#ZEAL Athletes

[zealoptics]

Catch Up with Zeal Creative Ambassador Gabe Rovick

We recently had the pleasure of interviewing Gabe Rovick, a Zeal Optics Creative Ambassador, in a recent Q&A session. Gabe, a skilled photographer and filmmaker responsible for capturing a significant portion of Zeal's visual content, shared insights into the life of a creative in the Outdoor Industry. Dive into the discussion below to learn more and to glean valuable advice for those aspiring to tread a similar path.

Who are you, where are you from and how did you start as a photographer / Filmmaker?

I'm Gabe Rovick, a Colorado native. My journey in photography began in high school, where I took darkroom classes. I carried a camera everywhere when traveling. After studying at the Art Institute of Colorado, I landed an internship at David LaChapelle's studio in LA, which kickstarted my career in photography and filmmaking.

What type of work have you been doing this season?

This winter has been incredibly adventurous for me. I've been fortunate to collaborate with several prominent outdoor brands, focusing on documentary storytelling and photography. Among the brands I've worked with are Zeal Optics, Manduka Yoga, Osprey Packs, and Freeskier Magazine, to name a few. My work has led me to diverse environments, from capturing the serenity of yoga and surf sessions to the backcountry skiing with professional athletes. It's been an action packed season filled with exploration and creative collaboration.

How do you establish a connection with the athletes you document to showcase their individuality?

Establishing a genuine connection with the athletes I document is paramount to showcasing their individuality. I believe in building relationships beyond the lens, often spending time with them without the pressure of capturing photos or footage. By simply being present as a friend and fellow human being, I aim to understand their unique perspectives, passions, and the way they navigate the world.

Observing how they move and interact with their environment provides valuable insight into their individuality. Through conversations and shared experiences, I strive to create a sense of trust and camaraderie. This foundation of trust fosters a more authentic portrayal of their personalities and allows our energies to align, resulting in compelling storytelling that reflects the true essence of the athletes I document.

Can you share a recent memorable experience you've had while working with an athlete?

One recent experience that stands out vividly in my mind is the time I spent with Gerry Lopez. Gerry's legendary status in the surfing world precedes him, but what struck me most was his unwavering dedication to his yoga practice and his contagious zest for life.

Spending time with Gerry, watching him gracefully move through his yoga routines, was nothing short of inspiring. Despite being nearly twice my age, Gerry exuded a youthful enthusiasm and a profound sense of presence that left a powerful impression on me.

During our interviews and interactions, I found myself drawn to Gerry's wisdom and authenticity. His genuine passion for living fully and embracing each moment with gratitude was visible, and I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of connection to his philosophy.

Leaving each shoot with Gerry filled me with excitement and joy, knowing that I had been in the presence of a true luminary—a beacon of light in our world. Gerry Lopez's radiant energy continues to resonate with me, serving as a reminder to approach life with Aloha!

One of my favorite quotes from our interview was  “Keep Paddling, eventually you will get to where you are going.” Gerry Lopez

How do you handle the challenges of shooting while having to capture unpredictable environments?

Handling the challenges of shooting in unpredictable environments, especially with athletes and in nature, requires flexibility and resilience. Conditions can change rapidly, from weather to the mood or health of the athletes. It's essential to approach each shoot with an open mind and a willingness to adapt.

Patience is key, although it's something I've had to work on. Setting high expectations for myself can add pressure, but I’ve been practicing a lot of meditation in order to remain calm and trust the process. Recently, I've shifted my perspective, seeing these challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles. Embracing the unpredictability as a gift allows me to fully immerse myself in the experience and strengthen my connections with both the subjects and nature itself. It's a continual process of learning and growth, but it's incredibly rewarding.

What type of athletes do you work with? 

it’s truly is a full spectrum of athletes ranging from skiers, snowboarders, climbers and surfers to endurance athletes, bikers, and trail runners.

How do you stay inspired and keep your work fresh?

To stay inspired and keep my work fresh, I prioritize continuous learning and exploration. I read extensively and follow other creatives, always seeking new perspectives. I enjoy challenging myself in areas where I'm not the most proficient, as it keeps me humble and fuels growth. Additionally, I'm a tech enthusiast and love experimenting with new equipment and technology, which adds excitement and innovation to my work.

In your opinion, what makes a successful photo of a professional athlete? 

In my opinion, a successful photo of a professional athlete captures the essence of their dedication and passion for their craft. It's about getting up close and personal.

Sometimes, it's about capturing an intimate portrait that reveals the raw emotion and determination in their eyes. Other times, it's about nailing that perfect action shot during the golden hour when the light is just right.

Ultimately, when both the photographer and the athlete are deeply connected to the pursuit, it becomes difficult to fail.

Click here to learn more about Gabe Rovick or check out his website: https://f4dstudio.com/

[cupidscorpsee]

Just Say It

WC - 5,880 / 22 minute read

Warnings - Smut / 18+ content throughout / light degradation / very brief mention of blood (rough kissing) / age gap / feminine terms used for reader

A/N: ummm

In which you, Hugh’s year-long assistant, finally tell you him how you feel and it leads to unexpected events…

You had been his assistant for almost a year now, having done this since you were fresh out of college. You felt you were pretty close now with Hugh or, at least, as close as you can possibly get with such a busy man.

The assistant-actor relationship you had expected in the very beginning dissipated almost as quickly as you were hired. No, things felt very much like a casual friendship with him and you enjoyed that fact very much.

It was difficult, however, to ignore the difference in power dynamics you two shared. You felt so small compared to him, like you only mattered on a superficial level at most. You often wondered if you meant any more than just the “young woman who brought Mr. Jackman coffee every morning on the set of Deadpool & Wolverine”. You hoped you did.

As you walk around town one evening, making casual stops here and there—Hugh even buying a box of cigars at some point, which he rarely ever does—you notice how he was taking his time. He wasn’t in his usual rush—no speed-walking with his unrelenting athletic zeal.

Nor did he seem in a rush to go back home and read over his new script like he intended, or call his two kids to set up another father-daughter and father-son date (you believed he was such a phenomenal father and that warmed your heart every time you thought about it), or, as was usually the case, beg you to get him a coffee from his favorite barely-known Aussie cafe, which was only three minutes from where you two stood.

Perhaps he has nothing better to do but be with me right now, you thought.

Hugh lights up a cigar, then, to your surprise, offers one to you as well. You had been twenty-one for only [insert number] months now and you wondered if that was why he had finally offered you one when he had never done so before.

You accept it. You clumsily fumble with your cigar, not used to the strange size of it as compared to normal cigarettes. You weren’t much of a smoker, really. You attempted to light your cigar, but your red lighter refused to cooperate. The wind, it seemed, was stronger than your ability to fight your embarrassed blush.

"Here, let me help," Hugh said softly, his warm breath brushing against your cheek as he reached across the table you two were sitting at. His hands cupped gently around yours, and the proximity sent a jolt through your already frazzled nerves.

Your heart raced as Hugh’s fingers brushed against yours, igniting a heat that spread through your veins. You try to focus on the task at hand, but the closeness between you two made it nearly impossible to think straight.

Here was the truth: Hugh fucking Jackman was damn fine for his age and you’d be an utter fool to not recognize that.

With practiced ease, Hugh flicked the lighter and held the flame just inches from your face. You could feel the heat against your skin, and for a moment, you forget how to breathe. As the flame danced before you, casting flickering shadows across Hugh’s kind features, you couldn't tear your gaze away.

Burn me, your brain whispered like a naughty secret better left unsaid. Burn me, burn me, burn me.

You would let him if he truly desired it.

"Thanks," you managed to murmur, your voice barely above a whisper.

But Hugh only smiled, his eyes holding a warmth that sent your pulse into overdrive. “‘Course, mate.”

Your moment lingered, the air thick with a tension that seemed to only be on your part, before Hugh pulled away, his hand retreating back to his side of the table. But the memory of his touch lingered, seared into your mind like an indelible mark.

“Not bad, right?”

What? Oh. The cigar. You forgot to pay attention. “Not bad at all.”

“If I remember correctly, your application all those months ago said you didn’t smoke,” Hugh commented, a knowing smile on his face.

Feeling bold, you stand from your spot at the table, lean forward, and blow smoke towards Hugh. “I don’t.”

He grins.

After a bit, you two walk towards the rental house Hugh is staying in during the filming of his next film. You pause for a moment and then pull the slightly-bent script from your bag. Hugh only watches you, puzzled.

“I picked up your new script, by the way,” you say with a practiced calmness that doesn’t really match the stressfulness of the situation. “They just tweaked a few things, y’know?”

“You’re bloody joking,” he groans. “Changes already?”

You look at him, hesitate, then blurt out, “I can help you go over it, if you want. I want. Well, I– Yeah, I can help…”

He looks back at you steadily. “Okay. I would like that.”

You were growing frustrated, though unsure of the reasoning. It was as if some sort of organ in your stomach was clawing up to your throat and begging to be let out. Keeping it in was as exasperating as it was confusing. “I want that.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You’ve said that already. Are you alright, mate?”

You look him straight in the eye for once, surprised by your sudden courage to do so. You take another drag of your cigar, hesitating. “I think you know I’m not.”

There’s a silence, though not one of confusion or wondering.

“What do you mean?” Hugh finally asks.

