#67 actually I think when I put the two docs together

[centeris2]

oh sweet jesus this Dark Core Day fic is going to be over 100 pages long isn’t it that wasn’t supposed to happen

[inkdemonapologist]

cONTINUING THE PLANNING FROM EPISODE NINE OF THE BENDY CTHLUHU GAME, we are all very good at being supernatural investigators, and definitely not just an animation studio that is way out of its league

A smattering of out-of-context quotes are under the cut!

[Sammy is played by me, Joey is played by Boo (inkyvendingmachine), Henry is played by Maf (inkcryptid), Jack is played by Mochi (whatyouwantedmetosee) and Thren (haunted-hijinxer) is our GM!]

[Joey] Once Joey's pretty sure he has Henry's awareness he's just going to point-blank ask, "You smeared your blood on one of the symbols?!" [Sammy] (OOOOOHHHHHHH SOMEONE TATTLED ON YOU!!!)

[Joey] What was my starting sanity? [Sammy] 67. [Joey] Okay... so I need to lose, um... [GM] I love this phrasing. [Jack] I mean, I was literally counting it down and announced the final sanity loss with, like, an excited toot emoji!

[GM] I think Jack would have to cooperate to wake up, but I don't know why he wouldn't. [Jack] Hm...... 5 more minutes, Joey....... [Henry] Jack will wake up uncooperatively! [Sammy] Jack just sitting next to his body like "...No."

[Jack] Prophet Sam was doing his best! [Sammy] He was! [Sammy] He's always Doing His Best, (Derogatory)

[Joey] We did manage to transfer the Host marking before... so we might be able to transfer it to Doc Moonlight? [Henry] I'll just punch him in the face again! [Joey] nO, you don't get to punch him! I mean, you can punch him, but you're not-- No More Hosting For Henry!! [Sammy] and I'd rather not travel through time again, if it's all the same.

[Sammy] Also, sometimes Moonlight carries the stone on his person! So if we can just beat him up, take the stone AND take the staff, then that's two... birds with one........ stone.

[Sammy] They don't even know who Peter is, he's not special. [Jack] ...Jack thinks he's special... [GM] But you know, not in the magic blood, prophet eyes kind of way, [Jack] He's only just met Joey Drew, give him five minutes. [Sammy] Well SO far, it sounds like the winning plan is to go back to sleep!

[Sammy] *makes suggestion out of character* [Joey] That's a great idea, and Joey's going to steal it from you, and also pitch it to everyone else. [Sammy] (...JOEY DREW IS GOING TO STEAL IT FROM ME? THE PLAYER???)

[Henry] Henry will go wherever he is wanted... [Henry] ...or he'll take another nap. [Sammy] See if you can astral project somewhere useful! [Jack] He astral projects, and it's just to the shops to buy sunglasses.

[Jack] Jack might go along, especially if it's Sammy; like, Sammy doesn't have a great time talking to people anyway, and on top of that, "Last time I was here, I was a weird crazy cultist who was drinking paint!" -- he might want someone around who, theoretically, can speak! [Sammy] Sammy needs a chaperone anyway, just in case weird things happen. [Henry] Henry will come! Between him and Jack, hopefully one of them will be able to form coherent sentences! [Jack] They'll just trade off which one's dissociating! [Sammy] I can't believe Joey is leaving to buy sunglasses, and we need ALL THREE OF THE OTHERS, PUT TOGETHER, to equal Joey's force in talking.

[Joey] Hold on, I need to look something up really quick... NO! FUCK! Sharpies didn't exist until 1964. [Joey] I'm just trying to figure out what we can... dammit! Permanent markers in general didn't exist until 1952!!! [Sammy] You can buy normal ink, probably. [Joey] I guess, yeah... probably a brush too, I'm just making a grocery list now, ...do we want to get a mat, or do we want to put the binding circle on the inside of a jacket-- I'm sorry, I keep going back to the inside of jacket thing-- [Sammy] NO! Because then we have to get the jacket off of whoever it's on and-- look, it just seems inconvenient. You can roll up a mat and just carry it. You can have a messenger bag it's stuffed into, it's fine. [GM] I guess your hands are free, though... [Sammy] You can have a messenger bag it's stuffed into and then your hands are free!! [Joey] *still researching* Messenger bags did not exist until the 1950s, so those are also not an option. [Jack] We just need to put the binding circle on a pair of converse, clearly.

[Jack] Sammy can fast talk, it's just the wrong kind.

[Sammy] We suspect the ritual is the finale to their party. [GM, as Allison] She is impressed by their ambition, but she's like, "Well, we can't have that. That won't do." [Jack] (I LOVE ALLISON,) [Sammy] Sammy assures her it's actually a pretty sloppy operation. [Jack] From what we can tell, they don't know what they're doing. [Allison] Amateurs. Anyway, thanks for the update!

[Joey] It's just a little more money! [Jack] (distant sound of Grant sobbing) [Sammy] We gotta stop going on these trips; that's what's going to do Grant in. [Joey] Grant is actually the antagonist for the next scenario

[Jack] That's not supernatural, that's just Joey Drew. Supernaturally incompetent with money.

[GM] Everyone make a Spot (Hidden) check! [Sammy] (Okay, Norman, come out,)

[Jack] I thought you were going to say that Henry makes the cat activation noise. [Sammy] How many different things can we give Henry! WHAT SUPERNATURAL QUALITY WILL GIVE HENRY THE CAT ACTIVATION NOISE? [Jack] You need Sillytime for that, clearly! [Sammy] ...I don't know if Sammy makes the cat activation noise... [GM] The Fabled and Feared Sillytime Henry.

[Henry] I have to ask, has Peter been told about Bendy? [Joey] Kind of? [Sammy] Kind of.

[GM] You can trap people in it, if you get them to look through it into a mirror under the full moon? And with sunlight hitting it at the right angle under the new moon, you can get people out of it! [Sammy] OKAY, TIME TO LOOK UP THE PHASES OF THE MOON IN NINETEEN THIRTY FOUR

[Sammy] So basically, on Mardi Gras itself is when we can pull the family out. [Jack] Which would be a really great way of getting Fowler on our side, just be like, "Hey! Check out this neat party trick!"

[GM] Henry could've picked up two nightsticks. [Henry] Maybe he's just starting a collection! "These are all the things people have tried to kill me with." [Jack] You didn't keep the snake. Your collection is ruined. [Henry] Aw, it is, [Henry] It's always the one thing.

[Joey] Joey will have Sammy go down to meet him, since we didn't have our new room back then, and Sammy's apparently really good at scaring off cultists! [Sammy] Yeah, alright- [Joey] And while Sammy's doing that, he's going to have another shot of ink. [Sammy] Ah.

[Jack] Would they recognise Jack's new hat at this point? He was wearing Pete's hat in the swamp... [Sammy] COMPLETELY UNRECOGNISABLE

[crashdevlin]

Do you write anything that isn't part of the huge universe you created? I would like to read your stuff but I don't know where to begin and I get lost on what part I should be going to next. Thanks.

I typically write series and each series is usually it’s own universe, so if you’re talking about a huge universe, I’m gonna assume you’re talking about the It’s Only Natural sister-wincest universe and I have SO MUCH MORE than just that universe. My masterlist will clue you in on the rest but here’s a few of my favorite things that are not related to It’s Only Natural at all

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Doc and Sir series- (Sam x Plus-sized Doctor Reader BDSM)  Y/n had a crush on Sam at Stanford, but she was sure he’d never look at her because of her weight. When he walks into her ER eleven years after the fire in his apartment, he reveals she’s actually more his type than she would have thought: sweet, innocent and corruptible.

Mr. Smith- (Dean x Reader) Y/n has been dreaming of a man she barely knows, Director of Sales and Marketing at Sandover Steel, where she works. How far will she go to see if her dreams match up to reality? (AU where Dean’s hunter girlfriend gets put in Zachariah’s normal douchebag reality)  **

Don’t Tease Me- Sequel to Mr. Smith.  Mr. Dean Smith makes good on his promise to take Y/n to his condo.**

The One That Got Away- (Dean x Reader) Y/n thinks back on her relationship with Dean.  <Smutless> **

Concussion (Sequel to The One That Got Away)-  Y/n has tried to avoid her ex but sometimes the past is unavoidable. <Smutless> <angsty> **

Huckleberry- (Dean x Reader) Dean calls on a hunter he met a few months ago for help with a hunt when Sam leaves to help Mary with a different one.  **

Sealed With A Kiss- (Demon!Dean x Reader, Dean X Reader) Y/n has known the Winchesters for years. She’s in love with Sam, Dean’s her best friend, but now that Dean’s a demon and Sam’s risking everything to track him down, y/n turns to a demon deal to keep Sam safe. Part One Part Two **

‘til it’s Gone series- (Dean x Pus-Sized Reader) Dean and Y/n were together for years, but things fell apart after Michael left him. There’s no way Dean could imagine how badly things would turn after he pushes her away. <Super Angsty>

Plus One-  (Dean x Bisexual!Reader) When y/n is forced to learn to dance for her ex’s wedding, she meets a certain green-eyed man whose brother thinks he doesn’t have any rhythm. **

Into the Woods- ( Dean x Reader, Michael x Reader) You get into a bit of trouble when you go to find Michael to get Dean back.**

Bistro 67- (Chef!Dean x Food Critic!Reader)  Dean Winchester is counting on Y/F/N Y/L/N’s review to get his struggling restaurant up on its feet. It doesn’t help that Lawrence’s resident playboy has a forgotten history with the food critic.    Part One  Part Two

This list is getting long already so I won’t put in my threesomes and stuff. The two series on here will take you straight to the masterlist for the series.

[atc74]

The Grave of Resurrection - 3

Rating: PG for some language

Summary: Jensen Ackles is an archaeologist and just got chosen to work the dig of his life, but what is waiting to be unearthed may just be life or death.

Word Count: 1501

Characters (this part): Jensen Ackles, Henrie Jones (OC), Dr. Jared Padalecki, Clif Kosterman, Misha(Dmitri Krushnic), Sasha Krushnic, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Adam and Stella (students)

A/N: This is part three of four parts. Thanks to my amazing bestie/beta @just-another-busy-fangirl - thank you for just being you! I LOVE Indiana Jones so this was just so fitting! I am so excited for this!

Series Masterlist

The next morning, Jared and Jensen were meeting with museum’s head of security, Clif Kosterman. Clif ensured both of them that he had screened the extra staff and they wouldn’t disturb the work the group was doing. They would blend in and no one off site would be the wiser. Clif introduced them to the extra three men before they finished up their meeting.

“Dr. Padalecki, Mr. Ackles, this is Dmitri Krushnic, he prefers to be called Misha. The dark haired one over there is his brother, Sasha. The third man, the tall one is Jeff, he prefers to be addressed as Morgan. He is dark and brooding, but one of the best I have ever worked with before,” Clif commented as they all shook hands and Jared filled them in on their undercover duties.

“Thanks, Clif. This makes us all feel a little better and we’ll rest a little easier,” Jensen thanked the large man once more and made his way out of the office.  He and Jared had worked out a detailed map of the dig site last night based on the location of all the artifacts they had found since the beginning and decided where excavation would begin in their search for the chest.

Henrie watched Jensen as he made his way out of the office that morning, an extra spring in his step and a smile on his face. She noticed he was happier today than normal, which said something since he had been smiling since he arrived. She dusted off her hands on her khaki shorts, and made her way to catch up to him.

“Hey Jack!” she greeted him with a warm smile. “Looks like the meeting went well.”

“Yeah! It did. I am just relieved that the museum agreed to the extra security. This dig is going to mean great things for the museum, for you and Dr. Padalecki and for my research. I am so stoked!” Jensen pumped his fists excitedly in front of him, causing her to laugh.

“You’re like a child!” Henrie chortled and Jensen just shrugged as they kept walking side by side.

“So I have been meaning to ask you...your name?” Jensen rubbed the back of his neck nervously as he averted his gaze from her. “Sorry, I am sure you get asked that a lot.”

