#i was spending the day scrolling and i saw a blog post twice at different times about wanting to read manga

[muchomango]

I see lots of posts I wanna comment on but I don't wanna be a weirdo

[chanrizard]

Hello! I've followed your blog for a long time and really appreciate what you do for giving us content. I'm sorry you've received such poor feedback lately. You're doing great, and I think the point you were making about not getting credit was very valid. I can only imagine how frustrating that must feel for you to spend a long time working on things, only to not get creditted for the work you put in.

Scrolling through your posts, I do think it was a bit harsh to refer to fanfic authors as just "banging it out" instead of taking their efforts more seriously. I think this may have been why people had a bad reaction. I truly do hope you see the value and effort that people put in... And I think that you do after reading everything, I just think that maybe some people could have interpreted your words differently.

I just wanted to send this in order to tell you that not everyone views you that way. And it is likely that it was just choice of words that made people think you were implying something else... I hope.

You don't have to respond, but I just wanted to let you know that it could be interpreted that way. I honestly probably would have interpreted it that way as well if I hadn't read your other messages. I appreciate your work otherwise!

hey anon, thank you so much for this message! full disclosure here i meant it in a typing something really fast because you were struck by inspiration -mostly because i've seen it used in promo tweets by the authors re: their works- and i did not realize at all that verb is usually used with a very negative connotation and it's akin to scribbling down something fast and without care... it's not an excuse that justifies wording it so poorly and i checked my trusted translate app after posting that so my bad, i understand why people got upset over it and i'm sincerely sorry for that

i learned something new and i will pay more attention to how i word things in the future

and i absolutely do! writing fics is something i could never do, and being friends with writers i know how hard it is and all the care and planning and the corrections and the love and the incredible amounts of time that go into writing them, especially considering that some people don't even write in their native language and that's twice as impressive. the point i was trying to make and that got kind of lost in all *that* is that both giffing and writing are wonderful things that require a great deal of patience and skill and are very time consuming, so i'd love if people treated them with the same respect ❤️

only unfortunately oftentimes this doesn't happen, and this time it wasn't even my stuff that got reposted but a friend's, who saw her gif reposted both here and on twitter in the span of 2 days and what prompted my rant in the first place

[jalapeno-princess]

Angel of Mine

College Boyfriend Mark X Reader

Genre: FLUFFIEST OF FLUFF, Doting boyfriend Mark that we all deserve

Word Count: 4.5K

Summary: You and your boyfriend Mark are cuddled up in your bed watching a movie when you are reminded that you have an essay due in a couple of hours that you haven’t even started on. Before you can completely break down, your boyfriend comes to your rescue and offers to write your paper for you. It’s in the moments of watching him so focused, typing away at your laptop do you realize how lucky you are to have Mark as a boyfriend.

A/N: Hey guys! So it’s the beginning of midterms here in Hawaii and i’ve already cried seven times I am not kidding you I have two semesters left of college and this is the hardest it’s ever been. I wrote this imagine for shits and giggles; i’ve never had a boyfriend before (HAHAHAHA CRIES IN FILIPINO AND KOREAN) so I wouldn’t know if there are guys out there who are actually like this (If you are, God bless you) (and if your boyfriend is like this, MARRY HIM) I actually watched a tiktok post on instagram right after I finished this where this girl said she was doing her boyfriend’s homework because he was stressed or whatever and if that isn’t couple goals than I don’t know what is (btw I do not condone having someone else do your homework) (especially if you force them to do it because you don’t want to it’s your responsibility and your education, but if they offer...it’s a different story) (LOL) anyways, enough of me blabbering, please enjoy reading while I cry in a corner.

“Remind me how I got myself in this situation again?” Your boyfriend gave you a knowing look and you couldn’t stop yourself from letting out a faint giggle at the sight of his furrowed brows.

“Because you love me.” He playfully rolled his eyes and continued typing away at your computer.

“Yeah, sometimes a little too much. But if I remember correctly, you promised to suck me off once I’m finished writing this damn thing, so don’t think I’m going to forget our agreement babe.”

To say you were a procrastinator would be the understatement of the year. Just a few hours ago, you and Mark were comfortably cuddled up together in bed while you both watched the live action version of Mulan. When your boyfriend excused himself to go use the bathroom, you decided to scroll through your Instagram while waiting.

After looking at a couple of posts from some of your friends and family, you were curious as to what everyone was doing and you found yourself going through some of their stories. Finals were less than two weeks away, so you were used to seeing your friends post pictures of them working their many assignments or studying for exams.

What you weren’t expecting to see was one of your classmate’s working on an essay for your English class that was apparently due in less than four hours. Only then did it hit you; you had yet to write the paper and it was worth 20% of your grade. For weeks, you told yourself you were going to start on it and when it was first assigned over two months ago, you thought you had all the time in the world.

Two months went by quicker than you could even fathom and you were frustrated with yourself for not writing it down on your calendar or completing it earlier. You practically ran over to your laptop and began looking up the rubric to see how your professor wanted you to write your essay and you could feel your heart sink to your stomach as soon as you read the requirements.

Mark was confused when he saw you no longer lying in the bed; the two of you decided to have a lazy day indoors and you’ve only left the bed twice to use the bathroom and to get something to snack on. This past week has been extremely rough on your mind and your body; so when you told Mark you had no intention on doing anything other than laying in bed and watching movies, he knew to trust your words.

“Baby, what are you doing?”

Your flustered expression only made him even more curious as to what could have happened in the few minutes he was in the bathroom for. You bit your bottom lip in frustration; knowing how Mark could be whenever it came to your education, you were afraid he was going to be upset once he found out you had only a few hours to write your essay. Since you were too much in shock to respond to him, he took matters in to his own hands and looked at your computer screen.

“Wait—I remember you mentioning this essay a couple of weeks ago—eight pages?! Six educational sources—and it’s due by 11:59 P.M. tonight—y/n what the hell?!”

This wasn’t the first time you waited till right before your assignment was due to start working on it. Matter a fact, most of your important assignments; research papers, group projects, essays and online tests were completed on the day they were due. Sometimes it was on purpose; you felt as if some of your best work were the ones you’d work on right before you were supposed to turn it in. You knew it had a lot to do with the fact that you felt pressured to do better knowing you had a time limit; but most of the time you were just lazy and didn’t want to do any work at all.

You and Mark knew about each and every single thing there is to know about one another. He knew of each and every beauty mark on your body and where it was located, he memorized all your aunt’s, uncle’s and cousin’s names, he knew the exact shade of blue that you claimed was your favorite color and he knew how you liked your tea in the morning.

The only thing he had no control over, was the way you handled your education. Mark thought the entire world of you; he believed you were the most hardworking, courageous, determined, generous and golden-hearted person he had the amazing pleasure of knowing. And he wasn’t being biased because you were his girlfriend, but you were the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen before. In his eyes, you were flawless; you could do no wrong—well; the only problem Mark really had whenever it came to you was the fact that you didn’t know how to prioritize your responsibilities.

After what happened to you right around the time you were introduced to one another, Mark would’ve thought that your mindset and outlook on how you managed everything going on in your life would change. He knew you were capable of great things; when you put your mind to it, you could finish any task that you were given and you were great with multitasking. Mark saw how much time, persistence and effort you would put in to your job or whenever you’d lend a hand to anyone who needed assistance; he admired your work ethic and how passionate you could get when it came to the people and things that you loved.

It was just harder for you to put time in to your essays, journals, blogs or reading the books your professors would assign. School was never something you ever really cared for; it wasn’t like you were really learning anything anyway. For years, you tried your best in being good at all subjects. You’d stay up studying for hours on end only to not retain any information that you learned and it wasn’t entirely your fault. The educational system was just fucked. In this generation, it isn’t even about learning anything; the main focus is turning in assignments on time.

The professors could give less of a shit whether or not you understand any of the material being taught. During your relationship, Mark tried his best to motivate you and even bribed you with food and kisses. He even offered to make flashcards for you if that meant you’d have an easier time studying, but nothing ever worked.

As much as he wanted you to be successful with your education, especially because he genuinely loved attending school, he knew not to force anything on you and making matters worse. This time was different though; this class was one you were already having a hard time with and this essay in particular would determine whether or not you pass or fail by the end of the semester. Your boyfriend tried his best to hide his disappointment, but it was only natural for him to be upset. Attending college was not cheap at all.

He was completely aware of the thousands of dollars you had to fund on your own because your parents weren’t able to help you financially as much as they wish they could. Since he was extremely supportive of you and each and every single one of your endeavors, he even helped pay for quite a bit of your tuition which you haven’t completely forgave him for, but you both showed him and told him on a daily basis how grateful you were that he did such a thing; and that he never fails to take care of you in ways you didn’t think you deserved.

A part of him wanted to continue his poor attempt at scolding you, but as soon as he saw tears building up at the brim of your eyelids, all his anger and frustration dissipated. If there was anything Mark hated, it was seeing you cry. The reason behind your tears didn’t matter; it just broke his heart knowing you were sad and right now, he pushed the idea of your procrastination to the back of his mind. He motioned for you to stand up and kissed both your cheeks to get rid of any trace of tears. Then, he pulled you in to his embrace and placed his chin on the top of your head before he comfortingly ran his hands up and down your back.

“I’m so sorry Mark—I’m sure you’re upset with me and you have every right to be—I’m so stupid—“ if this were under different circumstances, the cheeky pinch on your butt would’ve earned your boyfriend a punch to the shoulder, but you knew this was his way to stop you from degrading yourself. Before you could ever say anything negative about yourself, Mark would try and divert your attention away from bad mouthing yourself.

Although you and Mark were together for three years now and you knew he was the man you planned on spending the rest of your life with, there was an annoying voice in your head that would remind you almost every single day that you didn’t deserve him. He’s sacrificed so much for you and you knew it was because he loved you; but you never understood why. You weren’t anything special; sure, you loved him with every fiber of your being and you knew he was well aware of that. Yet, you knew he deserved so much more but there was no way you’d ever be able to let him go. Not when he was the one who saved your life all those years ago. The only person who meant anything to you.

As much as you loved your family and your friends, nobody could ever compare or mean as much to you. Nobody could ever be as important as Mark was. He was the only person you were sure you would die from heartbreak if you were to lose him. It was selfish of you to continue dragging him down with you and your toxic ways, but you needed Mark; you’d be nothing without him. He was your own personal guardian angel sent to change your life entirely for the better. He was the only good thing going for you and with the way he treated you as if you were the most fragile and rarest jewel in the world, you knew he wasn’t going anywhere.

“You’re not stupid baby—a little irresponsible and careless, but not at all stupid. Hmph, I’ll tell you what, seeing as how I’m better when it comes to writing essays, let me handle it this time.”

“No, there’s no way in hell I’m going to let you do this assignment for me Mark, I’d rather take the F—“ the soft kiss he placed on the corner of your lips made it aware that Mark meant business. Whenever he’d say something, he meant it. However, you refused to allow him to work on something you kept pushing back for months. Your essay was your full responsibility and it wouldn’t be fair for your boyfriend to have to write something he didn’t benefit from in such a small amount of time. God, he really did love you.

“The more time you spend trying to talk me out of helping you when I already made my mind up, the less time I’ll have to work on this paper. I don’t want you stressing over this; you’re already so worn-out as it is. This’ll be a piece of cake babe—you just sit on the bed and look pretty while I get started.”

Mark had to be a figment of your imagination. There was no way someone as thoughtful, kind-hearted, selfless and caring as him could exist. Most people would groan at the idea of having to do more work and if it were anyone else, you were sure you would’ve gotten a completely different reaction. You were quick to pull him in to a tight hug and left multiple chaste kisses all across of his face.

“I love you—more than I can ever fathom in to words Mark Tuan. You don’t understand how much this means to me—I’ll do anything you ask of me. Ugh, I will never get over how amazing you are and I could never thank you enough for all that you do for me.” He cupped your cheek and placed a wet kiss on your jaw.

“Anything huh? Maybe you could do some loads of my laundry, but that’s pretty much it—oh. I um—maybe you could—ah never mind.” You looked at him in curiosity and giggled when you saw the apples of his cheeks grow pink with embarrassment. Whatever he was probably referring to had to be something he was shy about. Your boyfriend was the definition of an introvert and he had a hard time asking people questions or even favors; this sometimes also included you. If you wanted to know what was on his mind, you’d have to pry it out of him.

“What is it babe?” He gave you the most adorable shrug and nibbled on his bottom lip as he began to look everywhere around the room but at you.

“Don’t feel as if you have to do this for me, I really don’t expect anything from you, but I wouldn’t mind a blow job if you’re up for it later.” One thing you loved the most about Mark, was how gentle and awkward he would get whenever it came to initiating sex or insinuating that he wanted a sexual favor from you. It was cute, yet it also turned you on for some reason. Maybe it was because he’d act totally innocent and submissive since he never wanted you to feel uncomfortable and he preferred to take things at your pace; but once the two of you actually made love, his attitude would take a 360 degree turn.

Sex with Mark was your favorite past time; he could get very naughty and rough in bed, but he could also take things slow and sensually. It really depended on the mood, but your boyfriend was an extremely generous and passionate lover. He knew what you liked, what positions you enjoyed the most, how to lick, bite and suck on all your sensitive body parts in order to elicit any kind of needy reaction out of you. It really boggled your mind that someone like Mark—someone so perfect without a flaw at all actually existed and what was harder to believe was that you were the lucky girl who was extremely blessed to call him yours.

That was something you would never take for granted; nor did you think you would ever get used to having him in your life. You seductively made your way on to his lap and began leaving sloppy kisses against his nape. This beautiful man sitting in front of you was willing to do your homework in order to prevent you from having a mental breakdown. He was willing to sacrifice his time to work on an assignment that wasn’t his responsibility to take care of just so that you didn’t have to suffer. Honestly, what world war did you fight and win in your past life to be the one that receives Mark’s love every single day? Whatever it is that you did to be able to call Mark your boyfriend, you would do it again and again if it meant having him in each and every single lifetime.

“Fuck—babe—as good as that feels, I only have three hours—y/n—you know, I’m actually thinking about taking you on your offer—just settle for the F and I’ll get settled in between your pretty thighs—“ you couldn’t help but stifle back a giggle once you heard the soft whine fall from his lips after you got up from off his lap, but he was right. He was already doing your homework for you, the least you could do was sit on the side and prevent yourself from bothering him.

“Oh yeah—you’re definitely taking me down your throat as soon as I turn in this paper. Now do as I said and sit down on the bed. Your presence alone is such a distraction and fuck—I’ve been hard since this morning when you walked out in my shirt. Damnit y/n—I really want to have my way with you right now. Please use this experience for future reference. I can’t believe I’m being cockblocked by a research paper of all things.”

You watched as Mark quickly skimmed through the rubric; you knew your boyfriend wanted to make sure he understood the material before typing out a bunch of nonsense. The last thing he needed was to spend all this time and effort looking for resources, citing them and looking for both spelling and grammatical errors only to earn you a bad grade. If Mark wasn’t there and you just so happened to find out about the essay, you wouldn’t have even attempted to write anything.

Your mindset in college was that if it seemed impossible, you would just give up on it entirely. Mark’s mindset however, was more realistic and you wished you had the motivation and enthusiasm that seemed to live in his bloodstream. Watching him so focused as he typed away like nothing was such an inspiring sight. English was one of your boyfriend’s favorite subjects; he loved reading all kinds of books—from murder mystery to comics and romance novels, Mark always preferred reading over watching a movie or television shows.

