#i’m sure you’ll be able to find likeminded people

[dearweirdme]

[iyamifucker]

ok I just have to say like. Big salute for embracing your taste in men and actually being able to talk about it etc. i have some more “unconventional” looking f/os (not quite like. iyami levels but still not conventionally attractive by any means) and I feel like I can’t talk about them bc of that and bc it feels like no one else likes them as much as I do so. Very awesome that you can !!!!!

!!! Thank you so much! I’m not going to like, go “oh you have nothing to be embarrassed about” because like, I think we all have little things we’re kind of shy about and that’s fine! It’s up to ourselves to work on them at our own pace. But! If you DO want to work on being less ashamed of your “weirder” F/Os right now, I think there are two things that you could try keeping in mind:

Thing number one is… you’re not alone! A LOT of people have “weird” F/Os. Sure, more conventionally attractive characters might seem to be the norm but if you go looking you’ll see that people have crushes in characters from all shapes and sizes, more obscure, less obscure, young, old, human, nonhuman… and this doesn’t only applies to people who self-ship, either! Just look at how popular certain unusual-looking characters are, such as Spamton, Bill Cipher, Sans, Tamatoa, Junkrat…

And thing number two is what I call the “if you’re already inside the monkey’s cage, you might as well help yourself to a banana” principle. What this means, basically is… self-shipping by itself is already a very self-indulgent activity! A lot of people are too self-conscious to attempt it even if they really want to (which is pretty obvious when you look at how many characters people change entirely from their canon depiction just to be shipped with another character). You’re already in the community, which means you’ve gone much further than a lot of people do due to feeling ashamed about it. Why not go all the way through and allow yourself to talk about your less conventional F/Os?

In the end, though! This is all for fun and you’re the one who should decide whether to talk publicly about certain F/Os or not. But if you decide to, I’m sure you’ll find a lot of likeminded people! Good luck!

[luxurybrownbarbie]

Hi!!! I love your blog 🥰💜 and the advice you give and was hoping you could help me in the right direction?

I am about to graduate my bachelors degree and start applying to medical school in a year or so. I don’t come from a wealthy family at all and I’m not looking for a partner, but I would still like to level up by making wealthy friends and having an affluent network/ overall being a part of higher society.

How could i do that as someone who isn’t looking for a partner and is still a student ? I’m honeslty willing to do what it takes but i feel kind of lost as to what direction to step in my personal circumstance. Sometimes I think i’m not in the right field of education? Law school and business majors seem to have more opportunities to become part of wealthier social circles.

I’m sorry for such a long ask, I’m thankful for any advice/ suggestion you give. Have a great day love! ☺️

Hi darling. Thank you for your kind words. 💛

Medical school is a great accomplishment! Congratulations.

In terms of making friends, I can tell you it’s just as much about location and activities as finding a partner. Places of connection are so important. The same locations that high value men will be, there will also be high value women.

I think when looking for friends, it is even more about hobbies and natural connections. I’m sure there are a lot of conferences for women in medicine that you’ll be able to find people to connect with.

At your school, there will also be clubs/societies where you can find more likeminded people to connect with as well.

I wouldn’t say law/business have more opportunities to connect with wealthy individuals, I just think they’re deemed a bit broader, so there’s a greater umbrella. But there are so many different types of medicine and there are so many ways to connect with wealthy individuals there.

Meetups and Eventbrite are also great places to search for casual and interest based activities/events to go to.

[beautybranding55]

Artistic Beauty Branding

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[dilfbatman]

Aha malayalis are from kerala, India btw! I am Singaporean tho so Malaysia is p close lmao (Pls just ignore the rest if you’d rather not ans!) What’s living in the US like right now (in terms of daily life and all)? Always wanted to move there when I was younger (no gay rights in sg rip) but I’m kinda scared now.... If you don’t mind me asking, are ppl there generally like trying to leave the country? Seek refuge elsewhere? Sorry if this comes off as v ignorant or insensitive !

OOH GOTCHA thanks for letting me know! and hmm i’m not sure how to answer this as i’m no authority on the matter of how to seek refuge i’m genuinely sorry about that - and as to speak on the current state of america? the way the government is handling this is beyond dismal, disease is running rampant and some people genuinely just don’t care/don’t think this stuff applies/affects them so they don’t take proper precautions -> get people sick! daily life in my town is simply staying inside, and only one person in my fam is going out when we need food (i have asthma/anemia so i stay inside) but yes... california is a mix between people listening and not caring in the slightest... depends on the person!

as for gay rights - i can’t speak for any group of people (1. it’s not my place as i am cishet and have no idea of the struggles you must go through as an lgbtq youth! 2. every place is different w different people and i can’t account for everything!) i live in the bay area where the consensus at least where i live is that people are quite accepting! of course it’s different everywhere and no place is the same and no amount of people can be counted for feeling the same, but where i am many youth are allies! you just gotta find the right group! i was in GSA as a straight ally for my friends and got to meet some really snazzy people - it all depends on who you surround yourself with!

i’m not sure if currently is the right time to move/idk if you’d be even able to get in due to COVID and extensive screening - idk if airports are even allowing this stuff so my apologies for that (though keep checking!) and as for coming to america... i do hope if you ever do that it is kind to you, i’m sure it’s a culture shock and it’s not the same as the movies, but i think you’ll be able to find a stable group with likeminded people! i wish you the best of luck!

[gra-sonas]

Tips for coming back to writing? Every time i try to write on word i can't

That’s a tough one, nonnie. I have phases where I feel like I’ll never be able to write another coherent sentence in my life.

What helps me sometimes, is looking at prompt lists (although I wish those would inspire me more often... :P) What I also LOVE are character memes or headcanon memes. Bc they often ask for very specific things or scenarios, and then I just write down what comes to my mind. Sometimes it will develop into a little scene, or even a ficlet. 

Sure, it’s not a 20K fic, but then I’ve accepted that I might never be the kind of writer who’ll write long, multi-chapter fics. I know it can be frustrating when your mind goes blank, or you read something you wrote and while you still like the idea you had, every word you’ve written feels “wrong”. 

Writing little scenes or a ficlet helps me to write without the pressure of writing a full fic. 

I’m very much a loner when it comes to writing tho, I don’t talk about fics with other people, I don’t bounce ideas back and forth, I don’t chat with other writers on the regular, I don’t have a trusted beta or a “cheerleader squad”. Most days I don’t feel like a writer at all tbh, like I don’t belong to the “writers club” and shouldn’t claim the label “writer” for myself.

Which is kinda silly. I’ve written several fics, I have a couple WIPs I work on when inspiration strikes me, I’m writing Tumblr ficlets every now and then. By the very definition of the word, I am a writer. Stupid imposter syndrome, I guess...

Anyway, maybe it would help you to get in touch with others (not necessarily writers btw) who share your enthusiasm for the things you write about. Likeminded people who’d be happy to talk about fic ideas, who’ll cheer you on and help you, when you’re stuck. I’ve also heard that writing sprints can be a cool way to "force” yourself to write, the countdown not leaving you too much time to dwell on every word.

LOL, look at me giving you advice I should probably follow myself... 🤦‍♀️

Nonnie, I hope you’ll get out of your slump and find something (or someone) that helps you to get “back in the saddle”.

[hillnerd]

I hope i could make good friends in my life. I had a few friends in the past but never a very close one.

I’m sorry you haven’t found that close buddy. It’s not easy to make good/close friendships. I like how Anne of Green Gables would always call people ‘kindred spirits’ and feel like it’s a bit like that whole ‘soul mate thing.’ I don’t believe in soul mates as far as fate or anything- but I do believe there are certain people out there that if you were to find them would click with you beautifully-

some people have more unique personalities, interests, are a bit more introverted etc- and those can make it a little harder for them to find those people they actually click with for longterm.

2 out of 3 of my longterm best friends had a lot of trouble making friends besides myself- and much of it is that we live a society that is very neurotypical-centric. Many people do not have patience for the non neurotypical, the different and I guess I just naturally did so we clicked? Almost every single friend of mine, from Texas at least, is on the spectrum, has mental health issues, or is queer. (i’m 2/3 on the list- so perhaps I just gravitate towards people bc of that) Yet we randomly kept finding one another :P

One thing that really helps with finding friends is putting in work. Networking/putting yourself out there is terrifying and scary- but I honestly think it’s the best way to do it! There are plenty groups and meetups and things for people with shared interests so you can meet likeminded people. 

When I moved to Seattle 4 years ago I literally knew NO ONE except my husband. So I made it a little mission of mine to make friends, because without them I die. :P So I went out of my way to be a bit more chatty and outgoing wherever I went- and made sure to get out there a lot- book stores, local meetup groups, cafes, apartment party events etc. (EXHAUSTING) and every single time I had a pleasant conversation with someone I’d literally say ‘Could I get your number? I just moved to this city and don’t have any friends yet’- everyone said yes.

Then about 3-5 days later I followed up to see if they’d like to go to a cafe, get lunch etc- about half of them would say yes! :)  Then after that about 2/3 of them would not really follow up to do future things so things fizzled. So that’s about a 15% success rate when actively trying to meet as many people as possible- out of them all I only would say 1 is a super close friend- but I have made some new friends I see tremendous potential in.

Once you start a friendship it needs tending to, like a garden or anything else. At the beginning especially is when it’s most crucial to keep doing things.