“It’s not a problem, really. My parents were archaeologists too and huge Indiana Jones fans; they just got lucky that Jones was my father’s surname and it just fit. My full name is Diana Henrietta Jones, but since I spent so much on digs and was pretty much a tomboy, Henrie stuck a little more than Diana, didn’t feel as princess-y,” she answered.

“I like it, I think it suits you very well,” Jensen complimented. “I’ll admit that I always wanted to name my first kid Indiana, but my last girlfriend thought it was so stupid. So, I broke up with her, got a dog and named him Indy, reserving Henry for my first born son.”

“You broke up with your girlfriend over a name?” she scoffed, noting how he didn’t say he had a girlfriend now.

“Not entirely, it was just the last straw. So now, it’s just me and Indy,” Jensen informed her.

“Oh,” she replied, mentally slapping herself, but her inner girl was twirling happily. Henrie knew from experience getting involved on a dig was not a great idea, so she shoved her excitement and attraction back down., getting back to business. “What do you think our chances are of actually finding the chest, providing the myth is real?”

Jensen stopped walking, taking a moment to compose his thoughts. “The academic in me thinks our chances are slim to be honest, but I am hopeful. It’s a myth, right? But how many myths are actually based on real events? The key is a huge discovery in itself because the civilizations and  time periods we are looking at didn’t really use locks, therefore no need for a key. But the adventurer in me can’t help but think there are bigger things waiting for us, right below our feet.” He crouched down, picking up a handful of dirt, letting it slip through his long fingers.

“You’re nothing like I remember,” Henrie mumbled.

“What? We’ve never met before, Henrie,” Jensen racked his brain, knowing he would remember a girl like her.

“It was several years ago, you were new to the staff at UT. My parents hosted a holiday party at our farm out in Liberty Hill. I was only seventeen at the time, had just received my acceptance letter,” she recalled fondly.

“Your parents are George and Charlotte Jones?” Jensen asked. “How are they doing? Still teaching, I bet.”

“They actually retired about seven years ago and decided to celebrate with a dig in the Tanana Valley of Alaska, but there was a storm and their plane went down. They were never found,” Henrie sniffed a little and wiped away a tear at the painful memory.

“Oh shit, Henrie! I am so sorry, I shouldn’t have asked,” Jensen apologized, gently wrapping his large hand around her shoulder in a small gesture of comfort.

“It’s fine Jack, I brought them up in the first place. I wish they were still here, but they taught me so much about everything. I am lucky to have had them,” she voiced, swallowing hard.

“Still, I should have known; I should have paid more attention,” Jensen uttered.

“Really, I’m okay,” she promised, placing her hand over his to cement the comment. “So what is the plan for today?”

“Plan? Right! We thought we would start near where I found the key, then move in smaller grids southwest,” Jensen recounted the plan for her.

“I agree with you and Dr. Padalecki; this is a good plan. I will grab some of our more seasoned people and we will get started,” Henrie replied, turning to go, when Jensen’s hand on her arm pulled her back.

“It was really nice to meet you again, Henrie.” He smiled warmly.

“It’s nice to meet you again, too, Jack,” she blushed and set to work.

~*~

More than a month passed, the team finding no additional clues to the chest’s whereabouts. In pairs, the team had expanded their search across the entire dig site, going deeper and further each day. Jensen had handpicked the dig teams himself, pairing an experienced archaeologist with a student, with the exception of himself and Henrie.

He didn’t know how to put it into words when Jared asked him about after another day of what seemed like a fruitless search.

“It’s a feeling, Doc, I just don’t know how to put it into words. Maybe I can find an English major or a novelist when I get home; put it to paper for you,” Jensen joked.

“Jack, have you thought about the age difference, and that you once worked with her parents?” Jared probed him.

“Yeah, actually, I did. A lot, if I am being honest with you. But it’s only eight years, and that was a long time ago. Love to me has always been elusive, like this damn chest. I know there is something there, I can feel it, but it is just beyond my grasp,” Jensen theorized, hoping one day soon, before his time there was over, he would be able to voice his feelings for her. He swirled the drink in his glass, before taking another sip.

“Jack! Dr. Padalecki!” Henrie came rushing in the office, startling the pair of them.

“Adam and Stella found something! Come on! What are you waiting for?” she called over her shoulder, already out the door.  They abandoned their scotch and chased after her into the night.

The site was lit up like Vegas at night; spotlights littered the area. Jensen was several steps ahead of Jared when he reached Henrie’s side. He dropped into the pit beside Adam and asked for a brush. Henrie pulled hers out of her belt and passed it to him. He knelt in the dirt and slowing began clearing the earth from what appeared to be a corner of something.

He dropped the brush and delicately used his hands to remove more dirt than the brush was able to and soon he felt the edge and he dug his fingers underneath the object. He called for Jared and together they pulled the hidden object into view.

“It’s exquisite,” Jensen’s voice broke the silence, almost like the crowd was holding their breath, not daring make a sound to disturb their efforts. The chest was smaller than he expected, only about three by two feet with a rounded lid, but was extremely heavy. It was elegantly detailed in silver and gold and right on the front, a golden square held the keyhole. Gasps of those around him filled the air.

“We’ll take it from here, gentleman,” a thick Russian accent rang through the night, accompanied by the distinct slide of a gun being armed.

Taglist - do the thing, ya know, if you want: @iwantthedean @chelsea072498 @paintrider13-blog @d-s-winchester @just-a-touch-of-sass-and-fandoms​ @just-another-busy-fangirl @winchesterprincessbride @waywardjoy @like-a-bag-of-potatoes @mamaredd123 @ellen-reincarnated1967 @sis-tafics @katymacsupernatural @tankcupcakes  @wonderange @meeshw777  @tmccarney @ruprecht0420 @theoriginalvicki @hexparker @nanie5 @docharleythegeekqueen @megansescape @notnaturalanahi @impalaimagining @mrswhozeewhatsis @blacktithe7 @emoryhemsworth @dracotomanddeansprincess23 @bringmesomepie56 @devilgirlsarah @spnbaby-67 @emilycollins11 @myoutletforfanfiction @deansangelgirl @mizzzpink @jerk-bitch-and-an-angel @kayteonline @percussiongirl2017 @fanfreak07 @tattooedmomster13 @sandlee44 @moonstar86 @uttertrash--butlikecutetrash  @squirrel-moose-winchester @growningupgeek @charliebradbury1104 @evansrogerskitten @feelmyroarrrr @itseverythingilike @smoothdogsgirl @evyiione @ashstrom87 @supernatural-jackles @ryantherandomhero @love-kittykat21 @kathaswings @crispychrissy 

AU Bingo tags: @luci-in-trenchcoats

Dean/Jensen: @akshi8278  @iamabeautifulperson18 @suzannebeaketa @thing-you-do-with-that-thing @deandoesthingstome @spn-dean-and-sam-winchester @boxywrites  @sparklesuperwholock88  @ericaprice2008

Sam/Jared: @leatherwhiskeycoffeeplaid   @thing-you-do-with-that-thing @tardis-full-of-fallen-angels 

[bittersweetfacade]

Lack of Oxygen

Lack of oxygen. That's what my smartass friend always told me was why I yawned so much. But in reality it was because I was so damn tired all the time. That didn't matter though because like every morning my annoying ass alarm clock went off at 7 o clock blaring terrible country music so I'll have to wake up and change the station. I roll over to get out of bed and fall straight on my back. With a loud groan I get up and hit my radio a couple times till it switches to some alternative station that always plays Pearl Jam. I had about 30 minutes to get around for school which wasn't really enough time for me but I'm always late anyway. I down a cup of cold coffee that I never got to drink from yesterday and cringe at the bitter taste. I finally emerge from my bedroom and head across the hall to my bathroom. I check out myself in the mirror and almost laugh at the sight of my hair. It was standing on end but I was too lazy to fix it so I went with the look. I mean it was the punk way. I take my time cleaning each one of my facial piercings. From my eyebrow to my nose to both my lip piercings. I do all the other necessary things that just about every boy does in the morning from brushing my teeth to shaving my face only I leave some stubble because that's what the ladies like. I head over to my room and pick up a pair of probably dirty black jeans with many holes in them and random band tee from my drawer. I run downstairs and grab my boots and not bother saying good by to my mom because she's already out drinking at the bars anyway. It's 7:10 by the time I get to school and school started at 7. I hop out of my truck and take my time walking to my first period class because it's math and no one likes math. "You're late Castiel!" Mr. Singer tells me. "Please Bobby call me Cas," I say smirking at him. "Also it's because I needed a coffee or I wasn't going to make it through your class" Mr. Singer stifles a laugh and returns to teaching his lessons. About half way through the lesson a boy and our principal walks in. Holy shit from all the way back here I could see the boys fan fiction green eyes. (Yes I read fanfics, sue me). Our principal said something about there being a new student and his name which I didn't catch because I was too busy having a staring contest with the new boy. "You can sit behind Castiel, Castiel raise your hand" Mr Singer said. The boy and I broke eye contact and I raised my hand, smirking. I saw the boy blush noticeably. He came and sat next to me and immediately faces forward. I turn around in my seat and obviously look him up and down and finally lean forward to talk to him. "What's your name kid?" I ask. "Oh um..me?" The boy asks. "Yes you" "Oh um... I'm D..D..Dean" Dean stuttered. Internally scolding himself for stuttering in front of the punk boy. Right before I turned about in his seat I said a quick "welcome to Stone Ridge High school Deano". Dean blushed and said a quick thanks not sure if I was being sarcastic or was actually being welcoming. Either way he couldn't help but stare at me and all my persona. Dean took in me, the punk boy from my blue tipped hair to my facial piercings to my nirvana shirt all the way down to my Doc Marten boots. I knew Dean was staring but decided to let him. The bell rang and rang and rang time and time again as school went on slow and monotonous like always. Then finally it was last period. Gym. Dreadful gym. It wasn't that I was lazy I just hated how all the dumbass jocks showed off all their "skills". Today the class was outside playing rugby. Skins and shirts were the two teams and of course the coach always made the weird scrawny kids skins and made rude comments to them telling them to "buff up". While I was tuning out all the rules I heard my name being called by the coach and then the word "skins" following it. I smirked and noticed that Dean was in my class and also staring at me almost in anticipation. I shed my shirt and threw it somewhere in the opposite direction. I could hear muffled gasps as all my tattoos were out in the open. I spread my arms out in the "look at me world" way and did a little spin so everyone could see the art that decorated my body. I turned back around and saw Dean eyeing me up and down and then when he met my eyes again he blushed a bright red. "Alright Castiel you can stop the show, you're lucky that Principal Roman doesn't know about that "art", Coach says to me. The thing about our school is that it's a public school but everyone acts like it's a private catholic school minus the uniforms but Dean made it seem like we had uniforms with his slacks and fucking sweater vest. --- I was walking to my truck after school when I noticed a beautiful 67' chevy impala in the high school parking lot. After I noticed the car I noticed a nice ass hanging out of the backseat of the car. The person must of been putting a bag in the back or something. I walked around to the other side of the car and noticed it was Dean. "Hello Dean" I say to him. "Holy shit!" Dean said hitting his head on the roof of the car. "Weren't expecting me huh?" I ask, smirking. "Um uh not really. What are you doing? Like uh talking to me I um mean?" Dean asks getting flustered. "I noticed your beautiful car and then saw your beautiful ass hanging out of it and thought I would come give a nice Stone Ridge High School hello" I feign excitement. Dean blushed a darker red lost for words. "Also I was wondering if you wanted to hang out and I could tell you the ups and downs of this high school and show you some cool music" I state firmly not really letting him give me a no. "Um I uh g..g..guess. Let me just tell my little brother to d..d..drive home himself" Dean says in return. "Alright sweet, my truck is this way" I say, pointing in the opposite direction. Dean followed me to my car and the whole car ride I could feel his nervous stare on me. "You like you stare huh?" I ask. "W..what?" Dean responds not realizing that Castiel could see him. "You heard me. We have almost every class together and I can just feel you eyeballing me all fucking day dude. Like I know I'm attractive but damn I don't have that much to look at. Okay sorry that came off as rude but I just want to know why you've been looking at me all day, especially at gym" I say. "I like your wings". Dean states "My what?" I ask. "Your wings, on your back. I like all your tattoos actually. They are very unique. I really like the bee though with the Morse code underneath it." Dean says calmly and without stuttering almost like he wasn't thinking before he spoke. "Thanks, the wings aren't finished yet though, but I'm getting them finished soon." I say back. "Here we are. The Novak residence." Dean and I walked inside and I didn't even bother apologizing for the mess of beer bottles and clothes because it wasn't my fault that my dumbass mom was an alcoholic. "Follow me" I shoot behind me as I walk up the stairs to my bedroom. My room was fairly clean. There was just yesterday's clothes on the floor and some records strewn on my unmade bed. My room was probably scary as hell to Dean with the posters of punk bands on my wall and my black walls and all dark room other than the light from my window streaming in. "Welcome to my sanctuary" I say to dean, winking. Dean looked away but before he could I noticed a bright red blush appear across his freckled face. "You know," I say taking a step closer to Dean "you blush a lot for being an 18 year old dude but I'll let it slide because you just look so damn adorable when you get all flustered around me" I say taking another step closer to him. I took a few more steps until I'm practically on top on of Dean. I make him think I'm leaning in for a kiss but I reach around him and grab my pack of cigarettes. I grabbed a cig out of the pack and put it snugly between my lips and searched around for a lighter. After I found one and lit the cancer stick Dean spoke up. "You smoke?" Dean asked without the tiniest bit of disgust in his voice. "Yeah" I said shrugging it off like smoking was not something that would give me lung cancer. "I've always wanted to try but I never had the opportunity" Dean said bluntly. I was taken back a bit. This little nerd wants to try smoking this stupid little tobacco stick. "You wanna try?" I asked "Yeah but I'm afraid I'll cough and you'll make fun of me" Dean said without thinking. "You can just shot gun it then" I said not realizing that I was talking to the super nerdy boy who probably is still hasn't had his first kiss. "What's that?" Dean asks. "It's when I take a hit of the cig or blunt and then blow it into your mouth" I say Dean turns bright red thinking about our mouths being that close. "Um uh yeah okay" Dean finally says "Alright then!" I say clapping my hands together. I take a long hit of my cigarette and hold it in while I grab the collar of Dean's button up. I take my hand and pull his chin down so he knows to open his mouth. I put my hand on the back of his neck and I can feel him shiver as I pull him closer and closer till our lips are millimeters apart. I exhale and slightly blow the smoke into the nerdy boy's mouth. Dean closes his eyes and takes in the smoke carefully almost as if he doesn't want to hurt it. Just looking at him like this makes my heart and my stomach do this weird thing, almost as if feelings were rising up in me. Dean mutters a "woah" but before he can open his eyes I grab him closer and close the gap between our lips and kiss him roughly. It starts out sloppy and slowly begins to become more caring and soft. We finally pull away to catch our breaths and I swear I couldn't breath. Some may say I had a lack of oxygen.

