#good for the union tho I hope they get what they want bc I know they’re ridiculously understaffed and that must be awful

[gaylittleguys]

man I should have gone to do bloodwork earlier this week the labs are going on strike 😔

[obeetlebeetle]

wondering if you’d be willing to share any insight on whether it’s worth even entertaining the idea of getting into the library and preferably archiving or information management field, everything i’ve heard is pretty bleak and people recommending not pursuing an mlis, but i’m in the museum field rn and want something with a slightly more tangible skillset

hi! good morning! um i am maybe not the best person to ask, bc i am such a library school hater, but here's my honest opinion: if u are in the museum field and u are making enough money to get by AND you can envision a career path rn, it may not be worth it to go back to school. like it's a crazy amt of debt to take on. and my personal experience in my program was like, resoundingly disappointing, but i went in knowing that i was jumping thru a stupidly expensive hoop bc i wanted to qualify for the librarian job.

that being said! i also didn't do a lot of research on the different programs available or on where i was relocating to. so i went into a program that i hated and came out of it into an area that's wildly oversaturated w mlis degree holders. some of my negatives can be chalked up to poor planning. generally speaking, tho, library jobs ARE widely available. and yes it's very competitive, and yes the job hunt is terrible, but you could definitely land a librarian gig.

also, any program should give u enough technical skills that, if u wanted to pursue info management, u could convince a hiring committee that u have foundational knowledge and are plenty trainable. that's mostly what they want. and u probably know this if it's already on ur mind, but info management can take u a LOT of places outside the library. my program focused on its corporate possibilities bc of the things that were wrong w my specific program, but there are plenty of other fields where those skills could get u hired, and u could take it back to museums if that's what u need/want to progress there.

if u think that you would definitely prefer an archival gig, i would recommend setting up some informational interviews w ppl in that field. archives are their own thing. you'll hear that archival jobs have all the same issues as library hiring except even more competitive, but really, talk to someone who does it. two of my mlis buddies went archives and they both have current archival jobs, so it IS possible.

which is all to say: EYE think master's programs are awful scams that create artificial requirements for careers where the job would be better performed if we all did apprenticeships. but i can acknowledge that that is a hater mindset, and the debt issue is something you'll have to answer for urself. meanwhile the field itself is OF COURSE scary given the state of the union but so is everything, and i dont think it's a uniquely precarious job to take on, especially if ur already in museums. hope that that was at all helpful!

[azusaluvclub]

Hii, hope you are doing well. I was wondering if you have any jimmy bae head cannons? Thanks!

weak hero headcanons; jimmy bae

hi hi !! i do have some jimmy headcanons lined up for you :))) theyre pretty general, but i hope you enjoy !!!! and if theres anybody else you (or whoever else is reading) wants to see, lmk !!

⋆ is a suprisingly good dancer !! never took classes because his family couldn't rlly afford it, and now he doesn't have the time to commit to it, so p much everything he learned was from watching tutorials + kpop dance practices on youtube lolll :,)) he has fun w it tho !!

⋆ has a low tolerance for spicy food ;; tries to fake like he can handle it, but it's SO obvious in the way his face reddens and his nose starts running that he can't :,))) (that's how u know the food is good tbh-)

⋆ based on the fact he's a karaoke enthusiast, i 100% believe he's also a talented singer :DDD (idol material atp-) his voice is suprisingly,,, gentle, compared to how he acts ?? it's full, a little raspy from all the smoking, but overall really nice to listen to. jack keeps insisting that he should become a trainee or something and put his talents to use, but he's not so sure-

⋆ dealt w pretty bad acne in middle school;; its improved over time, and he actually does make an effort w skincare, but he still gets flare-ups here and there that he finds super annoying-

⋆ not a big fan of tv (other than the late night sketch comedys or dramas he watches w/ his granny), but he LOVES a good action film- was def into superhero comics and cartoons as a kid (still is, hes just more casual about it loll) so some of that still carries over into his current interests :))) makes it a point to drag jack w/ him to whatever action movie is currently playing, and spend the whole ride home talking about it~

⋆ speaking of,, i feel like he was the one who initially suggested getting their (bc yes it is a shared thing-) motorcycle, but jack is the one who's most invested in it (mainly because i think he would have a strong interest in bikes and cars and the like) :)) bc granny bae keeps getting on jimmy's ass about them driving it without a license, the two have been hitting the books to get theirs- they say they're doing it together, but are secretly trying to beat each other to getting one :,))))

⋆ struggles w bouts of anxiety, i feel like ?? for all his arrogance, he seems to battle w/ his confidence in himself and his position in the union (imo likely a big part of why he's got an ego, bc he's looked down on enough as is and is trying to compensate somehow- </33). a lot of his worries revolve around that, but he finds himself getting hung up over plenty of other things. doesn't usually confide in jack about this, 'cause he thinks it's dumb and irrational; but they've known each other long enough to pick up on one anothers tells, and so jack makes it a point to remind jimmy that he believes in him, even without actually saying it~ (cause what else are bffs for ???)

⋆ actually a decent student — when he applies himself lol :,)) his best subject is probably smth like phys ed, though i feel like he might be also be good at history ??? not like he actually gives a shit, i just feel like it'd be easier for him compared to other classes. worst is art ,, if that self-portrait says anything---

⋆ is trying to make it a habit to workout + take it more seriously, esp since his fight w/ doyoon. not that he didn't before, but it's given him an even stronger sense of determination to not lose again, however he has to achieve that- tries to visit the gym regularly, or do simple workout routines at home (probably has some basic dumbells and other fitness shit, fuckin' NERDDDD)

⋆ when he's passionate about something, tho, it really shows !! and it benefits him most of the time, when he puts that drive towards the right things :,)))

and thats all ive got !! lol

[zablife]

So - since there's a lack of HotD inquisitions, I'd like to invite you to a

⛲️Swim in the fountain (FMK)

with Rhaenyra, Alicent and Laena Velaryon

and

Harwin Strong, Criston Cole and Daemon Targaryen

I hope you have fun!

xx Val

Round 1:

💋Rhaenyra-I have a huge crush on Milly Alcock so this is hard for me to separate. In fact, I'm not going to. It's her, every time. She wins!

💍Alicent-She is such a dutiful wife and mother, I couldn't possibly choose anyone else. (Imagine what she'd be like in a happy, fulfilling marriage!?!) And she's gorgeous so the attraction bit is there as well. I'd be very satisfied with this union!

🔪Laena-This is by default bc I can't get the image of her as a tiny child out of my mind. I couldn't kill her either tbh tho! 🙈

Round 2:

💋Criston-His puppy dog eyes send me so I think we'd be whores for each other. His scene with Rhaenyra was proof enough that the man knows what he's doing in the bedroom.

💍Harwin-He comes from a good house and we'd be set for life. I think he'd totally worship me and def be a fierce protector. Total package!

🔪Daemon-My name isn't Rhaenyra so I'm in no way safe here. I'm dragon food, I know it. But also, who wants a man who is always daydreaming about someone else? I know my worth!

⛲️Swim in the fountain~Go on and dare me to play FMK, Would you rather, cast your mutuals or any other game you can think of.

For my 1K celebration. Masterpost here.

[courtesanofdeath]

who are your favorite top ten black clover characters & ships (platonic or romantic) ?? talk about them!

omg anon ilysm for this question. i hope you enjoyed this ten-paged essay i wrote just for you 🥰

ps: contains spoilers if you're not caught up with the manga!

fav characters

asta: number one best boy who deserves all the happiness in the world. literal sunshine. he just makes me so very happy every time i see him 😭

yami: yeah he's strong, inspirational and a dilf but my fav thing about yami is how he's just so chill and unbothered and he's a mess just like the rest of his squad, and even though he's a powerful captain, we still see that he still has moments where he gets defeated or cornered and gets help from others, and we get to see him become even more stronger. he's also just very funny af, the way he lovingly bullies his family 🥰

nacht: one of the best written characters in the series! im a sucker for edgy characters with long hair, so he was kind of an instant fav for me. i loved him even more when we got to know about his past with yami and morgen, and how he became the person he is now. also very sick character designs with his devil union forms! im looking forward to see how him being with the black bulls will affect him!

noelle: also one of the best written characters not only in black clover but shonen in general. im still fairly new to anime so i haven't met a lot of heroines yet, but out of all the ones i have seen, noelle is probably the best written. we get to see her overcome her weaknesses and continue to grow with every fight. she doesn't get pushed aside as a minor support; she gets plenty of moments to shine and contributes to the main battles. she's not someone who gets one very cool moment and then forgotten about. every time she gets a new spell im just like !!!!! yes !!!! best girl !!!!

mereoleona: this woman has ignited something within me when she showed up and im just in love with her. super bad ass, headstrong and unbothered. she's obv one of the most powerful characters, maybe even more than yami (debatable tho), yet she prefers to do what she wants and i just love that for her. my queen my beloved.

yuno: another best boy !!! i've always liked yuno because he's just the best rival ever. in the beginning we thought he's the typical bully rival, but we learned that he's actually so supportive of asta (literally asta's biggest fan) even in the beginning. my love for yuno grew during the spade raid arc bc we get to see how much he grew stronger, but also how he really feels about all the titles and power he was given. also im really excited about seeing more of his star magic because i love anything space related hehe it's gonna be so pretty animated

julius: i loved julius because he was such a precious nerd about magic. his excitement about everything was just so cute. then, chapter 331 happened. my brain almost exploded. lucius zogratis !!! is he evil for real ??? or is he possessed ??? either way, one can't help but look back at his entire character and relationship with everyone and wonder if it was all an act. he's still cute tho. but like, regardless, his character had always been very interesting, even more now with the plot twist! im really excited for the manga to come back from hiatus and find out more about about him because that shit is craaaaazy.

