN STOP PROPHECIES

THE OBEDIENT ONES OF OUR MIGHTY GOD UNDERSTAND TIME IS RUNNING OUT⏳FOR ALL OF MANKIND FOR THESE ARE REALLY THE LAST OF END DAYS🌅

👁GOD💫IS MIGHTY IN HOLY💫POWER FOR HE✝ ALONE IS IN TOTAL CONTROL!!!

🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊

ONLY 👁GOD💫CAN CHANGE HEAVENLY💫COLORED✝ VISIONS AND PROPHECIES✝

🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊

ONLY OUR BABYANGELS😇BIRTHS👣CAN [SAVE MANKIND] 👁GOD💫SAID! FOR HE✝ SHALL GIVE MANKIND ⭐21⭐EXTRA YEARS OF ⭐EXISTENCE⭐AFTER THEIR BORN👣

IF, THEY ARE NOT BORN 💥WW3💥DEATH💀DESTRUCTION FOR ALL OF MANKIND!!!

👉👉GODSAYS💫IT CAN BE AVERTED👈👈

🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🤜🤜🤜🤜🤜🤜🤜💀💀💀🤛🤛🤛🤛🤛🤛🤛IF, I LIVED IN THE CITY OF VAN NUYS SURELY I WOULD SPREAD [TRUTH REALITY WORDS] AROUND THAT CITY [TO WATCH] WHAT YOU SAY TO 👁GODS💫YOUNGER BROTHER AND NEPHEW CURTIS JR. OF THE HOLY💫SPIRIT FOR SURELY A PROPHECY✝ BECOMING SO QUICK REALITY FROM 👁GOD💫 HAS BEEN SAID TO BE FORMING INSIDE OF HIS✝ HOLY POWERFUL💫MIND✝

TRUST STARNEISHA👽 BAYSHARA😇HOVER!DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE LORD GOD💫

BEFORE THE NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL⛪ FIRE🔥IN FRANCE🇫🇷 WHAT MANKIND CALLS A UFO WAS SEEN 15 MINUTES BEFORE AND MANY VOLCANOES SMOKE AND ERUPT🌋 AFTER WHAT MANKIND CALLS A UFO WAS SEEN!!! DO YOUR RESEARCH AND OBEY!!!

🌅DO SO OBEY OUR MIGHTY LORD GOD✝🌅

~ENOCH😇FROM THE HOLY💫HEAVENS💫

👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👉GODSHEADANGEL1.POSTHAVEN.COM👈

BLESSINGS4 STEVEN BARONE💫WHO RECORDED THIS LAST NIGHT🌌

BLESSINGS4 UFO MAN💫WHO POSTED THIS TRUTH REALITY VIDEO 45 MINUTES AGO! 10:45AM PST 2/6/20

😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇

DO NOT MAKE ANY MISTAKE CHILDREN OF 👁GOD💫ALL OF US HIS ANGELS IN [FLESH] ARE NOT PERFECT IN ANY WAY! WE ALL DO MAKE MISTAKES AND HAVE OUR OPINIONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO SOME WE KNOW OR HAVE KNOWN! [BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE]✔ WE DO NOT TAKE IT PERSONALLY WHEN OUR OWN OPINIONS ARE VERY DIFFERENT FROM ONE ANOTHER'S! SOME OF MY ANGELQUEENS👑

ARE [PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS] WHO COME UNDER FIRE FOR SOMETHING ASKED OR SOMETHING SAID WRONGLY OR TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT THIS IS THE NATURE OF THE BUSINESS 👁GOD💫TRULY KNOWS ALL OF OUR HEARTS, MINDS AND SPIRITS AND ALLOWS US TO BE OURSELVES INCLUDING MYSELF WHO MANY WORLDWIDE REFER TO AS [THE FOUL MOUTHED ANGEL,] ITS TRUE!!

MANY WORLDWIDE🌎CAN'T BELIEVE GOD✝ WOULD HAVE 👉[ONE OF HIS TOP TWO]👈 ANGELS😇 IN [CHARGE OF HIS CREATED] CHILDREN USE SUCH VULGAR LANGUAGE BUT YOU WOULD BE INCREDIBLY WRONG!!!

OUR MIGHTY 👁GODS💫[IDEA] OF WHICH [ANGELS GET CHOSEN FOR SPECIFIC JOBS] OR JOURNEYS ARE [TOTALLY DIFFERENT] FROM YOURS, [HIS REASONS ARE HIS OWN]

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

REMEMBER THIS, ALL OF YOU WORLDWIDE NOAH✝ WAS A DRUNK, MOSES✝ STUTTERED ABRAHAM✝WAS TOO OLD, ISAIAH✝HIMSELF PREACHED NAKED, JONAH✝ DID RUN FROM GOD✝💫PETER✝ DENIED JESUS✝CHRIST✝ SAMSON✝ WAS A WOMANIZER WHO HAD LONG HAIR, RAHAB✝ WAS A PROSTITUTE AND KING DAVID✝ HAD AN AFFAIR!!!

☝☝☝☝☝☝☝☝☝☝☝☝☝☝☝☝☝

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

👁GOD💫[DOES NOT] CHOOSE ACCORDING TO WHAT ANY OF YOU IN MANKIND THINKS SHOULD BE!!! I AM HE, THY LIVING GOD💫CHOOSES [FOR HIS REASONS ALONE] ONLY HE, HIMSELF DOES SO KNOW AND MAKE NO MISTAKE [WE HIS ANGEL FAMILY] ARE NOT PERFECT NOR WERE ANY OF OUR CHOSEN 🙏ANGEL ANCESTORS IN [FLESH!!!]🙏

SO, WHEN YOU [HEAR OR SEE US] EXPRESS OUR [PERSONAL OPINIONS] ON A SUBJECT OR ON EACHOTHER MAKE NO MISTAKE ITS [A OPINION AT THAT TIME!]

TRUST, IT IS NOT EVER PERSONAL SURELY WE HIS [ANGEL FAMILY] KNOW HOW FAR TO GO, [THERE IS A LINE] HE DOES NOT ALLOW EVEN US TO CROSS!!! WE STAND UNITED IN STANDING UP☝FOR HIM✝

😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇

[exo-orbiter-1983]

1-99

Dude what the f u c k

Spotify, SoundCloud, or Pandora? - Sound Cloud

is your room messy or clean? - MESSY LOL

what color are your eyes? - Golden brown

do you like your name? why? - Yes! Because I picked it and it’s something I’ve grown very comfortable with

what is your relationship status? - Single

describe your personality in 3 words or less - loyal, funny, hard-working

what color hair do you have? - brown

what kind of car do you drive? color? - a gray toyota sienna (I’m basically a soccer mom)

where do you shop? - amazon, maybe hot topic. I dont really shop

how would you describe your style? - clothing? Laid back. I wear basketball shorts, athletic shoes, a t-shirt, and sometimes a hat 

favorite social media account - instgram or tumblr

what size bed do you have? - full

any siblings? - yep, little sister

if you can live anywhere in the world where would it be? why? - tbh california, just not my current city. I like it here, it’s pretty liberal and open and the weather is slightly standable in the spring

favorite snapchat filter? - doggo

favorite makeup brand(s) - lmao I don’t wear makeup

how many times a week do you shower? - not enough

favorite tv show? - orange is the new black

shoe size? - LOL 3 IN KIDS

how tall are you? - 5′1″ FINALLY

sandals or sneakers? - sneakers all the way

do you go to the gym? - no, we have a workout room at home plus im in band so that works well enough

describe your dream date - oh boy. Honestly just doing something chill together and going for a walk and looking up at the stars together. Nice cuddling and some kisses thrown in there too lmao

how much money do you have in your wallet at the moment? - $0, I don’t use cash

what color socks are you wearing? - white

how many pillows do you sleep with? - 1, sometimes 2

do you have a job? what do you do? - I do not, menchies rejected me

how many friends do you have? - a big group of like 10 or 11 who I can really call friends and actually depend on

whats the worst thing you have ever done? - oh fuck okay, probably run a red light and almost tboned someone but luckily they stopped because my dumbass is a terrible driver

whats your favorite candle scent? - cinamon

3 favorite boy names - ALEX, Mikey (cuz he’s my bff and I love his name), and Andrew