[he-lost-control-again]

Lack of Oxygen

Lack of oxygen. That's what my smartass friend always told me was why I yawned so much. But in reality it was because I was so damn tired all the time. That didn't matter though because like every morning my annoying ass alarm clock went off at 7 o clock blaring terrible country music so I'll have to wake up and change the station. I roll over to get out of bed and fall straight on my back. With a loud groan I get up and hit my radio a couple times till it switches to some alternative station that always plays Pearl Jam. I had about 30 minutes to get around for school which wasn't really enough time for me but I'm always late anyway. I down a cup of cold coffee that I never got to drink from yesterday and cringe at the bitter taste. I finally emerge from my bedroom and head across the hall to my bathroom. I check out myself in the mirror and almost laugh at the sight of my hair. It was standing on end but I was too lazy to fix it so I went with the look. I mean it was the punk way. I take my time cleaning each one of my facial piercings. From my eyebrow to my nose to both my lip piercings. I do all the other necessary things that just about every boy does in the morning from brushing my teeth to shaving my face only I leave some stubble because that's what the ladies like. I head over to my room and pick up a pair of probably dirty black jeans with many holes in them and random band tee from my drawer. I run downstairs and grab my boots and not bother saying good by to my mom because she's already out drinking at the bars anyway. It's 7:10 by the time I get to school and school started at 7. I hop out of my truck and take my time walking to my first period class because it's math and no one likes math. "You're late Castiel!" Mr. Singer tells me. "Please Bobby call me Cas," I say smirking at him. "Also it's because I needed a coffee or I wasn't going to make it through your class" Mr. Singer stifles a laugh and returns to teaching his lessons. About half way through the lesson a boy and our principal walks in. Holy shit from all the way back here I could see the boys fan fiction green eyes. (Yes I read fanfics, sue me). Our principal said something about there being a new student and his name which I didn't catch because I was too busy having a staring contest with the new boy. "You can sit behind Castiel, Castiel raise your hand" Mr Singer said. The boy and I broke eye contact and I raised my hand, smirking. I saw the boy blush noticeably. He came and sat next to me and immediately faces forward. I turn around in my seat and obviously look him up and down and finally lean forward to talk to him. "What's your name kid?" I ask. "Oh um..me?" The boy asks. "Yes you" "Oh um... I'm D..D..Dean" Dean stuttered. Internally scolding himself for stuttering in front of the punk boy. Right before I turned about in his seat I said a quick "welcome to Stone Ridge High school Deano". Dean blushed and said a quick thanks not sure if I was being sarcastic or was actually being welcoming. Either way he couldn't help but stare at me and all my persona. Dean took in me, the punk boy from my blue tipped hair to my facial piercings to my nirvana shirt all the way down to my Doc Marten boots. I knew Dean was staring but decided to let him. The bell rang and rang and rang time and time again as school went on slow and monotonous like always. Then finally it was last period. Gym. Dreadful gym. It wasn't that I was lazy I just hated how all the dumbass jocks showed off all their "skills". Today the class was outside playing rugby. Skins and shirts were the two teams and of course the coach always made the weird scrawny kids skins and made rude comments to them telling them to "buff up". While I was tuning out all the rules I heard my name being called by the coach and then the word "skins" following it. I smirked and noticed that Dean was in my class and also staring at me almost in anticipation. I shed my shirt and threw it somewhere in the opposite direction. I could hear muffled gasps as all my tattoos were out in the open. I spread my arms out in the "look at me world" way and did a little spin so everyone could see the art that decorated my body. I turned back around and saw Dean eyeing me up and down and then when he met my eyes again he blushed a bright red. "Alright Castiel you can stop the show, you're lucky that Principal Roman doesn't know about that "art", Coach says to me. The thing about our school is that it's a public school but everyone acts like it's a private catholic school minus the uniforms but Dean made it seem like we had uniforms with his slacks and fucking sweater vest. --- I was walking to my truck after school when I noticed a beautiful 67' chevy impala in the high school parking lot. After I noticed the car I noticed a nice ass hanging out of the backseat of the car. The person must of been putting a bag in the back or something. I walked around to the other side of the car and noticed it was Dean. "Hello Dean" I say to him. "Holy shit!" Dean said hitting his head on the roof of the car. "Weren't expecting me huh?" I ask, smirking. "Um uh not really. What are you doing? Like uh talking to me I um mean?" Dean asks getting flustered. "I noticed your beautiful car and then saw your beautiful ass hanging out of it and thought I would come give a nice Stone Ridge High School hello" I feign excitement. Dean blushed a darker red lost for words. "Also I was wondering if you wanted to hang out and I could tell you the ups and downs of this high school and show you some cool music" I state firmly not really letting him give me a no. "Um I uh g..g..guess. Let me just tell my little brother to d..d..drive home himself" Dean says in return. "Alright sweet, my truck is this way" I say, pointing in the opposite direction. Dean followed me to my car and the whole car ride I could feel his nervous stare on me. "You like you stare huh?" I ask. "W..what?" Dean responds not realizing that Castiel could see him. "You heard me. We have almost every class together and I can just feel you eyeballing me all fucking day dude. Like I know I'm attractive but damn I don't have that much to look at. Okay sorry that came off as rude but I just want to know why you've been looking at me all day, especially at gym" I say. "I like your wings". Dean states "My what?" I ask. "Your wings, on your back. I like all your tattoos actually. They are very unique. I really like the bee though with the Morse code underneath it." Dean says calmly and without stuttering almost like he wasn't thinking before he spoke. "Thanks, the wings aren't finished yet though, but I'm getting them finished soon." I say back. "Here we are. The Novak residence." Dean and I walked inside and I didn't even bother apologizing for the mess of beer bottles and clothes because it wasn't my fault that my dumbass mom was an alcoholic. "Follow me" I shoot behind me as I walk up the stairs to my bedroom. My room was fairly clean. There was just yesterday's clothes on the floor and some records strewn on my unmade bed. My room was probably scary as hell to Dean with the posters of punk bands on my wall and my black walls and all dark room other than the light from my window streaming in. "Welcome to my sanctuary" I say to dean, winking. Dean looked away but before he could I noticed a bright red blush appear across his freckled face. "You know," I say taking a step closer to Dean "you blush a lot for being an 18 year old dude but I'll let it slide because you just look so damn adorable when you get all flustered around me" I say taking another step closer to him. I took a few more steps until I'm practically on top on of Dean. I make him think I'm leaning in for a kiss but I reach around him and grab my pack of cigarettes. I grabbed a cig out of the pack and put it snugly between my lips and searched around for a lighter. After I found one and lit the cancer stick Dean spoke up. "You smoke?" Dean asked without the tiniest bit of disgust in his voice. "Yeah" I said shrugging it off like smoking was not something that would give me lung cancer. "I've always wanted to try but I never had the opportunity" Dean said bluntly. I was taken back a bit. This little nerd wants to try smoking this stupid little tobacco stick. "You wanna try?" I asked "Yeah but I'm afraid I'll cough and you'll make fun of me" Dean said without thinking. "You can just shot gun it then" I said not realizing that I was talking to the super nerdy boy who probably is still hasn't had his first kiss. "What's that?" Dean asks. "It's when I take a hit of the cig of blunt and then blow it into your mouth" I say Dean turns bright red thinking about our mouths being that close. "Um uh yeah okay" Dean finally says "Alright then!" I say clapping my hands together. I take a long hit of my cigarette and hold it in while I grab the collar of Dean's button up. I take my hand and pull his chin down so he knows to open his mouth. I put my hand on the back of his neck and I can feel him shiver as I pull him closer and closer till our lips are millimeters apart. I exhale and slightly blow the smoke into the nerdy boy's mouth. Dean closes his eyes and takes in the smoke carefully almost as if he doesn't want to hurt it. Just looking at him like this makes my heart and my stomach do this weird thing, almost as if feelings were rising up in me. Dean mutters a "woah" but before he can open his eyes I grab him closer and close the gap between our lips and kiss him roughly. It starts out sloppy and slowly begins to become more caring and soft. We finally pull away to catch our breaths and I swear I couldn't breath. Some may say I had a lack of oxygen.

[veronicasanders]

Tagged by my love @wednesdayangeline WHO I AM SO PROUD OF RIGHT NOW!!! SHE KNOWS WHY!!! <3 <3 <3

Your last: 1. Drink: Water 2. Phone call: Dad. This is actually funny. He asked me if I wanted to go out for pizza last night but I’d just put all my casual normal pants (like jeans, etc) in the laundry so I was like “can you bring the pizza back here to the house?” and he lost his mind about how he doesn’t want to eat cold pizza!!! wahhhh! “I’m going to get a burger then!” So then he called me from the burger place and very quietly asked if I wanted a veggie burger. 3. Text message: “WHAT THE FUCK LOLOLOLOLOL” to my friend after he send me a super embarrassing video of me babbling incoherantly, drunk and in my underwear, after the Madonna concert in Boston last year.