“It’s not that hard to guess. No offense…”

What were you doing? What were you doing? What were you doing?

“Y/N,” Hugh starts slowly, obviously playing for time as he considers the weight of what you were subtly admitting.

“Fuck, I could lose my job for this,” you sigh, running a hand through your hair as you put your cigar out on the stair railing beside you. You two stood just outside Hugh’s temporary living space, Hugh leaning back against the railing of the stairs leading up to his front door, and you, in your nervous shuffling, at the other end of the railings near the potted flowers. “I’m sorry, I… It’s been a long day. Just forget I said any–”

“Just bloody say it, mate.”

You paused. It almost sounded like he was upset or annoyed, but from the slight, curious tone in his voice that you had come to understand as genuine interest, you knew he wasn’t, so you kept going. “I wanted you to know. Just in case I had a shot at… whatever. Anything. I just wanted you to be aware of… Yeah. I don’t know. I just… I just want you.”

It was sloppy. Really sloppy. But it was out now.

The silence between you was deafening and you could barely stand it. You thought you might implode if you didn’t tell Hugh how you felt, but, right now, you felt like you may still implode anyway.

His eyebrows furrow, his jaw clenches, and his mouth twitches as he considers his response. “This is wrong, kid.”

But I want you. I need you in my body and my soul. It hurts every second I spend looking at you and wanting more than what I have, you think. I can’t take another year of this. Not a month. Not even a week. A day would kill me.

Your thoughts were like a funeral pyre of which he had set the flame to.

“Is it?”

From the silence that follows, you know you won’t be getting a response. He simply nods once, as if finalizing the moment, and moves to unlock his front door.

He holds it open and gestures for you to head inside first. You do so and, being already familiar with this house (you had picked it for him when he had asked you to do so before filming started a week ago), you go to the living room and sit down on the dark blue couch, leaning back against the uncomfortably stiff pillow.

Hugh stops at his fridge first and goes to the couches with two bottles of beer in one hand, script in the other. He sets the bottles down on the coffee table between you two and sits down.

“I don’t want to lose this, Hugh…”

“What? Your job, you mean?”

“That, too.”

You don’t speak any further on that. Instead, you reach out for the bottle of cold beer and hold it in your lap. You stare down at the cap for a few seconds before realizing: “Do you have a bottle opener?”

Hugh takes his keys out from his pocket and you notice the small bottle opener keychain attached to his set. It was a gift from you during the holiday season a few months back.

He stands up with a soft grunt and leans over the seemingly plastic coffee table to move up closer to you. Very close. He stares right in your face, as though he likes it and wants to study it, linger on it. He reaches out slowly, hesitantly, and touches your lower lip with his finger, letting it travel left and right, then right and left again.

Hugh finally, for the first time since your hasty confession, smiles slightly at you, and that very smile fills you with a kind of apprehension about what will happen next. Or, at least, what you hope will happen next.

He slowly takes the cold bottle of beer from you, setting it, along with the other, on the hardwood floor beside the couch.

He looks at you for a moment, as if deciding something, before he places his hand at the end of the small, plastic table that served as the only barrier between you two, and gives it a harsh push. It makes a sharp scraping sound as it slides over, leaving the space between you two open.

Please do it, Hugh. Please, please, please.

Hugh nods slowly, as if reading your thoughts, and lowers himself in front of you, his waist between your legs now as he gently moves you lower by his hand on your chin. He brings his lips up to your mouth in a warm I’ll-meet-you-halfway-but-no-further kiss.

A conciliatory kiss.

A pity kiss?

You smile, nearly exploding in giddiness before returning the kiss—so famished you lose yourself in it. It's a gentle collision, a meeting of softness and warmth that sends shivers down your spine.

As you finally break apart, your breaths mingling in the air, you open your eyes to meet Hugh’s gaze. There's a newfound understanding between you two, a silent agreement: This stays between us at all times.

“Is that what you wanted?” Hugh murmurs afterward, lips still grazing against yours.

This is where it would logically end.

You don’t answer. You kiss him again, lifting his face, as if to discover more, know more. Even with your faces touching, your bodies are angles apart, it seems.

He lifts himself off his knees and stands in front of you, body angled downwards so he could keep his hands on your face. It was almost desperate, your kiss. Not because his kiss still lacked the satisfaction you were looking for, but because you weren’t so sure you’d get another opportunity.

You had your lips against his, practically pulling the man as close to you as possible now, and yet you still seeked more. Kiss me, love me, need me.

You wanted to consume the man one kiss at a time. It didn’t take long for him to get the picture and easily part his lips for you. Your tongue explored his own and you didn’t seem to mind when, in your excitement, your teeth knocked against his. In fact, you wanted more of exactly that.

You stopped wanting to be the gentle, secretive assistant you had somehow molded into around him. You stopped wanting passion at this moment. You did not even care for pleasure—his or your own. You didn’t even want proof that this job risk you were taking was worth it, for you already knew it was.

You didn't want words. Just the turning ceiling fan as it was, the stiff couch beneath your clothed thighs, the soft scent of Hugh’s cologne, and your spot between his open legs. You wanted all of it. Every inch of his kind soul’s beautiful vessel.

Against his lips, you murmur between breaths, “I’ll quit after this. If you want me to.”

He pulls back, though his heart isn’t in it. He feels wrong in a moral sense, yet he can’t seem to fully stop this. He starts to move his body away from yours. “You can stay here tonight, Y/N… It’s late and your apartment is bloody far.”

“I can take the couch.” It was the most sobering thing you could possibly say in the moment.

————————————————————————

Okay, so you were an idiot.

You laid on the couch beneath the blanket he had given you (he had profusely offered you the bed instead of the couch several times, saying he’d take the couch, but you declined), shifting your position multiple times—feeling restless—to combat the discomfort between your legs.

You had been having a dream a few minutes ago and you were glad you woke up from it. It was silly of you to be having such morally wrong dreams about your famous boss, so you decided to suffer and not go back to sleep.

Instead, you got up from your spot and took a warm shower. He had told you that you could do so if you wanted to at any point. Even with your stupidity, he was still as kind and considerate as ever.

He had headed to bed in his room hours ago, his door shut.

When you finish your quick shower, you step out with a blue towel wrapped around your damp body. It doesn’t take long for you to come to a horrifying conclusion: you had no clothes to wear now.

You sat at the edge of the tub and stared ahead at the mirror on the wall. Your hair was still damp and it clung to your face not unlike the way your shame did to your soul. You let out a frustrated groan of defeat and pushed yourself off the tub.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

You knocked on Hugh’s bedroom door, hoping to God he was still awake and you were not being a bother.

A slight shuffling sound was heard from the other side of the door before it was opened to reveal the man in a pair of dark-blue plaid pajama pants and no shirt in sight. His hair was a bit disheveled, but he still looked as handsome as ever. Your grip on your towel around your body tightened. “I’m sorry. Did I wake you?”

“No, mate,” he lied, his barely-noticeable groggy tone giving himself away. “You alright?”

You nod. “Clothes. Um. I don’t have any.”

His eyes lit up in recognition and he quickly moved to his closet. “Ah, damn, of course. Come in.”

You followed him back into his room, your eyes darting over its contents. Each breath you took seemed to echo in the dimly lit room, filling your lungs with the intoxicating scent of distant cologne mingled with the subtle aroma of his laundry detergent.

Your eyes swept over the space, drinking in every detail with a mixture of longing and adoration. The room itself seemed to pulsate with Hugh’s essence, from the unmade bed adorned with plush pillows to the scattered array of books strewn across his desk. You couldn't help but marvel at how each item seemed to reflect a different facet of his personality, further deepening your infatuation that almost bordered now on obsession.

He rummages through his closet for something—anything—that might fit you, though you knew that anything he could find would always be a few sizes too big with a man of his stature.

He takes a step back from the closet and huffs in defeat, unable to find a thing. “I have no idea, mate, unless you’d like to wear a belt to bed.”

You look at him and he looks back at you, and then there it is. There it is. That unspoken moment of mutual clarity.

There was a hesitancy that clung to the air. He understood your look and you understood his. All that was needed now was action, but could that happen?

He steps closer to you and slowly brings his hands to your hips. You wished the damn fabric of the towel wasn’t in your way. He begins to lightly stroke up and down your bare arm now. “You sure you want this, kid?”

Kid. Call me anything else. I am anything but.

“Y/N…?” he corrects when you don’t respond immediately, as if reading your less-than-content thoughts. You like having someone read your mind so effortlessly.

You nod. Yes, you’re sure. Never been more sure of anything in your twenty-one years of living.

Hugh lifts your face with his hand and stares at you the way he did in the living room when you first kissed, though even more intensely now. More sure of himself. Of his actions. “I’m going to kiss you now and you are not going to ask me about losing your job.”

You feel as if your fingers are suddenly burning with desire—like a sled dog deprived of work. Of purpose. “I will not ask you about losing my job.”

Then, he suddenly pulls back, as if he might change his mind about allowing this to unfold with his thirty-plus years younger assistant, but doesn’t and instead runs his fingers through your damp hair, messing it up with ease.

You bring your mouth to his in a fiercely eager kiss. If he wouldn’t do it first, you would. Something seems to clear away between you two, and you both abandon your hesitance to the kiss.

You hungrily kiss his closed eyes, his nose, his ears, his throat, discovering them with your lips. You didn’t realize how badly you wanted to explore every part of him with your mouth alone.

