#and I think pivotal for me as a novice writer

[sundrownsthehouse]

Take this pain bestie 👀🥹

I'm determined to have a new chapter posted by the end of the year! I know it's been so long, and I really appreciate that people still care about this silly little story. I've been writing today actually and realized that I have about 5K down, which would make this my longest update so far. I'm still very in love with this fic- I'm just trying to figure out who I am as a writer a little bit.

But! As a treat and a sincerely heartfelt thank you, here is an excerpt from the next chapter with some insight into George's thoughts, starting where we last left off:

The faded grey light of the city filtered in from the windows where they’d forgotten to draw the curtains closed, casting streaky shadows across the ceiling. There was a gentle hush over the hotel room broken only by the muted hum of the aircon. George gazed up into the darkness. Comfortably cocooned in cool, plush blankets with a warm body at his side, it should have been easy for him to fall asleep; this was the exact kind of quiet stillness he craved while on tour. And yet.

His eyes flicked down to the top of Matty’s head where it lay heavily on his chest, dark curls spilling across his skin. He could tell that Matty was still awake by the cadence of his breathing. Despite himself, George was hyperaware of the fact that Matty must be able to hear his heart hammering out a steady rhythm against his ribs. That notion alone threatened to send it racing.

And that’s sort of strange, George thought as he stared at the ceiling, because they’d done this so many times. Matty’s presence at his side was so familiar, it really shouldn’t provoke much of a reaction at all. Then again, it was unusual to lie awake together, entangled like this, without feigning ignorance; the cuddling wasn’t something they’d ever acknowledged openly in the past. It had never bothered George before, the way they’d always danced around it— it hadn’t really mattered— but to think about it now made him inexplicably sad. He didn’t know why they tried to pretend that they didn’t want the same things.

Over and over the night replayed itself in George’s mind, the gravity of it all weighing on him. In the span of only forty-eight hours everything he thought he knew and felt about his relationship with Matty had changed. It was confusing, overwhelming, and slightly terrifying. There was so much he still didn’t understand. The unspoken questions permeated the air between them like a thick fog. What did it mean, exactly, that they both seemed to want… something more? Did it have to mean anything at all?

And what if it did? What then?

As much as George had wanted to pretend that everything was fine, the degree of Matty’s distress had seriously shaken him; they needed to talk about this. In the morning, George told himself firmly. Now wasn’t the time, not when they were both utterly exhausted. He found himself wishing, not for the first time, that he could actually read Matty’s mind; even seeing Matty’s expression would give him some idea of where they stood. Nevertheless, he was secretly grateful they weren’t face-to-face. George was a little afraid of what he might find, and somehow, more intimidated by what Matty might see.

The bed shifted slightly. Matty sighed. The puff of breath was warm on George’s skin, already sensitized by the tiny brush of Matty’s lashes as he blinked, gazing out at a city still aglow despite the late hour. George shivered curiously at the feeling. An unexpected wave of shame that he couldn’t reconcile burned in the pit of his stomach.

[razieltwelve]

Start Small

Getting started is one of the toughest parts of being a writer. As a reader, you know what things are supposed to look like when a writer's work is finished: a completed novel with interesting characters, an engaging plot, and an intriguing setting. The tough part is getting from A to B. How is someone who has never written a novel before supposed to write one?

My advice is to start small. I've often suggested that there are five parts to a story:

Characters

Plot

Settings

Themes/Ideas

Writing Technique

In a well-written novel, these parts are interconnected. However, when you're starting out it can be beneficial to practice them individually. Moreover, rather than writing a novel-length story, a novice might be better served by working on short snippets at first before gradually building up to short stories and novels as they become more proficient.

So here are a few exercises you can try when you're just starting out:

Write a short description of a character. Tell me about their appearance, personality, and intelligence. Write the description in the context of the character performing an activity they either enjoy or dislike. Keep it to around 250 words.

Write a 500 word outline of a plot you have in mind. Focus on who's involved, what's happening, and why it's happening.

Describe a place that a character from #1 or #2 might visit. Think of what effect you're going for. Is the location supposed to be awe-inspiring? Or is it supposed to be scary? Aim for around 250 words.

Are there any themes or ideas that appeal to you? Take 500 words to discuss how these themes or ideas might be represented in a story (e.g., kindness being a good thing can be represented in a small act of kindness at the start of a story paying off in a big way at the end).

Pick a specific aspect of writing technique (e.g., dialogue, punctuation, or vocabulary) and spend 250 words trying to improve on it.

Writing is like any other intellectual pursuit. It's easy to get caught up in the idea of dramatic epiphanies playing a pivotal role in improvement. However, the truth is that the best way to approach things is usually through steady hard work aimed at specific aspects of writing. Of course, true mastery will require integrating all of the different aspects of writing, but achieving a certain level of competency in those areas is a natural prerequisite for success.

Start small and work your way up. You'll get there eventually. Nobody ever learned calculus without understanding addition first.

If you’re interested in my thoughts on writing and other topics, you can find those here.

I also write original fiction, which you can find on Amazon here or on Audible here. I’ve also just released a new story, Cosmic Delivery Boy!

[nalufever]

A Solidly Constructed Kiss

Many, many thanks to @fic-writer-appreciation for organizing the summer gift fic exchange. My fic is for @tuxiedjabberwock ~ I hope you enjoy! 

Summary: High School AU ~ Erza strong-arms Lucy and Natsu into working the Kissing Booth to raise funds for a school trip. Lucy's never been kissed and Natsu acts like he's never entertained even the idea of kissing another person. Things naturally come to a head when Lucy and Natsu are given the task to build the actual booth. Will they fight over construction or build themselves some kind of relationship? Read and find out ;P Rated:  teen. (2770 words)

Erza smiled sweetly and held onto Lucy's hand with an iron grip. "The student council already agreed you would be one of the female additions to our fundraising activity."

"Why me? I have too many other obligations." Lucy shook her head and failed to remove herself from Erza's hold. "I'm practicing for the debate team that night!"

"You can practice before or after. Just show up at the kissing booth."

"I wouldn't be good at it, I haven't had my first real kiss!" Lucy looked down and away, unwilling to meet the student council's president's eyes. "…you were talking about debating, weren't you?"

"Excellent! We can add novice kisser to the posters to drum up interest." Erza grinned and released Lucy's hand. "I wonder if Natsu is any better equipped to man the kissing booth?"

"I wouldn't know."

"Of course not. You've never had a boyfriend, never dated, not ever had one chance to kiss." Erza ticked off each point on her fingers and continued mortifying her friend. "You're pretty but your dad's reputation scares off all interest in you, doesn't it?"

"…"

"Well, it's only a two-hour shift and after that, you and your tested lips will be free to go." Erza rummaged in her book bag, withdrew a ledger and scribbled notes. "Remember, it's for a good cause."

Some of her smarts making a comeback, Lucy looked perplexed at the student council president. "We're raising money for our class trip, not for charity."

"You must be magic at the debates." Erza nodded with a wide smile on her face. "Thanks for proving my point; our class trip is the greatest of causes. Three days and two nights of semi-supervised fun in the big city!"

"Fine." Lucy rubbed her forehead. "I never had a choice anyway, did I?"

"Excellent! I also put you down for construction. I'll send Natsu over to you with the schematics of the booth and you two can get building it straight away." Erza nodded, pivoted and strode with confidence, away from Lucy's mumbled complaints.

><><><><

Natsu found Lucy hunched over a book in the library. He tapped her shoulder twice and failing to get a response, he cleared his throat. "You ready?"

"How'd Erza rope you into this?" Lucy sighed, bookmarking her place. "She could have gotten any of the woodworking students to make the structure. Laki loves that sort of thing! Why would she need us to do this?"

"I volunteered!" Natsu grinned affably. "And all the woodworking students are already busy with fixing the old booths and working on projects. Laki is super busy - so I told Erza we could do it together."

Distracted by her own special thoughts of 'doing it together,' Lucy stared blankly at Natsu.

"Eyes up here!" Natsu waved the work instructions. "We can pick up what we need from Shop class and get most of it done tonight."

"Wha? Okay." Lucy shook her head and blinked rapidly. "This is going to be more fun than working the booth."

"Oh, I don't know. You haven't seen how handy-challenged I am. And at least during the festival we get to people watch." Natsu admitted his less than stellar workman abilities with a giant smile. "It's only two hours and like Erza says, it's for a worthy cause."

"Not you too! The whole point of the booth is to raise money for the class trip, not charity." Lucy shuffled her homework papers, took her book and stuffed both of them into her satchel.

"Having fun is a pretty good cause," Natsu spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. "But would it make you feel better if we donated any extra over our goal to an actual charity? I bet more people would shell out the big bucks if they knew they were supporting both."

"I don't want to get Erza upset."

”Heh! Only someone suicidal would, but it must be important to you, so we should at least try. I'll mention the idea to Gray and he can bring it up at the next student council meeting." Natsu led the way out of the library and towards the Wood Shop classroom. After a few minutes of Lucy struggling to carry her heavy satchel, he tugged her sleeve to make her stop. "Do you need all that stuff? Can't you dump it in your locker?"

