#their forties and that's just 2x

[bitegore]

ok this isnt meant to be a dig or anything but it's always really funny to me when people like just cracking 30 are like "omg you're in your early twenties, you're a babyyyyyy"

babe you're like barely 30, you're a baby too. You're a blink and a half older than me. I spend too much time around people over 50, the difference between 23 and 33 is a few years at a job and a little more distance from living in your parents' house but it's like, nothing. the gap closes every time you breathe and every time i move. the difference between you and me is like one-fifteenth the difference between you and my dad's friend Joe or whatever. don't worry you'll get to live more life too, but don't kid yourself.

and this is doubled when it's coming from a 25-year-old currently experiencing a crisis of age because they're soooo old, they're 25, the horror! You are twenty-five. We have an age difference of three years. Your concern over this is embarrassing for you and highly entertaining for me. But like don't kid yourself here. You are 25. You are a like a fucking baby to me.

[nordic-language-love]

Language Learning Log 2022 Week Forty-Nine (05/12 - 11/12)

Banner photo: I had to go back to the Japanese Embassy in London on Friday, and while there I had lunch in the park. Obviously the squirrels are very used to humans and very used to getting fed, because a pair of them started harassing me as I was eating a cookie. They were very cute though! But that cookie cost like £2 and tasted amazing, so I wasn’t gonna share it 😅

Norwegian

1x italki lesson (60m)

Read 1x article

Duolingo

Japanese

2x italki lessons (1h 30m)

Renshu

5x Fill In The Blanks Episodes

Japanese Tutor ch2 exercises E-H

Once again I'm feeling overwhelmed by Japanese vocabulary. I study daily, I add new words to my Anki decks, my deck grows, I can't remember the words I added yesterday. But I keep going, because even if I only remember 5 of the 50 words I added, that's still five words I've learned. And I find that if I only have a small amount of words to remember, I get kinda used to certain parts of the words (e.g. I know the word for 'customer' starts with 'o' and ends in 'san') and convince myself I know the word, even though I don't actually know what comes in the middle. More words does, ironically, encourage me to properly learn the full word.

I did, however, watch a J-drama (Fill In The Blanks) and was happy to recognise a few more words that I've recently learned. This is it, you see, I need to keep up my immersion and not just study flashcards all the time. (Also, it’s a bloody good show that I 100% recommend. But the trigger warnings they give at the start are real.)

This coming week I'm trying out a couple of new Japanese tutors on italki because my two normal tutors are both going away over Christmas and won't be back until I'm already on my way to Japan. I'm actually going to try a conversation class, which seems crazy given I absolutely cannot hold a conversation in Japanese. But I think it's what I need, actually. Learning grammar is great and all but I really need to try practising what I’ve learned.

I’ve really slacked on Norwegian recently. I tried watching a little Julekalendar today but it came up with an error message being all like “looks like you’re using a VPN! Turn it off then try again :)” like my dude if I turn my VPN off you’ll tell me off for being outside Norway -_- Any advice?

[ironwiremartialarts]

🔥Saenchai Muay Thai:  Cross & Knee. Cross, Fake Knee & Elbow. Yokkao US Tour 2023. #SAENCHAI #GOAT

Saenchai Saenpong: The all-time Muay Thai Great. He is widely considered the Greatest Muay Thai Champion on all time, commonly referred to as the #GOAT. 

Saenchai is one of the most legendary Muay Thai fighters in the sport’s history. Beginning at just the age of eight, he has collected numerous world titles. Plus, he has earned renown as he is still active in his forties defeating numerous farang (foreign athletes).

The Nak Muay Saenchai inspires international audiences with his incredible reflexes and repertoire of moves. In a single match, Saenchai will often employ lightning-fast question marks kicks, cartwheel kicks, ace trips, and sweeps, in addition to his impeccable movement. A specialist and expert in Muay Thai with a unique striking style.

Sept 10, 2023 a Seminar at House Martial Arts Studio held an event hosting Yokkao Fight Team. 

I had a Great time training, fighting, and learning with Muay Thai Legends, SAENCHAI, CHAWALAN, and DUANGDAWNOI. 

I highly recommend all practitioners of the Martial Arts attend the Yokkao Seminar in a city near you. 

Hope you Enjoy!

#IronWireMartialArts #JacobABrinnand #MuayThai #KickBoxing #MartialArts 

Social Handles 

YouTube.com/IronWireMartialArts 

Facebook.com/IronWireMartialArts 

Instagram.com/ironwiremartialarts

Twitter.com/IWMAofficial

tumblr.com/blog/ironwiremartialarts

E-Mail 

IronWireMartialArts@gmail.com

Contact: (346) 291-7701

Martial Artist: #Saenchai 

FIGHT RECORD as of 2023: 

YOKKAO

2020 YOKKAO Diamond Welterweight Champion

THAI FIGHT

2022 THAI FIGHT 70 kg King's Cup Champion

2019 THAI FIGHT 70 kg King's Cup Champion

2018 THAI FIGHT 67 kg King's Cup Champion

2017 THAI FIGHT 67 kg King's Cup Champion

2016 THAI FIGHT Kard Chuek 70 kg King's Cup Champion

Most championships in Thai Fight (5)

Most wins in Thai Fight (52)

52–0 record

Phoenix Fighting Championship

2017 Phoenix Fighting Championship 63.5 kg Champion

Toyota Marathon

2014 Toyota Marathon Runner-up

2013 Toyota Vigo Marathon Tournament

Muay Thai Warriors

2012 Muay Thai Warriors Welterweight (65 kg) champion

World Professional Muaythai Federation (WPMF)

2012 WPMF World Welterweight champion (147 lbs)

WBC Muay Thai

2011 WBC Diamond World Champion

World Muaythai Council (WMC)

2010 WMC World Lightweight (135 lbs / 61 kg) champion (one defense)

Lumpinee Stadium

2010 Lumpinee Stadium Lightweight (135 lbs) Champion (one defense)

2006 Lumpinee Stadium Super featherweight (130 lbs/59 kg) champion

2005 Lumpinee Stadium Super featherweight (130 lbs/59 kg) champion (one defense)

1999 2x Lumpinee Stadium Bantamweight (118 lbs/53 kg) champion

1997 Lumpinee Stadium Super flyweight (115 lbs/52 kg) champion

Toyota Cup

2010 Toyota Cup tournament champion

Muay Thai Association of America (MTAA)

2010 MTAA World Lightweight champion

Boxing

Pan Asian Boxing Association (PABA)

2003 PABA Featherweight interim champion (Defense: 1)

Accomplishments

Sports Writers Association of Thailand

2008 Sports Writers Association of Thailand Fighter of the Year

1999 Sports Writers Association of Thailand Fighter of the Year

Sports Authority of Thailand

2008 Sports Authority of Thailand Fighter of the Year

[geejohnfiddlewhopper]

List idea:

2x boxes of the combat patrol (with one Lord Avocadoes)

1x Lord of Skulls (awesome)

1x Chaos Rhino (I had extra points)

Pros:

-Forty Berserkers

-Lord of Skulls

-Some dudes are pretty fast

-Under five hundred US bones if I buy from Amazon.

-More than enough points left for the Favored of Khorne enhancement, which sounds pretty helpful (reroll all the Khorne Yahtzee if it stinks too much for even the Lord of Skulls)

Cons:

-The Lord of Skulls is my only real anti-vehicle option (I think, I am very new)

-Probably repetitive to paint (Forty Berserkers have betrayed me)

-Value Boxes containing Berserkers are probably going to leave me with too many extra Berserkers

I'll be kitting both squads of Jackals with Skullsmashers, icons, and mauler chainblades (one each per squad)

My Berserker Champions are fitted with an icon and plasma pistols, and every squad also packs an eviscerator

The Rhino has one of each combi-flavor and a havoc launcher

And my Lord of Skulls is fired with The Daemongore Cannon, Skullhurler, and Cleaver.

Any advice, suggestions, etc. is welcome. I'm looking to get my first 2,000 point force (was going to be Death Guard but that's not happening anymore) and everything about the World Eaters just kind of works for me.

[nightinghoul]

Thoughts:

1. I was a neurodivergent kid who didn't understand why some other kids were picky over food, because I was literally starving, and would eat anything. Now I'm a very picky adult. I mostly eat cereal.

