#and wiped down my desk with clorox wipes so it’s clean

[defenselesswriter]

love that i’m trying to sleep an hour ago and my brain went “actually you HAVE to clean right now”

so i did

i cleaned my room

go me i guess

[donkey-hyuck]

HBD :: lmk

“how could my day be bad when i’m with you? you’re the only one who gives me love.”

“so how can my day be bad? it’s a day for you.”

currently playing: bad - wave to earth

idol!mark x gn!reader

TW: food (cake) | profanity | unlucky reader (?)

a/n - happy mark day i’m so soft for him🥹

————

to put in in honest words— this august second was one of the worst days of your life. everything at your job had gone wrong and you could feel every crevice that was filled with sweat as you ran around the office trying to make amends. it also didn’t help that it was mark lee’s birthday. of course, you’d much rather make amends on mark’s special day but he wasn’t going to be home until later.

you had actually been arranging such plans a week or so ago when they came back from tour. you know they are still really busy with promoting ‘istj’ but that didn’t stop you from practically begging on your knees in front of their manager. you just wanted this special day to celebrate your special boy.

the plan was to hold him back for two hours as the rest of the dreamies got to leave and pick up some catering, decorations, and the cake you had called for prior. this day was going to be perfect, you gaslit yourself as you found yourself stuck at the desk of your corporate job.

the minute you stepped off work grounds, you immediately texted jaemin and asked if they were on their way to pick up the things as you drove home as quick as you could to clean your shared apartment. the timing though was very unfortunate.

when you got home, you were met with an absolute mess. your cat had seemingly known that you were having a bad day and messed with almost everything in your apartment.

there were broken glasses in the kitchen from cups you had set out to dry before you stored them away, the vase that was sitting on the entryway of your home was now knocked down on the floor, your makeup was scattered and broken everywhere in your bedroom and bathroom, the pillows and blanket sitting on your couch had been slightly torn up, and your cat had decided at every moment to not use his litter box. this day was not getting any better and you definitely felt like crying. why does this have to happen on mark’s special day? you just wanted to do something nice for him to relax a little. but now it was all ruined.

you picked up every fiber of glass in the entryway and kitchen first, making sure no tiny piece was left behind. then you folded the blankets and pillows and placed them in the cupboard in your living room to hide them from your friends. next, you cleaned up the makeup that had found it’s way to the floor and stained the white floors of your bedroom and bathroom. curse these new and modern apartment buildings. and lastly, as you cleaned your cats droppings off the floor, you couldn’t help but to just cry. everything was a mess and you had already been cleaning your house for almost two hours.

and before you had the chance to finally be done cleaning the cat poop off the floor, the doorbell rung indicating the dreamies’ arrival. oh god, you thought.

as you opened the door, the six boys were met with the smell of febreeze and clorox wipes. of course, the had commented about it as well, “why does it smell so clean in here? and not in a good way,” said chenle, placing the snacks on the counter.

before anyone else had the chance to say something, you broke down crying again. you took the gloves off your hand and grabbed a few tissues before wiping away your tears. this made the boys worry about you as they made their ways closer to your body.

“what’s wrong, y/n?” asked jaemin.

you told them the whole shabang and they felt sorry that you had to deal with everything all alone. so instead of you worrying about everything being perfect, the boys made you go to the bathroom to freshen up as they finished cleaning your apartment and set up the food, plates, and decorations for mark’s big surprise.

you honestly didn’t trust their cleaning skills but they ushered you to get in the shower to help you relax a bit. but there was still a bit of anxiety in you even after you got out.

“there’s just one problem, y/n,” said jisung, scratching the back of his neck. “they kinda spelled mark’s name wrong. they put m-o-r-k.” he emphasized the ‘o.’

you let out a frustrated sigh and wiped your face with your hand. you wanted this day to be over already. you could spend it with mark on another day, right?

“it’s fine, jisung. clearly people don’t know how to do their jobs correctly and listen,” you sighed, “but it’s the least of my worries right now. i just want the rest of the night to go by peacefully and happily.”

——

when their manager let the boys leave the studio early (except mark) he was confused and frustrated all at once. it was his birthday. how could his manager do that to him? but he was obedient and went to the meeting. which was pointless, by the way. mark knew it, but he didn’t know it was to just pass the time as his lover and his friends got together to surprise him for his big day.

he’s turning twenty-four. it still shocks him to think that.

when he finally got to go home, he texted you that he was on his way back and just wanted to spend the rest of the night with you. when he reached his home, he noticed the light in the apartment were off except for maybe the tv or some blue l.e.d. lights and thought nothing of it.

but when he hung his keys on the key holder in the entryway, and took off his shoes, he noticed some of his members shoes messily placed on the ground.

when he entered through the door the first thing he says is, “babe? are the boys here?”

the only answer he got was “surprise” by yourself and the boys in question.

you could see his eyes light up as your friends popped out from their hiding spots with glow sticks in hand and confetti poppers now on the floor.

the smile on his face is one you’d remember forever. he’s looking at the people he loved the most and spending his birthday with the people he loved the most. the boys were all blocking you from him as mark pushed pass them to finally lock his eyes on you.

“happy birthday.” your response from him was a hug. the tightest hug he could have possibly ever given to you. he hides his face in your neck and whispers millions of “thank you’s” and “i love you’s.”

——

the party is spent well. and you almost forget about the first half of the day where everything and everyone was getting on your last nerve. that was until he whisked you away from the main party and locked you in the bathroom with him and he asked how your day was.

“honestly, it was absolutely fucking terrible. nothing was going according to plan. my work fucked me up, the car fucked me up, even the cake is fucked up. but i’m better now. thanks to you. and the boys. they all came to my savior when i was on my last straw…. i couldn’t wait to see you,” you mumbled in his chest as he swayed you back and forth.

“it’s better now, though. now that i’m with you,” you lifted your head as he boyishly giggles and kisses you like his life depended on it.

“what about you? you haven’t told me yet,” you smiled, playing with his hair at the nape of his neck.

“mine is better too, now. when they left earlier i was so pissed you have absolutely no idea. and they made me sit through a meeting alone. for two hours,” he whined and scrunched his eyes just thinking about it.

“but you’re here with me and i’m ending my birthday with the best people in my life.” he held you against his chest once more, swaying you again.

“yeah… my day can’t be bad anymore, it’s a day for you. happy birthday my love.” you leaned up and placed the gentlest kiss against his jaw and rested your head on his chest again.

this was perfect.

[enbysaurus-rex]

So maybe life is hard sometimes

and it would be nice if it were easier. It might not be any one thing, but maybe there are a lot of little problems that add up or thinks that are just exhausting? Disability/executive dysfunction/life/burnout maybe has you down, that’s all, and you know you can make your space yours to make it better, but what does that mean???

An incomplete list in no particular order about the Weird Shit I do to make my life less fucking exhausting, sometimes. I’m a certified adult, I promise.

More garbage cans! Put them everywhere! Next to your bed and your chair and your couch and both ends of your counter and your litter boxes and-

Hair ties, everywhere! If you have tie-back-able hair! Brushes, maybe, or combs! I keep them in my desk and in my kitchen and my bathroom and my car and my floor (I have cats) and my trunk and my bag and-

Toothbrushes and toothpaste! Gum! Those weird little single use toothbrush fuckers! Everywhere! I keep a toothbrush and kids toothpaste in my car cup holder! I brushed my teeth at 3pm while running an errand for my boss! I use kids toothpaste bc my hands hate me and it’s easier to squeeze! Big packs at the dollar store for the toothbrushes, and you can get cheap toothpaste! Hell, even if you just use the brush it’s better than nothing!! I keep another set in my shower and in my kitchen and in my bag

Loads of chairs! Seating! Everywhere! Stools in the kitchen, chairs by your vanity, shower chairs, literally??? There’s no law that says you have to stand up??? Sit on the goddamn floor if you’ve been standing in line for too long? I do it all the time? Live your best life!

Pre-chopped/cooked/peeled/whatevered food!! Whatever makes food edible for you, fckn do that! No need for extra steps! I throw a handful of craisins in my jar of peanut butter and then eat them out of the jar with a plastic spoon! There’s a food truck out there where they get worried if I don’t show up every day! I eat beans straight out of the jar if I’m not up to cooking! (I like cooking and I love my slow cooker but??? If you’re not up to it? Who gives a shit??? Get you some minute rice and some beans and microwave that shit!)

Disposable! Dishes! Fuck! Throw them away! Dishes are the WORST?? Buy some plastic bowls and some utensils and just!!! Yeet em!!! (Meal prep containers are great if u can bc you can keep reusing them if u want but u don’t have to? You can put them in the fridge if you don’t finish, take it to lunch the next day, rinse, repeat!)