"Um, no." Lucy bit her lip and shifted her weight from foot to foot. "I finished my homework, but I need to study every night. If I don't get straight As my father …" She trailed off, breaking eye contact with Natsu. "Anyways, he wouldn't be happy."

"Give it to me then." Natsu didn't wait for Lucy to answer, taking the school bag and slinging it over his shoulder. "I'm good at carrying things at least." He started walking again, cheerfully whistling.

Bemused, Lucy scurried to follow. Even if Natsu had never been romantically linked with anyone in school, it seemed he was capable of gentlemanly behaviour. "Tell me why you agreed to help make the booth when by your own admission you're not that good with construction." Lucy flinched. Way to sound like a controlling harpy. "I mean, I'm curious about that."

"Easy answer! Cana told me I'd learn a thing or two if I did."

"I'm not that experienced with hammer, saw and wood either." Lucy scratched her head. "But I'm excellent at reading and following directions. Maybe this won't be so hard."

Natsu agreed, "Ya, we can figure it out together."

Lucy got lost in a small personal fantasy - Natsu had such a nice smile. She pressed her lips into a straight line. Time to focus! No time to daydream.

Inside the Wood Shop classroom, they found a beehive of activity. Elfman, Lahar, Mest, and Vjeter worked on with various projects while Laki ran back and forth helping each of them in turn.

Carefully Lucy and Natsu made a pile of the framing lumber and plywood, checking and re-checking the instructions. The regular shop students worked, shouting at one another casually. An alarm sounded from Laki's wristwatch. As one, all the students stopped working. They turned off their equipment and cleaned their messes - exiting one after the other.

Surprised, Lucy jogged over to Laki who was evidently also leaving. "Hey! Is anyone staying who could help me and Natsu?"

"Ooh, shouldn't think so. We've got time during class for this, today was just a bit of extra time before my date with Max." Laki grinned, tugging Lucy closer to the door, further from Natsu. "You dating Natsu?"

Lucy sputtered, "W-what, what, what? Why would you even think that?"

"My bad." Laki did not look sorry. "All you have to do is lock the door behind you once you guys finish whatever you can. I'll have a few students work on the rest of it tomorrow."

"Erza seemed to want us to do all the work."

Laki shrugged. "If you want, but are you really prepared to stay for hours and hours?" Another softer alarm sounded. Laki smiled and silenced it. "I'm leaving. Work safe!"

Lucy turned around, the whole room was empty save for her and Natsu.

"C'mon Luce!" Natsu waved the instructions. "I need you! We gotta measure and cut the frame first."

"Coming!" The imp inside of Lucy's brain giggled. 'That's what she said.'

The shop room echoed without extra voices and the noise of saws.

Lucy giggled. She couldn't help it. Natsu had managed to tangle the measuring tape - again. Holding out her hand she requested its return. "I'm gonna have to demote you." Shaking her head, Lucy held the end hook securely against the end of the two by four that was their first planned cut - and then grabbed Natsu's hand and moved it into place. "You get to be the anchor." Lucy extended the tape measure and marked off four spots. "We'll check it twice and then cut."

"Won't that take longer?"

"Yes and no." Lucy explained, "If both marks are at the same point, I've got them in the right spot - but if they aren't, then we look to see where we made a mistake. It's all about checking and double checking before we do something we can't fix."

"Y'mean kinda like, 'least said, soonest mended'?" Natsu gave Lucy an earnest look. "Or if I'm punching Gray as hard as he deserves, but if Erza is about to show up, we pretend I wasn't kicking his ass?"

"More like the first example, but yeah." Lucy nodded. "Or like how a pound of 'cure' is worth the ounce of 'prevention.' If we don't make mistakes, we don't have to rip apart our work."

"Hmm." Natsu shrugged and held the end of the measure against the end of the board. "Then let's double-check our work."

"Okay!"

Lucy and Natsu measured all the cuts listed in the instructions twice and then began cutting. Never one to shrink away from new tasks, Lucy took command of the saw. Without complaint, Natsu held the other end still and encouraged Lucy. Alternating chores, they finished sawing quicker than anticipated.

"What's next?"

Lucy flexed her hands, they were a little sore. Picking up the blueprints, she scanned the information. "We can cut the plywood next."

"Ugh. Measuring and cutting is boring. What about starting to assemble?"

"We can't put together pieces that aren't ready."

Natsu looked at the much larger than expected pile of cut pieces. "But we're not gonna make any progress if we don't start assembling."

Blueprints still within her grasp, Lucy settled her hands on her hips and tapped her foot. "You may have a point. This isn't a puzzle, so, sure, let's get the frame done and then do the rest of the cuts."

"Huh. Cana was wrong about you." Natsu confided, "She said you wouldn't be open to changing plans."

"…" Lucy nodded jerkily. A lot of the fun of this experience had gone out for her right there. Most of her schoolmates didn't really know her, so it was easy to shrug off the popular misconceptions. But - in this short work project, it had felt like she and Natsu had started to become friends.

"She says a lot of dumb stuff, things that only make sense way later, but I think this time she was wrong." Natsu continued speaking, all without noticing how stiff Lucy had become. "You're a good student, I knew that from the posted grades - but you're an even harder worker than I guessed. I bet I could learn a lot from you." Finally noticing Lucy's rigidness, Natsu put down his hammer and the nails he'd been holding ready. "What?"

"…" Lucy looked down and away. This was her standard response to every awkward situation. She flinched as Natsu tentatively touched her shoulder.

"What's wrong?"

Lucy bit her lip and steeled herself. She could face him. Not everything he'd said had been hurtful. Matter of fact, after the first bits, Natsu had sounded like he admired her - which was weird. "More than what we both have time to deal with." Forcing a laugh, Lucy looked into Natsu's eyes. That was a mistake. They were concerned, not condemning. "At first I thought you were saying I was stuck-up."

Natsu frowned and shook his head.

His confusion egged Lucy into saying more. "I've heard that time and time again. People think that I think I'm too smart and won't follow anyone else's advice."

"D'uh! Of course, you're smart! We all can see the posted grades!" Natsu smiled - and it was his smile that convinced Lucy he wasn't being cruel.

"I'm sorry. I'm used to most people getting defensive. I don't know how to react when people are sharing honestly." Lucy picked up a hammer and then a nail. "Why don't we start putting this together like you suggested?"

"That's a good plan, even if it's mine." Natsu laughed and Lucy relaxed.

An hour later, very pleased with their accomplishments, Natsu and Lucy tidied their mess. They swept and dumped the sawdust into the dustbin, hung the hammers and saw back onto the peg-board, and put the nails away.

"This was … an experience." Lucy smiled at Natsu. "I’m glad we got to work with each other."

"I had fun," said Natsu, "and I think you did too."

"Fun isn't usually one of my goals," Lucy admitted, "I have to keep my grades up so my father doesn't freak. Fun doesn't rate high on his list of things to do."

"Pity." Natsu picked up Lucy's schoolbag. "I understand about keeping a parental figure quiet, but y'know we're only young once. Fun shouldn't be forgotten."

"I have some fun. I take dance lessons every Thursday."

”Oh, ya got me there." Natsu's tone did not agree with his words. His voice picked up some pep as he continued speaking. "Pfft. I'm talkin' stuff your dad doesn't approve of kind of fun! The fun that is spur of the moment - somethin' you can't believe you had the nerve to do right after ya do it!"

Hardly able to wrap her brain around calling her father, 'dad,' Lucy stood lost in thought. Natsu had made a lot of good points. Fun was a commodity she hadn't experienced enough. "Will you be mad if I take your advice?"

"Naw, I'd be proud. I bet people wouldn't believe me if I told them the Lucy Heartfilia had taken advice from me." Natsu smiled.

"Remember, you can't get mad." Lucy bit her lip and giggled softly. "I suppose I could apologize ahead of time. You sure?"

"You look like you need fun."

Taking all Natsu's words to heart, Lucy gathered her courage. Heart beating wildly, she moved in front of Natsu. "May I kiss you?"

"Are you joking?"

"Even though your words made me think I could steal a kiss - I respect you too much to do that." Lucy knew her cheeks were climbing way past pink and into tomato red territory, but she wanted to explain herself. "The fun I want is a mutual experience. If I take without your consent, then I'm not respecting your rights. I wouldn't want that for myself so I will not do that to you. I like you. I like you because you're nice to me."

"You're not joking." Natsu blushed. "You're not that good at jumping into fun, but you are so not joking."

"Nope." Lucy swallowed hard. She cursed herself for not thinking harder about how awkward it was going to be after Natsu refused her request because she was too weird. Dammit!

"Okay." Natsu dropped Lucy's books and held her gaze. "You can kiss me - and then… can I kiss you?"

Lucy blinked, knowing her mouth had dropped open. "Huh?"

"I like you too," Natsu spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.

"You like me?"

"Yeah." Natsu smiled. "For a long time now, not just on account of today. You didn't treat me like a dummy while we worked on the booth. I know my reputation. Most people think I'm dumber than a box of bricks."

