#my goal at the moment is to schedule one of these everyday

[teriwrites]

Below: 'The Raevin'

My Live Reactions to Reading Through My 2011 Novel, pt. 2

Revealed location! Sorry in advance to everyone from 'Elmore, Alabama'

'With its two hundred and thirty two residents' as of 2011, the census says that Elmore, Alabama had a population of 1,271. So either this book takes place pre-1990, or Teri decided to take a stab in the dark about population size

'She didn't know what to expect. Were these people supposed to come driving into town in a huge truck? Were they coming on foot? Who were they in the first place? Questions such as these swirled around in the teenage girls head, making her dizzy. And dizzy was not something you want to be sitting high up in a tree.' the genuine-expression-becomes-unintentional-humor strikes again

Currently-unnamed-girl is waiting for people from the prison to try raiding their town, apparently

Name-drops the woman currently serving as the prison's medic, apparently a friend of hers! Honestly, entirely forgot that that's who this group is attempting to extract

Also as for that plan, said woman is like the Only medic for the imprisoned mutants. Rip to anyone who catches a cold down there ig

'Sure, there were no gorillas in Alabama, but maybe the man would not be able to tell the tale of seeing one.' OKAY, casually gonna murder this man before confirming he's a part of the Institute

'Thankfully, the gorilla's black fur blended in with the night sky, as the girl didn't think she climbed down the tree very gracefully.' I believe it lmaooo

$500,000 FOR ONE HIT??? clearly, this was written before I time I found Havocscope to use as a resource for all my nefarious characters' dealings

14-year-old is so proud of herself for remembering the word 'assassin'

Same 14-year-old is Shocked by the concept of this assassin killing someone, while actively in the form of a gorilla, preparing to bash his head in

'Oops, there went a couple of his teeth.' as I said

'He wasn't worried about her anymore, and he thought she was a regular gorilla.' yk, the totally normal experience of seeing a gorilla on the lam that's actively attacked you and deciding it's no big deal, actually

I truly did absolutely everything to avoid naming the character whose name is literally the title of this chapter. Currently, she's 'Gorilla girl'

ONCE AGAIN, I am 100% confident I know what this character looks like, and the description in the story is proving me wrong. I thought she had black hair with purple highlights. It's 'dark brown highlighted with blue'

'Nobody would except a... a... a mutant into society.' Not a... a.... a......... mutant!!

Apparently that confrontation was her first fight

Raevin (who's finally been named!) gets scolded in front of her whole mutant commune for rashly attacking a guy, she daydreams about ousting the leader of said commune

And we're back to Kristen!

Maybe finding out the girl you're fighting's powers Before agreeing to a fight was the better move here, Kristen

Apparently Kristen has a lucky pin?? Which I'm sure will make many more appearances before the end of the draft.

Maybe she actually doesn't need to worry too much about the outcome of this fight, given how she's knocking guards out left and right on her way there

...the fight literally didn't even happen... Shawna didn't show, loser

Confirmation that the boy Kristen called annoying for crying about walking on a broken ankle is, in fact, Nick

'I turned over to the 'death bed', or the bed that the people dying lay down on.' THEY HAD A SPECIFIC 'DEATH BED' OMG

Oh shit Shawna didn't show up because she's DYING

LEA'S BEEN A CLONE. Death bed confession that she cloned Lea instead of helping her out that one night, and the Actual Lea has been stranded out in the 10-mile-long stretch of 'fields'

Kristen suddenly decides that, despite hating this girl and now having confirmation that she has Stranded her adopted little sister, Shawna's really chill, actually

R.I.P. Shawna, a real one (villain, that is)

'And I forgave her for taking away Lea... mostly.' pfft

Another jumpcut back to Raevin

'Only those who really needed it got mercy from her. And that was only if she was in a good mood.' what a badass lol

Ah yes, my favorite POV: 3rd person limited except for this one sentence where we get another person's take on a situation

In a shocking turn of events, the evil head of this mutant commune is corrupt.

Also, his power: disintegration! So fun!

'Assassins, murders, and a messenger from the one place we don't want him to be from,' Raevin thought to herself. 'Can this night get any odder?' okay Chandler Bing, please keep in mind that one of those murders was Yours

Okay, I wasn't totally crazy, now she's saying she has black hair (still highlighted with blue, not purple)

'Her skin was pale; Raevin never seemed to be able to tan. Oh well, she had a lot to worry about besides a tan, like not murdering people for instance. Goodness, that topic came up a lot.' this is killing me

'Bill was probably on patrol, Raevin knew he was always either on patrol or helping Mr. J. He really didn't have a life, but that wasn't Raevin's problem.' I love how much this is screaming 14-year-old

Thoughts

Honestly fascinating stepping back into the mind of a pantser. Or at least, my 13-year-old's take on pantsing a story. I really based chapter division's entirely on vibes. Out of all 50,019 words, I apparently divided this book into 7 chapters. I'm having a lot of fun with this project so far. I had a vague memory of Raevin's introduction into the story being her involvement with Mr. J's group, but I forgot it was like a commune/refugee camp for mutants on the run, rather than just like a very small mob. So far, Kristen and Raevin's personalities are entirely flipped in my mind. Kristen is coming across a lot more jaded and angrier than I remember, and Raevin's mostly just angsty. But for them to be so noticeably different means that they each have to have a unique personality, so hey! A win! I've seen people post their own really old writing, and I used to think mine would probably just be more boring than amusing. But I've Cackled at some of these lines, whether it was intentionally written that way or not. What a blast

[winterr77]

ੈ✩ Habits for your academic life

Below are some habits and rules to keep in mind throughout your studies and some tips that will elevate your learning experiences.

☆ Setting boundaries and learning to say no

It is always easy to say yes and join every social event that one is invited to, however its crucial to consider your own personal life and the consequences of your decisions. Hanging out with friends is a needed event as a social creature, however it's better to exercise caution and know when to say "no" to focus on your own goals and dreams. Don't get pulled into the pace of others and focus on finding a routine and schedule that works for your own benefit.

☆ Being comfortable with your own company

You will find in uni that there are lots of times that you will spend alone, and maybe feel a little anxious that you're the only person who isn't constantly in the company of someone everyday like you maybe were in high school. However, realise that even the time to yourself is a time of value, and treasure those moments to focus and work on your own goals. It is easier to get lost and lose sight of your ambitions when with others who don't have the same aspirations as yourself. Use your own time to sit down and work out what you want to achieve and quietly put in the effort to win.

☆ Never being scared to ask questions

It can be quite daunting to ask questions in lectures, so I prefer to ask my questions during times that aren't forced into a short time interval, such as tutorials, office hours, and other forms of learning support that your university/college provides. This way there is no rush to answer my questions and take my time in working through concepts and ideas. Ask questions based on your own conclusions, questions that challenge current rules and perspectives. Think deeper into your lessons and seek to make use of every bit of information.

☆ Being curious

This is very much related to the point above, that being that personal interest really aids with the brains memory retention. The more things you approach with an enthusiastic attitude, the easier it is for your brain to remember and categorise. Having curiosity, even if it is forced, gives a great advantage where you seek to interconnect the information you learn with other data, and grow more networks of neurons that allows your brain to stay healthy and active.

☆ Initiating contact

Struggling with a theory or assignment? Great, it shows that you are actively trying to understand a concept and working your brain muscles. Now the best way to comprehend or complete what you are struggling with is to access support materials. Still difficult? Reach out. Your teachers, professors, tutors are all there for your benefit. Use them intelligently and squeeze every drop of assistance and support from them while they are still available to you.

☆Watching educational content to aid your studies

You can never lose from learning a bit more every day. However make sure to fact check and find your information from trusted and quality sources. In general, it's always a win to be educated in various topics from health, sciences, arts, humanities and more to gain a better understanding of ourselves, our world, and humanity.

For example, I watched a ted talk today, and here is my conclusions from my notes:

ੈ✩TedX: Why Reading Matters by Rita Carter

Summary:

☆Your brain needs a workout as much as your body. And reading fiction seems to be one of the best workouts you can get. (I recommend quality fiction, with that being classic literature because it genuinely exercises your mind with its intricate language techniques and diverse vocabulary)

☆Not only is it good for you, but it's also good for society as a whole because the brain is like a muscle: the more you force yourself through books to take other people's perspectives, to sympathise, to empathise with other people, the more empathetic a society we will have.

ੈ✩‧₊˚

good luck lovelies

~winter

ଘ(੭ˊᵕˋ)੭* ੈ✩‧₊˚

[lucy90712]

hello 💌,

I was thinking about kenan and reader being apartment neighbors. They have an interaction when reader moves into the building. After some time they ride the elevator together and she has a heavy package that he offers to help her with. She accepts he's offer and they have chitchat until he finally gains the courage to ask her put.

