#need to set up my separate insta for real time photos of me and my friends as well maybe? well ive wanted to for a long time. so

[radio-sepia]

i need to start posting my art :-( here and on uuh insta. i guess. why does making sideblogs stress me out so much

.

[painting-wings]

SCANDAL | 4 |

Words ~ 1k 

Masterlist 

Chapters ~ Three | Five 

A/N : Chapter 4 is here! Hope you guys like the story so far and things are starting to heat up... 👀  If you are enjoying this story please give it a like :) 

*All characters / events in this story are completely fictional* 

It had been a week since you told Taehyung about the picture and he still talks about it to you, teasing saying that you will be in trouble. What really sparked your anxiety was when you sat in one of the practice rooms with them and Cho-hee came up to you.

“I know your secret” she whispered, your heart stopped, looking at her wide eyed, “what do you mean? I don’t have secrets” laughing nervously. She playfully hit your arm, 

“Oh come on you know, your instagram” 

At that moment all the colour drained from your face, the secret fan account you were done for, before you could explain yourself, Cho-hee showed you, your personal instagram that was on private. Relief washed over you “I have been wanting to follow you for a while now but I couldn’t find your insta” 

“Oh yea...I didn’t think that anyone would want it so I never gave it out” you said unlocking your phone to accept her request. Looking at how many followers she has you was amazed, “you have a lot of followers” 

“Yea, a lot of people mainly ask for pictures of the boys...I have done other groups as well but for now I’m here for the upcoming tour, hey! Let’s take a selfie together and post it” Cho-hee held up the camera, quickly sorted out your hair and held up a peace sign while pursing your lips together to blow a kiss. 

“That was cute!” Cho-hee squealed, she posted the picture and within a few minutes your phone was blowing up of likes, comments and follow requests, turning the phone on silent, you didn’t see Taehyung hovering over your shoulder. 

“y/n..your popular”

“Tae! Oh no I took a photo with-”

“Hmm I know, I saw also next time don’t take a picture in front of the mirrors” 

Confused at what he said looking back onto the picture you could see the boys in the back practicing...that's why your phone was blowing up. Curious you decided to read the comments on the picture. 

‘OMG! CAN ANYONE SEE THEM IN THE BACK’

‘Who is the other girl?’ 

‘JIMIN! YOU LOOK SO HOT 😍 ‘ 

‘The BTS crew feeding us TODAY THANK YOUUUU’

‘I wish I had their job…’ 

‘Jungkookie looks so hot’

‘ ARE THEY SHIRTLESS?!!!! 😱 ‘ 

‘WE NEED MORE PICTURES’ 

‘Post more please’ 

‘Ew I wanna see BTS more than these two get out of the picture’ 

The last comment hurt a little bit, but you knew with working with this job people are going to be jealous of you. Now you understood Tae’s words and he was right next time think about where the picture is being taken. 

“Hey y/n” looking up you saw Namjoon waving you over, walking over to the boys, “did you want to come to dinner with us?” 

Your brain stopped working for a second as you had to process that information...did Namjoon, THE Namjoon ask you to dinner with the rest of BTS. 

                                                        ***

It was weird sitting in a restaurant with BTS, everyone chatted quietly, sat next to Namjoon on one side and the other was Jin, in front of you was Jimin while Jungkook was next to Namjoon and Tae, Hoseok was either side of Jimin.  

As you took a sip of your water, Namjoon was asking you about your home country and why did you want to come and work in Korea. 

“Well I have always loved music and I have always been interested in other cultures' music, I fell in love with Korean pop because it spoke to me in a way other music didn’t”  Namjoon was looking at you with so much interest, it felt like a dream. If you were brave enough you would’ve leaned in and kissed him right there but...you weren't. 

“Also Korea is such a beautiful country” you added as Namjoon smiled at you, 

“Yea it is, I do love my country, I really want to go to your country y/n” 

“Really why?” 

“Because I want to see what your music is like” 

You laughed as he looked at you with confusion “no my countries music is so cheesy..with wannabe boy bands and girl groups also the solo artists don’t really care about their fans only the money”  

Namjoon laughed too “okay...I guess I believe you but please show me some music sometime and I can judge it” you nod in agreement as the food arrives. 

Steaming hot bowls of noodles, variety of meats, vegetables and the strange combination that Jungkook was eating that you didn’t want to know. You weren't very skilled with the chopsticks as you kept dropping your food, making the boys giggle at you, in the end you stabbed the piece of food with one of the sticks. 

“Hey y/n like this” Hoseok said as he slowly showed you how to hold them, still looking confused Jin leaned over and held your hand, showing you were to place your fingers, that night you laughed so much, it had felt like you’d had been friends with them all your life. 

                                                               ***

 AhnJong called you to her office, panic set in as you thought you did something bad, break into a nervous sweat as you stood at her door. Knocking hesitantly walking into the cold room, she sat elegantly at her desk but has a serious face, “Y/n come and take a seat” walking to the chair you sat down waiting to hear the worse “bts are going on tour in a months time and I need to know are all your travel documents up to date?” 

‘Yes they should be” 

“Good, now there are rules about tour” You mentally groaned, more rules? How many can there be?

“When on tour you have to stick to a strict schedule, no talking to anyone who isn’t a part of the crew, stadium staff. Avoid any fans, press also no leaving your room after the curfew time” you take in all this information mentally hoping that you remember. 

“Yes I fully understand” you reply as you are allowed to leave, standing outside the door you sigh a relief, now going back down to the practice rooms. 

On your way down you walk into Jimin, “Hi Jimin” you smile as he gives you a wave, “Y/n are you excited about the tour starting soon?”  

“Of course and you must be excited right?” you ask as Jimin gives you a small laugh, “Tour is exciting and tiring. Are you heading back?” 

“Yea I am” 

Both of you just walk back to the practice rooms, part of your brain is mentally screaming at Park Jimin walking with you, you keep your cool as you don’t want to keep looking at him as you steal side glances at him, but that doesn’t go unnoticed, Jimin lets out a small giggle, making your cheeks flush which causes you to freak out more. “Y/n your so cute” 

“Huh? What” 

“aha..I said you're cute, so Y/n who is your bias?” 

“Sorry?” you as in shock did Jimin really ask you this question, 

“Who is your bias” his smirk grew on his face as your blush darkened,

“Erm.. I like you all equally”  by this point Jimin groaned, 

“Y/n come on I won’t tell the others” it was almost like he was flirting with you, in your head you knew this can’t be real and it’s some dream and you will wake up any second. Shaking your head you quickly walked away from Jimin. 

                                                                ***

TODAY IS TOUR  DAY 

It is currently 2am and you're standing outside of a plane, waiting to board. You soon learn that crew members and the group travel separately, still half asleep and not sure where you should be Cho-hee is full of energy and bouncing around you, “I’m so excited! Y/n are you excited too?”

“Yes Cho-hee I am I really need to sleep”

“Sleep is for losers” she said running off to go talk to another member of the crew, checking your phone, you see a message from Taehyung.

‘y/n why don’t you come fly with us?’

‘Tae I’m not allowed, airport paparazzi will get suspicious’ 

‘ :( ‘ 

‘Don’t worry I’m staying in the same hotel’ 

You finally got to board the plane and now you was chilling in your seat, looking out of the window you felt content with yourself and also super excited to be on tour, you inner fangirl was losing her mind, taking a quick picture you posted it to your snapchat as well as secret insta. 

Strangely you felt like you were living a double life with the fan instagram account, which you pray that it never gets leaked that's why you log out of the account whenever you're around the crew or the rest of the boys. 

After a few hours you finally landed in C/n, taking your thing you and the crew walked through the airport getting closer to the doors you felt overwhelmed by the amount of people, camera and fans standing waiting for a glance of their idol, before you got off the plane you was instructed by the other crew members to wear a mask, a hat and keep your head down. 

When the doors opened it was like you were in a lightning storm the amount of lights going off at once, the fans asking about the boys, one name caught your attention, you looked out to the crowd quickly as you thought you heard your name being called but it was probably nothing. 

Flopping down onto the soft hotel bed you felt glad to finally be in a safe space, laying there on the bed in the silence just gathering your thoughts. That was short lived when your phone went off reading the message form Hoseok, ‘Y/n what room are you in? We are going for food, did you want to come? :D ‘ reading Hoseok’s message was like hearing him speak it radiate positivity. 

‘I’m in room 1343’ 

‘Okay I will be up soon!’ 

Smiling to yourself you decided to check your instagram, going through the feed there were the typical images that were on instagram, and you noticed that your image had gotten the normal attention, you started to read the comments.

‘Beautiful picture’

‘Are you excited for the comebacks this year?’ 

‘Living your best life xx’ 

‘Are you in C/n?’ 

‘Was you at the same airport as BTS?’ 

‘Are you a part of the BTS crew?’ 

The last two comments worried you as you never showed your face on this instagram or what you looked like in general but you decided to answer the comments and leave it how it was, that until one comment sent you through the roof. 

‘Are you a sasaeng?’ 

[punkscowardschampions]

Zelda & Zach

ihatemyguts: Good thing you told me how bubble boy posi Robyn’s ‘rents are

ihatemyguts: ‘cos that felt like such a brush-off

ihatemyguts: I feel kinda bad, it’s low-key just upset her with no shopping trip pay-off 😬

inandout: your first date was today

inandout: the insane jealousy must have forced me to forget

ihatemyguts: Obviously

ihatemyguts: moping and staring out of open windows would be bad for your health

ihatemyguts: probably

ihatemyguts: can’t have that

inandout: mope hard enough and fling myself all over the house, they’ll call it exercise

ihatemyguts: I’d let Rob know but her parents would probably sue me

ihatemyguts: I did some research

ihatemyguts: and yeah, flare-ups fucking suck, but if she was struggling that bad rn she’d be in hospital getting her 💉 on

ihatemyguts: makes me ⁉️ if the meetup will happen

inandout: makes me wonder if her brothers are allowed out

inandout: if they are maybe they can help us smuggle her to the meetup

ihatemyguts: not just a pretty face

ihatemyguts: that’s a damn good idea

ihatemyguts: I can slide in their DMs

inandout: Cranking up the jealousy metre to give me a full work out, I see, are you gonna be a PE teacher when you grow up?

ihatemyguts: *prays they aren’t like 12*

ihatemyguts: imagine if that was my life’s ambition

ihatemyguts: wear unflattering sportswear and give kids complexes

ihatemyguts: even without the potential life-shortening illness, I’d reconsider that

inandout: it tracks that you’d wanna make them 💩 and bringing back the bleep test could work

ihatemyguts: okay I’m not 🦹‍♀️ or 🐯 levels of sweet but is that what you really think of me? 😏

inandout: I think there’s only one rebel teacher coming to mind and I haven’t watched that film so all I know is they stand on desks

inandout: probably not a perfect fit for you

ihatemyguts: I could force you to watch it for our first date

ihatemyguts: and ask you, what your dream job would be

inandout: Netflix and chill or cinema screening of the ‘classics’?

