#all my friends plus EVERY SINGLE NURSING MAJOR IN MY SCHOOL are so pretty i dont hold a candle to them on my best day

[liverpool-enjoyer]

i wanna be a pretty girl so bad

[miekasa]

speaking of college boys, what do the college au aot babies study??

Okay, okay, I think I’ve talked about this in an ask before but I can’t find it 😭😭 but it’s okay, I love college aus, so I’ll talk about it again! Plus, now I’ve got more thoughts for more characters, so here we go

Levi — neuroscience and psychology of human behavior

He started out on track to do a bachelor of arts in psychology, but when they touched on the anatomy and biological parts of it during his first year lecture, he switched to a bachelor of science.

The focus is still psychology, but through a more clinical lens. Essentially, he gets the best of both worlds this way. He’s intuitive and analytical, so clinical and mental diagnosis is easy to dissect for him. He’s also canonically good at math, so the calculus and stats parts aren’t too bad, either.

This major also leaves him with a few options post-grad, which is a nice bonus for him. He’s likely going to medical school, but that’s not the only route open to him: law school, therapy, lab work, medicine and pharmacy, even teaching are all viable options without going to grad school.

Do not talk to him about Freud unless you wanna get punted off a building.

Be careful with him, because with a single glance he’s already got scarily accurate predictions about your parental and emotional attachment styles, your behavior in social settings, and the onset (or seemingly lack thereof) of your frontal lobe development.

He thinks he’s so smart making comments like, “I see those synaptic connections aren’t working so well for you today,” like mf come here let me lobotomize you and see how well your synaptic connects are working after that🙄

Eren — general health sciences

He’s interested in science and the discovery aspects of it, but picking a specific field of focus right now feels too final. He likes it this way, because his schedule and requirements are less restrictive, and he has more room to find out what really interests him.

He does best when he’s doing something he loves, so picking a major with a bunch of reqs that he couldn’t care less about would have sucked big time for him. It also would have affected his grades. There are still some classes he has to take that he’s not fond of (see: chemistry), but that’s to be expected. Science in general is cool to him and he hopes to make his own discovery some day, even if it’s microscopic.

He also plays a lot of sports, keeping his schedule flexible is important. The sports end up helping him excel academically, which is a nice bonus. Honestly, Eren uses his time at university to learn more about himself than anything, so having control and freedom to do what he likes the majority of the time was important to him. 

He uses his elective credits to take philosophy or history courses of his interest, or maybe even a course that you’re in just to spend time with you. He also uses you as a live model for his homework bye, congrats on being patient number one to him.

Armin — astronomy and physics

He’s still interested in marine biology, but unless he attended a school near a coast, or with a specialized integrated program for that, it’s unlikely he’d major in it during undergrad.

Space and ocean exploration aren’t all that different. Both are vast, largely unexplored domains that reel-in Armin’s interest for discovery. So, while studying astronomy, he still gets to study evolution and make his own predictions about what could be out there because there’s so much to know.

Physics comes with the territory of learning about planetary science, and he’s mathematically inclined, so it works out for him. Learning about the different physical properties of other planets and space masses is honestly pretty sick to him. Because math isn’t a struggle, he actually considered aeronautical engineering, but he didn’t want to be a part of the college to military pipeline; that is, he didn’t want any potential design of his to be weaponized. 

He still gets to study animal biology through his elective courses, and might even find a few focused on marine animals to satiate him. Plant and cell biology are also of interest to him, and are just further applications of his primary study anyway, so he’s got plenty of room to work with.

This boy is interning at NASA and still, with his whole chest out is like, “I don’t need to discover a new planet, you’re my whole world.” Armin, go check on the Mars rover or something please.

Mikasa — anthropology + minor in japanese language studies

Anthropology is virtually interdisciplinary in nature, and Mikasa is a pretty well rounded student, so she’s able to excel in a program like this. She gets to study history, science, cultural studies, and even a bit of art all at once.

She’s still debating between going to law school vs med school, so anthro this is a good in-betweener. She gets a taste of science through her anatomy and kin courses; and lots of practice with reading and dissecting texts through the historical and cultural lectures. So, when the time comes to decide, she’ll have some experience with both.

Don’t know whether it’s confirmed that she’s (part) Japanese or not, but either way I headcanon that she speaks/spoke some second language at home. She wanted to delve more into it, and courses were offered at the university so why not?

Cultural studies courses end up being her favorite. She likes learning about the history of people and their cultures, and it encourages her to learn more about her own family history and culture. It also propels her to apply for a study abroad opportunity, so she spends at least one semester doing an exchange program and absolutely loves it.

She would also encourage you to apply and go, too. You guys might not be in the same program, but if there’s an applicable program in the same country she’s going to, then she’d definitely want you to apply. Spending the semester away with you would be a dream come true.

Hange — bioengineering + minor in political philosophy and law

It’s almost self-sabotage to be in an engineering program and have a minor; the coursework for engineering alone is backbreaking, and bioengineering has the added weight of human intricacies, but of course Hange makes it possible. 

They’re nothing short of a genius, so of course they have time to work a completely unrelated minor into their schedule. It doesn’t surprise anyone that they go on to complete an MD-PhD after undergrad. Insane. 

Bioengineering is essentially the synthesis of chemical engineering and health sciences; Hange spends their time exploring biological sciences and applies the engineering aspects of their coursework to their understanding of (and interest in creating) medicine. Truly a one of a kind mind. 

They also have an interest in philosophy and justice, so when they found out they only needed a measly nine or ten courses to minor in, they went for it, of course. In honesty, they don’t find the studies all that opposing: both law making and medicine making both have some kind of philosophy or method to them in their eyes. 

Hange has... little to no free time pls. They don’t mind it, because they love their coursework, but this means you are essentially ducking into their labs or scrambling to find them in-between their classes during your time in undergrad. They appreciate every second spent with you tho, and will gladly rope you into long discussions about their work. 

Jean — biochemistry + minor in art sustainability

He was undeclared his first year, and took a little bit of everything: art, science, history, anthropology, english. Basically, anything that fit into his schedule. It was hard for him to pick one thing—he liked the science and lab applications of STEM courses, but not the math; and the obvious painting and creativity of art, but hated the pretentious air about art history.

What he wants to do is make a difference, which is how he ends up knowing that he wants to go to med school after, so he picks a science-heavy major, but uses his elective spaces to take art courses. When he mixes the two, he ends up on sustainability—and the complexities about it that are applicable to both science and art are what really reels him in.

Interdisciplinary studies end up being his forte. He can approach sustainability from a science perspective which impacts his art style and materials; and tuning into his creative side allows him to think about science not just from a purely clinical perspective, but from a human one, too—patients are people after all.

He believes that everything is connected somehow, even things as seemingly opposite as art and biochemistry. And he works towards finding the unique intersection where everything overlaps. His studies are pretty cool, and he’s very passionate about them, so ask him about it 😌

The art he makes is pretty sick, too, and often commentary about science; he’s proving they’re not so opposite. You also heavily influence his studies in both areas: caring about you so much inspires him to take the healthcare focus seriously, and your very nature is inspiration to his art. 

Sasha — nursing

She’s friendly and good at working with people, so nursing was an easy choice for her. She accredits most of her motivation to being around her younger family members, and learns that she finds a simple kind of joy in helping to take care of others.

She struggles a bit her first year when it’s mostly all grades and standardized testing, but when she starts getting clinical experience and working in the hospital on campus, things round out for her.

Patient care is her strongest point. A lot of people often forget that knowing everything isn’t everything; if you don’t know how to calm or even just talk to your patient, you’re not that great of a healthcare professional.

Pretty certain that she wants to work with kids in the future, but she’s open to public health and even being a travel nurse if she finds opportunity there!

Of course, she’s pretty doting when it comes to you and all her friends. She might want to go into pediatrics, but the basics of nursing and health care extend to everyone, so you’re guaranteed to be well taken care of with Sasha around. You might even have to switch roles and take care of her sometimes, because her coursework can get pretty out of hand.

Connie — computer engineering with a focus on game design

He might not look it, but Connie has a brain under that shaved head of his. Computer engineering is cool to him because he basically learns about how simple things he uses every day (ie: phone, computer, microwave) works.

Systems and coding are actually the easy part for him, especially when they get into the application of it and aren’t just stuck looking at examples. That’s how he gets into game design.

The part about math and electricity and magnetic fields… well let’s just say he needed to make friends with someone who likes math and hardware his first year to get through it. But the struggle was worth it, because by his junior year he’s found a professor willing to mentor/supervise him as he works on his game and other projects, so life is good.

His school work is definitely hard, which is why the lives by the mantra of “work hard, party harder.” It’s only fair. 

He makes you a little avatar so you can test out his games for him <33 best boyfriend things <33 He’d also… build a game about your relationship. Every level is a different date you guys went on, and he definitely includes something cheesy, like “There are unlimited lives because I love you forever babe <3”

Porco — kinesiology + maybe mechanical engineering

He’s pretty into athletics and working out, but didn’t wanna go down the sports psychology route; he wanted something that left him with a few more options, so he ended up in kinesiology.

He was surprisingly pretty good at biology in high school, so something stem-oriented works out in his favor, and it turns out he’s pretty damn good at anatomy, too. He’ll probably end up in physical therapy after graduation.

He’s also got a knack for cars, which is where the engineering comes in, but he doesn’t care so much for the math part of it (he doesn’t care for it at all actually, fuck that); he just wants the hands on experience of building/fixing things and working with his hands. So, if he can get a minor in it and not struggle through 4 years of math, then he’d do that. If not, he’d take a few workshop-like classes.

Because he wants to go into physical therapy, you are essentially his practice patient. Your back hurts? Not a problem, he’s basically a professional masseuse. Muscle aches? He’s got a remedy and understanding of why it’s happening. Don’t let him catch you hunting over your desk grinding away at your homework, because he will poke your neck and correct your posture (he’ll also massage your shoulders, but after the scolding).

Pieck — classics + minor in philosophy

Ancient studies interest her, but more than that, the language of ancient Greek and Roman culture fascinates her, so classics is the way to go.

Because her focus within Classics ends up being Greek and Latin language studies, she is essentially learning both languages at the same time. She gets farther with Latin that she does with Greek. For whatever reason, the former comes almost naturally to her, so her written and translated work is more complex in Latin.

However, she finds cultural studies relation to Greece more interesting than that of Rome, so it’s a give and take with both; better at languages for Roman studies, better at culture and history for Greek studies.

Her minor is a natural evolution from her primary coursework. Ancient Romans and Greeks set the foundation for a lot of modern day philosophy, so it comes up in her major classes, but she wanted to delve further into the philosophy, and not just look at it historically, so she takes more courses to fulfill the minor.

Can be found laying on a blanket in the quad on a hot day, with her books spread out all around her, highlighter in hand as she works through her reading. You’re always invited to sit with her, and more often than not, it ends up with Pieck’s head in your lap, a book in her hands, and your own schoolwork in yours as you both read in each other’s company.

Bertholdt — computer science and coding

He’s level headed, good at planning, and above all, patient, so he’s cut out for this. He doesn’t consider himself to be particularly creative, which is why he doesn’t pick a speciality with lots of design; but he’s good at streamlining and ideas to life.

The patience really comes in when his code doesn’t run. It’s frustrating to scroll for two hours just to find out that the issue is a missing semi-colon in line 273 that he overlooked, but Berty will sit there until he finds it.

He’s also good at fixing issues. That’s not limited to issues in the code itself; it can mean finding shorter ways to produce the same function or loop, or integrating new aspects into existing code.

Also, he’d just be so cute, coding away on his computer. Just imagine: Berty working on his homework in the library, he’s got his signature crewneck + collared shirt look going for him, his blue-light glasses, a cup of coffee nearly as tall as him sitting at the corner of his desk. Adorable.

He’d make little codes/programs for you, too, even if it’s silly. A simple code that helps you decide what to eat for dinner or where to go on a date, one that shuffles different reminders for you, hell he’ll even forgo the torture of design engineering just to build you a little robot that says “I love you” to you.

Reiner — english + minor in justice & political philosophy

Everyone expects Reiner, star quarterback of the university’s rugby team, to be a business student or communications student; but no, he’s an English major, and he loves it.

Just imagine a guy as huge as Reiner absolutely manhandling someone on the field, just to show up in his lectures with a tiny paperback of The Great Gatsby tucked between his fingers with his reading glasses on. It’s so precious.

He’s always running a bit late to class—either coming from the gym, or practice, or oversleeping from exhaustion—but he’s so sweet to his professors and genuinely interested in the literature that they don’t give him a hard time about it. They can tell that balancing school and sports is difficult, and they just appreciate that he takes his studies seriously.

Yeah he’s in a book club and he dog-ears his books. What about it. They’re doing poetry this month and Reiner actually likes Edgar Allen Poe. Who said jocks can’t be sentimental.

He also reads a lot outside of his classes, and has a soft spot for coming of age stories. He usually empathizes with the main character somehow. His ideal weekend plans after a week of grueling games and essays is taking a long, relaxing shower at your place, while you both share a bottle of wine, and maybe even get you to read a chapter or two of his current book out loud to him.

Annie — clinical psychology/neuroscience

Almost scarily analytical and methodic, so this major was calling her name. Localizing brain legions is… insanely intuitive to her it’s incredible. She’ll be an insanely impressive doctor someday, even if she doesn’t end up working with patients directly. 

She doesn’t care too much for the more philosophical/reading heavy parts of psychology. Even experiments and research closer to the social end of the spectrum aren’t all that interesting to her; but the brain science behind it it.

Nobody should be good at cellular biology. Nobody should be able to ace cell bio and neuro and calc and work towards their thesis proposal in the same semester, but Annie proves it’s possible.

Ends up working in one of her professor’s labs by her junior year. She was offered three TA positions working with first year students, but she swiftly turned them down. Teaching isn’t her thing.

She doesn’t bring up her studies to you unprompted, but if you ask her about them she’ll explain it to you. Her notes are color coded and it’s super neat, and very cute; coloring them is somewhat relaxing for her. She usually saves the coloring part for when you guys study together; there’s extra comfort in doing it with you around.

[haikyuu-appreciation-club]

oh my bad, i didn’t see you didnt write for atsumu or sakusa. can you do the same headcanons (s/o who’s smol and fragile) but with kuroo, bokuto, and oikawa? if possible, i would still like to see these headcanons with atsumu and sakusa <333

hey hey hey anon!! ty for the requests :)

I think this is such a cute idea (´♡‿♡`)

I just started watching S4 soo I'll save your other request for atsumu and sakusa in my inbox and get to that once I'm done!!

in the meantime, I hope you enjoy some of my favorite captains <3

btw sorry it’s definitely not my best, I was having major writers block so this is basically all I could manage :(

•Kuroo, Bokuto, and Oikawa w/ a Small and Fragile S/O•

warnings: none

genre: fluff

characters: kuroo, bokuto, + oikawa

•Kuroo•

Kuroo had teased you about your height ever since the two of you had become friends

it was his way of playful flirting, harmless really

“Ah, hey there chibi-chan, still need help with that chem assignment.”

“I thought I told you to quit calling me that.”

“Aw, but it suits you.”

It was all harmless until he began to actually fall for you 

the way your laugher erupted through the air at one of his stupid chemistry jokes or how you would never fail to flash a pretty smile and throw him a wave whenever you two were near

every single thing about you drew him in and he just had to make you his, so that’s exactly what he did you said yes obviously

even though he spent quite a bit of time with you before making things official, he never realized how prone to injury you were

seriously you got hurt so often it was crazy

at first he thought it was just bad luck until he noticed that you collided with the majority of things that were in your path

it was actually quite entertaining to him a lot of the time, but even if he let out a chuckle he would always take care of you

didn't matter if it was him grabbing the first aid kit from the gym or keeping you company in the nurses office while you got checked out

as much as he loved to tease you for everything, he was always right by your side 

even though he put on a calm and collected front, he got worried every time you got hurt

it didn’t matter how minor or major the injury was, he just wanted to make sure you were okay

he was always making sure you were taking care of yourself too

making sure you ate and drank water and took care of your injuries when needed

sometimes he’d even tease you by buying you a carton of milk and claiming that you needed it for bone growth

he definitely could be a huge pain sometimes, but it always brought a smile to your face

with your height differences, his favorite thing was to pick you up by your waist, hold you up high, and spin you around

he didn’t care who was watching, all that he was focused on in that moment was the lovely smile stitched on your face

he loved to lean down when you were standing around or talking with someone and rest his chin on your head and wrap his arms lightly around your neck

this was especially common when he noticed someone else trying to flirt with you, a piercing gaze followed as well in these situations

if anyone tried to tease you about your height he would pick you up, throw you over his shoulder, and run the opposite direction hey problem solved

as much as he teased you himself, he was always making sure to let you know how much he loved you just the way you were

he always eased you insecurities and whispered compliment after compliment in your ear when you were down

he was your #1 hype man no matter the time

he truly saw you as perfect and he wouldn't mind spending the rest of his life letting you know

•Bokuto•

when you and bokuto first met, he was very upfront about your height

"HEY HEY HEY! Wow, you're super tiny!”

cue your pouting

bokuto noticed your change of expression and quickly saved himself

“OH! No no, not in a bad way, like a cute way, you know? Tiny and squishy!”

cue him pinching your cheeks like an old lady

Akaashi ended up dragging him back to practice but not before he turned your cheeks bright red, from the excessive pinching and his comments

after that incident, you saw bokuto a lot more

usually due to you bumping into him in between classes

you didn’t mean to but he was just so tall and you were just so clumsy

those situations usually ended with you both apologizing profusely to each other while bokuto walked you to the nurses office

overtime, you two grew closer and closer and eventually made things official 

despite all the energy he had, he was always very gentle with you

he knew he could get a little much at times and with how easily you got injured he wanted to make sure he was never the one causing you pain

his touch was always very soft and loving, allowing you to feel just how much he cared

since you would get hurt so often he would always carry bandaids in his school bag they had little hearts on them

he would drop anything he was doing and sit you down to place a bandaid and a kiss wherever the damage was

“There you go, Dr. Bokuto is always at your service Y/N.”

“Thank you Bo.”

if it was something more intense he would walk you to the nurse’s office, hair drooping and tears in his eyes

he honestly hated seeing you hurt or in pain

if he could, he would take away any and all of your discomfort

he just wanted to see you smiling, that was his favorite look on you

no matter how much you would tell him you were okay he still would not leave your side until you got fully cleared by the nurse and the rest of the day he would be clinging to you with a pout stitched on his face

he adored the height difference between you two

your small hand fit perfectly in his and the was your tiny figure molded into his when you two cuddled felt right

he knew that sometimes you could get a little insecure

he never really understood why you couldn't see yourself how he saw you but that didn't prevent him from bring you up and letting you know exactly how he saw you

he truly saw you as the most flawless person he’s ever seen

compliments were always followed up by a lot of hugs and kisses

he always felt like you deserved to feel like you were on top of the world so giving you piggy back rides or letting you sit on his shoulders was his favorite thing to do

he never missed the laughter that escaped your lips when he would pick up speed definitely his favorite sound ever

his main goal was to protect you from anything and everything and make sure you were loved

and he succeeded with that each and every day

•Oikawa•

oikawa had had a thing for you since middle school

you never really thought much of the way he would act towards you due to his high popularity

honestly, you just thought he was being polite

that was until he asked you out your first year of high school

ever since then you became aoba johsai’s power couple

you didn't really care about titles though, all that mattered was that you and oikawa were happy

and contrary to popular belief, oikawa was a really great boyfriend

he never failed to make you feel appreciated and cherished

he honestly just couldn’t believe he was with someone so perfect, and honestly the blush that spread across your cheeks was just too cute to pass up

this didn't excuse you from oikawa’s teasing, your height being a main target

“Y/N-chan, mind if I rest my arm here, it’s so tired from practice”

“Tooru, get your gross, sweaty arm off my head.”

“Ahh so mean baby.”

although he never missed the opportunity to rile you up about you height, he always recognized when to stop and followed it up with a bunch of compliments

he knew it could be an insecurity of your sometimes and he would never dream of making you feel less then perfect

if any of his fan girls tried to mention something involving your height, he didn’t hesitate to confront them

occasionally going the extra mile and pulling you into a loving kiss right in front of them

he didn’t care if they stopped supporting him, he had you by his side and that was more then enough 

although you usually got hurt quite often, that all stopped when you started dating oikawa

you honestly couldn’t believe it at first

all the scratches, scars, and bruises that frequently littered your body and slowly healed over time and no new ones took their place

you could not wrap your head around how he managed to do it

he was very observant and almost had this sixth sense when it came to you and your injuries

usually catching you before you fell, pulling you out of the way of something, or grabbing something and moving it away before it could cause you harm

you were practically like a small child he had to watch

he always followed up his smooth movements with a flirty remark

“Ah ah ah, you have to be more careful Y/N-chan, I'm the only one you should be falling for.”

although he loved spending any moment with you, his favorite memories had to be watching you in the stands during one of his games, cheering for him

his jersey was so big on you, he found it so adorable it always smelled like you when you returned it which was a huge plus

his favorite thing to do during games was throw you a wink before each serve he did, watching you laugh and wink right back

he always played his best when you were there

watching you from the court made him fall in love with you all over again

you were his world and he would make it his top priority to remind you of that each and every day

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

[lonelypond]

Parent Trap, Chapter The First

NicoMaki, Love Live/Love Live Sunshine, 6k, 1/2

Summary: Dr. Nishikino Maki is a single mother, not in search of anything besides a few quiet moments. Yazawa Nico is a singer on the rise who did a favor for an old friend. Are they more connected than they realize?

Parent Trap, Chapter The First

Yazawa Nico was due at the airport at too early an hour. But Ayase Eli was too old a friend not to make time for. So when they were at lunch and Nico had cooed over the latest twin pictures, Eli had asked if Nico wanted children. Of course, Nico wanted children, but the life of the next JLO didn’t really leave any time for that. And then Eli had explained how she could bank some of Nico’s genetic material at her lab. And if Nico didn’t mind, it might help Eli with a project she’d been working on with a colleague.

It had taken about a month, with screening tests and two weeks on hormones before Nico could physically donate eggs. The retrieval procedure had taken less than a half an hour, and Nico had stopped into Eli’s office after hours a week later for an ultrasound and check up.

“Did you double check all your paperwork?” Eli asked as she put away the ultrasound equipment.

Nico pulled her sweatshirt down. She didn’t dress up for top secret doctor visits. She had sunglasses and a long coat for when she stepped out of Eli’s office. “Yeah, Nico read through it twice. So no one makes a baby with Nico without Nico’s permission right?”

“Right.” Eli’s reply was quick.

Nico had confidence in Eli, who had always been an honor student and someone with exact and precise ethical behavior. “Good.” Nico bounced up, “It’s nice to know Nico’s got a backup for the biological clock.”

