#periodized high performance training

[kiserspeaks]

Peptides: The Secret Weapon for High-Performance Athletes and Executives

What Are Peptides?

Peptides are short chains of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. Unlike proteins, which can consist of hundreds of amino acids, peptides are much smaller, typically made up of 2-50 amino acids. Their structure allows them to be highly specific in their functions, acting as signaling molecules within the body to regulate various physiological processes.

How Should Peptides Be Used?

Peptides can be administered in several ways, depending on the type and intended use:

Injections: Many peptides are administered via subcutaneous or intramuscular injections to ensure they enter the bloodstream effectively.

Oral Supplements: Some peptides are available in pill form, though their efficacy can be reduced due to digestive breakdown.

Topical Applications: Peptide-infused creams and serums are used in skincare for their regenerative properties.

Dosage and administration frequency depend on the specific peptide and its intended use. It is crucial to consult with a healthcare professional to determine the appropriate protocol.

Benefits of Peptides for High-Performance Athletes and Executives

1. Enhanced Energy Levels

Peptides like CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin are known to stimulate the release of growth hormone, which can lead to increased energy levels. For athletes, this means more stamina and endurance during training and competition. Executives can benefit from sustained energy throughout their demanding workdays.

2. Improved Recovery

Recovery is critical for athletes to maintain peak performance and avoid injury. Peptides such as BPC-157 and TB-500 have potent healing properties that accelerate the recovery of muscles, tendons, and ligaments. For busy professionals, these peptides can help recover from physical stress and fatigue more rapidly.

3. Enhanced Performance

Peptides can enhance muscle growth, fat loss, and overall physical performance. For instance, peptides like Hexarelin and GHRP-6 boost muscle mass and strength, enabling athletes to achieve new performance milestones. Executives can also experience improved physical fitness, which contributes to better overall health and resilience.

4. Mental Health and Cognitive Function

Peptides such as Selank and Semax are known for their nootropic effects, improving cognitive function, reducing anxiety, and enhancing mood. This is particularly beneficial for executives who need to maintain sharp mental acuity and manage stress effectively. Athletes also benefit from better focus and reduced performance anxiety.

Peptides for Health and Longevity

Promoting Health

Peptides play a vital role in regulating various bodily functions, including immune response, inflammation, and cellular repair. Thymosin Alpha-1, for instance, is known to boost the immune system, helping the body to fight off infections more effectively. This is particularly important for maintaining overall health and preventing illnesses that could disrupt daily activities.

Enhancing Longevity

Research into peptides like Epitalon suggests they may have anti-aging properties by promoting the health of telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that are associated with aging. By maintaining telomere length, peptides can potentially delay the onset of age-related diseases and extend healthy lifespan.

Conclusion

Peptides are a powerful tool in the arsenal of high-performance athletes and top-level executives, offering benefits that range from enhanced energy and recovery to improved mental health and longevity. As science continues to uncover the vast potential of these molecules, their use is likely to become even more widespread. However, it is essential to approach peptide supplementation with caution and under the guidance of a healthcare professional to ensure safety and efficacy. By harnessing the power of peptides, individuals can not only achieve their peak performance but also enjoy a healthier, longer life.

Peptides have emerged as a groundbreaking addition to the health and wellness strategies of those striving for excellence, whether on the field, in the boardroom, or in everyday life.

[6ebe]

when you’re so burnt out from your high performance sports team that you celebrate being injured bc you get time off

[reasonsforhope]

"When Ellen Kaphamtengo felt a sharp pain in her lower abdomen, she thought she might be in labour. It was the ninth month of her first pregnancy and she wasn’t taking any chances. With the help of her mother, the 18-year-old climbed on to a motorcycle taxi and rushed to a hospital in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, a 20-minute ride away.

At the Area 25 health centre, they told her it was a false alarm and took her to the maternity ward. But things escalated quickly when a routine ultrasound revealed that her baby was much smaller than expected for her pregnancy stage, which can cause asphyxia – a condition that limits blood flow and oxygen to the baby.

In Malawi, about 19 out of 1,000 babies die during delivery or in the first month of life. Birth asphyxia is a leading cause of neonatal mortality in the country, and can mean newborns suffering brain damage, with long-term effects including developmental delays and cerebral palsy.

Doctors reclassified Kaphamtengo, who had been anticipating a normal delivery, as a high-risk patient. Using AI-enabled foetal monitoring software, further testing found that the baby’s heart rate was dropping. A stress test showed that the baby would not survive labour.

The hospital’s head of maternal care, Chikondi Chiweza, knew she had less than 30 minutes to deliver Kaphamtengo’s baby by caesarean section. Having delivered thousands of babies at some of the busiest public hospitals in the city, she was familiar with how quickly a baby’s odds of survival can change during labour.

Chiweza, who delivered Kaphamtengo’s baby in good health, says the foetal monitoring programme has been a gamechanger for deliveries at the hospital.

“[In Kaphamtengo’s case], we would have only discovered what we did either later on, or with the baby as a stillbirth,” she says.

The software, donated by the childbirth safety technology company PeriGen through a partnership with Malawi’s health ministry and Texas children’s hospital, tracks the baby’s vital signs during labour, giving clinicians early warning of any abnormalities. Since they began using it three years ago, the number of stillbirths and neonatal deaths at the centre has fallen by 82%. It is the only hospital in the country using the technology.

“The time around delivery is the most dangerous for mother and baby,” says Jeffrey Wilkinson, an obstetrician with Texas children’s hospital, who is leading the programme. “You can prevent most deaths by making sure the baby is safe during the delivery process.”

The AI monitoring system needs less time, equipment and fewer skilled staff than traditional foetal monitoring methods, which is critical in hospitals in low-income countries such as Malawi, which face severe shortages of health workers. Regular foetal observation often relies on doctors performing periodic checks, meaning that critical information can be missed during intervals, while AI-supported programs do continuous, real-time monitoring. Traditional checks also require physicians to interpret raw data from various devices, which can be time consuming and subject to error.

Area 25’s maternity ward handles about 8,000 deliveries a year with a team of around 80 midwives and doctors. While only about 10% are trained to perform traditional electronic monitoring, most can use the AI software to detect anomalies, so doctors are aware of any riskier or more complex births. Hospital staff also say that using AI has standardised important aspects of maternity care at the clinic, such as interpretations on foetal wellbeing and decisions on when to intervene.

Kaphamtengo, who is excited to be a new mother, believes the doctor’s interventions may have saved her baby’s life. “They were able to discover that my baby was distressed early enough to act,” she says, holding her son, Justice.

Doctors at the hospital hope to see the technology introduced in other hospitals in Malawi, and across Africa.

“AI technology is being used in many fields, and saving babies’ lives should not be an exception,” says Chiweza. “It can really bridge the gap in the quality of care that underserved populations can access.”"

-via The Guardian, December 6, 2024

[nasa]

Athletes Go for the Gold with NASA Spinoffs

NASA technology tends to find its way into the sporting world more often than you’d expect. Fitness is important to the space program because astronauts must undergo the extreme g-forces of getting into space and endure the long-term effects of weightlessness on the human body. The agency’s engineering expertise also means that items like shoes and swimsuits can be improved with NASA know-how.

As the 2024 Olympics are in full swing in Paris, here are some of the many NASA-derived technologies that have helped competitive athletes train for the games and made sure they’re properly equipped to win.

The LZR Racer reduces skin friction drag by covering more skin than traditional swimsuits. Multiple pieces of the water-resistant and extremely lightweight LZR Pulse fabric connect at ultrasonically welded seams and incorporate extremely low-profile zippers to keep viscous drag to a minimum.

Swimsuits That Don’t Drag

When the swimsuit manufacturer Speedo wanted its LZR Racer suit to have as little drag as possible, the company turned to the experts at Langley Research Center to test its materials and design. The end result was that the new suit reduced drag by 24 percent compared to the prior generation of Speedo racing suit and broke 13 world records in 2008. While the original LZR Racer is no longer used in competition due to the advantage it gave wearers, its legacy lives on in derivatives still produced to this day.

Trilion Quality Systems worked with NASA’s Glenn Research Center to adapt existing stereo photogrammetry software to work with high-speed cameras. Now the company sells the package widely, and it is used to analyze stress and strain in everything from knee implants to running shoes and more.

High-Speed Cameras for High-Speed Shoes

After space shuttle Columbia, investigators needed to see how materials reacted during recreation tests with high-speed cameras, which involved working with industry to create a system that could analyze footage filmed at 30,000 frames per second. Engineers at Adidas used this system to analyze the behavior of Olympic marathoners' feet as they hit the ground and adjusted the design of the company’s high-performance footwear based on these observations.

Martial artist Barry French holds an Impax Body Shield while former European middle-weight kickboxing champion Daryl Tyler delivers an explosive jump side kick; the force of the impact is registered precisely and shown on the display panel of the electronic box French is wearing on his belt.

One-Thousandth-of-an-Inch Punch

In the 1980s, Olympic martial artists needed a way to measure the impact of their strikes to improve training for competition. Impulse Technology reached out to Glenn Research Center to create the Impax sensor, an ultra-thin film sensor which creates a small amount of voltage when struck. The more force applied, the more voltage it generates, enabling a computerized display to show how powerful a punch or kick was.

Astronaut Sunita Williams poses while using the Interim Resistive Exercise Device on the ISS. The cylinders at the base of each side house the SpiraFlex FlexPacks that inventor Paul Francis honed under NASA contracts. They would go on to power the Bowflex Revolution and other commercial exercise equipment.

Weight Training Without the Weight

Astronauts spending long periods of time in space needed a way to maintain muscle mass without the effect of gravity, but lifting free weights doesn’t work when you’re practically weightless. An exercise machine that uses elastic resistance to provide the same benefits as weightlifting went to the space station in the year 2000. That resistance technology was commercialized into the Bowflex Revolution home exercise equipment shortly afterwards.

Want to learn more about technologies made for space and used on Earth? Check out NASA Spinoff to find products and services that wouldn’t exist without space exploration.   

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!

[ohisms]

↪     𝑺𝑬𝑻𝑻𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑷𝑹𝑶𝑴𝑷𝑻𝑺 , HISTORICAL 〳 FANTASY edition !   (  a  collection  of  25  settings  based upon the period 〳 fantasy genres ; meant  to  inspire  drabbles  or  be  used  as  prompts . WILL be updated .   )

001. the interior of an elegant carriage .

002. seated at a large dining table set with an elaborate meal .

003. the shadowy corner of a lively tavern .

004. the top of a light house during a raging storm .

005. along the dimly lit corridor of a large manor .

006. the damp , dark brig of a pirate ship .

007. the ruins of an ancient structure lost to time .

008. a theater hall brimming with attendees .

009. the bustling streets of a market town .

010. a sun - drenched vineyard .

011. along a boardwalk overlooking the sea .

012. a moonlit cemetery full of weathered graves .

013. on horseback , deep in the woods .

014. a luxurious drawing room smelling of tea .

015. a sprawling dragon roost , hidden atop craggy mountain peaks .

016. a war - torn battlefield .

017. a beautiful cathedral bustling with churchgoers .

018. within a crammed opera box during a performance .

019. an elegant tearoom serving afternoon refreshments .

020. a lakeside pavilion on an especially hot day .

021. a sprawling network of underground catacombs .

022. a hidden glade in the middle of the woods .

023. the deep , dark dungeon of a castle .

024. a market square full of fruit and fineries .

025. a baker's shop smelling of wonderful pastries .

026. the quiet stables of a large estate .

027. on the outskirts of a magnificent water fountain .

028. in a dimly lit library , hidden amongst the books .

029. among the high walls of a hedge maze .

030. at the front desk of a warm , homey inn .

031. under the protection of a gazebo as it rains .

032. on the landing of a busy train station .

033. a gambling hall alight with raucous laughter and drink .

034. a pristine infirmary , mostly empty .

035. on board a huge ship making a long voyage .

+   20  more  setting  prompts :    6 / 01 / 2024

036. in a sunlit garden adorned with blooming flowers .

037. at the edge of a serene forest lake under a starry sky.

038. within a quiet corridor of a castle during a lavish ball .

039. in a bustling blacksmith's forge , sparks flying .

040. on a rocky cliffside overlooking a vast ocean .

041. in a quaint village square during a festival .

042. within a secret chamber hidden behind a bookshelf .

043. in the grand atrium of a luxurious hotel .

044. along a narrow brick alleyway in a crowded town .

045. within a busy marketplace in a desert town .

046. on a tranquil beach at sunrise .

047. in a cozy cottage with a crackling fireplace .

048. at the helm of a majestic airship soaring through the clouds .