Hugh kisses you back just as eagerly, even roughly, nearly disregarding your need for oxygen. His grip on your arm was so tight, you wouldn’t be surprised if you had bruises the following day.

You, submitting yourself to him without being asked to, back up towards the bed. He steps forward and gently brings you down onto the mattress, climbing atop you and beginning to almost hastily remove your towel.

You are soon naked and lie back in a kind of ecstasy as Hugh moves his hands over your body. No secrets this time. No holdbacks. Hugh kisses you, kisses your body all over, then returns to kiss your open lips again more deeply, as if he too is finally letting go. Not a part of him isn’t touching you now.

You were squirming, as if unsure and desperate at once.

“I don’t bite,” he mumbles against your skin.

The man looked incredible. There was no way he was real, considering he looked like some guy out of a celebrity photo shoot. Not even “looked like”—he was that guy.

Loose pajama pants low on his hips, a soft trail of hair leading beneath it—and you knew what laid under them. His arm was beside your head and muscles bulged a little, hair messily swept back on his head, a bit damp. He wasted no time at all kissing your neck so much that blood vessels seemed to break.

He frowned when he had stopped kissing you and noticed your weary expression. “Am I making you uncomfortable, mate? We really don’t have to do this. I like the idea but I’d never want to push you. If I got the wrong impression…”

“No, no,” you blurted back quickly, desperately. Your face flushed. “I’m just… How do I do this? I want you—need you—so much I might implode if I don’t get every inch of you soon, but… is that too much? Should this not mean so much to me?”

He could see you were slightly stiff and it made his stomach clench in unease. This was already risky enough as it was.

He shook his head and leaned down to place a soft kiss against your jaw. “I like a little neediness, Y/N. And… if I’m already saying ‘fuck it’, then I’m taking that mindset all the way. I’ve been wanting to know what you taste like ever since you opened that bloody mouth of yours.”

A sudden shift in position left Hugh a little closer, his groin beneath the pants hitting your bare sex. Your breath shuddered. He noticed, but did not comment on it. “You’ve wanted this for a damn long time, haven’t you?”

“Yes.” It was an easy answer for an easy question.

“Well, you’ve got it.”

Your bare heat was growing a bit achy with need. Grow up, grow up, grow up. You hated how you were thinking and feeling like a teenager filled with hormones, but you wanted more than ever to climb on top of him and beg—beg for his hands or mouth or cock to take away all these stupid thoughts that were running rampant in your brain.

Give me something. Anything.

“You’re right.”

His eyebrows furrowed a bit before he understood the tone shift of the conversation. You wanted to get what you intended from him, and he wanted that for you. It was wrong—oh, so wrong—but who was he to deny you of that? Of him?

And fuck it, maybe he wanted this more than he initially let on.

He nodded.

You shifted and your body now sat beside Hugh as he stayed down for you, his body weight resting on his meaty pillar of an arm. You felt warm and tingly in all the right—and wrong—places as you reached for the fabric of his pajama pants.

You pulled the clothing over his cock and your face reddened at the sight of him. You were gentle with it, your warm hand shaking slightly as you wrapped it softly, carefully, around the base of him.

“You have no idea how often I’ve thought about this,” you whispered, giving him a slow stroke. He was warm in your hand and you could feel him twitch, sucking in a sharp breath.

“I could tell,” he whispered with slight grin and a follow-up swallowed groan as you continued to stroke him. “You were obvious with your signs, pretty girl.”

Pretty girl. Pretty girl. Pretty girl? You liked that a lot. Of course, you had been called that before by other exes, but something about hearing it from him in this context made you whine—audibly whine—and it embarrassed the fuck out of you.

“Oh, you like that? My sweet, pretty girl,” the man crooned, stroking your [insert color] hair back—a soft, intimate caress you would have never expected from him barely a week ago.

He watched you pull his cock again, rubbing the pre-cum over his tip with your thumb, making him breathe harder. “Y/N, pretty, I’m gonna need that mouth on me soon, fuck.”

He twitched again, getting desperate, watching your face grow a pretty flushed pink. You leaned forward and glided the tip over your bottom lip, his pre-cum wetting it. Hugh wanted nothing more than to frame the image in his head forever.

“Just tell me what to do. I’ll listen.”

You’ll listen? Where had this sudden version of you come from?

You began to kiss up the length of him. He swallowed another groan, his grip on your hair a little tighter now as his hips involuntarily bucked upwards. “I like seeing you like this, pretty girl. Honest with yourself. Do you think you can swallow whatever shame you might feel tomorrow?”

“I’ll try anything for you, Hugh.” You blinked up at him as you went back to slow strokes. That’s all you wanted. To behave. To be good. To let an emotion take over for once.

“You can’t use a safe word—”

Safe word?

“—with me in your mouth so tap twice on my thigh if you don’t want any more. If you want to stop or take a break. I hope you know I’ll be gentle with you.”

He’d never be angry or upset if you wanted to stop.

You loved the way even his sweeter, more considerate words in a sexual setting turned you on profusely. You smiled and kissed the hairy space just above his cock. “A famous big-time actor being thoughtful of others?”

“How bloody unheard of,” he mumbled back, matching your playful energy.

You looked up at him, seeking a green-light with your eyes. He gently twirled your hair on the left side of your head around his finger, seemingly studying your face, before he reached forward with both hands and pulled your hair back in a make-shift ponytail that he held together with only his right hand.

It was his permission.

You had no need for hesitation, quickly leaning down to take the head of his cock into your warm mouth and, despite yourself, moaning softly in relief. You’d been dreaming about this all year, just as he had—though his desire was maintained a secret much better than yours. You could feel the raging throb of your poor unstimulated clitoris as you took more of him.

“Fuck, that mouth…” he mumbled, wiping with his thumb as some of your own saliva coated the corner of your lips. “Have you really been hiding how much of a desperate slut you are?”

The derogatory words coming from his mouth shocked you, but did not disturb you. You tried your best to confirm his question, a muffled mm-hm leaving your throat.

“Yeah? Are you like this with every cock?”

Your stomach twisted at the thought that perhaps he did this with all the younger women—all his “pretty” assistants.

You let out a small mm-mm sound, denying his previous question. No, Hugh, only for you.

He gave you a low groan as your hand trailed up his thigh while you sucked him off. It was almost like a reward. He waited—almost hoped—for you to tap his thigh, signaling your stop, but you didn't. You didn’t even think of it.

You did, however, pull back, nearly choking but somehow managing to keep it down. You blinked your tears away and pushed yourself forward, wrapping your arms around his torso—bare chest to bare chest.

He hardly had time to return your affectionate gesture before you kissed along his jaw until you reached his mouth. You kissed him fiercely and he didn’t even seem to mind that your mouth had just been wrapped around his leaking cock. He couldn’t care less.

He promised himself not to have feelings for you that went beyond friendship and natural lust, but you were making that impossible.

What made you so fucking irresistible?

You pulled away, breathless. “I want you to fuck my mouth, Hugh. The way no man has.”

Your words were quiet, whispered, but so very filthy. Enticing, really.

He did as you asked.

He really did.

Hugh was gentle at first, scooping your hair up into a makeshift ponytail again. You were kneeling on the bed platform now, giving yourself more ease to suck at the level you were at and him the ability to move you as he pleased.

At first he pulled you down onto his cock, easing you into it—giving some opportunity to retract your wish—but when you proved you could take him, he began to truly fuck your mouth.

He wasn’t brutal. It wasn’t exactly what you expected. You thought he would be careless of your safety and mean, even. You had given him a chance to truly do anything he wanted and he chose… this.

It was so much better than you expected, but fuck, you were wondering now if he meant more to you than you had ever wanted him to.

He was firm with his strokes, but only pushed you to the limit, making you drool around his cock. You liked that he held your head still while you let him thrust into your mouth, pulling out to the tip and thrusting back in.

Even more so, you loved how he talked to you.

“God, look at you. My pretty assistant who could’ve been helping with something else this whole time,” he groaned, eyes dark as he looked down at you. “Taking it so well.”

His gaze was hooded as he pushed you down as far as he knew you were comfortable with, and he let out a low moan that went straight to your own arousal. “Fucking perfect.”

You couldn’t believe how easy it was for him to make your stomach flutter.

“You look so innocent—make quite the show being the perfect, sweet assistant in front of me all year, but you’re a bloody cockslut when you want to be, huh?” He was testing the dirty talk, giving you a glimpse of the degradation you had somehow known he was capable of.

You liked it. You liked him being mean in a specific context.

He could work with that.

His head was clouded in pleasure as he watched you drool down your chin. You were a goddamn dream, and he knew this had been the right decision. Morally wrong? Sure. But the right decision for the two of you and your pining.

He pulled out from your mouth suddenly, feeling himself get too close to finishing. He didn’t waste any time, for he was already five steps ahead.

Eyes looked down at you with intent, hands running over your inner thigh as you waited for what he would do next. You’d pictured that expression of his so many times, bit down on your tongue behind books held up to your face to get this very mental image away.

His hand had moved down to your wetness, giving your clitoris a few firm circles as he positioned himself closer between your already-spread legs. He smiled—that fucking stupid smile you loved—while his thumb rubbed over your bundle of nerves, making you shudder as you bit down on your bottom lip.

