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heauxplesslydevoted · 3 years

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Then & Now (Ethan x MC)

Summary: A particularly difficult case forces Ethan to confront a blast from his past

A/N: This popped into my head and I had too much fun writing it. I will loosely incorporate some of the themes from book 3 and make them better, but this is mostly an AU.

A/N 2: Yes I’m writing another multipart fic while actively ignoring my others. The muses spoke and I had no choice in the matter. Enjoy!

~v~

“Would you like some more coffee, Dr. Ramsey?”

Whatever line he was reading in his textbook blurs as does his vision. Ethan looks up at the face of the newest member of the team, a young resident, Isabelle. He takes the cup, not missing the way her eyes light up as he does so. What is it with residents and their incessant need to kiss-ass and be people pleasers?

“Thank you, Dr. Proctor.”

“Of course! I figured we’d need all the caffeine we could get our hands on with this case.”

Ethan doesn’t respond with words, only offering the young woman a hum in acknowledgement. Instead his eyes land on his coworker, Harper Emery. “Harper, has your team been able to come up with anything new?”

“Nothing,” Harper replies with a resigned sigh.

“You have got to be kidding me.”

“I’ve run as many tests, MRIs and CT scans as I could, and none of them came back with anything conclusive. We’re officially back to square one.”

Ethan hasn’t been this stumped in years. A week ago, a patient came to Edenbrook after waking up without being able to feel anything from the waist down. A young, relatively healthy 25 year old with no extraordinary medical history, no recent reports of any TBI, nothing. He assumed with Harper–one of the nation’s greatest neurosurgeons–on the case, that this would be a simple fix.

As painful as it is to admit, he’s wrong.

They’ve gotten nowhere with the case, they’ve made no progress, and to make matters worse, he has Leland Bloom and the board breathing down his neck because it’s been years since the team has spent more than a week on a case, so a week with no news reflects poorly on them—on him, as the team’s leader specifically.

The last member of the team, Tobias, clears his throat. “Did he ever mention getting into a fight? Maybe he took a hit to the head, and just doesn’t want to admit it?”

“Maybe, but like I said, none of the CT scans or MRIs showed me anything out of the norm,” Harper says. “I can always ask him again.”

“That’d be ideal–”

Ethan’s sentence is cut off as the door to their office is thrown open, and in walks Leland. “Hello, team!”

The most senior members of the team stay silent, but Isabelle gives a slight wave. “Hello, Mr. Bloom.”

“Dr. Proctor,” Leland greets in turn. “Nice to know at least one of you has manners.”

Ethan checks the time on his watch. “What are you doing here, Bloom?”

“Last time I checked, I owned this entire building and I didn’t need to ask your permission to be here.”

“We’re nearing midnight,” Ethan adds. “What are you still doing here, and not at home? I’m sure Mrs. Bloom would enjoy seeing you.”

Leland ignores the mention of his wife Caroline, pretending like she wasn’t mentioned at all. “I just stopped by your patient’s room to see how he was doing. And then I decided to drop by to check in with you guys. Are there any updates on the Miller case?”

“I’m not discussing patient information with you,” Ethan says.

“Well, I am your boss.”

“And until you go to medical school, graduate, become a doctor at this hospital, and join in on this case, I don’t have to tell you anything. You may own this hospital, but I do not have to discuss my patients with you.”

“Okay, so you guys have no new information,” Leland concludes.

Ethan pinches the bridge of his nose in annoyance, this conversation giving him a headache even though it just started. “We were actually in the middle of a brainstorming session before we were interrupted, so if we could have some privacy again, that would be much appreciated.”

Ethan’s tone causes Leland to drop the veneer of kindness, the smile dropping from his face only for a second before he catches it. He looks away and sniffs haughtily. “Fine. I’ll check in with the patient tomorrow for a status update, since it’s clear I won’t be getting it from my employees. Thankfully, his father and I go way back.”

“I can’t stop the patient from divulging his own information.”

Leland glances around the room one more time, his gaze lingering on Ethan a bit longer than it does on the other occupants. “Goodnight, doctors.”

Once Leland leaves, Harper turns towards Ethan. “You act like it would literally kill you to be nice to him.”

“Be nice for what? Bloom thinks we owe him undying loyalty and infinite ass kissing because he bought the hospital. He’s pulled a lot of nonsense since moving into this position, but he’s not worth breaking any laws over. My patients deserve their privacy.”

“And I agree, but the extra hostility isn’t needed. The last thing we need is World War 3 with you and Bloom tearing down the hospital. Just be nice.”

“Okay, are we getting back to work or calling it a night?”

The rest of the team glances around each other. Pulling an all-nighter with Ethan while he’s in a foul mood sounds like a nightmare.

“We’re calling it a night.”

~v~

Ethan ends up falling asleep in the office, finally dozing off around 5 o'clock in the morning, surrounded by a mountain of books and the harsh light of his computer screen. The sleep is short lived though as the sound of his pager wakes him up.

He jumps up with a start, and checks the time on his watch before checking his pager. He only managed to get two hours of sleep, but he can’t dwell on that. The page is a 911 alert to his patient’s room.

“Shit!”

He takes off to the 4th floor where his patient is housed, thankful that the early morning hour means the hospital is not yet flooded with people.

Isabelle, Harper, and a nurse are already in the room when Ethan finally makes it. “What’s going on?”

“He had a seizure,” Harper explains.

“How long did it last?”

“Around 50 seconds. We administered lorazepam into his IV.”

“Could this be a new symptom?” Valencia asks. “Or something else entirely?”

Harper shrugs. “I don’t know, but I’m going to take him down to radiology for another CT scan. Hopefully this next one can actually yield some results.”

Ethan nods. “That sounds like a plan. In the meantime, Dr. Proctor, add seizures onto the list of symptoms to broaden our search criteria. Maybe that’ll help.”

“Gotcha.”

“We’ll reconvene when Tobias comes in and once we get the new CT scans back.”

There’s a knock at the door and Ethan bristles when Leland’s loud voice calls out to him. “Dr. Ramsey, can I speak to you out in the hallway?”

“With all due respect, I’d rather not.”

“It wasn’t a request, doctor. Hallway, now.”

Ethan shoots Harper a look, and she gives him a quick sympathy smile before he and Leland step out into the hallway.

They move a few feet away from the patient’s door, out of earshot before Leland lays into Ethan. “How in the hell is the patient actually managing to get worse under your care?”

The question actually takes Ethan aback. “You can’t possibly be saying his condition is my fault?”

“I’m saying he’s been here for a week now, and he’s no better off than where he was. You don’t have any information to give him or his family. Do you know how many phone calls my assistant has had to field because they want to get him transferred to a different facility?”

“We are giving him the best care possible, Leland. Just because you and his father belong to the same country club or whatever, does not mean there’ll be some instant diagnosis or treatment that he can buy...or steal. We need to do our due diligence.”

Leland is smart enough to know when a dig is being lobbed in his direction. His eyes narrow. “What are you trying to say, Ethan?”

“Exactly what I just did. Besides, why do you have such a vested interest in my team and what we do? I’m sure you have other businesses and people to micromanage these days.”

“You guys don’t make me any money yet remain my biggest cost. The least you can do is be efficient and answer my questions when I ask.”

“And like I told you last night, I know you own this place. You never let me forget it. But you buying this hospital does not mean I am here at your beck and call, now does it mean I have to be governed under anything that isn’t set forth by the American Medical Association. Now, me team is the best this hospital and this city have to offer, so back up and let us do our jobs.”

“You guys are the best?” Leland chuckles humorlessly. “Act like it. Or I’ll find someone else who can.”

The threat causes Ethan to pause. “What does that mean?”

“You heard me loud and clear, Dr. Ramsey. Loud and clear.”

~v~

“You idiot! Why on earth would you get into a fight with Bloom in the middle of a hallway?”

Ethan doesn’t try to school his bored expression as Tobias paces the entire length of the office, huffing and puffing as he does so.

“I didn’t get into a fight with him,” Ethan amends. “It was an exchange of words.”

“A loud exchange of words,” Harper adds. “In front of our patient’s room, might I add.”

“I had plans for this day to be productive, but the minute that man opens his mouth, I just–”

“We get it, you don’t like him,” Tobias interjects.

“Disliking Leland is an understatement.”

Isabelle stays silent, unable to find a good place to cut in, despite having questions. Ethan’s dislike of Leland Bloom is the hospital’s worst kept secret, but the contention has always been passive aggressive at best. And as a second year resident, she doesn’t have any background knowledge on why the relationship is the way that it is.

“I don’t like him either, but you don’t see me needling him in front of the nurse’s station!”

“Sure Leland is...obnoxious at times, but I don’t understand any of it,” Isabelle says, finally speaking up. Ethan looks at her as if he’s just now remembering that she’s been in the room the entire time. “What happened that caused this much animosity?”

Leland’s kidney disease wasn’t a major secret. Most medical personnel that worked at Edenbrook and the larger Boston area remember the huge media blitz, and all of the pomp and circumstance surrounding his hospitalization early last year. And the official story is Leland got a kidney from a family member who wished to keep their identity a secret from the public, and everyone ate it up.

Only a handful of people know the truth. That a few well placed phone calls and dollars exchanged got Leland to the top of the donor list within a day, stealing a second chance from the true person at the top of the list: a 14 year old girl.

“So long as there is breath in my body, Leland Bloom and his ilk will never get an ounce of respect from me, and I’ll just leave it at that,” Ethan says cooly. “And that’s all you need to know, Dr. Proctor.”

“Okay.”

“I’m just saying man, Bloom is petty,” Tobias adds. “Men like him, who think the rest of us should bow at their feet, don’t take kindly to getting told off, especially in public. Underneath the billions is a tiny ass, fragile ego. Can you just keep a low profile and be quiet for the next day or two, so Bloom doesn’t dismantle this team?”

“I’ll be as cordial as Bloom is,” is what Ethan settles upon. “Nothing more, nothing less.”

The only thing that can rival Ethan’s intelligence is his stubbornness. Tobias knows it’s the best he’s going to get out of Ethan, so he relents. “Okay.”

“Good. Now can we get back to work and stop talking about Bloom?”

His team nods and Ethan sighs in relief.. They still have a chance to turn things around and actually have a good day.

They fall into a productive routine, tossing around different theories, sharing research and narrowing down ideas. Too bad that only lasts for about half an hour before there’s a knock at the office door. A few seconds later, Naveen pokes his head in.

Ethan smiles because part of him was expecting Leland to show up again. “Naveen, this is a nice surprise! Don’t tell me you’re ready to get back in the saddle.”

Naveen laughs good-naturedly at his mentee. “Not quite.”

“Well what brings you down here?”

“I wanted to talk to you for a second, Ethan,” Naveen says.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes. It’s not about me, it’s work related. Team related news, that I wanted to tell you personally,” Naveen explains, fully entering the office. “Is there any way I could steal you for a few minutes?”

“If it involves the team, I think we can have the conversation here. Is this about my...spirited discussion with Leland?”

“No, it’s about the case you’re working on.”

“Now I know we don’t usually work on cases for this long, and we’re working on it.”

“I know. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Leland has some concerns about how long it’s taking you guys to treat this patient, and he told me that he wants to outsource some extra help to speed things along.”

“No thank you.”

“He’s already made phone calls. I’m just here to give you a heads up about who he picked.”

“A heads up?” Ethan scoffs and rolls his eyes. Who on earth could Leland think of reaching out to that Ethan would need a warning about? “Who is he asking for? Mendoza from MK? Catherine Morgan from Stanford? The Boogeyman?”

“I don’t think I’ve reached Boogeyman levels of infamy. Well, at least not yet.”

The voice makes the hair on the back of Ethan’s neck stand up. It’s a voice he hasn’t heard in close to three years, one that he thought he’d never hear again.

His eyes snap up, locking with the large brown ones staring back at him, and all of the breath leaves his lungs at once. The last time he looked into these eyes, they weren’t full of humor like they are now, but pure fire. His chest constricts, inhaling suddenly the most difficult task in the world.

The entire room goes silent, everyone watching as Ethan and the woman stay locked in their staring contest. Isabelle’s eyes dart back and forth, hoping someone can clue her into what’s going on, but Naveen, Harper and Tobias offer zero assistance.

Isabelle takes the quiet time to appraise the stranger. She’s petite, almost a foot shorter than Ethan even with her sky high Jimmy Choos on. The second thing that catches her attention is the mess of dark curly hair spilling over her shoulders, and the amused smirk on her face, like a cat that got the canary.

The woman breaks eye contact with Ethan to look past his shoulder. “Harper, Tobias, hello. Long time no see.”

When he regains the ability to speak, Ethan grits out, “Naomi, what on earth are you doing here?”

“I got an interesting call from Leland Bloom this morning, saying that the diagnostics team was in dire need of some assistance on a particularly difficult case. Within the hour, his private helicopter was picking me up.”

Ethan takes a sterling’s breath and silently counts to 3 before talking again. “I’m not working with you.”

“You don’t have a choice. Not unless you quit.”

“Don’t tempt me.”

Naomi rolls her eyes. “Drama was never a good look on you, darling, I was always better suited for it.” She turns her attention to the young resident gawking at her, turning on her megawatt smile. “You’re new. I don’t know you.”

“Um, n-no you don't. I’m Dr. Isabelle Proctor.”

“Isabelle,” Naomi repeats slowly, letting it roll off of her tongue. “What a pretty name.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m Dr. Naomi Ramsey.”

The last name catches her attention. Her eyes flicker over to Ethan’s face, catching the way his jaw ticks as female Dr. Ramsey talks.

