#then i went to the climbing gym and to the brewery with a friend | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

sincerelylaureen · 5 years ago

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Dates

Date 1 ❤️ 09/06/19 ~ 1-6pm :)

I ate poke along the highway (@Sunshine Poke), we walked along the beach, drove in his excursion along the coast and listened/sang to music together :) oh! And he skipped rocks! He tried to teach me but I sucked. Honestly thought he was just the most simple person and super kind and funny, go with the flow type.

Date #2 ❤️ 09/14/19 ~ 5-9pm :)

I met up with Dylan and Camden at Luiseño Park! We hung out there and then went to get Chick fil a. We ate in his car in the parking lot and goodness he was so handsome 😅 loved our conversations. He showed me Camp Pendleton and his barracks and we talked with Camden there. So funny!!!! Loved it.

Date #3 ❤️ 09/21/19 ~ 4/5:00-9:30pm :)

Uhm so we went to the store on base to buy ben and jerrys ice cream and snacks but uh... that nap date we were supposed to have wasn’t a nap date... yeah... LOL. 10/10 🥰😍 goodness. He’s SUCH a gentleman. Made the experience amazing.

Date #4 ❤️ 09/29/19 ~ 1:30-7:00pm :)

What a day!!! So we met up at the mall, we ate at sushi boat. Then I drove us to harveston to take a walk around the lake. Then we went to Backyard Bottleshop & Taproom for some beer tasting because he wanted to get me out of my comfort zone. Then we went to the trampoline park! And sat by the park by Purroy and Butterfield for a little bit before heading to the La Alba trail... and uh... under the freaking sky... holy shit. 10 out of 10!!! That was incredible. Never thought I would do that. It was his first time like that too so 😍 then we got some canes and I drove him back to his excursion by the mall where we ate outside in the back of it. Lovely day!

Accompanying him!!! ❤️ 10/07/19 ~ 12pm-3:30pm

We went to BMW to trade in his excursion! He looked so so happy with his new car. I’m glad I helped in the way I did. He deserves the best.

Date #5 ❤️ 10/19/19 ~ 11:00am-4:00pm :)

We met up by Oceanside pier, went on a walk there, then had brunch at Breakfast Club Diner! He loves his maple syrup on his pancakes 😂 I had french toast and he had this omelette! We headed back to the barracks and cuddled and uh... yeah again. LOL. Geez hes the best 😩 so sweet and intimate and you can really feel the connection. He’s an amazing cuddler. I wouldn’t mind waking up to that view I was looking at earlier while he was sleeping every morning... :’)

Date #6 ❤️ 10/23/19 ~ 5:30pm-9pm

We met by the pier again!! We walked and saw the sunset and he put his arm around me and I did the same back. So sweet. Then we headed to this one place to eat fish but then we decided we wanted mexican food. So we just kept walking and planned to eat at Dorothy’s tacos but it was closed! So we ended up in Sanchos tacos which was delicious!! Then we walked and I gave him my gift. I was so glad I got to give it to him. We had some great convos in the parking lot in the back of my car. He’s freaking strong as hell. I admire him. Hugs and kisses came at random times :) oh! And I got to walk and hold his arm and hand today!!! I loved every second!!!

Date #7 ❤️ 11/02/19 ~ 11:10am-8:11pm

So Dylan and I met up at the park in the morning and drove into the barracks. I gave him his essential oils too! We played call of duty and Minecraft for a little bit on multiplayer. LOL. I sucked so bad. Then we went out for lunch at this place called Miss Kim’s by That Boy Good and had barbecue that was suuuuper delish! We were so full by the time we finished. Then Dylan’s friend, Mason, hit him up and we met up with him at a brewery within walking distance called Breakwater! I had a Bitburger Beer and Dylan (coors with lime?) didn’t like it at all LOL. We stayed there for an hour and a half or so and then headed back to the barracks and he LET ME DRIVE. Like what. That trust though. 😂 no ones ever let me drive their car. Then we got back to the barracks and watched movies 😉 yup... again it was 10/10 amazing 🤤 He’s gentle but aggressive at the same time 🥰 note: dirty talk going down!!! Must do. Haha. Then we went out for some ice cream at this gelato place called Gelato Love in Carlsbad :) went back to the barracks, took a nap and cuddled 🥰 and I went home... Dylan’s remarkable... 😭 I wanna keep him. I wonder if he feels the same way 😩

Date #8 ❤️ 11/11/19 ~ 11:45am-3:30pm

Took my NCLEX and then met up with Dylan. We cleaned his car since he got a free carwash for being in the military! sadly couldn’t do much after because of the time :c but we got Panda Express and then sat in his car for a bit checking out some new music :) can’t wait to hang out with him more and help him feel better about his family... future gift possibly? A plane ticket? I’d totally do it

Date #9 ❤️ 11/14/19 ~ 5:30pm - 9:30pm

Met up with Dylan in the Khols parking lot! Then I took him to Aztek Tacos and he ordered his California burrito with no fries (lol) and I got some tacos. He let me try this mango-rita? It was good 😂 then we went to Coin Op in old town!!! That was so fun, we played a bunch of games and I even beat him in basketball and street fighter 😂 then we walked along the street and sat by the city hall on one of the benches and had a good talk outside. It was super nice. Then I drove him back to his car and he showed me memes before he left. LOL. I can feel the connection growing and I hope it only grows from here 😌

11/16-17/19 ❤️ ~ 11:30pm - 3:20am

Dylan drove over to me last night and we went to sonic, ate some Sonic blasts, shared music & showed some funny Facebook videos while in the parking lot of fitness 19, drove back home and lied down in his car with the moon roof open and continued listening to music and talked some more. Then we gave eachother some amazing kisses while listening to 80s music (who knew that would be such a vibe? 😂) to last until the next time we see eachother. I’ve never done this late night hangout thing before and it was honestly so great. He’s great. I’ve always thought so. 💓

Date #10 ❤️ 11/22/19 ~ 6:30pm - 11:15pm

So I met up with Dylan and Camden at Big Bobs Best Pizza and Dylan and I shared a large pizza while Camden had a bby cheese one. Afterwards we went to the park and the 3 of us played so much on the jungle gym!! It was so so fun. The slide was our favorite 😂 then we moved over to climbing on the rocks and then the tennis courts where we literally ran in circles chasing eachother, and then the baseball field. Dylan and I talked in between and snuck kisses and I was admiring him and Camdens bond. :’) we then went to Dylan’s old apartment and chilled there and THEY HAVE A DOGGIE and lizards omg. Camden showed me his room! Honestly I wouldnt mind seeing camden more. And then me and Dylan cuddled on the couch and then ahhh his kisses get better every time dear gosh. Best cuddles and best kisser ever. LOL. And yup we ended up going to the room and uh 😍😍 the connection seemed so much stronger! It was amaaaaazing! When we finished we walked to the living room and stood and hugged and talked before I left :’) this evening was such a dream... I hope me and Dylan keep this up for a long time, and I pray that God will find a way to make this work if it’s meant to be. ❤️

11/29/19 ❤️ 12:17pm-3:15am

Dylan drove over to me again and he and I talked and drove around in his car. We also got 4 McDonald’s sausage burritos for us as a snack 😂 we talked some more and I held his hand and shared a bunch of kisses and hugs ❤️

Date #11 ❤️ 11/29/19 ~ 2:30pm-10:45pm

Dylan met up with me and mama today for Black Friday shopping at the Carlsbad Shoppes and UTC and it was the best day 😭 i was so so happy that he came with me. We first went to Bath and Body Works, we got him lotion and a candle! Then to PINK and Aerie for some underwear, perfume, and some bras/sweats and Dylan helped me choose! 😭 then we went into Abercrombie when we got to UTC and Dylan bought his cologne 😍 OH and he also bought my LULULEMON LEGGINGS!!! LIKE WHAT!!!? Ive never had that happen to me before. Just someone who pays so much to buy me something... I owe him so much. 😭 Had dinner at Din Tai Fung and I’m so so happy he liked it!!! We then walked a bit after to digest the food haha. I couldn’t stop holding his arm and his hands and hugging him today. He’s amazing, idk how I got so lucky.