049. in a grand library filled with ancient tomes .

050. on a bustling harbor dock as ships come and go .

051. within a magical forest where the trees glow softly .

052. in an apothecary's shop filled with herbs and potion .

053. at a secluded cabin by a dangerously quick river .

054. within the opulent throne room of a powerful ruler .

055. in an enchanted glade where fairies dance in the moonlight .

[gabriel-seths-pr-assistant]

Do space marines wear any normal clothes, like something a baseline human in Imperium would wear but made for their size? I'm new to warhammer and in most art of them I have seen they are either in armor or naked in underwear.

Yes, Space Marines do have "normal" clothes for everyday use.

They will often use their power armour for formal occasions since it's more impressive and intimidating — one of my favourite Gabriel Seth moments is in the short story Know Thyself by Andy Smillie when an Inquisitor pays the Flesh Tearers a surprise visit and Seth is literally not wearing pants:

Seth knelt in the Reclusiam’s centre, naked save for an ashen tunic that draped his broad frame.

Seth has to send two battle-brothers to distract the Inquisitor while he scrambles into his power armour to make a good first impression. 😂

However, as I have mentioned earlier, wearing power armour for extended periods of time creates an ungodly body odour. So when they're not in a combat AO, Astartes wear various types of formal, military, or casual clothes.

In general, Astartes are warrior-monks and will often wear monastic robes and habits (which can be quickly shed for a duel or close combat like Jedi in Star Wars:)

However, some Chapters also follow the fashions of their homeworld.

Here are some descriptions of Astartes clothes from the canon:

Ultramarines

Ultramarines are culturally inspired by Ancient Rome and often wear tunics or togas when performing administrative duties among mortals:

— Marneus Calgar.

Messinius was garbed in simple clothes: loose trousers, boots and a tunic that left his massive arms bare. He enjoyed the freedom of movement they gave him. So much of his life was spent enclosed in ceramite, he enjoyed being free of it.

— The Avenging Son.

They spoke in Guilliman’s library, his most sacred sanctum. Guilliman had removed the Armour of Fate, though it physically pained him to do so. Like Maxim, he wore a tunic and trousers. The primarch’s clothes were ultra­marine blue to Maxim’s forest green, and unlike Maxim’s heavily embroidered garb, Guilliman wore no decoration besides the buckle stamped with the ultima that fastened his belt. As usual, he sat at his desk, working while he talked.

— Godblight.

However, Ultramarines also have more formal wear:

Sicarius left his former quarters a short while later. He had donned a gilt-edged red cloak and light carapace breastplate over his training fatigues.

Prabian wore fatigues and light training armour like Sicarius, but he also had a small combat shield strapped to his left arm and wore a sheathed gladius at his left hip. A soft blue cloak with a silver trim swished in his wake.

— Knights of Macragge.

War Hounds

We also get descriptions of formal wear from the Great Crusade era, specifically the War Hounds (early World Eaters):

He looked at Dreagher again. Like Khârn, the man was dressed in white, bands of blue glittering across the high-collared tunic, boots and gauntlets a dark ceremonial blue rather than functional shipboard grey. The Emperor's lightning-bolt emblem gleamed at his collar and shoulder. His dress matched Khârn's own: the formal garments with which the War Hounds symbolised they were about their most solemn business.

— After Desh'ea.

Dark Angels

Dark Angels embrace the ascetic warrior-monk aesthetic to a very high degree:

— Will of Iron.

Space Wolves

Like most Fenrisians, Space Wolves wear furs and deerskin leather clothes:

Arjac moved to the other side of the throne to Fenrir so that he could see the vid-feed from the frigate approaching the space hulk. Like the Lord of Fenris, he was not in his armour, but dressed in a hide tunic and leggings, his arms banded with leather totem cords hung with fangs and bones, his thick belt riveted with iron honour badges. His freshly shaved scalp shone with the speckled starlight from the display. He dragged his fingers through his thick, newly trimmed beard.

‘It’s your pack, you choose the marking,’ growled Ullr. He was out of his armour too, but unlike the grey robes of Gaius and his companions he wore hide breeches tied with thongs from ankle to knee and a fur-lined jerkin that left arms and chest exposed.

— The Wolftime.

Blood Angels

In Dante, Dante himself dresses casually in red and gold day robes while doing office work. In Devastation of Baal, Dante also asks the assembled representatives of the Blood Angels Successor Chapters to attend a meeting in their day robes:

Erwin looked around, his curiosity piqued by the diversity of men who staffed his brother Chapters. As a last symbol of peace (although Erwin thought it more to save space) Dante had ordered that they attend in their day robes. These were almost as varied as their wearers.

— Devastation of Baal.

Blood Drinkers

The Blood Drinkers' homeworld, San Guisiga, is described as a hot, volcanic planet criss-crossed with lava rivers. In addition, a mutation of the mucranoid geneseed organ causes the Blood Drinkers' skin glands to atrophy, giving them very dry, itchy skin. As a result of the hot climate and skin irritation, the Blood Drinkers wear loose trousers and tend to go shirtless:

Chapter Master Caedis worked in his chambers. He was stripped to the waist; baggy, blood-red trousers on his lower half, soft black boots on his feet and a black tabard hanging between his legs – the manner of dress all Blood Drinkers affected when out of their battle-plate. The battle-barge was warm, the way the Blood Drinkers preferred; warm as the volcanic halls of San Guisiga, warm as blood.

— Death of Integrity.

Novamarines

The Novamarines, an Ultramarines Successor Chapter, lean more towards the battle-monks aesthetics:

Like him, he wore a bone-coloured habit, a deep-blue tabard hanging down the front displaying the Chapter badge: a skull surrounded by a stylised starburst. A silver sash embroidered with many campaign markings, the honours of a Deathwatch kill-team veteran, crossed the brother’s chest.

— Death of Integrity.

Entertainingly, in Death of Integrity, the Novamarines invite the Blood Drinkers to a formal dinner before embarking on a joint campaign and then fret among themselves about what to wear when welcoming the other Chapter, discussing the symbolic value of different attires. They finally decide on wearing their armour because they want to show the Blood Drinkers that the Novamarines are ready to follow the other Chapter into battle.

Iron Snakes

The Iron Snakes are heavily inspired by Ancient Greece, which also shows in their clothing:

Barefoot and dressed in a loose white chiton, Priad stood on the marble deck of the observation platform at the summit of the Chapter House's fortress.

— Brothers of the Snake.

Raven Guard

Agapito was dressed in black trousers and a sleeveless tunic. His arms bulged with muscles studded with the silvery wink of nerve shunt ports. His pale skin was shadowed by subcutaneous black carapace.

— Lord of Shadows.

Unnumbered Sons

His wargear was held in a makeshift armoury Daelus had set up at one side of the room. He left his armour on its stand and dressed himself in a loose tunic and trousers, pulled on his boots, and belted his bolt pistol around his waist. It was freezing in the station, but he didn’t feel it, and besides, nowhere was as cold as those millennia on board Cawl’s vessel. It was good to be out of his armour for a while. He had a loathing of confinement.

— The Great Work.

Areios had a few inches on the Firstborn Messinius. Neither of them wore their armour. Messinius was dressed in simple robes, Areios the off-duty uniform of short-sleeved tunic and trousers common to all the Unnumbered Sons.

— Throne of Light.

Knights Errant (early Grey Knights)

Clad in a long chiton of unadorned grey over a tan bodyglove with plastek-seals over his armour interface sockets, he was armed only with a few gardening tools hanging from a leather work belt.

— Luna Mendex.

Night Lords

In the Night Lords omnibus by ADB, the Night Lords are described as wearing robes or traditional Legion tunics (those of them that can still remove their armour, that is).

I hope this gave you a fair idea of how Space Marines might dress when they're not wearing armour. 😊

If others have more examples, feel free to add them!

[elicathebunny]

HEALTH SHOULD ALWAYS COME FIRST! PRIORITISING HEALTH BEFORE EVERYTHING ELSE TO LOOK GOOD + FEEL GOOD.

People always leave out the basics when it comes to trying to improve their looks. Prioritising health is so important before going in and tempering with your body. Your base is what you work with and you can definitely level up with what you've got naturally.

DIET

Your diet also depends on what your goals are. Someone who wants to build muscle will obviously eat differently from someone who just eats relatively healthy. So identify what your goals are and work your meals around that.

Here are some videos to give you a better insight: HOW I LOSE FAT AND KEEP IT OFF MEANS, WORKOUTS + EVERYTHING ELSE PROTEIN EXPLAINED, STRENGTH, MUSCLES, FAT LOSS & ENDURANCE HOW METABOLISM WORKS

Diet not only makes you feel better from the inside, but it also reflects on your outside. Your skin is a huge display of how you eat.

When you consume junk food, it can show up on your skin as breakouts or dullness. Your skin is one massive organ which soaks up everything put onto it and reflects everything you put inside your body. Fix the problem from the inside before getting confused about why your skincare routine isn't working.

FITNESS

Again, your fitness will differentiate from your goals. So work out your goals and make a plan around that. There are so many forms of fitness, some more intense than others and with different results. Working out in general is good for you, our bodies are meant to move. So even if you don't have a goal, staying active is always recommended.

HOW TO CREATE THE PERFECT WORKOUT PLAN

THE BEST WAY TO GAIN MUSCLE, SCIENCE EXPLAINED SIMPLY

Low-intensity workouts:

Yoga: Focuses on flexibility, strength, and relaxation through various poses and breathing techniques.

Pilates: A low-impact exercise method that strengthens muscles, improves flexibility, and enhances posture.

Walking: Simple yet effective, walking is a great way to improve cardiovascular health and boost mood without high impact.

Swimming: Provides a full-body workout with minimal stress on joints, making it ideal for people with joint issues or injuries.

High-intensity workouts:

HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training): Alternates between short bursts of intense exercise and brief recovery periods to maximize calorie burn and improve cardiovascular fitness.

CrossFit: Combines elements of weightlifting, interval training, gymnastics, and other exercises to build strength, endurance, and overall fitness.

Sprinting: Short, explosive bursts of running at maximum effort, often performed in intervals for cardiovascular conditioning and leg muscle strength.

Circuit Training: Involves moving through a series of exercises targeting different muscle groups with minimal rest in between, combining strength training and cardiovascular exercise.

These are just a few examples, but there are plenty of other workout styles out there to explore depending on your preferences and fitness goals. Walking every day is just a simple way to stay toned.

SLEEP

Sleeping is important for rest and recovery after workouts and energy-consuming activities. Sleep is needed for the brain to function, mood regulation and performance + productivity. Lack of sleep deprives you of all of these things, so getting your beauty sleep is absolutely needed.

School-age children (6-13 years): 9-11 hours per day.

Teenagers (14-17 years): 8-10 hours per day.

Young adults (18-25 years): 7-9 hours per day.

Adults (26-64 years): 7-9 hours per day.

HYGIENE

Upkeeping good hygiene is always needed anyway. Making sure you are clean (smelling good is a plus). Make sure you always wash your hands and take daily showers to remove any dirt on your body (clean those feet and your back well, don't forget them!). Taking care of your oral health must not be forgotten. Oil pulling and brushing your tongue for a healthy mouth. Make sure your hair is also getting the attention to keep it as healthy as you possibly can make it (this also depends on diet). Doing the extra things like spending time on your nails (making sure there isn't that stuff underneath them), making them pretty.

BODY CARE ROUTINE | FOR SMOOTH & GLOWING SKIN, TREATING KERATOSIS PILARIS, SHOWER ROUTINE

ENVIRONMENT

Having a stress-free environment is obviously the best to thrive in. But clearly not even being lucky enough to live like that constantly. So make sure you have that space to be on your own and have some alone time to really recharge. Keeping your space clean for a clear mind. Surround yourself with like-minded people and really set boundaries for those who prey on your mental clarity (energy vampires). Spending time in nature is one of the best ways to detach, rest time should not equal spending time on your devices. Let go and truly let yourself decompress. Mental health will improve how you carry yourself.

EMBODY YOUR POTENTIAL.

[issybee06]

Go big or go home pt 2

Part 2! Hooray!

Uhhh, enjoy? Feast? Idk

🔞

Pt1

…………………………………………………………………………….

When Mark Grayson had come up to you a month ago begging for a fake girlfriend, you didn’t expect to find yourself agreeing.

Or making out with him…

Or fucking him in the back of your car on Prom night behind a McDonald’s. But, you know what they say?

Go big or go home.

“So…why did I have to skip my fifth period for this? Couldn’t we have just gone, I don’t know, after school?” Mark asks, climbing out of the passenger side of the car. You scoff at him, closing the drivers side door.

