#i think also because i work a very outdoor rec job it’s important to me that i still dress in skirts & dresses

[diffenbachiae]

my friend referred to me as ‘femme’ like a year ago now and i still think about it every single day. it eats away at me and i can’t figure out why other than that it feels WRONG. i’ve always thought of myself as butch and i can’t put it into words but it lives in the way i carry myself and interact with the world.

i can understand that the way i dress and look is feminine to most people- i have long hair, i wear a lot of jewelry and makeup, my favorite color is pink- if you’re going based purely on stereotypes, i’m very ‘femme’. however, the way i dress is also without a doubt queer. it is obvious to straight women that i am not straight.

so should i have to cut my hair and stop wearing makeup to be viewed as who i am? i could easily shave my head and start dressing in basketball shorts and t-shirts, and then suddenly how i’m labeled by my community would change. to do so would feel restricting and stifling. i feel much more butch in a long black skirt, black lipstick, and a leather jacket, holding the door open for my date. or lifting boats above my head at work while wearing pink glittery blush and heels. why should i stop dressing feminine? i’m a woman. why does my appearance continually dictate how others should treat me?

anyway, hi, i’m lizzie and i’m continually haunted by the queer dismissal of my rejection of my perceived identity. i think for me butchness is tied to my refusal to conform to society’s view of womanhood and subversion of gender roles instead of purely my gender presentation of ‘feminine’ or ‘masculine’. if you’re a lesbian i’d love your thoughts on this and if you’re not a lesbian i also would like your thoughts but may take them with a grain of salt

[finchleaf]

howdy! sorry i've been away for so long; i've been visiting family here in turkey but i'm gonna try to start this blog back up :) for now it'll mostly be journal pics

24th july - would you prefer your summer to be shorter or longer?

honestly? maybe a bit shorter. i feel like the days tend to blur together during summer break and not having school to focus on seems to make my mental health even worse :/ anyways! i'm very excited for senior year as you can tell haha

answering the rest down below!

1st July - What are your plans for this summer?

lots of traveling, working as a camp counselor in august, makin some sweet sweet money to save up for college, playing the new sims expansion pack (!!), and hanging out with friends as much as possible before schoolwork begins to bury me alive again :)

2nd July - Do you have a specific goal for this summer?

i want to study really well for my sat in late august!! (i’ve already made some great progress) also i want to get a lot of college app stuff out of the way (write some more practice essays bc i don’t like my current one, get my letters of rec in place, figure out my major, etc)

3rd July - Do you have a lot of work to do for school, university or your job this summer?

ooo ok we have to read a book and write an assignment for it for ap lit this year (except i think we start that once we get back to school?). also i need to do a bunch of summer hw for ap calc, but that’s pretty much it! and then i have a job for 2 weeks in august (as mentioned above hehe)

4th July - What is the most important task that you need to complete this summer?

probably college app stuff ahhh don’t want to even think about it anymore

5th July -  Do you have any special plans or activities for this summer?

traveling to turkey to see my family!! staying in a couple of villas (there’s a lot of us!) and then my grandma’s old summer apartment for ~5 days

6th July - What do you usually do during the summer? Is anything different this year?

going to turkey! a lifelong tradition since i was a lil baby :) last year we couldn’t go so this year’s extra special. also my first time doin a summer job!!

7th July - What did you do during the summer when you were a young child?

^^^ same as above haha

8th July - What’s your happiest summer memory from your childhood?

ooh probably one of the many from my grandma’s little summer apartment here. i have an 11 yo cousin so we share a lot of memories like running to buy our anneanne her newspaper in the convenience store downstairs, finding fish underwater at the local beach, staying up late gorging on magnum ice cream bars :)

9th July - Do you usually go on vacation during the summer?

yup

10th July - What is the best vacation you have ever been on? (note: doesn’t have to be a summer vacation)

oooh one time after flying into istanbul to stay with aforementioned cousin and my aunt, we all traveled to london for about a week! i loved that so so much, we never could really afford to go anywhere else for vacation so that was super memorable for me.

11th July - What is your favourite vacation memory?

swimming with my family in oludeniz, (called “blue lagoon”) a super pretty beach area. we swam to a little island and then jumped off its cliff :)))

12th July - What is the worst vacation you have ever been on?

oh god ok vomit tw for this one but one time my aunt, cousin, mom, and i traveled back to istanbul after staying at my grandma’s in ayvalik and we had to take a boat for a couple of hours. everyone on the boat (and it was a big one) for some reason started vomiting everywhere. i was i think the only one who wasn’t sick so it was hell haha

13th July - What is your dream vacation?

like a month-long roadtrip around france!!!! i’ve wanted to go there since i was in elementary school

14th July - Would you rather stay in one resort for a month or travel across the country for one month?

definitely travel cross country omg

15th July - Are there any special events for you in the summer? (for example, birthdays, festivals, etc.)

bayram!! bayram is sick you get money for kissing the older people in your family sjfdsjj

16th July - Do you have any summer traditions?

renting a villa with the entire family!

17th July - What is your typical daily routine in the summer?

at home, i usually wake up anywhere from 7am to 10am, take my dog for 2+ walks, read a ton, and avoid work ;)

18th July -  How do you stay motivated during the summer? (for example, to study)

it’s pretty tough! i’m hoping to study daily in my town’s library for my sat once i get back home in august. i think that’ll be pretty handy!

19th July - Do you stay indoors or outdoors more in the summer?

oh outdoors there’s no ac here so we’re constantly heading over to the beach

but at home in the us, probably indoors

20th July - Are you a ‘summer person’?

nOOOOOO i love any season/month that allows me to wear sweaters and pants, so obviously i’m not a big fan of summer

21st July - What is an unpopular opinion that you have about summer?

oh hm i’m not sure... most of the women in my family always wear bikinis when we go to the beach and i just really hate them? idk haha

also i think summer camps are kinda weird but that’s probably because i never went to one as a kid

22nd July - What does summer feel like where you live?

rather cool in the later afternoon. i also love how it smells there-- lots of freshly-cut lawns, grills constantly being used, the hydrangeas in our backyard

23rd July - Would you prefer summer to be hotter or colder than it usually is for you?

oh huh it can get reaaally hot midday so it would be nice if it was a bit cooler 

[dehydratedpool]

hello again!! it’s the beginning of a new month, meaning a new fic rec post!! here are some fics that i read this month that are just... exquisite and deserve all the love and attention <3 

there aren’t as many as last time unfortunately, since i was quite busy this past month, but i promise next month won’t fall short! ((fics that i’ve reread this month are indicated with a **))

Foolishly Laying Our Hearts On The Table [11k] by runaway_train @runaway-train-works 

“You think Harry wants that?”

“Dunno. Maybe. Wanna make him happy.” Harry takes advantage of the red light he’s pulled up to turn and look properly at Louis’ face. He’s not even looking in Harry’s direction though, focused instead on something out of his side window, head drooped, mindlessly playing with the string of his hoodie between his fingers, lost in his own world somewhere. For some reason, it makes Harry’s spine straighten.

“Because he’s your best mate?” Harry questions carefully.

“He’s my boyfriend.”

He couldn’t have heard him right. “What?”

Louis releases a deep breath, still not turning around. Harry wonders who he thinks he’s talking to right now. “He’s so pretty. Want to kiss him all day long. And buy him a big house and give him presents and marry him.”

Or; The one where Harry is in love with his best friend Louis but doesn't think he stands a chance until some wisdom teeth and a rather unusual confession might just change his mind.