At least once every 1.5 to 2.5 weeks get coffee, movies, hang- anything- just keep up the real life interactions- or it could fizzle. It’s just a sappling that need you to prop it up with actions. If you are the only one doing the followups do not be discouraged- they’d say no to hanging with you if they didn’t want to do it- and some people just SUCK at following up and initiating things.

When the friendship is stronger- I try to do at least 1 thing weekly (or every 2 weeks if schedules busy) with the friends I like a lot- (I let this slide a LOT when I was in Austin due to school and mental health stuff and I suffered a bit for it)- if we can’t interact, just a funny meme/check in is good. 

Once you’ve been doing this for a while it’s not as imperative to keep a schedule up of course- but I find the first year or so of a friendship it’s good to do that!

As for making the friendship a CLOSE one- so much of that is about compatibility, the ability to compatibly open up at the same rate about the same level of vulnerabilities, be there for one another through things.

I used to give best-friend-level attention to ALL my friends- and it was horrid for me :P I’m not a lot better at doling it out in a way that’s more conducive to my own happiness- and am better at assessing where the friendships actually are. 

Some people you can’t go deep with- those people are good party friends. The ones you can go deep with, who also are there for you through actions? That’s the sweet spot. 

I hope you are able to find your person/people. Try putting yourself out there the best you can- the more you actively try at it (treat it like fishing, or trying to hire someone for a job etc) the better you’ll get at forming bonds, and the more likely it is you’ll find someone who can groove with you! :D

[teenyhistorian]

If you view this blog, well you’ll probably wanna know just who I am?

Well, I’m a senior in high school who desperately wants to escape the small town cliché. My dreams include: becoming an anthropologist/archeologist/author, to be able to spend endless cash on books, travel to obscure European countries, read people’s minds to fish for compliments and I’m pretty sure to be able to write a classic book. I feel pretty damn aquainted, here are some facts:

I hate quiche, it’s disgusting, disgraceful and I’m pretty sure this is linked to the exorcist level vomit I endured as a child after eating. This is sin one, next to mixing savoury and sweet.

I have synthesia (?!spelling maybe correct?!) which means for instance words, music or images can have a flavour, colour or memory attached to them. Like the word “matricide” yes, funny suggestion I know, reminds me of pop rocks, the colour purple and glass paint. All these things don’t just remind me but are actually linked. Vladimir Nabakov also had this strange brain wiring.

I’m extremely creative and love writing, reading and drawing as well as Russian accents. I think my Russian accent is so good Tolstoy would weep (I do love Russian literature) I am starting a writing blog (linked above) to try and get my words into the world.

This tumblr page though will mostly be my angst over starting senior year of high school, but also of the fact I am entering my second year of being accelerated in English at school so I am actually doing HSC level in year 11. (I’m Australian btw)

All in all, I’m just trying to find likeminded people who love the same things as I do, to relate to my funny if interesting tastes. So to you all, hello.

[hcomkenny]

Moving into College Issues

College student moving in to a new apartment, house, or dorm? Like myself, you are probably relieved when it came to leaving your parent’s home and finding a new place to live. You also probably had it all mapped out in your head of who you were living with, the freedom it comes with, the friends you’ll have over. I had it so mapped out that I didn’t consider the difficulty of acquiring and paying for furniture, the noise complaints, the neighbors, and all the other issues that comes with moving out of your family home. 

When I moved into my apartment, it was a luxury apartment that had just been built and was conveniently five minutes from campus. I dealt with roommates who didn’t do dishes and didn’t clean up after themselves. This was an issue I’m sure many of you did not think you would have. Also since the building was new we made friends with a mouse who would visit our apartment since there was construction going on and they were scattering all over the place. The water also tasted like rubber and would sometimes come in a foggy color, did I mention the aroma of the PVC pipes in the shower? I had an awesome time living here, but if you think about all the disastrous events it came with, you’d never want to move in the first place. A quick note of advice I would offer is have fun and make the memories you can while you have it; college is a four year vacation that you’ll never be able to do again. Enjoy it!

Hopefully your first few months in a new college apartment is as eventful as mine. Feel free to reach out or comment for or with advice and tips to moving in and/or dealing with unexpected issues because I’m sure a lot of us have had similar stories. Til’ next time... 

P.S. feel free to check out the links to see what other common issues college students have and solutions to your issues.

https://www.lifestorage.com/blog/moving/living-college-dorm-room-problems-solutions/

https://raisingteenstoday.com/getting-along-with-your-college-roommate-25-golden-rules/

https://www.nasassets.com/creic/articles/5-challenges-of-student-housing-property-management

https://www.collegeraptor.com/find-colleges/articles/student-life/important-roommate-ground-rules-set/

Relation to Reingold’s definition of “connective blogging”

According to Reingold, connective blogging is a way to find your voice in public and connect to likeminded people. My blog post is to connect with people who are also just moving in to a college apartment and are having issues and would like to discuss so they know it is common. I look to find people with similar experiences, hopefully I can make people feel better about their living situation, vice versa.

I used Reingold’s definition of filtering to allow students or others reading my post to be able to filter out which issues they’re having by providing links and resources to hopefully make it easier for them to navigate a solution.

[iiwiiaiiwymi]

15/9-21 23:00

The light of truth has been lit upon me, as I gaze down at my life from above. One can only absorb so much enlightenment in one day. Once more I find myself in the position of being surprised by a scenario of which all the the facts were already of my knowledge. I’ve once more seen glimpses of the future and the world is turning even more dark and the viciousness of the people grow by the day. I have always found calmness and solitude in being alone, without ever feeling truly lonely. Know that has changed. For the first time in my life. I truly feel alone on this planet. The economic infrastructure is to messy. The socioeconomic game is to superficial. The individuals whom all share this planet together has forgotten where they come from. The have lost their touch of heart. And togetherness is no more. This planet has been transformed into a place of despair, spite, envy and greed. Nothing is holy. One used to be nice to strangers. Lend a helping hand and the face of appreciation was all that was need to make once day. Lift ones hat. Take ones coat. Hold the door. What ever happened to common manners. The world is falling apart and it’s all happening behind your backs. You don’t know their names. Nor their origin. They are the original. They are the origin. There is no running from this. All we can do as individuals is to try being the very best version of ourselves as we possibly can. And to make the small things count. Having a bit extra of everything.. courage.. understanding.. sympathy.. empathy.. acceptance. You’ll see, the world could turn better in just a day or two if people only tried. As one stares into the void of the universe and the void stares back at oneself, one suddenly realises that the call of the void is on a macro scale. The whole planet is on the edge. And I can’t even handle my own small simple meaningless little life. With tasks so trivial even the most dim witted neurotypical could do them. Now why is it so that I and I alone is bound to live under this curse of lacking intelligentsia stimuli. No one knows. But surly the loneliness is growing. And I soon if not accompanied by some likeminded will perish into thin air. Whom ever design the “human life” why oh why did you choose to make it so short. One has simply not enough time to even begin to realise the truth before death knocks on ones door. Was this intentional. Is the a choice to be made. That shall unlock the truth meaning of life. Or is it just so that all the information and enlightenment that I and so few others have been bombarded with into our very skulls. Is purely overrated and true happiness is truly to given by what one loves. Oh I long so for a purpose. A position to fill. I need no more lessons. The life of the ordinary is not for me. Education work friends romance feelings commitment as all. It’s just not me. I can’t do it right. Not even when I try it my hardest. Shit always hits the fan sooner or later. And I prefer sooner rather then later. I have lost all my hope for humanity. And for people on a individual scale too. I can’t seem to find what I’m looking for. Sure I’ve gathers a hand full of friends along the way. But really they’ll all be off better without me. I have been given enough proof of this for it to be known. Now are the people worth it. Or are they just obstacles. I don’t know to be frank. Sometime I feel at home. And at ease. Sometimes I even feel loved. Then a couple of month passes by and within a year or two those feelings are no more. I’ve begin to bottle up my emotions and therefore seem to from time to time burst into tears. Know my issue is that I have no control of the exhaust. I wish to be able to cry. Why this is not so I don’t know. All I know is that my brain is turning itself inside out. And according to neurotypical normal standards I may be a bit insane. Therefore im taking a mental vacation. It’s time to shape up. Get out and walk my miles and start eating regularly and after tonight I’ll follow my sleeping schedule. I wish the best for you and I mean you no harm. I’ll always be there. 81000

[shaniahnoel]

Buttercup 12/12

Just like that, my first fanfiction series [actually, my first fanfiction ever] has ended. Thank you for following, reblogging, and commenting. It means so much to me. I hope you’ll continue to come back for Fangs and for more Sweet Pea (with a new OC). Please continue to make requests and continue to share. Much love <3 

Warnings: None

Word Count: 2192ish

Masterlist

At the insistence of Sweet Pea, Sophia took a weekend to visit her brother and to check out Julliard. At first, she’d been against it entirely, but as they toured the school she found herself thinking about the possibilities. The tour guide informed them of the success of alumni, and she caught sight of the most beautiful piano she’d ever seen. Within a few days, she was submitting her application and her brother was pulling a few strings to have her be auditioned even this late in her senior year. After some deliberation, she was accepted.

As graduation grew closer, Sweet Pea had become more and more withdrawn. He’d been the one to encourage her to pursue her dreams, but Sophia suspected that the reality of the situation was dawning on him. After summer ended, she’d be going to New York and Sweet Pea would remain in the South Side. She reminded him time and time again that she would visit, that he could visit, and that the distance would change nothing, but his moods continued.