2. Kids should be allowed to eat snacks in class. People just assume that kids have food at home, even of they are getting free lunch on fee waver. It was a long time ago, but I remember waiting in line just long enough to sit down at a table with my food right before the bell rang, stuffing my face with what I could on the way to the trash can, dumping the rest of the food in the trash while starving, because I wasn't allowed to take it with me. Lunch time should be an hour.

3. People said I was lazy, because if I had an actual disorder keeping me from keeping up with everyone else, I would have been diagnosed. However, I was not being tested for these things.

4. I learned how to laugh by mimicking others. Working in retail, I was yelled at by customers if I did not maintain eye contact. I was called trashy because of my posture. Any masking I hadn't learned as a kid, I learned in retail. As an adult, my therapist said I couldn't possibly be on the spectrum, because I made good eye contact. One time a customer told me my intense eye contact was unnerving.

5. I have plantar fasciitis, and bone spurs caused by thin heel pads. My podiatrist said this was most likely caused by a lifetime of tip-toe walking. I am trying to learn how to walk heel to toe, now. It's kind of a limp-stomp for the time being.

6. I have been diagnosed with OCD. It's true, I have textbook OCD. I use that as an excuse to call myself neurodivergent. My neurodivergent issues don't all stem from OCD.

7. Words are a jumbled mess to me. I don't know how this relates at all, but they are. I have subscribed to Speechify, so now I can read books, but kindle books are set to only allow you to copy and paste so much. They want you to pay more for the audio versions. The audio versions are too slow for my brain. I like to listen to Speechify at 2x speed. I just take screen shots.

8. I just wanted to get these thoughts off my chest. I get depressed with these thoughts, and feel alienated, trapped, lazy, and worthless. I'm in my forties, I work for myself, I'm married and a homeowner, and I have three good friends. I shouldn't have these feelings, but I do.

[megamillionsclub]

How can you play the Mega Millions lottery in 2022?

The Mega Million lottery game in the United States is commonly referred to as THE BIG GAME. It is available in forty-five out of the fifty states that make up the United States of America. In the major game, there will be a ball that is gold in colour and will have six stars on it to represent the lawful members.

The drawing for the BIG GAME takes place every Tuesday and Friday evening, even on holidays. The Mega Million lottery is a grouping of 12 major lotteries that all operate under the same brand.

In the lottery game known as "Mega Million," there are nine distinct chances to come out on top. Players have the option of selecting one number between 1 and 25 as well as five other numbers from the range of 1 to 70 that are presented separately (the white balls) ( Mega Ball). If you match all six of the numbers on the ticket, you are the winner of the drawing. In the Mega Million Drawing, there are a total of nine different methods for a player to win the prize.

Only A jackpot

There are only a handful of jurisdictions where the Mega Millions game consists solely of a jackpot. Those who enjoy playing a game of chance can do so in a variety of ways. Players that play solely for the sake of winning a jackpot are known as "jackpot players." The entry fee for each drawing in the Mega Millions jackpot was $2. It is not true that purchasing a jackpot ticket is all that is required to be eligible for the award for the jackpot.

Megaplier

The value of the jackpot award can be increased through the use of megaplier options, which are offered by several of the states.

It will improve the chances of winning a multiple of 2, 3, 4, or 5 dollars. As a result, it will present the ideal opportunity for you to boost your wealth and cause it to more than double, triple, quadruple, or perhaps quintuple. However, an additional one dollar is charged for each play. If you choose to include the megaplier option in your Mega Millions lotto bet, the additional cost will bring your total to $3. The megaplier is chosen randomly each night before the Mega Millions drawing takes place. From the pool of 15 balls, there are five balls that have the marking 2x on them, which indicates that the megaplier for those five balls is 2. This will likely result in the amount of accounts being increased by a factor of two. The fact that the other six balls are all marked with a "3x" indicates that you have a total of six opportunities. It will unquestionably bring the value up to three times what it was. The value of the other three balls has been marked with a "4x," which indicates that it will increase by a factor of four. And the final ball has the number 5 times written on it. It is abundantly evident from the game that the possibility of doubling the amount is greater, whereas the possibility of making your amount treble is lower than the possibility of achieving a double megaplier, given that the number of balls in triple is lower than the number of balls in double. Another way to look at it is that the quadruple balls are lower than the triple megaplier. And there is just one ball with the biggest multiplier in the megaplier. You may say that this is a game of one shot because there is only one opportunity to play it.

The Megaplier operates as follows:

2x

3x

4x

5x

How exactly does one go about participating in the Mega Millions lottery?

The following instructions will walk you through playing Mega Million. In the same way that a lottery does, this game boosts your chances of winning and gives you a better chance of winning. It will serve as a platform for you to enhance your financial situation.

You are required to have a Ticket:

The price of each ticket is going to be $2. However, if you decide to add a megaplier, there will be an additional cost of $3. You cannot participate in the Mega Millions Lottery if you do not have a ticket. There is no limit on the number of tickets you can purchase for your game, even if it's just one. You are allowed to purchase whatever number of tickets that you choose. You are need to select six numbers before you can purchase a ticket. These six integers can be broken down into two categories.

The first step involves assigning five numbers to the white ball, and those numbers might range anywhere from 1 to 70.

The other component is a gold Mega ball that can land anywhere between 1 and 25.

Now is the time to choose your number, or you can purchase an easy-pick ticket, which will have a number chosen for you automatically.

Convenience stores, grocery stores, and petrol stations all sell these kinds of lottery tickets. You may buy them anywhere you buy your other lottery tickets.

The ticket can only be purchased by residents of the state. Being a citizen of a state implies that the state is one of the 45 jurisdictions that participate in the Mega Millions lottery.

Another important consideration is that you are of an age where it is lawful to purchase a ticket. You must be over the age of 18 to continue. At the time of purchase, you are required to provide a valid government-issued identification card to verify your age. The first thing you need to do to play Mega Million is follow these instructions.

Verify and then recheck the following numbers:

Only on Tuesday and Friday evenings are there chances to win a prize. The entry into the initial drawings will be valid with this ticket.

Check the winning numbers on the Mega Million Lottery's official websites.

Do not put any stock in the information that is provided to you by third parties.

How to Get the Win:

You will be declared the winner of the drawing if all six of the numbers from the chosen lottery are the same. If you don't

If you happen to get the jackpot, there is no need for you to feel disappointed in yourself. There are additional ways to earn prizes of a lesser value.

In addition to the fixed point, the jackpot also includes other prizes. The dollar amounts of the remaining prizes will vary.

The following is how the numbers will match up:

Five white numbers equal one million dollars.

Four of the white numerals, plus the giant ball: $10,000

Choose any four white numbers and receive $500.

Your choice of any three white numbers, plus the giant ball: $200

Choose any three of the white numbers: $10

Choose any two white numbers and the huge ball from the following: $10

Any white number and the mega ball will get you four dollars.

Simply for the huge ball, $2

This is the third step in the instructions for playing the Mega Million game.

How do I go about collecting my prize?

There is a requirement for a verified authorised lottery sale agent in order to conduct lottery verification. It is essential to do checks on the lottery.

The winning ticket can also be purchased via the authorised lottery sales agent.

In the event that the total sum won in the lottery is more than $599, you will be required to return the ticket to the lottery commission.

Each of the processes has its own specific time limit that must be met. You have a certain amount of time in which you must follow the correct technique. From state to state, the specific amount of time that you have to submit your application can range anywhere from ninety to one hundred days. This brings us to the conclusion of the instructions for playing Mega Million.

How likely is it that you will win?

Not to that extent. There is a one in 302575350 chance that you will win the jackpot. Picture a large beach with a considerable amount of sand on it. As a result, you will need to select one grain of sand from among many grains of sand. Due to the large number of people that are purchasing tickets, there are not very good possibilities of actually winning. This is entirely dependent on one's good fortune, and you have been chosen as the winner.

Is it a good idea to play the Mega Millions?

The freedom to participate in a Mega Millions drawing from any location, at any time, and in any order that you choose is the game's most appealing feature. Logging in is a breeze regardless of whether you are at home, the office, or another location to purchase tickets. Every time someone plays a game, they do so in accordance with a set of rules and regulations that are always the same. Everyone is responsible for adhering to the regulations. You can get hands-on experience learning how to play Mega Million through this. If you are an expert at playing lottery games, then the only thing left for you to do is devise a strategy for your game. This will improve the likelihood of you coming out on top. However, if you are unfamiliar with these lottery games, it will be very challenging for you to come up with any sort of strategy for playing the game. However, as time goes on, you will develop a habit of playing it, which will lead to your becoming increasingly skilled at it day by day.