--> this is a new comfort fic for me tbh. i got rec’d this after louis tweeted about getting his wisdom teeth removed, and i’m so SO glad i decided to give it a read. it’s so precious and lovely and personally, i found it to be a quick read. it’s the kind of fic that makes me both warm and fuzzy inside but also highly upset that i’m single and will surely be alone forever

Just Let Me [14k] by HelloAmHere 

The party was going well. So well, Niall had already sworn undying love to one multi-tiered chocolate cake, two friendly corgi-poodle mixes, Zayn’s hair, and the entire population of Los Angeles. So well, Zayn had only laughed and ruffled Niall’s hair and not even twitched towards a cigarette. So well, nearly everyone had spilled far past the boundaries of the night’s original plans, extracting bottles of vodka from the cabinets and losing a lot of clothes. Harry had proclaimed that he was finally going to throw a small and very grownup dinner party and of course here they were three hours later, fifty people half-naked in the pool. Soon to be full-naked, if Louis had to guess. Everybody in LA loved a heated pool. Everybody loved Harry.

--> ok LISTEN. as some of you know, i just recently got into reading a/b/o fics and this one is definitely at the top of my fave a/b/o fics out there. it’s an interesting take on the trope, almost a bit more realistic in my opinion, and to quote the author’s note, “’what if a/b/o but less biological determinism?’”. i believe i found this one through a masterpost of “touch-deprivation fics”, so if that’s your thing, give this one a chance!

my ugly mouth kept running [4k] by theankletattoo @hadestyles

Another seed, another try except they know what caused the first wilt. They will be careful, they will be kind and together they will nurture it to life.

sometimes second chances are more important than the first.

--> rori, the author, never fails to disappoint when it comes to all of her works. i’ve said it once and i’ll say it again, she’s so incredibly fucking talented it’s unreal. her imagery is so vivid and real it leaves simultaneously everything and nothing to the imagination. as usual, h and l’s dynamic in this is an addicting portion to this fic that has you anticipating how their dynamic will shift and grow up until the end. if you’ve yet to read any of rori’s work, i suggest you add that to your to-do list for the month, and get a head start to her collection with this one!

**As Wicked As Anything Could Be [21k] by whoknows @crazyupsetter

It starts when Louis decides that he wants to lose his cherry and announces that he thinks the best way to do that is by going to a gay club. Naturally, Harry can’t let him go alone, so he tags along and spends the night rating guys with Louis until someone finally catches Louis’s eye.

Harry shoves him out to dance with the guy, and he can already tell that it’s going to be a quick and dirty hook up, so he’s not surprised that Louis and the guy disappear into the bathroom ten minutes later.

It is a surprise when Louis comes out not even two minutes later, pale and clammy, grabs Harry by the hand and drags him right out the door.

Somehow Harry comes to the decision that it would be a good idea for him to be in the room with Louis while Louis gets laid.

It’s a stupid fucking decision.

--> i discovered this fic a while ago on a whim and i have zero regrets. this is absolutely on my top ten fave fics list (that has yet to exist but perhaps i’ll post it one day). whoknows is a well known author within the fandom, so i’m sure i don’t have to say much about their immense talent, but SERIOUSLY, their plot progression, even their use of dialogue is wonderful in every way. as a writer, i envy them lmao. this fic takes me on a rollercoaster every time i read it, it’s yet another comfort fic of mine and never fails to disappoint every time i pick it up again. please, do yourselves a favor this april and read this.

Keeping The Flame Alive [19k] by whoknows @crazyupsetter 

Recording with One Direction never felt like this. There’s a couple reasons for that, Harry thinks. One is that they did most of their recording on the road, rushed and in busses and hotel rooms, never in one place long enough to really get an argument going. The other, larger and more important one, is that back then he had the sweetest, meanest little omega around to distract him from all of that frustration.

The first time around, when he’d been recording his debut solo album, it hit him pretty hard. He likes to think he’s better adjusted to it now, but frustration is warring under his skin nonetheless. He doesn’t want to be told what to do most of the time, and he especially doesn’t want to be told what to do when it comes to his music.

What he does want right now is that sweet, mean little omega right in front of him with his mouth on Harry’s cock. Unfortunately, the best he’s got is his own hand and a shared toilet. So. That’s really not going to work.

--> yes, for the first time in dehydratedpoolfics history of fic recs even tho i’ve only been doing this for a month i am rec’ing the same author twice, but seriously, how could i not??? this fic took me on a literal journey like... wtf. i have no words. seriously, i have none, i’m just that blown away, go read it for yourself .

**a trail of honey through it all [27k] by bruisedhoney @yvesaintlourent 

The boy in front of him, well really, the man in front of him, was like something out of a confusing wet dream. Built, tall, tan and muscular, his skin glistened with sweat after a long day of working outdoors with his hands. He was wearing a cut up old American football shirt, the bottom hem was torn and the sleeves were cut off to the point where the t-shirt was really just a loose tank top. The shorts he had on had clearly been full length jeans at one point, and were now just crudely cut off above the knee. His white socks were pulled up too high on his calves, and the brown work boots he had on were old as fuck, the leather peeling along the edges of the soles. Curly brown hair stuck out from the edges of his backwards snapback, and there was a smudge of grease wiped along his brow bone. The smattering of hair along his jaw proved that he hadn’t shaved in a week or two, the hair growing in thicker across his upper lip and around his chin. His sinfully bowed mouth was pink and plump, and Louis was suddenly hyper-focused on the way that he chewed at the toothpick stuck between his lips. He looked like he needed a shower. Louis wanted to lick him.

Or, the TPH fic we’ve all been waiting for.

--> okay look. i may or may not have a slight obsession with this fic. i reread it constantly, mostly for the iconic line, “are we fuckin’ or fightin’?”, because how can i not scream over that?? ((also patiently waiting for the sequel)) this is a literary masterpiece, one that defines an entire generation of this fandom i stg. but in all seriousness, hayley, the author, does such a wonderful job of giving the reader a vivid look into “nowhere, georgia”, and as a southern gal myself, i absolutely adore the itty bitty pieces of southern culture embedded into this, the tiny quirks that make this fic authentic. i could probably go on forever on why this fic is so iconic, but perhaps you should read it for yourself instead *wink* *wink*

SO. that’s all for this month!! if you read any of these, first of all, be sure to read the tags and author’s note (if any) before starting, AND please don’t forget to leave a quick kudos or comment, it means more than you may ever know <3

[wheredidhiseyebrowsgo]

Hey! I love all your recs so much thank you for taking the time! Please can you put together a list of fics where everyone thinks Stiles is amazing or gorgeous and he has no idea? Thank you!!

Here’s a bunch of insecure!Stiles. - Anastasia

Best Laid Plans of Wolves and Men by Jerakeen

(1/1 I 2,026 I Teen I Sterek)

Maybe murder seems better to Derek than being Stiles Stilinski's pretend boyfriend.

Blood Moon Run by jackgyeoms

(1/1 I 2,292 I Explicit)

Stiles wasn't really sure why everyone insisted that he participate in the Blood Moon Run.

Or the one where Stiles doesn't want to run but has to, and it ends up being a very good thing.

A Question of Pack by CawCawMF

(1/1 I 5,290 I Teen I Sterek)

Stiles had always been sure of his place in the pack. That place being the absolute lowest tier in the hierarchy of werewolf pack dynamics, but he was sure of it all the same. He wasn’t necessary exactly, since just about anyone could conduct research on supernatural mythology, but his job was still important to the pack and he felt good about that. At least, that’s what he always thought. That all came crumbling down one sunny afternoon in the form of Jackson’s big mouth.

