#buying a new bike asap

[arcadian-muse]

It’s getting too cold to ride what am I supposed to do this winter??

[cloakedsparrow]

Tim & Ace Join the Bat Family Early AU #1

This is one of those AUs where Jason (pre-death or Jason!Lives AU) emotionally adopts Tim shortly after meeting him, but wherein the Drakes are not relocated to Bristol. They live in an expensive intercity apartment in Gotham. Perhaps it's in one of the last remaining wealthy areas approaching Park Row, or the Upper East Side, or it's in Robbinsville.

Wherever Tim lives is close enough that Jason used to see him around town and was concerned about him but had too much going on himself to try to help before Bruce adopted him. When Jason sees Tim now, he decides to figure out what this lonely child's deal is and find a way to help him. Maybe he first sees him again as Robin, out too late because he was taking photos in the park or a W&W campaign he's been playing at the local game shop ran late. Then later, he sees him as Jason at the library, skate-park, park, or a diner. Maybe they attend the same school somehow.

In any case, he decides this kid is on his own way too much, nice apartment or no.

After laying out the foundation to reel in his new baby brother build a friendship upon, Jason uses the distance between their places to his advantage. The intercity buses run practically all night, but there's a fairly early final bus at the Bristol stop. Alfred and Janet would never permit for Tim to ride his bike or skateboard all the way across the R. Kane Memorial Bridge and into Park Row to catch a nighttime bus home. So Jason just has to make sure Tim misses that final bus and then insist he spend the night.

After a couple successes, he also starts suggesting activities for multiple days where it wouldn't make any sense for Tim to head all the way back to an empty apartment and then return to Wayne Manor the next day. So naturally, he should just sleep over.

Jason also buys a spare school uniform in Tim's size to keep at the Manor. Then a couple pairs of jeans and some t-shirt and hoodies. Then there's a small pack of socks, some briefs, and sneakers. Then some 'spare' W&W manuals and detective novels. Basically, Jason turns the spare room that shares a bathroom with his bedroom into Tim's room under everyone's nose (except for Alfred, most likely, but we all know he's a enabler in this).

Dick absolutely notices that he practically has a new baby brother now whenever he comes to spend time with his little brother, but he just rolls with it. Jason has obviously decided they're keeping the kid and that's good enough for him. He checks in with his little bro to make sure they don't need to extract Tim from a bad situation asap and once he realizes there isn't an immediate danger, he just jumps in wherever Jason leaves an opening.

Despite Jason's efforts to be subtle, Bruce notices all this. He initially reaches the conclusion that Jason is lonely and so brings home Ace (dealer's choice which breed and background). Jason (and Tim) loves the dog, but naturally he still works on keeping his little brother dear friend safe at the Manor. Bruce also starts spending more time at home (actually home, not the Cave or his home office) to be with Jason more. This results in Bruce seeing Tim more and then he finally figures out what Jason (and possibly Dick and Alfred) have been up to.

At first, Bruce wants to talk Jason out of trying to adopt this child who has living, wealthy parents. Then he starts to notice the signs of neglect (and perhaps Jack's temper/selfishness) and can't help but join the cause.

Either Janet agrees to let Tim stay with the Waynes while she and Jack are out of town (which is often) and he does so until she dies (then Bruce goes for full custody), or Janet dies early and thingsbtake a turn for the worse with Jack, so Bruce goes for custody. (or this could tie in with my 'Alfred is Tim's biological granfather AU' idea and Alfred takes custody of Tim).

Jason doesn't understand at first why Tim seems so reluctant to stay overnight (but seems delighted to visit during the day). After all is said and done, Tim will inform him that he knows he's Robin and hadn't wanted to keep him from patrol just because he missed a bus or had a long commute from his parents' apartment. Tim never worried about Jason or the others figuring out that he knew their identities; he also thought Jason was lonely and a little pushy. He just enjoyed his company and quickly came to love him enough to be cool with all that.

[i-think-i-thunk]

steddie racing au

Okay so I have some family that do drag racing for fun and I went to see them recently and it had me thinking about a steddie au. Also bear with me cause I only know a little bit about this lol. Also also, this turned out to be really long, sorry.

So Wayne Munson buys a racetrack in the late 60s/early 70s just outside of Hawkins

He's slowly working on fixing it up and ends up with a bunch of project cars

Word gets around town and pretty soon, local car and motorcycle guys start showing up

Even some from nearby towns

They all start meeting up on the weekends, bringing their families and kids, having barbeques, etc.

Needless to say, they become a really close little community

Something something Eddie's dad sucks and he ends up moving in with Wayne at like 9 or 10 years old

Cue Wayne suddenly having a traumatized kid that he hasn't seen in years and has no idea how to take care of him

So he starts taking Eddie to the track and of course lets him name it (Hellfire Raceway)

All of Wayne's friends step up and welcome little Eddie to the group

The guys teach him how to fix up cars and bikes and show him the ins and outs of racing

The moms take one look at him, decide he needs to bulk up asap and cook more food for him and Wayne then either of them have ever seen

Plus, the kids teach Eddie how to be a kid again

Eddie grows up covered in oil and grease and dirt, spending all his free time tinkering with things and helping Wayne maintain the track and learning to race

As he's learning to restore and maintain cars, he teaches himself how to do different paint jobs and straight line detailing

And he gets to be good, really good

Eventually racing starts catching on in the rest of Indiana, and the different tracks start having competitions with each other

The Hellfire community is slowly but steadily growing

In communities as tight nit at these, new faces are easy to recognize

So when one Steve Harrington shows up with nothing but his beamer and an odd girl at his side, people are shocked

He's spoiled, rich, entitled and cocky

Or at least, the old Steve Harrington was

This Steve is different

He's quiet and reserved, only offering a small wave and a smile every now and then

He starts at the bottom like everyone else

Works his way through the time trials as he learns

A few months in, Eddie starts to get curious

He's been watching Steve stumble his way through racing

He's also happened to notice that Steve doesn't seem to know much about car maintenance

One day, after Steve's car fails on the runway, Eddie helps him and Robin steer it off the track and offers to look at it

Cue Eddie and Robin having a very animated conversation while Eds tinkers with the beamer

After a couple attempts, Robin finally manages to rope Steve into the conversation too

And wouldn't you know it, Steve's actually a pretty good guy

They end up talking for a few hours and when Eddie walks them back to the track, he takes the time to explain scoring and the different types of racing

Maybe he introduces him to some of the guys

The summer is coming to an end, and Steve and Eddie are avoiding the topic at all costs, afraid of what it might mean, worried that autumn will mark the end of whatever it is they had going

Maybe Wayne has a mechanic shop that he and Eddie run during the week and in the off season

A few weeks after the track closes, Steve shows up to talk with Eddie while he's working in the garage

Watches in awe as Eddie works on engines and paints intricate details onto beautiful cars, always with a steady hand

And Eddie is ecstatic, constantly trying to show off for Steve and flashing a bashful smile when his natural clumsiness shows

Then Eddie starts showing up at Family Video to talk with Steve and Robin

Steals a few snacks and definitely doesn't flirt with Steve

Then Eddie is invited to their weekly movie night where he meets the kids and the rest of the crew

Gets real close with Jonathan and Argyle (maybe some background Jargyle)

Starts DMing for the kids and teaching Will and Erica as he goes

Steve, Robin and Eddie are rarely seen without each other at this point

Wayne is skeptical at first but becomes fiercely protective of Steve and Robin once he really gets to know them

Endgame steddie obviously

They bring the kids to the track the next summer and end up their own little cheer squad

Chaos and antics ensue of course

Maybe they work their way up to the pros or maybe they stay and take over the shop and track together. But either way, they survive everything the world throws at them. They buy a cute little house and grow old together.

