#exotic car loss of use lawyer | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

kmseokjins · 5 years ago

Text

Twisted Tails (Chapter 1)

Fandom: BTS Pairing: BTS x Reader / (Future) Poly!OT7 x Reader / Hybrid!BTS x Human!Female!Reader Warnings: angst (Jimin is upset) Words: 5.5k words (GOOD LORD.)

Summary: When you meet with your later sister’s lawyer, you’re not expecting to suddenly own two hybrids. Of course, things end up being a tad more complicated than that once you get to the shelter. Upset Jimin inbound.

Hybrids: GermanShepherd!Namjoon, BirmanCat!Jimin, more to come later!

Notes: Well, looks like I’m jumping on the Hybrid!BTS train. For now, this is mostly Jimin and Namjoon centered, but the other boys will be introduced down the line (feedback depending). I hope I didn’t make Jimin too clingy or anything. I’m so excited yet incredibly nervous to post this fic tbh. I hope y’all like it! Depending on the feedback I get, we shall see if there’s future chapters on the horizon! ;) Special shoutout to @mygsii for help with this fic title! <3

Archive Of Our Own || Next Chapter

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

“Your sister left her hybrids to you.”

“Wha-? I’m-I’m sorry, what?��

“Her two hybrids. She left them to you.”

“There has to be a mistake, I...I don’t know how to take care of a hybrid.”

“Her Will states it so, there is no mistake.”

You’re downright flabbergasted. When you had received the call from some lawyer’s office last week about your late sister’s estate, you hadn’t been expecting this. On top of the fact that you’d been shocked to hear that your sister had a Will; she was only four years older than you, for Pete’s sake! Leave it to your sister to give you grey hairs from beyond the grave. She’d left everything to you, including her two hybrids.

You knew about hybrids, of course. One would have to be living under a rock to not heard anything about them before. It had been a wild craze for decades now: “Own your own Hybrid! Companionship, pets, and more!” It made your stomach queasy just thinking about it. You heard the horror stories about hybrids being forced to participate in underground fighting (more often than not, to the death), subjected to hard labor, or used as sex slaves. You literally shuddered, and not in a good way.

Hybrids were half human, exhibiting the physical traits of whatever species they were crossed with in the form of tails, ears, claws, and eyes. Usually hybrids displayed one or two of those traits, although it wasn’t uncommon for them to display all those traits. In addition, hybrids also displayed the instincts of said species, some more than others.

You were somewhat familiar with your sister’s hybrids; you had met Namjoon and Jimin several times. They were both sweet and docile, and despite the fact that you had never owned a hybrid before, you were certain you had lucked out with the two. At least you weren’t bringing home two hybrids that didn’t know you..

“Where are they?” You straightened from your thoughts as you realized you hadn’t seen the hybrids yet. You hadn’t thought to ask about them last week when you’d been asked questions by the police; you had been too upset, wallowing in the grief of losing your big sister. How could you have been so heartless in not inquiring about Namjoon and Jimin? They had surely been grieving just the same as you at the loss of your sister.

The lawyer sitting at the desk in front of you glanced up at you over his thinly rimmed glasses, eyebrows furrowing slightly before he relaxed when he seemed to know what you were questioning him about.

“They’re at the shelter downtown, the police too-,”

“What!?” You shot up from the chair you had been uncomfortably perched in, barely aware of the man jolting slightly at your sudden movement and your shout. They took them to the shelter? While most shelters weren’t bad, you could only imagine the stress Namjoon and Jimin were going through right now.

You were almost to the door when the lawyer stopped you, “Wait! You have to sign some things. I have documents and folders for you from your sister. Please, Miss L/N.”

Your shoulders slumped before you whirled around and hurried back to the desk, hoping this signing wouldn’t take long.

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

“It won’t take long, Miss. It’s only a few signatures and then you can be on your way.”

You grumbled sarcastically under your breath as you drove through downtown, fingers tapping impatiently on the wheel. What you thought would take ten minutes ended up taking twice that. The few documents and folders from your sister ended up being a box full. The said box, black and heavy, sat in the passenger seat of your SUV. The thin folder resting on top contained the papers for Namjoon and Jimin.

You wanted to look through the box, but you decided you could do that later after you got Namjoon and Jimin from the shelter. They didn’t need to be there any longer than they already were, it had been at least a week or so, according to the lawyer. God, what if someone had come in and adopted them!? Your sister would be rolling around in her grave if that were true. You’d seen how much she’d loved the two hybrids, if anything happened to them under your watch...she would come back to haunt your ass, you just knew it.

Your heart was fluttering in your chest as you pulled into the parking lot of the shelter and pulled into an empty parking spot, turning off your vehicle before taking a moment to survey the building. The parking lot had a few cars, which you assumed was mostly workers. The building was nice; a little too nice, if you really thought about it. The concrete walls were painted beige, the sign printed with the shelter name was big and neat, like it had just been put up to hang on the front of the building over the set of glass doors.

Taking a deep breath, you snag the folder on top of the box before sliding from your SUV and shutting the door, pressing the lock button as you made a beeline for the glass doors.

As soon as you stepped into the front lobby, you shivered slightly at the coolness. Someone apparently had the air cranked down. The lobby was a decent size with white walls, a few aesthetic paintings of flowers, and a row of chairs along one wall. The main desk was directly ahead, and you frowned at the sight of an empty chair. Clutching the folder in your hands, you approached and peered around.

“Hello?” You called out, wishing there was a bell or something you could ring. You jerked your attention towards the door behind the desk at several muffled shouts from behind it. Tilting your head curiously, you jerk back slightly when the door suddenly bursts open and a tall, blonde woman steps through.

“Oh! Hello!” She greets after a moment of silence, clearing her throat before she quickly takes a seat in the chair behind the desk. “I apologize if you’ve been waiting too long. Can I help you?” She flicks her dark eyes up to you expectantly for your answer.

“Oh, um, well,” You fumble to place the folder down on top of the desk as you also stumble for words, “I’m here to pick up two hybrids that the-,”

“You’re here for hybrids? Wonderful! Is there a certain species or gender you’re looking for? We have several prey hybrids and a few predator hybrids. We have deer, squirrels, wolves, cats, dogs…” She flips her hand around as she explains, “Most of our hybrids are males, but we have a few females if you would prefer them!”

You gape at her for several moments before you’re shaking your head, “No, no. The police brought in two hybrids last week, I think? Namjoon is a dog hybrid and Jimin is a cat hybrid. If I had known they were here sooner, I wouldn’t have let them stay so long…” You inch the folder towards her, “I have their papers right here.”

The woman tugs the folder from your grasp and flips it open, eyes scanning the documents within for a few moments before she glances up at you, “I know these two,” She offers you a look of sympathy, “They’ve had several interested parties, and they’re currently being visited by one of those parties now.”

“You can’t adopt them out, I have their papers and they belong to my sister-,” You choked on the words, clearing your throat, “I mean...I...they’re...they’re in my care now, and I have papers to prove it,” You gesture at the folder the woman still has clutched in her hands.

“We give owners 72 hours to claim their hybrids before we make them available for adoption, Miss,” She offers the folder back towards you, “If you leave your name and number, we can contact you if their adoption doesn’t go through..?”

You felt sick as soon as the words passed her lips. You couldn’t leave without Namjoon and Jimin. You didn’t know the first thing about taking care of hybrids, but you couldn’t let your sister down. She had trusted you with them. Not doing everything in your power to make things right didn’t settle well with you. You wouldn’t give up that easily.

Squaring your shoulders, you offered the secretary a beaming smile, “Actually, can I be shown some hybrids? I’m not sure what I’m looking for,” You grit the words out as sweetly and innocently as you can to the woman, who has her eyebrows raised slightly at your sudden shift in demeanor.

She must not dwell on it too long because she straightens after a moment with a smile, “Of course! Let me call Jackson and get you set up for a look around.”

You hoped you could lay eyes on Namjoon and Jimin during your tour. You wanted to make sure they were alright and that they were actually here. You didn’t want to disrespect your late sister’s wishes, but you knew that such matters could already be out of your hands. If worse came to worse, you suppose you could call your sister’s lawyer and get his help with this mess.

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

“Amanda said you weren’t sure what you wanted, is that right? We usually recommend a breed of dog or cat hybrids for first time owners….you are a first time owner, right? I’m assuming you’re not interested in our more exotic hybrids? We recommend more domestic hybrids to first timers.”

Jackson, it turned out, was a very happy and excitable person. He’d been rather enthusiastic ever since he’d come barreling through the doorway five minutes prior, a wide (and rather blinding) smile plastered on the tall brunette’s face. You’d been startled enough at his entrance to not put much effort into fighting him off when he’d rounded the desk and hugged you. You had tensed up immediately at the contact, eyes wide at how little he respected personal space. The hug, thankfully, was quick and brief before he’d offered out his hand to shake. You’d stared at his outstretched hand for several moments, perplexed that he hadn’t offered his hand in the first place. You would have preferred that.

You followed him through the door he had emerged from behind the secretary (Amanda apparently), folder tucked safely away (mostly) in your purse. “Yeah, first time owner,” You answered him, looking back and forth at the various doors that lined the brightly lit hallway. All the doors were shut, but a window in the doors offered you glimpses into the rooms beyond; the beds, desks, toys, and personal items you’d seen indicated they were the hybrid’s rooms.

“Most of them are out in the social area right now.” Jackson gestures to the door that you’ve both approached as he turns the handle and pushes it open, urging you through into the room, “I can introduce you to a few if you like?”

You had been expecting to enter a room that was entirely too small and lackluster to be the social area for hybrids. You’d seen the pictures before of poor environments of shelters and adoption centers, little to no care for the enrichment of the hybrids that stayed there. You were, for lack of a better word, quite speechless at the room you stepped into.

The room was huge and brightly lit, walls painted an off white. It was filled with several tables, beanbags, and benches throughout, along with several enrichment items (including platforms that resembled trees) and toys. Hybrids of all kinds dotted around the room, most playing, sitting, or lounging around. You caught sight of several cats perched in the tree platforms. At the sound of you and Jackson entering, a few hybrids glance your way curiously before resuming what they had been doing prior.

The surprise that filters over your face as you take it in causes the man beside you to laugh, “A lot of people have walked through that door with that same look on their face. Impressive, yes?”

“Very.” You agree, “I’ve heard so many horror stories over the years about how some shelters look and treat the hybrids there. It’s...nice to see something like this.” You continue honestly, catching the slight bob of his head in agreement with you.

Over the years, you had heard countless stories on hybrid shelters: poor living environments, sick and ill hybrids, very little enrichment tools afforded to the hybrids housed there. A poorly cared for and neglected hybrid without the proper tools to keep them happy often lead to hybrids falling ill, and some cases, even brought about their death. Unhappiness really could drag them down. Of course, hybrid shelters weren’t the only ones with a bad rap: the horror stories coming out of breeding centers were even worse.

“We try to keep the hybrids in our care as stress free as we can.” Jackson urges you further into the room, earning a few more curious looks from the hybrids in the social area. “Of course, it comes with challenges, especially when hybrids are brought back.” He sighs softly at the admission, “We are strict with the hybrids that have been returned more than three times, adopting them is much more rigorous than a hybrids that’s never been adopted or only returned once. We’re rigorous regardless, but you can never be too sure…”

You’re half listening to him as you look around, desperately trying to catch sight of Namjoon and Jimin, but your shoulders slump when you don’t find them. You’re disappointed, even if the shelter did appear to be great keeping hybrids happy. You glanced sideways at Jackson, wondering if you should ask about the two hybrids and let him know that they were, legally, yours. Then again, what if they were adopted by someone nice, who was much more qualified to take care of the two rather than you? What had your sister been thinking?

Apparently she hadn’t been thinking at all.

Turning slightly to face Jackson, you opened your mouth to question him about the two hybrids when a commotion from the doorway opposite the one you’d entered caught both of your attention. There’s a muffled commotion behind the door for several seconds before it’s hastily shoved open by a short, brunette woman who looks rather stressed before her eyes land on Jackson. She immediately seems relieved, mostly.

“Jackson! Thank god, can you spare a few minutes to help?” She glances behind her down the hallway, a shriek echoing behind her before she’s jerking her head back to Jackson. All the hybrids around you are tense and looking towards the woman and the commotion behind her. “Jimin is very upset, he-,”

At the mention of Jimin, you’re immediately perking up, tilting your head as you attempt to figure out what exactly is going on behind her. She could easily be talking about another Jimin, but your gut is quite certain she’s talking about the Jimin you know. A hand pats your shoulder, muffled words reaching your ears before you take note of Jackson hurriedly moving towards the woman. He moves quickly, but it's more of a fast walk, no doubt to avoid stressing or startling the hybrids in the room more than they are now.

“I don’t want to! I can’t! You can’t!” Your eyes grow wide at the familiar voice of the cat hybrid that you’d known for the two years that your sister had owned him. Why was he so stressed out? What was going on? Unable to stop yourself, you followed after Jackson, trying to keep your strides even, barely able to catch the door he and the woman disappeared behind before it could close behind them.

You knew that you probably weren’t permitted back here with permission or an escort, but damn the consequences. You had a soft heart and you had never heard the panic and fear in Jimin’s voice like that before. Surely they weren’t hurting him.

Slipping through the door, you let it close behind you as you stopped to survey the scene further down the hallway. In addition to Jackson and the woman, four others were present, including a young woman standing near the wall directly across from three males. One of the men was obviously staff, if the uniform similar to Jackson and the woman’s was any indication. He was halfway between the woman and the other two males, hands raised slightly in surrender as he murmured softly to the males. You couldn’t make out what he was saying to them and instead focused on the two hybrids.

You instantly recognized the two hybrids: Jimin and Namjoon. The black haired cat hybrid was practically wrapped around the back of the tall, brown-haired dog hybrid. You couldn’t even see Jimin’s dark ears, no doubt laid flat enough to blend in with his hair, and his fluffy dark tail was flicking back and forth in clear agitation with the situation. The male he was clinging to was just as tense, his larger ears straight and rigid. He had one hand gripping hold of the cat’s arms around his neck.

“Jaebum, what’s going on?” Jackson asks the question you’re trying to piece together, catching the attention of the four standing further down the hallway as he approaches.

Jaebum, the staff member standing between the two parties, looks away from the two hybrids towards Jackson as he lowers his hands and gently gestures in the direction of the woman against the wall, “Miss Yeri had an appointment to meet Namjoon and Jimin today. Everything was fine until she expressed that she only wanted to adopt Jimin,” He gestures towards Jimin now, who vehemently shakes his head, “I told her that I would have to check with you before we made a decision and Jimin just freaked out.”

“You can’t separate us, please,” Jimin whines, tightening his arms around Namjoon’s neck in the process. Namjoon grunts at the tighter hold that the Birman cat hybrid grips him with, sliding his attention towards Jackson as he nears.

“No one is going to separate you two,” Jackson soothes as he nears the two hybrids, apparently ignoring the young woman by the wall at her soft noise of protest. “I promise, Jimin, we don’t do that here, okay?” He stops advancing towards the two when Namjoon shifts slightly in place, nostrils flaring as he leans forwards slightly towards Jackson, sniffing at him. Jimin makes a soft noise by his ear at the action, but follows the dog hybrid in also sniffing.

