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markleesthighs · 4 years ago

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ive been watching er and uhm 😳 could you write me a mark smut where i’m a new resident and he’s been doing residency for about 3 years and he’s tryna help me get the hang of the hospital and stuff but i notice he’s stressed about patients and stuff so we bang in an exam room or sumn 😳😳

-this is really mf specific but ok, you do you.

[10:30 AM] You were worried about going into residency the moment you graduate from medical school. Sure, you knew everything and aced all your tests but you fell short on your labs. You generally had shaky hands and your nerves got the best of you most of the time. You found a residency nearby your apartment where you would be working. You nailed your interview and had all the qualifications they needed. But you were still nervous, in medical school you were generally quiet and kept to yourself, a loner as one might say.

You shyly walked in to talk to the receptionist who greeted you and directed you to your supervisor or experienced personnel who would be guiding and watching over you. His name was Mark Lee and he had been doing residency for the past 3 years, he was also known for taking care of the President and his wife for medical check ups. He had the brains, brawn, and beauty, it was no shock you got jealous looks from other nurses and doctors when they heard you would be working under him. He greeted you and shook your hand.

“Ah y/n, it’s so lovely to meet you, I’m Mark and I’ll be guiding and watching over you while you are here.”

“It’s nice t-to meet y-you too.”

“Nervous? Don’t worry, you’ll just be assisting and watching me today, no independent work for you.”

You sighed in relief you weren’t prepared to give an emergency surgery on your first day so you were thankful for not jumping straight into something with no guidance.

You followed Mark around the whole day grabbing him medical files or any equipment he needed. It wasn’t as hard as the work he was doing. He had to pump an old mans stomach because he got wasted on soju. Luckily, he saved him but you couldn’t step foot into that room since you were only a first year resident. Finally the day was over for the both of you and other residents would take over other shifts so you two could sleep. You walked into Mark’s office to find him visibly stressed and you felt pretty bad about it.

“Hey, Mark are you alright?”

“Yeah it just by the end of the work day I get really stressed out about the next shift and stuff. It’s hard to work in residency when you never know what’s going to happens next.”

You never thought about it that way but you felt sympathy for him.

“Is there anyway I can help or relieve your stress?”

“There is one thing. But I don’t know if you’d be up for it.”

“Please! I’ll do anything!”

“Anything?”

Mark walked closer to you almost towering over you, he leaned down to whisper into your ear, “Then have would you have sex with me?” You were flustered with your face red at a tomato as he dragged you to an exam room and pushed you against the wall.”

“W-wait!”

“What is it darling?”

“I-I haven’t said my answer yet.” He started to caress your body making your core throb and start to get wet.

“I think I already know the answer, baby.”

“P-please s-stop teasing.”

With that Mark started to kiss and bite your neck and you breahed soft moans into his ear and tugging his hair. Mark removed his lab coat and shirt revealing his chest (he was ripped T-T) You visibly blushed as he brought you over to the hospital bed and pushed you down so he was on top of you.

“I won’t do anything you don’t want to do, so if you want to stop tell me now.”

“N-no please continue”

Mark started to kiss you desperately with his slightly chapped soft lips. He started to undress you pulling apart your shirt and exposing your chest. He kissed all over it making your mind go crazy. You could feel his hard cock through his pants and you instinctively started to remove the belt from his pants. You were anticipating what was hiding under there and you were not surprised. He was big and you thought he was not going to fit into your core. You blush looking away and Mark leaned down to tilt your head to look at him.

“Oh baby please don’t be shy, I’ll go slow, let me know if it’s too much ok?”

He said while kissing your cheek and neck as he slowly slid into your core (with a condom on please be safe and use protection kiddos). You were holding in your moans biting on your lip trying not to scream from how big he was. Mark could visibly see your face scrunching in pain.

“Are you ok?”

“Y-yeah, please, p-please start moving ahh~”

Mark started to thrust slowly into your core as you moaned and digging your nails into his bare back.

“Fuck, baby you’re so tight”

That only turned you on more as you kept moaning his name and Mark gradually picked up the pace.

“Mark! I’m about to- ahh~ I’m about to cum!”

“Me too baby, let’s- let’s cum together.”

After about three more pumps Mark came and you quickly came after. Mark kissed all over your neck before he pulled out of you. You whined feeling empty as Mark took off the condom and threw it in the trash. He cleaned you up as you both got dressed back into your clothes. Mark could visibly see your legs were a little shaky so he grabbed your arm helping to give you support.

“Just hold on to me baby, I got you.”

You instinctively leaned into Mark’s side as you nuzzled into his arm.

“It’s late, you can stay over at my place tonight, baby, I don’t want you walking home alone.”

“T-thanks, h-hey um...are we like dating now?”

“Do you think I just fuck someone I don’t like? Do you want us to be dating?”

“M-maybe?” He gave you an offended look.

“Y-yes we can date, I guess...”

“Alright baby, whatever you want, just remember to keep it professional at work tomorrow.”

133 notes · View notes

monsters-demons-and-ai-oh-my · 5 years ago

Text

What We Lost and What We Have:

Chapter 6: Sock puppets, stomachaches, and what you really learn in college

In which we meet a very strange nurse, talk about teen drug use and the plot thickens.

TW: Conversations about recreational drugs, questions about suicidal intentions, and brief mention of throwing up

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AU somewhat inspired by Episode 2x20 - What Is and What Should Never Be, and the season 14 storyline concerning Jack’s illness.

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AO3 Link

Previous Chapter

First Chapter

Complete Tumblr Chapter List

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Sam and Dean both decided to give the Kline’s a little space after after the incident with Jack’s lunch tray. Ironically both brothers using the excuse that they hadn’t had anything to eat since they arrived early that morning.

Jack seemed on the verge of mortified tears afterward and for selfish reasons or not neither wanted to be the one to push him over the edge.

The kid was already embarrassed enough.

The doctor had told the brothers (much to Dean’s chagrin) that at least one of them should come back in later that evening as they had a few more background questions for all of them once Jack had a chance to rest.

There was only so much the doctor was willing to do when they still didn’t know what was causing Jack’s symptoms but when Jack’s nausea refused to fade and several more bouts dry heaving literally drove Jack to tears they finally gave him anti-nausea drugs that had the added benefit of finally putting him back to sleep.

Getting a few hours of rest (plus something new the doctor gave him via IV to help with the fact he hadn’t eaten for a day and a half) seemed to perk Jack up a bit. At the very least Jack seemed a lot more calm when he woke up around three hours later.

Though, that could have also been the low dose of narcotic painkillers doctor Hannah also decided to give despite the risks when Jack’s stomach pain was bad enough to cause his heart rate to skyrocket.

It wasn’t enough narcotics to make Jack start accusing innocent staff members of being out to suck his blood again, but it was enough to render him quiet and subdued… and not at all like the Jack Castiel knew.

‘He could only watch and try to comfort Jack as he got sick and then hugged his stomach, literally crying with the pain the action caused him…’

A quiet Jack was better than a sobbing Jack, but it still terrified Cas.

It threw him back to sixteen years previously when Jack was first born, made him feel like he was failing Kelly all over again…

He remembered when Jack was four and a half and afraid of long clawed demons under his bed. ( strangely specific child that he was ) Then Castiel could consol him and promise to protect him from any monsters .

When Jack was seven and John died and Jack tried to run away from home, ( only getting so far as the neighbor down the street who lured him in with cookies and called Castiel ) he’d been able to reassure the traumatized boy that his parents and the people around him didn’t die because he was close to them.

“...you’re not cursed Jack, I promise… and I’m not planning on leaving you alone any time soon.”

But this…

Castiel couldn’t promise everything would be okay, he didn’t know how to fix this, he didn’t even know what this was…

Every little twitch Jack gave in his sleep, every harsh intake of breath was like an electric jolt to Cas’s heart, terrifying him that Jack would start seizing again.

By the time that Jack was awake again and Cas was able to call the Winchester’s back in he was thirty-six hours without sleep and felt on the verge of a mental breakdown.

“Med student party here yet?” Cas heard the now unfortunately familiar voice of Dean Winchester over his shoulder.

“No…” Cas said dully, hand tightening over Jack’s as he broke into another fit of harsh wheezy coughs.

‘The antibiotics either weren’t helping the pneumonia or were taking far too long to kick in for comfort.’

“I...I don’t really feel up to p-party,” Jack muttered with a tiny wry smile.

“You feeling any better buddy?” Sam’s voice was a little more tolerable.

“They gave me more drugs?” Jack said bluntly, perhaps the amount of pain meds he was given was still enough to make the teenager a more aloof if not completely loopy.

As scared as Jack must be Cas didn’t have it in him for him to be upset with Jack being a little… high, as it were.

‘Anything to keep away the horrible tears of pain.’

“They’re waiting for me to let them know you’re here…” Cas explained quickly to the brothers reaching for the nurse call button and using the moment to compose himself.

“I thought we were done with all the questions?” Dean sighed pacing by the window like nervous rather unimpressive tomcat not looking at anyone.

“Well apparently they didn’t get what they needed last time.” Cas tried not to think that more questions meant the doctors were at a loss with what answers they did get.

“It probably had something to do with you ‘scaring the crap’ out of the person who was recording them…” Cas glared choosing to believe that instead.

Dean’s eyes narrowed for a moment and he opened his mouth as if to say something scathing but Sam surprised Castiel by speaking up.

“Well whatever the reason pointing fingers won’t help anyone,” Sam said taking Dean’s old spot by the far end of the bed. It seemed like while Sam was rendered relatively unable to function when it came to Jack that same reservations did not stand for confronting his argumentative older brother or Castiel.

“So how about this time we all sit down, and shut up, and get this over with and then neither of you will have to see each other again if you don’t want to…” Sam said with an air of aggressive calm, folded his hands in his lap.

Jack eyes seemed to dart between each one of them tense and nervous, clutching at the sheets without a word.

Castiel felt a pang of guilt in his chest.

He and Dean took their seats… quietly.

They sat awkwardly like two children who’d just been chewed out by the principal until the silence was broken by a knock on the door.

Well… a series of knocks… to the tune of… Yankee Doodle?

Jack’s eyes darted between his uncle and the door like he wasn’t sure if he actually heard what he thought he heard or if the drugs were just kicking in.

“Come in?” Castiel said hesitantly.

The door opened and in stepped not the nervous med student, but another more suspicious looking individual.

Another… nurse?

“Hello,” said the strange skinny man in seemingly oversized giraffe print scrubs. He had a smile about as appropriate for the tense atmosphere as sunbather in a snowstorm, “My name is Garth but you can call me nurse Fitzgerald and I’m here to help Jack and you all with a patient history today.”

Dean shot Sam a confused look that was ignored.

“What happened to the other g-guy?” Jack hacked into the back of his hand, looking wary of having yet another stranger in his room.

"Well, Kevin was having a bit of a hard time, so the head nurse wanted someone with a bit more experience to finish it,” Nurse Fitz-… Garth shrugged the left sleeve of his scrubs dangerously close to sliding off his narrow shoulder, “they send me in when things get a little hinky,"

"Hinky?" Castiel's eyebrows rose.

"Well I say hinky," Garth smiled, "I think it's a much nicer word than the one nurse Master's used... that I won't use in front of a child.

The child in the room looked mildly offended.

"Or what was written on the chart," he picked up Jack’s chart clipboard off the end of the bed and flicked it significantly, “which is… ''disorderly"."

Dean scoffed, "Please, we weren't "disorderly”,” he drew quotation marks in the air.

The strange skinny man just continued to smile shrugging, "okay well you made poor Kevin cry in the on-call room so I wouldn't exactly call that "functional behavior"."

Dean’s mouth opened looking defensive but for a second time the words were lost behind an interruption.

“Sorry…” Jack said quietly, clearing his throat, “they… they mean well… I think…”

“We should… probably apologize to this Kevin though…” Castiel said sheepishly.

“Probably…” Dean muttered noncommittally refusing to look at Castiel.

“What’s that?” Sam spoke up suddenly sounding confused, everyone turning to see at what he pointing at.

I appeared to be a strange looking… sock with lips? hanging of Nurse Garth’s scrubs pocket.

“Oh him?” the nurse pulled the object out his pocket smiling at it fondly before slipping it over one hand, “This… is Mr. Fizzles.”

He opened and closed the sock puppet’s mouth in Jack’s general direction as the boy looked on warily pressed against his pillows.

“A lot of kids find a friend easier to talk to than a stranger, especially when in a big scary place like the hospital.”

He looked at Jack expectantly.

“I...I think I’ll pass…” the teenager said turning a little pink.

Garth seemed mildly disappointed but shrugged and surreptitiously tucked the sock back in his pocket picking back up the chart.

“Well Kevin’s handwriting started getting illegible at… drugs…” he looked up expectantly at Castiel’s affronted face.

“He had a tablet of ibuprofen about seven hours before the seizure and then a second four hours later, but no Jack does not do drugs,” Castiel said flatly.

“I think… he was asking Jack…” Sam said carefully watching Jack who was refusing to look back, scratching at the adhesive over the line in his arm.

“I don’t… do drugs…” Jack said quietly.

Castiel gave nurse Garth a satisfied “see” look.

“But there was… this one time,” Jack coughed sheepishly.

Everyone was suddenly staring at Jack who seemed to be trying to disappear into his hospital mattress.

“Jack…” Cas’s heart sunk more disappointed than angry, he didn’t have a chance to ask why before Jack cut him off seeming desperate to explain.

“It… it was just one time… Noah offered me a hit?” his eyebrows drew together and he looked unsure at the terminology, “of a joint he had?”

