#Just have to teach her how to play tennis then both my accounts can have icons of Mini playing tennis

[inkylynx]

Can't wait to win my offices fantasy football league this week with Minnie Mouse playing tennis as my icon.

[alonetimelover]

pairings: Harry Styles x tennis player!reader (fem, she/her)

summary: who would have thought that Harry is a tennis fan?

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harryupdates

liked by ynsfan, harrysmoustache and 9 201 others

harryupdates Harry just followed YN YSN on instagram and twitter! YN is a tennis player, currently no. 1 on the WTA ranking.

view all 3 201 comments

ynsfan well, I hope she'll teach him how to properly hold the racket

ynupdates YN did not follow back!

⤷ynsthebest Queen behaviour 👸

fan81 what does it mean?

fan291 are they together?

⤷ harryupdates they've never been spotted together nor somehow connected. YN is getting famous now as a quite young player already holding a no. 1. it could introduce harry to tennis.

⤷ ynsmybestie why does everything need to be about relationship?

⤷ harrysfan1 maybe because it's unusual that he's following people that are not very famous in the hollywood

⤷ harrysbtch are you a new fan? he's literally following some random meme accounts. let him follow whoever he wants, yn's a great girl

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ynupdates

liked by harryupdates, ysfan012 and 4 201 others

ynupdates YN via IG stories! it seems like she's celebrating the Roland-Garros triumph!

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ynsfan92 so proud of her. all the hard work did pay off!

harrysmoustache scrabble? i have my eye on you, girl 👀

⤷ynsfan92 why? is there sth wrong about playing scrabble?

⤷ ynshands harry's fans believe that yn is his newest girlfriend

⤷ harrysbtch i mean... there are a few clues. scrabble is harrys favourite board game for example

⤷ helloitsharry not to be a creep but it looks a lot like harry's house, too

ynsmybestie despite the rumours i love that our talented girl is getting the recognition she deserves

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harryupdates

liked by ynupdates, harryshoee and 24 201 others

harrysupdates Harry and YN were seen together at the car dealer in Los Angeles!

view all 3 201 comments

ynupdates oh, she's finally getting her dream car

harrysmoustache money money money

⤷ harrysmoustache you guys think i can be their sugar baby? i can bake and clean 😇

hArrysbtch so they're rich RICH... damn

ynsfan92 so the rumours are true?

⤷ harrysmylife nothing is confirmed but it seems more true with each day

lucycardealer Hey guys! i work at this car dealer and saw them today!

⤷ harrysbtch girl! spill the tea!

⤷ lucycardealer they came together, had a scheduled meeting with a big boss. they were shown some of our most prestigious cars (and most expensive really) and after a test drive, they both chose one each - the ones seen in the photos.

⤷ ynshands since you've seen them, do you think they're together?

⤷ lucycardealer oh, absolutely! most of the time they were very close to each other. harry had his hand on her lower back most of the time. they looked very happy and cute!

⤷ harrysbtch CONFIRMED! he's taken guys, he's taken...

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harrysmylife

liked by ynupdates, harryshoee and 18 101 others

harrysmylife well, this happened today... you know, i started taking tennis lessons after seeing the tennis queen (YN) play. im walking to my practice and out of nowhere HARRY is passing by with a little 'hello, excuse me' because im a dumbass taking over the whole sidewalk... he saw my amazement, probably recognised that im a fan and started TALKING TO ME???? rest in the comments

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harrysmylife i of course stumbled over my words and could not articulate like the grown adult that i am. he was so sweet, asked me how long I'd been playing tennis. i answered him that i just started because of watching yn and being inspired by her. and let me tell you guys, the way this man SMIRKED when i said her name???

harrysmylife 2) he was like 'that's incredible, I've seen a few of her matches'... he must've wanted to laugh out loud at my shock face. then he said 'do you have tips for the first lesson? im just heading to the one and im quite nervous.' i said some things blah blah blah and what i see while walking on the courts??? Harry playing tennis with his coach, his coach that is YN gucking YSN...

harrysmylife 3) im dead, but don't worry - my life is complete

harryupdates that is one of the best fan stories that ive heard!

ynsupdates our girl instead of preparing for the Qatar tournament is teaching her boyfriend how to play... 💀

harrysmoustache he's learning how to play tennis??? with yn??? im fucking melting

harrysfan82 sleeping on the highway tonight, see you guys on the other side 🫡

ynsmybestie and they say romance is dead...

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ynupdates

liked by harryupdates, harrysmoustache and 7 101 others

ynupdates YN's message after winning the semi-final today in Qatar! that may be some kind of a confirmation????

view all 1 208 comments

harryupdates what a lovely gesture to show your support!

hArrysbtch GIRL??? we down bad, huh? i love it.

harrysmoustache the heart at the end? the hs?

harrysfan82 why did she ruined this camera's lenses?

⤷ ynsmybestie it's a tradition. tennis player write a message after winning the match!

harrysfan20 and he probably watched the whole match before going to bed.... crying, screaming

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harryupdates

liked by ynupdates, harryshoee and 29 101 others

harryupdates Harry via his IG stories! edit: deleted!

view all 7 201 comments

ynupdates THIS IS SO SWEET!

harrysmoustache im so happy for them! *jumping of the bridge*

hArrysbtch 'my love'????? the cat????

⤷ hArrysbtch i can't take it ... he is so in love with her

ynsmybestie time square finally has some quality!

harrysmylife i love how he can't use instagram... this time it took him much more to delete though

⤷ hArrysbtch a grandpa!

⤷ user11 yeah, he's too old for her

⤷ hArrysbtch it wasn't about his age but more about the way he deals with technology. but also, how is he too old? they're seven years apart, it's not that much.

⤷ user101 i agree with user11, and she's probably with him for the money!

⤷ ynshands her net worth is literally $16 million...

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ynsmybestie

liked by ynupdates, harryshoee and 9 101 others

ynsmybestie YN and Harry playing soccer during her practice!

view all 981 comments

ynupdates some way to start a practice!

harryupdates i wonder who won 😅

⤷ yourinstagram i did!

⤷ harrystyles liar.

⤷ ynshands harry you're telling me you won with no. 1? can't believe you.

ynsmybestie did it really happen???

ynshands hoping she'll be ready for the next match, Indian Wells is a tough competition!

⤷ ynstennisfan she's ready, easy way towards the final, and then reclaiming her title

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playerstribune

liked by harrystyles, yourinstagram, ynupdates, harryshoee and 2 101 202 others

playerstribune 'It is not all about tennis in my life. I love it, it's my job but it is my passion as well. I'm a 21 year old, trying to navigate her life, having people watch it like hawks. Being with someone that has been dealing with it for years helps. No one else would understand the frustration that comes with all of this.'

Click the link in our bio to read what YN YSN - WTA no. 1 - wrote for all of you. 'To understand me more, YN.'

view all 49 201 comments

yourinstagram thank you for letting me voice my thoughts❤️

ynupdates tell me why i cried while reading it?

ynupdates day after day i learn what a great role model you are, yn. truly exceptional

⤷ yourinstagram ❤️

ynsmybestie i need to give this woman a hug. losing is a human thing, a learning experience. there is nothing shameful about it. happy yn has people close to her telling her that.

⤷ yourinstagram thank you, lovely

harryupdates 'for him i was the best' jeez... he really is the best boyfriend on the planet, huh?

harrysmylife excuse me when i cry to this - 'I noticed that I was losing my identity. I tried to be universal so more people would like me, respect me and cheer on me. I was losing myself, a people pleaser that I've been since my early days. Then I met him, and it really turned my world upside down.'

⤷ harrysmylife 'Besides my family he was the only person I didn't feel the need to be that [universal]. I could be myself and he would appreciate it. Love it. That was even more important for me than winning US Open [laughs].' SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP WTFHSISN

hArrysbtch 'I could talk about him for hours. I'm still young and those feelings are often overwhelming for me but, you know, I'm happy. I'm very happy and he's one of the most important reasons for it. He made me believe I could be myself without feeling any guilt over it.' what in the actual fuck...

ynsfan 'Biggest dream right now? Winning Olympic gold would be nice. Getting a dog.' people only yn could put Olympic gold and puppy as her biggest dreams 💀

harrystyles 🎾🐐

⤷ harrysbtch she literally spent the whole interview speaking of you, say something more, harry

⤷ harrysmoustache let's bully him to say more

⤷ harrysfan82 more

⤷ harrysbtch more

⤷ harryupdates more

⤷ ynupdates more

harrystyles GLASS SHATTERING [CAR CRASH] [VROOM VROOM] [PEOPLE SCREAMING] EXPLOSION "MY LEG... MY LEG... [BABY CRYING] WAAH... WAAH... [HELICOPTER NOISES] [SIRENS] WEE WOO... WEE WOO [SOBBING] [YELLING] FLAT LINE

harrystyles Talented, Brilliant. Incredible. Amazing. Showstopping, Spectcular. Never the same. Totally Unique. Completely not ever been done before.

harrystyles yourinstagram 🧎🏻‍♂️

⤷ yourinstagram well...

⤷ ynshands man, oh man. 🥵

⤷ hArrysbtch what in the actual fuck???? Harry??? you know it's your official account???

⤷ harrysmoustache see kids? bullying works!

⤷ ynupdates I'd never thought it would work...

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harryaustralia

liked by ynupdates, hArrysbtch and 37 201 others

harryaustralia Harry's reaction to the whole stadium chanting YN's name and seeing posters with her face!

Thank you to everyone that prepare it, it was a blast!

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harryupdates 'woah, so that's what it is? you like her more now? same.' what a sweet boyfriend

⤷ harrysbtch yeah and then 'it's about me!'

harrysaus22 i love how he took the time to answer questions about her 'where's yn? she's in Indian Wells, defending her last year title. you should watch the stream, i will!'

⤷ ynsmybestie and then 'can i have yn's number? *judging face* nope, absolutely not.'

ynshands 'are all of you here to learn more about my girlfriend?' crowd screaming yes 'okay, you want me to call her?' AND HE DID!

⤷ ynupdates 'baby, they came to see me so i would talk about you. they don't want me.' and the zoom at his phone to show yn laughing like crazy 'sing medicine, it'll solve the problem' YN, YOU KNOW US TOO WELL

⤷ hArrysbtch and he did sing it! 'it wasn't on the set list, so everyone say - thank you, yn! three, two one THANK YOU YN' she's got him wrapped around her finger, i love it!

harrysfan04 why is nobody talking about the 'i shaved for this sign'???? that man answered with 'would it be inappropriate to say, so did i?'

⤷ hArrysbtch YAS! my mouth went open wide after hearing it, dirty dirty man

⤷ ynsmybestie was yn still on a ft with him?

⤷ ynshands i think so!

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ynupdates

liked by harryupdates, hArrysbtch and 19 301 others

ynupdates YN and Harry at the restaurant in Indian Wells, California!

view all 2 047 comments

harryupdates this man has only four free days and he came from the other side of the world to support her...

hArrysbtch i love being single, i looooove being single *cries*

ynshands he's going to watch the final!!!!

harrysfan92 with him in the audience she's going to be a very very tough opponent

ynsmybestie oh she's gonna win WIN

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yourinstagram

liked by harrystyles, annetwist, ynupdates, harrysmoustache and 3 101 302 others

yourinstagram This last week was an absolute dream. Thank you to everyone watching me play and believing in me. It feels surreal to win here, in Indian Wells second year in a row. Thank you, H for being my no. 1 fan and cheerleader. I'm going to rest for a couple of days, see you in Paris!

view all 192 392 comments

harrystyles i love you 💓

annetwist Congratulations dear! xx

ynupdates so proud of you!!!!! you deserve it like nobody else!

harryupdates the match was beautiful, you left your heart on the court

yourcouch hard work pays off! proud of you!

hArrysbtch the way harry was cheering on her??? the best

harrysmoustache do you guys see the note??? 'you are the cave from Prometheus that I found & been lost in for days' THE POET THAT YOU ARE MR STYLES

[team-magma-leader-maxie]

[ @falsegold ] not going to lie as soon as i saw you had an account on here i wanted to ask things. 6, 11 but specifically the last question, and 35? coming from orre i know even the shittiest criminals have at least some redeeming qualities or neat interests so i may as well shoot my shot and fish for them here

Alright, let me answer these in order, it seems you have selected quite a few.

Question 6: What kind of tasks do your pokémon do to help you in the day-to-day?

The first thing that comes to mind is my dear camerupt. Shes retired from battling and has taken to mothering me every day. She sleeps by my desk while I work, and nudges me when she thinks I aught to take a break from the screens and have a walk. I do tend to get wrapped up in my work. I suppose my legs might have just fallen off by now if I didn't have her. (ha ha) My mightyena refuses to retire in any capacity, and will pick fights with other grunts or pokémon, so I have to take him out to spar pretty often, burn off all that excess energy. Lastly, my golbat has moved to the security department. He stays in the entrance of the hideout, warning of intruders and slowing them with initial battles. I do make sure to visit and spend time with him, he's still my pokémon after all, and I intend to take care of him.

Question 11A: do you battle, coordinate, study, or something else?

I am (still) a leader. Specifically, the leader of Team Magma. In my youth, I thought I would become a professor, and teach geology, but the many crises of humanity shifted my goals.

Question 11B: Why did you decide to do that?

Because I believed that with combined intelligence and coordinated effort, we can change this world for the better. I still believe that, in fact, but I understand now that the consequences of ones actions need to be taken more seriously. Risk margins aren't excusable, things need to be safe, you can't just put people in danger, even if your end goal is altruistic.

Question 11C: Have you ever tried to do one of the other things?

I was a tutor for a short time. I needed to make money while in college, so I started a tutoring service to help fellow students get their grades up. It was not particularly fulfilling, and I doubt any of my students liked me. Not my true calling, to be sure. Sometimes I think about retiring and teaching again, but with my reputation shattered, likely permanently, I can't think of a university that'd even think of hiring me. I'll likely get a small house somewhere in Hoenn, or maybe Alola to avoid people bothering me as I grow old.

Lastly, Question 35: How do you like to spend time with your pokémon?

Most of it is grooming. I take my time brushing out my camerupt's fur and polishing off her facets. She enjoys the attention, certainly, and is having a wonderful retirement being pampered, hmhm. We go on walks, though I can't say where to protect my privacy, though our walks are becoming shorter as time goes on. My age is catching up to me finally, and my joints don't appreciate the abuse. Mightyena has a short tolerance for pampering, and prefers to play. I have this device, a sort of stick with a cup on the end that holds the tennis ball, and I'll use that to give him a good run. All three of them will simply "hang out" with me while I sit atop the hideout and help Owen garden. Really I sit in my outside chair and Owen gardens, but I have had a very busy life, and if I don't want to play in the dirt, I'm not going to. Owen and I chat, and he feeds berries to both of our pokémon. It's actually my favorite way to relax. A cold drink and the ocean breeze, chatting with my son under an umbrella while he tells me so passionately about his garden or the latest additions of his collection. I almost forget about how broken the world is in that moment, it's just... peaceful.

I am unsure of what the scoring system is for this game, but I hope these answers are sufficient. If the points are granted based on length of writing, I believe I may be better at this game than I first thought. Best of luck, all. - Maxie

[lonelypond]

Love Is For Losers

NicoMaki, Love Live, 1.7K, 1/2

Summary: Yazawa Nico and Nishikino Maki are both key players on the Otonokizaka University Tennis Team. But now Nico has decided to "improve" Maki's social media and tennis game.

Love Is For Losers

Not the most flattering picture of herself, racquet ready, waiting for the return of a serve, but Maki Nishikino really liked her look of concentration. So she hit “Post.”. And the hearts and reactions and fire emojis piled on. Wait, what was that comment, from @NicoNi? “With squinty eyes like that, how can you see the ball?”

WTF?!?!?!? Junior and top tennis singles player Nico Yazawa was notorious for living on social media. Since practice started in September, she’d been leading weekly social media best practice training sessions for the Otonokizaka University team that freshman Maki had proudly never attended. And now she was trolling Maki? Was that a social media best practice?

Maki never replied to a comment, but to let the smug Nico Ni have the last word would grate across every nerve Maki had.

To quickly type, “Who’s in the top 10 national standings again? Can you see that?” seemed almost an illicit thrill. To get an instant reply of eye emojis, plus a sweatdrop made Maki laugh out loud. Quickly scoping out the coffeeshop to check if she’d drawn any attention to herself, Maki clicked through to NicoNi’s home page, Nico’s last post was a bikini shot with an obscene amount of hearts and various emoji combinations in an endless comment scroll. Maki snorted, too obvious an attention grab. Maki would ignore it and stick to tennis, which she knew very well. Ah, there was a pic of Nico rushing the net, one of her favorite ways to use her sprint speed. Maki had an in.

“Spend less time looking at my pics and more time on your approach shots.”

Another instant reply. Another sweat drop. “Nico knows. But you’re so pretty. See you at media training ; )”

Did Nico think she was going to get Maki into one of her stupid sessions like that? Maki dropped her phone on the table, sipping her espresso with a frown.

###

Maki’s phone pinged explosively. A series of messages from her self proclaimed bestie and doubles partner, Hoshizora Rin.

R: hahaha Maki Ma you really need to be here

R: Nico’s going through your TWIG account as her “what not to do on social media” slideshow

R: it’s so funny, Maki

R: (*≧艸≦)(*≧艸≦)(*≧艸≦)

R: you missed out Check out Nico’s LIVE.

Maki stared at her phone. Nico’s Live, that happened when you went to someone’s TWIG profile and clicked on their pic, right? Maki did, grimacing as she clicked on Nico’s face. Nico was in front of a whiteboard, drawing pictures of tennis rackets, disgustingly cute tennis rackets. She leaned forward, checking her phone, then grinned like someone who’d just served a winning ace.

“And @Nishikinoshot has just joined the fans watching Nico on TWIG Live…”

Maki heard Rin yell “Hi Maki!!!” in the background as Nico continued, “One of the best ways to learn how to properly conduct and promote yourself on social media is to find an influencer you respect and build a relationship with them. @Nishikinoshot has chosen @NicoNi, the smartest move she…

“I have not.” Maki shouted at her phone and then felt silly when she realized there was no way for Nico to see or hear her, or was there? TWIG kept floating an “ask to join the Live” teaser, so Maki thumbed it. Nico paused, obviously her notifications were on, another one of those winning serve grins and suddenly Maki was sharing Nico’s screen.

