#i also have plans to host a pizza party as a late birthday thing for me and i jjust ??? pls my june

[isaacathom]

i have so many random events planned out for the uni holidays and thats wild to me. and so many of them are specific invites to me, like someone sat down and went 'Isaac should be here'. and thats like. i just. ?? people like me? and want to hang out with me???

[bruiscdlikeviolets]

ex’s best friend. | Wally West x F!Reader

loosely based on ��my ex’s best friend” by machine gun kelly. xo 

this is my first Tumblr imagine, please be kind <3, I hope you enjoy, feedback much appreciated, also let me know if you’re interested in a part two? 

Masterlist | part two 

w.c: 1.3k

It’s been months since Artemis and Wally came to an amicable end to their relationship. Both agreed that it was time for something new and that the spark died. Wally accepted it, and moved out from their shared apartment into Dick’s new, lavish apartment with him and Barbara. Though Wally often felt like a third wheel, especially now that almost everyone had found their better halves and he was single. Sure, he went on dates, and had those random hook ups that all kids in college had; but he never found himself someone else. Artemis had moved on, with Will — which to Wally was wild, but he never questioned it. As long as she was happy, that’s all he could ask for. Him and Artemis were still partnering in the field, best friends in and out. Their relationship seemed stronger without the mix ups of actually being in a relationship and feeling like they had to be careful about criticism. Which is why he was now getting ready for Artemis’s birthday party; she decided it was going to have a night out, Wally wasn’t against the idea. Maybe he’ll find someone.

At half past 10, Wally was at the club Artemis was hosting at. It wasn’t a rented-out kind of thing, it wasn’t anything beyond a couple of her friends, the team—the ones that were legal to drink and be there, Will and himself. He walked in, the sound of the music reverberating through his ears, his eyes glided across the club and made his way to where his party was seated; stopping to get a drink and continuing his way. “Wally!” Artemis yelled over the music, getting up and pulling him into a hug and giving him a kiss on the cheek, “I was starting to think you weren’t going to show!” She grinned and he returned it.

“You know me, fashionably late.” He gloated, a teasing smile on his lips and took a seat next to Dick, who he was actually shocked to see. As he sat, his eyes landed on Artemis’s best friend seated to her left. Wally and her were acquainted, but tonight she looked especially good tonight. (Y/C/H) fell lazily across her shoulder, and the black dress adorn her body accented all of her best assets. Wally blushed at the thought as her eyes met his from across the table; her face tinted slight red as she turned her attention to her drink and took a sip. “Dude,” Dick interjected, “you’re drooling.”

“I am not … okay maybe I am but I can’t help it.” Wally conceded, taking a sip of his own drink.

“Isn’t she Artemis’s best friend?” He asked, and Wally nodded.

“That’s what makes it complicated.” But complicated never stopped Wally, it always excited him.

It was well into the night, and though Wally couldn’t get drunk; he was able to concoct a mixture that he would drop into his drink to get mildly buzzed. He decided it was time to stop, and enjoy the night. It was about 2AM when Artemis decided it was cake time, everyone fell back into the booth. Wally took his chance to sit next to (Y/N). “Hey Wally!” She greeted, a dopey smile splayed across her face and he couldn’t help but return. “Hey (Y/N)!” He grinned, lazily resting his arm on the back of the seat behind the girl.

As the party continued, Wally and (Y/N) found themselves sitting and talking and catching up. Wally found himself growing tired of being out and was growing hungry. He glanced over at (Y/N), she seemed uncomfortable. “Hey, you wanna go get some pizza?” Wally yelled over the music; the girl’s body instantly relaxed and she nodded her head, already grabbing her things.

“God yes! I’m so tired of being here, I’m not much of a party person.” Wally grinned, and grabbed the girl’s hand and began to lead them out of the club.

(Y/N) had known Wally for a while, she had only known Wally as Artemis’s boyfriend and then her ex. She never really knew him, but she couldn’t deny that maybe she had a minor crush on the red head. He was sweet to Artemis, and he was always so kind to her when they would interact. He had a great sense of humor, plus he was easy on the eyes no doubt. Plus, he was Kid Flash but that was just icing on the cake. Sure, all of those thoughts’ broke girl code, but (Y/N) couldn’t really help it and here she was, sitting in an all-night pizza joint, watching Wally wolf down three large pizzas with various toppings and laughing at his lame — but adorable, jokes.

“So, you just left Dick there?” (Y/N) asked, laughing at the story of when Wally publicly humiliated Dick in front of his now girlfriend Barbara. “You are a terrible best friend, Wally West.” (Y/N) declared, taking a bite of her own pizza slice. “Maybe so, but he hasn’t touched my cheese whizzies since.” Wally laughed, nodding his head. “This also led to an all-out prank war between all of us; and it’s still on going.” “I helped Artemis plan some of hers, trust me; I know all about it. You are quite the little prankster Wally, I envy you.” (Y/N) had a knack for being reckless, and a knack for pranking. It was only natural for Artemis, and sometimes even Dick, to come to her. (Y/N) wasn’t a stranger to the double lives of every person she was with tonight, mostly finding all of them out on her own. Secrets weren’t unfamiliar to her, neither was lying and keeping those secrets.

“I could tell, some of those pranks were far too advanced for her to pull off on her own.” He laughed, thinking about how she lined his suit with paintballs that would obviously burst due to the small amount of friction from the suit when he was running, he was washing paint off of his skin for weeks.

“Game notice game,” Wally complimented, gesturing between him and her; (Y/N) blushed faintly, a smile playing on her lips. Wally stared at the girl for a little bit, taking in the way her dress contrasted her skin, and how her (Y/E/C) shined with mischief as she recounted the many pranks she assisted with. In the dull light of the pizza place, she looked absolutely breath taking. Realizing he had been staring for a bit too long, Wally diverted his eyes; a small blush creeping across his face. (Y/N) let out a soft yawn, trying to stifle it; she wasn’t really ready for the night to end, unsure if she and Wally would have a moment like this again, and god she didn’t want to let it end because she was tired. He’s your best friends ex, this is complicated.

“Are you tired?” Wally asked, attention back on her. (Y/N) shook her head.

“No. Well yes, but I’m really not ready for the night to end.” She conceded, biting her lip softly. “Do you, uh …” Wally rubbed the back on his neck, unsure of how to ask. “Do you maybe want to come back to my place for the night?” He asked, “that way we can hang out for a little bit, and then tomorrow morning, I can cook you some of my world-famous Wally Pancakes.” (Y/N) snorted a little bit, her smile evident.

“World famous? That’s a little self absorbed, don’t you think West?” She teased. “Well babe, be the judge of that?” He asked, hopefully. “Rock my world, West.” She agreed.

With a smile, Wally left some money on the table and led (Y/N) out of the pizza shop to his apartment. He wasn’t sure what he just got himself into, but that was a problem for future Wally.

[mystarmyangel]

[FULL TRANS] YoonA – The Big Issue Korea Issue #227 Interview

SNSD is a representative girl group that rewrote Korea’s music industry structure. As the center of the group that stood at the top for more than 10 years, it is not an easy thing to bear the burden of a celebrity. Carrying the weight of the name ‘SNSD YoonA’, YoonA is also consistently working hard be it acting, hosting or variety shows, even receiving positive comments like ‘I am watching because of trustable YoonA’. When you search YoonA, you will realize there are related terms such as ‘SNSD center’, ‘flower deer’, ‘smile’, lately there is also other related terms popping out such as ‘All-round worker of Hyori’s Homestay 2’, ‘Huge success of movie EXIT’ etc. Even though she looks like she can do anything, and everything looks easy for her, but in actual fact, YoonA will always train herself each time she tried new things so as to be able to do her very best. Looking back, what YoonA’s position is, is already meaningless as YoonA, is just the YoonA that we love.

Q: How do you spend your time after shooting for ‘EXIT’ ended? I took a really good rest. I tried things that I couldn’t try in the past due to work. Recently I have been making bread at home. Isn’t Dalgona Coffee very popular lately, but I did not feel like trying it because it seem like everyone are doing it, so I was thinking if there are anything else I can do, and I went to browse on YouTube and began to make bread. Actually, when I was in junior high, I took up 2 years of biscuit and bread making class for my special module. (Laughs) Because I made bread for 10 to 20 times every year, so the result turns out good just by following the recipe. The food that I made most are cookies, pizza bread, pecan pie and chiffon cakes etc., and I will share them with people around me. Ah, also I recently took a Chinese exam called HSKK and has passed the intermediate level, it is an exam that tests on the speaking ability. Initially I only want to know where my standard is, but fortunately I passed.

Q: You received awards at The Blue Dragon Film Awards, Buil Film Awards, Women in Film Korea Festival etc. with the movie ‘EXIT’ which attracts more than 9.4m moviegoers. Your first leading movie receives huge success. Looking back after a year has passed, what kind of meaning does ‘EXIT’ has for YoonA? Realistically looking, it is indeed a huge success for my first leading movie. I feel really blissful and thankful to receive so much love. It is definitely a project that I will never forget because of how much love I receive right from the start.

Q: Do you still keep in contact with the staffs after ‘EXIT’ ended? Yes, I did. We had a gathering during the end of last year, this year we intended to gather again but because of COVID-19, we have to maintain social distancing, so this gathering has yet to be able to fulfil. Also, everyone are busy with their individual filming so picking a time is not easy. Jo Jung Suk oppa recently also just wrapped up a drama filming, so when the time comes that the COVID-19 situation has become a lot better, we will be able to gather.

Q: In the movie, there are a lot of action scenes that requires body strength, but you did really well. YoonA is well known in SNSD to have excellent dancing skills, but do you workout or do body training often? I wanted to do it more often but has not been able to do. I really hope that I can consistently persist on working out. Currently I am doing Pilates, and also because I have been dancing regularly in the past, so they have become useful when it comes to using my body (for action scenes in the movie)

Q: It seem that occasionally you will do dance covers too right? Every year when I hold birthday party with fans, I will do dance covers as surprise stages for them.

Q: 30 May is coming soon; do you have any plans on how to spend your birthday? I have many work schedules. (Laughs) There is a schedule that I specially add for birthday. May suddenly got busier as my schedules started increasing with the thought of hoping that my fans would like it. (Laughs) Although I couldn’t hold a birthday party this year due to various circumstances, but I think there will be other ways for me and my fans to communicate. As it is the one day in a year that I can officially communicate my fans, I am really looking forward to it. Just like being the cover girl of ‘Big Issue’ is also a way of communicating with fans, so when I thought of what meaningful thing I can do, I came up with this suggestion to you all. It is gift for my fans.

Q: You have spent your 10s and 20s doing all sort of performances and participating in variety shows etc. as a member of SNSD. How do you picture your 13 years as a celebrity? I was really busy. It feels like time passed by really quickly. But when I looked back now, I will realistically realize that I have really received a lot of love. I have also notice that my mentality and values have also changed when I reached 30 years old. This is probably the process of becoming an adult. I began feeling light-hearted too. Recently my friends have been calling me ‘Benjamin’ just like the lead in the movie ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’. My time and that of my friends are completely opposite. (Laughs) My friends are currently all working, and busy living as the new students of the working society. On the contrary, I am busy when I was young, and right now I am beginning to have more free time. The feelings I felt in my youth, my friends are only feeling that now, and all the feelings I have in my daily life now are all a past experience for my friends.

Q: Are you satisfied with your life right now? Although my life right now is really good already, but I feel that my life next year will be even better. I am like this, always thinking that this year is better than last year, so compared to this year, the next year will be even better.

Q: For the edition of Big Issue that you will be gracing the cover, coincidentally there will be a birthday support by your fans that will be published in the same edition. Do you know this beforehand? Really? I didn’t know of it. There are a lot of people around me who knows ‘Big Issue’ so I thought it will be great to be on the cover, this is really great.

Q: Every year, your fans hold a lot of activities to celebrate your birthday, there are events like photo exhibition to feature YoonA over all this time and then donating the proceeds to charities, Chinese fans also built a school under YoonA’s name. I am really grateful to my fans, and I think doing all these are great. Even though I think it will be great too if I personally do it myself but seeing my fans who support me coming together to do good deeds under the ‘name of my fans’ and at the same time I can feel their love for me, I am really thankful. My fans have really beautiful hearts and they are really kind. They are sending out positive energy among them to live with a pretty heart.

Q: You are selected as a celebrity who does a lot of good deeds and who speaks well. Donating, supporting and volunteer works… recently you also donated to the fight against COVID-19. Is there any turning moment that results in your consistency in participating in social contribution works?Once you start doing good deeds, you will realize that many other things will come to your sight. Whenever concerning matters happen, I wanted to express my heart for all the things. As time passes, I will realize activities like this become a lot. I think that it is a little hard to continue in the beginning, but once you start, you will be able to look at things from multiple perspectives, so the next step will not be difficult. I often ponder on what I can do, ways that I can express my heart. Just like what everyone have been saying,  one should give as much as what you receive, it is a good thing, giving is more blissful than receiving. (Laughs)

Q: What new things are you trying these days? These days, the time I spent at home become a lot more, so I will often change the decorations in my house. Recently I am into DIY interior renovation, so I personally painted a side of wall in my house. It is really fun. I also change the layout of my furniture. Because I tried painting one side of the wall, I feel that it is not impossible to paint all of them, but on the other hand I feel that this is enough. I have successfully changed my mood.

Q: Everyone know that your next project is a JTBC drama called ‘Hush’ that is estimated to air in the latter half of the year. Can you tell us something about the role Jisoo that you will be playing in the drama? Jisoo will appear as a reporter in the drama, she has a righteous personality. In this aspect, she has something in common with Eui Joo in ‘EXIT’.

