#i had similar experiences working at Starbucks for 9 years

[bts-hyperfixation]

Company Retreat

Y/N sees a different side to Yoongi on the yearly corporate vacation.

WC:5042

Request: Please no daddy stuff. Same age or slightly older (like 2 years) but not younger, please. Independent, strong reader, but maybe not self-confident?

"Can you come and get me?"

"It's 3am..." "I know..."

“Can you stay with me?”

Office Crush/Fake Boyfriend E2L

Min Yoongi never made much sense to you. He's quiet, antisocial, and honestly a bit of a buzzkill. But everybody loves him. Obsessed would be the word you used. Maybe you're just a little bit biased because you always seem to be working on similar projects, but he always does just a little better. Still, it felt a little excessive that everyone doted on the man.

There's no denying that he is an attractive man. That doesn't warrant the praise that he gets. Just the sight of him sometimes makes your blood boil as he goes about his business ignoring everyone in the room. Some days you sit and watch him work, his headphones on blocking out everything around him. You can't help but notice the girls that squeal when he looks at them and always make sure to check in at his desk with a new cup of coffee every time there's a Starbucks run. No one ever gets you free Starbucks.

You mess with the trinkets on your desk, unwilling to start a new project until the morning meeting at 10:00 AM. It's already 9:55 and there would be no point. But you also refuse to be the first one into the meeting room.

Once five or six of your colleagues have swanned into the room you follow behind, notebook in hand. Everyone knew that this meeting would announce the company trip. Last year was an awful team building experience in the woods. This year you have been praying for something better while making bets on how bad it could be. You had five pounds on it being a freezing lake trip in the middle of January.

The clock struck 10 and the only person not in the room was Min Yoongi. Someone from his giggling girl group left the room briefly to tap him on the shoulder. It looked like he hadn't even noticed that it was time. Once everybody was seated your boss began.

“Now I know everyone is very excited to hear what this year’s free trip is going to be. And I also know last year was a little bit of a disappointment.” There are murmuring groans of agreement throughout the staff. “I am happy to announce this year the CEO has decided to send us to the beach.”

The room was quiet, assuming he had meant a British beach. Somewhere cold and dreary with soggy chips and frozen waves. After taking in your expressions and leaving the information to hang, your boss continued.

“The beach in Tenerife.” Now excited chatter filled the room. People started discussing their wardrobe options, and food and drink they couldn't wait to taste. Your boss stared them down until the discussion stopped. “Of course, this is still a work Trip and I expect you all to be on your best behaviour as you represent our company. There will be multiple meetings during the day that you are required to attend, along with team building activities, and mingles with other departments worldwide. That being said your evenings are yours please feel free to take in the sights and the culture whilst we are there. Details will be sent to your email accounts this afternoon and I look forward to seeing you there, we leave next Friday. You're dismissed.”

The meeting concludes and you can't help but feel a little annoyed at how soon the trip would be. You were working on some stuff that would take you more than a month and having to take time out for this vacation just brought down your timeline. Still, it would be a nice change from the dreary weather you were used to.

Glancing around the room you noticed Yoongi looked almost as annoyed as you did. His gaze meets yours and he rolls his eyes like you're both in on the joke. You shrug back at him and quickly exit the room, eager to work hard in order to keep up with the workload.

The week goes by in a flash. You find yourself at the airport at 6:00 AM with an eye mask, headphones, and a bag of clothes for the week. You stayed up the entire night before but managed to get your work to a point you were happy with and we're more than ready to enjoy the week of limited freedom. HR handed out all of the airline tickets. Somehow out of the 20 people in your office you ended up sitting next to him. Luckily he looked just as prepared as you did to go immediately to sleep once you boarded the plane. You couldn't help but giggle to yourself at the death stares you received from his little fan club.

You sit by yourself as you wait for boarding to be called. It's interesting for to people watch the others. Serena, a usually level-headed woman that takes no shit, it's clearly extremely nervous to fly. Her nails dig into the chair as she glances anxiously at the gates. Matt has been staring at the new intern for 20 minutes on and off. It's clear he is thinking of a way to ask him out and just hasn't figured out the way. The intern, on the other hand, has been taking glances back clearly not opposed to the idea.

And Yoongi… Yoongi is just as difficult to read here as he is in the office. His face lacks emotion, completely serene as music blares through his headphones. He is completely relaxed. Or at least he seems to be. You'd never noticed how delicate his hands were before seeing them layout on his thighs as he tapped along to the beat he was listening to. You're still looking at him when they call your ticket to board.

You stand and head towards the gate but notice Yoongi doesn't move. Of course, he is in his own little world. You roll your eyes and decide to help him out so the plane can leave. You tap his shoulder, and he opens his eyes looking directly up at you. You'd never had the chance to look into his eyes before. Maybe you are starting to see what his little fan club sees. You shake the thought away as quickly as it came. He moves one of his headphones out of the way so he can hear what you have to say.

“We're ready to board” you mumble.

“Oh… great thanks” he gathers his bags and walks with you to the gate. You squish through the aisles onto the plane finding your seats he puts his bag in the overhead locker and then reaches to take yours from your shoulder. You shrug it off and mumble your thanks, taking the seat by the window.

“What if I wanted the window seat?” He asks with a frown. You stammer a little and think about getting up until he laughs. His smile is cute. “don't panic I'm only playing.” This week might kill you. To have to admit that maybe you're wrong about him will kill you.

The flight was easy. As soon as you took off you pulled down your eye mask and the next thing you knew Yoongi was waking you up to disembark. You were picked up by a coach and driven to a luxury villa complex. Each villa housed five people. You were extremely thankful that you managed to get your own bedrooms for this trip. The last time you shared with Serena and she snores…

It doesn't take long to unpack and all of you meet in the main villas living room where your boss is staying for a briefing about the timetable. It's a short conversation where he hands out schedules to each of you. The first thing listed is a team-building exercise an hour from now you were to meet at the games room across the complex. This was to be just your office so there was no need for anything too formal.

Instead of heading back to your room, you decide to explore a little in the time that you have. You walk through the gardens and find the pool. it's a Pretty Little space. a number of local flowers surround 100 or so sunbeds just waiting for you all to have some free time during the day. you drag one to the edge of the pool and sit down removing your shoes and socks to dangle your feet into the cool water. you can't help thinking how nice it would be to be here with somebody you cared about instead of work. but your workaholic tendencies left you with very few dating opportunities.

A few of the others must have decided to explore too. Indistinct chatter grew louder as your colleagues drew closer to you until you could finally understand the conversation.

“This is it, mark my words this is the week I make my move on min Yoongi!” One of them announced.

“Absolutely not, because I'm making my move.” Another countered.

“You’re all delusional if you think you're in with a chance. He smiled at me last week has he smiled at you recently?” A third chimes in. You can't help but shake your head at their childish banter. Surely this wasn't a man worth fighting over.

“Y/N! We didn’t think anyone would be down here…” one of the ladies said as they turned the corner and notice your presence. Each one went a little pink in the cheeks. You are unsurprised to find out it’s the latest highers. Fresh out of college and more interested in flirting with the clients than succeeding in the business. But they are young, they’ll learn.

“Yeah….” You look at them each individually to see if you can make the blush deepen.

“Did you hear… anything?”

“Don’t worry, your secrets are safe with me. I won’t tell him your plans. I don’t talk to him anyway.” They each released a visible tension, swapping to confusion instead…

“Really you don’t? I think you guys would have a lot in common.” They seem to have switched from concern over their crushes to concern that you don’t share their views.

“Have you not seen how talented he is? How could you not want to talk to him for hours?” They pull up another sun lounger next to yours and sit in a row clearly gearing up for a ‘girly chat’. It’s been a while since someone has tried to force you into a conversation that wouldn’t pass the Bechdel test.

“I know he is very talented. I just always have my own work to do, unfortunately, it doesn’t leave a lot of time for the social side of life.” You shrug, trying to seem like you are indifferent to the topic rather than annoyed by his presence (and theirs). You pull your legs back and shake off the excess water, making it clear to the girls you intend to leave.

“At the risk of losing my own shot… I think you should try to spend some time with them.” The apparent ringleader suggests, earning her death glares from her companions.

“I’ll think about it.” You respond, with no actual intention to do any such thing. You make your excuses and decide to find your way to the games room early. Of course, life has a funny way of forcing situations. So naturally, when you walk into the room you find only one other person.

Yoongi is playing a claw machine filled with cute stuffed bears. You take in the rest of the room trying not to announce your presence. There are a few ping pong tables, old arcade games, and a handful of crane machines. The whole building is a little run down and in need of bringing into this decade in terms of décor, but it’s definitely fit for use. It’s most likely that the plan for today is to play table tennis to start things off.

Yoongi brings you out of your musings with a yell of triumph. He releases the bear from its prison behind the plastic flap and turns to face the room. He jumps when he finds you standing next to the door.

“I didn’t realise anyone had come I yet…” he hides the purple bear behind his back. He is cute when he is embarrassed…

“Sorry didn’t want to ruin your concentration.” You say awkwardly, gesturing to the machine. “So what are you gonna name the little guy?” You ask trying to fill the time before everyone else arrives.

“Name him?” He tilts his head in confusion until he catches up “oh the bear? I don’t know, I was only playing to waste time. Never actually planned on winning him.” You take the bear from him and turn it in your hands

“Barbera. It’s a type of grape… you suggest pointing to the grape embellishment before handing it back. “Barb for short.”

“Sounds good to me.” He looks like he is about to say more when the door opens, and others start to file in. The girls from the pool give you a pointed look when they see you standing next to their idol. You take a step away, but quickly find yourself pushed next to him as the room fills up.

Once everyone has arrived your boss announces to the room that everyone needs to find a pair. You scour around looking for Serena, your usual go-to, but just as you are about to walk towards her, Yoongi pulls your wrist.

“Stay with me?” He asks. “i don’t want to get stuck with one of them.” He answers before you can ask why gesturing to his fan club. “They are really nice, but it takes up so much energy.” You don't say anything, but you do stick with him.

“Great, everyone have a partner?” Your boss conducts a quick headcount. Satisfied everyone has a buddy he informs everyone that you are playing ping pong confirming your hunch. The couples are randomly put into force to play a doubles game in a makeshift tournament. A makeshift bracket is drawn upon a whiteboard and the games begin. It's hilarious watching everyone try to play not one person is good.

People lose more balls than they hit the longest rally is 10 long. Somehow you and Yoongi make it to a semi-final. Although it had been very close, with you being one point ahead during your previous match.

You stand in front of Yoongi for the first rally. Serving the ball to your competitors it goes well they miss the ball completely. Then Yoongi steps up to serve instead, and you find yourself getting a little distracted. Has his bum always been that cute and tight? Fully distracted you missed the next shot, earning a faux disappointed glare from your buddy. You grin sheepishly and tried to focus back on the game, but your eyes kept wandering away. you lost quite spectacularly, six points down.

The final came and went, and you were all dismissed. Someone suggested heading down to the beach to find a cocktail bar. And so that's what you all did. It was a short walk to the beach but you weren't sure you'd be able to find your way back later alone. You make a mental note to stay with the group at all times.

The cocktails are bigger than your head. Each one is easily a pitcher worth of alcohol. You only drank one before you went a little lightheaded and decided to stop. That didn't stop your co-workers though. You watched and laughed along as each one maker made a fool of themselves downing shots and having the time of their lives. You danced and played games until you were too desperate for the bathroom to avoid it anymore.

You can't have been more than five minutes but by the time you return, it seems your co-workers had moved to a new bar. Panicked you make a few phone calls, but nobody picks up. The last number you dial is Yoongi’s, praying that he looks at his phone.

“Hello?” A groggy deep voice answers

“Hello…” You say suddenly realise you haven't actually seen him in a while.

“Y/N? it's 3:00 AM…”

“I know, I'm sorry I didn't know you'd already gone back to the villa. sorry go back to sleep.” you are about to hang up the phone when he calls out to you.

“Is everything OK? you sound worried” he asks concerned

“Yeah I lost everyone I thought you might still be with them it's OK I'll find them.”

“Do you need me to come to get you?”

“I don't want to put you out you should go back to sleep it's OK…” you tried to brush him off while swallowing the panic.

“You wouldn't put me out, I don't mind,” he reassures you.

“Okay… can you come and get me?”

“Are you still in the last bar the one with the weird coconut sign?” you glance around to find the sign he's referencing. you see the massive neon pink sign I can't believe you didn't notice it before.

“Yeah, I'm still there.”

“OK, I'll be 20 minutes wait for me.” with that he hangs up the phone. You sit at the bar to wait for him and order a water. Not long after, an older man approaches you. he sits on the stool next to yours and shuffles it a little closer. the bartender eyes up the man but you shake your head, and he carries on.

“All alone tonight dear?” he asks, the smell of whiskey overpowering.

“No I'm just waiting for my friend,” you reply trying not to invite further conversation.

“a pretty thing like you? not waiting for a boyfriend are you?” he leers at you, eyes taking in the entirety of your body. You shudder under his gaze. You are about to respond when an arm snakes around your shoulders.

“Sir I don't think that's any of your business, but yes I am her boyfriend.” you turned to look at your saviour and find Yoongi staring the man down. the older guy holds his hands up in defeat and moves away.

“Having to save me in more ways than one this evening.” you chuckle, although it lacks the mirth of a real laugh. he takes your hand and leads you from the bar. as soon as you're out of sight from the creepy man you expect him to release your hand, but he doesn't.

“Are you okay?” he asks when you are far enough away.

“Yeah, I'm fine he hadn't been there long.”

“Good, I'm glad. I couldn't stand the thought of anything happening to you. Or you know anyone we work with...” He seems to tack the comment on the end as an afterthought, but you don’t question it. The rest of the walk back to the villas is silent, but his hand stays in yours leading you along. You find yourself not wanting him to let go anyway. You're staying in the same house, so you walk all the way back together, he even takes you to your room.

“How much have you had to drink tonight?” he asks

“Not a lot why?”

“Because I’ve wanted to do this for a while, and I don't want to do it while you're drunk…”

“I'm not drunk, barely tipsy anymore.” You assure him. “Do what?” he kisses you instead of answering.

“That” he stands back and waits for your response, but it takes a while for your brain to compute. He finally drops your hand and takes a step back wondering if he’d overstepped. In the meantime, your brain raced through all of the emotions you hadn’t even been aware you had regarding Yoongi.

All this time you’d assumed indifference with a hint of annoyance and professional jealousy. But as you stood there with your lips burning with the ghost of his, it occurs to you that maybe it wasn’t so professional. He starts to walk along the hallway back to his own room, looking only at the floor as he mumbles a goodnight, hoping to escape the awkward silence you’d let hang between you.

He is nearly at his door by the time you remember how your feet work. You rush to close the gap between you before he can shut the door in your face. Grabbing his wrist and pulling him back to you, you kiss him. Harder than when he kissed you. He shakes his arm free from your grasp so it’s free to wrap around you. He pulls you in tightly, dragging you back into his room.

You stumble forwards, following his lead as he heads towards his bed. He sits, bringing you into his lap, all while kissing you messily trying not to let you go as he manoeuvres you into a new position. You straddle his thighs, grinding down a little to find stability. Is hands roam over your back, blindly searching for the hem of your shirt. His slender fingers trail along the bottom of your spine sending chills to your core. You think back to watching him tap against his thighs in the airport.

The way each delicate digit kept time to the beat he was listening to, moving independent of each other but working perfectly together.

You think of how soft but firm his hand had felt in yours on the walk home.

You think of how they are going to feel across every inch of your skin and all of a sudden everything is moving too slowly for your liking.

You pull away from his lips, taking a moment to admire how puffy and red they’d become. Then you pull your shirt over your head and reach for his. He lifts his arms, so you can easily rid him of the barrier between your skin. While unclasping your bra you take in how much his perfect skin begs to be marked. Clearly, he has the same thought.

You quickly lose balance when he pushes at your hip, tipping you onto the mattress beside him. You shuffle back to stop yourself from sliding off the end of the bed. As soon as you stop wriggling Yoongi swings his leg over to trap you in place beneath him. He lowers his head to your neck and starts to bite, creating a small red mark, blemishing your skin. He sucks and licks at the surrounding area, creating a flower of bruises at the base of your neck. Satisfied he leans back to admire his work and you find yourself suddenly self-conscious with his eyes on you.

Instinctively your arms come in to cover your stomach. A move that earns a groan of displeasure as Yoongi tries to pry them away.

“Don’t hide away from me.” He says gently. Reluctantly you fight the urge to hide and let him remove your arms. He places your hands on either side of your head and interlocks your fingers so you can’t move them back again without his permission. “You never have to hide from me.” He murmurs, eyes lidded as he leans forward to kiss you again.

This kiss is slow as he lowers his body to completely cover yours. His hips roll into yours in time with the kiss. You groan as you feel the size of him against you, pushing back to feel him properly. He chuckles at your eager response. Each grind gets deeper after this, lining himself up better to drag along your clothed slit. The kiss gets hotter, faster as he works you both up.

Eventually, it becomes too much. You push against his hands to get him to pull away.

“If you don’t fuck me now, I am going to explode.” He quickly leans in to bite at your bottom lip and then trails his mouth down your body.

“Can’t have that.” He whispers against your skin. His fingers made quick work of your fly and he dragged your pants to the ground. You kicked them off your feet as he removed his own pants and underwear. His cock bounced against his stomach, and you couldn’t stop your mouth from watering. “Turn over for me.”

You do as you’re told, even a little reluctant to look away. You position yourself on your hands and knees. He grabs the crook between your thigh and stomach and pulls you back to meet him at the edge of the bed. The bed is the perfect height to line you up.

He reaches forward to play with your folds. His cool fingers feel amazing as he rubs gently against you, finding your clit and rolling it carefully. It feels like too much and not enough all at once. His hand recedes ghosting over your pussy. You clench as a finger barely dips inside.

“Do you want me to warm you up? Or do you think you’re ready for me?” He asks, digit circling, but never giving you what you want.

“I’m ready, I like the burn.” You admit putting your head to the mattress so he can’t see the blush rushing to your face. He reaches with his free hand to gently tug your hair, forcing your head to the side.

“What did I say about hiding from me?” You whine as the hand in your hair releases as he pushes two fingers inside of you without warning.

“Don’t.”

“Good girl.” He practically purrs. He removes his hand from your pussy lining up his cock instead. One hand steadies him on your hip, as the other guides him slowly. The stretch hurts so good. You feel every inch of him as he enters.

When he is as deep as he can get, he leans forward and peppers kisses along your shoulder blades. His hips sway slightly making sure you don’t quite get used to the feeling of him inside of you.

He presses one last kiss to the top of your spine and starts to pull back out. He speeds up with each thrust until it feels like he is trying to break through to your stomach. You whine in time to his skin slapping against yours.

“Sound so pretty Y/N.” Yoongi pants. He leans forward slowing his hips in favour of reaching underneath you. His fingers play with your clit as he finds his new rhythm, keeping perfect time between his touch and his thrusts. It takes you barely anytime to cum, dripping around his cock.

He groans as you clench tightly around him, stopping him in his tracks. Instead of trying to pull back out, he pushes in as far as he can and lets himself go. You relax around him as his dick softens and he pulls free. Both of you flop onto the bed spent. Without really thinking about it you seek him out for warmth, cuddling into his arms. He kisses your forehead and then stares up at the ceiling waiting to catch his breath.

“I can’t believe we just did that.” He says when his breathing finally returns to normal. You panic a little then… Was it a mistake… Is he drunker than you thought he was? You never thought to ask. As if sensing your fear he continues “I mean, I always meant to ask you out first. I’ve been trying for years but the words never came. I always struggled with words around you.”

It's a sweet admission. One you really hadn’t been expecting. It does, however, explain why you never understood why others had always said he was great to talk to when you only ever got curt nods and mumbled answers.

“Would it be weird if I asked you out now?” He shifts to look at you better and then seems to come to the realisation that you are both still naked, you dripping his cum everywhere. “Actually forget I asked that… let's get a shower and I’ll try again.” He unravels himself from your arms as you groan, not ready to lose the contact just yet. He stands and grabs your hands pulling you into his arms and towards the bathroom.

Each room in the villa luckily had an ensuite wet room with a rain shower so you didn’t have to worry about your colleagues returning from whichever bar they had made their way to. Yoongi’s hand never left the small of your back as he switched on the shower. He holds you close, your back to his chest. One hand rooms your body, ridding you of the sweat. You gasp as his fingers dip between your legs. He curls two digits inside of you to clean out his cum while his thumb absentmindedly plays with your clit.

He sucks at your shoulder as he listens to your little moans, it’s not long before you can feel his hard cock poking against you again. You grind back against him in time to the circles he draws into your nerves. Eventually, you can’t take the slow stimulation anymore.

Dropping to your knees, you surprise him into letting go. He doesn’t seem to have work out your plan before your lips are around his tip. His toes curl as you lick his slit. You dig your nails into his thigh as your other hand pumps the bottom of his length. His hands find purchase in your hair as you begin to take him down your throat.

His hands tighten as you swallow around his length squeezing down with your hand. Curses tumble from his lips as you speed up. The hands in your hair tug a little to influence your movements, you are all too happy to oblige.

You push down as far as your jaw will let you, right until it starts to ache. You glance up at him. water dripping from your lashes as you try to maintain eye contact. That’s what has him come undone; you pull back so some of his cum dribbles from your lips instead of choking it all down. You wait until his fingers start to smooth your hair down to pull away.

“About that date… What did you have in mind?” You ask wiping the sides of your lips with your thumb and forefinger as you stand back up.

Masterlist

[salvatoreschool]

Kaylee Bryant On "Legacies," The Importance Of Queer Rep On TV, Hosie, And More

"I have so many people constantly telling me that watching Josie on the show has made them feel more comfortable in themselves."

This week, Kaylee Bryant squeezed us into her schedule to talk about their role as Josie Saltzman on Legacies. As a huge Josie fan, I couldn't think of a better way to spend a morning than talking to Kaylee about The Vampire Diaries, Hosie, our favorite books, and more! Here's everything we talked about:

1. What was your audition for Legacies like?

My audition process was very interesting because they kept a lot of it a secret. I had no script and a fake character name. And then I had my second audition, a chemistry read, which Jenny Boyd [Lizzie] wasn't even at. I walked in and immediately just flat-out asked, "This is for the twins, right?" So it was long, but short and intense at the same time.

BuzzFeed: Wait, did you know which twin you were going to be playing?

I initially auditioned for Josie, and then during chemistry reads, they started asking me to read for Lizzie. And then we had our final callback where I finally met Jenny and we both read for both roles. They never told us [who was playing who] until Jenny had her appointment to go dye her hair blonde.

2. What's a typical day on set like?

Gosh, it changes every time. If it's a busy day on set, we're talking like 8 a.m. call time where we spend about two hours on hair and makeup and go straight into rehearsals. If it's a big sort of episode that involves stunt work and wire work, you're talking about doing maybe two scenes in a day. But if it's an average day, we can do anywhere from three to five scenes and we can start at 8 a.m. and wrap at 8 p.m. It really depends. I'm surprised if I'm not surprised.

3. You’ve said you’re a huge fan of The Vampire Diaries. Josie played Elena in the musical episode — what was that like?

It was surreal for sure. They had talked a little bit about doing a musical episode since Season 1. And I always thought that they were joking when they talked about doing Salvatore: The Musical!, so when they said Josie would obviously play Elena, I was like, "Hahaha." And then I got the script and realized I actually was playing Elena. The musical aspect of it was the easy part. The difficult part was, I think, getting into the iconic Elena attire and trying to feel normal. Because we have a lot of crew members that worked on The Vampire Diaries, and they kept coming up to me being like, "This is weird. I feel weird."

