#a group of people youve befriended/will befriend over time

[afarcryfrommymain]

What you your OCs role on a pirate ship be?

Tagged by @strafethesesinners thank you for tagging me because I am so normal about pirates I swear (<-lying)

Aphid Hernandez

The First Mate

On a ship, the captain calls the shots. That's fine by you. You're not the sort of person who wants to be out at the front, dealing with the changeable moods of the sailors, being the one they blame if things go wrong. No, you're more than happy on the sidelines. The captain trusts you - they give you their ear, when you have advice on how the ship should run. The crew trusts you - sitting with them in the mess, you can understand how they're feeling. Other than the ship's cat, there's nobody who dislikes you. And that's the way it should be. While the captain's head is filled with adventure and raids and treasure galore, you're the one who makes things actually happen. You talk to the navigator to get a bearing for the ship, convince the crew to go on your captain's madcap schemes, listen to their concerns, relay orders to the boatswain. You're the one who pipes up when the captain's route would take you past a government patrol, who remembers the crew's birthdays, who argues for a bit of shore leave after a hard raid. It's not easy work, but it's yours. And you wouldn't change it for the world.

Captain Olive Laurier

The Topman

Of all the sailors on this ship, your job is the most dangerous. Oh, everyone climbs the rigging into the topsails from now and then, but you practically live up there, among the rope and swaying canvas. You know the sails better than any person, have clung to the mast through storm and swell in the pitch-black of night, when your limbs are freezing from the chill and your body is soaked to the bone. When there's work to be done in the tops, you're the first to climb to their dizzying heights and the last to lower yourself back to the deck. Some nights you have slept up there, balancing on a yardarm or in the crow's nest, lashed to the rigging ten feet above the deck. But never once have you fallen. Though your hands and feet and calloused and burned from clasping the ropes, never have you pitched into the water or slammed against the deck. Few sailors can claim such a badge of honour as that. When you're up there, the wind blowing a chill against your face, hair streaming behind you and clothes billowing, you feel more alive than you ever have. So when your captain calls, you are glad to place your hands and feet in the rigging and ascend once more. It's where you belong.

I'll tag uhh @adelaidedrubman @wrathfulrook @gxmergurl (@salad-says-hi hi sal) and anyone else who wants to join should do it!

[daedalusdavinci]

aspec aspects godly origins

i answered a lot of questions about where the gods came from and how they met on the old blog, so im gonna try and compile some of that information here for ppl looking for ammfh lore

technically speaking, void and space existed before anything else, but space was the only actual god at the time. blood came around second, born from spaces wounds when they tore themself apart out of loneliness. after blood, space made the First Creations, which existed before the time of life, and so were eldritch and confusing and not really. alive the way we think about it. one of these creations was the First Mother, or the Mother of the Deeps, who gave birth to time and light.

time and lights creation is when the universe really starts to move forward in a way that we recognize. they acted as a guide and helped space and blood form the council of the gods, helping space create life and doom, and bringing void onto the council.

from there, hope was born of the first true life, rage from later, more advanced life, and mind from the earliest humans. breath and heart are the youngest, both humans from early civilization.

anyone or anything can become a god, but the existing gods must unanimously agree to give them that power, which becomes less and less likely to happen each time a new god is added to the council. more often, people are made immortal or gifted a small degree of powers (ie; kanaya, the original vampire, who was made immortal and wed to light). some of these immortals or spirits are worshipped as some kind of deity, but it differs from culture to culture, as john tells dirk in god of lightning

as for how johns core group became friends, it wouldve really all started with blood, time, and light. its worth noting at this point that time and light arent entirely separate entities. theyve changed over the eons, but in the beginning, they were so inseparable they were basically just one person. thats why theyre the twins. blood and time/light didnt get along in the beginning, largely because time/light was only interested in playing out their fated role and extremely distrustful of everyone around them, and because blood wasnt entirely comfortable with them coming in and shaking things up. however, they literally have infinity together to work things out, and in the end, its karkat who teaches them to look to the present and their current relationships for happiness, rather than getting sucked into what may come to pass. karkats their first friend! space is pretty close after that, because theyre super friendly and lonely and from the moment time/light showed up their new friend alert went off.

john came WAY later, as one of the last gods to ever join the council. he was a human in one of the first ever human civilizations and died young in a war after losing his father. the gods decided they needed a new perspective on human nature and how it was progressing, and john was overwhelmed with the new responsibilities and had a very hard time with it, and even more so because some of the other newer gods had a hard time with adding another god to their ranks. rose and dave were extremely sympathetic, as gods who were used to adding new people to the council and gods whod had an insane amount of responsibility thrust upon them from creation, and the bond they formed with john kept him from trying to shirk all responsibility and bolt. karkat and callie were the next friends he made, as some of the other oldest gods (and the ones who befriended LITERALLY everyone). terezi and john took a l ong time to bond, though. terezi was sort of the resident expert on humans before john, and they werent thrilled to be replaced. theyre always in each others circle, though, because terezis super tight with karkat and dave, and over time they develop this kind of weird supportive rivalry thing that baffles and frightens dirk a bit when he first meets terezi. also terezi threatens to eat him, so theres that.

thats all i have written on this, though. if youve got questions feel free to shoot me an ask!

[sabrinaofwoodsbeyond]

i keep forgetting to send this in but uh sabrina,,,,,,,,,,,, you once mentioned ravan/chaddick/beatrix/reena being a ship youve considered,,, could you mayhaps bless us with an elaboration. how would this work. thank you that is all.

Oh my gosh this ask was sent in a million years ago and I last thought about this ship even longer ago than that, but I absolutely will!

It’s essentially just a series of fun, cheesy romcom tropes that I don’t take too seriously but basically:

-Beatrix/Reena is a given, love these girlfriends, y’all already know the deal

-Beatrix/Chaddick was this weird kinda sorta canon thing up until Chaddick died (did Bea ever find out about that, btw? Also fuck Chaddick dying obviously, that didn’t happen lmao)

-Reena and Ravan were walking together in TLEA, and because I latch onto any scraps of Ravan characterization I can get I headcanon that they were pretty good friends at the School for New Evil and they keep in touch after the schools switch back.

-Ok so now for the parts where I make shit up to suit my dark agenda: back in year one, at the Circus of Talents, Ravan gets beaten by Chaddick and humiliated in front of the whole school, (which was frankly kinda bullshit since Ravan’s talent was way more impressive tbh). Ravan never really gets over it and swears to get back at Chaddick.

-His plans to do so kinda get overshadowed by all the shit that happens year two, and for a little bit Ravan is actually embarrassed that he ever considered Chaddick a rival/equal after seeing him and the rest of the Everboys act like such buffoons at the School for Boys. But the animosity is STILL THERE because seriously? Shooting an arrow? With this big stupid buff arms? THAT was his most impressive talent? So lame

-Year three, they’re all at the School for New Evil. Things are bad. Hort is freshly heartbroken (again) and devoting all of his time to acting like a jackass and pretending to be over Sophie, the coven is is being squirrelly and reclusive while trying to undermine Rafal, and Ravan doesn’t have all that many people to talk to anymore

-Despite the ranks being thrown into chaos, Ravan manages to hold onto his spot as a leader and ends up befriending Beatrix and, by extension, Reena, who have become a lot more competent and fun to be around than he remembers. It turns out hanging around Evers isn’t as terrible as he thought it would be, especially with all of them united against a common enemy.

-Though Beatrix is higher ranked, Reena is more level headed and thoughtful and Ravan actually ends up liking her more than he thought he’d like a sidekick

-Unfortunately for Ravan, Chaddick is ALSO in the leader class and good friends with Beatrix and Reena, and he starts seeing Ravan as Part of The Gang because they’ve all gotta watch each other’s back with the School Master and Aric skulking around, right?

-Only Ravan is still kinda pissed off at Chaddick and his stupid muscular archer’s arms, and is pretty damn rude to him. Reena tries to tell him that stuff like that just bounces off Chaddick and doesn’t really affect him, but that doesn’t deter him

-Lo and behold, Chaddick assumes that all Nevers are as snippy and irritable as Ravan and is completely oblivious to the fact that Ravan dislikes him, which somehow infuriates Ravan even further. Reena is still annoyed, Beatrix reassures her that Ravan will burn himself out eventually.

-To make matters worse, Chaddick, who’s still hurting from Tedros demoting him and promoting Aric in his place, Tedros’s disappearance with Agatha, and Tristan’s death, eventually starts considering Ravan a close friend and opens up to him about all of the shit that’s gone down. Ravan does NOT want to hear the dude he hates pour his heart out, but at the same time he can’t help but sympathize with the feeling of abandonment after dealing with Hort ignoring him in favor of fruitlessly pursuing Sophie so many times.

-Eventually (sometime after Chaddick first stands up to Aric for him) Ravan realizes that he’s always kind of admired Chaddick in a way (and maybe thought he was a little attractive?) and that yeah, maybe he can get along with someone like Chaddick

-Chaddick’s aggressively pansexual ass is way past this point and has already asked Beatrix if her feelings would be hurt if he made out with, say, completely random example here, Ravan. Beatrix tells him that she’s been dating Reena for like three weeks now and she didn’t realize that she and Chaddick were still a thing. Whoops.