But, if there was anything he enjoyed more than reading, it was writing. Normally, the day his professor would assign him an essay, proposal, research paper or journal entry was the same day he would complete it and turn it it. There had to be something wrong with him. What person in their right mind genuinely enjoyed writing thousands of words, making sure there weren’t any errors and that the paper in its entirety actually made sense? You knew not to bother him, but you couldn’t help staring at him in all his handsome glory. His brows were furrowed and he began biting his lip in concentration; you didn’t think it was possible for someone to look like a model straight from an ad or a magazine while typing out an English paper.

“Can I get you something to eat or drink babe?” He quickly shook his head in disagreement without even looking up—he was too focused in whatever it was he could be typing.

“I think I need a couple of kisses though, you know—to help me reenergize.” You playfully rolled your eyes at his cheeky request before getting up and placing a few soft kisses against his mouth.

“So how’s it coming out?” He scrunched his nose before giving you a slight shrug.

“If I’m being honest, this probably isn’t my best work, but I’m sure it’s fine. I’m almost done by the way—so I’ll have you look it over to make sure it’s to your liking and then you can turn it in. Maybe you should start preparing your gratuity and tie your hair up. Might as well take your pants off while you’re at it—ow! I’d be careful if I were you baby. I might just replace your name with mine and confuse the shit out of your professor—yeah, that’s what I thought. Now, be a good girl and return back to bed.”

As much as you wanted to continue messing around with him; only because you were enjoying how demanding he would get when he was under stress, you knew better than to distract him. You decided to find something else to occupy yourself with as Mark returned to typing profusely at your laptop. It was extremely fascinating how he didn’t even take a second to think about what to write. The words seemed to just flow out of his brain like it was the easiest thing in the world and you were growing envious of his ability to come out with such quality and detailed work in such a small amount of time.

Around twenty minutes later, Mark let out a sigh of relief and brought his hands behind his back—a sign that he was finally finished. He motioned for you to walk over to your desk and had you sit on his lap. Out of habit, he snaked his arms around your waist and placed his chin on your shoulder; wanting to be as close to you as possible.

“Ten pages, twelve sources and it’s only 9:15. Tell me what you think baby.”

Right as you finished reading just the first paragraph alone, you were at a loss for words. Even if you were to start writing this paper when you first received the assignment from your professor, you were sure nothing you could write would be at least half as amazing as this paper was. It wasn’t repetitive—nor did he use nonsense words or anything you were sure you probably would have added in. He put all his sources in alphabetical order and inserted page numbers at the bottom of each page.

You could see why Mark’s previous English professor had asked him on multiple occasions to be her TA. The word brilliant wasn’t even enough to describe the kind of student Mark was. For someone who never really cared about reading English papers; whether it was an assignment for class, or when you had to give constructive criticism on one of your fellow classmate’s work, you would always skim through their essays—but you found yourself reading each and every single word Mark had typed out. His essay had you hooked; it was one of those writings that you were sure anyone would actually enjoy having to read. How was he able to finish all of that so quickly? By the end of it, you were in tears and you didn’t even realize you were crying until you felt Mark giggle in to your neck.

“Why are you crying Bub? I don’t think what I’ve written is at all that depressing. I literally wrote about biodegradation and how to save the earth—“

You didn’t give him any chance to continue his explanation as you roughly smashed your lips against his. Mark did so many things for you on a daily basis. He didn’t have to say he loved you for you to know that he did—his actions spoke for him. Knowing how most guys could be, you were sure no boyfriend would waste his time completing an assignment, especially one so time consuming needed all your knowledge and effort—for his girlfriend.

College was rough on everyone; so to take on something you thought was extremely difficult in order to prevent you from stressing out more than you already were—it made tears fall from the brim of your eyelids. You continued your ministrations, licking his lips and bringing both the bottom and the top in between your teeth before sucking on his tongue. Feeling him hum in to your mouth sent warmth to your core. In your relationship, you were the more extroverted and talkative one. You could go on and on about any subject you were passionate about.

However, just like Mark; you were more about actions than words—mainly because you felt like there weren’t enough words in the English dictionary to actually form sentences that would describe just how much you loved Mark wholeheartedly and exactly what he meant to you. When you felt his excitement press up against your ass, you knew what was right about to happen; but you wanted him to know verbally how grateful you were for him before showing him physically.

“Fuck—how did you—what kind of drug are you on Mark? That was one of the best essays I’ve ever read. There’s no way my professor is going to believe I wrote that. This is honors worthy—you’re—I can’t even find a word good enough to describe you. Otherworldly? Wonderful? Perfect? I love you so much Mark. Fuck, do I love you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I don’t know what I did to have you in my life, but I would do it again and again to have you forever. I know you hate when I say this, but it’s the truth baby—I really don’t deserve you. Thank you, not just for typing this essay—fuck I still can’t even process this entire situation you need to sign up for scholarships or some shit you are so fucking intelligent and such a hardworking student. But—thank you for loving me. You really are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I am forever grateful for whoever it was that decided to bless me with you as my soulmate. I love you Mark Tuan.” His wide grin and the way he looked at you so adoringly made your heart melt.

“I’d do anything for you—you know that baby. It’s just—seeing you so distressed—so frustrated and unhappy with school, watching you overwork yourself to the bone—it fucking sucks. Especially when I see you beating yourself up over grades you have no control over. I know you try your best in every single thing that you do and I know that it’s easy to forget some important things and fall behind, but I will always be there to catch you—and to assure you that everything is going to be okay. You’re my person y/n—it’s my life duty to take care of you. However—don’t get used to this baby, as much as I love you—trust me—I love you with every breath I take and with every beat of my heart—but shit, that was rough. Oh—and I never want to hear you say you don’t deserve me ever again. You take care of me just as much as I take care of you. It’s a team effort babe. Now, with that being said, you caused a big problem in my pants over half an hour ago and I think it’s time that you solved it.”

[random-mha-thoughts]

Long Distance (Midoriya x Reader)

Pairing: Midoriya x Reader

Genre: Fluff/slight angst, no quirks AU

Summary: Long distance relationships an be equal parts exhilarating and equal parts difficult.

Inspo: "Face to Face" by Ruel

Word count: 1,777

Tags:  @liviitehe @iamsoftsodonttoucheume-blog  @bunnythepipsqueak @yuki-osaki

a/n: Who’s not a sucker for fluffy Izu?  Come on, you love this freckled face

Since this is 3rd person and I wanted to keep it gender neutral, I used they/them pronouns instead of you.  The ending scene of this was originally supposed to be Midoriya's Valentine's Special for Just One Day, and it would've been more fitting, but it was too angsty for what I wanted to put out for Valentine's Day, but I held onto it for the past month so I could expand on it and spin it into something more substantial and emotional.

Sorry for the messy and rushed ending, I'm still recovering from my sickness that was handicapping me for the past few days and I'm falling asleep writing the end of this.  But I'm better for the most part!  Which hopefully means one or two more posts before I have to reconfigure my entire schedule doing online classes next week...  I hate school.

Also huge thank you again for 700 follower guys, you’re too much for me to handle.  Thank you sosososoooo much!

The past few months for Izuku have been both exhilarating and miserable.

While at an anime convention last summer, he'd stumbled around alone because Katsuki didn't want to be anywhere near nerd culture with his nerd friend.  Izuku had been disappointed since it was his first con and didn't want to go alone, but it couldn't be helped.  He cosplayed as his favorite hero from his favorite show, resolving to hopefully meet some new friends while he was there.

Izuku was easily overwhelmed by the gigantic venue and the endless number of people in attendance.  It was something like a dream, but at the same time gave him anxiety.  How was he supposed to navigate something this enormous alone without getting swept up somewhere?

For the first half of the first day, he managed to survey the layout of the center, taking pictures with a few cosplayers he knew and almost emptying his wallet on some merch.  He found himself losing energy fairly quickly and resolved to search for the rest area.  The tired boy buries his nose in his map, mumbling how he hopes he doesn't end up getting lost.

His view being obstructed by the unfolded paper, he bumps into someone's back.  Izuku fervently apologizes, prematurely thinking he had bothered them and now they wish to kill him.  Instead, he was met with a wide toothy smile and even wider, excited eyes.  The boy looks them up and down, realizing their cosplay is of his character's sidekick.

The other person breaks out into a haughty dialogue fitting their character, using the hero's name to ask what was the matter.  Izuku, after some stumbling, breaks out his amazing mimicry skills to play along with their new game, responding that he's looking for the rest area.  Staying in character, the sidekick leads him in the opposite direction Izuku was going.  The two recite more lines from their characters' show until they reach their destination.

The stranger finally breaks character with a hearty laugh, settling in a couch with Izuku.  They hit it off immediately, bonding over their shared love of their favorite show, how amazing each other's costume looks, and repeating their favorite lines of other franchises they enjoy.  Izuku feels like this is exactly what he wanted to find in a con: someone who shares the same love and passion for his favorite thing.  Finally, he won't have to be alone navigating this giant complex.

The two continue bonding over lunch, getting to know each other more personally, though their personalities were so compatible their conversations flow naturally.  Izuku finds out that his new friend is around the same age as him, and this isn't their first con.  They ended up coming alone because their friend bailed on them at the last second because of a sickness.  Unfortunately, they live in a different country; they just couldn't miss the panel with one of their favorite voice actors at this con.  The freckled boy can't say he wasn't disappointed that someone he'd hit it off so perfectly with was from somewhere else, but at least he found someone he can spend the rest of the con with.

And they did have the funnest time together.  They shared so many memories eating, posing for pictures, filming their own videos, and just talking; at the end of everything, Izuku felt like he'd known them forever.  Actually, he felt himself falling for his con companion, which is why parting ways on the last day was the hardest thing he thought he would have to do.

Thankfully, his new friend also found it hard to say goodbye, so they proposed the idea of staying long-distance friends.  It was such an obvious progression that Izuku almost slapped himself for not thinking of it.  The two exchanged messenger information and hugs before finally parting ways.  The freckled-cheek boy rejoiced, bouncing the entire way home and buzzing with excitement.  Until post-con depression hit him, and with it came the fear that his new friend and crush would lose interest and never contact him.

But he was wrong.  They texted religiously all day every day, keeping each other updated on all the details of their daily nerdy lives.  A flicker of hope burned inside Izuku that his crush was interested enough in him to keep in contact.  They both kept up with each other's social media posts and commented on all of them.  They even video chatted at least twice a week.  It made Izuku feel his life had a purpose, and it was apparent to everyone around him.  Even Katsuki would gruffly question why he was always smiling at his phone.

But the initial glamour eventually wore off.  There would be days when Izuku's friend wouldn't respond to his messages and the boy would fly into a frenzy, wondering what he did wrong and retracing their entire conversation.  Even though they would reply again a few days later and apologize about leaving Izuku in the dark, it would bother the boy a little.  It sobered him up to realize he spends a lot of his day talking to a screen, and he still has no idea if they feel the same way as he felt in his heart.  There's a small amount of jealousy he feels as he stalks their social media responding to other people.  He dislikes that pettiness, but he only does it because he's head over heels for them.  There are moments when his heart would race at the prospect of them exhibiting the same feelings as him, but he would immediately second guess those thoughts as him simply getting ahead of himself.

Izuku would scroll through the pictures and cosplay videos of them daily, smiling at them as he imagined what if they would meet face to face again as his heart longs for them.  He wants to be able to confess in person, feel their warmth close to him, hear their laughter free of digital filter.  Is that too much for him to ask?

.

Izuku practically bounces in a bundle of anticipation and nerves as he stands in the crowded airport terminal.  He didn't imagine his wishes coming true so soon, but here he is.  Ever since a week ago when his crush had surprised him with their flight itinerary, casually asking him to pick them up, the broccoli-haired boy couldn't have been more excited for anything in his life.  

And as with everything the sometimes-neurotic boy does, he planned heavily for their arrival.  They were only visiting for about a week while visiting family, coinciding nicely with Izuku's school break.  He searched for countless highly-rated restaurants specializing in different foods, photo spots that tourists agree yield the best social media photos, and even a few theme parks to visit.  He complied all of these spots into a giant list and was about to send them to his crush when they messaged him before he got the chance.

"Don't go overboard planning like I know you do, Bean, I just want to spend quality time with you :)"

Izuku's heart soared with that text, although it rendered his hard work and stress slightly useless.

And now he's waiting impatiently for them to come from their plane ride, craning his neck every which way in hopes to spot them before they find him.  His entire body has washed over in anxious, feet-tapping cold.

"Izuku!"

Looking to the side, he sets his eyes on a figure steamrolling towards him dragging a suitcase as they bound up to him.  All his anxiety fades as soon as he lays eyes on them.  He outstretches his arms, ready to welcome them in a hug.  "(Y/n)!" he mimics their excited giggle-call.

Izuku underestimated how much force they were putting into their hug, effectively being knocked off balance as both of them fall backwards to meet the floor beneath them.  Despite the strange glares from onlookers, they laugh at the less-than-graceful greeting they shared.  To Izuku, it was the perfect heartfelt greeting.

Catching his breath for a moment, his heart rejoices, relishing the almost romantic moment.  It's strange to see them, the person he's seem through a screen for most of the time, in his arms.  The last time they saw each other in person, they were in slightly uncomfortable costumes that didn't allow for too much mobility and hid most of their true faces.  It's almost like meeting a complete stranger in person for the first time, yet they know each other so well.

"I'm so happy you're this excited to see me."  He sits up, still embracing his crush in his lap.  He's so close to them, sharing their personal space.  If only he can brush his hands through their hair lovingly and embrace them close to him as he's craved for months.  "I was so worried it would be too awkward, and you wouldn't want to hug me and-"

"Why wouldn't I want to absolutely tackle you, Bean?" they squeeze him tighter, the grin still plastered on their face as they gaze up at Izuku.  They reach behind the boy to retrieve the red beanie that fell off his head at their landing.  "You're my favorite person in the world!"

Izuku freezes at the words, letting them tug the knitwear over his fluffy hair.  He knows yet another part of his heart was just stolen.

"Oh, before all the adrenaline suddenly flushes out of me and I lose all confidence to do this-"

They place a chaste kiss on Izuku's lips, rendering the boy flustered and speechless as a bolt of electricity zaps through him.  Did they really just-?

"I really like you, Izuku," they confess in earnest, doe eyes boring into his emerald pair.  "I've been waiting to say it in person because it's so lame and impersonal to say it over text or in video chat.  Please tell me you accept me."

It takes the boy a moment to formulate proper words, the only thing pouring out of his mouth is sputters.  He's floating on Cloud nine right now.  He should've known that his crush not only holds the same feelings for him, but also has the immense confidence to suck it up and confess first.  With a chuckle and almost teary eyes, Izuku sniffs out, "Y-You beat me to it!"

They erupt into a fit of satisfied squeaks.  "I knew I would!" they beam as they nearly knock the boy over in another tackle-hug.  "Now, at least we get to do everything we wanted to as a couple, not just as friends."

Izuku can't agree more, admiring how they always manage to take the words right out of his mouth.

[hellevator-mp3]

you’re my wish (maybe it came true) || Part 1

Pairing(s): Changlix (so far)

Genre: Mainly fluff, ig??