It takes only seconds for a pair of blue eyes and brown eyes to meet yours. You can’t help the small and nervous smile you offer, hand raising nervously with a wave. The last time you’d seen the two hybrids had been at least three weeks ago. You gulp as the humans turn to see what’s caught the two males’ attention.

“Y/N-,” Jackson starts, but his voice is drowned out by the cat hybrid.

“Y/N-ah!” The lithe cat hybrid detaches himself from Namjoon, easily darting past Jackson and the short woman before they can stop him. He quickly closed the distance, practically bowling you over when he reaches you and attaches himself to you.

“Jimin-,” You squeak at his tighter-than-necessary hold as he buries his face against the crook of your neck, stumbling slightly at his weight, eyes wide as you look over his shoulder at the audience down the hall. You reach up to loosely clasp your arms around the hybrid, feeling a little awkward at doing so. The humans are all wearing dumbfounded looks, not making any effort to stop Namjoon from slipping past them to follow Jimin to you. He doesn’t move hurriedly, but his longer strides cover the distance almost as quickly.

“I knew you’d come, I kept telling Joonie!” Jimin pulls back slightly to search your face, “You’re here for us, right?” He doesn’t hesitate to bury his face against your shoulder, the ears atop his head no longer flattened like they’d been before. Noises of contentment rumble from his chest as his cheek rubs against your shoulder.

“Yes, I planned on it,” You tell him truthfully, glancing over at Namjoon as the German Shepherd pauses beside you both, “But I’m not sure how easy that’s going to be.” If there was already a claim on them, you weren’t sure how things would proceed if you tried to fight it. You were certain you had a good case, but according to Amanda, the ownership rights to the two were no longer in your hands.

You had doubted whether or not the two would want to even go home with you, despite your sister’s wishes. You’d visited them enough over the years for them to be familiar with you, but you had never really been subjected to such affection, especially from Jimin. The dark-haired male with his brilliant blue eyes was a sweetheart, but his affection had mostly been reserved for your sister and Namjoon. To be smothered against the cat right now was quite shocking. Was he really happy to see you because of you, or because you were the last connection he had to your sister?

Your eyes desperately searched for Namjoon, silently begging the dog hybrid to help you. Namjoon’s lips twitched slightly at your expression before he reached out to slip an arm around Jimin and peel the male away from you, much to the male’s protesting whines at Namjoon. Just when you thought you were free from suffocating from affection, something soft wrapped around your wrist and tugged. Unprepared for the tugging, you stumbled sideways slightly, bumping into the two hybrids.

You chose to ignore the cheshire-like grin on Jimin’s face as the three staff members approached, followed hesitantly by the young woman, Yeri. She didn’t look too happy, if the stormy look on her face that she sent you was anything to go by.

“I’m sorry, Y/N,” Jackson apologized immediately as he approached, eyebrows raised as he took note of Jimin’s tail wrapped around your wrist and your close proximity to the two; you could barely feel the brush of Namjoon’s chest at your back. “Jimin isn’t normally like this. He usually prefers to keep his affections to Namjoon,” Jackson indicated the German Shepherd behind you.

“It’s fine,” You assure him softly, meeting Jimin’s stare before quickly focusing back on Jackson, “Actually, I’m interested in Jimin and Namjoon,” It’s another nervous smile from you, a little uneasy with all the attention focused solely on you. Jimin’s tail tightens slightly on your wrist and you can feel Namjoon’s chest crowd slightly closer to your back. Obviously they can smell your distress with the situation. You do your best to relax and shove aside your nerves.

“What?” Jackson seems taken aback, “Are you sure? You’re a first time owner and handling two hybrids is a lot of work. You hadn’t had time to look at the other hybrids..”

“Yes, I’m sure. Actually, I have their paperwork right here with me.” You reach with your free hand to pull the folder with their papers from your purse and offer it towards Jackson, “Jimin and Namjoon belonged to my sister. She signed them over to me in the event of her death in her Will. I would have gotten them sooner, but the lawyer’s office didn’t contact me until recently.” You explained as quickly as you could as Jackson flipped open the folder to look over the papers within, “Your secretary, Amanda, told me that owners only have 72 hours to claim their hybrids when their brought to the shelter, but I wasn’t informed that I was their owner until literally an hour ago.”

Jackson hummed and nodded along as he listened, “The proper paperwork is here, but...we’ll have to discuss it with the Director and see how we proceed with this from here. The two have had several interested in them, including Miss Yeri.”

The mentioned woman straightens, “She can have the dog,” She says stiffly, sliding her attention from you to Jimin, who refuses to acknowledge her, head tucked under Namjoon’s chin, his ears camouflaged in his hair once more. “I’m only interested in the cat.”

You furrow your eyebrows at her balant disinterest in Namjoon, appalled that she thought she could separate the two. They’d been together since before your sister had adopted them, at least that’s what she told you, and despite the fact that cats and dogs were notorious for not getting along, the two surprisingly had very few spats. Jimin’s display of distress at the thought of being separated from Namjoon hadn’t seemed to make the woman change her mind; how many people had been interested in them, only to want one of them? Had Jimin or Namjoon been thrown into distress more than once since they’d been here?

Had your sister been here, you had no doubt she would be threatening to throw hands with Yeri. The mental image almost made you crack a smile. You, on the other hand, bit your tongue and said nothing. At least, for now. Where your sister was quick to anger, you had a much cooler head on your shoulders.

“Like I said before Miss Yeri, we don’t separate hybrids that are bonded.” Jackson repeats, not even looking towards the woman he’s speaking to, “Doing so causes untold stress on the hybrids and diminishes their quality of life.” He closes the folder and looks at you expectantly, “Let’s go to the director and get this sorted out, yeah? This is a bit too complicated for me to deal with.” He offers a smile before turning his attention to the two hybrids, “Namjoon, Jimin. Please let Jaebum return you to your room?”

“But-,” Jimin starts to protest, reaching out to loop through yours and tug you closer. You reach over to brush your fingers over his arm in an attempt to comfort him, frowning as he trembled against Namjoon.

“Jiminie,” Namjoon’s voice was low and soothing as he speaks for the first time since you’d come across the commotion, “It’s alright,” You glanced upwards to look at him, watching curiously as he rubbed his chin against the top of Jimin’s head, the cat still tucked against him. Namjoon reached out to gently disentangle Jimin’s arm from yours and carefully unwound the younger’s tail from your wrist. “C’mon, let’s go take a nap, okay?” Jimin whined at the loss of contact, but he slowly nodded, wrapping his arms and tail around Namjoon.

Jaebum took a step towards the two, but immediately froze at the rumbling growl from Namjoon. You didn’t have the heart to blame Namjoon; Jaebum hadn’t helped the situation earlier.

Namjoon gently pulled Jimin away from you, his tail brushing you as he passed, murmuring softly to the smaller male tucked against him as they moved slowly down the hallway, Jaebum cautiously following behind.

You watched them quietly before Jackson clearing his throat brought your attention to the three humans still standing in the hallway with you.

“Shall we?” Jackson asked, gesturing towards the door behind you that lead back to the social area. You nod slowly, stepping aside to let Jackson lead the way.

“I’m coming with as well,” You turn to look at Yeri with furrowed eyebrows as she immediately stomps past you to follow after Jackson. She’d been repeatedly denied her request, but apparently she was far from giving up. You had a feeling that she was more than willing to play dirty to get what she wanted.

Surely if what Jackson said was true, this Director would shut down her request to separate Namjoon and Jimin and send her on her way. You didn’t particularly feel comfortable with even the slightest possibility of Jimin going home with her. Perhaps she would be a better owner than she appeared to be, but could you really let Jimin go home with her if it came down to it?

No, you decided. Your sister would haunt your ass. Scratch that, she would become corporeal and kick your ass.

Straightening, you sent one last look down the hallway before turning and following after Jackson and Yeri.

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

You were ready to throw hands at Yeri fifteen minutes into the meeting with the Director.

Calm thoughts. Margaritas on the beach. Warm towels fresh out of the dryer. That carton of Rocky Road ice cream waiting for you at home.

“Suri will just love him, Jimin can bond with her.”

God, she was still talking. You closed your eyes, chin propped on your hand as you sighed deeply for the fifth time in the past ten minutes. After your first dramatic sigh, Yeri had taken to promptly ignoring you, focusing solely on the woman sitting behind the desk in front of you both.

Mrs. Choi, the Director, didn’t seem quite impressed with Yeri either, but she had yet to tell the woman to shut up and leave. She remained quiet, aside from the initial introductions and a soft, “Our policy states that we don’t separate bonded hybrids” directed at Yeri once the woman had started in.

Of course, Yeri was either too stubborn or too daft to even care. She started to talk about her other hybrid, a ragdoll named Suri, and how well taken care of and loved Jimin would be once she adopted him. She had everything ready for a new hybrid and you had sworn her eyes got all teary-eyed when she explained how taken she was with Jimin at first sight.

You wanted to punch her. She kept going and going and going, and even now, she hadn’t taken the hint to close her mouth.

“I’ve owned Suri for five years and she’s been my only ever since. Jimin would be so perfect for her and gosh, the cute little kittens they’d-,”

Jerking upwards in the chair, you slammed your hand on the arm rest, startling the woman beside you enough to actually make her look over at you in shock.

Satisfied you had her attention now, you fixed her with a glare, “You are not separating Jimin from Namjoon. You saw how distressed he was at the mere thought of it, but apparently you don’t care. Are you really that heartless?”

Your sister would be so proud right now. “My sister adopted them together and that’s how they’re going to stay.”

Yeri stared at you, mouth agape for almost a minute before she seemed to get over her shock on your outburst, “Well, where’s your sister? If she cared about them so much, why are they here in the first place?”

“Because she’s dead. Murdered.” You’re surprised you keep your voice steady, although you can feel the fresh burn of tears in your eyes. Tilting your chin up slightly, you force yourself not to let the tears fall, “You’re not separating them. I won’t let you or anyone else. They’ve had enough grief since losing my sister, and I sure as hell am not going to subject them to more.”

“Ms. Chae,” Mrs. Choi’s soft voice filters into the silence that falls over the room and Yeri slowly turns to look at her, “The two hybrids in question will not be separated. Either you are willing to adopt them together or not at all. That is final.”

Yeri opens her mouth and closes it several times before she huffs and abruptly stands before stomping dramatically from the room, slamming the door closed behind her.

Good riddance.

“Ms. L/N,” Turning sharply back to the woman behind the desk, you straighten in place, “There has been another party that has shown interested in both Namjoon and Jimin. They have filled out the necessary paperwork this morning to begin the adoption proceedings for the two.”

You deflate almost instantly at her words, sitting heavily back against the backrest of the chair. That was it then? You had been too late by mere hours. “I...I see.”

“However,” Mrs. Choi continued, and you glanced up at her curiously, “Since this is..a unique situation, along with the fact that you know the two hybrids in question, we’ve decided to make an exception.”

“Really!?” You perch at the edge of the chair at the prospect.

“If you fill out the adoption paperwork today, we would like for you to come back tomorrow for an interview.” She smiled ever so slightly, “In cases where more than one party is interested in a hybrid, we conduct an interview with the parties and then have them to meet with the hybrid in question and see how they interact.” Mrs. Choi paused to gauge your reaction before she continued, “Ultimately, the decision is up to the hybrid, but the interview and paperwork does help us weed out the...less-than-desirable applicants. Is that alright with you?” She prompts gently, leaning forward in her chair.

You’re nodding almost immediately in answer, “That...that would be great!” Were you really doing this? There wasn’t even a guarantee that it would work out in your favor.

“Where can I fill out the paperwork?”

TAGLIST: N/A

[ Want to be tagged when I release new chapters? Send me an ask or message and include what fics you would like to be tagged in! ]

#bts x reader #bts imagine #bts fan fic #bangtan sonyeondan #ot7 x reader #poly!bts x reader #hybrid!bts x reader #hybrid bts #*mine #my writing #twisted tails fic #i'm not crying over jimin's distress #it's just a twig in my eye #*DEEP BREATH* nervous as HECK

959 notes · View notes

seat-safety-switch · 5 years ago

Text

There’s a definite appeal to the pick-up truck. Maybe it all started in those great old westerns on the TV such as 1961′s The Comancheros, where John Wayne drives a 1996 Ford F-250 and picks up a single bag of groceries before returning four blocks to his studio apartment. No matter where they picked this memetic disease up without washing their hands first, everyone can agree that a pick-up truck lends an air of aw-shucks legitimacy and even a heapin’ helpin’ of can-do male heteronormativity to the proceedings.

It is for this reason that pick-up trucks are some of my easiest flips. You can find gently-savaged used trucks in rural prefectures across the Great Occupied Territories, and then for the cost of a tank of gas and a carwash to hose all the deer blood out of the bed, sell ‘em to city politicians and lawyers at a profit. They get the vibe of being folksy and homey, and you collect several hundred dollars that you can then pour into your small business of obliterating tires and choking Mother Earth with nitromethane fumes.

Once in awhile, though, I pick the “wrong” truck. You see, small four-banger Japanese trucks are simply not as manly as one that makes the same (or less) horsepower and requires twice as many cylinders to do it. Plus, most of them come with foreign devilry such as a manual transmission or “no backup camera.” And that just won’t do - although they want to give the appearance of roughing it, it is absolutely critical that you understand that these trucks will never again be used for anything heavier-lifting than Instagram ever again.

Although it seemed that whenever I made this mistake, I’d end up with a loss, each time so far I’ve managed to get out of buying the wrong truck by instead selling them on to people who do real work with them, like groundskeepers and demolition derby competitors. Those people, however, have no money, and so my profits are squeaky-tight: not enough to pursue my true passion in life, which is buying broken Volkswagen exotics from the salvage auction and making YouTube videos pointing at their elaborate trunk hinges.

The unpredictability of the entire revenue stream has so irked my accountant that he demands I only buy late-model Chevrolet pickups with more than four cylinders. Fine by me, I said. What he doesn’t know, of course, is that they made a whole bunch of those suckers with five-bangers, and only European refugees homesick for their precious 80s Audi rally cars will demand those.

#ford #ford f-250

13 notes · View notes

somethingjustsouthofbrilliance · 6 years ago

Text

I Got You (Tony/Rhodey secret service AU) Chapter 10

Warning for mentions of abuse of a minor. Again, nothing graphic, just an fyi.

Links to chapter 1, chapter 9

Tagging @jamesrhodey @supernaturalyloki @chanderefk @aimeeroot21 @markedplaces @mostly-marvel-stuffs @matre-dee @le-ephemere @lo-anlurui @savedbyholmes @kimmycup @typicalcampbell @natty-ts70 @damnhiatus @pubzie @giulisetta @goose-danvers @donttellanyoneitsmebabe @bookwermthings @tonystark5ever @polygamoussquamous @swanheart69 @schalabi422

Chapter 10

She’s in the middle of changing the dressing on Tony’s wound when the door to her bedroom is pushed open and James walks in. He watches her in silence for a few moments, hovering awkwardly by the far wall, before stepping further into the room.

“How is he?”

