#she just chills in your home and criticizes your daily habits

[arataka-reigen]

I love that the faceless old woman who secretly lives in your home started vandalizing homes all over town in protest for the arrest of innocent women that were being arrested in her place and we all thought the sheriff's secret police were arresting the real one lmao

[yanabortnik]

YANA BORTNIK ( FIVEL STEWART ) is a 17 year old JUNIOR student at Broadripple Academy. SHE is originally from MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN but moved to Broadripple 3 YEARS ago. SHE is AMBITIOUS and DISCIPLINED but can also be CONDESCENDING and CRITICAL.  

BASICS

Name: Yana Mikhailovna Bortnik

Age: 17

Grade: Junior

House: Keough

Cabin Room: Room 3

How long have they been at Broadripple: 3 years

Where are they from originally: Marquette, Michigan

Extra curricular: Soccer, Speech and Debate, SWAT,  and Women of Broadripple,

PINTEREST

CHARACTER AESTHETICS

Frothy matcha lattes, a furrowed brow, bargain bin arts & crafts, the strong smell of incense, palms pressed against the bark of a tree, late night cram sessions, an old scuffed pair of crocs, vanilla yogurt topped with berries, a small collection of crystals, a grass-stained soccer ball, monochromatic outfits, a small plain Kamidana, a backpack stuffed to the brim, a folder filled with school assignments graded with anything less than an A, a smattering of freckles across a nose, nervously bitten nails, a meticulous daily planner, and a furby meme-filled album on an iPhone.

TRAITS

Positive Personality Traits: Responsible, patient, ambitious, resourceful, loyal, organized, and self-disciplined

Neutral Personality Traits: Cautious, realistic, practical, methodical, business-oriented, serious, and suspicious

Negative Personality Traits: Sensitive, know-it-all, expects the worst, nosey, cheap, and rarely satisfied

FACTS

Yana is from Marquette, Michigan—a friendly, scenic, and cold place on the Upper Peninsula. Her mother is originally from Japan and moved to the United States to attend university and she stayed after she met Yana’s father. Yana has an older brother, Mikhail (Misha), who was born in New York, but then a job opportunity cropped up for her father that brought the family halfway across the country and dumped them in Michigan.

Yana’s parents are hardworking, no-nonsense, and both functioning alcoholics. Yana and Misha’s upbringing was, as a result, a little distant and sanitized, and has led Yana to push herself as far and hard as she can in order to feel like she has done something right by them. But mostly, not much she can do catches their attention.

Enter: Broadripple Academy in her google search for “top prestigious boarding schools grades 9-12.” Yana dedicated the entirety of eight grade to cramming for the entrance exam and convinced at least half a dozen of her teachers to send letters of recommendation or to help her with the application. While the Montessori school she attended wasn’t bad per se, it didn’t have the stature a place like Broadripple Academy did. It was a ticket to a great college, to a great future, and maybe like… a hearty pat on the back from her dad or a congratulatory hug from her mom????

She paid all the fees with money she made from babysitting over the previous two years, forged her parents’ signatures (as she was accustomed to), and her parents didn’t find out she had even applied until she got the acceptance letter. Their reaction was, as per usual, lackluster. They condescendingly thought it was cute that she had done all this on her own, bragged to their friends about how they helped her get in, and then in the fall Yana was shipped off.

What motivates Yana is not perfection but success, and it does have the habit of driving her up the wall sometimes but that is just the kind of sacrifice she has to make in order to fulfill a goal. She is very future-oriented in that when she first arrived at Broadripple she had a bit of a I’m Not Here To Make Friends outlook (though undoubtedly made 2-3 really close friends within the first couple months and has assumed her role as Mom Friend yes hello these are wanted connections).

Her dad is an atheist but her mom practices Shinto and used to be a Buddhist. When Yana and Misha were young, she really immersed them in both religions. They sporadically attended Lake Superior Zendo back home until Yana was about twelve and they still perform Shinto prayers at home at a Kamidana.

She is really dedicated to their studies and heavily side-eyes everyone who doesn’t take school seriously. Like, guys don’t you realize how lucky you are to be here!!! 

HEADCANONS

Back home, Yana has a pet ferret named Pasha. If you are a friend of hers, you know everything about him from the little snuffling sounds he makes while he sleeps, his favorite treats, and the “walks” through the park that Yana takes him on when she’s home. He is her baby and she misses him. </3

Yana is quite... economical (i.e. cheap as hell). Her brother made her a tie-dye shirt that says ‘Dollar Tree Prom King 2008′ (an inside joke). She really values independence and money = independence, y’know? It’s just another thing she doesn’t have to worry about bothering her parents for, so she works at a restaurant and babysits almost nonstop whenever she’s home so she has spending money while at school.

Which reminds me that she feels like an awful daughter for literally no valid reason. That’s just what checked out parents do to you, I guess. :/

Though she’s a very serious person the things she finds funny are usually bizarre, nonsensical memes and she particularly loves furby ones, especially the long furby blessed be his name etc etc. 

She has a small crystal collection that she uses for things like concentration, energy, calmness, self love, etc. Does she sincerely believe they do anything? I’m gonna go ahead and give it a 50/50. She does enjoy the ritual of charging them and doing full moon stuff. Who’s down to bask in the moonlight???

When not wearing the school-regulated Oxfords or her standard pair of white sneakers Yana is, in fact, wearing a pair of light blue crocs. They’re comfy, okay!!! Also fashion-wise, she does wear a lot of monochromatic outfits. If you go to her Pinterest page that I linked above you’ll see what I mean. Nothing too weird just like, a Brand.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RETREAT

What do they think about The Retreat? Yana is someone who feels her goals are in danger and/or inconvenienced by the Retreat. She very much wants to be at Broadripple and she’s going to be worrying about her GPA and missed opportunities from not being on campus. It makes her uneasy and she’s anxious to get back tot he dorms.

Do they have any previous experience with camping or other outdoors? She was in the Girl Scouts when she was a kid and attended Girl Scout Camp for a couple weeks for a few summers, but other than that her family’s connection to the outdoors was pretty regimented in religious ceremony a lot of the time. But she did grow up with a lot of people in Michigan who camped and did outdoors-y stuff, so she picked up one small things but nothing that would be very useful at the Retreat.

What does their cabin bunk look like? How will they decorate their space? Yana isn’t a neat freak by any means but she does value organization. She has her crystals laid out on her bedside table (they are usually on her desk back in the dorm), a couple sticks of incense, and her clothes are all neatly folded and put away. She has designated a spot beside her bed for all her school stuff, and then she has a framed photo of herself and her brother propped up nearby (see here). She also has a tote bag of like, cheap crafts supplies to do in her “downtime” as a form of chilling lmao. She had more miscellaneous decorative stuff back in her dorm that she didn’t bring.

Do they believe in the supernatural? To what degree? In a sense, yeah, depending on your definition of what is or isn’t supernatural. Going to take a direct quote here but: “informed by Shinto beliefs around notions of animism — a soul (“reikon”) lives within all existence and phenomena. Everyday things — from objects to plants to mountains — can be defined as ‘kami’ or deities.” So in a sense that she believes in deities, yes. But monsters? Cryptids? Ghosts? Not really.

Are they easily spooked? Actually, yes asdkjn. She’s just very verrrrrry jumpy. It doesn’t take much to startle her honestly.