Word Count: 1,700+

Warnings: None

Author Note: so, as anyone that follows my ao3 would know, this is just a random idea that i got, and it’s the only thing, really, that i can write for now bc it requires no planning??? (but don’t worry, the other au’s will be up soon!) and it was inspired by a soulmate body switch fic that i read, and also the get cool mv!

felix most certainly gets more than he bargained for, after his most anticipated wish comes true in the most unimaginable way possible

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felix's daily mantras ranged from 'it's not that scary', to 'you can do it', even as far as 'it'll be okay'. the one that he never thought he'd use - and in a dream, nonetheless - was 'this can't be real'. but it was, at least in his dreams. he stood in the center of what looked like a school classroom - maybe ms. lee's? - facing off with a machine, with the words 'fortune teller cards - tear here' written on a plaque, with a slot just underneath it. before the curiosity had too much time to eat away at him, his dream self stepped forward and pressed the button just  a foot or so above the plaque, listening to the quiet churning inside the machine before what looked like a raffle ticket was spit out, into felix's waiting hand.  

his eyes widened at the words 'your wish has been granted', before confusion took place of wonder and he stared at it harder, wondering which wish it was. he had many - when his parents struggled, he wished to be strong and able to take away their problems. when the kids at school teased him for his looks, or the fact that he was shorter than 97% of the male population at the school, he wished to be someone bigger, someone taller. when his best friends all began finding their soulmates and getting into relationships, he wished that he could be like that, finding the one he was meant for, whoever that may be.  he wasn't allowed more than a few moments to think about it, before a loud, shrill shriek broke the serenity of the room, and he jolted up in bed.

an unfamiliar room greeted his arrival back into the waking world, and he scrambled out of bed to the mirror hanging on the wall, praying that maybe this was the wish that he wanted to come true the most - to meet the one he was meant for.  he stared at a strangers face in the reflective surface, at the sharp jawline and soft cheeks and bangs that he knew he could never pull off, and suddenly realized that he, felix lee, was inhabiting the body of his soulmate.  scrambling to the door and searching for a bathroom, felix realized that his soulmate must be older than he was, since it appeared that he lived in an apartment by himself, given that there were no other signs of life in the space that he found himself in.  just down the hall from the bedroom was the bathroom, where felix threw himself in front of the mirror to make sure that it wasn't a trick, even though he knew from the start that it wasn't.  his soulmate couldn't be much shorter than himself, maybe a few centimeters, but the strong jawline and stern face made him seem much bigger than he actually was.  felix turned his face this way and that way, taking in all the features of his soulmates face, making different faces towards himself in the mirror, and even playing with the piercings that hung from his ears.  it wasn't long before nature called, and he did his business before wandering out of the room to find something to eat, wondering about the morality of taking a shower while he was in a body other than his own.  he decided that if he a: had to go somewhere, or b: was still in this body the next day, he would take a shower.  

it wasn't long before he was exploring the rest of the apartment with a bowl of dry cereal in hand, munching on small fingerfuls at a time.  with sugar coated fingertips, he picked up a frame and took in the picture nestled inside - the same body that he was in stood at the center, with two people that were shorter than him on one side, and two taller on the other.  all of them wore bright grins, the happiness reflected in the photograph filling felix's own chest and making him smile as well, tracing his finger over the edge of the frame before setting it down.  he moved on to the next one, that appeared to be a family photo.  felix's soulmate sat in the center, seated in an ornate chair with a woman sitting on the arm of it, and a man standing just behind them, with his hands on their shoulders.  the smiles in the photo seemed fake, moreso for looks that actually being happy to take pictures with one another.  felix was reminded of the family photos that lined his own dresser in his dorm, pictures of his family on the beach and on a trip to the mountains and even once, when they went on a boat.  he could easily picture their faces in his mind, all sunburned smiles and a pure happiness radiating from the picture.  with a small sigh, he put the photo down and continued his amble around the room, stopping to examine the bookshelf full of records and cd's, most of the artists in a language he quickly recognized as korean, but could barely read.  it took him back to the time his mother had insisted that he learned her mother tongue, but he had refused, saying that he would never need it.  however, he did pick up the alphabet, and was using his small knowledge to sound out the words and try to pick out some words that sounded like their english counterpart.  after a few minutes, he gave up and moved on to the next area - the couch, with a coffee table in front of it and a laptop propped open on it's surface.  

sitting next to it was a phone, still hooked up to the charger.  felix set his bowl of dry cereal down, scooping another mouthful into his mouth as he fumbled with the phone, realizing quickly that it had a fingerprint sensor, and that his soulmate - thankfully - had his index finger put in.  it didn't take much for felix to find the app that would allow him to call his own phone, fingers automatically dialing his familiar number.  a second of hesitance led to him deleting it, before retyping it, a cyle that repeated itself numerous times before he finally hit the call button, holding the phone to his ear as he shoved more cereal in his mouth, waiting for the click that would let him know that he was connected.  it rang once, twice, three times, before he was sent to voicemail.  frustrated, he tried again, and then a third time, before finally giving up.  after piecing together that his soulmate was in south korea, and that his own body was in his home in australia, felix looked up the time differences and frowned.  he was only two hours behind the other, meaning that it was nearing noon in his home country, while it was only 10 am for him.  

sighing, felix flicked through the apps on the phone, tapping on facebook and then to his soulmate's profile, scrolling through in an attempt to piece together more about the other.  from what he saw, the other - seo changbin, he found out soon enough - was older, and didn't spend much time on facebook.  there were a few posts here and there, including a sudden influx for his birthday.  before long, felix had also located his twitter, finding a substantial amount more there than he had on any other social media - links to his soundcloud, rants about the industry that he worked in, and even friendly banter between himself and some of his friends, and even some of his followers.  as he was reading through a thread that the other had posted, a notification slid down from the top of the screen, indicating that an unknown number was calling, and prompting felix to accept or decline.  recognizing his own phone number, felix accepted and held the phone to his ear, listening to his own voice spouting a language that he knew he didn't know.  he told the other to calm down, slow down, and to find chris.  

chris was their best shot at a translator - having learned korean from a young age, chris was considerably better than felix, and was almost considered fluent.  there was shuffling on the other line, before a click signaled that he had been hung up on.  with yet another sigh, felix found himself leaning back on the back of the couch, staring up at the ceiling with the phone hanging limp in his hand.  there was a silence that seemed to stretch on forever, before the phone rang again, and felix accepted without even checking the number.  he heard his best friend's voice on the other line, speaking quickly with the other.  in english, felix called for his attention, and tried his best to explain what happened, about his wish and suddenly ending up in a strangers home.  he blamed the whole ordeal on himself, but was stopped in his tracks by chris.  "did you not see what day it is?" the elder asked, prompting felix to check the date on the computer, finding that it was his 20th birthday.  his mouth dropped open, remembering what his teacher had taught them about soulmates, and everything clicked into place.  

it wasn't long before felix and changbin were exchanging plans, filling one another in on the things that needed to happen until they switched back.  changbin requested that felix post a track that he had been working on, and actively promote it on social media until changbin was able to do it himself.  in return, felix asked that changbin keep his blog semi active, asking chris to help with translations of the content and such.  along with that, felix had a dinner with his family later that week - just in case, he filled changbin in on what that would entail, before changbin threw back that he had dinner plans with his friend group the day after.  they spent hours sharing information and plans, filling one another in on the things that needed handled.  

when they finally hung up, felix lay back on the couch with another long sigh, and a mantra of 'what did i get myself into?', followed shortly after with a loud groan.

[np254]

No, it’s not a click bait. I quit social media and am in rehab.

Let me explain:

What

I deactivated my Instagram account.

I deleted the Facebook app on my phone. I cannot completely deactivate my account, because I am administrating a page (hence the responsibilities). I only access FB from my phone in case of emergencies. Everyday, I check my notifications once or twice from my laptop.

I logged out of Tumblr on my phone and deleted the app. Visits reduced to 2-3 times a week.

The only social-networking app I am still using on a daily basis is Messenger, which is more like a messaging app.

When

From October 13th. Undecided end date.

Why

1. My clean history with social media

I have been socially active all my life and been using my social accounts very consciously for years. Ever since my childhood, my parents have taught me about the importance of moderation when it comes to social media. Even though I have had 2 emails (not one, but two!) for 11 years (and I am 20), my parents have given me guidance on managing these from the very beginning. It was the same with Facebook (which I’ve also been having for about 10 years) – during the first few years, I never went online without parental controls. And for that I was thankful.

Even when I gained full control of my socials, which was about 7 years ago, everything was still going well. Although I have a lot of friends in school and from my social activities, social networks have always been there for its initial purpose – to help me stay in touch with people.

Even when I took charge of my social media accounts, I still used them with caution and consideration. On Facebook, I only connect with people whom I have actually met in real life or whom I have heard about/talked to or with whom I have many mutual friends. My Instagram account has been private from the beginning and I have my own “rules” when accepting new followers. It explains why my social circle is not massive but the interaction rate is remarkable.

At once I could confidently state: “I am a Digital Native, I know my way around social networks”.

2. The addiction

In the beginning it was very subtle. The addiction.

The addiction is young. It started since I went to Germany to study abroad 2 years ago. At the time, I wouldn’t say that it was an addiction. However, it was definitely slight overuse. As I started my “adult life” on my own in a country far away from home, away from any kind of supervision whatsoever, I allowed myself to do whatever I want as long as it’s justifiable.

Somehow I felt the need to update my life online constantly, mainly because: – of the distance. Being so far from each other, I wanted to keep my family informed about my new life – of the time-zone difference. Being online constantly helped me stay informed about family and friends at home. – Germany is beautiful, I had a good life and I wanted to brag about it So I ended up being online a lot. Luckily, I had a group of five girlfriends and we spent a lot of time together cooking, chatting, baking and studying, so I was distracted from my phone and laptop.

After the first year, I moved to Hamburg. Around this time, I started my hobby with analog photography and this blog. I also started my course at the HAW. Here we learned about the importance of our online presence – whether it is necessary and what are the risks. I decided that an online presence is inevitably necessary, since I am a hobby photographer and later on want to work in the media.

I think I did a good job maintaining my online image. I am on every social networks and my profile on each network is carefully though-over and well-drafted. They coexist in harmony with the same username and together they portray different aspects of my personality exactly how I want them to.

It would be nice if I stopped there. But I didn’t.

I craved validation, but my craving was the worst type – I didn’t actually need validation, I just wanted to put myself and my life online, and for that I would feel satisfied enough. The thought that everyone knew how great/not great my life was fed my ego. In my head, I told myself that I am doing a great job sharing with people the often unnoticed moments in life (very noble, I know). Of course, I was ecstatic when someone responded, but that was not the main point.

Now, I will include another factor that played a role. But I also want to disclaim that I do not intend to put all the blame on it. It was only unfortunate that among many other reasons, a long-distance relationship also contributed to the growth of my addiction. Along with my own craving for validation, I had another justified reason to post about every little thing in my life.

From there, everything went downhill. I was online all the time, and I mean the literal  meaning of the phrase. 24 hours a day. 7 days a week. The first thing I do every morning was checking my phone for messages from the night, notifications on every social networks, emails, Facebook newsfeed and Instagram feed. This ritual took at least 30 minutes every morning, often an hour. If I didn’t do this, I could not wake up. You can say that my brain delved into new notifications to wake myself up.

Then, during the course of the day, I was online constantly, even when there was nothing more to check. Social networks are programmed to be addictive, to this I agree. Even when I had something to do (e.g. am in a lecture), I would still occasionally pull out my phone, completely unawared, and aimlessly scroll through the feeds. When I had read everything, I would turn to the “Discover” tab, which both Facebook and Instagram have. The vicious cycle went on and on.

Besides from checking the feeds, I also posted content. I trust my taste and my aesthetics, so I invested a lot of time in choosing and editing the photos that I post. A little while ago, I reached the peak of my addiction, where I spent excessive time on content for my Instagram story. I would edit the photos in 1-2 apps then design the layout with beautiful text description in another app. Just to post to a virtual story that will only last for 24 hours. When I was bored, I would write quotes. To have nice hand-writing by smearing your finger on the touch screen is not the most efficient thing to do. I wrote and rewrote until the quotes looked decent and met my aesthetic standards. All that too, served the Instagram story that is only visible for 24 hours.

I agree that there are people who have to do this for the sake of their career. They could be professionals who do this for a living. Considering that I am neither a professional nor  earn any cents from my social accounts, I was wasting so much time for nothing.

A few examples of my “creations” for my Instagram story:

Each of these took about 30 minutes.

The bad thing about the situation was that, I didn’t actually posted a lot on Facebook and Instagram. I only checked the feeds too frequently. Therefore, my addiction went unnoticed for a long time, since nobody, even myself, ever addressed my overuse.

It came to the point where I could not part with my phone or my laptop anymore. I would switch between my phone and laptop. Either one of them was always on, sometimes both. I would even check my phone while my laptop was booting or loading something. From time to time, I found myself in distress because I could never finish the book that I found interesting, or invest time in self-improvement as I did a year ago. Despite my distress, I never succeeded in cutting down my online time to spend time on other things. I just couldn’t.

3. The breakpoint

A month ago, something that happened had shaken me awake and rewired my way of thinking. My apologies for not explaining what this “something” was, for it is a personal matter.

I realised that I would waste my entire future if I didn’t make a change. I felt my mental capabilities deteriorated. I saw that I was not missing out on the virtual world, rather the actual world.

I did not want to live my life anymore, and I was the one who caused it all. 

I have thought about seeking help, but I figured, maybe I could still cure myself, as long as there is a strong self-discipline. With this mindset, I started out on my personal rehab. It is still happening. If it goes wrong, here you can read in black and white, i promise that I will seek professional help.

How’s it been? What have I learned?

It has been difficult, of course.

Like every other addiction, the cravings are unbearable. It’s especially hard when I check my socials in the morning or before I go to bed. If I lose control, I can scroll on forever.

The most noticeable thing are random moments. Sometimes when I find something funny, or an interesting thought passes my mind, I feel a very strong urge to post something onto my Instagram story. Other times, I would open the “Social Networking” app folder on my phone, where I have remembered the positions of every app, and tapped intuitively, only to choose the wrong one (because I deleted some).

From this experience, I learn that the nice moments in life should be enjoyed in person. Even when there is no friend around to share with. I learn to find joy in them. Getting used to not instantaneously share everything online is hard, often times I find myself reaching for my phone, then put it away, then look around to find a familiar face, then look up to the sky and smile to myself. As if there is a sacred secret between me and an unknown Significant Power.

Solitude and happiness may seem like they will never go together, but happiness is actually in its purest form when you can share it with yourself and the universe. The happiness you feel is a whole, and you feel it with your entire heart and attention. Most often, we try to share our happiness, forgetting that it should be felt by us first, before it can be shared with others. Otherwise, the happiness would lose its purpose: to fulfil one’s soul.

Another thing I’ve learned, is that I do not need to prove my emotions.  Honestly, people do not give much attention to what they see online, because the flow of information is endless, so they jump from this to that, quickly forgetting what they have seen. No one has noticed that I stopped using Instagram, even though I had been posting actively. As my account is deactivated, you can’t find me or tag me. From this I learn that life is not a stage and you don’t need an audience. Nobody will judge you if you are not happy, and the fact that you are happy and you show it does not do anything for anyone else, if they don’t truly care about you.