When graduation came, it was a bittersweet moment, and Sophia walked to the microphone nervously. It truly hadn’t been a surprise to find herself standing here as valedictorian, but as she straightened her notes the last school year flooded through her mind. Never once glancing down, she launched into a speech about friendship, loss, belonging, and hope. She encouraged her classmates to pursue their dreams, to be the person that they were meant to be. As she ended the speech with tears in her eyes, the crowd thundered its applause—Sweet Pea’s cheers the only ones to rise above the rest of the Serpents who’d come out to support their people. After graduation, the summer passed too quickly. In the middle of July, Marcus called to alert Sophia to an opportunity to work as a piano tutor while at Julliard, a position available if she accepted immediately. Sweet Pea didn’t take the news very well, but Sophia had a plan. It was clear that words were not going to convince her Serpent that she was his.

Fangs took her to make a painful, expensive purchase, and she arranged for Sweet Pea to meet her at their park a few days later. She’d been swinging for a few minutes when she caught sight of him wandering through the gate. In a well-rehearsed dance, she dragged her foot against the dirt as he offered his hand to her. She leaped from the swing and they strolled hand and hand. There was a slight tension in his shoulders that she didn’t understand.

“What’d you wanna talk about?”  His voice was careful, guarded.

“Well, I’m leaving for New York in a few days and I thought we had some things we needed to discuss.” She paused for him to say something, but he remained stiff. “Anyways,” she continued, “I know you’re not a fan of me leaving for New York, but you also told me to chase my dreams. It’s not going to change our relationship.”

“For now,” he added, his voice a mixture of bitter and sad.

“What’s the supposed to mean?”

“I believe you. I mean, I think that you believe what you’re saying, but you’re not meant for the South Side. Once you see the world, once the world sees you… I don’t think that you’ll wanna come back. I can’t blame you for that.” His words were resigned, as if the future were inevitable.

“Sweet Pea, I have tried to tell you a million times how much you mean to me, but I realized my words aren’t going to change your mind. So, sweetheart, you’ve pushed me to take drastic action.”

At this point, they’d walked into a secluded area of the woods. His eyes widened as she pulled her shirt over her head, revealing the tank-top underneath. Sophia rolled her eyes as she realized the direction his thoughts had gone. She tugged at her top, pulling the fabric aside to reveal the still puffy skin. Sweet Pea sucked in a breath as his eyes traced the shape. Delicate flowers trailed across her chest forming a small S just above her heart. His eyes flew up from the sweet peas to meet hers and she smiled, stepping forward.

“You got your tattoo to show who your family is and tell people where you belong,” she said, stroking his snake. “I got mine for the same reason. Wherever you are, Sweet Pea, South Side or on the other side of the world, that’s where I belong and that where I—”

“I love you.”

The words came out swiftly, conveying a thousand emotions. There was a beat of silence as Sophia took in the words of her boyfriend, words he had never uttered before. The hint of nervousness appeared in his eyes.

“I love you, too.”

Their lips crushed the others, a fervent passion running between them. When they’d finally broke apart, Sophia spoke again, “I will come back to you, Sweet Pea. You’re the one who gave me the strength to live my dream.”

MASSIVE TIME SKIP TO WINTER: SENIOR YEAR AT JULLIARD

Sophia was feeling nervous. This was far from her first concert at Julliard, but it was the first which would have Sweet Pea in attendance. Her courses were challenging, the training rigorous, but somehow, she was nearing the end of her final year. Long distance had been a rocky experience, but they were making it. There was some tension when she was unable to come home for celebrations, but usually they made up for it when possible. Call times had varied and, so she hadn’t been able to connect with him before the concert, but she knew he was there. Hopefully she’d be able to find him in the audience.

The stage lights were bright, but she paid them no mind as she took her place at the piano. They dimmed slightly, but it threw the audience into shadow. She was playing the classics, several pieces required by the department. Her final piece, however, was an original. As of late, her muse had been Sweet Pea and this song was no exception. When her last note faded into silence, the crowd erupted, and she bowed humbly. It was then that she saw what she suspected to be the shadowy frame of her tall boyfriend. Her smile faltered as he seemed to be walking out of the auditorium–that was not what they’d had planned.

She hurried her way through the crowds as soon as the formalities were over. Marcus was waiting for her, roses in hand. She accepted them brusquely, still scanning the crowds. Aunt Rachel forced her way over with Fangs and Toni in tow. This was a pleasant surprise and for a moment, her panic was forgotten as she embraced them all. After exchanging congratulations and thank-you’s, she scanned the room again. This time, Fangs caught her.

“He left, Soph.” His voice was a blend of sad and angry. Toni just looked furious. As Marcus and Rachel moved forward to comfort her, Sophia forced the smile to remain on her face. No crying.

Winter break was only a week away, and Sophia was determined to wait him out. No texts lit up her phone, and no calls came in from the Serpent. At first, Sophia had spent hours wracking her brain for what had gone wrong, but she was coming up blank. He’d been so excited in the planning, dying to see her perform at Julliard.  She had been determined not to text him first, but as she was bordering the plane home, she’d decided her course of action.

Thus, she found herself outside of his house, slamming her fist against the door. The fierce look on his face faded into shame as he realized that the assailant was his irate girlfriend (yes, girlfriend. Sophia was not about to be an ex without proper communication.) Without waiting for an invitation, Sophia forced her way into his home and sat moodily on the sofa. Sweet Pea followed warily.

“Well,” she asked, tone clipped.

“Well what?”

“You encouraged me to go to Julliard. We finally told each other that we love each other. We’ve now been together for over four years. Sure, we missed celebrating that together, but you promised that we’d celebrate when you came to New York. But then you decided to leave after my concert and so instead of celebrating what should have been a monumental occasion in my life, I was forced to cry in my room for five hours until I finally passed out.”

She inhaled deeply after her rant, her chest rising heavily.

“I’m sorry,” he said lamely. “I panicked when I saw you perform.”

“Go on,” she prompted, yielding slightly to the emotion in his voice.

“I just… I mean you said it yourself. I saw you up there, dressed so beautifully, playing so wonderfully, surrounded by likeminded people. And there I was, in my alcoholic father’s second-best suit. It just made it so clear to me that we’re so different. I’m a mechanic for pete’s sake. A life with me isn’t going to give you the monumental occasion that you deserve.”

It was an emotional response, Sophia knew that, but the utter relief at his explanation was too much for her and she found herself laughing. At his defensive glare, she sobered up quickly, and looked at him with utter sympathy in her eyes.

“I love you, Sweet Pea��”

“I love you, too, but that’s why I can’t—”

“Let me finish. I love you. Julliard has been a wonderful experience, absolutely. To be able to play this concert was an honor, but that’s not the monumental occasion I was talking about.”

“Then what were you–?”

“Our four-year celebration. I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately, y’know? Everyone’s talking about senior year and what sort of jobs they’re going to get after graduation, but I just can’t see it. Every time we talk about our dreams, I just see you. So, I thought about it, and I just keep coming back to South Side High. After all this time, it still doesn’t have a music department. I was thinking that I could apply, start something. Maybe use my Serpent persuasion for some good,” she nudged his arm playfully.

“You want to stay in the South Side?”

“I want to stay with you,” she said simply.

“That’s not a good reason to make a decision like that.”

“But you’ve always told me to follow my heart, P, and it’s right here,” she placed her left hand over his heart and he grasped it firmly in his. A strange look crossed his face—nervousness, worry, and love all in one.  In a swift motion, Sweet Pea sank to one knee, keeping her hand in his. With the other, he ripped the chain from his neck, freeing the ring.

“Sophia, I’m an idiot and I know it.. From the day you walked into my life you’ve been changing me and shaping me into a better man. I’m not afraid to love anymore, but I’m terrified I won’t love you enough. You are my heart, and everything I could ever want. I-if you really think that I’m the same for you, that you would really be happy here then I want nothing more than for you to stay here, with me. I promise that I will work to be the person that you deserve every day for the rest of our lives, will you marry me?”

The tears flowed swiftly down her cheeks as she looked at the man before her. His shoulders were broader, his jaw sharper, but his eyes were a soft chocolate as they stared into hers. Soon after they’d first met, she’d wondered what it’d be like to be vulnerable with Sweet Pea. She’d never imagined that they’d grow into this. Life with Sweet Pea had been a tremendous roller coaster, and she was certain that it always would be. However, she also knew that it was a ride she’d never want to get off.

“Yes.”

Sweet Pea grabbed her around the waist and spun her quickly. His lips claimed hers and for a moment they forgot the world. With a small chuckle, he realized that he hadn’t actually placed the ring on her finger. As he slid the delicate band over her finger, it was a pleasant surprise to find that it fit perfectly—as if it were made for her. Something about this was odd enough to pierce through the moment, and Sophia raised her eyes to his.

“It fits me.” The confusion in her voice made her words a question; The ring had been much bigger before. Sweet Pea’s face flushed.

“I, uhm, I may have used Toni to do some recon—she didn’t know that, though. And I may have had the ring resized a while ago.”

“A while ago…?”

“After your birthday. When you decided to stay.”

“A-are you saying that you’ve been planning to propose for four years?”

“Well, not exactly. I knew we weren’t ready for that, but I also knew I wasn’t gonna want anybody else.”