Q: Is YoonA also the righteous type? Well, rather than saying I am the righteous type, I think I am more of the loyal type. When SNSD members have individual activities, I will go down personally to cheer for them during the broadcast of music shows, and I also like to take care of the people around me. Although I did these things because I wanted to, but I often been called loyal because of these things.

Q: Because of ‘Hyori’s Homestay 2’, YoonA as an ordinary person has become well known for her carefree charms. Taking the initiative to get close to the guests, and how you treated people kindly have left a deep impression. I am originally shy by nature, but I changed a lot due to work. When I was young, I disliked it even when someone touched me after telling me ‘I will help to do your hair’, I am quiet and don’t really talk much, although I do get along very well with people I am already close with. So, I often hear things like I am hard to get close to or I look cold. But as I get to meet more people for the first time, and then getting along together, my personality changed a lot too. Although I am able to relax and chat with the guests on ‘Hyori’s Homestay 2’, but after watching the show, I did notice there are still some sense of awkwardness that happen because of moments where I was too shy and did not know what to do, but the others told me that they can’t tell, I feel amazed too.

Q: Your activities lately all receive positive comments. It seem like you are really an all-round celebrity that can do everything well. Even though it’s embarrassing to say it like this, but it really does seem like I have been doing all fields of work from the past to now. Hosting, singing, acting, variety shows I did all of them. I am not the type to always fix a goal and then make my moves, rather, I am the kind that will do my best in things that I can be satisfied with at any moment. I do not want to have regrets thinking that I should do better then when I look back in the future, so I will always want to do my very best. So, it seem like all these gradually come together to come out with many fruitful results. When I was young, I often have regrets towards many matters, and then I came to realize that it is impractical to feel regretful over things that I cannot change, so I will try my best now and my sense of satisfaction also increase.

Q: SNSD is a name that is still very influential. The other members are also active in different fields, what kind of meaning do the members have for you? They are people that I am always comfortable with no matter when. We met when we are in our 10s, we spent our 20s to 30s together, we walked together for the first half of our life. That are things that words can’t describe. There are people around us that are envious just by looking at us.  

Q: There are many hoobaes or fans that like you and pick you as their role model. Can you give some advice and encouragement to the females in their 10s and 20s? First of all, I am really thankful that people think of me like this. Whenever I heard people picking me as their role model, I want to meet him/her. It feels amazing to be thought of as a role model. Because I also had someone as my role model before, so I can understand how it feels. There are many things I wanted to say… because I am a celebrity you might feel that I am someone who is distant and probably think that I am living another kind of life, but I want to say is, actually I am very ordinary, I am also a normal person. I also wish that you guys will not think too deep and too much in all the matters, as you live, everyone will definitely have their own kind of problems, the worst scenario that you had in mind will not happen. But once you keep thinking, you will continue digging and getting stuck in it, so I hope that you all will reduce worrying thoughts like this.

Q: This is a really great advice. Please tell us your thoughts of working with Big Issue today, and on Big Issue’s upcoming 10th anniversary in July.  Congratulations on the 10th year anniversary. I feel that to be able to persist on one thing for 10 years is a great feat. This is also what SNSD heard when we celebrate our 10th year. I think that it is really very cool for one to maintain in one position for 10 years. I felt really happy to be able work together on the same year as Big Issue’s 10th anniversary, I hope that me gracing this edition’s cover can become the most unforgettable edition. (Laughs) I will continue supporting this magazine.  

Cr: Chinese Trans by 黄黄 & 初夏 (Limyoonabar) Eng Trans: mystarmyangel

[irondad-not-ironsad]

Better Place

AN: So this ideas been in my brain for weeks. and I wrote a bunch of it a few days ago but I accidentally deleted it, so here’s take two

“and ah, you’re my favorite thing

ah, all the happiness you bring

well it feels like I’ve opened my eyes again

and the colors are golden and bright again

and the sun paints the skies

and the wind sing our song

it’s a better place since you came along” -rachel platten

Tony wishes he could say the day he walked into Peter Parker’s life was a day like any other, but that was unfortunately not the case. It was likely one of the lowest points of his life. Pepper had left him a few weeks ago, and now half of his team was following. Worse yet, he was now resorting to recruiting a teenage kid to help detain what were now being called the Rogue Avengers. He tried to push that all aside as he put on his mask to introduce himself to the kid’s aunt. Not his Iron Mask, as that would likely startle her quite a bit, but his figurative mask that was the persona he took on at press conferences and business meetings, the persona of a cocky, flirtatious, carefree billionaire. After a brief questioning. Mrs. Parker buys his phony story of a grant and soon the boy arrives home and he is allowed to speak with him in private. Seeing the kid in person for the first time, it felt hard to breathe. Years of practice allowed him to hide his panic but he was internally at war with himself, he knew this kid was a 14, but his brain did not truly realize how young that was until his eyes were seeing it. Even his brain, which many considered genius, struggle to consolidate this gangly teen with the graceful vigilante from the videos. Be brought the kid to Germany and told himself that he was helping him by giving him a safer suit, but the guilt came crashing down on him when he saw the boy knocked out by the giant Ant Man, ad felt panic that he refused to admit felt vaguely parental when he did not get back up. Thankfully, Peter seemed to be okay, albeit slightly roughed up.

In the time that followed Tony’s life just seemed to keep going further and further downhill, starting with Rhodey falling from the sky and Tony being unable to help, to Tony facing what he considered the ultimate betrayal from the Captain he used to call a friend. Returning from the fight, Tony immediately rushed to be with Rhodey while the doctors ran tests. While they awaited results, Tony kept checking for messages from Happy, who he had left Peter with.

“I can tell your worried about more than just my legs Tones, your waiting for Happy to message you about the Spider Boy, right?”

“It’s Spiderman” Tony mutters

“That’s not the point and you know it. How do you know the guy? You haven’t told me anything about him but judging from what I’ve seen, he can’t be older than 25, which places his birth right around the time of your-”

“He’s fourteen, actually” That manages to put Rhodey into a stunned silence as Tony looks away guilty. After taking a few seconds to process Rhodey whispers

“Jesus Christ, Tony” after pausing for a few seconds “How could you recruit your teenage son to fight with the Avengers, and how could you have not told me?”

If Tony had been holding a drink he would have spit it out. Instead the man shook his head, and explained what had happened.

“Despite your denial, i can tell you care a lot about the kid. Go, check on him. I know you sent Happy to take him home, based on how eager the kid was to please you, I bet he’ll be glad to see you”

“Rhodey I can’t just leave you here alone”

“Why not? I’ll be here when you get back, it’s not like I’m gonna get up and walk away.” Tony laughs for the first time in what feels like weeks, bids his friend good bye and good luck and goes off to check on the spiderling.

Tony had originally planned to take a hands on approach in mentoring the kid, but upon seeing his eagerness to get involved with the big leagues he decides a more distant approach may be better. Tony already made the mistake of bringing him to an Avengers fight, he wasn’t going to get the kid killed by introducing him to a level of fighting he is to young for. Instead, he has the kid send Happy status reports, but in truth he has them all forwarded to himself. When he spends long days working with politicians to fix the accords, listening to Peter’s voicemail reminds him that there is good in the world. Living alone in the tower was rough, it seemed every corn he turned he could feel the ghosts of the happy memories he and the team had had their. Now, the rooms that once seemed vibrant and full of life faded to a dull gray.

Over the next few weeks several things happen very quickly. While Tony is away in India Tony has t send a suit to save Peter after he got involved in crime that was a little to advanced for him. Tony briefly thought that the stress he felt for Peter’s safety must be what it’s like to be a father, but he quickly pushed that notion out of his head.  Next comes the incident in DC, which Tony only saw a few hours later and he swore that kid was TRYING to give him a heart attack. A few days later, Tony calmed down and realized, despite how stressful it appeared, the kid did a good job. He had just got off the phone from telling him this when he saw Spiderman on the news, and he was most definitely NOT at band practice. 

The events that follow happen in a bit of a blur, one second he’s fixing the ferry, the next he’s on top of a building with Peter, taking the suit. He feels awful about it the next day, but he also thinks that he cannot go back

Of course, then comes moving day, and the plane crash, and Tony decide that maybe he ought to keep the tower after all.

(Pepper suggests he wants a location to stay close to New York  to keep a eye on Peter. Tony will never admit it, but she isn’t wrong)

After the shocking turn of events that was Peter turning down the offer to join the Avengers, Pepper and Tony were in their kitchen, celebrating their engagement when his phone rings. He does not recognize the phone number calling and he answers in the manner he does all of these calls

“I don’t know how you got this number but don’t even think about cal-”

“This is Spider Man’s aunt. You may remember recruiting my kid to fight behind my back?”

“Crap.”

No women could ever scare Tony as much as Pepper, but May Parker came pretty darn close. After she finished thoroughly chewing him out she agreed to allow him to continue under the basis of Tony training him and personally monitoring his patrols (which Tony normally did anyways, not that he’d admit it) and that he give her access to monitor the suit (he sent her a StarkPad that was completely synced with Karen the next day.) After Peter accidentally blew up his school lab making web fluid, she added the condition that he go to Tony’s lab once a week. What started as Peter using the facility to make web fluid, led to Tony teaching the kid all the inner workings of the Spider Man suit to Peter being his personal intern. 

(Pepper suggested that it was less like he was his personal intern and more like he was his son, but what does Pepper know?)

Occasionally they would work so late into the night that Peter would just stay the night. This led to Peter coming to the compound every Friday after school with a duffle bag and then returning to his apartment Sunday afternoon. This definitely was not because they were forming a father son bond (”I swear to God  if you call me Iron Dad one more time Rhodey....”) It was just convenient. May had the most shifts on weekends and Peter got bored being home alone. Any good mentor would invite him to stay. For an early birthday present, Tony decided to redo the guest room to personalize it for Peter. Pepper suggested he just hire someone to do it, but he brushed her aside. If someone leaked that he was having a room decorated for a teenage boy God only know what kind of rumors would spread. That is why he was sitting on his tablet at 11 PM stressing over what color paint would prefer.

“Just buy both and ask him which he likes better when he comes over”

“Pep I can’t just.... actually your right, I’m a billionaire, I’ll get both.”

That is how, a few days later the billionaire finds himself hand painting a room with a 15 year old boy. Peter returns from the bathroom just to feel paint drip on his face from above. He looks up to see Peter on the ceiling painting the part of the ceiling he couldn’t reach from the ground.

“Whoops, sorry Mr. Stark” the laughter in his voice told him he wasn’t really sorry. picking up a paintbrush he exclaimed

“I’ll get you for that little you little twerp” and with tat flung some of the paint at Peter.

When Pepper went 30 minutes later to see what kind of pizza to order for lunch, she finds them laughing hysterically and covered in paint.

A week later Tony hosted a surprise birthday for Peter at the tower.  He, shockingly enough, kept it small, only inviting Peter’s closest friends, May, Rhodey and Pepper. He and May had spent the past few hours painstakingly setting everything up to be perfect. Tony’s back hurt more than he cared to admit, and part of him was wary the girl, Michelle, who watched him with a far to knowing look. It was all made worth it when he say the look on Peter’s face when they surprised him. When Peter crushed him into a hug his initial reaction was to jerk away, but instead he returned the hug. He wasn’t certain, but he thinks he heard the boy mumble “thanks dad” into his shoulder. After a few seconds he released the boy and ruffled his hair.

“Anytime, son” he said to quietly for anyone to hear. Than, louder, he said “Enjoy the party, kiddo” and handed him off to his aunt.

Now, when Tony walks the halls of the tower, instead of seeing the ghosts of his ex teammates he see’s Peter’s homework strewn across the table, his backpack propped against the couch, his report card that he had jokingly taped on the fridge and often time the curly haired teenager himself, breathing life back into the place.

One day he realized that the world is no longer all gray.

AN: Thanks for reading, i haven’t actually read back over this, though I might sometime soon. Hope you enjoyed!