Date #12 ❤️ 11/30/19 ~ 11:15am-7:40pm

Met up with Dylan again!!! And we had a lovely time snuggling up together in his room despite his roommate being there 😍 he ate his leftovers and then we played a game together! Snuggled some more and then went to the bathroom to get warm 😉 honestly that was AHHMAZING. From the floor to the counter to the floor again 😅🤤 He massaged my body with lotion too omg. We also took a shower together 😩 2 things... choking and going down 🤭 the best lol also the way he looks once he’s out of the shower with his hair wet and all... 😍 he’s so perfect. Not just because of his body but it all just ties in together. Then we went to eat at Panda Express on base and then drove to Sears at the Shoppes! Had some Haagen Dazs and went to game stop then Barnes and Noble!!! Great way to end the night for me :) today was such a great day. I love hanging out with him and his presence!!! ❤️

Date #13 ❤️ 12/04/19 ~ 6pm-9:15pm

Met up with Dylan at target to get a couple things and then he bought eggnog and I bought sugar cookie milk! It was so good. LOL. And then we went to eat dinner at Pho Ha along Douglas :) I’m glad he liked his Thai tea with boba and his vermicelli noodles with chicken! after we went to Verizon for a bit and then just talked for the rest of the night in my car before having to pick up mama from work ☺️ I love talking and hanging out with him.

Date #14 ❤️ 12/09/19 ~ 4pm to 9:30pm

Mama and I met up with Dylan at Texas Roadhouse and we had a yummy dinner! And then after that Dylan drove us to the BMW dealership in Vista to check out some cars. Him and mama were talking and and it made me so happy! I also got to hug him and hold his hand. He gave me his jacket because I was cold too 😭 then we went go kart racing at K1 speed! It was sooo fun me and Dylan have to go back. 😂 before we left we hung out on the chairs and just talked and laughed and took a bunch of photos. ❤️

Date #15 ❤️ 12/13/19 ~ 5:30pm to 9pm

Met up with Dylan and Camden at Ralphs to get their apartment key copied! And then we had a nice dinner over at Chin’s Chinese food. Camden kept wanting to sit to me but ultimately ended up sitting next to his dad. LOL. He was a bit rowdy today tbh but it’s all good haha. Got some lo mein, sweet and sour chicken and chop suey! Then we went back to their place, relaxed for a second, and then his ex called to let him know that she’s gonna be picking up some stuff at the apartment, so we drove around and looked at some Christmas lights and Dylan got a vanilla milkshake from McDonalds! LOL. He drove me back and I left right away to avoid any confrontation eek.

Date #16 ❤️ 12/15/19 ~ 12:45pm to 7:30pm

So I went to church at 11 at St. Margaret and then met up with Dylan and Camden at Barnes and Noble. I loveeeed this time! He got some stickers and then we showed Camden some truck and dinosaur books and he kept showing me these books that have those sound buttons and Paw Patrol. Camden is so fun to be around! He wanted so many things and Dylan was just like “just wait till Christmas” lol. After Barnes we went to eat at Golden Corral and Camden decided to sit next to me again haha. I talked to him a lot and fed him brussel sprouts. Afterwards walking back to the car, he held my hand! I cry. We made our way to the park and let Camden play for about an hour? Weather was beautiful and Dylan and I played too! Dylan was apparently the monster haha. We headed back to the apartment afterwards and we cuddled on the couch and played with Camden and then it got to that kind of moment so we head to the room and yup... dude I had my monthly visitor too, it was wild. But it was 10/10 as always ahhhhhhh. No words. It was amazing. LOL. I then had to go because his ex was coming back at 10 supposedly. :)

Date #17 ❤️ - 12/21/19 from 12:45pm to 3:30pm

So met up with Dylan after my run in Carlsbad (5 miles actually LOL) and then afterwards I drove him and I to get some food because we haven’t eaten! We went to the same That Boy Good barbecue place along Coast Highway and got the same thing haha. I got the brisket with mac and cheese and his was brisket with fries! He was so handsome today. I couldn’t help but hold his arm while walking! Then we drove back to where he parked over in Carlsbad and then talked in the car for a bit, exchanged a few kisses, and then had to go!

Date #18 ❤️ - 12/22/19 from 12:30pm to 10:00pm

Mama and I met up with Dylan at the mall and we kidnapped him! LOL. I drove us all the way to South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa and there we walked around a lot! We got free hot chocolate while doing so, and then went to Ruby’s Diner for a quick lunch. He got this butterfinger milkshake and when we took a sip we could feel our arteries clog omg. Afterwards we walked some more and this entire time I was holding his arm and hand and at times he would have his arm around me too! There was a part where mama was taking our photo and he “sniffed” me LOL but in the photo it looked sweet so I’ll take it. He also gave me a bunch of forehead kisses and hugs :,) After walking around, we decided to move on to Mission Inn!! We walked around and looked at the lights. We bought this suuuper good hot chocolate with a gingerbread man on top. He gave me a kiss with whipped cream on his lips and it was literally... sweet. LOL. Dinner was at The Old Spaghetti Factory! We waited together outside and I held his hand and he gave me a bunch of kisses!! When we were inside he ordered me a Long Island drink but sadly he got heartburn from drinking it afterwards :( I felt so bad huhu. But he ended up being okay. I gotta bring TUMS in my bag now honestly lol. Then we walked back to the car and drove home. Today was amazing and Dylan is honestly the sweetest. Every stare, every wink, every hand hold, every hug, every forehead kiss, every arm hold, I feel something in my heart for him. I like him... a lot.

Date #19 ❤️ - 12/28/19 from 12pm to 11pm

So I met up with Dylan at the park and little did I know he actually bought me flowers and chocolates!!! It was so sweet of him. He told me beforehand that he was gonna stop at the store real quick lol. After that we went to his barracks to put the flowers inside and yup we took a little detour from plans ;) which was freaking amazing!!!! as always!!! he showed me his money collection box too!! and then headed out after an hour or so. We decided to get some Raising Canes over in Vista before heading to San Diego. Afterwards, we headed towards Petco Park and parked in the structure, walked over to where the scooters were and went around!!! I don’t remember exactly where we went but we went pretty dang far, 6 miles of scootering. LOL. Thankfully found a really nice hill (I think it was called Bankers Hill) to catch the sunset and snap a few photos. He then took me to the Altitude Sky Lounge in the Marriott Hotel!!! The view was gorgeous and we bought some drinks. Electric screwdriver I believe. His was hella strong, mine was too but more fruity. Haha. We stayed up there for about an hour and talked by the fire. I was honestly just admiring him here. I experience time flying by and slowing down with him at the same time. Afterwards we headed to Old Town SD where I took him to Cafe Coyote, he got a Cali Burrito with queso on top and I had carne asada tacos. Both of us got horchatas too. We then decided to head back to Camp Pendleton because it was super cold and we couldnt walk anymore. I cuddled with him at the barracks for a while which turned into...yup. LOL. 12/10. oh gah. I asked Dylan what he liked about me while facing him under the blankets, and he told me the most heartwarming answer that actually made me cry and he held me the whole time. I really felt it. I then headed home. I’m missing a lot of little details from today such as the kisses in between, the hand holds, arm holds, little looks of being adored... but this is one of the best days I’ve had with him and I can’t wait to have more days like this... with him. Oh, it was also our 4 month anniversary of talking to eachother... <333

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the--blackdahlia · 8 years ago

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Red Dawn Chapter 3 (SPN AU)

Title: Red Dawn Chapter 3

Summary: Calumet, Colorado is just a normal, American town. And the Winchesters are just a normal family. Until war breaks out on their doorstep. Now, they have to fight not only for their lives, but the lives of their friends, neighbors, and all of America. Based off the Red Dawn movies.