“I can see the wheels turning in your head as I talk, so I’ll clear things up for you right quick,” Naomi continues. “No, the last name thing isn’t a coincidence. I’m Ethan’s ex-wife." She sticks out a hand for Isabelle to shake. "Nice to meet you.”

~v~

Tags: @openheartfanfics @mvalentine @choicesaddict5 @professorkingslay @maurine07 @aka-calliope @bluebellot @whimsicallywayward15 @blossomanarchy @takemyopenheart @jamespotterthefirst @fanmantrashcan @whatchique @ao719 @x-kyne-x @paulfwesley @the-pale-goddess @writinghereandthere @ramseyandrys @perriewinklenerdie @aworldoffandoms @thatcatlady0716 @drakewalker04 @canknot @hatescapsicum @lapisreviewsstuff @senseofduties @badchoicesposts @ethandaddyramseyx @chasingrobbie @zodiacsign1 @choices-lurker @my-heart-beats-for-ya @adrian-motherfucking-raines @riverrune @edith-eggs1 @cecilecontrera @thatysn @bellcat2010 @blainehellyes @junehiratas @choices-love-affair @openheart12 @desmaranj @nazario-sayeed @aestheticartsx @ruinedbypixels @nooruleman @rookie-ramsey @uneravine @choicest

#playchoices #choices: stories you play #open heart #ethan ramsey #ethan ramsey x mc

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subsequentibis · 2 years

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*waves* please tell me more about Hotel Podcast! Like, is it really just called " The Hotel" ? That's a horrible name for searching , help! It looks eldritch, is it eldritch??

ISN'T IT THOUGH, ISN'T IT JUST THE WORST, WHY DID THEY DO THIS. here's links i have links for you.

there's spotify and podbay, i listen on spotify and also i'm a patron of the show so i have a private acast feed. but i like to still listen on spotify to give them views. highly recommend becoming a patron for the soft canon bonus episodes and behind the scenes stuff!

IT'S ELDRITCH AS HELL. it starts out as a slightly generic one horrific death per episode show and evolves into an Overarching Plot, if you liked the magnus archives (which i know you did) you will like this! it's much smaller and more focused though, and a little less conspiracy board - recently in a behind the scenes ep the creator actually said he would prefer people not obsess over the little details and instead just enjoy the flow, and that you don't really have to worry about the backlog if you don't want to. it's got a fucky timeline though so i'm extremely making a corkboard with red string and plot points trying to figure out what it all MEANS.

#ibis answers #also i got mentioned by name in that behind the scenes episode. still freaking out about it a little #the official twitter retweets all the fanart and we've chatted a little in the comments. fun!

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cancerbiophd · 4 years

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Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker

THIS BOOK is life changing. (Even Bill Gates thought so!) I learned so much, and not just scientific facts that satisfy my curiosity. My (seemingly defunct) sleep habits have been validated, and I’m now empowered with ways to drastically improve my physical, mental, and emotional health. Ever since finishing the book I’ve been enthusiastically telling others to please read it.

Some things I’ve personally learned:

Being a night owl, early bird, or somewhere in the middle is genetic. We literally can not change this “habit”, because it’s not a habit; it’s a biological function. About 40% of people are early birds, 30% are night owls, and 30% are in the middle. The theory as to why we’ve evolved this way is because as a social species, this natural ability to take turns keeping watch at night improves our survival as a whole. Thus we as a society need to rethink and rework the ways that our world favors early birds and shuns night owls.

All teenagers have a shift in circadian rhythm that is different than young children and adults. They literally can not naturally fall asleep until well past midnight, and thus should not be waken up until after their 8 hours of sleep. What parents--and society--expecting teens to go to bed by 10 pm and wake up by 6 or 7 am for school is like asking an adult to go to bed at 7 or 8 pm, and then wake up at 4 am. Horrible, right? And yes, that chronic sleep-deprivation does have real consequences, such as a link to increased physical and mental illness.

The natural human sleep schedule is a continuous 7-8 hours at night, and a brief 30 - 60 min nap in the afternoon. Studies have shown that in cultures where this schedule has been suddenly disrupted (like a study in Greece), people with no history of cardiovascular disease suddenly showed a 37% increase in the chance of dying from heart disease (vs those who still maintained a mid-day napping schedule) over the 6-year study period. Yikes.

Oh, btw, that whole observation in Western Europe about people sleeping in 2 segments in the night (and waking up in the middle to eat, socialize, etc) is not a biological thing, but rather, cultural. That is not how humans have evolved to sleep.

I think we’re all kind of familiar with knowing that sleep is attached to remembering facts, but sleep is also necessary for learning new facts. Thus a good night’s rest is not just essential for doing well on tomorrow’s exam, but also for remembering tomorrow’s lecture in another class. To put it another way: you retain short-term memories in the hippocampus, but it has a storage limit (like a USB stick). Thus sleep helps move those memories into long-term storage so you can remember them, and by doing so, also frees up that space for new memories.

Sleep is also essential for learning new motor skills. If you’re having trouble with say, playing a difficult piece on the piano, try again after a full night’s rest. When you’re sleeping, your brain is still actively working perfecting that sequence of piano keys you need to press. Thus the adage of “practice makes perfect” should be amended to “practice and sleep makes perfect”.

Sleeping 6 hours/night for 10 days straight will cause a cognitive decline equivalent to staying up for 24 hours straight. And for those of us who keeps that exact same sleep schedule and think we’re “fine”, we really don’t realize how not fine we are because we think that’s our baseline normal. If you’ve ever wished to have more energy and be more productive, sleeping more may just be your magical wish-granting-genie.

Every hour in the US someone dies from a car accident caused by someone behind the wheel not getting enough sleep, due to the brain essentially “blacking out” to outside stimulus for a few seconds during a micro-sleep. As a perspective: a drunk driver is merely slow at reacting to say, slamming the brakes; a sleep-deprived driver going through a micro-sleep doesn’t react at all.

Heart attacks across the US spike significantly the day following daylights savings when everyone loses an hour of sleep. The opposite is true when we gain back that hour in the fall: heart attacks drop the following day. And that’s just one piece of evidence that sleep supports a healthy heart.

Sleeping 4 hours/night for just six nights increases your blood glucose levels so much you would be classified as pre-diabetic.

It’s well known that alcohol can disrupt REM sleep. What was interesting is that alcohol-disrupted sleep can interfere with memory (and thus learning) even up to three nights later, even if you get 2 full nights of sleep before consuming alcohol. Therefore, if you have an exam on Monday, drinking on the Friday before will interfere with remembering everything you’ve studied the previous 2 days.

Blue light, like those emitted from LED lightbulbs and the phone/tablet/computer screen you’re reading this from, stimulates our brain to wake-up and to stay awake. The evolutionary hypothesis for this is that we--and all land animals--evolved from marine life in the ocean, where the only visible light is blue, and therefore our brains recognize blue light as a cue to wake up.

And that’s just a small fraction of the super interesting life-changing things I gained from this book. So if you found these tid-bits fascinating, I highly suggest checking it out!

#science #books #biology #sleep #sciblr #why we sleep #m

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fearsmagazine · 2 years

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BARBARIANS - Review

DISTRIBUTOR: IFC Midnight

SYNOPSIS: Adam and Eva awaken in their supposed dream house on Adam’s birthday. Lucas, property developer and friend of the couple, arrives for dinner with his actress girlfriend Chloe, to celebrate Adam's birthday and the couple’s buying of the house. Secrets begin to unravel over dinner. Then the doorbell rings and the evening takes a nightmarish turn. Manners give way to madness and what was supposed to be an 'idyllic' evening of celebration descends into a dark night of terror; and the group's civilized dinner party turns out to be anything but.

REVIEW: BARBARIANS is as complex as a Rubik cube. At the core of these moving parts is a sense that something is wrong with the environment. There is a monolith at the core of this development that could channel energy, a diseased fox, and something unspoken about the land. The plot unravels with horrifying consequences like a sinister nesting doll.

Charles Dorfman is an intricate weaving of all character dynamics and the environment that plays out with a thin sense of ritual as it sets it against the backdrop of a dinner and a birthday. There is a prologue that sets up what this community where Adam and Eve’s house is supposed to be, yet for all its promises things are not what they appear. As the characters come together Dorfman strips away who these characters present themselves and reveals their primal selves. There are many hidden truths lying just below the surface. Is this happening due to some unseen catalysts or is it because these personalities come together in this space? When these three masked intruders show up things spiral out of control and become deadly. Their presence is a result of Lucas’ actions in securing the land for the development. It is a rising crescendo that explodes from all the built up tension leaving the viewer with much to ponder.

The production values are fantastic. The location is hypnotic. The special effects are haunting. There is an aspect to the costumes that seems to build upon the sense of ritual that culminates in the designs of the three intruders. I loved the cinematography, as well as the framing. The editing provides a smoldering feel that builds to an inferno.

BARBARIANS features a tremendous cast with the four principals, Iwan Rheon, Tom Cullen, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Inès Spiridonov. Iwan is best known for his role as Ramsey Bolton in “Game of Thrones.” Tom Cullen is recognizable from his work on “Downton Abbey, among other roles. Catalina Sandino Moreno appeared in “Falling Skies,” “American Gothic,” and is currently in “From.” This cast is such an intricate interplay of performances, the dynamic of them together, as well as what they reveal when alone, is a driving palate that feels like a doubles tennis match that transforms into a wrestling free for all when the intruders show up.

Charles Dorfman’s BARBARIANS is a masterful orchestration of elements that plays out like a macabre opera. The ambiguity as to the core of this narrative and engrossing characters keeps the viewer riveted. There are moments in the film that had a shock and awe that elicited emotions similar to that of Kubrick's “A Clockwork Orange.” These characters are placed in an environment where, eventually, their inner “Alex” emerges and chaos ensues. There are other moments in the production designs where you might feel Dorfman paying homage to Kubrick’s film. However, the narrative employs current events and issues to explore how violence and sadism, our animal instincts, can be unleashed from our nature during an “idyllic” evening. Again, BARBARIANS a tour de force that leaves the viewer with much to ponder.

CAST: Iwan Rheon, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Tom Cullen, Inès Spiridonov, Will Kemp, and Steve Saunders CREW: Director/Screenplay/Producer - Charles Dorfman; Producers - Jason Newmark & Laurie Cook; Cinematographer - Charlie Herranz; Score - Marc Canham; Editor - Tommy Boulding; Production Designer - Chris Richmond; Costume Designer - Tina Kalivas; Makeup Designer - Chloe Edwards; Visual Effects Producer - Joe Carhart. OFFICIAL: https://www.ifcfilms.com/category/midnight FACEBOOK: N.A. TWITTER: N.A. TRAILER: https://youtu.be/MANzExoSn9Q RELEASE DATE: Select Theaters, Digital Platforms and VOD on April 1st, 2022

**Until we can all head back into the theaters our “COVID Reel Value” will be similar to how you rate a film on digital platforms - 👍 (Like), 👌 (It’s just okay), or 👎 (Dislike)

Reviewed by Joseph B Mauceri

#film review #movie review #barbarians #barbariansmovie #charles dorfman #Iwan Rheon #catalina sandino moreno #Tom Cullen #inès spiridonov #horror #supernatural #environmental #terrorists #joseph mauceri #joseph b mauceri #ifcmidnight

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emybain · 4 years

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Quarantine: Renegades Edition

so please don’t take this seriously. i honestly don’t remember writing half of it, but it be like that. this is simply a glimpse into the lives of Nova and Adrian during a global pandemic, aka snippets of the few months they’re in quarantine together. also, happy birthday to my girl nova. there’s a bonus/crack scene at the end that was inspired by tiktok, as well. i regret nothing (other than this poorly written fic)

ao3

“They’re saying this thing could spread into June, July, maybe even August,” Adrian said, relaxing back into the leather couch, pulling the laptop with him. Nova adjusted against him, pulling the blanket over her legs just a little higher as the AC powered on.

“That’s if people keep being dumbasses,” Danna replied from behind the screen, leaning forward to rest her head in her palm. “It’s our job as citizens to prevent the spread of this disease. Why can’t people get that through their thick heads?”

Nova and Adrian were on a video call with the rest of their friends, who were all also quarantined in their homes. Nova had her own apartment, but at the very start of this outbreak—a new disease that was rapidly spreading around the world—she decided that quarantining by herself for an unknown amount of time wouldn’t be good for her mental health, so she packed up clothing and other essentials and headed over to the Everhart-Westwood residence. Not to mention that a mansion was vastly better than a one room apartment. Oh yeah, and she supposed being stuck with her boyfriend every day wasn’t so bad.

“They’re being ignorant,” Nova chipped in. “People think that they’re immune, or that this virus is being blown out of proportion.”

“When they get sick, I’ll laugh.” Ruby popped a cracker in her mouth before the camera became blurry as she moved. She appeared to have shifted from lying on her back to her stomach from a spot on her bed. There was minimal background noise from her end, which was suspicious since she shared a room with two teenage boys. They must’ve been off playing video games, probably who Max was laughing with from his room upstairs.

Narcissa poked her head out from behind a lengthy book from her place on Danna’s bed in the background of Danna’s screen.. Like Nova, she lived by herself, and would rather be with her significant other than be alone. “This isn’t the first time a pandemic has spread throughout the world. There was the European Virus fifty years ago, coronavirus back in the 21st century, the Spanish Flu in the 20th century, and so on and so forth.” She waved a hand in the air. “Hopefully, people will come to their senses. History always repeats itself, no matter how hard we may try to prevent it.”

“Thanks for the optimistic input, babe.” Danna rolled her eyes and cast a glance back at her girlfriend.

“It’s what I do,” Narcissa replied, returning her attention back to her book, but there was a smile on her face.