[katherine-rambles]

good birthday! busy, but good! ty everybody for coming!!! ✨💖✨

this is a ridiculously long post, and it keeps getting longer. so, everything’s under the cut

on the day itself, in the morning, i went to petsmart because we found fleas on one of the dogs last night, so i (as the only one in town with money or a credit card) had to go spend almost all of my money between flea meds and flea shampoo. i was NOT expecting to spend ~400 bucks this week on doctor shit and flea shit. but i gotta, so... :/ and probably more in the future! gghuhugh

then i came home and did some more computer cleaning & organizing. i have... so much of that to do........ 

then @lordsoth42 came over! and we went to the mall and pizza schmizza (they got some, i got NOTHING because CURSE my stomach) and then got donuts. 

then we went back to my place and people started showin’ up fer my low-key party! @onilinkplus, @angrymamabear, @soycoffeewithcoffee, danny (i don’t think he’s got a bloggo here, but he’s got a twitch over at... um... kazstein), thank you all so much for comin’ and hanging out! and bringing food and gifts and stuff!

we got to play ARMS, 12 orbits, a lil’ bit of Once Upon A Time, Sumer (interesting platformer/boardgame mix), watch kody play Snake Pass, and see the demo of Octopath Traveller thanks to Danny having the energy to play it (which, by the way, that looks Goddamn Gorgeous!) 

then sleepover w/ tristan because Wow Eugene Is Far Away, Six Hours Of Driving In One Day Is No Fun! but also more time with tristan!

on the 25th i woke up super early again thanks to Stomach Hates Me Syndrome and i got to cleaning up, which was nice. i still have some more to do but i figure i may as well do that after everything is over this weekend. but i did get like. all the plates and shit put away so there’s tablespace again.

some lowkey hangouts with tristan before they went home and I went to hang out with @jirajara at the woodburn outlet mall to find shoes for her... i did fairly good in not spending money, by which i mean i was very thankful she & her crew paid fer my lunch, and i avoided spending money on trinkets and shoes and this one FUCKING BEAUTIFUL pleather light pink jacket.... anyway it was fun, if tiring. i forget how tiring Looking For A Good [insert specific item here] can be when you’re not doing it over like... years... on the internet..... 

then today i got to go to an actual SPA with super swanky everything and have a MASSAGE for the first time ever w @becna n’ @keketar. the wet sauna is not an experience i’d pay to repeat but the dry sauna & hot tubs? good stuff. burn my skin off. and the massage was really great! my masseuse was really fun to talk to and we just talked about all sorts of stuff and the back & head parts of the massage i could definitely see being useful in a headache/chiropractic sense in the future. 

sarah got me a Gay Flag Colored Lovebird bag......;;;; i love it.......;;;;;; 😍💖✨💯🐦

an’ then sarah n’ i went to my place and had a low key Craft Party wherein we tried to get each other hooked on anime we haven’t been able to talk to anyone about: me w/ revolutionary girl utena and sarah w/ voltron:legendary defenders. what I learned is, I love pidge and am totally down for this mystical bullshit AI tiger mech thing. my headcanon so far (probably easily proven wrong, i’m on like episode five) is that a lot of the “mystical” connection is [a.] propaganda (what better propaganda than DESTINY?) and [b.] a result of a networked/distributed intelligence not unlike the geth from mass effect.  

but also early utena episodes are so lighthearted! i always focus on the later stuff and forget how... innocent it seems at first. additionally, paying extra special attention to chuchu and anthy after reading a bunch of meta is a fucking TREAT like? episode four with the lil’ elephant doodle?? anthy!! an’ nanami is great also, and just how EXTRA all these highschoolers are.... my poor children....

i also learned/recalled that needlefelting... is a lot... of work...... i’m basically going to have to reskin my needlefelt mew entirely to make it look decent again. it does look REALLY nice again once i do that, but s��just gonna be a lot of work. (maybe this time i won’t like... have it on my bed and in high-use areas. there was so much pilling, oh my god.) 

oh! and sarah’s being so nice and letting me share her netflix! and merlot’s gift was adding me to her fam for the nintendo subscription service!! this is a good year for me & freeloading media, i guess :P (but srs, thank yooou both!) 

anyway now i have a lot to clean up, and work tomorrow. hopefully i’ll be able to vacuum once i get home: we NEED a big vacuuming. ‘specially since the doggo parasite circus is in town...

and birthday celebrations are extended because i’ll see becca on monday and there may or may not be a present involved there, but there sure as heck will be cute lizards, and really, what else could a girl ask for? 

then it’s tuesday and the.... ct.... and man why is medicine so expensive

but. overall.

i’m so glad to have my vivacity, my motivation, my drive and passion back. last year on my birthday i hadn’t planned anything really and it just happened to be a nice coincidink that sarah was headin’ down to eugene for a concert anyway. when i’m under like 70% planning things, hosting things, going to things is just... so... too.... much.... but when i’m 100% (mentally, at least, lmao i hate my stomach right now) it’s one of my FAVORITE things to do. people!!! friends!!!!! happy making!! i just feel... very satisfied and content in a way i haven’t been able to access in a while. s’a shame that my stomach has decided to stage a civil war on my esophagus, but... it’s discomfort, something i have to live with, not a drain of my life that i’m living. ya feel me? 

like, FUCK! this linked post was my birthday two years ago. it wasn’t weird because ANYTHING except depression! depression fucked me up! i didn’t spend it doing things i love with people i love because i couldn’t DO love! 

the b-day before that was good but lowkey because i couldn’t plan much, and it was surrounded by me just being.... tired... which was depression shit

and i think... the b-day before that was before i’d gotten depressed? i think late 2014-2015 was my first Major Episode... but i’m not sure because i started this blog sept. 2014. i do distinctly remember my internal grade-o-meter being off as like... an early sign of my troubles. 

this ended up so long haha

i’m so grateful that all y’all awesome friends of mine (both who i mention here because i saw them this past few days and those who are not mentioned) stuck with me despite the Depression Fog. y’all deserve the best and i’m honored y’all let me into your lives.

i’m so happy i have so many projects i’m jazzed to work on, even though the work is sloggish and boring i can DO IT and BE HAPPY that i’m doing it?!? it’s been so long since i could do that

lately i feel like a little kid who cries because they learned that those cool snakes have to eat those sweet little mice. everything is so new and fresh and lovely again.... like rediscovering your first favorite teddy bear or something in the closet. just a persistent strong warmth

i’m so lucky 💖 

[little-chimchim]

Hard to Get - Jungkook Fluff

Rating: PG

Word Count: 1976

Genre: Fluff!

Pairing: Jungkook x Reader

A/N:  Happy birthday @haybob17!! This fic is for you on this special day. I hope you enjoy! Sorry it’s a little short... - Kay

The music was too loud, the lights too bright. The stench of alcohol wafted through the air like a thick cloud. You lost your friend about an hour ago to the large grind circle that was happening in the middle of the large living room.

You held you drink close to you, afraid of leaving it behind anywhere and being able to find it again. This was not how you wanted to spend your Saturday night; standing aimlessly in the middle of a party.

You looked around to find anyone to talk to, but just your luck, the one party your friend dragged you to consisted of no one you knew or no one you were particularly friendly with. You sighed to yourself and leaned against the railing leading up to the stairs, counting down the minutes until you could go home and sleep.

“Not having fun?” You heard a voice come from beside you. You turned your head and saw a young man lean against the railing next to you. His smile was devilishly contagious. It was bright like the sun but it was also cocky and arrogant.

You shrugged your shoulders and looked away from his handsome face. “Not really, this party is really boring.” You admitted to him. The stranger raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms, his smile turned teasing.

“You think?” He asked, he slowly made his way to sit on one of the steps while you continued to stand. You nodded your head and finally set your drink on a side table by the stairs. “Yeah, the music is really shitty and couldn’t the host invest in some good alcohol?” You complained. The host was a friend of your best friend, Jin-Woo. He went to a different school on the other side of town and you believed his name was Jungkook.

The stranger threw his hands up, laughing. “I don’t know, he sounds cheap though.” The stranger grinned as he set his hands back down at his sides.

You continued to rant about the party for a few minutes to the stranger until Jin-Woo finally came up to you. “Where have you been?” You asked her, clearly annoyed by her absence. “I’ve been dancing, calm down.” She groaned. You could tell in her voice that she was just a little tipsy from the drinks.

She looked over to the stranger next to you and smiled. “Oh hey Jungkook!” She cheered. Your eyes widened once you heard his name come off of your friend’s lips. Jungkook? The stranger you had been ranting to was the host of the party.

Jungkook stood up and clapped his hands together. He looked down to you and smirked. “Well it’s been nice talking to you, but I have to go look after my ‘boring’ party.” He winked and left you and Jin-Woo alone.

She looked to you in confusion. “What was that all about?” She asked you, taking another swig of her drink. You shook your head and pointed to the door. “I think I’m going to head out. I’ll see you tomorrow.” You grinned. You ignored Jin-Woo’s protests as you left the house, just a little embarrassed about insulting the party.

You got a text message later that night.

Jungkook: ‘If you thought the party was boring, what’s your definition of fun then?’ The message read. You stared at it for a few seconds, wondering how he got your number.

You: ‘How’d you get my number?’

Less than a minute later he texted back.

Jungkook: ‘I asked your friend for it and she gave it to me.’

You cursed her name under your breath. You really wished she wouldn’t give out your number freely like that. You sighed and texted him back.

You: ‘What do you want?’

Jungkook: ‘To know what your version of fun is.’

You: ‘Why?’

Jungkook: ‘So I can show you a fun time ;)’

You: ‘Do you know how creepy you sound?”

Jungkook: ‘I didn’t mean it like that. I want to know what you think is fun so I can plan my next party around it.’

You laughed, was he seriously doing this? You shook your head and read the messages.

You: ‘Why do you want to do that?’ You texted him back.

Jungkook: ‘So I can prove to you that my parties are the best things since sliced bread.’

You: Goodnight Jungkook

You set your phone down on your nightstand and smiled, he was a character that’s for sure. You smiled a little, if he was so adamant about getting to know your favorite things then he was going to have to work for it.

You went to a baseball game that following Friday night. Jin-Woo dragged you to the baseball game the same way she dragged you to that party. She claimed that she was talking to one of the guys on the other team and she didn’t want to go alone to the game.

Despite the fact that the team was going against your school’s, the two of you sat on the rivaling team’s side. When the baseball players walked onto the field, she hit your arm excitedly and pointed to the boy in the number 95 jersey.

“That’s him! That’s Taehyung!” She called out, maybe a little too loudly. Taehyung turned around and waved to Jin-Woo, a big, boxy grin on his face. You laughed and looked at the other baseball players. They were all pretty attractive, you had to admit but you really weren’t there to look at their looks the entire time.

That is, until one of the players caught your attention. As the player’s were warming up before the game, you turned and nudged Jin-Woo in the side. You pointed to the player who sported the number 96 jersey.

“Is that Jungkook?” You asked her. Your friend nodded and smiled. “Yeah, he’s their pitcher. Taehyung was telling me that he’s been scouted by four universities already!” Jin-Woo said excitedly.

You nodded your head, he just became a little bit more intriguing. You kept a steady eye on Jungkook the entire game. He was amazing and you couldn’t tear your eyes away. You had played softball for years, but even your pitching arm couldn’t match his.

At some point during the game, you were cheering against your own team. After they had won and after Jin-Woo had nearly broken your hand by clutching it too hard, she had pulled you down to the dugout to meet Taehyung.

He was even more attractive up close, so were all of the other players. Taeyhung draped his arm around Jin-Woo’s shoulder. “Thanks for coming, Jin-woo.” He told her, a bit of shyness in his voice.

Jin-Woo nodded and smiled. “It was amazing! You guys crushed us.” Despite your school’s loss, she couldn’t have been happier. Taeyhyung nodded and pointed to Jungkook, who was packing up his things outside the dugout. “We have Kookie to thank for that. The batters couldn’t keep up with his fastballs.” He chuckled and called for Jungkook to come over.

Jungkook looked up and nodded, setting his things aside. Jungkook froze when he saw you standing next to Taehyung. He grinned and then quickened his pace. “So do you like baseball?” He asked loudly.

You shrugged your shoulders. You loved baseball, but he wasn’t going to know that. “I suppose,” You said casually, making it seem like you could care less. Jungkook raised and finger, “Perfect, one step closer!”

You rolled your eyes and shook your head. “Not even close.”

Well, maybe he was. Just a little bit.

As Jin-Woo became closer to Taehyung, you slowly became closer to Jungkook. There were nights were the four of you would hang out. Everytime you hung out together, Jungkook would go home with new knowledge about one more thing that you liked.

You protested it at first, but as time went on, you wanted to get closer to Jungkook as well. He was sweet and a lot less cocky than you originally thought and you wondered if you were actually catching feelings for the baseball player.

You were sitting on Taehyung’s couch, watching a movie with the others. Jin-Woo sat next to Taehyung, kissing him while you and Jungkook awkwardly third and fourth wheeled with the couple.

Jungkook laughed breathlessly, he turned to you and leaned in close. Your breath hitched in your throat as his face moved much too close to your own. He smiled at seeing your unease. “I can finally plan your party. It’ll be tomorrow at eight. Don’t be late.” He brought his finger up and playfully tapped your nose before pulling his face away.

You stared up at him, still a little shocked by the sudden display of flirting. Jungkook smirked and turned his attention back to the movie, leaving you still a little flustered.

You arrived at Jungkook’s house a few minutes after eight. The first thing you noticed when you pulled into Jungkook’s large driveway is the lack of cars. There were no cars besides yours and his own.

You furrowed your brows and slowly walked into Jungkook’s house. Once you did, the silence of the house fully alarmed you. “Hello?” You yelled through the seemingly empty house. Jungkook came running out of the kitchen, a box of pizza in his hands.

“Welcome to the party, Y/N! Glad you could come.” He said happily. You looked around and then back at him. “Where is everyone?” You asked as you took your shoes off and looked around.

Jungkook smiled and pointed to the living room. “This is it, this is your party. I have a baseball game recorded, a few movies, blankets, food, and music. After weeks of observing, I finally understood what you do and don’t like.”

You crossed your arms and smiled. “Oh really?”

He nodded and set the pizza down. “Yeah. You don’t like big parties, you just like movies, food and spending time with people you like.” He pointed to himself and wiggled his eyebrows jokingly.

“How do you know I like you?” You teased him.

He smirked and reached over for your shoulders and leaned his head down closer to yours. “Because you would pull away if you didn’t.” He whispered. You sighed happily and placed just a ghost of a kiss on his lips but pulled away quickly.

You wiggled out of his grasp and walked towards the pizza. You looked back to him and winked. “You’re going to have to work for it, Jeon Jungkook.” You said as you took a bite of pizza.

Jungkook shook his head but picked you up by the waist and pulled you down on the couch next to him. “That, I can do.” He said as he put on the baseball game. You eased relaxed in his hold and leaned your head against his shoulder.

You could get used to this.

[arosewithdaisies]

How to Host the Perfect Backyard Bonfire Party This Summer

A snapping fire. Great organization. Who doesn't cherish a bonfire? Alright, so this mid year probably won't be the best an ideal opportunity to expound on arranging a bonfire party, yet I can dream, isn't that so?

Regardless of whether you're actually rehearsing social removing this mid year, you can even now praise exceptional events around the bonfire with your close family.

Also, there's consistently one year from now… .

Anyway, you're here for the bonfire party thoughts. I've assembled a rundown of seven fundamental things you will require, in addition to some yummy food and fun game thoughts too.

Here's the manner by which to design the ideal bonfire party in your own terrace.

