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smoochkooks · 4 years ago

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—chapter four: white lies

this is a part of my an ode to a broken heart drabble series.

pairing: jeon jungkook/reader

genre: unrequited love, best friends to (?), heavy angst, future smut

word count: 1.5k

summary: it came easy to you to lie. but with every untold truth, you were hurting more on the inside.

previous || next

one year and 6 months ago

April was exceptionally moody that year.

Every day you woke up to either heavy rainfall or a beautiful, cloudless sky. Alternatively, it could also snow for a couple of hours just to have it all vanish once the sun reappeared. As much as you loved Spring, you hated the capricious weather with passion.

It was a normal, peaceful, Saturday afternoon. Saturday meant no classes to attend, no work to do on the side. It was just you in your small, cozy apartment, tucked underneath the blanket and binge-watching Attack On Titan.

You were never an anime enthusiast per se, but you happened to befriend a doe-eyed weeb all those years ago. Your current occupation was just a part of the aftermath. It wasn’t like Jungkook was obsessed, not at all. He was actually far from it. Now, at the tender age of twenty-three, his old hobby was like a relapse. His love for anime was coming in waves every once in a while, gradually transforming into a two-months-long hyperfixation and then, it was nothing. And the cicle continued.

He was currently in the stage of re-watching Attack On Titan, hence why you had been forced to finally give the damned anime a try as well. Hell, he was even coming over tonight to have a marathon with you.

(He’d said that season three, his favourite, you had to watch alongside him.)

You: eren's annoying little shit

Jungkook: told you so

You: but levi? damn I’d sell my soul for him

Jungkook: for a 5’2 emotionally unavailable man?

You: yep. that’s my type

It was far from truth. As much as you liked Captain Levi, he wasn’t Jungkook. You are my type, you wanted to write instead. There hadn’t been a man in my life who managed to even come close to you. But, as always, you kept those confessions to yourself.

Right when you were about to play another episode, your phone buzzed again.

Jungkook: I have a weird question

You: I’m used to that

You: shoot your shot.

Jungkook: what’s your finger size?

Confused, you read his last message once again. That was indeed a weird fucking question to ask, you thought. You had never really been a fan of rings. You only owed one - a gift from your grandmother she gave you for your sixteenth birthday. Rummaging thorough your drawer, you found it in a separate, black case.

It still fit just right, so you took a ruler, measured the size and googled the results.

You: it’s 7.5 I guess

You: why do you ask tho?

Jungkook: I need you to go somewhere with me before our marathon if that’s okay

You: you didn’t answer my question

You: but okay. what time?

Jungkook: ill pick you up at 5pm

Jungkook: you’ll see

Maybe it was for the better he hadn’t told you where he was taking you. If you had know, you would have backed away last minute. Come up with so lame excuse, blame it all on a headache or period cramps.

If you had known Jungkook was taking you to pick up an engagement ring for Soojin, you would have never come with him.

When you parked in front of one of the most high-ranking jewellery stores dowtown, the solemnity of the situation hit you like a whiplash. You took a deep, shuddering breath. Jungkook was thinking about marrying Soojin. Jungkook was going to propose to her, soon. He was ready to spent the rest of his life with her.

Jeon Jungkook, the love of your life, was about to slip out of your reach for good.

You couldn’t cry. Not in front of him. You clenched your fists so tight the knuckles turned white.

“I figured out you could help me,” Jungkook said, breaking the silence and unbuckled his seatbelt. “I checked Soojin's finger size once when she was showering and then I found out that your’s the same and well, you’re a girl so you obviously know more about jewellery than me and–��

“Jungkook,” you cut him off with a dry chuckle. You didn’t want him to speak. You didn’t want to see him. You wanted to jumped off his car and ran away from that place as far as possible. “You don’t have to explain yourself. I get it.”

You smiled at him with reassurance. It was actually hilarious, how you mastered the art of feigning your real feelings when you were with him. It came easy to you to lie but with every untold truth, you were hurting more on the inside.

“I’m here, so you don’t have to worry about chosing something horrible.”

He grinned and you noticed a dust of pink covering the apples his cheeks. It was hard, so fucking hard seeing him happy because that was all you ever wanted and yet it pained you not to be the main source of it. Jungkook was twenty-three and already so in love he wanted to get married. You were going to see him in a black tux, a prince charming waiting in front of the altar for his princess.

It ached. Why did it ache to see him happy?

The lady who worked at the jewellery store greeted you politely with a bow. “What can I do for you?” she asked.

“We are looking for engagement rings.” Jungkook answered.

You could tell she was a bit astounded but her professional smile never faltered when she responded with, “Oh, that’s still quite unusual to see the couple chosing an engagement ring together.”

You were about to protest but then, Jungkook did something you would never expect him to do.

He grasped your hand.

(It was warm. His touch was soothing. Comforting. Then why did it hurt so bad?)

“My girlfriend wants to chose the ring herself but she doesn’t know when she will get it.”

To make matters worse, he sent you a wink. The store’s clerk cooed at the scene and clasped a hand over her chest. For her it was yet another day at work, yet another pair of adults who had decided to get marry.

“You make a really beautiful couple.” she said.

Even Jungkook’s hand squeezing yours couldn’t ease the sting you felt hearing her speak those words to you. You smiled lightly for good measure. She then pointed at the display and gave you some time and space too look at the options.

Your whole face felt hot. Jungkook was still holding your hand, still playing the role of a perfect boyfriend. He didn’t seem to notice what kind of effect it had on you. He didn’t know how fast your heart was beating, how warm his touch felt on your skin. It was all just a silly joke to him.

He leaned closer to you, so the store's clerk couldn’t hear him. His breath tickled your skin. “You’re blushing.” he whispered.

“Shut up.”

He chuckled and let go of your hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable.”

(No matter how much it hurt you on the inside, you already missed his touch.)

“It’s okay. Let’s chose my damned ring, shall we?” you proposed, mustering a nonchalant tone.

Dodging uneasiness with humor always worked out, it seemed.

You felt odd and out of place standing next to him and staring at all those glimmering jewels. In the corner of the eye you saw the lady who worked there glancing at you from time to time and that was when you remembered you were supposed to act like a soon-to-be fiancée.

“They’re all pretty.” you said to Jungkook.

“Which one you like the most then?”

You didn’t have to think long about the answer. The ring with an emerald stone caught your eye from the beginning. It was different than the others, definitely not a standard choice for engagement but something about its peculiarity made you want it to have it shinning on your finger one day.

Except, you weren’t here for yourself. Jungkook wasn’t your boyfriend. You were helping him chose a ring for Soojin. And you knew exactly what she would like.

So you pointed at the number thirty-two. A sparkling, white-gold ring with an oval-shaped diamond.

Jungkook let out a hum. “It’s really pretty, yeah. Excuse me,” he called. “My girlfriend would like to try out this one.”

You ignored the phantom pain you felt as you put the ring on. You flexed your fingers and just for a moment, you pretended it wasn’t a farce your best friend came up with. The diamond shone brightly just like the glimmers of happiness in Jungkook's eyes. He didn’t have to worry about Soojin's answer. He knew it would be thousand times yes.

You were good at pretending. After all, you had been practicing the art of it almost your entire life.

So you drove with Jungkook to your apartment and listened to him babbling about his newest project at work. You made snacks, sat in front of your TV and spent the next couple of hours watching Attack On Titan. You cursed him for spoiling you a few bits of the show and Jungkook, like the petty Virgo he was, reminded you how you accidentally revealed him Little Women's ending because you had read the book years before.

As you laughed and bickered with him, you still remembered about the crimson box tucked in the pocket of his leather jacket, but you didn’t allow yourself to break. Not yet.

It was only when Jungkook fell asleep around 1am that you stepped into the shower and let the tears flow.

And a week later, when the dreaded became real–

Jungkook: she said yes!!!

A white lie was told to avoid hurting someone’s feelings.

You: I’m so happy for you, Jungkook!

After all, the best you could do was give up your happiness for the sake of his own.

#jungkook smut #btswritingcafe #ksmutclub #bangtanarmynet #bangtanhq #jungkook angst #jungkook x reader #jungkook fanfic #jungkook x you #bts smut #my writing #an ode to a broken heart

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epochofbelief · 4 years ago

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Breath Control Chapter Two

here’s chapter two... unfortunately had to repost these first three chapters bc Tumblr deleted them or something!!

TWO

“Feyre. Have you done any work for the past hour we have been sitting here?”

Elain’s voice barely managed to penetrate my thoughts. I looked down at my textbook and shook my head. I had very bad cases of a hangover and a sour stomach. And embarrassment. And a broken heart.

Thriving.

“Will you please just talk to me?”

I’d met Elain at the library an hour ago, both of us planning to get some serious homework done before the week got started. I’d managed to tell Elain a little of what had happened last night but she hadn’t pried until now.

“I don’t think I can talk about it.”

She huffed out a breath. “Feyre. If anyone knows what it feels like to have a broken heart, it would be me. So maybe I could help if you’d just talk to me.”

That’s right. Elain’s ex-boyfriend, Grayson, had broken up with her unexpectedly over the summer. Elain, positive he would be the man she married, and subsequently being denied admissions to the nursing schools she was trying to get into for grad school, had been in bad shape for a couple of months. I wasn’t sure if she was really okay now, or if she was just better at hiding it. She’d attended Mortal University for her undergraduate degree and had wanted to stay there for her masters--and hadn’t gotten in. Luckily she’d applied to Prythian’s school and had been accepted, but it wasn’t where she had wanted to end up at all. Away from her friends and our father, she’d started nursing school at the same time I’d started my sophomore year and I was pretty sure I was her only friend.

Looked like she was my only friend, too.

