#make your internet famous 13 year old self proud!

[socialmediatookmybrain]

Part 10

So, what can we do?

It's not a one-stop-shop kind of deal. It will require intervention before thing get worse, as well as damage control. Sounds harsh, I know, but that's the reality.

Apps need to take further measures to prevent kids from being on social media. Now, I'm not saying everyone under the age of 18 is banned from Snapchat, but these companies target young kids specifically. YouTube made a whole different section for kids (which may or may not be kid friendly). Kids can learn a lot from watching things on T.V. They can learn very valuable skills, especially if they are homeschooled, on breaks from school, or an only child.

Kids can learn new vocabulary through Dora or be inspired to learn some kind of martial arts from some version of TMNT. The problem doesn't lie with technology, but how we use it. Showing kids media that is meant for them is different than handing them an iPad and letting them frolic in the pixel fields of Instagram and TikTok.

Most media on television are curated and labeled appropriately. If you're watching a show with mature themes, there are warnings stating what about it gives it that rating. So why is it not like that for other forms of media.

Well, it's kinda hard. We are living in a time where anyone can post anything. You don't need a medical degree to give medical advice. You don't need a business degree to start a drop shipping business. You can be whoever you want online. It's hard to verify that people are who they say they are. And if Instagram were to start asking for pictures of our ID's, people would be worried (for good reasons).

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So (for the love of God) what do we do?

Parents can limit screen time for kids. This includes monitoring their activity when they are online. Be conscious of what they are watching and how it might affect them. Just because it is 'kid friendly' doesn't mean it was made for kids. Talk to your kids about what they experience on the internet AND in real life. Show them that not everything has to be digital. Show them DVDs and VHS tapes. Give them a Walkman or show them how to use a payphone. Show them that they can have a safe and healthy presence on social media, even as a kid.

Social media sites need to crack down on creators who are under 18. This one is a bit tricky because it can be hard to determine if an account is run by a 12-year-old or not. If apps stopped incenting videos with kids in them, parents couldn't exploit them. There are way too many kids out their who's next meal depends on if they can cry long enough to take a picture for their latest video's thumbnail.

Social media sites also need to stop promoting content geared towards kids. There's a difference between parents reviewing toys for other parents and adults playing with toys so children watch them and give them money. It's gonna be biased and unfair with this kind of crack down but it needs to be done.

For those of you who are reading this and are a kid, stop and think about what you are consuming. Just because you are under 18 doesn't mean you don't know the difference between right and wrong. But sometimes there are bad things on the internet that might not seem like it. Just because something is 'popular' or 'trendy' doesn't mean you have to like it or follow it. If you see something that you don't like, close the app. If you see something that could harm you or someone else, talk to someone about it. It may be scary but sometimes talking about the bad stuff we experience can be good. Always remember that, while you can delete apps, you can't always get rid of posts and comments. Even if you think they are gone forever, someone else probably remembers it. Be careful about who you watch and talk to on the internet.

HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE!!! There are so many creepy and money hungry people in the world and on the internet. Don't be one of them. If you notice gross comments, report them. Don't like how TikTok promotes videos with kids in them? TELL THEM ABOUT IT. Even if these CEOs, founders, or social media teams don't do anything, you can say "at least I tried." Don't be on the wrong side when things start to go bad. Protect kids. Protect yourself.

Even if you make mistakes or become famous on accident, breathe. We make mistakes. Mistakes don't matter as long as we grow and change because of them. Give yourself some grace!

Be aware of things on the internet. Not everyone has the same intentions as you do. Stay safe!!

[theravenouswriter514]

Day Eighteen of the 30 Day Writing Challenge

The prompt today is actually a more difficult one for me, because I don’t think a lot about myself. The prompt today is, “Write 30 facts about yourself.”

1. I’ll start with physical features. I have blue eyes.

2. My natural hair color is sandy blonde, but I dye it to a brown-red color. 

3. I wear glasses because my left eye is significantly weaker than my right eye, making it difficult to see things far away. It also screws with my depth perception.

4. This one is kind of funny, my nose is slightly crooked. When I was born my mom told me I looked like I had been into a fist fight. It straightened over time, but it still is slightly crooked. No one can tell unless I come out and tell them.

5. I have two tattoos. The one on my left forearm is an opening set of quotation marks. My best friend has the closing set on her right arm. We got them when we turned eighteen. Then I have a sail boat on my right wrist. My two best friends and I went on a girls’ trip in 2019, during which we all got tattoos pertaining to the ocean. One friend got an anchor, one got waves under the sun, and I got a sailboat. Corny right? 

6. This one is known already by my previous posts, but it is a fact that I am proud of. I have a two-year-old Corgi named Sirius. He is tri-colored, meaning he is black, white, and tan. I’ll put a picture to show him off. 

7. I have two favorite authors. One classic and one modern. They are Ernest Hemingway and Rainbow Rowell.

8. My favorite flower is a Tiger Lily. They grow outside my old house every summer. 

9. I live in a rural town in Tennessee. It’s home and I’m a proud Tennessean.

10. My favorite super hero has always been Iron Man, even before I knew about the movies. It’s actually for a funny reason. Tony Stark is known to have that great  facial hair, in the comics as well as in the movies. Growing up, and even now, my dad always kept a beard and mustache. I associated facial hair with trustworthiness, because I was a kid and I didn’t know any better. I saw that Iron Man had facial hair, and he just became my favorite. I could trust him.

10. I used to collect snow globes as a kid. My collection wasn’t very big, but I was proud of it. 

11. I’m not a musical fanatic, but my favorite is “Oklahoma”.

12. I played the marimba in high school marching and concert band. Our percussion section won first place state championship in competition my junior year. 

13. The farthest I’ve ever been from home is when I went on a band trip to Chicago. 

14. I got my first college degree in August of 2020. I have an A.A. in English.

15. My writing pseudonym is J.H.Hope. Hope is actually my middle name. 

16. I had braces for almost two years when I was 12 and 13. My mouth was too small for all the teeth in my head. I had to have seven pulled out all at once before I could get braces put in.

17. I was in my friend’s wedding as a bride’s maid in 2019. I’m also going to be a bride’s maid in another friend’s wedding later this year. 

18. My favorite color is olive green. That’s also what color my car is.

19. My sense of style can be described as casual t-shirt and jeans mixed with 80s. I’ll let my readers imagination try and figure out what I mean by that.

20. When I last got my hair cut, I showed my hair dresser pictures of Brooke Shields from the 80s, so now I have feathered bangs that resemble young Brooke. 

21. My friends sometimes think I’m crazy because I give myself essay assignments. I’m not in any classes right now, but I genuinely enjoy writing research and persuasive essays. I’ve written a few essays just for my own pleasure. 

22. I have not fallen victim to the plague on Earth that is Tik Tok. You can disagree with me, that’s fine, but Tik Tok (along with other forms of social media) has turned people into mindless, thoughtless, conforming, zombies. Social media has caused so many people to just stop thinking for themselves. If they see that one train of thought is popular in the media, then they adopt that thought as their own, even if they don’t understand it. We have become the generation of reading headlines and taking them for truth. Do your own research! Stop mindlessly jumping on bandwagons! Another thing is that we now have a whole generation of “celebrities” who are famous for no reason. I’m sorry, but showing your ass on the internet and calling it talent is not a reason to be famous. I have an ass too, but you won’t catch me flaunting it on the internet and begging for people to make me viral. It used to be just the Kardashians who were famous for absolutely no reason, but now that has grown into a whole generation! Lets go back to making people with real talent famous, shall we? 

23. My friend and I have a blog where we post writing advice and feature writers and their stories to help them gain reads. We haven’t been as active lately because we have both been busy with other things, but we will hopefully update it soon. You can find it here: https://writingandtips.com/#site-header

24. One of my all time favorite Disney movies, if not my top favorite, is “Oliver and Company.” Mostly because Billy Joel voices Dodger the dog, and he is my favorite singer. 