And people who care will go out of their way to make sure that you are fine. Even if you do not post anything on social networks, they will try to reach you. Such a short and simple message like “Hey, how are you doing? Haven’t heard from you in a while.” can light up my day brighter than 50 likes on a pic on Instagram.

Do I feel FOMO?

“Fear of missing out” has become a chronic disease. Funnily, I felt like I have always been having FOMO ever since I started using social media. No matter how often I check my feeds, I would still miss out on something.

To me, it doesn’t make any significance when I stop using social media in comparison to when I still used them in terms of FOMO. It’s not like I have stopped informing myself about the world. Quite the opposite, I read the newspaper regularly to know what is going on in real life.

The only problem that I currently still can’t solve is that I do not know what my friends abroad are doing. I have very good friends from school, with whom I do not talk very often but like to keep up with them via their social media accounts. Now that I am going completely sans Instagram, I don’t have a clue how they are doing, and simply hitting them up via Messenger just to ask if they are fine seems awkward and weird.

So far, this is my experience from one week with massively restricted social media usage.  The struggle and the journey continue…

Deep down I wish that something good will come out of this.

I quit social media

[hkvoyage]

Fic: Butterfly Wings - Chapter 33

Story summary

A fashion blog started at University launched Blaine Anderson’s fortune and fame. As Vogue’s new editor-in-chief, he is struggling to find an original angle for an upcoming issue. Kurt Hummel has recently arrived in New York City after finishing high school, and is having no luck building a musical theater career, so he decides to explore another passion of his: fashion. He applies for an internship at Vogue, and Isabelle sees in him the perfect fresh face to liven up the magazine, and convinces him to try out as a model. Kurt meets Blaine, and in spite of their 10-year age difference, sparks fly. Can they overcome misunderstandings and sabotage to find their happily-ever-after? Klaine model AU. Rating for this chapter: General (overall story is mature) Word count for this chapter: 5,342 Can also be read on A03 / FF Masterpost is here. The fantastic artwork produced by Cassie at CC-Graphics can be here.   Thank you to the amazing @lilyvandersteen for the beta work and support. ***** Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul And sings the tune without the words And never stops at all. - Emily Dickinson

May “Can I please speak to Kurt Hummel? I’m a personal friend.” Kurt is in the Bellerose Boutique’s stockroom in LA, making sure that today’s delivery is accurate. He recognizes the voice, but can’t seem to place it. Curious, Kurt sets down the delivery papers and enters the main area of boutique. He’s surprised when he sees Chandler standing there, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet, with a cup holder and bag from the coffee shop around the corner. “Kurt! I know you’re busy today, but can you add one more thing to your to-do list? Me.”

