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bechloeislegit · 4 years ago

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25 Days of BeChloe Christmases - 2020

Day 23 - BFFs or Something More?

Author's Prompt: Beca and Chloe have been best friends since they were two years old. They are going into their Senior Year of High School, and things change. Beca is left out while Chloe is suddenly hanging with the cool kids. Will they remain BFFs? Or is this the end of Beca and Chloe?

Seventeen-year-old Beca Mitchell sat on the top step of her porch staring at the house three doors down on the other side of the street. She was impatiently waiting for her best friend, Chloe Beale, to arrive home from her grandparents, where she had spent the past three months.

Beca missed her best friend and couldn't wait to start their Senior Year together. Beca hoped this would be the year Chloe became more than just Beca's best friend. Beca has had a crush on Chloe for a while now, but Chloe didn't think Beca liked her the way she said she did. Beca is hoping to convince Chloe that her feelings are real.

During their time apart, Beca and Chloe had kept in constant contact on Skype and Facetime, but after a few weeks, Chloe had put a stop to those and insisted they call or text only. Beca was saddened that she couldn't see Chloe even on her phone or computer screen, but she would do anything that Chloe wanted.

Beca heard a noise and looked to see the Beales' car pulling into their driveway. Beca jumped off the steps and ran to her car. She practically squealed her tires as she pulled out of her driveway and made the short trip to Chloe's house. Chloe and her parents all looked over when Beca stopped the car in front of them.

Beca's jaw dropped when she caught sight of Chloe. The girl standing with her parents is not the same girl that left three months ago.

"Wow!" Beca muttered to herself before getting out of the car.

"Beca!" Chloe squealed as Beca rounded the front of the car and made her way over to Chloe.

Chloe grabbed Beca in a hug. "I missed you!"

"I missed you, too," Beca said, pulling back to look at Chloe. She smiled and said, "There's something different about you. Did you cut your hair?"

Chloe smiled and turned to show off her body. "Do I look amazing or what?"

"You always look amazing to me, Chlo," Beca said.

"Stop," Chloe said, blushing as she smacked Beca's arm. "You have to say that 'cause you're my best friend."

"Doesn't mean it's not true," Beca said.

"Come on," Chloe said, grabbing Beca's hand. "We need to catch up."

Chloe dragged Beca into the house and up to the stairs.

"We'll be in my room," Chloe yelled to her parents as she and Beca ran upstairs. "When did you get that car?"

"It's a super early birthday gift from my dad," Beca said. "More like a bribe, so I don't say anything to my mom about his cheating."

"Doesn't your mom know about his cheating?" Chloe asked.

"She does," Beca said, smiling. "But he doesn't know that, hence the car. Plus, this way, he doesn't have to waste time away from Sheila to drop me off at school every morning. He thinks he's slick, but my mom has been on to him for a while. I think they may be heading for a divorce."

"Oh, Beca," Chloe said. "I'm so sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Beca said. "Enough about me. Let's talk about you."

Chloe blushed slightly, and Beca made a big show of looking Chloe up and down, smiling as she did so.

"How did you lose the weight? You've tried every diet you could think of. What worked for you this time?"

"Well, you know I went to visit my grandparents," Chloe said. "What I didn't tell you was they bought a farm, and they only eat what they can grow. Plus, they're like twenty miles from the nearest pizza shop, Taco Bell, and ice cream shop. It was easy to lose weight when all your fat-inducing foods are nowhere to be found."

Chloe chuckled, as did Beca.

"I'm so proud of you, Chlo," Beca said, hugging Chloe. "So, does this mean no trip for our annual back-to-school banana splits?"

"Oh, we'll totes be getting ice cream," Chloe said, standing and holding out her hand to Beca. "I'll just be getting a single scoop cone instead of the banana split. I want a ride in your new car, so you drive."

"Fine by me," Beca said, leading Chloe out the door of her bedroom and down the stairs.

"Mom?" Chloe called out as they reached the front door.

"What's going on, Chloe?" Charlotte Beale asked as she came out of the kitchen.

"Beca and I are going to get ice cream," Chloe said.

"Okay," Charlotte said. "Don't stay out too late; you have school tomorrow."

"Don't worry, Mrs. B, I'll have her back by curfew," Beca said. "Can we bring you some ice cream?"

"Could you bring me a pint of Fudge Ripple?" Charlotte asked. "And a pint of Butter Pecan for Mr. Beale?"

"You got it," Beca said.

~~ Day 23 of the 25 Days of BeChloe Christmases - 2020 ~~

An hour later, Beca was back at the Beales' house without Chloe.

"Beca?" Charlotte said when she answered the door to find Beca standing there alone. "Where's Chloe?"

"She went to the movies with Chicago Walp and his entourage," Beca said. "Here, I brought the ice cream you wanted."

Beca handed Charlotte the bag with her ice cream and turned to walk away.

"Beca, wait!" Charlotte said, causing Beca to turn back to her.

"Yeah?"

"Please come in," Charlotte said. "Tell me what happened and why Chloe didn't come home with you. She didn't call to tell me she was going anywhere else."

"Chloe should be telling you this," Beca mumbled as she followed Charlotte into the kitchen anyway.

Beca stopped just inside the door of the kitchen and leaned her hip against the counter.

"So, tell me," Charlotte said. "Isn't Chicago one of the guys that used to call Chloe and you all kinds of names? And bullied you both endlessly the past couple of years?"

"Yes, he is," Beca said. "But, he's also one of the cool kids, and he came over and started flirting with Chloe, and she apparently liked it." Beca scoffed as she added, "He didn't even know who she was at first."

"What else happened?"

"He asked Chloe to go to the movies with them, and she said yes."

"Did they ask you to go, too?"

"No," Beca said, looking down at the floor. "I'm not one of the cool kids, so they didn't include me. And Chloe just left me sitting there without saying a word to me."

"I'm sure she'll come to talk to you tomorrow," Charlotte said. "She'll apologize, and everything will be back to normal."

"I don't think so," Beca said. "She's been inducted into the cool kids club, and I am definitely not a member, nor will I ever be. I should go; it's getting late, and school starts tomorrow. Have a goodnight, Mrs. B."

Beca quietly left the house.

Charlotte waited up for Chloe to return home. It was past eleven when she heard a noise at the door and opened it to find Chloe kissing some boy she assumed was Chicago.

"Oh," Chloe said, quickly stepping away from Chicago. "Mom, this is Chicago Walp. Chicago, this is my mom."

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Beale," Chicago said, with what he believed to be a charming smile.

"Mm-hmm," Charlotte said, obviously not impressed. "Chloe, it's past your curfew, and you have school tomorrow. Come inside."

"Mo-om!" Chloe whispered, her cheeks turning hot. "You're embarrassing me."

"I don't care," Charlotte said. "Get inside, now!"

Chloe ducked her head to hide her pink cheeks and stepped inside.

"I'll see you at school tomorrow, Chloe," Chicago said as Charlotte closed the door in his face.

"Mom," Chloe said. "That was rude!"

"Not as rude as leaving your best friend sitting alone while you went off with the guy who bullied you and her for the better part of the past three years," Charlotte said. "And we have a rule in this house that you call if you plan to be out past curfew. And we'll talk about that later. For now, tell me why I had to hear about your change of plans from Beca?"

"What did Beca tell you?" Chloe asked.

"Just that you were invited to go to the movies with that boy and his friends," Charlotte said. "And you left her sitting by herself when you went off with them. She didn't say anything, but I know she was hurt by it. You need to apologize to her tomorrow."

"I'll text her before I go to sleep," Chloe said quietly. "And, I'm sorry I didn't call to tell you where I was."

"Go to bed," Charlotte said, pulling Chloe into a hug. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Chloe said. "Goodnight, mom."

~~ Day 23 of the 25 Days of BeChloe Christmases - 2020 ~~

Chloe went to her room. She was feeling bad about ditching Beca and sent Beca a text.

Chloe (11:20 PM): I'm sorry about leaving you sitting alone. Will you still give me a ride to school in the morning?

Beca was still awake, listening to music when she saw Chloe had texted her.

Beca (11:25 PM): I'll pick you up at 7:40; don't be late.

Chloe (11:27 PM): Awes! Goodnight and I'll see you in the morning.

Chloe snuggled under the covers with a smile on her face. It wasn't long before she fell asleep, dreaming of the kiss she shared with Chicago.

The next morning, Beca awoke to her alarm and got ready for the first day of Senior Year. She re-read Chloe's apology for last night as she grabbed her keys and backpack. Beca hurried down the stairs and went to the kitchen to grab some toast before heading out to pick up Chloe.

"Good morning, my scrappy little Senior," Sarah Mitchell said as she entered the kitchen.

"Morning, mom," Beca responded as she bit into her toast. "Where's dad?"

"I don't know," Sarah said, shrugging her shoulders. "He probably spent the night with his girlfriend."

"Why do you still put up with that shit?"

"Watch your language, young lady."

"I'm sorry," Beca said. "Please don't tell me you're staying with him just because of me. Kick him out. You'd be better off without him. We'd both be better off without him."

"I've already talked to a lawyer," Sarah said, looking at Beca. "I'm just trying to get some things situated before I take the plunge."

"I'll stand by whatever you decide," Beca said, standing to hug her mother. "Just let me know when you make your final decision, okay?"

"I will," Sarah said. "I promise."

"Okay," Beca said. "I have to go. I'm giving Chloe a ride to school."

"Have a good day," Sarah said as Beca headed for the door. "And drive safe."

"Always," Beca called back over her shoulder as she walked out the door.

Chloe started apologizing to Beca as soon as she got into Beca's car.

"Stop it, Chlo," Beca finally said. "I get it. You got swept up in the fact that the cool kids wanted to be with you."

"That's not it at all," Chloe said, pouting at Beca.

"It's not?" Beca countered. "Then what exactly was it if not that?"

"I, um," Chloe stammered. "It, uh-"

"It's exactly like I said it was," Beca said. "To be honest, I would have probably gone with them, too. But I would have invited you along instead of walking away and leaving you sitting there all by yourself. It really hurt when you just left me sitting there alone, Chlo."

"I'm really sorry about that, Beca," Chloe said earnestly.

"I know you are," Beca said. "Doesn't make it hurt any less."

"I promise I'll make it up to you," Chloe said. "I know, we'll do laser tag for your birthday, my treat. Just the two of us. How does that sound?"

"Well, look at that," Beca said with a grin. "I'm feeling a lot less hurt now."

Chloe giggled as Beca pulled into the school parking lot. Beca found a space, and the two friends grabbed their stuff and got out of the car.

"What are you doing after school?" Beca asked.

"Chloe!"

Beca and Chloe both jerked their heads around to see who called out to Chloe. Chloe smiled at seeing Chicago coming toward them. Beca frowned and slammed her car door closed.

"I thought I could walk you to your homeroom," Chicago said when he reached Chloe.

Beca didn't want to be a third wheel to Chicago walking Chloe to class, so she walked off as soon as she heard Chloe tell Chicago she'd love to have him walk her.

"See you at lunch, Becs," Chloe said, looking around expecting to see Beca. "Beca? Where'd she go?"

"She's right there," Chicago said as he pointed toward the school's entrance.

Beca entered the school without looking back at Chloe; she hurried to her homeroom, so she didn't have to see Chicago and Chloe together.

~~ Day 23 of the 25 Days of BeChloe Christmases - 2020 ~~

Beca didn't see Chloe again until the third period. She was surprised when Chloe walked in with Aubrey and Stacie, two of the cool kids, but sat next to her.

"How are your classes so far, Beca?" Chloe asked as she sat.

"Okay, I guess," Beca said. "How were yours?"

"They were pretty good," Chloe responded with a smile. "Chicago is in both and sat next to me. I forgot to tell you; he kissed me when he took me home last night."

"Congratulations," Beca replied. "Good for you."

"What were you going to ask me earlier?"

"I was wondering if you were free after school," Beca said. "I really wanted to talk to you about something."

"I'm sorry, Beca, but I already made plans with Chicago," Chloe said. "He offered to take me home, and we're going to study. Can we talk at lunch?"

"You know what?" Beca said, turning to face the front of the room. "Never mind, I'm good."

"Becs?" Chloe questioned, looking at Beca.

"Okay, class, settle down," their History teacher said from the front of the room.

Beca would not look at Chloe. Chloe sighed and faced the teacher.

~~ Day 23 of the 25 Days of BeChloe Christmases - 2020 ~~

It was nearing the end of November, and Beca felt like a terrible friend. She tried to keep her friendship with Chloe going, but Chloe was always doing "something with Chicago" or Aubrey or Stacie. Chloe had become entrenched with the cool kids, leaving her not-so-cool friend behind.

Beca was hurt; she thought she and Chloe had something special. For a while, Beca felt like they would be a couple. Now, they were barely talking and only saw each other in school. Beca hated how much she missed Chloe.

It was nearing Christmas, and Beca's birthday was coming up. The day before Christmas break started, Beca got excited because it looked as if Chloe hadn't forgotten about her best friend after all. Beca had woken to a text from Chloe about her birthday on the twenty-third. Beca responded that she was looking forward to seeing Chloe outside of school and kicking her ass at laser tag. They made arrangements to meet at the Sports Complex on Beca's birthday.

Beca and Chloe didn't speak or text again until Beca's birthday; Chloe was still doing other things with her new friends. Beca continued to hang out with her friends, Fat Amy, Jessica, and Ashley.

Beca's birthday rolled around, and Beca texted Chloe to see if she wanted Beca to pick her up.

Chloe [9:15 AM]: That's okay, Beca. Chicago is driving me.

Beca [9:16 AM: What? You're bringing a date?

Chloe [9:20 AM]: Not a date. Just a few friends who wanted to do laser tag.

Beca [9:21 AM]: Fiends? Like who?

Chloe [9:26 AM]: Just Chicago, Stacie, Aubrey, Tom, and Bumper.

Beca [9:33 AM]: They're not my friends.

Beca threw her phone down and immediately heard her text notification go off.

Chloe [9:35 AM]: Don't be like that, Beca. It will be fun, you'll see.

Beca [9:37 AM]: No thanks. Enjoy YOUR friends. I'll celebrate with MY friends elsewhere.

Chloe [9:40 AM]: But we made plans months ago.

Beca [9:41]: That was when you were my friend.

Chloe [9:42]: I'm still your friend, right?

Chloe [9:45 AM]: Beca? Answer me!

Chloe [9:50 AM]: Beca? Come on. Please, don't be like this.

Chloe [10:00 AM]: Chicago's here and I have to go. Please meet us at the laser tag center. I'll see you there, okay?

"Not gonna happen," Beca muttered as she read the last text from Chloe.

~~ Day 23 of the 25 Days of BeChloe Christmases - 2020 ~~

"Beca!" Sarah called upstairs. "Amy and Jessica are here."

"I thought you were going to do laser tag with Chloe for your birthday," Fat Amy said when Beca joined them.

"She's going with her new friends," Beca said. "They're not my friends, so I decided to spend my birthday with my real friends."

"Are we going to play laser tag?" Jessica asked. "That would be fun."

"I don't want to go where Chloe is," Beca said, pouting. "That was supposed to be our thing for my birthday. Just the two of us."

"Let's go to a movie," Amy suggested.

"That actually sounds like a good idea," Beca said.

Beca drove them to the Mall, and Jessica and Amy treated Beca to lunch before the movie. Beca had a nice time and returned home to find her parents sitting in the living room. Two suitcases were sitting by the door. Beca looked at them and then looked to her parents.

"What's going on?" Beca asked.

"Come sit down, Beca," Sarah said.

"Just tell me," Beca said, remaining by the door.

"I'm leaving," Warren said. "Your mother and I are divorcing. I'm sorry, Beca."

Beca opened the door and grabbed both suitcases. She took them outside and set them on the porch. She came back inside and yelled, "Goodbye, dad!" and ran upstairs.

"Beca!" Sarah yelled after her. She turned to Warren. "Just leave, Warren. I'm sure Sheila is waiting for you."

Warren didn't say anything; he just turned and walked out the door, picking up his suitcases as he went.

Sarah let out a heavy sigh and went upstairs to Beca. She entered Beca's room to find Beca lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Some birthday, huh?" Beca said as her mother sat on the side of the bed. "I lost my best friend and my father all in one day. Happy fucking Birthday to me."

"I'm sorry," Sarah said. "I tried to get your father to wait until after Christmas, but he wanted to spend Christmas with Sheila."

"I'm sorry, too," Beca said.

"On a happier note, I invited the Beales over for a birthday dinner and cake," Sarah said. "I hope that was okay."

"That's fine," Beca said. "It will be good to see Mr. and Mrs. Beale."

"What about Chloe?" Sarah asked. "It will be good to see her here again."

"Don't count on her being here," Beca mumbled. "I'm sure she's still busy with her new friends."

"I'm sorry she won't be here," Sarah said. "I miss having her around."

"It is what it is," Beca said with a shrug.

"Come on," Sarah said, standing and holding her hand out to Beca. "You can help me with dinner."

"But it's my birthday," Beca whined.

"You're eighteen and considered by most to be an adult now," Sarah said. "Start acting like one."

"You're not supposed to be mean to me on my birthday," Beca said, pouting as she followed her mother to the kitchen.

~~ Day 23 of the 25 Days of BeChloe Christmases - 2020 ~~

Beca, her mother, and Mrs. Beale were sitting at the dinner table. Beca pushed her food around on her plate without really eating anything. She was still hurt over Chloe inviting her new friends to Beca's birthday get-together when it was supposed to be just the two of them.

"Carl is sorry he couldn't make it to dinner," Charlotte said. "He has his bowling league tonight. He asked me to wish you a happy birthday for him. And I'm sorry Chloe didn't make it; she's out with Chicago again. I swear I wish she'd dump that boy. He's just too into himself. And he is as fake as the day is long. I don't know what Chloe sees in him."

"He's her first boyfriend," Sarah said. "I know I went gaga over my first 'adult' boyfriend. His name was Gary. I met Warren and broke up with Gary because I thought Warren was a better catch. Look how that turned out; I ended up with a cheater who left me for his mistress. And she's older than I am!"

Beca couldn't help but smile at that. "Dad doesn't deserve you, mom."

Sarah leaned over and kissed Beca on the temple. "He doesn't deserve either one of us, sweetie."

"I always hoped Beca and Chloe would become something," Charlotte said, causing Beca to blush.

"So, did I," Sarah said. "I know Beca would have been happy about that."

"Mom!" Beca said, blushing more.

"I think you should go for it, Beca," Charlotte said. "I know you'd treat her better than Chicago has."

Beca started to say something more when her phone vibrated with a text. She glanced at her phone and was surprised to see it was from Chloe. She ignored it and looked at her mother.

"What kind of cake did you make me?"

"Your favorite," Sarah said. "German chocolate."

"I do love German choc-"

Beca's phone buzzed again with another text from Chloe. Beca furrowed her brow.

"Is something wrong?" Charlotte asked.

"You know that old saying, speak of the devil?" Beca asked. At Charlotte's nod, Beca added, "It's Chloe. She asked me to call her."

"Maybe she wants to make amends," Sarah said. "You should see what she has to say."

