#Second disclaimer: if you would like to comment please don't do it directly on this post

[maidragoste]

Something wrong with me

Jacaerys Velaryon x Wife!Reader

Summary: Jacaerys comforts his wife after she tells him her worries.

I hope you have a good read. If you like it, don't hesitate to like, comment and reblog. These three things serve to motivate the writer to continue writing 🥰💖

My inbox is open if you want to make any requests or share any headcanon.

Disclaimer: English is not my first language so I apologize for any mistakes.

Something had happened. Jacaerys had no idea what she was but she knew something had happened because today you seemed distracted all day and during dinner, you barely spoke and you didn't eat much either so your husband was worried. First, he waited to see if you would tell him what the reason for your distress was, but now that you were both alone and in the shelter of his bed, your head on his chest and his arms hugging you, even so, you still didn't seem to dare to tell him so. He decided to ask you directly.

“Today I noticed you were distracted, my lady,” he said as he caressed your waist with one of his hands. “Do you want to tell me what is worrying you? That might make you feel better” he asked softly making you look at him.

“I'm bleeding,” you noticed the panic in your husband's eyes so you hurried to clarify. I mean my moon blood” You felt his body relax again.

Jacaerys thought about getting up and asking the maester to bring you some tea to alleviate any discomfort you had but when he was about to ask you to please move so he was going to look for the maester you surprised him by talking again.

“Are you disappointed?” You asked, abandoning the warmth of his chest to get a good look at his reaction, not wanting to miss any small-expression or movement. But your husband didn't look angry or sad but rather he seemed confused.

“Why would I be disappointed?” he asked, feeling lost. You hadn't done anything to make him or his family feel bad nor had you broken your marriage vows so he didn't understand how you could have let him down.

“Because I'm not pregnant!” you responded with obvious frustration and eyes full of unshed tears. You looked away and sat down feeling ashamed of yourself, for having lost your temper and especially for not fulfilling your duties. “And there's obviously something wrong with me,” you said, finally saying out loud what you had been thinking all day since you saw your red-stained clothes.

You hid your face in your hands, not wanting the prince to see that you were starting to cry. Barely a few seconds passed when Jacaerys was in front of you, gently removing your hands from your face. He felt pain in his heart when he saw your beautiful eyes full of sadness and tears rolling down your cheeks.

“Hey, don't talk about yourself like that. There is nothing wrong with you, my sweet wife. Your value is above the children you can give me” he said while carefully wiping away the tears. “You are more important than that, you are the one who gives me love and joy every day” he gently takes your face before kissing you on your forehead, his lips soon land on the tip of your nose and then on your cheeks, he begins to spread kisses all over your face until finally the tears stop and a smile forms on your lips and Jace finally kisses you like a husband should kiss a wife. You feel like you are melting from the sweetness of his kiss and from all the love he transmits to you. You feel so lucky to be his wife. He is so kind, sweet, and attentive to you. And you just want to make him as happy as he makes you feel every day. That's why you're so angry and disappointed in yourself for having your moon blood again.

Somehow Jacaerys must feel that your thoughts are turning dark again because he stops kissing you to calm your fears.

“Now, my sweet wife, I don't want to invalidate your concerns but we have only been married for a few moons so I think it is normal that you are not pregnant yet,” he said as he caressed your cheek. You still didn't seem to be completely calm so he hastened to add. "But if in a few moons, you are still not pregnant and you are still worried about it, we can go talk to my mother or the maester. I'm sure they will be willing to help us."

Jacaerys hoped that the two of you wouldn't have to have that uncomfortable conversation with the maester but for you, he was willing to do anything. He just wanted you to stop worrying.

“To be honest, it doesn't bother me that it's just the two of us for now. “I would like to have you a little more to myself,” he declared shamelessly, making you laugh before rushing you to kiss him again.

Taglist: @chaotic-fangirl-blog @venus-flytrap3 @ajordan2020 @iloveallmyboys @sweethoneyblossom1 @fudge13 @crystal-faith @tita004 @ichanelvxgue @snowprincesa1 @joyouart @rosey1981 @alastorhazbin @papichulo120627 @apollonshootafar @jasminecosmic99 @partypoison00 @labellapeaky @rebelliuna @bxdbxtxh15 @impartinghades @thegirlnextdoorssister @angeliod @snh96 @aleemendoza2425-blog @natashaobo @watercolorskyy @nyenye @savagemickey03 @kishie8 @ewwwitsel @arabis-world @missusnora @nzygftoji @alisoncdariel @cookielovesbook-akie @partnerincrime0 @klara-lily @427120lxld @justhereiguess2 @buckylahey @wa801 @artistadistrada2002 @thelastemzy @justanotherkpopstanlol @yn-jackson @pictureofcaroline

hotd masterlist

[kayluh1915]

psssst, disclaimer…

@swiftllama: *texts me with no context* EVERY BTS THEY GET GAYER AND GAYER

Me after watching said BTS:

It's Ianthony moment breakdown time, BBY!

I know I've been gone for a while but I've really been going through it, y'all. I want to post more from here on out, but I can't make any promises. Executive disfunction and ADHD paralysis sssuuuccckkkkssss.

Anyways, back to our regularly scheduled screamings!

Also, this is from a members only video. If you can, please support Ian and Anthony directly. I do not share content outside of small Ianthony moments like these.

The noise that came out of my mouth was not human in anyway, shape, or form! Anthony has carried Ian like this before, but it was before his departure. Back then they were really stiff and awkward with each other since their friendship was strained, as they have mentioned several times. Now they're super close and don't give a flying fuck and MY HEART CAN'T TAKE IT!

Sam has been keeping me up to date with everything and I just can't believe the timeline we're in. Everything else might be shit, but at least Ian and Anthony are back together and give us moments like these on the weekly! 😭They keep me sane.

ANYWAYS, I made some gifs of the moment because AHHHH and I'm going to break down the little moments that made my fandom heart flutter

Let's get to it!

Right off the bat, Ian very minorly freaks out when Anthony picks him up and immediately grips Anthony's arm. Logically, I know that anyone would grab onto the closest thing on instinct in this situation... but my Ianthony brain is screaming: "AWWW! ANTHONY MAKES HIM FEEL SAFE!!!!!!!"

Okay, my logic brain is calming down now because this gif just confirmed that Ian not only trusts Anthony whole heartedly but also FEELS SAFE! As soon as Anthony reassures him that he won't let him fall Ian relaxes and starts to let go of the death grip he has on Anthony's arm near the end of the gif.

Another demonstration of how much Ian trusts Anthony. He doesn't even flinch when he lifts him up and even has that face he makes that screams: "yeah yeah, we know Mr. Buff." after Anthony comments on how easy it is for him to hold Ian.

DUDE! The way Ian just goes limp after Anthony once again lets him know that he's got him. IT'S SO FUCKING CUTE and, again, is proof of how much he trusts him. He knows Anthony won't drop him and just decides to relax for a second, putting his full weight on Anthony's shoulders. I CANNOT! It's so intimate!!! Ian probably also took notes from Rhett's "I'm Dead" move he pulls on Link which I find hilarious.

