#But that distance was significantly less Before they ate the apple

[liefdesleven]

i do think "god taking adams rib to create eve was theft" is such a statement its so good to me

[into-the-center-of-things]

day seven: lake michigan!!!

"glinting with sun-lit

summer casualities, the lake

opens its third eye"

Short single entry for today! Today was a lot of outdoor time! I got to splishsplash around a lot and meet more Chicago people which was really fun!

Once we got out of bed and got ready (@germfreeadulthood made us breakfast sammies and they were sooooo good, pictured below), we took the bus to The Point with the intention of swimming. @germfreeadulthood invited their friends to join us, so we floated while we waited for them to arrive.

The water was beautiful, and oh so cold! I haven't actually swum in a lake in recent memory, only the ocean (which I didn't like—just becayse I don't like being thrown around by the waves), so the water having a different feel to it and it having a more calm lull to its movement was a nice surprise.

The bottom was covered in rocks, which were actually very slippery from the algae. Not the greatest to balance on while you tried to get accustom to the water's rhythm.

@germfreeadulthood and I also briefly saw someone skinny dipping in broad daylight for like 5 minutes, then return to the rocks to put their clothes on and leave and we were kind of just staring in awe—like, who has the guts to skinny dip in the middle of the afternoon on a Monday???

Anyways. The other friends joined (F and J) and we actually stayed out at the lake until like 6 or 7pm and I actually had a lot of fun just talking to people—usually I feel really self conscious in new groups of people when I don't know the dynamics but I felt comfortable and everyone was really funny and not as difficult to converse with as anticipated. Also there was a bird we kept pointing at and making gestures at—forgot what it was, its not a cormorant, it is too small...

Other detail was us pulling balloons out of the water—I didn't really get this captured but we fished two seperate balloons out from the water and one of them flew off into the horizon, lifted by the wind, when we weren't paying attention. We were kind of surprised since it was like, bobbing in the water, so I didn't think it had the capacity to fly being half-inflated and all..oh well...

So long space cowboy...

We got hungry so we went to Trader Joe's and decided to meet at another person's apartment (J's) to eat and watch a movie. I used this as an opportunity to get some snacks for the train ride home—peanuts and bread and apples and tuna packets (since they have mayonaise downstairs at the cafe for the hot dogs...tbh it sounds gross but bread is good for you...issa dumb idea but I wanna try it so I don't starve or something).

Then we went back to @germfreeadulthood's apartment, I took a shower and then we went to J's apartment, which apparently has two very adorable cats named Pablo and (omg) Melon.

They were really nervous but wanted to he at least a foot away from us constantly, which was cute, like they wanted to know what was going on but wanted to maintain a safe distance. I was able to pet Pablo briefly but Melon only barely tolerated letting me be about 3 feet from her before she wandered off.

We ate some Mexican food that we picked up—I did not take a picture of my burrito because it was bad ): like texture-wise bad (mushrooms are so hit or miss for me because if it's slimy I can't eat it). So that was disappointing but the tea J made for us was good (: so it balanced out.

Then we watched We're All Going to the World's Fair, a movie directed and written by the same person behind I Saw the TV Glow.

I understood (or rather, connected with?) this significantly less than ISTTVG and I don't really know why. I'm reading reviews to try and understand what exactly I watched. Like it felt a bit unsettling in some places but there was a lot of distance put between this protagonist and the audience which I believe was intentional and I struggled with what I was seeing, especially with all the different tech aspects, I wasn't sure what year this took place and how the different tech ties into it (like why would you own a digital camera in 2019 if you have both a smartphone and a laptop??) and I just didn't grow up talking to strangers on Skype. I think I need to think about this movie more before I can really articulate my thoughts.

After that we went home, we have to leave by 10am to go to Indiana...specifically The Dunes, I requested we also explore the suburbs for the sake of my poetic research. We might also go to Gary because its a town that's kind of empty and depressing. I am absolutely relieved I didn't get sunburned, just very tanned. I feel exhausted. I can still feel the waves of Lake Michigan lulling me to sleep...

[oliviachows]

Why Consume Farm Fresh Fruits and Vegetables?

Fresh fruits and vegetables are the structural blocks of a sound eating routine. Be that as it may, consuming the suggested servings of fresh fruits and veggies might challenge for some.

The freshness of the produce at farmers' markets is significantly higher than that of supermarkets. It is also less expensive.

Farm-fresh food can be obtained in a variety of ways, including joining a CSA or purchasing directly from the grower at the market.

1. Better Nutrition.

When they reach the produce aisle in supermarkets, many fruits and vegetables are several days old. They have traveled thousands of miles on refrigerated trucks for a significant amount of time before ever reaching their destination.

Your body's natural seasonal cycles are supported by eating farm fresh fruits and vegetables. People ate what was in season in the area they lived in before refrigeration became common. These foods are usually lower in fat and packed with nutrients.

Ranchers markets are an incredible spot to track down new food sources and trial recipes that integrate more vegetables into your eating routine. You can add them to your meals in a variety of colors and flavors. Nearby cultivators additionally frequently have legacy assortments of vegetables and organic products that may not be accessible in supermarkets. Plant-based foods are important to include in your diet because they are high in antioxidants that protect against diseases like cancer and heart disease.

2. Better Taste.

Contrasted with produce purchased at supermarkets that might be a few days old and sent a large number of miles, ranch new foods grown from the ground are at their pinnacle of readiness when they arrive at your kitchen. Locally grown foods also taste better because they are less processed and contain fewer artificial chemicals!

The climate, soil, and farming practices all have an impact on the flavor of food. Local farmers are more in touch with their land and employ environmentally friendly farming methods. The best soil and best-growing conditions are used to grow their crops.

Not only is shopping at local farms healthy, but it can also be fun! You can pick your strawberries, apples, or pumpkins from many farms through their "pick your own" programs when they are in season. You can also join a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program to get weekly deliveries in exchange for purchasing a share of the season's harvest.