"You sure?" Lucy inched closer to Natsu.

"I'm sure." Natsu inched closer to Lucy. "Everyone in school thinks I'm stupid."

"You know that's not what I meant." Fire flashed in Lucy's eyes. "You like me? The girl everyone in school thinks is stuck-up? Too smart for her own good and so rich she can't understand anyone else?"

"Yeah. The thing is, I know you’re not like that. Not one bit.”

Lucy nodded, an anxious smile on her lips. They'd reached an agreement of sorts - mutual respect with a side of pining. She could do this - it was just a kiss, right? Well, she had permission and the time was ripe. Lucy leaned forward, angled her head slightly, closed her eyes and captured Natsu's lips against her own. Seconds later she pulled back, heart racing like she'd been running a marathon.

Natsu licked his lips, his fingers tracing where Lucy had touched him. This made the sudden experience more real. He slowly reached out; caressing Lucy's jawline, then cupped her chin as he kissed her. It lasted perhaps half a minute and felt like an eternity at the same time.

"Wow." Lucy was aware her response was inane, but Natsu still held her in his arms and the warmth of his body distracted her. "That…was…fun."

"You sound like you need more convincing." Natsu squeezed Lucy and then relaxed his hold. "May I kiss you again?"

"I'd like that." Lucy set her hands on Natsu's shoulders and locked eyes with him. "And then maybe I could kiss you again too?"

"Hells yes."

[seenashwrite]

do we know anything about john winchester's parents, besides Henry? Do you have any speculation as to why the boys were named after Mary's parents? We learn from Henry that he hadn't abandoned young John. Thanks to Abaddon. But I need more!

Ah, an autopsy. Everybody gown up. Grab the rib spreader. This is gonna be a good one. Characters like Millie are my most favorite when it comes to writing in the vein of “based on…” and “adapted by…” because we have little information on them, meaning we can fill in those cracks ourselves, but at the same time? In this case, at least? The little bit we’ve got on Millie holds a lot.

Brief disclaimer: I am of the opinion that the writers (excepting Kripke, who was playing the long game with a five-year plan) aren’t doing as much foreshadowing and employing other sneaky-tricksy, deep-seated literary gambits as I’ve noted more than a few viewers assert; it seems to me that the writers backtrack and use past plot points (broadly, that is - evidence has shown us that, on the whole, they aren’t precise canon adherents) to bolster present/immediate-future arcs. However, it gives us the opportunity to expound upon the more minute things/characters they’ve forgotten about and/or left to languish.

Let’s do a list of knowns vs. unknowns about The Mysterious Mrs. Winchester, because the former’s more important than the latter when getting our brains on task for an adaptation/based-upon piece, a.k.a. fanfiction. I have used her as a pivotal player (in the backstory) for my big story, so minus some specific lines I just pulled from a script, the following is coming from my (canon-based) notes. You have come to the right person #humbly #not really #Millie’s my jam 

Check this out.

Millie has only come up twice in the show, most recently on Lady Antonia “Brain-Diddle” Bevell’s grossly incomplete mood board, then in a flashback during a conversation between Henry and Josie. Watch your step for that turd of exposition dump up top:

Catch that? 

Item #1: Millie is aware of Henry’s job / The MoLs

Perhaps she’s even met Josie - decent speculation, Josie is her husband’s partner, at least for now, in the context of their novice/initiate status, and Josie felt comfortable referring to Millie by name to Henry, vs. saying “Your wife is lucky to have you.”

To what degree is Millie in-the-know? Specifically, is she aware of the paranormal bend of it all? That’s a crack we can fill. She could very well be under the impression this is some sort of niche government division.

I vote “no”. I think Henry would’ve said, “Except she doesn’t know, Josie. She doesn’t know what we deal with, how dangerous the work can be. All she’d know is that she’s become a widow….”

A little sidebar to bolster my claims of her being in the know - whether Henry had, in the past, started tip-toeing down the road of cluing in John on his work is unknown, but he sure as shit was starting to edge there based on the whole “What’s that pin mean” - “You’ll find out” exchange. Now, Henry’s smart, and smart people know that telling your offspring to keep things secret from the other parent is a dumbass move, from beans to beanstalks, and particularly when they’re in mouthy toddler beansprout stage, that crew can’t keep anything secret, it ain’t how they’re wired.

So Millie knows, and I think Millie knows about the bumps in the night. I think she knows Henry’s father and grandfather were members. And she knows that means John’s on deck. And she knows that’s bad news. Here’s why.

Item #2: Millie & John move from Illinois

Henry went missing in ‘58, we’ve no idea when when she moved. Was she from Illinois? Did she move alone? Did she have family somewhere? Did she go there first? Did she go straight to Kansas? Why did she end up in Kansas? Nobody knows. We’ve zero knowledge of anything in this area. Plot away.

But we do have the knowledge she got herself and her son the hell outta Dodge. She left friends. Took John away from his friends. Left the house she shared with her husband. Again: did she lose the house? Did she not have a skill set that would’ve = decent employment? Do the MoLs not have some sort of killed-in-the-line-of-duty spousal/family payout? Was it a crappy one? Got me.

Point is, single motherhood is tough now, much less the further back in time you go. It’s possible she did just fine on her own.

But let’s talk probable.

Item #3: Millie remarried & put down roots in Kansas

When we meet adult John, a random in town tells him “Say hello to your old man for me.” 

[glances around] 

Cool.

Now, the writers - when they had to do the whole MoL thing in order to get us to the bunker so there was a stable set piece for consistency or budget or whatever - absolutely forgot this one-off comment that was made in the infancy of the show, guaranteed, hundred percent, no way I’m wrong. Same goes for the one-off “comes from a family of mechanics” line that some fans glom onto. 

These are canon misfires that piddled into the ocean, never tore through the hull of another ship, and are No Big Deal. [yes I know the difference between cannon and canon, I’m being cheeky, nobody “@” me] Upshot is, we get to stick it into the Millie file. Make stepdad a mechanic. Boom. Done.

In any event, I use the phrase “puts down roots” because this is where John returned to when he left the service, got a job as a mechanic, ultimately started dating this chick named Mary, so this was home. We can reasonably assume, then, that he’d lived there for most of his life, given how young he was when he signed up for the service*.

[* Note: I state vs. suggest because I have extensive character autopsies done on both John and Mary; I’ve covered a bit of my Mary diagnoses elsewhere; just letting y'all know it’s why I tend to state things about them vs. quantify it with “My impression is…”, etc., because I’ve got a decently robust pile of evidence to support my statements; J & M aren’t the topic here, though]

I actually like the misfire line about mechanics, and I like saying that stepdad is a mechanic, because it tracks with items #1-4 above, and gives us…

Item #5: Millie didn’t want John to be in the Men of Letters and made critical life choices to prevent such

Two points for this item:

—> She went from being the wife of an academic professional involved with covert ops to being the wife of a mechanic

This isn’t impossible or strange or noteworthy in-and-of itself. I’m not saying it is, not shitting on blue collar workers or persons who specialize in a trade vs. those on a scholarly track. I don’t mean to infer that Millie - as a single mom in the early ‘60s - lowered her standards or something, that she was desperate for a husband and took what she could get; on the contrary, based on how important knowledge and order was to Henry, how he looked down his nose at what he found to be the pedestrian lifestyle/life choices of hunters, I’d assert that Millie was quite intelligent and perhaps even “upper-crust”.

But that sharp turn, regardless of the impetus, does go to our Millie profile. It’s just interesting, that flip of her switch, especially when you combine it with the move from her established life with a young child.

—> She never told John the truth about Henry’s disappearance

Why? Why would you do that to your kid? Why would you allow him to have the impression - and the heartache from - believing he was abandoned?

Because - what trumps everything (or should) for a parent?

Protecting your kid.

The Namesake Question

Real answer: the characters didn’t exist at the time the show’s skeleton was being assembled.

Moving on to the answer(s) we can divine based on canon…

First obvious answer, on the Millie front, is they had two boys. Yeah, yeah, could’ve been “Miller” or her maiden name or something, and we don’t know their middle names, etc. Knock it out, throw it in as a plot point. And true, it’s not like they went with, say, Henry and Sam. The Dean character could’ve pulled off the nickname “Hank”, admittedly difficult as it is to imagine from our current vantage point. So, you’re right - it’s a thing. 

Again, I’ve long had autopsies done on John and Mary, adding to them over seasons 11-13 (when I started watching in real time), and those are lengthy, winding roads that do branch off of the Millie highway, but aren’t the topic here. Just a reminder that all the things I’m presenting below in a factual tone, I’ve got evidence to back it up.

Based on John and Mary’s behavior, their choices, their parenting styles, we can paint a pretty clear picture in our minds of their childhoods. For John, we’ve covered the broad sweeps of his to the extent we can by way of examining Millie. For Mary, we have more, and have seen her parents and their behavior, their choices, their parenting style. I don’t see the Campbells as putting family first above all (they put the mission first - sound like anyone else we know?), whereas Henry has been shown to love his wife and son more than anything, so had John been exposed to him? Wow. We probably wouldn’t recognize him.