When is the optimal time to play the Mega Million lottery?

If you have the funds necessary to purchase a ticket, you can participate in the Mega Millions lottery whenever you like. There is no set time within which you have to play it. However, there are certain approaches that the vast majority of people use. When the jackpot reaches a particular level, one of the strategies you use is to… The mere idea of earning $100 from a jackpot will make you feel like a star. People, on the other hand, have a chance of winning because they have faith in themselves and consistently demonstrate a positive attitude toward the prospect of winning the game. The road to victory can be paved with a positive mental attitude and consistent effort. In order to participate in the Mega Million, you will need these things. In point of fact, there is no method for winning the game; rather, there is only a chance that will allow you to emerge victorious.

Is it possible to win with swift picking?

In no way, shape, or form. This is a game in which the winner is determined by chance. Permutation and combination are two mathematical tools that can be used to solve this problem. Let us assume that there are six million different ways for you to win the lotto. Do you really believe that your chances of winning the six million dollars in a drawing are the same as everyone else's? You need to approach it with a rational frame of mind. The instructions on how to play Mega Million will benefit greatly from this.

The only reason that people choose to go with the quick selection option in the lottery is because:

The only reason the rapid selection is preferred in this game is because it typically yields more tendon and there is a lower possibility that the combination you choose will be used by any other player in this competition. People select their birthdays and anniversary dates using a variety of approaches, such as date selection. There is a possibility of more winners when partial and complete combinations are combined. A lottery is nothing more than a game of chance. Every person would have an equal chance of winning or, more frequently, losing. Someone has suggested that the balls do not have any memories. He meant that the numbers can be the same again, so you cannot think that once the numbers have appeared, they cannot be there again. Since the numbers can be the same again, he meant that you cannot assume this. due to the fact that there is a high probability of having the same number again. There is no logic to the pattern; this outcome can only be determined by how fortunate or unfortunate a candidate happens to be. Now, all that can be done with the number is make a prediction. This page provides you with all the information you need to know in order to participate in the Mega Million lottery. GOOD LUCK!

CHECK FOR MORE ARTICLES

[circadianaa]

don’t think i ever?? posted this?? but i FINALLY have a design for commandeer cad that i actually like

commander cad ramble below!! 👇

after order 66, cadaver shacked up with rex and ahsoka and took part in the rebel cell that they eventually formed. when tragedy befell the two and a large part of the old guard of the cell, cadaver inherited the command and saw it through up until the end of the war. he never particular wanted the command (and outright refused to take a rank any higher than commander), but he did it well and lead his cell with both a firm hand and the care of a protective older brother, which is a habit he never really managed to shake—even after all his brothers were gone.

commander cad is hardened, harsh, and significantly more morally grey than his canon counterpart. he’s seen a lot more, he’s done a lot more, and is generally just a whole lot wiser than he used to be. while cadaver has never been a particularly sunshiney person, commander cad is a whole new level of doom and gloom. he puts up a real tough front and enjoys wiping the mats with new recruits, but has a more caring side that—if given time—many do get the chance to see.

commander cad mourns his brothers very quietly. he’s in his late forties (biologically, as he only stopped aging 2x as fast after his chip broke), and he has had a long time to come to terms with their losses, but there will always be a part of him that misses being able to see his own face without looking in a mirror. commander cad is, at his most foundational level, a lonely man; one of the last of his people left in the galaxy. he wakes up one day years after order 66 realizing that the clone language isn’t as sharp in his mind as it used to be. that he does not think and move in the subtle cues he used to, when a shift of his fingers and a tilt of his helmet could speak volumes to the equally as armored and sensitive people around him. he is a half of a whole that no longer exists, and he feels that every waking moment.

alright, that’s my commander cad ramble. i’m sure i’d be able to come up with more and properly iron out the story if i cared enough, but i don’t ❤️ commander cad is here to look cool and be sexy. death to plot and viva la revolution

[misha-moose-dean-burger-lover]

so, uh. that isn't happening —

new challenge. if I finish this lecture before two am, I'm writing deancas fluff 🎵 ft. socks 🎵

[metabolizemotions]

Tag Game

Tagged by @drlaurenb, @englishstrawbie, thanks 🥰

Favourite colour: blues, greys, black

Currently reading: I used to listen to a ton of audiobooks, f & nf ~ 2x speed. (Some f ones are really good - even much better than entire shows). I generally prefer listening to reading. Tho I haven't really been doing either lately.

One that I revisit from time to time - Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives by David Eagleman (sort of fiction/ v. imaginative thought experiments by this neuroscientist)

Non-fiction: The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green (Essays he wrote, some from his podcast episodes. Part memoir. I listened to the audiobook a while back, narrated by him.)

Last song: This is mesmerizing (turn on the CC). Whenever it pops up, I’ll watch/ listen again. Also a partial, random playlist:

Last series: Watched a bunch recently. Finally caught up: The Umbrella Academy & Stranger Things - I was thinking the whole time, man, they really have huge budgets and I wished some of the other smaller shows I watch have that kind of production value.

For TUA, I always love Elliot Page's performance - this time his transition from Vanya to Viktor, reflecting his real life, was v. moving. & the usual dysfunctional family shenanigans. Some interesting twists.

ST has a v well-developed overall arc - I think it's rather rare that a show gets to fully develop its plots & intricately build its world. I really like Max’s arc - & the actress’s performance.

Paper Girls, The Sandman, For All Mankind. I love all 3 differently. I tot each did well for its respective production scale & genre, with something special weaved in. I was thinking about how the meanings of life & death change when you meet the past/ future you; are stranded in time/ space; or exist for eternity… A certain sense of loneliness/ helplessness... My personal fav is PG - setting aside the genre aspect, I really like the simple but touching stories of the 4 protagonists - esp KJ's story & the actress’s portrayal.

Currently watching: A League of Their Own

Last movie: Nightmare Alley - not my type of show, only watched it for Cate & Rooney 😍

Currently working on: Getting back to meditating more regularly. To be more mindful of my tots, be less reactive, & just remind myself to breathe deeply… I used to do it for ~20min daily. Guided meditations aren't really my thing tho I did listen to some teachers talk about meditation. Walking meditations are kinda better for my overactive mind - I can easily get distracted tho if I keep my eyes open - you know, if I don’t want to trip & fall. Ideally sitting meditation - at least 20min - to "get to the good stuff". Like after you settle down, when your legs start to cramp, after thinking about the grocery list or the plot holes of the shows you're watching or sth... I'm starting with listening to the same Philip Glass's piece each time. Sometimes when I'm tired I just lie on the floor. I fall asleep sometimes...

Tagging: I suppose everyone's being tagged at this point...? I know you typically don't do this tho I still want to tag @mayasdeluca & @closetednobody for fun 😝. Don't feel obliged tho.

[l-ion-heart]

Pokemon Go Exp Guide! - The Race to 40 and Beyond

I know some friends who are trying to make the final push to level 40 in PoGo before the legacy event ends so I whipped up a doc with all the methods I use to grind experience! It’s not exhaustive but it’s pretty dang in-depth. You can just read the bolded sections if it’s too long XD

Feel free to share, with credit of course! Let’s get as many trainers to forty as we can!

Pokémon Go: Exp Tips for the Sprint to Lvl 40 (and beyond)!

by: bottsy ( fc: 759850632021 )  Discord: botts_y#0909

Overview:

Events - Double Catch Experience!

Friendship - Lucky Egg those Friendship Statuses!

Mass Evolution - The Rewards of Candy Accounting!

Dailies - Streaking, the Hottest Exp Grind!

Research - Hoarding Isn’t Just for Stardust

PokeCoins - Buying Your Way to Legacy

The Legacy Challenge: Leaving Dec. 31st

Postscript

Events:

Always keep an eye out for current and upcoming events, especially those that boost experience (although nowadays they are rare). Even if the event isn’t explicitly related to an experience boost, it might still present a more efficient chance to gain experience. For example, they just boosted incense spawns again so incense is now a great tool to supplement catching a ton of Pokémon quickly when you can’t be out and about or nothing is spawning nearby.

