#Personal Branding Australia

[imagegroupinternational]

Unlock Your True Potential with Personal Branding

Elevate your career and personal life with expert personal branding services from Image Group International. Gain the confidence to stand out, connect authentically, and make a lasting impact. Whether you're an entrepreneur, professional, or leader, we help you craft a powerful and unique personal brand that opens doors to new opportunities. Contact us now!

[100xgems]

Tips for a Successful Personal Branding Photoshoot in Brisbane

Introduction:

In the digital age, establishing a strong personal brand is vital for small business owners looking to stand out from the crowd. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is through personal branding photography, a powerful tool that allows entrepreneurs to showcase their authentic selves while adding a human touch to their business.     In this blog, we’ll explore the key tips for a successful personal branding photoshoot in Brisbane, emphasizing the importance of capturing genuine headshots and in-action images that reflect the essence of your business.

1. Define Your Brand Identity:

Before diving into the photoshoot, take the time to define your brand identity. Consider the message you want to convey to your audience and the values that set your business apart. Understanding your brand personality will guide the photography style, locations, and overall mood of the images.

2. Plan Your Photoshoot Strategy:

Collaborate with your personal branding photographer to create a comprehensive plan for the photoshoot. Discuss the specific elements you want to include, such as headshots, candid shots while you’re working, and images in your work environment. Having a clear vision and strategy will ensure that the photos align perfectly with your branding goals.

Read more...

[anguilliforme]

What’s the point of blade covers if it doesn’t look like a creature of some sort has died on them

[maezensports]

Custom Event Apparel: Make Your Event Unforgettable"

Make a lasting impression at your next event with custom apparel from Maezen Sports, available for businesses, teams, and event organizers in Australia, the USA, and the UK. Whether for corporate events, sports tournaments, or community festivals, our custom event apparel lets you showcase your brand, team, or cause in style. Add your logo, event theme, or slogan to create memorable, personalized attire for your attendees.

[we-jeans]

newjeans gf hc’s (3/4)

‘’ⁱᵗ'ˢ ˡⁱᵏᵉ ʷᵉ'ˡˡ ᵇᵉ ⁱⁿ ˡᵒᵛᵉ ᶠᵒʳᵉᵛᵉʳ’’

100% believes in the love at first sight theory and uses your “how you met story” as proof that it exists and is very much real.

the sweetest most considerate girlfriend ever

constantly updating you whether that’ll be via text, call or even by a handwritten letter posted through your letter box.

spoils you with gifts that she was either gifted herself from brands or random objects she saw in souvenir shops in the various countries she visits while working

will always make time for you even if it’s just a small time frame of 5 minutes (those 5 minutes r extremely important??)

very clingy in person and over text

constantly flirting with you as if you two aren’t already dating? will hit you with the most random thoughtful pickup lines that leave you speechless and then carry on conversation as if nothing ever happened

100% takes you to australia when she goes to visit family, but will not mind if you are unable to go due to schooling or work related issues

non-stop chatter about you to the members, you just got a new pair of shoes? the members have heard about it 5 times already, you got a hair cut and surprised her w it? she’s rambling to the members

you cannot tell me this girl doesn’t date to marry, she’s a keeper

most likely gets emotional every anniversary and will get the most extravagant gifts for you, each gift while being expensive has its own small story on why it best suits you.

if you were to share an apartment or house together she’d fill either the balcony or garden with various plant pots filled with compost along with the in-season plants she wants to grow

kind of girl who’d spontaneously propose and then cry when she realised that she didn’t make it “romantic” enough.

[mxkyu--x9e]

hiiii!!!!!!!! could I request best friend chan who confesses his feelings for reader on live not realizing they're watching? Hopefully this makes sense lol

|:: The chat's view on love

Author's note: Hii!!!! Thank you for much for this request!! I hope I wrote this to your expectations!! Thank you so much,I'm sorry if it's not to your expectations because it definitely did not make me happy!! But I hope it's good enough.

Synopsis: With Bang Chan's live, Stays swarm in, asking questions and such..and one slip of his tongue revealed a big detail on his life...poor boy's crush.

Warnings: Idol! Bang Chan|| fem! Reader|| nothing really, sorry if it's pretty short.

"No, Berry is actually doing good!! She's with Hannah in Australia, what are you talking about???" Chan asked the live with confused laughter, as he continued to talk with Stays on his chat. Almost a good few millions, actually.

As he answered questions, laughing softly it wasn't too big on his thoughts to really think everything through and see if Stays psycho-analyze everything he said or did. As he read out questions for himself, while playing random videos of his own entertainment.

"Chocolate or cookies and cream? I'm sorry...I gotta say cookies and cream, it's too bitter for me to eat chocolate in ice-cream." he said, shaking his head as he laughed. "How is your best-friend doing??" he read, and god was he delighted to talk about you!

He also took the time to check your texts from earlier this day, telling him to eat something, as he felt butterflies in his stomach and warmth in his chest, it was just adorable at how much you cared for him.

It felt delightful to get your texts, he didn't know why, it gave him some sort of joy...sure it meant he loved you, you're his best-friend after all, since his trainee years , but this just felt different...

Different from last month...He had no idea when it began, was it when you broke up with your stupid situationship type of boyfriend? Or was it when you personally came to see him after his group won and treated them all to dinner that night...

Maybe it was the fact that you cared for him so deeply, you got along well with Hannah and Berry and his entire family, the fact you always got a good morning and good night text for him in a weird way, how you're always ready to comfort him or others, how you're always the first to support him...It came naturally for him to fall in love with you, how couldn't he??

"They're actually doing pretty great. They recently got me a brand new rice cooker after my old one broke and I was crying to them about it...And god, was it so sweet!! It has bears drawn on it." Chan told the viewers, most commenting about "how cute!" they visualized it to be, how they'd like him to "show it!", and others as he laughed and nodded,

"I will, I will...when I can...But yeah, they've been good. I was texting them today about the new beats I was making and they told me very gently and sweetly, "go eat, la!!" and it's so cute! They're so adorable!!" he said, laughing, as he pressed his lips together to stop the biggest, giddy smile reaching his lips...

"I seriously adore them, they're such an important person in my life and I don't think I ever want to...I don't think I ever want them to leave me..or be apart and I don't want us to drift apart..I might not be making sense, but it's tr-true." he said,

"I ADORE them..." he said, before his eyes glanced up to catch the camera, and he quickly added, "Like a friend, of-course" His heart skipping a beat, as he thought of you again..perfect in his eyes, almost perfect.

He might have not noticed, but Stays definitely did. Speaking from the heart, his irises slightly growing large as he thought of you, an uncontrollable smile on his lips, the one smile where his tiny dimples start showing up as he smiles... That's love...not just admiration for a friend...

And you definitely knew it was love as you stared at the live with bright eyes, feeling flustered already, your stomach cramping in as if on a roller-coaster, you couldn't control your own smile after hearing his honey-dipped words...

The Stays watching knew the warmth those words spread, even in them...Like blankets on a particularly hard day when you simply want to cry, like the warm soup after feeling bad about yourself in the past few days, like the productivity you feel proud of after not living up to your standards, like that one friend's text after you feel left out...

It was warm and it spread to Chan's veins as he glanced at his phone, smiling down, seeing it was yours as he opened, his eyes widening as he scanned the words...

Trying to hide his urge to scream in happiness...But he heard a ping, and he quickly turned back up at camera, eyes widening a bit more that he was still Live..as he reached and looked at his phone, before hurriedly smiling towards the live and Stays,

"I-uh-I gotta go, Stays, a little-...Uh. A littl-emergency, I'm late-late to practice!!" he said, hurriedly shutting off the camera and picking up his phone, his bag and running out to see you as he struggled to put on some shoes, rushing down his apartment...tripping over his own feet slightly as he ran, smiling down at your text.