I sighed. Then explained. Tamlin and Ianthe all over each other. My public humiliation. And Rhys, unexpectedly driving me home and taking care of me, which was probably the most unexplainable part of the entire night. I hated it, but Tamlin’s behavior had hurt me but not surprised me. I’d barely said two words to Rhys the entire time I’d been at Prythian. We had a big swim team, about sixty people strong. Rhys and his friends--Cassian, Amren, Azriel, and Mor--were all in the middle distance group. Tamlin and Ianthe were sprinters. I swam distance, for the most part. The different training groups and large numbers made it difficult to bond with every single team member, so I didn’t know Rhys or his group at all.

“Are you talking about Rhysand Night? That boy is hot.”

I did a double-take. That was a very brazen statement coming from Elain. “When have you ever even seen him?”

She raised her eyebrows. “I’ve been to your swim meets, you know. It’s easy to tell who has the best body and face from the stands.”

I groaned. “He saw me puke, Elain! I drunkenly poured my heart out to him. He must think I’m some kind of idiot. And now I am friendless on the team. Friendless. Especially after Rhys tells all his friends how pathetic I am.” I leaned over and put my face on my textbook. “I should quit now and cut my losses.”

Elain whacked me on the arm. “You most certainly will not quit! That beautiful boy was just--”

“Feyre?”

I stilled. If I hadn’t recognized that voice last night, I definitely did now. Positive my cheeks were a flaming red, I slowly sat up.

“Hey, Rhys,” I said meekly, my hand coming up in a very awkward wave. I shoved it back down.

“You ladies talking about beautiful boys? Surely no one around here, right?” He asked smoothly, folding his arms and leaning against a bookshelf.

Thank God Elain blushed for me. “Nobody you’d know.”

He raised his brows and I prayed he hadn’t heard anything else. “Hey, I was going to text you. . . Then I realized I didn’t have your number. You left your wallet in my car last night… I didn’t find it until this morning. It’s in my backpack. I can go grab it and bring it to you.”

I couldn’t believe I hadn’t even realized it was gone. “No, no, I’ll come with you. You don’t have to make another trip.” And ignoring his protests I jumped up and took off through the shelves. For some reason, I didn’t want him anywhere near Elain when she was casually throwing about the word “beautiful.” I scoffed. He wasn’t that attractive.

I was halfway through the stacks when I realized I didn’t actually know where I was going. “Uh…”

“All my friends are over there. Are you sure you don’t want me to just grab it for you and bring it to you here?”

I stopped in my tracks. I had the feeling he knew I wasn’t in the mood to speak to anyone right now. A mood I had been in for the past few months, but. . . I blew out a breath. “Um. Yeah. Thank you.”

He squeezed past me, and for a moment I found myself so close to him I could feel his body heat as he turned and sidestepped through the narrow space between me and the shelves. I could have sworn he was holding his breath as he passed, and I had to crane my neck to see his face. Our eyes met. I shivered.

Then he was gone. I blew out another breath and slumped against the shelf behind me. What was wrong with me? I’d been broken up with Tamlin for less than twenty-four hours and I was already noticing other guys. Disgusted with myself, I stared at the titles across from me.

Rhys was back in less than a minute, my wallet in his outstretched hand. I took it from him, taking extra care not to brush his hand with mine. “Thanks.”

I made to turn around and return to the safety of Elain’s aura when he reached out and brushed my shoulder. “Are you doing okay? You know, after everything?”

“You don’t have to worry about me, Rhys. You already made sure I got home okay.”

He crossed his arms. “Yeah but I’d kind of be an asshole if I didn’t at least check in. Now tell me. Are you okay?”

His gaze didn’t falter from mine as he looked at me. His gorgeous face was serious. He was really asking. He wanted a genuine answer. Good or bad, he wanted to know.

“No.”

And when I turned around, he let me go.

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The rest of the day passed in a blur. Elain and I spent six hours in the library and I skipped out on the girls’ team dinner, claiming I had homework. I spent the evening locked in my room, dreading the inevitable moment when I ran into Ianthe, who was, after all, my roommate. Bitch, I muttered under my breath.

It was eight o’clock and I had no plans for the rest of my evening, so I changed into my pajamas and flopped on the bed. Fully prepared to spend the night binging a TV show, I retrieved ice cream from my fridge and got under the covers. An hour into The Witcher, I got a text.

Rhysand Night: You’re going to practice in the morning, right?

I frowned. He was clearly texting the wrong person. And how did he have my number?

I opened the text and discovered that he had texted his phone from mine last night…

Me: I was planning on it

Rhysand Night: Just checking. I know you may not feel like going right now, but I don’t want to see you getting in trouble

Being a part of a college level swim team meant twenty hours of training a week. Practice at 5:30 in the morning most weekdays and again in the afternoon. I didn’t know why Rhys felt the need to check on me--missing practice meant getting chewed out by the head coach. If you missed more than one practice, you got suspended. No way would I blatantly take that risk.

Me: I’ll be there

I shut off my phone and went to bed.

----------------

I barely dragged myself out of practice the next morning. And the morning after that. And the morning after that. For two weeks after Halloween, I ignored Ianthe as much as humanly possible. She made no attempt to apologize. Tamlin had even kept his distance. I showed up at practice, swam (albeit poorly), went to class, went to practice, and went home. I was reaching new levels of anti-social. Elain was busy with study groups and classes and Nesta wouldn’t be in town for another week. She worked as a flight attendant and split her time between our father's and her and Elain’s shared place.

I just couldn’t bring myself to do anything besides school and swim. The fact that I had wasted a year of my life on Tamlin Spring was tearing me apart from the inside out. And breaking up with him had made me realize all of the things I had wasted my life on for the past year. Why was I pursuing a degree in exercise science when I loved literature and art? Why had I put all my effort into one friendship with a bitch who had stabbed me in the back at her first opportunity? I had no other friends on the swim team I had chosen during my recruitment process, thinking it was the “place for me.” I was in the wrong place, had chosen the wrong people, and was aiming for the wrong future. The worst part was, it was all my fault. My blindness had seeped into every part of my life and I barely knew who I was without my overbearing boyfriend and the friend who had steered me around for my entire college experience.

On Thursday morning, over a week and a half after the Halloween party, Coach King texted me to meet him in his office after my classes for the day were over. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it since. An impromptu meeting with Coach King usually implied a fate worse than death. At this point, I deserved anything he had to say to me. My grades had fallen in the past few weeks (I had failed a test on Monday and two quizzes since then) and my training had continued to worsen.

My suspicions proved correct when I arrived for the meeting and Coach King started explaining the reason he had called me to his office. He mentioned my grades and my training and the fact that I had barely spoken or shown any signs of life at practice for days. He wanted to know what was wrong. He wanted to know what he could do to help. But mostly, he wanted me to fix it--fast. Then he told me he was moving me to the middle distance training group.

“Wh--what?!”

Moving training groups in the middle of the year was unheard of. Potentially season-ending. If he was moving me from distance to middle distance, he was most likely saying I wouldn’t travel or compete for the rest of the year. It took time to adjust to a new training regimen.

I tried to protest, but he told me he had made his decision and felt I was more cut out for middle distance events anyway. The adjustment wouldn’t be too drastic. And he wanted me to take the rest of the week off and start fresh on Monday.

That’s the thing about college athletics. Coaches can be great coaches. They can get a team from nothing to something quick if they know what they’re doing. Some can even do that and help their swimmers develop as people, too. But for most coaches, when it came down to it, weakness was weakness, no matter the reason. And I was currently the weakest link on the team. Coach King had to do something about it and this was apparently the best he could come up with.

I mumbled something to Coach King about seeing the sports psychologist and trying harder at the new practices. I felt certain he had vague ideas about the couples on the team, so he probably knew about my Tamlin situation. I didn’t feel the need to mention it to him. I left his office and made it all the way down the five flights of stairs and out the back entrance into the cloudy, chilly afternoon before I allowed myself to cry.

I had messed up my life so royally that I had no idea how to fix it. I wouldn’t be surprised if Coach King kicked me off the team in a matter of weeks. We had a travel meet coming up, and I felt certain that I wouldn’t make the cut. I’d be stuck at Prythian U while all my teammates that I had developed no relationship with would travel.

Head down, I was rushing to my car as my tears fell when I ran headfirst into a warm body.

“Oh my gosh I’m so sorry--”

“We have to stop meeting like--Feyre.”

“Rhys.” I kept my eyes on the crack in the parking lot pavement at my feet.

“Are you okay?”

“You’ve got to stop asking me that question! I know you don’t care! Let me deal with this by myself.” I made to push past him but he followed me to my car anyways.

“Feyre. I do care. I’m your teammate. And it doesn’t seem like anybody else on the team is lining up to ask how you’re doing, so I’m here to do that. I want to help you.” Something in his voice made me pause, but I couldn’t figure out what it was.

“Just fuck off. You don’t even know me.”

He threw up his hands as I struggled to unlock my extremely old Volkswagen with the key fob. My tears and anger were making it very hard to open the door.

“For God’s sake, Feyre! Would you stop being so damn difficult and let someone help you? You’ve been a ghost at practice these past few weeks and Coach King just told me you were moving to my training group.”

I unlocked my car and wrenched it open. “Leave me alone.”

Rhys grabbed my car door and refused to let me close it. I glared at his stupid, gorgeous, violet eyes. “I bet you like this. An excuse to just give up, get yourself kicked off the team. Much easier than having to face Tamlin at practice everyday, much easier than having to make new friends.”

I narrowed my eyes. And slapped him across the face.

He touched his cheek. A spark of satisfaction lit up against the confusion and depression that lived within my gut. I had surprised him. And shut him up.

“Wow. I guess I deserved that. But you know I’m right.”

And the fact was, I did. He had said out loud what was going on deep inside me, what I was dangerously close to giving in to. I was shocked someone I barely knew could even begin to fathom what was going on so deep within my brain that I had yet to admit it to myself. But most of all, I was angry. Angry that this boy thought he had some sort of right to me pouring out my heart to him or at the very least accepting his help. He wasn’t a captain. He had no jurisdiction over me.

“Fine! You’re right! Are you happy now?” I wanted to wipe the smug look off his face. I cast around for something, anything to make him understand even a little bit what I was feeling. “Any other accusations you want to spit at me to make me hate myself more than I already do?”