But as it stands, John doesn’t have an instinctual reaction to put family above everything else. Neither does Mary, as we’ve since learned. Dean does, vehemently, and as Sam matured, his instinct has changed to be this way, as well. It happens - some of us, either purposefully or unintentionally, end up replicating our childhoods for our children; others, like Dean and Sam, strive to do the opposite. Even siblings growing up in the same environment can go different directions - it’s a crap shoot to a degree, whether when, upon leaving the house, you go out the front door or the back.

So while I don’t see that Mary was particularly close to Deanna and Samuel, I do find there’s enough to support that John wasn’t close at all to Millie. Absence of evidence does not = proof, true, so the lack of him talking about his mother alone doesn’t exactly make a solid case. Having said that, there’s multiple reasons (again-again, that’s for another time) based on solid evidence (i/e, John’s actions/decisions), which have me leaning towards he and his mother being anywhere from distant to estranged, not covering that list, but one that’s germane to our current topic is this:

When John got busy investigating Mary’s death - or letting folks assume he was working through his grief by ditching his business and checking out on being a father - he left Dean and Sam with Mike and Kate Guenther while he was off drinking and researching, perhaps others (and yes, Bobby later, but I’m talking about initially, in their hometown) if the Guenthers were unable, and who knows who all if he left for days at a time.

So why did John and Dean and Sam not ever stay with Millie? Why were Dean and Sam not left with their grandmother? She was right there.

Well, the answer is that the writers didn’t think of Henry (and by extension, Millie) til seasons later, but for us, it’s a crack that could be filled, a nice deep one, too. 

Three possibilities:

(1) Millie had died prior(2) Millie and John were not close, possibly estranged(3) Millie did help watch after Dean and Sam

Numbers 1 and 2 are plausible, and it actually could be both. Could also spin it to where Millie was dead, stepfather was alive (we have evidence of that, see above, RE: rando dude’s “Say hi to your old man for me”) and John wasn’t comfortable leaving Dean and Sam with him, or there was some reason the stepdad was unable to take care of them, or maybe John loved stepdad dearly and would have stayed with him/left the kids with him, but stepdad had died or remarried or moved away before Dean was born. Fill in that blank yourself.

I don’t find number 3 very probable, as it’s not mentioned in John’s journal. He specifically mentions Mike and Kate several times. He even mentions Missouri meeting Dean and Sam, how they really took to her immediately. He would’ve mentioned Millie.

I say all that to say, the lack of naming one of the boys after Henry is of note, but not mysterious for me because John was under the impression that his father ditched him and his mother. And, um...

.

INT. DINER – DAY

We see a close-up of a black-and-white photograph of HENRY holding a baseball with his arm around a young boy holding a bat. HENRY is sitting at a table holding the photograph. DEAN and SAM are standing at the counter.

SAM Driver's license says he's Henry Winchester from Normal, Illinois. He knows Dad's birthday, the exact place where he was born. Dude, that's our grandfather.

DEAN I'm just saying before we break out the warm and toasties, let's not forget that, uh, H.G. Wells over there left Dad high and dry when he was a kid.

SAM But maybe he didn't run out on Dad – I mean, not on purpose. Maybe he time-traveled here and, I don't know, got stuck.

DEAN Yeah, well, either way, Dad hated the son of a bitch.

.

So name-wise for the Winchester side? Miller, Mills, a maiden name - I can see something as a namesake for Millie still being plausible as one of their middle names; a Henry namesake never had a chance in hell. 

And despite neither John nor Mary behaving as if they truly buy into the whole FAMILY IS EVERYTHING stance, Samuel and Deanna died a horrible death, and not far away - it happened when both John and Mary were in the mix, Mary specifically. I don’t see her having to push very hard to get John on board with naming their kids after her parents following a shared traumatic experience.

Alrighty, then.

We can send some samples off to the lab, I hear the Stynes run a really thorough one not too far from here, but I’m pretty satisfied - pass me the sutures, time to tag and bag.

.

.

.

.

That was gross, I’m so apologizing. 

.

.

.

.

[whispers] I’m totes not. 😏

Hello, person who has read this far! See HERE for how to make an appointment with Dr. Nash.

[cristinaholtz]

by

Gina Tomaine November 27, 2018

Top teachers share the yoga and meditation books that impacted them the most.

There are some books that stick with us long after we’ve finished turning the pages. These are the books that become a part of who we are— a fabric of our being, so to speak. They influence us when we think about our practice (and our lives as a whole, really), and they affect our headspace and outlook every time we step on our mats and sit on our meditation cushions. 

They’re the kind of books that are worth reading again and again. 

To dig into the power that the best yoga and meditation books can have to change our lives, we asked top teachers which yoga and meditation books have changed theirs. Teachers cited books that were favorites because they were easy to return to again and again, as well as books that made a difference at a pivotal moment in their lives. 

See also Need a Good Read? Start with these Yoga Books

Read on for the 10 best yoga and meditation books, according to 10 top teachers around the country.

The Wisdom of Insecurity by Alan Watts

“My mid-thirties were a dark time. I was depressed, but too trapped in fear to change my life,” says New York City yoga pro Joe Miller. “While I had been practicing yoga on and off for years, I had never really explored yoga philosophy. Then I ran across a used copy of Alan Watts’ The Wisdom of Insecurity. Watts’ message—that we can’t have security without accepting insecurity, that our desire to cling to what’s familiar only creates suffering—resonated with me. Watts helped me see that the fact that there’s no life without death, or light without darkness, could be a cause for joy and reason to live more fully. I eventually read nearly every book he wrote and dove more deeply into yoga practice. Within a few years, I had started teaching yoga and was much healthier and happier. It wasn’t just Watts’ book, of course, and it’s still hard for me to accept “the wisdom of insecurity,” but the glimpse he offered of another way to live came at just the right time.”

$13, amazon.com

See also 16 Poses to Instantly Boost Your Confidence

The Living Gita by Swami Satchidananda

“I love this version of the Bhagavad Gita,” says Stephanie Snyder, founder of San Francisco based Love Story Yoga. “We include it in our teacher trainings and I reference it all the time. Some of it can seem a little dated, but still, its super accessible. It also has some great stories that help explain some of the ideas in a very engaging way.”

$16, amazon.com

See also The First Book of Yoga: The Enduring Influence of the Bhagavad Gita

Yoga and the Quest for True Self by Stephen Cope and Buddhism Without Beliefs by Stephen Batchelor

“I read Stephen Cope’s book while I was going through a devastating break-up,” says Andrea Ferretti, host of Yogaland podcast. “I was in my early 30s and wanted a life partner and a child so badly and I thought I’d found him. Cope writes so honestly about his own life in this book—but more importantly, he writes with compassion for himself and for the reader. At one point, he talks about his own breakup and how he sobbed while saying to a friend, “I tried so hard…” and then it dawns on him that he has to let go of the fruits of his hard work, just as Arjuna has to let go of the fruits of his actions in the Bhagavad Gita. It helped me so much to read about Cope’s own struggles, and to see how he relied on his practice to get through them. He gave me hope that I would see through to the other side—and I did.”

$12, play.google.com

See also The Power of Self-Inquiry for Uncovering the Real You

Bringing Yoga to Life by Donna Farhi

“It’s my favorite book,” says Mary Beth La Rue, Los Angeles based yoga teacher and founder of Rock Your Bliss. “She writes about the practice and philosophy of yoga in such a grounded, applicable way. I have probably underlined every other sentence in this book and can always open it and find a new gem to contemplate and put into action in my life.”

$14, amazon.com

See also Yogi Assignment: Ahimsa in Action, Post-Election

The Secret of the Yoga Sutra by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait

“I’ve found I turn most to Pandit Rajmani Tigunait’s books on the Sutras,” says New York City-based yoga teacher and DoTerra ambassador Elena Brower. “It’s erudite, accessible, and articulate. His translations of each thread consistently land in my practices of both yoga and meditation, and I’m grateful to have such a resource so close at hand.”

$20, amazon.com

See also Elena Brower’s Yoga Sequence to Create Space + Find Clarity

Do Your Om Thing by Rebecca Pacheco

“I actually keep this book on my nightstand. Sometimes I pick it up and just start reading at a random spot, and it often seems to be the message I need to hear right at that moment,” says singer, kids yoga and meditation pro, and author Kira Willey. “Rebecca makes the philosophy of yoga completely accessible and easily understandable—it’s funny and serious in all the right places, and just totally works for me.”

$10, amazon.com

See also 11 Poses to Help Kids Feel Brave

Training in Compassion by Norman Fischer

“Norman Fischer is an incredible mindfulness and zen teacher for beginners,” explains Los Angeles yoga teacher Alexis Novak. “He has a few books that are specifically for novice meditators looking to learn more and start a practice. He takes traditional Zen practices and gives them modern language and application.”