Current Event: Thanks to the 2x catch experience bonus until the end of the year and the rework on catch experience, catching Pokémon is the best way to grind exp on your own - especially if you can get some excellent throws (they now net you 2k exp on catch). With a lucky egg, you can also turn that 2x bonus into a 4x bonus and rocket up to 40.

So, catch as much as you can between now and the end of the year, and when you can’t play, plan ahead by thinking about how upcoming events or bonuses could be most efficiently used.

Friendship:

Even with a double catch exp event, friendship bonuses remain the largest source of experience: 100k for best friend, and 50k for ultra. By coordinating with a friend if you can communicate, or by planning ahead if you cannot, you can use a lucky egg before acquiring these bonuses and walk away with a giant lump sum of experience. 

The safest way to do this (even with someone with whom you can communicate) is to ensure that when you are 1 day from your bonus, you have a gift from them and they do NOT have a gift from you. This means that you will be in control of when the friendship bonus pops because it will not do so until you open your gift from them. This is how you set up multiple bonuses for a single lucky egg - pop the egg and then open all the relevant gifts. If you are able to communicate with the person, it is good practice to give them notice and plan together when you will do the bonus so that they can lucky egg as well.

*In the weeds: little details, with big impact*

Setting up so that you have one day left before bonus and only you have a gift means that 2 days away from bonus you are HIGHLY reliant on the other person to open one of your gifts and send (or have already sent) you a gift. Sometimes people aren’t very engaged in gift giving or have other friendships they are already working on, and may not send you the gift you need. At that point you have to weigh the risk of not getting the friendship bonus in time (if they never send you the gift) versus the loss of exp you may face if you aren’t in charge of when the bonus happens and as a result cannot use lucky egg. Just something to be aware of! Also beware that when in a shared PoGo community, if you raid or trade with that person, it will progress your friendship. It’s a good idea to keep a list of who you have bonuses ready for so that you can avoid these interactions until you are ready to activate bonus.

So, right now it would be a good idea to look through your friends list and make note of any friends you have that have ultra/best friend bonuses attainable by the end of the year. You can mark them with a specific nickname so that they are easy to sort and identify over the next month as you prioritize getting and sending gifts to them. If you can communicate with them, reach out so that you can prioritize leveling the friendship together and make plans for using lucky egg on the bonus. If not, do your best and try to take control of when the bonus happens to ensure you get lucky egg bonus.

Mass Evolution:

A popular and effective, but intensive, strategy is mass evolution. Evolving a Pokémon earns 500 exp (and a bonus 500 exp if it is a new dex entry). As a result, you can pop a lucky egg and then evolve as many Pokémon as possible within the half hour to net 1k per evolution and as much as 50-70k+ total experience, depending on the speed of the phone and player. The effectiveness of this method is that it makes consistent, predictable use of a lucky egg and only requires unwanted Pokémon and candy - making it popular with free-to-play players. The drawback of this method is that it is intensive in terms of planning time and storage space required. 

In advance of a mass evolution you need to have 60-some(+) Pokémon ready to evolve and you need to know which Pokémon they are so that you can efficiently move from one to the other when evolving. For those unconcerned about PvP options, maintaining a living dex, etc. simply searching “evolve” is enough prep, but those more concerned about PvE and PvP relevance or keeping a living dex will need to go through and determine for which species they are comfortable burning candy and which specimens of that species they are going to evolve. That’s up to your own priorities and discretion, but it would help to mark those Pokémon or make a list for reference. Nothing is worse than trying to mass evolve and then losing time because you didn’t mark which weedle you were saving to max and mega evolve or which eevee was going to be your great league umbreon.

Between mass evolutions you need to acquire the candy and Pokémon necessary for the next set of evolutions. The best Pokémon to mass evolve are always where the candy cost is lowest - ie, the lowest evolution stage of a species with naturally low evolution cost and little use in your relevant metas (Raids, Gyms, Rocket, PvP, etc.). Examples of this are the birds, bugs and normal types of most generations like pidgey, wurmple, and patrat. Still, these aren’t the only Pokémon worth mass evolving. Any Pokémon for which you have the extra candies to evolve is worth doing, but the Pokémon discussed above are worth prioritizing catching in the wild (or even pinapping) for the purpose of evolving. It is a good idea when clearing out unwanted Pokémon to do a quick accounting of how many evolutions of that Pokémon you could do based on how many candies you have. Then, hold onto enough individuals of the species to do that many evolutions. 

We still haven’t discussed when is the best time to mega evolve, and as always it depends on events. Right now, because of the double catch exp event, your lucky eggs would likely be better spent on catching if you have the balls and Pokémon storage. If not, it might be time to clear space with some sorting and evolving! HOWEVER, on Dec. 29th between 6 and 7pm local time the bonus hour will feature  double evolution experience! So if you did mass evolution during that hour, for the whole hour, with 2 lucky eggs you could easily get 200k+ exp. That would be an exceptional time for mass evolution.

This also highlights events that don’t give bonus experience but can still play a role in efficient leveling: the two prior bonus hours on Dec. 15th and Dec. 22nd grant double catch candy and double transfer candy respectively. You can use these prior bonus hours to prepare for the big event on Dec. 29th by getting more candy for evolutions!

That’s A LOT to take in, so let’s break the whole process down by examining a single, relevant species. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Season of Celebration brought along boosted snover spawns so we are seeing a lot more of our frosty tree friend. He has niche use in both great and ultra league, and a brand new mega evolution, so you might want to hang on to one for great league and one to max for both ultra league and mega evolving. Beyond that he isn’t a raid showstopper so you won’t be making a team of abomasnow like you might mamoswine. Any candy and specimens you acquire beyond the needs of those two snover would be perfect for mega evolving. So, you mark your useful snover (maybe even favorite so they don’t accidentally get shipped off) and start tracking your snover candy. Let’s say you have 125 candy: snover’s evolution cost is 50 candy so you would save 2 additional snover to evolve down the line. The rest you would transfer once an appropriate time arrives - like the event on the 22nd. If you are out of space, transfer right away because you’ll make more candy getting out there and catching than you will sitting around for an event. Once you acquire 150 snover candies, you would save 3 snover and so on as your candies increase. Then when it’s time to sort and mega evolve your snover will be ready to go! That’s the mindset to adopt if you want to mass evolve efficiently!

The Mega Evolution Process Summarized:

Identify good fodder species (low evolution cost and low use).

Acquire candies by catching and transferring while saving enough individuals for the number of evolutions you are able to do.

Before a mass evolution, identify and mark or make a list of all the Pokémon you intend to evolve.

Pop a lucky egg and do the evolutions as fast as possible, preferably during an event that boosts evolution exp like the bonus hour on Dec. 29th.

Dailies:

No mobile game is complete without dailies, and PoGo’s recently got a boost! Back in March daily bonuses for first catch of the day were tripled, meaning now for days 1-6 of a streak trainers get 1500 exp and 500 exp for first catch and first stop spun respectively. Then on day 7 trainers get a whopping 6k exp for first catch and 2.5k for first stop. That’s 20.5k exp a week just for popping in to catch one Pokémon and spin a stop each day!

Now don’t forget events! The daily bonuses for first catch also get doubled meaning that until the end of the year you’ll get 39k a week for daily bonuses. On day 7 alone the catch bonus becomes 12k and combined with the spin bonus and a lucky egg, on the last day of your streak you could earn 36k in just a moment! Save your mass evolutions, friendship bonuses or even just some pokeballs for catching till then and you can follow that massive burst of exp with your usual grinding methods!

Completing a research task each day can be harder, but will earn you 3k exp on your seventh completion (doesn’t need to be a steak). Raids are a valuable source of exp as well if you can pull daily tier 5’s at 10k each. But even if not, it’s worth it to raid something daily because if you don’t, that daily free pass is gone. Remember you can pair your raids if doing them at once is more convenient - ie. by saving your free pass from the day before you can complete a raid, pick up your new free pass and complete a second raid all in one day. Do what fits your schedule!

So, make sure to play at least for a moment each day to catch one Pokémon and spin one stop. You’ll secure 36k exp each week for minimal effort - and gain much more if you lucky egg your final bonus on day 7 (just make sure to make good use of the egg afterwards)! Otherwise just research and raid when you can.

