#i moved to Brisbane to save for a house back home

[maaagnetize]

Cobra Pose: Yoga Mat Mysteries by Susan Rogers & John Roosen

 Book Summary:

Australia is a surfers’ paradise … but this nefarious surfing on the ‘net’ … will destroy the global financial system.

It’s not just a rippling ‘scam’ job. Has Australia been infiltrated at levels they’ve never known?

 Elaina Williams uses a Cobra Pose in her Yoga studio to boost her energy – she will need it! Elaina’s father, Edward, is in trouble. He’s disappeared.

 As a solicitor and now yoga instructor, Elaina drags Ric, a man she’s fallen for, into the bursting web of techno-thrilling intrigue.

 Ric Peters has just returned from a disastrous trip to Indonesia. Ric bills himself as a photojournalist. Elaina suspects he shoots more than just photographs. Ric has insight into the journey he and Elaina must take. He knows Elaina isn’t ready for what’s going to happen. There are too many moving parts for him to control.

 Time is running out before The Cobra and The Wolf strike with their heist. They are extending their fangs towards Australia’s ‘golden coastline’ to bite into and destabilise financial institutions worldwide.

 The sparkling sub-tropical city of Brisbane, Queensland, is the epicentre of this hacking tsunami of the century! But these hackers are good at hiding. They make a living out of it. They are submerged Phantoms leaving no tracks.

Can the burgeoning amateur sleuth Elaina piece this puzzle together before her father’s fate is sealed? How far is Ric willing to go in deciding to save Elaina … or Australia?

 Cobra Pose is the suspense-thriller and second novel in the Yoga Mat Mysteries series. This book is filled with a snappy plot, dynamic prose, witty dialogue, and slow-burn chemistry. You’ll love Susan Rogers and John Roosen’s atmospheric whodunit. Click Cobra Pose to stretch your sense of adventure today!

 Buy the Book – Amazon

 Reviews:

Elaina Williams and Ric Peters are back at it in the second installment of the Yoga Mat series, Cobra Pose. This time, things hit even closer to home when Elaina’s father, Dr. Edward Williams goes missing. After Elaina doesn’t hear from her father in a week, she calls Ric up to enlist him in helping her find the doctor. In a note he had left her, he had said he was going bushwalking but did not leave any dates or other information. Elaina leaves her staff at Yoga Boronia to run the business and goes from Sydney to Brisbane with Ric to find her father. Knowing that her father is adept at technology, specifically cyber-security and data protection, Elaina starts to put the clues together and realizes her father may have been kidnapped by someone who has a use for his skillset.

 There are so many well-thought-out parts to this book as in the first book. I love the relationship between Elaina and Ric although at times it seems that Ric is distracted and gives Elaina mixed messages. His obsession with only the best coffee and his taking up of tea draw humor into the book because Ric is such a masculine character. It is clear they both still care for one another. The scenery the characters pass through as they complete their adventure is descriptive yet not overbearing to the point it will bore the reader. The clues that Dr. Williams leaves Elaina are realistic, yet make the reader feel like there is a Nancy Drew element strewn throughout. The kidnappers who have different backgrounds each have very specific characteristics as well and the dialogue between the characters brings them to life. Elaina’s Uncle Max intercepts his way into the story when Ric and Elaina run into him after searching her father’s house. As Max’s dual identity reveals itself, the big guns are called in to help. Both Ric and Max’s backgrounds are very secretive, however, it is clear that they have resources at their disposal. I also love how a dummy yoga studio is created to bait the hackers/kidnappers. Genius!

 With the latest Australian cyber-attacks occurring, this book delves into the topic of cyber hacking and the reason that cyber security is so important, both personally and in business. Cobra Pose is a cat-and-mouse game full of action, adventure, and danger. With twists and turns throughout the plot and a tearjerker moment that puts readers into a final stage of suspense, authors Rogers and Roosen have put together yet another fantastic thriller.  

Reviewed By: Kristi Elizabeth, San Francisco Book Review

  About the Authors

What do a woman, who used to train military personnel how to shoot straight, and a man, skilled at eradicating all sorts of hazardous materials safely, have in common? Both were designated law enforcement officers and they have now written two ‘knock ’em dead’ books … together!

 John Roosen started his career as a biologist, served as a commissioned naval officer and environmental emergency specialist in the United States, and has lived and worked in Australasia, Antarctica, the Americas and the Middle East. At a moment’s notice, he would respond to chemical and refinery plant explosions, deal with rocket fuel plant meltdowns and dismantle illegal drug labs. With Susan, John delivered international security and safety training against terrorism to ports in the Pacific. As a change-up, John switched careers to chasing pirates and duelling with a con artist extraordinaire on a remote South Pacific island. In between, he organised jungle expeditions and deep-sea scuba diving. However, John’s experience extends beyond responding to cataclysmic disasters and includes mastering the intricacies of making soufflé omelettes without burning the edges.

 Susan Rogers already knew she was a writer at age six, but her life took a major detour when she became a commissioned naval officer. As a designated law enforcement officer, she was boarding ships at sea and conducting structural and safety inspections. In addition, she developed civil defence programs for civilian populations. With John, Susan orchestrated sting operations. Susan also ran extensive weapons training programs and managed emergency responses for natural and man-made disasters. Susan worked in Australasia, the Pacific, the Americas and the Middle East. While posted in Abu Dhabi, she ran health and safety operations for multi-billion-dollar projects along the Persian Gulf. In her spare time, she directed the restoration of a Presidential yacht. In between, she has written several books and revamped a South Pacific maritime service. Susan continues to write: whether braced against the hull of a sailing vessel on a hard tack, during a crossing of the Middle East’s empty quarter in a Mini or bouncing around in a troop carrier in Australia’s outback.

 After writing Surviving Paradise about their life in the South Pacific, John and Susan hatched their Yoga Mat Mysteries series. Dead Man’s Pose is first in the line-up, with Cobra Pose as the second book. Next will be Tree Pose – coming soon!

[unendingbooklist]

Cobra Pose: Yoga Mat Mysteries by Susan Rogers & John Roosen

 Book Summary:

Australia is a surfers’ paradise … but this nefarious surfing on the ‘net’ … will destroy the global financial system.

It’s not just a rippling ‘scam’ job. Has Australia been infiltrated at levels they’ve never known?

Elaina Williams uses a Cobra Pose in her Yoga studio to boost her energy – she will need it! Elaina’s father, Edward, is in trouble. He’s disappeared.

As a solicitor and now yoga instructor, Elaina drags Ric, a man she’s fallen for, into the bursting web of techno-thrilling intrigue.

Ric Peters has just returned from a disastrous trip to Indonesia. Ric bills himself as a photojournalist. Elaina suspects he shoots more than just photographs. Ric has insight into the journey he and Elaina must take. He knows Elaina isn’t ready for what’s going to happen. There are too many moving parts for him to control.

Time is running out before The Cobra and The Wolf strike with their heist. They are extending their fangs towards Australia’s ‘golden coastline’ to bite into and destabilise financial institutions worldwide.

The sparkling sub-tropical city of Brisbane, Queensland, is the epicentre of this hacking tsunami of the century! But these hackers are good at hiding. They make a living out of it. They are submerged Phantoms leaving no tracks.

Can the burgeoning amateur sleuth Elaina piece this puzzle together before her father’s fate is sealed? How far is Ric willing to go in deciding to save Elaina … or Australia?

Cobra Pose is the suspense-thriller and second novel in the Yoga Mat Mysteries series. This book is filled with a snappy plot, dynamic prose, witty dialogue, and slow-burn chemistry. You’ll love Susan Rogers and John Roosen’s atmospheric whodunit. Click Cobra Pose to stretch your sense of adventure today!

 Buy the Book – Amazon

 Reviews:

Elaina Williams and Ric Peters are back at it in the second installment of the Yoga Mat series, Cobra Pose. This time, things hit even closer to home when Elaina’s father, Dr. Edward Williams goes missing. After Elaina doesn’t hear from her father in a week, she calls Ric up to enlist him in helping her find the doctor. In a note he had left her, he had said he was going bushwalking but did not leave any dates or other information. Elaina leaves her staff at Yoga Boronia to run the business and goes from Sydney to Brisbane with Ric to find her father. Knowing that her father is adept at technology, specifically cyber-security and data protection, Elaina starts to put the clues together and realizes her father may have been kidnapped by someone who has a use for his skillset.

There are so many well-thought-out parts to this book as in the first book. I love the relationship between Elaina and Ric although at times it seems that Ric is distracted and gives Elaina mixed messages. His obsession with only the best coffee and his taking up of tea draw humor into the book because Ric is such a masculine character. It is clear they both still care for one another. The scenery the characters pass through as they complete their adventure is descriptive yet not overbearing to the point it will bore the reader. The clues that Dr. Williams leaves Elaina are realistic, yet make the reader feel like there is a Nancy Drew element strewn throughout. The kidnappers who have different backgrounds each have very specific characteristics as well and the dialogue between the characters brings them to life. Elaina’s Uncle Max intercepts his way into the story when Ric and Elaina run into him after searching her father’s house. As Max’s dual identity reveals itself, the big guns are called in to help. Both Ric and Max’s backgrounds are very secretive, however, it is clear that they have resources at their disposal. I also love how a dummy yoga studio is created to bait the hackers/kidnappers. Genius!

With the latest Australian cyber-attacks occurring, this book delves into the topic of cyber hacking and the reason that cyber security is so important, both personally and in business. Cobra Pose is a cat-and-mouse game full of action, adventure, and danger. With twists and turns throughout the plot and a tearjerker moment that puts readers into a final stage of suspense, authors Rogers and Roosen have put together yet another fantastic thriller. 

 Reviewed By: Kristi Elizabeth, San Francisco Book Review

  About the Authors

What do a woman, who used to train military personnel how to shoot straight, and a man, skilled at eradicating all sorts of hazardous materials safely, have in common? Both were designated law enforcement officers and they have now written two ‘knock ’em dead’ books … together!

John Roosen started his career as a biologist, served as a commissioned naval officer and environmental emergency specialist in the United States, and has lived and worked in Australasia, Antarctica, the Americas and the Middle East. At a moment’s notice, he would respond to chemical and refinery plant explosions, deal with rocket fuel plant meltdowns and dismantle illegal drug labs. With Susan, John delivered international security and safety training against terrorism to ports in the Pacific. As a change-up, John switched careers to chasing pirates and duelling with a con artist extraordinaire on a remote South Pacific island. In between, he organised jungle expeditions and deep-sea scuba diving. However, John’s experience extends beyond responding to cataclysmic disasters and includes mastering the intricacies of making soufflé omelettes without burning the edges.

Susan Rogers already knew she was a writer at age six, but her life took a major detour when she became a commissioned naval officer. As a designated law enforcement officer, she was boarding ships at sea and conducting structural and safety inspections. In addition, she developed civil defence programs for civilian populations. With John, Susan orchestrated sting operations. Susan also ran extensive weapons training programs and managed emergency responses for natural and man-made disasters. Susan worked in Australasia, the Pacific, the Americas and the Middle East. While posted in Abu Dhabi, she ran health and safety operations for multi-billion-dollar projects along the Persian Gulf. In her spare time, she directed the restoration of a Presidential yacht. In between, she has written several books and revamped a South Pacific maritime service. Susan continues to write: whether braced against the hull of a sailing vessel on a hard tack, during a crossing of the Middle East’s empty quarter in a Mini or bouncing around in a troop carrier in Australia’s outback.

After writing Surviving Paradise about their life in the South Pacific, John and Susan hatched their Yoga Mat Mysteries series. Dead Man’s Pose is first in the line-up, with Cobra Pose as the second book. Next will be Tree Pose – coming soon!