AND FINALLY,

A very dumb but (hopefully) fun quiz made by your admins, please share what result you got

you will sacrifice yourself for someone else

your one of the purer hearts of broadripple, you may not even know the person you sacrifice yourself for that well but you think its the right thing to do. and maybe it is. but would they do the same thing for you?

genuinely didn’t expect it tbh! but aw

[mrsrcbinscn]

Franny Sor Framagucci Robinson Character Sheet 

Dear Mom and Dad, I'll send money, I'm so rich that it ain't funny It oughtta be more than enough to get you through - (x)

Archetype — The Creator 

Birthday — January 17, 1980

Zodiac Sign — Capricorn

MBTI — ENFJ-A (The Protagonist — 93% Extroverted, 56% Intuitive, 60% Feeling, 60% Judging, 83% Assertive)

Enneagram — Type 3w2 — The Charmer

Temperament — Sanguine 

Hogwarts House — Slytherin Primary, Hufflepuff Primary model, Gryffindor Secondary

Moral Alignment —  Lawful Good

Primary Vice — Pride

Primary Virtue — Charity or Diligence 

Element — Air

Song —  A Better Son/Daughter by Rilo Kiley

Overview:

Government name  —  Darareaksmey Francine Sor Framagucci Robinson Name  —  Franny Robinson/Franny Sor Robinson Mother — Sophea “Sophie” Sor

Father — Adrien Framagucci (stepfather, legally adopted her), Peter Boyd (biological father)

Mother’s Occupation — Restaurant owner 

Father’s Occupation — Construction worker

Family Finances — grew up in poverty, insanely wealthy now

Birth Order — Youngest

Brothers — stepbrothers Gaston and Art Framagucci (mother legally adopted them, if you say ‘step’ Franny will kill you), claims no others but has biological half brothers from Peter Boyd; John-Curtis “JC”  Boyd, Timothy “Timmy” Boyd

Sisters — claims none, but has biological half sisters by Peter Boyd; Sarah Boyd, Stacy Boyd, Shyann Boyd 

Other Close Family — spreadsheet

Best Friend — Daniel Maitland, Molly Vaughn (deceased)

Other Friends — Lora Lopez, Serghei Anton, Delia Weiss, Vanessa Pham, others

Enemies — most men on principle 

Home Life During Childhood — It was a good childhood. Working the restaurant was normal to Franny so she didn’t realize it was abnormal at first. Her parents tried not to let the kids realize how poor they actually were. 

Town or City Name(s) — Payne Lake, Georgia

Any Sports or Clubs — In high school she was in drama, show choir, orchestra, National Honor Society, and on the quiz bowl team

Favorite Toy or Game — Franny honestly loved hide and seek well into her teenage years because she was small enough to fit it the weirdest places to hide, and in the 80s and 90s in a small town in Georgia there wasn’t much to do so her friend group played Extreme Hide and Seek. Everyone wears all black like some kind of cult. Turn off all the lights in the house. Go crazy. 

Schooling — K-12 in Payne Lake, Georgia ; B.A.s. in Musical Theatre Performance and Jazz Studies at NYU; M.A. in Jazz Studies at Pride U

Favorite Subject — Anything that wasn’t math or chemistry 

Popular or Loner — Popular, has always been magnetic 

Important Experiences or Events — Her first time on stage, getting enough scholarship money to justify going to NYU, quickly growing to love the nerd she hit up to buy her waffles and never letting him go, the accident that changed her life, marrying Cornelius Robinson, finding the magic singing frogs, adopting Wilbur, discovering the severity of her fertility issues in 2008, 

Nationality — American-Cambodian (born American, given Cambodian citizenship in 2019)

Culture — Franny identifies most strongly with Cambodian, followed by broadly Southeast Asian sometimes with Buddhist attached, and that’s tied with ‘Rural Southern (USA)’ sometimes with POC attached. Franny feels pretty detached from “American Culture” in general. She more closely would identify with Southern USA culture in general than with general American with no modifiers. She also feels a little detached from Asian American culture in general because even though she grew up right outside of Atlanta and is familiar with Atlanta, she didn’t grow up in one of the big hubs of Asian American culture like LA, San Francisco, or NYC. White American and Black American culture surrounded her, and the Asian cultures surrounding her were immigrant or first-gen cultures that hadn’t really developed an American flavor yet. Franny understood more about Vietnamese and Thai culture than she did about general Asian American culture for a long time, because immigrants straight from Southeast Asia were the only Asians she grew up around. And she grew up in the 80s and 90s where Asian representation was yellowface and Long Duk Dong. She didn’t meet any Asian Americans who didn’t speak or at least understand their heritage language until college. And the experience of POC as a whole in the South is very different to the experience of a white person, so sometimes Franny feel disconnected from her white southern neighbors and more closely relates to black or non-white Latinx southerners in ways she doesn’t relate to white southerners, or Asian Americans from LA or NYC. 

Religion and beliefs — Buddhist

Languages spoken— Khmer, English, Vietnamese, French, Italian, (less fluently) Portuguese, Spanish, (can understand some) Thai, Lao, (impressive tourist) German, Dutch

Physical Appearance

Face Claim —  Elodie Yung

Complexion — Tanned skin, pale brown 

Hair Colour — Black

Eye Colour — Brown

Height — 5’5

Tattoos — Yes, a few. Wilbur’s adoption date over her heart, most notably

Piercings — Lobe, upper lobe, tragus, helix, and cartilage on both ears, and an anti-tragus on her left ear. And a nose piercing she got in college

Common Hairstyle — typically keeps her hair long and done nicely but she cuts it and donates it from time to time so will also rock short hair

Clothing Style — vintage-inspired but not proper vintage

Mannerisms — Biting the pads of her thumbs, gesturing wildly, narrating her actions sometimes in song, if she’s looking for scissors she walks through the house making a scissors motion with her fingers

Usual Expression — she’s got resting bitch face 

Health

Overall (do they get sick easily)? — No, her immune system is the real MVP and when she does get sick she’s like ‘I’m dYING’

Physical Ailments —  Infertility 

Neurological Conditions — Depression, Cyclothymia (rapid cycles of depressive and hypomanic episodes)

Allergies —  none 

Grooming Habits — Typically rinses her body daily, uses soap on the armpits daily, but proper washes her body every other day. Washes her hair every two or three days as needed, but if she was extra sweaty that day it gets washed. Waxes leg hair and eyebrows. 

Sleeping Habits — she generally gets a decent amount of sleep but it isn’t usually all at once. She’s a champion power-napper, and if she has three days cleared she’ll often sleep mainly all at once except have like a 2-3 hour period of wakefulness and productivity and then go back to sleep for two more hours, then take an hour nap later in the day.  

Eating Habits —  She’s a grazer. She doesn’t usually sit down and eat three times a day she’ll sneak like five small meals a day

Exercise Habits —   works out at least three days a week somewhat because she’s really sensitive to when people comment on her body so she’s afraid to give people a reason to say a negative comment. Like. She’s body positive, big supporter of you don’t gotta be skinny to be beautiful or healthy. But when people say things like “oh Franny you got a little jiggle in those thighs” it’s never said like a good or neutral thing. She had a lot of body image issues throughout high school and college, and came dangerously close to developing an eating disorder freshman year at NYU but kind of logicked herself from the ledge  

Emotional Stability — generally emotionally stable, like for someone with her mental illnesses she does great 

Body Temperature — runs hot 

Sociability — A social butterfly

Addictions — None; did abuse adderall in college but when she quit cold turkey she didn’t like. Suffer cravings. She wasn’t addicted, but she did abuse it to the point she realized “oh I need to...stop”

Drug Use — occasional use of drugs to make her trip, like acid, shrooms, but this is very rare, she doesn’t do it at home, usually if she’s on the road with other musicians or has gone to LA or NYC or London for a few days to have a songwriting session, the group will sometimes partake. Even then not every time. Used to experiment with drugs more in college, but still it was never...a TON. 

Alcohol Use — More than occasional less than frequent

Your Character’s Character: 

Bad Habits — swearing, next to no filter, temper when it comes to perceived injustices, tends to overload herself 

Good Habits — Keeps a detailed planner, is a maniac about drinking lots of water, is vocal about her needs and boundaries 

Best Characteristic — her warmth! She really is friendly and easy to get along with and wants to be nice. But she will not be walked over and will not allow her kind, marshmallow husband to be walked over so she will flip a switch to protect herself or her boys. 