Her mouth opened and shut several times, but some moments have no words. She threw herself into Sweet Pea’s arms and they stood together, wrapped in the arms of the one they called home. 

Taglist: @serpentsweetspea @southsideeserpent @hippie-taco-lady

[chance-and-choices]

Tarot Reading - For T - 18/10/20

Romantic/Social Update

Where you are / What you Have / What you want

Six of Grails / Two of Grails Reversed / The World

In our first position for 'Where you are' we have Six of Grails, and my first thought here is 'The calm after the storm'. It hasn't always been easy but you're in a place now where you know yourself a little better and you're ready to look to the future. Often related to our inner worlds and a sense of equilibrium and peace the Six of Grails is a receptive but contented card - ready to take what she's given but not in need of any outside influence. From past readings I'd say you've moved in a very positive direction, you seem happier in yourself.

I think this card is who you are on your best days - looking out with interest and wonder at what's to come, but not with need or desperation. Content with your own company without requiring the validation of others, which leaves you able to interact with people as an equal rather than feeling like you have to please people to be tolerated or liked.

This makes our second position, Two of Grails reversed, unusual and almost counter to that message but my belief is that it's there to serve as a warning. The Two of Grails reversed is often a sign of inner discord, insensitivity, jealousy, disloyalty and betrayal. Here I think it's reminding you not to fall into old habits - Should you choose to pursue someone (or have someone in your life already, it's unclear) you need to be careful that you don't allow yourself to backtrack on the progress you've made in the last two years. Be wary both of falling into unsavoury habits and of blindly dismissing them in your partner. Nobody's perfect and as such it's important both to make sure we're always the best we can be and to avoid putting others on a pedestal where we may be blind to their flaws - which is bad for us because it allows us to be deceived, but also for our partners who will feel unseen and unloved in the shadow of an idealised version of themselves.

There's a lot packed into this card but the summation here is that you must be sure you're viewing everything with clear eyes. Don't let your judgement be clouded by visions of what you want to be true, work with what's in front of you for better or worse and you'll find a path that allows you to stay true to yourself.

In position three, 'What do you want?' we have a simple answer. Everything. This isn't a bad thing, but it is an expectation that needs to be managed. Striving for perfection is admirable, but punishing yourself or others for failing to meet it is counterproductive at best and actively harmful at worst. The world is a journey taken to it's conclusion, in romance this will probably mean a long term life partner. You're looking to find that perfect balance of emotional fulfilment. The feeling of 'yes this was Meant To Be'.

Together the picture I'm getting is that you've come to some measure of peace with yourself and your place in the world and now that you're more settled within your own mind you're again reaching out to make a connection. There's nothing inherently bad in this, in fact it seems good and healthy, but you need to manage your expectations and remain vigilant. It would be easy for you to fall into the trap of looking for someone who is an absolute perfect match and, upon not finding them, try to change yourself to fit someone else's shape.

That said I'm not saying you're unready! Far from it, the cards seem to be trying to give you what you need to find your way. Stay true to the sense of self you've developed. Have standards and ideals, but remember that you're human and nobody will be a perfect match. Great relationships, ones that really stand the test of time, are built not found.

Remember you're looking for someone you can grow with, not someone who's already finished their journey. A likeminded person that you have a rapport with. I get the impression it may be someone you already know, or at least move in similar circles to. You're definitely NOT looking for someone you'll 'go out and find' as much as opening up to the potential already in front of you.

[the-truest-sentence-i-know]

Chapter Three: The Underground

Fandom: Disney’s Descendants

Summary: Quinn Little, raised in Auradon by Little John, finds out that her heritage is not what she thought it was. When Little John tells her that her real father was a villain, she must go on a journey of self-discovery that will bring her to all the forbidden places in the United States of Auradon. Pre-canon & canon compliant to the first Descendants film.

Word Count: 4k  |  3/23

ao3 ||| ff.net ||| wattpad ||| quotev

Walking down the streets of Auradon Central, Quinn asked Mark, “Alright, seriously, where are we going?”

“Just a little place where you can get the stuff you need over there,” said Mark.

“Right.”

“So, how were you planning on getting there?”

“Uh...” Quinn had not yet thought about that. The only way to get onto the Isle was a bridge that was only accessible through a Crown-sanctioned vehicle. They were well-guarded and hardly ever went to the Isle. There was no other way to get to the Isle, except for. “By boat,” she said, suddenly. “Shipments go to the Isle periodically, with food and other supplies. I’ll stow away on one of them.”

They turned into an alleyway that was so small that it was easily overlooked. It was much different than the street they had just been on; it was dark and quite dirty, a severe contrast to the clean, white cobblestones they had just been walking on.

It seemed to end at a dead end, but Mark pushed on the back wall, which turned out to be a door. Behind this door, there was a dark staircase followed by a passageway and Mark took out his phone to light the way. The temperature plummeted as soon as he closed the door. As hey walked, their footsteps echoing ahead of them, Quinn could hear scurrying and dripping sounds.

“Mark,” she whispered, staying close to him. “Where are we going?”

The part of his face that she could see in the dim light of his phone light was cautious. “You’ll see.”

Soon they reached the end of the tunnel and went up another flight of steps. Mark pushed on a battered wooden door and it opened onto an alleyway that looked a lot like the one they had come from. As Mark closed the door behind them, Quinn walked ahead to where the alley met the main street.

Quinn looked around in wonder. Auradon had always been colourful, but now she saw how limited its palette was. Instead of only the brightest or most pastel colours, the buildings and clothing here used deeper shades in addition to those of the rest of Auradon. There were much more uses of black, as well as the purples and greens most associated with villains. Some of the people walking past had grey armbands.

“What do those bands mean?” Quinn asked quietly as they walked down the cobbled street.

“Those are members of the Underground Council,” Mark said, and Quinn looked over to see him putting one around his arm. She looked at him in surprise.

“What?” he asked with a grin. “You didn’t think you were the only rebellious one, did you?”

Quinn tried not to stare at the outfits of those they passed. Some of the women wore pants here, and some of the men wore dresses and skirts. There were fabrics no other hero would wear: leather and denim, which was sometimes ripped and frayed. Some had colourfully dyed hair, or multiple piercings or tattoos.

Quinn could almost hear what Fairy Godmother, or her other teachers, might say, but she pushed them aside, instead finding the beauty in everything she saw. There was so much more variety here!

“Here we are,” Mark said stopping in front of a shop called The Princess’ Wardrobe.

Quinn raised her eyebrows. “Really?”

“The name is tongue-in-cheek,” he said with a smile. “I promise.”

They stepped inside, the bell over the door tinkling as they did so. As Quinn looked around, she knew that Mark was right. This was definitely not your typical Auradonian clothing store. There were combat boots and ripped denim and studs and leather, so much leather. She smiled widely; from what she had seen of news broadcasts about the Isle, this would be the perfect place to find something to wear to fit in.

“Mark!” exclaimed the woman behind the counter. She was wearing a black dress with ripped tights and combat boots. Her hair was short and a shocking shade of neon green. If the Fairy Godmother saw her, Quinn was pretty sure she would faint.

“Hey, Chloe!” said Mark, kissing her lightly on each cheek before turning to Quinn. “This is Quinn.” He turned back to her with a slight grin on his face. “And she’s hoping for a change in style.”

The corner of her deep plum lips pulled up in a grin. “That is one of my favourite things to hear. What kind of change?” Her eyes sparkled in interest.

“I was hoping for a kind of Isle-lite?” Quinn said cautiously. “Like not fully leather, but like.”

“Denim?” Chloe supplied.

“Yeah.”

“Well, let’s see what we can do, shall we?”

Mark gave Quinn a knowing smile as Chloe began to hunt around the racks of clothing. For the next half hour, Quinn tried on outfits – all of which seemed fine to her but did not quite satisfy Chloe. She was like a barely contained ball of chaos, flitting around the store. Mark watched it all with an amused look on his face, having seen Chloe work her magic many times before.

Finally, when Quinn exited the change room, Chloe stood back, standing still for the first time. She smiled. “Perfect. It’s confident, a little delinquent, but in a ‘steal from the rich, give to the poor’ kinda way.” She winked. “Cute, but a little dangerous, and practical for movement.”

Quinn could not help but smile at the description, because it was exactly what she had been hoping for. Black skinny jeans, forest green tank top under a fishnet top and dark denim jacket, paired with black leather boots and green leather fingerless gloves. She liked how the green still nodded to Sherwood; Chloe knew what she was doing.

“And if you wanna make it a little sexy,” Chloe said. “You wear the fishnet top over a bra.” She lowered her voice with a grin. “but make sure Mark’s not around because he’ll go all older-brother on you.”

Quinn laughed, especially when she saw the look of disapproval that came over Mark’s features. When she looked in the mirror, she could see herself belonging on the Isle. She raised her chin and clenched her fists at her sides, and the glint that came into her eyes made her shiver a little. She would fit in just fine.

•••

“So, what exactly is this place?” Quinn and Mark were sitting in café, looking out at the people passing by.

“You mean, why is it a thing?” Mark asked.

Quinn nodded. “I mean, I love it, but how did it start?”

“I’m not exactly sure how, but it came to be because there are actually a lot of people who don’t agree with how Auradon is run and all the performative goodness that goes on.”