Eli smiled, “Thanks for helping. The more chance I have to work with different cells, the more likely we are to eventually succeed.”

“Nico is a hero.”

“Nico is a good friend.”

“Eli!” Tojo Nozomi’s voice called from the hallway outside. “We’re going to be late to pick up Vik and Teddy.”

“I’ll be right there. I just have to finish up with Nico.”

“NICO!” The door slammed open and Nico was engulfed in a huge hug, “You haven’t been by in months. How are ya.”

“Nico can’t breathe. Eli, help.” Nico squeaked.

“Nozomi, put Nico down.”

Nozomi did, but then kept hold of Nico’s shoulder, her green eyes concerned, “Are you all right, is something wrong, is that why…”

Nico waved a hand, “Just a pre tour checkup. My regular doctor couldn’t fit me in. Eli did me a favor.”

“Eli is the best.”

“Yeah, Nico, anytime you need a quick checkup.” Eli’s voice wavered. Nozomi turned her attention to her wife, the terrible liar.

“Nico has to run.” Nico put her sunglasses on with a grand gesture, even though it was dark outside. Nico would always Nico. Nozomi was glad to see it.

“We’ll see you out, I’ll just leave the paperwork at the desk for my assistant to enter into the system tomorrow.” Eli held the door open.

They walked out, Eli dropping the folder in the inbox. Nozomi respected Eli’s commitment to having paper copies of everything. She’d been the most organized student council president ever and that had followed through to everything she did.

“Oh no.” Nozomi cried out.

Eli spun instantly, “Nontan?”

Nozomi flicked her own forehead, “I was so excited to see Nico-chi, I left my purse in the exam room. I’ll be right back. Just wait for me at the car.” She kissed Eli on the cheek.

“Okay.” Eli put an arm around Nico’s shoulders, “Sure I can’t convince you to have dinner with us and the twins. They miss you.”

“Next time Nico’s in town, I lost a packing day because Cocoa had a car crisis.”

“You really have to make time, Nico. We miss you.”

Their voices faded down the hall. Nozomi nodded and stepped to the desk, putting her purse out from behind her back to set next to the in tray. There was no name on the folder Eli had put down, just a number. Nozomi made a quick note of it as she opened to read. Nico and Eli were up to something and Nozomi had never been able to let that pass without “helping”. Seeing Nico’s first answer, a quick check….hmmm, Nozomi had a feeling that Nico’s status might change for the better with a different answer. And Eli always did the initial paperwork in pencil, that made some things easier.

Four Plus Years Later

Dr. Nishikino Maki was drowsy. Single parenting was exhausting. Even with a nanny and her parents’s help, the past year with Dia had been exhausting. Which is why her parents had shoved her out the door to go to the Ayase New Year’s Eve party. Which was loud, and bustling. Eli’s mom was babysitting the twins and Eli’s wife, Nozomi, was taking the opportunity to loudly announce as many details of every attendee’s life as she could.

“MAKI!” Nozomi swirled up, in a very pretty soft gray wrap dress, “It’s been too long.” Nozomi would have gone for a hug, but Maki had predicted her action and sidestepped. “How’s your little girl?”

“Sleeping, I hope.”

Nozomi tilted her head, green eyes staring at Maki with an odd look in them. She almost spoke, then shrugged, “Eli will be happy to see you. We have so many friends for you to meet. You haven’t even stopped by the office in 6 months. We got so used to seeing you when you were pregnant.”

Maki decided to change the conversation, “How are the twins?”

“Exhausting.” Nozomi’s laugh drew the attention of her wife, who hurried over.

“Did I miss a joke? Hi, Maki.” Eli slid her arm around Nozomi’s waist, “Nico’s going to sing in a minute.”

“Ooohh, you won’t want to miss this, Maki.”

“What?” Maki’s question was perfunctory. Nozomi’s suggestions were always problematic, one way or another, so Maki tended to armor up when Nozomi was in idea tossing mode.

“Nico Ni.” Eli was gleaming, “We had a band together in high school, then instead of college, she started touring and got signed by a major label right away. I’m surprised you haven’t heard of her.”

Maki shrugged, “I don’t listen to contemporary music much.”

“Contemporary.” Nozomi drawled, “Non robots call it pop or punk or rock or country or hip hop or whatever genre you favor.”

“Nozomi, let’s not harass our guest.”

“But Elichi, that’s why I throw parties.”

Eli had her arm through Nozomi’s and was steering her away, She smiled apologetically at Maki, and then the lights dimmed and the sound system kicked in.

“Hello, Chicago, my hometown, Nico Ni here to make your heart throb for this heartthrob.”

Maki glanced at the stage. A tiny woman, long dark hair, neon pink over black the dominant theme of her costume, complete with some kind of sparkly animal ears. She looked like her music was going to be loud. Maki headed for the balcony.

###

Maki had found a bartender who mixed an excellent virgin bloody mary and was nursing her second while waiting for clouds to clear so she could see more constellations. WInter nights were the best, cold and clear.

“You avoiding the crowds too?” Maki heard the question as the door slid open.

“More avoiding the music.”

“Not a Nico Ni fan?”

Maki shrugged, honestly it wouldn’t have made a difference who it was, “It just seemed like it was going to be loud and…”

“Headache?”

“One year old.”

“Oh,” a quick pleasant laugh. “I haven’t had time...or the partner for that. They’re cute at that age.”

Maki shrugged again. Dia was cute, probably above average cute, but that wasn’t really a surprise. Or something Maki could announce like her birthweight or how many words she knew. “No partner.”

“Oh.” A nervous laugh, “Sorry…”

‘No. It’s exactly what I wanted.” Maki knew that should have sounded more convincing. Dia was, as far as her reading and research could attest, an near ideal daughter. Maki’s parents had finally shut up about her producing an heir, Rin and Hanayo’s baby had a playmate, Eli’s research had made it possible to get pregnant without anything gross or sticky involved, and now Maki was back at work and even out socializing. So all good, right? Maki sighed,

“Cookie?” Maki turned. A small, bright, crimson eyed woman in a slouched hat and an oversized coat was leaning next to her, offering what looked like a homemade cookie. Eli and Nozomi had hired caterers.

“You smuggled in food?”

“Only way to be sure there’s always some around.” A smile that stunned Maki with its cheerful incandescence, “Ni...No poison, I swear.”

Maki took the cookie, and an intriguing mix of cinnamon and stranger flavors melted on her tongue. “That’s different. I like it.”

“Chinese five spice and shortbread.”

Maki nodded, chewing happily. Not exactly dip in a virgin bloody mary food, but maybe time for a coffee palate cleanser. Maki glanced at her watch, another hour til midnight. The other woman was still looking at her, expectant.

“Are you a pastry chef?” Maki asked, maybe she could buy another cake for Dia’s birthday. Her parents would want pictures.

The other woman shook her head. “No, cooking is what I do for fun. Yazawa Nico.”

Maki took the offered hand. The grip was strong and surprisingly warm, “Nishinikino Maki.”

“Oh, like the hospital.” A stunning grin, “Eli works there. I used to stop by a lot.”

“You’re a friend of Eli’s?”

“High school.” Another grin, “We were in a band together, It was the worst, and Eli hates all the videos we made, but I found out I loved performing.” Nico swept her hands up, “Nico Nico Ni.”

Nico Ni. That’s what Eli meant. The singer. Who’d asked if Maki...Maki flushed, tensing, “You should cook more.”

“Okay. So not a fan.” Nico continued to gleam, “But once you actually hear Nico’s voice you’ll…”

“Did you come out here to harass me for not listening to your show?”

Nico snorted, “No, Ms. Colder Than The Air, I didn’t think anybody would be out here. Nico came out here to get away from her fans.”

“That worked.” Maki grimaced.

There was silence. Nico turned her attention to the sky. Orion was shining brightly on the horizon.

“Great night for stargazing.” Nico said softly.

“Getting clearer.”

“Yeah.”

“Does the one year old have a name?”

“Dia.”

“Pretty.”

Another shrug. Not a topic Maki was going to pick up. “You can see almost a dozen stars in the Pleiades cluster tonight. That’s rare for this close to the city.”

“Pleiades?”

“Can you find Orion?”

“Yes.”

“It’s the blurry group up and to the right.” Maki pointed.

“Oh yeah, cool.”

More silence, then Nico asked another question.

“You an astronomer?”

“That’d be nice.” Maki glanced to see Nico watching her, “Doctor. Medical doctor. ER doctor.”

“Adrenaline junkie.”

Maki shook her head, “Not really. I just like puzzles.” She almost hesitated, “And people who don’t linger.”

Now the silence was awkward. True as Maki’s statement was for some reason she didn’t know, the other woman seemed much farther away. And then Nico pushed off the railing, “Thanks for the astronomy lesson, Doc. Happy New Year.”

Maki nodded, “Same to you.”

Nico waved and went back to the party, Maki left behind in the now too cold air, mood deflated by the unpredictable encounter.

###

Maki had snuck out. She didn’t really want to miss Dia’s first birthday and the whole thought of a roomful of people kissing at midnight just made her queasy and sad. And Nozomi would, of course, make a big fuss about kissing her too and Maki was honestly just not in the mood. So at 11:55, she was turning the key in the door of the family mansion, and at midnight, she was kissing the only girl in her life on the cheek.

“Happy New Year, Dia. Happy birthday. Let’s have a fun year.”

It was strange for Maki to spend so much time with someone who didn’t talk back much, although Dia was very vocal, making funny little noises and a few words. Maki had been surprised at how much she’d cried the first time Dia reached out her little arms and said “Mama.” She could still feel how much her body had swelled with a new joy.

Dia’s eyes opened. They were a brilliant green, like gems. Maki wondered if the egg donor had eyes that color.

“Hi, Dia. Your Mama came home early for your birthday. I had the best cookie at the party. I wanted to have the baker make you a cake, but your Mama’s not great at talking to pretty people.” Maki sighed, sitting in the recliner next to Dia’s crib, “I hope you’re better with people than I am.”

Maki remembered all the questions Eli had asked her about what she was looking for in a donor. Mostly Maki had wanted healthy, but to give her sole child a chance at a better school and social life than she had, Maki figured she should choose an extrovert who got along well with others. So Eli added that to the parameters, along with athletic and musical, because Maki wanted her daughter to love music like she did. And here we were, three years later, with Test Case #1, the top secret Ayase-Nishikino experiment in two female parents reproducing. One of the parents was just an anonymous donor. Maki had been nervous about the science, but with her best friend Koizumi Hanayo and Hoshizora Rin wanting a child of their own after an adoption that fell through, they all decided to take the risk together. Eli and Nozomi had happily adopted American-Japanese twins, now 6 years old, but they wanted to help women who wanted families and couldn’t or wouldn’t adopt.

Dia made a crying noise, so Maki kept telling her about the party. Rin would say silly things and make faces at Tora, but Maki didn’t see why you couldn’t have mostly normal conversations with small children. Eventually Dia would learn all the words. It wasn’t really something Maki thought much about. Dia was there, so Maki talked to her. And then she’d read Dia her bedtime story. Princess Princess Ever After was a Maki favorite. And Dia would giggle when Maki said “Fine, Prince Butthead here can rescue himself” so that was always fun.

“Yeah, I think your Mama said something wrong,” Maki tossed her hair back, she should have put on pajama pants rather than this form fitting sheath dress but she wanted to kiss Dia at midnight. “She wasn’t a baker. She was a singer. Maybe we can listen to her songs tomorrow when we’re driving to meet Rin and Hanayo and Tora for your birthday party.”

Dia made a pleased noise so Maki decided that was enough of a plan and now it was time for bedtime stories and then getting out of her dress.

###

Maki had brought Dia over for dinner with the Koizumi-Hoshizora. Which meant pizza and a movie most of the time. Well, Hanayo had rice and Rin had ramen and Maki had pizza. Maki wondered what Dia’s favorite food would be. Tora already was showing a preference for things rice, Maki’s chef made an infant friendly rice pudding whenever Tora visited. Although, Hanayo was still glaring at Maki for explaining to Rin the dangers of arsenic in rice. So that was fun.

“So do you know Yazawa Nico?” Maki asked Rin casually as Dia and Tora race crawled around the living room.

“Yeah, Kayo-chin’s a big fan. Why?”

Maki decided not to go into the full story, “Just heard a couple of her songs. Dia seems to like them.”

“We should have a karaoke night.” Rin announced, “Invite Eli and Nozomi and everyone.”

“That might be fun. I don’t have a lot of nights free though.”

“Brunch karaoke.” RIn stated.

“Brunch karaoke?”

“Wouldn’t that make a great band name?”

“Mama?” Dia was pulling herself up on a table.

“What is it, Dia?

Dia motioned feeding herself, “Lunch.”

“Okay, Dia. We’ll see if Hanayo’s ready.”

“C’mon, Tora.” Rin scooped up her daughter and led the quest for her wife.

###

Dia had stacked all her blocks neatly in their bucket and was looking at Maki expectantly.

Maki grinned, “Thank you, Dia. Mama’s proud of how you decided to clean on your own.”

Dia nodded, suddenly shy and Maki laughed and picked up her daughter into a hug, spinning them around the room. “We’re going to fly.”

“MAMA!!!” Dia screamed.

Maki kept spinning and fell back onto the couch, “And that’s how you dance.”

“Dance.” Diane murmured.

“Dance and prance and…”

“Dance.” Dia shouted, standing next to Maki on the couch, bouncing “Dance Dance Dance.”

Maki had a hand out, hovering near her daughter’s waist, ensuring that Dia didn’t pitch forward to the floor. The first time that had happened had terrified Maki more than anything else in her life, even though she’d caught Dia at the last minute.

“C’mon, bun, let’s get you dinner. Then Mama is going out.” Rin had at some point said Dia was as “cute as a bunny” and Maki had turned it into a nickname.

“Pudding!”

“No, Dia, you can’t have pudding for dinner. Pudding is dessert.”

“No, Mama.” Dia glared at Maki, then wrapped her arms around Maki’s neck, “We go now.”

“Okay,” Maki swept up her daughter, “We go now.”

###

A month later, Rin had actually managed to corral most of their friends into a karaoke night. Hanayo had stayed home with Tora to watch a livestream of the stars of an anime in concert. Rin was driving so Maki was going to allow herself a sip or two of sake. She wasn’t sure if she was going to sing, but Rin would probably drag her into at least one duet.

It was a nice place. Sleek, polished wood, black-lit, private rooms with neon, huge couches, lots of space, and attentive but not intrusive waitstaff. It had an Asian influenced menu that Maki appreciated. Sushi was such a good snack for sitting around and watching Rin get sillier and sillier. She and Nozomi were in a battle for who could sing the craziest duet. Sonoda Umi, dojo owner and stunt choreographer, had actually joined them to sing “Say My Name.” Eli had practically stood on one of the table cheering while Umi’s wife, fashion designer Minami Kotori had giggled through the song.

And then the door opened, and two tiny women came in, a tray of drinks between them.

“Nico bought a round and a friend. What are we singing?”

“NICO!” Eli, who was definitely tipsy at this point, jumped down to pick up Nico in a hug, “You came.”

“Nico was in town. And it’s been too long since we’ve sung together.”

“We’re next. Me and Nico! Clear the floor.” Eli announced.

“Give me a minute, Eli. Let me introduce my friend. Everybody, Kira Tsubasa; Kira Tsubasa, everybody!”

“Hey! Can you sing?” Rin asked.

Kira did a double take, while Maki heard Nico whisper too loudly, “See, I told you, they don’t know anything about pop music. We’re good.”

Maki knew Nico hadn’t meant her to hear that and wasn’t specifically talking about her, but she still felt embarrassed and stupid. And then Rin called out her name.

“Maki Maki Maki. You said you’d sing “Telephone” with me.”

Yes, Maki had. But now she didn’t exactly want to. But Rin had made them practice, in front of Tora and Dia and it had been fun. Maybe if Maki didn’t look at anyone.

Rin had her wrist and was pulling her to the stage.

###

Well that was over and Maki had a genuine grin on her face. She hadn’t had the feel of performing for an audience since her last piano recital, too many years ago, and even though it was only karaoke, Maki could feel the group leaning forward on their seats, caught up in the song, laughing, watching, tapping along to the beat. Maki had even felt emboldened enough to catch Nico’s eye and wink before turning to Rin and high fiving at the end.

She slid back into the couch and Nico sat next to her, an unopened bottled sparkling water in hand. “You worked up a sweat.’

“Thanks!” Maki twisted off the cap, enjoying the sharpness of the lime twist flavor.

“Perform often?”

“Not since undergrad.”

“In a band?”

“Concert pianist.”

Nico nodded, sipping on her fruity oversized drink, “So Beyoncé or Gaga?”

Maki tossed her hair out of her eyes, running her fingers through it, feeling the sweat dampening the tips, “Why choose.”

That pleasant, inviting laugh, “Good point. Nico approves.”

Umi’s best friend, Kosaka Honoka, award winning pastry chef and owner of Homura, had the mic and was doing a stunning lowkey version of Miley Cyrus’s “Malibu”. Then Tsubasa jumped up and whispered something to Honoka who said sure and the next thing Maki knew the intro to the Hannah Montana theme song played, which got everybody in the room singing along.

And then Nico put her drink down, “Nico’s turn” and strode confidently to the front of the room, in her oversized black and gray sweatshirt, hood down, and thigh high black, rhinestone studded boots.

“For any Beyoncé fans.” And Nico ripped off a “Crazy In Love”, complete with Jay-Z’s rap verses, dueting with herself, and lighting up the entire room like a Lunar New Year fireworks show finale over Hong Kong Harbor.

Tsubasa raised a toast when Nico finished, “So very Nico to do a love song with yourself.”

“Only the best for Nico.” Nico grabbed a bottled water.

“Is that Fenty Puma?” Kotori asked, reaching forward to stroke the fabric.

“Yeah, saw it on the runway, fell in love, had to have it.”

That’s why it seemed familiar, Maki thought. She had two pieces from that collection, a black jumpsuit and kimono inspired track jacket she’d worn to some NWSL games. She and Rin both had Red Star season tickets, her spare usually taken by Umi or Honoka. She’d be able to take Dia to her first game soon.

“This is so much fun, Maki!” Rin slid in next to Maki, her face glowing. “Kayo-chin’s missing out.”

“I think she’s probably pretty happy with her concert.” Maki countered.

“Yeah,” RIn frowned, “you don’t think she thinks they’re prettier than me.”

“No, Rin.”

“Hmmmm…” Rin murmured doubtfully, leaning back, head forward. Then her phone went off.

Eli and Nozomi were at the mic, much too close to kissing for Maki to pay attention to them.

Rin groaned, bumping Maki’s shoulder. “Tora won’t settle down. I have to go home. Kayo-chin says Tora needs me to tell her a bedtime story.”

And I bet Hanayo wants someone to cuddle, Maki thought to herself.

Rin had already put down her drink and money for a tip when she froze, “But I’m your ride, Maki, what will you do?”

“Don’t worry about it. I can always call a car.”

“Someone need a ride?” Nico slid in on Maki’s other side.

“Yeah, I have to go home but I’m Maki’s ride.”

“If Maki doesn’t mind, Nico can drop her off whenever she’s ready.”

“Haven’t you been drinking?” Maki remembered the fruity drink.

Nico shook her head, “Nah, alcohol’s not really the healthiest and Nico’s got some shows coming up.”

“Maki?”

Maki glanced at Nico, who smiled and shrugged. “Okay.”

“Thanks, Maki.” RIn gave Maki a quick hug, “Say good night to Dia for me.”

“Will do. See you this weekend.”

RIn waved as she ran out the door.

“This weekend?”

“Sunday brunch.”

“Good friends huh?”

“Yeah,” Maki agreed, “We went to high school together.”

“Like me and Eli.”

“I guess.”

“How’d she meet her wife?”

“They’ve been perfect for each other since elementary school.” Maki snorted, “Some days it was a little...daunting, but Rin’s so cheerful.” Maki shrugged, “And here we are, both with one year olds.”

Nico didn’t reply and Maki glanced over. Nico seemed thoughtful, drumming her fingers against her thigh. Then she noticed Maki’s attention and did a hand gesture, “Nico Nico Ni. Want to do a duet?”

“Actually, I want to hear you and Eli.”

Nozomi caught the Eli reference or had been eavesdropping. Maki was pretty sure it was the second. Nozomi liked to know EVERYTHING that went on, whether or not it had any relevance or connection to her.

“Ooohh, Eli-chi, Maki wants to hear you and Nico.”

“Harasho!” Eli was up on the table again, “Bibi rides again. What do we do for the pretty ladies, my friend?”

Nico grabbed the mic and Eli, asking “Shall we keep the Gaga going? “Do What U Want?”

Nozomi took a bunch of singles from her purse, Umi groaned, Honoka giggled.

###

Maki had needed air and a fresh drink after the very physical Nico and Eli duet. She rolled an ice cold bottle of sparkling water against her cheek while waiting for the bartender to come back with Honoka’s beer.

“There you are?” And Nico was next to her, shouting to be heard in the crowd, “No duet huh?”

“Getting a little tired.”

“What?”

“Tired.” Maki shouted back, feeling her mood crash.

“Oh. Nico will give you that ride home, then.”

Maki nodded, and followed Nico back to the room. Honoka had pulled Umi and Kotori into a song, Tsubasa providing percussive accompaniment, and Nozomi was in Eli’s lap. Nico tapped Tsubasa on the shoulder and whispered something in her ear, Tsubasa giving her a thumb’s up and Maki waved goodbye to the group singing.

And then Nico was holding doors open, they were waiting for a valet, who appeared and handed Nico the keys to a sleek, red Porsche Boxter.

“They matched the color to Nico’s favorite lipstick.” Nico announced as she held Maki’s door open.

Maki didn’t know what to say and nodded as she slid into the seat.

“Address?”

“It’s along Lake Shore Drive, north of Evanston.”

“Good. She needs a long ride.”

Maki rolled the window down, her face was feeling hot, and her fingers easily found a twistable strand of hair.

Nico started the car and pulled out into traffic, “So you haven’t shown me any pictures of Dia. Rin showed me about 1000 pictures of Tora. Trying to get away from parenting for a night?”

Maki shrugged, “Babies are babies.”

Nico glanced at Maki. “But yours is the cutest, right?”

“Of course,” Maki relaxed a little. Driving with Lake Michigan on one side and the Chicago skyline on the other always soothed her nerves.

“I know a nice park for a picnic if you liked to bring Dia. Nico could make more of those cookies you had at the New Year’s party.”

“It’s a little cold for a picnic.”

Nico turned on the radio, “Do you mind?”

Maki shook her head.

“Have a favorite station?”

“I love listening to jazz and watching the city lights, especially in the rain.”

“Nico’s got jazz. Rain’ll have to wait for another night.” And Nico started fumbling with the radio dial. Maki reached out, her fingers covering Nico’s for a moment, and she tuned it to her favorite station.