Kurt rolls his eyes at the cheesy pick-up line. It’s obvious that Chandler hasn’t changed one little bit. However, he seems as harmless as ever and Kurt could use a break. “Chandler, what a surprise to see you here. You’re right, I’m pretty busy today, but I can take a short coffee break,” Kurt replies, eyeing the take-away bag. Kurt leads Chandler to the empty staff break-room. When Kurt is seated, Chandler passes Kurt a coffee and an iced cinnamon bun. “These buns looked like they were baked to perfection when I saw them at the coffee shop. They reminded me of you in your sweet jeans.” “Can I be totally honest with you, Chandler?” Chandler eagerly nods his head. “Those lines are darn right creepy. They don’t work. I suggest you find another way to capture a man’s interest.” Chandler drops his head and nods slowly. “It’s just that when I’m around you, I feel so tongue-tied with the awesomeness that is Kurt Hummel, and…” “So what are you doing in LA?” Kurt interrupts, hoping to get to the reason behind the meeting sooner rather than later. “I moved here a few months ago, hoping to find a job. It’s been tough since Vogue fired me. With no job reference, no-one will hire me in New York City. I’m hoping that there might be a position for me here – that you would help me,” Chandler admits. “Vogue fired you?” “I was damn lucky that Anderson didn’t prosecute me after that video was posted on the Internet. Honestly, Kurt, I had no idea what Smythe was going to do with it.” “Wait… Slow down. Start from the beginning.” “You mean Anderson didn’t tell you?” Chandler asks, now white as a sheet, his eyes bulging behind his glasses. “Tell me what? I haven’t seen him since the diva-off last September. I’ve been living in Paris since the beginning of the year.” “Never mind, Kurt. It’s nothing. It was just a simple misunderstanding. Let’s talk about the future instead.” “Chandler, if you want my help, you need to be honest with me. I need to know about why Vogue fired you. There is no way I can recommend you to Bellerose without all the facts.” Kurt can see Chandler shake with nerves as he takes a large gulp from his coffee. “You have to understand, Kurt. I was the top stylist for Vogue until you came along. After that ‘floral and pastels’ photo shoot, I thought we really got along. That we were good for each other professionally, and maybe could be something more personal. But then Anderson set his sights on you and wanted you all for himself. He felt so threatened by me that he banned me from any of your photo shoots. I was reduced to styling photo shoots for accessories, Kurt! My career was going nowhere.” “You being away from the main photo shoot had more to do with those creepy pick-up lines, Chandler. But do go on.” “Sebastian Smythe contacted me and waved money and a possible job at Elle in front of me. Smythe made me feel important, and the only thing he wanted from me in return was information about you and Blaine. It wasn’t easy to find out anything, since I wasn’t able to see you, but it was obvious to everyone at the Vogue staff party that you two were smitten with each other.” “I want to hear more about the night of the diva-off, Chandler. You’re holding something back.” “The diva-off really pissed me off. When I was told that I wasn’t ‘required’ for the event, I knew that my days at Vogue were numbered. After the diva-off, I went backstage, hoping to convince Blaine to keep me. I figured he would be in a good mood after his win. So, anyways, I could hear you two talking in his dressing room, and I opened the door a crack to see and listen to what you were saying. Just by the way you were looking at each other and talking, I could tell something would happen. So, I took out my phone and started recording.” “You took the video?” Kurt asks with a shaky voice. Chandler nods his head, shamefully. “Honestly, I wasn’t expecting what did go down. I thought that maybe the video would be another way to convince Anderson to let me stay at Vogue.” “Did you give the video to Blaine?” “I wanted to, but when you two left the dressing room, you didn’t even notice me in the hallway. You two made me feel like a nobody. I sent the video to Sebastian Smythe instead.” “So it was Sebastian that posted the video on the Internet?” “I had no idea Sebastian would do that. Afterwards, he handed over $5,000 in cash and told me to scram. There was no job for me at Elle. Anderson got wind of what I did and fired me. He said he wouldn’t prosecute me as he didn’t want you exposed to any further media frenzy. Anderson wanted to protect you from the paparazzi and the like.” Tears form in Kurt’s eyes after hearing all the facts surrounding the video. Kurt isn’t sure whether it’s because he was so easily manipulated by Sebastian or whether it’s because Blaine was trying to protect him when he had thought Blaine was abandoning him. “Do you know how much damage you caused by that video? How you ruined my life and my relationship with Blaine? And it was all for nothing!” “Kurt…” Chandler whines. “No, I can’t help you, Chandler. I can’t even look at you after what you’ve done. Get out of here, now. I don’t ever want to see you again!” Chandler jumps up, preferring to run out of the staff room than to face Kurt’s wrath. Kurt places his hands over his face and sobs. If only he could go back in time and lock that stupid dressing room door. ***** When Kurt goes over the VIP guest list, he notices that Blaine Anderson plus one is included. Christophe has starred the name twice and scrawled ‘front row and center’ in the margins. Kurt isn’t really surprised that Blaine is attending. Kurt knows that Blaine has been keeping tabs on his career. The tweets, the flowers at the Paris Fashion Week, the phone conversations with his father, and the Skype call. They all add up to Blaine still wanting him in his life. What Kurt can’t figure out is how, and that’s his sole reason for spending time in New York City next week. The ‘plus one’ has thrown Kurt for a loop. Would Blaine really bring a date with him? Even worse, would Blaine bring his boyfriend? Or is the ‘plus one’ a colleague from work? It certainly can’t be Sam, because he’s modeling for the show. Speak of the devil… Kurt smiles because the next fitting is with Sam himself. “Kurt, long time no see. You look great,” Sam says when he sees Kurt, giving him a fist pump. “You look great as well, Sam. So tanned!” “I’ve taken up surfing since I moved to LA. It’s been fun in the sun for a while now.” “I heard that you moved to LA. Blaine must miss you.” “Blaine misses you more. When are you two going to really talk to each other?” “I think you know the answer to that. He’s attending the boutique opening on Saturday. Now turn around, I need to pin the suit from behind.” Sam turns around as Kurt does the necessary chalk marking and pinning along the back of the jacket. “I also know that Blaine is coming with someone else. Anybody I know?” “I don’t think so.” “Well, then, anybody I should know about beforehand? You got to help me out here, Sam. I need to be prepared if he’s coming with his boyfriend.” “It’s not a boyfriend, Kurt. I won’t say more, though. You know that Blaine is my best friend, right? I don’t feel comfortable talking about him behind his back. Why don’t you pick up the phone and call him if you really want to know about Blaine’s plans?” “If only it was that easy. I guess I’ll just have to wait a couple of days to find out.” ***** Kurt opens the ‘Time Out New York’ app on his tablet to find out what’s happening in the Big Apple next week. He’s hoping to find inspiration on where to meet up with Blaine while he’s in New York. As he scrolls through the list of events, one item catches his eye. ‘Alexander Hamilton: Striver, Statesman, Scoundrel. Open June thru December’. Kurt sighs as he puts down his tablet. While he bonded over Wicked with Rachel, Hamilton was his and Blaine’s thing. It’s was what got them spending time together in the first place, and Hamilton seemed to weave its way through their friendship. This morning’s meeting with Chandler has been an eye-opener, as he revealed the details surrounding the Klainegate video. Kurt is already determined to mend the bridges with Blaine. Taking Blaine to the Hamilton exhibit seems like the ideal reconciliatory gesture. ***** The small theater that shows indie and foreign language movies a few doors down from the Bellerose Boutique has been booked for the fashion show. The backstage area is buzzing with models, clothes racks, and stylists. Kurt’s job is to approve the outfit on each model before they head to the make-up station. Now that his work is done until the show starts, Kurt examines himself in the full-length mirror, satisfied with his outfit and look. Ever since he’s found out that Blaine will be attending, he has taken even more time than usual making sure that he looks good. Kurt checks the time on his phone and knows he needs to be out front in the entrance hall, greeting the VIPs and leading them to their seats. Although it’s 30 minutes before the fashion show starts, there are plenty of people milling about with drinks in their hands. Kurt greets people he knows and confirms that he’s no longer a model, preferring to work on designs behind the scenes. “Hey, killer.” Kurt turns around and is stunned to see Sebastian walking towards him. “Sebastian, I didn’t see you on the VIP list.” “It was a last-minute decision to be here. I was in the neighborhood.” “Oh, really?” Kurt asks, arching one eyebrow. “I couldn’t resist coming and seeing my favorite model.” Kurt sidles up to Sebastian and whispers into his ear in a calm voice, “It’s a good thing that we’re in public. Otherwise, I would punch that smirk off your meerkat face.” Sebastian chuckles, “And why is that, princess?” “I will never, ever forgive you for posting that video of Blaine and me on the Internet. How could you! And for the record, I’m nobody’s princess.” “I call it like I see it. Come on, Kurt, the video was for the best. It showed you what Blaine’s true colors really are. Besides, you made a ton of dough working at Elle, so it wasn’t all that bad.” “Really, Sebastian? The video showed what your true colors are. It's all fun and games... until it's not. You screwed around with my life – used me for your own personal twisted rivalry with Blaine.” “All’s fair in love and war. You must know that by now, Kurt.” “Get out of my sight before I do something I regret.” “Ooh, the pussycat has claws.” “Is everything here okay?” Christophe Bellerose asks, giving Kurt a questioning look. “Just peachy. I’m Sebastian Smythe from Elle magazine. I’m looking forward to seeing your summer collection.” “Enchanté, Monsieur Smythe. I’m honored that your travel plans allowed you to join us today. Perhaps you will see an outfit that will adorn an upcoming issue, non? Elle’s French edition has already used the last suit that you’ll see this afternoon. Let me personally take you to your seat. At such short notice, I could only squeeze you into the third row…” Kurt closes his eyes as Christophe Bellerose leads Sebastian into the main theater, thankful that his boss saved him from making a scene. Kurt takes a few deep breaths to calm himself down, relieved that he is no longer a pawn in Sebastian’s games. When he opens his eyes, he looks around the lobby and sees Blaine enter from the street. Blaine looks absolutely gorgeous in his Armani suit, tailored to show off his body to perfection. Kurt’s eyes pop open when he sees who Blaine is with – Mercedes Jones, the new darling on the radio. Kurt loves all her music and even has a playlist of his favorite songs from her two albums. However, nothing has prepared him for seeing Mercedes heavily pregnant. The official photographers flock the couple and they pose for photos. At one point, Blaine leans in and kisses her cheek. Blaine gently guides her to a seat along the wall, and then retrieves a glass of orange juice for her to drink. What the hell? Are they together? Blaine told me he was a perfect gold-star gay! After ensuring that Mercedes is comfortable, Kurt can see Blaine scanning the lobby as if looking for someone. Kurt momentarily forgets how to breathe when their eyes finally meet. Blaine’s eyes are warm and sparkling, and Kurt feels like he could get lost in them forever. Kurt shyly smiles back at Blaine and slowly walks over, trying to calm down his nerves. He wasn’t expecting to see Blaine with a woman as his date, let alone a heavily pregnant woman. “Kurt, you look amazing,” Blaine greets him, giving him a brief hug. Kurt can feel Blaine’s fingers tremble and his upper body stiffen. It doesn’t feel like their usual hugs, which always made Kurt feel cherished and safe. Kurt raises an eyebrow as he looks at Mercedes. “Kurt, I’d like you to meet Mercedes Jones. Mercedes, this is Kurt Hummel.” “I’ve heard a lot about you, Kurt. I’m so glad to finally meet you. Sorry, I’m not getting up ‘cause my feet are killing me already,” Mercedes apologizes as she holds out her hand. “Oh, please stay seated. I’m pleased to meet you as well. I’m a huge fan of your music. Your cover of ‘I’ll Stand by You’ is absolutely amazing. However, my personal favorite is ‘Hell to the No.’” “I like a man who knows all my songs. I have a feeling we’re going to get along just fine. Maybe you can even give me some fashion advice once this baby has popped out. I’ll need all the help I can get to plan my wardrobe for my upcoming tour,” Mercedes laughs. Blaine looks at Mercedes fondly, and rubs the top of her arm. It’s as if they are having a secret conversation with just a look or two. Kurt looks away from the intimate moment, thoughts racing through his mind. Oh, so Blaine isn’t gay – he’s bi! This thought infuriates Kurt. How dare Blaine play with my emotions like that! Blaine has conveniently omitted that he’s attracted to both men and women. Do I really know Blaine at all? And when did this all happen? Kurt smiles at Mercedes and looks at her baby bump. His eyes narrow as another thought pops up in his head. “When is the baby due?” “I’m expecting this baby to pop out in six weeks’ time.” Kurt looks at Blaine who is smiling back at him, nervously shifting his weight side-to-side. “Congratulations. You must be very excited for the day to come.” Kurt holds back his tears and quickly looks around, relieved to see Christophe walk toward them. “Christophe, let me introduce you to Blaine Anderson, from Vogue, and his date, Mercedes Jones. I think they’re ready to take their seats.” “Monsieur Anderson. I meet you at last! The Vogue issues under your direction are incroyable (incredible). Congratulations on the upcoming birth…” Kurt quickly leaves the lobby and rushes into the backstage washroom. He turns on the cold tap in the sink and quickly splashes water all over his face. So far, this trip to LA has been an absolute nightmare. It was bad enough when Chandler told him what he’d done. Just when Kurt thought he had his emotions under control, he had to run into Sebastian Smythe. Kurt has never hated anyone quite like that in his life. He could sympathize with Karofsky on a certain level, but Sebastian is just plain evil. Then there’s Blaine - his adorable and sweet Blaine. It hadn’t taken Kurt long to do the math and realize that Mercedes fell pregnant last September. It was the exact same time that he and Blaine were working together, hanging out together, and the diva-off took place. Was this what Blaine wanted to tell him on the phone after the diva-off? That he was now in a committed relationship with Mercedes Jones and expecting a baby? What a fool he’s been. He has meant nothing to Blaine. How could he be with Kurt, Sam and Mercedes all at the same time? Kurt wonders how he could not have known that this was happening at the time. Has he really been that naïve? Kurt hears the music start up in the theater and quickly dries his face with a paper towel. He’s going to have to put his thoughts on the backburner, at least until he takes the red-eye flight to Lima tomorrow night. He takes one last look in the mirror and gives himself a pep talk. I can do this. I’m an actor, after all. I’ll put on my game face for the opening. ***** Kurt can hear the applause from the audience as the models walk out onto the stage. So far, the show has gone without a single glitch, and it’s coming to its end. The caterer texted him minutes ago to say that everything is set up for the reception at the Bellerose Boutique afterwards. “Kurt! I need your help. Mercedes is unwell. I’ve called her doctor and she’s going to meet us here backstage. Where can I get her some water?” Kurt looks up to see a very distressed Blaine, and Mercedes sitting in a chair, clutching her belly. “Sam… I want Sam now,” Mercedes moans. Kurt hands over a bottle of water. “Have you called 911, Blaine? Is Mercedes in labor?” “She thinks that it might be Braxton Hicks contractions. The doctor is coming to confirm.” “What are those?” “I think it’s false labor pains. How the hell would I know, Kurt? I’m not an expert.” “SAMMMM! I want Sam now!  So help me god, Blaine…” Mercedes screams. “What’s going on, angel? Are you okay? Is the baby all right?” Sam asks, after rushing into the room and sliding down to the ground next to Mercedes in the chair. “I think I’m fine, babe. I felt a little bit off when I sat down in the theater. Once the show started, I started to feel contractions. It was like the ones last night. Blaine saw me squirm in my seat and asked me what was wrong. When I told him it was a contraction, Blaine went into full-on emergency mode. He brought me backstage, called the doctor and insisted that she come immediately, and got me some water. I feel much better now.” Sam hugs Mercedes and gives her a long kiss on the lips. Sam then gets up and fist-bumps Blaine. “Thanks, bro. I owe you for this. Mercedes is way too relaxed about these damn contractions.” Sam turns to Kurt and asks, “Kurt, I finished my part on the catwalk. Is it okay if I miss the reception? After the doctor has checked on Mercedes, I want to take my wife home.” “Your wife!? I didn’t know you were married! When Blaine and Mercedes came in together tonight, I thought they were a couple,” Kurt huffs. “Blaine, you idiot! You didn’t tell him?” Sam shouts, slapping Blaine’s shoulder. “I-I wanted to…. I tried to… But… things happened, and everything spiraled out of control.” “You’re both idiots then,” Mercedes sighs. “Kurt, since Blaine seems incapable of talking to you, I’m going tell you like it is. I’m straight and not even bi-curious. I’m in love with my wife, Mercedes. We’re about to start a family. Blaine is definitely gay, and not dating either of us.” "I thought you used to be Blaine's boyfriend," Kurt admits meekly. Sam sniggers and says, “You and every other crazy Blam fan. Blaine wants to do me, but we’re just friends.” “Sam, I can’t believe you just said that. It was so long ago,” Blaine groans. “Whatever - it doesn’t matter. Kurt, Blaine only has eyes for you. It’s been that way since he saw you on that first photo shoot and the heart-eyes have only gotten bigger. Blaine is most definitely in love with you." Kurt turns to look at Blaine, his heart beating double time. “You’re in love with me?” he asks in a soft breathy voice. Blaine walks over to Kurt and takes his hand. “This wasn’t exactly how I planned to tell you. I was hoping for a more romantic setting than backstage, and certainly not with an audience. But… Yes, I’m in love with you. Always have been and always will be.” “I’m in love with you too,” Kurt sniffles. Blaine tentatively moves forward and Kurt automatically opens up his arms. When Kurt closes his arms around Blaine, he feels the love and warmth radiating from Blaine’s body. It feels even more magical than their past hugs. Kurt squeezes Blaine tightly, as if he’ll never let him go. Blaine relaxes into the hug and leans his head against Kurt’s neck and kisses under his chin. Kurt feels puffs of warm air as Blaine’s breathing syncs with his own. Kurt gets concerned when he starts to feel Blaine’s body trembling and pulls back to take a look at Blaine’s face. Blaine’s eyes are closed, and Kurt gently kisses each eyelid. When Kurt feels Blaine’s eyelashes give him butterfly kisses, he pulls back his head to allow Blaine to open his eyes. Kurt sees that Blaine’s beautiful eyes are brimming with tears, but are sparkling and full of hope. When Kurt realizes that Blaine is looking at his lips, he closes the space between them. Their kiss is so sweet, so tender and so loving that Kurt feels as if he might cry. The kiss is like a promise to each other – a promise of love, commitment and good times ahead. Kurt is reminded that they have an audience when he hears the applauding and hooting nearby. Kurt looks up and sees smiles from those gathered around them, and Sam with his phone up towards his face. “Sam, I can’t believe you’re videoing this. We’ve had enough problems with videos already,” Blaine whispers. “Relax, dude. This one is definitely not for the Internet, although I might show it to your children when I become their godfather.” Blaine pushes his body back into Kurt, squeezing his waist even tighter. Kurt can feel Blaine’s chuckle reverberate against his body, but it’s soon replaced with sobs. Concerned, Kurt whispers in Blaine’s ear, “What’s the matter? Is this too much? What do you want me to do?” “It’s too much in all the right ways, Kurt. I never allowed myself to imagine being in your arms again like this. It’s where I belong.” “Votre attention, s'il vous plait (Attention, please), Christophe shouts, entering the backstage area. “The show is over and it’s has been a huge success. I need everyone over at the boutique for the reception. The audience is about to leave. There is also a doctor at the backstage door. Is someone ill?” “The doctor’s here for my wife. She feels fine, now but I want to get her checked out,” Sam replies. “Of course, use the manager’s office. Ah, Monsieur Anderson. You are with my assistant extraordinaire. Did you see the show?” “I was in the audience until Sam’s wife felt ill. From what I’ve seen, your summer line is going to be a hit in LA. It’s the perfect blend of business casual chic. I’m on holiday next week, but can I call you the week after about how some of the pieces could be included in Vogue?” “Oui, I can see that you’ll be busy next week with Monsieur Hummel, while he’s in the States. I look forward to hearing from you soon. I’ll see you at la réception?” “We’ll be there in fifteen minutes,” Kurt replies. Kurt and Blaine are too busy gazing into each other’s eyes to notice that the backstage is now empty of people. They are startled when they hear a crew of cleaners and the vacuum cleaner roar to life. “I guess it’s time to go to the reception. I can’t blow it off,” Kurt murmurs. “I’m not expecting you to, Kurt. Is it really true what Bellerose said – that you’re in the US for another week?” “I’m taking the red-eye flight from LA to Lima tomorrow night. After a few days at home with my dad, I’m off to New York City for five days.” “More business?” “No, silly. The whole point of my trip to New York was to find my way back to you… To see if we could re-establish our friendship. I’ve missed you so much, Blaine. You have no idea.” “I think I do, Kurt, because I’ve missed you too… Probably more.” “No way, Jose. You’ve been gallivanting around India and setting up that foundation. Seriously, Blaine – did you name Monarch House after…” “A butterfly? Yeah, I’m glad you got that.” Kurt giggles as they walk out of the theater arm in arm. “Of course I did. I know you, Blaine. It’s sentimental and cheesy and I love it.” “You always get me, Kurt. We’re like puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly.” ***** Sebastian eyes Kurt and Blaine walking into the Bellerose Boutique together, with kiss-swollen lips, rumpled suits and smiles so broad it looks like that they should hurt. They’ve obviously gotten their act together and are now BlaineandKurt. He takes two flutes of champagne and walks over to greet them. “Congratulations, Anderson. You two look like you’re together, ready to ride on a rainbow off into the sunset.” “No thanks to you, Sebastian. Now leave us alone,” Blaine snarls. “Hey, if I can be a gracious loser, the least you can do is be a gracious winner. I’ve got something for you.” Blaine gives Sebastian a puzzled look when he hands over an envelope. Blaine opens it and sees that there is a check made out to the Monarch Foundation. He raises his eyebrows when he sees all the zeros. “I don’t understand, Sebastian. I mean, thank you, but… why?” “You’re not the only person who had a difficult time growing up in Hicksville, USA. Why do you think my father took that two-year contract in Paris? We might not see eye-to-eye in most areas, but this is one thing we agree on. LBGT teenagers do need better support in small towns. Now make sure that some of that money is used for sex education. We can’t have the Midwest produce more uptight baby penguins like you two. Call it a truce, but a temporary one.” Sebastian winks at Jayden, the LA boutique manager, before leaving. They have already arranged a rendez-vous for later that evening. Kurt and Blaine watch him go, stunned. “I don’t understand how he could do all sorts of horrible things to us, yet have the heart to make such a sizable donation,” Kurt comments as Sebastian leaves the boutique. “I don’t get him either, and I’ve known him since I was 16 years old. However, I’m going to use this donation as a way of maybe getting that truce to be more permanent. I don’t think I can put up with another scheme of his, particularly when it comes to you.” Blaine smiles fondly at Kurt, before giving him a hip check. Kurt responds by giving Blaine a gentle kiss on the lips. Kurt is amazed at how natural it feels to really be with Blaine. “I’m sorry, but I’ve got to start working. I can see that Christophe and Jayden are busy with so many people.” Kurt starts working the reception, introducing himself to guests and taking business cards from interested buyers. Kurt is always aware that Blaine is never far from his side, talking up the new line. At times, Blaine hands him a glass of water, and at other times, Blaine simply gives his shoulder a squeeze. It’s a welcome reminder that Blaine is still there and taking care of his needs. A few hours later, the crowd disappears and the staff at Bellerose are left discussing the event. The consensus is that it went much better than expected and they’ll be busy taking orders next week. Meanwhile, many of the suits have been preordered by men in the LA area – men who can influence style in this big city. Blaine gently pulls Kurt away from the crowd and gives him a one-armed hug. “Sam rang and everything is fine with Mercedes. It was Braxton Hicks contractions after all. He’s taken her home and she’s settled in bed.” “I’m glad that she’s okay. Mercedes seems very nice. I hope that she meant it when she said she wanted me to help her with a wardrobe for her next tour. That’s a project I could really sink my teeth into.” “I’m sure she meant it. On to more important matters. Do you have any plans in LA before you go to Lima?” “I have one huge plan that’s going to keep me busy until I catch my flight tomorrow night.” “I should have known you would be busy. Can you text me your flight details for New York City?” Kurt smiles softly at Blaine, whose body has slumped and who has a very disappointed look on his face. “Aren’t you going to ask me what my plan is?” “I’m sure it has to do with the Bellerose Boutique.” Kurt shakes his head. “No, I’m officially on holiday for the next nine days. My huge plan has to do with the man in front of me. The man I’m not going to let out of my sight for a single second.” Blaine looks up with sparkling eyes. “It’s called ‘Operation Woo Blaine’. I’m going to use every trick up my sleeve. I’m going to dine him, cherish him and love him. And that’s just the beginning.” Blaine giggles and Kurt can see that he looks dreamy. “Sounds perfect to me.” “So, are you staying with Sam or Cooper? I’m afraid that they’ll cramp my style. I want you all to myself.” “No, I’m staying at the Beverly Wilshire, a few blocks away.” “That sounds perfect. I’ve never stayed at a five-star hotel before. Lead the way.” “Are you sure? I don’t want to rush you into anything…” “Blaine, I’ve never been surer of anything – or anybody - in my life. I mean it when I say I love you. Now I have the next 24 hours to prove it.” Author’s notes It took 33 chapters and roughly xx words but they’re finally together! And there are nine more chapters of Klaine goodness to go. Sorry everyone, but the next update will be on Saturday. Next up:  Blaine and Kurt have just declared their love to each other. They’re both in love, single and will be together for the next 24 hours. They’re headed to a five-star luxury hotel. They are most definitely not going to watch Disney movies. Yes, it time for the story’s rating to kick in.

[fountainpenguin]

Just a little bit of philosophy for you: is Danny Fenton identical to Danny Phantom? What makes them the same person? The same body? The same brain? The same memories? If Phantom does a bad thing (like killing someone), should Fenton feel guilty? Or was he not responsible for Phantom's actions? If the punishment for Phantom's crime was imprisonment, could Fenton object because it would impinge on his freedom of movement? If the two separated, who would be the real Danny?

I keep getting Danny asks and you people don’t understand that my DP headcanons aren’t fully in place yet. I’m new here and, with the exception of “Pirate Radio” and “The Fenton Menace”, have only seen every episode once or twice and I don’t know whose toes not to tread on in the phandom.

But you’ve just nailed the main reason I prefer “Livin’ Large” to “The Ultimate Enemy”, so congrats. This post turned out long, so the rest is under the cut. You’ll have to scroll a bit to get to your actual questions, but they’re in bold.

“Livin’ Large”? What? I know! It’s so well-written, and it baffles me that it’s one of the most hated episodes in the series. Sometimes the most hated one, depending on who you ask. Do people in the phandom… hate… happiness…?

I’m sorry, but I’ll take slow psychological spiral downhill into accidental jerkhood (followed by a realization of said jerkhood and repentant rush to set things right) over an inexplicable rapid flip into deliberate and evil jerkhood any day.

Enemies teaming up > deus ex machina master of time intervention ending, tbh. This is what happens when you spend a decade writing and a few more years interning for editors, I guess? At least with those that I worked with, deus ex machinas are huge no-nos among editors. “Ultimate Enemy” is like “Nightmare Before Christmas” to me: entire story makes no psychological sense and ends with a deus ex machina too. Why would you not try the other holiday doors, Jack Skellington? Answer me that! Why does the romance serve absolutely no purpose? Why was that girl whose name I can’t remember even in this movie? Why are those three kids like that? Who even is Oogie Boogie? Just. Why?

I reacted to “Ultimate Enemy” the same way I reacted to that “Doctor Who” episode where The Doctor left Rose on the beach. I KNEW it was coming. I just didn’t know HOW. With “Doctor Who”, when we reached that episode I was thinking, “This is IT! This is the moment when he tells her to step out and do him a favor or something, and he proves his moral grayness when he abandons her and leaves, and she runs across the sand towards him sobbing because he’s left her on a deserted island and it’s going to be a classic case of “I did it to protect you because I don’t want to see anyone else die”-

Ahaha. No. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Literally I don’t think I could have been any more disappointed than I was. I was in shock for days at how badly I personally felt it was done (My blog, my opinions; I can be subjective if I want).