:)

Getting my own apartment has been a goal of mine for the last year, my parents to were willing to let me stay at home until I was ready to move out but I wanted to try and move out as soon as possible to be independent. That is exactly what I've done I got myself a job in a new city and found an apartment of my own there. A lot of my friends and family have called me crazy for doing all this at once but I think it will be good for me to get out there and experience life and meet some new people. 

Seeing as I'm moving to a new city I don't have anyone to help me move in but I didn't have too much stuff so I put it all in my car and drove to my new apartment building. It took a few trips to get all the boxes up to my apartment but eventually I had the last few boxes which I had to put down when I reached my door so I could unlock it and just as I did so someone came out the door of the apartment next to mine. The noise made me jump but then I saw the guy that came out the apartment and all the air in my lungs disappeared. I've never seen such an attractive guy in my life part of that is probably to do with living in a small town but still he was so incredibly hot it made me nervous just being around him. 

"Hey I'm guessing you are just moving in I'm Kenan and as you can probably tell I live next door" Kenan said introducing himself 

"Nice to meet you Kenan I'm y/n forgive me if it's loud while I'm sorting things out I'll try and get things done as quick as I can" I said 

"Don't worry about it if you need any help feel free to knock on my door I'm just going out for a few minutes so I'll be back soon" he said 

"Thank you" I said 

With that he left and headed to the lift leaving me flustered as I fiddled with my keys and the lock on my door which seemed impossible to open in that moment. Eventually I made it inside and dragged the boxes in behind me but then I just flopped on the floor surrounded by all my belongings thinking about Kenan. I knew there would be more cute guys in a bigger city but I didn't think I'd meet one the minute I got to my new apartment.  Not only was Kenan cute but he was nice too he didn't have to stop and introduce himself and offer me help if I need it, not a single guy from my hometown would ever do that all of them live solely in their own world. 