She shrugs, one-shouldered, picks up a roll of gauze to place over the dressing. “The bleeding has slowed down quite a bit,” she allows, carefully smoothing out the gauze. Lingers, her fingers resting lightly on the strip of the tanned skin turned pale with blood loss. It feels warm under her touch. A little too warm. She tells James as much.

“Infection?”

There’s an unmistakable note of worry in his voice, a reflection of her own, and she bites her lip against it. Sighs, pulling the blanket back up to cover Tony’s shoulders.

“I’ll be keeping an eye on it,” she says. “There’s a pharmacist I know next town over. I can get antibiotics from him, if need be.”

And, hopefully, there won’t be, she thinks. Because, Tony’s strong. He’s gonna beat this. She has to believe it, she has to.

She scans the slack features before her, her chest tight with concern. “You made me a promise, Mr. Stark,” she reminds him silently, smoothing her fingers over a furrow of pain that creases Tony’s forehead even in the unconsciousness of sleep. “Don’t you dare break it now.”

She hears James hum distractedly in response, hears the floorboards creak as the man approaches the bed, hesitating to a stop a couple steps away.

“Something on your mind?” She raises an eyebrow at him, waits him out as he stands there, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth as if unsure how to begin.

He sighs, long and heavy. Runs his palm over his short buzz of hair. “Is it true? About Howard?” he blurts out finally, his eyes a bit desperate, a bit wild.

“What about Howard?” She sees James flinch at her tone. Knows she sounds cold, hostile even, but she can’t help it – the mere mention of that man sets her teeth on edge. Especially now, when Tony lies here, unconscious; when it’s only been hours since she cleaned his blood off her hands; when she can’t help but remember the last time she’d seen him like this….

To James’s credit, he doesn’t back down. Holds his ground even under her scorching glare. “I didn’t know Howard personally,” he begins, cautious but determined, “but his reputation–”

“I know all about his reputation,” she spits, her lips pursing in disgust.

“He was a well-respected figure in Washington,” he objects weakly, like it’s an obligation he feels somehow to defend Howard’s name, and she grits her teeth sharply to keep herself from snapping at him once again.

He’s got more to say, she can see it. So she’ll let him talk and then she’ll decide if what he says justifies her committing murder.

James chews his lip again, blows out another breath. “Look, I misjudged him. Tony. Badly. I… everything I’ve learned today, it’s…” He shakes his head, looking weary all of a sudden, drained. “Tony said something in the car on the way here. I don’t think he meant to say it and I, well, frankly, I wasn’t even sure I understood him right, but…” He flicks an oddly distressed, uneasy glance at Tony before meeting her eyes once more. “Did Howard really…” He makes an aborted gesture in Tony’s direction. “Was Tony…”

“Abused?”

He winces at her bluntness. Nods, crossing his arms on his chest as if to protect himself somehow from the ugly truth of it.

The absurdity of the gesture almost makes her laugh.

“I met Tony when I was in fourth grade. Our principal, Mr. Wolfe, came in to our classroom one day almost halfway through the first semester with this scrawny 7-year-old. Said the kid was gonna be joining our class.” He reminded her of a cornered wolf cub then the way he stood there, staring defiantly at the classroom full of much bigger, older kids – frightened and beaten but ready to fight.

“Fourth grade at 7 years old?” James whistles in surprise.

“Yeah,” she chuckles grimly, remembering the angry looks, the jealous rumors, the taunts that were thrown Tony’s way. “It didn’t go over well with the rest of us, as you can imagine. Everyone saw him as a spoiled rich brat whose daddy probably paid off the principal to get him placed in a higher grade (never mind that he was smarter than everyone there). Who was too good to talk to any of us or to sit with us at lunch. Too good to ride the bus, so he had his butler take him to and from school.”

She runs her hand absently down the blanket, smoothing out nonexistent wrinkles. Stops when she reaches Tony’s hand, her fingers twitching slightly in indecision before she carefully picks it up to cradle in her own.

“Took me months to realize that that butler, Jarvis, was the only person in Tony’s house who actually gave a damn about him,” she admits, her voice thick with self-loathing. Runs her fingers with soothing apology over the bruised, scraped knuckles. “Tony would disappear every so often. Wouldn’t show up to school for days at a time. Everyone thought he was probably tanning on some exotic beach in the Caribbean or something. Only…. only he would come back and he’d be paler than before and he’d walk funny and flinch as if he were in pain whenever people bumped into him in the hallway.” She looks up at James, her lips twisting bitterly. “You don’t get concussions and broken bones while lounging on the beach.”

James runs a shaking hand over his mouth, eyes wide with horrified disbelief. “And nobody… nobody knew?”

“Some people did,” she acknowledges, the old familiar pang of guilt thrumming deep in her heart, making her chest twinge with it. “But nobody could do anything. Howard had the whole town bought and paid for. His staff, the school administrators, the teachers, the doctors – if any of them so much as thought about going to the authorities, Howard’s lawyers would have… these people would have been out of the job. He’s done it, too. It wasn’t an empty threat.” She drops her gaze down to where her thumb continues to trace gentle, absentminded circles along the skin of Tony’s hand. “And Tony knew. That’s why he never complained to anyone. Lied whenever someone would ask him how he got hurt. He’d say he fell off a bike, or tripped walking down the stairs, or ran into a door, or some other ridiculous excuse like that.”

A harsh angry bark of laughter scrapes its way out of her throat, and she clamps her mouth shut against it, clenches her free hand into a fist. Because those lies? She fell for them, too, at first. She fell for them, too. And she never did forgive herself for it.

“He didn’t want people losing their jobs because of him. Didn’t think he was worth it,” she whispers, feeling the shocked horror of that realization gnaw at her heart even now, decades later. “Can you imagine that? The kind of life he had as a kid that would make him believe something like this?”

James swallows thickly, looking vaguely sick. Works his mouth for a moment, the words seeming to flounder in their attempt to break past his lips. “And his mother?” he manages finally in a breathy whisper.

“His mother…” She huffs out a tired, rueful breath. Maria loved Tony, Pepper’s sure of it. Tried her best to protect him from Howard’s drunken rages when she could muster enough courage to do so. Which wasn’t often enough. Not nearly often enough. But she did try.

In the end, it was what got her killed.

“Tony got sick one time over the winter. The flu.” Her lips twitch with mild amusement when she sees the way James frowns at her, confused at the apparent non sequitur. But her smile dims all too quickly as her mind flashes back to that night she visited Tony at the hospital, to the way he sat there, slumped in Jarvis’s cautious embrace, still so frighteningly pale and with that heartachingly lost, broken look in his eyes.

“Howard didn’t believe in being sick,” she spits out, her voice dripping with venom. “His favorite mantra was ‘Stark men are made of iron’. Been drilling it into Tony’s head from the day he was born. Imagine how disappointed he was when he found out that Maria kept Tony home from school because of some flu. So the bastard made Tony stand outside for 3 hours in his pj’s in 20 degree weather. To toughen him up.” She raises one hand in the air, her fingers snapping out air quotes. Drags in a breath, struggling to maintain her rapidly slipping composure. “Tony ended up in the hospital with pneumonia. Jarvis told me his fever got so high, they were afraid they were going to lose him. And Maria, she didn’t take it well. It…uh… it was the first time that Tony actually came close to dying at Howard’s hand and, I guess, it rattled her. Enough so that she confronted Howard.”

“What…uh… what happened?” There’s a hesitancy in James’s question, almost as if he’s asking it against his will, as if he would really rather not know. Not that she can blame him, really.

She doesn’t know all that happened, though. Jarvis wouldn’t even tell Tony all of it, trying to spare the boy (not that it helped any).

She tells James what she does know. That there was an argument, a bad one. That, for a long time after, there was a faded bloodstain on the floor of the Stark mansion next to a broken piece of railing at the bottom of the staircase that led from the upstairs floor down to the foyer. That Tony got so upset when Jarvis broke the news to him that a nurse had to sedate him to keep him from hurting himself. And that Tony believes his mother’s death was his fault because, in his mind, he was the reason for that argument and because he was stuck in the hospital and wasn’t there to keep Howard’s fury away from her.

Tony had vowed then that he wouldn’t let anyone else he loved get hurt because of him. He hasn’t broken that vow since.

Beside her James sinks down heavily into a nearby chair, moves his head from side to side with a wide-eyed, shell-shocked look. “Was that when… You said before that Jarvis was Tony’s guardian. Did he take custody of him then?”

She shakes her head, presses her lips together hard enough to feel the ache shoot all the way up to the joints of her jaw. “About a year later,” she replies, reaching for the blanket again to pull it down from where it’s covering Tony’s chest. “After this.” She points to a small round patch of scarred skin slightly to the left of Tony’s breastbone, faded over time. Hears a sharp intake of breath beside her that lets her know James recognizes it for what it is.

“H-how?” is all he manages, his voice sounding dangerously strained, as though it physically pained him to say it.

She raises Tony’s hand to her lips, turns it gently to press a light kiss into his palm. Lays it against her cheek, letting herself burrow into its familiar calloused warmth, drawing strength from the contact. She’s gonna need it if she has any hope of getting through that particular story without breaking down completely.

“It was the anniversary of Maria’s death. Tony was…,” she closes her eyes briefly, wincing at the memory, “he wasn’t handling it well. Couldn’t really concentrate in school. The teachers were understanding, of course. They knew.” She huffs, resentful. “It was hard not to, what with the news coverage slobbering all over the tearjerker story of the poor grieving widower Howard Stark and his son.” She finds it hard not to gag as she says it out loud now. Back then she felt like scratching out the eyes of every news anchor that waxed poetic about the elder Stark on that ‘difficult anniversary of his wife’s untimely death’.

“They let him go home. I volunteered to drive him – the perks of being 3 years older.” A smile tugs at her lips unbidden as she remembers Tony pouting like a disgruntled toddler the day she got her learner’s permit. She, of course, made sure to milk the advantage fully for the next three years, rubbing it in her friend’s face any chance she had.

Except that day.

“We heard a gunshot just as we pulled up, and Tony… he just ran inside – didn’t even wait for me to stop the car.”

She takes a breath, short and unsteady. Feels it hitch uncomfortably in her chest. She remembers running into the house, following the sounds of raised voices. Remembers finding them all in the kitchen: Howard, his eyes bloodshot with alcohol and anger, a half-sloshed-out drink in one hand and a gun in the other; Jarvis, pale but determined, his hands gripping the countertop as if he were trying to stop himself from lunging at his employer; and Tony, slowly inching closer to his father, his hands raised imploringly as he pleaded with him to put the gun down.

“Howard was drunk,” she says, gripping Tony’s hand harder. She can feel herself start to tremble, can feel her heart stammer wildly in her chest. She doesn’t think she’s ever been as scared as she was that day.

“He was drunk and he was angry, and he decided to take it out on Jarvis. And Tony, he… he couldn’t bear the thought of losing someone else. Especially not on that day. There was already a smoking hole in the wall next to where Jarvis was standing, and Howard wasn’t calming down, he wasn’t even… I don’t think he even knew where he was or what he was doing.”

There’s a watery veil in her eyes, and she raises her gaze to the ceiling to keep the tears at bay. Beside her James sits still as a statue, she’s not even sure the man’s breathing, but she can feel his eyes on her, the shocked, troubled heaviness of his scrutiny.

She forces herself to keep talking.

She tells him how Howard raised his gun again, and how Tony lunged at him, pushing him hard into the wall to get him away from Jarvis. How Howard roared in a drunken rage and swung the weapon at his son, pistol-whipping the boy and sending him stumbling down onto the floor. How his trigger finger jerked at the tail-end of that wild swing; how deafening the sound of the gunshot felt when she was standing so close.

She blinks, letting the tears spill over, running unchecked down her cheeks. Drops her gaze back down to the small pink scar on Tony’s chest, her free hand reaching for it without conscious thought, fingers ghosting over the puckered skin.

A memory washes over her, a nightmarish flood of images she knows she’ll never forget.

Jarvis rushing past Howard to get to Tony, who’s struggling weakly to pull himself up, looking dazed and scared. There’s a small trickle of blood on Tony’s face from where the impact of the barrel broke the skin, and it runs in a thin steady line down his cheek, curving at his jawline to slip innocuously down his neck and stain the collar of his shirt. Another, larger stain mars the front of it, spreading outwards from a small ragged hole in it center, growing and growing and growing. Jarvis presses his hands over it – they tremble, Pepper notices. And isn’t that odd? Jarvis’s hands never tremble, but here they are, shaking like an aspen leaf in the wind. And Tony winces, trying to flinch away from Jarvis’s touch, his face scrunching up as if in pain, but Jarvis doesn’t relent. Jarvis shouts at her, at Pepper, to call the ambulance, and he presses down on Tony’s chest harder and harder and harder. And Tony cries out, Jarvis’s name falling from his lips – a gasped out plea chased with blood that stains them red and drips down his chin when he attempts to speak again. And Jarvis’s face grows ashen with fear, something Pepper’s never seen before. And then he’s lifting Tony up in his arms, and then they’re running, out the kitchen, down the hallway, outside, to Pepper’s car. No ambulance, it’s gonna take too long….

She takes a long, shuddering breath, pulling herself forcibly out of the haunting vision. Glances at her suspiciously silent audience, sitting hunched over in his chair, his head buried in his hands.

“I’ve never seen Jarvis so angry. He was… I honestly think that the only reason he didn’t shoot Howard right then and there was because Tony needed him more,” she muses quietly. “And I think Howard realized that, too. Jarvis told him after - once we knew that Tony was going to be okay – he told him he was taking Tony away. He went back to the house, packed up all of his and Tony’s stuff right in front of Howard and told Howard that he was leaving and taking Tony with him, and that if Howard so much as thought about stopping him that he would rip him apart with his bare hands. And Howard just… let him go. Let them both go. He didn’t fight it. I think he was afraid to.”

Gently, she lays Tony’s hand back down onto the sheets, tucks it under the blanket that she pulls back up to cover his chest. “Very few people know about this. Even here at the Foundation,” she warns, and James raises his head at that, gives her a slightly confused look. “Tony doesn’t like to talk about being abused. Thinks it makes him weak.” She closes her eyes, pained, lifts one hand to wipe at the tears drying on her cheeks. “Another one of Howard’s life lessons,” she adds, her lips twisting in disdain. She’s glad Howard’s dead, but she still thinks he got off too easy. One day, she thinks, she’s gonna drive out to New York to the ruins of the old Stark mansion and dance on the bastard’s grave. Maybe drag Tony and Jarvis along, make it a party.

“The only reason I told you,” she continues, stern, “is because Tony let some of that slip out in your company, and I could see you’ve already started making assumptions. I didn’t want you to make the wrong ones.”

“I understand,” James rasps out, subdued. “I won’t say anything.”

She nods, satisfied, rises stiffly to her feet. “I’m gonna go check on the animals,” she says. “Gotta secure everything for the night.” She still feels shaky and cold, her head swimming with the haunting memories of the past. Some fresh air would do her good.

James doesn’t move from where he’s sitting. Looks at Tony with an expression of pensive worry and a watchful sort of protectiveness that loosens something in Pepper’s chest, fills it with warmth. “I…uh… I think I’m gonna stay with him a bit, if that’s okay,” he murmurs, breaking his vigil for a moment to send a questioning look Pepper’s way.