Where In the World is Derek Hale? by isthatbloodonhisshirt (wasterella)

(1/1 I 5,968 I General I Sterek)

It had been four days.

Four days since the incident. And he hadn’t heard from Derek once since then.

They’d been out fighting the most recent big bad, because Beacon Hills was a fucking magnet for bad things coming to town. They’d been in the middle of the fight, and Derek had told Stiles to run, which he hadn’t, because fuck you Derek Hale. So he hadn’t run, which ended up being a good thing, because he ended up saving Derek’s life.

When they’d won, the two of them dirty and panting, Derek had rounded on him and proceeded to shout at him for being stupid and reckless. Stiles had screamed back, and it had basically been a giant back and forth shouting match before Stiles had blurted out, “Because I fucking love your dumb, stupid face you idiot!” and had proceeded to kiss said idiot's dumb, stupid face.

What's Held on Our Shoulders by chameleonoverhere

(1/1 I 8,458 I Explicit I Sterek)

Derek drops Stiles off at school, and this attracts the unwanted attention and harassment of some kid. He exploits Stiles' greatest insecurity, has him asking questions about his relationship with Derek that he never had before.

The Courting Dilemmas of a Spark and a Werewolf Prince by green-leaf (greenleaf)

(2/2 I 11,472 I Teen I Sterek)

Talia smiled calmly. “I am well aware that you are not a werewolf, my darling, but I thought this would be the best reading material for you to use as reference. After all, how would you know how to act during a courting ritual if you do not study it?”

“But I don’t... I’m not…” Stiles narrowed his eyes at her. “Are you setting me up with someone?”

Talia rolled her eyes at him. “Don’t be obtuse, my darling. Why would I set you up with someone –”

“Oh, well, that’s good, because–”

“–when I have a son who is already perfectly enamored with you?”

A Cunning Plan by yodasyoyo

(17/17 I 32,737 I Teen I Sterek)

Stiles has a plan to get Lydia Martin to notice him. Derek is not impressed.

Your Pain is My Pain (So Stop Being So F#@$ing Clumsy!) by isthatbloodonhisshirt (wasterella)

(1/1 I 7,878 I Teen I Sterek)

“Wouldn’t it be hilarious if it was you?” Scott asked, looking between Stiles and Derek with a grin. “You turned eighteen yesterday. Derek got his soulmate yesterday.”

“Dude!” Stiles insisted, horrified, at the same time Derek snapped, “No!”

“I think it’d be sweet,” Talia said from the head of the table. “You’ve known one another for a long time, and this would certainly solve the Werewolf problem.”

“Derek is not my soulmate,” Stiles insisted. “I mean, look at him!” He motioned Derek. “He’s all grumpy and sourwolfish, and I mean, yeah, he’s great to look at, with the stubble and the working out, and face of a God sculpted out of stone and all that, and arms that could definitely carry me damsel-in-distress style whenever he wanted and what was I talking about again?” He turned back to Talia. “I think I lost my train of thought.”

He's...something by countrygirlsfun

(2/2 I 22,894 I General I Sterek)

Stiles has to admit, keeping his secret under wraps is easier than he expected around his new-found werewolf friends.

Except for the Alpha that is never where he should be.

Secondhand Soulmate by AnnoyinglyCute, Inell

(7/7 I 25,211 I Teen I Sterek)

Not always, not even most of the time, but sometimes -- 24% of the time, statistically speaking -- people meet their soulmates and live happily ever after.

THIS isn't that story.

This is the story of Stiles Stilinski, whose soulmate died before he was born. This is the story of all the sorrows and heartache Stiles experienced, all the bullying and oppression from those who should know better but didn't. This is also the story of the friendships Stiles made along the way, of the battles he fought -- and won -- and the love that endured through it all.

Bite Down Hard by KuriKuri

(1/1 I 25,730 I Explicit I Sterek)

For a moment, Derek can’t breathe.

Because moles aren’t the only thing marring the pale skin of Stiles’ neck. Oh no, that’s –

– that’s a bond bite. A bond bite which Stiles definitely did not have yesterday, and which appears to have roughly the same dimensions as Derek’s own mouth.

Shit.

(Or: In which Secret Service Agent Derek Hale accidentally gets bonded to First Son Stiles Stilinski. Oops.)

We Prefer Good Love to Gold by i_am_girlfriday

(9/9 I 63,371 I Explicit I Sterek)

This week on Millionaire Matchmaker: Supernatural Edition - Derek Hale, a thirty-year-old millionaire venture capitalist and beta werewolf, finally gives into his sisters’ pressures to start dating again and reluctantly agrees to use the services of a supernatural matchmaker. Stiles Stilinski, at age twenty-five, just sold his start-up to Google for undisclosed millions, and ends up on a reality dating show when his true alpha best friend tries to help him get over his broken heart.

***

The last thing anyone expects is for the two eligible bachelors to fall in love with each other behind the scenes.

An Alpha's Mate by EmeraldOcean

(14/? I 68,313 I Explicit I Sterek)

The threat of a rival pack and the discovery of a previously forgotten Hale family legend has Derek playing reluctant partners with his uncle Peter. And that's not the only strange thing that Stiles has noticed about Derek lately. But even the unexpectedly pleasant changes to their relationship can't completely erase the feeling that there's something he's not being told... Something that may change his life irrevocably.

This is Yours by isthatbloodonhisshirt (wasterella)

(2/2 I 73,317 I Mature I Sterek)

‘Lance’ had one hand against the back of his neck beneath his hood, and the other gripping the back of Derek’s head, sucking on his tongue almost lewdly while rocking his hips forward into Derek’s. A groan slid its way up his throat, and Derek broke the kiss, biting at the other’s full bottom lip.

“Seriously,” he said loudly, “what’s your name?”

“It’s a secret,” the other informed him, still smiling impishly, then dove in for another kiss.

Derek decided to let it go for now, he had the rest of the night to get a name out of him.

Higher Ground by Kikileduc

(18/22 I 161,121 I Mature I Sterek I Rape)

This is the story of 9 high school students from around the country, who have been sent to Beacon of Hope, a boarding school for ‘at risk’ teens. They each have a past as well as closely guarded secrets and have all dealt with trauma in one sense or another.

They’ll have to learn to trust and love again in a world that was simply too cruel for their young ages. Luckily for them, John Stilinski started this camp that combines outdoor bonding activities with schooling just for students like them who come from broken homes or got mixed up in illegal activities.

[stylinsonlibrary]

FASHION AU FIC REC: fics where Louis, Harry, or both are involved in the fashion industry in some capacity.

Just For Me (9k) Harry is a supermodel with a fake boyfriend. Louis is the captain and star forward of Manchester United with a fake girlfriend. They should have no problem having a completely platonic lunch between friends.

(They do.)

i'm stuck to your shoe, let's run (9k) Louis hates his job and Harry really lives up to his last name. (or, Louis sells men’s shoes, Harry is a rather famous fashion blogger, and they’re brought together by a gaudy pair of boots.)

Just Walk My Way (10k) Louis is a Victoria's Secret Angel, and Harry is the main act of the night.

Paper Houses (11k) “Who is that?” He hisses.

Zayn holds up a hand to stop Louis from speaking any further.