4. Do you have a favorite scene you’ve filmed with Courtney Bandeko (Finch) this season?

I really did love the scene that we had in the town square [when] we got on a moped. There were so many fans in the town square that were huddled in the rain — it was pouring rain, freezing cold — trying to snap photos of us. And it was kind of one of those surreal moments where it felt full circle, that I was on a Vampire Diaries spinoff in town square. It was a lot going on, but it was a lot of fun. It's always fun working with Courtney.

5. You and Danielle Rose Russell (Hope) also have amazing chemistry — what’s your favorite scene you’ve filmed together?

Oh gosh, we have a lot that are pretty amazing. Honestly, I'd say [Season 3] Episode 14 — we finally got to do a lot more scenes together. And it's always fun, especially when it's Josie, Lizzie, and Hope, because we have so much history character-wise. Any time you really get to dive into that, we love it.

6. I know Josie and Finch are working through some things right now, but I gotta ask — how do you feel about Hosie?

I love it. Danielle and I loved the idea of Hosie starting from Season 1, and we kept asking and asking and asking for it. So it's kind of funny and full circle that now the fans have kind of taken our side with things, and now they won't stop asking for it. All we want is this beautiful, dynamic relationship. And I think that the fans want that as well.

BuzzFeed: Yeah, I mean, people have even been asking me about Hosie, and I don't work on the show!

Oh, I'm sure! [Laughs] Obviously I love it, though.

7. Is there a particular Josie moment you’re really proud of?

Josie has a scene coming up in Episode 18 — or 19? — I don't know, but it's good. It's sort of the pinnacle of everything that Josie has felt over the past three years kind of culminating into one moment. So, I'm excited for people to see it.

8. You recently came out as queer. How has playing Josie, who’s pansexual, impacted you personally?

I felt a lot of pressure when I initially booked Josie because I was still figuring out who I was and what my label was. And playing a character who was so comfortable in who she was, it was inspiring [to me] in a way that I think a lot of other people watching the show have been inspired. I have so many people constantly telling me that watching Josie on the show has made them feel more comfortable in themselves. It's kind of amazing that we all have the same experience in that having queer representation makes you more comfortable.

9. You’ve been vocal about your Asian identity, and your character has spoken Japanese on the show. Did you have a hand in incorporating that into Josie’s character?

No, not at all! So, I spoke Japanese a few times on the [Instagram] Live and one of our writers, Penny Cox, saw me speaking Japanese and immediately went to Brett [Matthews] and was like, "We need to make this happen somehow." And then all of a sudden, I had a script in my hands. So it was a surprise, but a fun one.

BuzzFeed: Are you fluent in Japanese?

Gosh, no! I'm barely fluent in English. [Laughs] I would say I speak at the level of maybe a second-grader on a good day, though.

10. If you could pitch any storyline for Josie, what would it be?

I always joke that I want an episode that takes place overnight. That way, we all have to be wearing pajamas the entire episode. I just want to wear some comfy clothes for a whole two weeks, that's my main goal. So we can have a pajama episode, that's my pitch.

11. What's it like getting into character for Dark Josie scenes?

It's different in the sense that I know Josie so well. And knowing Josie in turn makes me understand Dark Josie. I have a whole different playlist of music that I listen to for Dark Josie — and I have the wig, which helps a lot with getting into character.

BuzzFeed: Well, now I have to ask what music is on that playlist!

I think "Bury a Friend" by Billie Eilish is a great one for Dark Josie. Also, "Villain" by K/DA is a prime example of a perfect song for Dark Josie, so I listen to that one as well.

12. What's your go-to Starbucks order?

Plain black iced Americano. Aria [Shahghasemi, who plays Landon] says I drink coffee like a sociopath. [Laughs]

13. What TV show are you currently binging?

I just finished watching Alice in Borderland, which is a Japanese show on Netflix. And I know Feel Good Season 2 just came out, so I think that's my next binge.

14. Damon or Stefan?

Stefan! They're both beautiful and I love them very much, but I'm Team Stefan when it comes to Elena.

15. If you could work with anyone from The Vampire Diaries, who would it be?

Ian Somerhalder has a lot of dogs. So, maybe I want to work with him for the sole reason of just talking about dogs. [Writer's note: Kaylee revealed she has two rescue dogs, one whom was sleeping right next to them during the interview! Kaylee described the dogs as "both complete and total nuts," but said she misses them about five minutes after getting into the car to go to work.]

16. Do you think you’re most similar to Josie, Lizzie, or Hope in real life?

I would say I'm an eclectic mix of the three. I can be very headstrong like Hope, very outspoken like Lizzie, and I try to be as loving as Josie, but sometimes that doesn't always work. But I'd like to think all three.

17. Is there a role people would be surprised to learn you auditioned for, but didn't get?

I've been auditioning since I was eight, so there's quite a few Disney Channel shows and movies. And I'm sure people would be surprised because I think I auditioned for like, all of them. It's very funny, one of the first jobs I ever booked in television was Kickin' It with Leo Howard [Ethan]. Talk about full circle — going from being 12 years old and having no idea what I'm doing to being a series regular on [Legacies] and welcoming Leo to the set.

18. Who's your favorite Disney princess?

Oh, I love Mulan so much. She was, like, my first crush ever. I also love Moana, but it's Mulan 1,000%.

19. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I mean, I do eat rice every day. So maybe just white rice — you can make rice into candy and...yeah, let's go with rice.

20. If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only bring one book, what would it be?

Oh no! I recently read The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers, and I really enjoyed that book. Oh god, Is that the one that I want to bring, though? I mean, I really enjoyed it and it has many different aspects to it. I don't know. Or should I go with Harry Potter? I go through different genres too, like right now I'm in a big sci-fi phase, but other times I'll go the opposite direction and only read biographies. Yeah, that's super hard. I don't think I would know!

21. On that note, what's your Hogwarts house?

Initially, when I was younger, it used to just be straight-up Slytherin. And now, I recently took the Sorting Hat Quiz and I got Ravenclaw. So I'm going to go with Slytherclaw.

BuzzFeed: What's Josie's house?

Josie would be Slytherin. She tries very hard and, you know, not everyone in Slytherin is evil. She just, you know, has her way of going about things.

22. Has anything super funny or embarrassing happened to you on set?

I trip a lot on set. I get scared very easily — if I come around the corner and somebody is walking the other direction, I get scared. Everybody knows to walk slowly around me because I get scared so easily.

23. What's your wildest fan story?

I've had people cry before. And I'm an empath, so if somebody starts crying, I immediately am like, "Please don't cry, because I'm gonna cry." And then it turns into this whole thing. Once we were shooting in the town square and this young girl with her mom started crying, and I just hugged her and I didn't know what to say. So there's a lot of that. There's also the occasional, "Where's your twin?" and...I don't have one, sorry! But yeah, I would say the people who cry always throw me for a loop.

24. How do you unwind after a long day?

I have an hourlong drive home from work, so I usually listen to a lot of music. And by the time I get home, taking off all of my makeup is very therapeutic. Because over time, we're working 13-hour days, 16-hour days, and it's just powder constantly building up on my face. So, washing my face is always very therapeutic. And then just laying back and reading a book and petting my dog is the best.

25. Is there a celebrity you get told you look like a lot?

Most recently, Sara Waisglass [from Ginny & Georgia and Degrassi]. We follow each other on social media now and I completely messed up because I don't know how Twitter works at all. I forgot that there's a DMing interaction, so we followed each other and I was like, "Oh, that's nice." And then just recently, I saw that she had messaged me being like, "We're twins! We should be friends!" And I immediately messaged back, "I'm so sorry, let's be friends!"

26. Who's your biggest celebrity crush?

Oh, I have so many. But consistently since I saw Orphan Black, Tatiana Maslany. Hands down.

27. Finally, have you ever caught someone watching a TV show or movie that you're in on a flight or anywhere else?

We were all, as a cast, flying to — was it New York Comic Con, or San Diego Comic Con? — one of the Comic Cons. And we were all sitting there and we saw that Legacies was actually on the airplane as an option. And we were all just uncomfortably staring at each other. Yeah, that was surreal.

Be sure to catch Kaylee in Legacies, which airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on The CW!

[nctzendreamz]

Psycho — Bae Joohyun

Irene really, really loves you. Too much, you begin to realize.

Warnings: Psychotic!Au, mentions of abuse, murder, language, and in general dark themes.

Word Count: 7k

January 16, 2020 — 9:45PM

She might as well have been a celebrity, as she was the key reason that this coffee shop got visitors. Her silky smooth skin, complimented by her sparkling eyes and perfect build was everything the masses needed to get up early in the mornings before work.

She couldn’t count all the numbers she had recieved in just the couple of months she had been employed at Velvets; the coffee shop that rested in the center of the city. It’s red and pink decor, followed by the hand crafted decorations from so many visitors in the past, was exactly where Bae Joohyun, more frequently referred to as Irene belonged.

She always had the same greeting. It was in the protocol, after all.

“Hello! Welcome to Velvet’s. How are you doing today?”

And today is no different. She always tries her best to look right at the customer as soon as she hears the familiar bell, indicating the door had opened, but her nail was chipping, and it was driving her nuts. She says her line, still fiddling before she realizes that it can’t be fixed until later.

“I’m so sorry! It’s been a long—“

And then she stops. She has seen a million people come and go to her place of work. Most of them found her beauty to be enchanting, but even the finest of them could barely make her blink. No matter how hard they tried to merge the conversation onto dinner, or what she was doing after her shift, her facial expression stayed the same—dull and unimpressed.

But you. You’re standing here in all of your glory, hair perfectly sculpted to your face. She loves this look on you. It’s the perfect color to compliment your perfect skin, and daring eyes as they swallow her whole. Usually, she did this to others, yet here you were, snatching her soul—seemingly without even trying. 

“A long day.” She finally breaths out. Her heart is racing at a dangerous pace, and she knows she looks like a creep right now. Her dark eyes are trying to break you down, and bring you to your knees, but it’s not working.

“I understand that.” You giggle. You seem tired. The bags under your eyes are slight, but still drooped enough to which she can tell you’re either a student, or you work a nine to five. Regardless, you’re not always free. Your clothing is simple. Sweats, a hoodie, and some ugg boots to shield you from the cold weather. “Your nails are so cute, by the way.” You smile, and it’s calming. It’s not a full on cheese session, but that makes it even better. It’s simple, just as you seem to be.

“Don’t flatter me.” She begins, showing them to you in full form over the marble counter. “It’s chipped.”

“And still cute.” You assure, smoothly moving a sole finger across the nail. “Is it gel polish?” You question with an adorable head tilt. Absolutely priceless. You’re probably very good at getting what you want. You know exactly how to move, and lighten your voice to make people feel what you want them to feel.

“It is. You know—

“It stays on longer.” You finish for her.

“Exactly.” She can’t hold in her smile. Was her heart...warming? If so, that meant her cheeks were turning pink, which also meant that you could see clearly that you were doing it right. If you were flirting with her, you were doing it so well, and so respectfully.

“I’ll just take a hazelnut.” You breathe out. Your hands are in your pockets, and you’re shifting the weight from your toes to your heels repeatedly. You must be cold. When you’re cold, you get jittery it seems. That’s why you’re in here in the nick of time. You’re definitely in school. You probably just got out of class, and have a shit-ton of homework to finish. That’s why you need the coffee and that’s why you seem so exhausted; although you’re trying to hide it from her.

“Hazelnut!” She shouts, turning around and giving the ticket to the real worker in here. She doesn’t even look at him as reaches out to snatch it from her. “Is that your favorite?”

“The only coffee I will drink.” You admit, covering your face with your hands. You’re embarrassed. You probably feel somewhat uncultured, and childish for even saying that out loud.

“Have you ever tried another?” She says in a light tone, tilting her head just as you did a few minutes ago. Still, you’re unfazed. You actually close your eyes for a moment before snapping them back open.

“I have. I think it was roasted chestnut? Whatever it was it was not good at all.” And now you’re laughing. Your laugh—it’s beautiful. It’s not a subtle, shy chuckle that would indicate you don’t laugh often. You laugh all the time. She can’t tell if it’s a boyfriend that always has you geeked like this, or maybe your friends. Maybe, even your girlfriend, but that would break her heart too much.

“Well, coffee isn’t the only good thing here. We’re not Starbucks, but our frapachinos are pretty good.” Irene mentions, eyes flicking to the frap menu to the left of her. She lets the red sweater she spotted slip off her shoulder ever so slightly, and you’re looking at it. It was for a mere second, but she saw it.

“Here you go.” Josh—the chef of this shift interrupted, handing you your coffee quickly.

“That’s the fastest you’ve ever done that.” Irene seethes, shooting an annoyed look to her co-worker.

“Trying to close. No offense.” Josh nods to you, already starting the trials and tribulations that closing involved. He’s wetting a rag in preparation of wiping all of the counters down.

“Oh, none taken. I hate to be that customer that comes in late like this. I just have all this work to catch up on and I figured buying aderall from the guy who sits beside me in Psych wasn’t the best idea.”

Irene breaks into a fit of laughter. Truthfully, she wasn’t faking it. You were so funny. But she was also right. She hit the nail right on the head, actually. Josh couldn’t believe his ears as he had barely seen her smile a genuine cheese. Of course he stayed silent. “You’re funny!” She coughs out through her fit.

“Don’t flatter me.” You smile brightly. Your smile is so pretty, just like you. God, she was running through too many scenarios on how she could make you stay. “Thanks for this pleasing experience. Today sucked and I needed it so badly. Do you guys have like a manager or something? Or like a survey?”

She had never been asked this before. No one had ever cared to commend them on their excellent service and caffeine recovery program they had in place for the addicts. “Um...no. But what you can do is come back. To repay us.” She whispers the last part.

She needs your name. She just knows someone like you has the most goregeous name.

And the heavens answers her request. She already saw that you had a necklace hiding under your hoodie, but you’re pulling it out now. It’s a name; she just needs to know who it is.

“That necklace, I love it.” She leans over the counter, squinting to see the name. “Y/N.” She mumbles. “Is that your name?”

“It is.” You respond. “People say it’s stupid to wear your own name, but it’s comforting to me. Plus, I don’t have someone else’s name to wear so.”

So, you were single.

“Don’t get too discouraged. Someone could come and change that. Very soon, actually.” She purrs, and she finally does it. She’s getting in your head. You’re seeing her.

You leave, your walk mezmorizing her in ways that makes her tingle. She barely follows the procedures of cleaning, as all she wants to do is go home. She needs to know everything about you.

“Y/N L/N. Twenty four years old. Younger than me.”

It wasn’t that hard to find your all your social media. All public, minus your Facebook account. Your Twitter consists of retweets of memes that probably made you scream, and your own little comedy that your select friends liked as they felt obligated.

She can’t lie; she was expecting to see a tweet about her. Something about a beautiful girl in the coffee shop. But there was nothing. Not a peep. Then again, maybe this was a good sign. Maybe you liked to keep your loves private. She’s searching through your pictures, embellishing in the sight of you until something stops her scrolling.

It’s a picture of you, and another guy. His hair is black, but his features are far from plain. He’s not impressive to her, but she knows to you, he’s everything. He seems to be just your type.

It’s been two years, and yet, it feels like a thousand.

The caption is so short, yet so sweet and gentle. It’s telling a million stories with one sentence, and even she can tell there’s real love in the photo. On your side, at least. She feels sick now. He’s tagged on the photo.

Lee Taeyong. That’s his name. The first place she searches is his likes, where she knows she’ll find proof of him being a scumbag. The way you addressed your necklace; it’s almost as if it was a mere replacement for a previous. It was a somber, silent story.

A lot of his likes are filled with hip-hop. Viral dances, artist appreciation, funny memes just as you enjoyed. You two probably found love through a similar interest. She continues to scroll though, where she finds something that truly twists her stomach. A quote.

Do you ever wish you could turn back time? Fix a mistake? Go back to when everything was perfect? When you could hold her and she was yours? Because same.

He hurt you. She didn’t know what he did, but she knows he hurt you. Her first guess was cheating, and she was going to stick to it. Maybe your chill nature was because your walls were up so high. Maybe your intense laughter wasn’t because you laughed all the time, but instead because you hadn’t laughed in a while. And it was all his fault—fuck Lee Taeyong.

He works at a video game store. No—he owns an arcade to be exact. She was going to see him. She needed to observe him in person. See his vibe. In the mean time, she can follow you on Instagram. That’s not too weird, right?

January 17, 2020 — 7:30PM

“Welcome to T’s.” A dull voice speaks.

Although the lighting in the arcade is practically blinding—all the neon creating a cool atmosphere, their customer service is awful. Probably a telling to his personality if that’s the kind of people he hired.

She waited for a moment, waiting for more. How can they just assume she knows what she’s doing? What kind of place was this? It’s a Saturday afternoon, and it shows because people are everywhere. Kids are running around, and adults are talking trash to eachother as they bet money on who will win the car game. “Men.” She sighs. But with her sighs brings the man she’s looking for. He’s almost blending in with his all black clothing, but she knows it’s him. He’s hard to miss, but not because of his features. It’s because she hates him.

Her current outfit; a tight red dress and dangerous heels aren’t really arcade attire, but she doesn’t care. She clacks her way over to Taeyong, who is surrounded by many people. He must be popular. He definitely cheated on you. The girls around him were ridiculous. So much for missing you.

She knows approaching so quickly would be foolish. It wouldn’t make sense. She decides instead to creep around, wanting to know who these people are. As she gets closer, she can recognize almost all of them. Chungha—your seemingly bestfriend was here, some guy with his arm around her shoulder. The Johnny she had seen pop up on your feed a few times, the Ten, and lastly, the Momo. Momo also seems to have some unspoken feelings about you.

She could feel it in the way she comments under your pictures. You couldn’t notice her flirtatious nature, but it was there.

The most beautiful human in the world.

My favorite.

Can I be you?

More like—can I be with you?

“Excuse me.” Irene finally speaks, interupting their laughter. She was hoping they’d give her a dirty look, so she could have even more of a reason to turn you against them, but they don’t. They look at her in synch, smiles still on their faces.

“What’s up?” Johnny says, a dashing grin on his face. Another who thinks she’s too beautiful. Exactly how she felt about you. “Are you new around here?”

Chungha punches him in the shoulder promptly, clearly not a fan of his approach. Irene can see why she was your chosen best-friend. Then again, was she really your friend? I mean, all of these people were hanging around your ex boyfriend and the only person who wasn’t here is you?

“Sorry about that.” She apologizes. “Us pretty girls are hard to come by, and they get extremely thirsty.”

She’s funny, but not as funny as you.

“Oh it’s fine. I’m Irene.” She introduces, placing her frail hand out. It connects with Chungha’s, and it’s genuine. “He’s right. I am new here. I’m a tad overdressed, I see.”

“I’m not complaining.” Johnny adds, receiving a punch from Taeyong this time.

So, he’s somewhat of a woman supporter too. I mean, he didn’t have to stop him from his words, but he did.

“I’m Taeyong.” He sighs, but he doesn’t place his hand out. That’s odd. The glow of games is making all of them look nothing less of models, but that doesn’t mean she’s impressed. No one was better than you.

“You know, you’re allowed to touch a girl other than your family and Y/N.” Johnny jokes.

The mention of your name makes everything in Irene’s body spike. They were acknowledging you, even though you weren’t here, which means maybe you didn’t mind them being here without you. Or maybe you and Taeyong weren’t exactly broken up. Something complicated instead.

He doesn’t say anything, just squints at his friend in an evil manner.

“Y/N.” Irene interrupts, putting a hand on her chin. “I met someone with that name last night.” She says. She knows exactly what she’s doing. “I work at Velvets, and this girl came in. She was wearing a necklace with that name.”

She watches for Taeyong’s reaction, and she gets what she wants. The mention of the cafe makes him almost flinch. Velvets must have been a place you two frequently visited together when you were dating. But then again, why did you seem so clueless about the menu? No, you weren’t. You mentioned you tried other coffee. It must have been with him. The way you laughed, it all makes sense now. You were thinking about him. A memory popped up.

She wants to ask if you were his ex, but that would be crossing the line. She had only known them for two minutes. It would seem too odd.

“Was she wearing sweat pants and a hoodie?” Momo questions now. Her hands are crossed over her chest, and Irene can’t read her. She doesn’t like that. Momo somewhat has her guard up.

“Yeah. I think she was.”

“That was definitely her. She’s been dressing like a complete bum lately.” Momo giggles now. If she didn’t already know this was her competition, she knows now. Momo is giggling just from thinking about you. You must make her laugh a lot. Irene doesn’t like her judgemental nature. You would be perfect in every state if she was a real one, but she’s not. So maybe she isn’t going to be a problem after all.

“You described her perfectly.” Irene seethes, quickly switching back to her normal state. The bright smile, and pink lip.

“How was she?” Taeyong questions. He still cares. She can see in in his eyes, but even if she was blind, it wouldn’t matter. His voice was so frail when talking about you.

“Oh brother.” Ten sighs

“I have a right to know.” Taeyong argues. He’s frustrated. He’s hot headed; at least when it comes to you.

“She seemed perfect to me. Laughing a lot, making jokes and stuff. I apologize if I’m out of place for this, but what’s going on? Is she okay?”

All of their faces seem to freeze for a mere second. They’re not uncomfortable with her question, but it seems like they’re wondering do they have permission to tell your buisness like that. They’re looking at Taeyong, presumably because it’s technically his buisness too.

Chungha is the first to speak. “She’s fine. These two,” she points to Taeyong, and then seemingly to thin air, “they broke up.”

Momo is oddly silent. She’s seemingly fuming, but no one is paying attention to her. That means none of these people know about her feelings for you. She’s been keeping it bottled up this entire time.

“Oh...sorry for asking.” Irene quickly scrambles, tucking her hair behind her ears. “I should’ve put that together by myself—

“It’s okay, beautiful.” Johnny places a hand on her shoulder, and she wants to slap the stupid grin off of his face, but he was going to be useful. He was stupid, and naive. One pull down of her panties, and he would tell her everything she needed to know. She moves into his touch, giggling just a tad.

The vibration of her phone distracts her, and she quickly searches for it in her Louis purse. You followed her back. One by one, you’re liking her pictures, and she can feel her heart beating hard through her little chest. Was her fairytale going to happen? Was she finally going to be able to fall in love again? God, she loved you already. Your sexy demeanor, your perfection. She needed you, and she would do anything to get it.

The bell of the shop dings, indicating that more people are walking in. From the way that they all freeze once again, she knows exactly who it is. She turns around and there you are. Her knees so badly want to get weak, but she controls herself. Today, you’re wearing an oversized t-shirt. She can’t tell if you have shorts on under, but she hopes you doesn’t. The shirt is from some band you listen to, and you have white converse on your feet. High top.

Momo is the first to greet you. She practically jumps into your arms, and Irene notices the way you don’t seem to mind. Her brain is starting to shock her, jolting her anger to all the wrong places. She could fucking kill Momo right now. The two of you are spinning around, Momo’s legs around your waist and you inhaling her scent. Everyone else is looking at the scene with a soft smile—they’re so stupid. How can they not see?

Momo finally returns back to the floor, and now you’re looking at her. She quickly fixes herself up, so quick, that you don’t even notice.

“Irene?”

The way you say her name is causing her to pool. She wants to hear you say it for the rest of the night. She takes a deep breath, not hiding it this time before she strides to you, hugging you. She knows this won’t make you uncomfortable. You seem to be willing to catch some affection for people you like. When she feels your hands on her middle back, she inhales you. You smell like spring, even in the winter, and that’s so beautiful. You’re so beautiful. She allows her cheek to graze against yours ever so slightly, and your noses to touch before she backs away. She sees the way you bite your lip. No one can see you but her, and she likes the thrill. It’s dangerous.

“Johnny.” You sigh, walking past him without a look. You don’t like Johnny—that’s obvious. Was he possible the reason for you and Taeyong’s break-up? “My Tenny!” You screech, putting his face in your hands like a baby and kissing his cheek softly. You have a soft side. “Chungha~” You sing, embracing her tightly. Now it was the big reveal. Would you speak to Taeyong? Or would you two do the awkward stare.