4. Song you listened to: "You Don’t Own Me” - the Grace version featuring G-Eazy and if you don’t have it you SHOULD

5. Time you cried: oh god. Um. In my car on Friday? 

Have you ever: 6. Dated someone twice: Like two dates, or broken up and back together? Because the first one, yes. Second one, no. Unless you count casual sex.  7. Kissed someone and regretted it: Yes 8. Been cheated on: I’ve never had a long enough relationship for this to be an issue 9. Lost someone special: yes but not romantically (same Wednesday) 10. Been depressed: Yes, but luckily they have meds for it. 11. Gotten drunk and thrown up: Yes. It’s the worst. And the reason I don’t drink tequila.

3 favourite colours: Rainbow, glitter, and neon

In the last year have you: 15. Made new friends: Yes 16. Fallen out of love: No

17. Laughed until you cried: Yeah I do that on the regular 18. Found out someone was talking about you: Sure...

19. Met someone who changed you: Ummmm....maybe? I dunno. I haven’t changed very much in the last year. 20. Found out who your friends are: I guess? I feel like this is fluid though... 21. Kissed someone on your Facebook list: All the time. lol

General: 22. How many of your Facebook friends do you know in real life: Almost every single one. 23. Do you have any pets: a very spoiled puppy 24. Do you want to change your name: my last name, yes

25. What did you do for your last birthday: brunch and day drinking with my friends, dinner at my fave molecule gastronomy restaurant with my parent, and also volunteered at a homeless shelter that my aunt runs on my actual birthday 26. What time did you wake up: Today? Like 9ish. 27. What were you doing at midnight last night: Sleeping. 28. Name something you can’t wait for: Moving to Sweden! 29. When was the last time you saw your mum: May, when we went to NJ for my cousin’s wedding.  31. What are you listening to right now: Chow Down (Willam/DWV) 32. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom: Probably like 200. 33. Something that is getting on your nerves: Conservative media and “alternative facts.” Actually that’s not getting on my nerves as much as it’s making me psychotically fucking angry 34. Most visited website: google docs 35. Hair colour: Dark brown  36. Long or short hair: long/mid-back 37. Do you have a crush on someone: Not unless you count my pretend wife Rachel Maddow or my pretend girlfriend Courtney Act. 38. What do you like about yourself: Intelligence/Compassion 39. Piercings: Ears only 40. Blood type: O+

41. Nickname: V 42. Relationship status: single   43. Zodiac: Pisces 44. Pronouns: she/her

45. Favourite TV show: Too many but at the moment I’m watching: Drag Race, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Chelsea, Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O’Donnell, Degrassi, Sense8, Last Week Tonight, Veep, Game of Thrones, Real Housewives of Atlanta, Real Housewives of New York City

There’s no 46th question what

47. Right or left handed: right 48. Surgery: I had a disc replacement in my cervical spine. That was fun. 49. Sport: No thanks. Although I sometimes like figure skating or that one with the ribbons. 50. Vacation: Tahiti, Greece, Sydney for Mardi Gras, Argentina, South Africa 51. Pair of trainers: What are these? Are these sneakers?

More General: 53. Eating: Fine dining, esp tapas and healthy food that doesn’t taste healthy  54. Drinking: Water and coconut water 55. I’m about to: Pretend to unpack but actually spend most of the day fucking about 56. Waiting for: the application period to start for Lund University 2018 fall semester 57. Want: to be living in Sweden 58. Get married: Are you asking? Are you an EU citizen? 59: Career: Working with LGBT+ youth and/or refugees, keep writing for fun and maybe publish something once in awhile

Which is Better: 60. Hugs or kisses: Depends. ;) 61. Lips or eyes: Like to eat? 62. Shorter or taller: everyone is taller than me (same!) But I do get super excited when I meet someone shorter. My sister in law is 4′11″ and therefore she’s my favorite person. 63. Older or younger: for dating or general merriment? I get along better with younger people in general, probably. 64. Nice arms or nice stomach: Uh. I’m sorry I’m just picturing someone with like super toned sexy arms and a massive gut and I can’t stop laughing. Or like, rock hard abs and rubbery arms that reach the ground. This question is silly. How about no one needs to be perfect but they need to feel comfortable in their own skin? 65. Hook-up or relationship: Hook-ups 66. Troublemaker or hesitant: I mean I would say troublemaker as long as it’s good natured trouble that doesn’t hurt anyone. Shenanigans. Not like property damage or things that will get us arrested.

Have You Ever: 67. Kissed a stranger: Yeah like tons. 68. Drank hard liquor: Yes.

69. Lost glasses/contact lenses: No?

70. Turned someone down: Yes but I’m kind of an indirect wuss about it. 71. Sex on the first date: I’ve had sex with someone I met that night? So...is that a “date”? 72. Broken someone’s heart: I don’t think so? Maybe but she was a little unhinged before I got there. 73. Had your heart broken: No 74. Been arrested: No 75. Cried when someone died: Yes 76. Fallen for a friend: Yes. Once for Real, and a few superficial crushes.

Do you believe in: 77. Yourself: Just under the the healthy amount 78. Miracles: I believe that amazing things happen for people. I don’t know if I’d call them miracles. 79. Love at first sight: That is called lust. I do believe in lust. 80. Santa Claus: Yes, my mom is real. 81. Kiss on the first date: Yes. 82. Angels: Uh. No.

Other: 83. Current best friend’s name: If I have to choose one, it would probably be my friend Kevin. But I have a lot of close friends.

84. Eye colour: Brown

85. Favourite movie: Annie, Clueless, Mean Girls, Deconstructing Harry, Paris is Burning, Polly, Sophie’s Choice, The Color Purple, Best in Show, Drop Dead Gorgeous, The Little Mermaid

Since this is super long, anyone who had the patience to actually READ it should consider themselves tagged!!!! Yes, you. Go ahead.

[cowboylikedean]

I was tagged by @cages-boxes-hunters-foxes

I usually don’t do these things but I’m bored, tired, and I like these questions? idk

THE LAST
 1. Drink: Diet coke. i’m not counting the water I used to rinse my mouth when I brushed my teeth. 2. Phone call: My grandfather? 
3. Text message: My uber driver from this morning... we exchanged phone numbers in the hope of maybe being friends. 4. Song you listened to: Body Like a Back Road I think? It’s been stuck in my head for the past 5 days. 
5. Time you cried:  Last night. 6. Dated someone twice: I haven’t 
7. Kissed someone and regretted it: lol probs the last time I kissed someone period which was that weird date with that fake deep loser in 2013 
8. Lost someone special: I mean I lost a lot of friends in the past year 9. Been cheated on: I haven’t 
10. Been depressed: lol 11. Gotten drunk and thrown up: The last time I threw up was the Fourth of July 3 favorite colors:
12. Purple  
13. Pink 14. Blue

IN THE LAST YEAR YOU HAVE:
 15. Fallen out of love: No 16. Laughed until you cried: Yes - I do this all the time 17. Found out someone was talking about you: lol yeah people have talked about me a lot I make trouble  18. Met someone who changed you: Yep! 
19. Found out who your friends are: Yeah actually. yes. 
20. Kissed someone on your Facebook list: I have not kissed anyone GENERAL:
 21. How many of your Facebook friends do you know in real life: The vast majority 
22. Do you have any pets: Two cats! 
23. Do you want to change your name: My birth middle name is Margaret but that’s bullshit. My name is Zoe Leo. I fuckin.... can’t wait till I have my shit together enough to change it because I cannot stand that my license says it and all my legal docs require it... ew. 24. What did you do for your last birthday: I had a Christmas themed party at my house and it was awesome! 
25. What time did you wake up: 6:45 AM then 10 AM 26. What were you doing at midnight last night: Getting ready for bed and messing around on tumblr? 27. Name something you can’t wait for: TS6! (keeping Jaime’s answer because yes) 
28. When was the last time you saw your mom: Honestly? fuck if I know. When we went shopping on the 3rd? maybe? 
29. What are you listening to right now: The fan in my bedroom 30. Have you ever talked to someone named Tom: Lol my mom’s friend tom? 31. Something that is getting on your nerves: I want a job.  32. Most visited website: Tumblr 
33. Hair color: Brown 
34. Short or long hair: It’s just past my shoulders and getting longer 35. Do you have a crush on someone: Nope I don’t do that 36. What do you like about yourself: I’m very loving and emotional 
37. Any piercings: My ear lobes and my left tragus  38. Blood type: AB+. Give. Me. Your. Blood. lol 39. Nickname: Zo, Zobo, Zoo 40. Relationship status: Single lol 41. Zodiac: Leo 
42. Pronouns: zay/zir/zirs/zirself or they/them 
43. Favorite tv show: Um... Buffy?  44. Tattoos: Yes! I have “Taylor Swift” in the Satisfaction font on my left upper arm! 
45. Right or left handed: Right 46. Surgery: Right before 7th grade started, I put my hand through a window pane and tore the tendon and both nerves and I had to have surgery to fix it. 47. Sport: Marching band and colorguard 
48. Vacation: Favorite? I don’t know... Favorite place I’ve been would be South Africa... But favorite trip I’ve been on would be Philly or LA. Dream? New Zealand. 49. Pair of trainers: I have a cheap pair I bought from walmart just because the gym required them MORE GENERAL:
 50. Eating: I’m chewing gum? 51. Drinking: Nothing right now but there’s diet coke I’m about to drink? 
52. I’m about to: Pray and go to bed 53. Waiting for: TS6 
54. Want: A job 55. Get married: Never 56. Career: I don’t know WHICH IS BETTER:
 57. Hugs or kisses: HUGS 
58. Lips or eyes: Eyes 
59. Short or taller: Short 
60. Older or younger: don’t care 
61. Nice Arms or nice stomach: this is some allo shit 62. Hookup or relationship: too aroace for this 
63. Troublemaker or hesitant: troublemaker.  HAVE YOU EVER:
 64. Kissed a stranger: Yes 65. Drank hard liquor: Yes 
67. Lost glasses/contact lenses: When I was little, despite needing glasses to see the board at school, my parents stopped getting them for me because I lost or broke too many pairs. 
68. Turned someone down: No? But I never had to? 69. Sex on the first date: LOL yes 70. Had your heart broken: Yep 71. Been arrested: Not yet 72. Cried when someone died: Yes 
73. Fallen for a friend: Yesish? idk  DO YOU BELIEVE IN: 
74. Yourself: I try 75. Miracles: Yeah, for the most part 76. Love at first sight: I mean... I believe in like energies that just click...  77. Santa Claus: ???? why 
78. Kiss on the first date: who cares? 79. Angels: Nah OTHER:
 80. Eye color: Brown 
81. Favorite movie(s): Peter Pan (2003).

[shedrickflowersphotography]

Mississippi Girl Interview Series: Mind over Matter – Does it Matter?

Clancy Sohn

He’s 17 years my junior and could double for a man whose my age. He’s had a lifelong affair with fitness and in 1995 had a serious car wreck that very easily could have taken his life. He could have thrown in the towel but instead he kept moving, kept health and fitness at the forefront of his life, and waged a war with his mind to overcome it all. He epitomizes the word perseverance and has an old-school cool way about him. He actually reads paperback books (a lot of them) and buys milk and eggs from a local farmer near his home and wears converse high tops. There are other aspects of his life that he taps the breaks on as far as progress goes but health and fitness is not one of them.

I’ve had the pleasure of being his favorite sister-in-law (did I mention his only sister in law?) for many years. As I sit down with Leon Sohn to pick his brain about fitness (and I do this quite often), I’m reminded how he helped me and Lyle tremendously in the minutes, hours, days, weeks, and months following my cancer diagnosis. Maybe he can shed some light for us about this mind over matter thing.

How did you overcome mentally and physically from your car accident in 1995 to get where you are today?

To make a long story short, I’ll need to enlighten you from the beginning…..

I was ejected from an automobile on the way home from work which broke my back. It was surreal because I remember every detail… I’ll bore you to tears one day with all the details, but for now I’ll give you a little insight on it all.