-In the end the four of them end up being this really tight group of high ranking students who kinda lead the charge in Evers and Nevers buddying up against the new administration and starting the “bring Good back!” campaign. Also they might kiss sometimes c’est la vie babey

[vestedbeauty]

Guilty of People Pleasing? How to Stop (Even if This Is How You've Survived Until Now)

New Post has been published on https://vestedbeauty.com/guilty-of-people-pleasing-how-to-stop-even-if-this-is-how-youve-survived-until-now/

Guilty of People Pleasing? How to Stop (Even if This Is How You've Survived Until Now)

OK, so, it’s possible that my people pleasing way of life was just coded into me based on the stars and planets. I’m not personally really into astrology but a lot of people I love are. So, I’ve learned that I may be the Libra-est Libra who ever Libra’d. And apparently people pleasing is a thing for us. 

But while I weigh that a bit (sorry, Libra joke), I’m going to go share my thoughts on this… trait? Flaw? Coping mechanism? Well, whatever category people pleasing falls into, let’s take a look.

It’s a Good Thing Puppies Are Cute

She’s nearly four now but Pickle has settled down a whole lot. (I’m currently working through a dog training course with her and the rest of the pack to see if we can end the jumping up on people nonsense.) When she was tiny, she did a pretty good impression of The Very Caterpillar. She ate through our slippers. She ate through our blankets. She even ate through the drywall in a couple of places.

“Pickle, it’s a good thing you’re cute,” we said, about a million times. And it’s true.

It’s the same with tiny humans. They smell bad. They cry and cry and cry. And they leave their parents exhausted to the point they can barely remember their own names. But on the deepest level there is, we bond with them to the point we’d give our lives to save them.

Still, it’s a good thing they’re cute.

In part, a baby’s cuteness is a way of people pleasing. We cannot function or even survive on our own. Our survival depends on our parents being willing to take care of us, even though we offer nothing in return. 

Last One In Is a Rotten Egg!

Fast-forward a few years, and our world expands from our parents and immediate family outward to include friends, teachers, and a whole lot of people we’ve never met. Humans being humans, we start forming smaller groups. 

Like it was programmed into us, we can get pretty ruthless as we sort through the crowd of humanity. Yes to this one, no to that one. We find best friends and second-best friends (remember that?), and we learn how to fit in. 

But we also get some brutal lessons about living in kid society. We discover the pecking order, watching some kids rise to the top of the social order and others fall into a perilous place where they are practically untouchable. 

The permanent rotten egg, the kid nobody seems to like – even enough to defend when human decency demands it. (I still think about some of the kids I grew up with who were socially brutalized, bullied, cast out. I hope they survived and healed, and while I’m glad I didn’t actively hurt them, I shamefully lacked the courage to befriend them.)

In this Lord of the Flies world, kids learn quickly how important it is to gather allies. Perhaps for the first time ever, they grasp the reality that if they piss people off, they will be shunned and thrust out into the cruel world on their own. 

People pleasing becomes a survival mechanism. I believe that’s where it starts for many of us. We learn to walk, talk, and behave in ways that please our cohort enough to keep us safe.

Keep Your Hands and Feet Inside the Ride at All Times

It doesn’t take a genius to realize it’s crucial to fit into the box kid society draws for its members. Fit or face destruction. 

So, we contort ourselves to fit. If some odd bit refuses to fold neatly into the box, we cut it off. Survival demands ruthlessness.

… Got a weird hobby? Not anymore.

… Have a weird freckle on the bottom of your foot? Shoes, forever.

… Freaky smart at some subject or another? No. Get a ‘B’ and live.

… Set your sights on a career that seems a little “extra”? Probably don’t talk about that anymore.

It’s not like that for everyone, of course. And there are pockets of welcoming hearts who’ll accept people as they are, thank goodness.

But I suspect this is when many people pleasers develop their modus operandi. People pleasing can look like:

Having a hard time saying no (or even wanting to)

Feeling gutted if someone’s displeased with you

Agreeing with what others decide because you know you can make anything work

Feeling like you’re responsible for other people’s emotions or experiences

Apologies… so many apologies… for everything

Conflict avoidance at any cost

A persistent craving for praise from others

Inability to admit or express “negative” emotions

Struggling to make decisions that impact other people

This nasty list makes sense when you understand that a people pleaser weighs the safety of every word, step, and choice. It makes even more sense when you realize they may have zero experience moving through the world in any other way.  

When Enough Is Enough

As a young woman, I took all of this to the next level by choosing a very public life as a pastor’s wife for a couple of decades. Pairing my childhood fascination with Emily Post’s etiquette book with the deep desire to be a good example, I had that box’s contents under control. The stakes seemed to be of eternal significance, after all. 

But I learned something huge, courtesy of one of many youth group outings that ended with dinner. It took decades for this lesson to register, but now I can’t unsee it.

“Kids don’t know diddly-squat about what’s good and what’s not good.”

Given the choice between filet mignon and a burger from McDonalds, pretty much every kid in every youth group we ran would choose the golden arches. I could rattle off a bunch of similar examples, but you get it. Discernment comes with age. 

That’s why the nerd gets the girl… later in life. Once we can embrace our greatness, right in the face of a crowd that punishes outliers, we flourish. We can become who we were always meant to be. Not coincidentally, that’s when we also find deep personal fulfillment and a sense of finding and fulfilling our purpose.

Allowing some pre-pubescent ghost from decades gone by to dictate how you show up in the world just seems silly. That whole threat to expel you from society for not fitting in becomes laughable. 

I mean, it’s not even a thing anymore, anyway. 

Who, in the adult world, roams the halls of their home or workplace, shoving people into lockers? What adult taunts someone else about what they brought for lunch – or the fact that person dared to eat when people could see them? And what adult torments another adult for having a passionate interest in an offbeat hobby? 

Ridiculous.

You’re Not the Boss of Me!

I’m half-obsessed with Scotland. Many of my family’s roots start there. I freaking love that place, the music, the terrain, the food, the whisky, the spirit of the people – it’s got my heart. Anderson there is like Smith or Jones in America. The Anderson crest reads “Stand Sure.”

Oh, the irony.

That hit me hard as 2020 came to a close. It was both the best and the worst motto I could imagine. These two words, I’d seen on a crest on the wall for as long as I could remember. But it wasn’t really for me.

Some people, as a new year approaches, choose a word for the new year to embody for them. I chose “Stand Sure.”

It felt dangerous. Like, I knew this was going to impact my whole “tread lightly” philosophy in life. I had absolutely zero ideas about how I’d possibly go about addressing my people pleasing. It was so ingrained in me, like when a surgeon refuses to cut out a brain tumor because the brain has grown around it. Or, like separating conjoined twins. This seemed like something I’d just have to live with forever.

MindFix Did the Impossible

I’ve done some woo-woo stuff along my personal development journey. That includes walking on fire, walking on broken glass, climbing redwood trees and jumping off (harnessed in!) to grab a trapeze, and SO many seminars. They all helped me grow. A lot. But during a long weekend in January, I got to work with the team at MindFix. 

And it changed everything. But only in the areas where I’ve applied it so far (haha – only a few  amazing, miraculous changes!)

Going in, I knew roughly that I wanted to work on this whole people pleasing thing. That’s it. I didn’t know how to even describe it. It felt embarrassing, vague, and permanent. In fact, we never actually discussed it directly. We worked on some other things. It wasn’t until a few weeks later that I noticed its absence.

I can’t even begin to explain how Erin and her team do what they do. I won’t even try. 

But I can explain this…

I came to a realization that the SUPREME DIRECTIVE under which I’d lived most of my life… was proclaimed by a little kid. A little kid who’d choose a $.67 mass-produced burger over a delectable filet mignon. 

You Don’t Know Nuthin’ about Nuthin’

That kid did her best to protect me. To her, safety depended on fitting into a box. Anything that didn’t quite fit should be bent or lopped off.

I’d outgrown her in every way. But I was still listening to her, so life apart from people pleasing felt dangerous. I still exhibited most of the symptoms above – and those behaviors were hurting me.

The work we did helped me go after this dragon and slay it. In realizing that kid version of me was just trying to help, but really didn’t know how, it opened a whole new possibility… just being me.

I could see evidence indicating it was safe to shut her down.

I have weird hobbies (drone flying, chicken raising, classic VW ogling, front yard gardening – just for starters). Nobody torments me over that. (I mean, can you imagine how insane that would be?)

My mate and I are flat-out weird (so much ink, in bed by 7, both creatives – and that list goes on). Nobody follows us, taunting us. (I mean, we did get called the perfect insult in the VW restoration world… Billy-Bob shade-tree Chip Foos wannabes – I can’t even tell you how many giggles I’ve had over that pejorative on our YouTube channel.)

Even my work life is strange (I’ve discovered that the way my brain operates is REALLY unusual. Some would see it as a huge plus; others would find it perplexing.) 