He still loves you. It’s obvious in the way that the love practically pours out of his eyes, and his hands shake. “Y/N.” He whispers. It’s like no one else is in the room. You must have not seen any of them in a while, based on the way they stare at you admiringly.

“Hey.” You whisper back, slowly moving to hug him. He closes his eyes for a mere second, and it’s all over. Now you’re back beside Irene, who’s very pleased.

“Irene was just telling us that the two of you know eachother.” Johnny speaks. He’s trying to get back into your good graces. It’s so obvious it’s painful.

“Yeah.” You smile, but not at him. “I was at Velvets getting my usual, and then we met. Surprised to see you here though.” You’re looking at her now.

“What? Just because I’m in a dress means I can’t be a gamer?” She jokes, and everyone around laughs. Everyone but Momo.

“No. Momo wears dresses.” You say, slapping her thigh gently. Why do you keep touching her? She’s standing right here, looking good for you, and you’re flirting with Momo? “There’s just a lot of assholes in a place like this. You don’t seem to be interested in that.”

“Well, how about I prove you wrong? Loser has to buy the other coffee.” She prompts.

She hopes everyone else looks jealous. Especially Momo. Knowing you, even if you wanted to say no, you weren’t going to deny her.

“Any coffee?” You question with a raised eyebrow.

“Anything you want—that is, if you win.”

“I say we have a tournament.” Momo adds in. “I mean, it’s been a while since we’ve all been together lile this.”

Shut up, slut. God, Irene just wants to wrap her hands around her neck. She had to get you away from her as soon as possible.

“Sounds good to me.” You agree. “Is that cool with you?” You look back at her. You’re already hooked enough to have to ask permission when you had only known her for 24 hours.

“Does it matter if she is?” Johnny mentions.

“Johnny!” Chungha screeches. “Why are you being such a dick!”

“Don’t answer that.” Ten prompts, taking his friend by the hand and leading him outside.

“Anyways, that sounds like a great idea to me. Let’s roll!” Chungha yells in sorority fashion, and now all of you are going to where the fun is. There’s a million games to choose from, but it seems like you guys have a section you’re leading her to.

“As you can see, the games only get harder and harder from here.” You explain to her, placing a hand on her lower back.

“So like, kids shouldn’t be going this far.” She giggles.

“Exactly. Consider yourself privileged.” You wink.

“Just because I’m short and cute does not mean I’m a child.”

“You’re going to have to prove that to me.”

You’re definitely flirting with her now. And to make it even better, more fiesty than she had expected it to be.

“What are you doing after this?” She flirts back, placing her hand on your back now.

“You’re taking me to get coffee.”

“Velvets will be closed.” She pouts.

“I didn’t say you had to take me to Velvets. They sell hazelnut coffee everywhere.”

“You really think you can beat me, can’t you?”

“No. I know I can.”

And you did. You beat the clean breaks off of her in every single thing. The whole tournament went to hell as you and Irene were completely in your own world. You ran from game to game like children.

You weren’t rude enough to not say goodbye, but it was quick. You knew exactly what was going to happen after tonight, and you needed it. It had been too long.

“You’re not coming over?” Is the last thing you hear right before you and Irene head out. It’s Momo again, and her eyes are sad as she seems to know exactly what’s going on. “We haven’t had the big sleepover in so long, and I cleaned my house.”

Irene is reading you like the open book you are, and you’re fighting it. You haven’t seen your friends in a while, and you want their attention. You love the fact that they miss you, and you miss them even more, but you don’t crave them like you’re craving her right now.

“I promise next weekend.” You try to plead.

“But I got drinks.”

“A promise is a promise.” Now your pinky is out. The way Momo seemingly gives up on her complaining shows that your promises held weight. She connects her pinky with yours, before lightly caressing your knuckles with her thumb. You don’t think anything if it, but Irene knows, and her eyes are burning holes into her skull.

As soon as the two of you reach the car, you’ve forgotten about the coffee.

With a slammed hand on the foggy window, Irene is in bliss.

“So much for that hazelnut coffee, huh?” She purrs, kissing you once more.

“You still owe me.” You giggle.

“You’re absolutely right.” She’s now crawling down your body, fully prepared to repay you for your victory. More like her victory. She had won, and it was easy. You were easy, and yet she still loved you. She would never let you go, and anybody who got in the way of you two being together forever will feel her wrath.

February 17, 2020 — 2:00PM

“Wait wait, so you’re telling me that I leave for two seconds, and Y/N and Irene are fucking?”

“Not just fucking—fucking dating.”

Johnny and Taeyong were catching up, just as brothers did. After being pulled out of the arcade by Ten, it had been decided that Johnny needed a break from his crew. There was clearly some animosity—rightfully so within the group, and a month break was much needed.

“I didn’t even know Y/N...”

“Exactly.” Taeyong finishes for him, taking an aggressive sip from his coffee. With the slam, some of it splattered on the table. He can’t help but think about how you would immediately clean it up as little things like that bothered you, if you were here that is.

“Well, how do you feel about it?”

“I don’t understand how this happened so quick. I mean, think about how long it took me and Y/N to start dating. We talked for what felt like years before you guys pushed us to make it official.”

“You mean pushed you.” Johnny corrects, sipping his Americano with shade.

“Whatever. I just don’t like it. I mean, this Irene girl just shows up, and takes Y/N away that quick? That quick?”

“I mean, she is fine as hell. Are you saying you wouldn’t be down for that?”

“Can you not be gross for like two seconds?” Taeyong fumes.

“Shh.” The congregation of the library says in unison, causing him to throw his head down in shame.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Month of meditation actually did something I can assure you.”

“I want to look into her.”

“As in, like stalk her? Do you really think you’ll find anything?”

“I don’t want to, but this all happened too coincidentally. I know you think I’m crazy,” a nervous habit formed as a little boy, Taeyong is scratching his elbow like a manic. His rash has appeared, and rash equaled bad news.

“Well, you know I’m on your side. You might be stupid and crazy, but as your best friend it’s my job to make sure you don’t do it alone.”

They weren’t alone, even when they thought they had found a secluded area. She was there, disguised as a typical college girl. She sported a bob that made her look extremely basic, and her ears heard every drip of that conversation. Of course, being the idiots that they were, a bathroom break included them leaving all their belongings on the table.

February 21, 2020 — 12:00AM

“Do I know you?” The blonde girl says in a low voice. She’s scared as she approaches her vehicle. She worked the late shift tonight, and deep down she knew it was a horrible idea, especially when her boyfriend was too drunk to come and get her.

“You don’t need the extra money—I got you, babe.”

But she ignored him.

“No, but I know you.”

“Did my boyfriend sleep with you? Because if you want revenge, I’m not the one you need to be speaking to.”

“What would make you think that?”

“Past trauma.”

“So he’s cheated before.”

“No, past trauma.” She doesn’t know why she’s entertaining this stranger. Maybe it’s because she’s so beautiful. You can’t help but to trust her, even in such a suspicious predicament. I mean, she was leaning on her fucking car like she pays the note. “Are you an addict or something? I barely have anything for myself, okay? Maybe next week.”

“You’re Johnny’s girlfriend, aren’t you?”

“I’m calling the police.”

But Irene snatches her phone from her, slamming it on the ground. The black gloves that cover her hands secure her non-existent finger prints, and the phone shatters.

“Literally what the fuck!” The blonde screams, but it doesn’t matter. They’re in a parking garage and there’s no one here to save her. She tries to run away, but Irene is just too quick. The knife that was behind her back connects to the back of her neck, and she haults.

“This is for your nosy fucking boyfriend, who believes that he can somehow find out about my past and make Y/N leave me. How foolish of him.” She chuckles, letting the blood trickle down her arm.

She’s crying and screaming, but as stated, it’s irrevlant. Irene 2 — Johnny 0.

February 18, 2020 — 9:00AM

“I just...I just can’t believe it. I told her not to work that stupid fucking shift.”

“It’s not your fault, Johnny.”

“Yes it is. If I wouldn’t have been drunk out of my ass, I could’ve saved her somehow—I don’t know. But now she’s gone. I loved her. I loved her so damn much and I was finally pulling it together because of her.”

The rest of you sit on the couch, struggling to find the proper words for such a tragedy. Johnny is sobbing into his hands now, while Ten is rubbing his back gently. Taeyong is off to the side staring into space. You’re familiar with this look. He was thinking heavily about something, but you obviously would never find out what it was. Chungha is sitting on your right, rocking back and forth. Her nails are chopping at her fingers—a clear sign of her fearfulness. Similar to Taeyong, Momo is silent. You expected her eyes to be on you in search of some answers, or silent suspicions, but she refuses.

Finally, Irene is beside you to the left. You didn’t know Johnny’s lover that well, but you knew she was a decent girl. She didn’t deserve this, and you couldn’t even imagine what would it would feel like to lose someone you loved. Anyone sitting in this room. Her frail hand is locked on your elbow while her thumb is trying to soothe you.

“I’m so sorry.” She whispers. Her lips find your shoulder in something sweet and comforting. “Who would do something like this? Did she have an ex boyfriend?”

It takes a minute for Johnny to find a response.

“She did tell me about some guy who began to get a little possessive, so she broke it off. But she never mentioned him coming back.”

“Maybe it was him.” Irene says quietly. You can tell she’s trying not to say too much, as she hadn’t been hanging with the crew for too long. You’re grateful that she’s here for you.

“Let’s just let the police do their job.” Momo finally speaks, standing up from the loveseat she sat on alone. Something is wrong with her, but you’d have to figure that out later.

“Let’s order some food.” You decide, standing up as well. “I know you might now want to eat right now, but it’ll clear you head even if just a little bit. We are all under a lot of stress right now.”

“I agree, babe.” Irene commends, smiling at you sadly.

“Alright.” Johnny sighs. He also rises, but he goes straight into the back of his apartment instead. None of you were worried about him hurting himself. You knew he needed time to let his emotions out, as he was constantly trying to be society’s definition of a man.

Your phone vibrates, and it’s Irene who’s hitting you up.

I think you should check on Momo. Was she friends with her? She just seems really upset and I know how close you two are.

You have to contain the smile that wants to come out for the sake of the situation, but she was so perfect. She didn’t get jealous about anything. And she was so in love with you. It had been too long since you could confidently admit that this wasn’t a one-sided situation.

Your feet are approaching the kitchen softly, trying not to make such a scene. Momo is leaned over the counter at first, but when she sees you she tries to straighten up.

“Hey.” She whispers, preparing for eavesdropping.

“Hey.” You say back.

Why was this so awkward? It was never like this before.

“I just wanted to check on you.”

“I’m fine.”

Which means she’s not. You see her observing your current outfit—yoga pants with a shirt she had bought you years ago covering your body.

“Do you want to talk later?” You offer, putting a tiny smirk on your face remembering that usually made her feel better.

“I think that would be good, actually. I don’t know if we’ll have the time, but maybe when everyone’s asleep?”

“The best thing I’ve heard all day.” You open your arms out, and you know she won’t deny you. She lets out what seems to be all the stress from her week as she lets you engulf her. It had been so long since the two of you were close like this. On your nights where you couldn’t sleep from past thoughts, it was Momo who would come over and hold you until you could.

“I’ve missed you.” She mumbles into your shoulder. “So much.”

“I missed you too. I’m sorry I haven’t been exactly here as much.”

“Irene...I know.” She pulls away at the mention of her name, and it’s odd timing. “Let me just ask you something— as one of your best friends?”

“Go ahead.”

“Don’t you think the two of you are moving a little fast? I mean, we saw the girl for the first time a month ago, and now you’re all committed and in love with her. I’m just concerned.”

She made several points. It wasn’t that you made people wait for you in the past. This whole scenario was just too quick, especially since you had just gotten out of a relationship not too long ago.

“Are you insinuating that I’m not over Taeyong?”

“No.” She’s confident in her answer. “I don’t want you to be with him anyway. He cheated on and is a fat jerk.”

You snort at her last two words, and she’s punching your shoulder lightly even though she’s laughing as well.

“You’re so negative minded.”

“Continue.” You breath out, covering your mouth.

“I just feel like—

The door flies open, revealing Irene on the other side. “Sorry to interrupt, but have you ordered the pizza yet? We’re all starving.”

In reality, she wasn’t in the mood for food. Ten and Taeyong had went to the back to check on Johnny, and Chungha was using the bathroom. She had heard your whole exchange and to say she was pissed was an understatement. Why didn’t you try and defend her? You should have walked out of the room, and straight into her lap the minute the slut tried to question you on something she knew nothing about.

Both of you look like you’ve been caught, and she relishes in that. The fear that is in both of your eyes.

“Yeah I got you.”

That’s all you have to say to her? First, Momo was able to get you to open up that fast, when you hadn’t even revealed to her any details of you and Taeyong’s relationship.

“Or, you can order it if you want. Me and Y/N were just catching up I’m sorry to take her away.” The slut speaks. Her voice bleeds cockiness, even though her face is soft and sweet. She knows that Irene is mad. She’s enjoying it.

“Okay.” Is all Irene mumbles before going back to the living room.

“What was that about?” Momo is looking at you in confusion and fear. She had always had suspicions about Irene. She just seemed too nice—too willing to be everything you needed, when in reality she didn’t fit the role.

Momo had been in love with you since she met you. Your smile, the way you loved everyone no matter their differences, and your seemingly never ending talent of making her laugh. You were magical, but she was okay with being on the sideline. She had done it for two years straight while you were with Taeyong, and even during your nights of crying over she kept it to herself.

She knew keeping it to herself was only hurting her, but she was willing to be hurt for the sake of your happiness as you were happy with Taeyong. She could see how much the two of you loved eachother, and even after everything went down, she didn’t want to stop your journey of loving herself to have to figure out a way to reject her feelings nicely.

“Guess I’ll have to find out later.”

You seem frustrated as your leg is tapping up and down—even though you’re not sitting. Your breathing is getting faster and faster, and she knew this picture. This is exactly how you used to react when Taeyong made you upset, or neglected your feelings.

“Does she know what pizza you like?” She decides on, trying to pick your mood up with her bare hands as you were always able to do for her. She finds herself dancing slightly—her go to when she didn’t know what to do.

“I should probably go find out.” You smack her exposed stomach before walking back into the living room, where everyone has returned. Momo is behind you, and Irene is staring straight at the wall.

“The pizza should be here soon.” She whispers without removing her eyes.

“That’s goo—

By soon, even she didn’t seem to have meant this soon. The door is being knocked on quite aggressively, and all of you are looking at eachother trying to decide who’s going to answer.

“I’ll get it.” You step up. You were always the one in the group who would rise to the things you knew they were scared to do. Before you can even put your hand on the knob though, the banging is coming again, this time even louder. “I’m coming!” You spit full of attitude, and at the same time, everyone but Irene is rising to the occasion to stand by your side. You would always protect eachother—even from the pizza man. Johnny steps infront of you, opening the door himself.

It’s the police, and they don’t look happy.

“Are you Johnny Suh?” The chubby officer questions.

“Uh—yes.” He stutters. “The police said I wasn’t getting questioned until tomorrow.”

“Oh cut the crap.” The other offer says. “You’re under arrest for the murder of Cierra Valdez.” He rips the handcuffs from his belt, and he’s trying to turn Johnny around, but Johnny will never go down without a fight.

“What are you talking about!”

“Get off of him!” You yell, immediately trying to pull him in your direction. Everyone else follows, together more powerful than the police. Johnny is out of their grasp for just a few moments before a gun is pointed towards all of you.

“Drop your hands now!”

“You’re not gonna fucking shoot us!” Taeyong screams. It was the most passion Irene had heard come from his lips, and she was quite entertained. She was entertained by all of this. If you wouldn’t have been letting Momo flirt with you, she would’ve gotten up to shield you, but you didn’t, which is why she’s sitting on the couch in fake shock.

“Y/N get over here!” She yells. She doesn’t even have to wipe the sly smirk off her face as nobody is looking at her.

But you ignore her.

“I didn’t kill her!” Johnny is crying all over again, his whole face soaked in tears. “I loved her. Why would I kill her?”

“Anything you do or say will be held against you.” The Miranda rights are flowing out of the officer like he does this all the time, and now they’re dragging him out. His back is scratching on the cement.

“Y’all have to help me!” Johnny screeches. The whole apartment complex can hear what’s going on, and it’s killing him inside. He didn’t kill the love of his life. He didn’t. “I loved her.” He cried once more. “I fucking loved her!”

Continued

[songtoyou]

Letting Go

Paring: Steve Rogers x Reader/You

Rating: PG

Warnings: Swearing

Word Count: 1,616

Description: Steve and you are assigned in pairs for a team exercise. The task is to come up with positive solutions to a negative experience. 

A/N: I don’t know where I was going with this drabble exactly. I just wanted to write another Steve and Reader one-shot.

I don’t permit any of my fics to be posted anywhere else on the Internet without my permission

Note: This story has been updated for edits of grammar and punctuation.

“So, due to a slight altercation the other day, I think it would be best if we all partake in some team-building exercises,” Pepper announced to the group, which consisted of the original six Avengers, plus Sam, Wanda, Vision, and you.

You could not believe how you got the job position. You were not an enhanced individual, nor did you have any combat skills. Heck, you were not even a scientist. No, what got you the job helping the Avengers were your computer hacking skills that rivaled Daisy Johnson. It was Fury who sought you out. 

“You have made quite a name for yourself. Not only are you on the FBI’s most dangerous hacker list, but you made it onto the CIA’s, Shield’s, and I suspect Hydra’s as well. How about you use those skills for good?” Fury pitched to you.

That was about two years ago. With you primarily staying behind the scenes, it was your job to help guide the Avengers on missions. You were always “buzzing” in their ears, as Tony affectionately put it. Your task was to keep everyone safe and make sure they had the right information. They were not only your teammates but family as well. And with family comes arguments and fights about stupid things such as taking someone’s blueberry Pop-Tarts without asking. 

You raised your hand to get Pepper’s attention. “Pepper, I just would like to reiterate that the whole altercation, if that is what you want to call it, that occurred in the kitchen was Thor’s fault.”

“Y/N, we are not here to point blame on anyone,” Pepper clarified with a sigh.

“Uh, excuse me, Lady Y/N, but I told you time and time again that I was not the one to take your Pop-Tarts,” Thor defended himself.

“That is bullshit! You are the only one besides me that eats those. No one else! It was you! Do you have any idea how hard it is to find non-frosted blueberry Pop-Tarts? They’re almost impossible to find!” You were shouting now. 

“What the fuck! Are we stuck doing this due to fucking Pop-Tarts?” Clint yelled. His annoyance was evident on his face, similar to everyone else.

“Tony, I got to back to the lab. Do I really need to be here for this?” Bruce asked quietly.

“If I am stuck here having to do this, then so are you,” whispered Tony. He had to stick around to be supportive of Pepper. 

Pepper remained neutral. If she was annoyed or frustrated, the woman did not show it on her face. ‘This woman needs to be canonized,’ you thought.

“Look, everyone here is a team member. So, it is standard to do team-building exercises every once in a while. Whether the incident in the kitchen occurred or not, it is a good idea for all of you to partake in these exercises to help grow as a team,” Pepper informed calmly. “I’m going to pair everyone in teams of two: Thor and Sam. Vision and Tony. Wanda and Natasha. Clint and Bruce. Steve and Y/N. The name of this exercise is winter/loser. Partner A will share with Partner B something negative that in happened in their life. Now, this can be work-related or personal; however, it must be true. Partner B will help Partner A focus only on the positive aspects of the experience. The purpose is to help reframe our negative situations into learning experiences. I’ll give you guys twenty minutes, then we can reconvene as a group for the next exercise,” Pepper instructed the group.

You got up and walked over to Steve. You gave him a small smile, which he returned. Steve always made you nervous whenever you were around him. He was not only intimidating but devastatingly handsome. You never really talked to Steve outside of missions. You both did not have much in common as it would appear. You two were literally from different times. Steve was very conservative and a bit stuffy, while you preferred to be opinionated and outgoing.

“How about we go to my office? It’s quieter in there,” Steve suggested, and you followed him out of the conference room.

 Steve’s office reflected his personality. It was clean and organized—nothing out of place. One thing you noticed about Steve was his need to always be in control. Ushering you to take a seat at the table by the window, you obliged. 

“Do you want to go first?” Steve asked.

“Not really,” you stated honestly. “I’m not really in the mood to talk about the negative experiences I have endured. I like to put them in a box and bury them deep inside my soul,” you said with a hint of sarcasm in your voice.

Steve sighed. “Y/N, be serious for once,” he scolded.

You scoffed. “I am serious. Why don’t you go first?” When you saw the hesitation in Steve’s eyes, you clocked him on it. “See, it’s not that easy. You don’t want to go down that road either.”

The two sat in uncomfortable silence, with neither wanting to speak up. 

“Okay, how about we go about this a different way,” Steve suggested.

“I’m listening.”

Steve got up from the table to retrieve a piece of paper and pen. “How about instead of relaying our bad experiences, we look at ways to overcome them,” Steve said as he wrote a title on the piece of paper, ‘How to Let Go of Negative Thoughts.’

“You serious?” you asked.

“Do you have any better suggestions? I am actually trying to turn this into a positive experience for us.”

You knew Steve had the right idea. So instead of giving him an attitude, you decided to be a team player. “I think when it comes to dealing with negative experiences, the first thing a person should do is to choose to let it go.”

“That is good. Okay, what else?” Steve asked as he wrote down the first step. Writing things down helps to get something off your chest,” Steve recommended and wrote that down as well when he saw your approval.

“Playing the blame game never solves anything. How about live in the present? Focusing on the past never helps anyone, would you agree?”

Steve could sense to prying tone in your voice, so he merely wrote down the new step. After a while, the two of you came up with a list of ten steps:

1.) Make the Choice

2.) Write it Down

3.) Stop Blaming

4.) Live in the Moment/Present

5.) Be Empathetic

6.) Surround Oneself with Positive People

7.) Stop Replaying the Bad Experience

8.) Transform Painful Memory into Something Good

9.) Make a List of How You Can Control the Situation

10.) Focus on the Future

“I have to say, Rogers, that this is quite a list you helped come up with; you really are a good leader, you know,” You told him. 

In all honesty, you admired Steve. He was the embodiment of what a good person show strives to be. 

“I could not have done without your help, Y/N.”

“Can I share my negative experience with you?” You asked Steve sheepishly. 

He motioned for you to go ahead. After you let out a sigh, you went along. “When I was in fourth grade, one of my classmates told me that this boy liked me and that he wanted to be my boyfriend. I was shocked because no one paid attention to me. Least of all, boys. So, I was excited. I was happy. However, that turned out to be all lie. The guy who claimed he liked me came up to me and said it was not true. It was a prank. I was devasted. Not so much of not having the boy like me, it was feeling of being used as a joke that bothered me.”

Steve leaned in closer to you and placed his large hand on tops of yours. “The same thing has happened to me. Too many times to count,” Steve confessed.

“Why are people such assholes, Steve? I don’t get it. Like, it is not that hard to be a decent human being.”

“Apparently, for some folks, it is. Can I confess something to you? You have to promise not to get upset,” requested Steve.

“What is it?” You enquired, raising one of your eyebrows.

Taking a deep breath, Steve went on to say, “I was the one to eat your Pop-Tarts. I’m sorry. I had just gotten done at the gym, and it was late. I was tired, and I didn’t want to make anything. So, I saw those blueberry Pop-Tarts, and they just looked delicious…”

You shook your head. You were not precisely angry at Steve but more amused. “Steve Rogers, I will give you this one pass. But don’t you ever eat my Pop-Tarts ever again,” You reprimanded him in a nonthreatening tone. 

All of a sudden, the two of you busted out laughing. “Ugh, now I have to eat crow and apologize to Thor. We should head back to the conference room anyways,” You said, standing up from the table with Steve following you.