Warnings: Language

Dean was in a chair on the front porch, feet up on the railing, enjoying the sunlight. He had a magazine open across his lap, but he wasn’t paying much attention to it. He was too busy listening to the birds chirp and the bits of conversation from neighbors as they settled themselves outside. He knew that John was busy and had to hold down the fort at other places. But it made Dean a little mad that he would’ve just left Sam to deal with this by himself. Yeah, Sam was older now and more than capable of lighting some candles and eating cookies out of the bag, but he was still a kid. Dean was just glad that he was home.

Dean had gotten an alert on his phone from the local news, saying school were being dismissed early to a state wide power outage. Dean was on high alert as he waited for Sam to get home. It was well past the time that he should’ve been, and he didn’t get off the bus with the others on the block when it went by. That’s when a Mustang pulled up in front of the house.

“Is that your brother?” Jo asked from the backseat. She had been walking from the school when Jessica and Sam drove by, so of course Jessica picked her up. Jo was her best friend after all, and the guys had Rufus’s Pinto they could ride in, no matter how crowded it was.

“Yeah…” Sam said, moving to get out of the car.

“He’s cute.” Jo giggled. Jessica rolled her eyes.

“Do you ever think with your brain and not your pussy?” Jessica asked. Jo just shrugged. Sam walked around the car to Jessica’s window and smiled at her.

“See you tomorrow?” HE asked. She giggled some.

“You know it.” She leaned up and kissed him. She took off then, Jo craning her neck to stare at Dean. Sam shook his head when a horn sounded. He looked to see the Pinto pull up to the curb. Caleb, Jimmy, Bobby, and Cas all climbed out, stretching and popping their backs. They all lived around here, that’s why they were all so close.

“Thanks for nothing.” Caleb grumbled. Crowley popped out of the trunk then.

“Did they stuff you in the trunk?” Sam asked. Crowley shrugged.

“It’s cold, dark, and smells like Rufus’s gym shorts. Its home.” Crowley laughed. Sam rolled his eyes and looked up at the porch. Dean was watching them, but trying to not be super obvious about it. Sam sighed.

“I’ll see you guys later, alright?” Sam asked. The guys nodded and split up, heading to their homes while Rufus drove off. Sam turned and made his way up to the porch.

“Glad to see the gang is still together.” Dean commented. “Who are the chicks?”

“The one eyeing you like a piece of meat. She harmless, most of the time.” Sam explained, heading inside. “And the other one is Jessica.” Dean smirked and followed his brother inside the house, watching as Sam tossed his backpack on the couch and made his way into the kitchen to find some food.

“So that’s the famous Jessica.” Dean said. “Damn Sam, how’d you manage that one?”

“What do you mean?” Sam asked, opening the fridge and staring inside. Dean watched him.

“What are you doing?” Dean asked, ignoring the question Sam had asked. Sam had been standing with the door open for a little too long.

“Looking for something to eat.” Sam said. “And I want some milk.”

“Well, that’s all good and shit, but we’re in the middle of a power outage. I think you should keep the door closed as much as possible.” Dean commented. Sam rolled his eyes and slammed the door shut, taking the milk with him. Dean sighed. Sam was a grumpy teenager, that was for sure. “So, dad has some things to do tonight, so it’ll just be you and me.” Sam sighed.

“What’s different than any other night?” He asked. Dean raised an eyebrow. Just how often was Sam left alone? He knew that John was doing the best he could, but this was ridiculous. “Well, I guess I’ll sit in my room and read or something.”

“Don’t you wanna catch up or something?” Dean asked. “It’s been months since we last talked.”

“And nothing’s changed.” Sam said, taking his glass of milk and heading towards the stairs.

“Come on. You got a girl. Tell me all about her.” Dean said. He and Sam had been so close all these years and suddenly, nothing. Sam had grown up and Dean had went away. Sam had relied on his friends for support while Dean relied on his brothers in arms.

“You don’t really care.” Sam said, heading upstairs to his bedroom. Dean sighed and flopped down on the couch. He really wished he knew what was going through Sam’s head, why he was so…this. He remembered from the letters he got from John that Sam had a bit of a rebellious streak. He was a sweet kid and would help out anyone that needed help, but he wanted to do things his way and a lot of times, that didn’t match up with how John wanted to do things. John loved his youngest, but sometimes he just needed away from him. Hence all the work he had done since the boys could be trusted alone by themselves.

A couple hours later, Sam came downstairs and flopped into the chair across from Dean, who was dozing on the couch. Dean opened one eye and looked over at his brother. He needed a damn haircut.

“What happened to reading?” Dean asked. Sam sighed.

“Bored.” He groaned. “And hungry.”

“Well, we can’t really cook anything.” Dean said. “But dad still has the barbecue out back, right?” Sam nodded. Dean jumped up and went out back, firing up the grill and cooking them up some steaks and potatoes. Might as well eat things up. They weren’t sure when the power was going to come back. They set outside at an old picnic table where they had had many meals during the summer, usually with more friends and a little more beer.

“So…” Dean said after a little bit. “Dad told me there were scouts one of your games.”

“Yeah.” Sam said through a mouthful of food. He swallowed the steak and took a drink of the water. “I was offered a scholarship to play for Stanford. And I want to study law. So it’s perfect.” Dean nodded.

“Need me to move out there so you have a place to live?” Dean asked. He was sure that Sam thought he was joking, but it was a serious offer, if need be.

“Well, I think I’m going to live in a dorm my first year.” Sam explained. “But Jessica is going to go there too, and if she hasn’t gotten tired of me by then, we’re going to get a place together.”

“Any of the guys going?” Dean asked, knowing how close knit the group was.

“Jimmy’s going to be a preacher or something.” Sam told Dean. “Bobby wants to work on cars. Rufus said that his calling is owning a brewery. Jo will probably inherit a bar or something from the guy she convinces to marry her and then kills him.” Sam laughed some at the joke. “Caleb is going to Colorado State to study computer engineering. Cas wants to head out to LA and try his hand at acting. And Crowley will probably end up in prison or something.”

“Sounds like you guys have everything planned out.” Dean said, finishing off his food.

“Yeah, for the most part.” Sam said. He didn’t feel like talking to Dean about this, but he had mentioned once to Cas and Crowley while they were over at Jimmy’s drinking his dad’s beer, that he wanted to ask Jessica to marry him. He knew if he told Dean, his brother would tell him he was too young.

They got up to carry their dishes inside when there was a loud boom that shook the house, knocking things off the shelf and pictures off the walls and the fridge. Sam bent down and picked up the picture of him, Dean, and John sitting on the Impala when it happened again.

“What the hell?” Sam asked, looking over at his brother. Sam kept the picture in his hand as he grabbed his letter jacket and wallet from the living room and made his way outside. He looked up at the sky as another boomed shook the earth.

Above him were a large line of airplanes. Big, black ones that defiantly didn’t have US Air Force markings on them. White parachutes dotted the sky like clouds, the men on the end of them targeting the ground below. Sam stood there, planted in the front lawn staring at the display above him. He couldn’t quite make sense of what he was seeing. This wasn’t some war movie. This was real life.

That’s when one of the planes was hit with a missile. The plane exploded then, breaking into several pieces and falling to the ground, hitting his neighbor’s houses with loud explosions. Sam’s eyes were wide with fear and panic as he watched the scene. Dean came marching out of the house then with his own jacket, his wallet, and keys in hand.

“Sammy! We have to find dad!” Dean called out to his brother. Sam nodded and followed Dean toward the Impala, sliding into the passenger seat while Dean started it. Sam tried to get the radio to turn on, to figure out something, but there was nothing but static. Dean sped along the street, looking around for any sign of John while checking the sky.

“What is this?” Sam asked, fear in his voice. Dean wished he had all the answers, to make his little brother know it was okay.

“I don’t know.” Dean said, hands gripping the steering wheel. There was a large fire in the middle of the street and Dean wasn’t having it. “Shit! Hold on Sammy!” He called out as he sped through it, making Sam’s eyes go wide with fear.

“Dad!” Sam said, pointing towards his dad’s truck speeding towards them. Dean nodded and pulled up by the truck.