3. Healthier.

Your grandmother, mother, or specialist most likely addressed you about the advantages of eating fresh fruits and vegetables. However, you might not have been aware that purchasing them from a nearby farmer's market rather than a grocery store is preferable.

Fruits and vegetables purchased at the grocery store frequently travel thousands of miles in refrigerated trucks over several days. However, a farmers market's offerings are likely to have been picked within the last 24 hours, making them significantly healthier than those found in supermarkets.

In addition, a lot of smaller growers offer distinctive varieties of produce that you might not find in your neighborhood supermarket. For instance, Misfits Market purchases "ugly" fruits and vegetables from regional farms that do not meet aesthetic standards and sells them to CSA members. They are loaded with phytonutrients and antioxidants, which can improve your health in many ways. Additionally, they are low in sodium, which is beneficial for people with high blood pressure.

4. Environment-friendly.

Farm-fresh fruits and vegetables are free of additives and preservatives, in contrast to highly processed foods. Likewise, eating nearby lessens your openness to unfortunate microbes and poisons tracked down in the air, water, soil, and food bundling of significant distance transporting.

Most supermarkets get their produce from ranches that are hundreds and even a huge number of miles away, requiring the utilization of a lot of petroleum derivatives for refrigerated trucks and rail vehicles. Produce that doesn't need to travel far and is locally grown, fresh, and seasonal is available at farmer's markets, which reduces waste and costs associated with transportation.

Urge your family to extend their food skylines by attempting products of the soil from different varieties at your neighborhood ranchers' market. Since supermarkets may not be able to compete with the prices offered by local growers, shoppers at farmer's markets also tend to save money. Additionally, numerous small farmers offer a cost-effective program known as Misfits Market in which they acquire and distribute high-quality products that supermarkets reject for cosmetic reasons.

[ikehorganics]

HOW TO REDUCE BINGE

EATING OVEREATING,

AND BORED EATING:

disclaimer: i am aware that binge eating is an eating disorder, but not a lot of people have access to professionals to help them, and this guide could help a number of people struggling with binge eating, it could be successful to some binge eaters but not all. i hope this assists you, and this all comes from a place of good faith not malicious intent. i am also aware that binge eating does NOT equate to bored eating or overeating.

skip the preface if you want to skip straight to the tips!

PREFACE:

I have been in quarantine for nearly nine months, and I have struggled with multiple aspects of my everyday life that have had to be changed and adapted to the new rules of society. Since the beginning, I have always preached about staying in doors, social distancing, not going out to into open places without a mask etc because this is a direct reflection of the respect you have for yourself and the people around you. In this strong belief, I found myself struggling to juggle being a first year university student, my fitness, mental health, food and constantly being bored within my house.

Food was the hardest aspect, and with being surrounded by food 24/7, weight gain was inevitable. At first, I had not realised how I ate on a regular basis, I woke up at 6am, and would be at uni between 8am and 5pm from monday to thursday, where i would usually only eat one meal and a snack between that, whether it be left overs from dinner for lunch and an apple or piece of fruit for when i feel a bit peckish, and 2litres of water. My day consisted of four lectures ranging from 1 hour to two hours and walking around a lot because I hated sitting for a long time, and occasionally doing summaries or watching netflix between lectures. And when i got home, I had dinner and would go to bed. That was my routine and it was never truly surrounded by food constantly available at my every beck and call.

During quarantine, I was filled with procrastination and demotivation to attend lectures online or read my books. And all that extra time was filled with having an efficient workout routine and eating, but then that eating turned to eating quite frequently whether i was watching television, and mainly eating for the sakes of eating and in gross portion sizes because it was now available. Let's talk about how I broke out of that cycle of over eating and bored eating:

1. PLAN YOUR DAY PRODUCTIVELY.

I needed some direction in my life, I forced myself to plan every hour of my day so I can do something productive for myself. I planned the times from when I would wake up at 8am, to the time it took to fix my bed, brush my teeth, workout, stretch, eat my meals, nap, spend time outside, spend time on social media and more. Not only did my eating habits straighten out, but I got more done with my day.

2. SET EATING TIMES.

Setting eating times was the best thing I had ever done. Breakfast was always at 12 midday, lunch at 2 pm and dinner at 6pm, but these were my eating times, especially since i was intermittent fasting. These times helped me plan my day accordingly, between eating times I would usually fill my day with studying, and doing summaries, catching up with work I had missed. This helps especially if you have a restrictive diet or fast a lot! Restricting calories and fasting for extended periods of time only adds to the urge of falling into a binge cycle because your body feels the needs to refeed!

3. LISTEN TO YOUR CRAVINGS.

Listening to your body is so important. If you want to eat pizza for lunch, don't eat a salad, eat the pizza because it will be mor satiating than that salad or pasta that you might not want as much. Because that pizza might just pop into your mind late at night and you will have a little late night feast, this applies especially if you are counting calories. Having cravings are normal, and unless you are on a no bs diet that is extreme, you shouldn't deny yourself of something that you really want for something that won't leave your soul satiated.

4. DRINK WATER DURING MEALS.

I won't say much on this, but having water before, during and after your meal is so important. It aids in better digestion and adds to the feeling of being satiated when you are done eating, plus it's an easy way to get your water in. Replace that coca cola or soft drink with water, especially if you know you don't get enough glasses of water into your day.

5. LEMON WATER.

A cup of warm water and a wedge of lemon juice squeezed into it is super refreshing, sip on it throughout the morning before breakfast, to aid in digestion. Lemon water is a thing that is constantly brought up, and shut down for being "ineffective" but it works for me, and I believe that it is a phenomena of the mind. If you believe lemon water can help, it will definitely help you because you have manifested its impact on your health. Lemon water and warm water is one of those things that 'curb' hunger, and if you are one of those people who sometime wake up hungry but can't bring yourself to eat so early because it could make you nauseous, then water lemon water in a glass is the drink for you.