And then there’s this one “flaw” that put me in danger of ostracism so much that I shut it down entirely… until I saw it differently and felt safe valuing it.

It’s my capacity to love, like geeking-out, human exclamation point levels of enthusiasm for certain people. (I always gathered that I was too sensitive, too excitable.) That one’s back in play big-time, and it adds incredible joy to my life. Like, one of my favorite things to do is to SEE someone’s greatness and then tell their story in a way that others see it, too.

If This Isn’t Irony…

So, “Stand Sure” is in play. 

Undoubtedly, there’s still a little kid inside, desperately trying to keep me in line by pleasing people. But she sure seems quiet these days.

I did crack up, though, when a colleague mentioned that since the start of the year, I’d really started to own my own value. He continued, “I’m not seeing that people pleasing way you used to show up.” And that… that pleased me greatly.

Who knows what else is possible? The best is yet to come.

[i-amusemyself]

All Emoji Asks.

🐰 what is one secret youve never told anyone?I don't really have that many secrets. I guess theres a side of my personality that I spend a lot of energy supressing like hell that I hate with a passion.💗 if you could hug anyone, who would it be?Right now? My best friend right next to me or my friend back home.🐹 what are some of your favourite pokemons and why?I mean, I only ever played pokemon go, but from that I loved the squirtles and the evees just bc theyre cute af🌠 if you were in charge of the world what would it be like?A lot more chilled out. Chill pills would be mandatory.👀 what was the most recent vivid dream you had?Okay I had two freaking weird ones the other night?In one I was a 10 y/o muslim girl going to a new primary school and while I was there I started raising money for a cancer charity.In the other I was taking a really hard A level maths exam and getting stressed and mad bc everyone kept talking and I couldnt finish it in time.☀ what do you like most about your best friend?EVERYTHING?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Idk, I guess how forgiving and layed back she is. She always tries to understand and see things from your point of view.😘 talk about your crush or partnerLmao I'm alone 😂 I do have a crush but its a million miles from mutual so like, shes amazing but boi it hurts 😂💁 if someone was rude to you would you be rude back?Depends on how well I know them and what they're like tbh. I'll banter, but I avoid confrontation.🌟 what do you like about yourself? (3 things)😂😂😂 wow erm...1. I always try and put in all the energy I have if someone/something needs it2. I make loads of terrible puns its gr93. I really dont have any other qualities idk🐾 what are you scared of most? How will you overcome it?👏 I'm terrified of abandonment 👏 aaaand as of yet I have no idea how to deal with it ngl🎁 what never fails to make you happy?Really good stand up commedy or my favourite music💙 what annoys you about some people?Their complete lack of self-awareness. Idk, maybe I'm low key jealous too but srsly some people????😤 do you get angry easily?Yeah. I keep pretty good tabs on it so you probs wouldnt know it, but if something upsets me, chances are I'm hella pissed too.🐇 what do you always daydream about?Dramatic and upsetting situations or drunk situations 😂🌻 if you could change 3 things about the world what would you change?1. Sort out equality and all that jazz2. Divide up the land more equally, bc it pisses me off that some people are living in tiny cramped shacks and others have 100 mile square farms.3. End capitalism and with that make all necessary services free.🍓 send me 4 names: kiss, befriend, kill or marry?Anon?✈ what is your dream city and why?I mean Ive always wanted to go to copenhagen but theres no guarantee its gonna be my fave. My fave so far is Amsterdam bc its so peaceful and the architecture is to die for.☕ talk about your ideal day?Spend it with my best friend/crush. Lay in bed late and be lazy and watch good TV/movies. Maybe go out in the afternoon to not go stir crazy and entertain ourselves. Stay up kinda late talking about deep shit, lying underneath the stars.🌸 are you an introvert, ambivert or extrovert?Ambivert!💧 when was the last time you cried?Yesterday lmao 😂 i havent gone more than 2 days without crying in the past week 😧 I just got myself into a nice Depression Episode.🎵 name 5 songs you like atm?Argh I havent listened to music in so long (7 days...) umm so things i wanna listen to- youth by daughter- voices by Motionless in white- living dead girl by rob zombie- corpse roads by keaton hensen- lost boy by troye sivan�� if you had any superpower what would it be and why?Mind reading bc my anxiety would be halved.💛 if you could talk to your younger self, what would you say?I'd tell myself to stop trying to fit in and be like everybody else because the people I know are just a tiny portion of the population and really aren't much to aspire to. I'd tell myself to drop all my shitty friends because it would stop me from dealing with a lot of crap later on. I'd point myself in the right direction of the better people 😂I'd teach myself how to stand up for myself and how to not take any crap.And I'd give myself a hug and tell myself it's okay not to be cishet, because maybe if I could turn back time and start to deal with it earlier I'd be okay with it now.💚 who are you jealous of and why?A lot of people really, with qualities I don't have.I suppose one kid in particular is like, everything i want to be. Kind, hillarious, confident, close to people I love. 💎 what would you rather have more of: intelligence, beauty, kindness, wealth or bravery? Why?Bravery or kindness?? Its hard to have one without the other. Also beauty ngl bc im fugly.🙊 what are you ashamed of?My gender and sexuality 👏🌺 which languages do you know? Which do you want to learn?I know english and spanish and I'm learning Danish. Hopefully once I'm okay at danish I can learn arabic. Ill be satisfied after that 😂☘ if you could be any fictional characters friend/lover who would it be and why?I mean, theres plenty of fictional lesbians where im like 😏👀 but honestly if I had to pick only one person I'd choose Kieren Walker from in the flesh bc he needs a friend and I relate to him so strongly.☁ talk about your dream universe.Mental and physical illness doesnt exist. People arent dicks. Everything is free. No one feels unloveable.💜 which acts of kindness are you going to do today?Idk I'm p much done for the day 😂 I've been helping out around the house all day tho🐬 if you could transform into any animal what would it be and why?I mean i might be biased but either a dog or a sloth bc they get to sleep all the time 😂🍄 talk about someone/something you really dislike.Someone I was best friends with for 4 years suddenly turned around and stabbed me in the back, made up shit about me, arranged that all my friends not talk to me for a fortnight, sent group emails stuffed with emotional manipulation and blamed me for her suicidal thoughts. I nearly ended it. Now I get to watch my friends still loving her like she isn't the world's most heartless person. It makes my blood boil.😣 talk about something that has been making you depressed/angry/anxious.I'm staying with my best friend rn and I can't stand the thought of going home.🍪 what did you want to be as a kid and what do you want to be now?I wanted to be a nurse and now I wanna be a doctor 👏 variety 👏🍰 what are some of your favourite sugary foods?I cant really eat sugar 😂 so fuck knows? Chocolate?🍑 what are you obsessed with?Brains, thought processes, psychopaths, graveyards and more 😂💘 what happens to you when youre stressed?I just get really emotional and start agressively making lists everywhere in an attempt to sort my life out.😪 what are you sick of?Humanity.🙀 are you an adrenaline seeker?Yeah its terrible 😂 i hate anxiety but I also kinda love it when my heart races.💥 what are some unpopular opinions you have?I....dont? I cba with discourse lifes too short.☔ would you consider yourself a good person?I think anyone with good intentions is usually a good person so yeah😊 what do you do as hobbies?Sleep, binge watch netflix and blog 😂🎤 whats the last song you hummed or sang by yourself?👏👏👏 Mr Brightside 👏👏👏 what a jam 👏👏👏🐝 whats your worst trait?Being waaayyy too clingy.🌷 whats your mbti personality type and why do you think it suits you?ISFJ and yeah defo, its the defender and I feel that tbh🐶 send me 3 fictional people and ill choose my favourite.Anon?👑 who are your favourite celebrities and why?Kaitlyn Alexander is my bae.Besides that I dont really....obsess over any celebrities? Eliza taylor is doing p good 😂 ummm also some youtubers? Do they count?🐴 opinion on __?Its a great bit of punctuation.🍋 do you consider yourself to be an emotional person?Lmfaoooooo YES📚 share 3 books you love and your favourite quotes from them.M8. Thats not gonna happen 😂 I love any book that makes me cry but I cannot quote a single word.😔 what do you always do when you feel sad? Does it work?Find a quiet corner, shut my eyes and listen to my Depression Playlist. It doesn't always make me feel better but it helps me ride it out.🙂 what thoughts keep you going when you're sad?The thoughts of uni and that I'll hopefully meet some great new people. Also my best friend. Just in general 😂🌎 which country do you live in?England.🐧 describe yourself in 3 words?Awkward, tall and shy.🙉 what quotes changed you?"Pick your fights" bc as much as its a meme it helps me chill outAlso "everything is temporary" and "the sun will rise and we will try again".💭 do you keep a diary?I have a personal blog which acts as a diary yeah💫 who inspires you?Kaitlyn Alexander!! (Listen theyre like the first nb representation I ever knew and I relate so much to everything they say and theyre so cute and talented)👻 do you believe in ghosts and why?I mean, my initial response is no. Because we're just bags of flesh made up of cells and when we die those cells die so theres nothing to live on.But tbh we know so little about the universe I'm open to the possibility of anything at this point.🎀 whats your fashion sense like?Dior. I know what clothes I like and think look good but I never like them on me.🎬 what are some of your favourite films?Deadpool, My sisters keeper, pitch perfect 2 ermm🍦 what is one treasured childhood memory?UmmmmmmmmmmmmWhen I first got my bunny, that was an amazing day!!🐼 if you could meet anyone, who would it be and why?Um my soulmate? Where are they at?