The hospital put me and my friend (the driver of the automobile) in a room together. An intake nurse came in the room to get some information from us and as I was describing what happened, suddenly she said, “You two are the ones in the bad wreck on northbound 67, right?” We assured her we were. She then went on to say in a hyper nervous kind of way, “My mom was taking me to work and we were behind you and saw everything!” She then pointed at me and said, “And when you flew out I told my mom may as well get a body bag for that one!”

There are 2 key takeaways from that situation that helped me overcome:

First key point: God puts people and situations in our paths to grow us. The nurses comments forced me to see how bad the accident was.  Sometimes when you are in the middle of a situation, you have blinders on, it becomes surreal. I just remember thanking God I landed in a ditch and not the pavement or shoulder of the road or I would have never made it, I realize that this was no accident. I have and always will be a work in progress but with each experience I become stronger mentally, it’s a choice I make.

Second key point:  God doesn’t make mistakes. You can relate with me here sister-in-law. I firmly believe that there are NO coincidences in life. A few months before the accident, I read a book called Rise and Walk (a coincidence? I think not!)

The book is about Dennis Byrd, a football player for the NY Jets. He was injured and temporarily paralyzed playing football for them. He said when he made it to the hospital, they had him lying flat in the emergency room and when they moved him to the upright position he vomited all over the place. Fast forward a couple of months and I find myself in the same position in the emergency room lying flat. The hospital staff come in, move me to the upright position, and you guessed it, I hurl all over the place. Instantly I thought, “Oh no!! I’m paralyzed like Dennis Byrd!” But I could move my fingers and toes so I thought, “Nah! Can’t be if I can move my fingers and toes.”

The doctor comes into the room and explains what my injuries were and how they were going to treat me. I asked him, “Doc, am I going to be able to squat and deadlift ever again?”  He looked at me for a moment (I guess he was trying to figure out what kind of goofball he had before him) and I never will forget his response. He didn’t respond kindly. “Boy, you’ve got much bigger problems then being able to squat or deadlift again someday!”

There is a sentence in the Dennis Byrd book that states, “God would not give you this cross if He knew you couldn’t bear it.” I thanked God, and still do when I think of that day that he landed me in a ditch instead of the concrete pavement. I vowed when I got out of the hospital to train harder then ever, and to never use it as an excuse. I grasp that it could have been way worse. It didn’t stop me, I would go to the gym looking like a turtle in this contraption of a brace that appeared to look like a turtle shell. I wasn’t going to let anything stop me.

What suggestions do you have for the person who wants to begin eating healthy and start an exercise regimen but never can seem to begin the process?

That’s an excellent question and the answer could cover many pages. If I could bottle the answer, it would make me rich, many people wonder this because they are THAT person.

My opinion is, it’s not that people can’t eat healthy or exercise. There is an abundance of healthy food available to everyone at our local grocery store and you could just walk and do calisthenics. I think people subconsciously make it bigger in their mind than what it is. They tell themselves, “Okay, I’m going to get in shape.” They then think, “Okay, I have to go to the store and get all my food. I’ll do that tomorrow and I need to get some new workout clothing cause I gotta look good! I need some new workout shoes. I’ll get those next week. I also better order some training books from Amazon. I gotta do the latest thing to make me look amazing.” Then guess what? This all takes days or weeks and then life happens, and then the fitness goal is soon DOA.

My suggestion is not novel, it is very simple. Just begin. MOVE! I compare it to a cars headlight shining at night. Go as far as you can see and when you get there you will be able to see farther.

It’s been proven in change psychology that if you take just one habit and work on mastering it, you have a better then 80% chance of succeeding.  What happens if you add one more? It goes all the way down to 35%!  You can imagine how the chance for success plummets if you try to change 3 or more! I recommend starting with one simple habit that if mastered would have a major impact upon your health and fitness. Now here’s the excuse people will use, “But it takes so long doing that.” WRONG. These same geeks that did the research in change psychology found that it’s only slower initially but much faster overall and found that for the large majority of people it becomes a permanent and positive change.

So, don’t make it bigger in your head than what it is, begin NOW. Choose one habit that will have a positive impact on your health and master it, then choose another. In my opinion, this is the best and fastest way to physical health and fitness.

How big a role does the mind play in the process?

Jokingly, I say it’s mind over matter and if you have no mind, it doesn’t matter. I think it’s safe to say the mental aspect is of paramount importance. However, instead of droning on about something everyone knows is important, let’s talk about how to program it to work for you. You’ve probably heard the statement, “Rarely are we interrupted by a good idea.” This simply means you have to cultivate your mind like a farmer does his farmland. You must put in the mind healthy “food” just like you put into your body. As Ben Franklin put it, it’s one of the best things you can do to become healthy, wealthy, and wise. Read something that helps you achieve what you are going after in life. Reading is to the mind what food is to the body, ESSENTIAL.

Put up pictures of the body you want to look like, and stay away from anyone who tries to sabotage you. You can’t afford the negative programming of sometimes well-meaning people or jealous people disguised as “friends.”

Why should people incorporate health and fitness into their lives?

Let me tell you the reason straight guys who’ve ever lifted a weight and worked to get in shape does it… GIRLS. If it wasn’t for girls most dudes would never pick up a weight!

Now for real answer….

It makes everything in your life better. If you’re strong and healthy you will enjoy your life more because you are able to do more. It could also save your life. The doctor who was treating me when I broke my back told me that my bones were bigger than average for a person my size. Years of weight training may have prevented a worse injury. Who knows, but I’m walking today so I believe it.

One of the biggest motivations to incorporate health and fitness into my life was that I wanted to set myself apart from the average. I was always a skinny runt and I wanted to FEEL BETTER ABOUT MYSELF. It’s easy to see that only a small percentage of people are in shape. If you want to build your self-esteem, self-worth, and self-image, nothing beats training to get in shape and knowing you are doing something extraordinary which beats the heck out of ordinary. Who wants to be ordinary anyway?

Do you have days where you don’t want to eat right or exercise?  How do you push through?

Yes, many times. Training is something I truly love to do, but like all humans, we get lazy at times. Eating healthy all the time is tough for most people but here is what I’ve found out. If you talk about something, it’s a fantasy. If you plan for it, it’s then possible, but only if you schedule it does it become real.

Think about it. When we go to the doctor, dentist, lawyer, tax planner, investment advisor, our jobs, family get togethers, etc, it’s all scheduled.  Anything important is scheduled. Put it in your appointment book and keep that appointment as you do all others. That’s the key to being consistent today and 20 years from now.

Another thing I do in my mind is project myself three or six months or more into the future as if I had stopped training and eating right. I say to myself, “You really want to go back being a skinny runt with a pot belly?” Scares me so bad I go train!

My recommendation is to create a B.A.G. (Big Audacious Goal) so big and exciting that it motivates you to eat well and train consistently.

Can you share with us what foods are off limits for you?

Hot dogs, bologna, spam, processed food like that. Read the ingredients of that garbage – Yuk! 

What’s your favorite quote?

I have more than one favorite quote. Reading and quotes have helped me through so many low parts of my life when major storms blew my way.

“Discipline equals freedom”  ~ Jocko Willink

So many times, people think “discipline” is restricting. Actually, it’s quite the opposite. It’s freeing.

For instance, if I’m disciplined with my health, I’m free to live my life of disease and shame. If I’m disciplined with my finances, I’m free from bill collectors and the worry and stress from debt.

The examples are endless.

Another quote I like is “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage” ~Anais Nin

Courage doesn’t mean you have no fear. I have many fears. It means to act in-spite of fear if the outcome is noble.

I ask the question again, does mind over matter actually matter? I believe it does. Through my own experiences over the past year I found that I can talk myself into believing just about anything. Self-discipline and courage help us overcome many difficulties in life. Leon has shown me that I can accomplish just about anything I set out to do long as I let my mind lead the way. He has been my personal trainer since 2010 and my brother-in-law much longer than that. I love you Leon. Thank you for helping me set myself free from my own mind.

We are all works in progress. Let’s keep on progressing!

from Mississippi Girl Interview Series: Mind over Matter – Does it Matter?

[lost-your-memory]

100 questions

So I was tagged by @writerinthedarkabyss so here’s my take at this. 1: Is there a boy/girl in your life?

Nope

2: Think of the last person who hurt you; do you forgive them?

I’m not sure I’m there yet but I will forgive them, eventually.

3: What do you think of when you hear the word “meow?”

My six cats, wanting food

4: What’s something you really want right now?

Peace of mind would be nice

5: Are you afraid of falling in love?

Not afraid no, but certainly not looking forward too. It’s a mess.

6: Do you like the beach?

It’s a tricky question. I love the sea and the ocean but I don’t like sand beaches. I’m all for cliffs with nice edges. 

7: Have you ever slept on a couch with someone else?

Yeah, in every meaning of the term.

8: What’s the background on your cell?

A Supercorp picture, I changed my theme recently and I haven’t find a nice Supercat one yet.

9: Name the last four beds you were sat on?

Mine, my sister’s, my grand mother’s and an hotel’s one.

10: Do you like your phone?

HELL YEAH, I bought it for the camera and it’s LIT.

11: Honestly, are things going the way you planned?

Ah. No.

12: Who was the last person whose phone number you added to your contacts?

Probably the one of a Tumblr buddy, to chat on Whatsapp

13: Would you rather have a poodle or a Rottweiler?

Rottweiler. I don’t like tiny yappy dog.

14: Which hurts the most, physical or emotional pain?

Emotional pain. I am pretty insensitive when it comes to physical pain and it doesn’t last. Emotional pain leaves invisible scars that never heals. 

15: Would you rather visit a zoo or an art museum?

Both is good but it depends of what kind of museum, to be honest.

16: Are you tired?

I just woke up but it’s going to be a long day ...

17: How long have you known your 1st phone contact?

Forever.

18: Are they a relative?

Yeah, it’s my mother. She’s my savior.

19: Would you ever consider getting back together with any of your exes?

Been there, done that, never again.

20: When did you last talk to the last person you shared a kiss with?

A few weeks ago but it was a bet and it didn’t mean anything, we just laughed.

21: If you knew you had the right person, would you marry them today?

Nope. I don’t believe in marriage and anywa, if I’m happy without, then no.

22: Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?

I wouldn’t mind, since it was a bet. She’s a great kisser.

23: How many bracelets do you have on your wrists right now?

Just my watch, if it counts.

24: Is there a certain quote you live by?

“Ne prenez pas la vie au sérieux ; de toute façon, vous n'en sortirez pas vivant.” - Bernard Fontenelle (Roughly translated into English : Don’t take like too seriously, you won’t get out alive no matter what)

25: What’s on your mind?

Domestical chores, Supercat prompts, a thesis I need to finish and thoughts about getting a job.

26: Do you have any tattoos?

None.

27: What is your favorite color?

Navy blue

28: Next time you will kiss someone on the lips?

Whenever it happens, I guess

29: Who are you texting?

I’m not texting at the moment but I’m part of a supercat groupchat and they are all awesome.

30: Think to the last person you kissed, have you ever kissed them on a couch?

Uh ... I think so? Either a couch or the floor next to one.

31: Have you ever had the feeling something bad was going to happen and you were right?

Story of my life.

32: Do you have a friend of the opposite sex you can talk to?

I do.

33: Do you think anyone has feelings for you?

I have literally NO IDEA.

34: Has anyone ever told you you have pretty eyes?

Yeah, it happens on a regular basis. I don’t know why, my eyes are pretty much ordinary.

35: Say the last person you kissed was kissing someone right in front of you?

I would totally cheer. 

36: Were you single on Valentines Day?

Yeah

37: Are you friends with the last person you kissed?

Friend is a big word but yeah we get along.

38: What do your friends call you?

Gane.

39: Has anyone upset you in the last week?

UGH. PEOPLE. 

40: Have you ever cried over a text?

Uh ... Maybe, but if I did it was good tears. 

41: Where’s your last bruise located?

Around my left knee.

42: What is it from?

I bumped into the side of a door. It hurts.

43: Last time you wanted to be away from somewhere really bad?