“Mark, I have practice from 3:30 to 5:00,” You exhale, walking with him to the elevator, “we should have done this a month ago but someone kept bailing out on me!”

He winced, feeling guilty all over again. You were right, every weekend since the agreement you had tried to get him to the mall to go tux hunting, but every weekend something just had to happen. I run away train, monsters trying to tear up the city, his mom did actually need him for something, HE WENT TO FUCKING MARS.

No, he did not tell you this, you had no idea your nerdy awkward friend was the hottest new hero.

He probably would have gotten a lot more than a steamy make out if you knew though…

“When was the last time we hung out?” He asked when the elevator dinged and opened for them. You looked over at him funny, raising a brow, “like, last Wednesday-”

“No, like, before the deal…I can’t remember the last time you came over, or let alone gone to the mall with me.”

You sighed, willing the elevator to go up faster, “Mark…we just, drifted apart.”

“No, you got popular.”

“Really? Now? We’re gonna do this now?” You shoot him a glare and he immediately closes his mouth, bashfully looking down at his scruff up high tops. Fuck, why was he so cute and pathetic and ughhhhhhhh

The elevator stopped and you both let out a sigh in relief.

“Okay, I already have my dress so we just gotta match a tux.” I spoke, grabbing his wrist and tugging him.

He stumbled a bit, cheeks flaring. Shit, no, he was not crushing on you of all people. Not when this whole thing started with him begging you to fake a relationship with him because of a different girl.

You tug him into the store, immediately throwing him into a changing room before he even got to see the tuxes.

“Mark, what size are you again?” You asked, looking at button up shirts. Black. Black was hot and it would looks so fucking good against his skin tone…

“Uhhh…like a large?”

“A large?”

“…yeah.”

You sighed, talking to the curtain, “just take your shirt off and give it to me so I can find your size.”

There was an awkward pause followed by the sound of Rustling fabric, than an arm poking out from between the curtain holding a shirt. You roll your eyes, laughing slightly before grabbing the shirt and looking at the size.

Holy-

You rip the curtain open, causing Mark to let out a girlish scream, “(Y/n)?! What the fuck-”

“Oh my god…YOURE RIPPED!”

He blushes, rubbing his arm awkwardly, “uhhh yes? Yes.”

“What? When?! When did this happen?!” Fucking noodle arm Grayson looked like his biceps were as big as my head-

“…puberty.”

“Puberty?”

He snaps, pointing at you, “yes! Puberty gave me massive muscle.”

“…Mark that’s the dumbest shit I’ve ever heard.”

He whines, closing the curtain on you, “just go and make me look pretty!”

Watching him try on the black button up shirt and pants combo was like getting a magic Mike performance for free, but all his clothes stay on. Your foot tapped on the carpeted floor, biting your lip as he checked himself out in the 3rd outfit we had piece together for him. Shit, this wasn’t good.

“I think this one’s good.” He grinned, turning back to look at you with those dumb puppy dog baby browns. Fuck him and that dorky smile.

“Yeah…me too, fits you really nice,” you swallow, looking at how the pants fit over his ass, “really nice.”

He continued to check himself out, smiling triumphantly in the mirror. This bitch…

“(Y/n) is this what love feels like?” He asks, and you debate on throwing your shoe at him.

……………………….……………………….………………………….

I wonder if Debbie would feel grateful if I murdered her son?

Sitting on the couch with Marks parents was not how you wanted to start Prom, smiling awkwardly in your dark blue dress and picking at the dead skin by your pretty manicured nails.

“One minute (Y/n)! I-uh-gotta fix my hair!”

“But you look fine-”

“Okay, thanks, bye!”

“I’m gonna kill him…” you muttered under your breath, think no one could hear. Nolan coughed, adjusting himself on the couch.

“So…cheerleading, you enjoy that?”

“Uhhh, I guess so?-”

“(Y/N)!”

Mark comes tumbling down the stairs, and no, his hair did not look any better. He look like he just ran here, and you furrowed your brows, “Mark what the fu-”

“Oh! Look how cute you two look! Let’s get pictures!”

“I am really sorry…” he mumbled for the 10th time in a row, looking at you as you drove in silence to the school. You weren’t mad, psh, no, never! Why should you be mad? This wasn’t an actual date at prom, he wasn’t your real boyfriend, this was for a girl who DIDNT EVEN KNOW HIS NAM-

“Mark, really, it’s fine.” You spoke out in a sigh, stopping at the traffic light. It was taking all your strength not to look over at him and drool over hot absolutely hot he looked. The messed up, slightly sweaty, black hair against his flushed skin? Wet. Him in all black with the first few top bottoms of his shirt undo so that his collar bones were on display? You might soak through your underwear.

He on the other hand couldn’t bring himself to pull his eyes off you. It was the first time he saw your dress, and his hands were itching to touch you. You were just so fucking pretty…hair done so nicely, makeup done with purpose, god. You were a vision anyone would choose to stare at for hours on end without growing tired.

What was he doing? Going after some girl he shared one class with who smiled at him one day and in his stupid hormonal teenage boy mind, instantly wanted her? The fuck? You were right there. Gorgeous, witty, funny…

You pulled into the school parking lot and he make a noise in the back of his throat. Fuck, he was hard.

Walking in together was easy, it was the chaos of figuring what the fuck to do next. Do we just hang out? Do we hang out with your friends or William? Or do we go by the girl who Mark honestly had lost interest in the day to kissed him.

“Uhh, I’m gonna get some soda.” You mumbled, walking away in a hurry.

You pour the soda in a clear plastic cup, chugging it before going back for more. This. This might have been the worse torture ever. Not being able to sink your teeth into Mark Graysons perfect neck might kill you.

“Oh my god, I love your dress!”

You jumped and turned to find her, the girl, mystery girl, smiling at you.

Shit was she pretty, soft smile, pretty eyes. She look beautiful in her dress, and your stomach dropped.

“Oh! Thank you! You look amazing!” You put on your best fake smile, that good old cheerleader fake nice.

“Oh…thanks,” she blushed, pouring herself a cup, “you’re here with Mark Graysons right? He is so hot.”

Shit.

“Shit…”

Her eyes widen slightly, and you mentally kick yourself, “Mark? Oh yeah, total babe.”

She laughs off her shock, nodding, “yeah, you’re lucky.”

She smiles again, waving as she leaves you at the table.

Shit.

Mark smiles as you walk back over to him and William, “hey! You good?”

You hum, smiling, “yeah…I, uh, I talked to her.”

“…who?”

You faltered, squinting at him, “the…the fucking girl, Mark.”

He pales, looking as if he was just slapped, “oh…Oh!!! oh, yeah, right…what did she say?”

“Thinks you’re hot.”

His eyes widen, and he nods as he takes in the new information, “huh, why didn’t that make me feel better…”

“What?”

“What?”

You look at him funny, him trying to process shit. He inhaled, “should I,,.talk to her?”

“Yes! Fuck! Go!�� You threw a smile on, reaching up to fix him up a bit, “just be yourself, Kay?”

He nods, softly looking down at you, “okay…yeah, okay.”

He walks off, disappearing into the crowd. I groan, sinking into the chair next to William. He pats my back, tutting, “you poor, poor, fool.”

The night felt like it went on for hours, and after Mark disappeared the whole thing just became unbearable. Your cheer friends laughed and talked about their dresses or their dates or how fucked up they were gonna get at the after parties. If it was any other prom, you would have done the same, but at the moment the only thing you wanted to do was lay on the ground and scream.

Mark hadn’t come back, couldn’t even get a glimpse of him, not even a little text saying everything was going good.

He literally left you at prom, alone. His date!

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid-

“Hey.”

You look up and glare, arms crossed. Here he was, man of the hour with the dumbest, biggest, smile he’s ever worn.

You roll your eyes, “let’s just go.”

The party was already dwindling, most people gone to go to the parties that would rage on till dawn.

He hurried after you, confused by your attitude, “w-wait. Why are you mad?”

“I’m not mad, Mark, I’m hustling tired.” You retort, pulling your heels off before continuing your stride. He stumbles, falling into step with you.

“You are mad. I can tell.” I can hear your heart making angry thumps

“I’m not mad!” You yell, making him jump. You both freeze, staring at one another on the steps in front of the school. You sigh, cheeks flushed from embarrassment.

“I’m not mad…I’m just tired. Can we go now?”

He nods slowly, biting his lip before following to the car. He climbs in silently, a war playing around in his head.

As you drove, he drummed his fingers on his thigh.

“(Y/n)…”

You hummed, not paying him any mind. He winced, sniffing.

“I,uh…I didn’t do it.”

SKREACH!

“What?! What do you mean?!”

He stuttered, not expecting that reaction, “I-i mean I didn’t do it! I-I talked to her, yeah, but…I-we-we talked about something else!” You. We talked about you.

You hit your head against the steering wheel, “Mark. What. The. Fuck? What the fuck man?!”

“We-I realized, in the moment, she was not my type.” He spoke, picking at his nails.

I groan, turning into the McDonalds parking and stopping the car. I turn to him fully, “spill.”

His eyes widen, cheeks flushing, “uh, I-i tried! I tried flirting but nothing was working! Not that she didn’t find me funny it’s just that my heart wasn’t into it! I-I couldn’t flirt with another when…”

He stopped, looking you up and down with that feverish look you only dream about. Your heart stuttered, and you swallowed, “when…when what?”

He licked his lips, and fuck the way his perfect puffy lips looked. He looking into your eyes, “you know why (Y/n)…it’s not fair.”

“Fair? The fuck you mea-”

He slots his lips on yours, body going over to cup your face so tenderly it was as if he was afraid he’d hurt you.

You kissed back, moaning softly before you got tired of his softness and grabbing sides of his face to deepen the kiss.

Mark's eyes widen in surprise as you deepen the kiss, your tongue slipping past his lips. His gripmoves down to your waist, pulling you closer to him. The sudden intensity of the moment washes over him, taking him by surprise.

He can't help but respond, his tongue meeting yours in a heated exchange. The world around him seems to fade away, leaving only the feeling of your lips on his and the sound of his own racing heartbeat.

You moan softly, pulling him closer and biting his bottom lip. Mark's head spins as you pull him closer, his body pressed against yours. Your moan and the bite on his bottom lip send jolts of pleasure through him, igniting something primal within him that he didn't know existed.

His hand moves up your back, tangling in your hair as he moans into the kiss, his tongue tangling with yours in a fierce battle for domination. He suddenly realizes he is very, VERY into this fake dating.

Mark forgets about the world around him, lost in the intense kiss. His body responds to your touch, his hands roaming over your back, exploring every curve and contour. His mind, usually so logical and rational, is completely consumed by desire for you.

He pulls away briefly to catch his breath, panting softly. His eyes meet yours, full of a mixture of surprise, desire, and a hint of something deeper. "Wow." He whispers, his voice hoarse.

“Wow…who taught you how to kiss like that?” You asked, lips brushing against his. He chuckles, peaking your lips, “you…do you know how hot that fist kiss was? I had never been kissed like that before…”

You moan softly, tilting your head up as he began to trail kisses on your neck and collar bone.

“Couldn’t stop thinking of you when I was talking to her…your smile. Your eyes. Your stupid laugh that plays in my head constantly.” He groans against your skin, inhaling the perfume you had put on earlier that night.

“Fuck…it’s always you.” He bit down, and you gasped a shout. Hands found their way into his hair, tugging on the black tuffs of fluff. He moans, sucking and biting more marks into your skin, gripping your hips so hard he was definitely leaving bruises.

“Fuck…c-can we? We don’t have to, but god…I need you so bad.” He whined, forehead resting on your shoulder. You shiver, there was just something so hot about him begging.

“Y-yeah…w-we just can’t make a mess.” You nod, crawling into the back seat.

He’s on top of you in seconds, so fast you blink and he was there. He was grounding his hips into yours, hiking the skirt of your prom dress up to make sure you felt the same friction as he did. He shuttered, mouth on yours as you both took turns swallowing each others moans and groans.

“Baby…I-i need you. Can I have you? I-I promise I won’t hurt you-“

“Mark! Please! Stop talking! I trust you.” You laugh, sitting up with him. This was going to be such an awkward fucking, the backseats were so small but in that moment you two couldn’t seem to care…not when his hands were in your underwear already, playing with your slick folds.

He shuttered, moaning just from the feel of your arousal. The knowledge that you were getting off too was making his head fuzzy.

“I-I don’t know what I’m doing-“

“Oh my god…Mark, are you a virgin?”

He nods shyly and it took all your willpower not to cum at that very moment.

“Oh-okay.” You nod, sitting up more, “we’ll go slow than.”