inandout: we could do a drive-thru

ihatemyguts: hmm 🤔

ihatemyguts: there are pluses to ‘em all

ihatemyguts: cinema, we could laugh at all the snobs and 🤓s

inandout: Cool, reach out to me with the time + date when it’s showing

inandout: Are you allowed 🍿?

ihatemyguts: oh hell no

ihatemyguts: have to find another way to hold my hand

inandout: 🦸‍♀️ said she was gonna look up ice breakers and stuff, hopefully it was a fruitful search and she won’t mind sharing the info

ihatemyguts: do you think she legit didn’t realize how thirsty that boy was for her

ihatemyguts: or is it all uwu coy-ness

inandout: It’s hard to tell

inandout: but if I remember my glasses I’ll do my best to decode her body language from 6 ft away

ihatemyguts: aside from hospital, have you ever met someone else with cf?

inandout: Nope

inandout: jokes aside, it really is discouraged

ihatemyguts: that’s a hard one to get your head around

ihatemyguts: far as adjustments go

inandout: getting Robbie at this meetup won’t be easy

inandout: separate ones mean we might not have her there

ihatemyguts: I reckon we can trust you and Kara to keep the teen love story fictional

ihatemyguts: for all our sake’s

inandout: She’ll get her man

inandout: it’s not like bad advice and dating pitfalls are just a click away

ihatemyguts: cosmos never steered ANYONE wrong

inandout: Yahoo answers neither

ihatemyguts: might be confused as to why they’re not related

inandout: [I like to think he’s just sending his fave yahoo answer answers now for the lols]

ihatemyguts: [meme back and forth lads]

ihatemyguts: if she gets her date we could go into the matchmaker business

ihatemyguts: start at home

ihatemyguts: 🤖 don’t last forever

inandout: Rob’ll need to be next or she won’t forgive us

inandout: and we’ll soon get tired/guilty of seeing the amount of 😿💔 spam the chat

ihatemyguts: we’ll have to liberate her first

ihatemyguts: in a literal way

ihatemyguts: not the pretentious, free your 🧠 type of vibe

inandout: Kidnap’s playing into her parents’ fears but we don’t have a better option

ihatemyguts: now it’s my turn for a potential 💡

ihatemyguts: what if that is exactly what she should do

inandout: jump scare them?

ihatemyguts: if she did some actual wild shit to show them they’re being suffocating, ‘scuse the mention, then they’ll have to compromise and let her do normal kid things and everyone will win

ihatemyguts: I realize getting her to wild out might be a problem

ihatemyguts: catfish it though?

inandout: 💡⭐️

inandout: getting her to agree to do it for real would take longer than we have but you’re right, faking it wouldn’t take any time at all

ihatemyguts: get Lauren to picture whatever the hell she’s up to

ihatemyguts: sorted

inandout: + there’s your next photo challenge ready to be accepted, dressing as if you were going on a date with 👵🌈✨ instead

ihatemyguts: hold my neon

ihatemyguts: and think, do we clue Rob in on this plan now or do it on her behalf first, ‘cos we could hit up her house phone with some madness to get ‘em sus now and when she’s like wuuuuut it’ll sound even more

ihatemyguts: or is that a bit evil genius instead of 🦹‍♀️

inandout: Does she even have a house phone? We don’t

inandout: you’ll have to find another way to trick my parents into believing I’m a badass

ihatemyguts: I bet they do

ihatemyguts: can’t trust a mobile

ihatemyguts: and I bet they don’t have a microwave, they’re that sort

ihatemyguts: obvs I’ll just direct them to Lauren on your friends list with a 🤔

inandout: We should probably warn her, in case she takes it the wrong way

inandout: or decides to stand up to them for her YA movie moment

ihatemyguts: yeah, you’re right

ihatemyguts: if she doesn’t go for it, her brothers might be of use still

ihatemyguts: have to focus my evil energy elsewhere

ihatemyguts: such as…

ihatemyguts: 🥁

ihatemyguts: [one of the crazier lewks from babyteeth for the photo challenge]

inandout: 🤞🏻 one of them is old enough to drive the people carrier

inandout: Uhh… that was a suspiciously fast transformation

ihatemyguts: didn’t know you was challenging a pro?

ihatemyguts: and someone with a lot of time on her hands

inandout: I do now

inandout: and I’m guessing it’s not every day you get stood up based on what else I know about you

ihatemyguts: it’s a first

ihatemyguts: not that I constantly ask people out

ihatemyguts: but that is what I’ve put across so fair enough

ihatemyguts: what am I interrupting for you?

inandout: I’m waiting on friends

inandout: this could end in both of us being stood up

ihatemyguts: am I a drag you down with me type?

ihatemyguts: hmm

ihatemyguts: nah, I’ll cross my fingers that your friends aren’t flaky

inandout: Late, but I’d be too if it wasn’t my house

inandout: What are you gonna do now shopping’s off?

ihatemyguts: life is one big photo challenge, right

ihatemyguts: yours is ‘whatever will make your friends double-take when they open the door’

ihatemyguts: it’s a good question

ihatemyguts: we’re going to virtual shop tomorrow but she wasn’t up for it today

inandout: Wait for it and their faces

inandout: + you’re virtually invited to watch movies and play games, you won’t be the only one who isn’t here in person

ihatemyguts: 👍

ihatemyguts: cool

ihatemyguts: meeting new people is my new thing, as long as your mates are down/not the level of nerd that they might get a nosebleed if a girl is about

inandout: Some of them are girls if that helps

inandout: and my brother won’t be there to bring down the cool

ihatemyguts: low-key a shame

ihatemyguts: have to meet him before the first date though

inandout: I’ve got a father you can ask for permission if you’re feeling old-fashioned

ihatemyguts: full set

ihatemyguts: fun

ihatemyguts: mines in scotland so we’ll let you off that trek

inandout: But a road trip is a coming of age movie staple! 😫 Has Netflix aired any YA without one + are you willing to take that risk?

inandout: mine’s a workaholic but we’ve got years to catch him

ihatemyguts: forget the meds, see who gets fucked up first

ihatemyguts: it’d be a journey, for sure

ihatemyguts: do you know what he does? ‘cos so’s mine and I couldn’t tell you, tbh

inandout: Or mix them up and see what happens when you take the ones for my 💩

inandout: He’s a sales manager, he says, but why so vague?

ihatemyguts: sounds like something they’d do at cool parties

ihatemyguts: and that sounds suspish

ihatemyguts: they should have this 🤓 but with a moustache instead of the buckteeth

ihatemyguts: dads are elusive creatures… conspiracy time, what are they all up to

inandout: Not sure that’s the topic Rich has been watching vids on but I’ll ask

ihatemyguts: he can always tactfully ignore you if he’s 😳

ihatemyguts: like he does with 👵🌈✨ when she’s extra

ihatemyguts: more than usual

inandout: Be harder to do that in person

ihatemyguts: I think everyone will still get on

ihatemyguts: unless fibrofog shows, then that’ll be teen show worthy drama, of course

inandout: I think he’s genuinely blocked, he’d need a 2nd account to find out about it

ihatemyguts: hope he’s seen catfish too

inandout: He’d be a fan of the one where the man refused to believe it wasn’t Katy Perry

ihatemyguts: it does seem like the sort of thing she’d do

ihatemyguts: poor bastard

inandout: 😂

ihatemyguts: ultimate photo challenge, catfishing everyone and then going for the ruveal

ihatemyguts: might need more than just a wig 🤔😏

inandout: Dressing like her would make my friends do a double-take

inandout: [pics of some of her outrageous lewks with his head put on]

ihatemyguts: 😂😂😂

ihatemyguts: you suit the 🍦🧁🍭🍩✨

inandout: We’ve probably got a can of squirty cream lying around for hot chocolate

ihatemyguts: inhaler but make it ~sExxxIii~

inandout: [a lil video of his failed attempt to re-create that in her insta DMs or wherever because idk if they can send stuff like that here]

ihatemyguts: Katy dat you 😍😍

inandout: I’ve agreed to only string you along for 4 years not 6 and I don’t have any savings to spend 25% of on a 💍

inandout: looks like the comparison starts and stops with our black curls

ihatemyguts: not much of an orlando bloom clone myself so it’s alright

ihatemyguts: pirate is always an excellent disabled-friendly costume though so add that to the ideas board we should start

inandout: If we decide the next meetup is fancy dress, Lauren will never go back home

ihatemyguts: that’s the mood

inandout: [sends her whatever he did for the photo challenge and his friends reaction to it because why not say they’ve arrived and there’s a similar feral mood here]

[thefemalecampaign-blog]

Meet A Young Visionary. #GirlBoss

Meet a Young Visionary: We had the opportunity of interviewing a young bright, talented soul by the name of Kaylan Jefferson. Many of you may also know her as “The Visionary Boss.” She’s currently taking the world by storm with her blog platform that showcases her style, writing, other influential women, but she’s also launched her own organization at the age of nineteen. Whew! Now that she has inspired us, we hope that you become inspired too.

Now for starters, she’s very confident with who she is and what she does. When we asked her about herself, some of her goals, and basically her influences this is what she had to say:

 “I like the refer to myself as the one & only muse. I use the rhythm of my conversation and words to create intimate, vulnerable think pieces, to witty narratives and self-improvement, and candid, groundbreaking content. I’m newly nineteen years old and it feels wonderful. I have always been a huge life enthusiast. Funny, I’m somewhat of an introvert, but I have a fondness for communication and networking. When I was younger my passions ranged from wanting to being an author, a fashion designer, to a cinematographer. Nonetheless, in one sense or another, I wanted to be a boss. A CEO! Hence my blog and platform: The Visionary Boss. I was born up north, but have lived in Tampa for pretty much all of my life. As far as influential women in my life, I would definitely pay homage to my mother: a queen, a beautiful soul and a great confidant, all in one. My mom has always supported me and been someone I look up to, entrepreneurial wise and more. She has this eclectic, earthy, warm approach to everything she does. Her seamless nature almost seems effortless, at times. That’s the kind of boss I want to be—I want to execute my passions and moves in a natural, fitting way.”

 Not only has Kaylan been an influencer herself, she has also been influenced by someone very close to her to start her on business venture. When we asked Kaylan about who influenced her to start her own business, she said:

“My mother has influenced me to start my own business, because she was an entrepreneur and a self-made business woman at the age of nineteen. I am gracefully following her lead. Being a business owner is humbling, because I'm constantly challenging myself. Everyday, I am trying different methods to reach an audience. At the moment, I am selling sophisticated, sleek sunglasses. For $5 you can either get a cup of coffee, or a beautifully crafted pair of sunnies from an independent, black-owned business. I started the Visionary Boss Shop when I was a senior in high school. I remember investing my money into the project, getting a great model to showcase the shades, and taking the photos for them. I was told that my idea was 'small' and 'good-luck growing my little business,' by an individual at the time. Now, I just smile, because I'm genuinely happy that I got the experience of creating and developing my own merchandise. No one can take that away from me. I do not wear it on my sleeve, but I am proud to call myself an entrepreneur.”