“What do you like?” he asked, his thumb’s pattern unwavering. “What makes you feel good, pretty?”

Honestly? You could cum just like this. Him touching you slowly, looking down at you with that beautiful, intimidating face. But you knew he wouldn’t like that answer. You didn’t want to seem so pathetic, either.

“I’m okay with anything you give me, but I…” you swallowed, a shaky exhale leaving your lips, “I just want you, Hugh. Please.”

He looked like he was taking note, nodding at your words. He smiled when you let out the softest accidental moan, as if he were becoming all-too-aware of how easy you were to please. How desperate you really were after all.

Before you could wrap your head around what was to be, his lips were kissing yours so passionately and brutally that you tasted blood from your bottom lip.

It’s as if he had no real care in the world; he just left his hardened cock visible to your eyes as he began to insert a finger into you. You tightened your grip on his free arm, becoming a quick mess of moans and heavy breathing with only the use of one finger.

“Pathetic,” he mutters quietly as he pulls his finger out.

You are sure your face goes beet red. He finally starts to slowly push his cock inside of you, stopping once only his head was inside. You weren’t sure when he had shifted himself in order to do so.

He took a deep breath. He was more wound up than he had thought he was and your walls already squeezing the head of his cock weren’t helping as he did his best to hold himself back instead of just pounding into you. After all, he did promise gentleness.

Inch by inch, his cock dragged against the inside of your walls. You whimpered and moaned, your eyes shutting despite your burning desire to watch his face. He kept his thrusts slow, making sure to drag every inch, every vein up against that sweet spot inside of you. You were starting to get more vocal, your breathing picking up and eyelids closing shut.

He pressed his thumb to your clitoris once again, rubbing it to the same rhythm of his thrusts. Your hips started to move with him, like you were urging him to start moving faster.

So he did.

Your orgasm had you tightening around his cock and he fucked you through it. He leaned forward, almost folding you in half to capture your lips with his. You moaned into the kiss, your legs locking around his hips and your fingers finding their way into his hair. He kept his thrusts shallow now, barely coming out of you before bottoming out again. “Hugh…”

He gave a particularly hard thrust in response, making your eyes shut once again and your back arch as you whimpered. He set a more brutal pace, chasing after his own pleasure now.

Your nails began to dig into the meat of his ass and your legs locked around his hips, bringing him closer to you.

“You’re such a good girl. Such a pretty girl.”

“Yes,” you gasped. You were struggling to string sentences together, your brain overwhelmed from the pleasure. “God, yes, keep going, Hugh, please…”

His kisses had become sloppy and his rhythm erratic. He felt his orgasm quickly approaching.

One.

“God, fuck…”

Two.

“You feel so fucking good…”

Three more pumps of his cock and he was burying himself as deep as he could possibly get, releasing deep inside of you. He lets out a low, guttural moan.

He collapsed against you, catching himself on his forearms so that he wouldn’t crush you. He kissed your neck, making his way up to your jaw, cheek, and, finally, your lips.

You sighed softly, parting your lips to let his tongue slip inside of your mouth. Your legs were still wrapped around him, keeping him inside of you—exactly where you wanted him to stay. Bodies entangled.

“Will you explain the new film to me?” you whispered, your gaze nowhere near his own, but rather focused on the lips of the object of your desire—the same lips you had kissed only moments ago. “In detail.”

He pulls out with a grunt and lies beside you on the mattress.

“You’ve read the script,” he said, his deep voice rumbling in your chest. “You know what it is better than I do.”

You reach for his hand, lean back, and move it to your bare, practically-abused sex. You slowly swipe his finger between your slick folds before moving it away.

You look up at Hugh and move his now-wet finger towards his mouth. Understanding what you wanted in mere seconds, he opens his mouth and allows himself to taste you in an image that had you nearly swooning.

“Tell me anyway, Hugh…”

He wouldn’t have ever truly declined your request no matter how much he feigned logical hesitance.

You listened to him speak while his fingers trailed back down to your sensitive heat underneath blankets and the dead silence of the night of which would soon once again be interrupted by his whispered sweet nothings and your soft gasps.

Neither of you could quite get enough.

[portraitsofsaints]

Saint Teresa of the Andes

1900-1920

Feast Day: April 12 and July 13 

Patronage: against disease, against illness, young people, sick people, Santiago, Los Andes

Saint Teresa of the Andes, known as the “Flower of the Andes” was Chile’s first canonized saint. She was an active young adult and an excellent athlete with many interests. Influenced by reading the lives of the saints she was accepted into the Discalced Carmelite Order at 19. Unfortunately, after only a few months she caught typhus and her health quickly deteriorated. She was allowed to complete her vows early and, following great suffering, she died a few months short of her twentieth birthday. A great role model for young women, she spoke to all with apostolic zeal, encouraging them to become closer to God. 

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase here: (website)

[coolclaytony-2]

Request: The end state of a Deluded Vigilante that gives in to becoming a monster that preys upon the "guilty".

Bigger Request: Read my CoD homebrews and see if that gives you any inspiration for evil critters.

Punitor

When people try to court the powers of The Outer Darkness to enact justice, they play a dangerous game. Common such individuals are Darkened known as Deluded Vigilantes, people who want to answer the calling of a superhero, but turned to sinister powers to achieve it. Sadly, but predictably, the Darkness usually wins over such misbegotten heroes, and a grim Darkspawn rises in their place.

Punitores are musclebound ogres driven by a single-minded need to inflict harm on people for some manner of "crime." The specific nature of the sort of crimes a Punitor avenges varies from individual, but it usually ammounts to any act that aligns to a specific virtue that, in life, the Punitor merely perceived as foolish, that had since been elevated in their minds to a basal moral failing by the Darkness as they lost grip of their humanity. A Punitor, who loathes kindness, might see a person give a homeless man spare change and interpret it as enabling drug addiction or a patronizing act of infantilization. Regardless of the perceived offense, a Punitor's best and only punishment is a brutal death.

Hypocritically, Punitores are incapable of interpreting the actions of other dark beings as criminal, perceiving Darkened and other Darkspawn as allies of justice and seeing Mnemosynes and Cataphractoi as wise leadership who will point their guns in the direction of true evil.

Type: Darkspawn

Attributes: Intelligence 1, Wits 2, Resolve 4, Strength 5, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2, Presence 3, Manipulation 0, Composure 2

Skills: Crafts 1, Investigation 2, Athletics 3, Brawl 3, Drive 2, Firearms 3, Stealth 2, Intimidation 3, Persuasion 1, Streetwise 2

Derived Traits: Health 8, Willpower 6, Size 6, Speed 13, Initiative 5, Defense 5

Vice: Cruel & Arrogant — A Punitor is ever eager to inflict pain on the guilty with self-righteous zeal.

Virtue: Righteous — Though they completely fail to recognize legitimate justice, Punitores still have a twisted sense of ethics.

Merits: Iron Stamina 2, Street Fighting 3, Unarmed Defense 1, Vice-Ridden 1

Umbrae: Cold Flesh, Dark Dreams (blindness), Faceless in the Crowd, Scuttling Spider's Sense, Taste of Sin

Calignes: Grotesque Bulk 1, Voidbolt 3

[anthonybialy]

At Work or Play, Always Paul Cascio

He was already near the top.  Paul Cascio’s office on Two World Trade Center’s 84th floor summarized his professional and personal trajectory.  Living large was a principle he followed before, during, and after work.  Consistent living allows for steadily getting ahead.

The ambitious believe there’s no reason to wait for advancement.  One can reach promotions before a certain age that comes to mind for those who burden themselves with limits.  Serving as vice president at financial brokerage company Euro Brokers was an impressive title for someone who was 23 years old.  But such steps come naturally to the motivated.  Paul didn’t think he was too young to be an executive.  He was right.

Approaching work in a similar manner to free moments doesn’t just make the day go by faster: it establishes a mentality that makes every aspect fulfilling.  Paul was renowned for his commitment to achievement no matter the life area.  Recreation was a game which he seemed to always win.  

The vigorous competitor excelled at sports in the way frequently seen by bold types who take initiative.  He played many as a reflection of his diverse interests and restless nature.  The multitasking athlete was a high school swimmer, baseball player, and cross country runner.  A teammate to many was honored with a varsity letter that was previously possible to view at the 9/11 Memorial Museum's In Memoriam gallery as part of exhibit titled Comeback Season: Sports After 9/11.  He posthumously showed the value of coming together for enjoying the thrill of games when it didn’t seem like we’d ever experience joy again.

The personal sporting artifact served as a particular notable lesson about play’s value that represented the objective of museum’s presentation.  Sports serve as a metaphor for what goes on between games.  Participants present admirable characteristics on their own that are transferable to other scenarios.  Prevailing despite a competition’s limits and physical obstacles is for determined people who complete tasks with zeal away from venues, too.  Pins for a handful of sports befit someone with ample activities lined up.  He didn’t skip seasons.

The embodiment of driven behavior reached goals while he wasn’t playing, as well.  The graduate of Long Island’s Manhasset Secondary School went on to do the same at the University of Vermont.  Cherish what’s accomplished by those in our lives while they’re still with us to respect the memory of Paul as one of 11 alumni murdered.

Paul knew how to make the most of whatever.  Even his living situation signified his irrepressible personality.  He resided in fashionable SoHo where he often hosted friends while grilling on his rooftop in a combination of living comfortably and his natural tendency to create the epicenter of socializing.

