#just buying a thing of cold brew & using it thru out the week in a latte style bevvv

[rockoblanco]

haven’t bought a lil coffee treat in over a week & feel like the most fiscally responsible king in the world like who is she !!!???!!!?!!! 😭😭😭

[beth-is-rainpaint]

Tag Game!

Thanks so much for the tag, @agentreeb!

1. What is the color of your hairbrush? Pink and black (I think?)

2. Name a food you never eat. Pickles :/

3. Are you typically too warm or too cold? I am constantly cold. I wear my fleece bathrobe around the house all the time.

4. What were you doing 45 minutes ago? Checking my email.

5. What’s your favorite candy bar? KitKats!

6. Have you ever been to a professional sports game? Yes, several Washington Nationals games. I miss it!

7. What is the last thing you said out loud? "Love you” (to my husband before he went to bed).

8. What is your favourite ice cream? Turkey Hill Cookie Dough or Breyers Oreo

9. What was the last thing you had to drink? Water

10. Do you like your wallet? Yes, to the point that I haven’t bought a new one even though the zipper broke off years ago LOL. It’s a nice brown with floral lining and tons of compartments for change and cash and my different cards.

11. What is the last thing you ate? Christmas M&Ms mixed with Aldi-brand Rice Chex

12. Did you buy any new clothes last weekend? Not for myself, but I did order a Curious George t-shirt for my toddler haha

13. What’s the last sporting event you watched? If “watched” can mean “had on in the background and glanced at from time to time,” then whatever football game was on on Sunday afternoon.

14. What is your favorite flavor of popcorn? I’m not a big popcorn person but my mother-in-law introduced me to this incredible mix of cheddar popcorn and caramel popcorn and it’s really good as an occasional treat.

15. Who is the last person you sent a text message to? My sister. It was about something in the last episode of The Umbrella Academy my husband and I watched.

16. Ever been camping? Does sleeping in a tent at a week-long music festival count? If so, yes, twice.

17. Do you take vitamins? No

18. Do you regularly attend a place of worship? I did before the pandemic.

19. Do you have a tan? No, I haven’t gone outside except to get the mail for a few days now since it’s been so cold. I used to tan nicely as a kid but now I burn and get freckles instead.

20. Do you prefer Chinese or pizza? Pizza.

21. Do you drink your soda through a straw? I don’t like soda.

22. What color socks do you usually wear? Black, white, or gray.

23. Do you ever drive above the speed limit? I try to stay within 5 mph over it hahaha.

24. What terrifies you? Sharks and rejection and losing people I love.

25. Look to your left, what do you see? Curtains!

26. What chore do you hate most? Cleaning the windows.

27. Wat do you think of when you hear an Australian accent? I try to figure out if it’s an Australian accent or a New Zealand accent by comparing it to how Peter Jackson sounds hahahahaha.

28. What’s your favorite soda? None! I did like cream soda when I was younger though.

29. Do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? Pre-pandemic I would go into the fast food place.

30. What’s your favorite number? I don’t really have one.

31. Who’s the last person you talked to? My husband.

32. Favorite meat? Does salmon count?

33. Last song you listened to? Like, one that I chose rather than one my toddler wanted to listen to? I can’t remember.

34. Last book you read? I finished The Testaments by Margaret Atwood today (I really liked it). 

35. Favorite day of the week? Friday even though days are basically meaningless right now lololol

36. Can you say the alphabet backwards? If I think about it.

37. How do you like your coffee? I don’t really like coffee except for a very specific kind of cold brew we had where I used to work.

38. Favorite pair of shoes? A couple years ago I would’ve said my cute brown ankle boots but I’m such a toddler boy mom now that I’m going to have to go with my comfy sneakers hahaha.

39. Time you normally get up? 6:45

40. What do you prefer, sunrise or sunsets? Sunrises are generally prettier where I live.

41. How many blankets on your bed? Two.

42. Describe your kitchen plates. White with blue trim around the edges.

43. Describe your kitchen at the moment. Clean now that all the sippy cups have been washed.

44. Do you have a favorite alcoholic drink? I don’t drink alcohol.

45. Do you play cards? It’s been a while but I know a few games.

46. What color is your car? Blue (with a super cool Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. front license plate!).

47. Can you change a tire? No. I should probably learn how.

48. Your favorite state or province? Pennsylvania has a very special place in my heart since some of my favorite relatives live/grew up there and we got together a lot growing up.

49. Favorite job you’ve had? I’ve actually enjoyed all the jobs I’ve had--tutoring, babysitting, working at a college bookstore, and now editing--except for teaching English at a local community college LOL.

Tagging @agentmanatee, @lilsciencequeen, @nerdlove4thewin, @earnmysong, @besidemethewholedamntime, and whoever else wants to play!

[likemereckless]

tag game! get to know me

tagged by: my dear wonderful friend @jandjsalmon

1. what is the color of your hairbrush? Pink. It’s a curly detangler brush.

2. a food you will never eat? I won’t eat ANYTHING from the ocean because it creeps me out... or mushrooms. Or anything slimy. I don’t like textures.

3. are you typically too warm or too cold? I’m always cold. The hubs makes fun of me constantly for all my layers.

4. what were you doing 45 minutes ago? I’m working on a project for a Fellowship I’m doing and downing coffee.

5. what’s your favourite candy bar? York Peppermints. Anything chocolate and mint makes me so happy.

6. have you ever been to a professional sports game? Yes- I’ve been to Yankee games, Giants games (football), and Devils games.

7. what is the last thing you said out loud?  “Don’t put that tiara on the dog.”

8. what is your favourite ice cream? Store- Mint Chip. Local Place- Red Devil

9. what was the last thing you had to drink? COFFEE!

10. do you like your wallet? I’ve never thought about it. I’m not particularly attached?

11. what is the last thing you ate? Eggs over medium and toast.

12. did you buy any new clothes last weekend? I haven’t bought clothes since last fall. 

13. what’s the last sporting event you watched? Yankee game.

14. what is your favorite flavor of popcorn? I’ve never had flavored popcorn. I like butter? lol.

15. who is the last person you sent a text message to? Husband. We are exchanging memes.

16. ever been camping? Yes. I had a blast! I went with college friends and we made a bonfire and went rafting and it was a wonderful time.

17. do you take vitamins? I don’t. I should because I’m always found with low iron, but I hate vitamins so meh....

18. do you regularly attend a place of worship? I used to moreso than now. My mother still does. I’m having come current issues with this in the US and something personal. I’d be happy to explain over DM but not here.

19. do you have a tan? I am basically transparent. I don’t think I can tan.

20. do you prefer Chinese or pizza?  We have AMAZING pizza here in Jersey so pizza all the way.

21. do you drink your soda through a straw? I don’t really drink soda unless there’s a party. So I guess no.

22. what color socks do you usually wear? I love socks. I have every color, rainbow, neon patterned, polka dot, mickey mouse....

23. do you ever drive above the speed limit? I don’t because there are too many fricken cars in my congested area.

24. what terrifies you? Airplanes and the ocean.

25. look to your left, what do you see? 15 TY beanie babies lined up on my loveseat that I’m supposed to “feed”

26. what chore do you hate most? Laundry. Folding the laundry is evil.

27. what do you think of when you hear an Australian accent? If I hear one around here I think, “Why on earth would you leave Australia for Jersey- the oil and petrochemical refinery state.”

28. what’s your favorite soda? If I have soda I’ll go for rootbeer

29. do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? I prefer the drive thru.

30. what’s your favourite number? 10

31. who’s the last person you talked to? My daughter. She’s 3.

32. favorite meat? Mmmm steak.

33. last song you listened to? Want You Bad- The Offspring

34. last book you read? September Love- Lang Leav I had preordered it a long time ago and it arrived a week early to my happy surprise!

35. favorite day of the week? Friday because the promise of the weekend is looming

36. can you say the alphabet backwards? yes. so can my tiny human. we sing it for fun.

37. how do you like your coffee? In my veins. I ship whole beans from this fantastic shop. I keep 6 kinds in my kitchen at all times. I have a cold brew french press for ices and if I’m doing hot I’ll have my first cup with a splash of milk and after that, black. Hmmm this coffee issue is probably why I had an ulcer.

38. favorite pair of shoes? My husband got e a pair of tieks since I travel and stand so much for work. Very comfy.

39. time you normally get up? 6:00

40. which do you prefer, sunrise or sunsets? Depends on the circumstance. Sunrise when we watched from a mountain in Hawaii. Sunset when I’m watching at a dinner.

41. how many blankets are on your bed? Too many.

42. describe your kitchen plates? I’d call them fiesta. They have funky squiggles and lines and patterns in vibrant colors. Picture a crazy donkey pinata.

43. describe your kitchen at the moment: Gray stone floor, white cabinets, a sunset orangey color paint.

44. do you have a favorite alcoholic drink? Jameson or Fat Tire allagash white

45. do you play cards? Not really. I used to.

46. what color is your car? White

47. can you change a tire? nope. lol.

48. your favorite state or province? I’ve been to 25 of our 50 states and can find something I loved about each. I loved them all for such different reasons so it’s hard to choose.

49. favorite job you’ve had? Hmmm I liked when I worked for the journalism lab.

Tagging: @lizzy92rc @cheryllclayton @velvetsugarbabexo @earthlaughsinflowersblog @lucivar @stonerbughead @adrumlynjump

[lastchildofkrypton]

tag game! get to know me

I was tagged by @beca-mitchell. This was a fun one!

1. what is the color of your hairbrush? I won’t lie, it has an illustration of Anna from Frozen on it.

2. name a food you never eat. Seafood, I love it but no one else in my family does so I don’t have it much.

3. are you typically too warm or too cold? Too warm, unless I’m at work then it’s the opposite

4. what were you doing 45 minutes ago? Taking a shower.

5. what’s your favorite candy bar? Kit-kat bars

6. have you ever been to a professional sports game? Quite a few, a lot of Red Sox games, next on my list is a Celtics-Knicks game.

7. what is the last thing you said out loud? "Good night” - to my cat

8. what is your favorite ice cream? Cookies and cream or mint chocolate chip, depends on the day.

9. what was the last thing you had to drink? Water because I did not have enough today.

