#they want me to go to sydney. in Summer. it's going to be like 30⁰something celsius and im going to die

[lester-i-hardly-know-er]

forever going to be emo about the fact they fucking chose summer to come on the Australian part of the tour . like wdym.

[thinking-emoji]

While we're at it. Here's the Radio Adelaide interview!

Transcript under the cut!

Interviewer: What's been going on with me earlier today was I spoke with Dan and Phil, who are on their Terrible Influence tour at the moment. I think they're in Sydney right now. Even though I had to call them on the phone via England, they're going to be on at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre next week, Monday the 16th of December. And these guys, they're a British internet- YouTube- radio hosts. They're critics of games. They're book authors. Dan and Phil, they're currently in Australia having their Terrible Influence tour which lands in Adelaide at the Entertainment Centre next week. And it's attempting to take back what the internet took from them. So it's allegedly a screamingly hilarious live stage show. I have no doubt that it is hilarious. They're older, gayer. Phil's gone blonde evidently and nothing is off limits. Now I was brought to the attention of them by some younger folk, who asked me to ask them some certain questions and throw some sort of slightly strange questions at them. And I haven't got time to include all of those questions. And also I had a call after the interview from one of the duo suggesting that “ehh, you might get trolled if you ask a question like that and people misinterpret it” because I was asking- I believe they've become a couple. I'm not sure if they've got married but they may have got married or they may just be, like, going steady but they're a terrific pair of comic lads. In the- in the vein of Kenny Everett, sort of. They don't have a TV show as such. They were both YouTubers, which means that they had little YouTube shows and then they started guesting on each other's show and then they eventually started doing stuff together. Very interesting lads. And I just really want to play the interview now.

Dan: I've got a mullet now that I'm in Australia because apparently that's what the people do. I just think Australians have more fun. So I wanted to appropriate a bit of the culture while we’re here doing the show.

Phil: I think it's more of a micro mullet, Dan, though. You know, you haven't gone full mullet, it's more of a micro…

Dan: It's a mullet without the T. It's just a mull-e.

Interviewer: (laughs) Mull-e. All right. Just with that sort of hard...

Dan: Without the T, yeah.

Interviewer: Hard E on the end. How has your tour been going so far, gentlemen?

Dan: It's been amazing to be in Australia. No offence. We loved having a great time in America. But we're very happy to be in Australia. Although – I know it's summer. Why is it so hot? Nowhere on Earth it should be this warm.

Interviewer: You haven't reached Adelaide yet, have you?

Dan: No, God. Don't tell me it's warmer.

Interviewer: Yes, yes. We're in the middle of a very dry, arid area. Very isolated. A long way from anywhere. But there's only about maybe 30 or 40 tickets left at your gig here.

Dan: We're happy for the people of Adelaide. You know, they're out here in that dry, arid desert. And there's nothing to do but come to the Dan and Phil show. And we love them for that. They're all making responsible financial decisions. So we're very grateful for all the people that are coming to the show.

Phil: And if there's 40 people listening, come hang out with us. It's going to be a fun time.

Dan: Yeah. What else are you doing on that night?

Phil: We're going to be pumping the air con out.

Dan: Yeah, just come to have somewhere cool to sit in the theatre. You know what I mean?

Phil: Yeah.

Interviewer: Are you collecting things from your hangouts that you're going to discuss at the next show? Like before a show, if people hang out with you, give you a piece of artwork or a little letter or a note, something like that. Do you then discuss it in front of the next...

Dan: Oh, a big trendy thing these days. Yeah. Taylor Swift has started this trend of the bracelets that people spell out things on. So people would make like a little bracelet that says Dan or Phil in beads. And the other day I had someone that gave me a bracelet that said Vegemite on it. (Interviewer laughs) And I was like, what the heck? And they said, you don't understand. This is incredibly culturally important. So I was like, okay, thank you. I will cherish this Vegemite bracelet.

Phil: Yeah. I got one that said Koala Daddy. I'm not sure what that meant, but-

Interviewer: Koala Daddy?

Phil: Yeah. I think that's what they were calling me.

Interviewer: Have you actually dipped your tongue into any Vegemite as yet?

Phil: I have. I would have to say it was one of the most horrific experiences of my life. I'm sorry.

Dan: What, Phil, you don't like a yeast-based condiment?

Phil: No.

Dan: How dare you.

Phil: Dan loves it though. He's a bit of a…

Dan: I'm just a yeasty kind of guy.

Interviewer: Yeah. It's kind of up there with Marmite, isn't it?

Phil: It is, but I only eat sweet things, so I couldn't handle it. But Dan was eating his second portion of toast this morning. He loved it.

Interviewer: Yeah, yeah. It's good for you.

Phil: And last time we were in Adelaide, we did a vlog where we explored the town, didn't we? We got some Tim Tams. We did a Tim Tam slam.

Interviewer: Fun!

Dan: Yeah, the national sport.

Interviewer: The national sport, sucking coffee through a Tim Tam.

Dan: Hell yeah.

Phil: I can get down with that.

Interviewer: Yeah yeah. It's a lot of fun to do. You realise that our Premier is the one who started the ball rolling with the social media ban for under 16-year-olds? You're lucky that you're here now at this stage of your career rather than at the beginning of your career because there's a lot of young people who have grown with you who will be able to come and see your show.

Dan: Yeah, absolutely.

Interviewer: Are you relying on them sort of moving forward with you?

Dan: People have been with us for a long time and people tell us some things and it's very disturbing.

Phil: Yeah, we've had some people meet us that are like, I watched you 10 years ago, I'm still watching you now. I've got a whole child now and it's like, what is happening? (Interviewer laughs) Time isn’t real.

Interviewer: It's kind of a historic moment. You're probably the first English lads to have linked in to YouTube and the internet and gone off the way that you have.

Dan: No, we were, well, we come from an early generation. Phil has been doing it so long that you couldn't even make a career off YouTube yet. There was no monetisation. He was just doing it out of boredom. That's how terrifying it is.

Phil: I'm a YouTube dinosaur, so yeah, I think definitely I was one of the first ones to do it. And it's crazy that we're still doing it now, 15 years later.

Interviewer: It's basically become a career for you, hasn't it?

Dan: Absolutely. And none of it was planned. It's been a constant, you know, runaway train since day one. And the emergency brake’s gone off a long time ago.

Interviewer: What kind of experiences are you getting to have in your downtime while you're in Australia this time around?

Dan: Well, I wanted to go to the beach and then Phil said there's a high chance we're going to get eaten by a shark. And I was like, a high chance? I don't know about that. And then we asked a guy and he was like, oh, no, they're out there. I see them every week, so...

Phil: I'm hoping to look into the eyes of a wombat and have an emotional connection.

Dan: A deep spiritual moment, ok.

Phil: My favourite animal.

Interviewer: A wombat?

Phil: Yeah, I love a wombat.

Dan: Underrated.

Interviewer: Do you like the hairy-nosed wombat or just the plain old brown one?

Phil: I'm not sure of the difference. Maybe I need to find that out. Maybe that's going to be my quest in Adelaide.

Dan: You need to meet both and make a decision.

Phil: Yeah I will.

Interviewer: Yeah, if you come face-to-face or nose-to-nose even with a hairy-nosed wombat, he's more likely to roll over and let you cuddle his tummy. The other ones have got a wet nose -

Phil: Okay, good to know.

Interviewer: -and they're a little bit more aggressive.

Phil: Okay.

Dan: Sounds like me.

(Interviewer laughs)

Interviewer: Have the audiences been laughing at all the right spots so far?

Dan: Definitely. And they've been laughing at all the inappropriate spots where they're not supposed to as well. So we'll take it. You either have an audience that laughs all the time, even at inappropriate moments, or a quiet one. And I don't want a quiet one.

Phil: Also, the good thing about our show is we try to give everyone a recap of everything that's happened in the last 15 years. So if you're like, oh, I used to watch Dan and Phil a while ago, you can still come along and you're going to get right up to speed.

Dan: We know that people are dragging their husbands, their mothers, their older sisters to the show. And these people are like, what the heck is going on? So don't worry, we covered the base.

Interviewer: Sounds pretty darn good to me. I hope you have a fantastic time in Adelaide and you continue to enjoy yourselves.

Dan: Thank you.

Interviewer: Ride the wave. Don't worry about sharks.

Phil: Excellent. Well, yeah, we're looking forward to it. Thanks. Nice to speak to you.

Interviewer: You too. Cheers, lads. Dan and Phil.

Phil: Cheers!

Dan: Bye.

Interviewer: They'll be at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre next Monday coming on the 16th. So if you are keen to see them do their thing live on stage, go and join the masses that have already bought their tickets. Get in while you can.

@dnp-described

[mj23thefrenchgoat]

Marine Johannès : "I need to feel understood"

Disclaimer: This is an interview from l'équipe dated from September 2022. I didn't translate the whole interview but parts of it that I thought was interesting to read about to understand Marine's game and her state of mind a little bit better.

Marine Johannès spent the summer in the USA, playing in the WNBA. Before rejoining Les Bleues on Thursday, and taking off for Sydney (Australia) on Friday, the 27-year-old international looks back on a season marked by frustration, which she hopes to vent at the World Cup.

Before settling into a comfortable sofa at the Villa Navarre, the French team's country retreat when they're in Pau, Marine Johannès takes the time to sign a few jerseys and posters for the French Federation. That same evening, she will attend the French team's big victory over Belgium (74-55), before taking a few days' rest, “more than necessary”, she says.

Since the bronze medal she won in Tokyo in August 2021, the Asvel's guard hasn't really rested, following a Ligue féminine season - and a 3-0 final defeat to Bourges that she hasn't quite digested - and a WNBA season (USA), where she appeared transfigured. During the forty-five-minute interview (instead of the twenty initially scheduled), “M.J.” agreed to tell us all the latest news, club and national, making no secret of her desire to launch a happier chapter in her career in Australia, for the World Cup (September 22-October 1).

A poor season for Lyon: “The year didn't go well”.

“I came out of the season with Asvel frustrated. I had the advantage of being able to move on very quickly to the WNBA and to do something else. That did me a world of good. Things felt apart collectively, and it wasn't easy from the start. I respect the work done by Pierre (Vincent, the coach who was dismissed after losing the championship final to Bourges). If he'd stayed at Lyon, I'd still have stayed. But last season, none of us got what we wanted individually. But we did bring in Alexia (Chartereau)! I sold the project to her as well as our ambitions. And we still made the final after all. I tell myself that if we'd had that little something extra, we could have achieved great things."

"Several of us were ready to start again on the same basis, but the club made choices. We got on well as a group, and this season has really left its mark on us. We crossed paths with David Gautier (Asvel's new coach), as he's on the staff of Les Bleues. We've been talking a lot, and we can't wait to get started. I hope I'll have a good relationship with him, and with the team too. It'll be a chance to play with a number of players who also play for the French national team (Sandrine Gruda and Gabby Williams are the two star recruits of the summer). If I have to sum up my year, I can't claim to have reached the peak of my career. It was an important year, after the Games, but it didn't go well. I can say, however, that it made me grow.”

A summer of salvation in the WNBA: “I've rediscovered my freedom and a style of basketball in which I can fully express myself”.

“The game over there suits me so well! I love the WNBA, I've always watched it, just like the NBA. When I arrived, I quickly got some playing time due to injuries and I found freedom again, basketball in which I can fully express myself. At Asvel, I'd worked a lot with Pierre on precision and attention to detail. I made progress in that area, but at the same time it took away the instinctive side of my game. I felt like I'd become a robot. The Liberty coach (Sandy Brondello, also Australia's coach) said to me, “We accept the way you play, that you try things out and sometimes it doesn't work”.

"I need to feel understood. I don't ask for flowers to be thrown at me, and I accept being told that I'm doing things wrong, but the dialogue has to be constructive and benevolent. That's what I got in New York. I'm not a player who shoots 30 points a game, but I also enjoyed making decisive passes. My game is built on creativity, but I love passing to my teammates. And the style of play in the United States, which is really attack-oriented, lends itself well to this. But I've also had some defensive missions this season, which I'd never had before. I was delighted, especially as the staff were happy with me. In France, I'm always told “you don't know how to defend”, and here I was told the opposite. It gave me back my confidence."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*I like the way this interview shows the change between her 2021-2022 season in Lyon and her heading towards NY afterwards. The 2022 WNBA season from Marine was amazing. In this interview, she reflects on how much Brondello and the NY staff immediately made her feel at ease. Brondello gave her confidence by letting her be free and giving her defensive missions. After this wonderful 2022 WNBA season, Marine went to win the Eurocup and the french championship with Lyon.

[redwineconversation]

Ellie Carpenter Le Progrès Article (February 19, 2023)

Typing this one-handed with my non-dominant hand because I got stung by a bee in the palm of my dominant hand on Saturday and holy CRAP does it still hurt. 0/5, do not recommend.

Blah blah standard disclaimers apply. @OL Comms Dept: I'm not even going to beg for Starbucks, just send me something that will make the swelling go down. :( :( :(

Obviously this is bias but Le Progrès > your local sports newspaper. I said what I said. Also, shoutout to Arctic Cafe for finally getting the promo they deserve.

After eight months out with injury, Ellie Carpenter is back: "At Lyon, it's always about winning"

She may be the most French out of the international player at Olympique Lyonnais. In any case it's in Molière's language that Ellie Carpenter, who came to Lyon in July 2020, takes part in this interview. Eight months after her severe knee injury in the final of the Champions League, and two weeks after her return to the field, the Australian international looks back on this difficult period. The Lyon right back also talks about her career oath and her ambitions to experience a really good second half of the second with Lyon, "the best women's club in the world," with whom she has signed for until 2026.

