#i have manage to not be insane about money for more than 2 days since the election thank G-d

[pegglefan69]

What else have I been doing. Uh. I decided on a rib tattoo to celebrate my 30th birthday when it gets here. I booked an appointment for an entirely different tattoo in February. I am having strong belief in the grounding ability of needles. I keep forgetting to reply to any of my messages. I need to start filing legal paperwork & I need to practice the banjo. I've been talking to men on my dating app & nothing has panned out but that's fine bcuz I haven't actually pursued anybody yet. It's good practice. I have knit 3 hats & have a lot more to knit before the 2nd week of December. New chapter soon once I stop being as sick. Okay bye now until whenever I wander back again mwah ✌️🐻

[hannieehaee]

18+ / mdi

content: loser!jungkook, sub!jungkook, softdom!reader, oral (m receiving), etc.

part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, extra

wc: 1632

a/n: i havent read the previous three parts in months so if theres any discrepancies pls forgive</3

masterlist

in the time you'd known jungkook, you'd never actually been to his apartment.

he was at university on a scholarship, meaning that he didn't have to worry about paying for schooling or dorming. any money he earned from tutoring or any allowance received by his parents was all his to keep, meaning that his current residence was nicer than that of the average student.

despite being aware of all of this, you were still quite shocked the first time he brought you around.

unlike what you'd expected, jungkook's spacious studio apartment was not filled with nerdy figurines and stacks of comic books (god, that would've been adorable). instead, it replicated the appearance of the average bachelor pad. the furniture appeared of good quality, the bed was comfy, the decor clean, and even the cleanliness gave you a vibe of maturity and put-togetherness that you hadn't quite gotten from jungkook yet. at least not to this extent.

the most shocking thing, though? that was jungkook himself; his look and demeanor while lounging around his apartment.

he'd been growing his hair recently, something which you adored, though tonight had been the first time you'd ever seen him with it without the proper care you assumed went to it every morning. the messy curls laid at the sides, fluffy after a whole day of being worn and played with by the wind. accompanied by that, he donned some loose sweats and a simple tank top, two garments you'd never once seen on the boy. he tended to go for less casual outfits while in public, usually wearing buttoned up flannels or graphic tees.

unfortunately for you, his slight change in look had an instant effect on you. had anyone else seen him like this, you were sure they'd pursue him immediately. as of late, more and more girls were taking notice of him. since meeting you, his confidence had gone up and his way of presenting himself had evolved quite a bit. just a few more months and you were sure he'd become a heartthrob by all definition of the word.

"god, you're gorgeous," you practically whimpered as soon as he let you in, having taken a few moments to simply stare at him before pecking his lips as a greeting.

"oh, i- thanks. you're prettier," he mumbled back as he welcomed you in, "sorry it's a little messy."

he must've been kidding. the place was insanely tidy! you expected as much from jungkook, but it was still surprising to find a college-aged boy with cleanliness.

"it's perfect, baby. show me to your room?", you went straight into business.

with a sheepish smile, he led you to his room.

you had previously agreed that you'd be spending the night tonight. it was your first sleepover at his place, which had you both giddy at the thought. there was no special reason for it other than your sudden insistence for it about a week ago, claiming you wanted to see where a one jeon jungkook spent his nights away from you.

he was shy about it at first, as per usual, but agreed after a few smiles and kisses from you.

and so now you had the privilege of laying on his bed on a saturday night, clad in a pair of his boxers and an oversized shirt of his as you waited for him to do his skincare.

you had insisted on not packing an overnight bag, knowing jungkook would have anything you needed at his place — he was very well put together, after all.

smiling at him as soon as he entered the room, you extended your arms to motion him over to the bed, causing him to chuckle shyly as he stepped towards you. once he was at a close enough distance, you grabbed at his arms, pulling him to the bed and somehow managing to get him to lay down, climbing on him immediately after.

"hey, there, gorgeous," you flirted, hands on his shoulders and full weight sitting on his crotch area. it wouldn't take long until you found a tent under you.

"you don't have to try and fluster me every time you see me anymore, you know ..." he mumbled as he lost any ounce of control under you.

"where's the fun in that?", you smirked as your hands traced their way under his shirt, pulling it off him without a second thought, "god, how'd you get even more handsome?", you groaned as you took him in, so pretty below you with his long hair and his breathless state.

"i- i just- oh-,"

you gave him no chance to speak, choosing instead to quickly throw off your his own shirt and lower your lips down to his. the kiss was immediately heated. you could never really help yourself around jungkook, but fortunately, he liked that about you.

he'd gotten a bit less shy with time. his hands were more willing to explore your body nowadays, currently finding themselves on your waist as he pulled you closer to him.

you adored how much more comfortable he'd gotten around you, both sexually and not so. at times, he'd even initiate sex with you. these instances were a bit awkward for him, but you always liked to encourage him, letting him know through your enthusiasm how much you enjoyed it when he went after what he wanted.

however, you still had to keep him on his toes somehow.

like now.

"no touching, baby," you murmured between kisses, grabbing onto his hands and pinning them above his head as you leaned down onto him.

with a simple gulp, he nodded, lips shyly smooching so you'd kiss him again.

continuing your kiss, your hands went down to his torso, sneaking under the fabric and beginning to play with the skin there. your fingers traced the ridges of his abs, adoring how he shuddered against you but made no complaint. the silent effect of your actions only lasted up until your hands made their way north, eventually finding his nipples and tracing them teasingly.

the poor boy under you whimpered against your lips. his arms made some movement, but did not stray away from where you'd left them above his head, still pressed together as he attempted to follow your directions and not touch you.

your next move was to rid him of his clothes altogether, requiring to get off him for a few moments but immediately taking your rightful place straddling him on his bed once more.

"prettiest thing i've ever seen," you hummed as you looked down at him, leaning down to press kisses on every inch available.

"please ..." he mumbled when your lips first made contact with his chest, knowing their next destination.

ignoring him, you continued as before, letting your lips find their way to his nipple and twirling your tongue around it in a teasing manner. your barely there touch had him whining at the contact, wanting more from you.

you took pity on him, deciding to go all the way and suckling on the bud just how you knew he liked. except the poor boy could barely handle the pleasurable pain that came from it. he writhed under you as you alternated between pecs, filling his chest with love bites that'd flourish by the next morning.

the kisses made their way down his body, landing at his happy trail by the time you lowered yourself to your knees at the end of the bed. with a bite to your lip, you enjoyed the view of what was to be in your mouth in mere moments.

jungkook sat up, wanting to see what threat of pleasure approached him next. he groaned upon seeing how hungry you looked eyeing his hardness, but he remained a good boy by keeping his hands to his sides rather than reaching for you.

"a-ah, fuck," he groaned as soon as your lips made contact with his member, lightly closing in on his tip and suckling at it in a way that had his breath catching and eyes rolling back.

keeping your eyes on the trembling boy, you caught glimpse of his hands fisting harshly at the sheets, holding himself back from wrapping around your hair as he usually did. the thought made you smile around him. he was so so sweet and well mannered.

deciding to be just as nice, you engulfed as much of him as you could, practically deepthroating him. his reaction was immediate, whining and writhing above you while you had your fun with his cock.

"p-please, oh fuck, please," he pleaded for nothing in particular.

you weren't one to ever deny him of anything. every one of your actions was meant to aid him in his pleasure.

humming against him, you slobbered all over him, not minding the mess of your saliva and his cum slowly dripping down onto your chin as long as the pretty boy above you was losing himself because of you.

as per usual, his orgasm hit him pretty quick. as shy as he was, he was never too timid to let himself cum when he hit his limit. jungkook was one to appreciate the pretty girl giving him pleasure by demonstrating his immense appreciation.

it always got to you how loud he became while cumming, which was currently causing a mess in your panties. you decided to enjoy every drop of his orgasm before paying mind to that, though.

finally done torturing him by licking off any remnants off his dick, you climbed up his body and sat yourself on his lap with a smile, leaning in for a teasing tongue-filled kiss before humming in satisfaction against his breathless lips.

"did i tell you i love how you're growing out your hair?"

he gulped.

"you've, uh, you've mentioned."

[assistant-of-drama]

Assistant Noah's World Tour!

Hello, my name is Noah.

And around 2 years ago, I had made the biggest mistake of my life.

I got into a show called Total Drama and now I can't escape this overrated series or its crazy host.

How did this happen to me?

Well, I'm going to tell you...

When I first entered the show, I thought that I was gonna stay at a fancy resort or something like that, while trying to win the 100,00 dollars.

But instead that hotel turned out to be a crappy, ancient campsite. They only have one outhouse and there's a camera inside of it. The food is disgusting and served by a violent psychopath of a Chef. The host is basically insane and probably gonna get crazier. With the cherry on top, being that our first challenge was to jump off of a giant cliff.

Yeah, the money just wasn't worth it.

I decided to trick my team into voting me off.

So, when the dodgeball challenge arrived, I saw it as the perfect opportunity since I hated sports anyway. I simply refused to help and gave my team the occasional rude comment here and there, to irritate them even more. It was almost too easy.

I smiled and chuckled to myself as I left the dodgeball arena, forgetting about the cameras recording my satisfaction.

When I wasn't given a marshmallow, I had to resist the urge to smile, while acting angry and disappointed. I even subtly insulted their intelligence one final time as I left, getting pelted with marshmallows in the process. It was totally worth it.

I couldn't fight the smug smile anymore as I reached the boat, nor the sigh of relief as the boat left the stupid island.