"I don't think I'm ready to talk to her yet," Beca said.

"I can't blame you for that," Charlotte said.

Beca's phone rang, startling Beca and causing her to drop the phone; Sarah picked it up.

"It's Chloe," Sarah said, looking at the caller ID.

"I'll answer it if you'd like," Charlotte said.

"That's okay," Beca said, taking the phone from her mother and answering the call. "What do you want, Chloe?"

"Be-Beca, I need your help," Chloe said, causing Beca to sit up straight in her chair. "Please?"

"Chloe, what's wrong?"

"I know you're angry with me, but could you come pick me up?"

"What happened? Are you okay?"

"Is Chloe okay?" Charlotte asked.

"I don't know," Beca said, holding the phone away from her mouth. "She's crying and asked me to pick her up."

Beca got back on the phone. "Chloe? Where are you?"

"Makeout Point," Chloe said, and Beca rolled her eyes. "Chicago got mad because I wouldn't have sex with him. He kicked me out of his car and drove off, leaving me stranded."

"I'll kill him," Beca mumbled, standing from the table as Chloe continued talking.

Beca was halfway to the door before Chloe finished talking. "I'm on my way, Chlo," Beca told her. "Are you somewhere safe?"

"I th-think so," Chloe said. "Please hurry. It's dark and I'm scared."

"Beca!" Charlotte called out, causing Beca to turn toward her. "Is Chloe okay?"

"She's a little scared, but otherwise okay," Beca said. "Chicago left her stranded. I'll get her and bring her back here."

"Should I go with you?" Charlotte asked.

"No, ma'am," Beca said. "I'm sure she would have called you if she was in any real danger. I think she called me so we can talk about what happened between us."

"Okay," Charlotte said. "Be careful."

Beca rushed off and jumped into her car.

~~ Day 23 of the 25 Days of BeChloe Christmases - 2020 ~~

Beca made it to Makeout Point in less than ten minutes. She looked around and saw Chloe standing by a tree, so she drove over to her. Chloe jumped into the car and threw herself into Beca's arms. Beca wrapped her arms around Chloe and held her.

"Are you okay?" Beca asked.

"I am now," she said, her voice muffled against Beca's shoulder.

"Your mom is waiting for you at my house," Beca said. "Let's go."

"Okay," Chloe said and sniffled. "Thanks for coming to get me."

"I'd do anything for a friend who needed help, Chlo," Beca said as she started driving. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

"It all started when I asked Chicago to take me home after we finished laser tag," Chloe said, tears falling down her cheeks.

Chloe was upset because Beca didn't meet up with her. She didn't blame Beca but still held out hope that she'd be there.

"We're going to get something to eat," Chicago said.

"I'm not hungry," Chloe said. "I just want to go home. I need to talk to Beca and apologize."

"Why are you even friends with her?" Chicago asked. "She's a loser. You're with me now, and I can't have my girlfriend hanging around some gay chick all the time."

"I'm not your girlfriend," Chloe said, looking past Chicago to where Aubrey and Stacie were coming up behind him. "Aubrey, would you take me home, please?

Chicago turned and glared at Aubrey.

"I'm sorry, Chloe," Aubrey said, seeing the look in Chicago's eyes. "I, uh, I can't. Stacie drove me."

"Stacie?"

"I have to get home, so I can't take you either," Stacie said, looking down at the ground.

"Come on, Chlo," Chicago said, smiling as he turned back to face Chloe. "Let's get something to eat, and then I promise I'll take you home."

Chloe thought about her options. It was a half-hour ride home (and a much longer walk), and she knew her parents were busy and couldn't come to get her. Realizing she didn't have any other choice, Chloe agreed.

After eating as fast as she could, Chloe and Chicago left the diner and drove off. A few minutes later, Chloe noticed they weren't going toward her house.

"Chicago?" Chloe said, looking over at him. "You promised you'd take me home after we ate."

"I have to make a quick stop first," Chicago said.

"I'd rather go straight home," Chloe said.

Chicago ignored Chloe and turned off the main road. It was at this point that Chloe realized where he was taking her. Her jaw dropped open as Chicago parked and turned off the car.

"Makeout Point?!" Chloe yelled. "Are you kidding me? I am not making out with you, Chicago."

"That's not exactly why I brought you here," Chicago said, leering at Chloe. "We've been dating for three months, and it's time for you to give it up."

"Give it up?" Chloe screeched. "I am not having sex with you, either!"

"You either give me what I want," Chicago said. "Or you can get out and find your own way home."

Chloe glared at Chicago as she unfastened her seatbelt and got out of the car. Chicago was screeching away before Chloe could close the car door.

Chloe stood and watched as Chicago drove off, leaving her stranded.

"I didn't know what else to do," Chloe said, wiping at her tears. "I knew my dad was out, and my mom was going to be at your house, so I called you. I'm just glad you answered because I really didn't want a lecture from her; she's never liked Chicago."

"I can't say as I blame her for that," Beca said.

Beca didn't say anything more as she pulled her car into the driveway; Charlotte and Sarah had been watching for them and ran out to the car. The girls got out, and Charlotte grabbed Chloe into a hug. Chloe let out a sob and buried her head in her mother's shoulder.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Charlotte asked.

"I'm okay, mom," Chloe whispered.

"Why don't we go inside?" Sarah said. "We can have Beca's cake and end this night on a bit of a high note."

"Can we, mom?" Chloe asked. "I really want to celebrate Beca's birthday."

"Thank you, Sarah," Charlotte said. "We'd love to stay for a bit."

~~ Day 23 of the 25 Days of BeChloe Christmases - 2020 ~~

After they were done eating cake, Chloe turned to Beca.

"Beca, can I talk to you? In private."

"Why don't you take Chloe up to your room so you can talk," Sarah said. "Charlotte and I will visit for a bit."

"Sure," Beca said. "Come on, Chloe, we can talk in my room."

Chloe stood and followed Beca out of the kitchen and up to her room. Beca stood near her dresser and looked at Chloe.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Beca asked.

"I'm fine," Chloe said. Seeing the skeptical look on Beca's face. "Really. I am. Okay?"

"Okay," Beca mumbled.

"I'm sorry," Chloe blurted out. "I'm sorry for becoming one of them. I'm sorry I let them take over my life. I'm sorry I hurt you."

Chloe was in tears, and Beca stood looking at her.

"I'm just so sorry about everything that's happened in the past few months," Chloe said. "Can you ever forgive me? I miss you; I miss us."

Beca reached out and pulled Chloe into a hug. Chloe fell into the hug and buried her face in Beca's shoulder.

"I love you, Chloe," Beca said. "Of course, I can forgive you. Plus, we're best friends for life, remember?"

Chloe let out a small sob. "I'm so glad to hear you say that."

"So, um, your mom said something interesting at dinner tonight," Beca said. "Something I'd like to explore when you're ready. I mean, if you want to."

"What did she say?"

"She said she had hoped that we would become something more than friends."

"I can't believe she told you about my crush on you!"

"I swear she didn't say anything about a crush. Apparently, she thinks I'd take good care of you."

"Wait! You said it was something you'd like to explore?" Chloe asked. "You mean you like me as more than a friend?"

"Yes," Beca said. "I've always liked you, Chloe. You just never believed me when I told you."

"I, um, I didn't think you could like someone like me," Chloe said.

"Someone like you?" Beca asked, looking at Chloe. "You mean, the sweetest, kindest person I've ever met? How could I not like you?"

"But, I was fat and not attractive," Chloe said, not believing Beca.

"You were always pretty to me, Chlo," Beca said. "And you deserve to be with someone who treats you right no matter what. I'd like to be that someone if you'll have me."

Chloe smiled as the tears were falling down her face. "I would definitely like that."

"Good," Beca said. "We'll talk later and make plans for our first date. Okay?"

"Okay," Chloe said. "Can I kiss you before we go back downstairs?"

Beca responded by leaning in and kissing Chloe.

"Wow," Chloe said, pulling out of the kiss with a smile. "I could get used to that. I can't wait to tell my mom about us."

Beca smiled and took Chloe's hand. She led them downstairs to find Sarah and Charlotte hurriedly rushing to sit on the sofa.

"Were you eavesdropping?" Beca asked, looking at the two women.

"No," Charlotte said. "But, I'm so happy for you both. And, I guess this means you and Sarah will be spending Christmas with us?"

"It does," Beca said, smiling at Chloe. "It most definitely does."

"It is tradition," Chloe said, reaching over to pull Beca into a kiss.

"Happy birthday, Beca," Chloe whispered.

"And Merry Christmas to you," Beca whispered back.

A/N: I know it's kind of long, but the words kept coming (sorry, not sorry). Thanks for sticking with me to the end.

#bechloe #bechloe fanfiction #beca mitchell #chloe beale #Christmas 2020

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greensydney · 4 years ago

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Wellness Segments from The Friend Zone Podcast

This is where I’ll be listing Fran’s Wellness Segments. It will be updated regularly. Any specific products/stores mentioned will be linked :)

Ep. 1: It’s Ok to Log Off

Being the first episode, Fran starts us off easy with a loving suggestion to take a social media break. At the time of this recording, “Twitterless Assante” was reaping the benefits of taking mindless twitter scrolling out of his life for some time.

Ep. 2: Family Matters

This is where we start digging in and doing the work. Here, Fran asks us to look within to resolve family disputes that have gone unchecked. Have the talks that you have been avoiding, even if it feels uncomfortable. Remember to come from a place of compassion when approaching loved ones, and to not take anything personally. Which is a theme throughout many of the early episodes, as it’s the 2nd agreement in The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, one of the many books Fran has suggested.

Ep. 3: Take 5

Work on building and maintaining a healthy morning routine. This helps set the tone of the day. By leaving our phone out of this part of the day, we can avoid things like waking up to a long, angry text or some other drama and letting that guide how the rest of day goes. Basically, set the tone of your day before taking in information from anyone else.

Ep. 4: Surrender

Meditate, meditate, meditate.

Osho books are great for learning more about quieting the mind, as recommended by Fran. Sadhguru is another great teacher who I look to for insight on meditation, mindfulness, parenting, and just life in general. He has a channel on YouTube with tons of videos. Fran also recommends trying Mala beads to assist with meditation, or maybe journaling afterwards. She really just stresses the importance of beginning a meditation practice, without fear of doing it “right” or “wrong”.

Ep. 5: Even Martha Went to Jail

No clear-cut Wellness Segment for this week, but the main gist of things was: create what you want, what feels good for you. Critics will appear for everyone, no matter how great they are, so do you. Don’t keep yourself from creating things because of fear of how others will receive it.

Ep. 6: Tacos & Quickweave

In your journal, dissect the relationship you are in. Asking questions like, “Why are you with this person? Who are you *really* doing this relationship for?” For singles, ask questions like, “What am I *really* looking for, in a person? How do I want to feel when I’m with them? How do I want to show up in their lives? How do I want them to show up in my life?” For those resistant to relationships, ask yourself why and really work through it to get those answers that you seek. ~meditate, meditate, meditate ~

Ep. 7: The Choir & The Competition Are Out

Parents: Sit with our children and start asking them questions about their interests. Fran shares how she was impacted by her mom not being more encouraging about her becoming a singer, so she wants us to know how important it is to truly listen when our kids ask to pursue new things, even if it isn’t exactly what we pictured for them.

For everyone, even those who don’t have children or maybe they aren’t quite at the age to start discussing these things: we were all a child at some point. Many people can benefit from asking ourselves if the profession we are in is for you, or if you were just trying to please our own parents. It’s never too late to begin learning more about anything that excites you.

Ep. 8: Fitness Regine Hunter

(I’m pretty sure they purposely didn’t spell it “regime” because of the difficulty for many in pronouncing the word. lmao)

In this episode, Fran speaks on the importance of holistic health and wellbeing, sharing how much it has shaped who she is and improved her life. She wants us to really sit with ourselves and think about the things we want to work on. Ask, “What can I do to ensure that I’m being the most beautiful *me* possible?” From skin and hair care, to diet, to fitness, to the way we talk to ourselves or others. All the little things that make up holistic living. No quick fixes! We’re here to werrrrrrk, hunty.

“Forget the internet for a second. Forget what the Instagram models look like, we’re talking about YOU...” - Fran the MF Goat.

Implement a fitness regime that works for you. Maybe it’s part of your morning routine, maybe it’s an after dinner thing; everyone gets to choose what is best for them and that’s part of the beauty of this life. :) Try a few things and see what works. There is an emphasis on the importance of starting slow, allowing your mind and body to get used to new activity. Fran started off with walking, increasing her distance over time, and then turned that into jogging when it felt right for her. Blogilates and Yoga With Adriene are YouTube channels she mentions here. I have been hooked to yoga ever since trying a few videos from Adriene. Yoga by Biola is another great channel to check out. Biola has this video, “Restorative Yoga for Collective Trauma”, which I love. I learned of her from The Friend Zone earlier in 2020.

Skin and Hair: Check out Frans YouTube channel to see all the informative videos she has on all-natural beauty and health tips. Personally, I really like Naptural85 for hair videos as my curl pattern is very similar to hers. Click around on suggested videos to find the ones that speak to you.

Ep. 9: Don’t Forget the Feet

OIL UP! From head-to-toe. Get that moisture. Especially in these colder months. Hands, feet, nails, toenails...literally everywhere. Dustin cannot get over the importance of the feet. Fran says this aztec healing clay is great for dry, cracked feet, and she hinted at its ability to fix some facial skin woes as well. Extra Fran tip: put a small amount of oil on your nail beds before painting them. This protects the skin and promotes nail growth. I tried this myself and it’s a game changer in my nail health! They used to get cracks in them once they start getting to a certain length, but if i keep them oiled up, they are smooth as precious little stones. :)

Ep. 10: A$AP Shirley Caesar

This episode reminds us that finances, too, can impact our total feeling of well-being. The Friends all want us to get our finances in order, taking the tiniest of baby steps, if needed. Fran’s 3 things to cut back on:

Eating Out

Online Shopping

Places like Target, where you go for 1 thing and leave with a full cart.

Making these sacrifices adds up. The goal is that eventually, any big things that are weighing on our mental due to finances can more easily be dealt with.

Ep. 11: And I’m Telling You, I’m NOT Going!

It’s all about skin-care in this wellness segment! Starting with what goes into your body, and ending with what goes on your body. First off: DRINK LOTS OF WATER! This not only promotes healthy skin but as we all know, it’s just good for the body in general. The body runs nice and smoothly when it’s hydrated from the inside-out.

If you need to cut down on your caffeine intake (I’m right there with ya), Fran suggested Yerba Mate. It’s a natural source of caffeine and much cleaner than what comes in other energy drinks. I must say, I feel like the naturally occurring caffeine just hits different. I was hyyype the first few times I got a Yerba Mate instead of my usual orange Red Bull! Energy drink isn’t the only form to get your Yerba fix, thankfully. It’s sold as a loose leaf tea, or in bagged tea as well. I LOVE coffee though, and I am not giving that up so easy. I find that bringing mindfulness to my habits with it, helps me to not consume too much.

Now, for the outside of the body: washing and moisturizing daily is imperative. This may be obvious to some, but it can also feel difficult for those with a really busy schedule. I know for me, as a mom, there has been many times when I only had one chance to take a shower on a given day, and if I didn’t take it, I was always sorry. Or I would take a rushed, half-effort shower and get dressed immediately after without oil, lotion, anything. Having a routine in place for daily washing and moisturizing (that works with my sporadic life) helps me make sure it won’t get missed. Again, as with episode 9, OIL UP! Coconut oil is a great choice, but my skin just drinks it up like water. Sesame oil is a nice alternative because it’s a bit thicker. It was hard for me to get used to smelling like a huge sesame seed though, not gonna lie. But there are so many different oils and butters out there to love our bodies with, just use some trial and error to find which one(s) work best for you.

Last thing: Bedding. Change it at least once a week. Get on the silk pillowcase train! Or if you real fancy, like Fran, get you a full-on silk sheet set. Cotton sheets soak up all the moisture from our skin that we work so hard and lovingly on.

Ep. 12: The Shut Down Mixtape

House cleaning time! Clean your fridge, clean your closets, clean your desk drawers. Clean everything! Trying to especially bring focus to areas that are often overlooked in your regular daily cleaning. By doing this, we clear out old energy, removing heaviness from our homes that we may not even realize is there. I personally can vouch that this helps with anxiety and even lifts my depression symptoms as well. It feels good when the space I live in looks and smells nice, so taking the effort is more than worthwhile.

Ep. 13: Oh God…

Get in touch with what religion/spirituality mean to YOU. This one was hard for me because I wasn’t raised with much knowledge of (or respect for, sadly) religion. As I grew, I became super interested in the various religions and how they affect the lives of others - good or bad. I’ve now learned to adapt my own spiritual practices that support me and help me get by. And this is life changing.

Ep. 14: Say It Like You Mean It

Here, we are instructed to find out what our individual love language is. This comes from the book The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman. The 5 Love Languages are:

Quality Time

Acts of Service

Receiving Gifts

Words of Affirmation

Physical Touch

You may already have an idea of what your primary love language is, but you can get some more information on that by reading the book or by taking quizzes on the book’s website. Knowing your love language, as a single, can help you define what you need from a partner. As someone in a relationship, it can help both partners learn how to best make sure everyone knows they are loved and valued.

Ep. 15: Yo Mama

Scalp Care for Winter Weather!

½ Cup Olive Oil ~ Seals in moisture

2 Tbsp. Honey (Fran uses Raw honey) ~ Creates pretty shine

½ Cup Coconut Milk ~ Adds protein

½ an Avocado ~ Healthy fat

½ a Banana ~ Softens hair

Blend all ingredients into a creamy conditioner, which should come out a nice light greenish color.

I keep forgetting coconut milk at the store or else I’d have been tried this one, smh *face palm* But I will edit to add my review after I finally do this. :)

Ep. 16: Non Profit & Chill

This episode had no segments, but we can still gain a wellness tip from it. Recorded right after Fran returned from a trip to Africa, she had a ton of insight to share on why it’s so important to be an ethical consumer. This episode was a great one to re-listen to as it reminded me that I am reading labels and the “about” pages on brand’s websites for a valid reason that is important to me, not just following trends. Dang imposter syndrome, always trying to step in and ruin everything (shoutout to the Friend Zone for teaching me about that as well, in a later episode.)

Fair Trade Errything !!!

Ep. 17: There’s A Song For That

No wellness segment this week, per say, but again I’ll summarize the episode to make it wellness for us all. The friends basically dode over their favorite break-up songs, from the deepest of soul, to the pettiest of rap songs. Many genres listed, and many bangers. This episode is a great listen for those going through a breakup, or even if you’re a big fan of the episodes where the Friends just let loose and have fun.

Ep. 18: Don’t You Go To Work?

Inspired by Assante and his newly purchased stones, which he is carrying safely in his pocket, Fran suggested that us listeners get in on the magic as well by getting our own stones. Starting with Citrine. This stone is a light orange color, and can be found online or in local crystal stores in most cities. Often referred to as “the merchants stone”, Citrine is believed to attract success. Fran offered the idea of laying it on some money, because she did it and got a random check in the mail soon after...And I kid you not - I did it, and the saaame thing happened to me. I was shook and beyond grateful!