$14, amazon.com

See also 4 Ways to Practice Compassion in a Pinch

The Journey Home by Radhanath Swami

“It’s a modern-day version of The Autobiography of a Yogi—an inspired and compelling true story of a young man’s spiritual quest for meaning, connection, and ultimately his transcendence,” says San Francisco-based yoga teacher Giselle Mari. “It galvanizes the reader to reflect on their own journey and reminds us all that we have the potential to connect to our highest Self. Having spent time with Radhanath Swami has only forged a deeper respect and honoring for all he endured to become one of the most impactful spiritual teachers of our generation. This is a must read.”

$17, amazon.com

See also 6 Gifts Yogis Will Love, Inspired by the Root Chakra

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Sri Swami Satchidananda

“This is the yoga book that impacted me the most,” says yogi and author of Strong in the Broken Places, Quentin Vennie. “I’ve always been fascinated by the philosophies of yoga, not just the practice of asana. As someone who has battled severe anxiety and depression, I needed more than just a physical connection—more so a way to change my thinking. I had to learn that my anxiety wasn’t my enemy, but it was my guide. This book guided me to yoga, meditation and an overall better quality of life. The practice of non-attachment allowed me to separate myself from my many mood disorders, which helped my healing process.”

$12, amazon.com

See also Relieve Anxiety with a Simple 30-Second Practice

Meditation & Mantras by Swami Vishnu Devananda

“It’s simple and straight forward,” says Pradeep Teotia, a yoga teacher in San Francisco. “I like that in life, things should be simple and straight forward so we can focus better.”

$7, amazon.com

See also This One Simple Practice Will Change How You Feel About Yourself

About the Author

Gina Tomaine is a Philadelphia-based writer and editor. She is currently Deputy Lifestyle Editor of Philadelphia magazine, and previously served as Associate Deputy Editor of Rodale’s Organic Life. Her work can be seen in Women’s Health, Runner’s World, Prevention, Good Housekeeping, and elsewhere. Learn more at ginatomaine.com.

10 Best Yoga and Meditation Books, According to 10 Top Yoga and Meditation Teachers by Gina Tomaine November 27, 2018 Top teachers share the yoga and meditation books that impacted them the most.

[neilmillerne]

Diana Nyad | On Inspiration, Motivation and the Drive to Succeed

We, at MyFitnessPal, love celebrating groundbreakers — those who pave the way for others to rise and achieve their wildest dreams and loftiest goals. We’ve asked history-making marathon swimmer and activist, Diana Nyad — who at age 64 was the first confirmed person without the protection of a shark cage to swim from Havana, Cuba, to Key West, Florida, in 2013 and then at age 67 embarked on a series of 140 mile walks for her new cause EverWalk — to share her journey, inspiration and driving forces. We hope this inspires you and hope you’ll share your story below.

1. Who/what inspires you to be unlike any? What’s the driving factor that fuels your motivation?

Nyad: My direct, conscious goal is not to be better than others. My intense focus is to be my best self. If that self winds up being interpreted as “unlike any other,” so be it. It may be counterintuitive to the concept of rising to the top of a human chain of achievement, but it sometimes winds up that my letting something go takes more courage and fulfills my vision of always being my best self more than my plodding ahead. Lately, I relinquished my position as screenwriter of my life story. I was hired to write the script. All parties involved felt I am a writer and storyteller and, although a novice to the genre of the screenplay, I could produce the best script. After a year, it took more strength for me to admit it is a very special and specific genre and would take me a few years to become competent, much less artful, at the genre and so I rose to the occasion and turned it over to a seasoned screenwriter. That was my best self, making the right decision for the project. The people who I admire are those who are authentic to their vision, despite the practical or public obstacles of their journeys.

My intense focus is to be my best self.

Right now I am fully committed to a vision of getting Americans out of their cars, away from their screens and into walking. My Cuba swim expedition leader Bonnie Stoll and I have launched an initiative called EverWalk. We are leading Epic walks, 140 miles each, along the stunning corridors of America. Our latest walk took us from Boston to Cape Elizabeth, Maine. It takes chutzpah to launch a movement but here we are, dreaming big, launching a movement.

2. What makes you leap out of bed every day?

Nyad: I am perpetually pushed by the loud, unwavering ticking of the clock. From childhood, I have felt the daily pressure of time screeching by, of the choking brevity of this precious life each of us gets to live. Of the 7 billion people now on planet earth, half have very little. Little clean water, food, safety. The other half of us have varying degrees of liberty and the privilege of pursuit of happiness. I am overwhelmed with my own degree of privilege, and I simply refuse to let any day go by without bounding out of bed and grasping the chaos with every fiber of my potential. I may fail. I often do. But I crash to the pillow each night with a deep sigh of relief, entirely sure I could not have given any more to any moment of that day.

3. What was your lowest moment that ended up launching you to your success?

Nyad: Lowest moment. I guess now, at age 68, I have a better perspective on the ebbs and flows of life’s highs and lows. It’s not a linear journey for any of us. It’s not that there was once a low and since then there’s been a direct line upward. While I would never call my childhood tragic, in light of the devastating poverty and abuse that millions of children are subjected to, it was a time fraught with fear of the two men who sexually abused me. I suppose I could say, looking back after all these years, that I built myself a suit of armour as a young person. I pretty much screamed that I was coming through and you better get out of my way. But, truth be told, I think I was that strong, determined individual in the first place. Years later, I still harbor that ferocity, but I have also found grace and compassion for others. There is no doubt that this time, right now, age 68, is the prime of my life.

READ MORE > IT’S ABOUT THEM MILES: WALKING AND LONGEVITY

4. Does this pivotal moment still impact your present?

Nyad: Again, I don’t think people “pivot” at particular moments. Perhaps there are literal traumatic events that catapult people into change. But I find more often that we grow and expand in our thinking, our courage in waves, making our way and then regressing a step or two, making our way onward again.

… it’s tenacity that takes us up and up toward our loftiest inspirations.

5. What’s your mantra?

Nyad: An artist friend recently made me a beautiful orange neon sign. I keep in it my gym, turn it on at dawn every day. It says PERSIST. My several mantras throughout my life have always expressed the drive to get back up after we’ve been knocked down. In every area of success and dream chasing, we all need talent and hard work and teammates and connections. But, above all that — and every successful person from every walk of life has expressed it in his or her own words — it’s tenacity that takes us up and up toward our loftiest inspirations. My mantras:

Find a way. Never ever give up. You’re never too old to chase your dreams.

READ MORE > ON INSPIRATION, MOTIVATION AND THE DRIVE TO SUCCEED

Let’s continue to shed light on our successes, recognizing that it’s the culmination of stamina, perseverance and grit to get here. Please share yours in the comments below.

BE UNLIKE ANY WITH THESE COLLECTIONS

Zoe Zhang, Actress & Taekwondo Black Belt Jessie Graff, Stunt Woman Alison Desir, Harlem Run Founder Misty Copeland, Principal Ballerina Natasha Hastings, World Champion Sprinter

The post Diana Nyad | On Inspiration, Motivation and the Drive to Succeed appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2ynXBZL

[almajonesnjna]

Diana Nyad | On Inspiration, Motivation and the Drive to Succeed

We, at MyFitnessPal, love celebrating groundbreakers — those who pave the way for others to rise and achieve their wildest dreams and loftiest goals. We’ve asked history-making marathon swimmer and activist, Diana Nyad — who at age 64 was the first confirmed person without the protection of a shark cage to swim from Havana, Cuba, to Key West, Florida, in 2013 and then at age 67 embarked on a series of 140 mile walks for her new cause EverWalk — to share her journey, inspiration and driving forces. We hope this inspires you and hope you’ll share your story below.

1. Who/what inspires you to be unlike any? What’s the driving factor that fuels your motivation?

Nyad: My direct, conscious goal is not to be better than others. My intense focus is to be my best self. If that self winds up being interpreted as “unlike any other,” so be it. It may be counterintuitive to the concept of rising to the top of a human chain of achievement, but it sometimes winds up that my letting something go takes more courage and fulfills my vision of always being my best self more than my plodding ahead. Lately, I relinquished my position as screenwriter of my life story. I was hired to write the script. All parties involved felt I am a writer and storyteller and, although a novice to the genre of the screenplay, I could produce the best script. After a year, it took more strength for me to admit it is a very special and specific genre and would take me a few years to become competent, much less artful, at the genre and so I rose to the occasion and turned it over to a seasoned screenwriter. That was my best self, making the right decision for the project. The people who I admire are those who are authentic to their vision, despite the practical or public obstacles of their journeys.

My intense focus is to be my best self.

Right now I am fully committed to a vision of getting Americans out of their cars, away from their screens and into walking. My Cuba swim expedition leader Bonnie Stoll and I have launched an initiative called EverWalk. We are leading Epic walks, 140 miles each, along the stunning corridors of America. Our latest walk took us from Boston to Cape Elizabeth, Maine. It takes chutzpah to launch a movement but here we are, dreaming big, launching a movement.

2. What makes you leap out of bed every day?

Nyad: I am perpetually pushed by the loud, unwavering ticking of the clock. From childhood, I have felt the daily pressure of time screeching by, of the choking brevity of this precious life each of us gets to live. Of the 7 billion people now on planet earth, half have very little. Little clean water, food, safety. The other half of us have varying degrees of liberty and the privilege of pursuit of happiness. I am overwhelmed with my own degree of privilege, and I simply refuse to let any day go by without bounding out of bed and grasping the chaos with every fiber of my potential. I may fail. I often do. But I crash to the pillow each night with a deep sigh of relief, entirely sure I could not have given any more to any moment of that day.