“Like all the stuff we Sherwood kids would talk about at school,” Quinn said with a slightly wistful smile.

“Yeah, there are actually a lot of Sherwood kids that either live here or are involved here. The Underground Council, or UC, will run campaigns sometimes. Remember when the sidekicks got a council in government a couple of years back?”

Quinn nodded.

“The UC helped with the campaign that made that happen.”

“I’m assuming they’re also not huge fans of King Beast.”

“No,” Mark said with a laugh. “I doubt you’ll find a single pro-King Beast person here.”

“Well, then I guess I fit right in,” Quinn looked out past the buildings to the mountains on the horizon. “And we’re not really underground either, where is this?”

“It’s right on the outskirts of Auradon City but surrounded by mountains and thick forest. There are very few ways to get in.”

“How have I never heard of it?”

“Well, a lot of people know we exist – maybe not where exactly – because of the campaigns and whatnot, but they tend to pretend we don’t. We stay out of sight and they don’t mind us.”

“But why stay out of sight?”

“In the beginning, it was more like a haven for likeminded people, where they could speak their minds. For now, we can make the most change this way, but there is hope that we can slowly open up and maybe change people’s minds with our integration.”

The clothes still felt weird, a little bit more snug than Quinn was used to. But she loved the confidence they gave her.

She and Mark sat on their horses in the patch of trees at the edge of the shipyard. In the patches of light that the floodlights cast on the dark area, they could see workers loading crates onto the ship. They were silent for a bit.

“You know that once you’re on the ship, I won’t be able to contact you,” said Mark finally.

“I know,” Quinn said, still watching the loading of the ship.

“And you know that coming back will be a lot harder, if not impossible.”

“I know.” She knew he was looking at her. She could tell he didn’t want her to go. After all his helping and planning, he didn’t want to let her. Maybe he never thought she would go through with it. Maybe he thought meeting the Undergrounders would satisfy her need to belong.

But Quinn knew she had to go. She would regret it if she didn’t. She would always wonder what her life would have been like over there.

Taking a deep breath, Quinn slipped off of Onyx’s back. Mark followed suit as Quinn slung her backpack over her shoulder. They crept towards the ship, staying out of the light and out of the sight of the workers. While learning how to move stealthily through the forest had been one of the things both their fathers had taught them, this was a bit different. There was no moss or sticks or animals, just concrete and piles of crates and bags.

Eventually, they made it near the ship and, hiding behind a pile of crates marked BREAD, Quinn turned to Mark. “I’ve got it from here,” she whispered.

He looked over at her, concern in his eyes and opened his mouth to say something.

Quinn held up a hand to stop him. “I’m not backing out now, so don’t try to convince me.”

A small grin spread across his face as he shook his head. “I just wanted to wish you good luck.” He straightened her backpack strap. “Be careful and don’t let them know where you’re from.”

She smiled. “I promise.”

“Good.” He gave her a big hug and then quickly slipped away into the darkness.

While the shipments to the Isle were not exactly secret, there was not a lot of public information. The main shipment was food since the Isle was one big city with no farmland. From a vantage point down the shoreline, they had mapped out the schedule. However, the actual boarding of the ship would have to be improvised because they couldn’t risk going to the shipping yard twice.

Fortunately, there was basically no security on this side. After all, who would want to leave Auradon?

Quinn watched from the shadows as the workers grabbed sacks and crates and walked up the various gangplanks. Fortunately, she had had the foresight to pull a pair of wide pants and a formless shirt over her outfit, to better match the dock workers. From her pocket, she grabbed a rather large cap that would hopefully obscure her face enough to not arouse suspicion.

After trying to tuck as much of her hair into it as she could manage, Quinn scurried over to a pile of smaller sacks. She quickly shouldered one and followed the line of men tramping up the nearest gangplank. She kept her head down as she walked. The sack was fairly heavy but those around her didn’t seem to be having any trouble, so she pretended she was fine as well.

They tramped down to the hold and Quinn saw the men ahead of her deposit their loads in a pile near stacks of crates. After tossing her sack onto the pile as well, Quinn pretended to stumble and – as she did so – tossed a pencil towards a pile of crates across the hold.

Sighing, she scampered after it. Once she was out of sight of the other men, she scooped up the pencil and slipped between some crates. Certain that no one could see her, she carefully sat down and leaned against the crate behind her.

Quinn listened to the scuffling in the hold for about half an hour. When the hold became quiet, she heard the hum of machinery grow louder. She felt a tug in her stomach as they began to move and her heart began to race.

A smile spread across her face as she slipped out of her hiding place. The hold was pitch-black and Quinn – stumbling with the rolls of the waves – felt her way to the stairs. She tiptoed up the steps to the main deck, holding tight to the railing.

It was a perfect night, near a new moon, so the only natural light on deck came from the stars. Some yellow light spilled out of the bridge at the back of the ship, but for the rest, it was quite dark. From what Mark and Quinn could tell, very few Auradonian workers stayed on the ship for the journey, if any.

Trying to keep out of sight of the bridge, Quinn made her way to the front of the ship. The wind was strong and blew her hair and made her clothing flap around her body.

She had always loved wind – it fascinated her. She loved how it would howl around the school during heavy storms. Sometimes, on windy days back in Sherwood, she would stick her head above the trees and let it blow through her hair.

But this was so much different. This cold wind was combined with the faint spray of water and the salty smell in the air. While the smell of the forest was safe, this smell held danger and adventure. It was intoxicating.

Was this what had drawn her father to seafaring? Did he love the wind out at sea as well? Perhaps on the Isle, she could learn more about who he was.

In the distance, Quinn could see the island. There were far fewer lights than in Auradon. There was an odd trick of the light too, making it look like there was a giant bubble around the island.

That must be the magical barrier, she thought.

As they approached the barrier, it shuddered and an opening just large enough for the ship to pass through appeared. Quinn held her breath as they slid through. She was now on the side of the villains. Her heart began to race with excitement.

The docks weren’t too far ahead and Quinn knew she had to think of a plan before she was seen. She had noticed ladder rungs along the side of the ship and – taking a breath – clambered over the side and down almost to the water. Even though the ship was slowing down, waves still crashed against the hull and soon she was soaking wet.

Quinn could now make out the docks. They were old-fashioned looking, worn rough wood on supporting stilts above the rocky shoreline. Figures stood on it with what looked like kerosene lamps.

When the ship was almost stopped at the docks, she slipped into the water, quickly paddling her way under the rough slats of wood. She had never been the best swimmer but managed to get to one of the support posts and hold onto it for a moment of rest.

Quinn heard boots stamping overhead as the ship was unloaded. She decided to get away from the docks during the commotion as there would be less likelihood of being seen.

Bracing herself, she let go of the post and began paddling towards the shore. Her arms and legs were beginning to feel heavy, but she kept going. She was so close.

Finally, panting and shivering, she crawled up the jagged rocks of the shore, avoiding the particularly sharp ones. It was dark underneath the dock with only some light filtering through from above.

She heard the shifting of stones ahead of her and realized that she might not be the only one down here. She reached for her belt and unsheathed her dagger as a precaution. Walking as quietly as she could, Quinn moved down the shoreline, nearing the end of the docks.

Suddenly, there was a burst of light as the ship turned on its lights, preparing to leave. It flooded the space with light and she saw two figures ahead of her. Tensing, Quinn held her dagger ahead of her as her eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness.

Two terrified pairs of eyes stared at her. They were just little kids, two boys in ragged denim. They held up their hands, showing that they were no threat. The bigger boy stood slightly ahead of the other. “We’ve got nothing for you,” he said, voice shaking a little.

He was afraid of her. Both of them were.

“I don’t need anything from you, I’m just passing by, alright?” she said.

They both nodded and as the ship began to move away, she carefully stepped around them. Once past them, Quinn strode quickly out from under the docks.

Suddenly, something grabbed at the back of her shirt and Quinn was lifted into the air and deposited ungracefully onto the wooden planks of the dock.

“Hey!” she exclaimed, picking herself up quickly. Her next complaint died in her throat as she saw the person who had grabbed her. She stared up at the ugliest face she had ever seen. Mottled grey-green skin and filthy teeth leering at her, grinning.

It wasn’t until he began speaking in a language that she vaguely recognized from history lessons that she realized: he was a goblin.

Seeing that she had no clue what he was saying, he switched to English. “Tryin’ to escape on the ship, eh?”

Quinn shook her head, quickly trying to regain confidence. “Of course not.”

He guffawed and slung her over his shoulder, striding down the dock towards the city. Quinn struggled, but there was no point. He stopped where the city began and tossed her unceremoniously into an alleyway. “Don’t let me catch you around here again,” he warned, walking away.

Groaning, Quinn looked out to sea, just in time to see the ship – her last connection to Auradon – slip through the barrier.

•••

The city was full of – almost seemed to be built with – shadows, in various shades of darkness. Quinn had taken off her outer clothes to fit in better, but the damp denim still restricted her movements a little.

There were a lot of people out and about for the time of night. They huddled in groups outside shops and ran down alleyways. Quinn tried to keep her head down even though she wanted to stare and take everything in. Even though most Auradonians would classify her surroundings as grungy and gross, she found them oddly fascinating. Flickering neon signs advertised for “Tremaine’s Curl up and Dye” and “Gaston’s Gentleman’s Pub.” Particularly loud guffaws came from the latter and she crossed on the other side of the street. She knew Gaston’s reputation.