“This is the best.”

“Nico will program it.”

Maki went back to staring out the window, at the darkness of the Lake as they sped up Lake Shore Drive.

“Maki?”

“Hmmmmm…”

“Do you not date?”

Suddenly Maki’s every nerve jangled and only the seatbelt kept her from catapulting forward, “I date...well, not right now, but I’ve dated...just women, but...and Dia’s not...but…” and Maki stalled, out of ideas and things to stumble over saying and mouth opening and closing and gasping for air and hands clenched and why did Rin have to go home early…

“Maki.” Nico’s voice was calm. “I’ve just been trying to ask you out and you don’t seem interested. So I will stop.”

There was silence. And then Maki said ‘Oh.”

“Nozomi told me you were going to be there tonight...and...you seemed really interesting...and Nico just wanted to hang out, maybe talk some. You’re very pretty.”

“Ummm…”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything.”

There was more silence and Nico humming along with the jazz.

“Dia likes cookies.” Maki started softly, her voice gaining confidence.”I told her about yours. She’s got this adorable coat that looks like a duck. A picnic might be fun, It’s not supposed to be too cold tomorrow.”

Nico handed Maki her phone, one hand still on the wheel, “Add yourself to Nico’s contacts and a whole bunch of gourmet, sure to be your daughter’s favorite cookies ever are coming into your life very soon.”

Maki laughed, “We’ll look forward to it.”

Nico sat up as she accelerated, still humming, Maki admiring the sharpness of her profile, Nico’s smile gleaming like a Venus near a crescent moon.

###

Maki’s phone went off as soon as she got inside the house. Text from Rin.

R: You didn’t tell me Nico was famous. Now Kayo-chin’s mad at us.

M: US?

R: US ʕง•ᴥ•ʔง

R: You know she loves A-Rise. And Tsubasa Kira’s their lead singer and she was there too. Kayo-chin’s thinks we’re idiots ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚.

R: Did you get home?

M: Yeah, Nico just dropped me off.

R: Ooohh, Kayo-chin’ll be less mad at us if you get Nico to give you some autigraphed swag or backstage passes

M: Hanayo shouldn’t be mad at you, Rin.

M: And I am not asking Nico that.

R: But she loves A-Rise.

M: Tell her I said to remind her she loves you.

R: It’s not that big a deal.

M: (¬_¬)

Maki shook her head. Rin had too little self esteem too often. She typed off a quick text to Hanayo.

M: We were having fun, not waiting in a fan line for you. Tell Rin you’re not mad.

No reply from either. Maki hoped they were having a conversation that would improve Rin’s mood. They had such a solid history and still hit bumps. Maki had never really made it past casual dating territory. The texts always trailed off and the follow up for a third or fourth date never happened. Maki would run into them at some charity event or the corridor of the hospital and hear muttered excuses about ‘busy.” As she started to frown, entering Dia’s room, her phone pinged again. A new number.

N: Hi, it’s Nico. Are you free tomorrow around 11 a.m.. Nico will pick you and Dia up ٩( ๑^ ꇴ^)۶

Maki closed Dia’s door and leaned against the hall wall, reading.

N: But Nico will need to borrow a car seat.

Maki smiled at the boldness, typing quickly.

M: Your car only has 2 seats. Convertibles are not child friendly.

N: My sister’s SUV is. Trust Nico. I practically raised my three siblings.

M: Did something happen to your parents?

N: My dad died before my brother was born.

M: Sorry.

N: Thanks. My mom coped really well, but Nico had to help out a lot.

Maki was an adult who voluntarily decided to raise a child. Having that responsibility as a teen…

M: Sounds tough.

N: They were good kids. Cocoa’s an elementary school teacher now.

M: What about the other two?

N: Cocoro runs my business and charity foundation, Cotaro just graduated with a degree in Fine Arts. He’s got a residency in Mexico studying sculpture.

N: Isn’t it late for you? ( ु⁎ᴗ_ᴗ⁎)ु.｡oO

M: I don’t sleep.

N: Does Dia?

M: Soundly. The nanny takes care of breakfast.

N: Oh.

M: I have a lot of overnight shifts.

N: That must be tiring.

M: Nah, world is usually quiet when I get home.

N: Quiet can be nice.

M: Yeah.

N: But Nico needs her beauty sleep. I have a date tomorrow.

M: Really?

N: (✿´ ꒳ ` )

M: Good night, Nico. I’ll see you tomorrow.

N: (｀∇´ゞ

Maki put her in her pocket and opened Dia’s door,

“Hi, bun. How was your night?”

Dia was, as she’d told Nico, soundly asleep, so Maki leaned over to kiss her forehead.

“We have a date tomorrow.” Maki whispered, surprised to hear it out loud.

She settled in the chair next to Dia’s crib. It was her favorite place to think. Would Dia like Nico? Maki liked Nico, would Dia be able to tell? Dia would get fussy when Maki was nervous so Maki was convinced that babies were occasionally portable extensions of parental emotions, like speakers. Maki closed her eyes, remembering Nico and Eli, mostly Nico, dancing around each other and the open part of the room, movements sure and sensual, so much good cheer in the glances and quick bumps they’d exchanged before they spun out to interact with everyone else in the room. And there was Nico prancing toward her, no attention for anything else in the room. It was a good memory.

###

Eli was sprawled across Nozomi, her blonde hair everywhere.They hadn’t had a night out together with friends and the twins away since before the holidays started. And Nico’s arrival had put Eli in a playful mood, one Nozomi was more than willing to indulge. Nozomi sat up, not disturbing Eli that much. Nico had also been in one of the least grumpy moods Nozomi had ever seen her out of public view, just enjoying the evening and the company, specifically Maki’s company. Nico was hot for a MILF. Nozomi giggled at the phrase. Nico would strangle her if she’d heard it. But of course, Nico wouldn’t be less interested because Maki had a child. Nico was the most family oriented person Nozomi had ever met. That was one of the strongest bonds between Nico and Eli, a joint understanding of how to be the best big sister. It was so cute. Nozomi couldn’t help leaning down to kiss Eli, who woke like Sleeping Beauty.

“Nontan?” Such long, delicate eyelashes.

“Just thinking how cute you and Nico were tonight.”

“Cute?” Eli’s eyebrow arched.

“Sexty cute.”

“Mmmm...better, but I’m sextier.” Eli nuzzled into Nozomi’s bosom.

“So much sextier…” Nozomi hugged her wife, “But isn’t it great how Nico and Maki hit it off.”

Nozomi could feel Eli shrug.

Nozomi continued. “Neither of them takes enough time for themselves.”

Since Nozomi was going to talk and not cuddle, Eli flopped on her back, staring at the ceiling. “So they probably won’t have time to date so you won’t have another couple’s romance to meddle in.”

“They look good together.”

“Okay. What’s the tl;dr?” Eli sighed, “I love Nico but I don’t want to discuss her in our bedroom. She’s got her own bed.”

“Sometimes Fate needs a push, especially if people are too busy to notice signs.” Nozomi seemed to be carrying on a conversation with herself, not altering its script whatever Eli replied.

“What signs?” Exasperated, Eli sat up, “What are you talking about, love?”

Nozomi shrugged, the roll of her bosom distracting Eli, “Nico wants a family, Maki has a family, maybe…” Nozomi giggled. It was a very specific giggle, one that Eli had learned to dread, because it meant Nozomi had “helped” Fate along somehow. And when Nico was involved, that usually meant that Eli was going to be shouted at in angry midget.

“What did you do?” Eli wrapped the sheet around herself.

Nozomi yawned dramatically, shaking her head, then lying down, head on pillow, turned away from Eli.

“I’ll find out, you know.”

A snore, totally faked.

“Zhizn’ ebet meya.” Eli muttered. Where would Nozomi have been able to give anything a push? Eli got out of bed, traded the sheet for Nozomi’s robe, and headed to the kitchen. She was going to need some tea.

A/N: Hi! I was in the mood for a Single Parent AU so here you are.

[burn-in-the-dawn]

"CURSED" Characters' Age Breakdown (per the book)

Squirrel: 10 years old

Iris: 11 years old

Pym: 16

Nimue: 16

Gawain: 23 (see discussion below)

Uther Pendragon: 26

Arthur: age unspecified, likely 25-26 (see discussion below)

Lancelot: age unspecified, presumably same age range as Gawain & Arthur & Uther (to be discussed in more detail at a later date)

Morgana: age unspecified, likely 21-24 (she's stated in the book by Arthur to be 2 years younger than him, but he's an unreliable narrator about his past so that might be unreliable as well...see discussion below)

DISCUSSION/Explanation of Questionable and/or Speculated Ages

Gawain: Okay, so, the book expressly states him to be "7 years older" than Nimue & have left Dewdenn "at age 14", specifying his departure as having been 9 years before the story itself takes place (Nimue is confirmed several times in the book to be 16 - almost 17). And despite the fact that actor Matt Stokoe (29-30 at time of filming) does not pull off passing for early-mid 20s the way his costars do (IRL he's a few years younger than Daniel Sharman who played The Weeping Monk / Lancelot & only two years older than Devon Terrell who played Arthur), that's something I'm willing to suspend my disbelief on & mentally compartmentalize as "world-weariness & war have taken a toll & 'aged' him beyond his years". In part because, looking back at some of his roles several years ago, the actor looked damn near 30 when he was 23. My own ex looked at age 24 (when I met him) older than Stokoe does now, I've got a friend who looked mid-30s at age 19, I have old photos of my mother at age 13 where she looked completely indistinguishable from her wedding pictures at 23 or her nursing school graduation pictures at 27 & I myself was consistently mistaken for my mid-20s by the time I was 14. The classic "Gawain" hairstyle also does him no favors; there's a scene very early on in his introduction, when he & Nimue are alone in one of the caverns discussing the Sword & Merlin, where he's freshly clean shaven with his hair pulled back away from his face in a ponytail & while he still doesn't look 23 he does look considerably younger than in any other scene in the series. (I genuinely think that production was just kind of oblivious - with 34 year old Daniel Sharman so easily passing for a decade younger - to the fact Matt Stokoe was not 'reading' early-mid 20s the way his costars do). But more pointedly, in the context of 'Cursed', Arthur's fear of loosing Nimue to Gawain is played out only as jealousy directed at a perceived rival for her affection. Regardless of which one's responses & behaviors to other situations present as mature vs childish, they very expressly interact with eachother behaviorally as rivals & contemporaries, NOT like a youth vs an older adult (in fact, Gawain behaves markedly immaturely around/toward Arthur - on pretty much every level - up until Moycraig). They even choreographed the majority of Gawain's/Arthur's postures & movements to mirror eachother from their 2nd scene together onward, to draw a cinematic visual parallel between them from the very beginning. I think if Gawain being considerably older had been an intentional/conscious change on the part of the show, the dynamic of their relationship wouldn't have been staged so specifically to mirror eachother to such an extent.

Arthur: Now, that being said, even though the book doesn't specify I strongly suspect book-Arthur himself to be canonically no younger than 25. Reason being, in the Arthuriana Tradition, Arthur unknowingly being a Pendragon bastard or secret offspring is one of the single most consistent themes throughout centuries of varying lore, hand in hand with the magic Sword, for his claim to the throne. And the book does have him expressly introduce Morgana as his younger half-sister, which not only suggests same mother with different father but also that despite Arthur having been raised by him they know he's not biologically Sir Tor's (although Arthur thinks of him as such). Now, 'Cursed' is obviously forgoing the traditional lore of Arthur being Uther's illegitimate son, because no matter how you slice it Uther's too young to have fathered him even if you aged show-Uther up a decade+ from the book's specified 26 years old & aged Arthur down a bit. But beyond that, they've thrown in the added touch of Uther himself - having been secretly switched at birth for Queen Lunette's still-born son - not in fact being the previous king's true-born heir. Once the Sword passes eventually to Arthur, even with legends about "he who wields the sword will be the true king", Man Blood society will require more than prophecy to recognize/legitimize a his rulership. Though strictly speculation, if I had to make a prediction about Book/Season 2, it would be on Merlin or someone else uncovering evidence that Arthur's actually the previous king's illegitimate biological son rather than his "father" Sir Tor's - conceived shortly before the old king's death sometime during Queen Lunette's pregnancy - at a guess that evidence coming from either Arthur's aunt or uncle. I figure that evidence will wind up being publicly recognized/acknowledged as part of the climax of a redemption/growth arch for Uther, naming Arthur his "brother/heir", prior to his own death - giving Arthur a legitimate claim on the Pendragon throne that supercedes Cumber's claim as a Pendragon cousin. If I'm right in that prediction, since the old King had died by the time Uther was born, Arthur can be no more than 9 months younger than 26 year old Uther, making him at least 25. (It's debated within the fandom that he doesn't look or act like the character is out of his late teens, but considering the actor himself is 28, I'm really not sure how that's defined? Appearance-wise he's got more chest hair on display with his doublet on than Lancelot does with shirt off & his immature avoidance of responsibility seems from the book to be more reflective of subconsciously modeling Tor's example than an age indicator but he's old enough he's spent several years already as a sword-for-hire mercenary. So, while I do allow my theory in his parentage & age is speculation which Book/Season 2 may prive me completely wrong able - not ratified canon - I do stand by that theory for my fic-verse; how old someone "looks" is really subjective & debatable, plus if "maturity level" was meant to be any kind of concrete age indicator in the Cursed-verse then King Uther wouldn't spend the entire series & book acting like a spoiled 6 year old.)

[The following doesn't change anything about how old I think Arthur himself is, but creates some potential flexibility regarding Morgana's age: When Arthur's reflecting on memories of childhood - even via internal monolog - he's consistently inconsistent regarding what age he claims to have been for key noted childhood events (at one point in his thoughts he recalls being 16 with his living mother away tending to a sick relative when Tor died, but later on in the book he reflects that he'd been 10 when Morgana was sent away to Yvoire Convent after he inherited all of Sir Tor's debt with presumably no living mother around to prevent it; alternatively, the show specified he was age 12 when Tor died & Morgana was sent away). At first I thought it was a total screw-up in the writing, but then I reread Morgana's repeated characterization of him as inconsistent & flighty & self-serving & utterly full of shit, paired with Arthur's own characterization of Tor (who again, I don't think was his biological father but was certainly his most formative male role-model) as quite literally talking out of his ass about his imaginary exploits pretty much 100% of the time & Arthur himself repeatedly bending the truth to get what he wants as an ingrained survival habit consistently seen via interaction with people like Bors & Druuna. Again, this is purely speculation, but I think it his written contradictory self-reflections were probably very much on purpose to intentionally establish him as a starting off a significantly "unreliable narrator" the same way he recalls Tor being, to the point of lying to himself rather than deal with painful memories or take accountability/responsibility for uncomfortable personal flaws & faults. I suspect that him overcoming that tendency that he learned from Tor's example - with actions like admitting to Nimue he was in the wrong going after the first man he ever killed (mistakenly believing him to be one of those responsible for Tor's death) shaming his father's memory & like coming back to fight with/for the Fey - are going to be a driving feature within his growth/redemption arch in Book/Season 2.]

Morgana: The book specifies Arthur telling Nimue that Morgana is 2 years his junior; however, he establishes himself as such an unreliable narrator that I feel like anything he says about him & Morgana that's not directly corroborated by Morgana herself is suspect, even their age difference, so I'll allow for the possibility of the age gap potentially being up to 4 years instead of 2. If my guess (see above) about Arthur's paternity - therefore his age - is correct, that puts Morgana herself somewhere between 21 -24. Per societal norms of the period, that actually puts her into "old maid" territory, but contextually to the historical era, she would have been able to get away with dodging societal pressure of being married off against her wishes by that age - up until leaving the abbey at least - because of having been at convent (in contrast to 16 year old Pym, who in both the book & the show says her mother's trying to force her into an unwanted marriage to "Stinky Aaron" the human fish-wife's son).

(note: I compiled this mostly as a quick reference citation I can direct myself or my fic readers back to for my 'canon' logic on the ages I've assigned characters in my stories. I went with the ages listed in the book for my fic-verse because of the express lack of clarification of most of them given in the show & am speculating on the others based on lore-related theory, so yes the potentially problematic age difference is present. I don't intend to villainize Arthur over having pursued her, partially because even though the readers know she's 16 there's nothing in the book & only one brief comment from Gawain in the show which isn't followed up on - Ector calling her a child doesn't count because he dismisses all of them as children - to indicate that Arthur knows she's that young & many contextual reasons for him to have assumed she was older. I apologize if that offends, but it's not meant as an endorsement of it; as the story outline/concept for this fic-verse stands I have no plans on romantically pairing Nimue with anyone & no plans for Pym so soon after Dof's death to be seriously looking at anyone in that capacity until much later in the story.)

[withyounct]

What’s wrong kid? (5)

Reader X Single dad!Jaehyun

Genre: Fluff, Angst

Words: 3.3k

Prompt: You notice a child crying at a school playground. You decide to see what’s up and meet an extremely stressed/extremely handsome father.

Prev | Next

A/n: I wrote some sad shit in the middle… Enjoy!

Time went by smoothly. You would pick up Hyunjin and hangout with Jaehyun when he got home at night, all while being a productive college student. Over time you two went on more dates and even brought Hyunjin along for the ride on a few of them. You learned that Hyunjin was a natural at ice skating and Jaehyun signed her up for the children’s class. Everything was pretty mundane for the most part. However, midterms where closing in and Jaehyun’s project was in full swing. Other than a few lunch dates off campus and dinner every now and again, you barely saw each other. There were times that you fell asleep on his couch while studying and found yourself waking up in his room the next morning. He would always leave notes about how cute your sleeping habits were or that he made breakfast and Hyunjin’s lunch before leaving, so you could sleep in if you wanted.

Hyunjin, being the sweetest child ever, would help you in any way she could. She would make you little snacks while you studied, picked dinners that didn’t take much time to make, offer to help you make flash cards, and even going as far as putting herself to bed. You about cried at how much of an angel she was.

After a few agonizing, brain numbing, weeks you were done with midterms and free to actually breathe.

Or so you thought.

It was Friday and you left your friends early to go pick up Hyunjin’s skating gear from her house before picking her up. She had missed several days of class because of how busy you and Jaehyun were. She of course was a saint about it, and you promised that she could skate to her hearts content when exams were done. She was immediately excited when she entered the car and bounced around the whole way there. She spotted her friends the moment she entered the building, taking her stuff, she waved you bye. You smiled at her retreating figure and found your usual spot on the bleachers.

Sighing, you ran your fingers through your hair. You weren’t feeling great, but blamed it on fatigue. One of the mothers sitting in front of you asked if you were alright. Smiling, you lied. You knew you were having the telling signs of a cold creeping up on you, but having just finished exams you convinced yourself you weren’t that unlucky.  An hour and a half later class ended, but Hyunjin wanted to stay a little longer and work on her spins. The coldness of the arena was getting to you more than usual at this point, but since it was kind of your fault she was behind in class, you let her. The next thirty minutes were torture for you and no amount of tugging on your sweater could warm you. You called Hyunjin and told her it was time to go with the promise of bringing her back tomorrow.

“Y/n are you okay?” Hyunjin asked as you were making dinner. She sat on top of the island with your help. You nodded your head and patted hers. As you tried to walk away she held on to the sleeves of your sweater and looked at you unconvinced.

“You look just like your father right now.” You laughed. “I’m okay. Just a little tired, promise.” You pinched her cheeks and went back to making dinner. You were thankful at how chatty Hyunjin was, she went on and on about everything and you zoned out. The rest of the evening went by peacefully and you were putting Hyunjin to sleep. On your way down the hall you heard the front door close. Turning into the living room your vision started to haze and you swayed to the side. In a matter of seconds Jaehyun was at your side.

“Hey are you okay?” He asked. He led you to the couch and felt your head. “Y/n, you’re burning up.” He stated. You leaned into the coolness of his hand and sighed.

“I should get home.” You whispered.

“No, you’re not going anywhere. You can’t walk without swaying let alone drive.” You were about to protest, but the look on his face was final. There was a little voice in the back of your head reminding you of how his wife died and you sat silently. Jaehyun pulled out his phone and pondered for a moment before dialing a number. He looked down at your panting figure while it rang.

“Taeyong I need a favor. Y/n is running a fever. If it’s not too much trouble, can you take Hyunjin for the weekend, so I can nurse her back to health without the risk of Hyunjin getting sick as well?”

“Say less. I'm on my way.” Taeyong replied without hesitation before hanging up. About twenty minutes later he showed up with an obscene about of medicine and other cold essentials. He cooed sadly at your small figure in the blanket burrito Jaehyun wrapped you in. He was busy petting your head while Jaehyun went to pack a few things for Hyunjin and retrieve her. She was very confused, but hugged your burrito form and left with Taeyong.

Jaehyun picked you up and transferred you to his room. There he buried you under more covers and it was getting hard to breathe, but looking at his concerned face, you kept it to yourself. He left to make you soup with the stuff Taeyong had bought and medicine. You stared at the ceiling bored until he came back. He sat by your side while you ate and tried to give you the liquid medicine afterwards. You, being a complete child, squirmed away from him and made a face. After a few seconds of squinting at each other you took it.

“So, a biology major who hates medicine?” He laughed as he laid you back down.

“Shut up, I'm dying.” You pouted. You looked up at him and bit your lip. “You know, my roommates wouldn’t mind picking me up. I don’t want you to get sick.”

Jaehyun looked at you a bit hurt. “No. You do so much for me and Hyunjin, so let me do this one thing, as your boyfriend, for you.” He pleaded, gently moving some strands of hair out of your face. You wiggled your way to him and placed your head on his thigh.

“Fine.” You muttered. He smiled and ran his fingers through your hair.

“Plus, it’s a good thing that I'm a responsible adult and got my flu shot.” He stated and there was a heavy silence from your end.

“Man, I knew I was forgetting something…” You laughed awkwardly. The last thing you remembered before falling asleep was Jaehyun trying to suffocate you with a pillow.

You woke up in the middle of the night feeling ten times worse. Sitting up you felt as if you were trying to cough up your lungs. Jaehyun rushed into the room.

“You okay? Never mind, dumb question.” He sat by you and rubbed your back until you calmed down. He left briefly to make you tea and held your back to his chest while you drank.

“This sucks.” You whined, handing him the empty mug. You turned and buried your face in his chest.

“I'm going to need you to always act this cute.” Jaehyun laughed while wrapping his arms around you.

“Jaehyun, I'm dying.” You whined into his chest; you felt the vibration of his laughter as well as his steady heartbeat.

“But you're so cute.” He kissed the crown of your head. You stayed like this and felt yourself drift away as Jaehyun rocked you back and forth.

The next morning you were surprised with breakfast in bed and a ridiculous amount of cuddles. Jaehyun had woken up pretty early to stop by your place, grab you a few things, and deal with a worried Kun and Ten. As the afternoon approached you got tired of laying down and wanted to walk around for a bit. Jaehyun held your cheeks in his hands to check your temperature. After squishing them, he decide that sitting in the garden and getting fresh air would do you good.