"I love you too. More than a friend though :)"

© Mxkyu--e9e. I do not give permission to modify, translate, copy or repost ANY of my works. Reblogs are very much beloved!

[stay-dazed]

a simple stray kids guide (for baby stays) ✨

overview: stray kids, or skz for short, is an 8-member korean boy band that debuted on march 25th, 2018 under jype ent. they were formed through a survival show in 2017 with originally 9 members, but one member left the group a year after debut for unknown reasons. there are three subunits to the group: 3racha the rap/producer unit, danceracha the dance unit, and vocalracha the vocal unit. of course, though, all of them do a bit of everything.

stray kids were considered an “experimental group” since the leader of the group was tasked with choosing all the members himself, and coming up with the name, logo, and fandom name of the group. as a group, they produced all their own music as well. they were relatively small for a while but by the time they released their song god’s menu, they were growing in popularity.

now stray kids have had many accomplishments, including: performing at lollapalooza, being the first k-pop group invited to the met gala, becoming ambassadors for brands like versace and gucci, winning around 82 awards, and producing an ost for the deadpool movie. they've also recently set a guinness world record for the first ever group to have #1 albums 5 times in a row over the course of only 8 months!

while they are incredibly talented and successful celebrities, they’re also very down to earth, and very connected with their fanbase. they’ve shown openness and vulnerability with their fans by releasing songs with serious topic matters, crying on stage, and talking about their emotions/experiences. personally, they’re the only band i’ve ever seen who feel genuine love for their fanbase.

name: chan bahng

english name: christopher

stage name: bangchan, cb97 in 3racha

age: 27 (october 3rd, 1997)

nationality: australian-korean

languages: english, korean

positions: leader, producer in 3racha, dancer, rapper, vocalist

skzoo: wolfchan

instagram: gnabnahc

basics: chan was born in korea, but moved to australia when he was about 3 or 4 years old. he remained there with his two younger siblings, hannah and lucas, and their cavalier king charles named berry, until he was 13 when he went back to korea to become a k-pop trainee. he trained for about 7 years until he was finally able to debut as stray kids’ leader. chan is very reliable as the leader and dad of the group, but he’s also australian, so he adds to the chaos very well.

fun facts: chan has hypermobile arms and legs, and can turn his hand 360°. he sometimes wears wrist and knee braces due to overextension. chan won many medals in swimming growing up and could’ve gone into that career. along with that, he’s also good in many other sports like soccer and track. chan's hair is naturally curly!

name: minho lee

english name: rhino (yes i’m serious)

stage name: leeknow

age: 26 (october 25th, 1998)

nationality: korean

languages: korean and basic english

positions: lead dancer in danceracha, vocalist, rapper

skzoo: leebit

instagram: t.leeknowsaurus

basics: minho was born and raised in korea as an only child, aside from his cat siblings soonie, doongie, and dori. he moved out of his parents’ home at a fairly young age in order to be closer to his university, where he was said to have studied dance and comp-sci, as well as worked as a waiter for some time. he was called in to train under jype in 2017 and he ended up passing the dance test in only 2 weeks, the shortest period among jype trainees. minho is considered to be a “tsundere” since he’s very blunt, loud, and a bit rough generally, but is very kind and caring inside.

fun facts: minho toured in japan with bts as a backup dancer when he was in highschool. minho has acrophobia, the severe fear of heights, and he cannot swim. minho is well-trained in taekwondo, boxing, and bodyguard martial arts. minho said that the reason he isn’t comfortable showing his abs like some other members do is because he has a scar on his stomach from a surgery he had as a child.

name: changbin seo

english name: lewis

stage name: spearB in 3racha

age: 24 (august 11th, 1999)

nationality: korean

languages: korean and intermediate english

positions: producer in 3racha, main rapper, vocalist, dancer

skzoo: dwaekki

instagram: jutdwae

basics: changbin was born and raised in korea, along with his older sister, in a fairly wealthy family. he originally joined jype as a trainee at age 17 to debut as a vocalist, but was convinced to debut as a rapper by a counselor. unfortunately i don’t know much about changbin’s trainee days, other than he trained for about 2 years, and he was part of 3racha who uploaded their first rap song on soundcloud in 2017. changbin is a pretty silly and loud person, but has been described by his members as someone they can approach and who will notice/remember the smallest things about them.

fun facts: changbin prefers plants as he’s allergic to both cats and dogs. changbin is a blackbelt in taekwondo, and he named his own pecs "jut" and "dwae". changbin has said he would like to own his own gym or be a tattoo artist. changbin is the shortest member at 5 '6. changbin was named the fastest male rapper in the k-pop industry with 11 korean syllables per second, i believe.

name: hyunjin hwang

english name: sam

age: 24 (march 20th, 2000)

nationality: korean

languages: korean and advanced english

positions: dancer in danceracha, vocalist, rapper

skzoo: jiniret

instagram: hynjinnnn

basics: hyunjin was born and raised in korea as an only child, along with his long-haired chihuahua, kkami. he was approached by two k-pop company scouts at a young age, one of which while he was out shopping with his mom. and, of course, he chose jype. he trained as a dancer, and admitted he had hated dancing at first due to the emotional toll it took on him, but now he says dance is like another language he can speak. unlike minho, he attended university online, all during his busy career as an idol. hyunjin is introverted, but very silly and dramatic at the same time.

fun facts: hyunjin has a fear of sudden loud noises, like balloons popping. hyunjin is the tallest member at 5 '11. hyunjin was going to be an interior designer before he became an idol. hyunjin is an artist in multiple forms of media, but he’s most interested in sketching and painting. hyunjin had a live called “counseling center” where he would read his fans’ comments and give them advice/encouragement. hyunjin once broke his hand and now he can't really bend his right pinky finger.

name: jisung han

english name: peter

stage name: han, and j.one in 3racha

age: 24 (september 14th, 2000)

nationality: korean

languages: korean and advanced english

positions: producer in 3racha, rapper, dancer, vocalist

skzoo: han quokka

instagram: _doolsetnet

basics: jisung was born in korea like his older brother. his family moved to malaysia when he was about 8, where they stayed for a while before coming back to korea. his parents weren’t particularly supportive of his desire to become a trainee at first, but they made a deal with him that if he could be accepted into a company before a certain amount of time, they’d let him continue. if not, he’d have to go back to school to get another job. luckily he made it into jype, and became chan’s very first member of choice. like hyunjin, jisung is an introvert, but he’s very loud and energetic at the same time.

fun facts: jisung started learning english in malaysia, which may be why his accent when speaking english is faintly british. jisung has been open with his fans about his struggles with social anxiety and depression. he also supposedly has trypophobia, the fear of clusters of holes, but that isn’t proven. jisung has a bichon frise named bbama. jisung and hyunjin were the real enemies to besties.

name: yongbok lee

english name: felix

age: 24 (september 15th, 2000)

nationality: australian-korean

languages: korean, english, basic french

positions: dancer in danceracha, vocalist, rapper

skzoo: bokkari

instagram: yong.lixx

basics: felix was born and raised in sydney, australia, with his older sister raechel and his younger sister olivia. he was 17 when he moved to korea to become a trainee at jype, where he studied korean at the same time, as his parents didn’t raise him to speak the language very much. it’s been said by chan that he was particularly hard on felix during their time before debut because he saw potential in him, and he wanted him to do his best to succeed. felix is known as the sunshine of the group, for the fact that he’s incredibly sweet and happy.