“Well, maybe when things start to calm down a bit, we can all hang out. A picnic or in cars or something.” Oscar shrugged. “Six feet apart, of course. I’m not about to catch something from you nasty people.

“Did you just suggest a picnic?” Ruby snorted. “You might want to check your temperature. I think you’re getting sick.”

“You seem to forget all about the many picnics we’ve had.”

Ruby stuck her tongue out in response, then straightened a little and turned her head to the side. “What?” she yelled. After a moment, she turned back to the screen and groaned. “Ugh, I have to go. Mom’s making me bake with her again. Maybe this time we’ll try something besides bread or cookies.” She waved at them before she vanished from the meeting.

At that moment, the front door clicked and opened, revealing Hugh and Simon, both carrying multiple grocery bags.

“My dads just got home from the store. We should probably go help.” Adrian sat up, leaving Nova to fall a little in his direction as she had been leaning on him.

“Hi Adrian’s Dads!” Oscar yelled, though they were already out of the room when he did so. Nonetheless, they both shouted back their greetings from the kitchen.

“I should probably go, too. There’s this show I started bingeing and I finished the fifth season last night. I’m dying to know what happens after that cliffhanger.” Danna leaned back in her chair.

“Oh, is it that one you were telling me about?” Nova raised her eyebrows. “Based off of that movie series?”

“Yes! And watch it so I can rant to you about it! I’m so pissed off at the main characters. They’re just...so stupid.”

With that, the remaining five waved and said their goodbyes. Adrian set the laptop down on the coffee table in front of them, and they both stood up. Nova stretched, her muscles tired from sitting for nearly an hour.

In the kitchen, Hugh was unloading the bags while Simon busied himself with spraying the items with cleaner and wiping them down with a paper towel. A couple of weeks into quarantine and Nova and Adrian knew what to do. They got to work putting stuff away, with Nova on pantry duty and Adrian at the fridge.

Although Nova hadn’t been out in public since the world went into quarantine, she could tell that the grocery stores and other places were beginning to recover from the initial shock of the pandemic. With each trip to the store, Adrian’s parents came back with more and more food and supplies. Hugh had even decided to buy a fridge to store out in the garage for extra food that didn’t fit inside. She found that to be a bit ridiculous, but it seemed to make him happy. What was it with men and having fridges out in their garages?

“Is Max upstairs?” Simon asked, pushing a milk jug toward Adrian.

“Yeah. I think he’s playing video games.” Adrian shot Nova a look, and she repressed a smile; they both knew what was about to come.

“Has he done any schoolwork since we left two hours ago? Or at least left his room?”

“I think he left to use the bathroom about forty five minutes ago,” Nova said. She glanced at the knock-off brand of her favorite crackers in her hand and sighed, placing it on a shelf. The off-brand wasn’t bad, but it certainly wasn’t the same. It was the type of product that you had to buy name brand, as the imitations were just a waste of money. Alas, with the pandemic, she knew it was a fight to get the good products before anyone else.

“He’ll get it done, Pops,” Adrian reassured. “He’s been doing fine the last couple of weeks. Just going at his own pace, is all.”

“I know.” A sigh escaped Simon’s mouth. “And I’m glad that he’s able to be a kid now, but being a kid includes doing your homework.”

Nova thought of the classes she was taking at a local university. She was doing her best to keep up with her online work, but as the weeks dragged on, she was losing motivation. “This quarantine is probably nothing for Max, remember? I’m sure he does his work whenever he wants to because he actually enjoys doing it.” She shrugged. “Better than sitting around surrounded by glass walls.”

“You’re probably right,” Hugh added, washing his hands once the last of the groceries were out of the bags. “I’m not too worried about him, just as long as I get to see his face once a day.” He chuckled at his own words. Simon offered a smile in support.

Once all the groceries were stored away, Nova and Adrian headed downstairs, taking the laptop with them.

__________

Adrian stood from his seat, where he had previously already been on edge.

“Nova, where are you going?” The glare he received was enough to scare off anyone else. He had seen this side of her before, though, and was unfazed. “It’s almost midnight,” he added, only increasing the glare.

“Anywhere but here.” Her eyes turned to Hugh, who crossed his arms in response. The two were arguing. Again. It was something that was new to their quarantine, having only surfaced about a week ago. They liked to argue over literally anything, from who got to have control over the remote to whether or not Nova should be a part of their daily “family walks” to the current state of the government and the involvement of the Renegades, who were no longer in charge but were still heavily tied into politics. Hell, even the weather wasn’t safe from their growing agitation with one another. Today, everything had been going fine, for once, until Hugh just had to bring up a curfew, as Nova liked to leave the house at odd hours.

“This house is a fucking nightmare.” She gripped the keys to her motorcycle in her hand and turned to the door. From beside him, Adrian heard Max mutter something about irony under his breath. He too, despite entering the years of being a disagreeable teenager, was sick of the fighting.

“Language, young lady,” Hugh said, warning laced in his tone.

“Once again, you’re not my dad,” Nova gritted out. She opened the front door, revealing the darkness outside. “And you never will be.”

“Nova, what he’s asking isn’t completely unreasonable.” Simon ran a hand through his hair and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You’re in our home for who knows how long, so as parents, you’re now our responsibility. Even when you’re not under our roof, you’re our responsibility. We just want you to be safe.”

“If you don’t want to follow our simple rules, then why are you even here? We’re paying for an apartment not two miles north from here, and you’re not even there. Instead you’re here, wasting our time and resources.” Even though the words weren’t directed at him, Adrian felt a chill go down his spine.

Nova’s mouth opened, and she stared at Hugh blankly. Adrian could’ve sworn he saw her eyes welling up. “I’m here because I didn’t want to be alone. I’ve been alone my entire goddamn life, and I didn’t know if I could handle doing it again.” She swallowed, hand turning on the screen door. “But it’s not like I expect you to understand.” And then she was out the door.

Adrian rushed forward, eyeing his dad coldly. “Seriously?”

“She’s out of line!” Hugh defended, although Adrian could see the regret in his features.

Choosing not to answer him, Adrian shook his head and went outside. Nova was at the end of the driveway, sitting on her motorcycle and looking down at the ground. Adrian approached her slowly, making sure his steps were loud so that she knew he was there.

“I don’t walk to talk about it.” She hid her face even more from him when he bent down. “You’re welcome to come with me, but I don’t want you to get in trouble for breaking curfew.” Her voice soured at the word.

“I understand why you’re mad, but don’t avoid me because of it.” He lightly nudged her chin with his knuckles.

“He’s just so...so…” she lifted her head up, running a hand through her hair in frustration as she tried to find the right words

“Stubborn? Controlling? Self righteous?”

“Yes.” She let out a laugh, though it was void of humor. “It’s just...who does he think he is? I’m an adult. Even if he was my father, he can’t control what I can and cannot do.”

“You seem to forget that I’ve had to live with him for years,” Adrian said dryly. He reached for her hand and laced their fingers together. “I’m an adult, too, but that doesn’t matter because he pays the bills.”

Nova gave him a long look. “You really need your own place.”

“Don’t remind me.”

“But you get what I mean.” She looked down at their hands, turning them around to examine the back of his. “I’m not his kid. It’s different with you because you’re his son.”

“That doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to keep you safe.” Her grip on him tightened, just slightly. Even though it had been a few years since the events surrounding the supernova, Nova still had trouble believing that her former enemies actually cared about her. It was hard to trust them when it had been ingrained in her from a young age that they were the bad guys.

“I can take care of myself fine. I’ve been out in the middle of the night so many times I’ve lost count. I’ve been doing it since I was a kid.”

Adrian sighed and rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. There wouldn’t be any reasoning with her, at least not tonight. He had to let her cool down and return to the subject when she had a clearer mind. “At least come back inside? We can go play video games downstairs, or watch a movie, or do anything you want. I’m sure once you and Hugh are both calmed down, you can reach a compromise.”

“But I don’t want a fucking com-”

“Or he’ll see things your way,” he tacked on quickly. Right. When she got like this, it had to be her way. It was funny, how she resented Hugh at times for his stubbornness, when she was equally as stubborn if not more so. This quarantine was really getting to all of them. Adrian couldn’t wait for the day life could go back to normal.

“Adrian? Nova?” Adrian turned his head around to see Max, who was squinting at them through the dark, despite the outside lights being on.

“What’s up, Max?” Nova shifted her body on the bike to face the teen.

“Pops wants to know if you’re coming inside soon. He needs to set the alarm so he and Dad can go to bed.” Max paused, eyeing the bike. “Unless you’re going for a ride, then he’ll leave it off.”

Adrian waited for Nova to answer, as it was up to her. Nova ran her free hand over the bike, then sighed.

“We’ll be in right behind you. I was just...checking some things on her.” All three knew she was lying, but Nova was still learning how to express her emotions in front of others. Even in front of Max, someone she got along with as well as she did with Adrian.

“Alright.” Max turned to leave, then glanced back at her. “You know, things are rough right now, and I know it isn’t easy for everyone to be in isolation for so long, but,” he shrugged, “at least we’re together. I was able to make it in a quarantine for ten years with no one but myself and the doctors for company, so this is easy for me, but I know I’m probably the only person on this planet who thinks that way.” He let out a soft laugh. “I guess I’m just trying to say that I’m glad you’re here, and that I’m glad our family is quarantining together.” The smile he shot her was genuine. He turned back around and walked back to the house, where Adrian could see the outlines of his dads watching at the door.

“Huh.” Adrian watched his brother go inside. “Just when you think he’s starting to learn how to be a proper kid-”

“-he goes and spouts shit like that?” Nova finished, shaking her head. Adrian could see the small smile on her face through the curls hiding her features.

“Yeah.” Adrian squeezed her hand. “C’mon, let’s go back inside.”

“Okay.”

__________

Nova placed the mixing bowl in the sink and turned on the faucet. She reached into a drawer and grabbed a towel, placing it under the running water. The kitchen was a mess, although she had seen it in worse states. At least the ingredients were all stored away so that she could get started on wiping down the counters. Hugh and Simon were at headquarters for the day, as their presence was required for something Nova didn’t care enough to know about, and they figured it would be best to work from there instead of coming home. And, according to Simon, them being out in public and at headquarters would be good for publicity. It had been a while since they stepped into work, seeing as even the Renegades had to obey social distancing orders.

Point being, they were out of the house, so Nova could do whatever she wanted without questions being asked. And she had grown to appreciate baking during quarantine, among her long list of new and revisited hobbies. The Everhart-Westwoods always, to Nova’s surprise, had sweet tooths, so they never minded that Nova made a mess of their kitchen; it was just when Hugh or Simon entered the kitchen and started asking a bunch of questions that got on Nova’s nerves. Today, she could bake in peace.

Or so she thought.

“Mm. Smells good in here.” She looked up at her boyfriend, who just entered the room. He peeked at the oven. “Cupcakes?”

“Muffins,” Nova corrected, setting the used towel next to the sink. There was dried paint on his forehead, as well as on his hands. She had to shake her head. How was it possible to get so dirty? Well, she should speak for herself and her flour-covered apron.

“Oh, well, same thing.” He shrugged and grabbed a water glass from a cabinet.

Nova blinked and reached for the remote, which was sitting beside her, and paused the show she was watching on the kitchen’s small TV. “No. No not really.”

Adrian chuckled and nudged her lightly as he passed her to the fridge. “Yeah, kind of. The only difference is cupcakes have frosting.”

Nova scoffed. “The only difference? They’re two completely different things. That’s like saying ice cream and gelato are the same.”

Adrian turned to face her, leaning against the fridge. He took a sip of his water. “Ice cream and gelato are the same. One’s just claimed by the Italians.”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Those aren’t the same, either, dumbass. Ice cream, clearly from its name, has more cream than gelato. And gelato’s more dense than ice cream. Those are just two differences.” She crossed her arms. “There are more.”

“And? What does that have to do with muffins and cupcakes?”

“Because they’re not the same.” Nova had to laugh at the absurdity of it all. And Adrian claimed he was a smart person. Yeah, maybe smart compared to sloths. “Muffins are considered a bread. Cupcakes are...well...cake. Two completely different recipes. You can’t just slap some frosting on a blueberry muffin and say it’s a cupcake. Maybe it looks like one, but the flavor and textures are way off.”

“They both are made the exact same way, babe. No difference.” With the way he was smirking, Nova had the thought that he could just be messing with her.

“Don’t ‘babe’ me.” She glared at him. “Fine. If you won’t believe me, the baker, then you don’t have to eat any of my muffins. Not cupcakes.”

He groaned and reached for her, but she dove out of his reach. “Nova, don’t be like this. I’m sorry. They’re not the same, okay? Happy?”

“Not until you’re honest.” She checked the timer above the oven. “I’m going downstairs for a minute.” Pointing a finger at him, she added, “Don’t mess with them. I’ll know.”

“Admitting defeat?” he called at her back.

“Hell no,” she tossed over her shoulder. “This conversation is far from over, buddy.”

She definitely heard him mutter rudely how he knew, but chose to ignore it. After all, she was the bigger person in the relationship.

__________

Adrian turned into a parking spot and turned off the car. He glanced over at Nova, who was giving him a very pointed look.

“The park? What did you plan? A picnic?” That was, in fact, the plan, but only part of it.

Leaning over, he planted a gentle kiss on her lips. It only softened the look a little. “You’ll see, nosey.” He unbuckled himself and opened the driver door. “Now, come on.”

She rolled her eyes, but got out as well. Seeing her in a pair of cutoff shorts and a simple t-shirt was refreshing, as she had been wearing sweats for the past two months, ever since the world was sent into quarantine. She and Adrian both had been dawning the same three pairs of pants and shirts for weeks now. But, this was the first time they both actually got out of the house, save for their daily walks or motorcycle/car rides, so it was only fitting to get dressed up for the occasion. And by dressed up he meant ditching the sweatpants.