10. Do you like your wallet? It’s fine I guess, It’s lasted for years... maybe I should get a new one?

11. What was the last thing you ate? Ice cream!

12. did you buy any new clothes last weekend? Nope, I did get shoes though.

13. what’s the last sporting event you watched? The Celtics Playoff series... ouch.

14. what is your favorite flavor of popcorn? Um... lots of salt and butter.

15. who is the last person you sent a text message to? My sister... it was about my ice cream.

16. ever been camping? Yes, when I was little. I’d love to go again.

17. do you take vitamins? Yes! I work with small children.. gotta do what I can to stay healthy.

18. do you regularly attend a place of worship? Nope.

19. do you have a tan? I am pale. as. a. ghost.

20. do you prefer chinese or pizza? Chinese food 100%.

21. do you drink your soda through a straw? I don’t drink soda, and I don’t usually use straws unless it’s for iced coffee.

22. what color socks do you usually wear? White or black, sometimes some fun ones for work.

23. do you ever drive above the speed limit? I don’t have a license but I am certain I would not. Cars terrify me.

24. what terrifies you? Cars. Clowns. Sleep walking/talking. Most people. And when little kids talk about ghosts.

25. look to your left, what do you see? The wall.

26. what chore do you hate most? Laundry :(

27. what do you think of when you hear an Australian accent? I’m not sure that anything specific comes to mind.

28. what’s your favorite soda? I pretty much stopped drinking soda in middle school but if I do have it, root beer or Dr. Pepper.

29. do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? Go in, we don’t really have drive throughs here.

30. what’s your favorite number? 1,423

31. who’s the last person you talked to? My cousin

32. favorite meat? Any kind of chicken

33. last song you listened to? Currently listening to Fool for Love by Lord Huron

34. last book you read? I’m currently re-reading The Turn of the Screw by Henry James because I hate myself

35. favorite day of the week? Saturday

36. can you say the alphabet backwards? Probably, it just might take me a while.

37. how do you like your coffee? It changes, right now it’s pumpkin cold brew with cream :)

38. favorite pair of shoes? I can’t pick, I love all of them equally - I am a sneaker hoarder.

39. time you normally get up? 5:00 AM

40. what do you prefer, sunrise or sunsets? sunrise because I’m always awake to see it, it helps me start my day.

41. how many blankets on your bed? Just my weighted blanket

42. Describe your kitchen plates: They’re blue... I think.

43. describe your kitchen at the moment: As clean as it ever is for a week night.

44. do you have a favorite alcoholic drink? Downeast hard cider - it’s superior.

45. do you play cards? I have been groomed to play cards since I could talk. If you’ve ever met my family you get it. We don’t mess around when it comes to our game.

46. what color is your car? Don’t have one but I ride in my cousin’s a lot. It’s white.

47. Can you change a tire? lol no

48. your favorite state or province? Massachusetts, I know that sounds pretentious af but it’s home.

49. favorite job you’ve had? My nanny job - I miss it every single day.

Tagging: whoever wants to do this! 

[crashhale]

Tag Game

Tagged by my little sweetie, @riverdaledreaming​

1. what is the color of your hairbrush? Just all black, like my soul.

2. name a food you never eat: There are actually many foods I don’t eat, lamb, shrimp, shellfish, etc.

3. are you typically too warm or too cold? I’m very 50/50.

4. what were you doing 45 minutes ago? Working, I’m on my lunch right now.

5. what’s your favorite candy bar? Cherry Ripe.

6. have you ever been to a professional sports game? Yes, American football, baseball, and basketball games on the East Coast.

7. what is the last thing you said out loud? "Let’s go back downstairs,” to one of the cats.

8. what is your favorite ice cream? In general chocolate, BUT to be very specific, Strawberry ice cream but ONLY in Europe. It’s just different there.

9. what was the last thing you had to drink? Vanilla Draft Latte by La Colombe Coffee. I was trying to avoid it but I was falling asleep while working so I gave in.

10. do you like your wallet? Yes. My best friend got it for me. It’s Mimco, animal print, which is usually not very me but I love it. So unique. She has bought all my wallets since we were teenagers. I never choose them myself. Fun fact.

11. what is the last thing you ate? Eggs for breakfast.

12. did you buy any new clothes last weekend? No.

13. what’s the last sporting event you watched? I don’t watch sports on tv.

14. what is your favorite flavor of popcorn? Movie theater butter.

15. who is the last person you sent a text message to? My husband, asking if he’s cooking tonight.

16. ever been camping? Yes.

17. do you take vitamins? No.

18. do you regularly attend a place of worship? No.

19. do you have a tan? No.

20. do you prefer chinese or pizza? Pizza.

21. do you drink your soda through a straw? I don’t drink soda.

22. what color socks do you usually wear? Gray.

23. do you ever drive above the speed limit? Usually 5-10 miles over.

24. what terrifies you? Being a failure.

25. look to your left, what do you see? Cat, Penny.

26. what chore do you hate most? Ummm, I hate washing dishes.

27. what do you think of when you hear an Australian accent? LOL I’m Australian so I guess I don’t think anything. I think ‘oh, a fellow Aussie,’ I guess.

28. what’s your favorite soda? I don’t drink soda but when someone else has it, I do take a sip of Dr. Pepper! Yum!

29. do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? Both.

30. what’s your favorite number? 8.

31. who’s the last person you talked to? A client for work.

32. favorite meat? I hate meat, other than when my mum makes it, and I love her Veal. But no one else’s.

33. last song you listened to? Us by James Bay

34. last book you read? Currently reading ‘It Didn’t Start with You’ and also ‘After’.

35. favorite day of the week? Saturday.

36. can you say the alphabet backwards? I’ve never tried but I’ll say no. I don’t even want to try.

37. how do you like your coffee? I only drink lattes and sweetened cold brew.

38. favorite pair of shoes? All my Allbirds. Most comfortable shoes ever.

39. time you normally get up? Since Covid 8:30, but before that 7.

40. what do you prefer, sunrise or sunsets? Sunsets

41. how many blankets are on your bed? One.

42. describe your kitchen plates? I’m currently staying at my in-laws and their plates are white with little designs on them, like squares of something.

43. describe your kitchen at the moment: Again, I’m currently at my in-laws and they legit have the worst kitchen in all the world. It’s falling apart and all the draws are tiny and don’t fit anything. My poor mother-in-law deserves a new one.

44. do you have a favorite alcoholic drink? Blood Orange Vodka Martini.

45. do you play cards? No.

46. what color is your car? Goldish-Silver.

47. can you change a tire? No.

48. your favorite state or province? Out of the states I’ve been to in the US, Massachusetts.

Tagging: @kagszzy @shymeg @ohmisskate and anyone that feels like doing this.

[peachypunk22]

tag game: 50 Qs

was tagged by @coffeeandchemicals thank you!! 🥰🥰

I’m tagging @bambixxblue @chidorimedaddy @colonel--sarge and anyone else who wants to! 

under cut bc this is pretty long

what is the color of your hairbrush? it’s blue and its not good and ive had it for like 5 years idk 

name a food you never eat: ooh that’s hard. maybe Naengmyeon, which are cold korean noodles, it was literally the only thing i didn’t like in korea

are you typically too warm or too cold? i always run warm!

what were you doing 45 mins ago? eating dinner

what’s your favorite candy bar? do reeses cups count?

have you ever been to a professional sports game? not in a couple years but I’ve been to baseball and hockey games

what is the last thing you said out loud? “god damn it”

what is your favorite ice cream? french silk is like a coffee and chocolate one thats really good. or chocolate cherry garcia

what was the last thing you had to drink? apple cider spiked with fireball

do you like your wallet? no,it’s too big and i need a new one

what is the last thing you ate? I made sesame chicken and rice for dinner

did you buy any new clothes last weekend? Nope!

what’s the last sporting event you watched? probably hockey. probably the red wings.

what is your favorite flavor of popcorn? a lot of butter and salt or the sour cream and onion seasoning you can get

who is the last person you sent a text message to? my mom

ever been camping? Yes and I miss it so bad! I wanted to go this year but no one wanted to come with

do you take vitamins? i started taking a gummy multivitamin a month ago

do you regularly attend a place of worship? Nope! definitely agnostic

do you have a tan? I burn and then go back to being a ghost

do you prefer Chinese or pizza? Pizza

do you drink your soda through a straw? Not usually

what color socks do you usually wear? i love colorful socks! my favorites right now are pink with pineapples on them

do you ever drive above the speed limit? i usually drive a couple over on regular roads, but 10 over on the expressway

what terrifies you? hm, maybe being lonely for the rest of my life?

look to your left, what do you see? black nail polish and War of the Foxes by Richard Siken

what chore do you hate most? dishes! I love to cook and bake but it always means so many dishes!

what do you think of when you hear an Australian accent? surfers probably? and would ask them why the fuck they’re in MI and how they’re faring with the weather

what’s your favorite soda? its pop and i love coke zero

do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? drive-thru

what’s your favorite number? 19 or 22

who’s the last person you talked to? irl? my friend lauren who came to visit last weekend

favorite cut of beef? I like a good NY strip steak, but I’m cheap so for cooking I would just get some chuck

last song you listened to? Space Ghost Coast to Coast by Glass Animals

last book you read? i’ve been reading a Lot of fanfic lately, so the last book was a month ago when I picked up the Heartstopper graphic novel

favorite day of the week? Friday. I can usually sign off work early and make it a really long night

can you say the alphabet backwards? yep

how do you like your coffee? first thing in the morning? black. if im getting it from a place? either cold brew or a macchiato 

favorite pair of shoes? a second hand pair of combat boots

time you normally get up? it varies but usually around 9 since i’ve been working from home

what do you prefer, sunrise or sunsets? sunsets! they’re so pretty

how many blankets on your bed? two

describe your kitchen plates. they’re boring. cream with darker speckles

describe your kitchen at the moment. Sink? Mess. Counter? Okay. Table? overrun with a home office and a fresh loaf of banana bread

do you have a favorite alcoholic drink? my go to cocktail is anything with pineapple and tequila. usually i just get a cider or citrus-y light beer

do you play cards? the only thing i know how to play is euchre, but i also play a mean game of uno

what color is your car? black

can you change a tire? my dad showed me once, but every time i’ve popped a tire its been raining and i was too scared to do it myself

your favorite country? idk i need to travel more to find out

favorite job you’ve had? I worked as a set up tech/office assistant for a medical simulation center used for training medical students and other healthcare ppl. i was a very hands on and interesting job where i never did the same thing twice. i would have loved to stay there but it was only part time