Even though Kenan offered to help I didn't knock on his door even when I struggled putting some things together or reaching the top shelves of my kitchen cabinets. It's not that I was scared of inviting him into my apartment I was worried I'd seem like an idiot. If I knock in his door to help me build something and he does it in a few minutes I'll look like an idiot and I don't want Kenan to think I'm stupid not when he's the first nice and attractive guy I've met here. 

~~~~~~~~~~

I've been in my apartment for a whole month now which has gone by so fast it's almost crazy. It took a while for me to find a routine but now I have a schedule outside of just my work hours. Everyday when I leave for work I see Kenan sometimes we get the lift at the same time and other times when I get out the lift I see him coming down the stairs. Usually when we just come across each other in passing we smile at one another but say nothing but if we get in the lift together we will say a quick hi but that's it. I'd love to actually talk to him as he's definitely the most attractive guy I've met here or just in my life in general but I'm way too scared to embarrass myself. Not only that but someone like him must have a girlfriend and if he doesn't he's way out of my league anyway. 

Today is Saturday and usually I go out for a walk and get lunch by myself before getting some fresh ingredients to make myself a nice dinner but today I have other plans. When I moved in the place had some furniture like a sofa and some tables but it didn't have a bed frame which it was supposed to have but it didn't. So I've been sleeping with my mattress on the floor until I could get a bed frame which took forever but finally today it is being delivered. I had a call this morning to tell me when it would arrive so now I'm just waiting to get a call to buzz the delivery guys in. 

The call finally came at 4pm so I ran down the stairs as quick as possible only to be told that they wouldn't bring the boxes upstairs for me and nothing I said could convince them to do so. This left me with three heavy boxes to try and drag to my apartment by myself. I tried lifting all of them one by one but I couldn't even get them more than a few inches off the ground as they were so heavy. In that moment all I wanted to do was sit down on the floor and cry but that isn't going to get the boxes to my apartment so I got myself ready and started pushing one box towards the lift. It was hard work and took all of my strength to get it just halfway across the lobby which is where I stopped to have a break for a minute. 

"Are you ok there?" I heard a voice behind me ask and when I turned around I saw Kenan stood not far behind me 

"Yeah I'm fine" I replied trying not to make it obvious his out of breath I am 

"Not to be rude but it doesn't look like you're alright" Kenan said 

"You're right my apartment didn't come with the bed frame it was supposed to so I ordered one and they refused to take the boxes upstairs so here I am pushing them along the floor as I can't lift them" I admitted in defeat 

"God they must've been assholes please let me help you though you're going to hurt yourself if you aren't careful" he said 

"Are you sure?" I asked 

"Of course let me take this one then I'll came back and get the next two" he said

Somehow he lifted the box with ease right into the lift and then to my door like it was nothing. After I unlocked the door and he took the box into my bedroom he went back down for the next two leaving me to open the box in front of me. He was back before I knew it and instead of just leaving he sat down and helped me get everything out of the boxes and started to look through the instructions. I didn't expect him to be willing to help me get the boxes up here let alone stay and help me build it but I guess Kenan is even nicer than I first thought he was.

We worked together me reading the instructions and holding pieces in place as he put the screws in and attached all the pieces together. While we worked we talked to each other properly for the first time. Kenan told me he was 19 just like me and that he plays football at Juventus for a living which took me by surprise as I've never really been into football so I never know who plays for what team. Knowing that he's a footballer should've made me more nervous but the fact that he was so open with me made me feel more comfortable telling him about my life. He listened to every little thing I said when I told him about my life back home and why I moved. We didn't stop talking the entire time we built the bed frame and even when it was done we still sat there talking for a bit longer before grabbing my mattress and putting my room back together. 

After spending the last few hours with Kenan I didn't want him to leave so I wracked my brain for all the things I could do to get him to stay for a bit longer without seeming too weird. Then I thought about making dinner for us both as a thank you for him helping me. 

"Would you like to stay and I can make us some dinner as my way of thanking you for helping me with everything" I said 

"That would be lovely but you don't need to thank me I'm just glad I got here before you hurt yourself" he said 

"Well I'm going to thank you anyway" I said 

As I gathered things from my kitchen something in my brain remembered my dad telling me that footballers have strict diets to follow so I stopped what I was doing to ask Kenan if there was anything he wasn't allowed to have but he insisted that anything I made would be fine. Once I started chopping vegetables Kenan left his position on one of the barstools I have in my kitchen and grabbed one of my knives to help me with cutting everything. Instead of me cooking for him as a thank you it ended up with us cooking together which was actually really nice. While everything was cooking and we had cleaned everything up we had nothing to do other than keep talking and getting to know each other. 

Despite being a footballer Kenan was so down to earth and just normal. He didn't have an attitude or think he was more important than me just because he plays football which is how I've always thought footballers would be. All the boys from my hometown that played football were complete assholes and they didn't even play for well known clubs so I thought proper football players would be worse but Kenan has changed my perspective about that. I'm not someone who feels comfortable talking with people I don't know well but I feel so comfortable around Kenan and I feel like I can talk about myself without fearing he will make fun of me. 

Once dinner was ready we sat down to eat together which is the first time we've stopped talking in hours. Even after dinner Kenan didn't stop being a gentleman as he took my plate and washed up for me. After that it was the time for Kenan to leave as I didn't have any reason to keep him here any longer even if I didn't want him to leave. Neither of us knew what we were supposed to do as he stood by my front door and we just stared at each other. 

"Thanks again for helping me today this experience has been so much more enjoyable as I haven't had to do it alone" I said breaking the silence 

"I'm happy to help and it was nice to get to know you better seeing as we are neighbours" Kenan said 

"So umm sorry if this is too forward but I really like you and actually getting to talk to you today has only reaffirmed my feelings so would you like to go on a date at some point?" he asked 

"I'd love that" I replied 

With that we exchanged phone numbers and he promised to text me when he was free so we could plan a date. Who would've thought that some awful delivery men would land me a date with a guy like Kenan. 

[arielleslipgloss]

Level Up For 2024!

“Be confident trust yourself and never let anyone put you down, if they put you down it’s because they’re jealous.” - Adriana Lima

Set goals for yourself! It could be daily, weekly, monthly, yearly goals. I recommend you set goals for your career, health, knowledge, mindset, or just what you want. There is only one rule with setting goals though. Whatever you decide, make it happen.

2. Stop lying to yourself! “Oh, I’ll do it tomorrow.” I don’t remember you doing it that day though. So, why did you lie? You need to be able to trust and take care of yourself. Lying to yourself is not helping with either of those. Of course if your schedule got busy and you couldn’t do it, thats fine. On the other hand, when you say or promise yourself you’ll do it and then don’t. That’s disrespectful to yourself.

3. Prioritizing your peace! Take time out of your day to meditate, read, dance to your favorite songs, go on solo dates. Not only is this prioritizing your peace and you but also your happiness. Once I started to prioritize my peace I found true happiness. This is why I stand by prioritizing your peace a lot. It’s something you won’t regret. So, take time for yourself EVERYDAY!

4. Romanticize your life! Try to live in the moment as much as possible. Even, do your favorite things. Romanticizing your life doesn’t mean you have to have money and buy a bunch of things. It simply means to find joy, love, peace in your surroundings. Life is so beautiful when you realize the blessings you have. For example leafs falling in fall, dancing to childhood songs, breathing in cold winter air, picking out a cute outfit, the first snow fall, etc.

5. 2024 is the year for more! Reach for bigger achievements, more money, working out more, doing more self care, more self love, more knowledge, the list goes on. Let’s make 2024 a great year and start by getting in the habit of those things already!

“I sent myself love letters…” - Cher Horowitz

For those who want to know more about romanization then I recommend you check out Vivian Rose and Fernanda Ramirez podcast’s takes on it!

My pinterest: @arielleslipgloss

[popponn]

before sleeping. [isagi yoichi x reader]

notes: the thought process here is hehe isagi and then isagi sure gets feral sometimes and then hey feral is biting right and then i postponed my sleeping schedule for this. this guy is midnight madness inducer. if the first paragraph isnt clear enough. no warning except yeah this is a total fluff despite the prompt. established relationship, post canon / pro-player! isagi.

Isagi Yoichi is a genuinely nice person. A really good boyfriend with a normal and nice family, an excellent career in soccer—an overall green flag that also comes with good communication skill. His downside would probably be his soccer obsession, but if one looks from the right angle it would become a charm point along with his occasional clumsiness on other field other than his beloved sport.

Case in point, Isagi Yoichi is a normal guy, most of the time.

“Can I bite you?”

With that being said, it wouldn’t be your fault to be surprised when he suddenly asked this when the two of you were already in sleeping attires.

It was almost midnight and you were dressed in Yoichi’s old t-shirt, baggy and too large for the both of you to wear. Beside you, Yoichi already lied on his side to face you and ready to be asleep, considering the 12 hours jet lag he was supposed to be having. Yet, with his big blue eyes, he stared directly towards yours—whose are sleepy, heavy, and definitely tired.

You, who froze midway in your way to cover yourself with a blanket, blinked for a few times with your mouth slightly agape. Your eyebrows furrowed, trying to process what Yoichi just said. After a few moments of silence, you finally found your voice again, “…I thought… we are about to sleep…?”

“Yeah,” Yoichi answered simply. “But, like, can I bite you? Just once?”

You could only blink once again. Was this some leftover adrenaline high from his winning goal? You knew how Yoichi becomes a bit of someone else whenever he became excited or on a high tension—but it never really came out of blue. Especially at home like this.

Confused, you could only said, “Huh. Wow.”

In respond, Yoichi parroted both your confusion and noise, “Huh? Wow?”

“I mean,” you began to try to explain, slowly feeling your sleepiness wanning off. “That sure came out of nowhere.”

A dumb and blank expression appeared on Yoichi’s face upon hearing your words. Then, it took a mere second before it shifted into one that is full of panic and bashfulness. Yoichi immediately pushed his body to sit along with you as both his hands shook in front of him, “Oh—uh! I mean—It’s just that I look at you in that shirt and just—!”

“It’s not bad, or anything. It was just sudden,” you said, eyes fixed on his sheepish gestures. “It’s not everyday you just blurt things like that at home.”

Yoichi laughed nervously and suddenly seemed to find an interest in the crease of your shared blanket. You let him took his time to continue meanwhile you lied down to your sleeping position. As you finally covered yourself in blanket, Yoichi followed you, embarrassment still dyeing his face, “It’s, uh, I think I missed you a bit too much this time?” Yoichi said, unsure.

You chuckled as you already warped your whole body in blanket, “Playing the sweet words now, huh?”

“It’s not like that!” Yoichi insisted whilst shifting his position for a few times, trying to find comfort. “Like, I also don’t really understand why, but it’s like I really want to bite you. But like positively, in a very ‘I love you’ kind of way?”

At his wording, you found yourself smiling with a soft, unvoiced chortles bubbling inside your stomach. Even in a confusing sentence, the way he just said ‘I love you’ so easily yet earnestly really did things to your heart. You knew that this one was fueled by Yoichi’s own nervousness and confusion—yet still, it felt as genuine as he always is.

“Well,” you paused, pretending to be in a thought, before continuing. “Where do you even want to bite?”