Other stones mentioned here are Lapis Lazuli and Black Tourmaline. Lapis is a pretty, royal blue shade, usually with gold flakes in it. Lapis is known as the “communication stone”. Black Tourmaline is, you guessed it, black, and often found in shiny pieces. Fran says she keeps one of these by her bedside to absorb negative thoughts; letting it cleanse her energy before bed.

Stores mentioned on this episode: Rock Star, and Namaste shop. Both New York based but have online shopping available. Personally, and this is gonna sound real woo-woo, but I prefer picking out stones in person because then I can actually feed off of their energy to pick the right one for me. Those living in a small town, there is probably a crystal shop not too far away.

Ep. 19: The Friend Zone & The Read Mash Up Pt. 1

Wellness this week: be messy and silly with your friends. For me, I don’t currently have any real life friends to hang out with, plus COVID, so my family gets to enjoy all my silly mess. Life just cannot be lived being serious 100% of the time!

Ep. 20: 2015, I’ma Let You Finish, But 2016…

I loved this episode because it brings us back to our journals. Fran asks the guys and us listeners to reflect on two simple, but powerful questions to answer at the end of each year:

What are 3 things you discovered about yourself this year that you love? Things that you feel will propel you into the next year, as a person, career-wise, and as a whole. Write freely about how you plan on maintaining and evolving.

What are 3 things you discovered about yourself this year that you did not like? Maybe some of these things are hard to face. Reflect on how you’ve allowed them to hold you back and what you are doing to adjust them.

#friendzonepod #wellness #holisticliving #forthe #hoodhearted

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wanderingsoul · 4 years ago

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questions to ask yourself before the new year except its february and we’re in a pandemic

what is one small way you can become a better person? for others? for yourself?

i can become a better person by addressing the trauma that i carry, and addressing it, and learning to cope with it better. i can be a better friend, parter, daughter and sister by leaning into the parts of myself that are broken and taking the time to pursue healing in meaningful ways. i can become a better person by taking responsibility for my growth and healing and actively work towards a more healed, wholesome version of myself.

what are you holding onto currently that is no longer serving you? why are you holding on? what’s one small step you can take towards releasing it?

i am holding on to the idea that i can fix those around me. being in a partnership/friendship with someone that openly expresses brokenness pulls on the need inside of me to fix things, and fix her. except thats not how people work, and thats not how healthy relationships work. i am holding on to this because for a long time, and sometimes i think to this day, i have been the glue for so many people. i am the common denominator, i am the steady, i am the savior. and being with alexa is a challenge because i have to be fully present, and wanting to support, with the very present knowledge that i can do absolutely nothing to make her feel better, and i might get my feelings hurt if i try.

goal for the new year that excites me? goal that scares me?

the goal that excites me the most this year is buying a house. it feels like another piece in the puzzle of the ever-elusive “perfect life”. having a house, two cats and a garden is a dream that i am so desperately hoping becomes a reality this year.

a goal that scares me is getting a therapist. i put it on my new years goals and here we are, almost march and i am no closer to reaching that goal. there are lots of things about therapy that are scary, being vulnerable mostly. and also the fear that i am going to open a can of worms that i can’t put back. and at the same time, i am afraid i am going to do the same thing i did last time - convince my therapist i was completely healed and didn’t need her help anymore to make her feel like she did a good job. probably one of the most toxic people pleasing i have ever done.... yikes. so this year, i want to be vulnerable and open with a therapist- and truly learn from them.

what do you want to be a student of in the new year?

i want to be the student of self-love this year. i feel like i have so much to learn from her, and truly so much to gain. as i am on this journey of ~weight loss~ healthy living i want to learn how to truly love myself- in all the forms that i take. one of the childhood and teen traumas that i carry around is self-loathing for my physical body, and extreme uncomfortableness i feel inside of her. my body was different than i thought it should be, and i never felt thin or pretty enough. even though looking back i could not have been any thinner without blowing away. as i try and lose some weight to get back to a healthy range, its so tempting to chase that skinniness that seems closer than ever now. i don’t ever want to think about my body in a good or bad way again, the same with food. i want it all to be neutral and purposeful. i don’t want body positivity, i just want body neutrality. i want to be comfortable and unbothered. i want to take pictures and look for the joy and not be hyperfocused on the rolls.

a quote that i am taking with me on this journey -

“what if you wake up some day, and you’re 65, or 75, and you never got your memoir or novel written, or you didn’t go swimming in warm pools and oceans all those years because your things were jiggly and you had a nice big comfortable tummy; or you were just so strung out on perfectionism and people-pleasing that you forgot to have a big juice creative life of imagination and radical silliness and staring off into space like when you were a kid? it’s going to break your heart. don’t let this happen.” - author unknown

who in your life deserves the biggest thank you for this year?

i am thankful for karl because of his understanding of me. i am thankful for mikaela for being a rock in my life and a cheerleader. i am thankful for silka because she offers more love than i know what to do with. i am thankful for alexa because she pushes me to be a better person. i am thankful for my mom, and her patience with me as i grow. i am thankful for my dad, and the hands-off role he has taken in my life. i am thankful for the friends that were patient and kind with me this year as i stayed away from most of them.

what can you thank yourself for this year?

i am thankful for the resiliency and grit it took to get through this year. feeling extremely burnt-out, from the pandemic, from social work and from life. managed to get a new job which is furthering my career in the healthcare field, managing to save a little money to buy a house. making it through the panic attacks and crying in the car at the thought of the losses in my life. thankfulness for the home that i have in myself, and the peace and safety i offer myself to be who i am and to encourage growth.

what have you outgrown this year?

i have outgrown pointless complaining. life is what you make it (to some degree) and i am choosing joy where i can and peace towards things i cannot affect.

what is an important boundary to set in the new year?

it is important to me this year to set emotional boundaries this year and create language to protect myself when i find myself trying to fix my partner and getting into old negative habits.

what’s a memory from this past year that makes you smile just thinking about it?

now this one’s a bit challenging because of the pandemic and social tension of this year, but i am choosing to focus on the personal good that happened in my life.

january- three way kiss with mariah and alexa. iceskating in CVS field with dalton. getting naked in the woods at taylors falls.

february - tall heights concert. drinks at cowboys with emily, alexa, sarah and meghan. raincloud and strawberry tattoos.

march - up/down bar with jaden and silka-getting mexican at 3am. cuddles on the couch with hippo while everyone was gone over spring break. drinking wine and looking at art at bethel. christian living on our couch- hiking afton. our neighbor mark gets his dog ella.

april- doordashing with knute- danny davito picture. staying with karl and mikaela for 3 weeks. getting drunk with jimu // garage door beer challenge. getting to ride on todd’s motorcycle.

may- seeing juneau for the first time. knute’s “just friends” instagram post. biking along st. croix with john. fishing with jaden at rapidan dam. lilac bushes blooming at the ranch. alexa’s graduation surprise. rollerblading... canoeing lake iduhapi with callie, sam, alexa and knute and smearing ourselves in charcoal. eating chinese and drinking wine for alexa’s birthday.

june- watching the dad’s try and fit our couch into the house. GFS- nightwatches, curfews. birthday bagels on the balcony. celebration at camp iduhapi. biking in northfield with jen. adopting juneau! bringing her everywhere with me. fathers day with john eating tacos. breonna taylor march. getting drenched walking around bdemakaska.

july- bee’s knees tattoo. cabin trip to barnum lake with alexa and jen. celebrating anthony’s birthday with alexa and erin (moving the gravestone). duluth trip with sam, knute and lea - jumping into lake superior. trip to padre island with john-getting way too burnt to function. chic fil a drivethrough with juneau.

august- camping trip with mikaela -attempt to get into canada and immediatly denied. murder mystery at emily’s house. rain on the patio for emily’s birthday. golden retriever puppies. dinner date with emma downtown minneapolis. annual brule trip- flipped the canoe.

september - alexa and i take a fake trip to ny. celebrating john’s birthday. visiting jeff’s farm. celebrating jen’s birthday in northfield. shooting pumpkins with jen. another trip up to barnum lake with karl, mikaela and seth. minnehaha trip with emma. jack’s apple farm trip.

october- camp trip, reffing football. making apple crisp. murder mystery night for sarah’s birthday. thrifting outdoor outlet with emma and lea. hanging with ozzy the cat. photoshoot with alexa and hippo. halloween party at caitlin’s house- being velma and daphne with alexa.

november - start working at bluestone. dinner at pub in minneapolis with jen where we die laughing. winning monopoly with callie and tyler. hiawatha hike with alexa. thanksgiving at silka’s.

december - giving the cats a bath. accidentally breaking into a cemetery with alexa. muffin’s christmas photoshoot. christmas at jens. sea world with molly, kody and kids, seth, john, k&m -forcing ourselves to watch blackfish the next day. tattoos! hammocking by the river. almost running into the elementary school on jimu’s dirtbike.

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allthingsfangirl101 · 5 years ago

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Chapter 5: Lunch With Dad

Masterlist

Abby's POV

I was zoning in and out at work when my phone started going off. I checked to see my boss was still in her office before grabbing it. I sighed when I saw who it was.

"Hey, Dad."

"Hi, sweetie. I hope I'm not interrupting anything," he said almost accusingly.

"Nothing too big. What's up?" I asked, running my hand through my hair.

"I'd like to set up a lunch with you."

"Set up a lunch?" I asked. "You mean go to lunch with me? Your daughter?"

"Yes," he sighed. "I will meet you at Juan's Mexican Grill at noon."

"Okay. I will see you then." He hung up without saying anything. "I will see you for our lunch meeting, Mr. Peterson."

Noon came a lot faster than I had wished. Before I knew it, I was parked in front of the Mexican restaurant my dad had requested. I groaned as I got out of my car and headed inside.

"Hola and welcome to Juan's Mexican Grill. How many in your party?" The bored teenager asked me.

"Just me and one other. He is probably already here," I mumbled when I looked down at noticed I was three minutes late. And yes, three minutes is a big deal to my father.

"Mr. Peterson," the boy sighed like he already knew. "He said you'd be later."

I rolled my eyes as he grabbed a menu and started leading me through the restaurant. I bit my lip as my father came into view. He was sitting in a booth, talking to someone on the phone while doing work on a tablet.

"Hi, Dad," I said as I sat down. He didn't look up at me but held up one finger. I rolled my eyes as I took the menu from the waiter.

"I'll umm. . . I'll come back and take your order in a few minutes," he said, looking between my father and me.

My father just waved his hand admissibly while I sent the poor waiter a small smile. "Thank you."

I looked at my father before sighing. I turned my attention to the menu and started scanning the varied meals. "How was work?" I heard him ask.

"Was that to me?" I asked, sending him a knowing look. He hesitated before hanging up his phone and putting it and his tablet to the side.

"Sorry," he said, raising his hands to show they were empty. I waited for him to say something, but he just stared at me. I sighed as I turned my attention back to the menu.

"Are you guys ready to order?"

"Yes," my father said shortly. "I will have two pork tacos and a water. With lemon."

The waiter wrote it down and looked towards me, waiting for me to order. "Can I get a chicken quesadilla with guacamole on the side? And a diet coke."

"Alright, I will bring some chips and salsa while you wait." He took our menus and headed back to the kitchen.

I sat back, folded my hands in my lap, and waited for my dad to say something. He just smiled at me, making me feel uneasy.

"So?" I asked.

"So, how's work?"

"Work is good," I shrugged.

"Are you still Jenna Taylor's assistant?" He asked, sounding a bit condescending.

"Yes, dad." I sighed. "I am still the assistant to one of the top lawyers in town and no, I don't want to go any higher. I'm fine where I'm at."

"But, are you?"

"Yes," I sighed. "Look, Dad, I love working for Jenna. I'm not a lawyer, but she still allows me to help out more than I probably should. I'm happy where I'm at. I know that may sound weird coming from the daughter of the city's top accountant, but I am."

Dad just sat back and looked at me. I held my breath, waiting for his response. "Abigail," he sighed. Before he could continue, the waiter came over with our drinks and a basket of chips and salsa.

My dad waited for the waiter to leave before clearing his throat and slowly taking a drink of his water. "Abigail, we need to talk about Caleb."

My heart jumped into my throat. I subconsciously started playing with my engagement ring. "What about Caleb?"

"I know he is off playing engineer," he sighed.

"He isn't playing. He is," I mumbled as my dad continued.

"But we need to start thinking seriously about what he is going to do when he comes home. He needs to have his career figured out if you marry him."

"If I marry him?" I cut him off. "I am marrying him whether he has a stable job or not. I love him and he can do whatever he wants with his life. Right now, he is doing something important. Dangerous? Yes. But it's what he wants to do. I am not going to tell my fiancé what he has to do in order to marry me."

"I am just saying that when he comes back, he can work for me."

"Why the hell would he want to work in an accounting office?" I said, my voice getting louder.

"Watch your tone with me, young lady." My dad said sternly.

"No," I deadpanned. My father's eyebrows raised as I continued. "You have had your talons in me long enough. I'm your daughter so I haven't fought it. But I am not letting you even try and clamp down on him. He can do what he wants. Either way, I will support him because I love him and when you love someone, you support them without hesitation. Then again, you wouldn't know what that is like because you have never supported me. Ever."

I was out of breath by the time the waiter nervously walked over, our food in his hand. He set our plates in front of us and quickly walked away.

Neither one of us said anything as we started to eat our meals. I couldn't even look up from my plate. I know if I did, I wouldn't be able to stop the tears that were threatening to spill. The stress of Caleb being away, missing him, brushing off people's comments and now my dad trying to control, not just mine but also Caleb's life, was starting to get too much.

And in that moment, I felt like I was going to pass out.

"Abigail," my father said softly. "I am just trying to help the two of you. I know what it's like to be a freshly married couple and struggling to make ends meet. I went through that with your mother. I want you to be financially stable so someday you can stop working and focus on having children."

"Who said I had to stop working when we have kids?" I mumbled, still not looking up at him. "And Caleb and I are going to be just fine. We've both been saving money since high school. I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to spend the rest of my life with him."

I finally looked up at him as I added, "I would appreciate it if you let Caleb and I live our own lives, making our own mistakes."

"Okay," he said simply. I waited for him to continue, but went back to eating when he didn't say anything.

We had just finished our meals and the waiter had gone to get our check when my dad spoke up again. "I was talking to your step-mom and we had some ideas about your wedding."

"Dad," I sighed, cutting him off. "I've told Hannah, the step-monster, over and over again that I am not planning the wedding without Caleb."

"I know," he said raising his hands up in defense. "I wanted to talk to you about your budget. I know you and Caleb both have been saving up and created a strict budget. That's great and I am proud of you both."

"But," I sighed when he didn't continue.

"But, your step-mother and I would like to pay for it. All of it."

"No," I said instantly.

"Abigail," he sighed.

"We don't need your charity. We have it covered."

"It's not charity to pay for your daughter's wedding, Abigail. It's actually a tradition. Plus, we figured that if we pay for your wedding, then the money you've saved can go towards an apartment or a house. You could also take me up on my offer to live with us for the first few years."

"Dad," I cut him off. "I know what "paying for your wedding" means. It means that Hannah will have a say in everything. And I am not letting her take over mine and Caleb's wedding. It's not her place."

"Not her place?" My dad challenged. "She's your mother."

"Step-mother," I corrected as I jumped up. "If you can even call her that. She is your wife, dad. Not my mom. I didn't ask for her to be in my life, yet she forces herself in. She will never be my mother because no one can replace my mother. No matter how hard you try to replace mom, I can't. I won't."

With tears streaming down my cheeks, I grabbed my purse and headed straight to my car. I got in, turned it on and leaned my head against the steering wheel as I couldn't hold back my sobs any longer.

#A Lover's Dream #deepwater horizon #caleb halloway #caleb halloway fanfic #dylan o'brien #dylan o'brien fanfic

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morningsound15 · 5 years ago

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Yo in the least weird way possible, did you have an ending planned for winged cupid painted? Or like, any idea what would happen next? I just read it and I'm dying to know but I also am a writer who's in college and know how little time being an adult leaves over, but I loved it! Also it was 4 years ago, and its chill if you don't wanna answer/didn't have a plan/etc but i figured asking couldn't hurt. Regardless, thanks for the amazing content!!

this is a great question and not weird at all

i stopped writing that story a while ago and i do mean to go back and finish it eventually, but i’m not sure exactly when that will be. looking at that doc, it does appear that i have something of an ending written out

so for the fans who want a conclusion and don’t want to wait around for another x number of years for me to finally get that story finished, the ending is under the cut:

lots of love

Lexa and Clarke throw the biggest goddamn wedding Octavia has ever seen (because of course they do).

Clarke looks like an angel in white lace, hair flowing in effortless golden ringlets down past her shoulders. She walks down the aisle with tears in her eyes, clutching at her mom’s arm, her eyes fixated entirely on the woman at the alter.

“Clarke’s walking down the aisle,” Octavia whispers to Raven under the sound of the processional music. “And Lexa just started crying,” she adds after glancing at her friend.

Raven smirks and whispers back, “Of course she’s crying, she’s a fucking sap.”

Octavia bites her lip and tries not to laugh, even as she surreptitiously wipes the tears she feels in the corner of her eye. “Babe, Lexa looks like she’s going to collapse. They can’t stop staring at each other. It is both adorable and disgusting.”

Raven leans closer. “What’s she wearing?”

Octavia runs her eyes down Lexa’s body once. “Tan shirt, rolled up to her elbows. Thin black suspenders, thin black tie, dark pants. Her hair isn’t braided, for once; Anya must have done it because it looks awesome.”

Raven whistles lowly. “So she’s basically a stud.”

Octavia laughs, “Oh totally. If Clarke doesn’t jump her as soon as the service is done I will be honestly shocked.”

“Fifteen bucks she waits until the reception starts.”

Octavia shoots her a look, eyebrow raised and smirk painted on her face. “Oh you’re so on.”

(Raven ends up winning. Though, to be fair, Clarke and Lexa only make it thirty minutes into the reception before they mysteriously slip out a side door, only to reappear red-faced and disheveled a quarter of an hour later. But a win is a win. Octavia grumbles as she presses the money into Raven’s hand, and Raven laughs and kisses her on the cheek.)

Their wedding is small and it isn’t really much of a wedding at all. Raven wears red, Octavia wears light blue, and they stop by the courthouse one day with Lexa and Clarke as their witnesses and get it done and sign the papers with little fanfare. (Clarke cries but Lexa cries harder.) The only other person there is Bellamy — who, admittedly, has been a little awkward around Raven since the whole… well, everything. But Octavia loves him and he’s family and Raven doesn’t mind Bellamy as much as maybe she should mind him. She actually sort of likes him.

And Raven is thankful for him, no matter how uncomfortable he may feel around her. Because while it is true that their relationship sort of imploded as a direct result of Bellamy’s questioning… it was necessary. Because Octavia and Raven couldn’t have survived a secret like that if it had continued any longer (they barely survived it as is). So Bellamy kind of accidentally did the best thing possible. He’s uncomfortable whenever he’s alone in a room with Raven, but he’ll get over that eventually.