[jimdsmith34]

6 Ways To Make Sure Your First Festival Is The Greatest Experience Of Your Life

Although Ive always been an avid concert-goer, last summer was my full-on, camping-for-five-days music festival experience.

It was incredible: non-stop good music, friendly vibes, camping and the summer sun.

Needless to say, Ive already bought tickets to another festival this summer, and I am anxiously counting down the days.

REUTERS

Like I said, Id been to many a concert before last year, but music festivals are a whole different creature.

Fortunately, I went with an experienced group of festival-goers who saved me from some rookie mistakes. But even so, I learned a few things the hard way.

For those of you attending your first festival this year, let me save you some of my mistakes, sunburns, blister and hangovers.

Here are the biggest lessons I learned last year on how to nail the festival experience:

1. Choose your clothing wisely.

Alexander Grabchilev

I cannot emphasize this point enough.

I beg you, put down your credit card and step away from the must-have festival gear section of whatever clothing company is currently spamming your inbox.

I get that everyone wants to look cute in all of their Instagram posts, Snapchats ad whatever, but consider what youll actually be doing.

You will be outside in the sun, jumping up and down, walking and standing for many hours.

Really, packing for a festival should resemble packing for a hiking trip more than a beach vacation: good shoes, comfortable clothing, hats and so on.

Accept that your hair and makeup, no matter how much effort you put into them, will look like a mess by the end of the day. (You magical creatures who have managed to subvert this, show me your ways.)

It may not sound sexy, but you will thank me for this advice on day two when you can still walk.

Dress for comfort and function.

Pro tips:

1. Wear good shoes.

Avoid those gladiator sandals. Whoever decided these were perfect shoes for the occasion is full of garbage.

You will be walking, standing and jumping around in a crowd for the majority of your day, and lets remember that festival grounds are dirt, grass and mud.

Youll definitely get blisters (and stupid tan lines), and your toes will be stomped to bits in the crowd.

Trust me, I wore sandals for approximately six hours my first day last year, and the combination of sweat, walking and mud gave me blisters that required me to wrap both feet in bandages to be able to walk the rest of the weekend.

I switched to athletic sneakers shortly after.

They looked ugly with my clothing (turns out bright blue Asics dont really go with much), but my feet felt MUCH better than they would have in other shoes, and my toes were mostly protected.

Your feet will hurt more after each day of this festival than they ever have in your entire life, so take care of them.

2. Avoid white clothing.

I left my campsite on day two wearing a cute crop top and high-waisted white shorts.

They lasted for ONE SET before turning brown from all the dust kicked up by the crowd.

I had to rush back and change before the next show, and the dirt never came out. After several washes, those shorts went in the trash.

Remember, you will be dirty and sweaty. Dress accordingly.

3. Your hair and makeup will be a mess by the end of the day.

Sweat plus sunscreen, plus dancing, plus humidity, plus desperately trying to cool off by getting wet makes this hard to avoid.

Embrace it.

4. Dress for comfort.

As Ive said, you will be dancing, running, standing and sweating a ton.

Whatever you put on your body, make sure it will still be comfortable once all of these forces are applied.

Chafing and blisters make your life harder for the rest of the weekend.

2. Stay (as) healthy (as possible).

REUTERS

I know, this can be a tough one.

Music festivals are a beautiful combination of things that are bad for your body: loud noises, extended sun exposure, heat, terrible (delicious) food, drinking (and possibly other substances) and no sleep.

By all means, do whatever will make your festival experience the best possible time.

However, if you can sneak in some healthy habits around the fun, your body will thank you, especially when its 5 pm on the fourth day and youre starting to wonder what possessed you to actually pay money to live outside and be tired for four days straight.

Pro tips:

1. Get as much sleep as humanly possible.

I know Im a cranky bitch when I havent slept enough, but I wanted to stay up as late as possible to experience all the fun.

My compromise with myself? I stayed at the shows until I was ready to pass out.

Then, I dragged myself back to my tent, drank some water, put in earplugs, slipped on a face mask and passed out.

The mask and earplugs (and probably exhaustion, but whatever) worked wonders. I actually slept like a baby and woke up feeling relatively refreshed.

Do whatever you need to do to get as much sleep as you can around your schedule of fun. This is clutch.

2. Hydrate.

This is super important.

Heat and sun plus dancing and alcohol is a recipe for dehydration, and you dont want to be that guy who faints in the middle of Blink-182s set because you didnt drink enough water.

Start hydrating before you leave home, and keep drinking water, Gatorade, Pedialyte or whatever does it for you when you have a nasty hangover.

I drank a Gatorade before I went to sleep every night, and my mornings were far less of a struggle as a result.

3. Wear sunscreen.

Not to sound like your mom, but your life will be much easier if you can avoid getting sunburned during your festival weekend.

Trust me, it doesnt get EASIER to spend your entire day out in the sun when youre already as red as a lobster.

4. Eat a vegetable.

It can be tempting to grab your 14th slice of pizza and call it dinner after a day of partying when you only have 10 minutes until your next show.

However, I promise you, your body will start to rebel before the festival ends if you only feed it Red Bull, vodka and Doritos.

Bring as much food as you can (this also saves money), and try to pack some moderately healthy things along with the junk food and cheeseburgers.

Granola bars, fruit and nuts make an easy breakfast or a quick mid-day snack that your body wont hate you for.

Some food vendors actually offer vegetables and healthier options for sale inside the festival grounds.

I know theres no way a salad beats a grilled cheese, but your body can only take so many meals that your 5-year-old self would have chosen before it feels like garbage, especially when you throw in the other stressors of sun and heat and alcohol and lack of sleep.

Eat, like, one apple and some carrots. Trust me on this.

3. Prepare for the elements.

REUTERS

This is another area where pack for camping is useful advice.

Remember youll basically be living outside for several days, and so you will be at the mercy of the weather.

Check the forecast before you pack, but be prepared for conditions that change quickly.

It will be hot, and you will be outside in the sun, so dress and act accordingly.

If youre camping, create some shade by putting up a canopy and hanging curtains or tapestries from the sides.

It might rain, so consider clothes and shoes that wont feel awful when wet, as well as a poncho.

Rain equals mud, so pack shoes that can hold up and wont get sucked into the ground like quicksand.

It cools off at night, so bring layers.

This one is a little weird, but prepare for dust! When the wind kicks up, it can create a small dust tornado on festival grounds, so be ready.

Have a bandanna you can cover your face with and sunglasses to protect your eyes, and wear clothes that wont be harmed by a little (or a lot) of dirt.

The point i, before you put something in your suitcase, ask yourself, Can this hold up in every weather condition?

If the answer is no, leave it home.

4. Have a plan for what you want to do, but be open to new experiences.

REUTERS

Festivals can be overwhelming.

Theres always something to do, like socializing in your campsite, playing pick-up volleyball, trying new foods, having drinks at a festival bar and seeing the nonstop music playing on multiple stages at all times.

Go in with some sort of plan, even if its very loose.

You and your group should choose the bands you dont want to miss.

Then, schedule your days accordingly, and figure out how to navigate any schedule conflicts.

Fill in the remaining time with other activities.

However, the fact that you have a plan doesnt mean that you shouldnt be open to spontaneity and new experiences!

Stop by a random stage and see a band youve never heard before. Ask your camping neighbors if they want to play flip cup or throw around a frisbee.

Go to the Silent Disco, even if you dont know exactly what that is. See what you want to see, but be open to new experiences, too.

You wont regret it.

As an aside, try not to get so drunk that you cant make it out of your campsite. You miss both plans and new experiences when you pass out before the first show starts.

5. Make friends (also, dont lose your friends).

REUTERS

The advice surrounding friends is two-fold.

First, be open to making new friends! The vibe at festivals is amazing.

Everyone is happy and excited to be there, and everyone wants to meet everyone else.

If youre camping, befriend your neighbors. Talk to people while you wait in line for beer.

High-five strangers. Bond over your mutual love for The 1975 with the others around you in the crowd.

The friendly vibes are one of the things that makes the festival experience so special, so take advantage.

Also important: When hanging out with friends, new or old, try not to lose them.

Cell service in campsites and festival grounds is garbage, and unless you come prepared with a charging solution, your phone will probably die at least once.

Anytime you split up from friends, have a designated meeting place and time where youll find each other. Even if youre just getting in different food lines, choose a place you will meet up when finished.

This sounds like a bit much, but I promise it will help you.

When you say, Meh, well just *find* each other after this bathroom break, and you emerge to a crowd of 800 people also waiting for bathrooms, trying to find friends or standing around, just finding each other becomes somewhat harder.