 Your brand has to be very unique and the name has to along with some type of message. We thought that “The Visionary Boss” was very unique and wanted to figure out what the meaning was behind it:

 “The Visionary Boss is not an alter ego or alias. It is merely my reality. Being a Visionary Boss is dreaming, envisioning and creating an aesthetic of your own while making waves. I am creating visuals, literature and content with simplistic, realistic concepts and story lines that have life-changing tendencies and perspectives. Rewind to my sophomore year of high school. Second semester. During this time in my life, I was in the process of preparing for a pageant. I made it through the auditions, initial interviews, the practices, panels of judges before the show, the photo-shoots and finally the dress rehearsals. The morning of the pageant, we had rehearsal and the host and main coordinator of the show gave all the girls the run-down of the live show and some questions we'd have the answer, after the 'runway' portion of the show. "Describe yourself in one word." That's what he told us. From that moment on, 'visionary' just was ingrained to me. I'm an introspective, deep thinker. I reminisce while dreaming of the future to create a present. It is always my season.”

  Being a female entrepreneur has become more common in today’s age. One thing that can detour a lot of people away is how to start and where to start. Getting your idea from pen and paper to reality can be hard, but it’s not impossible. Our young visionary had a few words for our young, upcoming entrepreneurs:

“My advice for aspiring, young entrepreneurs is to plan accordingly and to be realistic. A blog, a business or any passion project does not happen overnight—but it does require late nights. Being strategic and thinking ahead is my best advice. Also, less is more. You do not need to tackle a million different avenues to be seen as a worthy entrepreneur. Minimalism is a beautiful thing. Have a clean-cut office setting to do your work, be organized and ahhhhhh, take a deep breath. I’m all for being on my grind, but if something is effecting my mental state, then I will take a break. This summer, I’m balancing my summer pre-med classes, my full-time marketing coordinating job, and the glorious thing I call my blog: The Visionary Boss. 24 hours is not enough. Like Ginuwine said, ‘Give me 24, give me 24.’ So, basically, I never try to overwork myself. I can simply just get up the next morning and get as much as I can do, possible. Real bosses get sleep, haha.

You asked what problems I’ve faced as a young, black entrepreneur. For starters, being a young, black entrepreneur is a market and network of its own. Personally, I have not had any huge, underlying issues or obstacles. If anything, I think being a young black woman influencer, entrepreneur and blogger has helped me. But, universally speaking, I do think there is too much of a ‘I’m a bigger boss’ elitist competition between young black professionals, bloggers, etc.  The world—at least the independent black marketing and network world would be a lot more vibrant, if people built together. Too many times I scroll down my Insta feed and see young black fashion designers, models, bloggers, influencers and business owners who have this super elitist complex and promote the fact that they have haters and copiers. Yawn! Not everything has to be this elaborate, over the top competition. Just put your heart and soul into your work, be confident in that and network with others.”

Passion is the one thing that seems to drive any and every one when it comes to their dreams. Kaylan was able to tell us her passions and how she figured out what her passions were at a young age:

“My number one passion in life is to evoke a feeling of warmth, inspiration and revelation. I have a passion for aesthetics, literature, film, the universe, the cosmos, the ocean, the mind and body. I organically figured out my passions when I was fifteen. It was on a Summer night that I call one of my many 'nostalgic nights.' It is the intuition you get about life on a hot summer night or intimate fall evening. It is the reflection along with a dream. I want to create eminent, eclectic masterpieces with ancient allusions, aspects from traditional literature and atmospheric, relevant vibes. And, I want to write. And be a CEO. These are my passions, that may be larger-than-life to some, but heaven sent to me.”

We live in a society that has powerful women making their marks in every industry. These women to say the least, influence majority of us in many ways to pursue our own dreams. Our fellow young boss had a few influential women in mind:

“There are so many bold, unapologetic women powerhouses. From Ava Duvernay, to Debbie Allen, Oprah Winfrey,  Issa Rae, to Solange and Beyonce Knowles. Those are women bosses, right there. All of these women are creators, producers and game-changers when it comes to filmmaking, entertainment and creating vivid concepts. I am an aspiring cinematographer and I have filmed, produced, edited and created mini documentaries, short visuals and look-books. In high school, I spent a lot of time dissecting behind-the-scenes and production for music videos, critically-acclaimed movies and even concerts. I wanted to be the modern-day female Spike Lee. But, in all honesty I thank the women mentioned above for inspiring me.”

There’s always speculation about what the future may hold for many, but Kaylan seems to continue to have the bright spirit and drive to succeed and tap into way more in the future:

“I’m going to have a lot of fun with this answer, because I have a dozen vision boards in the back of my head. Ten years from now I will be twenty-nine years old. I will have my pharmacy degree, (cheers to that), and continue to be the CEO of The Visionary Boss. Honestly, I have always envisioned myself living a simplistic, yet larger-than-life life. By 29, I will be married to my equivalent, and he will most likely have a growing business—and we’ll be partners for a business that is something organic or natural, or dealing with fitness. Maybe all three.  I would have successfully spent my twenties, traveling, networking, branding and taking lots of photos, capturing the warm, exciting moments. But honestly, in ten years I want my platform to turn into a brand, and I want to promote my lifestyle to others and be a great CEO.”

Being a young, black entrepreneur can have its cons but it for sure has its pro’s. Kaylan, who is a young, black entrepreneur herself feels the complete opposite of what most may think about being a black female entrepreneur:

“It feels limitless. The only thing stopping young, black entrepreneurs is believing you have to follow a specific formula. And trying to separate thyself from older, original influencers to seem 'different.' There is nothing wrong with being influenced!”

 As a entrepreneur, your number one goal should be making an impact or mark on the world instead of sitting around not trying to make change. Honestly, that’s what being an entrepreneur is about… making change. When Kaylan was asked about how she plans to make an even bigger impact on the world, this is what she had to say:

 “Recently, I started and launched an organization for Top-Shelf, ambitious, creative, well-rounded, vibrant young women + boss babes in Tampa who want to network and give back. This organization and sisterhood is called MUSE—because I, The Visionary Boss surrounds and supports herself around other goddesses who are creative influencers. Through this organization, I want to show representation to young WOC and create a refreshing networking environment for like-minded aspiring bosses.”

 We want to thank Kaylan for wanting to be apart of our campaign and being such a boss she is. We hope she has many more successes in the future!

 Her social media handles:

IG- @thevisionaryboss

Youtube- Cake and Kat

Twitter-@visionary_boss

[moonlit-void-to-the-far-unknown]

So...another post....because....i feel it needs to be said just one more time....with more understanding.

*sighs deeply* why do people assume because i write x reader fics i don't care about lin? Or any one i would write about, be it rami malek, or dan and phil when i was younger, or norman reedus when i was a big ol whore for the walking dead. Look, i have made many an angry post, many a post trying to defend what we write about. Here is the thing. In any fandom, for any human, fictional character, inanimate object anything! There are fans who will be crazy obsessed, hell in the kpop world, fans have sent bloody letters and shit. Those are obsessive people. That being said, that is out of line, that is crazy, and should not be tolerated. Breaking personal boundaries or stalking is not ever okay. If i wouldn't like it to happen to me, i wouldn't do that to another human being. Us who write x readers, well known blogs, we respect lin and his family, we have set tags for our own needs. So others don't see our i guess internal fantasies. Now, because i write fics about real people, it in no way, means i am A) going to send it to that person B) stalk said person C) call them daddy in real life. People who do that in periscopes or instalive or what have you, are either being funny, to themselves​ or friends they are with, or have mind vomit and that happens. To everyone, word and brain vomit just happen. We write because its nice to place ourselves into a fake world, note i said Fake, not real, not ever going to be real, world. I do not ever think anything i am saying, or writing, is real, so if i have a head cannon of lin thats - lin is the type to let you sit in his lap even when you complain that you are too heavy. Thats just me observing him in interviews or listening to him on a podcast and making an idea of maybe he would be like that. Head cannons and fics are based on our own ideas of what we think lin or any one we wrote about would be like. They could be true or so far from the truth its insane. But we will never know because we do bot no lin in real life, and never will, just the fact of life. So we all have to make our own, guesses of how we think said person would be like. If Lin was still on tumblr, which he isn't, not because shipping, or x reader fanfics. But because people in a whole different section of the fandom, were asking for the bootleg link to hamilton that someone who went, filmed against lins wishes, and people were making gifs and asking for the link, it made him very upset, because like he has said The video of the OBC is coming, we just have to wait for it. Simple. That is why he is no longer on tumblr. And he's a goddamn 37 year old man with a family and a 2 and a half year old, an actor filming a movie and so much more, he has twitter and that's all he has got time for. Meanwhile daveed is so privet with his life he has twitter and insta...and he barley uses those. He is just very focused on clipping and his projects. So yes we write about them. But we respect them, we keep to our side of the web, and we act respectful to lin by not sharing our stories and ship things with him, we retweet his tweets or make mood boards or other non shippy or x reader things and show those to him. Because he is not a fictional character to us. He is a role model, an idol, a hero, a human with a heart bigger then this world can hold. He is a loving father, husband, and son. He is an award winning genius. Who i have looked up to since i discovered hamilton. You wanna know why? Because as the only half POC in my entire family, i saw hispanic/latinx representation on broadway, in a place i loved, i saw a passionate latino man unafraid of who he is. I saw a real human, not a talking dog, or the things people say we are on the news. I saw myself, because since i was young me being half mexican was the joke in my family "Haha did you run jump or swim here?" "Shit cheynne get down the police are coming" "So i guess we have to change your last name, don't want the patrol to chuck you across the wall" Me being half mexican, was a joke, and i never realized until i was old enough and i saw how fucked up it was. Lin made me so proud to see a latino man, a latino in general be praised for breaking the wall, and most of the time no one commented on his race, why? Because it didn't matter. He wrote a beautiful story, he told a forgotten persons life, he made me cry, and laugh. Lin will always be my idol, my true role model on how to live, on how to treat people, to show that kindness is the key, to not fight back with harsh words, i have done that i know, i have been rude and snarky, yes. And that was not okay. I am sorry. To me, i am able and have been for years, i have been able to separate the fantasy lin, in my mind, the 'Daddy AF, plow me, etc.' Lin, from the very real in my heart idol and role model, father type figure lin. I can have my own world and write it out for fun, for my own sort of writing things, but always knowing, always, ALWAYS, knowing he is a real human, with emotions and feelings and a family. But people who call us creepy and gross and weird and obsessive and fucking disgusting. You don't seem to see we are also humans, real people, with feelings and emotions and take what you say to heart. A person wrote to me after i made a post and said, because of what people said in such a post as this, that they felt so guilty and had a full blown panic attack, and were going to delete all of there social media because of that. How is that okay, how is that fair, we respect everyone we write about, but people can't understand words they say or type can be just as hurtful as ours are to you. Now, we stay away from the main tags, or try to, its tumblr its gonna happen, we write we tag, if it gets a lot of notes, that is not in our control, block us so you don't see our fics...or scroll past it or select photo or gif. It is so much easier to scroll past us, then to be hateful or hurtful. As aaron burr once said in a marvelous musical. "Talk less. Smile more" In this i mean, scroll past, smile more. Cause guys "Love is love is love is love" kindness is what the world needs, lin said it himself. Remember, write what you want. Sing what you want. Dance how you want. Because we only have a grain of sands worth of time to do what we love, so don't waste it. "We only have a grain of sands worth of time on this earth...."