A snapping fire. Great organization. Who doesn't cherish a bonfire? Here's to facilitating the ideal patio bonfire gathering this late spring.

Above all, what's a bonfire party?

Not 100% sure what this sort of gathering is? Try not to stress, it's not all that much. You've presumably even been to a couple… or several dozen.

A bonfire party is perhaps the least demanding approaches to have a marvelous social affair, yet with less work.

There's nothing similar to the glow of a bonfire and some great organization to turn a festival — or an exhausting old summer evening — into a critical night with loved ones.

You can design a bonfire party for:

birthday celebration for grown-ups

your kid's Sweet 16

a graduation bonfire party

bonfire block party

commitment party

A bonfire party is perhaps the most effortless approaches to have a magnificent social affair, yet with less work.

Bonfire party basics

Considering what sort of provisions you need to have a patio bonfire soiree this mid year? Here's top notch of the main seven bonfire party fundamentals.

1. A fire pit. (Clearly.)

You'll require some sort of fire pit, regardless of whether it's an opening in the ground, a convenient bonfire, a fire table, or something different.

We love our Solo Stove bonfire, which is a versatile fire pit intended to be totally smokeless (so no waiting campfire smell!).

2. Firewood.

On the off chance that it's a wood consuming fire pit (like the Solo Stove I referenced above), you'll need a lot of logs to keep the fire consuming, just as a lighter to kick it off.

On the off chance that it's not log agreeable, you'll need whatever kind of fuel your fire pit requires.

3. Something for visitors to sit on.

In the event that you don't as of now have bonfire seating, you'll need to concoct something for visitors to sit. Comfortable porch seats are consistently decent, yet on the off chance that that is not in the financial plan, at that point you'll need to utilize whatever is accessible.

Overlay up outdoors seats work incredible, as do decent, large logs (for brief timeframes!).

4. Food and beverages.

It is anything but a bonfire without s'mores! Look down for some extra menu thoughts for your bonfire party.

5. Tunes.

Obviously, music is a bonfire party fundamental, too. Set up a playlist of your number one bonfire tunes early so you can keep the gathering going throughout the evening.

6. Open air lighting.

This is quite possibly the most ignored parts of a terrace bonfire territory.

You can make the ideal mood with the correct lighting. String lights are perhaps the most mainstream approaches to illuminate the lawn during an open air party.

7. Fun bonfire exercises.

Last, however not least, it is anything but a gathering without arranging some great exercises to keep everybody locked in. Keep perusing for some pleasant bonfire party game thoughts.

Food thoughts for your bonfire party

We should discuss the menu for your bonfire party. Obviously, you could adhere to the rudiments — sausages and s'mores. In any case, in case you're searching for some extra food thoughts, here they are:

Fondue. Additionally, food to plunge in the fondue: bread, organic product, vegetables, meat, and so on

Burgers and sausages. Try to give the buns, in addition to all the garnishes: ketchup and mustard, relish, cheddar, and pickles…

Plates of mixed greens. Potato plate of mixed greens and pasta serving of mixed greens are mainstream decisions.

Chips and plunge. Plain potato chips are in every case great, and they pair well with a wide range of plunge.

S'mores. Chocolate, marshmallows, and graham wafers are the norm — yet you can blend it up with an assortment of chocolates (Reese's peanut spread cups, for instance) and distinctive marshmallow flavors.

Organic product. Watermelon is a tasty summery treat, and a natural product plate of mixed greens can't be beat. (Did you get the rhyme? It was totally accidental, yet now I would prefer not to transform it… )

Food to cook over the fire:

Marshmallows

Bread

Crumpets

Organic product kebabs

Smooth Way bars

Bananas overflowed with sugar

Pineapples

Strawberries

Pizza pops

Wieners

String cheddar

Summer wiener

(What are your number one food sources to broil over the fire? Is there something that I'm absent from the rundown? Offer your thoughts in the remarks box!)

Bonfire party games and exercises

At long last, we need to design a couple of gathering games to ensure everybody doesn't get exhausted and leave too early. Here are some pleasant game and movement thoughts for your patio bonfire party.

Yard games (before it gets dull)

stepping stool throw

badminton

volleyball

cornhole

Shine stick games (after dull)

shine stick tag

shine stick forager chase

ring throw

shine in obscurity bowling

Karaoke as well as moving

Twenty inquiries, truth or dare, and so on

There are such countless approaches to have a life-changing bonfire get-together!

On the off chance that you have ponies and a trailer, consider taking everybody on a hayride. Host a progression of rivalries and have everybody group up, at that point grant a prize to the group with the most successes. Have a chime in or tell campfire stories.

The alternatives are boundless.

[kelhirt]

The Home Stretch

Showing up in the beautiful, lively Cork brought back many phenomenal memories of the good times it brought us the last time we were there.

 This trip was about living like a true Irish family, which is why we got connected with one of my favorite professors and mentor’s sister, Bree. She picked us up with her daughter, Josie. WE had delicious brekky, bummed around, and went home to Innishannon; a small village about 30 minutes outside the city center. There we met Owen, her husband and their three wild pups, whom we would cuddle for four days. Over this time, we visited a few small towns that we never would have seen if we didn’t have the amazing opportunity to stay with them. West Cork is hard to see without a car, and unless you’re a local, you don’t know where to go. We spent the days on beach walks and sightseeing. They also were filled with puppy cuddles and ice cream stops. 

 We were set to leave for Galway (yay!) in the morning and ended up missing our bus due to some traffic.. Wouldn’t have been bad, but it was cold and rainy. Mads and I carried our luggage into a nearby cafe to figure out switching our tickets and made friends with the barista. He helped us figure out the bus fiasco via phone and made us lattes, which were very nice. Soon after that, we said “screw it” and went to grab some margs and guac at a little Mexican restaurant in an alley; might as well enjoy the day! Our barista friend let us store our stuff at his shop, which was really sweet.  Once we finally got to Galway later that day, the sun was starting to set and we had to take the Bus Eireann to our Air BnB in Salthill, a little town within Galway. We showed up at the address and dug around for the key under the rock where it was supposed to be--nothing. Tried to get into the backyard to see if that is what our host meant--nope. Knocked on the door and creepily looked in the windows to see if our host was there--no one. What the hell!? Thankfully, the neighbor lady just pulled into the driveway next door. This was our answer to a place to sleep! She got out and I asked her about the Air BnB and she replied: “That’s not a BnB; an older man has lived there for years.” All we could do was laugh and try to find more clarification. Turns out, there were two identical neighborhoods with slightly different addresses and the one we were supposed to be at was about a mile away. She offered us a ride, so we loaded into her car and she dropped us off at the RIGHT address in the RIGHT neighborhood. Again, an angel that was sent to us! 

I was so happy to be back in Galway, but was also a bit anxious because it meant I had less than a week left in my travels. The weather turned from sunny and 75 to the dreary Irish weather that is normal, so we took advantage of walks into the city center when it wasn’t pouring out. There, we did what we do best; bop around different shops, relax and chat by the Sparch, and listened to any live music that was on in the pubs or outside. The eve of my birthday was supposed to be a chill night as we were headed to the Galway Horse Races the next day(!) and wanted to be well rested. That plan quickly unraveled as the city’s energy enticed us with bustling streets as many people were in town for the races. AS we strolled, we decided our (very unhealthy) dinner would start with gelato from Murphey’s followed by my favorite place to rip my intestines up: PIZZA NAPOLI! 

Pure bliss, if you can’t tell by my face.

The pub that pulled us in that night was the one that pulled us in two years earlier: The King’s Head. We thought we’d check it out and found that the band was killer! We had to stay for a bit...it was too good to miss out on.  People were in the festival mode, which made for lots of drinks flowing our way, namely Bulmers cider in liter bottles--yikes. The group of visitors we found ourselves tearing up the dance floor with was a group of 6 guys from Dublin, all age ranges. As it was August 2nd, the eve of my 23rd birthday, they were excited to have a more solid reason to party; and that we did. We all were dripping in sweat, cutting a rug right in front of the stage. To top the night off Maddi told the band it was my birthday; they misheard her because they announced a “Happy Birthday” message to Karen Who was turning 22? No, 23? WAIT, WHAT’S MY NAME?  It was a good try anyway. 

The next day brought lovely weather, and thank God because we had a big day ahead of us! After sleeping in, making lunch, and doing wedding planning for Mads, we got dolled up and put on our hats for the Galway Horse Races! If you haven’t picked up on it yet, this was a highlight for me and a huge bucket list cross-off activity. We headed to the city center and waited in line for the bus to take us to the race track. We both felt like celebrities because people were stopping to look and take pictures left and right of everyone all dressed up. The bus was hot as hell, but the crew on it was down for a good time. Some guy in the front yelled, out of nowhere: “Can I get a WHAT-WHAT?” to which the whole bus unquestionably responded with an excited: “WHAT-WHAT!” 

The races were absolutely fantastic! The men and women were dressed to the nines and the hats were something to see. The actual racing was a true thrill. The anticipation of seeing the horses round the first corner, then the second, feeling the vibrations of their hooves working hard to find their place in first, followed by the exhilarating sound of the stampede of muscular and beautiful horses with their jockeys was quite honestly overwhelming. The crowd in the stands and the ones surrounding us by the gate lining the track had the energy of a grand concert. Cheering, yelling, and jumping was something both Mads and I got roped into. Honestly, it was hard not to. The feeling I felt at the races is hard to describe, because I am not a race fanatic by any measure. It was all the variables listed above that stirred extreme excitement in my heart, which led to tears of absolute joy. What a way to spend my 23rd! Oh, and of course I had a Guinness in my hand. 

 A few hours at the track surrounded by so much excitement was all I needed to make me happy. We went home to change and head to the city center to hear some music and enjoy Galway’s event energy. We found some good spots and started with a quaint pub with one live musician who could sing me to sleep every night. Live music is so fantastic and Ireland is full of it! During this time, Maddi and I were approached by two, obviously drunk, Australian men. What happened next was not something I asked for my birthday or welcomed: an unsolicited, truly unfortunate attempt at a strip tease from the surfer dude. I laughed, but don’t think for one second I let it go on for more than 10 seconds after I realized what was happening. We went to a new pub shortly after that. 

The weekend was nice, but I couldn’t help thinking I only had two more days left in my absolute favorite place. We just hung out in town, people watched, browsed a few shops, and ate gelato. Saturday night was our last Hoorah! And we took advantage of the city’s energy once more, made some friends with a group of dudes out to celebrate and we danced the night away, per usual. That and stumbling upon the musician we had seen a few nights prior was the perfect end to a less than logistically perfect trip; one that was absolutely fantastic! The following Monday morning I got up early to catch the Bus Eireann to the bus station, though I had my worries that the bus would be late or not even show up. I had my fair share of these things happening over the past two months, so I had valid reason for worry. Sure enough. 6:45am, I sat waiting for the bus in the cold rain. After 10 minutes of waiting, I picked up my luggage and started off near a gas station to call a taxi, but then, another guardian angel appeared. A man on his way to work in town pulled over and asked if I’d like a ride to the station. I was pretty desperate and he was kind, so I hopped in and had a great conversation with him. Next thing I knew I was holding back tears while giving Colum one last hug as he met me to say goodbye. 

The plane ride home was when I broke down and bawled into my arms on the tray table before I fell asleep. My emotions were intense and I wasn’t ready to come home to be greeted with my grandpa’s funeral and decide on the next journey for myself. It made me feel so much better when I woke up from my nap and the kind Irish couple next to me told me I missed lunch so they grabbed something for me. Another guardian angel! 

The plane rides home and the 7 hour delay really was not a great travel end, but luckily I was on United and wine was free and one of my best friends from college was waiting to pick me up. 

 There it is; the end of my 2 month escapade! After reading through my journal and posting these blogs, a few things became very evident. Tears from every emotion, drinking cider, live music, and increasing my resilience while living out one of my dreams were some of the big markers of my summer abroad. The thing about traveling solo is that you are never alone. The people around you become a part of your story and usually are more than willing to lend you a hand when needed. Connections are made easily, so don’t be afraid to reach out! Travel is scary and hard, but it’s not impossible. It definitely isn’t any scarier than wandering city streets in the US. Whenever and wherever you have the opportunity to travel, do it! Immerse yourself in stunning sights and damn good food. Open your mind to the stories of others; we are all human after all. 

I don’t intend to ever stop seeing weekend trips or free outdoor concerts as big adventures, and I for sure am not done seeing the world; it has shaped me as much as my family upbringing and formal education. 

The amount of gratitude I have for Ireland, Europe, and the people I met it is immeasurable. As cheesy as it sounds, I was able to love spending time by myself again through re-identifying strengths and working on my weaknesses. A summer for growth, adventure, and pushing myself outside of my comfort zone. With all that, need I say that I will be back before I know it?

[tenyababy-blog]

Prompt List - BNHA

Feel free to request any of these prompts <3 I did not create these.

Person A and Person B trying to converse while one (or both) of them brushes their teeth

Person A comforting Person B, who is afraid of storms, during a massive thunderstorm

Person A removing a splinter from Person B’s body

Person A bringing Person B breakfast in bed because it’s their birthday or they’re sick or no reason at all

Person A and Person B running around the house trying to kill a fly/mosquito/etc

Person A forgetting their keys and banging on the door until Person B finally hears them and lets them into the house

Person A desperately needing to pee/shit but Person B is in the shower and there is only one bathroom

Person A waking up in the morning to see that Person B has been up all night playing video games

Person A mistakenly opening a package that came in the mail for Person B and it turns out that it was a gift that Person B was planning to give to Person A

Person A having a broken leg and Person B has to carry them up and down the stairs to their bedroom every night/morning

“Are the rumors really true?”

“Who’s in charge here?”

“What are you hiding?”

“Notice anything different about me?”

“Are you just gonna sit there?”

