#and then my mom comes in like an hour into my improvisation and im telling her this

[hauntedpotat]

I love finding out there's yet another small thing wrong with me 👍

[charlieslowartsies]

Huge Christmas Sale (Raffle Prize!) *New Finish on Sale*

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays lovelies!  This is bigass post, so here’s a Read More! Reduced commission prices below :>

Update 12/10: Colored linearts are closed!! A big thank you to all who grabbed one and the lovely signal boosts, and there’s plenty of other slots left~

This has certainly been A Year, hasn't it!? I'm thankful my job is already social distanced, (and my part timer in forestry /definitely/ is lol) and I'm thankful for the clients that have stuck with me and the new ones I've met just this year <3 <3 Last year, I did the sale and then immediately caught the flu and was down for like two weeks, this year I'm making sure I run the sale early--so I can enjoy time with my recently retired mom (we live together, don't worry!) and so I can get any Christmas gift commissions out asap for the gifters! I'm also keeping the sale running into Saturday so everyone has a chance to snag a slot if they wish. I always get to test my chops during a big sale, so let's get right into it~ Thank you so much for looking!! Sale Ends: December 12th 12am EST. Raffle Prize: A colored lineart of up to 2 characters! (Clean, NSFW, whatever the winner wants ;) ) -Due to the raffle, slots will NOT empty :) -nsfw ok, some gore ok -fanart, ocs, furry, ok -feral or anthro ok -NO upcharge for nsfw pieces -digital .PNG sent to your inbox/wherever you tell me -I will send out invoices from Paypal -email me at [ chrsjonsey [at] gmail.com ] or IM me here or ping my Discord: CharlieMcarthy#4456 Raffle Notes: -Raffle tickets are per every commission piece. (one commission=one ticket, and so on and so forth) -There currently is no limit to tickets -Winner chosen via an online randomizer on: Sunday, the 13th around noon -Winner has 48 hours to respond, I'll always choose what route we discussed the paid commission for, (ie, if we talked via Discord, I'll ping you there first) -Important: depending on amount of sales, your prize MAY come after Christmas. I will let you know. $10 Sketches (+$5 Flat color, up to two characters) 1. CLOSED 2. CLOSED 3. 4. 5. 6. Colored Lineart: $20 (up to 2 charas, extra charas are $6) 1. CLOSED 2. CLOSED 3. CLOSED 4. CLOSED 5. CLOSED Painting: $35 (up to 1 chara, extras are $8) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Experimental Piece: $50 (1 character, +$10 per extra chara, this finish will take longer than other tiers, see details below) 1. 2. 3. Expiramental Example 1 Expiramental Example 2 Expiramental Example 3 Experimental Pieces: These pieces are a great way for me to have a relaxed commission that I can freely play around with. The client who chooses one of these will be able to guide me in any direction they like, or let me take the piece with minimal instruction. But it is important to remember these finishes will not be uniform. Perhaps the only similar things will be my style, but each example was finished at varying times, with various brushes, and thus are all unique to themselves. Fixes will be kept to small, easy adjustments and anything major will be extra unlike the other tiers. Experiments normally start in the $80 range and increase from there, so I'm hoping $50 will entice some people for a special treat, while still giving me time to get the pieces done before Christmas. If you would like me to improvise on something in the piece, please let me know upfront. Otherwise, whatever examples/descriptions you give me I will adhere to best I can~ *NEW* Character Design Page: $80  (1 character design, one fullbody with two smaller examples beside, see examples+notes below) 1. 2. Character Design Page Example 1 Character Design Page Example 2(NSFW WARNING) Character Design Notes: I'm offering these for this sale only, just testing the waters. You can have a colored lineart or a painting of your subject, your choice. One of the examples can also be a nsfw shot of parts just lemme know ofc~ Like the Expiramentals, these babies will take the most time, that's why I'm only offering two. I likely won't offer a discount on my character design pages, (which start at $100 and go up) until next May or June ;)

[yuthoe]

Happy Birthday (PENTAGON: Hongseok)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HONGIE!!!!!!

So because it’s sexy brain man’s birthday, I decided to mix in his bday fic with this request:

Hello!! I'm feeling super soft for Hongseok :( could i plspls ask for some SOFT Hongseok content,, maybe a boyfriend type of thing?? I have no ideas im soso sorry but i guarantee if it's soft i will love it!! pls take care and stay safe 

since it’s fairly vague anyway, and I can do whatever I want with it lol. I originally wanted to do a trip to a theme park, but it’s a pain for logistics, so this is probably the next best thing. Now I have not been to South Korea, but researching about Banpo Hangang is making me want to go now.

WARNINGS: n/a. WORD COUNT: 821.

