#i was gonna say 'my coworkers are all so normal i feel like a diversity hire' but that sounds kinda derogatory

[rubberbandballqueen]

i love how absolutely normal my coworkers are. there's no fear of doing a petty internet slight against someone by mistake. they're all just chillin

[phantomrose96]

Hey not to go all "tumblr is a professional networking site" on you, but how did you get to work for Microsoft??? I'm a recent grad and I'm being eviscerated out here trying to apply for industry jobs & your liveblogging about your job sounds so much less evil than Data Entry IT Job #43461

This place is basically LinkedIn to me.

I'm gonna start by saying I am so so very sorry you're a recent grad in the year 2024... Tech job market is complete ass right now and it is not just you. I started fulltime in 2018, and for 2018-2022 it was completely normal to see a yearly outflow of people hopping to new jobs and a yearly inflow of new hires. Then sometime around late-spring/early-summer of 2022 Wallstreet sneezed the word "recession" and every tech company simultaneously shit themselves.

Tons of layoffs happened, meaning you're competing not just with new grads but with thousands of experienced workers who got shafted by their company. My org squeaked by with a small amount of layoffs (3 people among ~100), but it also means we have not hired anyone new since mid-2022. And where I used to see maybe 4-8 people yearly leave in order to hop to a new job, I think I've seen 1 person do that in the whole last year and a half.

All this to say it's rough and I can't just say "send applications and believe in yourself :)".

I have done interviews though. (I'm not involved in resume screening though, just the interviews of candidates who made it past the screening phase.) So I have at least some relevant advice, as well as second-hand knowledge from other people I know who've had to hop jobs or get hired recently.

If you have friends already in industry who you feel comfortable asking, reach out to them. Most companies have a recommendation process where a current employee fills out a little form that says "yeah I'd recommend such-and-such for this job." These do seem to carry weight, since it's coming from a trusted internal person and isn't just one of the hundreds of cold-call applications they've received.

A lot of tech companies--whether for truly well-intentioned reasons or to just check a checkbox--are on the lookout for increasing employee diversity. If you happen to have anything like, for example, "member of my college Latino society", it's worth including on your resume among your technical skills and technical projects.

I would add "you're probably gonna have to send a lot of applications" as a bullet point but I'm sure you're already doing that. But here it is as a bullet point anyway.

(This is kind of a guess, since it's part of the resume screening) but if you can dedicate some time to getting at least passingly familiar with popular tech/stacks for the positions you're looking into, try doing that in your free time so you can list it on your resume. Even better if you make a project you can point to. Like if you're aiming for webdev, get familiar with React and probably NodeJS. On top of being comfortable in one of the all-purpose languages like C(++) or Java or Python.

If you get to the interview phase - a company that is good to work for WILL care that you're someone who's good to work with. A tech-genius who's a coworker-hating egotistical snob is a nuisance at best and a liability at worst for companies with even a half-decent culture. When I do interviews, "Is this someone who's a good culture fit?" is as important as the technical skills. You'll want to show you'll be a perfectly pleasant, helpful, collaborative coworker. If the company DOESN'T care about that... bullet dodged.

For the technical questions, I care more about the thought process than I do the right answer, especially for entry-level. If you show a capacity for asking good, insightful clarifying questions, an ability to break down the problem, explain your thought process, and backtrack&alter your approach upon realizing something won't work, that's all more important than just being able to spit out a memorized leetcode answer. (I kinda hate leetcode for this reason, and therefore I only ask homebrewed questions, because I don't want the technical portion to hinge at all on whether someone managed to memorize the first 47 pages of leetcode problems). For a new hire, the most important impression you can give me is that you have a technical grasp and that you're capable of learning. Because a new hire isn't going to be an expert in anything, but they're someone who's capable of learning the ropes.

That's everything I have off the top of my head. Good luck anon. I'm very sorry you were born during a specific range of years that made you a new grad in 2024 and I hope it gets better.

[ambreiiigns]

ok partner talk about tiger and bunny

LMAO THANK YOU PARTNER!!!!! <3<3<3<3

ok here's the scene. this is sometime in the weird future. place is called sternbild city there's people w Superpowers called next and some of them work as heroes. but it's so funny and capitalist bc everything they do is aired on a tv show and they get points for all of their. heroic acts and by the end of the season whoever gets more point is king of heroes. and since they're on tv their hero costumes are Covered in logos for real And fake companies that sponsor them. hello

i didn't think i'd like it as much as i do w this ^ premise but it's actually not that important :) we are making friends and solving a murder, Actually. yippie. my brother pointed out to me something which is obvious that i care the most abt relationships and dynamics between characters and i love a package deal. so obviously something called tiger & bunny? the title alone implying Dynamic Duo Centric? of course i like it. irrelevant comment sorry. i really like it. like i'm gonna spoil Everything but pls consider watching it lmao it's really good :)

our main characters are the titular tiger and bunny as you can imagine,, real names kotetsu t. kaburagi and fuckin barnaby brooks jr. heroes usually keep their identity secret so kotetsu's Hero Name is wild tiger 🤢 he's so cringe but barnaby decided to not use a fake name. so kotetsu Immediately nicknames him bunny bc his hero suit has two long pink things by the sides of his head that look like bunny ears allegedly and because he's quick and jumpy and Cute like a bunny. bunny hates it. they have the same superpower called hundred power or smth in which for 5 minutes every hour their strength and whatnot becomes umm. Stronger. super strong. that's abt it tho everything else abt them Clashes there's a like 10ish years age gap bunny calls him Exclusively "old man" for the first like half of the season. and i feel normal abt it. in fact kotetsu even has a daughter and a dead wife he's so old. (he's 35 at the beginning of the show smh) while bunny's the newest hero hired so they get partnered by their boss. yk the veteran who's not doing Great w ratings bc he doesn't care abt the show and the points and the rookie who's cool and clever and everyone already likes him bc he's hot. alas they mandatory Don't Get Along. at first. for a bit. very normal people it's very refreshing to me after having my brain rotten by dazai and chuuya who are insane abt each other i must say they are just Normal Coworkers Who Slowly Become Friends

there's a whole Team that works w tv of heroes i like them soooo much most of them get a dedicated episode hdjdjgnand they're so Guys. Friends. my favorite is of course the one who never got his own episode aka a guy who's besties w kotetsu his name is fucking Antonio hello. antò. my other favorite for funny reasons is a 19yo schoolgirl karina who gets the biggest fucking crush on kotetsu it's SO FUNNYYYY he's nice to her bc she's a kid and he's a dad and he's always sweet w kids of course but she's like oh. i am now in love w you. and he does Not realize if anything for a second he thinks she has a crush on bunny so he keeps being nice to her and bunny at one point kinda gushes abt him to her and Convinces her it is a crush. i cannot get over this part. her last scene in s1 is her looking at a magazine called 100 ways to make a single father fall for you. ANYWAY then we have two other kids ivan & pao-lin that kotetsu uses dad powers upon to cheer them up when necessary and the top rated hero guy who just looks so usamerican Keith Goodman and has a dog named john and last but not least the diversity win queer black girlguy nathan who kicks so much ass. he has a bit of a crush on bunny and only calls him Handsome and there's a scene i love when he's teaming up w karina and pao-lin and he goes GIRLS NIGHT!!! and karina goes one of us doesn't quite fit but sure! and pao-lin goes I'M SORRY I'M A TOMBOY and karina goes I WASN'T TALKING ABOUT YOU and nathan goes YOU MEANT ME ?!?!?!?! CRIES SCREAMS THROWS UP

anyway the plot. the plot??? oh when the plot started chickening... oh i was so hooked. so bunny shows up and gets partnered w kotetsu. bunny becomes a hero bc his mom and dad got Murdered and he wants to Avenge them. that's kinda the overarching Thing we're dealing with. but let me try going over it episode per episode.