Research:

Speaking of daily research, there is a whole other set of research you should be a little more patient and deliberate in completing: special and timed research. These are the multi-step, 3-piece bundles of research tasks that give a nice little set of rewards after each step. If you can stand it, save completed sets of research that reward experience until you are using a lucky egg for another activity. Then at the start of the egg you can quickly tap through your rewards and enjoy the double bonus. This is especially powerful when you are on the next to last step of a research. In most cases the final step is autocompleted, meaning you can get double experience for both steps at once! This strategy is a little harder to pull off with timed research due so be a little more lax in saving those - after all, double rewards on one step is rarely worth abandoning the entire rest of the research. In that case move fast and if there final two steps give experience, consider saving them for an egg once you’ve secured task completion.

So, don’t forget to make progress on your special and timed research tasks and save collecting steps that reward experience for when you are planning on using a lucky egg! Then burn through your research with time to spare for your usual experience grinding!

The Legacy Challenge

Even if you reach level 40 before the end of the 31st the race isn’t done! You’ll earn your Legacy 40 medal but you still won’t acquire the exclusive avatar item, Gyarados Hat, along with some choice item and Pokémon encounter rewards. To get those rewards you need to finish the timed research Legacy 40 Challenge which also expires after the 31st! The steps are below, and include catching at minimum 30 Pokemon and doing 3 raids, so if you’re pushing though to 40 in the final days or hours, know that you’ll need to grid through these steps fast if you want to get the rewards in time.

Step 1 of 4

Power up Pokémon 10 times

Catch 15 Pokémon

Make 5 Nice Throws

Step 2 of 4

Catch 15 different species of Pokémon

Transfer 10 Pokémon

Use 15 Pinap Berries while catching Pokémon

Step 3 of 4

Make 3 Great Curevball Throws Stardust

Win 3 Raids

Give your Buddy 10 treats

Step 4 of 4

Autocompleted!

The fight doesn’t stop at 40! Be prepared to rush through these steps before the new year if you want to get the last bit of bling that shows off your legacy achievement!

Postscript:

Thank you so much if you took the time to read all this! It was a ton of info and will take time to digest and put into practice, so be kind on yourself if you find yourself revisiting for a refresher. I hope it helps you and brings more joy, excitement, and success to your gameplay! If you enjoyed a peek into the nitty gritty fun of min-maxing and meta in PoGo try checking out these resources I use to stay informed:

Leek Duck - Great graphics and up to date event info!

Gamepress - Analysis and meta discussion on the existing dex and everything on the horizons!

And don’t forget to get involved with your local community through social media and especially discord! At Silph Road you can find any local discord groups or even get to work on starting your own if there aren’t any yet.

Good luck and stay safe, fellow trainers!

- Bottsy

[americanopouroverplease]

Sweat It Out: Chapter One

Seokjin X Reader

Word Count; 5,604

Potential Warnings: Blatantly poor use of French terminology, genuinely bad choice in nicknames, Seokjin making terrible dad jokes at the gym, scene stealing jungkook wearing muscle shirts & generally being an adorable muscle bun. 

Thank you to @ksmuttherapy​ & @shadowsremedy​ for beta reading for me!

Please Note! -- Reader in this story is plus sized! As such, certain descriptors will be used and if this detracts from the story for you then I hope you are able to find something else that rocks your frock! 

If pain had a soundtrack you were certain it would be the incessantly upbeat elevator music blaring through the speakers as you grunted and suffered your way through yet another sweat soaked set of heaving sumo squats. Your thighs were spread wide for all the wrong reasons as the lycra blend of your leggings were being stretched to their absolute limit. The grimace pulling at your lips was inherently reminiscent of the principal from Matilda and you were absolutely sure that in this very moment she was prettier than you.

“Dig deep! 10 more!” The trainer was already getting on your nerves with his ridiculous abs and insanely thick biceps. He was getting paid to stand off in the corner of the room while you wheezed and wailed like a dying animal. There wasn’t a single drop of sweat on his perfect skin while you groaned, dropping your weight low only to huff with the effort of lifting your substantial bulk upward once more. “Don’t let yourself down! You’re almost done!”

“How is this legal?” The screech escaped you before you could even think to stop yourself. Of course the only response your trainer gave was a low chuckle as he crossed his arms over that absurdly large chest of his. 

“It’s legal because you pay him.” One of your fellow suffering souls offered as he too continued your joint endeavor in self inflicted torture. “Look at him, he feeds off this.” 

“If you have time to complain you have time to do single leg lunges!” If you weren’t so preoccupied with the burning pain consuming your hamstrings and the complete lack of stamina you’ve built up over your years of working a desk job and eating cinnamon rolls you would fire off your best shots at the trainer. Instead, you settled for fantasizing about using your thighs to crush his big gym rat skull. 

“Don’t listen to him.” Your agonized counterpart called out. “It’ll only make this worse in the long run.” In between each lunge you chanced a glance away from the trainer and over to your new partner in complaint. His cheeks were full, but his lips were even more generous as he pursed and let out huge puffs of agonized breath. He didn’t seem to be out of shape at all, which made you hesitate in appreciating his finer attributes. The muscles filling out his sweat-soaked t-shirt were clearly defined, but what really took your breath away (besides all these squats and lunges) was the fact that his shoulders would obviously enter any room before the rest of him did. Was he even real? Or were you just swept up in an endorphin and exercise fueled haze of fantasy?

“3...2...1!” The trainer’s voice pulled you out of your thoughts only to force you to realize that this entire time you’d been staring at the broad shouldered giant flexing his thighs almost directly in front of you. If your face wasn’t already beet red from exercise the mortification and sheer embarrassment would do it for you. “That’s time!” 

You ran your own business, you were strong and independent. You sank down to the floor, sprawled out, and shut your eyes as you pretended to catch your breath in an attempt to avoid making any potential eye contact with the currently sweaty, also currently gorgeous and far too athletic man for your own good. You were a smart woman who knew how to pick and choose her own battles. 

“I regret everything.” The wheezing prattle sounded just beside you, surprising enough to be the perfect catalyst in opening your eyes. “I blame myself. I can’t stop eating, food is an addiction and there is no cure.” Shoulders was flopped on the floor right next to you in all your sticky, sweaty, stinky glory. He didn’t seem phased by your appearance in the least. 

“You should regret everything, hyung. How did you eat seven lobsters anyway?” The trainer, at some point, moved to join the two of you on the floor. “I thought you were going to make yourself sick.” 

“You know each other?” You were sitting up now, curiosity flaring as you shifted around and began to stretch. Truth be told, you hated every aspect of stretching, but if you didn’t the muscle ache would be that much worse tomorrow. 

“We’re related.” Your trainer smiled, big bunny teeth on display as he watched you push yourself forward and reach toward your toes. “That’s a great stretch, you can also lay flat, then draw one leg up toward your chest and rock. It’s really good for your back and spine.” 

“Cousins, and how do you even have the energy to move right now?” The breathtaking man was still pressed to the floor, cheeks puffed out as his chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. “Jungkook if I weren’t already dead I would kill you for this.” 

“You’ll thank me when you’re old and don’t have type 2 diabetes.” Jungkook grinned, ���Y/N, the lump on the floor is my cousin, Jin. I’m currently trying to save him from himself.” 

“This face will still be handsome even if it has diabetes.” Jin retorted, then dragged himself up from the floor just enough to face you with a smile. “I’m worldwide handsome, but I do answer to Seokjin.” He lifted his hand, only to blow you a kiss and wink. What were you supposed to say to that? 

“I see.” Was he used to people staring at him? He didn’t seem surprised or offended when you openly admired his body. He couldn’t be a model if he routinely ate as much as Jungkook implied. The only thought that sprang up from this conclusion was a lurid amount of jealousy over his apparent metabolism. “I’m Y/N. It’s nice to meet you.” 

“Hyung! She didn’t even blush!” Jungkook wasn’t rolling on the floor with laughter but he was obviously amused by your lack of reaction to Jin’s flirting. He had one hand clasped on his cousin’s shoulder as he leaned exceptionally close to the man’s sweaty face. 

“I only have two options now.” Jin responded with an air of solemnity. His eyes were hooded, expression far too serious for a gym floor as he shifted his weight closer to your form. “I’m going to give you my greatest joke, and if that doesn’t work I’m going to beg you to let me take you out on a date.” 

“Excuse me?” You felt stunned, not only because the subject matter seemed so scattered but had this man actually just casually asked you out after seeing you at your worst? It was 7 pm on a Wednesday night just after you spent the past forty-five minutes heaving your weight back and forth in an attempt to convince your metabolism to decide it was finally okay for you to go from a generous 2X to a reasonable medium or large size pant.