He nods, swallowing as he continued to clumsily play around with your sex. He didn’t know what to do, it showed, but he was doing something right.

You shuttered, pressing into his hand more, “h-here. Right here.”

He nods, licking his lips as his thumb finds your clit. You clench around nothing, cursing as he swirl his thumb around and around again slowly but firm.

You move your hand up his thigh, causing it to jump at the touch. Hands reach up to the zipper, tugging it down before popping the bottom open.

“Fuck~” he whined, thumb pressing harder making you jerk. Your hand ran over the outline of his cock in his boxes, and he moaned into your neck, “y-yeah…j-just please-touch me.”

Your hand slipping under the band, the heaviness and hotness of his skin was scorching. You pulled him out of his boxers, mouth watering. He wasn’t the biggest, but he was thick. Very thick.

“Oh, fuck…mmhn.” His hips raised, eyes screwing shut as he pants.

“(Y/n)…please…r-ride me? I-I need you so bad, I-“

You nod, hiking your dress up more before moving onto his lap. Pushing your underwear to the side, you swallow as you line him up. He stares up at you, pupils blown wide with love and lust as you hover above him and oh…he was not gonna fit.

You sunk down on him with a shuttered gasp, tears rising as he digs his fingers into your hips and moaned loudly.

“FUCKKK~ you feel so goood…”

You bottomed , panting above him. He tenses, and your brows furrow, “Mark-“

“S-sorry…sorry, I-I’m trying not to cum too fast.”

Oh my godddddd

You probably should have waited, but at that moment you couldn’t take it anymore. You raised your hips, slamming down on him again making his sob a moan.

“(Y/N)! Please, fuck!”

Arms wrapped around his shoulders, his face pressed against your bust as you moved. His needy sounds and the soft thap thap thap filled the car as you moaned, head thrown back as he sinks his teach into you again.

“S-so perfect-fuck-I-I’ve wanted you since freshman year…god, you were always so pretty, so so pretty, you’re so pretty-AH-“

God if he kept talking like that you are gonna cum.

“Mark…p-play with my clit.” You moaned out, grabbing his wrist and pressing it down on the aching pearl. He whines, nodding and moving his fingers the way you had shown him earlier.

Shit, this was too much. For both of you.

His thighs twitched under you, and he bit his lip hard.

“I-I gotta-I can’t-“

“O-one sec-one second.” You moaned, clenching on his dick painfully hard making him struggle to breath.

He whined, holding back as you pulled off him.

“C-can’t cum inside…sorry.” You mumbled, crawling down onto the floor. He cursed, hand covering his mouth as his eyes watched your every move.

He watched you lick your juices off his twitching dick, moaning as you take him.

“Fuck…you’re so hot…”

Hand resting in your ruined hair, urging you to move faster. He doesn’t force, just resting and combing your hair as he withers under you again,

“I-UGH…c-can I cum? Please?”

You slurp, taking as deep as you could before pulling off him, breathing and diving back in. He moans fingers tightening as his abs tense up. Thick, sticky, hot ribbons of cum glide down your throat, and he groans out your name.

Eyes meet yours, so dark and lust blow you can’t tell if the irises are brown or black anymore.

Maybe this wasn’t a bad idea?

[fanaticsnail]

Can you write something romantic for yandere Mihawk? Like a drabble or headcannons?

🐈‍⬛

I don't think I've ever written yandere before, but I wanted to give it a go. I hope this is what you were looking for! 🖤🐌

Obsession

Masterlist here

Word count: 1,200+

Synopsis: Many believe Mihawk keeps the knowledge of his spouse a secret because he is a private man. Truth of it is, he is simply obsessed with you and doesn't believe any other pair of eyes is worthy of meeting their gaze with your majesty.

Themes: yandere!Mihawk x gn!reader, possessive attitude, obsession, infatuation, pining, longing, lusting, love, romance, kissing, yandere trope.

Notes: I will do anything to write a man in love. I love how period-drama romance looks on Mihawk, and I couldn't not write him with a little bit of a possessive flavour. I made the banner with OPLA's Mihawk wanted poster.

Tag list: @since-im-already-here @feral-artistry @mfreedomstuff @gingernut1314 @jintaka-hane @daydreamer-in-training @carrotsunshine @indydonuts @i-am-vita @sordidmusings

While many were aware that Dracule Mihawk was married, they simply presumed he was a very private man. He enjoyed keeping to himself, and allowing himself the courtesy of remaining in solitude with his spouse while tending to his title as World's Greatest Swordsman.

In some aspects, he did. He did enjoy keeping to himself and remaining in solitude while he lived in the high keep of his castle, surrounded by swirled mountains and his well-tended gardens. But at the crux of his entire life, the center of his world and the prized diamond in his vast treasury, was you.

You ruled his heart, controlled his chin and the direction his gaze fell with a simple whisper of a word or the scent of your perfume. He was a man consumed, humbled by his infatuation to the point where his love fell into captivated, depraved fixation.

To put it simply, Dracule Mihawk wanted to keep you all to himself. He was a man consumed by his bewitchment and infatuation with the owner of his heart.

He was never one for sharing, never joining a crew or forming a bond other than rivalry with another person. As soon as he met you, everything changed for him. His heart soared, his breath was stolen from his lungs, and his eyes never strayed from honing in on your beauty.

He wasn't sure what it was you did or didn't do that had him fall to his knees and begin to worship at your altar. All he knew was he wanted you so desperately, craved to be by your side always, and wanted to shy you away from the wandering eyes of all whom he deemed unworthy to have their gaze fall upon your majesty.

When your courtship first commenced, he attempted to keep his tribute humble and small. But as your eyes lit up at the first offer of a simple rose he carved from his favored floral shrubbery, he knew he wanted to spoil you with lavish luxury. Each gift was catered to your interests and tastes, items you never thought he paid enough mind to your conversation while promenading, hand interlaced within the crook of his elbow.

He paid mind to it all. The way your voice changed when speaking on your passions, the questions you asked him about his life before working for the World Government, how you paused in the garden and listened to the sweet chirps of birds begin courting their mates. He hung on your every word, movement and motion.

For someone so stoic and reserved, the way his heart melted for you the moment your eyes met was as if his cold vessel was chaperoned into the bright light of a warm sunset. He couldn't get enough, and when he was certain you returned his love, he refused any exchange of dowry for your hand.

He wanted you to be his just as much as he desired to be yours. That was more than enough for him, and he would never leave you for wanting or without for all the days of your life.

The first time he was summoned to perform his duty as a warlord for the World Government after your marriage, he was overcome with rage at the thought of leaving your side. He almost took the head of the carrier bird with the summons for his assignment, but withheld his violent act at the sight of you offering the bird your Berry, and gifting them your palm filled with sunflower seeds.

As soon as the bird fled, he lifted your palm within his own, brushed the darkened casings of the remains from the seeds' shells, and rose the flesh to his lips to kiss away the indents of pecks the bird left in raised welts on your skin. Cupping his bearded chin, you rose his amber eyes to meet with yours.

“I will return to you,” his voice mourned for you above the softest whisper, “I will always return to you.” Leaning his cheek and chin into your palm, he closed his eyes and furrowed his brows in deep yearning.

“You are always so good to me,” you responded in a tone that mirrored his own, prompting his eyes to snap open and gaze deeply into your own. “I trust you to find your way home once you conclude this contract.” Ushering his face closer to you, you whisper against his lips before fully making contact, “I will be right where you left me, waiting for you to return.”

Mihawk's eyes darkened, his pupils blown black and eclipsing his honey-hue with the intensity of his possessive gaze. He knew he was many things to you, and good was far from a sentiment he held for himself. His desire to keep you secret was not to keep you safely tucked away from those who wished to do him harm, but because he was truly a selfish man.

As your lips closed in around his own, he was ready to commence his enthusiastic consumption of all that you had to offer him. Each kiss he pressed into you felt both like the first time he had ever felt such passion, and the last time he was ever to claim such a prize.

Hands clawing at your hips, he drew you flush with his own and angled his chin to deepen the oscillation. Tongue darting out to taste yours like a delicacy he was never again to roll over his palate, the muscle ground against your lips and lewdly consuming your kiss with lusting desire.

Both pulling away from one another, he rested his forehead against yours and took a moment to catch his breath. Eyes closed and brow lowered, he shared breaths with you and savored every moment you shared with one another.

“I crave the day we meet again, my precious consort,” he pressed his lips to your forehead, “My guiding light to point me home,” his lips dart down to claim your cheek beneath it, “The crown jewel in my treasury, and reigning monarch of my very soul.” He pressed a chaste and longing kiss once more against your lips before pulling away.

“Always so charming, my love,” you smile up at him, removing your hands from his face and smoothing over his leather shoulder pads of his outer great-cloak. “I will be right here ready to receive you, as I always am.”

“My beloved,” he whispered, his eyes falling half-lidded and dark eyelashes fluttering from your lengthy confession.

“My dear,” you breathed his whisper within your chest and replaced it with your own. You pressed your lips to his cheek, an offer of your blessing to embark on the next chapter of his journey.

Dracule Mihawk was a man consumed with the love he had for his counterpart. He rued each day to depart from your side, and would have no quarrel with offering his opinion as such to the official whom summoned him.

Truthfully, he was a man infatuated by his spouse that it bordered on domination by his strongest emotions, but choosing to keep them beneath the surface to not tighten you with his intensity. It was his addiction, his fix in a world full of darkness and torment.

He was your loyal zealot, knight and fierce protector, and you...

You were his obsession.

[yuikomorii]

Ayato: Idol AU Headcanons

// Since you guys enjoyed my DL K-pop AU posts, I decided to write some HCs about Ayato, because he was the most talked about. In this AU, the Sakamakis aren’t actual brothers, nor are they vampires; the group’s concept is just the one of a vampire family. Some details here are based on true things about Ayato but have been slightly tweaked to better fit the idol AU. Hope you enjoy! ❤️

He was once a basketball player and even served as the captain of his team. His dedication to the sport often led him to compete in numerous tournaments, causing him to skip many classes.

Ayato was scouted for his visuals. The CEO of REJET LABELS noticed his youthful yet refined features while Ayato was casually walking home from high school.

A former classmate confirmed Ayato’s popularity at school. She also mentioned that people would randomly take pictures of him on the street, and a bunch of his photos are used on Pinterest for inspiration.

Even before starting his trainee period, Ayato was already quite good in both slow and freestyle dancing. After beginning his training, he discovered his rapping abilities.

As a trainee, the first person Ayato befriended was Laito, who remained his closest companion even after debuting. The two are often spotted hanging out together.

Ayato hates doing aegyo. However, during a special episode of the variety show MUKBROS, Kou dared him to sing and dance to a cute song. The performance went extremely viral, skyrocketing his popularity. Despite this success, Ayato has admitted that the experience still gives him PTSD.

Ayato is in high demand for brand deals and appears to be everywhere. Rumor has it he’s poised to become the next Chanel ambassador. Unfortunately, this has led some solo fans of other members to accuse him of favoritism, casting him in a negative light.

He is the first member of the SAKAMAKIS to appear in Vogue, where he was officially recognized as the "IT boy."

He was ranked 1st in top 100 most beautiful faces (male version); one of the reasons why he gained the “Visual God” title within the idol community.

His best known controversy involves plastic surgery. Netizens noticed changes in Ayato’s nose and jaw when comparing his pre-debut photos and videos to his current appearance. A bunch of Dialovers took his side, attributing the changes to puberty, yet others strongly disagreed, spreading hate by making posts about him looking “botched.”

Last year, he partnered with soloist Cardia as a MC. This experience had a mixed impact on Ayato’s image. While some criticized him for occasionally forgetting his lines or laughing and posing in front of the camera while Cardia consistently gave her all, others came to his defense. Many fans and non-fans argued that the criticism was too harsh, pointing out that Ayato was never intended to be the spokesperson of his group, but Reiji. They also emphasized that it was unfair to compare someone with no prior experience to someone used to give speeches.

When asked who he considers the best-looking person he knows, he confidently answered, while giggling, "myself." Shu then posed the same question but added a rule: he couldn’t choose himself again. In response, Ayato admitted that Cardia is a close second.

Despite this, the biggest dating rumor surrounding Ayato involved a possible relationship with the daughter of one of the staff members. Diapatch spotted Ayato with a blonde girl at a private event, and sasaengs later reported seeing them holding hands late at night. Whether they are actually dating remains unclear, but the rumors enraged many of Ayato’s solo stans. Some were so upset that they filmed themselves destroying his PCs and degrading the girl online.