As she was looking back at the pub, something tripped her up and she fell to the ground. Quinn heard snorts and laughter from behind her and quickly got to her feet.

“You’d better watch where you’re going,” said a girl with short, spiky red hair in studded black and pink leather. Her voice was exaggeratedly sweet and she smirked at the younger girl beside her. This girl also wore black and pink leather and had the same colour hair, which was worn in cornrows into a ponytail.

Getting back on her feet, Quinn tried to look confident. “Me look out? You were the one who was in the way.”

She tilted her head to the side and her smirk turned into the most terrifying grin Quinn had ever seen. The other girl – probably her sister – smiled in anticipation, stepping back a little.

“Well,” said the older girl. “Aren’t we feeling cocky tonight.” She stepped towards Quinn. “Do you know who I am, lowlife?”

She sounded so much like the girls in Auradon that Quinn felt her blood boil. Except they would always reference their parents’ reputations, not their own. “No, I don’t,” she said, standing her ground. “And I don’t really care about knowing the identities of lowlifes, as you say.”

The girl drew her tongue over her lips and took off her jacket, handing it to her sister. Drawing an elegant rapier from her belt, she took a defensive stance. “Well, let’s see who the lowlife is, then.”

Quinn drew her dagger quickly, earning her another smirk from the terrifying redhead. “Our weapons aren’t exactly equal,” she said.

“You should’ve thought of that earlier,” she said, attacking immediately.

By sheer luck, Quinn managed the block the stroke with her dagger. The girl pushed the blade nearer to her, but Quinn shoved it aside.

Quinn watched her blade for the next attack, but as she seemed to attack her right side, she slipped around Quinn’s left and kicked at the back of her knees. Quinn fell to the ground, turning towards the girl as quickly as she could, rolling out of the way of her rapier. Her eyes glinted in the faint light from the streetlights. She loved to fight.

Scrambling to her feet, Quinn held her dagger out in front of her. If only girls had learned more combat in Auradon. Unfortunately, even in Sherwood, the line was drawn at archery and quarterstaffs.

The girl looked over at her sister, rolling her eyes.

Overconfident.

Quinn ran at her, taking the girl’s move and pretending to go for her stomach and, as she blocked Quinn’s blade with hers, Quinn tried to punch her in the face. She managed to block this as well, but looked – at least, Quinn thought – impressed. Then she tossed Quinn to the ground.

Before Quinn could get up, the girl was on top of her, Quinn’s own dagger to her throat. “If we were more evenly matched, I probably would kill you,” she said. “But you’re boring me, so I’ll just leave you with a reminder.” She quickly sliced a cut on Quinn’s cheek, almost from her ear to her mouth. It was not deep, but it hurt. “Learn to fight before you pick one.”

She got up, still holding Quinn’s dagger, and began to walk away. Then she turned back and threw it towards Quinn’s face. She closed her eyes, bracing for impact, but it embedded itself in the dirt beside her head. “And I’m Skyla,” she said.

Her sister pulled Quinn to her feet by her collar. “I’m Scarlett,” she said with a smile that quickly disappeared, ���and I would’ve been less lenient,” she sneered, punching her square in the nose.

Quinn stumbled against the wall as she heard their retreating footsteps. Hand over her nose, which was pouring blood, she quickly grabbed her dagger and hurried farther down the alleyway to be alone.

Trying not to cry, she sat against a brick wall in the darkness. The cut of her cheek stung and her nose throbbed and her entire body was sore from all of today’s events. Quinn dug the cap from her backpack and used it to wipe the blood from her hands and face before holding it to her nose.

It was starting to dawn on her that perhaps she was not cut out to live here. Even what she had learned in Sherwood seemed cushy compared to here. She may look the part, but she most certainly did not have the required skills.

Eventually, her nose stopped bleeding and the cut began to scab over. Quinn wiped away the few tears that had escaped against her will and shoved the bloody hat into her bag. She was here now and so she had to learn to survive here. And clearly, that meant avoiding conflict until she was able to handle it.

But first, she needed some rest. Nobody seemed to be coming down this alleyway, so Quinn curled up in the corner behind some foul-smelling trash cans, using her backpack as a pillow. It was much less comfortable than her bed at Auradon Prep, but she was exhausted, so she fell asleep quickly.

[posmatraclegenda]

Наслов: Industry Experts and Pro Bloggers Come Together to Inspire, Teach, and Help You (and Your Site) Succeed, Линк: https://ift.tt/3g8R1Z8 , Садржај:

At the Official WordPress.com Growth Summit, the two-day virtual conference running twice from August 11-13, you’ll have access to about 50 speakers and presenters across 90+ breakout sessions and keynote conversations. The varied lineup will appeal to new and established bloggers; professionals in tech, media, and marketing; and anyone ready to build or expand their presence on the web.

Event highlights include a talk from Smitten Kitchen creator and cookbook author Deb Perelman; panels with Newspack founder Kinsey Wilson on the state of independent and local journalism amid a struggling media landscape and in the age of COVID-19; and sessions with founders and representatives from companies and organizations like Xbox, Google, Sandwich, African Queer Youth Initiative, Out in Tech, Looka, and more.

Wondering what to expect? Here are 10 entrepreneurs, founders, bloggers, and developers scheduled to speak at the summit.

Jason Snell

Jason is the founder and editor-in-chief of Six Colors, a site that covers Apple, technology, and the intersection of tech and culture. Previously, as the lead editor for Macworld, he covered every major Apple product release for more than a decade.

In a breakout session on content and community with web designer and A List Apart founder Jeffrey Zeldman, they’ll share blogging and podcasting tips, advice on growing your audience, and making money with paywalls, stores, advertising, and more. “Membership programs can build loyalty and provide the most enthusiastic portions of your audience with more of what they love,” says Jason. “I switched to WordPress in order to build a richer — and more marketable — membership program, and the results have been excellent.”

Tina Wells

“The 4Ps of marketing — product, place, promotion, and price — have changed dramatically,” says Tina Wells, the founder of Elevation Tribe, a community and lifestyle publication focused on helping women of color launch, grow, and lead their businesses. In her breakout session, Tina will talk about creating a marketing plan for beginners and small businesses. “We’ll go back to basics and discover how we can make the right changes to help your business not only survive, but thrive.”

A business strategist and passionate entrepreneur, Tina believes in the power of an effective online presence. “Your website is your first storefront, and it tells the story of your brand,” she says, noting that a strong visual identity and fresh design are critical. You can see both in action at Elevation Tribe and on Tina’s website.

Kristin Smith

“My authenticity is what allows me to share my brand with others. Being yourself — and transparent — is what people see and keeps them coming back. There’s only one of you, and that alone is enough,” says Kristin Smith, food blogger at Krisp X Kristin and podcast co-host of At the Bar.

In Kristin’s breakout session, you’ll find out how she turned her passion for cooking into a popular blog and podcast. She’ll share what she’s learned, giving you a set of actionable steps to inspire you to overcome your fears and get started on your website.

“Sometimes in the beginning it’s hard to see a finish line. But, keep your head down and keep working. Throw yourself into it, network with other likeminded people, and continue to learn,” says Kristin. “It all will pay off in the end.”

Paul Bakaus

“The web used to be the best platform for content creation, distribution, and consumption,” says Paul Bakaus, a senior staff development advocate at Google. “But today the walled garden — closed social apps and platforms — are drinking our milkshake. I say it’s time we stop letting them! We need to, as a community, work on making the web more visual, frictionless, and bite-sized. Web Stories are our approach to help with that, and we can’t wait for you to join us.”

In his breakout session, Telling Web Stories with WordPress, Paul will introduce you to Web Stories — a mobile-first tool that allows storytellers to create visual narratives with engaging animations and tappable interactions — and show how you can use them on your website with the Web Stories for WordPress plugin.

Anton Diaz

“We want to contribute to an awesome post-COVID-19 world,” says Anton Diaz, traveler, founder, and creator of Our Awesome Planet. “We’re helping food businesses to connect with foodies and travel destinations to engage with travelers.”

In his breakout session, Anton will share the principles that have guided his food and travel blog for 15 years. “There are core beliefs that have helped Our Awesome Planet stand out,” says Paul. “We make sure that all the food and travel experiences we feature are based on first-hand experience, grounded on our original vision: documenting the food and travel adventures of our family as our four sons — Aidan, Joshua, Raphael, and Yugi — have grown.”

Deb Perelman

Deb Perelman, the longtime food blogger at Smitten Kitchen, is a WordPress.com community favorite. What started as a food blog and side project in her tiny New York City kitchen has grown into one of the most popular food blogs on the internet, as well as a series of best-selling cookbooks.

“I just really, really enjoy blogging,” Deb said in an interview with WordPress.com several years ago. “I love having a place where I can share what I’m working on in an immediate way and have a conversation with people who are equally excited about it, and who encourage me to try more stuff that scares me in the kitchen.” At the conference, Deb will share her story and the journey of Smitten Kitchen, from start to present.

Kim Newton

Kim Newton, a global marketing executive with over 20 years of experience working with corporations and brands, is the creator of The Intentional Pause, a project that empowers women to follow their dreams using the power of pause. “I give every woman permission — yes permission — to just stop and think,” she writes on her website. “I want to help women to embrace pausing as a powerful way forward, with intention, to achieve their dreams.”