“Jumping into the Live. Good initiative, Nishikino..”

“Maki.”

“So why’d you pick your TWIG handle?”

What kind of a question was that?

“Nishikino shot...you know...because of tennis...the Nishikino shot always scores.” Also worked with photography, a hobby Maki wanted more time for.

“Nishikino announces her prowess off and on the court.” Nico giggled, Maki glared.

“What are you saying? That’s not right.”

“Ah, so you admit it is confusing. Make a note of that, class, it’s always best to have a tag that doesn’t confuse people.” Staring right at Maki, ruby eyes twinkling, Nico made an elaborately surprised, amused face, raising a hand to cover her mouth. “We were reading it as Nishikino’s hot, ‘cause you are.”

Maki flushed. And fumbled with her phone to end the live, not even registering what other garbage Nico was saying. And then her phone pinged again.

R: Are you all right, Maki? Nico was just having a little fun.

M: I don’t want to talk about Nico.

R: Okay.

M: That was your fault.

R: Hey, I thought you’d want to know.

M; Yeah...but tomorrow, after practice, you’re on clean up.

R: Maaaaaki (⁎˃ᆺ˂)’

###

Grunting, Maki swung through at full velocity, then grimaced as yet another practice serve skipped out of bounds. She leaned over to pick up another couple of balls. Both buckets were empty. Tempted to throw her racket, instead she shook her head, tucked her racquet under her arm, grabbed a bucket and went to the other side of the court to pick up the balls.

“Hey, let me help you,” chirped an unfamiliar voice. Maki turned. Nico Yazawa had grabbed the other buckets and was hustling for the net. Nico was always hustling, all lean muscle and speed. Her sable hair, usually put up in twin tails, was loose, still wet from the shower. She’d changed from her usual practice uniform to casual pink and black striped biker shorts and an oversized pink t-shirt shirt that slid off her shoulder and read “Killer Cute.” “Coach ended practice an hour ago.”

Maki shrugged, starting with the balls as far away as possible from the spot Nico had chosen.

“You’re always out here.”

“I take tennis seriously.”

Nico hesitated, hands on her hips, watching Maki curiously over mirror sunglasses perched halfway down her nose, “Nico sees that. But you can get trapped in patterns if no one points them out.”

“I’m fine. I win.”

“Don’t you want to win better?”

“Win better? That’s not a thing.” Maki tapped her racquet against her leg, fidgety.

“Accuracy matters.” Nico picked up a tennis ball, tossed it into Maki’s bucket, and winked, “Crush your opponents with finesse, not raw power. Fewer wasted serves.”

Maki’s hasty rush of anger changed to curiosity. Nico led the team in aces, with amazing power for someone so short. “Coach hasn’t said anything.”

“Like you said, you get the job done. And Coach has other problems...like keeping Honoka from exhausting herself in the first few volleys.”

They both chuckled at how eager Honoka Kosaka was to chase down every ball, until she hit empty. As a joke, after their last practice, Rin had her girlfriend, Hanayo Koizumi, the team manager, post a photoshopped pic of a golden retriever playing next to Honoka’s double’s partner, Umi Sonoda. Honoka had laughed longer than anyone.

Nico was right, Maki realized. Coach had been spending a lot of time on the players with more basic problems. And their assistant spend most of the time on opponent research, editing video footage.

“Nico uses a platform stance, but Maki could get away with a pin-point stance. Watch my feet.” Nico grabbed a ball, tossing it up, swinging at it with a pretend racquet. Instead of her feet remaining the same distance apart, her back foot shifted closer to the front one and then she pushed off up into the serve. “You’ve already got natural explosive power, you don’t need a nitro boost.”

Maki considered, moving her feet through the change Nico suggested. It felt comfortable, offering more control. She nodded, then jumped back when Nico clapped her on the upper arm.

“You’re a quick learner. Hang on. Nico will hop over there and you can try it out. It’s more fun with an opponent.”

“I’ll win. You’ll be crushed.” Maki winked.

Nico laughed and it echoed. “Nico didn’t teach you everything Nico knows.”

###

“So you’re a local too.” Nico was scooping salad into Maki’s bowl. They’d decided to stop for dinner.

“Yeah. My family owns a medical center so I couldn’t just go off anywhere.”

Nico paused, eyebrow raised. “Why not?”

“I’ve been working there since…” Maki tried to remember her first job at the hospital, how old was she? She remembered sitting at her father’s desk, coloring in specially made anatomy chart pages in elementary school. Did that count as a job? “Forever.”

“Ah. Nico had to stick close for family too. Three sibs.” Nico flashed a smile and three fingers. “They’re the best, but they rely on Nico.”

“Your parents work a lot?” Maki understood that.

“Yeah, my mom does. My dad died when I was little.”

Maki paled, what did you say to that. “I’m sorry” came out as a mumble.

A sigh, weary, as Nico pushed Maki’s filled bowl in her direction, “Me too. But we survived. He taught me tennis. And…” Nico put on a sparkling smile, bounced her hands up to her temple, rock hands gesture, and her voice became brighter. “Nico Nico Ni.” Then she relaxed back to normal, “He said it could cheer up the whole world..”

Maki remembered something. “Nico Nico is the ideophone for smile.”

Nico leaned forward, “So the Nishikino isn’t just for show.”

Maki shook her head, “We have a hospital in Tokyo too. I’ve spent a lot of summers there.”

“Wow, a doc and a jet setter. So why tennis?”

“I liked it better than golf. My parents said piano didn’t count as a networking activity.”

“Piano? Classic stuff.” Nico created a melody on an air keyboard.

“Some. And jazz. I get to take a couple of music classes, at least this year.”

Nico wondered if Maki realized how robotic she sounded, and how laced through with sadness her mood was as she talked about her family.

“Hey, Nishikino…”

“Maki.”

“Maki. Play for Nico sometime. Nico loves singing. My dad always said I should go on American Idol.”

“Sorry.” Maki twisted a curl of hair, “I don’t play those kind of songs.”

Maki obviously just needed to know more about Nico, which was Nico’s favorite topic. “Nico is multifaceted. We can do Ella and Count Basie, if you want. With the time you save not practicing your serve.”

Nico winked, her multifaceted ruby eyes cheerful pulls as she hummed. Maki found herself intrigued. “I’ll think about it.”

“Nico will be your personal tennis coach to make sure you improve.”

“Not necessary.” Maki leaned back to signal the waiter. Time to start the main course.

A/N: Another AU Yeah August entry, college rivals was requested and the Olympics put me in a sports mood. Planning another chapter.

Still taking requests.

[purplesurveys]

1096

survey by doedear

When you get an account for something, what's the first username you try? It depends on what I’m signing up for. For social media and informal sites I use the same username I’ve been using for like a decade now just because it makes it easier for me to remember; for more professional websites I use my first name, my middle initial, and my surname. 

What do you think might be someone else's first impression of you? The most common impression is quiet and aloof, which I’m honestly fine with.

Is texting having a negative or a positive effect for social relationships? I appreciate that it makes staying connected with my loved ones a lot easier, but I disagree with how it’ll sometimes be used to deal with situations that are ideally handled by person, like breakups or serious arguments. In other words it can definitely have both; it depends on how it’s used.

Would you be okay with a friend wanting to date one of your exes? I might have a personal problem with it, but it’s not like I would do anything to prevent it from happening. I would not be in the place to do so. I will probably distance myself from that friend though, just so that I don’t have to get updated on what’s going on between them.

Have you ever been addicted to something other than a drug? No.

Have you ever been addicted to a drug? Nope.

Do you like macadamia nut cookies? Sure, though I really ever only eat one kind; Starbucks has a dark chocolate macadamia cookie that I like to get from time to time.

What kind of accent do people typically have where you're from? Philippine English, which I’d say sounds a bit similar to American English, excep for the small differences here and there  of our differences in pronunciation.

Bruno Mars - fail or win? He’s a win for me. When it comes to Top 40/pop music, he has always been one of my honest favorites. Have kind of a crush on him too lol, so there’s that.

Can you sleep without a fan on? During this time of the year, yes. It doesn’t last that long since Philippines was never meant to be a cold country, though.

Does history interest you at all? It really does; I can watch, read, and go to museums about it all day if I could. It was also my favorite class and it was the subject I could rely on to have good grades in and pull my average up, hahaha.

What's something you wish you could do-over? As much as possible I don’t really think of this as I don’t see the point in focusing on situations that are already done and over with. But if I had no choice, I’d pick the time I was a college freshman and make myself less-breakdown-y and less-depression-y.

How many times a day do you apply deoderant? Once, at the start of the day.

Have you ever tried any drugs? Other than caffeine, no.

What caused the most intense physical pain you've ever felt? The time I accidentally ripped my earring off and permanently disfigured my piercing. Also, when I touched a plugged-in clothing iron thinking it wouldn’t be hot enough.

Do you like those Sperry Top-Sider shoes? They’re actually pleasant to look at, yes. I’d buy a pair for myself.

Can you wear shoes like that without getting blisters on your ankles? When I’ve worn them like 5 times already, yeah. I always get blisters with newly-bought pairs, though.

Would you agree that dark chocolate tastes like rotten chocolate? Uh, no? That’s some poorly-made dark chocolate you have. 

Do you touch your lips when you're nervous? I have other habits.

Do you think you can read other people's body language well? Yeah. This is on surveys a lot...

Are you a good driver? I’mmmmmm honestly a little reckless because my temper is shortest when on the road lol. But since I’ve driven the longest out of all my friends and have grown used to parking in tricky spots, changing lanes, overtaking, etc., they all still prefer to ride with me.

Did you pass your driver's test the first time you took it? Yes. I think he passed me out of sympathy though (because I did terrible and we both knew it), because failing me would’ve taken so much more time on my end and theirs. And in the Philippines, getting things over with matters more than quality control haha.

Would you rather be involved in a watergun or a paintball gun war? At this point maybe a paintball gun war, since I’ve been to many water gun fights before.

Is your hair in layers or is it all the same length? It’s the same length. I haven’t had it layered since the 5th grade.

Is there anyone who you're afraid to be in a car with, if they're driving? A friend who’s new to driving, like Jo or Angela.

What's a quick fix for a bad hair day? I just dab my hair with some water at the sink; it’s usually able to do the trick and make me look prepared when I’m unable to take a full shower.

Do you enjoy flying or do you get scared? The idea of accidents and crashes scare me, of course, but I try not to let it ruin my experience of flying and traveling.

Be honest. Do you like making other people feel jealous? Sometimes but it has waned more as I’ve gotten older. It has just started to mean less and less through the years and as my priorities change.

Have you ever purposely made someone of the opposite sex jealous? No. When it came to Mike, I didn’t really flaunt my relationship since I felt bad for him.

Are you addicted to shopping? Nope, but I can definitely see myself being if I ever decide to make it a weekly habit.

Do you always wear mascara and eyeliner? I never wear either.

Do you have any huge hoodies lined with snuggly fur on the inside? No, and I can tell you that is uncommon to see here because that sounds insanely warm to wear.

Is there anything you do, kind of habitually, that's completely mindless but helps you think? I don’t think so. I’m not sure I understood the question, either...

Do you like headphones or ear-buds more? Earbuds. Headphones undeniably have better quality, but they’re bulky.

What's your favorite winter sport? I don’t watch or play any.

What's something you're very good at? Meeting deadlines. I never miss one.

Where do you spend the majority of your summer? At home? ...Where else am I supposed to spend it in? Haha.

Who do you usually spend the most of your summer with? My family. I don’t have any yearly practices set every summer.

How old were you and where did you go on your first real date? I was 16; it was a quaint, Italian-American restaurant in Greenbelt.

Have you ever had a bonfire on the beach at night? I don’t think so. I would love that experience.

Do you like sour gummy worms? Yeah. I like the more gelatinous kind than the gummy candies with sour powder on them, though.

Have you ever helped a complete stranger with anything? I’m sure I have, but nothing super specific is coming to mind at the moment...just little things like holding the door open for someone carrying a heavy bag, cleaning up the plates and utensils on my table so that the server won’t have to do much work, teaching a stranger the COVID safety protocols before entering an establishment if they look confused, etc.

Would you pick up a hitchhiker if they seemed harmless? Probably not.

When playing a sport, are you more focused on winning or having fun? Winning, which I know doesn’t make me the best person to play with so I prefer to watch by the sidelines anyway. I do have fun playing table tennis though :)

Who's the last person who gave you a piggy back ride? Gabie.

Who's the last person that you gave a piggy back ride? I’m lighter than everyone else I know so I’ve never given one.

Rock, paper, or scissors? I switch it up every time.

Would you be bothered if your boyfriend liked to bite you? No. I liked lightly biting my ex as a show of affection and just to get her attention whenever I wanted to be playful.

Are you any good at dancing? No. I’m good at memorizing routines, but could never do them on my own.

Even if you aren't, do you like to dance? Only by myself.

What makes you feel the most 'alive'? New places and new experiences.

Whose conversations do you appreciate the most? Angela and Hans.

Is there anyone's advice you value enough to take against your own judgment? Gabie. At least in the past.

How often do you get the opportunity to be completely alone? Very seldom, which is why I try to give it to myself every weekend as a reward.

Do you like being alone or does it drive you crazy? I appreciate if I’ve been around people for too long, but I also shouldn’t have too much of it.

Do you have a trampoline? No.

Do you get nervous when driving in convertibles, knowing that if you flipped, you'd be screwed? I’ve never had this concern because I’ve never driven in one.

What's your favorite Pixar movie? Toy Story, of course.

Are you capable of successfully lying to someone you love? I guess, but I’ll hate doing it.

Who do you adore? Angela’s mom.

[x0401x]

Hoshiai no Sora: Cast Comments

Q & A with the voice actors of the main cast. Translated from the official Twitter. Feel free to point out any corrections, and please check out some of the creators’ accounts:

Akane Kazuki (director)

Itsuka (character designer)

Takeshi (animator)

Kyuujou Kiyo (illustrator)

Takahashi Yuuichi (animator)

MLANG (animator)

Hanae Natsuki-san (voice of Katsuragi Maki)

Q1. Please tells us your impression about the character you play.

At first, I guessed he was a cool and behaved kid, but this changed into the impression that he was a child with no two-facedness to him and a feel-good personality, who firmly conveys his own opinions without being swayed by the people around him. Also, he laughs and makes merry in accordance to his age too, so it is fun to play him.

Q2. Please tell us a memory of club activities from your middle school days.

I was part of the soft tennis club, so I am extremely happy to get to perform in this production. Through this series, many things had me thinking, “This happens, this happens” and it makes me reminisce to my school days. I was the vice-president, but our tennis club was not that earnest about competing, so we did not go as far as Shijou Minami Junior High, but I believe the club activities had a similar air to them.

Q3. Leave a message for the people watching the series.

This is a work that touches the rare subject of soft tennis, while the number of schools that only have regular tennis gradually increases as one goes from middle to high school. It is a given for people who take part in soft tennis, but the delicate feelings of middle schoolers are also being depicted here through getting quite deep into their core, so I believe this is a series that makes the ones watching feel and think all sorts of things. Please watch over it until the very end.

Hatanaka Tasuku-san (voice of Shinjou Touma)

Q1. Please tells us your impression about the character you play.

Shinjou Touma is a child with an extremely strong sense of responsibility. The environment he grew up in has an influence on this, but he ends up exploding due to shouldering too many things and not knowing how to let it out when it became hard for him... The more I get to know him, the more I feel like giving him a hug. That’s the kind of person he is.

Q2. Please tell us a memory of club activities from your middle school days.

I was part of the basket club during my six years from middle to high school and on the bench. That’s why I would let my voice out higher than anyone, and since I could not manage to do anything whenever I entered the court, I would just run, anyhow. The nickname I earned from this was “Runner��. I was neither “center” nor “forward”, just “Runner”.

Q3. Leave a message for the people watching the series.

Honestly, I have absolutely no idea of how this work will be receptioned. But I thought, “I want to respond to the things that the director wants to write about and to his passion, from the bottom of my heart”. That’s why I had strong thoughts about getting close to the individuals that appear in this story, being hurt and moving forward together with them, and taking part in this series. I am truly glad to have become involved with it. Please do have expectations for it.

Matsuoka Yoshitsugu-san (voice of Ameno Itsuki)

Q1. Please tells us your impression about the character you play.

He is a boy with a deep darkness to him, except this darkness has a proper reason to be, so I look forward to when people get shocked upon finding that out. He is also a cute boy, so I hope people will enjoy the many emotions, expressions and lines from him.

Q2. Please tell us a memory of club activities from your middle school days.

I was in the wind instruments club, but I was always thinking about skipping. There were few guys in it, so whenever classes ended, a senior would often come to pick me up! Like, “Matsuoka! I’ll go with you!!” I really gave him a lot of trouble.

Q3. Leave a message for the people watching the series.

It is turning into a story that will not go through conventional methods. Many individuals of all kinds appear in it, but this is a series that depicts each human being very rawly, so I hope people will enjoy this rich story until the end. We also want to perform “Hoshiai no Sora” to our utmost, so we will be in your care from now on too!

Satou Gen-san (voice of Futsu Rintarou)

Q1. Please tells us your impression about the character you play.

Rintarou is a very serious and kindhearted person who can observe his surroundings better than anyone. On one side, he is extremely sensible, overthinks, does not manage to give his opinions and ends up hiding his true thoughts, so when I perform him, I make sure to do it while deciding in my mind, “Don’t leave Rintarou on his own no matter what” and, “Stay close to him until the end”.

Q2. Please tell us a memory of club activities from your middle school days.

I used to belong to the kendou club, but the club activities were aimed to win the nationals, so practice was extremely severe. During practice match expeditions, we would ride in the late-night bus and keep practicing from morning to evening non-stop just like that, and to make our bodies grow bigger, we would eat a mountain of curry, fist-sized minced meat fried cakes and gigantic hot dogs in one go until we got upset stomatches, so I have the strong impression that it was strict and terrible if nothing else.

Q3. Leave a message for the people watching the series.

I think its contents resonate with the hearts of both people who are currently students and people who are working as members of society. If they could love the characters of Hoshiai no Sora, who are somewhat heartrending but try to live day by day with utmost effort, I would be really happy.