Also, it was Nova’s birthday. Adrian hated that she was being forced to spend it unceremoniously, when so many of her birthdays had gone practically unnoticed growing up with the Anarchists, so he took it upon himself as her boyfriend to do what he could for her. And that meant having a socially distanced picnic in the park with their friends, who they hadn’t seen in person in months.

They walked down the sidewalk hand in hand, going into the grass whenever a biker or runner passed by them to maintain distance. Adrian almost wanted to pull his mask out from his pocket, but knew he was probably fine. Besides, if he put his mask on, Nova would follow, and he knew how much she hated wearing them, for obvious reasons. They were outside, and there were hardly any people in the park.

“You’re an idiot, Adrian Everhart,” Nova said once they could see their friends, but there was a smile on her face. They were all spread out on blankets, making a circle, and in the center sat an unoccupied blanket piled with food and gifts.

“Hey, I can’t take all the credit.” He squeezed her hand, grinning down at her.

“It’s about time you two showed up,” Oscar said, checking his watch. “We’ve been here for hours. We’re starving.” He stood and went to the middle to start making a plate. Adrian made a face at his back. He had specifically asked that they wait for Nova until they started eating in the group chat, so he guessed Oscar was holding his word. He waited, after all.

“Twenty minutes,” Danna corrected from her spot beside Narcissa. She looked at them and rolled her eyes. “Happy Birthday, Nova.”

Everyone chorused in their ‘Happy Birthdays’ and Nova thanked them as she and Adrian sat down on the one remaining blanket. “You guys didn’t have to go and do this for me.” She turned her gaze specifically toward Adrian. He raised his hands in defense.

“Blame Oscar for putting the idea in my head. All he ever talks about when we video call is how bored he is.”

“That’s true.” Nova shook her head in amusement. “This is very sweet, but don’t expect me to cry or anything.”

“You cried on your seventeenth birthday, and that’s enough for us,” Ruby teased.

“That was literally two years ago.” Nova ran a hand over her face. “It meant nothing.”

“Mhm,” was Ruby’s response, but Adrian could tell she wasn’t convinced. None of them were, obviously.

Nova peered at the food pile. “Is that Mediterranean pizza I see?”

“Yeah, and it’s all yours,” Oscar clarified, passing a plate he made for Ruby to her before sitting down himself. “I still don’t understand how you like that. There’s not even meat on it!”

“There’s also cannoli’s.” Adrian stood to go make them both plates. He knew that cannoli’s were one of the few desserts she liked, probably because they weren’t that heavy. “Do you want one or two?”

She pondered the question for a moment, then smiled at him. “Two.”

When he returned with their food, she leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“What was that for?” He handed her plate over.

“For being you, and for giving me the best birthdays ever.” She shifted her body to lean against him. “How’d you know I wanted to see everyone for my birthday, anyway?”

“Because I know you.” He kissed her forehead. “Happy Birthday, Nova.”

__________

Bonus crack scene:

“I would like to thank everyone for joining me today,” Nova said, swirling the water in the wine glass she snatched from the cabinet. Since Hugh wouldn’t let her drink actual wine, this was the next best thing. She cleared her throat. “I took it upon myself to observe the members of this household over the course of a week and rate everyone on their performances.” She pointed to the pyramid of papers set up on the wall, held there by type. There were pictures of everyone in the household behind a white sheet of paper. Starting at the bottom on the left side was the worst member, and the one at the top was the best. Why she decided to do this, she had little clue, but she figured it would be an entertaining activity to spice up everyone’s day.

“Is that what this is? I thought it was something actually serious.” Hugh leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. There was a smile on his lips.

“It is serious.” She pointed her glass at him. The fast movement caused a bit of water to slosh over the side. “It has come to my attention that there are people in this household who have some improvement to work on if they want to move up next week.”

“If I’m not at the top, I’m breaking up with you,” Adrian joked, adjusting the glasses on his face. She narrowed her eyes at the camera he was pointing at her.

“I do not accept bribes.” Tearing off the first piece of paper, she began. There was a snicker, probably Max. “Hugh.” He immediately started protesting, but Nova silenced him. “No, no, no. You’re mean to me. Always looking to post up or some shit.”

“Language,” he warned, though his tone was light.

“Not to mention you don’t let me express my true self by cussing,” she added sharply. “Also, you tried to kill me three years ago and I’m sorry, but I just can’t forgive my haters like that. Try better next week, okay?”

“Hold on, wait a second.” Hugh held up a hand. “First of all, young lady, if you want to bring up the past, it goes both ways, but we’ve both changed for the be-”

“No comments at this time,” Nova interrupted. She ripped off the next sheet of paper. “Next up is Nova.” Laughter broke out in the room. Even she couldn’t help from smiling. “Not gonna lie, I held out hope for this one, but she’s got a lot of issues, if you know what I mean. Always picking an argument, refuses to participate in family activities, and is kind of just there. Doesn’t really do much of anything. The only reasons she’s above Hugh is because, for one, she’s far more attractive, and she bakes stuff for everyone.

“Adrian-”

“Oh, come on!”

“-you refused to cuddle with me yesterday and watch guilty pleasure movies because you said you were busy. You argued with me the other day on the validity of the Star Wars prequels and sequels.” She raised an eyebrow at him. “And you’re filming me without my consent. Other than those things, though,” she shrugged, “pretty cool boyfriend. You didn’t say anything when I stole one of your sweatshirts the other day, so that gets you some points.”

“Wait, the gray-”

“Max is next.” She tossed the white paper to the ground. “You never say anything mean to me, unlike some members in this household, but that could also be because you spend all day on video games. Because of that, I’m afraid you can’t be higher.”

“Hey, I’ll settle for third.” Max shrugged, grinning.

“And that’s why I like you!” She nodded firmly. “In second place, we have Simon. Who doesn’t like Simon? You always have something nice to say, and on occasion, you’ll back me up in an argument because you’re an intellectual. I always enjoy our deep conversations, too. Truly a wonderful person.”

“Thank you, Nova. I enjoy our talks, as well.” Simon chuckled. He looked pretty pleased to be on top.

“And that leaves us with,” she ripped off the last paper at the top, causing the room to erupt in laughter and clapping, “Obi Wan Kenobi. Truly an iconic and handsome man. Every time I watch Star Wars, he brings up my serotonin levels. Not just because he’s cute, but because he can land some sick burns.”

It was easy to say that, thanks to Adrian’s video, Nova started a trend all over the world.

#nova artino #adrian everhart #danna bell #oscar silva #ruby tucker #narcissa cronin #max everhart #hugh everhart #simon westwood #renegades #archenemies #supernova #supernova spoilers #my writing

87 notes · View notes

moondustaeil · 5 years

Text

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ✧☾.·:·. nct m.list

· 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞

⠀ · 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: ⚘ fluff ; ♱ angst ; ☾ mature

⧼ 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 ; 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 ⧽

⠀

· twenty-one ways to kiss ⧼ ⚘ ♱ ⧽⧼ 1 ; 2 ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : depends on the member

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : collection of twenty-one soft hours, which kisses nct would share with their lover.

⧼ 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐬 ; 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐬 ⧽

⠀

𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍 · 𝐓𝐀𝐄𝐈𝐋

· moonflower ⧼ ⚘ ♱ ⧽⧼ 9.3k ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : hanahaki disease

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : Taeil is a music graduate, as a newly introduced musician, he needs to set himself on the map. However it becomes impossible when each passing day, the flowers in his throat bloom until he runs out of air. Still, he sings: “even if it hurts, I’m okay, because I love you”

⠀

𝐒𝐔𝐇 · 𝐉𝐎𝐇𝐍𝐍𝐘

· jcc ⧼ ⚘ ⧽⧼ 1 ; 2 ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : vlogger , youtuber

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : johnny, owner of the youtube channel jcc, shares his adventures with his lovebird, y/n.

⠀

𝐋𝐄𝐄 · 𝐓𝐀𝐄𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐆

· floraison ⧼ ⚘ ⧽⧼ 1.6k ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : boyfriend!Taeyong

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : Taeyong feels drained from endlessly working. Upon coming home, he plans to continue what he started. Although those plans change, when his lover decides to care for him, until he blooms again like the beautiful flower he is.

· interlude ⧼ ⚘ ♱ ⧽⧼ 1 ; 2 ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : mafia , soulmate

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : “That was your last step, darling.” Those were the words that silenced the ticking of your soulmate counter. From then on, life was like a dream in a nightmare. And there’s no button to reverse.

· miscellaneous moments with taeyong ⧼ ⚘ ⧽⧼ 1.5k ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : boyfriend!Taeyong

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : Heart fluttering moments aren’t captured by a camera, but by heart and mind. Trains in the sky are now traveling to fragments of time, that only you and taeyong can find. (collection of soft hours)

⠀

𝐍𝐀𝐊𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐎 · 𝐘𝐔𝐓𝐀

· chanson gothique ⧼ ⚘ ♱ ⧽⧼ 1 ; 2 ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : siren , royalty

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : Yuta always longed to see your smile. His wish was to marry you and have legs to walk towards a beautiful future with you. Little did he know, your ancestry doesn’t allow marriage to those who down possess of a crown. As seasons change, so does he. Until your tears are what he longs to see.

· anaphora ⧼ ⚘ ♱ ⧽⧼ 15k ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : royalty , forbidden relationship

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : Rather than living without your love, Yuta would prefer to die out of hatred. Once at a banquet the man you were willing to devote yourself to, but due the split of the kingdoms, you can no longer promise forever to him like you did the night under the moonlight in the conservator

⠀

𝐐𝐈𝐀𝐍 · 𝐊𝐔𝐍

· vitriolic ⧼ ♱ ⧽⧼ 1.5k ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : yandere

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : Kun’s smile is like sunshine shining through the curtains after a night where rain poured from the dark sky. Kun’s eyes are like dark skies where rain pours down from after the sun disappears behind the clouds.

⠀

𝐊𝐈𝐌 · 𝐃𝐎𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐆

· with love ⧼ ⚘ ♱ ⧽⧼ 5.8k ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : parenthood

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : Each week Juna has to change homes because her parents are no longer together after suffering from a miscarriage. However, she is determined to bring them together again..., little does she know sleep will interrupt her plan halfway through.

· anoetic ⧼ ⚘ ♱ ⧽⧼ 15k ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : soloist , hidden relationship , breakup , exes to ...

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : The record is new, the songs that play old and the message overdue. Kim Doyoung, once your summer sun, now an empty silhouette draped in noirceur in your apartment. You’re his remedy.

⠀

𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐆 · 𝐉𝐀𝐄𝐇𝐘𝐔𝐍

· secret taste ⧼ ⚘ ♱ ☾ ⧽⧼ discontinued ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : youtuber

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : To provide creative content on a YouTube channel, Jung Jaehyun and y/n are two test subjects. Unlike the useless gadgets you can buy on the home-shopping channel, they are given the opportunity to test out the most sensual lifestyle products together.

· monologue ⧼ ⚘ ♱ ⧽⧼ 3.1k ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : platonic breakup

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : Jaehyun never introduced himself as anything more than your best friend, not even when your newly found love interest entered the room. Jaehyun never told you about his feelings, and he never will.

· back 2 u ⧼ ⚘ ⧽⧼ 1.3k ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : long distance

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : Not even distance can stop Jaehyun from coming back to you,

⠀

𝐊𝐈𝐌 · 𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐖𝐎𝐎

· jungwoof ⧼ ⚘ ⧽⧼ 1.3k ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : boyfriend!Jungwoo

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : Jungwoo is ready for the next step in your relationship, a puppy. You might still be unsure about it, but 24/7 Jungwoo whines for the two of you to get one, which results in you giving him the nickname ‘Jungwoof’.

· colourized ecru ⧼ ⚘ ♱ ⧽⧼ 25.8k ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : soulmate , magical library

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : “Pick a colour” said lady Cyan who was strangely familiar. Your fingertip had endlessly trailed over the palette, and you picked ecru. Every day that goes by: you sit under the Daimyo oak that protects five little daisies, little did you know one of the five daisies is willing to give you a “loves me” or “loves me not” with Jungwoo, the boy from the enchanted soulmate library.

⠀

𝐖𝐎𝐍𝐆 · 𝐘𝐔𝐊𝐇𝐄𝐈

· rouge ⧼ ⚘ ♱ ⧽⧼ 1.5k ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : exes to lovers

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : A month after you and Lucas decided to take a halt in your relationship, he shows up at your door with lipstick in his hand, claiming it was yours. And to prove that it’s, in fact, yours, he’s up to do some silly shit.

⠀

𝐗𝐈𝐀𝐎 · 𝐃𝐄𝐉𝐔𝐍

· idyllic ⧼ ⚘ ⧽⧼ 1k ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : no specified au

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : Xiaojun never believed love was everlasting, not even with you by his side. Sometimes he would rather linger forever and not let go until all the scenery has been admired. Perhaps, after all, it’s you who will watch life flow by with him.

𝐇𝐔𝐀𝐍𝐆 · 𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐉𝐔𝐍

· efflorescent ⧼ ⚘ ⧽⧼ 1.4k ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : boyfriend!Renjun , symbolic soulmates

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : All through your childhood, you and Renjun shared a drawing of a flower, one that you’d call the soulmate flower. Through the years, your relationship bloomed like a flower, and the soulmate tattoos you’d always dreamed of, finally become reality.

⠀

𝐋𝐄𝐄 · 𝐉𝐄𝐍𝐎

· tingles with y/n ⧼ ⚘ ⧽⧼ 1 ; 2 ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : asmr-tist

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : JSMR is an ASMR-providing YouTube channel, run by Lee Jeno. Thousands of people fall asleep to his tingling videos, and in the following episodes, you’re there to assist him.