How did you experience this return to the field?

There was a lot of emotion. I hadn't played for eight months... It was a long time, I didn't always have good moments. There was a lot of work as well. I'm really happy to be back with the team, with my friends.

Physically, how do you feel?

I'm back 100 percent. I told Sonia (Bompastor) and the staff that I didn't want to play again until that was the case. I felt good in training the week before the game against Rodez, so I let the coach know. I was able to play 30 minutes, I was really happy. It did [me] a lot of good.

Have you rekindled your speed again?

Yes, I think so (laughter). I even feel stronger and faster than before my injury, because I did a lot of physical fitness for eight months. When you tear your ACL, your leg muscles become all weak, it's hard to get them strong again. I still have to do twice as much fitness.

How did you experience this injury [process]?

It was my first serious injury in my career. Before that, my maximum, it was being out for two weeks. But it was good for me. It taught me a lot of things, like patience, because I am someone who needs things to go fast all the time usually. There, it was 4-5 hours of work each day, always having to do the same exercises over and over, it was really hard for me. But I was really well supported during my entire rehab by Rémi (Pullara), the physical therapist, who was with me every day, through good days and bad.

A lot of players were injured at the same time as you, was that easier to experience?

Yes, even if for the team, it wasn't good to have so many injured players at the same time (laughter). But just seeing them, saying hello, working together sometimes, that helps.

During those hard times, were you able to seek comfort from your loved ones?

Yes, I called my family but it was complicated with the time zone difference. There is twelve hours difference, when it's the morning in Lyon, it's night time in Sydney. But I was able to take advantage of this injury to spend six weeks in Australia last summer, with my parents and my brother. It had been such a long time since that had happened, because since I was 16, I only saw my family once or twice a year on average. Seeing them over a longer period of time was really good for me mentally, and it helped with my knee [rehab] as well.

How did you get into football?

My parents were both PE teachers at school. We're all really sporty in our family. I started playing football around 3-4 years old, with my brother. I played with the boys until I was 12. I wanted to beat them so I needed to be at the top athletically because we weren't on the same muscular level. I think my aggressive and physical style of play is a result of that.

You also performed at a high level in athletics, correct?

Yes, until I was 12. My specialty was the 100m sprint. My record 12.74 seconds.

Is there a competition between you and Delphine Cascarino?

(Laughter) We never ran against each other, but I think it would be pretty even. Delph' [Delph = nickname for Delphine] and me, we're the two fastest players on the team. I really like playing with her, it solidifies the right side.

So you preferred football over athletics then?

Yeah, with the exception of the Olympics, there are more international opportunities in football compared to athletics. Beyond that, I like team sports, I'm more at ease playing a team sport than an individual one.

You made the right choice: at 16, you participated in your first Olympic Games with the Australian National Team?

Yeah, I was really young, it was a super experience. When I was 12 to 15, I trained every day in sports studies with the boys. I had a lot of specific sessions to work on technique with a specific trainer. Before that, I played with the U-16s, then the U-20s as well, when I was 14. I was always out of my depth. At that time, I wasn't a defender, I was playing as a 10. Then I dropped back, they offered the right back position and that suits me really well: you can defend as well as attack, even if what I prefer is to defend. I prefer to stop a forward from scoring by blocking her shot than to score.

You've been at Lyon since July 2020 and you extended until 2026, just after your injury. Was there any hesitation?

I feel really good here. I see myself [staying] in the longterm with this team. I don't see a better environment [elsewhere] for me. The quality of the training sessions, the club's infrastructure, the generosity of staff up to the president really make it the best women's club of the world.

How is it different than what you experienced in Australia and in the United States?

It's a question of mentality first and foremost. Here, it's always about winning, winning, winning. We always want to win, be the best all the time, whether it's in training or during games. This mentality allows you to push yourself, to give your best.

At Lyon, you've known two trainers. In an interview with The Guardian, you said you were more in line with the coaching of Sonia Bompastor. How is it different than that of Jean-Luc Vasseur?

The two coaches had a completely different method. I like to play with a lot of freedom, to not have to overthink. When a coach tells me to just play my game, I'm more at ease. Sonia [Bompastor] is like that. She also gives me advice as a former defender.

You're very young. In what areas do you think you can progress?

Athletically, it'll be harder to be even faster (laughter). But technically, there's always room to be better. I can improve on the quality of my crosses, for example. Lyon is the best place to improve, next to the best players in the world. I'm 22, almost 23 [Carpenter's birthday is in April]. I think that at 26-27, I will be at my peak.

Will the second half of the season be less complicated than the first?

The first half was complicated because there were a lot of injuries. The results weren't always great but weren't catastrophic either [Losing 5-1 to Arsenal kind of qualifies as catastrophic in my mind but whatever]. The team did some really good things despite the difficult context. The return of several players changed things. The team is becoming stronger and stronger and the second half of the season will be very interesting.

The first big test is this quarterfinal of the Champions League against Chelsea. How do you see that game?

I think it's like a final. Chelsea is currently the best team in England. It's the kind of game we all want to play during our career. Playing at Stamford Bridge, that will be really cool.

Would you have preferred another opponent?

We have to beat the best teams anyway to go all the way. The level of the quarters is so high that each game is like a final.

Will you be the outsider or the favorite?

I don't care! For the final against Barcelona, everyone saw us losing and we saw the result. Anything can happen in the Champions League. What I am sure of, is that's it is going to be a really big game.

Will you explain to your teammates how to neutralize your national teammate Sam Kerr?

Indeed, I know her really well. She's an exceptional player, who scores a lot and is really fast. I've started talking about it to Wendie [Renard]. But we will also go up against Kadeisha Buchanan who knows us really well as well.

The World Cup will take place this summer at your home in Australia. It must be really special for you?

It's an absolute dream to play it at home. When it comes to winning it, that will be difficult but we have a good team, so who knows?

How is this World Cup shaping up?

I think it will be the best World Cup in history, especially because for the first time there will be 32 teams, just like for the men. We always play in a sold-out stadium with the National Team. Our first game was scheduled to be played in a small stadium but there was such a high demand [for tickets] that it will be played in a stadium with a capacity of 80,000 people. There's a real momentum, women's football is developing well in Australia. It will be even better after the World Cup.

How do you explain then that all the international players play in Europe?

The problem is that the Australian league only lasts 4 months, which is really short. That's why I went to play in the NWSL, which lasts eight months. We've all done that, but it's hard physically, and there are never any vacations. There must be 13 or 14 Australian who play in the English league, 4 in Sweden. And me, the only one in France!

"Your restaurants open much too late!"

How is Ellie Carpenter off the field?

I'm somebody who is really calm. I like the city and the simple things. Like walking along the Rhône or the Saône [rivers in Lyon] when it is nice outside, and get a coffee in a nice area with friends. I always find the best cafes in a city. I have two or three places in Lyon that I really appreciate like Arctic Juice or Placid, which are the best for me.

It seems that you have a really cheerful attitude?

I'm always happy, always up to do something. I'm really open and always the first to organize a dinner or an outing on our days off, with the other girls from the team. Especially with the other foreign players, we're all really close because unlike the French players, we don't have our families here and that brings us closer.

Do you have any other hobbies?

A little bit of shopping, some series on Netflix such as "Blood and Water" or even "You", which I'm watching at the moment. Sometimes going to the movies with Vanessa Gilles and Ada Hegerberg, who go a lot. But the movie can't last longer than 2 hours because otherwise I don't have the patience for it (laughter).

Do you appreciate Lyon cuisine?

Yeah. I confess I have a weakness for pralines. But you have a real problem here in France with the restaurants. You can't eat before 7.30pm ... That's much too late! In Australia, it's as of 5pm. But anyway, I'm starting to get used to it...

She has beaten all the records of youth accomplishments

From the first questions regarding her rehab, Ellie Carpenter indicates that the hardest part for her was being patient. Waiting isn't really her thing. It must be that the Australian player has always been a quick and dynamic player. After having played in various youth teams, she made her debut in the Australian W League, the equivalent of the D1 Arkema [French League], at 15. Then the following year she was part of the Australian National Tea, at the Olympic Games in Rio. A huge memory for her, at the time the youngest athlete representing the Australian delegation, all sports considered. At the same time, she would become the youngest football of all time to take part in the Olympic Games.

On May 9, 2018, while she plays in the American League after having signed for the Portland Thorns, she also beats the record for youngest player, at 18 years old and 11 days, during her first game in the NWSL. 11 days later, she scores a goal against Washington and becomes the youngest goal scorer in the history of the American League.

[cyberplex]

Howdy, Rachael, and welcome to the Cyberplex! Please submit your account to the main in the next 72 hours and look over the rest of our checklist here. We look forward to seeing Agatha 'Aggie' Spiegel, Cade Medina, Celine Weaver, Clarice Desjardin, Dawson Molina, and Magnolia 'Maggie' King on the dash.

aj cook / she/they  ———  no way is that AGATHA ‘AGGIE’ SPIEGEL.. they’re a 42-year-old HUMAN notoriously known for being OVERWORKED  &  HAUGHTY  but there are some people who have seen them being LOYAL  &  GENEROUS.  if you ask me, they remind me a lot of fingers pressed roughly against their temples to try and soothe away a headache, nights spent curled up on the couch with a good book and a cozy blanket, hair pulled up and away from her neck so she can concentrate better, and a fierce motherly instinct, but that could just be because they’re considered the ANALYZER around town. just keep an eye on them  &  see if their true colors shine through..    /  rachael, 31, she/they, est

priscilla quintana / she/they  ———  no way is that CADE MEDINA.. they’re a 32-year-old HUMAN notoriously known for being NO-NONSENSE  &  JADED  but there are some people who have seen them being BIG-HEARTED  &  TOUGH.  if you ask me, they remind me a lot of high heels abandoned under her desk after a long business meeting, a pair of beaten-up rollerblades hanging up behind the door, an office door always propped open so people are free to come and go as they please, and old money that they want nothing to do with, but that could just be because they’re considered the ROLLER DERBY GIRL around town. just keep an eye on them  &  see if their true colors shine through..    /  rachael, 31, she/they, est

sydney sweeney / she/her  ———  no way is that CELINE WEAVER.. they’re a 26-year-old HUMAN notoriously known for being STUCK UP  &  VINDICTIVE  but there are some people who have seen them being ACCEPTING  &  CREATIVE.  if you ask me, they remind me a lot of summers spent sunbathing on the deck of a yacht, a well-traveled passport, soft bows tied into silky blonde hair, and melodious giggles from behind closed doors, but that could just be because they’re considered the SPOILED around town. just keep an eye on them  &  see if their true colors shine through..    /  rachael, 31, she/they, est

phoebe tonkin / she/her  ———  no way is that CLARICE DESJARDIN.. they’re a 35-year-old HUMAN notoriously known for being ICY  &  STERN  but there are some people who have seen them being DEDICATED  &  CARING.  if you ask me, they remind me a lot of glasses being pushed up the bridge of her nose repetitively, red ink staining the tips of her fingers after grading too many papers, soft tsking noises after one of her brothers does something stupid, and a wasted maternal instinct, but that could just be because they’re considered the ICE QUEEN around town. just keep an eye on them  &  see if their true colors shine through..    /  rachael, 31, she/they, est

auli’i cravalho / she/they  ———  no way is that DAWSON MOLINA.. they’re a 23-year-old SYNTH notoriously known for being UNAWARE  &  CLUMSY  but there are some people who have seen them being COMICAL  &  ACCEPTING.  if you ask me, they remind me a lot of broken skateboards used as wall decorations, old scars worn proudly like trophies, a collection of flannel t-shirts that would put a lumberjack to shame, and deep dimples that appear whenever they smile, but that could just be because they’re considered the TROUBLEMAKER around town. just keep an eye on them  &  see if their true colors shine through..    /  rachael, 31, she/they, est

taylor russell / she/her  ———  no way is that MAGNOLIA ‘MAGGIE’ KING.. they’re a 30-year-old SYNTH notoriously known for being HYPER-FOCUSED  &  COMPETITIVE  but there are some people who have seen them being POISED  &  ENTERTAINING.  if you ask me, they remind me a lot of freshly-laundered linens hanging neatly in the closet, a collection of formal dresses from past events that are ready to be donated, late nights spent on the couch with a bottle of wine and a movie marathon, and the smell of fresh flowers, but that could just be because they’re considered the ACTRESS around town. just keep an eye on them  &  see if their true colors shine through..    /  rachael, 31, she/they, est

[preathfics]

PreathFics Madness: Sweet 16

Welcome to the second full round of the PreathFics Madness, co-sponsored by @hardtchill​.

We had 249 votes in the round of 32.

Congratulations to those fics that advanced. There were some REALLY close matchups (we’re talking 3 vote differences). We’re now down to two matchups in each division. 

Don’t forget:

We’re looking for your nominations for the best fics in a variety of categories. We will eventually use these to inform a bracket-like competition of things like Angst, Fluff, and One-shots.

Nominate Here

Thanks to @hardtchill​ for managing this. To avoid conflict of interest, @hardtchill has asked that you please do not nominate anything by AO3 user DODO24.

The Bracket:

A reminder that this bracket is all of the PreathFics that received 900 or more kudos on AO3 (as of April 7, 2020). We need you to vote for your favorites in each round. The fic with the most votes in each matchup advances to the next round. I will not be posting the margins of victory, but @hardtchill​ also has access to the results and can independently verify their validity.

Sweet 16:

The Sweet 16 is now open for voting. You will vote on 8 pairs of fics. We’re giving everyone three days to vote again. Please please please DO NOT vote more than once and DO skip any pairs of fics that you haven’t read. I’m including links to all of the fics below each division bracket image, should you want to read before voting!