“Stay behind me!” John barked at his son. Dean nodded and gunned it, following John’s truck down the street, smoke making everything harder to see. Paratroopers were hitting the ground left and right, one managing to shoot out John’s tires, causing him to swerve off the road and hit a lamp post.

“Dad!” Sam screamed out the window. John waved his boys off.

“Get out of here! Go! Go!” He screamed at them. Sam looked over at Dean.

“We can’t just leave him Dean!” Sam yelled at his brother.

“I have to keep you safe Sammy!” Dean shot back. They drove off, away from John as paratroopers advanced on his truck.

“Dean! There’s Cas!” Sam called out. Dean hit the locks on the car and Sam threw open the passenger door, letting Cas jump into the car.

“What the fuck?!” Cas screamed. Before he had time to answer, the back doors opened and Jimmy, Caleb, and Crowley were shoving themselves into the backseat. Dean looked into the rearview mirror to see Rufus’s crappy old Pinto behind him. He wasn’t sure who was in the car with him, but he knew he had to get all of them out of there. Sam looked out the window then to see Jessica and Jo being dragged out of Jessica’s house. Jo had probably went over there since her mom wasn’t home yet and she left her keys at home.

“Jessica!” Sam screamed, trying to get to the door to let her in, but one of the men that had her and Jo fired at the car, making Dean speed off. “No! Go back! Jessica!”

“We can’t Sam! It’s too dangerous!” Cas told him. Sam turned in his seat and watched as the girls were pushed into a car. Jo was fighting, that much he could see, but he couldn’t see Jessica anymore.

“Dean, head toward my dad’s gas station. Heading out toward the mountains.” Caleb directed. Dean nodded as he left the neighborhood. Sam set between him and Cas in silence, staring straight ahead as Dean got them out of Calumet.

Tag List: @petrovadixon @smoothdogsgirl @tornjeansandabrokenheart @jewelsbaby98 @aiaranradnay @theas-bedtime-stories

#Sam Winchester #dean winchester #sam #dean #supernatural #supernatural au #red dawn #fanfiction #Jensen Ackles #Jared Padalecki #alternate universe #spn au

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theblondegoesabroad · 4 years ago

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Day 223 and Day 224

Saturday 12th September 2020

Today we woke up early and headed to Germany, during the week we watched a documentary filmed by Pantagonia that was called Stone Locals and it follow four people whos lives have been changed by climbing and who put so much back into the sport. One of the poeple was a guy called Daniel who lives in Germany, in a bush and has spent the last ten years creating walls, stairs and access ways to rocks that he has then formed boulder problems on. He is an artist and you can tell that this is what he loves doing. Apparently during the winter he creates the walls, the terraces and the access, and then cleans the rock of all dead vegetation and then creates the boulder problems for everyone to enjoy. He is all about sharing and living an experience together. Paul, Benoits friend recommended this doco to us and said he was keen to go check this place out. I al not a big boulderer but it was worth it just to see what he has done to this forest. It is full of art. Not only does he build incredible rock walls and stairways, he also dones stone carvings, so everys so often you stumble upon a beautiful carved stone. It truly is beautiful. He also paints the guide book for the rock, each year he adds another rock face and more boulder problems. It truly is a beautiful place filled with good vibes and magical creations. There was even a bakery set up and a cave that was turned into a cinema. We definately came on the right weekend as it was kind of a self organised festival happening. It was pretty neat. We met the legend himself and found out that he loves Liege, he spent a lot of time with us, showing us around his fairyland and showing the guys the hard boulder problems. He was so enthusiastic about life it was hard not to smile and catch on! I didnt climb much as I wasnt feeling to flash, but I enjoyed just being there and taking it all in. In the evening we headed back to Liege, I had an early night as my head was exploding and I didnt want to to ruin my weekend, but we had Marie and our neighbour over for dinner so apparently Benoit had a lovely evening! Love Kate

Sunday 13th September 2020

Today was another good day, I woke up with a bit of a heaache still but did my best to stay hydrated and get over it, I woke up and did a quick workout before I had a catch up skype with the girls and it was wonderful! It has been a while since I caught up with them all and it was so nice to catch up on all their news, and a lot of exciting news at that. It really set me up for a good day. I even got breakfast brought to me in bed.. how good is that! Rather spoilt I know haha! After my skype I tracked down benoit who was out working in the garden, it has been lovely weather in Liege these last few days and temperatures are set to rise to like 34°C this week so it is going to be hot!! This afternoon Benoit and I headed to the climbing gym and spent a few hours climbing, it was a good session and I really enjoyed it. When we headed home we freshened up and then went to visit the Elfique brewery a few minutes from home, they open their bar and resturant during summer so we made the most of the evening sunshine and tried a few of their beers, we didnt stay for dinner as Nanie was coming over but we booked for Thursday as they have a tasting menu that looks very tempting so that is something to look forward to! Dinner with Nanie is always lovely, she is such a vibrant soul and it was good to see her again. We had a roast chicken outside and it was a lovely way to end the weekend! Love Kate xxxxx

Ps. sorry Benoit has taken my phone with him climbing for the next few days so photos of the incredible spot we went bouldering to come later xxxx

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dailybizuniverse-blog · 5 years ago

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What To Do Indoors When The Weather Is Not Cooperating Today

What to Do Indoors When the Weather is Not Cooperating

During wintertime or inclement weather, many families like myself are wondering what they can do together to make the most out of the day. It would appear the number of outdoor activities may be reduced. Freezing temperatures in the north and mountain areas leave you wondering what to engage in as a family. I’ve come up with some solutions when the weather is not at its best for outdoor activities.

Below is a list of indoor winter activities that your entire family can enjoy. These activities can help kick boredom of staying indoors and even create an opportunity for family bonding time, which would be my favorite reason.

Why Not Check Out the Local Museums

What better time to visit a museum that your family will surely enjoy. Now, some museums have free entrance, and some do get a little pricey, but it’s a great time for your family and a great learning experience. Depending on where you live, here’s a list of the types of museums you could explore together: History, Maritime, Military and War museums, Art, Sports, Living History, Science, Children’s museums, Natural History, Archaeology museums to name a few. Something for everybody!

You may not have all of these types of museums in your area, but I think every large city will have a few to enjoy. If there are museums near you, winter can sometimes be the best time to explore what they have to offer; therefore, you and your family can learn about whatever it is that interests you collectively.

Attend Concerts, Sports, Show/Theatre, Comedy Shows

Attending a concert is so much fun and entertaining. To check out any upcoming concerts in your area, a fantastic place to find out what is going on in your area is at tickets-center.com. You can search by your state or city, and they will list all the events in your area. It’s fantastic!

Depending on the nature of the concert, some are free and others you pay for. There are concerts out there to suit everyone in your family. Don’t forget about orchestras. Are you interested in comedy shows? Check out showclix.com for shows in your area.

How about local tours?

I know friends who love to check out the local tours, which could be a scenic experience, by boat, by charter bus, local brewery and winery tours. I do love to be at home, but there are plenty of people always looking for something to do, and this is a surefire way to enjoy your weekend.

Historical Home Tours

I’ll bet you can find more historic home tours in your area than you even knew existed. They are usually a guided tour throughout the home and property, and I think it’s just really interesting to hear the history behind the home. It’s also a neat way to spend a couple of hours.

Playing Cards and Board Games

Indoor games have been a source of entertainment for decades. These fun indoor games are great for wintertime when perhaps you’ll spend less time outdoors, depending on the weather situation. The next time you are feeling bored, you can get creative and ask your family members to participate in board or card games. Learn some together. Some younger children may like Uno or SkipBo to start. These are fun activities that will keep you focused all winter long. I’ve got a site where you can learn how to play just about any card game at https://www.pagat.com/.

Indoor Laser Tag

Indoor Laser Tag can be a “blast” for a day with friends or family. If you go to https://www.yelp.com/nearme/laser-tag, they will assist in finding a place nearby to play. They also sell laser tag sets that come with lasers and vests. It’s an indoor game that is ideal for people of all ages. As a family, you can divide yourselves into a group of two, put on infrared-sensitive gadgets, and fire infrared beams at each other. This game has grown to be quite common over the years; therefore, finding an ideal laser tag arena near you shouldn’t be a problem.