Dean gave an impressive little huff earning him a dirty look from Cas.

“Don’t look at me, I didn’t go to college…” Dean shrugged, shooting Sam a knowing smile he refused to return.

“It was just the one time though!” Jack said quickly looking at Cas pleadingly, “It was really, really gross and… and I never did it again!”

“Why wouldn’t you tell me?” Castiel asked exasperated, trying not to show Sam or Dean how hurt he was. What made it worse was he knew how stereotypical it was for a parent to think their teenager would never lie to them. Half the parent teacher conferences he had to call at the high school were dealing with people under such delusions.

“I… I didn’t want to get Noah in trouble…” Jack mumbled biting his lip and refusing to look Cas in the eye.

“Noah?” Castiel mentally ran over his shortlist of acquaintances Jack talked about and came up empty. “Wait… Noah Ophis?” Castiel felt completely at a loss when Jack’s blush seemed to confirm it, “Jack… wasn’t Noah the one who locked you in the school gym’s weight room and then stuck gum in the lock so we had to call maintenance to disassemble the door to get you out?”

“It… was never confirmed…” Jack muttered turning brighter red glancing back between his older brothers as if expecting them to laugh.

“How long ago did you ‘get silly with Mary Jane’?” Garth broke in on the tense moment seeming unbothered.

Jack looked extremely confused for a long moment, “Six… months ago?”

Garth wrote that down, “well it’s probably not that then, the devil’s lettuce only lasts like… a few hours, unless you snort it that’s worse...”

Castiel really did not believe that was an actual way people consumed marajauna… he had gone to college after all.

Cas suppressed the need to start in on a long speech about peer pressure, lying, and the dangers of underage recreational drug use (especially when you didn’t know the source), but now was not the time, not now with as Jack as sick as he was. He would be taking advantage of a secret Jack only willingly told because he was scared for his own safety, and Jack’s health might rely on him being honest with his doctors.

Though Cas was relieved when the next question was, just “Do you have any animal friends?”

He felt his confidence as a surrogate parent had taken enough of a hit for the moment.

“Well… I have Felix… but I don’t know if he thinks of me as a friend, I’ve read their brains can’t really process that sort of thing?” Jack’s eyebrows furrowed in thought.

Sam’s eyebrows rose nearly to his hairline.

Maybe the drugs had a stronger effect on Jack than Castiel first realized.

“What is Felix?” Sam looked completely at a loss.

Jack blinked, “A corn snake,” he said like it should be obvious.

Dean seemed to recoil slightly and then snorted, a very, “of course I’m going to judge the character of a kid I don’t know based on the fact he keeps a snake…” noise.

That was a big mistake… Castiel knew Jack was fairly shy but he’d been on the wrong end of one of Jack’s, “I must defend the honor of snakes everywhere,” speeches before when the Jack was first trying to convince his uncle to let him keep Felix.

“Felix is really great!” he insisted, probably louder than he should have judging by the short fit of coughs that followed. He cleared his throat before croaking, “N-not only do corn snakes eat d-disease carrying pests, they're really gentle, and they’re easy to breed in captivity, and they’re from the US so they... they don’t c-contribute to the… the e-exotic pet trade…”

Castiel remembered vividly Jack showing up in his classroom clutching a shoe box the day before winter break, nervous but determined. He’d gone into a spiel about how a boy had brought the snake to the lunch room to show it off but the boy was planning to kill it at the end of the day with a rock because he thought it was ‘kinder’.

“He said he couldn’t get it to eat, but! he only tried one thing and... and you can’t let him do that, he doesn’t deserve that…”

He’d practically begged Castiel to let him keep the snake, “even if it was just for a little while,” and then spent the next week researching and trying to feed it different things, bringing everything from bags of frozen mice to eggs and minnow into the house before he’d had success.

Cas remembered the huge grin on Jack’s face when he finally succeeded heard him whisper, “see you’re going to be okay now,” into Felix’s enclosure when he thought his uncle wasn’t watching.

Jack dissolved into another fit of coughing near the end of his snake rant, doubling up as Castiel laid a worried hand on his shoulder.

“Fine fine kid jeez…” Dean raised his hands in mock surrender, looking mildly alarmed, “I believe you, don’t lose a lung over it…”

“Snakes are great you’re just a mean,” Jack muttered breathily with one laugh hacking cough, sinking wearily back in his bed. The short bout of passion seemed to have taken a lot out of him.

“I don’t really like snakes, I’m sure they’re great but the way they look at me makes me nervous y'know?” Nurse Garth Gave a shiver, no one knew what he meant. “Also they can carry salmonella…”

The nurse spent the next half hour asking more questions of various degrees of embarrassment. Each answer the brother’s gave grew increasingly bored and each answer Jack gave getting softer as he grew increasingly drowsy.

Any energy Jack gained by resting seemed to run out of him like water through a sieve and soon he had fallen back asleep. Castiel knew seizures could take a lot out of a person but this? This felt different. He breathed deeply to calm himself down, told himself he never finished nursing school, let alone medical school like the doctor’s taking care of Jack.

‘He was in good hands…’

He carefully straightened Jack’s blankets, trying not to listen to the wheezy quality of Jack’s breathing even in sleep.

“Did you get all the answers you needed?” Castiel asked quietly, not wanting to interrupt and of the sleep the boy managed to get.

The nurse smiled looking a little too pleased with himself, “yup just about the entire thing, I don’t know what Kevin was upset about you all seem like very nice people.”

Dean looked up mildly guilt pulling his hand back from where he’d been trying to fish the sock puppet out of Garth’s pocket, while Sam hid his face in his hands. “Yeah… um… so it’s fine for us to take off now?”

‘Of course…’

Garth nodded satisfied, “yeah, visiting hours for everyone but parents are ending soon, and the kid looks like he’s had all the fun he can handle for today.”

Castiel just nodded in agreement trying not to seem to eager carefully fixing Jack’s mussed up hair, “I think he’s had enough of strangers for now…”

That was enough for Dean who left with one last indignant puff of air but Sam stayed back for a moment tettering as was his custom in the doorway.

“Call if something changes?” he asked, like he was half unsure he should say the words.

Cas offered a tight smile, “sure…”

-------------------------

Sam and Dean left for their home and hotel respectively the nurse leaving soon after to give Castiel and more importantly Jack some time to rest.

The nurses mostly let Jack be through the evening only coming in once or twice to record his vitals and give him more of the drugs the doctor prescribed earlier, Jack thankfully remained asleep during the visits.

He seemed mostly stable much to Cas’s relief though that could have just been due to the pain and nausea meds masking the worst of his symptoms. It wasn’t until Jack reached a full twenty-four hours without another seizure that Castiel finally let himself relax.

It wasn’t until much later, half past midnight that the doctor came in again.

Castiel had finally fallen asleep in a recliner chair one of the nurses graciously brought in when they realized he was staying with Jack for another night..

‘They’d explained it was standard practice for when a parent stayed with their child on the ward…’

He’d been woken rather unceremonious by doctor Hannah pulling a cumbersome looking machine into Jack’s room.

“What’s… What’s going on?” he asked dumbly rubbing at his face, the confusion quickly turning to alarm when he saw the look on the doctor’s face.

Her face was mostly calm, but her eyebrows were furrowed and her mouth was pressed in a thin tense line.

“I… need you to wake up Jack…” she said something worrying in her calm voice Castiel couldn’t quite identify.

Castiel immediately began to panic head snapping up to the monitor of Jack’s vitals. Everything seemed the same, except the fever which had risen to an even hundred degrees.

“Is… What’s wrong?” He asked in as hushed a tone as he could manage.

The doctor gave him a reassuring smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“I just need to check something…” she said unhelpfully.

Castiel tried to breathe evenly and remain calm as he gently shook Jack’s shoulder.

‘What was so bad you’d wake a sick kid in the middle of the night?’

He gently shook Jack’s shoulder, calling his name, Jack barely moved, his eyes twitched and he let out a soft cough.

Castiel frowned shaking his shoulder a little more forcefully eliciting an unhappy groan from Jack as he rolled away as far as the tubing on his face would allow him.

‘At least it was confirmation he wasn’t comatose or something…’

“The painkillers he’s on can have a sedative effect,” she frowned, “it’s always best to try to wake someone up naturally but I did bring something if that doesn’t work.

She produced a set of keys from her pocket to unlock the set of rolling drawers the machine she brought was propped on top of.

“Wait,” Castiel quickly held up a hand, “there’s one thing I haven’t tried yet…” he leant down close to Jack’s ear, “Jack… come on you have to get up… we’re going to be late to school…”

Jack tensed up and groaned, “I… I don’t want to, I don’t feel good…” he grumbled face screwing up.

Cas huffed a sad laugh, gently ruffling his hair to keep him from falling back out, “I know Jack, but you still need to wake up.”

Jack finally blinked woefully up at him, “you said I didn’t have to go…” His croaked eyes wandered towards the window as he coughed to clear his throat, “it’s still dark out…” he muttered bewildered.

“I know, I know… you don’t have to go to school, you can go back to sleep... in a little bit?” Cas looked back toward the doctor who offered him another thin smile, neither confirming or denying.

“But doctor Hannah she needs to talk to us… for now, alright?” Castiel said still gently squeezing his shoulder...

Jack just blinked and nodded trustingly too tired to question it.

Doctor Hannah ducked down to his level whispering, “I’m going to turn on the lights now and I need you to roll on your side like before okay?”

Jack looked wary breath speeding up, “P-please don’t stick another needle in my back…”

“It’s okay Jack, I promise I’m not going to do that honey,” she said gently flipping on a switch and making everyone in the room wincing at the sudden brightness, “I just need to run an ultrasound on your back and abdomen…”

Jack looked even more confused, face morphing into mildly suspicion, “But… I can’t have babies?”

Doctor Hannah actually chucked, “No that’s not all we use ultrasound for, and that’s not what I’m looking for…”

“What are you looking for?” Castiel couldn’t hold himself back from asking, fidgeting in the recliner.

The doctor’s face dropped a little before she could stop it, “I’ll let you know if I see it, I… I don’t want to alarm you,”

Her eyes drifted back to Jack with an unspoken, ‘or him’ .

Jack’s eyebrows furrowed but he still did as he was told and the doctor guided him onto his side before pulling down the blanket to his waist and undoing the ties on the upper half of his hospital gown while he blushed pink.

When she carefully began to probed Jack’s back it became abundantly clear the medication didn’t completely numb his pain.

He barely held back a cry of pain between clenched teeth, reducing it to a strained groan, his whole body shaking.

Castiel reach for his hand which was clenched around the bed sheets. “It’s okay Jack… I’m here.”

“Th-that… that really hurts,” Jack mumbled tearfully.

“I know Jack I know…” the doctor said seemingly lost in thought

doing her best to move quickly through prep procedures for the ultrasound. Applying a plastic cover over the wand and spreading clear gel on a portion of his back.

Jack looked like he was trying not to scream when the doctor finally pressed the ultrasound wand into his back, teeth gritted together heart rate spiking.

The doctor’s eyes were fixed on the ultrasound screen beside the bed looking grim and Castiel wished not for the first time that he’d finished his degree so he’d know what she saw.

‘All he could do was hold Jack’s hand.’

“Shit…” he barely heard the doctor mutter as she set aside the wand and gingerly wiped away the gel on Jack’s back.

There were already already tears welling in Jack’s eyes when she had him turn back onto his back.

The doctor promised to be as quick and gentle as she could as she repeated the process with the upper part of Jack’s abdomen.

Jack was shaking and crying silently by the time it was over, and the doctor was if anything quieter.Terrifyingly lost in thought.

Castiel carefully helped him back into his gown, telling him softly that he did well and could go back to sleep soon.

Jack watched the doctor red eyed and wary gripping the blankets a little too tightly even as he wilted exhausted back against the bed.

The doctor waited until the teenager seemed to have calmed back down before speaking.

“Jack… I’m going to ask your uncle and you some questions and I need you to be as honest as possible, alright?”

The tone of doctor Hannah’s voice set off the already ringing alarm bells in Cas’s mind to a shrieking pitch.

Jack nodded cautiously, “O-okay…” he said shakily.

The doctor began pacing at the foot of his bed hands clasping anxiously at one another.

“You said Jack had a headache a few hours before he had a seizure at the restaurant and that you gave him ibuprofen for it, are you sure it was ibuprofen and not aspirin?”

Castiel blinked, “yes I’m sure I know better than to give a child aspirin, and I even remember the brand I bought, it was Advil…”

“It’s was a blue... package,” Jack said after a moment coughing into his elbow, exhaustion, and illness fogging his brain.

The doctor nodded and resumed her pacing, “and… how much did you give him?” she asked seeming careful about her phrasing.

“A lower dose, one tablet… and then another four hours later…” Castiel said suspiciously, “what is this about?”

The doctor hesitated, “did you see Jack take them both times?”

There was a long pause as Jack looked increasingly upset, “wh-what are you tr-trying to say?”

“What are you suggesting?” Castiel knew full well what she was asking but he couldn’t believe he’d heard it.

“I…” she paused and sighed, “I have to ask it’s very important.”

Jack seemed to understand despite everything, “I...I wouldn’t, I couldn’t d-do that I…” his breathing sped up.

“The first thing Jack asked about when he woke up was school and needing to take care of his pet? Does that really strike you as someone who would try to… to…” Cas paused, “to hurt themselves?”

“I… I was upset and sad after what happened but…” Jack’s forehead wrinkled again as his breathing grew more frantic and his heart rate rose with it, “I wouldn’t, I didn’t do that…” he muttered eyes pleading and filling back up with tears, “please believe me.”