“What do runners eat before a sprint?” You blinked once, twice, and then realized he actually expected you to give him an answer. When your glance shifted toward Jungkook the overgrown muscle simply shrugged his shoulders and grinned. 

“If I say that I don’t know, can we move on?” You pressed gently, not wanting to be rude, but also feeling a little out of your depth. You were well aware that your body type was not considered conventionally attractive. It felt suspicious to have the seemingly undivided attention of someone who could snag any woman or man he wanted with his looks alone. No one flirted with you unless they had a fat fetish, and you always steered clear of those types. 

“Nothing, they fast!” The joke was terrible, but the laughter that followed was even worse. You could only describe the sound escaping Jin’s throat as something eerily similar to windshield wipers scraping along the glass. It took a full minute of you staring at him with wide eyes for the laughter to subside. 

“She didn’t laugh hyung.” Jungkook was still grinning wide, leaving the rest of Jin’s previous declaration unspoken. 

“Do I need to beg, Y/N?” Instantly all signs of humor were gone; replaced by soulful eyes fixed directly upon your face. Jin shifted and knelt in front of you, his palms pressed together as he appeared to be carefully hopeful. “I will.” 

“For what?” You hedged, feeling confused at best, and uncomfortable at worst. You had signed up for this exercise class in order to try and lose weight, to build up your confidence. Nowhere in the gym agreement was there a clause including fit men who seemed out of your league flirting with you and asking you out on dates you weren’t ready for. Was he serious? 

“Please, Y/N, will you let me take you out for a nice dinner and delightful conversation?” 

“Where and when?” As entertaining as it felt to watch a man kneel and beg for your time and attention there was no helping the wariness you felt. Prior experience was a masterful teacher and you weren’t interested in being the butt of anyone’s joke.

“I wouldn’t dream of making your decisions for you.” Jin readily replied, his cheeks full and round as he smiled widely. “I’ll let you choose, anything you want.” 

“Anything?” You sounded skeptical, and didn’t bother trying to hide it as you crossed your arms beneath your breasts and stared at the man before you. He nodded, almost eagerly. 

“Any restaurant you want, I promise I’ll find something I like to eat. Food is a passion of mine.” You heard Jungkook snort beside you, but chose to ignore him in favor of coming up with the most expensive restaurant you could think of. 

“Fine. Take me to Le lapin blanc.” You didn’t feel nearly as calm and collected as you sounded, but he didn’t need to know that. All he needed to know was that he had to shell out serious money to prove his interest. 

“Perfect, does tomorrow work for you?” Shock registered, and then disbelief. Le lapin blanc was the most expensive and exclusive restaurant in town. There was no getting into the building without a reservation, and you couldn’t just get one overnight. 

“If you can get us in, sure.” You agreed, immediately convinced this was all a joke and you would be canceling your gym membership by the end of the week. 

“Perfect, would you like me to pick you up at seven?” He had to play the part until the end, you supposed. With a quick nod, you assumed the conversation would be over and moved to push yourself up from the floor. “Y/N, do you happen to have your phone with you?” That question caught you off guard. 

“Yes, why?” 

“I’d like to give you my phone number so that I can contact you.” Jin responded affably. “How else will I find out where to pick you up?” Ah. Right. With a little bit of reluctance you fished your cell phone from your pocket and handed the device to him. He smiled once more, patiently waiting for you to unlock it before pulling up your contact list and adding himself to it. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow then.” You took your phone back once he was done, then gave him a grin of your own. “I don’t split the bill, you’re paying.” Jungkook’s snort was no more elegant than the first upon hearing this and the chortle that followed actually came from Jin. 

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, beautiful.” 

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂

You finished work at four the next day, which left you with entirely too much time on your hands when it came to getting ready for this date. What should you wear to an expensive restaurant that had napkins that could cost more than your net worth? You decided to go with one of your favorite thrift store finds that fit tightly beneath your breasts and flared out further down your stomach. A girl’s best friend was always a nice empire waistline...Unless it made her look pregnant. 

The cap sleeves looked almost demure, which you appreciated since it was the middle of summer and you were not about to suffocate stuffed into a dress with full length sleeves or a high neckline. Makeup wasn’t minimal, but you also didn’t waste any time lining your eyes when all that would do for you was make you look like an actual trash panda once ten pm rolled around. Instead, you focused on your hair and took the time to style it and smooth out any stray ends or hairs. 

The chime of your text tone echoed from your living room, drawing you away from fiddling any further with the upswept style of your hair.

Did he really send you a picture of himself with a cut out heart? What sort of man was this? When Jin asked you out the night before all you felt was suspicion. Now you were convinced he was simply missing at least sixteen of the screws required for his mental clarity to function. You neglected to respond to his text, and elected to grab your purse before locking the door to your apartment behind you. 

Were you waiting for him outside? Yes. If you were fair to yourself, which you always strove to be; being early was on time and being on time was considering yourself late. You weren’t looking forward to this dinner, sitting across a table of refined food from a man who was so good looking you felt just a little bit stupid. No, you were just being punctual. Right?

Then again, Jin might not show up at all, even if he did send you that ridiculous text message assuring you that he was already on his way. Assuming that he wouldn’t, you could give it another ten minutes before you went back inside, changed into your favorite pajamas, and settled in for a nice long night of playing Stardew Valley. 

Unfortunately all your bucolic hopes and  8-bit dreams were dashed as soon as you saw the cherry red convertible pulling up to your lot. Of course, by this point in your evening you shouldn’t have been surprised that the exceedingly symmetrical Disney prince look-alike also had an expensive car. If he wasn’t even phased by the idea of shelling out for ‘the aesthetic’ it made sense that he would also like to drive fast and live rich. 

“Y/N!” The vehicle rolled to a stop, idling as its driver made a quick leap from the front seat just to sweep you up in long arms. You felt the ground disappear from beneath your feet and questioned reality as you gripped broad shoulders so tightly your knuckles turned white. The world spun around you slowly, not fast enough to make you dizzy but noticeable to the point that you didn’t know how you felt about being picked up in the first place. 

“Jin, it’s nice to see you again.” You smiled, surprised to realize just how happy you were he did take the time to show up. If nothing else he hadn’t stood you up, and he was so very fun to look at that all you wanted to do was indulge yourself for one night. Especially if that singular night meant ritzy food that you couldn’t actually pronounce on your own. 

“You mean it’s wonderful, stunning, amazing, and spectacular to see me again? That’s how I feel about seeing you.” His hands were still settled against your waist, but they were oh so gentle as he set your feet back on the ground. “I was thinking about you all day.” 

“That sounds exhausting.” You teased, drawn in by the easy humor he still displayed even after your repeated attempts at dissuading him from showing any interest. 

“Not at all, I find every thought of you to be invigorating.” Jin replied sweetly, his soft lips pressed flush to your rounded cheek before he led you straight toward the convertible. “It isn’t every day that I get a chance to see a woman’s thighs in action without being called a pervert.” The joke should have fallen flat, but it didn’t. You were caught off guard as you settled back into the seat and reached for the seatbelt. 

“You must have a great poker face if you’re a pervert.” That earned you nothing more than a good natured snort as he pulled away from your apartment complex. The drive itself was short, barely taking more than ten minutes. Altogether, he tried to hold your hand no less than six times. Once the convertible finally pulled into the parking garage you managed to successfully evade his grasping fingers for no reason other than the exasperated and melodramatic wails that filtered past his full lips. 

“You’re a heartless woman, Y/N! How can you say no to this face?” The door was already shut behind Jin, and before you could even begin to unbuckle your seatbelt the door to the passenger side was open while your suitor took the time to free you from his vehicle. You found yourself a mere breath away from his face and suddenly realized why every single romance novel was exactly as cheesy as it was. 

“Impress me enough and I won’t say no.” You whispered, eyes wide and fixed upon the chocolate and nutmeg brown irises that threatened to overwhelm you. Temptation washed over you, begging you to let your eyes drift downward toward the plump lips curving upward into a knowing smile. Instead, you pulled away and began that short walk toward the seating area. 

“Is that a challenge, butterbean?” 

“What sort of nickname is that?” You asked, absolutely appalled by the concept of being a butter bean, much less any one specific person’s butter bean. 