There isn’t much to it; their whole marriage ceremony is done in under an hour. Clarke and Lexa and Raven and Octavia and Bellamy all at the courthouse in front of a judge (who didn’t really seem like he wanted very much to be there, but Octavia said he added character to the whole affair, so Raven couldn’t begrudge him that — she was the one who insisted on skipping the ceremony, after all).

The five of them stand in one small, cramped office that smells vaguely of dust and Taco Bell and Octavia laughs and Raven falls even more in love and no one else is there because no one else needs to be there. And it’s sort of hilariously terrible, but it’s also perfect. Because she’s marrying the woman she loves, in front of the only other people she loves, and it’s perfect. And she wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

Octavia tells her mother, though. Sends her a picture even, of the celebration — at a bar (and Raven doesn’t usually visit bars but for this one special occasion she does, because she loves Octavia and they’re married now and she should be able get drunk out in public with her wife if she wants to) — and Raven doesn’t even know the picture is being taken, but Octavia describes it to her after.

They’re at a table in the corner of the bar, by themselves. Raven’s head is thrown back mid-laugh, ring glittering elegantly on her finger while Octavia stares at her with unbridled admiration and love — she knows the last bit thanks to Lexa’s teasing voice and even though Octavia blushes and mumbles about it, she still blows the picture up and frames it and hangs it in their bedroom. And Octavia copies the picture and sends it to her mother (who congratulates her and apologizes for not being there), and she sends a copy to Raven’s mother, too, even though… even though their first meeting had been disastrous and the ones which followed hadn’t been much better.

Echo gets a copy and sends back a very pricy bottle of whisky for them “to celebrate with.” Raven guesses that’s about as good as it could get.

“My kids have been cooing over the ring for weeks, Raven,” Octavia says with a laugh one night over dinner, soon after they make it official. “They can’t stop touching it and we are getting absolutely no work done, and I blame you.”

Raven mutters, “How much work do fifth graders even have?” but Octavia shushes her.

“They’re also calling me ‘Mrs. Reyes’ now, you’ll be happy to know.”

Raven is happy to know that (it makes her stomach flutter pleasantly), but instead she laughs and teases, “I’m a modern woman, Octavia Blake, and you kept your last name.”

And she knows that Octavia rolls her eyes after that but she doesn’t say anything else and so Raven grins and is happy.

They never end up having children, but they never end up wanting any. Octavia has her kids at school, and Raven has her job, and they both work full-time and love each other full-time, and they never really wind up feeling like they need children.

They talk about it seriously a few times; about whether or not they should have them. When Octavia tells Raven that she doesn’t really want them, she’s worried Raven will think that she thinks they can’t have kids, because of Raven’s disability. That Raven will think that she doesn’t trust her to raise children; that Raven will think that she thinks that, because Raven can’t see, she won’t be able to take care of a crying baby or a screaming toddler or an angsty teenager.

But that isn’t the case; that isn’t it at all.

Octavia has never wanted kids; and it isn’t because she thinks she and Raven can’t do it (they’d be kickass parents, please) but just that… kids were never necessary for her. She just never had the desire to be a mother; not really.

Raven kisses her to quiet her down, after Octavia gushes and mumbles and stumbles through apologies and excuses. Raven kisses her and says, quietly, “I never really wanted them either.” She leans her head against Octavia’s forehead. “I would have had them with you, if you wanted, and I would love the fuck out of those kids. But I agree with you; I never really needed them. I never really wanted them.” She kisses her again. “I love you, Octavia. With or without kids. I don’t need them to be happy.”

So they don’t have kids.

But Lexa and Clarke have two: a beautiful little boy named Aden and his sister, Zoe (both adopted at the same time). And Raven and Octavia love those two kids like they were their own. And the kids go absolutely crazy any time Auntie O visits — which has Lexa groaning more often than not (They were just quieting down, Octavia!). And Raven brings them gadgets and trinkets and candies — which Clarke tolerates even as she berates her (If my kids kill themselves with your ‘toys’ Raven, I swear to God…).

They don’t have their own.

But they’re there for every one of Aden’s and Zoe’s birthdays. They’re there when Bellamy’s son is born (he cries so hard that Octavia and Lincoln have to physically drag him off of the floor). They’re there when Lincoln and his wife — a lovely woman: small but strong, quiet but wise, striking and elegant and also with a soulmate she was never destined to be with — bring home twins from the hospital, small and crying and beautiful (and the look on Raven’s face when Octavia placed the smallest little bundle into her arms was enough to make Octavia grin and kiss Raven on the cheek and mumble platitudes into her ear). They’re named godmothers to more than one babbling baby over the course of their thirties.

They do finally get a dog, a big lumbering golden retriever that wags its tail so hard Octavia has to get rid of all of the unstable coatracks and delicate vases in their entrance hall because they crash to the ground more often than not and she gets tired of picking up broken pottery and she gets tired of replacing broken wood.

They name her Fox, and though Octavia complains that Raven loves the dog more than she loves her, they both know which one of them feeds Fox scraps from the dining room table (even though it isn’t good for her and it spoils her — which is what Raven scolds every time she catches Octavia at it).

Fox is beautiful and warm and fiercely defensive of Raven (just like Octavia is), and when she isn’t wearing her vest Aden and Zoe like to ride on her back, giggling and screaming as she races through Clarke and Lexa’s front lawn.

And they live. And they love. And they are happy, for the rest of their lives. And it’s more than Raven could have ever dreamed, and it’s all that Octavia could have ever wanted. And it isn’t perfect but then life never is. And it isn’t as if they don’t fight; it isn’t as if they don’t have problems; it isn’t as if they don’t face hardships and setbacks and long, sleepless nights. They do.

But they live. And they love. And they are happy. And that’s all anyone could have ever hoped for.

#anonymous #asks #winged cupid painted

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this-lioness · 5 years ago

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Weekend Review

Long, boring and mundane, as usual, but I find it relaxing.

The last two grocery orders for my Mom were only about 1/3 to 1/2 full, and I knew that wasn’t going to hold her very long. Food is readily available in the stores, it’s just that the stores are no longer doing substitutions for out-of-stock items, so if there are six versions of a given item available online you have to hope that the one you pick is one they have in stock, otherwise you’re not getting anything at all. Your only choice is to keep ordering and ordering and ordering or physically go into the store. Ugh.

There’s a Grocery Outlet up the street from us, and we decided Friday afternoon would probably be less crowded than a Saturday morning, and took our chances going out. We wore masks and gloves, to be safe, and I left most everything home -- purse, glasses, phone. I didn’t want to have to decontaminate more than I absolutely had to.

It went pretty smoothly, all things considered. We have a full decontamination area in the pantry now: drop cloth on the floor, rolling rack with a bleach-water solution, washable wipes, clean grocery bags and gloves. So we bring everything in through the back gate, I spray everything down with bleach (or SimpleGreen, if we’re worried about bleach getting on it) in the pantry, let it sit, then Marc wipes it dry and transfers it either to our own cabinets or into clean bags for my Mom. Produce gets transferred directly to the sink where it’s washed with warm, soapy water and then dried.

Is it enough? I don’t know. It’s certainly a whole process, which makes me feel like we’re doing some amount of good, but I suppose you can’t really know for sure right now.

Saturday morning we had our breakfast biscuit sandwiches and coffee, then packed up (what we thought was) all my Mom’s groceries and drove them over. En route she texted me to ask for Splenda (*sigh*) and a flashlight, because Jim uses a flashlight to navigate to the bathroom at night. By then it was too late, but it turns out we’d forgotten all her frozen items anyway, so I told her I’d bring it the next day.

Dropped everything off with her and then went to Lowes to pick up garden soil and some drainage rock. It was still cold and cloudy out, but warm enough that we got a good hour or so of work done in the back yard -- mostly cleaning up the winter muck.

A few months ago we bought a stack of old icing buckets from a baker ($1 each!) and Marc drilled holes in the bottom and layered them with rock and soil. He also dug up one of the original three blackberry beds which we decided to retire. I’d planned to just toss the canes, but they were already greening up so nicely that he took the chance they could be salvaged and transferred them to three new planters. To my surprise they don’t seem shocked at all, so we may be able to keep them going in a better location!

Marc is debating what to do with the retired bed, but we’ll probably use it to dry firewood or store things off-season.

I went over the blackberry bushes and cut off all the old winter growth and one or two dead canes. They’re greening up beautifully, and one of them has thrown FIVE NEW CANES, two of which have sprouted in the little gap between beds. Complete assholes. I rocked off the gap so it is now unofficially our new third berry bed, and gave it a stern talking-to about behaving itself from now on. I swear to God those canes grew more since just yesterday.

The raspberries are greening up, but not so vigorously. I need the time to get them back in order, frankly -- we have to completely redo the training wire. There’s fucking thistle everywhere, I want to scream. The harder you try to get rid of the stuff the more aggressively it spreads.

Blueberries are greening up as well. I acidified the soil as best I could, but we’re giving them just this year to prove themselves. If they can’t grow berries I can’t spare the garden space, and frankly it’s just too much work trying to acidify their beds. The blackberries and raspberries would literally kill their mother to take over that space, and I’d love to try some gooseberries or something else new and different.

I pulled last year’s baby maples from their winter bed and gave them a once-over. They’ve got tiny little buds on them, it looks like they all made it -- a good five or six at least! I’ve got them in the sun now, anyway, to see if we can coax them fully back to life.

After choring I cleaned litter boxes, showered, then came downstairs and completely tore the pantry apart -- mud room, cabinet pantry, and the two sides of the kitchen island where we normally keep canned goods.

We normally keep a very well-stocked pantry, but I wanted a better idea of everything we had, and it was starting to get cluttered in a way that made it hard to get everything. I spent a good few hours -- and Marc even got into it, and was a huge help -- taking everything out, combining items, moving some bulk goods to air-tight containers, and then sorting it all back new spots.

I had a bunch on hand that was more than we needed, and offered to bring it to my Mom with her frozen stuff. In exchange she offered us some polenta and a few frozen items that neither she nor Jim would eat. Good trade.

I’ve run past Marc the idea of organizing his tool chest as well, which is currently a six-foot-tall column of absolute madness that I have to avert my eyes from, but it seems like that’s going to wait until tomorrow. Ah well.

Had tacos, watched Onward (I wasn’t expecting much but I actually really liked it), played some Animal Crossing and went to bed. Good day.

This morning Marc made chocolate chip waffles and then we popped back out again. The plan was just to drop the groceries off at my Mom’s, but we managed to get a few other things done: brought over the old tiered planter so she can use it for herbs and annuals, and set up the frame for a raised garden bed so she can grow some veggies (with my help, no doubt). Later this week I’ll go over and lay down some weed blocker for her and fill it with soil. I’ve got more than enough broccoli sprouts to spare and I’m sure the same will be true with the peppers, so she’ll have that if nothing else.

Afterwards we hit Lowes again, picking up a few more bags of top soil, bird seed, and more buckets.

Today was absolutely beautiful, cloudy on-and-off but warm and good for gardening. We did a bang up job!

Marc gathered all the old wood paneling and other crap that’s been accumulating and got it into one spot so we can call a haul-away company. He also cleaned up most of the leaf litter from around the yard and helped me organize the little collapsible greenhouse we got for free late last year. It’s really handy, we’re already talking about replacing it with something more permanent.

I planted some of the broccoli sprouts and put them out in the sun. Here’s hoping! The three onion bulbs I planted a few weeks ago were sprouting up green so I got those into a planter and plugged most of the rest of the bulbs into biodegradable containers to see if we can get them growing as well. Onions seem complicated, but I’ll do my best.

I’ve been saving every kind of little container I could get my hands on, these past weeks, and I filled them all up with soil and got some eggplant seeds going as well. The bell peppers are just now starting to sprout, they need a bit longer, but I think they’ll get there. Also planted some pinto beans and cat grass. I’ve still got some baby spinach and pumpkins to get going, but I’m holding onto those for just now.

We sorted the “guest” patio chairs off into the side yard, as we don’t really anticipate having anyone over this summer. We can always break them out again if we need to, it’s easy enough, but right now I’ve got almost every single sunny spot dedicated to something we can grow and eat.

We’ll have tomatoes at some point, too, but I’d prefer to buy them as seedlings. I’m already unsure just how well the current round of babies is going to do. I’m so worried about that broccoli, but I guess at some point you have to just let it do its thing and hope for the best.

I hope everything comes up. I’ve read everything I can, but sometimes it all gets confused and muddled, so at some point I just sort of have to... hope. Supposedly last year’s corn should return, but man... I don’t know. We’ll keep an eye on it. If it hasn’t come up by the time seedlings start appearing in the store we’ll just pull them up and replant. That was a wonderful exercise last year.

We also put out more clover seed in the front (last year’s clover is BOOMING), and spread some wildflower seeds around as well. Marc filled up the bird feeders, hosed off the patio and set up the chairs. We’re going to buy a better pressure washer than the old electric one we have from the old house, both for our use and so my parents don’t have to keep hiring someone to clean their siding. That will make a big difference.

It’s amazing what a difference an afternoon of work made in the back yard -- it looks and feels so much better. Afterwards we got showered up and changed, and then a little bit ago I made some veggie fried brown rice with steamed veggie dumplings. A little later on I’m going to make us some sakura lattes and maybe something light to snack on for dessert.

And how are you?

#oc #personal

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funkkpunk · 5 years ago

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Sober October Day 13-15

I will write this tomorrow because I am going to sleep and I am definitely sick from these past three days my throat hurts I got some phlegm my lymph nodes r swollen my body is aching it is 1:51 AM so the lack of sleep is definitely going to make it all hurt more but the time I spent with Susan was fucking worth it my God I am so lucky str8 up can I get an Amen even though she could wake up tomorrow and hate me it was so nice and I also doubt it with a fair amount of confidence. She can have all the time in the world & I’ll wait like a sucka it’s gross but it’s true. (side note: I was talking to Lisa about the past three days and making a lot of business plans now all we need to do is get Steven on board and the three of us are rich af not that money is the main objective but the ideas are so pure they could do nothing less than bring it to us)

Day 16 (10.17.19) update

OK so Day 13 I saw Susan for the first time in a bit over a month and I was incredibly nervous. Mf sweating bullets. I saw her dad as well which was really unexpected. I almost cried lol not sure why just a swell of emotions. He seemed genuinely happy to see me so that was rly nice. Saw Lisa, Sergio, and Michelle too; I feel bad that I didn’t say much to Michelle though because she moved to Denver to do the peace corps I think. Susan told me later that she was nervous because she could feel me being nervous while she was on the way to meet. Anyways yeah I took her to get some frozen yogurt (which I ate most of) and we maintained pretty surface level conversation. As soon as she got in the car I almost started crying just from a flood of emotions, it was really intense. Still not even sure why. We drove to the park by my dads office after and there we had a bit deeper conversation but I told her to save it until we would see each other later in the day. She shed a few tears there as well. I still don’t really understand why this happened at several points.. I think it was just a release of emotion that words could not express. Kind of a beautiful thing tbh. I drove her to dinner with her family and went home to workout a bit, then she came over again. We went to pick up Ximena and she was so excited to see Susan that was really sweet. Took Ximena to Panera where she took her sweet ass time (lol) eating and Susan talked to her about school and life for a bit. I wanted to put my hand on her leg or something the whole time. But after that we went home, and she spoke with my mom for a bit. Then we went to my room to watch Wallace & Gromit and it was a bit awkward the whole time. Not awkward but a lot of tension I should say, however, it may have just been on my end. I finally couldn’t take it and asked her to come into my arms, and we just held each other and cried. TBH I’m not sure if I should be posting this on the internet LOL bc it was a really tender and private moment and although this whole thing started as a journal about how I feel being sober (which I will touch on in a brief moment) it has also become a way for Susan to be able to read my thoughts while we are not speaking and with that in mind I think I’m going to keep the rest of this less detailed because these few days were something for her and I only. Also I am extremely tired and it is 12:35 AM. So, I told her a lot about how I felt (maybe too much?) and we ended up cuddling a bit and talking the rest of the night until around 1:30. Then she came over around 8 and I drove her to San Diego shortly after that. It was fun to be reckless for her. The whole day was spent driving her to and from her sessions and basically just spending time in the car. We got bagels and tacos as well. Ended the day with Tacos Al Gordo. Oh and I finally took her to Soledad Mountain that was really fun. At night I went to get water with Charlie and we both showered (Me and Susan not Charlie) and went to bed. I feel bad that she was worried at different points during the day about me not having money, and about me not being “productive”. But I understand that I was a hard ass for a bout a year and a half so I have to just reassure her when she feels those things. It was actually pretty productive for me, I went to the gym and made the beat for “outmyway”. Anyways the next day was basically the same thing and then I went to the train station and Lisa & Steven took me home. Then I went to train and I was late to promotions LMAO -___- as I needed more of a reason for them to dislike me there. The vibe is getting worse and worse honestly, but there are a few guys I really like. Mike, Joe, and Tony (all blue belts) and this guy Sin; he’s got fucking heart. Broke his thumb and he just tapes it up every class. The soon-to-be-black-belt Nathan is also really cool but we don’t talk much, I just appreciate his jiu jitsu. Also the Japanese blackbelt. I need to start figuring out the whole contract thing because I really want to start commuting to American Legion when they open in November. OK anyways to sum things up I think me and Susan are on good terms again, I now have the opportunity to court her and prove my love. She got me a bracelet in Hawaii so I know she be lovin’ me too. Don’t need to deny it girl. Jk. Ok yeah that and also I want to switch gyms. Gonna start work with my dad next week and I’m going to see if I can start doing deliveries for Susan’s dad as well. Gonna see if I can schedule some sort of streaming date on Saturday night if she isn’t busy, if not then then Sunday hopefully. Actually Sunday makes the most sense. Ok fuck I have to sleep dude I am so sick from those three days lol. Need to sleep all day today (10.18.19) and skip training so Saturday I can bring home the gold medal. Gonna work on a gameplan tomorrow and just rest. OKKKKK shit going to sleep now gn

Oh yeah today was day 16 and all I did was watch tiny desk performances, take a fat ass nap, and go to public speaking. I also figured that I may want to become an OT at some point. OK gn

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apocalypticwafflekitten · 6 years ago

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I’m Coming Back For You - Pt. 1

Jerome Valeska x Winged!Reader

A/N: Hello y’all! I’m back with another story! This time it’s a story set in the Gotham universe since I’ve been binging the show recently, and I’ve absolutely fallen in love with it! This is a story that I thought up, and I may turn it into multiple parts if it gets to be too long.

Summary Kinda Thing/Original Imagine: This is basically the story of your relationship with everyone’s favorite murder carrot.

Warnings: This may be kinda long, and throughout the entire story there will probably be a few time skips. I don’t know if that’s cause for warning, but there you go! I’m also going to change some things in the plot, most should be minor, but there might me something major since I haven’t seen season four yet. There’s minor spoilers, but nothing ground-breaking. This story starts before Jerome is put in Arkham for killing his mom. (Sorry. Minor spoiler there.) Also, in the beginning it’s set around Christmas time, and the reader might do some Christmas-y things, but I mean no offense, or non-inclusion to anyone who doesn’t celebrate Christmas. Finally, minor swearing. Maybe.