Okay, this is my favorite one of this whole gifset. The way Anthony looks back at Ian to make sure he's still comfortable and then smiling to someone about it!?!? BRING AMBERLAMPS! MY HEART HAS STOPPED!

Damn, I needed these two in my life so badly right now. The fact that they pulled THIS SHIT just makes it so much better. I know they've said and done things more damning within the past few months, but I enjoy more intimate moments like these. Yeah, it's for a bit, but it shows just how much Anthony cares for Ian and how much Ian trusts him.

Lord have mercy, I need a nap after all of that. 😮‍💨

[catboybiologist]

https://www.tumblr.com/radiantfissure/766164937299116032/yes-thank-you-prev-its-such-a-shitty-verbal?source=share

People of colour pointing out a pattern of racism and asking white queer people to do better is not the same thing as transmisogynistic femboys being used as an agp trope like she said. She is allover the place and jump from one point to another. I'm sorry that it makes you uncomfortable that we point out the trends of racism in the queer community and that we have to mention it over and over again to the point that you believe it is an harassment campaign because white queer people refuse to listen and change. If multiple ppl say the same thing over and over again, instead of believing it is a way to oppress white people, maybe take it as a sign that there is a huge problem racism in our community and white queer people must stop acting like victims when we point it out. There is a reason why you barely see any BIPOC in the online queer community. It is inhospitable to us and get called transphobic when we point it out. Not all white queers are like that but I shouldn't have to say it. Just listen to use BIPOC, I'm begging you.

Okay there's a lot here that's a bit of a storm of info and I'm going to be honest, I don't really know what's going on and I'm unpacking what you linked and what you said now.

I don't know if this ask is directed at me specifically, or if its just because I'm a white queer with some kind of following. I didn't interact with the linked post, and I don't know if its vagueing about a specific person or event, or just general sentiments.

First, if I genuinely have done or said anything directly to make BIPOC uncomfortable on my page or in the tumblr community, PLEASE tell me. This isn't a one time thing, I genuinely would appreciate if I'm "called out" in asks, DMs, or some other kind of interaction before something becomes a larger issue.

(This applies universally, btw, and is something I've asked for before. I appreciate directness and clarity a lot, and I do want to listen. I hope that comes across.)

(oh, and also, to white queer followers: don't try to "defend" me if this is pointing out something I did. Cut that bullshit out, its extremely uncomfortable.)

Second, if this isn't about something I've done or said specifically, and you mostly want comment on the post.... yeah, I'm going to be honest, that post is a big fucking problem. There's a LOT to unpack in that post and I don't have nearly the capacity to go through it all. Fuck. This is a half baked thought, but it genuinely feels like they're using some kind of "TMA status" as a deflection of criticism. I've absolutely seen memes about the "racist femboy", but honestly, its nothing more than memes.

I've actually probably seen more racist, internally queerphobic femboys than I've seen memes or stereotypes on the subject. So uh. Yeah.

Imma be blunt. If the stereotype of the "racist 4chan femboy" is something you come across commonly in a way that actually affects discussion and communication about trans issues, and feels more prevalent than the stereotypes that are flown around in political contexts and broader culture... then I'm really sorry, you're probably terminally online.

None of this is well formed thoughts. All of this is a mess. I can't agree with this post, though. The most favorable interpretation of it is that its coming from a place of being extremely online and not really knowing what the actual stereotypes held about trans women are. The less favorable reading is that its deflection.

Third, if there are specific people or events this is referring to, then I well and truly have 0 clue whats going on.

Also, I sympathize with the sheer exhaustion of feeling like you have to say "not all white queers" all the time. Obviously I haven't been in the exact situation, but I feel very similarly about a lot of social commentary- you oftentimes get tired of the little disclaimers intended to make other people more comfortable. Its fucking tiresome.

[suddencolds]

sending u a star!! ⭐️ sorry i wanted to go thru and pick a specific fic but im too sleepy lol but any yvescent piece u had thoughts on :D

[from Fanfic Writers - Director's Cut]

hello!!! THANK YOU N, IT MADE ME REALLY HAPPY TO RECEIVE THIS 🥹🥹🥹

I also realize am responding to this like 2 months late :') I thought for a long time on which fic to comment on, and now that I've posted Atypical Occurrence pt. 2, I thought I might as well write out my thoughts on it while they're still fresh and bc it's close to my heart (I hope that's okay hehe)

—

⚠️❗️ Warning that I will be attaching snippets from my deleted drafts below!! Please read the published installment before you proceed to read this post. This is a little embarrassing... all I can say is that those drafts were deleted for a reason 🥴

—

There’s a grocery store that’s a ten minute drive from Vincent’s apartment. 

I rewrote this scene... 3 or 4 times? It gave me sooo much trouble 😭 I think in the first draft Vincent actually tears up tasting Yves's cooking. (I know, Vincent, I want Yves to cook for me too 😭❗️)

Terrible (ugh 😭) first draft screenshot under the cut (screenshot = old draft, indented quote = current draft):

(Yves pulling up a chair at the end... you can tell he is totally at a loss on what to do 😭 and I, too, was at a loss on what to do)

I wrote this ^, and I was like... this moment just feels unearned? I personally despise outlining + I love going in (mostly) blind. Sometimes the first draft works out of the box, and in this case, the first draft (and the second draft, and the third draft) were all soooo bad that I literally had to take a month-long break to regain my confidence 😭

Anyways! I knew right away that Y was going to cook something for V (it's mentioned here and there throughout the series that he is a really good cook 😭 And in part 3 of Fool Me Twice, Yves promises to make Vincent something more ambitious than hot chocolate. He's finally kept his promise now, 12 installments later 🙇‍♀️ )

From draft 2, there was only one scene which I was sure I was going to include in the final draft, aka, spared from the recycling bin. (But I just checked the final draft and it's nowhere to be seen?? Interesting.)

I would have managed fine on my own.

On this (deleted) scene, and more broadly: I think it's important to me that Yves recognizes that Vincent is self-sufficient in many ways: when Vincent says he will be fine alone, he is telling the truth. Yves doesn't have to stay—he recognizes this too, when he heads for the door in the published draft.

Still, Yves stays, of course—initially, because he insists, and later, because Vincent asks :)

“…You won’t leave unless I eat, then,” Vincent says. He says it evenly enough that it barely registers as a question. Yves smiles at him. It’s not a wrong conclusion. “Exactly,” he says.