· cynosure ⧼ ⚘ ♱ ⧽⧼ 17k ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : contract killer

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : Contact-killer Jeno finds himself lurking between twenty possible perpetrators. One mission-based game with only few chances to save y/n, if it’s not too late that is. Only one gets to be the last man standing, but who will be the lucky cynosure?

· the couple interview ⧼ ⚘ ⧽⧼ interview ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : boyfriend!Jeno

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : If Jeno were to answer the questions of a couple q&a, which answers would he give about his y/n and their relationship? Which words does he use and what do his feelings say?

⠀

𝐋𝐄𝐄 · 𝐃𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐇𝐘𝐔𝐂𝐊

· essence ⧼ ⚘ ♱ ⧽⧼ 13.8k ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : soulmates

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : In a world where soulmates are the most regular thing, Donghyuck is gifted with two timers instead of one. One counts down to the day he meets you, as the other counts down to the last day you have together.

⠀

𝐋𝐈𝐔 · 𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐆

· dwale ⧼ ⚘ ⧽⧼ 1.5k ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : college roommates , best friends

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : Who said waking up for a midnight snack wasn’t healthy, especially compared to Yangyang’s roommate who is trying to study when the clock is ticking its way to the morning. Luckily, like the good roommate he is, he takes care of you.

⠀

𝐙𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐆 · 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐍𝐋𝐄

· shine on me ⧼ ♱ ⧽⧼ 674 words ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : breakup

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : Another phone call ended after an abrupt argument: he never had time for your love, you never had time to attend his concerts.

⠀

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊 · 𝐉𝐈𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐆

· floret ⧼ ♱ ⧽⧼ 2.3k ⧽

⠀ · 𝐚𝐮 : royalty , gardener

⠀ · 𝐬𝐲𝐩𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 : Prince Jisung watches as florists bring flowers to the castle each week: rather than the flowers, his eyes catch y/n. Prince Chenle makes them meet again on an unexpected moment, but the right moment to start a blooming love story.

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crazypatrickw-blog · 3 years

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How to Boost Human Growth Hormone (HGH) Naturally

HGH is an important hormone produced in the pituitary gland. It’s a good predictor of overall health. Low HGH levels point to an increased risk of disease and unhealthy weight gain.

Optimal Growth Hormone levels are vital during recovery, training, and weight loss. This is because HGH regulates cell repair and other recovery-relevant metabolic functions.

1. Deep Sleep

Growth hormone production isn’t linear. HGH levels are highest when you sleep, and even then, they are greatly influenced by your sleep cycles. Production typically peaks before midnight, followed by a few weak pulses before the crack of dawn.

To get the best out of these cycles, you need to be sound asleep before midnight. Go to bed about two hours, no less than an hour, before midnight.

Research has shown that your growth hormone levels begin to increase after about an hour of sleep. This is, arguably, when you’re most likely to be in deep slumber.

2. Manage Insulin Levels

Insulin has been linked to low growth hormone levels. To maximize

HGH production, ensure that your insulin levels are lowest at night.

How do you do that?

Watch Your Sugar IntakeSugar and refined carbs—like white bread, white rice, and pasta—are documented to spike your insulin levels. Reduced intake of refined carbohydrates and sugar has shown great potential in optimizing HGH production.

A study compared HGH levels between healthy people, and four other groups with insulin problems (diabetes, impaired carbohydrate tolerance, impaired insulin function). Growth hormone production was 3–4 times higher in healthy people. Clearly showing the link between insulin and HGH.

Sweet Drinks Are the WorstSugary beverages are especially harmful. Interestingly, the body doesn’t respond to sweet drinks in the manner it responds to solid food. These beverages aren’t as satiating as solid foods.

You end up taking more liquids than in solids form because you don’t feel as full—independent of caloric intake. Avoid sweet drinks like sodas and sweetened yogurt before bedtime.

Time Meals AppropriatelyInsulin levels spike immediately after a meal and stabilize after 2–3 hours. Eat all your meals at least 2 hours before bedtime.

Some research suggests that a high-protein meal before bed could potentially inhibit HGH activity. Even though the research on that isn’t conclusive, we know for sure that all late-night snacks will trigger insulin production.

3. Shed Body Fat

Excessive fat is strongly linked to low HGH production. This is another reason why you should avoid sugary meals, especially before going to sleep. The consumption of high-sugar meals at night is closely associated with weight gain. Avoiding sweet treats at night regulates your insulin, and also keeps your weight in check.

One study found that losing fat around the abdominal area leads to a significant boost in growth hormone levels.

In another study, participants who had 3x the amount of body fat as the control group were found to have half their growth hormones. It’s well-documented that obese people return to normal HGH levels after losing weight.

Interestingly, the impact of body fat on HGH production is strongest in men. Both sexes experience an increase in growth hormone levels after shedding off some weight, though. This is probably because fat distribution in men favors the belly, where it’s most harmful.

4. Eat to Boost HGH Levels

Healthy eating is beneficial to your overall well-being. Every balanced diet optimizes HGH production by keeping your insulin and body fat levels in check. That said, some special foods are directly linked to enhanced Growth Hormone secretion.

Let’s look at a few of the best documented HGH-boosting foods.

5. Hormone Growth: The Melatonin Factor

This hormone is released as you sleep. It regulates your sleep cycles and helps you get longer and deeper sleep associated with enhanced HGH production. A melatonin-rich breakfast increases melatonin secretion in the night. Melatonin-Rich Foods :

Eggs

Fish

Mustard seeds

Tomatoes

Nuts

Grapes

Raspberries

Pomegranate

Another study found that a tryptophan-rich breakfast coupled with exposure to bright light in the day significantly boosted HGH levels. Tryptophan-dense foods include eggs, milk, grains, beans, and meat. Work these foods into your breakfast and take a short stroll in the bright of day for a good night’s sleep.

Melatonin supplements happen to be very popular sleeping aids in the US. It’s one of the most commonly used supplements.

Melatonin SupplementsResearch shows that a little melatonin supplementation directly boosts the production of Human Growth Hormones.

Being a naturally-occurring hormone, it’s non-toxic. However, these supplements have been shown to affect brain chemistry, so you should only take them under medical supervision.

You should also contact a medical professional before taking these supplements if you are pregnant. One animal study found that melatonin lowers birth weight and increases baby mortality.6. Arginine and Hormones for GrowthArginine is one of the amino acids that boost the synthesis of the Human Growth Hormone. Arginine-rich foods include:

Red meatSeedsNutsChickenBrown riceSoybeansArginine SupplementsMany people take arginine supplements to complement their exercises. That’s a mistake. When taken alongside exercise, there’s no significant increase in HGH production. You are better off taking the supplement alone.

Per recent research, higher doses, 15–20 grams of Arginine per day boosts nighttime HGH production by up by about 60 percent. That’s the equivalent of taking 114 mg per pound of body weight. Lower doses, 6–10 grams per day, about 45 mg for every pound in body-weight, didn’t show any significant impact on growth hormone production.

If you are looking for something to boost your HGH levels alongside exercise, take sport drinks. They are rich in beta-alanine, which boosts growth hormone levels, and it’s been documented to double your peak workout power.

Protein shakes are also an option if you want an HGH-friendly supplement to complement exercise. These shakes boost the secretion of Growth Hormones around workouts.

Glutamine: Does it Increase HGH Hormones Growth?Glutamine is a potent amino acid that has been shown to increase HGH production even at small doses, significantly. A 2 mg dose has been documented to boost GH secretion by up to 78 percent.

Glutamine-rich foods include:

SpinachFishMeatEggsYogurts (avoid sweetened variants, they have a lot of processed sugar)OrnithineOrnithine is one of the amino acids responsible for protein synthesis and muscle mass. Research has shown that people who take ornithine about half an hour after working out experience increased HGH synthesis.

Foods rich in ornithine include:

BeefChickenSoya beansFishEggs

7.Exercise at High Intensity

All forms of exercise will increase your levels of Human Growth Hormone, but high-intensity activity produces the most significant boosts. There’s no universal session duration, but workouts typically last about an hour. Weight training, sprinting, and interval training have shown a lot of promise increasing HGH levels.

The benefits of exercise extend beyond short-term spurts in Human Growth Hormone. In the long-term, it will help you cut down your body fat, increasing GH production.

8.Intermittent Fasting

HGH levels increase by about 300 percent when you fast for 3 days. After fasting for a week, HGH secretion is at 1,250 percent. These results have been replicated in other studies with researchers observing a doubling or tripling of HGH levels just 2–3 days into a fast.

The trick is to find the right balance between when to eat and when to fast.

Intermittent fasting impacts HGH secretion both in the short-term and in the long-term. In the short-term, fasting keeps your insulin low. Since this hormone is associated with low GH levels, keeping it low boosts HGH production.

In the long-term, it lowers your body fat, resulting in a long-term boost in growth hormone production.

9.In a Nutshell

HGH, a hormone produced in the pituitary gland, is vital for cell repair and other essential metabolic functions. It’s production typically peaks when we are deep asleep.

Like other hormones, it’s greatly influenced by body fat. Mind your lifestyle and diet.

By following the outlined tips, you can increase GH production to optimal levels with very little effort. The endocrine system—the system that regulates growth hormones—performs at its peak when you eat and live healthily.

If you want to learn more about HGH, you can read our articles about the benefits of hgh and the best hgh supplements out there.

If you want to learn more informaiton or get some external products about HGH, you can click the website below about the benefits of hgh and the best hgh supplements out there.

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tabloidtoc · 4 years

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National Enquirer, December 28

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Ghislaine Maxwell scandal explodes

Page 2: George Clooney was rushed to the hospital after rapidly dropping 28 pounds to play an ailing astronomer in his latest movie The Midnight Sky and the harrowing incident has infuriated worried wife Amal Clooney -- George’s scare came when he was diagnosed with life-threatening pancreatitis days before he was scheduled to start filming on a glacier in Finland -- Amal was unhappy and angry that he put his health on the line for the role and she was also furious because this wasn’t the first time the father of her twins has been in harm’s way and she’s demanding he take better care of himself so he’ll be around to care for his kids

Page 3: Lori Loughlin’s deluded daughter Olivia Jade Giannulli is clueless over the college admissions scandal that landed her parents in jail and believes her own hype according to a body language expert -- in an interview on Jada Pinkett Smith’s Red Table Talk Olivia claimed she had no idea posing for pictures on a rowing machine to finagle a crew scholarship to the University of Southern California despite never having practiced the sport was deceitful but body language expert Susan Constantine said Olivia doesn’t appear to have any understanding of the consequences of her actions or those of mom Lori and dad Mossimo Giannulli -- after observing Olivia’s confession Constantine said she didn’t notice any deceptive indicators such as pauses in her speech or shrugging of her shoulders however she labeled Olivia completely unequivocally oblivious which she said made it challenging to judge Olivia’s truthfulness

Page 4: Lonely Diane Keaton is longing for love and she’s turned to former flame Jack Nicholson for help in landing a new guy -- Diane is truly desperate to find a man and she knows if there’s one person who can help her navigate the dating scene after all this time it’s Jack -- the Oscar-winning actress shocked the world when she recently admitted she hasn’t been on a date in 35 years and she made a joke of it but the pandemic has made her realize how lonely she really is -- Diane would never date Jack again but knows he has a lot of eligible friends who would fit her dating profile

* Dying Olivia Newton-John worries endlessly about her daughter Chloe and made a touching final request of close pal John Travolta: Please take care of Chloe after I’m gone -- Olivia’s concerns for Chloe spiked after she blasted the COVID-19 vaccine on social media writing that natural medicine is the party she belongs to -- Olivia has been battling stage 4 breast cancer while John lost his wife Kelly Preston to the same disease and John loves and admires Olivia for the way she’s battled this disease and she’s given him the hope and encouragement he needs -- now Chloe’s ongoing issues have pushed Olivia to beg John to pledge he’ll be there for her daughter because Chloe has spent over $450,000 on multiple plastic surgeries including breast enhancements and a nose job and lip enhancements and Botox and she’s also battled anorexia and depression which led to bouts with cocaine and alcohol addiction -- Olivia has always been deeply concerned about who would look out for Chloe if she wasn’t around and now that she can see the end is near she asked John to be that person; he never blinked an eye and said of course

Page 5: Ozzy Osbourne’s frail and feeble appearance has friends fearing for the rocker but he has no plans to abandon a 2022 comeback even if it kills him -- the 72-year-old singer has battled Parkinson’s disease and crippling nerve damage but has vowed he will die onstage -- nobody disputes he has the heart of a lion and it’s great to see him out and about again recording music and talking the good talk but ultimately Ozzy is a very sickly guy who needs to protect himself and not charge around trying to delude himself by living life at a pace that doesn’t make sense anymore

Page 6: Rattled reality star Kylie Jenner is living in fear after being terrorized by two crazed fans and is now spending $350,000 a month on a 25-person security detail -- Kylie filed court documents seeking a restraining order against Justin Bergquist who allegedly broke into her $36.5 million California home last month

Page 7: Lonely Ryan Seacrest may have nearly half a billion bucks in the bank but he’d trade in his riches for another shot at love -- he was so devastated by his breakup with on-again off-again galpal Shayna Taylor last summer he fears he may never find a woman to spend the rest of his life with and he now realizes her put his career before his personal life one too many times and may suffer for it forever -- Ryan’s recent health woes have been a wake-up call and forced him to understand the price he’s paying for taking his partners for granted for so long -- Ryan now realizes life is too short to go it alone and it’s finally dawned on him he’s not invincible and not so self-sufficient after all