This round will end after 72 hours (8pm GMT/4pm EDT/1pm PDT on April 17/ 4am ChinaST April 18).

Next round will be the Elite 8, and you will vote on 4 pairs of fics to determine who advances out of their division and to the final four! 

Sweet 16: VOTE HERE

Here is the bracket:

Division 1:

under pink skies (248782 words) by wnnbh12

Chapters: 30/30 Fandom: Women's Soccer RPF Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Tobin Heath/Christen Press Characters: Tobin Heath, Christen Press Summary:

Tobin likes her life. She's made a name for herself playing professional soccer, she's got an endless list of girls' numbers in her phone, she's got the life she's always wanted.

But sometimes things change.

And sometimes change is a good thing.

---

electric love (23296 words) by blake0tyler Chapters: 3/3 Fandom: Women's Soccer RPF Rating: Mature

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Relationships: Tobin Heath/Christen Press, Alex Morgan/Kelley O'Hara

Characters: Alex Morgan, Tobin Heath, Christen Press, Kelley O'Hara, Lindsey Horan, Morgan Brian, Crystal Dunn, Mallory Pugh, Emily Sonnett, Julie Johnston, Rose Lavelle

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - College/University, chaotic alex morgan, everyone is oblivious

Summary:

As a best friend, Alex knows — she just knows — that there are really only three things that Tobin genuinely cares about: black coffee early in the morning, playing soccer, and kissing girls at parties when she’s slightly too tipsy.

Alex also knows that dating pretty transfer students from Stanford does not fit into that category anywhere.

She knows.

Okay, she’s fairly sure, at least.

//

Christen & Tobin at college.

(& Alex’s perspective on the whole thing).

---

Feeling This (180329 words) by 5oclocksomewhere

Chapters: 32/32 Fandom: Women's Soccer RPF Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Tobin Heath/Christen Press

Characters: Tobin Heath, Christen Press, Kelley O'Hara, Julie Johnston, Ashlyn Harris, Ali Krieger, Alyssa Naeher, Lauren Cheney, Amy Rodriguez

Summary:

Christen is excited to start her freshman year at UNC, rooming with three of her teammates. A last minute transfer changes everything.

---

Wild and Young (44193 words) by Hidge Chapters: 19/? Fandom: Women's Soccer RPF Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Tobin Heath/Christen Press, Tobin Heath/Alex Morgan Characters: Tobin Heath, Christen Press, Alex Morgan, Kelley O'Hara, Allie Long, Julie Johnston, Crystal Dunn, Original Male Character(s)

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - High School, Love Triangles, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Confused Tobin, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Fluff and Humor, high school parties

Summary:

It turned out that Tobin Heath was totally into that whole good girl thing.

Tobin thought that Alex Morgan was the only girl that she could ever want, and then she got to know Christen Press.

--- Division 2:

---

Lonesome Dreams (286745 words) by whatname0523 Chapters: 36/? Fandom: Women's Soccer RPF Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Tobin Heath/Christen Press

Characters: Tobin Heath, Christen Press, Mana Shim, Kelley O'Hara, Alex Morgan, Servando Carrasco, Julie Johnston, Zach Ertz

Summary:

I lie under starlit sky And the seasons change in the blink of an eye I watch as the planets turn And the old stars die and the young stars burn But I don't really know this place, And it's lonesome here in the wide-open space Can it be as real as it seems? Maybe this time I won't wake from the dream

---

I was struggling to figure out how lightning works (then it struck me) (128582 words) by alittlestitious Chapters: 25/25 Fandom: Women's Soccer RPF Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Tobin Heath/Christen Press Characters: Tobin Heath, Christen Press, Alex Morgan, Ali Krieger, Ashlyn Harris, Kelley O'Hara, Julie Johnston, Original Child Character(s) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Single Parents, Family, Kid Fic

Series: Part 1 of

Struck

Summary:

"Hey Al, I accidentally kidnapped some kids," Tobin rushes out when her best friend picks up the phone, without so much as a hello.

Tobin possibly makes the best biggest mistake of her life.

AU

---

Mixed Messages (110746 words) by elm27 Chapters: 28/? Fandom: Women's Soccer RPF Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Tobin Heath/Christen Press Characters: Alex Morgan, Kelley O'Hara

Summary:

Christen transfers across country to attend UNC, following in the footsteps of her friend Kelley O'Hara. Once she's there it is one series of events after the other, mostly surrounding her new roommate, Tobin.

---

Love on the Weekend (152214 words) by whatname0523 Chapters: 19/19 Fandom: Women's Soccer RPF Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Tobin Heath/Christen Press Characters: Tobin Heath, Christen Press, Kelley O'Hara, Allie Long, Lindsey Horan, Emily Sonnett

Series: Part 2 of

Roman Holiday

Summary:

I gotta leave ya, it's gonna hurt me My clothes are dirty and my friends are getting worried

 Tobin and Christen fell for each other in Italy. Can they make a long distance relationship work now that they're home?

--- Division 3:

---

Gold Love (172649 words) by Holom Chapters: 18/? Fandom: Women's Soccer RPF Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Tobin Heath/Christen Press Characters: Christen Press, Tobin Heath, Mallory Pugh

Summary:

“Christen? It…it is you, right?” Tobin sounded a bit unsure now.

Christen wanted to say something but she felt like she’d forgotten how to speak - like she was 15 again meeting Tobin for the first time. Her eye had caught the light reflecting off something on Tobin’s finger and she was certain she was going to pass out.

Right there, right where she saw Tobin put it on 12 years ago, was Christen’s ring.

“You know I waited for you. I waited for you until that loud u-17 coach threatened to make me run laps for the whole camp. I was so sure you were going to walk into the changing room, Christen. Where did you go?"

---

on a scale (from one to ten) (200591 words) by softanticipation Chapters: 28/28 Fandom: Women's Soccer RPF Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Tobin Heath/Christen Press, Kelley O'Hara/Christen Press Characters: Christen Press, Kelley O'Hara, Ali Krieger, Alex Morgan, Sydney Leroux, Tobin Heath

Series: Part 1 of

on a scale (from one to ten)

Summary:

After a summer apart, everything changes between Christen Press and her childhood best friend, Kelley O'Hara. All Christen wants to do it figure it out, but she's got a handful of other things that keep distracting her: thinking about grad school, being forced to make new friends, and - most importantly - trying to get along with Kelley's newest teammate, who seems to be out to make Christen's life a living hell.

---

pillowtalk (36823 words) by softanticipation Chapters: 4/4 Fandom: Women's Soccer RPF Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Tobin Heath/Christen Press Characters: Christen Press, Tobin Heath

Series: Part 1 of

pillowtalk

Summary:

Tobin's hurting. Christen's always there.

*

“It’s okay,�� Christen soothes, moving her hand to come up and tangle in the base of Tobin’s hair. “We don’t have to do this now.”

“But I want to,” Tobin says, jaw setting even as her eyes fill with glittering tears. “I want to do this now.”

---

Afterglow (163024 words) by quincindentaldreams Chapters: 17/? Fandom: Women's Soccer RPF Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Tobin Heath/Christen Press

Characters: Tobin Heath, Christen Press, Kelley O'Hara, Amy Rodriguez, Megan Rapinoe, Ashlyn Harris, Ali Krieger, Cody Press, Meghan Klingenberg, Becky Sauerbrunn

Additional Tags: Parenthood, Soldier!Tobin, Mom!Christen, Breaking Up & Making Up, G!pTobin

Summary:

"Her father, however, with the back doors closed from all the commotion and the front porch windows open, had recognized it instantly. His hand stopped from where it had been flipping the next pancake, ears tuned in to the outside to make sure he was hearing things correctly, then the sound of that old truck door shutting sounded throughout the house.

Christen angled her head backwards as the back door was opened, watching her father peak his head out quickly and wipe his hands on a hand towel. Every hair on her body stood up, as if lightening was about to strike through the blue sky above her head.

“There’s someone at the door for you, baby.”

--- Division 4:

---

Worth a Thousand Words (69624 words) by Heath17_KO5 Chapters: 18/? Fandom: Women's Soccer RPF Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Tobin Heath/Christen Press Characters: Tobin Heath, Kelley O'Hara, Christen Press, Alex Morgan, Ashlyn Harris, Emily Sonnett, Lauren Holiday, Ali Krieger

Additional Tags: background kellex, the whole uswnt - Freeform, Photographer AU, possible background soran, Don’t copy to another site

Summary:

Photographer Tobin has been hired to do the (tastefully nude) photography for a USWNT calendar, the proceeds of which will be used to benefit charity. She expected a busy day. She expected the long hours. She expected the nervousness of the women. She did not expect Christen Press.

---

Girl Crush (198389 words) by Urbanrebel6 Chapters: 28/28 Fandom: Women's Soccer RPF Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Tobin Heath/Christen Press Characters: Tobin Heath, Christen Press, Alyssa Naeher, Kelley O'Hara, Sydney Leroux, Ali Krieger, Alex Morgan Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - College/University

Summary:

Christen has a girl crush

---

we'll take the world by storm (it isn't that hard) (30866 words) by bestthreemonths Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Women's Soccer RPF Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Tobin Heath/Christen Press

Summary:

Navigating life, love, and adulthood in Los Angeles is hard enough for the average 26-year-old, but most 26-year-olds don't have several million subscribers hanging onto their every word like Christen Press does.

aka the youtuber AU

---

Make Me Like You (40428 words) by LittleHeiHei Chapters: 15/? Fandom: Women's Soccer RPF Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Tobin Heath/Christen Press Characters: Tobin Heath, Christen Press, Alex Morgan, Kelley O'Hara, Allie Long, and the rest of the USWNT, Ashlyn Harris, Jill Ellis

Additional Tags: Hate to Love, Sharing a Bed, Secret Relationship, Eventual Smut, I'm as clueless as you are about where this is going, Fluff, They're both rude asf, Enemies to Lovers

Summary:

They’ve hated each other since they met in the 2009 NCAA final. Christen thinks Tobin is cocky and insensitive. Tobin thinks Christen is uptight and far too serious. Fast forward 6 years and the two women find themselves sharing a room during the 2015 World Cup. This could get interesting…

[whatiwillsay]

submission:

thanks eggs! im gonna add in some more dates of early swiftgron

*******************************************************

Speak Now tour arm lyrics:

Swiftgron meet cute day: “Tell me everything you want to hear – like that was your favorite year.” – Dixie Chicks, Favorite Year. Power Balance Pavilion in Sacramento, California on September 3, 2011.

“You’re just somewhere that I’ve been and I won’t go back again.” – Selena Gomez, Ghost Of You. Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon on September 6, 2011.

“You are the ever-living ghost of what once was.” – Band of Horses, No One’s Gonna Love You. Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington on September 7, 2011.

“There was always something that meant more to you than me.” – Jessica Andrews, There’s More To Me Than You. Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on September 10, 2011.

“Where were you when the world stopped turning.” – Alan Jackson, Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning). Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on September 11, 2011.

“Be a best friend. Tell the truth. Overuse ‘I love you.'” – Lee Brice, Love Like Crazy. Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee on September 16, 2011.

“This one’s for the girls who love without holding back.” – Martina McBride. This One’s For The Girls. Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee on September 17, 2011.

“Love, save the empty and save me.” – Erin McCarley’s Love, Save The Empty. CenturyTel Center in Bossier City, Louisiana on September 20, 2011.

“Do you realize that you have the most beautiful face?” – The Flaming Lips, Do You Realize. Bank of Oklahoma Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma on September 21, 2011.

*Dianna Agron and Naya Rivera kiss as their Glee castmates cheer them on at the Governors Ball. - September 21*

“I hope you know that even if I don’t, I wanted to.” – Rachael Yamagata, Even If I Don’t. Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on September 24, 2011.

“But it flew away from her reach so she ran away in her sleep and dreamed of paradise.” – Coldplay, Paradise. Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado on September 27, 2011.

“Little girl, you’re in the middle of the ride.” – Jimmy Eat World, The Middle. Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah on September 28, 2011.

“Just as free, free as we’ll ever be.” – Zac Brown Band, Free. Phillips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on October 1, 2011.

“No telling where it will take you, just live your life.” – T.I. [feat. Rihanna], Live Your Life. Phillips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on October 2, 2011.

“It’s easy saying nothing when there’s nothing to say.” – KT Tunstall, Fade Like A Shadow. Verizon Arena in Little Rock, Arkansas on October 4, 2011.

“She’s out there on her own and she’s alright.” – Shawn Colvin, Sunny Come Home. New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana on October 5, 2011.

“A little voice in my head said don’t look back, you can never look back.” – Don Henley, Boys Of Summer. Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas on October 8, 2011.

“Through autumn’s advancing we’ll stay young, go dancing.” – Death Cab for Cutie, Stay Young, Go Dancing. KYC Yum Center in Louisville, Kentucky on October 11, 2011.

“Can you still feel the butterflies? Can you still hear the last goodnight?” – Jimmy Eat World, For Me This Is Heaven. United Spirit Arena in Lubbock, Texas on October 14, 2011.

“I hope to God I would’ve done something good with my life.” – Ronnie Milsap, My Life. Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on October 15, 2011.

“Memories fade, like looking through a fogged mirror.” – MGMT, Kids. Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California on October 20, 2011.

“May angels lead you in. Hear you me my friends.” – Jimmy Eat World, Hear You Me. Jobing.com Arena in Phoenix, Arizona on October 21, 2011.

“Where love is just a lyric in a children’s rhyme, a soundbite” – Keane, Is It Any Wonder? AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas on October 25, 2011.