This time, it was Yoichi’s turn to freeze. “Uh. I didn’t think that far.”

As you failed to swallow your laughs, you patted his head, “Now, now, isn’t my Mr. Striker’s head tired? Let’s do the biting and everything else tomorrow, ‘kay?”

Yoichi’s expression soften at your words and pats. Your fingers slowly moved, gently tracing the outlines of his face, and Yoichi’s bashfulness return with a look he kept only for you, “…fine.”

You nodded, smiles still in your face as you closed your eyes and drifted to sleep. Knowing Isagi Yoichi, he probably just thought that you were way too tired and chose sleep out of consideration. How sweet, truly.

But, also this is Isagi Yoichi and he never knows when to give up. With one last offering, he wrapped his hand around your back, “Can I hug you for the whole night, at least, though?”

“Sure, sure, Mr. Egoist. Aren’t you clingy today, huh?”

[milkoomi]

₊˚⊹ ᰔ new year, new you ᝰ.ᐟ

everyone always talks about their “new year’s resolutions” but never really follows through with them. instead of creating those resolutions, practice new routines & lifestyle changes while going into the new year!

let’s begin !!

ᝰ.ᐟ set small goals

while having bigger goals set for yourself is great, you should still set smaller goals for yourself that can be achieved in an easier manner! keeping your goals simple can lead to greater and bigger successes while still leading you on the path to complete those bigger goals for yourself or just put you on a better path for your own personal growth!

small goal examples:

practicing good, proper hygiene! making sure you brush your teeth everyday, being consistent with your skincare routine, taking daily showers, etc. taking good care of yourself can be a great small goal to set for yourself! especially for those who struggle with their mental health (like myself), practicing these simple tasks and creating goals out of them makes you feel more accomplished! & with more accomplishments, the better you might start to feel!

making your bed every morning! getting into this simple habit can help you feel more put together & prepared for your day! i honestly struggle with this one because i’m always so busy, but the times i have been more consistent with this have always led to me having better & more productive days!

increase your water intake! staying hydrated is so, so important! plus!! water has a plethora of benefits! what helped me start drinking more water than other fluids was by simply getting a cute, new water bottle for myself. having something that i thought was super cute to drink out of helped me drink more water!

cooking more! honing your own cooking skills & also spending less money on outside food is a great small goal to set for yourself! you can always start small by picking one meal out of your day to cook for yourself whether that be breakfast, lunch, or dinner! try choosing one of those meal times to dedicate to cooking at home and then you can gradually start cooking more of those meals personally!

journal at least once a day/week! whether you find a good journaling prompt or if you’re reflecting on how your day/week went, journaling more is a fantastic way to go into the new year and bring that with you as the year progresses! it helps you practice mindfulness, regulate/process/comprehend your emotions & thoughts, and can also even help with just your own writing skills!

getting 7-8 hours of sleep! setting up a good sleep schedule for yourself & practicing going to bed earlier was one of the goals i had set for myself this year actually! it’s helped me so much because i used to struggle with insomnia like really, really bad, but ever since i set that goal for myself to get at least 7 hours of sleep, my sleep schedule has greatly improved and now my body is so used to going to bed at an earlier time! sleep is so important for your physical and mental health, so do try to set that goal for yourself!

ᝰ.ᐟ be more active

you don’t have to jump right into the gym or immediately come up with some kind of workout schedule, but just simply getting your body moving more will be enough to jumpstart becoming more active! go on walks, play just dance or dance to your fav songs, do some simple yoga, get those morning stretches in, or (if you can & the weather permits it) walk to school/work!

ᝰ.ᐟ lessen your screen time

this is something i’ve gotta work on myself, but lessening your screen time & being more focused on the present and being in the present can be so fulfilling. if i’m ever out on a date with my fiancé or hanging out with friends, i try to keep my phone in my bag or pocket so that i can really be immersed in the moment. also just finding more hobbies and things to do that don’t involve your phone can really help to romanticize your own life if that’s what you wanna do! go outside, spend time with your family/loved ones, work on art, make music— do something that makes you happy but doesn’t involve your phone.

social media especially can have such an impact on your life, more negatively than you may think. if you want to be on your phone to chat with friends or listen to music, try disconnecting from your socials! free yourself from the toxicity that social media might bring you and i promise you’ll see a change! i recently deleted my twitter account & i’ve been avoiding doom scrolling on tiktok, and i seriously mean it when i say this: i’ve been so much happier!

ᝰ.ᐟ dedicate more time to your studies

this is for anyone who’s currently still in school (whether that be high school or college), but putting more time into your education will be putting so much more effort into your own future! being able to have the opportunity to be educated is a privilege, and if you’re lucky enough to be able to attend school (and even afford it), focus more of your time to your studies! success starts in school!

also, if you aren’t in school but you’re maybe learning a new language, learning a new art form, teaching yourself a new skill; spend more time honing those things and focusing on getting better at them! teaching yourself something new or learning something different than what you already know just makes the mind stronger!

side note: don’t push yourself too hard when it comes to your studies. remember to take breaks! i had to take a couple gap years from college because i was burnt out, and if you feel like you need to take a semester off or even a gap year, do it! school will always be there when you’re ready to go back! your own mental and emotional well-being always comes first!

ᝰ.ᐟ learn to let go

there’s so many things from this year that have probably held you back from so many different things. whether it was a toxic friendship/relationship, unhealthy social media trends that kept you from being you, habits that probably impacted your health; learn to them go. leave them behind in 2024, don’t start the new year with things or people who have kept you from being happy. learn to never let anyone or anything disrupt your peace!

i’ve cut off toxic friends this year and, as i mentioned earlier, i spent less time on & even deleted social media that i felt was hurting my own well-being, and let me tell you, i’ve been happier! it’s so freeing to finally let go of things that have been holding you back from your potential to be the person you want to be. you’re allowed to live how you want, but that can’t happen if you hold onto things and people who keep you from doing so!

ᝰ.ᐟ start planning

this is something i’ve been practicing getting into the habit of! having some kind of planner (whether it’s a physical planner or a digital one) will just help you feel more organized! especially if you’re in school or your job requires a lot of deadlines to be met or even if you just want to keep track of important dates, keeping a planner and actually using it will not only keep you up to date, but also help with your time management and help you prepare for the day, week, or month ahead!

𝜗𝜚 final notes 𝜗𝜚

let 2025 be your year! you can achieve great things even if you start small, but you can’t be your best when you aren’t doing the best for yourself! be kind to yourself, be patient with yourself, and always show yourself love and care. if you want to be a newer, better version of you, it’s all gotta start with learning to care for yourself how you want to be cared for!

live and love, babe.

sincerely, juno ⭑.ᐟ

[foxglovetawny]

My BSD kins and why I kin them:

I don't actually have a lot but I wanted to make this list regardless

Dazai

I kin Dazai mostly because I'm a compulsive, pathological liar. When faced with a conflict, my first instinct is to lie. Regardless of who I'm lying to(myself, my family, my friends, etc). This habit has made me very good at lying. So much so that I have a tendency to manipulate and be dishonest to my friends and family in order to avoid them posessing negative views towards me. I don't like lying and I try not to, but I simply do not understand why it's bad.

On a deeper level, I kin Dazai because I'm constantly seeking for a reason to live. Everyday I wake up without motivation to do anything, and I go to sleep with dread that I will wake up the next day. Life is just an ongoing loop of meaningless events. I feel as though I have a gaping hole in my chest, and I constantly try to fill that hole with my lies. I make jokes about wanting to die and act childish around my friends as a coping mechanism. I constantly tell myself, "My friends and family really do care about me," but it simply does not work. I feel only capable of feeling empathy(not sympathy), because I can't understand other people's pain until I go through it myself. This results in my lack of understanding of why most morals are the way they are.

Chuuya

I kin Chuuya mostly because I'm short. I constantly get made fun of for my height and weight. I am forced to turn to violence on a weekly basis, simply because no one takes me seriously. I fear the appearance of weakness, so I either compress my emotions or express them in a form of anger. I have not cried in a year due to this. I talk about the people I care about a lot, but in a way that doesn't express my regard for them. Sometimes I'll call them when I'm not in my right mind, just to call them slurs(dont worry I can say them). They find this entertaining. I would sacrifice my reputation and risk everything to avenge my friends, even if it may not be possible at the moment.

Ranpo

Ranpo lower on the list because I don't kin him that much. Though I am not that intelligent, my intelligence is like Ranpo's. Instead of creating plans to reach my goals like Dazai and Fyodor does, I'm more able to notice patterns in behavior. This allows me to deduce certain things about people, including their insecurities, occupation, and type of intelligence. I used to be able to figure out people's class schedules back in high school using small clues I picked up in their dialogue.

Unfortunately, I still don't understand people. I constantly struggle to fit in and I don't know why. It feels like everyone gets each other while I'm just the outlier. I ache to be like everyone else, but I have accepted that such a thing is unachievable.

Nikolai

I kin Nikolai because I feel trapped. I feel like my emotions are limiting me. Being an HSP, I am more empathetic than normal. Actions that remind me of my own past experiences deeply effect me, and I want to be free from them. I don't want to feel emotional attachment, but I can't help it. Like Dazai, I constantly mask my emotions and appear to be childish and immature. I am a sadist, but I can't tell whether I actually feel pleasure in seeing other people's pain, or if it is just another lie I have convinced myself of to make myself feel more free.

------

Side note: I've only read and watched bsd once so some of these might be wrong, please cut me some slack lmao.

[blushydiorrb]

blushydior

digital minimalism: free yourself from the traps of electronic devices and start living a fulfilled life

“A philosophy of technology use in which you focus your online time on a small number of carefully selected and optimized activities that strongly support things you value, and then happily miss out on everything else.”

— Cal Newport, Digital Minimalism

as always, i recommend reading Digital Minimalism and Deep Work by Cal Newport. digital minimalism and introducing it’s importance to others is what i am passionate about. this post is simply to branch off from what i learned, what resonates with me and my perspective from his books while interconnecting it with posts from my blog. i can’t thank cal enough for his impact.

so you’re interested in being a digital minimalist. 

ask yourself these questions: 

what are your deepest values in life? 

where do you currently stand in your journey of self improvement? what have you done so far that has led you to this moment and what are some things that you can do better? 

do the apps in your phone bring you continuous spark and joy? in what ways does your daily phone usage support these deepest values?

be in the know: the continuous growth of phone usage is, to say the least, detrimental. as of 2022, the average person picks up their phone 344 times and uses their phone for 5 hours per day (excluding work related usage)

if your deepest values are work, continuous self improvement, friends, traveling, family, and school, how does being on your phone for the majority of your days, scrolling on social media/texting support these values?

you say you want to try new hobbies, travel more, and meet new people then look back and notice you really haven’t done most of the things you said you wanted to do. you take a closer look and notice you are on your device, pressing like button after like button, constantly watching what everyone else is doing rather than living the life in front of you. you end up disappointed. 