If only I knew that being unable to control my joy would've sealed my fate.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that there was a resort after all; a resort of the losers.

How ironic, but I wasn't gonna complain.

However, a few days later, Chris and Chef learned that I got voted off on purpose. They were furious. They called me back to the island, explaining that as a punishment, I would have to come back to the island as Chris' assistant for the rest of the show. My jaw dropped in disbelief. Apparently, I missed the fine print in my contract; if anyone leaves on purpose, then they're forced to work for Chris.

As I reluctantly went on the boat back to the island, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of anger, disappointment, and a bit of fear. I didn't know what Chris had planned for me, but I knew it couldn't be anything good. When I arrived at the camp, I immediately put on a disguise, so the others wouldn't recognize me.

I was exhausted. Chris had been working me like a dog since my return to the island. He had me doing all sorts of tasks. I'd never been so tired in my life. Every time I thought I'd finally catch a break, he'd find something else for me to do. It was relentless.

But at least I get paid more than the other interns.

Then later to my surprise, Chris began to ask me for new ideas for the challenges. I was confused at first, but then he explained that he was impressed with how I managed to trick my team into wanting me off the island. He saw it as a sign of my true potential. I couldn't believe it. Chris, the insane host, was actually praising me?

I decided to take advantage of the situation and give him my best ideas. To my surprise, he actually liked most of them. Over time, my role in the show became bigger. We would brainstorm ideas for challenges together, and I would help him execute them. It was a weird kind of partnership, but it worked for us.

As the days went by, I learned to accept my new life on the island. Sure, it was still a competition, and there was always the chance that someone might figure out my true identity, but for now, I was content. I even started to enjoy the challenges again, if only because they were more interesting with my unique perspective. The gross eating challenge was one of my favorites.

When the finale arrived, Chris, Chef, and I were thrown into the water by the contestants as a form of revenge. We didn't see it coming; one minute we were announcing the winner, and the next, we were soaked to the bone.

Then my wig came off, revealing myself to the others. They were angry at first, but after I explained everything, they decided to forgive me… except for Heather. We all had a laugh about it and even became friends.

I thought it was over.

But then Chris made everyone chase a case with a million dollars inside of it, while I simply stayed at the resort.

Then Chris revealed that he tricked everyone into doing a second season of Total Drama, I didn't care at first because I thought that I was gonna leave.

The apathy turned into horror, when Chris reveals that I'm still his assistant, according to my signed contract.

Life, why do you hate me so?

In Season 2, everyone became extra nice to me, hoping that their kindness would somehow get them special treatment in the future episodes.

Even Justin began flirting with me, and I couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance. I mean, sure, he was gorgeous and all, but I'm immune to Justin's charms. He's just another generic pretty boy that everyone loves drooling over.

I was so relieved when he left.

While the others finally took the hint that I wasn't gonna give them anything and now leave me alone, thank god.

Now that Season 2 is over, Chris is currently preparing a third season which is gonna take place in a unstable plane traveling across the world and singing random musical numbers.

Chef was right, that is the worst idea ever.

At least I'm not expected to sing.

The making of Season 3 is how I met Alejandro. The perfect combo of beauty, brawn and brains. Basically Justin, but with upgrades. The man who could charm the pants off of most species. At least that's what Chris says. Because personally, I think that guy is as overrated as the show I'm forced to work on.

That doesn't stop the Prince Charming Wannabe from flirting with me. In fact, it only seems to encourage him. He's constantly circling around me, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce. It's amusing, in a pathetic sort of way. I mean, really, how can someone be so convinced that they can win someone over with a few well-placed compliments and a big, fake smile? It's almost insulting.

Then there's Sierra. She's… interesting, to say the least. There's something about her that suggests she's not quite right in the head. When she was an interviewer, she followed the cast around like a lost puppy, constantly scribbling in her notebook and asking questions that no one seems to understand. She's also obsessed with Cody.

Her obsession with Total Drama is borderline creepy. She knows every contestant and knows personal things about us too. Even Chris himself. It's unnerving, actually. She even seems to know some things about me that I'm pretty sure I haven't told anyone.

They are the two weirdest people that I've ever met… and I'm about to be trapped on a plane with them. Great. Just great.

I'm not sure whether to feel sorry for myself or laugh at the absurdity of the situation. I mean, here I am, stuck as Chris Mcclean's assistant, while everyone else gets to compete for a chance at a million dollars. And now, we're all going to be singing and dancing our way around the world. It's enough to make anyone's head spin.

Pray for me.

(Inspired by total-drama-brainrot's anonymous questions!)

[yumedoca]

"It's a rumic world!!"

Day 7 of @rumicworldweek - Happy Birthday Rumiko Takahashi!! 🎉

Sadly, no art for today since it seems I've hit an artblock after drawing for almost an entire week 😭, but to be fair everything drawn for this week was for sensei's birthday after all. I wanted to draw art for Mermaid Saga, One Pound Gospel and Rumic Theatre, but unfortunately there's only seven days in a week (though I have drawn art for Mermaid Saga like a week earlier and I have drawn an art for one of the Rumic Theatre stories months ago. Sorry One Pound Gospel, eventually!!) And plus, when it comes to topic of Rumiko Takahashi and her works, I decided to talk about it rather than draw...

Rumiko Takahashi... Honestly, all her works mean a lot to me. Each have it's own reasons, reasons why they're more than just mere stories to me. I guess it's mainly because of how good of a storyteller she is. Here's a little tidbit from her which may show why:

And boy, does it make me feel exactly how she wants it to. She knows what the reader looks forward to and she delivers just that while having fun. The amount of love and passion in her works in insane and the little details put to the story and characters are exactly what I love about her tales. Then there's the amount variety when it comes to her stories which I think is the most obvious when you pick up just one volume of the rumic theatre, one moment you're reading a hijinks story about a boy who just want to deliver newspapers but keeps getting interrupted by invaders and half- fishmen and the next moment you'll be reading a horror where this high school kid who knows archery is trying save his girlfriend from being murdered by his yandere cousin.

Honestly, just the amount of one shots she have is enough to prove how much as well as the number of chapters her serializations have is enough to show how much dedication and passion RT has for manga and this dedication is just what makes their quality so good. Urusei Yatsura makes me laugh and reminds me to have fun and enjoy life. Maison Ikkoku taught me about growing up. Mermaid Saga is a spine-chilling story which talks about the price of greed. Ranma 1/2 brings about the topic of familial love besides the romance itself. I've only watched the OVA for One Pound Gospel, but what intrigues me the most is the fact that the main pairing is a boxer and a nun, it's like the strangest pairing you could make but Kosaku and Sister Angela make it work and let's just say I love these kind of strange pairings, lol. Inuyasha talks about letting go from the past while still keeping the important within you. Kyoukai no RINNE is quite nostalgic to me as someone who grew up in a family who's very keen on saving money and a lot of moments make me laugh because I've been similar situations and it's nice to look back on them. And finally, MAO is the series I'm currently growing up with.

I know Rumiko Takahashi will never see this but.. Thank you so much for everything, your characters and stories managed to lift my spirits in the darkest of times and remind me that everything will eventually be okay. I know I'm not the only one who thinks this and all of what I've said is why I love Rumiko Takahashi and her stories.... ♥

I'm glad that I was able to participate in this year's Rumic World Week. Thanks to everyone who's liked and reblogged my posts and I hope everyone reading this has a great day ahead!! 🌹

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[sincerely-sofie]

I just realized how crazy Opal’s family is on paper. Imagine you’re a greedy crook so you kidnap the child of the random Charmeleon lady who you know has more money than she lets on. Then you send a ransom letter and set up a dungeon so this Charmeleon woman can give you the money for her child back. It’s fool proof!

And then you find out said Charmeleon lady is not JUST a Charmeleon lady, she’s the lady who stopped the world from getting paralyzed with her friend. Okay, no problem. They probably haven’t fought in a serious battle for years. It’s still an easy job- oh she still goes into dangerous mystery dungeons and so does her previous partner Kip. Okay, startling, but you can still pull through on this- oh wait, Grovyle the time gear thief, Dusknoir the hit man, and the time traveling mythical Pokémon Celebi are also part of the family? They also care about this Charmeleon lady?? And they’d also be apoplectic about this? Okay, now you’re a lot more worried, but it’s nothing that hiring a few accomplices can’t handle! Wait. The father of the baby is the guy who actively tried to cause the planet’s paralysis? The one who managed to torment an entire town? And all have of them practically stared Dialga in the face and said “yeah I can win this/I have to win this” and actually did win? Or at least one of them caused Dialga’s insanity?

You now realize you have only a few options:

1. Lie to potential accomplices about who exactly you messed with because no one sane would look at the full implications of this and go “yeah let’s do it!”

2. Hope the Charmeleon lady won’t call for backup, and that said backup won’t find out and come anyways, therefore plan proceeds without a hitch.

3. Just give the baby back and apologize.

If you’re really greedy or desperate for money, you’d choose one of the first two options. Otherwise, you’d choose option three and run for the hills.

And that’s before said criminal realizes they kidnapped a baby legendary.