I tag: whoever wants to

[cinnabeebon]

love you @killer-leo thanx for tagging me but also we can’t be friends bc you dont like butter </3

what is the color of your hairbrush? pink

name a food you never eat. idk i like everything but if i have a choice i wont eat like lasagna 

are you too warm or too cold? too cold my fingers are always icicles 

what were you doing 45 minutes ago? gettinig a pumpkin cream cold brew <3

what’s your favorite candy bar? snickers

have you ever been to a professional sports game? yess been to a couple of games for a team that i hate

what is the last thing you said out loud? thank you, when i was getting my pumpkin cream cold brew <3

what is your favorite ice cream? that ben and jerrys cheesecake flavor

what was the last thing you had to drink? pumpkin cream cold brew <3

do you like your wallet? sure i think i got it from target

what is the last thing you ate? a charcuterie board of everything crackers from trader joes and blocks of cheese i got at cvs

did you buy any new clothes last weekend? no i did get two rings tho

what’s the last sporting event you watched? a football game 

what is your favorite flavor of popcorn? movie theater butter

who is the last person you sent a text message to? my mom

ever been camping? once or twice when i was a kid

do you take vitamins? no my mom would yell at me for taking them bc she thought i would overdose on vitamins or smth 

do you regularly attend a place of worship? no

do you have a tan? a tiny one on the side of my body that’s usually facing the sun when i drive

do you prefer chinese or pizza? chinese

do you drink your soda through a straw? dont really drink it that much at all

what color socks do you usually wear? gray or black

do you ever drive above the speed limit? im gay so all the time

what terrifies you? heights and elevators

look to your left, what do you see? my notes 

what chore do you hate most? folding and putting away laundry

what do you think of when you hear an australian accent? chris hemsworth

what’s your favorite soda? i only drink pop when im hungover and then it’s just mcdonalds sprite

do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? drive thru 

what’s your favorite number? 2

who’s the last person you talked to? my classmates this morning

favorite meat? beef.

last song you listened to? juice by lizzo lol

last book you read? citizen by claudia rankine for one of my classes

favorite day of the week? friday

can you say the alphabet backwards? no

how do you like your coffee? black

favorite pair of shoes? my combat boots

time you normally get up? usually like 10

what do you prefer, sunrise or sunsets? sunrise

how many blankets on your bed? my comforter, a throw blanket, and my heated blanket <3

describe your kitchen plates. a few old ones that my aunt gave me that are like yellow, grey, and blue, and then some blue flower ones my roommate has

describe your kitchen at the moment. im insane so i clean it like every day so pretty nice right now

do you have a favorite alcoholic drink? vodka cranberry

do you play cards? not really

what color is your car? blue

can you change a tire? no that’s what triple a is for

your favorite state or province? they all suck i dont think ive been happy in any of them including the one i live in now

favorite job you’ve had? the starbucks i worked at for like two years bc that was the best coworkers us gay ones all had our own little groupchat

tagging: idk who to tag but if you want to do it then go ahead and say i tagged you!!

[s-hylor]

50 Questions You’ve Never Been Asked Before

tagged by the amazing, adorable @bardingbeedle

tagging: @quandongcrumble @laglemon and anyone else who wants to do it.

What is the colour of your hairbrush?

I don’t use one anymore, cut my hair way too short for that, but I do have a couple of easy detangle hairbrushes because my hair was always so easy to knot when it was longer, and they both look like penguins. Hence why I bought them.

Are you typically too warm or too cold?

Depends on the time of year. I do feel the cold less than my dad, if that counts for anything. 

What were you doing 45 minutes ago?

Driving.

What is your favourite candy bar?

Cadbury Flake or Cherry Ripe. 

Have you ever been to a professional sports event?

Went to see the Adelaide Crows play back in 1996 I think it was. I can’t remember who they played. I am pretty sure they won though. 

What is the last thing you said out loud?

“Yes it is a big rabbit.” to my sister.

What is your favourite ice cream?

Coffee, or Rum & Raisin. Also Hot Cross Bun flavour, or Golden North’s Christmas Pudding Ice Cream. I just like ice cream. 

What was the last thing you had to drink?

Iced coffee. 

Do you like your wallet?

Yes. Very much. It’s Civil War Steve/Tony themed. 

What was the last thing you ate?

Ginger nut biscuit. It was meant to be for Jenny, but she was mean to me, so I ate her biscuit. 

Did you buy any new clothes last weekend?

Last weekend, no. This weekend I ordered two hoodies from the Just A Story Podcast merch shop. I couldn’t decide which one I wanted. So I got both. 

The last sporting event you watched?

Probably a T20 Big Bash cricket match? Sometime last year. Because dad insists on watching them even though he doesn’t like that version of cricket. I have barely watched TV let alone sport since I moved back down to the farm. 

What is your favourite flavour of popcorn?

Anything that gives a sweet and salty combo. 

Who is the last person you sent a text message to?

Group chat to my sister and her partner. 

Ever go camping?

Yes. A lot. I spent 6 weeks camping last year while travelling through the Northern Territory and Western Australia. I love camping. 

Do you take vitamins?

Barocca. So what ever vitamins are in that? I just like the flavour. 

Do you go to church every Sunday?

I only go to church if I am staying with people who go to church. Or when school forced me to. Or funerals. But they are rarely on sundays. 

Do you have a tan?

I have a “farmers’ tan”. 

Do you prefer Chinese food or pizza?

Both. Both is good. 

Do you drink your soda with a straw?

No. I do drink milkshakes with a straw though. 

What colour socks do you usually wear?

Black, black-ish, black with coloured toes and heels. Or white with coloured toes and heels if sports socks. 

Do you ever drive above the speed limit?

Never intentionally. I have gone over the speed limit occasionally when I’m not paying attention. But never for long. If anything, I drive under the speed limit. There was a reason one of my co-workers at the mine site called me “driving Miss Daisy”.

What terrifies you?

Something bad happening to someone or something I care about. Pets dying. 

Look to your left, what do you see?

My sister’s cat, Polly, sitting on my sister’s lounge. Looking grumpy. 

What chore do you hate?

Most of them. That’s why they are called chores. I still do them, but I don’t like them. 

What do you think of when you hear an Australian accent?

Normal everyday thing. 

What’s your favourite soda?

Pepsi Max. Or soda water. 

Do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive-thrus?

Go in. Because I hate driving through drive throughs. They all seem way too narrow/tight for my vehicle. 

Who’s the last person you talked to?

My sister.

Favourite cut of beef?

Whatever cut gets turned into corned beef. I eat more corned beef than any other type of beef. I live on a sheep station/farm. Ask me about mutton. 

Last song you listened to?

Hyperfine by G Flip

Last book you read?

The Bodies of Men by Nigel Featherstone. 

It’s a WWII story, about Australian soldiers. It’s gay. Everyone should go read it. 

Favourite day of the week?

Tomorrow. Because I get to go back to work. I’ve missed the plants. 

Can you say the alphabet backwards?

I can barely say it forwards. 

How do you like your coffee?

Black. 

Favourite pair of shoes?

Most worn and most frequently bought are Blundstone boots. Beauty of work boots.��

The time you normally go to sleep?

Between 9:30 and 11. 

The time you normally get up?

Now that I’m starting back at the plant nursery, 4:30. While I was stood down, and before that, around 6am. Unless I want to write, then around 2:30am. Depends.  

What do you prefer, sunrise or sunsets?

At the station, we get better sunsets, because the hills block the sunrise. At the farm, it’s in a valley, so the hills block both, so both are about equal. 

How many blankets on your bed?

Two. One duvet with an Avengers cover, and one red, black and white patchwork quilt my grandma made, inspired by the mining town she spent most of her adult life in. 

Describe your kitchen plates

Melamine, brownish, with flowery patterns. They’re just what is in the caravan. 

Do you have a favourite alcoholic beverage?

Don’t really have one. I barely drink. But I used to liked the ginger beer my Grandpa used to brew. It was potent. 

Do you play cards?

Cards Against Humanity. Unstable Unicorns. And several card games played with a normal deck of cards that i can’t remember the names of. 

What colour is your car?

Pearl white. It’s white, but sparkly.  

Can you change a tire?

Change it. Mend it. Put it back on again. Much better at motorbike tyres though, because I have more practise with those.  

Favourite job you’ve ever had?

Trainee at a plant nursery. So, the current one. That I get to start again tomorrow. 

How did you get your biggest scar?

A cow kicked a gate into my head. I now have a scar that runs from my hairline to my eyebrow on the left side of my forehead. Busted me open to the skull. Not that anyone would tell me that at the time. Doctor did a great job stitching it up though, so it isn’t as visible as you’d expect.

What did you do today that made someone else happy?

I gave the sheep stock lime and salt today. It’s like lollies for sheep. So I made 800 woolly someones happy today. 