6. EAT WHOLESOME AND NOURISHING FOODS.

Calories are a touchy subject, and they add up very quickly very surprisingly. A bowl of oatmeal will have a lot of volume, leave you satiated and keep you full longer than toast and nutella. No one is saying do not eat the nutella, but adapt it into a meal that will leave you full and satisfied for example, if you want something sweet, heave oatmeal with a tablespoon of peanut butter or nutella inside of your oatmeal! Eat foods that will nourish you and give you enough energy to go about your day.

7. PORTION CONTROL AND PHYSICAL FULLNESS.

Portion sizes are all up to you as an individual and how satiated a portion size leaves you. Eat portion sizes that leave you satiated, but remember that being satiated does not equal to being so physically full that you feel uncomfortable as a result of eating too much. Being satiated is very difficult because sometimes you eat food that tastes amazing, and even though you are physically full, you feel like you could eat more and that becomes problematic because you've eaten past your bodies physical limit. Eating what you are craving ( number 3 ) comes into play with this aspect, as you have to be able to know when enough is enough. If you feel as if your portion sizes are huge and want to reduce them, then reduce it gradually whether it means you want to go from eating 4 slices of pizza to 2 slices of pizza, then begin with eating 3 and a half slices or eating one less scoop of pasta than you usually eat. If you have no idea how to stop eating past your physical limit, eat until you feel like you're just about to be physically full, do this for a week, and see how you will become satiated with the portions you are eating, gradually lessen the portion sizes overtime until you are happy with the amounts you are eating! This won't happen immediately, it is a gradual process.

8. DON'T EAT TOO FAST. CHEW YOUR FOOD.

A lot of the time, we do not realise how fast we eat and how we don't thoroughly chew our food. The food isn't running away, take your time to enjoy your meal and chew it instead of swallowing after a few times of grinding your teeth. Take in the flavour of your food and really enjoy it in the moment.

9. IT IS OKAY TO FALL INTO OLD HABITS, BUT BREAK IT AS SOON AS YOU CAN.

Nothing in life happens in a linear manner, everything is gradual and has its ups, its downs, its regressions and just general moments we are not proud of. If you find yourself in a binge cycle or overeating cycle for a day or a week, it does not meal all progress is lost. It means you are human, you are not engineered to be perfect constantly. Have a mantra for yourself that you repeat to comfort yourself: “it is okay, tomorrow will be better.” or “it was just one day, i can go back to normally eating tomorrow.” or “I shouldn’t be too hard on myself, it happens to everyone.”

10. INCORPORATE HEALTHY FOOD GROUPS INTO YOUR MEALS.

Make your meals satisfying and as colourful as possible! Don’t just eat pasta or pizza, eat it with something healthy like a side salad or a side of fruits or a side of healthy carbs like roasted potatoes! Never just eat one thing especially if it doesn’t have any greens or vegetables!! It doesn’t have to even be a salad or anything fancy! It can be cut up tomatoes, or cucumbers or apples!

11. HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVES MEAN YOU CAN EAT MORE FOR LESS.

Your oven, grill or airfryer is your bestfriend. Fried food is delicious, but you feel insecure at times after eating something that was cooked in heaping amounts of oil. Remember an airfryer is just a small oven, and can do wonders too. If you want a burger and you have time, home made burgers are always amazing and tastier than their fast food counterparts! Make your burger at home so you can control what goes into it, or make your fries in the oven so you can have a much more healthy alternative for less calories, and have more of it! I’m not saying make your burger buns something like lettuce buns, but making your burger at home can significantly reduce the calories in comparison to ONE mcdonalds burger, and you can have two for less calories than once burger if you make it at home.

I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! Hopefully these tips can assist you day to day, and you take them into consideration and even test it out! These tips worked for me, and I know they won’t work for everyone but some of them might be helpful to you!

[springday-aus]

Disney Prince!AU with Wonho [Hoseok]

★ Wonho [Lee Hoseok] as Disney’s Hercules ★

moodboard link 

Group: Monsta X

Member: Lee Wonho / Hoseok

Genre: fluff, romance

part of the Disney Prince series 

Type: Bulletpoint AU

Word Count: 1.9k

born a demigod

son of Zeus and a mortal mother

he absolutely adores his mother

he’s not ashamed to say he’s a mama’s boy

on the other hand, he doesn’t really like to talk about his father

especially since he has these powers

the power of physical strength….

he’s not sure if they’re a good thing or a bad thing

like, sure he likes that he can help the elders carry stuff

you know, like their animals when they’ve broken a leg

or moving their houses to more convenient places

the whole village loves him bc they literally saw him grow up as a kid

he turned out so well for someone without a father

don’t be fooled—he can literally physically crush you like a grape, but he’s literally the sweetest boy

anyways

he’s been living normally

despite the whole ability to rip off a 100 year old tree

and lift up a wall 

or a house

or a 200 pound horse 

his life has been fairly normal up until the incident

one day, when Hoseok was about 16 years old

a couple of kids were stuck underneath a rock

okay, an understatement

it was a huge ass boulder

anyways

these kids were stuck underneath and Hoseok lifted it to let the kids out

since that day, the elders called him Wonho

meaning a brave lion, the protector of the village

since that day, he’s been doing around helping others a bit more 

he started putting himself out there to help people 

it was small but these tasks got gradually bigger

it started from saving kids

to fighting against monsters

to saving the entire universe (but that’s another story)

next thing he knew the entire village was calling him a hero

there were statues made of his figure 

his face was slapped on e v e r y t h i n g 

the gods made a star alignment for his stature

he became one of the most famous faces

some just like to call him a Greek god that fell from the heavens

he still blushes every time someone calls him that

the ladies swoon the hardest when he’s on his Pegasus high in the sky

and the light shines oh so perfectly to emphasize his perfect, chiseled face

geez this man is very attractive and he doesn’t even know it

moving on

it’s important to remember that he did not get to this position alone

he was able to train with/under Hyunwoo

Wonho wanted to understand how he can be a better hero

to protect the ones he loves

and those in the community 

he is such a good boy, I want to cry

anyways

he heard about how Hyunwoo trains heroes the best so he made his way over and

here he is

even after completing his training, he continues to work on himself

so if he can’t sleep or when people don’t need help

he would be in the gymnasium to work out

or he’d be doing practice training in an abandoned field that Hyunwoo had set up

as he got older, all he really does is help people and train to be better at what he’s doing

since he’s been helping out, the chaos has decreased significantly and he finds himself wandering elsewhere for adventure

this is how he meets you 

I mean, you wouldn’t say you were in danger

but also, you were in the woods and you didn’t know this one all that well

and you may or may not have ended up messing with this lake monster that you def shouldn’t have been messing with

so there you are

in the middle of a lake

being held hostage by some

ugly troll ass, centaur thing

(tbh, you couldn’t really tell what he was, a river guardian???)