Worst Characteristic — unforgiving

Worst Memory — it’s a tie between her experience with sexual assault, and the time her biological father’s wife found out Franny was his biological child, and came into her mother’s restaurant when she was visiting with her pretty new HUSBAND, and Nancy Boyd proceeded to beat up Franny and her mother

Best Memory — Adopting Wilbur! It WAS marrying Cornelius but sorry Neil it’s her baby boy now

Proud of — Her husband, she is so proud to be Cornelius Robinson’s wife. She proud to be her mother’s daughter. And she’s proud of her accomplishments in music and philanthropy 

Embarrassed by — Nothing, she’s great

Driving Style — Oh, aggressive. She’s an offensive driver. Cusses. 

Strong Points —  she doesn’t quit, she’s the walk through hell and keep going type of person

Temperament — generally she’s pretty even-tempered. It’s easy to set her off in an instant though if you’re being racist, sexist - any type of shitty person tbh, or being shitty toward her husband or son, but for the most part she’s pretty chill. She deff has crazy bitch energy just under the surface though and you can tell

Attitude — Franny’s not particularly bitchy, but you know, she can be

Weakness — can’t do basic math, very overly self-critical, perfectionist

Fears — Something happening to Wilbur tbh. That’s her greatest fear, losing her son. 

Phobias — Franny does not throw up. She refuses. She will literally feel nauseous and horrible all day to avoid puking. It makes her so anxious, she will nOT. 

Secrets — None really? Like she doesn’t blab her life story to everyone but Cornelius knows everything about her. She has no secrets from her husband. 

Regrets — Not adopting more children when she and Cornelius got married knowing they both wanted a big family; ever meeting up with her biological father 

Feels Vulnerable When — She cries in front of people. Franny hates doing it. She’d rather die tbh

Pet Peeves — when people are rude to wait staff 

Conflicts — She sometimes feels a surge of resentment for her husband during her depressive episodes because she kind of feels like she’s pulled most of the weight in their marriage from Day 1 as far as running the home, and feels like although he purported to also want a big family he never even offered to take HIS turn pulling back from work so they could adopt a second child when it became clear it wasn’t gonna happen for them biologically, but then Franny hates herself for that because Cornelius is the kindest, most loving, most wonderful husband and father and she feels so privileged to call herself his wife and...yeah they just need to have a long talk about it tbh

Motivation — to be the best at everything she does; to force space for herself where she and people like her have previously been excluded, to be so great that you can’t ignore her

Short Term Goals and Hopes — have a baby, but she’s 40 now and knows its not gonna happen 

Long Term Goals and Hopes —she’s...kinda done everything she ever set out to do other than have lots of children

Sexuality — Bisexual, leans toward women, but had more experience with men because compulsory heterosexuality in the US in the 90s and early 2000s, and genuinely fell in love with a man are has been with just him for twenty years now

Exercise Routine  — Doesn’t spend much time on cardio because she gets enough cardio walking around town and Pride U. Mainly works on her core, legs, and strength training so if a man tries to grab her she can kick his ass

Day or Night Person — Would be nocturnal if she could be

Introvert or Extrovert — Extrovert

Optimist or Pessimist — She’s naturally pretty cynical but she’s worked for like twenty-five years to have a more optimistic outlook on things. It’s 50/50 now I’d say 

Likes and Styles:

Music — there isn’t really a genre she doesn’t like - like her initial fame was in jazz, but she has an equal affection for jazz and bluegrass/classic country/folk music. She also is in an indie band, Seoul Hanoi’d. And like rap music - usually old school Atlanta rap, but she likes Kendrick Lamar and some other current rappers.

Books — She likes to read or listen to audiobooks about pretty much any subject except music and musicians.

Foods — Cambodian food!!

Drinks — She likes sweet tea, aaaand her alcohol of choice is Anything

Animals — Possums :3 She wants a pet possum so bad, she follows pet possums on instagram and cries at their cute posts

Sports — She played tennis in high school, that’s the extent of her sports knowledge

Social Issues — all of them. Climate change, racial justice, intersectional feminism, VACCINATE ALL THE CHILDREN UNLESS THEY MEDICALLY CANNOT BE, de-mining, Green New Deal, punch Nazis, hey maybe don’t put children in cages, Myanmar can you please not do that genocide you’re doing that would be swell, poor people deserve access to healthcare and education, housing-first approach to homelessness, the good stuff 

Favorite Saying — “Hoes mad”, usually said dismissively when she receives a death threat after a political tweet, or after a racist one for just being an Asian woman in the public eye

Clothing — Franny prefers skirts, dresses, and jumpsuits/rompers to shirt + trousers

Jewelry — She never takes off her wedding ring. She’s married af

TV Shows — Schitt’s Creek, Kim’s Convenience, a lot of Canadian TV she really thinks is funny

Movies — She’s a big nerd that loves a good documentary or otherwise educational movie

Greatest Want — More children, including one biological child because her mother always talked about pregnancy and childbirth like it was the most humbling and empowering experience she’d ever had, and Franny wants that. But she’s 40 and knows she won’t have that. 

Greatest Need — a baby lmao

Where and How Does Your Character Live Now:

Home — In a big-ass house in the wealthiest part of town, maybe even the biggest house 

Household furnishings — Not overdecorated. A lot of people live there, but Franny’s very much the lady of the house, and even more so than her husband is the head of the household. She’s not a dictator, like her mother-in-law and other relatives have added their touches to the home decor, but it is very much Franny’s Home with notes of the others. She’s very particular about her kitchen, but is very flexible with the rest of the common spaces. 

Most Cherished Possession — Family photographs of her mother and her family before the Khmer Rouge. Franny bears a striking resemblance to her Aunt Kesor, who was the older sister her mother had idolized, but who died during the Khmer Rouge years. Franny only knows of the resemblance from photographs.

Neighborhood — The rich people part of town 

Town or City Name — Swynlake, England

Details of Town or City — lol

Married Before — Cornelius is her first and only husband and unless he cheats on her she’s never ever leaving that man

Significant Other Before — nobody important 

Children — Wilbur Robinson, wants/wanted more

Relationship with Family — Close! Both to her in-laws, biological maternal family, and stepfamily

Car — 2020 Nissan Qashqai

Career — Singer, song-writer, musician, composer, musical actress, actress, university music professor

Dream Career — Musical actress

Dream Life — Married to Cornelius, with lots of kids, living her best life

Love Life — Happily married to the love of her life, her sunshine, the jelly to her fish, Cornelius Robinson

Talents or Skills — music, cooking, acting

Intelligence Level — High? Like she can’t do basic math but everything else. She’s a musical genius, is good with languages, and is pretty perceptive

Finances — Loaded

Your Character’s Life Before Your Story:

Past Careers — restaurant worker, event staff

Past Lovers — nobody worth mentioning 

Biggest Mistakes — “I don’t make mistakes”

Biggest Achievements — Grammys, induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, being the first Cambodian person to win a Grammy, International Bluegrass Music Association awards, ASCAP awards, and being awarded the national medal of the arts by Barack Obama in 2015 

[penumbra-rp]

Becky, you will be playing the role of Ted Tonks! 

He is full of potential and cannot stand to end up like all those who stay mute, constantly working to make money for those who don’t deserve it, allowing the rich and the powerful to play twisted games and spoon feed them their beliefs and ideals like false prophets. 