[sheminecrafts]

Instagram launches Threads, a Close Friends chat app with auto-status

What if Instagram could automatically tell your Close Friends you’re (home), (working), (on the move), or (chilling and might want to hang out)? That’s the idea behind Instagram’s new companion app Threads, a Close Friends-only messaging experience that opens to the camera with shortcuts for instantly sending specific people photos and videos. Threads offers two brand new features called Status and Auto-Status that allow you to manually set an emoji as an away message to show Close Friends what you’re up to, or opt in to letting Instagram select one automatically based on your location, accelerometer, and even your phone’s battery level.

Launching globally today on iOS and Android, this is Facebook and Instagram’s next big swing at Snapchat, specifically targeting its top use case: rapid-fire camera and text messaging with your best friends. Sick of randos in your inbox? Only people in your Instagram Close Friends list show up in Threads so you can trust its notifications are important. You can still just use Instagram Direct in the main app or the two in parallel, though.

What’s most unique is that Threads finally sees the launch the Facebook “Your Emoji” status feature we reported it was prototyping 18 months ago. Threads Status and Auto-Status offer conversation starters, contextual clues to why someone might not respond, and opportunities to meet up offline. But importantly, it leaves out a map or any exact location sharing to avoid being creepy and instead focus on what Close Friends are up to — which determines if they can chat or hang out more than where they are.

Threads offers “persistent connection”, Instagram’s Director of consumer product management Robby Stein tells me. It was designed with three priorities: the ability to “fully control who can reach you”, speed because “If most of your messages only go to a couple of people, why isn’t the experience built around that?”, and “Having more of a connection through the day . . . even if you don’t have time for a conversation.”

By building Threads as a separate app, Instagram has little to lose if it flops and could learn about what features to pull back into its main app. But if it succeeds, Threads cement itself as where you stay in touch with your favorite people, while pigeonholing other messaging options like SMS, WeChat, as Snapchat as noisy channels full of unwanted alerts.

Close Friends Only

Social networks have an inevitable problem. Eventually out of coincidence and courtesy, you add too many people as friends, filling the apps with people who’s content you don’t care about and who’s messages you don’t always want. Facebook, the catch-all network for everything from family to bosses to acquaintances. That leads people to feel uncomfortable sharing too much, and to distrust that the notifications they get are important.

Now Instagram is doubling-down on Close Friends which launched last November at TechCrunch Disrupt Berlin to let you secretly set a special group of best pals who get to see special Stories you set as visible to only them. Facebook had tried complicated Lists products in the past and never seen them gain significant traction because it’s too tough to keep track of who’s in each. Instagram nailed the concept with a single list you edit as needed, though people don’t know if they’re added or removed. I’m surprised Facebook doesn’t already have its own Close Friends feature and it’d be smart to build one.

Instagram already tried building its own standalone Direct messaging app, but shut it down after low usage since it didn’t offer anything beyond what you already got in the main app. Casey Newton of The Verge reported Instagram was building an app with automatic activity sharing in August.

Now with Threads, Close Friends creates the foundation for something different. The only entries in your inbox are Close Friends, which you can edit in the app with the list syncing with your list on Instagram. You can hide any of those chats or group chats with exclusively close friends if you don’t want to see them. You only need an Instagram account, not Facebook, to sign up. For some extra flavor, you can activate one of several dark mode-style themes for the app in color schemes like a yellower Sunrise or greener Aurora.

When you open Threads, you’ll see open immediately to the camera like Snapchat. At the bottom are “Camera Shortcuts” that show friends’ faces you can tap on to send a photo or tap and hold for a video. You can also tap the “default camera” shutter and the select everyone you want to message, or rearrange the order of the shortcuts. Since it’s focused on speed, there are no filters or augmented reality masks, just drawing and text overlays for off-the-cuff commentary on what’s going on around you.

Swiping up from the camera reveals the Threads inbox, where you can tap into a conversation for a full-featured messaging experience just like in Instagram Direct. There you can send GIFs, camera roll content, and more. Without unsolicited messages in your inbox, your most important people stay closer to the top. “I see more of my wife’s life now that we’re in this product” Stein tells me.

Passive Sharing With Auto-Status

Three years ago I wrote about “the quest to cure loneliness” through apps that help us meet up in the real world by breaking down the ambiguity of what friends are up to without requiring you to desperately ping them and feel embarrassed if ignored. Many products have tried and failed to make us less isolated through location broadcasting, passive sharing, and offline intent.

Foursquare let you say exactly where you were while its second app Swarm auto-shared it, but if you’re busy it doesn’t matter to me where you are and you probably don’t want me dropping in. Snap Map and Facebook Nearby Friends similarly focused too much on the where instead of the what. Down To Lunch let you post an emoji of what you’re doing but it lacked the necessary traction and built-in messaging to convert “hey we’re both available” to actually meeting up. The app Free was too complex.

To succeed, an app needed ubiquity, the privacy of only sharing this sensitive info with the right people, a focus on intention instead of location, and built-in chat for getting together. Instagram has the last three, so it’s a matter of either making Threads popular or rolling this feature into the main app.

With Status, you can set an emoji as your away message for one to four hours. You can select from pre-made ones with their own text tag lines, or define a new one from the full range of emoji. You can say you’re (free), (busy), (studying), or make something personal like (getting into trouble).

Meanwhile, Auto-Status defaults to off but can be turned on to give Instagram the ability to use data signals to choose an emoji for you. It will match your exact location to specific places like Home, Work, cafes, bars, traveling out of town and more. Your accelerometer lets it show if you’re biking or driving. And your phone battery can let it display that you’re low on juice or currently charging.

Why share my batter status? Stein tells me that if you’re charging your phone, you might not be next to it and could be slow to respond. Or if you’re low battery, you might suddenly stop replying all together. That’s helpful knowledge to share with Close Friends even if it’d be weird to post it more widely.

One problem is that who you want to message with often might include family or co-workers that you don’t want to have see your Close Friends Stories, but the list is used for both. At the same time, Threads could boost Close Friends usage, leading people to share more intimate and silly stuff on Stories which do help Instagram earn money thanks to the ads in between.

For now, though, Instagram tells me there’s no plan to monetize Threads directly or show any ads in it. In fact, Facebook won’t even use the exact locations pulled from the app to power ad targeting. Coordinates are only sent so it can match them to locations like a movie theater to show you’re at the movies. Facebook won’t store the locations and they only stay on your device for a short period before they’re deleted.

Still, Auto-Status is sure to rile some who think Facebook and Instagram are too creepy to give any more data. But if the convenience of knowing your friend is available to hang out or is probably too stressed for a chat outweighs the company’s toxic brand, Instagram could develop an important new social behavior. Even if it doesn’t monetize it directly, Threads could keep users locked into the Insta ecosystem where they’ll see plenty of feed and Story ads between message bouts.

Social graph bloat causes a chilling effect on sharing. It’s what Snapchat, Path, and other apps have tried to solve but ended up succumbing to. Instagram accepts that you’ll inevitably connect with people you don’t care much about out of social obligation, pity, or apathy. But by building whole products around just sharing with your favorite subset of people, it could unlock what we self-center — the real us.

The quest to cure loneliness

from iraidajzsmmwtv https://ift.tt/2oaK97X via IFTTT

[technicalsolutions88]

What if Instagram could automatically tell your Close Friends you’re (home), (working), (on the move), or (chilling and might want to hang out)? That’s the idea behind Instagram’s new companion app Threads, a Close Friends-only messaging experience that opens to the camera with shortcuts for instantly sending specific people photos and videos. Threads offers two brand new features called Status and Auto-Status that allow you to manually set an emoji as an away message to show Close Friends what you’re up to, or opt in to letting Instagram select one automatically based on your location, accelerometer, and even your phone’s battery level.

Launching globally today on iOS and Android, this is Facebook and Instagram’s next big swing at Snapchat, specifically targeting its top use case: rapid-fire camera and text messaging with your best friends. Sick of randos in your inbox? Only people in your Instagram Close Friends list show up in Threads so you can trust its notifications are important. You can still just use Instagram Direct in the main app or the two in parallel, though.

What’s most unique is that Threads finally sees the launch the Facebook “Your Emoji” status feature we reported it was prototyping 18 months ago. Threads Status and Auto-Status offer conversation starters, contextual clues to why someone might not respond, and opportunities to meet up offline. But importantly, it leaves out a map or any exact location sharing to avoid being creepy and instead focus on what Close Friends are up to — which determines if they can chat or hang out more than where they are.

Threads offers “persistent connection”, Instagram’s Director of consumer product management Robby Stein tells me. It was designed with three priorities: the ability to “fully control who can reach you”, speed because “If most of your messages only go to a couple of people, why isn’t the experience built around that?”, and “Having more of a connection through the day . . . even if you don’t have time for a conversation.”

By building Threads as a separate app, Instagram has little to lose if it flops and could learn about what features to pull back into its main app. But if it succeeds, Threads cement itself as where you stay in touch with your favorite people, while pigeonholing other messaging options like SMS, WeChat, as Snapchat as noisy channels full of unwanted alerts.

Close Friends Only

Social networks have an inevitable problem. Eventually out of coincidence and courtesy, you add too many people as friends, filling the apps with people who’s content you don’t care about and who’s messages you don’t always want. Facebook, the catch-all network for everything from family to bosses to acquaintances. That leads people to feel uncomfortable sharing too much, and to distrust that the notifications they get are important.

Now Instagram is doubling-down on Close Friends which launched last November at TechCrunch Disrupt Berlin to let you secretly set a special group of best pals who get to see special Stories you set as visible to only them. Facebook had tried complicated Lists products in the past and never seen them gain significant traction because it’s too tough to keep track of who’s in each. Instagram nailed the concept with a single list you edit as needed, though people don’t know if they’re added or removed. I’m surprised Facebook doesn’t already have its own Close Friends feature and it’d be smart to build one.