The voice on the other end of the phone continues. “Then, he saw a photo of him on Insta with his little sister and brother, and he was so gone, dude. He basically demanded that I find Louis for him! And he’s never demanded anything from me ever !”

“Pshhhh, Louis’ been jerking off to Harry for years--”

Louis dives from his place on the couch to sprawl across Zayn’s desk, snatching the phone up. There are loud noises coming from the other end of the phone as Louis shouts into it. “Who is this? Zayn has no idea what he’s talking about--”

Someone on the other end has begun shouting into the phone at the same time. “I never demanded anything--” When model Louis Tomlinson admits to having a celebrity crush on a very famous actor in an article in GQ magazine, he has no idea it will lead to anything. He definitely never suspects he will fall so hard and so fast for Harry Styles. When reality begins to interfere, their relationship is put to the test.

Tease (12k) AU. Louis Tomlinson, actor and movie star, is wildly in love with his boyfriend, supermodel Harry Styles. Their relationship is lovely and unlike any Louis has ever had before, which makes the surprise of Harry's newest interest that much more intriguing.

If You Ever Want To Be In Love (12k) Louis is a model. Harry is an up-and-coming singer/songwriter. They haven't seen each other in nearly two years.

You're Either In Or You're Out (12k) Louis' tone is maybe a bit harsher than necessary, but he still stinging from the suggestion that he was staring at Harry. Sure, the way his legs are encased in those skinny jeans is mildly intriguing. But Louis is here to be the next Top Designer, and he'll be damned if he lets a pretty boy with a sinful mouth get in the way of his dream. Especially if that sinful mouth is spewing phrases like bohemian pantsuit. Honestly.

Or the one where Louis tries out for Project Runway, Harry is his stupidly gorgeous competitor, Liam is Tim Gunn, Zayn is the supermodel host, and Niall is the guest judge who knows nothing about fashion.

Overwhelming (13k) He groans and squints at the feet of whoever he’s bumped into. All he sees is a worn pair of tan boots that lead up into a pair of long, long legs. He sits up, sighing, and rubs at his eyes; there’s a hand in front of his face so he grabs it and allows this stranger to help him up.

He blinks once, twice, and can’t believe his bad fucking luck, because of course he slammed his entire body into a pretty stranger. Not only that but—he smells the air once to confirm his suspicions—a pretty, sweet-smelling, alpha stranger. Fantastic.

Pretty stranger opens his mouth. “I didn’t concuss you, did I?”

Louis is an omega attending university to get his degree and most definitely not waste his time with unimportant things such as finding a mate. Harry is the alpha who manages to unwittingly mess up that plan.

More Than Anything (13k) Being able to see through the eyes of your soulmate may seem like a dream come true to many, but reality proves a little more complicated. For two young boys it's all they could ever wish for but as time passes by they come to realise that there's no pain quite the same as longing to have someone who just isn’t there.

Put It All On Me (15k) "Yeah, yeah, give it to me, that's it, spread your legs a bit, there you go."

The camera follows Louis as he does. Maybe if the modelling thing doesn't work out, he could try the porn industry. Then again, he's a bit too stocky to be twinky and a bit too twinky to be anything else. He likes that about himself, though. Well, directors and photographers like that about him. He could pull off pretty and edgy, could do GQ in the morning and a perfume commercial in the afternoon. Right now he thinks he could pull off anything, because it's Harry fucking Styles directing him.

Or, a Top Model AU where Louis is accidentally there to make friends, not become Britain's Next Top Model. (Also Zayn is the supermodel host.)

Found My Missing Piece (16k) “@harrystyles followed you.”

“@harrystyles liked your tweet.”

“What?” He whispers in astonishment, because there’s no way. But he clicks on Harry’s profile and sure enough, the little grey “follows you” appears by his name. After taking a second to just stare at the screen, he quickly takes a screenshot and sends it to his sister. Lottie is one of the few people who would understand his shock. Niall would certainly just make fun of him for it.  

Louis and Harry are both fashion bloggers. Louis' been following Harry for years. Harry and his blog really gave him the confidence and the push to make his own. His sister and best friend have been making fun of his silly little crush on him ever since. But that's all it is, a silly, harmless crush because there is no way Harry knows who he is. Or does he?

swimming in a champagne sea (16k) Louis is a supermodel. Harry is a celebrity photographer known for capturing the brightest up and comers in their most candid moments. They meet at London’s most exclusive New Year’s Eve party.

An alpha/alpha fic filled with confusion, banter, Ubers, and glitter

Make a Dime Go One Hundred (17k) “Hey, Haz,” he says, encouraged in equal parts by the weed and the cocoon they seem to have created around themselves. “Do you think you could trust anyone enough to have full control over you?” he asks into the night, hoping his sentence won’t break their bubble. It doesn’t, if the way Harry’s eyes meet his is any indication.

“What do you mean?” Harry’s voice is barely above a whisper, rough from the singing they had done earlier. Louis wants to keep this memory forever.

“You know, if someone wanted to, uhm,” he coughs, “to tie you up, or blindfold you.”

Friends to Lovers AU: Harry volunteers to help Louis experiment with bondage. Things don’t go exactly to plan.

If You Wanna Try Me On (18k) To be fair, Harry’d been half asleep when Niall convinced him to put in his CV in the first place. Like, Harry wants to be a proper serious journalist--he’s not about to give up that dream in favour of becoming a personal assistant at a fashion magazine, or...whatever. Harry’s not actually all that sure what Tomlinson Styles even is, beyond his ticket to fame or any of the other things Niall’d spouted off at him, but when he shows up for the interview and is unceremoniously shoved into an office with the Tomlinson part of that equation, all Harry can really think about is that he would like to be a Tomlinson-Styles.

...or the Devil Wears Prada AU that no one wanted. Sort of.

Life At Shutter Speed (20k) AU. Having landed a job modelling for an outdoor clothing catalogue, Harry certainly wouldn’t mind doing some extracurricular work for photographer Louis Tomlinson. Say, a private photo session? Yes, please? Good thing that Harry has ten days and three beautiful locations -- Morocco, Indonesia and the Swiss Alps -- to make Louis see just how good they could be.

Three French Hems (20k) In which Louis is a designer at Burberry and Harry spends December wearing Lanvin… and Lanvin… and Lanvin.

you think fashion is your friend, my friend (fashion is danger) (27k) "Louis has one rule, and one rule only, that he simply refuses to break. He forbids himself to be attracted to anyone he might work with. No wanking to models who might wear his clothes! It’s hardly fair, considering he spends 95% of his time working with the most attractive men on the planet, but his career is more important. Besides, in Louis’ experience, it always leads to disaster. Harry Styles makes respecting the rule really damn hard though and Louis is not quite sure why."

the one where Louis is a famous British designer and Harry is the clumsy, most likely straight model that makes his heart race.

sweet, where you lay (27k) Louis Tomlinson is a twenty-eight year old successful actor living in New York. Harry Styles is a twenty year old up and coming model and coincidentally also the one who turns Louis’ world completely upside down.

or, Louis is Zachary Quinto and Harry is Miles McMillan. Falling in love was always in the cards for them.

But Why Wonder, Why Wonder? (30k) The one where Marcel Styles has improbably landed a job in the fashion industry, and Louis Tomlinson is the actor-turned-lingerie-designer he’s been infatuated with for years.

These Constant Stars (31k) Louis’ career has nowhere to go but up. He’s living at the height of New York City on the precipice of an epic promotion. Life is good and only getting better. And then one day, things turn disastrous.