25. I love the “X-Files” tv series from the 90s. I rewatch it from the beginning all the time. I even picked up chewing on sunflower seeds like Mulder does while I’m writing. 

26. I have a collectible action figure of Jareth, David Bowie’s character in the film “Labyrinth,” hanging on my wall. I also have a retro poster of Harrison Ford, a picture of River Phoenix printed on a page from a dictionary, a picture of “Joe Cool” Snoopy also printed on a page from a dictionary, and an antique tin advertisement poster of James Dean advertising “Kist Kola” for five cents all hanging on the walls of my room.

27. I love Red Pandas. They are the cutest animals on the planet, aside from dogs of course. 

28. My sister and I love watching paranormal and ghost hunting shows. We sort of believe in ghosts, but we love to watch them mostly to laugh at and make fun of them. Our favorite is Ghost Adventures. 

29. This one seems like self promotion, but it’s an important fact about me. I am not a huge fan of the Wattpad platform anymore, because the community has turned into only promoting super popular authors or fanfiction. It has gotten increasingly difficult to get any reads on your stories if you don’t write popular fanfiction or your story isn’t already popular. But since it is the only platform with any sort of following, I post there in hopes that my stories will get read. So far I haven’t had much luck. But I post my stories over there, if you like my writing here and want to read what I am actually super passionate about. You can find me at the username J_H_Hope. my pride and joy story is called “Grim’s Cliff” and I would appreciate anyone who reads it or any of my works. https://www.wattpad.com/user/J_H_Hope

30. I love writing, even if no one reads what I’ve written. I write and write in hopes that at least one person finds it and enjoys it. This one is obvious, but a fact none-the-less. Writing makes up an important part of my life. It is the reason I work so hard in other aspects of my life. 

There you have thirty facts about me. I was really struggling all the way through this one. I wanted to make them interesting, but I’m just not all that interesting of a person. I also don’t enjoy writing so much about specific things pertaining to me. Some of these, especially number 22, make me sound like an old lady. Am I turning 21 or 61 soon? Either way maybe this list was informative and at the least entertaining. Happy reading!

[ironykins]

Here’s a big question/answer chain letter that I’m about to answer. I’ll put a read more to minimize the amount of space this takes up.

I was tagged by @tiffronic-supersonic​

1. What’s your biggest pet peeve? 

Not a lot of things really deeply bother me. But I feel helpless soul crushing despair and annoyance whenever capitalism/corporate attitudes lead to certain behaviors. 

Mostly in the world of software and business. There’s so much wasted potential and inefficiency because we need to maintain intellectual property and turn a profit. 

The same sort of thing happens in the pharmaceutical sector. You see huge premiums paid for products that, for the good of our species, should be accessible to anyone, not privatized to line someone’s pockets.

That just really fucking bothers me.

2. What one fear would you like to conquer?

Probably going outside or talking to strangers or something mundane like that.

3. What’s your favourite song lyric and why? 

This changes on a near monthly basis but these AJJ lyrics are currently my favourite: 

The skate park is only fifteen minutemen songs away

And there’s nothing I would rather do on this terrible fucking day

Than break, break, break my bones, and feel the pain of self improvement

It’s just got this grim determination without any sugar coating. I love it.

4. If you could shop at one store for free, which would it be? 

Computer stores. Preferably ones with lots of cool toys.

5. Which language would you like to speak fluently?

Japanese probably, because I’m a huge weeb and I consume a lot of media that comes from there. I’d be able to play untranslated games without missing out on anything.

6. What secret super power would you like to have, and why?

Infinite willpower.

7. Would you like to be famous and what would you like to be known for? 

It’d be really cool to be a well known open source developer. Someone famous for giving up the ability to turn a profit in favour of making the world a better place. Like the vision that Tim Berners-Lee had for a freely accessible internet, or what Tesla wanted for electricity.

8. What was the worst haircut you ever had?

About a year ago I told my hairdresser I’d be good with anything and she gave me a hitler youth style undercut. I didn’t mind it but it was not a good idea at all.

9. What are the most important qualities in friends?

All you need are people who respect you and want you to be content. Everything else follows from that. 

10. What’s the most significant lesson you’ve learned in life so far?

Go out there and fucking lose. Try a lot and fail a lot. Don’t be ashamed of it.

11. What makes you laugh the hardest?

My friend Crazy.

12. What’s your proudest accomplishment? 

I’m not overly proud of anything I’ve done. I guess getting through school and finding a job. I haven’t let anyone down on that front so far.

I’m just happy I’m still alive and functional.

13. If you could have any view out the window of your room, which would it be? 

I’d have a 360 degree view from the turret of an old style home, preferably somewhere coastal and constantly rainy.

14. If you could eat dinner with one celebrity, who would it be, and why?

Pick a famous computer scientist. The angrier the better. See if I can get them mad about something and watch them spew spit and jargon.

15. If you could do something dangerous just once with no risk, what would you do? 

Try to lie, cheat, hack, or socially engineer my way into somewhere important. A corporate HQ or some government building or something.

16. What’s your all-time favourite music video? 

This One

17. Which three words would you use to describe yourself?

Jaded, Slow, Misplaced.

18. What’s the first thing you’d do if you suddenly changed into the opposite sex?

Probably touch myself a lot. Satisfy my curiosity.

19. What’s your favourite website, and why?

The internet sucks. I like the concept of things like github and thingiverse though. They’re proof that we can find a compromise between idealistic freedom of information and capitalistic demands for monetization.

20. If you got a tattoo, what would you get and where would you out it?

I’d want to get it in secret and not tell anyone I got it. So I won’t say.

21. When you’re down, what do you do to feel better? 

Reading books is the #1 way for me to calm down and relax. It gives me something to focus on.

22. If you could go on tour with a band for a month, who would it be, and why? 

Trivium would be cool because of the legendary bromance between the 3 lead dudes. I’d love to get in on that. The Kills would also be cool because it’d be like traveling with two burnout rocker parents with lots of stories to tell.

23. What’s you favourite dessert? 

I’m not sure I have one. Maybe lemon cake? Frankfurter Kranz? Ginger snap cookies?

24. What one thing would you want to do most if you had all the money in the world?

Build a utopia from square one. Do away with the notion that everyone has to work. Build more efficient computerized transportation networks. Research sustainable ways to feed a large population.

25. Who’s the least obvious person you’d like to kiss? 

I don’t know what this means. I don’t want to kiss anyone.

26. Would you join in at a topless beach? 

No. I’m not big on beaches or being topless.

27. Where would you most like to travel? 

I wish I wanted to travel but I have a really hard time giving a shit about it. Probably Japan. They’ve got some legendary arcades.

28. What would you eat for your ultimate birthday dinner? 

The local burger joint. That’s where I’m going for my birthday today hopefully.

29. What was your most embarrassing moment? 

I’ve probably shoved it into the memory vault and I don’t care to dredge it out.

30. What historical sporting event would you like to witness? 

EVO Moment #37

31. Which song evokes the strongest memories for you? 

Mr. Jones by Counting Crows maybe. Or anything by The Front Bottoms. I didn’t listen to them when I was younger but they’re really nostalgic somehow.

32. What’s the best birthday celebration you can imagine?

Right now, going to the local burger joint.

33. What’s your favourite ethnic food? 

Vietnamese style rice vermicelli dishes are great.

34. Do you have any habits you’d like to give up? 

Yeah. I have a really shit sleep schedule and that’d be cool to fix.

35. What would you save first if your house caught on fire? 

My fileserver. It’s got everything I’ve ever worked on, written, all my pictures, etc. My files are more important than any of my physical possessions because there are more irreplaceable things among them.

I also cope with getting rid of physical things by taking and storing a lot of pictures of them.

36. Who would you trade places with for one month? Maybe Michael Phelps? 

Nobody. That would be cruel. Someone would have to pick up my life without knowing what I know. They wouldn’t be able to have meaningful interactions with my friends or family. They wouldn’t be able to do my job. It’d be lonely and they’d be destroying my life as I do the same to theirs.