The hate train quickly faded, especially after Ayato's successful solo debut. His fancams went viral, with his styling making him truly resemble a Vampire Prince. This reminded netizens of his iconic performance on MUKBROS, leaving them stunned by his duality. On top of that, his noticeable improvement silenced critics who had dismissed him as "just a visual."

When asked which idol he’d like to get to know better, he mentioned soloist KINO from the same company. A few months later, KINO invited him to his limited-edition web show, where they had the chance to interact, play games and even filmed a TikTok together afterward.

It’s rumored that not only REJET LABELS, but also other companies pressure idols into plastic surgery to resemble Ayato. This theory gained credibility when Zen from Un: Birthday Song looked different in middle school but began resembling Ayato after becoming a trainee, securing his debut spot in a reality competition.

People who have seen Ayato describe him as having an arrogant and bold presence on stage, perfectly fitting his vampire idol persona. However, off-stage, he’s known to be kind to his fans and happy to engage in casual conversations. Recently, a Dialover shared their experience meeting Ayato, saying, “In MVs and concerts he appears untouchable, but in real life, you realize he’s just a normal handsome boy.”

He is frequently described as the ideal type in street interviews, admired for his stunning looks, hardworking nature, and confident personality. Moreover, many trainees have cited him as their role model.

[soleauclub]

The Hot Girl’s Guide to Starting Your Cycle-Syncing Era

by Soleau Club

Let’s get one thing straight—your period isn’t a burden, it’s a built-in wellness blueprint. And once you start living with your cycle instead of fighting it? You unlock a whole new level of hot girl harmony. Think: clearer skin, better workouts, fewer cravings, and a body that feels in sync instead of constantly out of whack.

Welcome to your Cycle Syncing Era. It’s giving intuitive. It’s giving balanced. It’s giving biohacked bombshell energy.

Here’s how to start syncing without making it a whole complicated science project:

Step One: Know the Four Phases (Like You Know Your Ex’s Red Flags)

Menstrual (Days 1–5): You’re bleeding, your hormones are at their lowest, and your body wants rest.

Follicular (Days 6–13): Estrogen’s rising, energy’s back, creativity is peaking—hello, glow-up.

Ovulatory (Days 14–17): You’re fertile, magnetic, and thriving. Peak social and sexy energy.

Luteal (Days 18–28): Progesterone kicks in. It’s giving cozy, inward vibes. Think nesting, not networking.

Knowing where you are = knowing how to treat your body like the goddess she is.

Step Two: Eat for Your Cycle (No Sad Salads Here)

Each phase craves different support. You don’t have to be perfect, just intentional.

Menstrual: Iron-rich comfort foods—think leafy greens, stews, dark chocolate, bone broth.

Follicular: Light + fresh meals—grain bowls, smoothies, salmon, sprouts.

Ovulatory: High fiber, high antioxidants—lots of fruit, raw veg, and lean protein.

Luteal: Complex carbs + magnesium-rich foods. Think sweet potatoes, lentils, dark chocolate.

Your cravings aren’t random. They’re signals. Learn the language.

Step Three: Sync Your Workouts

Working out smarter > harder.

Menstrual: Stretching, walking, yin yoga. Nap girl movement.

Follicular: Try something new—Pilates, strength training, hikes. Energy’s high.

Ovulatory: Go off—this is your time to lift heavy, dance, do a sweaty HIIT class.

Luteal: Slow it down with resistance training, sculpting workouts, and barre.

If you’re tired, you’re not lazy. You’re just human. Work with your waves.

Step Four: Glam Up Your Routine Accordingly

Menstrual = heat packs, oils, naps, your softest robe

Follicular = beauty appointments, travel, creative projects

Ovulatory = date nights, content shoots, bold lipstick

Luteal = skin masks, journaling, clearing your space

Life starts feeling so much easier when you stop fighting your body and start flowing with her.

Cycle syncing is the ultimate hot girl hack because it puts you back in the driver’s seat. You don’t need to push, punish, or perform 24/7. You just need to align.

Follow @soleauclub for more biohacked beauty, hormone balance tips, and high-vibe living without the hustle.

[kiserspeaks]

Fats: The Good, The Bad and the Essential for High-Perforance Athletes

Introduction

In the world of elite sports, especially for pre-pubescent and pubescent teenagers on the developmental track, nutrition plays a pivotal role. Among the various nutrients, fats often get a bad rap. However, not all fats are created equal. For high-performance athletes, understanding the different types of fats, their benefits, and their potential downsides is crucial. This knowledge can help them achieve and maintain optimal performance, particularly during these critical stages of growth and development. Moreover, fats are not just about physical performance—they also play a significant role in mental health, anxiety, and mental fatigue, which are vital aspects for athletes training at intense levels.

The Good Fats

Good fats, also known as healthy fats, include unsaturated fats such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These fats are essential for several bodily functions and can significantly benefit athletes.

Monounsaturated Fats

Monounsaturated fats are found in foods like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. These fats help:

Reduce inflammation, which is crucial for recovery after intense training sessions.

Maintain healthy cholesterol levels, supporting cardiovascular health.

Provide a steady source of energy, essential for prolonged physical activity.

Polyunsaturated Fats

Polyunsaturated fats include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish (like salmon and mackerel), walnuts, and flaxseeds, are particularly beneficial for athletes:

Omega-3 Fatty Acids:

Reduce Inflammation: This helps in quicker recovery and less muscle soreness.

Improve Cardiovascular Health: Vital for endurance and stamina.

Support Brain Health: Essential for cognitive function, which can enhance focus and decision-making during competitions.

Enhance Mental Health: Omega-3s are known to alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression, helping athletes maintain a positive mindset.

The Bad Fats

Bad fats refer primarily to trans fats and excessive saturated fats. These fats can negatively impact an athlete's health and performance.

Trans Fats

Trans fats are artificially created through hydrogenation and are commonly found in processed foods, baked goods, and fried items. They can:

Increase bad cholesterol (LDL) levels while lowering good cholesterol (HDL) levels.

Lead to inflammation, negatively affecting recovery and overall health.

Increase the risk of heart disease, which can compromise an athlete's stamina and endurance.

Saturated Fats

While not all saturated fats are harmful, excessive consumption can pose risks. Saturated fats are found in animal products like red meat, butter, and full-fat dairy. High intake can:

Raise cholesterol levels, potentially leading to cardiovascular issues.

Contribute to weight gain if not balanced with other nutrients and physical activity.

The Essential Fats for High-Performance Athletes

For athletes, particularly pre-pubescent and pubescent teenagers, incorporating essential fats into their diet is critical. These fats support growth, development, and performance.

Importance for Physical Health

Energy Production: Fats are a dense source of energy, providing 9 calories per gram. This energy is crucial for endurance sports and intense training sessions.

Hormone Production: Fats are necessary for the production of hormones, including those that regulate growth and metabolism.

Cell Membrane Integrity: Fats are a vital component of cell membranes, aiding in nutrient absorption and waste elimination.

Importance for Mental Health

Brain Health: Essential fatty acids like omega-3s are crucial for brain development and function. They support cognitive processes, memory, and focus.

Mental Fatigue: A well-balanced diet with adequate fats can help prevent mental fatigue, allowing athletes to maintain high levels of concentration during training and competition.

Anxiety and Mood: Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. For young athletes, managing mental health is as important as physical health, given the pressures of high-level training and competition.

What to Include in the Diet

Fatty Fish: Salmon, mackerel, and sardines are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds provide a mix of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Avocados: Rich in monounsaturated fats, they are great for heart health and energy.

Olive Oil: A healthy alternative for cooking, providing monounsaturated fats.

Dark Chocolate: In moderation, dark chocolate can be a good source of healthy fats and antioxidants.

What to Avoid

Processed Foods: These often contain trans fats, which are detrimental to health and performance.

Fried Foods: High in unhealthy fats and can lead to weight gain and inflammation.

Excessive Red Meat: While it can be part of a balanced diet, consuming it in large quantities can increase saturated fat intake.

Conclusion

For high-performance athletes, especially those in their developmental years, understanding the role of fats in their diet is essential. Good fats support physical health, enhance performance, and are crucial for mental well-being. By focusing on healthy sources of fats and avoiding the bad ones, athletes can ensure they are fueling their bodies and minds for optimal performance and long-term success.

[thefrogman]

Late Night Hosts: A Retrospective.

After the success of this post...

I noticed people seemed interested in the history and personalities of late night comedians. Especially all the youngins who weren't around yet. These hosts were a big part of my comedy training. So I thought I'd share with you what I remember of my comedy analysis and some personal context showing what made them tick.

I will be covering Johnny Carson, Jay Leno, David Letterman, and Conan O'Brien.

And if this post is successful, I will do Craig Ferguson, Jimmy Kimmel and all of the newest hosts.

Almost all of this is from memory, so a few details could be inaccurate. But I used to set up 2 VCRs so I could record Jay, Dave, and Conan each night. I watched Conan from show #1. That was 1993 (I was 12 then) and I did this for several years.

I would also get a bit of Carson Daly on the tape and just be flabbergasted someone gave him a television show.

Even Kermit was like, "How is this guy more of a fucking muppet than I am?"

I would watch my tapes and study them and take notes. I would do little comedy exercises. I tried to write a Letterman Top 10 List (I called it a "top 7½ list" because I feared the copyright police). I wrote monologue jokes about celebrities. And I tried creating silly characters like on Conan.

I was a big comedy nerd as a teenager, what can I say?

I even created an alter ego called "Bob the Frog" who was basically a ripoff of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and Don Rickles. "Bob" wrote a comedy newsletter (I still have it somewhere) that I passed around to my classmates in junior high. This frog alter ego was my first attempt at comedy writing. (If you've ever wondered why I am "The Frogman", now you know.)

The first few were really bad. Then I got better and my friends started asking if I had written anything new. It was my first taste of making people laugh and I was hooked. I knew comedy would be a part of my life from then on.

I learned that I hated insult comedy. I felt too guilty. The only person I felt comfortable saying bad things about was myself. So "Bob" would say I was a lame dorktopus.

Eventually, I did stand-up until I was too sick to perform (1999-2003). I was just getting good so that was a very difficult period of my life. It felt like my dream was snatched away by my poor health.

On a whim, my best friend Tru McGowan convinced me to start a comedy Tumblr in 2009. At first I was really bad. I was used to stand-up where you had a new crowd each time and you could polish jokes until they were perfect. The hardest thing about internet comedy (much like late night comedy) is that everything is your *first* draft.

I'm not sure if people realize how difficult first draft comedy truly is. You can get decent at predicting what an audience will laugh at. But it is *never* a sure thing. Things you work on for days and are positive people will love... they will bomb horrifically. Things you write in 20 seconds and post on a lark... they go viral to a few million people.

But the greatest tragedy of all is when you post something with potential and it bombs. You know if you could workshop it with a proper crowd over a week or a month, you could make something amazing.

But it is already out there.

Your entire following saw it.

It is what it is.

That is some genuine 2009 Froggie comedy right there.

I just put text on a picture. I mean, this dude definitely wanted to bang that rancor and his dream was crushed just like its head. There is a joke there. And lolcat style text-on-a-picture was the comedy fad.

But "Gay for Rancors" got 15 pity notes and that was the end of my exploration of rancor fetish jokes.

Soon I started putting a little more effort into my originals. Somehow Photoshopping this bacon on a string got me 50 notes.

And I was never one to shy away from capitalizing on a current meme, so this accrued 143 notes (viral for Tumblr in 2009).

I got to know my audience. I started understanding what worked and what didn't. I did a lot of experimenting and eventually I started understanding this new comedy medium. If you are weird and put forth enough effort, people will reward you.

As an internet "first draft" comedian, I feel a spiritual connection to late night comedians. They have one day to write 15-20 minutes of material and once they send it out into the world... that's it. No second chance.

I think studying Conan and Dave helped prepare me for my blog. I still prefer polishing material over time, but I'm so glad I could rise to the occasion when circumstances demanded I "first draft" my entire comedy career.

So...

Let's get started.

Heeeeeeeeeeere's Johnny!

Johnny Carson

I missed out on peak Johnny. But I have watched a bunch of those compilation videos with highlights from the show. I mean, I used to watch the 3am infomercial for those compilation videos. So I feel like I am still qualified to analyze him as a long-time student of comedy.

I started becoming aware of comedy right as Johnny was retiring. I literally studied it like a subject at school while not studying actual subjects at school. And the late night shows were some of the best learning tools available (aside from getting stand-up specials from Blockbuster). You got to see comedy every night and a variety of comedians with different styles.