[bluntshroom]

Cobra Pose: Yoga Mat Mysteries by Susan Rogers & John Roosen

 Book Summary:

Australia is a surfers’ paradise … but this nefarious surfing on the ‘net’ … will destroy the global financial system.

It’s not just a rippling ‘scam’ job. Has Australia been infiltrated at levels they’ve never known?

Elaina Williams uses a Cobra Pose in her Yoga studio to boost her energy – she will need it! Elaina’s father, Edward, is in trouble. He’s disappeared.

As a solicitor and now yoga instructor, Elaina drags Ric, a man she’s fallen for, into the bursting web of techno-thrilling intrigue.

Ric Peters has just returned from a disastrous trip to Indonesia. Ric bills himself as a photojournalist. Elaina suspects he shoots more than just photographs. Ric has insight into the journey he and Elaina must take. He knows Elaina isn’t ready for what’s going to happen. There are too many moving parts for him to control.

Time is running out before The Cobra and The Wolf strike with their heist. They are extending their fangs towards Australia’s ‘golden coastline’ to bite into and destabilise financial institutions worldwide.

The sparkling sub-tropical city of Brisbane, Queensland, is the epicentre of this hacking tsunami of the century! But these hackers are good at hiding. They make a living out of it. They are submerged Phantoms leaving no tracks.

Can the burgeoning amateur sleuth Elaina piece this puzzle together before her father’s fate is sealed? How far is Ric willing to go in deciding to save Elaina … or Australia?

Cobra Pose is the suspense-thriller and second novel in the Yoga Mat Mysteries series. This book is filled with a snappy plot, dynamic prose, witty dialogue, and slow-burn chemistry. You’ll love Susan Rogers and John Roosen’s atmospheric whodunit. Click Cobra Pose to stretch your sense of adventure today!

 Buy the Book – Amazon

 Reviews:

Elaina Williams and Ric Peters are back at it in the second installment of the Yoga Mat series, Cobra Pose. This time, things hit even closer to home when Elaina’s father, Dr. Edward Williams goes missing. After Elaina doesn’t hear from her father in a week, she calls Ric up to enlist him in helping her find the doctor. In a note he had left her, he had said he was going bushwalking but did not leave any dates or other information. Elaina leaves her staff at Yoga Boronia to run the business and goes from Sydney to Brisbane with Ric to find her father. Knowing that her father is adept at technology, specifically cyber-security and data protection, Elaina starts to put the clues together and realizes her father may have been kidnapped by someone who has a use for his skillset.

There are so many well-thought-out parts to this book as in the first book. I love the relationship between Elaina and Ric although at times it seems that Ric is distracted and gives Elaina mixed messages. His obsession with only the best coffee and his taking up of tea draw humor into the book because Ric is such a masculine character. It is clear they both still care for one another. The scenery the characters pass through as they complete their adventure is descriptive yet not overbearing to the point it will bore the reader. The clues that Dr. Williams leaves Elaina are realistic, yet make the reader feel like there is a Nancy Drew element strewn throughout. The kidnappers who have different backgrounds each have very specific characteristics as well and the dialogue between the characters brings them to life. Elaina’s Uncle Max intercepts his way into the story when Ric and Elaina run into him after searching her father’s house. As Max’s dual identity reveals itself, the big guns are called in to help. Both Ric and Max’s backgrounds are very secretive, however, it is clear that they have resources at their disposal. I also love how a dummy yoga studio is created to bait the hackers/kidnappers. Genius!

With the latest Australian cyber-attacks occurring, this book delves into the topic of cyber hacking and the reason that cyber security is so important, both personally and in business. Cobra Pose is a cat-and-mouse game full of action, adventure, and danger. With twists and turns throughout the plot and a tearjerker moment that puts readers into a final stage of suspense, authors Rogers and Roosen have put together yet another fantastic thriller. 

 Reviewed By: Kristi Elizabeth, San Francisco Book Review

  About the Authors

What do a woman, who used to train military personnel how to shoot straight, and a man, skilled at eradicating all sorts of hazardous materials safely, have in common? Both were designated law enforcement officers and they have now written two ‘knock ’em dead’ books … together!

John Roosen started his career as a biologist, served as a commissioned naval officer and environmental emergency specialist in the United States, and has lived and worked in Australasia, Antarctica, the Americas and the Middle East. At a moment’s notice, he would respond to chemical and refinery plant explosions, deal with rocket fuel plant meltdowns and dismantle illegal drug labs. With Susan, John delivered international security and safety training against terrorism to ports in the Pacific. As a change-up, John switched careers to chasing pirates and duelling with a con artist extraordinaire on a remote South Pacific island. In between, he organised jungle expeditions and deep-sea scuba diving. However, John’s experience extends beyond responding to cataclysmic disasters and includes mastering the intricacies of making soufflé omelettes without burning the edges.

Susan Rogers already knew she was a writer at age six, but her life took a major detour when she became a commissioned naval officer. As a designated law enforcement officer, she was boarding ships at sea and conducting structural and safety inspections. In addition, she developed civil defence programs for civilian populations. With John, Susan orchestrated sting operations. Susan also ran extensive weapons training programs and managed emergency responses for natural and man-made disasters. Susan worked in Australasia, the Pacific, the Americas and the Middle East. While posted in Abu Dhabi, she ran health and safety operations for multi-billion-dollar projects along the Persian Gulf. In her spare time, she directed the restoration of a Presidential yacht. In between, she has written several books and revamped a South Pacific maritime service. Susan continues to write: whether braced against the hull of a sailing vessel on a hard tack, during a crossing of the Middle East’s empty quarter in a Mini or bouncing around in a troop carrier in Australia’s outback.

After writing Surviving Paradise about their life in the South Pacific, John and Susan hatched their Yoga Mat Mysteries series. Dead Man’s Pose is first in the line-up, with Cobra Pose as the second book. Next will be Tree Pose – coming soon!

[buyingagentbrisbane]

Property Buyer's Agent: Your Key to a Successful Real Estate Purchase

Introduction

Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions you'll ever make. It's also one of the most stressful. If you're trying to navigate the real estate market on your own, you may find yourself overwhelmed with paperwork, fees and details that can make this process even more difficult than it needs to be. A property buyers agent can help eliminate some of these obstacles by handling all the details for you so that you can focus on finding your dream home.

The advantages of using a property buyer's agent.

You save time and money.

You save stress because the agent will do all of the work for you, so you can sit back and relax while they find a property that meets your needs.

The agent will also help negotiate better deals on properties, which can lead to huge savings over time!

A buyer's agent is there to protect your interests as well as theirs--they only want what's best for YOU! This means that if something goes wrong with a transaction (and sometimes things go wrong), then they'll fight for YOU instead of just giving up or accepting defeat like some other real estate agents might do in those situations."

Understanding the role of a buyer's agent.

As a buyer's agent, my role is to represent your interests. I do this by looking out for the things that are most important to you and guiding you through the process of buying real estate.

I can help with:

Finding properties that meet your needs and budget requirements.

Being present at open houses as well as private showings so that we can discuss them later in detail if necessary.

Negotiating on your behalf with sellers who are willing but not eager to accept offers below asking price (and sometimes even above).

Finding the right property buyer's agent for your purchase.

When you're looking for a property buyer's agent, it's important to make sure they have experience in the area you want to buy in. Check their credentials and make sure they are licensed. Ask for references and check them out thoroughly before deciding whether or not to work with them.

Look for agents who have a good reputation in your community, both among other real estate agents as well as the general public (ask around). These people will be more likely to help you find the right place at the right price than someone who has only recently moved into town or doesn't know many people yet.

A buyer's agent will take care of all the details so you can focus on the place you love.

As a buyer's agent, I will work with you to find the best property for your needs. I will help you locate properties that meet your requirements and guide you through the process of making an offer on one of them. I'll also negotiate on your behalf, ensuring that all terms are fair from both sides. Once we have accepted an offer on a property, my role continues as I assist in completing all paperwork and ensure there are no surprises during closing day.

Conclusion

In the end, the role of a buyer's agent is to help you find the right property and make sure that everything goes smoothly with your purchase. They will take care of all the details so you can focus on what matters most: finding a place where you can call home.

To also know about Brisbane buyer agent visit our website : https://www.hotpropertybuyersagency.com.au/

[baeseungcheolie]

Part 1. 𝑹𝒐𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 - 𝑱𝒂𝒚, 𝑱𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒏

Word Count : 2.3k

Genre : Roomates AU, Smut

Warnings : mentions on polygamy (there's going to be some or a lot in all chapters) Nothing else rn ;)

𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐥(𝐬) 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞. 𝐃𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.

Previous | Masterlist | Next

You look up fighting against the bright sun at the apartment complex Heeseung had driven you to in Brisbane. This was the first time you had been here and it had been an okay experience. Besides the bunch of Mayflies you thought were chasing after Heeseung's car, everything was okay.

You don't know why you decided on getting your degree in a foreign country at 19. Maybe it was an act of rebelling against your parents, especially your mother who was hell bent on keeping you with her in your sheltered house just so she could marry you off to a rich man you'd meet a month before your wedding at 21 so you could have comfortable but definitely unhappy post marital life.

At last, they gave in and convinced you to let them pay your rent and give you pocket money because at the end of the day, they were caring parents and no good parents wanted their child to have hardships in a different environment.

At last, they gave in and convinced you to let them pay your rent and give you pocket money because at the end of the day, they were caring parents and no good parents wanted their child to have hardships in a different environment.

Though you didn't know who you were staying with until 2 weeks before, Heeseung said he had chosen the best apartment for you. Hee was your neighbour and senior since middle school and was one of the closest friends you had. Though there wasn't a romantic relationship between the two of you, people most of the times perceived so and had saved you both from various awkward and uncomfortable situations.

He said you were rooming with 3 other people, all of your age, from the same University too. He had moved to Darwin, a year before soon after graduating hight school. He knew these people and said that they would take care of you as he wouldn't be able to be with you all the time. You thought he was overreacting because you had previously survived a year before him and how hard would it be for someone like you (you perceived yourself to be a very adaptable person) to survive college?

Making your way to the apartment, you knocked on the door while Heeseung shuffled behind with your luggage. The door opened revealing a pretty boy around your age, who looks at you with confusion and another weird look in his eyes. Then his eyes land on Heeseung and he lets out a low sound of exclamation.

"Hyung! Oh my god it's been so long! How are you?" He says

Heeseung just lets out a short laugh and makes way to hug him. "I've been good Jay, and yes. It has been long since i saw you three. You've grown so much," He says the last sentence in a teasing voice.

The boy, Jay just grumbles and pushes his hair back. He's hot, tall build with wide shoulders. He then throws you a smile and asks Heeseung,"Is this your friend who is supposed to be rooming with us?" He says trying to be respectful and not eye your figure up and down. "Please come in!"

Heeseung walks in front and you follow behind. The apartment is cute, it's big but still has a homely vibe to it. You were happy you shared the little rent with 3 other people. That made housing one less problem for you.

You were surprised to see another boy with honey blonde hair sitting on the dining table. He looks up and you fight the urge to coo at his puppy like face. He smiles at you and Heeseung and makes way towards the both of you.

"Hyung! Hi! How are you?" He asks excitedly, making Heeseung laugh.

"I'm alright Jake how are you?"

"I'm alright, you must be _____. It's nice to finally meet you, Hyung has told us a lot about you." He says, thick Australian accent makes its way out as he speaks making it known that he was probably born here.

You smile brightly at him too, "It's nice to meet you to, although Heeseung hasn't told me anything about the 2 of you, i thought i was rooming with all girls,"

"Ahh i might have forgotten to mention it before," Heeseung mutters sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.

"Ah don't worry about that, Hoonie will be home soon," Jay says in a teasing manner making Jake and Heeseung chuckle. Heeseung turns to you, reminding you to call him and your parents as he leaves.