I literally mean held btw

you were literally in this creep’s hand bc he’s the size of a giant

so Wonho was walking around the forest with Pegasus, trying to find a new place and see if anyone needed his help

and very faintly he hears something from the distance

“if you don’t put me down, I swear to cut off your balls and rip off your—”

oo he didn’t wanna hear that

but he still rushes towards it

that’s when he spots you in this monster’s hand, struggling to get out

he slowly approaches you two

Wonho: “uh, excuse me? sir? could you, um, let them go?”

you speak up first, without taking two glances at him

You: “keep moving junior, I can handle this—have a nice day”

you flash him a sarcastic smile, hoping he’ll move along with his day

but he doesn’t 

instead his shoulders kind of drop for a second, slightly disheartened, but only for a second

because he stands up straighter and pulls out his sword

Wonho: “you might be too close to his situation—I’m sorry to do this without your consent, but I have to do my job”

before anyone can say anything else, Wonho dives in and does what he does best

he fights off the bad guy

next thing you knew, you fell into the water and it’s all a blur

you fished yourself out, trying to dry off

Wonho managed to punch the living daylights out of the river guardian so he was just passed out and drowning in the river

but who cares about him

after Wonho ensures he’s not dead, but unconscious

(and Pegasus does his little cheer for him)

he moves over to you

Wonho: “..... hey”

You: “hi”

Wonho: “are you okay?”

You: “after getting all the water out of my ears, I’ve decided that I’ve been better”

Wonho: “sorry… about that—it was kind of stupid, I should have thought that out better”

You: “you think?”

you eye him up and down as you try to dry off your shoes

You: “they give you a name with those rippling pectorals?”

Wonho flushes, laughing rather awkwardly

Wonho: “they call me Wonho, but you can just call me Hoseok…”

you look at him again

he turns into a deeper shade of red under your eyes

You: “I prefer Wonder Boy”

he lets out another small laugh

Wonho: “what’s—what’s your name?”

you give him yours, as you wring out the bottom of your shirt into the water

he repeats it, with a small smile on his face

Wonho: “soooo, how’d you get mixed up with the—”

you finish for him

You: “the pinhead with hooves?”

he lets a little laugh out

it’s kind of cute

You: “well, you know how men are, they think no means yes and get lost means take me, I’m yours”

you let out an airy laugh as Wonho stands there confused

You: “don’t worry about it, Wonder Boy, you’ll figure it out eventually”

you stand up, ignoring the water that continues to drip down

You: “well, Seok, thanks for the help, but I gotta bounce”

Wonho: “ah…”

he can’t really hide his disappointment: “where—where are you going?”

You: “oh, you know, here and there”

you flash a smile at him: “I’ll see you around”

Wonho: “how?”

You: “life has its ways… bye bye Wonder Boy”

you walk off and disappear into the woods

Wonho finds himself still looking off, even as your figure disappears

Pegasus huffs at him, almost mockingly at how mesmerized he is at your presence

he turns to Pegasus and points a finger at him, as if he’s scolding him

Wonho: “not a word”

he continues to go on and eventually stumbles into a little town

…. your little town :)

obviously he didn’t realize

until he saw you again about a week later

you were hanging around a fruit stand that belonged to your friend’s 

you looked just as beautiful as he remembers 

and less angry 

Wonho: “hey” :)

You: “Wonder Boy, back to me so soon, miss me that much?”

Wonho: “yeah, I did”

oh

you didn’t expect him to be so straightforward

You: “so, you’re just hanging around town?”

Wonho: “it’s kind of like that”

You: “I heard some hero killed the monstrous lion, I should’ve realized it was you Wonder Boy”

Wonho: “ahhh…”

he flushes once again, rubbing the back of his neck

Wonho: “I—I’m no hero”

You: “sure you are, just remember, you are in a new town, take a break while you can”

You: “I will warn you though, it’s hard to find pretty sights in this dump”

Wonho: “I don’t think it’ll be that hard…. not without a guide at least…”

you look at him with a raised eyebrow

Wonho: “tHAt’S iF yoU wANT…. yoU don’T hAVE TO….”

you let out a laugh as he continues to flush into a darker red

he’s a cute boy, might as well shoot your shot

you wave to your friend as a silent goodbye and slowly start to walk off

without looking behind you, you shout out

You: “you coming, Wonder Boy?”

Wonho snaps out of his daydream that’s right in front of him

Wonho: “yes ma’am”

and thus the start of a beautiful relationship

Disney Prince!Wonho is as wonderful as it sounds

he already adores the life out of you

and he basically worships the ground you walk on

(as if you were the one with Greek god genes)

you, on the other hand, think he’s like a little puppy

a puppy that can kill you with his strength 

but a puppy

he loves praise

he needs attention

he loves affection

he’s basically a soft, gigantic puppy

this view kind of changed when you saw him in action

I mean you did see him in action that one time

but his life wasn’t really in danger

and lowkey he looks hot fighting

but like….

when he killed the Stymphalian Birds…

when he captured the cattle of Geryon….

