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skinnyazn · 2 years ago

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In the Bleak Midwinter

The sequel to this story: The Masks We Wear

Ch.2 Pairing: Simon 'Ghost' Riley x F!Reader Chapters: 2/5 Notes: Simon wakes up from a lil nappy nap, he can't stop thinking of Jag but she's gone, what's a man to do??, it's a short chapter but sets up the next chapter

It’s like floating through zero Gs—weightless in an endless void, deprived of all senses. He must be dead. He’s not known this kind of peace since a past life, but that was so long ago. And it’s easy to give in to its blanket-like warmth. A promising caress enveloping his entire body, conforming to him soundly and telling him it’s ok to yield—to stay. It’s peaceful here.

It’s hotter now, a searing heat infecting his limbs. He must be in hell. He’s fevered and pained and it makes him crave his endless void. He wants to go back. The inferno consumes every extremity and organ. The darkness is ripped away; that warm blanket set on fire. Please take me back. But there’s no rest for ghosts.

____

The lights were too bright when Simon woke. The throb of his killer headache made him want to vomit and everything was spinning. Movement felt like trudging through mud. His fingers slowly probed his face and he let out a sigh when they scratched a fabric mask. He shifted on the bed and was hit with a wave of vertigo.

“Easy there, Simon.”

Things were staring to come into focus. A sterile room with a bland curtain. The steady beeping of a monitor. An IV in his arm.

“Fek, you’re a tough bastard, hey?”

Price. Johnny. Simon’s eyes scanned the rest of the room, searching for something he couldn’t quite remember.

“Welcome back to the land of the living.” Soap’s hand pressed softly onto Simon’s shoulder. It felt like needles.

Simon groaned. He opened his mouth to speak but it was all sandpaper.

“How long?” he croaked.

“Just under a week. We had to induce a coma with all the blood you lost,” Price said. “You’ve been drifting in and out the past five days.”

Searing heat and pain. Grasping for the void that wouldn’t come.

“Gave us quite the scare there, Ghost.”

“Worried about me, Johnny?”

The Scott smiled. “You know it.”

Simon groaned as he shifted. “Would murder for a water.”

Soap laughed and uncapped a bottle. He gently lifted the bottom of Simon’s mask and gave him a sip.

“Cheers.”

He screwed back on the cap.

“What happened in Kokshetau?” Soap asked in a low voice.

“Jesus, Soap, he’s only just bloody woken,” Price chided.

Cold and white and beautiful. Snow crystalized on long, black lashes. Red cheeks flushed with exertion.

He tried to recall more but the memories were slow to percolate.

“Bastard dead?”

Price exhaled. “Yeah, yeah. Plus three others. Mission accomplished, Simon. A job well done.”

Simon hummed contented. He closed his eyes.

“Let’s let him rest, Soap.” Price stood and left the room. Johnny started to rise from his chair.

“Johnny,” Simon spoke, eyes still closed.

“Awrite, chief?”

“How is she?”

“Sound and well,” he gave a weak half smile. “Back home now that the job’s done.”

Of course. He knew she’d leave when it was over. People in her line of work didn’t stick around; people like him never got closure. But some selfish part of him hoped that she’d stay—that she’d be here in this room when he woke up.

Stay alive. And I’ll tell you one of my biggest secrets.

“She did visit though. Quite a lot actually. She uh, slept in here the last night before she left.” Soap’s eyes weren’t subtle when they flicked to the pulse line on the monitor. He shifted in his seat.

“Good man, Johnny.”

Soap rested his hand on his shoulder and gave a nod. He shut the door quietly behind him on his way out.

____

It was weeks before Simon was out of bed and nearly back to himself. Considering his near-death status, he had progressed exceptionally. But he hated the mundaneness of physical therapy. The scar on his thigh itched, and he had too much time to think about her.

“When’s my next assignment?” he asked Price in the mess hall. His captain looked at him.

“Think you need some more time off, Simon.”

“Think I need my next assignment.”

The older man sighed. “Take another week off, keep up with your P.T.. We can revisit the subject then.”

Simon's stare was gelid but Price didn’t budge.

“That’s an order, L.T..”