His smirk fell. Satisfied once more, I thought he’d let me leave, but he held fast to my car door.

“Tell me what to do to help you. Tell me and I’ll do it.”

I blinked. I thought he would yell at me some more. I hadn’t expected such an open offer, more raw and entreating than anything Tamlin had ever said to me.

I hated that my year with Tamlin had made me think that a guy treating me nicely was a rare commodity. I deserved to be treated with more kindness than Tamlin had ever bestowed on me. I knew that, and yet--I didn’t know how to accept that kindness anymore. I was now so deeply confused about myself, my team, and Rhys that I merely stood there, staring at Rhys without really seeing him, and contemplating the nature of my existence for the past year.

Rhys, appearing to come to the conclusion that I had nothing to say in response to his entreaty, cleared his throat. “I know there’s a team party this weekend, as per usual. But my friends and I are going to hang out ourselves and stay sober since we have a meet the weekend after. I want you to come. In fact, I insist.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but he kept talking. “If you don’t show, I’ll tell the captains you haven’t actually been sick or studying during the past two team meetings you’ve missed. I’ll text you the address. Come. Please. We won’t talk about Tamlin or anything difficult. Plus, you should probably meet your new training group.”

That was right. Rhys and all his friends were in the middle distance group. I’d be subject to all of them starting Monday.

And because I couldn’t think of any excuse, because I couldn’t have the captains knowing the concrete truth about my absences, because maybe somewhere deep within me desired help, I agreed.

#feysand #feyre x rhysand #acomaf #a court of thorns and roses #fanfiction #acotar fanfiction #feysand modern au #feyre archeron #rhysand #high lord #night court #elriel

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nancypullen · 4 years ago

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Where Is Home?

We talk about retirement a lot. A LOT. The mister wants out of the south because he hates the hot, sticky weather. I want out of the south for a variety of different reasons. He tears up when he thinks about leaving this house. I get excited thinking of a house with better storage, maybe even a walk-in closet and a big pantry. He loves the idea of townhouse living and all of the freedom it provides. I love the idea of half a football field between me and a neighbor. I wouldn’t mind being snug against a neighbor if we were in a walkable little town and I could have a white picket fence. As we age into our golden years I want to be on city water and city sewer. I do not want to be ninety when the well runs dry or the septic system has a fit. Nope. No, thank you. We have discussed towns from Maine to Arizona and are constantly trading articles about property taxes and real estate markets. Night after night I search Zillow, Realtor, Trulia (oh, those handy dandy crime maps!) and so on. I’ll send Mickey a house in Maryland to admire and mention that it’s just two hours from the world’s cutest grandgirl. He responds that he loves it. Then I send him a townhouse near Tucson and he says the same thing. I’m getting nowhere with this guy. Side note: Yes, I know Arizona gets very hot, but it is not humid. HUGE difference. Also, Arizona has two enormous positives - we could escape allergies and my hair would behave. If you had my hair you’d know that’s more important than the property taxes. Two major negatives would be that it’s too far from family and I can’t imagine never experiencing another autumn. I’m happily willing to give the townhouse idea serious consideration. I know that Mickey would love to never weed eat and edge another yard. Remember the good old days when no one did that? My main issue with townhouses is that they all tend to be multiple stories - sometimes three floors. Wherever we retire, that’s where we’re going to die. I don’t want to be unable to navigate my own home when I’m old. Same reason I refuse to have a basement laundry, I don’t want to drag baskets of clothes up and down basement stairs when I’m a little old lady. You know damn well a cat would trip me and Mickey wouldn’t miss me until he got hungry. Of all the chores I’d be willing to expire while doing, laundry is not in the top three. We’re not lottery winners so our options are limited. When we sell this house we’ll make a tasty profit that will allow us to find a comfortable home - nothing fancy, but we won’t be in a box under bridge. I can make any home pretty, but the bones have to be good. I’m more concerned with structure and mechanics. Who needs a beautiful house with a bad roof or an hvac system on its last leg? The region definitely determines what you get for your money. For the same price you can have this sort of square footage in the south (complete with inground pool)...

or you can opt for proximity to Portland, Maine and get this.

The second house is new construction, but it’s itty bitty, has well water and septic, and is missing the all-important garage that we’d need up north. This is a struggle, people. We just want a nice little house in a nice little town, hopefully one that will meet our needs as we get older. Other items on our wish list? Small town living with easy access to a larger city and a decent international airport. Part of my hunt includes exploring each town’s library website (a vibrant, busy library says a lot about a place) as well as their Facebook page. Looking past the mouthy keyboard warriors that lurk on every page, you can still get a good idea of the town’s vibe. Let’s see - fair property taxes, decent cost of living, small town feel, good airport, seasons...sounds like we should stay put and just endure long, sticky summers, right? Ugh, no. Our reasons for wanting to relocate are so much more than just the summers. Soooo, months and months of searching keep leading me to one state that ticks all of our boxes and then some. Minnesota. A myriad of cute towns surround Minneapolis and St. Paul, all with easy access to the fabulous airport. I’m crazy about New Ulm (I love a town with lots of festivals) and I wouldn’t be heartbroken to live in Mankato, Owatonna, or a number of others. Real estate is affordable, taxes are fair (and are used wisely!), all four seasons are present and accounted for, and quality of life seems really good - from healthcare to education to crime, they seem to have a handle on it.

and you knew there was a but, right? We could happily move there knowing that we’d be close to at least one of our kids. Matt lives in Minneapolis and the thought of having him nearby warms my heart. But he’s weighing the pros and cons of an opportunity that would take him to the east coast and more likely to far flung parts of the world. It’s quite possible that he’d be gone in a flash and we’d be in Minnesota, once again far from family. Right now we’re a day’s drive from everyone except Matt. Truly, we could do it in a day but it would be a miserable thirteen to fourteen hours. I have scoured Maryland and settled on a little place called Ocean Pines. It’s okay, a bit further than I’d like to be from airports, etc - it’s between two to two and a half hours to Baltimore, D.C. or Philadelphia’s. That also means it’s just two hours from my favorite little girl. That would be HEAVEN. But who retires to one of the most expensive states to live in? Would it make our golden years miserable? Who wants to pinch pennies when you should be enjoying life? HELP!! Where is home? I left Alaska more than twenty years ago, the mister was a Florida boy - we don’t want to live in either place. I love the prairie, he loves the mountains. At one point we were looking at real estate on Prince Edward Island (affordable and gorgeous!) but Canada doesn’t want us. Seriously, we filled out the online immigration form. We wouldn’t be able to live there year round and I can’t imagine having to go squat across the border for a couple of months every year once we’re old and rickety. There are pros and cons to every place we’ve looked. No spot is perfect and we have to decide what we can and can’t live without. If someone could just plop this house down next to my grandbaby I’ll shut up about this forever.

Imagine that house surrounded by hydrangeas in the summer. I don’t think that’s too much to ask - just a little pink house near some people I love. Some snow would be nice now and then. What a lovely dream. This boring blog post has been brought to you courtesy of my latest level of boredom. It was either this or go dust the bedrooms, so you had to pay the price for my laziness. My plan for this evening is to watch the Golden Globes and through that maybe find something interesting to watch. We’re approaching the first anniversary of when we locked down here on the Pullen spread and we’ve run out of shows to binge. Remember how naïve we all were when we thought we’d watch Tiger King and then lockdown would be over? At least we’re headed in the right direction now. That’s something. I’m thrilled that my mother is fully vaccinated and so is Dr. Matt. A handful of my dear friends are also protected now. I’ve lost some friends to this horrible virus, including the husband of a dear Rat Patrol member. Our little group now includes a widow for the first time. There’s been so much heartbreak over the last year. I’m ready for it to stop. Okay - what a crazy, rambling post. I think I’ll go dust. It’s probably more productive. If you’re still here, you deserve a cookie. Treat yourself! If you happen to know of the perfect town (I really just want to live in Stars Hollow) send me a message! I’ll put my dust rag down and check it out! Sending out lots of love on this drippy Saturday. Stay safe, stay well, stay sane. XOXO - Nancy

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thechoir-roomhq · 4 years ago

Text

WELCOME TO THE CHOIR ROOM, JAZMINE EVANS (alisha boe fc),

here is your schedule! you have twenty-four hours to turn in your account and post an intro. good luck and have fun with the semester!

[ALISHA BOE, FEMALE, SHE/HER/HERS] who’s that? oh it’s {JAZMINE EVANS}. i hear they’re {SIXTEEN} and a {JUNIOR} at {WMHS}, have a voice like {paige} and are part of {New Directions, Girls Soccer Captain}. they’re known to be {AFFECTIONATE, HARDWORKING} and {CODEPENDENT, SARCASTIC}. some people say they remind them of {a gentle ukulele ballad, oversized sweaters and hoodies, nighttime adventures through lima’s thrift stores, bedroom posters of kpop idols, soccer cleats in every hue}. only one way to find out! [herman, 21, he/him/his, US Mountain Standard Time]

PLEASE LIST AT LEAST THREE DETAILED HEADCANONS BELOW

Jazmine is a child of the internet. Unabashedly so. She spends her nights streaming the newest season of Love Island or the endless list of anime her “internet friends” have recommended for her. As much as she loves hanging out with her classmates, if given the opportunity she would absolutely cut them all off for a night alone with her laptop and her apple tv. As such, many of her references and jabs are from the media she consumes. She affectionately refers to her sibling as the “Buford” to her “Baljeet”

Jazmine was a relatively shy kid. For a really long time, the only people that she would speak to were her sibling and her parents. Sam had the idea to put her in coed soccer and the tiny shy girl quickly shed away. She’s been playing ever since she was 6 years old and doesn’t ever plan on stopping. She’s pretty good too, she thinks she might actually have a chance of playing for a college team. She plays midfield and is known for her stamina and ball handling. She takes staying in shape for soccer pretty seriously and even goes to the gym on days she doesn’t have practice.