---

Hongseok slides into the passenger seat of your car, practically squeezing himself into the tight space. He slides the seat back a bit to make room for his legs and wiggles around to get comfortable before strapping the seat belt across his body.

“Happy birthday, beautiful,” you say cheekily, patting his thigh gently before starting the engine back up.

“Well, thank you, beautiful,” he answers, just as coy. “So where are you taking me today?” He removes the dark gray wool beanie from his head and shakes out his hair with a hand. The surgical mask hides half of his face from view, but he quickly takes that off and takes a deep breath, inhaling the faint lavender scent of the car freshener.

“Why should I tell you?” you tease, eyes fixed on the road, but once or twice sneaking glances at your boyfriend across the console. “If I tell you now, it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it?”

Hongseok feigns offense; you see him from your periphery holding a hand to his heart and the back of his other hand poised on his forehead, as if fainting. “Oh dear! My lovely Y/N has forsaken me--what shall I do?”

You laugh, shaking your head at his dramatic sense. “Aigoo, suck it up! It’s gonna be great, I promise!”

“I know,” he says; you think he’s looking at you. “You know I’ll love whatever you give me, since it comes from you.”

A warm flush spreads to your cheeks, and you fight to push it down--you know Hongseok will use that as an excuse to tease you in the future, even more than he does usually. You click your tongue, “Aish--! That was so cheesy, honey.” You slow and stop at the red light, adjusting the gear shift before turning to him. “You can sleep if you want. It’s gonna take maybe half an hour to get there?”

“Oh, are you sure you’re okay to drive that long? Aren’t you tired, too?” he asks, ever the mom friend.

You smile softly at him. “I’ll be fine, sweetie, don’t you worry.” The light goes green and you turn your attention back to the road. “Now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.”

***

“Banpo Hangang Park? Are you serious right now?” Hongseok yells, an excited little kid as you walk hand in hand towards the park after leaving your car at a pay-parking space. “Man, I’ve wanted to come here again for such a long time now.” He’s intermittently squeezing your hand, and you gaze at him with fondness.

“I know, it’s why I decided to take you there,” you say smiling, but you’ve put your masks and hats back on, so he can’t see. “I know the night market is probably closed right now, but i did bring a cake and a blanket, so we can eat at the park.” You squeeze his hand gently. “Sound okay to you?”

He stops walking and looks directly at you. “It sounds perfect to me.”

***

The Han River is a thing of beauty at night, lights from buildings flanking it on either side twinkle in the flowing water. It’s dark, and the lampposts are few and far in between, but it’s fine; it’s an adventure! of trying to lay the blanket flat on the soft grass while fighting against the wind. of fiddling with the cardboard latches of the cake box to get it to open. of juggling your phone for a flashlight while balancing a piece of cake on its precarious perch on your fork. You can say with confidence that this date went on as your dates usually do: half-planned, half-improvised and it’s more fun that way. You love it that way.

Cold wind caresses your face--it’s a nice breeze, not too strong and just the right amount of coolness for the springtime. Fresh air fills your lungs and travels to the tips of your toes with every breath. This place is truly amazing.

You and Hongseok are silent, just basking and lounging at the water’s edge after devouring the small cake, content to just sit there and feel each other’s presence.

“Thank you, Y/N,” he suddenly says. You turn to your boyfriend; he has a fond smile on his face and his heart is beating thirty miles a minute. He’s just so full of love he’s not sure what to do. “Really, thank you for today.” Hongseok places his hand gently on yours. “It was perfect.”

The contact makes you return his smile, bigger, brighter. “I’m really glad you liked it, Hongseok-ie.” You lace your fingers together and give them a slight squeeze. “Happy birthday.”

It really is the simple things that make life worth living, he thinks, that make him want to wake up another day and feel grateful that he’s on this earth. It’s the littlest things, like an empty park at night and eating cake by flashlight, that makes everything all the more beautiful.

[purplesurveys]

907

Are you one of those lucky people to own a walk-in closet? lol lucky people. No I don’t have one of those. Is there a random object you own that has a huge personal significance? Well it’s more significant today because we had our virtual graduation this morning... so I’ll go with my graduation sash. Ever since I started university I’ve always wanted to wear my own sash in a physical ceremony so again, it sucks that our batch got affected by the pandemic. Do you use Google? For just about everything, yeah. Would you like to go swimming right now? That would be soooooo so nice. I’ve been going through old vacation photos and I really miss the beach. Can you play electric guitar? Nope.