I guess you kind of drew the line when you saw Cerberus on your front lawn

(he’s absolutely more adorable than people said, but it is still a three headed giant dog)

you were just concerned for him and the danger he was putting himself in

and Wonho kind of ate that shit up

but he did console you

he became a lot more careful to consider your feelings

that did mean more official training with Hyunwoo

but anything to make you happy

anyways

most of the time,  he stays to help the village

the elderly and kiddos there have grown to love him

I mean what’s not to love but

anyways

sometimes he does have to travel a bit farther for the king or something

but he always brings back some type of souvenir for you

he loves to spoil you

when he went to the Amazon, you got the most gorgeous flowers

another time, he brought some golden apples for you

he says it’s to make up the time away from you

and your heart absolutely melted

his presence makes up for it

he’s great okay

anyways

so you know how Pegasus is like his sidekick?

you two bonded 

he’s not sure how but 

Wonho loves that you and Pegasus get along

but y’all bonded a bit too much 

like you two won’t say anything but it’ll be on your faces when you’re judging him

moving on

you haven’t stopped calling him Wonder Boy

some days he prefers it

others, he prefers it when you call him Seok

so, affection 

this man needs it

whenever he’s in the same space as you

he’s like touch

it’s not like you’re gonna reject it

even if you roll your eyes, you always run into his arms

when he gets back from his trips

he doesn’t let you go for days

**cue you two waddling around because he’s backhugging you**

humor—while most of yours is dry

he still laughs and goes with it

he tells jokes unknowingly

like some of the stuff he says is ridiculous

and you just burst out laughing

you two are just very attuned with one another

very harmonious

very cute

Wonho: “when I’m with you, I don’t feel so alone”

You: “good thing you’re stuck with me then”

Wonho: “I wouldn’t have it any other way”

[crimsonbluemoon]

Working For Love: A Terrormoo Story 4/17

Okay so I totally planned to have this out earlier but my day’s been kinda crazy. But it’s technically still Saturday so enjoy! 

Previous Part

Start from the beginning

Brian loved Wednesdays. 

For most of his life, Wednesdays were the bane of his existence. What person in their right mind actually looked forward to the middle of the week? It was the furthest extension from the weekend, almost no holidays were celebrated yearly on Wednesday, and the back end of it was just as long as the head. But that was before he got to talk to Brock. Finally, he learned his name. Brian’s first interaction hadn’t been the best, and the second only made it worse, but the third? The third was all the reason he needed to stark talking to him more. 

Three Wednesdays in a row, Brian had clocked into his shift before Brock came to the gym. Other days they crossed paths, but Brian’s trainings or classes managed to get in the way of getting to talk to Brock for more than a casual greeting or goodbye. Evan, Scotty and Anthony (Tyler’s other full timers) would wiggle Brock’s card over their heads and make kissy faces at Brian when Brock wasn’t looking to taunt him. The urge to flip off the menacing trio while working on Mrs. Lavigne’s squat form was hard to ignore, so he settled for punching them after work over beers and buffalo wings. The full timers got the weekends off at the gym, meaning Brian didn’t get to see Brock unless their work-out times somehow managed to sync up. So they passed each other for parts of Brian’s shift or Brock’s routine, but Wednesday was the only day Brian got to have an actual conversation with him when scanning him in. It wasn’t always the longest talk, and if anyone approached the front desk, Brock would hurry out an excuse and leave. It could be ten minutes or two, depending on Brian’s luck. 

Still, Brian cherished the few minutes he got. 

Hearing his voice had been an unexpected bonus he didn’t know he needed. The soft but steady tone fit was pretty. His laugh was pretty. The pink that bloomed over his face when Brian laid out the honest truth of how he felt when seeing Brock work out was pretty. His modesty, his dad jokes, the nervous way he rubbed his ear when Brian would smile at him- just in general, Brock was pretty. Being up closer helped him pick out little quirks of the other man that he hadn’t been able to see from a distance, like how animated his eyebrows were when he spoke or how perfect his teeth lined up when he showed them in a rare full smile. Brian made sure to toss a thumbs-up Brock’s way whenever he passed by his treadmill to clean a machine or restock paper towels (Evan and Nogla both seemed to enjoy his sudden boost of ‘hard-work’ effort when Brock was in the building, the lazy bums), and it made him smile when he’d get a stunted but responsive wave back. It was slow progress to some, but for Brian, it was more than worth it.

And when Brock walked in with a new person, Brian was tickled pink in curiosity. 

“God, this place smells like sweat and regret.” The new voice that entered the lobby of the gym made Brian laugh, tossing the crossword to the side in order to take in the new man. The platinum blond flopped on the top of his head was not natural, but it screamed personality with the hot pink elastic bundling it up. He didn’t seem ashamed of his look when placing his hands on his hips, the electric blue water bottle swinging with his movements. “It’s way better than WOW.”

“You never went to WOW.” Brock’s voice lacked any hesitation or shyness when he rolled his eyes, a shoulder nudging into his friend. “You literally paid for a membership that went unused for seven months.” 

“Have you ever tried to cancel a gym membership? It’s not possible. They demand your firstborn.” 

“You’re gay.”

“I could adopt.” The banter was refreshing to watch, and Brian grinned from ear to ear at the impolite snort Brock gave in response. 

“You’d kill a cactus. You have killed a cactus. You can’t keep a tune alive.” The new side of his personality was surprising, as Brian had only ever encountered the meek but endearing Brock. Here he was laughing and poking fun at his friend’s dismayed shout of protest, though the teasing smile he wore was quick to slide off when he realized Brian was watching the entertaining scene. “Oh! Um...hi.”  

“Hey there,” Brian answered, trying to sound smooth when tilting his grin into a smirk. The movement had the desired effect, Brock’s face rushing to resemble an apple. 

“Hi.” Brock mumbled again, and Brian had to bite back his laughter.

“You already said that, but I’ll take a second hello if it’s from you.” It wasn’t the most subtle flirting, but he was never known for being quiet with his attraction. Feeling cheerful at making Brock’s smile perk up at the small compliment, he tilted his head towards Brock’s left, but kept his gaze on him. “You bring a friend to convert to the healthy side, Brocky?”

“Not just a friend.” The correction made Brian’s body twitch, eyes darting over to the cocky look now being worn by Brock’s… something. Brian didn’t like the weird bitterness that jumped over his taste buds, but he tried not to let his lips drop down to a frown. His hand was casual when it dropped under the front desk to clench. Of course. Why hadn’t he thought about this before? He couldn’t be the only one to realize how amazing Brock was. It was so obvious that Brock had a- “I’m his best friend.” 