Rapid personal progress shows a dynamic individual applying himself.  A similar principle follows out of the workspace.  People remain constant when they’re not being paid.  The same person who toiled figuratively high in the company and literally in the sky was the one who made the most of occasions away from his desk, too.

The simplest way to have fun is to work hard first.  A little spending money leads to the chance to jet anywhere desired.  An impressive job enabled frequent excursions.  Paul took having fun seriously.  He became legendary for putting together impromptu trips that began as casual half-serious ideas, embodied by jetting to Los Angeles and Dublin just to see his favorite band U2 in concert.  You might never think of an offhand comment about international travel becoming an actual experience.  That is because you were not friends with Paul, who made a hobby out of turning crazy suggested notions into reality.

It’s easy to appreciate a legacy that’s seen in countless online guestbook posts lamenting his loss by lauding how much he added to our world.  His tribute page features a suitably lengthy feed of remembrances from childhood buddies, college pals, and relatives who seem like they would have gladly befriended Paul were they not lucky enough to be related to him.  Fond accounts are packed with memories of adventures on campus and around the globe which all share him as a common feature.

Mourners can pay tribute at different locations to someone who put so much into many endeavors.  Mount Saint Mary Cemetery in Flushing serves as the site of rest for a person who was continually in motion.  Paul is also commemorated on Panel S-30 of the South Pool of the National September 11 Memorial.  The vice president is one of 61 Euro Brokers employees with names gathered together.  An immeasurably devastating loss at just one company is a staggering illustration of the attack on humanity’s scale.

By any measure, Paul was a success far beyond his limited years as seen by his thriving career and invigorating take on existence.  A giant personality who lived accordingly also epitomized decency.  His final act put who he was on display: Paul and a coworker went to help someone in need of assistance after the attack in a decision that may have cost him his life while showing what he made of it.  Paul Regan Cascio was the best sort of person in the worst circumstances.  He set an aspirational example that continues.  To this day, Paul lived a lot.

https://project2996.wordpress.com/

[papirouge]

2022(?): radfem defend Kiwifarm, a Website known to be a nest of racists, islamophobe and antisemitic a#sholes (respectively calling them nigger, sand niggers and "glowies") closing down after a TRA activists campaigned for its closure, in the name of "freedom of speech".

2023: radfem stand with Israel, shill for the #metoounlessyourajew campaign while both dismissing the rape victims on the Palestinians side and acting like the reasons (the left) "doesn't care" about Israel women is because they're antisemitic and misogynist (and probably not because Israel was already granted a MASSIVE support from the "international community" that Palestinians struggle to get and that only people of the world thrived to provide. "not caring for the already catered victim" was translated as "not caring " & "antisemitism ". I wonder why radfem weren't shouting #alllivesmatters in 2017 at that point.... (Maybe one day I'll make an essay about how whitefem are terrified of Black women turning on them bc they know we are the only leverage saving them from being labeled as a "white woman's right movement" they know we have the power to "culturally" destroy this movement)

2024 : Kiwifarm (who's back from the dead) moids shit on radfem they accuse of ruining the website (after allegedly after they flocked over as to support them against that TRA censorship) and blame on them the transsexualist movement (LMAO)

2024 : radfem, who for years swore up and down they were NOT white supremacist, aligned with the left and divested from male attention, start to make statements about how White men are actually the "more humane" type of men

2024: radfem defend JK Rowling terminally online ass getting shit (again) on xitter for saying shit about transpeople. Oh and also Taylor Swift - for whatever reason. We never see them show such much zeal to defend Palestinians women who've already been carpet bombed for months at that time.

2024: radfem dunk down on Imane Khelif, an Algerian GNC athlete literally rehashing crooked far right news outlets fake news talking point. Act like higher levels of testosterone make someone a man after swearing up and up down for YEARS what made up female were our sexual organs (hopefully they accept men with lower testosterone levels are women then ☺️). Rehash the "Imane is a man/has WXY chromosome" which only source is a butthurt Russia boxing federation top exec that pulled it out of his ass bc imane beat their champion + grasping at straw posting screenshot of "twitter expert" - that don't have access to Imane genetic record, because this document doesn't exist - as evidence..

Keep in mind those feminists literally took the words of a MAN to dogpile & call "man" what could possibly be a woman victim a genetic disorder (some argue it's Swyer syndrome) presenting female genetic organs while having Y chromosome.

Radfem were the one pretending to approach with respect the discourse or intersexuality and being oh so much more educated than everyone else about it, but look at them going full on Alzheimer about it and dedicated to prove Imane is a MAN and not a complex configuration of genetics making her GNC.

Radfem were also those bragging about acknowledging woman for having feminine organ regardless of her behavior or looks - and there they are, screaming with the conservatives gender enforcing wolves saying Imane couldn't be a woman BECAUSE she didn't look like one

The way radfem constantly proved throughout the last few years they became the monster they swore up and down they'll never become ("we'll never ally with conservatives" "we'll never support white supremacists" "we'll always support GNC women" "we'll never consider news from right/conservatives aligning outlets) needs to be clinically studied.

Such irony has to be kept on the record.

RIP to all the non white/radfem who stood against that fringe of the moment, but unfortunately that's what you've become to the eyes of people foreign to your movement. Especially people of color. I'll personally never take radfemistan seriously ever again. Most likely when they weaponize the fate of Middle East women abused by Islamic culture when you've proven again and again actually had no issue letting them be brutalized and killed by White supremacist culture and Zionism. No words about the men signing up bombs that will shred their flesh apart, or making merch bragging about killed pregnant Palestinian women, calling them mothers of "the next terrorist generation. We all know you hate children. Especially when they're brown & poor. Elon Musk would be proud of you. Useful idiots. All of you.

Go back reading Dworking and delude yourself thinking you're gonna save women. In the real world you've exposed yourself to be nothing more than the armed hand of White supremacy. Shame on all of you.

[red-and-white-and-black-and-gold]

A thing I wish US people would stop doing when they talk about soccer is saying “oh if our best athletes played soccer, we’d absolutely dominate”

Like do you even realize how disrespectful that is.

First of all, in this hypothetical reality, why would they choose soccer over the sport they play in real life.

Secondly, even more insultingly, if you’re not imagining them not playing their sport but just doing soccer as a side thing, then you obviously do not watch or engage with the sport in any way shape or form and have zero regard for the amount of skill, hard work, and sheer talent most professional soccer players have. Thus your opinion is meaningless, and also you’re an ass with a truly concerning level of nationalistic zeal.

Thirdly, if this is your way of saying that soccer in the US is largely inaccessible due to its social perception as a middle/high class sport, and financially out of reach for many because of the amount of money typically required for children to play club soccer and travel for games and tournaments, then there are better ways to say that.

[naradivision]

Relationship: Family & Friends - Yuuya Kanata

—Family Tree—

Enchu Kanata (夏向 炎昼) † - Yuuya’s deceased biological father whom he cherishes so dearly. Going by the artist name “Natsumeku”, he was sung praises by fellow artists to be a god-tier composer who absolutely knows how to turn every piece of music into the heartfelt masterpiece. He has a friendly nature and worked in the entertainment industry for quite a time so he had built a variety of connections here and there, but very few knew that he also had a small band “Σummer sign” with a studio under the same name, and even more few to know that his real surname wasn’t really his but his mentor’s who was now long deceased. Whilst being a cordial man at his core, he still got a divorce from his wife. After that, he strived to raise his son all on his own and that somehow sparked Yuuya’s interest into the world of melodies. Sadly, one day he was found dead after a fire broke out at his studio. The incident is identified as an accident, but is there anything deeper than that?

Mayonaka ███████ (まよなか, 49 Years Old) - Yuuya’s biological mother who he desperately craved for her affection. A cold beauty whose expression always appears as stern and difficult to read, her husband used to be the only one that was able to get beyond her hard shell until she divorced him because of their disagreement on something. She also once worked as a journalist for Koyo TV news. From Yuuya’s childhood, she seemed to always ignore him for some unclear reason. The last thing he knows about her is that she has moved into the territory under Chuohku, taking his older sister along.

Mamori ███████ (茉守, (now) 24 Years Old) - Yuuya’s beloved biological older sister. Despite receiving all the attention from her mother, she did her best to shower her little brother with a lot of love and care. Although her departure has deeply impacted him, he still lingers on a hope to meet her once again. From his memories; she is always his supportive big sis, his mother figure, his proud hero, his playful storyteller, and is someone he idolizes from the bottom of his heart —But HEY, which kind of person is she really? [Status: Unknown Who knows? ]

Tachi Kinoshita (太刀 木下, 21 Years Old) - Yuuya’s graduated senior who is now studying up north at the University in Sendai to become a P.E. teacher. As a jovial athlete who harbors a zeal for music, he used to be the president of the club Yuuya is joining and also the one who taught him how to perfect his guitar skills. Furthermore, he is a diehard fan of several music bands, including 86 and even the now disbanded Σummer sign. Both of them still keep in contact and message each other from time to time.