finral: i love this boy with my entire heart and soul. yeah he doesn't stand out as one of the most powerful characters, but that's why i love him so much. he's just so soft and gentle and so loving and wholesome no matter how he's treated. he isn't really much of a fighter, but he supports his friends and family in his own ways. he's strong in his own ways. his backstory with his family really hit home for me personally, so i can't help but connect with him and root for him. i just want him to be happy 😭

vanessa: also low key in love with her. hot and powerful??? yes please. her backstory with the witch queen was so so good! but mostly i just love her energy and her dynamic with the black bulls. she really is everyone's big sister. her presence in general is just so comforting ??? idk how to explain it but i love vanessa so very much and i hope she'll have more moments to shine again soon!

zora: also one of the best written characters in the series! first of all, great character design. love the sharp teeth and crop top. second of all, great backstory. it was def painful but it was just so so good. with zora (and zara), we get to see a side of the magic knights that not many people in the clover kingdom acknowledge. we also get to see more characters like asta and magna, those with very little to no magic, but also different in his own ways. his magic is super cool too! but like yeah. he's just so very cool and so funny !!

now the ships !!! i don't really focus much on ships but here's some of my fav pairings!

yami and charlotte: they're cute. i like the little compliments he gives her (in his own way), and charlotte getting flustered is always amusing. we don't know if yami genuinely has romantic feelings for her, but they'd be cute! so i hope we get to see how they develop as the manga comes to an end!

gauche and grey: also very cute, especially because of that one episode where gauche was telling grey that she's fine the way she is ???? pls. it's clear that grey sees gauche as someone important to her, and a motivation for her to get stronger and push herself, and gauche is one of the few people that truly knows her, so i like them very much.

asta and noelle: im kinda on the fence about them being romantic. like they'd def be cute together for sure, but my son hasn't really shown interests in anyone aside from sister lily. even then, that's really just a school boy crush lmao. i feel like asta hasn't really thought about being in a romantic relationship because he's so focused on being a magic knight. but i do love that noelle is now upfront about her feelings. i do love them platonically though!!! they've been growing and getting stronger together since day one!!!! they motivate each other and support each other in however way they can, and it's just so wholesome!

luck and magna: i just love these two together, doesn't matter if it's romantic or platonic. just seeing them together makes me so happy omg doesn't matter if they're bullying each other or fighting together. i just love them !!! i hope we get to see them fight side by side again soon!

finral and vanessa: i personally like them platonically but don't mind those who ship them romantically. just like with luck and magna, i just love them together!!! they're my fav duo !!!! they just seem so fun and comforting to be around. i would love to be friends with them omg

yami and nacht: the black bulls parents !!!! with them, it's 60% romantic and 40% platonic kinda ship. their past, with the two of them just running around the clover kingdom and being troublesome, is just so precious. they relate to each other and understand each other a lot, + they got that thing with morgen 😭 so they def have a lot of history. on the other hand, i feel like nacht may be emotionally unavailable because of everything that happened to him, so he may not want to be in any romantic relationship atm, but regardless, i just love nacht and yami's dynamic! that team up against lucifero was soooo good and im really excited to see more of them soon!

asta and yuno: just like with magna and luck, i don't mind the ship whether if it's romantic or platonic. i just love them together! they are rivals but also besties !!! and that's all that matters! but also as i said with astelle, asta and yuno are both too focused on other things to really think about romantic relationships, so im not sure about it. but overall, this duo is just *chef's kiss* every time they interact, it's always so cute and amusing. and the team up fights aahhhh !! i wonder if we'll ever get to see them fight each other. that would be interesting.

charlotte and mereoleona: ok so you know the hot spring scene ???? and charlotte and mereo were drinking together ????? that's some good fuckin food. that's like the only interaction they got but idc they would be so hot and powerful as a couple omg. if charlotte gets tired of yami, mereo is right there waiting for her.

nozel and dorothy: doesn't matter if they're romantic or platonic but i really like the idea of dorothy just annoying tf outta nozel for shits and giggles and the two of them being low key kind of close. i love relationships where one is like, no energy, and the other has chaotic energy (when dorothy is awake ofc). i just think they'd be so funny together.

probably forgot some characters but wheeeew. im so sorry this was long and making you read a lot! thank you so much for the ask! 💕

[domesticblisss]

Sorry, Wrong Number!

Timothy Thatcher x Female OFC Requested Prompts: Also from the meet cute list #47 Texting the wrong number but continuing the convo with Tim Thatcher. Rating: PG-13 Word Count: 1436 Warnings: Fluffity fluff fluff. Also broken bones, but no angst. Summary: Tim gets several text messages from an unknown number asking for help.

→ emmy

→ don’t freak out

→ i know it’s impossible to not freak out when someone tells you not to but listen

→ i’m fine

→ i am!!! really!!!

→ i might have broken my right ankle tho 😬

→ before you ask, i went skateboarding with that dumbass josh and he left as usual

→ i’m gonna get x-rays now

→ could you come and pick me up? i’m at the mercy general

→ lub uuuuuuuu 🥺💗🥰💖💘❤️💗🤍😬🥰😭🥺😍😘

Tim had just started his mid-afternoon training session and his phone went off with texts. 10 texts to be exact. All from an unknown number. 

He debated on whether or not he should answer but decided on replying since the person was clearly in distress. 

← Hello. I think you have reached the wrong number, there is no Emmy here. 

And he moved on with his training. Or at least he tried to. Thirty minutes since he had texted the person and not even a word back. 

← Hey, is everything ok?

Staring at his phone’s screen for what felt like ages, four new texts came in right when he was about to close it off. 

→ omg dude!!! i’m so sorry!

→ i just got a new phone and i lost most of my contact list bc i’m a dummy and fucked the backup up

→ def got the last digit wrong 

→ everything is fine, the ankle IS broken tho. thx for replying back and thx for your concern

← No problem. Hope you can reach your friend. Take care of that ankle. 

→ wow, you are very formal aren’t you?

→ that‘s so funny 😂😂😂

Tim frowned, wondering what was wrong with how he texted. “That’s just how I speak.” 

← I don’t understand what you are saying. Also what’s it with all the squares?

→ squares?

← You just sent “That’s so funny.” and three squares. What do they mean?

She looked at her phone, puzzled. 

→ uuuhhh, those are emojis? what kind of phone do you have?

← A flip phone. 

“WHAT?!” she screamed, forgetting she was at the E.R.  A nurse rushed to her bay to make sure everything was fine. Embarrassed, she apologised and assured everything was alright. Anna had to take deep breaths to recompose herself before replying. 

→ what? why? dude it’s 2016 who has a flip phone? also i’m anna btw

→ oh my god, am i hallucinating from the pain? are you even real?

← I have one and I am very real, miss. And my name is Timothy. Were you able to contact your friend?

→ yes, but she won’t be able to pick me up since she’s on her shift and she’s alone at the store

← And how are you getting home?

→ oh, i’ll figure something out

→ will probably hail an uber or something

← Hold on. I will be back in a few. 

Tim rushed his way to the emergency room, making a stop at a convenience store to get a ‘get well soon’ gift for a girl he had never even seen but had taken a sudden concern about. 

Arriving at the hospital, his presence was quickly noticed by the front desk receptionist. 

“Hello sir, how can I help you?”

“Good afternoon, Miss. I’m looking for Anna. She checked in a couple of hours ago with a suspected broken ankle.” Tim answered, his nerves getting the best of him, already knowing what was going to be asked next. 

“Oh, yes. Are you from her direct family?”

“Yes.” 

The polite receptionist noticed what he carried on his hands and needed no further details. 

“Follow through this corridor, the orthopaedic E.R. is on the first door to your left. The nurses will lead you to her.”

“Thank you, miss.”

The path from the front desk to her emergency bed was a cloudy one on his mind. 

“She will probably think I’m weird.”

“I barely know this girl.”

“But I couldn’t let her go home alone with a broken ankle.”

He was so lost in his thoughts that he almost bumped into the funny, pink haired nurse when she opened the curtain that separated Anna’s bed from the others in the room. 

“Anna! Look, your boyfriend is here!”

Shit. Tim was gone. The confused face coming from the beach blonde haired girl sitting in bed was the most beautiful one he had ever seen. 

“I’ll leave you two alone.” the nurse said, whispering “Lucky girl.” before leaving. 

Tim let out a small chuckle, quickly recovering when Anna cleared her throat. 

“Umm, I think you got the wrong person, dude.”

“Anna!” he stopped, his nervousness making his already loud voice louder than usual “sorry. I’m Tim. The guy you texted thinking it was Emmy.”

“Tim, hi! Oh my god, what are you doing here?”

“You said you were going home alone and I couldn’t let you do that with a broken ankle. Also these are for you.” he explained, handing her the gifts he got. 

“You really brought me flowers and a teddy bear? That’s– that’s very sweet of you.”

They looked at each other, taking in their new friend features. Shy smiles, glances to the side, small giggles turned into full blown laughter after they realised what was going on. 

“God, I’m so embarrassed!” she exclaimed between laughs. “Thank you so much for the gifts, and for coming. I didn’t think you would actually show up.”

“I didn’t think I was coming either. Can I?” he said, pointing to the chair besides her bed, only sitting after she nodded “It was on impulse and that’s new for me.”

“Thank you. You have no idea how much I appreciate this.”

“How’s the ankle?”

“It’s fine,” she winced when she tried to move it to show it to Tim. “It’s a minor fracture. I think everyone decided to break something today so it’s kinda busy, I’m just waiting for my turn to get a cast.”

They talked for what felt like hours, getting to know each other. Tim was amused with her beauty, with how funny and quick witted she was, always having an answer on the tip of her tongue. Anna was enchanted with how shy this big, mean looking guy is, with the way his loud voice and booming laughter took over the whole room. 

Tim was in the middle of an explanation on how he lost his tooth when the sweet pink haired nurse showed up with news and a wheelchair. 

“Your time has finally arrived, dear. Hop up on your carriage and let’s go to the cast room, bring your personal belongings. Oh, your boyfriend can come too.”

Tim smiled with the nurse’s comment. Quick on helping Anna on getting down from bed, he swiftly picked her up bride style, and gently sat her down on the wheelchair. 

“Aww, you two look so cute together.”

“Thanks!” both said in union, awkwardly. 