“And I never saw blue like that before. Across the sky. Around the world.” – Shawn Colvin, Never Saw Blue Like That Before. Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas on October 26, 2011.

“Cause happiness throws a shower of sparks” – The Fray, Happiness. Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky on October 29, 2011.

“But darling, I wish you well on your way to the wishing well” – Patty Griffin, Nobody’s Crying. FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee on October 30, 2011.

“It’s love’s illusions I recall. I really don’t know love at all.” – Joni Mitchell, Both Sides Now. Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas on November 5, 2011.

“Birds flying high you know how I feel.” – Nina Simone, Feeling Good. Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on November 11, 2011.

“I could rest my head knowing that you were mine.” – Guns N’ Roses, November Rain. St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida on November 12, 2011.

“Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly.” – Anonymous. American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida on November 13, 2011.

“I feel lost again but this time for the best.” – Gregory & the Hawks, For the Best. Time Warner Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina on November 16, 2011.

“We learned more from a 3 minute record than we ever learned in school.” – Bruce Springsteen, No Surrender. RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina on November 17, 2011.

“Where would we be today, if I never drove that car away.” – Darius Rucker, Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It. Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina on November 18, 2011.

“May these memories break our fall.” – Taylor Swift, Long Live. Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York on November 21, 2011.

“Bring all the pretenders, one day. We will be remembered.” – Taylor Swift, Long Live. Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York on November 22, 2011.

*Dianna (and Karlie) tweet in response to Taylor’s vogue shoot* - January 17 2012

“I am on a lonely road and I am traveling, traveling, traveling.” – Joni Mitchell, All I Want. Burswood Dome in Perth, Australia on March 2, 2012.

“We sleep underneath the same big sky at night. And dream the same dream we can fly.” – Chantal Kreviazuk, In This Life. Adelaide Entertainment Center in Adelaide, Australia on March 4, 2012.

“She said watch your back, I’m nobody’s girlfriend” – Matt Nathanson, Modern Love. Brisbaine Entertainment Center in Brisbane, Australia on March 6, 2012.

“The war outside your door keeps raging on. STOP KONY 2012” – Taylor Swift, the Civil Wars and T. Bone Burnett, Safe And Sound. Brisbaine Entertainment Center in Brisbane, Australia on March 7, 2012.

“Go cut through the noise so you can know what love sounds like.” – Natasha Bedingfield, Neon Lights. Allphones Arena in Sydney, Australia on March 9, 2012.

“If things go right we can frame it and put you on a wall.” – Ed Sheeran, Lego House. Allphones Arena in Sydney, Australia on March 10, 2012.

“We Love our lovin’ but not like we love our freedom” – Joni Mitchell, Help Me. Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia on March 12, 2012.

“Last time I talked to you, you were lonely and out of place.” – Our Lady Peace, Somewhere Out There. Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia on March 13, 2012.

“All romantics meet the same fate somehow.” – Joni Mitchell, The Last Time I Saw Richard. Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia on March 14, 2012.

“Keep your feet ready, heart beat steady, keep your eyes open” – Taylor Swift, Eyes Open. Vector Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on March 16, 2012.

“Every lesson forms a new scar” – Taylor Swift, Eyes Open. Vector Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on March 17, 2012.

“You know wherever I am, I’ll come running to see you again” – James Taylor, You’ve Got A Friend. Vector Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on March 18, 2012.

**Taylor goes home (running to see someone again?) and The Swiftgron spring kicks off and all these two girls do is hang out all spring and summer**

[holisticpassport]

My Covid Story

Apologies for any spelling errors, I’m on a time crunch. I’m a few hours out from leaving for my first flight since July 2019 (and before that, March 2018). Heading out to Sydney, I’m a mix of anxiety and absolute excitement. In January of this year, our sublet was almost up in Eltham and Cam and I had plans to pack up the car and begin doing workaways around Australia to help rebuild communities devastated by the historic wild fires (doesn’t that feel FOREVER ago?). When our sublet became available for a full lease transfer, we changed our minds to stay in our space, so that was the first instance of travel being knocked out of the picture. Then we had Valentine’s weekend open to go visit some friends in Tasmania, so we booked tickets and upon waiting in the airport, our flights were cancelled due to inclement weather. DAMN.  Mid-march came around and it was Cam’s birthday, so we wanted to get out for a weekend of camping in our big bell tent, find a gorgeous spot in the woods out east near Warburton. When we arrived, every camping spot for an hour’s dive any direction was either full or completely not open at all. We picked a spot off a random road and spent one night there, but some rangers came by and said we couldn’t stay there due to the possible danger of logging trucks not seeing us. So that was a bust.

Then as you’re aware, this time frame leads up to the very tumultuous third week of March when Melbourne officially went into its first lockdown due to COVID. I documented this time in journal entries which I will add at the end, but ultimately the lockdown went until June, and the state reopened too quickly/had a fiasco with quarantined cases getting out of a hotel, thus sparking the second wave. We had flights booked to California for June to see my family and then planned to travel around Mexico for a few months, but that dream was quickly squashed when flights out of Melbourne ceased to exist at all. Months later, I had a flight booked in July to go to Sydney where I was to have my eggs extracted for donation. The day before I was to fly out, second lockdown went into effect and the flight was cancelled (thus forcing me to have the procedure done in Melbourne and cause a huge, historic controversy between Melbourne IVF’s CEO and the medical director of IVF Australia about how to transfer frozen eggs over a closed border!).

I’m struggling to comprehend just how important and meaningful my ability to travel today is. To think back to the first time in history, watching borders around the world close, flights become grounded, and witnessing a global pandemic unfold whilst in a foreign country—I remember thinking at the beginning how unfathomable the scale of it was. When people talk about things not seeming real or like it’s a dream you can’t wake up from, that’s exactly how it felt. I questioned whether I needed to go back to the U.S. in fear I might not see my family for years or be with them if they got fatally ill. Would I be able to even go back if that happened let alone would I be able to re-enter AU (the answer was no). And thank god I didn’t go back considering the absolute cluster fuck of a mess Trump made of the pandemic. But also, thank god my family has been healthy and safe. The level of fear for their safety was at an all-time high as civil tensions grew when the riots around the country kicked off in conjunction with the pandemic. I wrote to all of them to have a plan to escape to Mexico and get their passports if Trump won the re-election. This was a genuine fear I’ve never experienced before.

The level of frustration, depression, anxiety, hopelessness, self-hatred for lack of productivity during lockdown, and uncertainty about so many facets of life weighed down on me during this time. But I know how much worse our time could have been. I was immensely grateful for the fact that we had a home and incredibly gracious landlords who were human and understood the financial difficulties of this unprecedented time when so many became homeless as job loss skyrocketed. We were so fortunate that I was able to continue working even 2 days a week through the lockdown as a barista and Cam was able to get government support for six months as a NZ citizen who lived in AU over 10 years when so many other New Zealanders were forced to return to their country because of the time limit stipulation for support. We only had two family members contract Covid and were young and healthy enough to survive when so many families will be without a member at the holidays this year.

And I acknowledge my privilege in that my identity is so closely entwined with the ability to travel, that while it felt suffocating to not even have the choice to travel anywhere outside of a 5km (3mile) zone, I fully empathize with those in parts of the world where they could not walk more than 50 meters from their front door or people who didn’t have windows/balconies in apartment buildings who were going out of their mind. All of that does not diminish the struggles I faced with not being able to travel, but it does always keep my perspective in check. My trip today signifies how a city and a country came together during the most difficult period of our lifetime, followed strict government guidelines, and came out after 120+ days in full lockdown on the other side of a pandemic, now able to cross state borders without isolation or quarantine. To go to a live music show,  have drinks on rooftop bars, walk around outside without a mask on, and see people going about their daily lives again on public transport and see a city bustling with energy—the months of mental hardship and growth was all to get back to a post-Covid world. Even though a vaccine is not out yet and we need to be cautious, the level of hopelessness has diminished significantly, and I’m not terrified my trip might be cancelled in two hours. I’m actually going this time!

There is also a whole other facet to my time in lockdown and that of course is the personal development and mutual growth in my marriage! That’s a whole separate post though which I hope to get out soonish. But here’s a bit of something I started a few months ago. Enjoy.

 ********

I remember when it first started in the news; like a minor blip of a story flashing at the bottom of the screen: some mutant virus had infected a couple dozen people in some random city in China. I was working solo in a café serving the employees of a major shoe distribution company in the warehouse district of Collingwood, Melbourne. The TV was on in the cafe but muted the first few weeks of January as the main stories were about the most devastating wildfires in the history of the world, and we all just felt a communal helplessness. As the numbers grew in China and the story became a daily headline, the first case was announced in Queensland on January 25th. Everyone stuck around a few minutes longer each day after they were handed their coffee. I think back to the moment when Wuhan, the epicenter at the time, reported 1,500 cases and I thought surely there can’t be much more than that. This is just media sensationalizing something small. This whole story will blow over in another week or two.

If only.

It was summer in Australia, and my husband and I were planning what to do after our sublease was up in mid-March. I commuted daily from a suburb 50 minutes north called Eltham, a creative and eco-friendly heritage town. We lived in a triplex made of adobe mudbrick, surrounded by native forest, a communal garden, and enjoyed huge artisan windows that brought in natural filtered light through the towering trees. Our little studio was a quiet haven away from the chaos and constant flurry of people in Melbourne, especially during summer as it brought travelers from every corner of the globe. There was no way we could have possibly known that this little paradise would feel like a prison after six months in the world’s longest lockdown due to a global pandemic caused by that little virus in some random city in China now known worldwide as COVID-19.

As the weeks passed by in February, more and more countries began reporting cases. I did not understand how pandemics worked as the last one I was alive for and could remember was H1N1 in California, and I was about 17—far too consumed with college applications and boys to think about world affairs. The Spanish Flu was never something that was particularly emphasized in our history classes, so it didn’t even occur to me to compare what was happening now to that point in time. Then again, this was incomparable because in 1912, the world was a less globalized economy and there were no commercial flights transporting thousands of passengers across the globe daily. By the first week of March, my daily rush-hour commutes became the first real difference I noticed. The number of morning passengers on the train platforms dwindled from 50 to 25 to 5, and eventually, to just me. As the train stopped at over 30 stops from where I lived to the city, my carriage wasn’t even remotely full at 7 a.m.

There was less foot traffic in the city. Flinders Street Station, one of the two largest hubs that saw thousands of people daily, was eerily quiet and empty. We were two weeks out from leaving Melbourne to go travel, planning to go to New South Wales, AU to help rebuild communities that were ravaged by the bushfires. I was desperate to travel this year, and we were so close to leaving. I had picked up some other barista work in an advertising agency closer to the city. But day by day, office workers were being told to work from home if they were able to. Hand sanitizer became readily available in the café, bathrooms, and around the office. I remember staring out the window of this high rise building that overlooked the lush green stretch of Albert Park and thinking it looks so normal outside. Every day, I looked at the news in Australia, which I had never really done before. Industries were shutting down, and the panic was setting in for thousands of casual workers in the hospitality industry as it was only a matter of time before we would be shut down too.

Melbourne is a cultural hub filled with travelers who typically come here on a Work and Holiday Visa which gives them 1-2 years to work and live in AU. Most find work in hospitality as there are over 40,000 restaurants and cafes in this region. You couldn’t go a single day without meeting someone from another country which is why I fell in love with this city. I worked as a freelance barista through agencies that called for workers to be able to step in if someone called out sick or quit unexpectedly and they found themselves short. But my agencies had gone completely silent in the week leading up to the industry shutting down. There was no more work and travelers were finding themselves stranded. I journaled daily in the lead up to my final day of work in the city as I knew something big was happening, and I wanted to be able to recall when it all began. I also knew we would not be travelling anytime soon, around Australia or otherwise, when national and international borders began closing around the world.

 March 17th, 2020

All that’s being talked about is COVID-19. Entire countries are closing borders and going into complete lockdown. Italy has been inundated with patients in hospitals and now have to choose who lives and who dies. AU isn’t taking nearly as intense of measures, but the general atmosphere is not normal. All events with over 500 people have been cancelled. Those who have traveled anywhere must self-quarantine for 14 days or face a huge fine. Some people still don’t take it seriously, thinking/acting like it’s just a normal flu when in reality its ability to be passed on and even re-infect someone a second time is much higher than the rate of a simple flu. In the states, my family says all the restaurants and schools have closed, even the Hollywood entertainment industry has closed down. So many independent contractors, myself included, are without means to live because there’s no emergency government funding in place. It shows what’s truly flawed with the system. Luckily Cam has full time work still, but for those people who have kids and no daycare options? No partner or family? Those who are traveling and can’t get back home? This is devastating for all of us, but them in particular. Supposedly, there are rumors that the virus dies with the warm weather, but AU is headed into winter. It could be why the virus isn’t as big in places like South America and Africa (*note* countries from these two continents are now in the top 10 most infected places as of September 2020) Europe is completely shut down as is New Zealand. I have flights to California in June, so I’m hoping I can still go. For how weak my immune system is, I’m surprised I’m not more concerned because I’ve been continuously reassured the virus only attacks those with underlying conditions, mainly in the elderly population. Even in calm, tight-knitted communities like ours in Eltham, we’re seeing the best and worst of humanity come out with people hoarding resources, but also there are those offering rides for people to stores or grocery drop offs to their homes. I’m very interested to see how the next three months progress all around the world. Right about now, it’d be nice to hide away in a beachside house in Mexico. (*Mexico is also among the top 10 most infected countries now*)

March18th, 2020

The government should announce today whether hospitality industry will close, potentially putting Cam and I both out of jobs. Luckily our landlord is being highly accommodating. Trump is giving Americans $1,200 and has postponed tax season by 3 months. Only seems he does something decent when it’s to keep the economy from tanking and his money is protected.