“I know Jack… I do believe you,” Castiel reassured him gently squeezing his shoulder.

A thought dawned on Cas and he reached for his coat still hanging off the back of his chair, “he really physically couldn’t…”

Castiel pulled a small half crushed blue box from the pocket of the coat, “I didn’t even buy a bottle of pills they didn’t have any in the hotel commissary they only had it in a box of packets and there were only four pills to start with…”

‘The stupid box had cost a whole ten dollars regardless.’

He handed it over for the doctor to see, “and there’s still two left…”

The doctor looked in the box then checked the date on the bottom, but instead of looking relieved like Cas expected…”

She just looked... frustrated?

“Alright… I’m sorry, we had to rule that out as a possibility…” she sighed.

The apology did nothing to placate Jack, who just stared at her distrustfully tears running silently down his cheeks hugging himself still breathing too fast.

Castiel tried to resist the anger and resentment building up in his own chest he knew the doctor was just doing her job, but it was late and the already ill and drug addled Jack was not tolerating being woken in the middle of the night to be painfully prodded, cross examined, and accused of hurting himself very well.

He placed a protective hopefully comforting hand on Jack’s shoulder, “couldn’t you have just tested for a possible overdose in the blood samples you took instead of coming in here past midnight and harassing him?”

“If the problem was being caused by taking too much ibuprofen it would be important to find out and treat as soon as possible.”

“W-why?” Jack mumbled hunching forward red-eyed and shaking his breath coming out in uncomfortably fast puffs, “what… what’s wrong with me?”

He looked how Castiel felt, on the verge of panic.

“Jack, it’s alright I need you to calm down…” the doctor said looking warily between him and the vitals reading on the monitor.

‘That didn’t calm him down.’

“You… you don’t know d-do you?” Jack sobbed continuing to hyperventilate, heart beating about a mile a minute on the monitors, “y-you don’t…” he coughed, the developing panic attack not helping his already labored breathing, coughing soon turning to wheezing.

Castiel’s mouth became a thin anxious line as he wrapped a supportive arm around his shoulders.

“Jack?”

The doctor moved quickly back over to the locked set of drawers retrieving a vial and injecting something into Jack’s IV line, “it’s alright it’s okay… just try to breathe deeply Jack…”

Jack tried, leaning on his uncle tears running down his face even when his breathing slowed and he relaxed as whatever drug the doctor gave him took effect.

The doctor and Castiel gently helped him lean back into his pillows as his eyes blinked blearily, “it’s alright… just rest now… you’re alright…”

She didn’t look like even she believed what she was saying as he drifted quickly back into unconsciousness the rise and fall of his chest slowly evening back out.

Castiel felt as if a live wire was clenched between his teeth.

“What happening to Jack?” he managed an impossibly calm tone.

The doctor sighed taking a moment to steal herself before answering. “Most of the tests we have back so far… they came back inconclusive… There was no sign of meningitis or encephalitis in his spinal fluid, no… conclusive signs of infection in his blood at all…”

“But,” Castiel said feeling miles away.

“But… between the blood taken when he was first admitted and a few hours ago, we’ve found a significant increase in his liver enzymes and protein levels and if… they don’t improve in the next few hours I want to look at transferring him to Kansas University hospital…”

Castiel felt like the ground was dropping from beneath him, “and… the pain, what you were testing for just now that was…”

The doctor paused for an even longer moment before answering, “Jack’s liver and kidneys… are showing signs of inflammation… and the blood tests results are signs they’re starting to lose function…”

‘Failing… she meant they were beginning to fail’

“And you don’t know why…” Castiel mumbled numbly.

The doctor said nothing...

Notes:

Dun dun dun, and the plot thickens, hopefully the introduction of nurse Garth managed to lighten things up a bit before the darker second half and reveal.

If you enjoyed this chapter and have the time and/or inclination please let me know what you thought :)

#SPN #Supernatural #Castiel #Jack Kline #Dean Winchester #Sam Winchester #fanfiction #whump #humor #illness #family drama #garth fitzgerald iv #Hannah #TW drugs #TW vomit mention #only accusations of not an actual attempt of overdose #kylermalloy

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fuckyeahrebelfinn · 6 years ago

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@captainamericagf

Amanda I wanted to clear upa few things about IX’s shooting and John’s post ect and it’s going to be too damn long for your inbox, so here’s to hoping tumblr’s tagging decides to work.

(Also @vaderey)

Re: the tag FN2187 on John’s photo.

I’m sorry to say that that “only” signifies that it’s about Finn. John is a very inconsistent tagger who rarely tags at all and only at times where he finds whatever tag very central to the post. FN2187 have been his go to tag for Finn since TFA came out, probably because it’s the only truly unique identifier for Finn. If he just tagged #Finn it would drown in the thousands upon thousands of other Finns on Instagram, but there’s only one FN-2187.

So I hate to rain on everyone’s theories about a Stormtrooper uprising - including my own - but all that means is that whatever badassery was going on Finn was central to it, but with no indication of what kind of badassery it was.

Finn’s injuries:

As for the lack of plasma burns indicating anything can I just remind everyone that lightsaber injury to hands tend to result in not plasma burns but lost hands?

I mean look at all the plasma burns that Luke got in his duel with Vader at Cloud City?

Oh wait, that’s more cuts and bruises because Vader was throwing shit at him. Not to mention all we’ve seen was John’s hands. Nice jumping to conclusions there Anon.

Finally I have a very hard time seeing John being excited for a scene that kills off Finn. Not to mention, they’re nearly done shooting and given JJ’s preference for shooting as chronologically as possible this is likely something at the end of the movie. That John is still this excited about it all makes it look like IX might treat Finn well. Obviously nothing is certain and JJ may still end up butchering Finn’s storyline as much as Rian did, but that John even dares to display this level of confidence this late in the game make it seem to me that we may get an Episode IX that’s worth watching.

Re: Yavin IV.

Here people are really beginning to pass of complete speculations as facts :/

Yes IX is currently shooting at Cardington Air Sheds which was used as the sound stage for the Rebel base in both ANH and RO because it’s the biggest damned sounds stage in the UK and they needed the cavernous feel of the big interior of the Massassi temple. All them being at Cardington means it that they need a huge freaking sound stage, which given that all we’ve heard is that the sake on IX is massive doesn’t sound unlikely for say a really big battle.

Also the shooting at Cardington is done by Vic which means it’s scenery shoots or big battle panoramas, which again fits with the only named actor being spotted at Cardington being Joonas, the Finnish guy who’s inside Chewie.

And everything we’ve heard from Kevin Smith’s visit to the IX set as well as a goodly assortment of rumors says that IX is huge even for Star Wars, that we’re looking at something at a heretofore unprecedented scale. So big panorama shots and overviews of a gigantic ground battle does not sound implausible. It may or may not involve Yavin but we don’t know either way, personally I think it doesn’t and it’s all about size :P (for once).

Re: Rose and Loan.

This one is purely on that Anon leaping to the assumption that she’s not important, especially as John said “the entire crew” and they automatically assumed that wouldn’t include her. I know there’s not been much reports on her, but lets be real it’s because both fandom and media couldn’t care less about her or any of the characters of color. Come on, the only reason we occasionally hear anything about John is that he’s the only one still on social media apart from Mark (who for the record appears to have a minuscule role in IX) because media and fandom could on the whole not give fewer shits about anyone who isn’t Rey or Kylo.

That said I finally managed to dig out a good source of info on Loan and her movements on twitter (for those interested it’s named @dailytranloan). Between that and my own Googlemancy this is what it looks like:

Loan was spotted on multiple occasions in London in August and September, i.e. while IX was shooting at Pinewood. She drops out of sight about the time where the shooting moved to Wadi Rum but we have no clue if she went with them or not. She was only spotted in London once after the return of the shooting to England and New Year, but have been confirmed seen (photo evidence) three times between New Year and today.

So it looks like Rose may have a much bigger role in IX than anyone suspected and that she’s making it all the way to the end and beyond it.

I think that covers most of the things your anons have been throwing at you.

tl;dr John have been excited about IX since they started shooting, in fact before they started and his excitement and enthusiasm have only gone one way, up. If people are disinclined to trust him I’m not going to argue with them further but I’m beginning to believe that all those doomsday anons are not all in good faith and that a certain group of someones have begun trolling because it’s becoming increasingly clear that Finn is going to be the male lead in IX and be treated as such by the story. Which spells nothing but doom and judgement for a certain other character and we know how much they all only tolerate Finn when he’s safely ensconced as a side character.

I understand being worried about IX, damn bitch me too, but this constant cry of doom when we get something positive rings false to me.

Personally I’m going to take John’s word on it unless we get solid indications otherwise.

~Mod Mara

#john boyega #episode ix #rose tico #rebelfinn #kelly marie tran #loan tran #star wars: episode ix #star wars episode ix #jj abrams #vic mahoney #mod mara #epix #spoliers #jb #lt #jja #vm

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remindersofgrace · 6 years ago

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Our Birth Story

Today marks 10 days since our daughter Talitha was born. Our daughter - I’m still getting used to saying that. She came without warning and on her own timing, but I’m beginning to see God’s perfect providence in blessing us with this sweet little girl 5 weeks early. I woke up Saturday morning, September 1st, 2018 at 5:30am without an alarm, unsure of why I felt so wired and unable to fall back asleep (which, if you know me, is a very unusual thing). I was feeling some uncomfortable pressure in my lower abdomen and kept sitting on the toilet for relief, and actually pooped 4 times in 4 hours but had no idea that this could be a sign of early labor. (Is that TMI? Oh well.)

By 10am though, the pain had started moving up my abdomen, and I started to count the contractions. They were sporadic, 30 seconds of pain every 6 min, then 40 second after 4 min, then 3 min, then 8 min - but they were persistent and unlike any Braxton-Hicks contractions I had felt before. I texted Talitha, my friend and doula (we’ll call her Talitha P so you don’t confuse her with our baby), and let her know what was going on, but still didn’t think anything serious was happening until she texted back, “Oh my goodness. Definitely monitor them and keep me posted.” She suggested hopping in the bath to see if that would help the contractions subside - and although it seemed to ease the pain a little, after the bath the contractions started up again every 6 min. We called the triage line at Kaiser and the doctor on the line told me she wasn’t sure it was true labor, but instructed us to come in just to be safe.

We cancelled our lunch plans, haphazardly threw together a hospital bag for me, threw our car seat in the trunk (we still hadn’t figured out how to strap it in yet) and called our mothers during the car ride to let them know that we were headed to the hospital for triage, but that we didn’t think we were going to be there for long. After all, Talitha wasn’t due for another 5 weeks, I had 2 more packed weeks of work to transition out for maternity leave, we had a baby shower scheduled on the 15th, and our house was not close to being habitable for a newborn.

The car ride to the hospital was a bit tougher with some stronger contractions, and we walked into the Kaiser Sunset’s labor and delivery unit to be triaged by a nurse. She strapped the fetal monitors on my abdomen, and sure enough - the contractions were consistently every 6 minutes. The pain was there but manageable, and Talitha’s heart rate was responding well to each contraction. The moment came at around 2:30pm when the doctor came in to check how dilated I was, and our jaws dropped when he told me I was 4 cm dilated, 90% effaced - and I was not going anywhere. Eden and I looked at each other and shared a moment of disappointment that our baby was not going to be born full-term, which we were hoping for since she needed to be big enough and strong enough to have surgery shortly after birth. We called Talitha and let her know that I was being admitted, and this incredible woman did not hesitate to drive 2 hours from Palm Springs on her Labor Day weekend to be there for mine. Best doula ever.

We were transferred into the room that I would deliver in at around 3pm, and I was started on an IV to give me fluids and also to give me a preventative antibiotic since my test for group-B strep had not resulted yet. I was also given a steroid injection to give my premature baby’s lungs a boost, but it would only be effective if I was given a second dose 24 hours later. I was hoping that I would not be laboring for another 24 hours, but wanted to give my baby any fighting chance I could.

Well into labor, I still hadn’t lost my mucous plug or had any bloody show, and my water still hadn’t broken. The toughest part about this labor was that because I was 5 weeks early, my nurse didn’t want me to get out of bed and kept trying to have me delay delivery - she thought it was best that I try to hold off until I could get the second steroid injection in 24 hours, or to even delay delivery 4 more days until our baby was 36 weeks old. I looked at her sideways - I couldn’t imagine going through these contractions for 24 more hours, let alone 4 days, and the thought of it stressed me out! Thankfully by then, Talitha P had arrived at about 5:30pm, and she gave me this reassuring look after the nurse left and said, “Don’t worry, you are having this baby tonight.”

By then, Jabez had dropped off an exercise ball for me (sadly it was not used) and my brother-in-law Ken came to support me and Eden as well. The contractions became stronger and more frequent - every 4 min, every 3 min. I went to the bathroom and sure enough, there was quite a bit of blood in the toilet after I peed, and Talitha P reassured me that it wouldn’t be long before I delivered. She had thankfully met with us just a week before to give us a labor crash course in what to expect with labor and how to breathe through the labor pains. During the pain of contractions, the temptation is to tense up your body but that is the opposite of what your body should do. Instead, what you actually need to do is relax your body as much as possible, and so she instructed me to focus on taking deep breaths and to have my palms face up so that I couldn’t clench down. She also would rub my neck muscles to gently remind me to relax my shoulders when she felt me tensing up. And so I was able to get through my contractions without pain medicine and without any screaming, which is something I always wanted to do but didn’t think that I would be able to do. For me, the pain of my contractions was actually pretty bearable (around 6-7 out of 10) because I knew what to expect and the pain was only really bad for about 30 seconds until I could feel the contraction begin to subside. It could have also just been God’s kindness to me because I have horrible pain tolerance!