Geez, I dislike “Doctor Who” a lot… I’m not a fan of most AUs, and this show is just a string of “AU where this happens” and “OC meets and befriends famous people” episodes. Deaths mean NOTHING when it’s so predictable I can sit there and call out, “Yep, camera stalled too long on this person, they’re on the chopping block”. I feel nothing. I care about no one except Mickey. Too much romance. I would like to see the Doctor have a cheery old lady or grumpy old man companion instead of a young girl who’s in love with him, please. And horror is absolutely not my genre in the first place (I prefer cheerful worlds with subtle dark undertones), but every time I come home, Mom has this brilliant idea to order us all in front of the TV because she thinks this show is amazing… Heh heh. We all have our ridiculous first world problems and this one is mine.

We just watched “The Doctor’s Daughter”. I would like to see any FOP/“Who” fan who bashes Chloe but loves Jenny at my front desk. Like. Give me three episodes in a row where The Doctor has no one to talk to, so he runs through the episodes speaking very little and the viewer has no idea what his thought process is or what the weaknesses of those enemies are. Let him spiral into the moral gray zone. Instead of telling me he needs a companion, try showing me for once. Being a TV show doesn’t excuse you from that need. And then those enemies can come back in a later episode when he actually has a companion again and we can learn their history/flaws. Then I’ll be willing to compromise.

ANYWAY. Wow. Sorry ‘bout that. But “The Ultimate Enemy” felt like that. I was really excited for Dark Danny. When a cartoon hero goes bad, typically the only logical explanations are the good “sliding into moral gray”, the usually-poorly-done “they were faking it” (I’m so sorry “ChalkZone” fans, because I know Penny’s a good person, but I really, really liked jealous Penny snapping after Rudy breaks his promises and so I prefer “Chalk Queen” as a mixture between this option and the first rather than 100% this one, because COME ON, she totally owned that scene where she dangled Snap above the boiling salsa! Those two are always at each other’s throats and I loved it), and the cheap “hero gets possessed” option. I had such high hopes for Dan and they all crashed when I saw this episode. Like Ella in “Pahkitew Island” all over again.

If “Ultimate Enemy” had come before “Identity Crisis” rather than immediately after it (Remember that I binge-watched, so I saw them in the same day), it might have had a better shot of me liking it. But the thing is, I LOVED “Identity Crisis”! I’m a sucker for duplicate episodes because I always wish I had some myself, so that I could have one of me go to school and the other work on writing all day, go to work, et cetera. It was a very creative episode because instead of two clones who were exactly the same except one was “the original”, NEITHER side was quite like Danny. He was split in half, with one lazy goofball and one self-righteous guy with a hero complex, and it was AWESOME.

So I don’t get why in “Ultimate Enemy”, Vlad ripped the ghost out of Danny and that ghost part of him wasn’t like that. At all. Where was my beloved hero who wears bedsheets for capes and overshadowed his other half because even he, the hero, has a selfish side?

Ignoring the headscratcher of why Danny elected to stay with his mortal enemy when he has an awesome aunt in Arkansas, I’ll believe he goes there because Vlad offered to teach him how to use his ghost powers. Wait. Danny… didn’t want to learn to use his powers? What the… Why… Oh, we’re just gonna… Ghost half goes bezerk and attacks Vlad, okay, I’ll believe that. Everyone he loved just died and he’s striking out. This is super bizarre because Danny came to Wisconsin to ask Vlad for HELP and all logic suggests his ghost half should know what’s going on, but I’ll let it slide this time. Or. Um. Two times. Okay, we’re just gonna fuse (not possess: fuse) with the evil guy’s ghost form now, because if I were a good guy then that would be my first thought in that situation too… And let’s just flip our waffles and murder our human half for absolutely no reason, okay. Aaand we’re done suspending our disbelief today.

I mean, that’s totally FINE if people like “Ultimate Enemy”. An evil adult version of yourself who’s fallen outside the constraints of the timestream is an interesting concept to play with once or twice. There’s nothing inherently wrong with it and everyone has the right to like what they like. These are merely my personal thoughts on why it doesn’t click well with me.

It’s just that after I saw it, I started daydreaming of an episode where Danny would again remind us that he’s not perfect, and get into a fight with Sam and Tucker over something petty. His moral grayness would be obvious. Instead of saying “my evil ghost half fused with yours”, Vlad would be portrayed as a person with likes, dislikes, and silly quirks of his own like baking bundt cake that don’t involve him admitting he views himself as evil (which is generally a huge red flag for me, because I work best with moral grays, not moral blacks- when do you ever meet people in real life who offhandedly say, “Yeah, I do evil for a living”).

Finally, after being selfish for awhile, Danny would decide for himself to change for the better- no one would force him to. And rather than ending with a deus ex machina, this imaginary episode would have an ending where Danny teams up with several reluctant ghosts to save the day. Plus, there would be really great worldbuilding in this episode. As an added bonus, Youngblood would make another appearance without his parrot so I could continue my “Y.B.’s guardian figure literally died when Jazz shot him during “Fenton Menace” and his head landed in Youngblood’s lap” headcanon, and Y.B. would get speaking lines and have a really cool quote. But what were the statistical odds of that?

Apparently, pretty awesome. So “Livin’ Large” is one of my favorite episodes for reasons that seem to be specific to me alone. It was right up my alley and is totally the kind of episode I would have written. Which is really concerning given how hated it is and how I want to write novels and/or cartoons someday. Hm.

I mean, come on! You all know how much I adore H.P. and the Pixies. People getting carried away with money and power is kind of my thing. And to be fair, there were a lot of zeros on that check.

AS FOR YOUR ACTUAL QUESTIONS:

Is Danny Fenton identical to Danny Phantom? 

Identical wouldn’t be the word I would use, but I see them as the same person, yes. Apart from that scene in “Ultimate Enemy” about the bezerk ghost half that I hate, there’s no show canon to suggest they’re very different. Between Mike from “Total Drama” and Foop from “Fairly OddParents”, I have enough multiple personalities to write fanfics about. I don’t need multiple Dannys too.

As for whether they think the same, the answer would be no. I direct you to the fact that multilingual people often say they think a bit differently depending on the language they’re using, and they answer personality quizzes in a slightly different way too.

It’s just psychology. Like that thing about how if you force your mouth to smile (ex: holding a pen between your teeth), it triggers the happiness response in your brain. If you stand with your legs spread slightly apart and your hands on your hips, you’ll feel more powerful / in control. 

Admittedly I am partial to the concept that the Phantom half of him likes Sam best and the Fenton side prefers Valerie, buuuuuut…

What makes them the same person? The same body? The same brain? The same memories?

Same person, same brain, just different situations. Are you the same person hanging out with your friends that you are at the dinner table with your parents? Same person, yes. You may act differently, though.

My view would be, Phantom tends to be reckless and brave, Fenton is more reserved and compassionate. In either form, Danny loves and cares for his parents. However, he would definitely feel more detached from them when he’s Phantom. I’m willing to side with the theory that ghosts tend to feel lonely and detached because that’s just in their brains and biology.

If Phantom does a bad thing (like killing someone), should Fenton feel guilty? Or was he not responsible for Phantom’s actions?

Danny would have to answer to it, yes. He’s more likely to get carried away in ghost form, but he always has a choice.

If the punishment for Phantom’s crime was imprisonment, could Fenton object because it would impinge on his freedom of movement?

Depending on which U.S. state he lives in, he could try to argue for “not guilty by reason of insanity”. In some states, he could plead “guilty but insane”. 

However, if he did either of these then I (as a person who’s seen him in the show, not as a bystander in real life who doesn’t know his situation) would feel uncomfortable with it because he would be arguing he didn’t have any control of himself and didn’t understand what he was doing, or that the actions he was taking against people could hurt them, when in my headcanon he does.

Makes me wonder where you’re going to jail a ghost who can walk through walls.

If the two separated, who would be the real Danny?

As previously mentioned, I approved immensely of “Identity Crisis”. Very well-written episode, that one. 

But if we’re throwing that out of the equation because those two were the extremes of Danny’s personality… you… can’t split Phantom and Fenton. They’re the same person. You’d end up with the Dannys that Danny was actually trying to create in that episode: Very similar personalities, but one is always on “I feel powerful and in control of the situation” high and one is always in the mindset of “Being the city’s superhero isn’t my problem anymore”.

Basically, Danny would go back to the way he was before he got his ghost powers: A kind, awkward, unpopular boy who wants to be an astronaut.

TL;DR, someone PLEASE write me an AU one-shot where Danny stays with his aunt in Arkansas instead of going to Vlad, because I need this in my life.

[epochryphon]

Epoch of Decathylmite, 1-2: The Object of Desire

The following is a translated from a newly found, ancient scroll, post-dusted, digitally restored, chronicling the time before Awakening, before our Great Lord Decathylmite rose unexpected from the bellows of the Earth and transcended all lifeforms to singularity consciousness.

Before calling myself out, in a playful way, I’ll ask you all to stop paying attention. Nothing good will come from creating a funnel out of your mind-thoughts, asking the muscle to stay still, permeating growth, patience, virtuosity, stillness—all roadblocks on the path to paid-ligohtenment. Someone bought your soul a long time ago, and now you have to pay him back. Not slavery.

There is absolutely no orange juice. You aren’t allowed to go to the store, because if you leave your house, you won’t come back.

Webster’s Dictionary once said, “You can grow ideas in the garden of your mind.” Thoughts and prayers are trending negatively, because, let’s face it, actions speak louder than an empty void. Our spontaneous birthing from said void, notwithstanding. It isn’t like our thoughts precede every action we take. Conveniently, the only thought going through most posters is the post that they are posting before leaving the subject altogether. Because, let’s face it, some things really suck to think about; I mean, people can be real downers, you know what I’m saying? Best to put something out there once, maybe twice—if you want, once a day, or a few times a week—so you can feel super satisfied. You did your part, now go to bed. Creating a synchronized meditative force. The power of the imagination is futile compared to the prolonged power of complete ignorance toward said power—the more you forget, the less you are responsible. Remember this when you’re at your job.

Forgetting your birthright is the first step in cleansing yourself from all of the noise antagonizing our beautiful world and society. Everything has been perfect for so long—why bother changing it? Don’t take my pretend luxuries away from me, it’s all I have. If you want orange juice, you are going to have to leave the house. Unless someone invents an orange juice delivery app. [NOTE TO SELF: IDEA FOR AN APP]

The unfathomable and painstaking truth is that whatever world you are creating, it must be thought-up. What a horrendous bore. If you ask the common millennial what is more important, good credit or good dreams, did you know that 69.3489% of trends pick good dreams? The youth of today are completely uneducated, they have no idea that without good credit, you can’t: buy a car; buy a house; buy a bank; buy a loan; buy a shark; buy a 4K TV from Best Buy on a plan for two years; buy an education; buy a life; buy a subscription; buy peace of mind; buy land; buy the truth. You can, however, buy video games. Literally the only perk.

When you look at someone’s life—better than yours—they only got there by playing by the rules and staying a structured, moral member of society. They did not spill their oatmeal all over themselves, nor did they need to continue wearing bibs at age thirty.

Let’s say you wanted to follow Frank and do it my way. That would require actually sitting down and focusing on yourself. I know, already you’re rolling your eyes! Right?! So cliche. You’d have to take time out of your, let’s face it, already too busy day to spend a little quality one-on-one with the deep-down that has no material value whatsoever, no seeable foundation, no property value, no credit line, no financial return, and zero ramifications to your everyday life. Some might try and counter you by saying, “Well, you can’t take it with you.” Maybe not, but you can leave it behind. The question becomes whether or not you want to do it now or later.  

Why let go of these attachments that create so much temporal glory in your life? You could be making music, helping others, writing blog posts, thinking about writing blog posts mid-post, reflecting about your post while writing, wondering what your next paragraph will be, thinking about how deep your satire is, wondering if readers will get it, thinking, how do I start the next part of the sentence, do I use thinking, or, wondering, or, a new word? What new word could I use to start a new sentence? Could it be, “could?”

Imagine how frivolous and free the world would be if more people answered their own questions and let their imaginations run wild and worked together to achieve unique, independent goals. Talk about chaos! It’s not like festivals happen every year that prove community is fluid and the needs and values of humanity have changed since hundreds of years ago proving common religious and political structures to be violent, misguided, jaded, outdated, and, like, not with the times, bro.

Truthfully, if you took five minutes a day, and meditated on your you, your magic, alone, unencumbered and emotionless, the answers would soon arrive—the pills hardest to swallow—actually, the planet, how about that? The only divine being that has ever mattered, is here for you. Imagine that our hearts are connected to the Earth’s magnetic field—but it’s not like anyone has ever proven that. Take a moment, and imagine how powerful you would be if you cleared all your blockages, let go of everything that mattered, and didn’t matter—same difference—processed your karma instantly, escaped your astrological confines, dissolved fear and worry, and empowered a purpose that you chose for yourself, taking that bullshit question, “What is the meaning of life?” and crushing it, obliterating it, destroying it, kaiju upon cityscape, stating: “I create that meaning, you God-fearing piece of shit.”

See, no one can prove that. But, not because there isn’t any proof. You don’t get it unless you’re there. From the outside, looking in, all you see is a fog. You’ve got to get there yourself—no one is going to help you. Usually this requires facing what it might take someone’s entire lifetime to process. That means you’d become a completely different person. That means letting go of the person you are. That means complete and utter transformation. I have several past lives in one lifetime.

There’s the farm boy. There’s the devoted Christian. There’s the semi-devoted Christian. There’s the young actor in New York City. There’s the Balinese adventurer. There’s the psychedelic researcher. There’s the Baby T-Rex. There’s the irrefutable revolutionary. There’s the ayahuasca devotee. There’s the Lucifer apologist. There’s the God-Killer. There’s the astrologer. There’s the conscious wanderer. There’s the writer. There’s the Gnostic scholar. There’s the Sophianic hero. There’s the gamer. There’s Shiva, the Destroyer. There’s Antares, rising in the East, and Aldebaran, setting in the West. There’s the reborn Angeleno. There’s more, and less, I’m sure.  

Kabir was an Indian mystic in the 15th century. Hearing rumors about his secrets of freedom and enlightenment, people would travel to his house to sit with him in satsang. Sometimes there were upwards of 500-600 people. Holding a torch, he would say, “Every man standing at the door, I have a torch in my hand. Come this way, and I will give you enlightenment. I will burn your house.” But they were considerably afraid. His daughter was not convinced that that many people were truly there to be liberated. One morning, his daughter approached those who where gathering outside their house. She said, “My father will be having interviews with each person who wants to sit with him. First you will lie down, and I will cut off your head. Then, I will take your head to my father and he will interview you. And, if he approves you, you can go in.” And one by one, they responded, gracefully, “Oh, we had to go to court today and wanted his blessing, but it is enough to be here, so thank you,” or, “We had a wedding today, and wanted his blessing, but it is enough to be here, so thank you,” and left. Kabir came out and saw that everyone was gone. “What have you done?” he asked his daughter. “See,” she said. “No one wants to be liberated. I only wanted to remove their head, not cut their head. To remove their ego.“

You must be willing to die, at least figuratively, in order to be reborn. And we don’t teach death—we fear it. That’s why this entire post, and the point of this satire, is mostly pointless. We are beyond hope. We are drenched in fear. And, I no longer want any orange juice.

