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usedgingertwinkhole · 2 years ago

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Hank Al meme!

General:

How long will they last? - I think they could last a while but ultimately I think Hank is always gonna be option #3 for everyone he loves so Al's gonna find someone else.

How quickly did/will they fall in love? - I don't think it would have happened for Al yet, I think Al broke Hank out of the asylum so Hank might have a bit of a crush on him.

How was their first kiss? - Too much teeth, probably also Hank is possessed by Mister Mind.

Wedding:

Who proposed? - Al I would imagine

Who is the best man/men? - Hec and Rick!

Who is the braid’s maid(s)? - Courtney

Who did the most planning? - Hank, but then Jay did more of it, Jay stole wedding plans from Hank and made entire wedding.

Who stressed the most? - Jay who stole wedding plans and-

How fancy was the ceremony? - Back of a pickup truck | 2 | 3 | 4 | Normal Church Wedding | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Kate and William wish they were this big.

Who was specifically not invited to the wedding? - Alan, I think Hank would also request no Todd.

Sex:

Who is on top? - Switch because of that one Al fan who is very upset he always tops

Who is the one to instigate things? - Weirdly enough Hank seems to be the hornier one of the two.

How healthy is their sex life? - Barely touch themselves let alone each other | 2 | 3 | 4 | Once a couple weeks, nothing overboard | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They are humping each other on the couch right now

How kinky are they? - Straight missionary with the lights off | 2 | 3 | 4 | Might try some butt stuff and toys | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Don’t go into the sex dungeon without a horse’s head

How long do they normally last? - I think Al could probably last a while but Hank would tap out way before that point.

Do they make sure each person gets an equal amount of orgasms? - I think Albert would.

How rough are they in bed? - Softer than a butterfly on the back of a bunny | 2 | 3 | 4 | The bed’s shaking and squeaking every time | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Their dirty talk is so vulgar it’d make Dwayne Johnson blush. Also, the wall’s so weak it could collapse the next time they do it.

How much cuddling/snuggling do they do? - No touching after sex | 2 | 3 | 4 | A little spooning at night, or on the couch, but not in public | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They snuggle and kiss more often than a teen couple on their fifth date to a pillow factory.

Children:

Sorry don't think Hank would want kids.

Cooking:

Who does the most cooking? - I think maybe a bit of a mix

Who is the most picky in their food choice? - Hank because he has OCD and sometimes OCD can cause food aversion (I am not admitting to anything here)

Who does the grocery shopping? - Hank, because Al always buys so much stuff. He does eat it but it's $1000 grocery trips every time.

How often do they bake desserts? - I think Hank likes to bake and Al likes to eat them, so fairly often.

Are they more of a meat lover or a salad eater? - Equal mix

Who is more likely to surprise the other(s) with an anniversary dinner? - Hank

Who is more likely to suggest going out? - Al

Who is more likely to burn the house down accidently while cooking? - I think Al is but I don't think he's a bad cook.

Chores:

Who cleans the room? - Share it

Who is really against chores? - Share it

Who cleans up after the pets? - Hank mostly but I think Al would help if demon kitty didn't hiss and swipe at him.

Who is more likely to sweep everything under the rug? - ...Al... because his personality feels more like the type.

Who stresses the most when guests are coming over? - Hank

Who found a dollar between the couch cushions while cleaning? - Hank deserves the money but he immediately spends it on a rare Jonathan Law book in a second hand store

Misc:

Who takes the longer showers/baths? - THEY SHOULD SHOWER TOGETHER

Who takes the dog out for a walk? - They should both go

How often do they decorate the room/house for the holidays? - Jewish Alarm. We are not having Al celebrate Christmas in this house.

What are their goals for the relationship? - They just like spending time together and they're the last of their friends who are still single so it's basically their only option.

Who is most likely to sleep till noon? - Al!

Who plays the most pranks? - Realistically neither of them pulls pranks but I feel like Al is more likely to pull pranks

#al rothstein #atom smasher #henry king jr #brainwave jr

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bill-y · 4 years ago

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𝐈𝐍𝐔𝐑𝐄

Peeta mellark x male reader

We all know who Katniss Everdeen is, but what if Primrose hadn’t been chosen but another boy from another unfortunate family? YOUR family.

Info: This is basically a reader insert and I’ve changed a few rules, not ground breaking though. The reader is a bit bland for now but I plan for his actions to be different. Because he has different moral grounds from Katniss and such. Would appreciate feedback! FEEL FREE TO POINT OUT TYPOS. GRAMMARLY SOMETIMES DOESN’T DO MY DYSLEXIC ASS JUSTICE

Part one: Over there, buddy

Part two:You’re here right now. :)

Part three: Click here, pepperoni salami.

Wattpad account: L0calxDumbass

I separated with Gale and Katniss for a while, telling them I needed air. I sighed, leaping from branch to branch in the thicket of trees. Bread, not just bread, baker's bread. If I'm lucky I could get just enough squirrels for the baker, he had a taste for it but his wife was much of a witch, so he only buys it when she's not around.

I remembered how she found me stealing some burnt bread from the trashcan. I looked at her with wide eyes, frozen, I thought I was going to die, stealing was punishable for death, after all. But she just let me go, screaming about her frustration of Seams picking through her trash.

I got bread that day either way.

I landed on a sturdy branch, spotting a squirrel on the tree adjacent to me; it was quite huge, I'm sure he'd love this. Let's just hope the witch isn't home by the time I give this to him.

I crouched down, still as a statue as I watched the squirrel run up and down the tree. I pulled out the thin, glistening dagger, unwrapping its course, leather bindings, which became a makeshift thin rope. I felt my eyes unconsciously widen, watching the squirrel's movements.

My arm aimed, then with a simple flick, the dagger whistled through the air. The small creature was then pinned to the bark of the tree through its eyes. The dagger's blade was thin enough to not damage anything when aimed right.

I pulled on the rope, the blade coming back, dragging the animal carcass with it. A small smile tugged on my face, I can get bread.

Kunal was surely panicking, he was the type to worry about the smallest of things. He once stepped on a cat's tail, Buttercup, Primrose's cat and he bawled, nobody could calm him down. Until he was offered food, that is.

I chuckled at the memory, slowly pulling the blade off the head of the squirrel. I held it in my hands victoriously, a grin on my face. I whistled a small 3 tone song, the chirping mocking birds falling silent before they imitated the tone.

After meeting up, we went back home, passing by the Hob. It was sort of a black market, where coals are transported directly to trains. I disliked it here, the amount of coal dust always bothered me, so when I come here I tend to cover my nose.

We managed to trade six of the fish for good bread, the other two for some salt. The lady who sells soup, the one that always glares at me because I've insulted her soup on multiple occasions, Greasy Sae: took half the greens we gathered, along with the dead dog meat that she calls "beef".

That's why I hate her soups, though it's not like I have much of an option, we can't afford luxury here. Unlike those obnoxious, entitled, privileged people in the Capitol. My jaw clenched at the mere thought of those scums.

We finish our business on the market, so we went to the mayor's house, who was particularly fond of strawberries. We knocked on the back door, his daughter, Madge opening it for us.

She's in Katniss and I's year sits beside us at almost every event because we don't really have groups of friends. For being the mayor's daughter you'd expect her to be an entitled brat or maybe a snob, but she was alright, she kept to herself.

I like that, I hate noisy people, They'll scare away the game, that and I've never really liked loud noises. I still remember the explosions in the mines, it was traumatizing, even though my father didn't meet death there. I really wished he had.