Jake looks at you and leads you to your room by holding your hand. He takes you to the right of the hallway and stands in front of a mahogany painted door. He opens it and you smile at the interior. It was a cozy room. There was a bid bed and a desk area for your work. It looked freshly clean which you were glad for.

You place your things on the floor for now, falling face first onto your bed. So tired, you couldn't really be bothered to take care of that shit right now. Sleep was the only thing on your mind.

Until Jake knocked on your door. You groaned slowly. Standing up, you're met with the boy who has an apologetic look on his face. You smile at him, not wanting him to feel bad.

"Hoonie is here," he say and pulls you to the living room. There's a new voice, smooth but still a strong sound. A boy is standing with his back facing you, shirtless. You can't help but let your eyes run over his lean back. And he certainly is an attractive dude.

"Meet Hoonie," Jake says with a mischievous chuckle. Hoonie (who you were convinced was a girl but guess not) turns around. He's so pretty, you don't think describing his features would do his looks justice.

He smirks as he continues staring at you, eyebrows slightly raised. He quickly puts on the top that you guessed he discarded on the sofa and walks towards you.

"I'm Sunghoon," he says with a dashing smile, water bottle fiddling between his fingers. "And you are... Our new roommate I'm assuming?"

"You assumed correct," mentally thanking God for not letting his presence affect your voice, you tell him your name. "I'm sorry, I assumed you were a girl. Or atleast that's what Heeseung and these two implied."

He rolls his eyes playfully and tosses the waterbottle in his hand to Jay, who catches it snickering. "These two are absolute idiots, and Heeseung hyung loves making fun of me. Don't worry about it."

The four of you make way towards the dining space. You, Jay and Jake sit down, though Sunghoon goes back to the kitchen and comes back quickly with a glass of water and notebook. He hands the notebook to Jay who looks at you expectantly.

"So... We don't want to hold you up here for too long. You look tired so I'll get straight to the point. The important thing about living witha group of people is doing your chores on time."

He continues explaining the who'd do which chore. Jake will do the cleaning, Jay does all the cooking, you do the laundry and Sunghoon buys all the groceries.

"Uh won't all the groceries be a little too much for Sunghoon?" You ask uncertainty. Jake laughes, "Don't worry about it, he's rich." He says jokingly.

Sunghoon gasps, "Are you using me for my money Jaeyun? But jokes aside, don't worry about that, I'm more than happy to take care of it. Plus Jay gets cranky if you don't shop properly."

Jay grumbles at Sunghoon and sighs. "That's pretty much it. Hope we all can live in a civil manner and see how this year ends."

You all agree.

Really wishing this year ends well.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

A loud pterodactyl-like scream rang through the house while jay and you sat on the dining table making you wince in your seat. Jay just rolled his eyes, continuing reading his accountancy reference book and motioned you to keep completing your psychology paper.

Jake comes in running through the door with Sunghoon hot on his heels. Jay lazily throws them a questioning look.

"Sunghoon attacked me! He said he was running less on cranberry juice but  i told him we ran out. He automatically assumed I drank it and hit me!"

Jay smirks,"Why Hoonie? Is your period near?" This makes the three of you snicker. Sunghoon grabs the chair Jake was going to sit on and glares at him.

"Jake is the only juice thief here, if not you then who else bitch boy?" Sunghoon asks mockingly.

Jay looks at you amused. He knew you drank it last week but decides to say nothing, waiting for you to fess up. You reluctantly break eye contact and raise your hand up.

Sunghoon looks at you, eyes wide. Jake just looks offended about having to take one of Sunghoon's slaps for something that was your fault.

"In my defence, I was for real on my period," you say apologetically.

They didn't really want to say anything to that. You felt guilty so you suggested the worst thing you could suggest to three dirty minded boys.

"How about I owe you a favor Hoonie?" You asked expectantly

"What about me? I got hit because of you" Jake grumbled.

"Fine you big baby, you too. What would you want me to do? Do you want me to buy you something?" You asked, returning back to your laptop.

Sunghoon was awfully quiet. Jay and Jake noticed it before you could. They had discussed this previously. But they weren't sure how you'd take what they were going to ask you.

"Will you let me eat you out?" Your eyes widened at his question. Where did that come from? You looked at Jay who had a calm expression on his face and then at Jake who was itching in his seat. You turned to him.

"What's your favour Jake?" You asked gulping, avoiding to look at Sunghoon who's eyes did not leave your face. Jake gave you the same look the other two boys had on.

"Will you let me eat you out?"

Your mouth opens and closes like a fish. You close your laptop and stand up hurriedly. Making your way to the kitchen you say "Please pick something else."

Jake looks at Jay and Sunghoon perplexed, but Jay just motions him to calm down. Sunghoon also stands up, following behind you.

"Why not?" He asks calmly. You look at him surprised. "Sunghoon. What are you guys talking about. We're roommates and you two are saying you want to have sex with me?"

"All three of us," Jay says with a sigh, now standing next to Sunghoon. Jake followed suit. You look at the three men eyes wide. "No! Three guys and one girl? How is that normal? Are you out of your minds?" You say opening the fridge, popping an ice cube in your mouth and chewing it harshly.

"You said you wanted to peg Jake the last time we drank together." Sunghoon says raising an eyebrow. Jake's eyes light up at that and he looks at you expectantly. You shake your head again.

"I must have been drunk or something. Plus pegging isn't even that bad. Polygamy is just so taboo?? What if Heeseung or my parents find out and make me come back home?"

Jay takes your hand and guides you to the couch. He rubs your knuckles comfortingly and you sigh. "Your parents won't find out darling. See, we're not going to force you to do anything with us. We just want to to give us a chance. If you like it, we can decide what happens later and if you don't, we'll stop at once. It won't be weird or awkward and we'll try our best to make you feel comfortable."

You knew it originally was not their idea. You had come up with it. First you said it when you were drunk, but the next day you had suggested it for a short moment. Jay being the most observing, never really forgot about this. All of them always found you attractive and had developed feelings for you the first month you moved in. They did not want to fight and ruin their friendship over you because they valued both a lot.

"So, will you give us a chance?" Jake asked, eyes filled with lust.

You gulped again, not believing what you were about to say.

"When?"

First Chapter! I feel like it's shit but next chapter will be smut and im excited for that hehe

☼ Taglist ☼

@deobitifull @abdiitcryy @idkmaybeimgay @axartia @astra-line

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[richincolor]

New Releases For The Rest of 2020

The year ends with a number of books we've all been anticipating which makes for lots of great reading for us during the winter holidays. What books are you looking forward to?

A Sky Beyond the Storm (An Ember in the Ashes #4) by Sabaa Tahir Razorbill

Picking up just a few months after A Reaper at the Gates left off…

The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning.

At his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family.

Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory–or to an unimaginable doom.

And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life–and love–he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save–or destroy–all that he knows. ��� Cover image and summary via Goodreads

Heiress Apparently (Daughters of the Dynasty #1) by Diana Ma Amulet

Gemma Huang is a recent transplant to Los Angeles from Illinois, having abandoned plans for college to pursue a career in acting, much to the dismay of her parents. Now she’s living with three roommates in a two-bedroom hovel, auditioning for bit roles that hardly cover rent. Gemma’s big break comes when she’s asked to play a lead role in an update of M. Butterfly filming for the summer in Beijing. When she arrives, she’s stopped by paparazzi at the airport. She quickly realizes she may as well be the twin of one of the most notorious young socialites in Beijing. Thus kicks off a summer of revelations, in which Gemma uncovers a legacy her parents have spent their lives protecting her from—one her mother would conceal from her daughter at any cost. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person by Frederick Joseph Candlewick Press

“We don’t see color.” “I didn’t know Black people liked Star Wars!” “What hood are you from?” For Frederick Joseph, life in a mostly white high school as a smart and increasingly popular transfer student was full of wince-worthy moments that he often simply let go. As he grew older, however, he saw these as missed opportunities not only to stand up for himself, but to spread awareness to the white friends and acquaintances who didn’t see the negative impact they were having and who would change if they knew how.

Speaking directly to the reader, The Black Friend calls up race-related anecdotes from the author’s past, weaving in his thoughts on why they were hurtful and how he might handle things differently now. Each chapter includes the voice of at least one artist or activist, including Tarell Alvin McCraney, screenwriter of Moonlight; April Reign, creator of #OscarsSoWhite; Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give; and eleven others. Touching on everything from cultural appropriation to power dynamics, “reverse racism” to white privilege, microaggressions to the tragic results of overt racism, this book serves as conversation starter, tool kit, and invaluable window into the life of a former “token Black kid” who now presents himself as the friend many of us need. Back matter includes an encyclopedia of racism, providing details on relevant historical events, terminology, and more.

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera, Celia Moscote (Illustrations) BOOM! Box

A NEW GRAPHIC NOVEL ADAPTATION OF THE BESTSELLING BOOK! Juliet Milagros Palante is leaving the Bronx and headed to Portland, Oregon. She just came out to her family and isn’t sure if her mom will ever speak to her again. But don’t worry, Juliet has something kinda resembling a plan that’ll help her figure out what it means to be Puerto Rican, lesbian and out. See, she’s going to intern with Harlowe Brisbane – her favorite feminist author, someone’s who’s the last work on feminism, self-love and lots of of ther things that will help Juliet find her ever elusive epiphany. There’s just one problem – Harlowe’s white, not from the Bronx and doesn’t have the answers. Okay, maybe that’s more than one problem but Juliet never said it was a perfect plan… Critically-acclaimed writer Gabby Rivera adapts her bestselling novel alongside artist Celia Moscote in an unforgettable queer coming-of-age story exploring race, idenrity and what it means to be true to your amazing self. even when the rest of the world doesn’t understand.

A Curse of Roses by Diana Pinguicha Entangled Teen

With just one touch, bread turns into roses. With just one bite, cheese turns into lilies.

There’s a famine plaguing the land, and Princess Yzabel is wasting food simply by trying to eat. Before she can even swallow, her magic—her curse—has turned her meal into a bouquet. She’s on the verge of starving, which only reminds her that the people of Portugal have been enduring the same pain.

If only it were possible to reverse her magic. Then she could turn flowers…into food.

Fatyan, a beautiful Enchanted Moura, is the only one who can help. But she is trapped by magical binds. She can teach Yzabel how to control her curse—if Yzabel sets her free with a kiss.

As the King of Portugal’s betrothed, Yzabel would be committing treason, but what good is a king if his country has starved to death?

With just one kiss, Fatyan is set free. And with just one kiss, Yzabel is yearning for more.

She’d sought out Fatyan to help her save the people. Now, loving her could mean Yzabel’s destruction.

Based on Portuguese legend, this #OwnVoices historical fantasy is an epic tale of mystery, magic, and making the impossible choice between love and duty…

New Releases on Dec. 8th

A Universe of Wishes: A We Need Diverse Books Anthology edited by Dhonielle Clayton Random House Children’s Books

In the fourth collaboration with We Need Diverse Books, fifteen award-winning and celebrated diverse authors deliver stories about a princess without need of a prince, a monster long misunderstood, memories that vanish with a spell, and voices that refuse to stay silent in the face of injustice. This powerful and inclusive collection contains a universe of wishes for a braver and more beautiful world.

Authors include: Samira Ahmed, Libba Bray, Dhonielle Clayton, Zoraida Córdova, Tessa Gratton, Kwame Mbalia, Anna-Marie McLemore, Tochi Onyebuchi, Mark Oshiro, Natalie C. Parker, Rebecca Roanhorse, Victoria Schwab, Tara Sim, Nic Stone, and a to-be-announced debut author/short-story contest winner.

New Releases on Dec. 15th

Oculta (A Forgery of Magic #2) by Maya Motayne Balzer + Bray

After joining forces to save Castallan from an ancient magical evil, Alfie and Finn haven’t seen each other in months. Alfie is finally stepping up to his role as heir and preparing for an International Peace Summit, while Finn is travelling and revelling in her newfound freedom from Ignacio.