[modernmaenad]

50 Questions You’ve Never Been Asked

Thank you so much for tagging me @howitrulyam

What is the colour of your hairbrush? purple 

Name a food you never eat? asparagus and mayonnaise 

Are you typically too warm or too cold?  i hate being hot but i live for hoodies and blankets so I usually keep the house cold and snuggle up

What were you doing 45 minutes ago? facetiming my boyfriend  

What is your favourite candy bar? listen i will love you forever if you give me any chocolate but I really like kitkats 

Have you ever been to a professional sports event?  we have an nba basketball team in my city so i really enjoy going to games when i can get my hands on some tickets 

What is the last thing you said out loud? “bye alex! i love you!” to my boyfriend 

What is your favourite ice cream? generally mint chocolate chip but theres this one gelato place in town that has this biscotti gelato and its the best 

What was the last thing you had to drink? black cold brew coffee

Do you like your wallet? its? fine? idk it holds what little money i have 

What was the last thing you ate? a couple flour tortillas 

Did you buy any new clothes last weekend? no but im getting fitted for some fancy new running shoes tomorrow bc my dad got me a gift card

The last sporting event you watched? its been so long but prob a basketball game 

What is your favourite flavour of popcorn? good ol movie theater butter 

Who is the last person you sent a text message to? my best friend kalli

Ever go camping? yes and i was trying to get a group together to go again but then coronavirus happened 

Do you take vitamins? nah but i prob should 

Do you go to church every Sunday? HAHAHA no im a heathen 

Do you have a tan? no im pale af 

Do you prefer Chinese food or pizza? chinese food is my faaave 

Do you drink your soda with a straw? sometimes i use one of the little metal straws that my friend got for me 

What colour socks do you usually wear? i hate having things on my feet when im around the house so i usually just wear socks when i go out but if my feet are freezing ill throw on a pair of red fuzzy socks 

Do you ever drive above the speed limit? yeah i usually drive too fast i have a lead foot 

What terrifies you? idk a lot of things but i guess im scared that im not doing enough in life  

Look to your left, what do you see? my cats who are taking afternoon naps

What chore do you hate? washing the dishes 

What do you think of when you hear an Australian accent? steve irwin 

What’s your favourite soda? i dont drink a lot of soda but i like sparkling water and every once in a while ill drink a coke 

Do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive-thru? drive thru

Who’s the last person you talked to? my best friend kalli (text) and my bf alex (actually talked)

Favourite cut of beef? i dont eat a lot of beef but i guess i like sunday roast 

Last song you listened to? one more by elliphant ft mø 

Last book you read? no by naomi klein bc sometimes you gotta rage against capitalism and everything else thats shitty rn 

Favourite day of the week? friday nights and saturday afternoons 

Can you say the alphabet backwards? nope 

How do you like your coffee? i drink coffee in all forms so i guess it depends on the day but generally nothing too sweet 

Favourite pair of shoes? this old pair of combat boots that ive had since high school theyre beat up to hell and back but i love them 

The time you normally go to bed? whenever i fall asleep usually some odd hour in the morning 

The time you normally get up? usually abt 9am 

What do you prefer, sunrise or sunsets? sunrises bc i dont see them often but when i do i know ive either had a really good night or im traveling somewhere and had to leave before sunrise 

How many blankets on your bed? like 4 i love blankets 

Describe your kitchen plates: mismatched but i do have a set of blue and white ones that i use the most 

Do you have a favourite alcoholic beverage? ill drink anything but i like beer and my absolute favorite is a margarita made with mezcal 

Do you play cards? sometime my friends and i will have a poker night with our collection of foreign coins 

What colour is your car? black like everything else i own  

Can you change a tire? no but i should prob learn how

Your favourite province? idk i live in the us but my favorite state is colorado bc weed and skiing, internationally i have a really soft spot for central mexico bc i studied abroad and met alex there plus its just beautiful and i love the culture 

Favourite job you’ve ever had? idk ive had a lot of shitty jobs but i guess my favorite was when i was a photographers assistant for newborn baby shoots which is ironic bc i dont like kids 

How did you get your biggest scar? i got a bunch of little scars i have a bunch all over my arms bc of a skin thing my knees are scarred over from skinning them bc i was a rambunctious kid i have surgery scars from appendicitis but i think the biggest one is on my thigh whenever it got caught while i was climbing over a fence (no questions ;) )

What did you do today that made someone else happy? i comforted alex (hes been struggling with depression during quarantine) and i made plans to go on a socially distant safe walk in the park with my best friend and her dog so i hope that made them happy 

I tag: @ifindmyselfoncorners @licoricesnap @saffronstonehendge @sleepover2004 @vvirgolesbian and whoever else wants to do it 

[stevie-baby]

50 Questions you’ve ever been asked before …

✨ Thank you to @pomegranatecurses​ @saywecanart​ @sunshinesinhereyes​ & @satingrass-maidensfair​ for tagging me! Love y’all!! ✨

1. what is the colour of your hairbrush? White with green leaf designs all over 

2. a food you never eat? Eggs. IDK man they are just awful. Texture? Vile. Flavor? Abhorrent.

3. are you typically too warm or too cold? Too damn hot

4. what were you doing 45 minutes ago? Showering

5. what is your favourite candy bar? Honestly i’m a slut for a good bar of dark chocolate.

6. have you ever been to a professional sports event? Sadly, yes.

7. what is the last thing you said out loud? “Are you fucking kidding me?” Just found out we might be going under tornado watch. Haven’t experienced that since I lived in Nashville (so like a year).

8. what is your favourite ice cream? Either rocky road or mint chip

9. what was the last thing you had to drink? Wine

10. do you like your wallet? I’ve been using this wallet for like 8 years now. She get’s the job done.

11. what was the last thing you ate? A tostada

12. did you buy any new clothes last weekend? I impulse bought a really cute floral blouse from the 70′s but I just got an email from the shop owner saying they had to cancel the order because they didn’t have the blouse in their inventory anymore and they never took down the listing.

13. the last sporting event you watched? I think it was a basketball game when I was still at Belmont last year. Unless NASCAR counts (which it should)

14. what is your favourite flavour of popcorn? I usually love plain ol’ butter and salt, if I’m getting fancy I’ll toss some lao gan ma on it.

15. who is the last person you sent a text message to? My dad

16. ever go camping? I used to go all the time when I was a kid. I’ve been itching to go camping again or at least go on a good hike.

17. do you take vitamins? I’m lacking in many things, most notably iron ;)

18. do you go to church every sunday? I’ve only been to church for weddings, funerals, and a few times the year I went to a Christian university.

19. do you have a tan? Nope

20. do you prefer chinese food or pizza? This is such a weird question to me because it’s like “do you prefer this entire category of food or this particular dish???” Like, I love pizza. You can’t go wrong with pizza. But I also love Chinese food because I’m part Chinese and I grew up eating it.

21. do you drink your soda with a straw? Sometimes(?) But sometimes it’s just in a can and I don’t actively seek out a straw for it??? I don’t really drink soda that often. 

22. what colour socks do you usually wear? black 

23. do you ever drive above the speed limit? I don’t drive

24. what terrifies you? Getting stuck in a monotonous job.

25. look to your left, what do you see? My crystal ball

26. what chore do you hate? Washing the dishes

27. what do you think of when you hear an Australian accent? The Australian stripper that was hitting on my cousin when we were at a rest stop in Texas

28. what’s your favourite soda? I don’t drink soda that often, but when I do I prefer Sprite

29. do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive-thru? Drive-thru

30. who’s the last person you talked to? My mom

31. favourite cut of beef? Filet mignon. I don’t eat meat very often, but when I do it’s a treat.

32. last song you listened to? My Old Man by Joni Mitchell (I just put my Blue record on)

33. last book you read? Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

34. favourite day of the week? Well they all kind of melt together now that I’m not working, but I’m fond of Wednesdays for some arbitrary reason

35. can you say the alphabet backwards? I have a single tired brain cell

36. how do you like your coffee? I like cold brew with a little bit of cream and vanilla

37. favourite pair of shoes? My ankle boots. They’re comfy.

38. at what time do you normally go to bed? Lately I’ve been going to bed around 2 in the morning

39. at what time do you normally get up? Around 7 or 8, but when I was working I was usually up by 3.

40. what do you prefer, sunrise or sunsets? Sunrises

41. how many blankets are on your bed? Two

42. describe your kitchen plates? Deep red

43. do you have a favourite alcoholic beverage? Wine! I love a cheap semi-sweet, doesn’t matter if it’s red or white

44. do you play cards? I love card games! I used to play cards all the time with my friends in high school, but I haven’t had anyone to play card games with lately.

45. what colour is your car? I don’t have a car or a license.

46. can you change a tire? Yup. I grew up in a family of truck drivers and mechanics.

47. what is your favourite state/province? I absolutely love Tennessee and I miss living there. As soon as I can, I’m moving back.

48. favourite job you’ve ever had? I worked at a country club in high school and for a while I was an assistant to the event planner. I also liked working at the pizza place my friend’s parents owned.

49. how did you get your biggest scar? A nail was sticking out of someting that was on the ground and it cut a giant L-shape on the top of my foot

50. what did you do today that made someone else happy? I’m not sure

[frejahertziswritingthistime]

Teenage kicks chapter 8

A/N: AH! We’re so close to the end, and it both makes me sad and super happy. I really love this story, and I love that you guys love it – this story has been so fun to write, so I hope you’ll stay with it for the last two chapters.

This was born from a request from @theboundlesssoul, and I really hope you still like it!

This story is also dedicated to the amazing and sweet @redeyedvixen, and I’m hoping you love it as well.

Well, read on, my friends!

Remember, I always say yes to requests and feedback feeds the writer (please give me feedback, because I love it so much, even if it’s just a keyboard-smash)!

MASTERLIST

Teenage kicks masterlist

Buy me a coffee (and get something personal written for you!)

Pairings: Dean x reader

Warnings: language, implied smut

READER POV

I pulled the last box from my car, and sighed deeply, annoyed at the constant ache in my back; pregnancy was really not my fucking cup of tea. As I walked towards the small house, I spotted a shadow from the window; Dean had, to his credit, instantly jumped on board and had even bought a goddamn house – a really big fixer-upper – a few weeks later. I bumped the front door open with my hip, the box weighing heavier than ever. “Hey, asshole, maybe the not-pregnant man should carry the damn boxes from the car and to the house instead of the pissed off, pregnant woman!” I yelled through the house – Sam and Dean poked their heads out from the living-room, paint splatters on their face. Dean rushed to my side with a smile and took the box. “Kitchen.” I mumbled, ignoring the heat in my cheeks. Damn it all to hell, I was falling back in love with the fucking moron.

Fucking broken condoms.

I walked into the small living-room and looked around – it had been painted in a white, the hot sun gleaming off the still wet paint. Sam stood next to me, a paint-brush in hand. “when are you going to tell him? I mean, I know you’ve moved in together as co-parents here, but seriously. You can’t keep pretending to hate him.” Sam said, nudging my shoulder a little. I groaned. “Shut your mouth, Sammy-boy. I’ll tell him when I’m dead, how’s that?” Sam just shook his head, and bend down to be at eyelevel with my growing belly. I frowned. I couldn’t see my toes anymore. “How’s he growing?” I slapped his head. “Who says it’s a boy, you douchebag?” Sam grinned and stood up, ruffling my hair. “Listen, I’m going to get some stuff to fic your pipes, because you’d probably shower in rust, if we don’t get them fixed.” I nodded thankfully. “thanks, Sam. I know I’m giving you a hard time here, but you know, collateral damage and all that shit.” Sam just smiled and walked out of the house – Dean stepped inside the living room with a bottle of water and handed it to me.