Toyonaga Toshiyuki-san (voice of Soga Tsubasa)

Q1. Please tells us your impression about the character you play.

I have the impression that he is a child right in the middle of puberty, who ends up saying what he thinks aloud. It feels like he takes a while to find the will to do things, so I think he is simply carefree.

Q2. Please tell us a memory of club activities from your middle school days.

I was a ghost member of the basket club. I joined because a girl I liked back then was a member of the female basket club. My motive was impure, huh (laughs).

Q3. Leave a message for the people watching the series.

I think it will be pretty impactful for those who watch it thinking that it is an uplifting youth-and-sports thing. It depicts all sorts of problems that actually happen in reality. Please do watch these strong messages with your families; I would be happy if they become a trigger for people to reflect on things.

Satou Keisuke-san (voice of Takenouchi Shingo)

Q1. Please tells us your impression about the character you play.

I thought Shingo was an upfront kid in a very good sense. Also, I felt that, in contrast with his strong-look appearance, he is very considerate of his friends, has a side to him that’s got guts, and is adorable too. I am really looking forward to how he will progress from now on.

Q2. Please tell us a memory of club activities from your middle school days.

I was in the basket club, but all I did was slack off. There were only four members and the club activities only included running, and after that, we would do nothing but chat. Then we would run off so that the teacher of that period would not find us out (laughs). I would think, “One way or another, these are also memories of my youth”.

Q3. Leave a message for the people watching the series.

Developments that people cannot predict at all are waiting, and they make you extremely anxious. It is fully loaded with obsession for even minute details, so you will be unable to take your eyes off it from the beginning to the end! I hope to enjoy these moments together with everyone. “Hoshiai no Sora” is in your care!

Koyabashi Yuusuke-san (voice of Tsukinose Nao)

Q1. Please tells us your impression about the character you play.

Nao is a child whose appearance and mind are flighty, and also a mysterious kid who speaks of dellusions as if they were actually reality. But during club activities, he makes efforts in his own way so that he will not drag everyone down, so the gap between this and his fickle personality left an impression on me.

Q2. Please tell us a memory of club activities from your middle school days.

I was in the wind instruments club. I wanted to play the trumpet, but the pretty senior who was teaching us during the trial enrollment played the horn, so I was swayed by her sweet talk, and before I realized it, I was playing the horn myself (laughs). I should beware of sweet temptations, is what I thought during my middle school years.

Q3. Leave a message for the people watching the series.

People might get tripped up if they are watching it thinking that it is an anime where children are enjoyably playing soft tennis to their utmost. It is precisely because those kids are at that age that I would like people to observe thoroughly the depiction of the mindsets they embrace.

Amasaki Kouhei-san (voice of Ishigami Taiyou)

Q1. Please tells us your impression about the character you play.

I think Taiyou-kun is a gentle child. He cannot decide things on his own, always taking action by matching up with other’s opinions. I felt that the way his Kansai dialect sometimes has a common language ring to it was realistic.

Q2. Please tell us a memory of club activities from your middle school days.

I was in the swim club. During summer, we would swim over 10km from morning to evening. We would run the competitive club relays in the PE festival wearing one layer of swimsuit. I think it was an experience I can no longer manage.

Q3. Leave a message for the people watching the series.

“Hoshiai no Sora” is a work made extremely carefully, and even during the post-recording, the love I can feel from the creators is huge, so I think it is a very good series. There is not much I can say, so I hope you all can see for your own eyes when you watch it on-air! We will be in your care!

Mineda Mayu-san (voice of Mitsue Kanako)

Q1. Please tells us your impression about the character you play.

When I first saw her, I thought, “I guess she’s a shy and quiet girl?”, but that was splendidly betrayed. Kanako is the type to straightforwardly say what she thinks to the other party, and I think this aspect of hers, in a good sense, reeks of humanity quite a bit.

Q2. Please tell us a memory of club activities from your middle school days.

I was the president of the art club, but I would walk around campus after school and observe the activities of other clubs. That includes the soft tennis club and the like. To all the art club members of back then, I’m sorry for being such an undisciplined club president...

Q3. Leave a message for the people watching the series.

This story intersects with the many emotions of middle schoolers living in the current era, who might actually exist somewhere within Japan. Also, the sounds of batted balls and squealing of sneakers are very real and have intensity, so I would like people to pay attention to them as well.

Yamaya Yoshitaka-san (voice of Asuka Yuuta)

Q1. Please tells us your impression about the character you play.

He is androgynous and has a soft demeanor, and I think he is truly a boy of kindhearted disposition. He somewhat lacks confidence, so he steps back and has a bird’s-eye view of things, but there is a reason for it. I would like people to pay attention to him along with the other characters’ worries.

Q2. Please tell us a memory of club activities from your middle school days.

I was in the soccer club. I had many experiences, like how plain fun it was kicking the ball, having awkward relationships, and learning the joy of getting sweaty doing practice and winning.

Q3. Leave a message for the people watching the series.

This is not just a multi-protagonist story about the youth of bright and uplifting boys. Troubles and issues that surely exist somewhere out there, though people usually do not try to look at them, are depicted realistically in it, and there were times it made my chest hurt. I want everyone to watch how each of them will face the things they are shouldering until the very end.

[theroguequeenaniki]

I have a LOT more pictures and videos, but for this post, here are ten. (A lot of the pictures that I haven’t posted are blurry, but still great for memories, lol.)

Here is my fan-account/post about this weekend when I saw Tiffany Young in Dallas!

Friday November 15th 2019 - Sunday November 17th 2019

Whoo! A lot has happened this weekend! It was a very fun weekend, lol.

I went to Dallas with my sister, and one of my best friends, Raven ( @snek-and-angle), for a concert.

Friday November 15th 2019

Day before the concert.

On Friday I didn’t do a lot, mostly spent the day in great anticipation, and I packed, and did my nails, and all that. My brother and his girlfriend informed us they weren’t able to come to Dallas with us, so that’s the main reason I’m writing it here. B/c I’m using it as an introduction. Initially, this trip was going to be me, my friend Raven, my sister, my brother, and his girlfriend. But, last minute it ended up just being me, Raven, and my sister. But we still took my brother’s car. (He and my sister traded for the weekend, lol) So, yeah. I went to bed late b/c I was up packing. Lol.

Saturday November 16th 2019

Day of the concert.

My sister and I got up early, I got up at like 8a, she’d been up for a little while, lol. Raven had messaged me she was up at like 7a. So, we got dressed, made sure we had everything we needed, I grabbed a beverage (my usual cherry coke lol), we said bye to our parents (who were still in bed lol), and the cats, and hit the road. First stop was picking up Raven. We picked her up and then we officially were on our way to Dallas! 

We made one stop along the way, and that was at Buc-ees, b/c, well, we needed gas, plus, it’s Buc-ees. Lol. So, we got our gas, and also grabbed a snack. I got a chicken caesar salad and a pepsi icee. Then we drove the rest of the way to Dallas. We made really good time, and got there like 1 ½ hours before Check-in for our Hotel. So, we went to see if we could check in early, we couldn’t, b/c they didn’t have any King Suites available yet, but they allowed us to check our bags, and told us they’d call or text if our rooms were ready before 3p. So, we went to do a little exploring. There was a small park by our hotel, that had some Christmas decorations. We also popped into a Starbucks, but my sister & I didn’t get anything, only Raven did. We were going to chill there for a while, but..they closed. Lol. So, we went back to the park, and sat on a bench, and just did people and dog watching, chatting, and playing on our phones. Lol. Some kids came up selling bags of M&M’s for a $1, my sister and I declined, but Raven bought some (she loves M&M’s lol).

Our rooms weren’t ready before 3p, so at 3p we went back to the hotel, but only my sister’s room was ready. So, we got our bags, and went up to her room. We hung out in there, and I actually started to get ready for the concert, b/c our room was taking too long, lol. My outfit was a black lacy top, black leggings, and a maroon skirt, along w/ black boots. (Though at this point I was still wearing my tennis shoes lol)

My sister and I finally went down to see if our room was ready, and it was. So I got the room keys, and went back up, and Raven and I went to our room to finish getting ready.

Our hotel was Hotel Indigo, it was a pretty fancy hotel, located in Downtown Dallas, it stands where the Historic Dallas Opera house used to be. It was really nice and I loved it, but I think we felt a little out of place, lol. Anyway, we had two King Suites. One for my sister (which she was going to share w/ my brother & his girlfriend, but they didn’t come) and one for me and Raven. They were nice, they had a living room and a bedroom, a flat screen in both rooms, a really nice bathroom, a keurig, and a mini fridge. Mine and Raven’s suite was actually a little bigger lol.

So, once we were finally in our room, we finished getting ready. I did my hair(pig tails, w/ black and white bows, w/ metal buttons from Hot Topic, lol), makeup (literally just bb cream & lip gloss lol), put on jewelry(bangles, a cat ring on both ring fingers, my Buffy ring on my left ring finger and my ring from Sarah Rees Brennan on my right ring finger (yes, I wore two rings on each finger lol), I prepared my bag(tickets, id, money, lightstick, camera, portable phone chargers, etc), I put on my black boots, and then my sister met us at our room, and we went to dinner.

We went to a place called Zenna, which served Thai and Japanese food. And it just so happened to be Happy Hour, so I had a California roll and it was very good. We also had some edamame, and some spring rolls (which were some of the best spring rolls I’ve ever had). For my entree I had Teriyaki Chicken w/ fried rice, it was really good. I also had a coke for my drink. It was a really cool restaurant. Our waiter was also pretty cool, lol. We couldn’t finish our food, b/c there was so much, so we took the leftovers back to the hotel. (Leftovers I am currently eating while writing this post, lol) Raven and I then grabbed the things we’d forgotten, and then went back downstairs to get an uber and head to the venue. (My sister went back up to her room b/c she wasn’t going to the concert lol)

We took our uber to the venue, the guy literally got out of the car and opened the door for us, like a chauffer lol. (Raven followed along the route on her phone for as long as her phone would let her, and I followed it on google maps, I also texted my sister when we got in the uber, and when we got to the venue, for safety, always be cautious, you guys). And then stood in line for about an hour until doors opened at 7pm. We only had general admission tickets, so we didn’t get to meet Tiffany (this time, I’m hoping to get VIP the next time she tours, b/c I’m sure she’ll tour again, lol). The line wrapped around the side of the venue. It was cold, I brought my jacket, as I was wearing a lacy top, Raven had decided not to bring hers, b/c she was wearing a sweater, and we weren’t going to be outside very long. We ended up sharing my jacket back and forth, lol. A girl came around the line passing out glow sticks, we took them, but then after a while realized we didn’t want them, so we gave them to the people behind us, who were very happy to get them, b/c we’d gotten the last two. Some guys walked by offering “free hugs” and “free hugs from an Englishman” or something, Raven and I ignored them, lol. Once doors were open, the line moved pretty quickly, and we were inside by 7:04p. lol.

Once inside, we headed straight for the merch booth. I bought a tour t-shirt, the pen, and the photocard & stand set. Raven bought a lightstick. (I had my Girls’ Generation molar bong lol) Raven then bought a beer, and we went to find a place to stand, we were near the back. We took a pictures of our lightsticks together, and I was starting to accept that I would probably have a hard time seeing the stage, when the staff opened up the stairs to the balcony. Luckily, we were right by the stairs, so we booked it up there, and got a spot right on the railing, and I had a perfect view of the stage. (With a column blocking only a very small portion of the stage) I was right by the trash can, but it didn’t bother me (there wasn’t anything smelly in it) and it meant that there was no one but Raven beside me. Some girls asked Raven about her light stick, b/c it was the Tiffany Young one. Raven went down to buy another drink, and she bought me a coke. (B/c there was a $10 minimum & she needed to close out her tab lol) I took a few sips.

Then.

The show was starting. I had my lightstick in one hand, my camera in the other, and my coke at my feet (it was a bottled one lol). Everyone was chanting “TIFFANY! TIFFANY! TIFFANY!” the pink ocean below me was beautiful (I was part of a smaller pink ocean up top, but, of course, we were really all one pink ocean lol) Tiffany came out on stage dressed in sparkly blue shorts and a white top, white boots, blue lacy gloves, and a cowboy hat a fan had given her at the VIP Meet & Greet. I was floored. I was in awe. I was crying. I was screaming. I was singing. There in front of my eyes, in person, was the real life Tiffany Young of Girls’ Generation. I wasn’t looking at a screen, I was looking at the real Tiffany. She was singing Run For Your Life and I was so excited. I was filming, then I was taking pictures. She performed Over My Skin next. I’m not going to list the full set-list, b/c I can’t remember the order, and I can’t remember the names of some of the cover songs, lol. I didn’t film most of Run For Your Life and Over My Skin b/c I was taking pictures. Talk as well. I mastered, somewhat, the art of watching her on stage, and not looking at my camera, but keeping my camera on her. A few times it panned down to the audience, but, I mean, I was dancing and waving my lightstick and living in the moment! Because Tiffany Young was in front of me on stage putting on an amazing show and I was so so happy! Every song was more exciting, I didn’t touch my phone for 2 hours! I barely noticed how much my feet hurt (Raven and I both wore heeled boots, b/c they make our outfits look cool, and they make us taller, lol) I was living in the moment, I was seeing one of my idols, live and in person, for the very first time, after TEN YEARS of being a Sone. I was moved. It was..it was magnificent. I loved every second of it. I filmed most of the concert, though. Every song she performed, I just about died. Run Devil Run. Heartbreak Hotel. Teach You. All of them. I loved them all. She talked about how amazing we all are, and how much she loves us. She talked about mental health, and how important it is to take care of yourself, and to take care of those around you. She told us to let those we love and appreciate know we love and appreciate them. She interacted w/ us, and answered questions. She pointed out a fan w/ a rainbow flag. It was wonderful. It was magnificent. When the show ended, it felt like no time had passed, and I wanted it to go on forever! She came back out for the encore, and performed Magnetic Moon and Run For Your Life (again, I got it in full this time). And right as Run For Your Life ended, my camera died! Lol. I managed to get it back on to snap a few more picture, and then I put it away.

After the concert.

Once she had left the stage, and it was clear the show as over, Raven and I took some selfies, trying to get the stage behind us. And then staff told us they were closing off this section. So, I grabbed my coke from the floor, and we went back downstairs. We took a few more selfies, then tested Raven’s phone to see if we could order an uber, we could not b/c her phone wouldn’t come back on. So, we decided to use mine and order a lyft (b/c for some reason I had the lyft app already downloaded, even though I’d never used it before lol) We went outside, and it was freezing. We stood w/ the crowd by her tour bus for 20 minutes, while I tried to figure out the lyft app, and also hoping she would come out sooner rather than later..she didn’t come out before we left. But Raven was freezing, and our feet were killing us. So, we left to find one of the streets Lyft was telling us to go to. We found it, I ordered the lyft, and then we were on our way back to our hotel. (I texted my sister when we got in the lyft, and followed the route on both the lyft app, and google maps, for safety precautions) Once back at the hotel, I asked the front desk for some cutlery, so we could go up and eat our leftovers from dinner. Raven ate hers, but I only ate a few bites of mine, b/c it was cold and we didn’t have a microwave, lol. We went back down to the lobby in our pjs and bought powerades, lol. I made sure most of my stuff was packed, so the next morning wouldn’t be difficult, finished my powerade, brushed my teeth (and washed off my bb cream & lip gloss lol), had a bit of an issue when a very small cut started bleeding..but I dealt with it, it was fine. Lol. Then, we then watched some Holiday Baking competitions on the food network in bed, and then went to sleep. At least, she went to sleep, I was awake for longer than I wanted to be, b/c some of our neighbors were having a real good time, if you get what I mean. I also had a bit of a headache, which I assume was from the concert, b/c of the super loud music, and probably the crash from the adrenaline rush of the concert. I did eventually get some sleep though.

We did make one fatal mistake that night, part of the reason are feet were killing us at the concert is because..we wore the boots to dinner. We knew we were going to go back to the hotel after dinner, b/c we weren’t going to let my sister walk back alone, and we had things to get from the room, but we wore our boots anyway. So, our feet were already dead before we even left for the show.

Sunday November 17th 2019

Day after the concert.

I had set an alarm for 9:30a, so we woke up then. I actually set the alarm sound as Run For Your Life, b/c obviously. Lol. We got up, my feet were so sore, but so were my legs. I have a blister on one of my toes, lol. My sister texted saying to tell her when we were awake and ready to go. I told her we were awake, and we’d be ready soon. We got dressed and finished packing, I started drinking my coke from the night before (cause caffeine, also it surprisingly wasn’t flat! Lol). I took the shampoo & conditioner, and the lotion, b/c they were Rosemary Mint scented. Lol. I wore my Magnetic Moon Tour t-shirt, b/c of obvious reasons. I did not wear the boots, I probably won’t wear those boots for quite a while. Lol. We made sure we had everything all packed, and then we left the hotel at 10:30a.

We went back to the parking garage, and I was confused b/c I was looking for my sisters car, even though we came in my brothers. Lol.

Then, we went to a Japanese dollar store called Daiso, b/c we don’t have them here in Austin. It was so cool, and most things were $2. I ended up getting a cat fan, a purple erasable pen, a notebook, a pair of pink heart shaped glasses (like the ones from Taylor Swift’s You Need To Calm Down video, lol).  I also bought some soda flavored hi-chews that are fizzy (Raven says they’re really good), some cookies & cream pejoys. A Meiji Black Chocolate bar. A Dars white chocolate bar, that Raven said was a brand she loved in Japan. White chocolate coated cookies that Raven also said she loved in Japan. And a Hokkaido cream pastry, b/c, again, Raven said she loved them in Japan, lol. She actually got a green tea one, and I tried it and it was good, lol.

After Daiso, we headed to McAlister’s Deli to have lunch with my aunt and her boyfriend. (B/c they live in Ft. Worth.) I had the Four Cheese grilled cheese (though I took off the swiss, so it was a 3 cheese, lol, I also axed the tomato lol) a bag of chips, and a coke. We hung out and talked for a little while. And then we had to head out, so we could get back to Austin before it was dark.