imagine yourself looking back at your life as whole at this moment. would you see all the times you spent going on adventures, having the best time of your life or would you see moments of endless scrolling on your feed flashing before your eyes?

which one do you want?

just imagine the massive improvement you’d see if you reduced your screen time and used it to your advantage by doing meaningful things like:

learning new skills everyday, executing that plan for a trip you made, cooking, dance, working out, reading more books, learning about extensive topics like business and psychology, volunteering, getting more sleep.

to be able to create a beautiful life for yourself, it all stems from you— your will and desire to have a beautiful, lived life, your plan, the execution, and the endless enjoyment.

these are so much more fulfilling than seeing tweets or keeping up with celebrities and influencers. trust me when i say you won’t miss much and have a breakdown if you missed a celebrity’s newest selfie or didnt retweet that recycled joke you saw on your timeline 3 months ago. 

there will ALWAYS be something new and entertaining to learn and experience in life. you just have to put yourself out there.

you crave genuine bonds? high bandwidth connections come from meeting up with people, having face to face interactions, not sharing memes and meaningless texts (no, emojis do not help)

you want to be a high achiever and reach your goals? you can’t do that when social media takes up half of your time.

you want real experiences? look up from the digital screen and use your five senses to bask in the sunlight, hear the real-life chatter, focus and interact with the people around you, smell the fresh air and taste the food. do you really need to record and document everything for a 24h story?

weren’t you supposed to study for that exam? did you schedule your routine appointments? when was the last time you hung out with a loved one? when was the last time you picked up a hobby and spent time alone? did you finish that book you were reading? didn’t you say you had a goal to go to the gym a few times a week? have you been easy on yourself like you said you would? 

i thought you said you were sick of not living the life of your dreams yet… i don’t see you taking any action to achieve that goal? 

break the habit and start living your best life. let’s get into the how!

Keep reading

[sayitaliano]

Hello, I’ve been trying to learn Italian for a few years now (it’s been an on and off thing, depending on how frustrated I get lol), I feel like my discipline is not the best, and the fact that I can’t find a native to practice and ask for help is also pretty discouraging. Could you please give me a few tips as to what I can do to learn more in my current situation? Thank you 💕

Ciao!

For as frustrating as it may get (and I know what you mean here as a languages student myself), my main suggestion is to try and keep up a constant pace that allows you to study at least 15 minutes everyday (or a bit more 3-4 times a week, all according on your schedule ofc). I noticed an improvement once I started being more consistent in my practice (even writing just a sentence per day is better than doing a whole paragraph each month -eg. I've been writing a diary everyday, not just about random stuff but inserting different things like descriptions, answering questions, grammar stuff/sentences practice...). And ofc, the moment I decided I wanted to be more consistent, I had to start from basics again (and I'm suggesting you the same).

Set easy goals, plan reviews of what you have studied (even the week before), write in and listen to your target language (and also talk to yourself in it, like eg. describe what's around you or try to tell yourself what you should do; immerse yourself in the culture as much as you can -youtube is so of help with its many vlogs and shows and music...): I understand you want to run fast towards fluency but it's not said you need to reach it in a certain amount of time. Allow yourself to have days in which you see no progress or even think you're taking step backward. It's okay, it's all part of the process (we also have bad days in general, so be kind with yourself). We need for stuff we learn to settle a bit here and there, and therefore not making moves even for a week or two (or more) is normal. Go slow: moving fast is enemy when we want to learn and really assimilate what we learn.

Even if it's annoying to study, grammar is fundamental. And Italian grammar is not easy to learn so again it may take time according on what you are studying (nouns' genders, irregular verbs, articles, pronouns, adjectives.... try to start as easy as you can). If you rather, I'd suggest you buying a book for foreigners (I'm leaving you the resources masterpost, maybe you can find studying books but also other resources for your self studies)

I have collected LOADS of studying tips in the years on this masterpost (lemme add this since i cannot edit that post now) and... actually I know of a native who's trying to practice English (this said you can write a post about needing a "Penpal" and tag me, I'll happily reblog it here: many Italians follow me or you can use some other app). Don't give up on a native's help: being corrected when we make mistakes is so very important. It helps us remember the mistake we made and not do it anymore (or be more aware of it). Or find studying pals! I'm sure other Italian students would like to share and help you. Having others studying with us, may also help when it comes to consistency: we have no excuse but to practice at least every week and then we can practice together too. There's nothing bad in asking for help: if you don't know something, you cannot just try to solve it yourself, as you may not find the solution (or find a incorrect one): that way studying a language can really become frustrating to say the least as you may feel like you're in a hole and you cannot get out of it. Don't make it more difficult for yourself, make it easier. It's plenty of people who'd like to help you out and find themselves in your same position. You're not a bother, js.

All the best!! And ofc here I am if you need help :)

[antheiantics]

ENTJ Behaviours - Everyday things the Internet analysis don't tell you about - weirdly specific edition

Loud loud laugh. The type of laugh to make you go under the table. Happens roughly 2-3 times a day.

Shouting for no apparent reason.

Zoomies, yes, zoomies around the house.

Zoomies in talking - The point is to get it out fast and furious and go on with the day. Spoiler alert: 80% of the time I have to repeat myself, because people didn't understand my point delivered in Eminem speed. I'm fine, we're fine, it's fine.

Constantly forgetting people don't have the ability to understand with just one, maximum three words. Exception: INTX

Hating to be late and arriving early. Completing several tasks while waiting.

Having absolutely no tolerance on people who are late. Holding a grudge about it. Waiting for the day to just leave so the other person learns from it.

Abrupt style changes that shock people - going from casual business to grunge fairycore, not realising that people get confused with the vibe.

ENTJ procrastination is a thing - it's just procrastinating by doing other smaller tasks instead of doing the big looming one.

Being confident all the time except in a specific moment in which it's required to.

Ordering food at McDonald's because your extroverted friends were "too shy" to.

Waiting for those same friends to say "hi" to the entire planet while you try to look confident, pretty and approachable.

Being invited in the conversation in the span of one minute and hitting it off for the next 10 minutes.

Walking fast.

The boulevard is the runway and y'all are just peasants interrupting the strut.

Making detailed plans about being a successful company owner in 10 years, but forgetting to take in the sheets the next day. Short-term goals - a strong point, if forced. Day to day to-do list - not a strong point at all, unless written down (most of the time confident enough to remember our own tasks) (most of the time we forget to do several of them, or postpone them to shove three more that we planned to do after two weeks, but oh well, an opportunity arose - extremely specific, might not apply)

Patience. Monstruos amounts of it. Miranda Priestly was just fed up after so many years in the industry and I can see why.

Pet peeves are inefficiency and people who repeat the same mistake over three times, after it was explained to them by multiple people.

Strong opinions. Controversy. How are y'all dealing with Cruella (Emma Stone) and Elizabeth Bennett (Pride and Prejudice) mix, type of person? Genuinely curious. Not asking for a friend.

As for the ENTJ men reading this - do you have like a list or diagram, with all the people that manage to keep up with your Stewie Griffin (South Park) , Kaz Brekker (Six of Crows) tendency to "invest" and Thranduil(The Hobbit/LOTR) type of beauty and pride, and how long is it? Again, genuinely curious.

Wrote the origins of criticism and invented self-criticism in the process, because emotional liability got invented roughly around the same time and apparently it was "too much" *side glances INFPs*

Crying only out of helplessness (not if you can help it, ofc) and anger.

Fan of stupid puns (extremely evident)

Might unintentionally ghost people or leave them on seen, because they messaged you while your brains were working overtime (happens too often)

Caffeine doesn't work, but it's a ritual of pleasure, not to be missed, unless the day is bound to finish in prison. Same could be said if you take tea instead of coffee.

Relaxing by watching documentaries about successful people.

De-stressing by drinking wine with that one close friend that you see once a month due to busy schedules and talking about life.

That close friend also happens to be the closest one to IxxJ type and thoroughly listens while we explain the nature of emotions and why we think that the normal emotion we felt is a terminal illness.

Flirting is a way of surviving not a way of life. Take it as you wish.

Inspecting and dissecting your crushes so you know what you're dealing with. Most of the time we "un-crush" them with a snap of our fingers.

Sometimes we "just go with it" and end in a semi-casual situationship.

When they tell you we are confident and undisturbed by flirting, they're probably lying or not competent enough about speaking on real (not psychology explained) life. We do. It's just not obvious. INTJs, INTPs and ENFJs might not agree, because they somehow just know.

Getting hurt over minimal details people mentions about us throughout a conversation but being unaffected by "the big ones".

Which is hilarious because we're major "big picture" people - details are the things we see last. Sometimes, we don't even bother to inspect them.

ENTJ: Ah, ah, okay, bye-

Other people: No, wait! There's-

ENTJ: I pretty much got it, bye-

P.S. "Pretty much go it." or "I'm gonna wing it.", but make it organised, are probably catch phrases by now. No matter what people tell you that's a major trait of XXXJ people.

When I told you we invented criticism, I forgot to mention we also helped ESTJ and INTJ invent sarcasm.

[araminthe]

8 October, Tuesday 2024

Ouffffff

Last time I updated was almost a month ago and let me tell you that sooo much has happened.

(Needed to take some time for myself, and so much happened, didn't have the energy, nor felt the need to share on tumblr)

So,

Main events of the previous month:

- Had multiple outings with friends and family, was soo much fun, made some life memories ♡

- School started, I had to start this year in a degree I don't like, but hey I met soo much girls/friends and we happened to have so much in common, imagine my surprise when I discover thar one of them knows my cousin 🤨, so guess those 3 weeks in this degree were worth it ✨️✨️

- Now, the NEWS I was expecting since the start of september, I wanted to change studies to go into science and I GOT ACCEPTED. Well I have almost 3 weeks of classes to catch up on but at least I LOVE what I'm learning and studying. I definitely did not feel that in my previous degree, but now it's like I can finally exploit my skills and knowledge. I feel like im in the right field. Youhouuu! 🎉

(I'm also on the same campus than a cousin of mine and 2 close friends, isn't everything soo great? I rarely saw them before but now we often cross paths hehe, that's one of the perks of studying in the city you grew up in)

- I also met with multiple close friends I hadn't seen for a long time so it's also a positive note.

- Today, I had my first driving lesson, I never drove a car before so I will have to take between 30 and 35 hours of lesson.

Almost 60euros per lesson, oh gosh that's so expensive 💀💀💀💀

And my cousin only had to drive 20hours. HAAAAAA. *expressing frustration

And omg the instructor literally tried to intimidate me, I think she was testing me, she invaded my personal space, and I was like "Hehe alright when do we start " 😀 Ughh, help.

- I also watched the 2nd season of jjk, and damn gege, stop making the fans suffer.

(I never watch animes even tho I love them, so for me that was also an accomplishment)

Anddd that's it I guess.

Now

Personal goals:

Did I stop scrolling? No, but I'm not extremely addicted anymore, I can stop and not be distracted when I study so it means I improved on that point.

Those last 6 months struggles paid off it means 😁

(But I need to be careful to not fall back into it, I think it could easily happen)