She dips her head in approval, leans in to plant a quick gentle kiss on Tony’s brow. “Don’t stay up too late, though,” she warns, trying to pull off an easy smile but still falling far too short. “This is a working farm, Mr. President, and we are all in the habit of rising early. As a temporary resident here, you’ll be expected to pitch in.” She gestures vaguely in the direction of the window that looks out onto the field and the barn behind the house. “Them cows ain’t gonna milk themselves.”

#ironhusbands #ironhusbands au #tony stark #james rhodey rhodes #president au #secret service au #angst #hurt/comfort #somethingjustsouthofbrilliance writes

62 notes · View notes

divinefishingtips · 4 years ago

Text

TGIWednesday and having money run to ME!

TGIWednesday News

My brother and I were taught early on about the value of money. Our father while very generous was also a disciplinarian. I have no doubt that I observed and adopted his work ethic of go go go. Money became a desire for all of us back in the day...next new car, home or exotic vacation. Today however it is more important than ever to not just do anything for the money only. Whatever you do, make every effort to find joy in it, even if it’s the benefits, comradery of co workers, or some abstract part of the job that you enjoy. Over time, it’s important to lead a well balanced life between work/job/career, family, money, health/well being. As we age, the last thing you want to do is trade any one for the other. Instead of running after the money, this whole month, we’re going to entice money to run to us!

TGIWednesday Download

~ MONEY IS RUNNING TO ME ~ Today I will remain in the blessings of abundance, money, prosperity and good fortune. I believe, think, know and feel that money is making a run in my direction. I am ready, willing and able and have released all blocks that held money at bay. I know, when, where, how and why to allow the frequency of money rain on all that I am doing. I am asking for this in all languages & throughout all time lines and so it is.

Live Show Appearances

YOU WEALTH REVOLUTION hosted by Darius

New Energy, New You™! New Season Happening Now! It's the biggest energy healing event of the year - best of all it’s FREE from your home!

During this online event, the world’s top energy healing and life transformation experts will conduct daily live energy healing calls with hundreds of life-changing energy processes.

REGISTER NOW and Get Your FREE Gift ($67 Value) The incredible new Soul Spa 2.0™ and 741 Hz download which works to cleanse your aura and release toxic stress, worry and old anchors. Jimmy's LIVE Interview is Thurs. May 13th & he will be taking LIVE callers!

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

As you know by now, I will not be returning to our weekly Jimmy Mack Healing Radio show in 2021. We will of course be guest or co-hosting on a variety of other shows on occasion. So stay tuned to this section of TGIW as a variety of future show line ups will be posted!

Watch hundreds of replays for FREE here in the archives: https://thejimmymackhealingshow.com/

Monthly LIVE Zoom Event

These calls are unique in that you have the benefit of tapping into a multitude of issues that our participants with truly insightful comments have submitted for the group each month on a different topic.

We compile that list of dozens of write-ins and one by one, Jimmy clears them ALL together during the live calls. And know too that during the LIVE call, Jimmy brings in additional pieces from Spirit in the moment of reading each item that really expand on things and cover the clearings in a much deeper way. The value in this is tremendous! Instead of paying $68 for a half hour one on one with me where we might clear a dozen or so items, you can join our group each month for just $22 where together in 30 minutes you will watch in silence and amazement as you hear and feel the shifts of over 100 items - most of which you haven’t even thought of until you hear them LIVE!! NEXT LIVE ZOOM EVENT Wed. March 31st at 7:30pm EDT Register now - $22 (includes replay) https://calendly.com/jmh-calls/march31-switches

Book A Session in Tampa

SWANN HOLISTIC HEALTH SOLUTIONS

Jimmy Mack will be offering sessions at Dr. Charla Tempone’s office at Swann Holistic Health Solutions on FRIDAY MARCH 26th from 10-4pm

403 S. Habana Ave. Tampa, FL 33609 Just south of Azeele next to Skin Savvy http://www.ctholisticsolutions.com

Please call their office directly at ☎️ (813) 873-7773 in order to get on the schedule for 15-minutes $38 or 30-minutes $68. If you’re new to working with me, I suggest you schedule 30 minutes.

Fish Food

The Daily Bread To Feed The Fish

Tell the Fish - 365 Daily Inspirations and Affirmations - by Jimmy Mack MARCH 10th "Today, I will extend patience in all of my dealings. I will make amends to those who I have wronged and those who have wronged me. I will extend an olive branch to those who have slighted me and let bygones be bygones. I will amend that which I did not think could be amended. I will compromise and make peace."

From the Fish Box

"Hi Jimmy, Thanks very much for your amazing service! The court case is moving forward in the best way possible. I got an update from our lawyer yesterday. He said the case is moving in the direction he wants it to go. My husband and I continue to grow in our love for each other. I am making progress in real estate investing. I found a program that provides transactional funding for deals. And the biggest news is:.. we just received news of money in the multiple six-figures! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am definitely signing up (for daily prayers) again! I am very grateful for your invaluable spiritual support." - Lorna

Receive 24/7 Prayers from Jimmy

Nightly prayers include COVID-19. Each night we work on scrambling the frequency for everyone on the prayer list. Your name will be added to a special VIP Prayer list where Jimmy will use his intelligent computer software, src4you which runs 24/7, to delete the negative and increase the strength of the positive creating a higher probability of favorable outcomes for you.

In addition, throughout the full 30-days, Jimmy will be dialing into your energetic signature each day upon rising and make certain that you are a clear yes, unclear to no and running forward before you start your day. He is doing the heavy lifting for you around 3am NY time while most of you are asleep in order to smooth out your way and increase your most favorable life outcomes.

The 30-day service is now being offered exclusively and you also have the option of selecting an ongoing subscription ($95/month) which is managed through PayPal only.

Upon written email request, for each new order we offer a one-time email analysis via the intelligent healing software that Jimmy uses on your behalf. Most clients have had amazing results and outcomes!

You can add yourself and those living in your immediate household and yes you can include pets! Merely include everyone’s names and Jimmy will add them to his daily prayers.

You can run this monthly and stop at any time after the 30 days is up, you will have the opportunity to renew and update your list each month but are under no obligation. I believe you will experience magical transformations and make progress every day!

For those who aren't familiar, below is a list of the 30+ audios in the MyBeliefWorks series.... Find a topic that addresses your issue(s), click on the link to read more. We had a lot of help downloading & channeling these over the years & they keep getting better. Don't forget... you can share these with your immediate friends and family.

Receiving Abundance Freedom from Abuse Overcoming Addiction Body Scan: Head to Toe Healing Experiencing Bountiful Harvest Igniting Creative Spark Daily GPS Reset Releasing Dark Energies/Fears Focused Decision Making Diet & Exercise Support Education & Learning Support Improving Family Relationships Attracting a Financial Windfall Gold Coin: More Money in All Forms Healing Body Disorders Healing Mental Stress

Relieving Holiday Stress Increasing Intuition Ease Dealing w/Tax Time Finding Love & Romance Positive Money Mindset Moving Forward Chronic Pain Relief Pet Healing Support Improving Sales & Success Improving Sex Improving Sleep Traveling with Ease Work & Career Success Weight Loss Support Restoring Youth & Vitality

**Can't See The Full Email? Click Here to View Online**

Go deep sea "fishing" with Jimmy!

Level 1 is open to ANYONE at anytime! Click here to watch the Mastery video playlist

The Certificate of Mastery Program includes 2 best-selling ebooks and 2 clearing audios plus written & video instructions, AND one-on-one time with Jimmy ALL for about the cost of a single 1-hr session! This online course is for anyone who is familiar with OR new to "fishing" and is ready to dive into the deep end & get results that are beyond the ordinary! It includes The Tackle Box & The Dowser's Handbook ebooks PLUS 2 MP3s "Clearing Dark Energies" & "Increasing Your Intuition" to help clear, strengthen and prepare your energy field for optimal “fishing” results. This is a work-at-your-own-pace curriculum that will TEACH & CLEAR you at the same time! In under 2wks you will be finished with the program and ready to fish on your own with greater results! Level II offers Practitioner Certification for those who qualify.

LEARN ABOUT CERTIFICATION HERE

TGIFunny

Forward

Jimmy Mack | Appointments Skype: Jimmy.Mack55 Clearwater Florida USA Book a 15 minute session Book a 30 minute session Book a 60 minute session Transformational Healing of Body, Mind & Spirit, People, Places, Pets & Situations! Download the My Liquid Fish™ Starter Kit (*Updated December 2020) Audio MP3 Downloads and books to improve your life! Get Certified in My Liquid Fish™Change Made Simple™ Watch Free Videos on YouTube Radio Show Archives Shop for Supplements http://www.jimmymackhealingshop.com www.jimmymackhealing.com Copyright ©1998-2021 All Rights Reserved

-------------------------------------------------- TGIW newsletter managed by: Sandy Bidinger Digital Marketing Specialist at SMBeConnected Solutions www.smbeconnected.com

Stay connected!

Our mailing address is: Clearwater Florida 33756 USA

0 notes

365dailyaffirmations · 4 years ago

Text

TGIWednesday and having money run to ME!

TGIWednesday News

TGIWednesday Download

Live Show Appearances

YOU WEALTH REVOLUTION hosted by Darius

New Energy, New You™! New Season Happening Now! It's the biggest energy healing event of the year - best of all it’s FREE from your home!

During this online event, the world’s top energy healing and life transformation experts will conduct daily live energy healing calls with hundreds of life-changing energy processes.

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

Watch hundreds of replays for FREE here in the archives: https://thejimmymackhealingshow.com/

Monthly LIVE Zoom Event

Book A Session in Tampa

SWANN HOLISTIC HEALTH SOLUTIONS

Jimmy Mack will be offering sessions at Dr. Charla Tempone’s office at Swann Holistic Health Solutions on FRIDAY MARCH 26th from 10-4pm

403 S. Habana Ave. Tampa, FL 33609 Just south of Azeele next to Skin Savvy http://www.ctholisticsolutions.com

Please call their office directly at ☎️ (813) 873-7773 in order to get on the schedule for 15-minutes $38 or 30-minutes $68. If you’re new to working with me, I suggest you schedule 30 minutes.

Fish Food

The Daily Bread To Feed The Fish

From the Fish Box

Receive 24/7 Prayers from Jimmy

The 30-day service is now being offered exclusively and you also have the option of selecting an ongoing subscription ($95/month) which is managed through PayPal only.

You can add yourself and those living in your immediate household and yes you can include pets! Merely include everyone’s names and Jimmy will add them to his daily prayers.

**Can't See The Full Email? Click Here to View Online**

Go deep sea "fishing" with Jimmy!

Level 1 is open to ANYONE at anytime! Click here to watch the Mastery video playlist

LEARN ABOUT CERTIFICATION HERE

TGIFunny

Forward

-------------------------------------------------- TGIW newsletter managed by: Sandy Bidinger Digital Marketing Specialist at SMBeConnected Solutions www.smbeconnected.com

Stay connected!

Our mailing address is: Clearwater Florida 33756 USA

0 notes

judefan837-blog · 4 years ago

Text

community and an inspiration to countless others

Was unbelievable what he achieved the last couple of days, chipping in on 18 twice, Scott said. Incredible. I hope he embraces that and brings that forward for the future of the tournament. Vaig fer una cerca a Google i vaig trobar el seu lloc. Era exactament qu estava cheap jerseys buscant i estava encantat de trobar una mplia gamma d'articles. Com estic llanant una revista gratuta en un petit poble a la Florida, que volia ser tan enginys com sigui possible sense deixar de ser capa de proporcionar algun contingut que s interessant i ben escrit.

cheap jerseys Former US negotiator Victor Cha says he used to tell his North Korean counterparts that the US is only hostile to their nuclear weapons. "With regard to the rest of your people and everything, we don't have a hostile policy," he said. Such a distinction between people and their actions can help keep open a door for negotiations.. cheap jerseys

wholesale nfl jerseys Velcro straps, functional i suppose, but i want some bling, buckles, chrome, not to big and heavy, i don't want to feel like i am wearing them, what in gods name, i am thinking, does she want to ride pillion naked. I like to feel i have something on to protect me, its helps for a more relaxed ride, you feel safe. After all this i still www.cheapjerseysofchina.com don't know what size, what was i thinking, what the hell was i going to do when it came to ordering, just guess, at this point i had started to develop a twitch, my left eye, the ordeal had started to take its toll on my well being. wholesale nfl jerseys

wholesale jerseys from china As I look around my Ham radio shack I have a lot of little items scattered around that are very cheaply made. I can make a safe bet that most of them if not all of them, have a little sticker on the bottom that says "Made in China". It is also safe to assume that most are slightly defective if not flat out broken in some way.. wholesale jerseys from china

nfl jerseys They even stole my clothes," he tells me as we sit in the minimal shade of a tree near the church in the ICC compound. Life with the militia was tough: cooking, chores, bodyguard cheap nfl jerseys duties, combat. Now, the bright eyed youth says that he has free time and his life is so much better. nfl jerseys

Cheap Jerseys china Amb. GIPS: You know, people are so proud of what they've achieved here, both the facilities and the execution. And you can feel it in the streets as you drive around and see the flags waving. From behind the bar, where he has been idly reading a paper and listening to the conversation, James Melville joins in. "Labour are finished in Scotland, " he declares. He used to be a Labour activist, and on previous election days he would help bring old people out to the polling station. Cheap Jerseys china

wholesale jerseys I heard an explosion and my whole apartment shook. It was like a huge like a sonic boom. Reporter: Thick smoke billowing into the sky. She spoke of their "idyllic" family life and his hands on involvement with the boys he "loved and adored". She was www.cheapjerseys-football.com going to have "to pick it up a notch with the hurling but I'm going to get a hurley", she said to more laughter, "and I'm going to go and do that. We'll see how that goes".. wholesale jerseys

wholesale jerseys from china All my memories, except for those few dark ones, he was mostly boyish with me and sometimes shy, she says. Was not like a romantic love affair, or what I would imagine now as romance. It was like a play date. Strangely enough, all three games were losses for the Colts. "Long Gone" Dupre and Alex Hawkins, three; and Jerry Richardson, two. The longest pass play was an 82 yard completion to Moore in San Francisco in 1957, and the shortest, for 1 yard, on two occasions in 1960 went to Hawkins, first in Green Bay and later in Baltimore against the same team.. wholesale jerseys from china

Cheap Jerseys from china They will not move even if they are prodded at or carried away. Most attackers will simply walk away and the opossum will regain consciousness after a few minutes wholesale jerseys from china or a few hours. During the Great Depression, they were introduced to the western region (probably as a source of food). Cheap Jerseys from china

Cheap Jerseys free shipping As great as he was on the field, Fernandez greatest accomplishments came off the field. He was an icon in the Cuban community and an inspiration to countless others. For many, Fernandez baseball career will be a footnote in his legacy. Philippe And is oblivious to all of that. A slight, balding man, he hunches over a worktable covered in butterfly wings a constellation of electric colors, flamboyant shapes, and exotic patterns. The Central African Republic is home to 597 identified species, and it's common to suddenly find yourself amid a cloud of the silent, fluttering creatures, as though you'd wandered into a flurry of confetti. Cheap Jerseys free shipping

cheap jerseys Another advantage living trusts have over living wills is that the cost is lower over time. The disadvantage is that the upfront cost is higher for a living trust than for a will. The reason for both of these is the need for a lawyer. While you're thinking car photos, don't forget about adding motorcycles, campers, vans, SUVs, custom vehicles and even trucks to your antique, classic or new car digital photography www.cheapjerseyssalesupply.com portfolio. There's a whole new crop of electric and alternative energy use vehicles coming out now that are just ripe for some creative digital photography. Finding willing subjects to shoot couldn't be easier cheap jerseys.