fun facts: felix debuted his runway model career at a louis vuitton fashion show. felix is a 3rd degree black belt in taekwondo, which he won 63 medals in over the course of 12 years. felix has a very deep voice that doesn’t match his face, and he will occasionally make his own asmr content. felix has volunteered in laos with/become an ambassador for unicef. felix is so afraid of scary things, he’s admitted to reading his bible after watching a horror movie. felix cries easily.

name: seungmin kim

english name: sky

age: 24 (september 22nd, 2000)

nationality: korean

languages: korean and advanced english

positions: lead vocalist in vocalracha, dancer, rapper

skzoo: puppym

instagram: miniverse.___

basics: seungmin was born and raised in korea, along with his older sister. he moved to LA as a child for only about 3 months, but that’s where he started his study in english and where he got his english name from a teacher. he trained for one year after winning 2nd place in jype’s 13th open audition, before debuting with stray kids. seungmin is basically an ambivert (it’s not conclusive if he’s introverted or extroverted), and tends to playfully bully his members. he can be pretty random and silly.

fun facts: seungmin wanted to be a baseball player before becoming an idol, and he actually pitched a strike at a game for the second time recently (the first time he was about 9 years old). seungmin was into boxing, although i’m not sure if he is anymore. seungmin and felix have a live called “cat puppy school” where they just mess up recipes constantly. seungmin is the only idol i’ve seen that seems to have autistic traits, from my own autistic prospective. i’m not diagnosing him of course!

name: jeongin yang

english name: bobby (i refuse to call anyone under the age of 60 bob)

stage name: i.n

age: 23 (february 8th, 2001)

nationality: korean

languages: korean and intermediate english

positions: vocalist in vocalracha, dancer, rapper, maknae

skzoo: foxi.ny

instagram: i.2.n.8

basics: jeongin was born and raised in busan, korea, along with his older brother who’s in the military, and his little brother yoon. he was a trainee for about 2 years, and was only 17 when they officially debuted. he bonded especially with hyunjin, who basically took him under his wing at the time. jeongin is introverted, but follows his hyungs’ lead into chaos. he’s very clumsy, and he’s known as the spoiled maknae. the “baby bread” of the group.

fun facts: jeongin wanted to be a kindergarten teacher, social worker, or priest before becoming an idol. jeongin has a more nasally voice, so he’s particularly good at the trot singing style. jeongin has claimed he was a naughty child, running away from home and laying down in the middle of stores when he couldn’t get what he wanted. jeongin is incredibly good with fashion, so his members come to him for advice, and he often posts ootd’s on his instagram.

[louisupdates]

Louis Tomlinson was featured in Adidas’s documentary dubbed ‘Under The Tongue’ to celebrate the impact of the Predator sneakers on football on its 30th anniversary. The shoe brand teased snippets of the documentary on their Instagram on December 5, 2024.

Football and music fans were quick to spot the former One Direction star seated comfortably as he joined football stars and aficionados like David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Eniola Aluko and Jude Bellingham, amongst others, to pay homage to the legendary footwear.

Louis Tomlinson has been a lifelong fan of football and has never shied away from expressing his love for the game. Per the Yahoo! News report of July 1, 2024, the singer joined his favorite club, Doncaster Rovers, as a reserve player in 2013.

The Back To You hitmaker also launched his solo career with a video filmed around Doncaster which featured Louis Tomlinson on the pitch at the Keepmoat Stadium.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Louis Tomlinson Chile 🇨🇱 (@louischilensist91)

As one with a passion for football, like the others featured in the documentary, Louis Tomlinson explores the cultural significance of the Predator shoes and how they changed the trajectory of football.

The video sees Craig Johnston, the brain behind the iconic silhouette, recounting his journey from coaching children’s football in Australia to designing the soccer boots that graced the feet of football icons.

Pete Martin of SoccerBible, who is collaborating with Adidas on the documentary project also spoke about the legacy of the Predator and stated that it was an honor to make Under The Tongue alongside Keane Pearce Shaw.

He added:

"A boot with such personality too, not only does it mean so much to the culture of the game but it has been an unrivaled yet consistent giver of glory."

Nick Craggs, who is the Global Football General Manager of Adidas, explained the rationale behind the documentary and its impressive lineup of athletes and superstars:

“Predator changed the game. We know what it means to us all at Adidas but as we come to the end of its 30thanniversary we felt it was fitting to hear from those who played such a crucial role in cementing its place in football culture."

You can watch the 60-second trailer on Instagram at Adidas football to catch a glimpse of Louis Tomlinson and watch the full documentary on December 11, 2024, on the Adidas Football YouTube channel.

- Soapcentral, 5.12.2024

[en-gelic]

TRUTH OR DARE?

（𝒯ruth or dare?）⨳ model jake x actress fem. reader, 𝑓eat. danielle﹙nwjs﹚ . . . e2l ✶ you both want each other but won't admit it.

𝒲arnings ▹ drinking, mentions of cheating, jealousy, smoking, teasing, skinship, suggestive, hickeys, angst if you squint, petnames . . . 1.2k

（𝓘s it true you care?）⨳ 𝓛iAS NOTE ﹕I LOVE LEE WONJUNG 😍😍😁😁 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄 . . . 𝒯ruth or dare?

An actress was supposed to find herself in the most exquisite parties, expensive bars and luxury brand after shows. Not at some high school reunion party which happened to be a frat party which your ex-boyfriend had happened to be attending. As if you weren’t expecting him to be there, you accepted your friends’ stupid invite, regretting it immediately upon the sight of him.

Sim Jaeyun, the frat boy before, the model now. He hadn’t changed at all. His lips, his eyes, his boyish grin. The only thing that had changed, was the fact that he wasn’t your boyfriend anymore. A cruel summer in Australia happened to be the way he decided to break up with you. After a walk at the beach on a hot evening where the sun seemed to hesitate to set, he suddenly confessed that he was going back, not telling you where he was going, leaving you to find out months after, when his face was all over adverts.

You watched his face as he retold a story about him catching a fish to a woman next to him. The one he once used to tell you so often when you teased him about his inability to catch one. A hand tugging your arm pulled you out of your daze. “Still remember him, I guess.” Danielle, the friend who invited you to the party, remarked as a perfect grin coloured her face. You smiled, pulling her into a quick hug before defending yourself against her thoughts which were clearly written all over her face. “Deny it all you want.” She teased, putting an arm around your shoulder and summoning the attention of the attendants. “Let’s play truth or dare.” She suggested, pulling you down to sit beside her as the rest fell into their places. You watched Jake sit directly in front of you, cursing under your breath as your eyes met momentarily, his gaze averting to the ground. Forcing down a scoff, you watched your friend begin, spinning an empty bottle and asking the person it landed on, ‘Truth or dare?’.

You knew this game very well as it was how the two of you — and Jake, met at a party. It also happened to be the way he confessed, which made it a memory inducing game that you had grown to despise.

“Dare.” Was his bold reply, sparking childish reactions from his acquaintances. The booze was probably getting to their heads, you thought, knowing how common this was at reunions. “I dare you to kiss the person you find most attractive.” Classic Danielle move. What was unexpected was the boy going straight to your friend and placing a wet peck on her lips. He sheepishly walked back to his spot, leaving your friend in disbelief, handing the bottle to someone else.

The game continued like that, a few childish reactions, some kissing and secrets being exposed. It was handed to you after a few turns, resulting in your heartbeat quickening as you stole a glance and Jake. Praying that fate was on your side, you spun the bottle, hoping that it would land on anyone but him.

It spun dangerously slow as the members of the party watched in anticipation, fueled by secrets. You glanced at the woman besides Jake and the boy on his left— which you had now classified as ‘the one who crushes on Danielle’— and prayed it would land on either one of them. The bottle hesitated on the three of them before finally landing on Jake. A fit of unsettled reactions stirred beside you. “Truth or dare?” You asked, forcing your gaze to meet his.