That is, until she’s unexpectedly installed as the new leader of one of Castallan’s powerful crime families. Now one of the four Thief Lords of Castallan, she’s forced to preside over the illegal underground Oculta competition, which coincides with the summit and boasts a legendary prize.

Just when Finn finds herself back in San Cristobal, Alfie’s plans are also derailed. Los Toros, the mysterious syndicate responsible for his brother’s murder, has resurfaced—and their newest target is the summit. And when these events all unexpectedly converge, Finn and Alfie are once again forced to work together to follow the assassins’ trail and preserve Castallan’s hopes for peace with Englass.

But will they be able to stop these sinister foes before a new war threatens their kingdom?

This Is How We Fly by Anna Meriano Philomel Books

17-year-old vegan feminist Ellen Lopez-Rourke has one muggy Houston summer left before college. She plans to spend every last moment with her two best friends before they go off to the opposite ends of Texas for school. But when Ellen is grounded for the entire summer by her (sometimes) evil stepmother, all her plans are thrown out the window.

Determined to do something with her time, Ellen (with the help of BFF Melissa) convinces her parents to let her join the local muggle Quidditch team. An all-gender, full-contact game, Quidditch isn’t quite what Ellen expects. There’s no flying, no magic, just a bunch of scrappy players holding PVC pipe between their legs and throwing dodgeballs. Suddenly Ellen is thrown into the very different world of sports: her life is all practices, training, and running with a group of Harry Potter fans.

Even as Melissa pulls away to pursue new relationships and their other BFF Xiumiao seems more interested in moving on from high school (and from Ellen), Ellen is steadily finding a place among her teammates. Maybe Quidditch is where she belongs.

But with her home life and friend troubles quickly spinning out of control–Ellen must fight for the future that she wants, now she’s playing for keeps. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

[infelixxanima]

Okay but I live for kid kai and vittoria. but then..WHAT IF SHE DIES? i need that angst

@ofbacteria [[i suck at writing things like this but hahaha i still hurt my own feelings gdi]]

At the time, the street wasn’t that busy. The late evening was always the best time to venture away from home. Less interactions. Less noise. 

Or as she pitched it to the young boy walking beside her, less people.

The evening air was cool and the sun hung low and hazy in the sky. The perfect end to a fall day complete with full bellies of orange chicken finished off with ice cream. It had, in all definition, the perfect day. 

Until the hero showed up. 

She’d felt him more than saw him, that unmistakable itch under her skin she often got when she realized someone was watching her. They had gone two blocks and he was never outside of her line of view until the passed beyond the flower shop, and suddenly he was there.

Bright grin. Brighter eyes. Focus fully on Kai. 

      “Heya kid! Haven’t seen you out and about much! How ya been?!” 

Vittoria bristled now that they’ve been forced to stop in their tracks. She had plastered her ‘I’m normal’ smile on as best as she could but that didn’t stop her lips from curling into more for a sneer. Honestly, so friendly. The hero spoke as if he talked to Kai every day. 

    That triggered her annoyance quickly.

She’d learned through bits and pieces about Kai’s life through what he was willing to disclose. She never pushed, but whatever he willfully gave up to her, she guarded like a secret. And what she did know did nothing but fuel her dislike of the hero community even more.

Oh sure, she praised Kai, urged him to take his quirk to become a hero because he could do far better than the fakes and the flaky smiles the hero community had become. Kai had the potential to be a real hero. Make a real difference. 

He could be better than all of them. 

Kai’s unbothered gaze does make her choke back a chuckle, yet despite that, that hero seemed unfazed. She knew the method, she knew how they worked. Children were special cases.

    They taught you how to deal with that. 

Cut off line of sight, inject a line of questioning that is strictly yes or no. Simple rules in a game Vittoria sought to play a long long time ago. 

He was pissing her off. 

     “Pardon me, but we really must be going--”

      “No, you’re not.” 

The words take her back for a second, the hard gaze she’s under one that’s too familiar to ignore. The community knew who she was....and shunned her for it. She hardly ever needed to venture outside of her home but when she did, it was always the same. 

      She’s too pretty for a quirk like that.                                 How did she get so unlucky.                                               She’s practically inhuman.        She’s a witch. No one could be cursed with something like that.                            That’s no hero quirk, that’s for sure.

And all of them wore a look of scrutiny. Of disappointment. 

     “We’re leaving,” she states firmly but the hero throws his arm out and she has to scoff. 

      “If you think he’s the one who needs protecting,” she muttered, “You’re wrong.” 

She could see the look in Kai’s face, one slowly wrinkling into one of exhaustion. She knew that look, when he was becoming absolutely done with a situation and that meant he’d react one of two ways. 

Best to move this along before he chose the more bloody of the two.

    “Let’s go,” she urges and Kai goes to step around and leave (such a stupid situation, stupid heroes) when the hero’s hand reaches for Kai, a split second, intent to snatch him away when her fingers intercept, wrapping tightly around the hero’s wrist. 

The interaction had been so fast, and now it was obvious exactly how pissed she’d become.

       “I hope you don’t think you were going to touch him. I’d advise against that if you please. We’ve had a good evening, and we are going to go home sir. I thank you kindly for your concern, but there’s nothing to worry about here. You may move along.” 

The silence that befell them was deafening but she knew the way the world seemed to shift, how the energy suddenly became electric that the hero simply wouldn’t let this be. 

     “Let me rephrase my intent. I didn’t come here because I thought the child needed saving. We’ve been keeping an eye on him, Kai Chisaki. We keep an eye on all registered quirk users with quirks that fall on the less...appealing side. We know about you, Vittoria Brisbane. And we decided there was no way we could allow this interaction to occur. While your quirk is dangerous...his is destructive.”

She felt it before he said it, right down in her gut.

                          They’re going to take him away.

She was moving before she realized it. The black tendril cracked like a whip, sharp and precise. It was only to take the hero off guard, slicing into the flesh of his cheek, if only to give them the very small chance of escape. He recoils with a shout and there’s their chance.

     “Run!” 

She knows they aren’t going to get far, and even though she’s thankful she knows the ins and outs of this town like the back of her hand, stops Kai at the entrance to an alleyway. Out of the small bag she’d been carrying Vittoria pulls out the plague mask. It’s clear she’d ....applied some creative license to the cheap little mask. Kai watches with lidded eyes as he sucks in a few quick breaths. She kneels down to his level...and offers it to him.

     “We only have a few seconds and if he takes you there’s no telling where you’ll go. I know the alleyway is filthy and dark and the last place you plan on running into, but I need you to do that for me.” 

She presses it intently into his hands. The hero is approaching at a surprisingly fast clip too. 

     “Go! Left, Left Right!” 

He didn’t want to. Even as he pulled the mask onto his face (oh...it smelled like the lavender incense she sometimes burned in the house) he knew he had to. The hero barreled into Vittoria the second she stepped away, both of them tumbling to the pavement. He watched the way the shadows  wavered dangerously around them. Watched as tendrils wrapped around the hero’s neck. Saw those eyes tint black, and skin tear from flesh as the corner of her lips tore away to make way for the sharp rows of teeth gleaming underneath. 

Her head snapped in his direction and he didn’t need to hear another word. Not when more people were gathering around from inside of shops and their homes. More heroes would be coming. 

The alleyway was dark for certain and Kai could feel the disgust creeping under his skin. Left, left, right, she had yelled. Even now as he jogged (god damn it how long was this alleyway) he made the first left, then another. As he made the right at the end, he could see the street. Freedom from that disease infected alleyway! 

And if he knew that coffee shop that meant Vittoria’s home was just around the corner and --

He’d just made it out onto the sidewalk, relief evident in the way his shoulders raised then fell, heaving in a deep breath of fresh air when the sickening thud of Vittoria crashed down at his feet. It took a moment, staring down the mask to really take in what he saw. Tendrils seemed to explode from her as if an extension of her body, far into the air. What could she?

It was the squelch of flesh that made him flinch, drew him back to reality. She’d been drawing the hero from the air, yanking him down toward her and ...onto her.

Neither one of them moved  and it wasn’t until his mind registered her well manicured fingers protruding from the back of the hero did he realize precisely what he was witnessing. 

      “V--” 

His voice was muffled but she still turned her head toward him. Her other hand was gripping her stomach? Her chest? Her--Oh. Oh he had a sword. Perhaps as a last attempt to fend off the ‘evil’ he had shouted as they raced across rooftops, he knew he would die and would only do so peacefully if he took her with him. 

      “Hey kid--you okay?”

Even with that dopey grin of hers, bloody tinting the corner of her lips, she still looked....fucking happy. 

“Go home,’” she wheezed.

“You’re coming too, right? Get up.” This wasn’t funny. She was playing a game with him, one he wasn’t particularly interested in. 

     “Sorry but I don’t think I’ll be with you this time,” she whispered, arching her back only to make things worse. The sound made his stomach flip. She flopped back down with a wet cough and a chuckle. “I’m going to die.” 

     “That’s stupid coming from someone who doesn’t like to give up, you don’t mind doing it now.”

      “Hmmn--you’ve said that to me before, remember?” 

She seemed contemplative, the blackness seeping away from her eyes revealing hers underneath. She looked...tired. And that was a first. 

       “Just when I found a reason for living--” she scoffed, sending her into a coughing fit and oh christ that was alot of blood. He took a step back and she still gave him a weary grin. 

      “Can I ask for somethin? Just one thing,” she breathed. “No matter what they do, Kai Chisaki, you do not give up. You’re so good. So intelligent. Don’t let it go to waste. ‘kay?” 

       “Being your mom was the best thing I could ever have.”

       “You aren’t my real mom.”

       “You made me feel like I was.”

That blinding smile was goddamn unchanged by the pain that crawled through her, ate at her until she had to acknowledge it. One last thing, before she took that last breath.

      “Was holdin’ onto this cause...just cause but, I love you, Kai. And you’ll be alright. I promise--” 

And that was it. 

Even as he demanded she get up. Put the heel of his foot to her cheek to get her to wake up, just like last time, she didn’t budge. They were like some sick statue, her and the hero speared on top of her, lifeless. 

He called her stupid. He called her weird. He yelled. Yelled until his voice was hoarse and people who had been groupies to this sudden fight were making their way toward him and this...mess. 

Blood oozed out from her chest, a gaping wound wrapped around the sharp blade of the hero’s sword. It was spilling into the street, tainting it. He tries to refuse the angry sting of tears in his eyes, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket and left. 

Vittoria’s home was empty. 

Just that.

      Empty. 

That’s all he heard, just the silence. There’s no humming from her while she cleaned. Not the soft sound of her footsteps or the occasional curse when she stubs her toe on the same love seat every single time she rushes past it. His fingers are shaking. 

He is shaking.

 Alone again. Alone forever? He’s getting so fucking sick of this. His body is vibrating with all that’s happened and not quite able to processes it he makes the slow ascent up the stairs to his room. It almost..almost feels normal. He doesn’t look down the hallway because if he does,  he’ll see her shut bedroom door.

It’s never shut, not when he’s there.

The bed offers so solace. No warmth. No...anything. And he’s still right there when night turns to morning and he breaths in the fading scent of lavender form his mask, obsessively twiddling the vibrant green gemstone that hung loosely around his neck. 