Admin Ash: There’s so much that I adore about Ted Tonks and I don’t even know where to start. I think what strikes me most about him, is that he’s literally an underdog that you can’t help but want to root for. He’s the everyman that you can see a bit of yourself in -- he was that scholarship student with overbearing parents that probably wanted to see him get a PhD, an out-of-school millennial with a million-and-one odd jobs and a passion he’s shouldering his way into. He also just so happened to study Astrophysics and attempts to expose crime syndicates and big tech with his journalism skills. In the end, what I love, is that Ted has a goodness in him, a strength in him to not stay silent in the face of the injustices he sees everyday -- I just want to see him succeed and make sure he eats and has money for his rent! 

01. Out of Character

NAME: Becky

AGE: 23

YOUR BIRTHDAY: 17th January

PRONOUNS: she/her

TIMEZONE: GMT

02. In Character

CHARACTER: Edward “Ted” Tonks

CHARACTER’S PRONOUNS: he/him

FACECLAIM: Dev Patel

CHARACTER’S BIRTHDAY: 22nd February (Pisces)

PERSONALITY:

P O S I T I V E

E S C A P I S T ( + ) | Feeling like nobody else cares about exposing the horrors of the world and sulking miserably into his cold mug of coffee when the number of views of his latest article peaks below average, Ted enjoys finding ways to escape and allow himself time to breathe. Distractions come in the form of disappearing to the coast for the weekend or drinking a bottle too many at his friends’ house parties.

E M P A T H E T I C | Ted will criticize your actions. He’ll weigh them against his own moral standing ( which, in all honesty, is far from spotless ) and decide whether you fit into his all-too black and white world of good and bad. But very rarely will he judge someone’s emotional response. He feels deeply and can struggle with keeping his own emotions in check, never one to bottle things up. He’ll speak his mind and speak it truthfully – and he’ll expect you to do the same in return.

I N T U I T I V E | He works on feelings over facts or proof, chasing after threads that he’s picked loose. Paired with his career as a journalist, Ted has learnt a lot about reading people. Subtle clues don’t go unnoticed. It helps that he is also adaptable, managing to mould himself to situations, capable of making them feel comfortable and at ease even if red flags and alarm bells are ringing through his head.

N E G A T I V E

E S C A P I S T ( - ) | For all the wanderlust emotion-fuelled drifting comes its less romantic side: the coping mechanism of disappearing when the going gets tough. He’s not a huge fan of confrontation and, trie as he might to stand his ground in the moment, he’ll do all he can to avoid having gotten to that point in the first place. Unresolved issues and a habit of blaming others hound his heels, leaving a trail of problems in his wake that he’d really rather not think about.

P E S S I M I S T I C | Motivation and enthusiasm are quick to dip when things don’t go Ted’s way. He tends to look on the negative side of things, expecting the worse from situations that are out of his control for the sake of ( he hopes ) being pleasantly surprised when he’s proved wrong.

I N D E C I S I V E | Ted hates making decisions and can be hesitantly doubtful. Because of this, he can also be somewhat weak-willed and will listen to other people’s suggestions to help form his own, acting on impulse rather than taking the time to sit and think things through. Admittedly this doesn’t extend to everyone, but if you are someone who Ted trusts he will struggle to resist your influence.

BRIEF BULLET POINT BIO:

[ one ] His childhood is one of warm memories. Of being pushed to succeed and encouraged to dream. Of fighting his brother for the TV remote and hammering on the bathroom door when his sisters take too long to do their makeup. Of the scent of burning oil lamps during Diwali and scrubbing bright pink powder from under his nails after Holi. Of his dad coming home late from work and pressing a kiss to his forehead before bed and his mum cutting his hair every time it grew long enough to get into his eyes. Life is good and he knows he’s lucky.

[ two ] A university scholarship. Sometimes someone lucky is chosen, they say. In this case lucky means from a non-white, working-class family who otherwise can’t afford the tuition fees. When the letter comes through the door to congratulate him on being the chosen student from his college, his father says one thing: “decision time”. The words send a chill down his spine, fingers curling into fists as if recoiling. He does not wish to make a choice; cannot deem any of his options better than the others. Some consider the seventeen-year-old to be indecisive. Up until now, he has led a life full of what-ifs and maybes. When asked to choose a favourite colour, multiple will be given. When questioned as to what he wants to do for a career, it will change daily. The problem is, Ted doesn’t like making decisions. It is not that he will be lead blindly, rather that he would prefer to do as someone else suggests. That way he has someone else to blame when it all goes wrong. It is safer this way, he knows. He lets the influence of his parents, friends and teachers help decide what to study and sits through his astrophysics degree without complaint ( he even enjoys it, for the most part, but it’s not what he wants to spend his life doing ).

[ three ] He has always been creative. Not artistically, nor musically– but writing? Writing he understands. Like a duck to water, he has always been able to put pen to paper and conjure up stories. Some are true. Some are less so. Fragments of sentences line his pockets, scrawled on the back of receipts and old tickets. There is an escape in the words. So too is there the truth, written for all to see. The bluish glow of his laptop screen illuminates his face in the darkness of his room, sleepless at 3am and desperate to make sense of the tangled vines that are his thoughts.

[ four ] His best friend dies. It’s a jarring moment. A reminder that nothing is permanent, that life itself is temporary. He runs away from London for a while after that. In search of some greater purpose, perhaps. Or maybe just in need of some time alone, free from the grinding mechanisms that keep the world churning, air thick with traffic fumes and streets full of people all with somewhere to be. Little has changed on his return but there’s an edge to his tone which suggests he is yet to make peace with all that has happened.

[ five ] Rules are made to be broken. It’s a cliché saying, but Ted finds a certain intrigue in pushing boundaries. Restriction and regulations keep people tame, and he most definitely does not wish to remain caged like a tiger pacing behind bars. He is full of potential and cannot stand to end up like all those who stay mute, constantly working to make money for those who don’t deserve it, allowing the rich and the powerful to play twisted games and spoon feed them their beliefs and ideals like false prophets. He doesn’t have steady employment, claims he finds it far too mundane to anyone who asks, and instead earns his meagre living to pursue his passion of journalism. Of uncovering truths and unmasking monsters. For the moment the majority of his income is made taking up odd jobs advertised on coffee shop cork boards along with the occasional payment from The Quibbler when Xenophilius can afford it.

INTERVIEW:

i. How do you feel about your current occupation?

He doesn’t like being on this side of an interview. Not knowing what he’s going to be asked makes him uncomfortable, sending an unwanted and somewhat unexpected creeping sensation down his spine. Ted tries to settle his nerves, taking a deep breath as he reclines against the back of his chair. “Depends on which one you mean. The journalism? Going great. I get to work to my own hours, get to approve most of my own pitches. It’s cool. As for the rest of it– well. Office cleaning. Babysitting. Dog walking. Gardening. You name the odd job, I’ve probably done it. It is what it is.”

ii. What song would you say describes yourself?

Ted’s nose wrinkles, half amused by the question and simultaneously thrown by it. “That’s– Right. Wow.” He leans forward, elbows resting on his knees and fingers steepling together in thought. He wouldn’t necessarily say he has a specific taste in music. Nor would he say he’s the sort of person who can pluck a song off the top of their head. With a shrug, he shakes his head. “Shit, I don’t know, let me get back to you on that.”

It takes his seven hours to choose.

He wonders if that says more about him to the interviewer than the song itself.

[ 21:36 ] From: Ted

Got one! https://open.spotify.com/track/28mBT1l5sJrfSWn8KM3JLT?si=c0JzznyfSWSYhPTAcXtSzw

iii. Does reputation matter to you?

“No, not any more.” It’s an easy one to answer, although he imagines others would disagree. “Like– who cares what people think of them? Why bother? You can’t please everyone, that would be stupid. As long as the ones you love are proud of you, that’s all that matters, you know?”  

iv. What is your relationship with your parents like?