Changing clothes totally depends on your work wardrobe? But fckn sleep in the next days clothes if you have to/can? Or sleep in some of it and leave the rest laid out next to you? Sometimes getting all the way dressed and undressed is too goddamn much?? Fuck knows I can’t!

Cleaning!! Clorox wipes are the love of my life and I would kill for them! Leave a box of those fucks everywhere! Esp the back of the toilet, where you bathe, and near where you meal prep, cuz that’s where you’re gonna have Waiting Time! Which means your bored little gremlin hands could clean!

Put things close to the floor if u gotta! I used to keep all my appliances (my slow cooker, my microwave, tea kettle, etc) on the floor bc I was too tired to stand up very often? So I propped myself up on walls and did my veggie chopping on the floor

If u gotta crawl, crawl. Butt scooch? Do that. Lean on walls, hang onto counters, do whatever. I’m usually dragging myself around the apartment like a shitty legless zombie extra and my cats love it. Maybe put extra pillows around for yourself if you’re a spontaneous napper

If keeping food fresh/using food before it goes bad is hard, buy frozen or canned or eat out. I sure as hell have no idea when the things in my fridge got there, and I’m lucky I’ve only gotten food poisoning like once that way lol, so just?? Yeah

Medicine bottles can come with easy open caps! You have to promise there aren’t kids in the house, but if u ever have grip strength issues or even if it’s a reason you sometimes don’t take your meds (CVS bottles, I’m looking at you), just ask your pharmacist to switch them out. They’ll do it so fast!

Charge cords everywhere! None of that ‘idk where I put my cord 😭’ shit cuz I have like? So many? All of them cheap? But they do the job

Please add more if you have them? These are ones I can think of from bed because someone reminded me that I Do Things Like This Now and it might be useful to someone

[tiffyfoundsomething]

So I kept getting in trouble for how loudly I type on my old keyboard...

Which was partly due to HOW I type (like a gaggle of pecking jackhammers), and the keyboard itself which was designed to make a nice clackity clackity while typing.

(unavailable, so no link)

So I did a little digging around for quieter keyboards, focusing on gaming keyboards because streamers like to have quiet keys these days, and settled on this Razor keyboard which was affordable for me.

Which is here: https://amzn.to/3x9dhw1

And yeah, it’s quieter. More of a tackatacka than clackity clackity (sad).

Also sad is that yeah, I am more of a PC gamer than console, but I haven’t had a PC that can run games in a very long time so I can’t say how well this one works for gaming. I had also thought my old keyboard was broken because it would duplicate the letter “i” often, but the Cynosa does it, too, so it must be me.

It also has lots of nice color changing options which I had to sign up for a service to be allowed to control (?????) which also allows me to put my keyboard settings on a cloud server to use on any device (????? the hell? I don’t want that....) but anyway.

A secondary feature I was looking for, which both keyboards above have, is spillproofing/washability.

I am clumsy and I often eat and craft at my computer. I also almost always have a drink nearby, so a keyboard that’s not going to die if I spill was critical.

-

The Cynosa Chroma isn’t difficult to clean, but it was getting kind of tedious having to shake crumbs out now and then because I drop stuff a LOT, and also when I eat noodles, I somehow end up with little dots of soup EVERYWHERE (clumsy!!!) and those were a little more annoying to clean off.

So I thought it would be easier to just get a cover!

which is here, and is about $12: https://amzn.to/3I58Qcc

I have NO idea whether the Chroma I have is the 1.0 or 2.0, nor do I know the difference between the two, but I did have a little trouble finding a cover. It’s kind of old.

This one, the listing states over and over to make sure you’re buying for the correct keyboard.

I agonized over that for over an hour (anxiety woo!) before being convinced that yes, this was the right keyboard for the cover and placing my order.

Now, I have a feeling people kept buying this for the wrong keyboard (US version has a different shape to some keys than every other version because we have to be special I guess) and then leaving negative feedback or demanding refunds based on all of the warnings to make sure you’re getting the right cover from the seller and because they emailed me and asked me if I was sure it was the right cover for my keyboard before they were willing to send it.

To make sure there were 0 misunderstandings I sent them a photo of my keyboard.

Anyway.

It did take some getting used to using the cover because it feels different (silicone vs hard plastic) and it muffles the key sounds a little more (booooo), but it is infinitely easier to clean than the keyboard was because crumbs and bits can’t escape down under the keys.

I just pull it off onto the desk pad and wipe it well with a Clorox wipe, but it can be washed, too.

It does also kind of dull the view of the lights and plastic but they’re still visible. The ease of cleaning was more important than appearance for me.

[whentherewerebicycles]

good morning it’s the weekend!!! it’s a gloomy day and we’re having a lazy morning snuggling in bed. I think I want to focus on house tasks today and leave my various errands for tomorrow, although we’ll see how the day unfolds. my house isn’t too messy by my usual standards but things got a bit disorganized during the painting frenzy and I’m trying to get in the habit of periodically doing a whole-house tidy to prevent stuff from piling up. first I want to finish reading this book but then I’ll work my way through this checklist!!

MISC LIFE TASKS

order cleaning supplies

pick up grocery order

buy toothpaste

drop off UPS store returns

order walgreens prints

wash blankets, sheets, towels

go for a short neighborhood run?

shower at some point but probably not until I’m done with all the tasks

make a big batch of something for the week

make whole wheat pita bread or at least start the dough so I can make it tomorrow

KITCHEN

clean out fridge

wipe down fridge shelves

load & run dishwasher

empty dishwasher

organize counter storage space

order new shelves

rearrange baking cabinet + move cooking oils up to where spices used to be

rearrange tupperware storage

scrub down counters, sink, stovetop

clean inside of microwave

clean out breadbasket

vacuum rug and bench

update january calendar

take out trash

HALF BATH

swiffer floor

clorox toilet

wipe down countertops

windex mirror

reorganize tool drawer

reorganize junk drawer

put together lamp if it looks good

LIVING ROOM

vacuum floor and rugs

vacuum sofa

swiffer floor

organize/tidy hearth area

wipe down hearth, coffee table

windex mirror tray

windex entryway mirror

check on plants & replace sticky traps

HALL CLOSET

hang up all coats and tidy purse area

reorganize painting supplies & storage area

reorganize shoe rack area

LAUNDRY ROOM

tidy and dust/wipe down pantry shelves

reorganize shelves over laundry machine and move paint samples to hall closet

haul out art boxes and sort everything. figure out which frames I want to donate vs. keep, store art I’m taking out of the banged-up frames, and then move it all to storage

pour dog food into containers and store bags

vacuum floor

swiffer floor

empty vacuum

sort & pile up all returns in one place

LIBRARY

tidy shelves & move books around to fit

vacuum floor

tidy kennel area

BEDROOM

hang up clothes and reorganize closet

reorganize top shelf

tidy/organize bottom of closet

dust and tidy bookshelves

wipe down nightstand

clean out nightstand drawer

change sheets, pillowcases

windex mirrors

move returns downstairs

vacuum

OFFICE/FRONT ROOM

vacuum

tidy and wipe down desk

tidy plant cart shelves

check all plants and replace sticky traps

empty trash

clean out big storage closet and reorganize

BATHROOM:

spray down shower, let sit, scrub

mop floor

scrub down counters and sink

clorox toilet

windex mirror

reorganize drawers

replace all towels

empty trash

CLOSETS:

reorganize storage closet

reorganize linen closet (fold/sort)

CAR:

take out a trash bag and throw out trash

bring in all water bottles to wash

vacuum out the whole inside whoo it’s a mess in there

that’s it! can’t decide if I want to do it all at once in a sustained burst of activity or leisurely over the course of the day… tbd. might get up and put a bra on and get started soon though lol.

[calamityandme]

Tomorrow’s the party!

I was going to go to a doctors appointment this morning but they cancelled so I went shopping for a few essentials for the party instead. I brought my friend and maid of honor with me. Then she cut my hair at my house before I drove her home.

It was really nice to hang out with my friend. We just talked about life. I miss seeing her and I want to do things with her more often. It’ll be nice to see her at the party.

I’m so relieved to have my haircut. It was so, so thick. My hair was overwhelming me. Lately I’ve been wearing it in a low pony tail so when I am moving around it doesn’t overstimulate me.

^ the hair I lost

I got a lot done today despite being sleepy. I got groceries, got a haircut, hung out with a friend, bathed my dog, brushed all the pets, took the trash out, did two loads of laundry, made most of a cheesecake and did probably other things I am blanking on. Now I’m about to take a late night bath. Waiting for Danny to get off work.

I celebrated pumpkin spice coming back to Starbucks today. I had enough money to get me and my friend a drink. I tried the venti Iced chai tea with brown sugar syrup and pumpkin cream cold foam for anyone curious. It felt very good to just enjoy something because you like it and it’s around again.