[copperbadge]

Radio Free Monday

Good morning everyone, and welcome to Radio Free Monday! Ways to Give: Anon linked to a fundraiser for a family member who has developed increasingly severe allergies; her insurance won't cover a food allergy test to figure out what's causing the sudden reactions, so they're fundraising to cover the cost. You can read more and support the fundraiser here. audkitty's close friend just found out he has a tumor at the base of his skull; he needs to have it removed ASAP, but health insurance won't cover the full procedure, and he needs to raise about $8.2K to cover bills. You can read more and support the fundraiser here. mamajosrefuge is finally funding their top surgery, and needs help with funds; you can read more and support the fundraiser here. kirkfanatic linked to a fundraiser for a good friend's husband, who is funding his top surgery after getting a job that will allow him recovery time; you can read more and support the fundraiser here. Anon linked to a fundraiser for maximumsunshine, who will be returning to work in August after life-saving surgery but is behind on rent, bills, and food until their first paycheck comes in at the end of next month. You can read more and reblog here, or support them via patreon or via paypal. Anon linked to a fundraiser for thebisexualmandalorian, a trans person raising funds to move themself and their cat away from abusive family members and out of a state that is becoming increasingly hostile and dangerous for trans people. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here. theleakypen linked to a fundraiser for friends Kayti and Eli, who have been living precariously since leaving an abusive housing situation; they now have some stability with a new roommate and chosen family member, but still need help with household expenses and car maintenance, especially since the household has multiple disabilities. You can read more and support the fundraiser here. songspinner9's kid Wren, age 23, had their e-bike stolen this week; Wren's disabilities mean they can't safely drive, and have limited energy, so the bike was a necessary mobility aid and tool for independence, particularly in commuting to their work at a local youth center. They are raising funds for a refurbished replacement that meets their needs; you can read more and support the fundraiser here. Anon linked to a fundraiser for rosietwiggs, whose family was hit hard by COVID and is dealing with an ongoing lawsuit against insurance; she's fundraising for school supplies and also summer activity stuff for her kids, who are all at home during the summer. You can read more and reblog here or give via ko-fi here. Buy Stuff, Help Out: queerdo-mcjewface is selling corsets that no longer fit on eBay; 100% of proceeds benefit the National Lawyers' Guild (which provides legal aid to activists) and the Entertainment Community Fund (which helps striking show business workers). The auctions are for 24" and 26" corsets and run through Sunday, July 30th. You can see and purchase them here. Recurring Needs: Anon linked to a fundraiser for littlefluffbutt, who is facing homelessness with two daughters due to a predatory loan and support falling through; you can read more and reblog here or support the fundraiser here. And this has been Radio Free Monday! Thank you for your time. You can post items for my attention at the Radio Free Monday submissions form. If you're new to fundraising, you may want to check out my guide to fundraising here.

[zaenaris]

Have you headcanon about Reset Timeline? About Kokonui who have no traumas?

well, I think that without the trauma and the fire their relationship would be so much "easier"

Tbh, I love all their versions but their final TL version is probably the one I am relatively less fond of since we know nothing about them, but I have mostly cute headcanons since without the trauma they "lose" what they made their story interesting in context but hey, probably their story would have been equally interesting in the reset TL if we'd have the chance to see it (but Wakui was burned out, I understand why he wanted to close the story asap)

Back to the headcanon

their relationship, as I said would have been easier and while, for sure, it's not easy to be a queer young boy in Japan in the mid '00, at least this time they had Akane & Shin & Takemichi to help them realizing it was ok to be in love with their best friend

I kind of headcanon that, in the others TL (where the fire happens), they start their physical relationship before their romantic one, as some sort of friends with benefits/situationship, because the attraction (and the love) has always been there but, due to their traumas, it was difficult to deal with it and to express their feelings in a more healthy way; in the reset TL, I know everything would have been so much more "linear", confession, kiss, and so on

Akane is the best big sis/sister in law and always helped them when they were figuring out their feelings

while they had their "rebellious" phase, since we know they were still in BLACK DRAGON even in the final TL, I guess that, once again, it was Inupi's fascination with Shin and Koko just followed Inupi because he wanted to be with him, as usual

Inupi still admires the first gen BD, but Koko low-key doesn't like them lol (he's jealous of Shin in particular lol). His jealousy get better in time, (especially when he realize the BD are on their side and support Inupi's relationship with him) but at the beginning while he's happy Inupi got his dream job, he was sometimes sad that he couldn't stay with Inupi more, while he was with Shin.

Koko is very nervous when studying for university admissions, their last high school year is very stressing for Koko and he's afraid this could ruin his relationship with Inupi, since he realizes he's not always calm and relaxed; after all, they've always been together since they were children, but now they're growing up and they know they'll walk different path

Inupi knows it as well, but he's happy about the future for both of them since he knows he'll work as a mechanic as he wanted and Koko will go to uni, so yeah, it will be different, but this doesn't change their love. He knows it's a stressful period for Koko and he does his best to support him

Koko wants to be with Inupi when he'll learn if he was admitted to the university he wanted, so when he finds out he did it, he can't believe it at first, but Inupi knew it he would have been admitted already and kisses him

they start living together after Koko graduates uni

we know that at some point Koko and Kisaki start their activity together and while it's not really Inupi's field, Koko trusts very much Inupi's intuition when he had to deal with new customers or collaborators (just like he read tarots and such before making important decisions lol)

when they buy their house, it was agreed they'd have a garage for the bikes and a separate one for the cars

they probably got a cat and a dog at some point

they love to spoil Akane's daughter, they adore their little niece

[liesmyth]

I absolutely NEED to buy a new bike asap. getting to look at pretty girls on the metro isn't worth the hassle of actually being on the metro. u know

[the-firebird69]

And these are candy cigarettes it's hard to find the ones that blow the puff of confectionery sugar and sometimes it can blow several and our son and daughter used to do it and we we saw Kathy and Ellie and bja doing it and not Mom and Dad but they were smoking real cigarettes elsewhere. And they would Puff it and laugh and puff when did they went through a pack of cigarettes without eating them and said we don't want to eat them we just want to poof on it.

It's not a great idea it is superb we won't look like us and we can get the boat out there ASAP and everybody wants it.