The best part of all this is that her family never talks about the craziness of their lives. So you think you're just kidnapping some rich lady's kid and then a brigade of highly competent, highly dangerous individuals come swooping in simultaneously, but the brigade is comprised of:

That old man who you saw agonizing over what cookware to buy at the market the other day and apparently knows how to corner people who are running from him with startling efficiency

A scrawny, ugly grass-type you crossed paths with at the clinic when he was getting some medicines for his chronic pain and who is also unbelievably fast and hits like a truck

A marshtomp who, despite having famously (and shamefully, according to many) retired from exploration, is arguably even more dangerous now despite his calmer occupation, because he knows everything about the ruins you’re hiding out in, including where all the traps are

The rich lady whose baby you stole and also has apparently BESTED MULTIPLE LEGENDS IN COMBAT with the help of that marshtomp we mentioned earlier, and is currently tearing her way through the countryside and rapidly closing in on your location

And two entire legends who are not only extremely capable on their own, but can destroy your psyche by showing you the exact location, date, and cause of your death (right here, right now, her disemboweling you personally with her bare hands) or locking you in a perpetual nightmare. Also that one over there is the baby's dad? Oh heck you're so dead—

AND THE BABY HERSELF IS A LEGEND WHO KEEPS TURNING INTO DIFFERENT ROCK + STEEL TYPES WHO WEIGH VARYING UNHOLY AMOUNTS AND IS SHRIEKING LOUD ENOUGH FOR ANYONE IN A 30 MILE RADIUS TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE. OH HECK YOU'RE SO DEAD.

Beyond this scenario, imagine being an older Opal who's chilling with the fam during the holidays. Everyone is having a nice time hanging out and soaking in the good company. And then your uncle who cries whenever you call him Uncle mentions that he hasn't had this good of food since before his parents kicked him out of the house when he was a kid. You don't say anything, but you're extremely confused. Did he say he was evicted from his family home as a child? Maybe you misheard...

And then your other uncle says that he got the recipe from some bidoof during that window of time that your mom didn't exist. Your aunt nods sagely and says that it was very kind of the bidoof to share such a treasured family recipe with him during that time. He probably needed the comfort food while grieving his best friend.

At this point you are very much baffled by the conversation, and then your grandfather politely asks if we can stop talking about this, because he'd rather not be reminded of the fact that they all died when he's still finishing dessert.

Your dad then chimes in by saying he'd appreciate a topic change as well. His appetite is rather soured by the reminder of his part in their deaths.

You have never been more confused. And they all just move on to chat about the weather like nothing about what they said is absolutely unbelievable. So later you go to ask your mom about it and she has the audacity to reply:

TFW you’re finally old enough to comprehend The Family Lore™️

[fynnlink]

(Quick) main thoughts after this insane finale. Obviously huge spoiler warning

-

-

1) First of all "Bleeding a Kyber Crystal" for the first time in Live Action (I think the first time in moving picture was Dagan Gera in Jedi Survivor).

I have never won this hard. Also the blade turning from blue to red while activating was so stunning. And the Kyber Crystal even "screamed". The attention to detail is insane and I'm gonna be annoying about this scene for days/weeks.

More thoughts below the cut.

2) Darth Plagueis ??!! Finally back in canon after there was some consideration about changing him. (For those who only know The Acolyte or have just never seen Plagueis before, he's the person in Qimir's Cave earlier in the episode. Long story very short he's a very, very important Sith)

3) Oh Vernestra. While I haven't read all of her books from the High Republic, going from Temptation of the Force! Vernestra to the Acolyte's version is a significant change. I'm not loving the direction so far but more in terms of personal opinion than critiquing the writing. She's already dealing with way too much at such a young age in THR and we don't even know how the Nihil situation will be resolved.

4) As expected (or feared) it does appear ever more likely that Qimir's scar is from Vern's Lightwhip. I'm guessing a Luke - Kylo situation (or a terrible accident but my money's on the first)

5) It's also very interesting how worried Qimir got when he realised Osha was struggling under the visions/impression she experienced through the Cortosis helmet. Also they got a literal "holding hands and looking at the sunset together" scene.

6) And we can already see distrust regarding the Jedi spread/exist within both the Senate and the Neimoidians, as well as the Senate inching further into the affairs of the Jedi Order (for better or worse)

7) Bazil, the literal MVP, managing to stay alive throughout all the madness and on top of that saving (?) Mae in the planetary ring.

8) The cameos (Yoda, Plagueis) were small yet important, made sense and most importantly didn't hinder or subtract from the main story's focus.

-

Now I can only hope the series gets renewed for a second season (and hopefully even more) and that it continues to be this great.

I love that so many questions were answered while new questions rose.

Is "Qimir" just being used by Plagueis?

Will Osha become a Sith or another type of Dark Side user? And will Mae now turn to the Light? (She is technically too old to start her Jedi training)

Maybe her and/or Qimir will found the Knights of Ren, since they keep playing the musical theme and Qimir's helmet is somewhat reminiscent of The Ren's?

[whumped-by-glitter]

I saw this post about crazy museum stories, and I see lots of retail stories, but I don’t see a lot of airport stories….

So here are some of my craziest stories from working at an airport.

Airport behind the scenes:

• The random passenger who told me to get off the carousel (I was fixing it) then absolutely couldn’t believe I was a female and a mechanic. Then he proceeded to insinuate my military rank before getting out meant I messed up (AF just ranks slower, we had a bit of a bottleneck problem when I was in). He then suggested my supervisor didn’t know how to do his job well and could “just take us all under his wing”. All of this before asking for a job…..

• The passenger who insisted I check him in for his flight that left 2 hrs ago, when I was fixing the ticket counter conveyor belt, all the lights were off and I was literally black up to my elbows in grease….

• The woman who rode up and down the glass elevator in ticketing, lifting her skirt repeatedly, until the sheriffs had to come get her. Bonus points: it was only around noon, and no she wasn’t flying anywhere.

• The woman who got demanded she get on a plane at 11 pm, when flights are no longer going out, with no ID or money, to a city that was literally a 45 min drive away, with no airport. She proceeded to stop pick up traffic with an airport use wheelchair.

• A man who went through an armed door to the ramp, took all of his clothes of and sat there (that one made news).

• A woman who decided to take off all of her clothes and run around the main part of the airport. A sheriff and 2 cleaners had to catch her, she ran through the parking structure at 1am, in January in the northern Midwest.

• The absolutely insane contract manager that almost got sued by Southwest Airlines for wearing disguises and hiding to catch their ticket counter agents putting begs on the belt wrong (they weren’t, also wearing 2 hats and a fake mustache is not inconspicuous sir) that was the talk of the airport for quite a while…

• The gate agent that somehow messed up the jetbridge so bad I had to take every single limit sensor apart so I could override it. When he called it in all I was told was “the wheel locked up and I kept moving it, and I made an ooopsies.”

• The coworker that would insist on wanting to empty the lavs (which is easier than loading bags) but would mess it up at least once every other week and spill on himself, then just look horrified but not move….

• A woman rode an unattended baggage belt, luckily she was read as an oversize bag and sent directly to TSA, she literally could have been killed. She scared the daylights out of some TSA agents though. Could you imagine- you expect a golf club bag or something and get a person popping out?

• The lady who was really scared to fly, got really drunk, and fell down an up escalator. It was Christmas and luckily the gate agents were able to book her on a new flight the next day for free. But when asked if she had someone to pick her up, she called her husband, in Texas… (this is an airport near Chicago) she literally didn’t even know what airport she was at. A sheriff took her to a hotel to let her sleep it off, and to my knowledge she made it out safe the next morning.

I found a cat stuck in a wall, well actually she climbed through the wall and became trapped in a plumbing closet. She is really lucky some Southwest agents heard her crying and called us (they figured since we worked on conveyors and had tons of tools, we might be able to help. We called airport ops to open the closet door, and there she was. I still have her to this day, her name is Delta, and she is a very weird cat, I blame it on the fumes 🤣

All of this and more, and I work at a relatively small airport, and I was only there 5 years, and primarily worked 3rd shift as a mechanic.

@karmaisntab

[roseapov]

Servant? More like a slave

Jade & Floyd Leech x GN!Reader

Tw: reader being a merfolk, criminal organisation, tortures, mentions of obsession, differences in status, slavery, bullying, blackmailing, slavery

Povtober 2023, Day 17 [Masterlist]

It all started when you were a child. Two powerful eels helping others and protecting them, from the attack at the National Museum in the Coral Sea.

It all felt like a dream, when Mr. and Mrs. Leech reached out their hands to the troubled merfolk.

None of them knew how much taking their help would cost them. One of those merfolk were you and your parents, on a cultural trip.

The price to pay afterwards was to.. serve. Serve the Leech family. Become members of their staff, since they're running short on them, one could only wonder why.

That couldn't sound more fishy (get it?), yet no one could do anything about it, unless they had an insane amount of money. Well, not you.

And that's when you meet the twins. Floyd and Jade Leech, the young masters of the Leech household, heirs to the family's business and fortune.

If you knew the consequences, you would never hit the Floyd with the wet cloth. Never in your entire life. If only you could find out that they were the heirs before..

But you couldn't change the past and now you have to pay the consequences.

Cause your past self didn't know, that these 2 eels brothers were heirs to the criminal organisation.

With a sigh you walked towards Jade and Floyd with their breakfast on a tray, praying to yourself that they would let you off the hook (got it?) this time.

Yet luck wasn't on your side as Jade noticed you at the corner of his eye, before you managed to sneak away.

"Oh? What a lucky coincidence it is to see you there, why don't you sit with us and talk? Surely you wouldn't mind, right Floyd?"

Jade said with that unnerving smile of his, observing you intently. With all intentions to pierce through your soul.

You started shaking at the thought of yesterday when he tortured you.

And as soon as Floyd caught a glimpse of you, you knew your attempts to escape were immediately crushed.