3. What was your lowest moment that ended up launching you to your success?

Nyad: Lowest moment. I guess now, at age 68, I have a better perspective on the ebbs and flows of life’s highs and lows. It’s not a linear journey for any of us. It’s not that there was once a low and since then there’s been a direct line upward. While I would never call my childhood tragic, in light of the devastating poverty and abuse that millions of children are subjected to, it was a time fraught with fear of the two men who sexually abused me. I suppose I could say, looking back after all these years, that I built myself a suit of armour as a young person. I pretty much screamed that I was coming through and you better get out of my way. But, truth be told, I think I was that strong, determined individual in the first place. Years later, I still harbor that ferocity, but I have also found grace and compassion for others. There is no doubt that this time, right now, age 68, is the prime of my life.

READ MORE > IT’S ABOUT THEM MILES: WALKING AND LONGEVITY

4. Does this pivotal moment still impact your present?

Nyad: Again, I don’t think people “pivot” at particular moments. Perhaps there are literal traumatic events that catapult people into change. But I find more often that we grow and expand in our thinking, our courage in waves, making our way and then regressing a step or two, making our way onward again.

… it’s tenacity that takes us up and up toward our loftiest inspirations.

5. What’s your mantra?

Nyad: An artist friend recently made me a beautiful orange neon sign. I keep in it my gym, turn it on at dawn every day. It says PERSIST. My several mantras throughout my life have always expressed the drive to get back up after we’ve been knocked down. In every area of success and dream chasing, we all need talent and hard work and teammates and connections. But, above all that — and every successful person from every walk of life has expressed it in his or her own words — it’s tenacity that takes us up and up toward our loftiest inspirations. My mantras:

Find a way. Never ever give up. You’re never too old to chase your dreams.

READ MORE > ON INSPIRATION, MOTIVATION AND THE DRIVE TO SUCCEED

Let’s continue to shed light on our successes, recognizing that it’s the culmination of stamina, perseverance and grit to get here. Please share yours in the comments below.

BE UNLIKE ANY WITH THESE COLLECTIONS

Zoe Zhang, Actress & Taekwondo Black Belt Jessie Graff, Stunt Woman Alison Desir, Harlem Run Founder Misty Copeland, Principal Ballerina Natasha Hastings, World Champion Sprinter

The post Diana Nyad | On Inspiration, Motivation and the Drive to Succeed appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2ynXBZL

[johnclapperne]

Diana Nyad | On Inspiration, Motivation and the Drive to Succeed

We, at MyFitnessPal, love celebrating groundbreakers — those who pave the way for others to rise and achieve their wildest dreams and loftiest goals. We’ve asked history-making marathon swimmer and activist, Diana Nyad — who at age 64 was the first confirmed person without the protection of a shark cage to swim from Havana, Cuba, to Key West, Florida, in 2013 and then at age 67 embarked on a series of 140 mile walks for her new cause EverWalk — to share her journey, inspiration and driving forces. We hope this inspires you and hope you’ll share your story below.

1. Who/what inspires you to be unlike any? What’s the driving factor that fuels your motivation?

Nyad: My direct, conscious goal is not to be better than others. My intense focus is to be my best self. If that self winds up being interpreted as “unlike any other,” so be it. It may be counterintuitive to the concept of rising to the top of a human chain of achievement, but it sometimes winds up that my letting something go takes more courage and fulfills my vision of always being my best self more than my plodding ahead. Lately, I relinquished my position as screenwriter of my life story. I was hired to write the script. All parties involved felt I am a writer and storyteller and, although a novice to the genre of the screenplay, I could produce the best script. After a year, it took more strength for me to admit it is a very special and specific genre and would take me a few years to become competent, much less artful, at the genre and so I rose to the occasion and turned it over to a seasoned screenwriter. That was my best self, making the right decision for the project. The people who I admire are those who are authentic to their vision, despite the practical or public obstacles of their journeys.

My intense focus is to be my best self.

Right now I am fully committed to a vision of getting Americans out of their cars, away from their screens and into walking. My Cuba swim expedition leader Bonnie Stoll and I have launched an initiative called EverWalk. We are leading Epic walks, 140 miles each, along the stunning corridors of America. Our latest walk took us from Boston to Cape Elizabeth, Maine. It takes chutzpah to launch a movement but here we are, dreaming big, launching a movement.

2. What makes you leap out of bed every day?

Nyad: I am perpetually pushed by the loud, unwavering ticking of the clock. From childhood, I have felt the daily pressure of time screeching by, of the choking brevity of this precious life each of us gets to live. Of the 7 billion people now on planet earth, half have very little. Little clean water, food, safety. The other half of us have varying degrees of liberty and the privilege of pursuit of happiness. I am overwhelmed with my own degree of privilege, and I simply refuse to let any day go by without bounding out of bed and grasping the chaos with every fiber of my potential. I may fail. I often do. But I crash to the pillow each night with a deep sigh of relief, entirely sure I could not have given any more to any moment of that day.

3. What was your lowest moment that ended up launching you to your success?

Nyad: Lowest moment. I guess now, at age 68, I have a better perspective on the ebbs and flows of life’s highs and lows. It’s not a linear journey for any of us. It’s not that there was once a low and since then there’s been a direct line upward. While I would never call my childhood tragic, in light of the devastating poverty and abuse that millions of children are subjected to, it was a time fraught with fear of the two men who sexually abused me. I suppose I could say, looking back after all these years, that I built myself a suit of armour as a young person. I pretty much screamed that I was coming through and you better get out of my way. But, truth be told, I think I was that strong, determined individual in the first place. Years later, I still harbor that ferocity, but I have also found grace and compassion for others. There is no doubt that this time, right now, age 68, is the prime of my life.

READ MORE > IT’S ABOUT THEM MILES: WALKING AND LONGEVITY

4. Does this pivotal moment still impact your present?

Nyad: Again, I don’t think people “pivot” at particular moments. Perhaps there are literal traumatic events that catapult people into change. But I find more often that we grow and expand in our thinking, our courage in waves, making our way and then regressing a step or two, making our way onward again.

… it’s tenacity that takes us up and up toward our loftiest inspirations.

5. What’s your mantra?

Nyad: An artist friend recently made me a beautiful orange neon sign. I keep in it my gym, turn it on at dawn every day. It says PERSIST. My several mantras throughout my life have always expressed the drive to get back up after we’ve been knocked down. In every area of success and dream chasing, we all need talent and hard work and teammates and connections. But, above all that — and every successful person from every walk of life has expressed it in his or her own words — it’s tenacity that takes us up and up toward our loftiest inspirations. My mantras:

Find a way. Never ever give up. You’re never too old to chase your dreams.

READ MORE > ON INSPIRATION, MOTIVATION AND THE DRIVE TO SUCCEED

Let’s continue to shed light on our successes, recognizing that it’s the culmination of stamina, perseverance and grit to get here. Please share yours in the comments below.

BE UNLIKE ANY WITH THESE COLLECTIONS

Zoe Zhang, Actress & Taekwondo Black Belt Jessie Graff, Stunt Woman Alison Desir, Harlem Run Founder Misty Copeland, Principal Ballerina Natasha Hastings, World Champion Sprinter

The post Diana Nyad | On Inspiration, Motivation and the Drive to Succeed appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2ynXBZL

[ruthellisneda]

Diana Nyad | On Inspiration, Motivation and the Drive to Succeed

We, at MyFitnessPal, love celebrating groundbreakers — those who pave the way for others to rise and achieve their wildest dreams and loftiest goals. We’ve asked history-making marathon swimmer and activist, Diana Nyad — who at age 64 was the first confirmed person without the protection of a shark cage to swim from Havana, Cuba, to Key West, Florida, in 2013 and then at age 67 embarked on a series of 140 mile walks for her new cause EverWalk — to share her journey, inspiration and driving forces. We hope this inspires you and hope you’ll share your story below.

1. Who/what inspires you to be unlike any? What’s the driving factor that fuels your motivation?

Nyad: My direct, conscious goal is not to be better than others. My intense focus is to be my best self. If that self winds up being interpreted as “unlike any other,” so be it. It may be counterintuitive to the concept of rising to the top of a human chain of achievement, but it sometimes winds up that my letting something go takes more courage and fulfills my vision of always being my best self more than my plodding ahead. Lately, I relinquished my position as screenwriter of my life story. I was hired to write the script. All parties involved felt I am a writer and storyteller and, although a novice to the genre of the screenplay, I could produce the best script. After a year, it took more strength for me to admit it is a very special and specific genre and would take me a few years to become competent, much less artful, at the genre and so I rose to the occasion and turned it over to a seasoned screenwriter. That was my best self, making the right decision for the project. The people who I admire are those who are authentic to their vision, despite the practical or public obstacles of their journeys.