The metal chair scraped across the linoleum floor as Simon stood and walked out of the room. He reached into his pocket for his phone and dialed a number.

“Simon, this is unexpected… to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Got a favor to ask, Laswell.”

***** For those who wanted to be tagged!

@emotion-no-hot-yes-hotel-trivago, @shuttlelauncher81, @k4marina, @embers-of-alluring

#ehehe #simon ghost riley x f!reader #simon ghost riley #simon ghost riley x reader #ghost x reader #ghost cod #cod ghost #cod fic #my fic #my fics #my writing #simon riley x you #mw2 fic #ghost mw2 #captain john price #oc #ghost x female reader #ghost x you #johnny soap mactavish

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pauldeckerus · 6 years ago

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Shooting a World First Expedition on the Essequibo River in Guyana

I removed the Canon C300 from its waterproof bag and attached the 24-105mm f/4.0 lens while swatting away the relentless mosquitoes. Bringing the viewfinder loupe up to my eye, my left hand flicked the power switch on, now a reflex action after shooting with this camera every day for the last three weeks. Nothing happened. Weird, I was certain I’d put in a fully charged battery.

I checked the battery indicator – yep, fully charged. I removed the battery, slid another one in and tried the On switch again. I noticed with a sinking feeling that, once again, nothing was happening. The camera was dead. It had survived one and a half months in the jungle of Guyana but now the daily exposure to the humid environment had proven too much.

Myself and the since deceased C300 Mark III

Ed and Charlie and the C300

I was out here shooting both photos and videos of an exceptional kayak team: Laura Bingham, Ness Knight, Pip Stewart and their guides from the Wai Wai tribe, as they attempted a world-first expedition: kayaking the Essequibo river from the source to its mouth in the Atlantic Ocean. All three women had completed extraordinary expeditions and challenges before and this trip was no exception. The rainforest was certainly living up to its reputation as a destroyer of equipment, we’d already lost a laptop and an iPhone. Luckily I also had the 5D Mark IV to shoot with, but it was now the only camera left with over a week of shooting still to be done.

How did I find myself here? Well, back in January I’d seen this tweet from Pip:

I responded and after a few emails and Skype calls with the team, it was all organized. Peiman Zekavat, who had worked previously with Pip on her South American Tranzamazonica documentary, would shoot the first section the expedition, a difficult hike through dense jungle to find the source of the river, and I would take over to shoot the kayaking section, down-river to the sea.

We’d actually both stepped in last-minute to replace the original videographer who unfortunately had to abandon the trip because of injury and although Peiman knew what he was doing, I had never before done any shooting in the jungle because most of my clients are involved in mountain sports. But hey, opportunities to shoot adventures like this don’t come along very often, so I jumped at the chance.

I went from shooting in the mountains to being chucked in at the deep end of the Essequibo River. Red Bull athlete Paul Guschlbauer

Pip Stewart tackling white water rapids on the Essequibo

This being my first trip to the jungle, I inevitably did a lot of preparation and research before I left. The images I saw of where we were heading looked like something out of Jurassic Park and, as well as being one of the most inaccessible places on earth, our location for the next couple of months was also full of jaguar, snakes, spiders, giant caiman, electric eels and piranha – I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous.

Numerous people told me it was a nightmare to operate camera equipment in this environment, and – as I discovered first-hand – even the toughest electronic equipment can only stand so much water and humidity. As instructed, I packed only minimal equipment: one set of ‘wet clothes’ (to wear on the kayaks), one set of dry clothes (for sleeping in), a sleeping bag, a head torch and a lot of sunscreen and mosquito repellent.

One of the sponsors, NRS, had provided the whole crew with excellent waterproof bags, which would prove crucial for keeping the camera equipment and clothes dry. Luckily, all the camera gear was already out there with Peiman, meaning I didn’t have to carry it to the airport myself!

Equipment packing for the trip (dog not included)

On March 14th I flew from London to Georgetown, the capital of Guyana, with Ed (Laura’s husband) their 9-month-old baby, Ran, and Charlie (Pip’s boyfriend). We met up with Sophia and Anders from Untamed Adventures, experts in adventure travel in Guyana, who handed over all the camera equipment left by Peiman.