“Marcel’s my best friend.” Brock answered without missing a beat, though he seemed to lack the awareness to pick up on the glint of mischief that fueled his friend’s wink. Brian blinked for a moment, though it took less time to realize what had happened; this guy was trying to see how Brian would react to Brock being taken. Which meant that even though he’d never been to the gym, the friend knew of Brian. He didn’t like being played, but he’d trade the moment of embarrassment if it meant Brock talked about him outside of their gym meetings. “This is Mini, or Craig.”

“They call you Mini cause of your dick size?” It didn’t mean he couldn’t get his own shot in, though. The blunt comment made an interesting noise come from Brock, but Mini rolled with it. 

“You wanna find out yourself?” The obnoxious wink was dramatic, and Brian felt a kindred spirit in Craig. He snickered at how mortified Brock look at their exchange. 

“Craig!”

“What? Obviously he’s not straight, look at his hair.” 

“Hey, thanks for noticing.” The hat that Tyler had mandated he wore hung on his belt loop. He was hoping to keep it off long enough for Brock to see him, and the technical loophole he found in ‘wearing it on his person’ would be funny to watch Tyler steam over. He glanced to Brock, catching how the eyes ducked away from him to send a stern look at Craig. 

“I didn’t bring you here to-”

“Oh, right! My recon.” Brian wasn’t sure he was supposed to hear that, but Mini didn’t look to care when he dropped his hands flat onto the counter, peering up at Brian over his glasses. “So, as nice as calling you ‘hot gym guy’ has been for the past couple weeks, it’s really too long and has no cool acronym to use in public. You are pretty good-looking, so the name’s not wrong, but I think we should just clear the air; what’s your actual name?”

“Craig!” The pitch that Brock hit was impressive and clarifying to Brian, who took the moment to think over his previous conversations with him. Sure enough, despite Brian pouring out different nicknames and variations of Brock’s name, there had never been a rebuttal. At times he had looked flustered or nervous, but Brian had simply contributed that to his twitchy nature. Had all of that anxiety been because he didn’t know Brian’s name? Turning his attention slowly, he took in how Brock’s glare was significantly weaker with the flush of his face. It was obvious now that Mini’s question had been something Brock talked to Craig about, but didn’t have enough guts to ask himself. Mini looked like the cat that ate the canary when he shrugged at Brock’s heated stare. 

“I really do suck at the whole spy thing.”

“I cannot believe that you really just- this wasn’t what we said you’d- why are you like this?” Flustered Brock normally made Brian happy, but sympathy was in the front of his mind at seeing how distraught his new friend was.  

“I don’t mind telling you,” he offered up, hoping he didn’t send Brock running again by addressing the elephant in the room. “Really, if you’d asked me earlier, I wouldn’t have minded.” 

“I’d spent all this time talking to you, and I didn’t know your name. I thought it’d be kind of weird to ask after our first conversation,” Brock defended, and Brian knew the feeling. 

“Okay, explanations later. Name now.” Mini didn’t seem to be in the same understanding mood, arms crossed over the counter while he nodded at Brian’s nametag. “Because I’ve been staring at this chicken scratch for two minutes and I don’t know what language you wrote it in, but it’s not English.” 

“Alright, drama queen,” Brian teased, though he didn’t pull any of his attention from Brock’s hopeful stare. “It’s-”

“Brian!” It wasn’t him who spoke his name, but Tyler, whose glare looked ready to kill when storming out from the storage closet. “If you don’t put that hat on your damn head, I will make you eat it.”

“Brian?” From the corner of his eye, he picked up how Mini scrunched his nose and waved a hand to the side. “Blah, how boring.”

“I think it’s nice,” Brock replied, and Brian realized how quickly he didn’t care about anyone else’s opinion. 

“I think he’s going to be jobless if he doesn’t put his hat on.” Tyler looked unamused by their conversation, but Craig’s curiosity seemed to rise when he glanced the taller man’s way.

“Wait, who are you?”

“Tyler, the owner of this gym. Got a problem with that?” Brian knew there was a reason Tyler rarely talked to new clients, leaving that job to himself or Anthony; his people skills were shit. But Mini didn’t seem to mind, his hum filled with mischievous intent. 

“Just wanted to know where I can sign up. If I get to look at you each time I work out, I’ll be practically living here. Might even do yoga. Heard it helps you be more flexible.” Mini emphasised his claim with an eyebrow wiggle that made Brian snort, Brock sigh (how often did this trainwreck of flirting happen?) and Tyler glare before he stormed away. 

“He could literally break you,” Brian clarified, though the threat only seemed to widen Craig’s grin. 

“I live for the challenge.” Then Mini was snatching one of the application forms, moving to the chair to settle in and begin the process. Brian was amused by the turn of events, and the slight smile that crossed Brock’s face when he shook his head was enough to give Brian a boost of confidence. 

“When your friend’s done with the form, give him this.” Making sure to grab two, Brian held out the schedules to Brock with a shrug. “It’s got our classes on there, as well as the information for our trainers. Names, phone numbers and emails you can reach us at. We do classes like yoga, pilates, fat burning, even some cardio kickboxing. You get in for free if you’re a gym member. You should check one of ‘em out.”

“I… I think I will.” Brock’s nod was more to himself than Brian when he looked down at the paper, taking a few seconds to look it over before he spoke again. “Thanks, Brian.” 

“Anytime, Brocky.” The warm exchange of glances they shared was nice, and it was one of the first times Brock didn’t shy away from their connection. The warmth in his stomach fluttered for a moment, but he didn’t try to push down the sensation. 

“When this thing asks if I need any accommodations-” Mini’s voice broke the moment like glass, both jerking their heads over to look at how his teeth chewed on the pencap through his words. “would it be considered sexual harassment if I put Tyler’s dick?” 