Twenty minutes, a pink cast and a pair of crutches later, Tim wheels her to where his car is parked, with a promise of taking her home. He helps Anna sit on the front seat, securing her seatbelt. The closeness and intimacy of the moment makes Anna act on impulse, and she kisses him. A tiny, quick peck on his lips, one she ends as fast as it started when she felt Tim freeze. 

“I am so sorry, Tim.”

He grabs her chin as soon as she looks down ashamed, tilting it up to look her in the eyes. His thumb rubs her cheek, then her chin and finally her lips before he goes in for another kiss. It’s a gentle, shy kiss, that tasted like curiosity. Tim is the one to break up, only to ask something he had in mind since he saw her in that hospital bed.

“Do you want to go on a date?”

“Now?”

“I’ve got nowhere to go, do you?”

“Nope, let’s go.”

He pecks her lips again before closing the door of this car and running to make his way to the driver‘s seat. 

Anna giggles, not in a million years she would have thought a broken ankle and a wrong text would have gotten her a date with a cute dude. 

Tim is making his way out of the parking lot when Anna remembers one little detail. 

“Hey, do you really have a flip phone?”

“Yeah, here.” he tells her, one hand on the steering wheel as the other rummages through his pocket to grab the phone and gives it to her. 

“Oh my god, I’m back to 2002.”

[gibberishquestion]

hi I hope I’m not bothering you but!! I’ve been listening to chess (the original recording w murray head and elaine paige) and I really like it!! I’ve listened to the whole thing a few times but I can’t quite get a grasp on the plot, and google isn’t helping haha. can you please give a summary, maybe song by song or something? only if you want to tho!! feel free to ignore this no worries! I just thought I’d ask you cause you’re the chess mutual TM :]

THIS TURNED OUT SUPER SUPER LONG IM SOOO SORRY

YES YES YES IM THE CHESS MUTUAL >:D asking me about chess makes me POWERFUL!! you’re not bothering me at ALL. the plot varies from production to production, thank you for specifying which one you’re listening to! i’ll give a song by song summary as best i can but know that i have the reading comprehension of a slice of cheese

i’ll be referring to the main characters as “the russian” and “the american” bc thats what the original album does ^_^

merano — opening number, not super plot relevant. the citizens of merano, italy are all happy that their town is the setting of the chess championship. in the middle of the song the american chess champion shows up and sings about what a good chess player he is.

the russian and molokov — introduces, well, the russian challenger, and his second, molokov. this is just a little conversation between them about the american. it makes more sense if you listen to “press conference”, which is a bonus track on the original album, where the american throws a fit and assaults a reporter. but basically molokov is like “see? this dude is fucked” and the russian is like Doubt, and it turns into a conversation about the championship as a whole: molokov views it as a way for the soviet union to assert its dominance over the usa, and the russian is like dude i’m a chess player not a politician

where i want to be — the russian’s first solo number. he reflects on his life in general and how he’s technically gotten everything he ever wanted, but it’s all empty victories. he’s fully aware of his status as a pawn to the ussr.

opening ceremony — a lot happens in this one, and it’s split up into separate tracks in most albums. “the arbiter” introduces the arbiter who’ll be presiding over the matches and ruling the chessboard with an iron fist. “difficult and dangerous times” is a song that i think perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the whole musical: it’s just a game, sure, but neither country wants to be the one that couldn’t even win a game. “the merchandisers” doesn’t move the plot at all but it serves as a little jab at capitalism i guess? basically its just a bunch of people trying to make money off the game. “hymn to chess” is just a little hymn to chess, i guess. sort of like how they always sing the national anthem before a sporting match?

quartet (a model of decorum and tranquility) — between the last song and this one, the first match started, but it never finished, because the american flipped the board and stormed out. this song shows the russian, molokov, the arbiter, and the american’s second florence bickering about what the hell just happened. also the russian calls the american a fruit which isn’t super important but like

the american and florence — florence confronts the american about his behavior. in an incredibly dickish move if i may say, the american turns the conversation to florence’s dead father: “well the ussr killed your dad, didnt they? and i’m against the ussr in this chess match. so by opposing me youre really betraying your dead dad.”

nobody’s side — florence’s first solo number. she reflects on her relationship with the american (which is strictly professional in some productions and explicitly romantic in others; it varies) and how she can’t justify the way he treats her. she comes to the conclusion that she can’t trust him or really anyone; she’s looking out for florence first and foremost.

chess — instrumental :) this tune comes up whenever a chess game is played. over the span of this instrumental break the russian gains a lead of five games to one, which is bad news for the american because the first man to six wins claims the championship.

mountain duet — florence arranges a meeting between herself and both the players, but the american is running late. alone with just the russian, the two of them realize and accept that they have feelings for each other. in a scene that doesn’t appear in this album, the american finally shows up and is naturally very pissed

florence quits — exactly what it says on the tin; florence quits working for the american. the american is obviously mad about this, and is sexist at her for two minutes and 56 seconds

embassy lament — the american has resigned, making the russian world champion. he immediately defects from the ussr to england, with florence. this song is just the consul officers at the embassy being difficult little shits

anthem — the russian explains how “his land’s only borders lie around his heart” and even as he leaves the soviet union he’s still very proudly russian. this ends the first act.

bangkok / one night in bangkok — one year has passed. the next championship is to be held in bangkok, thailand. the american may not be in the game anymore, but he’s employed by global television to report on the championship. this song isn’t super plot relevant but lord if it isn’t catchy.. basically he just shows up in bangkok and rejects all the exciting nightlife in favor of chess. (some productions play the lyrics as sarcasm, with the american enthusiastically having sex with random people and doing coke n shit while claiming his every move’s among the purest)

heaven help my heart — florence reflects on her relationship wifh the russian. she’s afraid of what’s going to happen once the infatuation ends and she’s not something new and exciting for him to play with.

argument — oh, did i mention the russian left a wife in the ussr? cause he left a wife in the ussr. molokov is bringing her out to bangkok. florence is very distressed about all this and the russian is like “the soviet union has played me like a fiddle all my life this is obviously just a trick to mess with me. no biggie. stop worrying. shut up”

i know him so well — a duet between florence and the russian’s wife. the two of them sing about both of their failed relationships with the russian, and how now they know him well enough to know both their relationships were doomed from the start.

the deal (no deal) — molokov wants the russian to throw the match to prove a point about the challenger, a loyal soviet, being a better player than the defecting traitor. so he dangles florence’s father in front of him and says he was alive the whole time in prison, lose the game and i’ll let him out! but he doesn’t say this to him directly, he has the american deliver the message to both the russian and to florence. (in later productions molokov’s character is split into both him and an american, walter de courcey, who’s the one to push the american into this. i think it makes more sense that way, personally.)

pity the child — the american looks at his childhood, and how much of his assholery is due to mommy issues. he finally gets some depth to his character after being a hate sink for an act and a half

endgame — it’s the final match between the russian and the soviet challenger. it’s unclear how much of this song is actually happening and how much of it just represents what’s going on in the russian’s head. but ultimately, he decides that he’s not going to be a pawn to the ussr anymore, so he’s going to win the game. screw florence, screw his wife, he’s doing what he wants.

epilogue: you and i / the story of chess — the russian and florence look back on their relationship. did florence get reunited with her father or was molokov lying, you ask? the concept album leaves it ambiguous. oh yeah and then it ends with an ahistorical tale about the invention of chess

[donnieluvsthings]

anyway i’m still thinkin about roceit newsies au...this got SO LONG its basically a bullet fic of the whole plot at this point but uh enjoy!!! its has all the sides and remy and emile bc i rly wanted to shove them all in here aldkaldka

this is based on the musical mostly bc i have never watched the original movie all the way thru oops

roman is jack and remus is crutchie (thanks boop). remus does crazy stunts even with his crutch and roman is Constantly Worried TM and overprotective of remus even tho remus can DEF take care of himself

on the other hand remus knows roman hates working as a newsboy and just wants to escape to some small town where he can become a local artist of some sort. remus wants roman to go CHASE his DREAMS even tho he’s afraid roman might leave him behind

roman may be the actor but remus is great at coming up with gruesome yet intriguing headlines that get people to buy papers and would totally be a great author of some sort

ON THAT NOTE roman dreams of santa fe and can picture it perfectly but whenever he tries to explain it, it comes out as senseless rambling and longing. it’s remus who can really put into words what roman feels (bc theyre bros and they just GET each other)

virgil as davey, patton as les, logan as sarah (its the musical but they have an extra sibling okay. let me have older brother logan)

virgil and patton show up and virgil is super untrusting and hates that theyre basically lying to get people to buy papers but patton is just EXCITED to meet New People!!! and looks up to roman (and remus), like, instantly

it helps that roman promises to take them to a real actual theater after they sell all their papers owned by the one the only emile picani !!!

also roman is the one who first calls him “virge” which is like jack saying “davey” instead of david. yes this is necessary information

so they sell their papers (and roman briefly meets an ESPECIALLY handsome guy wink wink) and go see emile who performs some variant of That’s Rich like the star he is. u cant take singer emile away from me

roman also performs bc i said so. he spies someone watching him during his act up above the stage and climbs up there when he’s done

janus. its janus, if that wasnt clear or u dont know the plot of the newsies musical aldkaldlal

so yeah janus as katherine!! he may be pulitzer’s son but that doesn’t mean his father wants him to be a journalist. pulitzer thinks he should prepare to inherit the publishing company or be a banker or smth, not be a journalist

i just think janus’ “society is a LIE” vibe fits with katherine. i mean, just look at Watch What Happens. “give life’s little guys some ink,” “they’ll storm the gates,” “rich greedy sourpusses” .... idk it just SCREAMS janus to me

ALSO, katherine technically lies about her identity for like 3/4 of the musical, so

anyway! roman meets janus and janus is all suave and lowkey flirty at first but then roman starts flirting BACK and jan is like “uh oh how to talk to cute boys????”

so then he gets all “i have more important things to do” *hair flip* and goes back to the article he’s supposed to be writing about emile’s theater (a lot of his notes are about roman’s performance but nobody needs to know that shhh)

roman draws a portrait of jan and leaves it there and janus gently & dramatically picks it up, stares at it, and tucks it into his suit with a soft smile

uh oh prices for papers went up! virgil steps up and helps roman lead a strike. turns out his caution works GREAT with roman’s determination and they keep each other from going towards extreme overthinking (virgil) or extreme stupidity (roman). they are a TEAM and they are BESTIES.