* Miley Cyrus’ admission that she’s had a lot of FaceTime sex has left friends and advisers fearing she may be setting herself up for some unwanted exposure -- though Miley explained she’s turned to virtual hookups to avoid physical contact during the pandemic but she’s putting herself at an entirely different kind of risk and she’s setting herself up as a potential victim of revenge porn

Page 10: Hot Shots -- Brooke Burke showed off her toned figure in Malibu, Andrew Garfield looked bored on the NYC set of Tick Tick...Boom!, Busy Philipps cleaning, Audrina Patridge and her daughter Kirra on a Beverly Hills playdate

Page 11: Guy Fieri is eating up heaps of praise for handing out $500 grants to more than 43,000 restaurant workers across the nation -- he scrambled to raise over $21.5 million in seven weeks to help legions of unemployed restaurant laborers who have suffered financially due to the COVID-19 health and economic crisis -- through his new Restaurant Employee Relief Fund Guy personally buttonholed fat cats at cash-rich corporations such as PepsiCo and Uber Eats and Moet Hennessy USA to make donations -- he shows how he did it and shines a light on the industry’s continuing challenges in Restaurant Hustle 2020 a documentary he produced for the Food Network

* Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood are spreading yuletide cheer with their TV holiday special but they’re more interested in ringing cash registers than Christmas bells -- Garth and Trisha rake in $60 million a year from concert ticket sales and CD purchases and merchandising but the couple saw their cash flow slow during the pandemic -- they lost a bunch of money but they had the unique opportunity to do TV specials and grab a big chunk of it back -- while the $10 million they are pocketing for their TV specials won’t make up for what they would have netted on tour it was a sweet stocking stuffer and they both want to get back on the road and really rake it in but TV has made the wait a lot easier

Page 12: Straight Shuter -- With Beyonce and Taylor Swift facing off for Song of the Year at the upcoming Grammy Awards producers are scrambling to prevent another Kanye West explosion like what happened in 2009

* Killing off The Talk may be the only hope of saving Drew Barrymore’s tanking talk show

* The Real Housewives of New York are treating the first Black cast member Eboni K. Williams with kid gloves because no one wants to come across as racist

* Niecy Nash and Jessica Betts (picture)

Page 13: January Jones’ desperate bid for online attention has pals concerned she may be cracking up -- her red-hot career appears to have cooled since Mad Men ended in 2015 and January is dying to land another plum part like Betty Draper but she’s going about it the wrong way -- she’s been posting sexy bikini pictures and leggy dance numbers on Instagram but that’s not the way to catch the eye of casting directors especially with so few shows in production during the COVID-19 lockdown

* Caitlyn Jenner has reached out to trans actor Elliot Page offering to be his big sister in an opportunistic PR ploy -- while Caitlyn was one of many trans celebs including Jazz Jennings and Geena Rocero to offer Elliot congratulations and support, Caitlyn viewed the announcement as a new opportunity to leap back into the limelight and she believes that by aligning herself with Elliot she can regain her status as an activist and the symbol of transgender rights in Hollywood -- Elliot is happy to listen to Caitlyn’s advice but he’s been navigating his gender issues for years and doesn’t need guidance and he’s not going to be rude but he doesn’t need the help

Page 14: Crime

Page 15: A never-before-heard audio recording is of iconic soul singer James Brown’s wish to leave his $100 million fortune to educate poor children -- in the garbled 1999 recording the singer who died suddenly in 2006 called the creation of his I Feel Good foundation his lasting legacy but his precious foundation has not seen a dime because his fortune has remained tied up in court since his death which is the subject of an investigation by the Fulton County, Georgia District Attorney’s office after allegations surfaced that Brown might have been poisoned by someone after his money

Page 16: American Life

Page 17: What Shocked and Rocked in 2020 -- the best scoops and stories of the year

Page 25: Fired Hillsong Church pastor Carl Lentz was so starstruck by his celebrity parishioners he believed he was a star himself and his ego fueled his shocking fall from grace and now he’s getting mental health treatment after being accused of cheating on his wife and getting sacked for moral failures -- Carl tended the trendy megachurch’s New York City flock and regularly rubbed shoulders with celebs including NBA star Kevin Durant and singer Selena Gomez and even once invited Justin Bieber to live with him before being booted by bigwigs but now he’s said to be getting help at an outpatient facility specializing in depression and pastoral burnout but cunning Carl may have made the move simply to revamp his wrecked reputation

Page 26: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are heading to couples therapy in a desperate bid to stay together because their marriage is hanging by a thread -- the pair are at each other’s throats as they struggle to adjust to their new life in America -- Harry’s gone from being excited about the move to feeling tortured and it’s like he swapped his royal prison in Britain for a new hell in a $14 million California mansion and he fears he’s made a terrible mistake but Meghan’s ordering him to man up and grab this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make millions away from the monarchy’s suffocating shadow -- the fighting came to a head before the holidays when Harry was feeling especially homesick and guilty about abandoning his family especially his brother Prince William and his grandmother Queen Elizabeth -- adding to their troubles Meghan seems hellbent on staying in the public eye during the pandemic and she masterminded their personal video calls to charities in London and the U.S. and the secret deliveries of meals to the needy but then she made them public and the truth is it’s The Meghan Show now and Harry’s just the side act

Page 27: A charming Chinese spy bedded two Midwestern mayors and courted other clueless politicians to weasel her way into U.S. government circles -- Chinese national Christina Fang also known as Fang Fang, reportedly entered the U.S. as a college student in 2011

Page 31: Candice Bergen moaned that at the age of 74 she’s a wreck and that she has a wattle -- Candice admitted to having her eyes done while filming the Murphy Brown reboot because they were very hooded and as for today she knows she should have injections because she has deep lines along her lip but she can’t take the pain

* Rachael Ray lost her New York home to a blazing inferno but her holidays were salvaged by the warmth of community spirit -- following the devastating fire she and her husband moved into the property’s guesthouse and in a clip on The Rachael Ray Show the emotional host showed off her festively decorated digs and gushed she didn’t know where she’d be without friends and a community and people so dear to her that helped her bring Christmas to life even when you’re not at home

Page 32: Health Watch -- blood test predicts Alzheimer’s

Page 34: Longtime lovebirds Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell are hoping to make a movie with their whole family -- the star-studded cast would include Goldie’s kids Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson and the couple’s son Wyatt Russell -- as for filming with the entire gang Goldie gushed that they have thought about it and she’d love to do something with her kids and the grandchildren too

* Hollywood Hookups -- Kristin Cavallari and Jeff Dye heating up, Malik Beasley and Larsa Pippen dating but Malik’s wife Montana Yao filed for divorce, Chrishell Stause and Keo Motsepe dating

Page 36: Infamous Hollywood hotel Chateau Marmont has a storied history of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll ever since it opened its doors in 1929 and nearly a century later it hasn’t been tamed -- even during the pandemic the majestic hotel is wild with drunks, overdoses and luckily averted suicide attempts and according to 911 records the debauched celebrity haunt is filled with people having breakdowns -- the Chateau’s crazy days and nights are legendary: it’s where John Belushi died in one of the bungalows in 1982 from a deadly cocaine-heroin concoction

Page 38: One of the most iconic images from the James Bond films which is a handgun used by Sean Connery in Dr. No has sold for $256,000 at auction in Beverly Hills -- the gun is a deactivated semi-automatic Walther PP pistol -- the winning bidder who asked to remain anonymous is an American who’s seen every James Bond film with his children -- a helmet created for Tom Cruise in Top Gun also sold at the auction for $108,000 while a sword used by Bruce Willis in Pulp Fiction sold for $35,200

* Dolly Parton has one major thing left on her bucket list which is she wants to see Beyonce sing Jolene one of the country star’s signature songs -- Jolene has been recorded more than any other song Dolly has ever written but that isn’t enough for her because she also wants to see it updated by one of the top female stars of a new generation -- it has been recorded worldwide over 400 times in lots of different languages but nobody’s ever had a really big hit record on it and Dolly always hoped somebody might do it someday by someone like Beyonce

* Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has wrestled his way into the alcohol market with his own tequila brand and lifted it into first place as the most successful spirit launch in history and he’s even on track to double George Clooney’s first-year launch -- Dwayne is expected to move more than 300,000 cases of small-batch Teremana Tequila in its first year of trading

Page 40: Smitten singer Rihanna has fallen hard for A$AP Rocky but friends fear the playboy rapper will leave her broken-hearted -- Rocky is a charming guy but he also has a love ‘em and leave ‘em reputation and everyone’s concerned she’s more into him than he is into her -- Rihanna’s desperate to meet a man she can see herself with for the rest of her life and she believes Rocky might be the one but everybody thinks she’s rushing into things with Rocky -- Rocky is not interested in a long-term romance and Rihanna shouldn’t be thinking of this as more than a port in the storm

* Lizzo is livin’ large and she’s showing every inch of her jiggles and folds on TikTok -- the body-positivity enthusiast wore a white bikini for an all-angles video in which she amply demonstrated the tricks models and celebs use to look slimmer -- she bared her belly and back and legs and sometimes jiggled her thighs or grabbed a hunk of herself to prove there’s more to luscious ladies than meets the eye and wrote, “Wild to see the body positive movement come so far. Proud of the big girls who gave it wings.”

Page 42: Red Carpet -- The Crown stars -- Claire Foy, Emma Corrin, Gillian Anderson, Vanessa Kirby, Erin Doherty

Page 47: Odd List -- baseball fan Darren Johnson hatched an unusual idea for his new chicken coop making it a model of Houston’s former Eighth Wonder of the World The Astrodome

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andtheyweredeskmates · 4 years

Text

Of Latte’s and Lingerie-Chapter Thirteen

I did a chapter! I’m so happy!! Can’t wait to write the next chapter for you guys!!

Taglist: @toodaloo-kangaroo @catsssmeow

AO3 - Chapter 1 - Chapter 12 - Concept Art

Marinette was anxious for her date with Adrien. It was set to be exactly one week before Fruit of Passion and Marinette found herself burying herself in her work to keep her mind off her nerves. That of course didn't work so well because she wasn’t exactly excited for her catwalk either. Audrey insisted that Marinette would practice in the red piece for the rest of the week to gain a little confidence. Marinette was skeptical that walking around in lingerie for a week would do anything for her confidence.

Meanwhile the texting between her and Adrien had not ceased. And neither had his flirty comments. It seemed that after her confession, he had only grown more bold and Marinette was secretly loving it.

Coffee Buddy

I have a couple of ideas about our date, have a few questions for you before I decide.

Marinette smiled in her bed, peeking from under her covers to read the texts on her phone.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Okay, hit me

Coffee Buddy

How do you feel about alcohol?

Marinette Dupain-Cheng

It’s great. But if I’m hungover for work I might kill you

Coffee Buddy

Noted, what about cats?

Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Really?

Coffee Buddy

Right, stupid question. How about sushi?

Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Can I guess where your going with this?

Coffee Buddy

You could. But that would ruin the surprise princess

Marinette couldn’t help but blush whenever he called her that.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng

You know this surprise date is only in two days. You better figure it out soon. I don’t even know where I’m going.

Coffee Buddy

Surely you know me well enough by now to know I’ll be picking you up. I take pride in being a purrfect gentlemen

Marinette rolled her eyes.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng

I know you well enough to know you’re a purrfect dork

Coffee Buddy

It’s all part of my charm.

Marinette glanced at the clock. It was already midnight and she had to be at work bright and early at 8 am.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Well, Mr. Prince Charming I have to be up early for work tomorrow so I’m going to bed. I’ll talk to you in the morning.

Coffee Buddy

Sweet dreams princess

…

“Has anyone ever told you that your disgusting?”

Nino was sitting next to Adrien on the couch peering over his shoulder. Adrien grinned back at Nino.

“Don’t act like you don’t send cute things to Alya,” Adrien said. Nino scoffed.

“No, unlike you, I play it cool.” Adrien stood up and walked into the kitchen to grab another slice of pizza.

“So you’re an asshole?” Nino crossed his arms over his chest.

“No, I just leave her wanting a little more. Don’t want her to think I want her too much because then she might think I’m too clingy.” Adrien chuckled.

“Ah I see. I forgot that you are all knowing and wise in the ways of women.”

“Shut up. Not everyone just has to look at a woman to woo her,” Nino grumbled.

“Woo her? How old are you? A hundred?” Adrien plopped down on the couch and shoved the pizza in his mouth.

“You know what I mean. I guess if anything I should just be happy that you’re showing an interest in someone. Even if you are acting like a lovesick dope.”

“Sure, sure. I’m the weirdo because I’m not trying too hard and just say what I mean.” Nino laughed.

“Oh so being disgustingly sweet comes naturally to you huh? Alright Cupid, you wanna tell me what your planning for your date?” Adrien took another bite.”

“Nope,” he said with his mouth full. Nino grimaced.

“What!? Why not?” Adrien swallowed.

“Because stupid, you’re gonna tell Alya and Alya is gonna tell Mari and it won’t be a surprise anymore.” Nino started to speak and then stopped. Adrien raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, you don’t have anything to say about that do you? I know you and I have vicariously learned from both you and Mari that Alya doesn’t know when to stop talking so I will not be sharing any of my plans with you. And just to piss you off, I’m gonna tell you that I already told Chloe about it.”

Nino lost it.

“WHAT!? That’s a low blow.” Adrien cackled.

“Well unlike you, Chloe can keep a secret.” Nino furrowed his brow.

“I resent that.” Then Nino’s eyes started to shine with an evil gleam.

“But you know what, just to prove you wrong, I know something you don’t know and I’m not gonna tell you.” Adrien rolled his eyes.

“Is that so?” Nino chuckled darkly.