At around 7pm, the doctor came in to check my cervix again. He told us he couldn’t feel a cervix, meaning I was fully dilated at 10cm. I had to wait through a few more contractions since the neonatologist team was not quite ready to come in yet, and then it was finally time to start pushing. Talitha P had taught me - deep cleansing breath in and out, then another deep breath, tuck your chin in, grab the bottom of your thighs, and push like you’re pushing out the biggest poop of your life for 10 seconds. Then exhale and repeat until your contraction has finished. For me, I was only able to get 2 rounds of effective pushes each contraction. Though women are usually pretty nervous about the pushing stage, pushing actually felt like a relief because you’re finally getting to do what the contractions are making you want to do. I was told that my pushes were effective, and after about 45 min we started to see her crown. The neonatologist and pediatric surgical team came at the perfect moment when I was pushing out my final pushes. I had a mirror positioned so that I could see her come out.

As her little head finally popped out, it was more painful but not unbearable, and she had not yet made a sound. I remember pleading with God that she would take her first breath even with immature lungs. The doctor delivering Talitha instructed me to pause on pushing so that she could reposition her and ease her out without as much tearing. Once she had her positioned, she instructed me to give some final pushes and I gave it my all, and her little shoulders and the rest of her pudgy body made it through. Then came the glorious cry! They instantly put her on my chest for a brief time of skin to skin. I felt so relieved and couldn’t believe this baby on my breast was Talitha in the flesh, the little being we had waited for so long to meet. Eden cut the cord, and Talitha was whisked over to the exam table to be assessed while I delivered my placenta. She was 6 lbs and 10 oz, which we later found out was due to the amount of fluid trapped in her vagina. They indeed found an imperforate anus (which we had expected) but they also found no vaginal opening. The diagnosis was made that our baby had a cloaca, which was on our doctor’s list of possible diagnoses but not at the top. All babies have a cloaca (a common channel for the urethra, anus, and vagina) in the embryonic stage, but it normally separates into the 3 separate channels during development. Our baby was one out of 25,000 babies to have what is called a persistent cloaca and we would learn in the coming days what that meant for our baby and her life.

Eden and our daughter went to the NICU while I received stitches for a second degree tear (not fun). Meanwhile, the neonatologist was furiously putting in orders and contacting our pediatric team to schedule Talitha to have a colostomy and a vaginostomy for 8am the next morning. I was transferred to the postpartum unit, ate some dinner with Eden, Ken and Talitha P, and we reflected back on the delivery together. Talitha P gave me a tutorial on breast pumping before she headed back for Palm Springs. When it was cleared for us to visit our baby in the NICU, we headed over close to midnight and found our baby. She now was on IV fluids and had a little tube threaded down her throat to suction out any contents in her stomach before surgery. Her nurse was so kind and talked me through a lot of what to expect tomorrow, then gave me ample time to hold her skin to skin and snuggle with her. It was such a precious time that I won’t forget. We finally got to bed that night around 1:40am, and so concluded the day that made Eden and myself parents. As I finally finish typing this, we are a day or two from bringing our baby home. We have seen so much evidence of God’s grace during these past 10 days and are confident that He will continue to care for Talitha and for us. She has had an army of over 100 people praying for her ever since her 13-week ultrasound and I know those prayers are powerful and effective. We had prayed for healing, and although it didn’t come the way we expected, I can see already how God is healing broken areas in Eden and myself, and how He is using Talitha and her sweet little life to proclaim His goodness and faithfulness in the midst of trial and suffering.

If you haven’t already, please read my hubby’s post-birth story and also our specific prayer requests for these upcoming months. Thanks to all who reached out and supported us, I wish I could individually thank you all. God is so good to us through you all!

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lazyfox411 · 7 years ago

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happy birthday keith: a sickfic

so a little while ago, I put out a post asking for suggestions on what to write for keiths birthday. @radiofreekerberos suggested shiro throw keith a surprise party (thank you sm btw), and I tried a lot of different ideas but nothing was coming lol so went to my default which is sicfics. and even then here I present the worst thing ive ever written :P

but the only way i wouldnt write for my boys birthday is if i was dead.

Fall was a pretty good season. Pretty colours, Halloween, pumpkin spice everything, perfect jacket and scarf weather—usually. Today, Keith had realized too late, was perfect raincoat and boots weather.

He shivered, pulling his sweater tighter around his shoulders. He was already miserable, and now this. Granted, it was just a light rain, but he had also been plagued with a persistent case of the sniffles. After sneezing and shaking all day, suffering through school and work like a braindead zombie, Keith was more than ready to go home and rest, rain be damned.

When he had clocked out of work, he'd felt a nagging in the back of his mind, like he'd been forgetting to do something. But he'd done everything he was supposed to, hadn't he? Clean the tables, sweep the floors, empty the register, lock up. That was it. He'd done it all. Maybe he just felt off because he wasn’t usually the one to lock up he diner. It was Hunk’s diner, and he was usually the last one out, so naturally the one to lock up everyday. But today he'd left Keith in charge for the last hour before closing time, claiming he had some sort of important business to take care of. He refused to say what this business was, which was odd because Hunk usually never kept secrets. It was pretty much physically impossible for him, and even today he'd looked like he was about to burst.

It was odd, Keith thought, Hunk had been avoiding him most of the day. Unlike the odd feeling of a forgotten obligation.

Keith checked his bag. He went over all his possessions, taking inventory. Textbooks, work clothes, pencils and papers. A few assignments his professor had handed back today. Keith was actually pretty proud of those; they’d gotten good marks. Maybe he was forgetting an upcoming college project. He checked his phone, but there were no reminders.

After coming up emptyhanded, he decided to push away the feeling and just focus on getting warm. The rain was freezing, and his teeth were chattering, nose running, fingers numb. He wasn’t sure if it was raining harder now, and that was why he couldn’t see, or if his vision was just going blurry because he was exhausted. He didn't care. He just wanted to be home, in bed. His clothes were soaked now, and his shoes pooled with water wherever he stepped, squelching on the pavement.

There were about two blocks to go until he would be home. Keith tried to focus on that. He plodded along, head down, trying and failing to avoid all the puddles. When he looked up to cross the street, his body couldn’t keep up with his eyes, and the world started spinning much too fast and he was stumbling out into the street.

A flash of headlights and the too-loud sound of a horn, the screech of brakes. The car slammed to a halt just feet away, spraying Keith in a shower of dirty puddle water. The driver screamed at him, but Keith couldn’t make out what was being said over the torrential downpour and the ringing of his ears. He scurried out of the road, trembling even harder because now not only was he freezing, but holy shit he'd almost been hit by a car.

The apartment door was locked. Shiro must not be home, Keith figured. He liked sharing an apartment with Shiro. It was easier on rent, and it was nice to not be alone. Keith had been alone a lot, and while he did like his solitude, Shiro had made him realize that being all alone all the time wasn’t all that great. Keith clumsily wiped the water from his face as he searched for his keys, and he didn't want to admit it, but he wouldn’t be surprised if a few tears had been wiped with it, because now he was thinking about a little raven-haired kid, all alone on the streets, no idea who his mother was, no clue where his father went, scared and hungry and tired and ready to give up. Until Shiro had taken him in and given him a real family, for the first time.

Keith finally found his keys, and as he slid them into the lock he was silently berating himself for getting so emotional all of a sudden. What was wrong with him? Why couldn’t he get a grip? And why was he so cold? Pointless questions swirled in his mind, and the more he thought, the worse it got, until he found the strength to grip the door handle. At least he was pretty sure he did, he still couldn’t feel his fingers, all he wanted to do was get inside and go to bed, but there was still the feeling he'd forgotten something and not knowing was making him feel sick to his stomach—

“SURPRISE!!!”

Keith nearly toppled over backwards from the sheer force of the six voices all screaming in unison. He blinked, trying to take in the scene in front of him. Shiro, Hunk, Lance, Pidge, Allura and Coran were positioned around the room, wearing pointed paper hats and cheering and throwing streamers. Pidge had three kazoos sticking out of her mouth and was violently blowing out a tune that sounded oddly similar to “Here Comes the Bride,” and she was spread out like a starfish, holding a sparkly happy birthday banner that was nearly as big as her. Evidently it had been made by Lance, who was covered head to toe in glitter and waving around a bunch of balloons. Hunk stood behind the kitchen table in front of a cake. The yellow headband he always wore had been replaced by a weave of ribbons.

“Happy birthday, Keith!” Lance shouted. Keith just stared at him.

“You didn't forget your own birthday, did you?” Shiro asked. He had a large red gift box held in his arms.

Keith blinked again. He could see Allura and Coran out of the corner of his eye. Coran had his hands held behind his back. Allura’s were pulled up under her chin, excitedly awaiting Keith's reaction.

Keith continued to stare. The room fell silent. The banner drooped. The gift was set down. The balloons stilled. Keith just stared, at his friends, the decorations, the cake. It was too much. Too much noise, too many sparkles, too many people. Too much for his rain-soaked, pounding head to compute all at once.

He felt his face grow hot. His knees went weak, and he sunk to the floor, and before he could stop himself, he was sobbing.

He didn't process what was being said, but he heard voices, words. They sounded worried.

“Oh, dear.” Allura.

“Perhaps we surprised him too much.” Coran.

“Aw, gee, man, you walked all that way without an umbrella?” Lance.

“Guys, he doesn’t look so good.” Hunk.

Keith felt a pair of tiny hands gently finding his wrists, and he curled his fingers around them. Through a haze of tears, he saw light glinting off Pidge’s glasses. “Hey, Keith, what’s the matter?”

“I-I-I-I’m-I’m ss-sorry,” Keith cried. He wiped furiously at his eyes, fists stilled balled up with Pidge’s teeny little fingers. He could barely talk, his throat felt so tight. How could his face fell so hot when the rest of him was freezing cold?

“Hey, it’s okay, Keith, it’s okay.” Keith felt a strong, warm hand on his back, and he leaned towards it, into Hunk. Hunk was warm, and it helped ease Keith's shaking.

“I’m sorry,” Keith repeated.

Shiro looked down at him thoughtfully. “What’s wrong?”

“I just…don’t feel very well.”

Suddenly there was a hand brushing his bangs from his forehead, blessedly cool on his too-hot face. Keith sighed in relief as Shiro moved closer and shifted the hand to cup his cheek, and press against his brow.

“He’s burning up,” Shiro said. Keith got the feeling Shiro wasn’t talking to him anymore, because everyone else seemed to jolt to attention.

“You mean he’s sick?” Lance asked worriedly.

“Aw, Keith, why didn't you say anything?” Hunk frowned.

“Didn't give me much of a chance,” Keith mumbled, chasing the last traces of tears from his face. He was still shivering.

Shiro wrapped an arm around his shoulders and helped him to his feet. “Let’s get you some dry clothes, huh?”

Keith nodded, and before he could protest Shiro was scooping him up off the ground. There wasn’t really any sense in trying to wriggle free now, Keith figured, was there? He coughed wetly, congestion settling in his lungs. He really should have taken an umbrella.

“We’re terribly sorry, Keith,” Allura said softly. “We thought a surprise party might be a good way to celebrate your birthday. I see now we were wrong.”

Keith shook his head lightly, managing a soft smile. “It’s okay, Allura.”

“Is there anything I can do? Perhaps Coran and I could run to the drugstore to get you some medicine?”

“Ye—” Keith was cut short by a harsh coughing fit.

“That would be great,” Shiro answered for him.

Shiro brought him to his room, helped him towel off his hair, and found him some dry pyjamas. Keith changed, and crawled into bed. The soft enclosure of blankets made him sleepy, and he vaguely thought that this was the most content he'd felt all day.

“You do know it’s your birthday today, right?” Shiro sat next to him on the bed.

“I, uh…might have forgot.”

Shiro sighed. “I’m really sorry, Keith. This whole surprise party was my idea. I know we never really did anything for your birthday other years, but this year I thought you might enjoy it. I'm sorry I've ruined your special day.”

“Shiro, you didn't ruin anything. I'm sorry I messed it all up by getting sick. I—" Before he could say anything more, there was a knock at the door, and Lance, Hunk, and Pidge appeared. Hunk held a steaming mug of tea in his hands, which Keith accepted gratefully.

“How do you feel now?” Lance asked. He sat on Keith's other side.

Keith decided to just be honest. He'd probably already made a fool of himself anyway. “I feel cold.” The rain had somehow seeped into his bones, and now he was chilled all the way through. Shiro put an arm around his shoulders and rubbed the goosebumps that dotted Keith's bicep. Lance found his way to Keith's side, and Pidge spread herself over his legs. Keith felt their warmth, their love and support, and he was pretty sure it was the best birthday present he had ever received. He told them as much.

“Oh, speaking of presents,” Hunk jumped up, “you still haven’t gotten to open yours.” He ducked out of the room and returned moments later with the red box. “From all of us,” he said.

Keith inspected it closely. Nobody had ever really given him a birthday present before, other than Shiro, and that had always been something like a candy bar, or a pair of socks. Not that Shiro didn't care, of course, he just knew that Keith didn't like making a big deal over things like that. This year was different, though. Keith had begun to come out of his shell, and Shiro had noticed, or else he wouldn’t be surrounded by all his closest friends right now.

Keith tentatively tore at the paper.

“Come on, dude, don’t be scared,” Lance grinned. “It isn’t gonna hurt you.”