Ojou-chan (approximately less than 1 year) - Yuuya’s new roommate and the special guest of Ajisai Residence. She is a petite Siamese kitten discovered in the mysterious package delivered to Saigo’s place. Noticing the collar around her neck, Yuuya thinks there might be somebody waiting for her return and eventually makes up his mind to find that person for her. She loves exploring but always hisses at strangers and won’t let most people touch her, she has soon grown to be quite attached to him though. Sometimes he just gets an odd chill that maybe she can sense something humans can’t. A lot later, whether it is someone’s intention or not, he discover that she has actually brought one another passenger along the way.

████████ ███████ (29 Years Old) - The younger cousin of Yuuya’s biological mother. Notoriously known far and wide as the monstrous woman in the Party of Words who not even pays respect towards her superior e.g. Otome and Ichijiku, she has a peculiar thrill in crushing things people hold dear to them. Putting that aside, the Party of Words has granted her a special unit for the sake of her matchless rapping skills. It’s only a matter of time before she could get a glimpse of her new toy adorable cousin…

[ponyregrets]

okay watching hsm last night I couldn't help thinking that fantasy high uses the same "get the party together" setup of "everyone gets detention" and so obviously my brain went to WHO IS WHO and like honestly this doesn't work super well and I have two options for everyone and you WILL hear about them

Gorgug Thistlespring as Troy Bolton or Ryan Evans

Gorgug is obviously not as socially successful as Troy, but I think he works well as someone caught between two worlds who is also not necessarily the brightest. And let's be real, if Troy Bolton didn't know who his dad was, he'd probably ask a bunch of people just to check. They're both strong and athletic but have other interests they want to pursue, they don't want to let people down, and they longer than anyone expects to kiss the girl they're dating. As for Ryan, he and Gorgug would both struggle to read "go drama club!" and if (spoilers) Fig is Sharpay, obviously Gorgug is in her band.

Fig Faeth as Gabriella Montez or Sharpay Evans

I recognize these are both wild picks but tbh Fig does not slot easily into HSM in my opinion. Gabriella works for Fig for me because they both have the theme of reinventing themselves--Gabriella is at a new school, not wanting to be known as the freaky genius girl, and Fig is rebelling against her own good girl image. And if Gorgug is Troy, then Fig being the one to get him into music works. As for Sharpay, well, what is Sharpay Evans if not a bard who also wants to take barbarian classes?

Fabian Seacaster as Chad Danforth or Troy Bolton

Obviously Fabian is a jock, I think we can all agree on that. He makes sense to me as either Troy or Chad, depending on where your focus is. Chad has the iconic "I Don't Dance" sequence, which of course parallels "toxic masculinity is over, I dance now" for Fabian. I also think that Chad works a little better in terms of how Fabian presents himself in terms of bravado and confidence; Troy is much faster to accept that he can maybe like things other than sports than I think Fabian is. On the other hand, Troy, like Fabian, is The Ace, and has a bunch of weird daddy issues, so that's an argument that can easily be made.

Adaine Abernant as Taylor McKessie or Gabriella Montez

Taylor is probably the least sketched out of the main HSM characters, which is saying something. That being said, I would fully believe she rolls for panic attacks, and her main defining feature is being a big old nerd, so, here you go, Adaine. I think Adaine as Gabriella also makes a lot of sense, though--still a nerd, but also a transfer student who probably also rolls for panic attacks.

Riz Gukgak as Ryan Evans or Taylor McKessie

Riz was my biggest casting woe, and I don't think he fits super well into any of the HSM roles. Taylor is probably a better fit for him than Ryan, but neither is great IMO. Ryan is the HSM character who's most likely to be called "the ball," and he and Riz share a desire for friendship without a great idea of how to get it. Also I gather from AO3 that people ship Riz and Fabian, so that works for the "I Don't Dance" dynamic. Taylor, meanwhile, probably wants to be a private eye and definitely has business cards.

Kristen Applebees as Sharpay Evans or Chad Danforth

Kristen's zeal for the sun god and Sharpay's zeal for theater vibe for me, although obviously Kristen would be thrilled if her friends were as interested in Helio as Troy and Gabriella were in the musical. I also feel like the outwardly supportive and chill family Sharpay has (I love the Evanses tbh) probably contributes to her need to be the best, and she has similar "golden child" expectations. idk maybe this makes no sense to anyone but me but it makes a lot of sense to me. I hope Sharpay can grapple with herself and get to a better place as Kristen did. Meanwhile, Kristen and Chad are both struggling with being gay.

anyway this was my morning happy new year y'all

[songoftrillium]

Optional House Rule: Ability Trait Specializations

MET ability traits may be used as ability specializations.

The connotations for gameplay is big for any WoD table.

For those not familiar with LARPing with Mind's Eye Theater rules for World of Darkness, here's a brief rundown of how it works: Where one would have, say, 4 dots in STR, 3 dots in DEX, and 3 dots in STA, they instead have 10 physical traits, of which they may list these traits to declare in a challenge. So one's 10 physical traits may be Lithe, Stalwart, Brawny, Brutal, Savage, Deftness and any of a broad number of adjectives that collectively give a complete picture of this person. Then when one wants to do something physical, they say "I will Brutally claw at you!" and the person defending may say "I will stand Stalwart against you!" and then the rock paper scissors thing ensues. On a tie, they compare total number of traits. Shared traits are canceled out, and whoever has the most unique traits wins the tie. The real magic lies in the way these traits are described. They are generalized enough to apply to a wide variety of applications while being specific enough for an individual to capitalize on them. That is, when applied as an ability specialization, it can both be explained succinctly in it's applications, while also being a generalized-enough specialization that it can be applied to a wide variety of tasks. In short, these traits are themselves aligned with the general nature of Abilities, making them the perfect candidate for specializations.

See below for a list of Traits, and their application is pretty self-explanatory:

Physical Traits:

Athletic: You have conditioned your body to respond well in full-body movements, especially in competitive events. Uses: sports, duels, running, acrobatics, grappling

Brawny: Bulky Muscular Strength. Uses: Punching, kicking or grappling in combat when your goal is to inflict damage. Power lifting. All feats of strength.

Brutal: You are capable of taking nearly any action in order to survive. Uses: Fighting an obviously superior enemy.

Dextrous: General androitness and skill involving the use of one's hands. Uses: Weapon-oriented combat (melee or firearms). Pickpocketing, Punching, Celerity

Enduring: A persistent sturdiness against physical opposition. Uses: When your survival is at stake, this is a good Trait to risk a second, or successive, bid.

Energetic: A powerful force of spirit. A strong internal drive propels you and, in physical situations, you can draw on a deep reservoir of enthusiasm and zeal. Uses: combat, Celerity Ferocious: Possession of brutal intensity and extreme physical determination. Uses: Any time that you intend to do serious harm i.e. frenzying

Graceful: Control and balance in the motion and use of the entire body. Uses: Combat defense. Whenever you might lose your balance (stepping on a banana peel, fighting on four-inch-thick rafters et al)

Lithe: Characterized by flexibility and suppleness. Uses: Acrobatics, gymnastics, dodging, dancing, Celerity

Nimble: Light and skillful; able to make agile movements. Uses: Dodging, jumping, rolling, acrobatics. Hand-to-Hand combat.

Quick: Speedy, with fast reaction time. Uses: Defending against surprise attack. Running, dodging, attacking. Celerity.

Resilient: Characterized by strength of health; able to recover quickly from bodily harm. Uses: Resisting adverse environments. Defending against damage from an attack.

Robust: Resistant to physical harm and damage. Uses: Defending against damage in an attack. Endurance related to actions that could take place over a period of time.

Rugged: Hardy, rough, and brutally healthy. Able to shrug off wounds and pain to continue struggling. Uses: When resisting damage, any challenge that you enter while injured. Earth Melding.

Stalwart: Physically strong and uncompromising against opposition. Uses: Resisting damage, or when standing your ground against overwhelming odds or a superior foe.

Steady: More than simply physically dependable: controlled, disciplined, and balanced. You have a firm mastery over your efforts. Uses: Weapon attacks. Fighting in exotic locations. Piloting oil tankers.

Tenacious: Physically determined through force of will. You often prolong physical confrontations, even when it might not be wise to do so. Uses: Second or subsequent physical challenges.

Tireless: You have a runner's stamina-you are less taxed by physical efforts than ordinary people. Uses: Any endurance related challenge, second, or subsequent challenges against an evenly-matched foe. 

Tough: A harsh, aggressive attitude and resistance to harm. Uses: Whenever you're wounded or winded.

Vigorous: A combination of energy, power, intensity, and resistance to harm. Uses: Combat and athletic challenges where you're on the defensive.

Wiry: Tight, streamlined, muscular strength Uses: Punching, kicking or grappling in combat. Acrobatic movements. Endurance lifting.

Social Traits

Alluring: An attractive and appealing presence that inspires desire in others. Uses: Seduction. Convincing others.

Beguiling: The skill of deception and illusion. You can twist the perceptions of others and lead them to believe what suits you. Uses: Tricking others. Lying under duress.

Charismatic: The talent and inspiration and motivation, the sign of a strong leader. Uses: In a situation involving leadership or the achievement of leadership. Awe contests.

Charming: Your speech and actions make you appear attractive and appealing to others. Uses: Convincing, Persuading, or Entrancement Challenges

Commanding: Impressive delivery of orders and suggestions. This implies skill in the control and direction of others. Uses: When you are seen as a leader. Presence challenges.

Compassionate: Deep feelings of care or pity in others. Uses: Defending the weak or downtrodden. Defeating major obstacles while pursuing an altruistic end.