37. What’s the story behind your first name? 

It’s the long-form version of my grandfather’s name. Kurt is apparently short for Konrad.

38. What’s been the biggest obstacle in your life so far? 

Apathy

39. Have you ever stolen something? What was it? Why did you steal it? 

I stole a chunk of wood from my elementary school playground as it was being demolished. I got yelled at because I ran onto the pile of rubble as they were digging into it with a backhoe. I don’t think that really counts as stealing though.

40. To you, what’s the secret to happiness?

Fuck buddy if I knew I’d tell you.

[thetravelingmama]

100 Things about your Mom.

Hi Chi. I’m back! All better and cured. I’m feeling like my old self again, energy and everything back. Like my doctor said today: if it’s working, don’t change it. That being said, let’s do something fun! I saw this weird list of questions and said: Game on!

1: What random stranger has had the biggest impact on your life? A Dad at a beach playing with his son. He made us made the decision to start a family.

2: What achievement are you proud of but most people would consider silly or weird? I refuse to “act my age”.

3: What period in history had the best fashion? The 50’s!

4: What silly or funny thing makes you afraid or creeps you out? Clowns.

5: How quickly do you jump to conclusions about people? I try not to, but the reality is that I get “vibes” from people, instantly. I’m never wrong, as much opportunities I give.

6: How would the world change if super heroes and super villains actually existed? I think heroes and villains DO exist.

7: What would be your strategy for surviving an apocalyptic epidemic? I already hoard medicine, movies and booze.

8: What is the most important change that should be made to your country’s education system? Equality, Empathy, Values and Gender Perspective are things that need to be taught. I also believe that a University Diploma should be mandatory. No school? Jail.

9: What is something you think you will regret in the future not starting now and what is something you already regret not starting sooner? I regret not becoming a Mom sooner. I’ll regret it most in the future.

10: What part of your culture are you most and least proud of?

Proud of our strength of character. Least proud of living in a status quo.

11: What's the worst and best thing about being female? Best thing is having a baby, carrying it inside your body. That experience is wonderful. The worst is definitively the inequality, how people treat you different in many ways and what they expect on how you “should behave”. I also believe there are many double standards when it comes to us.

12: If you could put your brain in a robot and live indefinitely, would you? Not for a gazillion dollars.

13: If you could replace the handshake as a greeting, what interesting new greeting would you replace it with? High fives are awesome.

14: Who’s the worst guest you’ve had in your house and what did they do? I’m glad to report that I never let people that I don’t truly trust or know at my house.

15: When does time pass fastest for you and when does it pass the slowest? Fastest: when I have a lot of work and a close deadline. Slowest: when I had to come up with advertising campaigns. I HATED starting on a presentation with all the passion in the world until I had an idea that worked. Then, it just was a breeze. Until that jackpot happens, time is torture.

16: What always sounds like a good idea at the time but rarely is? Telling someone the truth. Sometimes it just turns out that they can’t handle or understand it. Another great one? Getting drunk and knowing that no one is going to take care of the baby next morning. Huge mistake.

17: Are humans fundamentally different than animals? If so, what makes us different? We’re very much alike, I realized it after I gave birth. I just think we have the burden of emotions and logic to deal with, that’s all. I envy them: I’d love to function just on instincts!

18: What pictures or paintings have had a big impact on you? Guernica inspired me to paint. The Marilyn Diptych inspired me to design. At the Moulin Rouge is one of my favorites, just because.

19: What movie or book character are you most similar to? That’s a tough one. I identify a lot (with absolutely no clue of why) with Mia Wallace’s lust for life and her disregard for rules; Marla Singer’s I don’t care attitude and confusion. I’m also a mix of Santino and Michael Corleone when I’m either strategizing or just extremely angry.

20: You can broadcast one sentence to every TV channel and radio in the world and have it translated to each country’s language. What sentence do you say? “What doesn’t offend you might offend someone else. Calm down and let people do and say what they want.”

21: What fact are you really surprised that more people don't know about? That research does not mean that you trust instantly whatever you find online. Reliable sources exist for a reason.

22: What are you completely over and done with? Putting the well-being of others before mine.

23: What memory do you just keep going back to?

It depends on the day.

24: What’s the most immature thing someone can do? I believe that making a scene in public is just sign that you are emotionally and socially immature. From treating strangers badly for a stupid reason to arguing with your significant other in front of anybody is just a sign that you’re the problem.

25: What are you most passionate about and what do you wish you were more passionate about? Reading and writing.

26: What’s the best comeback you’ve ever heard?

“I’m growing a human inside me, what’s your excuse?” I said that. :P

27: Who haven’t you seen or talked to in a long time and hope they are doing okay? With Facebook that stopped happening years ago. I actually miss that feeling of wondering how my friends are. Although, there is one friend from college that disappeared. I sometimes wonder what happened.

28: Where is the last place you would ever go? If by last this means “and then you can die”, Tibet. I can’t fathom thinking about a place in this world not worthy about visiting.

29: What’s something that you’ve never been able to do well? Math and control myself when I am beyond furious.

30: Who is the humblest person you know?

Any person who will do something for free just to help another human being.

31: What is the silliest reason someone you've known has completely lost it? The stuff people write online.

32: What is quite possibly the most annoying thing ever? People who judge others on based on what they wear, own, drive or live in. I also am starting to despise people who post every single goddamn second on social media. My social media algebra is simple: entertain, yes; Report, no.

33: What do you wish people would stop asking you? Can I have free tickets?

34: What is the most unusual fear you have? Frogs and Roller Coasters.

35: What is your favorite TV show? Right now it’s Better Call Saul.

36: What’s the most ridiculous argument you’ve had? If it’s ridiculous, I’m totally ignoring the idea of talking about it. Silence is golden.

37: What’s the biggest lesson life has taught you? My happiness is way more important than anything else in the world.

38: What is increasingly becoming socially acceptable? Telling others how to act, talk, behave, think, write... I remember the days when people judged you in silence or behind closed doors. Thanks a lot, internet.

39: What’s the weirdest tradition your family has? It’s not a tradition per se, we just talk really loud when we’re together, and all at the same time.

40: If you could choose anyone living or dead, who would you choose to lead our country? It would be a mix of Obama, Lady Gaga, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ed Snowden.

41: What app on your phone do you wish you used more? Tabata.

42: Who was the most power mad person you’ve met? Insert advertising client name here.

43: What world famous monument do you have no interest in visiting? The Tower of Pisa. Next.

44: What is something that you think people are only pretending to like or are deluding themselves into liking? Wine.

45: What joke went way too far? Anything that relates to a pregnancy announcement.

46: What are some of the telltale signs that a guy is creepy? If a man tries to control how I talk, behave, dress, manage a situation or just even decides something for me. If he thinks I need his approval for anything.

47: What is your very first memory? Walking around the beach.

48: What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve said or done around someone you dated? It’s not embarrassing but it did catch me off guard: I made a point in my life to never say “I love you” to a man first until I was sure that it was going to mean something. One day, when I was starting to date your Dad, I just blurted it out. He laughed and said “You said it first!”

49: Who is your favorite actor or actress? Right now it’s Bryan Cranston.

50: What doesn’t exist but you desperately want / need it? A pill that eliminates sadness or anger instantly.

51: What are you most grateful for? My child.

52: If you could hear every time someone said something good about you or something negative about you, which would you choose? Neither. Not interested.

53: What do you wish you could re-live? Just for fun, my twenties. Had the best time.

54: What’s something that you recommend everyone trying at least once? Massages.

55: Do you prefer being warmed when you’re too cold or being cooled when you’re too hot? Warmed.

56: What sentence can you say that makes total sense now but would seem insane 20 years ago? “Do it, don’t wait.”

57: How decisive or indecisive are you? Extremely decisive. I’d rather go out in flames, always.