Cam and I both have throat annoyances and headaches. We should try to stay home, but can’t afford it. Today, they’ve dropped gatherings of 500 down to only 100 people, yet shopping centers and public transport remain open, which I would think are the riskiest places for transferring infections. It’s been stated this is a once in a decade event that will change the course of history.

 March 19th, 2020

Amidst all the chaos from morning to night, people are finally taking time to nurture their interests and creativity. I’m taking two courses on sustainable fashion and fashion in design. I’ve also applied to be a mentor for women trying to gain work and leadership experience at an NGO called Fitted for Work. They have stylists that help women to prepare business outfits and tailor their resumes/do mock interviews. I’ve looked into an MA program I’m interested in at Warren Wilson College back in North Carolina. I think looking forward is the only way to keep the fear down about how long these shut downs may last possibly through June. The world economy is going to see some extremely confronting realities it hasn’t seen since the Great Depression. For the moment I’m looking into teaching English online which I’m already certified to do, just to try and earn some money. I’ll be interested to see all the art that comes out of this period and the photojournalism that captures this historic time.

 March 21st, 2020

We went over to Williamstown (Cam’s parent’s house) as Cam had two shifts out that way. Restrictions in cafes are now 1 person per 4 square meters, so in the 100 person limit already imposed, it’s now down to 25. I’m nervous for Cam to keep working and going on public transport. It’s high risk and unethical in terms of coming in contact with people we could transmit it to without knowing (asymptomatic) because it takes 14 days to even show symptoms. We made the choice to start self-isolation come Monday as we can see in the next week or two the same spike will be here in Melbourne as we’ve seen in Italy and most likely soon to see in the U.S. Reading other peoples’ accounts about how they continued life as normal as though nothing had changed in Italy is exactly where AU is projected to head towards.

 March 25, 2020

As of Monday, AU took drastic measures to ensure safety and closed many non-essential businesses with a series of daily updates for more and more businesses to shut or only stay open for takeaway. Overnight, nearly 80,000 people in hospitality work were laid off or lost work, Cam and I included. A stimulus package of 66 billion dollars was announced and Cam qualified for government payments through Centrelink because he’s a kiwi who’s been here over 10 years. Other kiwis who haven’t been here that long are completely without any kind of support from the AU government, even though in NZ, Aussies are supported. A very backward, selfish system who told them to go home.

We went to Centrelink on Monday at 7:45am in Greensborough (suburb over from Eltham). By 8:30 am when the doors opened there were over 200 people in line. The government has been terribly confusing with their messages out to the public, highly unprepared. People are confused about what they can and can’t do, what businesses are remaining open, who is eligible… it’s a mess. Why are liquor stores and hair salons considered essential?? There have been spikes in young people getting this virus as young as 18, and they are dying. The virus coats your lungs like a jelly ultimately blocking oxygen. We did what is hopefully our last grocery shop because being in the store is just as contagious as a café. There’s no safety or hygiene measures in place. We had gloves on and people were dancing around each other in the aisles to maintain 1.5m social distance.

The U.S. is becoming the new epicenter with horrific rapid spreading, particularly in New York. Flight around the world, including as of today AU, are being stopped and we can no longer leave the country at all.

  To Be Continued…..

[pluviophile-bookworm]

Disney Channel Tag (created by caitlovesdisney on YouTube)

I was really out of ideas for new content and my very hectic online ed schedule isn’t really leaving me with a lot of time for an AWAE rewatch, so I decided to do something different this time. This is a tag created by the amazing caitlovesdisney over on YouTube, and if you’re a Disney fan and haven’t seen any of her videos, you should go check her out now: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc4JrxVE-t4

So here are my answers to her 30 questions:

Favourite Disney Channel show: This is a hard one. The Suite Life of Zack and Cody was my first favourite from the network, but Austin & Ally got me through some really tough times, and then there’s Girl Meets World... so I guess it’s those three. 

 Favourite Disney Channel movie: Another very hard one, probably Lemonade Mouth or Avalon High.

Favourite Disney Channel ship: Why are these so tough? I’m gonna go with Lutteo or Binuel. 

Favourite Disney Channel ship that never was: Riley and Farkle, definitely. No, wait,  Riley x Farkle x Maya as a poly relationship.

Favourite Disney Channel friendship: This will be an unusual answer, but – Austin and Ally. I recently rewatched 1x3 and came to appreciate them as friends so much more than as a couple. I still don’t ship them with anyone but each other, though. Although Dez and Austin would have made a lovely couple, too.

Favourite Disney Channel siblings: The Diaz family. I really like Coop and Cami Wrather from the more recent shows, too.

Favourite Disney Channel animated series: Nothing can beat Phineas and Ferb, that was a culture of its own.

Favourite Disney Channel show that is airing right now: International: BIA, hands down. American: Sydney to the Max. It’s unlike anything else.

Disney Channel show you wish had another season: Andi Mack. Also, Girl Meets World. Those were two of a kind and better than most shows on the network imo.

Favourite international Disney Channel Show: Soy Luna. I also really enjoyed Alex & Co.

Favourite Disney Channel theme song: Another tough one. The Suite Life on Deck and Pair of Kings themes are certified bops. But one theme that I really wish had a longer version is the theme to Mighty Med.

Favourite song from a Disney Channel movie: Currently, Flesh and Bone from Zombies 2.

Favourite Disney Channel character: How do I possibly pick just one? Going with my gut feeling, Farkle from Girl Meets World.

Favourite Disney Channel actor/ actress: Actress – Sabrina Carpenter, no question. Actor – I really don’t know, but Jackson Dollinger from Sydney to the Max reminds me of my little brother for some reason.

Favourite Disney Channel kiss: Lutteo’s kiss from 2x41, mostly because of the moment preceding it.

Favourite Disney Channel Movie dance number: I have a soft spot for the ending number from Teen Beach 2.

Favourite Disney Channel parents: It’s a three-way tie between Bob and Amy, Bex and Bowie and... Cory and Topanga. I also like the kind of dad that Max from Sydney to the Max is.

Favourite quote from a Disney Channel movie: “I wanted to remember this summer, but not like this, Troy.” This one has stuck with me since I was 10 and saw HSM2 for the first time.

Which Disney Channel school would you like to attend?: Seven Seas High, definitely.

Favourite Disney Channel Duet: “Nadie como tú” by the glorious duo of Matteo and Simón.

Disney Channel character you’d switch wardrobes with: Andi Mack.

Disney Channel song that makes you cry: “More than a band” from Lemonade Mouth.

Disney Channel Song that makes you want to dance: “Flesh and Bone” from Zombies 2.

What DCOM do you wish had a sequel?: None, actually. I might have said Teen Beach 2 at first, but even with that ending, I do think they work better as a pair. The ending just had to be better.

Favourite Disney Channel recording artist: Sabrina Carpenter. I’ve been following her since she was on that one episode of Austin and Ally.

Last Disney Channel show and movie you watched: Show – BIA. DCOM – Lemonade Mouth.

Name a Disney Channel character you ship yourself with: I’m aroace, so I don’t ship myself with people. But I’d really like Big Red from HSMTMTS as a best friend. Or Farkle from Girl Meets World.

Which DCOM have you seen at least ten times: The original HSM, for sure. If you could have any item from a show or DCOM, what would it be?: Either Luna’s sun & moon necklace or... Ally’s book. When I’m told not to touch something, I really want to see what it is.

Pitch a Disney Channel show or movie: I’ve had a sort of obsession with the thought of Voltage, but what about Sing it Loud? I’d love to see that.

I’m tagging: every single Disney fan who sees this! xx

[fuck-customers]

Happy New Year hope you like Heatstroke

Yeah so. Event Services binch back with a long and harrowing tale. Those two shift days in a row on 30th and 31st were nooooot good for me. This is pretty much a 'Fuck how shitty my boss gets when she's stressed and also just fuck 14 hour shifts in general'.

The 9hrs on Monday turned into 9.5 hours. In 30c+ heat (and just a reminder, Sydney is currently constantly covered in smoke haze, we are always breathing smoke), but a breeze came through early afternoon to save us some. There was 4 of us putting up park signange in prep for the NYE event. I ended up schleping the ladder around a lot, I was the only one on that team that actually does weights so i carried a lot. Not a problem really except the signs and ladder are awkward to carry. Only real issue that day was my dinner was in the fridge all day which... turned out hadn't been working for 2 days (why they hadn't fucking put a sign on it about that I DON'T KNOW). Lots of people's shit got thrown out. My food was only just edible after nuking in the microwave cause i keep it in a thermo lunch bag.

The worst was NYE. 13 hour shift (it actually became a 14 hour shift). Started at 12pm, set to finish at 1am (I finished at 2). The sun was not forgiving, we had way more signage to put up because we had to wait for barriers to be set up before we could add signage to them (like line barriers for rides, entry barriers for VIP areas, that kinda thing). Our instruction sheets were BAD. They had OLD pictures that were tiny so seeing what signs were supposed to go where was hard. There was only three of us, the weather was in the high 30's and I'm sure it hit 40 at one point.

I ate a small brunch at 10 that morning. I did not get a break by 5pm like we were supposed to (park was to open at 6:30). I was yelled at by my boss for all the signage being in the wrong places and wasting cable ties (none of that signage I put up, or signage i put up with someone else's instruction they had gotten from my boss btw, so why i got yelled at idk). I was told to go straight up to my box office shift, I did not realise the box office was located outside with no shade during NYE (there was a marquee but the sun was low and behind us so *shrug* no sun cover).

I had to share a locker because NYE be like that, but the person I was sharing with was a ditz, and she thought I had the key, and she either lost it or didn't look for it properly in her pockets. Either way, I had to frantically run around in 38c trying to find her to get in the locker to change into the long black uniform pants I have to wear for box shift. 

By the time i found her, got my pants on, walked all the way out the front and up the stairs and up the hill and down the path to box i was nearly dead. The other girls there told me i could sit cause it wouldn't get busy for a while. So i sat on a bench and then became very aware of how hot i was and how much i was not cooling down and i felt nauseous. And I had had like 2 and a half litres of water at this point, I have a 1ltr bottle so it makes tracking that easy. It just wasn't doing enough.

One of the Guest relations people hanging out up there went 'yeah okay you need first aid' so she got me some hydrolyte and escorted me down once I'd shaken off enough dizziness to walk again. Was in First Aid for half an hour, they got me to drink more hydrolyte and put an ice pack on my neck and gave me a barley sugar lozenge to get my blood sugar up. Then i was finally given my half hour break on their insistence. Got to eat at last. Had to check in with FA before going back to my box shift, and thankfully by then, about 6:30, a wind change came through making the temp drop about 10 degrees. 

But I basically spent the time between then and 11:30 recovering ( I was on guest list duty and also did ticket collect, it was pretty quiet tho). At 9:40 my boss called one of the shift leads up at Box to see if they could send me home, and I had to say no. I was scared they'd FORCE me to leave after the heatstroke thing, but i NEED the money, this is my ONLY job, and I'm not even getting the pay for it til two weeks into the new year (it fell into the next pay period and i had no shifts inside the previous pay period).

They apparently were sending several peripheral staff home, I felt like I needed to find extra jobs to do just so they'd let me stay, but also, if i didn't stay past midnight i wouldn't get the public holiday bonus. I NEED THAT TOO. ESPECIALLY after all the work I'd done the day before, it felt like a fucking slap in the face even though i knew it was them trying to make sure I didn't end up getting sick and suing or some shit (As if i have the money to sue). Also I'd miss the Fireworks, which while not my main concern, still a bummer, because my dudes. Sydney Fireworks on NYE with a view from where I work. People pay more money than I currently have just to experience it. Honestly it's part of the payoff for the hell shift.

THANKFULLY my boss went 'ah right okay yeah just stay up there on guest list til the original end of shift'. I also made sure to stick my nose in on the sales end so i could use it as basic box office pre-training, since my boss has already said she wants to train me on box office. Somewhere around 10 I had my second break and wolfed down my food (they had a replacement staff fridge working that day thankfully) which i was glad i brought cause I never got given a staff wristband, brief sheet or token for a provided meal. Because I started before that sign in procedure was even set up for the rest of the staff. And then i went about taking down signage about 11:30, and then I did the running around taking signage down after 12, and like... the area we're in involves some steep hill walks to get to these outside sign placements (I'd put half of them up so it also made sense for me to go take them down). 

And that's where MORE fuckery came in, because the shitty instructions didn't tell me where ALL the signs were, so i had to go HUNTING for the ones i HADN'T put up, and i swear either another department took them down and didn't relay that, or they'd been removed by council or something thinking they belonged to council. Either way i was up and down those fucking hills with horribly chaffed thighs, sore legs, sore arms, cut up hands from removing signs with cable ties too tight, and I couldn't find half the fucking signs. but at least I took one of the newbies with me to help look so I had a witness to not being able to find things. 

So yeah. I had to go find my supervisor (no idea where boss was, prefer supervisor anyway, she's nicer under stress and poor thing was pulling a 19 hour shift) and let her know I was an hour over my finish time and which signs we hadn't been able to retrieve. She was fine with that, the rest of the people were scheduled for packdown to like 3:30 so she sent me to sign out. 

And then i had to just sit for about 45 minutes back of house with some of the others who'd clocked off at 1 and who were waiting for the free leftovers from the VIP areas that came out at 3. I had a tiny tasty cake thing but that was it, then I left at 3 and got home about 4:45. Didn't get to sleep til about 5:30.