first few episodes are mostly Meeting Bunny. Being Forced To Work With Bunny As His Sidekick Or Else I'm Fired. We Keep Getting Into Trouble Bc We Don't Get Along And We're Not Working Well. ep 2 we get to see how kotetsu decided to become a hero (was saved as a kid by the old greatest hero and encouraged to use his powers for good) and also we see his daughter kaede and like. i guess it's sort of the episode where you see just how much of a good guy my MAN kotetsu is. the villain of the week is a bullied kid who's using his powers to fuck everything up and kotetsu Fathers him into behaving. bunny starts to be Huh abt him here bc he just thought kotetsu was some cringe old loser but apparently maybe there's more to him woagh!! ep 3 is when they kinda work well together for the first time. it's not GREAT yet but it's something. they find a bomb in a building and bunny can't manage to turn it off in time and kotetsu convinces him to fuckin Launch It In The Sky w their combined powers so at least when it blows up it doesn't destroy anything and it works! another W for kotetsu. ep 4 is abt karina trying to quit her hero job bc she actually wants to be a singer and kotetsu finds out and just encourages her to do what's best for her. she is now down bad for him and goes back to working as a hero. i'm making this sound silly but imagine that it is actually really nice & sweet

episode 5 is WHERE WE REALLY GET THIS BREAD I THINK it's bunny's bday and he's being grumpy and kotetsu wants to cheer him up by throwing him a nice surprise party. he is so fucking sweet i hate him. he sets up this Act w the other heroes where they pretend to be criminals and ambush bunny & kotetsu and then just kinda yell Sike! ig but ofc it goes Wrong bunny refuses to meet up w kotetsu gndndkakjfnw he is So Funny and then there's Real Criminals, Actually and kotetsu & bunny defeat them w the power of friendship. bunny's like mad at him bc he keeps sticking his nose in other people's business but as he walks off w the criminals a guy asks him why's he smiling to which he obv says HE IS NOT SMILING BUT HE IS SMILING KOTETSU MADE HIM SMILE ANOTHER WIN FOR MR DILF

ep 6 the plot finally chickens. we learn abt bunny's parents and his only lead being an ouroboros tattoo he saw on the killer's hand. at the same time their coworker nathan is being suspected of murder ?!?!?! bc someone w fire powers similar to his has been fucking around. turns out it's the same guy who planted the bomb a few eps ago and he Also has the ouroboros tattoo but before bunny can ask him abt it a New Character fuckin Kills The Guy. it's a next w fire powers calls himself Lunatic and he's just. killing criminals. spoiler but this man is like a judge or smth and that's why he knows criminals. also spoiler but he's the son of the Iconic Hero who inspired kotetsu when he was little and he Killed Said Iconic Hero for being an abusive husband & father once his powers started fading. i like this guy i get the feeling we'll see more of him in the movies and or s2 i'm ready. lunatic has his lil Arc where people start doubting heroes so they start doing lil charity work and whatnot to get The People back on board. kotetsu bunny & ivan go to some hero school (this is ivan's episode and kotetsu Fathers him) next episode instead is for pao-lin and GOD I LOVE THIS EPISODE SO MUCH kotetsu is Urgently called to work only to find out he's being given babysitter duty for the day YOU KNOW BECAUSE HE HAS A DAUGHTER 🤤 sorry what. so he has to babysit the mayor's baby who's a next and he imprints on pao-lin so kotetsu gets the baby And Her and takes them to bunny's house ?? and instead of babysitting him and bunny chat abt ouroboros and get drunk and pass out. they are bonding. in the meanwhile pao-lin & the baby get kidnapped Lmao kotetsu & bunny get them back and in the process bunny has a Flashback and finally remembers what his parents' murderer looks like

ep 10 the plot REALLY chickens again. the guy who killed bunny's parents (jake) gets out of jail and him + the ouroboros Criminal Organization Situation take the whole city hostage and threaten to Destroy it. the gang does some snoopin to find the hideout and bunny & kotetsu fight bc kotetsu. as established. cannot mind his own business and his efforts to help usually result in Messing Up and bunny whines abt trust. everything kinda peaks into jake challenging every hero to a 1v1 fight and if any one of them wins he'll leave the city alone. if he wins welllll everyone's dying ofc. it's not looking up bc jake has two (2) powers one of which (mind reading) is secret so it's fuckin. impossible to beat him when he can hear your thoughts right. kotetsu eats absolute shit and bunny's up after him but he figures out the mind reading thing bc he is So Smart And Cool, Actually and tries to give bunny some assist by Lying. tells him jake's got Super Hearing. bc ofc if bunny knows abt the mind reading jake can just plan around it. bunny's pissy like ough that is so stupid but kotetsu's like well i know but i trusted you to trust me and it worked 😌 and bunny's like OH??? TRUST???? WE TRUST EACH OTHER and he CALLS HIM BY NAME FOR THE FIRST TIME up until now he'd either only called him tiger (hero name) or old man (10 years age gap) AND NOW HE CALLS HIM KOTETSU AND MY MANS IS SOOOO HAPPY also jake dies. this is how the first half of s1 ends :)

second half starts after a 10 months timeskip. tiger & bunny are now super popular as a team and they're super besties and hang out together all the time and i love them. karina is Jealous. she's assigned to work w kotetsu and bunny for like a fucking concert sjfjakjf she has to teach them how to sing and dance 😭😭😭 why would you force her to thirdwheel like this it's so evil. she Really likes kotetsu and ofc he is Father so he does Not realize. he asks her if she's free tonight and she's like YES OF COURSE but he only wants to train more so he's better at the dance than bunny and she's MAD that he's thinking abt WORK AND BUNNY SHE THOT THIS WAS A DATE and he's like WHY ARE YOU MAD AT ME IS YOUR BOYFRIEND JEALOUS THAT YOU'RE HANGING OUT W AN OLD GUY??? and she's like I DON'T HAVE A BOYFRIEND!!! and he's like DON'T WORRY YOU'RE SO COOL AND PRETTY YOU'LL FIND ONE FOR SURE!!!! and she's like I NEED HIM DESPERATELY this is also the episode where bunny tells her OHHH MY PARTNER KOTETSU HE IS SO SELFLESS AND KIND AND WONDERFUL and she's like DAMN I WONT HIM!!! fucking GREAT STUFF. secondhand embarrassment THRU THE ROOF. also kotetsu's powers are acting funny as in they're stronger than usual but instead of lasting 5 minutes the time's getting shorter. uh oh

next episode keith's mopey bc bunny's now the number one hero and he gets a crush on a girl who's an android (he never realizes) (he destroys her and doesn't realize it was her) while kotetsu finds out his powers are fading and will eventually Vanish Completely. 👍 ep 17 he takes a break from work to go back to his hometown to visit his family his mom and brother and kaede his daughter who lives w them. his relationship w kaede's a bit Strained she thinks he's lame (she doesn't know what his job is) and she's mad at him for never being home w her. she also has a Huge crush on bunny and his posters hanging on the walls. really embarrassing. she gets stuck in a storm and kotetsu saves her and she softens + finds out she's ALSO a next and her powers are insane so all things considered. since his own powers are fading. kotetsu decides to retire from being a hero and go back home to raise his daughter. ARGH

next ep bunny finds out it wasn't jake who killed his parents after all. he Spirals and decides maybe he can't keep being a hero which leaves kotetsu Floored bc they can't both fuckin quit at the same time and he wants to help bunny before he leaves so he postpones it and kaede is Saaaad at him and i'm thinking why are you still keeping the secret. just tell her you're the guy who works w barnaby brooks jr and she'll forgive your every crime??? stoopid ass. anyway. bunny hears kotetsu talk to his family on the phone and finds out he wants to quit too. they get in a fight (bunny has a Thing w trust ig) (really funny if you know what's coming) so he runs to this fuckin Guy called maverick to Confide. maverick is 1. the guy who runs the tv show heroes work for and 2. a friend of bunny's parents' who kinda took care of him after they died. bunny tells him he knows jake's not the Murderer and maverick gets Suspicious. then bunny's old nanny samantha calls him bc she found a pic from the day bunny's parents died (the way bunny remembers it he spent that day w maverick but this pic proves he actually spent it w Her which leaves maverick without an alibi) so every piece falls into place and we realize IT WAS MAVERICK ALL ALOOOONG he was WORKING W CRIMINALS TO STAGE ARRESTS FOR HIS TV SHOW WHAT!!! but he's a next w the power to fuck around w your memories so he Wipes bunny's memories as soon as he realizes. uh oh