It was really, really fun writing the differences between caretaker!Vincent (in Fool Me Twice pt. 5) and caretaker!Yves 😊 I usually don't like to say too much on the end of character analysis, bc I like my work to be interpreted as it is: the text is canon, and everything I'm saying here is just me yapping on about my headcanons. (I have been roasted for saying this by a dear friend of mine, probably rightfully so:)

With that disclaimer: Vincent to me (I can only speculate, etc) is a very no-bullshit caretaker (he likes to enforce whatever will lead most directly to the person's recovery; he actually worries a lot, but his worry often manifests as frustration/snappishness), whereas Yves is a lot more permissive and, for the most part, manages his stress—he is the eldest sibling, after all! I think he does what he can to make it a more tolerable experience :)

“So this is just a Yves thing.” “What? Showing consideration for my friends?”  “Showing consideration is one thing,” Vincent answers. “You could have left after dropping off the files. You would still have been showing your consideration.” “I guess that’s true. But at that point, I was already here,” Yves says, with a shrug. “It seemed logical to check up on you.” “Well, now you’ve checked up on me,” Vincent says. “So you can go.” Yves supposes this is true.

Vincent takes things very literally (and I think he's actually quite aware of the social niceties around these kinds of things, which is in part why he is so skeptical to assume that Yves means anything more.)

There’s a hand on his sleeve, tugging. Yves goes very still. When Vincent notices what he’s done, alarm flashes through his expression, and he pulls his hand away as if he’s burned.  “Sorry,” he murmurs, again. And just like that, he’s back to how he always is—his expression perfectly, carefully neutral, in a way that can only be constructed. “I’m sorry.” But Yves doesn’t forget what he’s seen. “You can go.”

This scene means a lot to me!! It took a loooot of editing to hammer into place (the doc I wrote it on is titled "fixing this scene would FIX ME" haha). I think this is the first time Vincent has actively sought out Yves's comfort 😭 And he regrets it almost as soon as he's said it, because he does not do things without a good justification, and wanting something—even wanting it badly—does not feel like a sufficient justification to him. But give Yves an inch and he will take a mile!! He will take a hundred miles!! That is just the kind of person that Yves is.

I was talking with some friends previously about how I wanted to write Vincent reaching out for Yves. How I wanted Vincent to, through the haze of fever, cross a line that he'd previously not allowed himself to cross :') I think it is a time-old trope to have someone, in their feverish delirium, utter something embarrassing and utterly uncharacteristic of them, or divulge something that has been difficult for them to say.

This whole time drafting, I was thinking, how can I set up a moment like that and have it feel earned? How badly would he have to be feeling? What kind of setup would justify getting past his 590859 mental defenses? (I do not like to outline, but sometimes I do have an emotional beat that I have in mind, and then I have to work backwards to figure out the setup. This took SO much working back from, and I really thought about it for very long). I was almost sure that Vincent would regret it immediately after too 😭

Yves opens his arms out in offering, tries on a smile. “I’ve been told I give good hugs. Good enough to cure all ailments, obviously.”

Ahh, so Y offering V a hug is inspired by a fic I read 6 years ago, where a character offers another a hug as a joke and then the other character surprises them by taking it. Yves is really offering here, but I think he recognizes that joking about it will make it easier for Vincent to accept 😭

Yves has hugged a fair share of people in his life. He doesn’t think he’d be able to list them all if he were asked to. It’s different, though, being so close to Vincent—so close that Yves can reach out and let his hair fall through his fingertips. He can lift up his palm and feel the rigid line of his spine, the slope of his shoulders; he could reach out and trace the dip of his wrist, the form of his hand. Vincent’s chin digs slightly into his left shoulder. His nose is turned slightly into Yves’s neck—like this, he is almost perfectly still. Yves can feel the warm brush of air against his neck whenever Vincent exhales. He is so close that Yves is afraid, for a moment, that he might hear how badly his heart is racing.

I have nothing to say about this paragraph except that I edited it for like 40 minutes straight.

Last thing!!

“We had a habit of keeping the heat off, in the winters, and closing the windows.”

The scene near the end (where Vincent tells Yves about his childhood) is actually the scene which came the most easily to me. I also did not write it last; I jumped around. It took me around 1.5 hours. (By comparison, simply editing the scene before it took 11 😵‍💫)

I did always intend for Vincent to disclose... well, /something/ about himself. (You can tell that when I plan, that's really as far as I plan LOL)

Anyways, when Vincent wakes Yves up (after Yves falls asleep at his desk), I initially wrote it so that Yves wakes Vincent from a nightmare.

But (as direct a link to vulnerability as that might have been,) Vincent would not talk about his nightmare 😭 So I switched gears.

I also specifically wanted to write about Vincent's experience being cared for growing up. I think something that's culturally resonant with me (as an Asian American, and the eldest daughter to immigrant parents) is like, the ways families can and cannot say I love you—the quiet things that are done in place of a more direct expression of it. The way that while unspoken consideration can speak volumes, it can just as easily be invisible. But even now, writing this post, I feel like it's difficult for me to untangle the feelings and experiences I've had into something that feels sufficiently multifaceted.

Vincent has a different childhood from I do (it is probably worth noting that I do not project onto any of my characters, nor do I use them as a vessel to get my own experiences across). I think I'm just drawn to writing tricky/non-straightforward expressions of love, in general :) Sometimes that is the kind of love that resonates with me most.

[evernkillian]

HP Fanfiction Recs | One- Shot Edition; Part 1

Standard Rec Lists Disclaimers Apply: Please for the love of God read the tags and Author's Note/s, This is NOT the ultimate rec lists or whatever, the fics below are my cup of tea.

Also, I tried my best to make the Quotes I included spoiler free but if you think it is just tell me!

(also, I have more fic recs! Here)

🍄🍄🍄

1. r/AITA by Seagate

G | 2k Words | Hermione / Draco

Summary: A budding relationship seen through the eyes of Reddit posts

Hermione POV. Well, Reddit Post Style. Hermione's a good friend 🥹🥹🥹 Actually, most of her posts are about Harry, seeking advice on how could she make sure that he won't get hurt/make sure that he's in good hands. ALSO ALSO they keep interacting in the comments so READ THEIR USERNAMES IT'S FUNNIER IF U KNEW WHO IT IS. To this day whenever I remember Voldemort's comment I laugh. I love Hermione's characterization- she's loyal, and she takes no shit. I laugh a lot reading this because Hermione sounds so serious but it's funny. Also my favorite quote:

I don't buy it for a second. The kicked puppy look, the lost baby blue eyes, and pouty lips? I was there when he perfected it. When he used the fake remorse to get out of trouble with the professors. 

I slammed the door in his face. I'd rather get murdered, thanks.

2. Do Not Collect 200 Dollars by KittySmith

T | 11k Words

Summary: It isn't Voldemort who is reverted to baby form from the Final Super Spell - but why is Harry still alive?

Is Voldemort... cooing?

Crack fic. Like, really crack. I reread this fic when I need a laugh. Voldemort's mind is a beautiful place it's so funny. I love how oblivious Voldemort is with Snape's kidnapping attempts LAUGHING CRYING SOBBING the interactions of these 3 are my favorite parts because of its peak comedy. Voldemort as the most bizarre doting parent ever. Oh, yeah, it's a Voldemort Wins AU. He's just taking care of Harry and researching. What an icon. ALSO MY FAVORITE QUOTE:

He examined the banana he had left consideringly, checking its heft before he threw it directly into Severus’ terrified face with a flat, “Bitch.”