remus: lets SET THE PAPERS ON FIRE

roman, starry eyed: HECK YEAH LETS DO IT

virgil: how about we dont do that and instead form a union

and then the twins are like GOOD IDEA and tell everyone else. virgil may be a cautious and untrusting and afraid of public speaking but he has good ideas dangit

the intro to seize the day yknow? virgil says a Good Idea (which can probably be traced back to him always listening to logan rant about his studies) and roman spreads the message in a Firm Rebellion-y way to the other newsies

and patton is there doing his absolute best. he may be small but he knows that this isn’t right or fair to the newsboys and he’s ready to physically fight someone

enter logan who is lowkey really proud of virgil for stepping outside of his comfort zone to do whats right. logan may be scared out of his mind for his little bros but he’s gonna help them as much as he can between college and trying to work side jobs to help their fam

basically logan knows janus and tells him that he should report on the strike bc logan wants to help his bros AND his friend however he can

cue janus seeing his opportunity and TAKING it. he’s gonna write about this strike even if no one else will!!! take THAT, father

he also maybe possibly wanted to see roman again. but roman never needs to know that okay what he doesnt know cant hurt him

seize the day happens!!!! they strike!!!! they r powerful!!! but then no one else from any other sections of new york strike with them and they lowkey get rekt

remus mocks the delanceys but that was a BAD decision cuz now theyre targeting him and he gets taken to the REFUGE

roman is SAD bc his brother’s been taken away, no one showed up to help them strike, his brother’s been taken away and he just wants to get OUT of there. run away to santa fe, his ideal world, but he can’t even articulate that because his brother is gone

how is that just act one. how have i written so much yet left out so much???

remus is at the refuge and he’s a little more scared, now, that roman really will just leave him behind even though he knows deep down that roman would never.

still. he writes roman a letter and maybe he goes into a little too much detail about his injuries and the refuge but hey, that’s remus. he writes about how maybe they can run away to santa fe together. he signs it “your brother” and i CRY because they are the best bros

roman reads it and ALSO cries. especially because there it is, the description of santa fe he can never come up with by himself. remus rly does know him, huh

total scene change: janus finds the other newsies (and logan) in a restaurant? bar? and is like “!!! ur on the FRONT PAGE on my newspaper” which i just decided is called the snake instead of the sun

virgil didn’t totally trust janus would follow thru at first but now he’s convinced. they did it!!!! theyre on the front page!!!! the world WILL know!!!!

cue tapdancing!!!!!! king of new york is an absolute bop. i need logan tapdancing daintily and then janus LAUNCHING into some complex tap routine bc the newsies think he too will dance daintily

i know they wouldnt,,, actually dance but just let me have this self-indulgence in this entirely self-indulgent au

the Bro Trio + janus go hunt down roman to show him the paper and find him painting stuff at emile’s all sad and upset bc, well, they lost and remus was taken

but virgil is trying to show him that they made progress!!! sure pulitzer won but he won the BATTLE and actually the poor guy’s head is spinning bc theyre gonna win.

“cmon, ro, if i’m is telling you to be optimistic there must be hope”

see virgil calls him RO and its cute bc roman gave him the nickname ‘virge’ and now virgil’s giving him the nickname ‘ro’ theyre just besties okay

roman is unconvinced but then logan, who roman has actually never met before, steps in with Facts and Statistics, and patton adds some adorable words of encouragement, and janus sassily waves their Front Page Story at him, and roman starts realizing they DO have a chance

but then uh oh pulitzer threatens remus and the Bro Trio and roman is forced to speak out against the strike or risk ruining the lives of everyone he loves. and also he finds out that janus is pulitzer’s son and is Betrayed TM

theres some “he’s just trying to build up a false confidence in u so u can plummet to even greater depths” parallels in there somewhere....u can’t trust many people as a newsie and when roman DOES trust someone turns out he’s the son of the guy ur trying to fight

so roman says overnight in pulitzer’s basement, sleeping on an uncomfortable old printing press, and makes his decision

now for the RALLY

remy is spot conlon bc he DESERVES to be the leader of the brooklyn newsies. brooklyn, flushing, richmond, etc all show up to a newsies rally and are like YEAH!!! STRIKE!!!!

virgil is trying to tame the crowd nervously and keeps waiting for roman to show up bc they work best when theyre working together!!!! finally roman’s there and virgil introduces him (the attention isnt solely on him now thank gosh)

but then roman starts talking about how they dont stand a chance and how they shouldnt go on strike and virgil is just. confused and upset and angry

especially when he sees one of pulitzer’s employees slipping roman wads of money

virgil corners roman afterwards and is absolutely RIPPING into him. roman could fix this if he would just tell virgil the truth, tell him he doesn’t care about the money, he just wanted to keep him and patton and logan safe—

but roman knows if he tells virgil, then virgil will turn all his anger towards pulitzer, will be able to convince roman to keep going, and roman won’t. he can’t put virgil, put his family, at risk.

so he lies.

he doesn’t mean any of it. but he says it.

and maybe he kind of understands why janus lied, too.

he says he’s never had anyone to take care of him or remus, not like virgil does with his parents and his older brother. he says virgil will never know what it’s like.

virgil scoffs and glares and beneath all his fury looks crushed. but there’s still fire in his eyes, a spark roman saw that first day that only grew and engulfed any doubts virgil ever had.

roman says he’ll take the money and go, leave new york behind.

virgil says fine. we don’t need you. because you know what? all those words you said were mine. i didn’t have the courage to say them back then but now i do. we don’t need you.

(because i watched that scene in the movie and like YES go OFF davey i mean virgil)

roman flees to his “bedroom” which is really just a fire escape and just longs for remus’ reassurance. he has the letter but it doesn’t seem as encouraging now, not when he’s lost everything else important to him.

then janus shows up and roman’s mad at him but not mad enough to kick him out. and janus watched roman just give up on everything they’ve been fighting for and just wants to know WHY. why did he turn his back on the newsies when they were so close?

and roman, tired and upset and defeated, just says they wouldn’t succeed. even if all the newsies went on strike no one would report on it, anyway, because pultizer has all the printing presses on lockdown, even the one janus published from. and they already lost once! what more could they possibly do?

roman looks out over the railing, chest heaving from his rant, longing for his imaginary santa fe where he doesn’t have to face his failures. janus stands next to him and puts his hand over roman’s.

“i don’t have a simple answer to that question....but here’s a start.”

and janus pulls out a paper with roman’s words (well, and virgil’s, because virgil said it first but roman rephrased it powerfully, and that’s why they worked as a team) typed out, words that make the strike not about newsies but about ALL working children in the city who are being exploited for their youth and naivety.

it’s an entire article, expertly written. if published it would get the word out to the other newsies that they haven’t given up and show other working children and adults alike that this is IMPORTANT and they aren’t going away.

and then roman remembers his drawings of the refuge and remus’ graphic descriptions and shows them to janus and hey!!! they have a plan!!! they just need to print it....

roman’s like yo there’s an old press in ur dad’s basement he’d never suspect anything

and theyre both so excited and theyre gonna DO this, FINALLY, and janus sees hope on roman’s face again, maybe permanently this time, and janus just leans in and kisses him.

its very sweet and cute and theyre in LOVE

they pull back and kinda stand there awkwardly for a few seconds before both of them start grinning

and they both know its fragile, that they’ve hurt each other and trust was cracked, but it wasn’t broken completely, and they can fix this. they believe in each other and that’s enough for now.

and then they go find virgil at his house

roman knocks on the door and virgil opens it and just. glares at roman. and roman starts rambling apologies and explanations and tries to tell virgil about their plan and did he mention he’s sorry

virgil kinda just stares at him as he goes on and on and the only thing that stops him is patton running out and launching himself at roman

then logan appears behind virgil, and virgil kinda just smiles

“glad to have u back. again.”

and then they go sneak into pulitzer’s basement and print the article with jan’s writing and ro’s drawings and remus’ descriptions and the other newsies go spread the papers ALL around the city

the next morning EVERYONE is out on strike!!! u cant get ANYWHERE without seeing ppl, newsies or otherwise, filling the streets with chants of “seize the day”

roman, with the Bro Trio and Janus trailing close behind, waltzs on in to pulitzer’s office and flings the money pulitzer gave him back on the desk and is like whatcha gonna do NOW, joe??

pulitzer angrily tells them he’s a fool for going back on their deal and logan steps in sayin pulitzer is a fool for letting this get so out of hand over a 10 cent price increase. his sales are down 70%!! objectively the price increase was like the worst business decision ever

virgil’s like plus it’s making u look bad that ur business is the reason most of these kids are suffering. people really love kids, mr pulitzer and patton smiles brightly but in like a menacing way

then emile walks in with a ~dazzling smile~ and is like ur son told me about this whole situation, it’d be a shame if i contacted my good friend governor roosevelt who won’t be as kind as these brave newsies since u tried so hard to stop him from being elected :)

((in the show roosevelt is actually there but i want emile to have a moment to SHINE))

so pulitzer’s like FINE and talks to roman alone and roman wears him down, throwing words from janus, virgil, and pulitzer himself right in pulitzer’s face until FINALLY they have a deal. he’ll lower the prices by half AND pulitzer will buy back whatever they don’t sell full price

roman bursts out of the office into the streets where all the newsies are waiting and is like WE WONNN

and since they published all that stuff about the refuge in the paper, the guy who runs it is being arrested and REMUS IS FREE

the twins hug for like a full two minutes

then pulitzer offers roman a job as a political cartoonist and roman’s like. well idk now that this is over i should probably...head out

bc lowkey he’s thinking virgil still doesn’t wanna see roman ever again and he did say he would leave, so

but then virgil’s like come on, ro, you don’t really think we want u to leave, do u? what’s santa fe got that new york aint? tarantulas? sandstorms? stampedes? you can’t go to santa fe what if you DIE—

and logan says new york’s got us!

patton: and we’re family, right?

then janus is like you got a union to lead! and...you got me.

and remus is like bro, anyone can dream, all you do is close ur eyes! but some made up world is all you’ll ever see. (bc he’s the wordsy one, u see. he helps roman have the poetic realization that his santa fe isn’t real, but this IS)

so roman says well if u guys INSIST.....and then he takes jan’s hand and kinda asks w his eyes and then kisses jan in front of all the newsies who proceed to cheer obnoxiously

when they break apart roman leads janus by the hand over to the paper-buying-cart and slaps some couns down on the table and BUYS SOME PAPERS BC THEYRE NEWSIES BABEY

and everyone lived happily ever after🥰

[silenceofthemongooses]

hi! I hope I'm not bothering you but I can see ur attending CU. I'm planning on applying to either the school of art or engineering, but I'm leaning more towards art. I'm really at a loss when it comes to applying, home tests,and the general enviorment of the school.. and what to do after I graduate so I was just curious on what that's all like :0 sorry for making this so long .. thank u for ur time!