Instagram already tried building its own standalone Direct messaging app, but shut it down after low usage since it didn’t offer anything beyond what you already got in the main app. Casey Newton of The Verge reported Instagram was building an app with automatic activity sharing in August.

Now with Threads, Close Friends creates the foundation for something different. The only entries in your inbox are Close Friends, which you can edit in the app with the list syncing with your list on Instagram. You can hide any of those chats or group chats with exclusively close friends if you don’t want to see them.

When you open Threads, you’ll see open immediately to the camera like Snapchat. At the bottom are “Camera Shortcuts” that show friends’ faces you can tap on to send a photo or tap and hold for a video. You can also tap the “default camera” shutter and the select everyone you want to message. Since it’s focused on speed, there are no filters or augmented reality masks, just drawing and text overlays for off-the-cuff commentary on what’s going on around you.

Swiping up from the camera reveals the Threads inbox, where you can tap into a conversation for a full-featured messaging experience just like in Instagram Direct. There you can send GIFs, camera roll content, and more. Without unsolicited messages in your inbox, your most important people stay closer to the top. “I see more of my wife’s life now that we’re in this product” Stein tells me.

Ambient Sharing With Auto-Status

With Status, you can set an emoji as your away message for one to four hours. You can select from pre-made ones with their own text tag lines, or define a new one from the full range of emoji. Meanwhile, Auto-Status defaults to off but can be turned on to give Instagram the ability to use data signals to choose an emoji for you. It will match your exact location to specific places like Home, Work, cafes, bars, traveling out of town and more. Your accelerometer lets it show if you’re biking or driving. And your phone battery can let it display that you’re low on juice or currently charging.

Why share my batter status? Stein tells me that if you’re charging your phone, you might not be next to it and could be slow to respond. Or if you’re low battery, you might suddenly stop replying all together. That’s helpful knowledge to share with Close Friends even if it’d be weird to post it more widely.

One problem is that who you want to message with often might include family or co-workers that you don’t want to have see your Close Friends Stories, but the list is used for both. At the same time, Threads could boost Close Friends usage, leading people to share more intimate and silly stuff on Stories which do help Instagram earn money thanks to the ads in between.

For now, though, Instagram tells me there’s no plan to monetize Threads directly or show any ads in it. In fact, Facebook won’t even use the exact locations pulled from the app to power ad targeting. Coordinates are only sent so it can match them to locations like a movie theater to show you’re at the movies. Facebook won’t store the locations and they only stay on your device for a short period before they’re deleted.

Still, Auto-Status is sure to rile some who think Facebook and Instagram are too creepy to give any more data. But if the convenience of knowing your friend is available to hang out or is probably too stressed for a chat outweighs the company’s toxic brand, Instagram could develop an important new social behavior. Even if it doesn’t monetize it directly, Threads could keep users locked into the Insta ecosystem where they’ll see plenty of feed and Story ads between message bouts.

Social graph bloat causes a chilling effect on sharing. It’s what Snapchat, Path, and other apps have tried to solve but ended up succumbing to. Instagram accepts that you’ll inevitably connect with people you don’t care much about out of social obligation, pity, or apathy. But by building whole products around just sharing with your favorite subset of people, it could unlock what we self-center — the real us.

from Mobile – TechCrunch https://ift.tt/2oaK97X ORIGINAL CONTENT FROM: https://techcrunch.com/

[corneliussteinbeck]

Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Panzanella

We now have a three- and a one-year-old in the house as of a week ago. Two toddlers…OMG, save me. It’s loud, and crazy, and some nights cereal or smoothies for dinner feels like a major culinary accomplishment.

But, oh, do I adore my little monsters and this crazy family.

Lately, these are some of the questions I ask when I attempt to cook:

Can I cut out an ingredient (or four) while still enjoying the dish? Is this step absolutely necessary to the overall dish? Why is there so much screaming going on? If I do something the night before, will it save time the next day? Adriana, can you please stop tackling your brother like a football!? Lol. 

And probably one of the questions I ask the most: Why is there no OSG delivery service yet, damnit!?

Goals ;)

I’m learning more often than not that the answer to my “can I save time” question is a resounding YES. I’m learning tricks along the way. I’m cutting corners. And you know what? Almost always, the food still tastes great. (And if it doesn’t, Arlo will eat anything.)

If you follow me on Insta Stories, you may have seen how excited I was to dig into Laura’s beautiful plant-based cookbook, The First Mess Cookbook, this past spring. I’ve been following Laura for years (#TFMfangurrrrrl); she’s a seriously talented writer, photographer, and cook. I’m constantly amazed by the beauty she captures in her food, and the warmth and passion with which she shares it. Laura is one of those cooks who seems to truly adore the process of cooking. I personally don’t always enjoy the process (real talk: sometimes I loathe cooking), and often don’t slow down enough to find it uber-relaxing, but Laura has a way of inspiring a certain intention and gratitude for the process. I love that. Her plant-based recipes and photographs are truly works of art, and I’m so glad she shares them with us all. Her cookbook would be a delicious addition to your collection if you don’t have it already!

Months ago, I made a mental note to make the Thanksgiving Panzanella, and I couldn’t wait to make it once the cooler temperatures had set in. Because the recipe has quite a few steps, I started it the day before, and ended up creating a fun, make-ahead version. As you can tell, I’m all about make-ahead situations these days! By doing most of the prep work in advance, it became a practical option for our Thanksgiving meal. The prep work the day before is a half hour (and it’s a bit kitchen-destroying, tbh), but the next day, the effortless prep will only set you back a mere 10 minutes. Pretty sweet, huh?!

Oh, and it’s a looker. And tasty…duh. As my hilarious recipe tester, Nicole, wrote, “Yield: 6 side servings or one big serving for me ha ha ha!” LOL! Love her.

Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Panzanella

Vegan, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

Since this is quite an involved recipe, I like to prepare a few aspects of this panzanella the day before to save time and mess on the day of a special event, such as Thanksgiving. By doing a bit of advance prep (about 30 minutes the day before), all you have to do on the day is bake the squash and bread, then toss it all together just before serving. I like to serve this recipe warm, so I time the cooking so that the squash and bread come out of the oven just before our planned mealtime. This recipe is adapted from The First Mess Cookbook (2017) by Laura Wright. Reprinted by permission of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited.

Yield 6 side servings

Prep Time 40 Minutes

Cook time 35 Minutes

Total Time 1 Hour, 15 Minutes

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons (30 mL) balsamic vinegar

1 small garlic clove, minced

2 teaspoons (10 mL) pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon (5 mL) Dijon mustard

1/4 cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil

Generous pinch of fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the salad:

4 cups (175 grams) cubed sourdough bread (about 1/2 a loaf)

2 medium (800 g) delicata squash

1 tablespoon (15 mL) minced fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons (10 mL) minced fresh thyme leaves

2 cups (40 g) stemmed and sliced lacinato kale

2 medium/large celery stalks (210 g), thinly sliced (1 1/4 cups)

1/3 cup (80 mL) pomegranate seeds

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons (25 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Handful of celery leaves or fresh parsley leaves, for garnish

Directions:

The day before (steps 1-4): Make the dressing: In a small jar, place the balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Screw on the lid and shake to combine. Chill in the fridge.

Slice the sourdough bread into 1-inch cubes until you have 4 cups. Place into a large bag or container and leave it on the counter.

Slice each squash down the middle, lengthwise. With a spoon, scrape out all of the seeds and discard them. Slice the squash into 1/4-inch “half-moon” slices, and place them into a large zip bag, bowl, or container. Mince the rosemary and thyme and add it to the squash. Chill the squash and herbs in the fridge (covering, if necessary).

In a separate zip bag or container, place the sliced kale, chopped celery, and pomegranate seeds. Chill in the fridge (covering, if necessary).

The next day (steps 5-8): About 15 minutes before you begin, remove the dressing and squash from the fridge and place them on the counter so that they can come to room temperature. Position two racks near the centre of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), and line two extra-large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Spoon the squash and herbs onto one of the baking sheets. Add a tablespoon of oil and toss until the squash is thoroughly coated. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast the squash for about 30 to 38 minutes, until nicely brown on the bottoms. (There’s no need to flip halfway through baking unless you want them evenly browned.)

While the squash is roasting, spread the cubed sourdough onto the remaining baking sheet and toss it in a couple teaspoons of oil. When you have 10 to 15 minutes left of the squash’s roasting time, place the sourdough in the oven with the squash and continue roasting for 10 to 15 minutes. The bread should feel lightly toasted when it’s ready, but it shouldn’t look brown.

While the squash and sourdough are roasting, place the kale, celery, pomegranate seeds, and dressing into a large serving bowl. When the squash and bread are finished cooking, add them into the bowl, and toss well, until combined. Season the panzanella with more salt, to taste, if desired. Serve warm with a garnish of celery or parsley leaves scattered on top. This recipe is best enjoyed immediately, or within a couple of hours of preparing.

Below is a photo of what the prep looks like the day before! On day 2, all you do is roast the squash and bread, and then mix it all together. *slow clap*

On the cusp of our Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, THANK YOU for your amazing love and support, even when this blog is a virtual ghost town. I’ve been chipping away at some big behind-the-scenes blog changes and can’t wait to share more. Also, Eric recently started a new career venture, which has been wild. I’m thrilled for him, and grateful to be able to return the support and encouragement that he’s given me all these years. But, holy hell have we been struggling to stay afloat. The juggle of parenthood and “careerhood” is no easy feat. I’ve been trying to make it work with a lot more on my plate. Some days I feel like I’m doing a crappy job at everything, and other days, I feel like I’m killing it. We’ll get into a groove…it just takes some trial and error. Just know that I love and appreciate your support more than you know.

I hope my fellow Canadians have a relaxing and delicious Thanksgiving weekend with loved ones, and if you try out this recipe, I hope you enjoy it—and my make-ahead tricks—as much as we do. I’ve also added this recipe to The Oh She Glows Recipe App, so keep your eyes peeled for it on there.

Last but not least, I’d like to pass along Arlo’s nursery tour over on HGTV! It was so much fun (and such an honour) to be featured. (Just know that the nursery never looks this put together in real life….it actually looks like a tornado blew through it most days.) A special thanks to the lovely Brittany Devenyi for the feature!

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[gardencityvegans]

Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Panzanella

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We now have a three- and a one-year-old in the house as of a week ago. Two toddlers…OMG, save me. It’s loud, and crazy, and some nights cereal or smoothies for dinner feels like a major culinary accomplishment.

But, oh, do I adore my little monsters and this crazy family.

Lately, these are some of the questions I ask when I attempt to cook:

Can I cut out an ingredient (or four) while still enjoying the dish? Is this step absolutely necessary to the overall dish? Why is there so much screaming going on? If I do something the night before, will it save time the next day? Adriana, can you please stop tackling your brother like a football!? Lol. 

And probably one of the questions I ask the most: Why is there no OSG delivery service yet, damnit!?