Before you reached the door to open it, Steve spoke up, “Hey, how about I take you to the store so you can restock on Pop-Tarts. I know a place that carries the unfrosted blueberry ones.”

You happily accepted his offer. “Do you want to get coffee as well? Don’t worry; I’m not suggesting Starbucks. I know a place in Brooklyn that has excellent coffee, and they aren’t too pricey.”

“I like that idea,” he replied as he led you out of his office and towards the conference room with the other Avengers.

[swordbreakerz]

✨ for all of them, 🎥 for treasure planet and guardians of gahoole, 🍀 for 9-1-1 and penumbra, 📃 for unicorn chronicles, 🏳️‍🌈 for howls, treasure planet and legend of zelda, and 💎 for any ones you have facts for lol

you spoil me uwu

🎥 - ok for treasure planet, gotta be the 12 years later scene in the beginning and the zoom in to the spaceport, the way it transitions from jim reading under the blankets to him flying on his solar surfer is so chefs kiss, and just like. everything about to the spaceport lmao, fr guardians definitely the scene where soren flies through the fire and then blows up the pulley system to get rid of the flecks energy, bro when hes flying above it all holding the lantern before he dives down to save them? chills

🍀 - you know im on that projection shit w/ juno steel, ive truly never like connected with a character like that before and he’s really really helped me thru my recovery and transition lol, fr 911 uhhh ig buck or eddie? i havent Thought About It or like consumed it enough times yet to rly settle on someone but fr now,,, they

🏳️‍🌈 - ok for howls, Everyone Is Bi/Pan, howl is trans and autistic and i will die on that hill, fr treasure planet jim and cpt amelia are both trans and both of them + doppler are autistic, fr loz link is trans, autistic and semi nonverbal and communicates primarily with asl, post twilight princess zelda says fuck it and finds a way back into the twilight realm and she midna and link hang out, most of these boil down to everyone i love is trans gay and autistic because i say so lmaooo

📃 - OK SO. without like, spoiling too many plot points, our main character is cara and she lives with her grandmother. her mom is dead and dad is out of the picture. one day theyre getting chased by these people that her grandma knows and cara gets thrown into an alternate realm full of fantasy creatures using her grandmothers amulet. she meets a unicorn named lightfoot and a bunch of other rad people and basically, starts a journey to save that world from the Hunters. the Hunters are an organisation who specifically hate unicorns and want them all dead, led by Beloved, and cara and her friends have to try and stop them from entering the world and wiping them out. its sooo so so good and i highly recommend it cause i have no one to talk to about it please god

✨ - oh boy uh, well. im just gonna like list them out lmao

unicorn chronicles: i loved unicorns as a kid and read it when i was in elementary school, and over the years its remained just as compelling and well written as i remember and like. god the whole concept is so godamn cool and all the subplots that get introduced are fuckign fantastic and like all the different creatures are amazing i literally cant sing its praises enough

howls moving castle: must i have a logical reason? is it not to vicariously live my fantasy of running away to the countryside with a wizard boyfriend, his demon and his apprentice?? for real though, its such a fantastic story with beautiful visuals in the movie and wonderfully compelling prose in the book, and esp in the movie the whole time travel subplot with sophie seeing howl and calcifer in the past and then howl finding her in the future makes me go feral

penumbra: gays in space. need i say more? im a huge slut for gay found family and especially in futuristic space, and im a huge big fan of the lgbt utopia its created. like yeah capitalism sucks but at least im not gonne get misgendered in space starbucks, u kno? all the writing and dialogue is so incredible and the SOUND DESIGN GOD, alex i know u specifically can relate when i say i would kill a man for sophie and her incredible sound design skills, like dude the dance scene in man in glass p2 you can hear every single individual step they take and every swish of junos dress and i jusT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! god its so good, plus the whole the characters help me work through my trauma and repressed anger haha

911: this one is entirely your fault. so obligatory horny on main everyone on that show is so hot i want oliver stark to cradle me gently in his beefy arms oh my god. other than Men, the way it drives home the whole ‘you can’t save everyone, and it will kill you to try, so just focus on what you can do and keep living’ makes me so emo. the way it tackles big bureaucratic issues as well as closer to home interpersonal ones is amazing and i love how it shows people going through and dealing realistically with trauma.

treasure planet: again, who doesnt want to live in Cool Steampunk Space Travel Future? i really really love jims story and his arc, the way he deals with his trauma is uhh very familiar lol and his relationship with silver is like the ideal. the story is just the coolest concept and i love all the wonderful character design and animation, plus the soundtrack SLAPS and everything is beautiful

legend of zelda: ive been associated with this series from a very young age due to my name and as soon as i gave into my fate and looked it up for real i just kinda fell into it lol. i cant really tell you exactly what draws me to it besides ‘wow fun game!’ and ‘god i wish that were me,’ but like the absurd amount of detail thats put into each installment and the creative ways they retell essentially the same/similar story over and over is incredible

guardians of gahoole: so i had the same experience with this and treasure planet which is i remembered ‘oh hey this is a movie that exists and i cant clearly remember watching it, ill look it up :)’ and then it consumed my life for a solid 3 months. firstly this movie is absolutely gorgeous, the animation and framing is fucking stunning and the way they handled owls talking like people as far as the movement of their very inflexible beaks was amazing. it sort of has the same draw for me as warrior cats? secret animal society ft incredibly traumatic experiences and the characters dealing with it. like, the whole concept is just so fuckign wild and it works so well, i rly enjoy this niche genre.

💎 - alright trivia time, so guardians of gahoole is based on a book series and the movie only covers part of the first arc i think idk, BUT theres another series set in the same universe called wolves of the beyond that i devoured when i was younger! i didnt know they were connected for the longest time and when i found out i was :000, i still rly love wolves of the beyond and wanna reread it, as well as read the actual gahoole books. in the howls books, sophie is a redhead! also, markl is named michael and like a fully functioning young adult who ends up marrying one of sophies sisters. treasure planet is, obviously, based off treasure island but its so much better than the book dont bother reading it lol i tried and it was boring. there was plans for a treasure planet sequel that was fully scripted and cast but it was cancelled cause disney sabotaged treasure planet from the start with the shitty release and advertising and tldr we were ROBBED, also amelias concept was much more octopus like and while that wldve been rad im p glad she was switched to a cat for. several reasons lol. uhh i dont have a lot of Fun Facts abt the unicorn chronicles but for the longest time i thought there were only 3 books and then last year i found the fourth book by chance in a kitsch store and nearly had a breakdown i was so happy, like full on i started shaking and crying cause there was so much joy in my body i cldnt contain it.

thats all i can think of tysm ily, to anyone who read all of this bless u please watch guardians of gahoole and read the unicorn chronicles i will love u forever

[darren-huston]

Darren Huston From the Commoner to CEO

Hello from Trent,” I say. It’s late January and, talking to a Trent alum who’s working abroad, I figure I can jog a few memories and start a conversation by adding: “It’s going to negative 16 degrees tonight. Do you recall those chilly walks across the wind-whipped Faryon Bridge?” Darren Huston ‘85 chuckles with instant recognition and replies, “It doesn’t get that cold in Tokyo. It’s five degrees celsius here.” From his office in the heart of Tokyo on a Thursday morning, the president and CEO of Microsoft Japan is showing his Canadian roots. Darren Huston, the Trent grad with an honours B.A. in economics, isn’t just comfortable talking about the weather; he’s also about as gracious and self-effacing as an all-round Canadian guy can get. And, oddly enough, he uses similar terms to describe the new culture in which he finds himself immersed. “Japan is a wonderful place and almost Canadian in many respects,” he says over the phone more than 10,000 kilometres and several time zones away. “Individuals in Japan are polite, understated, and self-critical. They see themselves as being in one boat more than in North American society. Everyone’s lives here are very symbiotic. If anyone fails, it feels like they’re failing family. As a foreigner, you can never really be a part of that.”This might seem like pretty deep talk at 9 a.m. for the North American businessman guiding the destiny of Japan’s number one brand and its 2500 employees. But there’s an easy-going quality to conversation with Darren Huston.

He’s not delivering corporate lines. He’s reflecting—intellectually, emotionally, philosophically. You feel like you’re connecting with a real person. And it becomes apparent, the more you talk with him, that Darren Huston is a uniquely intelligent individual modestly wrapped in an everyman persona. It’s very, very Trent. And he’d be the first to admit that’s true.Darren Huston became the president and CEO of Microsoft Japan in July 2005, moving to Japan with his wife Clarissa (who graduated from Trent in 1990) and their children Erinne (six) and Owen (three). Before joining Microsoft, Darren was a senior vice president at Starbucks Coffee Company where, among other things, he led the rollout of the Starbucks Card and Wi-Fi to Starbucks stores around the world. A graduate of the United World College in Trieste, Italy, he earned his Honours B.Sc. Honours in economics at Trent, his Masters in economics at UBC, and an MBA from Harvard University. Despite these remarkable accomplishments, it’s surprisingly easy for Darren to connect who he is today with his experiences at Trent University. He tracks the origins of his successful manage-rial style and the human quality he brings to the most senior levels of business back to a job he had early on at Trent University. “You know, I was manager of The Commoner (a former Trent pub). I still think that was the best job I’ve ever had,” he recalls. “I was given a lot of responsibility at a young age: running a business, leading a group of people. I got real manage-rial experience from that. It was eye-opening—very pivotal."

The job Darren landed man-aging the pub also changed his course of study. Rethinking academic and career goals is common —almost encouraged—as a part of the undergraduate experience at Trent. “I thought I’d go into politics, be a diplomat, but I gained a love for doing business,” he says. “I came out of Trent feeling proficient in economics. And, ultimately, I did my MBA at Harvard.”Comparing his university experiences, he recalls fondly, “there was a sense of community at Trent. Peterborough’s not a big city like Boston or Vancouver. Peterborough is Trent. In bars, in places every-where, you’re bumping into people you know.”Admitting that it’s difficult to call to mind the names of the many people who had an influence on him during his time at Trent (“it’s horrible that names can be so fleeting”), Darren does man-age to remember economics professor Harry Kitchen and former athletics director Paul Wilson as examples of people who were very supportive.

Hearkening back to the 80s, Trent Economics Professor Mak Arvin remembers Darren as his best student. “I wrote his letters of reference for grad school, and over the years we have kept in touch,” said Mak. “Darren wrote a letter to me in 1992 (while working at the Department of Finance in Ottawa) telling me about how he saw the differences between the world as portrayed by the academics versus the world of an economic policy maker. He also talked about a number of promotions he received at Finance within a short span—indicative of how talented he was even as a junior civil servant.”Professor Torben Drewes, the head of the Economics Department today at Trent, shared that “those of us who were around at the time have general memories of an entirely pleasant and mature student who was at the top of his class.” As for his current role, Darren shares that his goals at Microsoft include “a project called ‘Plan J’ which covers a range of investments that Microsoft will be making in Japan, innovations which it will bring to the marketplace and partnerships which it will seek out.” As if this weren’t enough, he adds; “on top of this, we hope to continue growing an already large business by double digits.”Not a bad to-do list for some-one who just turned 40 this year – a fact casually revealed where others might fear to tread. According to Darren, his age does come as a surprise to many in Japan. Most business people at the CEO level would be older than his own father. “Yeah, they’re very surprised,” he says, but is quick to add, modestly, “But because it’s such a large corporation and you’re a foreigner, they assume someone has thought this through.”

The thought shakes loose an old memory from graduation back in 1989, a story which clearly shows that Darren has made it a lifetime habit not to boast of his abilities. Back at Trent, he had won the Bagnani Medal one year and the Symons Medal at his final convocation, both for outstanding academic achievement. “I did quite well,” he says humbly, then adds with a laugh, “When my name was called out, I got up to receive the awards and I remember hearing someone behind me in the crowd say ‘Hey! Isn’t that the manager of The Commoner?” Little did that person know what valuable experience comes of studying economics and running a small business unit at a liberal arts and science university. When asked about stories that he saved a beautiful piece of stained glass from The Commoner and helped to have it installed at Blackburn Hall, he remembers it well. “Dial back in the alumni magazine ten or so years and there’s a picture of us sitting in front of it,” he says.It’s clear as we begin to wind up our interview that these memories of Trent mean a lot to Darren. And, though one might imagine that someone at the helm of a corporation of this size might want to wrap things up and get on to the next important task, Darren has a way of operating in the present. Without so much as saying so, his tone and manner reassure you that this discussion is important to him. Thoughtfully, he considers how formative years direct the person we become. “I often tell people, ‘do your undergrad at a place where you can grow academically and socially,’” he says, then reflects once again on the close connection between past, present and future. “It’s so interesting how life is a random walk. If I had it to do all over again, I wouldn’t do it any differently. I honestly wouldn’t.”

[imaghostwriter]

11/11/11 (or more like 44/11/11)

Rules: Answer 11 Questions, Ask Eleven Questions, Tag Eleven People!

alright, so i had a lot of people tagging me in this one and i was really happy about every single one! but to sum things up a little (and also so that i wouldn’t have to come up with 44 questions myself) i decided to put it all in one post. i will tag 11 people with 11 questions of my own and answer all 44 questions i received under the cut.

thanks to the wonderful @thewritingsofart, @i-rove-rock-n-roll, @writingsonesdreams and @waywordwriter for being awesome and for tagging me! xx

now, here are my 11 questions:

1. if you had to rewrite the earliest work you remember writing, what would you change?

2. have you ever written fanfiction? if so, what was your first fic about?

3. do you have any foolproof methods against writer’s block?

4. have you ever thought about quitting writing?

5. is there an author who you feel influences you as a writer?

6. would you like to have fanfiction written about your works?

7. what is the nicest compliment you’ve ever received on one of your works?

8. have you ever cried over one of your own stories?

9. do you draw about your own stories?

10. have you ever written an au about one of your own stories?

11. have you ever written something creative in another language than english? if so, which one was it? and which language do you prefer?

sooo, those were my 11 questions. now my 11 victims are: @storyteller-kaelo, @metaphors-and-melodrama, @wasted-hymn, @authorified, @writingnosefreak, @quilloftheclouds, @bookenders, @vhum, @madammuffins, @catgirlwarrior, @blueinkblot

and for those who are interested, here are my answers:

@thewritingsofart 

1. In what other format do you enjoy reading a novel? Script, Poem, Diary, Illustrated, etc.

i love stories of all kinds, the format doesn't really matter

2. What POV do you prefer reading from? Writing from?

third person, both reading and writing. it doesn't matter if the narrator is omniscent or stays up close and personal with the protagonist

3. Do you remember what your first creative writing piece was?

i remember the first one i created outside of school lmao it was awful but i've also grown a lot since then and i still remember my first work fondly. and tbh i still like the idea so i gottagive little me probs for that. it was about a girl who wakes up with no memories, in a world where everyone believes to have a certain destiny and thus doesn't question what happens to them bc they accept everything to be part of a greater scheme and she starts rebelling against that bc she doesn't want to accept that she was supposed to forget everything about her life and then tons of stuff happens

4. What are you working on now?

a fantasy novel which is a collab with a writer friend that i still know from school and a drama novel, set in the 1960's

5. How do you get in the mood to write?

usually i just reread what i've already written and that does the trick for me but if not then go back to my outline and work a little on that which reminds me of all the cool stuff that i wanna write that's yet to come

6. What in your daily life inspires you to write?

everything and anything. inspiration doesn't come from a certain place from me, it's compeltely random. i just hear or see or read something and it sparks an idea and then i'm stuck with it

7. Do you have a favorite writing snack(s)?

i don't snack much whilst writing tbh bc then i need my hands to write. but i snack a lot to procrastinate and then any snack will do

8. Who do you go to first when you want someone to read/look over your writing?

the friend i do my fantasy collab with is the only friend whom i'm entrusted with almost everything i've written in the last three years and i've even shared some of my older stories with her

9. What got you started in writing for pleasure?

i can't remember if there was a specific reason that got me started. i always liked the creative writing tasks that we got in class so one day i wanted to try writing a book. that was pretty much it

10. How do you create your characters? Do you use a character sheet or another method?

my characters are usually the first thing that come to me so i don't actually use any specific method to create them. they all serve the plot and are built for necessity around my protagonist to create the most believable and most fun dynamic that ultimately leads my main oc to where they need to be

11. If you could have one famous person, from today or history, to read your best piece of writing, who would it be? This includes authors

jane austen probably bc i think she could give me good advice on character dynamics and would smack me on the head for making a man the pov character in my drama novel. but i also think she would be super nice and encouraging in her advice. also she's one of my favourite authors so there's that

@waywordwriter

Heels or flats? flats! i can't walk in heels properly

What’s your favorite Starbucks drink? i don't go to starbucks. if i go to any café i usually get tea if i stay in or coffee if it's to go

Winter or summer both are very uncomfortable, temperature-wise. but i'll go with summer bc it's nice to be too hot for once when you're usually always too cold

Do you write short stories? heck yeah i do!

Favorite author? jane austen bc i always feel good when reading her books

3 words to describe your protagonist(s) going only with daniel from my drama novel: repressed, oblivious, gay

3 words to describe your antagonist(s) well, in my drama novel there is no clear antagonist as in it's not a person and in my fantasy novel the protagonists are kind of the bad guys so i don't really know how to answer this. capitalism? prejudice? believing you know what's best for the people you love and acting on it until your behaviour is downright abusive? none of these are three words but i'm rolling with it

Favorite school subject? constantly changed. when i graduated it was english, german, spanish, art and philosophy

Favorite book(s)? also ever-changing but since i picked jane austen as my favourite author i'm going with pride and prejudice

Favorite music genre? don't have one, it all depends on the song but atm i listen to a lot of old rock

How was your day today? veryyy stressful and emotionally exhausting but i also got to see a good friend of mine that i hadn't seen in some time now and that was nice!

@i-rove-rock-n-roll

1. What part of worldbuilding do you like the least? i'm a sucker for worldbuilding to the point where i procrastinate writing bc i worldbuild too much. there is no part that i don't like

2. Do you write in your own language? If not, why? i do! but i also write in english. at first bc it forced me to simplify my sentences due to a lack of vocabulary but now bc i like it and it gives me the possibiliy to share my work with a wider audience!

3. How many of your characters are orphans or have absent parents? not too many, actually. i think it's mostly a thing in my drama novel where it's 2.5/5 (one being an orphan, the other having abusive parents and one case where i'm not even sure if it's just a very complicated relationship or if it counts as downright abusive but the story doesn't dive too deply into it either). in my fantasy novel it's just 2/6!

4. Do you have any happily married couples in your story? uhhh... now that i think about it.. i don't. wow. never realized that, you really got me there!

5. What kind of visual arts (cinema, sculpture, painting…) inspires you and your stories? all.

6. Did you ever go somewhere and think “this is exactly my story’s setting”? not really. but certain places do sometimes inspire me to set my story somewhere similar. my trip to cambodia led to an outline for a pirate story that has yet to be written

7. If you take public transports, do you ever look at the people around you and imagine their story? yesss, i am 100% that creep that is constantly observing and analysing other people

8. What is the last book you read (or are currently reading)? Would you recommend it? it was "the death of mrs. westaway" and i definetely recommend it! it was a good read. even though i guessed the ending it was still thrilling and it didn't chip away any of the suspense bc the author always kept me questioning myself and always had me asking "but what if i'm wrong?"

9. When was the last time you read fanfiction and what was it about? maybe about two weeks ago? i can't remember what it was about bc it was just small bits of fluff but i do remember that it was a merthur fanfic

10. What is the first thing that came to you for your WIP? Was it a scene, a character, or something else? going with my drama novel: it started out with the idea to write something where the story couldn't stand the way it does if a single sentence where to be taken out. to have something written so minimalistically that only what is absolutely necessary remains but still have it be interesting, engaging and compelling. so i started writing something from the pov of someone who is just the most oblivious rhabbarb the world has ever seen. the rest evolved around it

11. Is there a genre or writing format you’d like to try in the future? not currently. these things tend to come to me with time and as soon as they do i try them out at once bc i can't wait haha

@writingonesdreams

1. How much of your writing is influenced by your daily life? Like does what happened during the day affect what and how you write? not intentionally but when it happens (and i notice it happening, usually) then it influences mostly my characters. their aspirations, their internal conflicts. the reason why daniel is struggling with the expectations of others is bc it's something i experience myself, although maybe not as strongly as he does. but then again, that's kind of a universal experience so it's not that noticable

2. How much of you is inside your characters? every single one of them has something from me but i always make sure to never make them too similar to me and whenever i see myself too much in them i start changing them around until i can distance myself enough from them to be able to write about someone else's experiences instead of my own

3. Do you start writing from the beginning or somewhere else? yes, i usually do

4. What is the most difficult for you about writing? connecting scenes. i never know when to write something out or to sum it up in one sentence and just dive into the next scene. it confuses me to no end

5. What is the hardest part about creating characters for you? my characters tend to come very naturally to me. they're born out of necessity for the plot and thus are fitted to it. i guess what is most difficult for me is reminding myself of the fact that all my charas have a live outside of the plot, except for my protagonist and usually have more than just that one (1) friend

6. What are the themes of your wip and what do they mean to you? both my wips deal with questions of morality, loyalty and autonomy and those are all themes that i spend a lot of my free time thinking about and/or that are very important personally. especially autonomy was always something that i was taught to value as a child and that my parents value a lot as well, even more than most germans which is saying something.

7. What books/movies/series whatever inspired or influenced your current wip the most? i honestly don't know. they're both not consciously inspired by specific media although i don't doubt that i was influenced by a lot of different works

8. What would be the biggest appreciation of your work for you? if someone loved it. if someone would read it not just once but then again just bc they felt like it and wanted to insert themselves into the world again. if someone would love the characters and bond with them. if my work meant something personal to someone.

9. Why did you choose to write this wip and not something else? What’s so special about it? my fantasy novel: i wanted to do a collab with a friend of mine whom i've known for a while now and she only writes fantasy so i thought it would be a good excuse to try myself out in the genre my drama novel: i honestly don't know. i can't even remember how the idea came to me but suddenly i was heads deep in a 1960's period drama about a gay dude and social pressure. i guess it was the way i write it, as minimal as possible, that appealed most to me

10. What kind of scenes do you not want to write/don’t enjoys writing but can’t get around them? scenes where i don't know what's going to happen plotwise but only the feeling that i want to get across

11. What part of the writing process is your favourite? (Coming up with the idea, thinking, outlining, researching, writing itself, editing, reading what you have written, etc) worldbuilding and creating characters bc i get to enjoy the creative process without worrying too much about perfection and editing bc it's meditative and bc i feel proud for completing my draft and don't have to worry about still having to write anything out. but i also love reading what i’ve already written! i guess in the end i have fun with all the parts lmao

[morethanamillennial]

Peace Corps Vs. Teaching Abroad: Finding A Path After Graduation

     In June 2017, I had just gotten back from an amazing experience of living in Europe for 7 months. First studying abroad in Paris, and then going on a three-week tour through the Scottish Highlands, small UK towns, and the AMAZING Snowdonia National Park in Wales (seriously, go look up pictures- LIFE. CHANGING.). With more than 10 more countries checked off in my Been app, I couldn’t wait to get back out into the world to explore some more. But the logistics of, how to pay for it and when I would have the time to go, settled in. The experience solidified my need for adventure and to live abroad once again after graduation. Determined to do just that, I thought of all the ways to make that possible and the most popular ways are either teaching abroad or volunteering in Peace Corps. 

     As my college career at Chestnut Hill College (CHC) came quickly to an end, like most graduates, I had been struggling with what I want to do with my degrees in psychology and global affairs. CHC let me expand my leadership skills, both academically and socially, as well as gave me a place to make new friendships, but figuring out the next steps for my life was on my mind 24/7. But let’s back track for a second.