Two months ago I think, when I went through something of a depression.

44: Who was the last person you were on the phone with?

My sister, I was telling her where to wait so I could pick her up.

45: Do you have a favourite pair of shoes?

Yes, an old pair of All Stars blue Converses that I have for like 8 years now.

46: Do you wear hats if your having a bad hair day?

I only wear a hat in summer, to protect my head from the sun.

47: Would you ever go bald if it was the style?

Buh. No idea. Probably not?

48: Do you make supper for your family?

I can’t really be trusted in a kitchen, aside for making desserts or breakfast.

49: Does your bedroom have a door?

What kind of question is that. Yeah.

50: Top 3 web-pages?

Tumblr, AO3 and probably Deezer or Google Doc at the moment.

51: Do you know anyone who hates shopping?

Myself. Unless it’s for books or video games. 

52: Does anything on your body hurt?

I have a sore leg and backpain but it’s nothing abnormal for me.

53: Are goodbyes hard for you?

Nah. It usually means I’m going to enjoy coming back.

54: What was the last beverage you spilled on yourself?

Uh ... Water, I think? Or orange juice maybe.

55: How is your hair?

Clear brown, with lighter strands here and there. Not long but not pixie short either. 

56: What do you usually do first in the morning?

Groan. Check my phone. Groan again. Force myself to get up and then have breakfast.

57: Do you think two people can last forever?

I don’t, not in this world anyway.

58: Think back to January 2007, were you single?

I was 16 ... Probably not, then.

59: Green or purple grapes?

Both is good.

60: When’s the next time you will give someone a BIG hug?

I a few weeks maybe, when I will see my grandma again.

61: Do you wish you were somewhere else right now?

Nah I like where I am but I wouldn’t mind being traveling the world. 

62: When will be the next time you text someone?

Probably this afternoon, going to pick up the sister again.

63: Where will you be 5 hours from now?

In front of my computer, writing or pretending to do so.

64: What were you doing at 8 this morning.

Having breakfast with my mother.

65: This time last year, can you remember who you liked?

Yeah. I wasn’t single then.

66: Is there one person in your life that can always make you smile?

If cats count, then yes. If not, probably my mother.

67: Did you kiss or hug anyone today?

Not yet but it’s still early.

68: What was your last thought before you went to bed last night?

I was honored and excited about an upcoming collaboration.

69: Have you ever tried your hardest and then gotten disappointed in the end?

Yep, story of my life.

70: How many windows are open on your computer?

Right now, 8 but it’s because I’m doing research.

71: How many fingers do you have?

I don’t care what they say, thumbs are fingers so 10.

72: What is your ringtone?

My phone is on vibrate mode all the time.

73: How old will you be in 5 months?

Still 25, on the verge of turning 26.

74: Where is your Mum right now?

Downstairs, getting started with the chores. 

75: Why aren’t you with the person you were first in love with or almost in love?

Because life happened. She’s still around as a dear friend tho.

76: Have you held hands with somebody in the past three days?

Oof, yeah.

77: Are you friends with the people you were friends with two years ago?

Unfortunately no. Well, some of them are still around but the most important ones left. 

78: Do you remember who you had a crush on in year 7?

... IRL crush, yeah. Virtual crushes, like too many to remember no.

79: Is there anyone you know with the name Mike?

Nope.

80: Have you ever fallen asleep in someones arms?

Yes but I usually do the spooning. 

81: How many people have you liked in the past three months?

Four or five, something like that.

82: Has anyone seen you in your underwear in the last 3 days?

Yes and two people actually tried to steal mine. 

83: Will you talk to the person you like tonight?

... Uh ... I don’t know.

84: You’re drunk and yelling at hot guys/girls out of your car window, you’re with?

My friends or my sister and her boyfriend, they are the party people around.

85: If your BF/GF was into drugs would you care?

I would care and I would try to help until I’m forced to remove myself from the picture. It happened and well, it’s okay to put yourself first sometimes. You have to.

86: What was the most eventful thing that happened last time you went to see a movie?

I was with a kid and she was scared so she climbed onto my lap and cuddled with me. It was sweet. 

87: Who was your last received call from?

My mom, to tell me to get downstairs. She is downstairs.

88: If someone gave you $1,000 to burn a butterfly over a candle, would you?

This is sick and no.

89: What is something you wish you had more of?

Hum. Wisdom.

90: Have you ever trusted someone too much?

Yeah.

91: Do you sleep with your window open?

Hell no, not even in summer, mosquitos are MEAN.

92: Do you get along with girls?

Oh gosh. 

93: Are you keeping a secret from someone who needs to know the truth?

Nope, not anymore.

94: Does sex mean love?

That’s hilarious. No.

95: You’re locked in a room with the last person you kissed, is that a problem?

... Again, no, since it was a bet and I actually like the girl.

96: Have you ever kissed anyone with a lip ring?

No.

97: Did you sleep alone this week?

If cats count, then no but if not, yeah I slept alone.

98: Everybody has somebody that makes them happy, do you?

Yeah, cats and books and musics and sometimes, just looking by the windows can cheer me up.

99: Do you believe in love at first sight?

No.

100: Who was the last person that you pinky promised?

What am I, 5? Alright, that was looong and hard. I’m tagging @catherinegrant, @2009121723 and @lenaluthhor and of course anyone else who want to play ♥

[birdlord]

What I Watched in 2016

Here are the movies and TV series I watched in 2016, some with commentary and some without. The number after the movies is the date of release, my faves are bolded, and rewatches are marked with as asterisk. Last year’s list!

01 Do I Sound Gay (14)

02 We are The Best! (13)

03 Hateful Eight (15)

04 Welcome to Me (14)

05 For Your Eyes Only (81) - I listened to a lot of back episodes of the James Bonding podcast early this year, which of course led to watching a bunch of Bond movies. Not all, and not in order, certainly.

06 She’s the One (96)

07 * Diamonds are Forever (71)

08 It’s Complicated (09) - I think it was an article about the kitchen design in this movie that led me to watch it?

09 The Natural (84)

10 * Anna Karenina (12) - Never having read the book I can’t REALLY speak to this movie but haha I kinda love its commitment to artifice. 

11 About Time (13)

12 What We Do in the Shadows (14) - I did enjoy this, but wasn’t as taken by it as I thought I might be. Found the werewolves the funniest by far, so I wish they’d turned up more often. 

13 The Abominable Bride (15) - counting this as a movie, it was the Sherlock xmas special and I recall exactly zero about it, so…..must have been amazing, right?

14 Wake in Fright (71) - Never Go To Australia 

15 Hail Caesar (16) - I think I’d have to see it again to determine if the whole thing actually holds together, but at the time, it felt of a piece with the Coen’s cheerier output. 

16 In the Heart of the Sea (15)

17 The Night of the Comet (84)

18 Laggies (14)

19 * Bowling for Columbine (02)

20 A Gentleman’s Agreement (47) - confessional, experiential journalism, but done by Cary Grant in the 40s. Ahead of his time/gender?

21 Barefoot in the Park (67)

22 Suddenly Last Summer (59)

23 Tangerine (15)

24 * His Girl Friday (40)

25 That Touch of Mink (62)

26 * Charlie’s Angels (00)

27 9-5 (80) - Holy shit, somehow I thought this movie was just a rah-rah, girl power story about a bunch of secretaries getting together and overthrowing their boss and yeah, that’s SORT OF it but it gets way way weirder in the final third.

28 * Who Framed Roger Rabbit (88)

29 * The Addams Family (91)

30 * Addams Family Values (93)

31 Frida (02)

32 Bridge of Spies (15) - A E I O U and sometimes SPIES :O

33 Swimming With Sharks (94)

34 Sleeping With the Enemy (91)

35 Fatal Attraction (87) - Watched this movie and the previous one as part of an 80s/90s thriller weekend. These two are an interesting contrast to one another, being as the first is about an abusive husband and the second focuses on the most notable example of the “crazy ex-girlfriend”.

36 1 Cloverfield Lane (16)

37 The Man Who Never Was (56)

38 * To Die For (95) - This was a super fave of Teen Emily, who definitely identified with the Lydia character. Watching this time was a huge reminder than Illeana Douglas is a goddamn national treasure.

39 Trouble In Paradise (32)

40 Eraser (96)

41 * Flashdance (83)

42 * Notting Hill (99)

43 Gone to Earth (50) - Not the best Powell and Pressburger out there, but one takes what one can get, right?

44 Holiday Camp (47)

45 Never Sleep Again (10) - This is a four-hour doc about the entire Nightmare on Elm St series, and is the reason I watched Freddy’s Revenge a couple of movies down the list. It’s not a series that I have a particular attachment to, so I learned a ton.

46 Clouds of Sils Maria (15)

47 Mommie Dearest (81) - I’m not sure that I have enough appreciation for high camp to really get into this. There were some moments, but overall it’s a fine example of the kind of thing that is Not For Me.

48 Nightmare on Elm St: Freddy’s Revenge (85)

49 Inside Man (06)

50 Trainwreck (15)

51 White God (14)

52 * Sleepwalk With Me (12)

53 Amy (15)

54 * Meatballs (79)

55 Everybody Wants Some!! (16) - I found this a huge disappointment, and I’ve been a bit mystified by its positive reviews and inclusion on critics’ end of year lists. While D&C definitely has a “main character”, and we do follow him and his friends, other people and subsets of the high school are given serious time and consideration. Ultimately, I don’t think following this one dude tripping through a bunch of different college subsets was as illuminating. Plus, weak jokes.

56 * Dazed & Confused (93) - had to cleanse the mind-palate by watching the original!

57 Summertime (55)

58 The Money Pit (86)

59 Zombeavers (14)

60 Mistress America (15) - I am finding Greta Gerwig more and more charming, the more I see of her. Greta, let’s be friends!

61 While We’re Young (14)

62 The Invitation (16) - quite effective, very upper-middle-class bohemian LA horror film. I’ve heard some complaints about the final scene, but I thought it was an effective & clever way to show an expanding scope without an extra expense or sets.

63 End of Days (99)

64 Escape From New York (81)

65 Escape from L.A. (96) - Watched these two together, on the same night. They definitely should NOT be watched that way, given how identical the plots are. Unbelievably terrible ’96-era CGI in the second one, hard to believe that Jurassic Park was three years previous?? Gotta get that Spielberg money, am I right?

66 High Rise (16) - my only real disappointment in this movie was not being around to see the decline of the civilization - we jump straight from things being fine (if weird) and everything gone to heck. My favourite part is the decline, give me decline!

67 The Great Outdoors (88)

68 * Catch Me If You Can (02)

69 Little Darlings (80) - just your classic losing-virginity-at-camp story, but…wait for it….with GIRLS.

70 * Good Will Hunting (97)

71 Popstar (16) - diminishing returns, but some funny bits (mostly in the songs, not surprisingly). 

72 Tarzan (16) - watched this with friends and relatives, at a drive-in theatre a couple of days after my wedding! It’s NOT a good movie, but it was a fun time.

73 Love & Friendship (16) - got completely obsessed with Tom Bennett based on his 100% rate of scene-stealing in this film. Sevigny feels utterly out of place - am I capable of seeing her in a period piece set before, say, 1975 without feeling weird about it?

74 The Night Before (15)

75 Ghostbusters (16) - So I know I was supposed to be charmed by Kate McKinnon, but her schtick just doesn’t work on me, for whatever reason. I was also really frustrated by the final fight scene of this movie - it had obviously been hacked up in editing, and wtf is up with punching ghosts instead of containing them? I’m glad this movie happened, and certainly a great deal of the criticism it came in for was deeply unfair, but it was distinctly disappointing to find that this movie just wasn’t that great.

76 Brooklyn (15)

77 Poltergeist (82)

78 * Before Sunrise (95)

79 Love & Basketball (00) - Effusive praise for this movie somehow came to my attention from all over the place this year, so I finally had to watch it.