So, we left Dallas/Fort Worth, and headed home. We stopped for gas. We stopped at a rest stop. And our only other stop was at Starbucks, where I got a Toasted White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino. We got back to Austin as the sun was setting. We dropped off Raven, right before the sun fully set. Then my sister and I drove home. When we got home, our mom was on the front porch (to smoke..b/c both of my parents still smoke), and so she opened the door for us, cause our hands were full, lol. Sister and I greeted all the cats, aside from Luna, who was still hiding. And gave them treats, but they didn’t eat them, lol. Then when my mom came inside, we showed her what we got at Daiso, and I showed her my merch. Luna eventually came out of hiding, and came straight over to me to say hello. I gave the cats treats again, and this time they wanted them. Lol. Then I ate half of my left-overs from Zenna (b/c I brought them all the way home lol). My sister & mom both seperatly ordered Panda Express through Uber Eats. Lol. My dad got home (he spends every Sunday over at his brother’s house for football lol). And, things were pretty normal for a Sunday night, lol. I was at my computer watching videos for a few hours, and scrolling Twitter. Occasionally going to talk to my mom. The cats have been doing their thing. And then I typed all this up, while eating the other half of my left-overs. Lol.

Overall it was an amazing weekend and I’m so happy I got to experience it with one of my best friends and my sister. I’m so happy I got to see Tiffany Young live. I think I’m still in shocked disbelief. Like, it feels like a dream. If not for my feet still being sore, and my merch, pictures, and videos, I probably would think it was a dream. Lol. It was the best weekend! 

[mirrorofliterature]

teach me (but I already know)

chapter 1: how do you hold this?

A story from a while ago centred around pining, stupidity and the odd game of tennis. Enjoy the journey best friends Magnus and Alec will take. Inspired by a prompt I asked @magnusbicon for. Read on AO3.

The sun-dappled their kitchen, the lack of curtains apparent; it was beautiful, but its brightness was unwanted by both of them.

"Alexander," Magnus moaned, striding into their kitchen in his worn dressing gown, "turn the sun off."

Alec stifled a snort. "Can't, Magnus."

"It's 7 o'clock. Why didn't we choose easy professions?" Magnus collapsed on a stool and leaned against the kitchen bench - a thin layer of 'marble' - his hair falling into his eyes.

It had been quite the something getting used to morning Magnus, but it had made the most sense to move in together after college.

Their respective jobs were gruelling, but the pay was decent enough together that they could afford a - whilst small - nice, two bedroom apartment in Brooklyn, though the view wasn't that great, just of the grey industrial buildings next door.

Alec looked at Magnus in exasperation before moving behind the counter to pour out their coffee from the stewing pot. "Because we're passionate people, Magnus, and 'I want a vocation, not a soulless job!'"

"Why do you know me so well?" Magnus complained, though the warm glint in his eyes underlining it said otherwise.

"Because we're best friends. Now," Alec said, shoving a coffee towards Magnus with a little more force than necessary, "drink this before you say something you will regret. I'll make some pancakes, we've got enough time."

At this, Magnus' eyes widened and he nearly spat his coffee out. "The last time you tried to cook pancakes, I think my tongue wanted to commit suicide." Fatigue forgotten, Magnus walked into the kitchen quickly, almost tripping over the tiles. "Shoo!"

"Alright," Alec said, grinning, walking out. "Now, pancakes?"

"Fine," Magnus relented, pulling out the frying pan. "I don't have to leave for another hour. You?"

"Because I had that night shift last night," Alec replied, stifling a yawn, "I don't have to come in till ten so I thought I'd do the laundry and maybe read a little."

Magnus froze from where he was getting the milk out of the fridge. "The laundry?"

Alec laughed, shaking his head. "Magnus, it's not going to explode. Don't you trust me?"

"Yes," Magnus replied indignantly, placing the eggs on the counter, "but my clothes are delicate!"

Alec rolled his eyes. "I know how to take care of your clothes, Magnus - because I know how to take care of you."

"Hm," Magnus said, surveying Alec as his face softened. "I guess you do. D'you want chocolate?"

"God, yes," Alec groaned, "tomorrow's Friday, but I think I need something to keep me going."

"You always have me," Magnus said casually, whilst his head was buried in the cupboard, searching for the chocolate sauce. The pantry was a tad cluttered.

"Yeah," Alec replied, momentarily checking Magnus out, "I do. As do you me."

Just not in the way I want to, he thought, resigned yet still looking forward to the hour of playful banter stretched out before him.

...

“Are you sure, Madzie?”

Madzie nodded, determination sparkling in her dark brown eyes along with intelligence. "Do it. There are more positions than just D Major."

Magnus slowly peeled off the white lines that he had only put on Madzie's tiny violin last year - a 1/2 violin. "Why don't we start with A Major, then?" he asked, handing her the violin.

The violin was cheap - plastic, and pathetically obvious in contrast to Magnus' treasured, ancient yet highly expensive violin - but it was clear that it was well loved with the way it shone under the fluorescent lighting.

Madzie groaned. "I don't like scales," she muttered. "Are there any songs in A Major that I can play?"

No one likes scales, Magnus thought idly. Even though the elementary school he worked at was the lowest paid out of all of his four jobs - being an in school violin teacher was certainly a chaotic profession - it was the enthusiasm and innocence of the students who he worked with here that made it his favourite.

Madzie was an extremely prolific violinist for a seven-year-old, especially for one who had only picked up the instrument a year ago. She was probably going to do her Grade 1 Exam early next year at this rate.

Magnus ruffled around with some of the loose music sheets in his briefcase. "How about," he said, pausing at a piece and humming in appreciation, "do you like Harry Potter, Madzie?"

Madzie blinked, a small smile gracing her face. "It's alright, I guess. Don't know much about it. Why?" she asked, frowning.

"There's a piece called Leaving Hogwarts that's quite nice. You know your friend, Zoe?" Madzie nodded. "I've been talking with Mr Fell, and he thinks that both of you are around the same level in your respective instruments. How would you like to do a duet with her?"

Madzie's face lit up. "That'd be nice," she said, which for her was basically a squeal of excitement, for she used her words sparingly yet effectively, "I've heard Zoe, she's quite good at the piano. Can I at least see the piece first though, Mr Bane, please?"

Magnus smiled and slid the sheet onto the music stand - again, it was flimsy and dull, had almost broken more times than Magnus could count. "Do you want me to play it first, together or do you want to try it alone?"

"Together," Madzie ordered solemnly, picking up her carbon bow.

As Magnus picked up his own bow - dark cherry wood - and though he looked massive in comparison to Madzie, they fit well together as he let the music flow through him.

His vibrato was soft; he was playing pp because this was Madzie's time to shine; and shine she did, as she was sight reading and this was only her second year playing, her mistakes clumsy yet fixed almost instantly, and all in all, Magnus was proud of Madzie.

However, Madzie wasn't just a student - she was also almost like a niece to him, the adopted daughter of his dear friend Catarina, but she still insisted on calling him Mr Bane in school. He had only known her for a few years, after all.

Being a teacher wasn't the most rewarding job, and having multiple jobs, and therefore multiple bosses, to please made it even harder - but at the end of the day, at least Magnus knew he could return to his best friend Alec at their home, who understood, as his job as a police officer wasn't exactly the most forgiving either.

And he was happy with that.

Even if his heart secretly yearned for more.

...

Alec sighed, signing off on another cold case. There seemed to be an endless amount of criminals whose faces would be hidden for eternity; Alec got irrationally pissed off at every one like nothing else.

Well, maybe his own unrequited love for his best friend stung a little bit more.

However, that was irrelevant now. Alec had joined his current precinct fresh out of Police Academy at 21, after also having completed a degree in Criminal Justice as his college major at NYU - which co-incidentally was where he had met Magnus, even though they had not been doing the same courses - with Law as his minor. So, therefore, he had more than completed the three years prerequisite to being promoted to a detective.

Which was his dream. Whilst he enjoyed being a police officer, the thought of being a detective was just so much more enticing. In preparation for his potential promotion, he was about to undertake a part-time Computer Forensics degree - again at NYU. But he would never become a detective if he didn't speak up about his wishes.

Which brought him to this moment. Standing outside Santiago's office with bated breath, having just knocked on the door and now simply waiting for the anticipated 'come in' in cold dread.

There it was.

Raphael Santiago was a man a few years older than Alec who had climbed the ranks to Captain in record-breaking speed. He was prone to wearing sharp suits with bleached ties when not in action and today was no exception.

"Lightwood?" Raphael said, putting down his pen, "what is it that you need?"

Raphael was also an impeccably formal man. Though they had known each other for years, as Raphael's mother Guadapale had adopted Magnus when he was 14 and Raphael 17 - they were brothers - he still referred to Alec as his last name at work.

"Santiago." Alec remained standing. "I would like to express my interest in becoming a detective and to be further considered for any future detective promotions."

Raphael simply nodded, pulling out a notebook and his discarded pen. He jotted something down. "Thank you, Lightwood. I will take this into consideration."

Alec's ambition was no secret to those who even remotely knew him. He closed the door quietly, his shoulders slumping a little as he walked back to his desk to sign off on some more cold cases. Contrary to the stereotypes, Alec found the completion of paperwork satisfying and even somewhat enjoyable, which Magnus liked to tease him about.

"How'd you go?" asked Simon, not bothering to lower his voice, as soon as Alec sat down.

Simon had been a recently turned music from accounting major when Alec had first met him, though his minor had surprisingly been consistently Law. In an interesting turn of events, Simon had ended up following Alec to Police Academy.

He also was proud of the fact that he had introduced Alec and Magnus.

Anyway, Alec had tolerated Simon for years now and grudgingly had admitted that the boy was like another (annoying) younger brother that he felt obligated to take care of. Simon had shed many a tear that day.

"Fine," said Alec, flipping open a case. "Now, be quiet."

...

"You're not cooking, Alexander, unless you can show me a certificate for a cooking class by a certified professional. Whilst you're at that, take Izzy with you."

Alec pouted. You mistook salt for sugar only five times and then you weren't allowed to cook in your own home. "Fine. Take away?"

Magnus sighed and burrowed further into his mountain of blankets on the couch. "Please."

Alec opened up a drawer, got out their collection of menus and started to idly flip through them. "Pizza?"

Magnus scrunched his nose up in a way that Alec tried to not think as adorable. "Not feeling it."

"Hm..." Alec continued to flip, "Burger King?"

Magnus' eyes lit up. "You know me too well. Do they order in, 'cause I'm not going anywhere."

"It's really not that cold, Magnus," Alec muttered, putting the rest of the brochures away and jumping up to sit on the counter.

"The heater isn't working and we're in New York and it's nearly winter, I think I'm entitled to think that it's that cold, Alexander."

"But they do. Order in, that is." Alec got off the counter to pick up his phone, brushing off Magnus' complaint. "The usual?"

"Of course," Magnus scoffed, "I can't betray my onion rings like that."

...

They were lounging on their couches - plural, as they were both couch hogs - eating chips and trying not to get grease onto them.

"You know," Magnus said, his voice slightly muffled by all of the blankets surrounding him, "Madzie is quite talented."

"Is she?" asked Alec, looking over his glass of water. "So no parents have come in and roasted you yet?"

"No," Magnus scoffed, "I am a reputable teacher. Though," he admitted, "Raphael hasn't told me anything shocking about your performance yet."

Alec sighed. "Magnus, please. You know three other people in my precinct and all of them have passed on several messages from you at some point in the last four years; it's quite disconcerting."

Magnus sat up, his brown eyes narrowed. "It's a dangerous profession and you, sir," he said, pulling his other hand out of his blankets to point an accusing finger at Alec, "don't know the meaning of the word break."

"Like you're one to talk. And you're cleaning up your mess," Alec added, watching Magnus' fries teeter frighteningly close to the ground.

"Hmph," said Magnus, pulling out the offenders and eating them. "That reminds me, I don't have anything to drink!"

Magnus started to struggle out of his blankets and Alec rolled his eyes. "I offered."

"I don't want water," Magnus muttered, slumping back into the couch, "I want something proper-"

"I thought we agreed on no alcohol on school nights because someone can't control themselves," Alec said, raising his eyebrow.

"We did," Magnus muttered dejectedly. Then he blinked, an uncannily conniving smile spreading across his face. "Dear Alexander," he almost purred.

"Yes?"

"Could you pretty please get me one glass of champagne and I promise we get to watch whatever you want tonight and I won't be judgemental," Magnus said, pouting.

So Alec relented. He was only a man, after all, and - "Fine. But the cheap stuff and if you spill it you're paying for the dry-cleaning."

...

"You want to watch what?"

"Magnus, just because it's Hallmark, doesn't mean that it is sappy. Or only suitable for saps. Also," Alec added, shuffling around the kitchen - after extensive training, he was permitted to make microwave popcorn, "I thought we agreed on no judgement."

"Fine," Magnus said, sulking. "Why are we watching the latest episode though?"

"Because I want to." Alec slipped in the bag of popcorn and put the microwave on.

Magnus swivelled around and glared at him, though there was more concern than heat in his gaze. "ALEXANDER! Step away from the microwave now, it's bad for you."

"Sure, mum," Alec muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Magnus asked, his voice dangerously low.

"Something true," Alec replied innocently. "Anyway, we're watching the latest episode of Murder, She Baked because I've seen all of the others. With Izzy," he added at Magnus' oddly crestfallen look, "which I probably should've done this time, but she's swamped with work at the moment, and she practically forced me to go ahead."

The microwave dinged and Alec instantly retrieved it, having neglected to follow through with his best friend's nagging. "Now. Popcorn and let's hope Hannah doesn't get herself killed this time. The cat is adorable, though."

As the credits rolled, Magnus threw Alec a slightly guilty look over the couch. "I've read the books and I'm hoping they don't follow with the love triangle, didn't even end well."

"And I'm the sap here," Alec sniped, pouring the popcorn into a large bowl and wincing at the larger than average amount of kernels as well as blackened pieces. "Now," he said, "budge over."

Magnus looked at him imperiously. "Why?"

"Because it's cold and you're hogging all of the blankets." Alec placed the popcorn onto Magnus' lap and slid onto the couch. "Now, no talking or no popcorn."

This kind of casual physical contact with Magnus was ordinary, comfortable almost.

But it wasn't in the way Alec secretly wanted.

...

"Promise me that you will never run towards the person with the gun, Magnus."

"What," Magnus gasped. "How dare you insinuate - ok, fair warning. But it's him?"

"I called it," said Alec smugly. "Now, shut up."

And so Magnus remained in relative quiet - except for the stifled laughs and a shocked - "ok, then" - before the credits started to roll.

"It was good," Magnus admitted reluctantly. "What time is it?" he asked, stifling a yawn.

Alec didn't even bother looking at the clock. "For bed. You've got the snooty school tomorrow, remember?"

Magnus groaned, pulling the blankets closer towards himself and further away from Alec. "Don't remind me. Fine, I'll go to bed."

As Magnus shuffled off to his room, Alec ran after him. "You can't steal all of the blankets. Give me one before you disappear."

Magnus peeled the outer one - the fluffiest one - off reluctantly. "Fine. I guess something that pretty shouldn't freeze to death."

Alec sighed and grabbed the blanket, ignoring Magnus' casual flirting. "What are you doing after work tomorrow?"

"Not much," Magnus admitted, yawning.

"Me neither. See you tomorrow," Alec said, patting Magnus on the shoulder before padding off to his bedroom.

Living with your best friend was pretty good. It only had some minor drawbacks, such as it was even harder to not spill out your heart and soul accidentally to them.

"G'night, Alexander."

"Goodnight. Don't stay up on your phone," he added sternly. "You need your sleep."

"So do you. I'll call the electrician after work tomorrow." And then Magnus slipped into his room, because another undeniable drawback about living with your best friend was that it was too easy to chat until the next day.

...

"Are you sure?"

Alec shrugged. "I haven't played in years, but it couldn't be that hard."

Magnus narrowed his eyes before taking his violin out of his case, caressing the instrument with extreme care. "Be careful."

"Of course I will be," Alec said reassuringly.

He picked up the violin, tucked it under his left chin and winced. Had it always been this uncomfortable?

"Alexander, darling, you have to put this on first." Magnus handed Alec his shoulder rest - a cushion of sorts between his shoulder and the hard wood of the violin.

"Oh," Alec said, annoyed. "I forgot." And then he picked up the bow and roughly pulled it across one of the middle strings. Or maybe both.

“Alexander,” Magnus laughed, shaking his head and wincing a little, “that was abysmal.”

“Yeah,” Alec said, continuing to glide his bow over the strings in a particularly ugly way, producing an ear-splitting screech, even though his lessons were now flooding back to him, “I’ve never done this before.”

Which was, strictly speaking, true. He hadn’t ever played this badly on purpose before.

“Hm,” Magnus said, tsking at the careless way Alec was holding the violin, his back slouched and palm pressed up against its neck, “d’you want some lessons, darling? Your last ones clearly weren't any good."

“Sure,” Alec replied, itching to stand up straight and take care of the violin properly, “if you’re willing, if it isn’t too much for you,” he added hurriedly.

Magnus paused. “Darling, we’ve been best friends for seven years and we live in the same apartment. I think I can find the time to teach you how to play this beautiful instrument. You’re treating it dreadfully,” Magnus suddenly added, swooping it from under Alec’s chin and hugging it, “it was making me dreadfully anxious.”

Well. This was going to be interesting.

Maybe he should have admitted to Magnus that he had only been rusty and he did, genuinely, know how to adequately play the instrument, but the prospect of Magnus teaching him how to play the violin, in the gentle and caring way he did, was simply too tempting.

"We can have a hit tomorrow, if you want," Alec offered, "of, you know, tennis. Izzy offered."

Magnus raised his eyebrows as he slipped his violin back securely into his case. "Izzy plays?"

"She dragged me and Jace off for a year of lessons when we were 15," Alec said, rubbing the back of his neck. "As well as a season of local competition. It was... interesting. I prefer Archery, but it should be fun. And you said you played a while back..."

"I did," Magnus confirmed, swinging his vibrant violin case up onto his back to put it away, "that should be fun."

…

After about the fifth time Magnus volleyed the ball over the fence, Alec sighed and jogged down to the other side of the court.

“Magnus,” he said, the wind ripping through his hair, “that was horrible. I thought you said you had played before?”

Izzy looked up from where she was sprawled on a bench, flicking through a magazine and gave Magnus a look.