OMG THIS IS THE ASK I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR MY WHOLE LIFE I LOVE TALKING ABOUT COOPER

i’m putting it under a readmore bc it got crazy long??? i’m not even to the part where i yell about applications yet and it’s like ten paragraphs lmao

so. 

first things first. 

i applied to cooper in the first place because when i took the tour (best fucking college tour i took the whole time, by the way. all of the guides LOVE cooper and they love telling you about it, so if you get a chance, defo go on the tour bc theyre way more honest and you get a better feel for the school than on any other tour) one of the things that they emphasized was the student community., one told me that once when she walked into the EE lab and asked to borrow someone’s phone charger because hers had frayed so badly it wasn’t working. not only did someone give her a charger, but they fixed her charger until she could get a new one. 

and when i got here, it’s totally fucking true. cooper is a community in every definition of the word. everyone is totally willing to help you in any way that they can, because that’s the kind of people that cooper admits and then fosters that behavior. 

now. the reason they foster this behavior is because it’s a fucking hard school. the standard course load for a freshman engineer first semester is 18.5 credits, spread out over 7 classes plus a professional seminar. and yeah, some of those are only one or two credit classes, but they still have homework and class time. it is a rigorous schedule that only gets harder. professor alan wolf (physics, more on him later maybe? i have him next semester, we’ll see if the Rumors are true) said at an engineering faculty panel that he wants physics to be moved to first semester of freshman year (instead of second) because the transition from “an easy first semester” to a semester with physics and calc 2 was too difficult for a lot of students. everyone around me groaned when he said the first semester was easy. 

and this is just the engineering school! the art school is hard as hell too. keep in mind that what i know about the art program is just synthesized from talking to art students and not at all from personal experience. but. 

the first year of art is a foundation year. they assume you don’t know anything, and break you down to basics. the art ra in the dorms said her freshman year was incredibly hard for her both as an artist and as a person just because she was confronted with all these other talented people and having to face that she wasn’t The Artist in school anymore. i regularly leave the student lounge (menschel) at two in the morning only for art kids to walk in, holding all of their materials (although, not anymore, since someone got charcoal all over the tables in 3a lmao) and settling in for another all-nighter. 

cooper is a culture of intense rigor and stress, and there is no overcoming that. but it’s also a culture of community and supporting each other. it’s a really specific kind of school that some people find just isn’t for them. 

also, cooper is like, really small. like. very small. here are some of the things you will encounter because of cooper union’s limited budget and facilities, and which you basically have to accept:

no dining hall. there’s frankie’s cafe in the new academic building (also known as the engineering building, most commonly referred to as the nab) but otherwise there is absolutely no meal plan. frankie’s has like, sandwiches and muffins and bagels and (terrible) coffee, but it is in no way a full college dining hall. 

no gym. i think at one point we were allowed to use nyu’s facilities? no longer. almost everyone i know belongs to a gym. i myself visit the planet fitness on union square maaaybe once a month when i guilt myself into it. blink is a popular option. if you’re willing to spare the cash equinox is also there. crunch is the one that everyone kind of makes fun of but like it’s super close so go for it if you want. 

small supporting staff. this is both a blessing and a curse. i know everyone in the student affairs office by first name and usually they know me. i think at this point i’ve met everyone in the financial aid department. cool, because it means that they know me. bad, because it means i’ve had to talk to all of them to figure out what the hell is going on with my scholarships and how much money i actually know. this is not a school where there are online systems in place to fix any problems you have. you have to be your own advocate to the administration, and as much as they desperately want to help you, a lot of the time it comes down to just making sure your paperwork goes through. good news is you almost never have to make an appointment to talk to someone you just show up. 

very little interaction between the schools. there are three schools. art, architecture, and engineering. engineering is by far the most populated, followed by art, then architecture. if i didn’t live with two artists, i would never talk to anyone in art or architecture. yes, the hss classes are multidisciplinary, but just statistically, engineers far outweigh the artists. there weren’t even any architects in my hss1 class. if you don’t make the effort to reach out beyond your school, it straight up doesn’t happen. 

sometimes when you go to the basics plus to get some hangers because you ordered too many shirts online and now they’re just kind of shoved in your drawers and when the cashier asks if you have a student id and you pull out your cooper id she’s like “oh! is that local?” and you have to smile and say yes and when you walk out of the store you can see the foundation building down third with absolutely no problem

there’s more and i’ll think of them later but this is good for now

ANYWAYS i have a lot more thoughts on the culture of cooper??? but i think i’m going to leave it here because this is a decent overview of how i feel and what the most important parts are. 

now.

for applying.

again, i applied to and am in the engineering school. everything i know about the art school is based on talking to art students

also, i am in no way affiliated with the actual admissions department and the following is just based on my experiences as someone who applied and talking to other people who applied

also at first i thought you were applying this cycle and i was like. honey. this is not enough time for either application

BUT THEN i put an ounce more thought into it and realized not everyone younger than me is a high school senior lmao

anyways!

both applications are really intensive. to get art out of the way (sorry art) it’s a series of prompts that you have to create a piece in response to. some artists i know got crazy super stressed about it, and pulled so many all nighters, and skipped a lot of homework to do it, and overall just did not enjoy it. one of my artist roommates, however, said that she actually really enjoyed the process? she just let herself create without worrying “is this what will get me in?” and felt that it was a really great experience. 

either way, you’re going to have an interesting experience. 

for the engineering writing prompts, it’s a goddamn marathon. there were nine, i think, when i applied? i applied to eleven schools and i had to write seventeen supplements. the ratio of supplement-to-school was way off and its all cooper’s fault lmao

there isn’t a word minimum, but there is a word maximum per essay, a fact i discovered as i was copy-pasting mine into the commonapp from my googledocs file. i think the max is 500 words? not positive tho don’t quote me

anyways they’re all fairly standard questions. like, nothing out of the blue like chicago’s or whatever. but keep in mind that this is honestly where you’re going to get admitted. a lot of people apply to cooper. and a lot of those people will have the same exact stats as you (btw, sat/act scores and gpa matter slightly more for engineers than for artists and architects) and the way to distinguish yourself is through your writing. cooper admits you as a person because they believe you’ll add to their community and then to the world, not because you got a perfect score on whatever. 

so i, at least, let myself be a little freer in my cooper essays than in any other supplement. some of them i could answer right away (why cooper? why engineering?) and some of them i had to think about for a few days. the last one i wrote was the “tell us about something you read recently”. i wrote about staying up until three in the morning reading a novel and crying. i wrote it the next day because i realized that’s like, exactly who i am as a person. 

the biggest tip i have for writing these essays in general (not just for cooper) is to watch food network star or something similar. the contestants get prompted on how to hook an audience (hey, you want to do that too!) in a short amount of time (word count) and tell a story that relates to both them and their food (a story that relates to you and and why you’re going to be a bombass cooper student) like, just watch a few, and then you’ll kind of have the flow of it down, and you can figure out how to work it into your own writing

just like, really show who you are. i know it can be tempting to put on this facade, and to a certain extent you should (do not, for example, tell them about the time you got so drunk you pissed your pants) but do your best to express yourself, in either application. 

um anyways i am always down to talk about any aspect of The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, so if you ever want any more info on anything, hit up my inbox!

my points of expertise include the dorms, classes, stanislav mintchev the greatest math professor in the history of the world, ray’s pizza, sitting in the engineering student council meetings and listening to all the Hot Goss, and more

i mighttttt end up putting up like “a week in my life” post at some point because i always think those are cool and maybe it would be neato

we’ll see

(if anyone want to see that…… or anything else……. lmk……..)