I am nervous for the party but excited. Only people who love me and Danny are coming over. They aren’t going to be hardcore judging us (hopefully lol), they are probably just thinking it’s nice we’re cooking for them and inviting them over.

I have a list of things that have to be done tomorrow. Some of those things are for Danny to do, some for us to do together, the rest is for me.

Danny:

Scoop dog poop, clear off desk, take trash down, dishes

Me:

scoop litter boxes, vacuum, Clorox the furniture, wipe down the cabinets in the kitchen, clean bathroom, bake danishes

Us:

clean main rooms, put clothes away, change bedding, cook dinner, tidy up porch, tidy up the bedroom, hide the w33d stuff, dust ceilings

So much. Ugh. I prepare and prepare but there’s always unavoidable work that happens the day of something important. That’s how it is lol.

I hope my family likes what we’ve done to the place and that we will have a good time together. I’m excited for everyone to meet the pets too

[colormeconfused]

Things are shifting in my head. Interactions with Anabelle are starting to feel giggly and fake, like I'm holding onto an image of myself. When we went shopping together before Addie came, she talked about her stained glass ideas. The entire time. And I'm happy she's excited for her creativity and letting it out is good. But I never got a "how are you?" You don't really give those either, not unless we haven't talked in a minute. Is that just a me thing? My way of caring? My way of saying I love you? But shifting- I've got no image to hold onto with you. I'm comfortable. I can lay on the floor and not feel a fool. I don't have to be one of the girls, or a gamer, or a nerd. I don't have to know everything or be tough. I can be small, sarcastic, silly, slightly impulsive. I can feel safe to cry, safe to smile at everything without a reason. You make me want to take up space. You make me want to be creative. Andrea is leaving today I think. There's a lot of bags in the dining room. I had to tell Aleks to clean up his beard hair again. Also had to show him the other day where the Clorox wipes were. The place they've been this entire time. Where I said they were when I asked everyone to wipe the counters down as often as possible. He said he wipes them down with soapy water. He will do more chores once she leaves. That's a promise and a threat. Minimum of wiping down the toilet. That thing gets gross under the seat and that's no one's fault but his. I wish you were my housemate. Cleaning would have gotten done. And if I did have grievances with you and your habits I would feel a lot more comfortable talking to you about it versus the unstable alcoholic with trauma, anxious gamer with the sad eyes, and complete fucking stranger. Really wish we'd lived together. We'd have vibed I think. At least in the same house, not same room. I don't think I was a good guest over at yours. We could have talked for hours and I couldn't get any words out. I was there for you and I should have done something for me. I miss the late nights at the boathouse. Talking and walking there and back. You know one of the nights I almost tried to kiss you on the cheek? Impulsive. Sorta. I thought long and hard about it, when and how. I chickened out. Obviously. I couldn't figure out how to get your consent. If you didn't meet her, how would have this summer been different? I wanna text you that I miss you. So much. Even though it hasn't even been a week since you left. But I can't bring myself to do it. Not when the first time you brought her up you told me you were exchanging I miss yous and the reverence in your voice made it sound like you two were saying I love you instead. But god do I miss you. I missed you every time I left your house just to text you 5 minutes later. I missed you every time you asked to reschedule something. I missed you when you switched from Saturday to Friday at the desk. It hasn't even been 24 hours since we last said anything to each other and I miss you so much. I can't get you out of my head. Why am I like this?

[biggest-stupidhead]

Never Ready

Summary: “It’s not like I’m ready to take her in.”

“And I was ready for you? Kid, nobody is ever ready for things like this. That doesn’t mean they don’t happen.” Levi is faced with the difficult decision of taking in his newly orphaned cousin. But he can't do it alone.You're a newly graduated college student looking to make some extra cash, but get more than you originally bargained for...

Word Count: 2.3K 

--

The day had started just like any other day. He woke up early and worked out before making himself a small breakfast of tea and an English muffin with some jam. Then he got dressed for work in one of his perfectly tailored suits. His routine was flawless, perfected over many years to allow him to seamlessly slip from one task into the next. He arrived one full hour before work actually began so that he could organize his desk and get a jump on the day’s cleaning. He liked working in a clean environment, if this step was missed (or really any of them for that matter), his entire day was thrown off. 

And today was one of those days. About four minutes before the office officially opened, Levi got a phone call. He had the phone wedged between his ear and his shoulder as he finished wiping down his desk with a clorox wipe. 

“We regretfully inform you that your cousin and his wife were involved in an armed robbery.” 

He froze at this, his eyes narrowing as the woman waited for his response. 

“What was stolen?” He asked before continuing to wipe down the surface. 

“Sir…” The woman spoke slowly and Levi began to lose his patience. 

“Listen, I appreciate the phone call but quite honestly I don’t have time for this.” He said bitterly as he disposed of the wipe. 

“This is very important sir, your cousin, and his wife were both murdered in the process.” The woman informed him and his blood ran cold. Although he had never been close with his extended family, the news was still tragic. 

“I see,” Levi grumbled as a boulder seemed to settle in the pit of his stomach. 

“I’m calling regarding their daughter, Mikasa. Seeing that Mr. Ackerman was an only child, as was Mrs. Ackerman, and their parents have passed, you and your uncle are her next of kin.” The woman continued as Levi sank into his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“What do we need to do?” Levi sighed as he closed his eyes, waiting patiently for her response. 

“You have a few options, either of you could gain full parental rights to her, or she will become a ward of the state.” Some shuffling could be heard on her end of the line and Levi felt his heart rate spike. For a time in his own life, he had been thrown into the system, that was until his own uncle had gained custody after sobering up. 

“I understand,” Levi grumbled, watching as his coworkers set about their daily business as he was dealing with this unforeseen issue. 

“The decision doesn’t need to be made immediately of course. I strongly encourage that the two of you discuss this at length. The funeral is this Thursday, Mikasa and myself will be there and we can talk in greater depth then.” The sound of a keyboard clacking filled the short silence as he considered what an appropriate response would be. 

“I’ll...get back to you.” He leaned forward in his seat and clicked on his calendar, crossing out the lengthy list of tasks and replacing it with, FUNERAL. 

“Thank you, and sorry for your loss.” He hung up the phone and reclined back into his seat. This was quite possibly the biggest disruption he would ever face in his life. He hated that his cousin and his shitty wife had left this burden to rest on his shoulders. But upon further thought, his own mother had done the same thing to his uncle. You know what they say: history repeats itself. 

It seemed that as soon as he had set the phone down, it rang. His uncle’s contact lit up his screen and he let it ring three times before picking it up. 

“Did ya hear?” Kenny’s deep voice crackled over his speaker and Levi grunted. 

“Yeah, just got off of the phone with the social worker,” Levi informed him and Kenny hummed deeply. 

“What do you think?” He pressed and Levi felt his annoyance increase by tenfold. 

“I think that it’s a load of shit. And you?” Levi asked as he crossed his legs under his desk. 

“Same here.” Kenny agreed. 

“It’s not ideal, but we can’t let her go into foster care,” Kenny grumbled and Levi hummed his agreement. Kenny was right, even if she was distantly related, Mikasa was still a part of their family. 

“So are you going to take custody then?” Levi scoffed, knowing damn well that Kenny was pushing fifty and had a chronic case of bad arthritis. 

“Hell no, I’ve done my part by raising you.” Kenny laughed bitterly and Levi’s expression soured. 

“It’s not like I’m ready to take her in.” Levi countered and Kenny let out another bark of laughter. 

“And I was ready for you? Kid, nobody is ever ready for things like this. That doesn’t mean they don’t happen.” Kenny chuckled mirthfully as Levi shifted in his seat. He knew that Kenny was right, and he knew from the moment that the social worker had said that Mikasa needed someone, that it would be him taking her. 

“I’ll need to get a bigger place then.” Levi sighed his fingers rubbing tight circles over his temple as he thought of his bachelor-sized apartment. 

“Damn straight.” Kenny chuckled as Levi shot a look at the clock, it was nearly twenty minutes into the workday already. 

“Look, I’m at work. I’ll talk to you on Thursday at the funeral.” 

“See you then.” Kenny hung up and Levi let out a long exhale. His week was off to a terrible start. 

--

In movies, funerals are usually held in dreary weather. But today was almost too beautiful for a funeral. It was late January and the ground was covered in a thick blanket of sparkling snow. As the coffins were lowered into the two holes the social worker held Mikasa on her hip. She was only four, and there was no way that she could fully grasp what had happened. Levi stood with his hands shoved deep inside of his pockets. 