“It’s been a while,” Magnus muttered, reaching up to fix his dragon ear cuff.

Why he was wearing that whilst playing tennis, Alec had no clue. Or his multitude of necklaces and rings.

“Well,” Alec said, raising his eyebrow, “perhaps we should start off with what you’re wearing.”

Magnus pouted, continuing to fiddle with his ear cuff.

“It’s inappropriate. The ear cuff can stay, but everything else – shoo!”

Magnus reluctantly, but slowly, took off the offending jewellery.

He does look good in them, Alec thought idly. “We’re going home.”

Alec ignored Magnus’ protest of ‘but we only just got here!’ and started to run off to collect the poor balls from the bushes Magnus had sent them into.

…

Catarina sighed. "What is it?"

Magnus walked up to his bedroom's window, peering through it to make sure that Alec was still occupied with talking to Isabelle.

"Alexander," he said mournfully, "he offered to teach me how to play tennis and I accepted like the fool I am!"

"But you know how to play tennis," Catarina replied, clearly confused.

"Beside the point," Magnus said, dismissing Catarina's perfectly reasonable remark. He put his phone on speaker, threw it onto his bed and collapsed dramatically next to it. "How am I supposed to survive?"

"Finally tell him how you feel? It has been literal years, Magnus, and we're all sick of your pining."

Magnus gasped as if he had been mortally wounded. "Confess? Are you out of your mind? Catarina, you of all people know that I cannot risk my friendship with Alexander for something as silly as feelings."

Magnus could feel Catarina's eye roll vibrating through the phone. "Magnus, they're not just 'feelings' or a silly crush. You're in love with him, and I'm pretty sure he feels the same way about you."

"Don't get my hopes up," Magnus said sorrowfully, "he doesn't. That is preposterous. Anyway, back to the matter at hand; the tennis lessons. It's going to be torture."

"Magnus," Catarina started patiently.

"I'm going to die a glorious death!" Magnus moaned, burying his head into his pillow.

"Shut up, idiot," she finished. "You're going to be fine."

"I'm also going to be giving Alec violin lessons," Magnus added in a much more relaxed manner. "He apparently already had lessons years ago, but the darling was terrible."

There was a long stretch of silence in which Magnus only knew Catarina hadn't hung up due to the lack of a beep.

"You've got this, Magnus," Catarina said in a softer voice. "You're 25, you're successful in your career, I think you can handle seeing Alec's muscles for a few hours. Ok?"

"Ok," Magnus replied slowly, playing with the fringes of one of his blankets. "Thank you, Catarina. Love you."

"Love you too," she said before hanging up.

Magnus could hear the rhythmical, even thumps of Alec's footsteps approaching and sat up, placing his phone on charge.

The front door creaked open and Magnus padded up to meet Alec.

"Hi," Alec panted, "Izzy wouldn't stop talking." His dark hair was sticking up, uncharacteristically all over the place. "I'll have a shower, then Brooklyn 99?"

Magnus nodded, rubbing his fingers together. "Sounds good."

Magnus shuffled off into the kitchen in his grey slacks and started on the popcorn.

On the stove. Because it tasted better and it was considerably healthier; he could also be trusted with it.

But certainly not with anybody's heart.

[cawcawpeasants]

Hey! I would like to ask for some Vermillion and Silva headcannons if the families were living in a modern world and maybe for the Black Bulls too? If it's not to much! Thanks!

Thanks for the ask, I will give it my best! :D

Mereoleona: Maybe in the Military, but she would also be awesome as a chef or sous chef in a high class restaurant. I could see her in a workplace thats a bit more secluded, as she doesnt like the fuss politics and economie bring with them. She owns a harley, next to a more practical jeep, and she loves to spend her vacations by making tours on her baby. She also loves Leatherjackets. In her free time she participates in Kickboxing-classes, sometimes even teaching the class when the instructor doesnt show up. Her house is full with weights and she has two maine coon cats (called Simba and Nala, because, even though shed rather die than to admit it, she loves the Lion king and never got over Mufasas death. She quietly checked up on Leon and her father when she couldnt sleep to make sure they were fine and still there)

Leon: He would make a great trainer for a famous team, whatever kinda sport. He probably would take over the familys business, though. It would fit, if their family has something to do with sports equipment. But actually, he is the perfect man for the job of police captain or higher up. Also much political influence, give due to his lineage. Before working he graduated from Law school and is an certificated Lawyer. He is also big on saving animal and helps fighting for their rights in his free time, especially big cats.

Leo: still in school, but he aspires to be like his bro. Hes great in Sports of all kind, and even the Captain of the soccer team. Apart from that he plays tennis, basketball, does judo, rows, and if you would place him on top of a horse he would even manage that. He still lives at home, but he is over at Leons so often that he has Keys, some stuff stored in a closet and the Pull-out couch is also always reserved for him.

Mimosa: Also still in school, wants to become a doctor since she was 5. She is pretty grown up, even for her age, and is a school council member. Sometimes she models for Kirsch, because she still loves him, even though they fight often. She likes to help the underprivileged by tutoring them, this way she met asta, who is a pupil on her sisterschool. 

Kirsch: Hes in college and studys fashion and design. He also works as a model, has gotten a role in a movie and runs his own fashion and make-up brand. (Keeping up with Kirsch is a running Headline in boulevard magazines)

Nozel: He would either make a kick-ass attorney or judge (with customized robes), but also be great as head of a company that has to do with aviary systems, satellites, planes or else. Also he has influence on politics and plans to run as major in the future. He is pretty old fashioned when it comes to his freetime-activities. He collects art, stamps and researches birds in quiet. Sometimes he funds expeditions to discover more about rare species, or integral nature reserves. He also bought many plots of lands, where endangered Birds live, all across the world, because the ongoing destruction of their habitat and their extinction is bothersome to him. He has degrees in law and business and is a wanted Single on the market, a circumstance that has led to him living more and more secluded, in the company of a grey parrot. (it once belonged to his mother and sometimes it would say sentences it copied from her)

Nebra: Nobody knows what Nebra does. Nobody dares to ask. She clouds herself in mist and mysteries. She probably works for the government.

Solid: He goes to college, majors in either business or law, because the family wants him to do that. Actually he is more a partyguy, the typical fratboy. Obviously, the frat is like completely his because Silvas of many generations were members. Also he has a thing for fast silver cars. Nozel hopes he will grow out of this eventually. 

The Bulls: Okay, this one is tough, I have tried to think of a place where a bunch of adults, teens and kids can live together at. So how about they are all neighbors in a House with cheap rent, and over time they formed a big family?

Noelle: She goes to school, and after she was kicked out she emancipated herself. She moved into the Black bull mansion and lives from her allowance. She works as a waitress in the cafe-bar-restaurant on the groundfloor of the building.

Asta: He and Juno both got scholar ships, he especially for his physical abiltys, but the money wasn’t quite enough for an accomodation, so he lives in a small, run down 1-room apartement and also works in the restaurant, but as a bouncer. 

(No, im sure its not legal for minors to work in such a place, but they need the money)

Finral: is a manager and bartender, ran away from home and landed there. After his family got more and more abusive he couldnt stay any longer and nearly ended up as a gigolo, but Yami saved his behind before he could self destruct. He still has the bad habit of flirting with every woman he sees, and hes a day dreamer, but all he wishes for is to find the perfect wife, to have many children and be a stay at home dad. He has a lot of love to give and many holes in his heart to fill. For the time being he is something like the eldest brother of the bulls, and whenever someone has to disappear because some investigations are going on, he knows of many hiding spaces and secret escape-ways.

Vanessa: Also ran way from home because of her abusive mother, is from another country and was found by yami shortly after she ran away. Now she also works as a bartender and sometimes as waitress. She has great talent with sewing, crocheting, making and changing clothes. She takes on jobs on the low from the bulls and other people, she even sells some of her works over the internet.

Gordon: Due to his shyness and anxiety he chose to move into a rather antisocial environment, but got aggressively adopted anyways by the bulls. He makes money as accountant, for the Bulls and over the internet.

Gauche: basically, his story is the same, and after his imprisonment was over hes out on probation) Yami got him a room in the building. Sometimes he works as a bouncer, when they are short on staff, otherwise he works in a library or old book shop. During the nights he takes online classes to graduate from school, so he can one day get a well paying job to provide Mary with all the money she needs to get through live easily.

Magna: Is a punk who got picked up by Yami one day, after he and Luck fought in front of the black bulls base. He works at a local shelter, and plays baseball with kids at the community center. Hes a good guy with a tough demeanor. He also tries to help Yami whenever he can, with whatever he can.

Luck: After his mother died he was sent to a social living community, where his attitude to fight everyone was only strengthend. He ran away after an especially bloody fight and landed on Magnas hometurf. They got into a fight, which woke Yami up, and so he and Magna both ended up living there. Yami said, it was so they could attone for their sin of disturbing his sleep. Luck and Magna share a 2-Room flat, because there weren’t that many 1-room ones left. He works as a courierboy and is known for his quick deliverys, but he also really has a knack for electro-engineering. He plans to graduate, too, someday and to open up his own business.

 Charmy: Nobody exactly knows where Charmy comes from exactly. She just turned up one day after she saw, that the Bulls looked for a chef. She only talks about food, and the bulls understood after a while that she really does not want to talk about her past or family. All they know is that she is smaller than average for her age and that her obsession with food could come from shortages of that in her early life.

Gray: Is a nonbinary youth who ran away and lived on the streets. They like to change their looks, now that they make money by working for the black bulls, often just washing dishes, restocking and such. They are great at adapting to new jobs, if these dont require much human interaction. Also the peptalks from the bulls really help. They also posses a great talent for theater works, such as costume design and make up. If they weren’t so shy they would be a great actor too.

Zora: He is one of those inhabitants that come and go. Mostly hes some kind of lone wolf crusader, some sort of social justice warrior who either helps the poor when he sees them being mistreated or posts videos showing misconduct of upperclass jerks. He has a whole network going on, and often sends his videos to the police or news senders, if he has the feeling, that the law enforcement is sweeping something under the rug. He has a high IQ and is proficient in hacking. His mask is his sign, he always wears it when hes in action.

Yami: He is the son of immigrants, or was an illegal immigrant himself. If that was the case, i can imagine that Julius helped him getting citizen status after Yami stopped a Criminal on the run who just happened to run into his direction, looking dangerous and armed. He either is a Detective (private, not police), a headhunter or probation officer. Could also be a cop. Also he runs the Black Bulls bar, mostly so the inhabitants have a place to work at. 

- The Vermillions main Mansion would be huge, but more modern. Much space, training rooms, sports equipment, Medals, trophys and certificates won in various tournaments of all kinds by Mereo, Fuego and Leo covering a whole room.

-The Silvas Mansion would also be huge, but more in a Victorian ‘This house belonged to our family for generations’style. The colourscheme is cold, lots of Silva, blues and dark wood. Also so many chandeliers. So many. Also the family crest is everywhere. Its a place that could easily become a filmset for a historical movie. 

-They don’t have their name on the Postbox, just the crest. Thats how extra they are about it. (This has also often led to drunk or confused people thinking they are some sort of special church, and then trying to enter the house. These incidents always end with unamused Silvas)

- All the eldest children have moved out of their main Mansions, and live in Flats, Appartments and Mereo in a small house a bit out of the city. They all only come back together for celebrations or in cases of emergencies.

-The Black bulls Castle is officially Julius property, because he has the money and power, also he wants to help his eldest son Yami out. Its a total mess, but the Bulls manage to repair most of it themselves. They love their broken down house so much, the started to call it their castle on the clouds, mostly because it is the biggest building they’ve ever lived in, with more luxury they ever imagined they would ever get to enjoy. 

[werenzki]

Sidney Crosby #5

**read the rest of the parts for this imagine here**

Anonymous said:Can you do a Sydney crosby imagine the way you did your Andre buravosky. Maybe it can begin where they meet at a teammates house then another part: he proposes at the Stanley cup final and then another part: the wedding and then another part: where they start having a family and then it skips to where they have 3 kids and you're watching your husband teach your kids how to play hockey in the backyard.

A/N: this request if going to take me a long time to get through and i wanna apologize now.. also yes i completely switched up how they met, simply cause i’ve had this idea in my head for a while and thought it’d go well with this request too cause i can keep the story going :))) there will be general dates at the beginning of each part !!!!

Word Count: 3,046

Summer 2016

Cole Harbour was abuzz as you drove through the downtown street. A smile tugged on your lips. You knew very well it wasn’t just the vacationing families, a familiar face caused the sudden uproar of the small town. A face you really wouldn’t mind seeing again.

You had known Sidney practically your whole life. You remembered being only 7 years old, running around after school with Taylor, and seeing her pre-teen brother shooting tennis balls into the run-down hockey net. Then when you were 9 and he was a sprouting young teen, you had both left Cole Harbour, you going to Africa with your parents and Sid go pursue his hockey career. It wasn’t for another few years till you were settled back into the small town, and your friendship with Taylor picked up right where you had left it. While Sidney wasn’t where you had left him. 

Instead he was off in Minnesota, then before you knew it he was in Pittsburgh. While life went on, you got to see him each Summer, but then every Fall you found yourself frowning ever-so-slightly.  There was no denying it to yourself, you liked Sidney. Ever since you were just Taylor’s little friend with the pigtails and bright eyes, you were always staring up at Sid. 

Now you were older, going on 24 this Christmas, and were still just Taylor’s little friend in Sidney’s eyes. Even though you’d wish, just one of these days, he’d notice you as the grown woman you were. And like every Summer, you had that sliver of hope that maybe - just maybe - Sidney would see you how you dreamt he would. 

Aside from the daydreaming you were doing, you knew you couldn’t show up to the Crosby’s household without Trina’s favourite flowers. So with that quick stop, you were well under way to where the celebrations were being held. Another Summer of Sid being home, meant another big party for friends and family - where you’d all be lucky enough to hang out with the Stanley Cup as well. 

“Jeez, took you long enough,” Taylor said while opening the front door of Sidney’s home here in Cole Harbour. You rolled your eyes and wrapped your arms around her. 

“Sorry, the towns golden boy is back,” you exclaimed and paused while your hug came to an end, “therefore traffic is twenty times worse,” you stated while following Taylor into the living room. 

“Is that Miss Y/N that I hear?” Trina’s voice was so full of excitement you’d think it was Christmas Day as she came barreling into the room with an apron around her. 

You barely got a hello in as you laughed and was engulfed in the hug that was Trina Crosby loving you. Having to tap out, you kept laughing as Taylor pulled her mom off of you. Then it was happening all over again as you gave her the flowers you had picked up. After Taylor pulled her off you again, she had her arm wrapped around you and made the move into the kitchen. 

“Trina, you’re going to burn those potatoes if you don’t pay more attention,” Troy grumbled as he opened the oven and was close to taking the hot pan with his bare hands. 

“Troy, I swear,” Trina hissed under her breath while pushing him out of the way and handing the flowers off to him. “Take care of these beautiful flowers that Y/N got me,” she ordered and then was back into full cooking mode. 

“Hey, kiddo,” Troy greeted you with that same nickname and flashed you a smile. 

“Hey, Troy,” you smiled back and gave him a quick hug. 

Without wasting another second, you were washing your hands and tying back half of your hair. It was like you had never left for college and were back spending all those evening with the Crosby family. Trina ordering Troy around, Taylor watching in amusement while you offered any and all help. Trina didn’t skip a beat before handing you a tray of pre-made kebobs - which Taylor made a point to say were cut up by herself. But of course Troy made it clear he did the marinating of the meat too. 

“Tay, you come help cut the fruit. Troy, sweetheart, can you go to the car and grab all the flats of pop. And Y/N, bring those out to Sid, he’s at the barbecue,” Trina listed off everyones current jobs before turning back to her own task at hand. 

You looked out the patio door to your left to see Sid was cleaning off the grill while on the phone. Taking a deep breath, you pushed open the door and made your way outside. It was a beautiful to embarrass yourself in front of your childhood crush. Sidney barely noticed you as you walked across the deck and set the trays down on the table beside him. But as you set the food down, his eyes trailed up to meet yours. 

“I’ve gotta go, I’ll talk to you later, Flower,” he spoke into the phone while his eyes stayed on you - which you hated how the innocent eye contact made your skin crawl. 

“Hey,” you smiled as Sidney slid his phone into the pocket of his shorts. 

“Hey,” he echoed your soft greeting. It seemed he wasn’t quite himself, the usual dorky annoying Sid you grew up with. Which you didn’t blame him for being a little out of it, there was no way this season had been easy and with the big win he had to be just as busy with the off-season. 

“How are y-” 

“How was-” 

You both chuckled as your words clashed together. Rolling your lips into your mouth and giving them a quick lick, you told Sid to go first in a quiet voice. He smiled and stuck his hands into his front pockets. 

“How was Africa?” He asked. 

“How did you know I was in Africa?” You questioned, knowing very well you hadn’t mentioned anything to him directly. Since you two barely spoke this whole year since you had made the plans to visit your parents.

“I follow your Instagram,” he stated with his brows pulled together as if it was a known fact. 

“You have Instagram?” You chuckled. 

“I do,” he nodded and then turned his back to you to continue his job on cleaning the grill, “does that actually surprise you that much?”

What surprised you was the fact Sidney had this whole secret account and that he had taken the time to follow you. Knowing that he could be one of the 5 thousand that liked your most recent bikini picture caused your cheeks to burn up. You were glad he was turned around as you blushed at the thought.

“Well, yeah,” you stumbled on your words and looked around the deck, “old men don’t have Instagram, or is that the new thing with the team, the rookies get you old guys into it?” You teased. Sidney chuckled over the grill, glancing over his shoulder at you while you tried your hardest to relax by leaning against the table. 

“Yeah, us old guys are slowly creeping into the social media scene,” 

“Scary stuff,” you joked. 

“So Africa was fun then?” Sidney asked, steering the conversation back to where it started. 

You nodded and crossed your arms at your chest, “yeah, it was really great,” 

“That’s good,” 

“Your summers been good too, I’m assuming,” you said, referring to the fact he had indeed won the Stanley Cup just shy of two months ago now. 

“Uh, yeah,” he nodded and smiled, “it’s been pretty good,” he added before shutting the barbecue. That was when the rest of the Crosby family joined you two, Trina bossing everyone around of how things needed to be set up, while Troy helped his song handle the grill - obviously in order to get out of his wife’s demands. 