Johnny was the best at the traditional late-night monologue. It's not that the jokes were funnier. Honestly, it is impossible to write 5 minutes of stand-up in a day that can give you anything more than a chuckle. But the audience knows that and it causes something I call "forgiveness comedy." People will adjust what they think is funny depending on the circumstances. If they know you had a day to write something, the audience will consider that and be primed to laugh more at less funny material. Especially if they like the comic.

The best example is improv. An audience will forgive the joke quality just because they are amazed it is coming straight off the dome (that isn't always true, improv is more magic trick than spontaneity, but that is another post). But if you tried to perform that same improv as a polished stand-up act, it would likely bomb. The brain adjusts to context.

Johnny took advantage of this and where he really shined was in between the written jokes. His bombs were opportunities. He would react with some self-deprecating remark and get a bigger laugh for making fun of his shitty joke. Basically, when Johnny was in trouble he was at his best. His reactions were what made him so loved.

His most famous reaction-style comedy was probably the tomahawk demonstration. I think this was one of the longest sustained audience laughs in history—which, sadly, the video cuts off. I think it was 4 minutes total.

Johnny was also a very good interviewer in the sense that he knew when to give people space. He didn't try to compete with all the funny people he invited on. He was a comedy support system and only stepped in when things went off the rails.

There were also his masterful softballs. (Sorry, I should explain I came up with my own comedy terms. They may or may not be actual comedy parlance.)

A softball is an easy setup for a joke (large balls are easier to hit). A conversational premise without a punchline. If you are riffing with another comedian and you know their strengths, you can set them up for a joke and let them take the punchline. This is a thankless comedy skill because you are giving away the glory to someone else. But being good at softballs often takes more creativity and skill than coming up with the punchline. Johnny knew he was speaking with some of the funniest people on the planet. And their success was his success. So he was always happy to set people up for hilarity.

Johnny was also a good sport. His friends would come on and make fun of him and he often laughed the loudest of anyone. Or pretended to be hurt for extra laughs. Rich Little and Tom Smothers would do impressions of Johnny in front of Johnny. I think this helped popularize the Friar's Club roasts around that time, of which Johnny was a roastee.

Johnny got along with everyone. I think the most endearing thing about his Tonight Show was that he was just trying to make sure everyone had a good time. It was fun. It was chill. It was comfort after a long day, like a television version of a warm hug. Many people would joke that is how they fell asleep each night.

There was one aspect of his show I have mixed feelings about. Johnny started the career of almost every comedian performing in the 80s. He would invite the new comics on the scene to do their "tight 5" toward the end of the show. It was a poorly kept secret that if he invited them to "the couch" for an interview, they were in. He was christening them a comedy star. Robin Williams, Ellen DeGeneres, Louie Anderson, Roseanne Barr, Jay Leno, David Letterman, Steven Wright, David Brenner, Drew Carey, Garry Shandling, Eddie Murphy.

And we can't forget Yakov Smirnoff.

Johnny was basically the all-powerful comedy judge. It was seen as a huge honor to be invited to the couch. But if you had a bad night or a bad audience or just weren't ready, that could end or set back your career in a huge way.

You either got a sitcom or a job at McDonald's.

Jay Leno

Jay was known as a very good road comedian. He was a very hard worker who would perform *anywhere* just to get experience. He performed at strip clubs and crappy hotel bars and those weird corporate events where you have to come up with jokes for vacuum salesman or mortgage analysts. You have to use hyperspecific industry terms and include employees in the audience. John Mulaney recently made the news for one of these gigs.

Actually, let me give corporate comedy writing a try...

"Vacuum salesmen are the only ones who can start their pitch with how much their product sucks.

Suction, am I right, fellas? Good suction sells itself. Bob's wife knows what I'm talking about. She can hit 20 kPa, easy. Heyoooo!

She's still no Miele C3 canister vacuum with included HEPA filtration. That thing has more new attachments than the CEO's hair.

Your plugs aren't fooling anyone, Steve!"

Though Jay started out working mostly clean, so I'm not sure he would have rated the suction of Bob's wife in kilopascals. Working clean meant he could do his act just about anywhere. But don't confuse him with a "clean" comedian.

Froggie Comedy Tangent

A comedian who happens to work clean can be funny. But a "clean comedian" will make you wonder how you are suddenly in Branson sitting next to a youth pastor and his flock. If they specifically brand themselves as "clean," you're just going to get thinly veiled (or blatant) conservative comedy. It will technically be apolitical, but all the subtext is MAGA.

I call it "I remember that" comedy. Because every laugh is derived from "Hey, that's that thing I know! I remember that!"

There is a thing called "Dry Bar Comedy" and their entire deal is inviting clean comedians to do shows. The non-drunk audiences (Get it? DRY bar) are laughing their heads off and it is so confusing.

I keep going "Wait, when did he tell a joke?"

They don't have to tell jokes!

They just have to talk about the "good old days" and people will be like, "I remember Cabbage Patch Kids!" and laugh at something resembling a punchline. Or sometimes there isn't a punchline—just a declarative statement that sort of goes up at the end.

I could have a lucrative comedy career just saying things like, "Do you remember G.I. Joe? I sure do miss when toys didn't have pronouns."

*uproarious laughter*

Almost every comedian that performs at the Dry Bar has a bit about spanking and ADHD.

"Kids these days have it easy. If you talk back to your daddy, you get a time out. Can you believe that? When I talked back to my dad, he made me pick out my own switch!"

*uproarious laughter*

"We didn't have ADD back then. We just had misbehaving children and a belt."

*uproarious laughter*

Comedians like Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno worked clean but it wasn't a moral thing. It just wasn't necessary for their material and was more marketable for gigs. They told real jokes with a premise and a punchline. They did the work and earned their laughs.

END OF TANGENT

It's weird to think Jay was once a respected and talented stand-up. Looking back, his material was... jokes for your dad. That's the best I can describe it. Not dad jokes, but jokes dads liked. Clever observations that would make dads go, "It do be like that!" Not really my thing, but he was good at it and he still draws decent crowds to this day. I mean, they all need walkers to get into the theater, but he packs the place with geriatrics wanting to laugh at Monica Lewinsky and OJ Simpson like the old days. Spoiler, Monica was a slut and Jay thinks OJ did it.

Jay did an adequate job on The Tonight Show. He was an okay interviewer and guests felt safe going on. They knew he wasn't going to talk about anything too embarrassing (with one major exception being Hugh Grant after he was caught with a sex worker).

Jay relied on bits that he knew worked and never really strayed once he had a working formula. He would read funny headlines. He would do his "Jaywalking" remotes where he found stupid people and used deceptive editing to make it seem like everyone he talked to was that stupid. Jay is really into things showing the decline of America in relation to the WWII generation.

Jay was the status quo comedian. He never really had "moments" that stood out and became legendary. Johnny had an entire DVD business just selling old clips from his Tonight Show. They were filled with moments that were so spontaneously and authentically hilarious that they stood the test of time. But trying to find a "greatest hits" compilation of Jay Leno's run will just leave you bored.

If you search YouTube for Jay's best moments, you just get a bunch of his "Headlines" segments. He's literally just reading clips from the newspaper.

As I mentioned in my other post, when he isn't in comedian mode, Jay Leno seems like a decent guy. He treated his staff very well and his work as a car historian is near academic level. When you hear him talk about old cars you feel like you are spending a weekend with your grandpa. So Jay's mean spirited monologues just seemed out of place and I think looking back, they ruined any chance he had at a legacy.

He just took cheap shots at celebrities and politicians and people in the news. And he did it relentlessly whether people deserved it or not.

Yes, every host at the time did this. But Dave felt like he was going through the motions and doing the monologue just because it was part of the format. His heart wasn't in it and he much preferred bantering with Paul Schaffer in the band than telling jokes about celebrities he doesn't actually care about. He was more interested in getting to the desk and doing his "real" comedy.

And Conan's jokes about celebrities were more silly than mean. He'd make fun of Tom Cruise or someone and then do the string dance.

But Jay would go dark. He had a smile on his face and it sounded like he was "just joking" but after hearing about Monica Lewinsky's story, Jay Leno's "just joking" was different. I remember Jay Leno making fun of that poor woman who had McDonald's coffee burn her vagina off. He probably got a few months of jokes out of that. He was such a nice guy outside of his comedy and looking back it seemed so out of place. But I think he did cheap shots because it was an easy laugh and he figured the famous weren't "real people."

If Jay was in head-to-toe denim, he was a solid dude.

If he was in a suit, he was an asshole.

Jay never stopped doing stand-up. You can catch a show this weekend if you want. Jay really likes to pepper in some classic 90s jokes about celebrities we have mostly forgotten. As I mentioned in my other post, I've heard him do Monica Lewinsky jokes as recent as 2019. They aren't part of his written material. They are usually ad-libs and callbacks. Like if Jay was fixing a car and someone said, "We need to suck the air out of these tires." There is a 90% chance Jay would respond, "Boy, where's Monica when you need her?"

He still does the "jokes your dad would like" material in his personal act. But they are much more like his Tonight Show monologues than his old stand-up. Easy jokes without much thought. Instead of his classic clever observations, he mostly complains about modernity, ad nauseam.

Actual joke...

"Have you seen these phones on your wrist? And you thought BUTT DIALING was bad!"

Get it? He's saying people are masturbating and accidentally calling people. Which completely misunderstands... no one talks on the phone, Jay. It's 2025 and we all have anxiety. Maybe you could do wank texting?

Okay, Jay. How about this as a joke, complete with a 90s reference...

"Have you seen these people wearing phones on their wrists? I guess they finally solved butt dialing!

But after they see a sexy picture of Cindy Crawford, Apple tells them they have 30,000 steps for the day!"

A famous fun fact is that he never spent any of his Tonight Show money. He lives off the interest and income doing stand-up. While he was host of The Tonight Show he still did stand-up just about every weekend. *I* think that *he* thinks that gives him working class cred despite his enormous wealth and caravan of supercars.

I'm glad his money allowed him to become the world's greatest car historian. I'm happy there is someone like him doing proper car conservation. His restoration of the Chrysler turbine car was fantastic. That is a neat piece of engineering and car history.

Jay never had a sex scandal and seems to love his wife. He's taking care of her as she battles dementia. I do feel sorry he is going through that.

Those are the nice things I can say about him.

But I think Monica Lewinsky and Conan O'Brien should be allowed one giant kick in the nuts.

David Letterman

Conan O'Brien wasn't the first person Jay Leno screwed over with The Tonight Show. David Letterman was actually Johnny Carson's favorite guest host. But he was quirky and experimental. The network liked Jay Leno's safer style.

It was a big controversy at the time and they even made a weird movie about it called The Late Shift. Pretty much every person portrayed claims it is horribly inaccurate. The actors they cast looked like when you draw from memory.

The big joke at the time was about the ridiculous chin prosthetic. Did you know Jay has a sizeable chin? Let's get Stan Winston away from Terminator 2 to make this bigass chin.

Dave started out as a TV weatherman. But once he got popular doing stand-up, they gave him a morning show. They tried to make him Regis Philbin. But he sucked at being Regis. Only Regis could be that excitable in the morning. Dave wasn't really a "morning" comedy guy so that was quickly cancelled.

In 1982, he got the Late Night show at 12:30am after Carson on NBC. No one paid much attention to him and he realized that. I think that excited him and he was just like...

Dave and his team created some of the most experimental comedy on broadcast TV up until that point. He was basically unsupervised in a comedy laboratory for over a decade.

He wore an Alka Seltzer suit and dunked himself in water.

He wore a Velcro suit and hurled himself against a wall.

Looking back I'm realizing he did a lot of suit based humor.

He had a very long running gag with character actor Calvert DeForest who Dave called Larry "Bud" Melman. He was a bit like a sidekick.

Calvert was this cute old man and would literally do *anything* Dave and the writers asked. He had no fear. He had no shame. He would often go to random places and interview people. But he was really bad at following the scripted material and would get confused and forget the jokes. He didn't understand how microphones worked. Any segment with him would go off the rails because he never quite understood the premise. Dave loved this tiny, elderly ball of chaos. The trainwreck was the joke.

Dave helped Super Dave Osbourne get his incompetent daredevil schtick out there. He let Andy Kaufman get in a fight with someone and no one could tell if it was a bit. (10:30)

Johnny and Jay's Tonight Show was where all the normie comedians went to get their big break. Dave was where the weirdos flocked to. And some of them were terrible, but they were *always* fascinating. I don't think Frank Zappa would have his cult following without Dave.

Dave was the first to regularly do "remote" humor where he'd just go out into the world and get into trouble with real people. The segments were great but Dave struggled with social anxiety. So that eventually evolved into Dave hiding in a van and making a Chinese-American deli owner named Rupert Jee repeat awkward things said in a hidden earpiece.