My intense focus is to be my best self.

Right now I am fully committed to a vision of getting Americans out of their cars, away from their screens and into walking. My Cuba swim expedition leader Bonnie Stoll and I have launched an initiative called EverWalk. We are leading Epic walks, 140 miles each, along the stunning corridors of America. Our latest walk took us from Boston to Cape Elizabeth, Maine. It takes chutzpah to launch a movement but here we are, dreaming big, launching a movement.

2. What makes you leap out of bed every day?

Nyad: I am perpetually pushed by the loud, unwavering ticking of the clock. From childhood, I have felt the daily pressure of time screeching by, of the choking brevity of this precious life each of us gets to live. Of the 7 billion people now on planet earth, half have very little. Little clean water, food, safety. The other half of us have varying degrees of liberty and the privilege of pursuit of happiness. I am overwhelmed with my own degree of privilege, and I simply refuse to let any day go by without bounding out of bed and grasping the chaos with every fiber of my potential. I may fail. I often do. But I crash to the pillow each night with a deep sigh of relief, entirely sure I could not have given any more to any moment of that day.

3. What was your lowest moment that ended up launching you to your success?

Nyad: Lowest moment. I guess now, at age 68, I have a better perspective on the ebbs and flows of life’s highs and lows. It’s not a linear journey for any of us. It’s not that there was once a low and since then there’s been a direct line upward. While I would never call my childhood tragic, in light of the devastating poverty and abuse that millions of children are subjected to, it was a time fraught with fear of the two men who sexually abused me. I suppose I could say, looking back after all these years, that I built myself a suit of armour as a young person. I pretty much screamed that I was coming through and you better get out of my way. But, truth be told, I think I was that strong, determined individual in the first place. Years later, I still harbor that ferocity, but I have also found grace and compassion for others. There is no doubt that this time, right now, age 68, is the prime of my life.

READ MORE > IT’S ABOUT THEM MILES: WALKING AND LONGEVITY

4. Does this pivotal moment still impact your present?

Nyad: Again, I don’t think people “pivot” at particular moments. Perhaps there are literal traumatic events that catapult people into change. But I find more often that we grow and expand in our thinking, our courage in waves, making our way and then regressing a step or two, making our way onward again.

… it’s tenacity that takes us up and up toward our loftiest inspirations.

5. What’s your mantra?

Nyad: An artist friend recently made me a beautiful orange neon sign. I keep in it my gym, turn it on at dawn every day. It says PERSIST. My several mantras throughout my life have always expressed the drive to get back up after we’ve been knocked down. In every area of success and dream chasing, we all need talent and hard work and teammates and connections. But, above all that — and every successful person from every walk of life has expressed it in his or her own words — it’s tenacity that takes us up and up toward our loftiest inspirations. My mantras:

Find a way. Never ever give up. You’re never too old to chase your dreams.

READ MORE > ON INSPIRATION, MOTIVATION AND THE DRIVE TO SUCCEED

Let’s continue to shed light on our successes, recognizing that it’s the culmination of stamina, perseverance and grit to get here. Please share yours in the comments below.

BE UNLIKE ANY WITH THESE COLLECTIONS

Zoe Zhang, Actress & Taekwondo Black Belt Jessie Graff, Stunt Woman Alison Desir, Harlem Run Founder Misty Copeland, Principal Ballerina Natasha Hastings, World Champion Sprinter

The post Diana Nyad | On Inspiration, Motivation and the Drive to Succeed appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2ynXBZL

[albertcaldwellne]

Diana Nyad | On Inspiration, Motivation and the Drive to Succeed

We, at MyFitnessPal, love celebrating groundbreakers — those who pave the way for others to rise and achieve their wildest dreams and loftiest goals. We’ve asked history-making marathon swimmer and activist, Diana Nyad — who at age 64 was the first confirmed person without the protection of a shark cage to swim from Havana, Cuba, to Key West, Florida, in 2013 and then at age 67 embarked on a series of 140 mile walks for her new cause EverWalk — to share her journey, inspiration and driving forces. We hope this inspires you and hope you’ll share your story below.

1. Who/what inspires you to be unlike any? What’s the driving factor that fuels your motivation?

Nyad: My direct, conscious goal is not to be better than others. My intense focus is to be my best self. If that self winds up being interpreted as “unlike any other,” so be it. It may be counterintuitive to the concept of rising to the top of a human chain of achievement, but it sometimes winds up that my letting something go takes more courage and fulfills my vision of always being my best self more than my plodding ahead. Lately, I relinquished my position as screenwriter of my life story. I was hired to write the script. All parties involved felt I am a writer and storyteller and, although a novice to the genre of the screenplay, I could produce the best script. After a year, it took more strength for me to admit it is a very special and specific genre and would take me a few years to become competent, much less artful, at the genre and so I rose to the occasion and turned it over to a seasoned screenwriter. That was my best self, making the right decision for the project. The people who I admire are those who are authentic to their vision, despite the practical or public obstacles of their journeys.

My intense focus is to be my best self.

Right now I am fully committed to a vision of getting Americans out of their cars, away from their screens and into walking. My Cuba swim expedition leader Bonnie Stoll and I have launched an initiative called EverWalk. We are leading Epic walks, 140 miles each, along the stunning corridors of America. Our latest walk took us from Boston to Cape Elizabeth, Maine. It takes chutzpah to launch a movement but here we are, dreaming big, launching a movement.

2. What makes you leap out of bed every day?

Nyad: I am perpetually pushed by the loud, unwavering ticking of the clock. From childhood, I have felt the daily pressure of time screeching by, of the choking brevity of this precious life each of us gets to live. Of the 7 billion people now on planet earth, half have very little. Little clean water, food, safety. The other half of us have varying degrees of liberty and the privilege of pursuit of happiness. I am overwhelmed with my own degree of privilege, and I simply refuse to let any day go by without bounding out of bed and grasping the chaos with every fiber of my potential. I may fail. I often do. But I crash to the pillow each night with a deep sigh of relief, entirely sure I could not have given any more to any moment of that day.

3. What was your lowest moment that ended up launching you to your success?

Nyad: Lowest moment. I guess now, at age 68, I have a better perspective on the ebbs and flows of life’s highs and lows. It’s not a linear journey for any of us. It’s not that there was once a low and since then there’s been a direct line upward. While I would never call my childhood tragic, in light of the devastating poverty and abuse that millions of children are subjected to, it was a time fraught with fear of the two men who sexually abused me. I suppose I could say, looking back after all these years, that I built myself a suit of armour as a young person. I pretty much screamed that I was coming through and you better get out of my way. But, truth be told, I think I was that strong, determined individual in the first place. Years later, I still harbor that ferocity, but I have also found grace and compassion for others. There is no doubt that this time, right now, age 68, is the prime of my life.

READ MORE > IT’S ABOUT THEM MILES: WALKING AND LONGEVITY

4. Does this pivotal moment still impact your present?

Nyad: Again, I don’t think people “pivot” at particular moments. Perhaps there are literal traumatic events that catapult people into change. But I find more often that we grow and expand in our thinking, our courage in waves, making our way and then regressing a step or two, making our way onward again.

… it’s tenacity that takes us up and up toward our loftiest inspirations.

5. What’s your mantra?

Nyad: An artist friend recently made me a beautiful orange neon sign. I keep in it my gym, turn it on at dawn every day. It says PERSIST. My several mantras throughout my life have always expressed the drive to get back up after we’ve been knocked down. In every area of success and dream chasing, we all need talent and hard work and teammates and connections. But, above all that — and every successful person from every walk of life has expressed it in his or her own words — it’s tenacity that takes us up and up toward our loftiest inspirations. My mantras:

Find a way. Never ever give up. You’re never too old to chase your dreams.

READ MORE > ON INSPIRATION, MOTIVATION AND THE DRIVE TO SUCCEED

Let’s continue to shed light on our successes, recognizing that it’s the culmination of stamina, perseverance and grit to get here. Please share yours in the comments below.

BE UNLIKE ANY WITH THESE COLLECTIONS

Zoe Zhang, Actress & Taekwondo Black Belt Jessie Graff, Stunt Woman Alison Desir, Harlem Run Founder Misty Copeland, Principal Ballerina Natasha Hastings, World Champion Sprinter

The post Diana Nyad | On Inspiration, Motivation and the Drive to Succeed appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2ynXBZL

[joshuabradleyn]

Diana Nyad | On Inspiration, Motivation and the Drive to Succeed

We, at MyFitnessPal, love celebrating groundbreakers — those who pave the way for others to rise and achieve their wildest dreams and loftiest goals. We’ve asked history-making marathon swimmer and activist, Diana Nyad — who at age 64 was the first confirmed person without the protection of a shark cage to swim from Havana, Cuba, to Key West, Florida, in 2013 and then at age 67 embarked on a series of 140 mile walks for her new cause EverWalk — to share her journey, inspiration and driving forces. We hope this inspires you and hope you’ll share your story below.