This is a story about life, death, and punk rockers turned guardian angels.

Promises We Made (35k) Its been five years since Harry and Louis broke up; they were seventeen and nineteen and it was messy to say the least. Cue Louis, who is worked off his feet making clothes for celebrities, Harry dropping his debut album, Niall who likes to avoid his insecurities by dragging Louis on Holiday, Zayn and Perrie as Louis' right hand stylists, and Liam who wishes Harry would just tell him about his ex-boyfriends before he contacts them about working for him.

Its either going to be a disaster, or the perfect timing they've all been waiting for.

football/designer (series; 2 works; 39k) Louis Tomlinson is an English fashion designer. Harry Styles is an American football player. 

everywhere (i wanna be with you) (42k) Harry and Louis meet because they have terrible friends, they fall in love because something feels right in a world of uncertainty and shifting grounds. Louis is an actor and Harry is a model at the top of his game, the best things in life are the most unexpected ones and the things that hit you when you are least expecting it.

Featuring winter in London, nights in Paris, early mornings in New York, burning heat in Monte Carlo and an enduring love spent transcending four corners of the globe.

to kill the mess we've made (43k) And when he's finally standing, Liam fussing over him, rubbing his hand at the red mark blooming on Harry's forehead, does Harry learn two things:

One, he wasn't actually hit that hard, and Tommo--or Louis, rather--is just as pretty when Harry is staring at him head-on and,

Two, Louis is the Adidas model he's going to be working with on today's photo shoot.

(or: AU where Harry and Louis are both models, and they decide being friends-with-benefits is a great idea. It isn't.)

Why Can't It Be Like That (63k) Louis Tomlinson, head of his local hospital's charity fund, suddenly finds himself in the heart of the Royal family when his mother marries the third son of the reigning monarch. Such an upset in lifestyle brings a lot of changes for Louis, one of them being the need for a stylist.

Enter Harry Styles, a cutting edge fashion stylist who loves his job and prides himself on his passion. The first time he sees Louis Tomlinson on the cover of a tabloid he wants to dress him, style him, make him as beautiful as Harry knows he could be. When he's hired to do just that, he knows this will be a perfect partnership. That is, until he actually meets the man.

A fashion AU with a royal twist, where Louis doesn't need a stylist, Harry's thrilled to have a real life Barbie doll, and they're both very wrong about each other.

In This Light (99k) Harry is a wardrobe stylist who likes to live in the moment, and Louis is a popstar who looks dreamy in double breasted jackets. Harry never stood a chance.

dusted in gold (series; 2 works; 100k) Harry’s an A-list supermodel, Louis’s his make-up artist boyfriend. They’re something of a dream team.

Dress you up in my love (103k) Harry is single, and more than anything wants to find love. Agreeing to sign up to a dating website was a bad, bad idea. Niall's bad, bad idea. Louis is single, but has no interest in relationships. Or so he tells himself. 

Harry is a lawyer whose boss, Nick, happens to give him a bonus, which he decides to splurge on a new work wardrobe. Louis is a frustrated designer, working as a personal shopper at Selfridges. Louis happens to be working on the day a very beautiful, but out of his depth, new customer ambles into their department in need of advice. Louis might have just found the muse he never knew he was looking for.

Featuring: Sophia as Louis' colleague, with a somewhat unhealthy obsession with his love life, whilst being oblivious when it comes to her own. Liam as the ‘IT bloke from downstairs’ with the mother of all crushes on Sophia. Niall as Harry's sport's writer flatmate who spends most of his time making Harry's life as complicated as possible. Zayn as Louis’ flatmate and lifelong best friend, whose cat, Noodle/Princess/Princess Noodle loves Louis more than it loves him. And Nick as Harry's boss and one of Louis' regular customers: is Imelda Marcos reborn.

In Vogue (121k) 'Is that why David Beckham has been featured multiple times on the pages of your life's work? Does your criteria seriously consist of one thing – a man's ass?'

'Well the ass is a man's best asset,' Harry smirks, holding the Martini glass high up his face. 'And don't call the magazine my life's work. There are far more important things in life, Louis Tomlinson, than what's printed on the pages of a magazine.'

Fashion AU. Louis is the editor in chief of Vogue magazine, and Harry's running British GQ. Featuring Zayn as the crazy creative director and Louis' confidant, Liam as the sports writer that gets to sit front row at fashion week and DJ Neil as the only sane person in the whole story. 

Let's Fall in Love in a Place You Want to Stay (134k) A George of the Jungle / Tarzan AU where Louis is a model who meets Wild Man Harry in the Congo. He was raised by apes and barely speaks a word of English and turns Louis' life upside down.

Have Faith In Me (183k) As the son of Anne Styles, millionaire owner of one of the world's most luxurious fashion labels, Harry has spent his last seventeen years living in carefree extravagance. And now he's grown tired of it, along with the pressure from his mum to follow in her footsteps and the constant care given to him by her past assistants.

When his mum's newest assistant, Louis, moves into the guesthouse, Harry determines to be treated differently. To be treated like an adult. Except Louis is not at all what Harry was expecting...

This is a story about growing up, growing in love and having the faith to make it last.

Fading (202k) Louis knows about beauty; the combination of qualities that pleases the aesthetic senses. He creates that combination every day in the garments he designs while studying fashion at uni. The cut of the design, the color of the fabric, the intricacy of the stitching; it all comes together to create something beautiful. When the science student with the long legs and dimpled smile agrees to model for him, Louis decides he’s found beauty personified. Harry just thinks Louis needs someone to show him how beautiful he is. [Trigger Warning: Eating Disorder]

[crosbytoews]

hockey rpf fic rec

this is an assortment of all the hockey rpf i have bookmarked. it is organized by pairing. if any of this is not your thing that’s valid but i don’t wanna hear it 

these fics are posted on ao3 and most of them are locked so you will need an ao3 account to access them!

obviously i like everything on here but i bolded the urls of my absolute faves

JAMIE BENN/TYLER SEGUIN

Look at the wonderful mess that we made by sherlockelly

A name-on-wrist soulmate AU where being outed by a same-sex name is still newsworthy if you're in professional sports and is a very real concern for some NHL players. Despite the shifting attitudes, no one in the sport has ever come out publicly.

Tyler has always felt relieved that 'Jamie' could be a male or female name, it makes hiding his sexuality a lot easier. Jamie's not been so lucky.

Door to Door by Ferritin4

"Hey," Jamie says, pounding on the door. "Hey, open up!"

The dogs shut up.

"Hi, shit, sorry," says the stupidly fucking gorgeous man who opens the door in a tank top and boxers. "Shit, were the dogs loud? They get really excited when I come home."

"It’s three in the morning," Jamie says. On cue, a dog pokes its head around the corner to the entryway and bounces over to the — to this guy. It’s followed by another, browner dog, and Jamie has a moment of surrealist sleep-deprived horror where he imagines an infinite string of dogs forever bounding gleefully towards —

"I work two jobs. I’m Tyler," Tyler says, extending his hand. "Do you want to come in?"

Well, he’s not doing anything illegal, Jamie thinks, shaking it, because no criminal in the history of crime has ever willingly invited a cop into their house, and there is no one in the city of Dallas who hasn’t pegged Jamie as a cop within six seconds of meeting him.

Stating the Obvious by StormDancer

In which Tyler transfers to Dallas, makes some friends, and has emotions, none of which he's prepared to deal with.

Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin

King and Lionheart by thehoyden

Sidney’s wedding day doesn’t go quite as he’d planned. When he’d bothered to imagine it at all, he’d thought of a nice June wedding in Nova Scotia, outdoors with the sun streaming down. He hadn’t imagined this hurried affair on the tarmac on a rainy and unseasonably cool day in early September, a month after his twenty-fifth birthday.

And Never Been Kissed by thehoyden

Sid didn’t introduce himself in the hallway, and he certainly doesn’t assume that people know who he is. So it would only be polite to thank Malkin again, this time more personally.

He could write him a letter. An email? No, a letter.

There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe by Shoshanah-ben-hohim

Amidst rising political tensions between Russia and NATO countries, the KHL and NHL failed to renew their labor agreement this summer. Due to the failed agreement and intense political pressure at home, the Russian NHL players do not return to the NHL.

By March, Geno has played almost a season in Russia, and accepts this is his new reality, no matter how much he misses Sid – until he finds the first child. This sets him and everyone he involves down a dangerous path of international intrigue.

Auston Matthews/Mitch Marner

as long as it's about me by Anonymous 

It takes about the length of their first practice for Toronto media to decide that him and Mitch are best friends. And, like, Auston’s been warned about the press in the city a million times, so he gets it. They want a story. He’d be fine with it, honestly, except for the small issue that Mitch Marner is the most annoying person on the entire planet.

I Never Thought He Wouldn't by MycroftexMachina

Mitch loves people. And usually people love him back. Usually.

we've got each other (and that's a lot) by LottieAnna

“I’m gonna be a groomsman,” Mitch says, then flops dramatically into the chair across from Auston, grabs Auston’s glass of whiskey, and takes a long sip. It burns as it goes down, and he makes a face. “Again.”

JONATHAN TOEWS/PATRICK KANE

don't taze me, bro by staraflur

He doesn’t think Zeus is supposed to have a sword, but their Zeus does. So now Jonny does, because of course he’s in charge. He looks, Patrick is drunk enough to acknowledge, far better than anyone has a right to in a grody old Halloween costume that’s probably soaked up the butt sweat of dozens, if not hundreds, of Theta-presidents past. Jonny wears it, Patrick gets the sword. Win-win.

AKA that time there was a frat AU (of course).

Same Time, Same Place by brutti_ma_buoni

It should be a one-off, an awkward airport first meeting that goes nowhere. But this one goes somewhere. Back to Jonny's, for a start.

It shouldn't go any further, a one-nighter with no strings, and plenty of reasons for Patrick not to go back there. But Patrick won't let it go.

It should be a disaster, a mismatch, a scandal, a shoddy secret regret. But... maybe not?

bring it if you really want it by staraflur

It starts like this:

Well, okay, Patrick has no idea how it actually starts. But as pertains to him (in other words, the important part), it goes a little something like so:

America, being a nation composed in large part of a melting pot of immigrants who may or may not have taken over land already owned by others using less-than-savory means, doesn’t have much of a magical national identity. Much less a magical continental identity. There’s no grand heritage going back thousands of years. Magical families home-schooled all their kids until, like, the 1800’s, and tough for the muggle-born, apparently. Hopefully you got noticed by someone who knew what to do with you before you got burned at the stake. Since you probably can’t control your powers, sport.

Call Me Royal Blue by cupstealer 

He’s always gotten his kicks giving Jonny shit, but never like this. He feels like the first person to combine ice cream and soda—A) in that he has combined two amazing things to make a more amazing thing, and B) in that Jonny is not having it.

Patrick and Jonny haven't been close friends in six years. Nothing a little friendly competition can't fix.

Random Pairings 

Jeff Skinner/Eric Staal

If Heaven’s Hypothetical by impertinence and shoemaster 

Jeff runs away from Toronto and finds himself homeless in Raleigh, where he accidentally starts serving eggs to Eric Staal.

Andrew Ladd/Ryan Kesler

Nothing Worth Knowing by beatperfume and shoemaster

Ryan Kesler hates Andrew Ladd on sight. College AU.

Erik Johnson/Gabriel Landeskog 

A Month of Sundays by Kelfin

Unlike some guys, who freak out when things get even a little bit gay, Erik is fine with this stuff. Erik's not even fazed when Gabe's attempts at flirting with him start to get semi-public, a fact that, by his own judgment, makes him at least five to seven times more tolerant than your average forward-thinking American.

Sidney Crosby/Claude Giroux 

The Battle of Pennsylvania by Robinjay

When they play at Worlds together, Claude Giroux firmly expects a fight to break out. At the very least, he expects derogatory remarks and barely contained fury. Instead of doing any of those things, Sidney Crosby just stares and Claude Giroux loses his damn mind.

In Hours Uncounted by remiges

Claude's grandparents take him to get his first name when he's ten—younger than most people start, but older than his grandparents when they'd had theirs done. His grandmother's skin is threaded red and gold with names, and Claude wants that, wants that sort of history for his own.

Sidney Crosby/Tyler Seguin

All New Kinds of Weather by concinnity and Pennyplainknits

Sidney Crosby, Tyler realizes, has just asked him about hooking up. Sidney fucking Crosby. Tyler blinks at Sid and takes a long drink of water. He has possibly never been as grateful for his slutty reputation as he is in this moment. Because, out of a whole room at least 30% of which would happily give Sid what he’d just, hesitantly, asked for, Sid chose him.

Also there are pancakes.

Alex Galchenyuk/Brendan Gallagher 

ain't never had a love like mine by bluejayys

Anna installs Grindr on his phone while he drives them back to his place, snickering as she fills out his profile.

“In your About Me section I said that you enjoy hockey, can speak three languages, and have been commended by fans for your excellent stick handling,” she says gleefully. Alex wonders when this became his life.

Brent Seabrook/Duncan Keith

Summerboys by stlkrchck

Brent Seabrook has no interest in working at Camp Quaquanantuck the summer before university. Unfortunately, his mom's signed him up, and he has to go. But between a cabin full of campers obsessed with Lady Gaga, a prank war with two other cabins, and his co-counselor Duncan Keith, Brent might just find himself enjoying the summer after all.

Tyson Barrie/Gabriel Landeskog 

Left-Handed Kisses by oflights

The one where Tyson's fooling around with Gabe, already way out of his league, and then finds out he's apparently fooling around with a prince. And he might be a little bit in love with him. It's pretty brutal.

[piesnpucks]

Check, Please! Archery AU

Okay so it was an idea of @beepboopbits and @zimmsbits​ had that just spiraled out of control. I would say I’m sorry, but... I’m really not. 

Collegiate archery is kinda funky-- for example, there’s no one governing body but several-- and so i haven’t really gotten into many of the details regarding tournaments yet. This is loosely based off of my experiences with my university’s club/team structure, so these guys make up the competitive team and their ‘fans’ would probably be the club. 

I have a problem and I may be continuing in this ‘verse. Without further ado: 

Jack  is the son of Canadian Olympian Bad Bob Zimmermann. Attempting to follow in his father’s footsteps, he started shooting recurve at the age of three, and competitively before his sixth birthday. He missed tryouts for the 2008 Games in Beijing because of an equipment failure; his riser (the handle part of the bow) snapped because of a machining error. Returning to the archery scene in early 2009 at the Vegas International Shoot, Jack found himself the victim of target panic in the shootoff. He put his bow down and disappeared for two years, only to reemerge by starting a collegiate archery program at Samwell University.