You held your arms out to be picked up and Jaehyun had to take a moment to compose himself at how cute you were. He very happily carried you outside, spinning you around every now and again.

Thankfully it was a pretty day out.  You decide to sit on the grass while Jaehyun sat on one of the benches. You laid back and soaked up the warmth of the sun. Smiling, you began to describe the meaning of the various plants across the large garden. Jaehyun, surprised at your vast knowledge, moved to sit by you.

“Peace Lilly, peace and hope. Usually given after someone has died.” You said the last part quietly. You both stared silently at the large plant. It was alone in the greenhouse at the center of the garden. It was beautiful in a haunting way.

“Lilies were her favorite flower. The irony of that.” Jaehyun said suddenly. “I met her freshman year. We were both at a party neither of us wanted to be at, but had really pushy friends. I had finally escaped them and was hanging out outside when she appeared. She was so beautiful and there was an air of confidence that clung to her. I downed my drink, calmed my nerves, and walked up to her.”

You smiled softly, imagining a nervous fetus Jaehyun. You pulled your knees up and leaned on them.

“We talked for hours about everything. She was an English and education double major and wanted to be a teacher. At the time I was undecided and had no idea what I wanted to do. She hated coffee and I can’t function without it. She loved mornings and signed up only for morning classes, while I picked the latest ones I could. We were so different, but we just clicked. I asked her out on a date right there in then. She thought I was drunk and not in my right mind, but I was adamant, and we went on a café date the next day.” He laughed. “We dated for a few years and she was the one that pushed me to do architecture. I screwed up and got her pregnant; we found out and she wanted to keep it. At first I didn’t and panicked, we were both young and way over our heads to raise a child, but she sat me down and told me that we’ll make it work. She finished up the semester and put college on hold. That was around the time I proposed to her. She said yes of course. We had, in my opinion, one of the greatest weddings two college students could have. Taeil was our DJ and it was awesome. She had Hyunjin with no difficulties and the first thing I remember was how small she was. They placed her in my hands, and I was afraid that I would hurt her if I held to tight. When she got discharged from the hospital I baby proofed the whole apartment to an outrageous extent. Hyunjin couldn’t even hold her head up and I was worried about her bumping into the corner of the table.” He sighed, running his hand through his hair. “Two years later, I finished up school and was interning when I got the call. Some drunk asshole collided with her car on the driver’s side. She died instantly. Hyunjin was in the back seat right behind her; it was a miracle she survived. Hyunjin was in the hospital for a few weeks for broken ribs and trauma. She used to have nightmares about that night, and I would hold her until she fell asleep. She hasn’t had any in almost two years, but she doesn’t talk about her mother much.”

You didn’t know you were crying until Jaehyun wiped one of your tears from your cheek.

“Sorry. Dead wife talk with my girlfriend is inappropriate.” He laughed, but there wasn’t any mirth behind it.

“No, I'm happy you told me.” You tried to smile through the tears, but it slowly faded. “I'm really sorry.” You wept. No matter how hard you tried, the tears didn’t stop. Your heart physically ached for him. He continued to wipe your tears until you calmed down.  

Jaehyun tried his hardest to make you smile and resulted in saying really cringey jokes, which, for some reason, worked.

You sneezed and Jaehyun, laughing, said it was time to go back to quarantine. He picked you up once more and took you back to his room. You spent the rest of the afternoon reading a book off of his bookshelf while he worked on his laptop next to you.

“I used to get sick a lot as a child.” You said having the overwhelming feeling to share something personal. Jaehyun trusted you enough to know about his past, so you thought you would extend the same courtesy. He shut his laptop and turned your way, giving you his undivided attention.

“I was born with a pretty big hole in my heart and not in the cliché way. It’s called atrial septal defect, and it’s not uncommon for infants. It usually closes itself up, but mine was too large for that, so I had surgery. Along with that I was a pretty unhealthy child. Low iron deficiency, prone to anemia, asthma. Colds turned to fevers quick and would leave me bed ridden for days. I remember when I was in elementary school we were going on a field trip to the mountains. I knew I was getting a cold, but I didn’t want to miss it. So, I didn’t say anything.  I had my inhaler, so I thought I would be fine. Like an inhaler was a cure all.” You laughed. “We were walking about when I started to feel dizzy and breathing was getting harder. I panicked and forgot I had my inhaler and eventually fainted. My friend, Lucas, somehow got me on his back and carried me to one of the teachers. We’re still friends to this day.” You smiled. “I woke up and my parents were there. I remember how mad they were. When I got home I was grounded for being so reckless.”

“You were just a kid. A sick one at that.” He furrowed his brows.

“Yeah well they weren’t great. They divorced when I was in middle school and have since remarried. I barely talk to them. I'm a hundred percent sure me being sick all the time put a strain on their marriage and they just wanted an escape from each other and me.”

“That’s not true. Parents unconditionally love their kids no matter what.” He argued.

“That’s sweet that you think that, but not all parents are as amazing as you. Unfortunately, the world doesn’t work that way.” You smiled. “My father was the first to move away and I haven’t talked to him in years. I lived with my mother. Well kind of. Her now husband moved in and they had a healthly boy, who she loves more than anything. I got a job while I was in high school and met the rest of my friends during that time and would spend more time at their houses than my own. Since moving to college, I haven’t talked to either of them and that’s fine with me.”

“Wow.” Jaehyun said softly.

“Yeah.” You chuckled. “But my friends are like my family and they get a kick out of babying me. Kun and Ten act as if they physically pushed me out their wombs and because of you I got two cool dads. And I have you and Hyunjin. So, all things given, I'm pretty spoiled.” You beamed.

Jaehyun had a pretty tough time separating himself from you, but you were getting hungry and he had to start preparing dinner. You offered to help him, but was told not to move an inch and was tasked with picking a non-horror movie to watch, even though it was technically his turn to pick the movie.

You ended up watching your favorite Ghibli movie.

The next day Jaehyun was working on stuff in his home office and you felt a lot better. You were walking around the garden again and noticed the peace lilly’s leaf tips started to turn brown. Looking around you found a watering can and watered the plant.

Monday morning rolled around and you were restored to full health. Jaehyun had dropped you off at home on his way to work. You had a hard time peeling your roommates off you when you entered the apartment. With many kicks and punches from your end, you got ready and left for class. The rest of the afternoon was a carbon copy of the morning. Your friends were overly worried about your health, and as sweet as it was and as much as you loved the attention and them, you wanted to choke them.

You left early, wanting to pick up a few things before getting Hyunjin. You smiled when you walked into the flower shop.

“Jungwoo?” You called. The said blonde appeared from around the corner and smiled at you.

“Y/n. Guess who passed the calculus mid-term? Me!” He sang happily. “Thanks for the notes.”

“Any time. I need help finding a couple of things.” Jungwoo, being a fairy incarnated, helped you find everything with ease. You paid and picked up Hyunjin. You told her that there was a task to complete after homework and she was more so excited than confused.  

While she did her work, you moved all the things you bought to the garden. You yelled at Hyunjin to meet you there when she was done. About twenty minutes later she walked into the garden and entered the greenhouse in awe. You had bought new soil, plant food, and fertilizer all for the peace lilly as well sunflowers and lavenders to plant around it. You dug out a ladder from one of the back sheds and had lights placed next to it.

You learned over time that Hyunjin spoke with her eyes as well as her mouth and they were both screaming in excitement when you passed her a pair of children’s gardening gloves.

Jaehyun came home way early than usual and was confused when he found you both out back. Hyunjin saw her dad in the distance and ran to him screaming about how amazing everything is. She handed him her gloves, telling him to take over for a minute so she could use the bathroom. Perplexed, Jaehyun walked across the garden and into the greenhouse.

To say he was taken aback would be an understatement. The lilly was surrounded by rows of sunflowers and lavenders and the ceiling of the greenhouse was decorated in fairy lights.

“Okay before you say anything, I was walking by yesterday and the lilly wasn’t looking too hot and I had the spare time and I remember Hyunjin saying her favorite flower was sunflower and the lavenders paired nicely with everything and the lilly just looked really lonely in here and I hope I'm not overstepping any boundaries an-” You were too caught up in pointing at everything, defending yourself that you failed to realize Jaehyun level with you. He placed a chaste kiss on your lips before smiling. The look in his eyes was something that left you winded; it held an underlining message that you couldn’t decipher and before you could comment on it Hyunjin returned and the three of you finished tending to the garden.

Jaehyun spun a pen in between his fingers and stared off into space. He and his friends were in one of the conference rooms not doing anything, mainly just hiding from their secretaries and responsibilities.

“I'm in love with Y/n.” He said simply. The sudden statement caused Yuta to choke on his drink and eyes flew Jaehyun’s way.

“Holy shit.” Johnny smirked.

[always-la-belle-epoque]

hi what is mash and why do you love it so much because i need to know if i need to love it too thanks

Hello, anon! It took a bit because I wanted to put time into my answers, so here you are! 

What Is M*A*S*H: 

M*A*S*H is a tv show about doctors/nurses stationed at a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (M*A*S*H) unit on the frontlines of the Korean War. The show focuses on the medical staff as they desperately try to save the lives of young soldiers. Many of the doctors are draftees and they are faced with trying to cope with the horror of a war they want no part of and that is the absolute antithesis to their professional calling. They fight against death every day, struggle against military bureaucracy, and try to keep their sanity. Often that deep stress is released in humor, practical jokes, and wildly unmilitary antics, but the true costs and realities of war are never treated lightly. I’ve never seen another show that can make me laugh so hard and then turn on a dime to make me cry just as deeply a second later. The show is a beautiful examination of human nature, heart, found family, loss, helplessness, despair, exhaustion, humanity, and hope,. 

M*A*S*H ran for 11 years, from 1972-1983 and the finale, Goodbye, Farewell and Amen, is still the most-watched television broadcast in history (the NYC sewer nearly faced collapse because people would all flush the toilet at the same time during commercials, and the streets were totally empty of cars as over half the country, 150+ mil people, watched the finale live together all at the same time. Can you imagine?!). Plus, it’s been in continuous syndication for 45 years which is impressive. M*A*S*H is for all generations, it resonates far beyond the era in which it was made, or which it was made about.

Why Do I Love M*A*S*H So Much (in general):

I don’t think there is another show out there in the history of the world that has written such narratively wonderful, deeply moving character arcs. I don’t know if there’s another show out there where the characters grow so much from their relationships with one another. Or a show that depicts masculinity in such a healthy, tender way. It is normal on M*A*S*H for male characters to: Cry. Hug. Tuck each other in. Hold hands. Perform emotional labor. Actively listen. Dance together. Sleep with teddy bears (and not have it be a joke). Admit they were wrong. Change and grow from being wrong. Etc, etc. 

And while Major Margaret Houlihan is the only female lead, her character arc is the most beautiful of any character I have ever watched or read. The show doesn’t start out particularly feminist, but it definitely ends that way (both male and female characters evolve here and it’s wonderful). And if more tv shows had characters half as complex as Margaret Houlihan, tv would be a whole lot more interesting, and women would be a whole lot farther along toward equality, imo. 

Why Do I Love M*A*S*H So Much (the personal): 

I was 15 or 16 when I started watching M*A*S*H. I was going through a very dark time in my home life. But my Mom would usually have M*A*S*H on while making dinner or just after. It was their weird time of day where it seemed like a truce between us. Sometimes I’d even sit all 5’8 of my gangly teenage body on her lap and we’d just watch like that with her arms around me (which given that things were darkly terrible the rest of the time it was like being a small kid again in a way I really needed). We’d talk about the characters. We’d talk about the stories. We both loved Margaret Houlihan (it’s interesting that Margaret has the most valuable traits I learned from my Mom - things I like most about her and am grateful she taught me despite all the bad stuff). 

Soon I was racing home after school and jamming in a blank VHS so that I could record each ep. I’d cross reference between tv guide and IMDB to try to see if any eps that I hadn’t seen yet would be on so I could record them for my collection. I made an elaborate cataloging system because they weren’t shown in order! And some eps were shown only rarely!! (I’m only 28, it amazes me that this was how things were not that long ago lol). 

Anyway, the DVD box set came out and I saved up alllllll my $ for it. Thank goodness, because then I got sick and for a few years the M*A*S*H characters were the most consistent and truest friends I had. The show is deeply personal for me. I can watch it over, and over, and over. It makes me laugh, and weep, and cheer. It’s like having friends. Like having family. 

Should You Love M*A*S*H too?

I want you to love M*A*S*H. I want everyone to love M*A*S*H! And M*A*S*H holds up. It’s still radically progressive. It’s still - in this time where North Korea is a frequent headline, where we have a government we do not trust, in a world where we have been at war since 2001 - deeply relevant. 

Here’s the thing though: it was made in the 70s, about events in the 1950s, and this is 2019 tumblr-land. You’ve all read the roasts about lack of critical thinking skills on this website and ability to contextualize, and those posts are unfortunately not wrong. And the world has changed - and changed for even better than what was, at the time, truly radical! Even terms that were the liberal, pc term in the 70s have changed now and are not liberal or pc anymore which for the 2019 watcher might raise eyebrows. But the show is extremely pointed about calling out racism, homophobia, sexism, military fetishism, colonization, etc. I think maybe the only other show I can think of that goes so hard at dogged and relentless political call outs would be One Day at a Time. So I feel protective of M*A*S*H because in 50 years maybe we will look back at ODaaT and say yikes about certain things, though that feels crazy to say now. 

If you do want to watch, here’s my advice (pull down your pants and slide on the ice (sorry, omg M*A*S*H jokeee)): 

Do not start with S1. Start with S4, or S5 even. For one thing, there are some cast changes at the start of S4 so you get intro-ed to everyone again in “Welcome to Korea pt 1 & 2” and “Change of Command.”  It’s a really good starting point to see a lot of characters on the brink of change. Don’t get me wrong, I still really love S1-3 but the characters haven’t grown yet. I love going back because I know them so well, but if you’re just meeting them, I recommend getting to know them in the middle of their journey, watch them evolve, and then go back and see where they started. And I think Col. Potter/BJ really elevated the tone of the show.

Because M*A*S*H is an older tv show, most people who love M*A*S*H never watched the show in order because we could only watched it in syndication! And you don’t really need to watch in order! In fact, CBS had the final call for episode order so sometimes even the air order is different than the writing, filming, intended order. Also, because they had 11 years of content over a 3 years of war, the show itself isn’t chronological. Due to probability (there are just more Potter/BJ eps) I saw more S4+ eps when I was first watching the show so again that’s my newbie preference. Now that it’s on Hulu (and remastered OMG) it might be tempting to watch in order, but really do recommend skipping around or at least starting later in for sure. You’ll learn context as you go (recs below). Then once you get the characters and their arcs it’s suuuuper fascinating to watch in order. 

 Fight me: Is everyone bisexual on this show??! Yes, yes they are. This is where I go full 2019 tumblr-brain, lol, but looking back I think it’s one of the reasons I loved it before I understood myself. It’s gentle, tender, pretty wavy. Alan Alda’s Hawkeye Pierce is, like, arguably canonically bi, like I even wonder if he was intentionally written/played that way on the dl. It’s pretty blatant?? And don’t even get me started on Margaret Houlihan. Godddddddd. 

 On that note, and maybe you will fall over, but Margaret and Hawkeye are my actual, #1, forever OTP. Which is weird for you, dear readers, I’m sure, as I run a v strict wlw blog and I’m very proud about that. But broken people who heal and change and grow because of the other is my tea, jam, and bread (”crackers and jam! too bad!” ;) ),  and so far the writing of other characters and relationships hasn’t a hope of even coming into the range of depth these characters have (obvs not just wlw ships, all other mlw ships are The Worst as well, we’re all doomed, why does tv suck). But anyway, I would take them over any ship any day of the week goombye (but also….shipping Margaret is kinda like….not the point of Margaret Houlihan). 

It’s worth noting that M*A*S*H has a character named Maxwell Klinger who wears a dress to try to get out of the army via a Section 8 (previously known as a “psycho”) discharge (remember lgbtq was still classified as a mental illness, smh). Obviously, this is potentially triggering. And, obviously, not okay in today’s world. To me the show does call out that it is the policies/laws/politics that are crazy, not Klinger. I think there are still some fairly modern ideas in his portrayal in that anyone who treats him like he is crazy, or is disrespectful, is very pointedly shown to be bigoted/an antagonist. Klinger is excellent at his job, brave, loyal, true, and that’s all anyone who is a protagonist cares about (and I do think they try to show to the extend they could during the time it aired that even if Klinger were not doing it for a discharge, they would respond the same way). Fwif, imo, Klinger isn’t played as a one note joke for wearing dresses, in fact, to an extent, he does wear them utterly sincerely. He loves, deeply loves, clothes and fashion because loving something gives him something to live for. It becomes his passion, not a gag. The gag is that Klinger will do anything to get out of the war through any available loophole he hears about (having an imaginary pet camel, eating 10 sausages in a single day, eating a jeep, trying to get into West Point aka join the military to get out of the military), etc. His comrades in arms treat him very sincerely and are very protective. Early on, a jeep comes in with wounded and Radar pulls Klinger away from the blood, “careful, you’ll get your dress dirty” in the most serious, sweet way. Col Potter is always very serious and sincere about telling Klinger when one of his dresses is a fav, and Klinger positively glows. When Klinger has to trade his dress collection to local women in exchange for shelter for the wounded during a bug out, Col. Potter, regular army in his 3rd war, tells Klinger (who is in tears) that it’s the finest act of bravery he has ever seen (and he means it). When Margaret desperately wants to look pretty and Klinger pulls out one of his best frocks and helps her dress in it - Margaret who grew up in combat boots wanting a crew cut - it’s pretty emotional (and I bawl when he gives her the wedding dress, goddd). As for Klinger himself, he’s one of my favorite characters. He has the biggest heart and I love him (and yes, I might feel differently if I had a different life experience than I do - that is why I’m flagging this as something that might not be for everyone, or might be trigger - because history already is triggering, and not everyone might be as moved by him as I am).

If you’re a 30 Rock fan you will know the star Alan Alda as Milton Greeen, Jack Donaghy’s father, and if you love Beauty and the Beast you will know that the actor who voiced Cogsworth is a major (lol pun) character in S6-11! But that’s all crazy to me because they are always M*A*S*H, first and forever, and always in my mind! I can’t believe they’re all in their 80s now, or that so many of them have passed.  :( They are truly my whole heart, my family, my home. 

If you do want to watch, recommend you start with the following eps (omg this list is long but it feels so short):

Welcome to Korea pt 1 + 2 (s4)

Change of Command (s4)

Aid Station (s3)

Death Takes a Holiday (s9)

Carry on, Hawkeye (s2)

Bug Out pt 1 + 2 (s5)

Dear Sigmund (s5)

Period of Adjustment (s8) *my first ep ever :,)

The Bus (s4)

Sometimes You Hear the Bullet (s1)

Tuttle (s1)

Crisis (s2)

O.R. (s3)

5 O'Clock Charlie (s2)

The Nurses (s5)

The Interview (s4)

Movie Tonight (s5)

Abyssinia, Henry (s3)

Hepatitis (s5)

Your Hit Parade (s6)

Peace on Us (s7)

Eye for a Tooth (s7)

Old Soldiers (s8)

Life Time (s8)

Stars and Stripes (s8)

Hey, Look Me Over (s11)

There’s a million more things I could say about the show. I feel like I haven’t summarized it justly. If anyone wants to chime in with why they love M*A*S*H, what your fav ep is, etc, please do :)

[vmstudies]

30+ things i learned in my first semester of college

Okay, so as a college freshman in her second semester, I wanted to write all this down before I forget it all or it becomes irrelevant. College is a trippy af time, especially for freshmen, and I know high schoolers are all freaking out trying to find what’s true and what’s not. So here’s what I learned my first semester of college, and some stuff I’m still learning.

Warning: this post is long af. 

disclaimer: I’m a nursing ROTC student so I’ve got like a million and one things on my plate at any given time, and I have a wake up call at 5:00am almost every day of the week, so if you have to/already do wake up early, this will be great for you.

1. Be patient. You’re going to have people around you doing all different things. You may not be going out, but your hall mates will. Learn to let go and let them be. Unless they’re screaming excessively in the hall at 3am. Then maybe say something.

2. Do all the extra credit you are offered. Most professors only have 3-4 exams and a final. At least 99% of mine so far have done that. Take what you can get and do everything to keep your grades up.

3. Time management is key. I personally suck at it, but I find ways. Unfortunately sometimes, for me, it means cutting sleep, which I would not recommend, especially if you’re waking up so early. But learn to manage your time the way that works for you.

4. Find a good pair of headphones. Some noise cancelling ones preferably. Those will become your best friends.

5. Coffee will be other your best friend. Even if you don’t drink it. I never had a single cup of coffee till first week of second semester. I drink a cup a day now.

6. Eat well. It doesn’t have to be a salad every meal, but find the healthiest options you can that you like. The Freshman 15 is real, and I gained it, but I’ve lost 10 pounds just by eating a portioned amount of each food group per day.

7. Exercise. This goes along with eating in preventing the Freshman 15, but it also helps with stress relief and focus among a million and one other health benefits.

8. Take chances. Nothing illegal and nothing that could jeopardize your health, grades, or future, but just remember that when a moment passes, you can never get it back.

9. You don’t have to be best friends, or even friends at all with your roommate. But make an effort to get along. My roommate and I learned very quickly that we were not going to be best friends like we thought, but we get along well enough, and that’s all that matters.

10. You’re probably not going to remain friends with all of your high school pals. Even the ones who go to school with you. I thought the group from my high school at my uni would be my best friends and now I only see them when my roommate brings them by.

11. Take a chance on everyone. You’d be surprised who could become the best friend you’ve ever had very quickly.

12. Colleges will want your living situations for next year very quickly. Don’t panic. Just get it done before rents go up.

13. Look for ways to contribute to your city. Volunteer at churches or food banks or homeless shelters or hospitals - wherever works best for you. You start to feel a part of a community when you give back to it.

14. Skipping class isn’t bad, but only when it’s done a few times. If you only show up for exams, you’re screwed, because there are things on the exam that won’t always be on the PowerPoints. TL;DR: show up to class.

15. Don’t drink after people. Mono runs rampant on college campuses, and it’s now airborne. Hand sanitizer is your third new best friend. 

16. Exam season isn’t that scary. As long as you’re maintaining your grades in a class, the finals should be okay. Should be.

17. Assuming you aren’t a commuter, if you have the ability to go home every weekend, don’t. The weekends are a time for you to hang out with friends and have fun at college. If you’re spending it at home, it’s not even worth it.

18. That being said, if you have the ability to go home “often” and you’re happy and comfortable at home, visit every once in a while. It’s good for the soul.