I'm also including short exercices in my routine.

Stretching more often.

I still don't eat healthy, on this aspect I'm doing really bad at the moment 😓

But, I can study without distractions and actually work my lessons, that's a W.

What else could I mention?

Sleep: I have a nice sleep schedule now, I managed to sleep early almost every night and wake up early in the mornings, I feel rested and great.

Mental health: I think it's adulthood doing that to me but I've started to go from optimistic to pessimistic. I discovered lots of new negative feelings during the last year, I don't like how I'm changing negatively.

I guess I just had a taste of reality, not everything's perfect, neither are people, I guess I've started to come out of my bubbly wrapped pink dusted innocent view of life. Welcome to reality as they say. People are not as nice as I had always thought. I'm starting to not like people. But I only became 19 recently after all, i feel like a child mentally, am I not 1 year old in adulthood?

Anyway, I just want to be nice for the sake of it, does it mean they will see me as naive ans stupid? Well I am not, I just chose to be kind.

Let me fight evil with kindness.

Also need to work on my faith, because without it I lose my inner peace.

And to finish, let's talk about health; well, health wise I'm really not doing great. I really can't handle the humidity in my city and everyday I feel like im about to have a heart attack in the sense that I feel this humidity in my head, heart, bones, nose, throat, EVERYDAY. I really don't feel great, and I KNOW that's its because of how humid everything is.

I'm even 80% sure that it's because of the humidity that I developed so much allergies. Screw bad healthcare and bad doctors, in 6 years, couldn't they tell me that I was suffering everyday single day because I had developed so many allergies? Maybe it should have been obvious when I told them that I sneezed literally hundreds of times per day and had a very runny nose every day of the year FOR 6 YEARS

(I feel resentment)

Well.

Overall life has been 70% positive, 30% negative.

So much great things happened and I'm really happy but life's not easy for anyone and like any lambda human, I have my deal of problems.

But well, I think our purpose as humans is to keep trying to BE better and DO better.

So I won't give up, for the sake of my own life.

And we always have more good things in life than bad, others sometimes even have it worse, we just need to be open minded enough to see all the great things that have been granted to us.

Goodnight people.

N'abandonne pas, ça va aller <3

Crois en toi et continue à faire des efforts ✨️

[starlightkun]

sorry if you've gotten this ask before aljrksjd

you don't have to answer this, but I just wanted to know how you write longform fics or just long pieces in general. it's one of the things I've struggled with as a writer, and I'm having a hard time trying to figure out how I could go about it or do it.

I'd be so grateful if you could provide some advice or suggestions 🥹🥹

i want u to know that i saw this ask when u sent it, but i had a 5hr drive today and wanted to make sure i had time to answer this!! it's under the cut bc i yapped a bit <33

so one thing that i feel the need to say up top is that i never go into pieces with a "goal" length/word count (often times my fics end up being longer than i expected/intended). because i never really write with the goal of a specific length in mind, these are things that i think have helped me write more cohesive and narratively fulfilling pieces in general, which tends to make my fics longer

my first thing is planning/outlining!! i used to just write my fics start to finish in one go with little to no planning, and since i've started slowing down and taking my time outlining/planning beforehand (and even during the drafting process i continue adding to my outline), i've seen the average lengths of my fics go up a lot. you don't have to have every single scene, moment, and piece of dialogue planned out before start writing (lord knows i never do), but you should have a pretty good idea of the major story beats, character dynamics, and any important conflicts, and make sure it's written down in a way that's easy for you to refer back to while you write. never think you're gonna keep it all in your head

build out your characters' lives!! i love introducing a good b-plot involving the main character's friends (see: strawberry sunday) that doesn't take too much attention away from the main plot that it seems out of place, but instead complements the main plot and allows there to be space in between those major plot beats for the readers and the characters to breathe. it also helps make your characters feel more well-rounded and real to the readers if you throw in a scene of their daily life at school or work or with their friends/family both to add texture to them but also to your world. it can also be good to use an establishing scene towards the beginning of their daily life, then a similar one towards to the end that shows any character development, or some other impactful change that happened during your story. instead of just telling us that everything in your character's life changed, show us how it did (or didn't! or maybe it only changed a little, but the little change was important, too)

in a similar vein, build out your world!! im not saying to spend ten pages describing an intricate magic system to us that has little bearing on the plot itself, but feel free to weave in extra details about where/when we are and how the characters interact (or dont!) with the world around them (even if its our normal old world in the modern day)

and i mean i guess my last thing that's really helped me is just sort of getting out my head when it comes to writing? like, not forcing myself to write everyday, not having any sort of word count goals, no posting schedule, etc. just letting myself sit with my ideas for a while and really play around and have fun with them. it's made writing fic something that i look forward to doing when i come from work, or when the weekend is approaching, and i genuinely am making probably my favorite things that i've ever made right now. and they happen to be pretty long!!

i've talked some more about my writing process in some other asks (x, x, x, x, x, x) and i have a writing tag where i post about more general writing stuff if you want to hear me yap some more

[chelseachilly]

king of my heart - pt 10

is this the end of all the endings? my broken bones are mending with all these nights we’re spending

pairing: reader x ben chilwell summary: as ben continues his recovery, you make the most of his time off by visiting some family and friends warnings: suggested smut word count: 3.1k

a/n: sorry this one kinda took a while, it’s a bit longer to make up for it! it’s also totally fluffy and features ben serving major dilf vibes plus james maddison still at leicester bc i wrote this before they got relegated 😬 

see my masterlist for previous chapters

Although it’s still difficult for Ben as Chelsea’s season continues and he remains unable to play, it gets a bit easier as time goes on.

His physiotherapy is going well, with significant progress being made week by week. You manage to slip into a good routine again, going to work everyday and coming home to Ben and Oscar each evening.

There is a silver lining to Ben’s injury, you discover, which is that his weekends are free. You both know that once he’s back on the pitch, the hectic game schedule will resume as well, so you decide to make the most of it.

You explore London together more than you’ve ever gotten the chance to, taking Oscar for long walks around Hyde Park once Ben’s knee can handle it, going for nice dinners, and meeting up with friends.

Much to your relief, Ben starts inviting his mates around the house more, including the boys from the team. It’s so nice to see him joking around with the guys again, seeming more and more like himself every day.

Mason and Reece even manage to convince Ben to come to a game now that he’s feeling up to it. You had avoided the subject as you didn’t want to upset him, but Ben seems to be in fairly high spirits when Saturday rolls around and it’s time to go.

You take an Uber to Stamford Bridge, holding Ben’s hand the whole time you’re in the car, when you arrive at the stadium, and as you find your seats just behind the bench.

Despite the smile plastered on his face and the way he happily chats with the familiar faces around the stadium, you know that it took a lot of strength for him to come here today. You’re determined to help him summon that strength in any way you can, whether it be a hand rubbing gentle circles on his back or just your calming presence next to him.

Just before kickoff, as the two of you are chatting with some of the physios and benched players, the commentator takes note of Ben’s presence.

“And here we have Ben Chilwell back at the Bridge for the first time since his injury in September. Welcome back, Ben!”

Ben smiles and waves at the cameras as they pan to him, and you can’t help but stare at him with admiration as the fans begin to chant his name. You know it isn’t easy for him to sit on the sidelines, but you’re proud of him for keeping a positive attitude and choosing to come support his club and friends.

Their opponents, Brentford, score a goal in the first half, which Chelsea quickly equalizes at the beginning of the second. Although you both leap up from your seats to cheer, you can see the smile fade from Ben’s face as the rest of the team celebrates on the pitch.

“Hey,” you whisper in his ear as you sit down, once again taking his hand and squeezing tightly. “You’ll be back out there before you know it.”

Ben just looks at you for a moment before smiling slightly and nodding.

He brings your joined hands to his lips and presses a kiss to your knuckles before you resume watching the game.

-

As the year comes to a close, you and Ben try to spend as much time as possible out of the house and seeing friends and family.

You’re excited for your first Christmas as a couple, and you decide to spend Christmas Eve with his family and Christmas Day with yours. It’s a bit overwhelming meeting Ben’s entire extended family for the first time, but they’re all just as lovely as his parents and siblings, making you feel right at home.

On Christmas morning, you make the drive to your mum’s house, where she and your brother are eagerly waiting for you to arrive before opening any gifts. Despite your protests, Ben insisted on buying your mum a luxury handbag from the same company where he got one for his own mother. Although the gift is technically from both of you, it’s pretty clear who paid for it - and if your mother didn’t already adore Ben, she certainly does now.

He went a bit overboard on his gifts for you as well, including a spa weekend, a pair of new headphones, and finally, a beautiful necklace with your first initial on the diamond-encrusted pendant. It’s beautiful and thoughtful and though you wish he wouldn’t spend so much money on you, you can’t help but love it. The trainers you bought him feel like they pale in comparison, but Ben insists without hesitation that they’re his new favourite pair, and you can tell how genuine he’s being.

Max is equally excited about his gift from Ben, an advance copy of the new FIFA, which the boys spend a good two hours playing while you and your mum prepare dinner.

“I love seeing you this happy,” she says as you’re mashing the potatoes with a grin on your face, listening to Ben and Max shouting at the TV in the other room. “He’s a very nice boy.”

“Yeah, he is,” you smile.

“Your father would be so happy for you,” your mum says sincerely, resting a hand on your back. “And even happier to have future grandchildren with strong genes for football.”

“Oh my god, Mum!” you exclaim, blushing and continuing to work on the potatoes. “We’ve been dating less than a year.”

“Well, I knew I wanted to marry your dad after the first month or two,” she laughs. “It’s just a thought, dear.”

Ben walks in a second later, a wide grin spreading on his face as he sees you and your mother both still laughing.

“What’s so funny?” he asks, walking over and wrapping his arms around your waist, pressing a kiss to your cheek.

“Nothing,” you say quickly, leaning into his warmth as he grabs the masher from you and takes over, letting you relax against his chest.

-

A week into the new year, Ben suggests that you drive up to Leicester to see his close friend and former teammate James Maddison and his family.

You’ve met James a couple times, when he was in town playing Chelsea or for various work engagements, but you have yet to meet his partner or their son Leo - Ben’s godson. They also had twins recently, a boy and a girl, and you know that Ben is excited to meet them.

You drive up on Saturday morning to catch James’ match against Bournemouth. Ben is excited to show you around King Power Stadium, the home of his former club, and introduces you to many of the staff and players prior to the game. You think it’s a testament to the kind of person Ben is that they all still seem to hold him in very high regard despite him having left for Chelsea in 2020.

Of course, it was the right move for him and his career, and nobody would hold it against him - especially James, who practically leaps into your boyfriend’s arms when they see each other. It’s clear that their bond is still strong despite the miles between them and their very different lifestyles since James started a family.

“Y/N, nice to see you again!” James says with a smile when he pulls apart from Ben and comes over to hug you quickly. “Thanks for coming. Kennedy’s buzzing to meet you after.”