Do you have an HDTV? My parents do. When was the last time you drank something through a straw? Around a month ago when my dad bought milk teas for me and my sister. Have you ever tried to teach yourself a different language? I didn’t teach myself per se, but I have tried my hand learning Spanish on Duolingo several times. It always comes in phases – I get passionate about learning and use the app for weeks, then it kinda burns out after a while. Right now I haven’t used it since I got sick in May. How long was your last phone call? A little longer than an hour, I think. It was pure silence though; we just wanted to hear each other’s surroundings. Do you need to repaint your nails? No, I never get it painted. Has there ever been a horoscope that came true for you? Psh. Are you a fan of industrial metal? Holy shit I feel so stupid right now. I thought this was referring to a literal kind of metal and I thought, that is such an odd thing to be a fan of...Google quickly taught me that it is in fact NOT a material for building infrastructure jdsskfjskf. Anyway, no I am not a fan. Are you one of those people who chew two pieces of gum, not one? Yeah, occasionally. I don’t like how one piece loses flavor all too quickly so I go ahead and pop two in. Do you have a wall calendar? Not since 2008. We only had a wall calendar in our old house; when we moved here we started to rely on digital clocks and our phones to tell the time. Have you ever taken the pictures from a calendar and used them as posters? I haven’t had a calendar like that, so no. I’ve done this with magazines though. Can you handle the cold? Hahaha no, I can’t. I was already in so much pain in 20ºC weather in Sagada, and I fared much worse in 12ºC Japan weather. I would still pick living in a colder climate in a heartbeat over a tropical one, though. Have you ever been to Canada? Nope.  Do you believe in superstitions? Just one superstition involving my university that doubles as an inside joke, so it’s not like I take it 100% seriously. It’s a generations-old joke that’s impossible to ignore if you’re a student, so I just jumped in. When was the last time you took a taxi somewhere? It was from the airport to back home, but I forgot where we landed from. Bohol I think? Palawan? I don’t even know anymore. It was so inconvenient I begged my dad that we stop using taxis as transportation for our future trips. Would you ever join the army, airforce or navy? No. How old is the person you last kissed? 22. Is there a friend that you can always rely on to get you out of a jam? I don’t think so. When it comes down to it they all have their own different things going on and I can’t just call them whenever and expect them to come to me, and that’s okay. Generally though, I think my most reliable friends are probably Andrew and Angela. What was the most embarassing thing you've had to buy? I’ve never felt embarrassed by anything I had to buy, but it can get a little uncomfortable trying to buy napkins when my dress or pants are already soaked. I get over it quickly though, since menstruations are normal lol. Have you ever tried to balance the light switch between off and on? When I was a kid. I haven’t tried it in a while. Do you believe in ghosts / supernatural occurences? They’re fun to think about, sure, and I do enjoy watching the supernatural episodes of Buzzfeed Unsolved where they go ghost-hunting. I like to think that they somehow exist, but I still also very much maintain my skepticism at all times. Have you ever mistaken a person's gender? I’ve used the wrong pronouns accidentally but I always correct myself and apologize once I’ve noticed my blunder. What was the most expensive thing you've broken? My old iPhones. I’ve also sported a few dents on my car, but I wouldn’t say I broke the car. Has anyone texted you yet today? Not text, but online chat. We had our virtual graduation this morning so my inbox was swamped with congratulatory messages and such. Did you stay calm during the whole swine flu scare? I did, but I mean I was 11 and had no clue how serious it was supposed to be. I remember cheering when they suspended classes for a week because of a local swine flu case, so yep – still ignorant back then. Is there a light on in the room you're currently in? There is, but it isn’t turned on. Are your feet touching the floor? Nope, they’re on the bed. Have you ever been in a car accident? Mild ones, nothing too life-threatening. Do you usually make back-up plans? Yeah man I’m so anxious I always have at least plans A-C lined up in my head and ready to go whenever necessary. Can you focus well in high-stress situations? Usually. Without the aid of mascara, do you have long eyelashes? I do. I get compliments on it all the time too. I didn’t realize it was apparently a nice feature to have until more and more people pointed it out haha. Is there a kind of music you listen to that helps you release your anger? Yeah I have a playlist that’s lined up with all of my favorite loud, angry punk rock music specifically for when I’m pissed off. Are you one of those people who keep their feelings bottled up? I can, particularly whenever I feel like it’s not worth it to blow up. Is one of your friends extremely odd but you love them regardless? Not really. Aya’s pretty weird but I wouldn’t call her extremely odd. Is there anyone you dread going into public with? My mom when she’s mad. Are you a victim of writing run-on sentences? For the most part, I wouldn’t say so. If I write a run-on sentence it’s almost always in an informal setting where I’m more loose with punctuation, like if I’m chatting on IM or writing an answer on here. Still, I try to avoid them and I never do it in a formal situation. Graffiti: an art or an act of vandalism? They can be both. Some people who genuinely just want to fuck around vandalize, like how I’ve seen “Mark <3 Erica” in spray paint on public walls or some similar shit lol. But a lot of graffiti are art as well; many have important messages or symbolisms to say. Do you buy things online? I’ve done it a few times. Not regularly. I like being able to see and touch something before buying it. Are you easily frightened? I definitely am but at the same time I’m really into horror movies and serial killers and a ghost-hunting series? Hahaha it’s weird. I guess I enjoy the thrill that comes with having those interests. Do you have a favorite model? Over the years I’ve loved Elizabeth Jane Bishop, Kiko Mizuhara, Taylor Marie Hill, Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, and (controversial pick!) Kendall Jenner. Have you ever watched Titanic? So many times. Honestly, one of my favorites. What's your current facebook display picture of? It’s my official graduation photo wearing my graduation sash! :) I finally changed it last Friday after I got the email saying I’m on the list of graduates. How about your IM display picture? My main IM is my Messenger, which also uses my Facebook photo. Is there anyone whose hair you envy? Gabie’s for one. Hers is really smooth and silky and wavy. Would you act in a movie if it offered a role? If I was going to be a mostly unseen extra in a blockbuster film and still be paid like $600 for it, then I don’t see why I wouldn’t take it. Does speaking in front of people make you nervous? Only if there’s going to be an unscripted aspect to it that’ll make me have to come up with answers on the spot, like miting de avances or thesis defense. If I have a script or even just a general gist of what I want to say, I have no problem improvising and speaking in front of a crowd. Can you read in a moving vehicle or does it make you sick? It makes me sick but it hasn’t stopped me before. Have you ever dated someone who was extremely shy? I’m the extremely shy person... Or have you dated someone who took things too fast? I felt that way with Gab at first when she wanted to have sex like two months after we started dating, though I was scared mainly because it was going to be my first time and I wanted to make sure I was comfortable. Now that I’m a little older, two months seems like a healthy amount of time. Does the idea of driving 220 mph sound exciting to you? Sounds terrifying. It could be fun, but only if we’re in the middle of nowhere where there’s loads of space to go that fast and no chance of crashing. Everyone has a weakness, what's yours? Food. Do you or anyone you know have an account on Deviantart? I had classmates in high school who had accounts but I’m not sure if they still have it, or if Deviantart is even still as active as I knew it to be. Thoughts on the Dunkin Donut commercial that says "America runs on Dunkin'"?  It’s a creative slogan but if I was American I wouldn’t want a doughnut place claiming to represent my country. It cute though. Do you bother buying movies on DVD anymore or do you just download them? I watch them on Netflix, which is still technically like buying them since we pay for the subscription anyway. Do you listen to Daughtry? No. Do you get your eyebrows waxed? I don’t. Waxing looks so painful to me. How do you take your coffee? Lots of creamer or milk, a little sugar. I like trying out different coffees, but when I’m simply relaxing I do want my coffee as least bitter as possible.  If you have a dog, what breed is it? I have an aspin mix, though we never figured out what Kimi’s other half is. And I also have a beagle. Have you found someone who makes you unconditionally happy? I don’t know if 'unconditionally’ is possible but yes, I do have people who make me very happy. Do you have a friend who always seems to be dying their hair? Not anymore. Jo used to dye her hair like every month though and she must have been able to go through the entire rainbow. She looked sooo good in each of the colors. Would you swap names with a friend? I love all their names but I don’t see why that would be necessary. Do you plan on going to university? I did. I graduated today. Guys who wear muscle shirts, yes or no? Idk man, they can wear whatever they want. Are you a fan of Carrie Underwood? No. I liked some of her singles when I was younger, but I’m not a fan in that I have her albums and know her lesser-known songs. Do you make playlists on iTunes? I used to, when I still used iTunes. I make playlists on Spotify now. Have you ever forgotten someone's birthday? I don’t think so. Are you scared of being left behind? Yessir. I’m super competitive, so I hate the feeling. Do you remember your last dream? No. I’m really bad at remembering them unless they’re nightmares or insanely strange. I do know that I dreamt while we were watching mass earlier on the television though, hahaha. Do you know someone who is an obsessed Star Wars fan? So many people in my circle are. Is politics something you don't care about? No. If there’s anything I give tons of fucks about, it’s that. What's a movie/tvshow/book/series that is way overrated? I’ll go with the first things I thought of...in that order: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before; Stranger Things (it’s good, but not as good as people hyped it to be); I don’t really read anymore; and what do you mean by series? Just realized I only gave 2 out of 4 answers lol oh well. Do you think Barbie presents an unhealthy image to young girls? I don’t like how its physical features are still unrealistic; but I appreciate their attempts at diversity. I can’t say it was upsetting seeing a Filipino-themed Barbie :) Is there a pet that you desperately want? All I ever wanted were dogs, and now I’ve got two of them. Would you ever get your bellybutton pierced? Nope. Are you musically talented? Hahahahaha Have you ever shot a gun? Not a real one, so no. Athenna’s dad had this practice gun he used for target practice (duh) and I messed with that a few times. Do you have a friend that always changes their mind last second? That’s Gabie. She’s lucky she’s my girlfriend and that I love her, because it’s actually a big pet peeve of mine. Are you not afraid to voice your opinion? Yup. The only time I don’t say it out loud is if it’s unnecessary and if it’s going to be simply disrespectful. An example would be when my uncle offered to make me a carrot cake for my grad gift, and I just said yes because it was already generous enough for him to offer me a free cake when he runs a food business. In reality it’s not my favorite cake at all; it wouldn’t even be in my top 20. Are you one of those people who are always pushing their limits? Yes, I definitely overwork myself to the point of exhaustion and burnout. But I honestly prefer doing things and being busy than sitting around. Is there a word that you will always find humorous? Bubbling. Because Drake and Josh.