“Where’s he going?” I turned to him. “Something about shitty pipes, I guess.” I sat down on the lone chair, we had assembled and sighed deeply. Dean stood in front of me with a look of uncertainty on his face. “Out with it, Winchester.” I said with raised eyebrows. He sighed.

“Listen… I just… I’m really happy you agreed to move in with me, and all that shit, but we need to figure out how this is going to work, okay?” I looked at him. He sat down on the floor in front of me. “We can’t keep doing this. Like, I love your snark and sass, and I get it, you think I deserve it, but our kid can’t grow up with you calling me an asshole or swearing at me half the time.” I nodded. “that’s fair enough.” I said, before sipping a little of my water. I felt the little bean kick around a little, almost as if it was too cold. I smiled softly. “Also…” Dean started, but clamped up again. “Seriously, dude, just fucking talk. The worst that happens, is that I try to waddle away, and you’ll catch up to me in five minutes.” Dean grinned. “Okay. I just… I wanted you to see something.” I raised my eyebrows, but he just smiled and stretched his hand out to me; I took it, trying to ignore the flutter in my stomach (bean was always moving extra hard when Dean touched me) and pulled me out of my chair. He held on to my hand – I didn’t protest – and led me upstairs, where he had spent the majority of his time the last week. The entire house needed to be fixed – every part of it was full of cracks, peeling paint and rotten floors. I was worried whether or not it’d be done when I popped the fucking kid out, because at this rate, we’d only have new pipes and a bed to work with.

The house was small, but cozy. The first floor was comprised of a small hallway, that led from the stairs and down to three rooms – the master bedroom, a small room, which Dean had said he’d move into, and what would become the nursery. “Close your eyes.” He mumbled, leading me towards the nursery. I did what he asked, slightly worried he might just carve the kid out of me and leave. “Open them.” As I did, I couldn’t help but gasp; I wasn’t a girly girl, but I was tearing up at the sight in front of me. It was the nursery, completely finished.

Dean had painted it in a soft, green color, something reminiscent of a lake in the forest, and he had put a line of small stickers along the back wall; teddy bears, flowers, bees and a bunch of other shit, was plastered to the wall. He had assembled every piece of furniture, we had bought. The white crib was standing against the back wall, just below the open window, a white mesh hanging down over it – I could spot a teddy bear and a blanket in there, gifts from Sam. A rocking chair stood next to the door, a soft, fuzzy blanket thrown over it, and pictures hung on the wall – ultra-scans, pictures of Sam, pictures of Dean, pictures of them together, and pictures of me. Pictures, I didn’t even know he had taken. Some of me, standing in front of the house, just as we had bought it, cradling my stomach protectively. Some of me smiling of something unknown, me hugging Sam. It was truly beautiful. I felt a small pang in my chest when I realized, that there wasn’t a picture of me and Dean, until I was the picture on the wall next to me: I didn’t know this even existed. Me and Dean, looking around 16, were sitting under the willow-tree’s shadow in Bobby’s garden, grinning at each other, fingers weaved together. I was sure Sam had taken the picture way back when, and I silently thanked the little, big shit for doing that.

“Holy shit.” I didn’t know what to say. Dean stepped inside the room, pulling me along by my hand. “I got to tell you something.” I focused my eyes on Dean, who looked scared. “I know you think I was a dick. I was. Back when we were 16, I really was a fucking dickhead. No, not even that. I was the hole in the dickhead. I know you probably don’t believe it, but I seriously didn’t mean shit of what I was saying. I wanted to stay, I wanted to stay with you, but my dad had me convinced that a curse rested on us or some shit, and… Well, I didn’t want you to die. I should have tried to find you later. I should have done so much, but I was sure you’d be happier without me.” He drew a deep breath and locked eyes with me, his hand still clutching mine.

“I was so in love with you back then. I really, truly was. Sam knew it, I knew it, Bobby knew it. I thought… Anyway, when I saw you that day, where you saved our asses, I was blown away and I acted like a dick again. I think I just turned into 16-year old Dean again, and I was standing in front of you, drooling like a fucking moron, and I just…” H sighed – his hand was sweaty, and his eyes wet, but I couldn’t pull away. My heart was hammering in my chest, like I was a goddamn school-girl. “You know what? I want to be someone, you can love. I want to be that person, that you love. Because, whether you like it or not, I fucking love you. I love you, Y/N, and I love the kid, you’re brewing and I just… I love you.” He finally let go of my hand, and he stood there, in the middle of the fucking nursery, shaking from head to toe. And he had said those three magic words, the ones that I had half-way hoped to hear but didn’t expect to ever hear come out of his mouth.

“You’re calling me a brewery?” I asked. That was the first think in my head!? What the fuck!? Dean chuckled a little. “Sorry.” He was waiting for me to respond, and I didn’t know what to say. The idiot had just – again – turned my fucking world around, and now I had to take care of it again. I wanted to say something back to him, but I suddenly realized that I was terrified of him leaving me. I was scared to death, to stand alone with a kid, him just leaving with harsh words yet again, and I’d be left alone with lingering self-doubt and a kid on my hip.

But Dean stood there, looking so fucking frail and so far removed from everything I knew him to be, that I couldn’t think that this man, the one in front of me, surrounded by baby-stuff, would ever hurt me again. I didn’t know what to say, so I did the only fucking logical thing I could think of; I sprang on him.

Our lips met, and I instantly knew I was goddamn ruined. I was ruined by this man, this asshole in front of me, and his lips were on mine, desperate for more; I wrapped my arms around his neck and his fingers fell to my hips, gripping me tightly – my lips felt burning hot, and it felt so fucking right to kiss him. It felt as if a piece of the puzzle that was my fucked up life had finally fallen into place; damn him, for making me feel this way.

I pulled away by the need for air. I looked into his eyes and was surprised to see that they were wet with tears. “Did we put furniture in the bedroom?” I asked in a low voice. He looked confused. “yeah, why?” I moved slowly out of the nursery, backing into the bedroom behind me. “Because I think we should christen our bed.” I said, taking my shirt off.

It wasn’t heated or full of anger. It was slow, deliberate and intimate, a sense of absolute belonging as we were joined. My bump made it hard to do anything but to do it spooning, but it didn’t matter – it felt as if we were joined together, the slow, gentle thrusts making me cry out in joy. Dean was holding me tightly after spilling inside me, breathing deeply and resting his head against my shoulder.

“Is this okay?” He asked. I knew he asked about the whole ordeal – his confession, what we just did, what we did seven months ago, and I smiled softly, grasping his hand in mine.

“I’ll allow it.”

TAGLIST: @greenarrowhead ead, @baconlover001 @hobby27 , @trustnobodyshootfirst @mypage-myfandoms​, @chicagolove88​, @jenbarb10​, @imascio08

FOREVERLIST: @supernaturalmagicfolk​, @redeyedvixen​, @al1y , @roonyxx​, @sherlockstolemyname e​, @tayyfvck​, @heyitscam99​, @starletzombie​, @jensenyourdeanisshowing​, @linki-locks11

[buckaroo-blue]

50 Questions:

I was tagged by @wonderlandmind4 :)

1. What is the colour of your hairbrush?

-Black and green

2. Name a food you never eat?

-I’m “picky” aka have food OCD, so that’s a lengthy list lol. Some big no-go’s are mushrooms and asparagus. 

3. Are you typically too warm or too cold?

-I’m ALWAYS warm. 

4. What were you doing 45 minutes ago?

- Playing pool on my phone, listening to the top songs of 2004, and drinking a seltzer.

5. What is your favourite candy bar?

-Twix or bueno bars!! 

6. Have you ever been to a professional sports game?

-Yes! I’ve gone to see the Seattle Storm, the Sonics (back when they were ours!!), the Sounders, and the Mariners. 

7. What is the last thing you said out loud?

- “Ow.” I smacked myself in the face with a bowl when I went to funnel Fritos into my mouth........

8. What is your favourite ice cream?

- I’m the person that gets cotton candy or bubble gum lol. But I do really like coffee Oreo or anything caramel!

9. What is the last thing you had to drink?

- A Smirnoff raspberry rosé seltzer. They’re pretty sweet, but tasty nonetheless. 

10. Do you like your wallet?

- Yes! I’ve been a sucker for Coach since I was little, and even as my taste has evolved (read: gotten significantly more expensive), I always like to have a Coach wallet. Right now I have a dusty blue croc “skin” trifold that serves me well!

11. What was the last thing you ate?

-Fritos, before I smacked myself in the face with the bowl. 

12. Did you buy new clothes last weekend?

- No, but I bought a lamp! And I found some old Barnes and Nobles gift cards and ordered a book. But I work in retail, so I usually say yes to this question lol.

13. The last sporting event you watched?

-XFL. I wanted to be a Seattle Dragons fan, and I’m so bummed about the league folding.

14. What is your favourite flavour of popcorn?

-I’m not a huge popcorn fan, but I do love it when it’s chocolate-coated. Otherwise just a shit ton of butter. *WAIT NO, I lied. My neighbor makes this insane curry powder popcorn and it’s to die for.

15. Who is the last person who sent a text message to?

-Last person I messaged? @princesszorldo. Last person I texted? My dad (who is upstairs haha) to congratulate him in 27 years living in the United States.

16. Ever go camping?

- Kind of. I’ve never done the full on “tent on a camp site or in the woods”, but I’ve camped out in tents on retreats and I’ve gone to sleep away  camp.

17. Do you take vitamins?

-I ought to. I take a liquid multi and calcium sometimes, but I’m on so many meds that I have an aversion to taking pills when I don’t absolutely need to.

18. Do you go to church every Sunday?

- I used to. That’s a tricky subject for me, but I usually respond to religion with “I’m a Christian, but I don’t support institutionalized religion and the modern Christian church doesn’t widely reflect what I value and see the faith to be about”.

19. Do you have a tan?

- I’m half Filipino, so yeah. lol. BUT I like to joke that being half means that I get melanin for half of the year only. It’s a pretty drastic difference if you met me in August vs February.