"O, Shrimpy! Come join us! All these guppies were soo boring, you know? Entertain me now"

Floyd whined quite playfully, yet you knew better than to assume you could refuse. That underlying threat at the end, made it quite clear.

You quickly made your way to the empty seat at the table, not looking them in the eyes.

Now you have to endure at least an hour of Floyd picking on you, never quite forgetting the wet cloth accident, much to your irritation.

But it's still better than to let others know that you hit an heir, right?

But picking is way better than being forced to do those things, right? At least they're not so forceful today.

And Jade constantly adding fuel to the situation, liking how tormented by his brother you were.

You were sure he was a sadist, how could he not? Especially after yesterday..

In conclusion: The life of a servant in the Leech household is a living hell.

Or at least, your life.

I had no idea how to start it, but I think I managed. I kinda like how it turned out, yet writing for Leech brothers is harder than it looks. There wasn't much about the brothers or their obsession, so sorry about that🙏

Funfact: this fic was supposted to be named 'Yesterday' and Jade enjoy seeing you cry, that's why he tortures you. Don't ask me why, it's not pure love, it's obsession, it's twisted. That's the answer.

[3416]

All of your Mitch rants and raves are spot on, and it's very comforting to see another person who is just SO tired of all these narratives. Please indulge my two-cents for a moment:

Mitch has said he wants to stay in Toronto. The deal for him to waive his NMC at this point would have to be like...the best deal in all NHL history. He isn't some single, 19-year-old kid anymore who is just starting out; he's firmly established in his career in Toronto, and has his entire family/wife/friends there.

While I do think his next contract ask will be in the ballpark of what Auston and Willy are making (as it should be, he's worth the same amount, imo), I also don't think Mitch is super unreasonable. If the Leafs came back to him and said "we really want you to stay, but we can only give you $10m, I really feel like Mitch would take it, as long as it's a decent length and all the details are reasonable, etc.

All the discourse about his last contract was very much his father's influence, which he won't be dealing with this time around. He was also dealing with Babcock as a coach, so of course he wanted to get his money's worth!

I don't think he would settle for a super lowball offer if he knew he could make substantially more on another team, but he's also not a diva who won't get out of bed for less than $10000 a day, y'know?

Sorry for ranting in your inbox, lol.

no, i'm happy to have people to talk with about it!! feels like no matter how much i say, i never get tired bc i'm just soooo tired of the fanbase's narratives getting in the way of actual facts and of fans inability to sort through what media personalities are pitching as an OPTION and what's like. actually happening behind the scenes right at this moment. like no legitimate insiders are giving actual information, and if anything, i think this go around might be more tight lipped BECAUSE of what happened last time. auston and willy extensions were kept pretty under wraps tbh, the leafs know discretion.

i mean. i'm gonna be real, but 10 million would be lowballing him and he SHOULD get between willy and auston and that's not even a real problem imo. if 2 million makes or breaks a team with the cap space free from the jt deal, they're being very unserious and brad's bad at his job. they're the ones who set the precedent this time around with willy by giving into everything. it's legit not my job or any of our jobs to cap manage despite how much we all love to pretend we could build a perfect team, but he's probably not going to take a considerable discount and i don't see why people think he should, lol. HE'S had career years too over the course of this last contract, ones that surpassed someone who is now getting paid more than him. i'm obviously not mitch, so idk what he'd do in that scenario, but i can say it's HIGHLY unlikely he's taking any pay cut in his prime (literally no hockey players do). i really don't think he should be expected to despite this insane fanbase's reaction to his salary and i'm sure the leafs aren't going to approach him like that tbh. it'd be weird business. they might try to get him for a willy number which would honestly be a discount for him, so lol. i think it's less to do with being a diva and more knowing how much you're worth and your comparables in the league (and on your team) and the team you're with knowing what's fair. and that's why i think people are wrong about the leafs mindset in general. i don't think they WANT to get rid of him, lol. i think they're going to look at the market (as they do every year and have done every year since the core was assembled bc it's their JOB to do that) and see what's there, but the options are even more limited now with the nmc. i don't see it a given that the team will be like. oop we can't afford you now. i think they'll pay him and he'll get a raise, lol.

my best guess is EITHER mitch signs a longterm deal with full nmc at 12-12.5 OR he takes slightly closer to willy's deal for a shorter term to try to maximize his earnings and match what auston's doing in that way. i don't know his mindset about it all and wanting security in toronto over all or wanting to maximize the money, but we will SEE. i just hope everything is more lowkey this time around for my own sanity 😭😭😭😭 bc it's already out of control WITHOUT the team and mitch even talking yet.

[mybones537]

Time chapter 5 (Moriarty the Patriot x reader)

This has already been posted on wattpad under the same username

  London, England 1875 

It’s been 3 months now since I’ve been here, it's now October. I’m now working as a doctor for a few nobles, I use half the money I earn for personal stuff and the rest I use for medical care to help the lower classes. 

Last month a young girl came up to me and she asked me to come take a look at her big sister. They live in the slums. I ended up spending 2 weeks there helping sick people. After that I realised that there is clearly no proper medical system in this country, but I can’t expect much from 1800s England.  

After that day I saved that heart attack victim, I've been popular as a doctor. I was on the front page of the newspaper. One person accused me of being a witch, but they were deemed insane so nothing happened luckily. A lot of other doctors have tried to debunk my way of practice, but each time they failed. I’ve had a hundred percent success rate since I got here. My medical textbooks have helped a lot and the history textbook turned out to be a medical history, which helped a lot. Thanks to my books I have been able to more easily figure out what is most likely wrong with my patients.  

Sherlock has come by once or twice asking some medical questions relating to his cases. I’ve managed to help him here and there. Lestrade comes and visits once in a while to see how I’ve been doing. I often see Miss Hudson. We have become good friends. 

About a week ago I was on my way to a patient when I started to notice a man following me. I’ve tried to figure out who he is and why he’s following me. After that started, I purchased a gun and bullets for self defence and kept it on me at all times. I’ve been cautious whenever I go out. This is starting to freak me out.

Today I have been extremely careful. I have only gone out to see one or two patients today. 

I had just finished with my last patient for today, I was on my way back to my apartment in Baker Street. When I suddenly fell unconscious. I felt my body being lifted up. 

3 hours later  

I woke up with a pain in my neck and a throbbing headache. It was dark, very dark. I tried to move but felt my arms and legs were bound to the chair I’m sitting in. I tried to untie the restraints but they were too tight.   

The door opened and a man walked in, he was holding a lantern. The light from the lantern was dim but it was bright enough for me to see my surroundings, brick walls and an old oak door. The man that walked has short naive blue hair similar to Sherlock. The same eyes as him, he has that same look, he’s trying to read me but almost seems to have a look of confusion. He seemed slightly taller than him, his demeanour was commanding respect. He seemed older than Sherlock, but based on genetics I’m guessing he is Sherlock's older brother.

“You’re Sherlock’s older brother aren’t you? I’ve seen you before, you’re the guy who’s been following me” I asked, he looked surprised but then covered it up with a smirk. 

“So you are as good as they say. I usually get the other guys to do it but you intrigue me” He walked up to me, he leaned down and lifted up my chin. He looked me in the eyes, then moved my head from side to side. “My name is Mycroft Holmes… you’re awfully pretty and I have some questions for you” 

“And why would I answer any of your questions? The only thing I know about you is that you are Sherlock’s brother, you are practically the British government, you are at least 7 years older than him, he despises you but you still care about him’’  I said to him.

“Well you clearly know more about me than I do you. I’ve done a background search on you but the only thing that came up was from 3 months ago. I even pulled some strings to see if I could find you at all but not a single thing came up. I expected to at least find your medical degree since you’re a doctor, but nothing not a thing” My blood ran cold. He was onto me.

Fuck. What do I do now? I doubt I will be able to fool him. He’s Sherlock’s older brother, he is probably even more observant than Sherlock. I’m done for.

“Don’t know why you couldn’t find anything, maybe there was a mistake.” I said lying through my teeth. 

“You see at first I thought so, but after I checked another 2 times I started to suspect something wasn’t right” He let go of my chin but still leaned in close. “Now Dr (last name) you got some explaining to do” 

[bluetraverser]

Long post: The end of a story I never wrote - HighschoolAU - Stardew - Robert/Elliott

...They fell, crushed, stumbled into an embrace and he found himself crying uncontrollably. His entire body felt stiff and limp at the same time, his skin taut over his head and arms while he shuddered and sobbed at the sudden joy and pain of having him in arms reach again. While the life here was good, he had been so terribly lonely, so unable to let go of loving this man and…

(context and full chapter under the cut)

Okay, this needs a bit of introduction because this is basically part of a chapter for a story that would have had 20 or more chapters which I will likely never write. Or not for several years. Who knows. What follows is a very quick summary of the plot and then the actual story.

First of all: Chapter takes place in Pelican town - on the day Elliott moves there, much earlier than in any canon.

Story so far: Elliott and Robert both go to highschool??? Idk, a school where you go to when you're 18 at least, I am not comfortable with younger. Elliott is a rich kid who hates his parents and vice versa. Bookish, unpopular, somewhat aloof, pretty... in a word, Elliott.

Robert is a popular sports guy with all the cliches of gay guy who is terrified of people knowing he is gay so hes a bully and seemingly ladies man who always finds excuses to never actually do anything with them.

Obviously they fall in love.