They both want the Lucky Brand and it's kind of like everybody might race that particular one really it's just a different colors on the boat and a different decal and you can order the different brands or you can get the standard ones and you can add decals yourself we're going to actually do this because they want the boat in there as like a separate manufacturer and we have a way of doing that you name it a different subsidiary and we're going to go ahead and do it and the Lucky Brand cigarette candy cigarette usually has a pair of dice and that's on the box and it's on the back and it has puzzles and people want the puzzles on board and you can photocopy him in do them as a fun thing to do on the boat and these are racers these are three seaters and they have races for three seaters believe it or not and they're really it's a small sport but the whole we have is it's the hull it's shaped for that kind of racing it's a little bit deeper of a v but it's it's necessary these days you have no flat water ever and more or less you have to do it in the harbor or a lake land waterway or estuary or a river Lincoln Shelby and the rivers and harbors around here full of crap and they're too dangerous other estates some of them don't have the crap anymore and it's perfectly safe you want to check for critters and some water bugs get kind of big and it's really disappointing so the race might be on pretty soon we got calls from 4:00 retailers who do outdoor stuff no we got calls from for boat companies and usually they have some sort of novelty it used to be like some sort of fast jet ski or a small speed boat type thing and they used to make those it's like an advertise and gimmick and these are real cigarettes and some of them and they're coming to kit and you can have a small cuddy cabin believe it or not you have in front of you this is 12 ft long about 7 ft that's 10 inches longer than our son's e-bike is tip to tip and a new one it's big enough for adults to sleep in and adults will be buying this they can fit in the seats if you're 5'10 or shorter and her son would fit because his legs are shorter than his torso. They have a dual inboard IO motor system the inboard motors are about 45 horsepower each they are both Coleman and they're outfitted for the ocean so they can go in any water and they are very fast they come out with almost 100 horsepower and most boats that size have 50 horsepower and go 60 miles an hour you have to put the speed kit in to go 120 mph but it will with three 100 lb persons with one 100-lb person it'll go 140 mph and they have those races too and you'll win every time boat is unstoppable and we do have a white hole cigarette and it's less money but the most people buy colors and boy do they look nice and our son will probably buy one. And that leads us to another discussion you want to take over a candy company because we want to make the candy actually edible so if any candy companies wish to sell we are looking for candy cigarette companies and if you make other candies that's fine we are looking to purchase even if they're defunct. Wonka candy company is not defunt however it is owned by Tommy f and he is way ahead of schedule and trying to get rid of everyone and need stuff and he has not slowed

Thor Freya

Olympus

We have had enough of him he is not a friend and he is an enemy and he needs to be stopped right now and we can see what he's doing we need teams in I need them in right now to help me same with this John remillard guy

Zues

I'm asking them to go in right now

Hera

We're sending them in and we have a lot and right now and we do see what you're saying we have to be a little ahead of it but we have it in a moment

Thor Freya

We are getting handle on it right now and we're sending more in very fast we have also approved this idea believe it or not they do put them in a whole bunch of boat stores we have about 50 large boat dealers that want them and they're all over the world they sell all sorts of different kinds of boats they heard it was a Coleman engine at different type of Hull and very fast and colorful and they're going to flip out when they see it's candy cigarettes and that we actually will be a sponsor me to get paid money to put their candy cigarettes on there

Olympus

[loiswolf]

Summary of Anchorage - Toronto May 24 - July 31

Today I am flying home to Sydney. It will take 25hrs and 3 flights.

Somehow I’ve managed to pack Shirley and a pannier with contents (separate)

Into a normal sized bike box.

Sadly I decided to lighten the load just a little by disposing of Pinkie.

So sad….but she will be replaced by a new version of Pinkie asap.

My lovely host Rushd will drive me to the airport at around 1pm for my 4pm flight. I have been staying here with him and his nephew who is also called Rushd.

On the 20th floor ( overlook Mississauga )

I haven’t anything else to do this morning so I’ve gathered a few statistics for you.

Yesterday I took Shirley for a ride in order to try to buy something my sister asked me to get. We failed to purchase the required item but the ride was 16kms, bringing my total kilometres so close to 6000, we will call it 6000!

So total kms - 6000

Longest day - Day 36 Raymore - Melville 144kms. There were also many days just under this total which has brought the daily average to 100kms. There were also several short days for various reasons.

Toughest day - Day 3 Glacier View - Tolsona 116kms. Mountains and wind!

Rest days - 8 although 3 of those were in Tok.

Accommodation stats

Nights in motels - 37 ( I love motels!)

Nights in airbnbs- 15

Night in really bad hotel - 1 (thankfully)

Warmshowers- 4 nights ( including 2 here in Toronto)

Nights in cabins- 8 ( I love these too as long as they have running water (3 didn’t))

Nights in Hostels - just 3 in Tok but I loved it there too.

Nights with friends - 2 at Uxbridge ( also a favourite)

Probably my 2 favourites were Toad River(above)

And White Lake

So obviously I had help along the way which I happily admit to.

It was only because of lack of accommodation options and getting to my flight on time.

4 Rides in RV’s and 1 van - 625kms

1 ride in a bus - 385km

Total 1010kms.

I thank God for the amazing weather I enjoyed almost the whole time and keeping me safe every day from bears, bad surfaces on the road and drivers who do not appreciate cyclists. Also for sending people to reassure me, keep me company and provide something when I needed it.

The other amazing statistic is my incredible Shirley.

Number of flat tyres - 0

Number of times I pumped up the tyres after leaving Anchorage. - 1 at exactly halfway and I didn’t do it. Aaron in the bike shop at Vermilion did it.

Number of times Shirley got oil - 1. From a nice man at Nth Battleford .

Number of times Shirley complained or made a noise - 0. What a girl!

So I’m not sure if I’ll tour again. I’m really over dragging the box in and out of vehicles and through airports. Maybe if I could take a lovely cruise to and from my country of choice I might be interested. We’ll see.

Thanks for following me and thanks to all the people who wrote emails and messages. I hope you enjoyed reading my stories.

Lois x

[peachywritesstuff]

Dating Dwayne would Include.....

This was requested by @justsomeomehere sorry it took so long! I just took a step back from tumblr for a little bit

Boyfriend of the year award goes go the one and only.

He can be just as crazy as the other boys can. But like a calm crazy if you know what I'm saying.

Is very in tune with your feelings and partically knows if something is wrong with you.

Takes you out on nice little dates like local diners,arcades,walks on the beach, or even having the cave all to himself for a while.

Dwayne is definitely likes to read so on some days you two don't feel like going out he would read to you (and 99% of the time you fall asleep due to how soothing his voice sounds)

Getting close to Laddie and him seeing you as an older sibling/parent.

Warms Dwaynes heart to see you playing with Laddie,makes him fall in love with you even more.

Likes to hold eye contact with you.

Touch is his way of showing love.

He would hold your hand,backhug you,rest his head in your neck.

Loves to stay at the cave or at home and just watch movies on the TV they stole bought.

Leaves little poems for you to find.

If you are having a bad day he would just bring you in his arms and let you sob it out if you need to.

Listens to anything and everything you say. So if you mention something that you like, you bet your ass it's gonna to appear right infront of you.

You guys rarely get into arguments,sure you will have some disagreements but yall won't have a full on screaming match

If he makes you mad he would want to make up with you asap. But will give you space if you need it and will just sulk in the corner until you are ready to talk.

If by chance you make him made he will give you the silent treatment. And it will hurt seeing him give you the silent treatment. But you are rarely the source when he is mad so we all good.

Did I mention the sex? ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC the dick is definitely a 10 out of 10

Very sensual,and romantic sexy time with him BUT don't underestimate him he can and will go rough with you 😉

Definitely drinks from you but doesn't take a lot.

When it came to telling you what he was he was SCARED

Like he was terrified that you would be scared of him and leave him.

It took a lot of courage for him to show/tell you. And he cried when you stayed with him anyway.

He doesn't kill around you unless the situation calls for it (like hunters,other vampires,humans in general etc.)

Yall definitely have a place that only you two know about. Like a little paradise for you two.

Takes you on midnight rides on his bike.

Builds you a nest in the cave so you can spend the night and sleeps with you in it.

When you get sick he will worry,like a lot but since he has dealt with Laddie being sick he can help you feel better too:)

MOMMA DWAYNE ACTIVATED.

He hasn't been human in a loooonnngg time so of course he is going to worry and be scared for a little bit. But he will try his best. He will go to the store and get what you need,and will make some home remedies that he remembers his mother used to give him when he got sick.

Laddie will help to since you have been with Dwayne long enough to help Laddie when he got sick

Laddie is such a sweet boy.