     I worked all last summer at a camp where I was able to meet girls from around the world in exchange programs working at other camps in the area. They served as my ticket to the world through their stories and adventures. As the end of the summer approached I was getting more questions by friends and family (though mostly family because they want to know what I am doing at all time) about what I was going to do after I graduate. THAT WAS THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION! All throughout my last year at university, I continuously was asked the same “what are you planning to do after graduation?”. In August of 2017, I started to sit down to really think about this question because I had no ideaand if anyone reading this is going through something similar I just want to say that THIS IS COMPLETELY NORMAL! I’d say that if you knew what you wanted to do or know where you wanted to apply for jobs, you’re in the minority and I envy you.

     I sat in my room pondering this question with the help of YouTube videos (waaaay too many YouTube videos), books, and talking to my recent graduated friends. I had this dream of serving in Peace Corps, a US government program which sends US citizens to developing countries and work on projects in various fields (environmental, health care, economic development, etc.), ever since I had a teacher in high school who told me all about her experience within the program. I soon realized that after graduation would be the perfect time to do apply due to the long commitment of just over 2 years abroad. I decided to reach out to a recruiter and after many hours at Starbucks and revisions to my resume with his help, I applied to Peace Corps.

     I had applied openly, which basically means that they would take my degrees (in my case global affairs and psychology) and place me in any country with any job they saw me as a good fit in. Quick side note: if there is a specific country or region or job you wanted to do within Peace Corps, I wouldn’t recommend this, but I was up for anything and applying this way would allow me to be considered for more placements which meant more of reality that I would be offered an invitation to serve. So, by August 2017 I was applied to Peace Corps and I started the agonizing waiting game the US government loves to play (no, but seriously if you taking this route be prepared to not hear back for months at a time). This of course gave me more than enough time to constantly worry and debate of whether I will get an interview which would lead to an invitation, but at least the hard part was over- or so naïve Cynthia thought.

     Because I need to have a plan out every aspect of my life (seriously, it’s a problem), I researched other ways I could live abroad after graduation as a backup plan. I looked into nannying, woofing, working in hostels, but one job that stuck out to me was teaching English abroad. So, like everything I do, I turned to google and typed into the search bar “teaching English abroad jobs”. All these sites popped up with schools/ programs all around the world that wanted native English speakers, it was very overwhelming. Some wanted me to have a TEFL certificate (which I do not have), others wanted teaching experience (which I did not have), and others wanted an education degree (which I did not have), and some wanted you to pay to teach (which I was not doing because I am a broke bitch). 

     I had to narrow down my search to a continent and I chose Africa because it holds a special place in my heart after volunteering in Ghana for a period of time after high school. I once again stared at the search bar under the google logo and searched for African teaching positions and ended up finding a request to teach English in Ethiopia, which is in East Africa. I didn’t need a TEFL certificate and I didn’t need to have a teaching degree- PERFECT. I quickly sent my resume and heard a response back in October of 2017 asking for an interview.

     At this point you might be thinking, “wait what about Peace Corps?” Well by the end of the summer I found out I was being considered for a health extension volunteer position in Benin (in West Africa- I had never heard about it before either). I was interviewed by August and then the waiting game started again. I wouldn't hear back from them again until December, but I will come back to that.

     I was offered a position to teach English to third graders by School of Tomorrow in Ethiopia and for something that was supposed to be cause for celebration, it caused a panic for me as the questions came pouring in. Do I turn the position down to wait for Peace Corps? Do I accept the position and continue with Peace Corps if I get in? Do I email Peace Corps and rescind my application??? Needless to say, I was confused. So naturally, I turned to my trusty pros and cons list. In the end I decided to accept the teaching position and not say anything to Peace Corps just in case I didn’t end up getting into Peace Corps.

     I decided to relax now about what I was doing after graduation and when people asked me about what I was doing after graduation, I would just say that I had options and that I was definitely moving to Africa. I was content and happy with that answer because my next adventure was starting to come together, and I would soon be leaving the US for at least a year, YAY! However, in December my world would be turned upside down when I finally I saw an email subject like that read, “Invitation to Serve”. Man did I ugly cry! My years of dreaming to serve in Peace Corps was going to be in a reality! I was going to be leaving September 15, 2018 for Benin as a health extension volunteer BUT (AND THIS IS AN ENORMOUS BUT), I had to pass medical and legal clearances. Long story short, with $1,000 spent, countless appointments at government services and EVERY SINGLE doctor imaginable (I needed teeth x-rays! Like what?!) and almost 4 months later, I did not get cleared to leave for Benin due to my past struggle with mental health. So again, more ugly crying occurred. But I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and Ethiopia was now my next destination!

     It is now July 2018 and I have officially signed my contract with School of Tomorrow in Ethiopia and will be moving there by September 1. I am now preparing for the move of the lifetime by buying the Lonely Planet Ethiopia book and language book, along with the typical FB announcement, and of course dragging all my friends to Ethiopian restaurants to prepare for this next chapter of my life in Ethiopia.

     So, for anyone thinking about what to do after college but know they want to get out to experience the world, look into these options but also the other ones I mentioned. From my experience, you have to be prepared for rejection and countless hours sending out resumes and waiting around for responses if living abroad is something you want to pursue. But the rush when you find out that you’ll be living in another country for a year and traveling as you go, is all worth the stress and uncertainty. I try to remind myself that just because I was brought up to get a conventional 9-5 office job and I have the degrees to potentially do so, does not mean that is what I have to do that anytime soon. There are so many options out there to live abroad and if it’s something you’re personally thinking about, I say GO FOR IT! Travel is the best way to understand and fall in love with yourself on a deeper level. 

     I don’t know what will happen in Ethiopia or the experiences I will get to have, but I do know that it’ll be an adventure. Life is meant to be experienced and that’s exactly what I plan on doing.

Happy travels, Cynthia

[eminperu]

Dreams Money Can Buy: The economics of a pay-as-you-go vagabond lifestyle

Since my last Facebook post about another jaunt across the world, several people have reached out to me asking the same question: how do I “fund my lifestyle” (copyright Emma). It dawned on me that A) lots of folks are looking to travel the world but B) are not sure how to do that realistically and responsibly. As an additional obstacle, people—even the vagabonds—often get weird and cagey when asked about their finances. Luckily, I’m 100% comfortable letting you know that I’m pretty poor and I’m still living what Cardi B and Chance might classify as close to—if not my best—life. I’m happy to share my strategies for the nomad life as someone who has never considered planning a strong suit and whose butt gets all itchy at the sound of the word “budget.”  This is definitely not a how-to, but a how-I-do guide that hopefully can offer one perspective to those who, like me, dream of being homeless and financially insecure—I mean, wanderlusters.  Naturally, each point is organized by subcategory titles borrowed from legendary and timeless songwriter Aubrey Graham. Started from the Bottom (now we’re still near the bottom)

Okay, not exactly the bottom, but not far off. I did have some savings before I started traveling, and I think that cushion was pretty important for my peace of mind/not dying famished in the streets. I set a (admittedly pretty arbitrary) bottom line that I would be comfortable—not thrilled, but not fully catatonic—to have when I returned to a more “traditional lifestyle.” I put that amount in a do-not-touch savings account. Luckily, I haven’t really had to dip into this kitty very many times. Though, again, I’m admittedly no financial wizard, I would estimate over the course of the last year I’ve netted about -$2,000. To me, this year, the amount of time I spent not working, and the amazing experiences I have had were worth significantly more than that figure.

God’s Plan/Controlla

You can plan your travels in advance to varying degrees, but it’s crucial to be honest with yourself about how much uncertainty you can stomach without anxiety sucking all the joy out of the cool stuff you’re doing. I’ve had people tell me, “Oh, it’s so crazy how you can just hop on a plane and not know where you’re going next. You’re flying by the seat of your pants!” Two things: 1) I hate pants. 2) More often than not, I do plan at least my immediate next move in advance. This isn’t so much a due my discomfort with uncertainty, but rather how frustrated I get when I’m forced to spend substantially more money on a ticket/room because I couldn’t commit in time. As a general rule, I plan international travel at least a month in advance and try to get things settled for big within-country trips a week before I leave. I make sure to search airline sites directly, especially for within country travel, and I don’t hesitate to call booking sites instead of reserving online to see if if they can cut me a deal—they’re out here looking for that commission. That being said, the best practice is to seek advice from people who have visited or, better yet, live in your destination. Not only can they steer you towards the right locations/companies/etc., they can also advise you when it might be more economical to book real time in-person as opposed to beforehand online (this happens quite a bit, especially in less-developed countries. Trip Advisor is not always your friend, yo.). Plan as much in advance as you need to in order to feel comfortable and excited, not overwhelmed and anxious, for your trip.

Hold On, We’re Going Home

Building off my last point, for me, having a space to unpack my borderline-hoarder amount of clothes and plug in my electric toothbrush is crucial to my mental health. Who doesn’t love a nest? Though a lot of people move intermittently between destinations, I was pretty settled in Lima. Before flying in, we booked a month in an Airbnb. I easily found a three month room to rent on Facebook/Craigslist, and used the same method to find two of my jobs (oh, sidebar—look for and join ALL online Expat groups as soon as you get to a country. Go to a language exchange and ignore the creepy older dudes who try to get you to “teach them English” and look for other expats who are probably new to the area, too). I also knew I was setting up base camp somewhere with an incredibly low cost of living, and that was intentional (Meygan’s intention, not mine, but still).

Mob Ties

This will be a small section, as it deviates from the financial focus of this piece, but I think it’s important: be proactive ASAP in making friends. It’s so, so easy in any city with a large expat population (again, join the Facebook groups).  Expats are prone to be quite outgoing, likely share your interests, and probably have lower friend standards than you’re used to! Living abroad is like college, and all the other expats are your new floormates. There will definitely be some weridos, but you’ll sift through them and find the gems. Plus, traveling with friends makes things cheaper, so this section is totally relevant. (Nailed it.)

Hotline Bling

This one is straightforward: Make sure your phone is internationally unlocked and get a prepaid SIM card immediately in each country you go to. I’ve never needed to pay more than $20 a month for talk/text/data (you’ll only really need data) and it is PLENTY (how many of you are looking at your Verizon bill and fuming right now?). International plans don’t make sense in the long run and scrambling from Starbucks to random hostels for WiFi is not a good look.

Nice for What

One of the benefits of living abroad is that as soon as I moved, people started hitting me up to visit and/or meet them places. I’ve had the opportunity to visit magnificent destinations with magnificent friends, some of whom I hadn’t seen in years. If, like me, you’re overwhelming popular and well-liked, you have to be realistic and honest about where you can and cannot travel. Whilst on a budget and trying to function in day-to-day life, sometimes merging plans with friends looking to vacation is just not feasible. Compromising is great; it’s also valuable to let the homies know that this isn’t just a trip for you, it’s your lifestyle (did you just throw up a little bit as you read that? Me too. Sorry). I got super lucky and my friends who came and visited me in my more permanent location—Peru—didn’t force me to go to Machu Picchu 96 times! Every country has a bunch of cool stuff to do, and they were more than happy to meet in Colombia, hop on a jungle excursion, or otherwise with plan something that was in my budget/I hadn’t already done.

In addition to being realistic with my budget and with other people, I had to be realistic with myself, which involved some reprioritizing. I haven’t really bought clothes in the last year. I didn’t make my usual music festival rounds. I wasn’t planning to see my family for Christmas. My shoes, which have amassed an innumerable amount of miles, are essentially all falling apart. Time and time again, I chose experiences over things and I couldn’t be happier with that decision.

Nonstop

Having a job, regardless of the wage, always makes me feel better about spending money. You can make money in a variety of ways, but here’s a hot tip: TEACH ENGLISH ONLINE. I AM NOT KIDDING YOU I WOULD NOT HAVE DONE WHAT I DID THIS LAST YEAR WITHOUT IT. There are a myriad of companies (I’m with VIPKID—lemme talk to you about it and get some $$ for helping you apply) that allow you to set your own schedule and teach online from anywhere with a strong WiFi connection. I taught every weekday in Peru from 6:30 am to 9:00am (and an occasional weekend evening) and was done with my workday by 9:15 in the morning. I was also able to teach when I came back to Kansas, when I was home in California, and when I was traveling, Plus, I get money for referring you desperate plebs.

Let me tell you why VIPKID is infinitely better than getting an in-person job (even teaching English) abroad:

The hours and location are 100% flexible. I can open my schedule weeks in advance or the night before, and I can teach fifteen classes in a row or one single class.

There is no lesson planning. Prepping for teaching is an evil succubus that lures you in and steals your time and also several parts of your soul. The VIPKID platform offers ready-to-use lessons that have a universal structure. I don’t even glance at them before I start teaching. It’s the most low-maintenance, easiest form of instruction I’ve ever been involved with.

You don’t need to worry about getting a work visa. For all the work I did in Peru, I was paid cash under the table, as getting a carnet de extranjera (similar to a green card) is time-consuming, expensive, and difficult. I'm not 100% sure, but I feel like this is the case in most countries.

Yes, I make $20-$25 an hour, which can make you feel no ways (real Drake fans will catch that Easter egg), especially if you’ve been making a steady salary in a a place like New York or SF (let’s not get into it here, but all the more reason to advocate for not paying/treating our teachers like trash). However, it’s consistent money, I can do it anywhere, and $20 goes real far in most places outside the U.S.

The Catch Up

That being said, the side-hustle is EVERYTHING. Proofreading, translating, tutoring, working remotely, waitressing, bartending—anything that doesn’t require a lengthy application process and set hours is ideal. While I was back in the States, I very quickly and easily got a temp job working in my mom’s radiologic imaging office; I got to experience an entirely different line of work and gossip and eat donuts with the girls in the front. I absolutely loved it.

Apps like Grabr or housesitting apps are also excellent ways to make money doing stuff you’re already planning to do. Grabr allows travelers to sign up to bring things to people in their destination country that take too long or are too expensive to ship from their country of origin. This utilized two of my strongest skills—ordering items from Amazon and packing a checked bag weighing exactly fifty pounds. On my trip from the U.S. to Peru, I made over $300. Did I bring a kitchen scale and finely ground white electrolyte powders through South American customs? Yes! Did I assume I’d be going to Peruvian jail? Maybe! Honestly, I was more concerned about the giant car part leaking oil that I brought through TSA in Kansas City (thought about leaving a “This is not a bomb note”—decided against it). The point is: it might have taken a little time, some research, and a bit of aplomb to find opportunities like this, but luckily I had all those things in spades. Disclaimer: Use your judgment. Don’t do weird stuff.

Also, in all honesty, got a pretty cute tax refund this year, seeing as I made a significantly larger sum of money in the half of the year when I was full-time employee in California than when I was a part-time degenerate in Peru.

All Me

As resourceful and savvy as I’m feeling after writing this, I have to come clean. This might be a bit of a bummer for those fiercely independent amongst you: I did not even come close to doing this without a ton of help from my ridiculous circle of incredibly generous family and friends (HAHA GOTCHA, IT WAS NOT ALL ME. SEE? SEE WHAT I DID?) My list of people to thank would surely earn me the wrap-it-up music at the Oscars, but I’ll try anyway: My parents helped my broke ass get home so I wouldn’t be alone for Christmas. My friends from all across the world and all phases of life let me crash with them for weeks at a time (and gave me cute clothes that “looked a little weird on them,” made me banana flaxseed pancakes, and did my laundry). My brother and his smokeshow wife bought me flights and let me move into their giant British mansion to be their nanny (they don’t have kids). My saint of a mother literally gave up her bed and shared her tiny apartment with me, advocated for me to get a job that meant her doubling her workload, and let me eat all her food while standing at the refrigerator like a teenage boy. People have given me advice, contacts, hotel points, and miles. Gratitude will forever be the brush with which the memory of this year was painted.

All in all, I’ve had an overwhelmingly positive, life-changing experience with the joys far outweighing the stresses. It’s not hard to do, and I hope this very Emily-specific example can be of some help to you. Remember, you too can shirk all your responsibilities and run away to a foreign country! Even if you’re 25 sitting on 25… cents.

P.S. If you liked this post, please send me shoes.

[they-are-there-upon-his-head]

Hi, I just really need to talk about modern AU great Comet hcs Please love me

an unprompted ask?? for me??? this is the content I signed up for

so yeah i’m just gonna make a big ass list of headcanons lemme know what you think,,, i love modern au so much so this is also a long post beware!!!

these are random as hell but are heavy on the Andrierre, which is good and bad because I love this ship but also I haven’t read War and Peace so some of the Andrey headcanons might be dead wrong

and of course feel free to correct and/or add on to this list! I’d love to hear what you guys have to say about this and I’m always up for talking about Great Comet

so let’s begin

 Anatole is a picky picky picky eater, he’ll only eat very specific things like That One All-Natural Organic Overpriced Brand Of Mac ‘N’ Cheese™

9 times out of 10 Helene is going to or drinking Starbucks

Dolokhov will eat ANYTHING but he still ends up going to Taco Bell way too often

he drinks too much Mountain Dew

Pierre keeps his shirt on at the beach/when swimming

he only leaves the house to walk to the local convenience store and buy snacks, and the liquor store to buy booze

Marya loves couponing

Dolokhov prides himself on his cool sneakers

Sonya plays the ukulele

she wears a lot of scarves and flannel and loves autumn

Andrey owns a lot of soft gray sweaters

Mary has a really old ipod nano that has like ten songs on it but she listens to it and dances while she cleans in the morning when her father is asleep

Helene wears athletic wear (track pants, cool sneakers, etc) for the aesthetic but isn’t much of a fan of working out

Andrey goes for a run every morning

Natasha uses the dog filter on Snapchat way too much

Balaga wears a weed hat and weed socks

there’s a 99% chance Anatole has texted “send nudes” in the last 12 hours

Pierre has a lot of t-shirts with random bands on them

Marya loves strong coffee

Natasha and Sonya share a room that’s decorated with fairy lights

Andrey works a bunch of jobs and has really weird hours

lucky for him, Pierre never sleeps

so they often go to the local diner together at 3am and get milkshakes and cheese fries

Pierre fucking loves cheese fries

Sonya had a weeb phase

Dolokhov is still in the tail end of his emo phase tbh

Anatole secretly loves Buzzfeed quizzes

Balaga is an uber driver

Sonya watches a lot of Food Network and HGTV

Natasha loves The Bachelor

Dolokhov watches roast videos

Pierre once watched vine compilations for 13 hours straight

somehow word got around that Dolokhov secretly has an embarrassing tattoo (something along the lines of “I love my mom,” perhaps?) but when confronted about it he turned bright red and vehemently denied its existence

Helene wears those Aesthetic™ shirts with random French words on them from like Forever 21 or something

Dolokhov wears Timberlands and track pants and snapback hats

he also wears his socks pulled up high like your friendly neighborhood fuckboy

Natasha has worn the same pair of Uggs for a long time

Balaga unironically wears Crocs (often paired with his weed socks and oversized denim cutoffs)

Dolokhov takes snowball fights very seriously

Andrey can drive but he hates doing it

he bikes to work and around the city

Mary also hates driving, but that’s because she’s deathly afraid of it

Pierre bought contacts but never uses them, he just wears his glasses instead

Dolokhov is really into sports, both watching them and playing them

his favorites are soccer and basketball

he forces Anatole and Helene to watch some games with him and they hate it

they just rate the players’ attractiveness instead and end up talking and wolf-whistling over all the commentary

Dolokhov is annoyed by it at first, but always ends up joining in and marveling at the muscles on these guys! look at those fucking biceps

Natasha visits Pierre once in awhile and brings some gifts and food (usually baked goods that her and Sonya make)

they just sorta hang out and talk and eat, sometimes Pierre makes tea for them and they have a little tea party

Pierre’s very awkward but Natasha is good at diffusing the awkwardness, mostly by talking a lot about nothing

one time she convinced him to let her paint his nails and honestly??? Pierre kinda liked it

he wanted to tell Andrey about it but Andrey still doesn’t seem ready to talk about Natasha

Pierre’s ok with it though, he’ll give it time. Andrey will come around eventually.

Mary swears by medicinal teas and herbs for almost every ailment

she also collects flowers and dries them and hangs them in her room

Dolokhov does parkour

Balaga runs a meme account

Marya has everything you could ever need in her purse, including napkins, Advil, hand sanitizer, wet wipes, tampons, pepper spray, tweezers, Beyonce’s entire discography, the whole city of Moscow, etc

Pierre has a lot of books on the French Revolution

one Valentine’s Day, Andrey got Pierre a locket with Napoleon’s face in it and Pierre was so confused until he opened it and he just looked so pained while Andrey laughed

honestly Pierre thinks it was actually really fucking clever and it’s kinda sweet that Andrey noticed how into the French Revolution he was

also, he had never seen Andrey laugh as hard as he did in that moment and that made it all worth it

Pierre’s favorite TV show is Gravity Falls, though Ancient Aliens is a close second

he also watches reruns of Jeopardy a lot and is surprisingly good at it

sometimes Andrey will watch it with him; Pierre gets all the history stuff and Andrey gets more of the pop culture questions

Helene listens to Lana Del Rey, Dolokhov has a soft spot for twenty one pilots, and Anatole is always a slut for some Britney

Pierre listens to Radiohead and other depressing existential indie/alternative rock

Natasha is a sucker for a good love song, Broadway musicals, or any happy boppy pop song tbh

Sonya loves folk music and anything with string instruments

Andrey is partial to some good 90s grunge rock (Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Weezer, etc)

Marya listens to pop music of the 70s and 80s music, stuff of the “good old days”

boy oh boy can she GET DOWN to Dancing Queen

Mary thoroughly enjoys Christian rock

Andrey secretly loves to dance, he’s one of those people that just kind of loses himself in the music and is just completely in the zone while dancing

honestly??? Pierre’s jealous because 1. how do you relax while there are people around you and 2. how the hell does Andrey still look cool

Pierre is either too self-conscious to dance or he just kind of nods his head to the beat, that’s all he’ll do

(unless he’s alone in which case it’s WILD)

Dolokhov’s dancing is basically just jumping with some fancy footwork once in awhile

Anatole and Helene twerk. c’mon of course they do

one time Natasha tried to teach herself how to twerk and Marya walked in and grounded her for a week

Pierre thinks The Shawshank Redemption is the pinnacle of cinema and will fight anyone who thinks otherwise

Natasha sings in the shower

Anatole loves chick flicks and has a crush on Ryan Gosling

he forces Dolokhov to watch shitty romcoms with him as revenge for Dolokhov forcing him to watch sports

but I mean they’re all curled up on the couch with their arms around each other and Anatole’s crying and Dolokhov’s laughing at him and they’re eating ice cream and takeout from the one place that Anatole actually likes and it’s just them because Helene’s knows that this is just Too Much™ so she left and she’s basically the voice of reason in their friend group and it’s really quite the experience

Pierre was in a really shitty cover band in college

Balaga is always high

Sonya loves oversized sweaters and leggings

Dolokhov has his ears pierced

Helene has a nose ring

not a day goes by when Anatole doesn’t quote Mean Girls

Mary owns a lot of those wooden blocks with random little quotes on them (you know the ones – they’re in any given Marshalls and dearly beloved by suburban wine moms), like “Be happy” and “Jesus loves you” and “You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy chocolate”

one of Andrey’s many jobs is waiting tables at Applebee’s. Pierre has visited him there a couple times and boy did Andrey look dead inside

the only reason Andrey works so many jobs is so he can afford his own place because his father is a piece of shit

Pierre offered to help with the financial aspect of it but Andrey wouldn’t let him pay for it

still, Andrey ends up sleeping over Pierre’s a lot, not that Pierre minds

Old Prince Bolkonsky exclusively watches FOX news and he yells at the TV a lot

he eats the same thing for lunch every day: a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which he makes Mary prepare

fun fact: Mary is allergic to peanuts

Sonya works at an ice cream parlor and brings home desserts for Natasha and Marya