Keith ripped the rest off, and opened the box. From the folds of tissue paper inside, he produced a thick, leather-bound book.

“Open it, “Shiro encouraged.

Keith flipped open the cover. The paper inside was a warm, off-white colour, thick and grainy. Each of his friends’ signatures were scrawled around the page, around a photo of the seven of them laughing and making silly faces. It was a scrapbook.

He turned the page, nervous under his friends’ expectant eyes. This page was filled with more photos, candid shots of playing video games with Pidge and Lance, him and Hunk with frosting on their noses, Shiro spraying them all with the hose, selfies in bathroom mirrors, sitting at coffee shops, walking down trails. Keith kept turning pages, a smile creeping up his face as he remembered all the days these pictures had been taken. There were other things, too, a movie ticket, a receipt from the hospital when Keith had broken his arm, a fallen leaf from the national park. There was so much, but all of it had one thing in common: every photo, every memory, was of a time when Keith and his friends had all been together.

“Wow, guys, I…I don’t know what to say. Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

“We’re glad you like it,” Hunk smiled.

“And look,” Pidge’s eyes glowed as she thumbed through the remaining pages, “we left you some blank ones, so that you can add your own stuff.”

Keith couldn’t help the dumb grin that was splitting his face. “Thank you,” he repeated. “I can't believe you guys did all this for me. I'm just so sorry I messed it all up.”

“No way,” Shiro said. He tightened his grip around Keith's shoulder. “You didn't ruin anything. We’re sorry we forced this onto you.”

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, this is one birthday I'm sure to never forget,” Keith said. It was true. Not because he was sick, not because he'd burst into tears—though that would probably haunt him for some time—but because this birthday had been spent with people he cared about. And they, in turn, cared about him. Keith rested his head on Shiro's chest and let his eyes flutter shut. He felt Lance's breathing even out next to him, Pidge on his legs, and Hunk’s warmth by his feet.

By the time Allura and Coran returned with the medicine, the five of them were all asleep.

#happy birthday keith #my beautiful boy #this is actually the worst thing ive ever posted lol but whatever #ive got some better longer fics planned #keith kogane #voltron #keiths birthday #lance mcclain #takashi shirogane #pidge gunderson #hunk garrett #allura #coran #I'm not gonna tag any ship yall can interpret however u want #vld #Voltron birthdays #my writing #I know I said id protect him with my life lol but look I made him miserable

135 notes · View notes

dreamerology · 7 years ago

Note

HI I LOVE YOU AND WE LOve MINHYUK IN THIS HOUSEHOLD PLEASE WRITE AN EXTENSIVE LIST ABT. WHY YOU LOVE HIM BLEASE IM S O CURIOUS ????????? also pictures and examples would b nice i love lists hehe bY NO MEANs do yoU have to do this i just,,,,, love minhyuk and i love people who love minhyuk thank u for tuning in to my ted talk

I LOVE U THIS TURNED OUT SO LONG IM SORRY…….minhyuk love hours Commence

is it wrong to say i already have a list of like 70 reasons why i love him (Listen. i have a mission….) and is it cheating to use it? who knows but im gonna add evidence to some of them

his smile!!!!!!!!! im so in l*ve (i know thats vague but i swear every time he smiles everything gets a big brighter and hes got so many different smiles i love them all)

his Big Laugh

when he sings along to a song in a vlive nd his voice sounds rly soft (this was specifically abt this live but ive noticed he just does it a lot in general)

his uneven blink enough said.

how his fingers go sorta crooked when he makes a peace sign

when his pinky finger goes up when he makes a peace sign (thanks amy for bringing it to my attention)

his eyes….theyre so warm…..feel safe

his taste in music (im p sure someone has made a playlist from all the songs hes rec’d??)

when he wears yellow (His Colour sorry i dont make the rules in this house)

his habit of licking his lip………can he Stop (or like. when he sticks his tongue out of the corner of his mouth)

on the same page, his habit of picking/touching his lip….its Distracting

his little square ears

how good he is w kids need i say more

how hes a pillar of support for the other members (cue wonho’s video message to him, also my tears,)

his Voice……its soft im so weak

how loud he can be (like its rly endearing? how goofy he is)

how his black hair from fighter was his fave, we love an intellectual

also his white hair, an iconic look thank u miss all in

this fancam he looked like an actual puppy

HIS HAIR AT THE END OF SHINE FOREVER ERA WHEN IT WAS BLONDE W ROOTS AND RLY LONG. INHALE.

that thing he does where he brushes his hair out of his eyes…..cute

how talented of an artist he is the Fuck! im gonna frame them all on my wall (specifically this video makes me EMo)

the video of him waking up jooheon, u know the one (aka the reason i started stanning mx in the first place)

how alive he looks on stage! HES MADE FOR THIS! (i think ive talked abt this before? but like how vibrant and glowing and Alive he looks when hes performing. like hes rly out there thriving!)

this is a good example of ^^ but also it gets its own point bc if i dont watch this once a day i die

his part in gravity (monsta x’s Best Song)

his full teeth smile (the one where he goes 😬)

how clingly he is w the other members, i love one (1) koala

how he tries to make the best of any situation (see: him being sent back to the hotel in right now)

whenever he wears hats

how happy he looked when he left to the jungle (u never asked but my love for him really reached a whole new level that night)

whenever he just. Collapses from laughing (see: the whisper challenge)

how thoughtful he is

his serious side (see: his liev with kihyun)

whenever he showers jooheon in love (what a mood :/)

his personality. he’s the Actual Sun

i sorta mentioned it earlier but like….how he makes himself approachable for the other members so they feel like they have someone to talk to and lean on

his stage with seokwan in no mercy

his part in x

when hes got sweater paws (i’m too lazy to go find and add the picture but. yeah cute)

his single dimple

THE DOLPHIN NOISE HE MAKES WHENEVER HE GETS REALLY EXCITED ABT SOMETHING

i know i already said his voice but seriously hes improved sooooo much from no mercy im so proud

the beauty mark on his finger

how cute he is w dambi……they truly love each other so much my Heart

how fucking funny he is

not to like….be edgy or anything but how good he looks without makeup

his little drawing on fansign notes

HIS DATE VLIVES BITCH

his red hair….shes gone but not forgotten

mon happy radio!!!!!!!!!

O WORD HIS DARK BLUE HAIR TOO (aka my fave colour h). we ate so good that day

the scar by his right eye

how much he loves his family

how he said making others happy gives him the most happiness. A

how fuck good he looks in chokers…..hes too powerful

his friendship w kihyun

when he….tried surfing and looked uhhhhh rly good

HOW GENUINE AND SINCERE HIS ADVICE IS

how he doesnt rly care what people think abt him hes just out there living his life how he wants (god i wish that were me)

when he got 3 bullseyes at the isac’s last year we love u archery king

when he smiles rly big and gets all those winkles near his eyes…baby

how he made the acoustic version of beautiful mv for mbbs and even made his director series out of it…..cute :((

when he stretches rly big and just. looks like a starfishsdfkjsdhf

when hes got a single dangly earring….helo

his hands. Thats all thanks for coming 2 my ted talk

when he wears all black….goth kink activated

his eye smile

how much he loves sea creatures idk its so cute 2 me…..

how he sometimes sticks his tongue between his teeth when he smiles

HIS SLEEPY VOICE specifically during ep 2 of lotj

#I LOVE U BUT THIS IS WHY NOBODY SHOULD ENABLE ME I NEVER SHUT UP DKJHFSKJDHFKJHSDKJHF #i didn't elaborate on all of them.......i could have but........rest.#like i could have used photos for lots but i was too lazy to go find them dksjfhkjshdf #when i die please let this be my legacy #answered #wnhyuk

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theliberaltony · 6 years ago

Link

via FiveThirtyEight

Welcome to FiveThirtyEight’s weekly politics chat. The transcript below has been lightly edited.

sarahf (Sarah Frostenson, politics editor): We’re back with a snake draft of 2020 Democratic presidential contenders, but this time with a twist — we’re picking the … VICE PRESIDENT.

I know — we don’t know who the presidential nominee is yet. But let’s face it: Even if the primary field grows to 20-plus Democrats, only one can win the nomination. So we might as well talk about who would make a desirable running mate (if not commander-in-chief). And before you scoff, a candidate’s choice for VP can signal a lot about what he or she prioritizes or considers to be a campaign weakness.

Remember, we’re trying to pick someone who’d make a good second-in-command, although our picks tend to diminish in quality as the rounds wear on. The rules are as follows: Four rounds, so between the four of us, 16 potential 2020 Democratic veeps. Let’s determine the order. (I’m going to write our names on paper and recruit someone in the office to draw them out of a hat while Nate orders some Chinese takeout.)

natesilver (Nate Silver, editor in chief): I’m pretty excited about this, I gotta say.

(The VP draft, not just the Chinese food.)

geoffrey.skelley (Geoffrey Skelley, elections analyst): All about a well-balanced meal, or presidential ticket.

sarahf: The lineup:

Clare

Nate

Geoff

Sarah

natesilver: Pretty happy with the No. 2 pick here.

sarahf: I can’t believe I have to go twice in a row. I hate

drafts. Anyway, get us started, Clare!

clare.malone (Clare Malone, senior political writer): mmmmk

Cory Booker

natesilver: bad pick

sarahf: good pick

clare.malone: Here’s my reasoning:

I’m going to operate for a moment on the premise that the “electability” factor that Democratic primary voters say they are going for in 2020 is a stand-in for a centrist-type candidate, and probably a white person. Under those conditions, a white candidate would want to pick Booker for his identity and ability to appeal to black voters, which is a big part of the Democratic primary electorate. But Booker also appeals to the establishment wings of the party and has the sort of resume where you wouldn’t mind setting him up to run for president someday in the future, but with a West Wing office.

geoffrey.skelley: Booker would have been my first pick, too.

sarahf: Still think it’s a bad pick, Nate?

clare.malone: Yes, he does on principle, which I respect.

natesilver: There are two obvious picks, and Booker was maybe the third-best pick after those two obvious ones.

sarahf: Well, then. I don’t suppose I should delay the draft any longer.

You’re up, Nate!

clare.malone: I’m on tenterhooks, with bated breath, etc.

natesilver: I’m going with … Robert (“Beto”) O’Rourke.

clare.malone: bad pick

(I, too, have my principles.)

natesilver: No, it’s a great pick.

geoffrey.skelley: You guys are on a roll.

natesilver: Here’s why: 1) There’s about a 55 percent chance (per Betfair) that the nominee will not be a white dude. 2) If the nominee is not a white dude, the VP probably will be a white dude. 3) The other white dudes are too old (Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders) or would cost Democrats a Senate seat (Sherrod Brown). Hence, Beto.

sarahf: Hmm, I think Beto’s lack of resume disqualifies him (section IV in this article) as VP material, but not necessarily for a presidential run because in that case, charisma matters more than experience.

clare.malone: Nate is just coming at the likelihood of who will be at the top of the ticket differently than I am.

O’Rourke is the right pick if you’re doing Nate’s reasoning of a minority candidate being the nominee.

In that case, O’Rourke is popular, white and young, which would make for a good VP.

natesilver: See, I thought the lack of a resume would make him even more qualified to be VP since it’s a job where you don’t really do anything. He could go around the country eating ice cream and staying at weird motels and blogging about it.

sarahf: Maybe, but I’d argue that VPs have historically been a pretty overqualified bunch.

clare.malone: What do you think is his motel chain of choice?

natesilver: Lol, Beto doesn’t stay at chains, Clare!

clare.malone: You don’t think he’s racking up Holiday Inn Express points?

geoffrey.skelley: A corollary to the craft beer track is the local motel track.

clare.malone: (I love a Holiday Inn, by the way. Always my preference on the road. As is McDonald’s over Burger King.)

BRAND LOYALTY IS IMPORTANT AS AN AMERICAN

sarahf: OK, Geoff, take it away with pick No. 3.

geoffrey.skelley: I made up a little rubric for leading presidential contenders to get a rough calculation of who might best balance a ticket or meet some missing criteria for the major contenders. And this will shake things up, but I think Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth best hits the mark of the remaining options out there.

sarahf: Interesting pick.

Do tell us more.

natesilver: “Interesting” is a euphemism for “bad” where I come from.

geoffrey.skelley: She’s got one hell of a story.

She’s the first disabled congresswoman, having lost both of her legs while serving in Iraq as a helicopter pilot. And she is someone of mixed ethnicity from the Midwest.

Outside of Biden, I’m not really sure of the foreign policy credentials of any of the other Democratic presidential candidates. Booker is on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but Duckworth’s military experience would be an asset.

clare.malone: I’m going to offend Foggy Bottom here and say that people don’t care about foreign policy all that much anymore.

geoffrey.skelley: I think Duckworth could be a presidential candidate someday if she doesn’t get involved in 2020.

natesilver: She was born in Thailand, to a U.S. citizen, so there would probably be debate about her eligibility, a la Ted Cruz.

And I did have her on my list, as I think she’s one of the more plausible nonpresidential contenders who could become VP.

But … like … the fact that she hasn’t expressed any interest in the presidency — doesn’t that also mean she might not want the vice presidency?

sarahf: Her military background is definitely a win for Democrats, but like Nate said, I’m not sure she wants so high-profile of a gig.

clare.malone: She also just had a baby, which might have something to do with not wanting to run right now.

sarahf: OK, I’m here with picks 4 and 5! And I think you all will agree I have some very good picks.

First of all, Vice President Julian Castro.

natesilver: Not bad.