kotetsu's close to figuring everything out. somehow. the thing abt him is that he's an idiot but when he gets clever Oh is he clever. so after a failed attempt at wiping kotetsu's memories maverick changes plan he Kills samantha then wipes kotetsu from the Team's memories and Frames Him For Murder. really funny. kaede sees this on the news and Runs Away From Home to get to sternbild city and help her dad (grandma has finally told her that kotetsu's the hero wild tiger gasp!!) also her powers involve copying Anyone's Powers as long as she touches them. this will save the day bc she bumps into maverick and is therefore able to give everyone their memories of kotetsu back yippie EXCEPT BUNNY BC HE WAS SOMEWHERE ELSE so kotetsu has to deal w him on his own

so he fuckin takes bunny on this nostalgic walk around places where they first met to try and get him to remember him ARGH and bunny just wants to fuckin Kill him and kotetsu CRIES as he tells him he found him so annoying but the more he got to know him the more he realized they were MEANT to be together and he calls him LITTLE BUNNY and that's what fuckin jogs bunny's memory finally fuck OFFFF "OH THAT'S MY BUNNY" FUCK OFF KOTETSU anyway. GOD. they are BACK together everyone is KIDNAPPED maverick has teamed up w THE GUY WHO BUILT THE ANDROID GIRL THAT KEITH HAD A CRUSH ON??? their plan is to. replace the heroes w androids for SOME reason. everyone has bombs on their necks and kaede is going thru it too and if tiger & bunny don't beat this android everyone's dead. the stakes are umm significantly high ig. kaede frees herself and the othet heroes just as bunny & kotetsu finally get the chance to kill the android. as in kotetsu holds it still while bunny Shoots it w its own gun. kotetsu swears he'll dodge the hit before it's too late but he Doesn't and he gets hit and he fuckin. dies. like he doesn't die i knew in my heart he'd make it but for a minute he dies and i CRIED I DID

bunny holds him in his arms kotetsu tells him he doesn't think he's gonna make it but it's ok bc this past year of chasing bad guys w him? he loved every minute of it. in fact when bunny finally started calling him kotetsu he was so happy he went on an all night bender alone to celebrate. bunny tells him he can't die bc he's been learning how to cook him his favorite food and he has to try it GOD FUCK OFFF and he holds him close and kotetsu goes Wow you're so close. do you know you have really long eyelashes. AND HE DIES???? THAT'S YOUR LAST WORDS????? MY FUCKING GOD!!!! AND KAEDE WALKS IN AND SEES THEM LIKE THAT BUNNY CRYING OVER HER DEAD FATHER AND SHE CRIES AND THE HEROES GET THERE AND EVERYONE CRIES AND I WAS CRYING IT WAS BAAAAD

I ALSO WANNA MENTION after the end credits song there's a little In The Next Episode moment where either kotetsu or bunny introduce themselves (HI I'M TIGER/BUNNY THE MEMBER OF TIGER AND BUNNY WHO [insert fun fact abt themselves]) BUT IN THIS EPISODE IT'S JUST. SAD MUSIC AND BUNNY'S SAD VOICE SAYING SOMETHING LIKE in the next episode.... SADLY WHERE USUALLY HE ENDS IT WITH SEE YA!!! IT FUCKING GOT TO ME. REALLY BAD

so anyway. ofc the day is actually saved bc behind the scenes the girlie who runs the show and the guy who builds hero suits also get their memories back and work to Stop maverick's plans and actually broadcast the whole Situation on tv so maverick can't make it out. he tries to kill kaede and KOTETSU FUCKING GETS BACK UP IT'S KINDA SCARY BUT HE SAVES HIS LIL GIRL and maverick fuckin WIPES HIS OWN MEMORIES SO EVEN IF THEY CATCH HIM THEY CAN'T GET ANYTHING OUT OF HIM IT'S KINDA SICK!!!!! but hey remember lunatic. he Kills maverick anyway. bunny's upset bc it means every chance of learning abt ouroboros is Gone but IDC I'M SORRY I'M JUST HAPPY HE'S DEAD BOOOO so now that everything's chill both bunny and kotetsu announce they're retiring. how sweet. kotetsu's reasons we already know but bunny says he's been manipulated by maverick his whole life even becoming a hero was part of his plan so now he just wants to live for himself :-) it's all bullshit bc a year later kotetsu comes Back to work even tho his power only lasts one (1) fuckin minute bc kaede told him he was boring at home. and since his partner's back Well. bunny goes back to work too. their last scene together mirrors their first scene together - kotetsu Falling from somewhere like the idiot he is and bunny catching him bridal style at the last minute. they chat some shit and they're like well OLD MAN let's get to work. i'm with ya LITTLE BUNNY and that's IT???? THANK GOD THERE'S MORE BC THAT CANNOT BE THE LAST THING I HEAR THEM SAY IT'S DISGUSTING

so. yea i really like it i think it's great. it's so chill and normal despite the Hero bullshit. it feels idk,,, so genuine and down to earth and fun... the vibes reminded me so much of sk8. the chemistry between every character is so nice. it's almost perfect. i like the artstyle well enough (i wasn't too sure at first) i love a colored lineart :^) and i was sorta ready to be down bad for kotetsu lmao but he is SO SWEET ACTUALLY I LIKE HIM SO MUCH MORE THAN I THOUGHT??? BLORBO 100% I LOVE HIM i'm SO excited to watch more i like it so much. it might be one of my favorite animes i've watched? or is it just fresh. idk but i really. really do love it please. give it a shot even tho i just spoiled the whole thing xx it's really good

[dark-academia-newsroom]

Advice for early career and student journalists

I’m making this post because students will often reach out to me for advice. I’m always happy to chat, but thought I would do a brain dump on tumblr as an easy-to-share resource. I’ll continue adding things as I think of them. 

First, who I am: Right now, I’m the audience engagement editor at the Center for Public Integrity, one of America’s oldest, Pulitzer-prize winning, nonprofit newsrooms. I handle digital strategy, social media, partnerships, crowdsourced investigations, newsletters, metrics, SEO and help with membership building. I also sometimes report when I can. -whew- Before that, I was doing audience engagement at POLITICO. I hope my experience can be useful to you! ✨

Low-hanging fruit: 

Network but IRL: I feel like I could have done this more when I was an undergraduate student. There are a ton of groups that regularly host events like the Online News Association, Society of Professional Journalists, the Asian American Journalists Association, National Association for Black Journalists, National Association for Hispanic Journalists and more. I personally like smaller events so that you can get to know people on a more intimate level. Conferences are sometimes intimidating but special tracts or scholarships for students are really great opportunities that you should take advantage of. 

Reach out to people you admire: First, they might actually end up being your colleague or superior one day. It’s also great to get advice from journalists you want to emulate. If you want a similar career, learn from the best! 

Have a portfolio: It doesn’t have to be fancy –– my first portfolio was on tumblr! It helps to have your work in one place so employers can have your information and experience on hand. 

Build your social presence: It doesn’t just help with clout. Employers can get a sense of who you are and based on what you tweet (since journalist Twitter is still a thing), it shows that you’re thinking critically about the conversations going on in the industry. 

Keep up with industry news: Read Nieman Lab, Poynter, Pew research etc. You’ll be remembered not just for reporting, but for executing journalism smartly. Plugging into tough conversations in the industry also helps build your news judgement. 

Be active at your campus paper: It’ll help you get experience and internships which lead to jobs!

P.S. A job interview starts the minute you walk through the door or pick up a phone, not when you’re sitting down across from the hiring manager. Use every minute you have with them to impress. 

For the workplace: 

Journalism is best when it’s collaborative: Aim to work with people who will elevate your journalism. They might be on a different team from yours entirely. 

Go the extra mile, but know your limits: This one is pretty self explanatory. If you can do something, say yes. But if your plate is full you should communicate that to your editor and they will help you reprioritize. They should work with you, especially if you’re still in school. 