Winter in Gotham was always brutal. Much like the town itself. However, you didn’t mind because that meant that you could roast marshmallows over the fire in your fireplace, and wear big sweaters while watching classic Christmas movies.

Right now, you were sitting in your favorite armchair, sipping on a cup of hot cocoa, reading your favorite book. Nuzzling your face a little further into the over-sized turtleneck of your burgundy sweater, and draping one of your crimson wings over your lap, you tuned into the back ground, listening to “It’s A Wonderful Life” which happened to be playing on TV.

Your reading was interrupted only when you heard the distinct double-knock which announced the arrival of someone at your door. You stood and marked the spot in your book, then quickly made your way to the front door to greet the person waiting there. A little part of you hoped it was carolers, but given that it was the evening in Gotham, you thought that that was highly unlikely.

When you reached the oak door that was stained to look a deep cherry red, you turned the brass doorknob and opened the door to the shivering guests outside. The cool winter breeze smacked you in the face as the door swung open, and your four wings perked up happily to see Jim Gordon, and a ginger boy you didn’t recognize who looked to be about your age. He looked at you quizzically, curiously. It was more than likely towards the four giant wings on your back, but who knows. Your hair had been acting pretty weird lately.

“Hiya Jim! What brings you all the way over here this late on a cold Winter’s Night?” You ask the detective dramatically, motioning to him and the stranger that they were welcome to come in.

“Hey (Y/N). I’m here for a case…sort of. This is Jerome Valeksa.” Jim explained, turning to look at the ginger. “His mother was murdered this afternoon and he needs a place to stay. I know this is short notice, but do you think he could stay here for a while? At least until we can find his mother’s killer?”

Your wings dropped in sudden sadness for the boy. “Yes! That would be perfectly fine!” You quickly answer, losing any and all joking tones you had had earlier. Then you turned to Jerome. “”I’m so sorry hun! I can’t even begin to imagine what you’re going through! You can make yourself at home and I’ll go set up the guest room.”

“Thank you.” Jerome answered, sniffling a little bit at the end of his sentence. His face was still blotchy and a little red from either the cold, or crying. Probably both.

“I’m (Y/N) by the way. Ill have your room ready in a few minutes. If you’d like there’s some Taco Soup on the stove. Bowls are going to be in the cupboard above the stove to the right.” You explained, then turned to go down the hallway to your guest room.

Once you were in the room, putting the sheets on the full-sized bed, Jim came in and helped you with the dreaded fitted sheet.

“Thank you for letting Jerome stay here. Especially on such short notice. Poor kid’s been through hell.”

“I don’t mind at all. If something like that were to happen to me, I’d be completely distraught. I know I would want to stay somewhere other than home. Too many memories.” You replied somberly, beginning to work on the sheets, tucking your wings tightly to your back so they didn’t get in the way.

“I’m sure he’s grateful.” Jim paused for a moment, fighting with a pillowcase. “Ill come back when I’ve got more information, or the name of the murderer.”

“Alrighty. I wish you luck with the case.”

“Thank you.” Jim paused for a moment, worry glinting in his eyes. “I hope we can find the killer.”

“You will Jim. I have no doubt.” You say, trying to offer some comfort.

With that, Jim smiled, and left you to finish off the comforter and the last pillowcase.

Once you were done setting up the room, you headed back to the kitchen where you found Jerome sitting over an empty bowl of soup, looking into it as if it held the secrets to the universe and life itself.

“Did you like it?” You asked as you made a b-line for the stove where the warm soup lay waiting for you.

Jerome jumped as if he hadn’t heard you coming. He swung his head to look at you with wide eyes.

“I’m sorry. I’m a quiet walker. How was the soup?” You asked once more, grabbing a bowl and filling it for yourself.

“It was really good.” He replied. His voice seemed a little more confident than before, and that made you happy on the inside. You hoped that that meant that he felt at least a little more comfortable here.

“Thank you. It’s my special recipe.” You say as you take a seat at the end of the table next to him.

“You’re a very good cook then.” Jerome complimented.

“Why, thank you.” You beamed inside and out, wings lifting a little in happiness. You liked it when someone complimented you or your cooking.

You took the next few minutes to explain where his room was and the bathroom and everything he needed to know.

“…And most importantly…… this is where I keep the hot cocoa.” You revealed the lower cabinet’s stash of hot chocolate dramatically, gaining a laugh out of Jerome as you giggled yourself.

Once you calmed down a bit, you sat on the floor, letting your wings fall beside you, and Jerome sat next to you, careful not to step on, or sit on your wings. The two of you sat in silence for a few seconds just smiling and chuckling to yourselves. After a bit, you broke the silence.

“Can I say something? Something that might be very offensive?” You ask hesitantly, worried about what you wanted to say.

“Sure. As Long as I get to ask you a question in response.” He smirked a little before turning to look at you expectantly.

“Alright. Ill give you that.” You smiled at him before continuing on. “Here we go… For someone who’s mother was murdered a few hours ago, you don’t seem very distraught.” You took a second to realize just how terrible that sounded out loud, and rushed to fix your mistake. “Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to be that rude! I’m so stupid! Everyone has their own ways of coping with loss. How could I possibly be so-”

“Don’t worry.” Jerome’s short sentence cut off your rambling, which took you by surprise. That and you were honestly confused by his answer. “I don’t mind. Don’t tell anyone else, but I’m almost glad she’s gone.”

You were surprised to say the least, but then again, you knew that not everyone has a happy family.

“Do you mind me asking why?” You were almost scared for his response. Suddenly, Jerome’s face grew dark, and it was like you were looking st a completely different person.

“Oh, she just nagged, and fucked around, and nagged some more, and then beat me within an inch of my life. With her ‘partners’. Multiple. Times.” By the end of his explanation each word was its own sentence. He was fuming. Meanwhile, your heart broke for him. Subconsciously, you laid a wing on his lap in some attempt of comfort.

“I’m so sorry.” You barely whispered, staring at nothing in particular as you began to lose yourself in thought.

You didn’t notice it, but Jerome looked at you. He couldn’t put an emotion to how he looked at you, but he just watched as you laid one of your beautiful wings on his lap. Strangely enough, it actually made him feel better, which was something completely unexpected.

After a few moment’s silence you looked to Jerome who was staring at your wing, but you felt like he was lost in his thoughts as well. Deciding to break the silence, you spoke up with a quiet, almost comforting voice.

“What was it that you wanted to ask me?”

It was as if you had pulled him from his thoughts. He blinked a few times before asking you what you had said.

“I’m curious about what it was that you wanted to ask me.” You repeated softly. “Oh. I was just wondering about your wings.” He asked like he had just remembered something that was on the tip of his tongue. The darkness had left his face and he looked like the same ginger he was when you met him.

You huffed a bit of a laugh.

“Well, what about them?” You questioned.

“Everything I guess. How you got ‘em. Why they’re red. Why there are four of them.” He started to ramble off.

“Well, as far as I know, I was born with them.” You began, looking down to the wing that was still on Jerome’s lap. “I’ve had them for as long as I can remember, and they’ve always been this color. Except dad always said that they were pink for the first few months of my life. I’ve always had the four, and they’ve never let me down.” You explain with a sense of pride. You liked it when someone took an interest in your wings.

“They’re fascinating.” Jerome stated, gingerly reaching a hand out to touch your wing.

When you saw what he was doing, you quickly pulled your wing back, and he looked at you with confusion in his eyes and furrowed brow.

“Sorry. I’m….hesitant when it comes to letting people touch my wings.

“Do you mind me asking why?” He was curious.

“It’s a long story… well, not long. Just…painful.” You respond, looking down at your wings and pulling them closer to you.

“Alright then. I won’t push you.”

After a minute or two of silence, just stewing in your thoughts, you announced that you were going to head to bed, and Jerome followed suit.

#jerome valeska fluff #jerome valeska x reader #jerome valeska imagine #what am i?#Im jerome valeska trash #jerome valeska #soft jerome #kinda #jerome before arkham #what am i doing with my life #why must i do this to myself

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shytiff · 3 years ago

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May 2022

9 - I lasered my face today LOL. The price was 1.7 million rupiah. But it was a package that included some other things. It was quite hot, not going to lie.

10 - my face looks a bit better already. Resisted moms invitation for fasting with the reason of me having to do Dr evas assignment. But it turns out I don't need to do it. So I think, oh I should do some studying. But I also did not do that......

11 - fasting today. Woke up at around 10:00. Shower, waxed. Got some motivation to do stuff. I was supposed to study ACLS but I end up trying out clothes for like an hour. And watching some PewDiePie videos. I can't bring myself to study, ugghhh.

15 - acls day today. I sucked at the anesthesia station. My dumbass auscultated the patient to check the ett positioning without bagging it huhu. Feel disappointed with myself. Thankfully the cardio station went well. Can finally look at my gadget without feeling guilty.

16 - just relaxed today. Had indomie for bfast. Told about my plan of staying at nessa’s to my mom and she was suspicious lol. Ngl my tone was a bit defensive after that but thankfully she didn’t ask more questions. Went to dajen’s house, peeps are bowling at MAG. Late late lunch at ikkudo, it’s nice and flavorful but seirockya has stronger flavors. Off from MAG after isya, stopped by at mixue, took the long way and we passed monas lmao. Otw home Devi and Racheel gave me a gifttt that was also from silvi too. Arrived at home at 10 pm lol. Thankfully friends went in for toilet so mom saw friends faces and I don’t get talked to hehehe.

17 - woke up. My body is tired from the bowling lmao. Tried to pack my stuff but then suddenly it’s time to pick up my bike at dajen’s and laser at lippo. The doctor was probably gregetan and she told the nurse to extract some comedones lmao. Went back, packed my stuff. Mom can’t drive me to nessa’s place because it’s ganjil genap today, so I took TJ. Mom and emir drove me to kalideres, arrived at nessa’s just after Maghrib and I got ready to sleep before isya.

18 - woke up at 3ish, we left nessa’s place at about 03.40. Too lazy to write abt the Bali trip lmao. The bli was very nice, our stay today was nice

19 - Off to Kintamani today. The stay was rly nice! We got upgraded to balcony room. It’s so fucking cold in akasa. We surprised renata there. The vegan banana cake that tasted mostly like chocolate was bomb. Had a nice hot spring dip and delicious mujair nyat nyat. Regretted my decision to shower at night even though there’s warm water lmao

20 - helped a solo Russian tourist on the room next to us to take pictures lmao, packing again, off to Ubud. Quite a Strenuous activity today. Thankfully the (super2 affordable) accommodation was nice and Spacious. We said goodbye to the besttt driver slash guide bli Dewa. Walked a bit at night to get bread and try tacos.

21 -

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queensofrap · 7 years ago

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The Year of Cardi B - She went from stripping to becoming the breakout star of 2017. So what's she worried about?

Cardi B is butt-naked in the doorway of her hotel bathroom, yelling about her vagina. On a mid-October evening, she's readying herself for a college show in Baltimore, and the toiletries provided by the hotel aren't to her liking. "That soap gave me the yeast infection of 2017!" she hollers in her thick Bronx accent. "My pussy was burnin' like a Mexican taco!"

It takes all of 10 seconds in Cardi B's presence to be reminded of the sheer force and hilarity of her personality. Simply being Cardi B, at maximum volume, made her a star – first on Instagram, then on the VH1 reality show Love & Hip-Hop: New York – before she'd recorded any music at all, let alone knocked Taylor Swift from the top of the pop charts with the sly swagger of her single "Bodak Yellow." She is the people's diva – or "the strip-club Mariah Carey," as she once rapped – unfiltered in a way the world often doesn't allow female stars to be. In a culture reshaped by streaming and social media, where the kids, without much corporate nudging, get to decide who the stars are, Cardi B is what you get.

Yesterday, Cardi turned 25.  She took a rare day off, hanging  with her entire family – sister, parents, cousins – at her mother's house. But she missed her boyfriend (now fiancé), Offset of Migos, who was touring in Australia. "I was sad, because it's like, 'Oh, my gosh, I'm not getting no dick on my birthday,'" says Cardi, whose bedazzled acrylic nails are decorated with tiny reproductions of Offset paparazzi shots. "But I wasn't going to get dick on my birthday anyway, because I got my period."

She finds a cleanser she can deal with and hops into the shower, before slipping into a bright-red spacesuit-inspired Milano di Rouge jumpsuit, complete with a yellow patch that reads "Safe sex saves lives," part of the designer's anti-HIV initiative. She glances at it and arches her eyebrows. "Girl," she says, "I don't even use a condom."

It may not seem like it, but this is actually a newer, more cautious Cardi B. After a few social-media controversies – including when she was justly called out for a since-deleted tweet that referred to Kim Jong Un as "Won Tung Soup" – she is trying to learn to hold back a bit. "I used to tell myself that I will always be myself," she says. But she worries that she's going back on that vow. "Little by little, I'm feeling like I'm getting trapped and muted."

Her life is changing fast. She put out her first mixtape, Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 1, in March last year, back when she was still Love & Hip-Hop's breakout star. It was a gloriously raw and raunchy introduction that cashed in on her TV catchphrases with songs like "Washpoppin'" and "Foreva." She released Vol. 2 in January this year, five months before announcing a major-label contract with Atlantic Records.

In June came "Bodak Yellow," named in homage to Florida rapper Kodak Black, whose song "No Flockin'" inspired its flow. "Bodak Yellow" is an unlikely Number One: a tough trap song with zero concessions to the mainstream, or even anything like a conventional pop hook. In a year when the youth power of streaming services, which now count toward chart positions, is changing the very meaning of pop, she's become the first female rapper to score a solo Number One since Lauryn Hill in 1998. Not bad for someone who initially pursued rapping as a way to monetize her reality fame. ("I said, 'TV don't make you rich,'" recalls her manager, Shaft, who once produced Lil' Kim. "'You gotta sell something! Waist trainers, hair, something.'")

The pressure is building. Her once-carefree social-media presence has drifted toward moody reflections about the downsides of fame. She's stressed about creating a debut album – the very word "album" makes her wince – that can live up to "Bodak Yellow" and the best of her mixtape tracks, not to mention the challenge of creating singles that can keep her on the charts and avoid one-hit-wonderdom. There is a chorus of doubters in her head, she acknowledges, and it sounds something like this: "Can she make another hit, can she make another hit?"

She fears failure, and paints a vivid picture of what it might look like: "If you go broke and lose your career, it's bad – and everybody is talkin' shit about it! At least if you lose your 9-to-5 you don't got millions of people judging you and talking shit while you lost your job."

Seven years ago, Cardi B was convinced she'd already failed at life. To please her mom, she was studying at a Manhattan community college with plans to become a history teacher. Born Belcalis Almanzar, she'd grown up in the Bronx's Highbridge neighborhood, and she was struggling to survive financially on her own. "It was just very sad," she says, uncharacteristically subdued. She's in the back seat of a black SUV on her way to a performance at Baltimore's Morgan State University, and the college setting is bringing back memories. "It was very frustrating – you have to pay for everything. When I finally got a job at Amish Market, I had to debate, 'Do I wanna go to class or do I wanna finish my shift?'"

She dropped out after two semesters, and soon took up stripping – a career move helpfully suggested by her Amish Market boss. "A lot of people wonder, 'Why would anybody want to be a dancer?'" she says. "Because there's money!" She used some of her stripping cash to briefly return to school. "I kept missing classes," she says, "and quit because I felt like I was already failing. It was such a disappointment."

Her strict Trinidadian mother worked seven days a week at a local college; her Dominican father, who separated from her mom when Cardi was 13, was "the cool parent," she says. For Cardi, his experience doing "different things in the streets" was a cautionary tale. "That's why I be so careful with my money and always try to invest. I see people who have it all and then lose it."

As a kid, Cardi had a sense that she was destined to do something creative, which led her to a performing-arts school on the Bronx's east side. She tried acting and singing (though she was convinced all of her classmates were better), wrote some poetry. But she'd also crack up friends and boyfriends by rewriting songs by, say, Beyoncé to make them "waaay sluttier." That hobby caught Shaft's attention years later, leading him to encourage her to pursue rapping seriously.

Until then, Cardi B relied on her abilities to charm and to hustle to pay the bills. And it worked: She quickly broke 100,000 Instagram followers in her strip-club days, expanding outward from her loyal customers, mostly on the strength of playful videos – "sucking dick" and scamming men were favored topics.

After Shaft suggested rapping, he began making beats for her at home, and helped her find a lyrical voice that matched the charm of her delivery.

But Cardi – who calls herself "a negative person" – had to overcome her own skepticism. She thought hard about her subject matter (her first single: "Stripper Hoe"), determined to defy haters "expecting me to drop something trash. It just made me, like, 'Aha, I gotta study these other rappers,'" she says. "Study how to do something different from them. You know all these female rappers, they talking about they money, they talking about they cars, so it's like, what's something that I enjoy? I enjoy fights!"

A few hours after the show, Cardi B is back in her hotel room, still wearing her red jumpsuit. She's curled up in the bed, blankets piled on top of her, talking about the future in a tone that's almost resigned. "I cannot turn my life back around," she muses. "I'm already a public figure, I'm famous. … It's like, I might as well keep it going, might as well make the money. People are always going to talk shit – I cannot make myself unfamous."

She's faced an impressively varied set of criticisms and unsolicited opinions. She's been accused of not being a real lyricist ("I'm not trying to be"); of somehow "not being black" because of her Latina heritage and light skin ("It gets to the point that you ask yourself, 'Damn, what the fuck am I?'"); of sleeping her way to the top ("I always had sex appeal – and niggas still give me a hard time"). The rapper Azealia Banks has quarreled with her, but Cardi B has tried hard not to play into the narrative that female rappers can't get along. "It's not even the female rappers that are catty, it's the fans," she says. "They just want that beef."

Her in-progress album is never far from her thoughts. "I got six, seven solid songs that I like, but I wonder if a month from now, I'm going to change my mind." All the looming expectations, she admits, are making it harder to come up with songs. "It's not as fun to do music," she says. "My mind doesn't flow as free 'cause I have so much on my mind."

She's aiming to mix the Spanish and reggae music of her youth with the trap sound that's inescapable at the moment, putting in late nights with her "Bodak Yellow" producer, J. White, and dancehall specialist Rvssian. She freely acknowledges she's chasing hits. "It's so sad to say, and I don't want to be the one to say it, but you gotta follow the trend," she says. "This generation loves to get high. They love to be on drugs. This is why they on that shit: They don't want to think about what you're saying."

She cites Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole as rappers who still write brilliant, conscious lyrics – some part of her might want to try to follow suit, but she feels like she couldn't get away with it. "A bitch like me, it might not work out for me," she says, "so I'm going to stick to trapping."