3. Heartbreaking Confession by LiquidLuckandStuff (@liquidluckandstuff )

M | 1k Words | Harry / Tom|Voldemort

Summary: After the war, Harry visits Voldemort's grave after a bad day with a Mind Healer.

He confesses something he is too scared to tell even his closest friends.

Just Harry having a bad day and talking to Voldemort's grave. About Almosts, what ifs, what could've beens. This fic shows that Voldemort and Harry understood each other very much. The ways they've shown it while they're enemies, while one of them is dead. Also my favorite quote!!! It's longer than this, 3 paragraphs but i think that would be too spoiler-y so here it is!

Quietly, Harry whispered a terrible secret. “Sometimes, I want to crawl in there with you."

4. Breaking More Taboos by Destiny_Of_A_Dragon

M | 3k Words | Harry / Voldemort

Summary: The first time Harry broke the taboo, he’d been beyond starving, with little to no choice. The second and third times were much the same.

But the fourth?

That’s when everything changed.

HOLY MOLY THIS FIC!!!! MAKES ME FERAL!!! It's so unique and I've reread it lots of times!!! Can't say more because spoilers but!!! If you've read this scream about it with me. Sadly I can't put my favorite quote here since I don't wanna ruin the surprise factor but!!! Just know I have a lot of them!!!

5. Lightning Heart by Clarisse (transnymphtaire)

G | 1k Words | Harry / Tom

Summary: The first time you touch, a matching symbol is left behind where skin met skin.

ROLE REVERSAL AU!!! DARK LORD HARRY GRRRRRRRR. ALSO GRYFFINDOR TOM. Also Luna's part is brief here but she's a badass I love her. And!!! Harry giving tom gifts for courting. And they're soulmates! Favorite quote:

"Did you know that Gryffindor was my old house?” Harry ask conversationally, as if they’re not under the school, with a mirror hiding the Philosopher’s stone.

“It’s why I chose it over Slytherin.” Tom answers.

🍄🍄🍄

[butterfly-apocalypse]

Life of a School Shooting Survivor

Just some ramblings about a minor detail that I feel stuck on. (For context: I was there at school that day and I was traumatized but I did not witness the event itself nor was I particularly close of any of the casualty victims. Because of this I sometimes have a hard time accepting that my trauma is valid, and I certainly don’t feel like I’m a good candidate to be a speaker on the topic. However, I do feel the need to be heard at some level, so I would appreciate people reading.) 

[Warnings for discussion of school shootings, negativity, and Jerks in the YouTube comment section]

I have a couple of drafts for stuff like this that I wanted to post on the 1-year, but it ended up being a really hard week so that didn’t happen. But I had a little bit of a tough time today and I’m feeling like talking about it again. I’m doing so much better now. I think the one year was super hard but even a week afterward, I felt better. I felt less heavy and I could talk about it the most openly that I ever have outside of therapy, which was amazing. I was also So Super Busy which kept me distracted which is nice but it’s also probably part of the reason it’s taken me so long to reach this point. Not that there’s a time table for how to get over trauma, but I notice that so many of my schoolmates, even people who were significantly more involved than I was, are doing better. Maybe part of it is that I’m a very sensitive person. Maybe it was just that it was one of my nightmares literally come to life for me to experience in 3D Surround Sound. Whatever it was, it’s taken me quite some time to get over it. 

Teachers are back to showing violent movies in class with just some cursory warnings. You talk to Freshman who don’t really know what happened. The world around me is moved on, and in many ways, I have as well. 

But there’s one detail, one tiny super unimportant STUPID detail, that bothers me so much. It was kind of stupid of me sure, but I was freshly traumatized and wanting to talk about it to an audience who hadn’t heard the story before, so I’m not going to blame myself. In fact, while perhaps ill-advised, it was perfectly innocent and in my eyes maybe a good thing. 

I’m not sure who remembers, but after Parkland, Li-Manuel Miranda and Ben Platt made a medley of You Will Be Found and Story of Tonight called Found/Tonight. They wrote it FOR the school shooting survivors. They wrote it FOR March For Our Lives. I listened to it for several hours at a time in the days following the shooting. And like two or three days after, I decided I could leave my story in the comments of the video. (I’m sure you all can see where this is going.) 

I don’t remember the entire comment, and I really don’t want to go back and find it, but essentially it was the first time I told the story. It wasn’t the actual event itself, just the context and the aftermath. And how the car ride home from the evacuation site was silent. But the first time I listened to music after it happened, I was listening to the radio and they put Found/Tonight on and talked about how it was for the school shooting survivors. And I was feeling a lot of things then, but I just remember in that moment, listening to the voices of two celebrities I was enthralled with at the time, singing this song that was written for kids like me, and I just felt....so much less alone. Other people had gone through this (my first reaction just now was to type “other people had gone through worse,” but I need to stop invalidating my own trauma which has been a huge obstacle for my recovery and honestly I think this event I’m talking about was a lot of the source of that) and ended up okay. It was like breathing out for just a second. It was the first time I finally had a moment of clarity to be like “Okay. Things aren’t okay now, but look: they will get better.” And OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT MOMENT FOR ME. 

I didn’t see any other survivors in the comments of the official video, but this song was FOR US so I thought, “Hey maybe if I share my story, other people might share theirs.” And so I wrote my comment, and went to sleep (I was doing a lot of sleeping these days.)

I wake up to a reply!! (How exciting!! I had -100 internet presence and had literally never commented on a YouTube video before this...) And I DO remember the reply. I don’t even have to go find it, it’s pretty ingrained in my mind. It said “Sorry sweetie, but this song can’t played on the radio yet. Stop trying to make your life sound cinematic.”  Okay. Okay. Okay. Yeah, it’s stupid. It’s short, it’s small, it’s insignificant, but I saw RED. I wrote a reply and it was stupid and angry and flustered and very very upset and I’m kind of embarrassed by it, but I want to be kinder to myself and honestly I made some okay points had I been a little more articulate with them never mind that they fell on the uncaring ears of youtube commenters. My main points were like: 1. Okay first of all, even if this WAS a fake story (it’s not) why???? Did you decide it was your job to “call it out”???? 2. On the “off chance” it WASN’T a fake story (it wasn’t) how could you just thoughtlessly weigh the consequence of invalidating a traumatized kid to be less than the rush of satisfaction for “calling out” a “fake story”??  3. It’s NOT a fake story, here’s the FACTS 4. It’s probably too much to hope that you feel a modicum of remorse, but here’s to hoping you have a scrap of human decency.   So posted than aaaand went, you guessed it, back to sleep.  Wake up to ANOTHER reply and THIS ONE...Hoooodee hoo this one is.......reading this one felt like the Edgar Allen Poe meme.  I don’t remember what this one said because I soon as I realized it WAS too much to hope that they had a scrap of human decency, I just kind of shut down a little bit again.  Essentially they SUMMARIZED THE SHOOTING THAT HAPPENED AT MY SCHOOL TO ME and said “Only like one person died, and then a cop shot the kid and it stopped. Why are you being whiny about it?” Like first of all...that’s not even what happened. Second of all..................yeah you read that right, this person said “Only” one person died. (Which is ALSO not true). 