“Dare.” Classic Jake, you thought, before tugging the corners of your mouth into your stage smile. “I dare you to whisper something in the prettiest girl in the room’s ear.” You knew it was childish, but this was your one chance to see how he felt. He bit back a smile, recalling how the question got him to confess before and stood up. He faked moving to girls who were more than willing to hear what he had to say as he finally made his move to you, who was crossing your fingers secretly in hopes that you would simply be ignored. You felt a presence loom over you as he leaned down to your ear, his lips grazing it softly. “Missed me, pretty girl?”

You shot him a look as he pulled back, that familiar boyish grin marking his face. The party came to a standstill as the eager onlookers waited for any sort of action worth reacting for. A smile tugged at the corners of your mouth as you laid your hands on the sides of his head, pulling his face towards you, inching closer to his lips. You barely grazed them before you moved to his ear. “Not at all.” You replied, your smile deepening into a grin as he reciprocated your action noticing the lie seething through your teeth, motioning back to his spot.

“Let’s do seven minutes in heaven as our last game.” Danielle announced, sensing the tension. Complaints about the time distracted you from the misery knocking at your door. You downed more alcohol the more your turn got closer as if it would make it go away. Eventually, the bottle was handed for you to spin as your hopes of getting a random person depleted as you watched the bottle land you with Jake for the second time.

Seven minutes of awkwardness with your ex can’t be that bad, you thought, trying to soothe your running head. Danielle slipped the spare key into your pocket and shot her signature grin before closing the door.

Turning back to your ex, you watched his grin broaden as he stepped forward, decreasing the space between the two of you. Unconsciously, you took a step back, the pattern falling into place as your back finally met the door. His arm rested over your head as the other snaked around your waist. Your breath hitched as he stopped just in front of your lips. “Can I?” After a spiraling train of thoughts, your body acted before your brain could comprehend as you pressed your lips against his. The force of it took him off guard, but he recovered, reclaiming his possession over the kiss. The kiss deepened as his hand moved to your neck, pulling you closer to him. You could hear the party commence, realizing that this entire reunion was another one of Danielle’s schemes to get you and Jake back together. After all, you three had been the best of friends until he broke up with you.

His lips trailed down your jawline and reached your neck, pushing away the fabric on it, leaving kisses all over. His fingers pressed into your pocket, pulling out the key and locking the door behind you. You pulled back, panting heavily from the lack of air. He moved to press a kiss on your neck, unbuttoning the first few buttons as he did so. “You don’t want to?” He murmured into your neck, his soft lips tickling your collarbone as they hovered over it.

“No.” You voiced, falling prey to his mouth which caused you to reveal your real feelings. “Are you sure?” A smirk coated his lips knowing how bad of a liar you were as his gaze burned into yours. “No.” It was an impossible mission to hate him.

PERMANENT TAGLIST : @07sleepykatz @moknu @bunnbam @jlheon @luvlyhee @flwrstqr @sunrenity @jakesprincess1 ( to join, click here ! ) networks : @enhablr @enchive, © EN-GELIC, 2024

[thinking-emoji]

Photo-spoiler free PEOPLE article

wonderful article by the amazing Raven Brunner, but it unfortunately includes extremely cute photos of dnp on stage and in their stage outfits. So here's the spoiler free version for all you hardcore spoiler-fighters

Dan Howell and Phil Lester Say Seeing Fans on Tour Now That They're 'Older and Bit Gayer' Has Felt 'Radical and Freeing' (Exclusive)

Dan Howell and Phil Lester are currently one month into the North American leg of their tour Terrible Influence and PEOPLE has an exclusive first look

By Raven Brunner | Published on November 1, 2024 11:00AM EDT

Dan Howell and Phil Lester are cruising through the United States! 

The two British YouTubers are currently one month into the North American leg of their third joint tour Terrible Influence – and PEOPLE has an exclusive first look.

The duo will continue with stops in Chicago, Toronto, New York City, Nashville and more, before bringing their show to Australia in December. 

"Being able to see our audience in real life, now that we're all older ... and we're a bit gayer, feels so radical and freeing," Dan and Phil said in a statement shared with PEOPLE. "We've had so many people joke [that] this tour has felt 'healing' and to see people from all different walks of life feel like they are welcome at our tour makes us so happy."

They added, "Getting to perform a new show that contains so many spicy personal and professional revelations is a thrill. It's truly a DGAF new era and to see people hollering at some of the controversial moments and shedding a tear at the end makes it feel so good every night."

When it comes to traveling the states, the two continued, "The U.S.A. is so huge, we can't believe driving across the middle takes so long. From Texas and the midwest to the upcoming east coast leg - our propaganda is spreading across the nation and we're so happy to be here saving democracy, one brainwashed viewer at a time."

The show sees Dan and Phil on tour together for the first time since their 2018 hiatus from their shared YouTube channel DanandPhilGAMES, during which they both came out as gay and grew their personal brands. During this time, Dan wrote the #1 New York Times bestselling mental health book You Will Get Through This Night and embarked on a solo comedy tour We’re All Doomed, while Phil continued to grow his own YouTube channel AmazingPhil. 

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE ahead of their arrival in the U.S., the two – who have been on YouTube together for over 15 years – spoke about the reactions to their first few shows as they began their tour in September with a stop in Belgium.

"We have had so many funny memes and reactions to it," Phil, 37, told us at the time. "Seeing the buzz on social media the first night we did the show, because no one knew anything about it or what it was going to be, was just a reminder of how hilarious our audience is.”

Dan, 33, added that the show is helping people come to terms with their past and also their future. 

"It has also been amazing seeing all the different kinds of people that come to the show because we have had people that are like, 'I’m old now and identify as a real person' – not someone that spends all their time on YouTube," he said. "All these people have grown up and gone on so many different journeys in the direction of their lives, and yet it feels like they all got to come together and feel like they were welcomed."

Dan continued, "They all got to laugh and feel like they could have some weight taken off their shoulders for who we were, for who they used to be [and] for how scared they should feel about the future. The fact that everyone’s left feeling invigorated about themselves for what the next chapters of their lives could be, I think we are really proud of that."

The new territory of the show also poses new "danger," as Dan said.

Phil has experienced two accidents while working on the show, the first of which occurred during a rehearsal and resulted in a broken rib. Then he fell off the stage during a tour stop in Sweden, after which he wrote on social media, "people think ‘phil is going to fall off the stage’ is an old joke until i actually fall off the stage."

"We joke about this,” Dan explained. “People are like, 'Dan and Phil need to stop exaggerating.' But you don’t even know the extent to which we don’t tell people half the stuff Phil has done."

"I need to be wrapped in bubble wrap at all times," Phil agreed, before adding, "To be fair, it is very dark on the stage. I thought I was leaning over the edge. There was no edge. I did a very stylish barrel roll off the front of the stage and thankfully it wasn’t very high."

He continued, "But the rib was another thing. I won't say much because it'd be a spoiler, but we were rehearsing a very active part of the show and I bent myself in a way I should not have bent myself."

Beyond the challenging physical aspects of the show, Dan noted that the specific scene also includes an emotional element where they are "jokingly being quite confrontational about a lot of things that would have, in the past, been considered sensitive topics – whether it is about us and our audience, or just like people on social media and what this culture is."

As for what the duo enjoys most about touring the United States, Dan quickly noted that "Phil is looking forward to sugar."

"Yeah, I have a sugar issue,” Phil confirmed. "Everything in the U.S. has more sugar in it. So that’s always quite exciting. The pancake stack I am going to get as soon as I arrive in America is going to be legendary."