Be specific: I will meet you next to this garbage can after you get your pizza and I get my salad (because I read this article and am eating a vegetable).

6. Have fun.

REUTERS

Festivals are an amazing weekend of great music, friends, camping, new experiences and fun.

Think about what will make this weekend the most fun for you, and then do it.

Dont worry if your outfit is less Kylie at Coachella and more James Franco in 127 Hours. (You probably wont have enough service to post that Insta anyway.)

The point isnt to look pretty or to check certain boxes that you should be doing. These weekends are packed to the brim with fun experiences waiting to be had, and youre right there in the middle of it all.

Take advantage, take lots of pictures and have one of the most memorable weekends of your life.

source http://allofbeer.com/2017/09/05/6-ways-to-make-sure-your-first-festival-is-the-greatest-experience-of-your-life/ from All of Beer http://allofbeer.blogspot.com/2017/09/6-ways-to-make-sure-your-first-festival.html

[samanthasroberts]

6 Ways To Make Sure Your First Festival Is The Greatest Experience Of Your Life

Although Ive always been an avid concert-goer, last summer was my full-on, camping-for-five-days music festival experience.

It was incredible: non-stop good music, friendly vibes, camping and the summer sun.

Needless to say, Ive already bought tickets to another festival this summer, and I am anxiously counting down the days.

REUTERS

Like I said, Id been to many a concert before last year, but music festivals are a whole different creature.

Fortunately, I went with an experienced group of festival-goers who saved me from some rookie mistakes. But even so, I learned a few things the hard way.

For those of you attending your first festival this year, let me save you some of my mistakes, sunburns, blister and hangovers.

Here are the biggest lessons I learned last year on how to nail the festival experience:

1. Choose your clothing wisely.

Alexander Grabchilev

I cannot emphasize this point enough.

I beg you, put down your credit card and step away from the must-have festival gear section of whatever clothing company is currently spamming your inbox.

I get that everyone wants to look cute in all of their Instagram posts, Snapchats ad whatever, but consider what youll actually be doing.

You will be outside in the sun, jumping up and down, walking and standing for many hours.

Really, packing for a festival should resemble packing for a hiking trip more than a beach vacation: good shoes, comfortable clothing, hats and so on.

Accept that your hair and makeup, no matter how much effort you put into them, will look like a mess by the end of the day. (You magical creatures who have managed to subvert this, show me your ways.)

It may not sound sexy, but you will thank me for this advice on day two when you can still walk.

Dress for comfort and function.

Pro tips:

1. Wear good shoes.

Avoid those gladiator sandals. Whoever decided these were perfect shoes for the occasion is full of garbage.

You will be walking, standing and jumping around in a crowd for the majority of your day, and lets remember that festival grounds are dirt, grass and mud.

Youll definitely get blisters (and stupid tan lines), and your toes will be stomped to bits in the crowd.

Trust me, I wore sandals for approximately six hours my first day last year, and the combination of sweat, walking and mud gave me blisters that required me to wrap both feet in bandages to be able to walk the rest of the weekend.

I switched to athletic sneakers shortly after.

They looked ugly with my clothing (turns out bright blue Asics dont really go with much), but my feet felt MUCH better than they would have in other shoes, and my toes were mostly protected.

Your feet will hurt more after each day of this festival than they ever have in your entire life, so take care of them.

2. Avoid white clothing.

I left my campsite on day two wearing a cute crop top and high-waisted white shorts.

They lasted for ONE SET before turning brown from all the dust kicked up by the crowd.

I had to rush back and change before the next show, and the dirt never came out. After several washes, those shorts went in the trash.

Remember, you will be dirty and sweaty. Dress accordingly.

3. Your hair and makeup will be a mess by the end of the day.

Sweat plus sunscreen, plus dancing, plus humidity, plus desperately trying to cool off by getting wet makes this hard to avoid.

Embrace it.

4. Dress for comfort.

As Ive said, you will be dancing, running, standing and sweating a ton.

Whatever you put on your body, make sure it will still be comfortable once all of these forces are applied.

Chafing and blisters make your life harder for the rest of the weekend.

2. Stay (as) healthy (as possible).

REUTERS

I know, this can be a tough one.

Music festivals are a beautiful combination of things that are bad for your body: loud noises, extended sun exposure, heat, terrible (delicious) food, drinking (and possibly other substances) and no sleep.

By all means, do whatever will make your festival experience the best possible time.

However, if you can sneak in some healthy habits around the fun, your body will thank you, especially when its 5 pm on the fourth day and youre starting to wonder what possessed you to actually pay money to live outside and be tired for four days straight.

Pro tips:

1. Get as much sleep as humanly possible.

I know Im a cranky bitch when I havent slept enough, but I wanted to stay up as late as possible to experience all the fun.

My compromise with myself? I stayed at the shows until I was ready to pass out.

Then, I dragged myself back to my tent, drank some water, put in earplugs, slipped on a face mask and passed out.

The mask and earplugs (and probably exhaustion, but whatever) worked wonders. I actually slept like a baby and woke up feeling relatively refreshed.

Do whatever you need to do to get as much sleep as you can around your schedule of fun. This is clutch.

2. Hydrate.

This is super important.

Heat and sun plus dancing and alcohol is a recipe for dehydration, and you dont want to be that guy who faints in the middle of Blink-182s set because you didnt drink enough water.

Start hydrating before you leave home, and keep drinking water, Gatorade, Pedialyte or whatever does it for you when you have a nasty hangover.

I drank a Gatorade before I went to sleep every night, and my mornings were far less of a struggle as a result.

3. Wear sunscreen.

Not to sound like your mom, but your life will be much easier if you can avoid getting sunburned during your festival weekend.

Trust me, it doesnt get EASIER to spend your entire day out in the sun when youre already as red as a lobster.

4. Eat a vegetable.

It can be tempting to grab your 14th slice of pizza and call it dinner after a day of partying when you only have 10 minutes until your next show.

However, I promise you, your body will start to rebel before the festival ends if you only feed it Red Bull, vodka and Doritos.

Bring as much food as you can (this also saves money), and try to pack some moderately healthy things along with the junk food and cheeseburgers.

Granola bars, fruit and nuts make an easy breakfast or a quick mid-day snack that your body wont hate you for.

Some food vendors actually offer vegetables and healthier options for sale inside the festival grounds.

I know theres no way a salad beats a grilled cheese, but your body can only take so many meals that your 5-year-old self would have chosen before it feels like garbage, especially when you throw in the other stressors of sun and heat and alcohol and lack of sleep.

Eat, like, one apple and some carrots. Trust me on this.

3. Prepare for the elements.

REUTERS

This is another area where pack for camping is useful advice.

Remember youll basically be living outside for several days, and so you will be at the mercy of the weather.

Check the forecast before you pack, but be prepared for conditions that change quickly.

It will be hot, and you will be outside in the sun, so dress and act accordingly.

If youre camping, create some shade by putting up a canopy and hanging curtains or tapestries from the sides.

It might rain, so consider clothes and shoes that wont feel awful when wet, as well as a poncho.

Rain equals mud, so pack shoes that can hold up and wont get sucked into the ground like quicksand.

It cools off at night, so bring layers.

This one is a little weird, but prepare for dust! When the wind kicks up, it can create a small dust tornado on festival grounds, so be ready.

Have a bandanna you can cover your face with and sunglasses to protect your eyes, and wear clothes that wont be harmed by a little (or a lot) of dirt.

The point i, before you put something in your suitcase, ask yourself, Can this hold up in every weather condition?

If the answer is no, leave it home.

4. Have a plan for what you want to do, but be open to new experiences.

REUTERS

Festivals can be overwhelming.

Theres always something to do, like socializing in your campsite, playing pick-up volleyball, trying new foods, having drinks at a festival bar and seeing the nonstop music playing on multiple stages at all times.

Go in with some sort of plan, even if its very loose.

You and your group should choose the bands you dont want to miss.

Then, schedule your days accordingly, and figure out how to navigate any schedule conflicts.

Fill in the remaining time with other activities.

However, the fact that you have a plan doesnt mean that you shouldnt be open to spontaneity and new experiences!

Stop by a random stage and see a band youve never heard before. Ask your camping neighbors if they want to play flip cup or throw around a frisbee.

Go to the Silent Disco, even if you dont know exactly what that is. See what you want to see, but be open to new experiences, too.

You wont regret it.

As an aside, try not to get so drunk that you cant make it out of your campsite. You miss both plans and new experiences when you pass out before the first show starts.

5. Make friends (also, dont lose your friends).

REUTERS

The advice surrounding friends is two-fold.

First, be open to making new friends! The vibe at festivals is amazing.

Everyone is happy and excited to be there, and everyone wants to meet everyone else.

If youre camping, befriend your neighbors. Talk to people while you wait in line for beer.

High-five strangers. Bond over your mutual love for The 1975 with the others around you in the crowd.

The friendly vibes are one of the things that makes the festival experience so special, so take advantage.

Also important: When hanging out with friends, new or old, try not to lose them.

Cell service in campsites and festival grounds is garbage, and unless you come prepared with a charging solution, your phone will probably die at least once.