0 notes

crabtree55vedel-blog · 6 years ago

Text

5 Recommendations To avoid wasting Money When you find yourself On Winter Holidays

5 Recommendations To save Cash When you are On Winter Holidays

I first heard of LPA a couple of years again from a colleague however did not really perceive how important it was. Ben Feldman died in 1993 at 81. Just a few years before his loss of life he was asked about the biggest coverage that he had ever written. The insurance covers contingencies reminiscent of dying or incapacity ensuing in the borrower's (the insured's) inability to make the scheduled payments on the loan. Discovering an inexpensive industrial insurance quote for your corporation doesnt should be a daunting, time-consuming process. There have been circumstances where a number of particular person shipments have accumulated due to causes past cargo proprietor's management. asuransi jiwa apply to each group and individual insurance policies. The location is a critical issue for consideration that needs not to be neglected by any particular person. Other lawyers handle solely public-curiosity casescivil or criminalwhich may have an effect extending well beyond the person client. Without musical instrument insurance, repairs for this type of harm can value tons of, however the real value lies in the truth that your guitar could by no means have the same sound again.

Transfers of amounts from one Plan to a different Plan are tax free if each Plans are for the same beneficiary. 200K for essential illness and a H&S medical plan. The plan may be very easy to observe and with its advantages right here is easy clarification on how it functions. You can check out MoneySense website on the direct purchase insurance right here. In this fashion, the farmer can have a peace of mind, knowing that even when the hen dies lastly at some point, he's going to be compensated, for a way much he had insured for the hen. One method to do that is to restate what you suppose they imply and ask if that's right. Certainly one of the most important demand trends in this market is the expansion of investment and retirement merchandise pushed by the aging inhabitants. 1. Companies and organizations that violate this Regulation shall, relying on the nature and severity of their violations, be administratively sanctioned; and, if causing injury, they shall pay compensation in accordance with legislation. Even when no-fault regulation has been restored, however, it is the sufferer of a automobile accident it was found that's not at fault does not imply that it can not seek damages from you.

You are not in a position to trace the social gathering at fault. Insurance Dot Com does not warrant that any of the supplies on its internet site are correct, complete, or present. 2. up to 7% of the insured value of your individual/your spouse's life or the amount of insurance premiums paid. These losses normally come about because of negligence of the insured. The issue is most insurance firms look for methods to pay the claimant as little as doable. 30 a bit, or pay would undoubtedly be a for limitless experiences) you must use this simple, free service called completely free whataburger coupons vin find out. That’s why we’ve made it easy to work out the insurance cover you want. 1 million of liability coverage, and insurance corporations that you wish to work with will count on you to have that amount of protection. Be certain to buy around and search for decrease charges before buying liability insurance.

See Negotiating Your Automotive Insurance Settlement. Whenever you complete a quote be certain the automobile insurance company only collects data needed to supply correct automobile insurance quotes. Three. Keep away from shopping for unneccessary insurance. Remember when speaking along with your insurance agent that he or she works for the automotive insurance firm. You can get a number of online quotes from a number of car insurance corporations unexpectedly in just a couple of minutes. What can I do to avoid a driving privilege suspension when i select not to insure a vehicle? Motorcar laws requires that you simply be licensed to drive. However all good deals are taking place to Berkshire. Enterprise overhead bills are just as relentless for individuals who undergo a disability. The figures are rapidly increasing of these people, who wish to journey across the exotic locations that will flip their winter holidays throughout Christmas among probably the most memorable days of their life.

You had been instructed how asking this query would flip the objection into a certain sale. This is why it is sweet to have your roofer current in the course of the adjuster's visit. Lastly, you will need to make sure that the binder, which is typically good for 30-60 days, doesn't expire prior to issuance of the coverage which might void coverage altogether. Solely you can also make this choice. Our company offers private service that can’t be matched by our opponents. In the occasion you want a specific kind of cushion to your space, purchase it to individualize your neighborhood. Would you like something to occur to the hen? Which Warehouse Firm to use? Lack of use of services throughout set-up. The injury could be small and imperceptibly gradual-transferring like water areas that may eventually mar a floor area, or it might maybe be on the spot and likewise devastating like flooding. Stuff you might consider bringing embrace the next: robe, socks, sweater, scarf, headband, slippers, pillow, blanket, sleep mask, ear plugs, earphones, razor, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, books, magazines, DVDs, DVD player, radio, and fundamental toiletries. Meantime, you could put this and your reply in your blog if you wish.

0 notes

unlikelydreamlandcreation-blog · 6 years ago

Text

Tip cheap car insurance for new drivers in nyc

"Tip cheap car insurance for new drivers in nyc

Tip cheap car insurance for new drivers in nyc

BEST ANSWER: Try this site where you can compare quotes: : http://freeautoinsurance.xyz/index.html?src=tumblr

RELATED QUESTIONS:

Could someone tell me how to get a speeding ticket reduced?

Hi. I got pulled today. It is my first ticket and the first time I have ever been pulled. I was going 47 in a 25. I thought that the speed limit was 35 becasue everywhere else around the place I was pulled is 35. I have no problem paying the fine of $222 I would just like to know if anyone could walk me through the process of getting the violation lessend so that it will not be put on my license. Any help that someone could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Does anyone know how to find someone who wants to have their car driven somewhere for them for a fee?

I am interested in making extra money and would be willing to drive someone's car for them. Does anyone know how to get started in this as a side business--how to find clients, how much fee to charge, insurance issues etc.""

What private health insurance programs cover gastric bypass?

I've got group health and found out that only employer insurance programs through them include bariatric coverage. Does anyone know of a health insurance program that covers gastric bypass which I can buy on my own without needing to do so through an employer?

State farm or farmers for auto insurance?

I have a farmers policy for my auto insurance. My agent never replies nor picks up the call. I want to change the agents. I am thinking if I should check with with state farm. Do you know if state farm has better or same or expensive rate for the similar coverage than farmers?

""Does anyone know an insurance company that insures parts of the body i.e. hands, legs, etc?""

I've always said that people that use certain parts of their body to make a living should get that part insured. I've been looking for companies that do that but can't seem to find any. I know celebrities do it, but commoners should be able to also.""

Can I receive california unemployment insurance while I am receiving retirement income?

I reeive a relatively small Cal Pers retirement but it is not enough to live on so I continue to work.

Insurance in Queens?

I live in Queens, New York (I'm 27). I have a Toyota Camry 1997. I only have liability insurance but for some reason I pay ridiculous insurance - I pay around $330 a month (have ...show more""

Help with insurance claim on exotic sports car?

My car ---an exotic sports model--- was damaged in a parking lot collision tonight. (My car was parked and struck by a guy who wasn't looking ahead.) Even if a 100% repair can be effected, the value of the car will be forever diminished because of the car's blemished history. People who buy these cars simply will not pay top dollar if the history shows any sort of collision repair. Of course the other guy's insurance is not going to want to give me an extra few grand to cover my eventual loss. What can I do to be covered? Would I have to sue for something like that? (Or CAN I, or SHOULD I...) As it is, I think my car loses AT LEAST $5,000, maybe $10,000 at resale (even with a perfect repair).""

What should my average house insurance cost?

I'm buying an older house (1920's-1930's) in a working class neighborhood in California for about $200K. What should I expect to pay for my standard homeowner's insurance?

Can I drive a car and get it insured in my parents name?

I'm thinking of buying a car as soon as I pass my driving test next month and I heard that car insurance for a 20 year old is really expensive so I was wondering if I was able to ...show more

A car insurance company that will take me with many tickets?

I am looking around for the cheapest car insurance in state of NJ and have at least 5 tickets within the last 5 years...what car insurance company will take me for the best premium...thanx

Really pissed with car insurances?

when you have a accident and it is you fault and you only have basic insurance but STILL you have to pay the damage of the vehicle you hit so why do we pay for car insurance if we still have to pay more? is like if i'm paying to fix the other car and still paying the regular price to my insurance. are they stealing? or why the government let them do that?

CAR INSURANCE FOR A 16 YEAR OLD?

would it be more expensive for car insurance for a brand new car or a used car. (my mom has geico so thats who i would have)

How much would car insurance cost for me?

i'm 16 and i live in the southern california area, around north hollywood. i would be driving a honda accord, thats leased so far but we're (family) is planning on buying it soon. i also have pretty good grades. how much do u think it would cost? and which auto insurance is best and the cheapest?""

Health insurance providers in the state of ohio?

i am trying to get health insurance quotes from as many companies as i can in the state of ohio. so far i have came up with: anthem aetna united healthcare humana anyone that i am missing? thanks

How much is teen insurance?

Typically how much is insurance for teens in general? For just an ordinary, average car? thanks""

""I crashed my car, and Got a DUI. Will my insurance pay for repairs?""

I crashed my car into a tree, and got an OWI (more commonly known as a DUI in most states) My insurance (USAA) will request a police report, i know that much. But I want to know if they are obligated to pay for repairs, regardless of the circumstances? Yes, i know my rates are going up. Yes, I know about SR22. \thanks""

Insurance companies offering restricted hours driving to get a cheaper quote?

Insurance rates for 2004 Pontiac GTO?

I am almost 18 and looking for a new vehicle. Currently I am driving a Mitsubishi Eclipse Gt (5 speed) and am paying $200 a month! They messed it up so I need to call them back it should only be $120 a month. Anyhow, I am looking to upgrade. I have been looking at Srt-4's which are quite high on insurance, Ion Redline's aka Cobalt SS which is cheaper than the Srt-4, and have currently spotted a 2004 Pontiac GTO (6 speed) , sticker price $12,000 I will try to talk them down to 9 or 10k which might be pushing it even though the car is almost 8 years old. Anyway for the minimum amount for full coverage I only want to be paying no more than $250 a month. Do you think this can be achieved? I have the good student discount and have taken driver's ed. Thanks Guys""

Insurance on mustang?

I am 16 years old- male and i am thinking about purchasing a 2002 black mustang( convertible) and i have already spoke to the man selling and all i have to do is go pick it up so i was wondering what would be the cheapest way to go on car insurance. My parents have state farm, and if have my own insurance i would only be paying for liability. Does anyone know how much that would cost monthly or whats the cheapest way to do this?""

""A drunk driver just hit my house last friday. What should I do, call driver insurance or my home insurance?""

A drunk driver just hit my house last friday. No one got hurt but my sun room (patio) is all damaged. My famlity also got scared to stay in the bedroom since the car hit some part of our bedroom also. What should I do, call driver insurance or my home insurance, or consult a lawyer?""

Car insurance thats cheap for kids?

I am 17 just bought a car and dont have any insurance i work and make around 120 a week, im still in school and am looking for insurance that is affordable.""

Auto insurance question?

Ok, I have a friend who is going out of state for two weeks. I do not have a vehicle that runs and therefore do not carry any auto insurance coverage. My friend is wanting me to take her to the airport and drop her off in her vehicle that she carries insurance on, then she is willing to let me use her car while she is gone, and me come pick her up from the airport when she gets back. My question is, do I need to get me auto insurance for the two weeks she will be gone which seems silly to me, or does her insurance cover me???""

""I crashed my car and wrote it off, is it worth claiming on my car insurance?""

I was driving down the road and the rear tyre blew out which sent me accross the road into a tree then catapulted me into another tree into a ditch. The car is a write off! luckily i only have very bad whip lash and bruises. The car is only worth book price of 500 max, i have 4 years no claims. Is it worth claiming on the insurance or not I do have Fully comprehensive. Can i get anything for personal injury as i am unable to work at the moment. Not to mention i need to purchase a new car. Any help much appreciated.""

Is there any Insurance for?

Is there any insurance that does cover cosmetic surgrey? Or Social Security? If you don't know then don't comment :) 10 pts!

Tip cheap car insurance for new drivers in nyc

Which car insurance companies should I look into?

I'm looking for car insurance and was wondering which companies you would suggest I look into and get quotes from? Which company do you have and what do you like / not like about them? Thanks!!

How much would motorcycle insurance be for a 19 year old in Florida?

I'm 19 years old living in Toronto Ontario Canada. I've been riding street bikes since 16 years old and have obtained my M class license. (Ontario's full motorcycle license) My dad is moving the Family back to our hometown of Jacksonville Florida and was curious as to insurance prices since there is no way in hell a 19 year old boy from Toronto can afford a premium on a 600cc sport bike. I currently have a premium on a ninja 250R around 2000$ a year and a secondary driver policy on my dads R6 around 1100$. since my bike here in Canada goes by KMPH i would need to sell it and save myself the hassle of transferring all the info. So would there be any chance of me affording a R6 in Florida or would they rape me there too?

I need help car insurance?

Im looking to buy a 2010 fusion se right now through Lee auto. For me to do it myself I'd have to pay almost 400 dollars a month for insurance and 360 for The car. Is there any way I can lower my insurance? This is rediculius all I have is 2 speeding tickets and that's it on my driving record. I have no loans no payments or nothing.

""Whats a good, less expensive, insurance for a younger driver?""

i'm 19 and have had my liscence since i turned 16, i have a clean driving record and even got a perfect score on my driving test 3 years back. My car's been under my dad's name for the last three years but i plan to move out soon and want to switch the car into my name. does anyone know of a good, less expensive car insurance that would be affordable, and not have high rates just because i'm a younger driver.""

""Advice for buying new car insurance (21 yr old, male)?""

Im 21 year old, male, college student. I just got my driver license. This is my first time getting car insurance since I had never needed it before. I need insurance for a 2007 Mazda CX-7 or 2007 Toyota RAV 4 (full cover)""

Can I get insurance subsidies under the affordable care act?

I'm 56 years old and still working and get insurance through my large employer. But, let's say I decide to retire. I'm single with no dependents. My net worth not ...show more""

Car insurance smh idk what to do?

Ok I previously asked this same question but I just wanted to be a little more clear about things because there was obviously some confusion. The car I purchased was a 2001 Nissan Maxima and I got it for $1700 with a few minor things wrong with it. When I called an insurance agency they told me that I'll basically be buying the car 4 times in the next 6 months. About $7500 for 6 months. I'm 22, living in Brooklyn NY and those rates seem outrageous. I seen forums where ppl said they were paying 2-300 a month that's why I thought buying the car was a good idea and I wasn't aware that I could get a quote without purchasing insurance because the internet never quotes me. What can I do about that insanely high insurance rate? Will any private companies provide insurance for me? Should I just sell the car I just bought it today? Can I even sell it? all I did was sign his title so idek how I can sell it. Can he get another title? I'll give him $200 for the trouble and he can sell to sum1else""

Temporary Car insurance??