Kenny stood off to his left, a large distance between the two of them. There couldn’t have been more than seven people here, Levi assumed that they were friends of the family. The other attendees came up to him before and gave their condolences to Levi and Kenny, who both said nothing in return. The service was quick, Levi and Kenny had opted out of paying more than what the state offered. In Kenny’s own words, “Dead is dead, no fancy funeral is going to help them now.” 

To some, it may seem heartless, but it was the way that the family coped with death. Once the funeral was over, Kenny and Levi joined the service worker to get a cup of coffee in a nearby cafe. She had passed Mikasa off to a brunette woman before leaving the cemetery. Levi assumed that she was the foster woman that they had placed her with, or possibly a family friend. 

“So, I understand that you wish to gain custody?” Michelle was a middle-aged woman with graying hair and prominent wrinkles on her forehead. As she flipped through files that were spread across the table Levi nodded as he sipped his tea. 

“That’s correct,” Levi affirmed and she nodded before spinning the paperwork so that he could read the form. 

“I’m sure that you understand that this is no small commitment.” She spoke as she passed him a pen. He scoffed and began initialing and signing where necessary. 

“Of course,” Levi grunted before flipping the page. 

“Before you can gain full custody, the state will need to see some changes in your lifestyle, for starters, you’ll need to move within her current school district and continue to hold a steady job.” 

“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Levi mumbled, pausing to read the paper before signing. 

“Excellent, once these needs are met, she can be placed under your care,” Michelle informed as Levi skimmed over the page. 

“Anything else?” Levi asked as he signed the last form presented to him. 

“Not at this time, I’m sure that you’re well versed in most of our policies, seeing that the two of you went through a similar process.” Michelle continued as she neatly returned the papers to their folder. 

“Yes.” Levi agreed as he brought his cup back to his lips. Kenny had been silent for most of the exchange. If Levi was being honest, he was relieved to have him there, even if he wasn’t contributing. 

“Great, we’ll be in touch then.” Michelle smiled tensely before excusing herself, leaving Kenny and Levi alone at the table. Kenny finished his coffee and stood up, stretching with a loud groan. 

“Well, I’m off to the office,” Kenny said with a short wave behind his shoulder. Levi watched him go, feeling a strange sense of dread settle into his gut. It all felt so surreal, even if he was thirty and most of his peers were already parents themselves, he still felt unprepared. It was just like Kenny had said, nothing could prepare him to take on this role. That didn’t mean that it wasn’t his to take, and he would be damned if he let Mikasa get thrown into the foster care system. 

Levi set to work on finding a house in the district that the social worker had given him. He had never been a fan of suburbs, but at this time it was all that he could afford. So he found a decent house with four bedrooms, one for himself, one for Mikasa one for guests, and a final for a study. He was lucky enough to have a decent job, and a respectable grasp on his finances, it took him a week to finalize the buy, but in the end, he was glad that he did. 

He had been meaning to get out of his stuffy apartment anyway, (or so he reasoned with himself), he moved his belongings out of his downtown apartment in less than a week. Once the house was effectively moved into, he then began the tedious process of preparing Mikasa’s things. He started by doing research on what four-year-olds needed and then set about buying the necessities. He felt out of place as he shopped through Target in the little girl’s section, buying bedding and such. But he got the job done, he knew that she had to have some clothes, and decided that he’d cross that bridge when he got there. 

It was the night before Michelle was scheduled to visit, and Levi had invited Hange over for a drink. Hange had nosed around for about an hour, acquainting herself with Levi’s new space and gushing when she saw the modest room that he had prepared for Mikasa. 

“I can’t believe that you’re actually going through with this!” Hange cooed as she sat on the small bed. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He asked defensively as he propped himself on the doorframe. Honestly, he had been avoiding this room, it felt that if he acknowledged the space, the heavier the weight of the situation crushed his chest. 

“I just...never thought that you liked kids. But I’m really proud of you.” Hange beamed as she smoothed out the pink comforter as she stood. 

“What made you think that I didn’t like kids?” He scoffed as the pair left the room, he closed the door quietly behind them as they made their way into the kitchen. 

“Oh I don’t know, maybe I just made the assumption based on your obsession with cleanliness.” Hange waved her hand dismissively and Levi clicked his tongue as he poured two glasses of wine. 

“They are filthy.” Levi agreed as he brought the glass of red wine to his lips. 

“What’s she like?” Hange asked, wrapping her own fingers around her glass as she eagerly awaited his response. 

“....I haven’t met her.” Levi felt a wave of panic crash over his chest as Hange’s eyes widened. 

“Never?” Hange couldn’t hide her astonishment. 

“Never,” Levi said with a roll of his eyes. 

“You’re serious?” Hange pressed and Levi glared at her. 

“Do I ever joke about these things?” Levi snapped and she held her hands up in defeat. 

“I’m just surprised is all,” Hange mumbled before taking a long sip of her wine. 

“I wasn’t close with her parents,” Levi explained as he put the cork back on the bottle. 

“Well...maybe you should take some extra time off of work,” Hange suggested and Levi sighed deeply. 

“I can’t, I’ve already taken off more than I planned.” Levi sat on the barstool next to Hange and she swiveled to face him, their knees knocking against each other. 

“But this is not something that you take lightly Levi. She’s a four-year-old girl who lost both of her parents. She’s going to need a lot of attention.” Hange looked concerned and Levi’s expression soured. 

“I understand that, but my job is-” 

“Is not your priority anymore. Have you thought about what you’re going to do for childcare yet? She’s too young for school. Or at least not full days.” Hange interrupted. 

“So I’ll put her in daycare, or preschool.” Levi shrugged and Hange pursed her lips. 

“That could work, but don’t you usually stay late at the office?” Hange pressed and Levi chewed on the inside of his cheek guiltily. 

“Maybe you should consider getting a nanny. Plenty of my student’s nanny, I could give you some good recommendations.” She offered before lifting her glass to her lips. 

“Maybe…” Levi suddenly felt way in over his head, if all went well in the morning, then Mikasa would be sent his way in nearly a week. 

“I’ll ask around on Monday,” Hange said, reaching out to pat his shoulder. For once, he didn’t shy away. 

[honey-dewey]

Superheroes Don’t Take Sick days

Pairing: Marcus Moreno/Reader

Word Count: 2,190

Warnings: Marcus gets sick with the flu and suffers the symptoms, including vomiting and passing out. 

Marcus rarely gets sick. However, when he does, it’s bad. Very bad. Plagued by the flu, he has no one to turn to. No one except his PA and significant other, who demands he goes home to rest. When he refuses, they decide to take matters into their own hands. 

“Mr. Moreno?” You knocked on the door to Marcus’s office, a stack of folders cradled in your arms. “Mr. Moreno?” 

“Come in.” 

You kicked the door open with your foot, doing your best to balance the various paperworks. Marcus lifted his head off his desk, staring at you. “How many times do I have to ask you to just call me Marcus?” 

“We are at work,” you pointed out, setting the folders on Marcus’s desk. “At work, I address you formally. Because it is, say it with me now, a formal work environment.” 

Marcus grumbled under his breath, opening the folder on top. “Huh. This is,” 

“A lot?” You finished for him, leaning on the edge of the desk and examining Marcus. He looked exhausted, shoulders slumped in and head bowed slightly. His glasses sat on the desk next to his phone, both of which were smudged to the high heavens. You grabbed his glasses and instinctively began to clean them, knowing he hated doing it himself. “Are you feeling okay?” 

“Yep!” Marcus said, leaning back and pressing his palms into his eyes. “Just tired. Missy was up all night, and so was I.” 

You put Marcus’s glasses down. “Oh no! What happened?” 

Marcus shrugged. “She’s just sick.” 

You raised an eyebrow. “She’s sick,” you repeated, a familiar exasperation in your voice. You loved Marcus a lot and knew that he was super smart, but sometimes he could be really thick when it came to common sense.

“Yeah?” Marcus looked up at you, clearly confused. “Why are you using that tone?” 

“Marcus,” you said plainly. “You are also sick. Go home.” 

“I’m not sick!” Marcus insisted, putting his glasses on and moving closer to his desk.

You nodded, sliding off his desk. “I’m going to go grab Dr. Thirteen. We’ll see who’s right.” 

The walk down to the medical wing of the building was quick, considering it was just below the offices. The doctor, a wonderful young blonde woman with an accent so thick you could hardly understand her half the time, agreed to come with you to check Marcus out. 

“He did seem rather under the weather earlier,” she said as you two walked. “Came in asking for DayQuil.” 

You swore under your breath. “I swear, if he’s got something serious I will murder him.” 

Thirteen laughed, opening Marcus’s office door. “Oh boy.” 

Marcus looked up, yet again, from his desk. He’d been using his arms as a pillow, glasses off once more. “Hey Thirteen.” 