Dignified: Something about your posture and body carriage appears honorable and aesthetically pleasing. You carry yourself well. Uses: Presence challenges. Social Defense.

Diplomatic: Tactful, careful and thoughtful in speech and deed. Few are displeased with what you say or do. Uses: Very important in intrigue. Leadership situations.

Elegant: Refined tastefulness. Even though you don't need money to be elegant, you exude and air of richness and high society. Uses: High society or Toreador parties. Might be important in some clans for advancement. Defending against social disciplines.

Eloquent: The ability to speak in and interesting and convincing manner. Uses: Convincing others. Swaying emotions. Public speaking.

Empathetic: Able to identify and understand the emotions and moods of people with whom you come into contact. Uses: Gauging the feelings of others. Beast Within contests. Not useful in defense against social disciplines.

Expressive: Able to articulate thoughts in interesting, significant, or meaningful ways. Uses: Producing art, acting, performing. Any social situation in which you want someone to understand your meaning.

Friendly: Able to fit in with everyone you meet. Even after a short conversation, most find it difficult to dislike you. Uses: Entrancement challenges. Convincing others.

Genial: Cordial, kindly, warm, and pleasant. You are pleasing to be around. Uses: Mingling at parties. Starting an entrancement challenge. Generally used in second or subsequent social challenges.

Gorgeous: Beautiful or handsome. You were born with a face and body that is good looking to most people you meet. Uses: Modeling, posing. Beast Within Challenges. Entrancement challenges.

Ingratiating: Able to gain favor with people who know you. Uses: Dealing with elders in a social situation. Entrancement challenges. Defending against social disciplines.

Intimidating: A frightening or awesome presence that causes others to feel timing. This Trait is particularly useful when attempting to cow opponents. Uses: Dread gaze and Majesty challenges. Inspiring common fear. Ordering others.

Magnetic: People feel drawn to you; those around you are interested in your speech and actions. Uses: Presence Challenges, Beast Within Challenges, Seduction

Persuasive: Able to propose believable, convincing and correct arguments and requests. Very useful when someone else is undecided on an issue. Uses: persuading or convincing others.

Seductive: Able to entire and tempt. You can use your good looks and your body to get what you want from others. Uses: Subterfuge, Entrancement, Summoning and Seduction

Witty: Clearly humorous. Jokes and jests come easily to you, and you are perceived as a funny person when you want to be. Uses: At parties. Entertaining someone. Goading or insulting someone.

Mental Traits

Alert: Mentally Prepared for danger and able to react quickly when it occurs Uses: Preventing surprise attacks. Defending against Dominate challenges.

Attentive: You pay attention to everyday occurances around you. When something extraordinary happens, you are usually ready for it. Uses: Preventing surprise attacks. Seeing through Obfuscate when you don't expect it. Preventing Dominate.

Calm: Able to withstand an extraordinary level of disturbance without becoming agitated or upset. A wellspring of self control. Uses: Resisting Frenzy or commands that provoke violence. Whenever a mental attack might upset you. Primarily for defense.

Clever: Quick-witted resourcefulness. You think well on your feet. Uses: Mentally attacking another.

Creative: Your ideas are original and imaginative. This implies an ability to produce unusual solutions to your difficulties. You can create artistic pieces. A requirement for any true artist. Uses: Defending against aura readingfs. Creating anything.

Cunning: Crafty and sly, possessing a great deal of ingenuity. Uses: Tricking others. Command Challenges.

Dedicated: You give yourself totally over to your belief. When one of your causes is at stake, you stop at nothing to succeed. Uses: Useful in any Mental Challenge where your beliefs are at stake. Defense against Forgetful Mind and the like.

Determined: When it comes to mental endeavors, you are fully committed. Nothing can divert your intentions to succeed once you have made up your mind. Uses: Facedowns. Useful in a normal Mental Challenge.

Discerning: Discriminating, able to pick out details, subtleties, and idiosyncracies. You have clarity of vision. Uses: Auspex-related challenges.

Disciplined: Your mind is structured and controlled. This rigidity gives you an edge in battles of will. Uses: Thaumaturgy contests. Facedowns. Useful in a mental discipline contest.

Insightful: The power of looking at a sityuation and gaining and understanding of it. Uses: Investigation (but not defending against it), Reading Auras, Using Heightened Senses, Seeing through Obfuscate when you expect it.

Intuitive: Knowledge and understanding somehow come to you without conscious reasoning, as if by instinct. Uses: Reading auras. Seeing through obfuscate, Blue of the Milky Eye, et al.

Knowledgable: You know copious and detailed information about a wide variety of topics. This represents "Book-Learning." Uses: Forgetful mind contests. Remembering information your character might know. Magic.

Observant: Depth of vision, the power to look at something and notice the important aspects of it. Uses: Heightened Senses. Picking up on subtleties that others might overlook.

Patient: Tolerant spersevening and steadfast. You can wait out extended delays with composure. Uses: facedowns and other mental battles after losing a primary challenge.

Rational: You believe in logic, reason, sanity, and sobriety. Your ability to reduce concepts to a mathematical level helps you analyze the world. Uses: Defending against emotional appeals. Defending against an aura reading. Not useful as an initial bid.

Reflective: Meditative self-recollection and deep thought. The trait of a serious thinker, Reflective enables you to consider all aspects of a conundrum Uses: Meditation. Remembering information. Defending against most mental attacks.

Shrewd: Astute and artful, able to keep your wits about you and accomplish mental feats with efficiency and finesse. Uses: Defending against mental deceptions

Vigilant: Alertly Watchful. You have the disposition of a guard dog; your attention misses little. Uses: perception-based rolls to prevent surprise attack. Keeping a lookout for trouble.

[portraitsofsaints]

Saint Teresa of the Andes

1900-1920

Feast Day: April 12 and July 13 

Patronage: against disease, against illness, young people, sick people, Santiago, Los Andes

Saint Teresa of the Andes, known as the “Flower of the Andes” was Chile’s first canonized saint. She was an active young adult and an excellent athlete with many interests. Influenced by reading the lives of the saints she was accepted into the Discalced Carmelite Order at 19. Unfortunately, after only a few months she caught typhus and her health quickly deteriorated. She was allowed to complete her vows early and, following great suffering, she died a few months short of her twentieth birthday. A great role model for young women, she spoke to all with apostolic zeal, encouraging them to become closer to God. 

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase here: (website)

[focr]

Press on...

Press on (1377) (dioko) "carries the idea of intense endeavor.”: The Greeks used it to describe a hunter eagerly pursuing his prey. A man does not become a winning athlete by listening to lectures, watching movies, reading books, or cheering at the games. He becomes a winning athlete by getting into the game and determining to win! The same zeal that Paul employed when he persecuted the church (Phil. 3:6), he displayed in serving Christ. Come to think of it, wouldn't it be wonderful if Christians put as much determination into their spiritual life as they do their golfing, fishing, or bowling?" ~ Warren Wiersbe

[clctecno]

CLC Tecno Indian Talent Search Exam

National Olympiad and Indian Talent Search Exam commonly known as, ITSE, are two prestigious exams that provide a platform to exam young talents in the country. At CLC Tecno we provide extra classes for the students as well as for various Olympiad examinations including ITSE. Our highly professional staff delivers comprehensive classes which are aimed at creating the subject bases, improving the thinking ability and developing better time management approaches.

In more detail, through working with CLC Tecno students obtain perfect textbooks, practice examinations, and individual coaching with reference to each individual student. As a school we are not just about producing knowledgeable citizens but athletes with zeal and desire to compete and excel in National and International arenas. The consistent tests we make as teachers help students to monitor their progress and possibly overcome hindrances credibly.

At CLC Tecno, our students don’t have to worry about their ITSE & Olympiad performances as they are carefully taken through every performance aspect they need throughout the whole process. Discover your true selves and ready for a success career with CLC Tecno!

[blossam1]

Crafting Champions: The Essence of Rhythmic Gymnastics Coaching with BLOSS AM

In the realm of rhythmic gymnastics, where grace meets athleticism, the guidance of a seasoned coach is paramount. Enter BLOSS AM, a beacon of excellence in the world of rhythmic gymnastics coaching. With a commitment to nurturing talent and fostering a love for the sport, BLOSS AM coaches play a pivotal role in shaping the future of rhythmic gymnastics. Let's delve into the significance of a rhythmic gymnastics coach at BLOSS AM and how they elevate the sport.

Mastering the Art of Movement

At BLOSS AM, rhythmic gymnastics coaching transcends mere instruction; it's an art form in itself. Coaches are adept at honing the intricate movements and fluidity that define rhythmic gymnastics. With a keen eye for detail, they meticulously craft routines that showcase the individual strengths of each athlete while pushing the boundaries of their capabilities.

Cultivating Discipline and Dedication

Success in rhythmic gymnastics hinges not only on physical prowess but also on mental fortitude. BLOSS AM coaches instill discipline and dedication in their athletes from the outset. Through structured training programs and personalized guidance, they empower athletes to overcome challenges and strive for excellence with unwavering determination.

Fostering Creativity and Expression

Rhythmic gymnastics is as much about expression as it is about athleticism. BLOSS AM coaches recognize the importance of fostering creativity in their athletes, encouraging them to infuse their routines with personal flair and emotion. By nurturing individuality and artistic expression, coaches help athletes truly shine on the competition floor.