David will be suspicious of you in the beginning cuz he doesn't want you to break Dwayne's unbeating heart (it's been broken before but we don't talk about that-)

Which he tells him to back off a little bit (ciz David is fucking intimidating ok?)

You will get close to the boys and they will view you as a sister as time goes buy.

Then came the topic of you becoming a vampire

He would respect your wishes if you wanted to stay human but he would just be heartbroken knowing that kne day he would have to see you die.

It took you some time to think wheather or not you wanted to become a vampire.

But with Dwayne, living forever didn't seem so bad :)

So when the time came you dranked from the bottle and had your first kill. Dwayne helped you eith your new reborn life.

There was times it was rough

But having Dwayne by your side made it 100 times better and completely worth it :)

[spicynamericano]

Perception. - mk lee

sypnosis: you meet a stranger in the park, who helps you prepare for your interview with renowned author, mark lee.

word count: 2.1k

genre: fluff, strangers to friends!au, author!mark x reporter!reader

a/n: i impulsively wrote this in the wee hours of the morning because i can't stop thinking about mark lee and his poems! btw, this is my first time posting an au on this platform, but i do have ongoing twitter fics (written in eng/fil)!

I had just finished my late night shift at the office and was on my way home from work. Being a field reporter is not an easy job. I have to work my butt off to always stay up to date on the latest news and make sure to grab even the rarest exclusives.

I have to travel to basically anywhere, just to gather the most accurate information for the daily primetime news. And even if work is done for the day, I would usually go overtime to make sure no single detail is left out for tomorrow’s reports.

My workplace isn’t that far from home, or what I call home now. Moving into my elder sister’s old apartment was not a hassle. It was actually quite a blessing since I always used to stay over whenever we visited the city. I really thank the heavens that her place was near my workplace. Imagine the struggle of moving in and out from scratch. Actually, I wouldn’t even dare to imagine.

I would usually ride my bike to and from the office, but since I was running a bit late earlier in the morning, I decided to take the bus. Convenience at its finest. But it’s late now. A fifteen minute walk back home won’t hurt, right? Besides, I needed a breather. A walk in the nearby park would suffice.

It’s midnight and of course, the park is empty. Although Seoul is alive 24/7, I really like how some areas still have that laid-back vibe. I walk to the swings and place my bag on the ground. I do wish someone would push me right now. I just wanna be free from all the hectic stuff I’ve been doing lately.

But no, the quick rest I thought of didn’t stop me from going over tomorrow’s duties. I scan my little, brown notepad and check the work I have yet to accomplish. I mostly finished them before I got off work, but there is one more that I needed to do for tomorrow: interview Mr. Mark Lee, the author of the best-selling Late Night Scribbles.

It’s a collection of poems and prose he’s written over the course of five years during his travels to different cities as a renowned travel writer. His travel reviews and recommendations were something I always looked forward to reading. Maybe someday I could go on a stress-free holiday trip thanks to his advice.

I have read his book. For someone who’s trained into more technical writing like me, I could still clearly resonate with most of the poems he’s written. Not too shallow, not too deep. Though you do need to have a sense of literature in order to understand more of his deeper works. He isn’t famous for nothing.

What appalled me though is that he never showed his face to anyone, not even once. Some say he’s actually the main rapper of the world-renowned boy group NCT, since they bear the same name. I think otherwise. Well, it could be, though. Rappers do make their own lines and tell their own stories.

But I don’t think that Mark Lee would be the same person I’d be interviewing tomorrow. It’s weird because I won’t be actually meeting him face to face. He said he’d rather converse through email. Works for me since I don’t have to travel tomorrow. Thank God.

Well, let me tell you a secret. The reason I don’t think author Mark Lee is singer Mark Lee is because singer Mark Lee is actually my childhood best friend. Crazy, huh? I used to live in Vancouver when I was young until my family and I moved back to Korea during my teen years.

I don’t think he remembers me, though. But I do remember him. Our moms were practically best friends. I couldn’t say the same to us, only if he still actually remembers me.

I stretch my arms up high and bend it side to side. God, I need a massage asap. I was about to pick up my bag when a basketball rolled over and hit the tip of my loafers. A man dressed in black waves from the court, signaling to toss the ball to his direction.

I would toss it if I could but I walk over instead. Blame my poor strength and reflexes. And I obviously do not want to embarrass myself. A rough day’s a rough day. I don’t want an addition.

“Uhm, are you looking for this?” I ask the guy, tossing the ball mid-air.

“Yes, thank you…” he pauses. “uh…”

“Oh, it’s (y/n).” I introduced myself, “And you are?”

“Minhyung.”

“Well, you’re welcome, Minhyung. Good luck with your basketball practice!” I gave him a nod before finally turning back to go home.

“Wait!” he calls out. “Do you maybe wanna have a cup of coffee? There’s a nearby convenience store still open. I figured you might need it.”

Was it that obvious? I can’t imagine how stressed I look right now! He has probably seen the dark circles under my eyes. Gross.

I finally turn around and give him a smile, “You know, maybe I do need it. Let’s go?”

This man and I walk to the nearby convenience store just a few meters away from the court. It’s midnight and not many people are here. Well, just exactly like how I want it. The park can actually become full, even until 10 pm. But I guess these people also need some shut-eye. I’m actually surprised this man right here still has some energy left.

I wait outside and sit at the nearest gazebo while he buys instant coffee for the both of us. He arrives with three in hand. Does he like coffee that much?

“You’re really gonna drink two?” I ask him curiously.

“It’s actually for you,” he says as he hands me one of the cups. “I feel like you’re going to be staying up late tonight.”

Well, he’s right. I am gonna be staying up late. I still need to prepare questions for tomorrow’s, or later, rather, interview. I really won’t be getting some sleep tonight. I also need to do research on him too.

“Well, I do have an interview for tomorrow. I still need to prepare as it’s a very important one.”

“With whom, may I ask?”

“Mark Lee, the author. Not the singer.”

“Oh,” he lets out a soft sigh that can be heard, even through his mask. Is he offended that I don’t think author Mark Lee and singer Mark Lee are the same?

“Why do you sound so disappointed?”

“Uh, nothing. I just remembered the book he recently released. Have you read it?”

“Late Night Scribbles?”

“Yes, that!” he answered enthusiastically. Wow, I guess I found a fan right here. He might actually help me with my interview later. I need to grab this chance.

“Do you mind helping me? I’m actually going to interview him about it tomorrow.” I gave him the widest smile, hoping he’d say yes. I normally wouldn’t do this to strangers, especially at night. But I really just need to get this over with.

“Well, as someone who’s a fan of his works. I’d like to give it a try and interpret it,” he said, taking a sip of his coffee. “Just imagine I’m Mark Lee. Shoot your questions.”

“Hmm, I can’t be answering personal questions since you’re not Mark Lee.” I scratch my head. Damn, I can’t think of anything. My brain is not working right now! “But if you were Mark Lee, what would you want to be asked?”

“If I were Mark Lee? Well, rather than asking what my inspiration was behind the works I’ve made, I’d rather be asked on how I tried to convey my thoughts and feelings to this piece of work,” he explained, staring at the night sky.

I followed the direction of his gaze, and he’s looking at Orion, one of the brightest constellations out there. I gaze at it too while waiting for him to continue explaining.

“But isn’t it basically the same as drawing inspiration from something?” I ask profoundly.

“Not really. You can draw inspiration from anything. And you can come up with different outputs based on one inspiration. What’s important is how you’re able to connect the context of what you’re writing to the feelings you want to draw out,” he continues.

“With a single inspiration, I can come up with two completely different works based on how it’s written. The idea may be the same but the context is not.”