The smile that flashes across his mouth is bright, passing like an afternoon shadow only to return and make itself at home. As irritating as his mum’s near-daily calls are, and no matter how frequently his dad sends him links to vacancies at the Daily Prophet, he wouldn’t change any of it for the world. “We’re close,” he says fondly, knowing better than to spill all to an interviewer he a) doesn’t know and, by default, b) certainly doesn’t trust. There are people out there who hate him, hate his views of the world and the truth he spills ( he’s yet to get a death threat which, in all honesty, is a little insulting ). “It’s good. It’s a good relationship.”

v. What languages can you speak?

“A reasonable amount of Gujarati.” He takes English to be a given and dearly hopes the interviewer has the common sense to realise that. “Both my parents speak it fluently. My dad was born and raised in Ahmedabad and moved over here when he was my age and my mum is something like third-generation. Born in Harrow.”

vi. If your home was on fire and you could only save one item, what would you choose?

Ted whistles under his breath, leaning back in his chair to aim an unloving grimace at the ceiling. His tiny flat has never really felt much like a home and was more like a temporary space for him to exist in whilst he– well, he wasn’t quite sure what he was doing. Saving up for somewhere bigger was laughable on his current paycheck. “I’d save my insurance policy details because claiming money back for the damages is going to be a fucking nightmare without them. Have you ever tried to talk to these insurance companies? They’ll literally make you sit on a phone in a queue for three hours listening to the same three ear-splittingly mind-numbing songs. As if losing my flat in a fire wasn’t bad enough, I’d then have to be put through musical torture? And it would all be on a payphone, I bet, given that I didn’t think to save my mobile. Shit, can I change my answer if I remember to take a photo of the right insurance documents before the fire starts?”

vii. Which Hogwarts University faculty did you study at? The Gryffindor School of Applied Science, the Ravenclaw School of Humanities, the Slytherin School of Social Science, or the Hufflepuff School of Art?

Amusement curls up at the edge of his lips like a cat in a patch of morning sunlight, settling in for a nice long stay. He doesn’t think about university often. Four years of lectures which he can only just remember the occasional fragment of information from. But there are life-defining memories there amongst the late night study sessions and the room-spinning hangovers. “I was a Gryffindor. Studied astrophysics, which– yeah, I didn’t really want to go into that field after I graduated. Space is amazing and everything but scientific research isn’t for me.”

vix. What is your social media username?

���My work accounts are all under quibblerted. Everything else is at tedtonks.”

[waltertoussaint-blog]

Recipes, News, And how-To For Vegetarians, Vegans, And Flexitarians

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[usnewsaggregator-blog]

18 Realistic Ways To Become A Happier, More Chill Person In 2018

New Post has been published on https://usnewsaggregator.com/food-health/18-realistic-ways-to-become-a-happier-more-chill-person-in-2018/

18 Realistic Ways To Become A Happier, More Chill Person In 2018

What a year it’s been.

From current events ― including political turmoil and high-profile allegations of sexual misconduct in several industries ― to regular life stressors, it’s been a loooong 365 days. 

If you’re overthinking everything and stressed beyond measure, you’re certainly not alone. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Say goodbye to 2017 ― and some of the negative emotions that came with it ― by adopting a few of these expert- and research-backed habits in the new year.

They certainly won’t solve everything, but they’ll help make you feel a little calmer and happier in the moment. Baby steps, right?

1. Take news breaks

Research shows that negative news can poorly affect your mental health. Simply put, it’s absolutely essential to take time away from the barrage of bad news stories. Experts recommend this to their patients, and do it themselves to keep their own stress under control. Here are some tips on how to take care of yourself during a chaotic news cycle.

2. Say ‘no’ more often

Make 2018 the year you admit to yourself that you can’t do it all ― and embrace it. Saying “yes” to every offer, even the ones you really don’t want to agree to, can have long-term consequences. Therapists say a people-pleasing habit can hurt your mental well-being. Here’s a guide on how to politely turn down invitations without feeling like a complete jerk.

3. Use social media to your advantage

Research shows that excessive social media use can be bad for your mental health, and it’s necessary to take a break from your newsfeed. But let’s be real: It’s impossible to expect to stay unplugged from those updates all the time.

Reframe the way you view posts on platforms like Facebook and Instagram so you can build a healthier relationship with them. Experts recommend unfollowing accounts that don’t bring you joy, subscribing to more positive content and reminding yourself that what you’re seeing in your feed only shows a small portion of someone’s life.

4. Indulge in a new show

Sometimes a mental escape from reality is just what you need to reset your brain.

Try watching something funny (studies show laughter really is the best medicine) whenever you’re feeling overwhelmed. It can help curb your stress, Susan Krauss Whitbourne, a professor of psychological and brain sciences at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, previously told HuffPost.

5. Get active

There’s no substitute for exercise. Research shows that regular movement can help improve mood and reduce symptoms of depression.

Make an effort to incorporate physical activity into your daily life, whether it’s going for a brief walk or trying a new fitness class. Here’s a guide on exercises you can do even if you lack fitness skills.

6. Lend your time to a cause you care about

Therapists say more of their patients reported feeling helpless after the 2016 election, and the stress surrounding the political climate has only increased.

Experts recommend getting involved in charities or causes you care about in order to offset these negative emotions. By getting active, you’re taking control ― and that can help relieve anxiety.

7. Learn to cook something new

Flex your creative muscles and give yourself a mental escape in the process. 

“When I feel stressed or distressed by the negative, unhappy news and/or politics, I go to the grocery store, buy food that I enjoy and I head home and make dinner,” Dan Reidenberg, executive director of Suicide Awareness Voices of Education, previously told HuffPost. “I can make what I want, what I like and how I like it to taste, and that helps me feel better.”

8. Spend money on experiences

Research shows that memories, not material possessions, make us happier when it comes to spending disposable income. Vacation, anyone?

9. And learn to budget everywhere else

No surprise here: Data suggests finances are one of the biggest stressors for Americans. Learning how to budget your income and finding ways to save are incredibly vital to your life, experts say. Check out this manual for tips on how to do it responsibly. 

10. Give journaling a try

Writing can help clear your mind, said Amy Poon, a psychiatrist at Stanford Health Care.

“A lot of people find it really helpful for sorting out thoughts, reflection and building more calm,” she told HuffPost. “It can be very cathartic.”

And you don’t need to write something every day to reap the benefits, Poon added. Try journaling once a month or once every few weeks if that seems like a more manageable schedule.

11. Adopt a positive mantra

Celebrities like Oprah swear by sticking to a mantra, which may give you a little boost when you need it. Pick something that inspires you (for example, “I am worthy”) and attach it to your mirror, your desk or wherever you’ll see it most. It sounds corny, but research shows it works.

12. Make a goal rather than a resolution

Smaller goals may be more attainable than an overall, lofty aim. Pick a few things you want to achieve this year, then be real with yourself about the progress, Poon advised.

“As with any habit, it can be really hard to maintain over the long term,” she said. “Check in every month and think about your goals and what you are trying to accomplish. Then reflect and re-evaluate if they are realistic.”

13. Turn your bed into a sanctuary

By now you know that sleep is vital to happiness and overall functioning. But do you ever think about where you’re sleeping and how you treat that space?

It can be easy to turn your bed into a catch-all for laundry or an extension of your office. However, your brain needs to associate it with sleep ― and experts say it might have difficulty doing so if you’re also using it for other activities. Keep your bed a place for sleep and sex, and see if it transforms your Zs. 

14. Set boundaries with your loved ones

When it comes to family, it can be hard to assert yourself and communicate your needs ― especially when tough topics come up, like politics or your dating life. But boundaries are incredibly important when it comes to self-care.

Experts say it’s critical to remember that you have a choice when it comes to these conversations: You don’t necessarily have to engage. Here are some ways to manage those anxiety-provoking conversations while still looking after your own mental health.

15. Tackle your imposter syndrome head-on

The idea that you’re “not good enough” can be largely fabricated by your own mind. The phenomenon is known as imposter syndrome, and it mostly pops up at work, like when you’ve been promoted or trusted with a new responsibility. And it can cause a lot of anxiety.