3 favorite girl names - Taylor, Sarah, Kate

favorite actor? - idk man

favorite actress? - Amy pohler 

who is your celebrity crush? - Laura Prepon god she’s so fucking hot

favorite movie? - Power rangers

do you read a lot? whats your favorite book? - not really, but my fav series is chaos walking

money or brains? - brains

do you have a nickname? what is it? - yes! a lot of people call me shimmy or Shim

how many times have you been to the hospital? - I got hurt a lot when I was younger to I went to the urgant care but that’s it

top 10 favorite songs - 1. You’re gonna go far kid 2. First by Cold War Kids 3. Forest by ToP 4. be Still by the killers 5. mr. brightside by the killers 6. The Violence by Rise Against 7. Cecilia and the satelite 8. Handclap 9. Believer by imagine dragons and 10. tear in my heart

do you take any medications daily? - nope

what is your skin type? (oily, dry, etc) - dry

what is your biggest fear? - losing someone i care about

how many kids do you want? - 3

whats your go to hair style? - Parted on the side and just kinda swept over and pushed forward? Idk how to descibe it ill post a pic after this tho

what type of house do you live in? (big, small, etc) - i guess it’s a little on the bigger side

who is your role model? - my friends mikey and lexi (@bridkid)

what was the last compliment you received? - “You’re tone sounded really good that rep”

what was the last text you sent? - “Are you shitting me” to Lexi after seeing that someone was making me answer 99 fuckin questions

how old were you when you found out santa wasn’t real? - bruh idk maybe 9, 10?

what is your dream car? - idk just not my current van

opinion on smoking? - dont do it

do you go to college? - nope I’m a junior in high school

what is your dream job? - high school band director

would you rather live in rural areas or the suburbs? - suburbs

do you take shampoo and conditioner bottles from hotels? - nah

do you have freckles? - not really

do you smile for pictures? - I try

how many pictures do you have on your phone? - 431

have you ever peed in the woods? - definitely

do you still watch cartoons? - of course

do you prefer chicken nuggets from Wendy’s or McDonalds? - wendys

Favorite dipping sauce? - BBQ

what do you wear to bed? - basketball shorts and a t shirt, sometimes I sleep shirtless if it’s too hot tho

have you ever won a spelling bee? - nope, never participated in one

what are your hobbies? - music and hanging out with friends

can you draw? - yeah I’m not terrible at it

do you play an instrument? - Yes! Trumpet, piano, saxophone, french horn, euphonium, bass drum, and pit percussion

what was the last concert you saw? - Does DCI count

tea or coffee? - coffee

Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts? - starbucks

do you want to get married? - maybe, probably

what is your crush’s first and last initial? - DR

are you going to change your last name when you get married? - probably, just because I don’t like my last name rn

what color looks best on you? - blue

do you miss anyone right now? - my friend lexi cuz bitch graduated

do you sleep with your door open or closed? - closed holy shit

do you believe in ghosts? - not sure

what is your biggest pet peeve? - my trumpet section

last person you called`- Nathan, one of the sophomores in my section because he was super late this morning

favorite ice cream flavor? - cookies n cream

regular oreos or golden oreos? - regular

chocolate or rainbow sprinkles? - gay

what shirt are you wearing? - my SCSBOA 2015 Championships shirt

what is your phone background? - a picture of me, Mikey, and our friend Emma laying on top of each other

are you outgoing or shy? - more outgoing than shy

do you like it when people play with your hair? - YES I LOVE IT

do you like your neighbors? - no 

do you wash your face? at night? in the morning? - when I shower I wash it

have you ever been high? - nope

have you ever been drunk? - I’ve been buzzed

last thing you ate? - crab quiche 

favorite lyrics right now - literally the entirety of be still by the killers but i like this part “And may your limits be unknownAnd may your efforts be your ownIf you ever feel you can't take it anymoreDon't break characterYou've got a lot of heartIs this real or just a dream?Rise up like the sunLabor till the work is done“

summer or winter? - summer

day or night? - depends

dark, milk, or white chocolate? - milk

favorite month? - august or november

what is your zodiac sign - pisces

HAPPY I ANSWERED 99 QUESTIONS BUDDY also this proves I have nothing better to do with my life lmao

[jerepars]

The Con Extended Chapter Notes

Hyperlinks appear in blue (underlined on mobile). The story is posted here. Direct link to this chapter is here.

> “Look, it’s not like you’d really be dating me or be with me or whatever,” he began. “It’s just…see, you’re trying too hard.”

> “I’m offended,” I mumbled, already full of regret for even granting him a minute to waste. “Trying too hard at what?”

> “To impress Jughead,” Archie said it like it should’ve already been obvious to me. “Basic human instinct is that we’re attracted to the people who don’t try too hard.”

When I began writing this chapter, I looked for scenes that are dialogue heavy for Archie because that’s what I’ve gotten used to doing for Jughead. Even if it’s the same dialogue over and over again from the 13 episodes we’ve currently got. I feel like the way Jughead speaks is very distinct so his dialogue is always the toughest to write. If I can’t hear it in his (Cole’s) voice in my head, then I don’t think it’s the right dialogue.

Turns out that’s pretty much a Jughead-only problem.

I kept watching clips of Archie/KJ speaking and the parameters are...wide open. It’s easier. So bless Archie Andrews for that.

I have my own ideas about the persona I want Archie to take on in this story. In the second part of the chapter, Archie is described as clueless, unreliable, a fuckboy, a jock, a frat guy. I don’t think that’s anything new, and yes, those things will hold true in the story. But that’s just Archie on the surface. Because he is very involved in this story, I want to be able to look beyond the conceit that he projects and see his depth.

So with that in mind, it made me think of Beaver, a minor character from the ABC Family show Greek. He’s portrayed as this big dumb frat guy. But when it comes to explaining to Casey why Cappie and Evan can’t be friends in 4x04 (1:40 to 2:48), he acts as if it should be obvious. He says, "this is some pretty basic stuff". So in that scene, in that episode, it’s revealed that there is more to Beaver than meets the eye, there’s something beneath the surface.

I’m not sure if any of this makes sense without knowing the context of the episode or the plot of the show. But this is what inspired Archie’s persona at this point in my story, when he is presenting the plan to Betty, like it’s simple matter of fact.

> “It wouldn’t be as much a game as much as it would be a…a…a con,” Archie found the right word and then added, “and besides, can’t I just be a nice guy trying to help?”

> “No,” I said blatantly. “A proposition such as yours has to have some quid pro quo laced in it somewhere.”

> “Quid what now? I don’t know even know what that means.” Archie let go of my arm and put both his palms against the couch cushion and leaned back in place, against the empty air. The playful expression left his face. “Look, Betty, I really do want to help. My girlfriend and I broke up this summer and I’m still processing it. I feel like I need to be doing more than just writing breakup songs. I could use a project.”

> I had no idea that Archie Andrews had such a heavy heart.