There was a lot of gear – a Canon C300, Canon 5D Mark IV, five lenses, two drones and three GoPros, as well as all the cables and spare batteries that come with it. I wondered how on earth I would carry all this gear let alone fit it on the small kayaks?! After a few hours checking all the camera settings, formatting the memory cards, and finally packing everything up, I was good to go.

The next day we took a small, noisy Cessna from Georgetown into the middle of the jungle, getting our first glimpse of the Essequibo river on the way, shining like a silver foil snake in the green jungle below.

First view of the river from above

After some hair-raising low-level flying, we landed on a bumpy grass runway and were met by some people from the village of Apoteri who put us up in a wooden hut for the night (our first experience of the incredible hospitality of the Guyanese people).

The next morning I awoke with an awful stomach, not ideal considering we were about to spend all day traveling on the river. We organized two motorboats to take us and all our equipment upstream and after five or six hours on the boats, we reached King William Falls Lodge. Fay, the owner, was a great host, explaining a lot about the river and the surrounding environment. We stayed in her huts for the night and was I very relieved to at least have a toilet!

Travelling upstream in motorboats to locate the team

Feeling much better the next day, we continued on upstream, searching for Laura, Pip, Ness and their guides. It was slow progress as the river water was at its lowest and we often had to jump out of the boats to drag them across rocks or up small rapids. Here was my first real experience of the guilt that must surely be faced by anyone filming a documentary like this: standing by and filming rather than helping out. Although we joked about it as a team, this was something I faced every day on this expedition and it was a feeling with which I never became entirely comfortable.

Later that day and to our total surprise, we rounded a bend in the river and spotted some illuminated orange and blue shapes in the distance. My initial reaction was that it must be another group of people, which was ridiculous this far into the jungle as there was no one else around. With a lot of screaming and whooping, we realized it was the team and we raced over to them, everyone embracing and high-fiving.

It was great to finally see them all and it was quite a special moment to see Laura reunited with her child. Funnily enough here in the middle of the rainforest was actually my first time meeting all of them face-to-face as everything before this had been over Skype or Whatsapp.

Finally meeting the team and everyone having breakfast together at the side of the river

Now my job really began. For the next five weeks, I traveled with the team on the river, shooting all day and camping in our hammocks in the jungle at night. We saw everything from four-meter-long Caiman that growled at us to dark black scorpions that sometimes liked to hide in our bags.

More than once, our guides had to chase off jaguar that got a bit too close for comfort. The girls faced many challenges, including infections, dehydration, trench foot, stomach bugs and spider bites. I also had my own challenges with the filming and photography. I had to be one step ahead of everyone else, so along with taking care of my own health and organizing all my own equipment, I had to try and get interviews, scenic shots, action shots, drones shots, b-roll, time-lapses, for both photo and video.

There was also the problem of the ever-changing weather, from scorching temperatures to sudden downpours of torrential rain, meaning equipment maintenance was critical. Each evening I would backup everything onto two separate hard drives and use a noisy generator to charge the camera batteries (the generator also broke down, but our multi-talented guides managed to restore it to life).

Photo by Pip Stewart.

There was also the mental challenge, trying to stay motivated for such a long period of time, away from home and out of my comfort zone.

Left to right: Pip, Laura, and Ness

Romel (left) and Anthony (right).

Improvised waterproof housing in one of the daily downpours

Jon and Wai Wai guide, Anthony

Photo by Pip Stewart.

Photo by Charlie Hoare

However, after about a week, I’d fallen into a schedule and become used to sleeping in a hammock, we were getting great footage and I was loving all the new wildlife I was seeing. The team dynamic was also fun and laid-back, which helped when times got tough, and we learned so much from our guides. The people of Guyana were among the nicest people I’ve ever met and always welcomed us in.

The biggest thing I learned from this trip is to not be afraid to take on new opportunities and challenges. Although it sounded quite scary at first, and at times it certainly was very tough, I’m so happy I pushed myself and took on the challenge.

If I was to give some advice and tips, they would be:

Don’t underestimate the power of social media — I found this opportunity because I saw a Tweet!