I don’t know why that person was watching a video intended for school shooting survivors and the profits from which went to MFOL, an anti-gun protest.....I don’t know why they felt the need to say what they said......Maybe they were having a Bad Life and needed to take it out on someone...maybe they were feeling defensive because they were wrong........whatever it was. I recognize fully that the comments are not a big deal and that my trauma and feelings are valid... I was just thinking about it so much today and I wanted to get it out. 

Thank you for tuning in to this weeks issue of Talking About My Trauma to the void of the internet (and the several internet friends who will see this and care <3 If you’re reading this, hi I love you and thank you for reading.)

P.S. The sad part is I haven’t really worked myself back up to listening to the song. 

P.P.S. So many people in the comments were like “OMG THIS IS BEAUTIFUL, PLAY THIS AT MY FUNERAL!!!” and considering it was written for kids who’ve been to more than their fair share of funerals, I thought that was in very poor taste. Like sure I get the edgy “Haha planning my funeral!” Jokes, but some discretion would be nice, yeah?

[solarpunkism]

☀️Summer Energy Saving Tips☀️

Seeing your electric bill jump or double in the summer while just trying to maintain a livable space is extremely stressful. Having personally lived in the dry California desert, an unconditioned New Jersey apartment, and now the sweltering midwest, I have learned lots of different ways to beat the heat.

To give you the most information, I have also researched tips from energy companies and from eco-friendly sites and bullet point dumped every single one I found that was useful and affordable.

In this post I have compiled them into a list of quickest/easiest, and will have a second post up soon of less instant but still affordable and practical tips (second tier ideas, if you will).

☀️🤘Stay cool, stay safe, solarpunks! Please comment or reblog with any idea or solution that I have not included, and I will try to edit/add it to the list.

🧊Leave all doors to unoccupied/unused rooms closed. If it is unused, it doesn't need to be part of the cool air flow.

🧊Limit oven use, if possible. Cook with stove tops, toaster ovens, or microwaves. Stoves tend to generate a much larger amount of heat that lingers, especially when it is already warm.

🧊If your temperature is controlled by thermostat, keep all electronics and appliances away from it--they generate heat that can prematurely set off your thermastat.

🧊LED bulbs are the best bulb for staying cool because they do not generate heat, like incandescent ones. If you do not have LED bulbs, simply turning off as many lights as you can reduces heat.

🧊If you are going to be gone for 8+ hours, raising your thermostat temperature  {most electric companies say 78-86°, so somewhere in this range will be easiest to return to, depending on how cool you keep your home} until you return will lower your overall energy consumption.

🧊Use hot water as little as possible--cool showers, cool water when washing dishes & clothes--will reduce the heat being generated and then eliminated by temperature control.

🧊Use your big appliances (dish washer, stove, wash machine, dryer) at the coolest part of the day. This may mean getting up early or doing it late at night, whatever is most sustainable for you. What this does is similar to the tip above; reduces heat being generated by your appliances, and makes it easier on your thermostat to control that heat.

🧊Limit light & heat entrance by keeping blinds/curtains closed. DIY energy saving curtains can be made by hanging up a comforter or dark blanket over a curtain rod, or even nailing it directly to the wall. I have hung up rugs inside the window frame, and hung a thick blanket outside the window frame, and this has reduced the heat from entering through the window amazingly. $50 energy saving curtains are not necessary--you probably have everything you need lying around the house. If you have no available blankets, towels, or rugs, hanging up sheets, clothes on hangers, or using tinfoil will help as well. Any insulation will eliminate heat. Two ways to tell if its helping is 1. Is the room darker with the covering? And 2. When you touch the covering, is it less hot than touching the glass behind it?

🧊Heat leakage through door and window cracks don't have to be professionally tackled--my mom would roll up old towels and stuff them tightly into the windowsill. She would also sew a long tube and fill it with beans/rice and would use these on the window sills and at the bottoms of doors. Easy to kick away when you need to open the door, it is still heavy enough to keep air from getting through.

🧊Ceiling fans are your first level of defense, then energy saving fans (if possible), and then box fans. To make a box fan more effective, keep it clean, and with it's back not against a wall. Putting a pan of ice (or even cool water) in front of your box fan can sometimes cool a room down faster, too.

🧊Unplug any appliance not in use! This goes for TVs, computers, microwaves, etc. Leave your fridge plugged in, though, always.

Stay tuned for post 2 and 3! I am also compiling energy saving tips for specifically humid and dry climates, as both are very different; I hope you find them helpful as well.

☆ (Disclaimer: Suggestions such as "buy a new refrigerator so it is more energy friendly" I have not included because my blog is aimed towards people who are struggling financially. I want to give them information that they can use today, not tell them about another item that they need but cannot afford. There are many energy-saving devices and technologies out there, but this list is not about what you can buy but what you can eliminate/incorporate as soon as possible.)

[sincerelylaurel]

30 fancy words to expand your vocabulary

@writingwithacutlass on instagram <3

source:https://www.rd.com/list/fancy-words-sound-smarter/

disclaimer: although using fancy words is a great way to expand your vocabulary and can make you sound smarter/more professional, using them the wrong way will do exactly the opposite and make you look dumb. so make sure you know how to use these words in a sentence and that you can pronounce them correctly :) enjoy!

penultimate: second to last

example: we’re about to watch the penultimate episode of shadow and bone (which would be the 7th of the 8)

diminutive: exceptionally small

example: i saw a diminutive turtle yesterday

confluence: come together

example: the two rivers confluence in this town

granular: finely detailed, consisting of small particles

example: the sugar is very granular

parlance: manner of speaking

example: i couldn’t understand the city’s local parlance

pithy: a brief comment of substance

example: her remarks were always clever and pithy

despondent: hopeless, dejected

example: the recent events made me feel very despondent by the end of the day

lucid: clear and intelligible

example: she gave a lucid summary of what had happened

effervescent: enthusiastic

example: she was a naturally effervescent person

abate: reduce, lessen

example: i hope the rain will abate before noon

bespoke: custom-made

example: i gave her a bespoke piece of jewelry

resplendent: gorgeous

example: she looked resplendent in that dress

erudite: smart

example: i considered myself quite erudite for coming up with a solution

fortnight: two weeks

example: she’ll be staying for a fortnight

ennui: boredom

example: i was almost overcome by ennui

diatribe: rant

example: he was prone to diatribes when he was upset

vitriolic: mean

example: he wrote a vitriolic letter to his brother

pusillanimous: afraid, timid

example: her cousin was a pusillanimous child, always hiding his face and avoiding eye contact

bloviate: brag

example: he bloviated about his victorious win in monopoly

rococo: overly ornate

example: the furniture was rococo

aplomb: confidence

example: he spoke with great aplomb

pervicacious: stubborn

example: she was a horribly pervicacious person who always got her way

obfuscate: confuse

example: the politicians obfuscated whenever they didn’t want to answer a question directly

fastidious: meticulous

example: you have a fastidious attention to detail

sycophant: suck-up

example: she’s such a sycophant

articulate: well-spoken

example: learning fancy words will make you sound more articulate

accolade: kudos

example: she awarded them with the accolade of intelligence

brevity: concise use of words in writing or speech

example: i liked the brevity of her essay

anomaly: something odd

example: is talking to yourself an anomaly?

adulation: flattery

example: the audience gave their adulation to the pianist

have a great day/night!!

remember you're loved and remember to drink water. see you next time! (turn on post notifications so you don't miss any of my posts!)