Paintball

You can play paintball indoors and outdoors. It’s okay to play in your yard, provided you’re not disturbing your neighbors. Generally, it’s $10 to $25 per person to play. Purchasing paintballs on-site can run anywhere from $35 to $60 for a count of 2000 paintballs. Now, straight from Oxford Dictionaries, here’s the definition of the game: “a game in which participants simulate military combat using air guns to shoot capsules of paint at each other.” It can be very competitive, but wildly fun!

Challenge Yourselves in an Escape Room

I had never even heard of these escape rooms until one day on an outing out of state, we stopped for some food, and next door was an interesting looking place. We asked about it, and the person behind the counter of the restaurant told us what an escape room is.

Does your family have the skills and teamwork to get yourselves out of an escape room in 60 minutes? The escape room is a game that can break the winter monotony for your family. Escape room games will give your family a mind-blowing experience and creates the perfect bonding opportunity. Here is a website https://escaperoomsnearme.net/ to check out where you can find one near you and also tells you what exactly it is and what you’d be doing. There’s a lot of information there you’d be sure to enjoy learning.

Classic Go to the Movies and Dinner or Enjoy the Dinner Theatre

When is the last time your family went to the movies together? Thanks to streaming services, nowadays, families may not have the opportunity to bond over watching a movie together like we used to. Kids have their thing going, and so do you. You can change that this winter by going to the movies and having dinner afterward so that you can share the best scenes from the film together while sharing a meal. My very favorite outing is to go to our dinner theatre near me. I can see comedies, concerts, musicals, all while sharing a meal. It’s my favorite!!

Participate in Indoor Batting

Indoor batting cages are a lot of fun. We’ve got some nearby where we live that are attached to arcade areas and miniature golf with a food court. You can win prizes also, which is always popular with kids. You can have birthday parties there also. It’s a lot of fun!

Don’t Forget Chuck E Cheese

Chuck E Cheese is always a popular getaway. Your kids will love the pizza and fun with all the arcade games. You can enjoy the arcade with them, or it’s safe to let them run around having fun while you get your “relax” time letting them enjoy winning their prizes.

Check out What the Nearest Trampoline Park has to Offer

https://www.skyzone.com/locations is a website where you can find out where the nearest trampoline park is, also so much fun for the entire family. Watch your kids and relax. They also host birthday parties with a food court. Trampoline parks are a great place for you and your kids to blow off some steam if they’re getting antsy for some physical activity.

Go-Kart Parks

My best friend loves to go to Go-Kart parks and with his grown children! You’ll find indoor and outdoor parks. He secretly wishes he’d get tickets for go-karting; he loves it so much! Just google where go-kart parks are near you.

Indoor Rock Climbing

We’ve got several locations nearby for indoor rock climbing. As a good source to locate ones near you, go to https://www.indoorclimbing.com/worldgyms. IndoorClimbing.com is a website where you can find out all the rock climbing gyms nearby. It’s a great source. Just choose your state and they will provide a full listing of gyms. Don’t worry if you haven’t done rock climbing before. Lessons are available.

With these indoor activities in mind, winter will never be the same again. Of course, these are great any season of the year also. Plan out these activities in your calendar before winter sets in or on the same day, and when it does, you will never miss the days of summer, spring, or fall. Well, that may be stretching it a bit.

Brought to you by RideOnToysPlanet.com

#museum laser tag go-kart paintball escape room Chuck E Cheese board game indoors

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gethealthy18-blog · 6 years ago

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Bring Back Date Night: Fun & Unusual Date Ideas on a Budget

New Post has been published on http://healingawerness.com/news/bring-back-date-night-fun-unusual-date-ideas-on-a-budget/

Bring Back Date Night: Fun & Unusual Date Ideas on a Budget

When my husband and I were newly married, we didn’t have much money, but it didn’t matter because our favorite thing to do was just spend time together. Of course, life and kids happened and while it is wonderful, it does make it a little tougher to spend quality time alone.

We’ve been working on ways to rekindle that early dating spontaneity and find fun, creative, and even unusual date ideas to try (and not just on Valentine’s Day or other special occasions!).

Experts say that weekly date nights help couples have more intimate and lasting relationships. I’m lucky to have a romantic and adventurous husband (he’s Italian) who helps break the “dinner and a movie” routine and try new things.

Maybe one of these ideas will sound like something you’d like to try!

Date Nights: Then vs. Now

Pre-kids, when we wanted to go on a date, we would just go. Usually it was something free or very inexpensive because we were on such a tight budget, but even a walk at the park or a picnic was great.

As any parent of young children can probably appreciate, these days, going on a date is more of a ten-step process:

Decide to actually go on a date and have enough time to ask the other person if they want to go

Call 3-5 people until you finally find a babysitter

On day of date, pre-make food for whichever meal you’ll be missing at home so the kids are well fed (I don’t do this anymore since I found this shortcut)

If the date is at night, also pre-bathe children so the babysitter doesn’t have to

Remind kids to clean rooms, do chores, etc.

Find something to wear … if you’re an overachiever, maybe even put on makeup

Make list of all instructions and emergency contacts for babysitter

Finally make it out the door to go on the date

Almost fall asleep during dinner/movie/etc. because you have small children and aren’t used to staying awake after 9:30 PM

Come home to find all the kids are still awake, and drive babysitter home

This of course isn’t to say that it isn’t worth it to get out kid-free once in a while, but if staying in for a date is more practical, the good news is there are still ways to make it special (and without doing the same old thing).

Date Cost: Then vs. Now

The cost to go on a date has changed a lot too over the years!

It used to cost $0-$10 to go out with my husband because we would go for a walk or hike, or to a free event at a local outdoor theater. If we were really splurging, we would go to a bar for drinks, dinner, and a movie.

Now, a babysitter usually costs at least $40+ for an evening, a nice-ish dinner is easily $50+, and if we went to a movie that is another $22. $112 for a basic dinner and a movie seems like a lot, especially since it can be hard to find healthy, real food options and my husband prefers to watch movies at home.

Fun Date Ideas (At Home or Out!)

We decided long ago that we would make weekly date nights a priority, but also that many of these date nights would happen at home after the kids were in bed (cheaper, easier, and not a problem if we fall asleep by 10 PM).

Over the years, I’ve developed a list of some of our favorite at-home date ideas. We’ve found that even if we are just spending uninterrupted time together after the kids go to bed but are intentionally not on our phones or laptops, we have a great time and can rekindle some of that fun, quality time spontaneity and romance of our early dating and married years.

1. Massage (My Favorite)

The whole lots-of-babies-in-8-years has made me a big fan of getting a massage. Pregnancy, nursing, and now carrying around toddlers are a big demand on the body and every mom could use a good massage. Unfortunately, a good 60-minute massage can cost at least $80 in most locations.

While there are some great massage devices to use at home (this is my favorite), a much more romantic way is to try an at-home massage course.

This Melt Massage for Couples course is taught by a husband and wife team in a really easy-to-learn format. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, now that we both actually know how to give a good massage!

2. Sports (His Favorite)

You might think my husband would have to con me into this one, but watching a sporting event is one date night we both enjoy equally. We share favorite baseball and football teams and have weekly dates to watch games.

For big anniversaries or birthdays, I’ll try to work out getting actual tickets to a game so we can go together.

3. Chess

If you don’t already have a chessboard and set, you can pick up an inexpensive one and learn to play together. It’s fun and great for your mind, and also a great game to teach your kids!

4. Rekindle the Fire (Literally)

We built a fire pit in our backyard and some of our favorite at-home dates involve sitting by the fire, sipping wine, and just talking. Lights aren’t just for Christmas … hang a string or make these homemade tiki-torches to create a romantic and cozy backyard atmosphere.