Both are terrified of it, both pretend like nothings going on. After a very complicated instance of the good old "there is only one bed", they spend several nights of passion before ultimately Elliott breaks up with him and says they will likely never meet again because his dad is a monster, they will never be safe, yada yada, Robert does not take it well.

At the start of this chapter, neither of them has any idea what has become of the other but Elliott has finally managed to get away from his abusive family. Its been 2 years since they last met.

I think that hopefully set up all the most important points. Feel free to ask or comment about this!

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

Elliott felt an odd, uncomfortable weight within himself.

This was it.

He was free.

But he was also poor. He had no degree, barely any money… The bus stopped. „Pelican town!“ Elliott got off with a heavy heart.

It was beautiful.

He breathed in.

He dropped his bags.

Fresh, full air made his lungs blow wide, made the sheer act of breathing a joy. He smelled the ocean and the forests, the vitalizing greens of vibrant moss soaking in the country sun… It was invigorating.

Still, he picked up his bags again and looked around, trying to get a sense of which direction he was supposed to go. The shed he had rented was supposedly right at the ocean. From his notes, that meant he first needed to go left, then across a square, across a bridge and to the left again… But was that left from facing the bus stop or the other way around? He could see a fenced in farm with a house down the street, to his right. Going left was probably wise, but… He dropped his bags again and walked a little bit closer, curious as to his new environment and Neighbors. It was a nice little house that looked like it had recently been renovated. The fields that lay before it weren’t spectacularly wide but seemed to span a large assortment of different plants. How curious! He had thought it would be more common to source only one kind of plant per field. Was this a commercial farm or just someone living there with a big garden? His gaze grazed the mailbox and his heart stuttered in his chest as reality seemed to suddenly be turned on its hinges.

Robert Llyr

!

Elliott felt the air being sucked out of his lungs, stunned, confused, desperate in that insane hope suddenly rushing his mind away. It’s impossible! It can’t be him! It’s a freak coincidence! It’s...it’s…

He squinted over the fields, trying to find sight of anyone doing anything there and- A blond man surfaced between the rows of corn. He had spiky hair and bend down just now, doing something with the plants. Disappointment plummeted through his belly. He was starting to feel sick. The permanent up and down of this weird day, these rushes of hope and dread and pain and that blinding beauty of his new freedom but the sickness of being just so god-damn lonely on this path- He put his hands on his face, breathing. Trying to collect himself, trying to calm down. „Hey! You okay there?“

Elliott startled but the blonde was already approaching him in quick steps. „Looking a lil shaken there, mate.“

„Uhm. Uh. I’m fine, I’m fine, thank you!“

The man examined him for a moment, then his bags. „You new in town?“

Elliott awkwardly shrugged, then nodded. „Yes. I just got off the bus.“

„Ah. Lucky you that the bus runs at all. The man who lives here fixed it only last month. It was broken for years before that!“

„Oh. So. You, uh, you don’t live here?“

The man chuckled. „Nah man, couldn’t afford it. Robert lives here. He inherited the plot and moved here last year. My name is Sam, I live down in Willow Lane with my mom and brother. Do you know where you’re going?“

„I… Yes. I rented a place at the beach. And I wrote down directions. I was just curious I guess and…“ He contemplated for a moment how open to be with this person. He’d been friendly enough and… asking couldn’t hurt, could it. „...say, this Robert Llyr. Do you know him on a personal level? Like… do you know where he lived before?“

Sam made a motion to grab one of his bags. „Want my help carrying your stuff? I’m headed in the direction you’re going so I might as well help you out.“

„I- Uh- I… S-sure, that would be great. Thank you.“

Oh god, what a bumbling idiot I am being! One hint that even reminds me of him makes me a complete and utter fool! What must this man think of me already!

„Sorry, I just. I knew a Robert Llyr once and. It kind of shook me to see his name. I’m Elliott, by the way.“

Sam grinned at him widely. „Well hello Elliott. I’m Sam. But I already said that. Come on, let’s get going.“ He grabbed his bag and started walking. „And sure, I know Robert, we’re friends. Otherwise I wouldn’t have walked over his property and stolen one of his cauliflowers.“ He jangled a bag in his other hand around.

„You stole of him?“

„Not really. It’s cool with him if we take stuff and tell him later and he tells us what we owe once a week. Works out pretty okay. He’s a good egg but I don’t know where he lived before. He’s a little bit secretive like that. But he’s been working his ass off with the farm and making this town a better place, so. Not like anyone could complain about him, ever. What’s the Robert like that you know?“

„He’s...well…“ Handsome. Beautiful. Brave. Sad. God I miss you-„...complicated. We met under somewhat...difficult circumstances and he wasn’t always as nice as he could have been, I guess. But that wasn’t his fault and…“ He sighed. „It’s. Complicated. I mean, I’ll see if its him in good time, right?“

„I would guess so.“ They had reached what was probably the center of town. „This is basically the place where it gets most busy in this place. If at all. You got Pierres over there, selling mostly groceries n stuff, you got the mayors house over there and theres a notice board in front of Pierres shop if somebody in town has a small job or something.“

„Jobs?“

„Yeah, like, if they want somebody to fetch something for them or help them with a project. Things like that. Usually pays okay and people are grateful. Theres also a joja markt a lil further up the road and Clint’s shop is over there but I think he only sells rocks, no idea. I don’t really talk to him.“ They had gone across the square. „And this is the road where I live, Willow Lane.“ He handed Elliott's bag back to him. „You got any questions before I leave you to find your way across the bridge?“

Elliott stared for a moment, still trying to somehow digest the entire situation. „I...No.“ He managed a smile. „Thank you so much. You’ve been a great help.“

„No sweat, man! Take it easy!“ He waved and wandered off, leaving Elliott with a pounding, heavy heart and all the questions in the world.

Where would this person be? What should he do if it wasn’t him? ...what if it was him? Would he forgive him? Was he single? Ye gods, he was desperate to be with him. Had been for the past two years! But the need had been lying dormant and buried for so long now, it had been bearable. The current state was like a fresh, overwhelming physical urge to find him and hold him. To just have him back in his arms! But it was impossible. Impossible. He had to steel himself for the strong likelihood of this just being a freak name coincidence. That he would never see him again.

He walked across the beach and to the ocean.

It was the first time he saw the ocean.

It should be a wonderful moment. And it was. It was amazing to see it.

But it also felt hollow.

Everything seemed to mean nothing like this. Everything was just so dull, so… A figure sat at the end of the pier, near the hut he assumed to be the one he had rented.

Black hair. Slightly hunched.

It couldn’t be.

Elliott dropped his bags again and slowly walked onto the pier, barely daring to breathe. The figure looked even buffer than Robert had been. A broad back. Strong arms. The man was fishing. He looked. A lot like Robert did. As far as he could tell from behind. But the possibility of the man turning and it just being someone completely different-

He took another small step forward.

Another.

And Another. He had to know. He had to know…

The person turned and Elliott's heart stuttered out of his chest, unable to say anything in this moment.

It was him.

Robert looked at him with an unreadable expression. He got up, wiping his hands on a tissue, stepping up to him. He looked just a little bit different. Stronger around the jaw. Overall, even fitter. Kinder in the eyes. More peaceful. A small smile started gracing his features as he stepped up to him, reaching out with one hand, as if to see if he was real.

Elliott took his hand. Heard himself make a whimpering, emotional sound. Or had Robert done that? Robert smiled wider, blinking tears from his eyes. „How… are you here?“

Elliott pressed his lips together, unable to keep the tears from falling. „I...I don’t know.“ He wished he had something poetic to say but he was completely overwhelmed, clasping both his hands now, so full of uncertainty and need and-

-----

They fell, crushed, stumbled into an embrace and Robert found himself crying uncontrollably. His entire body felt stiff and limp at the same time, his skin taut over his head and arms while he shuddered and sobbed at the sudden joy and pain of having him in arms reach again. While the life here was good, he had been so terribly lonely, so unable to let go of loving this man and… He cupped his face, looking at him, drinking in his strawberry hair and those green eyes.

And remembered.

He sighed and let go, rubbing his eyes. „I… it’s. Good to see you. Elliott.“

Elliott stared at him with pained eyes. „Yes… i… Robert I’m. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry! At the time… I was sure there was no hope! I didn’t think so now! Or I wouldn’t have…“

Robert shrugged. „It’s… not like I didn’t understand. I. I’m. I just. I’m not sure what to feel right now.“ He swallowed hard. „What are you doing here?“

„I… guess I’m moving here today.“ Elliott smiled. „I finally got a restraining order against my father and his goons, I worked a little while to get some money and then just. Left. I…“ He sighed. „I would have tried to find you if. If I had had any idea… I suppose. It didn’t occur to me to investigate where you could have gone, to be honest. I didn’t feel like I would deserve your forgiveness. And I felt. I would not be able to bear your disdain, should you… should you feel bitter towards me.“ „So you had no idea I was here?“

Elliott shook his head. „No. I just. I worked for a little while to get a few savings. Then looked for a cheap place near the ocean somewhere. Earlier I saw your mailbox and. Dared not to hope. But. I. Longed for you anyway.“

„God… you make me feel so...conflicted.“

Elliott smiled wryly. “And why is that?”