“How did it go?”

“Wanna bet?”

“What do you want from me?”

“Where was I while this was happening?”

“Did you get it?”

“Have I said too much?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“Didn’t we already do that?”

“Are you ever going to apologize?”

“You forgot, didn’t you?”

“But I thought you hated me?”

“Is it always like this?”

“Which one should I get?”

“Do you think it will be okay?”

“Why am I doing this?”

Person A is the cool kid in school who hosts all the parties and Person B is the weird kid that has like no friends but is still somehow always at the parties. At one of these parties, a group of people are playing Spin The Bottle and Person B doesn’t want to participate. Person A makes fun of them and pressures them into joining the game. Person B spins the bottle and it lands on Person A.

Person A and Person B are always passing notes in class but because of the seating chart, they have to pass their notes to Person C to get them to each other. Person C doesn’t mind to pass on the notes, but not before opening them, reading them, and adding in their own silly doodles/commentary.

Person A’s friends go to every single football game because they all have a crush on the quarterback. The only reason Person A goes with them is because they secretly have a crush on Person B, who is the tuba player in the marching band.

One day while taking a test, Person A notices that Person B is cheating by looking over at their answers. Instead of getting mad and telling the teacher, Person A feels sorry for them because they realize that Person B must be struggling in that class if they’re cheating. Person A confronts Person B after class and offers to tutor them. Person B breaks down and apologizes and gladly (almost desperately) accepts Person A’s offer.

Person A is always getting 1-hour after school detentions for stupid little stuff like late assignments or being late for class. Person B has a crush on Person A and wants an excuse to spend more time around them so they attempt to do something small that will get them into detention, but their punishment ends up being something worse like an out-of-school suspension.

Person A is still closeted and one night they drunkenly come out to Person B. The next morning they realize what they’ve done and beg Person B not to tell anyone and Person B is so supportive and cool about it.

Person A has a massive crush on Person B but they assume that Person B is straight and therefore wouldn’t be attracted to them. Then one night Person A goes out to a gay bar/club where they happen to run into Person B.

Person A is the only out gay/bi/not-straight person at school and Person B is the cool presumably-straight kid. One day a group of kids start bullying Person A because of their sexuality so Person B stands up for them and, in doing so, comes out to the entire school.

Person A and Person B decide to meet up at a Pride parade. When they get there, Person A is dressed very fabulous and flamboyant and is not happy to see that Person B is dressed very basic and “normal” so they furiously smother Person B in as much rainbows, make up, and color as possible.

Person A is still in the closet and has been secretly talking to Person B on an LGBT+ dating app for a few weeks. The next day at work, Person A’s boss asks them to show the new employee around and in walks none other than Person B.

Person A and Person B have been dating for a long time and decide to plan a vacation to celebrate their anniversary. At exactly midnight on their anniversary, they both get down on one knee with a ring and neither of them had any idea the other was planning to propose.

Person A and Person B go to a very religious school that doesn’t allow “same sex” couples at prom. Knowing about their relationship, their fellow students band together and vote both of them as prom king and queen so that they have to dance together at the prom.

Person A is finally ready to come out to their best friend, Person B, but doesn’t know how to say it so they decide to write a note to give to them. The next time they see each other, Person A hands Person B the note and, before reading it, Person B hands another note back to Person A. They decide to read them at the same time and it turns out that the notes say the same thing.

Person A is LGBT+ and Person B is a straight ally. They go to a Pride event together and everyone there keeps hitting on Person B thinking that they aren’t straight so Person B uses it as an opportunity to be Person A’s wing-man and refers all of their suitors to Person A.

Person A and Person B create a list of iconic straight couples from movies and then have a photo shoot of them recreating gay versions of all of the movie posters.

Person A is dancing around the house in their underwear when Person B comes home earlier than they said they would

Person A and Person B having a guilty-pleasure tv show that they watch religiously together every week but keep secret from their other friends

Person A having pizzas delivered unaware that Person B has also ordered pizzas and both of them bursting into laughter when two pizza delivery people arrive at the door

Person A comes into the living room / lounge gagging and asks Person B “What’s that smell?” and it turns out that Person B had just lit their favorite scented candle

Person A’s bedroom is a lot closer to the internet router that Person B’s room so Person B is constantly coming in there to try and get a better wifi connection

Person A and Person B leaving little notes around the house for each other to read (Ex: “Went to the store. I’ll be back soon” “We’re out of bread, can you get some?” or “Happy birthday, hoe”)

Person A has friends visiting and keeps asking Person B to come hang out with them but Person B is too shy to come out of their room even to get food or go to the bathroom

Person A wakes up in the middle of the night to a loud crash and is really scared that there’s an intruder in the house but it turns out that it was just Person B falling down the stairs

Person A is still awake when Person B comes stumbling through the front door after a drunken night out so Person A gives them a glass of water and helps them to bed

Person A has been in their room for a while blasting a bunch of sad / emo songs on their speakers and Person B comes in to ask if they’re okay

[yocheved-for-the-win]

Today was one of those days that made me feel guilty & awkward for becoming more observant. First, the pizza party thing at work involved a supervisor referring to my dietary restrictions as a phobia & seeming unfazed when I said it wasn't a phobia I just keep kosher. She ended up getting me a personal cheese pizza & then an extra large pepperoni for everyone else, which was nice & I think meant to serve as an apology, but I'm having a hard time shaking this feeling of uncomfortableness. I texted my mom about it before the pizza came & she said I should go to HR, but it seems that the supervisor tried to make amends, so I think I should let it go...Second, yesterday our Chabad rabbi & rebbetzin posted that they would be hosting Shabbos dinner at their house & to text them if we wanted to come, so I sent them a message & reserved a seat. About 2 hours later I get a group message from my aunt admitting it's last minute, but that they're going out to eat on Friday for my cousin's 14th birthday. Well, I told my mom that I wouldn't be able to go since I had Shabbos plans & she sounded disappointed. I texted my aunt & she seemed understanding, but I still feel bad because I love my cousin & I missed his birthday last year because I was in Israel. My mom called me tonight to ask if I could show up late for Shabbos dinner & I said no. I mean I really love the beginning of Shabbos-candle lighting, kiddush, HaMotzi, etc. I really feel like I need it right now. I also pointed out that people need to slowly get used to me being unavailable during Shabbos. She just said how she feels bad since I likely won't be around for my cousin's birthday after next since I'll be moving away & how my aunt tries so hard to go to other people's things. And then also how she didn't realize I'd be doing something for Shabbos every Friday this summer. She wants me to do something with my cousin 3 Saturdays from now, and I don't know I can but it pretty much would mean having 3 weekends in a row that only allow for minimal Shabbos observance. Also, I love my cousin, but he doesn't seem to care that I won't be there, he's much more excited about going to a water park with his friends over the weekend, & I'll make sure to call him & wish him Happy Birthday. I still feel I'm being a crappy person though.

[ericacheeks-blog1]

In Prague like a local… Almost

I had my first Czech meal (chicken schnitzel), saw my first massive gothic church, drank my first Pilsner beer, and had my first stroll down Charles bridge. If that’s not Czech enough for ya, I don’t know what is. The second day in Prague, I woke up jetlagged around 2 PM. By the time I got ready it was already dark out. I went to a Czech restaurant called Sklep with some UT students (branching out, I know…). But to be fair it was my first time meeting Grant, Mike, and Haley. Everyone got beers, but I settled for a water, completely forgetting that the water here is more expensive than the beer. Afterwards we wandered around the area and cozied up in a quaint little coffee shop called Národní Kavárna. We ordered some pastries, including Kolache, and some warm drinks to help with the freezing temperature outside. Grant got a cup of really interesting hot chocolate. It was thick and bitter (possibly dark chocolate?). Wasn’t a huge fan.

Third day, Friday, February 3, 2017. A group of Erasmus students decided to go to a nice overlook area near a church and cemetery. To this day I don’t know what the place is called… (Just scrolled up through WhatsApp and it’s called Vyšehrad!) It was absolutely beautiful and a really great way to meet people. 

I had my first Czech beer on this trip. We went to a little pub nearby. I didn’t have any Czech Crowns on me so Theo from Britain spotted me. We had our first mandatory VŠE (name of my school) meeting then went out to dinner at Don Vito’s, an Italian restaurant that’s walking distance from our dorm, Jarov III.F. Nicole and I split a pizza so my dinner was cheaper than my glass of white wine. It was great. During dinner, I happened to ask Vlad when his 21st birthday was, and, crazy enough, it was that day! We decided we had to celebrate and went to Juve, the local bar, then P.M. club. The club had a coat check, which was really useful. I was thinking that America should implement it, but also Texas is so warm that it’s only necessary for one day out of the year. Getting back to Jarov was a big task, because no one had data or any idea how to use the night trams. We made it halfway back in an hour, but were exhausted. Haley decided to stop a cab in the middle of the street, and the girls went back, leaving the boys to fend for themselves.  Once again, I slept late and woke up late. I had dinner inside a mall called Palladium. You would expect the food to be subpar since we only have fast food in the malls back in America. However, they had nice restaurants with great service. We ate at a half-Mexican-half-Indian restaurant and all got a round of margaritas and beers. I met some really awesome people this night. Some shout-outs to Dionne from Scotland and a handful of Swedes named Veronika, Beatrice, Lovisa, Johan, and Anders (except I met Johan and Anders the previous night). We all went to a pub in Old Town called Zephyr then met up with a bunch of people who went to a 80’s/90’s party nearby. There’s this pizza shop next to the tram stop that’s going to get a lot of business this semester. The next day a group of us went on a walking tour to Old Town, New Town, and the Jewish Quarters. I learned a lot about Czech history and some fun little myths about the country. The Tyn Church in Old Town has two towers famously called the “Adam and Eve” towers, because one tower is wider than the other. It’s said that the construction workers lost the blueprint because they were too drunk on beer! 

We stopped by the Astronomical Clock, which has a short show at the top of every hour. Our tour guide gave us a head’s up that the show is “one of the most disappointing things you’ll see in Europe”. He told us to watch the crowd rather than the show to see people expecting something more grand than what’s given.

The tour group stopped by Zephyrs, the pub I went to the night before, and grabbed a bite to eat. I was craving a burger, but my friend Imaan from Canada got goulash, a famous Czech meal. We ended the tour looking at Prague Castle from afar with the night lights brightening up the area. Fun fact: the lights were apparently donated by the Rolling Stones! I took a few pictures, but they don’t do the view justice. 

Instead of watching the Super Bowl that night, I decided to Facetime my best friend at home, Hallie (who’s on my “intro” page). Monday morning I met up with my Buddy, Petra, and went to campus for the first time. This was the start of OW, or Orientation Week. There were a lot of documents to fill out and formalities to get through, but we ended the day with a Welcome Ceremony, which was essentially a show with Czech music and dancers. The school fed us traditional sandwiches and wine!

That night, my roommates and I decided it was about time to get together and have a good chat with some wine. A bunch of other girls in Jarov ended up filing into our room. It was a really good time laughing over wine, cheese, salami, and nuts and dried apples from Latvia (Enija, my fourth roommate, brought them from her country). Continuing OW, I headed to VŠE and went to a lecture about culture shock. We learned about the W curve and how foreigners can feel culture shock when living in a different country then reverse culture shock when returning back to their home country. I got to take some time to think about the small differences of Czech and America.

Restrooms: it’s common to pay to use public restrooms; each toilet is operated differently (most are flushed with a push of a button but some you pull a string and others you pull a handle up); in some restrooms, the toilet paper is located outside the stalls so you have to grab some before heading inside one; some public stalls don’t have locks so you have to just hope for the best!

Water: it’s such a common thing to stay hydrated in the U.S. with servers constantly filling up your glass at restaurants, but I find myself always thirsty here because water isn’t as easily available in public places.

Nightlife: college students in America tend to binge drink since pregames start at 10-11 PM and the bars close at 2 AM; in Europe, people stay out until 5-6 AM and there’s something called an after-party that lasts until the sun comes up! Since clubs are open longer and the drinking age here is 18, I can see a trend of casual, slow drinking versus downing shots back in the U.S. Also, side note, pregames here are called pre or pre-drinking; someone recently called it “prink” (combining pre and drinking) and I’m determined to bring that back to the states.

General public environment: there’s a stereotype for loud Americans and I can now vouch for that because I am one. Everyone here speaks softly and in hushed tones. Also, uni students here dress nicely to classes instead of the classic big t-shirt, shorts, and Nikes back at home. A lot of Czechs own dogs and take them around without leashes.

Later on that day, Petra took me to Main Station to get my official student tram pass then Wenceslas Square to pick up my Vodafone SIM card. I now have a Czech phone number and data! Yay! We went to Námestí Míru, which is where Petra lives, and she showed me a beautiful church around the area. I took the bus and tram back to Jarov all by myself (after detailed instructions by Petra of course).

Tuesday nights are reserved for Nation2Nation parties, which the Buddy System organizes at different clubs around Prague. Each week a different country “hosts” it and they bring traditional food from that country. Of course this Tuesday it was the Czech Republic. The line to get in (or the “queue”) was pretty long since it was the first N2N of the semester. The bouncer pulled me aside and demanded to see my ID. He didn’t believe that I was at least 18, but my Scottish friend Jenna vouched for me.

Wednesday, February 8, 2017. This day marked my first week in the Czech Republic yet I still haven’t been across the Charles bridge or seen a lot of the tourist attractions. We got a group to go explore, and I finally got a trdlnik (chimney cake) with whipped cream and strawberries. It was actually way harder to eat than you’d think. We walked along the bridge and touched the iconic dog, which is supposed to help you meet a man as loyal as the dog (thanks Jackie for the info). We hit up the John Lennon wall and had an entire photo shoot there. Someone in the group mentioned giant baby sculptures so we GPS’d our group over there as well.