Need temporary car insurance for about 3-4 weeks, our own policy runs out the middle of next month, but we have just ordered a mobility car, and it wont be here until 1st week in June. We call our current insurance company and was basically told they would charge us for 6 months and then a cancellation fee. What company offers the lowest price insurance for that short amount of time??""

Cheap car insurance for teens?

I'm 17 and interested in either a Clio, Punto or Polo. I've looked everywhere!""

Where i can find the cheapest car insurance rates for my 18 year old daughter? What I've seen so far is 2 $$$$

Why should we pay CAR insurance?

I know it is made to protect us from being sue, I understand this. BUT if we are MADE to pay insurance to drive a car then the Car insurance companies should be MADE to include Car replacement as a STANDARD pack for both Full and Liability coverage(Why should I lose my car because of a BAD driver) If your car is totaled and you are still making payments then you lose a car. If you paid off your car and it is totaled, you lose a car. Lastly, we who pay insurance and don't have an accident in six months(or one year)should be given a choice of a lower premium, cash returned or a loan.""

What is the best car insurance company for drivers over 50 age?

in Toronto

Cheaper insurance car under 25 years?

what is cheaper incurance car under 25 years

Insurance cost for a 2001 Range Rover?

What would the annual cost be to insure a smart teenager on a 2001 range rover hse? just a ballpark works... Thanks

Individual Dental Insurance for NJ?

I've been staring at dental insurance plans all day and finally it makes no sense anymore. I've enrolled in a discount plan but my dentist says I should get insurance for the procedures I'll be needing. I've only found one plan that seems to cover my area. Cost is not that big of an issue as more WHERE TO FIND IT. My job doesn't offer it. I'm an unmarried adult and I just need to purchase insurance (pref PPO) that will be effective as soon as possible.

Good auto insurance company in St. Jonh's Canada?

I'm looking for a cheap auto insurance companies in NL. Can anybody help me on this please? I'm from New Zealand and was paying $70 a year for my car insurance and was blew away with the amount of the insurance in Canada. I know it's depends on car type driving record etc, but I just need names of companies which is generally cheap.""

Is it legal to Drive a borrowed car without insurance?

Let's say my friend has this car, up to date tags, and insurance for himself, and all the works for FOR HIM. He lets me borrow it, I get pulled over or i get in a fender bender Aside from the ticket and the damages is there any legal problems there? Diving a insured car but me not having insurance and other stuff?""

About how much does car insurance cost for a 18 year old that just got her liscence?

How much would it cost for insurance for a c6 corvette Z06?

it can be an estimate or an average?

Auto Body shop quote and Insurance quote?

My insurance adjuster came out and cut me a check for 1,200. The check issued is a fair price.The shop i trust gave me a quote of 1,300 which means I will only have to pay 100 out of pocket. My deductible is 500. Do i still have to pay 500 even though the check will cover most of the expenses?""

2006 Dodge Charger R/T insurance?

I'm 19 years old, and I am very interested into buying a 2006 Dodge Charger R/T. 5.7L V8. I'm a responsible driver with a flawless driving history and have taken (and passed) a driver's education course. The thing I'm concerned about though is the insurance for the vehicle. What makes a car (in itself) have high insurance? Is it based on the performance and power alone, or do other factors come into play such as the size and number of doors? Would a V8 Charger in particular have ridiculously high insurance compared to a more sporty car such as a V8 Mustang of the same year? Well, you probably understand what I'm trying to ask. Someone please enlighten me, thanks. I appreciate it =)""

Is insurerance cheaper if the engine is slow even though it is realativly big?

basically a vw beetle or a bay will the insurance be cheaper because there top speed is like 70mph!! new driver

How much my insurance will go up?

I had an accident which totaled my car. I am 100% at fault for that accident and my car worth 15000$. I have clear driving record and no tickets in past two years. How much will my insurance go up I am paying 900$ for six months

Cheating Car Insurance U.K - 20/Male/Single/LWP?

Hi, I don't want to cheat car insurance, I was just wondering if there are any options I could tweak and tick that will lower my insurance. For a basic car, they want 2,900 which is high way robbery for someone of my age. Any ideas what I can tweak that won't alarm them too much, that may cause my insurance quote to fall a little? I checked this on Go Compare BTW. I heard something about the area you live in, etc. Any ideas or any other help would be appreciated. I just start my job and tossing off 3 grand for a car that has a value of 300 is horrible + something I can't afford. Regards.""

Which company can provide me good student international insurance?

student international insurance

Tip cheap car insurance for new drivers in nyc

Can you sell a car without insurance?

Hi all, Right, i want to sell my car. I have cancelled my car insurance and the car is parked on Private Land (off-road). The car DOES have valid TAX & MOT. If a potential buyer wants to view/test drive my car, will he be allowed to drive the car on the public road? As i have no insurance, would his Fully Comp cover my car to 3rd Party? The buyer will only be driving it for about 10-15 minutes. Thanx in advance!""

How much do teens have to pay for car insurance monthly?

I'm 17 and my mom has esurance. I have a job now and so now I'm allowed to get my license. They won't give us a quote until I actually have my license but I live in Littleton, CO 80123 and I'll be driving a 1997 Subaru Legacy""

Can someone add me to their car insurance policy without me knowing?

my husband, kids and I live in a split house with my in-laws and their car insurance policy was going to add us to their policy without us even knowing. is that illegal. my aunt works for state farm and she's never heard of it in her 25 yrs of working for them. i own my own car insurance through state farm and i don't need two.""

Can I my Dad's car without being on his insurance?

I am a 17yr old student living with my parents and i have just passed my driving test. Everyone keeps saying i can drive my Dad's car once he is in the passenger seat, but i am not sure. My dad has insurance on his car, but i am not a named driver. So can i drive my dad's car if he his in the passenger seat, without being named on his policy.""

Can still drive with my parents in the car even if I don't have car insurance and they do?

I'm 16 and I don't have insurance listed under my name yet. I have my license already. Me and my parents were wondering if I could still drive without insurance if they're in the car with me. We live in Arizona btw, if that helps. Thanks!""

Car Insurance Help..?

I just turned 16 and got my license about 2 months ago. My dad and I are now car shopping for me and I found a car that I really liked, but don't know if it would be expensive insurance or not. If you could help and give me an idea of about how much it will be a month? 2001 Acura TL $5200 (Private Owner) 6 cylinder 3.2 liter vetec 4 door sedan automatic has a salvaged title passed state inspection 77,000 miles I also live in Ohio and my dad has state farm.""

What is a good truck that has low Insurance and is reliable?

my dad and i are trying to start selling at the flea market and going around buying and selling stuff to make money but we need a truck to haul some of it around but we dont wanna put alot of money in a truck before we know if its worth it so what is a truck that is like a couple thousand probbaly around 4000 at the most on craigslist that has really low insurance is reliable so were not stuck on the side of the road some day and that can be used as a work truck thats probbaly what we need outta it but if its possable low mileage and isent all high tech becuase we dont wanna fix that **** and is cheap to fix

Any good/bad experiences with Farmers Insurance?

I'm considering becoming an agent of farmers.

Individual Health Insurance Plans - Medical history not perfect?

anyone know of any affordable insurance plans out there...health insurance, preferably with a deductable only on ER and Hospitalization costs.... and initial co-pay only on visits and such...Rx.... my medical history isn't the best, but no major health issues...just some past med. history that could make it difficult for me to be insurred.""

How to get under someone else's insurance policy?

I'm 22 so my insurance is double the price of my dad's. I want to get on his policy or have him on mine so that my insurance can be cheaper. Does he have to be part owner of my car? Do we have to use the same company?

What is a reputable insurance company that offers liability insurance for DJs?

I am looking to get started into the mobile DJ business although am wanting to find out what insurance company is the best.

Ticket for no insurance?Car insured but Name not on it?

i got stopped for speeding no licence and no insurance in Texas. can i show proof of insurance without my name and get it dismissed?

How much to insure a classic bus?

i'm a mild bus enthusiast, and would quite like to buy a preserved vehicle. and i was wondering how much it would cost to insure the vehicle for pleasure purposes only, and how much it would cost to run. fuel figures and what not, tax and mot. also, what are the complications in being 17, like max people to carry and whatever. cheers ;)""

Car insurance rates for a new teenaged driver?

So we have State Farm car insurance and our 17-year-old daughter is attempting to get her license. She has straight A's and is doing their Steer Clear program. Does anyone have an estimation of how much this will increase our insurance rates?

Is a 2000 Mustang GT expensive to insure?

I'm 16 and looking for a first car. I have my heart set on a certain mustang but the only thing is insurance cost. Its a 2000 GT and im going to be insured with state farm. Im 16 getting my license in 2 weeks so I know thats a big factor. Also I was trying to get some ideas about what it might cost and found this on the state farm website. http://www.statefarm.com/insurance/auto_insurance/veh_rating/ford.asp Not sure if its relevant but if it is than can someone explain what it means?

If i pay more of a down payment on my insurance will i get a lower premium?

Cost for the car im looking at monthly is $398, they want a $401 down payment, if i pay $501 will it take it down?""

What is the cheapest car insurance?

I'm young and living on my own so I really need car insurance thats good but reasonably priced.

High Risk Auto Insurance - Where can I find the lowest quote online?

Is there any online auto insurance website that specializes in getting the lowest rates on car insurance for high risk drivers? If so can anyone guide me to one?

Is medicare a good insurance plan or will a lot of things not be covered. I know there is no drug coverage.?

I recently started recieving medicare after becoming disabled, and pay over $100 per month to recieve this insurance out of my small disability income. I am wondering if this will ...show more""

Currently paying for braces no insurance?

If I get dental insurance could I use it to pay the remaining amount of money I have toward the bill? Or is it to late? Also if it is possible what dental insurance should I go with or orphadontist insurance if it makes a difference

What is the cheapest car insurance in california?

My parents won't even consider getting me insurance because they think it's too expensive. I'm a girl, 16, gonna be 17 in October, and have above 3.0 GPA My car is a 1996 (i think?) toyota camry.""

In NY there is freelancers unions and other ways to get affordable health insurance. anything similar in SoCal

I want to start freelancing but learned that health insurance will cost me $1400/month. Anything creative I can do? Any unions or groups I can join in SoCal? Need PPO.

Is my newborn covered under my insurance plan?

my baby was born on 7/2/09 and was in the NICU for 9 days. Yesterday we received a statement stating that our insurance company has not paid our claim, do they usually pay for something like this or are we responsible to pay?""

What is better Subaru WRX Impreza turbo or Holden Commodore V8?

I am looking for a awesome performance vehicle with my following criteria: -Fuel Costs -Highway ability after 110km/h for overtaking at high speeds, comfort and handling? -Reliability and how often to service, how cheap parts are and how long engine is going to last? -Price on tyres -Price to get a WRX Impreza or V8 commodore (in manual) -Manual or Auto? -Insurance costs -0-100km/h? (well subaru better but after 100km/h?) -What mods to do if it is cheap or to just leave standard? My purpose is to use it mainly around town and sometimes/rare highways trips. mainly on the weekend a bit of a fun car. Please share your experiences and opinions on these 2 vehicles as would like to get a general picture of what there purpose is? 5 stars if answered the best with all the questions above.""

Should I get the car insurance when i rent a car?

I dont own a car but i'm covered under my dad's car insurance. I'm planning on renting a car in a few days, but i'm wondering if i wil be covered under the car insurance when i get into an accident with a rental car. and in this situation should i get the extra car insurance that rental car companies offer?""

Tip cheap car insurance for new drivers in nyc

Auto insurance for a teen learner driver ?

My 17 year old has her instructional learner's permit (did the driver education, passed the written DMV test, had in car-driver training and is now working towards her 50 hours of in-car practise with us before she can take her driving test). I am confused about whether we need to add her to our auto-insurance. The driver training school says no , she is covered under our insurance already and besides, you can't get auto-insurance until you pass your test. The Auto Club, however, says she has to be added (but then they'd make money so I'm not surprised they say that). We are in California. If anyone can clarify things for me, that would be great ! Thanks.""

Mortgage Life insurance or regular Life insurance?

My husband and I got information on Mortgage Life Insurance which basically is kind of like Life Insurance I guess and pays off your mortgage if someone dies. For example, our house is $180,000 and I die in 10 years and the mortgage balance is $80,000 then my husband still gets the original $180,000. He can use this to pay off the mortgage plus have money left over and use for whatever. This sounds like a great deal to get but I want to get other people's opinions who know information on this. It is called Forester Mortgage life insurance. Also, what is the difference between this and regular life insurance? Is regular life insurance better? Thanks!""

What is the cheapest auto insurance for a 16 year old with a 4 door Tacoma?

like allstate, nationwide, geico, progressive.""

""A starter motorbike for a 17 year old, needs to be cheap second hand and be able to ride on the motorway.?""

Hi, i need a bike which is cheap to run, cheap to insure and first and foremost cheap to buy. I don't mind old second hand bikes unless advised against them because I believe you could learn a great deal repairing an old bike than having a new bike that nothing goes wrong with. It needs to grow with my abilities, i.e in a couple of years when i go to university I may want to motorway travel, therefore a 50 cc moped is just not going to do. Don't know whether this is correct, but I once read bikes are safer than mopeds/scooters because they have the acceleratory power to pull away from danger if necessary. Needs to be cheap to insure, I looked at a 300cc MZ Saxon and fully comp insurance was around 317. This is manageable, 2000 for a car is not. Please suggest to me some bike which fit these criteria, thanks!""

How to get lower car insurance ?

I'm 23 and car insurance companies want between $300 - $800 for car insurance because I'm not 25 yet. I refuse to pay that much. Is there anything else I can do .

Teenage insurance for 2001 Ford Escape? 2002 Jeep Liberty?

I'm thinking about purchasing this car used for my 18th birthday. I have to wait until i'm 18 so I can be on my own insurance. But I have taken drivers ed, and I will be buying this car full payment in cash. So I'm curious to know what the insurance could be! I have tried to get quotes online. You have to already be insured and own the car...I have tried so many. I also am a female, so my insurance will be a little lower. I just really need to find out what it would be! I was also thinking of purchasing a 2002 Jeep Liberty, any insurance guess on that? Ford Escape is a better car, but i'm just seeing what insurance could be for both. Thank you so much!""

Best Insurance Price I Could Get?

I'm looking at buying my first own car in the next few months/year. I'm currently 17 but will be 18 soon, straight-A student, looking at a 1999 Toyota 4Runner Limited 4WD. Progressive quoted me $147, which seems ludicrous to me (they'll have the value of my car in less than four years!), but I know I'm young - and young drivers get in a lot of wrecks. I'd just like to know what you all think is the best affordable insurance company that still offers pretty good coverage, and if there's anything I can do to further lower my price besides good student and safe driver discounts.""

How much roughly would moped insurance cost for a 16 year old?

Auto insurance in florida?

okay heard a rumor that as of october 2007 NO auto insurance is required in the state of florida.... anyone else heard of this ?

How much auto insurance premium go up after an accident?