I was thinking about how on the show, especially in the early episodes, Betty and Jughead both consider Archie to be their best friend. Even when this kid hurts them, wrongs them, they give him chances to get back in their good graces again. That begs the question of why to me.

The answer to that question didn't come to me immediately as I thought back on all of the rewatching of season 1 that I've done. It did become clearer when I went through the Archie clips. I think it's pretty subtle, buried in the shuffle of all the blatantly difficult things that happen to everyone else. In 1x02, Jughead confronts Archie about Ms. Grundy and talks about the Archie that he used to know (1:35 to 1:48), who always tried to do the right thing. And that's it--that's who Archie is, he's a nice guy that tries hard (even though he falls short sometimes...a lot of the time). He wants to do the right thing and be helpful.

I think Archie gets typecast as a "bad" guy in a lot of stories because of the way he breaks Betty's heart or because of how oblivious he is or how he loves girls, loves being in love with these girls, and/or goes from girl to girl. I guess I want to get away from him being the "bad" guy. I want to highlight why he is actually a good friend to these characters. I'm always cheering for Betty and Jughead. Of course I am. In this story, I'm cheering for Archie, too.

...this is probably another one of those things that might not make sense or seem important until much later in the story.

Possibly worth mentioning: the part where Archie says "Quid what now?" is my version of Archie saying "wait, the what now?" from the diner scene in 1x07 (2:30 to 2:45).

> Three eggs were yellowed and lightly simmering on the frying pan when I heard the knock at the door. It was just past seven in the morning, a few hours before I had to be at the dance studio. There were two parts to each dance production during the ballet season: rehearsal weeks and performance weeks. During rehearsal weeks, all the dancers in the company—principals, soloists, corps members, and apprentices alike—participated in about an hour of ballet class before a break for lunch and then rehearsal. Rehearsal times were staggered and divided up according to dance scene. But class was always at the same time every morning.

I don't know what time the Joffrey Ballet's company class is during their rehearsal weeks, but there's this series about the New York City Ballet, and in this clip about the corps de ballet (6:00 to 6:10), one of the dancers mentions that he has to be at work at 10:30 every morning. If you watch the video, I should warn you that he seems kind of entitled and whiny (I'd love to not be at work until 10:30; and when he says that he's working his body, what exactly does he think people who do manual labor do every day?), but it's the only video I found that mentions a time, and that was helpful to writing the details of the daily routine as Betty describes in the paragraph.

> For the autumn program, Giselle, a very popular classical romantic ballet, would be staged by the Joffrey for the very first time, and I had made the first cast. I would be in one scene—the Peasant pas de deux, a common interpolation piece for big companies that did productions of Giselle. I would be dancing with my pas de deux partner, Trev Brown, for the better part of nine minutes, but we also had two variations each within that time frame. Since it would be my first time in a soloist’s role for the company, I had a lot to perfect over the next several weeks.

Using Giselle as the production for the autumn program is carry over from Shell Games. It took me so long to figure out what ballet and what pas de deux would be reasonable to use for that story. What Betty says here is true--this season, the Joffrey Ballet is premiering Giselle. I already knew that I wanted this story to be set in Chicago and when I saw that, it was solidified. There is more about pas de deux and the Peasant pas de deux past this chapter. This is just scratching the surface so that the dance part of her life is dispersed throughout the story instead of hitting you over the head with it all at once.

There is a great in-depth background and synopsis of Giselle right here.You can also check the Wikipedia page if you're interested.

The Peasant pas de deux is an interpolation piece between scene 13 and 14 during Act I of Giselle. Interpolations are additional dances inserted into a ballet that were not part of the original composition. As Betty says, big ballet companies (Joffrey is big) include interpolations.

Variations are small solo dances, usually between 1-2 minutes. Betty mentions that she and Trev have two variations each. There is technically only one female variation in the Peasant pas de deux, but some productions have an interpolation within the Peasant pas de deux interpolation, adding a second female variation.

For Betty, I went with the Peasant pas de deux that includes the second female variation. If you want to know what Betty and Trev's dance might look like, you can check out this excerpt from Giselle done by the Bolshoi Ballet here.

> “Betty, stop. Eat.” Jughead stressed the last verb. “I don’t want to be held responsible for any sort of injury if you miss the count on your pirouettes because you didn’t get enough breakfast, just so that you could be polite. Don’t worry about me. I’m meeting up with JB soon. She said something about breakfast burritos.”

I've been listening to I Am the Avalanche's self-titled album a lot while writing this story. Part of "New Disaster" goes: Don't play that game 'cause I can't be held responsible / For any sort of injuries / I don't wanna hear it. I almost named the story New Disaster because in pulling a con, there is a game being played. Possibly injurious to something other than the physical body? I didn't go with that as the title, but here is my ode to it anyway. Snippets from other songs on this album might work their way into the story as well.

> As a member of the Joffrey Ballet, there were certain things afforded to me (and my fellow company members) as per the terms negotiated by the American Guild of Musical Artists, the labor union I belonged to. A supply of custom pointe shoes to my specifications, twice-weekly physical therapy, paid vacation and sick days, a 401K, that sort of thing. But maybe the most important thing I had access to was counseling. Joffrey had a resident psychologist and every Friday I made it downtown early before class for my standing appointment.

From that same series as the video about the corps de ballet, here is one about custom pointe shoes for company members of NYCB. I don't know exactly what being a member of AGMA covers for ballet dancers (obviously, how could I know, right?). I would imagine that it varies from company to company depending on the negotiations with that company. I know that for most big ballet companies in the US, the dancers are unionized by AGMA. I know that the dancers at Joffrey are part of AGMA. The fact that I took it upon myself to figure this out is like a reminder of how stupidly obsessive my research is. All I really wanted to do was make it feasible for the company to have a resident psychologist.

> Ballet would never just be a normal, steady job that could be turned off after 5 PM. What we did wasn’t ‘normal’ and it was all encompassing of our lives. I thought that ballet lent itself to a lot of mental barriers to get stuck on: whether or not we had the right body type, if we were on the right diet, if we were going to get promoted, if an injury was going to end everything for us, if we could even have healthy relationships—healthy anything—when we were so focused on the pursuit of perfection for our art.

There are a lot of articles about the psychological effects of ballet. I thought it only right to mention some of those issues. It was reading about the resident psychologist at Atlanta Ballet that made me feel like I even could.

> I wouldn’t have changed anything about my experience on the way to making the corps de ballet, on the way to where I thought I was still headed onwards and upwards in the company, because it had shaped me to have thick skin and become mentally tough. I just wished I’d been counseled even before I’d gotten my apprenticeship. I wished I’d talked to Dr. Donahue earlier and heard her encouraging words and integrated the coping skills that she promoted, back in the days of my adolescence. Dr. Donahue had been a ballet dancer herself, a former corps member with Boston Ballet. So she got it, what it was like for us, where the psychological blocks were, and how our lives were affected by ballet beyond the studios of Joffrey Tower and the stage of the Auditorium Theatre.

I mentioned Joffrey Tower in the notes for the previous chapter when talking about Betty's commute, but this is the first time it is actually mentioned in the story.

Joffrey Tower houses the rehearsal space for the Joffrey Ballet.

I think there's some misconception that Joffrey Ballet performances take place at the Chicago Theater because of its close proximity:

But the resident home of the Joffrey Ballet is actually the Auditorium Theatre. I got to go to an event there once and the architecture is absolutely beautiful.

> Friday mornings were an important maintenance day for me so that I didn’t capsize before the weekend. I didn’t elaborate why to Jughead as he stood in my kitchen. I continued preparing my food so I could stick to my schedule and get out of the apartment on time to walk to the bus stop at a casual pace rather than sprinting my way there. I liked to be early.