Soon enough the place was filled with the rest of the nights guests and the food was being indulged in. Many old friends came, of both Sid and his parents, as well as the coaches that were apart of Sidney’s hockey school. Which you were happy to be apart of this year. Seeing as hockey was such a large part of Taylor’s life, it quickly became apart of yours too. From the minors to your university team. Of course when Taylor realized the fact you would both be home for Sid’s hockey school, she signed you both up to help out. 

“Happy birthday to you,” Trina started off the singing as she held open the door for you since you had the great job of carrying out the cake. It was the day before Sid’s birthday, which was really the reason for this whole get together, and he still looked fake bothered by the fact his mom had got him a ice cream cake. 

As you got closer, you smiled at Sid and he set down his beer. The singing was coming to an end and Sidney was looking at the 29 candles in front of him. Another year knowing Sid, another year secretly loving him too. Truthfully, you’d always kinda love Sid, and you’d always hide it too. As he blew out the candles and everyone cheered, his eyes came up and found yours. It was like all the air was taken from your lungs as you stared back into his eyes, yet you couldn’t really describe how he had you feeling. 

“Let’s set the cake down here,” Trina said, causing your attention to fall from Sid’s stare and to where she was guiding you to the cleared food table. 

It wasn’t till after you had finished helping clean up after the cake eating that you finally got to fill up your glass of vodka crans and taking a seat next to none other than Nathan Mackinnon. You had met him in the earlier years here in Cole Harbour. A few classes here and there together, some mutual friends, but nothing more till he was drafted into the NHL and taken under Sidney’s arm during the summers. 

“Remind me again of how you’re a whole two years older than Taylor and I?” Nate asked while sipping his beer. He had been given the explanation last year, also after gulping down some beers. 

“To put it simple, homeschooling,” you shrugged, “both my parents work back and forth from Canada and Africa, I was born and wasn’t stopping them. So when it came time to get into schooling, we lived here, and I only was learning through simple tasks with my parents cause they knew we’d be back in Africa in a few years,” 

“So you didn’t go to school till junior high, right?” He asked.

“After a lot of begging, yes,” you chuckled, “yours and Tay’s grade, since I was so far behind in learning for my age,” you said. Honestly, the age difference throughout school never even bothered you. You were smaller for your age back then so it worked out fine. Plus, you had Taylor.

“How did you guys met then if you weren’t in school?” Another voice piped in, a young man by the name of James who was apart of Sid’s hockey school and so far from tonight he seemed like a cool guy too.

“Uh, the candy aisle right?” You asked Taylor. 

“Yeah, then we made our way to the lobsters,” she smiled.

“Wait what?” Nate questioned, clearly being lost now. Sidney chuckled from his spot, he knew the story - his parents never let you girls forget how we’d always stare at the live lobsters in the store and how you’d beg to buy them all and free them. Only to eat fish the following evening for dinner.

“We met in the grocery store, we both had ditched our parents and bumped into each other,” you explained, “then we set up a playdate,” 

“Which then turned into about 40 more,” Sid said. 

“Pretty much,” you nodded and smiled at Sid. He mirrored your smile and then both of your attention was brought away as Nate left the table to go help some of the other guys with something, and Taylor was being swept away by her mother. Leaving you and Sid alone.

“How’s Taylor and Ben?” Sidney asked, playing the good older brother role you all knew he was. 

“They’re good, really good,” you smiled. 

“He’s out of town for work right?” He asked. 

“Yeah, on some fish boat or something like that,” 

“And you?” He questioned, you raised a brow as you were a little confused of what he was asking. “Are you still seeing someone?” 

“Uh, no,” you answered, “Cole and I broke up last year,” you stated. The tension was only seeming to grow as you spoke, so of course you decided to add to the awkward conversation. “What about you, are you seeing anyone?” You asked. 

Sid shook his head and muttered, “no,” before taking a long sip of his drink. There was something dark in his eyes, it made your skin crawl and your stomach to ache. Man, this tension felt like it was consuming you as the eye contact kept going between you two. 

“Hey,” Nate made an appearance suddenly, causing your body to feel free from the tension. You sat up straight and smiled as he looked your way but then back to Sid. “We got you something buddy,” he said while clapping his back. 

“You guys didn’t have to,” Sidney chuckled as Nate practically pulled him out of his seat. It was then you realized you hadn’t got Sid anything for his birthday. Not even your usual gift card to Tim Hortons - yes you were aware he didn’t need a gift card to Tims, but it was sort of like a tradition you had been doing for as long as you could remember. 

After the craziness from gift giving, some guests left while others stayed and the drinks kept flowing. As you pounded back the vodka crans, it was like the evening went into fast-forward. Suddenly Ben showed up, surprising Taylor and eventually taking her home. Nate was brushing up against you any chance he got, while it seemed like Sidney had nothing better to do then stare at you. Which you weren’t complaining, but it was making your head spin. 

“You can sleep in this spare room, sweetie,” Trina smiled while opening the door to a room that was larger than yours at home, “Troy and I are right down the hall, and then Sidney is here beside you,” she explained, pointing in the right directions. 

“Thanks, Trina,” you said before she walked off and down the long hall to where she and Troy would be sleeping. You knew the rest of the guests would be sleeping downstairs, in the few extra bedrooms and the couches down there. 

Another thing you knew was how freaking drunk you managed to get. You sighed and wandered into the bathroom that was beside your guest room. As expected, inside was a extra toothbrush and some makeup wipes too. In your state of mind, you somehow ended up taking off your makeup and brushed your teeth without even hurting yourself. Once you had gone to the bathroom and washed your hands, you were opening the door and nearly bumping right into someone. 

That someone was Sidney, that identical drunk look in his eyes that you had just been looking in your own reflection at. He stopped in his tracks to going to his room, as well as blocking your way to the guest room. You watched as he licked his lips, your throat going dry, before you looked back up at his eyes. 

“Surprised to not see Nate sneaking up here with you,” he said, his voice only slightly harsh. You were so taken aback by his words you had to take a moment to process them. 

“You think I’m into Nate?” You questioned, furrowing your brows together. 

“Well, he’s sure into you,” 

“That’s too bad for him,” you shrugged, “he’s not really my type,” 

“NHL players not your type?” Sidney asked, his voice turned into a suggestive seductive tone real quick - with one brow raised and his hands twitching at his sides. It all caused a fire to blaze inside of you. 

“Not that particular one,” you stated and ran your tongue across your freshly brushed teeth. 

Sidney’s eyes fell to your mouth, making you more caution of your actions. Then they flickered back to your eyes and you sensed it right then and there. He had the same fire burning behind those hazel eyes of his. You inhaled deeply before you were suddenly in Sid’s arms and his lips were on yours. Teeth, tongue, lips, they were all there and hungry as Sid gripped your bottom before you jumped up and he carried you into his room. 

This was actually happening - or was it? If this was another one of your stupid dreams you really didn’t want to wake up right now. The door shut behind you two, but you were too focused on all the kissing that was happening. Not only was your head spinning but so was your whole world as you realized this wasn’t a dream. 

“Tell me to stop, right now, if you don’t want this to happen,” Sid murmured beside your ear as he walked further into the room. He barely gave you any time to answer as his lips attached to your neck, biting and licking and definitely turning you on. 

“Don’t stop,” you all but moaned out in response. 

Sidney continued to kiss down your neck then after those words left your mouth, his was on yours again - that same hunger beneath his kiss. Catching you by surprise, he dropped you down onto the mattress, but didn’t leave much time for you to even squeal in shock before he was kissing you again. You pushed back any and every thought that tried to squeeze it’s way into your mind and instead lived in the moment with Sidney undoing you bra and him sliding out of his shorts. This was about to be the best night of your life.

[tradewithjorgie-blog]

2. **!!Get rick quick!!** / AUDJPY

Let’s be honest, we’ve all seen the title above. That header will find you in some way, shape, or form. A relative might text you out of the blue, worried about your health. Someone on facebook you haven’t seen since high school might send you a message randomly: “hey _____, long time! How’ve you been? The kids look great!”. You’ll even see a small hand written sign staked into the ground next to a highway exit that reads, “Real Estate Investor looking for students: Make 10k a week”. It’s inevitable. Somebody can make you wealthier than you’ve ever imagined and they usually want to make you visualize this-

I can’t say that’s how I got started, but the beginning sure felt familiar. The rush of entering a trade for the first time. The excitement of learning a new technique or style that I knew was foolproof. That first $1,000 dollar deposit into my trading account. It’s a lot like doing drugs. It makes you want more and more. To learn more, to get more involved, and ultimately make you money. Buckets and buckets of cold hard cash. 

You’re a walking ATM baby, and banks everywhere will fear your name. 

And why wouldn’t you feel like that. You end up joining some kind of trading program that’s guaranteed to teach you to do the same thing as whoever is in charge. And when they post profit pictures like the one below, it only makes your hunger grow.

Why wouldn’t you want that same quality of life? Why don’t you deserve it? If they can do it so can you. They came from nothing, and wanting it bad enough half the battle, is it not?

But... as you start (and you know you’re not going to get rich right away), your MT4 trading platform history starts to look more like this:

Negatives everywhere. That’s how it goes. I’m counting on it happening to you, because I want your money. Now the writer of this blog never tried to bring people into a pyramid scheme. That’s not what Forex is, I’ve got the scars to prove it. Forex is a dog fight. Forex is a wilderness full of faceless, nameless rabid dogs, all smarter than you, faster than you, better equipped than you, with accounts 1 million times your size. Forex is about survival. Hiding in the shadows long enough for the big dogs to eat, get bored, and walk away, you try to take just enough to be able to trade tomorrow, nothing more.

I don’t want you to fail, but I understand that a large part of my wins, come from your bad psychology. It’s just how the world works. It’s not pretty, I’m not offering someone a product that will actually help their life or improve their lifestyle to make money. No I’m sprinting past the biggest of the dangers, snatching up as much as I can, leaping over limp bodies and getting the hell out of dodge.

That’s Forex. Every time I enter a trade I do it for me. But even a hawk that annihilates a sweet bunny from the face of the earth.... does it to feed her chicks. Wolf packs hunt with a terrifying beauty to the haunting sounds of howling on a snowy night, so that their pups might not starve or freeze. I do it so that one day my kids can have the opportunities I didn’t while at the same time getting to spend the time with myself that I still don’t get to spend with my father. 

In Forex, your goal is to react to the market. People will tell you the goal is to predict the market, but that’s impossible. The Foreign Exchange markets exist because 7+ billion people make an infinite number of decisions every day. How do you predict something like that? Over 5 trillion dollars enter and exit the Forex markets every single day. Just to put it into perspective, there’s only 11 billion dollars in liquidity in the US stock markets, or just .0022% of the Forex markets. If the stock market was an ant, Forex would be Planet earth. It’s where banks and multi-nationals do their (dirty) work and the best part: it’s 100% legal. And it will continue to be until everyone on earth uses US dollars.

I got into it because as luck would have it I sat behind a Jamaican kid in my finance class one day who had Tradingview.com open on his browser. I didn’t know exactly what it was, but I knew what it represented: a way out. I asked him about it and that’s pretty much it. We dropped out of that finance class a few days later because we were on a journey “to take our own finance class”. That was a big mistake but regardless, he and I are still thick as thieves. I love that kid.

Back to trading. Here’s how it goes. You get excited. You start losing. You win a trade here and there but that’s blind luck, you don’t know what you're doing. An impressionist painter can tell you exactly what he’s doing but unfortunately without at least a few years of practice, that doesn’t make you an impressionist painter. Forex can’t be taught Bob Ross style. 

You have to absorb information the same way a tennis player does. You have to fail and fail and fail and take a break and fail again, until your mind and body start to work instinctively. Like the matrix you don’t see lines of code falling down the screen anymore. What to other people look like a bunch of little green and red candles with a wick on both sides that rise and fall, to you it becomes a living, breathing, hissing animal. You’re trying to steal one golden scale off of its back as it slides up and down. Just one at first, if you go for anymore you’re going to get bit.

 Slowly you start to learn that when it gets to a certain point or the chart starts to look a certain way, this pissed off little animal is limited in it’s movement like a raccoon you’ve just cornered. Still, highly aggressive and unpredictable but... a little less unpredictable?

You start to win. Slowly you start to take back what was yours and while the other dogs are busy snarling at each other, boasting about their victories and licking their wounds, you’re content to work far, far away from the hype. This isn’t about grandeur anymore. This is about revenge. And another shot at reaching financial freedom. Speaking for myself the ultimate goal for these next 5 years is to achieve Digital Nomadicy. Ok I made the word ‘nomadicy’, but digital nomads do exist. All you need is an laptop and a wireless connection and you’re ready to trade from anywhere in the world. 

So... Let’s see how I’m doing up to this point. As I show you, please don’t feed the animals.

Starting with an H4 (every candle represents 4 hours of price movement) view of my chart on AUDJPY (Aussie Dollar vs. the Japanese Yen), we can see that current price movement has entered a channel of about 75 pips (sorry the picture is blurry). 

When a pair is “consolidating” that means that it’s not really going anywhere. It’s not going to nose dive, or shoot up any time soon (I hope). It’s just kind of moving up and down between to price points, in this case a little below 74.800 and almost right on 74.000. When price reaches one of these points I know it has to react to it in some way. I don’t try to predict if it’s going up or down, I’m just waiting for the moment when it picks a direction and I can jump in.

Now price hasn’t been this low except for two times that price fell super fast and then raced back up again. Wicks (the long sticks at the top & bottom) give us clues, but not too much information on the structure right here. What this means is that if price continues to fall, once it breaks that 74.000 line definitively, it has a good chance of tanking hard. And since price has been consistently falling since April 19th, 2019, there’s a good chance it will continue falling. When you trade in the same direction as the “trend”, you are trend trading. Easy enough right?

Now, if we draw lines across the top of the price action in the channel and the bottom, it looks like a triangular flag. Usually that means that price is going to bounce inside of these lines, until it breaks out and once it does, it usually moves definitively in that direction. Usually always, always being the key word.

Now remember we’re looking at the AUDJPY pair, which is in essence a battle between the two currencies. When one gets stronger, the other gets weaker relative to each other. There was a major Japanese news release planned today at 7:30PM eastern time that I thought would move the market a bit more than it did. If the information was better for Japan than expected, the price would go down because the base pair (what we’re trading, the Aussie dollar) would have weakened in reaction to Japanese strength. But the numbers were just as expected so nothing of excitement happened.

Where the red meets the green is where I got in. All those wicks right around where it is, tells me that the price is having trouble going down. Combine that with the fact that it’s sitting right at the bottom of the flag, and where I hope it goes is greater than the distance to where I would take my loses and walk away if it went the wrong, I entered the market. I am hoping that it plays back up to where the green ends, in which case I will walk away with money, not caring if it goes up even higher: don’t get greedy. 

As of this moment.... I am losing. But the battle is not lost. Stay tuned for next weeks blog post to find out what happens next.

[bloodinhershoesrpg]

Congratulations Maggie, you have been accepted for the role of Desdemona James! Your elaborations on Mona’s home life and the factors leading up to the biggest secret she has to conceal to date as well as how said secret still impacts her today even being touched upon in your choice of connections (as well as your playlist) was, in my opinion, simply marvellous! Mona was a character I wasn’t sure about keeping after this round of acceptance but you have made leaving her up for grabs worthwhile. I hope to see the two of you on the dash soon! Please send in your account with 24 hours and have a look at the checklist before you do!

REGARDING YOURSELF

Name / Age / Pronouns: Maggie, 21, she/her

Activity: It’s summer time for me, however I just got a new dog that I will be training daily. Then come fall, school will begin again, so I’m expecting my activity to be about a 7-8.

Additional: I really like the concept for this RP, and it’s beautifully done, too. Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see from this application!

REGARDING THE STAR OF YOUR SHOW

Character name and faceclaim: Desdemona James portrayed by Brie Larson

CHARACTER DISSECTION

TW: child abuse, violence

Lullabies, love, the smell of lavender. These are things Mona thinks good childhoods are made of. There was a little period of her own that felt like that. Her big brother, Damen, made her early years joyous. He’d play hide and seek with her, cover her ears when their parents, Ariadne and Bill, were fighting. Cover her eyes if they couldn’t escape the room in time. Nothing hurt so bad to see when she knew her big brother was there to protect her. Time goes on and children grow into targets. Hand shaped bruises were for mother to hide, not children. Not for awhile. But things can only get worse when you live with a forest fire for a father and a bundle of twigs for a mother. Mona had two escapes: time with Damen and ballet.

Just because things were often tense at home doesn’t mean Mommy and Daddy didn’t want the best for their children. Damen was put in only the finest music programs to cultivate his gift for piano, and in turn, Mona was placed in the most prestigious of ballet schools in the area. Time together between siblings was often spent dancing and playing the keys together. Damen would try to get Mona’s little hands to reach all the keys for a chord and Mona would try to teach Damen to plié. They brought comfort to each other in times of trouble - and it seemed as though times were often of trouble.

Damen, being five years Mona’s senior, began to get out of the house as a teenager, leaving Mona to herself. With Damen around less, more attention was directed at Mona at home - and attention she did not want. Her father was hateful, possessive, and often showed Mona that she belonged to no one but him.  She made friends here and there in school, but eventually became withdrawn. She used to confide in friends at sleepover what kind of a maniac her father could be, what kind of blithering and oblivious drunk her mother was. Some friends even told their own parents out of concern. Nothing ever came of it. If there was one thing you could say about the rich, it’s that “family affairs” were kept within the family. And what good were friends when they added no chances for survival? As Mona grew up, watching her brother moreso from a distance, she threw herself deeper into ballet. Damen was no longer a confidant and a protector, but rather a warm memory and occasional reprieve. Friendships were replaced with alliances. “If we push each other, one of us might get the part.” She would go straight to ballet practice after school, complete her homework there, and not come home until she was certain that dinner was ready. Then, she’d try her best to go unnoticed until bed time. Sometimes Bill was occupied with other things, and other times he was firmly focused on making Mona’s life hell.

Life, while often hard, was not as bad as it could have been. That’s what Mona always reminded herself of. She had food, clothes, a brother who loved her even if her parents didn’t seem to, and most importantly, a passion.