For Thursday of OW there were a bunch of different activities planned, which you could sign up for. Some of the events were touring a brewery, going on a scavenger hunt, and visiting the Lobkowicz Palace. I went to the Invisible Exhibition, which was an interactive experience in the dark. We had a guide with us who helped us get around the different rooms in the building. They had rooms that resembled a kitchen and living room, a jungle, and even an art gallery. At the end of the hour-long event, they took us to a pitch black (of course) bar, in which we got to order drinks. After the exhibition, the group went out for lunch at Sad Man’s Tongue Bar & Bistro. I ended the day at Kaufland’s with my roommates, Nicole and Enija, to pick up some snacks for Ice Breaking Weekend. More on that next time! Here’s a preview:

[twistednuns]

January 2017

All this sunshine lately. Reading in the beam of warm sunshine on my bed. Taking pretty pictures of translucent things like physalis leaves or a crystal. Admiring how green my eyes are in the right light.

Berlin magic.

Despite all the pain and soreness after being ill: the fact that I do have stomach muscles. Good to know.

A radio interview with the astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti: "From the very beginning, I liked sleeping in weightlessness. Just closing your eyes, floating, sleeping." What a nice thought.

New Year's Day was unexpectedly peaceful and happy. After celebrating with Claudia, Frank and Fabi (we made salad with goat cheese and bacon, pho and raspberry tiramisu; watched Dinner for One, played a drinking game and Activity and Bleigießen - apparently I got a ship which means I'm gonna go on a big trip) I stayed at Frank's place. We discussed space and the different planetory size relations and how insignificant I think we are so I don't like thinking about space. Frank is more optimistic; he thinks the idea that humanity might really matter on an intergalactic level in a few thousand years is so exciting. All this must have been triggered by watching Lars von Trier's Melancholia together. Anyway. In bed, we talked about our ideal picnic spot (somewhere over the rainbow) again, Machu Picchu with Roquefort. And illegal international cheese smuggling. I told him the story of Obi's Swiss colleagues who always bring cheese when they come to work at the observatory in Chile. On the next morning, I found Frank playing with his birthday present on the floor. I made tea and we watched another episode of Westworld. I left the house because his parents were about to come over and treat him to dinner. Got a beautiful brownie and some mezze at the Turkish bakery (I love the fact that they're open on Sundays) and took in the atmosphere. Everything was calm, the sun was shining, it was a bit foggy. So I went to Ruhmeshalle to see the Bavaria statue. There was confetti on the floor and Theresienwiese actually felt like Tempelhofer Feld in Berlin. Weird and beautiful. Apparently I'm not the only one who notices things like that. When I got home I talked to Doris for a while and suggested a spontaneous roadtrip to Frank. Oh, and on my way home I had this glorious but rare feeling, that I am unbelievably blessed. Everything is really really good and all I gotta do is stop wanting more and appreciating what I have. It's strange, the more intelligent and spoilt you are the likelier you are to be unhappy. Not anymore. I'll try to be good to myself. I'm thankful, SO thankful for what I have and how I feel at the moment, even though I don't really know what changed. I used to be SO miserable.

Ashley was happy and excited like a little child because of the large amount of New Year's Eve fireworks in Germany.

My mum sent me a book and a very heartfelt letter this weekend. I loved the textile feeling of the paper she used and read the book right away.

Doris's reaction to the fact that I glued glitter to my face and got some stuck in my eye.

At New Year's Eve, my fortune cookie advised: "It is not enough just to know the way. You also have to get there." Smart cookie.

Visiting Dantebad for the first time, a large outdoor swimming pool. It was freezing cold and started to snow, but I swam some laps nevertheless. There were cute ladies with floral bathing caps, too. And I loved the underwater lights and the steam in the night. Nice view. When I walked to my car, the sidewalk was covered in snow. Quiet and peaceful.

Getting a small piece of Roquefort and graffiti tofu. Eating it slowly at my desk. Always cutting off just a tiny peace and eating it straight from the knife.

The colour of the broccoli against the pale pink plate. Always take note of good colour combinations (like neon pink Sharpie on light blue paper and pistachio green fingernails against the plum coloured sheets).

Pasta with broccoli, a little cream, parmigiano, chili, thyme. Maybe an onion. Heavenly good.

The British property market delivers gems I'd immediately move into. Or rather this one? I don't even want to look at the rest because I'll never be able to afford something like that (nor do I want to, for that matter, but I appreciate great architecture). Related: somehow I ended up on the official website of the Bavarian castle department and found out that you can actually rent a lot of the rooms! If you could only rent the greenhouses in the botanical garden, too... I'd love to get married there one day.

It didn't make me happy but it moved me: a woman wakes up to find the partner next to her dead. 28 years old. She falls apart, obviously. And she writes about it.

Dr.Hauschka's Rose Day Cream. What a blessing for my moisture-depraved winter skin.

Walking through the Nymphenburg castle park and the botanical gardens in the sunshine. The lakes were frozen and everything was covered in snow. Lena and I went to the beautiful café, sitting at a table in front of the window with a view over the historical botanical institute. I got hot chocolate because I love spooning off the molten whipped cream before I drink it. Unfortunately it was already too late for the greenhouses but we are planning on coming back soon to see the tropical butterflies.

Buying an &otherstories nail polish on  sale that has the same colour as my favourite pistachio ice-cream from Ballabeni in Schwabing (the PERFECT ice-cream flavour).

Getting the last table at grano, a tiny Italian pizza place behind the Munich city museum with interesting wall art.

Feeling like a naughty librarian in my Ace&Tate glasses.

It's odd how comforting a simple "there's absolutely nothing in the fridge" dish is. Couscous with tomato puree. Parmigiano, if I have some. A dash of lemon. That's it.

The movie Gnade (2012) with Birgit Minichmayr and Jürgen Vogel. And beautiful Norwegian landscapes.

The little blue suede pouch with rose gold speckles I got for Christmas. I use it as a wallet and whenever I take it out of my bag I notice how much I love the look and feel of it. Very rarely, an object just feels like you, doesn't it?

Cutting open a passion fruit. And the purple carrot dying the boiling water blue.

The ARTE create Let's Swing series.

A weird dream. Leaving Frank's house, taking the bus to a physiotherapist's practice on a busy street. Waiting room, far too many people. After one or two hours we discovered the auditorium next door. At first, there were only pupils from my old schools (and at some point the dream had been one about a school lesson, I suppose). Soon after, people from the waiting room dropped in and I decided to put on a show. I was the host, of course, and stood on stage, speaking into a microphone. I don't even wanna know what I said. But then Inge and Wölki walked up to me and started making out. And *zoom* we're in a French coastal town (?), climbing over ruins in the sea? I don't know how my subconsciousness conjures these things up...

Going to Candy Club party with Doris. I didn't wear a check shirt like all the lesbians but instead bright pink hair. There was a drag show with a dancing pizza, an all-girl band (The Veras) and an interesting hipster duo, Nalan381. I loved some of the DJ's choices, too, like Warpaint, Róisín Murphy, Bonaparte and Electric Six.

#SaltBae

The big snowman my neighbours have built in the garden. Watching the birds peck at the bags of peanuts I hung up in the bushes.

Eating quail eggs for the first time (we got them at the Karstadt supermarket where everything is super pricey but it's so exciting to go through the aisles and look at the unusual items they're selling). The box said they came from "alternative production" so Frank and I were joking about quails with tiny party hats, riding model trains around the pen. Only drinking full moon water and having energy crystals around.

The fact that I really enjoy healthy eating. I usually forget when I eat too much junk food and sweets because the palate is so easily adaptable. But recently I've started preparing salads, soups, chia pudding and lots of fruit and veg again - it's fun and it makes me feel so much better.

Travel Man - 48 Hours in... // A travel guide series with Richard Ayoade!

ProperCorn - tiny popcorn snackpacks; mine came with smooth peanut and almond. Yum.

Also: eating much healthier. Eating less. Eating a ton of veggies and fruit. And feeling so good about it! I even lost a few kilograms already. Is this finally happening?

Going to Residenztheater for the first time to see Arthur Miller's The Crucible. What a great play. Later I found out that the actor who playes John Proctor was also in Toni Erdmann; he played the colleague who attended the naked party after all, I think. I've got two more theatre tickets for the next weeks, I'm really looking forward to it.

Having dinner and watching a movie at the cinema with colleagues and Nicole's brother and father. We got along famously and I actually got her Bernhard's phone number because we are planning on seeing an ice-hockey match together.

Discovering this old back issue of Missy Magazine with a focus on Sleater-Kinney. Why, WHY is it sold out?! Also this photograph. Dressing like Corin is my life goal now. I'm having a fangirl moment.

Reading about feminism. Being overwhelmed by the Women's Marches all over the world on the day after Trump's inauguration. Getting the feeling that standing up for equality is something I'm passionate about. Ashley Judd reciting Nina Donovan's I am a nasty woman was powerful. I hope Trump is going to fuck up big time so people will wake up now and make America actually great again. He's just going to make us stand closer together.

Taking a moment in a club (even though being in a glum mood) to appreciate how great it is to stand in a room full of dancing people, listening to really loud rock music (fun, too, you know - Ballroom Blitz!).

Tiny embroideries.

Deciding on brushing up my French (I'm going to Paris next month!!). Earning more than 1300xp in DuoLingo on a slow Saturday.

Smorfia neapolitana. Crazy Italians. I saw one of these posters in Travel Man and liked the idea a lot.

Nachtbad - they turned an old sauna club in the gay part of the city into a bar, and they even left the showers running. Nice venue.

Hamlet at Munich Kammerspiele. Buckets full of blood and a confetti hose. I loved it.

A healthy dose of cat content. Watching the streetcat Bob movie with Doris and visiting Fricki at home where I got to know Effi the cat. She loved me and sat on my shoulder; even slept like a baby on my arm.

Spending a day in the city instead of going to work (even though I had to attend a workshop). Walking through streets I rarely visit. Getting beautiful and unusual (pumpkin, truffle, rosemary...) macarons at Principessa's and having a chat with the owner. Having dinner at the Victorian House, walking over Viktualienmarkt, stopping at a fruit vendor for some blueberries, getting a necklace at &otherstories and rice papier at the Asian food store.

Outside our classroom we saw a fox running through the snow! I was just as excited about that as the children.

Taking a screen printing class! We were only 4 people and the teacher was really nice so we spent the whole Saturday making prints. I want my own screen now... gotta find out where to get or how to build one! I printed a Sleater-Kinney picture on a tote bag, by the way. "Nasty women!"

The dad in the whole food market who showed his son a monkey toy with a long tail and laughed out loud because it looked like a dick.

Seeing a small piece of rainbow over the street I take every day!

Desire paths.

Making summer rolls with peanut dip. And cooking the same dish Fricki made for me the other day: pumpkin, zucchini, thyme and feta. Delicious.

[seanskeithley]

Baby’s 1st Birthday Party Ideas and Planning Guide

Your Baby’s first birthday is the most important one ever—not just for your special little girl or boy, but also for you! You are the proud parent of your bundle of joy, but planning your child’s 1st birthday party can be incredibly stressful. YTE Events in Tampa has helped dozens of Moms and Dads make baby’s first birthday party memorable, fun, and completely stress-free! As the best entertainment solution in the Tampa Bay area, YTE has everything YOU need to plan the best one-year-old party!

Where do I have my child’s first birthday party?

The best place to host your baby’s birthday is at your home. Your home offers all the amenities that you, your baby, and your guests need:

Convenient location

Baby-proof surroundings

Changing table and diapers

Crib for emergency nap-time

High chair and baby furniture

Favorite baby toys

Comfortable & familiar environment

Is your house too small for your baby’s special day? Try asking your friends and family if you can host the party at their house—bonus points if their home is already baby-proof! Just be sure to put the correct address of the birthday party location when sending out your Baby’s 1st Birthday Party invitations!

When is a good time to host my baby’s 1st birthday?

As a parent, you KNOW that your baby is the boss when it comes to scheduling. When choosing a timeframe for baby’s party, take into account:

Nap time

Play time

Meal time

The best times to host your child’s first birthday are in the late morning (after breakfast but before lunch), or early afternoon so long as lunch is provided for your hungry friends and their ravenous kids.

 Theme and Decoration for baby’s first birthday

Get ready to unleash your creative instincts! Your one year old won’t recall the decorations, but all your friends and all the photos certainly will! Some of the most popular themes for baby’s 1st birthday include:

Sock Money theme

Thomas the Tank Engine theme

Wild Animal theme

Rubber Ducky theme

Pink Elephant theme

Elmo or Cookie Monster theme

Little Man & Mustache theme

My Little Princess theme

ABC Alphabet theme

Where the Wild Things Are theme

Circus theme

Garden or Ocean theme

Rainbow party theme

Owl theme (Look Whoo’s One!)

Lady Bug or Bumblebee theme

Very Hungry Little Caterpillar theme

Of course, choosing a party theme based off your baby’s nursery works wonders too! You can also encourage your guests to dress accordingly to your party’s theme for beautiful, memorable photos and lifelong memories.

Best Entertainment for babies, toddlers, and parents

It doesn’t take much to entertain your 1 year old and their teething toddler friends—but it’s important to make sure that whatever “toys” you have lying around are baby-proof, stain-proof, and indestructible! Besides your typical Fisher Price toys, the best entertainment to have at your baby’s 1st birthday party are:

Pots, pans, and wooden spoons for musical melodies (or torture)

Foam Pool Noodles cut in half for harmless swordfights

Soft Plastic Balls inside an inflatable Swimming Pool or large Playpen (children absolutely LOVE this—and so do the adults!)