Experts recommend getting out of that fraudulent mindset by defining what success and failure actually look like to you. And take a look at these other professional-approved ways to tackle imposter syndrome.

16. Reframe your negative thoughts

“What if the country falls apart?” “What if I get laid off from my job?” Worrying about the state of the world or your life is natural, but there’s a point where it becomes unhealthy. Entertaining those automatic negative thoughts can take a toll on your mental health, according to Poon. 

Figure out what triggers these thoughts to appear, she said, then take the best course of action to help you manage them. Therapy may help give you the tools you need, or try following this guide for when you’re ruminating over anxious thoughts.

17. Learn to recognize toxic personalities in your life

Your squad has a profound impact on how you feel. Research shows stress is contagious ― and so is happiness. Check out this list of the different kinds of toxic people you may encounter and tips for how to deal with them. Cut out that negativity ASAP.

18. Put yourself first

It’s a fact of life that you can’t please everyone. The one person you can make happy, however? Yourself.

Vow to look inward in the coming year if you’re always putting others’ feelings above your own, Poon said. 

“Find the words to communicate what you need. You can say it in a way where you don’t feel bad for asking, or won’t get upset that the other person may be less happy with you,” she said. “You can’t make other people happy all the time, and it’s important to be OK with that.”

Ready to take on 2018?

Original Article:

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[theloveshackchronicles-blog]

How I Deal With Stress

Statistics show an astronomical percentage of how many moms find their lives stressful. I believe 96% of women feel they are far more stressed than their mothers were when raising them. New age. New problems. Right?

I don't know about you! But, 2017 came equipped with many stressors! MANY! Now with the New Year quickly approaching, I have come up with small ways of tackling my stressors before they attack me. Maybe they will be some help to you:

1: Recognize your signs of stress-Your body will warn you that it's reaching levels of stress before you actually can say "wow, I am stressed" For example, my body will get irritable relatively quicker than it would normally. I catch myself snapping back at people who don't deserve it. My blood pressure feels a little higher than normal around times of stress. I also get very shaky and tend not to eat as much... if at all. When I see the first signs of loss of appetite, that's when I know I am too stressed and need to chill out.

2: Take Breaks/ Naps: I LOVE sleep... I love lamp...jk. But sleep and I go way back! Being a new mom meant those naps and sleeping in on the weekends were over! I wake up really early to get to work so after a while, my body adjusted to lack of sleep. But it catches up, man!! ESPECIALLY when you're so used to being a heavy and long sleeper. I noticed that by Thursday of each week, my body has had enough. Wednesdays, I usually try to take it easy after work. We do a light dinner so there won't be as much prep or clean up. I'll even squeeze in a nap while my youngest takes his typical 2 hour afternoon nap. But either way..nap or not, I give myself a day a week to just move a little slower. I don't try to complete deadlines. I don't schedule food shopping or hanging out on those days. I like to call these my "After Work Mental Health Days" And once your husband sees improvement in your attitude, he won't be such a jerk about letting you nap sometimes ;-)

3:BREATHE!!!!!: OMG! When stressors are high, I literally forget to breathe. Like during child birth! I would just hold my breath and hope to die hahahaha. But seriously, you must focus on steady breathing when you're gonna lose your shit. It helps all the blood flow through your body and allows that oxygen to get to your brain and allow you to make clear judgments. You ever see someone so mad that their face is red like the angry emoji? That's because he or she isn't breathing. They are so stressed and angry that all the blood is rushing to their head and literally clouding their ability to be rational. Don't be the angry emoji. Just breathe!

4: Laugh!: Laughter is therapy. We all know that. Make sure you have a friend or relative who can make you smile from time to time. Or at home, put on classic funny movies that you and your family can all enjoy. We are movie critics at home and have quite the extensive DVD library so far. Playing a funny movie in the background while you prepare dinner can help distract your mind from all the bull crap it had to sustain all day. I also YouTube funny videos of people falling on ice (because I am that person who falls on ice)

5: Get SEXY and drink water!: Stress makes me feel so unattractive. Because I "have no time", I tend to take less care of myself. I will wear hats instead of doing my hair. I'll wear hoodies to avoid ironing a blouse. There just isn't time damnit!!!!!!! But find some! You don't have to be fleeky all day,every day. Come on! But, you don't have to represent your circumstance either. I hate the whole "are you okay" whenever I don't look the part. Like damn, am I really showing in my appearance how shitty my life is right now? When you're feeling a little stress, wake up 15 minutes earlier than usual so you can straighten your hair or apply eye shadow to your makeup. When you look good, you feel good. Freshly shaven legs always do it for me. I really feel like I have my life together when my legs are soft ;-) My skin also looks grey when I am stressed. IDK why. It always has a green hue to it lol. Consuming water regularly helps maintain your glow!

6: Write lists: Get in the habit of carrying a journal or having a dry erase board at home. Some place where you can write things down on thought. I am forgetful as all hell and don't always use my phone for notes or calendars. I have not yet adjusted to tech life in that way. I like to use really nice, smooth writing pens. I like to physically write. It releases some of my nervous energy. It's also pretty cool when you read back on some of your entries and can see for yourself how much you've grown.

7: Talk!!!!!: My problem with stress is shutting down and not accepting help. It causes soooo much unnecessary hardship on your relationship when you do that. Speak up. When you feel those stressors, tell your lover that you're sorry if you've been a little off. You just have a lot going on and  need some extra help this month. More likely than not, the person will appreciate you giving them the heads up and will be more willing to help relieve some stress. When you're walking around kicking shit, mumbling under your breath and being just plain obnoxious for attention don't get butt hurt when nothing changes. When he asks "what's wrong"  and you say "nothing"... DO NOT get upset when he doesn't try to fix it. Our men are not mind readers. And sometimes we need to just say hey, its not you, its me! I have gotten really comfortable with my love. I'll tell him straight up. " I am getting my period and my emotions are not normal. If I seem a little on the bitchy side, I am sorry' It works better than the alternative.  He also keeps track of my menstrual so that he can prepare himself for cry baby, Christine. Or impatient Christine. It helps being with someone who is willing to try anything to help you. I do the same for him. Nothing changes if nothing changes! 

8: Take it day by day! Take your time. Stop putting so much on your plate. You are already super mom, super wife, super employee. You do it all! But it ALL doesn't have to be done right now! Set up a schedule for yourself. Sometimes I take an hour or two and pretend to be my own personal assistant. I schedule appointments and plan things (in my journal) and make minor tweaks here and there as things change (they're always fucking changing) So don't kill yourself trying to make things perfect! Slow and steady wins the race!

9: Spend time with your kids! : Kids are so damn awesome!! I have always loved kids for their innocence and ability to make fun out of nothing!! Me dancing to warm up after being outside in the cold is funny to my kids! As easy as making a fool out of myself for my kids can bring them a smile which in turn warms me up inside. Watching my boys use their imagination puts me in my place. Stop being so literal. Observing my kids play and seeing them look up at me to confirm I am still there makes me realize how much I am needed and wanted.

10: Have faith in something: I won't get Godly. I won't even ask you to pray. But believe in something better than yourself. Give thanks for your good health, your job, your family. Always remain humble and grateful.

I hope these tips can help you find some daily relief!

[amazingviralinfo]

The environmental activist, portrayed by Julia Roberts in the 2000 film, lives just 20 miles from the leaky gas storage well: I call it the BP oil spill on land

Erin Brockovich sat in an empty hall, awaiting hundreds of people who would soon stream in from a cold California night seeking answers and reassurance, and gave a sigh of familiarity.

Ive been doing this for 20-plus years and Ive learned that it wont get better itll get worse, and theyll need to know that Superman is not coming to rescue them.