Ask questions: I still sometimes hesitate to ask my director questions. But it’s important to make sure you have your ducks in a row. Depending on the story, asking questions might even be a matter of safety. 

Speak up: If you have an idea you want to spitball, share it with your editor or at the all staff meeting. It might be intimidating, but it’s better to be generous with your ideas. You can’t build from nothing. Btw, you might know something that other people don’t –– even if you feel you’re the least experienced because of your age. You have something to contribute and people should recognize that. 

Roll with the punches: Don’t beat yourself up too badly when you make a mistake. I sometimes think back on errors I’ve made, especially while covering breaking news. I learned from those mistakes and did better the next time. That’s what counts. 

Join your diversity committee: If you care about an equitable world, start with your newsroom. If you don’t have a diversity committee, start one! 

Join your coworkers for drinks or hangs: Camaraderie amongst coworkers builds a strong team. I'm not promoting alcoholism...but journalists do have strong livers for a reason.

Keep your receipts: If there’s ever an issue with senior management, write the incident down, export your emails and screenshot your messages. The first thing HR will ask for is proof. Also, don’t send anything you don’t want other people to see.

For reporting: 

Think outside the box: With interactives, video, graphics and social media, there’s a ton of ways to experiment with different forms of storytelling and soliciting feedback from audiences to help inform your work. You’ll be remembered for implementing something new. 

Don’t get attached: Editing is a bitch, no matter what the medium. You’re gonna see a lot of red lines or cuts. Don’t be discouraged. It’s normal! Unless you can make a case for why something is really strong or necessary to include, you might want to check yourself and see if you’re being too precious about your work. I found that my editors were wise enough to make decisions that strengthened my copy.

Listen humbly: Always consider the possibility that the story that you originally had in mind could be completely wrong. Journalists are not experts at everything. Be flexible and report on what you find. Treat people with dignity and compassion.

Journalism is a service: Before you report a story, ask yourself who you’re serving by reporting it. How are you contributing to the narrative? What impact do you hope this will make? Who are you holding accountable? How are you lifting people up? Who isn’t being heard? 

Diversify your sources: Make sure POC, women, LGBTQ+ are represented in your work, even if they’re not explicitly talking about their identities, you’re highlighting their voices and expertise. 

General advice: 

You are your best hype-man: No award or accomplishment is too small. Celebrate! And #humblebrag.  

Question everything: Even your editor and yourself! 

Know your worth: Don’t let anyone drag you down. And if you can’t afford it, don’t work for free. 

Objectivity isn’t real: “Both sides” journalism is not it. Why? It fails to acknowledge injustice and structural inequalities our country is built on. The role of media is to use it’s power and influence to inform and hold people accountable for upholding those structures. If something is wrong, call it out. 

Wellp, these are all the things that I can think of off the top of my head. Let me know if I missed anything! :’) 

[szopenhauer]

Where do you put your keys when you get home? personal

Have you ever seen a snake in the wild? one from far away on the sand when I was on camp and second time it was just dead and not even whole anymore, I wanna touch a snake!

What’s your favourite movie from the 80s? can’t choose only one

Are you expecting any phone calls or emails? not really

Do you have any family that live in another country? no one close

Are there any words that you hate or make you cringe? sure

What is the best house you’ve ever lived in? I’ve lived in one house only unless I can count some I stayed for awhile like grandma’s apartment or aunt’s cottage 

What movie reminds you of your childhood? many movies like Jumanji or Goonies

What was the last email you received? spam

Are you in any fb groups? I am

Whose house did you last visit? my gf’s

How many tabs do you have open right now? 5

What’s something you’ve been meaning to do but keep putting off? I procrastinate lots of stuff

What’s the first thing you check on your phone at the start of the day? fb messanger/time

Would you date someone who still lived with their parents? I still live with my parents  Do you think there is life on other planets? not those close to us

Would you enjoy a night of playing video games? maybe Do you dream of traveling the world or are you happy where you are? I’m not happy but I don’t want to travel  Would you watch a porno with your partner? hmm... Have you ever stolen from your work? no Do you own any sex toys? I don’t How often do you use facebook at work? depends Would you date someone half your age? that would be illegal and I wouldn’t want to anyway Are you a romantic person? a little? Would you be okay with your partner hanging with their ex as friends? I probably wouldn’t be  Do you have a current passport? never had a passport Is it more fun to go out just with your date or on a group date? just my date Have you had a relationship with someone of the same sex? as a lesbian Is marriage a necessity for two people who love each other? no but it’s nice Is there anything you think science will never be able to explain? possibly Is intoxication ever an acceptable excuse for acting stupid? if you can’t act normal then don’t drink, UGH! Do you litter? never Do you believe in fate or destiny? not sure Doing nothing all day makes you feel…? both good and bad Have you ever had sex with someone you worked with? I have not Would you date someone just for the sex? noooo Do you consider yourself a positive person? pfft Are Sex and Intimacy the same thing? sex is to intimacy like square to rectangles How often do you get angry? I’m like Bruce Banner Have you had cosmetic surgery? I haven’t On a first date do you pay or do they? split Do you only date people who have jobs or are full-time students? I don’t care what they do in life (school, job or nothing) if we don’t live together, I’m unemployed myself Could you date someone who does drugs? doubt it Do you enjoy watching sports? nah Would you do a striptease for your partner? umm... Would you date someone who doesn’t have a car? sure, I don’t even own one  You have a week off, travel or stay home? home <3 Does spending the weekend at home annoy you? noooo Do you consider yourself open minded? nah Do others find you sexy? r u kidding?... Have you ever met someone in person you met online? I have Do you tell your friends you love them? nope, just family and partner

Do your siblings dye their hair? sometimes Who can you best relate to in the last book you read? partially to Will, Stella and Poe Are you indecisive? it’s hard for me to make a decision but I am not changing my mind like wind blows

What are you listening to? Lana Del Rey What are you doing tomorrow? we’ll see What was the last compliment someone gave you? not sure which was last Do you have a big family? no but it’s still to big for me :x Which one of your senses would you miss the most if you lost it? sight, then hearing

What’s your opinion on prostitution? Should it be legal and regulated, or is it something that needs to be gotten rid of completely? it should be illegal If you want (or don’t want) kids, is this something you’ve always known or have you changed your mind as you’ve grown up? I wanted kids at first because I played dolls and didn’t know anything about pregnancy or taking care of real children, I just thought it’s normal everyone have them at some point and that’s all but once I found out more about the subject I realized it’s not for me because of many reasons

Has the person you like ever seen you in your pajamas? yup Did the last person you kissed celebrate your last birthday with you? she wasn’t in my life at the time What’s the first word of the last text message you received? ok was the whole message XD

What was your last thought before you went to bed last night? I’m gonna die, if I won’t fall asleep I’ll explode, I feel so bad Are you okay right now? am I ever?... When was the last time you saw your mom? we’re home together What is the last thing you drank today? just going to drink some water in the kitchen Will you be up before 7 am tomorrow? hope not What are you listening to right now? Cigarettes after sex Last time you had a sleepover? ages ago If the last person you dated said they were in love with you, what would you say? I know she does, she was telling me that already Do you replay things that have happened in your head? overthinking for life If you could get paid to do anything in the world, what would you do? sitting in front of the computer  Do your parents actually knock on your door before entering your room or just barge right in, instead? my dad knocks, my mom barges in What would you do if it snowed right now? ...