And I've spent yesterday and today trying to recover but now Iv'e got weird low-buzz tinnitus in my left ear that started yesterday and hasn't fucked off, several bruises, many muscle aches, and I'm kinda dreading facing my boss again even though she probably doesn't really care much about the signage thing, she just gets really shitty and yelly under stress. But of course I've been gaslit and mistreated in so many of my other jobs that the voice in the back of my head is constantly going 'watch out bitch you might get randomly terminated at any moment!!!' even though i know i probably won't. 

I can just never be sure anymore. Can't trust anyone when it comes to work. Can never relax my guard, going to be stressing about it for a long time. I am never agreeing to a shift that long again though. And definitely not doing anymore outdoor setup shifts in Summer. 

Honestly hoping this ear buzz shit goes away at some point. In the end for my 23.5 hours of work in 2 days I'll probably maybe get $500 after tax. Maybe. Which will only just be floating my account by the time i get it. Everyone else was talking about having that sweet NYE bonus cash and I'm like ;u; yeah. Sure. haha. Bonus cash. TnT I need a proper fucking career job already i am so tired. 

[theonlinemuse]

So @lesbianmaxevans and I have been discussing how there’s very little backstory for Dani Powell on the show and we decided to contribute to the tags by coming up with our own headcanons for her:

Dani is a nickname obviously, but instead of Danielle or Danika, it’s short for Danys, a unisex Haitian Creole name. She only gets called Danys if she’s in trouble  

Malcolm giggles whenever that happens and Dani threatens to put her cold hands on him if he tries calling her that 

Malcolm learned her middle name the same day he met her middle sister, New York County Court Judge Naomie Powell, who barged into the precinct after an incident where Dani got hurt and went, “Danys Eliana Powell, if you’re going to give our family a heart attack, at least pick up your phone!”

Her dad is Haitian (I still say that episode 5 should’ve delved into this with Dani and her backstory) and her mom is Jewish. Dani and her sisters were all raised Jewish 

Dani doesn’t regularly go the synagogue, but it’s tradition for the Powells to go to services during major holidays 

Dani and JT explaining Jewish holidays to everyone

Powell wasn’t her dad’s original last name. Her dad and grandma came to New York from Port au Prince in the late 70s and their original last name was Poirot. Grandma Eliana kept the name, but her dad changed it to Powell when he started university 

She’s the youngest of three girls in the family. Her oldest sister Mona is played by Meta Golding while middle sister Naomie is played by Sydney Tamiia Poitier

Naomie was the sister who suffered from night terrors after getting into a bad car accident as a teenager and Mona and Dani would often take turns looking after her. This is how Dani knew how to deal with Malcolm 

Dani is bisexual. She and Edrisa went on a date before deciding to be friends and Edrisa likes to joke about them being exes much to Malcolm’s confusion 

“When did you even break up?” “We didn’t, technically. We just went go karting and had lunch at Zabar’s before we realized Dani was wayyyy too much like an aloof little sister to me.”

And this is totally a crack headcanon, but after seeing Jurnee Smollett-Bell playing Black Canary in Birds of Prey, Dani and Dinah Lance are now cousins. Their moms, Zipporah and Dinah Senior were sisters

Dani and Dinah may be Jewish, but they don’t keep kosher all the time. They don’t eat pork, but they’re absolutely weak against shellfish, much to their moms’ dismay 

Chaotic bi Dinah and distinguished bi Dani

Imagine Dani going undercover in Dinah’s band and them singing the Birds of Prey song from Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Dani can rock the punk rock aesthetic. Dinah makes her wear fishnet stockings, red lipstick, a corset over a dark lace shirt, and gold metallic temp tattoos. Malcolm has a heart attack

And then Dani starts singing and he’s a goner because he’s only ever hear her sing old songs from the 30s to 50s and there’s something powerful and sensual about her singing punk rock music. He’s not ready for it

JT teases the hell out of him, but he soon shuts up when Dani and Dinah bring Tally into the mix. Edrisa records the whole thing, as well as Malcolm and JT’s expressions. Gil ends up using it to keep Malcolm and JT from doing anything too outrageous

Grandma Eliana would sing old jazz and méringue songs to Dani and her sisters when they were little so Dani ended up with the habit of singing them absently whenever she’s focused on a task, usually when she’s doing her hair

Dani grew up listening to songs from the 30s, 40s, and 50s due to grandma Eliana always playing her extensive vinyl collection. She didn’t really get to listen to modern music until she was in middle school 

In addition to jazz and swing, Dani’s surprisingly good at disco. It didn’t help that her dad often played Boney M and Earth Wind and Fire during her childhood

She used to joke that the Powell family is decades behind in their taste in music. Dani doesn’t listen to many modern songs, but she likes singing along to Yonce as well as Janelle Monae songs like Electric Lady and Sally Ride

Make Me Feel becomes Dani and Dinah’s bi anthem 

Malcolm once caught her singing and he keeps trying to catch her again. He’s lucky to listen for five seconds before she kicks him out of the bathroom

Dani’s a bit of a tea expert thanks to grandma Eliana, who taught her many different ways of making tea. Other than Earl Grey, Dani’s favourites include grandma Eliana’s ginger tea and pomegranate tea

And I’m not just saying that last one because I saw tags about a Brightwell Hades and Persephone AU

She loves tea flavoured desserts as well. She often gets a glazed Earl Grey donut for breakfast on Monday mornings when she needs a little pick me up

She changes up the glaze depending on her mood. Lavender for when she’s stressed, balsamic and pomegranate for when she’s in a good mood, blueberry for when she’s irritated or stuck on a case, brown butter for when she’s tired, and caramel with blood orange zest for when she’s ready punch a dick

In the summer, she loves Thai iced tea popsicles and matcha green tea popsicles dipped in chocolate

Dani isn’t as big of a coffee drinker as she is a tea drinker, but if she has to have coffee, it’s always a cinnamon mocha with a shot of espresso 

She can cook, but because of her schedule, she mostly sticks with quick to make dishes like grilled cheese and spaghetti. She likes spicing things up though, thanks to growing up with her dad and grandma’s cooking 

Every Hanukkah, Dani always gets roped into preparing the desserts with Zipporah since her dad, grandma, and oldest sister are in charge of cooking. Dani’s the first to admit that she’s not a cook, but she’s gotten good at making sweets, even if she doesn’t always have the patience for it. Eight nights a year is her limit

Malcolm as a foodie bemoans this and his trying to broaden her food choices slowly becomes a thing 

The look of horror on his face when he sees her chow down on a double beef bacon mushroom burger, poutine, chocolate pecan pie and a strawberry milkshake in one sitting is priceless

And Dani loves seafood, especially shellfish which Malcolm can’t have because it gives him hives 

Dani was a bit of a trouble maker in elementary school, but for good reason. She stuck gum in a classmate’s hair because she stole her favourite scratch and sniff stickers and lied about it. And she once kicked a football player where the sun don’t shine because he was being a dick to her

She dressed like Kimberly Hart from the Power Rangers movie in high school, though she did have a goth phase for about two weeks in freshman year. She was trying to channel Wednesday Addams. She was definitely a bit of a rebel style wise. Malcolm was most definitely a nerd

Ironically, Dani’s the one with poor eyesight. She only wears glasses if there’s no more contacts and they’re a chunky pair that’s similar to Edrisa’s glasses

Dani does have some secret nerdy traits, she knows how to code thanks to her sister Naomie going to coding camp for five consecutive summers 

And like Kay, Dani has some artistic tendencies too. She grew up with outdoor art programs that encouraged her to paint 

She’s fluent in French. She, her sisters, and their paternal cousins went to a bilingual language school thanks to grandma Eliana’s influence

Dani also did competitive figure skating as a kid. She actually made it to the Junior Grand Prix finals. She got silver

There’s recordings of her competition routines on YouTube somewhere and she actually goes undercover as a figure skater for a case. Gil acts as her coach because he actually used to skate as well

She also did some cross training in ballet as well since her godmother is a well known ballerina turned dance teacher. There are a lot of pics of Dani in her early teens of her in a leotard and tights with curls escaping her ballet bun

She has an old injury that often acts up when the weather is cold. She broke her leg pretty badly in high school due to an accident in gym class. She got knocked off the balance beam when they were doing gymnastics and had to be rushed to the hospital for surgery 

She prefers horror and thrillers to action movies, but she likes period pieces too. Belle is a recent favourite of hers

Dani likes Star Trek because her dad is the biggest sci-fi nerd and it was a big part of her childhood. She also grew up as a fan of Eartha Kitt because of him after he made her watch 1960s Batman reruns with him

As a result, she wanted to name her first kid after Eartha. She eventually nicknames her first daughter Kit because of this

Dani actually introduced Tally to JT. They were roommates in college (Dani majored in social work while Tally studied chemistry) and they went to the same synagogue 

Tally designated Dani as godmother after she and JT had twin girls. She was the sandeket at Noa and Miri’s simchat bat  

She practices Krav Maga, she and Dinah both learned it in high school, though Dani always says that Dinah had more of a natural talent for it 

Dinah also did kickboxing and gymnastics and Dani ended up tagging along her lessons. She doubled as a coach and sparring partner 

She and her sisters dressed up as magical girls for Halloween when they were little and the new Charm reboot is like reliving their childhood

She wraps her hair for sleep with funny and colourful scarves that Naomie always gives as gag gifts, a tradition that started when they were preteens 

She’s dyslexic, but she wasn’t diagnosed until middle school. She had difficulty memorizing things so she got into a habit of carrying a recorder with her. She also has her phone and computer set to dyslexia friendly fonts and listens to a lot of audio books

It’s also the reason she sometimes makes mistakes when she’s dancing. She sometimes mixes up left and right

She also had trouble learning French at first because of this 

Dani can hold her liquor, but after four drinks, she becomes a giggly drunk who randomly speaks French and sings 90s rock songs

She also suddenly gains a sweet tooth when sober Dani doesn’t usually go for sweets. Luckily Malcolm has a few lollipops stashed away for when this happens

Dani did a brief modelling stint back in college to help out her cousin, who was in fashion school at the time. She mostly modelled for women’s wear and book covers. She even posed for a couple of historical romance covers 

Malcolm may have accidentally come across it thanks to his mom. Jessica might have been a little smug when she told him to fetch the book from where she left it. The look on his face was priceless

Dani ends up recreating a cover for a case. Edrisa makes Malcolm pose with her. She takes so many pictures

Given that Malcolm has Sunshine, it’s ironic that Dani owns a cat. It’s a mischievous black cat named Shuri and she loves climbing things, especially Malcolm

[lemonwaterwithice]

saffire’s lagoon, known affectionately and almost exclusively by locals in the area as saffy’s, is a beach-themed dive bar a few miles from ucf’s campus. opened in 2010 by a ucf grad who never quite got over his senior spring break trip to cancun, it’s known for its cheap drinks and lax security, making it a favorite among college kids and young adults. saffy’s features over ten bars inside and outside, a shot wheel, and a large man-made “beach” - an outdoor area covered in sand with a few “lagoons” throughout, where you’ll find mermaids pouring shots thursday through saturday. no one would ever describe saffy’s as quiet or clean and the service most nights is questionable at best, but it’s developed an almost cult-like following in the years it’s been open. people love saffy’s for what it is - a place to see classmates (or old classmates), drink $2 beer, and make questionable decisions without judgment.

hm? is this based on my two favorite bars bc i don’t know if i’ll get to go this summer? mayhaps!! but in any case, i’m looking for a group of co-dependent co-workers who contribute to the charm and the chaos that is saffy’s. 

JACK / owner (first last, 32+, played by name) — founded saffire’s lagoon sometime after his college graduation in 2010 - whether it was a quarter-life crisis or a lifelong dream, the story changes depending on who asks. big time peter pan complex, could stand to do some growing up, just might for LAURA if she would ever give him the time of day. may or may not be the reason that the whole “never trust a man whose name starts with j” trend started going around, but he takes excellent care of the people he employs. despite his carefree attitude, saffy’s is his baby, he put blood, sweat, and tears into making it what it is, and he continues to work hard to ensure it’s success.

LAURA / front bar (first last, 30+, reserved for del) — has been working at saffy’s for as long as it’s been open and is almost as integral to its success as JACK is. the two of them are as close as one would expect after working together for ten years, although LAURA refuses to acknowledge that time they slept together after the infamous Holiday Party of 2015. she’s got the patience of a saint, usually the one left to train the new employees and ultimately decide who makes it working here or not. a tough love kinda gal, but always willing to lend a helping hand for the greater good. good at her job, dammit, just don’t try to pry into her personal life.

CALEB / beach bar (first last, 25+, played by name) — CALEB is LAURA’S younger brother (or cousin or bff, utp!!), something the rest of the staff figured out quick because his behavior would never have flown otherwise. like, LAURA once caught him and RILEY doing coke in the bathroom during one of their breaks but let it go. also sometimes drinks on the job when he feels like it. lazy, but well-meaning, no one can find it in their heart to stay mad at CALEB for too long, even when they have to pick up his slack. prefers to spend his shifts flirting with JACK, too preoccupied looking around to see where he’s at on any given night to notice that ANGEL has been trying to get his attention.

ANGEL / beach bar (first last, 22+, reserved for jenn) — despite being hired around the same time as RILEY, MARA, OLIVER, and KYLE, no one knows much of anything about angel. but it’s not for lack of trying. it’s gotten to the point where the co-workers make up stories about her background and place bets on who can get closest to the truth, if ANGEL is willing to confirm anything in the first place. it’s not that she don’t want to share anything about herself, she’s just quiet, and it’s become kind of fun being the mysterious one in the bar. unbeknownst to the rest of the group, and without even realizing it himself, CALEB knows ANGEL better than anyone else.