19. Many professors are there to complete research requirements. That being said, it doesn’t matter to them whether they’re good professors or not so long as they get their work done. That being said, you will have some shitty professors. Just work hard and beat them by beating their class.

20. You will have some professors who are, to put it nicely, absolute dicks. Again: beat them by beating their class. Ace that shit then never sign up for a class with them again.

21. Find the study style that suits you best. Rewriting notes is absolutely useless for me. This semester, my study style has become taking notes in notebooks in my dorm, and just having the PowerPoint up to add notes to the slides as my profs speak. It works.

22. Have someone in every class you can text and ask questions or study with. Cooperate to graduate, kids.

23. This one is huge. You will get homesick. It’s almost a total guarantee. It may not be immediate, but it will hit and it will hit hard. Don’t worry. Nobody’s freshman year is what they say it is. Yeah, you’ll find your group, but chances are you’ll spend the first semester drifting and asking if you’re the one person in the entire world who isn’t enjoying things. You’re not. We’re all in the same boat. Just keep drifting. You’ll find your group eventually. Who knows - they may be closer than you think.

24. Sororities and frats may seem like all that, but - at my university at least - while they’re huge here, they’re also a major pain in the ass. Rush for sororities was literal hell, and one girl I was talking to the other day said she lost 12 pounds in just that one week. Know what you’re getting into.

25. If you’re single and remain that way, don’t worry. There’s nothing wrong with you there either. People move at their own pace. My best friend has, like, 5 guys wanting to date her right now, and I have absolutely no one (that I know of). Don’t worry. Just keep doing what you’re doing. The right one will come eventually.

26. Know what you’re worth.

27. Get to class at least 5 minutes early. I’m always running to my 8:30 and it sucks.

28. 8:30 classes aren’t that bad. As someone who is most definitely not a morning person, I have yet to complain. It’s nice to get up and get going for the day.

29. 6:00pm classes suck. Mine ends at 7:15 and then I still have to go get dinner, which is in the opposite direction from my dorm, get back to my hall, shower, eat aforementioned dinner, do schoolwork and study, etc. It’s a pain.

30. Find something small you can do that makes you happy. For me, it’s Korean. I started teaching myself Korean halfway through last semester and I like to think I’m doing pretty well for someone self-taught. I also have a stack of notecards that hits the 26oz mark on my Nalgene. It’s kind of insane.

31. BUDGETING IS SO FREAKING IMPORTANT. I cannot stress this enough. And so is saving. If you get a paycheck or an allowance of any kind, put some of it away in savings every time you get paid, and try not to touch that savings money.

32. Be open to everyone else’s likes/dislikes/thoughts/feelings/opinions. You don’t have to agree or like it, but respect it. You’ll meet people who have all different hobbies, opinions, religious/political views. As long as they’re not out there preaching that we should all just kill each other or whatever, idk, respect it. Respect Dems if you’re a Republican; respect Republicans if you’re a Democrat. Respect Muslims and Jews and Christians/Catholics and Hindus and Buddhists and anything else you can think of. Respect.

33. Keep your dorm neat. Make your bed every day. Clean room=clean mind. Clean mind=better studying.

34. Do your laundry every week, y’all. Shit gets nasty.

35. Only bring what you need. If you find after 2-3 weeks you haven’t used it, send it home. Dorms are tiny. You need all the space you can get.

36. If you’re religious, find your religious community. It will be a great reprieve a few times a week. I was never overtly Catholic, and I’m still not, but it’s nice to get away for an hour a week. Plus after 5pm mass Sundays they feed us home-cooked food, and it’s freaking good. Take advantage of that.

37. Find a place on campus that reminds you of why you’re there when you have doubts or you’re feeling homesick. For me, it’s the first place I ever saw when I stepped on campus: the main lawn. It’s super relaxing and it’s a great reminder that I’m there to kick ass, get a degree, get a commission, and become the person I’m supposed to be in the process. It can also mean the difference between contemplation and a total breakdown. TL;DR: find a place that eases your mind.

That’s all I can think of right now, but if you have more that I missed, feel free to add on! Again, this is all from my own personal experience, and if you find that you don’t agree with one, okay. One size does not fit all. But this is just what I recommend. Have fun in college and good luck! Remember: YOU GOT THIS THING!

[surveyyyys]

It’s 2020.

1. What did you do in 2019 that you’d never done before? I got really into fitness! I started lifting weights multiple times a week, and really taking care of my body. I put on a lot more muscle over the past year, and I finally actually like my body a lot! On a related note, I also went to a professional east coast bodybuilding competition. I didn't go for myself obviously, but I went to support my boyfriend.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Actually I did! I was one of those cheesy people who wanted to get in shape and start working out in the new year. I actually stuck to it, and working out became a really big part of my life.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Nope I don't think so!

4. Did anyone close to you die? Thankfully, no.

5. What countries did you visit? I stayed in the US the whole year... but I think that's gonna change in 2020!

6. What would you like to have in 2020 that you lacked in 2019? Complete personal and financial independence, and a fresh start. And it's going to happen! I'm starting my first real job in June, and I'm moving into NYC. I'm graduating college too. It's gonna be a big year for me.

7. What date from 2019 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? September 24, the day I got into a relationship with my current boyfriend.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Getting a solid full-time Equity Research analyst position in NYC for after graduation.

9. What was your biggest failure? I tried to stay single. I really did. I wasn't necessarily happier when I was single, but my head was clearer and I was always on top of my shit. But I couldn't stay truly single in 2019 for more than a month or more without being dragged into some stupid situationship with a guy that ended up expiring after 2 months. At the end of 2019, I ended up getting into a real relationship. I feel like I've spent a lot more of my young adult life in relationships or situationships rather than by myself.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I didn't actually!

11. What was the best thing you bought? This personal barbell pad. It makes hip thrusts and squats so much easier. I also got a couple hip circles for glute activation exercises. They changed my glute training because I finally started feeling exercises in my glutes... they're the reason I have a butt now!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? This is gonna sound conceited but... mine? My world-famous Career Anxiety got me a full-time job in the first month of my senior year. Plus I absolutely killed it at my last internship and I learned a ton.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? My sister's on-again-off-again boyfriend... he's awful. The administration of the student organization I had to quit. The boy I dated during the entirety of Summer 2019 -- he sucked.

14. Where did most of your money go? Starbucks and Amazon hehe

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? A couple things: Finally making progress at the gym and seeing my body change Doing a good job on my final presentation during my internship That one time I went out with my intern friends and got shitfaced and had probably the most fun I had in all of 2019 Getting into a relationship with my current boyfriend; I didn't think it would end up being a real relationship. Getting my full-time job offer in NYC (by far the most exciting)

16. What song will always remind you of 2019? Evelyn by Kim Tillman! It's my theme song and I discovered it in 2019.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: i. happier or sadder? Happier. ii. thinner or fatter? I would say bulkier. I look bigger, but I turned a lot of the "skinny fat" I had on me into muscle. iii. richer or poorer? Much richer for sure!

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? LOL towards the end of 2019, I kinda let my grades fall by the wayside because I thought I had it all figured out. I wish I studied more at the end because I could've preserved my GPA and saved myself a lot of needless studying. This is out of my control but -- I wish I had a chance to drink and party more. 2019 was an almost entirely sober year... I only got really drunk once in the entire year. I think that actually contributed to how dry and sad I was for most of the year!

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Listening to Ariana Grande LOL. This one is also out of my control -- I wish I spent less time alone. I spent the majority of last year sitting in my apartments at school and talking to my voice diary and trying to make sense of my personality and the reasons why I was alone. I did eventually become content with my alone time, but I wasn't really happy. I wish I had a more active social life. I also wish I spent less time with that boy over the summer. He was a waste of time.

20. How did you spend Christmas? I was at home for winter break on Christmas. I don't think I really did anything!

21. Did you fall in love in 2019? Yes! I fell in love with my current boyfriend. I also thought I loved the summer guy, but I really didn't.

22. What was the best holiday this year? Halloween! I think I had the most fun that day out of all the other holidays.

23. How many one-night stands? I don't think I had any one night stands this year! That was all 2018 me.

24. What was your favorite TV program? I don't know actually. I don't think I watched that much TV in 2019. I just binged the Good Place though, but idt that was my favorite.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? My apartment-mate (not my roommate, she's great). I also hate her ex boyfriend. I also hate this toxic horrible friend I used to have. I cut her out in 2019.

26. What was the best book you read? LOL the only book I read was Tina Fey's autobiography. It was pretty good!

27. What was your greatest musical discovery? Again, Evelyn by Kim Tillman.

28. What did you want and get? A job. And Gymshark clothes from my parents!

29. What did you want and not get? Honestly, fun memories and a social life. Also this one first-year teaching position at my university.

30. What was your favorite film of this year? Joker! (Unpopular opinion, but it's the truth!)

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? At midnight on my birthday, I was having really good sex. Then I went into work and had a pretty productive day! Then at night, I had sushi with my sister.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably satisfying? If my boyfriend had gotten into nursing school. It would've been perfect. But now he has a new career and new aspirations to work towards. Maybe it's for the best and maybe he'll be happier! We'll see.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2019? I mean, I spent most of the year in sweatpants. I moved away from the bold makeup and the fashion choices I made in the past. But I did start buying a lot of athletic gym leggings and sports bras! My favorite Look TM of this year is my staple matching sports bra and leggings set that I wear to the gym.

34. What kept you sane? The gym, definitely. And my mom.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Ariana Grande apparently LOL. Also Hanna Oberg!

36. What political issue stirred you the most? Trump's impeachment. But I think that stirred everyone. (I mean it in a good way, I'm glad Trump was impeached.)

37. Who did you miss? My ex boyfriend for a brief time. I still wasn't over him in the beginning of last year. I also missed all the friends I lost. I hated them and they sucked, but at least they kept me company.

38. Who was the best new person you met? My boyfriend!

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2019: I'll tell you a couple: - Anyone can be anything. Barriers to entry are minimal, and you can end up doing something you never thought you would. - You can tell yourself you're going to go out and chase your dreams, and you can tell yourself you're running away from a stable and boring life. But you have to truly want it and believe in it for it to happen. If you don't dedicate yourself 100% to that crazy dream inside and out, you will end up opting for the backup plan. - You are your best when you're making first impressions. - Just because you're not strong enough to follow your dreams doesn't mean you should discourage other people from doing what they want to do with their life (as long as it's within reason). If someone you love is willing to put in the effort to chase a dream they believe is worth it, you should support them, even if it seems risky. Try to minimize the risk, but don't knock down the plan altogether.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. Every blue moon I get convinced that I can't ever make it happen by myself. I've been awake to see the day devour the night. I've seen decay give way to growth and make the most of nearly nothing, Till human voices break us and we drown, we drown, Seductive and impeccable abuse. You do it to yourself, I bet you know you do. I love you 'cause I do it to you too.

[wellpersonsblog]

The Life-Changing Power of a Plant-Based Diet: A Case Study

When I think of Matt Tullman, a partner at No Meat Athlete and the co-founder of Complement, “unhealthy” is not the word that comes to mind. 

The dude drinks an entire Vitamix of smoothie every morning, and literally does a kettlebell workout during many of our phone calls. 

And he has a “30×30” goal — for 30% of the population to be plant-based by 2030, which means health shapes everything he does, both personally and professionally.

This is the Matt Tullman I’ve gotten to know over the past several years, so when he recently shared that not that long ago, he was 30 pounds heavier and functioning primarily on coffee and junk food, I could hardly believe it.

But it’s true. 

It wasn’t until something big happened — a loss of a family member — that he began to take a good hard look at his diet and his health (inside and out), and found that he needed to make a change.  

This isn’t a story of radical transformation or dropping 100 pounds in 50 days. The internet has plenty of those, and oftentimes, they’re unrelatable. 

Instead, this is a story of how eating whole plants can not just help you lose weight, but shift your entire physical health, way of thinking about food, and lifestyle.

‘I’m Healthy-ish, Right?’ An All-Too-Common Story

As Matt puts it, he never really thought of himself as unhealthy. 

As I barreled through my 20’s, I felt ‘healthy’ and was content with my physical appearance. I had no idea that, on the inside, things weren’t going as well as they appeared.

At the time, I was running a start-up that helped K-12 schools transition from textbooks to technology. I spent much of my time going between classrooms and district offices, often taking two flights per day. I ate whatever was in front of me. Or, if there was nothing around, I’d go all day without eating, except for large quantities of caffeinated liquid, of course. I was a slave to our corporate mission, and never gave a thought to long-term health considerations.

You’re young. You’re invincible. And you’re not that unhealthy, right? 

Aside from the whole K-12 start-up, I could have written a similar story. Many of us could. We grow up and go through college on a pretty standard, junk heavy diet. Maybe drink a little too much beer. Maybe drink a little too much coffee. 

We might get to the gym for a little weight training from time to time, but that hardly makes up healthy. 

Then as we get a little older, the weight starts to build up.

Then… something happens. For Matt, it was pretty dramatic.

I lost a loved-one to malnutrition and Coronary Artery Disease. I was shocked, confused, and determined to understand how this happens to the human body.

‘Stop eating everything. It’s all poison.’

If you know Matt Tullman, you know he doesn’t do things half way or gradually. He’s the kind of guy who commits to a 100-mile bike ride 6 weeks away. After not having been on a bike since high school, buys a bike, signs up, and sets out for a 40-mile training ride. 

(That’s a true story, it just happened.) 

When he started doing research and began to fully understand the link between food and health, his all-or-nothing instincts began to kick in. 

I was determined to embrace a plant-based lifestyle. I remember calling my girlfriend (now wife), Adriana, and saying, ‘Stop eating everything. It’s all poison. I’m pretty sure organic lettuce is fine. I need to do a little more research. I’ll get back to you.’

I was joking, of course, but the alarm was real and our approach was radical. Overnight, we became ‘vegan.’

I immediately felt a boost of energy. My need for copious levels of caffeine subsided. It was like the difference of how you feel after a thanksgiving dinner of turkey compared to a bowl of quinoa and spinach. I could recognize that my body wasn’t exerting so much energy trying to digest the food I ate.

But while I started to feel better, I also recognized that we had work to do in order to attain the goal of ‘whole food plant-based.’ We were vegan, in the sense that we ate everything except for animal products. 

But that included sugary processed food, refined carbohydrates, and lots of oil.

And while he was seeing results, he knew that to get to where he wanted to be, it would require a bit more than simply not eating animal products. 

With Whole Foods, the Pounds Fell Off

Like many new vegans — especially in the age of plant-based meats and cheeses — the transition to veganism often includes foods most people would call “indulgent” to say the least. 

Vegan mac and cheese, Beyond Burgers, pizza… 

That’s not to say you should always avoid these foods — there’s a time and place for these tasty treats — but even if they’re vegan, these processed foods are a far cry from whole fruits and veggies. 

So Matt and his wife sat down to come up with a plan. 

We established a goal — 50% of our meals would be whole-food plant-based (WFPB).  That’s when the real magic began. My energy levels further increased; I started to feel better overall; and I started to lose weight, despite not increasing my level of exercise.

So we increased it to 75% — 3 out of every 4 meals would be WFPB, and the results continued to improve — for both my wife and me.

What’s more is how my relationship with food began to change. When I saw candy (my favorites were Swedish fish, sour patch kids, or anything chocolate), I didn’t have the same desire. In fact, over time, they lost all appeal. 

Instead, what would excite me was the colors of fresh fruit and vegetables. My friends made fun of me more than once. When a salad would be delivered to the table, I would rave about the vibrant golden beets, yellow tomatoes, purple cabbage, or red onion – knowing that’s where the antioxidants come from… I’m sure my friends assumed that I was on some sort of powerful antidepressant or something. (I was not. I just got really excited about great food!)

By this time, I had lost about 30 pounds, and my wife did so as well. (Adriana also cured her hypothyroidism during this time, by the way.)

When results are good, it’s easy to want to keep going. So they did. 

90% whole-food plant-based, 95%, all the way up to nearly 100% whole foods, and eventually even giving raw-vegan a shot. 

But then… the honeymoon phase wore off. 

Sticking to a 100% WFPB diet became something of a chore. Eating out with friends was hard enough as a vegan. Finding no-oil or no processed carbohydrates at a typical restaurant was an extra layer of difficulty (unless, of course, you’re willing to eat a salad without dressing every time you go out with friends.)

Clearly, a compromise had to be made. 

Finding a Balance that Worked

They settled on 80% whole-food plant-based, a sweet spot where the vast majority of calories come from whole plant foods, but it still leaves a little room for indulgent meals, or cooking with oil or refined carbs. 

The best part? It feels 100% manageable for the long haul, and they’ve never felt better. 

We’ve maintained this diet for over 5 years. Adriana is now on to her second pregnancy and hasn’t shown any sign of hypothyroidism. We get regular blood tests and always impress the doctor with our cholesterol and triglyceride levels. (My son is also a chubby baby, so if that’s any indication of her health as a nursing mother, we’re good!)

Most importantly, this feels like an eminently sustainable way to eat, and the weight-loss and energy-increase seem to be permanent.”

Lead by Example, How Matt’s Family Also Saw Results

After seeing the results from Matt and his wife — and maybe after a little push from Matt himself — his whole family started focusing on nutrition. 

While not fully vegan, his parents aim for around 50% WFPB as well, and the results are impressive. 

My dad, who suffered his first heart attack at 48 years old, has lost 25 pounds and has a blood cholesterol level of 109 mg/dL (he still takes a cholesterol lowering medication, but they’re looking to reduce that, given his cholesterol has been cut  in half!) My mom also lost 20 pounds and has been able to stop her cholesterol and blood pressure medications. Even my sister, who is a Type 1 Diabetic, lost some weight and saw an improvement in her A1C (a measure of blood-glucose levels over time).

When you look at the family together, they’ve collectively lost over 100 pounds, improved or reversed diseases, and are thriving on new energy levels. 

And they’re doing it without crazy physical training, counting calories, or eliminating their family foods. 

All we did was focus on getting nutrient-dense, whole plants. For my wife and I, the goal is 80% WFPB. For my family, it’s a little less. But the results have all been the same: real improvements in our health, on the inside and out.

Find Your Sweet Spot

No two people are alike. We all have different metabolisms, goals, desires, and cravings. 

That’s why no single diet can or should look exactly the same. 

But if you focus primarily on the good stuff — whole, unprocessed plant foods — it provides a base for everything else. And from there, you can tweak your diet, exercise, and lifestyle to find the right balance — or the sweet spot — that works for you and your needs. 

That’s the premise behind a brand new program the No Meat Athlete team (plus several others, including a former Olympian) developed called 80/20 Plants. Work towards an 80% whole-food plant-based diet, and tweak the other 20% to fit your lifestyle. 

Right now we’ve opened up the program just to the No Meat Athlete community. Click here to learn more. 

But regardless of whether or not 80/20 Plants sounds good to you, we encourage you to experiment and find your own sweet spot between whole plant foods and your indulgences.  

Because that could be the ticket for you and your family to live a long, healthy life.

The post The Life-Changing Power of a Plant-Based Diet: A Case Study appeared first on No Meat Athlete.

First found here: The Life-Changing Power of a Plant-Based Diet: A Case Study

[docjanefoster]

gossip.

“A woman in trauma? No one has even considered a thing.” A nurse said, decked out entirely of pink, proud of her position in the hospital. If a doctor were a female, she automatically fell under the categories of either Pediatrics, Genitourinary medicine, Gynecology, or the many maternity departments. All easy, womanly fields of medicine. All places Jane was sure to avoid as much as possible. Pink’s and purple’s never were her colors. Plus, she would be the only one wearing a set without obvious wrinkles from ever so classy wrestling in the supply closets.

“Please, she won’t last a day. I heard the bitch even turned down Doctor Walker’s advances.” Another nasal, high pitched voice chimed in as the members of the clique ate their lunches. “She must be loony, Sherry!” The other nurse added in shock, hands up in the air for emphasis. Doctor Walker was the man for any woman with a preference for dark chocolate and a mighty ego. He was a neuro surgeon, who could blame him? Only the ladies who did not think with their libido could tell he possessed enough brain cells to count on one hand. His preference included thinking with the other head. Falling head over heels for the dick with legs certainly did not settle on her list of priorities. Jane preferred tending to her work over sleeping her way through the ranks to achieve popularity and it clearly was not on her friend’s, either.

Groaning rumbled from the body across the table. “They’re seriously right there, Janie. Acting like we /can’t hear them/.” Leon commented, raising his voice ever so slightly to troll with the gossiping nurses. The bottle blonde staff had nothing on the duo’s success as true doctors in the facility. Jane was a highly skilled trauma surgeon while he was one of the day shift anesthetists. Unfortunately, his sexuality sparked seclusion by the majority of the staff, leaving the man to himself and to his work. On the other hand, one could say Jane’s lack of sexual preferences hindered her opportunities to socialize. So, naturally the outcasts took company in one another with each acting as the other’s anchor from ripping all their coworkers a new one like they deserved.

Shrugging her shoulders, Jane slumped back into her chair. “I don’t know where they find all that time to day dream and to suck dick. Honestly, I barely have enough to my day to do anything other than work, eat, and sometimes sleep.” The doctor commented as venom dripped slowly and calculated from every word. Was popularity truly worth all the work and the hype? Surely the blondes grew tired of sleeping around, fixing their scrubs, refusing to allow their eyes to blink from staring at men, and putting down others who did nothing to them. How could someone yearn to fill their daily schedule with such vile and rude actions? They were selfish, that’s how.

Leon leaned ever so closer to his partner in crime. “I heard Whitney over there,” A single thumb gestured to their left at the raven haired psychiatric PA as he spoke. “skipped her shift the other day to go off pining for the attention of attendings. Let’s just say her efforts amounted to nothing when Chief found out. Not a single man tried saving her from the repercussions. Apparently, she even played it off that she was a nurse to Wyatt, one of the new interns.” The man slowly shook his head as a smirk pulled at the corners of his lips. “Of course, the kid fell for it, ya know? New bodies to keep the cycle going in this hell hole.”

Her coworker’s complaints were not alone as Jane shared his opinions with every once of her soul. The environment mirrored times in high school as if the staff never grew up and wished to relive the glory days, or the workers wanted to create their own glory days they were robbed of in their teen years. In this society, people are known to stay with their groups they’ve had since the beginning of the hospital. The building was fairly new compared to other medical facilities in town, but the cliques and rivalries ran old and ran strong. Snagging a position in NYB Medical Center was an event along the lines of a miracle. Its staff rarely branches out unless a current worker can vouch for the newbie. Everyone flowed in directly from Columbia University, leaving little to no room for a variety.