Marya loves chocolate ice cream, Natasha prefers vanilla with rainbow sprinkles

Sonya is a butter pecan kind of girl, if we’re getting into it (and we are)

Anatole likes French vanilla (it has to be French), Helene likes coffee, and Dolokhov is partial to death by chocolate (or something similar)

Bolkonsky has to have peanut butter ice cream, Mary likes strawberry

Andrey prefers sorbet, but if he had to pick, he’d go with pistachio

Pierre’s favorite is cookie dough

Balaga probably found a way to make weed ice cream tbh

Mary loves scrapbooking

Sonya writes fanfic

she loves to read and wishes she lived in a Barnes & Noble

Andrey and Pierre play video games together and they’ve gotten really good at it

neither one of them likes intense fighting games but they do really like Mario Kart

Andrey plays as Yoshi and Pierre plays as Bowser

Pierre tried to teach Natasha how to play but she kept falling off cliffs

her favorite character is Princess Peach

her and Sonya dressed up as Peach and Daisy for Halloween once and it was really cute

Pierre has worn the same black hoodie for two years

Natasha runs an aesthetic blog

she also writes poetry on said blog

one of Andrey’s coworkers keeps accidentally calling him Andrew and it makes Andrey so irritated

the Kuragins can’t swim

Dolokhov tried to teach them but it didn’t work because Helene’s bikini kept falling down and Anatole wouldn’t go under water because it would ruin his hair

if Andrey goes over Pierre’s during the day, he’ll help him clean the house because Pierre has no motivation to do so

about once a month Marya will stop by and remark how disgusting the house is and before Pierre can even defend himself the whole house has been vacuumed, the windows are washed, the laundry’s done, the clothes are folded, the shelves are dusted, the bathroom’s scrubbed, the beds are made, and there’s fresh flowers on the kitchen table

then they hang out and complain about people to each other and it’s a grand old time

Pierre’s really grateful to Marya, but she refuses to take a compliment

let’s be real though, she relishes in watching Pierre keep saying nice things about her because she keeps denying them and he feels obligated to make her agree

Pierre has a shitty Toyota Corolla from the early 90s that has no AC and is being held together by duct tape and he’s afraid to drive it but too attached to sell it

Sonya has a folder on her laptop that’s just pictures of Tegan And Sara. that’s it

Marya doesn’t know how to whisper

Pierre loves the movie theater but will only go if Andrey or Natasha go with him

after the whole Anatole Fiasco™ Natasha and Sonya blocked Helene on Instagram so she kept making fake accounts until they accepted one of the follow requests

Andrey takes Halloween very seriously

Pierre bites his nails

Helene taught Anatole how to do makeup and now he won’t stop contouring

Anatole takes an obnoxious amount of selfies

Sonya’s wardrobe is almost exclusively from Target

Pierre spends an embarrassing amount of time on Wikipedia

Marya had a flip phone up until a couple months ago when Natasha and Sonya convinced her to get an iPhone

Marya hates it because she doesn’t know how to use it and it makes her feel stupid

but Natasha’s teaching her how to use it and it’s kind of growing on her, it’s just so practical and functional and now she has a pretty red case for it that matches her nails and

Marya goes and gets her nails and hair done every couple of weeks, it’s her mandatory “treat yo’ self” ritual

Anatole pretty much only wears pastel colors

Dolokhov pretty much only wears black (or very very very dark gray)

he has a black jean jacket decorated with lots of pins that he wears all the time

there’s a skull pin and one that says “Jesus hates me” and a Blink-182 one and an Obama one and a gay flag one and an eggplant emoji one and one that says “I love my boyfriend” and it’s fucking iconic

his favorite shirt to wear it with is his Batman shirt

Dolokhov likes DC better than Marvel, Pierre’s the other way around (is that what the duel was fought over??? lmao)

Anatole doesn’t care but he thinks RDJ is hot

Andrey likes both and doesn’t understand why everyone’s so angry about it

Helene has an extensive collection of bralettes

Natasha hates pants and only wears skirts or dresses

Sonya doesn’t think she’s very good at drawing or painting but she still does it anyway because it makes her really happy

Pierre once said “love you” while talking on the phone with Andrey and he didn’t know what to do so he just PANICKED and chucked his phone across the room but he forgot to hang up and it turns out Andrey didn’t even hear what he said after all

ehhh hopefully this is pretty good? it was fun to make and made me laugh while writing it but let me know what you think!! and please add on to this post, i need more modern au headcanons hhhhhh

[grimoire2020aa]

Ten Mistakes New Herb Gardeners Make (and How to Avoid Them!)

Mistake 1: Growing from seed. When you first start out trying to grow fresh herbs, I recommend you begin by trying to grow from seedlings rather than planting your own seeds. These great little starter plants are widely available in grocery stores in the late spring. For the same price as a packet of fresh herbs from the produce section, you can buy your own little starter plant. Lots can go wrong in the seed to seedling transition (including not thinning out plants properly), so its probably best to begin by skipping that complicated task or you are in danger of washing out before you really begin.

Mistake 2: Starting with the wrong varieties. I recommend you start by trying to grow fresh basil. It is the perfect trainer herb. First, basil grows quickly, allowing you to observe the effects of your care more easily. Second, basil leaves wilt visibly when not watered enough, but recovers well if you water the wilted plant. This makes basil a great ‘canary in the mineshaft’ to help you figure out how much water is enough.

Mistake 3: Watering herbs like houseplants. Instead, water herbs a moderate amount every day. While some houseplants flourish with one solid watering per week, most delicate herbs require moderate and regular watering. This is particularly true during hot summer months. If you have good drainage at the bottom of your pot (at least a drainage hole, possibly rocks beneath the soil), it will be difficult to water herbs too much.

Mistake 4: Not cutting early and often. As a novice gardener, it may seem like your puny little plant just isn’t ready for a trip to the barber, but then you will find yourself sitting there wishing for leaves without much success. Again, basil is a great herb to practice pruning. As with all herbs, you want to cut the herb just above a set of growing leaves. With basil, when you cut the plant that way, the originally trimmed stem will no longer grow. However, two new stems will grow around the original cutting, creating a “V” shape (see the photo above, can you spot the Vs?). If you don’t trim basil aggressively, it will continue to grow straight up, and become too tall and top-heavy. Making your first trim approximately 3-4” above the soil produces a nice sturdy plant. Of course you want to be sure you are always leaving a few good sturdy leaves on the plant (see below). As it continues to grow, continue to prune it approximately every 3-4” for a nice solid plant. I like to let it grow for some time and then cut back to within 2-3 inches of the original cut. After only a few early trial cuts, this usually makes for a nice clipping with plenty of basil to use for a pizza.

Mistake 5: Taking the leaves from the wrong place. When you are just starting out it seems to make so much sense to pick off a few big leaves around the bottom of the plant, and let those tender little guys at the top keep growing. Wrong. Leave those large tough old guys at the bottom alone. They are the solar panels that power your herb’s growth. Once your plant is big enough to sustain a decent harvest, keep on taking from the top, as you have been when you were pruning. That way you get all those tender new herbs that are so tasty, and your plant gets to keep its well developed solar power system in place. Plus, if you pluck from the base and leave the top intact, you get a tall skinny plant that will flop over from its own weight (and yes, I know this from experience). When you pluck from the top, instead of clipping off just below a pair of leaves, you want to clip off just above a pair of leaves. It is a bit counter-intuitive as a novice, but trust me it works. The place where the leaf joins the stem is where new growth will occur when your plant sends off new stems in a V.

Mistake 6: Letting your plants get too randy. If you are pruning regularly, this may never become an issue, but unless you are growing something for its edible flowers, be sure to cut back herbs before they start growing flowers. My friend once brought me to her backyard garden and pointed, frustrated, at her wimpy, small basil plants. “I just keep tending them, but they don’t even produce enough leaves to put on a salad!” she lamented. I pointed to the glorious stalk of flowers at the top of each plant, “That’s your problem” I explained. Because herbs are kind of like college boys: if you give them half a chance, they will focus all their energy on procreation and neglect growth. If you want leaves, keep cutting off the little flower buds whenever you find them (see photo above), and it will encourage your plant to focus on growing more leaves.

Mistake 7: Using tired soil with no nutrients. Tired soil that has been sitting in your garden or lawn for ages often looks grey and a little depressing. Would you want to grow in that stuff? Give your plants a dose of the good stuff and they’ll thank you for it. I grow my herbs in a combination of potting soil, used coffee grounds (with a near-neutral PH, available for free at Starbucks), and organic compost. If I have some on hand, I also throw in crushed egg shells. Those without access to compost (and no deep commitment to organic growing) may find Miracle grow useful. My momma swears by it for tomatoes. A diluted solution of Miracle grow occasionally can help many herbs flourish.

Mistake 8: Getting in a rut. There is an element to passion about herb gardening. In order to be good at it, you need to feel rewarded. So don’t stick too long with one or two herbs just because they work. Branch out to a few other basic herbs that you will use regularly in your kitchen. There are few things more rewarding as an urban foodie than being able to pop out to the fire escape to clip fresh herbs to use in my cooking. Once you have become comfortable with basil, I recommend moving on to try growing oregano, mint, rosemary and thyme. All are regularly useful herbs in the kitchen, and all are relatively easy to grow. You will notice that rosemary cleaves after cutting in a somewhat similar way to basil, but grows much more slowly, so the effect is difficult to notice. Some plants also respond to clipping by throwing out more full leaves at their base. I have long wanted to grow cilantro but have not had much luck with it.

Mistake 9: You mean there’s more than one kind of mint?When choosing herbs, read the label carefully. For example, there are two main varieties of oregano: Mediterranean and Mexican. Mediterranean oregano is the more common variety, and what you likely own if you have conventional dried oregano in your cupboard. I have Mexican oregano growing on my back fire escape. I love Mexican oregano in spicy dishes, for making beans from scratch, and often use it in tomato dishes where I don’t want the flavor to seem too much like marinara. Similarly, there are many different kinds of mint. You don’t want to be thinking of the pungent spearmint plant and accidentally take home the much more subtle (and not mojito savvy) applemint by mistake.

Mistake 10: Feed me Seymour! If you are planting in soil instead of pots, take care that your cute little herb seedling doesn’t become a giant plant that takes over your garden. A word of warning for oregano and mint: both can be voracious growers. If you are planting outside in a garden, rather than in pots, you may want to consider potting these herbs and then burying the pots in the ground. This will add a measure of control to the root systems of these herbs, which can otherwise take over a garden and strangle nearby neighbors. When in doubt, check out wikipedia, they usually are careful to point out which herbs are in danger of overwhelming your garden.

Some really useful info here if you’re new to herb gardening.

inkedbettycrocker

Great tips, especially from my own trial & error over the years in growing herbs. Also on the one about mint, there are TONS of mint varieties that are delicious. I grow apple mint, chocolate mint, spear mint, and traditional mint. All have a subtle difference and are delicious in fruit salad, tea, sangria, and other dishes.

Source:

skinnygourmet.blogspot.co.uk

[zealoptics]

The Outsiders by ZEAL Rider Ian Wood

Words by **[Ian Wood](https://www.instagram.com/eanwood/)** | Photos by **[Jordan Ingmire](https://www.instagram.com/jordaningmire/)**

The sound of explosions stir me from a deep slumber. The bombs may be going off thousands of feet away but the blasts shake me from my dream world. Barely awake I sit up to investigate the violent action, bouncing my head off the bunk above. The “rude” awakening knocks me back down, a dry mouth from the propane heater running off and on all night reminds me where I am. Rubbing my eyes to adjust to the light, and a quick pull of the window blinds, reveals a winter wonderland. The bombs that stirred me from my fantasy world are the result of hard working ski patrollers doing their best to keep us safe from avalanches in the available side country. Comfortably nestled in my 16 foot tiny home, I am amidst the cascade mountains in Washington state. From the looks of my neighbor RV’s we have received a healthy amount of fresh snow over night. Rolling out of my bunk and placing my feet on the noticeably cold floor sends a quick signal to my brain that its going to be nice blower pow. Where are my slippers?. . . It’s 7 o clock in the morning and the chairs don’t start spinning until 9. With the resort lifts and split board trails being accessible out my front door I have plenty of time to get ready. Living in a trailer in the parking lot of a resort, you build morning routines. So much time spent by yourself allows you the freedom to do what you want, when you want. Meditation has made it into the start of my day, followed by a nutrient packed fruit smoothie. Somedays I listen to an audio book or inspiring tunes, maybe a quick stretch, and then I put on my space suit for the wild frontier. Isn’t this what we are striving for our whole lives? - Complete freedom, nobody telling us what to do or how to live. Shouldn’t we be fine tuning physical/mental health with joy, adventure, and a lust for life? I chuckle to myself as I ponder the perspective of my life, how did I get here? - 32 years old, no kids, no wife, no mortgage or salary career, living in a trailer that is smaller than some peoples closets. If you were to write this down and read it to someone, they would feel sorry for me. If they were to see my smile or feel my energy as this pervasive lust for living, they just might question the way they look at life.

Growing up in a capitalist nation where economy is god, and success is based upon the amount of things you possess, I had all the proper training to be a compliant citizen. In the West at 5 years old we are shuffled through a school system that is based more on conforming than education. It appears to be preparation for the 9-5 world with a vibrant brochure selling the restricted life of a weekend warrior. All the tv shows portraying the “happy” rich people with all their possessions, living in big mansions, surrounded by “beautiful” people, contribute to a thorough brain washing. The deep irony is when these movie stars, symbolizing the ultimate success of the american dream, often end their own lives in misery. I can’t say how this country is viewed from the outside but it seems that a lot of foreigners come here in hope of acquiring financial wealth and pursuing this illusion. Interestingly enough this nation is comprised of foreigners. We are all immigrants except for the few indigenous natives who have almost been entirely snuffed out. The trouble begins when necessities are far surpassed and endless desires are sought one after the other. The core issue is these desires are never filled and endless consumerism runs rampant. A bi product of this foolishness is a nation that suffers from severe obesity and malnutrition simultaneously. Unfortunately the PNW of the United states is a major influence in this worlds over consumption. Amazon, Microsoft, Starbucks, and Costco are just a few of the fortune 500 companies located in Seattle. A city surrounded by natural wonder, with the pacific ocean on one side and the cascade mountain range on the other. I was right on track to be another cog in the wheel, another poor sap in debt living pay check to pay check. Buying a bunch of things I didn’t need, to fit in or look good in some one else’s judgement. This is one ideal this nation whole heartedly promotes. This constant hunger for more leaves the blind consumer in debt regardless of socioeconomic status. It’s easy to get lost in this society living beyond their means. Look at our national debt for reference as to how we are taught to spend money. From this path… I slowly strayed. The mountains called and as the famous John Muir quote states; I had to go!

Hindsight is always 20 20. Looking back, I can see the friends that pulled me back into the mountains saved my life. Being a product of the NorthWest was a blessing that was hard to fully realize. Some of the greatest outsiders and heroes to exist in the snow world, come from this area. Humans that forever changed the snowboarding world were located all around me and leading lives way outside the norm. They were more like professional dirtbags than Olympians. The skills to be trained into super athletes were there, but they chose to live a life of freedom and self expression. These professionals were less about selling out and more about expressing themselves freely, on their own terms. You don’t have to be a legend to enjoy a similar lifestyle, boarding as much as you can and working as little as you have to. The locals shaped me even more so than the legends. “You work - I ride”, so the saying goes. The slogan “work to live, don’t live to work” comes up often. These people that surrounded me spent their money in a very different manner. Extravagance was a “new” used vehicle that handled the snowy roads in a supreme way, or a rig that could transform into a sleeping domain. Maybe a new gizmo for snow camping or a fancy sleeping bag that packed small and was light. Simultaneously we were becoming more self sufficient and learning how to spend money wisely. I didn’t know it at the time, but these people I like to refer to as the outsiders, were shaping me. As I became an “adult” (I put it in quotations because I think it is absolutely insane that someone being an adult is based on age and not life experience) I came to realize that most people were lost. Year after year, the older they got the more confused they seemed to be. Their connection to what mattered in life slowly dwindled as they bought into the game. Work beat them down and a diet of processed food provided them with no fuel. Coffee delivers a quick blast of energy for a long drawn out day. The ever growing list of how society tries to fill the voids will leave your head spinning. For many years I have pondered, and even now it seems, that kids have it much more figured out than adults! Youngsters are happy chasing dreams and living for the moment. The beliefs that create their realities are still uninhibited, so they are able to enjoy the little things. Snowboarding takes me back to that mental clarity. Every time I strap in, my mind grows a little more silent as the moment zooms in to capture my attention. Pushing skills to a new level can cloud the mind with fear. Making the decision to trust in your ability clears the sky and locks you in where time stands still.

The people I meet in the NW have inspired me to leap into more than just snowboard specific adventures. Every aspect of one’s life effects the other and it’s best to be well rounded. Adventures of every kind can be linked to snowboarding in one way or another. Learning how to navigate the world and trust in your life skills to get you where you need to be is one example. From Yoga, to skateboarding, even dancing, it all can help you with self expression and in turn improve the picture you paint on a board. I started the winter season going to a 10 day silent meditation retreat with photographer/best bud Jordan Ingmire. This shared wisdom solidified the lessons learned from snowboarding. The present moment is the only reality. As soon as we add thoughts or words to things, we have strayed. Our minds are trained in this society to constantly be thinking about the future or the past. Focused on likes or dislikes, we form a craving for the things we desire and try to avoid the things we dislike. So constantly we are planning for the future, or revisiting the things that have already happened. We want more of the things we like and are upset when we get what we don’t want. Both of these judgements are illusions. The images with attached emotions either no longer exist or are an interpreted creation of the future. All of our thoughts around experiences are not truly reality. They are a merely a projection of the mind which in turn creates what we believe to be reality. So those moments while ripping down a line, or riding through a technical part of the mountain, are actually creating the silent mind that brings us closer to the truest reality. Wether you are taking a conscious deep breath sitting in a cross legged position or standing on top of a glorious mountain top, you are training the mind to be aware of what is going on inside of it. Slowly bringing awareness to our daily actions muffles the constant brain chatter and creates space for the only true reality- the present moment. Any one that has been terrified by the raw elements of a mountain has lived through this mind altering experience of a silent mind.

For the last several years I was caught in a whirlwind of dreaming and creation. Desires of achieving fantasies began to develop in my mind and expanded as I shared them with others. The winters had been very active with traveling, working on video projects, and getting caught up in the go go go, do do do. This winter I set out to focus on “being” more than “doing”. Starting the season off in meditation had a huge impact on how I wanted to spend my winter and what I felt was important to focus on. I decided I was going to spend the entire winter at home in the PNW. No distant travels, no video projects, and nothing more than immersing myself in the art of snowboarding. Whether it was with my best friends, the local community, strangers, or by myself, I found room for growth in all relationships. With the climate pattern rollercoaster ride we have been locked into in the NW, it was a risky move. Travel has always been a back up plan for winters that never show up. Japan in January, Alaska in April, the interior mountains of BC , Montana, Wyoming, allow for plenty of Plan B options. With travel comes planning, and with planning comes extensive mental activity. I wanted to get rid of all the things that add to the mind game of winter. That way I could find my place in the mountains with clear thoughts and tuned senses. We are constantly searching for connection to the moment as boarders and one of the best ways to help that process is to alleviate as much mental chatter as possible. I deliberately decided to put all of my eggs in one basket and whether winter came as I desired or not, I was staying and making the best of it. Worse case scenario you can always go adventure on your split board, walk for miles and search around corners you haven’t looked past before. The stars aligned as it became one of the best winters for Washington in many years, with cold temperatures and big storms that seemed to never end. The snow just kept stacking and the energy was high in the PNW. It was a season for the soul. One of those winters where you run into all your buddies on the hiking routes or skin trails. I found myself greeting friends with big hugs and thinking “you know what. . . there are friends on a pow day.” We were riding as many of our favorite lines as we could in one day. Lines that you sometimes only ride once a year because the conditions have to be just right, were getting ridden several times a week. No video cameras, no waiting to get the shot, no worries about landing a trick or how your style was; just pure intimacy with the mountains and the people sharing them with you.

As the planet rotates around the sun the seasons will change here in the PNW. Spring time comes with longer days and stronger ultra violet rays. The rivers flow with snow melt as photosynthesis sprouts new life on the hillsides. T shirts and open vents become common on the touring trails and chair lifts, as winter pow turns to spring corn. Fresh snow can bless us all the way into May, providing up to 7 months of possible fresh snow adventures. The park rats and split boarders rejoice as their favorite season is upon them. In the same day you can lap the park with friends and in the evening tour up to soak in breathtaking views. In strong winter seasons, such as this past one, you can extend your snow season year round. The list of volcanos in the area is long and the adventures bountiful. “Variety is the spice of life”; one of my favorite expressions. Living in the PNW I can’t help but completely agree with this notion. Summer comes and the thoughts of the year ahead are born in the stillness created in the absence of daily snow obsession. Sometimes I worry about what the future holds for the PNW snow lovers. Big money is pushing hard to suck the life out of the mountains. Solace and solitude are being replaced with high speed quads and 4 star hotels. Seattle is growing and you can see the reflection of it in the traffic to all of the hills. Will we just become another destination resort? Will the dirtbag locals living in their cars at the mountain be run off by people commuting 2 hours everyday? Only time will tell. I reflect back on lessons learned in the meditation hall. Be present here in the now, and let the thoughts pass like clouds in the sky. My judgement of what is best is just a figment of my imagination. For now the mountains in the PNW are full of life, love, and soul. Explorers, adventurers, athletes, party people, weirdos, musicians, artists, and of course the city people, all share these beautiful mountains. I hope that one day you have the opportunity to visit this majestic place I call home. We can easily be considered outsiders In a world where so many equate success and happiness to financial status. Every day we strap in we are representing the importance of something greater than that. Outsider: “a person who does not belong to a particular group.” There are enough of us here in the PNW that have formed a group of our own. We are the outsiders and you are welcome to join us.

Ian’s Top Picks

[SHOP ACE](https://www.zealoptics.com/en/shop/sunglasses/lifestyle-collection/ace "SHOP ACE") [SHOP FARGO](https://www.zealoptics.com/en/shop/goggles/select-series/fargo "SHOP FARGO")

Want more? Check out the below and follow Ian’s journey this winter @eanwood.

[uniquequotesonlife]

Travel Experts Reveal 10 Ways To Save On Travel

We’re not mathematicians, but we’re pretty sure the following theorem holds true: There is an inverse relationship between how badly you need a vacation and how comfortably you can afford one. That is, the more you need a vacation, the less likely you are to be in the financial position to pull one together. That’s what it feels like in our experience, anyway. Call it the algebra of exhaustion.

iStock But what if there’s a tricky workaround? What if you could take that sorely needed week away and come home to a livable bank account? We reached out to a handful of travel agents and vacation writers to see if the dream is achievable—and it turns out, it just may be. If I had had to pay for hotels, vacation rentals or even hostels in each of these expensive cities, I would never have been able to afford the trips. Here’s what we learned, all boiled down into 10 thrifty tips that’ll save you hard-earned cash on your next getaway:

1. Remember the Rule of Tuesdays.

Tuesday is an important day of the week in the world of air travel. If you can travel on a Tuesday or even Wednesday, you’ll probably get the cheapest flight of the week. Generally, people do their traveling on Thursday, Friday, or over the weekend. Demand drives prices up, so you’re more likely to find a cheap flight during off-peak times—usually a Tuesday or Wednesday.

iStock At least, that’s what we’ve always heard. But is it really true? Yes, according to news outlet CNBC. While there’s no magic day to purchase the best deals, the cheapest days to travel are Tuesday, followed by Wednesday, and then Saturday. Airlines use algorithms to determine prices, and these are constantly being updated based off of sales and availability, says travel writer and vice president of travel company Pruvo, Doron Nadivi.

iStock.com/scyther5 “There is also an old myth about ordering 57 days prior to travel. Both of these suggestions are not true,” Nadivi tells us. “Last year I booked a flight from Costa Rica to New Zealand…, returning from Bangkok to Costa Rica months prior to travel. I put an alarm to check 57 days before departure and the exact same flight number, same route, same website cost four times more.” Of course, there are always the many price tracking sites out there. Some sites even show long-term price estimates for flights, so you can plan your vacation around your budget.

iStock Still, the real trick when purchasing a flight is to follow through when the price is good. If you see a great deal, get it, now. Chances are it’ll be gone in a few hours. The “book on Tuesday six weeks out” rule may be inaccurate, but there’s plenty of technology available to get you where you want to be for the best possible price. Use it.