Do you frown upon immature people? Typically. Have you ever slipped on ice and hurt yourself? This may have happened to me once or twice when I was still regularly visiting the ice skating rink at the mall. People were always super nice and helped me get up, though. Do you try to have an intimidating impression? I don’t try. Apparently it’s naturally the vibe I give off. Living in the big city or chilling in the country? BIG CITY. Always the big city. I’ve gone to the country/province so many times; I already know what it’s like there. I’ll always prefer a noisy city. No one seems to obey the legal drinking age, do they? Hahahaha a lot seem not to. I know so many high school kids who’ve had a drink before turning 18. Do you like your country's flag? Sure. I like that we can switch up the colors depending on if we’re at war or not. Have you ever made a totally amazing snow fort? I’ve never even seen snow before. Do you use Bounty Paper Towels? No. Are you the one usually behind the camera or the one in the picture? BEHIND If you get married, will you have a traditional wedding? Traditional, yes. Religious, no. Do you feel you’re slowly losing one of your friends? No. But now that I’m no longer in school, I really hope I’ll continue to be friends with my orgmates. I’ll certainly keep in touch as much as I can. If you draw, what's one thing you always have trouble with? Everything about it. Is there someone you know moving away any time soon? No. I do know my friend’s sister had already moved and started her new job in California, but when the pandemic started she had to go back here. This virus is just ruining so many great things for everyone, man... Allergic to anything? Nope. How many cars have you owned? Zero. I drive one; can’t say I own it because my parents bought it. What are you going to do after this? Maybe take another survey.