Nurturing Confidence and Resilience

Competing in rhythmic gymnastics requires a steely resolve and unwavering confidence. BLOSS AM coaches serve as mentors and cheerleaders, bolstering the self-belief of their athletes every step of the way. Through constructive feedback and positive reinforcement, they instill a sense of resilience that enables athletes to thrive under pressure and overcome setbacks.

Embracing Collaboration and Team Spirit

While rhythmic gymnastics is often seen as an individual pursuit, teamwork plays a crucial role, particularly in group routines. BLOSS AM coaches cultivate a spirit of collaboration among their athletes, fostering camaraderie and mutual support. By celebrating each other's successes and lifting one another up, athletes learn the value of teamwork both on and off the competition floor.

Adapting to Evolving Trends and Techniques

In the ever-evolving landscape of rhythmic gymnastics, staying abreast of the latest trends and techniques is essential. BLOSS AM coaches are committed to continuous learning and professional development, ensuring that they remain at the forefront of their field. By embracing innovation and experimentation, they empower their athletes to push the boundaries of what's possible in rhythmic gymnastics.

Inspiring a Love for the Sport

Above all, BLOSS AM coaches are passionate advocates for rhythmic gymnastics, instilling a love for the sport in their athletes that extends far beyond the competition arena. Through their infectious enthusiasm and unwavering support, they inspire the next generation of rhythmic gymnasts to pursue their dreams with zeal and determination.

In conclusion, the role of a rhythmic gymnastics coach at BLOSS AM is multifaceted and profound. From mastering the art of movement to fostering creativity and expression, BLOSS AM coaches play a pivotal role in shaping the future of rhythmic gymnastics. With their unwavering dedication and commitment to excellence, they elevate the sport to new heights, inspiring athletes to reach for the stars and beyond.

BLOSS AM to witness the transformative power of rhythmic gymnastics coaching firsthand.

[zealoptics]

Zeal Optics - The Famous Project Update

In between sailing missions, we recently were able to catch up with Dee Caffari, Co-Skipper of The Famous Project - a sailing project with the an impactful mission:

1 –  A human and social commitment to highlight the ambitions, successes and strengths of the women of our planet.

2 – An environmental commitment to better understand the changing climate of our planet.

3 – An educational commitment to raise awareness and inspire the younger generations by sharing this project with as many people as possible.

4 – A sporting commitment to illustrate the values of teamwork and commitment within ocean racing, and to show that even the most demanding sporting challenge can be acheived with the right backing/coaching. Dee takes us through an inside look into The Famous Project as this all-female team looks to set new records. "I am delighted to wear the Zeal Optics sunglasses with Autosun lenses for my life afloat as a professional sailor. When I signed up to a new and ambitious sailing campaign, I knew we needed the best equipment possible to allow us to achieve our best performance. For this reason I reached out to Zeal Optics and explained the project to the team and asked if they would support us going forwards. In the short period of time since then a great deal has happened but, as I have discovered, even the journey towards this speed record is going to be a fast one.

From initial conception of the idea a couple of years ago, Project Skipper and Founder, Alexia Barrier, has been moving this project forward at pace. It has been 26 years since a female skipper with an all-female crew attempted the Jules Verne Record and that was Tracy Edwards on her catamaran, Royal and Sun Alliance. Sadly, Tracy and her crew were unsuccessful with the attempt being aborted at Cape Horn after a dismasting. This particular record setting space has been male dominated since then, with opportunities for women to gain multihull experience in sailing significantly limited.

It has taken over a quarter of a century for another all-female record attempt to come together and is testament to Alexia’s determination that her dream has now become reality. Although the Famous Projects’ goal is ultimately to break the Jules Verne Record with an all-female team, Alexia wants to use the momentum the project generates to create a pathway for young people by allowing access to the team and boat and to provide more opportunities for young sailors. By opening up these avenues, she hopes to inspire budding sailors to dream and dare. Alexia is a champion of successful females, athletes, entrepreneurs and business leaders and keen to shine a light on women doing great things. I firmly believe that when women support each other, there is no limit to what can be achieved.

I was lucky enough to have been asked to take on the role of co-skipper for the project. I always knew that if I was going to attempt another circumnavigation (this being my 7th) it would have to be something special and this certainly ticks all the boxes. It is such a privilege to be part of such an exciting project.  

We are training on a MOD 70 trimaran in a mixed format. By sailing with guys that have raced these boats for many miles, we are able to tap into their experience and knowledge to fast track our learning. Our MOD70 is very aptly named after a record setting bird whose Latin name is Limosa. The longest non-stop flight recorded for a Limosa was 11 days, over which this plucky little bird covered a staggering 8425 miles.

When it comes to our record, we will be swapping the MOD 70 for IDEC Sport, a 32 metre maxi trimaran. She has great pedigree having held the current record of 40 days, 23 hours and 30 minutes and 30 second for the last 7 years. Currently undergoing an extensive refit, IDEC Sport will be re-launched at the end of May 2024.

Any activity at sea requires safety equipment but just as important is the requirement to look after ourselves whilst onboard. This is not just about the sun protection that we need to think about as our skin is exposed to all the elements but also the impact on our bodies. Eyes are often overlooked, and we are sailing at extreme speeds with wind and water hitting our faces at force. Over time, eye infections are common as our eyes take such a beating. One way to protect them is with sunglasses and appropriate lenses that can protect us from the intense exposure to bright sunlight and reflected glare from the environment we operate in. At extreme speeds sunglasses are just not enough, and we wear googles. Having unrestricted vision whilst protecting our eyes allows us to concentrate no matter how extreme the conditions get. Zeal Optics has provided us with googles - allowing us to concentrate and focus without fear or restricted vision. As the conditions don’t turn off at night, we also needed sets of googles with clear lenses to allow the performance to continue in the hours of darkness as well.

We have covered a number of miles since receiving the googles, both racing and delivering, which have been important for us to use and test equipment, get to know each other and learn how far we can push the boat in different environments. Mistakes were made and lessons learnt on the races and we are growing in confidence every mile we sail on the boat.

Limosa is now back in France ready for a fun summer of training and even more exciting is we will soon be sailing our big boat in preparation for the record attempt next year. With our eyes protected from the elements we have our eyes fully focussed on the prize that is within reach."

Dee Caffari MBE

Co Skipper The Famous Project.

[simplysort]

Financial Literacy ‘For her’

Finance is always considered to be an alien subject matter to the majority.

Or is it really?!

To look beyond the numbers and trying to explore what is known as ‘FINANCIAL FREEDOM’ is the need of the hour. This can be done by becoming ‘FINANCIALLY LITERATE’ and understanding the patterns and the finer nuances of our personal finances.

If you have the question, ‘Why are we boggling our minds over finance being in the sports domain?

Isn’t it something that the geeks should worry about’?

You are not alone!

The importance and relevance of finance, especially in Sports is something that is often overlooked. Right from managing the personal finances for athletes, understanding the implications of their sponsorship deals, tournament expenses, taxes they incur for specialized services that they provide or that are being provided to them and the various categories that concern sports finance as a whole are quite important for them to understand.

Having this purview, Simply Sport Foundation partnered with the Anantapur Sports Academy (ASA) for its FEMALE ATHLETE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM (FALP), to learn how aware the female athletes are, about the skills which help them go beyond sports and help them in their personal development. We conducted a focused group discussion with the female athletes at the academy to understand their various needs for upskilling and growth which includes financial literacy. Our experts developed a module focusing on the rudimentary areas of finance like personal finance, managing money, saving

Understanding the overlap of sports and finance:

Sportsmanship – The quality of sportsmanship, rather the SPORTSWOMANSHIP if you will :)

(No pun intended) are the qualities like FAIRNESS, COURAGE, PERSISTENCE. These are someof the qualities that are required in financial independence as well, in order to achieve

financial freedom. It was inspiring to see how the athletes are trying to imbibe these

qualities at such a young age.

Zeal to ‘beat the odds’ – We realized that the athletes at the academy were from all walks

of life and the spark that they come with, provides us all the motivation to excel at what we

do. The Zeal to ‘get it right’ is the attitude that one needs to have in their investing journey

as well.

Grassroot in all honesty - The emotion that we were able to sense at the academy with all

the stories that the female athletes had to offer of trying to build their sporting careers from

the scratch made us understand how their trajectory has yielded them the desired results

can be compared with how they will be able to carry forward the same narrative when they

begin to manage their finances and expect the desired returns.

The GROWTH mindset - It’s quite apparent how the young girls are trying to put their best

foot forward to make the most of the opportunities that they are offered with, be it in terms

of learning the necessary skills that are pivotal to the real world or their respective sport,

they come with a GROWTH mindset to implement continual learning. This is one of the key

The Story Ahead – While the female athletes at the academy come with a growth mindset, it is evident that they bring with them the 4C’s of Sport – Confidence, Control, Commitment and concentration. It is only ‘Onwards and Upwards’ from here, we are excited to see how the impartation and emphasis on financial literacy is going to help them excel at their sports and beyond.

Author Meghana is an avid fan of tennis, a badminton enthusiast, and a Bcom graduate. With a keen interest in numbers, she has cleared the foundation level of Indian Chartered Accountancy and is currently pursuing Chartered Global Management Accountancy (CGMA-UK). She is an amateur artist and a bibliophile.