20. Do you prefer Chinese food over pizza?

- Chinese! I love noodles!! But pizza is a pretty close second. 

21. Do you drink your soda with a straw?

- I’m not a big soda drinker, but I LOVE straws. I always have a reusable straw in my bag.

22. What colour socks do you usually wear?

- Usually white, but black if I’m working or going somewhere nice.

23. Do you ever drive above the speed limit?

- Not really. But I don’t really drive. I live right in the city and it’s so much easier to bus or take ride share. I’ve been able to drive since I was fifteen, but I got my license at nearly twenty-one. And I don’t have a car. I actually *hit* another car during my drive test and played dumb and the lady still passed me! Soooooo, I don't drive over the limit by way of I don't really drive. But I probably would if I drove more.

24. What terrifies you?

-Not being understood. Moths. The concept of eternity. 

25. What do you left, what do you see?

-Myself in my dresser mirror. I just cleaned my room, so my dresser top is clean!

26. What chore do you hate the most?

- I don’t like to clean the bathroom. But I do like to clean, so it’s not awful.

27. What do you think of a when you hear an Australian accent?

- @princesszorldo lol. And H2o

28. What’s your favourite soda?

-My friends tell me that orange Hi-C doesn’t count, but it does to me. I also like a nice lil Coca Light when I’m in Europe. I’m sure they have a different formula bc it just hits different.

29. Do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive?

- Drive-Thru!!! I hate getting out of the car if I don’t have to.

30. What’s your favourite number?

-16 bc I was born on the 16th.

31. Who’s the last person you talk to?

- Lol @princesszorldo. She’s basically the only person that I’m in regular communication with who I can stand right now.

32. Favourite cut of beef?

- I’m not a big beef person! I mostly eat white meats (CHIMKEN) if I eat meat. 

33. Last song you listen to?

- Gravity by John Mayer. 

34. Last book you read?

- I’m gonna say “The Siren” by Emmagnetised, but for a book-book I’m rereading Dune bc I’m excited for the movie!

35. Favourite day of the week?

-Friday! I miss happy hour and bar hopping. And dancing. And ditching my friends without saying anything bc I’m done with them and going for a hot dog at the good food cart by the Shell station.

36. Can you say the alphabet backwards?

- I learned in 7th grade bc I was being bullied and that’s what I would do to distract myself in class. But now it’s a cool party trick!

37. How do you like your coffee?

-COFFEEEEEEE. I take it lots of ways. If I’m camping or need something asap? Drip with half and half, and with honey and cinnamon if there’s any. At home? Stok cold brew with hazelnut creamer. On my way to and from work? Usually an iced vanilla latte or an iced white mocha. 

38. Favourite pair of shoes?

- My blue crocs. Or I have some baby pink Swedish Hasbeen clogs that I love! Or my maroon docs. But I wear my Sam Edelman pointy-toed booties the most bc I’m “highly encouraged” to wear heels to work.

39. Time you normally get up?

-For work? Between 6:30 and 7:30am. Lately? Noon. And that’s on narcolepsy and quarantine, periodt.

40. What do you prefer sunrise or sunset?

- Sunset bc I’m actually awake lol.

41. How many blankets on your bed?

- Two. I sleep with just a weighted blanket, but I have a duvet on the half of my bed that I don’t sleep on.

42. Describe your kitchen plates?

- Lol what. They’re blue. From Costco. I don’t like the size range that the set came in, but whatever. 

43. Describe your kitchen at the moment?

- There are sugar ants coming from somewhere, so a lot of our food is sitting on the dining room table lol. Fun fact! Pam spray kills those fuckers on sight. My mother isn’t happy that I figured that out.

44. Do you have a favourite alcoholic drink?

- Vodka tonics, usually. I love cider and seltzers. I’m a big tequila fan, but I’ve got to commit to that. I can’t have beer bc gluten hates me, and I can’t have Jäger anymore bc living in Prague funneled way too much of that shit through my esophagus, 

45. Do you play cards?

- I love games, but especially cards! Nerts, BS, speed, spoons.... I pick up new random games all the time, but those are some favorites.

46. What colour is your car?

- What car? If I had one it would be orange and obnoxious. Probably a Subaru Outback bc Seattle tings.

47. Can you change a tire?

- Bruh. After all of that do I sound like someone who can change a tire?

48. Your favourite state?

- WASHINGTON. Oregon and California get honorable mentions, though. I want to like New York, but I haven’t been. I feel like I would like Massachusetts, too. I’m fond of Texas, but that’s a complicated love lol.

49. Favourite job you’ve had?

- I like my current job (finally)! I’m a bridal stylist, and while there were some people on staff that were tough, I love working with brides and I was excited to learn that I quickly became one of the top sellers on my team!

50. How did you get your scar?

- Right wrist is from when I burned myself on the toaster oven when I was five. Left wrist from when Elly scratched me on the playground in third grade and the front office lady wouldn't let me go to the nurse bc she was friends with Elly’s mom and said “that’s what I deserved”. Left knee.....definitely not from falling after a night out.... Lots of old keloid scars on my ears from piercings. I had a cyst removed and that bad boy did not heal up nicely. Lovely. I mostly sprain and break things, though.

@princesszorldo here’s something to do while in quarantine lol

[roomtemp-ramen]

It's Coffee Time! Top Tips To Make The Best Cup

Think back -- which coffee cup do you remember the most? Maybe it was a cup you made or one you purchased from a shop. There are various ways to make coffee and there are many kinds of coffee. Keep reading to learn helpful information about coffee before you buy more in the future.

There have been many studies about whether or not coffee is healthy or harmful. Some state that the caffeine in coffee can be harmful unless it is consumed in moderation. Other studies seem to indicate that coffee can work as an antioxidant, and can actually help prevent some diseases such as cancer.

If you are planning to store coffee beans, keep them in a place that is close to room temperature. This will help to extend the longevity of the beans, so that no flavor is lost providing great-tasting coffee for a very long time. Storing coffee beans in temperatures too hot or cold can cause them to go stale faster.

For people who really enjoy a great cup of coffee, never take your beans or grind out of the freezer and into the hot water. Keep your beans at room temperature prior to brewing. If you have a lot, freeze some and keep enough at room temperature for the week.

For those individuals who do not want to consume caffeinated drinks, but love the flavor of coffee, they can enjoy decaffeinated coffee. Some people do not have a problem with a little caffeine, and half-caffeine coffee is a good choice for them. There is no appreciable difference in the flavor between full and half-caffeine coffee.

To get the ideal flavor from your coffee beans, the water needs to be just the right temperature. Boiling water is too hot and as a result will sap the more bitter oils from your beans. Alternately, water that is not hot enough will not brew all the flavor from your beans leaving you with a very bland coffee.

Coffee starts to lose flavor about six hours after it is initially roasted. This is why you should do everything you can to keep your coffee from getting a lot of air. When you store your coffee, use an airtight container so you can keep the quality of each cup at a high level.

Before you decide on a drive-thru establishment that you want to purchase from each morning, try them all to get an idea of the one you like the most. The last thing that you will want to do is settle for a mediocre coffee, if there is a place that you would enjoy better.

If you have trouble staying awake and have been buying those expensive energy drinks, you should start drinking coffee instead. Each energy drink contains about 100-150 milligrams of caffeine. You can get the same effect from drinking a cup of coffee or two, and you will not have to spend as much money.

There are many brands of coffee out there, and it can be hard to decide on a brand. Keep in mind that when it comes to coffee, the more expensive, it is the better it tastes. Avoid buying any coffee that is much to cheap since that means the quality will most likely not be that great.

If you prefer a strong cup of coffee than you should roast your beans from 12 to 14 minutes. The bean sugar caramelizes, giving the beans a slightly oily appearance when taken out of the roaster. This will give your coffee almost a smokey taste, perfect for espressos or those who just love a strong cup of joe.

Most coffee drinkers prefer a mild cup of coffee over any other strength. Roast your beans for around 7 minutes, or until they double in size and pop. This will make you a wonderfully mild and smooth cup of coffee. This is perfect for iced coffees and other coffee drinks.

Never store your coffee beans in the refrigerator. Coffee beans tend to soak up odors from other foods in the refrigerator, ruining the taste of your brew. Instead, if you aren't planning to use them within a week or two, store the beans in an air-tight container in the freezer to preserve freshness.

If you are in the habit of drinking a couple cups of coffee every day, you should think twice about having it if you get pregnant. The effects of caffeine on your unborn baby may be harmful, especially if you drink it in the first trimester. It is best to cut out other caffeinated drinks also.

You must now see, after reading, that you have a lot more great choices than you may have ever thought of. It likely has created the urge to purchase some coffee right away. Use these great suggestions! Enjoy!

[clippingpath502]

Coffee Tips You Can't Live Without

 Coffee is just so refreshing, isn't it? You may wonder how you can enjoy your coffee clipping path service differently than you do. Be sure that you haven't explored every option available to you. Continue reading to find out just how you can spice up that next cup of joe in the morning.

Better quality is more expensive. When you are buying coffee know that you will get a great cup of joe when you spend some money on it. Skimping on the quality of your coffee will always lead to a disappointing beverage.

Try adding spices to your coffee grounds to create your own "artisan" flavors. Think about things you would add to chocolate if you are having trouble deciding what to try. Start with simple things like cinnamon and nutmeg. You can also do things like adding a little vanilla abstract to your cup to enrich the flavor of your coffee.

 Do not heat coffee that has been previously brewed. This has been said to release harmful chemicals, although that is false. However, chemical compounds in the coffee decompose after sitting for an extended period, or when exposed to microwaves. You might think it does not taste quite right.

 Always store your coffee beans or grinds in a dark, cool, airtight container. Even better, use a vacuum container. Storing your coffee in such a container helps keep your coffee Photoshop color correction service smelling and tasting fresh for a long time. Store the container in the fridge or freezer to maximize freshness.

 Good water is critical. Keep in mind that whatever goes inside your brew affects the final taste. Distilled and filtered water taste the best, as all the things that can affect the coffee taste are not included in the water.

 Make sure that your videos have summaries or even transcripts of the content. The search engines cannot yet listen to or watch videos to index them accurately. So, a thorough description in the text or code is going to be your best bet at getting your video ranked well.