58: What’s something from your childhood that used to be common but now is pretty rare? I used to play outside unsupervised and came back home when I was supposed to. I also drove my grandpa’s car lots of times while sitting in his lap. Now he would get thrown in jail, I guess.

59: If you were an action figure, what accessories would you be sold with? A bottle of Vodka, books, beach items and lipstick.

60: What weird smell do you really enjoy? Gasoline and the streets of New York City.

61: What do you like that is traditionally considered masculine? Boxing, hard liquors, swearing, dark sense of humor.

62: What’s something you learned recently that you really should have already known? Expectations are resentments in the making.

63: What’s a simple mistake you made that had dramatic consequences? I should have been honest with someone without worrying about what could happen next.

64: What’s the best piece of advice someone has given you? You’re not responsible for how other people feel, it’s their problem to handle.

65: What do you think people automatically wrongly assume about you when they look at you? That I’m delicate, maybe?

66: Looking back on your life, what have you done that has given you the most satisfaction? Besides from being a Mom, having a successful company.

67: If everything was quantified, what life stats would like to see for yourself? The happy vs sad moments.

68: What do you really wish you knew when you were younger? That I am way more stronger than I thought.

69: When was the last time you laughed so hard you cried? I think it was watching Dave Chapelle or Joe Rogan on Netflix.

70: What do you wish you had more time for? Being with my child when she grows older. I hope to be alive when she gets married or has a kid.

71: When was the last time you had a gut feeling about something that turned out to be correct? How about a time your gut feeling was wrong? My gut feelings are 99% on point. Sometimes it takes a second, sometimes years. I always end up being right.

72: What’s your curiosity killed the cat story? Your Dad. I ended up married and having you!

73: What areas in your life do you have high hopes for and what are those high hopes? I hope that our child decides to run our company and makes it even more successful.

74: Who was the most spoiled person you personally have met? Met a few. No comment.

75: What makes you feel old? When people don’t know a certain band or piece of music.

76: What’s your favorite non-drug / non-alcohol high? Traveling.

77: What’s the worst thing you’ve heard one person say to another person? It’s a tie between, “Sorry, she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.” and “Shut up and listen”.

78: What do you love about yourself? I’m starting to love my new sense of self. It gives me meaning.

79: What gets progressively weirder the more you think about it? Society in general.

80: What have you gotten too old to put up with? Being obligated to do something.

81: What event would you like to know the whole and complete truth about? JFK’s death. I also would love to read Mueller’s unredacted report.

82: What have you recently become obsessed with? Home delivery. Hi Jeff Bezos, I paid for your electricity this month.

83: What’s the biggest waste of money you’ve seen? Anything related to spending a lot on cars or jewelry. I’d rather travel, sorry.

84: What’s surprising about you? Most people don’t know that I can’t stand chick films.

85: When you were a kid what silly thing were you deathly afraid of? Dracula. Frank Langella, you made my childhood miserable for months.

86: Besides a raise or more vacation time, what’s the best perk a company can offer employees? Time to relax and focus. In Advertising, we’re expected to produce an insane amount of creative pieces in little time. Creativity and pressure don’t go well. Also, a short amount of time during the month to do the things we can’t during the weekend.

87: Where do you like going for walks? Lower East Side or Montmartre.

88: If you found out you would inexplicably fall down dead in one year, what would you change about your life? I would travel non stop so that I could drop dead somewhere cool.

89: What movie have you seen more than seven times? It might be a tie between Pulp Fiction and the Godfather Series.

90: Most people want to be wealthy for one reason or another. Why do you would want to be wealthy? To travel.

91: What’s the best thing you could tell someone to cheer them up when they are feeling down? My grandmother used to say “Someday, when you look back at a bad moment in your life, you’re gonna laugh about it”. Wherever she is, I know she looks down and reminds me in my dreams from time to time.

92: When you were a kid, what movie did you watch over and over again? Mary Poppins... and The Godfather 1 when no one was watching.

93: What’s the worst trait a person can have? No empathy.

94: If you could know one truth about yourself, history, the world, or even the universe, what truth would you want to know? Is someone out there?

95: What’s your favorite souvenir that you have? Our cheesy “Oia” sign. It reminds me of the best honeymoon in the world.

96: What would you do if someone left a duffle bag filled with $2,000,000 on your back porch? Buy a small apartment in NYC, buy another near the beach in Rincón. Leave the rest for Mía.

97: If everything in your house had to be one color what color would you choose? Black.

98: What would your warning label say if every person was required to have one? Don’t get her angry. You wouldn’t like her when she’s angry.

99: What weird childhood fear do you still kind of hold on to? Big waves.

100: What’s the most polarizing question you could ask your group of friends? That’s the funny thing about us. There is not one polarizing thing we could ask each other. We talk and share EVERYTHING in our lives. The good, the bad, the disgusting, the inappropriate. Even the things we are ashamed to admit or share. That’s true friendship.

[countrymadefoods]

13 Romance Novels With Meet-Cutes That Will Seriously Make You Believe In True Love

“[T]he meet-cute. This plot device — a scene in which a future romantic couple meet for the first time, often in a particularly cute or awkward way — has become something of a pop culture phenomenon, and I totally understand why. Who can help swooning over those adorably unexpected moments of serendipity that bring two people together?...I can't help but squeal with excitement whenever the moment occurs when, as a reader, I meet two characters who are destined to be together...especially when they don't realize it yet.”

“Today should be one of the worst days...Can fate intervene to bring them together...Too bad they can't stop thinking about each other...his future wife [to] be...he’ll have to woo her — he’s totally on board. When the two unceremoniously meet, love works hard to prove itself in the most unexpected ways...It’s only a matter of time before the two fall in love…but when the truth comes out...you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future. But that was before the scandal...Before walking an insane number of dogs...they form a connection she wasn’t anticipating, and what begins as a casual fling soon develops into something much more...”

“[T]he question is: Can she do this? Is she ready to start living...Suppose your life sucks. A lot...boy who daydreams, despite his parents' high expectations. But when she meets [him]...they fall in love...The only trouble is...Her only consolation is to buy herself something...catalyzes a chain of events that will transform her life forever...she takes one joke too far...to leave her old self behind?

When [they] first cross paths, sparks do...fly. But then they meet again. And again. And then, finally, they find themselves with a deep yet fragile connection that will change the course of their relationship — possibly forever...love...will give you all the swoon-worthy feels you could ever ask for...“

(via 13 Romance Novels With Meet-Cutes That Will Seriously Make You Believe In True Love)

How the “First Date” Has Changed in Every Decade Through History

“The all-important first date isn't easy. Between the pressure of who's going to pay, how to keep the conversation going and whether or not the night will end in sex, the moving pieces all make it a less than appealing way to spend your evening.And yet traditional dates are held up as a romantic ideal...Dating is actually a pretty recent phenomenon, in the grand history of civilization. It wasn't until the 19th century that launching a relationship had anything to do with love and attraction...Back then, many marriages were facilitated by parents with the goal of finding their child a spouse that could physically help in maintaining the family home or bear children.

"Distance lends to enchantment." Things weren't totally chaste, premarital sex did happen and love wasn't completely irrelevant; but they were all kept on the down-low...First dates would include attending a dance or hitting up an amusement park, often in a fast car...First dates often happened after the guy called the girl on the phone...The date usually happened in a public place...there was lots of talking to get to know each other; and if there was any money spent, the guy paid. There was also a lot of trial and error: If a first date fell flat, then another first date was around the corner...”

“Starting in the 1960s and into the '70s, free love was on the dating menu. Premarital sex became increasingly mainstream, replacing the pre-existing dating etiquette with a freer, less restrictive norm..."An affair can last from one night to forever," a pretty clear sign that dating and sex could now go hand-in-hand. Accessibility to the Pill, legal abortion and the rise of feminism made experimentation part of the "getting to know you" process and first dates to the amusement park a thing of the past.