Dan added, “You’ll find that’s essential. If someone wants a free selfie with Phil, just turn up to the local IHOP at 2 a.m. and see Phil just going, 'More maple syrup.'"

The two shared a story from their 2018 tour Interactive Introverts where their bus broke down "in the middle of Texas" and the only place nearby was a Denny’s. "So we ended up going there having a Breakfast Slam at like 3 a.m. I was like, 'I think I get American culture,' " Dan explained.

"This is it. The Slam,' " Phil added.

Meanwhile, Dan is most looking forward to "bus life."

"A lot of people go, ‘Touring! Don’t you just hate it? Imagine being on a bus cramped up with all those people?' And I’m like, 'I love it.' Get me out of the house," Dan shared. "We are not meant to just be spending all day in our head, being anxious about stuff. We are meant to go outside. And I found that the only way I can do that is to book a tour and commit to dragging myself outside of the house.'

Following their return to YouTube and their joint brand, Dan said that they are living "in this radical present where we are just seeing how things go." However, they are still aware of the demand for them to take on more big projects, particularly in relation to their former jobs as presenters on BBC Radio 1 where they hosted a weekly radio show and interviewed A-list celebrities like Taylor Swift and Fall Out Boy at special events.

"Yeah, that was really fun," Phil recalled. "I think there was a lot of anxiety for me doing the radio because you have to press a lot of buttons, you are live – so I can say anything. Anyone knows that me, unfiltered and live, is a dangerous mix, especially when you are the BBC."

Dan added, "People keep asking us. They are like 'Dan and Phil, we need you to get back doing these presenting jobs. You want to come back? Do the radio, do this award show.' We are like, 'Oh, my! Maybe we’ll do it for the people.' "

He continued to note that people are also "begging" him to return to his solo YouTube channel, but for now, they are focused on the tour. 

"This Dan and Phil comeback was so lowkey," Dan said. "Literally we had no plan for it. Phil was like, 'Just sit down, play The Sims, play a little card game,' and it is the most light, casual content ever. People were so enthusiastic about it and now they are like, 'What is the future?' People are begging us to do radio, they want us to do a podcast, they want us to do all this other stuff that their favorite YouTubers are doing. So now, we are like, 'Okay, we hear you, Dan and Phil 2.0 when we get back from this tour.' Honestly, it sounds like a threat."

"Yeah," Phil agreed. "What is it going to be? We are not sure but we are excited about it."

Tickets for Terrible Influence are now on sale.

[wintfleur]

𓈒 ୭ৎ ˖˙ ᰋ ── JULIETTE LECLERC PROFILE !

au masterlist - everything for the AU is under #🍂 ͡ ꒱ Juliette Leclerc

ꪆ୧ BASICS .ᐟ

name: Juliette Celeste Leclerc 

nicknames:

Julie (everyone) 

Lettie (family and close friends) 

jules (everyone) 

ette (brothers( 

lilo (her best friends) 

juliebug (mat and quinn) 

birthday and zodiac: November 15th 1999, Scorpio

location: Monte Carlo, Monaco (birthplace, current) 

ꪆ୧ ABOUT  .ᐟ

personality: julie has a complex personality, some say it resembled an onion; you have to pull back the layers before truly understanding her. The media and new people assume that she's cold, and honestly a bitch just because they truly don't know her. But in reality, she's honestly a very sweet person, she is on the quiet side, she's very confident in herself and her beliefs. She is very charming, charismatic, and flirty! When she's around the people she's comfortable with, she can be a little bubbly and giggily (mostly with mat and quinn). She has a very dry humor but it honestly just makes people love her more! Can be very sarcastic at times, is witty 

good traits: determined, loyal, hard-working, honest and loyal, protective of her family and friends, trustful, doesn't take shit from anyone 

bad traits: very self critical, can be too bold, brutal at times, distances herself when she's overwhelmed or emotionally hurt, 

quirks: having a resting bitch face, intense eye contact, spaces out when bored, rolls eyes, smiles sarcastically, 

likes: rain, musicals, going to ballets, trying out new restaurants, ranch life, swimming, buying swimsuits, her yacht, spending time with family, hot tubs, sightseeing, 

dislikes: rude and invasive fans, the paparazzi, stalkers, people who disrespect her family or friends, most f1 media, drive to survive, traffic 

hobbies: singing, running, baking, dancing, riding horses, music, hockey, playing tennis and golf, reading, journaling 

fears: being a failure, dying alone 

strengths: how hard-working she is, she never gives up, confident, tactical and her strategy, how smart and witty she is, her quick thinking 

weaknesses: perfectionism, talking about her feelings, self critical, can have a short fuse at times, 

languages spoken: 100% French, 100% English, 100% Korean, 36% Spanish. 

occupation/profession: f1 driver for redbull, singer, model, actress 

ꪆ୧ CAREER !

Profession  f1 driver

Team   Red Bull Racing

Debut Australia 2019

Trainer  Gabriel Guerrero

Race engineer   Théo Beaufoy

Manager  Anya DuPont

Assistant  Beatrice Roux

World championships   1 (2022)

Sponsors  Gucci

ꪆ୧ RELATIONSHIPS  .ᐟ

parents:

Hervé Leclerc 

Pascale Leclerc 

sibling(s):

Lorenzo Leclerc 

Charles Leclerc 

Arthur Leclerc 

best friends: max verstappen. lando norris, george russell, alex albon, hailee steinfeld, shawn mendes, victoria de angelis, lily rose depp

friends: most of the f1 grid, most of quinn and mat’s teammates, jack and luke hughes, ross lynch, zendaya, tom holland, lewis pullman, and many more 

love interest: Mathew Barzal and Quinn hughes 

pet(s): none yet 

ꪆ୧ MORE .ᐟ

scent: she has a large collection of different fragrances, from brand deals, pr, etc. she prefers aromatic fragrances, so she uses mostly Chanel and Gucci perfumes, her most used one is Chanel number 2, it's one of her signature scents!

outfits: it really depends on what she's doing, if it’s a casual day she likes wearing low waisted jeans, corset vest tops, mini skirts, sweaters, sundresses, it really depends! She loves wearing black, reds, and earth tones! She likes adding fishnets, lace and tights to her outfits, long scarfs, jean or leather jackets, she likes wearing blazers, definitely has an office siren aesthetic! She has a lot of clothes and she's always wanting to try something new, and is definitely known for her fantastic outfits! here's a link to her closet! 

accessories:  she loves accessorizing, she loves anything involving fashion really!! She has a large collection of different types of bags and sunglasses(she loves collecting them), they are definitely her favorite thing + jewelry, to accessorize with. She also has quite a lot of hats, mostly ball caps, beanies and berets. She also really loves utilizing long and thin scarves when she's wearing a short skirt or shorts. She also occasionally will wear a headband, heavily inspired by Blair waldorf. In the colder weather she's almost always rocking ear muffs. She absolutely loves wearing bayonetta glasses, she has so many pairs. Honorable mentions are leg and arm warmers. 

jewelry: she's a silver girl!  She loves rings, she usually has about four on at a time, small ones, chunky ones, one with crystals or gems, any type of rings really.  She loves layering necklaces. She also occasionally wears anklets and waist chains, it really depends on her outfit. With bracelets she wears all different types, charm bracelets, friendship bracelets, cuff bracelets, again it really depends on her outfit. 

makeup: isn't really the biggest fan of makeup, she prefers her bare face! She has her own personal makeup artist who does her makeup for her when she goes to events etc. but when she does do her own makeup, she really only does her eyes and lips! She prefers darker eye makeup, red or nude tones for her lips, sharp eyeliner and highlighter! 