After reading this chapter, I think it's pretty clear why the story is called The Con. One thing that hasn't been made clear yet is the song it's named after, "The Con" by Tegan and Sara, the title track of their 2007 album. One of the lines in the song goes I'm capsized, staring on the edge of safe. That's why there is mention of capsizing in this paragraph. In the video chapter for the recording of this song, Tegan and Sara talk about how there can be different interpretations to the word itself, con (4:00 to 5:27).

And that's what I like about it. That's why I think it was the right title to go with, because it has a bunch of different meanings, not solely because of the con that Betty and Archie are working.

con (verb): persuade (someone) to do or believe something, typically by use of a deception.

con (noun): an instance of deceiving or tricking someone.

con (noun): a disadvantage.

con (noun): a convict.

con (verb): study attentively or learn by heart (a piece of writing).

> “He’s pretty much a clueless frat boy with fuckboy tendencies.” Jughead’s exact words were a little funny, but calculated and deliberate. I knew he didn’t describe Archie that way to be mean, but rather, for what he thought was my benefit. “I don’t know if you can trust him to not let you down. His lack of a poker face is endearing but…he’s kind of oblivious. Not the most reliable.”

Speaking of different kinds of cons...this piece of Jughead's dialogue is inspired by the Comic Con trailer for season 2 where Jughead tells Archie that his utter lack of a poker face is what makes him so endearing.

> Jughead took off his beanie to run a hand through his dark hair. An unruly lock curled over his forehead. A sigh came as he repositioned the hat on his head and spoke again, “Look, you and I are…we’re friends, right? Obviously because you’re Chic’s little sister but not only because of that. We’ve been around each other, sort of, for practically our whole lives. I should care about what happens to you. I think I should be looking out for you.”

Before I wrote in Jughead wearing the beanie in the first chapter, I thought about whether it was still appropriate for him to be wearing it in this AU. All the pictures and scenes from the show without "this stupid hat" suggest that, no, non-canon Jughead does not ever need to be wearing the hat so that the curl can attack us at all times.

And then I found the perfect instance in the story for him to be without it. So it stayed. And it's going to be so good when he has to take it off.

I can't stop laughing at the writing decisions I find myself conflicted over these days.

[banjospring97-blog]

Thrill of the Grill

Labor Day is right around the corner, signifying the dwindling days of summer while offering one last chance to celebrate. That means it’s time to gather up all your friends, neighbors, and coworkers, throw down an ice bucket packed with refreshing beverages, and uncloak that glorious grill in the heat of the midday sun. It’s your last best chance to fire that baby up, so make it count!

I’m probably the last person to ask about expert grilling practices, but I’d like to think that my novice status is actually my greatest asset here. I’m not about to pull some crazy, unreasonable, daredevil tricks when the metal grates get hot and the smoke starts blowing. While I can’t weigh in on the timeless debate of gas vs. charcoal, steering clear of debates over specific fuels or equipment, it shouldn’t be so complicated just to start a fire and get cooking outdoors. No matter what that means to you, even if the party gets rained out and you use a simple grill pan over the stove instead, it’s still important to start searing and making a mark!

Speaking of which, there are a few key principles to remember for emblazoning perfect stripes every time:

1. Start with a VERY hot grill. Give it at least 15 minutes, if not 25, to preheat before lubing up. If the food is par-cooked or semi-cooked (like meatless hotdogs or burgers, fruits or softer veggies,) aim for about 400 degrees.

2. Grease well to prevent sticking but do NOT use an aerosol non-stick spray over a hot grill! Trust me, you don’t want to light your backyard up like a torch here. Opt for an oil with a high smoke point, like rice bran oil, avocado oil, or peanut oil.

3. Don’t walk away, but don’t fuss with your feast either. Once you throw something on the hot grates, leave them there! Don’t start pushing them around, flipping again and again, repositioning them closer or farther apart. To leave a dark, solid mark, you need to allow full, uninterrupted contact. Yes, the food does still need to be turned over to even cooking, but just once, and only after a solid 5 minutes at minimum.

4. Use tongs. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve chased around ears of corn with a flat spatula because I was too stubborn to go back inside to get the right utensils. Seriously, save yourself the frustration, potential burns, and charred food. Just use the right tools for the job.

5. Go ahead and grill EVERYTHING! Once you’ve made the effort of dragging that beast out of storage, cleaning it up, and bringing it back to life, keep it busy from noon to night. Grill your tofu pups and corn on the cob, of course, but don’t stop there. Grill the buns! Grill the avocados! Grill pineapples and watermelon for a palate cleanser! Keep the party going and grill s’mores for dessert! Heck, if you’ve still got fire to burn and time to spare, grill any leftover veggies in the fridge to start meal prep for the coming week. After all, Labor Day is but a short respite from the daily grind… It’s right back to work tomorrow, ready or not.

Do you have any simple grilling secrets to share? I’m all ears, and not just with yellow kernels of corn. There’s a wide world of charbroiled delights to discover; I’m just getting started.

Many thanks to LightLife for simply providing meatless dogs to inspire this post. All content remains my own original creations, free of bias, and dedicated to an honest appreciation of cruelty-free food.

Source: https://bittersweetblog.com/2018/08/27/thrill-of-the-grill/

[flutecattle9-blog]

Thrill of the Grill

Labor Day is right around the corner, signifying the dwindling days of summer while offering one last chance to celebrate. That means it’s time to gather up all your friends, neighbors, and coworkers, throw down an ice bucket packed with refreshing beverages, and uncloak that glorious grill in the heat of the midday sun. It’s your last best chance to fire that baby up, so make it count!

I’m probably the last person to ask about expert grilling practices, but I’d like to think that my novice status is actually my greatest asset here. I’m not about to pull some crazy, unreasonable, daredevil tricks when the metal grates get hot and the smoke starts blowing. While I can’t weigh in on the timeless debate of gas vs. charcoal, steering clear of debates over specific fuels or equipment, it shouldn’t be so complicated just to start a fire and get cooking outdoors. No matter what that means to you, even if the party gets rained out and you use a simple grill pan over the stove instead, it’s still important to start searing and making a mark!

Speaking of which, there are a few key principles to remember for emblazoning perfect stripes every time:

1. Start with a VERY hot grill. Give it at least 15 minutes, if not 25, to preheat before lubing up. If the food is par-cooked or semi-cooked (like meatless hotdogs or burgers, fruits or softer veggies,) aim for about 400 degrees.

2. Grease well to prevent sticking but do NOT use an aerosol non-stick spray over a hot grill! Trust me, you don’t want to light your backyard up like a torch here. Opt for an oil with a high smoke point, like rice bran oil, avocado oil, or peanut oil.

3. Don’t walk away, but don’t fuss with your feast either. Once you throw something on the hot grates, leave them there! Don’t start pushing them around, flipping again and again, repositioning them closer or farther apart. To leave a dark, solid mark, you need to allow full, uninterrupted contact. Yes, the food does still need to be turned over to even cooking, but just once, and only after a solid 5 minutes at minimum.

4. Use tongs. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve chased around ears of corn with a flat spatula because I was too stubborn to go back inside to get the right utensils. Seriously, save yourself the frustration, potential burns, and charred food. Just use the right tools for the job.

5. Go ahead and grill EVERYTHING! Once you’ve made the effort of dragging that beast out of storage, cleaning it up, and bringing it back to life, keep it busy from noon to night. Grill your tofu pups and corn on the cob, of course, but don’t stop there. Grill the buns! Grill the avocados! Grill pineapples and watermelon for a palate cleanser! Keep the party going and grill s’mores for dessert! Heck, if you’ve still got fire to burn and time to spare, grill any leftover veggies in the fridge to start meal prep for the coming week. After all, Labor Day is but a short respite from the daily grind… It’s right back to work tomorrow, ready or not.