Are you more of a leader or a follower? loner

Would you say you’ve had a good life so far? no comment What’s something you wish you could have delivered to your house? regularly or right now? What’s your favorite art style? surrealism? Are any of your coworkers currently out on maternity/paternity leave? I don’t have coworkers now Do you have a good sense of balance? it’s hard to say Do you live in a very racially and culturally diverse country? no Do you live alone? I wish

Have you done something recently that helped someone else, in any way? nothing big If you knew that one of your friends was considering suicide, what would you say to them? depends

Who was the last person to pay you a compliment? my gf The shirt you’re wearinh - is it one of your favourites? yep Is there a certain name that you think seems to have become really popular, and you know lots of people with that same name? growing up Ewelina, Julia, Emilia, Katarzyna, Urszula, Małgorzata and Michał were the most popular names Before Facebook became popular, did you use any other social networking site? yup Have you ever asked anyone “Do you love me?” If so, did you get the response you wanted? Do you think when someone says “I love you”, you feel obliged to say it back? yes, usually and kinda If you’ve had a bad experience in a past relationship, did you find that you were scared to get into another relationship, in case the same thing happened again? that’s normal Are you friends with the last person you hugged, or something more? we’re related Do you ever post song lyrics as your Facebook status? sometimes Do you drink alcohol on a regular basis, or do you prefer to save it for special occasions? I don’t drink even on special occassions Did you play with Barbies when you were a kid, or did you prefer something else? I played with Barbies but not only them If you were going to buy a present for the person you love/like, what would you generally choose? what she likes/wants/needs :) If I’m going to buy you a box of chocolates, which kind should I definitely NOT get? don’t buy me any Is there something you generally always ask for help with? I need help with many things :( Has anyone called you beautiful today? no, I’m not so that would be a lie

Who was the last person to see you cry? my mother

Do you drink bottled water? sometimes

You never know what you have until it’s gone. True or false? kinda true

Are you scared of losing the person you like to someone else? if they were happy with someone else - let that happen, I’ll be fine alone

Will you be in bed in the next 20 minutes? too early to sleep

Do you laugh at inappropriate times? rarely

How many bracelets do you have on right now? zero

Do you have someone you have late night conversations with? I do

What does your phone do when it receives a text? vibrates

What is in your pocket? no pockets!

Can you remember the last person you texted without looking? my sister 

Do you listen to music everyday? almost

Are you gonna be home alone tonight? I won’t be alone

If there was a large spider in your room, would you stay in the room? how big?

Are you a flirty person? maybe The last store you went to was…? local

Do you have a friend named Alex? used to  What did you think of the movie Juno? I have mixed feelings about it How often do you eat meat? often Have you ever gotten clothes from the kids section as an adult? I have :x Are you more of a science/math person or english/history person? I’m artsy  When you were little, would you have rather watched Cartoon Network or Disney Channel? we didn’t have such expensive channels Since using the internet regularly, have you started to read less than you used to? I read less not because of internet Are you a big fan of the Harry Potter series? nah Do you find yourself feeling lazier when the weather is warm? I feel lazier when the weather is cold because I don’t wanna leave my bed or home at least Are you a fan of the TV show Friends? watched fragments and I like Chandler and Phoebe - I think they would be great together, I’m a bit like them How old do you think is too old to sleep with a stuffed animal? never Are you 100% over the last person you kissed? I’m not How many tattoos would you like to have? I don’t plan any Are you over the age of 25? I am Do you want your life to stay the way it is right now forever? omg! I want my life to get better :( Would you rather live without music or without the t.v? without TV

[chaosbcrne]

@blucpincushicn (x):

🌀   The speedster chases away his lingering nerves and the old but fond memories of exploring haunted mansions and castles with his team as he comes back to reality. How young then, he’d felt. Eyes wide and full of rebellious spirit, so much has changed since then. The last of his nostalgic thoughts slip away when Sonic’s focus returns back to the screen, ears raising back up at attention.

       Ah yes. Jack’s Lament had begun, Sonic noted with a tiny smile. He knew all these songs by heart, although this one was always one of his favorites. It was certainly quite the performance, even after all these years. It was simultaneously bouncy and dramatic, with a tune that was ever so catchy even if the mood was somber. Once again the blue blur was reminded by how much he enjoyed musical numbers.

      He has to resist the urge to hum along, in fact. Shoulders tremble a bit again while Sonic watches the animated character dance across the screen, the glow from the movie casting an otherwise gloomy wash on his azure painted fur. For a moment he even forgets his previously fluttering thoughts over his companion. The hero silently follows along to the song, easily reciting the lyrics from memory alone.

…But who here would ever understand? ♫ That the Pumpkin King with the skeleton grin, ♫ Would tire of his crown, if they only understood… ♫ He’d give it all up if he only could~ ♫

…Oh, there’s an empty place in my bones, ♫ That calls out for something unknown~ ♫ The fame and praise come year after year, ♫ Does nothing for these empty tears… ♫

     The music softened as the song came to a close, signaling that it was moving onto the next stretch of plot points. Sonic lets out a small sigh with a puff of visible fog, ears drooping slightly, gaze somewhat glossy and distant. What a classic.

     And of course, with the lament coming to an end, so did his focus on the movie. green eyes silently wander over back to Shadow, his train of thought once again delving back into sap territory.

     Sonic wouldn’t of anticipated the sudden shift in Shadow’s own attention as he’s suddenly met with that piercing ruby gaze and- oH

     Crap. CRAP. Look away, look away!!

     Sonic reacts a bit too slow, ears folding backwards and his fur all but poofing out on every inch of his azure coat as he tears his attention away from the agent. Oh no. Ohhh no. Shadow definitely saw that. Eye contact was made. Gaia damn it this is bad this is baaad-

    ❝ Huh? ❞ Is all he can respond with, the pitch in his tone a little higher than he intended. Glancing back, he watches Shadow rid himself of his jacket and lean over- what was he doing?!

It takes Sonic a second to register the cozy fabric being draped over his form, leaving him blinking several times before he realized what was happening. He unlocks his arms from around his knees and grabs onto the hems of the coat, staring in awe at the article of clothing he’d just acquired.

     Shadow gave me his coat??

     Oh. Oh dear. Sonic hadn’t even realized how chilly it’d gotten out. His body had been responding to it- come to think of the slight trembles of his shoulders, but he’d been so distracted by thoughts he hadn’t even picked up on the signals his body had been sending him. Was this why he was feeling so jumpy?? Surely his emotions had contributed to some of it, but…

    And clearly Shadow noticed. He’d noticed before Sonic even noticed. Gee… he really was just a mess tonight, wasn’t he? Still, it certainly didn’t stop the bloom of warmth and butterflies that took off in his chest as the faint scent of coffee hits his nose. Okay… Rein it in, Sonic. Keep it cool. Act normal. Pretend like you totally didn’t just get caught staring.

   ❝ H-heh… Y’know I’ve survived sub-zero temperatures way outside the stratosphere, right? ❞ The hedgehog teases quietly, shooting the agent an amused look as he stretches up and wriggles his arms into the sleeves of the coat so he could comfortably hug his knees again. It a good humored jab, certainly not one Sonic made intending to start anything. He further solidifies that point by continuing before Shadow can get a word in.

   ❝ …Thanks tho’. I appreciate it, I really do. Not a huge fan of the cold, if’m honest. ❞

It really was… kind of the agent. Not something Sonic would have expected, yet somehow he didn’t feel as surprised as he should be. After everything he’s witnessed from his companion tonight, the speedster honestly wouldn’t be surprised if Shadow leaned over and put his arm around Sonic and maybe tilted the hero’s face up with a hand, leaned down and-

      ……..Yeah okay, we’re not finishing that thought. Whatever happened to platonic?? Sonic was trying to be a good friend, not get caught up in…whatever that train of thought was leading to. He really needed to get a rein on his feelings tonight or he wasn’t gonna make any actual headway. Sonic didn’t wanna just be a sitting, stuttering duck the entire time.

     So, he thinks of a diversion, if only from his own stupid feelings as the movie led up to it’s next musical act.

     ❝ Hey… what’d you end up getting from the convenient store? ❞ Sonic whispers, completely pretending like he wasn’t using this as an excuse to glance at Shadow again. Not at all.

      Yeah, I was there for some of it, in case you forgot. The words never left his mouth for there were too many implications tied to them to consider in a moment’s notice. For one thing, he knew all too well the speedster had had countless adventures without him, and far be it from him to exaggerate his importance in those he did take part in. For another, none of the ones that applied here were among those Shadow was particularly proud of.

     The first time, the two of them were enemies, and the second, well - he didn’t remember. Not who Sonic was, not what had led up to that moment, not the last time he’d been there. And now that he did, it was even more conflicting to think back on.