“Marcus,” Thirteen chided, going over to stand next to him. He kicked his chair around so he was facing her, letting her do her job. “How’re you feeling?” 

“Uh.” Marcus looked from her to you and back again. “Like shit?” 

Thirteen sighed, taking her stethoscope out of her coat pocket and setting it around her neck. “Feverish?” She asked, resting her wrist against Marcus’s forehead. 

“Little bit.” 

“Cough?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Congested?” 

“Definitely.” 

Thirteen made a face. “Nausea?” 

Marcus started to get nervous, hands twisting in his lap. “Yes?” 

“Okay.” Thirteen looked at you. “Take him home, by any means necessary. I’ll tell the boss, but he’s on medical leave for the next week, with recommended bed rest for forty eight hours.” 

“What?” Marcus said. “But I don’t feel that bad.” 

Thirteen shrugged. “You will. You have the flu, which is unsurprising given the season.” 

“Oh.” Marcus looked at his desk, eyeing the folders stacked up on it. “Can I stay and finish my work?” 

“No,” you and Thirteen said at the same time. 

Marcus sighed. “Fine. I’ll go home. Coming with?” He directed the last question at you, and you nodded. 

“Of course. If Missy’s sick too, then someone has to be there to take care of you. Also, I don’t want you driving.” 

You managed to herd Marcus to the car with little issue, but he really didn’t look good. You had to repeat yourself three times when you asked him to put his seatbelt on, and he kept getting paler and paler until you were actually really worried. 

“We’re gonna make a stop at CVS,” you said, turning into the parking lot. “If you go in, you have to wear a mask.” 

Marcus, ever the stubborn hero, staggered to his feet and went somehow even paler, the last bit of color draining from his face as he wobbled in place. 

“And we’re gonna leave you here,” you said, standing in front of him and crossing your arms. 

“But,” Marcus said, his voice thick with congestion. 

You cut him off before he could continue. “You wanna walk by yourself through CVS? Okay, let’s see it then.” You positioned yourself barely ten feet away, maybe three or four steps. Marcus shakily shuffled forward before almost toppling right over. You caught him, turning him back towards the car. 

“No, put your hand- oh my god! Marcus!” 

Marcus didn’t respond. He’d gone entirely limp in your arms, eyes rolled back. You got him back into the car, and by then, he’d woken back up, still delirious. 

“I’m going in,” you said slowly, buckling Marcus back in. “I am cracking the windows and locking the car. Sit tight, I’ll be right back.” 

Just as promised, it was the fastest CVS run you’d ever made. Some Gatorade, medication, tissues, Clorox wipes, Lysol spray, and a few cans of soup later, you were back in the car. Marcus looked over, eyes half open. “Huh?” 

“If you’re like this,” you said, starting the car. “I hate to think what Missy’s like back home.” 

Missy was not as bad as Marcus. Laying on the couch, she barely had the energy to turn her head as you practically carried Marcus inside, but she was conscious, which you appreciated. “Dad?” 

You winced at her scratched up voice. “Hey honey,” you said, laying Marcus in his recliner. “How’re you feeling?” 

“Like crap,” Missy admitted. “Dad said it was probably just the sniffles or something, but then it got worse.” 

Nodding, you handed Missy a box of tissues, nudging the trash can closer to the couch with your foot. “I don’t think it’s just the sniffles this time,” you said. “Where’s the thermometer?” 

You took Missy’s temperature. She was at 100.7, which you decided could’ve been so much worse. You gave her a decongestant and a Gatorade, rubbing her back as she coughed violently. 

“Marcus,” you said, standing. Marcus hummed in acknowledgment. 

“Here.” You handed him the thermometer. “Take your temperature.” 

You turned back to Missy, who was zoned out. “Missy, honey, let me clean your blanket.” 

She grumbled as you took the filthy blanket, muttering out that she was cold. 

“I know you’re feeling cold,” you said, tossing the blanket in the laundry. “But your blanket is dirty. I’ll grab you a clean one.” 

As you gave Missy a new blanket, you heard the thermometer beep, Marcus pulling it out of his mouth and looking at it. 

“Let me see,” you said, holding a hand out. 

Marcus tucked the thermometer to his side. “Just 100, like Missy.” 

You raised an eyebrow. “Give me the thermometer.”

“But-“ 

“Marcus Moreno, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll give me that thermometer.” 

Marcus handed the thermometer over, a guilty look on his face. 

The thermometer read 101.5. 

“Marcus!” You scolded, putting the thermometer down and pressing your wrist to his forehead. Sure enough, he was burning up. “No wonder you passed out earlier!” 

Missy looked up. “He passed out?” 

“In the CVS,” you said, grabbing another blanket for Marcus. “No biggie.” You really didn’t want to worry her, even though it definitely was a big deal. 

By noon, everyone was sound asleep aside from you. You were sitting in the living room with a book, listening to Marcus’s and Missy’s labored breathing. Every so often, Missy would kinda wake up and shift, but Marcus remained solidly asleep until noon. 

You put your book down, hearing Missy wake up as you rummaged through the kitchen. Grabbing a saucepan and a can of soup, you began to make lunch. 

Missy trudged to her feet, joining you in the kitchen. “Hey.” 

“Hey sweetie,” you said, checking her temperature. “Your fever’s finally starting to break.” 

Missy perked up a bit at that. “Do I have time to go shower?” 

“Sorry,” you said, stirring the soup. “Nope. After lunch though, absolutely.” 

Missy ended up eating at the table, her blanket still around her shoulders. You, instead of joining her, did your level best to wake Marcus up. 

“Marcus.” You shook his shoulder slightly. “Marcus. Darling. Sweetheart. Light of my fucking life. Missy do not ever repeat that! Marcus! Christ, what the hell?” 

Marcus’s eyes cracked open. “The fuck?” He slurred. “Missy, don’t repeat that.” 

Missy snorted and left to go bathe. 

“I made lunch,” you said, holding up the bowl of soup you’d made for him. “Eat.” 

“Not hungry.” 

You raised an eyebrow, and yet again, Marcus shrunk back with that horribly guilty look. 

“Fine,” he said softly, taking the bowl and fumbling with his spoon. You were on standby, which was a good thing, because barely ten minutes into the small bites of soup, Marcus startled to his feet, fell to his knees, and threw up on the carpet. 

“Shit!” You yelled, helping Marcus away from the now dirtied carpet patch. “Oh fuck. Marcus, you okay?” 

Marcus shook his head, eyes full of tears. 

“Oh baby,” you said softly, hugging him and helping him up onto the couch. “Babe, hey, it was an accident. You’re gonna be okay, you hear me? Just fine. It’ll pass.” 

Marcus clung to you, sobbing openly. You rubbed his back, letting him bury himself in your shirt. 

At one point, Missy came back, peering into the living room. “Dad?” 

You shook your head, waving her away. She glanced from Marcus to the carpet and then back again. “Oh. Okay.” 

Eventually, you managed to get Marcus calm. He sniffled, wiping his eyes, and you laid a soft kiss on his forehead. “Marcus, darling, stay here. I’m gonna clean the carpet, okay?” 

Marcus nodded, hugging a pillow tight as you got up to grab the cleaning supplies. He watched with half open eyes as you cleaned the carpet, never once complaining. 

When you finally stood, he made a small noise, drawing your attention. “I love you.” 

You smiled. “I love you too Marcus.” 

Everything in the Moreno household was calm throughout the rest of the day. Missy was getting better, able to make a phone call to Anita to reassure her that she and Marcus were okay. Marcus wasn’t feeling much better, so you and him cuddled on the couch, his head resting on your chest as you absently scratched through his hair. He napped for a bit, occasionally waking up and complaining he felt gross. You pointed out that he was still sick and encouraged him to drink more Gatorade before he fell asleep again. 

Dinner was more soup, at which Marcus complained. 

“Oh hush,” you said, putting the bowl in front of him. “Do not waste your voice complaining about soup you cannot taste.” 

Marcus stuck his tongue out at you and took another bite of soup. 

Missy went to bed shortly after dinner, the sickness sapping her energy. You sent her off with a kiss to the forehead and a promise to call the school and tell them she wouldn’t be going tomorrow. 

“And you, mister,” you said, sitting next to Marcus on the couch and turning on Wheel of Fortune. “Aren’t going to work for the next week.” 

“What?” 

You smiled, feeling Marcus shuffle and lay in your lap. “You heard Thirteen this morning. Medical leave for a week.” 

Marcus sighed, relaxing as you rubbed his shoulders. “Fine.” 

Somehow, you two fell asleep on the couch, curled up in each other’s embrace. When you woke up the next morning, Marcus felt a bit better. But you had started to sniffle. 