“Yup, and it’s about Mari. Oh man when you find out you’re gonna be so mind blown and you’re gonna call me and all I’m gonna do is laugh in your face.” Adrien’s interest was piqued.

“Is it… bad?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know lover boy?”

…

Marinette didn’t have to beg Audrey for very long to get off early that Friday. There were however…. stipulations.

“Audrey I hate to ask this but can I please leave early today?” Marinette had very low expectations. Audrey had been in a foul mood for the past three days which is precisely why Marinette had waited so long to ask but she was out of options.

“Why?” Audrey asked bluntly. She hadn’t even bothered to look up at Marinette. She was too busy typing away at her computer. Marinette glanced around the massive office that belonged to Audrey Bourgeois and began to wonder if she should just cancel the date altogether. She couldn’t go anywhere if Audrey killed her.

“Um, well I got asked on a date tonight and-“ Audrey immediately stopped typing and her head snapped up to look at Marinette with glee.

“By Adrien?” Marinette’s eyes widened with surprise.

“Uh, yeah,” she said cautiously.

“What time is your date?” Marinette glanced at the clock briefly. It was currently 10 am.

“It’s at 8 tonight.” Audrey grinned.

“Marinette my love you will be out of here by 5 but I have one condition.” Marinette nodded her head quickly.

“Anything!” she shouted.

“You are going to practice on the runway, in your red piece in front of my entire staff.”

“Anything but that,” Mari thought miserably. Marinette hung her head.

“Don’t be so dramatic. You have to do it in front of dozens of high profile designers in a week. You can handle my measly staff.”

“I’m part of your staff,” Marinette mumbled resentfully.

“You know what I mean. Go get changed. I’ll have everyone in the runway room by noon. You have till then to get ready.”

…

Adrien had a very hard time focusing at work. He was only filling out paperwork but he couldn’t clear his mind for a second. He couldn’t stop thinking about Marinette and what Nino said. Maybe she said had some terrible disease? Or she was moving to another country to accept a higher position? Or maybe she had a secret lover?

He couldn’t help but imagine the worst. He figured he could just ask her. He’d be seeing her tonight. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. Like she secretly liked to cosplay or something. Adrien hadn’t been nervous about their date but now he was terrified. He made a mental note to unfriend Nino.

“Hey Adrien?” Adrien jumped and turned around.

“Y-yes sir?” His boss, Fu was right behind him giving him a very concerned look.

“Are you feeling okay? You’ve been staring off into space for an hour.” Adrien chuckled apologetically.

“Yeah sorry, just got a lot on my mind,” he admitted ruefully.

“Why don’t you go home? You can finish your paperwork on Monday. You’ve been very productive this week.” Adrien smiled.

“Thank you sir,” he said. He started backing up his things and organizing his desk.

At least now he could brood in private.

…

Marinette hyped herself up in the mirror. One of Audrey’s stylists had come in to do minimal makeup and put up her hair. Marinette had to admit that if she was home alone, she would have felt very sexy. But there was difference between wearing lingerie at home alone and putting on a show for a hundred people.

“You are Marinette Dupain-Cheng and you can do anything. You are hot and you are gonna show everyone!” she told herself.

“That’s the spirit!” Marinette jumped and screamed.

“Ahh! How long have you been standing there?” Audrey laughed.

“You look great. Calm down. That was a wonderful pep talk. Now go out there and show you stuff.” Marinette bit her lip.

“I don’t know about this Audrey.” Audrey sighed.

“Look, Gabriel and I have been collaborating night and day for this show. You worked really hard and your line was way better than any of the other designers Gabriel commissioned for this show. I wanted you to model this piece because you put everything into it. It’s beautiful, its sexy and it’s classic. This is your work. Be proud of it. Show everyone that Marinette Dupain-Cheng is talented in every way. I want you to stand out and I want you to be recognized. So, help me help you. You’re the finale. The last girl to walk the runway. Be the fireworks. Understand?” Marinette let out a long breath and nodded. Audrey was much better at pep talks than she was.

“Alright, you know your cue. The music is about to start. So go out there and own it!” And just like that the music started. Before Marinette could talk herself out she held her head high and went on stage.

…

Even Audrey was a little in awe. Marinette walked the runway with more confidence than Audrey had ever seen in her. The sharp angles of her body moved fluidly and it was almost enchanting. Marinette was captivating and she unlocked a side of herself that no one had ever seen. Audrey found herself filled with immense pride.

“Miss Dupain-Cheng you are a star,” she whispered to herself.

Next Chapter

#of lattes and lingerie #my fic #adrienette #adrinette #adrien agreste #marinette dupain cheng #mlb fanfic #miraculous ladybug #coffee shop au

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the-slut-verses · 4 years

Text

when will aftershocks return from the war I miss them :////

#podcast blogging #aftershocks #it's been 2 years i can't remember if the ending was a proper series finale or if there are still some threads to explore #i can say the same about all the midnight disease productions shows lake clarity the Enoch saga and that Lovecraft radio show esp #the one with only 1 ep that was really really good #it's kinda funny how they dropped the s3 trailer for lake clarity saying it'll drop soon but it's been 2 years #no shade but like s1 of lake clarity was Not That Good it's like all the dumb horror movies i avoid #but s2 was a massive improvement and like i really wanna know what happens next #i feel like it's gonna be a while if we're ever gonna get updates from those shows cuz it seems they're really busy with scp archives #and that show's blown up way more than the midnight disease production shows

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purplesurveys · 4 years

Text

804

All About the Letter A!

Please List! (at least one)

Animals I Like: Aspins! That’s what we call our native dogs, and usually they’re street dogs. Since they come from the street, they can eat all types of human food with no problem and are generally less likely to contract serious diseases. They make for amazing guard dogs and are just the best companions. Kimi’s part aspin :)

Foods I Like: There’s a local place that makes really good avocado cheesecake, and I’ll go with that.

I Know Someone Who’s (jobs): Anthropologist, air cabin crew, and accountant.

I Wouldn’t Mind Visiting: Athens, Arizona, Antarctica.

Sometimes I Feel: Anxious is the word I’m looking for most of the time these days. Sometimes I also get agitated.

Music I Listen To: Against Me!, Ariana Grande, alt-J, Adele.

Movies I’ve Seen: Anomalisa, A Clockwork Orange, A Nightmare on Elm Street, A Streetcar Named Desire, Amélie, American History X, Adventureland.

Names I Like: Amelie/Amelia, Alessandra, Arden, Ava, Audrey.

And now, onto the random questions!

Are you able to distinguish the difference of when to use “a” versus “and”? If the survey meant a/an, then yes.

Have you ever been in an airplane before? Yessss, a bunch of times. Riding airplanes never fails to make me feel excited, too.

Are you available? No. Which reminds me of some asshole who messaged my Facebook last week and said he wanted “to talk” to me because I’m “pretty.” I was the most horrified demisexual and my fingers went straight to the Block option lol.

What’s the best/funniest “autocorrect” that has happened to you/in your phone? Fuck turning into duck is always funny.

Abercrombie, American Eagle, or Aeropostale for clothes? Pass. I think all three of these shops went out of style like a decade ago.

Do you believe in angels or aliens? I believe in extraterrestrial life but not in the big head, green skin, big black eyes way that they’re usually portrayed as. I don’t believe in angels.

Have you ever been arrested? Nope.

Can you tell the difference between acute, right, and obtuse angles? Yes.

Do you appreciate art? In which forms? I appreciate all kinds of art, but like if I was in an art museum I would always flock to paintings.

Does any part of your body currently ache? Which part? Nothing is aching but my entire body is feeling very hot because it’s noon.

Do you get a lot of acne? Only whenever I’m really stressed in school. When all my deadlines start coming together, there’s always one or two noticeable pimples that show up and it’s always in an unfortunate area on my face, like in the middle of my eyes.

Are you athletic? To an extent, I guess? I can play table tennis and have shown good reflexes in sports like futsal.

Who/what are you attracted to? What attractive qualities do you find appealing? I’m demisexual; who I’m attracted to depends on who I’ve become close with, so having a list of desirable traits around doesn’t work for me.

Favorite author? I don’t have one.

Favorite actor or actress: Kate Winslet.

Do you consume alcohol? Yesssss and am always down for it.

Do you have any ailments? Not anymore! I had a UTI last week but with some very good antibiotics prescribed to me by Angela’s mom I’ve been feeling better for around a week now. It was bad for a while though and I kept having a fever that never went away and I could barely go up and down the stairs without feeling faint.

Do you wear an apron when you cook? No. I don’t think we even have aprons at home.

What time do you normally fall asleep? Midnight or a few hours after that.

Have you ever broken your arm or your ankle? I’ve sprained an ankle before. I had a bad fall, embarrassingly, in front of a rally that was ongoing at school at the time.

What is your age? 22.

Do you typically win or lose arguments? With Gabie, it only ever ends in a truce because neither of us like losing. With my mom, I let her win so that I can pretty much continue staying in this house, but she doesn’t know I could essentially kill her if I just chose to turn up my arguments to 100% lmao.

Do you believe in astrology? No and it’s really hard to like people who take them incredibly seriously. A worst breed of people is those who like astrology but relentlessly shit on the MBTI test like...sure it might be bogus too, but at least you take a million questions about your personality on the MBTI test...

Do you enjoy going to amusement parks? My friends and I don’t ever have time to go to amusement parks, but even if we did, I’d probably be the friend that doesn’t go half the time. I just wouldn’t get my money’s worth in places like those since I don’t go on rides anyway.

Do you like the color aqua? It’s not a bad color at all. < True.

What are your aspirations? Get a great start into my career, save some money to help my parents for a bit, move out, travel some, and ultimately, all the white picket fence stuff with the person I’ll be with. Idk, I’m conventional when it comes to my goals.

Do you have any allergies? I don’t.

What is one of your most awkward moments? I have at least one everyday. Same goes for embarrassing moments.

Describe your appearance: I’m 5′1″, black shoulder-length hair with bangs, dark brown eyes, two ear piercings with one of the piercings ripped open from an accident, and shoulders that are a little bit tilted if you look closely because of my scoliosis.

What kind of an accent do you have? I wouldn’t know how to describe it but I have just a teeeeeny bit of an American accent due to me talking in English most of the time with nearly everyone I know, but it’s not perfect because of my Filipino tongue. It’s the same accent as those who went to private school and speaks English as a first language.

Are you addicted to anything? I don’t have any serious addictions but I will never pass up the chance to eat macarons, cheesecake, and any dish with truffle in it.

What are you afraid of? Death, cockroaches, losing the people I love, being in the kitchen and having something get on fire, getting eaten alive by an animal, drowning in the middle of the ocean or sea.

Are you big on showing affection? Intimately, like if it’s only the two of us together. I don’t like being too showy when in public because I know a good number of people don’t like it.

Do you live in an apartment? Nope. House.

Do you prefer Apple products? Yeah, all the gadgets I use regularly are Apple.

Have you ever received an award? For what? The last one I received was in elementary school for winning in a quiz bee.

Are you an Aquarius or an Aries? No.

Which alarms have you heard before? My phone’s, the fire alarm in emergency drills, the national local alerts on my phone whenever there’s a typhoon, earthquake, or volcano eruption, firetruck siren, ambulance siren, police siren.

Have you ever been under anesthesia before? What was the outcome? No and I am scaredddddd for the possibility. As far as I know that’s an injection too; and besides, I might end up saying embarrassing shit in front of my parents.

Anything else that you’d like to ask? Nopes.

[a-zebra-is-a-striped-horse]

#survey #surveys

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decimadragonoid · 4 years

Text

Some Musts for Artists!