It's barely past midnight in Cardi's hotel room, and she is already exhausted. "I'm an old-ass girl now," she says with a sigh, head on a pillow. For all her outrageousness – she finished her show tonight by hopping offstage and twerking in the audience – she's not much of a partier. She stopped smoking weed at 21 because it interfered with her increasing fame and accompanying schedule. She had taken Molly as a confidence booster before stripping but doesn't need it anymore. She rarely drinks. "If I drink," she says, "it's like, my man is gonna be around, and I'm gonna have sex."

She's been with Offset since a chance meeting with him in New York in February – just after Migos scored their own Number One with "Bad and Boujee." "We polish each other," she says, noting they confer on music-biz questions. "I could always ask him, 'Do you think this is OK to do? Do you think I'm getting tricked?'"

She hasn’t been shy about the ups and downs in her relationship with Offset, like the night in October when she seemed to break up and make up with him on Instagram in the course of several hours. She also hasn’t been shy about her intentions to marry him — and, a few days before Halloween, Offset made her dreams come true, popping the question at a Philly concert with a raindrop-shaped ring. She knows she wants to have a family. "I need to make money for my family and my future family," she says. "I'm not a YOLO person. I think 25 years from now. I think about my future kids, future husband, future house."

And where exactly will she be in 25 years? She smiles dreamily, and says, "I see myself cursin' at my kids."

#cardi b #rap #rolling stone magazine #hiphop #hip hop #female rapper #female rap #rapper

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sarahunfiltered-blog1 · 7 years ago

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My Diet/Fitness/Nutrition Journey Thus Far

Most of the memories I have of life growing up revolve mostly around food. I remember growing up and all we’d eat was Sonic, Dairy Queen, Whataburger, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, you name it, I ate it. I could still to this day probably tell you my order from each place. I was raised on Hamburger Helper, Ramen noodles, Rice a Roni, canned and boxed everything, candy and soda.

I remember when I was around maaaaaybe 12-13 and my mom doing a diet that may have been slim quick or something along the lines of you eat chicken and veggies, take these pills and do some sort of workout. I had a really bad sweet tooth (still do) as a kid and I started to gain weight and at 13 I was 165lbs, so my mom included me into her diet routine and I would eat the chicken and veggies, rice cakes, a tbsp of coconut oil and would chew sugar gum and we’d walk between the stop signs on the street we lived on and I’d do her workouts with her. I remember watching my brothers and sisters eating candy while I ate my caramel rice cakes because I was the bigger one of all of them, so for the longest time I was just the fat tomboy of a girl that would stare at herself in the mirror and look at how big my butt was at 13 and hating it and my stomach to stuck out and my fat face. I remember I used to grab my stomach and cry and scream about how much I hated it. If only I were skinny I’d be enough. I would sneak and binge on sweets, it was my comfort, it was there for me and it made me feel better

When I got my period and more of my hormones kicked in I lost a lot of weight. I want to say I got down to 125 when I was around 14-15 and I wouldn’t eat because I was extremely depressed. My sweet tooth was still there, but I wouldn’t eat because I thought eating would make me fat, so I wouldn’t and when I did it was minimal. I ate a lot of 100 calorie snacks, drank juice like V8 because I thought it was healthy, diet coke because it was diet and wouldn’t make me fat. When I was 16 I started working at Target and they have a Pizza Hut Cafe and almost every shift I would go pick up there bread sticks and a diet Pepsi and that would be my lunch (the thought of that now literally makes me cringe). I went to a bible college from 17-almost 18 and ate Ramen noodles and whatever shit food they served while I was there, but I didn’t know any different so I just ate it. I was still pretty skinny because ya know I was 15-17 and you can eat like shit and still be a twig.

When I turned 18 and moved out of my parents house my diet didn’t suuuuper change. I was still living a hardcore Taco Bell and Pizza Hut bread sticks and diet coke life style because I was living on my own, broke as a joke and ate the food I was used to eating, but then I gained probably 30lbs easily within a short amount of time (surprise surprise). I had spent my whole time as a teenager not wanting to be the fat kid and here I was back at 165lbs... wtf. I didn’t really know how to cook, didn’t have money for groceries, refused to apply for food stamps, so I just thought starting to workout would cure all my problems. Well, it didn’t long story short. I mean why didn’t working out and running for an hour THEN going eat Taco Bell work? I was working out, right? HA.

I remember scrolling Pinterest when I discovered it and finding the “Military Diet” and giving that a go. You basically don’t eat anything for 3 days and could apparently lose 10lbs. I wanted to DIE during that diet. I made it the first time around and lost 5lbs, then gave it another go and didn’t make it 2 days and stopped by Taco Bell on my way home from work and binged on that. So my diet search continued... One of my coworkers at the time started using My Fitness Pal to track her calories and she was losing weight like crazy, so I obviously I needed to give it a go and the weight just started falling fall. I went from 165lbs to 125lbs within a matter a months. I didn’t work out, I just ate less than 1,500 calories a day, cold turkey stopped eating candy, drinking soft drinks and unfortunately my Pizza Hut bread sticks. Everything was going GREAT. When I wanted to go down to the next lbs and I was 0.2 from it I would pop a few laxatives the night before and then would weight myself the next morning after shitting my brains out, but I HAD to lose that 0.2lbs.. just had to. I became overly obsessed with counting calories and eating lean cuisines and and 100 calories snacks and drinking Naked juice and weighing myself DAILY and measuring every single little thing I ate and would legit cry if I went over my calories. Funny, not so funny story. One weekend I was headed to my mom’s and had already eaten all of my calories for the day, but was staaaaaaaarving, so I stopped by Jimmy John’s and ate a sandwich that was 800ish calories, which put me 800ish calories over what I was “allowed” to eat, so you bet your ass I drug all of my brother and sisters and mom to a walking trail and walked/ran until I burned off the entire sandwich because I wouldn’t sleep peaceful knowing what I did by eating that sandwich. It was bad, just so bad. I remember the day I hit a breaking point and just wanted some damn chocolate chop cookies, but didn’t have the calories saved for it, but I binged on them anyways and cried in Michael’s arms over what I did and he was telling me it was fiiiiiiine and all the sweet things he could, but it wasn’t to me in that moment, but in that moment I just knew I needed to stop all of this, so I did. I feel like I remember just deleting the app off my phone and being done with it. I was 20 at this point and working a standing job.

Beginning in February of 2014 I started a corporate sitting job, so I didn’t have access to Starbucks or a grocery store on my breaks like I did working at Target, so I had to start bringing my lunches and snacks and to top it all off I was sitting. As you could maybe imagine I started gaining weight from being stagnant and snacking ALL day at my desk (#teamnutrigrain). I put on a good 20lbs within the first couple of months. So I started going for walks on my breaks, eating a lean cuisine a day, eating more fresh fruits and veggies, almonds, and limited my snacking to only in the afternoons and that kind of helped and worked for me for a long time and I stayed at a healthy maybe 140ish lbs and that worked for me because I was still skinny. All about that skinny life because skinny = healthy, right? Well, I thought so.

I turned 21 and didn’t go crrazzzyy drinking, but I drank moscato and margarita’s often enough and still was all about my Friday candy binge. I was also drinking up to 3 cups of coffee a day at work and just couldn’t figure out why I was sweating and so anxious all the time. I genuinely thought it was from work when in reality I was just pumping myself with coffee after coffee after coffee day in and day out (I’ve learned since my lesson since then). I went through a phase of HIIT workout and running, but that faded really quick, but I really enjoyed hiking when I gave it a go, still do. Along with yoga which I am planning to make a goal of starting a practice in 2018.

Around the time I turned 22-23 my older sister, Meghann, had a baby and really educated herself around living a more holistic lifestyle and it really intrigued me and around that time I had discovered podcasts and I realized how much processed foods aren’t the best choice and what I could do as an alternative way of going about eating, so I stopped lean cuisine’s (haven’t had one since), milk and yogurt along with limiting candy and processed snacks. I completely cleaned my desk out at work from all the sugar filled granola bars and whatever else I had in there and started to work with that. I shortly thereafter learned about one of the best ways of going about what to eat/not eat is if it didn’t come from the earth and/or has a label on it to think twice before eating it and READ the back of the label if you do. This is still newer-ish to me to do and I’m currently learning about all things nutrition, and how the mind, body and spirit all work together and you can’t have one fully without the other.

As of now I don’t drink dairy milk, I limit cheese but still love it, I grocery shop once a week and buy as much organic produce as possible, I am still working on the meat switch when it comes to buying organic meat (not quite there yet), I cold turkey stopped eating candy and have found organic, non high fructose corn syrup filled alternatives when I have a sweet tooth, I haven’t been drinking alcohol much the last 2 months or so (don’t have a legit reasoning behind it, just doesn’t sound good), I am really into cooking paleo, vegan, Whole30 friendly foods because it coincides with my eating from the earth method I live by and when I want Whataburger breakfast on a Friday or a taco with a flour tortilla or a real homemade chocolate chip cookie I happily will eat it because I do not believe in living a restricted lifestyle. My entire life leading up to recently whether it was mentally, spiritually or physically has been restricted and I’m not OK with it because it’s limiting and keeps me in a box. I’m a believer in the energy you put into something is negative the outcome will be negative, so if I’m to sit here and say “this is cookie is SO bad for me. OMG. I am going to gain 10lbs.” Well, I’m asking for it to happen, versus eating the cookie cause I want the damn cookie and loving every bit. They doesn’t mean I sit there and eat 12, it just means my mindset around food was so terrible for so long and I know what it did to me mentally that is not worth it for me to be negative about it. I am content and happy with where I am out now, I don’t even care to weigh myself anymore, I don’t body shame myself anymore, I don’t calorie count, I don’t binge, I don’t use food as a reward system, I just educate myself around it, listen to my body and see how it feels and go from there. My anxiety has lessened, I sleep so much better, I feel so peaceful inside and out, and my skin has completely cleared up (I’ll talk about my skincare routine future post). It’s been a long, ongoing journey, but I am thankful for the million and 2 podcasts I’ve listened to, my sister and everyone else along the way to get me to where I am today and I am excited to continue to learn and grow and now have a place to share all the info I am taking in and it maybe help someone else. :)

- Sarah xo

#food #nutrition #exercise #lifetip #health #wellness

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happiness-in-oblivion · 7 years ago

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Senior Szn No. 2: Thoughts on Moving

~~ Full Disclosure: This post is quickly becoming an excuse to post all the beautiful parts of this state, so get ready for more pictures than actual words. But hey, a picture is worth a thousand words ;) ~~

I am 100% sure that when it comes down to pulling out of my driveway for the last time, I will bawl my freaking eyes out. That’s because despite being an Aquarius, I have emotions.

Let’s make this perfectly clear: these are my current thoughts on leaving New Mexico (AKA the land of enchantment). I am not saying that I currently hate my state or that I never had fun; on the contrary, I’ve enjoyed all eighteen years here. But it’s time to talk a bit about the current state of Albuquerque, NM.

Yes, the same Albuquerque that brought the nation Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. The same Albuquerque that has (don’t fight me on this) the best green chile around.

Because I don’t want to make this a post that seems to be hating on my hometown, I will begin with all the positives.

Pros

1. diversity and mexican/latin@ empowerment

The OG homies and I at the local paleteria. Let me tell you, this is the place where I come to break my healthy eating. Also, that happens often.

In 2016, New Mexico was announced as having the largest Hispanic population at 47%, with California coming in second at 36%. So I guess you could say that we slay.

From what I’ve mostly encountered in ABQ, being cultured is something to be extremely proud of. Albuquerque is filled with multiple perspectives, and we function. Now, I did say mostly, because I have encountered some dumbasses that thought calling me “lamb chops” and telling me my Greek father had to lower his standards to marry my Mexican mom was actually funny. But that kind of ideology is quickly shut down.

I thought this kind of inclusion was extremely common. In that sense, I guess I was in this naive bubble. When I spent the summer in California with my dad in 2016, I was a bit shocked by the state with the second highest population of Hispanics.

BTW, we were staying in Palo Alto, which is definitely important to mention. We had to drive to a separate city limit to eat flautas and Caldo de Rez, which we found weird. And then, as we drove down El Camino Real and took a random turn, we found a run down street that was filled with Spanish signs advertising hair salons, supermarkets, etc. The blatant street segregation was the biggest culture shock I’d ever received.

The only true purpose of that little rant was to emphasize how wonderful New Mexico is. Although there are definitely neighborhoods that are predominantly Hispanic, New Mexico’s roots proudly seep into culture and diversity. Good segway… :)

2. proud (albu)quirky culture

New Mexicans pride themselves when it comes to: breakfast burritos, green chile, luminarias, flamenco, and so on.

Now that I’ve stated the obvious, I’ll talk about my personal favorite part of Albu-quirky. Because of the diverse community that Albuquerque fosters, we have really cool and local spots to just chill and hangout. As I write this, I am thinking about the countless coffee shops and bookstores that display a bit it of our very common quirkiness.

Pretty rad mural outside of Zendo. I often come here when I am trying to wear my cool new glasses and baby blue turtleneck, if you know what I mean. This mural is one of countless examples of beautiful downtown art.

When it comes to coffee shops, I think Albuquerque has a very desired vibe. After taking a few classes, I usually end up at Winning Coffee. Located right across the street from campus, Winning is where hippies come with their wild dogs while they gain insightful stories from homeless people. I’m not lying. it’s also located next to a movie poster store that features classics (even from Audrey Hepburn!). When you walk inside, you’re greeted by refreshing and new art on the wall with every passing week, a calendar filled with poetry slams, and a makeshift bookstore by a retired man who sells amazing vintage cover books for cheap. I mean, c’mon, what is not to love?

You see, other than Starbucks, most coffee shops around here aren’t chains, so they each have their own unique style and vibe. Depending on the mood, I may end up at Winning, or I may go down one block and sit in the bucolic setting that is Limonata (yes, like the drink). Here, you can enjoy homemade crepes and empanadas. And I don’t usually drink caffeine, but their chai’s are to die for.

Limonata: “Good Food, Good Coffee, Good People”

Also, I can’t forget the fact that this obviously looks like a house, because it definitely was. The bathroom literally has a bath tub that they have expertly filled with plants to make you experience a jungle in a few minutes.

Heck, there’s a coffee shop in Taos called World Cup that has different currencies as its wallpaper. it’s literally a hole in the wall, and people simply pin new and refreshing culture on the wall for the heck of it.

That adobe architecture though, am I right?

4. cheap concerts

Although I have not been to a concert in a hot second, that does not correlate to a decline in awesome ass shows in this city. In fact, this past summer Khalid came on over, and most of my friends hopped into the venue with at most an $80 ticket. (Let me point out that I am upset that I didn’t go and had I not been in another state I would have quickly hopped in as well)

I will admit it’s not always fun when an artist you really enjoy didn’t include New Mexico in their tour because they don’t think we’re in the country. BUT, the ones that do include us experience a great crowd. And, not being New York does have its perks. Cheap tickets for an unforgettable night? Perfect bargain.

I was in seventh grade when I attended my first concert. The tickets were $35 to see Sara Bareilles and OneRepublic. I went with my little sister and my friend and her mom. The venue was in our local casino, which includes an open view of the beautiful sky and a scenic landscape as the background. Right after the opening band, Harper Blynn (check out their collab with Sara Bareilles too), my sister and I went to their bus in an attempt to meet them, and meet them we did.

When they found out it was our first concert ever, they gave us a free signed copy of their CD, took pictures with us, and signed their names all over my seven-year-old sister’s arm in Sharpie. It was AWESOME.

5. badass nationwide events

If there is one thing that New Mexico is known for, it is for our rad balloons. You know, as in hot air balloons?

Every year, Albuquerque is home to the International Balloon Fiesta, where hot balloon aficionados can come and either display their artwork of a balloon, or sip some Piñon coffee and eat a breakfast burrito while watching each beautiful hot air ballon go up into the most spectacular sunrise.

Seriously, to come to this thing requires a lot of might from Burqueños. I mean, I enjoy watching the balloons over the interstate on my way to school, but I am never in the mood to wake up at four in the a.m. only to wait in an hour of traffic to battle for a parking spot a mile away from the park grounds. On top of that, you’re pretending not to freeze your ass off as you slyly inch closer to the balloons with fire.

This is not the only time Albuquerque is seen internationally. We also have the Lantern Festival in October, where people can enjoy a mini version of a hot air balloon (basically). But hey, that’s not all.

I had to talk about Festival Flamenco Internacional. OMG. What a week. Every June, the National Institute of Flamenco brings incredible flamenco artists to teach classes and perform. For a week in the year, people between New York and Japan fly to Albu-quirky to learn from the hottest (artistically and literally) artists.

This picture has an incredible story, so hear me out. So all summer, my friends and I fundraised to see these amazing people and their art. Well, the opening night of the week, our director managed to sneak us into the very prestigious gala as waitresses and servers. After the amazing show where I spent the entire time internally crying, we returned to the party only to find our dance idols on the dance floor. They were regular people jamming to salsa music. It was so surreal! And then, our amazing director asked them for a picture with all of us. I am hugging Claudia Cruz to my left, who was one of my teachers for the week. Throughout the week, we had genuine conversations, and she even told me I was a good dancer with a followed wink. She messages me on facebook to remind me that I’m awesome and she can’t wait for the day to come when I visit her in Spain. Like, are you kidding me?!

(Also picture from left to right: Claudia Cruz, me, Sage, Marco Flores, Agueda Saavedra, Madison, and Jose Manuel Alvarez)

6. nature

This is another given that comes hand in hand with living in New Mexico. Although I will admit sometimes I may not be a complete outdoorsy person, I do genuinely enjoy the beauty of NM. I mean, the mountains that surround Albuquerque prevent pollution from reaching the sky that blesses the citizens with orange and red hues with every sunrise and sunset. Also, there are countless hikes to go on, and the view is spectacular. It’s a tradition with family and friends of ours to go on a weekly hike during the summer. Then, we go to Marble Brewery and enjoy tacos and beer (I don’t get any beer; oh well).

This was the view after a hike on the mountains during Thanksgiving Break.

Just a casual picture taken by my friend while hiking around Tent Rocks. Nothing too unusual, right?

Current Cons

Now that I’ve extensively covered all the amazing things that NM has to offer and have probably already lost several readers, I will go into the initial motivation behind this post. Although I admit now that after writing all the things from above, it seems like the list below doesn’t deserve to be mentioned. But trust me, it needs to be.

1. violence

Albuquerque got recognition from the NYTimes, and not the good kind. BTW, this was published in 2014, and it claims that the “rate of violent crime in Albuquerque is nearly double the national average.”

Don’t get me wrong - violence in ABQ has always been present. Before, however, it was usually localized violence. By this, I guess I mean that if you knew the places to avoid, you didn’t ever have to actually witness the gang violence or the constant murders. In other words, you could live in Albuquerque reading of the violence but never having to ever witness it.

Well, that has definitely changed.

During this past week, a homeless man has exposed himself to my dance class, my mom witnessed a man piss on the side of my neighbor’s house while walking our dog, and a lot more serious stuff (trigger warning ahead).

Specifically, a man was hanging onto the side of the bridge overlooking the major freeway for 13 hours. This happened literally right outside of my house. As we drove back form church, we saw a herd of policemen trying to calm this poor man down. He did not yield until 1 a.m., and he was transported to the hospital safely. It was absolutely horrible. Even worse?