One would believe once they got the job, the hard work was over, wrong. If a newly hired employee was not a legacy, there were two options: sleep your way to the top or continue to waste away at the bottom. Humans are social creatures who naturally crave the attention and the feeling of belonging. Greedy, vile people walked the halls in wait of a crack in the structure to slither in for the kill. Some people did not care to be snakes in the grass and simply let everyone know of their intentions. A tactic of bluntness to scare off any weak threats. Only the people lacking fucks to give survive the shit talking and the harassment. When someone new comes into the perfect little world they control, the threat must be eliminated immediately.

Jane’s appearance at NYP Medical Center rather than another New York hospital was solely caused by the high recommendation from Columbia’s dean. NYP could not turn down her application even if it wanted, so there she sat on the side lines dodging any and all bullshit. Not much time had passed before the staff quickly realized its new trauma doctor was in no way interested in sleeping with the superiors. This choice brought hell and fury down upon her. Fortunately, Jane had completed her internship and her residency in another facility, or she would have gone completely crazy from initial advancements and expectations. Of all the men, one approached her rather than believing she should do the hard work and inflate the other’s ego even more than it already stood.

His name was Brian Greggory, the hospital’s largest investor, and Jane had received pure hatred for turning him down. Luckily, the man still decided to contribute to the facility’s finances. Who would not when women practically fell on their faces for the guy? He believed only a fool would turn the chance down and a bigger fool to turn him down. His ever inflated ego had taken a hit, for sure, but he still wandered the halls from time to time, filling open legs and glaring at Jane’s closed ones. The woman did not believe in sinking so low and she would continue to stand firm against the burning despise.

Fortunately, Jane’s stance was not a lonely position. Over the weeks, she had befriended the shy, quiet souls floating around the halls and living their lives under the radar. Dottie worked among the shelves of medication in the pharmacy downstairs, a level above the morgue. A soft featured and soft spoken woman who was not even given the time of day after she had been harassed into sleeping with Brian. Apparently, one time was enough for him because his actions blurred the lines of rape. Rather than fucking the poor woman further, he threatened to fire her if she said anything to her superiors about the incident.

After Jane heard word of this, she made it her mission to befriend the woman. To be violated and to be harassed even further, Jane presented herself ready to take on anyone who called Dottie a slut, a whore, or anything of the nature. Men were not used to Foster’s no bullshit attitude and it completely threw them for a loop. In response to their wounded egos, titles were thrown out left and right, anything to place Jane in the bad eye of the public. Sadly, for them, she did not give a damn what everyone thought of her. She was a doctor in a hospital, not a child in a playpen. It is an environment for adults to work and to fulfill their purpose, not a place for immature kids to call each other names. Jane is an educated woman and that fact scared her male superiors. The thought nauseated the men employees, a female reaching their level? Skills in which she could quite easily surpass them? How ridiculous and how threatening.

That’s reality.

Glancing across the cafeteria, Jane’s nonchalant look turned to one of disgust. How low will people fall for the approval of others? Obviously too far. Before Jane could reply, a thunderous boom echoed throughout the room. Her head shot to the ceiling in an effort to figure out what the hell happened. Sneakers squeaked across the white, pristine tile floor, and a familiar, rushed voice followed as the owner reached Jane’s table. “Doctor Foster, you’re needed in the emergency room. It seems as if Timothy escaped his restraints again! Please hurry, the staff’s in pretty bad shape. Security is scouring the facility for him somewhere in the air ducts.”

Amy Addison, head nurse of the ER, gave Jane no time, instead taking off from the direction she came from. Sending Leon an apologetic look for cutting their precious lunchtime short, Jane’s head shot over to glare at Whitney. “Way to go. Maybe you should try keeping your patients in hand, hm?” The trauma doctor left without giving the other woman a chance to snap back. This is what Jane lived for, the rush and the ability to help, not the drama. Leon’s gossip and glares of shallow ladies would have to wait. She had work to do.

[johnsaye]

Planetary Motion

What a strange week, all kinds of things to do. For someone in my shape, you think I’d have just one boring day after another, but I don’t. Things are as fast-paced as I can ever think of. I’ve got on average of seven home health visits per week, two physical therapy sessions, two occupational therapy sessions, two more visits from a home health aid to help me take a bath and an extra nurse’s visit to help me through whatever I’m dealing with at the moment, although that’s going down to once per two weeks now, and then on top of that I’m doing my best to write every day. Kids are in school, I’m going each week to any number of doctor’s appointments from general practice and pain management all the way to neurology, wound care or urology as needed, and I’ve got a wonderful cat, Penelope, who naps on me a lot lately. Sometimes I just flop when it’s time to get back into the bed in the evening. 

Writing

Planning a whole galaxy of planets for world building it is tough work. Maybe I’ve gone too far? I decided as I’ve stalled a couple of times while attempting to begin writing a space opera style story that I wanted to know what all the major planets I wanted to include were. I decided that I just wanted to begin with a few (seven) individual solar systems that were habitable. I could make up stories that took place in those locations for days, and for a while considered having a single solar system where all the action happened. I thought it might be this solar system, with a future Earth at the center, but decided to stay away from that. I wanted light speed, or rather faster than light speed travel as a part of it, so I needed different places to go. So I picked a number and seven seems to be the right number, though I think maybe eight, just because I like the number eight. 

I want to know where everything is, where all the civilizations arose, who knows who, how many intelligent species are out there traveling the spaceways and what all their relationships are. Where are the natural resources, where can people, human or otherwise, live. What is the power or land grabs like. Which groups want single rule per planet, who wants a big empire spanning many planets (and habitable moons and dwarf planets.)

I’ve been working out where my barren and forest moons are, and where large quantities of rock are, and large ones that don’t qualify as planets, but might be good as a pirate base or something. The next step I want to take is to start pinpointing where intelligent spacefaring civilizations started. I want to know where didn’t leap to the stars on their own and where they did, and who first contacted them and whose side they might be on in a conflict. 

I’m barely scratching the surface of these worlds, but I ‘m finding that as I visit each character and planet, they all have a story to tell, and they want to tell me. Scenarios seem to bubble up that want to be stories, now I just have to figure out who is the lead character, because several of them keep raising their hands and want to be featured. 

Health

I had an interesting visit to the urologist this week. It’s not my favorite thing to talk about, but being a (recovering?) paraplegic fir this length of time has caused some issues to come up I wasn’t expecting. For instance, bowel movements have slowed way down, and apparently, I keep catching urinary tract infections because my bladder doesn’t empty as it should. Too much information… I know. I think I’m doing well, but it seems my bladder isn’t emptying fully as it should, and if I allow my blood sugar to spike the organisms already hanging out down in there go Ya-Ha! They have a little party and boom, I’m back up UTI alley. 

I’m very grateful for the chair Medicare just sent me, because it reclines all the way back, which allowed the docs at urology access to my butt. Got a shot in both cheeks with an antibiotic and another prescription for some additional ones to finish this garbage off. 

Twitch

In website news, I’ve integrated twitch into the right-hand panel of the site. I’m toying with a twitch as a way to interact with people. To be literally present Live on camera on my website at times. I’m pretty isolated out here. My wife is my best friend anyway, so it’s the best of both worlds there, but I don’t get to see many others who aren’t doctors, nurses or therapists, and I just wonder if this is the way to stick my neck out there. I miss being able to bring my Dungeons & Dragons books to the lunchroom to see who says hello. Today everything’s digital, so if this is it, then this is it. I was also considering doing the first draft of this year’s NaNoWriMo book on camera. I’m still thinking about that. 

Star Wars

Holy Cow! The Mandalorian is coming to Disney Plus in November and all I have to say is ‘Take my money!’ That’s just all there is to it. The trailer dropped and I’ve been going over it and over it again, maybe not with the depth that some will, but I’ve looked at it my fair share, and like many things from Lucasfilm, I think this is going to be a game-changer in what you can do in science fiction on television. I imagine it won’t be too long before every YouTuber at home has a motion capture suit and the ability to render detailed characters from their basement green screen setup. 

The fact that they are doing this now likely means they’ve mastered this technology among others over the last several movies, to make it affordable to produce quickly for something with the number of episodes to qualify as a television series. Pretty awesome stuff. I’m looking forward to the Mandalorian when it premieres. 

Reading

I can once more read the Catcher in the Rye! J. D. Salinger, someone I thought growing up to be a brilliant writer and mind disappointed me in his age to be one of the most famous hold-outs when it came to delivering his work through any other channel except for print. I’ve loved The Catcher in the Rye for many years, going through Holden Caulfield’s mind as he gathers himself up to return home again after getting ousted from yet another prep school. Salinger refused to release the book in another format, no audiobook, no movie adaptation, and especially no ebook. 

No movie, okay I can get that. It’s hard to get into a good first-person book as a movie without the lead sounding like a film noir detective, so there you have me. I don’t understand not having an audio version though, because among the disabled, as I am now, it cuts the story of from such a large group and that I don’t understand, and denying the ebook? What’s that about? In a world where the bookstore is no longer out there somewhere, but in everyone’s pocket, that seems like a poor business choice. ‘Oh but I love the smell of paper!’ No— you mean mold. Grr. He held out. When he died I found out he left instructions not to release them, and then his son held out… until now. The ebook version has been released. Maybe he needed the money? I don’t know, but I’m glad he did. 

My hands are still incapable of holding a book or turning pages, but I can read anything on my kindle app with the swipe of a stylus. I am very glad to be able to read the book again and have it in my virtual library. An audiobook is apparently still off the table. Maybe eventually. 

I still wonder, where do the ducks go when the pond freezes over? Even though I live in the south where the ponds never do. 

It’s interesting though since reading they were going to do it on the BBC website, they published that sucker to kindle quick!

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-49330560

Therapy

My therapists were excited that we won the eBay auction for an EasyStand XT, though the auctioneer doesn’t seem very interested in shipping it, and we’ve withdrawn our offer. (Because they freaked out when they figured out they didn’t account for shipping the thing…) We’ll see what eBay wants to do about that, but I very much dis;Ike it when people don’t know what they are doing. I feel for them. I’m sorry they haven’t got the wisdom to think about what shipping would cost. The bad thing is I would have happily paid extra for the shipping and worked out a deal. 

My second plan to get one is to go to my local supplier and start working a deal with Medicare for a new one, I’m going to have to pay to ship anyway, so it doesn’t really matter. I’m going to get one either way. It’s just now I’m waiting a little bit longer. That’s all. 

I see myself using one of these days as I get the strength back into my legs for standing up again. I used one of these in the hospital a few times. I need one now. So I’m going to make it happen. 

https://easystand.com/product/png50209-evolv-xt/

source https://www.johnsaye.com/planetary-motion/

[colorfulsuitdestiny-blog]

How much is average for childcare? I have a 4 year old, a 2 year old and a 8mth old. About 8 hr/5days a week?

"How much is average for childcare? I have a 4 year old, a 2 year old and a 8mth old. About 8 hr/5days a week?

I'll explain a little more. I own a duplex which I rent out the top of while my husband and I live down stairs. The renters upstairs have been my friends for a long time and they needed an apartment so we rented to them for $535 a month. After a year we agreed to trade daycare for rent so I could go back to work full time. The arangment has gone from no cash exchanged to us paying their car insurance ($90/month) the water bill ($50/month), the hot water ($35/month), an extra $190 in cash per month along with the no rent income ($535/month). We also give them about $60 in random cash when they ask for help. I provide the formula, diapers and wipes and she provides the food. The kids are upstairs from 11am to 5:30pm and she refuses to take them earlier even though if she did I could get a better schedual. I trust the woman and her son is the same age as my oldest. But there are also some serious disipline issues too. (My four year old now says bad words.) I need some advice

BEST ANSWER:  Try this site where you can compare quotes: : http://freeautoinsurance.xyz/index.html?src=tumblr 

RELATED QUESTIONS: 

State based insurance?

Trynna find insurance that only covers a few states . I need one that covers I'm Florida?

""What is the best health care plan for student while attending medical school, like nursing?""

I'm a student nursing and ASAP need some health insurance, including Emergency Room coverage. Does anyone know any type of Health Insurance for medical student like that, ...show more""

A realistic way for a full time college student to make money.?

This student is a 20 unit UCLA Law major who needs money but can't even work a part-time job. Without inculding college debt, this student needs 1.5k every month(rent, car, gas, food, insurance, utilities). A part-time min-wage job is not an option due to class load and $400-$500 isn't worth negitive effects on performance. Thus, I'm asking for out of the box ideas. No get a job at McDonalds or Spend less money . Those have already been thought of and done.""

Price of insurance for a 2002 Porsche Boxster?

My uncle's selling me his 2.7l 2002 Porsche Boxster. I'm a 16 year old boy and this will be my first car. What do you think the monthly price of insurance on it would be? I know that I should ask an insurance agent, but I just want to know what I should expect it to be around. Thanks:)""

Which home insurance company should I choose?

I'm currently shopping for home insurance and I need some answers quickly. I currently have Allied Insurance and am thinking switching over to Western Mutual because of the cost for the policy. Anyone know the differences between the two and what's the web site for checking reputations and so forth about an insurance company from the states i've living in??

Did I get a cheap Auto Insurance?

Not sure if I got a good deal from Geico. I insured my new 2008 Mazda and and old Honda Civic. I live in SoCal. Liability Coverages for both: Bodily Injury = $500,000/$750,000. Property Damage = $50,000. Medical Payments = $25,000. Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury = $500,000/$500,000. Plus Collision and Comprehensive Coverage for the new car. Total Premium = $528.70 (6 months coverage) Is this expensive? Did I choose the right amount for the coverage?""

Can i get affordable baby health insurance?

Can i get affordable baby health insurance?

How can I get my first ever used car if I don't have any auto insurance b4?

So here is the conflict: I can't drive the used car off the lot if I don't have insurance. But to get the insurance, I need to have the car purchased first. Am I missing something here?""

How will my car insurance change now that i am married?

Hi, I just got married. I am 30 and she is 23. I pay about $76 a month on my car , she pays about $125 and both are full coverage. Mine is with Geico and hers is with some other company. I will get a quote in a few days, but I was just interested, as to what our insurance rate will be when we combine, probably with Geico. Is hers going to make it very high or what can I expect. Thanks.""

How much are you paying for motorcycle insurance?

I'm trying to get a quote for insurance on a 2008 Ducati 848. I tried Geico, State Farm, All State abd Progressive but they all are quoting me around the same which is around 4k a year for full coverage and 1k a year for just liability. This seems crazy to me as im only paying $350 a year right now for full coverage on my ninja 250. I know the Duc has a much larger engine but the price difference is drastic. Im a 23 year old male with 2-3 years riding experience. Clean record and i did the MSF course when i started riding. The 848 im trying to buy is used and i would be paying in full. How much are you guys paying?""

Car insurance for a learner...?

im 17 now and want to start learning to drive. But what i want to do is buy a car, then get insured on it as a learner and have my dad take me out driving to teach me. i want a car like a peugeot 206, renault clio, vauxhall corsa, a ford KA or something small like that. does anybody know how much insurance will be for me as a learner? also im female if that helps!?""

Auto insurance for Toyota celica gts 2000?

I am getting my license on my 18th birthday and I am planning on getting a celica. The car will be on my dad name, and he's over 25yrs old. I want to know the rates of auto insurance for a sport car vs me getting a regular 4 doors. I just got a quote today and the guy told me that my insurance could be $116 a month for the celica with progressive please help me make my decision ty""

Can you buy car insurance for yourself if you are under 18?

I'm under 18 and my boyfriend wants to buy a car for us. The car will be under his name. He doesn't have a license so he will need me to be the sole driver of the car. Is it possible for me to buy car insurance since I'm underage?

I need cheap car insurance?

I am a 18 year old female and i have some violations against me such as speeding, driving with a suspended license and failure to yield ticket. My parents won't put me on there insurance so i need to find my own but they are all wayyy to expensive so far, anyone got any ideas? please""

Cheap cars to insure at 21?

ok so i am looking for a cheap car that will not cost me  for insurance the cheaper the better the car does not need to be a top of the range brand spanking new thing for all i care it can be from 1970 as long as the insurance for them are cheap

Is there such a thing as a joint life insurance plan?

Just wondering if there is such a thing that would cover my spouse and I on one policy. For ex. 20 or 30 year policy for around $150,000.00 where either myself or spouse would ride the policy.""

""What kind of life insurance is better for me, term insurance or permanent insurance?""

Is there any advantage to permanent insurance over term insurance or vis versa? I mean, basically it looks like term is the better deal because I can buy more death benefit for a lot less money, but permanent insurance gives me money with a death benefit. I'm in my late 40's, have a wife and 2 kids, normal bills, mortgage, etc. Does anyone have any opinions about what is really the better deal long term?""

Is car insurance cheaper in upstate new york?

right now i live in brooklyn new york...is there a difference?

Why have my health insurance premiums increase 72% over the last few months?

I received a letter a few months ago that my premiums would be increasing due to the ACA. I never thought they would increase by 72%. I thought President Obama said our premiums would decrease dramatically. Full coverage + Vision and dental 31/m non smoker (very healthy and active) Haven't been to the doctor in years Golden Rule United Healthcare Premiums a few months ago $193 per month $35 co pay $1500 deductible Premium starting next month $267 w/ same co pay and deductible WTF? I make roughly $2200 a month before taxes and fail to see how this is affordable.

Don't Have Insurance But My Dad Does. Can I Drive (with him) In His Car?

In other words, I'm from California and I don't have insurance nor a car. I have a Permit. The adult (with a license) has a car and insurance. Is it legal for me to drive his car (with him on passenger seat) even though my name is not on the insurance?""

What are the requirements for free health care in California?

My grandmother is from Malaysia and she is living with us in California (since November 2007). She has a green card. Her health has been deteriorating and she's been getting these terrible headaches. I really want to take her to see a doctor, but the price would be astronomical without health insurance. Is she eligible for medicare/medicaid/medical? If not, what are some other options? I'm sorry if I sound ignorant or uneducated about this, but honestly, I really don't know anything about this. Any help I can get is very much appreciated.""

Will taking a defensive driving class lower my insurance and take points off my driving record?

Ive been in two car accidents one in Nov.2007 and the other Feb. 2008 and i was wondering if taking a defensive driving course would take points off my driving record and lower my insurance.

Insurance rates 18 years old?

I am an 18 year old male who has been driving for about 2 and a half years. About how much more would a coupe cost for me than a sedan? http://www.nissanusa.com/altimacoupe/# vs. http://www.nissanusa.com/altima/

Am i paying too much for car insurance?

I am in my early 30s. A single male, no kids. I have a pretty much spotless driving record. The only ticket i have had in the past 10 years that i can think of off hand was for not using a turn signal, that was over a year ago. Other than that, nothing in around 10 years. No claims on my insurance in over 10 years either. I drive a 2001 Ford ZX2, its a compact car-for those not familiar with it , it would be similar to a Chevy Cavalier or Dodge Neon. Oh, im paying $700 every 6 months for full coverage car insurance through Nationwide. I have been with them ever since i started driving. This seems like alot. Is it? My friends tell me im overpaying, yet when i call around other places to get quotes i never find anything cheaper. In fact several places have told me to stay where im at. I dont have a problem paying it, but im just trying to find out if this sounds about right and fair as far as the price goes. Anyone out there a insurance agent?""

""How much is Insurance on Fireworks up to $2,000,000.00 in Maine?""

Thinking about opening up a Fireworks shop and want to know how much I'm looking at a year for insurance need a policy with the min $2,000,000.00.""

How much is average for childcare? I have a 4 year old, a 2 year old and a 8mth old. About 8 hr/5days a week?

I'll explain a little more. I own a duplex which I rent out the top of while my husband and I live down stairs. The renters upstairs have been my friends for a long time and they needed an apartment so we rented to them for $535 a month. After a year we agreed to trade daycare for rent so I could go back to work full time. The arangment has gone from no cash exchanged to us paying their car insurance ($90/month) the water bill ($50/month), the hot water ($35/month), an extra $190 in cash per month along with the no rent income ($535/month). We also give them about $60 in random cash when they ask for help. I provide the formula, diapers and wipes and she provides the food. The kids are upstairs from 11am to 5:30pm and she refuses to take them earlier even though if she did I could get a better schedual. I trust the woman and her son is the same age as my oldest. But there are also some serious disipline issues too. (My four year old now says bad words.) I need some advice

""What's wrong with my car, Damage and Insurance Question?""

Two days ago, I was involved in a car accident. Allow me to explain what happened. I was stopping at a stop sign, and as I put my foot on the brake, there was some black ice, and my car slid through the stop sign, straight into the intersection, where a woman hit me in the rear end of my car, which spun my car around, making my tap the back of her car as well. My car was barely left with a dent, and driving away from the scene, my car was just fine. However, when I went to drive it this morning, I noticed something was up with the back end. Whenever I hit a bump, it feels like the back end backs up, and fishtails away from the front of the car. Can you tell me what's up with my car, and how much it would be to fix whatever it is? Also, assuming you understand what happened in the accident, and knowing that I and the other woman have insurance, can you tell me who would end up paying for the damage done to her car, and whose fault it really was? Will insurance cover her damage, and if so, whose company is going to cover it? Hers or mine?""

What are some names of some cheap 3rd party Auto Insurance companies in Texas?

Tittle say it all, best answer 5 stars""

How much would motorcycle insurance be for a 17 year old?

I was looking at either a 2011 Kawasaki Ninja 650R, a 2011 Yamaha FZ6R, or a 2009 Suzuki SV650SF. I live about 50 miles away from Washington D.C. in the suburbs. My grades are A's and B's and I'm in 2 AP classes. I've never had any traffic violations for a car, not that it really matters when dealing with a motorcycle.""

Where might i find proof of insurance in texas?

I need to find proof of insurance for my car in the year 2004 is there some where that it might be saved, my insurance company no longer has records, and I am in desperate need of that proof""

What would the insurance cost for a citreon saxo?

I'm nearly 17 and i'm most probably getting a citroen saxo, a second hand one, something cheap. I was just wondering how much the insurance might costs roughly. Thankss""

Proof of insurance in Georgia?

If I will be driving someone elses car and they have auto insurance do I have to have insurance as well?

Insurance for new driver?

For a new male driver that just got their permit, which car would have cheaper insurance? 2013 Audi A6 3.0T or a 2000 Corvette convertible Most people's first responses are the Corvette, because it is a sports car. However, it has only slightly more power than the Audi, and is worth less than half of what the Audi is. Both cars are titled under the same persons name, if that makes a difference. Would the difference in value make the Corvette's insurance cheaper, or will it still be higher?""

How much are you paying car insurance NJ?

I just want to know, please answer with how much, every 6 months? age? and any driving history? My mom and I are paying 2000$ 6 months, both of us have had unsafe operation in our driving records. does that sound reasonable to you? I'm really new to this car insurance and trying to know. thanks""

How much does the car really influence the insurance premium?

I never had an accident, or points on my license. Would my insurance really go up if i were to trade a beetle in for a convertible eclipse (used, an 03)? I've always heard the sporty the car the higher the insurance, but is that true?""

USA Insurance for New Immigrants?