Showing enthusiasm and motivation can sometimes be more powerful than experience

Keep your portfolio up-to-date and show off your best work

Always carry a camera cleaning kit, spare batteries and spare memory cards

In the jungle, always shake out your shoes in the morning before you put them on…!

Successfully reaching the Atlantic Ocean and completing the expedition From left to right: Romel, Anthony, Laura, Pip, Ness and Fay

Top to bottom: Laura, Ness and Pip before (left) and after (right) the trip.

About the author: Jon Williams is an outdoor and adventure sports photographer based in the Bavarian mountains, Germany. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. You can find more of Williams’ work on his website, 500px, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

from Photography News https://petapixel.com/2018/07/13/shooting-a-worlds-first-expedition-on-the-essequibo-river-in-guyana/

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dietcoachesofamerica · 7 years ago

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(images courtesy Mark Warnke/Men's Health)

The following men not only wanted to shape up, they took action and made their ambitions a reality.

Take a look at how they shifted their habits to improve their lives for years to come.

How Christopher Jacob lost 38 pounds in 4 years

After his wife had a heart attack in 2012 at age 45, Christopher Jacob knew they both had to make a change.

The father of three from Saudi Arabia had high cholesterol, and feared he was on a similar path.

Jacob and his wife both vowed to take shaping up seriously to ensure they would be around to support their kids for decades to come.

Despite a work schedule packed with travel as a director of human resources, Jacob made exercise a priority. While traveling, he would pick out his hotels based on the workout facilities, searching for options with either a pool to swim in or a gym to lift in.

Jacob would also follow along with fat-loss workout videos from Mens Health Fitness Director BJ Gaddour, C.S.C.S., to add variety and blast calories. (Gaddour just launched his newest and most intense fat-burning workout program ever with Mens Health, MetaShred Extreme.)

He also reigned in his calorie count to about 1,500 to 2,000 per day, using the app MyFitnessPal to track his intake. On days when he overdid it, he worked off the extra calories at the gym.

The 44 year old got off his cholesterol medication in January 2015 and has been off it ever since. The same motivating factor that pushed him to take action in the first place continues to drive him to keep the weight off today: His kids.

I am a family man, Jacob says. And I would like to see my kids grow, influence them in any means possible, and have an impact on their livesso that when the time comes to let them go, I know that I have taught them well.

How Ted Gibson lost 45 pounds in 6 months

The sexiest women in the world want Ted Gibson. Angelina Jolie, Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, and other A-listers line up for himfor haircuts, at a price of $1,500 a pop.

Related: The 100 Hottest Women Of All Time

But while New Yorks top hairstylist was busy growing his salon empire, his girth grew too.

I just wasnt exercising as much as I had been before, says Gibson, 50. And the weight slowly crept on.

As a 64, 200-pound ultralean bodybuilder in the early 1990s, Gibson had always been a naturally big, muscular guy.

But last January I hit 280, he says. I had less energy and my back hurt. I wanted to look amazing for my impending 50th birthday.

So Mens Health paired Gibson with Vinny Brandstadter of Peak Performance, a New York City gym just around the corner from his salon, and Mens Health nutrition advisor Mike Roussell, Ph.D.

Roussell worked to sneak healthy tweaks into Gibsons diet that wouldnt affect his overall lifestyle. He helped Gibson find healthy meals at each of the restaurants where his staff orders lunch every day.

Along with making key changes to his diet, Gibson hit the gym three days a week. Gibson did aerobic intervals that built his endurance and hour-long circuits that burned between 500 to 700 calories.

Related: The Lifting Technique That Flattens Your Belly

He admits he was nervous to not be the big guy anymore.

But Im now at 235 pounds, says Gibson. This is the best Ive felt in a long time. I have a lot more energy, my back doesnt hurt, and Im getting a lot of compliments.

How Yosef Herzog lost 50 pounds in 5 months

Yosef Herzog played sports in high school and college. But once he graduated, his structured workouts fell apart. Aside from intramural sports and some pickup basketball games in Manhattan, he rarely stepped foot in the gym.

The weight crept up on him. At 231 pounds, he began experiencing back pain and was out of breath after tying his shoes.