[tricraftbeer]

The weekend I’d been looking forward to/dreading since January has come and gone, and now my eyes are open and I’m ready to move on to the rest of the season. I started exercising in January, after having Gloria in late October, and started training with a plan and coach in February. I raced the Desert Tri Olympic distance in March, and figured May 13 was enough time to feel ready for my first IM 70.3 race in one year and 7 months. But, as the race approached, I realized that I would never actually feel ready. I felt like I was racing for the first time ever. The logistics of getting to the race with all my crap, plus all the crap needed for a 6 month old baby was daunting. And the reality of racing with my current level of training was daunting, too, mostly because I just didn’t know what would happen and how it would feel. But I really don’t want to forget any part of the weekend, since it was such a milestone for me, so I’m going to try to write it all down. The goals were to just pop the cherry and get back into racing, get new bike power numbers, and see where my fitness currently is. Also, have fun and enjoy the short trip with the fam.

This is exhausting!

We started the drive up to Santa Rosa at 5am Friday morning, right after Gloria woke up. I fed her and we plopped her in the already-packed car, and crossed our fingers. She was a dream, and fell back asleep for 2.5 hours. So we got a good chunk of the drive done early. The rest of the 5 hour trip was slow-going, as we tried to time our stops just before naps, so I could feed her, change her, and get her back in the car to sleep. She was great and the day wasn’t too bad. We arrived in Santa Rosa at 1:30pm. I had a 2pm pro meeting. Luckily everything was close together downtown, so I could register, and get to the meeting on time. 

Gloria’s first pro meeting!

After that, I had under an hour to drop off my bike at the TriBike Transport shuttle to T1. The race start at Lake Sonoma was a 45 minute drive, and we just couldn’t do that after keeping ourselves cooped up all day. After waiting in line and dropping my bike, I had about 10 minutes to get my run gear dropped off at T2, at the expo. So with all that done, I realized I had no time to exercise at all. So no pre-race ride, run, swim, etc. But we’d done enough walking and standing and sitting that my legs were sore! So we just got a pizza and beer and called it a day. Back at the hotel we put Gloria to bed and I locked myself in the bathroom with my race gear to get it ready without waking her. She was great, and slept through it all. I wish I could say the same! I got to bed at 8:15, for a 3am wake up call to get the 4am shuttle out to the lake. As is so typical for the night before a race, I barely slept at all. At least I’m more accostomed to operating on a lack of sleep now.