2. Hit the shoulder season.

What’s the shoulder season, you ask? We explain—plus give you a few quick tips on how to avoid the tourists and get affordable flights—in the video below:

3. Be a little impulsive.

There are pros and cons to this tried-and-true technique for a quick escape from the day-to-day grind. But asking for a “cheap ticket to anywhere” doesn’t work like it used to.

iStock Once upon a time, you could walk up to a ticket counter and get a cheap, last-second deal for an undersold flight. It was great if you didn’t much care where you were going. But those days are over. Today, most flights are overbooked, and last-minute flying can actually be more expensive, not less. Still, the days of the 11th-hour deal aren’t over entirely. It’s just that you have to use technology to take advantage now. Try signing up for your favorite airline’s email list. That way you’ll see any last-minute specials, and you can easily build a trip around what’s cheap. You can also check out coupon sites like Groupon, or LivingSocial for luxurious, planned getaways for a fraction of the normal price.

iStock To improve your odds of scoring a deal, try to visit less popular cities. For instance, Aspen, Colorado is a beautiful ski town, but it’s also busy and expensive. Why not hit the slopes in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, or Brian Head, Utah, instead? You can beat the crowds, save some cash, and discover new places with this tactic.

4. Ditch the hotel.

Hotels are great, but with a new generation of travelers hotels have taken a hit. Just like Uber and Lyft are changing the world of ground transportation, Airbnb and VRBO are laying siege on the hotel industry.

iStock Through these and similar services, you can find great deals on short-term house rentals instead of booking a bunch of hotel rooms for larger travel parties. There are also smaller sites in most every major city that will have a listing of units that are available for travelers to rent. Do your research and you’ll find the options are practically endless—and very affordable. You can also use home-sharing apps and basically stay in a new city for free “in exchange for caring for someone else’s home and pets,” says author and world-traveler Kelly Hayes-Raitt, who traveled the world for four years straight while reporting her book, Living Large in Limbo, and racked up quite a few tricks during the process. “I get unpaid accommodations, a kitchen to make my own meals and other homey perks like free cable and DVDs, use of a car, and no nickel-and-dime fees hotels tack on.”

Nishant Choksi for The New Yorker There are sites to set up accommodations for travelers to house-sit, or to actually swap homes for a period of time. This is a great way to get to know a new city without spending a ton of money. “During the past eight years, I’ve house-sat in London for two months during the Olympics, Berlin, Amsterdam, Hanoi, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Osaka,” Hayes-Raitt tells us. “If I had had to pay for hotels, vacation rentals or even hostels in each of these expensive cities, I would never have been able to afford the trips.”

5. Get off the plane.

If you have some wiggle room for your travel plans, let the gate attendant know. That way you can be put on the short list if they need volunteers. If you’re flying on United or Delta, you can bid on how much money it’d take for you to give up your seat. After the David Dao debacle of 2017, United Airlines has raised the cap on how much they’re willing to pay for passenger seats on overbooked flights to $10,000. That would make for some vacation.

iStock In the moment, there’s often the panic-induced sense that all you want to do is reach your destination, but if you psych yourself up to sit around the airport for a couple of hours to make some serious miles or money, then you’ll be good to go. With everything going on after the United incident, you should know that airlines do have the right to remove any passenger (except for people with disabilities and unaccompanied minors).

6. Brown bag it.

We know a granola bar isn’t the same as that breakfast burrito you could buy at the airport, but it could save you a good chunk of change. Airport food tends to be more expensive than the already-pricey food at professional sporting events and theme parks, so if you have some time to spare, make yourself a meal and bring it. Some food is okay to pass through security, and if you have kids, you can always bring powdered milk and make them a drink in the airport instead of hitting up the terminal’s Starbucks. If you don’t have time to make something yourself, you can still pass over the expensive airport-specific restaurants.

iStock One of our favorite options is going to Subway and getting a footlong sandwich, then eating half at the airport and half on the flight. You can save yourself some good money this way. (Just don’t get the tuna; your fellow passengers won’t thank you for that.)

http://istock.com/amriphoto After you arrive at your vacation spot, take advantage of any local grocery stores and cook for yourself. Purchasing food, even pre-made meals, at a grocery store instead of eating out all the time will save you a fortune while you’re traveling.

7. Hydrate on the cheap.

Everyone knows you can’t bring liquids through security, including water. But you can bring an empty water bottle and fill it at a water fountain or fill station.

iStock It’s crucial to drink up on the plane; people tend to get really dehydrated when they travel because of the recycled air, the altitude, and the fact you don’t really drink a lot of liquids while you’re in flight (no one likes asking people to get up so they can use the restroom). This will keep you hydrated and save you from buying a $4 bottle of water.

8. Find new ways to get around.

Asking a friend to pick you up from the airport is almost as bad as asking them to help you move. Nobody wants to do it, but most people don’t feel like they can say no. However, in most major cities, there is public transportation that can take you to and from the airport.

iStock If you don’t have easy access to public transportation, you can try to take an Uber or Lyft, which will often save you some money compared with a taxi, which may overcharge via a large airport tax. Be aware, though, that in some cities, Uber and Lyft cannot pick up passengers from the airport.

iStock Do some research on your destination’s transportation before you go. Both the Google Maps app and the Citymapper app can provide you with information and schedules for trains, busses, and more. Where possible, take the monorail, subway, or bus instead of a taxi. Alternatively, you can always take the opportunity to explore the city on foot and walk to your final destination.

9. Take a cue from extreme couponers.

There are coupons for literally everything. If you know you’re going to be in a new city, take advantage of the ones that are for first-time customers only. Apps like Groupon and LivingSocial have deals for activities and food that could cut your costs in half.

iStock Another way to go about saving money on food is searching hashtags on Instagram for specific locations. If you find food pics that look appetizing, get in touch with the restaurant and see if they have any special deals or happy hours.

10. Book directly.

Airlines often offer more flexibility and cheaper fees than third-party sellers. A lot of websites will scour the internet for the best deals—which is great if you’re short on time or organizational skills—but then you usually get stuck with few options and little flexibility, since you’re booking through a third party.

iStock The best thing to do is use a search site like Skyscanner or Google Flights to find the cheapest flight, then head over to that airline’s website and book directly through them. When you book direct, you’ll get cheaper flights, and usually more flexibility and options for your trip.

iStock.com/YakobchukOlena These tips won’t just save you money on vacation. They might bring down the cost of a trip just enough that you can safely afford it in the first place. Follow our experts’ advice, and you could balance the equation that allows for a truly restorative—and much-deserved—adventure. Read the full article

[shmosnet2]

Top 10 Misconceptions About London

Top 10 Misconceptions About London

Who hasn’t dreamed of a citybreak in London at some point? It is, after all, one of the world’s most visited cities—attracting over 19 million international visitors in 2016. The home of some major global attractions, like Big Ben, the Natural History Museum and the London Eye, London is one of the world’s greatest cities. It’s just a shame that it’s full of miserable people, British food and bad coffee. And doesn’t it rain there all the time? Despite London’s global fame, far too many people still believe some pretty big misconceptions about the UK’s capital. Some of them were true decades ago, some are simply misunderstandings and others just seem to be total rumors, as false now as they ever were. We’d hate for you to be put off going to London based on a simple misconception, so today we’re setting the record straight and telling you the truth about ten of the things most people get wrong about London! See Also: Top 10 Most Gruesome Things Hidden Under The Streets Of London 10 Coffee and Tea

Let’s start with the one that puts a lot of American visitors off: the myth that good coffee is impossible to find in London. This one may have been true a couple of decades ago, but the London coffee scene is much more impressive now than it was in 2000. Major coffee chains like Starbucks, Cafe Nero and Costa Coffee can be found on almost every street corner, just like in any other major global city. In fact, both Europe’s largest coffee chain, Cafe Nero, and the world’s second biggest chain, Costa, have their headquarters in London. Until recent times, those looking for a more specialist coffee experience would have to make a detour to the Continent, but London’s independent and mini-chain coffee scene has grown enormously in the last decade. There are now hundreds of specialist stores dotted across the capital offering thousands of unique coffee concoctions (and providing jobs to many barista millennials), enough to satisfy even the most discerning connoisseur. So no, you won’t be starved of coffee if you find yourself in London![1] 9 Bad Food

Britain is infamous for having bland and boring food, so many people think eating in London must be no different. It’s not hard to see why: one of London’s traditional dishes, for instance, is the London Particular. What is it? Well, it’s basically a really thick pea and ham soup—thick enough to stand a spoon in. Yeah. Fortunately for us, modern-day London is a thoroughly global city. There are thousands of restaurants, from cheap take-outs to Michelin-star restaurants, covering practically every culinary tradition you can think of. But to find London’s best food, you’ll have to take to the street. London has a centuries-long history of innovative street food that dates all the way back to Medieval times. Back then, most of the city’s labourers would go to a bakery on their break, where they would find everything from doughnuts to meat pies. Today, London’s street food is some of the best in the world—heavily influenced by the city’s diverse population. In modern London you’re just as likely to find a local stopping to grab a pot of curry as you are a chicken sandwich![2] 8 Unfriendly People

Ask people around the world what British people are like, and you’ll get a pretty similar response: they’re quiet, they’re reserved, they’re unfriendly, and so on. And Londoners in particular have a bad reputation—even other Brits will say that people in London are rude! In reality, Londoners aren’t any more unfriendly than anyone else in Britain—or most people in the world, for that matter. A test performed on London’s streets showed that, when faced with an old lady who needed help with her bag, or a woman who had her groceries knocked out of her hands, nearby people were quick to intervene and offer assistance. So no, it’s not that Londoners are unfriendly, but they are in a rush most of the time. London is a fast-paced, global city, and most people who are out in the day are going somewhere in a hurry. This might mean they forget to say sorry as they push past you in the station, but meet them after work hours and they’ll be totally different![3] 7 Cramped and Dirty

In 1952, the Great Smog descended on London, killing thousands. It was the worst air pollution event in British history, and news of it spread across the world. It led to new government regulations and a plan to cut the city’s pollution levels, but the city’s reputation was permanently damaged. To the rest of the world, London was known as a dirty, old-fashioned Victorian city, struggling to meet modern standards of cleanliness. This reputation persists today, though it is entirely untrue. While studies have shown that London’s air still affects people’s health, it is relatively clean by modern standards. In fact, London doesn’t even make it into the World Health Organization’s list of the top 500 most polluted cities. In short, visitors to the city have nothing to worry about when it comes to air quality! Perhaps more shockingly, London is one of the greenest cities on Earth by area. 47% of the city is green space, so almost half is covered by parks, woodland and other open areas—enough for some people to say that the Greater London Area should be turned into a national park.[4] 6It Never Sleeps

When someone refers to “the city that never sleeps”, they’re usually referring to New York. In recent years, though, the phrase has also been applied to the British capital, leading to the idea that London is a busy place with a boisterous nightlife—and not the place to go if you have kids with you! There is some truth to this. Like any other city, London can be boisterous—especially at the end of the week, when the city runs all-night bus services. The famous London black taxis work all hours, and many London clubs don’t close until 3am or 4am. But even in central London, the Tube and regular bus services end at midnight and don’t start up again until the early morning. Most pubs close before midnight and at that point, the vast majority of Londoners will be heading to bed. In London’s quieter outer boroughs, you could even forget you’re in a city at all![5] 5 It’s Expensive

London is expensive. It is actually one of the most expensive cities in the world… if you want to live there. Rent for an average three-bedroom apartment in central London stretches above £5000 ($6,450), way outside the pay range of most British adults. The rumours of London’s high prices put many people off, but it is possible to enjoy London on a small budget. You don’t even have to look too hard! You can have a day out in London and hardly spend any money: Most of London’s world-leading museums are free to enter, as are its fantastic art galleries and parks. And the places which do charge admission aren’t too expensive: a ticket to visit Kew Gardens, the world-leading botanic garden, is just £12 ($15.50). There are thousands of pubs and restaurants in the capital which aren’t any more expensive than they are in the rest of Britain. If you’re willing to take a risk, you can find food for mega-cheap. Ask around, the locals will quickly tell you the best places. Just don’t expect to find much budget food in Kensington or Chelsea.[6] 4 No-Go Zones

Unfortunately, one of the more recent misconceptions about London is that some areas of the city are ‘no-go zones’, places where so-called ordinary Londoners—even members of the police—never go. In extreme cases, some conspiracies say these are places where British law is ignored and locals are forced to follow Sharia Law by Muslim councils. While all cities have areas that are best avoided at night, the idea that parts of the capital are too dangerous for the Metropolitan Police to visit are false, despite the ramblings of some people on the internet. This misconception became widespread in 2016, when Donald Trump claimed there were no-go zones in London. This was rejected by then-mayor Boris Johnson, who said “London has a proud history of tolerance and diversity and to suggest there are areas where police officers cannot go because of radicalisation is simply ridiculous. Crime has been falling steadily in both London and New York—the only reason I wouldn’t go to some parts of New York is the real risk of meeting Donald Trump.” Just to prove it, a British man accepted a Reddit challenge to walk through one of these rumoured areas while drinking a bottle of wine. Unsurprisingly, nothing happened to him.[7] 3 The Underground Is The Only Way To Travel

The London Underground (also known as the Tube) is one of London’s most famous landmarks. It was first opened in the 1860s, making it the oldest underground passenger railway in the world. And with millions of people using it every single day, it is also one of the world’s busiest. On the other hand, London is—quite famously—not built on a grid, unlike many more modern cities. When the city burned down in 1666, it was actually rebuilt following the old road system, meaning that some streets in the city are hundreds of years old. This means the city is not optimised for traffic: driving through by car can be torture. With this in mind, it’s easy to see why many people think the Tube is the only way to travel around London, but there are a wide range of other options. Take London’s famous red buses, for instance. You’ve probably seen these in old films, but they still exist: they carry millions of people across the city every day—more than any other bus network in Europe. There’s also the famous black cab service, whose drivers have to take a tough training course called The Knowledge, which teaches them the layout of London. If you prefer to get around on your own, though, your best bet are the Santander Cycles. Affectionately known as Boris Bikes, you can ride one of these bikes from one of the hundreds of stations across the city to any other station for just £3 ($3.87).[8] 2 It’s Always Wet and Cold

Britain is well-known for its grey weather and rainy days. So most people assume that London, as the British capital, must be no different! Now, no-one’s going to say the UK is a warm country. Winter in Scotland and North England can be very harsh, and summer is often dominated by cloudy days. But London is in the south, and the temperatures there are much warmer. London is slightly colder than New York on average, but it still remains way above freezing through most of the winter months. And contrary to popular belief, London is nowhere near as rainy as you might imagine. It averages around 23 inches of rain a year, almost half as much as New York! Precipitation is low through the winter, too: snow is so rare in London that, in the UK, if it snows on Christmas day in the capital, it’s known as a ‘white Christmas’. We’re not saying you should pack just a t-shirt and shorts for your London visit, but nor will it be as dreary and wet as you expect. In the summer, you might even see a blue sky![9] 1 The City of London?

If someone told us they were going to visit the City of London, we wouldn’t bat an eyelid. But true Londoners know there’s a problem with this statement: do they mean Greater London—the hulking metropolis we’re all familiar with—or the tiny, independent local authority in the heart of London, which has a population of just a few thousand? The smallest dot on a map covers what was Roman London. It is almost wholly independent from Greater London, having its own police force, government and mayor. So is this the true heart of Britain, the place where the big decisions are made? No, that’s the other city—the City of Westminster, which is home to the UK’s Houses of Parliament. Does that mean the City of London is the home of London’s government, then? No. The mayor of Greater London—an entirely different position to the mayor of the City of London—governs from City Hall, which is located across the river in Southwark. It’s easy to see how even Londoners get confused by London’s inner workings! Oh, and just to make things even more confusing: Greater London isn’t even a city. It’s a county.[10]

https://ift.tt/367jOb7 . Foreign Articles December 06, 2019 at 12:01PM

[thereallaptoplf]

31 Best Passive Income Ideas for 2019

Passive income. We all want it. We all crave it. We all want to make money without work. But are there actually any good passive income ideas that we can implement in 2019?

The answer is yes, and we’ve put together a list below of 31 ways to make passive income in 2019.

There are four main ways to earn passive income:

By investing money

By investing time

By renting things out

By getting paid to do activities you do anyway.

Below we have given you specific ideas for each of these four passive income categories for a total of 31 passive income ideas.

The most passive forms of income will require you to put up at least a little bit of money up-front.

Here are our top passive income picks for 2019.

1. Easily check to see if stores owe you money.

This one’s pretty interesting since it’s not so much passive income but rather passive savings.

The gist of it is that you get cash back on items you bought online when the price of those items drop.

It’s like price matching, but after the fact!

And there’s a new tool called Waldo that will help you get the refunds you deserve.

You simply sign up for Waldo, give it access to the email account you receive your shopping receipts at, and let Waldo get to work!

Waldo will then track the price of the item(s) you purchased and work to automatically get you a refund when the price drops.

If you’d like to start getting refunds on your online purchases, click here to sign up for Waldo.

2. Invest in Private Real Estate Deals With Only $500

Real estate is one of the classic forms of passive income: you own property, and others pay you for using it.

The downside to traditional real estate, of course, is that you typically need a lot of cash to get started.

Not so anymore with the rise of private real estate investing platforms.

We personally invest in one of these platforms called Fundrise.

Fundrise lets everyday people invest in top deals across the nation — way better deals than most people could find on their own.

It also lets you diversify your real estate holdings.

For example, I am invested in deals in 10 different states!

And for the first 90 days of your investment, Fundrise will buy your investment back at the original investment amount if for any reason you are not satisfied.

Click here to sign up to see Fundrise’s latest investment opportunities.

3. Invest in fine art with only $1,000.

Did you know that the Wall Street Journal called “the best investment of 2018”?

Fine art.

That’s right.  So while you should certainly have a core investment portfolio of stocks and maybe bonds, you may want to at least consider adding some fine art to your portfolio.

I know what you’re thinking.  Don’t I have to be a multimillionaire to invest in fine art?

Well, you used to be.  But not anymore.

Similar to what Fundrise (see above) is doing for investment-grade real estate, Masterworks is opening up fine art investing to the masses.

Masterworks’ minimum investment is $1,000.

Click here to see Masterworks’ latest fine art offerings.

4. Open a savings account with 2.30% interest.

If you have your savings in a low-interest brick and mortar bank, it’s time to get with the times and open an online bank account.

Because they don’t have the huge overhead costs of traditional banks, online banks can pass the savings on to their customers in the form of higher interest rates.

One of our favorite online banks right now is CIT Bank Savings Builder.

This account offers a sky-high 2.30% APY if you simply make at least one monthly deposit of $100 or more.

And there are no account opening or maintenance fees, making this one of the best savings accounts on the market today.

Click here to learn more about the CIT Bank Savings Builder Account.

5. Get paid to go to stores.

Did you know there’s an app that gives you gift cards simply by walking into stores?

You don’t even have to buy anything!

It’s true!

So whether you’re a mall rat or just somebody who goes shopping every now and then, you stand to make a little extra cash this way.

Click here to download this special app and start getting paid just for walking into stores!

6. Get paid to play mobile games.

This is another one of those passive income ideas where you get paid to do something you enjoy, so it’s not really work at all.

How it works is you download a free new app, then download new mobile games through the app.

As you level up in the mobile games, you earn more points that you can redeem for gift cards at Amazon, VISA, PlayStation, Xbox, Apple, Starbucks, and more.

Click here to start winning free gift cards for playing mobile games on your phone.

7. Rent out your spare room.

Renting out lodging can be an incredible way to earn extra money.

I know some people making thousands of dollars a month, all by renting out an extra room to short-term guests.

Now, if you wanted to do this 10 years ago, you would’ve had to post an ad in the classifieds or on shady old Craigslist.

Gladly, those days are over.

You can now list your spare room on Airbnb and screen out prospective guests. (Guests are rated by their hosts for things like cleanliness and communication.)

If you’d like to sign up to become an Airbnb host, check out my article Make Extra Money with Airbnb.

8. Get paid to get gas.

GetUpside is a free app that gives you cash back for every gas station receipt you submit!

Also, if you sign up through our link, you get a 20¢ per gallon bonus the first time you fill up!

If you drive a lot (or even if you don’t), this can add up to a decent chunk of change!

Click here to download GetUpside and get a 20¢ per gallon bonus for using our link!

9. Get paid to walk.

I just made $10 for walking, paid in cash via PayPal.

It’s true!

There’s a new app, Sweatcoin, that will pay you for every step you take.

It motivates me to go for more runs, take the stairs more often, and be an all-around more active person.

Click here to check out Sweatcoin now and start getting paid to walk!

10. Invest in dividend-paying stocks.

We love dividends here at Money Done Right.

When you invest in a dividend-paying stock, you are acquiring a portion of a company that somebody else built and that thousands of other people work for, and they are giving you a portion of their profits. Blows my mind!

There are plenty of great places to open up a stock-investing account, but the one that’s getting us hot and bothered at the moment is Ally Invest.

Ally Invest is great because you can trade dividend stocks for as little as $3.95 per trade compared to $6.95 at E*TRADE and Charles Schwab.

Click here to sign up for Ally Invest to start investing in dividend stocks affordably!

Ally Invest has developed a pretty amazing platform, and no matter if the stock market goes up or done, we still get dividends deposited into our Ally Invest account every quarter!

Click here to sign up for Ally Invest to start investing in dividend stocks affordably!

11. Get paid to have an app on your phone.

There’s an app that will pay you just for having it on your phone.

It doesn’t get much more passive than that! You heard me right.

They will pay you $50 per year per device just for having your app on there!

Talk about the ultimate passive income opportunity!

If getting paid simply for having an app on your phone interests you, click here to learn more!

12. Invest $10 in small businesses and earn 5%.

Worthy Bonds is a company that provides bond funding to small businesses — and it’s letting you get a piece of the action.

See, these small businesses (obviously) pay Worthy interest on these loans, and folks like you and me can buy bonds from Worthy that pay 5% interest.

This is far more interest than you could earn in a savings account at the bank.

You can buy bonds in $10 increments and / or link your debit or credit card and round up the spare change on your purchases to invest in bonds.

Click here to sign up for Worthy and start earning 5% interest by investing in American small business.

13. Write slogans.

Are you kinda witty?

Then you may be able to make passive income just by thinking up slogans in your spare time. Here’s how it works:

Write a catchy slogan.

Upload it online here.

Get paid every time someone uses your slogan! Passive income!

Click here to learn more about earning passive income from slogans.

14. Sell your photos.

Are you good behind the camera?

Then you can make a somewhat passive side income licensing your photos online for others to download.

For example, I get all my pictures for this blog from various stock photo sites on the Internet.

And every time I download a photo, the photographer who uploaded it gets a royalty!

Licensing one picture that you take and upload now can give you cash flow forever as it’s downloaded again and again!

Click here to learn how you can get paid for your photos from home.

15. Get your bank and credit card fees refunded.

This isn’t really passive “income” per se, but it is an opportunity for you to increase your net worth somewhat passively.

There’s a new website that can get you refunds on fees like:

Overdraft fees

Monthly service fees

Minimum balance fees

ATM fees

Late fees

Wire transfer fees

Foreign transaction fees

Credit card interest charges

Click here to learn how to get your bank and credit card fees refunded.