     They hadn’t exactly been on the same side, that second time around - it had really been more of a... temporary partnership, along-for-the-ride kind of deal. Yet Sonic had never stopped being nice and encouraging, and most of all, he had tried to get him to remember. And he’d been the only one, out of everyone Shadow knew.

     Why ?

     The question died on his lips though, as Sonic quickly moved on to thank him for the coat, effectively pushing him off that specific train of thought. “Yeah...” he uttered slowly, forcing his mind to get back to the present time and place. “There’s a notable difference between living and surviving though, wouldn’t you say ?” The semi-rhetorical question was punctuated with a scoff - as if proving his point before Shadow had even voiced it, the speedster hadn’t wasted any time properly putting on the garment. It seemed it was even more welcome than the agent had guessed.

     “I can imagine,” he said with a widening grin, as an actual response to Sonic’s confided sensitivity to cold. “What with how little fur you’ve got growing there.” He just had to get a little jab in there, however objective. It made things feel a bit... less strange, and more like they usually were between them, he thought as he let his gaze linger maybe one too many second on the bundled up hedgehog. It was a pretty cute image...

     Chaos, stop being so weird, Shadow urged himself, snapping his attention away from Sonic and back to the screen a tad too suddenly to look natural. His heart had leaped a minute earlier when they’d unexpectedly made eye contact, and it still felt out of sorts now, after he thought he’d figured out such a perfect distraction. He leaned back some, planting his hands against the ground to try and quell this odd trembling that had overtaken them. And it wasn’t from the cold, that much he could tell.

     Maybe he was getting a little too friendly. Not by anyone else’s standards, for sure, but by his own - this was likely further than he had been planning on letting it go. Far out enough of his comfort zone that his own body was responding where his mind couldn’t, sending him signals that he was overdoing it. But then, why did this behavior come to him to naturally ?

     “Hm ?” Ears and head both turned to his companion as a reflex when he spoke up again. So much for paying attention, Shadow thought to himself, almost rolling his eyes. He’d been so caught up in his reflections he’d completely lost track of what was going on for a minute - both in the movie and right by his side. “Same as you,” he said after a brief delay, shifting his weight onto one hand so he could reach into his bag and pick out the snack in question with the other.

     Of course, it being a discount plastic bag, it just had to get hung up on the ring of his wrist and tumble over when he pulled his hand back, effectively revealing his other pick that he’d more or less forgotten about already. “Oh, and this,” he added, dropping the first item to pick up the bag of salted dried meat and bringing it up the other’s attention. “Some coworker got me addicted to this stuff. It’s not junk food enough to be forbidden on duty.”

     He let out another quiet laugh. It was the excuse he’d heard when no one made a fuss when said coworker had shown up with the snack in question, but he’d come to know better as time went by. It was just awful food all around for most people, too salty for some, too chewy for others, or too odd of a taste. It didn’t distract people like most other junk food did because no one wanted it. It was no surprise, in hindsight, that Shadow would develop a certain affection for it.

     Which led to an interesting question...

     “Wanna try ?” he offered in turn, ripping the bag open and handing it out to his rival with a weirdly curious expression on his face.

[arplis]