It is also a good idea to coordinate professional entertainment for your guests older than 3 years old. YTE Events has the best party entertainers in Tampa, and our skilled artists have been specially trained to handle all partygoers at baby’s 1st birthday:

Balloon Artist

Face Painter

Princesses and Super Heroes Characters

Letterbrush Artist (perfect for Garden or Ocean themed parties!)

Caricature Artist

Bubble Show performer

Don’t forget the photographer! You will want lots of photos from you and your baby’s super special day, so if you are not camera-savvy, YTE has professional photographers that will make baby’s 1st birthday unforgettable. Click here to submit a free, no obligation event request with Tampa’s top entertainers!

Food Options for one year old birthday party

You think your baby is a picky eater? Just imagine the picky palates of all the kids (and their adults companions) attending your baby’s first birthday. But do not fret—with all the baby parties that YTE Events has served, we know the best baby-approved food choices to serve at your party:

Pizza Cupcakes

In a greased cupcake pan, place refrigerated biscuit dough, pizza sauce, and cheese, and/or any other toppings such as pepperoni, spinach, or sausage. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until fluffy and gooey. Kids and adults will love ‘em!

Mini Corn Dogs

In a greased mini muffin pan, pour Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix along with a slice of a hotdog pressed in. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Try not to eat them all before the party guests arrive!

Rainbow Spaghetti

Taste the rainbow—literally! Using different Food Coloring colors, place 20 drops of one color + 2 tbsps of water in a large Ziplock bags (so 1 bag for Blue, 1 bag for Red, etc). After cooking the pasta of your choice and straining it, transfer equal amounts of pasta into each bag of food coloring; let sit for at least 2 minutes. Strain out the pasta again, and enjoy!

Peanut Butter and Jelly “Sushi” Rolls

Use rolling pin to complete flatten piece of bread. Spread 1 tbsp Peanut Butter and 1 tbsp of Jelly or Jam. Roll slice into a tight spiral, then cut into 4 pieces.

Banana Dogs

The healthy alternative to hot dogs! Line hotdog bun with peanut butter, place a small to medium sized banana inside, drizzle strawberry jelly on top, and watch the smiles commence! Cut into half or thirds for minimum waste and maximum YUM.

Deli Sandwiches & Wraps

Make them at home, or make things easy by picking up sandwich trays from your local supermarket Deli.

Pizza Delivery

With so many other things going on, sometimes it’s better to leave the fan-favorite food to the professionals. Order a bunch of cheese and pepperoni pizzas from your favorite pizza joint and appease the pickiest of eaters.

Snacks and Finger Foods are an absolute must at any party, especially your child’s first birthday. Popular snacks for baby parties include:

Animal Crackers

Especially awesome at Circus, Sock Monkey, and Wild Animal themed parties

Goldfish and Cheez-Its

Cheerios, Alpha-bits, or other cereal

Carrot, Celery, and Apple slices

Grapes

Skewer them to create caterpillars

Freeze grapes for fun chilly treats

Fun Fruit shapes

Use cookie cutters to cut out fun shapes in watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, and pineapple

Ants on a log

Celery, peanut butter, raisins, YUM

Pretzels and Chips, with Hummus and/or Vegetable Dip

And don’t forget the drinks! Be sure to supply enough water bottles, fruit juices, and adult beverages (along with plenty of ice!!) to keep you and your guests happy.

The perfect birthday cake for baby!

Picking the perfect cake for your baby’s first birthday is NOT a piece of cake! Your one year old’s birthday cake will undoubtedly be the most memorable one for years to come, so it will be difficult deciding which decorative dessert is right for you and your baby and your guests.

Main Birthday Cake:

Fancy 3 tiered cake that matches the theme of the party

2 tiered cake is less expensive but still fancy

Make-at-home cake (circular or rectangular) with colored frosting and/or fondant shapes

Baby cakes are small “wooden block” inspired cake squares, individually covered in fondant and individually decorated. 1 baby cake square yields 2 perfect triangle cake slices when cut diagonally.

Cupcakes and Cake Pops

Cupcakes are easy to make, easier to buy, easy to eat, and easy to clean up

Cake Pops are a perfect choice at baby’s first birthday party, providing the most MMMM and the least amount of waste and cleanup.

Cake SMASH!

Your baby is a master at destroying confectionery creations. Have a smaller, simpler cake ready for your one year old to smash and devour while capturing picture-perfect photos

You can make this doomed cake at home, or purchase a cheap round sacrifice at your local supermarket Bakery.

If you are a culinary wizard, or have a gifted friend or family member, you can create any of these tasty treats at home. For the challenged baker, your local supermarket has plenty of decadent options to choose from. And if money is not a problem, find a specialty bakery to transform the cake of your dreams into a reality!

If you are planning your Baby’s first birthday party, or know anyone looking for baby-approved entertainment for their party, send us an event request form and allow YTE to make baby’s 1st birthday the best one YET!

[jeaniegenlow]

Baby’s 1st Birthday Party Ideas and Planning Guide

Your Baby’s first birthday is the most important one ever—not just for your special little girl or boy, but also for you! You are the proud parent of your bundle of joy, but planning your child’s 1st birthday party can be incredibly stressful. YTE Events in Tampa has helped dozens of Moms and Dads make baby’s first birthday party memorable, fun, and completely stress-free! As the best entertainment solution in the Tampa Bay area, YTE has everything YOU need to plan the best one-year-old party!

Where do I have my child’s first birthday party?

The best place to host your baby’s birthday is at your home. Your home offers all the amenities that you, your baby, and your guests need:

Convenient location

Baby-proof surroundings

Changing table and diapers

Crib for emergency nap-time

High chair and baby furniture

Favorite baby toys

Comfortable & familiar environment

Is your house too small for your baby’s special day? Try asking your friends and family if you can host the party at their house—bonus points if their home is already baby-proof! Just be sure to put the correct address of the birthday party location when sending out your Baby’s 1st Birthday Party invitations!

When is a good time to host my baby’s 1st birthday?

As a parent, you KNOW that your baby is the boss when it comes to scheduling. When choosing a timeframe for baby’s party, take into account:

Nap time

Play time

Meal time

The best times to host your child’s first birthday are in the late morning (after breakfast but before lunch), or early afternoon so long as lunch is provided for your hungry friends and their ravenous kids.

Theme and Decoration for baby’s first birthday

Get ready to unleash your creative instincts! Your one year old won’t recall the decorations, but all your friends and all the photos certainly will! Some of the most popular themes for baby’s 1st birthday include:

Sock Money theme

Thomas the Tank Engine theme

Wild Animal theme

Rubber Ducky theme

Pink Elephant theme

Elmo or Cookie Monster theme

Little Man & Mustache theme

My Little Princess theme

ABC Alphabet theme

Where the Wild Things Are theme

Circus theme

Garden or Ocean theme

Rainbow party theme

Owl theme (Look Whoo’s One!)

Lady Bug or Bumblebee theme

Very Hungry Little Caterpillar theme

Of course, choosing a party theme based off your baby’s nursery works wonders too! You can also encourage your guests to dress accordingly to your party’s theme for beautiful, memorable photos and lifelong memories.

Best Entertainment for babies, toddlers, and parents

It doesn’t take much to entertain your 1 year old and their teething toddler friends—but it’s important to make sure that whatever “toys” you have lying around are baby-proof, stain-proof, and indestructible! Besides your typical Fisher Price toys, the best entertainment to have at your baby’s 1st birthday party are:

Pots, pans, and wooden spoons for musical melodies (or torture)

Foam Pool Noodles cut in half for harmless swordfights

Soft Plastic Balls inside an inflatable Swimming Pool or large Playpen (children absolutely LOVE this—and so do the adults!)

It is also a good idea to coordinate professional entertainment for your guests older than 3 years old. YTE Events has the best party entertainers in Tampa, and our skilled artists have been specially trained to handle all partygoers at baby’s 1st birthday:

Balloon Artist

Face Painter

Princesses and Super Heroes Characters

Letterbrush Artist (perfect for Garden or Ocean themed parties!)

Caricature Artist

Bubble Show performer

Don’t forget the photographer! You will want lots of photos from you and your baby’s super special day, so if you are not camera-savvy, YTE has professional photographers that will make baby’s 1st birthday unforgettable. Click here to submit a free, no obligation event request with Tampa’s top entertainers!

Food Options for one year old birthday party

You think your baby is a picky eater? Just imagine the picky palates of all the kids (and their adults companions) attending your baby’s first birthday. But do not fret—with all the baby parties that YTE Events has served, we know the best baby-approved food choices to serve at your party:

Pizza Cupcakes

In a greased cupcake pan, place refrigerated biscuit dough, pizza sauce, and cheese, and/or any other toppings such as pepperoni, spinach, or sausage. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until fluffy and gooey. Kids and adults will love ‘em!

Mini Corn Dogs

In a greased mini muffin pan, pour Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix along with a slice of a hotdog pressed in. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Try not to eat them all before the party guests arrive!

Rainbow Spaghetti

Taste the rainbow—literally! Using different Food Coloring colors, place 20 drops of one color + 2 tbsps of water in a large Ziplock bags (so 1 bag for Blue, 1 bag for Red, etc). After cooking the pasta of your choice and straining it, transfer equal amounts of pasta into each bag of food coloring; let sit for at least 2 minutes. Strain out the pasta again, and enjoy!

Peanut Butter and Jelly “Sushi” Rolls

Use rolling pin to complete flatten piece of bread. Spread 1 tbsp Peanut Butter and 1 tbsp of Jelly or Jam. Roll slice into a tight spiral, then cut into 4 pieces.

Banana Dogs

The healthy alternative to hot dogs! Line hotdog bun with peanut butter, place a small to medium sized banana inside, drizzle strawberry jelly on top, and watch the smiles commence! Cut into half or thirds for minimum waste and maximum YUM.

Deli Sandwiches & Wraps

Make them at home, or make things easy by picking up sandwich trays from your local supermarket Deli.

Pizza Delivery

With so many other things going on, sometimes it’s better to leave the fan-favorite food to the professionals. Order a bunch of cheese and pepperoni pizzas from your favorite pizza joint and appease the pickiest of eaters.

Snacks and Finger Foods are an absolute must at any party, especially your child’s first birthday. Popular snacks for baby parties include:

Animal Crackers

Especially awesome at Circus, Sock Monkey, and Wild Animal themed parties

Goldfish and Cheez-Its

Cheerios, Alpha-bits, or other cereal

Carrot, Celery, and Apple slices

Grapes

Skewer them to create caterpillars

Freeze grapes for fun chilly treats

Fun Fruit shapes

Use cookie cutters to cut out fun shapes in watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, and pineapple

Ants on a log

Celery, peanut butter, raisins, YUM

Pretzels and Chips, with Hummus and/or Vegetable Dip

And don’t forget the drinks! Be sure to supply enough water bottles, fruit juices, and adult beverages (along with plenty of ice!!) to keep you and your guests happy.

The perfect birthday cake for baby!

Picking the perfect cake for your baby’s first birthday is NOT a piece of cake! Your one year old’s birthday cake will undoubtedly be the most memorable one for years to come, so it will be difficult deciding which decorative dessert is right for you and your baby and your guests.

Main Birthday Cake:

Fancy 3 tiered cake that matches the theme of the party

2 tiered cake is less expensive but still fancy

Make-at-home cake (circular or rectangular) with colored frosting and/or fondant shapes

Baby cakes are small “wooden block” inspired cake squares, individually covered in fondant and individually decorated. 1 baby cake square yields 2 perfect triangle cake slices when cut diagonally.

Cupcakes and Cake Pops

Cupcakes are easy to make, easier to buy, easy to eat, and easy to clean up

Cake Pops are a perfect choice at baby’s first birthday party, providing the most MMMM and the least amount of waste and cleanup.

Cake SMASH!

Your baby is a master at destroying confectionery creations. Have a smaller, simpler cake ready for your one year old to smash and devour while capturing picture-perfect photos

You can make this doomed cake at home, or purchase a cheap round sacrifice at your local supermarket Bakery.

If you are a culinary wizard, or have a gifted friend or family member, you can create any of these tasty treats at home. For the challenged baker, your local supermarket has plenty of decadent options to choose from. And if money is not a problem, find a specialty bakery to transform the cake of your dreams into a reality!

If you are planning your Baby’s first birthday party, or know anyone looking for baby-approved entertainment for their party, send us an event request form and allow YTE to make baby’s 1st birthday the best one YET!

[darrencpritt]

Baby’s 1st Birthday Party Ideas and Planning Guide

Your Baby’s first birthday is the most important one ever—not just for your special little girl or boy, but also for you! You are the proud parent of your bundle of joy, but planning your child’s 1st birthday party can be incredibly stressful. YTE Events in Tampa has helped dozens of Moms and Dads make baby’s first birthday party memorable, fun, and completely stress-free! As the best entertainment solution in the Tampa Bay area, YTE has everything YOU need to plan the best one-year-old party!

Where do I have my child’s first birthday party?

The best place to host your baby’s birthday is at your home. Your home offers all the amenities that you, your baby, and your guests need:

Convenient location

Baby-proof surroundings

Changing table and diapers

Crib for emergency nap-time

High chair and baby furniture

Favorite baby toys

Comfortable & familiar environment

Is your house too small for your baby’s special day? Try asking your friends and family if you can host the party at their house—bonus points if their home is already baby-proof! Just be sure to put the correct address of the birthday party location when sending out your Baby’s 1st Birthday Party invitations!

When is a good time to host my baby’s 1st birthday?

As a parent, you KNOW that your baby is the boss when it comes to scheduling. When choosing a timeframe for baby’s party, take into account:

Nap time

Play time

Meal time

The best times to host your child’s first birthday are in the late morning (after breakfast but before lunch), or early afternoon so long as lunch is provided for your hungry friends and their ravenous kids.