I got into a car accident about a month ago. I totaled my car and damaged another. A passenger also got hurt in the other vehicle and filled a claim but it doesn't look like hes suing. The accident was clearly my fault. I currently pay $160 a month for two cars and I'm 24 years old. Anyone have a rough idea as to how much it will go up? Thanks.

Does having a Husky effect my insurance?

I live on the same property as my parents so they have the same house insurance. Well they are telling me that if i get a Husky they will loose there insurance. I have never heard of such a think. I have heard of it going up but not losing it. I just really want this dog, but I dont know if they will approve. I just dont think they approve of having another dog on there land. What do you think?""

What is the Average Cost for Health Insurance?

I want to buy health insurance? What is the average cost for health insurance? Thank you.

Pay the Extra Premiums for Whole Life Insurance Quotes?

I currently have a term life insurance policy and am considering converting it to a whole life policy. I'm married with no kids. My wife has her own life insurance and retirements already in place. We are not going to have children. The main reason I was interested in the Whole Life was the investing portion to supplement my current mutual fund retirement. Should I pay the extra premiums for the Whole life or should I keep the term life and put the extra money into a Roth IRA? Any advice would be great. Thank you

Car insurance rates in Ontario for new driver?

I plan to import my '01 Camry from USA to missisuaga. How much shd I expect to pay p.m. in car Insurance rates ? I have 3 yrs clean driving history in USA.Will my driving history in USA help with getting a better rate in canada ? Initially I will have only a US drivers license.Pls help shed light on my doubts ..

Car Insurance and Driving Restrictions?

Hey! I pay car insurance under both of my parents vehicles but don't actually own one myself. The cars are not registered in my name or anything, I just want to specify that I AM on the insurance and that I PAY for it (I literally use my own money) myself. My question is: If I pay to be on the insurance, am I legally allowed to drive the vehicle without permission from the owner, since I pay for the insurance. Any response will be much appreciated. Thanks!""

Cheapest insurance for high school football?

Im planning to play football next year in high school what is the cheapest insurance i can get?

Will it cost a lot to start car insurance coverage again?

My boyfriend let his car insurance policy expire because his inspection ran out. He's working out of town, doesn't drive his car, and didnt have a chance to get it inspected.""

I NEED legal help...(home owners insurance will not pay for this why?)?

I am posting this on behalf of my mother in law. She has a car that was damaged at her sisters house (my mother-in-law lived with her sister) during the wind storm Cincinnati had last year. My mother had the car parked in the driveway and a tree fell on it and totalled the car. But guess what would have not been a problem if she had Car insurance on it but at the time she was in between insurance companys but she did not drive the car at the time anyway. So now she has found out she has GAP so I did the claim and they said that they can give her 5000 (hopefully) toward the loan. She went to the home owners insurance and they said they wont pay. If it was her sisters car they would have though. I am really not sure but it doesnt sound right to me. If that tree would have hit a person but not her sister would they have had to pay? That just doesn't make since to me because my mother-in-law lived in the house aswell. Can someone help me.

How can I get affordable health insurance for my family while i'm off work..?

I applied for medacaid but they said I make to much money. even thou i'm off from work with no insurance and very little sick leave pay.

How much does car insurance run on a 2007 Toyota Camry?

I just want to know a estimate from anyone else that has this car just to get an idea doesn't have to be exact ! It's a 2007 Toyota Camry (white) SE (special edition)

""On average, what does it cost to add a teen to your auto insurance?""

On average, what does it cost to add a teen to your auto insurance?""

Which car insurance companies do not use credit history to determine their rates?

Most insurance companies use credit information to determine the rate they give you. Therefore having bad credit can cause you to pay a higher premium. Which companies do not use credit information to determine your rate?

How much Insurance do I need to pay for a 2.5 million hause.?

Cheap car insurance with no deposit?

where is the best place to get insured that is cheap and no deposit asked for or cheap deposit?, thanks""

Rough estimate of my car insurance cost?

24 year old male, no accidents/tickets, 2010 bmw 3-series or 2010 audi A4 With that in mind, what's a rough estimate of what the car insurance would cost?""

Tip cheap car insurance for new drivers in nyc

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/auto-insurance-redford-mi-morgan-scott/"

0 notes

hub-pub-bub · 7 years ago

Link

The following essay is adapted from a talk given to the Association of American University Presses at its annual meeting in June 2016.

I’m often asked to speak about a thing that doesn’t actually exist: diversity in publishing. Ironically, I don’t think this is because people get any pleasure from hearing me talk about this thing that doesn’t exist, any more than they get pleasure from hearing strangers tediously relay the details of their dreams. And yet we keep talking about this abstraction, this thing that doesn’t exist, as if it could be conjured through the power of lectures and panel discussions.

The word itself has suffered from its failure to describe a reality. Diversity has become an empty, ugly, punishing sound, like a wave of coughs or the revving of a stalled engine. It’s in the category of thing that people generally agree with in principle, although they’re not exactly sure why they’re nodding their heads, and are confused about how to actually achieve—or perhaps not confused at all but worried that it will cost more than they’re willing to bear, which for many people might be any cost at all. But I think there are ways to anchor the question of diversity in publishing in reality—and ways to achieve it that will only grow the work we do to greater abundance, with no meaningful loss.

My own story of getting into publishing, a story about my own luck and the generosity of others, is illustrative in some ways.

My first attempt at a real job in publishing was when I was called in for an interview at a strange small (now defunct) publisher called Paragon House. I had just graduated from high school when I came in for that interview and hadn’t yet enrolled in college. While still in high school I interned at a small book-packaging company, and the summer after I graduated, I freelanced for other small, weird publishers of the kind that used to dot New York City. It was a strange job choice for an 18-year-old, but I’d loved books and libraries and bookstores all my life. I had been raised in the projects, raised in an apocalyptic religion, primarily by my mother and a host of old ladies who still talked with southern accents and retraced the Great Migration every summer. Books had been my salvation on project playgrounds and in the backseat of our beat-up car driving back to North Carolina and back—first fantasy epics, then the hodgepodge of popular fiction my mother brought home from the library, then Kurt Vonnegut, which led to Joseph Heller and Herman Hesse and Celine, and then, awakened by hip-hop, I took a turn into the black arts movement, to Baraka and Sanchez and Nikki Giovanni, and then back to Ellison and Wright and Baldwin, and then forward again to Lorde and Reed and Bambara and Morrison.

There was little popular publishing for black readers, at least from mainstream publishers; what there was was done by small houses like Holloway House, who published thrillingly well-crafted pulp like Pimp by Iceberg Slim and the works of Donald Goines, which I found on the book tables of 125th Street in Harlem, where I lived. Up the street from those tables was Liberation Books, where I found works by Afrocentric scholars like Molefi Asante and John Henrik Clark. New York’s tonier independent bookstores back then used to look on black boys with the same suspicion, contempt, and fear as the rest of the city in that era of the Central Park Five and Bernie Goetz. I would mostly go to Barnes & Noble—there was only one in Manhattan back then, on 18th Street and 5th Avenue—a store large enough that no one really took mind of my presence. You could go to a Barnes & Noble and go to the black books section and see nothing but great literature. I’d just go through the books in that section one by one. All winners. These weren’t writers who were necessarily taught in my classes in school, but their work awakened me and transported me and reframed my own vision. I would dive into the worlds the books created and then look up from every page and notice that my own world was changing, too.

But I wasn’t ready to go to college—my father died when I was four, and my mother was very sick in my last year of high school and died that summer. The religion I was raised in forbade college—a prohibition which was an almost unnecessary additional impediment to most of the kids who were in it, or at least the ones I knew, who were already stuck in low-income housing and failing schools and living at the peak of the most murderous period in the city’s recent history. Still, I needed a job. I thought about driving a bread truck, like one of my close friends, or learning how to repair air conditioners. I tried to get a job as a security guard or loading freight or answering phones for the Better Business Bureau. I could not get any of these jobs.

“There are ways to anchor the question of diversity in publishing in reality—and ways to achieve it that will only grow the work we do to greater abundance, with no meaningful loss.”

But I did get that job at Paragon House. My high school internship led to summer work, and that led to an interview with the editor in chief at Paragon House. He came right out of central casting, or out of my own imagination of what an editor in chief might look like—I remember him, an impishly mischievous white man, jaded and ruefully grinning (or grimacing) all the time. Bald and round and always in rolled-up sleeves; in my memory he’s chomping on a cigar, but that seems unlikely. He told me in the interview that the company was owned by Korean businessmen. He laughed about the creative ways he was burning through the “Korean investors’” money, publishing the idiosyncratic books he loved in beautiful, award-winning, expensively designed packages. He hired whomever he wanted (as long as they wanted to work at Paragon House, which narrowed the field), and knew he could get away with it all as long as the company also published a series of esoteric conference proceedings the Korean investors insisted on.

I was 18. It sounded like fun, although I found his glee at sticking it to his investors peculiar and maybe a little racist—this was 1990, a time when fear of rising Asian power was at one of its periodic peaks. I sat in his office for hours. We talked about the books we were reading. He pulled some books about publishing off his shelves and gave them to me—Scott Berg’s biography of Maxwell Perkins among them. I found the whole scene intoxicating—the buzzing office, the book talk, the idea that I was following in the footsteps of Maxwell Perkins, whoever he was, and that I was looking, finally, at literature’s workshop up close and possibly taking a place in it.

The editor in chief asked me to immediately do some part-time work on a probationary basis, filling in for an assistant editor who’d gone off on a some long, exotic-seeming journey. I walked out of the interview into a cubicle, and the first task I was given was to type a rejection letter, the first, maybe, of millions. A busy-looking editor came over and quickly dictated the letter to me while I scrambled to write it all down on a pad. Then I pulled my chair up to the typewriter, eager to prove myself, and realized that I had no idea how to type a letter. I��d never typed a letter in my life. Where on the page do you start? I decided to start at the upper left-hand corner of the page, tight against the edge of the paper. I didn’t really understand margins, so the whole letter sat up at the top left corner of the page. I typed the letter quickly—I was at least a fast typist—and handed it over to the editor, who, I remember, was smoking a cigarette in her office at the time. She looked at the letter—in my memory it was stained with the sweat of my anxiety—and shook her head. “You have no idea how to do this, do you?” she asked.

And then she told me how to do it. And then they hired me.

Now the job, it turned out, was a little crazy. The Korean investors turned out to be Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church. The back-office staff was made up entirely of church members, many of whom were married to each other. But the editorial staff was made up of secular, frankly godless, publishing romantics. A French editor who handled our translation projects took me out once a week for a lunch of mimosas and a little book club—she wanted me to read all of Faulkner with her. A freelance lawyer with whom I worked to create a contract boilerplate—well, I typed it—taught me all about publishing contracts and law. Two exotically beautiful assistant editors—one a salty, militantly bohemian English man who’d just graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in advanced mathematics, the other a young black woman with dreads who’d just finished at the New School—did their best to corrupt me after hours and with more reading assignments: Anaïs Nin, Rimbaud; Didion, Hunter Thompson; Luc Sante, Barthes, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Amos Tutuola. I worked there for less than two years, mostly part time, and eventually enrolled at Columbia, but I never looked back; I worked in and around books and publishing more or less from that point forward.

So what does this say about the way publishing can diversify? Well, a few things. First: I was not, to put it lightly, qualified for the job in a technical sense. I was a recent high school graduate. I’d never worked in an office before. I didn’t have a résumé and didn’t even know how to type a letter. I’d read deeply in certain areas but in the style of an autodidact, not a scholar. But I was passionate about the work. I was willing to learn. And I became an asset to that strange company, instead of a likely terrible security guard.

Publishing, it turns out, is a job you can learn while doing, if people are willing to help a little. I was lucky to find my way into a publishing house that was not constrained by corporate hiring practices, so they could take a risk on someone like me. Those of us in publishing are here—at least this is what I believe, in my heart of hearts—because we love literature and ideas and we want to share those ideas. There is a kind of generosity at the heart of publishing: in fact, that generosity is the engine of the business—our work is premised on our irrepressible impulse to share ideas and art, to tell stories. And this impulse—the sharing of knowledge, the sharing of art—is what allowed me to get a foothold in the business itself. The people I worked with didn’t expect me to arrive fully formed, and they loved the opportunity my massive ignorance presented: they could teach me even as I was assisting them. It gave them a chance to articulate and rethink and even question how they worked, what they thought they knew—and whether Faulkner was actually any good or not. It was an exchange that strengthened all of us.

“Publishing, it turns out, is a job you can learn while doing, if people are willing to help a little.”

Today, too often I see the opposite in book publishing. It is, despite its periodic challenges, a competitive business to get into, and editorial assistant openings usually generate a pile of great résumés and recommendations from colleagues. But I try to think about my job as not just hiring the person whose credentials add to my own status; or even, necessarily, hiring someone who is ready to do the job on day one. The job is fairly uncomplicated at the technical level—what’s important is that you be able to read and write exceptionally well and that you think and care deeply about art and ideas and stories, traits that people with multiple degrees might never cultivate, but that an 18-year-old for whom books and stories and ideas are a salvation might. It takes five minutes to learn how to format a letter; it takes a week to learn most of the internal systems of a company. Every new hire is a chance for me to learn something new in teaching them—to question something I thought I knew, to have my ideas challenged, to have my status quo in some way shifted. And in publishing, those opportunities are far more valuable than a premastery of technical knowledge that can be easily learned on the job. And yet a lack of credentials, connections, and certain forms of experience can sometimes bar people at the entry level. They never even get in the door.

I’ve taught at the City College Publishing Institute—and I also work sometimes at the Columbia Publishing Course—and can see firsthand how brilliant students at CCNY are sometimes handicapped by a lack of social capital and certain forms of easily acquired technical knowledge, by a lack of confidence, and by not even knowing what’s expected of them, whereas the kids who come through the far more expensive Columbia program are more polished and likely to be hired, but no smarter or more likely to contribute in substantive ways to the mission of a publishing house. Educational institutions should do more to prepare those students from less wealthy backgrounds—and publishers can contribute to helping schools that serve working-class and poor and African American and immigrant students—but on our side, the hiring side, we should think about what the true qualifica- tions for these jobs are, what can be taught and what can’t. We’re all strapped for time and resources, but there’s no better way to sustain the status quo than to refuse to take chances, even chances that might put us as some risk.

What’s the payoff of having a more diverse workforce? Well, there’s obviously the moral case to be made—and that’s a case that I think applies to any industry. But in book publishing, I think we have a special obligation, given our central role in shaping the culture. I hope a couple of stories will show how I’ve come to this idea.

One of the authors I’ve worked with is Eddie Huang. Eddie is Taiwanese American and a cultural sponge. He’s a brilliant polymath, and as a writer he’s trying to build a fresh idiom out of the languages that mix and merge in his own consciousness. The language is sometimes obscure, sometimes vulgar—it takes from Mandarin and hip-hop and feminist theory and a million other idioms. But it’s also often beautiful, and using this new language he is able to say new things about the world.

I published his first book, Fresh off the Boat, at the house where I worked before my current one. Some readers loved the book—it was a bestseller—but some people found the language jarring. One of my bosses at that publishing company actually asked me to go back into the now-published, bestselling book and edit out the more obscure references and the passages she found vulgar. It was pretty astonishing. I refused, of course, because I felt like what Eddie was up to was something that I kind of wanted her to find vulgar and maybe even obscure. Because for a certain audience, reading Eddie’s work was the moment when they finally felt their own language reflected in a book.