Robert groaned. If only he wasn’t so cute! If only he hadn’t missed him so goddamn much! Robert had been in absolute agony when Elliott had left with the definitive statement that he didn’t think they would meet again. That Robert should move on. Give up on them. That they would never be safe together. Had left without really giving Robert a say in any of it. And he had been mad for a long time. Because he still loved him. Because he had missed him more than he felt appropriate for what had ultimately been a quick fling in his school years… And yet. Looking at him now, he wanted nothing but give in and fall into him again completely. Robert leaned his head on Elliott's shoulder, sighing. He felt Elliott slowly, hesitantly put his arms around him again. Allowing him time to stop him if he had wanted to… “I’m sorry I hurt you, Robert. I understand if you don’t want to just forgive me.”

------

“It’s… less that I don’t want to. More like I’m not sure if I should.”

Elliott leaned his head against him, trying to just… to just not… God. He wanted this to be okay. He wanted him to be okay. Both of them. They were finally together again but… but… He pressed a kiss to the others head.

I love you.

He had never said the words to him. He hadn’t known when they were together. And later...later… “I. Don’t want to pressure you. And I won’t. I…” He took a deeper breath, trying to feel okay with maybe letting go off him, but Robert was holding on to him tightly, despite the situation… “...I mean. I will be living here now. And you are too. And. If you don’t want to see me for a bit. Then. I understand. Even though I. I would. Of course. Very much want… to see you…” He was staring at his lips. Robert looked at him through tear-stained eyes with a stubborn expression. Elliott waited for a reply but Robert was just staring at him now. Elliott tried not to be too obvious the way he stared at him, tried to stop thinking about wanting to kiss him but the more he tried to stop himself, the more he wanted it, imagined what their lips felt like together, wanted to find a quiet place with him and-

Robert put a hand on his face and kissed him. Elliott felt a bolt of energy unleash in him as he rushed against him to kiss him back, pulling him closer, losing himself in the sweetness of his mouth that dissolved all thoughts and filled him with bliss… They slowly opened another more, lips rubbing and pressing against another while his tongue sought entrance into his mouth and… Mmmh…

He stroked through his hair, down his back, pulled him closer around the hip while he pushed himself forward, thoroughly lost in the sensation now, kissing his lost love on this pier at the edge of his new life, unexpectedly having salvaged the best thing from his old… They finally broke apart after who knew how long, heated and dazed… Elliott stroked his face, fighting the urge to kiss that dazed smile some more. He brushed his lips over his cheek. “Does this mean you want to see me some more too?”

Robert laughed and kissed his nose. “I don’t know if I will regret this. But right now I want to drag you to my home and have sex with you. Which is not actually what we should do, given that you just arrived and all. But yes.” He smiled. “I guess I do want to see you ‘some more’.”

[Plot note, timeskip; off-screen: they go back to the beach. Robert say he needs to sell his fresh fish, Elliott uses the chance to say hi to willy who is please he already knows someone and immediately knows whats up so leaves them alone in the cabin pretty soon but they soon realize they should go to roberts place cause they cannot keep their hands off eachother and Elliott simply wants to shower before doing it for the first time in two years. they decide to shower together] [some mild sex stuff ahead]

Elliott unfastened his tie while brushing his teeth, tracing his eyes over his now-finally-again partner, likewise brushing his teeth. Elliott could barely wait to take his clothes off and see all of him. He already looked delicious, sweats and sweatshirt sticking beautifully to his strong body regardless of fashion choice. Robert rinsed his mouth and Elliott started nearly tripping over himself when he took off his shirt. God, he looked good. The farmwork was certainly working in favor of his physique… He quickly rinsed his mouth, put down the toothbrush and the next moment they were kissing again. Elliott groaned into the kiss, thoroughly delighted to feel his naked chest beneath his hands while they both worked on opening Elliotts remaining buttons… Robert pushed himself against him and his hands wandered down… They had to at least briefly wash themselves, he knew. But stumbling naked beneath the shower with him, so close, so… mmh…

------

Robert wanted to savor this. Two long years since he’d been with him. And all the last times they’d had sex had been fast and desperate in half-public places. Uncomfortable and full of fear in so many terrible ways… But he wasn’t really thinking anything any-more. The water was rushing around them, his hands wandering across Elliotts back and chest and ass, tempted to rub his cock, take it in his mouth, to turn over and…

Elliott pressed him against the wall, kissing him deeply, reaching between his legs-

Robert cried out in pleasure, trying to adjust, trying to spread his legs more in the slippery space when Elliott kneeled down somewhat suddenly and his brain gave out…

He started coming back to himself more when Elliott washed off the shower lotion he’d spread on both of them after. He’d been holding on to the grip bar while Elliott was pleasuring him and was now slowly coming down from the high…

“You okay, darling?”

“...yes…”

Elliott smiled and kissed his forehead, then turned off the water. “I suppose, there goes my plan of keeping my hair dry.” He reached for the towels.

“Heh. Well, you didn’t have to go down on me.”

“Mmh, but I loved doing it.” He squeezed his hand, then pressed a couple of kisses to his cheek. “...And I cannot wait to continue.” ---- They tumbled to bed, kissing and stroking and a part of him reminded him just how incredible this was. Twenty-four hours ago he hadn’t known if he would ever see him again. Had been anxious and unsure about leaving his old home for good, going to a place where he knew nobody with very little resources…

Now he had him in his arms, entwined as they kissed and loved another and it felt better than any time they had done this before.

They were free. They were both free.

He stilled. Pulled himself out of the kiss and focused on embracing him. He rubbed their cheeks together and pressed close, sighing softly. He had his eyes closed and just breathed. Breathed the beauty of the moment. Focused on this feeling of his loves strong arms holding him so tight and so loving, of this buzzing heady feeling in his mind that blinded him to all but the delicate feeling pouring out of him… “I love you.” He whimpered, overwhelmed by his emotion. “I love you, Robert.” He looked into his partners tear-stricken ocean-blues. “I never thought I’d see you again. But in the pain of being heart-broken, I relished in knowing the truth of this feeling. I was prepared to carry the pain until my end, if it meant I could also keep carrying the love. Even if it meant loneliness for all this life.”

Robert sobbed, emotion heavy on his face, changing from sorrow to contemplation and perhaps, some joy in a small moment until a smile graced his features and he stroked over Elliotts face again. “...and now?”

Elliott laughed. “Now I hold you in my arms… in what seems like the most unbelievable twist of my life. In what seems like the universe must have a conscience because our paths leading us here seem to unbelievable to be possible. Now up is down, the world is a circle. The birds sing and will always sing in the mountains of the world because I have you now and in this moment. And if all fails and my heart will be broken again, my love for you will still be whole. Made full, finally, by being here with you, finally offering my heart to you in earnest.”

Robert rubbed his face, crying, shaking his head… “Jesus christ, Elliott… How can you...how…”

Elliott pressed his lips together, hoping, praying he hadn’t ruined it all, That this didn’t mean… Robert embraced him again. “You goddamn dramatic idiot… Of course I love you too!”

Elliott shuddered, hugging him back, more tears flowing from his eyes while his brain seemed to spin and dance and light bloomed deep within him. “I love you.” He cupped his face, smiling like a fool no doubt but more happy than he’d ever been in his life. “I love you.” He kissed him once, twice. “I love you.”

“I love you too! And I hate that I had to wait two years to be able to tell you!”

Elliott smiled and kissed his nose. “Me too. But now we’re together. Isn’t that all that should matter?”

Robert made a face. “Kind of. I guess. I...argh! You’re just… you’re just…you’re… ah…”

Elliott had started nibbling at his neck, breathing warmly into his ear making soft, urging sounds while he touched him some more and…

“Elliott-”

“Hmm?” He kissed him…

...and all thought vanished...

[thessalian]

Thess vs Batch Cooking

Dear @abirdepisode - you were right. The chicken jelly was perfect. I added some water and heated it up and there was just enough really gorgeous chicken stock for my chicken, mushroom, and asparagus risotto. Might add a few more herbs next time, mind you - fresh rather than pre-roasted in the bird.

Batch cooking is basically my jam these days. There are a lot of reasons for this, and ... honestly, they're all a little depressing when looked at from the roots, but hey, at least I have ways to cope.

The first reason is money. Okay, so here's the thing. Things in this country have got mega expensive. I know it's bad everywhere, but we've got multiple layers of bad here in the UK. We've got inflation. We've got price-gouging supermarket chain CEOs. We've got poor weather that has really fucked with the crops. And on top of all that, we've got Brexit, which has fucked with every single one of our trade agreements and the few we've managed to replace them with suck ass. So the price on everything just keeps increasing to insane levels. Shit is expensive. So expensive. And it's only going to get worse. Therefore, now is the time to figure out the best ways to make the most you can out of as little as possible.

The chicken, for example. The chicken I bought was a medium one, which cost just under £5. That gave me two whole meals right off the bat - one leg at each meal. I ate one chicken leg fresh for that night's dinner, carved off the second for the next night's dinner. Then I carved up the breast, and boiled the carcass for stock (or Chicken Jelly). I had a couple of chicken sandwiches for lunch a couple of days ago, using the leftover chicken and some gluten-free bread (too depressing to think about price-wise, honestly). Today, I used the stock and some of the meat, along with about half a bag of risotto rice (whole bag cost about £2), one onion (entire bag cost about 60p), a half-pack of chestnut mushrooms (whole packet £1.20 or so), half a packet of bacon lardons (£2.25 for the whole packet), and a small bag of asparagus tips (£1.50). Now, if I'd wanted to do a real budget job on this, I would have used cooking bacon instead of the lardons (£1 for just over a pound), left out the asparagus, and used a cup of frozen peas instead (a little over £1 for a big bag). I just wanted something a little fancier and I could afford it. But that risotto made four helpings - one of which will go in the fridge, two of which will go in the freezer. And I still have chicken left. Which will probably also go in the freezer so it doesn't go bad. But I could use it for chicken tacos, maybe, or more sandwich, or chicken fried rice ... I could get another four meals out of it, easy, if I went mainly for the chicken fried rice. So with the miracles of batch cooking, I can manage nearly two weeks' worth of dinner out of one £5 chicken.