The environmental activist was referring to the leak at a gas storage well in Porter Ranch that has pumped planet-warming methane into the atmosphere and displaced thousands of people, prompting Californias Governor Jerry Brown to declare a state of emergency for the neighbourhood.

Brockovich made her name two decades ago investigating groundwater contamination in Hinkley, California, a lonely battle in a desert hamlet, but this latest fight is 120 miles south-west on the edge of the San Fernando valley, just outside Los Angeles, and in a national spotlight. Here its large and very public and its hard to get to know everyone personally.

She intends to try, saying the stakes demand it. Its a huge disaster. Its like a volcano that keeps erupting and wont stop. I call it the BP oil spill on land. I think well see the fallout for many, many years.

That was a chilling prediction for the estimated 500 people who filed into a Presbyterian church in West Hills on Wednesday night to hear Brockovich and others brief them about the leak, and for Southern California Gas Company, which faces mounting criticism as it struggles to plug a leak which flared in October and shows no sign of stopping. The crisis has raised an outcry over the companys decision to not replace a safety valve which was removed in 1979.

The sight of Brockovich, 55, a striking figure in shiny black boots, leather coat and beanie, will not have reassured the company, a division of Sempra Energy of San Diego, considering the fate of the first power giant to cross her path.

Her investigation into Pacific Gas and Electrics contamination of Hinkleys drinking water with hexavalent chromium led to a $333m payout, the USs largest settlement in a direct-action lawsuit, and the 2000 film Erin Brockovich, which won an Oscar for Julia Roberts in the title role.

Also not reassuring for the company: Brockovich lives in Agoura Hills, just 20 miles from Porter Ranch, and considers the crisis to be in her backyard. Worse, she said the leak has made her sick the five times she has visited Porter Ranch, most recently last week.

The first time I went I started woozing around within 10 minutes. I felt my throat was having something snatched out of it. My chest started to get heavy. It felt like I had socks shoved up my nose. Its happened every time Ive gone up there.

Erin Brockovich: I think well see the fallout for many, many years. Photograph: Noah Smith for the Guardian

The leak, buried deep in a giant gas field that stores energy for California, now accounts for about a quarter of the states daily methane emissions. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas which fuels climate change. Campaign groups say the broken well has been pumping out the equivalent in carbon dioxide emissions of 7m cars a day.

Health officials say the gas does not cause long-term health problems but that chemicals put into the gas so humans can smell it can cause sickness.

After trying and failing to plug the leak gas company crews are now drilling two relief wells which in theory will meet where the well emerges from rock that forms the capstone, which seals the gas in place. Southern California Gas said the wells may not be ready until late February, or even later.

Several thousand of Porter Ranchs 30,000-strong population have left in recent weeks, citing headaches, dizziness, nausea and nosebleeds, and concern that there may in fact be long-term health implications. A crash in property prices is another worry.

Brockovich represents Weitz & Luxenberg, a New York-based law firm. It has signed up more than 600 people for individual lawsuits and expects that to grow to more than 1,000, said Christopher Dalbey, another representative. Brockovich has given Weitz & Luxenberg a celebrity edge over two LA-based law firms which have signed up hundreds more.

Shes Erin Brockovich. Shes fixed things in the past, said Judy Resnick, 70, who moved with her family of six adults and four dogs to a hotel last month. The activist sets people straight about her Hollywood avatar, said Resnick. The first thing she said to us was: Im not Julia Roberts.

Resnick, a retired educator, said the leafy, planned community had been a wonderful place to live. It was heaven. Everything right there. A beautiful park. The YMCA for swimming. Starbucks.

Her daughter Hope Tropper, 49, a school secretary, said some people were less sensitive to the smell. But not me. I was so weak the week of Thanksgiving thats when I was really, really sick.

Southern California Gas Company is paying for the familys stay in a hotel suite four miles away and the family expects it to pay to clean and treat their home once the leak is fixed. But they worry about long-term health damage. My concern is what will happen in 20, 30 years, said Tropper.

Another resident, Kaylee Jeon, 36, said her five-year-old son suffered abdominal pain, nosebleeds and nausea before the family relocated to Agoura Hills last month. Ive been sick too nausea, vomiting.

The family had sunk its savings into the Porter Ranch home and now worried if it would ever be habitable or sellable, said Jeon. We sacrificed so much. No one told us there was gas in the ground.

Jeon, one of Porter Ranchs many Korean-born residents, turned up at the town hall-style meeting in West Hills, safely beyond the stench at Porter Ranch, to hear what Weitz & Luxenbergs team had to say. The nurse had not yet chosen a law firm, nor heard of Brockovich the real or screen version until recently. Ive just rented the DVD.

Weitz & Luxenberg said it held its meeting in a church because it was the most practical venue but the altar lent Brockovich and her colleagues a quasi-preacher air as they briefed an audience which had trekked here on a cold, wet night.

Bob Bowcock, an environmental investigator, drew gasps when he said the official estimate of 50,000 kilograms of methane escaping every hour may be a gross underestimate. Weitz & Luxenberg thinks it may be closer to 146,000 kilograms.

Local residents, most from impacted areas, listen intently to Brockovichs speech. Photograph: Noah Smith for the Guardian

Brockovich told the audience it was the victim of an ongoing assault and to brace for a long fight. If you dont have the truth you cant protect your family so we will work diligently to get the truth for you. Itll take time. Think of it as an onion. You have to peel it back..

She invoked her earlier fight with another energy company. In Hinkley I remember a representative telling me the green water and two-headed frog were normal. Porter Ranch, she said, was enduring something profoundly abnormal. This is the single biggest air disaster Ive ever worked on.

Asked about Brockovichs accusations, representatives for Southern California Gas said the company was posting daily information and had set up a dedicated microsite with the results of air sampling, the status of the operations and details on how to file claims for temporary relocation and reimbursement.

We know the community and our neighbors in Porter Ranch are frustrated, and we are highly motivated to end the impact on the community and the environment as quickly as possible.

The statement promised to plug the leak by spring. With our relief well efforts, weve drilled to a depth of approximately 5,400 measured feet (we have to drill to a depth of over 8,000 feet), and remain on schedule to complete this process between late February and late March.

[metspacesolutions]

Daily Routines of Nikola Tesla, Mozart, Hemingway, Woody Allen, Maya Angelo, van Gogh, Stephen King, and Nabokov

There is no single path to insane greatness. Picasso and Gogh are both artistic geniuses, but they pursued very different routines to stay prolific. Success is more a deliberate practice of what works than a serendipitous streak of luck or privilege. The path to greatness is paved with tiny consistent rituals. Here are the self-described daily routines of some of the world’s most prolific minds in history — past and present. These routines and habits might inspire you to create your own. After all, we all aspire to be remarkable at what we do.

Nikola Tesla

“It is paradoxical, yet true, to say, that the more we know, the more ignorant we become in the absolute sense, for it is only through enlightenment that we become conscious of our limitations. Precisely one of the most gratifying results of intellectual evolution is the continuous opening up of new and greater prospects.” Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, physicist, and futurist who is best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current (AC) electricity supply system. Tesla gained experience in telephony and electrical engineering before emigrating to the United States in 1884 to work for Thomas Edison in New York City.

In his autobiography, Tesla describes how he works:

My method is different. I do not rush into actual work. When I get an idea I start at once building it up in my imagination. I change the construction, make improvements and operate the device in my mind. It is absolutely immaterial to me whether I run my turbine in thought or test it in my shop. I even note if it is out of balance. There is no difference whatever, the results are the same. In this way I am able to rapidly develop and perfect a conception without touching anything.