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰ ───

➳ answer the qotd!

➳ please don't repost without credit!

➳ save and share to boost this post!

｡･:*˚:✧｡ love, laurel

[butterjinwoo]

Story about FRIENDZONE.

Hi~ it's me again.. after a long long time for not updating anything here 😅😅

Btw, happy anniversary, dear Astro.

So, i always wrote my dream here. And here i got another cute dream.. again. I will do a bit touch to make the story feels better. So let's pretend this is imagines ^^

FRIENDZONED

Genre : fluff

Disclaimer : 95% dream, 5% added story

Pairing : jinjin x y/n, and mj bestie

Story line:

Not all people can take your kindness as kindness but there's always be people who always back up from your back.

---

It was a day, you can say that it was a beautiful day. The sky was so beautiful and you were sitting on bench near the sport ground. You were seeing your coach and some of his trainees practiced there.

The coach was really handsome and kind. Although he was so kind, there was a lot of people who threw hate towards him. You watched him from afar. You knew he got a lot of hate comments thought letters he received.

You felt bad about that and you just wanted to help him to feel better. You started to write him letter which you praised him for being so kind. You did that a lot.

One day, he realized that it was letter from you and he finally decided to talk to you.

"I really need to talk to you, y/n." He told you. "Hm.. why?" You asked.

"I know, you have some feelings for me." You were kinda confused but you knew that the letters might be the most possible the reason. "You sent me a lot of sweet messages through letters."

"I just want you to feel better, i mean.. you got a lot of bad comments as well. I don't have any other intentions to bother you." You explained.

"See, y/n. I know you have feelings for me. But sorry I can't accept it. Please don't send me this kind of letters anymore." He said, looked upset. "No, you got me wrong. I have another guy I love and he is not you. I really-" before you could finished your sentence, he said, "sorry, don't tell a lie. Just move on." And he left you.

You were really upset and sad. He took you wrong. You really wanted to make him feel better but he got you wrong. You were so embarrassed. You just wanted to disappear. Your tears started to fall to your cheek. You were really heartbroken, not because he rejected you, but you just felt upset to youself, your own kindness, you did well but he didn't take it well.

--

MJ suddenly came to you. He saw you cried, he was confused and he asked you, "y/n, what happened? Why are you crying?" You were shocked, so you wiped your tears in second and answered him, "no, mj. I'm fine. Thanks for asking."

"You sure? It's impossible for someone to cry without having any reason. You can tell me. I can be your shoulder to cry on." He offered. The way his words touched directly to your heart made your tears fell again. You explained to him the whole story. As he knew that coach too, he seemed a bit upset too. A lot of people didn't like him, remember? So did MJ. "Y/n, stop crying. I will make smile." And he left you there. "Wait- what? MJ!" You yelled at him as he walked away. "Just wait here. Don't go anywhere."

Again, you were confused. And as you felt MJ betrayed you by leaving you there. You sobbed.

After few moments, you decided to leave because you didn't see that mj would come back as he promised. But before you walked away, jinjin came over. You liked him, you sure. You love him. He came and he asked you, "is everything okay?" "Yeah," you said. He pulled you to his embrace. "I heard the story, so sorry for that." You pushed him away directly, you felt wrong. "We are just friends, you know. You said that." You confirmed. "Shh.. shh.. who said that?" He pulled you again, but this time he hugged you thighter. He caressed your hair. "I never told you that we are just friends, tho. And.. i know your feeling as well, so does mine." He sounded shy. You never expected that words from his lips to come out. "You know, i love you too." As he said his feeling to you, you felt relieved and you hugged him back.

-end-

-----

The fact that i read jinwoo's letter on universe and he mentioned about "being friend" there. I was joking with my friend about this. I told her that it's okay, now jinwoo and i are just friends. We joked a lot 😅😅 and this dream appeared. Haha sorry jinwoo, but i think my mind doesn't want to accept that fact about being friend lol. You'll be my forever love, my fav, dearest jinjin.

[dungeondicedivaarchieve]

A few months ago I typed up some comments about the anime-only scene between Otogi and Honda on the blimp. Found here.

Well... now I'm here to talk about what happened before that scene. Because I read so much more into it.

Let's take a walk.