scars: none 

sexuality: bisexual 

Height: 5’7

piercing(s): 1 in each ear, bellybutton

tattoo(s): she has this one on her lower back, and this one on her left arm. She wants to get more! 

face claim: Dua Lipa 

ꪆ୧ FAVORITES .ᐟ

food(s): pasta, sweets, almonds, pomegranates, cherries, steak, macaroons

drink(s): cherry coke, water, redbull, hot chocolate, shirley temples 

color(s): black, reds, earth tones 

animal(s): horses, cats, sloths 

bands and artist: måneskin, rihanna, ciara, lady gaga, gwen stefani, the weekend 

show(s): gossip girl, supernatural, game of thrones, criminal minds 

movie(s): the devil wears prada, scooby doo, mamma mia, lotr, twilight, 

person: her mom and younger brother arthur 

ꪆ୧ BACKGROUND  .ᐟ

julie was born on a rainy day in monaco, on november 15th, 1999

julie was a very quiet child, her parents worried that she would have trouble making friends so they put her in ballet when she was 5. 

julie was naturally very talented at ballet and she enjoyed it very much

she started karting when she was 6, still also doing ballet

she started equestrian sports when she was 12 and stopped when she was 15. 

julie quit ballet when she was 17, giving karting/driving all her attention. 

she had her debut in in f1, in 2019 for the team mercedes 

It was a fantastic year, she got four wins and 326 points. 

but she left Mercedes after one year, signing with redbull. 

in 2020 she dropped her first single 

she created her youtube channel in 2020, she now has surpassed 10 million followers 

her modeling career started in 2022, and it instantly kicked off, becoming a very successful and sought after model 

ꪆ୧ FUN FACTS  .ᐟ

Juliette drove for Mercedes in her rookie year, she got four wins and 326 points . . . fans of course were not happy that a female was dominating her rookie year, so of course a nasty rumor was created. The rumor that spread like hot fire was that Juliette was having an inappropriate relationship with Toto Wolff.

Which was false, Toto was like a father figure to Juliette but the fans didn’t care, booing her and trending hate for her on Twitter.

Juliette drove for Redbull for the next season, and is still driving for Redbull.

Juliette is known for being one of the most influential drivers on the grid, for the wide range of her career.

Juliette has dropped a few albums, some singles and ep’s, she’s a model, an ambassador for Gucci, and she has a YouTube channel with over 10 million subscribers, where she posts all different kinds of content, she’s walked on runways.

The interviewers love her (besides a few) a lot of fans say she’s like seb with how she has the habit of flirting with the female interviewers.

She is quite the flirt, confident with herself

She’s a party girl, in a club or on a yacht, she loves her parties !!

A lot of people assume she’s a bitch because of her resting face, her confidence and the way she doesn’t take any shit, but she’s genuinely a sweetheart.

Besides Lewis she is the driver that has the most celebrity friends

No one is surviving eye contact with her, in the words of lando “she has a really strong gaze, very alluring — like a siren yeah”

The amount of dating rumors Lando and Juliette have is insane, but they are simply just best friends !!!

She loves swimming, she loves visiting tropical places

Everyone swears she’s a mermaid/siren for her love of the water

She has stated many times that her favorite sport besides f1 is hockey.

She has been seen coming to many hockey games, even having many friends that are hockey players.  (Trevor Zegras, Cole caufield and more)

She loves baking

She owns several houses all over the world

She is a major passenger princess

SHE IS THE IT GIRL

She hates coffee

She definitely loves going out and partying, but she also loves staying in.

She was such a daddy’s girl

She talks to her mom every single day

She loves and I mean loves running

No matter how hungover she is, she’s always having her morning run.

She loves and I mean loves horses !!

Her dream is to retire, buy her own ranch and just get a ton of horses to take care of and love, maybe her own vineyard.

Her most prized possession is her yacht . . .  That’s crazy to say omg.

She has kept all of her relationships a secret!

She loves doing collaborations

A character she’s most like is Blair waldorf

She’s a very strong woman, but sometimes things really get to her and she just needs space.

She has a bad habit of distancing herself from others when she’s hurt or upset

She’s been to 3 met galas

She will kick anyone’s ass in golf

‘The princess of Monaco’

She is very open about her crush on leighton meester

She’s a switch

She has a great relationship with everyone on the grid !

Her and Pierre have a love hate relationship

She has such a flirty personality, she loves making people flustered.

She’s a fantastic driver, and won’t let anyone tell her different just because she’s a girl.

She has said her grid son is ollie bearman

Yuki loves her sm! They are such a underrated duo

She loves hockey, but she’s a terrible skater

She hates drive to survive, they like to make her and max look like the villain.

She secretly can’t stand one driver on the grid.

She loves sleep sm

She’s genuinely such a family girl

She was the troublemaker of her family

She hates cold feet

Her brother’s friends have always had a crush on her and she loved teasing them about it.

She keeps her music taste a secret from the public

Lewis will always have her back no matter what, she’s his grid kid.

The public goes crazy for post race Juliette

She loves her team, she’s extremely close to all of them !!

She alternates from black to red hair a lot, but her hair is very healthy !!!

Doesn’t go anywhere without a pair of sunglasses

Macaroons are the way to her heart

A lot of people get surprised by how friendly she is

She loves game of thrones

She is not a lightweight

Is a really good dancer !! Did ballet for a long time

Low waisted pants are her best friend.

The only one who can rock Jorts

Always has red or black nails

She’s a silver girly

her instagram is @/JulietteLeclerc

Has a private Instagram ‘@/lettiesworld’

°. — taglist ( @cixrosie @toasttt11 @lovings4turn )

˖ ་ 💭 roro’s notes ( so this is the introduction to juliette !! I really hope you guys like her, omg I’m so excited for this AU !!! I didn’t mention Mat and Quinn because they will have their own profile !!! Oh I’m so excited, please let me know what you guys think !!! )

©️WINTFLEUR

[imagegroupinternational]

Why Personal Branding Matters for Entrepreneurial-Spirited Doctors

Jon Michail emphasizes the critical role of personal branding in today's dynamic healthcare landscape. This strategy helps entrepreneurial doctors establish trust, differentiate themselves, build professional networks, and enhance their online presence, ultimately driving business growth and shaping the future of healthcare. Jon Michail, founder and CEO of Image Group International, provides expert insights on crafting a compelling personal brand to advance careers and improve patient welfare.

[twst-charity]

I'm not altogether knowledgeable on how to bea mod but I want to help in some way. Is there anything I can do?

Hello! First off, thank you so much for your interest and for reaching out to us! Both our mod and contributor applications are currently closed, but there are still other ways you can help, both with this charity and with the situation in general!

The first is by submitting fanart and fic requests (once those forms are open) here with us (@twst-charity) by sending a screenshot/receipt of a donation made to one of three charities (Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, Medical Aid for Palestine, or Anera).

A very quick, easy, and free way to help is also by visiting this site and clicking the big, red, help button. If you’ve ever wanted to hit a big red button, now is the time to do so. This generates a donation to UNRWA to help Palestine.

Unfortunately, as many have heard by now, even these charities have been struggling to deliver resources to the people of Palestine due to blockades and frozen accounts, etc. Anera seems to continue to be successful in still getting resources where they are most needed, but the situation is constantly changing. We will be continuing to help raise donations in hopes that, as soon as there is an opportunity to do so, those charities will have the means and funds to make a difference.