1. Who/what inspires you to be unlike any? What’s the driving factor that fuels your motivation?

Nyad: My direct, conscious goal is not to be better than others. My intense focus is to be my best self. If that self winds up being interpreted as “unlike any other,” so be it. It may be counterintuitive to the concept of rising to the top of a human chain of achievement, but it sometimes winds up that my letting something go takes more courage and fulfills my vision of always being my best self more than my plodding ahead. Lately, I relinquished my position as screenwriter of my life story. I was hired to write the script. All parties involved felt I am a writer and storyteller and, although a novice to the genre of the screenplay, I could produce the best script. After a year, it took more strength for me to admit it is a very special and specific genre and would take me a few years to become competent, much less artful, at the genre and so I rose to the occasion and turned it over to a seasoned screenwriter. That was my best self, making the right decision for the project. The people who I admire are those who are authentic to their vision, despite the practical or public obstacles of their journeys.

My intense focus is to be my best self.

Right now I am fully committed to a vision of getting Americans out of their cars, away from their screens and into walking. My Cuba swim expedition leader Bonnie Stoll and I have launched an initiative called EverWalk. We are leading Epic walks, 140 miles each, along the stunning corridors of America. Our latest walk took us from Boston to Cape Elizabeth, Maine. It takes chutzpah to launch a movement but here we are, dreaming big, launching a movement.

2. What makes you leap out of bed every day?

Nyad: I am perpetually pushed by the loud, unwavering ticking of the clock. From childhood, I have felt the daily pressure of time screeching by, of the choking brevity of this precious life each of us gets to live. Of the 7 billion people now on planet earth, half have very little. Little clean water, food, safety. The other half of us have varying degrees of liberty and the privilege of pursuit of happiness. I am overwhelmed with my own degree of privilege, and I simply refuse to let any day go by without bounding out of bed and grasping the chaos with every fiber of my potential. I may fail. I often do. But I crash to the pillow each night with a deep sigh of relief, entirely sure I could not have given any more to any moment of that day.

3. What was your lowest moment that ended up launching you to your success?

Nyad: Lowest moment. I guess now, at age 68, I have a better perspective on the ebbs and flows of life’s highs and lows. It’s not a linear journey for any of us. It’s not that there was once a low and since then there’s been a direct line upward. While I would never call my childhood tragic, in light of the devastating poverty and abuse that millions of children are subjected to, it was a time fraught with fear of the two men who sexually abused me. I suppose I could say, looking back after all these years, that I built myself a suit of armour as a young person. I pretty much screamed that I was coming through and you better get out of my way. But, truth be told, I think I was that strong, determined individual in the first place. Years later, I still harbor that ferocity, but I have also found grace and compassion for others. There is no doubt that this time, right now, age 68, is the prime of my life.

READ MORE > IT’S ABOUT THEM MILES: WALKING AND LONGEVITY

4. Does this pivotal moment still impact your present?

Nyad: Again, I don’t think people “pivot” at particular moments. Perhaps there are literal traumatic events that catapult people into change. But I find more often that we grow and expand in our thinking, our courage in waves, making our way and then regressing a step or two, making our way onward again.

… it’s tenacity that takes us up and up toward our loftiest inspirations.

5. What’s your mantra?

Nyad: An artist friend recently made me a beautiful orange neon sign. I keep in it my gym, turn it on at dawn every day. It says PERSIST. My several mantras throughout my life have always expressed the drive to get back up after we’ve been knocked down. In every area of success and dream chasing, we all need talent and hard work and teammates and connections. But, above all that — and every successful person from every walk of life has expressed it in his or her own words — it’s tenacity that takes us up and up toward our loftiest inspirations. My mantras:

Find a way. Never ever give up. You’re never too old to chase your dreams.

READ MORE > ON INSPIRATION, MOTIVATION AND THE DRIVE TO SUCCEED

Let’s continue to shed light on our successes, recognizing that it’s the culmination of stamina, perseverance and grit to get here. Please share yours in the comments below.

BE UNLIKE ANY WITH THESE COLLECTIONS

Zoe Zhang, Actress & Taekwondo Black Belt Jessie Graff, Stunt Woman Alison Desir, Harlem Run Founder Misty Copeland, Principal Ballerina Natasha Hastings, World Champion Sprinter

The post Diana Nyad | On Inspiration, Motivation and the Drive to Succeed appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2ynXBZL

[lotsofdogs]

Diana Nyad | On Inspiration, Motivation and the Drive to Succeed

We, at MyFitnessPal, love celebrating groundbreakers — those who pave the way for others to rise and achieve their wildest dreams and loftiest goals. We’ve asked history-making marathon swimmer and activist, Diana Nyad — who at age 64 was the first confirmed person without the protection of a shark cage to swim from Havana, Cuba, to Key West, Florida, in 2013 and then at age 67 embarked on a series of 140 mile walks for her new cause EverWalk — to share her journey, inspiration and driving forces. We hope this inspires you and hope you’ll share your story below.

1. Who/what inspires you to be unlike any? What’s the driving factor that fuels your motivation?

Nyad: My direct, conscious goal is not to be better than others. My intense focus is to be my best self. If that self winds up being interpreted as “unlike any other,” so be it. It may be counterintuitive to the concept of rising to the top of a human chain of achievement, but it sometimes winds up that my letting something go takes more courage and fulfills my vision of always being my best self more than my plodding ahead. Lately, I relinquished my position as screenwriter of my life story. I was hired to write the script. All parties involved felt I am a writer and storyteller and, although a novice to the genre of the screenplay, I could produce the best script. After a year, it took more strength for me to admit it is a very special and specific genre and would take me a few years to become competent, much less artful, at the genre and so I rose to the occasion and turned it over to a seasoned screenwriter. That was my best self, making the right decision for the project. The people who I admire are those who are authentic to their vision, despite the practical or public obstacles of their journeys.

My intense focus is to be my best self.

Right now I am fully committed to a vision of getting Americans out of their cars, away from their screens and into walking. My Cuba swim expedition leader Bonnie Stoll and I have launched an initiative called EverWalk. We are leading Epic walks, 140 miles each, along the stunning corridors of America. Our latest walk took us from Boston to Cape Elizabeth, Maine. It takes chutzpah to launch a movement but here we are, dreaming big, launching a movement.

2. What makes you leap out of bed every day?

Nyad: I am perpetually pushed by the loud, unwavering ticking of the clock. From childhood, I have felt the daily pressure of time screeching by, of the choking brevity of this precious life each of us gets to live. Of the 7 billion people now on planet earth, half have very little. Little clean water, food, safety. The other half of us have varying degrees of liberty and the privilege of pursuit of happiness. I am overwhelmed with my own degree of privilege, and I simply refuse to let any day go by without bounding out of bed and grasping the chaos with every fiber of my potential. I may fail. I often do. But I crash to the pillow each night with a deep sigh of relief, entirely sure I could not have given any more to any moment of that day.

3. What was your lowest moment that ended up launching you to your success?

Nyad: Lowest moment. I guess now, at age 68, I have a better perspective on the ebbs and flows of life’s highs and lows. It’s not a linear journey for any of us. It’s not that there was once a low and since then there’s been a direct line upward. While I would never call my childhood tragic, in light of the devastating poverty and abuse that millions of children are subjected to, it was a time fraught with fear of the two men who sexually abused me. I suppose I could say, looking back after all these years, that I built myself a suit of armour as a young person. I pretty much screamed that I was coming through and you better get out of my way. But, truth be told, I think I was that strong, determined individual in the first place. Years later, I still harbor that ferocity, but I have also found grace and compassion for others. There is no doubt that this time, right now, age 68, is the prime of my life.

READ MORE > IT’S ABOUT THEM MILES: WALKING AND LONGEVITY

4. Does this pivotal moment still impact your present?

Nyad: Again, I don’t think people “pivot” at particular moments. Perhaps there are literal traumatic events that catapult people into change. But I find more often that we grow and expand in our thinking, our courage in waves, making our way and then regressing a step or two, making our way onward again.

… it’s tenacity that takes us up and up toward our loftiest inspirations.

5. What’s your mantra?

Nyad: An artist friend recently made me a beautiful orange neon sign. I keep in it my gym, turn it on at dawn every day. It says PERSIST. My several mantras throughout my life have always expressed the drive to get back up after we’ve been knocked down. In every area of success and dream chasing, we all need talent and hard work and teammates and connections. But, above all that — and every successful person from every walk of life has expressed it in his or her own words — it’s tenacity that takes us up and up toward our loftiest inspirations. My mantras:

Find a way. Never ever give up. You’re never too old to chase your dreams.

READ MORE > ON INSPIRATION, MOTIVATION AND THE DRIVE TO SUCCEED

Let’s continue to shed light on our successes, recognizing that it’s the culmination of stamina, perseverance and grit to get here. Please share yours in the comments below.

BE UNLIKE ANY WITH THESE COLLECTIONS

Zoe Zhang, Actress & Taekwondo Black Belt Jessie Graff, Stunt Woman Alison Desir, Harlem Run Founder Misty Copeland, Principal Ballerina Natasha Hastings, World Champion Sprinter

[Read More ...] http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/diana-nyad-inspiration-motivation-drive-succeed/