As close as she is with her mom, she’s miles more chummy with her dad. He completely feeds her nerdy and goofy obsessions with the best movie recommendations. Sunday nights are always reserved for daughter-daddy time so that they can binge anything with superheroes or science fiction adventures that they can get their hands on.

In terms of singing, Jazmine was definitely a late bloomer. Her friends and junior high school heard her mother’s old songs and immediately pestered her about it. She realized that she never really tried to sing…even though she had a great ear for music. Her boyfriend at the time convinced her to sing a duet with him at a talent show. Seeing the look on her parents’ face in the crowd, the shock of her friends when they realized what a unique sound she had….it was kinda life changing. Jazmine started watching endless YouTube videos of singers, learned to play Ukulele, and even asked her mother for lessons from time to time. By high school she was more than confident enough to audition for New Directions and she’s really glad that she did.

It could be argued that Jazmine is a serial monogamist. As independent as she could be, years and years of consuming romantic drama narratives have ensured that she’s a hopeless romantic for life. She loves getting to know people and growing beside them. She’s actually quite nervous about this school year because it’s the very first time that she’s started a school year not being in a relationship. She wants to challenge herself to be her own woman for once…but she has a feeling she’s one cute encounter away from breaking her streak.

#accepted #glee #glee rp #glee rpg #alisha boe #alisha boe fc #submission

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the-colony-roleplay · 6 years ago

Photo

IRELAND KRII | TWENTY EIGHT; ELITE

House: Calyset Status: Uninfected Elite Specification: Infection Medic, Evolutionary Specialist Alignment: New Age Rebels

HISTORY

Ireland was the third of four brothers, who were all the proud sons of two of the finest (and richest) doctors in western Europe. To say they grew up luxuriously would be an understatement. With two flats in the city, a beachfront vacation home and a couple of seasonal cottages around the countryside, the boys of the Krii family had it pretty easy in many terms.

No, it definitely wasn’t a bad life; it was just a bland life. The expectations were high and the rules were strict. Ireland grew up under the thumb of his parents’ wishes, but excelled nonetheless. He did his duties, went to private school, joined clubs and teams and sports—most proficient in the Science League and on the football team, Captain and centre halfback three years in a row—you name it, if it would look good on his ivy league application, he would do it.

But Ireland never found true passion in any of the extracurriculars he involved himself in for the sake of pleasing his parents and impressing potential universities. His heart was with his studies and with his dreams of someday being a renowned medical scientist. He spent his adolescence building a laboratory in his bedroom, obsessive about human genome and all its curious complexities. His teenage rushes came from watching BBC and medical channels (and, of course, English Premier League, when the occasion called for it) and he treated his own illnesses with antibiotics he’d manufactured himself.

At first, his parents were wary of his zeal, proud of course that he was so dedicated, but concerned as any parent would be that he might harm himself, and that when it came to his health, a sixteen year old boy might be better off leaving it to the professionals. However, many of his research documents were published before he finished school and so by then his parents knew they didn’t have anything to worry about. In fact, Ireland was well on his way to becoming the youngest scientist to design and build a cancer-seeking serum that deliberately and precisely attacked cancerous cells.

When he graduated high school—a couple years ahead of his original class and on an express route to practicing medicine for a living—he sent out his transcripts to universities and medical practitioners around the country, and became the youngest intern to ever be a part of a magnificent biological discovery. He was placed into a team who’s collaborative work led to a breakthrough that made it possible for a newborn’s genome to be decoded and diagnosed in just fifty-five seconds, rather than several weeks or months. He earned his PHD by eighteen.

When D-Day struck, his losses were many. Not only had he lost most of his family, but all of his work had been destroyed—or so was assumed. Rescue parties at the time had much graver things to worry about than mucking through household rubble to find Echo Chip—though that would become more of a concern a few years down the road. He was picked up and herded to safer stays, where he became part of a small clan of fortunate spared lives who were about to face the hardest survival test anyone had ever seen. But when he had the strength, and when it was deemed somewhat safer (not safe enough to risk, others had urged, but he’d ignored them), he made his way on foot back to where his labs once had been, and did his best to retrieve anything that he could that seemed salvageable. Data, Echo chips, research… it was all in pieces, much of it mostly or wholly destroyed, but every day he spent a few hours searching, and came back with an item or two that might help him (and the rest of the human race) in a future of rebuilding.

When news of the forming Colonies began to spread, Ireland volunteered to help in the establishing steps and to act as a medical personnel to those now filing into the colony’s safe houses. It was upon arrival at Colony 22, that he discovered that his brother, Soren (the second eldest of the Krii family) had survived D-Day. He’d been registered at Colony 4, but had left a few months later and there were no official traces of him since.

Now, it goes without saying that no survivor was without change after an immense tragedy such as D-Day, 2157. But the pivotal moments in Ireland’s life that altered him into becoming the man he is now, were three fold: the first, obviously, surviving the first Falling of the skies. The second: the emergence of evolutionary changes in man so drastic and ahead of their time that they defied everything that mankind knew about science up until that point.

Before Reformist power, Ireland was as content as he could be with his life in the colony. Flabbergasted by the new biological data that had landed like a bomb in their world, he became committed to the research of these changes in the Infected. No one had seen anything like this before, and though some seemed convinced that the falling of the asteroids had some kind of connection to these evolutions, Ireland was far from content to point blame and leave it at that. The human body was far too complex to do so—if this was happening, regardless of the source, it had to be understood. Because what were its capabilities? Its limitations? Would it both birth and die in those of initial contact, or was it fated to thread itself so deeply into human genetics that a hundred years from now it would be impossible to tell the difference between telepathy and standard, 21st century thought?

Would these genes be passed on to their children? Would they change through generations?

The apocalypse may have been the end of so many things, but it was the beginning of a whole new world. And it was a world that Ireland felt he was both destined and blessed to be a part of. To be here at the helm, at the beginning.

IRELAND TODAY

His research became the only thing that was important—impassioned about the future of mankind, and what these next ten years would unveil.

But there was a third turning point for Ireland—the rise of the NWRF.

Reformist control changed everything—it threatened everything. They wanted his work, his research, an eye over his shoulder and a finger in everything that he did. Suddenly there was new motivation for his research, and it wasn’t to empower mankind with knowledge and an insight into the possibilities of this new horizon of the 22nd century—it was to smother, to suffocate, to exterminate. It was clear that Reformists wanted to eradicate this new unknown, and use it exclusively as a tool that only a select few could control. Illuminate any power that made individuals threatening to the 'purity’ of the human species, because individuals could not be afforded that kind of power. It would surely get out of hand. It needed to be controlled.

But evolution was critical to the continuation of man. And Ireland was convinced that if this was the result of an apocalyptic event that nearly wiped out the entire planet, then this was the design of their new future. This feat of science and evolution needed to be protected. To be understood, and then protected. At all costs.

Ireland will be going into his fourth year of residency here at the Colony, and those who have been here long enough will have seen him go from a man of few words to a man of many. He has always been committed to his work, to the well being of the Evolved individuals he works with on a regular basis, and has always spent hours upon hours bent over his findings, and anything in Echo he has been able to salvage to try to make sense of all this.

But since the NWRF take over, he has been harbouring both an anger, and a fear of which he’s never felt before. In his entire life, nothing has ever or will ever come close to being of this significance. He believes, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this is the most important work he will ever do, and that he was meant to survive so that he could do it. The fate of the world lies now in the hands of those precious few who are able to think clearly enough to accept progress. And these traditionalists stuck in the past, arguing matters of conservatism and a God they put above science, above facts—they had to be stopped. The Reformists had to be stopped.

The key, however, was to find a way to do so without risking his work, his leverage. He couldn’t compromise his position, or the clearances he currently had to accessing the Database, the means to accomplishing his cause. And, being that he did not believe in needless violence, aligning himself with the Radicals was not an option.

No, something else had to be done. Something that had a shot in hell of working. Lasting. And he has yet to decide what that is—but murmurings of a New Age Rebellion has reached his ears and he thinks about it nightly. Perhaps all such a movement needs is a leader? A foot in the door, perhaps?

For the time being, he keeps his head down. Dutifully learning everything possible during his patient time with the Infected, and committing himself to his research and lab testing. He is known as being a level-headed man with a gentle touch and a surprisingly soft word, despite his stoicism. For all the work that he does, all the endless hours of focus and time he contributes to the Colony, he is a man of patience and compassion—and an intensely spirited belief.

However, when it comes to his work in the labs or on a particularly promising (or challenging) research binge, Ireland can appear cold and detached. His work is, after all, immeasurably important, and he fears that with every day that passes, the NWRF gain more and more traction, and it is something no one can afford. They are running out of time. And so his tendency is to shut people and the rest of the world out to allow him solid concentration. His intensity can at times border on unhealthy obsession, and if he feels he is responsible for solving a problem presented to him, he does not stop even to eat or sleep until he has exhausted all of his options.

Nonetheless, despite his introspective demeanour, the friends he has formed he holds very dear to his heart, and once he finally emerges from his shell in a relationship of any nature, his loyalty is steadfast and dependable.

He continues to look for signs of his brother, but it has been two years, and still nothing—he fears that with the Reformists’ purging of the wastelands, that he has not yet shown up in another Colony is a sign he may already be dead.

OPEN

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col22promo · 6 years ago

Photo

Ireland Krii | Twenty Five; Elite

House: Calyset Status: Uninfected Elite Specification: Infection Medic and Lab Researcher

History

No, it definitely wasn’t a bad life; it was just a bland life. The expectations were high and the rules were strict. Ireland grew up under the thumb of his parents’ wishes, but excelled nonetheless. He did his duties, went to private school, joined clubs and teams and sports—most proficient in the Science League and on the football team, Captain and center halfback three years in a row—you name it, if it would look good on his ivy league application, he would do it.