Two days later, my friend told our group chat that her stepfather (who is a cop) had to respond to a call that a sixteen-year-old boy was on the side of a different bridge. As the cops approached the bridge, he jumped. He didn’t die; instead, he is faced with irrecoverable brain injury.

Like you’ve got to be fucking kidding me right now. How the hell did Albuquerque become so violent? From the influx of desperate homeless people walking down Central, to the shooting that happened right outside of my dance institute, Albuquerque has definitely become a place where violence is beginning to occur on a regular basis. And the worst part? I think I am starting to become numb to it. It’s not normal to think these things are normal.

2. 49th in education

So, this report is from 2017. Believe it or not, this is actually a step up from 2016. We were a solid last in the country for education. And I genuinely didn’t think that education in my state was that bad. That’s because, despite me absolutely despising my school, we are number one in the state for education. That means that while I was receiving a buttload of homework and a ridiculously difficult education, other public high schools would rank as an F on academic abilities. But do you know what I think of all of this? It’s fucked.

I don’t know if this is nationwide, but I didn’t know it was not normal to spend most of the day studying for statewide tests. In other words, New Mexico had the SBA (Standardized Based Assessment). Most of my school day involved multiple choice questions and answering reading comprehension questions that would be featured on the annual standardized test. And trust me, it’s not the teacher’s faults. Most teachers were forced to stick to this because if students did not receive good scores, teachers and schools would be in major jeopardy.

This kind of thinking didn’t end in elementary school. While I was supposed to be reading a new chapter for a striking English book in sixth grade, we’d instead sit in front of our computers, reading pointless passages about horses and spaceships that we gave no fucks over and were expected to write an analytical essay comparing the breed of horses with the flight of spaceships. You’re thinking, wtf? Exactly. It’s pointless.

**I am now begging you to actually click the link I am posting here, because it’s definitely the most important one here. Enjoy this slam poem, “Love Letter to Albuquerque Public Schools.” In it is Olivia Gatwood, a personal inspiration of mine that I got to meet and speak with in September and will see again in April.**

3. “land of entrapment” / “university near mom”

This one is really silly and I guess I put this as a comedic conclusion. I guess in a gruesome way, because of the education many teenagers receive, we seem trapped (bringing the infamous nickname above). I know that personally, before I actually took college courses outside of the state, I did not picture myself at any top-ranked college. In fact, some people around me don’t even consider a college. Not because they’re too lazy or not into higher education, but because it is not practical. It is not practical to attend college courses if you have family members that need an income from you now, not in four years.

I hate when people judge other’s circumstances. Genuinely, Albuquerque students will often end up at the University of New Mexico, which is not a bad university at all. And yet, in this land of entrapment, it is also humorously deemed the “university near mom.”

I guess what I mean is that after all this effort and living in this weird ass situation of shootings and standardized testing, my generation still feels trapped, constantly looking to move. And that’s what happened to me. I was given a glimpse of what independence looked like, and I immediately jumped at the opportunity to leave New Mexico.

I’m glad I wrote this post. At the end of this, I wonder if anyone is actually left after this long rant that was both good and evil. And yet, I already see the day I miss this place coming sooner rather than later.

Thanks for sticking around. :)

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rogue-rook · 7 years ago

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many highlights from The Eleventh Hour from a first-time TAZ listener

featuring bits from Lunar Interlude III: Rest and Relaxation

oh god is this lunar interlude a goddamn ASMR experience

are carey fangbattle and killian dating?

i’m almost 100% sure griffin said “fisticups” instead of “fisticuffs”

griffin: “okay, you spend the next few weeks learning from carey” oh, okay griffin, i see, we’re taking the LAZINESS route on this campaign now. maybe there were some good snorlaxes to catch on that route or something, but now we’ll never know!

a semi-incomplete list of words that griffin has made up during TAZ: “cruft, geezers creezers, and scrumbled” except scrumbled was stolen from justin

my first thought when i realized taako and sweet ango were going to be spending this interlude together was “oh no taako is about to just bully the goddamn earwax out of sweet ango”

I JUST REALIZED ANGUS MACDONALD IS 10 GODDAMN YEARS OLD. where are his parents??? he had a grandpa who died, right? who’s taking care of him? did lucretia kidnap him to illegally “employ” THIS LITERAL CHILD at the bureau of balance??

WAIT IS LUCRETIA HIS MOM?

taako just called sweet ango “agnes”

THE UMBRA STAFF JUST TOOK CONTROL AND BLASTED “LUP” INTO THE WALL AND IM LIKE LUP!!!! ITS LUP!!!

the Hole-Thrower is a goddamn genius object but i wish it wasn’t just for “non-magical, non-living” things bc i wanna see taako throw a hole into an enemy

magnus: “i want a black mastiff” griffin: “but you know, theres’s no dogs on the moon!”

the grubby grifters went over budget at the fantasy costco and griffin's voice like animorph-style changed into garfield the deals asshole‘s voice and im like. uncomfortable

travis: “i’m now a level 8 fighter and a level 2 rogue” “which i think makes sense for magnus bc you’re a protecting guardian but you’re also kinda a nasty boy on that battlefield”

the grubby grifters are the only bureau employees not to be super choked up about boyland’s death and im like “hey maybe you assholes shouldn’t have tried to desecrate his crystalized corpse”

WIVES AND HUSBANDS AND STUFF

if the voidfish is either nice or neutral, then it singing to magus is adorable

if the voidfish turns out to be evil, then it singing to magnus is super super ominous

the director: “avi had to miss boyland’s rites of remembrance” merle: “i didn’t know that was an option"

names suggested for the woven gulch before griffin decided that: dry bones, gucci gulch, the taint, the devil’s taint, ravine, gulch, the blasted lands, the not-blasted lands, the flavor-blasted lands, the grandd canyon (not a typo), the taco bell grande canyon, the arid waste, tattoine

all the grubby grifters: “SUMMER LOOKS! SUMMER LOOKS! SUMMER LOOKS!”

taako: "thanks garfield, can we leave now?" "I WISH YOU WOULD"

sweet ango has to launch the grubby grifters down to the woven gulch and he’s so terrified and im like ango, they should be more nervous, they’re yOUR BULLIES!!

magnus: “we don’t have to mean EVERY time!” okay, magnus, that’s rich coming from you, seeing as you’ve been the worst to angus

travis: “you as the DM didn't remind your players” griffin: “oh i didn't know this was a baby game for CHILDREN”

magnus: “what it we just didn't attack them this round and just saw what they did?” merle: “WHO ARE YOU??”

griffin: “it's kind of rustic” magnus: “FINALLY, MY RUSTIC FOLK HERO THING WILL WORK AND PEOPLE WILL LIKE ME!!!”

“by their sacrifice, our home is made safe” WHAT THE FUCK!

griffin: “where the robe it, it has been stained or oxidized, turning it a bright crimson red" "oh.....like...the bad guys...” YALL THAT’S SO. THAT’S SOME SHIT. THAT’S SOME MYSTERIOUS SHIT

taako: “okay, cool, I’m not into labels either” yooooooo

i googled the map griffin made for the town of Refuge and hot damn, that’s a well made map

magnus: “i rolled a 10 [on a perception check]” griffin: “you're in a prison cell with bars on it” merle: “i rolled a 1″ griffin: “you are in a cube shaped place”

griffin: “and then all three of you, have died” WHAT IN THE FUCK????? WHAT THE HELL??? WHAT????

THE SET UP OF THIS ARC IS BOMB AS HELLLLLLLLLLLLL

the fact that paloma sounds like bjork tells me that griffin is just straight up running out of different accents

[merle continues to sing to the tune of book of mormon] travis: “clinton. you just got clocked by a shovel”

justin: “i’m gonna delete the video i was making about how to do an infinite diamond glitch in the adventure zone”

griffin: “there are many rocks piled up” justin: “mini rocks are actually called pebbles, griffin”

griffy set up this quarry locker room tripwire puzzle exactly like a fucking game of hangman! the most deadly game of hangman ever

griffin: “lemme just say that diamonds are the currency of this town. you wouldn’t go to the US treasury to get dollars fresh from the printing press” justin: “what, you want me to get a part time job??” griffin: “i wouldn't hate it”

griffin: “i just agreed to what dad said without really processing what it was that he said, and what he said was the name "bjork" as bork” clint: “you gotta watch that shit, griffin” griffin: “i was almost an accomplice to that heinous act”

the grubby grifters just unquestioningly trust paloma the bjork witch without any sort of investigation checks or ANYTHING and im like what if she’s evil, my dudes. what if she’s leading you astray

griffin: “the human spell library, clint mcelroy”

griffin: “if you can just instantly bring back any dead person to life, it may reduce the narrative stakes of the adventure zone podcast A BIT!” AH SHIT SON!!

magnus: “im gonna....cut his arm off” griffin: “OH MY GOD!! YOU LOVE THIS SHIT! YOU’RE A PERVERT! YOU'RE EXPOSING EVERYONE TO YOUR FETISH!!”

istus is cool and awesome and she knits but all this shit she’s talking about it is just context-less gibberish

“you’re going to be amazing” AT WHAT, MOTHERFUCKER? YOU’RE COOL AND YOU HANDED OUT BOMB ASS GIFTS BUT WHAT THE SHIT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT??

hot damn yall. this time chalice is trying to PERSUADE the grubby grifters and my evil bullshit meter thinks this is SUPER HELLA SUSPENSEFUL

AW SHIT! BACKSTORIES!

damn this chalice is so tempting. i can’t even imagine

these backstories are heartbreaking. im blown away by the way the mcelroys have crafted this part of the story, and so so sad. especially about magnus

“its not what julia would want” travis stop making me feel these things

magnus: “noelle ended up with a new shiny robot body!�� taako: “an unkillable robot! I'd call that an upgrade!”

oh no the chalice is forcing them to watch the destruction of phandolin, what an asshole

magnus: “i’m gonna throw a whole bunch of robot arms into him” griffin: “okay, so you just have a hefty bag full of roboid arms??”

merle: “we owe a big one to penumbra" magnus: "paloma"

magnus: “we gotta jump” roswell: “this is a shitty shitty shit shit plan, i hope you know that” i love roswell’s instinctive reaction when presented with a dumb idea, which is to respond with pure immediate honesty and tell the grubby grifters that their ideas are dumb as hell

this worm fight is bizarre as fuck, what the fuck are they even DOING???

aw the weird worm just wanted to escape the bubble so it could get back to its babies! that’s...almost adorable. if it wasn’t a giant fucking worm

oh good. the red robe is back. cool cool cool cool cool

magnus: “you’re proud of us? what? you’re a red robe, you’re one of the bad guys?” the red robe: “who told you that?”

GRIFFIN JUST CALLED IT A LICH!!!!!

the red robe said “lup, they don’t trust me. lup i can’t do it anymore” and “the next time we meet, i’ll need you to trust me completely. the hunger is almost here, and all this could be lost” YALLL IM CONFUSED ASSSS FFFUCKKKK BUT IM SO EXCITED ABOUT WHOEVER THE FUCK THIS PARSELTONGUE MOTHERFUCKER IS!!

well taako got a prophecy saying he would one day get power from “the man wreathed in flames” so like im pretty goddamn sure the parseltongue motherfucker is barry bluejeans. there’s a lich around, barry got blasted to hell by gundren rockseeker, and the red robe wants the grubby grifters to trust him, so like 2+2+2 probably equals barry fucking bluejeans here

the fact that they got to watch over the town of refuge for 7 years was soooooo sweet!!!!

hot damn the red robe’s been protecting magnus this whole time???

travis asking istus why there’s long gaps in their memories like hey trav griffy doesn’t want you or me or anyone else to know yet, but good try!

magnus: “if you get bored, there's this half-moon thing in the sky, you can come hang out with us” taako: “yeah most birds can fly to the MOON!”

kravitz!!! anytime kravitz shows back up is a GOOD GODDAMN TIME!! because i love kravitz

the red robe in the statue in Refuse HAS MAGNUS’S FACE!!!

i have literal goddamn chills. that is so good

this was a very odd meandering arc and i didn’t know what the hell was going on half the time but it was super super super enjoyable and some of the plot shit got me HYPED AS HELL

#balance arc #the adventure zone #the eleventh hour #taz #taz highlights #mcelroys #mine

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adtwixt · 5 years ago

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Adtwixt - News: 99 Unforgettable Gift Ideas Under $25

Have you ever found yourself in a spot where you have to get a gift soon but you have no idea what to get? Yeah, me too! All the time actually That is why today, we are going to discuss 99 unforgettable gift ideas under $25. Each gift is perfect for a friend, family member, significant other, or whoever you need to get a gift for. They range from amazing kitchen gadgets to fun and functional tools anyone can use in their daily life. Ready to get started? Lets get into all of the amazing gift ideas under $25!

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read mydisclosure policyfor more information.

What could these gift ideas be used for?

I am glad you asked! These gift ideas under $25 are perfect for any of the following occasions:

Birthdays for friends and family

Anniversaries for a significant other

Going away parties

Housewarming parties

Graduation parties

Holiday parties or dinners

Stocking stuffer or gift-exchanges

Looking for more holiday gift ideas? Check out my Ultimate College Student Holiday Gift Guide

99 Gift Ideas Under $25

Alright, lets dive right in! Below, I have sectioned off each of these gift ideas under $25 to help you better navigate.

Gift Ideas for the Book Worm

Each of these are classic books that never get old. They are perfect for any individual looking to better their life, need a pick-me-up, or simply just love to read!

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen: Allens best-selling book is the ultimate and perfect guide to productive living. In it, it sets up a foolproof productivity system that anyone can easily use. Makes the perfect gift for students, anyone who works at a desk, and stay-at-home moms.

Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson: Next, this is among my top ten favorite books of all time. Lawson describes how she hilariously handles life living with anxiety and depression and brings the reader along for an epic, funny, and uplifting adventure. I cant recommend this book more.

What Now? The Young Persons Guide to Choosing the Perfect Career by Nicholas Lore: This is, hands down, the best book-gift I ever received. I read this book cover-to-cover and was able to decide, with confidence, my career path! This is the perfect gift for your favorite college student, high school senior, or young adult who is still trying to figure out their future.

Adulting: How to Become a Grown Up in 535 Easy(ish) Steps by Kelly Williams Brown: Speaking of young adults, this is another great book for your favorite 20- or 30-something. This is a step-by-step guide to being a functional adult.

You Are A Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living Your Life by Jen Sincero: This best-seller makes the perfect gift for anyone! It is an uplifting, motivational, and inspirational book that will pump anyone up to chase their wildest dreams and quit letting fear get in the way.

Looking for more book ideas? HERE is the list of 100 books everyone should read before they die!

Catch 22 by Joseph Heller: This classic, best-selling novel should be on everyones shelf! It is a humorous war novel and one of the most celebrated books ever written.

Eat, Pray, Love: One Womans Search For Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert: Next, this best-seller is the perfect book for your favorite traveler. It follows a woman through her travels across the globe and what she learns along the way.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin: Another great classic is this gorgeous copy of Pride and Prejudice. It is a humorous, love novel about five women and their mothers attempt to marry them all.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: Next is this best-selling novel that takes place in 1939 and follows a young foster girl who, you guessed it, steals book. It is widely known as a life-changing book and a must read of all ages.

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien: My final book-gift recommendation is the first book in the Lord of the Rings series. It is a must read for everyone and is the perfect way to make someone fall in love with reading!

Related: 21 Life-Changing Books every 20-Something Should Read

Gift Ideas for the Chef

Next on the best gift ideas under $25 list is the top kitchen gadgets that are perfect for anyone looking to up their food game! Actually, I really think kitchen items make some of the best gifts for anyone really.

Tupperware Set: This is such a useful gift for anyone who has recently moved into a new or larger place.

Drinking Glasses: Another great gift for someone moving into a larger place or who is in desperate need of new drinking glasses (which is a surprisingly large amount of people!)

Plate Set: Again, another great gift for a newly move-in.

Silverware Set: The last of the kitchen essentials, silverware. A must have!

Silverware Organizer: Know anyone who just tosses their silverware into a drawer? Yeah, this is for them.

Kitchen Towels: A great gift for anyone! Plus, you can find some really fun seasonal sets and colors.

Kitchen Knives: A good knife set can really be life-changing. As a bonus, you can even include a knife-sharpener!

Taco-Holder: This is one of those cute little fun gifts that are perfect to add to a larger kitchen-themed gift!

Cookbook: There are so many great cookbooks out there that make perfect gifts. THIS is my current go-to book because it has everything!

Cookbook Holder: This is so useful when baking. Especially when you have messy fingers!

Looking for a bigger kitchen gift idea? Instant pots are where its at!

Kettle: These are amazing! I use mine everyday and would be lost without it! They are perfect for tea drinkers or anyone who boils water on the regular.

Waffle Maker: This is another fun gift that is great for anyone! (Makes the PERFECT exchange gift!)

Utensil Set: There are so many people out there who need this.

Noodle Strainer: A great, basic addition to any kitchen.

Smoothie Blender: These are perfect for your favorite health nut!

Cute Apron: Every good baker needs a cute apron.

Coffee: When in doubt, coffee makes a perfect gift.

Tea: Likewise, tea is a great gift too! You can never have too much.

Tea Infuser: These are great for people who are serious about their tea drinking.

Snacks: Finally, if youre really unsure, snacks/food make great gifts because you know they will be used/eaten up!

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Eating Healthy on a Budget and a Time Crunch

From food, snacks, utensils, tools and more, kitchen goodies make the perfect gift for anyone!Click To Tweet

Gift Ideas for the Commuter

Next, lets discuss some of the best gift ideas under $25 for your favorite commuter. This could be someone who drives everyday, takes the train, or simply has a bit of a walk before they reach their daily destination.

Coffee Travel Mug: Everyone can use a new travel mug.

Multi-Tool: Perhaps a more boring but definitely useful gift idea.

1 Month Audible Membership: Commuting can be incredibly boring, especially with traffic. Spice it up for your favorite commuter with some audiobooks!

Cute New Sunglasses: Sunglasses often get lost or broken throughout the year so they make great gifts (because you know everyone could use an extra pair!)

Headphones: Likewise, headphones dont last forever. Lucky for you, that makes them perfect gift ideas.

Portable Charger: Portable chargers can seriously be lifesavers when commuting.

Cute (and useful!) Keychain: Finally, a cute keychain can be the perfect addition to any gift.

Pin this post for later!

Gift Ideas for the Homebody

This next gift ideas section covers everything related to the home. These gifts are perfect for anyone who has recently moved into a new place or perhaps is in need of some new decoration. These also work great for anyone who likes to stay in on the weekends!

Flameless Candles: Most rental units (dorms, apartments, etc.) dont allow candles, which is why flameless candles are so great!

Picture Frame: A cute picture frame with a photo inside makes a great personalized and meaningful gift.

Monogram Cork Holder: These are so cute and are perfect for someone who loves wine!

Blanket: Cozy blankets make perfect gifts and are always useful.

Curtains: Curtains are like giving the gift of more sleep, especially with blackout curtains!