“Hmm, care to explain a little further?” I ask politely.

“We can use Black Socks as an example.”

Black socks are underrated

The way they connect the bottom sleeves of

my black sweatpants to my black sneakers

is just perfect

Pleasure from perfect alignment

That also goes for the ability to be parallel

with my thoughts and actions

I try to live out what’s in my mind, and keep

it consistent even when forgotten like a

working habit

A moment to think twice about what

seemed unimportant

Black socks have been making my day

these days and I knew I had to return the

favor by acknowledging them

I throw you in the bin only so that you can

be renewed again

“Black socks, literally an ordinary object that is tossed to the bin right after use. But what caught my eye is his appreciation for this mundane thing.”

“Through his words, you can tell black socks gave him comfort. He used a simple subject to convey his inner thoughts of how every little thing we don’t really recognize can actually be part of our routine, our life,” he said, looking me in the eye seriously.

“He found comfort in the most ordinary things no ordinary person would take notice of.”

Minhyung stands up and stretches his arms. He then continues, “It’s actually cool he shared this piece with us. If I were him, I’d go on and ramble how black socks could ruin my laundry.”

We both chuckle at the thought. It’s true. I hate how some of my black socks actually ruin my laundry. I dread the thought.

“It’s only a matter of perception, (y/n). Sometimes, you have to open your eyes and see, not look. Listen, not hear. Savor, not taste. Feel, not touch.”

“You know, you could actually be Mark Lee himself,” I tease him, “You do know your literature.”

I know he smiled at my remark. I can see his cheekbones rise from the edges of his mask.

“Sometimes, you just have to ask the right questions in order to get the answers you want,” he said teasingly. “You can’t get what you want if you don’t know what you want.”

For a stranger, he’s indeed a good talker. I actually learned so much from our talk tonight.

“Thanks for tonight, Minhyung. I really learned a lot.” I thank him before gulping down the last cup of coffee he bought me. “And thanks for the coffee, by the way! I now have energy to prepare for my interview later.”

“No problem. I’m just glad that I was able to help.”

I stood up from my seat and we both started walking away from the park.

“It’s 1 am. How are you gonna get home, (y/n)?” Minhyung asks worriedly. Yeah, it is pretty late. It’s a good thing I just live near.

“My apartment’s just two blocks away. I can manage,” I say with a smile, a genuine one at that. “How about you?”

“I’ll just grab a cab. Do you mind if I walk you home?” I don’t know why but I felt flustered for a moment. Surprisingly though, I just nodded my head, giving him permission to accompany me home.

We both arrive at the entrance of my apartment building and we say our last goodbyes.

“For a stranger, you really do know how to make people comfy,” I say, crossing my arms and giving him a stare, brows furrowed to tease him.

“Well, that’s just how I am,” he says while giving me a wink. Okay, now he’s flirting. Someone stop him, please. Just kidding.

“By the way, you haven’t taken your mask off the entire time except when drinking coffee. I couldn’t get a good glimpse at you since it was dark,” I explain. It’s true. Add the fact that I’m barely keeping myself awake the whole time. “I might’ve actually thought you’re an idol of some sort. Perhaps, maybe you are Mark Lee.”

“What?” he asks, puzzled and clearly taken aback. “Why’d you think so?”

“Because you share the same name with him.”

[shinaus]

Hello!! Can I request hc's going on a date with shinsou to music/records store? it would be so adorable to see his music geek side 🥺 (also, your writings are amazing , keep up the amazing work!!! Congrats on the 500 milestone! ♡)

record store

pairing: hitoshi shinso x reader

A/N: ahhh you’re a sweetheart!!! thank you!!! i love this entire concept so get ready for me to indulge way too much in toshi having interests

hear me out

once shinso is comfortable with someone

his interests jump out

like he’s a very reserved guy

but if you ask him about certain things he likes 

he’s more than willing to ramble to you about whatever it is

and i stand by that

if he asked you on a date he’d be so CUTE about it

fuck

all embarrassed and doing the hand behind his neck thing

would fill the entire proposition with compliments and try not stumble over his words

he sees the record store as an easy way to get to know you

since someones taste in music can be perceived as them sharing something personal or like.. intimate

at least to me 

and at least to him too

it’s also canon that he likes to cycle 

so i swear to god

homie would rent bikes with you and take you to a place he knows has good records

would even make sure his bike had a little basket to carry anything either of you might buy 

:(

would ask to hold your hand when you get inside

and let you lead the way and take him anywhere

a sweet baby

he doesn’t want to overwhelm you with his excitement just yet

would rather you make a point to ask him first

you show him all the types of music you listen to including specific albums or artists you love

and he’s just making heart eyes at you the whole time

he has a record player in his room lowkey so if you can only find a vinyl of something you like he’d insist on buying it for you

pretty much scoring him a hang out type of date where you chill in his room and play all the finds you get

will ask so many good questions

why you like a certain genre, favourite songs off of certain albums, artists you look up to

he’s a very passionate boy so you giving off that same energy makes him happier than he’d like to admit

when you ask him about what he likes you can tell he seen this as his moment to shine

he knows exactly where to go, making sure your fingers are laced with his before he walks you over

hitoshi strikes me as a very versatile dude

so his taste in music i think definitely varies 

like

i think he has appreciation for alternative or lo-fi kind of beats

that’s his go to when he’s studying or wants to relax

the slower, more chill vibe they give off putting him at ease

maybe some rock music

i feel like he’s the type to have a bunch of playlists for different scenarios too

when he’s training, out on his bike, chilling in his room, the works

but he keeps it to himself mostly

until of course this exact situation he’s in

you listen intently as he rambles about his favourite albums 

and you swear at least once you see him blushing about it

as if he’s embarrassed

with some reassurance from you though, he keeps going

ends up at the counter with a bunch of new records, including some you wanted as well as what you may have recommended him

but get this

the guy at the counter knows him

since he frequents there so often

it also just so happens to be the same guy hitoshi told he was bringing a date there to 

so the guy gives him a knowing look

and is like

this her shinso? you guys look pretty cute together i must say

and he’s blushing again as he pays and ugh

a sweet boy

will insist on keeping ahold of the records so you don’t have to carry them

when you get back to the dorms or his apartment he offers to listen to some of the records asap

and of course you agree

he already has like snacks and stuff ready since he’s a good host

and the two of you spend the night chilling on his bed

cuddling and talking with whatever music is on in the background

while hitoshi is genuinely thinking he’s lucked out on dating you

please let him talk about music every day all the time

because he’ll gush whenever you do

[latetaektalk]

Hi, I don’t want to bother you about this because it is just personal stuff but I wanted some advice. I’m a junior in high school so I’m reaching that age where I will be getting my drivers license soon. (I will be taking my test around December/ January) I still have lots of time for practice and everything but me and my mom have started discussing the topic of what my car will be. Originally due to family issues my uncle gave my mom his car and we had agreed that it would become my car even though it’s wasn’t my choice. But my mom ended up giving my uncle back the car because he was in a rough situation. But now that my mom is car less she is using my dads car (he has two but one is his personal car and the other is a company car given to him from his job) and she wants her own car asap. She had told me that because she was going to give my uncle the car back (and it was supposed to be mine) she would buy me my dream car instead (a vw beetle) and she would have to figure out what she would end up driving but she told me not to worry about it. But now she made the decision to buy my aunts car (because my aunt wants a new car) and since she’s going to buy it, the car would be passed to me when I get my license (which she didn’t tell me until tonight). In my head she would buy my aunts car for herself because she loves my aunts car and I would get my beetle like she originally said. But since she told me that wasn’t the case and my aunts car would be mine I was upset but I wasn’t going to act entitled. After doing some thinking I told her I would get the beetle myself. Since I won’t be getting my license till the end of the year I still have time to save up money to get a car. I will be getting a job in October (after my birthday) and I told her that I would pay for the car myself and she wouldn’t need to worry about it but that upset her for some reason. I feel that she doesn’t believe I can handle it myself because my parents have financial issues and she thinks I’ll be the same way. So then comes my need for advice, how do I get my mom to understand that I want to be able to do this for myself and I wholeheartedly believe that I can make the payments for a car on my own? Another aspect is even though she claims she loves my aunts car she also doesn’t want to get stuck with it because she also doesn’t want that car for the long run. She’s only going to buy it because its cheaper and because she’s currently car less. (She isn’t relying on my dads cars) I want her to know that I understand the financial issues and that’s why she is making these decisions but I also want to be included in these decisions that impact me. I’m sorry this is a lot and I understand if you don’t want to deal with this.