When D-Day struck, his losses were many. Not only had he lost his family, but all of his work had been destroyed—or so was assumed. Rescue parties at the time had much graver things to worry about than mucking through household rubble to find Echo Chip—though that would become more of a concern a few years down the road. He was picked up and herded to safer stays, where he became part of a small clan of fortunate spared lives who were about to face the hardest survival test anyone had ever seen. But when he had the strength, and when it was deemed somewhat safer (not safe enough to risk, others had urged, but he’d ignored them), he made his way on foot back to where his labs once had been, and did his best to retrieve anything that he could that seemed salvageable. Data, Echo chips, research… it was all in pieces, most of it mostly or wholly destroyed, but every day he spent a few hours searching, and came back with an item or two that might help him (and the rest of the human race) in a future of rebuilding.

When news of the forming Colonies began to spread, Ireland volunteered to help in the establishing steps and to act as a medical personnel to those now filing into the colony’s safe houses.

Ireland Today

Ireland is as content as he could be with his life in the colony. He is going on his third year of residency and though his main focus is his work studying and monitoring the growth and development of these new viral ‘infections’, and doing whatever he can to learn more about the effects they have on the hosts, he also has plenty of patient-time.

Medically speaking, he works most frequently with citizens of an Infected or Deluded status, but may also treat other patients for basic health care if necessary. He is known for being a level-headed man with a gentle touch and a soft word. For all the work that he does, all the endless hours of focus and time he contributes to the Colony, he is a relatively simple man to please—that is, he is truly fulfilled by his work, and his time spent helping others. A man of patience and private but determined contemplation, he is the first to offer a hand anywhere he can and is a tender soul, always with others’ best interests at heart.

However, when he’s working in the lab or on a particularly promising (or challenging) research binge, Ireland can appear cold and detached. His tendency is to shut people and the rest of the world out to allow him solid concentration. His intensity can at times border on unhealthy obsession, and if he feels he is responsible for solving a problem presented to him, he does not stop even to eat or sleep until he has exhausted all of his options.

Nonetheless, at the end of a long day’s work, there’s little he prefers than kicking back with a cup of tea and relaxing in the safety of his common room; surround himself with the people he cares about—preferably laughing as much as he can. It is the best medicine, after all. With such a stoic and focused role in the colony, he likes to take advantage of his spare time by filling it with things less serious. And despite his introspective demeanor, the friends he forms he holds very dear to his heart, and once he finally emerges from his shell in a relationship, his loyalty is steadfast and dependable.

HOME | PLOT | SURVIVORS | INFECTIONS | 2157 was the end of the world.

#mature rp #literate rp #lsrpg #nicholas hoult #nicholas hoult fc

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writingsofgvearwood · 3 years ago

Text

2014 Thoughts on TV

Netflix, Prime, Roku Channel, and the like, are my new addictions. I recall wishing The Beverly Hillbillies lasted longer than thirty minutes during its prime time run. Yes, it was in black and white, back then! Lately, the availability of a series-in-a-sitting is a simple way to spend a few hours or a day or a marathon three day, six seasons of a new Law and Order interrupted briefly for a few hours of sleep. Being able to immerse myself into the plots, develop relationships with favorite characters, and enjoy the continuity which diminishes during a weekly wait for the next visit with imaginary friends.

Law and Order: all of it's spunoff formats, is a fun, albeit surrealistic, ride down legal lane. I max out after less than a day usually. Criminal Minds: Usually one evening or perhaps an afternoon and evening is about all I can contain without adding a bizarre negative affect to my dreams. Queer as Folk: I'm on the fourth day now, and I'm hoping that there are twenty seasons, so as to relive younger, party, friends days, with a reasonable dash of "damn I'm old" acquiescence. Bonanza: Oh My God, I fell in love with Little Joe all over again but my mind begins to stray after two, maybe three, but definitely four episodes. White Collar: Matt Bomer increases the watchability of anything by sixty to sixty-five percent. So a fun script and adequate sub-casting, with Matt, of course, means there isn't enough to max me out. OK, day four I did switch to CNN. M*A*S*H: I never get enough and have a few of the episodes committed to eighty percent recall. Peaky Blinders: A fantasy of hard times played out in a couple centuries ago in a place I've never been that became quickly familiar. So, I watched the entire first series twice, on two successive days. Orange IsThe New Black: One season at a time suits me just fine, and takes at least a couple of successive days. A few days later, ready for the next season. House of Cards: Five minutes into the first episode of the first season and I was well hooked. I wait as long as 45 days between watching the available seasons to refresh my memory in the expectation of the next season. Hooked, until Kevin Spacey was dismissed. Now, not so much.

Jeopardy: Even without Alex, brain teasing is fun. Forensic Files: Admittedly, I watch this while writing, cleaning, or playing with my puppy. Some great stories told by some weird "real" people. Saturday Night Live: Ironically SNL has carried on through years of good ones and occasionally a skit or joke that just doesn't work so well. The weekly Guest Host is a perfect, working concept. Gilda, John, Bill, Dan, Colin Jost, Michael Che', and some of the most fun is Pete Davidson.

There are others that I like and others in which I have no interest. Not to pick a favorite, per se, but instead to include myriad reality binges available. But then I ask myself, without having yet heard an answer, why would I spend several hours at a time watching someone else's piece of reality when there are imaginary friends, quite well known to me, with whom I can play, again and again.

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imagesofperfection · 7 years ago

Conversation

Roger Federer interview in l’Équipe for those of us who don't speak French

Romain Lefebvre: L’Équipe has awarded you with the title Champion of Champions in a tie with Rafael Nadal. Does that seem fair to you?

Roger Federer: Yes. Some will say no, some will say yes. I think you can look at our seasons however way you want. Both have done something extraordinary. He finished the year at number 1. He’s even the oldest player ever to have done that, which I didn’t know. It’s something no one has done before, so, from that angle, he deserves it. He made a comeback just like me. Me, I’m five years older, which makes things even more complicated. And I beat him every time. You can mix that all up whichever way you want, but I’m totally OK with it.

Q: Do you have the feeling that breaking back at 3-2 in the fifth set of your Australian Open win against Rafa was a determining factor for the rest of your season?

RF: It’s a bit of an exaggeration, but it’s true. It was that moment that I proved definitely that I’m playing fabulously. I’m playing really, really well. You feel that all the backhands are aggressive, I’m calm, serene. It’s a big moment for the rest of the season, yes … Basically, you’re right!

Q: When we saw you at the inauguration of his academy, in October 2016 – you were both injured – you’ve almost never been apart since …

RF: Exactly. It’s interesting because it had never been that way before then. We understand each other. In the past, when he’s been injured or operated on, honestly, because I’d never been operated on, it was difficult for me to put myself in his skin. In 2016, when he was doing better, and it was my turn to be injured, for the first time I felt the way he did when he was injured. It got me even closer to Rafa, this understanding of what he went through in the past. On the one hand, it’s nice being at home, of being detached from everything, but, at the same time, it’s an injury. It’s not fun. It’s an operation; it reveals a weakness. I know there are a lot worse things in life with health problems. But for an athlete, an injury is difficult – it may mean the end. We both went through it at the same time, at the same moment. I think I understand Rafa more know than before. Before, for me, it was, ‘yeah, right, OK. I see what he wants to say, but not really … it’s clearer today.

Q: If someone told you in 2010, when Nadal was number 1 in the world, that seven years later he wouldn’t beat you once in four meetings during a season …

Rf: I would have said no way! At that time I had two kids, and I had even more desire. Now I have four. With four kids, I’m not going to beat Rafa four times! [laughs]. It’s neither reasonable nor realistic. But fine, the idea was to play for a long time. The question was: would we still be meeting each other? What will our rankings be? When you’re, I don’t know, fifteenth and twenty-third, I imagine we won’t be meeting each other four times during the year. To meet that often, you have to play at the highest level.

Q: Can you give three reasons why you won every time in 2017?

RF: There’s the Basel win first of all in 2015 [in the final 6-3, 5-7, 6-3] at home, which really did me good. It comforted me in the idea that if I play well indoors, or on a fast surface, it would always be tough for him. After, I think that our long break acted as a reset for our rivalry. In our head-to-heads, our 2004 matches have no relation to today. We’re now two guys who’ve had operations, among the oldest. It’s another era. I approach the matches telling myself, ‘OK, we’ll see what happens.’ My new racquet has given me more options than in the past. Before, my game was more based on a sliced backhand and my forehand. Now, I can do more things with my backhand, and I proved that to myself in Australia against him. That was it. And, tactically, I was clearer in my head about how to play him as opposed to before. The racquet, the surface, the momentum [the dynamic] of finally ending the wins against me, it’s all a package. Plus the fact that I possibly could have won some matches against him I ended up losing. I’m think of Dubai, here, once in the final [in 2006, loss 2-6, 6-4, 6-4], which I shouldn’t have lost, Rome, which I lose in five sets [6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6] in the same year which I possibly should have won, at Roland where I for once had a chance [2011, loss 7-5, 7-6, 5-7, 6-1] … All those matches created a sort of spiral which favoured him.

Q: If you’d met him on clay this year, would you have maintained your invincibility?

RF: It might have been interesting, with the year I had and my style of play, if I could have done well, even won, but no … for me, Rafa will always be the favourite against anyone on clay. So, Advantage Rafa! I say. [laughs]

Q: You played doubles with him for the first time at the Laver Cup. What did playing beside him do?

RF: It was magnificent. Honestly. Because doubles are even better than practice. In doubles, you have ten seconds to make a choice, and you talk to each other. OK, what will you take? Forehand and I cover that after? No? Go, we’ll change quickly! OK, agreed? Bang bang, boom, bing. And you do that fifty times during a match! Watching his intensity, his calmness, it made me think about myself. We’re similar, we’re always trying to find solutions. He’s a winner. He knows when it’s important, when it doesn’t matter if you miss a shot when you’ve made the right choice. If the idea was right, you accept it. You know when the opponent played well. All that fascinated me. It was really good.

Q: What does he have that you’d like to have?