Goals ;)

I’m learning more often than not that the answer to my “can I save time” question is a resounding YES. I’m learning tricks along the way. I’m cutting corners. And you know what? Almost always, the food still tastes great. (And if it doesn’t, Arlo will eat anything.)

If you follow me on Insta Stories, you may have seen how excited I was to dig into Laura’s beautiful plant-based cookbook, The First Mess Cookbook, this past spring. I’ve been following Laura for years (#TFMfangurrrrrl); she’s a seriously talented writer, photographer, and cook. I’m constantly amazed by the beauty she captures in her food, and the warmth and passion with which she shares it. Laura is one of those cooks who seems to truly adore the process of cooking. I personally don’t always enjoy the process (real talk: sometimes I loathe cooking), and often don’t slow down enough to find it uber-relaxing, but Laura has a way of inspiring a certain intention and gratitude for the process. I love that. Her plant-based recipes and photographs are truly works of art, and I’m so glad she shares them with us all. Her cookbook would be a delicious addition to your collection if you don’t have it already!

Months ago, I made a mental note to make the Thanksgiving Panzanella, and I couldn’t wait to make it once the cooler temperatures had set in. Because the recipe has quite a few steps, I started it the day before, and ended up creating a fun, make-ahead version. As you can tell, I’m all about make-ahead situations these days! By doing most of the prep work in advance, it became a practical option for our Thanksgiving meal. The prep work the day before is a half hour (and it’s a bit kitchen-destroying, tbh), but the next day, the effortless prep will only set you back a mere 10 minutes. Pretty sweet, huh?!

Oh, and it’s a looker. And tasty…duh. As my hilarious recipe tester, Nicole, wrote, “Yield: 6 side servings or one big serving for me ha ha ha!” LOL! Love her.

Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Panzanella

Vegan, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

Since this is quite an involved recipe, I like to prepare a few aspects of this panzanella the day before to save time and mess on the day of a special event, such as Thanksgiving. By doing a bit of advance prep (about 30 minutes the day before), all you have to do on the day is bake the squash and bread, then toss it all together just before serving. I like to serve this recipe warm, so I time the cooking so that the squash and bread come out of the oven just before our planned mealtime. This recipe is adapted from The First Mess Cookbook (2017) by Laura Wright. Reprinted by permission of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited.

Yield 6 side servings

Prep Time 40 Minutes

Cook time 35 Minutes

Total Time 1 Hour, 15 Minutes

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons (30 mL) balsamic vinegar

1 small garlic clove, minced

2 teaspoons (10 mL) pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon (5 mL) Dijon mustard

1/4 cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil

Generous pinch of fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the salad:

4 cups (175 grams) cubed sourdough bread (about 1/2 a loaf)

2 medium (800 g) delicata squash

1 tablespoon (15 mL) minced fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons (10 mL) minced fresh thyme leaves

2 cups (40 g) stemmed and sliced lacinato kale

2 medium/large celery stalks (210 g), thinly sliced (1 1/4 cups)

1/3 cup (80 mL) pomegranate seeds

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons (25 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Handful of celery leaves or fresh parsley leaves, for garnish

Directions:

The day before (steps 1-4): Make the dressing: In a small jar, place the balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Screw on the lid and shake to combine. Chill in the fridge.

Slice the sourdough bread into 1-inch cubes until you have 4 cups. Place into a large bag or container and leave it on the counter.

Slice each squash down the middle, lengthwise. With a spoon, scrape out all of the seeds and discard them. Slice the squash into 1/4-inch “half-moon” slices, and place them into a large zip bag, bowl, or container. Mince the rosemary and thyme and add it to the squash. Chill the squash and herbs in the fridge (covering, if necessary).

In a separate zip bag or container, place the sliced kale, chopped celery, and pomegranate seeds. Chill in the fridge (covering, if necessary).

The next day (steps 5-8): About 15 minutes before you begin, remove the dressing and squash from the fridge and place them on the counter so that they can come to room temperature. Position two racks near the centre of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), and line two extra-large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Spoon the squash and herbs onto one of the baking sheets. Add a tablespoon of oil and toss until the squash is thoroughly coated. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast the squash for about 30 to 38 minutes, until nicely brown on the bottoms. (There’s no need to flip halfway through baking unless you want them evenly browned.)

While the squash is roasting, spread the cubed sourdough onto the remaining baking sheet and toss it in a couple teaspoons of oil. When you have 10 to 15 minutes left of the squash’s roasting time, place the sourdough in the oven with the squash and continue roasting for 10 to 15 minutes. The bread should feel lightly toasted when it’s ready, but it shouldn’t look brown.

While the squash and sourdough are roasting, place the kale, celery, pomegranate seeds, and dressing into a large serving bowl. When the squash and bread are finished cooking, add them into the bowl, and toss well, until combined. Season the panzanella with more salt, to taste, if desired. Serve warm with a garnish of celery or parsley leaves scattered on top. This recipe is best enjoyed immediately, or within a couple of hours of preparing.

Below is a photo of what the prep looks like the day before! On day 2, all you do is roast the squash and bread, and then mix it all together. *slow clap*

On the cusp of our Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, THANK YOU for your amazing love and support, even when this blog is a virtual ghost town. I’ve been chipping away at some big behind-the-scenes blog changes and can’t wait to share more. Also, Eric recently started a new career venture, which has been wild. I’m thrilled for him, and grateful to be able to return the support and encouragement that he’s given me all these years. But, holy hell have we been struggling to stay afloat. The juggle of parenthood and “careerhood” is no easy feat. I’ve been trying to make it work with a lot more on my plate. Some days I feel like I’m doing a crappy job at everything, and other days, I feel like I’m killing it. We’ll get into a groove…it just takes some trial and error. Just know that I love and appreciate your support more than you know.

I hope my fellow Canadians have a relaxing and delicious Thanksgiving weekend with loved ones, and if you try out this recipe, I hope you enjoy it—and my make-ahead tricks—as much as we do. I’ve also added this recipe to The Oh She Glows Recipe App, so keep your eyes peeled for it on there.

Last but not least, I’d like to pass along Arlo’s nursery tour over on HGTV! It was so much fun (and such an honour) to be featured. (Just know that the nursery never looks this put together in real life….it actually looks like a tornado blew through it most days.) A special thanks to the lovely Brittany Devenyi for the feature!

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[susantregre]

Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Panzanella

We now have a three- and a one-year-old in the house as of a week ago. Two toddlers…OMG, save me. It’s loud, and crazy, and some nights cereal or smoothies for dinner feels like a major culinary accomplishment.

But, oh, do I adore my little monsters and this crazy family.

Lately, these are some of the questions I ask when I attempt to cook:

Can I cut out an ingredient (or four) while still enjoying the dish? Is this step absolutely necessary to the overall dish? Why is there so much screaming going on? If I do something the night before, will it save time the next day? Adriana, can you please stop tackling your brother like a football!? Lol. 

And probably one of the questions I ask the most: Why is there no OSG delivery service yet, damnit!?

Goals ;)

I’m learning more often than not that the answer to my “can I save time” question is a resounding YES. I’m learning tricks along the way. I’m cutting corners. And you know what? Almost always, the food still tastes great. (And if it doesn’t, Arlo will eat anything.)

If you follow me on Insta Stories, you may have seen how excited I was to dig into Laura’s beautiful plant-based cookbook, The First Mess Cookbook, this past spring. I’ve been following Laura for years (#TFMfangurrrrrl); she’s a seriously talented writer, photographer, and cook. I’m constantly amazed by the beauty she captures in her food, and the warmth and passion with which she shares it. Laura is one of those cooks who seems to truly adore the process of cooking. I personally don’t always enjoy the process (real talk: sometimes I loathe cooking), and often don’t slow down enough to find it uber-relaxing, but Laura has a way of inspiring a certain intention and gratitude for the process. I love that. Her plant-based recipes and photographs are truly works of art, and I’m so glad she shares them with us all. Her cookbook would be a delicious addition to your collection if you don’t have it already!

Months ago, I made a mental note to make the Thanksgiving Panzanella, and I couldn’t wait to make it once the cooler temperatures had set in. Because the recipe has quite a few steps, I started it the day before, and ended up creating a fun, make-ahead version. As you can tell, I’m all about make-ahead situations these days! By doing most of the prep work in advance, it became a practical option for our Thanksgiving meal. The prep work the day before is a half hour (and it’s a bit kitchen-destroying, tbh), but the next day, the effortless prep will only set you back a mere 10 minutes. Pretty sweet, huh?!

Oh, and it’s a looker. And tasty…duh. As my hilarious recipe tester, Nicole, wrote, “Yield: 6 side servings or one big serving for me ha ha ha!” LOL! Love her.

Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Panzanella

Vegan, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

Since this is quite an involved recipe, I like to prepare a few aspects of this panzanella the day before to save time and mess on the day of a special event, such as Thanksgiving. By doing a bit of advance prep (about 30 minutes the day before), all you have to do on the day is bake the squash and bread, then toss it all together just before serving. I like to serve this recipe warm, so I time the cooking so that the squash and bread come out of the oven just before our planned mealtime. This recipe is adapted from The First Mess Cookbook (2017) by Laura Wright. Reprinted by permission of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited.

Yield 6 side servings

Prep Time 40 Minutes

Cook time 35 Minutes

Total Time 1 Hour, 15 Minutes

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons (30 mL) balsamic vinegar

1 small garlic clove, minced

2 teaspoons (10 mL) pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon (5 mL) Dijon mustard

1/4 cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil

Generous pinch of fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the salad:

4 cups (175 grams) cubed sourdough bread (about 1/2 a loaf)

2 medium (800 g) delicata squash

1 tablespoon (15 mL) minced fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons (10 mL) minced fresh thyme leaves

2 cups (40 g) stemmed and sliced lacinato kale

2 medium/large celery stalks (210 g), thinly sliced (1 1/4 cups)

1/3 cup (80 mL) pomegranate seeds

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons (25 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Handful of celery leaves or fresh parsley leaves, for garnish

Directions:

The day before (steps 1-4): Make the dressing: In a small jar, place the balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Screw on the lid and shake to combine. Chill in the fridge.

Slice the sourdough bread into 1-inch cubes until you have 4 cups. Place into a large bag or container and leave it on the counter.

Slice each squash down the middle, lengthwise. With a spoon, scrape out all of the seeds and discard them. Slice the squash into 1/4-inch “half-moon” slices, and place them into a large zip bag, bowl, or container. Mince the rosemary and thyme and add it to the squash. Chill the squash and herbs in the fridge (covering, if necessary).

In a separate zip bag or container, place the sliced kale, chopped celery, and pomegranate seeds. Chill in the fridge (covering, if necessary).