It also means I have stuff in the fridge and freezer for bad days. I'm having to rebuild my stock of easy reheat meals right now, because of the three days I spent with my left shoulder in particular screaming agony at me. But since I'm more or less okay right now, I can build that up. So I have plans for a lot of batch cooking while I'm still coping. I have a bit of pork shoulder to roast either tonight or tomorrow (because I will go mental if I eat chicken for every sodding meal), and that will make sandwiches and fried rice for days. I have plans towards chilli, and spaghetti bolognaise, and probably some sausage hot pot. That'll give me some more variety, which is important if you don't want to get really depressed about your diet, while still allowing me to just grab something and reheat it instead of having to cook if I'm doing badly in terms of the whole fibromyalgia thing.

So basically it's money and spoons, why I batch cook. Well, and also the fact that most of the best recipes aren't for one person, and getting individual portions of anything is really expensive. I swear, the world is not geared for people who live alone. And it's not like I can buy inexpensive ready-meals, because I have gluten issues, and "gluten-free" and "inexpensive ready-meal" are mutually exclusive terms.

Plus ... I guess I think back to what a friend of mine said about me on Facebook awhile ago. He said that I am a Creator, and that I'm not happy unless I'm Creating Something. I guess he's right. Even when it hurts, even when I'm frustrated, coming out of all my efforts with something good always cheers me up. It doesn't even have to be anything tangible - a story is just as satisfying to create as a batch of soap or a batch of risotto or a batch of cookies ... or a garden. I'm not sure why that should be, but I guess I shouldn't question it too hard. I have a sort of antidepressant that leaves me not only with a better state of mind but, sometimes (hell, often), several days' worth of dinner. If I have to be disabled, neurospicy, and living in a country that economically shot itself in the foot a few years back, at least I have something to ease the pain sometimes.

[golbrocklovely]

since i have nothing else to post right now…

here’s the last of colby’s tweets from 2020.

i don’t have proof that these are his tweets, but believe me, they are his.

if it’s bold and italicized, it’s someone’s tweet to him.