RF: I’ve always loved his forehand and his intensity, his ability to concentrate.

Q: You’d like him to have been Swiss?

RF: Uhmmm … why not? Absolutely. I won’t say no! But with Stan [Wawrinka] we’re doing pretty well, eh! I can’t complain, Stan’s incredible.

Q: Which one of you is a better doubles player?

RF: Oh … interesting. We play completely differently. In Prague, I asked him, ‘How do you want me to play? More like me or more like you?’ Because I don’t know very well the doubles where you stay at the baseline after serving like he does. I was at the net and the balls we’re whistling by me [he mimes balls whistling by] voom, voom, especially against Jack Sock, who plays like Rafa. Me, I know doubles where both players are at the net, where you try and make a wall and you concentrate on the first volley. But that’s not the way we played. It was ultra interesting. It was modern doubles if you like. He plays that better, and I think I play classic doubles better. I know that’s not the answer you wanted, but sharing that thought is interesting. Let’s say it’s a draw!

Q: Can we imagine you playing doubles at a Slam?

RF: No. I don’t think that’s possible. We need our rest. We’re both tired after the singles. [laughs].

Q: What’s your best win over Rafa?

RF: Australia this year. [2017] Yes.

Q: The cruellest loss?

RF: Wimbledon 2008 or Rome 2006, where I have two match points, playing five hours on clay. It would have been nice beating him in that final, in that magnificent Rome stadium. But Wimbledon, there were so many records on the line: a sixth win for me, the first for him, in the dark like that at the end [night fell at the moment of match point, at 9.16 PM]. It was extraordinary …

Q: Let’s get back to this year. Did you play your best tennis in the States at Indian Wells and Miami?

RF: I played well, but I had trouble in a couple of consecutive matches in Miami. Against Bautista, against Berdych, Kyrgios. Finally, I had a lot of luck against Berdych. Everyone’s forgotten, but I had match point against me on his serve. On his second, he hits 190 to my forehand. It’s times like those that can change the course of a season. Against Kyrgios, too. It was very, very hot. I played well that day, but in Miami, during the day, I suffered a lot because of the wind. You don’t play your best under those conditions. Or the feeling isn’t always the best. It’s not like Australia, where there’s never a breath of wind. After six matches on Rod Laver, you know every inch of the surface. You can’t play any better in the fifth set. While in Miami, during the day, you have the sun in your eyes from an angle, it’s windy, and you can’t go for the lines! It’s still an excellent tournament, and I really surprised myself in the final against Rafa. Because I told myself, ‘OK, I beat him in Australia and in Indian Wells,’ but, honestly, I was tired. At the warm-up with Seve [Lüthi, one of his coaches], I told him: “Listen, I’m going to try my best.” And he answered: ‘If we’d told you at the beginning of the season you’d make a final in Miami, you would have taken it, even without Australia or Indian Wells. Just this final!’ It gave me a good feeling, good energy, and I ended up having a very good match. My head was clear one more time, after the break back at the Australian Open, I guess. I saw that certain things were working and I kept it up. It was pretty great, right.

Q: During all that, you make the decision of not playing on clay …

RF: Yes. Late on, actually. Because I was on clay. I told myself: I’ll see how I feel, where I’m at. Honestly, it was a coin-flip situation. I remember exactly where we were and how we decided. My entourage told me: ‘If you do it, Roger, think it over carefully. Because it will be a month where you’ll work like crazy. It won’t be easy, and what will it get you? Because if you don’t win Roland … And my physio was worried about my knee that had bugged me the year before. My conditioning coach, Pierre [Paganini] told me: ‘Listen, there’s so much work to do before playing on clay, and, in the end, what’s the goal? Just playing? It’s your decision.’ The coaches told me: if the priority is Wimbledon, you have to really think about it. Twenty-four hours later, I told myself: bah, you know what? OK, it’s tough, but it’s wise. It was the first time in my life I said no to a Slam while feeling healthy. Because the year before I pulled out of Roland with a bad back and knee, and I couldn’t play the US Open because of the knee. There was a solid reason each time. But this was a first and it was weird, yeah …

Q: In hindsight, wasn’t it the best decision you made this year?

RF: No, no. It doesn’t give me any pleasure withdrawing from a tournament. I’m still a competitor. In hindsight, it wasn’t a bad decision, but it wasn’t a good one either, if it had turned out I could play on clay anyway, and still play on grass after, like I’ve done my whole career, in fact. Even in hindsight, I see what you mean, but I won’t accept it. It was an important and difficult decision to make because I was healthy.

Q: And then there was Wimbledon glory. What do you remember?

RF: Oh it was quick. All of a sudden [snaps his fingers], I won my eighth … especially looking at Australia, where I didn’t know. Everything was fragile on my side. I had five-setters, Nishikori, Stan, Rafa, I fought a problem with my adductors for five matches … While at Wimbledon, I arrive, three sets, then three sets, and all of a sudden, I’m in the quarters, the semis, the final and it’s over. It’s a great satisfaction because I’d played so well and worked so hard since the previous year when I lost to Raonic. The idea was, if I made it back this year, that’s where I wanted to be at the top of my game. And finding yourself at Wimbledon in that situation, you, your team, your fans, Switzerland, it’s a very nice moment in the career of a player. Especially when you achieved what was your main goal the previous year. With my knee problem, I’d told myself that everything that came before Wimbledon was less important. I constructed the situation well.

Q: What gives Roger Federer the most satisfaction: the complicated fight at the Australian Open …

RF: [interrupts] That. Regardless, that.

Q: ... or the train that arrives on time at Wimbledon for a final without a lot of emotion against an injured Cilic?

RF: I didn’t realise that at the time, luckily. I still had the satisfaction of winning against him as if he weren’t injured. It’s only after the final that I heard how much he was hurt. Because I didn’t see him cry during the match. And I imagine it was better for me not seeing that. Regarding my 2017 season, it’s Australia above all for sure. With that incredible match, with everything that happened up to it, the comeback. The emotions were huge. While with Wimbledon, I looked at the record I’d achieved, my eighth. That’s it.

Q: Can you guarantee your numerous French fans that you’ll play again one day in Paris?

RF: No, I can’t. Because Bercy is always after Basel and Roland Garros on clay, I don’t know what will happen next year. I’d like to say yes, absolutely, I’ll come back and one day in Paris, and I think that will happen next year. It may be twice, it may be never. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees. The longer I stay on the tour, the bigger the chance I’ll return to Paris. Obviously, it’s tough for me to imagine never playing Roland or Bercy again, but the future is unknown.

SOURCE: https://tennistranslations.wordpress.com/2017/12/29/roger-federer-reflects-in-an-interview-in-lequipe-with-romlef-on-his-2017-season-the-amazing-nadal-and-his-amazing-ao-win/

#roger federer #federer #tennis #laver cup #l'equipe #rafa nadal #rafael nadal #wimbledon #australian open

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haleyfury · 5 years ago

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April was another month filled with ups and downs. I’m super grateful for my health and safety right now, but I am definitely missing college life and like everyone, wondering when we’ll be able to get back to some state of ‘normalcy.’ This month, I technically finished my undergraduate work (online), had some fun Zoom sessions and reunions with friends, and again had so many books and TV shows as comfort.

The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee | 4/5 Stars

The Thousandth Floor was the first book of April that fit my ‘let me catch up on all the YA dystopian contemporary (trust me it’s a category)’ and shortly after reading, found myself buying books #2 and #3.

Undercover Bromance (Bromance Book Club #2) by Lyssa Kay Adams | 5/5

Undercover Bromance was such a great companion sequel to The Bromance Book Club. It also made me realize how much I need a book featuring the Russian.

Brunch and Other Obligations by Suzanne Nugent (ARC) | 4/5

It had been a while since I picked up a women’s fiction book, but I enjoyed Brunch and Other Obligations for its slightly comedic twist.

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris | 3/5

My sister finally got me to read Behind Closed Doors in April. It definitely wasn’t the best book ever (sorry sis), but at the same time, I couldn’t seem to put it down.

Not the Girl You Marry by Andie J. Christopher | 4/5

I took a little break from (adult) contemporary romances in April , but I’m glad I still read Not the Girl You Marry. Despite the mixed reviews for this one, I thought it was a cute & funny read.

Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell (novella/reread) | 5/5

I finally started my rereads of 2020 in April, which began with Rainbow Rowell’s novella, Kindred Spirits. Now having seen 8/9 of the Star Wars films – so excited that Rise of Skywalker will be available on May 4th on Disney+! – and The Mandalorian, I was able to really admire and relates to its adorable Star Wars-ness.

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan | 4/5

Staying at home has caused me to take all the books I haven’t read off my shelves, which included Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. Not my favorite book in the world, but I see what the hype is about and did appreciate its bookishness.

More than Maybe by Erin Hahn (ARC) | 5/5

My favorite book of April, I cannot stop thinking about Erin Hahn’s upcoming, More than Maybe. Everything was PERFECT about this July 2020 release following two teens who have a love for music and secret crushes for each other.

You’d Be Mine by Erin Hahn (reread) | 4.5/5

More Than Maybe made me want to reread Erin Hahn’s You’d Be Mine. I usually procrastinate on my re-reads but I immediately started reading You’d Be Mine after finishing More Than Maybe. I actually enjoyed You’d Be Mine even more upon my reread. It’s definitely the darker of the two books, but I really appreciated the story, romance, and character development this second time around.

The Selection by Kiera Cass | 4/5

Yes, I finally read The Selection in 2020, and yes, I’M ADDICTED!

You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone by Rachel Lynn Solomon | 3.5/5

I loved You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone’s story and writing style, but I could not stand one of its two main protagonists.

The Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass | 4/5

Still addicted to this trilogy, but America annoyed me so much with her indecisiveness.

Younger S1 (TV Land) – Many people who love books and publishing seems to watch Younger. I blew through the first season in three sittings – it’s 100% the type of show that you can watch 5 episodes in a row without realizing. However, I didn’t think it really brought anything new to the table and it was really inaccurate about how books and publishing work at times.