“Of course, I can’t wait to meet her and the kids,” you smile, leaning into Ben’s side as he wraps an arm around your waist. “Good luck out there!”

As James leaves to prepare for the match, you and Ben find your way to your seats.

Leicester end up winning the game, much to your excitement. Obviously your loyalty lies with Chelsea, but you’re happy to be here supporting James and it makes for a great atmosphere at the stadium as they secure the three points.

You all head back to James and Kennedy’s house afterward, and Kennedy greets you with a big hug. She’s a beautiful woman with a natural motherly aura about her, and she makes you feel safe and welcome right away. You know Ben has liked her since she started going out with James, so you have no doubt that the two of you will get along well.

“I’m so glad to finally meet you!” the brunette says with a wide smile, gesturing for you to head into the living area. “Please, come in, make yourself at home.”

“Hey, Kennedy,” Ben says, leaning in to hug her. “Where are the babies?”

“Napping, but they’ll be up soon.”

As you’re in the process of thanking Kennedy and complimenting their lovely home, a little blur of motion comes running out from the other room and toward Ben. You watch fondly as Ben lifts the toddler and spins him around in a hug.

“There’s my little man!” Ben says excitedly. “I missed you, bud.”

“I missed you, Uncle Ben!” Leo responds enthusiastically. “Can we go play football in the garden?”

James squats down and ruffles his son’s hair affectionately.

“Remember, Leo, Uncle Ben’s still got a hurt knee and he has to take it easy, so he can’t play football right now,” he says. “How about you show him some of the moves you’ve been practicing, though?”

“Okay!” Leo begins to tug at Ben’s sleeve and Ben smiles and looks over at you.

“Leo, I want you to meet someone very special first,” Ben says softly, beckoning you over. “This is my girlfriend, Y/N.”

“Hi Y/N,” Leo says, smiling and waving at you. “Did you go to the game too?”

“It’s very nice to meet you, Leo,” you smile, leaning down to his height. “And yes, I did. Your dad played very well.”

Leo nods and resumes tugging on Ben’s sleeve, walking in the direction of the back doors.

“Typical, I just won a match and he only cares about Ben being here,” James laughs, looking to Kennedy. “Want to join us outside, babe?”

“Sure, let me just grab some drinks and we’ll be out in a few,” Kennedy says. “Y/N, want to join me?”

“Absolutely,” you agree, watching Ben be dragged off by his godson, turning back just to flash you a warm smile.

Kennedy gives you a quick tour of the main floor of the house and the two of you enjoy the time to get to know each other a bit while the boys play outside.

Your eyes naturally go to an adorable photo of Ben and James on the wall from their teen years with the England U21s. Your heart does ache a bit once again at the reminder of what he’s been working toward for so long, of how important it is to him to represent his country.

“How’s he doing with the injury?” Kennedy asks you softly, as if she read your mind. “James has been a bit worried, he knows Ben’s struggled a lot in the past when he’s been hurt.”

“Ups and downs,” you say, running a hand through your hair. “His recovery is coming along well, but it’s still hard for him mentally.”

Kennedy nods as she leads you into the kitchen.

“That’s life as the girlfriend of a footballer,” she says, offering you a glass of wine which you gladly accept. “I imagine it’s been a lot for you, too. When he FaceTimed James a couple weeks ago, he kept going on and on about how you took care of him and how you’re helping with his physio and everything.”

You can’t help but blush at that, taking a sip of the cold rosé she just passed you.

“I just try to be there for him as much as possible,” you shrug. “I wish there was more I could do.”

“Well, he seems to be doing a lot better than last time he was hurt, so I think you’ve helped him quite a bit,” she smiles.

You help her grab a couple beers for the guys and a juice box for Leo and head out back to the garden. You’re greeted by just about the most adorable sight ever - Leo is kicking balls into the net with James acting as goalkeeper, pretending to try his hardest to save the shots his son is taking. Meanwhile, Ben stands beside the net, loudly cheering for his godson and celebrating each goal with him.

“A strong attack from young striker Leo Maddison,” Ben says in his best commentator voice as Leo approaches the net. “He shoots…and he scores!”

Leo jumps for joy as the ball goes into the net past James and you and Kennedy join in cheering for him.

“Mummy, Y/N, I scored six goals!” Leo exclaims, hugging Ben’s legs.

“That’s amazing, honey!” Kennedy shouts back as the two of you settle into the patio furniture with some warm blankets.

As you continue to chat, talking about your job and how you like living in London, your eyes can’t help but wander over to Ben playing happily with Leo.

Your mind can’t help but wander, either - particularly to the idea of the little football-playing children your mum was going on about on Christmas.

You’re nowhere near ready for kids - you’re not even ready for marriage yet - but right now it’s startlingly easy to picture Ben as a father.

“Do you want kids?”

Kennedy’s question startles you, and only then do you realize how obvious it is that you’re lovingly staring at Ben tossing the ball gently at Leo over and over again so he can practice his headers.

“Oh, um,” you mumble awkwardly, crossing your legs. “Yeah, I always figured I would someday. With the right person.”

Kennedy smiles knowingly and glances over at Ben, lowering her voice a bit.

“He’s always been great with Leo, you know,” she says a bit coyly. “I can see Ben being a great dad someday.”

Although you can feel yourself blushing, you nod in agreement and continue to look over at Ben with affection in your eyes and butterflies in your stomach.

The twins wake up shortly after and you all head inside to curl up by the fireplace and meet the babies. They’re completely adorable, though the sight of Ben holding their tiny little girl in his arms only makes your heart thump even louder in your chest.

Later that night, after you’ve all had a nice dinner and watched Cars - Leo’s favourite film at the moment - James and Kennedy take the kids to bed, leaving you and Ben curled up on the couch.

You feel so at peace right now, just the two of you enjoying each other’s embrace and the peace and quiet after a loud and exciting day with James’ family. It’s probably the happiest you’ve seen Ben since the injury.

“You have a good day, baby?” Ben asks softly, carding his fingers through your hair. Your cheek is pressed to his chest, your legs tangled together.

“Mhm,” you confirm, running your thumb over the small ‘21’ tattoo on his hand. “Kennedy’s great, and their kids are so sweet.”

Ben nods in agreement, kissing the top of your head.

“I also loved seeing you with Leo,” you admit. “You’re really good with him.”

“Yeah?” Ben smiles, and you nod. “Well, he’s a great kid. And I feel a bit guilty that I only get to see him a few times a year, so I try to make up for it.”

“Well, he clearly adores you,” you say, pressing your lips to his jaw. “Although, I can’t imagine who wouldn’t.”

“Aww, someone’s feeling cheesy,” Ben teases, his arm tightening around you slightly and hand cupping your face to bring you in for a kiss.

You laugh and kiss him back, his lips soft and warm against yours as they meet once, twice, then a third time for good measure.

After you pull back just far enough to rest your forehead on his and peer into his beautiful eyes, you feel suddenly emboldened to ask the question you’ve been thinking about all day.

“Have you ever thought about…um…” You move away from him slightly, your legs still intertwined but your head now resting on the pillow next to him. “Do you think you would ever want kids?”

You’re not sure if you’re expecting Ben to panic or freak out or recoil from you immediately or something, but he does none of the above. His eyebrows raise for a moment, and your stomach begins to churn, but then a smile spreads across his face.

“Yeah,” he answers casually. “Yeah, I mean, this injury’s definitely made me think more about life beyond football. And I think I would want kids to be a part of that. Would you?”

“I think so, yeah,” you respond, smiling back at him. “Not now, obviously, but…”

“Someday,” Ben finishes, squeezing your waist.

“Someday,” you echo.

It’s not a promise, exactly, though it feels a bit like one. You’ve been together less than a year and you know the future isn’t guaranteed, but you also know that you love this man more than anything in the world. You want everything with him.

Ben adjusts your positions slightly, pulling one of your legs over his lap so that you’re straddling him and running his hands up and down your thighs.

You subconsciously roll your hips against his as you lean down to kiss him, making him moan into your mouth.

As his warm hands begin to wander under your jumper and touch your bare back, it takes all of your willpower to stop him.

“Ben,” you scold gently, though you remain in his lap. “There are other people in this house, including children, we can’t fuck on the couch.”

“I’m pretty sure Leo was conceived in my bathroom during a party, they owe me one,” Ben chuckles, though you just narrow your eyes at him. “Fine, let’s go to bed.”

He gets to his feet, lifting you up along with him and kissing you passionately. Although the friction created with your legs wrapped around his waist is addictive, you hop down immediately when he begins to walk away from the couch.

“No way I’m letting you carry me anywhere with that knee, Chilwell,” you say firmly, reaching out your hand for him to take. Although Ben sighs slightly, undoubtedly frustrated that his injury is interfering with yet another activity he loves, he nods and takes your hand.

As his fingers thread through yours and you walk down the hall to the guest bedroom, giggling like children, you’ve never been more excited or hopeful for what the future might bring.

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tagging: @xjval @majx00 @delicateearthquakellama @lunamelona @kenanlotus0 @madriiid​ @mountstars​

next chapter 💙

[dreamylove444]

🌸 Study Motivation: Finding Joy & Peace in Your Studies 🌸

Hey lovely,

Studying doesn’t have to feel like a chore. It’s a chance to nurture your mind and set the stage for your bright future. Every little bit you do brings you closer to where you want to be. 📚 remember, everything starts with an idea, all you have to do is make a decision and stick to it, you are not alone in this journey, let me be there for you in your hard times, may my blog inspire you to study and reach all your academic, social, fitness and health goals! You got this!🎀

✨ Tip 1: Make Your Space Cozy

Create a little sanctuary for your study time. A soft pink blanket, your favorite sparkly pens, and a cozy corner can turn studying from a task into something that is very peaceful. Take your time—there’s no rush. Enjoy being in the moment and the state of flow that kicks in after 20 mins or so…🌸

✨ Tip 2: Take It One Step at a Time

You don’t need to do everything all at once. Break things into smaller chunks, and allow yourself little breaks in between. Focus on one task, then reward yourself with a few minutes to breathe and reset. (A good app to break down tasks is Neurolist, an app for ppl w ADHD, it’s truly a life saver!!!) 🌷

✨ Tip 3: Be Kind to Yourself

If you’re feeling frustrated, that’s okay. It’s part of the process. Don’t be hard on yourself—take a deep breath and remember: you’re doing your best. That’s enough. 💖

✨ Tip 4: Keep a Study log

Whether it’s a tumblr account, an instagram , your notes app, a physical bullet journal, it can really encourage you if you see pics of your studying notes, your completed checklist, the number of hours you have done in a week, a month, a year. I know I take pics of my work laid out on my table and it just makes me wish I had done more.

✨ Tip 5: Just start

The hardest part of studying is starting, I know from experience that once you start there is no stopping until you finish all that you have planned to do. Transform your environment in a way that encourages studying and discourages procrastination. Have a cute desk, light a candle, put your phone far away from you or use your timer so you can feel satisfied after you spent so much time studying. My method is counting to 3 then immediately starting, sometimes I don’t even take my copybook and I start on plain A4 paper. I only use electronics to watch videos of the lessons or have exercices and their correction afterwards!

Bonus tips:

- change your mindset: it’s a hobby not a chore

-plan cute snacks and nice healthy 0 cal drinks and water.

-buy cute pencil cases pens and notebooks that almost make you salivate from the thought of using them.

-be a perfectionist but forgive yourself when you can’t do it all, as long as you have done your 115% that day then you deserve a reward.

-take micro breaks but don’t open apps that distract you

-if you think you have ADHD, try to get a diagnosis ASAP!!! Being medicated changed my life.

-make sure you have a healthy sleep schedule, healthy eating habits and be active, (how does one expect to outperform everyone if they aren’t healthy, a healthy mind resides in a healthy body)

-Never get discouraged by a bad grade & never give up. The secret of straight A students is that no matter what happens they stick to the plan and they do they best everyday.

-The true studying happens after the homework. Don’t just do the homework. Revise, do layers and layers of revision, revise in all different kinds of ways. That’s the secret of academic success!