Things changed in the time it takes to pick up a knife.

It was Christmas time. Damen was home for the holidays. Mona’s mother was somewhere in the house, sloshing around and weeping over one thing or another, as usual. Mona, for once, had gone out to socialize. A tiny crush on a peer from her ballet class had inspired her to go to a party out on a yacht. Yes, Mona came home late. No, she hadn’t been drinking. She reeked of other people’s cigarettes, and someone had spilled a glass of very expensive champagne all over her beautiful new tennis skirt. No parent would have believed she hadn’t been up to no good. Not many parents would react in the way that Bill James did, though. He tried to corner Mona, screaming accusations about her behavior and her virtue. Years of practice allowed for her to escape from him several times. She ran into the kitchen, simply because it was the closest room connected to the hall that led to her bedroom. But fingers ripping into her scalp, that familiar pull as she was yanked back and off her feet stopped her short. There was a struggle. A counter’s corner dug deep into her gut and a blade glimmered before her in the dim light from the moon in the window. It didn’t take a thought. Mona remembers the pain in her gut from the counter - then the look of horror on Damen’s face and his mouth moving around the words, “What have you done?”

Ambulances, police vehicles, handcuffs. It’s all a blur, especially after eight years. Mona doesn’t talk about it. What is there to say? Bill wasn’t even out of the hospital before Mona had spent all of her money from birthdays and christmases to find a home out of the country. They decided not to press charges, brush this under the rug just like every other painful and violent event that had happened in that house. The James family has enough money to pay off any and every individual who knows how or why Desdemona James stabbed her own father that night.

At sixteen years old, she left her parents behind in America as soon as she could, and with them, Damen. It was painful, but the rift that grew between them after that night was worse than the pain of leaving. He never understood her decision, because he had never seen the way their father had turned on her as they grew older. At least Mona can blame the physical distance between them for their estranged existences.

Now, in another country, Mona’s life is all too similar to those days she spent alone with her ballet. Only now, without the attacks from her father and with the sting of repressed memories and a bitterness over the childhood she wishes she’d had. Performance is still Mona’s strongest skill. One hones these abilities when living a life full of deep, dark secrets. Ballet keeps Mona busy and satisfied enough. Still, the weight of Mona’s past bears heavily on her shoulders. Regret colors her thoughts, only in ways that she can never admit. It’s one thing to regret stabbing your father - but it’s another entirely when your only wish is that you’d managed to kill him.

CONNECTING THE DOTS

Aliona Chernova:

Company is something Mona tolerates, rather than actively enjoys. If anyone described her, they wouldn’t exactly say “sociable” or “friendly.” Still, the time spent with Aliona is time that Mona cherishes, in her own way. Moments behind the building, staring at the dumpsters like mirrors, a chain of cigarettes between lips. Why is it that, although Mona is never baring her soul to Aliona, she feels so understood? Nothing bonds two people quite like sneaked cigarettes and misanthropy, she supposes. There’s a chaos in Aliona’s heart that feeds Mona’s desire to know she isn’t the only one silently suffocating under the pressures of both past and present. There is no pressure here to be quiet about the things Mona hates. Aliona does not pity Mona or wish to figure out what’s hurting her, making her so resigned within her own pain. Instead, the two can smile wryly in the face of dysfunction and say, “I know, right? Me too.” Aliona is an experience that Mona isn’t exactly attached to, but definitely doesn’t mind having.

Robert Brinkley:

Nothing makes Mona’s skin crawl like cops and older men. Her past always seems to be pushed to the forefront of her mind when Chief Inspector Brinkley comes sniffing around. It’s truly tragic what happened to Katerina, let’s be clear, but if it were up to Mona? She’d have nothing to with this investigation, solely because it’s bad for her heart. Chest-thumping, stomach churning anxiety eats at Mona when any older male cops start snooping around, and Chief Inspector Brinkley is no exception. His peering eyes, his pressing questions. You’d think Mona was guilty, she gets so nervous. That makes all of this worse. If anyone was going to look like someone who could murder Katerina Santos, it’d be the girl who tried to kill her father. Let’s just say Mona avoids Robert Brinkley whenever she can.

REGARDING YOUR INSPIRATION

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[standbyphoenix]

Tofu Guys Don't Eat Meat by Vicki Woods for Vogue, May 1990 (Part I)

River Phoenix is only nineteen. That's the most important thing about him. He's been in the movies so long you'd think he'd be older by now; really knocking on, like... oh, I don't know. Twenty-two or something. But nope. Nineteen. Wholesome as a tofu omelet. And as good-looking as all get-out.

When River isn't making movies, he's making music. He lives with his family in Gainesville, Florida. Ever been to Gainesville? Neither had I. North central Florida isn't exactly a tourist hub, being humid, flat, spotted with alligators, and at least a hundred miles from the ocean in any direction. But it's warm, and Arlyn Phoenix likes the heat. And Gainesville (population ninety thousand and rising) has thirty-five thousand college students living there. The University of Florida, one student told me, is about the cheapest public university in the entire United States, which is why it's busting at the seams with crop-headed, athletic-looking boys in white T-shirts and bermudas who play football by floodlight until the early hours of the morning. Arlyn Phoenix liked the idea of a university town when it came to settle finally, because she wanted plenty of cultural facilities for her brood of children: arts, music, drama.

River Phoenix isn't crop-headed of course. And he doesn't wear bermudas. He arrived at my hotel in his mother's car wearing a jade green Gap sweat-shirt, navy blue long johns, and tennis shoes. He's grown since we last saw him (in Running on Empty - what a tearjerker). He's now five eleven ("Barefoot!''), slim as a willow and hung with wisps of beard like Florida's Spanish moss. He wouldn't shave them off, even for Bruce Weber's pictures. He didn't have to fatten up for his new role in Lawrence Kasdan's I Love You to Death. He plays a pizza chef who has a fairly off-center weltanschauung and tries to help his boss's wife (Tracey Ullman) attempt to murder her husband (Kevin Kline) numerous times .He's a lean pizza chef, playing his age. (He put on fifteen extra pounds for Stand by Me because he was fourteen playing twelve and fatter looks younger.) After I Love You to Death comes Dogfight, directed by Nancy Savoca. I'm really looking forward to it. River plays a marine who has a bet with the other guys that he'll pick up a worse dog - an unhandsome woman - than any of them. This should be a real coming-of-age movie and the first that he'll have to carry on his own. Director Savoca says, "River has an emotional weight that other young actors just don't have."

We went for coffee in Gainesville. The teenage waitress was a little excited, but she kept her cool. "Do you have Venezuelan coffee?" No. "Do you have carrot juice?" No. "Well, I'll just have a double espresso then,'' he said, and promptly ticked away for hours about how hyper he felt from the caffeine. I told him he was a pinup even in the British teen mags and then immediately wished I hadn't. So did he. He laid his beautiful head on the table and groaned with real embarrassment. "A pinup. Oh, God. I wish you hadn't said that. A pinup!" He told me about the publicity stills that were taken of him "when I was younger." You do everything they tell you, he said "they teach you how to pose, you know, they say, 'you have to do it like this!' And you tilt your head, and they show you how to push your lips out and suck in your cheek... oh, oh [groans] and then all the outtakes that you never want to see again in your life go through the teen magazines forever. Oh. oh [more groans]."

It was very funny, but he meant it. Gentlemanly modesty is River's strong suit.

River's press so far has been a combination o large paragraphs about the state of the planet (which can read kind of irritating, from a fifteen-, sixteen-, seventeen-year-old) and a "Wow, freaky!" examination of his unconventional family. Let's take the family first. Arlyn and John Phoenix (him I didn't meet - he was in Mexico with Leaf Joaquin) had a pretty wacky life until they go to Gainesville (and compared with Married... with Children mainstream America it's still a tad wacky). They were sixties dropouts, they were on the road, they thought LSD was a truth serum, they found God, joined a sect, went to South America as missionaries (River was fluent in both Spanish and English from age three), had their babies by natural childbirth, believed in a Whole Earth... you know.Arlyn and John seem to have followed the beat of the sixties drum harder than most, and instead of turning into eighties yuppies, they've hung on in there. They are now perfectly regular folks, with twenty acres of property, a few cars, a few bank accounts, a cook, a gardener, a business manager, and five handsome kids, most of whom are actors, but - they do vegetables instead of drugs now, they don't eat animal products, don't waste paper, wear leather, or overconsume any of the planet's resources. They have SAVE THE RAINFORST stickers on their cars, and their two big dogs, a Doberman-German shepherd mix and a full German shepherd, are both vegans. 

[trinhhungthin]

Law Class Research Assist and Website Teaching StudyDaddy.com

Personal Loans For Those With Bad Credit – Five Misconceptions

Recently a newspaper flashed a headline, “Mush most hated man in Pak”. This may surprise the western countries as he had been fighting the “war on terror” since many years and doing everything that is right for Pakistan and the world. Only in 2005, General Pervez Musharraf was rated amongst the top 10 worst dictator of the world by Parade Magazine. He also won the recent presidential election by unprecedented margin. Why his own people hate him so much? After all he did everything for the country Your second reflection paper topic is about terrorism, mass protests, and mass shootings. This is essentially the second half of the semester. The directions for this are the same as the first and risked his life for Pakistan.

The Closer (TNT, 9pm) – NEW! Pope implements a plan to improve the department’s public image in the wake of the brutal slaying of a parole-board member who was killed during a phone call with Gabriel. But before any image is boosted, Brenda must first solve the murder.

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Russia has once again used its courts for a political purpose. It demonstrates an utter disregard for human rights and th contmpt for the rule of law. In convicting Mr. Khordokovsky and Mr. Lebedev, Mr. Putn has proven that his country is once again a heartless dictatorship.

What happened to our government? Why won’t the Congress listen to the people, or uphold its oath of office to defend the Constitution anymore? It almost sounds like our elected officials are conducting a concerted effort to push us into another form of government, foreign to traditional American values and our Constitutional heritage of freedom.

Reading the local trade press, both in print and online, could be very helpful to your job hunt. Not only will it help to keep you informed about what’s happening in the sector, but in many cases, they will carry details on vacancies at law college firms.

“That’s both interesting and worrying.” I say. I am not too amazed by this. I mean, I have heard we are at War, you know? Besides, there may be a very good reason for not using machinery. Perhaps a unique ant or lizard is living in that area? Perhaps there is no oil or gas to get at?

Bundy grew up thinking that his grandparents were his parents and when he found out that they were not he felt betrayed by his mother, Eleanor Louise Cowell. He only found out that he was illegitimate because his first love, Stephanie Brooks, had broken off their relationship, telling him that he was going nowhere and that he couldn’t plan anything, so he went home where he found his birth certificate. He returned to college having re-invented himself as a charming and sophisticated out going individual. He got involved in politics and started to learn Chinese.

If you are a student law then you have a lot of entry level law jobs waiting for you. But you must always remember that it is very much important to perform well in all your law school examinations.

The last Supreme Court judge to be impeached was “Old Bacon Face,” Samual Chase. In 1805, he was brought up on charges that he treated defendants unfairly based on his political bias. He was eventually acquitted. Of particular note is that Chase’s impeachment set the benchmark for several judicial boundaries. Most notably, it set the “gold standard” that Supreme Court justices are required to abstain from partisan politics. And let’s be perfectly clear: Religious intrusion into the law of the land is a partisan political matter. Just ask Rick Perry.

The same is true in the world of grownup men. Every person wish to do what he likes i.e. what his nature desires. Yet society only considers some of his desires as right and other as wrong. So the people in power use their power to punish such person for any act that are not considered right by the society. What else they can do to a person who does not confirm to the laws of the society? How do you deal with people in your office who does not work, or work against the interest of the organization? Only punishment can improve them. How do you deal with citizens who break the law and commit criminal acts against the fellow citizen? Only force can set them right. What do you do with a government that does not given justice to its people? You can only change it by force.

Know that applications committees and potential employers can view your social networking profiles. Keep information about yourself unobjectionable to make a good impression and prevent any question of your character.

The Stimulus Package And Obama Provide Mothers With College Grants

For a high school chemistry teacher, teaching kids can sometimes be a nightmare! High schools students can be a bit difficult to handle and when you are talking about chemistry, which is one of the most dreaded subjects, the problems gets even worse! The teacher has to make sure that the subject is interesting and students can easily understand it.

Children are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of these toxic cleaning products because proportionally, due to their size and activity levels, children consume more air, water and Unit II Research Paper OpenInstructionsPesticides are a common environmental concern due to the potential long-term effects of the chemicals and their metabolites on the immediate environment food, pound for pound, than adults. In the long run, children are the ones who suffer the heaviest exposure to toxins in the home. You wouldn’t let your child play in a bucket filled with a poisonous substance. Why, then, would you let a baby crawl on a floor that has just been wiped with a toxic chemical? Or worse yet, why let a baby put a toy that was just wiped with a toxic disinfecting wipe into its mouth?

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No time to eat? Grab a liquid breakfast and run. Why tie a knot in the umbilical chord connecting your bed to your desk? If you can find a long enough straw, just start slurping as you rise from bed, and smack your lips to the last drop as you whiz out the front door. Bye.

You know life is always going to deliver some heavy blows and you’re not always going to be prepared to handle it as you would like. As much as suffering is apparently a negative feeling and gives you the sense of loss, a feeling I know most of us would like to avoid there are however, certain cultures that embrace it, and furthermore find it necessary to their growth.

On no account should you agree with your best friend that her ex was a boring ugly tosser and then add that you’re glad they’ve split as you could never stand him. Next week they will have got back together and your best friend will be your ex.

If you are interested to learn the courses like high school chemistry, general chemistry help, organic chemistry online, AP physics exam, college physics, MCAT physics, high school physics, general physics help, MCAT biology, high school biology, general biology help, CLEP biology, AP calculus exam, high school algebra, elementary algebra online, CLEP college algebra and intermediate algebra then you can learn them within 24 hours. Other than this, you can even get free tips as well as videos regarding these subjects.

To turn this around and make better use of the medium of video, students need to be given control. Students should be allowed to use their imagination and create, not teachers.

On one occasion the secretary phoned me and said there were two enormous boxes that had been left by a parent for the college of chemistry. It turned out to be a spectrophotometer. Now don’t get me wrong. A spectrophotometer is an extremely useful piece of equipment, when it works. This one did not work at all.

Consider this: In one study, beginning tennis players who were told that they could improve their game by trying hard and practicing scored consistently better than those who were told that poor performance meant they lacked the innate ability. “If you believe you have bad genes, you’re less likely to succeed than if you believe you have the power to control your actions, your attitude, and, consequently your weight,” says study leader Robert Singer, PhD, chairman of the exercise and sport school of chemistry at the University of Florida in Gainesville. It’s all about developing what psychologists call “self efficacy” a big word for believing in yourself and your power to do what needs to be done. Here’s how to boost yours.

Exercise MYTH #3: Running a mile burns more calories than walking a mile. The TRUTH: Both running and walking a mile burn the same amount of calories.

I can now personally vouch for the whole Alkalinity argument. I now have vibrant energy, I have lost excess fat, I don’t feel like I need a nap every after noon like I used to, and at the age of 40 I am competing with the young guys in my Triathlons and basketball games. And I was able to do it without giving up my social life!

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[themoneybuff-blog]