Cozy Socks: Cute, fuzzy socks are classic gifts and great for anyone who lives in a colder climate.

New Movie with Popcorn and Candy: Movies are always great gift ideas!

Diffuser: Every home needs a good diffuser. They serve double duty as a humidifier too!

Cute Throw Pillows: Throw pillows are a great addition to any home.

Plant Terrarium: These are so cute to add to any home and require very little maintenance.

Twinkle Lights: Lights can really transform any space into a cute and cozy atmosphere.

Re-Usable Bags: Many cities are getting rid of plastic bags. Help fight for the environment and give the gift of reusable bags! (They are SO useful too!)

Related: The Ultimate College Packing List for Dorms and New Apartments

Gift Ideas for the Workaholic or Student

Now, lets talk about some gift ideas for the workaholic or student in your life. These are perfect for anyone who often sits at a desk or uses a computer often. They can turn anyones ordinary desk supplies into extraordinary!

Student Planner: First, planners are among the best gifts you can get! THIS planner has everything your favorite student will ever need. As a bonus, it is printable! So you can download the files onto a USB and give them a copy so if they need an extra page of a certain layout, they have it at their fingertips.

Cute New Mug: A good coffee/tea mug is something truly special.

Blue Light Blocking Glasses: Many people spend countless hours in front of a screen. Make sure their eyes are protected (and headaches avoided) with a nice new pair of blue light blocking glasses.

Cordless Mouse: A good cordless mouse can make a huge difference to productivity. THIS is my favorite mouse, I swear by it.

Thumb Drive: Honestly, one can never have too many thumb drives

Laptop Case: When moving a laptop from place to place, it is incredibly important to keep it safe and secure.

Laptop Vinyl Stickers: These are so fun to add to any laptop and make a great gift!

Keyboard Cover: Keyboards get dirty so easily, a good cover is a great way to avoid this issue.

Tablet Stand: For frequent tablet users, a good stand can make a big difference.

White Board and Markers: These are perfect for a student who studies often!

Wooden Block Desk Calendar: Finally, these desk calendars make the cutest addition to any desk!

Related: College Backpack Essentials 21 Items you Must Carry With you at all Times

Gift Ideas for the Stationary Nerd

In addition to desk and computer supplies, lets cover some fun stationary as well! I love stationary, so I thought it deserved its own category. These gift ideas are relatively cheaper than the other ideas, so multiples can be paired together under $25 to make a great gift!

Bullet Journal: First, bullet journals are great productivity tools and make wonderful, slim journals that you can take anywhere!

Washi Tape: Add a pop of color or design to anything with removable washi tape.

Coletto Multi-Pens: These multi-pens make the perfect gift for anyone who loves pens. They are great for color coding tasks, drawing, and so much more.

Mildliner Highlighters: These make great highlighters, art markers, and more. They are much better than regular highlighters because they are less bright and have two different tips. They are perfect to pair as a gift with a bullet journal.

Stedler Fineliner Pens: Next, these are among the most popular pens on college campuses today.

Sticky Note Set: Everyone goes through sticky notes so quickly, which means they make great gifts!

Fancy Pen Set: A good, fancy pen is always a great gift! These make great pens to showcase in the professional setting.

Pen Case: An organized, new pen case is a perfect gift for anyone!

Cute Notebooks: Finally, a few cute notebooks is always a great gift for a stationary nerd.

Related: The Only Student Planner Youll Ever Need in College!

Gift Ideas for the Fit & Health-Nut

Next up includes a short list of gift ideas for anyone who is into fitness. These make perfect gifts for people who are often in the gym or workout on a daily basis.

Water Bottle: Many water bottles wear over time, making them great go-to gifts.

Infusion Water Bottle: Speaking of water bottles, check out these infusion bottles!

Yoga Mat: Yoga mats should also be switched out quite often, so they are killer gifts as well!

Yoga Dice: Speaking of yoga, these yoga dice are so fun!

Running Belt: These are perfect for runners who need to carry a few items but have no pockets (like most of us)!

Silicone Rings: Jewelry can get really banged up at the gym, prevent this with some fun silicone rings!

Exercise Bands: These are perfect for anyone who likes to workout at home or on the road traveling.

Meal-Prep Containers: Finally, meal-prep containers make great gifts and double as Tupperware!

Gift Ideas for the Traveler

Next, these gift ideas are perfect for anyone who travels often. This travel doesnt have to be far! It could just be frequent camping trips on the weekends, or perhaps they simply just spend a lot of time in their car!

Warm Scarf and Hat Set: First, it can be cold out there in the world! So a nice set of mittens and a scarf makes a great traveling gift.

Carwash Kit: Know someone who is always traveling in their car? A good carwash kit just might be what they need!

New Cosmetic Bag: Finding the perfect travel cosmetic bag can be difficult, which makes it the perfect gift! Check this one out.

Hammock: On the road, on the trail, in the airport (maybe?) hammocks are great travel companions if you need a good rest.

Coin Savings Jar: These are great little additions to anyones home and perfect to use to save up for an upcoming trip!

Shower Tote: Sometimes, traveling with toiletries can be a pain, but a good travel shower tote can take care of this!

Bluetooth Speaker: Speakers are perfect while traveling and can be used while hiking or staying in a hotel.

Scratch-Off Travel Map: Let your favorite traveler check off their destinations with this cute scratch-off travel map!

Travel Wallet with RFID Blocking Sleeve: Tourists are often vulnerable to identity theft and they dont even know it! Protect your favorite traveler with one of these fantastic RFID blocking wallets.

Packing Cubes: These are a great way to organize any suitcase!

Related: The 10 Hiking Essentials Everything You Must Carry With You On Your Next Hike

Gift Ideas for the Gamer

Last but not least are games! Board and card games make the perfect gift for so many people! They usually make great gift-exchange ideas and are perfect for anyone young at heart.

Sushi Go: First, this is a simple and fun card game perfect for 2-5 players. It involves picking one card, then passing it to the next player until all the cards have been picked.

One Night Ultimate Werewolf: This is such a fun party game! It is for 3-10 players and involves everyone closing their eyes and listening to the game app for instructions, then you must figure out who the werewolf is!

Flux: This classic 2-5 player game is a quick and fun draw-one-play-one card game.

Exploding Kittens: This is another fun card game where you loose if you find an exploding kitten. Super fun!

We Didnt Play Test This: This is a ridiculous 2-10 player card game that only takes about 1-5 minutes to play with very simple, yet strange rules.

Uno: Next, Uno is such a classic game I had to add it. It is perfect to throw into someones glove box for a rainy day or to add to anyones game collection.

Looking for more game ideas? Check out Amazons top selling games HERE!

Codenames: This game is slowly becoming one of my favorite party games. You break into two teams and choose one person per team to attempt to use just one word to have you guess images/words.

Exit The Game: SO. MUCH. FUN. This is like having an escape room in your own home!

Catchphrase: This classic timed game is perfect for parties and is always a blast to play!

Punderdome: This is a fun card game for pun-lovers.

Joking Hazard: Another fun card game that allows you to move comic-style cards around into a fun story!

Pictionary: Finally, this classic should also be in everyones game collection! Such a fun party game.

There you have it, my top 99 gift ideas under $25. I hope you found some amazing ideas and are ready to hand out some amazing gifts to your favorite people! Now, it is just time to wrap them up!

Looking for more gift ideas? Check out my Ultimate College Student Holiday Gift Guide with over 50 fantastic gift ideas!

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pldubrahs · 8 years ago

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anyway, this has been a While coming and now im back in new orleans so LOTS OF GUSHING ABOUT THE LIGHTNING THIEF MUSICAL, UNDER THE CUT

the ambiance of the theater, dim and filled with soft storm sounds

this show does really beautiful things with overlapping singing and w harmonys and its So low budget but still so good and the cast is small but amazing and literally everyone but chris is cast into several roles and its just amazing

if u dont wanna read this whole thing, just scroll down to the end for a Special Surprise

ACT 1

the Bitter, Angry, Sad music, ltm is truly the Emo Rock Musical we deserve

i seriously almost fell out of my chair when chris mccarrell came out. he honest to god was SUCH a good percy, so fidgety and all his expressions were ON POINT

“CHROOONOOOOOOOS”

ms dodds in General she was hilarious for the literal 3 minutes she was onstage

the pen to sword transformation is literally just: chris hides the pen and grabs the sword from somewhere else onstage. during my show, in the ms dodds fight scene, the sword was on the back of chirons wheelchair and it got stuck so he had to trip after the chair as chiron wheeled off and TUG it off to fight

DID I MENTION HOW MUCH I LOVED CHRIS MCCARRELL AND HOW AMAZING HIS VOICE WAS? BECAUSE I DO AND IT W A S

sally is a BLACK WOMAN

just in general, this show was Amazing at raceblind casting

sally sprayed febreeze after smelly gabe, like he leaned to look in the fridge and she stood behind him spraying febreeze directly at him for like 30 seconds

“he was handsome and strong and before too long- you came!” percy was roasting marshmallows and looking out towards the audience and sally was rubbing up and down the sides of her body during this before “you came!” and it was v funny

Strong in general was Great bc WOW IM LOVE THE “NORMALCY IS A SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED MYTH” MESSAGE

grover and percy meeting outside camp

“oh look a goat” “percy!”

“he met a furie” “youre all furry! what happened to your legs”

the v cute friendship bickering, overlapping voices thing that percy and grover v often did. this was the grover and percy friendship that we always needed

during the weird dream when he sees annabeth and hes like “gee whiz shes the most beautiful girl ive ever seen”

and then when he officially meets her after hes not out of it, he says “youre my dream girl!” and then backpedals and its great

ANOTHER TERRIBLE DAY. DEFFS ONE OF THE TOP FIVE SONGS. MR D IN GENERAL WAS JUST AMAZING, GEORGE SALAZAR ROCKED IT

he kicked the chair over so much and then there was a part after his camp halfblood intern thing left so his chair didnt get reset behind him and so he kicked into the air, got frustrated, and put the chair up himself

“of course, who am i to give relationship advice, im literally the god of alcohol”

“you can hate it here, but i HATED IT FIRST”

so so so many Soft sex jokes and bc im a Child i loved them

chiron is just a guy galloping with a horse tail its the cutest thing and everyone laughed bc like imagine a kid galloping w their legs high and w/e, but on an adult and slow motion

“you’ll get used to mr d. he can be a bit... well, he hates children”

luke was Very attractive and ALSO he had a lot of chemistry w percy and w annabeth and i, who remembered shipping percy and luke back in my Youth, was Living

annabeth deffs had a crush on luke dont @ me

also luke was Softly bitter. like he sounded like a modern kid, bitter and upset but saying it in a joking way; totally makes sense that no one suspects that he’d do anything w chronos bc all the kids are upset and he doesnt get dark until the very end of the show

“are you ever going to wear pants again?” “Nope!”

luke: “havent you ever played capture the flag?” percy, excitedly: “not with swords!” *makes swooshy lightsaber noises* annabeth, suffering, full of regret: “It’s not a lightsaber.”

“sexist much?” “no, i love girls” [muffled luke and grover cackling in the background]

CLARISSE, LOVE OF MY LIFE! her song was so so good

im sure everyone has mentioned this but the LEAF BLOWERS BLOWING TOILET PAPER TO REPRESENT WATER LITERALLY CHANGED MY LIFE

the campfire song

percys Soft concern for annabeths story about running away “wait is that true”

grover starting to cry during his part

“my father is chronos.... remember my lecture, he ate his children””....... chiron wins”

APHRODITE'S DAUGHTER’S STORY “godess of love, my moms aphrodite... i bring home a boy and shes there in her nightie! oh nooooo” “she steals my mascara and all of my dates!” wonderful

percy sings nicely about his mother and everyones like “hes doing it wrong”

“we dont care where our parents may be, as long as you are here with me!” FRIENDSHIP MAKES ME EMO

“havent you noticed that there arent any other little sea godlings running around? any sons of hades or daughters of zeus? the big three gods arent supposed to have kids!” i loved this tiny easter egg i love my big three kids

“look at the boy, hes clearly not a thief!” “oh, yeah no yeah yeah yeah no no yeah yeah no yeah no, youre right! you cant fake being that stupid unless youre a brilliant actor, but im also the god of drama, so i can tell you HES NOT”

“his lightning?” “yeah, we're not talking some crummy tin foil zig zag from some off broadway play!”

GOOD KID IS EVEN BETTER LIVE THAN IT WAS ON THE RECORDING IT RUINED MY LIFE

Killer Quest! is an amazing end of act song and v upbeat and cute

“so where is the underworld actually” “look for doa records” “its a record company? actually, im not surprised”

ACT 2

WE’RE LOST IN THE WOODS SOMEWHERE IN NEW JERSEY AND WE’RE NEVER GONNA MAKE IT TO LA

“half bloods to monsters smell like mickey ds, like tacos or take out vietnamese”

“dude are you talking to the squirrel?” “satyr powers, be nice. this squirrel knows every corner of the woods, maybe he can help us” “really? because i think that seems kind of nuts” [silence] “you hurt his feelings. tell the squirrel youre sorry.”

medusa in general, what a Good scene

ensemble members shaking maracas to make snake noises for her

medusa cant say “nemesis”

“ive done everything to prove to the gods that im the best and you- i mean, you dont even know how to hold a sword” “yes i do!, yes... i do...” “no, hands here *adjusts percys grip*” “i didnt ask for any of this: gods, monsters, quests- oh, wow, that is a lot easier”

my grand plan is the most annabeth chase song ever and i love it its such a good look into her character and i love her so much

“when boys mess up they always get another chance”

“cause most girl never win if theyre polite”

THE COMMENTARY ON HOW WOMEN HAVE TO BE IN TODAYS SOCIETY IN ORDER TO BE TAKE SERIOUSLY HELL YEAH

“the gods will think we’re impertinent” “we are impertinent”

the squirrel gave them three amtrak tickets

DRIVE IS A COUNTRY SONG AND I FUCKING LOVE IT IM HONESTLY SHOOK

i hate country except for this One Song

ITS ONE FOOT FORWARD AT A TIME; DUST OFF ALL THAT GRIT AND GRIME; WE STILL GOT A LOT LEFT TO DOOOO, CAUSE PEOPLE ARE COUNTIN ON US AND IM COUNTIN ON YOU! DRIIIIIIIIVE JUST DRIIIIiiiiiiiiIIIIIIVE STAY AHEAD STAY AHEAD STAY ALIIIIIIIVE

“is that chihuahua?” “its a chimera!”

“maybe if you hadnt brought all those dam snacks” “uh it was the hoover dam and i was hungry!”

ares drives them to las vegas and when they get there he says “this is where i... get off” and its HILARIOUS i love lowkey sex jokes

gentle easter egg to bianca and nico re: may 1st 1939

“the oracle can can it ill save my mom and savE THE PLANET!” im love percy so much

tREE ON THE HILL IS ABOUT THALIA AND IT MADE ME CRY GOD WHAT A GOOD SONG and grover feels like a failure and annabeth is like “no u saved my life ur a good friend and a good guardian <3 friendship”

THE FERRYMAN TO THE UNDERWORLD FLIRTS WITH GROVER

“you wanna hear my demo?” “uh-” [loud music plays] “im sorry i couldnt hear you over this SWEET ASS RIFF”

YOURE IN THE D.O.A. AND YOURE HERE TO STAY YEAH YOURE STUCK FOREVER NEVER GET AWAY NO HOPE FOR SURVIVAL YOURE DEAD ON ARRIVAL

“oh! do you have any josh groban?” “we will.” I CACKLED

DJ CEBERUS W A COOL 3-HEADED DEADMAU5 ESQUE MASK

the ferryman also attacks them all like “youre not gonna save the planet, you wont protect your friends, you wont be remembered”

everyone says this but “i think this pit is tartarus” “LIKE THE FISH SAUCE?”

“why would chronus want my shoes?” “they were really cool shoes”

bitter, sad hades who just wants people to stop thinking that hes the bad guy and for his brothers to come visit him

“one does not simply walk out of the underworld”

W H A T B E L O N G S T O T H E S E A C A N A L W A Y S R E T U R N

small reprise of good kid as he considers hades offer and then the melody cHANGES and percy realizes that the seashell, a gift from a god, can SAVE THEM and its beautiful because SON OF POSEIDON IS A GOOD SONG

“maybe my dad was a screwup too, his best laid plans always falling through... maybe he never knew how to care but hey, thats life, and life aint fair... but i think my dad mayve thrown me a line, and better late than never, ill finally get a sign!”

its a good song kids

the kids get to the oceans and they FIGHT ARES and ares and percy are both singing, percy singing The Son Of Poseidon chorus and ares singing Put You In Your Place and its b e a u t i f u l

THE TOILET PAPER THROW- basically they bring in like 6 leafblowers w toilet paper rolls attached and the first five rows get covered in toilet paper. as someone who was in the fifth row, it was amazing

poseidon comes in, they have a Heart To Heart, he brings sally back to life, he flirts with sally, its hilarious and awkward

“the gods are unfair but we’re not total dicks”

percys like “you dont have to stay w gabe anymore” and sallys like “smh boy u cant solve all my problems. you saved my life, now i have to figure out how to live it”

he gives her medusas head

“what is this” “its a... do it yourself scupture kit” “oh! *begins to open it*” “no no no its, um, medusas head”

“well, as my official protector, you can officially escort us back to camp” “and youre conscience this time!”

chiron is also cast as poseidon so like he runs into the camp scene after a quick change and says “i hoofed it here as quick as i could!”

last day of summer happens and w/e its cute but whAT REALLY MATTERS IS LUKES BETRAYAL: okay so the music slows and goes into the minor key and percys like “we still dont know whos working w chronos :/” lukes like “yeah it sucks” and he starts singing about how he doesnt trust the gods and how the gods hate them and how they need to take over the world and put the gods in their place--he and percy do their handshake fist-to-the-chest thing and luke is serious and percy does it but hes v confused and it Hurts. this is the first time in the show that luke sounds just Bitter and Angry instead of jokingly deprecating and its quite the effect

THE DARK GOOD KID REPRISE

“ill do anything, i dont care if i hurt anyone, it doesnt pay to be a good kid, a good kid, a good son" GOD IT HURTS luke has so much pain and i feel so bad for him like yeah hes evil but,,, hes had a hard life

annabeth comes in and DISARMS LUKE but PSYCH luke has a small switchblade and STABS PERCY IN THE BACK (bc they cant use scorpions onstage)

percybeth moment interrupted by clarisse’s loud coughing and grover

percys like “we cant just sit here and wait for our parents to fix things.”

“the gods will say we’re impertinent” “we are impertinent” goddamn that symmetry

“are we ever gonna once have it easy?” my poor poor kids

percy- “feeling ready” annabeth- “feeling stoked” grover- “feeling queasy”

THE SEA DOESNT LIKE TO BE RESTRAINED

bring on the monsters is just a Good song

also hey if you got to the end of this, congrats! i have a ltm audio and either in a message or in an off-anon ask and ill hook u up

#lightning thief musical #the lightning thief #percy jackson and the olympians #percy jackson musical #lydia talks about stuff

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