Do you have any simple grilling secrets to share? I’m all ears, and not just with yellow kernels of corn. There’s a wide world of charbroiled delights to discover; I’m just getting started.

Many thanks to LightLife for simply providing meatless dogs to inspire this post. All content remains my own original creations, free of bias, and dedicated to an honest appreciation of cruelty-free food.

Source: https://bittersweetblog.com/2018/08/27/thrill-of-the-grill/

[this-ginger-has-no-soul]

Masterlist

Masterlist for every Fandom and Character

Marvel

Bucky Barnes:

Dating Bucky barnes would include

You’re my mission- 1, 2, 3

Need a Hand?

Bucky I could use a hand

Winter Wonderland

Beefycake Barnes

Mission Accomplished

The stars would be so proud

Desperate Kisses

Nightmares

This isn’t right

No

I’ll take care of you

They’re gone

Calm down

Love yourself, accept yourself

You’re freezing!

What is a me-me?

I promised I’d never hurt you

Stop smiling

Flower crowns

You’re my lobster

Wings and curls

You don’t have to hide

First snowfall

Sick days

Don’t leave me

Keep count for me

Don’t touch them

I’m glad it was me

It’s not your fault

Pinky finger

9 A.M. dates

Shush and lemme take care of you

Ikea

I like them

My soulmate is the reincarnation of President James Buchanan?

Get out while you still have a chance

Lights on

Little reminders

Save me

I’m coming home

I understand

How do you run from a shadow?

You don’t have to do this

I know the feeling

I got you

I love you

I’m not leaving you

Fight me.

Early morning talks

Pointless fights

I’m in love with another

Don’t judge me

Be good to her

Safe Haven

I’m here for you

Period pains

Heartbeat

Puppy struggles

I think you’re adorable

Winter’s touch

With those…fanfiction green eyes

My own rapunzel

Winters in Brooklyn  *one of my personal favorites*

Mine

Do it again

I’ll be your legs

Battle scar

Teddy bear

The music from your fingertips

She’s perfect

I didn’t mean it

Breathe easy

Anniversaries

Halloween carols

You look like you saw a ghost

The Jager and the Kaiju- 1, 2, 3, 4

I don’t get jealous

Sister of Mine

Stomach kisses

Who knew?

Stop.

Post Break up cuddles

Fresh eyes

Bruises

We’re not animals

You look cute like this

Nicknames

We’re innocent- 1, 2

Homecoming

BAMF

A spider’s own

Triggers

They’re mine

Self defense classes

I need you by my side

Old songs

Blue as the sea

Spiders own

Razors

Accents

He knows where you are

Fairy dust

Science conventions

White Christmas

A Brooklyn Christmas

A fairytale proposal

Kiss me

Talk shit again

Take Control

So close yet so far

I thought they’d say yes

Nightmares 2.0

Steve Rogers

We all hide behind our smiles

Language

Conversations you’ve most likely had with Steve Rogers

Anxiety Attacks

I don’t know what I’d do without you

Double date

Take a break

Packing up and breaking down

Poetry

You’re an idiot

Tattoos and Piercings

New technology

I’m here for you

All American Dream *Another one of my personal Favorites*

Children can be a hassle

They’re not worth your time anyway

You’re late

Pure bliss

Not so innocent

He’s here with me

Sleep habits

Feeling’s mutual

Captain Canada- 1, 2

Bed is better with two

Bands

You’re beautiful

Old love never dies- 1, 2

My hero

Your moobs

I’m just scared is all

Teach me

Respect

Just a little shy

Like a married couple

Tales of our scars

I love her- 1, 2

Story of the century

My broken love

Awkward

Work Accidents

The fruit of our Labors

Say you won’t let go

Natasha Romanoff

The itsy bitsy spider

Traitor

Make the bad dreams go away

You’re not funny

He’s been at this all week

Girls night out

Shy spider

Lost souls and broken hearts

Fun sized

Surprise

You’re old enough to be my mom

Broken noses

I’m sick

Rewarding kisses

Angry spider

Never leave your side

My little fighter

Broken Lullabies- 1, 2

We should have never fought these battles

You’re too kind to do this to yourself

Morphine confessions

Stay with me

Scales- 1, 2, 3, 4

Museum Exhibits- 1, 2

I dare you

The cat and the spider

Comfort in a Widow’s kiss

Cafe dates

Near death experience

From friends to lovers

Are you ticklish

Lovers in the most unlikely places

I’m by your side

My alien angel

Lovely surprise

Wanda Maximoff

Baking

Music

Honey gone bad

Sister I wish I had had

Nightmares of the past

Bond

Thunderstorms

Hearing aids

Lay a finger on them

Family reunions

Kisses make everything better

Bed hog

Kisses make everything better

Touch her again

Double Trouble

Tony Stark

Please stop

Things you said when I was asleep

Conversations you’ve most likely had with Tony Stark

Whispered Songs

She lays down

Femininity 

Clint Barton

Hey Barton, Catch

Pizza, Puppies, and Coffee

Perfect Pair

Conversations you’ve most likely had with Clint

I’m making up for lost time

Coffee cups and broken bones-1, 2

Car wrecks and coworkers

Girlfriend

Peter Parker

Long time no see

Cuts and Bruises

I hurt you

Kill it!

Savior

You’re into the older type?

You’re just a kid

Loki

Everyday Midguardian Objects

Things I uses to love

I’ve fallen in love

Silly girl- 1, 2

I’ve fallen in love

Sam wilson

Cat and Bird

Change in Scenery

Bruce Banner

Hey Big guy

Thor

Cuddles

Black Panther

I don’t want to fight you

X-Men

Kurt Wagner

Scars

Pay attention to me

I could have lost you

I love everything about you

My blueberry kitten

Difficulty

Tile is Dangerous

Jealousy

Hide and seek

German lullabies

Conversations you’ll most likely have with Kurt Wagner

Silent book friend

The little blue comfort in my life

Warren Worthington

Feathers

Pretend to be my boyfriend

Flaws

Always someone else- 1, 2

I’m nesting, it’s what birds do

I’ll love you forever

I’ll spread my wings and-

Sweet as candy

Please don’t be scared of me

I don’t love you- 1, 2

That’s what happens

That was cute

Charles Xavier

Insecurities

Slow dancing at 3 in the morning

Calm your mind

Can’t you see what you’re doing to me- 1, 2

It’s over for me

Mission failed

Thorn in my side

Could I do something more?

Does she know that we bleed the same?

Time Travel

Erik Lehnsherr

Well this one is soft and kind

You make me think the world can be a better place

Can you hold me?

Logan Howlett

Dangerous

It’s okay not to be okay

You scared me

Happy birthday

My hero

Wade Wilson

Maybe it’s the mask

I like you better without the mask

Conversations you’ll most likely have with Wade Wilson

Scott Summers

Glasses and chaos

Guess this was a blessing in disguise

Peter Maximoff

Piggyback rides

Lazy mornings

Alex Summers

I’m not afraid of you

Hank Mccoy

Blue is better

Supernatural

Dean Winchester

Please don’t go

Regrets

I’m forgetting

The phone

I’m sorry princess

You’re in love and it’s not with me

Salt and Holy water

Shark week

Freckles

Can we just watch the stars?