One night recently Eddie and I had a public conversation about his second book, Double Cup Love. The event was in a packed room full of black readers, and Asian American readers, and white readers, and Native American readers, who all responded with passion and gratitude to the same language that this colleague of mine had found so vulgar that she thought some of it should be excised from Eddie’s work. For this second book Eddie appeared on NPR and The Daily Show and hip-hop radio stations and on the front page of the arts section of the New York Times. The world was catching up to what he’s doing—and even as he evolved, at no point did he feel like he had to compromise his voice to achieve this effect, which was part of what I thought of as my role: to protect him from the pressure to conform to the gaze of the dominant culture. I knew from my own life experience as an outsider what can be lost when we aren’t allowed to speak our own languages—the ways meaning and nuance are diminished, the way some stories go untold altogether, or are told wrong.

In 2015 Marlon James wrote about how writers, sometimes without realizing it, pander to the person they imagine to be the gatekeeper and how we are all poorer for it. Marlon, who won the Booker Prize that year, has since told me that there were books he wanted to write but never did because he knew they’d be written in vain, because that imagined gatekeeper would reject them. And based on my experience, he may have been wise not to try. When we expand the range of the industry’s gatekeepers, we expand the range of our storytelling, which expands our ability to see each other, to talk and listen to each other, and to understand each other. It allows more people to see themselves represented in literature; and it allows the rest of us to listen in, to understand our neighbors and fellow citizens, their lives and concerns, their grievances and their beauty, their stories and ideas, their language. The empathic bridges this creates between us is one of the essential functions of literature in a democracy. But it can only happen if we widen the gates of literature and diversify the gatekeepers.

Another quick story about the value of diversity: In 2015 I published a book called Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. I had met Ta-Nehisi a dozen or so years earlier—we were set up on a lunch date by his agent, the remarkable Gloria Loomis, because she felt like we should get to know each other. We were both youngish black men, from somewhat similar backgrounds and with some of the same tastes and interests, so she thought we should meet. We met by his office at the Village Voice and talked for hours about a book idea he had about his own father, a Black Panther and a radical publisher and an aggressive proponent of free love. We eventually shaped that idea into his first memoir, The Beautiful Struggle, which I bought for a few thousand dollars—I was, it happens, the only person who even wanted to bid on the book. I thought Ta-Nehisi was a brilliant writer and a fascinating thinker, if not particularly well credentialed at that point in his life. But he was a writer. What he didn’t know about writing a memoir—which was a lot—he would learn or, better yet, ignore. By the time he started working on The Beautiful Struggle, Ta-Nehisi had quit the Village Voice and lost a pretty terrible job at Time magazine. He was blogging to an audience of dozens. But I felt like the story he was telling—of growing up in a radical household in the drug and murder-scarred 1980s in a Baltimore not so dissimilar from the Harlem of my own childhood—was a vital and largely untold one. So together we took a chance.

“When we expand the range of the industry’s gatekeepers, we expand the range of our storytelling, which expands our ability to see each other, to talk and listen to each other, and to understand each other.”

That book has now sold over 100,000 copies, but when it was first published, it didn’t do much business. But Ta-Nehisi and I had developed a creative connection and spent some years concocting another book idea, one about the Civil War based on his immersion in history and scholarship of that era. By this point Ta-Nehisi had been brought onto the staff of the Atlantic. While we contemplated that Civil War book, Ta-Nehisi wrote one blockbuster magazine piece after another, culminating in his award-winning “The Case for Reparations.” As the drumbeat of murders of young black folks—starting with Trayvon Martin and then on to too many men, women, and children to name—got louder and louder in recent years, Ta-Nehisi and I talked about attempting a book that would address the crisis and the anguish we were feeling about it. At Ta-Nehisi’s recommendation, we decided to reread, together, Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time. When he finished his reading, Ta-Nehisi called me and asked: Why don’t people write books like this anymore? And I said, You should try. So he did.

We went through several drafts and many more arguments—Ta-Nehisi and I always argue, but, I like to think, we argue like brothers, people who fundamentally believe in each other’s integrity and our sense of common cause. And, of course, he wins most of the arguments because it’s his book—and I’m usually, eventually, grudgingly, grateful to take the loss. Eventually the book—Between the World and Me—came out and became a sensation: selling over a million copies, winning a National Book Award, and in some ways changing the conversation about racist violence in this country.

Would that book have been the same without a black editor working on it? I’m not sure. I really don’t know and wouldn’t want to speculate, but what I do know is that the relationship I developed with Ta-Nehisi was rooted in his trust that I was not trying to soften his message or channel him into a position of pandering. He knew that I understood in an intimate way the human consequences of white supremacy. It allowed for a deep collaboration and, I think, a special book.

At the time of writing this piece, I’m preparing to relaunch an old imprint at Random House called One World. Rather than just cranking up the engine on a typical publishing imprint, my dream is to treat it in a prefigurative way—to create, in a small corner of the Random House building, the model for what I think all of publishing should look like, what the world in some sense should look like. It will be an attempt to bring some meaning back to that shell “diversity,” to actually put the concept into action, to give it blood and life. That will inform the way we hire, the way we acquire, edit, and publish books, and the ways we cultivate audiences. This will require some work and time, but what it won’t require is a diminution in the quality, or even commercial prospects, of the imprint. It will only make it stronger. I believe in book publishing, in its capacity to help us all retrace our paths back into history, to see the present in all its complexity, and to imagine different futures. To do that we have to build a publishing industry—at all levels of publishing—that honors the potential, the complexity, and the fullness of the world itself.

#publishing #diversity #association of american university presses #books

0 notes

realestate63141 · 8 years ago

Text

Photographer Spent 25 Years Documenting Our Absurd Obsession With Wealth

Photographer Lauren Greenfield was rummaging through approximately half a million photos she’d taken over the past 25 years. The images chronicle the Western world’s spiraling obsession with consumption and celebrity, part of her extensive project “Generation Wealth.” Specifically, Greenfield was looking for potentially overlooked connections to help round out her visual story, which starts with MTV-crazed teenagers and ends somewhere around the election of President Donald Trump.

Greenfield zeroed in on a photo she had previously disregarded, showing a group of bored looking preteens huddled in the hallway of a Los Angeles private school dance, wearing ripped jeans, T-shirts and plaid button-downs. When she took the photo in 1992, Greenfield recognized two of the partygoers as the daughters of O.J. Simpson’s lawyer, but didn’t think much of it. Looking back, she realized she’d unwittingly captured Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, two individuals who embody the very dreams of status and spectacle she’d spent decades exploring.

In an interview with The Huffington Post, Greenfield expanded upon the Kardashian’s immense influence over contemporary generations. To explain, she cites sociologist and economist Juliet Schor, who wrote the introduction to Greenfield’s monograph. “According to Schor, in America, people used to compare themselves to the person down the road,” she said. “Someone who had a little bit more than they did. Keeping up with the Joneses.”

Today, however, we’re no longer comparing ourselves with our neighbors, but with the chimerical images we encounter on TV screens and social media feeds. As Greenfield put it: “Now we’re ‘Keeping up with the Kardashians,’ comparing our houses to what we see on ‘MTV Cribs.’” The latter reference is a bit dated, but it brings us back to the project’s origins in 1992, when Greenfield first began documenting her hometown of Los Angeles.

Greenfield returned to LA after completing her first photographic assignment as an intern for National Geographic. She’d been documenting a Zinacantec Maya village in Mexico ― an “exotic” culture she knew little about. “I realized I wanted to come back to my hometown and photograph my own culture,” she said. So she returned to her high school, Crossroads, an elite private school frequented by families with Hollywood ties, whose students were constantly competing with blowout Bar Mitzvahs, expensive cars and designer purses.

Greenfield’s first series, “Fast Forward: Growing Up in the Shadow of Hollywood,” focuses on the impact of media saturation on youth culture in LA. “It was the beginning of MTV,” Greenfield said. “I was seeing how rich kids, influenced by hip-hop, wanted to be like the kids of the inner city with this idea of ‘bling,’” she said. Those same kids living in inner cities, in turn, yearned to be rich. The series revealed that the appeal of wealth and fame crossed boundaries of race, class or background; most young Los Angelenos were driven by a desire for status and attention.

“Money affects kids in many ways,” Adam, a 13-year-old subject of Greenfield’s, explained to her in a 1994 interview, the first she ever conducted. In the photo alongside Adam’s interview, he’s pictured as a pudgy pubescent grinding with a go-go dancer at his nightclub-themed Bar Mitzvah. “It has ruined a lot of kids I know,” he continued. “It has ruined me — wearing a Rolex watch to school or just buying a $200 pair of shoes. I take flying lessons. I mean, I know a person who has a soccer field and an indoor basketball court. But that person’s dad is going to jail.”

Greenfield recalled the impact Adam’s words had on her back in 1994. “I was so amazed by the acute perceptions that a kid right in the middle of it had,” she said. “I was very moved that he could see it and be critical of it and still be affected by it.”

Greenfield has interviewed and photographed young people in bathtubs and dressing rooms, at weight loss camps and eating disorder clinics, in the middle of a face lift, and just after a chemical peel ― the “Rolls Royce of rejuvenation” ― their face still coral and bubbling. “They are the truth tellers in this work,” Greenfield said, referring to her subjects. “The story, for the most part, is in their words.”

“I would say usually the people are comfortable because they kind of have to be to do this work,” Greenfield put it. To earn their trust, her process entails a lot of, in her words, hanging out. She spends weeks, months or even years with her subjects, waiting to catch that single shot that communicates something bigger. “There is no staging, there is only capturing moments. For me, it’s about trying to find moments that speak to the culture. Sometimes I understand the photos’ significance at the time, oftentimes I don’t.”

Greenfield’s extensive photographic project features 14 chapters, each focusing on a particular population, fixation or epidemic. “New Aging” explores society’s rejection of aging and the ways medicine and technology conspire to prevent its effects. In one image, a woman receives a post-operative mani-pedi in a luxury surgery-aftercare facility, her entire face covered by a mask of bandages with holes for her eyes, nose and mouth.

“The Princess Brand” documents how even the innocent exercise of playing dress-up initiates young girls’ obsessions with luxury and desirability. Greenfield captures girls as young as 4 years old, wearing their mothers’ high heels, striking a seductive pose for the camera. Juxtaposed with “New Aging,” the series hints at how aging adults and young girls chase the same impossible ideal.

“I started to think about the connections,” Greenfield said. “The connection between a little girl and her precocious sexualization and the woman who decides to become a prostitute because she doesn’t want to make $20,000 a year anymore as a social worker, to Jackie Siegel, who decides being a beauty queen will get her closer to the American dream than her engineering degree.”

The various threads of Greenfield’s story converged during the financial crash of 2008, when her anthropological experiment suddenly resembled a morality tale. “We had lost sight of what is important and what really matters,” she said. “The crash was an opportunity to take stock of that and document this pain, pain that stretched from the working class to the ultra rich.”

The following year, Greenfield made the documentary film “The Queen of Versailles,” which follows time-share mogul David Siegel and his third wife, Jackie, after their quest to build the largest home in the country was brutally interrupted by financial turmoil.

“In the new house it’s going to be hard to communicate with each other,” Jackie says in one interview. “Even in this house, I could scream right now and no one would hear me. I could yell for Marissa to come here, and she wouldn’t come. I have to use my cell phone. In the new house, we will have Segways to go around the house.”

Although there are urgent moral undertones to Greenfield’s project, she never casts judgment on her individual subjects. Rather, she portrays every person, from a former assembly line worker at General Motors to the sex worker famous for citing Charlie Sheen as a client, as reflections of the same cultural phenomenon. “We’re all susceptible to it,” Greenfield said. “We all become addicted.”

Greenfied’s book includes an interview with social critic Chris Hedges, who illuminates just how pervasive our generation’s preoccupation with status has become. “Celebrity culture functions like a religion,” he said, continuing:

“For one thousand years the Catholic Church ruled Europe by creating massive stained-glass windows with images of torment and hell and damnation and salvation to control society. Today we have electronic images of celebrity and wealth that do the same thing. We worship narcissistic monsters. The drive to become a celebrity is at its core a drive to become immortal. What you’re seeking is an unattainable perfection. You’re seeking essentially to become a god.”

Of course, people react to the cult of celebrity differently, with certain populations more susceptible than others. “I think the power of capitalism, and exploiting addiction in general, is looking for insecurities and weaknesses,” Greenfield said. “Everybody that has insecurities becomes a very good consumer. The way marketing works is, if you buy this thing, it will fix what you feel is missing.”

She continued to express that, though both men and women are prone to the bottomless desire for acquisition, women are societally conditioned to determine their self-worth based on their desirability. As a result, they sometimes veer from coveting commodities to becoming commodities themselves. The last chapter in the series, “Make It Rain,” visualizes this sentiment, peering into nightclubs where men shower cash onto nude dancers’ bodies.

Today, Greenfield’s series inevitably calls to mind Trump’s rise to power ― and whether it was really that shocking at all. “It was kind of amazing because I was finishing the work over the past year while I was watching his campaign and, then, seeing him take the highest office in the land,” Greenfield recalled, “it was almost like an uncanny expression of what the work is about — proof that it was all real.”

Trump, with his gold-plated skyscrapers and his penchant for treating women as property, is the living embodiment of “Generation Wealth.” As Greenfield put it: “His brand mixes business and celebrity and beauty pageants and power and real estate and your name as big as possible. He represented all the values of the work in their most extreme form ― his addiction to attention and admiration and even his use of Twitter.”

The sweeping “Generation Wealth” exhibition, featuring 195 prints and 42 first-person interviews, goes on view at the Annenberg Space for Photography next month. The show is based in the heart of Los Angeles, a mere five miles from Greenfield’s high school. The photos offer authentic portrayals of artifice and abundance in their many manifestations. Either dazzling or deeply disturbing, the series, 25 years in the making, offers a gold-encrusted portrait of our time.

“I hope this provokes discussion about our values and where we are going,” Greenfield said. “It’s clear our current path is unsustainable ― environmentally and morally. It’s a value system that leads to exhaustion, collapse, and no satisfaction.”

“Generation Wealth” runs from April 8 to Aug. 13 at the Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles. You can also pre-order Phaidon’s “Generation Wealth” monograph here.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2lTgnlM

#DIYS

0 notes

repwinpril9y0a1 · 8 years ago

Text

Photographer Spent 25 Years Documenting Our Absurd Obsession With Wealth

“Generation Wealth” runs from April 8 to Aug. 13 at the Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles. You can also pre-order Phaidon’s “Generation Wealth” monograph here.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2lTgnlM

#DIYS

0 notes

repwincoml4a0a5 · 8 years ago

Text

Photographer Spent 25 Years Documenting Our Absurd Obsession With Wealth

“Generation Wealth” runs from April 8 to Aug. 13 at the Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles. You can also pre-order Phaidon’s “Generation Wealth” monograph here.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from DIYS http://ift.tt/2lTgnlM

#DIYS

0 notes