Dave's interview style was erratic. He was a very good host as long as he liked his guest. He loved having a real conversation with a fascinating person. He rivaled Craig Ferguson when those conditions were present. But if he didn't care for them, things would either get very awkward or very boring.

He didn't like pop celebrities who didn't have genuine talent. Paris Hilton or Kim Kardashian would have driven him nuts and he would purposely seem bored when interviewing someone like that. Dave had trouble "faking it." And instead of Jimmy Fallon's cringe fake laughter, Dave would just appear utterly uninterested.

But if he didn't like someone and chose awkward over boring... hoo boy... it was *really* awkward. And Dave relished in the discomfort.

Madonna (who Dave acknowledged as genuinely talented) was unhappy about his monologue jokes. Essentially he alluded to her being a bit of a slut. It was typical Late Night comedy fodder at the time. I'm not endorsing it, I'm just saying everyone did it and society didn't have a problem with it at the time. She released a book about sex called... "Sex." Then she released an artistic softcore black and white erotic music video that most people felt was... more strange than sexy. She just kinda talk-singed to the same loop and made out with a dude while clips of a dancer in full body spandex came out of nowhere.

The Wayne's World parody was much better and somehow less weird.

Needless to say, people made fun of this pivot to weird erotic art.

In any case, Dave had Madonna on and she turned the weird up to 11. I think she was trying to get back at Dave, but it had the opposite effect. He saw where things were going and he just kinda... "let her cook."

He was delighted to watch the train wreck unfold.

I mean, she was right. She was being slut shamed—by everyone, not just Dave. But she was so overtly odd that it was hard for people to hear that conversation within the chaos. And the only thing the mainstream news cared about was her potty mouth.

On the other hand, he liked Drew Barrymore a lot. Drew was a very good actress and she was charming and funny. She was just as weird as Madonna, but it was not oppressively weird.

I think Dave saw her more as a daughter figure. Or maybe he wanted to and was ashamed he wasn't successful? Or she made it difficult for him to be a father figure? Because she saw him as a... umm... daddy figure? He enjoyed her company but was uncomfortable with her affection, so her interview was awkward in a different way. This was especially famous because she ended up flashing him for his birthday.

Dave was complicated. He was a former alcoholic. He suffered from social anxiety while having the world's most social job. He was the most private public figure you could imagine. He managed to have a sex scandal that no one seems to know about or talk about. He was involved with his personal assistant who regularly appeared on the show. Then her roommate tried to blackmail Dave for two million dollars by threatening to expose the affair. Dave decided to just fess up and helped the authorities with a sting operation to catch the extortionist.

Dave was self-conscious and neurotic. I don't think he liked himself for a very long time. Which is probably why he tried to blow up his life and family. But he loved his son and once that love took hold he seemed to get his shit together. He seemed like a different person. I liked Dave's comedy much more when his life was a hot mess. But I liked Dave as a person much more when he started choosing good behaviors. Much like Jimmy Kimmel, family seemed to make him a better person.

Dave pushed the late night format to the limit and inspired an entire generation of comedians. He encouraged them to try risky things and experiment and became the comedy mentor that Jay Leno wishes he was.

Also he loved his mom and sent her to the Olympics and it was the cutest thing ever.

I'm a sucker for people who love their moms.

Conan O'Brien

Conan was my comedy idol. If you have followed my comedy over the years, you might have noticed a similar embrace of... intelligent silliness.

Stupid smart?

He was a magna cum laude Harvard graduate and a clown without the makeup. He was originally a comedy writer and head of the famous Harvard Lampoon humor magazine. He went on to write for The Simpsons and SNL.

He wrote that monorail episode.

Every Conan fan who wants to share a fun fact will make sure you know he wrote the monorail episode. Kumail Nanjiani did a great bit about this during Conan's Mark Twain Prize ceremony (it's on Netflix).

After Jay took over The Tonight Show and Dave gave NBC the finger and left for CBS, the "Late Night" slot needed a new host. And Lorne Michaels decided this pale redheaded giant from the SNL writing staff might be a good choice. No one had any clue who he was. No one had any confidence in his success—including Conan.

And the only person who saw a spark of genius was... David Letterman. (2:20)

Conan just started cranking out as much weird comedy as he could. The Masturbating Bear, Pimpbot 5000, FedEx Pope. There was a pooping robot at some point.

They had a sizeable robot budget.

He was the true spiritual successor to Dave's 80s Late Night show. By this time Dave mellowed out and didn't have the motivation and hunger to innovate like he used to. So Conan filled that role.

I think the reason Conan appealed to me specifically was because I saw a lot of myself in him. I was good at a lot of different styles of comedy—I had this almost shapeshifting ability to customize my humor to the person or audience I was entertaining. But eventually I decided I just wanted to make people feel good. I had to pick a style and stick with it. I wanted to make comedy comfort food that wasn't dumbed down or patronizing. It could be stupid and corny but I didn't want my audience to feel like they were stupid for liking it.

I don't know if I'm making any sense.

Conan was a genuinely nice guy and a constant people pleaser. He didn't have an edge and he didn't need one. He could do innovative comedy without punching down, without trying to push any offensive lines, without saying fucked up shit just to see if he could get away with it.

I'm not even knocking comedians who are skilled at dancing on the line. Some of my favorites of all time played with the line. Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Chris Rock.

Louis CK and Dave Chappelle before they...

*heavy sigh*

But so many comedians at the time thought that was an easy path to success. They didn't realize you had to be incredibly funny in order to stand next to or jump over the line. You had to compensate with amazing jokes to get away with it. But that takes effort and talent and finesse. They preferred laziness and brute forcing edgelord material.

And that is how we got a gaggle of Joe Rogans.

Hmm, we need a better collective noun.

That is how we got an ivermectin of Joe Rogans.

Conan was unapologetically silly. But it had this foundation of intelligence in the subtext. And every once in a while, he'd let an Abe Lincoln fun fact slip out (he could be a legit Lincoln historian if he wanted to). He made comedy for smart people who needed to turn down the volume of their brain for a bit.

Thinking is exhausting sometimes, but you can't shut it off completely.

Conan struggled for several years to find an audience. I think he was on the verge of cancellation every few weeks. I watched him every night from the first show. I started to see what Letterman saw. It was really neat to watch him learn and grow. He taught me that comedy was a journey. And eventually people found him and loved him and the rest is history.

My favorite running gag was definitely the Walker Texas Ranger lever. He'd randomly pull a big red lever and all it did was play a clip from the show. Everyone knows the Haley Joel Osment AIDS clip, but that was not my favorite. (2:40)

Walker was an egalitarian karate pugilist.

It was such a brilliant bit that relied on Conan's setup and reaction. If he just played the clip without the antics, it would not hit as hard. It would be Jay Leno reading the newspaper.

And... I don't have the energy to fully explain Jordan Schlansky.

I wouldn't even know where to start.

The short version is... Conan doesn't quite know how to handle intense nerdy metrosexual autism and hilarity ensues.

I encourage you to go down the Jordan Schlansky rabbit hole. I promise you will start watching and suddenly it will be tomorrow and you'll look at the clock and not be sure if it is AM or PM. If you are wondering, yes, he is really like that. But he pretends not to be self aware to make it funnier.

And then there is Sona. Conan's Armenian assistant who doesn't do a lot of assisting. They are basically siblings. You can tell she became part of his emotional support system. At times she matched Conan's comedic brilliance without any experience or training. She has perfect timing and can hilariously devastate his self esteem like an emotional assassin. (2:45)

There is so much more, but you get the idea.

Conan is a brilliant, silly comedian. And he is a solid dude. Just like Leno, his staff stuck with him. He was a great boss that inspired fierce loyalty. They even moved from New York to Los Angeles for him. And when he lost The Tonight Show he started his own company just so he could keep everyone employed and paid. That eventually evolved into his successful Team Coco podcast network.

Before his TBS show, Conan was contractually obligated to not appear on television for a year. He went on a grueling tour across the country performing a live comedy musical variety show. This was mostly to maintain his staff until they could find a new TV home.

They made a documentary "Conan O'Brien Can't Stop" about this live variety show. Some people thought this revealed Conan to be a bit of a dick. But he just lost his dream job, his entire staff had no source of income, and he was going from city to city working 18 hour days, including a 2 hour, high energy stage show—all while trying to stave off his deep depression. (Also Jack McBrayer was an old friend, and that was an ongoing bit between them.)

I don't think I've seen Conan that vulnerable and that human and you could see his staff doing their best to keep him from imploding. He felt responsible for the livelihoods of hundreds of people. They loved him and knew he was doing it for them.

(And because he needs constant attention and validation, but what comedian doesn't?)

To end things I think I'd like to try one of my comedy exercises.

I'm going to do a Top 7½ list in the style of David Letterman Bob the Frog. I can only promise junior high level comedy.

(Also, if you have never seen Dave do one of these, number 1 always has a drumroll and is purposely bad.)

Top 7½ signs you are in a "clean" comedy club.

7½. The headlining comedian was cancelled for...

7. You ask for the drink specials and the waitress says they might have Diet Sprite in the back.

6. The comic was once ratio'd on Twitter after being called "Temu Jeff Foxworthy."

5. "Back in my day we had Transformers not transgenders. The Autobots' pronouns were roll/out."

4. The comic takes off his belt, holds it up to the crowd and says, "This was what we called Ritalin in the 80s."

3. Your seat has a gun holster next to the cup holder.

2. The comic assures everyone that he "found God" so there is no reason to google his name and "me too."

*drumroll*

Annnnd, the number 1 sign you may be in a clean comedy club is...

1. Thursday is "Free Tennis Balls for Your Walker Night!"

[tiger-in-the-flightdeck]

I don't know if I have many teenagers following me, but if I do, I want to tell you a story.

Way back when I was in high school, more than half my age ago at this point, I did a politics class mostly because my other two classes were with the same teacher and if I took that one it meant I didn't have to leave the portable in the winter. Which gives you an idea of how seriously I took my education.

For extra credit, our teacher wanted us to attend a local city council candidate's meeting. And he wanted us to treat it like an old 1930s election campaign trail situation. Posters, candidate ribbons, noise makers, the works. Now, he was also bribing us with pizza for after and for a fair number of us that meant a free meal instead of having peanut butter on a spoon for dinner.

So four classes worth of twelfth graders rocked up at this thing armed with campaign slogans we'd made up for our chosen candidates, posters, one kid had a bunch of glow sticks. And we freaking roared whenever someone would step up to the podium to start their pitch.

And most of the politicians ate it up. These meetings usually got fifteen little old ladies looking for something to do on a Tuesday night. We outnumbered them. We were taking up the whole back half of the room. Most of us, that would be our first year eligible to vote, and I guess seeing us there lit a fire under them. It went from 'This year's holiday light display should be blue and white themed, all in favour?' to 'This town is pretty nice, but it could be better. Let's figure out how!' Instead of the meeting ending after the last speaker and everyone grabbing some sugar cookies and coffee, it turned into a question and answer period. They wanted to know what we wanted from them.

We discussed how our little town turning more and more into a bedroom community or commuter town meant that job opportunities were leaving. How that lack of prospects for us was contributing to the rate of drug use and suicide. The epidemic of teen pregnancies was costing so many young women their education because they were encouraged to drop out of school. And how we needed things to do that weren't just sitting in the mall food court.

Over the next few years, things started to happen. The community centres started doing career training programs. Everything from engine repair to nail technician. The adult learning centre had a class that was all young mothers getting their high school diplomas. They built a skate park. There were outdoor concerts and music events. The hockey rink and outdoor performance stage got fixed up. A pretty big company came along and brought tons of jobs with it and suddenly we had opportunities that weren't either a burger joint or shovelling icing in the cookie factory.

This is all a long, slightly rambling way to say that while voting is absolutely important, if you really want your voice heard, show up to meetings. Make some noise. Tell your elected officials what you need to thrive in your community. Especially if you're in a small town.

[virtchandmoir]

Performance Under Pressure: Unlocking Potential and Sustaining Excellence with Tessa Virtue

May 8, 2025

The most decorated figure skater in Olympic history, Tessa Virtue spent 20 years pushing the boundaries of her sport, collecting five Olympic medals — including three golds — alongside her on-ice partner, Scott Moir. Now, as an executive advisor at Deloitte, with an MBA and a Master’s in Applied Positive Psychology, she translates the lessons learned from her experience as an elite athlete into actionable strategies to help leaders and their teams unlock and empower high performance.

Tessa was the closing speaker at Showcase 2025 — Speakers Spotlight’s annual, client-exclusive, TED-style event. This year’s theme was “Meeting the Moment” with each featured expert offering clarity and guidance to better navigate the challenges ahead on a national, organizational, leadership, and individual level.