Anytime you split up from friends, have a designated meeting place and time where youll find each other. Even if youre just getting in different food lines, choose a place you will meet up when finished.

This sounds like a bit much, but I promise it will help you.

When you say, Meh, well just *find* each other after this bathroom break, and you emerge to a crowd of 800 people also waiting for bathrooms, trying to find friends or standing around, just finding each other becomes somewhat harder.

Be specific: I will meet you next to this garbage can after you get your pizza and I get my salad (because I read this article and am eating a vegetable).

6. Have fun.

REUTERS

Festivals are an amazing weekend of great music, friends, camping, new experiences and fun.

Think about what will make this weekend the most fun for you, and then do it.

Dont worry if your outfit is less Kylie at Coachella and more James Franco in 127 Hours. (You probably wont have enough service to post that Insta anyway.)

The point isnt to look pretty or to check certain boxes that you should be doing. These weekends are packed to the brim with fun experiences waiting to be had, and youre right there in the middle of it all.

Take advantage, take lots of pictures and have one of the most memorable weekends of your life.

Source: http://allofbeer.com/2017/09/05/6-ways-to-make-sure-your-first-festival-is-the-greatest-experience-of-your-life/

from All of Beer https://allofbeer.wordpress.com/2017/09/05/6-ways-to-make-sure-your-first-festival-is-the-greatest-experience-of-your-life/

[adambstingus]

6 Ways To Make Sure Your First Festival Is The Greatest Experience Of Your Life

Although Ive always been an avid concert-goer, last summer was my full-on, camping-for-five-days music festival experience.

It was incredible: non-stop good music, friendly vibes, camping and the summer sun.

Needless to say, Ive already bought tickets to another festival this summer, and I am anxiously counting down the days.

REUTERS

Like I said, Id been to many a concert before last year, but music festivals are a whole different creature.

Fortunately, I went with an experienced group of festival-goers who saved me from some rookie mistakes. But even so, I learned a few things the hard way.

For those of you attending your first festival this year, let me save you some of my mistakes, sunburns, blister and hangovers.

Here are the biggest lessons I learned last year on how to nail the festival experience:

1. Choose your clothing wisely.

Alexander Grabchilev

I cannot emphasize this point enough.

I beg you, put down your credit card and step away from the must-have festival gear section of whatever clothing company is currently spamming your inbox.

I get that everyone wants to look cute in all of their Instagram posts, Snapchats ad whatever, but consider what youll actually be doing.

You will be outside in the sun, jumping up and down, walking and standing for many hours.

Really, packing for a festival should resemble packing for a hiking trip more than a beach vacation: good shoes, comfortable clothing, hats and so on.

Accept that your hair and makeup, no matter how much effort you put into them, will look like a mess by the end of the day. (You magical creatures who have managed to subvert this, show me your ways.)

It may not sound sexy, but you will thank me for this advice on day two when you can still walk.

Dress for comfort and function.

Pro tips:

1. Wear good shoes.

Avoid those gladiator sandals. Whoever decided these were perfect shoes for the occasion is full of garbage.

You will be walking, standing and jumping around in a crowd for the majority of your day, and lets remember that festival grounds are dirt, grass and mud.

Youll definitely get blisters (and stupid tan lines), and your toes will be stomped to bits in the crowd.

Trust me, I wore sandals for approximately six hours my first day last year, and the combination of sweat, walking and mud gave me blisters that required me to wrap both feet in bandages to be able to walk the rest of the weekend.

I switched to athletic sneakers shortly after.

They looked ugly with my clothing (turns out bright blue Asics dont really go with much), but my feet felt MUCH better than they would have in other shoes, and my toes were mostly protected.

Your feet will hurt more after each day of this festival than they ever have in your entire life, so take care of them.

2. Avoid white clothing.

I left my campsite on day two wearing a cute crop top and high-waisted white shorts.

They lasted for ONE SET before turning brown from all the dust kicked up by the crowd.

I had to rush back and change before the next show, and the dirt never came out. After several washes, those shorts went in the trash.

Remember, you will be dirty and sweaty. Dress accordingly.

3. Your hair and makeup will be a mess by the end of the day.

Sweat plus sunscreen, plus dancing, plus humidity, plus desperately trying to cool off by getting wet makes this hard to avoid.

Embrace it.

4. Dress for comfort.

As Ive said, you will be dancing, running, standing and sweating a ton.

Whatever you put on your body, make sure it will still be comfortable once all of these forces are applied.

Chafing and blisters make your life harder for the rest of the weekend.

2. Stay (as) healthy (as possible).

REUTERS

I know, this can be a tough one.

Music festivals are a beautiful combination of things that are bad for your body: loud noises, extended sun exposure, heat, terrible (delicious) food, drinking (and possibly other substances) and no sleep.

By all means, do whatever will make your festival experience the best possible time.

However, if you can sneak in some healthy habits around the fun, your body will thank you, especially when its 5 pm on the fourth day and youre starting to wonder what possessed you to actually pay money to live outside and be tired for four days straight.

Pro tips:

1. Get as much sleep as humanly possible.

I know Im a cranky bitch when I havent slept enough, but I wanted to stay up as late as possible to experience all the fun.

My compromise with myself? I stayed at the shows until I was ready to pass out.

Then, I dragged myself back to my tent, drank some water, put in earplugs, slipped on a face mask and passed out.

The mask and earplugs (and probably exhaustion, but whatever) worked wonders. I actually slept like a baby and woke up feeling relatively refreshed.

Do whatever you need to do to get as much sleep as you can around your schedule of fun. This is clutch.

2. Hydrate.

This is super important.

Heat and sun plus dancing and alcohol is a recipe for dehydration, and you dont want to be that guy who faints in the middle of Blink-182s set because you didnt drink enough water.

Start hydrating before you leave home, and keep drinking water, Gatorade, Pedialyte or whatever does it for you when you have a nasty hangover.

I drank a Gatorade before I went to sleep every night, and my mornings were far less of a struggle as a result.

3. Wear sunscreen.

Not to sound like your mom, but your life will be much easier if you can avoid getting sunburned during your festival weekend.

Trust me, it doesnt get EASIER to spend your entire day out in the sun when youre already as red as a lobster.

4. Eat a vegetable.

It can be tempting to grab your 14th slice of pizza and call it dinner after a day of partying when you only have 10 minutes until your next show.

However, I promise you, your body will start to rebel before the festival ends if you only feed it Red Bull, vodka and Doritos.

Bring as much food as you can (this also saves money), and try to pack some moderately healthy things along with the junk food and cheeseburgers.

Granola bars, fruit and nuts make an easy breakfast or a quick mid-day snack that your body wont hate you for.

Some food vendors actually offer vegetables and healthier options for sale inside the festival grounds.

I know theres no way a salad beats a grilled cheese, but your body can only take so many meals that your 5-year-old self would have chosen before it feels like garbage, especially when you throw in the other stressors of sun and heat and alcohol and lack of sleep.

Eat, like, one apple and some carrots. Trust me on this.

3. Prepare for the elements.

REUTERS

This is another area where pack for camping is useful advice.

Remember youll basically be living outside for several days, and so you will be at the mercy of the weather.

Check the forecast before you pack, but be prepared for conditions that change quickly.

It will be hot, and you will be outside in the sun, so dress and act accordingly.

If youre camping, create some shade by putting up a canopy and hanging curtains or tapestries from the sides.

It might rain, so consider clothes and shoes that wont feel awful when wet, as well as a poncho.

Rain equals mud, so pack shoes that can hold up and wont get sucked into the ground like quicksand.

It cools off at night, so bring layers.

This one is a little weird, but prepare for dust! When the wind kicks up, it can create a small dust tornado on festival grounds, so be ready.

Have a bandanna you can cover your face with and sunglasses to protect your eyes, and wear clothes that wont be harmed by a little (or a lot) of dirt.

The point i, before you put something in your suitcase, ask yourself, Can this hold up in every weather condition?

If the answer is no, leave it home.

4. Have a plan for what you want to do, but be open to new experiences.

REUTERS

Festivals can be overwhelming.

Theres always something to do, like socializing in your campsite, playing pick-up volleyball, trying new foods, having drinks at a festival bar and seeing the nonstop music playing on multiple stages at all times.

Go in with some sort of plan, even if its very loose.

You and your group should choose the bands you dont want to miss.

Then, schedule your days accordingly, and figure out how to navigate any schedule conflicts.

Fill in the remaining time with other activities.

However, the fact that you have a plan doesnt mean that you shouldnt be open to spontaneity and new experiences!

Stop by a random stage and see a band youve never heard before. Ask your camping neighbors if they want to play flip cup or throw around a frisbee.

Go to the Silent Disco, even if you dont know exactly what that is. See what you want to see, but be open to new experiences, too.

You wont regret it.

As an aside, try not to get so drunk that you cant make it out of your campsite. You miss both plans and new experiences when you pass out before the first show starts.

5. Make friends (also, dont lose your friends).

REUTERS

The advice surrounding friends is two-fold.

First, be open to making new friends! The vibe at festivals is amazing.