hi bub 💓 first of all, i wanna say that you dont have to apologise at all! im always happy to help and give some advice to the best of my abilities!! now, im gonna be putting my answer under the cut because this is a bit longer

i wanna start out by telling you that your feelings are completely valid. youre almost an adult now and obviously want to be included in decisions that affect you, especially such a big one as buying a car. its unfortunate that your mother didnt discuss these matters with you prior!

aside from that, i do think that you should talk to your mother about her wanting to buy a car that, in the end, she will just pass on to you! now, i understand that it must be very difficult to have no car right now, especially if there are also finanical issues, but it doesnt seem very fair to me that you have to be the one to be stuck with the car later either. maybe tell your mother how she wouldnt want to be stuck with the car, why would you want it then? point out that this isnt fair, but also acknowledge what a privilege it is to be getting a car in the first place! stress that you dont want to sound entilted in any way or ignore the financial issues your parents are having, but that you simply want to be able to make decisions of your own! maybe you could talk to your mother about how she could use one of your dad's cars if she really needs one so desperately? or maybe even public transport? how about getting a bike and using that for a while? you could also offer her that youll help her get around when you have your car! maybe then she will be even willing to help you pay for it, or at least see how it is beneficial for you to get your own car.

from your ask ive gathered that youve already talked to your mother about it, right? now im not sure how you approached the subject, but maybe this time when you bring it up again, you could prepare something beforehand that shows her just how serious you are about this! maybe you could come up with a plan, or a powerpoint presentation in which you lay out all of the issues and how you plan on solving them—how will you be getting the money? how much do you have saved up already? how are you going to cover car insurance? how is buying your own car going to be beneficial? etc. i also think you should touch on how you understand that there are financial issues but like youve said, you would like to be included in these types of decisions because they do impact you. not to mention, youre almost an adult too! you should therefore be treated like someone capable of making their own decisions! you should also bring up how much you love the car and present getting it as an investment, something youll be using for years to come, something that will help you later on after graduation to get to uni or your workplace etc.

if youre thorough with your plan/presentation (or whatever else you end up coming up with), your mother will hopefully see that you are completely serious about this!

i hope i could somehow help you bub, and that your mother will see that you are completely serious about this!! wishing you good luck 💕 please know that im cheering on for you here! also i hope your driving lessons go well ✨

[suupernovalight]

Addictive Drug

Ushijima W. x Reader

Masterlist || Previous || Next

3) Down To Business

After officially joining the bosses side and becoming a temporary member of the Japan’s Agency, the boss finally told you what was and is happening.

“A drug dealer? Cant you guys easily cut that off?” You said looking at your nails.

“Easier said than done” the boss said getting up and looking out his office window. “My two boys, the best of the best failed to cut them off. We need your help.”

You scoffed. “Maybe they aren’t the best after all” you mumbled.

Ushijima felt his blood boil at your rudeness. Tendō noticed this and pat his friends back. Obviously telling him to “let it go”.

“The drug dealer behind this all has been nicknamed the Big Man.” The boss said giving you a piece of paper. “Also by the looks of it, he has a sidekick with him”

You scanned the paper. It had pictures of what the two people have been doing. It also had descriptions of them. There was also a photo of the big man. When you looked at it, your eyes widened. 

“Are you okay?” The boss asked you.

You quickly looked up from the paper and nodded. You then continued to look at the paper. It reminded you of someone from the past. After a moment of silence, the boss sighed.

“I’ve done some snooping around and found that someone local may know the big man. He works at a car dealership and is pretty successful” He said while showing you three his computer. “His name is Yosho Ayashi”

On the computer it showed the car dealer ship with the guy posing with a thumbs up. After the boss let you guys take a glance, he turned his computer away and spoke again.

“I need you three to try to get that man and bring him back to me. We need as much info as possible. No matter what.” He then gave each of you an earpiece to wear.

“Wear these. You guys should be able to communicate. I suggest coming up with a plan too.” 

You looked at the boys then nodded. When the boss dismissed you all, you quickly took your ear piece and put it on.

“y/n what are you doing?” Tendo asked. Ushijima just stared at you.

“We need the info ASAP right? Lets get going then” You said continuing to do what you’re doing. “Ill be on my bike and-”

“no.” Ushijima cut in.

Everything went silent. 

“What.” You said completely frozen.

“I said no. I need to keep an eye on you cause who knows what you’re capable of.” He said putting on his ear piece.

“Do you even trust me?”

“no. Also it’s the bosses rule”

You groaned and grabbed Ushijima’s tie. His eyes widened in shock and a bit of disgust. You just ignored his expression and begged him to let you ride your bike. After a long pause of silence from Ushijima, he gave in.

“Good, now that’s that settled, we need a plan” Tendo suggested.

While brain storming idea’s on what to do, you had an idea. It was simple to say the least. When getting to the dealership, you would pretend you’re trying to buy a car and lure Yosho into a different room. Preferably where the car of your choice is. While that’s happening, Ushijima and Tendo would be setting up everything to ultimately kidnap Yosho. After lurring Yosho into the right room, that’s where Ushijima and Tendo will come out of hiding.

After getting your plan approved by Ushijima and Tendo, you guys were off. You quickly grabbed your key’s and went on your bike. You already had the address for the dealership so it was ok. The boys car followed behind you.

When you got to the dealership, you parked your vehicle and waited for the boys. While waiting, you dug into your bag and found a lollipop. You unwrapped it and put it in your mouth to keep your busy for a bit. The flavor of it was also pretty good.

When the boys finally came, you quickly jogged to them and talked to them about what room you would be luring Yosho into.

“you guys saw the layout of the dealership right?” You asked them while looking at your lollipop.

“Yeah, you should go to the room where the motorcycles are, there's one in particular that is away from the others” Tendo suggusted.

“I saw that, ill lure him into that room, you guys know what to do right?” You asked them while putting the lollipop back into your mouth.

Both boys nodded. 

“Good, ill see you guys later” You said turning around to walk away.

“Wait.” Ushijima said turning you back around and looking right into your eyes.

The way he looked at you made you have slight butterflies in your stomach. He was so close for what?

“Don’t have that.” He said grabbing your lollipop and putting it out of your mouth. “Its unprofessional” He then threw the lollipop somewhere.

At first you got mad but then remembered it’s not a good idea to have an outburst. So to cope you just mumbled to yourself and walked away from him. This was your time to act like a normal citizen.

When you got into the dealership, you took notice of how many people were there. After searching for Yosho for awhile, you found a guy that fit the discription. Quickly you went to Yosho and acted like a normal buyer.