In her captivating presentation, Tessa took us on an intimate journey through her Olympic experience, sharing her tried and tested strategies for sustaining individual excellence and performance under intense pressure.

The Vancouver Era: Naïve Ambition

Breaking down her presentation into three chapters, representing each of her Olympic games, Tessa defined her Vancouver era as a period of “naïve ambition”.

After narrowly missing the 2006 Torino Games, Tessa and Scott vowed to never be on the cusp of qualifying again. They were pushing for gold at the 2010 Olympic Games despite daunting odds — no North American team had ever won, no team had ever won at such young ages, and no team had won without first winning a World Championship or attending an Olympic Games, Tessa said.

They doubled down on training, often spending 12-14 hours at the rink. While this “more is more” approach earned praise from their coaches, it also earned Tessa a debilitating injury requiring surgery just one year before the 2010 Games.

Tessa spent her first Olympics in a massage chair, receiving eight hours of physiotherapy every day. Surrounded by the best athletes in the world, she felt ashamed as she counted the 282 steps to the cafeteria knowing if she took that journey, she wouldn’t be able to practice that day.

During competition, something came over them. “We took the ice at the coliseum and squeezed each other’s hands; we were just 7 and 9 years old again… We found flow together for the first time ever,” Tessa said. While we earned gold, we were not yet masters of our craft, she continued.

The Sochi Era: Win at All Costs

Ten months later, Tessa underwent surgery again. No longer the underdogs, they were reigning champions, and it was a heavy weight to carry. Anything less than gold at Sochi felt like failure, Tessa said. They lost themselves trying to meet others’ expectation while simultaneously losing faith in their coaches.

Before a crucial practice at Sochi that would determine their medal colour, Tessa told her coach exactly what she needed to hear to perform her best. When they announce our names, she said, tell me to focus on Scott. Instead, her coach pointed to the stands and said, “see every single one of those people out there, every judge, every official, every spectator, they are just waiting for you to make a mistake.”

Tessa and Scott left those games with two silver medals and completely disillusioned. With nothing left to give and completely void of joy, they decided to retire.

Pyeongchang Era: Excellence Over Perfection

Post-Olympics, Tessa and Scott toured the world, performing their routines. It didn’t take long for them to miss the competition though. To miss the energy of waking up with a clear purpose every day, Tessa said. They started asking, what if? What if we skated with coaches who believed in us? What if we tried a different style of skating? What if we could do things differently?

That list of “what ifs” was so compelling, we had to try again, Tessa said. With the mandate to do things differently, they relocated to Montreal and assembled a team of 20-25 experts across disciplines. They positioned themselves as “CEOs of their business,” rallying these specialists around a shared vision.

The Winning Formula: Three Mindset Shifts That Changed Everything

In that comeback period, Tessa and Scott made three key mindset shifts:

Excellence over perfection: They stopped chasing perfection and instead pursued excellence. Excellence felt doable and sustainable. We could be 8/10 every day, Tessa said. This is what wins medals.

Recovery as competitive advantage: Their greatest edge was being more rested than their competitors. We skated three hours a day, Tessa said, and worked harder than we ever had before.

Getting comfortable with discomfort: For two years, Tessa and Scott meticulously simulated Olympic conditions — playing crowd noise, skating on rough ice, and deliberately practicing falls to neutralize their greatest fear. In turn, they gained more confidence in their ability to perform under pressure.

“I hated skating for 18 years,” Tessa said. “Those last two years ahead of the Pyeongchang Olympics, I loved every single second.”

What changed was her sense of agency, autonomy, and purpose. During their final Olympic performance, when the music ended, Tessa realized nine judges wouldn’t determine her worth or success. It was that moment that mattered — not because the skate was technically perfect, but because they found joy in the process.

The Power of Purpose: Elevate Your Performance

As Tessa ended her powerful story of transformation, she asked two questions: “Are you finding moments of meaning in your everyday that connect to your purpose, your why?” and “Are you chasing perfection or excellence?” These questions lie at the heart of sustainable high performance, whether on the world stage or in a corporate boardroom.

Bring this Olympic mindset to your organization. As a keynote speaker, Tessa shares her performance strategies, combining her elite athletic and professional experience with her academic background. Her insights help organizations build resilience, harness purpose, and maintain excellence under pressure.

—Speakers Spotlight

[jimin-bangtan]

The Grit & Persistence of Jimin & His Fans

NOTE: Feel free to skip down to the Jimin-specific section below the fold.

BTS is the only reason I am involved in KPop. All of the traditions and vocabulary of Kpop were new to me when I became their fan. I was aware of Kpop but never engaged with it. I had heard a bit about it, and what I had heard wasn't flattering. Mainly I was concerned about the training process and the pressure that seemed to be put on the young artists.

I have written in my BTS experience post (See my Archive or Masterlist.) that my sister found BTS first and introduced me, mainly through performances. I found them all extremely talented and interesting. I happen to continually find myself watching Jimin.

I got to know BTS's story and about how challenging their plight had been. I heard of the unfair treatment and disregard that was cast upon them. I also learned of the intentional sabotage and harm that was done to them in the music industry. Still, they continued to succeed.

I found out more about Jimin too. I found out about his short training period, his misdirected start as a rapper, and his lack of vocal lessons in spite of the piercing high notes he was given to sing. I was concerned for all of their wellbeing and safety as I watched documentaries and saw how hard they worked.

Over time, I discovered more about the unprofessional and disrespectful treatment they received from the media, Kpop colleagues and their fans, as well as the general public. To the present time, more and more information continues to come out about intentional actions done against them.

One of those intentional actions was the Break Wings project, which was a plan designed by some fandoms, companies, or entities to attempt to ruin BTS's achievement for their coming Wings album and beyond. The planners basically were attempting to erase BTS from the competition. BTS was, after all, from a new company that would be competing against the 3 longstanding, "big" Kpop companies. Up to that point, BTS had not yet broken through but had made an impression and their potential was obvious.

BREAK WINGS PROJECT (2016)

credit: Sonyeonstan

The organized project, dispersed throughout social media and in private communications, not only put a target on BTS's back, but it also instructed competing fan groups, or just the general public, exactly how they could unite in force to tear down anything BTS attempted. It really is a hateful way to use energy.

Instead of using their energy to focus on their own groups to help them rise and conquer. They expended their energy trying to destroy BTS. And boy, did it backfire - OR maybe it worked exactly as the poorly devised plan should have. With their energy off of their own groups and on BTS, BTS kept thriving. In comparison, their groups kept declining in achievement and relevance, which caused the targeted hate to escalate.

The relentless hate caused BTS to choose to turn toward each other in closer unity and to work even harder. Their performances were innovative and astonishing. Their plans were intricate and well-designed. They got more and more attention. They won more and more awards, and they broke through more and more barriers. Their achievements have far surpassed anything Kpop had or has ever achieved, even now reaching into the Western market and opening the doors for others to follow. Their records are historic and exceptional.

Surprisingly, now in 2025, the hate against BTS still has not subsided. They have earned more respect, even if begrudgingly, but the industry, competing fans, and the media still attempt to minimize BTS's achievements and mere presence at times. After all of the economic, cultural, and political gains BTS has made for Korea, Kpop, and Asia, there is still animosity and overall jealousy and contempt for them. And what's worse is that I can't figure out anything BTS did to earn this reaction - except to exist and succeed.

SO WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH JIMIN?

Well, if you read the strategy above of the Break Wings project, the tactics sound very much like the organized actions that have been used against Jimin for years. And what is really shocking to me is that as I became more involved in the fandom, I realized it was coming not from people outside of the fandom but literally from within the same OT7 ("We love all 7 members.") fandom that I had once read took on abusers and foes of BTS, in unison. I was so impressed in reading how the fandom had unified to become such a productive force for BTS. BTS always spoke of this fandom with such pride and love because they appreciated all that the fandom did while they were struggling to survive.

I shake my head as I write.

I will admit that I realize that the Break Wings project included a plan to infiltrate BTS's ARMY fandom and to pretend to be them and start trouble and create strife in different places, including within the fandom. I do now believe that some of what is happening to Jimin is because of outside forces pretending to be BTS fans. HOWEVER, where is that protective, loving, united force I had once read about? Why are they not unifying to protect all of their members EQUALLY? Why are they silent when any one of their 7 is being attacked - and with death threats!!! Where are they when family members of any member are being attacked? Where are they when support is being withheld to prevent any BTS member from achieving? EQUALLY!

Since I have been a part of the BTS scene, I have even seen the fandom do it for other members or at occasional times, but I noticed that it did not happen equally and for all members. Early on, I had asked my sister a few times, as I was watching material, why it appeared that Jimin was treated a bit differently. She never could explain. She still can't. I can't either.

I can only imagine that it's for the same reason BTS was targeted. Because he dared to exist and succeed.

The companies back then saw young BTS's grit, talent, and fight and were afraid. (Research current conversation about SM's plan for BTS's American Hustle Life appearance) Before they tried to destroy BTS, they first attempted to obtain them as their own. When that didn't work, they moved on to destruction. As much as people may hate BangPD for other things he has or has not done, he did not fold on BTS when money was tight, pressure was high, or circumstances seemed bleak. BTS did not fold, and Jimin did not fold. In fact, Jimin, like BTS, excelled and exceeded all expectations for him in the group and during this solo era.

Like with BTS, in spite of Jimin's contributions to the group and the attention they received because of him, the hate continues. Remember the forces were trying to tear down BTS. What better way than to tear down members one by one and start with the ones whose loss would change the dynamic, attention, or work of BTS?

This long overdue post is because Jimin has recently been nominated for an AMA, an AMERICAN Music Award (Favorite KPop Artist). Both of his solo albums were huge successes in America (U.S.), and his main track from his most current solo album just went quadruple (4X) platinum in the U.S. That same song, WHO, became the longest charting Kpop song ever on the AMERICAN Billboard Hot100 chart. Yet the "fans" are plotting to vote against him for this award. They are plotting to NOT vote for a BTS member to guarantee he loses to another nominated BTS member or, I suspect, to anyone else. I get the sense that they really don't want him to win again. Their idea is not to let the chips fall where they may but to intentionally plot his loss. I wish I could say this was the first time.

And worse, the plotters are trying to appear noble by using excuses that sound justifiable to those who may not think it through, so it seems like a reasonable consideration. "He's won enough awards." "He would want his bandmate to win instead of him." Wouldn't his bandmate also be happy for Jimin to win too? Has Jimin not earned his nomination and possible win - with receipts?

While the achievements in the U.S. are not comparable, Jimin's bandmate, RM, also deserves his nomination for his creative, alternative rap album, and people are free to vote for him too. My problem would not be RM winning legitimately. My problem is the organized plot to vote AGAINST Jimin - just like the Break Wings project. If these current people think they are in any way better than those who participated in that plot against BTS, they are wrong - and they are worse - especially if they actually believe themselves to be true BTS fans.

It is exhausting being Jimin's fan, and it's not because of Jimin. He actually makes it easy to love and support him and his work. It is because of BTS's fandom that really has disappointed me in some ways. These hateful "fans" do NOT represent the BTS members I have come to know. BTS would not condone or accept this as part of the message they have worked to present. They have loved and supported each other through all the turmoil. They worked tirelessly to cultivate this fandom and to succeed. The OT7 idea for this fandom, at this point, appears to be a myth.

All of the shipping divisiveness, hateful comments to BTS members and to other fans during Lives and on social media, organizing plots against BTS's own members, and the harassment of members' families are just distasteful demonstrations. This is just not the BTS way. At least that's what I thought.

Again, I shake my head.

Jimin's fans will continue to fight for him, using his attitude and efforts as models. It would be great to feel he was supported by the entire fandom, as all the members should be, but in honesty, I have seen too many situations where that does not seem to be true.

I am not a solo. I truly love and support all the guys. My support for Jimin does not include hating on the other members. I wish them all well and appreciate the work they do. (That doesn't mean I can't have honest thoughts about what they do or say, including Jimin.). However, I understand the feeling of solos - those who do not hate on or damage other members or the group - even if they don't actively support the other guys. It has been a tough journey watching from a Jimin supporter's point of view. The fandom can do better. It should do better - for all of the members.

I am presently working on a post where I explain that I feel it is time for BTS to address their fandom. It is out of hand, and it is costing them new fans, old fans, positive fan experiences, their reputation, and their legacy. If the problems are mostly from those outside of the fandom, the fans within should not allow this to be the atmosphere of this legendary group's fanbase. BTS should not be diminished by their own fandom by either actions of destruction or by inaction of allowing the destruction to remain unchecked.