80 The Man Who Knew Too Much (56)

81 * Road House (89)

82 Carol (15) - watching this FINALLY allowed me to fully participate in Today’s Meme Culture

83 * Out of Sight (98)

84 Happy Texas (99)

85 Red Rock West (93)

86 Weiner Dog (15)

87 The Trouble With Harry (55)

88 * When Harry Met Sally (89)

89 Jungle Fever (91)

90 Ocean’s 11 (01)

91 Star Trek Beyond (16)

92 Two For the Road (67)

93 * Seven Year Itch (55)

94 Maggie’s Plan (15) - like I said earlier about Greta Gerwig? I liked this one even more than Mistress.

95 The Dish (00)

96 Splash (84)

97 Desk Set (57) - watching this and the next were inspired by stumbling across a blog about depictions of librarians on film. I particularly hit on this one because I’ve always wanted to see a Hepburne/Tracy film, and never had (to my memory, anyhow).

98 Party Girl (95) - one of those movies I’d always noticed on the shelves at the video store, and never actually watched it.

99 * Young Frankenstein (74) - saw this in the theatre, Gene Wilder notwithstanding I…..don’t think it’s good. It’s only extremely intermittently funny, you guys! Plus, the Putting’ on the Ritz bit makes me uncomfortable (especially in audio-only form, which I heard TOO many times after Wilder died).

100 The House of the Devil (09)

101* The Witches of Eastwick (87)

102 The Borning (81)

103 * Shaun of the Dead (04)

104 Dolores Claiborne (95)

105 The Conjuring 2 (13)

106 In a Valley of Violence (16) - definitely watched this because I happened across an article about the movie’s dog star. 

107 The Witch (16) - very effective in getting across the supernatural, natural, and social dangers of early puritan America, and Black Philip has entered my idiolect for any creepy animal/person/twitter feed. 

108 * Wayne’s World (92)

109 What if (13) - riffs on When Harry Met Sally’s fundamental question of women and men being friends, and basically comes to the same conclusion. yawn.

110 The Martian (15) - I read the book as part of a book club last year, and finally got around to watching the film. Since I found the worst of the writing in the book to be those passages dealing with description, the movie was a lot less annoying to experience.

111 Sleepless in Seattle (93)

112 * Thelma & Louise (91)

113 Casino (95)

114 Other People (16) - wept several times. GOSH I love Jesse Plemons, he’s so hugely sympathetic. Would watch in virtually anything.

115 The Life & Death of Colonel Blimp (43)

116 Primary Colors (98)

117 Edge of Seventeen (16)

118 *Die Hard (88) - loaded up the laptop with this and the next four xmas-set movies, for watching on planes and in airports, while we were on the road at christmastime.

119 *Batman Returns (92)

120 *Scrooged (88)

121 * The Apartment (60)

Theatre - 5

Drive-in - 1

All the rest at home or at friends’ homes!

TV SERIES

*The Office US S2-3

War & Peace (2016) - you bet your BOOTS I started the book after watching this. Did I finish it? Not even close.

Love (2016)

Better Call Saul S2 - this is a show I enjoy while I’m watching it, but I don’t particularly find it memorable. Why? Who knows. It’s still something I look forward to, but not a show that sticks with me.

Great British Bake off *S1, *S2, S7 + Xmas Specials - a eulogy for Bake-Off as it was. Pour one (pint of double cream, that is) out for what once was.

Broad City S5

Travel Man S1, S2 - I find Richard Ayoade so desperately charming, but ever time I’ve watched one of the movies he’s directed, I’ve ended up disappointed. This show is a bit hit or miss, depending on the guests he brings along, and the episodes definitely have a sameness to them, but if you find this guy even a sliver as entertaining as I do, it’ll pull you along anyhow.

The Night Manager - so looking forward to Hugh Laurie’s upcoming career phase as Bond Villain.

Cooked

Newsradio S1-S3 - I’d seen an episode or two of this over the years but never sat down to fully appreciate it. It’s making me miss Phil Hartman all over again, a fresh devastation, plus haha did u know Tone Loc plays a security guard on this show? It’s all true.

Lady Dynamite

OJ Made In America - I’ll count this as a series, since I didn’t watch it in the theatre. Still haven’t seen the other big OJ series of 2016, but I loved loved LOVED this. What impressed me the most is that, in spite of its 7 hour+ running time there were still aspects of this story that could have been expanded upon.

Silicon Valley S3

* Veep S1, S2

Catastrophe S2

Pulling - went back in time to get more Sharon Horgan in my life, since Catastrophe seasons are terribly short and far-between. I’d been aware of this show for a long time, and somehow wasn’t expecting it to be as near-devastating as it ended up being. What, did I forget what a British show was like?

Another Period S2

Difficult People S1, S2 - Another late discovery, but a great one. A fine example of just giving some funny people a show, and letting them just do their thing on it every week.

Fleabag - yes, I’m in for this, obviously. And if I wasn’t, the show designed itself to put me off, from the first moments. A wise move!

One Mississippi

Very British Problems S1, S2

Atlanta - I’ve got a bad feeling that this show’s deserved success will lead to surreal elements being deployed, but much less deftly than they were here.

Please Like Me S1-S4 - Tore through this entire series greedily, am now suffering until they make another season. Balances some very harrowing elements with comedy and an ensemble cast of loveable/terrible humans.

Divorce - Sharon Horgan’s writing minus her acting is a hollow empty shell, but hey, I’ll take what I can get, when I can get it.

The Fall S3 - I’d decided last year after S2 that I was done with this show, and yet, here we are, I was drawn back in.

The Crown

Insecure

[sxdomy]

All numbers

1: when you have cereal, do you have more milk than cereal or more cereal than milk? more cereal2: do you like the feeling of cold air on your cheeks on a wintery day? not @ all3: what random objects do you use to bookmark your books? tissues, napkins, sticky notes, random cuts of notebook paper4: how do you take your coffee/tea? two-four sugars w creamer or 1/2 n 1/2 (tea)5: are you self-conscious of your smile? not after i got braces6: do you keep plants? no7: do you name your plants? 8: what artistic medium do you use to express your feelings? idk the only art i do is in photography, and i try to do dark/spooky shit.. it doesnt have a meaning9: do you like singing/humming to yourself? yes10: do you sleep on your back, side, or stomach? side 11: what's an inner joke you have with your friends? i dont rly have a friends group, less drama that way12: what's your favorite planet? smth has always intrigued me abt mars13: what's something that made you smile today? lars (:14: if you were to live with your best friend in an old flat in a big city, what would it look like? idc it's somewhere to live.. we can fix it up if we have the money. if so, i would prob have a bunch of shit everywhere lmao15: go google a weird space fact and tell us what it is! it says language programming ??16: what's your favorite pasta dish? some plain old penne/rigatoni w red gravy, but it has to be GOOD red gravy .. none of that ragu/preggo shit17: what color do you really want to dye your hair? black and it already is dyed that color, but i do want to experiment a bit and get few pieces red18: tell us about something dumb/funny you did that has since gone down in history between you and your friends and is always brought up. JESUS.. these are endless... once i RLY had to pee, and i was @ school. it was after school hrs. my friend and i were waiting for the game to start. all the doors were locked up @ the school. i think they took out the portapotty from outside, so i said to my friend, "let's go to the lower field" (we have an upper and lower field idk what other schools have lmao) despite it saying there are cameras down there (which IK for sure bc i've seen the computer w the school cameras, and there are ones surveilling the fields), i peed. in 8th grade during lunch, this girl pissed me the fuck off. i can't remember what she did, but i picked up her sandwich and threw it to the ground.another time in 8th grade during gym, my friends and i were fooling around during a fitness walk (walk thru the trail surrounded by woods oooo). i was yelling "IN DA GREENZ" bc i was a rly weird kid, and now we bring it up whenever we see bushes. OKAY lasT memORYYY in 8th grade, i was on the soccer team. i sucked @ it... the ball was coming to me, and i tried to kick it. instead of kicking it, my foot went on top of the ball resulting in my fall19: do you keep a journal? what do you write/draw/ in it? i used to keep a journal. last winter was the most recent journal i'd had, and my guidance counselor purchased it for me. i was going thru a rly hard time, and it was an outlet from that. after the winter ended, i never felt the need to write in it again.. it hasnt gotten that bad20: what's your favorite eye color? lars' eye color21: talk about your favorite bag, the one that's been to hell and back with you and that you love to pieces. 22: are you a morning person? depends... if my sleeping schedule is just like that, I LOVE WAKING UP IN THE MORNING. if i don't usually, then no fuck it lmao23: what's your favorite thing to do on lazy days where you have 0 obligations? literally nothing, but i do that when i have obligations... i get to it @ some point24: is there someone out there you would trust with every single one of your secrets? lars25: what's the weirdest place you've ever broken into? i've broken into my friend's house and my own. breaking into my friend's house wasn't rly that weird. i was out of it bc i had hardly gotten sleep the previous night. i also had permission lmao it wasn't as if i just went in. my friend had forgotten her key. breaking into my own house was actually bizarre ...26: what are the shoes you've had for forever and wear with every single outfit? i usually wear my docs, but i switch out. before getting my docs, i wore my all black vans W LITERALLY EVERYTHING. the only time i wouldnt was when i wore a light outfit, which wasnt often bc 98% of the time i wear all black27: what's your favorite bubblegum flavor? i don't chew gum. it has aspartame, which is literally poison28: sunrise or sunset? i haven't seen a sunset since i was a child, and i want to definitely see it again29: what's something really cute that one of your friends does and is totally endearing? monty is my lover30: think of it: have you ever been truly scared? yes31: what is your opinion of socks? do you like wearing weird socks? do you sleep with socks? do you confine yourself to white sock hell? really, just talk about socks. socks are good. if you wear them in the cold months around the house, you are less susceptible to sickness. they also work well when you wear them w most shoes bc they prevent sweat. lars take notes (; i love wearing weird socks. i love socks. i usually never match socks bc no one will see them?? if i wear a black sock, i try to match w another black sock tho. i do sleep w socks in the cold months. otherwise, my feet would freeze. sometimes i wear multiple socks in the summer to keep my feet warm. i do wear white socks sometimes32: tell us a story of something that happened to you after 3AM when you were with friends. i wasn't w my friends, but i found a drunken man in my rm after 3am on st. patricks day two yrs ago33: what's your fave pastry? cannoli34: tell us about the stuffed animal you kept as a kid. what is it called? what does it look like? do you still keep it? i kept this one stuffed animal who was a girl. she had blonde braids, and i used to kiss her on the lips when no one was looking. i knew it was weird bc she wasn't real. i also used to pretend i was fucking her... it was a weird childhood. idk where she is now35: do you like stationary and pretty pens and so on? do you use them often? I LOVE PENS!!!! okay im going to sound like a weirdo.. i only love certain kinds. i hate cheap ass pens. my fav pens are the ones that u click on the bottom to get the tip bc the clicking helps me concentrate. it's also fun to just click it. i haven't used a clicky one in awhile bc i bought myself pentels. i love pentels as well bc they come in nice colors, and i rly like the cap for it. i like pens that come from certain companies bc it looks like i've been somewhere.. maybe i have? i've gotten free pens from places and some of them i just found w that lettering lmao 36: which band's sound would fit your mood right now? nine inch nails (:37: do you like keeping your room messy or clean? dont care as long as ik where everything is. my parents call it messy, but i call it my peace38: tell us about your pet peeves! i hate when ppl put things back where they don't belong. idk i dont keep track of this shit39: what color do you wear the most? black40: think of a piece of jewelry you own: what's it's story? does it have any meaning to you? none41: what's the last book you remember really, really loving? 1984 by george orwell42: do you have a favorite coffee shop? describe it! starbucks LMAO43: who was the last person you gazed at the stars with? no one44: when was the last time you remember feeling completely serene and at peace with everything? the last time i was w lars45: do you trust your instincts a lot? yes46: tell us the worst pun you can think of. idk47: what food do you think should be banned from the universe? high fructose corn syrup48: what was your biggest fear as a kid? is it the same today? idr what it was then, but now it's getting raped.. ive had this fear since i was 14 i think49: do you like buying CDs and records? what was the last one you bought? i dont usually buy that shit50: what's an odd thing you collect? wristbands.. i like to say i've been places51: think of a person. what song do you associate with them? lars , peach // the front bottoms52: what are your favorite memes of the year so far? the yr just started, bUT I LOVE IAN'S (IDUBZZZZ) VIDEO OF "I HAVE CRIPPLING DEPRESSION"53: have you ever watched the rocky horror picture show? heathers? beetlejuice? pulp fiction? what do you think of them? i want to see rocky horror picture show. i've seen heathers, beetlejuice, and pulp fiction. i love heathers and beetlejuice. i didn't understand pulp fiction entirely, but that could be bc i was spammed by a gc while watching it54: who's the last person you saw with a true look of sadness on their face? idk55: what's the most dramatic thing you've ever done to prove a point? idk56: what are some things you find endearing in people? smile57: go listen to bohemian rhapsody. how did it make you feel? did you dramatically reenact the lyrics? i never realized that this song sounds like five mini songs put together... i did reenact them in my head58: who's the wine mom and who's the vodka aunt in your group of friends? why? nonexistent lol59: what's your favorite myth? black eyed children60: do you like poetry? what are some of your faves? anything from edgar allan poe61: what's the stupidest gift you've ever given? the stupidest one you've ever received? idk i hate getting gifts i'd rather give them, but i don't usually give them bc i never have money when it's time62: do you drink juice in the morning? which kind? ORANGE!63: are you fussy about your books and music? do you keep them meticulously organized or kinda leave them be? no64: what color is the sky where you are right now? grey65: is there anyone you haven't seen in a long time who you'd love to hang out with? lars66: what would your ideal flower crown look like? idk67: how do gloomy days where the sky is dark and the world is misty make you feel? i have SAD soooo68: what's winter like where you live? FUCKING HORRIBLE, but it's worse in other places69: what are your favorite board games? ive been missing guess who? lately70: have you ever used a ouija board? no, but my math teacher says u have to make it from a certain wood and put a spell on it for it to work... too much work 😩71: what's your favorite kind of tea? lipton lemon!!!!!72: are you a person who needs to note everything down or else you'll forget it? i try to note everything down, but sometimes i can remember things w/o writing them down73: what are some of your worst habits? staying in bed for too long74: describe a good friend of yours without using their name or gendered pronouns. bye75: tell us about your pets! i have a dog, and she's old af lmao i never rly liked her idk i hate dogs76: is there anything you should be doing right now but aren't? homework and probably calling up my new job to see when i have to go in.. cant be arsed.. 77: pink or yellow lemonade? pink78: are you in the minion hateclub or fanclub? FANCLUB!!! (:79: what's one of the cutest things someone has ever done for you?lars gave me cute cat headphones80: what color are your bedroom walls? did you choose that color? if so, why? white.. i didn't choose it81: describe one of your friend's eyes using the most abstract imagery you can think of. i can't rn82: are/were you good in school? i made it into university, so i guess so83: what's some of your favorite album art? the devin n god are raging inside of me // brand new .. cant think of many in particular84: are you planning on getting tattoos? which ones? one in remembrance of my friend who died and a full sleeve85: do you read comics? what are your faves? no86: do you like concept albums? which ones? YES YES YESSSS MANSON 'S CONCEPTS R SO GOOD (: 87: what are some movies you think everyone should watch at least once in their lives? idk88: are there any artistic movements you particularly enjoy? i just rly like frida kahlo89: are you close to your parents? no90: talk about your one of you favorite cities. i want to visit/live in philly so badly ):91: where do you plan on traveling this year? texas92: are you a person who drowns their pasta in cheese or a person who barely sprinkles a pinch? i only put a little fresh mozz on it if there is quite a bit93: what's the hairstyle you wear the most? i just wear my hair the same everyday94: who was the last person you know to have a birthday? lars95: what are your plans for this weekend? none96: do you install your computer updates really quickly or do you procrastinate on them a lot? omfg i had 20 or so awaiting updates last summer that i had to finally do bc it was fucking up my computer97: myer briggs type, zodiac sign, and hogwarts house? what98: when's the last time you went hiking? did you enjoy it? i dont hike99: list some songs that resonate to your soul whenever you hear them. NOBODY'S PERFECT BY HANNAH MONTANA100: if you were presented with two buttons, one that allows you to go 5 years into the past, the other 5 years into the future, which one would you press? why? 5 yrs into the future.. why would i want to relive the last 5 yrs of life ?? idk im just fine living w my past mistakes.. they've shaped me