“Ha! Payback’s a bitch!” Marcus said when you took your temperature and sighed. 

“Marcus. Sit the hell down before you pass out again.” 

Marcus sat on the couch, a shit eating grin on his face. “Mhm. Kiss me.” 

You raised an eyebrow, crawling across the couch until you were practically on top of Marcus. “Hmm,” you hummed, feeling his body heat underneath you. “Kissing you is what got me sick. I think not.” 

You rolled off him, leaving one very betrayed boyfriend behind on the couch. 

“Hey wait! You can’t just leave!” 

Looking behind you, you smiled as sweetly as you could. “What? I don’t recall doing anything wrong Mr. Moreno.” 

Marcus’s face twisted into a feral grin. “Oh you are so lucky that Missy’s in her room. Get over here.” 

You laughed as he scooped you up, carrying you to your bedroom. “Marcus! You’re still sick! Be careful!” 

Marcus plopped you down on the bed and quickly followed, trapping you under the warm blankets with his own body. “Get some rest,” he said softly. “You’re gonna need it.” 

“Oh Marcus,” you said, thumbing over the patches in his facial hair. “I love you.” 

“Love you too babe, now get some sleep.”

Taglist: @phoenixhalliwell

[fromkenari]

Hahaha watch me laugh as I panic. So I got here early and I always chat with the custodian because I’m always here when he’s here. He’s in his 80s. Anyway, so today he had a mask on and they took my temperature at the production plant door (because the office isn’t directly open that early) and I asked the production supervisor if I needed to put on a mask and he said “no we’re just doing temperatures again” so I’m like okay.... And then custodian stops working, when he’s about to finish up and pulls down his mask and says, “Be careful today. I assume you know about [head secretary] and [accounting secretary] being out with COVID, but there’s also six guys in the plant out with it. [production supervisor] told me when I came in this morning. So you be careful, I know you have a lot of health stuff and I know you’re vaccinated but still be careful.” So, I’m trying not to panic as I put my mask on and go get Clorox wipes to wipe down my desk for good measure.

Later, when the guy in the cube next to me shows up. I wait a few minutes and go over to tell him what the custodian said. Did not realize until this moment that he’s one of misinformed masses. He says “I already had COVID so I’m not getting the vaccine, I’ll just let the antibodies work.” And I was like okayyyyy and wandered back to my desk and wipe my hands with sanitizer because I touched the opening of his wall when I said “Knock knock.” Anyway, so then we get the daily attendance email and there are 10 people who are out sick. 2 are the office secretaries who I already know and they’re vaccinated so, yeah. And then there 6 guys from production who are out and then 2 random others (one is the fillin secretary and now she’s sick.) So 10 people out and also 3 people started their vacation today.

There are only 60 people that work here between the plant, paint lines, and office, y’all. That’s nearly 25% of the workforce gone today. And the attendance email, as per usual, gave us no indication about all the people with COVID (and the two secretaries had delta variant, I don’t know about the rest.) And I’m like WHY ARE WE AT WORK. THE ARIZONA HEALTH DEPARTMENT SHUT DOWN OUR MESA, AZ PLANT FOR A WEEK FOR DEEP CLEANING FOR LESS THAN THIS. So yeah, whenever the local health department here in IL wants to shut us down, they could just go ahead and do it now. Please. So many people here have already had COVID at this company that I want to scream because no one but me and one other guy up here in IT wear masks or respects distance protocols.

Incoming facts of how this is illegal and how it should work from @tkandbuck I can feel it

[bpdhotmess]

21+ Spring Cleaning Hacks You Need to Know

Spring time: trees are budding,  birds are singing, flowers bloom. It’s time to start freshening our homes… and that’s when the fun ends. Or does it? I sheepishly admit that I haven’t done much spring cleaning in my time, but, this year may be different. There is not much to do. So why not roll up my sleeves and give the house a good going over?

But before we get into the deep cleaning tips, it’s important we first learn the importance of clearing some space. Clutter keeps our homes feeling messy, even after we straighten up. That’s why cleaning a home can feel so overwhelming and endless. 

Good news! There is a simple solution to managing the cleanliness of your home.

Get rid of clutter! When you get rid of clutter, your home naturally becomes clean and satisfyingly functional. Give it a try. Systematically go through your home; Pick up things and ask yourself this question: “Does this item add function to my life?” If the answer is, “No,” then throw it away or donate it. A clean home is a functional home.

Once you clear some space, your home will feel open and inviting. And you will discover that your decluttered home is much easier to clean.  “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” 

Need more decluttering advice? Check out our 5 Marie Kondo hacks. 

Alright, now on to the hacks for professional-grade deep cleaning: 

Yes, the whole spring cleaning process can be a bit daunting, so I thought the best thing to do was to contact a professional for advice. I called my mom, Dolores Breese. She owned a successful cleaning service in the 1990s, but even before then she was a maniac (in a good way) when it came to cleaning. So, I asked her for some spring cleaning hacks.

Where my mom would clean three or sometimes four houses in one day, she had help. You don’t have to do that. Give yourself some time. You don’t have to clean the whole house in one day. You’re allowed to take a few days or weeks to do this type of cleaning. (Or see our hacks to clean your home in under an hour here)

Cleaning the House Dolores Breese-Style

My mom says people no longer spring clean like they used to. Decades ago, people would go through the entire house, take everything down from the walls and clean top to bottom.

If anyone was going to paint or wallpaper, this was the time to do it. 

Begin in the Least-Used Room First

By starting with this room first, your whole house will get the thorough cleaning you have set out to do. If you start somewhere else, you may run out of steam. You are more likely to give yourself a pass from cleaning some rooms because “no one ever goes in there anyways.”

Work From the Top Down

That means get the cobwebs off the ceiling before you sweep the floor. My mom used to have an actual cobweb cleaner. Nowadays you can get a Swiffer that has an extended handle to do the same thing.

Pro Tip: With the Swiffer Duster Starter Kit you can remove the head and replace after every it cleaning to maintain and promote a more germ-free environment in your home. Get your Swiffer today.

Start with the Thing you Hate Most to Clean

This is to give you a psychological advantage. If you start with what you hate to clean first, you’ll get it done and won’t wimp out.

Start in the Corner

After getting the cobwebs down from the entire room, you start in one corner and work around the room. This would be the corner where the thing you hate to clean is.

Clean Every Surface

That means walls, picture frames, knick-knacks, desks, computers and on and on. If it has a surface, it can accumulate dirt and dust. Therefore, it is part of your mission to make it sparkle. 

Pro Tip: If you want to save money on household cleaners, order from Dollar Tree online and have it shipped for free to your local store. Find safe, effective cleaning supplies for just a buck each. 

When you clean surfaces, it is helpful to have cleaning wipes. Use these to clean and disinfect those surfaces.

Move the Furniture

By moving the furniture you can vacuum little touched areas that have accumulated much debris. You’ll be amazed at what you find when you move your furniture away from the wall!

Pro Tip: Moving furniture can be a pain. Why not make it easier on yourself with these furniture sliders? We like this X-Protector variety pack because of the big selection. These will help you slide your furniture easier on all surfaces.

Pro Tip: Pledge furniture polish will do, but if you want the good stuff, you will want to try Milsek Furniture Polish.

Vacuum Your Way out of a Room

If you have worked hard to clean the room, you want to enjoy the finished product. Start at the farthest end of the room and vacuum backwards until you have gotten over the threshold. Carpet that is freshly vacuumed and untouched by footsteps gives you a real sense of satisfaction.

Pro Tip: In our house, we use the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Plus Lightweight Upright Vacuum Cleaner. We love that it is bagless and economical. Whether you have a pet or not, the pet hair attachments will achieve a deeper clean.

Dusting Hacks

When my mother had her cleaning business, microfiber cleaning products were not a thing. However, you might want to consider microfiber dusting slippers. Check out those dusting slippers here!

Kitchen Cleaning Hack

To clean out your drain, use 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup vinegar and boiling water. Pour baking soda into the drain, followed by vinegar. Let it bubble for several minutes. Follow up with boiling water. (Dollar Tree is a great place to get inexpensive cleaning supplies. You can create an account, order online and have your items shipped free to your local Dollar Tree store.)

Use Bar Keepers Friend brand cleanser for cleaning stainless steel or porcelain sinks. It is also good for counters.

Be sure to clean the window sill by sink and wash the window using Windex.

Stove Top Cleaning Hack

Have an electric stove top? Did you know you can lift up the top to clean the drip pan and burners? Try it now. Just lift it up.

Microwave Cleaning Hack

Wet a cloth and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds. The rag will be hot so be careful, but use the cloth to clean the microwave out. The moisture will make it easier to clean.