Madge didn't wear her usual attire, instead, she wore an expensive white dress, her blonde hair up with a pink ribbon. Reaping clothes. I felt my face scrunch up, that day was supposed to be a form of celebration. It's more of a way for the capitol to show who's in control.

We were being punished for the crimes of the people who failed, disguised as some form of celebration. It's disgusting.

"Pretty dress," Gale complimented. Madge shoots him a look, trying to see if it's genuine or if he was just being ironic. It was a pretty dress, but it was a waste.

She smiled, "Well, if I'm going to the Capitol, I want to look nice, don't I?"

I clenched my jaw, "But you won't be going to the Capitol," I said coolly, my voice monotone. My eyes landed on a small, circular pin on her dress. Real gold. The testament to the fact that she probably won't be chosen. "You probably have five entries, compared to us, that's a blessing."

"That's not her fault," Katniss said. Madge looked slightly hurt, probably because I've never really spoken my thoughts to her, I try my best to be polite when she engages a conversation with me.

"I know," I responded plainly. Madge smiled towards me, though it was clear it wasn't exactly genuine. She then handed the money for the berries. She looked towards Katniss "Good luck, Katniss"

"You too," She responded.

We walked toward the Seam, I can't help but feel angry. Her? Going to the Capitol? What a joke. When you're twelve your name gets put in the pile once, thirteen twice then so on. Up until your eighteen, where your name is entered seven times.

But the thing is, the rich have an advantage. You can enter your name willingly in the pile when you're starving in exchange for some tesserae. I had been doing this since I was twelve, having entered my name 3 times, for my mother, brother and myself. Every year following suite, it has always been like this.

Now at the age of 16, I've entered my name twenty times, same with Katniss. Gale was in even greater danger, with a number of forty-two.

And she'll be the tribute this year? It can happen but it's deadly slim. I knew Gale felt the same way, listening to him rant about tesserae in the woods with Katniss was enough confirmation, along with the fact that I join in on the rants. Always end it with a promise to destroy the Capitol, somehow.

But what good does that do us?

Gale, Katniss and I divide our spoils, though it wasn't really the evenest distribution. Gale got more, understandably since he has more mouths to feed.

"See you guys in the square," Katniss said, Gale nodded, "Wear something pretty," he joked.

I decided to stop by the bakery, by then the witch should be home but I took my chances. There was Mr Mellark, sitting outside, watching the pigs. He saw me from the corner of his eye, he grinned. "Greyback!' he called.

"Mr Mellark, still up for some squirrel?" I ask, holding the fat one up. He nodded, "You're lucky my wife isn't here, yet. Hold on, I'll get the bread for Kunal," he said, rushing inside.

I walked to the backdoor of the bakery so that he wouldn't trouble himself that much. I waited awkwardly outside, looking at a small bird fluttering about. I whistled, holding my finger out.

The bird landed on my finger, making me smile. From the corner of my eye, I saw a boy, blonde, stocky. Could probably kill me, if I'm being honest. Even though I was fast, I wasn't strong.

Soon enough, the bird flew away with the arrival of the baker, with a loaf of sweet, savoury bread, hot from the oven. "Here you go, Greyback."

I nodded, handing him the squirrel. "Oh!" he hummed, "Have you met my son, Peeta?" he asked, a smile on his face, "You're in the same year, yes?"

I didn't know what to say. Sure, I know him but I don't know that well him that well. My eyes travelled to the boy, who simply waved and briskly walked away. "I don't think so," I answered.

"I better be going, Mr Mellark. Nal needs his favourite bread after all," I said, flashing a small smile before I left. A small pit of dread boiled in my stomach, something bad is going to happen.

But then again, it's Reaping day, nothing good ever happens.

Word count: 1.3k

Tags:

@nin3s

:)))

#peeta mellark x reader #peeta mellark x male reader #peetamellark #hunger games x reader #hunger games x male reader #hunger games #male x male reader #male reader #x male reader #katniss everdeen #gale #male reader insert #gale hawthorne #Katiniss #Hunger games x reader #what the fuck is tumblr's layout i am so fucking confused.

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fennopunk · 4 years ago

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As you've probably noticed, composting has turned out to be a thing of passion for me, but as I've started really dwell into it, it has also become a great source of bafflement and frustration.

While I have really only started learning about composting this spring, my family have composted way before I was born. Sort of expected, since I branch from a long line of professional gardeners... So when I started learning about composting and joined a composting group, and what I saw was rules and rigid methods and purism, I was confused and overwhelmed because they made me feel like I don't know anything and I do everything wrong unless I do everything exactly like some dude on the opposite side of the planet.

Then I realized that I already knew the essentials by heart: assign a place or bin or something for your compostables, chug things in, and nature will do its job. Rest is just finetuning, if you want to avoid stuff like smells, leaky things or rats. There's no one-size-fits-for-all solution for composting no matter what some people want you to believe. Now, I live in an apartment building which means I need a lot of finetuning, and because I already knew the most popular choices for indoor composts, vermicompost and bokashi (also what some people claim are the only options...) didn't really work for me, I decided to turn my gaze on to the composting I knew, inspect how and why it worked, and figure out how to make it work for me. So I tortured my memory and interrogated my family on how we actually deal with our bins at our cottage.

My family's cottage currently have maybe 6 composters, 1 "all goes" bin, 2 garden bins and 3 for human manure (in others words: our toilet).

This is the "all goes" bin. We compost all the common things, like veggie scraps and stuff, but we also compost meat, fish, cooked food, grains... The list goes on. If it's been alive at least semi-recently and is relatively unprocessed, in the bin it goes. Alas, meat and the like gets buried, of course, because we DO have some big predators here.

The bins at my mom's garden. These mainly receive garden scraps, but sometimes we put kitchen scraps there too, because they are closest to our main building. We rotate with them, so while one is being filled, the other is left alone to do its business.

And our composting toilet system. It's emptied from the bottom every now and then (mostly by my brother or mom, because I have the weakest stomach of us, and I think I threw up the last time I tried) to the bins behind it, and once the manure has composted on its own for a while, we mix it with compost from other bins and used gardening soil. The result we then mostly give to our non-edible plants.

Now, my own compost, the one people half a planet away are so keen to police, is in many ways very similar to the general compost at the cottage.

It gets almost all of my kitchen waste, meat and dairy included, although I don't often have to throw those away, and when I do, the amounts are usually tiny. It's smaller, just a regular storage box, so I can keep it in my apartment and later in my storage unit at the basement, while at the cottage the bin is MUCH bigger. My bin also gets all the garden scraps, dry leaves, non-coated cardboard, newspaper, etc and it needs to be throughoutly turned at least every other week, and I need to keep my eye more closely on carpon nitrogen ratio and moisture. Also, none of the bins in the cottage are specifically aerobic or nonaerobic, but to speed up the composting process and to keep odors at the minimum, my bin is clearly aerobic (meaning, the bacteria that mostly does the composting part needs oxygen to thrive, so I need to make sure they get it).

At this stage, my compost bin is strictly experimental, I want to see if I can do the whole process in the same environment, so it's still possible it fails. But so far the results are promising. It took only couple weeks for two big pears that had gone bad, to fully decompose. The moldy fish fillet, the largest amount of meat I've tried to compost on my own, is already half gone after two weeks. I currently have to battle with invasion of fruit flies and gnats, but I'm optimistic that I soon manage to win them (we don't mind bug at the cottage, but this is indoor bin in my kitchen, so...).