In the 1980s and 1990s, we got the term "hooking up," meant to refer to no-strings-attached enjoyment...With all the "hanging out" and "getting together" happening, there was confusion over what would constitute a date at all. Dating culture was on the whole replaced by hookup culture. "Hooking up" is still very much a part of the courtship process...there's a ton of in between...talking sporadically over text can mean "not quite in a relationship, but not out of the realm of possibilities either.”

“But more significantly before a first date even could happen, apps and the Internet have changed its entirely. The coyness, banter and getting-to-know-you talk that used to fill first dates is now taking place in the palms of our hands...By the time the "first date" happens, we've already gotten to know so much about the other person online (via volunteered information or our own adept stalking) that the initial first face-to-face is exceedingly casual or already has an air of familiarity.

So, what does this mean for the picture-perfect first date? Given how fast things change...trying to get a "first date" right isn't worth the stress. It could be dinner and...First date outfits, first date questions, first date sex — take any or all of it. Or take none of it. Now, it's all up to you.”

(via How the “First Date” Has Changed in Every Decade Through History | Mic)

10 Things To Do At Night In Sacramento, California

Dive Bar

“Don’t be fooled by the name: Sacramento’s Dive Bar is a self-professed “haven of cool and class in the middle of one of the nation’s most eclectic cities.” The tranquil bar serves a range of drinks from speciality cocktails to draft beers, and you can relax in plush leather chairs under dramatic chandeliers. Dive Bar has a vintage theme, but the most notable decoration is the huge aquarium above the bar, with a beautiful live mermaid or merman making the occasional appearance! An experience not to be missed in Sacramento.”

Badlands

“End your night at Badlands LGBT club, rated one of the best in the city! Dance the night away to the best DJs, under a huge sparkly mirror ball, or relax on the outdoor patio or in the VIP Mezzanine and Lounge...Open til 2am every night, it’s the best place to finish an evening in Sacramento.”

(via 10 Things To Do At Night In Sacramento, California | Trip 101 blog)

The bars have closed. What next? These 22 local restaurants stay open past 2 a.m.

““Last call for alcohol!” The bartender’s call signals the end of the night for pubs and clubs around California. For some restaurants, though, the night’s fiercest rush is about to hit.A smattering of local restaurants keep their grills sizzling and fryers bubbling past 2 a.m... These Sacramento restaurants stay open long enough to act as a safety net for the weary and the cheery on weekend nights. All hours listed are for Fridays and Saturdays”

(via The bars have closed. What next? These 22 local restaurants stay open past 2 a.m. | The Sacramento Bee)

36 Questions

“If you could invite anyone in the world to dinner, who would it be?”

(via 36 Questions | 36 Questions In Love)

25 Best Things To Do In Sacramento (CA)

“Sacramento is the capital of California and a city that is rich with history, culture and countless things to impress you! The famous saying from Sacramento is that “California begins here” and after spending a little bit of time here you will understand why. It is a city that has never forgotten its past...It is one of the easiest cities to fall in love with.”

Feel Inspired At Crocker Art Museum

“The museum opened its doors in 1871 and houses one of the largest collections of international ceramics in the U.S as well as much work from Asia, Africa and Europe. There is much to see and experience here and you easily spend an entire day wandering around the beautiful pieces.”

Meet The Animals At Sacramento Zoo

“Initially the zoo was very small and housed about 40 animals that were collected from local parks.Now the zoo has 400 animals from all corners of the globe and focuses its energy on education, recreation and conservation. There is so much to see and experience here.”

See The Old With The New At California State Capitol Museum

“Sitting right in the heart of Sacramento is the California State Capitol Museum, here you can see the best of California’s history as well as its current active government buildings.You can get a guided tour around the museum as part of a group or walk around unaided, whichever suits you better.The whole building is stated as a museum but it is the basement and first floor where you will see the most interesting things.”

Admire The Beauty Of The Cathedral Of The Blessed Sacrament

“The cathedral was built in 1887 and has stood proud for all these years, recent renovations have made sure the cathedral continues to serve its people whilst looking spectacular. The cathedral has an interior dome which is a sight to behold...”

(via 25 Best Things To Do In Sacramento (CA) | The Crazy Tourist)

Tattoo Studio Also Boasts Skull Museum

Definitely, Maybe

[pets-beaty]

via How Webs | Information | Technology | Education | Entertainment | SEO | Lifestyle Teen Ages Problems and Solutions | Boys and Girls 

Teens are confronted with genuine care every day, between the ages of 13 and 19, because this is the most uncomfortable growth phase of their lives. During this time, teenagers are exposed to a number of overwhelming external and internal struggles. They continue and are expected to deal with hormonal changes, puberty, social and parental forces, work and school pressure, and so on. Many teenagers feel misunderstood. It is vital that their feelings and thoughts are validated and that the validation of their parents comes. Parents should carefully and in a friendly way approach their children, who have had to deal with growth power in the teen years, to discuss the concern (s).

Here are some tips to better deal with your teen.

Be there for them - contrary to what it seems, your child wants you to be there for them. Just give them some time and leave the situation at their own pace.

Rest assured - Many teenagers are easily frightened by any transformation that takes place, including physical and biological. It is very important that you reassure them from time to time that everything is completely normal and that they do not have to worry about anything.

Be Consistent with Discipline - According to research, consistent boundaries that respect a teenager's limits are the best way to provide them with a sense of security as they process their inner turmoil.

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Approval and support - A number of studies have confirmed that both girls and boys have a high level of self-respect in their adolescence when they believe they have the approval and support of their families.

Be patient - Patience is the key to solving such problems. Parents must be patient with the random outbursts of their teenagers and the mood swings. Impatient parents only make matters worse for themselves and their children.

Be honest - Support for your teen does not mean sacrificing your own emotions and life. There will be times when you will feel low. Be honest and upfront and tell your teen how you feel. This will tell them that it is fine not to be perfect.

Be hopeful - Give your teen the hope that everything will succeed and that everything will be fine. Hope helps them very much to cope with their mental and physical changes.

The common teen problems that teenagers face today are mostly related to:

Self-esteem and body image

Tension

bullying

Depression

Cyber ​​addiction

Drink and smoke

Teenage pregnancy

Minor sex

Defiant behavior

Peer-pressure and competition

1. Depression - Down Way of Life

Depression is the most common problem for the mental health of teenagers, which can sometimes lead to suicide. Teenagers can not distinguish between sadness and depression. Many factors can lead to depression and the reaction of each teenager is different from such things.

Symptoms of severe depression in teenagers

Teen sleeping problems

Behavioral changes

Careless about physical safety

Disturbed mental health

Regular health problems such as headaches

Preoccupation with death and suicide

Give warnings such as "I will not be a problem for you much longer"

Long-term sad or angry mood

Suddenly clear up and clean up belongings

Suddenly cheerful without reason after being depressed

Teenage pregnancy problems

These are the most common health problems for teenagers that you can observe in your child's behavior. So, as a parent, what should you do? Well, find a good place to talk. Make your child familiar with the environment and talk to him / her calmly and patiently. Try to identify your child's problem and see what you can do to help him / her.

2. Drink, smoke and drugs

Teenagers find drinking alcohol, drugs, smoking waterpipes or cigars very trendy and trendy. It makes them feel very cool and proud and part of the crowd of adults. They suddenly feel that rush in them, all energetic, they want to explore everything and everyone.

First and foremost, try to find out why your teen is drinking alcohol or smoking and starting drugs to deal with this problem effectively. If parents regularly drink alcohol, it is more likely that teenagers start drinking at a young age. You must have heard an old famous quote that continues as "Monkey See-Monkey Do"

Parents should feel free to talk to their teenagers about certain topics such as dating, sex, drugs and alcohol. It is this inability to discuss the good and bad points that drive them to take wrong steps out of curiosity.