[jameshprebleau]

Plaster Repairs

Stop Further Damage By Repairing Plaster Walls

How To Fix a Hole In A Plaster Wall

Plaster is a fantastic building material and pretty robust when it is taken care of. Keeping your plastered walls in good repair will save you money in the long run and minimise an extensive plaster repair bill when the little plaster cracks turn into a bigger plaster repair job. In Brisbane, plastering repairs and small cracks is something that you can easily do your self Patching small holes and plaster cracks is easy and it is important that they are fixed. Over time where the cracks or breaks are in the plasterboard, moisture damage is likely. Brisbane weather is already humid so keeping plasterboard intact and strong is important. Dust can also settle in cracks and when moisture hits the dust it will expand the crack and it will also discolour the area and make it really noticeable Plaster patching kits are easily bought from a local hardware store and are easy to use. The Poly Kit which is available from Bunnings. It is straight forward to use and can fill in cracks and suitable to patch a hole up to 8cms and everything is included in the kit that you will need. It is always a great idea to know what colour your walls are painted and to have a little spare paint to use with patch jobs If their are numerous larger cracks or holes - you may need to call in the experts. At Brisbane Plaster Pro we can quickly repair and patch damaged walls for you.

Preventing Plaster Damage

The most common plaster repair we have to do is where a door knob or a door handle has made a hole in the wall. This damage is so easily avoided by making sure every doorway has a door stop. They cost a couple of dollars and they will save you hundreds of dollars in plaster repairs. If you are in a rental - Don't risk not getting your bond back by having plaster wall damage. Ask your property manager for door stops or go and spend the money yourself. It will save you from trying to repair the plaster damage yourself or having the property manager use your bond money pay for a Brisbane handyman to fix it. When hanging pictures on your walls - Use proper hanging screws. Screws will hold into a plaster wall better than a nail or a tack. The screw will also cause less damage to the plaster surface. When putting in a nail or tack - often the plaster wall will chip when you are banging the nail in If you have a room that is prone to dampness or moisture - Using a dehumidifier or moisture absorbing tubs will help to stop moisture damage in that room or area.Our tropical climate in Brisbane and extra moisture on the walls will weaken it and start the plasterboard to absorb the moisture and start to expand and crack as well as being the perfect area for mould to start growing. Plaster can also crack when a house shifts on it's foundations. This is also called settling and often happens in a new home as the foundations adjust to the environment The recent dry spell meant that the soil dried out and compacted causing many homes new and old, to develop cracks in various areas on the walls. If possible ensuring that the earth around your home is kept at healthy soil moisture levels will help to ease this problem of the foundations moving and the opposite is also true if you tend to get a flooded area where there is poor drainage. Getting this water moving away from your home is an important job and you may need to consult a plumber or landscape gardener.

When Do I call A Plasterer?

If you notice cracks starting to widen at the top near the ceiling - then your ceiling may be shifting or moving. If you notice that the plaster is bulging or bellying out - then the plasterboard is bowed out and may need to be re screwed into the wall. If this is happening to your ceiling - then the plaster is either too heavy for the ceiling struts and not screwed in securely  or their are not enough ceiling struts in the area to cope with the plaster weight load and you will need to call in a Brisbane plastering company in to repair this as a ceiling can come away and cause damage to anything underneath it. Our professional plastering team is always on call to help with all your Brisbane plastering needs and plastering repairs. Call us on 07 3064 0686

source https://www.brisbaneplasterpro.com.au/blog/plaster-repairs from Brisbane Plaster Pro https://brisbaneplasterpro.blogspot.com/2020/03/plaster-repairs.html

[parttimerper]

misc muses

Ok I have joined in the past those indie groups, where you could have as many characters a you wanted. Because of that, I’ve created a looooong list of muses I never got to play much, but would lot. So under the cut are those I’d be most interested in trying out again. If you’d be interested in playing against one of them, please message me!

Alessandra “Sandy” Caravalho: Camila Mendes fc, cisfemale(she/her), panromantic asexual, actress(most principally in musicals), quite popular but she tries to act and live as normally as possible.

Amber Jackson: Emily Browning fc, cisfemale(she/her), pansexual, “looks like a cinnamon roll but could actually kill you” trope, acts like a vigilante, I also have a superpower AU in which she has pyrokinesis.

Angelica Cain: Crystal Reed fc, cisfemale(she/her), bisexual, inherited the family business which includes a crime ring.

Anthony Powell(Anton Popov): Skeet Ulrich fc, cismale(he/him), heterosexual, part of the Russian mafia, was expatriated to the States for his own safety, had a daughter when he was 18 that he loves a lot but the mother is now deceased.

Arina Kosolova: Natalie Dormer fc, cisfemale(she/her), bisexual, kinda Black Widow inspired, she moved to the States after the Russian organization she worked for was disbanded.

Beverly Jordan: Vanessa Morgan fc, cisfemale(she/her), pansexual, a science nerd, she ran away from home because of a gang harassing her and had to stop her studies, she now works as a cashier.

Bianca Rutherford: Caitlin Stasey fc, cisfemale(she/her), homosexual, a hacker with a thing against men, I have a vampire AU for her in which she was turned by a men who manipulated her centuries ago.

Bradley Hines(Patrick Langford): Zane Holtz fc, cismale(he/him), bisexual, an hired assassin/spy, he was hired to track a specific target, get close to them, and take them down.

Cassiopée Monaghan: Lily Collins fc, cisfemale(she/her), heterosexual, has a twin, her father was a big time criminal in Russia but her mother moved her and her twin to the States to protect them, totally boy obsessed.

Cecelia Rose: Shailene Woodley fc, cisfemale(she/her), pansexual, a writer who took time off to travel the world after her mentor overworked her to the point she couldn’t write anything anymore.

Charles Myers: Matthew Daddario fc, cismale(he/him), bisexual, a police officer dating his work partner’s kid.

Darren Bates: Ryan Mccartan fc, cismale(he/him), homosexual, a quite popular model who’s been on/off with his non celeb boyfriend for a long time, kinda stupid.

Elliott Whitley: Luke Bilyk fc, cismale(he/him), homosexual, was kicked out of his house and now works as a bouncer, definitely dates girls just to cover up the fact he’s gay.

Emely Lindner: Alexandra Daddario fc, cisfemale(she/her), bisexual, a ballerina dancer turned model, she moved to the States in order to find out who her real father is.

Evan Rendall: Harry Lloyd fc, cismale(he/him), bisexual, Norman Bates inspired, owns a motel that rarely gets clients, and the clients often disappear.

Felicia Porter: Elizabeth Olsen fc, cisfemale(she/her), pansexual, an overly sweet journalist who got pulled into a polyamorous relationship and is trying to make it work as best as she could.

Finlay Ainsworth: Jack Falahee fc, cismale(he/him), pansexual, a recovering addict who now works as a waiter in a restaurant, I have a supernatural AU in which he is a hybrid.

Gail Erickson: Katie McGrath fc, cisfemale(she/her), bisexual, an artist who opened her own little gallery, but she also does forgery.

Isabella Perez: Becky G fc, cisfemale(she/her), homosexual, comes form a dysfunctional family, ran away many times but always came back home, but now it’s been almost a year and she doesn’t plan on going back soon, works in a movie theater.

Janet Montrose: Evangeline Lilly fc, cisfemale(she/her), pansexual, a con artist who doesn’t trust anyone.

Kavia Desai: Naomi Scott fc, demigirl(she/her/they/them), homosexual, an ex popular soft child turned rock singer, she has a twin sister.

Kieran Doyle: Aidan Turner fc, cismale(he/him), demiromantic bisexual, part of the Irish mafia, also a forensic pathologist, I have mythology AUs for him in which he’s either a son of Thanatos or Thanatos himself.

Laurence Juneau: Bryce Dallas Howard fc, cisfemale(she/her), bisexual, a fashion designer with a growing brand across the country, has definitely designed a dress for a celeb at one point.

Madeleine Stokes: Kylie Bunbury fc, cisfemale(she/her), bisexual, Regina George is her idol, complete bitch with an actual burn book, became a weather girl for the visibility.

Monica Hunt: Felicity Jones fc, cisfemale(she/her), pansexual, stupid/innocent girl who was abandoned by her parents, she still thinks they’re coming back soon, works as a barmaid now.

Natalie Calloway: Jenna Louise Coleman fc, cisfemale(she/her), heteroflexible, a corrupt detective, married to a criminal and helping him in secret without him knowing that.

Natasha Grimes: Danielle Campbell fc, cisfemale(she/her), bisexual, Michelle Richardson inspired, she was in a toxic relationship and just got out from it, but is lowkey still into her ex.

Philip McGee: Dacre Montgomery fc, cismale(he/him), bisexual, has anger issues he got from his dad, his mom abandoned him when he was a kid because of that, but he’s actually a softie.

Preston Wagner: Cody Christian fc, cismale(he/him), pansexual, a college student who was facetiming his ex when she was murdered.

Raphaelle Delong: Zoey Deutch fc, cisfemale(she/her), pansexual, a personal assistant who takes her job very seriously, definitely needs someone to make her loosen up.

Rebecca Blackstone: Eliza Taylor fc, cisfemale(she/her), bisexual, had a kid when she was 19 and has been struggling a lot with money, single mom who changes job often.

Robert Jefferson: Tom Hiddleston fc, cismale(he/him), bisexual, a politician son who was forced into this life even if he doesn’t want it.

Timothy Watts: Landon Liboiron fc, cismale(he/him), bisexual, soft boy who got mixed in the wrong crowd and now has a bad reputation, he’s a mechanics.

Valda Blake: Chloe Bridges fc, cisfemale(she/her), bisexual, an ex pageant queen and Queen Bee who fell down and now works as a barmaid, still a total bitch.

THE FINAL GIRLS: they’re a group of sorority sisters, and the only survivors of a serial killer targetting their sorority. They’re also heavily inspired by Scream and Scream Queens characters, obviously.

Alyssa Mullins: Carlson Young fc, cisfemale(she/her), pansexual, she was the mayor’s daughter and vice resident of the sorority, she never got over the incident and stopped her studies to become a stripper.

Lea Cole: Billie Lourd fc, cisfemale(she/her), pansexual, a ‘bastard’ child with a criminal father, her emotions have always been a little dissociated but she’s working on that, during the killings, she was saved by someone who had a crush on her so she’s been trying to explore that possibility, she’s an on-set assistant for tv shows.

Phoebe Newton: Abigail Breslin fc, cisfemale(she/her), bisexual, she was kind of the idiot of the sorority, the one they made fun of, but she had money so they wanted her, after the incident she started studying in pre-med.

Seraphina Brisbane: Willa Fitzgerald fc, cisfemale(she/her), bisexual, the only reason the sorority wanted her in the first place was because she was smart and pretty, but she didn’t come from a privileged family like any of them, she has a lot of PTSD and has continued her journalism and criminology studies.

THE CONFECTIONERY BROTHERS: just two brothers who started a confectionery because they felt there weren’t enough of those in their town.

Edward Hale: Luke Benward fc, cismale(he/him), bisexual, the soft one in the two, he grew up in the shadows of his brother, he usually work the front of the shop since he never pursued studies after high school.

Terrence Hale: Glen Powell fc, cismale(he/him), pansexual, a complete mess, but a smart mess, studied accounting because that’s what his parents wanted, decided he wanted a confectionery after watching Harry Potter.

THE RUNAWAY SIBLINGS: they have a complicated backstory, he was taken at 7, she was 1, and she ended up in an orphanage. When they finally found each other, they just ran away.

Elena Richmond: Alycia Debnam-Carey fc, cisfemale(she/her), pansexual, at 10, her parents were murdered in front of her, and she was taken to an orphanage, she was always troubled and went out to find her brother when she was 18, thinking he’d abandoned her.

Tyler Oaks: Nicholas Hoult fc, cismale(he/him), bisexual, he was taken from his family at 7 and was forced into the mafia and hitman life, very mentally troubled with the only goal being to find his sister.

[izyibel]

Melbourne daze

Spent a week in Melbourne living with J (S’s friend from secondary school).