#solarpunk #gardening #composting #zero waste #solopunk #long post

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kekabumi · 5 years ago

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by Connie Khong

Growing up in a non-typical Chinese household, Chinese New Year always bring about different meaning to me. Why is it different? Because in the eyes of most Chinese in Malaysia at least, I am considered a ‘banana’. It means I’m yellow on the outside and white on the inside. In other words, I only look the part - but inside, I’m not the least bit.

I still speak a sprinkle of Hokkien in my household. And I speak Penang Hokkien so our Hokkien, similar to our cousins in Malacca, is smattered with Bahasa Malaysia. Except unlike a big percentage of my Chinese counterparts, I don’t speak the common Mandarin or the lingua franca of Kuala Lumpur : Cantonese fluently.

Thankfully, my late Papi's’ family is of Hakka-Cantonese descendents and accompanied with TVB dramas growing up, I ended up picking up a bit of Canto here and there. Not the best since I don’t speak it as much, but I can still order some food or drinks and attempt some bargaining at the resident kopitiam - teh c ngalat, mm koi!

I didn’t think my Chinese New Year or me not able to speak Mandarin makes me any less Chinese - until I got older and hung around with other Mandarin-speaking friends. It was only then it came to my realisation that I am a bit different because I lack the ability to read, write and speak the so-called common language and that also meant, there is a whole universe I couldn’t access - which is apparently the license to be true Chinese. Nevertheless, I tried not to let these things bogged me down or define me - after all we still held some traditions or must-do things and practices which still hold dear to me - as a true blue Chinese or not.

So here are some things I do know about Chinese New Year!

1. Apa tu makan besar Chinese New Eve?

- Similar to your malam Raya, this homecoming dinner is THE essence of the storyboards you see in most of the Chinese New Year ads. Everyone will gather once a year to catch up with each other. Even if you don’t talk throughout the 365 days, it’s definitely NOT fine to skip the reunion dinner (don't be disrespectful to the food!). This is where the ‘how are you’, ‘when are you getting married and when are you having kids’ questions will be bombarded. But really, whether you’re true blue Chinese or a yellow banana, this means family quality time of coming together - of homecoming. Which is why the dinner is known as reunion dinner, 团圆饭 (tuan yuan fan).

Over the years, I am learning more important vocabulary because it carries much meaning to the things I celebrate and helps me connect with it better - with my roots and to appreciate it all the more.

2. Pantangs are real!

- Well, I’m a second generation Christian and honestly, most pantangs don’t or shouldn’t really apply lah. For your infomation, second generation Christian means that your parents are the first to believe in the household and you’re the second to follow after them. Well, for my household, more than beliefs, it has been customary that we keep to making sure

a) we have lots of red things in the house

b) spring clean wayyyyy before the 1st day of Chinese New Year and that means

c) not sweeping the floor especially on the 1st day (my late Papi insisted on it but my mother cheekily suggested to vacuum this one year when she forgot to spring clean the few days before)

d) putting the (fake) plum blossoms or any other spring items and decorations up

e) the word ‘fuk’ is placed upside down at the door or walls.

3. The upside down ‘Fuk’

Hahaha, nope, not THAT F word but fuk 福. I may not be able to read a lot of Chinese characters because I’m a Kebangsaan kid since primary - but this is one of the few that I know by heart. We will place it upside down and not right side up to invite all the fortune, luck and happiness into the household and then, pour it out to all the guests that enters and leave the household. Another reason why I remember it is because it’s also the same character used for Hok in Hokkien.

4. Khong Family CNY Signature Dish

- Not all family serve the same food you know? Like how we have different versions of Laksa, different household serve different must-have dishes : special to that group. For example, Jiu Hu Char (Stir fried yambean with dried cuttlefish) is a must in my Hokkien household and because we have our Hakka grandmother on my late Papi’s side, we also serve these gorgeous Kau Bak or Khew Yuk : Hakka marinated 5 spice pork belly, steamed with round yam. They are sooooo good - our go-to signature Khong CNY dish!

We would plan what to prepare for Eve, First Day and back then when my Papi and his parents were still around, the 2nd Day family lunch as well. Usually First Day are more vegetarian friendly - because we have had so much meat on the Eve and for the religious ones, they will observe 1st and 15th of the month as vegetarian days so it’s only apt that we try to incorporate more vegetable options as well.

And food have good meanings to them as well - onomatopoeia! So, it’s really common to find Mandarin oranges, pistachios, fish, and certain vegetables like mushrooms because in their Chinese pronunciations, they sound like words that means happiness, gold, prosperity, luck and the likes. That’s why they are a must-serve during Chinese New Year and even more on other auspicious days for the Chinese community like weddings!

5. Red Packets - angpow mana?

- Contrary to popular beliefs, not everyone gets angpow and not everyone gives. The golden rule of thumb, is that if you’re married, then you have to start giving. Because it means, you’re finally an adult and is able to pass on the (financial) blessings to others - especially the younger ones. Well, the amount is up to you - but it really depends on the economy (nowadays, the minimum has increased from the heyday of RM2 per couple or per pax to about RM5 or RM10 these days) but, to be honest, it’s the thoughts that really counts. And while married couples generally don’t receive, their parents still can give to them if they want to. While unmarried older relatives can give money, they don’t put them in red packets. Then there are some practices where the younger but already working siblings will give to their older siblings as a form of respect. Though this is not as common, it’s being practiced. But generally, any older relatives can start giving - and yes, even you - the twenties and thirties year olds, if you’re working and if you have younger cousins or nephews and nieces, you can give them as well. Just don't put them in red packet if you’re not married yet.

6. #OOTD: Colour to wear

- The obvious colour would definitely be red! But anything that represents prosperity, money, luck is good too. So colours like gold, orange (because in Chinese pronunciation, it means gold), green and blue. If these colours are too strong for your liking, you can even opt for pink and salmon. Contrary to popular belief, we don’t all wear cheongsams or samfus during the celebrations anymore. It’s not really a common practice but it's still fun to put it on for the occasion! While most people these days are not as superstitious, to be safe, black and whites are a no-no as they are seen as inauspicious and related to funerals.

7. Balik kampung time!

It’s a common practice for the community to travel or make their way back to their hometown. I believe it’s the same for most of our non-Chinese friends when it comes to their day of celebration. I mean, it only makes sense to head back to where your grandparents and extended relatives are at - and for some, where you grew up in. If you’re married, you would have to follow your husband to celebrate 1st day at his parents’ place and only to return on 2nd day to yours. It's really all about planning so you can celebrate with each other’s family.

8. WIND AND WATER

And this brings me to my 8th (which also sounds like fatt (prosper) in Cantonese) and last point. It’s apt for me to end with feng shui - synonym to all things superstitious Chinese. And how specific dates bring extra ong and huat to you (dates to get married or return to work, hoi gong in Cantonese) in hopes that choosing a good day to do things, it will make everything go well.

For others who believe in feng shui and the likes, the zodiacs and fortune telling is also another important thing to start the year with. Some say if your zodiac is the zodiac year or is against the Taisui (something like a guardian God overseeing people’s fortunes) for that year, you’re going to have a very tough year ahead.

So yes, that wraps up a few of the things I know. I am still trying to learn and reconnect with things that most, if not all, Chinese that still practices even up to this day. And to me, the most important thing is family and homecoming. That’s really the essence of Chinese New Year which lasts until the 15th with more mini celebrations in between such as Everybody’s Birthday (Yan Yat) on the 7th and pai ti gong by the Hokkien community on the 9th and the end of it all, Chap Goh Meh on the 15th night where the singles will head out to the river/seaside to throw oranges with number in hopes to find their potential partner.