Natural Glass Cleaner Hack

Windex is a popular glass cleaner, however, you can make your own cleaner if you prefer to avoid chemicals. When cleaning windows, you can use your cleaning cloths, paper towels or a squeegee (this works great if you have glass shower doors).

Pro Tip: If you purchase the ingredients to make your own cleaner at your local grocery store, download the Ibotta app to save on name brands and groceries. Ibotta is the No. 1 downloaded app to save at the grocery store. Find bargains and earn cash back when you download the Ibotta app.

Bathroom Cleaning Hack

Clean the mirror first, then move everything off the counter and clean the surface with clorox wipes or comet cleaner. Shine the faucet of the sink. Make sure to get the back of the faucet, an area that is often neglected.

Bathtub Cleaning Hack

Use a crevice cleaner to get into the edges where the tile and tub meet. Use it to help clean out the grout. 

Shower Cleaning Hack

Keep ahead of cleaning by wiping down your shower/bathtub after each time you use it. Use the crevice cleaner to get the edges. Make sure to clean the faucet and knobs, too.

Showerhead Cleaning Hack

Have you noticed your showerhead getting a little crusty? What you are seeing are likely mineral or lime deposits from the water. Watch this video for an easy solution to clean your showerhead and get the water flow back to normal.

Pro Tip: If you love shopping Amazon and have your cleaning products delivered to you at your convenience, then you will want to take advantage of Amazon’s Subscribe & Save program and save 15%.

Toilet Cleaning Hack

Nobody wants to do this, but it is important. 

Work from the back to front and top to bottom of the toilet. Make sure to wipe down the back of the toilet, then the lid, sides, handle and front of the tank. Use Clorox to spray all the areas, including inside and outside of the bowl and seat. Wipe down the porcelain behind the seat. Make sure to get all the little crevices clean, too. 

Inside the bowl you’ll want to clean under the rim first, so the debris can fall into the water. You can use a toilet brush for the bowl, but to get it really clean, using your hands works best for the rim. Flush the toilet and then spray again with the cleaner. Use the toilet brush to clean the bowl as far into the bowl as possible. Then flush the toilet again, rinsing the brush as the water flows. 

Use the toilet cleaner and spray the receptacle for the toilet brush and use the brush to clean out the inside of it. Pour the dirty water into the toilet and flush one last time, again rinsing the brush in the water flow. 

Laundry Hacks

One thing I do is to rub a little Dawn dish detergent whenever my husband gets grease on his shirt. Dawn is great for cutting grease.

Dolores Breese’s Cleaning Starter Kit

Whether you choose to go old school and do a deep clean or just address those areas needing attention, I hope these hacks helped. Here are my mom’s recommendations to build a thorough cleaning kit for spring and every other season:

p.s. If you put together your cleaning kit and discover you really like this kind of stuff, then be like my mom and start your own business.

Save Money On Cleaning Supplies

Earning cash back on cleaning supplies is easy. Check out these money-making machines to earn free money while you shop online and in store. Oh yeah, all of this stuff is free.

[ohmyhera]

Classroom Chaos

Word count:1,387

T/W:Just a lil angst

Nico floated down the hall of the Pre-K-1st cohort with an unusual pep in his step. Maybe it was his third coffee kicking in or maybe he was just excited to see them, the world may never know. He heard the usual ruckus coming from Will’s classroom and smiled, he’s glad that they’re excited on such a gloomy day. He hummed to himself in amusement but as he got closer to the heavily decorated door he notices that something isn’t right, he can’t hear Will. He cursed under his breath and jogged down the hall trying to balance his water bottle and his increasing anxiety. When he reaches the door he wastes no time throwing it open and good god what happened? Little bookshelves were overturned,tissues littered the floor and there was a mop bucket right by Will’s desk. When his eyes finally landed on the blonde he tried to hold back his shock.

He looked terrible. He was sat at his bright blue desk with his head in his hands and god has he been crying? Nico closed the door behind him and pinched the bridge of his nose, where does he start with this? He felt annoyance bubble in the pit of his stomach at the mess but also at the fact that the kids were just playing as if nothing happened. They’re only four, he reminded himself and with an exhale regained his calm. His ears finally tuned into the noise and he winced, rubbing at them. Small bodies seemed to create so much sound.

“Alright”He said clapping his hands together, “I need all of you quiet and in a seat before I count to ten”

The students simply stared at him and he sighed holding up a finger, “One-”

The sound of little feet scuttling around the room and chairs being pulled back from tables was music to his ears. He didn’t think it was going to work, but lo and behold the power of counting. He walked around the room and snatched up an activity sheet that had pumpkins and turkeys on it. He smiled a bit at it, oh Mr.Solace and his need for festivities. He quickly handed one out to each student and distributed an array of markers and colored pencils, even though the idea of markers on this thin paper made his heart hurt, he was willing to make the sacrifice. 

“I need you all to use quiet, inside voices because it was way too loud earlier. Okay?”He said. The majority of the students nodded and the few who didn’t simply sat there and pouted. Nico wanted to roll his eyes but decided against it, this is why he worked with all grades and not exclusively Pre-K. He sauntered over to Will’s desk and pulled up one of the little chairs to take a seat. The blonde seemed to barely acknowledge his presence, only letting out a quiet sigh and blinking slowly.

“You didn’t have to do that,”He said, meek as a mouth.

“Yeah but I wanted to,”Nico said, a lazy grin pulling at his lips. “Noise was giving me a headache”

“Yeah”He snorted and shook his head, “Me too”

“What happened today?”Nico asked, “They’re usually so well behaved”

“So much that you wouldn’t believe it”He said and rubbed his temples, “I don’t even want to believe it”

“Well, I’ve heard some crazy things in my life”Nico said, “Try me.”

For the first time since the brunets walked in Will picked his head up and looked him in his eyes. Nico tried to hold back a frown but found it increasingly harder as he studied the blondes face. He looked exhausted, his eyes were pink and his face was flushed. Unknowingly he placed a hand on his arm and squeezed gently. Will let out a shaky breath and blinked towards the ceiling a few times to keep the tears at bay before starting.

“Well there’s this stomach bug going around the school and it finally reached my class”He said.

“Mhm”Nico nodded.

“Saoirse threw up, then Michael, then Tommie”He sighed and closed his eyes briefly to rub at them. “Then that made Fawna cry and her crying made everyone else scared and confused so they started crying and my entire class crying made me cry”He took a breath, “A few students were completely inconsolable and started throwing tantrums so they had to be sent home and that’s how we got here”

“Holy shit”Nico whispered.

“Yeah”He chuckled and wiped at his eyes, “I know, god that’s the only thing i’ve been thinking all day”

“Will, are you doing okay?”Nico asked furrowing his brows.

“Yeah yeah i’m fine”He waved off, “I just...I just really hate seeing my students so upset. A few of them at a time I can take, but all of them screaming and crying like the worlds ending really takes a toll”

“I can tell”Nico said, “Do you need a break?”

The blonde scrunched up his nose, “A what?”

Nico rolled his eyes, “are you not familiar with the concept?”

“No no I am but why?”He asked.

“Because you’ve had a long day, that’s why.”Nico said, crossing his arms. The blonde raised a brow at the challenge and Nico raised one in exchange.

“Thank you but-”

“Ah ah, butts are for sitting”Nico said, shaking his head. Will’s jaw dropped a bit and his cheeks pinkened.

“Did you just teacher me?”He asked.

“I did.”Nico said with a shrug, “Now, go get yourself a coffee or ibuprofen or whatever. I’ve got them”

“Nico-”

“There’s a nice coffee shop right around the corner from here”Nico said, “Take your time”

“I..do you want anything?”He asked slowly, and the brunet pretended to ponder.

“Besides you being out the door, no”

-

After helping with dismissal Nico decided to stay back because Will’s classroom was still in shambles. He was busying himself wiping down the table with clorox wipes, as much as he loved his students, he did not want their germs. He had half a mind to wipe them down tomorrow with clorox wipes but decided against it. It would be too harsh on their skin and there were probably a million laws on why he couldn’t do that. The two worked together in silence, Nico disinfected while Will put things back in order.

“I just want to thank yo-”

“Don't”Nico said keeping his eyes on the table, “Any decent person would have done it if they saw you were struggling”

“But I wasn’t!”Will exclaimed with bright red cheeks, “I-I just-”

“It’s okay to ask for help.”Nico said softly, “Preschoolers are one of the most challenging grades to deal, that’s just a fact”

“Yeah, I know”Will sighed, “it’s just...I don’t wanna talk about today anymore”

“Okay”Nico said, “Then it’s done. How about you help me wipe down this bookshelf?”