 Bitty  is still a former figure skater, but after an injury at the Southern Junior Regionals, he had to hang up his skates and find a different sport. His experiences as a counselor at a summer camp introduced him to archery—which, he was proud to inform his mother, had less injuries per participant than golf. (IT’S TRUE!). He too started off with recurve; initially barebow, and then Olympic recurve like Jack once he found a range nearby. He’s terrified of hitting his arm with the string, so Jack has to work with him on getting his front arm alignment right so that he actually hits the spot on the target he wants to. He’s good with the rest of the mental aspects of archery though. He did not compete before coming to Samwell.  Honestly, the biggest adjustment for Bitty is probably the fact that he’s not allowed to have his phone with him on or ahead of the shooting line at tournaments—so, roughly half the time that he’s there!

“Shitty” earned his nickname by his vulgar language after every time he gets a bad shot. At least that’s the story. Shitty is a loudmouthed gregarious compound, the type who somehow manages to befriend and piss off everyone on his bale at once. He picked up archery at Andover and loved that it was an individual sport; he didn’t have to actually compete as a team with any of his schoolmates. He may be able to afford the best equipment, but the equipment doesn’t make the archer. He and Jack are still best friends, mostly for his ability to bring Jack out of his own head at practice or a tournament. He’d probably make a better coach than an archer, but everyone still values his presence anyways.

He still hates the LAX team.

 Lardo is a Student Rec employee who was originally put in charge of taking care of the bales and setting up the safety net before Samwell practices. Jack and Shitty (mostly Shitty, let’s be honest here) eventually coaxed her to take her first shots. Her presence on the team is treasured because she has no real preference of barebow over recurve or vice versa, though she hates compound; that makes her invaluable for shooting Mixed Teams at outdoor tournaments (must be m/f teams that shoot the same discipline). Jack initially likes her just for that, but they find that they share the same things that they do in canon. She claims that a slightly more flexible schedule from being in art classes means she’s more capable of handling the logistics of everything, but in reality she’s just better at life than everyone else.

 Ransom always brings his homework to tournaments and does it in between rounds, which can psyche out his competitors. It’s necessary, though. He used to shoot recurve as a child, but the rise of available compound bows combined with the intensity of his schedule drove him to make the switch, because he’d heard that compound required less practice (it’s true; training wheels are a thing). He usually finds an out-of-the-way corner at whatever tournament venue they’re at and sets up shop. Only Holster is allowed to talk to him once scoring starts. At practices he’s a lot more laid back. He still parties and he still knows everyone on campus, which has been instrumental in growing the archery club and also getting them finances.

 Holster had a couple vague memories of shooting an uncle’s—or was it a grandpa’s?—bow at a cabin some distance from his house when he was younger. He’d describe himself as having limited archery experience, but he managed to pick it up pretty quickly once he started shooting regularly again. His size initially made him think about recurve, but once he realized that Rans was shooting compound, he went out and bought the same bow. The two of them usually share a bale during practice.

  Chowder shoots barebow recurve. At practice, he’s very happy and a joy to shoot with; it seems like just hitting the target is enough to please him. At tournaments, though, he turns into a quiet, cold, arrow-busting machine. Nobody wants to share a bale with him at outdoor tournaments, because the middle is his, and he will have no qualms about shooting your arrows and possibly breaking them if they’re in the way. (Indoors, you get separate targets). Like Jack, he picked archery up at a young age, but has never been interested in ‘upgrading’ to have sights and a stabilizer. He’s just in it for the fun of it.

 Nursey picked up archery at Andover, just like Shitty. However, where Shitty opted for compound, Nursey chose a recurve because he preferred the feel of the bow. Nursey has a tendency to fiddle with his equipment just like he does lines in his poems, which can sometimes cause more harm than good. It’s a universal team rule that he’s no longer allowed within ten feet of the bow press, for fear that it will explode—again. He claims to be the best at the mental side of archery of anyone on the team because he knows how to chill (that title belongs to Chowder). However, when he’s on his game, he’s unquestionably on his game. Because he and Dex shoot the same division, they often end up shooting next to each other at tournaments—they’re a great support group for each other.

 Dex started looking for scholarships for Samwell, and then discovered the archery club. He qualified to join the team in his very first semester, because he used to shoot every summer before he was old enough to go out on the fishing boats. He shoots with a recurve because the equipment is generally cheaper and the basics are a lot more customizable. He’s the team’s bow tech; he and Ransom are the only ones who can understand the technicalities of the Easton tuning guide, and Ransom’s generally too busy to mess with things. He and Nursey squabble a lot because the riser he shoots is one that Nursey used to, and Nursey assumes that he knows it better. Despite this, he usually ends up shooting next to Nursey at tournaments. They get along and have a great time.

  Parse became Jack’s friend while they were both cruising the international archery circuit as children. He toyed with both compound and recurve, settling on compound once he got his first official sponsorship. He and Jack shot the same line times throughout the entire qualification rounds of the 2009 Vegas International Shoot, and qualified with the same 900/86X score. However, when they reached the shootoff rounds, Jack had his bout of target panic while Parse went on to win it all. Now he’s got a comfortable job out West at a starter bow company while also enjoying the immense payout from Vegas. He gets time off every year from his job to continue competing in the biggest tournaments around the world.

 Bad Bob was a Canadian Olympian in ’76 and ’80, winning the men’s individual gold both times. ’76 was particularly important, because it was only the second Games after 1920 that archery was contested, and it was held just outside of his hometown of Montreal. He earned his nickname after he blew two ends on the very first day of qualifiers; one of his competitors started mocking him until he came back stronger than he had before.

 I still plan to add the tadpoles and the girls of Check, Please! (bc this team is sadly unbalanced rn) but it shall be a work in progress. 

Anyway, tell me what you think! 

[zeeman960]

GGS Spotlight: Katie Prendergast

Name: Katie Prendergast Age: 29 Location: Denver, CO

What does being a Girl Gone Strong mean to you?  It means becoming my strongest self and focusing on what I can do better each day in the gym, in business, and to enhance my experience of life.

How long have you been strength training, and how did you get started? I’ve been competing in sports since I was in grade school, starting with 3rd grade softball. Practices consisted of cardio, conditioning, maybe bodyweight exercises, sport-specific drills, scrimmages, and then game time, of course.

I started weightlifting in college, using P90x workouts in my dorm or my parents’ basement. I combined that with going to the campus gym occasionally, not really knowing what I was doing. Back then, I always used weightlifting as a way to “get in shape” for vanity, not necessarily because I wanted to get stronger.

That totally changed when I got my first full pull-up. I still wanted to lift weights to look good, but I started caring about the things that I could do because of strength training.

Around that time, I dropped into my first class at CrossFit Scioto in Columbus, Ohio, and fell in love with the friendly competition in the gym. I continue to train at CrossFit facilities wherever I live and travel (Denver, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Spain).

What does your typical workout look like? I’d say it’s “CrossFit-esque.” I will usually tackle a main lift, sometimes starting with an Olympic variation like a clean, jerk, or snatch to develop athletic power. Other days, my focus will be more powerlifting style — deadlifts, hex bar deadlifts, front and back squats, overhead presses, sometimes bench presses (not my favorite), or barbell rows. I usually practice a movement skill like pull-ups, handstand push-ups, or dips, too. Two to three times per week, I’ll “metcon” or do a conditioning workout involving kettlebell swings, box jumps, and other fun stuff.

Favorite lift:  Deadlifts!