One of my top 2 is still on the board, though.

sarahf: I’m a little surprised no one has claimed him, but my thought is that Castro already has the grooming as a former Cabinet secretary. And I think his message as a Latino American challenging Trump is powerful.

That said, I don’t think it’s powerful enough to win him the nomination. (I just don’t think he has enough name recognition.)

geoffrey.skelley: I wrote Castro’s theory of the case and agree there’s definitely an “I’m running for VP” vibe.

clare.malone: He seems sort of a dull penny in a race filled with shiny pennies.

natesilver: But sometimes that’s what candidates are going for. Tim Kaine is in the “dull penny” bucket. Mike Pence, too.

clare.malone: I agree he has experience and the resume, but there are lots of other people who might make a more interesting choice with similar resumes.

And this is true, Nate, but are we in that era?

geoffrey.skelley: Castro would probably be a decent choice for Biden, Sanders or Elizabeth Warren.

natesilver: Democrats could also talk themselves into thinking they need to double-down on the Hispanic vote.

Maybe Sanders or Warren, Geoffrey. Biden might need to pick someone who is more identifiably to his left?

geoffrey.skelley: Fair point regarding ideology — where Castro stands on a number of issues is a big unknown.

The Electoral College would also complicate — if not exclude — a Castro choice if O’Rourke were to become the nominee.1

sarahf: Guess that means no O’Rourke-Castro ticket in our future.

But OK, my next pick is Amy Klobuchar.

geoffrey.skelley: arrrrgh

Probably could’ve waited on Duckworth and taken Klobuchar, but the first pick is fun and splashy.

sarahf: Klobuchar’s Midwestern chops make her desirable electorally.

And with four women already among the major candidates, if a woman is not at the top of the ticket, she needs to be in the second spot.

natesilver: My suppositions are that 1) there will not be two women on the ticket; 2) there will not be two people of color on the ticket; and 3) there will not be two white men on the ticket.

But you could have a white man and a nonwhite man, e.g. Biden and Booker.

Or a white man and a white woman, e.g. Beto and Klobuchar.

sarahf: In which case, Nate’s first scenario could render my pick useless, but I’m not so sure a woman will win the top spot.

Also, at this stage Klobuchar is the highest-profile “moderate” to throw her hat in the ring, which could help someone like Kamala Harris or Sanders if they were to win the nomination, although I probably agree with Nate that two women on the ticket is not going to happen.

natesilver: Klobuchar definitely has the electability thing going for her, she’s not too old, and no big issues re: her qualifications.

sarahf: OK, remind me how snake drafts work … Geoff is up again?

geoffrey.skelley: This is kind of tough — I have a pick in mind, but I think she’s unlikely to take the No. 2 slot, so I’ll wait. So I’m going with Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet instead.

natesilver: ehhhhh

I guess he’s in the Kaine category of nonshiny white dude.

sarahf:

But TBF, there are several possible nominees that fall into this category.

geoffrey.skelley: If the nominee is a woman and/or a minority, he’s a sort of bland Kaine-esque pick that might be needed. He hails from a battleground state, is Western and went viral recently with his floor speech during the government shutdown. Who knows, he might even be eying an under-the-radar presidential bid.

clare.malone: dull penny

But I guess a dull penny is still legal tender.

natesilver: Is Colorado really a battleground state anymore? Probably not with Trump on the ballot.

clare.malone: My favorite part of that Bennet floor speech was how uncomfortable Alabama Sen. Doug Jones looked to be caught on camera sitting next to the rant.

geoffrey.skelley: I get the dull penny point, but it’s also worth remembering that the presidential nominee is NOT going to want someone who outshines them.

sarahf: Fair.

natesilver: Is it my pick now? One of my top two — the one who isn’t Beto — is still on the board.

sarahf: Well then, take ’em off, Nate. Who is it!?!?

natesilver: Kamala Harris

clare.malone: fuck

You stole my pick.

And it doesn’t even go with your theory!

Not fair.

It goes with MY theory.

geoffrey.skelley: Well, I was tempted to take her both times. But I don’t think she’ll take it unless it’s as Biden’s VP. She can camp out in that California Senate seat, which isn’t up again until 2022, and wait for another chance in 2024 or 2028.

natesilver: I mean — I said earlier there’s a 55 percent chance that the nominee isn’t a white dude. That means there’s a 45 percent chance that it will be a white dude.

clare.malone: Wait, is that how percentages work??

natesilver: Clare, the way percentages work is that if you say something has a 29 percent chance of happening, that actually means there is a 0 percent chance.

clare.malone: ahhhh

natesilver: Biden-Harris is a very natural pairing, especially since Biden will have to shore up support on his left.

Beto-Harris could also work. It’s a bit more of a Clinton-Gore dynamic.

The thing is, though, that we could also very easily wind up with an unnatural arrangement where a deal is brokered on the convention floor.

So I like Harris’s VP chances partly because I like her presidential chances to win, but also to be one of the runners-up if she doesn’t.

clare.malone: OK, I’m up.

Stacey Abrams.

natesilver: Hmm

clare.malone: Since Nate stole my pick for my theory of the case for this chat — that the top of the ticket will probably be white — I’m going with Abrams as a popular black candidate who’s a rising political star.

Although I know there’s buzz about her running for the Senate.

natesilver: “Hmm” isn’t passive-aggressive like “interesting.” I’m generally hmm-ing about whether I like the pick.

clare.malone: But Abrams would be a really interesting, bold move for whomever the nominee ends up being. And Abrams would get a huge boost in national profile.

sarahf: Plus, even though VPs don’t necessarily help the ticket carry their home state, it could be an interesting move for Democrats to pick someone who hails from the Deep South.

geoffrey.skelley: Beto-Abrams: Losing to Win.

natesilver: But are there going to be questions about her experience level? Especially since a black woman isn’t likely to get the benefit of the doubt?

clare.malone: Definitely a criticism that would be leveled.

Then again, maybe we are in the midst of busting up the experience paradigm in presidential politics.

natesilver: Last full round, then a lightning round?

We used to go six rounds back in my day.

But we can treat this as a semi-lightning round, a “thunder round,” if you will.

OK, Clare, we need another pick from you.

clare.malone: I know, Nate. I’m thinking.

geoffrey.skelley: Lot of boring white guys out there.

clare.malone: I’m going to switch my theory of the case midround and operate with the theory that a minority will be at the top of the ticket, so I’m going with the wunderkind of South Bend, Pete Buttigieg.

A lot of the top tier people are taken, but he’d be an interesting Midwestern pick … despite his experience problem, obviously.

geoffrey.skelley: For what it’s worth, Abrams has more experience than Buttigieg — she served in the Georgia House of Representatives for about 10 years and was that body’s minority leader more than half that time. Buttigieg has been mayor of South Bend, Indiana, for seven years.

clare.malone: Well, she’s been picked and the pickings are slim!

sarahf: Potential VPs like Buttigieg, Abrams and Beto are all challenging my notion of the kind of experience a VP should have as an elder statesman or stateswoman.

clare.malone: Brown is someone you’d WANT to pick here, but the possibility of losing the Senate seat is obviously a big problem.

natesilver: So … uhhh … do we think a presidential candidate is going to feel safe picking a gay/lesbian/bi VP candidate?

The country is progressive, but it isn’t that progressive.

This is also relevant to Tammy Baldwin and Kyrsten Sinema, both of whom would also be interesting choices.

clare.malone: Yeah, Tammy Baldwin is maybe a better choice, actually.

And yes, Nate, that’s an open question for sure.

natesilver: OK, my pick?

sarahf: Yup.

natesilver: I am going with …. Pennsylvania Sen. Robert “Bob” Casey Jr.

sarahf: Deep cut.

natesilver: From a crucial swing state, but a Democratic governor would pick his replacement.

He also seemed to at least flirt with the idea of running for president, so he’d probably be interested.

geoffrey.skelley: Abortion politics make him a problematic pick, although the geography makes perfect sense.

And Tim Kaine’s personal pro-life position didn’t foul up Hillary Clinton, so maybe Casey would work for someone like Harris, too.

natesilver: I do agree the abortion thing could be an issue, although his record has shifted to the left over the years.

And he’d be the choice of a candidate who wanted to pivot to the center — someone like Warren. The Harris-Casey fit seems weird, but in theory that could work, too.

Booker-Casey is also not crazy.

geoffrey.skelley: All right. I’ve got some swing state women in mind — I’m going with Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada.

natesilver: Very deep cut.

geoffrey.skelley: Latina from a battleground state with a Democratic governor who could appoint her replacement.

natesilver: Yeah, it all makes sense.

geoffrey.skelley: Not a well-known name, but again whoever is at the top of the ticket may not want a high-profile pick. Instead, he or she may be looking for balance.

natesilver: O’Rourke-Cortez Masto really rolls off the tongue

sarahf: OK, I’m up. One “thunder pick” and then a “lightning pick” to take us home.

My thunder pick is: Sherrod Brown despite reservations about picking him earlier.

natesilver: Pretty good for the Thunder round.

Sorry, thunder.

(Reading too much NBA stuff so was thinking about the Oklahoma City Thunder.)

sarahf: He has the policy chops and geographical pull a ticket might need — Senate seat be damned.

geoffrey.skelley: He would make a lot of sense for many candidates.

natesilver: Brown has a real crossover appeal between the left and the “beer track” that makes him very interesting.

But it would help if Ohio weren’t soooo far gone as a swing state, or seemingly so.

Like, I think he’d put Ohio “in play” but not necessarily make the Democrat the favorite there in a 50-50 national race.

sarahf:

LIGHTNING ROUND

Gavin Fucking Newsom

natesilver:

geoffrey.skelley: Say wut.

sarahf: Look, he’s got the ambition: two-term mayor of San Francisco before a quick stint as California’s lieutenant governor. And now he’s the governor of California! Depending on the tone Democrats want to strike in opposing Trump, he could be a formidable foe.

That said, I freely admit he’s a wild card. And a bit of a trollish pick from me.

clare.malone: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I have to say something here.

The recent New Yorker profile of him was fucking amazing

sarahf: It was, Clare. And may have inspired my choice.

clare.malone: I have very rarely seen the bald insecurities of a politician so perfectly laid out.

sarahf: But enough of my nonsense. You’re up, Geoff.

geoffrey.skelley: Sticking with Tammys, I’ll take Sen. Baldwin of Wisconsin.

sarahf: Nice. She’d made my list before I went renegade.

geoffrey.skelley: She said she isn’t interested in running for president, but maybe the VP slot? She would be a battleground senator from the Midwest, and as one of the most liberal senators, she’d be a friendly pick on the left of the party.

sarahf: Democrats are going to need that Midwestern cred.

natesilver: Clare claims she can predict my pick.

clare.malone: I think I know…

natesilver: It’s a pretty boring pick.

Kirsten Gillibrand.

clare.malone: booo

Not who I thought.

natesilver: Gillibrand’s just … I mean, out of the various presidential contenders who aren’t too old, she was the one left standing.

geoffrey.skelley: And she’d take it, too, I suspect. Unlike some of the others.

natesilver: Which is a bit damning with faint praise. But she’s theoretically got appeal to different parts of the Democratic base. She’ll probably raise a lot of money.

clare.malone: That’s a BIG thing, I think.

Very useful to have that fundraising know-how around.

natesilver: She has to perform reasonably well in the primaries. Have a “surge” at some point, even if she doesn’t win any states. If she totally flames out, I don’t think it works.

clare.malone: OK, I’m going to pick who I thought Nate was going to pick because I just want to.

natesilver: Haha, OK. I’m wondering if you’re going to pick who I thought you’d think I’d pick.

clare.malone: …

Doug Jones.

Nate used to LOVE talking about Doug Jones as a presidential nominee.

And Jones is a moderate, up for a tough re-elect in 2020.

Why the heck not!

geoffrey.skelley: It’s going to be hard for him to hold on as a red state Democratic senator, so why not?

natesilver: Haha, I thought you’d pick Dougie J.