So, join us welcome the new year in the lunar/Chinese calendar. And no, for the last time, you can be a Christian / Muslim / Buddhist etc and still celebrate Chinese New Year because you’re still CHINESE.

From all of us at Kekabumi to your family, we would like to wish you a Huat-derful Chinese New Year and may this year brings you lots of joy and prosperity!

#chinese new year #banana #cny #malaysia #reunion dinner

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thechekhov · 6 years ago

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ahhhh I have so many questions about living in Japan bc I am seriously considering doing so! could you please tell us some general stuff? or what is the view on homosexuality? on anime fans? are they really frowned upon? how well would I get by speaking only English at first? is vegetarianism common? what about yoga? sorry you don't have to answer all of that pick whatever you like better! ty!!

I applaud your ideals of living in a new place! That’s always an exciting type of goal - and also a very difficult one. Moving to a new apartment is hard enough - moving to a different country is much more so.

Before approaching any of your other questions, I’m gonna play devil’s advocate for a second and ask you - WHY?

Now, I know that this seems a bit rude. You might say “Look, Chekhov, it’s none of your business. I’m trying to ask you a question, that’s all. It’s my decision, after all.”

And you would be right. But let me explain my reasoning.... Ever since I started blogging about my experience in Japan, I’ve started to get MANY of these types of questions. SO MANY. If I had to guess, everyone and their brother wants to live in Japan. And a lot of times... they want to do so because they are informed by only the media and tourism sold to them by Japan - in the form of anime, or manga, or TV.

In other words... they’re misinformed, and they have a very narrow, warped view of the country, and they don’t really understand what they’re getting into.

Now... I’m not judging you - or anyone else. But I want to be as realistic as possible. Because if you’re going to uproot your life and move somewhere across the sea, you need to have as much HONEST and straightforward information as you can before you end up coming here and realising that you didn’t fully prepare yourself.

Still, you’re asking me questions now, so that’s great! It means that you’re seeking out the information and making an effort. That’s a great first step!

Let’s get started.

I would recommend, first and foremost, starting with my ‘#japan’ tag on this tumblr.

I have written lots about different topics - including LGBT discussions - from the perspective of someone who has lived in Japan a few years. Now, that is a disclaimer - a FEW YEARS! ONLY! I am not a Japanese native, I am not someone who has been here for a decade. I have lived here for 4 years, and no more. My point of view is limited, and my opinions should be taken with a grain of salt.

The rest of your questions I’m gonna answer very simply, and you can read more on the tag if you want details.

1. Homosexuality in Japan?

Basically, there’s almost no violence towards lgbt community. However, there’s heavy ostracizing and ignoring they exist. Coming out as homosexual might still cost you your job, especially if you work with children. The homophobia and transphobia on national television makes this monster problem fatter. Also be prepared for “What’s ‘gay’?” and “That’s something the foreigners invented. We don’t have ‘gay’ people here.”

2. Anime fans? In Japan? It’s more likely than you think.

I mean, I think this one is a little bit funny (sorry, I swear I’m not laughing at you). Anime is... it’s.... they’re cartoons! They’re cartoons, in Japan. Kids love cartoons no matter what country. Adults who like cartoons also exist in every country. How they’re treated usually depends on how they present themselves. Are you gonna get side-eye for wearing an anime-titties shirt to work? Hell yeah, don’t do that shit. But is someone going to bully you for having, idk, a Fullmetal Alchemist keychain on your backpack?? Hell no. Plenty of people like anime, especially the younger generation.

The key is - there’s a solid difference between liking anime and enjoying it in your freetime, and... idk... not being able to identify the situations in which anime should not be your priority.

3. "Can you speak English?”

Honestly, this one is something I’m gonna put my foot down on - as an immigrant myself, and as an English teacher, I say that.... If you are an immigrant that is WILLINGLY moving into a country, with plans to do so far in advance that you have a few years to prepare... you should study Japanese before you get here. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and it doesn’t have to be a lot. But you should at least do your best to pick up the basics.

If you’re planning to go into a metropolitan area like Tokyo or Osaka, then sure, you can get by with only English. But why should you wait to study the language until you arrive there? There’s plenty of free resources to at least learn the basic alphabet and a few key phrases before you arrive. It’s a giant help when you’re first settling in, and it’s also way more respectful to the people around you. They will also respond more kindly to you, knowing that you’re doing your best to communicate on their terms.

4. “Do you have a vegetarian option?”

“Yes, sure, here’s a salad.“

“This has bacon bits on it...?”

“No, no, dear, that’s only for flavor. No meat.“

"Sorry, but I can’t eat meat.”

“Well, okay, let me get you one with chicken instead.”

Now, are you ready to have this conversation? I hope so, because I guarantee you, this WILL happen at least once. Probably more than once.

Well, I’ll let up. Sure, Japan is slowly coming into the vegetarian-options. However, by and large the vegetarian options are limited. Fish stock is so common that it’s added to everything without marking it as being an animal product.

It’s entirely possible to live as a happy vegetarian. I know many people that do! But I guarantee you it will be 200% harder if you don’t speak Japanese and can’t read food labels.

5. Yo.... ga?

Err, I’m not sure I get this one, actually. Like, is yoga popular? Is there a yoga studio? Sure, probably? Somewhere? I’m a bit lost on this one. I’m gonna say ‘yes, yoga.’

Some other points to consider:

Where do you want to live. In a big city like Tokyo? Prices are high, and apartments are tiny. Are you sure you can afford it? Often, getting an apartment involves paying something called Key Money AND a deposit. A deposit is one of your rent month’s worth of money. Key money is TWICE the amount of one month’s rent, and you don’t get it back. It’s just a gift to the person you’re renting from. Also, I don’t want to be even more depressing but many lenders don’t want to deal with foreigners and won’t rent to them as a rule unless they bring along a Japanese friend to translate for them. Sometimes not even then.

What job will you be supporting yourself with? If you’re limited to jobs that don’t need a knowledge of Japanese, this will definitely be harder. Many of the jobs that will take you on despite no Japanese knowledge are limited to ‘English teacher‘ positions. Can you teach English? Do you like kids?

Most of Japan isn’t like Tokyo. There’s a lot of countryside - where people speak even less English, and there’s no nearby shopping malls, and only one train station to take you out to a big city - that’s an hour away.

Sorry, I know this is kinda harsh and very negative. But moving to a different country isn’t something to be taken lightly, and you need to be realistic about your goals if you’re going to be aiming high.

If you want some alternatives, I would recommend checking out the JET Program. It’s a government funded Teach-English-In-Japan type deal that is very supportive with participants and helps them get living situations set up and gets them jobs. It’s probably the easiest way to get into Japan.... but it also requires you to become a teacher. It’s not a fun touristy trip. It’s also highly selective, and the application process takes about a year.

Either way, hope I wasn’t too discouraging! Good luck!

#living in japan #japan #so you want to live in japan #Anonymous

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theonlyjourneythatmatters · 3 years ago

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So, let me preface this by saying that I did struggle figuring out food choices and how to get my calories in check. I struggled with a lot. But let me start from the beginning! This is going to be long- so buckle in. Also- get it out of your head that this is a "diet". This needs to be treated like a lifestyle change.