5. Documentary Date

We enjoy watching documentaries together and often this leads to good conversation about a controversial topic. Some great documentaries that are available on Netflix or Amazon to stream online are:

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Fed Up

The Business of Being Born (my fave, definitely not his)

Man on Wire

Microbirth (another one I liked)

Free Solo

There are literally hundreds of options depending on what type of documentaries you like.

6. Personality Quizzes

Sitting on the couch tonight? Try one of these free personality tests you can take online, either just for fun, or to learn something about each other:

7. Go for a Hike

These require a babysitter or leaving home unless you happen to live on a lot of land, but spending time outdoors and disconnected from technology is a great way to reconnect. Look up local parks and try a new spot you haven’t explored!

8. Watch a New Show

Not a groundbreaking date idea, but still relaxing and cheap! We don’t watch much TV, but over the years there have been a few series that we’ve really enjoyed and that gave us an excuse for regular date nights at home. We definitely pair this idea with a nice glass of our favorite wine.

9. Cook Together

Another activity that I probably enjoy more than my husband does, but cooking together can be a lot of fun, especially when trying new recipes (I might know where you can find some…) or cuisines. Pick a recipe to make together. If you have the time, pick a movie that corresponds to the cuisines and enjoy dinner and a movie. Make an Italian meal and watch an Italian movie together, or try your hand at sushi-making and watch Jiro Dreams of Sushi.

10. Breakfast Date

Dinner is the typical date meal, but no need to leave out the others! Breakfast is a healthier (and cheaper) meal to eat out. Head to a diner or local restaurant for an early morning date, and reserve the rest of the day for some good couple time. It can also be easier to get babysitters on a Saturday morning or let your kids play at a friend’s house.

11. Embark on an Adventure

This is my husband’s favorite type of date, and it fits well with our decision to stick to experiences instead of material gifts. I’ve enjoyed getting out of my comfort zone on some of our more adventurous dates. One memorable year we went scuba diving, but there are tons of possibilities! Visit an indoor rock climbing gym, go kayaking (another one of ours), race go-karts, try ice skating (not my favorite!), or if you are really brave … try karaoke!

12. Around the World at Home

This is a recurring date theme for us. Going out can be difficult with little ones, so plan a fun date themed around ethnic foods and enjoy it at home once the kids are in bed. Make your own sushi and eat on the floor. Make healthy Mexican food and watch a movie in Spanish. Make fondue and eat by candlelight. Whatever you choose, set the mood with music and decorations to make it fun! Even if you don’t go for ethnic foods, enjoy a late-night date at home and cook for each other! This is also a budget-friendly way to keep the romance alive.

13. Go Camping

This certainly isn’t for everyone, but it usually promises to be a bonding experience and is really healthy for you too. Always fun as a family, but if you can sneak away for a night, go camping as a couple. The alone time around the campfire will give you a chance to really catch up, and the potential for unforeseen circumstances (wild animals, rain, etc.) makes it an adventure.

14. Volunteer

This is a great way to get closer as a couple. Once we tried it, I wished we’d started right away as a newly married couple. Focus on a cause you both believe in and volunteer together. This is something great to do with kids too. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, raise money for a cause, or pick a service project at your church. It might make you grateful for what you have and will certainly be some quality time with your love! Another advantage … spreading the love doesn’t cost a thing!

15. Visit a Local Attraction

We often forget about the things that others come to our town to see. Go to a play at the community theater or check out the comedy club. Find an arboretum or botanical garden and walk around. Hit the batting cages or mini golf or even just browse the bookstore together and talk over a cup of coffee. If it is in season, visit an orchard or pick-your-own farm or take a tour of a local brewery or vineyard.

16. Exercise or Do an Activity Together

Exercise can be fun as a couple! Pick a new sport to learn: tennis, racquetball, basketball, or swimming… just pick something you enjoy. For an activity, go miniature golfing, paint pottery together, take dance or painting lessons, or go bike riding or canoeing. These are often the best times to talk and you get the chance to develop a new hobby or skill.

17. Paint Each Other’s Portrait

Feel a little funny staring into each other’s eyes? Painting a portrait is the perfect excuse! Reconnect in an unusual way by reviving or learning a new skill. Lots of laughs will be had, I promise! It’s ok to just have fun with it, but I also recommend an online class from Udemy if you really want to learn some new skills.

18. Just Do Nothing!

Seriously … all parents know it’s harder than it sounds! Once the kids are in bed (and repeatedly threatened asked to return to bed), choose to de-stress by ignoring everything else that needs to be done. (Ignore electronics, too… hide them if you have to!)

Dim the lights, light some beeswax candles, turn on some relaxing music, and just hang out together. Talk, sleep, cuddle, laugh… just like the old days!

Most Importantly: Turn Date Ideas into Reality

Making time to spend as a couple can be much more challenging than it should be, especially with kids. Make the decision to make your relationship a priority. Take the time to brainstorm new date ideas and make them happen… no need to wait for a time like Valentine’s Day to have an excuse to spend time together!

What was your best (or worst) date ever? Would you try any of the date ideas above?

Source: https://wellnessmama.com/1601/date-ideas/

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soclosewiz · 7 years ago

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Zombie Finger

I've considered Seattle home for a few years now, but when I returned in April after a month away, I somehow felt very much not at home in my own apartment, my climbing gym, and pretty much anywhere I went in what was supposed to be my city. I was immediately homesick for the mountains, the desert, or simply just the outdoors. Freedom had become a hard habit to break now that I had gotten a taste of it. After ten days of straight work, rain, and sickness, I eagerly jumped on the opportunity to get out of town and follow my friend Jasna to Smith to support her attempts on To Bolt or Not To Be, a dream project of hers. She told me she could stay for up to two weeks if necessary, so I planted the idea in the back of my mind that I might not be back in time for work on Monday when the weekend was over. I drove down solo on a Wednesday night, she sent on Thursday evening, and Sunday morning I awoke to an empty campground and a note that she had bailed back to Seattle. I had sent nothing myself, having been fighting off my cold the entire time. Thus, I was far from ready for my own departure, despite my sudden lack of partners.

With no belayer for the day, nor place to stay for the night (aside from solo in the BLM land), I had to fight my ever present fear of the unknown that told me to just bail back to Seattle rather than face the uncertainty of being alone. Instead I headed for Redpoint, the local gear/beer/coffee shop, to wait for opportunity to strike. I found a familiar face outside: a friend named Austin with whom at the time I had more mutual friends than actual memories together. We had crossed paths plenty over the years, but barely knew each other on a personal level. Regardless, we were both psyched, and immediately made plans to climb that evening along with Jess (whom I didn’t know at all) when she got off work at RP. The two of them would quickly become one of the main reasons I stuck around Smith for as long as I did. Austin invited me to stay with them at Tree Matt’s house, where a commune of vans had assembled just outside of town that housed an assortment of climbers, slackliners, dirtbags, and Terreboners that would quickly become like family to me.

I quickly fell into a happy routine: waking up slowly to the sun creeping around the edges of my curtains as I waited until the last possible minute to rip them down, crawl into the driver's seat, and race to Redpoint to use the bathroom. After that I would work for awhile, sit around playing yard games, board games, or music, stretching, or just straight up loitering, and then eventually head off to climb with whoever was most psyched. Usually Austin. When our fingers ached too much to climb any more, or the pangs of hunger were too strong, we would bail back to RP for beer (Bend’s surplus of breweries meant the shop was always well stocked) and usually more chess with whoever happened to be around.