Please keep in mind that a great deal of this speculation comes from the belief that, despite Mr. Clown not being seen in the anime, he still exists and his relationship to his son is very similar. Also please keep in mind that this is all speculation from someone who has spent waaaayyyy too much time looking into everything Ryuji Otogi says/ does.

~~~

We join our heroes shortly after Yugi's Duel with Bakura. Ryou has fallen unconscious and the stab wound he sustained earlier has re-opened (unless you're watching the dub where blood doesn't exist.)

Otogi's first line comes after Shizuka has asked Kaiba to land the plane, and the camera cuts to her making a pose that demonstrates both uncertainty and discomfort. Kaiba stares at her and Honda and Otogi both get between them... to Honda's annoyance.

More on this in a second.

Kaiba ignores this and turns his attention back to Jonouchi and Yugi, telling them that it was Bakura's choice to Duel and that he will not be held responsible for the repercussions of another's mistake.

This causes Shizuka to shout (probably for the first time in her life.)

Otogi makes this face. Personally, I think it looks like a combination of surprise and concern. But why would he be concerned?

Because Shizuka is a lot younger, a lot smaller, and a lot less powerful (both physically and financially) than Seto Kaiba.

He is fearful of what Kaiba will do in retaliation, ans so.

He gets between Shizuka and Kaiba in hopes of transferring whatever Kaiba's about to do to him instead of her.

Because Ryuji Otogi is an abuse victim that knows what happens when you challenge someone bigger and more powerful than you. They put you back in your place.

Also Honda continues to not like this. Otogi is cutting him off each time he tries to speak, and while this could be seen as Otogi trying to one up Honda (and the dub absolutely took it that way) I can see it taken a number of ways. There's a chance he's trying to team up with Honda and hope that Kaiba won't start anything if it's two against one. It could also be that Otogi's not paying a lot of attention to Honda. He does see Shizuka and start moving in front of her before Honda moves into the frame the second time.

Going on a small tangent here but...

Keep in mind, Otogi stepped into a fight against four other guys and got himself involved in the fight against a cult to protect Honda and Shizuka. Sure, you can say that he did that to have a chance with her, but that's a lot of risk to have a chance with a girl he knows nothing about... especially for a guy who could have any number of girls with minimal effort. He will also shortly after this put up his own body as a gamble to protect Shizuka from a creepy old man that wants to wear her body like a suit. Personally, I don't think Otogi has any romantic feelings towards Shizuka at all, since each time they interact, he isn't so much flirting as he is trying to protect her. He treats Rebecca in a very similar way when he joins the duel between her and Varon under the assumption that Mai is also dueling, and that Rebecca will be outnumbered (and the correct assumption that a 12-year-old is about to pick a fight with a cult member who has the power to steal her soul. I've heard critiques that Otogi is very sexist because he won't let Rebecca nor Shizuka fight their own battles, which, yes, that's one way to take it... or you can take it as him stepping in when people significantly younger than even he is (Shizuka is 13) are put into incredible danger.)

That was lengthier than I meant for it to be, I'm sorry, back to the actual post.

So, despite everyone's best attempts, Kaiba's not landing this plane. Now get out.

Shizuka makes this face as they leave.

She's not having a good time.

Again Honda tries to talk to Shizuka and again Otogi cuts him off. He also grabs her hands and makes a very dramatic show of himself.

He makes this ridiculous face (that the dub skips because right after it, Shizuka blushes, and the dub really wants to portray Duke as the bad option in this love triangle. So we can't let it be known that she's happy he's doing this.)

This. This is not a face you use when you're trying to be suave and impress a girl. Heck, this is not a face we'll ever see him use again. We've seen him be suave and flirtatious, we know what it looks like, and folks, this ain't it.

To me, he knows he's being ridiculous and over-the-top. That's the point. He's trying to make Shizuka smile or at least stop making that face.

Now... this is where things take a turn.

Disclaimer: This might come across like I don't like Honda. I don't dislike Honda at all! It's just the nature of this scene.

Honda volunteers to go look for the Millennium Ring. Yugi agrees that they should all look. Honda says no, Jonouchi and Yugi should focus on their duels.

We cut to Otogi (still holding Shizuka's hands, I think she's okay now buddy you can stop) and he asks if Shizuka wants to help him search (he does not speak for her like he does in the dub.)

Honda insists Otogi come with him and very forcefully shoves/pushes Otogi away from Shizuka (who does, admittedly, look relieved.) When Otogi tries to protest that this isn't what he wants, Honda grabs his face to silence him.

This is not the first time someone has silenced Otogi by forcefully touching his face.

And this is not the expression of someone who is at all comfortable with the person touching him.

Honda then proceeds to drag a flailing Otogi away from the group while covering his mouth.

Otogi is doing everything in his power to communicate that he does not want this without being able to speak or break the guy's hold around his neck and no one is recognizing this as a sign of distress... or they are and they're just not stopping it. Heck, Jonouchi thinks Honda is being nice.

We can also see in this still that Honda's got a few inches on Otogi. Not a lot, Honda is 5'11 and Otogi is 5'8, but that's a considerable difference when you're intimidated.

Honda drags him to the top of the blimp and, while Otogi is looking about the blimp for the ring (what Honda claimed they were going up here to do) Honda stays still. Directly in front of the door. Blocking Otogi from being able to get away. (I can't post any more images in this post I'll have to rely on hyperlinks now.)

Otogi can't get away and he's been pulled away from the group. He is very aware this guy has a problem with him and can very easily overpower him.

So Otogi does what I've dubbed activates smug mode.

I'm going to make another post elaborating on activate smug mode (this one's long enough as it is) but, basically, Otogi only acts this way when he's trying to get the better of someone or when he's feeling threatened. He is also incredibly smug when he approaches his father to tell him that he lost to Yugi, knowing full well how his father will react to that news. It's a defense mechanism. Honda's taller and stronger than Otogi, all Otogi can really do is badmouth him and make him feel smaller in hopes that that will make Honda back off.

He then makes this pose.

I'm no body language specialist, but I worked as a counselor at a battered women's shelter for a while, so I was taught a few things.

1. He turns to his side. When you're intimidated by someone, you don't face them directly. You tilt your body away to give the illusion of distance, and to keep your vitals out of their direct reach.

2. He folds his arms in front of his stomach. Remember, Shizuka crossed her arms in front of her stomach when she was facing down Kaiba. Otogi is masking it a little by pointing and propping his elbow on his hand, but folding the arms over the chest or stomach remains a typical sign of insecurity/fear.

3. He is clutching his arm. This is something people do during severe bouts of anxiety in an attempt to ground themselves.

In conclusion, yes, Otogi sounds very confident and like he's egging Honda on. He sounds confident. Because that's the only thing he really has over Honda. Honda seems insecure about his appearance when compared to Otogi, thus why he gets deeply irritated whenever Otogi gets close to Shizuka. Otogi taps into that and uses it because it's his only defense in this situation. Maybe Honda will get fed up and leave to go lick his wounded pride.

It doesn't work. They throw hands. Well, Honda throws hands. Otogi stays in a very defensive stance the entire time. Fun fact: Keeping your arms raised close to your face and blocking your chest is one of the main stances in the more defensive based martial art of Tae-Kwon-Do.

In conclusion, my name is Axel and I think about this way, way, waaaay too much. I am of the belief that Otogi is very intimidated by Honda. I was going to attach images here of all the times Honda grabs Otogi's shirt/ threatens to punch him in the face but since I can't attach any more images and hyperlinks are a pain, I'll save it for another post. There are at least five instances.

No, I don't hate/dislike Honda, in fact, I'm pretty sure if Honda knew about Otogi's background, he'd feel terrible. The fact is they're both insecure teenage boys, Otogi because of his home life and Honda because of his family's social status and perhaps his lack of success as a duelist.

And... while I've thought about this scene a lot ever since posting that other post, I never realized how sad it makes me. Otogi's not hiding that he's not okay with being manhandled and dragged off, and his friends just sorta. Let it happen. Again, I don't blame any of them. Both Yugi and Jou have a lot on their minds and they don't seem to notice that this is a problem. Probably because 1. Honda and Jou are very physical/ playfully threatening people, that's just how they are. 2. No one knows about Otogi's homelife. They have no way of knowing he would have issue with any of this. They do it to one another all the time.