Arplis - News: 12 True Sex Stories You Have to Read to Believe

“WHEN HARRY MET SALLY” - COLUMBIA PICTURES   You’re out to brunch with your girlfriends, how long does it take for the conversation to turn to sex? Not long, amiright? It’s not just the ladies on “Sex and The City” who love to talk about sex—it’s most of us. We talk about it with our friends, our partners, and depending on how self-conscious you may feel, complete strangers. We talk about our true sex stories wether it be the amazing sex we’ve had, the comical, the sometimes strange and unusual, and even the not-so-great sex.  For many of us, we learned more about sex from our friends than we did from our parents or sex education class. It’s fun to share our sex stories—if it wasn’t, there wouldn’t be live storytelling shows, podcasts, books, TV shows, or movies. Fantasy has its place, but the stories that resonate the most with us are the true stories, those that actually happened. I AM & CO put the word out that we were looking for true sex stories and we received a very diverse response; stories from various sexual preferences, practices, and levels of sexual experience. All of these true sex stories are ones you have to read to believe. 12 True Sex Stories Guaranteed to Raise Eyebrows “Not Friends, No Benefit” Comedian Shalewa Sharpe, creator of  "So You Just Out Here?" I ran into my one-night-stand guy at the club. Now, some people might call that a “friend with benefits” but that term suggests that the two parties are friendly enough to schedule a benefit. This guy and I were not friends. Our benefits only happened if we ran into each other at the club. So, we made out for a minute, then he suggested we take this party to my car. This was how I ended up parked behind a grocery store, attempting to have sex with this guy in my 1988 Honda Prelude—a sports coupe, with bucket seats. Have you had sex in bucket seats? If so, a follow-up question: are you double jointed? The guy and I struggled for a bit, then his face fell. “Oh, this sucks,” he moaned. “It’s because my dick’s too small.” I had to console this guy while also keeping an eye out for the cops. If you find yourself in this predicament, don’t end up saying what I said: “Hey man, we’re in bucket seats—this ain’t gonna be easy.” A real mood-killer. We threw in the towel, I dropped him off back at the club and went home. Later that night, my roommate, who was the club’s doorperson, mentioned that she saw the guy with a weeping woman at the end of the night—they were walking in circles around the parking lot, then they hopped on his motorcycle and split. The next day, as I was furiously scrubbing and vacuuming my car, I found a driver’s license for a young woman wedged between the front passenger seat and the middle console. I guess it fell out of one-night-stand guy’s pocket during the, uh, festivities. I scratched out the ID’s info, punched a hole in it, and hung it on my rearview mirror as a cautionary tale. “It’s Part Of It” Jason, Columbus, Ohio We were both in college and had been dating for a while when she decided to take it to the next level. “Tie me up,” she demanded. “Okay, um, I’m going to tie you up now,” I said and went to get some scarves that were conveniently strewn about and set to work. “No!” “Oh, my God! I’m so sorry! I thought that…” and I began to loosen the bonds.  “No, it’s part of what makes it so hot.” “Oh, right,” I said and went back to doing Boy Scout knots such as the square knot and the sheepshank. I wondered if I should go with the trucker’s hitch? Nah. Too much.  “I’m going to f*ck you now,” I said getting into it. “Let me go!” I immediately stop what I’m doing. “Oh my God, I am an idiot. I am so sorry. I didn’t understand. You see, when you said you wanted, what I thought was, but in reality, I see… Oh no, I’m so sorry.” I quickly start to untie all the knots.  “No, it’s part of it.”  “What Goes Around, Comes Around” Ashley, Raleigh, North Carolina I paid my boyfriend for sex the first summer we were together…11 years later, he’s paying me for sex. “The Hook-Up Room”  Comedian Anita Flores, host of I'm Listening: A Frasier Podcast with Anita Flores. I’m at my first high- school party, and it’s not going well. Between my social anxiety and the fact that I only know the host, all I can think about is how I’m going to escape. I can’t actually leave, or else I’ll seem “uncool.” Fortunately, I come up with the next best solution. After making some light small talk with the host (Cassie) about her impressive selection of snacks, I ask, “Is there anywhere I can take a nap?” At the time, this seemed like a normal way to still be at the party without having to speak to anyone. I can’t say that Cassie agreed. After a long pause, she replied, “Uh, I guess in my attic.” I gleefully head to the attic. All the lights are off and it’s strangely warm, but it beats talking to people. I feel around and discover a futon I can pretend to sleep on. There I am lying down when something round and muscular attacks my face. It’s a butt, and it's smothering me! Ever want to suffocate someone, but don’t have a pillow? Just wear thick, non-breathable polyester pants. I hear a low voice. It’s a boy butt. He hears my muffled cries, gets up and exclaims, “Whoa, sorry dude!”  Now there’s giggling. He’s with a girl. Suddenly, I hear what sounds like a lot of teens slurping soup. There are more people in this room than I realized. Cassie sent me to take a nap in “the hook-up room!” Picture “Eyes Wide Shut: The Early Years.” Before the masks, there were braces. By this time, the boy butt and his lady friend have taken the futon from me. I'm standing there feeling left out because no one has asked me to join in. I can’t run away, otherwise, everyone will think I’m a prude! So, I find an empty loveseat, plop down, and close my eyes. Because there’s nothing cooler than ignoring sex. I’ll make sure to tell my future teen daughter that, too.  “There Are Rules” Michael, Portland, Oregon I was sessioning with a dominatrix named Vixen when her friend Wendy came over. Vixen blindfolded me and put me in the corner, which I was more than okay with. The minute Vixen’s back was turned, I took off the blindfold, even though I knew (and hoped,) I’d be punished. Vixen took out a strap on from her toy-cupboard and proceeded to f*ck Wendy with it. It was quite a show and later,  I was punished severely for watching—it was well worth the tribute that I paid Vixen. “Don’t Stop Under Any Circumstances!” Carrie, Chicago, Illinois My boyfriend and I were having sex one night on my old as hell bed. He was an ex-professional football player and I’m a big girl, so it shouldn’t have been surprising that right when things were getting super intense, the bed broke. He stopped what he was doing, so I yelled, “Don’t stop! I’m so close!” Without moving from the now broken bed, we get back at it and this time we don’t stop until we both cum. If there had been an earthquake or a tornado, I would have made him keep going then, too. “Side Effects Can Be Embarrassing” Krysta, Orlando, Florida  I've never been really big into taking birth control, but a coworker of mine mentioned that she was on a pill where she only had a period every three months... I wanted in on that! So, I went to my doctor and got on birth control. I started dating this new guy, who was literally the sexiest human-created. Around him, I tried to be Miss Perfection. Meanwhile, I'm on these new birth control pills and the doctor forgot to mention that they had lactose in them. I'm extremely lactose intolerant, even the smallest bit gives me major gas.  The first time the perfect guy and I had sex was a disaster. Every thrust he made inside of me made me pass gas. It was so embarrassing. We literally had to stop and go to Walgreens to get me some type of gas pills because he and I both couldn't take the noise, let alone the smell.  Let's just say, I stopped taking those pills immediately.  “Sex On The Deserted Beach” Beverly, New York City My partner and I were having a romantic vacation for my birthday in Newport, Rhode Island, and decided to spice things up by making love on a (deserted) beach in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, this beach was not quite as deserted or private as we had initially anticipated. All of a sudden we saw flashes of bright light, immediately stopped, and became alarmed.  A police officer arrived, trying to hold back a grin, and asked us if we'd seen some "kids swimming" after hours. We said no, he left, and we quickly packed up our things to make a quick exit. We drove home laughing not quite knowing what to make of the experience, but it certainly was a bonding one. It's definitely an evening and birthday I won't soon forget. “Don’t Disturb Grandpa” Spencer, Phoenix I hooked-up once with this guy who was taking care of his grandpa. It was around 10:00 p.m. by the time I got to his house. Whispering, he asked me to follow him and to not make any noise, his grandpa was watching TV in the living room. The guy sneaked me into a bedroom, but I guess that wasn’t soundproof enough, so we went into the closet and had very cramped and uncomfortable sex in there. I don’t think his grandpa had any idea about what was going on. “Male High Club” Reynaldo, San Diego, California I was taking a night flight home from Hawaii, as I was sitting down, I turned to see a guy who was so handsome I was stunned. Like a lot of us, he wore shorts and Aloha shirts, but he was well-built and looked more like he’d be a lead on one of those Hawaii detective shows. There was an empty seat near me on the aisle, and the guy asked if he could sit there to stretch out his legs. Other than nodding yes, we didn’t talk. The man grazed my knee with his leg, and all the hairs on my leg stood on end. And he didn’t pull away right away, just gradually. He got up to get a blanket from the overhead compartment which he placed over his legs. With no talking at all, he made the slightest gesture to offer me some of the blanket. Before you know it, the blanket was spread over both our legs. Then, our hands somehow started to find each other. And for a long time on the flight, that was it…just our hands grasping together, coming loose, rejoining, stroking fingers. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I was rock hard. And gradually, very gradually, all without talking and with this stud of a guy who I did not know at all, our hands gradually started to stroke each other’s thighs, mirroring each other.  And eventually, very discreetly to not get attention or show movement above the blanket, we each found our erections extending out through the bottom of our shorts, and we grabbed each other. Eventually, some napkins or handkerchiefs were brought below, and without making any sound, we both came, and it was pretty simultaneous.  “Kung Fu Fighting” Carol Gee, Author, “Random Notes ( About Life. "Stuff"And Finally Learning To Exhale)” A romantic, I fantasized about what it would be like to have sex on satin sheets. My fantasy materialized when my husband and I, two young Air Force sergeants returning from living in the Far East, stopped to visit another Air Force friend and his lady in San Francisco. Invited to spend the night, the lady made the guest room bed up with a brand new pair of red satin sheets. How did she know my fantasy? I couldn’t wait to get my husband in bed to enjoy sex so good that the neighbors in the apartment next door would have needed a cigarette.  I took a shower, smoothed on scented body lotion and got into bed. My husband was already in it waiting for me. On those satin sheets, our lovemaking suddenly morphed into Kung Fu fighting. Taking me into his arms I accidentally poked him in the ribs. Oof! Climbing on top of him I kneed in the thigh. Ouch! Attempting to kiss him I missed his mouth and ended up rubbing noses with him. Then his pillow slid off the bed, mine quickly followed. Instead of holding onto him, I held tightly to the bedsheets trying not to slide off, taking him with me. Not only was the whole thing a disaster, but we also got very little sleep that night for trying to stay in the middle of the bed. Frankly, I'm glad those sheets weren’t mine as they would most likely have ended up as pretty red curtains.  “Girl/Girl Love Lesson” Sensual Massage Therapist, Jazmin Light The streets of Zurich were empty as I headed toward their place. The gentleman on the phone had asked me if I would "be" with his girlfriend—while he watched. He said she wanted a woman to show him "what women like." The World Cup soccer games were on, and that night, Switzerland was playing. The air bristled with excitement. All anyone talked about was "Fussball." Everyone's windows were wide open due to the summer heat.  A classy-looking man in his mid-fifties opened the door to a modern loft apartment. Surprised, I wondered, “Shouldn't he know what women like by now?” Behind him, pouring champagne at the high-top table, stood Nadia, perhaps thirty years his junior. In her red La Perla lingerie and matching stilettos. She handed me a glass and kissed me on the mouth. We made a toast. I took a sip, then lifted Nadia's silky blonde hair and kissed her neck. I let my lips and teeth linger, then gave her a soft bite. She gasped. Suddenly, a roar of voices sailed in through our window and engulfed us. "YAAAAAY!!!” The cheering came from next door, from above us, below us, and from outside. “GOAL!” We laughed as the ruckus died down. I stroked Nadia's hair, neck, and torso. "There are endless ways to please a woman, Manfred," I said, twirling my fingers on her lacy bra cups. Manfred plopped down on the bed and stared at us, his mouth open.  I unsnapped her bra, returning his gaze. "There's much more to women then nipples and—" I slid my hand to her panties, "pearls." Nadia inhaled sharply. "So slow down, savor, discover, and—play!" Nadia groaned, Manfred grinned. New shrieks and cheers exploded throughout the neighborhood. *** When you share a sex story, it can help you to connect with other people, learn about yourself and others, and it can inspire you to try new things. As humans, we’re always growing and that includes our sexuality.  Sex is part of the human experience and it’s always fun to hear someone else’s stories of incredible sex, confusing sex, or way-out-there sex. #Sex #Relationships

Arplis - News source https://arplis.com/blogs/news/12-true-sex-stories-you-have-to-read-to-believe

[inspirationallyinsane]