Everyone is happy and excited to be there, and everyone wants to meet everyone else.

If youre camping, befriend your neighbors. Talk to people while you wait in line for beer.

High-five strangers. Bond over your mutual love for The 1975 with the others around you in the crowd.

The friendly vibes are one of the things that makes the festival experience so special, so take advantage.

Also important: When hanging out with friends, new or old, try not to lose them.

Cell service in campsites and festival grounds is garbage, and unless you come prepared with a charging solution, your phone will probably die at least once.

Anytime you split up from friends, have a designated meeting place and time where youll find each other. Even if youre just getting in different food lines, choose a place you will meet up when finished.

This sounds like a bit much, but I promise it will help you.

When you say, Meh, well just *find* each other after this bathroom break, and you emerge to a crowd of 800 people also waiting for bathrooms, trying to find friends or standing around, just finding each other becomes somewhat harder.

Be specific: I will meet you next to this garbage can after you get your pizza and I get my salad (because I read this article and am eating a vegetable).

6. Have fun.

REUTERS

Festivals are an amazing weekend of great music, friends, camping, new experiences and fun.

Think about what will make this weekend the most fun for you, and then do it.

Dont worry if your outfit is less Kylie at Coachella and more James Franco in 127 Hours. (You probably wont have enough service to post that Insta anyway.)

The point isnt to look pretty or to check certain boxes that you should be doing. These weekends are packed to the brim with fun experiences waiting to be had, and youre right there in the middle of it all.

Take advantage, take lots of pictures and have one of the most memorable weekends of your life.

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/2017/09/05/6-ways-to-make-sure-your-first-festival-is-the-greatest-experience-of-your-life/ from All of Beer https://allofbeercom.tumblr.com/post/164996257557

[allofbeercom]

6 Ways To Make Sure Your First Festival Is The Greatest Experience Of Your Life

Although Ive always been an avid concert-goer, last summer was my full-on, camping-for-five-days music festival experience.

It was incredible: non-stop good music, friendly vibes, camping and the summer sun.

Needless to say, Ive already bought tickets to another festival this summer, and I am anxiously counting down the days.

REUTERS

Like I said, Id been to many a concert before last year, but music festivals are a whole different creature.

Fortunately, I went with an experienced group of festival-goers who saved me from some rookie mistakes. But even so, I learned a few things the hard way.

For those of you attending your first festival this year, let me save you some of my mistakes, sunburns, blister and hangovers.

Here are the biggest lessons I learned last year on how to nail the festival experience:

1. Choose your clothing wisely.

Alexander Grabchilev

I cannot emphasize this point enough.

I beg you, put down your credit card and step away from the must-have festival gear section of whatever clothing company is currently spamming your inbox.

I get that everyone wants to look cute in all of their Instagram posts, Snapchats ad whatever, but consider what youll actually be doing.

You will be outside in the sun, jumping up and down, walking and standing for many hours.

Really, packing for a festival should resemble packing for a hiking trip more than a beach vacation: good shoes, comfortable clothing, hats and so on.

Accept that your hair and makeup, no matter how much effort you put into them, will look like a mess by the end of the day. (You magical creatures who have managed to subvert this, show me your ways.)

It may not sound sexy, but you will thank me for this advice on day two when you can still walk.

Dress for comfort and function.

Pro tips:

1. Wear good shoes.

Avoid those gladiator sandals. Whoever decided these were perfect shoes for the occasion is full of garbage.

You will be walking, standing and jumping around in a crowd for the majority of your day, and lets remember that festival grounds are dirt, grass and mud.

Youll definitely get blisters (and stupid tan lines), and your toes will be stomped to bits in the crowd.

Trust me, I wore sandals for approximately six hours my first day last year, and the combination of sweat, walking and mud gave me blisters that required me to wrap both feet in bandages to be able to walk the rest of the weekend.

I switched to athletic sneakers shortly after.

They looked ugly with my clothing (turns out bright blue Asics dont really go with much), but my feet felt MUCH better than they would have in other shoes, and my toes were mostly protected.

Your feet will hurt more after each day of this festival than they ever have in your entire life, so take care of them.

2. Avoid white clothing.

I left my campsite on day two wearing a cute crop top and high-waisted white shorts.

They lasted for ONE SET before turning brown from all the dust kicked up by the crowd.

I had to rush back and change before the next show, and the dirt never came out. After several washes, those shorts went in the trash.

Remember, you will be dirty and sweaty. Dress accordingly.

3. Your hair and makeup will be a mess by the end of the day.

Sweat plus sunscreen, plus dancing, plus humidity, plus desperately trying to cool off by getting wet makes this hard to avoid.

Embrace it.

4. Dress for comfort.

As Ive said, you will be dancing, running, standing and sweating a ton.

Whatever you put on your body, make sure it will still be comfortable once all of these forces are applied.

Chafing and blisters make your life harder for the rest of the weekend.

2. Stay (as) healthy (as possible).

REUTERS

I know, this can be a tough one.

Music festivals are a beautiful combination of things that are bad for your body: loud noises, extended sun exposure, heat, terrible (delicious) food, drinking (and possibly other substances) and no sleep.

By all means, do whatever will make your festival experience the best possible time.

However, if you can sneak in some healthy habits around the fun, your body will thank you, especially when its 5 pm on the fourth day and youre starting to wonder what possessed you to actually pay money to live outside and be tired for four days straight.

Pro tips:

1. Get as much sleep as humanly possible.

I know Im a cranky bitch when I havent slept enough, but I wanted to stay up as late as possible to experience all the fun.

My compromise with myself? I stayed at the shows until I was ready to pass out.

Then, I dragged myself back to my tent, drank some water, put in earplugs, slipped on a face mask and passed out.

The mask and earplugs (and probably exhaustion, but whatever) worked wonders. I actually slept like a baby and woke up feeling relatively refreshed.

Do whatever you need to do to get as much sleep as you can around your schedule of fun. This is clutch.

2. Hydrate.

This is super important.

Heat and sun plus dancing and alcohol is a recipe for dehydration, and you dont want to be that guy who faints in the middle of Blink-182s set because you didnt drink enough water.

Start hydrating before you leave home, and keep drinking water, Gatorade, Pedialyte or whatever does it for you when you have a nasty hangover.

I drank a Gatorade before I went to sleep every night, and my mornings were far less of a struggle as a result.

3. Wear sunscreen.

Not to sound like your mom, but your life will be much easier if you can avoid getting sunburned during your festival weekend.

Trust me, it doesnt get EASIER to spend your entire day out in the sun when youre already as red as a lobster.

4. Eat a vegetable.

It can be tempting to grab your 14th slice of pizza and call it dinner after a day of partying when you only have 10 minutes until your next show.

However, I promise you, your body will start to rebel before the festival ends if you only feed it Red Bull, vodka and Doritos.

Bring as much food as you can (this also saves money), and try to pack some moderately healthy things along with the junk food and cheeseburgers.

Granola bars, fruit and nuts make an easy breakfast or a quick mid-day snack that your body wont hate you for.

Some food vendors actually offer vegetables and healthier options for sale inside the festival grounds.

I know theres no way a salad beats a grilled cheese, but your body can only take so many meals that your 5-year-old self would have chosen before it feels like garbage, especially when you throw in the other stressors of sun and heat and alcohol and lack of sleep.

Eat, like, one apple and some carrots. Trust me on this.

3. Prepare for the elements.

REUTERS

This is another area where pack for camping is useful advice.

Remember youll basically be living outside for several days, and so you will be at the mercy of the weather.

Check the forecast before you pack, but be prepared for conditions that change quickly.

It will be hot, and you will be outside in the sun, so dress and act accordingly.

If youre camping, create some shade by putting up a canopy and hanging curtains or tapestries from the sides.

It might rain, so consider clothes and shoes that wont feel awful when wet, as well as a poncho.

Rain equals mud, so pack shoes that can hold up and wont get sucked into the ground like quicksand.

It cools off at night, so bring layers.

This one is a little weird, but prepare for dust! When the wind kicks up, it can create a small dust tornado on festival grounds, so be ready.

Have a bandanna you can cover your face with and sunglasses to protect your eyes, and wear clothes that wont be harmed by a little (or a lot) of dirt.

The point i, before you put something in your suitcase, ask yourself, Can this hold up in every weather condition?

If the answer is no, leave it home.

4. Have a plan for what you want to do, but be open to new experiences.

REUTERS

Festivals can be overwhelming.

Theres always something to do, like socializing in your campsite, playing pick-up volleyball, trying new foods, having drinks at a festival bar and seeing the nonstop music playing on multiple stages at all times.

Go in with some sort of plan, even if its very loose.

You and your group should choose the bands you dont want to miss.

Then, schedule your days accordingly, and figure out how to navigate any schedule conflicts.

Fill in the remaining time with other activities.

However, the fact that you have a plan doesnt mean that you shouldnt be open to spontaneity and new experiences!

Stop by a random stage and see a band youve never heard before. Ask your camping neighbors if they want to play flip cup or throw around a frisbee.