How to retire early: Early retirement by the numbers

279 Shares More and more, I'm meeting people who want to know how to retire early. There's been a lot of buzz in the media lately about early retirement, and that's led folks to wonder how much money they would need to quit their jobs or if early retirement is even something they should consider. Why retire early? Well, for most people a job is a necessary evil. We work because we have to. Early retirement gives us the flexibility to choose how we spend our time, whether that entails sitting on the beach drinking margaritas or it leads to new work that provides meaning and fulfillment. Lots of us dream of leaving the workplace in our forties or fifties instead of sticking it out until age 65 but we keep working to support the lifestyles to which we've become accustomed. We like our iPhones and Playstations and Priuses, so we surrender to the idea that we'll have fifty-year careers. Still, there are a surprising number of folks who manage to retire young. In fact, the 2018 EBRI Retirement Confidence Survey found that 35% of retirees left the workforce before they turned 60. (Previous surveys have shown that 18% of people retire by age 55.) These folks aren't lucky lottery winners, and most didn't have high-paying careers. In general, those who manage to retire early have opted to live with less when they're younger so they can obtain financial freedom before they're too old to enjoy it. Early retirement is a fantastic goal, but it can be tough to achieve. Three major obstacles stand in your way: You have less time to earn money. If you start working at 20 and retire at 65, you have 45 income-producing years. But if you retire at 45, you only have 25 income-producing years.You spend more time living on your savings. Life expectancy for the average American is nearly 80 years. If you retire at 65, your savings will probably have to last only ten to twenty years; if you retire at 45, your savings may need to support you for thirty or forty years.You don't enjoy traditional retirement benefits. If you retire young, you can't access Social Security or Medicare for several years or decades. You also face penalties if you choose to access your retirement accounts before you reaching minimum age requirements. (I'm experiencing issues with this gap already!) In short, early retirees have less time to make money, and that money has to last them longer. Even if you stay healthy and the economy cooperates, that's asking a lot. That's not to say you shouldn't plan to retire early it's a laudable goal, one that I encourage here at Get Rich Slowly but if you're serious about doing so, you need to be diligent. You need to have a plan. And you need to understand the numbers. Let's take a look at the basics of how to retire early and why you might want to do so. Why Retire Early? Before we dive deep into the numbers, let's get a little philosophical. Why would somebody want to retire early in the first place? Honestly, the reasons people pursue this goal are many and varied. The answers are as individual as we are. However, I've noticed some common themes. Reading the financial independence forum on Reddit, you might think that most people want to retire early because they're trying to escape from something. They hate their jobs. They hate where they live. They hate their lives. And yes, there are plenty of people who are hoping early retirement will solve their problems. (Hot tip: It won't.) I believe people are much more successful (and happier) if instead of running from something, they run toward a goal instead. In the case of early retirement, that means being motivated by a carrot instead of a stick. Don't chase financial independence because you want out of a bad job. Chase it because you want to obtain something worthwhile. Here are a few of the many reasons people reach toward early retirement: Fun. Traditionally, people have wanted to retire early so that they can enjoy life. They think they'll play golf or tennis. They think they'll buy a beach house and go fishing every day. They think they'll do whatever they want, whenever they want. (Fun can absolutely be a big part of early retirement, but most successful early retirees find they want more out of life.) Freedom. If you're able to retire early, you have the freedom to pursue other passions. You can travel. You can volunteer. You can spend time with your family. You can even find work you were meant to instead of work you have to do. (Some folks argue that if you're working at all, you're not retired. They're wrong.)Fulfillment. Many people and I'm one of them choose to retire early so that they can turn their attention to more fulfilling endeavors. What this means differs with each person. For some, fulfillment comes from being able to watch their children grow. For others, it comes from starting a business. And still others discover meaning in writing books, teaching classes, hiking across the country, and so on. The bottom line is that the why doesn't really matter as long as you have one. From what I've seen, you'll probably be happier (and more successful) if you're working toward something rather than trying to escape something. But even escape can be a valid reason to retire early. The Extraordinary Power of Saving Here's the fundamental thing you need to know about early retirement: The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Obvious, right? Maybe so, but just because it's obvious doesn't mean it's easy. Most financial advisers urge their clients to save around ten percent of their income for retirement. Bold advisers recommend saving as much as twenty percent. These numbers are safe. They'll get you to retirement at age 65 without making many sacrifices along the way. The downside, however, is that by saving only ten or twenty percent of your income, you're tacitly agreeing to spend forty or fifty years working for the man. A growing number of people have realized that they don't want to work for fifty years. They want to trade the commute, the co-workers, and the hassle for something more meaningful. These folks have crunched the numbers and seen that if they're able to increase their saving rate, they can retire sooner. Consider the following shockingly simple math: With a 10% saving rate, you'll need to work 50 years before you've saved enough to retire. (If you start working at 21, you can be done by the time you're 71.)With a 20% saving rate, you'll need to work 37 years before you've saved enough to retire. (If you start working at 21, you can be done by the time you're 58.)With a 35% saving rate, you'll need to work 25 years before you've saved enough to retire. (If you start working at 21, you can be done by the time you're 46.)With a 50% saving rate if you save half of everything you earn you'll only need to work for 17 years before you've saved enough to retire. (If you save half your income from age 21, you can retire by the time you're 38.)If you're able to achieve a mind-boggling 70% saving rate I know people who have done this! you'll have enough saved to retire in less than nine years. (If you managed to do this from age 21, you could retire by 30.) I'll be honest: I used to think numbers like this were crazy. I could barely save fifty bucks a month. How was I going to save half my income? In the twelve years that I've been writing about money, I've come to understand that high saving rates aren't crazy they're just rare. Over the years, I've talked with many people who purposefully seek high-paying jobs, find ways to slash costs, or (most often) do both. There are plenty of people who choose to forego the modern American lifestyle in order to achieve something more important. My ex-wife, for instance, has always been a super saver, and is currently setting aside more than one-third of her income. She's not a tech bro. She started her career as a schoolteacher, and now she's a forensic chemist. She'll retire in a few years at age 52. I know another fellow who set a goal to retire by 40 and did so. And I've met a few dedicated souls who saved so much so quickly that they achieved financial independence by the time they turned thirty. For more early retirement stories, check out this Life magazine article from 1957 about what early retirement was like sixty years ago. How to Save Half Your Income According to the 2016 edition of the Retirement Confident Survey, 22% of workers save one-fifth of their household income for retirement. Four percent of workers save at least half their income. If you believed the doom and gloom in the mass media, you'd think saving half your income was impossible. It's not. You probably know a dual-income couple who saves half what they earn (or close to it) by socking away one partner's paycheck. They live on one income and save the other for the future. When I was younger, for instance, two of my close friends got married. He worked as an accountant; she taught grade school. From the start, they lived on only his paycheck. This put them in an excellent financial position when they decided to have a family. She was able to quit to become a full-time mother. Meanwhile, their spending was already comfortably within the husbands income. If you'd like to boost your saving rate whether it's to retire early or to obtain any other financial goal I recommend a two-pronged attack. First, minimize spending. Two expenses consume half of the average American budget. Pursue these first (and with greatest vigor). The number one way to cut costs is to pay less for housing. The average American spends one-third of her budget on a place to live. But, as you've probably noticed, average Americans don't retire early. I urge folks to spend no more than 25% of their income on housing and less is better. Choose a home in an area with a low cost of living. Reject the advice to buy as much home as you can afford. Buy as little as you need. Take out a small mortgage at a low interest rate. Repay it as quickly as possible. Lastly, don't be afraid to rent. Despite what you've heard, renting is not throwing your money away. Often it's a smart move! Transportation is the second-largest expense for the average American. The more you can reduce your use of motor vehicles, the more money you'll save. Choose to live in a walkable neighborhood. (Before moving to our current house, I walked for 80% of my errands, which provided added health benefits.) If possible, bike to work. Use public transportation. Reject the notion that your car is a status symbol. When you buy, choose a fuel-efficient used model and drive it until it's dead. Cutting costs on housing and transportation will have as much impact as everything else you do combined. Big wins are the cornerstone of financial freedom. Yes, it's great to clip coupons, to grow a vegetable garden, to shop at thrift stores, and so on. But recognize that these actions net you pennies at a time while tackling the two biggest items in your budget could yield hundreds (or thousands!) of dollars in one blow. Many folks frown on this sort of frugality. They view it as sacrifice. They feel like they're depriving themselves. I disagree. Saving is not sacrifice. When I save for retirement, that money is still spent. But I'm choosing to spend it on freedom tomorrow instead of fun today. The second piece of our two-pronged attack is perhaps most important: Maximize your income. It's great to cut expenses and develop thrifty habits, but there's only so much fat you can trim from your budget. In theory, there's no limit to how much you can earn. If you want to retire early, you'll probably want to make more money. Your job is your most important asset. Treat it as such. Negotiate your salary, learn new skills, connect with colleagues, and actively manage your career.Become better educated. In the U.S., education has a greater impact on lifetime earnings than any other demographic factor. Your age, race, gender, and location all influence what you earn, but nothing matters more than what you know.Sell your stuff. Itll improve both your mental and financial health.Start a side gig. Make money from your hobby. Take a second job. To be blunt, most people who read this article won't do any of these things. They won't look for a cheaper place to live, won't find ways to drive less, won't increase their income. They want easy, painless shortcuts, and that's fine. But they can't expect to have their cake and eat it too. There are no easy, painless shortcuts to early retirement. If you want to quit working before you're old, you must boost your saving rate. There are only two ways to do that: earn more or spend less. That's the basic rule of personal finance. However, a handful of readers will heed my advice. Maybe one of them is you! You'll make some big changes to create a high saving rate. You'll learn how to invest wisely. You'll build a wealth snowball that grows faster and faster as you add to it, one that also gains momentum through compounding. What about debt? If you follow this roadmap, you don't have to worry about it. Even if you start the journey owing money on college loans or credit cards, that debt will disappear. Debt reduction is a side effect of boosting your saving rate. How to Retire Early At some point, your wealth snowball will be so large that it can last the rest of your life. Youll never have to work for money again unless you choose to. At this crossover point, your investment returns produce more than you spend. Realistically speaking, it's important to have a margin of safety. To that end, I make the following assumptions when I calculate whether somebody is ready to retire: You'll spend as much in the future as you do now. (About 38% of people spend more, 21% spend less, and 38% spend the same.)If you withdraw about 4% from your savings each year, your wealth snowball will maintain its value against inflation. During market downturns, you might need to withdraw as little as 3%. During flush times, you might allow yourself 5%. But around 4% is generally safe. Based on these assumptions, there's a quick way to check whether early retirement is within your reach. Multiply your current annual expenses by 25. If the result is less than your savings, you've achieved financial independence you can retire early. If the product is greater than your savings, you still have work to do. (If you're conservative and/or have low risk tolerance, multiply your annual expenses by 30. If youre aggressive and/or willing to take on greater risk, multiply by 20.) The numbers behind early retirement really are this basic. But, as I said earlier, just because the math is simple doesn't mean the goal is easy to reach. Smart money management is more about mastering your personal psychology and emotions than it is about undestanding a couple of formulas. To build your wealth snowball, you need to learn to live by your values rather than the values of your friends and family. (Or, worse, the values portrayed in the media.) You need to decide what's important for you. If you remain focused on why you're choosing to live on less, the how becomes easier to see. (Here's how to write a personal mission statement.) Yes, you can achieve early retirement. Others have done it, and you can too. The question is: What are you willing to do in order to reach that goal? Author: J.D. Roth In 2006, J.D. founded Get Rich Slowly to document his quest to get out of debt. Over time, he learned how to save and how to invest. Today, he's managed to reach early retirement! He wants to help you master your money and your life. No scams. No gimmicks. Just smart money advice to help you reach your goals. 279 Shares https://www.getrichslowly.org/early-retirement/

[bloojayoolie]

Apparently, Cats, and Children: Absolutely gorgeous, young, happy, riendly, loves toys, an amazing athlete, housetrained, dog Friendly INO aManhattan ACC waiting LOVE 36612-1 years old, 57 lbs **** TO BE KILLED - 8/11/2018 **** GORGEOUS ALERT <3 A volunteer writes: Say "yes" to Nino! If there's a more dashing, dreamy, or darling boy than 1 year-old Nino well I certainly haven't met him. A long-legged vision in cinnamon and cream, Nino is a coltish cutie who will capture your heart. A gingerbread, borough-bred, thoroughbred. Nino is easily leashed and away we go, the wind in our hair and at our backs. And as he trots happily in front of me we swing out into the sun and get down to fun and games, as both are Nino's specialties. And if you happen to have a ball well get ready to...have a ball. Forward, back, up, down! Nino is a sight to behold, so impressive and light, as he plays with a bright, shining smile. Nino is described by his previous owner as excitable and playful. We're also told he's crate-trained, enjoys baths and being brushed, and loves to play with tennis balls which I can certainly attest to be true. As a young, energetic, and devastatingly handsome boy, Nino might do best with an experienced family who'll give our boy plenty of chances and room to stretch his legs and lots of opportunities for play. Say "yes" to Nino and then say "no" to days without never-ending fun. Nino is waiting in adoptions at Manhattan ACC. NINO@MANHATTAN ACC Hello, my name is Nino My animal id is #36642 I am a male brown dog at the Manhattan Animal Care Center The shelter thinks I am about 1 years old, 57 lbs Came into shelter as owner surrender Aug. 1, 2018 REason Stated: MOVING out of country Nino is at risk for medical reasons, having been diagnosed with Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex, which is contagious to other dogs and will require treatment with antibiotics, likely for 14 days. Nino is a high energy dog, and we suggest that he would therefore be best suited to a dog experienced home. My medical notes are... Weight: 57.8 lbs Vet Notes 4/08/2018 DVM Intake Exam Estimated age: adult, ~ 1-2 yrs Microchip noted on Intake? scan negative Microchip Number (If Applicable): placed at exam, #985113002020246 History: owner surrender Subjective: BARH Observed Behavior - hyperactive, allowed handling Evidence of Cruelty seen - no Evidence of Trauma seen - no Objective P/RR wnl BCS 4/9 EENT: Eyes clear, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: nsf PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: nsf; NMA, CRT < 2, Lungs clear ABD: soft, non-painful, no masses palpated U/G: intact male, nsf MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Rectal: externally normal Assessment: apparently healthy Prognosis: good Plan: intake services SURGERY: Okay for surgery 4/08/2018 9/08/2018 SO BAr at kennel front EENT -- serous nasal discharge and sniffling during observation A CIRDC P doxycycline 100mg tablet -- give 2.5 tablets PO q24h x 14 days cerenia 60mg tablet -- give 0.5 tablet PO q24h x 4 days Details on my behavior are... Behavior Condition: 1. Green Behavior History Behavior Assessment Nino was very loose bodied during intake he was jumping up and licking my face. He allowed me to collar him but when taking his picture he kept lunging at me to lick my face and wanting to play. He did not allow me to weigh him since he kept jumping around on the scale. Date of Intake: 8/1/2018 Basic Information:: Nino is a male brown and white large breed dog that is estimated to be 1 year old. His previous owner got him from a pet store a year ago and kept him until a family emergency required him to leave the country and was unable to take Nino with him. Previously lived with:: 2 Adults How is this dog around strangers?: Nino is friendly with strangers and will jump on top of the seeking attention and enticing play. How is this dog around children?: Nino was not around children in his previous home. How is this dog around other dogs?: Nino did not live with dogs but regularly played with other dogs on the floor he lived in. He did play somewhat rough. How is this dog around cats?: Nino was not around cats in his previous home. Resource guarding:: Nino is not bothered by people going near his food or toys. Bite history:: Nino has no history of having bitten another person or animal. Housetrained:: Yes Energy level/descriptors:: High Energy, Excitable, Playful Other Notes:: Nino tends to excessively bark if he hears people walking near the door or if he hears loud noises. He enjoys baths and being brushed. He is not bothered by people trimming his nails but does not stand still for it. Has this dog ever had any medical issues?: No Medical Notes: Nino has no known medical concerns. He has been to the vet in the past month. His previous owner did not bring medical records. For a New Family to Know: Nino is an excitable dog that enjoys jumping around and following people in the home. He likes to play with tennis balls and is used to eating dry food. He is used to being indoors most of the day and is crate trained for up to 8 hours. He does pull very hard when he is out for walks and can not be walked off leash as he will just run away. Date of intake:: 8/1/2018 Spay/Neuter status:: No Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Owner Surrender (In home for 1 year) Previously lived with:: Adults Behavior toward strangers:: Friendly, jumps up to greet Behavior toward dogs:: Playful, somewhat rough at play Resource guarding:: None reported Bite history:: None reported Housetrained:: Yes Energy level/descriptors:: Nino is described as excitable and playful with a high level of activity. Date of assessment:: 8/2/2018 Look:: 1. Dog leans forward or jumps up to lick the Assessor's face with tail wagging, ears back and eyes averted. Sensitivity:: 2. Dog displays high energy and movement, but it is directed toward getting closer to the Assessor. Body is soft, likely panting, may jump up between attempts to lick Assessor. Tag:: 1. Dog assumes play position and joins the game. Or dog indicates play with huffing, soft 'popping' of the body, etc. Dog might jump on Assessor once play begins. Paw squeeze 1:: 2. Dog gently places open mouth over the Assessor's hand without applying pressure. Paw squeeze 2:: 2. Dog gently places open mouth over the Assessor's hand without applying pressure. Flank squeeze 1:: Item not conducted Flank squeeze 2:: Item not conducted Toy:: 1. Dog settles close, keeps a firm grip and is loose and wiggly. Dog does not place his/her body between you and the toy. Summary:: Nino quickly approached the assessor with a soft body and jumped up in a social manner. He was exuberant throughout the assessment and displayed a very high level of activity and movement. He was mouthy at times, applying light pressure. He was social throughout and allowed all handling. Summary:: Nino may be most compatible with other social dogs who enjoy high energy play. Summary (1):: 8/2: When introduced to a playful female greeter dog, Nino greets her politely and engages in appropriate play with her. Summary (2):: 8/5-7: Nino is bouncy and playful. Date of intake:: 8/1/2018 Summary:: Loose body, active, jumping up ENERGY LEVEL:: Nino is described as having a high level of activity. He is a young, enthusiastic, social dog who will need daily mental and physical activity to keep him engaged and exercised. We recommend long-lasting chews, food puzzles, and hide-and-seek games, in additional to physical exercise, to positively direct his energy and enthusiasm. BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: EXPERIENCE (suitable for an adopter with some previous dog experience, especially with the behaviors outlined below) Behavior Asilomar: TM - Treatable-Manageable Recommendations:: No young children (under 5) Recommendations comments:: No young children: Due to the high level of jumping and mouthing seen at the care center, we recommend a home without young children. Older children who are comfortable around large, jumpy dogs should have an in-depth interaction prior to adoption. Potential challenges: : Basic manners/poor impulse control,Mouthiness/poor bite inhibition Potential challenges comments:: Basic manners/poor impulse control: Nino jumps up on people a lot in a social manner. It is recommended that default behaviors such as "Leave it", "Sit/Stay", "Down" are reinforced to substitute any frustration and teach him to control his impulses instead of simply reacting; proper management is also advised. Force-free, reward based training only is recommended. Mouthiness/poor bite inhibition: Nino has shown some mouthiness in the care center. Little pressure is applied, but this is a behavior that should be extinguished through training alternate behaviors and lack of reward (ex. walking away whenever Nino's teeth make contact with skin). * TO FOSTER OR ADOPT * If you would like to adopt a dog on our “To Be Killed” list, and you CAN get to the shelter in person to complete the adoption process *within 48 hours of reserve*, you can reserve the dog online until noon on the day they are scheduled to die. We have provided the Brooklyn, Staten Island and Manhattan information below. Adoption hours at these facilities is Noon – 8:00 p.m. (6:30 on weekends) HOW TO RESERVE A “TO BE KILLED” DOG ONLINE (only for those who can get to the shelter IN PERSON to complete the adoption process, and only for the dogs on the list NOT marked New Hope Rescue Only). Follow our Step by Step directions below! *PLEASE NOTE – YOU MUST USE A PC OR TABLET – PHONE RESERVES WILL NOT WORK! ** STEP 1: CLICK ON THIS RESERVE LINK: https://newhope.shelterbuddy.com/Animal/List Step 2: Go to the red menu button on the top right corner, click register and fill in your info. Step 3: Go to your email and verify account Step 4: Go back to the website, click the menu button and view available dogs Step 5: Scroll to the animal you are interested and click reserve STEP 6 ( MOST IMPORTANT STEP ): GO TO THE MENU AGAIN AND VIEW YOUR CART. THE ANIMAL SHOULD NOW BE IN YOUR CART! Step 7: Fill in your credit card info and complete transaction Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC) nycacc.org HOW TO FOSTER OR ADOPT IF YOU *CANNOT* GET TO THE SHELTER IN PERSON, OR IF THE DOG IS NEW HOPE RESCUE ONLY! You must live within 3 – 4 hours of NY, NJ, PA, CT, RI, DE, MD, MA, NH, VT, ME or Norther VA. Please PM our page for assistance. You will need to fill out applications with a New Hope Rescue Partner to foster or adopt a dog on the To Be Killed list, including those labelled Rescue Only. Hurry please, time is short, and the Rescues need time to process the applications.