“Excuse me sir” You said running up to him.

Yosho looked at you up and down then smiled. “Yes how may I help you?”

You batted your eyelashes and looked around. “Well im here for a thing and that thing only.” You said looking straight at him. “I need a new motorcycle. Something that will fit my taste... can you help me?”

Yosho nodded and turned around. “This way ma’am”

You silently cheered to yourself and followed after Yosho. He’s such a nice guy though he could be the devil in disgusted and you don’t know.

Meanwhile, Ushijima and Tendo were already inside the building looking for the room. When they found it, they quickly went inside and hid. While hiding, they got their hand cuffs ready for action.

~~~

“Over here we got the....” Yosho said but you ignored him and looked around for the room you were supposed to go in.

When you found it, you grabbed Yosho’s arm and pointed to where you wanted to go. “That room, can we go in there? Isn’t there like a super cool motorcycle in there?” You asked while titling your head.

Yosho sweatdropped and looked at the room you pointed at. He then nodded and walked away from you. You followed behind, secretly smirking to yourself.

When both of you were in the room, you quietly shut the door and creeped up on Yosho. His back was facing you. At the corner of your eye, you could see Ushijima and Tendo hiding.

When you got close enough, you jumped on Yosho and pinned him to the ground. Your legs were around him to secure him. You then grabbed his arms and put them behind his back.

“Stay fucking silent or ill have my boys do way worse” You said gripping his arms tighter.

Tendo and Ushijima ran out of their hiding spots and cuffed Yosho. After cuffing him, you got off of him and left Ushijima handle him because he was stronger than you.

“So it’s going to be this way huh y/n” Yosho smirked.

Your eyes widened. “How do you know my name?”

Yosho slightly laughed. Tendo and Ushijima looked at you in confusion.

“I know a lot of stuff about you. Even about you and Hayas-”

You cut him off by punching his face. “Shut up.”

Yosho coughed a bit then chuckled. “they are coming. They know you’re here.”

Tendo and Ushijima looked at your face. It was blank with some confusion. Who was coming? Who are they? Suddenly, a loud bang was heard from the door. It was followed by an a explosion.

Taglist: 

@toaster-stick​ @lilidrawz​

[tabloidtoc]

OK, December 21

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Queen Elizabeth cancels Christmas

Page 1: Big Pic -- David Beckham in an ad for Haig Club 

Page 2: Contents 

Page 4: Bella and Olivia Jade Giannulli -- life on their own -- find out what Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli’s daughters have been up to while their famous parents sweat it out in prison -- Bella has been so stressed out and felt she deserved a trip with her buds so she went to a luxury resort in Santa Barbara over Thanksgiving weekend 

Page 6: It’s been a little over a year since Felicity Huffman was released from prison after serving her time for role in the college admissions scandal but she is finally starting to get her life and career back on track -- initially she was nervous about working again given the controversy and everything that went down and she seriously wondered if there would be anything out there for her material-wise but she shouldn’t have worried as she landed a part in an upcoming pilot in which she’ll play a recently widowed owner of a Triple-A baseball team and she’s really excited about the show 

Page 7: Kristin Cavallari is fed up with Carrie Underwood’s meddling in her divorce from Jay Cutler -- after Kristin called time on her seven-year marriage Carrie and her husband Mike Fisher who used to be Nashville couple-friends to both Kristin and Jay have taken Jay’s side and since then there’s been some snide stuff said that’s made it clear how Carrie really fills about Kristin -- while Jay spent Thanksgiving with Carrie and Mike, Kristin filmed a wine-fueled Instagram Live and Carrie finds this type of thirsty behavior on social media incredibly lame and she’s saying it’s obvious Kristin cares more about upping her profile than making any type of family peace 

* After nearly 60 years in showbiz Cher has a different aspirations -- since traveling to Pakistan to help a mistreated elephant from a local zoo be relocated to an animal sanctuary she’s saying this is her new mission to help endangered species in third world countries and campaign for other good eco causes -- Cher spends much of her time cooped up and bored in her Malibu mansion and her trip made her realize there’s a world out there that needs her help 

* Mark Harmon of NCIS is all work and no play these days and nearly two decades in the same TV gig as Leroy Gibbs has only made things worse as the responsibilities of the show seem to wear heavier on Mark by the year and even on a break you can’t get him to crack a smile or tell a joke; he’d rather go lie down in his trailer -- off set Mark and his wife of 33 years Pam Dawber get along because they’re such homebodies and Mark can usually be found working on his cars in the garage or relaxing in the yard and he cherishes his quiet time but people have stopped inviting him out because he’s known as Mr. Boring 

Page 8: Dolly Parton is spreading Christmas cheer far and wide with a new TV special and album and Netflix movie but at her home in Tennessee the holiday spirit is decidedly lacking because Dolly is forgoing her favorite 40-year-running traditions which are filling her house with trees and driving her nieces and nephews and their kids around her farm in golf carts dressed as Santa and handing out presents because of her concern for her husband Carl Dean who has Alzheimer’s disease and he’s in a high-risk group for coronavirus so she’s restricted the property to just them and two staff members -- it breaks Dolly’s heart to have to cancel her big annual celebration and she’s still decorated her home to the nines but it’s a lonely feeling knowing the family won’t be there to see it 

* Prince William and Duchess Kate Middleton are proving themselves to be perfectly postmodern parents by raising their kids Prince George and Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis with firm rules for TV and electronic use -- Kate who recently revealed she’s fielded her share of temper tantrums actively attempts to stave off meltdowns with a strict rewards chart and the kids have to earn screen time -- Kate prefers to keep them busy with activities like board games and hikes and baking which the children enjoy anyway

* After spending the last several years living a relatively low-key life in his native England Russell Brand is desperate to have a bigger presence in Hollywood but his wife Laura insists he stay put -- Russell’s craving SoCal living and the copious acting jobs and event invites that came with it but Laura prefers their British life outside the spotlight with their young daughters -- while some work has come to him in England like the upcoming Death on the Nile if he had his way he’d make a more aggressive career push in L.A. 

Page 10: Red Hot on the Red Carpet -- stars stand out in festive green dresses -- Carly Pearce, Angela Bassett, Zendaya 

Page 11: Jodie Comer, Adriana Lima 

Page 12: Who Wore It Better? Melissa Gorga vs. Jennifer Lahmers, Abigail Spencer vs. Hailey Bieber in Max Mara, Olivia Culpo vs. Aurora Culpo 

Page 14: News in Photos -- Brooke Burke with Christmas ornaments that will be auctioned by non-profit Operation Smile 

Page 16: Audrina Patridge brought along her daughter Kirra’s favorite toys for a picnic in Beverly Hills, Padma Lakshmi visits The Vitamin Shoppe in NYC, Brandy at the BET Soul Train Awards 

Page 17: Kelly Rutherford felt the love from her dogs in L.A., Shawn Mendes out for a walk in Miami 

Page 21: Robin Wright and husband Clement Giraudet held hands while riding their bikes in L.A., long-time friends Gabrielle Union and Snoop Dogg unpacked ingredients delivered by Shipt 

Page 22: Josh Duhamel on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Karlie Kloss on her new Adidas collection 

Page 24: Vanessa Hudgens snuggled up to her beloved pup Darla while at the park in L.A., Jay-Z taking a walk around the island in Hawaii 

Page 25: Kimora Lee Simmons and her children handed out food to residents of a housing complex, Prince Jackson safely helped a community church distribute food to those in need 

Page 26: Inside My Home -- Ariel Winter’s stylish setup 

Page 28: Like most Garth Brooks and wife Trisha Yearwood have had a challenging 2020 but their 15-year marriage was put to the test this past summer when the country superstars’ daughter Allie tested positive for Covid-19 -- they were worried sick and had to go into quarantine themselves and not being able to hold Allie’s hand was terrible for both of them but fortunately Allie’s case was mild and Garth and Trisha’s tests came back negative 