PHENTERMINE

I went to the Weight Loss Clinic in D'Iberville and got the Phentermine. It's not cheap by any stretch, but if you're like me and had zero energy or motivation, and you needed that jump start to get you started, it is worth it. The side effects for me have been mild. I barely slept the first week. They advise to take it early. I was taking it around 7:30-8:00 am. However, even though I barely slept, I did not feel exhausted and worn out the next morning- so there's that. It does make you sweat a lot, and if you're not eating enough, you will get shaky.

WATER WATER WATER

Water is a must, especially if you're taking the Phentermine. It can and WILL dehydrate you super quickly. Either buy a gallon of water to keep with you at all times, or invest in one of those large water bottles off of Amazon.

MEAL PREPPING

I did not wait to start eating better. The Dr at the clinic told me to focus on protein more so than anything else. So I did my research to find out what had the most protein in it. The obvious choices are meats- fish (very good for you, plus it has Omega-3 which is essential for heart health), chicken/turkey, and beef. I'm not a big chicken fan, but it is what it is.

Now, I love fruits and vegetables so paring the sides with the protein meals was not difficult for me.

Most vegetables are not very high in protein- they're also not high in calories. Raw, fresh vegetables anyway. A medium cucumber is about 4 calories. FOUR. WHOLE. CALORIES. For one single raw cucumber! Frozen or prepared vegetables are a completely different story. Fruit, on the other hand, can be high in calories- but the serving sizes are pretty decent.

Snacks were a little more tricky because my favorite thing to snack on is chips. And how many calories are in chips? A LOT. Too much for me to be comfortable giving up 1/3 of my caloric intake for the day, that's for sure. So, I opted for chicharrons and veggie straws.

You can absolutely tailor the meals to your liking- just be mindful of the calories and serving sizes.

Now, let's talk about actual meal prepping. Go ahead and get your eye rolling and sighs out of the way now. I felt the same way ya'll did. Meal prepping takes time. It takes planning. And most importantly, it takes dedication. This is a super important step that you do NOT want to skip if you're serious about losing weight.

For me, it helps when I'm at work because it prevents me from having to go to Taco Bell or somewhere to grab a quick lunch. And don't get me wrong- if you want Taco Bell for lunch, go get it. Do not deprive yourself of the things you want- but work it into your calories. Depriving yourself of the things you like is one of the major reasons "diets" fail. But I digress.

I went to Walmart and bought partitioned meal prep containers.

Just simple containers with clear lids. I'm sure you could find those on Amazon as well- but I didn't want to wait. I also went to dollar tree and got the round containers for my fruit.

BREAKFAST

My breakfast was something simple: cottage cheese and fruit. Some days I had the cottage cheese flips (that had fruit in jelly) and other day I just had a yogurt. Now, I got to Biloxi Nutrition and get one of their meal replacement shakes and that keeps me full all the way through lunch. My favorites are: Banana Nut Bread, Banana Pudding, and strawberry cheesecake. All of the shakes are 220-240 calories so they're great if you're trying to stay under- or if you've blown them on other meals, you could get one for lunch or dinner instead of breakfast. I also stopped going to Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks for a coffee in the morning. If I'm going to eat, I'll grab an iced protein coffee from Biloxi Nutrition. Very few calories and it tastes great.

LUNCH

I cooked all the food for 2 weeks' worth of lunch. I bought chicken and tilapia for my proteins, and black beans and squash/zucchini for my sides. The chicken and fish was cooked in the air fryer with no oil. I did season it with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, and some Slap Ya Mama! seasoning. I think I may have also put lemon pepper on some of them. I tried to mix up the flavors so I didn't get bored eating them- different flavors meant it felt like a whole new meal.

I also bought some steak medallions and shrimp. I did buy some frozen, premade veggies: broccoli in cheese sauce, a brussels sprout and carrot medley, and some butternut squash spirals.

I bought minute maid brown rice and mixed it with the seasoned black beans. This gave me a little more of a full feeling (carbs make you feel full) and added texture to the beans. Brown rice is better for you than white, but if you prefer white, you do you, boo boo!

The sweet mini peppers are just halved with cream cheese and Everything Bagel Seasoning (I found it at Walmart). Then I just had cut up strawberries and whole blueberries for something sweet. I started eating those with breakfast and that one container lasts me almost all day.

DINNER

Depending on my calorie count for the rest of the day, my dinners vary. This is a spinach wrap stuffed with 2 pieces of turkey bacon, 1/4 of an avocado, spinach, thinly sliced onion and cucumber, Bitten creamy strawberry dressing, and medium heat banana pepper rings. The cucumbers I allowed to sit in red wine vinegar and a little bit of canola oil while I prepared the rest of my dinner. And the peppers are the same as what I do for lunches.

Sometimes I'll have a big salad with a lot of added stuff (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, lots of veggies, chicken, steak, or shrimp, olives, etc).

SNACKS

I usually eat trail mix, or the 100 calorie pack of nuts. I sometimes pair that with fruit, turkey bites, and/or a stick of colby jack cheese. I also enjoy chicharrons (BBQ is my favorite),

CALORIES

So I know I'm talking a lot about calories. So how do you figure out how many calories something has? Well, for starters, it's on the back of most packing along with the other nutrition information. Duh. But I would assume your question would be more along the lines of "How do I know how many calories are in my meal?" This has a simple answer. Get a calorie counter! There are plenty of free ones that you can use. I use MyNetDiary. Some of the options do want you to use the Premium paid service, but for the last 3 weeks, the free options have worked just fine for me. This app will ask you what your weight goal is, and will set a daily calorie intake for you based on your current weight, your goal weight, and when you want to reach that goal. It will adjust automatically based on your entries.

You can also link smart watches and smart scales to it.

On this app, you can track your calories by meal and snack. You can also track your weight loss, water intake, and goals. What I love about this app is it allows you to scan barcodes of the food you're eating and it automatically inputs the calories and nutritional information. AND it figures out the calories for you, based on how many servings you input. You can find the serving size on the package.

This doesn't work for everything, though. There are some things that you can't scan (restaurants, the drinks I get from Biloxi Nutrition). So with these, you can go online and search the calories or you can ask (Biloxi Nutrition has their values listed on their menu boards).

Portion control is imperative. Especially for calorie counting. It seems crazy that you can have only 3 mini pickles per serving- but pair it with a few almonds and a little bit of cheese and beef jerky and you have a low calorie snack and it's not going to feel like you're cheating yourself.

Log absolutely everything that you eat on the app. You may struggle for the first week but you WILL get it. It takes research and practice, and detailing your menu to the things that you enjoy.

GYM MEMBERSHIP

I got active. I joined the gym, and I actually go and work out. The best part of being active and doing workouts, is that it BURNS calories! What's so great about that? Well, let's say that the calorie app said you need 1500 calories a day to hit your goal weight in the time you allotted. You go to the gym and do a moderate workout on the treadmill or bike (or whatever). You burn 400 calories. Your 1500 limit just went up to 1900. Now, that doesn't mean you have to reach that limit- but you now have more wiggle room to eat something that may be a little higher in calories. The gym I go to has a separate app that you can download and scan the QR code on the machine- it automatically logs it so when I go to enter my exercise on the calorie counter, I can just pull the app up and see my total for the day rather than trying to remember it later on.

I don't get crazy with working out. I DO NOT go every day. The general rule of thumb is 30 minutes of moderate activity per day. Some weeks I go twice, some weeks three times. This also varies based on my schedule. However, when I go, I make sure to spend at least one full hour working out (So if I go twice, that's really 4 days; three times is 6 days, etc). So if you can't make it to the gym every day for 30 minutes, on the days you can go, double your time and do light activity during the days you're unable to go. 30 minutes a day seems like a waste to me- so I make it count when I do go.