“I should go help him before he gets banned for life.” This time, when Brock made his exit, it wasn’t hurried or flustered. For once, Brian didn’t feel like Brock wanted to get away from him. And when Brian gave him a thumbs-up during his work out, the wave he got in return was bright and confident. 

Brian really loved Wednesdays.

And that’s it for this drabble part. Hope you’re enjoying the story because it’s been fun to write. As always, love, reblog, and let me know what you think! <3

[cheeseanonioncrisps]

A lot has been made of Aziraphale's giving away his flaming sword in terms of it being a rebellion of sorts, signalling his willingness to put aside Heaven's agenda to do what he thinks is right— but I don't think I've seen anyone talking about what a profound lack of faith it shows.

I mean, you've got Crowley, who is questioning the divine plan, exactly the thing that got him Fallen in the first place— but he's questioning the direction of the divine plan, not the existence or rightness of it. He's wondering whether God didn't intend for humans to eat the fruit all along, arguably questioning Heaven, not God.

And then you have Azriaphale, who apparently took one look at the world outside the Garden— cold, vicious animals, and with Eve expecting already— and came to the conclusion that God probably didn't care enough to protect the humans from that.

He may parrot the party-line about God's plan, but when push comes to shove, even before meeting Crowley and spending 6,000 years living outside of Heaven, he has more faith in a flaming sword to protect humanity than he does in Her.

Crowley the rebel, by the way, takes for-fucking-ever in comparison to get to this stage. Crowley is shocked and horrified 1,000 years later when Noah's Ark happens, because he can't believe that God would do something like that to humans. Crowley is significantly more disillusioned but still very bitter and upset about the whole Jesus thing, because it still seems like something Heaven shouldn't be doing.

Aziraphale, meanwhile, is clearly very uncomfortable with the whole Noah's Ark thing, and by Jesus is actively trying to distance himself from Heaven's decisions by saying that he's not in charge of "policy".

And by WW2, he's helping, or at least trying to help. Which I really don't think is something he's meant to be doing.

Aziraphale has been put on Earth to thwart evil in the form of Crowley, but otherwise he's supposed to be leaving the actual thwarting up to humans. The two of them are there to direct souls to their respective sides— they can tempt or bless people, and they can create situations where people are more likely to do good or bad, but I really don't get the impression that they're supposed to interfere with politics.

Aziraphale could try and encourage the Nazis to repent, or he could give a member of the Allies an idea for how to stop them, but I think actively participating in a sting operation to get them captured might be a bit outside his jurisdiction.

But, again, he has to help. Because who else is going to help them? Certainly not Heaven, he's seen Heaven, he knows they don't give a shit about individuals. Certainly not God.

Sure, he believes that God will stop the apocalypse. Because he believes that She will want to stop the AntiChrist sooner rather than later. He's not shocked by the idea that God would allow a war, he's shocked by the idea that God would allow a war for the sake of war when She could just murder a child.

There's a scene from the book that was cut from the series (because they didn't have the time or money to film it) where Aziraphale posesses the body of an American televangelist in the middle of an excited speech about how the apocalypse is just round the corner and all the good people are about to be raptured out of there. At which point Aziraphale interrupts to tell him that no, no they won't, because nobody cares about humanity. Humans are basically a way of keeping score at this point, and nobody gives a shit if a planetful of them are caught in the crossfire of Heaven and Hell's last great battle.

I'm really not sure if Aziraphale even thinks there is a great plan.

I mean, he ends up averting the apocalypse with the power of 'realising that Heaven and Hell have no idea what the fuck they're talking about'. His whole "would that be the ineffable plan?" thing depends on the idea that nothing has actually been written down and nobody has been given any explicit instructions.

Crowley not only doesn't come up with this himself, but is surprised that it works. "Surely? Crowley thought, they don't actually know." is the line from the book. Crowley has doubts about whether it's a good idea to follow the ineffable plan (or Heaven and Hell's idea of it) if it means screwing up Earth— in fact by the time we get to the apocalypse he's openly against it id it means that— but he doesn't doubt that there is one.

At the end he even speculates that maybe God intended them to stop the apocalypse all along, and their rebellion was also part of the Great Plan, just like he did when Adam and Eve ate the apple. (For someone who rebelled against God, Crowley is surprisingly anti-free will.) To which Aziraphale responds with a non-commital "wouldn't put it past Her."

Even the ways in which they approach God show their different levels of faith. Less so in the book, but in the TV series Crowley prays. He raises his weird serpenty eyes to Heaven and he questions God, on the assumption that there's at least a chance She might be listening.

Aziraphale never does that. When Aziraphale wants answers from God, Aziraphale petitions God's secretary. The idea that there might be an unofficial channel to the Creator of the Universe doesn't occur to him. He knows that God exists, alright, but he doesn't believe She's listening.

Aziraphale wants there to be a divine plan. He wants Heaven to be good and Hell to be evil (with the single exception of Crowley) and God to be looking out for everyone after all. But, deep down, I really don't know if he ever truly believes it.

[irhoustore]

Best Foods for Fitness

BY FITNESS LIFESTYLE

Serious athlete or weekend warrior? specialize in foods that fuel your body, repair damage, reduce inflammation, improve strength, and build muscle. 

-01 1 Eggs are rich in high-quality protein, critical for athletes to repair muscle, maintain aerobic metabolism, and speed recovery and wound healing. They also contain vitamins and minerals involved in energy and protein metabolism, 

cell growth, tissue repair, and protection against oxidative stress and inflammation. And they’re rich in leucine, an aminoalkanoic acid that’s key in building lean muscle mass, and choline, a vitamin-like nutrient which will speed weight loss without impacting strength.

Recipe Tips: > Bake eggs, chopped kale, and Swiss cheese in muffin cups for quick mini-quiches;

> Beat eggs with minced onions and shredded Asiago, and cook during a greased waffle iron;

> Lightly whisk eggs and stir into chicken or vegetable broth with ginger, hot peppers, and scallions for fast egg drop soup.