Hello!! I would like to inquire about medical insurance for new immigrants in the state of Florida. We have been here for 1 year now and who or what organization should we turn to? I have heard that a lot of them are expensive. I was told that we could get family insurance through employment -- but at the moment, my mom is the only one working with us, 3 dependents. So suggestion?""

Does having a Husky effect my insurance?

I live on the same property as my parents so they have the same house insurance. Well they are telling me that if i get a Husky they will loose there insurance. I have never heard of such a think. I have heard of it going up but not losing it. I just really want this dog, but I dont know if they will approve. I just dont think they approve of having another dog on there land. What do you think?""

Where do I look for Health Insurance?

In a month I'll be 18. I don't smoke and I'm enrolled in college. I want to find something affordable and simple, but mostly affordable. Who do I talk to and how will I know its a good deal? Another question is when I go to a hospital, do I have to pay it all upfront or can I make payments over time? (In two weeks I'll be getting the Implanon and its been set for about four months and my mother never bothered to tell me we lost out insurance. And the implant can be $400-$800 and I dont know the cost of a visit to a OBGYN at a hospital.) What else do I need to know about insurance?""

Health Insurance Help for Visitors?

my family is visiting us in california and need medical visit. they have visitors insurance which says that we need to pay for our visit now and they will evaluate and reimburse us. do these insurances reimburse anything and everything? what is a hospital/clinic to visit for visitors around southern california? how is kaiser?

How much will car insurance be in NY for a 22 year old male driver?

I have been licensed since I was 18 and have NO accidents or moving violations! How much will insurance be for 2001 Maxima?

How much is car insurance typically for a 19 year old in Burlington/Montpelier Vermont?

This would be on an independent coverage, not part of parents plan. It would be a Jetta (if that matters at all).""

What is the cheapest auto insurance for a 19 year old female?

I am soon going to buy a used Toyota Corolla and I live in North Carolina. I am just starting to get my driver's license and I was wondering what auto insurance is cheaper? Would it be cheaper if I was on my parents auto insurance?

What would the minimum insurance for a 2008 Ford Ranger truck for someone over 30 w/ a good driving record?

...in Texas. A female. Can you recommend one?

Car Insurance Premium?

I buy a new car on 02nd January 2012 for Rs 7,00,000.00. I paid Rs. 15,000.00 as insurance premium to HDFC for one year. My car met an accident & I claim Rs. 50000.00 to insurance company & claim settled. My question is here, will my insurance premium will be more than Rs 15,000.00 next year or the insurance premium will be calculated as per the car market value in next year ?""

Can my parents exclude me from their auto insurance?

My parents have Country auto insurance (I'm assuming Countrywide, they said the one on the commercials ) I'm 16 and I feel it's my choice whether I get my license like every other kid out there, but my parents won't let me because their rates will go up. I know some insurance company's can exclude certain people from their plans, will my parent's insurance company do that for me? I really don't want to go through the hassle of calling them going on hold explaining it correctly etc. Please let me know! Thanks.(:""

Democrats: So will there be fine for not having health insurance or not?

When I asked this question just yesterday, Democrats assured me there wouldn't be ANY fine for not having health insurance - it was an OPTION.""

I was in a car accident so i been off work how will the insurance pay me?

I been off work due.to my accident my insurance said ill get paid after 14 days due since I'm not able to work

2003 Mustang GT insurance cost?

I am looking at a 2003 Mustang GT with 93k miles on it. I am a 16 year old boy and we are looking to add this to my parent's current policy. I have good grades, we will have multiple cars and home insurance with the same company. Any idea on an approximate cost per month for insurance on this car?""

How long does it take for the dmv to get my sr-22?

i had my insurance company electronically send proof of financial responsibility to the dmv a little more than a week and a half ago and they still have not processed it. How long is the whole process supposed to take? I am dealing with the California DMV. Thanks

Is an audi a3 cheap to insure for a new driver?

I came across a forbes article that said that the audi a3 was the chepaest car to insure and this seemed a bit strange to me. Is it true? If not any advice on a good car for a new driver for under 10 grand? I really have a strong preference for vw.

My daughter is 17 next week....where can I get cheap car insurance from? I want to add her on to my policy?

She will be an additional driver. My existing insurer has refused because of her age and inexperience.

How much is average for childcare? I have a 4 year old, a 2 year old and a 8mth old. About 8 hr/5days a week?

I'll explain a little more. I own a duplex which I rent out the top of while my husband and I live down stairs. The renters upstairs have been my friends for a long time and they needed an apartment so we rented to them for $535 a month. After a year we agreed to trade daycare for rent so I could go back to work full time. The arangment has gone from no cash exchanged to us paying their car insurance ($90/month) the water bill ($50/month), the hot water ($35/month), an extra $190 in cash per month along with the no rent income ($535/month). We also give them about $60 in random cash when they ask for help. I provide the formula, diapers and wipes and she provides the food. The kids are upstairs from 11am to 5:30pm and she refuses to take them earlier even though if she did I could get a better schedual. I trust the woman and her son is the same age as my oldest. But there are also some serious disipline issues too. (My four year old now says bad words.) I need some advice

Auto insurance estimate?

new driver ( Licensed in 2013), accident free When I go to pick up the vehicle at the dealership, will they ask me if I want to pay the insurance monthly or annual? ( or do I have to ask ) Id really prefer monthly payments instead age 20. use of vehicle - work/school less than 15km 2011 Audi S4 Thanks.""

Dental insurance and plans?

i live near houghton lake michigan, and i need to see a dentist badly!! i lost my dental coverage when i turned 21, and because of my age change, i am no longer able to get free dental coverage through my state. i have 3 children all under the age of 4 that need me, and because of the pain im experiencing it is extremely difficult for me to take care of them!!! i have 5 cavities, and 2 impacted wisdom teeth. i brush every day, but i keep getting problems with my teeth. i am on a very tight budget, and cannot afford to pay out of pocket fees to go to a dentist. does anybody know of affordable plans or insurance? or if anyone is familier with the area that knows of a dentist that accepts sliding fees? any help would be awesome! thanks in advance.""

Can i stay under parents insurance and switch car title over to my name?

So my parents gave me a car for my 18th birthday a few years ago and I am still under their insurance. I gave the car a paint job that costed 2,500 and I want to make sure the care is mine, can I switch the car title to my name while still being on their insurance? They keep me under their insurance so I can have cheaper insurance while in college""

Would the insurance for a 2004 or 2006 Ford Mustang V6 or V8 be affordable for a 16 year old male?

Would the insurance for a 2004 or 2006 Ford Mustang V6 or V8 be affordable for a 16 year old male?

Will my insurance payment go up a lot?

I was recently in a car accident, unfortunately I was the one who was at fault. It had just rained the night before and the road was wet and so my brakes did not respond and i ended up hitting another car. Anyway, my question is, how much will I have to pay for my insurance now. Will it double, triple? I know that payments tend to skyrocket after your involved in an accident and your the one at fault.""

How much would insurance be for me?

I'm a 16 year old girl. I have good grades(somebody told me this was a factor)I was just wondering if anyone knew roughly how much insurance would cost for me. I was looking into a tacoma. But depending on how high the insurance would be depends what year I would get. Anybody know how much it would cost for a new? old?

Car insurance curious question?

On today i went to a car show in my area and when i was out their i seen alot of nice old school. As i was looking, i went to talk to a guy. he said invested 20,000 in his 89 chevy caprice. It had the Portable tvs, brand new engine and so on.. Then i was like man what if you wreck you vehicle, the insurance not going to pay for all that, besides you can get much for a 21 yr old car. He was like since he got full coverage and he happen to get into a accident and the car is total, he said the insurance company will reimburse him half of the money back on what he spent on the car. Is this true?""

What would insurance on a er-5 be like for a 17 year old?

I recently asked how much gsxr400 insurance would be for a 17 year old, however being a sports bike it costs more, but what would it be like for a bike like the ER-5. also i would go ...show more""

""If I buy a car off someone, how do I put insurance on it immediately?""

This would be my first car purchase and so I don't have an insurance agent. Would I need to look up a company, let them know I'm about to buy a car, then later call them back with the VIN?""

Insurance question?

what is the average price of insurance of a 18 year old male with a sports car in the zip code area of 72601

Car Insurance claim or private repair?

Hi I have accidently damaged another car parked in private car park. I have been touch with the owner who has very kindly agreed to get her car repaired and not to go through insurance but she is insisting to get it repaired from garage of her choice who are charging double the amount of original cost. My first question is do I still need to inform my insurance company even though I have not given her any of my details yet. I am happy to get it repaired rather then loosing 10 year no claim bonus. Should I just agree to pay the garage of her choice or legally I can get a quote from another garage who might be cheaper? any advise would be very much appreciated. Thanks

What would be the cheapest auto insurance for me? i am 19 and drive a 1998 camaro z28?

What would be the cheapest auto insurance for me? i am 19 and drive a 1998 camaro z28?

Traffic ticket gave the officer wrong car insurance?

I got my first traffic ticket yesterday my frist violation is i forgot to put a sticker on my car... And the secon violation i gave him the wrong (expired) car insurance instead of ...show more

What is the average rate of car insurance for 16 year old driver?

I am going to be 16 and i am just wondering how much will the insurance charge is i get added on right when i get my license?

Car Insurance Costs.?

Coverage Type: Your Basic needs Collision: $250 Deductible Comprehensive: $250 Deductible Medical: None Bodily Injury Liability: $100,000/300,000 Limit Property Damage: $50,000 Limit Towing: Yes Rental Reimbursement: None ^^ Does anyone have an clue towards how much that would be monthly?""

Wife was rear ended and i have no insurance we live in illinois and car insurance is required?

My wife was on her way home from work and was stoped at a stoplight when a car hit her from behind and we have no insurance but witness reports say the other lady is at fault will my truck be fixed by her insurance

Trying to repeal the Healthcare law which is good for the American people the only thing republicans hope?

Trying to repeal the Healthcare law which is good for the American people the only thing republicans hope will put them back into the White House?

Get an insurance on a second car?

Hi all, i am italian and i have a car insurance in my name since 10 years with no claims.I am living in Ireland now and i bought a car and when i asked for the insurance 3 different companies told me that if i want to use my no claim bonus on my irish car,i should cancel my italian insurance.But is this legal?I mean...i need to have a car insurance in Italy,i come back home often.Plus,in italy if you buy a second car you can use the bonus also in the second insurance.But,i am not very familiar with irish law,could you please help me? Thanks Valentina""

""New, young, girl drivers. How much are you paying for car insurance? Thinking about looking into NFU?""

I turned 17 last month and I have started my driving lessons. I am looking to buy a car, paying monthly over a 48 month-ish period. I want a car that's around 2500, but as expected, I can't seem to find a reasonable insurance quote anywhere. Just wondering whether anyone's had any joy? Both my parents (who would be on the insurance) haven't got any claims etc, I live in a registered D area according to the insurance area bands, I can keep my mileage below 3000 and keep my car on my driveway. Just wondering whether people gone with NFU, and basically good companies who could do a reasonable quote.""

Life insurance question?

I am looking for term life insurance, meaning the rate would would locked for 30 years regardless of my husband and I getting older. I just have couple questions, i am hoping someone would shed some light: what does this mean??: The Select-a-Term provides a level death benefit term to age 95 also what does this mean? Current premiums are guaranteed level for the first 15 policy years. if i am selecting 30 years, why are they only guaranteed for 15 years? also, what else should I be looking for? thank you!""

What insurance covers a driver to drive any vehicle?

I am looking for this type of insurance and I was told about it but I don't know if it has a specific name

Do you know how to find a cheap auto insurance online out there?

Where can I get the cheapest online auto insurance?

What Classic Cars are cheap and cheap to insure?

I'm coming up to a point in my life when I need to buy a car. (16 years old UK). I want to get a classic car like a classic VW Beetle or an Austin Mini, something with real character and not a typical first car like a Peugeot 106. Have you any suggestions on some cheap cars to insure and ones that you can buy the car for less than about 600-700 used? Thanks.""

Lending your car to somebody - insurance issues?

This is for Ontario drivers in specific, however any information is appreciated. Basically, what are the legalities of lending your car to somebody (just for a day)? What happens if they get in an accident? Does your insurance cover it? Would your rates go up? Thanks!!""

Do you pay homeowners insurance in advance?

When closing on a house, do you pay the homeowners insurance in advance?""

How much is average for childcare? I have a 4 year old, a 2 year old and a 8mth old. About 8 hr/5days a week?

I'll explain a little more. I own a duplex which I rent out the top of while my husband and I live down stairs. The renters upstairs have been my friends for a long time and they needed an apartment so we rented to them for $535 a month. After a year we agreed to trade daycare for rent so I could go back to work full time. The arangment has gone from no cash exchanged to us paying their car insurance ($90/month) the water bill ($50/month), the hot water ($35/month), an extra $190 in cash per month along with the no rent income ($535/month). We also give them about $60 in random cash when they ask for help. I provide the formula, diapers and wipes and she provides the food. The kids are upstairs from 11am to 5:30pm and she refuses to take them earlier even though if she did I could get a better schedual. I trust the woman and her son is the same age as my oldest. But there are also some serious disipline issues too. (My four year old now says bad words.) I need some advice

Cheapest tuner platform to insure?

I am a 16 year old male looking to buy his first car. I know im in the situation to get the highest insurance already, but im still looking for a tuner. I have about 4 grand to spend so ive been looking at civic vtecs, 240sx's, vw's and many others. I was wondering how much some tuners cost in insurance for my age and sex, and also any other cars that are cheap to insure, but i can get a lot of horsepower out of. Thank you!""

Car insurance for temporary work in California?

I have a 4 months of temporary work in California and I am thinking of taking my car. My current car insurance will not cover driving for work purposes in California. What is the easiest way to get car insurance for 4 months for California?

What is the average cost of motorcycle insurance in illinois for a 21 year old?

What is the average cost of motorcycle insurance in illinois for a 21 year old?

Will car insurance be cheaper if I drive my mum's car?

I'm learning to drive, but my mum won't allow me to practice in her Fiat 500 or drive it once I've passed the test. This means I can either buy myself a car or drive my Dad's car, which is a much larger Jeep. I don't particularly want to drive it though because its an automatic whereas I'm learning manual (I know automatic is easier, but as a new driver I won't be able to practice for the test and I'm worried I might forget manual if I drive it for too long) and I imagine insurance is likely to be higher. I was wondering, which of these options are likely to work out cheapest? Is it worth trying to persuade my mum to let me drive her car?""

Insurance?

how much does insurance cost for a novice driver in nova scotia? i just got my license today and i need to know how much its gonna cost me...im 16 yrs old and im gonna have my own car and im gonna be the only driver.

What amount should I expect to pay for car insurance on a 2010 Camaro? I'm 18 years old.?

I am just finally getting my license. I go to the North Carolina School of Science and Math, have scored an 800 on multiple SAT Subject Tests (2190 on my SAT), and have made straight As throughout high school. I've also attended a driver's education class (while this applies more to driver's insurance instead of car insurance, I'd assume it still carries some weight). The Camaro is a 2010 V6 LT1. Am I going to have to pay like hell to afford this?""

What is so evil and wrong about having affordable health insurance for all Americans?

Do the conservative Republicans know what it's like to be poor and struggle? Do they have any idea what it's like to be poor and not have much? All I hear from them is gloom and doom about Obama and the health care bill. If you all don't like what is going on here, then you can all just leave this great nation that Obama is the head of.""

Insurance for mitsoubishi rvr import?

Am trying to find an insurance company who will give me a good insurance price on the above car.It is a 4 door,4x4,petrol automatic,1994 grey import.My present company charging the earth because they say it is group19 sports car.Is down on the reg document as an estate!""

Buying car and insurance without driver id in ohio?

hey...i found a very good car deal and i don't wanna miss this car but i just came to usa and i don't have a ohio driver id...(i got my own country's driver id) i have scheduled my driving test for next week but i want to buy this car this week for sure...can i buy the car from owner without driver id ? and if ican buy the car can i buy insurance for this car without driver id ?

""Is a Porsche 944 good in the snow, cheap insurance, etc?""

Hi I really would like to buy a Porsche 944 but I am having trouble convincing my dad that it would be a good car for me. His main arguments are that it would not be good in the snow (I live in Upstate New York). I am willing to buy snow tires but I am not sure about what the ground clearance is on the 944. And he says that insurance would be very high for a teen. Also reliability, but the one I am looking at has only 84k miles on it. I am looking for helpful answers that go either way from expierenced people who have owned 944's. Thanks!""

Good insurance for young drivers on luxury cars?

i'm looking to get insured on a 2011 bmw x5 m sport 3.0D, i'm 19. I cant seem to find an insurance company that will insure me however there must be a way even if its ridiculously expensive, recently in the newspaper there was a guy from london with a provisional license insured on a ferrari as his first car. So yeah just wondering if you guys know any good car insurance companies for specific needs? Thanks""

Car insurance does anyone know of an inurance company that is both cheap and reliable?

having had a dispute with my insurance company i was advised by the office of fair trading to cancel my car insurance policy and reclaim I only own a small car and having searched the internet i find that i can not find insurance for less than 500. Does anyone know of a reputable insurance company that is cheap and reliable?

What is the cheapest car insurance for a 18 year old girl with a honda prelude? (what about will it cost)?

What is the cheapest car insurance for a 18 year old girl with a honda prelude? (what about will it cost)?

How much will I get back in the settlement from the Car Insurance company if...?

I have a 98' honda civic, 4 door, silver, perfect paint, moon roof, all options automatic locks, windows, mirrors, new tires, 153,00 miles, automatic everything works! I was in a car accident (guy hit me) my car is totalled according to the adjuster... How much will I typically get as a settlement, dont they have to give me enough to be able to atleast replace the vehicle with a similiar or same model w/ same options? i looked up on NADA, KBB & Edmunds... and for my car which is in GOOD condition, not excellent, not fair, not poor, GOOD it runs (based on figures from all 3 web sites) anywhere from $2800-3600... what can i expect so i can start to look around for what i can afford, because im probably just going to buy a car outright like i did w/ this one...I dont want payments, yet.""

Is group health insurance what college insurance plans use?

Is group health insurance they type of insurance that college insurance plans use? I am filling out a form for CHP+ and it asked if I have group insurance available... I attend school that provides an insurance, but I can't afford that insurance.""

""New, young, girl drivers. How much are you paying for car insurance? Thinking about looking into NFU?""

I turned 17 last month and I have started my driving lessons. I am looking to buy a car, paying monthly over a 48 month-ish period. I want a car that's around 2500, but as expected, I can't seem to find a reasonable insurance quote anywhere. Just wondering whether anyone's had any joy? Both my parents (who would be on the insurance) haven't got any claims etc, I live in a registered D area according to the insurance area bands, I can keep my mileage below 3000 and keep my car on my driveway. Just wondering whether people gone with NFU, and basically good companies who could do a reasonable quote.""

Looking for good medical insurance BUT AFFORDABLE?

i'm a senior age 62 wife 69,still working my medical insurance at work is 185.00 per payroll 307.00 per month it's killing where can i get good insurance but affordable.i live in california also i'm planing in retiring july 2013,i'll be 63, yahoo answers find me insurance i put my trust in answers people thank you gilley p.s. no kids""

What happens if you are in an accident that wasn't your fault and you have no insurance.?

question says it all LIVE : California.

How much is car insurance for me as a young driver?

I was just wondering how much people normally pay on car insurance because im sure im being quoted wrong. Im male and 21 and wanted insurance for an old corsa or pergeot or just any car which is cheap on insurance...

How much would insurance for a 16 year old(male) driving a BMW 2006 650i be?

My parents have no accidents or tickets ect that they look at when you're getting a quote. I just bet them that I could get a quote for this car without them ^_^ I livee in washington 98037. Verryy Much appreciated if you could try and see how much the quote would be. Also, I have a 3.8GPA. (P.S. Don't Be A Stalker)""

Question about my car accident and insurance?

Last night I was involved in a 4 car pile up. I was stopped at a red light when i was hit. I felt the impact of all the cars behind me. The lady who caused the accident was drunk. She was arrested. I have state farm full coverage. She has state farm insurance also.. So here is my question: I owe 7000.00 on my car. The car is valued at maybe 6000.00. Even though I was no way in the wrong, will I have to cover the difference if my car is totalled. (which it probably will be) And also, have severe neck pain. I contacted an attorney. As much pain as im in, im scared to miss work. Will this affect my case if i miss no work. (And if i did miss, it would only be for a couple of days)""

Question about getting a car insurance quote?

If I go to say, State-Farm's website and get a quote. They need information like my specific address. I'm new to this, why do they need phone numbers or addresses? Am I going to receive spam mail from them or something? I know where I live affects my car insurance, but a specific address.. I'm just lost. Thanks""

How much condo insurance should one get?

if i have a condo that i want to get insurance for, what is a good amount? the condo is 1215 sq ft w/ 2 bath & 2 bedroom.""

Car Insurance Question?

I'm going home for the holidays in December and want to borrow my dad's truck for the 3 weeks I'm there. Does my insurance policy (currently drive a Prius) cover me for driving my father's vehicle? Does his policy cover me driving his vehicle?

Does anyone know where a couple in their early 60's might find affordable insurance.?

We had really great insurance but, it went up from a little less than $600.00 to over $1000.00. We cannot afford that.""

How much is average for childcare? I have a 4 year old, a 2 year old and a 8mth old. About 8 hr/5days a week?

I'll explain a little more. I own a duplex which I rent out the top of while my husband and I live down stairs. The renters upstairs have been my friends for a long time and they needed an apartment so we rented to them for $535 a month. After a year we agreed to trade daycare for rent so I could go back to work full time. The arangment has gone from no cash exchanged to us paying their car insurance ($90/month) the water bill ($50/month), the hot water ($35/month), an extra $190 in cash per month along with the no rent income ($535/month). We also give them about $60 in random cash when they ask for help. I provide the formula, diapers and wipes and she provides the food. The kids are upstairs from 11am to 5:30pm and she refuses to take them earlier even though if she did I could get a better schedual. I trust the woman and her son is the same age as my oldest. But there are also some serious disipline issues too. (My four year old now says bad words.) I need some advice

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-average-insurance-motorcycles-vs-cars-us-merry-alexander"

[samanthasroberts]

Betches Love This College: The University Of Georgia

College is the best four years (five if you play your cards right) of any betchs life. No no. That wasnt a question. So in honor of college admissions season being like now, were bringing back Betches Love This College. That way, you can pick where to go to school based on important shit like parties and drinking rather than grades and what you want to be when you grow up. Youre welcome in advance.

In terms of where to apply, everyone knows Manhattanites go Ivy League (and Emory), while West Coasters love the Arizona schools. But what about Southern betches? Where tf do they go? The University of Georgia, thats where. UGA has all the cool shit Southern schools are known for like gorgeous people, insane Greek life, an awesome-ish football team, etc., but its also really hard to get into these days so you cant be a total hillbilly and go there. Sorry Alabama, maybe next year. So heres what you need to know.