One thing you have to remember: muscle weighs more than fat. So while you may see the scale rise in number (if you're focusing on muscle building), you will also see your clothing size shrinking. DO NOT let this discourage you! If you're working out and your clothes are loose but the scale says 5 lbs heavier, you're not failing- you're gaining muscle.

Also, learn to go to the gym by yourself, and be okay with the fact that you may not always have a companion to go with you. Sure, it's nice to have someone along with you- but you're never going to get anywhere in life if you're having to wait on someone to be with you in order to do what you want.

APPLE WATCH AND SMART SCALE

I also started wearing my apple watch every day. This keeps track of my heart rate and my step count (which you can also log on the app- I usually don't unless it's a workout day).

I purchased a smart scale that I can link to my phone. When I weigh myself, it gives me other measurements too. I purchased the RENPHO Body Fat Scale Smart BMI Scale Digital Bathroom Wireless Weight Scale, Body Composition Analyzer with Smartphone App sync with Bluetooth, 396 lbs - Black. It connects to my phone and keeps track of everything in the app. It shows me my BMI, body fat %, water, muscle mass, etc. It shows you how much weight you've lost or gained since your last weigh-in. It also shows how much your BMI has decreased and how much your body fat has decreased. You can set a goal on this app as well- but I haven't.

Another MAJOR thing about a scale- you're going to be tempted to weigh yourself every day to see if you've made progress. DO NOT DO THIS! This is a leading factor in why people fail with "diets". They weigh themselves daily- see no changes (or see the scale go up) and get discouraged. I'd suggest no more than once a week- twice if you must. I try to weigh myself every Saturday (since it was on a Saturday when I started this journey and my initial weight was taken the day before). If I want to see how my week is going, I MAY weigh myself on a Wednesday.

Here are some tips about weighing yourself:

Do not weigh yourself daily

Weigh yourself once a week

Weigh yourself in the morning- you weigh more in the afternoon/evening because you're carrying around everything you've had to eat and drink.

Weigh yourself naked. You'd be surprised how much clothes and shoes actually weigh.

Don't get discouraged by the number on the scale- again, if your clothes are fitting looser, then you're going in the right direction.

Also, please remember- you did not get to the weight you are over night and you're not going to lose it over night. If you're looking for a fast, low-hassle weight loss program, gastric bypass surgery may be more your speed.

WHAT I LEAVE YOU WITH...

If you made it to the bottom of this post, CONGRATULATIONS! I know it was a long read with a lot of information. You may still have questions and concerns- you may still be confused and unsure what your next step is. But the fact that you got to this means you're ready to start.

You've crossed the biggest hurdle, which is understanding that it's not going to always be easy to make the changes you need in order to see the weight loss you want. You're taking the first steps to a healthier, happier you.

If you have any questions or need any help, feel free to reach out to me. I will give advice and suggestions if I am able to help get you on the right path.

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devondespresso · 1 year ago

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WIP Wednes-eekend: Summer Challenge Edition

tagged by @stobinesque 💕💖💞 Im not sure if the summer challege edition is like. specific to your fics or not so oopsies if it is

The Rules

Post the file names of up to 5 of your WIPs for people to send you asks

Post a snippet of one of those WIPs

When people send you an ask with the name of one of your WIPs, write 3 lines of that WIP.

(Optional) Post the lines you wrote.

You can send multiple requests especially since this is going on through the weekend!

Also feel free to send as many as you want, im gonna devote my free time to this anyway so your just directing the adhd energy to a specific section

WIPs

Since I’m planning on just going wild on my Steve Henderson AU for the foreseeable future and I’m doing a lot of jumping around in it, I figured i’d list different chapters I’m working on as the wips (I also just really wanted to share chapter titles early because i put a lot of effort into making these meme references relevant and i think theyre funny) So in no particular order but definitely chronological because this is just chapters 3-6.5:

1. Get yo fucking dog, bitch (It don’t bite) (YES IT DO)

2. What the fuck kinda dog is that? (Bitch an interdimensional dog)

3. “Lab Work Ahead?” Uh, yeah, I sure hope it does

4. There’s one thing worse than a demodog (Boom) A Billy Hargrove (Actually yes)

5. ✨Bonus Chapter (Dustin pov): Can we go to the tunnels (*slamming*) Can we please go to the tunnels

Snippet

this ones from chapter 3 aka Get Yo Fucking Dog, Bitch

They pulled up to Steve’s again, this time into Steve’s garage connected to the front of the house. Steve hopped out, running over to unlock the door and crack it open. Dustin was still in his seat, looking around the room. Impressed with the house: a reaction that King Steve usually found validating but now made Just Steve uneasy.

Steve went over and knocked on his window before crossing back to the other side and opening the backseat door. Dustin turned around.

“You have your own garage?”

He nodded, putting two bags in one arm and grabbing a third.

“C’mon, are we in a rush or not?” he joked. Dustin climbed out, still distracted.

Steve pushed through the door, catching it with his foot before it could bump into the wall and waited for Dustin who was balancing three bags of his own.

They turned the corner and he set the bags on the kitchen island, Dustin still absently taking everything in. It took a few trips, but eventually they got all the meat on the counter, leaving the pasta and dry groceries in the car to save time.

“Alright, you start unloading stuff and I’ll find us some buckets or something.” he said, setting the last bag down and heading back to his garage, “And do not touch the knives until I’m back.”

“Dude, I’m twelve, I can hold a knife.”

“Just don't start without me, okay?"

"Five minutes and then I'm raiding your knife block."

Tags

hiding the tags down here because i definitely rambled too much up top so (no pressure ofc) @blushweddinggowns @spicysix @wuffgang-ameowdeus-moozart @lets-try-to-be-normal-otakus @eriquin @marvel-ous-m 💃🪩🕺

#steve harrington #dustin henderson #steve and dustin #dustin and steve #stranger things #wip wednes-eekend #???#wip wednesday #wip weekend #also #anti billy hargrove #just in case yknow #i don't want anybody complaining over the title about billy here #anyway explainations of the title references because being out if the loop sucks:#ch 3 is just verbatim a vine by the kid that puts objects on his head #ch 4 is a reference to 'what the fuck kinda bug is that' 'bitch an eyelash bug'#i think its megan thee stallion but im not sure about the original conext i just got it from meme osmosis in a yt video essay #ch 5 is ofc ''road work ahead'? uh yeah i sure hope it does'#ch 6 is basically the same but demodog and billy hargrove are obv changed #and in the original the person saying 'a _' is wrong but in this they're actually right #a far too complicated explanation just to avoid typing a word i don't want to but i hoping its just common knowledge #anyway ch6.5 is referencing the vine 'can i get a waffle? can i please get a waffle' while two employees fight behind the counter

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janiedean · 7 years ago

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Hi Lavi :) I need your help! cause I'm moving to Roma soon for 2 months and I don't really know anything about the city :/// First, I would need advice for the place I'll stay in, I have 3 options basically : Trastevere, Aventino, or near the basilica santa maria maggiore. Knowing that I would need to be in the city center (next to the palazzo colonna) every day?? And general advices about living in Roma would be awesome too! Grazie

hey!