RILEY / shot wheel + mermaid (riley emerson, 22, sydney sweeney, played by alex) — applied to work at saffy’s because her boyfriend at the time, KYLE, got an interview. they broke up (for the first time) shortly after, but she decided not to quit bc she really liked the attention of bartending. they’ve been off and on for the majority of their time at saffy’s, though in the last year or so, they broke up for good. RILEY is easygoing and friendly, usually the one found playing therapist to drunk girls at her bar. sometimes acts without thinking which has gotten her into more than a few sticky situations. trying to be more responsible now that she’s a college grad, which finds her turning down all of OLIVER’S advances.

MARA / beach bar + mermaid (holly mack, 24, kristine froseth, played by maddie) — MARA’S got a rep for being kinda mean to customers, but she’s so pretty that no one has ever complained. lives with the RILEY, but whether they hate or love each other just depends on the day. they had a 3-way with KYLE after the aforementioned Holiday Party of 2015, which continues to be the butt of many jokes among the staff. went on a date with KYLE shortly after that, but felt guilty bc of his relationship with RILEY so she made him swear to keep it a secret and she keeps him at an arm’s length to this day.

OLIVER / bouncer (first last, 22+, reserved for bribri) — something of a celebrity in the bar - there was once an entire instagram account dedicated to “saffy’s hot bouncer”. the attention mostly goes over his head, but JACK is happy to have him outside the front door most nights to bring business in. OLIVER’S a good guy, level-headed and patient enough to break up fights and turn away drunk people without anything ever escalating. he’s had a crush on RILEY since they all started working together four years ago, but kept his distance out of respect for KYLE. now that they’ve finally broken up, the two of them have been getting a lot closer, but he can’t tell how she actually feels about it.

KYLE / shot wheel (first last, 22+ reserved for derek) —KYLE is the resident himbo. pretty harmless because he’s so dumb, although like RILEY, he trends towards impulsiveness more often than not. KYLE’S the one behind some of the more chaotic practices and themes at saffy’s (i.e.: hawaiian shirt night). only got put at the shot wheel because they needed someone tall enough and strong enough to be able to spin it. he’s been trying to get moved to the beach bar so that he can spend more time with MARA because he knows that he can charm her if he can just get the chance. 

ok so! this is just a list of co-workers that riley is closest with, but i am completely open to other staff members as well! they can be intermingled with the core group i have listed if you have ideas, or they can just be begrudging witnesses as they try to go about their job. i’m also open to other positions besides bartenders/bouncers, like bar backs and cooks, or the more administrative side of things, like marketing managers or operations. just let me know if you’re looking for a job for your character and what you have in mind, i’d be more than happy to squeeze as many people in as possible! reply here or add me on discord (alex???#0019) and i’d be happy to chat. thx for reading :)

first last, ##, owner, played by name

riley emerson, 22, bartender, played by alex

holly mack, 24, bartender, played by maddie

first last, ##, bouncer, played by name

first last, ##, bar back, played by name

+ etc.

[hell-bound-stories]

Some days

Sydney hated summer. Sophomore year had ended a month ago, and junior year couldn't be coming sooner. It felt like summer had just begun and Sydney hated everything about it. The hot stale air made every day drag, and the sun setting at 8:30 every night didn’t help the days move faster. Every day felt like an awful eternity she couldn’t escape from, and they all blended together. 

‘What day even is it?’

Sydney would wake up every day around 9 after going to bed around midnight the night before. That sounds like a good amount of sleep. It's everything but. She will get into bed and lie awake for hours, unable to actually fall asleep. During that time her mind is flooded with awful thoughts and memories, unable to escape the plague that is the past, making her more tired. This did nothing but make the lack of sleep more frustrating, there was no escape from herself. If she did manage to fall asleep it was only for a couple of hours before waking back up again into the endless cycle. Napping during the day wasn’t any better.

‘Maybe tomorrow’

Sydney was never not tired. If it wasn’t from a lack of sleep the night before it was from an invisible weight placed on her shoulders by an even more invisible foe. She was always wrapped up in a blanket of exhaustion. The most she could do during that time was lie in bed, sometimes for hours, desperately trying to sleep. No matter how tired, physically or emotionally, she is never able to fall asleep. This did nothing but feed an ever growing anger. Sometimes in acts of frustration she’d hit the wall or punch a pillow, not knowing what else to do. She had no one to talk to after all.

‘Not that anyone would want to listen to me’ 

Sydney didn’t have friends. Well, no, she had “friends” but they were nothing more than kids who knew her name, and she didn’t know anything about them other than their names, so it was mutual in that way. She had peoples numbers, and that had hers, but no one ever texted her, and she never texted them. Sydney was never invited to hang out or anything remotely like that by any of her “friends” once. Outside of their shared classes it felt like she didn’t exist. She didn’t even think about dating, and no one ever showed interest in her either. Some days this got to her more than others. She never dwells on it long, but she had to admit, she wasn’t completely innocent on her end. She focused more on school than trying to make friends. 

‘If they wanted to talk to me, they would, I shouldn’t bother them’

Since freshman year school was the only thing Sydney could bring herself to care about. In middle school things fell. Hard. She was in the seat, but she was lost somewhere else entirely, but it was ok. Everyone understood, but time passed. After 8th grade the only thing she was told was “You really need to try harder, high school is when things get serious, without good grades you’ll never get into a good college” and more notably “GPA is forever, pain is temporary” That one stuck with her. Sydney took it to heart, focusing solely on school. It was the only thing that mattered, right? She signed up for AP classes just to push herself. When she got home from school she’d immediately do all her work, not stopping for breaks or for food til she was done, which most of the time wasn’t until it was dark out. So far she hasn't gone to any type of school event or dances, and she wasn’t planning on it. This worked. The teachers and other staff congratulated her on being such a good student, and her mom was proud of her too. The only problem was summer, but right now everyone was happy, right?

‘Im happy, just a slow day’

While every kid always looked forward to the end of the year, counting the days and talking about summer plans, Sydney loathed it. Her mom never let her sign up for summer college courses, saying “Summer is a break, you should enjoy it”. The last thing Sydney could do was enjoy it. Without the schedule and work of school she felt useless. She had nothing outside of school and now she was left with 104 days of what felt like wasted time. Wasted potential. She felt miserable every dragging day of the hot season. Everyday she didn’t do something productive she got more and more pissed at herself, but there was nothing productive to do. She’d watch the same youtube videos and Netflix shows over and over again, while endlessly scrolling through social media, watching the world fall apart. The only thing keeping her going was the promise of school in the fall. Summer just left Sydney feeling awful and she didn’t know what to do about it.

‘It's fine…….it’ll be better tomorrow’

She never left her room. The only times she did was to use the bathroom, get water, or grab some food. Sydney was home alone almost every day, her mom opting to get every work shift she could, so she had free rein over the house, but she chose the safety of her room over any other place. Without school her room fell into disarray, a mess was putting it lightly. Eating was rare. At most she’d grab one small thing to have once a day. It always felt like ignoring the hunger was easier than doing something about it. Sometimes her mom would order take out or pizza, and that would be the snack for the week, still not grabbing some as often as she should. Sydney did however drink plenty of water. She always had her water bottle by her side on her desk. Whenever it was empty she would immediately get up to refill it, an interesting habit she developed long ago. She ate food and drank water, she was healthy enough, right?

‘psh I’m healthy’

Sydney wore the same clothes every day. Simple dark blue skirt, with a matching blue tee, and a striped long sleeve underneath, and she’d never be caught without her long hair in a ponytail. While this look was cute that's not exactly why she wore it so often. Those clothes were the closest thing to her on the floor when she woke up in the morning, sometimes she’d even go to bed with them on, just not caring. Her ponytail easily hid the fact she hadn’t showered in a week. She had a hard time being motivated to get a fresh set of clothes, or take a shower, but that didn’t matter. No one was ever going to see her anyway, so what?

‘I’m clean, enough’

Sydney never went outside. Other than grabbing the mail there was no point. Besides she didn’t to be seen outside alone. Everyone around here was always on a walk with someone, even if it was a dog, no one was ever alone. So even if she wanted to go out, which she definitely didn’t, she didn’t want to be that freak loner kid on the street. She decided long ago that her room was better than the outside anyways. Watching the clouds float past through her window was just as good as being outside, definitely.

‘Why is the sky so blue?’

There was nothing wrong with Sydney, and she knew that. The school rewarded her for working like this, and her mom didn’t notice anything wrong with it. She was finally the girl they all wanted her to be. Sure sometimes she’d get really frustrated over some small insignificant thing, but she never cried over it. She didn’t allow herself to. Everyone gets upset from time to time. 

‘I'm just a stupid teenager with stupid teenage emotions’ 

In her eyes, all she had to do was make it to junior year, then everything will be fine again. No more boring days. No more feeling completely fucking useless because she hasn’t done anything in weeks. The school will go back to praising her and she’ll pass all her classes with flying colours. Just what everyone wanted. Just a few more weeks til the start of a new year. 

Sydney just has to make sure nothing and no one got in her way, and she’d be fine,

‘right?’

[biggamebrass]

Here is the interview with Derick, if you want to post it anonymously!!  Don’t look at my grammar mistakes!!

- your French anon

Bruno: We are with a friend tonight, from Long Islang, Derick Brassard, who takes the time to talk to us during his pretty busy day!!  How are you, Derick?

Derick: I’m pretty good “les boys” How are you?

Max: I’m fine, thank you to take the time to talk to us, we really appreciate it!  First, as Bruno mentioned it, you’re in Long Island.  What are you doing during the day?

Derick: Not that much!  I try to follow the rules, like everybody.  Today is a nice day, I will probably good for a walk.  I try to do one training per day, move a little bit. It’s been 3 weeks.  The 1st week was pretty rough mentally.  We are used to have a routine and now, we don’t know what will happen in the next few weeks.

Bruno: About your training, you’re usually training with a trainer, in a big facility, with a lot of equipment… what kind of training can you do?

Derick: Like everybody, we are using social medias.  Teams are sending workouts almost every day.  For me, my gym is my balcony.  I try to move as much as possible.  It’s the most challenging because we don’t know when we will play or if we will play, so you have to stay in shape.  It’s a serious situation so we have to wait and see what will happen.

Max:  Lou Lamoriello was pretty positive about finishing the season, in June, July or August.  What do you think about that?  Do you think it’s realistic?

Derick: Right now, no, not really.  There are new cases every day, but Lou tries to stay positive and wants us to stay in shape and be ready to resume the season, as well as the NHLPA.

Bruno: Nobody can skate right now…  How long do you think it could take for a player to get back in shape and be ready to play a real game, one you will receive the green light to get back?

Derick: It’s a good question.  At least 2 weeks.  The first week, it’s all about the timing on the ice, how to find your linemates…  A 2-weeks training camp will be a great idea.  The league, the coaches, as well the group chat with the team, are over looking to every option, and we have to stay ready if the season resumes.

Max: We saw heard about different option, if the season resumes from July 1st, July 15th, in August…  Which option do you prefer the most?  Right now, if we look at the ranking, you are 2 points away from the playoffs but with the percentages, you are in the playoffs… Would you go for a formula where all the teams are included?

Derick: I saw what PK Subban said, and it’s a privilege to be in the playoffs, and it’s so hard to win the Cup.  I don’t see why we should put all the teams, but at the same time, with the actual situation, I think a formula like the March Madness could be a great idea, maybe in July. It could create something for the league and be interesting.

Bruno:  You had a pretty good season with the Islanders.  Tell me more about your season.

Derick: I won’t lie, last season was pretty rough for me.  I played for 3 teams, I got traded 2 times.  I was looking for consistency.  It was a new beginning for me.  I had nice conversations last summer with Lou and Barry and I’m happy with my season, even if my role changed.  I was playing center / winger.  I tried to play at my best, even if recently, we were in a defeats streak.  When you play against the Islanders, as a visitor, you go at the arena and to the hotel next to it, but when you are here daily, you appreciate the city, it’s a nice play to play, it’s a great group of guys.  I developed a great relation with Anthony Beauvillier, as well as Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who was recently traded. 

Max: Tell me more about the arenas.  You play at Nassau Coliseum, and at the Barclays Center, in Brooklyn?  You have only 1 defeat at the Barclays Center this season.  How was it to play in two different arena?

Derick: We played 10 games at the Barclays Center.  The team has car, and since it takes almost 1 hour to go there, you are matched with another player, depending on your neighborhood.  On game day, we had to leave at 3:00pm.  It was the negative side of it.   But we had a great record there.  We have two different crowds, one in Brooklyn and one in Long Island.  The new arena will be ready in two years, and the management will probably bring new players.  We are only 30-45 minutes away from Manhattan, so it’s pretty interesting.

Bruno: You mentioned Tito / Anthony Beauvilier – Tell me about the chemisty you have.  You had great moments together, on 5-5, on the power play.

Derick: I was supposed to play center at the beginning but I was matched with Anthony at the wing, with Brock Nelson.  You want to play with him: he’s working hard.  I should pick Anthony in your pool for your top 10 Québec-players!

Max: Yes, I love him, I’m a big fan of Beauvillier.  His skating reminds me of Sydney!

Derick: You want to play with a player like him.  The best is yet to come.

Max:  Teams want a player like you too!  You are the second player with the most playoffs games, with 87, which is great.  We play a little game…  tell me a word for each team you have been to.  We’ll start with Colombus.

Derick:  Learning. We had to play against big teams, and we haven’t been to the playoffs.  Good times there, but a lot of learning.

Max: What about the Rangers?

Derick: Privilege.  We had really good years.  We went to the finale, to the finale-conference.  I wish to every young player to play in that kind of market.

Max: Weird trade, when you got trader for Zibanejad, to Ottawa.