He’s a classic Nate last-round pick.

clare.malone: Yes, he is.

natesilver: And I was probably going to take him if Gillibrand weren’t still on the board.

clare.malone: In that case, I feel somewhat vindicated.

sarahf: A final look at our VP-2020 teams. Tweet at us whose lineup you like best:

2020 Democratic vice presidential draft

February 2019

Round Clare Nate Geoff Sarah 1 Cory Booker Beto O’Rourke Tammy Duckworth Julian Castro 2 Stacey Abrams Kamala Harris Michael Bennet Amy Klobuchar 3 Pete Buttigieg Bob Casey Jr. Catherine Cortez Masto Sherrod Brown 4 Doug Jones Kirsten Gillibrand Tammy Baldwin Gavin Newsom

#IFTTT #FiveThirtyEight #politics #538 #A FiveThirtyEight Chat

0 notes

hoetron · 8 years ago

Text

okay christ i got tagged in htis massive tag game by @mothable but i love a good ol challenge lets do this buckfucks

RULES: ANSWER THESE 88, THEN TAG SOME PEOPLE

BASICS:

a. NAME AND PRONOUNS: Rae, she/her

b. AGE (and birthday!): 13, Aug 28th :3c im a fucking fetus ny’all

c. SEXUALITY: am i bi? am i lesbian? am i just craving existential death 24/7? i dont fucking know a thing my guy

d. GENDER: cis female hooooh

e. COUNTRY: AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE OI OI OI

f. FAVORITE AESTHETIC: pastel colours and really nice fashion i guess..??? (also smoking is kind of aesthetic eyes emoji eyes emoji)

TRIGGERS/MENTAL ILLNESSES: i’m not actually sure :x

THE LAST:

1. DRINK: salt water hah normal water is for the WEAK (dont drink salt water please im begging y

2. PHONE CALL: my brother asking what kind of pizza i wanted

3. TEXT MESSAGE: “:3c” im such a fufcking furry...fuckck,,,,

4. SONG YOU LISTENED TO: Daydream warriors by Aquors listen nyall im reconnecting with my hidden buried weebass side of me okay im crying

5. THE TIME YOU CRIED: i dont actually remember? probably like last year unless you count me having tears from laughing too hard as cryng then thats yesterday during the meme aka now called lightning mcqueen server

HAVE YOU:

6. DATED SOMEONE TWICE: nahh

7. KISSED SOMEONE AND REGRETTED IT: dont think ive ever kissed someone thats not my family before im #Pure

8. BEEN CHEATED ON: nope lmao

9. LOST SOMEONE SPECIAL: my grandfather i guess? but he died when i was really young so at that time i didnt really undersyand the feeling of loss and mourn so ksdjfk but we had some goodass memories together

10. BEEN DEPRESSED: they ask you how you are and you just have to say that you’re fine when you’re not really fine but you just cant get into it because they would never understa

11. GOTTEN DRUNK AND THROWN UP: im severely underaged please

TOP 3 FAVORITE COLORS

12. red

13. yellow

14. either black or lavendar,,

IN THE LAST YEAR HAVE YOU:

15. MADE NEW FRIENDS: yis

16. FALLEN OUT OF LOVE: ya,,

17. LAUGHED UNTIL YOU CRIED: okay im known as the most giggly person in class i laugh so easily that i easily have tears over everything

18. FOUND OUT SOMEONE WAS TALKING ABOUT YOU: nahh dont think i wanna know if its like in a bad way :x

19. MET SOMEONE WHO CHANGED YOU: aw y e s

20. FOUND OUT WHO YOUR FRIENDS ARE: ya :,) (Thanks em, lily, mae and imogen for making this year truly greater than last year and for being the best friends i could ever ask for)

21. KISSED SOMEONE ON YOUR FACEBOOK LIST: facebook is dead to me

GENERAL

22. HOW MANY OF YOUR FACEBOOK FRIENDS DO YOU KNOW IN REAL LIFE: serious facebook is dead to me i roasted above the flames of negligence (also because i have like two facebook accounts one using my pesonal email and the other using my more general email , the one using my more general email keeps recommending to me my OWN personal account and its personally so hilarious)

23. DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS: a cat called lucky! (i love him even though im p sure he hates me)

24. DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR NAME: i guess my irl name uhhh im 50-50 with it? but granted on the internet i waaay prefer using the name Rae over my irl one because its short and simple and nice-

25. WHAT DID YOU DO FOR YOU LAST BIRTHDAY: just want to a chinese resturant with my fam and my uncle because we’re simple that way and like. back then i didnt had that much friends so uh l m a o (but vidhi gave me a nerf gun so that was Really Cool and i love her)

26. WHAT TIME DID YOU WAKE UP TODAY: 9 oclocK BECAUSE A HOUSING AGENT WAS COMING OVER (but then i fell back to sleep and woke up at 12 so lmao)

27. WHAT WERE YOU DOING AT MIDNIGHT LAST NIGHT: watching a video on why ‘anime art isnt technically allowed in art school’ because i was just curious and then drawing

28. NAME SOMETHING YOU CAN’T WAIT FOR: VOLTRON LEGENDARY FUCKNG DEFENDERS SEASON 3 SHIT BABES IM REA LLY FUCKING PREPARED AND NEAR END OF MONTH AVCON BECAUSE EYES EMOJI

29. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAW YOUR MOM: an hour ago lmao shes like just outside my room

30. WHAT IS ONE THING YOU WISH YOU COULD CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE: sighs my shyness and social anxiety and awkwardness (all three of those are counted in a pack right? the pack of “socially inept” people)

31. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW: daydream warriors... by aquors..... (listen im RECONNECTING with my weeb side like said above im actually weeping)

32. HAVE YOU EVER TALKED TO A PERSON NAMED TOM: uh idk mate

33. SOMETHING THAT IS GETTING ON YOUR NERVES: i havent brushed my teeth yet but im lazy to move my legs lmao

LOST QUESTIONS

34. MOLE(S): um quite a lot like a few small ones on my arm and like one on my face below my right eye and theres one underneath my boob i think lmao tmi and the rest i cant be bothered to find

35. MARK(S): a kind of burnt scar mark on my left shoulder from like 6/7 years ago when i got too close to someone smoking and their cigarette burnt me oh and a scar on my knee from the time i fell off my bike while playing bike catching in the neighbourhood with a couple of other friends like 4 years ago?

36. CHILDHOOD DREAM: vet (now im eh about that tho im probably just going to pursue some art career)

37. HAIR COLOR: brown eyy

38. LONG OR SHORT HAIR: long

39. DO YOU HAVE A CRUSH ON SOMEONE: yeah. hopefully its dying down now especially since the person is straight (its hard when she sits next to you in class and you guys are sort of friends now and u somehow feel really satisfied when you make her laugh :,) shit )

40. WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF: im generally kind with people regardless of whether or not i dont like them or i dont know them well or i know them i guess? (at least in my group of friends im probably the most willing to socialise with others) and uhhhh i guess i can make people laugh? im a huge fucking loser meme nyall

41. PIERCINGS: none and personally dont really want to

42. BLOODTYPE: shit i think it was either a B or an O i cant remember (i think its B tho)

43. NICKNAME(S): maggie, migi, bela, bob, bobbo

44. RELATIONSHIP STATUS: single pringle

45. ZODIAC: virgo

46. PRONOUNS: she/her (lmao yay for repeated question)

47. FAVORITE TV SHOW: fuckngin,,, voltron,,, (probably going to stay my favourite for a long while tho)

48. TATTOOS: none atm (unless you count waterbase tattos then yes stick all the water based tattos on me) but like when im Much Older maybe? just a really small tattoo tho not anything big that covers an entire limb

49. RIGHT OR LEFT HAND: right

50. SURGERY: had a surgery on my foot forgot which side when i was in kindergarten because the skin was *censored for tmi* and yah stitching up your skin fucking hurt babes

51. HAIR DYED A DIFFERENT COLOR: nahhh i dont think id dye my hair tho who knows

52. SPORT: im probably going to retake up basketball again eyes emoji eyes emoji

53. VACATION: ooMMF nothing planned so far

54. PAIR OF TRAINERS: like uhhh what kind of sneakers?? just normal canvas sneakers i guess????? im, what.

MORE GENERAL

55. EATING: OXYGEn

56. DRINKING: IN OXYGEN

57. I’M ABOUT TO: complete this fucking 88 questions then chat on discord and scroll tumblr and tell myself “hey finish up your art!” but then 5 hours later im still scrolling tumblr. oh and im watching wonder woman later so :3c

58. WAITING FOR: nothing atm i guess?

59. WANT: my family’s financial situation to be solved and so that money isnt going to be a huge bother anymore...

60. GET MARRIED: sounds nice but probably only marriage idk the idea of kids doesnt really sound v appealing atm

61. CAREER: artist! (i wanna either work in a game development team or an animation studio eyes emoji )

62. HUGS OR KISSES: HUGS

63. LIPS OR EYES: lips erally nice to draw really nice to look at

64. SHORTER OR TALLER: buhhh im short so i guess taller would be nice (tall people have such nice legs too im frankly a little jealous)

65. OLDER OR YOUNGER: what is this in regards to

66. NICE ARMS OR NICE STOMACH: arms so that dO YOU SEE THESE GUNS

67. SENSITIVE OR LOUD: shrug emoji idk man

68. HOOK UP OR RELATIONSHIP: relationship

69. TROUBLEMAKER OR HESITANT: troublemaker pardnyars in crime amirite

HAVE YOUR EVER:

70. KISSED A STRANGER: no

71. DRANK HARD LIQUOR: nope

72. LOST GLASSES/CONTACT LENSES: yeah p sure i had to go through a whole day of school half blind once without my glasses

73. TURNED SOMEONE DOWN: nah..

74. SEX ON THE FIRST DATE: nO IM 1 3

75. BROKEN SOMEONE’S HEART: dont think so?

76. HAD YOUR HEART BROKEN: nah babes

77. BEEN ARRESTED: nah

78. CRIED WHEN SOMEONE DIED: somehow when someone dies i decide to laugh instead of breaking down in tears i guess laugh away the pain?

79. FALLEN FOR A FRIEND: ...shit its a bad idea babes dont do it

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:

80. YOURSELF: shrug emoji

81. MIRACLES: sometimes? sometimes no?

82. LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT: even bigger shrug emoji

83. SANTA CLAUS: nah lmao listen i caught my father and mother wheeling in bicycles for my sister and i when i was like what 8? usually i just played along because hey i was a child

84. KISS ON THE FIRST DATE: ehh depends i guess

85. ANGELS: not really lmao

OTHER

86. CURRENT BEST FRIENDS NAME(S): Emily, Mae Shuen and Lily

87. EYECOLOR: dark brown?

88. FAVORITE MOVIE: this changes all the time

only tagging uhhh @pluminkdot (KASJD I FORGOT IF YOU HAD A MAIN REBLOG ACC IM SORRY RACH), @jaspereffect , @blabrabs / @spaceboomerang (it isnt letting me tag ur main boomers skldfjksd) and uh im too lazy for the rest

#raedy to talk shit #mattie #mothable #w e eps #this took fucking forever babes #LONG POST

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popliar · 8 years ago

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quick thoughts on the bts spotify mixtapes

aka i talk a lot of nonsense

Rap Monster: Careful to play by mixtape rules, but also the most eclectic and diverse mix in terms of genre and time. Bon Iver AND Aphex Twin AND Sade AND Chet Baker. Plus! Pre-OKC Radiohead! I love this nerd sob. I think it kinda reflects who he wants to be, it’s his aspirational self - broad-minded, genre-crossing, able to draw influences from the past as well as look ahead to current/future trends, a little edgy in a geeky way. OR as I think of it - Namjoon as college kid AU: the soundtrack.

Rap Monster’s Heavy Rotations Film - Aphex Twin - Come To Daddy PRBLMS - 6LACK - FREE 6LACK 143 - Musiq Soulchild - Aijuswanaseing I Love You - Lido - I Love You High and Dry - Radiohead - The Bends My Funny Valentine - Chet Baker - Chet Baker Sings Karaoke - Drake - Thank Me Later One Mic - Nas - Greatest Hits Swim Good - Frank Ocean - Swim Good CPU - Raury, RZA - All We Need Really Love - D’Angelo - Black Messiah U-RITE - THEY. - U-RITE Baby Blue - King Krule - 6 Feet Beneath The Moon About You - xxyyxx - Xxyyxx By Your Side - Remastered - Sade - The Ultimate Collection Rain - Razah - Rain Cleanin’ Out My Closet - Eminem - The Eminem Show Déjà Vu - TWENTY88 - TWENTY88 Perth - Bon Iver - Bon Iver

Suga: Look at this focus and discipline! Just the adherence to form and theme and its brevity make it stand out. There's nothing like super underground or surprising here and I'm wary of saying this expresses something personal the way Namjoon's does - but this is a good solid 'snapshot of the genre'. Also I'm just so unreasonably pleased both he and Namjoon included Nas.

SUGA’S Hip-Hop Replay N.Y. State of Mind - Nas - Illmatic XX POWER - Album Version (Edited) - Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy New God Flow.1 - Album Version (Edited) - Kanye West, Pusha T - Kanye West Presents Good Music Cruel Summer The Way I Am - Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP Losing Out (feat. Royce Da 5’9) - Black Milk, Royce Da 5’9 - Tronic My Moment (feat. 2 Chainz, Meek Mill, Jeremih) - DJ Drama, 2 Chainz, Meek Mill, Jeremih - My Moment (feat. 2 Chainz, Meek Mill, Jeremih) HYFR (Hell Ya F***ing Right) - Album Version - Drake, Lil Wayne - Take Care (Deluxe) This or That - Prod. by Statik Selektah - Reks, Styles P, Termanology, DJ Corbet, Freeway, - Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme Ali Bomaye - The Game, 2 Chainz, Rick Ross - Jesus Piece Bugatti - Ace Hood, Future, Wiz Khalifa, T.I., Meek Mill, French Montana - Trials & Tribulations (Deluxe) Notorious Thugs - Amended, 2014 Remastered Version - The Notorious B.I.G. - Life After Death (Remastered Edition) [Amended] Work Out - J. Cole - Work Out (Clean Version)

J-Hope: Looser adherence to theme and form, maybe a freer expression of personality? Seems like a good mix of stuff he genuinely likes without having overthought it. This is a fun one and I forgive The Chainsmokers because I for real gasped when I saw he included Blue (!), ASAP Rocky's Fashion Killa (!!) and Diddy & Faith's I'll Be Missing You (!!!!). HE’S MY FAVE FOR A REASON YOU KNOW.