okay so first thing I REALLY HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD TIME HERE rn the administration is... terrible but hopefully it won’t deter you from enjoying it. in order:

palazzo colonna is right in the city center but in theory all three options are good because aventino is behind the coliseum which is within walking distance, santa maria maggiore is near the main station but it’s also within walking distance and trastevere is a bit farther but you can get to piazza venezia quickly with the tram which is like the one public transport that works. in theory aventino is more quiet and has a lot of green and it’s not that filled with tourists but it should be less cheap (if you’re renting) but like if you can afford it maybe it’s the best choice, but it also has the least choice of like, shops and restaurants and so on. trastevere has all the typical restaurants and is a lot more lively and is full of nice shops, but it’s also stock-full of tourists and unless you find a secluded place good luck sleeping during the weekends. santa maria maggiore depends on where you are because in between the church and the station it’s cheaper but it’s basically the multicultural area which is not as well kept as the others - sadly - and on the other side instead there’s monti which is a very nice and actually not too touristy neighborhood which has also good public transportation so it depends on what are your specific needs, but all three are good picks also because you can get to piazza venezia by foot anyway if everything else fails. I’d say weigh your specific needs (if you want to party in your free time trastevere or s. maria maggiore is better, if you want quiet and calm aventino would be better) and see but all those choices are good;

as far as general advice goes, in order, PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND SHIT and then WHAT YOU CAN DO:

know it from the get-go - public transport is shitty. if you can walk, WALK. if you can’t, get an app on your phone - the best are probus, citymapper and muoviroma - which tells you when the bus is coming if it’s coming - sometimes they fuck up but it’s better that you do. really, GET AN APP, because otherwise waiting for the bus will be hell. the metro is more reliable but taken in the morning or at 5-7 PM it’s hell - you’ll get people in your face and pressed up to you like sardines most of the time. the only good public transport is the tram and it’s not everywhere. do not expect it to work properly. there’s a strike about every other friday (I KNOW) so be prepared to walk. if you’re here for two months you can get the monthly card - at least it’s cheap, even if the service is shitty. 80% of the time the bus driver won’t speak very good english. anyway, do not expect good public transport. ever;

don't use taxis or try not to. the prices are some of the highest in the country and they'll rob you in any case. clearly if you need to get someplace at 3 AM then you don't have much choice, but the number for calling one is just in Italian I think, so you'd have to stop one unless you learn enough italian or you know it well enough to navigate it. especially, try don't take one from the airport because it'll cost you around 70 euros tops unless you want to spend them, of course. or you can try the private taxi companies - the one everyone recommends me is samarcanda, they also accept credit cards while regular taxis might not; (in case, go on ONLY THE WHITE ONES)

if you need directions, beware that a good 50% of the people here either speak English pretty badly. So in case you do need to ask, I'd suggest asking at a newsstand or bar or shop - at the center there's probably more of a chance that they actually do speak English. If you learn the basic Italian for directions it might help a lot, but if you ask random people they might be crap at communication;

if you need to buy food, we have a few supermarket chains. todis has the best price/quality ratio, conad is okay, carrefour is good but pricey, coop is good if you find one, the rest can be good or not but those are the most popular supermarket chains;

alf of the people who drive around here should have their license removed. (personal experience.) pay extra attention while crossing any road and try to mind noisy traffic. that might seem kind of stupid, but there's a bunch of people passing with red lights or starting the car as soon as it's green and stuff like that which never happens when I go outside Italy (most times). oh, and pay attention to motorcycles because 75% of people driving one should have their license removed instead of just half and they tend to break rules more than car drivers do;

if you want to rent a car or try to get one while you’re here you can but I would advise strongly against it because parking is a bitch and *I* hate driving in this city I can’t imagine someone not adjusted to it;

now, since it’s long, under the cut you get food/tourism advice/tourist traps and stuff. :)

Tourist traps and stuff that is advisable to avoid

There aren't many tourist traps in the strict sense since pretty much everything is worth visiting, but here are the ones I'm aware of, plus a few tips.

- Don't get on the top of St. Peter's. I don't know why it's apparently a great thing to do but it's totally not worth it. They charge you, there's always a line that can go from mid-long to long as fuck and the view isn't anything that special either. You can get a better one for free if you take a walk up the Gianicolo hill or the Pincio gardens just to say two. Or you can take the elevator on the Altare della patria.

When you go to the Coliseum/Roman forum, avoid fake gladiators before they throw an arm around your shoulder and take a picture with you because then they'll want to get paid for it even if you didn't ask. Unless you want one but it’s like ROBBERY. XD

When eating, avoid restaurants in the center offering you tourist menus or pasta/pizza menus. They'll tell you that you can have any pasta or pizza you want and stuff to drink for seven euros, but then looking at the menu since most pastas cost more than that, they'll mostly give you just one or two choices for either. Also 99% of the times it's frozen and re-heated, and at that point you can spend ten euros and go to a proper cheap pizza place. Also beware generally of places that offer pasta and pizza at the same time anyway - most proper pizza restaurants have a pasta/meat/vegetables/etc. choice anyway even if they don't advertise it, and whatever offers stuff like pasta/pizza/Italian typical food at once is usually not a good choice. If they sport an Italian flag or the Coliseum or St. Peter's on the menu outside then it's probably not a good place. XD

Generally eating cheap

Since I scared you off the cheap kind of restaurant, some eating cheaply advice. Now, unless you go to very fancy places and/or renomated restaurants and/or smack in the center, it's easy-ish enough to eat with no more than 12 euros per person in regular restaurants/pizza places. Also most Chinese restaurants are pretty cheap. But if you just want something quick for lunch or anything, there are a lot of places that sell pizza by the weight. You can just go in and say that you want three euros of that kind of pizza and that's all you'll pay, and they also sell appetizers to go with it (like, idk, arancini or supplìs, google them XD) and you'll get out of there having spent five euros at most. Most ice cream places are good by default so that's a good option as well. Or most bars have a kitchen and offer pasta/meat/vegetables at lunch and you pay less than what you'd get in a restaurant. Also if you want to try typical local stuff (though if you're vegetarian Roman food might not be your cup of tea) you can just go to Trastevere and there virtually each restaurant is good. Actually if you want to try pizza there, this is my favorite place; the pizza is excellent, everything else is, prices are reasonable and you don't pay for the service, just for the food. (Anyway, check for pizzas. There's Neapolitan and Roman - most places do it the Roman way but if you check they might do it the Roman way as well. The difference is that the former is the real pizza, the second is very thin rather than tall. They usually specify it, if it's Neapolitan. /end rant)

If you're into Jewish food then you could go to the ghetto, which is the second-oldest ghetto in the world (nothing to be proud but it's info) and where they have a bunch of great places to eat typical Jewish/Roman stuff, but I can't guarantee about the cheapness. TRY THE ARTICHOKES FOR THE LOVE OF GOD;

Other random tips before the to-see list

From what I gathered, if you need euros it's better to get them at a bank/ATM rather than at any change shop or at airports. They don't rob you that much on it, but it's still more convenient not to get money in there.

Use tap water. Rome is full of fountains and all the water is good to drink. It's actually very good water objectively XD and rather than getting charged two euros for half a liter you can just buy a bottle once and fill it in at your hotel or at the first random fountain you see in the street. It's all safe.

Any place that charges you more than one euro for one coffee that isn't strictly in the center or in Via Veneto (except for my favorite place in the center - Sant’Eustachio - which is totally worth every penny) is best left alone. Today a lot of places offer American coffee too but I’d advise trying the espresso ;)

- Don't try to rent a bicycle. High chance is that someone will hit you.