[marcmavec]

Conclusion et observations générales

16393 km (10,186 miles) entre le 26 août et 9 octobre 2017

Maison jusqu’à l’océan Pacifique - Home to the Pacific Ocean

Notre route le long de la côte du Pacifique - Our route on the Pacific Coast

Notre retour vers l’est - Our route back east

Voyage extraordinaire.  On a vu toute sortes de villes, de villages, de champs, de déserts, de montagnes et autres paysages.  Les plus spectaculaires sont certainement ceux du parc de Death Valley et ceux du parc de Yellowstone.

Comme ceci est notre dernière histoire de ce voyage, si c’est votre première visite, on suggère de commencer par le commencement soit tout au bas; loin en bas…

A plusieurs reprises on se disait qu’on aimerait passer plus de temps où on se trouvait, et on commence déjà à planifier nos prochains voyages.

Les feux qui ragent présentement en Californie, dans les régions de Sonoma et Napa détruisent des endroits où on est passé il y à peine quelques semaines. On commentait souvent sur comment la végétation semblait sèche. Ça fait curieux de penser qu’on y était si récemment; ça nous rapproche de la réalité d’un telle tragédie.

This was an incredible journey.  We saw all kinds of cities, towns, fields, desert, mountains and other fantastic landscapes.  The most spectacular were in Death Valley and Yellowstone National Parks.

Since this is our last post for this trip, if this is your first visit, we suggest that you scroll down, way down, to the first blog post.

On many occasions, we commented that we would have liked to spend more time in the place we were; we’ve already started planning our next road trip.

The wild fires presently raging in the California Sonoma and Napa Valleys are destroying areas through which we drove just a few weeks ago. We remember commenting how dry the vegetation seemed to be.  It feels strange to realized that we were there so recently; we feel close to this tragedy.

Les Routes

Il a été très agréable de voyager sur les routes qu’on a empruntées.  Il y avait habituellement très peu de circulation, particulièrement sur les routes secondaires sur lesquelles on a passé beaucoup de temps. La seul exception fût dans les environs de San Francisco où le volume était très important et les habitudes de conduites un peu frustrantes.  Le concept que les véhicules plus lents circulent à droite semble n’être qu’un suggestion peu pratiquée!

On a emprunté plusieurs routes de montagnes qui étaient d’une grande qualité en plus d’être très plaisante à conduire et offrant de magnifiques vues.  Plusieurs intégraient des espaces pour permettre aux conducteurs plus lents de laisser passer ceux qui les suivaient.  On a fait des bouts de films de certaines routes qu’on va assembler pour vous donner un aperçu de ce qu’on a vécu sur ces routes.  On va afficher le lien sur ce blog quand on aura complété cet assemblage.

En plus de qualité des routes, le contraste majeur entre le Canada et les Etats-Unis est la limite de vitesse. Plus on allait vers l’ouest plus les limites étaient élevées.  Comme on a mentionné avant, les autoroute étaient entre 75 mph (120 km/h) et 80 mph (129 km/h) tandis que les route secondaires affichaient en majorité 65 mph (104 km/h).

The Roads

It was a pleasure to drive on the roads we traveled.  There was very little traffic, particularly on the secondary roads on which we drove most of the time.  The only exception was the San Francisco area where there was a high volume of traffic with frustrating driving habits.  The concept of using the right lanes for slower traffic, even with posted signs, is totally ignored by most drivers.

We traveled on many mountain roads that were all in excellent condition, fun to drive and offered magnificent views.  Most had several areas for slower vehicles to pull over an let faster vehicles go by.  We captured many of those twisty roads on film to give you an ideas of what we experimented.  We will put the best segments into one short movie and post the link on this blog.

In addition to the quality of the roads, another major difference with Canadian roads is the speed limit.  As we mentioned before, the divided highways were between 75 mph (120 km/h) and 80 mph (129 km/h) while most secondary roads posted a speed limit of  65 mph (104 km/h).

image d’une route tortueuse sur le GPS - GPS Image of a nice twisty road

Deux examples de routes en Californie - Two examples of California roads

Maisons mobiles

On a été épaté de voir un si grand nombre de maisons mobiles tout au long de notre chemin; pas ceux en déplacement mais bien comme habitation en campagne et dans les alentours des villes.  On a commencé à faire cette constatation dans le mid-ouest ou il semblait en avoir partout,  Il y en avait également beaucoup dans les fermes de la Californie qui étaient arrangées en sorte de bidonville; probablement les habitations des cueilleurs de fruits et légumes.

Mobile Homes

We were amazed to see so many mobile homes along the way; not moving but used as permanent homes in the country side and around cities.  We started noticing them in the mid-west states where they seem to be everywhere.  There were also a good number around farmlands in California that were arranged in shantytown fashion that most likely housed fruit and vegetable pickers. 

Les voitures

Dès qu’on quitte Chicago vers le sud-ouest on ne rencontre que des marques américaines avec quelques Toyota et peu de Honda.  Les marques européennes et asiatiques sont presque totalement absentes.  Cette tendance est très marquée dans les états du centre. Dans le parc de Death Valley on rencontre un nombre impressionnant de Chevy Camaro et Ford Mustang, toutes deux en modèles décapotables. Par contre, contrairement à nous, leur toits sont tous fermés!

Autours de la baie de San Francisco c’était une toute autre histoire.  On ne comptait plus le nombre de Tesla tellement on en rencontrait et plus on s’approchait de San José (Silicon Valley) une voiture sur cinq était une Toyota Prius.

Cars

As soon as we headed out of Chicago we noticed that the large majority of cars are American brands with a few Toyota and very few Honda.  European and Asian car are almost inexistant. This trend is more noticeable in the center and mid-west states.  In the Death Valley National Park we saw a great number of  convertible models of Chevy Camaro and Ford Mustang.  Unlike us, none had their top down.

Around San Francisco Bay, the car landscape was very different.  We stopped pointing out the Tesla electric cars that we were seeing, as there were just so many all around.  As we approached the south of the Bay (Silicon Valley) about one of every five cars was a Toyota Prius.

Les dodos

Comme on voulait se donner assez de flexibilité, on n’a fait très peu de réservations à l’avance.  Ça a assez bien fonctionné sauf quand il s’agit d’un samedi soir.  On ne se souciait pas vraiment de la journée de la semaine qu’on était et on s’est fait prendre à deux reprises, où a eu de la difficulté à se trouver une place à coucher et on a du payer plus cher que prévu.

La majorité des nuits de camping se sont fait dans des KOA.  On est assuré d’un certain standard de qualité, surtout pour les salles de bain et ils offrent un catalogue qui nous a beaucoup aidé dans notre planification sur la route.

Quand on couchait à l’hotel on cherchait les moins dispendieux, petit-déjeuner inclus si possible.  Le pire qu’on ait fait est le Days Inn à Tukwila, banlieue de Seattle.  En plus du bruit assourdissant de la route, les employés n’avaient aucun sens du service à la clientèle: Je demande des directions et il me demande si j’ai un GPS et donc je peux le trouver ce que je cherche moi-même et la préposée au petit déjeuner s’empressait de tout ranger la nourriture dès l’approche du temps prévu pour la fin (avant la fin); on n’a pas trop mangé!

Le meilleur hotel (peu dispendieux) fut le “Best Value American Hotel” qui avait du personnel très sympathique, avec petit déjeuner le plus complet et bien apprêté, et un petit prix.

Sleeping

Since we wanted to keep enough flexibility, we made few advanced reservations.  This worked out well until we hit a popular area during the weekend.  We did not really pay attention to the days of the week and we got caught twice having a hard time finding a place on Saturday night and paying more than expected.

Most of our camping nights were in KOA campgrounds where there is some consistency in the quality of the sites and cleanliness of the washrooms.  We also had their catalog, which made planning easier without needing internet access.

We were seeking inexpensive hotels that preferably included breakfast.  Our worst experience was at the Days Inn in Tukwila (suburb of Seattle), right by the highway. It was so noisy we had to yell to each other when walking to the car. Their personnel lacked any basic client service aptitudes. The clerk to whom I asked for direction for a large department store suggested that I use my GPS to find what I looking for and the lady looking after breakfast hastily removed everything as were arriving at the tail end of the breakfast hours (before the end of breakfast!); we did not have much to eat that morning!

Our best (inexpensive) hotel experience was at the Best Value American Hotel with friendly staff and an extensive selection of food and large seating area for breakfast.

Planification

On avait une bonne idée de ce que nous voulions faire aux différentes destinations, surtout pour la section de la route 66 mais pas grand chose d’autre de spécifique.  Tout au long de la route et à tous nos arrêts, il y avait tellement de chose que nous découvrions sur place et dont nous n’avions aucune idée avant de s’y rendre.  L’internet et les livres de voyages sont d’excellents outils de planification mais ils manquent plusieurs choses intéressantes qui ne se découvrent qu’un fois sur place.  La prochaine fois, nous planifierons pour plus de temps à chaque endroit.

Les tours guidés à la marche (comme les marches hantées ou les marches historiques) sont de formidables façons de découvrir les villes, leur histoire et le pourquoi et comment elles ont été bâties, et sont de précieux outils pour planifier l’exploration subséquente. A Chicago, nous avons pris le tour en bateau, alors que dans d’autres villes, comme Portland, Seattle, Victoria, nous avons pris des marches hantées/historiques. 

Planning

We had a pretty good idea of what we wanted to do, mostly along route 66, but we had very few specifics.  Everywhere we went, we discovered that there was so much more to do and see, we could not have known other than being there.  Books and internet searches are great planning tools but they miss a bunch of stuff which you can only discover when you arrive on location.  Next time around, we will plan for more time at each stop.

Guided walking tours (like haunted or historical walks) are fantastic ways to discover cities, their history, how they were built (and why is pretty funky some times). They become a precious tool when planning the subsequent exploration of the city. In Chicago, we took a boat tour, while in Portland, Seattle and Victoria, we took historical/haunted walking tours.

Payer

Jamais nous aurions cru que les commerces des États-Unis seraient moins avancés technologiquement que nous le sommes au Canada.  Dans plusieurs stations d’essence, on ne pouvait pas payer à la pompe.  Premièrement, aucune pompe n’utilise le système de puce et encore mois le “tap” mais on devait entrer notre “ZIP code”.  Comme on habite pas au État-Unis, impossible de payer à la pompe.

Il y a seulement une ou deux fois que nous avons été capable de payer avec un “Tap”. La majorité des systèmes utilisent encore le glissement de la bande magnétique suivi d’une signature.  Même les quelques fois que nous avons pu utiliser la puce avec NIP, il fallait signer.  Finalement, aucun des restaurants où nous avons mangé n’était équipé d’un appareil de paiement portatif, même à San Francisco (Silicone Valley!?!)  Nous aimerions bien avoir votre opinion sur la raison de ce retard technologique par rapport au Canada.

Paying for stuff

Who would have thought that the USA would less technologically advanced than Canada when it come to paying for stuff.  In many gaz stations, we could not pay at the pump.  The gaz stations are not using the chip technology so forget about the tap.  Some even required entering the ZIP code.  Since we do not live in the US, we do not have a ZIP code so we could not pay at the pump.

Only twice were we able to pay by tap (contactless smart card). Most businesses still use the swipe of the magnetic strip followed by a signature.  Even when they used the chip and we entered our PIN, we had to sign the piece of paper.  Finally, none of the restaurants in which we ate had the portable card payment machine; not even in San Francisco (Silicon Valley).  I would be interested to hear your opinion on the reasons why the USA is so far behind Canada in payment technology.

Voici notre trajet en format tableau - Here is our trip in table format

[bizmediaweb]

The 5 Key Ingredients of a Perfect Facebook Post

No two Facebook posts are created equal. Of the many ingredients that go into each one—visuals, compelling copy, headlines, and timing—there are countless variations. There is no perfect Facebook post, but there is such a thing as a perfect Facebook post for your brand.

To find out what goes into a successful Facebook post, I spoke with Hootsuite’s social media marketing specialist, Amanda Wood, and social media marketing coordinator, Christine Colling. They shared tips on:

How to get your content seen by working with Facebook’s News Feed

How to write attention-grabbing posts

The type of content that gets the most engagement

The role of timing in a perfect Facebook post

Continue reading to discover how you can create the perfect Facebook post for your brand.

5 components of a perfect Facebook post

1. Great copy

Copywriting is one of the most useful skills a social media manager can have. Writing clear and concise copy lets your audience spend more time paying attention to your key message—rather than deciphering what you’re trying to say. Wood and Colling share three tips to keep in mind when writing Facebook posts.

Keep it short

“Our audience’s time is important to us so we get our message across in as few words as possible,” explains Wood. “We keep headlines under 20 words and use a maximum of 50 words in the description for optimal link clicks.”

Use emoji

If your brand voice allows for it, Colling suggests using emoji in your copy. She says: “You can use emoji to show a reaction to content rather than explaining something. Emoji help emit emotion and take the place of too many words.”

Tease the content

When creating a Facebook post, keep your audience top of mind. Wood says, “You should always be thinking about how you can save your audience time, while providing valuable content. For example, when we share a link to a blog post that contains 10 tips, we give away four.”

This way, the audience is able to easily determine whether the link is one they want to click. If the tips we share aren’t what they’re looking for at that time, they can scroll past. On the other hand, if the teaser content looks like something they’d be interested in knowing more about, they can click through and continue reading.

For more expert writing tips, read our post 7 Key Strategies to Write Clickable Content for Every Social Network.

2. Compelling visuals

When you combine great writing with attractive visuals, you’re well on your way to creating the perfect Facebook post.

Wood and Colling recommend that social media managers:

Add a variety of media formats to Facebook posts. Rather than just sticking with images, try mixing things up with video content, blog links, GIFs, or other rich media assets relevant to your organization.

Create new social assets to use instead of preview images. Facebook automatically pulls a preview image from the content when you’re sharing a link. Instead of accepting whatever shows up, Wood suggests creating a separate social asset to offer additional information to your audience.

Be strategic with video content. Colling recommends finding a length that works for your brand, but says shorter videos often work best. “We keep our videos under a minute and make sure we’re adding value,” she explains. “Hootsuite’s social videos aim to be educational and provide information to our audience.”

Colling also suggests experimenting with Facebook Live video. Facebook’s algorithm prioritizes Facebook Live videos as they are happening so they appear higher in users’ News Feed.

3. Uses the algorithm to increase reach

In 2016, Facebook Pages experienced a 52 percent decline in organic reach. If you understand the way the Facebook algorithm works, it can help alleviate some of the impact this has surely had on your content.

According to Adam Mosseri, Facebook’s VP of Product Management,, the algorithm looks at each post individually and predicts whether a user will be interested in—and how likely they are to share—the content. Each post is given a relevancy score based on:

Who posted the story (ie. if someone likes and comments on another user’s posts, Facebook will infer you are interested in the content)

How many interactions the post has (if a post has many likes and comments, Facebook determines it is more popular and of more interest)

When the post was originally created (more recent posts are given priority, unless another variable shows to be more significant.)

Mosseri explains the best ways publishers (that’s you!) can get more engagement by working with Facebook’s algorithm:

Try things. Mosseri says this is the most important step towards dominating the News Feed. “What’s best for your audience might not be best for another company’s audience,” he explains. “Experiment, make mistakes, try long form, short form, video, and different tones.”