November 28 2019

Tumblr! Hi. It has been too long since I have written, and much has changed. I figured today might be a good day for an update considering it is a holiday and also I had the day off work :) I quit my job at Chase because fuck that place. Um no not really but I was really unhappy there and I didn't get along with my coworkers and my manager was a mysoginistic asshole. It wasn't a great environment. I was up for promotion there but Skyler told me I would have to wait until January to get it and I am absolutely not that patient. Especially when, once again, I am the only banker in my branch. I was doing the job of the RB without having the proper compensation or title. They sent me all the way to Phoenix, AZ to get training so I could be put in the position faster and then I'm told to wait months? I don't think so. If that were the case I should have waited to do the training so I could do it in Oregon. It was incredibly irritating. And everyone else quit. All the tellers quit and both the other bankers quit. Obviously it wasn't a good environment for anyone. At the end, for a full month before I quit, it was just me, the manager, and the teller manager. Unacceptable. I'm not having it. I don't understand why my manager didn't hire people faster. As soon as I gave my two weeks he was suddenly able to hire 3 people. In one week. Hmmmmm. Seems like it could've been done sooner then. Right? Oh well. Chase was an experience. I learned more about what I don't want from a job. Onward and upward. Of course, I couldn't quit without having another job lined up. I applied for a few jobs back in September. I heard back about a position I thought in no way would I ever get. Although I also heard back about a branch manager position which I am also completely unqualified for. So. It's an employee's market. Anyway. I applied for a Licensed Relationship Manager position at Key Bank. Basically in the position you hand small investment portfolios and client's banking needs. A sort of introduction into being an FA while still working mainly with bank products. However, it does mean that the person in that position gets fully licensed. Umm so I did a phone interview while I was in phoenix and as soon as I got back they brought me in for an interview with the branch manager. Next day I get a call saying they want to give me the job. I got a huge pay increase, and will get another one once I finish my licensing. The incentive pay will be similar to what I would have gotten as an RB at Chase, and??? To get licensed and be working with portfolios at 21?? Awesome. I was so hyped. I really couldn't believe that I got the job. It was definitely a stressful transition. The position is in Medford and I didn't want to commute so we had to move. Finding a decent place in Medford for a decent price is ridiculous. I ended up finding a good place albeit a little expensive. I can definitely afford it with the raise and all but. Don't like how much the rent is. It is super nice though. Um it is brand new, no one has ever lived here before. And all the appliances are new and modern. Real hardwood floors (although it is light wood and I do prefer darker wood). The bedrooms are a little small but overall it is much larger than the other house. It has an open layout with lots of windows and natural light. I have an enormous bathroom (two sinks!!!) and a huge walk-in closet that I absolutely adore. I mean. I've never had a closet like this. It's my dream. And so far it has been a great place. We'll see how I feel after paying rent for the first time on 12/1 but. I actually got to unpack everything and there's only like two more boxes. It was a bit of a pain to get here. Trent and I had to work out a situation where he could come with me and that took a lot of conversations and arguments but we made it here together. Which is cool. And then obviously all the packing and planning and preparing?? Stressful. We did get to have movers, so moving the furniture wasn't as much of an issue. And!!! I got to have a ton of old stuff we didn't want taken to goodwill so no more useless shit around the house. Love that. So. It all worked out. Starting a new job is always rough for me. My new manager did lie to me a little bit about the training program. In the interview I asked what it would be like starting and she told me directly that I would be working with customers on my first day. Which turned out to just be a flagrant lie. I was in teller training for my first two weeks. Two weeks. Teller. Wtf. No. So I finished all the online stuff on my first day and then just sat and read the NYT for two weeks. Literally. Except for one call every day from 11:00-12:30. In which I sat and half listened, and mostly read the NYT. I did enjoy reading though. I read all of the ethicist articles and went back through 2013 on the social q's articles. I think that I enjoyed social q's more, but probably just because I disagree with so many things the ethicist says. Also?? The ethicist acts more like an advice columnist (like social q's) whereas he is supposed to be talking about the ethics of the given situation. Not what you should do for the best outcome for you, but what the ethical ramifications/solutions would be. So. Um but I learned a lot and was thoroughly entertained by the utter nonsense people write in. People are wild. I must tell you. But I was still bored and felt tortured. Next week I have to drive up to Portland for the entire week (Mon-Fri) and do my banker training. So dumb. The other day I full ass opened an account (although I guess I wasn't supposed to) and it went totally fine. Like obviously I know what I'm doing. I don't need to learn the products or the system because I'm actually good enough at my job to do it without knowing every detail. I'm not going to memorize the products here because I just end up share, show, and pointing anyway. Like the customer will listen to you yap for about 2 seconds but if you show them a pretty screen that they can look at they will pay more attention. Gonna bring up the product on key.com anyway. So what's the point? I am excited to go to Portland though. I like Portland and I'm staying in a nice hotel and I get to drive instead of fly. And I get to see Jonno which is awesome cuz I haven't seen him in so long. It'll be nice to have a break from my life here I think. I just gets boring and overwhelming. Which you wouldn't think could happen simultaneously, but it can. Ummm what else? The people I work with here are much better than at Chase. So far. The branch is only women, which I love. And they are all relatively nice ladies. A little gossipy for my taste, not so into that. I think it's mostly just the manager though. She lovessss me. I do not know why but she thinks I am God's gift. I mean I knew she felt that way after the interview but she will tell me anything and really lets me do whatever I want. It's fantastic. I can't speak to how competent she is but honestly whatever. As long as it doesn't affect my numbers I don't care. It's not like she's a Nate; throwing tantrums in the office and yelling at customers. Asking me to do her job. Disappearing for hours with no explanation and then acting like nothing happened. Falling asleep at lunch and not coming back without calling or anything. Lmao. After a Nate, I think I could handle a slightly lacking manager. Key Bank is a lot more like US Bank than Chase. There isn't really a dress code and everything is much more casual. The company culture is more diverse and less forced. The training at Chase was much better, not that I needed it in that situation either, but at least the trainers were engaging and interesting. At both Key and US the trainers just blab at you and don't really expect participation. I was kinda interested in being a trainer at Chase cuz they're really cool and they get paid a lot and their lives seem awesome but I would never want to do it anywhere else. Anyway. I don't know. I guess that is the biggest update. Um I also cut all my hair off. I was tired of my look and I wanted a change. So I cut it off and dyed it black. I've always wanted to. I love it. I think it is much more me. I'll post pictures later. My stylist is really cool too. I've never enjoyed going to the salon because the stylists are so chatty and I normally hate them but this is one is really cool. We have a lot in common and she's around my age. So. I'm actually excited to go just to see her. Haha. I don't know. So many changes and yet I don't really feel like anything has changed. I've asked for more changes, I need more changes, but there is only so much I can do myself. I'm a weak person. I don't really know what to say. I have been having a lot of nightmares recently. Sleep has not been good. Which makes life hard for sure. I have nightmares pretty frequently, but more so in the winter than any other time of year. Awful, horrible, terrifying nightmares. Where I wake up and I'm anxious and sad all day. It sucks. I become afraid to sleep. Oddly, it is only night time sleeping when it happens. Because like if I sleep after work or like today, I nap during the day, I don't have the nightmares. It's strange. I wonder why that happens. I guess that's really all. I should write more but my life is boring now and I'm boring now and it just doesn't seem worth much to write about me and what's going on anymore. Recently Jonno asked me what I've been writing and like on a general whole?? Absolutely nothing. I write little poems about this and that here and there but nothing big or important or inspiring. I'm lame, I'm boring. I hung out with Zach the other day for the first time in a while and I felt out of place. My life isn't how it was before. Full of excitement and adventure and intrigue. Even though I was working at a bank and I was working hard I still had interesting things happen and interesting conversations. I wrote so much more when I was having inspiring experiences. Going through my boxes of stuff I found a shitload of poems I wrote at US Bank. Notebooks full. I would write at work. I would write and draw and now? Like yea I read the NYT but I don't produce anything that's my own. It's so much harder now. I have no ideas. That makes me kinda sad. And Trent is just like, if you want to write more, write more. I guess it's not that simple for me. Or maybe it is and I'm just a dumbass who has issues starting things. It is hard to write/say words when you have none left in your head. I don't know. Oh well. Til next time, Tumblr. I hope all my readers are well. If anyone still reads this lol Happy Thanksgiving.