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Someone drinks with curiosity and some come from the feeling of hell! Alcohol acts as a depressant and helps them escape their difficult teenage years. When teens see their peers drinking or smoking, they also admit without thinking of right or wrong. Peer pressure is probably the most difficult challenge that teenagers face. And the least that a teenager would want is to stay outside of his / her group of friends. When it comes to drugs, the most important thing you can do as parents is to express a lot of love to your juniors in order to rid them of this deadly addiction.

3. Cyber ​​Space addiction

It is no secret that many teenagers are big fans of cyberspace. They are always glued to their computers, laptops or mobile phones. Internet is very useful, it makes things very easy, but like everything has its pros and cons, so also the internet.

You are certainly familiar with the fact that someone can get stuck and become addicted to the internet with all the attractive things it has to offer. So one must be careful when using the internet day and night and be rational. Parents must follow what their children do with the smart devices and to what extent they are exposed to the outside world. You need to make sure that your children spend a lot of time building that bond of love and trust so that they can freely communicate their thoughts, feelings and problems with you.

4. Your teenager does not love you

Children in their teens tend to reject their parents. They do not like to communicate or trust often. They feel more at ease in the company of their friend. It is normal for every teenager.

You have to understand that this is a temporary phase and that children also know that they still need their parents, regardless of how unwilling they react and that teenagers often have problems with their parents.

5. Stay too late

It demands the parents if their teenagers stay late. You must have set good limits for your children, but why do they break them again and again?

In this case your child does not feel happy to stay at home. Try to talk quietly with your child and find out what the reason is that he / she is so late. Teenage girl problems are more common when they suddenly perceive changes in their body. You must ensure that you determine the correct rules for them. If they still ignore you, it's time to determine the consequences and make sure they keep to the rules. for example .. you can try as "no going out in the evenings this whole week", "no week going out with friends, if the right timing is not followed"

In addition to the above, problems with teenage attitudes include generation gap, parental exception, career assessment, socialization, peer pressure and sexual pressure. All this probably makes them depressed and stressed. One and the best solution for these problems is your unconditional love and caring. Be their best friend and guide them without being too demanding. Trying to keep them under control or to impose things will only make the situation worse.

(A) Physical problems

Teenagers feel that no one can talk to them anymore. They will play with the mirror in the lead, For Boys: they think they now have muscles, For Girls: they think they are now grown up than their parents.

Negative habits will now develop. This is one of the most common problems facing the teen ...

(B) Social problems

According to 'ambassador Victor Chidera', teenagers argue often, age group always affects teenagers.

In the teenage phase of life, they begin to dress indecently and claim to know everything (ignorance) because their friends do so. This is one of the problems with teenagers.

(C) Emotional problems

Teenagers are easily aroused emotionally. Every time you denounce them or try to correct them in a high way, they receive a physiological answer to that situation.

Teen emotional problems include:

Frequent anger, outburst and jealousy. These are all natural.

(D) Spiritual problems

Teen talks too often (often) and always imitates those negative actions that are too bad. This is also one of the problems that teenage life faces.

Other teenage problems and their solutions:

Acne

Depression

Laziness

Smoking / drinking alcohol

Lust

Acne outbreak during the teen period is quite normal, all you have to do is preserve your physical appearance.

Regarding Depression, Laziness, Smoking / Alcohol drinking, lust .... The only solution lies with the teenagers; Identify your bad habits, map out strategies that you can use to stop them.

------------------------------------------------------

Teen Ages Problems and Solutions | Boys and Girls | How Webs

https://ift.tt/2PDymXy December 15, 2018 at 08:41PM https://ift.tt/2IPp48y https://ift.tt/2PD5wX7

[ralphmorgan-blog1]

This ‘blind’ robot can jump on your table and chase you in the dark even when its leg is broken

Forget Shark Week, it’s Bark Week on Mashable. Join us as we celebrate all the good dogs, which we humans do not deserve.

While people may never agree on the latest obnoxious Instagram update, there's one thing everyone can agree on: dogs dominate the platform, and deservedly so.

But with so many dog accounts on the site, choosing which doge to follow can be tricky. To celebrate Bark Week, we compiled a list of the best doggos, puppers, and pupperinos to follow on Instagram. 

SEE ALSO: Dog lovers bite back at op-ed calling dogs 'parasites'

From Doug the Pug to Winston the White Corgi, here are a few of the best borkers to ever grace us with their presence on social media.

1. Doug the Pug

“‪Any requests?” -Doug

A post shared by Doug The Pug (@itsdougthepug) on Jul 14, 2018 at 4:05pm PDT

Doug the Pug is one of the most popular pugs on the internet. As the self-described "King of Pop Culture," Doug has more than 10 million followers across all of his social media accounts, and is mainly known for viral videos that parody shows and music videos. Doug is so incredibly popular that he's posed with celebrities like Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, and Halsey, and he even has his own line of merch and a book. Doug's a very busy pupper, indeed.

2. Marnie the Dog

The marvelous mrs. marn marn haha that's just a joke #tbt

A post shared by Marnie The Dog (@marniethedog) on Apr 26, 2018 at 5:15pm PDT

Marnie the Dog is a 16-year-old rescue Shih Tzu known for her cute head tilt and elongated tongue. According to her owner Shirley, Marnie's head tilt comes from a brush with Vestibular Syndrome, which can temporarily disrupt a dog's ability to stay balanced. She's just fine, though! Marnie has a devoted following of 2 million on Instagram and counting.

3. Cumlord

he's beauty, he's grace he's a marshmallow with a funny face #cumlord #white #dog #pomeranian #japanesespitz #pets #petsofinstagram #beauty #toasted #marshmallow

A post shared by Cumlord (@cumlord_official) on Nov 24, 2017 at 4:55pm PST

Cumlord is a Pomeranian with a very distinct internet personality. He's extremely cute and floofy,  and his posts are bizarrely meme-like. From beggin for "lööps," to munching on "golden crunchy chimkin nuggets," Cumlord is a walking viral video that'll make you very confused and very happy.

4. Porky the Pug

#VIPug 😎

A post shared by Porky The Pug (@itsporkythepug) on Jun 5, 2018 at 8:19am PDT

Porky the Pug is another pug of Instagram who likes to sploot in almost every photo. She is a good doggo who likes pizza and modeling sunglasses.

5. Norbert

hi from me

A post shared by NORBERT (@norbertthedog) on Jun 26, 2018 at 4:27pm PDT

Norbert is an adorable three-pound therapy dog who loves to give high fives and bring smiles to children in hospitals. With his signature elongated tongue, Norbert is worth a follow for his cuteness and his volunteer work.

6. Miss Asia

📸: @valleyofthedogs

A post shared by Miss Asia (@missasiaxoxo) on Feb 1, 2018 at 4:20pm PST

Miss Asia is Lady Gaga's French bulldog and she is absolutely precious. When she isn't modeling for magazine covers with her mother, she's outside playing with her other Frenchie brothers, Koji and Gustavo. Be sure to catch up on her luxurious life by giving her a follow on Instagram.

7. Winston the White Corgi

Who said you can leave? 🙅🏻‍♂️

A post shared by Winston the White Corgi (@winstonthewhitecorgi) on Jun 25, 2018 at 4:24pm PDT

Winston the White Corgi is a big ball of white floof. While most corgis have a white trim, Winston has defied genetics by having an all-white coat. He's a very special doggo who loves to give his owner the "stank eye" whenever she comes home.

9. Menswear Dog

✨What I’m wearing to the marathon in New York ✨ #sponsored by adopt a runner program from @MassMutual to send out-of-state runners some home-grown love 💛👍 Sign up via link in bio #LiveMutual

A post shared by Menswear Dog (@mensweardog) on Oct 30, 2017 at 9:31am PDT

Menswear Dog is a particularly surrealist dog account on Instagram. The star of the account is Bodhi, a stylish Shiba Inu who looks like he came straight from a photoshoot. He may be a 10/10 on the fashion meter, but he is a 10,000/10 on the good boy scale.