J-Hope’s JAM Sunday Candy - Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment - Surf Beware - Big Sean, Jhene Aiko, Lil Wayne - Beware One Love - Blue - One Love i - Kendrick Lamar - i YOUTH - Troye Sivan - Blue Neighborhood (Deluxe) Dance On Me - GoldLink - And After That, We Didn’t Talk Fashion Killa - A$AP Rocky - LONG.LIVE.A$AP (Deluxe Version) Talk - DJ Snake, George Maple - Encore Knock Knock - Mac Miller - Knock Knock - Single Cinderella (feat. Ty Dolla $ign) - Mac Miller, Ty Dolla $ign - The Divine Feminine Fakin It (feat. Ofelia K) - Kaskade, Felix Cartal - Fakin It (feat. Ofelia K) Sidewalks - The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar - Starboy さくらんぼ - LOVE IS BORN ~13th Anniversary 2016~ - Ai Otsuka - LOVE IS BORN ~13th Anniversary 2016~ I’ll Be Missing You (feat. 112) - Diddy, Faith Evans, 112, Bad Boy’s 10th Anniversary- The Hits Paris - The Chainsmokers - Paris Closer - The Chainsmokers - Closer No. 99 - Joey Bada$$ - B4.DA.$$

Jin: I like how this is split into two halves, like a cassette with a side A and a side B, divided down the middle with some beautifully subtle and understated self-promo - never change Jin!!! At the same time Idk how personal this one is either. The mix of pretty mainstream hiphop with pretty mainstream top 40 and rnb is solid but very safe. Like he figured out who we expect him & BTS to be, and goodnaturedly played along. (That said there is a lot to be said for playing safe, as we get to the maknae line playlists...)

Jin’s GA CHI DEUL EUL LAE? Lost - BTS - WINGS (LOL I HATE JIN) Weight in Gold - Gallant - Ology Black and Yellow - Wiz Khalifa - Rolling Papers 6 Foot 7 Foot - Lil Wayne, Cory Gunz - Tha Carter IV (Deluxe) Rap God - Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP2 Black Skinhead - Kanye West - Yeezus Hold On, We’re Going Home - Drake, Majid Jordan - Nothing Was The Same (Deluxe) It’s Definitely You - V, Jin - HWARANG, Pt. 2 (Music from the Original TV Series) (JIN IS THE #1 PROMOTER) Viva La Vida - Coldplay - Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends Fix You - Coldplay - X & Y Kiss the Sky - Jason Derulo - Kiss the Sky Ain’t Giving Up - Craig David, Sigala - Following My Intuition (Deluxe) Party - Chris Brown, Usher, Gucci Mane - Party Love Right Next To You - Karina - Love Right Next To You

Jungkook: He is an adorable baby who loves soft things AWWWW! This is just... the softest mix ever. And I wanna know who got into the Eels first, him or Jimin? Who introduced them to the Eels, of ALL THE BANDS IN THE WORLD? This is way too long and sleepy for me to enjoy for more than a couple of songs at a time, it’s just not my style tbh. But I find it really endearing and genuine. No posturing.

Jungkook: I am Listening to It Right Now DNA - Lia Marie Johnson - DNA ILYSB - STRIPPED - LANY - Make Out I Need Some Sleep - Eels - Meet the EELS: Essential EELS 1996-2006 Vol.1 Beautiful Lies - Birdy - Beautiful Lies Dear No One - Tori Kelly - Foreword Like a Star - Corinne Bailey Rae - Corinne Bailey Rae Ghost in the Wind - Birdy - Ghost in the Wind What Do You Mean? - Justin Bieber - Purpose (Deluxe) Clouds - Before You Exit - Clouds - Single Lullaby - Arco - Coming to Terms Dream Lantern - RADWIMPS - Your Name. Nandemonaiya - Movie Version - RADWIMPS - Your Name. Heavy Weather - Bilie Marten - Heavy Weather Oasis - Jasmine Thompson - Oasis Boyfriend - Acoustic Version - Justin Bieber - Believe Acoustic Colors Of The Wind - From “Pocahontas” - Tori Kelly - We Love Disney Theme of Mitsuha -RADWIMPS - Your Name. 7 Years - Jasmine Thompson - 7 Years Lost Boy - Ruth B. - Lost Boy Mannequin - Yuna - Chapters (Deluxe)

V: I - I don't know what's happening here and I refuse to acknowledge it. (I LOVE YOU TAE but oh. my. god. 0_0)

V's Join Me Advice - Kehlani - SweetSexySavage (Deluxe) Undercover - Kehlani - Undercover Distraction - Kehlani - SweetSexySavage (Deluxe) CRZY - Kehlani - SweetSexySavage (Deluxe) I Wanna Be - Kehlani - SweetSexySavage (Deluxe) I Think of You - Jeremih, Big Sean, Chris Brown - I Think of You Castle on the Hill - Ed Sheeran - Castle on the Hill Shape of You - - Ed Sheeran - Castle on the Hill Piece of Mind - Kehlani - SweetSexySavage (Deluxe) Do U Dirty - Kehlani - Do U Dirty Crash (feat. Pell) - Skizzy Mars, Pell - Alone Together Alcoholics - Skizzy Mars - Alone Together Comb - Skizzy Mars - Alone Together Recognize (feat. JoJo) - Skizzy Mars, JoJo - Alone Together Fantasy (TEEMID Remix) - Alina Baraz, Galimatias, Teemid - Urban Flora (Remixes) I Will Be There - Agapornis, Come & C, ChocQuibTown - I Will Be There Falling Into You (studio version) - Hillsong Young & Free - Youth Revival Acoustic Heart Attack (Snakehips Remix) - Flight Facilities, Owl Eyes, Snakehips - Heart Attack (Remixes) Fields of Gold - Eva Cassidy - Songbird Creep - Karen Souza - Karen Souza Essentials

Jimin: Idky but this seems like exactly the sort of playlist a guy his age would be into? It's a fun mix again. AND EELS AGAIN WHY AND HOW. This lacks the period diversity of Hobi's but otherwise seems like a good counterpart. Like. It’s fine.

Jimin's Joah? JOAH! Pillowtalk - Zayn - Men's Health: Beach Body Workout Motel Pool - Travis Garland - Travis Garland Stayin Out All Night - Wiz Khalifa - Stayin Out All Night Private Show - T.I., Chris Brown - Paperwork (Deluxe Clean) Lot To Learn - Luke Christopher - TMRW I Need Some Sleep - Eels - Meet the EELS: Essential EELS 1996-2006 Vol. 1 Alive (feat. Coucheron) - Kehlani, Coucheron - You Should Be Here You Should Be Here - Kehlani - You Should Be Here The Way (feat. Chance the Rapper) - Kehlani, Chance the Rapper - You Should Be Here Let Me Love You - DJ Snake, Justin Bieber - Encore Mark My Words - Justin Bieber - Purpose (Deluxe) Fa La La (a cappella) - Justin Bieber, Boyz II Men - Under the Mistletoe (Deluxe Version) Coffee - Miguel, Wale - Coffee face the sun - Miguel, Lenny Kravitz - Wildheart (Deluxe Version) Shape of You - Ed Sheeran - Shape of You i hate u, i love u (feat. olivia o'brien) - gnash, Olivia O'Brien - us Lost - Frank Ocean - channel ORANGE (explicit) Never Be the Same (feat. Jay Rock) - Ty Dolla $ign, Jay Rock - Beach House EP So Cold - Chris Brown - Graffiti

Overall winner: hyung line by a M I L E.

#bts #kpop #mixtape thoughts #actually using tumblr as a blog how strange

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paulckrueger · 6 years ago

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I’ve updated my best-selling book. Here’s what’s new and what to expect

Ten years ago, I published my book, “I Will Teach You to Be Rich.”

Do you remember what also happened 10 years ago?

In March 2009, we were in the depths of a once-in-a-lifetime financial crisis and full-blown recession. Chances are, you know someone who was laid off.

In fact, it was so bad that, as The New York Times noted:

On March 9, 2009, the day the bull market was born, the stock market, like the economy, was in deep, seemingly existential distress. The S&P 500 was down 57 percent from its 2007 peak.

Compounding the pain was the nationwide collapse in home prices, which landed a direct hit on most households’ greatest source of wealth.

Yes, my book was published at the bottom of the worst financial crisis of our generation.

The day it launched, it became the #1 book on all of Amazon, then sold out within hours, and became an instant New York Times best-seller.

That was what happened in public, but behind closed doors…

…my publisher was freaking out. Before the book went to print, they frantically asked me if I wanted to change any of my advice because of the recession.

I was like, “Why would I? Long-term investing doesn’t change.” They were concerned.

If you bought the first edition of “I Will Teach You to Be Rich” and applied the book’s lessons when it was released, you’re financially set for life.

And now, after receiving the 19,435th email correcting or yelling at me about the interest rates I published in the book, I am thrilled to say that the new, updated version of the IWT book is here!

You can pre-order it on Amazon here.

In the 10 years since the first edition, I’ve added 80 pages with new tools, new insights on money and psychology (including why millennials continue to believe buying a house is always the best investment — untrue), a greater focus on managing money when you have a part-time side gig, and integrating money and relationships.

A majority of the things I said in the book 10 years ago still hold true today.

I’m proud that the advice I gave in the first edition stood the test of time (I’ve included dozens of real reader testimonials in the new book to show it). That’s the kind of advice I like — timeless advice that doesn’t fall apart after a few years. It doesn’t change with the whims of the market.

Below is a Q&A I put together as part of my publisher’s press kit, and I wanted to share my answers on what’s new, what I’ve learned, and what’s changed with you too.

Fortune called you “the new finance guru,” but your background is in technology and psychology — how did you come to occupy this spot within the world of personal finance?

Anyone who chooses to write about personal finance is a little weird. In my case, I don’t really get that excited learning the intricacies of Roth IRAs any more. But ever since I was a kid, I’ve been fascinated by human behavior — today more than ever.

Why do we claim we want to do something, then do exactly the opposite? (In the book, I explore the similarities between fitness and finance.)

When does it make sense to let peer pressure affect us — and when should we ignore it? (Should you buy a house? What if you want to spend $1,000/month on clothes, or eating out, or traveling? I show you how to decide.)

Most of all, understanding psychology taught me why most personal finance advice (like “stop spending money on lattes” and “keep a budget”) is forever doomed to failure. There is a better way.

Reaching financial independence seems like it takes a lot of work — what are the first steps you recommend readers take?

The good news is you don’t have to be the smartest person in the room to be rich — you just have to get started. Follow the automation system in the book, which will automatically move your money to save, invest, and give you guilt-free spending every month.

I show you exactly where to start, including the best accounts to use (and the ones to avoid), where your money should go first, then second, and so on … and finally, how to invest your money for real growth.

Plus, answers to questions like “What’s the best way to get free vacations using points?” and “Am I too late to start investing?”

The real fun comes in deciding what your Rich Life looks like: Do you want to pay off your debt years faster? Or travel for 4 weeks every year? You decide. Then use your money to create your Rich Life.

“I Will Teach You to Be Rich” features real reader results and testimonials throughout the book. What have your readers found to be the most effective during their personal finance journey?

I love this question. We included an incredible number of reader stories in the book, showing how they used this book to create their Rich Lives:

Notice when you look at their photos — they’re men, women, young, old, black, white, and every possible combination. The diversity is breathtaking. And representation is important. I want every reader to know that there is someone out there who looks like you and talks like you … who created their own Rich Life.

How has the insurgence of cryptocurrency, robo-advisors, and more shifted the way money is used and the relationship between money and technology?

What’s funny is if you ask most bitcoin speculators what the rest of their portfolio looks like, they’ll give you a blank stare back. “What? Portfolio? LOL, what a Luddite.”

I have zero tolerance for scams and fads that deprive ordinary people of their money. As an investment, bitcoin is great — only after you’ve already built a diversified portfolio.

In reality, if you want to make high-risk investments, it’s important to have a diversified portfolio first. Then, you can take 5-10% of your investments and go high-risk. I show you how and when it’s appropriate. Sadly, for the vast majority of bitcoin speculators, they fell all in with yet another fad.

Robo-advisors are a real presence, especially for my readers. I cover my thoughts in the book, including when to use a robo-advisor vs. a traditional advisor (and the exact accounts I use).

In the book, you focus on the importance of having the right mindset to attain a Rich Life. Why is that mindset important?

Think about the invisible money messages you grew up with. For example, how many of us had parents who said, “We don’t talk about money in this family.” Or “Easy come, easy go.”

In the book, you’ll be surprised to discover that your own spending behavior might be guided by the phrases you heard decades ago.

And once you understand your own behavior, you can change it. I’ll show you exactly how to rewrite your invisible money scripts and focus on the future.

What have you learned about integrating finances when marrying since your recent nuptials?

I’m still learning!

This was one of the most eye-opening financial journeys I’ve ever been on. I had to learn to compromise and to see money as a team. Along the way, my wife and I had a lot of tough conversations: How do we see money? How do we want to use money? Should we sign a prenup? I cover this in Chapter 9.

What do you hope readers walk away with after reading the second edition of “I Will Teach You to Be Rich”?

I’ve always wanted people to know a few key things about money:

You can spend extravagantly on the things you love, as long as you cut costs mercilessly on the things you don’t.

Buy as many lattes as you want. Get the 10 Big Wins right, and you’ll never worry about $5 expenses.

Don’t listen to everyone. Buying a house isn’t always the best investment.

It’s not too late. You can take control of your money this week. Nobody is going to do it for you.

Most people say money is about “no”: no lattes, no vacations, no fun. I want to show you how to reframe money to saying “yes”: YES, I can take an extravagant vacation. YES, I can pay off debt years faster. And YES, I can decide on my Rich Life — and use this book to create it.

Mark your calendars: The book officially comes out on May 14, 2019! Preorder the book now on Amazon.

Thank you for reading, and if you’re a long-time reader, for your support all these years.

I’ve updated my best-selling book. Here’s what’s new and what to expect is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

from Surety Bond Brokers? Business https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/ive-updated-my-best-selling-book-heres-whats-new-and-what-to-expect/

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mcjoelcain · 6 years ago