Race morning I locked myself in the bathroom again to eat breakfast and use the breast pump. It was too early to wake Gloria up to feed her, and I knew I’d have to pump twice before the race started to get through it without leaking :) 

Gloria and Dad around 5:30am race morning :)

The hotel was only .5 miles from downtown where the shuttles and finish line were, so again, happy for that convenience. I got to the shuttles at 3:55am, and a few had already left full of people. Leave it to triathletes to be early for a 4am pickup! Uneventful shuttle ride, and arrival at the lake around 5am. I set up my gear in the freezing (40 degree) morning, and set off with my pump again. Once I was empty, it was time to walk to the lake. I ran into my buddy Christophe and we talked about expectations. I think I told him that I expected a solid, but unsurprising and unimpressive day. And, I was worried about the cold. I don’t handle cold well. 

I got into the lake, which at 62 degrees felt warm compared to the air. The water was calm, since they rerouted the swim course into a protected area to guard against the gusty winds. We had a deep water start. I settled into a group of 4 immediately, and had a calm, relaxed swim. It certainly wasn’t fast, but I also was basically using it as a warm-up. I worked just hard enough to stay fairly warm, and stay right in our little pack. Exiting the water was when the trouble started. I had something in my right eye that was burning and blinding. And bare feet on the cold cement ramp, and around transition caused my feet to feel like swollen ice blocks. I lost the girls I swam with during this .5 mile jog. And then I lost them further as I farted around trying and failing to pulled on arm warmers and gloves. Frustrated, I finally just put on my helmet and left, after a 6 minute transition. Oooops.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrr

Warning - this is the paragraph where I whine. I don’t want to come across as making excuses, because I don’t think I need to. I’m not upset about how I raced. I was just miserable and want to whine as a reminder to myself to never race again when the forecast is 40-45 degrees race morning!

I had made sure to synch and calibrate my power meter before the race, but of course it didn’t synch up when I started riding. Ooops again. I had wanted updated power numbers from this race, but that was not to be. It didn’t really matter since I couldn’t read my watch, or feel any part of my body. The intense, full-body convulsions started on the first, immediate downhill and continued until about the 45 mile mark on the bike course. I had a headache, sore neck, sore shoulders and ribs from the shivering, and my elbows bumped of my aerobars twice from bumps in the road I couldn’t avoid, since I could only see out of one eye. Most of my nutrition also fell of the bike in the first 10 miles. Thank goodness for aid stations! This was, by far, the most miserable I’d felt during a bike ride ever. And that was a bummer since I heard the course is absolutely gorgeous. And it should be a very fast course as well. This was the first time I can remember looking forward to the run, and lamenting the downhills. I rode my brakes so hard, not wanting to go any faster because it was so cold. Blah, blah, whine, blah, but that’s what I was feeling at the time. The lingering soreness in my head, neck and shoulders won’t let me forget it either! I’m hoping Champion System invents a full body fleece trisuit for races like this.

Here I am getting passed by someone who got gloves on. Sooo jealous!

Ok whine over. After a fairly slow time for the course, I was so happy to get into T2. Once on the run, I concentrated on placing my numb feet correctly, one in the front of the other, for 4 miles until I could feel them. Concentrating on just that, helped me keep a nice, even pace at a very sustainable effort. Time went by quickly, and I was happy to find I could stay steady without working too hard. The main goal was to just find out what I could do at this point in training. The run was great, on a mostly flat trail through woods. Lots of shade kept it very cool as well. The first loop was somewhere around 8-9 miles, with a shorter 5-6 mile second loop. I wasn’t paying enough attention to the mile markers to remember. Coming in for the second loop was amazing, as I was able to see Artie and Gloria. Tears actually came to my eyes, and helped clear out whatever was keeping me partially blind. So that was great too. I spent the second loop just feeling grateful to be out racing, grateful to Artie for coming on the trip and making my Mother’s Day weekend unforgettable, and grateful for my sweet little girl. 

Artie claims Gloria was right behind him in the stroller at this point. Let’s hope he didn’t forget her at the hotel. Thank for cheering Artie!