Kim has had many successes in consumer marketing, corporate strategy, and business development, and will share her insights on marketing and PR at the summit.

Chris Coyier

Chris Coyier, the co-founder of CodePen, is a front-end developer and designer. He’s also the creator of CSS-Tricks, a resource that’s all about building websites, mostly from a front-end perspective, and was built on WordPress since day one. “I’m a solo developer for the most part on CSS-Tricks. Just me over here. I don’t have the budget for a fancy development team. But I still want to feel powerful and productive. That’s one of the things that WordPress has given to me. I feel like I can build just about anything on WordPress, and do it in a way that doesn’t feel like a mountain of technical debt that I would struggle to maintain.”

In his breakout session — Putting WordPress to Work — Chris will take us behind the scenes at CSS-Tricks, sharing “just how powerful WordPress can be as a platform to run a publishing business on.”

Amy Chan

For Amy Chan, blogging provided the path to a publishing career. Amy is the founder of Renew Breakup Bootcamp, the world’s first breakup bootcamp, and the author of Breakup Bootcamp: The Science of Rewiring Your Heart. “Heartbreak is something that affects everyone, so people were able to connect quickly with the company’s offering,” says Amy.

In Amy’s breakout session — How I Accidentally Became a Thought Leader By Blogging — she shares her own story, and how you can transform your side gig into something bigger. To start, Amy says to just do it: “Stop hiding. Stop waiting. Stop perfecting. Perfection is procrastination in disguise,” she says. “Start the blog, launch the event, put your creation out in the world. Whatever it is, just get in a mindset of taking action. Create as a way of being. Launch it now and develop it later.”

Danica Kombol

Danica Kombol founded Everywhere Agency to help brands tell better stories through social media and influencer marketing. As CEO, she leads a team that works with brands to launch content-driven campaigns and to create meaningful conversations with followers in powerful, measurable ways.

Danica also launched Everywhere Society, a network of about 5,000 established influencers and bloggers, which powers the agency’s influencer campaigns and brand ambassadorships. Her session will cover blogging for purpose and profit.

Browse the agenda for all sessions, demos, and talks. Buy your ticket now for early bird pricing of $79, which expires after July 31!

Explore all speakers and sessions

[queenielacy]

Imagine

Javier Pena meets Pacho Herrera for the first time (This is a prequel to this imagine https://queenielacy.tumblr.com/post/167343190054/imagine):

It felt good to be back in Colombia. He missed it. He missed the action, the chases, the gun pointing and the arguments. He missed bring down Pablo, but he wouldn’t miss bring down the Cali Cartel. His new assignment was to help bring down the Rodriguez brothers and their two other partners, partners that were mostly in the dark and no one knew about. First, they had to figure out where the other two partners were and then they would be able to take down the cartel. But before any take downs would happen, Javier Pena had to play a little. He knew once they got deep into the investigation, he would be too busy for going out and having a good time. He wanted to sow his wild oats now, so he was focused later on. This reasoning is how he found himself at a dimly lit club on the outskirts of Cali. The club was hidden and most didn’t know about it due to the nature of the club, it was a club for queer people, people who had what was considered by the general public to be abnormal sexual habits. It was a place for likeminded people to have fun without the ridicule from others. Javier had walked into the club and made his way to the bar. He ordered a drink and started to look around. People were dancing, men with men, women with women, it didn’t matter with whom. As Javier looked around, he felt eyes on him. He turned his head and saw a man staring back at him with intense brown eyes. He sat in a section with nice couches that was roped off. He wore a nice silk shirt and slacks, and nursed a bottle of whiskey. Javier couldn’t hold the gaze. For some reason, he felt shy and embarrassed under his gaze like he was back in high school and his crush was looking at him. Javier turned away from the man and started on his drink again. Another man came up to Javier and they started to talk. He was nice looking, but he wasn’t the man in the corner in the silk shirt. He sent the guy on his way, there was no sense in leading him on. He turned back to the bartender to order another drink. “Put it on my tab.” He heard a deep voice say from behind him. He turned to see the man in the silk shirt standing there, looking down at him with those same eyes. “I’m glad you got rid of that zero.” He said as he sat next to Javier at the bar. Javier chuckled as he picked up his drink. “And you’re going to be my hero?” Javier joked as he raised the drink to his lips. He took a sip and then placed the glass on the counter before letting his tongue come out to lick the liquid from his lips. He followed the man’s eyes as they looked at his tongue on his lip. “I’ll save you from lames anytime.” He said and leaned in closer to Javier. “My friends call me Pacho.” Javier nodded. “Javier.” He answered. “Your friends call you Pacho, but what do I call you?” He asked and Pacho’s lip curled up into a smirk. “You’ll call me God.” Pacho answered and Javier chuckled. “I can see you’re full of yourself.” Javier commented and Pacho shrugged. “Not when you can back it up.” Pacho quickly added. Javier bit his lip as Pacho leaned in even closer, his lips so closer to his own. He could smell the cologne Pacho was wearing and the Whiskey Pacho had drank earlier. “I have a room next door at the hotel if you want me to prove myself.” He offered. Javier threw back his drink and placed the empty glass on the counter. “Lead the way.” He insisted and that made Pacho smile. Pacho threw some money on the counter before taking Javier’s hand and leading him through the club and out of the door. Javier hadn’t noticed the hotel next door when he arrived earlier, but it was a nice hotel especially for this part of Cali. The lobby floor was marble and a nice chandelier hung from the ceiling. They bypassed the woman at the front desk and she didn’t give the two men holding hands in the lobby a second look. Javier assumed it was because she was used to the gay couples next door renting rooms for the night. Pacho pressed the button for the elevator and the door opened. They walked in and pressed the button to take them to the top floor. He waited until the door was closed before pressing Javier against the elevator wall and crowding his space. He pressed his crotch against Javier’s as he placed kisses on his neck. Javier let out a moan as Pacho started to rub against his crotch. He wrapped his arms around the man to pull his closer. “You’re not worried about the cameras.” Javier commented and Pacho shook his head. “Fuck those cameras.” Pacho spoke before pressing a kiss to Javier’s lips. It was a hot, passionate, and hungry kiss. Javier could taste the liquor on Pacho’s mouth and he was sure Pacho could taste him. “I want you.” Pacho mumbled against Javier’s lips. He reached down to start undoing Javier’s jeans. He pulled them down a little so he could free Javier’s cock. He rubbed at the his cock before turning him around and pressing his chest to wall. Javier was a bit surprised when Pacho turned him around. He felt the man’s hands on his ass, rubbing his cheeks. “Damn, you have a great ass.” Pacho commented. “I can’t wait to fuck it.” “Who said anything about you fucking me?” Javier questioned, half playfully half seriously. He normally didn’t allow one night stands to fuck him, choosing to fuck or just have a blowjob or hand job. Javier could hear Pacho’s belt come undone and his zipper being pulled down. A few seconds later, he felt Pacho’s cock sliding between his cheeks. A really big cock in between his cheeks and a thick tip pressing against his hole, but not entering him. “You really want to pass on this?” Pacho asked as he moved his hips, sliding his cock over and against Pacho’s hole. Javier shivered at the touch and rolled his hips. He didn’t really want to pass on that. The elevator dinged as they arrived at their floor and the door opened, both thankful that no one was outside the door. The two pulled up their pants so they could walk down the hall to Pacho’s room. Pacho quickly opened the door and Javier stepped inside. It was a nice room but Javier wasn’t able to fully appreciate it because Pacho grabbed him and pulled him over to the bedroom. They moved through the suite and quickly made it into the room. Pacho pushed Javier onto the bed and crawled on top of him. The two kissed as they pulled their clothes off of one another. They soon laid completely naked on the bed. Pacho flipped Javier onto his stomach without warning. “A little warning next time.” Javier sassed him and Pacho gave him a spank on his butt for the backtalk. “I’ll have to put that mouth if yours to work later.” He warned before reaching over and grabbed some lube and a condom that he hand in the nightstand drawer. Pacho poured some onto his fingers before pressing them to Javier’s hole. Javier let out a low moan as Pacho’s fingers entered him, slowly moving and pressing into his prostate. It felt like forever, but it had only been a few tortuous minutes before Javier broke. “You gonna fuck me, or should I find someone else?” He questioned the man. Pacho gave him a hard smack to his ass that made Javier  moan. “Patience.” Pacho cooed as he pulled his fingers from Javier. He grabbed the condom and put it on. He then poured some lube onto his cock, slicking himself up before lining up and pushing inside of Javier. “Oh, God.” Javier moaned as Pacho slid inside of him. Pacho let out a chuckle as he leaned over to mouth at Javier’s ear. “I told you. I knew you’d call me God.” Pacho teased him and Javier let out a chuckle. “Fuck you.” The DEA responded. “Actually, I’ll fuck you.” Pacho spoke before snapping his hips. No more words were spoken between the two, just loud moans and the sound of skin slapping together filled the room. Javier was the first to finish, cumming untouched as Pacho’s cock pressed into his prostate. His whole body tensed as his orgasm washed over him. He went limp after his orgasm was over, allowing Pacho to pump roughly into him. The man soon finished with Javier’s name on his tongue. Javier collapsed on to the bed once Pacho pulled out of him. He could hear Pacho moving around but didn’t have the energy to turn his head to see what the other man was doing. Pacho soon returned to the bed. He laid on his side next to Javier and placed gently kisses on his shoulder. “You okay?” Pacho asked. “Mm.” Javier answered. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to walk.” He added and Pacho laughed. “Then stay here and take all the time you need.” He said and Javier shook his head. “If I stay, I’ll end up on your dick again.” “And that’s a bad thing because...” Pacho questioned. “Because I have to work in the morning and I need to be able to walk.” He reasoned and Pacho laughed. “Just tell them you fell getting out of the pool.” Pacho offered and Javier let out a laugh. “Stay.” Pacho said and leaned over to press a kiss on Javier’s lips. It a light peck on Javier’s lips. “I have eleven more condoms and we can use them all tonight.” “Oh god.” Javier chuckled and leaned in to return the kiss, this time it was a deeper, more passionate kiss. “I prefer to be called Pacho.” Pacho teased him and Javier moved to straddle Pacho’s waist. “You’ll be calling me God by the time this night is over.” Javier promised and Pacho smirked. “We’ll see.” Pacho said and grabbed a condom from the nightstand and held it up to Javier. “So, you’re staying?” He asked. Javier looked between him and condom. He really needed to go home and get ready for work in the morning, but he was the supervisor now and the supervisor could be a little late. Javier snatched the condom from Pacho and started to open it. “Yeah, I’m staying.” He answered and Pacho gave him ass a slap. “Good boy.” Pacho cooed and Javier chuckled. “Shut up, or I won’t ride you.” Javier threatened and Pacho made a motion over his mouth with his hand, as if he was zipping it shut. “Good boy.” Javier teased the man underneath him. He started roll his hips and tease Pacho to full hardness. Once he was hard, Javier opened the condom and rolled it over Pacho’s cock. He poured some lube on him before moving to ride his cock. As Pacho entered him for the second time that night, Javier knew had made the right decision. He was definitely going to be late to work tomorrow.