However! There are still other ways to help Palestine and show your support. The first – and most important - is spreading awareness. Learn what is going on now and has been for the past 75 years. Be aware of propaganda and misinformation, whether purposeful or accidental. Archive tweets and posts and videos so that they cannot be scrubbed from the internet by those hoping to erase evidence of the genocide in Gaza. The importance of spreading the truth cannot be underestimated, especially with Netanyahu and the IOF increasing propaganda. Popular tags to do this include: #CeaseFireInGaza #CeasefireNOW and #FreePalestine!

Signing petitions and contacting representatives is also a good way to show your stance. Unfortunately, this does have some risk, due to organizations like c4n4ry mlssl@n (censored for safety) doxxing people who support Palestine.

Boycotting is another method that has been showing signs of success! The boycotting effort is being directed by the Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC), which is the Palestinian leaderships of the global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) Movement. Frankly, far too many brands and celebrities have shown support for Palestine for the average person to avoid all of them. So, a certain few have been picked to have the most impact.

Boycott: Starbucks, McDonalds, Disney+ (which means no TWST microtransactions, y’all!), Domino’s Pizza, Papa John’s, Pizza Hut, Burger King, AXA, Puma, Carrefour, hp, Siemens, Ahava, sodastream, and Israeli businesses. (Note from Mod Ryuu: This does NOT mean a general boycott on all Jewish businesses! Don’t be that person. You’re not helping.)

If you want to proudly show your support of Palestine IRL – and are safe to do so – a popular method is by wearing a Kufiya, the iconic scarf of Palestine. You can order an authentic Kufiya from Hirbawi at kufiya.org or from Kufiyas Australia at kufiyas.org.au If you’re not in a position where that’s possible, there are two other popular methods. The first is simply by wearing the colors of Palestine: Red, Green, White, and Black. The second ties into those colors and the history of colonialism in Palestine, where once it was illegal to fly the Palestine flag. Instead, people used the watermelon as a symbol to represent the flag. If you need a subtle means of showing support, the watermelon is the way to go.

Resources on the history of Palestine:

Netflix films: Born in Gaza (2014) dir. Hernan Zin, Farha (2021) dir. Darin J. Sallam, A World Not Ours (2012) dir. Mahdi Fleifel

YouTube films (FREE!): Tantura, Killing Gaza, Roadmap to Apartheid, Gaza Fights for Freedom, Born in Gaza, & Killing of Shireen Abu Akleh

Other films: The Present (2020) dir. Farah Nabulsi, Tale of Three Jewels (1995) dir. Michel Khleifi, Chronicle of a Disappearance (1996) dir. Elia Suleiman, Omar (2013) dir. Hany Abu-Assad, The Time That Remains (2009) dir. Elia Suleiman, Ambulance/Gaza (2016) dir. Mohamed Jabaly, Five Broken Cameras (2011) dir. Emad Bumat, 200 Meters (2020), Salt of This Sea (2008) dir. Annemarie Jacir.

Twitter link with these and more for those who still use the bird app:

Other threads (largely from the bird app) with information on how to help and what is happening:

THINGS NOT TO DO:

-Break the boycott, including doing things like ordering a bunch of food and then ditching without paying. You are only making life harder for the minimum wage employees doing their best, not the billionaires behind them.

-Do not spam the tags with posts not related to Palestine, etc. Keep your fandoms in their fandom spaces and so on. Unless, of course, you are doing a charity drive or something similar through your fandom.

-Be antisemitic. DO NOT harass or accuse Jewish people of being responsible for this genocide. Jewish people across the world have been protesting in defense of the Palestinian people even before this latest war began. More than 2/3 of people in Israel disagree with Netanyahu and the IOF based on recent polling.

[kangaracha]

QUEENMAKER | CHAPTER 9

---

pairing chan x reader

genre ninth member au, enemies to lovers, angst, fluff, coming of age, social media, cancel culture, anxiety, depression, forbidden love,

summary To JYPE, the solution is simple; take the sole trainee that will not debut with your brand new girl group, and use her to replace the missing vocalist in your male group that insisted on starting as nine.

Unfortunately, to the fans and the members themselves, it isn't that simple.

status ongoing

taglist OPEN

a/n i send in a job application, you get a new chapter. the world continues to go round. (i also got two skz albums for writing my application, and a bonus chan card for walking up to the counter with $150 worth of skz merch in my arms (she was like damn i wonder what group this girl likes the most what a mystery))

previous | masterlist | next

---

At some point in the last two months, you'd become more used to the presence of eight boys than you'd realised.

The thought only makes the quiet air of the studio all the more oppressive as you sit on the floor, legs stretched out before you as you wait for the livestream to load. You'd spent plenty of time in here alone since joining their group, but not as much as you have in the past week, with the boys gone from the moment they woke up to the late hours of the night on schedules and promotions. It was strange to be here for twelve hours or more and not hear a single voice coming through the door, to wander up to the cafeteria for lunch and not see them, or Minseo, or even the other trainees you'd worked with for so many years, your personal rhythms no longer lining up with the regimen of classes and mealtimes and monthly evaluations, which you know are drawing close without even having to check.

Even your home is lonely, the empty rooms echoing with no voice to respond to you. You haven't had your own room since you left Australia all of six years ago. You've never had your own apartment. You're not sure you know what to do with it anymore.

The livestream erupts in a burst of noise and colourful pixels, clarifying slowly into a picture of a stage. You've missed most of the opening performances, not watching the time as you practised. You've seen them all three times this week already; you'll probably see them all again next week as well. And if you said that watching the rookie groups in the earlier stages of the show didn't make you a little bit jealous, you'd be lying, especially this of all weeks.

(If you said that watching the boys perform God's Menu didn't make you a little bit jealous, you'd be lying too, but you won't allow that thought to cross your mind.)

As if summoned by the thought of them, they flash up on the screen, one at a time, and then as a group as the stage begins; senior idols, playing top billing on a weekly show watched by millions, a position you have no business being in. And yet here you are, sitting in their studio and watching their shows and thinking that it should have been you and you've been cheated again.

A shiver that has nothing to do with the music or the sweat that clings to your skin runs down your spine. Were you just being conceited about this whole debut thing; signing this contract to join a senior group, watching other debut groups like you had the right to be out there with them, occupying this private dance studio as if it is your own space, as if you'd earned the right fair and square to leave the darker, shared spaces of the fourth floor rooms, where all the other trainees ground away at their skills with only hope in their future. 

Weren't three missed debuts just three signs that you'd ignored that maybe this wasn't the life promised to you?

Your phone vibrates, a text notification from Minseo covering Felix's face. Your thumb hovers over it, the desire to ask where she is and what she's doing tugging at your breastbone. You let it slide away though; she's been at different schedules all day too, if she is even home yet, and night is drawing on quickly. You're exhausted anyway; you'd probably fall asleep in the first five minutes of a movie, or even midway through a bowl of icecream.

You need to keep practising anyway. That was the key to this debut you'd stolen off of fate; every minute of every day spent in this studio, until you made it or they dropped you. You already know how it feels to look back and see an hour or a day that could have been spent getting better, and you'd hated it; this time, even if you never debuted, no one would say that you didn't try. No one would call you lazy.

(But the wrong look was what they had said, not lazy. Just not pretty enough, just the wrong face in the wrong lineup in front of the wrong man. It was one thing to fail out of merit; it was another to fail because of the way you were born.)