 After purchasing coffee it is important to properly store it for it to retain its freshness. If you will be using your coffee within a week, store it in an airtight plastic or glass container out of direct sunlight and away from heat. If it will be longer than a week before you will use it up, consider placing the coffee in the freezer.

 Make sure your coffee pot is clean. To get the freshest tasting coffee, you must be sure you are using a clean coffee pot. You can clean it by using a teaspoon of vinegar with a full coffee pot of water. Run your coffee pot as though you are making coffee.

 Before you decide on a drive-thru establishment that you want to purchase from each morning, try them all to get an idea of the one you like the most. The last thing that you will want to do is settle for a mediocre coffee if there is a place that you would enjoy better.

 Did you know that coffee can enhance your workout routine? Well, it can. The reason is because of the caffeine. However, it is important to ensure that you are well-hydrated beforehand because coffee can dehydrate it. Also, avoid drinking excessive amounts. Just a four-ounce cup is all that's needed.

 Make sure that you are using quality cream and sugar each time you are making coffee. In addition to the coffee being fresh, you will also want the things that you put into that drink to be fresh as well. This will help to improve the overall taste of your coffee each time you drink.

 Not all coffee should be stored in the freezer because doing so could result in less tasty coffee. Instead, you should divide your weekly stash of beans into equal amounts and keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. The future week amounts can be stored in the freezer.

 If you do not grind your coffee, you should consider doing so. The best and most flavorful cup of coffee will come from freshly ground beans. Coffee grinders are not very expensive and this extra step only takes a minute. You will notice the difference in taste from your very first cup.

 Think about just using coffee to make ice cubes. If you enjoy cold coffee but do not like how it gets saturated with water from melting ice, then this is an interesting alternative. It lest you avoid diluted beverages, and it stays naturally chilled for a decent time.

 Buy new coffee beans every two weeks. Once you open coffee image enhancement service beans, they usually don't have a set expiration date. You can seal them in airtight containers to keep them fresh longer. You will, however, likely find that the quality of the taste starts to fade a bit after two weeks.

 After your coffee is done brewing, remove the carafe from the machine. Leaving coffee on a hot plate will make it bitter and unpleasant to drink. If you don't plan to drink all of the coffee at once, then store it in a container with insulation.

 Proper measuring of the coffee grounds is necessary to produce the perfect cup of coffee. Measure two-level tablespoons of ground coffee for each cup of coffee you are brewing. A "cup" of coffee contains six ounces of water. If your coffee maker came with a scoop, check to see that it holds two tablespoons before using it.

 The water used for brewing your morning coffee should be the range of 195-205 degrees. Many coffee makers from the store will not reach those temperatures. You may prefer to heat the water on your own. French presses are great, so you should think about buying one.

 Now, are you excited? Get pumped, and go buy that gourmet blend you've been wanting to try. Experiment with different flavors, add some different ingredients to your coffee e-commerce image editing service. Heck, even through it on some ice! Remember what you've read here as you jump out of bed tomorrow for that fresh cup of coffee.

Read more click here.

[destiel-iscanonshutup-blog]

Coffee Maker Review 2018

Some weeks again, a reader contacted me inquisitive about understanding if i’ve but attempted the staresso manual coffee maker, as he modified into deliberating buying it and have become inquisitive about my mind. i’d no longer tried it, so i responded to allow him realize i’d purchase it and allow him realize – alongside facet a evaluate on the weblog.

that may be a pump motion manual coffee maker, it’s not the nice one in each of its kind, there’s handpresso, handpresso wild hybrid,  wacoco minipresso & the newer nanopresso – which even works with nespresso & nespresso like minded pods – and there are quite a few extra guide pump operated espresso makers too. i don’t claim to recognize which came first, the hen or the egg, or handpresso or wacoco and so on., but certainly those varieties of guide portable espresso makers were round multiple years now. i bear in mind seeing minipresso more than one years once more and questioning, hmm, i bet that doesn’t paintings very well – i assume i used to be incorrect, definitely, however except, i’ve been wrong earlier than in order that’s no massive deal ;-).

staresso seem to be quite a piece exceptional than the opposite designs i’ve visible, they appear a great deal less “flasky” than a number of the others available in the marketplace that include a plastic flask cup kind affair. there’s a cortado glass type espresso machine cup which fits into the lowest detail, and it’s additionally provided not just as a portable coffee maker, but additionally as a cappuccino maker, with the declare that it additionally froths the milk, which i found very thrilling!

so, i purchased it – lamentably, it took almost three weeks to come back – which reminded me of why i commonly buy the entirety on amazon ;-), however it came in the long run – so without similarly ado…

staresso coffee maker evaluation. unboxing and first impressions. unboxing staresso manual espresso maker

my first thoughts on searching at the container itself, after which beginning it to retrieve the staresso, are truly correct. i’m impressed through the use of the first-rate of the field, the way it's been packed, the lack of excessive packing substances – adequate the plastic bag in all likelihood isn’t wished, they could take away that or use compostable paper or some thing, but i’ve visible a ways worse.

the unit itself comes entire, there’s very little meeting to do – and it appears and feels honestly immoderate great.

i simply like the glass, i’d likely purchase it just for this – how sad am i?? 😉 it’s a actually tremendous thick walled cortado glass type thing, and if they supplied the ones separately i’d purchase a number of them, adore it.

it’s all really self-explanatory in terms of a way to apply it, i had a glance on the manual – but i didn’t experience compelled to look at it, it’s honestly easy.

it comes with a bit cleansing brush detail, and a spare rubber gasket, all specific – the first-rate factor i used to be a bit disappointed with on first inspection changed into the interior track/tamper, which is flimsy, turned into nearly oval customary whilst getting it from the field, and doesn’t look as much as an lousy lot as a tamper.

but other than that, truely inspired, all seems appropriate, and keen to give it a go.

staresso manual coffee maker all the bits and portions how the staresso seems even as you are taking it all aside.

first try – luke warm coffee all people? first coffee from staresso guide pump coffee maker.

i’ve used guide coffee makers before, consisting of aptitude and rok, so i ought to have stated that i’d want to pre-warmness the whole lot, in any other case i’d become with coffee which isn’t warm sufficient, and additionally this will have an effect on the extraction, so cool espresso isn’t the quality.

however i forgot, and that i simply went in advance and pumped out an espresso with everything cold – and the end result turned into precisely that, luke heat espresso. crema appeared right sufficient, flavor wasn’t lousy both in reality, but it became in reality no longer particularly heat at all, now not the best.

so, i then pre-warmed the entirety, such as my new preferred glass ;-), the brew chamber, the pump, the whole thing – only for 30 seconds or so in water simply off the boil – did it over again, and this time – wow, plenty higher!

the grind became a chunk at the coarse aspect, have become a chunk under extracted, so i needed to tweak and dial in, but as soon as i did that, i was in truth impressed by way of the espresso i used with the intention to produce by means of the usage of hand with the staresso.

a few element else i puzzled about, was whether you can slap a nespresso pod in there, whether or no longer the strain will be enough to pierce the foil, it wasn’t (even though i didn’t strive lavazza, they art work a chunk otherwise so i have to have tried that) – however just out of hobby, i tried establishing multiple nespresso espresso pods and the use of the floor coffee from these within the staresso portafilter, and erm – positive – this labored perfectly, honestly inspired. so if you do get this form of,  and if you don’t have a grinder in any other case you’re in an excessive amount of of a rush to grind, you’d be adequate chucking a few nespresso pods or nespresso compatible pods for your bag – then just open the foil, tip the pod over and vicinity it in the staresso filter out, tap it – and cast off it. i discovered that  nespresso coffee pods just slightly over-crammed the clear out, so i brushed the extra off, and then tamped it with the plastic scoop tamper (that's crap, i’ll get onto that during a minute), and pumped as normal.

if you’re using two nespresso pods or compatibles in line with brew on this – then it’s not the cheapest, even though if you’re shopping for a number of the cheaper compatibles for about 25p every, 50p isn’t lousy.

frothing milk? properly – type of… cappuccino via staresso manual espresso maker. i made this with the staresso, which consist of the coffee and the frothed milk. seems adequate, but it’s luke heat, too cold for me to even trouble consuming, to be honest.

one of the claims of the advertising bumf of the staresso is that it’ll froth milk too, so it’s a portable manual cappuccino or latte maker.

properly, sure – it truly works, form of. you are taking the pump detail off, positioned this into the milk and pump to create the air, to create the froth, and it does sort of artwork.

however…

it’s sluggish, its a faff – and also you come to be with luke heat latte. i wouldn’t call it cappuccino, i couldn’t get it frothed enough for that, i’d name it latte, perhaps even cortado for the cause that the glass looks as if a cortado, relying at the espresso to milk ratio – but it’s allow down via the truth that by the point you’ve messed about frothing it, it’s quite luke heat.

in case you had a tenting range and you could froth it while it’s however being warmed, then that may match – no matter the fact that i’d actually say be very careful faffing approximately trying to froth milk at the same time as you’re heating it, as that looks like an coincidence geared up to arise!

in my opinion, if i desired to froth milk on the skip i’d genuinely shove a battery operated whisk kind milk frother in my bag, just like the nicely vintage ikea milk frothers, for multiple quid, or a snazzy model which includes the sedhoom or the ozeri deluxe – those are less complicated, there’s a good deal less faffing, they’re faster – and they’re able to thicker foam if you’re looking to make that sort of foam for a cappuccino.

the quality to sum up what’s splendid about the staresso, i assume it’s a properly constructed manual coffee maker, it feels and appears pinnacle exceptional. the nice of the coffee i think is in truth appropriate, so long as you pre-warm the whole lot. it’s pretty mild, it’s brief and easy to clean, and i certainly similar to the glass that includes it – i some distance determine upon ingesting from a tumbler than ingesting from a plastic lid-cup.

the horrible the tamper scoop is horrible. aside from the reality it’s made from flimsy plastic, it’s too small… simply it’s no longer that tough to make sure that the tamper scoop is the right size for the clear out? it’s no longer without a doubt ever so slightly too small each, it’s way too small, i had to glide it around and tamp a few times in an attempt to tamp the general ground of the p.c.. if i used to be keeping this (i’m not – i’m giving it away, greater on that quick) i would be looking for a few issue else to use.