Conversations you’ll most likely have with Dean Winchester

It burns

Hey jude

I thought you gave up smoking

Monster in the closet

Of Heaven and Hell- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Dog days

Stitches and Scotch

Gorgeous

My ex-boyfriend the werewolf

All I wanted was a back massage

I missed you

In sickness and in health

Heartbroken

I can’t lose you

Don’t hurt them

Shitty diners

Sam Winchester

Last time

I’m in love with the Devil

You make me smile

Close your eyes

Aren’t you a little old to be afraid of the dark

Hickies and Bedhead

Yoga

Conversations you’ll most likely have with Sam Winchester

Castiel

I’ve never felt pain like this

Guardian angel

Lucifer

The Serpent’s love

Sherlock

You’re in love

Marriage is a trivial thing

Doctor who

The Stranger in white

Superwholock

The case of the forgotten memories- prologue, part 1

Others

Bigby Wolf

I’m trying

Terrible jokes

[preciousmetals0]

Jobs on the Line; Peloton’s Doing Fine

Jobs on the Line; Peloton’s Doing Fine:

Wall Street’s Breaking Bad

This must be Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays.

— Arthur Dent, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Indeed, it is Thursday, dear reader. And you know what that means … weekly unemployment claims and a market rally. (More optimistically, it’s also Reader Feedback day! Read on…)

The Labor Department reported 3.2 million new unemployment claims for last week. The seven-week rolling total now sits at a staggering 33 million. In case you wondered, that’s bad.

However, Wall Street managed to delude itself into finding a silver lining once again. Investors are keying off the fact that claims have fallen steadily for the past five weeks.

In other words, the labor market is bad and getting worse. But … at least it’s not getting progressively bad… (Or the amount of bad is not as bad as the amount of bad that we had two weeks ago.) Something like that.

So, either Wall Street has broken “bad,” or investors are so far into doublespeak that they can’t tell the difference anymore. Personally, I like Jim Cramer’s commentary on the situation: “At the end of the day, this action makes little sense.”

Cramer also went on to tell CNBC: “When we get Friday’s employment report it is going to be so bad that we’re going to be debating whether we’re in a serious recession or a depression.”

I don’t have Cramer’s confidence on this one. I believe Wall Street will shrug off tomorrow’s official jobs data from the Labor Department. Why wouldn’t it?

The market has shrugged at every other piece of apocalyptic economic data in the past two months. Why should tomorrow’s nonfarm payrolls report be any different?

The Takeaway: 

Let’s shift gears here and turn to a reemerging trend that could have a more direct impact on our trading habits over the next several weeks to months.

I’m talking about the return on the trade  war cycle.

Buried under the weekly unemployment claims headlines was this gem from MarketWatch: “Global Equities Rise on Trade Talk Hopes as More Jobs Vanish in the U.S.” (Well, that was the headline before MarketWatch changed it.)

Yes, trade talk hopes.

On May 1, President Trump said that he is considering putting the kibosh on the phase 1 U.S.-China trade deal in retaliation for China’s handling of COVID-19.

Trump doubled down on the China threat at a town hall meeting over the weekend. “Now they have to buy,” Trump said. “And if they don’t buy, we’ll terminate the deal, very simple.”

Today, news broke that Washington and Beijing have scheduled talks on the matter next week. This will be the first time that the two sides have discussed the trade deal since signing it in January.

And so, we find ourselves once again moving the needle on the Great Stuff Trade War Cycle chart:

If you followed this pattern last year, you probably made quite a bit of cash. I had more than a few Great Stuff readers tell me they made bank by following this pattern.

That said, things are a bit different this time around. We’re not in a bull market. We face a mountain of bad economic data. And we’re desperately dealing with a global pandemic. Given those external pressures, this may be a short-lived trade war cycle.

Regardless, Trump’s tilt toward China brings more volatility to an already volatile market. But you can use this volatility instead to your advantage instead of making decisions out of panic.

Hectic times beg for simple trading strategies, and we found what just might be the simplest strategy to follow: the 10X Switch.

Adam O’Dell is about to show you how you can use it to easily play both sides of the market swings — without buying or selling a single stock, option or bond.

The best part? You can reserve your spot to hear more for free. Simply click here.

(See, we told you Great Stuff gets you past the velvet ropes.)

Good: Viable Viacom

ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIAC) is the dark horse in the race for streaming-video dominance. The unholy union between Viacom and CBS holds a collection of content that includes Pluto TV, CBS, Nickelodeon, BET, MTV, Comedy Central, Paramount Pictures and Showtime.

That dark horse status isn’t holding back ViacomCBS at all. The company blew past Wall Street’s earnings expectations this morning by $0.18 per share. Revenue, meanwhile, beat analysts’ targets by $100 million.

That’s not to say there weren’t problems. ViacomCBS’s ad revenue fell 19% year over year, and so did both earnings and revenue. However, digital-streaming revenue soared 51%, and film revenue jumped 11% on home-licensing deals (read: streaming deals).

The point is, if ViacomCBS wasn’t already on your shortlist for streaming video investment ideas, it should be. The real question is, if you read Great Stuff, why isn’t VIAC already on your radar? (I mean, we told you about ViacomCBS back in February.)

Better: Getting Down at P-Town

It’s official. I was wrong on Peloton Interactive Inc. (Nasdaq: PTON).

Well, sort of — I didn’t count on a global pandemic to force people to work and work out from home.

The company proffering stationary bikes with video subscriptions is making bank during the U.S. pandemic lockdown. This morning, Peloton said that first-quarter revenue spiked 66% to $524.6 million.

Earnings were still poor, arriving at a loss of $0.20 per share and missing the Street’s estimate by $0.02. But, for an expanding startup, that’s to be expected.

The real juicy news is that subscription revenue skyrocketed 92%, as the company’s “connected fitness” subscribers jumped 94% to 886,0000. Paid digital subs rose 64% on the quarter.

Peloton also raised its full-year revenue and subscriber count outlooks above Wall Street’s target.

What’s more, this trend may be stickier than most stay-at-home trends in the market right now. Imagine going to the gym while COVID-19 still floats around out there with no cure. No thanks.

So, do I still think Peloton sells overpriced bikes with the equivalent of a Netflix subscription? Yes.

Is that model going to work in the current and post-pandemic market? Yes, yes it will.

The fear-driven sentiment surrounding local gyms and going outside to work out could linger for months to a year or more. That fear will provide a heavy tailwind for PTON stock and the company’s bottom line.

Editor’s Note: Looking for a way to play earnings season? Just wait until you hear from earnings expert Chad Shoop… (Click here.)

Best: Testing, One, Two … Three?

We’re still months away from a viable vaccine for COVID-19, but Moderna Inc. (Nasdaq: MRNA) has put the world one step closer to that goal.

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine for phase 2 trials. The company plans to begin those trials with 600 patients very shortly. Furthermore, it’s already finalizing plans for phase 3 trials as early as this summer.

“We are accelerating manufacturing scale-up and our partnership with Lonza puts us in a position to make and distribute as many vaccine doses of mRNA-1273 as possible, should it prove to be safe and effective,” CEO Stephane Bancel said in a statement.

I’ll be honest: This is the best news I’ve heard on the COIVD-19 front since this whole thing began.

Now, you’re probably wondering if you should invest in MRNA shares. I’m going to give that a great big “that depends.”

Way to be noncommittal there, Mr. Great Stuff.

Well … it does. Are you in or nearing retirement? Then stay away from speculative biotechs. Moderna itself said that it will “incur significant expenses this year” due to vaccine development. It should get most of that money back from grants and awards, but it’s still a risk.

If you’re younger in your investment journey, and your risk tolerance is high enough, you might give MRNA a shot. (Ha-ha … shot … I’ll see myself out.)