Page 30: Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott who have amicably coparented their daughter Stormi since their split last year and recently spent Thanksgiving together as a family are drawing up plans to have another baby together in 2021 because both of them want to give Stormi a sibling ASAP and neither can imagine going through this process with anyone else -- the exes are figuring out a contract to specify their family plans that will protect Kylie’s money and outline coparenting terms more formally and give them each an agreeable share of custody if things don’t stay as rosy down the line

* They’ve costarred in five films and have proclaimed they’re each other’s work wives and are finally single at the same time so pals of Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis are urging the longtime friends to give it a go romantically especially now that Jason has split from Olivia Wilde -- Jennifer always says Jason makes her laugh the way no one else can -- while Jason’s primarily focusing on coparenting his kids he’s long harbored warm and fuzzy feelings toward Jen and he would love to ask her out but the only thing holding him back is the potential to ruin their solid friendship

* Love Bites -- Johnny Galecki and Alaina Meyer split, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky dating, Jonathan Bennett and Jaymes Vaughan engaged 

Page 31: Matthew Perry’s loved ones are worried the Friends star has made a rash call by suddenly getting engaged to literary manager Molly Hurwitz -- the on-off two-year romance between Matthew and Molly has been dysfunctional from the get-go and Matthew’s way more into this than Molly who seems to love him more like a brother

* A rough year for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle including inter-family strife and a move across the pond and a devastating miscarriage has only strengthened their bond -- after Meghan revealed she and Harry had miscarried in July the two were quite overwhelmed by the outpouring of compassion and the response not only validated their decision to go public a thousand times over but it also helped them grow even closer -- they’re determined to put this behind them and try for another baby at the earliest opportunity but more than anything else it’s really underlined how they belong together as soulmates 

Page 32: Cover Story -- Queen Elizabeth’s holiday shake-up -- inside the monarch’s heartbreaking decision to call off the family’s annual Christmas celebration -- the queen will celebrate the holidays at Windsor Castle in Berkshire for the first time in more than three decades -- while the queen is upset not to have the company of the younger royals this year she has to think about her and Prince Philip’s health 

Page 36: Katie Holmes’ season of joy -- how Katie is spending the holidays with her new love Emilio Vitolo Jr. 

Page 38: Mistaken Identity -- with these celeb look-alikes it’s deja vu all over again -- Carrie Underwood and Reese Witherspoon, Daniel Radcliffe and Elijah Wood 

Page 39: Mark Wahlberg and Matt Damon, Amy Adams and Isla Fisher, Lucy Hale and Selena Gomez 

Page 40: Interview -- Tommy Lee’s new beat -- the veteran rock star opens up about his latest solo album and his new fan base 

Page 42: Gal Power -- how Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot gets into superhero shape 

Page 43: Fight Club -- these buttkicking superheroines pushed themselves to new limits -- Brie Larson, Scarlett Johansson, Danai Gurira 

Page 46: Style -- Zendaya for Lancome’s new mascara 

Page 48: Sleek activewear from celeb-loved label Gigi C Bikinis makes it easy to look like a star when you work out 

Page 49: 5 minutes with Adrienne Bailon 

Page 54: Entertainment 

Page 58: Buzz -- Disney Holiday Singalong featuring Ryan Seacrest, Katy Perry, Pink and daughter Willow, Ciara and her kids Future and Sienna 

Page 60: Sound Bites -- Nelly on feeling disappointed with placing third on Dancing With the Stars, Kaley Cuoco on husband Karl Cook’s social media presence, Megan Fox on first meeting boyfriend Machine Gun Kelly 

Page 61: Paul McCartney on why he doesn’t like taking pictures with fans, Cardi B joking about how her 2-year-old crashed her selfie video 

Page 62: Horoscope -- Sagittarius Vanessa Hudgens turned 32 on December 14 

Page 64: By the Numbers -- Dan Levy 

[the-firebird69]

We are looking at your stuff and I want to sell it and people are buying it and sell it and they're different name once a while someone has to do someone eventually it's going to be a decent bike and someone wants us to retro fit them they become a very nice bike even with just a new battery even if it's lithium and we can do that if someone wants to buy a huge lot of zero motorcycles let us know and we'll retro fit it with a new lithium and 100 mi turns into about 250 mi each charge and top speed increases by 20 to 30 mph of course the mileage is at about 60 or 70 miles an hour. This is a different the difference in quality makes them huge difference in performance so let's get ready everybody to get going here it's a huge crowd of trumpsters wandering around and they need to be corrected in moments we're going to hear about it

-this morning going on and it's going to affect what he's doing pretty soon if we don't get to it we need to make sure that the food is intense and other things like that and we need to do it ASAP and it's going to be a chore and he wants vital because they do all the shopping and stuff and it's perfect cuz they're helping out with distribution all the time and they say it's going to man up here as we've been saying and in a serious way now and we'll have to do a joint effort and we do see that too and we're going to have meetings and he's going to be there and they do know who he is and he's respected and well he's not the guy from the mall people figured out who that is it almost lost their lunch and sometimes they think it is him so we're proceeding now and we have several objections today to meet and it is Wednesday so it's going to be a big day this week it's going to be a big week and we're getting to it now

Thor Freya

Huge things are happening soon and I want him to be ready they're going to come down and fire John Raymond Lord today and Jason has this look on his face and he's going to try and do it and he's from the state and people don't think he's going to be successful but he's going to try.

-another thing is that we have to be watchful because these people are adding and they're trying to grab him and for the plan that we mentioned so we need to get going on that and I'm sending for troops

-we have more there are about 300 people who are amassing at the borders of the neighborhood and they are going to try and retake it and say and from whom we don't know you're saying minorities so they're getting their people ready and the police are coming so it's going to be taken care of there's some other groups around here that are amassing and they're going to be arrested and people need to know

Hera

[harleydavidsonbikepics]

This Weird Piece Of Italian Harley History Can Be Yours

  Way back in 1960, Harley-Davidson was growing more concerned about the threat of Honda’s small-displacement motorcycles. It knew it needed to do something, and it had to act fast. Building brand-new small-displacement machines from the ground up was a pretty tall order. What could Harley do ASAP? Buy a controlling stake in the motorcycle arm of Italian manufacturer Aermacchi, of course! Now, it’s worth noting that some especially important Harley history came out of the Aermacchi period. As of February, 2021, Harley’s only Grand Prix racing wins ever came via Walter Villa astride H-D/Aermacchi 250cc and 350cc Grand Prix Racers, between 1974 and 1977. To be absolutely clear, this 1969 Harley-Davidson Rapido is decidedly not a Grand Prix-level racer. Instead, it’s a 175cc enduro-styled two-stroke. It has all-original paint, and is also being sold in complete condition. Leather saddlebags are included, and the odometer shows just 1,464 miles on the clock (total mileage is, of course, unknown). This Rapido is blue and silver, and the saddle doesn’t look to be in terrible shape, considering its age. 11 Photos For those unfamiliar, the Rapido is a bike where you shift on the right and operate the rear brake pedal on the left. Depending on your experience (as well as if you actually want to ride this bike), it could take some getting used to. The candy-like rear taillight is almost as big and round as the headlight, which is a little bit hilarious to a modern eye. Read the full article