As I'm typing this, it is currently midnight on April 12th during the coronavirus pandemic. We're all artists here, so let's go over a few things that we can do as like-minded people. I've been on Deviantart for nearly 6 years now. I recently started a Tumblr and a Ko-Fi to make this a fun side job. Expanding my art network and social media outlets was the name of the game throughout the years, but I thought I'd create a small journal entry or a manual somewhere midway through the process for current and newcoming artists. So, here are some tips and musts for artists that all of you can use! 1.) Practice as often as you can. - This step is pretty self-explanatory. After all, practice makes perfect. You might even unlock hidden potentials that you never thought you had before. Even if you don't feel comfortable using certain tools (e.g., the perspective ruler, mannequins, outlines), making use of them will become much easier if you ease your way into using them. For example, I've always had trouble making backgrounds while using the perspective ruler synchronously, but over time, I eased my way into using it for making settings. Now I use the perspective rulers when I'm trying to capture the essence of a room or an area outdoors. It may be hard to create characters, props, and backgrounds at first, but once you find methods you're best comfortable with, stick with your guns and flesh out your masterpieces with your own unique styles! - I also use thicker sketch lines to make characters and poses just right to accommodate my nearsightedness. I call this technique 'The XL Method.' 2.) Study and Observe from Others. - If you have a favorite show, artist, or animator you like to watch, observe how they flesh out their characters, backgrounds, settings, and stories. Using any of the listed in the last sentence as reference material is a good way to analyze the big picture and make it your own. Of course, you must remember that you're not doing this to mimic your favorite artist, but rather referring to them as a template of sorts. Don't try to stay as someone else's shadow. Your art style is created through your body and soul, not by emulating your idol. 3.) Take care of yourself. - This is probably the most important thing you must NEVER neglect as an artist and overall person. If you can't draw yet due to other responsibilities outside of being an artist, don't try to force yourself afterwards. I've personally seen artists get hounded with questions and comments like 'When's your next page coming out?', 'Finish this project up already!', and even 'I only came here for Undertale. It's the only thing that gives me life. If you stop making Undertale comics and cancel your series, I'm not gonna watch you anymore.' Every artist I follow has been pressured more than once, especially in the Undertale fandom, when they actually put a project on hold, had a desire to draw something else for a while and try new things to take a break, or had other responsibilities outside the digital realm that followers neglect to understand or just don't care about because they're so anxious to see what happens next in a story they like. With followers, some are patient and respect that the artist has other responsibilities and hobbies they'd like to attend to, and others feel like they're entitled to the next page, when really, they're not. This isn't prominent in just the Undertale fandom, but also in many others - so many in fact, that it's a hassle just to list them all. - It's important to balance your lifestyle with things you like to do. If you like to draw, by all means, do it. If you like to read, by all means, do it. If you like to hang out with friends, by all means, do it. If you like to play video games, by all means, do it. If you have to take care of yourself and put your health over everything else first, do it. Do NOT compromise! When it comes to your health and lifestyle, unless it's beneficial to you, nobody else's input matters. Your followers won't get mad at you for it, and the followers undergoing the stages of entitlement will have to shut the hell up and take a hint. You're your own person, not someone else's servant. 4.) Eat! Eat! EAAAAAAAAAAAATTT!!! - Whether it's your favorite food or something jam-packed with nutritious value, eat all the food you want to eat! No artist can operate on an empty stomach. Keep your metabolism going and grab a snack, breakfast, lunch, or dinner. You want an example? Eat popcorn or sushi. Popcorn is high in fiber and helps keep your blood sugar in check as long as you don't drench it in too much butter. I also recommended sushi in this tab too. The reason is because sushi and other types of fish are high in DHA content, which stimulates brain activity and keeps your creative juices flowing. - There are other snacks that can help you stay motivated and full. Yogurt prevents diseases and enhances digestive and weight control. Bananas are high in potassium and help maintain a healthy heart. Chips and hummus go together too! Not only is hummus a good dip filled with fiber and protein, it's also filled with antioxidants! - I can go on and on about what kind of foods you can eat as an artist, but there are too many to list! I just love food THIS much! You'll be sitting here reading this tab all day if I did, so I'll leave the examples in the previous paragraphs for you. Whether it's a snack food, breakfast, lunch, or dinner, feed your body and mind, and you'll definitely make it as an artist! 5.) If you're a comic artist making an original story or building up from someone else's idea with a fanmade comic of your own, achieve total secrecy and wow your viewers later! - Yeah, I know it's great you've finished a comic page to show to your followers, and it has them craving for more. But sometimes, someone else's desire for more pages might be a little too much. Whether you're a regular artist or a comic/fancomic artist, not only is it important to balance your lifestyle, manage your time, and decide when you want to draw an art piece or the next page to your story, but it's also important to limit the amount of desire and demand you take in. - If you don't mind giving your fans spoilers, then that's okay too. But sometimes, achieving complete radio silence and being exclusive helps you get the most work done. - For example, a clothes designer named Geoffrey B. Small utilized a marketing strategy in which he made his clothing line limited and exclusive to shoppers. He doesn't want you to find his clothing. Even more so, he's not interested in being available to everybody. This makes his clothing unique and valuable to the eye of the beholder. If his clothes were found by literally everyone, it would disappoint him and jeopardize the overall exclusivity and value of his products. If your someone who doesn't want anyone to know that you're working on an art piece or a batch of comic pages that's gonna gobsmack your fans, pull a Geoffrey B. Small-esque move and don't leak any info whatsoever. - But IF you must inform your fans your project is still up and running, leave a subtle hint or a W.I.P thumbnail behind. That'll suffice. Keep your fans guessing, even if it means making them succumb to their anxiety or neediness for updates. - Limit any questions or comments you want to take in until you feel ready to reveal your big guns. You decide when you'll work on your art on your OWN terms. 6.) Allow yourself to imagine and enjoy your creative mind going wild before fleshing it out on your tablet or on paper. - Creativity is what makes literally anything in the world come to life! That's how we have the technology, video games, buildings, and other necessities in our generation today. For us artists, our most creative tool is the brain. The brain is the center of all human activity and thought. It's what allows us to imagine what happens next in our stories before we physically flesh them out on our drawing tablets or on paper. I always use my brain to generate a thought in my head that's so powerful, when I close my eyes or flesh it out every second, I can see a glimpse of it playing in my head like a roll of film filled to the brim with moving images for a movie. - It's also beneficial to write out a script, and even pretend you're a character in the story you want to create. - Flesh out your thoughts, play the track over and over again, add more thoughts, put a few funny moments into the mix, and BAM!! You've got an idea! Of course, you must also understand that unless the thought is something long-term you want to remember, you might forget some parts of your idea at first. Some ideas might be some you'll totally dislike later, and that's okay. There's always room for re-imagination and improvement. - Also take to heart that you shouldn't let your creative thoughts take over your real-life responsibilities. Those come first! - Overall, it's important to imagine and have fun going wild before physically bringing your thoughts into being. Let the creativity flow naturally. 7.) Understand you're not perfect, and neither are others. - In the wise words of Mayuri Kurotsuchi from BLEACH, 'Nothing perfect exists.' - 'If something is truly perfect, that's it. The bottom line becomes, there is no room for imagination, no space for intelligence, or ability, or improvement.' - 'Perfection is a dead end, a condition of hopelessness. Always strive to become better than everyone who came before you, but not perfect.' - You need to understand no artist or average working person in the world is perfect. Nobody is better or worse than anyone else. If you start to develop an egotistical sense of perfectionism, stop. You're not Picasso or Van Gogh. You're not better than anyone else. Neither am I. Everyone has their own ways of creating things or getting through the harsh reality of the real world. - The only thing we are is a small part of a bigger picture. We're all here to fill the gaps that plague the digital realm and society as it is today. 8.) Enjoy every minute. - The last thing an artist, viewer, average kid, and/or working adult needs to know is that if you enjoy doing something, it's worth enjoying all the way no matter what anybody else says. Have a good time. Don't let anyone take your modes of enjoyment away from you. Because at the end of the day, everything that lives is designed to end. We don't know when the time will come where we won't or can't enjoy what we love to do today anymore. So take your life and hobbies, make them the most enjoyable and memorable moments of your life, and never let them go! As an artist and overall human being, I care about my own well-being. Hell, I even care about the well-being of strangers and passersby on Deviantart, Tumblr, Ko-Fi, and real life. As such, I feel it's important to share my words of wisdom so you can read, listen, and make them your own. So remember to not only enjoy art or any other hobby or career you wish to pursue, but to never stop growing. The growth and development of the normal human being is a neverending journey, and it's one worth living well. Thank you for reading, and take care of yourselves. Stay determined, where and whoever you are... See you soon... Your friendly stranger and creative thinker, DecimaDragonoid

#words of wisdom #i care about all of you #food for thought #words to live by #artists on tumblr #people on tumblr #journal

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newstfionline · 4 years

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Headlines

Anxiety and Covid-19 (CDC/Bloomberg) A special project by the Census Bureau has set out to map and measure all the anxieties that Covid-19 has brought in its wake. One finding: Almost a third of people in some states have little or no confidence they can pay August’s rent or mortgage. Some of the longest-lasting effects of the pandemic may stem from its adverse impact on mental health, and from enforced delays in medical treatment for other conditions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in a study conducted in May and June, found that more than 10% of adults seriously considered suicide—a figure that rose to more than one-quarter among 18-24 year-olds. It also found a jump in substance abuse, and said mental health outcomes were worse among racial minorities, essential workers, and unpaid caregivers.

Making billions vs. making ends meet: how the pandemic has split the US economy in two (The Guardian) Stock markets are setting new highs driven by soaring prices for the tech companies that enable those lucky enough to work from home. Apple is close to being valued at $2tn. The total wealth of US billionaires has soared $685bn since the middle of March to a combined $3.65tn. Rock-bottom interest rates have triggered a home sales boom for some as those with the money reconsider their priorities in the work-from-home era. With nowhere to go, those Americans who can are saving at record rates. But only one in four Americans can work from home. Meanwhile roughly 30 million people are unemployed in the US, about 20% of the workforce. Almost 30 million Americans recently reported that they have not had enough to eat at some point in the previous seven days, according to the Census Bureau. The vast majority—about 26 million—had lower rates of educational attainment. “It’s white-collar professionals who are able to work from home. In some ways, this is a sign that the economy is just officially split in two,” Glenn Kelman, chief executive of property company Redfin, told NPR last week.

Protests, counterprotests, and violence (Washington Post) Far-right extremists and continued clashes between Black Lives Matter protesters and police this weekend renewed tensions in Portland, Minneapolis and other cities, pushing the country into its 80th day of consecutive demonstrations in some places. A group with ties to far-right organizations that have long targeted Portland gathered downtown Saturday afternoon to wave American flags and push back against Black Lives Matter protests challenging police brutality. The event ended with two gunshots. Protests in other cities also erupted into violence Saturday, as police grappled with small groups hijacking otherwise peaceful events. One clash ended in fistfights after Proud Boys marched in Kalamazoo, Mich. Police intervened as the Proud Boys retreated into a parking garage, about seven minutes after a large brawl broke out between members of the far-right group and their opponents. Officers arrested some counterprotesters who had come out to oppose the right-wing group. In Chicago, a protest also grew violent after people used umbrellas and skateboards to attack police officers, injuring 17. Twenty-four people were arrested. And just before midnight Saturday, a group of roughly 50 protesters, most dressed in black and wearing full-face masks, descended on the 5th District police precinct in South Minneapolis. The group lobbed rocks and fireworks at the building. The station’s front windows were sprayed with anti-police graffiti, and red paint was poured along the steps of the front entrance and the sidewalk.

Virus pandemic reshaping air travel as carriers struggle (AP) In a bid to survive, airlines are desperately trying to convince a wary public that measures like mandatory face masks and hospital-grade air filters make sitting in a plane safer than many other indoor settings during the coronavirus pandemic. It isn’t working. Surveys indicate that instead of growing comfortable with air travel, more people are becoming skeptical about it. In the United States, airline bookings have stalled in the past month after slowly rising—a reaction to a new surge of reported virus infections. Globally, air travel is down more than 85% from a year ago, according to industry figures. The implications for the airline industry are grave. Several leading carriers already have filed for bankruptcy protection, and if the hoped-for recovery is delayed much longer, the list will grow.

Staycations (Morning Consult) Fully 63 percent of U.S. adults said they had plans to take a staycation during the pandemic, with 26 percent having already taken one during the pandemic, compared to 17 percent who took a vacation. The staycationers—those realists who rejected false hope instantaneously, immediately wrote the summer off, and promptly made the best of a truly abysmal situation well beyond their control—were led by the Millennials, a generation forged in the fires of crushing societal disappointment, of whom 35 percent have already taken a staycation.

Death Valley hits 130 degrees, thought to be highest temperature on Earth in over a century (LA Times) Temperatures in Death Valley skyrocketed to a blistering 130 degrees on Sunday—possibly the highest mercury reading on Earth since 1913. If the National Weather Service’s recording is correct, it would also be among the top-three highest temperatures to have ever been measured in Death Valley, as well as the highest temperature ever seen there during the month of August. The reading comes amid an epic heat wave that continues to grip most of the southwestern U.S.

Belarus Protests (NYT) Minutes after President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko of Belarus vowed to stand firm against protesters he reviled as “rats,” “trash” and “bandits,” antigovernment demonstrators staged their biggest protest yet on Sunday to oppose a fraud-tainted presidential election a week earlier. Tens of thousands of protesters—some estimates put their number at well over 200,000—turned out in the center of Minsk, the capital, dwarfing a rally of Mr. Lukashenko’s supporters earlier in the day. It appeared to be the largest protest in the history of Belarus, a former Soviet republic that Mr. Lukashenko has led since 1994. The protest had a festive air, in stark contrast to the tense moods of far smaller rallies last week that were violently suppressed by security forces, leaving at least two people dead, many injured and more than 6,000 under arrest.

Japan’s economy shrinks at record rate, slammed by pandemic (AP) Japan’s economy shrank at annual rate of 27.8% in April-June, the worst contraction on record, as the coronavirus pandemic slammed consumption and trade, according to government data released Monday. The Cabinet Office reported that Japan’s preliminary seasonally adjusted real gross domestic product, or GDP, the sum of a nation’s goods and services, fell 7.8% quarter on quarter. The annual rate shows what the number would have been if continued for a year. Japanese media reported the latest drop was the worst since World War II. But the Cabinet Office said comparable records began in 1980. The previous worst contraction, a 17.8% drop, was in the first quarter of 2009, during the global financial crisis.

New Zealand delays election because of coronavirus outbreak (Washington Post) Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday postponed the general election, scheduled for Sept. 19, for four weeks as authorities grapple with a new wave of cases that has set back the country’s pandemic recovery.

Normalizing ties with Israel (Foreign Policy) Israel’s historic agreement normalizing diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates seems to have opened the way for other Gulf states to do the same. On Sunday, Israeli Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen said that Israel is exploring similar agreements with several countries in the Middle East and North Africa, suggesting that Bahrain and Oman were at the top of the list. Both countries praised the accord shortly after it was publicized, but have not confirmed whether similar deals with Israel were in the works.

Death toll from attack on Mogadishu hotel rises to 16 (Reuters) At least 16 people were killed in an attack on Sunday by al Shabaab on a seaside hotel in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, a government spokesman said, as the Islamist group launched a similar assault on a Somali military base. Sunday’s toll includes 11 victims and five assailants, Ismail Mukhtar Omar said in a tweet late on Sunday, adding: “Security forces lost one, 18 people were injured.” Militants stormed the high-end Elite Hotel in Lido beach, detonated a car bomb and then opened fire with assault rifles, the latest attack by al Shabaab, which has been battling the country’s central government since 2008.

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