Go to the Silent Disco, even if you dont know exactly what that is. See what you want to see, but be open to new experiences, too.

You wont regret it.

As an aside, try not to get so drunk that you cant make it out of your campsite. You miss both plans and new experiences when you pass out before the first show starts.

5. Make friends (also, dont lose your friends).

REUTERS

The advice surrounding friends is two-fold.

First, be open to making new friends! The vibe at festivals is amazing.

Everyone is happy and excited to be there, and everyone wants to meet everyone else.

If youre camping, befriend your neighbors. Talk to people while you wait in line for beer.

High-five strangers. Bond over your mutual love for The 1975 with the others around you in the crowd.

The friendly vibes are one of the things that makes the festival experience so special, so take advantage.

Also important: When hanging out with friends, new or old, try not to lose them.

Cell service in campsites and festival grounds is garbage, and unless you come prepared with a charging solution, your phone will probably die at least once.

Anytime you split up from friends, have a designated meeting place and time where youll find each other. Even if youre just getting in different food lines, choose a place you will meet up when finished.

This sounds like a bit much, but I promise it will help you.

When you say, Meh, well just *find* each other after this bathroom break, and you emerge to a crowd of 800 people also waiting for bathrooms, trying to find friends or standing around, just finding each other becomes somewhat harder.

Be specific: I will meet you next to this garbage can after you get your pizza and I get my salad (because I read this article and am eating a vegetable).

6. Have fun.

REUTERS

Festivals are an amazing weekend of great music, friends, camping, new experiences and fun.

Think about what will make this weekend the most fun for you, and then do it.

Dont worry if your outfit is less Kylie at Coachella and more James Franco in 127 Hours. (You probably wont have enough service to post that Insta anyway.)

The point isnt to look pretty or to check certain boxes that you should be doing. These weekends are packed to the brim with fun experiences waiting to be had, and youre right there in the middle of it all.

Take advantage, take lots of pictures and have one of the most memorable weekends of your life.

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/2017/09/05/6-ways-to-make-sure-your-first-festival-is-the-greatest-experience-of-your-life/

[viralhottopics]

5 places that stole my heart in 2016

Tourists look at the Inca citadel of Macchu Picchu in Peru.

Image: AP Photo/Martin Mejia, File

For a lot of people, 2016 was the kind of year that warranted a lot of getting away. So its no surprise that for me, a professional jet-setter, most of the years highlights were far away from home. Here are the five places that stole my travel-editing heart over the last 12 months some classic, some new, but all ones you should consider for yourself, too.

Early gets the #tlpicks #tleditors #heaven

A photo posted by Nikki Ekstein (@nikkiekstein) on Mar 20, 2016 at 9:23am PDT

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Id long overlooked Cabo as a nightlife hub that was way farther from New York than low-slung Tulum. But Im officially a convert to whats really one of the great resort destinations on earth, second only to such places as Phuket or the South Pacific. Truth is, Cabo has some of the most compelling farm-to-table projects in Mexico, a ubiquitous knack for fried fish tacos, andsince they were all redone right after Hurricane Odile struck in 2014one of the highest concentrations of gleaming, new five-star resorts under the sun. Pile on Cabos natural splendor (stunning rock formations, cliffside beaches, whale watching, waterfalls, you name it) and its propensity for excellent swim-up bars, and youll find a place where its hard to complain about anything.

Recreate my trip: Plan a long weekend in Cabo as a respite to cold winter temps. Thats when youll have the best chance at spotting mama and baby whales in the Sea of Cortez. Angle for a stay at One & Only Palmilla, where youre waited on hand-and-foot in unparalleled fashion, or Auberges Esperanza, for more of a romantic honeymoon vibe.

Calm before the storm. @pure_theshow #changeworlds

A photo posted by Nikki Ekstein (@nikkiekstein) on Sep 12, 2016 at 2:21am PDT

Marrakesh, Morocco

My husband and I first visited Morocco as freshly minted college grads we spent less than $70 per night on accommodations that reliably took our breath away (not just because we were starry-eyed and unaccustomed to luxury). Its been one of our favorite trips.

Nearly a decade later, Marrakesh was every bit as spectacular as my memory had made it out to be, though this time, I saw it a little differently. First was the fact that I inadvertently arrived in time for Eid, a feasting holiday that involves the public slaughter of many, many sheep. I missed the bloodbath but saw plenty of the lead-up and spent several days chatting with taxi drivers and shop keepers about their celebrations. I tried my first hammam, which Id been loathe to do the first time around, since my then-boyfriend and I would have had to split up. (A friend described it to me as a gleeful regression to childhood, where youre being scrubbed like a baby at bath time. She hit the nail on its head.) And I made my best purchase of the year: a multi-colored, hand-woven rug from a collective in the Rif Mountains, which I found with the help of my local guide, Mohammad. The upgraded hotels were just icing on the cake.

Recreate my trip: The jaw-dropping resorts outside the old city may be tempting, but be sure to spend most of your trip in the medina itself. I loved my stay at the citys grand dame, La Mamounia, right outside the Djemaa El Fna its the epitome of an urban resort. Then, if you want to soak up some sun and escape the citys frenetic pulse, decamp to the palatial Mandarin Oriental, or better yet, head up to the Atlas Mountains for a taste of the Kasbah life.

Last day in the company of these cute critters. Today, Cuzco. Tomorrow, Bogota!

A photo posted by Nikki Ekstein (@nikkiekstein) on Nov 11, 2016 at 3:56am PST

Machu Picchu, Peru

My drive for visiting under-explored places took me to Ecuadors cloud forest and the coffee farms of Brazil long before I set sights on Machu Picchu, but the wait was worth it. It doesnt matter that youve seen hundreds of the exact same photos of this iconic world wonder in the flesh it still leaves you breathless. Plus, the photos dont show you that dozens of llamas still live in the Lost City of the Incas full-time, which I found terribly entertaining.

Recreate my trip: With so many incredible hikes in the Sacred Valley area, theres no need to join the crowds on the full-blown Inca Trail. Instead, take the Vistadome train to Aguas Calientes and plan to get your park entry scanned by noon. That way, youll miss the morning crowds but still have time to walk the grounds twice for photos in both midday and afternoon light.

Springtime in Paris really is all it’s cracked up to beespecially when you catch accidental views like these, all awash in purple. Hard to say goodbye! . . . #travel #travelgram #travelpics #tlpicks #beautifuldestinations #paris #france #spring #vacation #europe

A photo posted by Nikki Ekstein (@nikkiekstein) on May 13, 2016 at 8:15pm PDT

Paris

Counter-intuitive as it sounds, Id never wanted to go to Paris more than I did in the wake of last years terrorism attacks. Tourism was plummeting and planning a trip felt like more than just a springtime indulgence; it was also my version of showing solidarity. Since tourism is still struggling to rebound in the City of Light, let me twist your arm to do the same: The croissants at Sebastien Gaudard will change your life, neo-bistros such as Clown Bar will make you feel like a (very well fed) local, and the citys most illustrious hotels are all ready to impress. To wit: the Ritz Paris came back online shortly after my visit, Rosewoods legendary Crillon will reopen this summer after a years-long renovation, and the Peninsula, where I stayed, has just been given palace designation. And whats more inspiring than this view of the Eiffel Tower surrounded by purple blooms?

Recreate my trip: Even if youre not sleeping in the 16th arrondissement, its worth going out of your way to hit Le Patisserie Cyril Lignac, where I ate the best sandwiches I think Ive ever tasted; theyre made with top-notch charcuterie and fresh-from-the-oven baguettes. Take them to the Jardins du Trocadro to get the view shown above, and then pay a visit to the grande dame of cheesemaking, Marie Anne Cantin, for a follow-up picnic in the 7th.

First view of the San Juans.

A photo posted by Nikki Ekstein (@nikkiekstein) on Jul 18, 2016 at 3:26pm PDT

The San Juan Islands, Washington

This little chain of islands off Washingtons northwest coast had something of a mythical appeal to me. Everyone I knew who had been there was taken by their beauty and bounty, but the islands seemed like places that simply had to speak for themselves. You just have to go, people would constantly say. So I did. As the ferry crawled from the port town of Anacortes to tinier-than-tiny Lopez Island, the land masses grew increasingly verdant and became draped in swooping clouds, as if we were sailing into a dream. Ultimately we landed somewhere straight out of the 1960s: a place where you can get burgers in red plastic baskets and ice cream from old-timey windows before hiking to a private beach cove with your free-loving Ph.D. neighbors.

Recreate my trip: Sorry, dear readers, this ones all mine. Sure, you can bypass Lopez for Lummi Island, where the acclaimed Willows Inn awaits. But Id highly advise bypassing the traditional hotel. Instead, befriend someone with relatives in the San Juans ideally ones with access to kayaks, which you can use to visit sea lions and fish for Dungeness crab. Then round up a group you love and go, en masse, for a back-to-basics getaway youll never forget.

BONUS: This German chef knife is made out of wood

This article originally published at Bloomberg here

Read more: http://on.mash.to/2jk63NR

from 5 places that stole my heart in 2016