Unorthodox (Netflix) – Definitely my most serious watch of the month, I really enjoyed Unorthodox, having loved its storytelling and cinematography. After watching, I added Deborah Feldman’s memoir of the same name to my TBR.

Below Deck S7 & Below Deck Sailing Yacht (Bravo) – This month proved that reality TV is a comfort of mine, as I consumed the entirety of Below Deck S7 and the first 9 episodes of Below Deck Sailing Yacht in under two weeks- I’m currently up-to-date with the latter and watch every week. Below Deck Mediterranean S5 was recently announced for this summer, so I’m debating on trying to watch the first four seasons before then. There are so many good shows coming to Netflix in May, so we’ll see how fast I fly through those first before giving into Bravo.

Baker and the Beauty S1 (Prime) – Because I have to be both a TV and book hipster, I decided to watch the original/Israeli Baker and the Beauty before diving into the American version on ABC. I really loved this show and thought it was so funny. I’m looking forward to watching the second season in May and starting the American adaptation.

Schitt’s Creek S6 Finale (PopTV) – I talked about the Schitt’s Creek finale in my April If We Were Having Coffee, but I’m still feeling both so content about the way the show ended and sad it’s over.

Continued Watching: Family Karma (LOVED IT!), Brooklyn Nine-Nine S7 (Meh about it)

Reviews

FOODIE ROM-COM: Tweet Cute Review & Inspired Recipe

FEMINIST TEAM SPIRIT: We Are the Wildcats Review

LIVE LOVE BROMANCE: Undercover Bromance Review

HONEY READ ME: The Honey-Don’t List Review

SWEETEST YA: What I Like About You Review & Inspired Cupcake Recipe

Bookish & Fangirl Fun:

STRESS PURCHASES, ARCS, & LIBRARY HOLDS: April 2020 Book Haul

What I Watch on YouTube

Binge-Read Recommendations: What I’ve Read in 2020 So Far Edition

Bookish News Round Up #2: Release Date Changes, New Books, & More

Fangirl News Round Up #3: Upcoming Books, TV, & Event Updates

If We Were Having Coffee: Current Entertainment Faves & Other Life Things

The Prediction Book Tag

My Middle Grade Reads: Inspired by The Eye of Zeus

Officially done with undergraduate work – Graduating is a bittersweet experience to begin with, but even more so for my fellow seniors and me since we had to finish our degrees online. I’m still working for my on-campus job and have a few online celebrations over the next few weeks, but I submitted the draft of my media & communications capstone today! My school is holding a virtual commencement on our original graduation day, but they recently scheduled our (tentative) in-person commencement to August! I guess you can say that I’m graduated, but it won’t be official until the end of the May when my graduation application is confirmed and my diploma comes in the mail in the new few weeks.

Twenty Young Podcast – One of my best friends and I have been listening to a lot of podcasts lately, which made us think 1) where all the podcasts for women in the twenties and in between college and professional life? And 2) why don’t we give podcasting a try? We then decided to create the Twenty Young Podcast, available on Spotify! I’m going to have a blog post all about our podcast in May.

What did you read and watch in April? Have you read or watched anything I mentioned? Share in the comments!

CONTEMPORARY READS & REALITY TV MOOD: April 2020 Wrap Up April was another month filled with ups and downs. I’m super grateful for my health and safety right now, but I am definitely missing college life and like everyone, wondering when we’ll be able to get back to some state of ‘normalcy.’ This month, I technically finished my undergraduate work (online), had some fun Zoom sessions and reunions with friends, and again had so many books and TV shows as comfort.

#April 2020 #April Wrap Up #Wrap Up

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lovelyparanormalbooks · 6 years ago

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Blog Update! Stress, Lack of Posting, Apologies... // A list of frequently unasked questions answered

Hey! I thought it was beyond time I gave you guys an update. In case you haven't noticed, or have been on hiatus like me, this blog has been a bit of a shambles recently (well really, since last term started. Screw you, school). So since it's the holidays now I'm finallllyyyy posting this update to let you know a bit more about what's been going on in my life these past few months, and also how what's happening next is gonna affect this blog. So here goes:

1. What's been happening? Where did you gooooooo

Basically, with three chamber music groups and competitive band, I have had little free time, especially in the last four weeks leading up to end of term, when all the competitions were on. This meant it was hard for me to even post my usual end of the week post, and you may have noticed a lot of those are missing/not updated/I edited them wayyy after they were originally posted so they were accurate.

So yeah it's been quite a busy period, and I haven't really had time to think about the blog but I've definitely missed it! Also I've only read like three books during this time period so there wasn't much for me to post about really, except my newfound obsession with Rupert Friend/his character Peter Quinn in Homeland, but keep reading for the full rundown on that.

2. "June books I'm excited for, July books I'm excited for, Monthly TBRs, Wrapups" why don't those posts exist????

My apologies! Being a typical idiot, I have actually prepared stuff for the books I'm excited for, but just never got a chance to post them (angry react myself). I am endeavouring to post a mega one for August which will contain the June and July ones too, and same goes for the monthly wrapup (don't see much point in the TBR tbh since I've hardly read); the wrapup will be a "mega" wrapup but will probably contain less than the amount of books in the January/February wrapup itself, whoops.

3. What have you been obsessing over lately, if not books?

If you haven't been able to tell from my weekly wrapups, especially the past two/three weeks (who am I kidding, I haven't checked but pretty sure those aren't even updated though they're written on paper, stupid me) you'll see that I've watched an INSANE amount of Homeland and definitely broken all my personal binge watching records, which used to be at like three episodes a day max. In the final week of school, ten episodes were watched (four on the Friday). The week after, first week of holidays, I watched two seasons (twenty four episodes)!! Really, this is all down to this one character played by the one and only Rupert Friend; Peter Quinn (yep, here we go guys. The real rant of this post.) Why do I love Quinn? I'm at the start of season six now, but I still think Quinn peaked in season two/three. A character originally brought in as an assassin for hire, he develops so much throughout that period, and his conscience is displayed in full when he refuses to kill a certain someone because he sees how it would destroy someone else he cares about. I fell in love with his charming wit, careful control of emotions, and beautiful portrayal. I'll stop now, but do chat to me about Homeland; I'll go on about it for hours!

4. Well then, what's gonna happen to this blog if you're SO BUSY all the time?

To be honest? I'm not sure. I miss this place, and I've accomplished so much here it would be a pity to waste it. This is certain: I'm definitely coming back. As for when? That's more complicated. I am going to endeavour to post here more often in the coming months (yes, real posts, not just weekly wrap-ups) but realistically, I'd like to be posting regularly here November at the very, very latest. To help keep my goals realistic, I'll be making a few changes: Firstly, no more weekly wrap-ups. They've been frustrating me for awhile, and I've decided to get rid of them altogether because although they seem to be relatively popular it's become a chore, and also the only thing I ever post here. Sorry! I'll definitely be keeping the monthly wrap-ups though, and while I won't detail my TV show and movie watching, I will keep you updated with what exactly I've been enjoying on television. Monthly TBRs are going to be gone, because this feature hasn't helped me read more at all and I see no point in keeping them if that's the case. I know I've missed a few monthly wrap-ups, and since I only read a few books during those few months anyway I'll add them to a "mega" wrap-up at the end of July. I will be continuing my "x month releases I'm excited for" posts as I enjoy making these, but won't be following up on the months I've missed. What's been going on in your life recently? How has it affected your blogging/reading habits?

#ParanormalBooks

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bgbradleyauthor-blog · 7 years ago

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An Interview With Michigan Author B.G. Bradley

Conducted by Matt Dryer

MD: Today I’m speaking with Winter Heart author B.G. Bradley. Winter Heart is the first in a series of books taking place in the fictional town of Hunter, Michigan; located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

MD: - Thank you for taking the time to talk with me today.

B.G.B. - My pleasure, Matt.

M.D. – Let’s talk about the Hunter Lake series of books. You’re recently released novel Winter Heart is the first in a series of books set in this fictional community. Please tell us a little about the series.

B.G.B. - Well, originally they were simply going to be about a late-middle-aged widower poet and retired college professor taking walks on a frozen lake in the U.P. But then his pesky sister just kind of walked in through the cabin door and the stories took off.

Then I realized there must be even more family. The main character, Ben O’Brian, had to have a past and an extended family and friends…a whole community. At this point the books concern a great many of those characters who live in the Hunter area. It’s small town life in the north with all that entails, including history, which is another character really… and the incursion of modern life and the future with all that entails.

M.D. - And it all takes place in the same location?

B.G.B. - Yes, with only a few side trips, the events all take place on Hunter Lake, in the nearby village of Hunter, and on the Gros Rocher River.

M.D. - Is this a linear series or are they stand alone stories that can be read out of order?

B.G.B. - The first two books and at least two of the later ones, definitely stand alone. The others could be read on their own, but are probably better read in connection with the full series so that all the nuance comes through.

M.D. - Do you have the whole series mapped out, already?

B.G.B. - Yes! At this point Summer Rounds, the second book, is nearing completion, and a number other books are in first draft form.

M.D. - How many books will there ultimately be in the series?

B.G.B. Nine.

M.D. - Will they focus on the same characters throughout?

B.G.B. - Some of the characters appear in nearly all of the books, but there are whole novellas that focus on all different characters. I enjoy getting into the heads of different sorts of people and play with points-of-view and there’s a pretty good variety of narrative styles in the books.

M.D. - What was your inspiration for Hunter?

B.G.B. - There were many inspirations. I grew up in the U.P., in the town of Newberry. I spent many summers and hunting seasons on the shores of a nearby lake, and in various tiny bergs all over the U.P. I think all of those places play a role in the inspiration. I also attended a tiny private college in Lower Michigan, and Hunter is a little college town in the novels. That, without question, figured in the fictional creation, as well.

That being said, none of the characters or locales are truly based on any one person or place. In other words, it’s fiction, and my imagination roams freely throughout it inventing interesting little foibles and qualities for characters, and landscapes of the mind.