9. Jiffpom

💗

A post shared by jiffpom 🐻 (@jiffpom) on Apr 22, 2018 at 2:10am PDT

Jiffpom is a unique looking pupper with more than 28 million followers across multiple social platforms. He's best known for his bobblehead appearance, and his incredible ability to execute a flawless handstand.

10. Bearcoat Tonkey

This boop was made for boopin', That's just what it do, One of these days this snoot will boOp all over you 🐻👆 *boop* . #SingAlongMondays #ItWasJustAMatterOfTimeBeforeWeTurnedBoopIntoASong #GoodDog #SheCantSingButSheCanDance #HeadBoops #HappyMondayAll

A post shared by Tonkey Bear (@bearcoat_tonkey) on Jul 4, 2016 at 3:24pm PDT

Bearcoat Tonkey is a wrinkly boy who loves plenty of cuddles and snoozes. His mushy look is typical of a bear-coat shar-pei, but from the looks of it, he's anything but ferocious.

11. Pooch of NYC

“Current relationship status 👫: Made dinner 🍴 for 2️⃣. Ate both. 🤪” #bastilleday 🇫🇷 #parisjetaime ❤️ #baguette 🥖 #available 😚 #agadorable 🦁

A post shared by Agador 🦁 (@poochofnyc) on Jul 14, 2018 at 4:36pm PDT

Agador, a.k.a. the Pooch of NYC is known as the "Bob Ross" of dogs for his similar appearance to the famous American Painter. He is always very fashionable, and keeps his hair in perfect condition for every picture that's taken of him.

12. Loki the Wolfdog

To look into the eyes of a friend, and forget a time when they were a stranger.

A post shared by Loki the Wolfdog (@loki) on Jun 24, 2018 at 4:57pm PDT

Loki the Wolfdog is a big doggo with an even bigger following. As a husky, malamute, and Arctic wolf mix, he's a huge dog who loves spending time outdoors. He travels a lot with his owner Kelly Lund, they take plenty of beautiful photos to share with their 1.7 million followers on Instagram.

13. Tuna Melts My Heart

When you’re hiding something, and not being obvious about it whatsoever. 🤫🤫🤫 Amazing sweater by @alqo_wasi via @leadthewalk

A post shared by Tuna {breed:chiweenie} (@tunameltsmyheart) on Apr 27, 2018 at 1:29pm PDT

Tuna is a Instagram famous dachshund-chihuahua mix who's stolen the hearts of his almost 2 million followers. His overbite and squinty eyes make him irresistible, and his cute outfits just enhance his handsome appearance. 

14. Maya the Samoeyed

Have a happ and booptiful day! ✨

A post shared by MAYA THE SAMOYED (@mayapolarbear) on Feb 3, 2018 at 7:05am PST

Maya the Samoyed is a very vocal dog. In most of her videos, you'll find her eating lots of food and interacting with her owner through various borks. She also likes to dress up and show off all of her floofiness whenever she can.

16. The Dogist

So, we have decided that Finn is too good of a boy not to keep. Also, we’ve fallen in love with him. We originally planned to take him to LA to find him a home, but we didn’t make it that far – we decided to turn around at the Grand Canyon. We, like many fosters before us, realized that we couldn’t go back to life before Finn. He had simply become part of our family. So, although the road trip is over, our journey with Finn has really just begun. So get ready to watch this good boy continue to grow up! We’ve created a separate account for him, called @KeepingFinn, where you can follow his daily life with his new proud father, Henry, brother to Elias (The Dogist). Cheers to @TheSatoProject and everyone who made this #RescueRide possible – we’re super excited to begin this new phase of life with a dog (finally) and stay tuned for more very exciting news coming soon!

A post shared by The Dogist (@thedogist) on Jul 1, 2018 at 5:50pm PDT

The Dogist is a photo-documentary series that compiles pictures of doggo, puppers, and pupperinos from over 50 different cities. Each post has a little story or blurb about the featured dog, and the account shares new posts almost daily. This one is definitely worth a follow if you want to see different dogs on your feed everyday. 

While these are just a few of the best borkers on Instagram, there are plenty more good boys and girls that deserve all the love, likes, and follows as well. The hashtag #DogsOfInstagram is a fun place to start.

WATCH: This 'blind' robot can jump on your table and chase you in the dark even when its leg is broken

Original Article : HERE ; This post was curated & posted using : RealSpecific

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This ‘blind’ robot can jump on your table and chase you in the dark even when its leg is broken was originally posted by News - Feed

[tanmath3-blog]

Influenced by Stephen King and Rod Serling, Sean Seebach has written three books: A Looking in View, Autumn Dark and Our Monsters Are Real: The Pig Man. When Sean isn’t writing or managing a wonderful barbecue joint with amazing people, he enjoys reading, cooking, and listening to rock n’ roll. He currently lives in Ohio with his wife, daughter, and son.

  Please help me welcome Sean Seebach to Roadie Notes……..

  1. How old were you when you first wrote your first story? I was probably in elementary school. I created a comic book with some “cool dude” who just did “cool things”. Cool things being riding a skateboard and hitting home runs, things like that. The first story was one called Blue Collar Diesel which I later named The Lake Shimmers. It’s terrible. I wrote that when I was 34. So I took the title Blue Collar Diesel and wrote a novella that better suited the title. It’s in my collection A Looking In View.

2. How many books have you written? I have written three books: Our Monster Are Real: The Pig Man, Autumn Dark, and A Looking In View.

3. Anything you won’t write about? Probably not. I tend to stick to what is called Quiet Horror. Nothing too graphic or obscene. That’s not really by choice. The story is the boss. I just try to transcribe what’s happening in my head the best I can.

4. Tell me about you. Age (if you don’t mind answering), married, kids, do you have another job etc… I was born in Lancaster, PA in 1980, moved to Columbus, OH around ’82. It wasn’t the best part of town, so I wasn’t allowed to leave the yard. At the time it was a bummer. Later on I realized being confined to just the front and back yard forced me to use my imagination. I could do (and be) whatever I wanted: a spy, a ninja, a jungle warrior, whatever. Then in 1988 I moved to Lithopolis, Ohio, population around 600 people. There, I could explore the woods and creeks, ride my bike, and go to The Wagnalls Memorial Library, which still stands and became the cornerstone for my development as a reader. I did my first book signing there in May of this year. It was surreal. I am married to a wonderful wife who supports me in every aspect of life. We have a baby girl and a son who just turned 2. I work as a restaurant manager by day/night, depending on my work schedule. Next to writing, cooking and working with fun people is one of my favorite things to do. I’m a very fortunate man.

5. What’s your favorite book you have written? I should probably say Autumn Dark. That book has gotten the best response from readers. But, in truth, because The Pig Man was the first it will always be special to me. I love the story, but it isn’t written as well as the others. Which to me is a good thing because it shows that I’m improving.