“My pet name. For you, so long as you’ll let me have it.” Jin purred, his large palm pressing gently and warmly against your lower back as he maneuvered you through the slowly gathering crowd of the early evening diners. If he noticed the shiver his touch sent down your spine he chose not to mention it. 

You chose to say nothing as the waitress led you toward a table at the far end of the highest floor. The further you followed the more you questioned just how Jin was able to get this type of reservation on such short notice. The entire restaurant was usually booked out months in advance, and the most exclusive of tables were on the top two floors. By the time you realized you were going -above- the top floor and out onto the roof you felt speechless. 

“Right this way, if you please.” The waitress spoke with a heavy accent, one arm out swept toward an enclosed pavilion that reminded you more of a greenhouse than anything else. Fairy lights were strung across the ceiling in a rambling sort of pattern that draped gracefully around the countless flowers filling the room. There was a walkway, but it was surrounded by flowing water with only one bridge that could lead you over the threshold. 

“Jin. How?” You were too busy admiring the lush atmosphere, the live quartet playing soft music in the far corner, the sound of the fountain as it burbled and pushed the water through the avenues threaded through the walkway and flowers. The lights, the scents, everything was just this side of too much decadence and opulence. It was perfect. 

“Would you believe me if I said I have a few connections?” Jin asked with raised eyebrows. Eventually a table was revealed toward the center of what appeared to be a man made island in a glittering lagoon. 

“Well, tell me how to make these connections because this is the manner in which I wish to become accustomed.” You joked, eyes focused on the riot of Peruvian Lilies heaped upon one plate. It came as no surprise when Jin led you directly to the side of the table with the flowers, then proceeded to assist you in sitting down. 

“It was all sheer dumb luck, my sweet and precious butter bean.” Your eyelid twitched at the terrible name, but you refused to let it ruin what was otherwise a magnificent night. This restaurant was gorgeous, and you felt like a princess transported into a new and far away realm. The only thing that could make this better would be unlimited dessert. Did Jin have enough money to get you unlimited dessert?

“Would you like to start with a Château Margaux this evening?” The waitress was, apparently, not a waitress for she had all but disappeared and in her place was a seemingly young, also seemingly condescending man who held a bottle of wine over his arm as if it were the most dazzling thing to ever display. 

“I suppose that would be fine, Marcus. What else would you suggest?” Jin didn’t sound haughty, necessarily, but he did appear to be a little less concerned with the menu and more interested in staring into your eyes. A point that you promptly avoided by burying your own face in the menu full of letters and words you didn’t quite understand. 

“I wouldn’t dare dream of making recommendations to you, Sir.” The bottle of Margaux bobbled, ever so slightly. Jin let out a small, almost imperceptible sigh. 

“We’ll have the Pauillac, Château Mouton Rothschild.” Jin replied, his gaze still fixed upon your face as the original bottle vanished, only to be replaced nearly as quickly by the desired red. 

“Is the 2005 alright, Sir?” This was met with a nod while Jin’s long fingers slowly but surely wrapped around your own. His smile was for you, though he didn’t completely ignore the man. 

“Yes, that will be fine. Pre-fix menu, tonight?” A subtle negative shake of the head, and then a notepad was produced. “Butterbean, my darling, what would you like to have for dinner?” 

“If you insist on calling me butterbean it might just be your balls.” You simpered sweetly, smile entirely saccharine as you squeezed his hand as hard as you could. The resulting wince was delicate, though the wink he sent your way was playful. 

“It’s an absolute relief to know you aren’t a vegetarian.” His fingers flexed slightly once you released them before he picked up the menu once more. 

“Well, I could always eschew meat to spite you.” This suggestion was met with the exact amount of warmth and eagerness you expected. None. The menus were flung to one side of the table as you found your hands clasped in Jin’s fingers once again. 

“Butterbean, darling! My wonderful, beautiful, incandescent paragon of virtue!” Your eyes widened slowly but surely with every additional adjective piled onto his sentence. “Don’t break my heart! You’re too great a woman to do such a thing!” By the end of his plea your fingers were intertwined with his and his grasp was so firm that there was no escape. 

“We’ll have my usual.” Jin didn’t bother tearing his eyes away from your face, which was almost intimidating even as the waiter cleared the menus from the table. Your erstwhile suitor took this chance to drag his chair closer to yours. Now, instead of sitting across from this broad shouldered adonis, there was barely any space between the two of you. “This is much better, don’t you agree my bean?” 

“I will pay you real, actually money to stop calling me that.”  You let out between grit teeth. Contrary to your own expectations this man was getting under your skin in the best possible way. He was charming, goofy in a gregarious sort of way that put you at an amused disadvantage. 

“You couldn’t pay me enough. Ever.” He hadn’t let go of your hands yet, and merely leaned closer so he could press his face close to yours before performing an exaggerated imitation of a wink. You could feel the echo in your chest as your heart fluttered. Soft was beginning to become an understatement when it came to how you felt about this man. Was that even possible?

“You would force me to resort to blackmail?” Your lips turned downward, plumped into a pout as you failed to extract yourself from his warm grasp. 

“I wouldn’t dare to force you into anything.” Seokjin began proudly, his voice carrying as he straightened in his seat. “I am not above letting you ask me to force you though.” Your fingers flexed then, breath catching in your throat at the implication. 

“You couldn’t ask me what my favorite color is first?” You did your best to cover your response, though it was hard to tell if Jin was observant enough to catch your behavior. 

“I could ask you while you’re breathless and panting beneath me.” The offer came at the exact same time as your appetizers, which caused a distinct flush to warm your cheeks as the waiter set down two plates and multiple dishes. Wine was poured while your eyes drifted firmly to the table in front of you. None of this stopped you from feeling how direct and heated your date’s gaze was as he kept one hand cradled around yours. 

“That was blunt.” In all your years of living there wasn’t a single memory of any man wining, dining, and propositioning you so openly and with so much confidence. Then again, there wasn’t any point in which someone as handsome as Seokjin showed any interest in you either. History and experience was enough to tell you this wasn’t adding up. 

“You’ve seen me at my worst, bean. I can hardly look any worse so I feel my odds are pretty high for success.” Your hand suddenly felt cold as he plucked his knife up from the table and began buttering some bread. “I know exactly what I want from you. The question is, do you want anything from me?” 

You took your time considering this query. The table was filled with various food, most of which looked as if it wouldn’t fit into your calorie count for the day so you reached for the wine glass in front of your plate instead. 

“I hardly know you, I doubt I really know what you have to offer in the first-” You paused, eyes widened as you watched your date place little bits of each appetizer on your plate before he ever put a single piece of food on his. 

“Yes, my darling butter bean?” Jin’s eyes were wide, nearly sparkling as he smiled at you with all the charm and charisma of a seasoned politician. If he noticed your confusion he didn’t mention it. 

“Why did you put food on my plate?” Mortification set in quickly, your hands clasped in your lap beneath the table as you internally questioned every life choice you ever made. Was it just Jin that caused you to ask stupid questions? Or was it the atmosphere? 

“It gives me pleasure to do so.” His response was entirely effortless, his attention focused on piling his plate just as high as yours before commencing with a truly astounding performance. His mouth didn’t seem all that big, but somehow he managed to take bites of food that were so large you worried he was intentionally choking himself. The noises that escaped him were an uneven mixture of pornographic and cute. Perhaps you didn’t need to feel embarrassed after all. 

“Okay then.” You began to let yourself relax, hoping that tonight’s meal wouldn’t set your goals back too far. Besides, cheat meals were acceptable every now and then, weren’t they?

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂

“I know it’s cliche but I had a wonderful evening.” Jin’s car was parked in the lot next to your apartment building, his shoulder pressed into the driver’s seat as he leaned further toward your space. “I’m hoping desperately that you’ll allow me to bask in your presence again.” His voice was quiet, gentle and burnished velvet as he nearly whispered. 

“This might be a personal question.” You began your response, gaze directed toward your hands as your fingers grasped the seatbelt holding you in place. 

“Anything, butter bean, I’ll tell you anything and everything.” His answer was immediate, decisive, and firm. 

“Do you have to unhinge your jaw when you fit half a steak in your mouth all at once?” You asked your question, whispering this time so as not to break the hushed atmosphere yourself. He was being entirely too romantic for anyone’s good. 