if it’s in (), that’s just me commenting lol

added bonus: if they have a * next to them, that means it’s been deleted

~~~~~~~~~~

Oct. 1 - love doing things for myself

Oct. 4 - i’m in so much pain. sos

fan: u ok?

poison oak. everywhere …. everywhere.

Oct. 5 - i like the simple things

Oct. 7 - less is more

Oct. 10 - i wanna make you happy

how am i so busy during the day but still manage to find 2 hours to mindlessly scroll through tik tok? i can’t be the only one

Oct. 14 - i care too much

Oct. 15 - somehow it wasn’t enough

Oct. 18 - fan: I CANT BE THE ONLY ONE WHO ALWAYS WONDERED WHAT COLBY SMELLED LIKE..I WANA KNOW WHAT COLOGNE HE WEARS

mayonnaise

(i hate this man so much lmao)

Oct. 19 - Justin Bieber’s new song made me tear up, that dudes been through so much. no one could even imagine what that’s like.. achieving everything and being in the biggest spotlight at such a young age.

Oct. 20 - @/samgolbach: less than 6 months ago i broke my back. and i decided to take that as a challenge to get healthy again. and today i ran the fastest mile i’ve ever run. so yes, i might be an idiot but i’m a determined idiot 🤘🏼🏃🏼

🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 that’s an insane accomplishment ! i remember when it was a struggle to stand up out of bed

new day, same cycle

Oct. 21 - my mom is texting me all the young pictures of me and it’s bringing me memories i didn’t know i had

Oct. 25 - panic attacks late at night are the worst

Nov. 1 - @/colbybrockscar: reminder that it’s no nut November!!! @/ColbyBrock doesn’t even have to try. He’s got this shit in the bag. It probs comes out like baby powder if he tries

did my car just roast me ?

Nov. 4 - this is scary

cuties! all 3 of you! (reply to fan in merch with friend and cat)

Nov. 6 - @/GracynCarr: I can’t believe the audacity of a high school tweet to pop up on my timeline lmao.. miss u tho @/ColbyBrock :)

hope you're well xx

Nov. 8 - so much talent thank youu love (reply to fan's art)

fan: Um. So I tweeted this to you before but alot has also changed since then sooo wanted to say thank you 🖤 🖤 @/ColbyBrock

proud of you, and good luck with your dreams darlin 🖤 you can accomplish anything with the right mindset and hard work. i believe in ya

time flies, and i’m so scared of losing my youth. it’s inevitable i know, but damn makes you wanna cherish every moment you got

Nov. 11 - i hate when nothing is wrong but nothing feels right

Nov. 12 - the person who makes you forget about the rest of the world

Nov. 13 - today marks 6 years since we posted our first YT video on the MAIN S&C account .. 🖤 what a wild ride

Nov. 14 - promise you i’m a good waste of time

Nov. 15 - @/katstuartmusic: “sunday is my funday” - colby brock 2020

🥂💁🏻‍♂️💁🏻‍♂️

fan: Colby u get drunk off of one white claw

fight me

other fan: my money is on mags

round house kicks to the face don’t feel too good

(is it bad that i like when colby gets weirdly violent with us sksksks)

Nov. 16 - the Why Dont We dudes are some of the nicest people in LA

*Nov. 17 - @/gabytriana: It’s out! Sam and Colby were so much fun to work with, and despite what Colby said, I did not hate him when we first met! 😆 Both he and Sam are super kind, smart, generous entertainers who know how to tell a good story! I love them both!! Happy Book Birthday, @/samandcolby

hahaha thank youu so much for all the hard work ! so excited it’s finally here

(interestingly enough, colby didn't delete his tweet… gaby did)

Nov. 19 - went to a Pyschic Reader tonight. my mind is blown. im not a skeptic anymore, video coming tomorrow

fan: Get ready for religious people to freak out

the psychic i talked to was religious, i’m not sure how but i think the two concepts can exist at the same time

Nov. 21 - hard to trust

fan: @/ColbyBrock hey, i love u lots

love you 🖤

Nov. 23 - fan: imagine if @/ColbyBrock responded to this

could you imagine

Nov. 24 - fan: lmao okay so my friend put this together when I FINALLY received Colby's reaper merch yesterday and I had to laugh, I am actually stupid. But I thought it was a lil funny so y'all can see it too then xx

hahahha love it. thank you. you’re not a sack of potatoes in my eyes

Nov. 27 - happy b day @/SamGolbach you know this and imma save the sappy shit for your big 25th bday but i wouldn’t be here without you. you’re the most intelligent, deep thinking dude i’ve ever met and i feel pretty damn lucky to be able to call you a business partner AND best friend

Nov. 28 - take it easy

Nov. 30 - should i hop back on tik tok?

Dec. 2 - @/aaron_doh: At least I got a photo shoot out of it 😄

whaaat. dude i wish you a speedy recovery

Dec. 3 - it’s hard to move on

Dec. 5 - a nice escape is all i need

welp. i guess i’m a lightweight

Dec. 9 - miss you

Dec. 14 - all the baggage that comes with me

Dec. 15 - been workin hard for you , announcement tomorrow

fan: omg are you pregaganant

how'd you know

@/samandcolby: announcement tomorrow… 2021 will be the best year of our lives (and probably most difficult)

fan: are we getting married?? is that why?

yes

i hate how having anxiety makes me nauseous. it’s the worst feeling

Dec. 16 - it’s all about living in the moment and making every. second. count.

fan: yeah @/ColbyBrock how much are you charging for tattoos…

free for you

Dec. 18 - big tool pic but i’ve been workin hard

@/mannymua733: we absolutely do not mind

hahahaha

(god damn… this pic is still so good lol)

also cold weather always makes me want a special someone to spend time with. cuddle buddy is neeeeeded

fan: okay but can we just take a second to appreciate how hard colby’s been working in the gym because dayum

thank you sweeeetheart

fan: HELP COLBY IS TRENDING

yoo i love you guys 🥺

Dec. 20 - got tatted last night and i barely remember

how i feel this morning (pic of him floating)

fan: you’ve seen elf on the shelf… but have you seen cole in a hole? (@/ColbyBrock)

i’m mad i laughed at this

Dec. 23 - why’d ya have to change on me

so bittersweet saying goodbye to my childhood home of 18 years… i’ll only be back to kansas to visit and sleep in hotels from now on. strange feeling, but so happy for my mom and dad for taking a chance and moving

it’s like i don’t have a real “home” anymore. since i move so much anyways it’s hard to find a spot to actually call home

fan: i just want to say that colby has helped me through so much this year. i had a tough year as many others did but you’ve seriously have helped me through so much. i love you so so much @/ColbyBrock

awh that’s why i make videos in the first place. for people like you

Dec. 24 - addicted to you

my mom and i are the weirdest duo on the planet when we’re together i swear

fan: Make a video with her for Christmas

my whole family despises being on camera 💔

Dec. 25 - fan: momma brock is the sweetest ever

she’s my favorite woman in the world

Merry Christmas friends ! 🖤

i wish i could have face tats for like one week but it doesn’t really work like that huh

Dec. 26 - everyone’s battling their own demons

Dec. 28 - fan: Colby drinking wine but he's such a lightweight that he's probably drunk, lmao @/ColbyBrock

🤫🤫🤫

fan: the vibes are fucking ethereal i’m guessing @/ColbyBrock

you got it

[kylewalker-peters]

what's frustrating is we get managers who have won before. we're not pulling a chelsea and being shocked that we aren't winning trophies when we have a manager (potter) who never has. so it just makes US look shit rather than the manger. like idk how much this is the players just being shit or the manager being awful with this group in particular

the thing about us getting managers who've won before is that the ones we've gone after specifically have a philosophy and management style that doesn't fit the club's reality. this club has lost its way in terms of a clear philosophy or way of playing/recruiting BUT regardless of any of the theoretical "we want to be a club that does X" talk - this club realistically cannot and will never operate as a "win now" club under our current ownership. that's not even inherently a criticism of them, when done correctly and successfully that can be a fine club model - the issue of course is we are acting delusionally.

we're not a club that will spend half a billion in 2 transfer windows. We can afford to spend a lot more than we do but we do not have the funds to start throwing money around like that and quite frankly given our high profile flops year after year i can see us announcing the £150 million signing of alvaro morata if we did. but if you're not a club that will do that why are you bothering to bring managers in that demand that sort of backing? why are you hiring a manager you immediately don't completely see eye to eye with from day 1? what exactly is the plan here? what vision have we sold these managers on?

out of poch, jose, nuno (gone too soon fly high king), and conte the most shocked I've been at us not winning anything has been under poch. not the "serial winners". there was an idea, a project, a concept etc etc under poch with young players coming in and ACTUALLY BEING COACHED to be better and create a squad that all bought into what the manager was trying to do. the transfers themselves had the usual Tottenham hit or miss to them but you had a sense that every single person involved was moving towards the same thing.

us not winning under jose or conte is v embarrassing (even though i find us being the one blip in jose's resume so funny i cant begin to explain) but i don't think it's a sole reflection on us. it's never just one thing that goes off the rails. it's a combination of players and the manager and the ownership coming together to maximise their joint flop.

it's not all on jose/conte for us not winning things (player mentality and ability and the general squad are all absolutely massive factors) but those managers should have improved our performances. granted jose got us to a final he never got to manage so it's hard to fully judge his legacy in that way but he flopped in enough competitions and oversaw as much crap football as conte so if he'd been sacked at the end of the season no one would have cared too much which says everything.

since the end of poch's tenure we have been on a downward spike so bad it wouldn't even fit on a graph if i tried to show it visually. the fact none of those managers have improved our style of play or the player's mentality or managed to win anything with players that let's face it are shit but mostly bloody internationals for god's sake makes a lot of the "back the manager" rhetoric feel hollow and like a scapegoat which is insane because it is an actual problem. it means the manager absolutely 100% HAS to take a minimum of a third of the blame.

these players are playing like shit though. part of that will be on conte because of his tactics, his subs, the information that the players may or may not understand it's hard to tell from how they play and what seems to be an inability to actually improve players other than bentancur. i mean good god perisic is literally a conte type player who has played and done well under conte and he is a disaster out there - how are you failing to improve your own good player???

like yes romero and davies and dier (and perisc and royal) is not the defence from heaven but it should be conceding less. son, kane and kulu actually IS an attack from heaven and yet I'm not convinced they could tell me what a goal looks like let alone how to score in it. part of that's on conte and whatever he's doing with them. part of that will be on the players and this mentality block/ lack of effort/ no concentration/urgency they tend to display for no rhyme or reason. it's like the style of slow backwards passing lethargic wasteful play is ingrained in our DNA at this point because 4 managers haven't escaped it. and so at a certain point that's on the players.

[douchebagbrainwaves]

I'VE BEEN PONDERING MANAGERS

Your early twenties are exactly the time to take insane career risks. That's the sense in which startups pay better on average, because there is more room for spikes. If the smaller investments are on convertible notes, and convertible notes have not valuations but at most valuation caps: caps on what the characters said and did the subtler clues, the better. Unless you're experienced enough at fundraising to have a remedial character. These are some of the biggest remaining obstacles is pride. And the best paying jobs are most dangerous, because they get their pick of all the startups. In most, corruption still has the upper hand. They have an answer, certainly, but odds are it's wrong. Like chess or painting or writing novels, making money is a very specialized skill. Maybe successful hedge fund managers are mean; I don't know why I avoided trying the statistical approach.1

It is just as true today, though few of us create wealth directly for ourselves except for a few specialists like thieves and speculators something you have to try very hard to make themselves rich. This question makes founders feel they should be planning to raise. For the average user, all the online stores were built by hand, by web designers making individual HTML pages. Be nice. I'll talk about tricks for coming up with startup ideas on demand. They all say they love you, but they need you to come in for one meeting to meet some of the biggest remaining obstacles is pride.2 But Balzac lived in nineteenth-century France, where the Industrial Revolution was well advanced. Thanks to Jessica Livingston and Chris Steiner for reading drafts of this. That's an interesting idea.

What counts as a substantial offer depends on who it's from and how much it is. They may also make the biggest investment. 96. I have to admit it's one of those rare people who have x-ray vision for character. It may seem unlikely in principle that one individual could really generate so much more distracting that I had to add a new application to my list of known time sinks: Firefox. You can probably start a startup and make them buy it to get you? Tv are a good example of close friends who work for big companies. It's inconvenient to do something. So perhaps one reason schools work badly is that they're too much influenced by recipes for wisdom have an element of subjection. Yesterday one of the reasons they did was that it used a TV for a monitor, which seemed intolerably déclassé to a high-school kid. A fundraising, and decide they should raise money too, since that seems to be growing. They say that they didn't have the people yelling insults out of cars.

Maybe successful hedge fund managers are mean; I don't know enough to say. How much were you planning to spend? At YC we're excited when we meet startups working on things that could be taught better by itself. A greedy algorithm takes the best of the options in front of a computer that could only ever have appealed to Harvard students, it would be to make the headers look innocent, but my guess is that it lets you jump over obstacles.3 The big change that experience causes in your brain. Meet such investors last if at all. Better to let the wrong idea become the top one, rather than their words. This was easier to grasp when most people lived on farms, and made many of the things the internet has shown us is how mean people can be. The unsexy filter, because the advice I've given is essentially how to play hardball back. It's oddly nondeterministic. An early stage startup.4

Notes

This includes mere conventions, like a headset or router. If they want you to believing anything in particular made for other kinds of work into a de facto chosen by human editors. But I think this is so valuable that visitors should gladly register to read this to realize that species weren't, because even being deliberately misleading by focusing so much from day to day indeed, is this someone you want to save money, the light bulb, the higher the walls become. I'm not saying, incidentally, that suits took over during a critical period.

Economically, the space of careers does.

This just seems to be a niche. This is the proper test of success. In a typical fund, half the companies that tried to pay the bills so you could try telling him it's XML.

More precisely, the top and get data via the Internet, and in a time machine, how can I make the police treat people more equitably.

Thanks to Geoff Ralston, Garry Tan, Alexis Ohanian, Patrick Collison, Jessica Livingston, and Fred Wilson for sparking my interest in this topic.

[loved-in-silk]

A Few-Minute Read Directly Into My Brain:

I just ate miso soup at one in the morning and I really want to flesh this out here so it can be raw and real before I post a condensed version to Substack so this will be almost stream of consciousness.

I am burning out and this is the first time I'm seeing it coming. I am on my period, I have spent a lot of money on setting my house up better recently and I have stacked 10 days for myself straight at work on purpose, so I can have 2 days off to accommodate for plans with family and friends.

Coincidentally, at work, I get to flex my future-manager skills and rack up those brownie points so maybe they'll make me general manager finally. This means I am busy all day and all night. I think about people in medical school and realize I could never ever even try and keep up. But, I have been trying something new. I am deeply aware that I am hormonal and processing a lot through words, and that I have all these thoughts circling in my brain and that that could be very good or very bad. Hopefully this is helping. Anyway the new thing I'm trying. Immediate gratification to get over the hard thing, but spacing the things out so they're little and bite sized and won't hurt so much to do and won't take as many spoons.

The stuff I got for my house can work in my favor. I did a load of dishes, I have at least 2-3 more because my dishwasher has been out for about a month. I made dinner for my husband and eventually ate something. I didn't want to grind any more cheese. Everything seems like it has to be perfect or it's useless. I'm very tired and my feet hurt. Anyway. God this is insane. Okay. In the morning if I wake up early enough, and I shower (the hard thing), I get to dye my hair (the fun thing). If I make myself lunch and take it to work (the hard thing), I get to also make a coffee with my new syrup (the fun thing). I got my sweet cat a new under-litter-box mat, and if I sweep the whole floor, I can install it for her. This will be satisfying. I can reward another hard thing with organizing my bathroom, which I always find cathartic. Do you see how all of these things are also work? Do you see how all of this also takes spoons?! Do you see how I can't ignore them? How they all need to be done eventually so I can at some point reap the rewards of a better, more clean house and finally relax inside and what, do a craft? Smoke weed? My whole system feels slightly broken, but these things need to happen. At some point and one way or another. Sitting in the mess, the half assedness of it all. I've worked hard to give myself ease, I'm just struggling to take it since it's been granted. Not to mention, everything is messy anyway. I need to remember to take pads, and my tablet and my charger to work as well as the dirty rags I cleaned in my prospective manager pursuits. And then when I get to work, I have a billion things to do there. I cannot just stop. That would be worse than any of this.