Life was cheap, convenient, and easy. The only thing not so easy about the central Oregon desert was the climbing itself. Smith is known for being sandbagged, runout, spicy, and extremely technical, and after the rough start I had to keep telling myself that I just needed to put in the time and eventually I would hit my stride with the difficult, scary, and insecure style. One of my first days of actually climbing well came when I was invited to venture up into the Marsupials with Alan, a local developer/crusher that was eager to put my psyche to the test when it came to arduous approaches and chances of choss on newly bolted lines. I was hesitant at first, but he sold me on the adventure by promising that we wouldn't have to carry much gear up the steep hill, so it wouldn't actually be much more of a hike than the standard Smith Rock slog. The next day as we assembled our packs he asked if I had room in mine for a camera. Sure, no big deal. And also a rope... So much for traveling light! While there may have been some sandbagging to get me to agree to go, it was all well worth it when I got a taste of the climbing at the 'Sups,' a more pumpy and powerful (aka more in line with my strengths) style than Smith proper. I managed a second ascent of one of Alan's excellent 5.13s, the Empire Strikes Back, after breaking off a few holds along the way. The taste of success, as well as the healing of a split tip that had plagued me up until that point, made me start to think that I had finally unlocked the ability to climb well at Smith. Little did I know that my battle for climbing success had only just begun.

[Alan getting into the first rest on one of his projects in the Marsupials]

Two days later I split another tip on Taco Chips, blowing my send with some sloppy footwork on one of the easier moves well past the crux. Frustrating, but not the end of the world. I could still climb well enough, I thought to myself as I managed to clip the chains on point several tries later. The following day was the Smith Rock Spring Thing anyway, so a bit of rest should mean I could heal up quickly. During the event I signed up for the Marsupials project, thinking how great it would be to give back to an area that had left me with a pretty meaningful first impression. The trail needed serious work, and I was psyched to try and be a good samaritan. We hiked up (the extra long way) and started moving rocks around to build terraces and stairs. In my enthusiasm, I hoisted a particularly large one right on top of my left hand. Pain shot through several of my fingers at once and a feeling of dread hit me as I immediately knew I had done some serious damage. I looked at the back of my hand to see what I had done to the nails, and was surprised to see they all looked perfectly normal. Then I flipped my hand over and had to force down my gag reflex as my eyes were immediately drawn to the dime-sized blood blister that now took up the entire pad of my middle finger. The most important finger for climbing in Smith’s pockets.

Jess and Adam gathered around me as we debated what to do. They insisted I shouldn’t pop it, but it felt like if I didn’t it was going to explode as it continued to inflate with more and more blood. I let the doom and gloom take over my disposition as I was sure I wouldn't climb for days, maybe even weeks as the skin inevitably fell off, or maybe the nail fell off, or maybe the entire finger just fell off. Tears ran down my face as I wondered if I should just head home right then and there to lick my wounds. After a semi-painful rest of the day, a few drinks and a free rope later, I decided the event wasn't a total loss and decided to stick it out at least a few days to see what happened. That night as I stood around a bonfire at Matt’s I listened to friends make plans to climb the next day, miserably lamenting my own loss of ability to try hard. When talk of trad climbing came up, my ears perked up like so many of the dogs that loitered at Redpoint with the climbers each day. That sounded like something I could do with the finger!

[All taped up and waiting for the rain to stop in the lower gorge]

A lot of tape and a needle to drain the blood and fluid after every attempt enabled me to climb the following day, to my great excitement. Crack climbing allowed me to still get after it without using the finger. The day after that I found myself able to weight it too, though it still needed to be drained after every pitch. Soon it ceased to even cause pain, though each day brought with it all kinds of changes in its appearance, none any less disturbing than those before. At first it was black and blue and full of blood-- that was when it was most painful. Immediately following that it turned white and squishy, like all the skin had been submerged in water for too long, or maybe it had just died and started to rot away. After that it became red underneath and hard as plastic, which was when I decided I was fed up with the amount of tape and superglue I was using, and started just climbing on it. Every stage was equally disgusting, and thus it was dubbed it the Zombie Finger.

[The progression of the Zombie Finger, from when it first happened to after my last pitch on my last day.]

I was cautious at first, for the thought of the entire thing peeling off to reveal raw hamburger and bone underneath sat at the forefront of my mind as I tested it without tape for the first time. Soon enough though, I discovered that it was at a point where it was only holding me back as much as I was willing to let it. The same can be said for most excuses at Smith. “It’s only heady if you have a weak mind.”

Finally, it was time to crush. Unfortunately the return of my skin coincided with the return of the impending summer heat, and a string of back to back 80 degree days struck all the climbers like a tidal wave of lethargy and frustration. We had to wait until the late evening to climb, then try and crank out a few pitches before the sun set and the park closed. Even doing that made the rubber on our climbing shoes feel like chewing gum on the hot rock, and fingers feel like mush on the small holds that define Smith climbing. Nonetheless, if I could climb through the zombie finger, I could deal with the temperatures. I gummed my way up Karate Crack on one of the worst days, then finally managed to send Oxygen and Nacho Cheese on my last day after a thunderstorm cranked the humidity up to almost unbearable levels.

A last day of project sending ended my time at Smith on a high note, but the majority of my time there was defined not by climbing success, but by important lessons learned, friendships made, and experiences captured. From jamming late into the night with the TerreBand, to finding beginner’s luck at poker, to reconnecting with old Tinder dates, to not scoring a single point at foosball, to second hand smoke, to bonding over shared childhood confusion over Disney characters, to failing to find river crossings in the dark, to the most beautiful sunsets imaginable, to all the things eaten by Jess’s dog, to how to get Austin to take a shower, to second ascents, to so many rest days that ended with going climbing instead, to NOT taking the whip on full Heinous Cling, and most importantly of all, to each and every incredible person I got to know-- Smith has once again cemented itself in my memory as a place of real magic. I might have to make every four day weekend turn into a spontaneous three week trip from now on!

#soclosewiz

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realmendopilates · 7 years ago