[ohdarlings]

hey! first of all I wanna say I love your blog so much! and I’ve been following you since a long time now 💕 I’m planning to move somewhere in europe anytime soon (I’m from USA yikessss!) And I wanted to know if England is a really place to live in? How’d you describe it? the people? what’s your favorite city?? Idk!!! anything would help

oh ! this is so sweet tysm hun !!! ♡♡ cold rainy england,,,i’ll try my best !! lmao

as a general rule, the further up north you go, the friendlier. and i’d say if youre gunna move here, definitely move to a city! it’s generally easier to meet people, the people are usually friendlier, there’s always something to do, but i assume that’s the same anywhere really!! 

i’l start w sheffield bc my sister lives there and she loves it! it’s pretty, youve got the peak district at your doorstep, the people are friendly, nightlife is cool, loads of little cafes, restaurants, bars, nd it’s got them typical old english buildings if that’s what ur into! and i like manchester, too! the centre is nice, it’s a super easy place to imagine urself living, the music scene’s good, the museum is so nice there??? the people are fun, but idk if it’s as easy to vibe with coming from the us as somewhere like london! i love it tho, and i was very close to moving there for uni! i’ll mention liverpool as well, bc it’s where i live lmao. honestly, not to sound like a typical scouser, but i really havent found a friendlier city. people will just talk to you though, so if ur not into strangers wanting a chat, maybe not for u! but town is great, there’s honestly a lot of great food and culture and history, too. it’s pretty as well, the docks, the old buildings, the parks, there’s a lot of nice music venues, the museums, the library. nd it’s so much cheaper than most cities. like seriously. a v easy place to live imo !

and london! i mean that’s the ideal for most people, really. you could live there for years and have only seen half of it. and it can seem v cold and businessy, but like .. anyone you speak to is literally always lovely. i’d be surprised if you could get lost without someone approaching you with directions. it’s the easiest place to live and work in the world, but it’s always busy and expensive … like something there could be double the price than the rest of the country. also, noone drives bc it’s a nightmare! you dont need to anway, bc public transport is v affordable and easy to navigate, like omg. the easiest underground system ever. notting hill is nice .. you know where paddington lives lol, but every part of london has a different vibe, a slightly different culture, so i’d imagine it takes a bit of moving around if you’ve never been before! 

also ik the work visas if youre coming from the usa aren’t the easiest to qualify for, so i’d look that up !! i’m aware this is pr positive, but i’ve only listed places where the people are welcoming and not all big fat tories and horrid! lmao, i will say it’s generally more fast paced and high strung than the rest of europe, but i imagine it’s easier to work here than in america! guaranteed two weeks paid holiday, sick pay, paid maternity leave, union access! and free healthcare, for everyone, babey! so yeah! hope theres something there for u!! oh and good luck w the accents lmao💓

[whyshanti]

twenty nineteen. periodt.

i genuinely felt the need to write this because i was bored i have not written anything in a really long time. but mostly because there’s only a few who might read this and not care afterwards. it sucks to not be able to do something that i used to enjoy for quite a while. but here i am!

a lot of thoughts to unburden and a lot of unspoken feelings to unpack. let’s get to it, bih.

1. this year felt like it was dragging on. i wanted it to end asap.

so this year, i actually had A LOT of time. where did it go? 

to: movies, series, anime, music, watching youtube videos, breakdowns, feeling stuck & paralyzed,  academics, reading articles about pop culture & mainstream shit, going out with friends, chatting random ppl at night bc i thought i could trust them (and some of them, i can), and etc.

but on a more serious note, i really was more into the world of media, of both mainstream and indie worlds. i still can’t believe i got through this semester when i have been doing these things unrelated to uni. some ppl are also baffled by this activity log that i have. 

point is: i felt like a walking zombie. probably looked like one as well. there is this routine that i have to do and i got really sick of myself. i didn’t have the motivation to strive more. i was always either sleeping (at least for the first half of the year) or watching. it all feels lifeless. the latter part of the year, my body clock was wrecked. i did not like the weather during daytime. at all. i slept during the day when i did not have classes then i was awake at night. but i try to get as much sleep as i can because my health is declining. i think.

also this year felt like it had 3 sequels. unnecessary, boring, full-of-jump-scares type of sequels. fuck.

2. feeling anxious and chill at the same time.

the only thing that made me feel chill at the latter part of the year is the fact that this shit... like all these shitty things we’ve been doing... will pass anyway. 

i don’t know if it’s because of the new system that was implemented but it definitely feels like the stress levels were high only during exam weeks. for real. i am grateful to have THAT kind of “stress privilege (??)” but i also wish i was stressing over something that gives me LIFE. i know i’m studying for something that will actually help me provide something for myself and for my family but my soul (oh crap here’s where things get cheesy) screams i should do something else. 

my friend always tells me to chill but i couldn’t because there’s always that nagging thought that i have to do something productive everyday. i think it stems from past disappointments, failed expectations from ppl close to me, and just basically feeling like a failure. i’m a frantic mess who somehow has the time to do unnecessary things. wish the energy was put into finishing acads on time or earlier, but here we are. think they meant that i should be chill with mysef. to be kind to myself. to not panic and breathe.

another thing is that there’s a load of information shoved in my head that really paralyzes me to act on something.

3. leaving behind the things i’ve outgrown.

it’s so funny how i’ve met few new people this year who i already treasure only to have quite a number of people to walk out of my life.

it’s not really surprising to me. i think we all wanted it to happen anyway. i’m just happy that things kind of subtly fell apart for things to make more sense. the feeling is kind of like how a misplaced puzzle piece is put into its rightful place. finally, i don’t have to force myself and i think the feelings are mutual. anyway, this year was a revelation in itself despite how dragging the pacing felt. love how the gunk went out and i see now what i’ve been blind to. chuck the deuce! definitely a thank u, next moment.

4. meeting new people, unexpected unions.

i definitely did not expect to form connections and be reunited with some of my old friends this year. also witnessed deepened friendships. 

there’s always this thing where i put my energy on a high level when i’m meeting new people just to seem decent and happy then slowly revealing how tired, sad, and boring i can be. then there’s that fear of losing people’s interest in me or people not becoming excited to talk to me about... anything really. never thought i’d have this fear of losing certain people in my life. i want to detach myself from that and from people themselves too (in a healthy way ofc). 

i’ve never ever felt like i could lose people in an instant. there’s that thing where i worry if i’m too much or i’m lacking for people. so i appreciate people who let me know if i’m crossing the line or if i’m doing something that completely annoys them because i really want to be part of people’s lives, meaningfully and genuinely. a good one. i don’t want to half-ass my relationships with other people and i seek loving relationships that thrive and inspire where it doesn’t only get good at the start but is continually progressing even when we don’t see each other often. it’s fascinating how as we get older, we see how relationships are not as simple as we think they are but really are simple at the same time. we have different goals, we are at different stages in our lives, we are facing shit that nobody else seems to understand and things that don’t seem to end, and we can only hope that our mere presence and emotionally available hearts will listen to whatever the other person has to unburden. 

to somehow let them know that they don’t need permission to rest and to do things that they are afraid of pursuing. 

4a. discovering new artists.

AURORA: the most underrated artist for sure. watched every interview/video/set because she is that bitch. her SONGS, man. i swear. she is that ethereal fairy from the forest. her fucking voice just draws me in. she deserved a better role in frozen 2 tho. she needs to be a lead in a musical animated movie. idc idc i said what i said.

beabadoobee: fucking rockstar, reviving the 90s grunge music and looks.

Billie Eilish: a badass. hate how she still stans bieber tho. 

5. daydreaming of a new life.

you don’t know how many times i’ve been dreaming to have a big house. 

it’s time. we really need a new house. i’m not, as what the kids say, vibing with this old house anymore. this is what i wish to leave behind as soon as possible. how do i even get the MONEY to afford it? i’m just hoping for a miracle to happen, you know. i really wish my family gets to be in a better home soon.

i think if u know me, u might have caught me spacing out a few times. 

idk why this always happens. it’s so rude to the person speaking to me but my mind literally drifts off to another planet. it’s not that they’re boring. i just can’t help it. i feel like shit thinking about how many times it has happened to me. 

sometimes, i dream of being this whole new different person. 

someone who is better than who i am. someone who is good at something and is passionate about the things she does. there are a lot of things i am interested in doing but i don’t have the courage to actually do it. idk why i always turn into a statue when i think of things that i wanna do.

6. God.

it’s been a long time. i have lost contact with You but You are always there to patch things up for me. every effin’ time. i cry everytime.

it must be because i was raised in a christian setting. that’s why i always think it’s You who’s working behind the scenes. but still i am grateful.

saved me from certain people.

saved me this semester.

saved me from pulling worthless all-nighters.

provided me financially esp when i thought i had nothing.

prevented a severe acid reflux situation.

gave me new friends.

did literally so many things that saved me from bad situations and people in general like WHO DOES THAT??

7. a life without a plan.

this is literally what i wanted to happen. not carelessly but like where i don’t have to worry about what to do next. just let things be and go with the flow. the first half of this year, i really did not think things through as i normally would and i let plans fall just to enjoy what was in front of me. be at ease and be present during that time. and i did. it was a peaceful, cheery time tbh.

8. every day i wanted to start over just to get over a lot of things.

9. i missed a lot of ppl.

10. i wanted to be held. not by a certain someone. not romantically. but by anyone close to me. *plays i’m with you by avril lavigne*

sometimes we all just need a long hug. that’s all. and it’d be nice to hear more stories from people. :)

11. not everybody will reciprocate the same energy that i send out to them and it’s okay.

this bummed me out. felt like an effin’ loser but i’ve learned that people have businesses to do. life doesn’t always happen the way we want it to.

12. this the final year of college. just finish it already, dumbass. 

13. why can’t i just be kathryn bernardo or AURORA for like a month or a year? i promise i will not ruin their careers lmao.

14. i want to make major changes in my stupid life but money is an issue.

15. the stars are below the sky now.

the state of the environment is the same as of our minds. polluted and overloaded with gibberish to the point that we get scared of doing one thing at a time and where we also don’t throw away the unnecessary baggage/s. 

we’re so intent on doing things all at the same time. finishing everything in one sitting. being productive became an addiction and it scared me how i was becoming affected by this. there’s this constant thought that we collectively share which is to do something by every day and it only adds up to people’s anxiety and depression. social media definitely made us aware of mental illnesses/disorders but then it became a trend. people self-diagnose themselves and end up with the wrong treatment. some people use it as a tool to get followers and... ugh it’s all a mess. i hope people get the right treatment/s AND/or professional help because if they don’t, they’ll lose themselves. i mean... just look at the sky. there’s literally no sign of a star now if u live in the city. we’ve lost sight of what should guide us. we are unconsciously following a false light thru our devices. 

i’m not good at analogies or at explaining things as u can tell. but moving on...

this hyper self-awareness that i have gained from social media has its advantages but is also distracting me from living my best life. i didn’t realize that i was making my own christmas lights inside my seemingly dark mind when really... it’s just clouded by all this information that’s coming in fast and has affected who i am and certain areas of my life. i’ve almost forgotten this and i’ve come to believe again that there’s always an ever-present light and it will take time to get used to its brightness once my mind gets clearer by the day. hopefully, it will.

anyway, CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL AND WE NEED TO SAVE EARTH. 

16. men are trash. 

17. the people who i should avoid always looks odd or unpleasant and has bad energy. i know shit when i sense one. 