Touched down Sunday morning and J picked us up in his grey 2006 jetta and brought us to some Sunday market somewhere. It was my first time meeting J and on the drive there I learnt:

1. He’s vegetarian

2. His car is dying and he’s worried about going on long drives (we still drove up and down mt Buller in it but I’m mentioning this because it’s important foreshadowing!!)

Anyways after the market we went to have lunch at a cafe and then went to his place where S took a nap while J and I bonded over our shared guilty pleasure. Lmao. Very amusing chats.

Then we went grocery shopping and got back to cook dinner and packed for the 3 day trip to Merrijig/ mt Buller.

Past midnight / early Monday morning J went to pick up his friend L from the airport and the four of us crammed all our stuff into his car and he drove us to Mansfield first to rent some snowboards and then up mt Buller where he taught us snowboarding. It was honestly very fun but wow so tiring!!! I am so unfit!

Then close to sunset we headed down the mountain and checked into our cozy Airbnb in Merrijig and we had pizza and wedges from the pub for dinner and played some board games.

Tuesday we didn’t snowboard coz of terrible weather so instead we went to try two different pie places for lunch and then spent the day playing different board games that J brought along. Fun times! I am so competitive!!!

Wednesday we checked out of the Airbnb in the morning and went up the mountain to snowboard again and the weather was awesome and I feel like I made so much progress in terms of my snowboarding skillz lmao.

Then we headed back down at the end of the day to return our gear. J drove the first half and I drove the next half back to his place. Oh and on the way back we stopped on the roadside just to look at the stars. The Milky Way was so clear and it was magical!!!! And there was this kind old man who stopped next to use to see if we were alright because he thought our car broke down.

Thursday J had some uni orientation thing but he was like “yea you can take the car” which is so nice of him. So S and I headed to the shops for brunch and to buy much needed toothpaste because we ran out. Then we headed back and watched some original season of terrace house with J’s friend L and then for dinner S and I took the car again and picked my brother and his girlfriend up to have dinner and then we headed back to their place. Wow they have a rabbit called Harvey who hops around and chews on everything. Played scrabble with my brother and his girlfriend. S won but there was too much tension in the room to really celebrate it ):

Anyways then on Friday J drove us to some famous croissant place for brunch I guess. It was quite nice. Then J and L’s friend M came over to J’s place coz we were all going roller blading and we went to this place to rent the blades and on their website they say $20 for an hour but they let us rent it for $20 for the whole day!! Like as long as we return it before they close. Anyways we went to skate along Princes pier and it wAs magical. Literally pastel skies and good weather and as the sunset we were just skating around and laughing on nice smooth terrain and oh omg J is a pro roller blader. Like literally Yuna Kim on concrete. Skating backwards was no issue for him and I asked him how long he’s been blading for and he said since he was 7!?!? Like wow. Anyways it was a magical evening. Honestly so beautiful I wanted to cry. Then we returned the blades and then headed home for dinner then we went to watch Spider-Man at the movies close to 11 at night.

Saturday, my brother and his girlfriend picked us up and we had pancakes for brunch. His girlfriend used to work at the pancake parlour so she knew what was up and how to get the best dealz. Had intense discussions over pancakes and then went for a walk in a park and played in the playground. The weather was awesome yet again. Blessed with clear skies and sunshine!! Then we had to head back coz J wanted to bring us to cape Schank and he told S and I that we should leave around 3ish from his place so my brother dropped us off oh and he offered to send us to the airport at 5am on Sunday morning which was so nice of him.

So J drove us to Cape Schank and at the start of the drive he was like “Isabel, can you drive us back later?” And I was like yea sure. This is an important tidbit of information (again, foreshadowing what is to come!!!) anyways cape Schank was gorgeous and we climbed the rocks by the sea side to get sick viewz. Thank goodness for low tide too. Pretty awesome watching the sunset there. I want to weep thinking about it tbh.

Then ok so we decided to head to a Japanese place for dinner since it was near this cheesecake/gelato/general dessert bar that J wanted to bring us to so I was driving and we’re some 15 minutes from Clayton and I stop behind a bunch of cars that were waiting at a red light then the light turned green and I literally could not go. Like the car literally could not move. And it was in the middle of the road but J was like oh it’s happened before and he thought maybe the battery died so anyways we put the hazard lights on and call his friend M to come help us and some kind people helped us push the car to the road side and then M came and we tried jump starting the car but it still wasn’t starting then this other kind person stopped by and was like “I work at a battery shop” and he helped us jump start it again but still the engine wasn’t starting and he called one of his colleagues to come and he came by in his van with a bunch of tools to help us and even went to get some more diesel in case it was a lack of fuel and the fuel gauge was just faulty but nope still not working so the dude was like yknow what just leave the car here and come back tomorrow instead of paying so much for towing. So we did that. I don’t know what more has unfolded in this Jetta saga because we flew off the next morning but anyways we left the car there and M drove us back to J’s place where J used his housemate’s car to take us to the Japanese place for dinner and we wolfed down our food coz we spent a good hour and a half in the cold by the road side trying to save a dead car. Anyways then J brought us to the dessert place and then drove us back and S and I scrambled to pack our stuff because we were tired and wanted to sleep but also had to wake up at 5am to make our flight.

Anyways this morning my brother picked us up and dropped us off at the airport. It’s like a 50 minute drive so grateful he offered to drive us!!!!

And yea S and I are back in Brisbane now.

What a week!

[what-taylorswift-taughtme]

11 YEARS WITH YOU TAYLOR!

Prepare yourself, because this is going to be a BIG one. I only realised this community existed a few months ago and I am SO excited to share my story. Starting in 2006! I was lucky as a kid because my parents owned a business holiday home in Orlando Florida (I lived in the UK) and we got to go to Florida often. One year (2006) I was there watching American TV and that’s when I first saw you Taylor.. I was in awe, you sang too, you wrote songs too, you were young like me.. I was inspired, if she can do that, I can too right? SO I got the confidence to start a singing Youtube channel and grew so much as a person. When I got back to the UK I played your songs to everyone.. but they teased me.. they hadn’t heard of you yet so I had Taylor parties by myself. I was 14 and deemed too young for your ‘Fearless’ tour, we also couldn’t afford it or to go to London to watch it. Fast forward many many years and I moved (emigrated) to Australia at 18 by myself (while my family followed). You were coming to Brisbane for your ‘Speak Now’ tour and I was finally earning my own money during my time at University, I could go! Not only that, but I had saved enough money for Pitt tickets and MAN was I going to spend that money to see my idol!! I had waited years for that moment.. best.click.ever (when buying those tickets).

I cringe at the above picture! I was 19 at this point.. what was up with my hair? haha. I literally had the best night of my life, I was FINALLY.. my goodness FINALLY seeing my idol.. did I forgot to mention I learnt/taught myself to play the guitar because of you? I somehow also managed to worm my way to the front of the pitt by the end of the show.. (Um how? Mob mentality) and this is how close I got for ‘Long Live’ your last song.

I didn’t know ‘tea party’ existed.. but I danced like a mad lady like anyone should and (I’ll be saying this a lot) had the best night of my life.

Red Era

This is where it goes down hill.. for me. Once again I saved SO hard for your next tour, knowing that now I was an adult and could get to your shows, I would do anything in my power to be able to afford tickets. I saved 300+ for pitt tickets once again for ‘Red’ and after a lot of tears and stress online, I managed to bag 3 for me, my brother and a friend. That was the night I got a fear of being in ‘the pitt’ of a show and cried at one of your tours... This below is a Facebook post I posted the day after.

Oh my goodness, I seem so calm about it here (yes the security pushed and shoved which obviously you would never approve of), but I was devastated. I’m not sure if you remember Taylor (or if anyone was also in that pitt, please contact me!!) but the left pitt side at the Brisbane ‘Red’ show was evacuated after just your FIRST song.. I was hours early, picked out my dream spot (as you can see) by the stage and then all of a sudden I remember security shouting and pushing. We had to duck and leave the pitt as it was a danger to us and had ‘collapsed’ after the opening act ‘Neon Trees’. We got put to the side and weren’t even found new seats, we just had to stand there.. safe to say, I cried the whole show, at that point I was a 21 year old crying big adult tears and some people might say that’s dramatic, but I know you would understand. I saw your beautiful mum, but I have never been someone to run up to someone and beg for anything.. so instead I watched her so so kindly and beautifully take another girl who was crying from our pitt back to club red to meet you. Some people say I was silly to not have approached Mummy Swift, but I know in my heart that girl deserved it as well and maybe even more than me? Who am I to judge? If there’s one (out of thousands) of things you’ve taught me, it’s to empower and support others.. so I did.  I was truly devastated that I had lost my perfect pitt place, my perfect concert after months of saving and years of dreaming, but I still got to see you perform from the sides, even through my tears and over the tops of securities heads. For the next tour I realised I was too scared to get pitt tickets (and haven’t since).. but..

1989

Literally the BEST night ever. I didn’t get pitt tickets of course, but I realised at 23 that just being in the same stadium as my idol was truly enough. I had grown and matured and I honestly feel like I had grown with you!! And it was just the most wonderful night. Here is me and my best friend (yes the girl from the first tour and who I converted into a Swiftie) at 1989. We danced the night away, I sung (probably annoyingly at the top of my lungs) and I watched the Taylor I watched at 14 years old on Tv as a young woman absolutely killing it and living her ultimate dream. I was beyond proud!

Taylor.. (Taylor Nation) and fellow Swifties big and small. I am now a teacher, in my 11th year of being Taylor Swift’s biggest fan (Okay one of them). In my 11th year this is what I am doing: I teach 5th Grade, I live in QLD Australia, I am 25, I own my own house, I still sing and play guitar and I still LOVE the gorgeous and empowering woman/girl that Taylor is, and will always be. I am no longer that shy, insecure 14 year old girl. On a teacher’s wage I cannot afford to fly to lots of concerts like some.. but I’ll be at one: Brisbane in November.. at The Gabba.. in section A10 - Row H 8-10 (8 is my lucky number yay). 

If you’ve made it this far and read my story.. I could have written a thesis paper on my Taylor Swift story.. and gotten a second degree.. but this is a small chunk of it and I will share more within the next 6 months.

Taylor.. my Tumblr page is called what-taylorswift-taughtme and I simply cannot put into words how much you have taught me and honestly continue to do. Most of all, Taylor taught me to find my own way in life, be independent, love fearlessly and empower those around you! Until we meet one day Taylor.. keep being you and also (from one 20 something year old to another.. how do you stop your knees from hurting?) haha.. my year 5 students will die of embarrassment.