-02 2 Sweet potatoes are high in carbs, critical for energy before high-intensity exercise. Unlike other sources of carbohydrates, like pasta or bagels, sweet potatoes are grain-free, gluten-free, and rich in potassium, an electrolyte that’s depleted during high-intensity exercise. Low potassium levels impact muscle contractions, energy, and endurance, so it’s important to replenish them with natural sources. Sweet potatoes also are high in beta carotene, a strong antioxidant that reduces inflammation. Drizzle sweet potatoes with vegetable oil to feature more anti-inflammatory compounds that help reduce pain and swelling.

Recipe Tips: > Toss sweet potato cubes with copra oil, cumin, garlic, and cayenne pepper, and roast till tender;

> Mash cooked sweet potatoes with almond milk, cinnamon, chopped almonds, and raisins for a grain-free breakfast bowl;

> Make “lasagna” with sweet potatoes thinly sliced lengthwise in situ of noodles.

3 Almond butter may be a great post-workout snack, rich in protein and other important nutrients for athletes. Almonds are high in magnesium (critical for the correct function of muscles and nerves), vitamin E to stop exercise-induced oxidative damage and other nutrients that help the body use oxygen more effectively.

In one study, athletes who ate whole almonds before training improved their cycling distance and endurance and had higher blood levels of antioxidants.

Recipe Tips: > Whisk almond butter with vegetable oil, rice vinegar, and minced ginger for a creamy Asian vinaigrette;

> Make hummus with white beans, almond butter, olive oil, juice, and minced garlic;

> Scoop the flesh from a roasted sweet potato, mash with almond butter and bananas, and re-stuff potato skins for twice-baked breakfast potatoes.

-01 4 Beets are high in nitrates, which are converted by the body to gas, a compound that dilates blood vessels, improves blood flow, and enhances athletic performance. In one study, athletes who drank beet juice showed a 38 percent increase in blood flow to muscles, In another study, runners who ate cooked beets ran 5 percent faster. And during a review of 23 studies, researchers concluded that drinking beet juice can improve cardiorespiratory endurance (the ability of the circulatory and respiratory systems to provide fuel during sustained physical activity), exercise efficiency, and performance.

Recipe Tips: > Wrap whole beets in foil and roast until tender;

> Add cooked and cooled beets to a smoothie with bananas, blueberries, and Greek yogurt;

> Thinly slice beets, toss with vegetable oil and salt, and bake till crispy for a nutrient-dense chip alternative.

-02 5 Pomegranates are loaded with antioxidants, including ellagitannins, shown to scale back exercise-induced inflammation. In one study, athletes who took an ellagitannin-rich pomegranate extract had less muscle soreness and significantly higher strength recovery after resistance training. In another study, subjects who drank pomegranate juice for 15 days reduced muscle soreness and weakness in their elbow flexors after resistance training compared to a placebo. It’s even better if you mix pomegranate juice with fruit juice and/or tea —the quercetin in apples and epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG) in green tea are shown to scale back inflammation in cyclists.

Recipe Tips: > Combine pomegranate juice, fruit juice, cooled tea, and soda water for a healing post-exercise drink;

> Toss pomegranate seeds with sliced kiwi, tangerine segments, minced basil, and juice ;

> Mix concentrated pomegranate juice and pomegranate seeds with coconut milk and freeze in a frozen dessert maker. -03 6 Hummus is loaded with resistant starch, a slow-burning carbohydrate that minimizes and controls spikes in blood sugar and insulin before exercise. Resistant starches also provide fuel for beneficial bacteria and improve gut microbiota, which plays a crucial role within the production, storage, and expenditure of energy. Hummus is high in protein and iron, critical to optimal athletic performance via its role in energy metabolism and transport of oxygen to muscles. And studies show that legumes assist you to feel fuller, longer, promoting fat loss and lean muscle mass.

Recipe Tips: > Spread hummus on whole-wheat tortillas and layer with avocado, baby spinach, sliced onions, and salsa for an on-the-go breakfast wrap;

> Stuff boiled eggs with hummus for a healthier deviled egg;

> Layer hummus, sliced olives, red onions, yellow peppers, and chevre on pizza crust, and bake until bubbly.

-04 7 Cherries are high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory anthocyanins and other phenolic compounds that are shown to scale back muscle damage, lessen pain, speed strength recovery after exercise, and reduce markers of inflammation. Most studies on athletes have focused on tart (Montmorency) cherry juice, but a review of sweet cherries found equivalent health benefits, and other studies show that sweet cherries are equally high in anti-inflammatory compounds.

Recipe Tips: > Simmer frozen tart cherries with rosemary needles, then purée for a moment jam;

> Combine tart cherries with chopped apple, onions, and celery during a honey yogurt dressing for Waldorf salad;

> Toss pitted cherries in balsamic vinegar and minced thyme, and roast till tender.

Lisa Turner maybe a chef, food writer, product developer, and nutrition coach in Boulder, Colo. She has quite 20 years of experience in researching and writing about nourishing foods and training people toward healthier eating habits.

Avocado Eggs Serves 6 This super-healthy riff on deviled eggs skips the mayo and uses avocado, for a summery green color and fresh, bright flavor. For an on-the-go snack, marry two filled egg halves and wrap tightly in foil. For a transportable lunch, turn eggs into a wrap: mash all ingredients together, spread on a whole-grain or gluten-free tortilla, add arugula and hummus, and roll into a wrap.

6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved lengthwise 1 very ripe large avocado ¼ cup minced purple onion 1 clove, peeled and pressed during a press 2 Tbs. minced cilantro 1 Tbs. juice Cilantro leaves and paprika for garnish (optional)

1. Remove yolks from eggs and transfer to a medium bowl. Set albumen halves aside.

2. Halve avocado lengthwise, remove pit and scoop the flesh into the bowl with egg yolks. Add onion, garlic, minced cilantro, and lime juice. Mash with a fork until smooth and well-blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Fill albumen halves with avocado mixture. Arrange on a plate, garnish with cilantro and paprika, if desired, and serve immediately.

Per serving: 140 cal; 7g prot; 10g total fat (2.5 sat fat); 4g carb; 185mg chol; 65mg sod; 2g fiber; 1g sugar