Write compelling headlines. Mosseri, unsurprisingly, suggests publishers avoid clickbait headlines. Instead, he advises brands give their audience a clear sense of the content behind the link.

Avoid being overly promotional. Nobody wants to get bombarded with branded content, so you risk losing your audience’s interest if you take this route.

Our social media team find video content gets the most engagement, but this won’t necessarily be the case for all brands.

For more on using the algorithm to your advantage, read our post The Facebook Algorithm: What You Need to Know to Boost Organic Reach.

4. The timing is right

The perfect Facebook post for your brand is about more than just the content. Wood explains, “Even if you have the best content, if you’re posting at a time when your audience is asleep or inactive you aren’t going to see great results.”

So know when and how often to post.

To find the optimal time to post, Colling recommends testing a variety of times to see where you get the most activity. She explains, “It’s also important to know your audience and whether they’re in different time zones. We try not to post before a certain time so we can reach our North American audience at the end of the day, and our Asia-Pacific and European audiences as they’re waking up or having lunch.”

Find your Facebook audience’s sweet spot with The Best Time to Post on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Brands should also know how often to post. Wood explains, “We share twice a day on Facebook as we have a large audience across different time zones. We found this was the amount that works best for our audience and content. While we used to post eight times a day, we saw a significant increase in engagement after we cut down our number of daily posts.”

5. These common mistakes are avoided

For every perfect Facebook post, there are 10 that don’t quite make the cut. Wood and Colling agree that these less-than-stellar posts have certain qualities in common:

They are overly promotional. Always approach your Facebook content with an audience-first mindset. Instead of thinking how your brand can benefit, think about how you can help or solve problems for your Facebook audience.

They are too long. Think about what your main message is, and stick to it. Nobody has time to read or watch unnecessarily lengthy content.

There’s no CTA (or too many). The CTA compels your audience to complete an action, so if you aren’t providing one you’re missing out on a huge opportunity for click-throughs and engagement. But, if you offer too many CTAs on one post, there’s a good chance your audience will get overwhelmed and fail to click anywhere. Learn how to write an effective CTA.

They use images optimized for other platforms. Show your audience that you’ve put some thought into your content by using visuals that actually fit Facebook’s image guidelines.

Every brand will have a different formula for the perfect Facebook post. With the tips above, you can figure out what works—and what doesn’t—for your audience.

Create and schedule your perfect Facebook posts with Hootsuite. Try it free today.

Learn More

  The post The 5 Key Ingredients of a Perfect Facebook Post appeared first on Hootsuite Social Media Management.

The 5 Key Ingredients of a Perfect Facebook Post published first on http://ift.tt/2u73Z29

[makeitwithmike]

The 5 Key Ingredients of a Perfect Facebook Post

By Dara Fontein

No two Facebook posts are created equal. Of the many ingredients that go into each one—visuals, compelling copy, headlines, and timing—there are countless variations. There is no perfect Facebook post, but there is such a thing as a perfect Facebook post for your brand.

To find out what goes into a successful Facebook post, I spoke with Hootsuite’s social media marketing specialist, Amanda Wood, and social media marketing coordinator, Christine Colling. They shared tips on:

How to get your content seen by working with Facebook’s News Feed

How to write attention-grabbing posts

The type of content that gets the most engagement

The role of timing in a perfect Facebook post

Continue reading to discover how you can create the perfect Facebook post for your brand.

5 components of a perfect Facebook post

1. Great copy

Copywriting is one of the most useful skills a social media manager can have. Writing clear and concise copy lets your audience spend more time paying attention to your key message—rather than deciphering what you’re trying to say. Wood and Colling share three tips to keep in mind when writing Facebook posts.

Keep it short

“Our audience’s time is important to us so we get our message across in as few words as possible,” explains Wood. “We keep headlines under 20 words and use a maximum of 50 words in the description for optimal link clicks.”

Use emoji

If your brand voice allows for it, Colling suggests using emoji in your copy. She says: “You can use emoji to show a reaction to content rather than explaining something. Emoji help emit emotion and take the place of too many words.”

Tease the content

When creating a Facebook post, keep your audience top of mind. Wood says, “You should always be thinking about how you can save your audience time, while providing valuable content. For example, when we share a link to a blog post that contains 10 tips, we give away four.”

This way, the audience is able to easily determine whether the link is one they want to click. If the tips we share aren’t what they’re looking for at that time, they can scroll past. On the other hand, if the teaser content looks like something they’d be interested in knowing more about, they can click through and continue reading.

For more expert writing tips, read our post 7 Key Strategies to Write Clickable Content for Every Social Network.

2. Compelling visuals

When you combine great writing with attractive visuals, you’re well on your way to creating the perfect Facebook post.

Wood and Colling recommend that social media managers:

Add a variety of media formats to Facebook posts. Rather than just sticking with images, try mixing things up with video content, blog links, GIFs, or other rich media assets relevant to your organization.

Create new social assets to use instead of preview images. Facebook automatically pulls a preview image from the content when you’re sharing a link. Instead of accepting whatever shows up, Wood suggests creating a separate social asset to offer additional information to your audience.

Be strategic with video content. Colling recommends finding a length that works for your brand, but says shorter videos often work best. “We keep our videos under a minute and make sure we’re adding value,” she explains. “Hootsuite’s social videos aim to be educational and provide information to our audience.”

Colling also suggests experimenting with Facebook Live video. Facebook’s algorithm prioritizes Facebook Live videos as they are happening so they appear higher in users’ News Feed.

3. Uses the algorithm to increase reach

In 2016, Facebook Pages experienced a 52 percent decline in organic reach. If you understand the way the Facebook algorithm works, it can help alleviate some of the impact this has surely had on your content.

According to Adam Mosseri, Facebook’s VP of Product Management,, the algorithm looks at each post individually and predicts whether a user will be interested in—and how likely they are to share—the content. Each post is given a relevancy score based on:

Who posted the story (ie. if someone likes and comments on another user’s posts, Facebook will infer you are interested in the content)

How many interactions the post has (if a post has many likes and comments, Facebook determines it is more popular and of more interest)

When the post was originally created (more recent posts are given priority, unless another variable shows to be more significant.)

Mosseri explains the best ways publishers (that’s you!) can get more engagement by working with Facebook’s algorithm:

Try things. Mosseri says this is the most important step towards dominating the News Feed. “What’s best for your audience might not be best for another company’s audience,” he explains. “Experiment, make mistakes, try long form, short form, video, and different tones.”

Write compelling headlines. Mosseri, unsurprisingly, suggests publishers avoid clickbait headlines. Instead, he advises brands give their audience a clear sense of the content behind the link.

Avoid being overly promotional. Nobody wants to get bombarded with branded content, so you risk losing your audience’s interest if you take this route.

Our social media team find video content gets the most engagement, but this won’t necessarily be the case for all brands.

For more on using the algorithm to your advantage, read our post The Facebook Algorithm: What You Need to Know to Boost Organic Reach.

4. The timing is right

The perfect Facebook post for your brand is about more than just the content. Wood explains, “Even if you have the best content, if you’re posting at a time when your audience is asleep or inactive you aren’t going to see great results.”

So know when and how often to post.

To find the optimal time to post, Colling recommends testing a variety of times to see where you get the most activity. She explains, “It’s also important to know your audience and whether they’re in different time zones. We try not to post before a certain time so we can reach our North American audience at the end of the day, and our Asia-Pacific and European audiences as they’re waking up or having lunch.”

Find your Facebook audience’s sweet spot with The Best Time to Post on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Brands should also know how often to post. Wood explains, “We share twice a day on Facebook as we have a large audience across different time zones. We found this was the amount that works best for our audience and content. While we used to post eight times a day, we saw a significant increase in engagement after we cut down our number of daily posts.”

5. These common mistakes are avoided

For every perfect Facebook post, there are 10 that don’t quite make the cut. Wood and Colling agree that these less-than-stellar posts have certain qualities in common:

They are overly promotional. Always approach your Facebook content with an audience-first mindset. Instead of thinking how your brand can benefit, think about how you can help or solve problems for your Facebook audience.

They are too long. Think about what your main message is, and stick to it. Nobody has time to read or watch unnecessarily lengthy content.

There’s no CTA (or too many). The CTA compels your audience to complete an action, so if you aren’t providing one you’re missing out on a huge opportunity for click-throughs and engagement. But, if you offer too many CTAs on one post, there’s a good chance your audience will get overwhelmed and fail to click anywhere. Learn how to write an effective CTA.

They use images optimized for other platforms. Show your audience that you’ve put some thought into your content by using visuals that actually fit Facebook’s image guidelines.

Every brand will have a different formula for the perfect Facebook post. With the tips above, you can figure out what works—and what doesn’t—for your audience.

Create and schedule your perfect Facebook posts with Hootsuite. Try it free today.

Learn More

The post The 5 Key Ingredients of a Perfect Facebook Post appeared first on Hootsuite Social Media Management.

The post The 5 Key Ingredients of a Perfect Facebook Post appeared first on Make It With Michael.

from The 5 Key Ingredients of a Perfect Facebook Post

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The 5 Key Ingredients of a Perfect Facebook Post

No two Facebook posts are created equal. Of the many ingredients that go into each one—visuals, compelling copy, headlines, and timing—there are countless variations. There is no perfect Facebook post, but there is such a thing as a perfect Facebook post for your brand.

To find out what goes into a successful Facebook post, I spoke with Hootsuite’s social media marketing specialist, Amanda Wood, and social media marketing coordinator, Christine Colling. They shared tips on:

How to get your content seen by working with Facebook’s News Feed

How to write attention-grabbing posts

The type of content that gets the most engagement

The role of timing in a perfect Facebook post

Continue reading to discover how you can create the perfect Facebook post for your brand.

5 components of a perfect Facebook post

1. Great copy

Copywriting is one of the most useful skills a social media manager can have. Writing clear and concise copy lets your audience spend more time paying attention to your key message—rather than deciphering what you’re trying to say. Wood and Colling share three tips to keep in mind when writing Facebook posts.

Keep it short

“Our audience’s time is important to us so we get our message across in as few words as possible,” explains Wood. “We keep headlines under 20 words and use a maximum of 50 words in the description for optimal link clicks.”

Use emoji

If your brand voice allows for it, Colling suggests using emoji in your copy. She says: “You can use emoji to show a reaction to content rather than explaining something. Emoji help emit emotion and take the place of too many words.”

Tease the content

When creating a Facebook post, keep your audience top of mind. Wood says, “You should always be thinking about how you can save your audience time, while providing valuable content. For example, when we share a link to a blog post that contains 10 tips, we give away four.”

This way, the audience is able to easily determine whether the link is one they want to click. If the tips we share aren’t what they’re looking for at that time, they can scroll past. On the other hand, if the teaser content looks like something they’d be interested in knowing more about, they can click through and continue reading.

For more expert writing tips, read our post 7 Key Strategies to Write Clickable Content for Every Social Network.

2. Compelling visuals

When you combine great writing with attractive visuals, you’re well on your way to creating the perfect Facebook post.

Wood and Colling recommend that social media managers:

Add a variety of media formats to Facebook posts. Rather than just sticking with images, try mixing things up with video content, blog links, GIFs, or other rich media assets relevant to your organization.

Create new social assets to use instead of preview images. Facebook automatically pulls a preview image from the content when you’re sharing a link. Instead of accepting whatever shows up, Wood suggests creating a separate social asset to offer additional information to your audience.

Be strategic with video content. Colling recommends finding a length that works for your brand, but says shorter videos often work best. “We keep our videos under a minute and make sure we’re adding value,” she explains. “Hootsuite’s social videos aim to be educational and provide information to our audience.”

Colling also suggests experimenting with Facebook Live video. Facebook’s algorithm prioritizes Facebook Live videos as they are happening so they appear higher in users’ News Feed.

3. Uses the algorithm to increase reach

In 2016, Facebook Pages experienced a 52 percent decline in organic reach. If you understand the way the Facebook algorithm works, it can help alleviate some of the impact this has surely had on your content.

According to Adam Mosseri, Facebook’s VP of Product Management,, the algorithm looks at each post individually and predicts whether a user will be interested in—and how likely they are to share—the content. Each post is given a relevancy score based on:

Who posted the story (ie. if someone likes and comments on another user’s posts, Facebook will infer you are interested in the content)

How many interactions the post has (if a post has many likes and comments, Facebook determines it is more popular and of more interest)

When the post was originally created (more recent posts are given priority, unless another variable shows to be more significant.)

Mosseri explains the best ways publishers (that’s you!) can get more engagement by working with Facebook’s algorithm:

Try things. Mosseri says this is the most important step towards dominating the News Feed. “What’s best for your audience might not be best for another company’s audience,” he explains. “Experiment, make mistakes, try long form, short form, video, and different tones.”

Write compelling headlines. Mosseri, unsurprisingly, suggests publishers avoid clickbait headlines. Instead, he advises brands give their audience a clear sense of the content behind the link.

Avoid being overly promotional. Nobody wants to get bombarded with branded content, so you risk losing your audience’s interest if you take this route.

Our social media team find video content gets the most engagement, but this won’t necessarily be the case for all brands.

For more on using the algorithm to your advantage, read our post The Facebook Algorithm: What You Need to Know to Boost Organic Reach.

4. The timing is right

The perfect Facebook post for your brand is about more than just the content. Wood explains, “Even if you have the best content, if you’re posting at a time when your audience is asleep or inactive you aren’t going to see great results.”

So know when and how often to post.

To find the optimal time to post, Colling recommends testing a variety of times to see where you get the most activity. She explains, “It’s also important to know your audience and whether they’re in different time zones. We try not to post before a certain time so we can reach our North American audience at the end of the day, and our Asia-Pacific and European audiences as they’re waking up or having lunch.”

Find your Facebook audience’s sweet spot with The Best Time to Post on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Brands should also know how often to post. Wood explains, “We share twice a day on Facebook as we have a large audience across different time zones. We found this was the amount that works best for our audience and content. While we used to post eight times a day, we saw a significant increase in engagement after we cut down our number of daily posts.”

5. These common mistakes are avoided

For every perfect Facebook post, there are 10 that don’t quite make the cut. Wood and Colling agree that these less-than-stellar posts have certain qualities in common:

They are overly promotional. Always approach your Facebook content with an audience-first mindset. Instead of thinking how your brand can benefit, think about how you can help or solve problems for your Facebook audience.

They are too long. Think about what your main message is, and stick to it. Nobody has time to read or watch unnecessarily lengthy content.

There’s no CTA (or too many). The CTA compels your audience to complete an action, so if you aren’t providing one you’re missing out on a huge opportunity for click-throughs and engagement. But, if you offer too many CTAs on one post, there’s a good chance your audience will get overwhelmed and fail to click anywhere. Learn how to write an effective CTA.

They use images optimized for other platforms. Show your audience that you’ve put some thought into your content by using visuals that actually fit Facebook’s image guidelines.

Every brand will have a different formula for the perfect Facebook post. With the tips above, you can figure out what works—and what doesn’t—for your audience.

Create and schedule your perfect Facebook posts with Hootsuite. Try it free today.

Learn More

  The post The 5 Key Ingredients of a Perfect Facebook Post appeared first on Hootsuite Social Media Management.

The 5 Key Ingredients of a Perfect Facebook Post published first on http://ift.tt/2rEvyAw