For the first time ever, the run finish came around before I knew it. I’d run a solid (for me) 1:30:20, and finished in a (not fast) 4:42. But I honestly didn’t even look at those times until an hour or so later. I really didn’t care. I didn’t find out my finish place (15/23ish pros) until much later. Still haven’t looked it up myself actually. Artie just told me. This weekend wasn’t about that. My next race certainly will be. But, after the nerves and doubts went away, this weekend was a celebration of our new family and a celebration of doing what I love again. So, I obviously won! Just don’t tell Holly, who actually won by like 30 minutes. And, no-one from the race will confirm, but I’m pretty sure I won the breastfeeding moms division outright. 

The race had a free beer tent from Lagunitas at the finish, so that is obviously where we headed as soon as I ate and pumped again. We picnicked in the grass until it was time to go in search of more food and beer. I can’t think of a better way to spend the day before Mother’s Day!

Racewise, my goals of testing my current fitness and having fun were accomplished, other than the bike ride. My goal of new power numbers was not accomplished. I fear that may mean an FTP test is in my future...I also had no nutritional issues, so my improvised plan with aid station nutrition was no big deal. Good to know.

Big thanks to Skechers, Roka, Champion Systems, RIPLaces, Bonk Breaker, ISM, and Profile Design for sticking with me through the pregnancy and comeback. 

Mother’s Day itself was another story. We got up with Gloria at 5am and left right away to aim for Monterrey for brunch. Instead, we got a flat tire outside of San Jose on the 101. Two tow trucks, four hours and four new tires later, we hit the road again at 11:30am. This epic journey didn’t conclude until 7:30pm, when we stumbled home. We had each had about 2 temper tantrums, I’d had two beers, Gloria had two naps, and Artie had a cold. What an end to an otherwise perfect weekend!

Yay!

Cheer squad

Yum!

Baby’s third beer

[hobbitc0re]

OTAYURI AND ALL OF THEM!! 😀😁

Gee whiz thank you😂😂😂😂 here goes

Who is the most affectionate?I think they’re both pretty affectionate but show it differently. Yuri is the most physically affectionate, he’s always kissing Beka’s cheek or putting an arm around him (especially once he’s tall enough to effortlessly put his arms over otabek’s shoulders!) Otabek has quieter affection, and he’s sappy as fuck. He’s the type to gaze lovingly at Yuri, give flowers and write sappy poems at any given opportunity, he always tells Yuri how much he loves him in flowery language with obscure metaphors for yuri’s physical features. (e.g. you have the eyes of a soldier / your lips are soft and beautiful like rose petals / your body is pale and beautiful yet strong and handsome, like a classic sculpture / your eyelashes are like a soft feather, delicate and ethereal where they fan out from your eyes like the wing of an eagle / when you smile, you make me feel more whole than I feel when i see the sun in the dead of winter, splitting the dark clouds and illuminating the fresh snow, turning the world from a drab mundane setting to a magical wonderland)

Big spoon/Little spoon?Otabek is the big spoon until Yuri grows some more and his hair gets even longer and otabek goes “fuck this” after one night too many waking up drowning in his soft blond hair

Most common argument?Hmm, I think they don’t argue about much but they sometimes have playful disagreements re things like, yuri (who absolutely ends up a lot taller) put stuff too high for otabek to reach, or otabek made another song about yuri when all his clients are complaining and “beka i know you love me but really?” Before they start dating they just argue about stuff like “Yuri stop following me into clubs you aren’t even 18 yet and im gonna get into shit because of you”

Favorite non-sexual activity?I think they like hanging out, but the going out kind. Driving around on Beka’s bike, going to second hand clothing stores and window shopping, laughing at the granny clothes

Who is most likely to carry the other?Otabek would carry Yuri

What is their favorite feature of their partner’s?Otabek (obviously, canonically) loves Yuri’s eyes. Yuri loves Otabek’s hair, it’s unbelievably soft and it always looks so nice, especially when he grows it out.

What’s the first thing that changes when they realize they have feelings for the other?Otabek sort of realised it slowly so not much changed on his side. Yuri woke up one morning and was like “holy shit im in love with otabek what do i do" and he initially wouldn’t even look at him cause he was so embarassed. Once they got together pretty much the only thing that changed was that they stopped pining for each other and they kissed quite a lot

Nicknames? & if so, how did they originate?Well there’s the whole thing with russians and names so there’s obviously yura and beka which are just natural. Sometimes otabek calls yuri “kitten” to tease him. Once he called yuri “baby” and yuri laughed for like five years solid. Yuri affectionately calls otabek мишка мой or мишка cause of the whole teddy bear thing and cause he thinks it’s cute.