16. Get paid for doing things you do anyway.

Swagbucks ($10 sign-up bonus) is a great app to use to make money whenever you have some downtime, say while you’re in line at the store or while watching some mindless TV program.

There are a variety of ways to make money with the Swagbucks app, including:

Playing games on your phone

Using the Swagbucks search engine

Watching videos

Taking surveys

Getting cash back on online purchases

Using coupons

And more!

Click here to download Swagbucks and get a $10 bonus for using our link!

17. Make money with your social media skills.

Do you have experience with social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, etc.?

Then you have a very valuable 21st-century skill!

If you know your way around social media, then you can make some major dough by promoting brands on social media.

Companies are willing to pay ordinary people to help get the word out about their products and drive more sales.

But the trickiest part of this industry is finding the right opportunities.

There are a few resources out there to help social media pros land these opportunities, but the one we found to be the best is SocialSaleRep.com.

They’ve been around for a while and have several proprietary partnerships with large corporations looking for social media experts.

Click here to check out paid social media opportunities at SocialSaleRep.com!

18. Check your credit score.

While this isn’t directly a way to generate passive income, checking on your credit score and finding ways to improve it can passively grow your net worth.

How so? Well, by simply increasing your credit score a little bit, you can, for example, pay less in interest, which will grow your wealth in the long-term.

We’ve found that Credit Sesame is the best free website that can calculate and monitor your credit score.

Click here to get Credit Sesame for free — it only takes 90 seconds!

19. Use a free money-saving bot.

Sometimes the best way to make money is to save money.

Subscriptions, especially those that go unused, can add up over time.

Thankfully, there’s a free money-saving bot called Cushion that will go through all your subscriptions, let you know how much you are paying for each of them every month, and cancel them with a simple text message if you’d like.

And Cushion not only keeps track of your subscriptions, but it also negotiates your monthly bills such as cable and Internet so you keep more money in your pocket.

Cushion users have saved over $8,000,000! To learn other benefits that Cushion can offer you, check out our full-scale Cushion review.

Click here to start saving with Cushion! It’s 100% free!

20. Take online surveys.

This one’s not exactly “passive,” but it is certainly mindless.

You can take surveys when you’re binging on Netflix or in line at the grocery store or waiting to pick your kids up.

The trick is that there are only a few legit survey sites. We recommend Survey Junkie.

It’s 100% legit, and they do not send you spammy junk emails.

Their payouts are excellent, and they pay you in cash via PayPal.

Top Survey Site Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie has an 8.9/10 rating on TrustPilot — the highest of any online survey company.

And they also have some really fun surveys.

For example, in the screenshot below you’ll see a pretty awesome music review survey that I recently did. I made $50 reviewing music! ?

Click here to start making extra cash with Survey Junkie.

Now, I must tell you that not all surveys are this fun, and not all pay this well, but every once in a while you get a great one like this!

Also, it’s satisfying knowing that companies will use my opinions and inputs to make decisions about not only music, but also food, restaurants, consumer products, movies, and a lot more.

Click here to start making extra cash with Survey Junkie.

21. Get paid to lose weight.

If you can commit to shedding some pounds, it may pay off handsomely for you to cut that habit because you can literally get paid to lose weight through a new company called HealthyWage.

Check out this Good Morning America special on HealthyWage that explains how it works:

You can bet as little or as much as you want, but obviously the more you bet, the more you stand to win!

Also, you can bet on your weight loss of any period between 6 and 18 months.

Click here to see how much you could win with HealthyWage!

22. Get cash back when you shop online.

Ebates ($10 sign-up bonus if you use our link) is a free website and app that gives you up to 40% cash back at over 2,500 online stores.

If you shop online a lot (or even if you don’t), this can add up to a decent chunk of change!

Click here to get your $10 sign-up bonus sign up for Ebates and start getting cash back on online purchases today!

23. Invest in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

I would recommend only investing in cryptocurrencies after you’ve invested in more stable passive income opportunities such as stocks and real estate.

Nevertheless, many people have become unlikely millionaires by investing in cryptocurrencies, and the concept of cryptocurrencies is not without merit.

However, you have to know what you’re doing, or you’ll get creamed in the cryptocurrency market.

Click here to learn more about cryptocurrency investing.

24. Get up to 5% cash back on all purchases with this new credit card.

Cash back on purchases is one of the most beautiful forms of passive income out there because they’re tax-free.

And there’s a new credit card that offers up to 5% cash back on all purchases — not just on certain items or on rotating categories.

It also gives you monthly cash forever when you refer new users.

So this new credit card gives you not one but two ways to generate passive income every month!

Click here to learn more about this new credit card!

25. Get a Free 401(k) Analysis.

If you’ve ever worked in corporate America, you probably have a 401(k) retirement plan through your current or former employer.

And while your 401(k) is generating passive income for you, it’s possible that it’s not optimized for the best performance.

Just improving your returns by 1% a year can make a huge difference.

Let’s say you have $50,000 in your 401(k), and it will earn you 6% over time.

Increase your returns so that you earn 7% a year will mean over $65,000 more in your 401(k) over 30 years’ time.

A properly-optimized 401(k) can generate for you additional tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars of passive income over time.

That’s where Blooom comes in.

When you sign up for Blooom, your 401(k) will immediately be analyzed, and you will be shown what kind of hidden fees you’re currently paying in your 401(k).

Click here to get your free 401(k) analysis with Blooom.

26. Track Your Wealth in Personal Capital and Get a $20 Bonus.

Personal Capital isn’t so much a way to make passive income as it is to manage your passive income sources.

What is Personal Capital? It’s a free net worth and investment tracking website and app.

Your account balances are updated in real time! We personally use it to track our wealth and love the easy-to-use interface.

Also, for a limited time, Personal Capital is offering a free $20 Amazon gift card to new users who create an account through our $20 Bonus Link and links their first investment account.

Click here to sign up for Personal Capital and claim your $20 Amazon sign-up bonus!

27. See if you can pay less for homeowners or renters insurance.

Similar to some of the other items in this list, this one is more about passive savings than passive income.

But the end result of saving an extra $100 a month and making an extra $100 a month is the same: they both increase to your net worth.

And theoretically, saving is better than income because while you don’t pay taxes on additional savings, you do have to pay taxes on additional income!

One expense that slips by most people without being checked every now and then is homeowners or renters insurance.

See, the traditional insurance company model is getting more and more outdated with their high deductibles and premiums.

Take new insurance company Lemonade for example.

They take a simple flat fee, and everything else goes into a collective claims pool that they protect for their users in case they need to make a claim.

Since Lemonade doesn’t profit from the claims pool (like other, older insurance companies), leftover money is donated to charities that users choose when they sign up.

Lemonade’s self-stated goal is to transform insurance from a necessary evil into a social good.

They offer renters insurance for as low as $5 a month and homeowners insurance for as low as $25 a month.

Click here to check your rates in 90 seconds with Lemonade and see if you can save some money!

28. Get paid every time you search the Internet.

Swagbucks will pay you to simply use its search engine.

They will also give you $5 if you sign up through our Swagbucks $5 bonus link. So yup. This is probably the easiest way to make money online.

Click here to sign up and get a $5 sign-up bonus!

29. Arcadia Power pays you to use less electricity.

Arcadia Power is a free service that rewards you for saving energy when it matters most to the grid and the environment.

You will receive a notification about once per week to save energy for an hour.

If you save energy, you receive cash.

Click here to start getting rewarded for saving energy!

30. Get paid to watch TV.

Believe it or not, there is a company out there that will pay you to watch TV. This company is called Swagbucks, and you can get a $5 sign-up bonus if you sign up through my Swagbucks $5 bonus link!

31. Invest in alternative assets.

Yieldstreet is a platform aimed at giving investors access to high-yield, asset-based alternative investments.

It aims to create a portfolio across multiple asset classes – real estate, marine, commercial, and legal.

These opportunities are secured through assets, properties, settled and future case proceeds, and vessel acquisition.

These supposedly allow for the creation of a diversified investment portfolio that’s fully backed by a certain type of collateral.

Yieldstreet announced that since its inauguration, it has made over 300,000 payments that returned more than $297,000,000 to its investors.

Click here to check out Yieldstreet!

from https://moneydoneright.com/best-passive-income-ideas/ from http://thereallaptoplifestyle1.blogspot.com/2019/07/31-best-passive-income-ideas-for-2019.html

[success0]

31 Best Passive Income Ideas for 2019

Passive income. We all want it. We all crave it. We all want to make money without work. But are there actually any good passive income ideas that we can implement in 2019?

The answer is yes, and we’ve put together a list below of 31 ways to make passive income in 2019.

There are four main ways to earn passive income:

By investing money

By investing time

By renting things out

By getting paid to do activities you do anyway.

Below we have given you specific ideas for each of these four passive income categories for a total of 31 passive income ideas.

The most passive forms of income will require you to put up at least a little bit of money up-front.

Here are our top passive income picks for 2019.

1. Easily check to see if stores owe you money.

This one’s pretty interesting since it’s not so much passive income but rather passive savings.

The gist of it is that you get cash back on items you bought online when the price of those items drop.

It’s like price matching, but after the fact!

And there’s a new tool called Waldo that will help you get the refunds you deserve.

You simply sign up for Waldo, give it access to the email account you receive your shopping receipts at, and let Waldo get to work!

Waldo will then track the price of the item(s) you purchased and work to automatically get you a refund when the price drops.

If you’d like to start getting refunds on your online purchases, click here to sign up for Waldo.

2. Invest in Private Real Estate Deals With Only $500

Real estate is one of the classic forms of passive income: you own property, and others pay you for using it.

The downside to traditional real estate, of course, is that you typically need a lot of cash to get started.

Not so anymore with the rise of private real estate investing platforms.

We personally invest in one of these platforms called Fundrise.

Fundrise lets everyday people invest in top deals across the nation — way better deals than most people could find on their own.

It also lets you diversify your real estate holdings.

For example, I am invested in deals in 10 different states!

And for the first 90 days of your investment, Fundrise will buy your investment back at the original investment amount if for any reason you are not satisfied.

Click here to sign up to see Fundrise’s latest investment opportunities.

3. Invest in fine art with only $1,000.

Did you know that the Wall Street Journal called “the best investment of 2018”?

Fine art.

That’s right.  So while you should certainly have a core investment portfolio of stocks and maybe bonds, you may want to at least consider adding some fine art to your portfolio.

I know what you’re thinking.  Don’t I have to be a multimillionaire to invest in fine art?

Well, you used to be.  But not anymore.

Similar to what Fundrise (see above) is doing for investment-grade real estate, Masterworks is opening up fine art investing to the masses.

Masterworks’ minimum investment is $1,000.

Click here to see Masterworks’ latest fine art offerings.

4. Open a savings account with 2.30% interest.

If you have your savings in a low-interest brick and mortar bank, it’s time to get with the times and open an online bank account.

Because they don’t have the huge overhead costs of traditional banks, online banks can pass the savings on to their customers in the form of higher interest rates.

One of our favorite online banks right now is CIT Bank Savings Builder.

This account offers a sky-high 2.30% APY if you simply make at least one monthly deposit of $100 or more.

And there are no account opening or maintenance fees, making this one of the best savings accounts on the market today.

Click here to learn more about the CIT Bank Savings Builder Account.

5. Get paid to go to stores.

Did you know there’s an app that gives you gift cards simply by walking into stores?

You don’t even have to buy anything!

It’s true!

So whether you’re a mall rat or just somebody who goes shopping every now and then, you stand to make a little extra cash this way.

Click here to download this special app and start getting paid just for walking into stores!

6. Get paid to play mobile games.

This is another one of those passive income ideas where you get paid to do something you enjoy, so it’s not really work at all.

How it works is you download a free new app, then download new mobile games through the app.

As you level up in the mobile games, you earn more points that you can redeem for gift cards at Amazon, VISA, PlayStation, Xbox, Apple, Starbucks, and more.

Click here to start winning free gift cards for playing mobile games on your phone.

7. Rent out your spare room.

Renting out lodging can be an incredible way to earn extra money.

I know some people making thousands of dollars a month, all by renting out an extra room to short-term guests.

Now, if you wanted to do this 10 years ago, you would’ve had to post an ad in the classifieds or on shady old Craigslist.

Gladly, those days are over.

You can now list your spare room on Airbnb and screen out prospective guests. (Guests are rated by their hosts for things like cleanliness and communication.)

If you’d like to sign up to become an Airbnb host, check out my article Make Extra Money with Airbnb.

8. Get paid to get gas.

GetUpside is a free app that gives you cash back for every gas station receipt you submit!

Also, if you sign up through our link, you get a 20¢ per gallon bonus the first time you fill up!

If you drive a lot (or even if you don’t), this can add up to a decent chunk of change!

Click here to download GetUpside and get a 20¢ per gallon bonus for using our link!

9. Get paid to walk.

I just made $10 for walking, paid in cash via PayPal.

It’s true!

There’s a new app, Sweatcoin, that will pay you for every step you take.

It motivates me to go for more runs, take the stairs more often, and be an all-around more active person.

Click here to check out Sweatcoin now and start getting paid to walk!

10. Invest in dividend-paying stocks.

We love dividends here at Money Done Right.

When you invest in a dividend-paying stock, you are acquiring a portion of a company that somebody else built and that thousands of other people work for, and they are giving you a portion of their profits. Blows my mind!

There are plenty of great places to open up a stock-investing account, but the one that’s getting us hot and bothered at the moment is Ally Invest.

Ally Invest is great because you can trade dividend stocks for as little as $3.95 per trade compared to $6.95 at E*TRADE and Charles Schwab.

Click here to sign up for Ally Invest to start investing in dividend stocks affordably!

Ally Invest has developed a pretty amazing platform, and no matter if the stock market goes up or done, we still get dividends deposited into our Ally Invest account every quarter!

Click here to sign up for Ally Invest to start investing in dividend stocks affordably!

11. Get paid to have an app on your phone.

There’s an app that will pay you just for having it on your phone.

It doesn’t get much more passive than that! You heard me right.

They will pay you $50 per year per device just for having your app on there!

Talk about the ultimate passive income opportunity!

If getting paid simply for having an app on your phone interests you, click here to learn more!

12. Invest $10 in small businesses and earn 5%.

Worthy Bonds is a company that provides bond funding to small businesses — and it’s letting you get a piece of the action.

See, these small businesses (obviously) pay Worthy interest on these loans, and folks like you and me can buy bonds from Worthy that pay 5% interest.

This is far more interest than you could earn in a savings account at the bank.

You can buy bonds in $10 increments and / or link your debit or credit card and round up the spare change on your purchases to invest in bonds.

Click here to sign up for Worthy and start earning 5% interest by investing in American small business.

13. Write slogans.

Are you kinda witty?

Then you may be able to make passive income just by thinking up slogans in your spare time. Here’s how it works:

Write a catchy slogan.

Upload it online here.

Get paid every time someone uses your slogan! Passive income!

Click here to learn more about earning passive income from slogans.

14. Sell your photos.

Are you good behind the camera?

Then you can make a somewhat passive side income licensing your photos online for others to download.

For example, I get all my pictures for this blog from various stock photo sites on the Internet.

And every time I download a photo, the photographer who uploaded it gets a royalty!

Licensing one picture that you take and upload now can give you cash flow forever as it’s downloaded again and again!

Click here to learn how you can get paid for your photos from home.

15. Get your bank and credit card fees refunded.

This isn’t really passive “income” per se, but it is an opportunity for you to increase your net worth somewhat passively.

There’s a new website that can get you refunds on fees like:

Overdraft fees

Monthly service fees

Minimum balance fees

ATM fees

Late fees

Wire transfer fees

Foreign transaction fees

Credit card interest charges

Click here to learn how to get your bank and credit card fees refunded.

16. Get paid for doing things you do anyway.

Swagbucks ($10 sign-up bonus) is a great app to use to make money whenever you have some downtime, say while you’re in line at the store or while watching some mindless TV program.

There are a variety of ways to make money with the Swagbucks app, including:

Playing games on your phone

Using the Swagbucks search engine

Watching videos

Taking surveys

Getting cash back on online purchases

Using coupons

And more!

Click here to download Swagbucks and get a $10 bonus for using our link!

17. Make money with your social media skills.

Do you have experience with social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, etc.?

Then you have a very valuable 21st-century skill!

If you know your way around social media, then you can make some major dough by promoting brands on social media.

Companies are willing to pay ordinary people to help get the word out about their products and drive more sales.

But the trickiest part of this industry is finding the right opportunities.

There are a few resources out there to help social media pros land these opportunities, but the one we found to be the best is SocialSaleRep.com.

They’ve been around for a while and have several proprietary partnerships with large corporations looking for social media experts.

Click here to check out paid social media opportunities at SocialSaleRep.com!

18. Check your credit score.

While this isn’t directly a way to generate passive income, checking on your credit score and finding ways to improve it can passively grow your net worth.

How so? Well, by simply increasing your credit score a little bit, you can, for example, pay less in interest, which will grow your wealth in the long-term.

We’ve found that Credit Sesame is the best free website that can calculate and monitor your credit score.

Click here to get Credit Sesame for free — it only takes 90 seconds!

19. Use a free money-saving bot.

Sometimes the best way to make money is to save money.

Subscriptions, especially those that go unused, can add up over time.

Thankfully, there’s a free money-saving bot called Cushion that will go through all your subscriptions, let you know how much you are paying for each of them every month, and cancel them with a simple text message if you’d like.

And Cushion not only keeps track of your subscriptions, but it also negotiates your monthly bills such as cable and Internet so you keep more money in your pocket.

Cushion users have saved over $8,000,000! To learn other benefits that Cushion can offer you, check out our full-scale Cushion review.

Click here to start saving with Cushion! It’s 100% free!

20. Take online surveys.

This one’s not exactly “passive,” but it is certainly mindless.

You can take surveys when you’re binging on Netflix or in line at the grocery store or waiting to pick your kids up.

The trick is that there are only a few legit survey sites. We recommend Survey Junkie.

It’s 100% legit, and they do not send you spammy junk emails.

Their payouts are excellent, and they pay you in cash via PayPal.

Top Survey Site Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie has an 8.9/10 rating on TrustPilot — the highest of any online survey company.

And they also have some really fun surveys.

For example, in the screenshot below you’ll see a pretty awesome music review survey that I recently did. I made $50 reviewing music! ?

Click here to start making extra cash with Survey Junkie.

Now, I must tell you that not all surveys are this fun, and not all pay this well, but every once in a while you get a great one like this!

Also, it’s satisfying knowing that companies will use my opinions and inputs to make decisions about not only music, but also food, restaurants, consumer products, movies, and a lot more.

Click here to start making extra cash with Survey Junkie.

21. Get paid to lose weight.

If you can commit to shedding some pounds, it may pay off handsomely for you to cut that habit because you can literally get paid to lose weight through a new company called HealthyWage.

Check out this Good Morning America special on HealthyWage that explains how it works:

You can bet as little or as much as you want, but obviously the more you bet, the more you stand to win!

Also, you can bet on your weight loss of any period between 6 and 18 months.

Click here to see how much you could win with HealthyWage!

22. Get cash back when you shop online.

Ebates ($10 sign-up bonus if you use our link) is a free website and app that gives you up to 40% cash back at over 2,500 online stores.

If you shop online a lot (or even if you don’t), this can add up to a decent chunk of change!

Click here to get your $10 sign-up bonus sign up for Ebates and start getting cash back on online purchases today!

23. Invest in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

I would recommend only investing in cryptocurrencies after you’ve invested in more stable passive income opportunities such as stocks and real estate.

Nevertheless, many people have become unlikely millionaires by investing in cryptocurrencies, and the concept of cryptocurrencies is not without merit.

However, you have to know what you’re doing, or you’ll get creamed in the cryptocurrency market.

Click here to learn more about cryptocurrency investing.

24. Get up to 5% cash back on all purchases with this new credit card.

Cash back on purchases is one of the most beautiful forms of passive income out there because they’re tax-free.

And there’s a new credit card that offers up to 5% cash back on all purchases — not just on certain items or on rotating categories.

It also gives you monthly cash forever when you refer new users.

So this new credit card gives you not one but two ways to generate passive income every month!

Click here to learn more about this new credit card!

25. Get a Free 401(k) Analysis.

If you’ve ever worked in corporate America, you probably have a 401(k) retirement plan through your current or former employer.

And while your 401(k) is generating passive income for you, it’s possible that it’s not optimized for the best performance.

Just improving your returns by 1% a year can make a huge difference.

Let’s say you have $50,000 in your 401(k), and it will earn you 6% over time.

Increase your returns so that you earn 7% a year will mean over $65,000 more in your 401(k) over 30 years’ time.

A properly-optimized 401(k) can generate for you additional tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars of passive income over time.

That’s where Blooom comes in.

When you sign up for Blooom, your 401(k) will immediately be analyzed, and you will be shown what kind of hidden fees you’re currently paying in your 401(k).

Click here to get your free 401(k) analysis with Blooom.

26. Track Your Wealth in Personal Capital and Get a $20 Bonus.

Personal Capital isn’t so much a way to make passive income as it is to manage your passive income sources.

What is Personal Capital? It’s a free net worth and investment tracking website and app.

Your account balances are updated in real time! We personally use it to track our wealth and love the easy-to-use interface.

Also, for a limited time, Personal Capital is offering a free $20 Amazon gift card to new users who create an account through our $20 Bonus Link and links their first investment account.

Click here to sign up for Personal Capital and claim your $20 Amazon sign-up bonus!

27. See if you can pay less for homeowners or renters insurance.

Similar to some of the other items in this list, this one is more about passive savings than passive income.

But the end result of saving an extra $100 a month and making an extra $100 a month is the same: they both increase to your net worth.

And theoretically, saving is better than income because while you don’t pay taxes on additional savings, you do have to pay taxes on additional income!

One expense that slips by most people without being checked every now and then is homeowners or renters insurance.

See, the traditional insurance company model is getting more and more outdated with their high deductibles and premiums.

Take new insurance company Lemonade for example.

They take a simple flat fee, and everything else goes into a collective claims pool that they protect for their users in case they need to make a claim.

Since Lemonade doesn’t profit from the claims pool (like other, older insurance companies), leftover money is donated to charities that users choose when they sign up.

Lemonade’s self-stated goal is to transform insurance from a necessary evil into a social good.

They offer renters insurance for as low as $5 a month and homeowners insurance for as low as $25 a month.

Click here to check your rates in 90 seconds with Lemonade and see if you can save some money!

28. Get paid every time you search the Internet.

Swagbucks will pay you to simply use its search engine.

They will also give you $5 if you sign up through our Swagbucks $5 bonus link. So yup. This is probably the easiest way to make money online.

Click here to sign up and get a $5 sign-up bonus!

29. Arcadia Power pays you to use less electricity.

Arcadia Power is a free service that rewards you for saving energy when it matters most to the grid and the environment.

You will receive a notification about once per week to save energy for an hour.

If you save energy, you receive cash.

Click here to start getting rewarded for saving energy!

30. Get paid to watch TV.

Believe it or not, there is a company out there that will pay you to watch TV. This company is called Swagbucks, and you can get a $5 sign-up bonus if you sign up through my Swagbucks $5 bonus link!

31. Invest in alternative assets.

Yieldstreet is a platform aimed at giving investors access to high-yield, asset-based alternative investments.

It aims to create a portfolio across multiple asset classes – real estate, marine, commercial, and legal.

These opportunities are secured through assets, properties, settled and future case proceeds, and vessel acquisition.

These supposedly allow for the creation of a diversified investment portfolio that’s fully backed by a certain type of collateral.

Yieldstreet announced that since its inauguration, it has made over 300,000 payments that returned more than $297,000,000 to its investors.

Click here to check out Yieldstreet!

from https://moneydoneright.com/best-passive-income-ideas/