TAGLIST

@kokinu09 @rainfallingfromthesky @lixie-phoria @mysweethannie @chlodavids @hanniemylovelyquokka @tfshouldidohere @lauraliisa @puppysmileseungmin @kalopsian-thoughts @puppy-minnie @readerofallthingss @dvbkie099 @kthstrawberryshortcake-main @acker-night @d-chagi @lynlyndoll @borahae-reads @ihrtlix @yienmarkk @minhwa @i2innie @jinnie-ret @conwunder @amesification @starssongs98 @weirdhumanbeinglol @morinuu @the-weird-mold-in-the-sink @bokkiesplace @amyyscorner @jiisungllvr @skzstaykatsy @blackhairandbangs @jungkookies1002 @hyuuukais @imsiriuslyreal @thatonedemigodfromseoul @gini143 @mercurywritesstuff @splat00z @filmbypsh @palindrome969 @crabrangoongirl25 @enzos-shit

[wileys-russo]

can you write smt for kyra with that photo of her with flowers as inspo?

airport flowers II k.cooney-cross

the plan was simple.

you'd told your girlfriend there was a last minute work emergency and you'd need to fly out to melbourne for the few days she was back in australia for national duty in perth.

but really you'd be landing the same day as kyras first match back in australia and would be going from the airport right to the game to surprise her. then you'd also not yet told her with some other tillies help you'd be taking the same flight home back to england with her, when she thought you'd need to be based back in australia for another month.

you'd not seen her in person for almost five weeks now due to your job and with the footballer normally the one to create surprises for you and organise cute little gestures, you decided it was your turn.

to kyras credit when you told her initially you'd be unable to make it to her games or see her while she was here she put on a brave face and as per usual was as supportive as could be.

you worked as the sole social media and marketing manager for a clothing brand started and ran by one of your childhood best friends, having been there on board to watch and help the brand grow since it was just a seemingly silly little idea floated on a drunken night out when you were teenagers.

with kyra starting her pro career off in australia in the a-leagues the two of you had met during her time playing for victory. you'd reached out to her agency about a potential sponsorship deal with the brand and met up with kyra and her team a few days later.

the young midfielder was quite smitten with you and nothing but charming as she'd asked you out for a coffee with the request you show her where the best could be found.

a few coffees and kisses later and you were very happily coupled up, much to your best friends teasings that you were using his company as a means of picking up girls.

then fast forward a little with kyras move over to sweden you split your time between there and back home, able to do the majority of your obligations and meetings remotely not having a 'base' you needed to be stationed at.

now with her setting down roots in england you split your time between there and australia. you now had a small team underneath you and it meant it was rare you were really needed in australia all too often.

like you said the plan was simple, but it seemed the universe had other ideas.

it started when your flight was delayed three and a half hours, leaving you with a very narrow gap to get from the airport to the game before kick off, not for warm ups like you'd planned.

sending kyras sister a message informing her of the above she assured kyra was still in the dark about everything and seemingly in good spirits for the game.

the next hurdle came when your bag never appeared on the luggage carousel, and after following it up with management it became apparent it was left on the tarmac back in sydney where you'd flown in from.

doing your very best to keep a cool head you were informed it would be sent with the next available flight and asked to wait around for that to land...in another four and a half hours.

your patience wafer thin at that point you'd organised for the airport to hold it overnight and you'd come collect it tomorrow morning, a quick check of the time confirming you'd be lucky to make it by the second half.

the third barrier came in the realization that you'd been logged out of your uber account and unable to remember the password you were tearing your hair out as with one wrong attempt too many your account was locked.

so with time fading fast and your mental stability unraveling even faster you hurried to the nearest atm and grabbed out a wad of cash, darting into the small gift shop and grabbing the very last bunch of flowers they had.

these were of course all unopened bar two or three flowers and looked more like weeds, but in your case beggars couldn't be choosers and hailing down a taxi you could finally breath knowing you'd finally left the prison that the airport was beginning to feel like.

watching the game on your phone as the taxi sped toward the stadium, the price growing higher and higher with every minute, you couldn't help but allow your chest to swell with pride seeing just how good your girlfriend was playing.

you hadn't even realised you'd arrived until the driver cleared his throat and you glanced up, the second half having just kicked off you could hear the cheers of the crowd as you opened your door, dropping a wad of notes into the drivers hand and sprinting toward the entrance.

you breathed a sigh of relief seeing kyras mum waiting for you with one of the security guards clearly explaining the situation as the man nodded, scanning your ticket as you were given a lanyard and ushered inside.

there was a cheer from kyras friends and family all of whom you'd met before as you finally arrived, all of you in the matildas family section right above the subs bench.

you gave a wave to charli who stood on the sideline as her eyes widened and a grin grew on her face and she eagerly waved back before turning her focus to the game.

her number called she was subbed in for ellie who tapped her hand as charli raced onto the pitch to screams and cheers. settling back in your seat you fended off the teasing remarks made your way for your very poorly timed arrival and the measly bunch of flowers in hand.

you wiggled into your cooney-cross jersey you'd had in your carry on, finally breathing properly and allowing yourself to wind down and enjoy the game going on.

the matildas were up 2-0 and with sam scoring a screamer from well outside the box and steph delivering a beautiful corner right to alanas head it ended 4-0 to australia with a thunderous roar from the crowd.

you waited patiently as kyra did her lap of the pitch, shaking your head furiously at her teammates who made gestures clearly asking if you wanted them to grab her for you, not wanting to ruin the surprise that the universe had done everything to try and spoil for you.

finally she started to head back towards the family and friends section with charli and remy hanging off either of her sides you waited by the barrier with a smile, both blondes seeing you well before kyra did.

"hey space cadet, can i get your autograph?" you called out, her head whipping around and jaw almost hitting the floor as she tripped over her own feet in her haste to get to you, making the girls around her roar with laughter as her cheeks flushed pink.

"what the fuck! i thought you were in..." kyra shook her head in disbelief as she reached you, your hands moving to cup her face as you shook your head. "surprise?" you grinned, a beaming smile of her own curling onto her lips as she tugged you into a hug.

"i love you." you mumbled into her shoulder, rubbing her back, the midfielder pressing a kiss to your cheek as she pulled away. "you played alright i guess." you sighed sarcastically, grabbing the flowers from your feet and handing them to her.

"yeah thanks!" the girl shoved your head as a small blush coated her cheeks and she spun around to pose for charli with her flowers. "but i didn't see you at half time?" your girlfriend asked, free hand interlocking with yours as she sweetly kissed your knuckles now causing you to blush.

"its a very long story babe."

[exeggcute]

interesting links roundup #5

reading

A British Nurse Was Found Guilty of Killing Seven Babies. Did She Do It?

A Tick Is Making Farmers Allergic to Their Own Animals

The Big Red Word vs. the Little Green Man

Bringing Up Babies

The Degradation Drug

Does Matt Mullenweg Want a Fork or Not?

The Flying Car Is Finally Here. It’s Slightly Illegal.

How to Talk to People When You Live Alone

I got dysentery so you don’t have to

The invisible seafaring industry that keeps the internet afloat

Kurt Vonnegut’s lost board game finally published

The Pain of Travelling While Palestinian

Personal Best

Rage bait is all the rage on Threads

The Secretive Dynasty That Controls the Boar’s Head Brand

The shady origins of the climate haven myth

Social Media Tells You Who You Are. What if It's Totally Wrong?

We’re not going to run out of new anatomy anytime soon

Who Pays for the Arts?

Works by Pissarro, Renoir, and Avercamp Vanished. Here’s How an Amateur Art Sleuth Cracked the Case

Writing in Pictures: Richard Scarry and the art of children’s literature

tools/reference

An Illustrated Guide to Maritime Signal Flags

If the Moon Were Only 1 Pixel: A tediously accurate map of the solar system

Plotto by William Wallace Cook (1928) [for context, read this]

Snapseed: Android, iOS

These Apps Help People With Disabilities Travel More Easily

other

Euthanasia machine, Australia, 1995-1996

how-i-experience-web-today.com

Reply All #158: The Case of the Missing Hit [I first listened to this years ago but just listened to it again... still soooo good]

Subterranea Britannica