Maddie xx

[a-spell-a-rebel-yell]

December

wow, i'm sooo good at procrastinating. hehe hi pals, hope you're all doing great! i swear i promised myself i'll write the Dec post on Dec 31st, 2022, but i managed to post this one on Jan 1st, 2023 :-) oh well.

don't blame me for spending quality time with my family and cousins for the new year's eve! i got distracted (again, for the 28648236th time) it was so fun, with my mum's guidance we cooked our favourite spicy Tom Yum, penne bolognese, and kimchi fried rice!!! yes, it was a Thai-Italian-Korean meals day kind of thing.

then as we count down the last hours of 2022 we did the family tradition: horror films marathon! this time we're exploring/rewatching Indonesian horror films. we got KKN Desa Penari, Pintu Terlarang, Modus Anomali, and then Pengabdi Setan 2. yes, in this house we love Joko Anwar's works.

in the last five minutes of 2022 we got up, stretched, went outside, and played with some firecrackers! purposely turned off the garden lights so it'd shone brighter. took photos and videos, then we went back inside. being in the middle of the city, on midnight the noise of fireworks shooting up to the sky was loud. it didn't stop for a whole fifteen minutes, but we enjoyed it: free entertainment!

sleep time yet? nope. it's indomie time!!! we watched a few episodes of How I Met Your Mother and Raven's Home for good ol' times' sake. had more talks, then at 3 AM we all went to bed. went without saying, we woke up pretty late today hehe.

i'm going backwards here because after that Dec 31st review, now let's talk about December in general. as usual, as predicted, it was a-ok month, just like any other month. i think the highlight that is the Labuan Bajo trip is already covered in the November post. on second week of December i had a scientific forum meeting and i got to see some of my Weekend Ceria besties! it was a bit of a funny coincidence that our little reunion was just a little bit over one year anniversary of our national dentist board exam day... though now each of us is so busy with our own work, it's getting super hard to find time for us to meet u___u

on last week of December my favorite Brisbane-based cousin came home to Indonesia for a three-weeks vacay! so happy to see her again and this time i get to meet her boyfriend (which after a lengthy session of interrogation i found is so nice and so in tune with me, so he passed my test haha) and we're planning a cousins sleepover this first week of January (will do write the story on the next post!) still kinda sad though because another favorite cousin of mine just moved to Frankfurt a few months back and he said he won't be coming back to Indonesia for approximately five years. the cherry on top is getting another cousin i haven't met in so long to join us in this little gathering!

overall this month i get to spend a lot of time with my family and cousins, which energized me to the fullest. 2022 has been nice to me and i'm so excited with what 2023 has to offer. i have no room in my life other than for these people, my loved ones, my immediate family. again and again i'm so grateful for my mum and dad, the solid rock and pillar and foundation of my life, that are always there for me, no matter what and when, in the most literal sense. late night talks with my mum and alone dates with my dad are my talisman, i carry their light, i have them with me wherever i go.

this year i'm so glad to finally know and learned which ones to keep, when to walk away, put healthy and respectable boundaries, to fight and try again, and to keep on going despite all. to finally know what i want and look for, and to never be sorry to save myself first. to do good and be good. to believe and trust time and Allah's plans, whatever is mine will find its way to me, sooner or later.

so, happy new year to you lot! wishing 2023 to bring us all only good things and happy days all year round. especially for you, the one and only you, over there across the world, just like how i've told you so many times over eighteen long years we've been best friends: i hope you're always happy, healthy, and loved.

[zaccahrycrookes]

Sedated.

What is the first image that comes to mind when you hear addiction?

What image do you see when think of an addict?

Anxiety is a beast unto it's own. I've always lived with it, as a child my parents thought it was just separation anxiety. A kid learning to feel safe away from their home, I had trouble sleeping over at friends houses or visiting family without my parents (or Mum to be specific). This went on for a long time, I'd break down as the sun went down and beg my parents to come pick me up.

Through my teen years I had several bad periods where I was almost paralysed by the anxiety, the phobias and the feeling of impending panic. I was good for a long time after high school. I was living out of home, studying and working. After two years as a research assistant I left that job and spent some time living in New Zealand.

When I returned I planned to finish my studies and focus my efforts and savings on doing what I love. Climbing, hiking and creating art. It was February 2016, I had just moved back in with my family at the age of 23, I had planned to live there and live a cheap and simple life. Working a little as a landscaper when needed but for the most part just enjoying life for a while.

I woke up around 10pm feeling sick, shaking and my mind going a thousand miles an hour.

I manically jumped out of bed and made my way down stairs and out the side door onto the cool grass. This was a feeling I had never experienced to this depth, it was pure uncut panic. After a while I felt a little better. Not like I was going to throw up, so I went into the house had a glass of water, and then sat back on the cool grass rolling myself a cigarette. That feeling of panic it went away a little but never left.

After constant panic attacks and a spell of anxiety that had me housebound for months I sought help and for the first time was given a valium. I'll never forget that. It was like a warm wave of water washing over me and carrying away all my worries. My muscles relaxed, for the first time in months I actually felt hungry. I actually felt at peace and happy. I was given a script for ten, then fifty valium tablets. Completely unaware of what was lurking ahead I devoured those pills. Along with other medications that did nothing to quell the storm inside me.

I would wake then throughout the day drink coffee and smoke cigarettes. At 3pm I would crack a beer and smoke a cigarette while writing some poetry or short stories. An hour after I had finished my beer I'd have three valium pills and another cigarette. A few hours later I'd have another two pills with a cigarette and then two more right before bed with a final cigarette.

To begin with I'd leave my pills at home, as my habit grew I started taking them everywhere.

Doctors quickly realised I was in trouble, instead of offering any real help I was palmed of to another practice. In the height of all this toward the end of 2016 I made a trip to NZ where I spent several weeks, one of those weeks a friend and I did a road trip around the South Island. During that trip I didn't take a single pill. Quickly after I returned to Brisbane I was back on a plane to the US for four weeks. During those four weeks I only took Valium once when I had a panic attack one night in Santa Fe.

Barely back in Brisbane I was on another plane to NZ where I stayed for just shy of six months. During that time I was working with a couple friends and living in a close friends house. He was away working for several weeks and I found a stash of old sleeping pills of the Benzo variety hidden in the medicine draw. I begun taking them on top of the Valium I was already taking. When he got home he realised and was very concerned for me, he knew I had a serious problem know. I was in denial.

Soon I couldn't get a script and without any heavy sedation the anxiety and panic came back tenfold. I adapted, I found the dark-web and begun buying pills online. For a long time I sustained this habit of using increasingly large amounts of any downer or sedative I could my hands on.

I was at this time living by myself renting a small cottage in the rural town I grew up in and spending excess of four hundred dollars a week on drugs. Working as a landscaper and receiving a government payment. Living off of potatoes and oats, I wasn't really eating, I spent just as much money on coffee and beer as I did food. Then there was the matter of the money going to my now raging addiction.

The scary thing is I didn't realise how bad it had gotten, it happened so gradually that by the time it engulfed me, I wasn't even aware. I was for the most part a well known and well liked part of my community. I kept my habit concealed but those close to me could see something was wrong they couldn't figure out what it was.

In some ways I seemed to be doing better I was being social again, I was working, I was functioning quite highly a the same time I was looking skinnier and more sickly. My friends and family could tell I wasn't fully there anymore. I was somewhat absent in my own body yet they didn't know why. By this stage I was consuming handfuls of pills daily.

To put it mildly I was high as a kite 24/7.

This stage marked the absolute height of my addiction as a series of events followed I am extremely ashamed of. As if stealing a close friends sleeping pills wasn't enough.

In between these events I had moved back home and gone to a detox clinic, by now everyone knew what was going on and after almost six more months of being sick and addicted I barely left the house or did anything at all. Before detox I took an entire bottle of Valium in one go. That is 50 5mg pills I chowed down in one. It had zero effect on me. I was averaging 25 pills a day. I wanted to die.

Too be honest those couple years are at best a bit hazy. I don't fully recollect all the events that transpired into the depths of my addiction.

Finally I did move out again after detox and stayed sober for about half a year just drinking the occasional beer. I relapsed and quickly finding myself back at square one. I was soon shoplifting and stealing to support my addiction. Either so I could sell things, or shoplift food so I could spend money on drugs. You would think the horror of withdrawing and having seizure due to withdrawal would be be enough to scare me off drugs. The high that sedatives and depressants give me is just too alluring to resist. Around this time a few of my friends had scripts for Valium and I would time to time nab a few pills as well as the ones I was buying online.

The end of that run resulted in an overdose and about twenty four hours where I was black out. I was on my way to get tattooed by a good friend in his studio.

I had some paper blotter sheets purchased online that where meant to be Valium or Xannax. I took three, then three more an hour later. Then three more another hour later. Nothing had happen so I parked my car took three more and walked into the studio. I lay down on the table. Then blackout.

What transpired was my friend knew I was high as shit and stopped tattooing me. I must have walked back to my car, started driving and T boned a car where I was meant to give way. I was arrested and my car totalled, the police drug tested me several times and nothing showed up. What ever I had taken never showed up on any drug test. My Mum picked me up from the police station and took me home where I awoke the following day with a few vague memories.

I was supposed to go to court but as the police could not prove I had drugs in my system that never happened, they begrudgingly had to drop charges. I did several medical tests that all came back normal. Although my license was suspended for a year, I went through some dark times only saved by meeting (now) ex partner. She was a shining light in those dark times.

I wish I could say that the end of it, truth be told I've relapsed several times over the years although now I have been able to catch it, detox and seek help well before I hit rock bottom.

Currently I am on a very controlled dose of Valium given by my doctor and far to poor to relapse.

I don't think I'll ever be fully in the clear. Addiction grips you and gives you the memory of a high you'll never forget. No matter how bad things got you only remember how good that high was and it is hell to live that memory and to fight against wanting that feeling again every single day.

I still wake up in the morning roll a cigarette make a coffee and sit outside thinking 'What I'd give to be high right now'.

The best analogy I've heard is that anxiety and depression are like an ocean. It rises, it subsides, there can be swells, breaks, or still days. But no matter what, it is there and it is always moving.

So wrap that ever changing ocean of panic and despair with a memory of feeling the best you have ever felt in your entire life and you have the combination of anxiety, depression and addiction.

My life saver was getting back into rock climbing and hiking. In nature, especially true wilderness is the only place I feel at peace and truly myself. AA and NA never worked for me. Scaling cliffs and climbing mountains is what has saved me. Without that I would surely be dead now.

There is no conclusion to this story, it's still being written, and may be a never ending series for all I know. The best I can hope for is brief escapes and moments where I feel myself again.

[tkmedia]

'He went into beastmode' - Toutai Kefu praises son following knife attack

7:20am, 20 August 2021 Home invasion survivor Toutai Kefu has spoken of the bravery of his son and a long-time neighbour following his release from a Brisbane hospital where he was treated for stab wounds this week.ADVERTISEMENTThe former Wallaby No.8 said that he felt “sorry” for his four teenage attackers, who now face multiple charges, including attempted murder, following the horrific attack at the Kefu family residence in the early hours of Monday morning.Kefu’s wife is yet to return to the family home and is struggling to deal with the trauma of the incident, which saw her arm almost severed by one of the attackers, who according to police were armed with a knife, machete and an axe.

An at times a tearful Kefu told media at his home that his wife initially they thought as a possum had got into the house, only to stumble upon the gang.“She heard a bit of a rustle downstairs, and she got up, had a look outside. She noticed the car across the road, but she thought it may be an Uber driver dropping someone off,” he said. “Then she went to back to bed, and then she heard another , it was quite noisy, and thought maybe a possum had got in the house, so she went downstairs and that’s when she was confronted by the two intruders and let laid out this shrieky kind of scream and I jumped out of bed.”Kefu confronted the attackers and was set upon and stabbed before his son joined the melee.“He absolutely went into beast mode,” Kefu said of his son, who was also stabbed in the attack. “I had the two intruders on me and he just jumped in with no fear and he copped a couple of hacks to his back, but it certainly could have been a different outcome if he didn’t turn up.”ADVERTISEMENT“He had no thought for his own safety, but we knew that if we just applied pressure that the emergency services weren’t too far away.” The hulking former forward also said that his neighbour’s timely intervention could have potentially saved lives.“He’s an absolute hero. Unbelievable. He turned up at the right time on that Monday morning and apprehended one of the intruders.ADVERTISEMENT“If he didn’t turn up, it could have been a different story.”Kefu said he refused to hate his attackers despite the brutal nature of their attack on him and his family.“To find out that they were 15 and a 13-year-old allegedly involved, I was really shocked. I don’t hate him.“I’ve got a 13 and 15-year-old. I feel sorry for them.“I’m just grateful that we all got out, we’re alive. Might be a little bit of damage moving forward but we’re still breathing.”