When I have gone so far as to embody in the invention every possible improvement I can think of and see no fault anywhere, I put into concrete form this final product of my brain. Invariably my device works as I conceived that it should, and the experiment comes out exactly as I planned it. In twenty years there has not been a single exception. Why should it be otherwise? Engineering, electrical and mechanical, is positive in results. There is scarcely a subject that cannot be mathematically treated and the effects calculated or the results determined beforehand from the available theoretical and practical data. The carrying out into practice of a crude idea as is being generally done is, I hold, nothing but a waste of energy, money and time.

He further talks about his brain training exercises as a child:

“Although I must trace to my mother’s influence whatever inventiveness I possess, the training he gave me must have been helpful. It comprised all sorts of exercises — as, guessing one another’s thoughts, discovering the defects of some form or expression, repeating long sentences or performing mental calculations. These daily lessons were intended to strengthen memory and reason and especially to develop the critical sense, and were undoubtedly very beneficial.”

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

“When I am … completely myself, entirely alone… or during the night when I cannot sleep, it is on such occasions that my ideas flow best and most abundantly.” A prolific artist, Austrian composer Wolfgang Mozart created a string of operas, concertos, symphonies and sonatas that profoundly shaped classical music. He composed more than 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, operatic, and choral music. He is among the most enduringly popular of classical composers, and his influence is profound on subsequent Western art music.

In a letter to his sister penned in 1782, Mozart outlines a routine so intense that it left him a mere five hours of night’s sleep:

“At six o’clock in the morning I have my hair dressed, and have finished my toilet by seven o’clock. I write till nine. From nine to one I give lessons. I then dine, unless I am invited out, when dinner is usually at two o’clock, sometimes at three, as it was to-day, and will be to-morrow at Countess Zichi’s and Countess Thun’s. I cannot begin to work before five or six o’clock in the evening, and I am often prevented doing so by some concert; otherwise I write till nine o’clock. I then go to my dear Constanze, though our pleasure in meeting is frequently embittered by the unkind speeches of her mother, which I will explain to my father in my next letter.

Thence comes my wish to liberate and rescue her as soon as possible. At half-past ten or eleven I go home, but this depends on the mother’s humor, or on my patience in bearing it. Owing to the number of concerts, and also the uncertainty whether I may not be summoned to one place or another, I cannot rely on my evening writing, so it is my custom (especially when I come home early) to write for a time before going to bed. I often sit up writing till one, and rise again at six.”

Ernest Hemingway

“We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.”

Hemingway was an American novelist, short story writer, and journalist. His economical and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations.

“In a 1958 interview with The Paris Review, Hemingway explains his daily routine and work habits.

When I am working on a book or a story I write every morning as soon after first light as possible. There is no one to disturb you and it is cool or cold and you come to your work and warm as you write. You read what you have written and, as you always stop when you know what is going to happen next, you go on from there. You write until you come to a place where you still have your juice and know what will happen next and you stop and try to live through until the next day when you hit it again.

You have started at six in the morning, say, and may go on until noon or be through before that. When you stop you are as empty, and at the same time never empty but filling, as when you have made love to someone you love. Nothing can hurt you, nothing can happen, nothing means anything until the next day when you do it again. It is the wait until that next day that is hard to get through.

Woody Allen

“Seventy percent of success in life is showing up.”

Allen is an American actor, author, filmmaker, comedian, playwright, and musician, whose career spans more than six decades. Here is how Woody thinks about ideas:

“I’ve found over the years that any momentary change stimulates a fresh burst of mental energy. So if I’m in this room and then I go into the other room, it helps me. If I go outside to the street, it’s a huge help. If I go up and take a shower it’s a big help. So I sometimes take extra showers. I’ll be down here [in the living room] and at an impasse and what will help me is to go upstairs and take a shower. It breaks up everything and relaxes me.

The shower is particularly good in cold weather. This sounds so silly, but I’ll be working dressed as I am and I’ll want to get into the shower for a creative stint. So I’ll take off some of my clothes and make myself an English muffin or something and try to give myself a little chill so I want to get in the shower. I’ll stand there with steaming hot water coming down for thirty minutes, forty-five minutes, just thinking out ideas and working on plot. Then I get out and dry myself and dress and then flop down on the bed and think there.

Maya Angelo

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”

Maya Angelou published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and was credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years. She was an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist.

Maya described her routine in a 1983 interview:

“I usually get up at about 5:30, and I’m ready to have coffee by 6, usually with my husband. He goes off to his work around 6:30, and I go off to mine. I keep a hotel room in which I do my work — a tiny, mean room with just a bed, and sometimes, if I can find it, a face basin. I keep a dictionary, a Bible, a deck of cards and a bottle of sherry in the room. I try to get there around 7, and I work until 2 in the afternoon. If the work is going badly, I stay until 12:30. If it’s going well, I’ll stay as long as it’s going well. It’s lonely, and it’s marvelous.

I edit while I’m working. When I come home at 2, I read over what I’ve written that day, and then try to put it out of my mind. I shower, prepare dinner, so that when my husband comes home, I’m not totally absorbed in my work. We have a semblance of a normal life. We have a drink together and have dinner. Maybe after dinner I’ll read to him what I’ve written that day. He doesn’t comment. I don’t invite comments from anyone but my editor, but hearing it aloud is good. Sometimes I hear the dissonance; then I try to straighten it out in the morning.”

Vincent van Gogh

“If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” Gogh is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. In just over a decade he created about 2,100 artworks, including around 860 oil paintings, most of them in the last two years of his life.

In an 1888 letter to his brother, Theo, Gogh wrote:

“Today again from seven o’clock in the morning till six in the evening I worked without stirring except to take some food a step or two away. I have no thought of fatigue, I shall do another picture this very night, and I shall bring it off. Our days pass in working, working all the time, in the evening we are dead beat and go off to the café, and after that, early to bed! Such is our life.”

Stephen King

“Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.”

Stephen’s books have sold more than 350 million copies, many of which have been adapted into feature films, miniseries, television shows, and comic books. He is an author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, science fiction, and fantasy.

In his memoir On Writing, King reveals his creative writing process:

“Like your bedroom, your writing room should be private, a place where you go to dream. Your schedule — in at about the same time every day, out when your thousand words are on paper or disk — exists in order to habituate yourself, to make yourself ready to dream just as you make yourself ready to sleep by going to bed at roughly the same time each night and following the same ritual as you go.

In both writing and sleeping, we learn to be physically still at the same time we are encouraging our minds to unlock from the humdrum rational thinking of our daytime lives. And as your mind and body grow accustomed to a certain amount of sleep each night — six hours, seven, maybe the recommended eight — so can you train your waking mind to sleep creatively and work out the vividly imagined waking dreams which are successful works of fiction.”

Vladimir Nabokov

“Existence is a series of footnotes to a vast, obscure, unfinished masterpiece.”

Vladimir was a Russian-American novelist and entomologist. Nabokov was an expert lepidopterist and composer of chess problems. In a 1964 interview he shared his daily schedule:

“I awake around seven in winter: my alarm clock is an Alpine chough — big, glossy, black thing with big yellow beak — which visits the balcony and emits a most melodious chuckle. For a while I lie in bed mentally revising and planning things. Around eight: shave, breakfast, enthroned meditation, and bath — in that order. Then I work till lunch in my study, taking time out for a short stroll with my wife along the lake.… We lunch around one P.M., and I am back at my desk by half-past one and work steadily till half-past six. Then a stroll to a newsstand for the English papers, and dinner at seven. No work after dinner. And bed around nine. I read till half-past eleven, and then tussle with insomnia till one A.M.”

Turns out great minds don’t think alike.

Whatever you do, it’s important to find your ideal creative time and stick to it. Do your creative and meaningful work at your peak times when your energy is high and distractions are minimal.

By Thomas Oppong. Shared from Medium.

The post Daily Routines of Nikola Tesla, Mozart, Hemingway, Woody Allen, Maya Angelo, van Gogh, Stephen King, and Nabokov appeared first on metspacesolutions.

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