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A Quick History of Pilates

Pilates Biography Source(Google.com.pk) BIOGRAPHY A Summary; His childhood; Pilates an Anatomical model; Early Adulthood; In the late 20’s; During the war years; Training the Hamburg Police; He moved to America at age 40; The first Pilates Studio; The Golden years; The Philosophy behind the ‘workout’; Modern Physiology confirms the wisdom; The death of Joseph Pilates; Pilates Obituary New York Times; The Joseph Pilates Fitness Craze; The Real Joseph Pilates Legacy:- SUMMARY Pilates was enamoured of the classical Greek ideal of a man who is balanced equally in body, mind, and spirit. His experiences taught him to believe that the modern lifestyle, bad posture, and inefficient breathing were the roots of poor health. His answer to these problems was to design a unique series of life-enhancing physical exercises that help to correct muscular imbalances and improve posture, coordination, balance, strength, and flexibility, as well as to increase breathing capacity and organ function. HIS CHILDHOOD Joe was born in Mönchengladbach (a small town near Düsseldorf, Germany), on December 9th 1883. His mother, it is stated, "was a naturopath." Naturopaths believe in stimulating the body to heal itself, and it is likely that his mother's healing philosophy coloured his own approach to therapeutic exercises. Pilates was said to be a skinny, sickly child. He suffered from asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever. The older bullies taunted him with "Pontius Pilate, killer of Christ." He was too sickly to fight back or get away, and it was this situation that caused him to begin his life journey to fitness and health, and a desire to help people in similar need. PILATES TURNED INTO AN ANATOMIC MODEL OF EXCELLENCE A family physician gave him a discarded anatomy book: "I learned every page, every part of the body; I would move each part as I memorized it. As a child, I would lie in the woods for hours, hiding and watching the animals move, how the mother taught the young." He studied both Eastern and Western forms of exercise including yoga, Zen, and ancient Greek and Roman regimens. By the time he was 14 he had developed his body to the point that he was modelling for anatomy charts! Pilates with his niece (daughter of Fred Pilates, who lived in St. Louis Missouri). EARLY ADULTHOOD A boxer, gymnast, skier and diver. Growing up in Germany, and working at the local brewery, he achieved some success as a boxer and gymnast in addition to being a skilled skier and diver. In the late 20's he moved to England, performing a Roman Gladiator Act. In 1912 he went to England for further training as a boxer. He found employment there as a circus performer. By 1914 he had become a star and was on tour - he and his brother (Frederick Pilates: read about Fred's daughter Mary) performed as Roman Gladiators Joseph Pilates, age 59: demonstrating Classical Greek Perfection... During the War Years his life was spent as a Hospital "Nurse-Physiotherapist". In 1914 after WWI broke out he was interned along with other German nationals in a "camp" for enemy aliens in Lancaster. There he taught wrestling and self-defence, boasting that his students would emerge stronger than they were before their internment. It was here that he began refining and teaching his minimal equipment system of mat exercises that later became "Contrology." He was subsequently transferred to another camp on The Isle of Man where his interests in health led him to help out in the sick bay. He became something of a nurse and worked with many internees suffering from illness and incarceration. His caring disposition led him to request that he help the patients in the infirmary with exercise. Bed rest was the norm in those days, so he was told, "you can do anything you like with them, as long as they stay in bed". So Joseph took the springs from the beds and rigged them up to the bed posts as exercise apparatus for the bedridden! Thus was born the Trapezium table ("Trap Table") later known as The Cadillac. Joseph was both inventive and resourceful in solving the health and exercise needs of his friends and neighbours! When the 1918 'flu epidemic swept the world, (it killed millions, and an internment camp is an ideal breeding ground for such epidemics to hit hard), none of Joe's followers succumbed! Joseph called this approach "Contrology", and explained it in his book "Return to Life through Controlology, your whole body is in it." Pilates the Showman explaining another piece of apparatus... Training the Hamburg Military Police:- After the war Joe returned to Germany and began training the Hamburg Military Police in self-defence and physical training as well as taking on personal clients. It was at this time that he met Rudolf von Laban, a famous movement analyst, who is said to have incorporated some of Joe's theories and exercises into his own work. In 1923 Pilates was invited to train the New German Army but, because he was not happy with the political direction of Germany, he decided to leave. The urgings of his American based relatives - his uncle (an influential catholic priest), his brother Frederick, and his sister Helen - would have played a part in his decision to move. The last half of the "Life of Pilates Bio" was spent in America... He moved to America at age 40, on the urging of boxing expert Nat Fleischer and, with the aid of Max Schmelling, Pilates did move to the U.S. It was en route to America that Joe met Clara who was to become his second wife (I know of no information about a reported first wife.) She was a kindergarten teacher who was suffering from arthritic pain and Joe worked with her on the boat to heal her and give her a new lease of life. THE FIRST PILATES STUDIO The first Pilates Studio was surrounded by Dance Studios:- Upon arriving in New York City Joe and Clara took over a boxing gym at 939 Eighth Ave, in the same building as several dance studios and rehearsal spaces. It was this proximity that made "Controlology" such an intrinsic part of the life, rehab and training of many dancers: They were sent to Joe to be "fixed". THE GOLDEN YEARS OF THE PILATES BIOGRAPHY In the Pilates biography, 1926 until 1966 were the golden years - From 1939 to 1951 Joe and Clara went every summer to Jacob's Pillow, a well-known dance camp in the Berkshire Mountains. He was a friend and teacher to many renowned dancer/choreographers, and many required their dancers to go to Joseph. One - Hanya Holm - even incorporated Joe's exercises into her students' lessons. Joseph counted many socialites, plumbers and doctors, (just to list a few), as his clients as well. THE PHILOPSOPY BEHIND THE JOSEPH PILATES WORKOUT Joseph had a rough but kindly manner with his clients. Even the New York city slicker of those days could tolerate his exercise approach (unlike today, people back then still knew how to walk the sidewalk and climb the stairs). Exercise sessions with Joe were not meant to tire, but rather to invigorate. He would say at the end of the session, "One hour! Hit ze shower!".If he felt the client was in need of a lesson in personal hygiene or skin care, he was not averse to joining them in the shower, so as to demonstrate how to use the hard bristled scrubbing brush! Pilates in his late seventies. Able to squat and still full of Life... Modern exercise physiology confirms the wisdom of the Joseph Pilates approach - you cannot efficiently build muscle bulk/flexibility, while at the same time performing a hard aerobic workout - it doesn't work; just leads to unnecessary extra stress loading. Such sessions should always be performed separately. Joseph Pilates was something of a health guru. Nevertheless, he was renowned for liking cigars, whiskey (or was that vodka?), and women. He was the life of many parties, and was to be seen running on Manhattan streets, in the dead of winter, in his habitual "bikini bottom" training attire! He believed in fitness supporting life's rich goals. THE DEATH OF JOSEPH PILATES The following is a quote by Pilates "Elder" Mary Bowen :- "The Fire" - People often ask me "Did Joe Pilates die in a fire?" One woman in London where I was giving a workshop at the Pilates Foundation of UK last May said she had read that it was so in The New York Times. To set the record straight - no, Joe did not die in a fire. He died two years later, in 1967, of advanced emphysema from smoking cigars for too many years (which he took up out of disappointment that he wasn't taken more seriously by the powers that be, especially physicians, during his lifetime). His personal friend, Evelyn de la Tour, shared that with me. There was a fire in 1965 in the storage room at the back of his floor. The studio and his and Clara's apartment were in the front of the building and were undamaged. Bruce King had an apartment near the storage room. He had to move out due to severe smoke damage. The day after the fire Joe went to inspect the extent of loss to his possessions in the storage room and one of his feet fell through a hole in the floor scraping his leg. That was the extent of his injury from the fire. The fire was in January 1966. Joseph's actual death was in October 1967”. PILATES OBITUARY NEW YORK TIMES Joseph's New York Times obituary records that he died at Lenox Hill Hospital. He would have been (born December 9th 1883) 83 years old at his death. The obituary reads like an advertisement for Contrology - very fitting indeed! He is described thus: ‘a white-manned lion with steel blue eyes (one was glass from a boxing mishap), and mahogany skin, and as limber in his 80's as a teenager’ Pilates out Skiing, complete with one of the Cuban Cigars that eventually took his life. THE JOSEPH PILATES FITNESS CRAZE Clara Pilates, regarded by many as the more superb teacher, continued to teach and run the studio until the end of her life 10 years later, in 1977. Initially, Hollywood celebrities discovered Pilates via Ron Fletcher's studio in Beverly Hills. The Pilates fitness craze presumably blossomed from there. Joseph called his style of fitness "Controlology", but the public call it simply "Pilates." Where the stars go, the media follow, and when the media follow, fashion follows! It was the late 1980s, and the Pilates fitness boom started. "I'm fifty years ahead of my time," Joe claimed - and he was right. No longer the workout of the elite, Pilates has truly returned to life and entered the mainstream of fitness, and has even established itself as a physiotherapeutic modality in its own right: Today, perhaps ten million people world-wide regularly practice "Pilates", and the numbers are growing! Its a great tribute to the Pilates Life and Biographical Life Story! THE REAL JOSEPH PILATES LEGACY Joe Pilates' greatest legacy remains his 34 Contrology Exercises. Many modern Pilates schools teach them differently. Very often, the exercises lose something in the translation. For example: the editor (Bruce Thomson) has considerable problems with tight muscles and trigger points. Many supposedly sound physiotherapeutic interpretations of Joe's work do not fully cater for the problem of tight muscles. But the Joe Pilates 34 exercises do. They do this by working the muscles over their longer range, and by "finding the stretch". Modern interpreters say that Joe's exercises are too difficult in their original form. But Joe had an answer for this: "Uncle Joe said when you did the hundred, you started with your legs 2 inches off the floor. If you could only do 10 repetitions, that's all you did that day....until you could do 11." Quote: Mary Pilates, Joseph's niece. Source: Personal Communication, from (Fran Perel: Parkland Pilates, Coral Springs South Florida). Pilates, age 82. This picture epitomises the Pilates life and bio! JOSEPH PILATES BOOKS In order to learn more of Joseph Pilates' philosophy and biography, you need to read his books. They are still in print, and make good reading:- Your Health: A Corrective System of Exercising That Revolutionizes the Entire Field of Physical Education (1934) by Joseph H. Pilates and Judd Robbins (Editor) Pilates' Return to Life through Controlology. (1945) Joseph H. Pilates, William J. Miller, Judd Robbins (Editor) (contains a set of 34 classic Pilates mat Exercises).

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