~~~~~~~~~~~

🎀lastly here’s a message from your older internet sister 💬 🎀

_____________________

You're capable of so much more than you think. Trust the process, and let yourself enjoy the journey. 🌸

________________________________________

~ 。 🎀 。~

[monicafinias]

This is how you slow down when dating someone New.

Close your legs. It is always in your best interest as well as a healthy relationship’s interests to hold off on intimacy until you have developed an emotional connection before a physical one. Wait until you are sure of them until your dating/relationship goals align.

Pace yourself. Avoid love bombers by pacing yourself. You don't have to speak 24/7, see eachother everyday etc. pace yourself by giving yourself space top see thing from a distance, to process what they say and how they behave.

Dont mentally map out the relationship. Tell the wedding planner, family planner, future together planner and signature practicer in your head to calm down. Live in the moment. No preconceived expectations.

Date multiple people at a time. Dont put all your legs in one basket, talk and go on dates with other people. You are single until you are in an exclusive relationship, and That is why we close our legs!

Check in with yourself. Always check with yourself on how you feel about them. Check if they qualify , if they are worth pursuing a relationship with. If they align with your future goals etc.

[f0x-b0y]

Page 41 Read here the duck webcomics or at ComicFuey

We are back, baby, after my longer than expected that started back at the end of May. But that doesn't mean that I wasn't working on the story and art.

So here's the plan. At this moment, I have at least 3 to 4 full pages already done, as well as 10 pages that are fully scripted and just need to be drawn out and colored. The goal for the next 5 days is to try to drop one new page everyday tell Wednesday 30th. Then we're going to go back to are normal drop schedule, either weekly or biweekly on Fridays or Saturdays.

Also, I would like to Invite everyone to our little Halloween hangout on my twitch channel first showing will start at 11:00 AM-2:00 PM PDT second showing will start at 6:00 PM-9:00 PM PDT