I have a lot of feelings.

Thank you for coming to my TEDTalk.

[traciedemars]

Holy Price Reductions!  (home education for Buyers/Sellers) Upcoming Free (& non-promotional) Home Buyer Classes:

Saturday, August 17th, from 9am-12pm (ish)       Marshall Community Center, conference room       1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver WA (kitty corner from Clark College)

Tuesday, August 20th, from 5pm - 8pm (ish)        Marshall Community Center, Conference room       1009 E McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver WA (kitty corner from Clark College) Saturday, August 24th, from 12pm-3pm (ish) ​       Vancouver YMCA, conference room       11324 NE 51st Circle, Vancouver WA (corner of SR500 & Gher Road/112th Ave).

If these class dates and/or times don't work for you, please let us know.  We understand that you have lives, and families, and work.  We will work something out that works better with your schedule.  Just let us know....                                                                                  

....we also have home seller classes available too...link on left on website

                 Remember...with reservation...we will throw in lunch, or dinner!  :-D                               ~~~~~~~~

Happy Sunday!Sweet Summertime....  Sorry about the email/blog silence lately...  in June, Chris Berg and I started a radio ad on 102.3 & 620, and they needed some analytics from the running of that for awhile.  We didn't want to mess it up with analytics from the email/blog.  It's been so weird not sending this out for awhile though.  Always remember that if you ever have any questions you can always email, call, or text me anytime.  I am always here to help.  I also have all of these on the blog page at www.learningtobuyahome.com too.  You can also browse through those too.

Now... the Clark County Fair starts this Friday!   The fair runs from Friday, August 2 through Sunday, August 11th.  Chris Berg and I will be at the Clark County Fair again this year... because we are crazy.  Please, stop by and say, "hi!" to us... it is the one thing that keeps up sane while we are there.  It's a long 10 days and we will be there EVERY day.  I will be at the booth (inside the cool big exhibit hall, second booth to the right of the main doors) from 10am-4pm, and Chris will be there from 4pm-10pm....  EVERY DAY.  So, please... stop by... talk to us... help us preserve what little sanity we have left.... AND … tell us you saw/read this post AND we have something pretty cool for you. Why? Because I went a little crazy on the promotional items, and I need to get them out of my garage so I can park in there again before the weather starts to turn.  Help a gal out...  

 So this week let's talk a bit about the market...  I've have a few people ask me if the market is starting to 'turn'... and my answer is a mixed bag.  First things first....it's summer, and weather has a LOT to do with real estate, which is kind of weird, but there is a reasoning behind it.  The BEST months of the year to be a buyer is always going to be the winter months of November, December, and January.  There are couple of reasons for this ….  weather (cold, crappy, rainy, and sometimes snowy), and the holidays.... not many folks want to be out looking or selling during the holidays.  Because of these reasons, home typically 'sit' on the market for a bit longer.  This is good for buyers because it gives people time to think before jumping on a home and making an offer, and because the market is a bit 'softer' during these months, there are less multiple offer situations and more sellers are willing to pay some closing costs.  The down side of these months is that there aren't usually as many homes for sale on the market....this is an upside for the seller, as there is less competition for the seller.  The second BEST months of the year to be a buyer are JULY and AUGUST...  why?  because again....it's HOT, and surprisingly the hotter it is the less people are out looking at homes.  People want to go the lakes, rivers, and beaches when it is hot....they don't want to go look at homes.  Also, there is less buyer competition during these months because it is summer, and during that time of year there are additional childcare costs, getting ready for school costs, and vacations.  One of the pluses about the summer months over the winter months is that there is usually a lot more homes for sale during these months.  The craziest time of year to be a buyer is always during February through June as this is usually the busiest time as people have tax refunds to use for down payments (if you don't have one though there are programs to help with this), and closing costs.  February and June can go either way....depending on the year, but during this time there tends to be less homes on the market and a LOT more buyer competition so more multiple offers, homes sell for more than listing price, and sellers are less likely to pay any closing costs.  

 So what if you have a home to sell, and need to buy one too?  The summer and winter months are your best friend too.  The spring might be easier to sell, but as a buyer you will have a more difficult time with that 'sell my home first' contingency (more about this on an upcoming blog). The summer and winter months will give you a more solid buyer, and availability to purchase your new home with being contingent on the sale of your current home.     Does this explain the price drops you are seeing?  Yes... the market is always on steroids during the spring, and when people list during the summer they see this, but as the home sits on the market for a bit longer, the price drops start happening. For buyers this is good....  multiple offers are difficult for everyone, and many buyers need some closing costs assistance. If you are a buyer.... go look at homes when it is hot as hades out there...  it is a good thing!  

 The home market really follows interest rates  Interest rates went up for a bit, and the market softened a bit.  Interest rates dropped again recently, and that has helped some buyers with the amount they're pre-approved for.  Remember that you are pre-approved for a monthly home payment (not a purchase price).  The monthly home payment is directly related to interest rates....so as rates go up, a buyer is pre-approved for less.  I'm talking to my buyers right now, and reminding them that the home they purchase is really a 7-10 year home.  The market has been going up for quite awhile, but it's not skyrocketing like it was.    We see many more homeowners following the interest rates, and seeing home prices start to soften, so we are seeing more home inventory hitting the market....again... this is a good thing as it will ease up the low supply/high demand that caused home prices to skyrocket.    Please remember a couple of things....I might have been called a witch a time or two, but my powers of seeing the future are not very good. My magic wand is a hit and miss, and that silly 8 ball lies to me quite frequently.  All we can do is listen to the economists, watch and follow the trends, and rely of past economic predictions.

 Good news is that YES, due to higher inventory and lower demand and this infernal heat, we ARE seeing price drops.  We are also seeing sellers assisting with buyers closing  Is there a crash coming?  Not that anyone sees....no...  What the economists are talking about is a 'market correction'  where rising interest rates control the skyrocketing home prices.  When that is coming is anyone's guess though....   Please remember that your home is just that...your home.  While it is an investment...it's an investment in your future.  Owning a home is a long term investment.  

 Now for those of you who love this heat....  I am too fluffy, pale, and my hair is too frizzy for this kind of madness.... :-)

  I hope that explains this a bit, but if you have any questions, or comments please call or email me anytime!  I am here to help...

Your agent is NOT a salesperson, and should not be acting like one.  Real Estate is not really about houses, it is about relationships.  Your agent, and your lender work for YOU.  You drive the bus...we are merely GPS to help you get to your goals.  Like the classes, this weekly blog email is to help you with your home adventure.  The goal is to be informative and non-promotional.  :-)  We are, however, hoping you will call and want us to help with your adventure.  

If you have any questions about this, or something you have heard...or if you would like me to help you with your home adventure, please call, email,  text, or facebook me anytime.  I am, as always, happy to help! Thank you again for your business and your referrals!!  ...and thank you for referring these classes to your friends, family, and co-workers.   .   ..disclaimer...if you have already purchased a home, or would no longer like to receive these emails, please let me know and I will be happy to remove you from any further mailings...   Upcoming Topics:

Rules to seeing homes (for Buyers & Sellers)

Contingencies, Rentback, and Pre-Possession (oh my!),

Buyers Due Diligence, &....What happens after an offer is made?

Last Week:  What's in a mortgage & 'escrow'?

Have a great day, and I will talk to you soon,  

;-D  

Tracie DeMars  

Real Estate broker

Re/Max - Van Mall  

360/ 903-3504 cell  

360/ 882-3600 fax  

www.traciedemars.com

traciedemars@aol.com

“Interested in free and non promotional home education classes?  Go to www.learningtobuyahome.com for l

ocal upcoming home buyer and home SELLER classes, or facebook: Tracie DeMars Real Estate for my home buyer education blog.”

"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be."    

  - Shel Silverstein, American poet, cartoonist and composer, (1930 - 1999).