[webart-studio]

The Final Information to Gross sales and Advertising and marketing

Peanut butter and jelly.

Puppies and the park.

Seaside days and ice cream.

Some issues simply clearly go collectively — however what if I put gross sales and advertising and marketing collectively in that record? Would you continue to assume they labored higher as a pair?

Greater than possible, you have not fairly thought-about your gross sales and advertising and marketing to be the “peanut butter and jelly” of your organization. However, in 2019, alignment between these two groups is extra important than ever.

Merely put, alignment between advertising and marketing and gross sales is basically about specializing in the client — and, in 2019, the client’s shopping for habits has modified considerably.

Fortuitously, the higher you possibly can align your gross sales and advertising and marketing groups, the extra possible you’re to please a prospect. In truth, organizations with tightly aligned gross sales and advertising and marketing groups expertise 36% larger buyer retention charges.

Right here, we will discover why gross sales and advertising and marketing matter to an organization — and, equally importantly, why they matter collectively.

Definition of Gross sales and Advertising and marketing

Advertising and marketing is the method of getting folks curious about your organization’s services or products, whereas gross sales encompasses any actions concerned in promoting that services or products to a client or enterprise. One can not exist with out the opposite. You can’t promote with out initially igniting curiosity within the client by way of advertising and marketing, and also you can’t be a marketer with out having a group ready to promote the product as soon as you’ve got captured a client’s consideration.

To begin, let’s discover some great benefits of each gross sales and advertising and marketing to your group.

Gross sales is finally important to your organization’s backside line. You can’t have scalable progress with out a formidable gross sales group. At its most simple, your gross sales group’s objective is to first qualify prospects, attain out and construct relationships with them, and finally, present an answer that can profit the prospect. When performed properly, a gross sales transaction leads to a sale, a glad buyer, and income to your firm.

For gross sales groups to excel, your salespeople should be invested within the success of your clients. They have to perceive your prospects’ ache factors and obstacles, and show how your services or products is an answer — one of the best resolution — to these issues.

Alternatively, advertising and marketing is all about igniting curiosity in potential customers, and telling the world your organization, and its services or products, exists. Advertising and marketing makes use of each emotion and analytics to achieve an viewers, and convert curious viewers into certified leads.

This is the factor, although — in 2019, a purchaser is not following the normal “advertising and marketing to gross sales to buyer” funnel.

As a substitute, every particular person prospect follows a singular path. One prospect may know they need to buy your product earlier than even talking with a gross sales rep, as a result of they’ve already been satisfied by your Instagram account.

Alternatively, one other prospect may communicate with a gross sales rep first, and then require extra advertising and marketing within the type of webinars or weblog posts, earlier than closing the deal.

Your purchaser has limitless info at her fingertips — she will take a look at your Fb web page, weblog posts, web site, and buyer product evaluations earlier than even talking with a gross sales rep.

When a prospect who has already learn 13 buyer evaluations will get in contact together with your gross sales rep, she’s going to require a distinct dialog than a prospect who’s solely heard of your organization from a Fb advert.

That is why your advertising and marketing and gross sales groups must be in tight alignment in 2019 — as a result of your purchaser must be communicated with, and offered to, wherever and at any time when she needs. The standard gross sales and advertising and marketing techniques not work. To seek out scalable progress, it’s vital your advertising and marketing group talk all the knowledge they’ve a couple of prospect to your gross sales group earlier than a salesman even will get on the cellphone.

Gross sales and Advertising and marketing Technique

To actually delight your buyer, it’s vital you cut back friction by implementing a technique to align your gross sales and advertising and marketing groups. As an illustration, you may need your gross sales and advertising and marketing groups work collectively to craft a purchaser persona, or doc content material hole’s alongside a purchaser’s journey. Whereas it would look like the 2 groups have completely different measurements of success, they need to finally share the objective of being customer-centric, even at the price of their particular person processes.

Gross sales and advertising and marketing alignment can assist your organization develop into 67% higher at closing offers, and can assist generate 209% extra income from advertising and marketing.

Not aligning your gross sales and advertising and marketing groups is not simply unhelpful for the client — it is also damaging to your backside line.

Nevertheless it’s simpler mentioned than performed. Aligning gross sales and advertising and marketing, notably when you will have a rising firm, can really feel like an extremely troublesome course of.

Fortuitously, there are a number of methods you possibly can implement to make sure a smoother relationship between the 2 groups, instantly.

1. Ask your advertising and marketing and gross sales group to create a purchaser persona collectively.

Your entrepreneurs have a agency pulse on the patron — they’ve performed intensive analysis, they’ve engaged with prospects by way of social media and electronic mail, and so they’ve held focus teams.

However, greater than possible, your entrepreneurs have not spoken instantly to those prospects. They may not totally perceive your prospects largest ache factors, or the challenges they face that your services or products presently cannot resolve. These insights can solely be obtained out of your gross sales group.

In the end, to get a full image of your client, it’s vital that every group assist craft the customer persona. As an illustration, maybe you will have your advertising and marketing group create an preliminary purchaser persona by way of analysis and brainstorming periods — however then you definitely collect enter from salespeople to switch and refine that persona.

Getting preliminary enter from salespeople, in addition to asking for ultimate approval on a purchaser persona, is important to make sure every group is working along with the identical client in thoughts.

2. Doc content material gaps alongside a purchaser’s journey.

Your gross sales and advertising and marketing groups ought to take the time to compile every little thing each groups have created to assist resolve for the client — together with white papers, infographics, e-books, case research, and electronic mail streams.

Then, staff from every group ought to have a candid dialogue about what’s lacking. Possibly a gross sales rep notices your advertising and marketing group hasn’t created any e-books on a difficulty most of her prospects’ face. Alternatively, possibly your advertising and marketing group wants your gross sales group to offer enter to craft a extra helpful buyer case examine.

Moreover, each groups ought to take the time to arrange and perceive what content material works greatest for which stage of the customer’s journey. Whereas possible a tedious course of, it will assist each groups develop into more practical of their methods over the long-term.

3. Preserve observe of each interplay your buyer has together with your firm.

These days, this is likely one of the most important methods it’s essential to implement. It eliminates friction for the client, and it additionally helps your gross sales reps shut extra offers.

As an illustration, think about the way you’d really feel in case you spoke with a gross sales rep for the primary time, and he already knew the place you labored, how lengthy you’d been there, which electronic mail newsletters you’d subscribed to, and which firm networking occasions you’d attended. You’d possible be extra impressed than in case you spoke to a gross sales rep who’d by no means heard of you earlier than, proper?

It is vital you discover a option to maintain observe of every interplay your buyer has together with your firm — a free CRM is extremely helpful for this.

4. Be customer-centric together with your language.

All too typically, entrepreneurs and salespeople use completely different language and depend on completely different analytics to measure success. As an illustration, a marketer’s measure of success is perhaps primarily based on weblog site visitors, Fb likes, electronic mail subscriptions, or YouTube viewers.

Alternatively, a salesman’s final measure of success is income.

Nonetheless, there is one objective each groups share — and that is to be customer-centric.

To align each groups, it’s vital your salespeople and entrepreneurs think about, firstly, the client. When a marketer emails a prospect, she ought to think about the individual on the opposite finish — and whether or not they need to obtain that electronic mail, and the way that electronic mail might be useful for them.

Moreover, when a salesman picks up the cellphone, she wants to recollect the dialog is not about making a sale — it is about fixing an issue for a prospect.

With this in thoughts, your groups can have a neater time blurring the strains between their particular person duties and tasks, and recognizing their very unified need to resolve for the client, even over their very own processes.

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