Who worries the most?I think beneath his Cool Guy exterior, otabek stresses about a lot of things all the time

Who remembers what the other one always orders at a restaurant?Both! Yuri often remembers otabek’s order but otabek unfailingly remembers yuri’s order. Yuri finds it lowkey creepy how he always knows exactly what he wants to order lmao

Who tops?unpopular opinion but *stands on a table, pulls out a megaphone* *shouts into megaphone* YURI PLISETSKY TOPS

Who initiates kisses?Hmm, I think when they’re watching a movie or lying in bed Otabek will initiate kisses, but Yuri always does spontaneous kisses. He’ll, like, kiss otabek randomly at practice, or while he’s busy like cooking or something, or when he stops djing for a food break and is sitting down, about to eat his burger but yuri’s lips reach his mouth before the food does. He sometimes kisses otabek at slightly inconvenient times but Beka isn’t gonna complain.

Who reaches for the other’s hand first?They reach for each other at the same time, it’s almost uncanny. They always reach their hands out and then laugh before holding hands.

Who kisses the hardest?YURI!!!!! He’s the goddamned ice tiger of Russia and he kisses like it too. Once they spent some time just making out and otabek had to ask to stop because his lips were starting to hurt

Who wakes up first?Otabek. He’s a Morning Person, which Yuri thinks is abominable

Who wants to stay in bed just a little longer?Yuri, he never wants to get up

Who says I love you first?Otabek, after their first date (real smooth, dude) lmao. He planned on playing it cool but he’s dropping Yuri at home and he’s just parked his bike and he hugs him and yuri says “Thanks, I had a great time.” Otabek isn’t sure what he meant to say but he knows that blurting out “I did too, I love you” wasn’t planned. Luckily Yuri reciprocated the emotion

Who leaves little notes in the other’s one lunch? (Bonus: what does it usually say?)Uhmmmmm they leave notes for each other. Otabek’s say stuff like “your eyes are carved emerald medallions, set in the porcelain of your skin, your hair the softest strands of sunshine cascading from the gentle slope of your skull, you are the most attractive man i have laid my eyes on, I love you more than anything and I hope you have the best day ever ♡♡” and Yuri’s say stuff like “enjoy, asshole” or “I love you 🐱” or something in russian cursive that otabek doesn’t even try to read.

Who tells their family/friends about their relationship first?Otabek accidentally tells his mom three days after their first date during his bi-weekly compulsory khazakh-style family conference call

What do their family/friends think of their relationship?Yuri’s grandpa (and the rest of his family too) is initially put off but Otabek’s cool and badass image, but loves him the second he meets him. Otabek’s family loves yuri but soon hear of his infamous attitude, after which Otabek has to endure his older sister threatening Yuri with the regular “you break my lil brothers heart and i break you, kid”

Who is more likely to start dancing with the other?Otabek, i rate he’s secretly a reeeally good dancer

Who cooks more/who is better at cooking?They both suck at cooking but it depends what they’re cooking. Yuri sucks less so he cooks like 55% of the time.

Who comes up with cheesy pick up lines?Otabek will use a shitty pickup line, Yuri will reply with another one. They exchange pickup lines for hours. “Hey do you wanna win gold? cause I know how to make sure you always come first” “Is this your bike? cause i’d love to ride with you” “yura that is the worst pickup line i’ve heard what the fuck” “gimme a break beka i’m improvising here”

Who whispers inappropriate things in the other’s ear during inappropriate times?Yuri is a horny little shit and making Otabek flustered at an inappropriate/inconvenient time is literally his hobby

Who needs more assurance?Otabek

What would be their theme song?I have no idea but Affection by Cigarettes After Sex is literally the number 1 song on my otayuri playlist

Who would sing to their child back to sleep?I think otabek won’t let yuri sing to the baby because “no yuri you cannot sing heavy metal to an infant!” and Yuri’s fine with it cause otabek has such a nice singing voice

What do they do when they’re away from each other?Pining. Lmao, they sext a l o t. It’s common knowledge in their circles that if you respect either of them and want to be able to look them in the eye, never look at their chats with each other when they’re not physically together.

one headcanon about this OTP that breaks your heartI actually have no angsty headcanons about them uhmmmmmmm well, Otabek is allergic to cats which is tragic because he can never go to Yuri’s house without dosing himself to the eyeballs with antihistamines which make him so dopey he usually just falls asleep within half an hour. Seriously though? The idea of the seperate pining that went on for like 3 years before they got together, Yuri having a wild crush on otabek but thinking it’s unrequited and otabek having a crush on yuri but suppressing it cause he knows Yuri’s too young and he really is angry at himself for having such a stubborn crush on a goddamned 15 year old

one headcanon about this OTP that mends itWhen Yuri is 22, Potya has to be put down on so he buys a maine coone and makes sure to wash her frequently so Otabek can breathe freely again and all their relationship troubles are solved.Seriously though? how amazing of a couple they are once they do get together