M.D. - Please tell us a little bit more about yourself. What is your professional background?

B.G.B. - I spent ten years as a journalist, beginning at age nineteen. I worked for a number of newspapers all over the Upper Peninsula. For twenty years I was a columnist for two or three U.P. papers. During many of those years I was also a high school English teacher, a stage actor, and a theatre director. I’ve also done some voice-over work. After retiring from the high school, I became an adjunct professor of English at Northern Michigan University.

M.D. - I understand that before the novel Winter Heart, there was actually a play based around the characters in that book. Can you tell us more about that?

B.G.B. - Yes! The play was called Lake Stories and had the identical location and characters. It was presented at Lake Superior Theatre in Marquette in 2010. We did lots of improv with local actors and that work helped to create many of the characterizations which now appear in the book. Though I had some pretty solid ideas about them before we ever started. Where those ideas come from, I’m not always certain. Some of the sources for characters, to be honest, are a little mysterious, even to me. I had the opportunity to play Ben O’Brian in the play opposite Dr. Shelley Russell, from the theatre department at Northern Michigan University, as Grace. That was a great experience, as I have known Shelly for the better part of 30 years and we had a great rapport going in, not to mention that she’s a marvelous actress. Monica Nordeen, Rob Shirlin, Timmy Grams, and Shannon Miller rounded out the cast, and they all did wonderful work. Ha! Even my dog, Huck, whose image appears on the cover of Winter Heart, got into the act, playing himself. It was great experience. Important, I think. The play showed Yoopers, as something more than folks with interesting accents, who ice fish.

M.D. - Wow, so the character of Ben is really close to your heart. Is it safe to say that he is the character you most relate to?

B.G.B. - Yes, though in working with editors on these books, who include, of course, yourself, Lindsay Brindley, my sister Beth Bennett, and Monica Nordeen, it’s been pointed out to me that some of the other characters share some of my personal traits, which I suppose is unavoidable. Though, outside Ben, the revelations about the other characters’ traits resembling me, came as total surprises. I guess we don’t always recognize ourselves. That may be a good thing. Ha, I’m not sure.

M.D. - Please excuse this next question if it's too personal, but in Winter Heart, the character of Ben is dealing with the loss of his wife. You write so succinctly about loss and healing... but your wife, Debbie, is very much alive and well. How did this come to be such a theme for the story?

B.G.B. - First let me just say, thank God for Debbie! She is the love of my life and my rock and has been for over thirty years. So, your question is a great one, but I’m afraid I only have nebulous answers. I lost my father when I was fourteen, and so, perhaps it was only natural that having dealt with such a devastating loss so early in my life, that death, dying, and healing, became an integral part of my personality and thus my writing from an early age.

I’ve suffered other losses in my life as well, and these, I suppose have reinforced, that urge to contemplate and write about these darker matters. Sometimes, too, a loss of love, or a disappearance of someone from your life under very ordinary circumstances can be traumatic too, but in a more subtle, even insidious way. It can sneak up on you.

All these, I think combine to create some of the dark themes in the book. But Winter Heart is not really about dying. It’s about living. It’s about the belief that even when things really go south and you’re left in a lonely place, there is a way through. If you have a little faith, and are lucky enough to receive some gifts of grace, as most of us are if we’ll only look around, we pull through and all will be well…joyful even!

M.D. - Let's talk about your next book, Summer Rounds. What is this one about?

B.G.B. - The book is told through the viewpoint of Dale Sylvanus and concerns his efforts at redemption. He starts the story sleeping in a boat house, after going on a Saturday night drinking binge. Gradually, the really good folks around him, and Dale is a great fellow too, just a trifle confused…okay…very confused about his priorities in life…anyway, the really good folks around him including his wife and kids, and a village priest, attempt to pull himself back up and get back in the game.

M.D. - That’s Dale, the handyman from Winter Heart?

B.G.B. - Yes. The one who rescues Ben from his…uh…furnace troubles.

M.D. - Does anyone else show up from Winter Heart?

B.G.B. Well, Ben’s sister Jen plays a very important role.

M.D. - Will this one be structured the same way, with multiple perspectives and poetry interspersed throughout?

B.G.B. - Interestingly, no, though some of the later books use that somewhat experimental style. This is conventional first person, from Dale’s point of view, using Dale’s type of language. It’s folksier, more elemental, and yet takes on some questions about modern life in America, in addition to describing life in a small town.

M.D. - When does that book come out?

B.G.B. - You can look for it this summer.

M.D. - You've really done some extensive world-building here. Will you be looking to do any non-Hunter related projects in the future?

B.G.B. - Yes, I have a few science fiction books in the works.

M.D. - Science-Fiction! That's a departure. Is that genre a major influence for you as well? How about comic books?

B.G.B. - Yes to both. I was a comic book nut growing up, especially the Marvel titles. I used to go down to my local drug store and buy the whole line each month. Of course, that’s when the most expensive ones were twenty-five cents. In science fiction, I was an Arthur C. Clarke fanatic! I read everything he wrote as fast as I could get my hands on it. He’s a huge influence.

M.D. - You've planned out nine books for the Hunter series and more than one science fiction project. You’ve been quite busy! When you're not writing, what sorts of things are you doing?

B.G.B. - I spend a lot of time in the woods, canoeing, cross country skiing, duck hunting. It gives me peace, solace, and just out and out happiness. I love to watch a sunrise in the woods or over water, alone or with friends and family. There’s just something about those beginnings that bring constant hope. We’re going to be okay.

M.D. - Is writing a part of your everyday life?

B.G.B. - Yes, and it has been since I was in my very early teens and even a bit before that. These days I rise at about 4 a.m. and spend up to four or five hours writing. I love it. More than that, it grounds me and gives purpose to everything else I do. T.S. Eliot wrote, “How do I know what I think until I see what I say.” He’s exactly right. If I can write it down, I can usually make sense of it. Ha, sometimes even the craziest things!

M.D. - And the poetry which is such an integral part of Winter Heart. Are there any plans for collections of just your poetry?

B.G.B. - Yes, my editor, Lindsay, in particular has been pushing for that and at some point it’s going to happen. I write a poem a day. Not always a good poem a day, but I always get one in, ha!

M.D. - That'll be delightful! Congratulations on your success with Winter Heart and best of luck as you continue your journey!

B.G.B. - Thank you very much!

Winter Heart is available now through local U.P. book sellers as well as online at: https://www.amazon.com/Winter-Heart-Hunter-Michigan-1/dp/1548139785/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1520291878&sr=8-3&keywords=winter+heart

Summer Rounds will be available this summer from Benegamah Press!

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ileneca7 · 7 years ago

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KEEP CALM AND WATCH MORE TELEVISION

Thaddeus Howze is a science fiction and fantasy writer, technology consultant, polymath, autistic, creator of worlds, iconoclast, humanist and occasional bastard (nobody’s perfect). Read more about Thaddeus here. KEEP CALM AND WATCH MORE TELEVISION Courtesy of Thaddeus Howze New phrases to describe your television watching habits. #bingewatching #cringewatching #hingewatching #singewatching #fringewatching ASYNCHRONOUS, DELIVERED ACROSS THE AIRWAVES In the beginning, there was…

KEEP CALM AND WATCH MORE TELEVISION was originally published on MarketShadows

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col22promo · 6 years ago

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Ireland Krii | Twenty Five; Elite

House: Calyset Status: Uninfected Elite Specification: Infection Medic and Lab Researcher

History

No, it definitely wasn’t a bad life; it was just a bland life. The expectations were high and the rules were strict. Ireland grew up under the thumb of his parents’ wishes, but excelled nonetheless. He did his duties, went to private school, joined clubs and teams and sports—most proficient in the Science League and on the football team, Captain and center halfback three years in a row—you name it, if it would look good on his ivy league application, he would do it.

When news of the forming Colonies began to spread, Ireland volunteered to help in the establishing steps and to act as a medical personnel to those now filing into the colony’s safe houses.

Ireland Today

HOME | PLOT | SURVIVORS | INFECTIONS | 2157 was the end of the world.

#mutant rp #dystopia roleplay #lsrp #nicholas hoult #nicholas hoult fc

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col22promo · 7 years ago

Photo

Ireland Krii | Twenty Five; Elite

House: Calyset Status: Uninfected Elite Specification: Infection Medic and Lab Researcher

History

No, it definitely wasn’t a bad life; it was just a bland life. The expectations were high and the rules were strict. Ireland grew up under the thumb of his parents’ wishes, but excelled nonetheless. He did his duties, went to private school, joined clubs and teams and sports—most proficient in the Science League and on the football team, Captain and center halfback three years in a row—you name it, if it would look good on his ivy league application, he would do it.

When news of the forming Colonies began to spread, Ireland volunteered to help in the establishing steps and to act as a medical personnel to those now filing into the colony’s safe houses.

Ireland Today

HOME | PLOT | SURVIVORS | INFECTIONS | 2157 was the end of the world.

#mature rp #para rp #lsrp #nicholas hoult #nicholas hoult fc

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col22promo · 8 years ago

Photo

Ireland Krii | Twenty Five; Elite

House: Calyset Status: Uninfected Elite Specification: Infection Medic and Lab Researcher

History

No, it definitely wasn’t a bad life; it was just a bland life. The expectations were high and the rules were strict. Ireland grew up under the thumb of his parents’ wishes, but excelled nonetheless. He did his duties, went to private school, joined clubs and teams and sports—most proficient in the Science League and on the football team, Captain and center halfback three years in a row—you name it, if it would look good on his ivy league application, he would do it.

When news of the forming Colonies began to spread, Ireland volunteered to help in the establishing steps and to act as a medical personnel to those now filing into the colony’s safe houses.

Ireland Today

HOME | PLOT | SURVIVORS | INFECTIONS | 2157 was the end of the world.

#literate roleplay #mature rp #para rp #nicholas hoult #nicholas hoult fc

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