  Theme and Decoration for baby’s first birthday

Get ready to unleash your creative instincts! Your one year old won’t recall the decorations, but all your friends and all the photos certainly will! Some of the most popular themes for baby’s 1st birthday include:

Sock Money theme

Thomas the Tank Engine theme

Wild Animal theme

Rubber Ducky theme

Pink Elephant theme

Elmo or Cookie Monster theme

Little Man & Mustache theme

My Little Princess theme

ABC Alphabet theme

Where the Wild Things Are theme

Circus theme

Garden or Ocean theme

Rainbow party theme

Owl theme (Look Whoo’s One!)

Lady Bug or Bumblebee theme

Very Hungry Little Caterpillar theme

Of course, choosing a party theme based off your baby’s nursery works wonders too! You can also encourage your guests to dress accordingly to your party’s theme for beautiful, memorable photos and lifelong memories.

Best Entertainment for babies, toddlers, and parents

It doesn’t take much to entertain your 1 year old and their teething toddler friends—but it’s important to make sure that whatever “toys” you have lying around are baby-proof, stain-proof, and indestructible! Besides your typical Fisher Price toys, the best entertainment to have at your baby’s 1st birthday party are:

Pots, pans, and wooden spoons for musical melodies (or torture)

Foam Pool Noodles cut in half for harmless swordfights

Soft Plastic Balls inside an inflatable Swimming Pool or large Playpen (children absolutely LOVE this—and so do the adults!)

It is also a good idea to coordinate professional entertainment for your guests older than 3 years old. YTE Events has the best party entertainers in Tampa, and our skilled artists have been specially trained to handle all partygoers at baby’s 1st birthday:

Balloon Artist

Face Painter

Princesses and Super Heroes Characters

Letterbrush Artist (perfect for Garden or Ocean themed parties!)

Caricature Artist

Bubble Show performer

Don’t forget the photographer! You will want lots of photos from you and your baby’s super special day, so if you are not camera-savvy, YTE has professional photographers that will make baby’s 1st birthday unforgettable. Click here to submit a free, no obligation event request with Tampa’s top entertainers!

Food Options for one year old birthday party

You think your baby is a picky eater? Just imagine the picky palates of all the kids (and their adults companions) attending your baby’s first birthday. But do not fret—with all the baby parties that YTE Events has served, we know the best baby-approved food choices to serve at your party:

Pizza Cupcakes

In a greased cupcake pan, place refrigerated biscuit dough, pizza sauce, and cheese, and/or any other toppings such as pepperoni, spinach, or sausage. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until fluffy and gooey. Kids and adults will love ‘em!

Mini Corn Dogs

In a greased mini muffin pan, pour Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix along with a slice of a hotdog pressed in. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Try not to eat them all before the party guests arrive!

Rainbow Spaghetti

Taste the rainbow—literally! Using different Food Coloring colors, place 20 drops of one color + 2 tbsps of water in a large Ziplock bags (so 1 bag for Blue, 1 bag for Red, etc). After cooking the pasta of your choice and straining it, transfer equal amounts of pasta into each bag of food coloring; let sit for at least 2 minutes. Strain out the pasta again, and enjoy!

Peanut Butter and Jelly “Sushi” Rolls

Use rolling pin to complete flatten piece of bread. Spread 1 tbsp Peanut Butter and 1 tbsp of Jelly or Jam. Roll slice into a tight spiral, then cut into 4 pieces.

Banana Dogs

The healthy alternative to hot dogs! Line hotdog bun with peanut butter, place a small to medium sized banana inside, drizzle strawberry jelly on top, and watch the smiles commence! Cut into half or thirds for minimum waste and maximum YUM.

Deli Sandwiches & Wraps

Make them at home, or make things easy by picking up sandwich trays from your local supermarket Deli.

Pizza Delivery

With so many other things going on, sometimes it’s better to leave the fan-favorite food to the professionals. Order a bunch of cheese and pepperoni pizzas from your favorite pizza joint and appease the pickiest of eaters.

Snacks and Finger Foods are an absolute must at any party, especially your child’s first birthday. Popular snacks for baby parties include:

Animal Crackers

Especially awesome at Circus, Sock Monkey, and Wild Animal themed parties

Goldfish and Cheez-Its

Cheerios, Alpha-bits, or other cereal

Carrot, Celery, and Apple slices

Grapes

Skewer them to create caterpillars

Freeze grapes for fun chilly treats

Fun Fruit shapes

Use cookie cutters to cut out fun shapes in watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, and pineapple

Ants on a log

Celery, peanut butter, raisins, YUM

Pretzels and Chips, with Hummus and/or Vegetable Dip

And don’t forget the drinks! Be sure to supply enough water bottles, fruit juices, and adult beverages (along with plenty of ice!!) to keep you and your guests happy.

The perfect birthday cake for baby!

Picking the perfect cake for your baby’s first birthday is NOT a piece of cake! Your one year old’s birthday cake will undoubtedly be the most memorable one for years to come, so it will be difficult deciding which decorative dessert is right for you and your baby and your guests.

Main Birthday Cake:

Fancy 3 tiered cake that matches the theme of the party

2 tiered cake is less expensive but still fancy

Make-at-home cake (circular or rectangular) with colored frosting and/or fondant shapes

Baby cakes are small “wooden block” inspired cake squares, individually covered in fondant and individually decorated. 1 baby cake square yields 2 perfect triangle cake slices when cut diagonally.

Cupcakes and Cake Pops

Cupcakes are easy to make, easier to buy, easy to eat, and easy to clean up

Cake Pops are a perfect choice at baby’s first birthday party, providing the most MMMM and the least amount of waste and cleanup.

Cake SMASH!

Your baby is a master at destroying confectionery creations. Have a smaller, simpler cake ready for your one year old to smash and devour while capturing picture-perfect photos

You can make this doomed cake at home, or purchase a cheap round sacrifice at your local supermarket Bakery.

If you are a culinary wizard, or have a gifted friend or family member, you can create any of these tasty treats at home. For the challenged baker, your local supermarket has plenty of decadent options to choose from. And if money is not a problem, find a specialty bakery to transform the cake of your dreams into a reality!

If you are planning your Baby’s first birthday party, or know anyone looking for baby-approved entertainment for their party, send us an event request form and allow YTE to make baby’s 1st birthday the best one YET!

[yteeventsblog]

Baby’s 1st Birthday Party Ideas and Planning Guide

Your Baby’s first birthday is the most important one ever—not just for your special little girl or boy, but also for you! You are the proud parent of your bundle of joy, but planning your child’s 1st birthday party can be incredibly stressful. YTE Events in Tampa has helped dozens of Moms and Dads make baby’s first birthday party memorable, fun, and completely stress-free! As the best entertainment solution in the Tampa Bay area, YTE has everything YOU need to plan the best one-year-old party!

Where do I have my child’s first birthday party?

The best place to host your baby’s birthday is at your home. Your home offers all the amenities that you, your baby, and your guests need:

Convenient location

Baby-proof surroundings

Changing table and diapers

Crib for emergency nap-time

High chair and baby furniture

Favorite baby toys

Comfortable & familiar environment

Is your house too small for your baby’s special day? Try asking your friends and family if you can host the party at their house—bonus points if their home is already baby-proof! Just be sure to put the correct address of the birthday party location when sending out your Baby’s 1st Birthday Party invitations!

When is a good time to host my baby’s 1st birthday?

As a parent, you KNOW that your baby is the boss when it comes to scheduling. When choosing a timeframe for baby’s party, take into account:

Nap time

Play time

Meal time

The best times to host your child’s first birthday are in the late morning (after breakfast but before lunch), or early afternoon so long as lunch is provided for your hungry friends and their ravenous kids.

  Theme and Decoration for baby’s first birthday

Get ready to unleash your creative instincts! Your one year old won’t recall the decorations, but all your friends and all the photos certainly will! Some of the most popular themes for baby’s 1st birthday include:

Sock Money theme

Thomas the Tank Engine theme

Wild Animal theme

Rubber Ducky theme

Pink Elephant theme

Elmo or Cookie Monster theme

Little Man & Mustache theme

My Little Princess theme

ABC Alphabet theme

Where the Wild Things Are theme

Circus theme

Garden or Ocean theme

Rainbow party theme

Owl theme (Look Whoo’s One!)

Lady Bug or Bumblebee theme

Very Hungry Little Caterpillar theme

Of course, choosing a party theme based off your baby’s nursery works wonders too! You can also encourage your guests to dress accordingly to your party’s theme for beautiful, memorable photos and lifelong memories.

Best Entertainment for babies, toddlers, and parents

It doesn’t take much to entertain your 1 year old and their teething toddler friends—but it’s important to make sure that whatever “toys” you have lying around are baby-proof, stain-proof, and indestructible! Besides your typical Fisher Price toys, the best entertainment to have at your baby’s 1st birthday party are:

Pots, pans, and wooden spoons for musical melodies (or torture)

Foam Pool Noodles cut in half for harmless swordfights

Soft Plastic Balls inside an inflatable Swimming Pool or large Playpen (children absolutely LOVE this—and so do the adults!)

It is also a good idea to coordinate professional entertainment for your guests older than 3 years old. YTE Events has the best party entertainers in Tampa, and our skilled artists have been specially trained to handle all partygoers at baby’s 1st birthday:

Balloon Artist

Face Painter

Princesses and Super Heroes Characters

Letterbrush Artist (perfect for Garden or Ocean themed parties!)

Caricature Artist

Bubble Show performer

Don’t forget the photographer! You will want lots of photos from you and your baby’s super special day, so if you are not camera-savvy, YTE has professional photographers that will make baby’s 1st birthday unforgettable. Click here to submit a free, no obligation event request with Tampa’s top entertainers!

Food Options for one year old birthday party

You think your baby is a picky eater? Just imagine the picky palates of all the kids (and their adults companions) attending your baby’s first birthday. But do not fret—with all the baby parties that YTE Events has served, we know the best baby-approved food choices to serve at your party:

Pizza Cupcakes

In a greased cupcake pan, place refrigerated biscuit dough, pizza sauce, and cheese, and/or any other toppings such as pepperoni, spinach, or sausage. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until fluffy and gooey. Kids and adults will love ‘em!

Mini Corn Dogs

In a greased mini muffin pan, pour Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix along with a slice of a hotdog pressed in. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Try not to eat them all before the party guests arrive!

Rainbow Spaghetti

Taste the rainbow—literally! Using different Food Coloring colors, place 20 drops of one color + 2 tbsps of water in a large Ziplock bags (so 1 bag for Blue, 1 bag for Red, etc). After cooking the pasta of your choice and straining it, transfer equal amounts of pasta into each bag of food coloring; let sit for at least 2 minutes. Strain out the pasta again, and enjoy!

Peanut Butter and Jelly “Sushi” Rolls

Use rolling pin to complete flatten piece of bread. Spread 1 tbsp Peanut Butter and 1 tbsp of Jelly or Jam. Roll slice into a tight spiral, then cut into 4 pieces.

Banana Dogs

The healthy alternative to hot dogs! Line hotdog bun with peanut butter, place a small to medium sized banana inside, drizzle strawberry jelly on top, and watch the smiles commence! Cut into half or thirds for minimum waste and maximum YUM.

Deli Sandwiches & Wraps

Make them at home, or make things easy by picking up sandwich trays from your local supermarket Deli.

Pizza Delivery

With so many other things going on, sometimes it’s better to leave the fan-favorite food to the professionals. Order a bunch of cheese and pepperoni pizzas from your favorite pizza joint and appease the pickiest of eaters.

Snacks and Finger Foods are an absolute must at any party, especially your child’s first birthday. Popular snacks for baby parties include:

Animal Crackers

Especially awesome at Circus, Sock Monkey, and Wild Animal themed parties

Goldfish and Cheez-Its

Cheerios, Alpha-bits, or other cereal

Carrot, Celery, and Apple slices

Grapes

Skewer them to create caterpillars

Freeze grapes for fun chilly treats

Fun Fruit shapes

Use cookie cutters to cut out fun shapes in watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, and pineapple

Ants on a log

Celery, peanut butter, raisins, YUM

Pretzels and Chips, with Hummus and/or Vegetable Dip

And don’t forget the drinks! Be sure to supply enough water bottles, fruit juices, and adult beverages (along with plenty of ice!!) to keep you and your guests happy.

The perfect birthday cake for baby!

Picking the perfect cake for your baby’s first birthday is NOT a piece of cake! Your one year old’s birthday cake will undoubtedly be the most memorable one for years to come, so it will be difficult deciding which decorative dessert is right for you and your baby and your guests.

Main Birthday Cake:

Fancy 3 tiered cake that matches the theme of the party

2 tiered cake is less expensive but still fancy

Make-at-home cake (circular or rectangular) with colored frosting and/or fondant shapes

Baby cakes are small “wooden block” inspired cake squares, individually covered in fondant and individually decorated. 1 baby cake square yields 2 perfect triangle cake slices when cut diagonally.

Cupcakes and Cake Pops

Cupcakes are easy to make, easier to buy, easy to eat, and easy to clean up

Cake Pops are a perfect choice at baby’s first birthday party, providing the most MMMM and the least amount of waste and cleanup.

Cake SMASH!

Your baby is a master at destroying confectionery creations. Have a smaller, simpler cake ready for your one year old to smash and devour while capturing picture-perfect photos

You can make this doomed cake at home, or purchase a cheap round sacrifice at your local supermarket Bakery.

If you are a culinary wizard, or have a gifted friend or family member, you can create any of these tasty treats at home. For the challenged baker, your local supermarket has plenty of decadent options to choose from. And if money is not a problem, find a specialty bakery to transform the cake of your dreams into a reality!

If you are planning your Baby’s first birthday party, or know anyone looking for baby-approved entertainment for their party, send us an event request form and allow YTE to make baby’s 1st birthday the best one YET!