Most memorable PR: This is not necessarily a PR, but my first muscle-up was very memorable. I was drilling the movement, using a box to assist myself over the bar and practice the turnover from the pull-up to the dip. I decided to just go for an unassisted muscle-up, but missed a couple times. I kind of tweaked my shoulder, so I walked away from the pull-up rig to do mobility drills. I was just going to leave the gym after that, but I hopped on the bar one more time and knocked out my first muscle-up. I just kind of stayed above the bar for a minute, holding the support position, appreciating how awesome it felt to finally get that movement for the first time. There were only four or five people in the gym, but our head coach just started cheering and clapping because he knew it was my first muscle-up and everyone else joined in. It was awesome.

Top 5 songs on your training playlist:  The grittier, grungier, bluesy-er, the better!

Lose Yourself, Eminem

Hot Blood, Kaleo

Lonely Boy, Black Keys

Ocean Avenue, Yellowcard (guilty pleasure)

Joker and the Thief, Wolfmother

But also stupid poppy stuff like 90s alt-rock or 2000s rap/hip-hop. Depends what I’m doing.

Top 3 things you must have at the gym or in your gym bag: Water/shaker bottle, lacrosse ball to release trigger points, and my jump rope (because I can’t do double unders consistently with any other rope!)

Do you prefer to train alone or with others? Why? Usually with others, unless I’m just deadlifting with beats bumping through my headphones. As an athlete who grew up playing team sports, I find it really hard to push myself to my limits when I’m alone. Being with a training partner or group of athletes helps me bring out my competitive side and push harder than I can when I’m alone.

Most memorable compliment you’ve received lately: I meet with a fellow personal trainer weekly to go over our action items for the week. At our last meeting, he complimented my writing, which was awesome because I sometimes get too into my own head about what I put down on paper and can be critical about my writing.

Most recent compliment you gave someone else: I told one of my clients how proud I am of her effort lately. She’s been going through a lot of stress with work and family, so it’s amazing to see her re-focus on taking care of herself.

Favorite meal:  I love food, so it’s hard to pick just one thing! I’d have to say breakfast as a general category, closely followed by a giant bacon cheeseburger, fries, and a pale ale.

Favorite way to treat yourself:  My bi-weekly massage. I leave feeling so much better, and ready to tackle life again!

Favorite quote:

Do what you love, and f*ck the rest. — Little Miss Sunshine

Favorite book: Another hard one to answer because I love to read! Kurt Vonnegut had a way of stating things so simply, plainly, yet in a way that makes you really think about everyday life from a different perspective. I particularly enjoyed his book Slaughterhouse Five.

What inspires and motivates you?  Improving at the things I love to do, watching my athletes improve in the gym and come into their workouts with energy, and tackling challenges outdoors, like climbing routes I never thought I could climb.

What do you do? I am a strength and nutrition coach. I work with the “everyday athlete” — from weekend warriors, to skiers/snowboarders, to rec league athletes. My job is to get people moving, push them to move some heavy weights around, teach them that the gym can be fun, and help them fit “fitness” into their busy lives so they can enjoy life outside the gym.

What else do you do? I read, I write about health and fitness, I love to cook and eat, and I try to get outdoors as much as possible. When I’m not lifting heavy things in the gym, I like to get outside and use my fitness for snowboarding, rock climbing, hiking, mountain biking, and playing random sports with friends at the park. I also love to travel to new places to soak up different cultures, sample the local food and drink, and to adventure. Ever skydive in the Swiss Alps or bungee jump in Australia? You haven’t lived until you do something crazy.

Describe a typical day in your life: On typical work days, I wake up at 6 a.m. to let the dog out, meditate, and get to work on my “most important task” for the day — usually copywriting to market my business or programming for my athletes. This involves lots of coffee, and sometimes a little cursing while I tap the backspace button repeatedly. Then it’s off to the gym to train clients until about noon, when I take a midday break and get to workout myself. Home, shower, lunch, walk the dog, then back into the gym to train clients for a couple hours. I usually finish up sessions around 6 or 7 p.m., then head home to cook dinner and chill out with my pup, Gunner.

On non-work days, I still wake up between 6 and 7 a.m. and (try to) meditate, though that doesn’t always happen on weekends. During ski season, I race out the door to beat ski traffic up to the mountains. During the summer, weekends are booked up with camping trips. If I’m staying in town, I’ll take Gunner for a long walk, make a big breakfast, and read or write through the morning. Afternoons in Denver are great for biking to breweries or wandering around the cool little neighborhoods, which all have distinct personalities.

Your next training goal: I’ve gotten a couple muscle-ups since that first one, but my goal is to be able to do them consistently. I’ve also been working up to a double-bodyweight deadlift.

For what are you most grateful? The amazing, supportive people in my life — my family, my friends, and the awesome athletes I’ve had the opportunity to work with.

Of what life accomplishment do you feel most proud? Starting my training business. It’s been one of the most challenging things I’ve ever undertaken, and still a work in progress, but it’s also been the most rewarding.

Which three words best describe you? Intelligent. Stubborn. Strong.

What’s a risk you’ve taken recently, and how did it turn out? Tell us about a time when you overcame fear or self-doubt. Not-so-recently (about a year ago), I left a full-time position as a trainer at a local gym. I gave up a steady paycheck and health benefits to see if I could build a fitness business. My end goal is to live life on my terms, not be tied to an employer; to influence as many people as possible to take control of their health and fitness; and to travel the world seeking out adventure and new challenges.

There is a lot of fear and self-doubt I have to overcome on a daily basis (questions like “am I fit enough to train this person” or “am I good enough to charge what I’m worth” cross my mind on a regular basis). I’ve found that practicing meditation and surrounding myself with awesome people (mentors, other coaches, and the athletes I choose to work with) makes it easier to overcome those doubts. Not sure I can answer how my fitness business has turned out yet… but I’ll keep you posted!

How has lifting weights changed your life? Weightlifting has given me a passion to pursue after leaving team sports; it’s helped me develop an inner strength I didn’t realize I was capable of; it’s provided a career path; and it’s introduced me to an amazing community of incredible individuals at the gyms I train and work at. Lifting weights changed my life by becoming an irreplaceable part of who I am.

What’s the coolest “side effect” you’ve experienced from strength training? Confidence that I can tackle anything! From challenging ski terrain or advanced climbing routes, to building a business, to helping someone else accomplish their life goals.

If I didn’t have the physical (and mental) strength that comes from lifting weights, I don’t think I’d be half the person I am today.

What do you want to say to other women who might be nervous or hesitant about strength training? Since I work primarily with women in the gym, I see the mentality that strength training is intimidating or “not for me because I don’t want to get bulky” from a lot of women. The most important thing I do as a trainer/coach is to dispel that myth! Yes, trying something new can be scary and intimidating… but that’s true of any skill.

Weightlifting is a skill that can be learned with dedication and practice. Hire a coach or reach out to a friend who has training experience. Read and watch exercise videos. Record yourself lifting and watch your technique. Practice, practice, practice. You won’t be “good” at weightlifting right off the bat, but with patience and practice, you’ll get better every day.

It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself to develop the physical and mental strength that comes from lifting something heavy off the ground (or the rack, or whatever you’re lifting!)

Most importantly, surround yourself with a community of people who encourage you to learn and grow inside the gym and out there in the real world.

You can learn more about Katie on her website and YouTube channel, and connect with her on Facebook and Instagram.

The post GGS Spotlight: Katie Prendergast appeared first on Girls Gone Strong.

Source: Girls Gone Strong

GGS Spotlight: Katie Prendergast was originally published on LeFit Fitness