“You don’t have to help me,”Will said, his voice taking on a serious tone. “You can leave if you want, I can take it from here”

“Yeah but I want to”Nico said, “Cleaning calms me down, makes me happy”

Will scrunched up his nose and shook his head, “there’s something wrong with you”

“Maybe there’s something right with me and wrong with you”Nico shot back, his lips pulled up into that signature smirk and Will wanted to melt on the spot. He had his hip cocked and arms crossed.

“Maybe there is”Will said and then there was that laugh. The one that twiddled in his ears like the songbirds that used to chirp outside his window.

“Just help me with this bookshelf and we’ll call it even,”Nico said.

“Gladly”Will said, “Hand me the wipes”

“Okay after this we need to fill up the sink with hot water and sanitize all the…”

But Will wasn’t even listening at this point. His eyes were drawn to those pretty pink lips and then it dawned on him. An icy cold realization that sent a shiver to his core, he had a crush. He had a crush on his co-worker, his students’ art teacher. He screwed his eyes shut and wanted to bang his head against the bookshelf.

“Have mercy”

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@pjobroadwayslut

[svu-writing-sideblog]

Cragen is a Dad, the Saga: Part One: The Reason for Baldness

Things in the middle of an investigation were always chaotic. That really went without saying. It couldn’t be helped with such… interesting personalities being pushed together. Normally, Cragen was at least semi-equipped to handle whatever the hell his squad got up to.

This case, though.

This case.

Everyone was running here, there, and everywhere, with hardly a word about it to him and the little control that he had, he could feel it slipping through his fingers.

“Liv, what are you doing?”

“Paperwork.”

“I can see that. It’s everywhere.” He gestured to the multiple stacks of paper residing both on her desk and Elliot’s, and the few manilla folders residing on the floor, the mess dotted with empty coffee cups.

“I hope you’re planning to-” Before he could finish, her phone rang and she shared a few brief, unintelligible words with whoever was on the other end before quickly hanging up, picking up her bag and turning to leave. “Where the hell are you going now?”

“We have a lead. Later, cap, I’ll fill you in when I get back.”

“Olivia. Liv, wait-” Before the words were really even out of his mouth, she was off, out the doors by the time he was finished with his sentence.

Alright, fine, then. He could get caught up with her when she got back. Someone else could fill him in. On the case that he was supposed to be running. He needed to pull the reins in a little bit.

Though he knew that that wasn’t really going to happen. And his team was efficient, and for the most part trustworthy. Except for maybe…

Ah! Speak of the devil and he shall appear. “Elliot, what leads do we have on the case?”

“Have you seen Liv?”

“Yeah, she just ran out the door.”

“Great, thanks.”

“Wait, Elliot, I was hoping you could-”

“Don’t know. Look, I really gotta go. Liv.”

“Elliot, wait, hold on-”  And before he knew, he was off too.

Okay, fine. He’d just sit down and do some of the paperwork that had been piling up on his desk, and get filled in later.

But, of course, things could never be that simple, could they? When he walked into his office, who did he find? None other than Munch and Fin, who appeared to be oddly… rumpled looking when he finally got the door open. John’s glasses and tie were askew, his hair slightly mused, while Fin’s clothes were much more wrinkled than they had been earlier. He doubted they had got that way from digging through the papers on his desk,which was what they had made into their cover, but there were still a fair number of papers skewed about.

“What in God’s name are you two doing?”

He watched on in horror as John accidentally, or at least seemingly on accident, knocked what appeared to be at least a couple of files off of his desk. Maybe it was to distract him from the lack of answer he’d gotten for at least 15 seconds. “We lost some paperwork.”

“Yeah, and if we don’t find it, we’ll have a real pissed ADA on our hands.” Fin chimed in.

“I doubt your paperwork has managed to make itself into my office. Both of you out.” He would have almost paid to see Casey come in and rip their heads off, really, everyone seemed deadset on driving him even further past his breaking point than normal.

After he closed the door, he pretended not to notice the pair of them head off in the direction of the crib. Better there than his office. He shook his head and went about digging around in his office drawer for some clorox wipes he knew were in there somewhere when his door swung open, making him whack his head against the bottom of his desk. “Dammit! What now?” Just a few seconds too late, there stood their ADA, looking rather pissed.

“Have you seen Munch and Fin?”

“Just missed them.” He guessed their phony sounding story had been more accurate than he’d been willing to believe. Maybe they’d just gotten, ahem… sidetracked.

“Where’d they go?”

He considered telling her for a minute, but he didn’t want her to walk in on either of his detectives in any sort of compromising position, and decided to spare her. “Didn’t see. Sorry.”

“Damn.” She turned on her heel to stomp away, not even bothering to shut the door on her way out.

So he was left with no idea what was happening on the case, a precinct that was a mess, and nobody to help him clean it up.

He swore, it was moments like these that were the reason he had no hair.

[stressedspidergirlsfitnessblog]

Also just finished another animorph. Years ago Kindle didn't have them all. So I finished some megamorphs and now I'm on book 49. Gonna power thru these today between cleaning sessions.

Figure I'll plug in my tablet and finish dealing with my bed/desk, then clean and polish my dresser, finish the vacuuming near the side of the bed and then Clorox wipe down my bathroom counters and stuff.

If you have kids in grade school who enjoy reading, I hear Kindle is doing free books for 2 months or something. Check into it and consider these. I was 3rd grade when I got started and now I'm nearing 30 and still love these. They've held up okay IMO. Little dark but as a kid you don't pick up on it the same way.

[freddiesaysalright]

I don’t mean to bother you, but I had a quick question. I start work on Thursday in an office and I was wondering how you’ve been protecting yourself with all that’s going on. P.S. I LOVE your blog!

No bother at all, love! And thank you!

Here’s what’s worked for my office so far:

-We social distance. We only have seven employees in the office (the rest are warehouse guys) and we all have our own space/room. I don’t really have an “office” but I’m alone in the lobby.

-We have hand sanitizer everywhere. I use it each time I return to my desk from the warehouse or the break room or dropping off paperwork to my coworkers. I also use it after each time I use the copier and the printer. If your company hasn’t provided any, stock up on some and keep it at your desk. 

-Wear a mask. Tbh, we’re not great about this since we’re all far apart, but wearing a mask in general when you’re in public is the best thing to do for yourself and the people around you. If you’re sharing a space with anyone, it’s even more important. 

-Keep your space clean. Wiping down surfaces is just a good practice, whether you have some Lysol or Clorox wipes, use them at least once a day. Especially on things that get touched a lot like keyboards and phones. 

-Don’t touch your coworkers! This falls under social distancing as well, but since you’re going to be the new person, I don’t recommend shaking hands or anything like that with anyone if you can help it. And if you do, wash your hands as soon as you can. 

-Don’t share things if possible. Don’t borrow pens or pencils or staplers from other people. And keep yours clean!

It’s basically the same precautions you see people doing everywhere, but being in an office does add some risk. One of my coworkers tested positive for COVID-19 (he got it from his mother-in-law), but because we’ve been doing all this, no one else at work got sick! We’re really lucky!

Congratulations on your new job, and good luck, love!

[whentherewerebicycles]

well we’ve discovered a fun part of living very close to the water in the PNW: the ferry foghorn starts sounding regularly at 5am on foggy days 😂 it’s not bad at all with the windows closed but I had them wide open last night and I was blearily like oh my god is there a semi truck stuck outside the house or something what the hell!! everyone was a leeettle cranky about it and ruthie decided that 5am foghorn = time for BREAKFAST but we have persevered. I’m slowly shifting my work start time earlier after letting it slip a bit during liz’s visit… got up at 6:40 and logged in at 7 today, and will keep trying to get back to 6am wakeup and 6:20 start time so I can be done super early. I also bought a hairdryer + diffuser finally and am hoping it will be a little bit lifechanging… it adds a bit more hands-on getting ready time to my morning routine but also means I can shower and be ready to log on with mostly dry hair within 30 min or so, whereas before I needed an hour or so to not show up with sopping wet hair. mmm okay. I just finished up a couple things from yesterday’s project and now have a little break till my meeting at 9:30. let’s think about the day:

foghorn foghorn foghorn

up at 6:40

finish LF project

coffee/lounge 7:45-8

8-8:30 shower, get ready

8:30-9:30 edit podcast and FINISH REVISING SECURITY FORMS

9:30-10 AS mtg

10-11:30 work on projects or leave feedback on ML essays… also start dishwasher, fold laundry, move sofa and desk back

11:30-12:30 N mtg

12:30-1 put dogs away and walk to clinic (take MC keys so I can mail)

1-2 dr appt

2-6 clean kitchen, empty dishwasher, change sheets and towels, vacuum upstairs, wipe down bathroom counters, clorox toilet, take out trash and recycling, podcast editing

6ish leave to pick up KC at 7

friend time!!!