“How is that even personal?” Jin exclaimed, shattering what was once a peaceful and nearly intimate moment. The expression on his face was comical, mouth dropped open and eyes widened in shock as he sputtered. “This is worse than telling me you’re a vegetarian!” 

“Oh hardly!” You soothed, grinning as you released the latch on your seatbelt before gathering your purse. “It’s a genuine question as to the mechanics of your jaw. This question is purely for scientific purposes.” You barely touched the door handle before Jin was out of the vehicle and making his way to your side of the car. 

“Science, you say?” That soft tone was back, though it clearly carried an undertone of heat to it. “You know the best way to find out is through experience.” He held the door open, his free hand waiting for you to take with his palm held up. 

“I’m not even wearing pants, how are you trying to get into them?” With your hand clasped in his, the two of you ambled slowly toward the entrance to your apartment building. You were surprised at how comfortable you felt in Jin’s presence, even if he did insist on calling you butter bean. 

“Never underestimate the power of your beauty, Y/N.” Oh. This was unexpected. What were you supposed to say to that? Was this man even real? Obviously he was, but could you really believe what you were hearing and seeing?

Thankfully you were saved from responding by the front door of your apartment. The two of you lingered in front of the steps, the beginnings of an awkward silence beginning to build. One breath, two, and then you opened your mouth to speak. 

“I had a great time too.” You mumbled, uncertain now that you were in entirely uncharted territory. You had been on dates before, but never really interested in going on another with the same person. 

“Does that mean I can cook for you next time? Or should I resign myself to only being allowed to see you as we suffer the agonies of my cousin’s training programs?” Something akin to mortification settled in your chest at the idea of Seokjin seeing you sprawled out huffing and puffing with a shining, sweating face once more. You would have to switch your sessions if you wanted to maintain any sense of romance. 

“Ah, I think I might actually switch my gym schedule.” You hesitated, frowning at the thought before you continued. “When’s a good time for you? For dinner, I mean.” Somehow you felt an absolute sense of shyness take over you. Coupled with the butterflies filling your chest the only explanation was an oncoming heart attack, right?

“And deny me the satisfaction of suffering with you?” Jin’s hand immediately clapped to his chest, fingers spread as he took on a truly legendary pout. This man should have been an actor. He was making it nearly impossible to deny him at this rate. 

“Give me one good reason not to.” Your last ditch attempt at maintaining your distance was a good one, or so you thought while the two of you stood in the cool evening breeze. Your door was just a few steps away, your humble yet cozy apartment just beyond a few locks and stairs. 

“Will this be good enough?” Jin’s face hovered barely more than a breath away from yours, chocolate eyes centered on your face as his hands traced up over your arms toward your shoulders. You’d barely opened your mouth to ask him what he meant by the time his plush lips made contact with yours. 

At first, you didn’t know how to respond. The kiss itself was unexpected, then the soft sound building and releasing in his throat was even more surprising until you felt his fingers threading through the strands of your hair. After that you discovered this was not a one-sided activity. Your arms wound around his shoulders while your head slanted to one side so you could deepen the connection. It wasn’t until he pulled away that you realized both of you were out of breath. 

“So, my precious butter bean, did I give you what you wanted?”

[acinstallationsydney]

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[nordic-language-love]

Language Learning Log 2022 Week Forty-Five (07/11 - 13/11)

Banner photo: I had a stilts and fire gig this week and I got to wear this cool outfit with LED isis wings for the stilts section. It was a really easy and fun gig!

Norwegian

3x articles

1x Youtube video

1x italki lesson (45m)

1x podcast

1x journal entry

Japanese

Read 1/2 page of short story (aloud)

Anki

Duolingo

3x italki lessons (120m)

1x Japanese Ammo video

2x journal entries

Listened to lots of Japanese music

Started a homework assignment

I'm trying really hard with Japanese. I know from my adventures in Norwegian and pole dance that I can master things I find difficult with practice, patience and persistence! Nothing's impossible. I keep telling myself that other people have managed to learn Japanese, so it's obviously not too difficult to learn. I just have to keep doing my best!

And there were some motivational moments! My Japanese tutor used a few words that I'd recently learned, and I was really happy that I could recognise them. I also looked up the lyrics to one of my favourite songs from a Japanese video game (Sen No Kotoba from FFX-2, in case anyone's interested) and realised that I could actually recognise some of the words. No, I didn't understand a full line of text 😅 but understanding a handful of words is a start! And I’ve found I can sometimes catch a word or two when listening to other songs too.

I managed to acquire a copy of Japanese Tutor, so I plan to start working with that this week! I had a flick through it and... I really have to question their definition of A2/B1 😅 The first chapter is supposedly A2 level but it’s like. “My name is Rob. I am an office worker.” No kanji, romaji included. And everything after is described as B1 level but again, the grammar seems super basic. So I think it possibly only goes up to N4 level at best, but we’ll see.

[elektrolokomotive]

ok as promised

note: all of these ages are roughly equivalent to human ages.  Trahendians age ~2x as fast as humans until they reach maturity, at which time they sort of plateau and start aging very slowly.  This is more of an appearance/maturity level rating.

Rusty - late twenties.  Just about at ‘full maturity’.  He’s still youthful in many ways.

Pearl - early twenties.  A very young adult, really just recently of age and still v young and stupid.

Greaseball - mid thirties.  Fully mature.

Dinah - early thirties.  Older than Rusty by just a hair.

Electra - late teens to very early twenties.  Still in the middle of the ‘i’m a complete idiot baby’ phase of life.

Ashley - mid to late thirties.

Buffy - mid thirties.

Poppa - early fifties.  Old compared to the rest but still quite young by Trahendian standards.

Belle - late forties.

CB - early to mid twenties.  Still has plenty of dumbass kid energy kicking around.

Dustin - early thirties.

Flat Top - late thirties.

Rockies - mid twenties.  Pearl’s older brothers but really just barely.

Krupp - late forties.  By far the oldest of the components.

Wrench - mid thirties to early forties.  She’s hard to get a feel for.

Joule - late teens.  virtually the same age as Electra.

Volta - early thirties.

Purse - early thirties.

[gilmesc1]

Welcome back to yet another aimless post.

Or should I start my posts with REJOICE MONGRELS FOR I HATH RETURNED

Theres gotta be a middle ground somewhere.

Anyways I shall now proceed to write about the weird physical differences between alters.

So there are four others in my system that are alternate versions of my source. Yes it is as complicated as it sounds.

Anyways I just find it interesting how despite technically being the same person we have physical differences.

For example, one had wayyyyyy worse OCD than the rest of us. I'm just gonna use names because why not. His name is Casten. He changed his name because I stole the original one.

Get shreked.

God did I seriously just say that. Anyways his ocd is off the rails. He has a bunch of rituals he follows, has issues with color coordinating and stuff bring straight among other things. He's also an extreme perfectionist and workaholic and probably hadn't slept well in years.

Just going to say thank god I'm not like that despite having other issues.

Gianna is the only one of us who is a female. She's me basically. There's not much difference between us besides gender. However I think she doesn't have bpd like I do.

Lucky bitch.

We jokingly call Lukas the emo one because that's kind of what he looks like. He's to put it simply, a sociopath. But like he's never hurt anyone or expressed interest in it. He's just kind of emotionally void.

I mean my inibility to handle my emotions drives me insane but at least I can feel and I'm not just blank all the time.

And finally Jasper. He's younger than us and as far as I can tell he's about 2x lazier than us.

For physical stuff there's some change in voice, I.e Casten always sounds exhausted probsbly because he is.

Gianna is right handed which is weird because the rest of us are left handed.

And here's my personal favorite. We all apparently have different resting bitch faces.

The only other big change I can think of is the way we sneeze. I swear to god I'm going to end up killing myself because every time I sneeze is a small explosion.

I actually almost face planted into a tree once because I usually bend at the waist and unfortunately one time there was a tree in the way.

So yeah, really agressive and loud and all "friends" are like JESUS FUCKING CHRIST because it's apparently a spectacle.

All of us are like that except Lukas who has the ability to literally sneeze silently and I'm over here like how the fuck do you do that.

It's magic I swear. I almost broke a rib trying to sneeze quieter. I mean at least I felt like it

Obviously I have issues with this XD

idk why. I mean it's not like I obsess over myself. *sarcasm*

So. I'll end this rant here because it's going nowhere. yay for forty followers btw. Thanks guys XD

[butterflies12691]

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