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[fortylessonsbeforeforty]

Lesson 29

I learnt that home isn’t just one place. I grew up in a small coastal town in Central Queensland called Yeppoon. Its changed a lot over the years since I’ve left, going from a quiet little beach town with a no fast food chains and just round-abouts, to having McDonald’s, more cafes than you can poke a stick at and even traffic lights. I remember the excitement I felt when I had finished university and was moving to the ‘big smoke’ of Brisbane for my first teaching job. I can still vividly picture in my mind the morning I left, stopping into my grandparents house (they lived only a street away) to say my goodbyes, the bittersweet feeling of leaving all that I’ve known but ready for a new adventure. I don’t think there’s been a day since, where I haven’t not considered Yeppoon my home.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve felt that to become ME, I had to leave home. It seemed the message was everywhere around me as a child and teenager, in the tv shows and movies I watched, the books I read. The blue print to all these stories, involved the protagonist growing up in a small town and having to leave to somewhere bigger and busier. And so I grew up that without a doubt, I would move to a city once I had finished university. Brene Brown explores the theme of having to leave to find yourself in her ‘Unlocking Us’ podcast with queer Puerto Rican author, Gabby Rivera. Rivera says, “It is something that has been kind of fed to us. Especially if you live in an urban environment or a rural environment. There’s this push. You’ve got to leave, you’ve got to go to the big city, you’ve got to do this. But you don’t need to completely let go of yourself and your upbringing.” New people will come in and out of our lives, supporting and guiding us on our journey, some will stay, while others will leave, but all contributing in some way to our self-discovery and growth. Brene adds that, “Our heroes learn that they had what it took all along, in their hearts and in their souls and it is actually fuelled by their ancestry and their origin.” I know deep down that a lot of the strength and determination I have used to get through challenges over the years, has come from those I love most, my parents and grandparents. And I’m reminded of this anytime I talk to my students about the fact that they have all THEY need to overcome their obstacles and challenges, using Dorothy from ‘The Wizard of Oz’ as an example. From the moment she arrived in Oz, she had all she needed to get back home, but she also needed to go through certain trials and tribulations to realise that’s what she wanted.

Since leaving Yeppoon, I’ve lived in two different cities in seven different apartments. No matter where I’ve lived, anytime I have gone back to Yeppoon, I’ve said ‘I’m going home.” One song that always stirs up the emotions for me, which I’d often hear on the inflight entertainment, is ‘Home’ by Michael Buble.

Another airplane Another sunny place I’m lucky I know But I wanna go home Mmm, I got to go home

Let me go home I’m just too far From where you are I wanna come home

No matter how far and wide I’ve travelled across this planet, and how old I’ve gotten, there is nothing like the feeling of going home. For me, going back to visit my parents and sleep in my childhood bedroom, brings me back to simpler times. I remember when I first moved away, it felt like such a chore to go home to the sleepy, slow-paced town, but now there’s nothing I love more. To go back to spend some quality time with loved ones I don’t get to see regularly, see the ocean each morning when I wake up and get some sand between my toes. Yeppoon will always be home, no matter where I end up.

I’ve come to realise that home doesn’t necessarily have to be one place. After many years, Brisbane really became home to me. So many ‘first’ memories happened to me here and many life-long memories continue to be made here. It’s strange how Melbourne felt like home almost immediately when I moved there. It was at this point I realised home doesn’t necessarily have to be a place it can be a person. I moved to Melbourne for love and it was the first time I’d lived with a partner. Discovering a new city with all these feelings of new beginnings with someone I adored, was extremely comforting, like home. I think we could’ve moved anywhere, and it would’ve felt like home.

The song ‘Home’ by Edward Sharpe and Magnetic Zeros is not only a track that gets my toes tapping and into a good mood, but reminds me of this sentiment.

Oh, home, let me come home Home is wherever I’m with you Oh, home, let me come home Home is wherever I’m with you

We collect and store memories in our hearts, that we can cherish dearly for years and years, but also find comfort in during hard times. In those times where it’s not possible to get ‘home,’ I’ve always found that if I look inward and unlock some of those memories, I can always begin to feel better again. A song that reminds of me this is Mathew V’s ‘Home.’

And if I go, save a place for me Promise that you’ll love me still and you’ll remember me And on the hard days, know you’re not alone Wherever your heart is, is where it feels like home

So whether I’m back with family in Yeppoon, amongst friends in Brisbane, Melbourne or anywhere in the world, or even on my own, stuck in my feelings, as the wise Dorothy Gale says, “there’s no place like home.”

[gordonwilliamsweb]

Backed by Millions in Public and Private Cash, Rapid Covid Tests Are Coming to Stores Near You

Scientists and lawmakers agree that over-the-counter covid tests could allow desk workers to settle back into their cubicles and make it easier to reopen schools and travel.

This story also ran on Fortune. It can be republished for free.

But even as entrepreneurs race their products to market, armed with millions of dollars in venture capital and government investment, the demand for covid testing has waned. Manufacturing and bureaucratic delays have also kept rapid tests from hitting store shelves in large numbers, though the industry was energized by the Food and Drug Administration’s greenlighting of two more over-the-counter tests Wednesday.

Corporate giants and startups alike plan to offer a dizzying array of test options, most costing between $10 and $110. Their screening accuracy varies, as does the way consumers get results: collection kits mailed back to a lab, devices synced with artificial intelligence-enabled apps on a smartphone that spit out results within 15 minutes, and credit card-sized tests with strips of paper that must be dipped into a chemical substance.

“At-home tests are one of the key steps to getting back to normal life,” said Andy Slavitt, a member of the White House COVID-19 Response Team, during a February briefing.

The Biden administration announced in March it will allocate $10 billion from the recently passed stimulus package for covid testing to expedite school reopenings, and earlier said it would invoke the Defense Production Act to manufacture more at-home tests. Separately, the federal government has already sent millions of Abbott Laboratories’ BinaxNOW rapid tests to states, and California, for instance, is giving 3 million of them to its most disadvantaged school districts for free.

Large employers, like Google, sports leagues and the federal government, have already shelled out millions to regularly test their workers. Amazon just received emergency use authorization from the FDA for its own covid test and home collection kit, which it intends to use for its employee screening program.

Individuals who want to buy over-the-counter tests can bill their health insurance plans, which are required by the federal government in most cases to fully cover covid tests that have been authorized by the FDA.

Everlywell, based in Austin, Texas, is an at-home diagnostic company that already sells its collection kit to consumers through its website and Walgreens, and will soon offer same-day delivery via DoorDash in a dozen cities. Dr. Marisa Cruz, Everlywell’s executive vice president of regulatory and clinical affairs, said buyers can seek reimbursement from their insurance plans for the kit’s $109 cost. The tests are also eligible for purchase with pretax dollars from health savings or flexible spending accounts, she said.

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Even with vaccines, epidemiologists say, rapid tests are desperately needed because more testing, along with mask-wearing and physical distancing, will get people back in offices and classrooms and help catch cases that go undetected. A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that, of people with active infections, 44% reported no symptoms.

But the market for over-the-counter tests is risky. Demand for testing has plunged dramatically since the height of the winter surge and may not rebound as more people are vaccinated.

“You clearly are at risk of missing the market,” said Michael Greeley, co-founder and general partner at Flare Capital Partners, a venture capital firm focused on health care technology.

But Douglas Bryant, president and CEO of Quidel Corp., remains unfazed, even after the diagnostics manufacturer’s testing demand dropped by about one-third in the past two months.

“The level of testing for people with symptoms and the ‘worried well,’ who see others getting tested and think they should, too, is subsiding,” Bryant said. “But once we start to get more people vaccinated, the government will move from campaigning to get people vaccinated to saying, ‘Please test yourself regularly so we can get back to work.’”

Quidel, headquartered in San Diego, recently unveiled its latest test, the QuickVue At-Home COVID-19 Test, which takes 10 minutes to detect the coronavirus by homing in on specific proteins, called antigens. The FDA authorized the test for over-the-counter use Wednesday, and Quidel plans to announce retail partners in the coming weeks.

The FDA said in mid-March it would speed the pipeline for “screening testing,” including at-home covid tests that don’t require consumers to have symptoms or a prescription.

In February, the Biden administration cut a $232 million deal with Ellume, whose rapid antigen test was authorized by the FDA in December. Paired with an app, the test takes 15 minutes to analyze after a nose swab.

The Australian company currently ships hundreds of thousands of test kits a week to the U.S. from its factory in Brisbane to large companies and the Department of Defense. It plans to be on the shelves of multiple pharmacies by the second half of the year and in one major retailer in April, said Dr. Sean Parsons, the company’s founder and CEO.

“We are going as fast as we can possibly go,” he said.

The main holdup for Ellume has been getting enough swabs for its production line. The company is building a factory in the U.S. to reduce international shipping costs and increase production.

Abbott, which dominates the rapid-test market, said in January it expects to sell 120 million BinaxNOW antigen tests to consumers in the first half of the year. People who take the test now must do so under observation by telemedicine platform eMed. But Abbott received authorization from the FDA this week for an over-the-counter version that won’t require remote observation or a prescription. The test will be available in U.S. stores in the coming weeks, the company said.

Throughout the pandemic, the government has depended heavily on medical device behemoth Abbott’s testing options. The company’s rapid-diagnostics arm alone has snared $673 million in federal contracts to combat the coronavirus, according to a ProPublica database. This includes bulk purchases made by the Defense Department, the national prison system, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the State Department and former President Donald Trump's office.

But antigen tests sometimes report false negatives, particularly among people without symptoms, noted Dr. Jac Dinnes, who co-authored a review of 64 covid test studies. By comparison, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests — generally employed by commercial labs — are more sensitive. PCR tests search for the virus’s genetic material over multiple testing cycles, which magnifies what’s in the swab sample, requiring a much smaller viral load for detection.

Antigen tests are the basis for most at-home screening, but the FDA has also authorized two at-home options — made by Lucira Health and Cue Health — that use molecular processes similar to a PCR test.

Still, many experts support the widespread distribution of cheap, rapid tests, even if they aren’t as sensitive as lab-run alternatives, and see a demand. In Germany, the supermarket chain Aldi began selling rapid tests in early March, roughly $30 for a five-pack, and sold out within hours. One recent study found that if a pack of tests was mailed to every household in the U.S. — even assuming that up to 75% would go into the garbage — they would save thousands of lives and avert millions of infections.

“Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good,” said study co-author and Yale University professor A. David Paltiel. “This doesn’t have to work perfectly to make a huge difference.”

Some companies are working on rapid-testing options that more precisely read samples, such as Gauss.

The Menlo Park, California, health tech company, which before the pandemic created an artificial intelligence-based app to measure surgical blood loss in real time, aims to harness its expertise to improve on the basic antigen test. It took about a week for CEO Siddarth Satish to raise $30 million of venture capital last October.

Its covid-testing app uses facial recognition software to confirm that test-takers correctly swab their noses. The app provides step-by-step instructions and timers. After 15 minutes, an algorithm based on thousands of sample tests interprets the result — which displays as a colored line, as with a pregnancy test — using the phone’s camera.

Gauss and Cellex, which manufactures the Gauss tests, await FDA authorization. In the meantime, they have produced more than 1.5 million kits and struck deals with supermarket chain Kroger and e-pharmacy site Truepill to sell them for about $30.

“A huge part of the accuracy issue with rapid tests is that you have to visually interpret them,” Satish said. “Sometimes you get really faint lines, just like with a pregnancy strip, and there’s some guesswork.”

Lucira Health, based in Emeryville, California, uses something called loop-mediated isothermal amplification technology, which is similar to PCR tests in precision. In February, the company went public, raising $153 million largely to fund the manufacturing of its all-in-one testing kit, currently prescribed by doctors across the country. The kit comes with a nose swab and a vial of chemicals analyzed by a hand-held device — taking up to 30 minutes for results.

Kelly Lewis Brezoczky, Lucira’s executive vice president, envisions the test kit on the shelf in local pharmacies, perched next to the NyQuil. “I always like to tell people that it is as easy to use as toothpaste,” she said.

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

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