18. i’m not happy with my life and with who i am but i’ll work with what i’ve got.

life gives u a mirror and shits on your face. sheesh.

for some reason, i can’t forget what my adviser told me during my 4th year of high school. she told me “it seems like you’re a person full of regrets” and every time i have a cryfest, i think of that. idk why. (never underestimate the power of a few words, folks). you know how like in flow charts, u encounter decision points? the diamond shapes? i think i always decide no and end up with the worst consequence and then there’s no more starting over. 

i don’t think i understand flow charts well. ugh. 

i can’t come up with a cool transition to me having insecurities so let’s say i did!

some people’s beauty, inspiring. but others just make you feel like shit.

i really want to explore my feminine side more because i was more masculine when i was younger. i’m not gentle, i’m a bit aggressive. and it just doesn’t fit with who i want to be. idk why. and also, it’s fun (!!!). you get a taste of what it’s like and it’s so EMPOWERING at least for the short experience that i had. but can make me feel very conscious of my entire being and i just end up wearing cartoony disguises. ironic but BABY STEPS. when i think about it, there’s really no black or white answer whether this or that is feminine or masculine.  

self-love is not a 5-step process. 

it is continuous improvement of oneself to the point where you don’t give a fuck about what they say. i really envy the ones who are comfortable in their own skin, who are totally embracing their flaws. they just bloom. some people just look like them. like it’s SO THEM. unmistakably them. and i think if everyone had that, we would not have standards anymore.

oh, to live in a time where individuality is encouraged but is also discouraged when not lived up to its standards. hurray.

19. this year was the year of mindless decisions. periodt.

20. hoping that the new year, 2020, will be the year of CLARITY where i know who i really am, embracing it, and where i will not be taking anymore of anyone’s bullshit. where i know where i stand in my relationships with other people and vice versa. there will be intentional but meaningful endings that will pave the way for blossoming beginnings. 

let’s hope it unfolds the way it should be. for the better.

bonus: nobody knows what the fuck they’re doing. everyone’s just going with the flow. be yourself.

note: this is a compilation of thoughts, informally. thank u.

[yakumtsaki]

Welcome, dear readers, to a very special episode™ of the Unions. As evident above the blurry pic curse has hit me hard, so all non-Union posting is suspended until tumblr fixes whatever the fuck is currently happening, cause I’m not about to waste 200 hours of nll posing on this low-d shit. 

But you know, just because staff is busy with what I can only assume is a very intense fellatio session, doesn’t mean we can’t too have our fun! So join us this evening for the magical tale of... Daniel Union getting rejected by every female townie in a 200 mile radius.

Our troubles first begin when Daniel brings Heidi, Girl of the Alps home from school. Idk why but this townie has always been extremely unlikable to me, prob bc she’s like a low budget, bland version of the iconic Meadow Thayer. We all know who the og teen slut is so nice try bitch!

Things with Heidi are going well enough, with Daniel tempting her with some gossip about...take a wild fucking guess. That’s right, it is OF COURSE about the cats fighting. Komei has ruined this family in so many ways.

-Please don’t tell anyone about the cats fighting, Heidi, my father would be heartbroken if word got out!

-Don’t worry, Daniel, this secret is following me to the grave! Thanks for trusting me ♡

Framing the trash can in this shot was obviously the right call. Enough of this lameness, time to take things to the next level. Go for it Dan!

UGH HEIDI

-Uuum I’m sorry Daniel but I’m not interested in a relationship with someone poor as shit right now.

Wow not even our fellow trailer trash wants us! Talk about a wake up call. Don’t worry Daniel, I have a feeling the next girl is going to be the one...

......then again, maybe not. Looks like word about Daniel has spread to a degree where the rejection process is getting automatized. The future is now!

-Uhhh I can’t really make out what your shirt says, let me bring my face as inappropriately close as possible, I’m sure that will do the trick..

-Yea and so would getting your wrist broken, pussyboi. Just give me your lunch money and no one gets hurt.

-I knew I shouldn’t have trusted someone with the Kennedy Cox face template! God, you are all the worst.

Let’s not bring up the topic of face templates in this house Dan, the Komei wound has yet to heal. It’s ok tho boo, third time is always the charm..

NICE. The third girl Daniel brings home from school is puuurty Lakshmi over here. She’s definitely out of our league but its nothing a little bribery can’t fix. Lakshmi, if you give Daniel his first kiss I promise I will change your hair to something that doesn’t make you look like a forehead-less freak, just please do it, his aspiration meter is truly pathetic.

-I happen to think this hair looks great on me so no thnx. 

Well here’s hoping Lakshmi's poor eyesight works in Daniel’s favor. 

-So, even tho you’re in private school you’re obviously poor as shit. How does that work?

-Uh actually this house is merely a decoy so we can hide our immense wealth from potential thieves.

WOW shame on you Daniel, what kind of class treachery! Ronron and Marx are both judging you.

-Yea, my bullshit detector is going off the charts right now, I’m just gonna gtfo.

-Well it’s not my fault if you never had to live with the constant threat of people who couldn’t cut it in the, uh, glorious free market envying your hard earned gains!

DANIEL JFC sell your soul for a dollar why don’t you!

Well fuck me, it worked. Honestly Daniel, you are one spineless piece of crap, I can’t believe I was about to make all those Lenin t-shirts for you. You can obviously kiss them goodbye now!

-Like I care, as long as I kiss Lakshmi goodbye. Vladimir would understand! 

Yea the headmaster is here for Gunther so that’s not happening. Betrayed your beliefs for nothing! 

-I’m just gonna call you later babe, take you out on the town for a good old bourgie date.

Disgusting.

LMAOOO Daniel gets rejected for a sneak out by someone he’s FRIENDS WITH. I legit have never had this happen before. Serves you right turncoat!

-Well whatever, human affection is vastly inferior to feline one anyway..

Ah, so here it is, can’t run from your genes forever! I’ve been trying to save these kids from the Komei jaw when the real problem was meowing us right in the face. RIP Daniel’s social abilities. We hardly knew ye.

[madigabz]