That said, for those of you into taking risks, wait for MRNA to pull back from today’s surge before you jump in. There will be some follow-through profit-taking from those who got in early. You’ll get a better entry price if you don’t chase today’s surge.

You yelled “Marco!” and it’s my turn to play polo — or something along those lines. It’s time for this week’s edition of Reader Feedback!

Boy, this week has everyone writing in … and it’s not just the “DO YOU HAVE MESOTHELIOMA???” ads that usually come through.

Nay, this week, Great Stuff readers are right on the pulse with all things China and trade wars. Seriously, I haven’t seen this many “anti-this” and “anti-that” email chains since the early 2000s… (Boycott the world — no, no, reopen the world! Go underground! Eat more broccoli!)

Keep it coming, dear readers! Write to us anytime at GreatStuffToday@BanyanHill.com. Now let’s dive in…

Imperfect Circle

Some cities are exposing their inner dictators by some of their actions. The federal government has been overly generous in helping the states deal with the enormous challenges created by this virus. Has it been perfect? Of course not. It’s government. I just hope and pray voters remember who did what in November.

— Andrew W.

Hey Andrew! Quick counter point, just for funsies: At many levels, the federal government’s inability to stay self-consistent is one of the enormous challenges that states are facing. Reopen now, reopen never — it doesn’t matter what the plan is if mixed messages and misinformation botch it either way.

That said, I am envious of the hope you hold for your fellow voters this November.

Warren Dumps

Just one question — who did Buffet sell all his airline shares to?

All the airlines he sold have similar charts, but selling a position the size he had any time in the last month should have caused an even bigger move, unless someone with VERY DEEP pockets was buying those shares.

— Gordon F.

Deep pockets, you say? JPow, it’s Buff Buff. My, what unlimited stimulus you have … maybe you’d be down with a little personal bailout…

I hate to break it to anyone wanting a juicy story. There’s no boogey man here. There’s no conspiracy. I know, the X-Files lied to me too.

Many people, new to the markets or otherwise, want to find something — anything — amiss whenever the Big Money is concerned. Warren Buffett didn’t go prowling the streets of Omaha looking for a back-alley airline stock deal, as fanciful an image as that might be.

Let’s break this down.

Big-time investors like Buffett’s Berkshire don’t just dump $4 billion in stock all at once. They do it carefully, bits at a time over a period … to market makers, other big investors, retail investors and banks. And Berkshire and its subsidiaries started last month.

I’m not privy to the exact methods, but Big-Money investors do this for exactly the reason you mentioned: to not tank the market all at once … and to not hurt the prices that they get for that sold stock.

Is Buffett willing to get a bad deal on hundreds of millions of airline shares? When a single-penny difference means losing billions? And risk even more portfolio upheaval at a time like this? I say nay nay.

(A shill! A shill! They got to him!)

Sure.

Ooh, I’ve Been Dirt, and I Don’t Care

I read lots, but put my money in dirt (real estate). I know where it is and how much it will make me. — Tim P.

You know how much it’ll make you?! Tim, your crystal ball — give it here!

I joke, but there is one serious leg-up that real estate has over equities right now.

Yes, home showings will slow and/or stop. And going through the buying process is a pain in non-pandemic times. (Though, I’ve seen quite a few rental listings using the “See it solo!” method, which gets my industry-disruption Spidey senses tingling.)

But here’s the difference: With stocks, you can check Robinhood every second of the trading day and watch the dizzying price changes.

You can … but it’ll drive you bat-flu crazy. Well, most of the market is glued to the screen anyway. And as investors’ positions whipsaw, so do their reactions, and the vicious cycle grows through rally, bust and boom again — often within mere hours.

Irrationality breeds irrationality, and the equity markets are filled to the brim with it right now. Real estate? Not to the same neck-breaking extent. Just imagine if your house had a ticker on it and you could see it make 500-point moves like the Dow every day.

If you wrote in and I didn’t get to your email, it may be because you cursed too $%^*@#$ much. I still appreciate your email, even if we can’t share it publicly.

Got more on your mind? So do I, so let’s get writing. Send us an email at GreatStuffToday@BanyanHill.com.

That’s a wrap for today, but if you still crave more Great Stuff, check us out on social media: Facebook and Twitter.

Until next time, be Great!

Regards,

Joseph Hargett

Editor, Great Stuff

[goldira01]

Wall Street’s Breaking Bad

This must be Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays.

— Arthur Dent, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Indeed, it is Thursday, dear reader. And you know what that means … weekly unemployment claims and a market rally. (More optimistically, it’s also Reader Feedback day! Read on…)

The Labor Department reported 3.2 million new unemployment claims for last week. The seven-week rolling total now sits at a staggering 33 million. In case you wondered, that’s bad.

However, Wall Street managed to delude itself into finding a silver lining once again. Investors are keying off the fact that claims have fallen steadily for the past five weeks.

In other words, the labor market is bad and getting worse. But … at least it’s not getting progressively bad… (Or the amount of bad is not as bad as the amount of bad that we had two weeks ago.) Something like that.

So, either Wall Street has broken “bad,” or investors are so far into doublespeak that they can’t tell the difference anymore. Personally, I like Jim Cramer’s commentary on the situation: “At the end of the day, this action makes little sense.”

Cramer also went on to tell CNBC: “When we get Friday’s employment report it is going to be so bad that we’re going to be debating whether we’re in a serious recession or a depression.”

I don’t have Cramer’s confidence on this one. I believe Wall Street will shrug off tomorrow’s official jobs data from the Labor Department. Why wouldn’t it?

The market has shrugged at every other piece of apocalyptic economic data in the past two months. Why should tomorrow’s nonfarm payrolls report be any different?

The Takeaway: 

Let’s shift gears here and turn to a reemerging trend that could have a more direct impact on our trading habits over the next several weeks to months.

I’m talking about the return on the trade  war cycle.

Buried under the weekly unemployment claims headlines was this gem from MarketWatch: “Global Equities Rise on Trade Talk Hopes as More Jobs Vanish in the U.S.” (Well, that was the headline before MarketWatch changed it.)

Yes, trade talk hopes.

On May 1, President Trump said that he is considering putting the kibosh on the phase 1 U.S.-China trade deal in retaliation for China’s handling of COVID-19.

Trump doubled down on the China threat at a town hall meeting over the weekend. “Now they have to buy,” Trump said. “And if they don’t buy, we’ll terminate the deal, very simple.”

Today, news broke that Washington and Beijing have scheduled talks on the matter next week. This will be the first time that the two sides have discussed the trade deal since signing it in January.

And so, we find ourselves once again moving the needle on the Great Stuff Trade War Cycle chart:

If you followed this pattern last year, you probably made quite a bit of cash. I had more than a few Great Stuff readers tell me they made bank by following this pattern.

That said, things are a bit different this time around. We’re not in a bull market. We face a mountain of bad economic data. And we’re desperately dealing with a global pandemic. Given those external pressures, this may be a short-lived trade war cycle.

Regardless, Trump’s tilt toward China brings more volatility to an already volatile market. But you can use this volatility instead to your advantage instead of making decisions out of panic.

Hectic times beg for simple trading strategies, and we found what just might be the simplest strategy to follow: the 10X Switch.

Adam O’Dell is about to show you how you can use it to easily play both sides of the market swings — without buying or selling a single stock, option or bond.

The best part? You can reserve your spot to hear more for free. Simply click here.

(See, we told you Great Stuff gets you past the velvet ropes.)

Good: Viable Viacom

ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIAC) is the dark horse in the race for streaming-video dominance. The unholy union between Viacom and CBS holds a collection of content that includes Pluto TV, CBS, Nickelodeon, BET, MTV, Comedy Central, Paramount Pictures and Showtime.