Or: come with jackets or a huge scarf with you even if it's nice hot weather because otherwise they won't let you inside churches. especially at St. Peter's they're strict like hell -- they won't let you in with one-quarter sleeves, you need to have at least half of your arms covered. And once I brought a friend to a crypt which I'll list in the to-see things which isn't inside the church, it's under it, and the guardian was looking in obvious disapproval at a bunch of Germans going inside in shorts and tank tops, so anyway if you want to get inside churches don't do it with your shoulders uncovered.

The shiny list of things you absolutely need to see, or try to if you don't have time

1. Coliseum + Roman Forum. Or, well, come on, we were awesome before popes re-built this city. Okay, with all seriousness, I'm not going to play tourist guide here because that'd be redundant, but you really should go see them.

Aaand advice in order to go quicker: usually lines at the Coliseum are huge. Depends on day/time, but unless you're going very early or very late it'll take you a while. So, either you can book your ticket (with at least one day of advance, they won't let you otherwise) or you go the sneaky way. Which is: you can get a ticket for Coliseum & Roman forum together as well, at both Coliseum and the forum. Since the forum usually has like 1/10 of the line, you go to the forum first, visit there and then go to the Coliseum, be like 'I HAVE MY TICKET ALREADY' and skip the line.

2. The center! Which means like twenty things together, but they're all close-ish to each other so in theory if you spend one day walking (or two half days walking) you can totes manage it. What you should go see in the center, not including the churches because I'll make a list out of those in another point:

a) The Pantheon;

b) Piazza di Spagna (where, if you're English lit nerds, you can go visit Keats' house - they say it's the Keats/Shelley museum but just Keats lived in there. Anyway, it's at the right of the stairs and apparently 90% of the visiting people are English and the people there go like 'OMGWHUT' when Italians go in, but however, it's a little cool museum and if you have some time it could be worth a visit);

c) Fontana di Trevi;

d) Via del Corso (where you go buy stuff if you're cool and have a lot of money);

e) Piazza Venezia ---> the Campidoglio hill (where there's a square and a palace by Michelangelo and the Capitolini museums - more on those later) --> the Trajan column;

f) Piazza Barberini (Bernini fountains!);

g) Piazza Navona (Bernini fountain + Borromini church + the square was actually a stadium in Roman times);

h) Campo dei fiori aka my favorite place and one of the best places to eat so YOU NEED TO GO SEE IT AND THAT'S THE END OF IT;

i) Piazza del popolo;

l) Porta Pia + imperial walls surrounding it;

m) all the roads in between that + the churches that I'll list in a short while.

n) ETA BECAUSE FOR SOME REASON I FORGOT: Piazza Argentina, where there's a colony of 300 cats in the Roman ruins there and you can pet them for free. Well obv not 300 at a time but yeah they totally want to be petted and there's a volunteer association taking care of them so they're clean and everything and so basically it's just a huge free petting zoo.

3. The churches!

Okay, telling you to go to all the churches in Rome would be insane as there's one every three buildings, so I'll give you a run down of the places that are worth checking out because of a) the architects, b) the paintings inside, c) other stuff of importance.

a) Basilicas first, obviously:

a1 -> St. Paul's. (No, I didn't list St. Peter's first. *cough*) it’s my favorite of the basilicas, especially because it's way older than St. Peter's and still has some Byzantine mosaics as well. Disadvantage: since it was built outside the Roman walls back then (VERY MUCH outside) it's smack down in the middle of suburbs, so you need to go there with the subway and there's nothing else around to see UNLESS YOU GO TO THE NOT-CATHOLIC CEMETERY to visit keats and shelley, it’s the previous metro stop;

a2 -> St. Peter's obviously. If only because Michelangelo's Pietà is in there and you -have- to see that, no discussions. XD No well obviously you have to go. I'm probably just sick of it because I've been there so many times that I barely notice anything else anymore

a3 -> St. John's, which is also quite worth visiting, and it's next to San Giovanni which is a pretty lively zone where you can totally go to have a drink or something to eat

a4 -> santa maria maggiore ;)

There are three others as well but those four are the most important ones. Now, other churches:

b) San Luigi dei Francesi, Sant'Agostino and Santa Maria del popolo

have a considerable advantage that makes them VERY much worthy to be visited: all of them have Caravaggio paintings inside. Actually, the first has three, the second one, the third two, and they're all masterpieces, so those are totally worth visiting.

c) Sant'Andrea al Quirinale and San Carlino alle Quattro Fontane

are two churches near the Quirinale (where the President of the Republic lives -- NOT the PM, thanks XD), the first was designed by Bernini and the second by Borromini, which are both pretty much encompassing what you want to see about Baroque in Rome. They're both absolutely wonderful though I like Borromini's better. Regarding Borromini, it's his also the one in Piazza Navona.

d) Bernini speaking, in Santa Maria della Vittoria you will find the Ecstasy of St. Theresa sculpture - it's kind of fun that when I bring people there without telling them what's inside everyone is like 'OMG IS THAT IN HERE' because it's not the kind of church you notice.

e) Chiesa di Santa Maria Immacolata a Via Veneto or where the crypt I was talking to you before is. Major point of interest: said crypt is made of human bones. Warning: since human bones/skeletons creep me out like nothing else I've never set foot inside or I'd have ended up with a major case of WANTING TO GET THE SHIT OUT OF THERE, but people with less problems with it assure me that it's amazing. Your pick. xD

f) San Clemente aka a minor basilica which is also one of our oldest churches and is definitely worth a visit, if only because you can sort of see how it's two churches one built over the other. It also has some catacombs (thankfully skeletons-free) which are pretty much worth a visit as I think they're the only ones that remained here in pretty good condition.

Obviously there's a bunch of other churches but those are the ones I wouldn't miss.

4. Museums:

4a: Vatican museums. Or, if you need to pick ONE then I'd go here even if clearly it's the most pricey and it'll take you half a day to see it. BUT, it has the Sistine Chapel and Raphael's chambers and pretty much some of the best things you can see here so yeah, totally recommending it. Other recommendation: either book tickets online (you'll pay like 3 euros more) or go there at lunch time around 12.30/1 PM because otherwise high chances are that you'll queue for hours. Also if you're a student and have a card or a document from your school bring it along because you can pay 8 euros instead of 14 to get in.

4b: Galleria Barberini: they have a lot of Reinassance/Baroque paintings, Caravaggio included, and they're much cheaper.

4c: Galleria Borghese: probably the besty out of said public museums. It has sculptures/paintings/everything from a lot of artists and also contains famous things as well but a) you have to book, b) they'll kick you out after two hours regardless of the point you reached, so while being there try to go as quick as possible. If you finish you can always go back.

4d: Musei Capitolini: or, the oldest public museums in the world! (Really.) They have a lot of ancient Roman statues/ruins/etc along with the Marcus Aurelius statue which is the only original Roman bronze around, so it's totally worth a visit. Their paintings are great as well.

4e: if you're into it, next to Galleria Borghese there's a pretty good modern art gallery, but I haven't been there in ages and I'm not that much into very modern art anyway so you should probably check before listening to me.

5. I’d also go to Trastevere/the isola tiberina if you don’t go LIVE there of course XD

6. Also if you have time take a train at ostiense and go to the ruins at Ostia Antica. then take a train from any regular station and go see Villa Adriana in Tivoli ;)

feel free to ask for any other advice!

#italy #rome #traveling #welcome to italy #really JUST DON'T TRUST ATAC AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT #Anonymous #ask post

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