The People

Greeks: Given that UGA is a massive Southern university, its not exactly groundbreaking that Greek life is no fucking joke. In terms of whos who, you can put them into two categories: old row and new row. Your old row sororities (ADPi, KKG, Theta, XO and Phi Mu) pretty much have the Atlanta private schools on lock, plus rich Texas and North Carolina girls. So unless youre one of those or the worlds hottest legacy, youre not getting in. But dont fret, public school betches. There are a handful of new row sororities that are just as good if not better. KD, ZTA and AOPi are definitely the best.

For the fraternities, theyre exactly what youd expect. Super fratty and douchey. Look out for pledges the first few weeks of school. Theyll be the guys walking around campus in suits who look like they want to fucking kill themselves. Poor kids. Before your 4-5 years are up, youll definitely want to be asked on Old South because who doesnt want to get wasted in an antebellum dress? So make nice with the KAs.

Orientation Leaders: You know the girl in high school who was the head cheerleader, volleyball captain, class president, valedictorian and still managed to volunteer at the local nursing home on the weekends? Yeah, this is what she becomes in college. There are guy OLs too, but that didnt work with my analogy. Every year, 12 people are picked from the entire 30,000+ person student body to help the freshman figure shit out before move-in day. If Taylor Swift had gone to UGA, she probs would have been an OL. Seems like the type.

Hipsters: Besides that Travelocity commercial and being the worlds greatest college town, Athens is a pretty artsy place. Most importantly, it has a kick-ass music scene, so what does that mean? Hipsters be flocking so they can see musicians before they go mainstream. They leave town during home games, hate the Greeks and smoke a lot. Theyre probs photojournalism or lit majors and arent involved in anything on campus because thats for the stereotypical norm. Fucking duh.

Athletes: If youre not one of first three, youre most likely a student athlete. Football players are easy to spot because theyre the massive, Nike-clad guys who ride around campus on red vespas. Have you ever seen a linebacker on a scooter? Its a sight. But tbh, no one really gives a shit about seeing football players. Too common. The athletes to be on the lookout for are the Gymdogs, UGAs badass gymnasts, and Olympians. UGA had like 30 people compete in Rio and they won 10 medals. Thats more than most countries. Pretty fucking impressive. If you see any of the gold medalists, be sure to get that shit on your Snapchat story.

Where To Live

Freshmen: All UGA freshman are required to live in the dorms. Just a heads up, these arent the dorms of Buckingham fucking Palace you see on Pinterest. The box my Tori Burch riding boots came in is bigger than these. But suck it up. Its just a year. In terms of the best dorms to live in, the high-rises are the only way to go. There are a shit ton of other dorms around campus that are nicer, but only weirdos live in those and they arent as fun. Youre here to get shitfaced and meet people, not for the Ritz Carlton-esque amenities.

Sophomores: Assuming you go Greek, and I feel like most of yall reading this will, you move into the sorority house your second year. UGA sorority houses are mansions and can house about 60 girls so hopefully you dont need much alone time. The upsides? You have a chef who cooks all your meals, maids and maintenance people to fix things, and theres always something fun going on. The downsides? No alcohol in the house, no boys upstairs and if you eat all three meals everyday youll get fat.

Upperclassmen: If freshman and sophomore year wasnt enough to get the batshit crazy out of your system, you move to Georgia Heights. This place isnt disgusting like a frat house or anything, its just in the middle of downtown where all the bars and restaurants are so if you live here, youll end up going out every single night. Rent is high because the location is fire and the apartments are super nice. If youre more of a chill upperclassman, you and your friends should rent house in Five Points. Theyre close to Milledge (Greek row) and the stadium so theyre perfect for hosting tailgates and wine nights.

Nightlife

Pauleys: Every night out starts at Pauleys, a crepe bar that serves a billion different beers on tap and insanely cheap bottles of wine. Tbh, no one really goes there to eat, although at least one person at the table will order the chips and Terrapin beer cheese dip or a Nutella banana crepe. The real gem is the Manmosa, which is just a mimosa plus vodka. Aka a regular betch mimosa.

Bourbon: Its technical name is Bourbon Street, but dont call it that or youll look like a newb. This is the closest thing to a freshman bar Athens has. Why no real freshman bar? Because the only places that are 18+ are sketchy af and no one goes there. Im not going to go into the deets about what you need to have in your wallet to get into these 21 and up bars before youre actually of age because I dont want to be liable for your law-breaking ass, but I think youre picking up what Im putting down. If not, talk to your big. Shell hook you up. Back to Bourbon. Its a total shit show because freshman who cant handle their liquor take over the place. But its a rite of passage and its always rated one of the top college bars in the U.S. so if youre in Athens because youre a student or just in town for a game, you have to go there.

College Ave: Along this stretch of downtown are three bars you need to know: Sandbar, City and Silver Dollar. These used to be considered upperclassmen spots, but now you can find pretty much anyone there. Because there are so many bars in Athens (80 in one square mile for all you mathematicians), no one just stays put in one place the whole night because that would be boring. Since these are literally all right next door to each other, theyre super easy to bounce in between when you need a change of pace. These are the places to see and be seen.

Creature Comforts: Besides being one of the best breweries in the whole damn country, Creature Comforts downtown address makes it the perfect spot to pregame a night out or day drink instead of going to class.

Big Events

Shower Cap: In the spring, all the fraternities host huge parties so everyone can cope with the fact that football season is over. Literally every frat has one, but SAEs Shower Cap is the biggest and best of them all. Tbh, I have no idea why were all so obsessed with it. Its just like hundreds, maybe thousands, of blackout people on a fraternity house lawn, but its amazing. Theres always a band and the people watching will give you life.

Twilight: Every year, Athens hosts this crazy bike race called Twilight in the middle of downtown. Three reasons why everyone loves it: 1) This isnt like you and your first grade bestie seeing who can get to the bottom of the hill first. This race is some Lance Armstrong level shit. 2) Its always right before finals week so everyone gets drunk af because theyre actually gonna have to study soon. 3) Open. Container.

Georgia-Florida: All of football season at UGA is a big event, but theres nothing bigger than GAFLA. The school literally plans fall break around it because they know everyone would still bail on class if they didnt. Every year, the game is played in Jacksonville, Fla., but instead of staying close to the stadium, UGA students stay a few hours away in St. Simons. Why? Because its bullshit that its in Florida every year, and Georgians want to keep their tax dollars in state. Im not even kidding. Thats the real reason. The Friday before the game, the entire student body takes over a stretch of beach aka Frat Beach and has a massive cluster fuck of a party. The residents of SSI hate it. The university hates it. But despite their many attempts, theres nothing they can do to stop it.

Drawbacks

Every August, youll think its UGAs year for football and that this team will go all the way. Every October, your hopes and dreams will be shattered. Just go ahead and prepare yourself for football heartbreak.

Parking is a fucking nightmare, the bus drivers are absolute savages, and regardless of which direction youre walking, its miraculously always uphill. So getting around campus is a bitch. But if you take the walking route, youll have a killer ass.

Source: http://allofbeer.com/2017/05/30/betches-love-this-college-the-university-of-georgia/

from All of Beer https://allofbeer.wordpress.com/2017/05/30/betches-love-this-college-the-university-of-georgia/

[jimdsmith34]

Betches Love This College: The University Of Georgia

College is the best four years (five if you play your cards right) of any betchs life. No no. That wasnt a question. So in honor of college admissions season being like now, were bringing back Betches Love This College. That way, you can pick where to go to school based on important shit like parties and drinking rather than grades and what you want to be when you grow up. Youre welcome in advance.

In terms of where to apply, everyone knows Manhattanites go Ivy League (and Emory), while West Coasters love the Arizona schools. But what about Southern betches? Where tf do they go? The University of Georgia, thats where. UGA has all the cool shit Southern schools are known for like gorgeous people, insane Greek life, an awesome-ish football team, etc., but its also really hard to get into these days so you cant be a total hillbilly and go there. Sorry Alabama, maybe next year. So heres what you need to know.

The People

Greeks: Given that UGA is a massive Southern university, its not exactly groundbreaking that Greek life is no fucking joke. In terms of whos who, you can put them into two categories: old row and new row. Your old row sororities (ADPi, KKG, Theta, XO and Phi Mu) pretty much have the Atlanta private schools on lock, plus rich Texas and North Carolina girls. So unless youre one of those or the worlds hottest legacy, youre not getting in. But dont fret, public school betches. There are a handful of new row sororities that are just as good if not better. KD, ZTA and AOPi are definitely the best.

For the fraternities, theyre exactly what youd expect. Super fratty and douchey. Look out for pledges the first few weeks of school. Theyll be the guys walking around campus in suits who look like they want to fucking kill themselves. Poor kids. Before your 4-5 years are up, youll definitely want to be asked on Old South because who doesnt want to get wasted in an antebellum dress? So make nice with the KAs.

Orientation Leaders: You know the girl in high school who was the head cheerleader, volleyball captain, class president, valedictorian and still managed to volunteer at the local nursing home on the weekends? Yeah, this is what she becomes in college. There are guy OLs too, but that didnt work with my analogy. Every year, 12 people are picked from the entire 30,000+ person student body to help the freshman figure shit out before move-in day. If Taylor Swift had gone to UGA, she probs would have been an OL. Seems like the type.

Hipsters: Besides that Travelocity commercial and being the worlds greatest college town, Athens is a pretty artsy place. Most importantly, it has a kick-ass music scene, so what does that mean? Hipsters be flocking so they can see musicians before they go mainstream. They leave town during home games, hate the Greeks and smoke a lot. Theyre probs photojournalism or lit majors and arent involved in anything on campus because thats for the stereotypical norm. Fucking duh.

Athletes: If youre not one of first three, youre most likely a student athlete. Football players are easy to spot because theyre the massive, Nike-clad guys who ride around campus on red vespas. Have you ever seen a linebacker on a scooter? Its a sight. But tbh, no one really gives a shit about seeing football players. Too common. The athletes to be on the lookout for are the Gymdogs, UGAs badass gymnasts, and Olympians. UGA had like 30 people compete in Rio and they won 10 medals. Thats more than most countries. Pretty fucking impressive. If you see any of the gold medalists, be sure to get that shit on your Snapchat story.

Where To Live

Freshmen: All UGA freshman are required to live in the dorms. Just a heads up, these arent the dorms of Buckingham fucking Palace you see on Pinterest. The box my Tori Burch riding boots came in is bigger than these. But suck it up. Its just a year. In terms of the best dorms to live in, the high-rises are the only way to go. There are a shit ton of other dorms around campus that are nicer, but only weirdos live in those and they arent as fun. Youre here to get shitfaced and meet people, not for the Ritz Carlton-esque amenities.

Sophomores: Assuming you go Greek, and I feel like most of yall reading this will, you move into the sorority house your second year. UGA sorority houses are mansions and can house about 60 girls so hopefully you dont need much alone time. The upsides? You have a chef who cooks all your meals, maids and maintenance people to fix things, and theres always something fun going on. The downsides? No alcohol in the house, no boys upstairs and if you eat all three meals everyday youll get fat.

Upperclassmen: If freshman and sophomore year wasnt enough to get the batshit crazy out of your system, you move to Georgia Heights. This place isnt disgusting like a frat house or anything, its just in the middle of downtown where all the bars and restaurants are so if you live here, youll end up going out every single night. Rent is high because the location is fire and the apartments are super nice. If youre more of a chill upperclassman, you and your friends should rent house in Five Points. Theyre close to Milledge (Greek row) and the stadium so theyre perfect for hosting tailgates and wine nights.

Nightlife

Pauleys: Every night out starts at Pauleys, a crepe bar that serves a billion different beers on tap and insanely cheap bottles of wine. Tbh, no one really goes there to eat, although at least one person at the table will order the chips and Terrapin beer cheese dip or a Nutella banana crepe. The real gem is the Manmosa, which is just a mimosa plus vodka. Aka a regular betch mimosa.

Bourbon: Its technical name is Bourbon Street, but dont call it that or youll look like a newb. This is the closest thing to a freshman bar Athens has. Why no real freshman bar? Because the only places that are 18+ are sketchy af and no one goes there. Im not going to go into the deets about what you need to have in your wallet to get into these 21 and up bars before youre actually of age because I dont want to be liable for your law-breaking ass, but I think youre picking up what Im putting down. If not, talk to your big. Shell hook you up. Back to Bourbon. Its a total shit show because freshman who cant handle their liquor take over the place. But its a rite of passage and its always rated one of the top college bars in the U.S. so if youre in Athens because youre a student or just in town for a game, you have to go there.

College Ave: Along this stretch of downtown are three bars you need to know: Sandbar, City and Silver Dollar. These used to be considered upperclassmen spots, but now you can find pretty much anyone there. Because there are so many bars in Athens (80 in one square mile for all you mathematicians), no one just stays put in one place the whole night because that would be boring. Since these are literally all right next door to each other, theyre super easy to bounce in between when you need a change of pace. These are the places to see and be seen.

Creature Comforts: Besides being one of the best breweries in the whole damn country, Creature Comforts downtown address makes it the perfect spot to pregame a night out or day drink instead of going to class.

Big Events

Shower Cap: In the spring, all the fraternities host huge parties so everyone can cope with the fact that football season is over. Literally every frat has one, but SAEs Shower Cap is the biggest and best of them all. Tbh, I have no idea why were all so obsessed with it. Its just like hundreds, maybe thousands, of blackout people on a fraternity house lawn, but its amazing. Theres always a band and the people watching will give you life.

Twilight: Every year, Athens hosts this crazy bike race called Twilight in the middle of downtown. Three reasons why everyone loves it: 1) This isnt like you and your first grade bestie seeing who can get to the bottom of the hill first. This race is some Lance Armstrong level shit. 2) Its always right before finals week so everyone gets drunk af because theyre actually gonna have to study soon. 3) Open. Container.

Georgia-Florida: All of football season at UGA is a big event, but theres nothing bigger than GAFLA. The school literally plans fall break around it because they know everyone would still bail on class if they didnt. Every year, the game is played in Jacksonville, Fla., but instead of staying close to the stadium, UGA students stay a few hours away in St. Simons. Why? Because its bullshit that its in Florida every year, and Georgians want to keep their tax dollars in state. Im not even kidding. Thats the real reason. The Friday before the game, the entire student body takes over a stretch of beach aka Frat Beach and has a massive cluster fuck of a party. The residents of SSI hate it. The university hates it. But despite their many attempts, theres nothing they can do to stop it.

Drawbacks

Every August, youll think its UGAs year for football and that this team will go all the way. Every October, your hopes and dreams will be shattered. Just go ahead and prepare yourself for football heartbreak.

Parking is a fucking nightmare, the bus drivers are absolute savages, and regardless of which direction youre walking, its miraculously always uphill. So getting around campus is a bitch. But if you take the walking route, youll have a killer ass.

source http://allofbeer.com/2017/05/30/betches-love-this-college-the-university-of-georgia/ from All of Beer http://allofbeer.blogspot.com/2017/05/betches-love-this-college-university-of.html

[adambstingus]

Betches Love This College: The University Of Georgia

College is the best four years (five if you play your cards right) of any betchs life. No no. That wasnt a question. So in honor of college admissions season being like now, were bringing back Betches Love This College. That way, you can pick where to go to school based on important shit like parties and drinking rather than grades and what you want to be when you grow up. Youre welcome in advance.

In terms of where to apply, everyone knows Manhattanites go Ivy League (and Emory), while West Coasters love the Arizona schools. But what about Southern betches? Where tf do they go? The University of Georgia, thats where. UGA has all the cool shit Southern schools are known for like gorgeous people, insane Greek life, an awesome-ish football team, etc., but its also really hard to get into these days so you cant be a total hillbilly and go there. Sorry Alabama, maybe next year. So heres what you need to know.

The People

Greeks: Given that UGA is a massive Southern university, its not exactly groundbreaking that Greek life is no fucking joke. In terms of whos who, you can put them into two categories: old row and new row. Your old row sororities (ADPi, KKG, Theta, XO and Phi Mu) pretty much have the Atlanta private schools on lock, plus rich Texas and North Carolina girls. So unless youre one of those or the worlds hottest legacy, youre not getting in. But dont fret, public school betches. There are a handful of new row sororities that are just as good if not better. KD, ZTA and AOPi are definitely the best.

For the fraternities, theyre exactly what youd expect. Super fratty and douchey. Look out for pledges the first few weeks of school. Theyll be the guys walking around campus in suits who look like they want to fucking kill themselves. Poor kids. Before your 4-5 years are up, youll definitely want to be asked on Old South because who doesnt want to get wasted in an antebellum dress? So make nice with the KAs.

Orientation Leaders: You know the girl in high school who was the head cheerleader, volleyball captain, class president, valedictorian and still managed to volunteer at the local nursing home on the weekends? Yeah, this is what she becomes in college. There are guy OLs too, but that didnt work with my analogy. Every year, 12 people are picked from the entire 30,000+ person student body to help the freshman figure shit out before move-in day. If Taylor Swift had gone to UGA, she probs would have been an OL. Seems like the type.

Hipsters: Besides that Travelocity commercial and being the worlds greatest college town, Athens is a pretty artsy place. Most importantly, it has a kick-ass music scene, so what does that mean? Hipsters be flocking so they can see musicians before they go mainstream. They leave town during home games, hate the Greeks and smoke a lot. Theyre probs photojournalism or lit majors and arent involved in anything on campus because thats for the stereotypical norm. Fucking duh.

Athletes: If youre not one of first three, youre most likely a student athlete. Football players are easy to spot because theyre the massive, Nike-clad guys who ride around campus on red vespas. Have you ever seen a linebacker on a scooter? Its a sight. But tbh, no one really gives a shit about seeing football players. Too common. The athletes to be on the lookout for are the Gymdogs, UGAs badass gymnasts, and Olympians. UGA had like 30 people compete in Rio and they won 10 medals. Thats more than most countries. Pretty fucking impressive. If you see any of the gold medalists, be sure to get that shit on your Snapchat story.

Where To Live

Freshmen: All UGA freshman are required to live in the dorms. Just a heads up, these arent the dorms of Buckingham fucking Palace you see on Pinterest. The box my Tori Burch riding boots came in is bigger than these. But suck it up. Its just a year. In terms of the best dorms to live in, the high-rises are the only way to go. There are a shit ton of other dorms around campus that are nicer, but only weirdos live in those and they arent as fun. Youre here to get shitfaced and meet people, not for the Ritz Carlton-esque amenities.

Sophomores: Assuming you go Greek, and I feel like most of yall reading this will, you move into the sorority house your second year. UGA sorority houses are mansions and can house about 60 girls so hopefully you dont need much alone time. The upsides? You have a chef who cooks all your meals, maids and maintenance people to fix things, and theres always something fun going on. The downsides? No alcohol in the house, no boys upstairs and if you eat all three meals everyday youll get fat.

Upperclassmen: If freshman and sophomore year wasnt enough to get the batshit crazy out of your system, you move to Georgia Heights. This place isnt disgusting like a frat house or anything, its just in the middle of downtown where all the bars and restaurants are so if you live here, youll end up going out every single night. Rent is high because the location is fire and the apartments are super nice. If youre more of a chill upperclassman, you and your friends should rent house in Five Points. Theyre close to Milledge (Greek row) and the stadium so theyre perfect for hosting tailgates and wine nights.

Nightlife

Pauleys: Every night out starts at Pauleys, a crepe bar that serves a billion different beers on tap and insanely cheap bottles of wine. Tbh, no one really goes there to eat, although at least one person at the table will order the chips and Terrapin beer cheese dip or a Nutella banana crepe. The real gem is the Manmosa, which is just a mimosa plus vodka. Aka a regular betch mimosa.

Bourbon: Its technical name is Bourbon Street, but dont call it that or youll look like a newb. This is the closest thing to a freshman bar Athens has. Why no real freshman bar? Because the only places that are 18+ are sketchy af and no one goes there. Im not going to go into the deets about what you need to have in your wallet to get into these 21 and up bars before youre actually of age because I dont want to be liable for your law-breaking ass, but I think youre picking up what Im putting down. If not, talk to your big. Shell hook you up. Back to Bourbon. Its a total shit show because freshman who cant handle their liquor take over the place. But its a rite of passage and its always rated one of the top college bars in the U.S. so if youre in Athens because youre a student or just in town for a game, you have to go there.

College Ave: Along this stretch of downtown are three bars you need to know: Sandbar, City and Silver Dollar. These used to be considered upperclassmen spots, but now you can find pretty much anyone there. Because there are so many bars in Athens (80 in one square mile for all you mathematicians), no one just stays put in one place the whole night because that would be boring. Since these are literally all right next door to each other, theyre super easy to bounce in between when you need a change of pace. These are the places to see and be seen.

Creature Comforts: Besides being one of the best breweries in the whole damn country, Creature Comforts downtown address makes it the perfect spot to pregame a night out or day drink instead of going to class.

Big Events

Shower Cap: In the spring, all the fraternities host huge parties so everyone can cope with the fact that football season is over. Literally every frat has one, but SAEs Shower Cap is the biggest and best of them all. Tbh, I have no idea why were all so obsessed with it. Its just like hundreds, maybe thousands, of blackout people on a fraternity house lawn, but its amazing. Theres always a band and the people watching will give you life.

Twilight: Every year, Athens hosts this crazy bike race called Twilight in the middle of downtown. Three reasons why everyone loves it: 1) This isnt like you and your first grade bestie seeing who can get to the bottom of the hill first. This race is some Lance Armstrong level shit. 2) Its always right before finals week so everyone gets drunk af because theyre actually gonna have to study soon. 3) Open. Container.

Georgia-Florida: All of football season at UGA is a big event, but theres nothing bigger than GAFLA. The school literally plans fall break around it because they know everyone would still bail on class if they didnt. Every year, the game is played in Jacksonville, Fla., but instead of staying close to the stadium, UGA students stay a few hours away in St. Simons. Why? Because its bullshit that its in Florida every year, and Georgians want to keep their tax dollars in state. Im not even kidding. Thats the real reason. The Friday before the game, the entire student body takes over a stretch of beach aka Frat Beach and has a massive cluster fuck of a party. The residents of SSI hate it. The university hates it. But despite their many attempts, theres nothing they can do to stop it.

Drawbacks

Every August, youll think its UGAs year for football and that this team will go all the way. Every October, your hopes and dreams will be shattered. Just go ahead and prepare yourself for football heartbreak.

Parking is a fucking nightmare, the bus drivers are absolute savages, and regardless of which direction youre walking, its miraculously always uphill. So getting around campus is a bitch. But if you take the walking route, youll have a killer ass.

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/2017/05/30/betches-love-this-college-the-university-of-georgia/ from All of Beer https://allofbeercom.tumblr.com/post/161255941787