That dark horse status isn’t holding back ViacomCBS at all. The company blew past Wall Street’s earnings expectations this morning by $0.18 per share. Revenue, meanwhile, beat analysts’ targets by $100 million.

That’s not to say there weren’t problems. ViacomCBS’s ad revenue fell 19% year over year, and so did both earnings and revenue. However, digital-streaming revenue soared 51%, and film revenue jumped 11% on home-licensing deals (read: streaming deals).

The point is, if ViacomCBS wasn’t already on your shortlist for streaming video investment ideas, it should be. The real question is, if you read Great Stuff, why isn’t VIAC already on your radar? (I mean, we told you about ViacomCBS back in February.)

Better: Getting Down at P-Town

It’s official. I was wrong on Peloton Interactive Inc. (Nasdaq: PTON).

Well, sort of — I didn’t count on a global pandemic to force people to work and work out from home.

The company proffering stationary bikes with video subscriptions is making bank during the U.S. pandemic lockdown. This morning, Peloton said that first-quarter revenue spiked 66% to $524.6 million.

Earnings were still poor, arriving at a loss of $0.20 per share and missing the Street’s estimate by $0.02. But, for an expanding startup, that’s to be expected.

The real juicy news is that subscription revenue skyrocketed 92%, as the company’s “connected fitness” subscribers jumped 94% to 886,0000. Paid digital subs rose 64% on the quarter.

Peloton also raised its full-year revenue and subscriber count outlooks above Wall Street’s target.

What’s more, this trend may be stickier than most stay-at-home trends in the market right now. Imagine going to the gym while COVID-19 still floats around out there with no cure. No thanks.

So, do I still think Peloton sells overpriced bikes with the equivalent of a Netflix subscription? Yes.

Is that model going to work in the current and post-pandemic market? Yes, yes it will.

The fear-driven sentiment surrounding local gyms and going outside to work out could linger for months to a year or more. That fear will provide a heavy tailwind for PTON stock and the company’s bottom line.

Editor’s Note: Looking for a way to play earnings season? Just wait until you hear from earnings expert Chad Shoop… (Click here.)

Best: Testing, One, Two … Three?

We’re still months away from a viable vaccine for COVID-19, but Moderna Inc. (Nasdaq: MRNA) has put the world one step closer to that goal.

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine for phase 2 trials. The company plans to begin those trials with 600 patients very shortly. Furthermore, it’s already finalizing plans for phase 3 trials as early as this summer.

“We are accelerating manufacturing scale-up and our partnership with Lonza puts us in a position to make and distribute as many vaccine doses of mRNA-1273 as possible, should it prove to be safe and effective,” CEO Stephane Bancel said in a statement.

I’ll be honest: This is the best news I’ve heard on the COIVD-19 front since this whole thing began.

Now, you’re probably wondering if you should invest in MRNA shares. I’m going to give that a great big “that depends.”

Way to be noncommittal there, Mr. Great Stuff.

Well … it does. Are you in or nearing retirement? Then stay away from speculative biotechs. Moderna itself said that it will “incur significant expenses this year” due to vaccine development. It should get most of that money back from grants and awards, but it’s still a risk.

If you’re younger in your investment journey, and your risk tolerance is high enough, you might give MRNA a shot. (Ha-ha … shot … I’ll see myself out.)

That said, for those of you into taking risks, wait for MRNA to pull back from today’s surge before you jump in. There will be some follow-through profit-taking from those who got in early. You’ll get a better entry price if you don’t chase today’s surge.

You yelled “Marco!” and it’s my turn to play polo — or something along those lines. It’s time for this week’s edition of Reader Feedback!

Boy, this week has everyone writing in … and it’s not just the “DO YOU HAVE MESOTHELIOMA???” ads that usually come through.

Nay, this week, Great Stuff readers are right on the pulse with all things China and trade wars. Seriously, I haven’t seen this many “anti-this” and “anti-that” email chains since the early 2000s… (Boycott the world — no, no, reopen the world! Go underground! Eat more broccoli!)

Keep it coming, dear readers! Write to us anytime at GreatStuffToday@BanyanHill.com. Now let’s dive in…

Imperfect Circle

Some cities are exposing their inner dictators by some of their actions. The federal government has been overly generous in helping the states deal with the enormous challenges created by this virus. Has it been perfect? Of course not. It’s government. I just hope and pray voters remember who did what in November.

— Andrew W.

Hey Andrew! Quick counter point, just for funsies: At many levels, the federal government’s inability to stay self-consistent is one of the enormous challenges that states are facing. Reopen now, reopen never — it doesn’t matter what the plan is if mixed messages and misinformation botch it either way.

That said, I am envious of the hope you hold for your fellow voters this November.

Warren Dumps

Just one question — who did Buffet sell all his airline shares to?

All the airlines he sold have similar charts, but selling a position the size he had any time in the last month should have caused an even bigger move, unless someone with VERY DEEP pockets was buying those shares.

— Gordon F.

Deep pockets, you say? JPow, it’s Buff Buff. My, what unlimited stimulus you have … maybe you’d be down with a little personal bailout…

I hate to break it to anyone wanting a juicy story. There’s no boogey man here. There’s no conspiracy. I know, the X-Files lied to me too.

Many people, new to the markets or otherwise, want to find something — anything — amiss whenever the Big Money is concerned. Warren Buffett didn’t go prowling the streets of Omaha looking for a back-alley airline stock deal, as fanciful an image as that might be.

Let’s break this down.

Big-time investors like Buffett’s Berkshire don’t just dump $4 billion in stock all at once. They do it carefully, bits at a time over a period … to market makers, other big investors, retail investors and banks. And Berkshire and its subsidiaries started last month.

I’m not privy to the exact methods, but Big-Money investors do this for exactly the reason you mentioned: to not tank the market all at once … and to not hurt the prices that they get for that sold stock.

Is Buffett willing to get a bad deal on hundreds of millions of airline shares? When a single-penny difference means losing billions? And risk even more portfolio upheaval at a time like this? I say nay nay.

(A shill! A shill! They got to him!)

Sure.

Ooh, I’ve Been Dirt, and I Don’t Care

I read lots, but put my money in dirt (real estate). I know where it is and how much it will make me. — Tim P.

You know how much it’ll make you?! Tim, your crystal ball — give it here!

I joke, but there is one serious leg-up that real estate has over equities right now.

Yes, home showings will slow and/or stop. And going through the buying process is a pain in non-pandemic times. (Though, I’ve seen quite a few rental listings using the “See it solo!” method, which gets my industry-disruption Spidey senses tingling.)

But here’s the difference: With stocks, you can check Robinhood every second of the trading day and watch the dizzying price changes.

You can … but it’ll drive you bat-flu crazy. Well, most of the market is glued to the screen anyway. And as investors’ positions whipsaw, so do their reactions, and the vicious cycle grows through rally, bust and boom again — often within mere hours.

Irrationality breeds irrationality, and the equity markets are filled to the brim with it right now. Real estate? Not to the same neck-breaking extent. Just imagine if your house had a ticker on it and you could see it make 500-point moves like the Dow every day.

If you wrote in and I didn’t get to your email, it may be because you cursed too $%^*@#$ much. I still appreciate your email, even if we can’t share it publicly.

Got more on your mind? So do I, so let’s get writing. Send us an email at GreatStuffToday@BanyanHill.com.

That’s a wrap for today, but if you still crave more Great Stuff, check us out on social media: Facebook and Twitter.

Until next time, be Great!

Regards,

Joseph Hargett

Editor, Great Stuff