After trying to develop healthier habits and losing motivation after a couple weeks, Herzog signed up for the gym at his office.

His evaluation session didnt seem that tough: Lunges, planks, and pushups. But 20 minutes in, Herzog lost his lunchtwice.

I wouldnt say I was in Chris Farley territory, but I was definitely in bad shape, says Herzog.

He began alternating cardio and strength training, six days a week.

Herzog also cleaned up his diet. He swapped oatmeal in for his usual breakfast bagel, salad in for subs, and Mexican-style chicken and beans in for burgers.

In less than half a year, he weighed 181 pounds and needed new clothes. The fitter I got, he says, the more confident I felt.

How Bryan Hodgins lost 190 pounds in 2 years

From age 2, Bryan Hodgins had been overweightbut a lot changed for him at 17, when he got a job at a local grocery store.

Hodgins started in the heat of August 2014walking over a mile to get to the store where hed push carts and help customers pack their groceries. He weighed about 380 pounds at the time.

Related: Why Some People Sweat More Than Others

At first, Hodgins didnt think those 7-hour shifts had any impact on his body.

I didnt notice any difference, he says. I had family and people I work with, over the course of a year and a half that I was [at the store], tell me, Youve lost weight. And you know, I never believed them.

A little less than a year later after he started working at the grocery store, he was helping his family move and weigh metal at a scrap yard. On a whim, Hodgins decided to hop on one of the scalesand was floored by the result.

I can still remember the number as clear as day as being 247 pounds, Hodgins says.

He had lost about 140 pounds.

Even though the weight loss was accidental, the significant amount of pounds hed dropped really began to sink in.

When you see a number that low, from what youve started at, you get a sense of accomplishment, he says. And so I tried eating better.

Hodgins began incorporating more protein-rich foods like chicken and eggs and eliminating packaged sweets and salty snacks.

He also started working out with a friend from work.

They made me do mountain-climbers and pushups and situps, Hodgins says. They kicked my ass when it came down to it.

Now down to 190 pounds, Hodgins is studying to be a paramedic. He hopes to eventually enlist as a combat medical technician in the armed forces.

How Mark Warnke lost 53 pounds in 4 months

Mark Warnke had just booked tickets to propose to his girlfriend on the beach when she ended the relationship.

Warnke was devastated. But in the aftermath of his breakup, he decided it was the perfect time to take control of his life.

He started in the kitchen.

Warnke switched out his frozen meals and canned soups with chicken breast and fresh vegetables that he could throw on the grill Sunday night and eat for the rest of the week.

In the past, Warnke had tried trends like cutting carbs and diet pills, but nothing worked better than eating whole foods.

He also started doing bodyweight workouts on the Mens Health website.

Soon Warnke was able to put his heartburn medication away and after only a month of his new training regimen, Warnke had to go out and buy all new pants.

He was down 53 pounds total four months after the breakup.

But if you ask Warnke, he didnt lose the weight to spite his ex-girlfriend.

It wasnt an, Im going to show her, he says. It was an Im going to be the best person I can be.

How Jake Galicia lost 86 pounds in 2.5 years

When Jake Galicias blood test results came in, he was shocked to find out he had high blood sugar and lipid levels. At 29, Galicia thought he was too young to be on the borderline for metabolic diseases like diabetes.

Galicia had always been on the heavier sideat the time he was 247 poundsbut the new father could not stand the idea that his condition might someday stop him from watching his toddler grow up.

In February 2012, Galicia started a low-carb diet full of protein and vegetables.

Despite working sporadic shifts at an insurance company, Galicia made it a priority to squeeze in workouts.

Galicia would exercise anytime between the early morning and midnight, depending on when his shift fell that daybut he always made time.

Initially hed hit the gym to run on the treadmill or complete circuit workouts. But as the fat began melting off, he started incorporating strength training into his workouts to gain muscle.

And those odd hours at the gym were well spent. Galicia eventually shed 10 inches from his waist.

Now 33 years old, he says perseverance was key to his weight-loss success.

No matter how hard it may seem, you have to finish your workout, he says. This is how your body exceeds its known limits, preparing you to face more difficult physical tasks.

This article originally appeared on MensHealth.com.