The next day (steps 5-8): About 15 minutes before you begin, remove the dressing and squash from the fridge and place them on the counter so that they can come to room temperature. Position two racks near the centre of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), and line two extra-large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Spoon the squash and herbs onto one of the baking sheets. Add a tablespoon of oil and toss until the squash is thoroughly coated. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast the squash for about 30 to 38 minutes, until nicely brown on the bottoms. (There’s no need to flip halfway through baking unless you want them evenly browned.)

While the squash is roasting, spread the cubed sourdough onto the remaining baking sheet and toss it in a couple teaspoons of oil. When you have 10 to 15 minutes left of the squash’s roasting time, place the sourdough in the oven with the squash and continue roasting for 10 to 15 minutes. The bread should feel lightly toasted when it’s ready, but it shouldn’t look brown.

While the squash and sourdough are roasting, place the kale, celery, pomegranate seeds, and dressing into a large serving bowl. When the squash and bread are finished cooking, add them into the bowl, and toss well, until combined. Season the panzanella with more salt, to taste, if desired. Serve warm with a garnish of celery or parsley leaves scattered on top. This recipe is best enjoyed immediately, or within a couple of hours of preparing.

Below is a photo of what the prep looks like the day before! On day 2, all you do is roast the squash and bread, and then mix it all together. *slow clap*

On the cusp of our Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, THANK YOU for your amazing love and support, even when this blog is a virtual ghost town. I’ve been chipping away at some big behind-the-scenes blog changes and can’t wait to share more. Also, Eric recently started a new career venture, which has been wild. I’m thrilled for him, and grateful to be able to return the support and encouragement that he’s given me all these years. But, holy hell have we been struggling to stay afloat. The juggle of parenthood and “careerhood” is no easy feat. I’ve been trying to make it work with a lot more on my plate. Some days I feel like I’m doing a crappy job at everything, and other days, I feel like I’m killing it. We’ll get into a groove…it just takes some trial and error. Just know that I love and appreciate your support more than you know.

I hope my fellow Canadians have a relaxing and delicious Thanksgiving weekend with loved ones, and if you try out this recipe, I hope you enjoy it—and my make-ahead tricks—as much as we do. I’ve also added this recipe to The Oh She Glows Recipe App, so keep your eyes peeled for it on there.

Last but not least, I’d like to pass along Arlo’s nursery tour over on HGTV! It was so much fun (and such an honour) to be featured. (Just know that the nursery never looks this put together in real life….it actually looks like a tornado blew through it most days.) A special thanks to the lovely Brittany Devenyi for the feature!

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[thesecretgambler]

Day 9 – Monday 3rd July

As we drove away from Zaragoza, listening to a mixture of country classics new and old, Sam searched for a place for us to park the caravan for a few days. Somewhere close enough to the next gym we wanted to train at. We found somewhere and booked it within a few minutes. As with most things, not fussing about anything and just getting things done.

The benefit to staying on a caravan park is that we can hook up to electricity, as well as easier access to shower facilities and other practical amenities. Even though, living ‘off grid’ I’m finding, is minimal fuss too, feels more free, and is actually free in the financial sense, along with lots of amazing parking opportunities, including yards from the beach.

New temporary home

But for now, the green, shaded camp site is our home for the next 3 nights.

After we’d got settled in the afternoon, we relaxed a little after the mornings training, and 3 hour drive.

As it became dark, and cooler, we walked a mile to the beach to find somewhere to eat. We found a place right on the beach with music playing, cool breeze, good atmosphere and good food. We ordered a usual feast, with it being in mind that Sam is looking to fight at Featherweight (66kg instaed of 62kg and Bantamweight) meaning loads of nutritious food is advantageous to Sam’s physical growth, albeit not mine!!

After the food and a few drinks, we strolled back to the caravan, sat out the front for a while while we chatted, before settling in our spots with our books and podcasts.

Day 10 – Tuesday 4th July

After waking around the usual time of 8am, we showered, then walked to the beach where we planned the day. We agreed to get ready (short shorts, flip flops and vest. Real tinkers), then drive 20 minutes into Barcelona for some food and sight seeing before training.

Parking up as central as possible, we found somewhere to eat down one of the countless picturesque streets, coolly shaded by the height of the impressive buildings either side. Eating as close to the typical Spanish way as possible, and oddly but naturally sharing one glass of cold white wine, we relaxed in the cool bar that didn’t seem to be catering for tourists.

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After, we set about exploring the city on foot, for over 3 hours. I tried to avoid the sun as much as possible where I could, as I knew what to expect from the evenings training having trained at Sparta once before, around 2 years ago, and when my real draw to Spain and the training here too, began.

After a lot of walking, we lay on a grassed area, watching the world go by, under the shade of a tree. Then, around 5pm it was time to get back to the car to get to the gym for 6pm.

We got there just after so trained at 7pm instead.

The 7pm kickboxing class was taught by gym owner, 98 professional K1 fight Pro and current Spanish Cruiser weight boxing chamion, and all round first class guy, Cesar Cordoba.

The session started with lots of detailed mobility, every joint. Then, specific shadow boxing. Just one hand, 1,2, 3 shots, with head movement, then the other, then both, then adding in knees and simulated kicks, before free shadow boxing.

From the second you step on the mats here, it’s blatantly obvious that there’s real quality here. From the coaches lead, the type of quality that’s imperative to beat guys like Melvin “No Mercy” Manhoef, and to win the vast majority of 118 professional kickboxing and boxing match ups. Absolutely impressive. And with it all, the technique, the fighter, the coaching, the gym owner…Cesar is a complete gentleman. 6’2, great with the kids, great with the other fighters (regardless of discipline), and seemingly a hit with everyone who meets him.

Rightly so, he’s a great bloke. Anyway, fan boy-ing over with and back to the session…

…I’m partnered up with national level Kudo fighter and prospective MMA fighter Oscaar Lopez, and Sam with experienced professional MMA bantamweight, Paul Marin.

The session is fast and technical. The drilling consists of landing shots hard, to act as conditioning too. It was the first place I’d really experienced this around 2 years ago, and something I’ve gone on to enjoy. Although this session, my training partner I presume is close to late 80kg’s, conditioned, lean and technical, meaning the session is fast, quality and serving it’s purpose with physical conditioning. Covering lots of technique, conditioning and finishing with a good cool down including another considered round of shadow boxing, the hour session was over at 8pm.

Then, the Kudo competitor, BJJ purple belt and MMA coach, David Abellan, came on the mats. I knew David from the time I trained here the first and only other time, as well as following on Instagram and Facebook.

David informed us that around 6 of us, who are all competitive in MMA, would be training seperately to some of the other guys on the mat. I partnered up with Oscaar again. I’m hoping it’s not because we’re the same size, which often happens to me, I think with maybe looking heavier than what I fight at, as Oscaar as well as being fit, bright, tough and technical, is extremely strong and quite a bit bigger than I am too. This made for a very tough 2 hours of relentless MMA drills and sparring!!

After travelling, having a few beers every day, constant walking around in the heat, then sparring very good guys, meant it was a tough 3 hours in total. All good though. My training partner is a very cool guy, and plus, I’m always all the way in for hard training for and with anyone. I don’t discriminate, even if I know I’ll be on the receiving end. Any of my training partners and coaches in Manchester or Valencia I’m confident would vouch for. I’m always happy to take what’s mine for me, but also a very strong believer in giving more than we take, in every way. In the case of MMA, it means offering your tired, sore body, and a fearful mind, to a team mate who’s of high quality and getting fight ready. Tony Morgan, Eulogio Fernandez Jareno, Ali Arish, Sam, and more… I’ll always go all the way in. They know it, and I know it. They’re my team mates. I don’t like getting beats, but don’t want my mates to lose their fights. I’m not the only one. Good team mates and friends are this way.

Anyway, it got to 10pm and I was done! So, it was time for photo’s and massive thanks before we headed back to the little, portable, homely home, before heading out again for late night food.

Really, I couldn’t thank Cesar and everyone at Sparta enough. Again, not letting us pay a penny. Offering us the highest level tuition, and training partners to train and spar with.

The gym has the facilities and equipment that are signs to what’s needed for the quality stand up fighters it houses. With ample showering facilities, as well as a separate area for strength and conditioning. It’s within the city centre, although I’d say probably a 10 minute drive from La Rambla.

If anyone was in Barcelona and wanting to train at a top class gym, then I would recommend contacting the gym and making a way to train here.

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Personally, I feel much richer being friends with Cesar, and with the guys I’ve now met at Sparta, along with people from the gyms I already train at, and have trained at on my travels.

The thing is, a lot of the people you come across in these gyms are, it’s true, potentially extremely physically dangerous, but more than that, there are a handful in each gym that are extraordinary in many ways. Articulate, polite, sensitive, funny, intelligent, humble….the list of qualities are endless, and usually all inclusive.

I consider my life in MMA, as a martial artist, fighter, and student, to be the building blocks of my life. I’m a result of my genetics, and the company I keep. I want to be everything that’s great in every person I meet, respect and admire. And, in this gym, there’s a lot of things that make people great, in abundance.

Thank you Cesar and Sparta Fight Team.

    Sparta Fight Team, Barcelona. Spain Day 9 - Monday 3rd July As we drove away from Zaragoza, listening to a mixture of country classics new and old, Sam searched for a place for us to park the caravan for a few days.

[sheminecrafts]

Instagram launches Threads, a Close Friends chat app with auto-status

What if Instagram could automatically tell your Close Friends you’re (home), (working), (on the move) or (chilling and might want to hang out)? That’s the idea behind Instagram’s new companion app Threads, a Close Friends-only messaging experience that opens to the camera with shortcuts for instantly sending specific people photos and videos. Threads offers two brand new features called Status and Auto Status that allow you to manually set an emoji as an away message to show Close Friends what you’re up to, or opt in to letting Instagram select one automatically based on your location, accelerometer and even your phone’s battery level.

Launching globally today on iOS and Android, this is Facebook and Instagram’s next big swing at Snapchat, specifically targeting its top use case: rapid-fire camera and text messaging with your best friends. Sick of randos in your inbox? Only people in your Instagram Close Friends list show up in Threads, so you can trust its notifications are important. You can still just use Instagram Direct in the main app, or the two in parallel, though.

What’s most unique is that Threads finally sees the launch of the Facebook “Your Emoji” status feature we reported it was prototyping 18 months ago. Threads Status and Auto Status offer conversation starters, contextual clues to why someone might not respond, and opportunities to meet up offline. But importantly, it leaves out a map or any exact location sharing to avoid being creepy and instead focus on what Close Friends are up to — which determines if they can chat or hang out more than where they are.

Threads offers “persistent connection,” Instagram’s director of consumer product management Robby Stein tells me. It was designed with three priorities: the ability to “fully control who can reach you,” speed, because, “if most of your messages only go to a couple of people, why isn’t the experience built around that?” and “having more of a connection through the day . . . even if you don’t have time for a conversation.”