8-02 Hey baby, I was doing some reading yesterday & earlier today. Wanted to share some stuff just so you can read about some interesting things. Like chanting. It's pretty intriguing to me but idk if you'll like it. I was going to journal before work but I didn't give myself enough time. I slept in bc I didn't sleep the other night lol. My life is a mess but at least I have fun with it. Well I try to anyway. I wish I could have you here to relax and calm me down before work. I get so anxious sometimes about things. Never realized how much shit gets me going..worked up I guess you could say? Not really but I'm just OCD af and always on tip. I took a quarter of an addy bc I wanna study a lot tn. But it gets my heart racing still lol. I can definitely concentrate and focus more bc I truly do have adhd but I think it fucks w that heart murmur i have. Idk I like taking it & smoking too. I was emotional & soooo horny the last couple of days and I started my period i think? It might just be light but that's good! I hate how periods fuck up your hormones and make you so emotional lol. A little hope to not be negative & thinking I can't have kids. Even tho you said you can't bc you've blown in a lot of girls and nothing's happened -.- you're the only bf I've ever felt protective over. I think it's bc you're promiscuous:p. It'd be nice to have a conversation about life and share a bowl w you. Get fucked before work and be in a better mood ;) ughhh I can't wait! Do you remember sending me a pic back in like November I think? It was on our fb mssgs & it makes me wet just thinking about you bending me over the bed D: I was sad this am just in pain from yoga yesterday and I just want to be fit and healthy. Hate that one workout takes a week to not be in excruciating pain. Makes me stick to my diet more tho. Yoga and meditating with you:) Alan you're the best thing that has ever happened to me and I can't wait to be the mother of your babies one day<3 I reread your last letter again. Makes me have a piece of you in the day. Woke up and read it, it gets me through a lot of days. I feel like I can't be as positive as can be if I don't smoke. You've been sober since before New Years... and I'm just so fucking proud of you, dealing with everything the way you have been. I mean it when I say that it has proven to me that you really have grown up and became a man. I know you aren't the person you were 5 yrs ago, a yr ago or even since January... You are still my rock & strength even though you're locked up. Still my reason for my effort in life. Thank you for making me feel like everything is okay. Even if you don't say it all the time, I know you're a hard headed, strong mother fucking person and I'm in love with you. I think I make you a better person and you do the same for me. You're my motivation babe and I thought about that while I was bummin' out earlier. It's why I read your letter :) but when I had that thought "Fast Car" came on and it was like a sign :b not trying to sound gullible and silly but it was like a "relax your shoulders, breathe, you're going to get what you deserve. Everything is going to be okay." It was like I had you pulling me in and reassuring me I'm not kidding. I remember standing in front of the mirror or cooking in the kitchen and you'd wrap your hands around me from behind. God I love you... I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Please don't fuck me over. I gotta get to work:( but it's my ticket to come see you!!! I'll link everything later to this letter... I take pics through out the day and wanna just check in like you're apart of my everyday life. Love you so fucking much!! 4:20 & I think I might play with myself before work(; write later babes:* 8-07 so it's been a couple of days now and I'm sorry I haven't wrote to you. Im doing a bunch of interviews and what not through out the day still. I just got hired at bdubs & it's the closest restaurant to campus so I know I'll make good $!!!! I have a couple interviews this week for nannying & massaging. Things are finally coming together!! We have both weathered the storm and I truly believe we are going to get rewarded for being so positive and understanding our circumstances. I'm at my first day of training at bdubs..I was doing paperwork and I saw that sammi requested to follow me on instagram, I seriously got tears in my eyes. I didn't know if she hated me or not. I told her to call me sometime when she is able to, it has made my whole day! I'm hoping you call tonight but idk what your sanctioned days were. I'm guessing fri-sun but idk..so many meetings and stuff rn I'm trying to stay on top of everything. Irdk how moms do their daily stuff, their husbands stuff, housework, providing/ working, bills, baby, drs, everything! I need to learn how to manage my time better. I wish i could teleport to you & spoon you in your bed tn. Please stay positive about October Alan, it's the only thing I'm holding onto. I hope you like all of the stuff I'm going to share w you. I thought it might make you think a little more hopeful. I've been talking to your mom quite a bit lately, would you want me to ask her to come when I visit the weekend of the 24th? We are about to start touring & what not but I wanted to check in w you. I love you so much Alan<3 -Chanting protects us from negative energies: In the state of meditation the mind is thoughtless. In this state, some negative energy can trouble us. On the other hand, a protective sheath that wards off negative energies is formed around us when we chant.-Nowadays many people practice meditation as a psychological self-improvement technique rather than a tool for spiritual growth. the benefits derived from such meditation are also at a psychological level. Based on the above comparison, for spiritual growth in today’s era, chanting is of greater value. If you already meditate with the intention of achieving spiritual growth, we recommend you complement it with the spiritual practice of chanting.-Om Mani Padme Hum:The two syllables, "padme", meaninglotus, symbolize wisdom. ... Thus the six syllables, "om mani padme hum", mean that in dependence on the practice of a path which is an indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech, and mind into the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha"-Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu mantra: "May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.” *(I used to "pray" or ask the universe everyday to for 'the world get happier and safer each day. & whatever happens to me, I'm able to walk away with a smile on my face' I have said the same thing since I was like around 10 yo.) -You should reach the large bead (or tassel) after 108 repetitions. When you do so, it is traditional to turn the beads around and continue in the opposite direction. Now repeat your mantra silently 108 times, moving one bead at a time, as before. Meditate for a few minutes. Do this by sitting quietly and envisioning your chosen form of the divine within your heart or at the point on your forehead between your eyes. If thoughts come, let them come, but realize that you are not your thoughts, and gently dismiss them.!!!!!!!!*(THIS IS THE BEST SENTENCE I HAVE READ) -Increase the number of mantra repetitions and amount of time in meditation as you have the time and inclination to do so, and are able to do with concentration.You may also repeat your mantra silently throughout the day as often as possible!- Mantra recitation, which is called japa (“muttering”) in Sanskrit, has been an important aspect of Yoga practice since Vedic times. It consists of the repetition of the same mantra, which can be composed of a single syllable (e.g., om) or a string of mantric sounds (e.g., om namah shivaya). As Patanjali reminds us, the yogic path is propelled by practice and dispassion, and significantly, the Sanskrit term for practice—abhyasa—means “repetition.” Through repetition we create either positive or negative habit patterns. Mantra japa produces positive mental tracks, helping us to gradually overcome spiritual darkness. It is a powerful technique for focusing the mind and for harnessing the body/mind’s subtle energies in completing the yogic path of self-transformation. As stated in the concluding chapter of the Kularnava Tantra: “Japa is so-called because it removes the sin accumulated in thousands of lives and because it reveals the Supreme Deity.” The greatest “sin,” of course, is ignorance of our own true nature.-I will put the Law of Least Effort into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps: " 1. I will practice Acceptance. Today I will accept people, situations, circumstances, and events as they occur. I will know that this moment is as it should be, because the whole universe is as it should be. I will not struggle against the whole universe by struggling against this moment. My acceptance is total and complete. I accept things as they are this moment, not as I wish they were. 2. Having accepted things as they are, I will take Responsibility for my situation and for all those events I see as problems. I know that taking responsibility means not blaming anyone or anything for my situation (and this includes myself). I also know that every problem is an opportunity in disguise, and this alertness to opportunities allows me to take this moment and transform it into a greater benefit. 3. Today my awareness will remain established in Defenselessness. I will relinquish the need to defend my point of view, and I will feel no need to persuade others to accept my point of view. I will remain open to all points of view and not be rigidly attached to any one of them."- Least effort is expended when your actions are motivated by love, because nature is held together by the energy of love. When you seek power and control over other people, you waste energy. When you seek money or power for the sake of the ego, you spend energy chasing the illusion of happiness instead of enjoying happiness in the moment. When you seek money for personal gain only, you cut off the flow of energy to yourself, and interfere with the expression of nature's intelligence. But when your actions are motivated by love, there is no waste of energy. When your actions are motivated by love, your energy multiplies and accumulates , and the surplus energy you gather and enjoy can be channeled to create anything that you want, including unlimited wealth.-This leads us to the second component of the Law of Least Effort: responsibility. What does responsibility mean? Responsibility means not blaming anyone or anything for your situation, including yourself. Having accepted this circumstance, this event, this problem, responsibility then means the ability to have a creative response to the situation as it is now. All problems contain the seeds of opportunity, and this awareness allows you to take the moment and transform it to a better situation or thing. Once you do this, every so-called upsetting situation will become an opportunity for the creation of something new and beautiful, and every so-called tormentor or tyrant will become your teacher. Reality is an interpretation. And if you choose to interpret reality in this way, you will have many teachers around you, and many opportunities to evolve. Whenever confronted by a tyrant, tormentor, teacher, friend, or foe (they all mean the same thing) remind yourself, "This moment is as it should be." Whatever relationships you have attracted in your life at this moment are precisely the ones you need in your life at this moment. There is a hidden meaning behind all events, and this hidden meaning is serving your own evolution.-There are three components to the Law of Least Effort: three things you can do to put this principle of "do less and accomplish more" into action. Acceptance simply means that you make a commitment: "Today I will accept people, situations, circumstances, and events as they occur." This means I will know that this moment is as it should be, because the whole universe is as it should be. This moment -- the one you're experiencing right now -- is the culmination of all the moments you have experienced in the past. This moment is as it is because the entire universe is as it is.- If the karma is complete, this will be part of what you release. If it is not, patterns can be reset this month to reflect a higher vibration so that unfinished business and karma can be completed or continued in a way that comes from a place of more love, compassion and forgiveness. This includes self-karma, those deep hard lessons we all came in with this lifetime whether they are physical conditions, emotional or intellectual challenges, or just simply difficult personality traits. Whatever has been anchored through your childhood wounds and imprinting has become part of your patterning. That energetic patterning is your belief system that informs the quantum field around you to manifest certain aspects of your life. Much of this becomes automatic and unconscious until you have an opportunity like we do this month to go within, dig it up, re-evaluate its relevance, and make a change. So, the bottom line is that this is a great month to reset and recreate who you are, what you want to manifest, and how you want to show up in the world. It is going to take work, commitment, discipline and a true willingness to change.- You may also find yourself resurrecting old hobbies or projects or even collaborations with others especially around the arts and music. That garden that you dreamed of planting a few years ago may suddenly manifest because it is the right time. Or that business deal you gave up on will come around again with fresh energy and new insight. Be inspired by the possibilities and be creative in your problem solving and reconfiguring of what runs your physical life. It may be time to retire some aspects and rekindle others. Take a risk and take advantage of what comes your way, always willing for reevaluation and reset.- *(there's a total solar eclipse where the moon blocks the whole sun aug 21st) And speaking of eclipses, even if you are not in an area where they are visible, it would be very very wise to honor them in some way as powerful allies for reset. Try to take time around the eclipses, especially the solar one on the 21st, without interference from your schedule. “We will not actually see the results of what these eclipses have offered us until later in the fall. But you can be sure that if you put the intention into what you want reset, you will get their support.”-When you become defensive, blame others, and do not accept and surrender to the moment, your life meets resistance. Any time you encounter resistance, recognize that if you force the situation, the resistance will only increase. You don't want to stand rigid like a tall oak that cracks and collapses in the storm. Instead, you want to be flexible, like a reed that bends with the storm and survives. Completely desist from defending your point of view. When you have no point to defend, you do not allow the birth of an argument. If you do this consistently -- if you stop fighting and resisting -- you will fully experience the present, which is a gift. Someone once told me, "The past is history, the future is a mystery, and this moment is a gift. That is why this moment is called 'the present'." If you embrace the present and become one with it, and merge with it, you will experience a fire, a glow, a sparkle of ecstasy throbbing in every living sentient being. As you begin to experience this exultation of spirit in everything that is alive, as you become intimate with it, joy will be born within you, and you will drop the terrible burdens and encumbrances of defensiveness, resentment, and hurtfulness. Only then will you become lighthearted, carefree, joyous, and free. In this joyful, simple freedom, you will know without any doubt in your heart that what you want is available to you whenever you want it, because your want will be from the level of happiness, not from the level of anxiety or fear. You do not need to justify; simply declare your intent to yourself, and you will experience fulfillment, delight, joy, freedom, and autonomy in every moment of your life. *Literally, I believe I got you back into my life bc I wanted it so bad. You are proof that you can "get whatever you want bc you want it from the level of your happiness" I knew I would have you back one day honestly, I just had doubt. I knew it even before last April when you told me I couldn't let you go bc you were the one for me. You just had to grow up. I moved to Colorado to let you do that. -research tells us that every thought and emotion creates a chemcial reaction because it immediately changes our neurochemicals that affect our mental, physical and spiritual health,Your mantra should be your own; something that resonates with you and helps you recenter in the moment. Keep in mind that what de-stresses one person may not be calming for another. So stick with what works, even if it’s something as silly as “Hakuna Matata.” How could this 90s mantra not make you smile? Plus — it means no worries ... for the rest of your days.:) “This Too Shall Pass.” While it’s important to live in the present moment, it’s also comforting to remind yourself the stress you’re enduring now is temporary — clear skies are on the horizon.“Make It Work.” Tim Gunn’s power phrase is poignant: Take a deep breath and remember that you’re in control and there’s always a solution. Don't worry be happy(: & ofcourse from bob Marleys song "3 little birds" Don't worry about a thing, Cause every little thing gonna be all right. Singin: don't worry about a thing, Cause every little thing gonna be all right! It's gonna be be alright man. Rise up this mornin, Smiled with the risin sun, Three little birds Pitch by my doorstep Singin sweet songs Of melodies pure and true, Sayin, (this is my message to you-ou-ou:) Singin: don't worry bout a thing, Cause every little thing gonna be all right.Singin: don't worry (dont worry) bout a thing,Cause every little thing gonna be all right! * hope you sang that with a Jamaican accent too :) alright who knows how many stamps this will be but this was the best way for me to show you that I'm thinking about you and doing everything I can to help you be positive & assured. I'm by your side baby. No matter what I'm going to wait for you. 8-08 i love you