6. Who or what inspired you to write? I don’t really know who or what inspired me to write. I think it chose me. I had a desire to write in my mid-20’s but I didn’t have the courage to do it. I thought you were either hand-picked by God or were chosen by teachers at a young age. Maybe it was writer, director, screen writer, producer, and occasional actor Brian Koppelman. I found him on Twitter shortly after I gave up drinking three years ago. He had posted a series of Vines on his account. Vine was a service that featured 6 second video loops. Brian was giving people permission to create in the videos he made. I looked him up, saw his credentials (Rounders, Ocean’s 13, Solitary Man, among many others) and thought “Now, here’s someone who’s done amazing things and is telling people to go out and do it!” There are many videos and books out there that will say you must be some sort of special intellectual to be an artist. Those people are wrong and most are full of themselves, are bitter, and most haven’t accomplished much. Brian had. Following him then led me to The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron and The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. I was fortunate enough to have support in the beginning. Stephen King tweeted that he had a new story called A Death in The New Yorker and asked folks to comment on it. It was on their site and free to read. I thought, “Oh boy, who has the balls to critique it?” So I scrolled through the Twitter comments. There I found someone shamelessly self-promoting herself with a story she wrote called Alive. I read it and loved it. That person was Meagan Smith who then wrote as M.J. Pack. I reached out to her and we became fast friends. Shortly after she was hired on at Thought Catalog, an online publishing magazine. She asked to read my stuff. I sent her a cannibalistic story called The Best I Ever Had. She liked it and wanted to publish it. That gave me the confidence to crank out more stories. I’ve been writing regularly ever since. I owe her a great deal. She was kind of enough to write the Foreword for Autumn Dark which I’m very proud of. I’d like to collaborate with her one day. She’s a fierce talent. Also, during that time, author Tom Callahan befriended me. I reached out to him after reading his wonderful story called The Soldier, The Dancer, and All That Glitters from Dark City Lights, an anthology put together by the great American crime fiction author Lawrence Block. Tom and I emailed back and forth a lot. He read my stuff and encouraged me to write, write, write! He gave me advice and recommended a slew of books about writing to read. I owe him a great deal. And I continue to find support to this day. Author Lincoln Cole and I have become close over the years and he’s helped me in many ways. From creating a website to building a mailing list to formatting my books for self-publishing to finding cover artist (and author) M.N. Arzu to promotional tactics. He’s a good man and I also owe him a great deal. Just recently I did an interview with author Armand Rosamilia , also owner of Project Entertainment Network, for the Armcast Podcast. I also was invited in a flash fiction contest along with authors Stephen Kozeniewski, Gabino Iglesias, and Justin Bienvenue. Three big names in the horror community. Book reviewer David Spell has been in my corner since day one and I had the fortunate opportunity to meet him in Naperville, IL during Stephen and Owen King’s tour stop for Sleeping Beauties. And, now, this interview. Thank you, Becky! I’d also like to mention that since I’ve begun listening (and advertising) on The Horror Show with Brian Keene, a podcast dedicated to the genre, I’ve met all kinds of great people: readers and authors alike. It’s opened the door to many authors I was ignorant to before. It’s also highly entertaining. But none of this would be happening without the support of my wife. She’s my first reader, my Annie Wilkes, and I still like to make her laugh and cringe, and when I do, I know I have something worth publishing.

7. What do you like to do for fun? Watch movies. This year has been great for them. IT, Gerald’s Game, The Dark Tower, Baby Driver, 68 Kill. I’m really looking forward to seeing I’m Dreaming of a White Doomsday by writer/director Mike Lombardo. The World Premiere is happening in Columbus, OH on October 20th at 2p.m. at Nightmares Film Festival. I also recently went on a hike with a close friend. No internet, no social media. Just us and nature. It was awesome to not only spend time with him, but to also disconnect from the world for a few hours. It’s something we’ll be doing regularly, weather permitting. I run on a regular basis. It keeps the head clear and helps me cope with stress. I also like to cook, try new recipes, and eat. All with balance. Dessert is okay if it’s not for breakfast. Sometimes. The most fun I truly have is building blanket forts, going to the park, and reading to my son. He likes flip books and monsters and dinosaurs. We read Harold and The Purple Crayon, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Little Blue Truck… Watching him develop has been the ultimate high for me. I recently bought a stack of books off Mike Lombardo. YA horror, Goosebumps, Eerie Indiana, that sort of thing, for my kids when they get older. Maybe they’ll dig them like I did.

8. Any traditions you do when you finish a book? I go to Starbucks inside of the Barnes and Noble in the town over from me and get a piece of Red Velvet Cheesecake (they sell Cheesecake Factory cheesecake) and a coffee. Then I daydream that thousands of people will rejoice in being so entertained by something I created! Then I get nervous and think my writing is garbage then I publish it anyway and buy ad space on the Horror Show.

9. Where do you write? Quite or music? I write in my office in our basement at a desk. I used to write everywhere but I found in approaching writing like a part-time job its best for me to have a designated place to work. Like, I’m clocking in for the day! Time to go downstairs and get busy. I do write to music. I have a writing playlist on Spotify with four composers: Chad Lawson (who creates music for the Lore podcast), Lena Natalia, Danny Elfman, and most recently, Jon Hopkins. Most of it is classical. I get too distracted when I write to music with lyrics. There’s a Twin Peaks playlist on Spotify that I sometimes put on as well.

10. Anything you would change about your writing? The only thing I would change about my writing is improving it. Early next year I’ll be attending the Borderlands Press Writer’s Bootcamp in Maryland. I’m also reading How To Write Short by Roy Peter Clark. Once I’m finished with The Dark Tower Series, I’m going to start reading all the authors I’ve discovered from The Horror Show. One, for entertainment and, two, I think it’s good to read books by authors from different backgrounds. It gives the mind a new perspective on the world and offers a different voice, a different way to tell a story.

11. What is your dream? Famous writer? From a writing perspective, my dream is to become a full-time writer. As Brian Keene describes it, the main source of income. Now that I’m 37, the dream is to live long days upon the Earth (Dark Tower reference) with my wife and for us to raise our children to be loving, caring, responsible adults who follow their passion. Famous writer? No. Keep the fame. But I’ll gladly accept huge royalty checks!

12. Where do you live? A small town in Ohio. Surprise!

13. Pets? One dog, Chloe. She’s a German Shepherd. We took her in after my mother-in-law passed on. She’s great with the kids and patient with us.

14. What’s your favorite thing about writing? There’s a moment when I transcend into a story. The more I write, the more that happens. I’ll go back and polish what I wrote the previous day, sometimes not remembering certain lines that I had written. Sometimes I find myself next to the characters, oblivious to my surroundings. Sounds crazy (maybe it is) but it’s true. Writing makes me feel alive, as cliché as that sounds. It enriches my life. Also, one of the most rewarding things about it is when someone reaches out to tell you much they appreciated something you’ve created. That’s special. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it’s very touching.

15. What is coming next for you? A book called An American Monster. I won’t get into details because it’s not finished. I’m superstitious and if you’ve read anything I’ve ever wrote then you’ll know that I need all the luck I can get.

  You can connect with Sean Seebach here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sean-Seebach/e/B01CUT2JMK

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seanAseebach/

Website: https://www.amazon.com/Sean-Seebach/e/B01CUT2JMK/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1507564303&sr=8-1

Twitter: @seebach_sean

  Some of Sean Seebach’s books:

  For more on the people I’ve mentioned, here are links to their work: Meagan Smith (M. J. Pack) https://www.amazon.com/M.J.-Pack/e/B00O5APGTQ/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1507563809&sr=8-1 Tom Callahan https://www.amazon.com/Dark-City-Lights-York-Stories-ebook/dp/B00USBMIMY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1507563913&sr=8-1&keywords=dark+city+lights Brian Koppelman (no link. Just watch Billions on Showtime!) Lincoln Cole https://www.amazon.com/Lincoln-Cole/e/B00AUIOU3A/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1507564263&sr=8-2-ent M.N. Arzu https://www.amazon.com/M.-N.-Arzu/e/B013C7XY6O/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1507563985&sr=1-2-ent Armand Rosamilia https://www.amazon.com/Armand-Rosamilia/e/B004S48J6G/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1507564017&sr=1-2-ent Stephen Kozeniewski https://www.amazon.com/Stephen-Kozeniewski/e/B00FFLC5Y8/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1507564054&sr=1-2-ent Gabino Iglesias https://www.amazon.com/Gabino-Iglesias/e/B00AEBI0T8/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1507564085&sr=1-2-ent Justin Bienvenue https://www.amazon.com/Justin-Bienvenue/e/B072F3QYGW/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1507564119&sr=1-2-ent David Spell https://thescaryreviews.com/ Sean Seebach https://www.amazon.com/Sean-Seebach/e/B01CUT2JMK/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1507564303&sr=8-1 Getting personal with Sean Seebach Influenced by Stephen King and Rod Serling, Sean Seebach has written three books: A Looking in View, Autumn Dark and Our Monsters Are Real: The Pig Man.