By building Threads as a separate app, Instagram has little to lose if it flops and could learn about which features to pull back into its main app. But if it succeeds, Threads cements itself as where you stay in touch with your favorite people, while pigeonholing other messaging options like SMS, WeChat and Snapchat as noisy channels full of unwanted alerts.

Close Friends only

Social networks have an inevitable problem. Eventually out of coincidence and courtesy, you add too many people as friends, filling the apps with people whose content you don’t care about and whose messages you don’t always want. Facebook is the catch-all network for everything from family to bosses to acquaintances. That leads people to feel uncomfortable sharing too much, and to distrust that the notifications they get are important.

Now Instagram is doubling-down on Close Friends, which launched last November at TechCrunch Disrupt Berlin to let you secretly set a special group of best pals who get to see special Stories you set as visible to only them. Facebook had tried complicated Lists products in the past and never saw them gain significant traction because it’s too tough to keep track of who is in each. Instagram nailed the concept with a single list you edit as needed, though people don’t know if they’re added or removed. I’m surprised Facebook doesn’t already have its own Close Friends feature, and it’d be smart to build one.

Instagram already tried building its own standalone Direct messaging app, but shut it down after low usage since it didn’t offer anything beyond what you already got in the main app. Casey Newton of The Verge reported Instagram was building an app with automatic activity sharing in August.

Now with Threads, Close Friends creates the foundation for something different. The only entries in your inbox are Close Friends, which you can edit in the app with the list syncing with your list on Instagram. You can hide any of those chats or group chats with exclusively close friends if you don’t want to see them. You only need an Instagram account, not Facebook, to sign up. For some extra flavor, you can activate one of several dark mode-style themes for the app in color schemes like a yellower Sunrise or greener Aurora.

When you open Threads, you’ll open immediately to the camera like Snapchat. At the bottom are “Camera Shortcuts” that show friends’ faces you can tap on to send a photo or tap and hold for a video. You also can tap the “default camera” shutter and select everyone you want to message, or rearrange the order of the shortcuts. Because it’s focused on speed, there are no filters or augmented reality masks, just drawing and text overlays for off-the-cuff commentary on what’s going on around you.

Swiping up from the camera reveals the Threads inbox, where you can tap into a conversation for a full-featured messaging experience just like in Instagram Direct. There you can send GIFs, camera roll content and more. Without unsolicited messages in your inbox, your most important people stay closer to the top. “I see more of my wife’s life now that we’re in this product,” Stein tells me.

Passive sharing with Auto Status

Three years ago I wrote about “the quest to cure loneliness” through apps that help us meet up in the real world by breaking down the ambiguity of what friends are up to without requiring you to desperately ping them and feel embarrassed if ignored. Many products have tried and failed to make us less isolated through location broadcasting, passive sharing and offline intent.

Foursquare let you say exactly where you were while its second app Swarm auto-shared it, but if you’re busy, it doesn’t matter to me where you are and you probably don’t want me dropping in. Snap Map and Facebook Nearby Friends similarly focused too much on the where instead of the what. Down To Lunch let you post an emoji of what you’re doing but it lacked the necessary traction and built-in messaging to convert “hey, we’re both available” to actually meeting up. The app Free was too complex.

To succeed, an app needed ubiquity, the privacy of only sharing this sensitive info with the right people, a focus on intention instead of location and built-in chat for getting together. Instagram has the last three, so it’s a matter of either making Threads popular or rolling this feature into the main app.

With Status, you can set an emoji as your away message for one to four hours. You can select from pre-made ones with their own text tag lines, or define a new one from the full range of emoji. You can say you’re (free), (busy), (studying) or make something personal like (getting into trouble).

Meanwhile, Auto Status defaults to off, but can be turned on to give Instagram the ability to use data signals to choose an emoji for you. It will match your exact location to specific places like home, work, cafes, bars, traveling out of town and more. Your accelerometer lets it show if you’re biking or driving. And your phone battery can let it display that you’re low on juice or currently charging.

Why share my battery status? Stein tells me that if you’re charging your phone, you might not be next to it and could be slow to respond. Or if you’re low on battery, you might suddenly stop replying all together. That’s helpful knowledge to share with Close Friends, even if it’d be weird to post it more widely.

One problem is that who you want to message with often might include family or co-workers that you don’t want to have see your Close Friends Stories, but the list is used for both. At the same time, Threads could boost Close Friends usage, leading people to share more intimate and silly stuff on Stories, which do help Instagram earn money thanks to the ads in between.

For now, though, Instagram tells me there’s no plan to monetize Threads directly or show any ads in it. In fact, Facebook won’t even use the exact locations pulled from the app to power ad targeting. Coordinates are only sent so it can match them to locations like a movie theater to show you’re at the movies. Facebook won’t store the locations and they only stay on your device for a short period before they’re deleted.

Still, Auto Status is sure to rile some who think Facebook and Instagram are too creepy to give any more data. But if the convenience of knowing your friend is available to hang out or is probably too stressed for a chat outweighs the company’s toxic brand, Instagram could develop an important new social behavior. Even if it doesn’t monetize it directly, Threads could keep users locked into the Insta ecosystem where they’ll see plenty of feed and Story ads between message bouts.

Social graph bloat causes a chilling effect on sharing. It’s what Snapchat, Path and other apps have tried to solve but ended up succumbing to. Instagram accepts that you’ll inevitably connect with people you don’t care much about out of social obligation, pity or apathy. But by building whole products around just sharing with your favorite subset of people, it could unlock what we self-center — the real us.

The quest to cure loneliness

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What if Instagram could automatically tell your Close Friends you’re (home), (working), (on the move), or (chilling and might want to hang out)? That’s the idea behind Instagram’s new companion app Threads, a Close Friends-only messaging experience that opens to the camera with shortcuts for instantly sending specific people photos and videos. Threads offers two brand new features called Status and Auto-Status that allow you to manually set an emoji as an away message to show Close Friends what you’re up to, or opt in to letting Instagram select one automatically based on your location, accelerometer, and even your phone’s battery level.

Launching globally today on iOS and Android, this is Facebook and Instagram’s next big swing at Snapchat, specifically targeting its top use case: rapid-fire camera and text messaging with your best friends. Sick of randos in your inbox? Only people in your Instagram Close Friends list show up in Threads so you can trust its notifications are important. You can still just use Instagram Direct in the main app or the two in parallel, though.

What’s most unique is that Threads finally sees the launch the Facebook “Your Emoji” status feature we reported it was prototyping 18 months ago. Threads Status and Auto-Status offer conversation starters, contextual clues to why someone might not respond, and opportunities to meet up offline. But importantly, it leaves out a map or any exact location sharing to avoid being creepy and instead focus on what Close Friends are up to — which determines if they can chat or hang out more than where they are.

Threads offers “persistent connection”, Instagram’s Director of consumer product management Robby Stein tells me. It was designed with three priorities: the ability to “fully control who can reach you”, speed because “If most of your messages only go to a couple of people, why isn’t the experience built around that?”, and “Having more of a connection through the day . . . even if you don’t have time for a conversation.”

By building Threads as a separate app, Instagram has little to lose if it flops and could learn about what features to pull back into its main app. But if it succeeds, Threads cement itself as where you stay in touch with your favorite people, while pigeonholing other messaging options like SMS, WeChat, as Snapchat as noisy channels full of unwanted alerts.

Close Friends Only

Social networks have an inevitable problem. Eventually out of coincidence and courtesy, you add too many people as friends, filling the apps with people who’s content you don’t care about and who’s messages you don’t always want. Facebook, the catch-all network for everything from family to bosses to acquaintances. That leads people to feel uncomfortable sharing too much, and to distrust that the notifications they get are important.

Now Instagram is doubling-down on Close Friends which launched last November at TechCrunch Disrupt Berlin to let you secretly set a special group of best pals who get to see special Stories you set as visible to only them. Facebook had tried complicated Lists products in the past and never seen them gain significant traction because it’s too tough to keep track of who’s in each. Instagram nailed the concept with a single list you edit as needed, though people don’t know if they’re added or removed. I’m surprised Facebook doesn’t already have its own Close Friends feature and it’d be smart to build one.

Instagram already tried building its own standalone Direct messaging app, but shut it down after low usage since it didn’t offer anything beyond what you already got in the main app. Casey Newton of The Verge reported Instagram was building an app with automatic activity sharing in August.

Now with Threads, Close Friends creates the foundation for something different. The only entries in your inbox are Close Friends, which you can edit in the app with the list syncing with your list on Instagram. You can hide any of those chats or group chats with exclusively close friends if you don’t want to see them.

When you open Threads, you’ll see open immediately to the camera like Snapchat. At the bottom are “Camera Shortcuts” that show friends’ faces you can tap on to send a photo or tap and hold for a video. You can also tap the “default camera” shutter and the select everyone you want to message. Swiping up reveals the Threads inbox, where you can tap into a conversation for a full-featured messaging experience just like in Instagram Direct. “I see more of my wife’s life now that we’re in this product” Stein tells me.

With Status, you can set an emoji as your away message for one to four hours. You can select from pre-made ones with their own text tag lines, or define a new one from the full range of emoji. Meanwhile, Auto-Status defaults to off but can be turned on to give Instagram the ability to use data signals to choose an emoji for you. It will match your exact location to specific places like Home, Work, cafes, bars, traveling out of town and more. Your accelerometer lets it show if you’re biking or driving. And your phone battery can let it display that you’re low on juice or currently charging.

Why share my batter status? Stein tells me that if you’re charging your phone, you might not be next to it and could be slow to respond. Or if you’re low battery, you might suddenly stop replying all together. That’s helpful knowledge to share with Close Friends even if it’d be weird to post it more widely.

One problem is that who you want to message with often might include family or co-workers that you don’t want to have see your Close Friends Stories, but the list is used for both. At the same time, Threads could boost Close Friends usage, leading people to share more intimate and silly stuff on Stories which do help Instagram earn money thanks to the ads in between.

For now, though, Instagram tells me there’s no plan to monetize Threads directly or show any ads in it. In fact, Facebook won’t even use the exact locations pulled from the app to power ad targeting. Coordinates are only sent so it can match them to locations like a movie theater to show you’re at the movies. Facebook won’t store the locations and they only stay on your device for a short period before they’re deleted.

Still, Auto-Status is sure to rile some who think Facebook and Instagram are too creepy to give any more data. But if the convenience of knowing your friend is available to hang out or is probably too stressed for a chat outweighs the company’s toxic brand, Instagram could develop an important new social behavior. Even if it doesn’t monetize it directly, Threads could keep users locked into the Insta ecosystem where they’ll see plenty of feed and Story ads between message bouts.

Social graph bloat causes a chilling effect on sharing. It’s what Snapchat, Path, and other apps have tried to solve but ended up succumbing to. Instagram accepts that you’ll inevitably connect with people you don’t care much about out of social obligation, pity, or apathy. But by building whole products around just sharing with your favorite subset of people, it could unlock what we self-center — the real us.

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