[graygrams]

Marina Book: A Response

Dear Marina,

This had been a long time coming on my part. As a self-introduction, my name is Lily, I’m 19, and I deeply resonate with you as a person. I know that’s an incredibly bold statement to make off the bat, but I feel like saying I am a fan doesn’t quite get across the feeling I want to convey (although, I am also a fan. Love your music a lot.)

As an aside before covering the topics you discuss, I thought I should mention that Marina book is something of great importance to me. I have adored you for years, and you have helped me through many obstacles in my life through your music (which is a whole other story I hope to share with you one day if ever we meet face to face). Your music has played a big part in my life since 2011, however the reason I am writing this is because of the Marina book.

Have you ever had that deep connection to someone, a celebrity or public person, who you just know feels the same way as you do/thinks in a similar fashion? From my point of view, that’s the vibe you had been giving off these past 2-3 years. The content you have been releasing has only told me that you are an incredibly aware, kind, and genuine person who has dealt with life from the highs and the lows. And I strongly, strongly connect with you on that.

I feel like I should just jump in with the topic of social media. As a child born in the 90s (98), social media didn’t really become a thing (in my life, anyway) until I had just begun my teenage years. Us late 90s kids are known to be an amalgamation of two generations. We recall a childhood free of technology very easily, yet as we reached teenage-hood we learnt how to get soaked up in social media and how to use it. It quickly became a way for me to connect with likeminded people around the world (I was 12 at the time so by ‘like minded’, I mean people who also watched the silly TV shows I liked to watch.) I’d always been a slight oddball at school, not in a bad way, but my mother had always brought me up to be unapologetically me, and I was. I wasn’t particularly liked, I was teased a lot, but half of the time I was too busy having fun to notice. So finding similar people online was solace to me - and it quickly began to take over my life.

Connecting to people on the internet more so than to people in real life, I became one of those teens who was silent at school but loud on the internet, and I was liked on the internet - something I was not in real life. As you mentioned, the appraisal was what became an addiction to me. The need to be validated. As I got older, negative thoughts and self doubt began to creep into my mind, which affected my self confidence rapidly. I became depressed by 14, and lo and behold began the worst period of my life to date. Depression manifests itself in people in a variety of ways. For me, it was the all consuming version. A variety of external factors in my life are what triggered it, but I remember the two years I dealt with depression as being completely dark periods of my life. Social media was also a solace in that respect, I had a voice, and people listened - so when I talked about how depressed I was, people listened and cared. By the same token, social media helped me create a disillusioned version of myself to my real life friends as a happy person.

To cut to the important part, I hit rock bottom in 2013 and ended up in hospital. From then on, my journey of recovery began and it was oddly one of the most rewarding periods of my life. I received therapy, which matured me emotionally in many ways. When you talk about your views on social media/introversion/depression, I wholeheartedly agree. The Marina Book was able to do one thing - which was crystallising my thoughts into beautifully written words (a skill I have yet to work on).

The brief narration of my life above was a way in which I could express the situations which have shaped my current views on the topics approached in your writing. I felt it was necessary, because if I’d just sent you my thoughts below you’d probably think ‘now why the fuck does she think that?’, so take it as a disclaimer for whatever I’m going to write on below.

I’ll say one thing - I completely agree with everything you have said so far. On every topic. I have had the similar thought processes as you - deleting social media, exercising, meditation, etc. I suppose this is just my (similar) views on the topics. It makes me feel like a copy cat but I have nothing to say except expand on what you’ve said by drawing from my own experiences. I’ve been deleting social media on and off for about a year now. It’s a hard habit to shake, I admit, and now that I’m studying at University I’m finding it even harder to switch off, because socialisation nowadays mainly revolves around social media. (And I have FOMO for god’s sake!) Do you ever get the strong urge to get rid of your iPhone and switch to a Nokia? It’s an idea I’ve been toying with for a few months now and it only gets more tempting. I want to be more in tune with myself, I want to take care of myself. Draw, read, write, exercising, eat well, you name it. However it’s so easy to just lie on your bed flicking through instagram - and suddenly two hours have passed and you feel like shit and unaccomplished. It’s easy thinking all of these ideas, but the problem I have had is executing them. I’ve downloaded Moment, an app I’m finding incredibly useful, and I hope in the long term it’ll reduce my urges to waste ages on social media doing nothing but absorbing grey content. My screen time has rapidly decreased from an average of 4 hours to 1 hour now I’ve deleted Instagram and Facebook off my phone. I do also think people are beginning to shift towards awareness in regards to the traps & fronts people put up on social media. However I do also believe it’s going to remain as a platform people use to publish the best versions of themselves.

I was thinking one day about using instagram for the opposite purpose - broadcasting the worst parts of my life (eg. making a post when I was having a bad night or when my cat brings in a dead mouse again..!). It’s an experiment I would love to partake in, however I feel like it’ll go down like a lead balloon seeming as I don’t have many followers and people wouldn’t probably notice. And then I’d make a big post explaining my master plan and people would just say ‘Oh, okay. That’s cool I guess. Like!’.

I’m going around in circles here. What I’m trying to say is - I’m on the same page as you. I’ve settled in at University now so socialisation isn’t as important, so I’m definitely working towards using my phone a lot less and taking more time for myself (and my degree).

I deeply apologise for writing so much. I just have a lot of thoughts and although I’d love to make them flow nicer or compact them into more organised thoughts, I can’t help but just type everything out and hope you get the gist.

I also just wanted to talk about your post on being an introvert. I am one too, and although I love socialising I really value my alone time to recharge and reset. I don’t think it’s a bad thing at all to like your own company - I like mine too, very much so. I actually think that in the future I will continue to be a solitary person. For some odd reason (and I might be completely wrong), I can see myself being out of a relationship for most of my life. I’m 19, and I’ve barely lived, so this feeling might completely change. I used to think I’d be depressed forever and that wasn’t the case, so I might be wrong about this too. But I like the idea of going through life alone. I still have my really close friends who I adore spending time with, but I see myself being a person who is always moving about and never stays in the same place for an extended period of time. In that respect, I feel I will do all of that by myself and make friends along the way. And I see no problem with that. Turning down plans to spend time by yourself is guilt inducing at first, but once you realise it’s actually a normal feeling, you begin to allow wanting to take care of yourself. If I go out to an event I didn’t want to attend, it takes a whole day afterwards (maybe even longer) to get back to normal. So I’ve chosen to pick my battles - and it’s been so worth it.

I very much look forward to your next post. It’s nice seeing you travel in Japan too. It’s a beautiful country I would love to discover - I spent 4 months alone in China which was one of the most rewarding parts of my life so far, so no doubt you’ll emerge from your trip a new and improved person. As for your music, I’m happy you’re taking a break and doing things which are good for you. I don’t exactly know how the music industry works, but you might be put under pressure by companies (and fans for sure) to make new content. My opinion might not be the dominant one, but it still matters - but, don’t be rushed into it. I think what you’re doing now is essential for you as a person and an artist to grow, and I strongly believe you’re completely aware of that. I adore you as a person, your music is only a facet of the reasons why I respect you so much. Hell, you could become a florist and I’d be ‘yas queen’-ing it whenever you made a new bouquet. What I’m trying to say is that I, and other fans of yours, will support you in your future in whatever discipline you may wish to pursue.

I hope to meet you one day, truly. I feel as if we would get along and my instincts are (usually) pretty accurate. I find myself in London a lot so a tea in Sketch would be a lovely jolly old time.

Well, you asked for feedback and here it is…I apologise for the length!

Really glad to see you are well,

Lily Lara Gray (@LilyLGray on Twitter)