as i cited in advance, frothing milk with the pump is a pleasing idea, however it doesn’t actually paintings, it’s too much of a faff, takes to long, and the milk cools down too much in at the same time as you’re at it, which means you come to be with lukewarm latte.

hints for the usage of the staresso portable coffee maker pre-warming. simply pour hot water into the chamber, close to it up, wait 20-30 seconds, after which pump the new water thru into the cup. go away the cup to heat up for 10-20 seconds or so, then pour it all out. yeah this gives a minute or as a way to the method, however your coffee might be higher extracted and hotter, as a give up end result.

pumping. don’t push the pump all the way down, in reality prevent barely in advance than it's far going all of the way in, the reason i say that is that during case you pump it all of the manner into the groove each time, i used to be locating that every now and then i through chance became the pump slightly and it goes into the locked close to role, and you lose momentum whilst you’re searching for to release it.

nespresso pods. as i stated in advance, i used to be actually stimulated with how nicely the staresso did with the floor coffee from nespresso pods. i just opened the foil, tipped the coffee in, after which tamped. i did use two pods despite the fact that, i don’t suppose one is probably sufficient.

in which to buy the staresso? it’s about £45 quid right here on amazon, to be had on amazon high.

i typically buy the whole thing from amazon, i have amazon prime, so i look for the blue tick to affirm that high is available for that product, so i am getting unfastened subsequent day (generally) transport. it amazes me every now and then, i’ll order a few element on a saturday and get it on sunday, having said that i’d be greater than glad to attend an afternoon or  longer if that made for a nicer & greater comfortable going for walks surroundings and plenty much less stress & stress for his or her frame of workers!

however this time, i broke from lifestyle, it grow to be on offer at sportspursuit.com for quite a piece less luxurious, however it took nearly 3 weeks to reach, and i were given no conversation from them in any respect approximately the order. it became just a case of pay for it, wait, it’ll come subsequently. a totally amazing enjoy from ordering from amazon, and without a doubt jogs my memory why i normally purchase from amazon. not that i’m pronouncing all on-line shops except amazon are gradual, of direction.

lifestyles is sort of a container of goodies, so follow me on twitter, instagram & fb and that’s all i have to mention approximately that.

[rdgpcg]

  Splish splash breathe. Splish splash breathe. The black line in the bottom of the pool passed relentlessly beneath me like it had almost every day for weeks on end. Ever since I was restricted to a boot

Not the boot I wound up using . . but same effect.

and told to rest my wonky post tibial tendon, I had racked up miles on the gyms “swim challenge” like never before. Was I in the running for the cash prize for being first to 100 miles? Heck no. There are always some nefarious shenanigans that happen whenever cash is on the line. For some folks, winning that prize is pretty important and some pretty unbelievable pool time gets logged. Nonetheless, it was respectable and honest mileage for me especially considering I have no real current motivation to train.

  The good news is I am now boot-free. I had a check in with Dr. Oller of Media Foot Care last Monday and got the all-clear with a few cautions. While there, Richard showed me pictures of what it looks like when the post-tibial tendon snaps. He had just fixed someone’s foot where this had happened and said the patient was in for a long, painful recovery.

There is lots of cutting, drilling, and screwing to fix a flat foot. (Note: This picture was not provided by Dr. Oller). 

I had also spent some time while booted reading in-depth articles about Post-Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD) and the associated surgeries. None of them sound like fun and given that, if all goes well, I still probably have another 30-40 years of walking around on this blue orb, I should probably heed the advice to give up running.

  Mentally, I haven’t yet shifted out of the mindset of being a runner. Races still pique my interest, Friday group runs are still something I think about until I remember “Oh . . that’s right. I’m not a runner anymore”. While the concept still seems foreign, I’m learning to accept it.

I’ve been waiting for a new idea. All of my motivation to stay fit and healthy the last few years has come from wanting to be the best athlete I can and the athletic events of choice were running or triathlon. More than once over the course of the last month, I’ve convinced myself there was no real need to go swim, or even eat healthy. “What difference does it make”? And that’s not healthy. I need something new.

The question is what? Many well meaning friends have suggested this:

Um. No. Trust me on this. No.

Of course there is always the ever-popular Elliptigo.

Are there Elliptigo races?

While it may be a good workout, it isn’t exactly what I’m looking for. There is also Stand-Up paddle boarding or (SUP). I actually have quite a few SUP friends including Jen Panetta

Former awesome runner now awesome SUP’r, Jen Panetta.

who was similarly forced out of running by an uncooperative body. This has real possibilities down the road and I’d like to try it someday. Right now it is a little cost prohibitive and water access is a bit limited. But I’d like to try it. I’ve also always envied rowers. In my opinion, rowers are the fittest of the fit. They use every muscle in their body and take the cardio vascular system as close to the edge of human limits as possible. I remember watching an Oxford vs. Cambridge match-up a few years ago and the contestants were completely and totally spent at the finish. They collapsed in their boats waiting the results of a photo finish that showed Oxford held their winning streak by mere millimeters. It was one of the most exciting sporting events I’ve watched. Again see SUP comments about cost, and water proximity not to mention cold winters.

  One of the biggest rivalries in sports history with some of the fittest athletes. Oxford vs. Cambridge.

I began aimlessly writing this article in the wee hours this morning. I tend to crawl out of bed at what most would find to be a ridiculously early hour. Of course, I go to bed at an equally ridiculous early hour so it works out. Sleep habits aside, I felt the need to write but the words were coming slowly. It is supposed to be slightly cooler in Hell this weekend than Pennsylvania so as soon as the sun topped the trees enough to create adequate visibility, I hopped on my gravel bike and headed out for an early ride to beat the heat.

The plan was to head East on pavement and make my way to the Schuylkill River Trail (SRT) entrance in Birdsboro. The beauty of the gravel bike is the ability to go almost anywhere including pavement, semi-improved roads, dirt, gravel, trails and light mountain terrain. I kept a steady clip rolling East at about 18 mph until I got to the trail. This was my first time jumping off-road since I picked up “Carl” (my Specialized Diverge). My only injury-plagued rides this season were a couple road loops.

Gravel biking is the second biggest surge in cycling at the present time. (In the biggest surge, e-Bikes are leading the pack and getting people out of their cars). The US in general and Pennsylvania in particular are loaded with miles and miles of rail trails most of which have a gravel or cinder surface and are unsuitable for road-biking. But many road bikers were not satisfied going from their comfortable and fast road machines to  riding mountain bikes or hybrids on the trails. Many cyclists, being tinkerers at heart began modifying Cyclocross bikes to handle longer distances and give a bit more versatility to their use. The cycling industry saw the softball pitched at them and has hit it out of the park with nearly every manufacturer now producing several models of gravel bike.

My Specialized Diverge gravel bike.

So what makes a bike a gravel bike? Well, there is a lot of cross-over from mountain biking, cyclocross, and road bikes. The geometry typically starts out as that of a comfort road bike (a roadie designed for long-distance riding), but gets a higher bottom bracket such as those seen in ‘cross, though gravel grinders aren’t quite as high as that of a ‘cross bike. It then typically gets disc brakes, extra eyelets for water bottles, fenders or packs. Gravel bikes also have wider forks built with thru axles to accept fatter tires. These fatter tires are usually tubeless or tubeless ready. Tubeless tires tend to handle the likely punctures from a non-paved surface better than road tires and inner tubes. The gravel bike market is exploding with new and cross over technology continuously providing new bikes with new features at all price points. The end result is a bike that can handle nearly any surface whether it is the paved Tuesday night group ride, a muddy river trail, or a two-track through the desert. The rider can go from one to the next without skipping a beat, changing bikes, or swapping wheels.

  As I turned off the pavement and onto the stony trail entrance I was a little trepidatious. I am mostly a road cyclist because they make you ride the bike between swimming and running in a triathlon. I have very limited mountain biking experience and wasn’t sure how my new bike with it’s 38mm tires would handle in stones and gravel. I pushed the pedals and glided up the stone driveway, on to the gravel trail and off through the woods. I’ve run this section of trail dozens of times over the years but had never been on it by bike. Familiar landmarks whizzed by. I floated along under the shade passing occasional runners, other bikers, and dog walkers.

May I pause here for a Public Service Announcement? *Ahem* . . for those who like to run, bike, or walk on public trails with your ear buds in and the music cranked up please look around now and then! Chances are there are other trail users who don’t want to run over you or scare the bejeezus out of you. On a related note, I need to buy a bell for my bike.

Now back to our story. As I rode along, the grin on my face got wider and wider. While I do enjoy road cycling it can sometimes get a bit tedious or boring. Zipping along the shady trail on my bike was some of the most fun I’ve had in quite a while. It reminded me of my boyhood when my bike meant freedom and transportation. After school I’d be off on my bike laden with hunting or fishing equipment bound for the river or woods. Even as I rode along the SRT the anticipation of using my new toy to access remote parts of hunting areas this fall leapt to mind.

You’ve, no doubt heard the phrase “If you build it, they will come” made famous by the movie “Field of Dreams”.

If you build it, they will come.

In addition to baseball, this theory also applies to cycling or, more specifically, gravel biking. The states, counties, and cities have built the trails, the bike makers have built the bikes, and now the race directors are on-board with gravel racing. It’s a big thing! There are new classics all over the country including the Dirty Kanza, The Amish Country Roubaix, and many others. These races are challenging endurance events minus the life-threatening crashes of a road criterium. These events seem similar to the marathon in running combining athleticism and and training with mental fortitude for endurance. I could do this.

An awesome gravel race somewhere.

There was a moment on the trail when I glanced down at a sign that marked the 50 mile mark of the river trail. The SRT makes it’s way from downtown Philadelphia all the way to Pottsville, Pennsylvania. As I rode past this 50 mile post, the idea came to me that one could, in theory, enjoy a beer at Yuengling in the morning, hop on their bike and finish the day with a cold one at the Manayunk Brewing Company. Now if that isn’t a worthy goal I don’t know what is. Who’s with me?

The Schuylkill River Trail

Waiting on a New Idea Splish splash breathe. Splish splash breathe. The black line in the bottom of the pool passed relentlessly beneath me like it had almost every day for weeks on end.