Derick.  Yes, with Zibanejad and his 40 goals this year.  But Ottawa is a privilege too.  I grew up in the Outaouais.  Seeing your family and friends at games was great.  We lost in the finale-conference against Pittsburg.  I really appreciated my time there.

Max:  Then, my Pittsburg Penguins

Derick: Also a privilege, that the only word I think.  Playing with Malkin, Sidney, Letang, Geno.  Is wasn’t a good fit for me.  I wasn’t expecting to go to Florida, but I went there for maybe 2-3 weeks, for the sun!, and then I got traded in Colorado.  Nice team, one of my favorite, a good group of games, a young team.  I won’t lie, I was happy at the end of the season…  I was in hotels for 2-3 months and it was pretty hard on me.  That’s why I was looking for a place to settle and get another chance. 

Bruno: Thank you so much for your time.  We wish you the best this year or the next yar

Derick: Thanks guys, I’ll go clean my apartment now J

Max: Or you can do a new painting for you wall!

[baromtm-blog]

⋆ ╰  another  year  at  hollingsworth  ,  another  year  of  the  big  six  rivalry  .  i  hear  that  BAROM  BANG  is  ensuring  PHI  GAMMA  IOTA  gets  a  solid  pledge  class  and  stays  at  the  top  of  the  ranks  . oh  ,  you’re  not  familiar  with  HIM  ?  ROMY  is  the  KIM  YUGYEOM  look  alike  from  CHARLESTON  ,  SOUTH  CAROLINA .  apart  of  PC  ‘16  ,  he  is  majoring  in  FINE  /  STUDIO  ARTS  and  has  plans  to  DEBUT  HIS  ARTWORK  AT  A  RENOWNED  MUSEUM  after  undergrad  .  it  makes  sense  they  pledged  their  house  ,  their  SAGACIOUS  &  CHIVALROUS  attributes  make  them  perfect  matches  .  however  ,  their  PUERILE  &  CONCUPISCENT  attributes  keep  their  name  alive  on  greek  rank .  if  you  don’t  catch  them  dancing  to  PLAYING  GAMES  -  SUMMER  WALKER  at  a  fraternity  band  party  this  year  ,  you’ll  be  sure  to  catch  them  nursing  their  morning  hangover  at  THE  LOFT  APARTMENTS  . cheers to  another  wild  semester  !

          hi  babies ,  it’s  ares  again  with  another  muse  !  he  is  a  slight  mash  of  the  chara  i  was  originally  gonna  bring  to  the  group ,  but  decided  that  i  like  this  version  much  better  !  i  won’t  talk  your  ears  off  about  myself  or  anything  since  i  know  this  intro  is  about  to  be  ...  how  do  i  say  ...  lengthy  as  it’s  very  background  /  family  history  heavy .  but  as  always ,  i  can’t  wait  to  write  with  everyone  (  again  !  )  and  i’m  not  ashamed  to  admit  that  j*stin  b*eber’s  ‘ journals  ’  helped  a  lot  with  muse  lmao . i’m  also  a  complete  IDIOT  who  reblogged  the  same  gifset  twice  but  i  refuse  to delete  it  because  yugyeom  is  beautiful ,  don’t  fight  me  on  that .

trigger  warnings :  detailed  talk  of  religion ,  minor  mentions  of  death ,  poor  writing ,  and  sugaring .

korean name  :  bang  ba-rom .

preferred spelling / arrangement  :  barom  bang .

nicknames  :  romy  /  romey  and  romeo  (  by  his  older  sister  only  ) . 

birthday  /  age  :  february  14th ,  1998  /  21 .

zodiac  :  aquarius .

pronouns  :  he  /  him  or  they  /  them .

gender  :  genderfluid .

sexual  orientation  :  bisexual .

romantic  orientation  :  biromantic .

height  :  6′0″  (  six  foot  ,  zero  inches  ) . 

hometown  :  charleston ,  south  carolina .  (  click !  )

current  location  :  savannah ,  georgia .

nationality  :  korean - american .

ethnicity  :  korean .

languages  spoken  :  english ,  korean ,  japanese ,  elementary  latin ,  and  conversational  mandarin .

bang  family  inspo  :  the  greenleafs  (  greenleaf  )  ,  the  gemstones  (  the  righteous  gemstones  )  ,  and  the  osteens .     

          𝖎𝖙  𝖜𝖆𝖘  𝖙𝖍𝖊  𝖘𝖚𝖒𝖒𝖊𝖗  of  1958  when  𝑘𝑖𝑚  𝑗𝑖-𝑚𝑖𝑛  was  born  in  sydney ,  australia  to  dong-wook  and  sook-ja ,  immigrants  from  seoul ,  south  korea .  the  family  was  small ,  but  loving  as  it  was  fueled  with  love ,  patience ,  and  the  parents’  love  for  the  lord .  ji-min  grew  up  in  a  home  that  was  religious ,  but  not  to  the  extreme ,  as  she  was  expected  to  go  to  bible  study  on  wednesdays  and  attend  service  on  sundays .  dong-wook  and  sook-ja  were  pillars  of  their  community  --  they  hosted  potlucks  after  service ,  always  had  small  cookouts  whenever  they  felt  the  need  to ,  and  they’d  give  the  clothes  off  of  their  backs  if  someone  needed  clothes .  overall ,  the  kims  were  the  neighbors  that  everyone  wanted ,  so  everyone  around  them  was  crushed  when  the  kims  decided  to  leave  behind  australia  for  the  states  --  specifically ,  south  carolina .

          𝖙𝖍𝖊  𝖋𝖆𝖒𝖎𝖑𝖞  𝖔𝖋  𝖙𝖍𝖗𝖊𝖊  settled  in  the  city  of  charleston ,  south  carolina  and  during  this  time ,  dong-wook  and  sook-ja  came  up  with  the  idea  to  open  their  own  church .  so ,  in  the  late  1960s ,  songbird  church  was  born .  of  course ,  the  congregation  was  small  (  as  was  the  church  building  itself  )  and  the  kims  paid  their  way  through  divinity  school  in  order  to  become  pastor  and  first  lady  respectively .  through  the  years ,  the  congregation  at  songbird  began  to  grow  to  the  point  where  they  were  able  to  purchase  a  bigger  building ,  and  the  kims  were  once  again  pillars  of  their  community .  during  this  time ,  ji-min  met  a  member  of  the  congregation  named  𝑏𝑎𝑛𝑔  𝑗𝑜𝑛𝑔-𝘩𝑦𝑢𝑛  who  was  only  a  year  older  than  the  then  fourteen  year  old .  the  couple  dated  for  four  years  before  getting  married  in  1982 ,  about  four  months  after  ji-min  turned  eighteen .

          𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍  𝖙𝖍𝖊  𝖉𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖑𝖔𝖕𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖙  𝖔𝖋  technology ,  it  was  the  start  of  1986  when  songbird  was  first  televised  and  thus  changed  from  songbird  church  to  songbird  ministries .  dong-wook  and  sook-ja  drew  in  a  large  amount  of  viewers  through  their  channel ,  and  it  was  soon  that  they  were  moving  their  church  once  again  to  a  bigger  building .  ji-min  and  jong-hyun  decided  to  head  off  to  harvard’s  divinity  school  to  help  run  the  church  as  co-pastors .  soon,   the  televised  services  were  being  given  in  english ,  spanish ,  and  korean ,  one  of  the  first  churches  to  do  so .  three  years  later ,  ji-min  and  jong-hyun  welcomed  their  first  child ,  𝒏𝒂-𝒚𝒆𝒐𝒏 ,  in  the  winter  of  1989 .  after  the  birth  of  na-yeon ,  the  bangs  were  soon  having  the  second  child ,  a  son  named  𝒋𝒊-𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒍 ,  in  1993 . 

          (  death  tw  )  𝖘𝖔𝖓𝖌𝖇𝖎𝖗𝖉  𝖒𝖎𝖓𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖘  𝖍𝖆𝖉  𝖎𝖙𝖘  first  tragedy  when  dong-wook  passed  unexpectedly  from  a  heart  attack  in  1995 .  considering  that  dong-wook  and  sook-ja  never  had  any  other  children ,  the  position  of  lead  pastor  was  given  to  ji-min  and  jong-hyun  was  considered  to  be  the  ‘  first  husband  ’  of  the  church .  sook-ja  took  on  the  role  of  co-pastor  as  she  was  getting  older ,  and  would  often  lead  women’s  retreats  and  things  of  the  sort .  three  years  after  dong-wook’s  unexpected  death ,  jong-hyun  and  ji-min  welcomed  their  third  baby ,  another  son  named  𝒃𝒂-𝒓𝒐𝒎 .  it  was  a  year  later  when  sook-ja  decided  to  formally  retire  from  songbird ,  leaving  the  church  in  the  hands  of  jong-hyun  and  sook-ja .  the  two  of  them  brought  new  ideas  to  the  table  and  soon ,  the  church  grew  even  more  than  it  had  in  its  near  30  years  that  it  had  been  open .

          𝖎𝖓  𝖙𝖍𝖊  𝖘𝖕𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖌  𝖔𝖋  2000 ,  the  final  bang  baby  was  born ,  a  healthy  baby  girl  named  yuna .  the  family  continued  to  hold  high  positions  within  their  community ,  and  everyone  knew  their  names  wherever  they  went ,  and  in  the  fall  of  2008  the  family  opened  the  doors  of  the  songbird  ministries  campus ,  where  they  were  able  to  seat  16.9k  congregates .  by  this  time ,  na-yeon  was  attending  duke’s  divinity  school  with  aspirations  of  becoming  a  co-pastor  at  songbird  while  ji-cheol  was  a  youth  pastor .  so ,  where  did  that  leave  little  ba-rom  ?

          𝖋𝖗𝖔𝖒  𝖆  𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖌  𝖆𝖌𝖊 ,  barom  knew  that  he  didn’t  want  to  be  a  part  of  songbird .  while  he  did  love  the  church  and  everything ,  he  knew  that  being  a  pastor  wasn’t  in  the  cards  for  him .  much  like  many  middle  children ,  barom  felt  like  he  was  often  overlooked  or  ignored ,  so  his  parents  didn’t  really  pay  much  attention  as  he  did  what  he  wanted  to .  it  didn’t  help  that  na-yeon  would  often  cover  for  him .  barom  was  the  child  who  only  embraced  his  church  boy  image  when  it  was  necessary  for  him ,  and  when  he  reached  high  school  and  would  often  find  himself  sitting  across  from  the  principal ,  his  favorite  phrase  was  ‘  don’t  you  know  who  my  parents  are  ?  ’   barom ,  even  though  he  was  often  overlooked ,  was  ridiculously  spoiled  by  his  parents .  during  his  summers  away  from  charleston ,  he  was  often  spending  time  at  the  family’s  summer  house  in  the  hamptons  or  when  winter  break  rolled  around  he  was  jetting  off  to  the  aspen  mountains  for  some  snowboarding .

          𝖉𝖚𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖌  𝖍𝖎𝖘  𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖙𝖍 ,  𝖇𝖆𝖗𝖔𝖒  had  an  affinity  for  the  arts ,  particularly  fine  arts .  he  liked  going  to  museums ,  he  enjoyed  getting  new  art  supplies  for  christmas  or  his  birthday ,  and  he  often  took  home  first  place  whenever  he  entered  into  his  school’s  art  competitions .  this  explains  why  after  he  graduated  from  high  school ,  he  began  to  look  into  art  programs  at  various  schools .  the  summer  before  attending  college  (  ultimately  at  hollingsworth  u.  )  barom  goes  off  to  italy  to  take  a  summer  long  art  course .  he  was  staying  in  venice  and  spent  most  of  his  days  sketching ,  painting ,  and  making  memories  until  he  encountered  a  man  a  few  years  older  than  him .  at  only  twenty  six ,  the  man  was  wealthy  and  liked  to  flaunt  it ,  especially  with  a  wide - eyed  barom .  they  spent  time  on  the  man’s  yacht ,  partying  with  other  wealthy  italian  locals .  funnily  enough ,  at  that  time ,  barom  only  wanted  one  thing  from  the  man  --  his  money .

          𝖔𝖋  𝖈𝖔𝖚𝖗𝖘𝖊 ,  𝖇𝖆𝖗𝖔𝖒  𝖈𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉  pay  his  own  way  and  do  whatever  he  wanted ,  but  there  was  something  about  being  able  to  bat  his  eyelashes  and  make  someone  weak  in  the  knees  that  made  him  feel  powerful .  in  essence ,  barom  had  become  a  sugar  baby ,  and  he  was  perfectly  content  with  that .  no  one  could  tell  him  no ,  and  boy  was   he bratty  if  they  even  attempted  to .  the  summer  comes  to  a  close  and  he’s  back  stateside  to  attend  his  first  year  of  college ,  and  all  goes  well .  during  this  time ,  barom  decides  to  pledge  phi  gamma  iota ,  the  epitome  of  nice  boy  frats ,  but  barom  was  nothing  close  to  a  nice  boy .  during  his  second  semester ,  barom  became  involved  with  his  second  sugar  daddy ,  a  rolling  in  dough  man  in  his  forties  who  was  bound  to  take  over  his  father’s  oil  company  in  texas .  the  man  was  on  vacation  in  savannah ,  ga  (  with  his  wife ,  no  less  )  when  he  encountered  barom  at  a  lively  nightclub  in  town .  he  may  have  only  been  eighteen ,  but  barom  soon  had  the  man  tipsy  and  wrapped  around  his  finger ,  whispering  sweet  nothings  into  his  ear  while  getting  what  he  wanted . 

          𝖙𝖍𝖊  𝖗𝖊𝖑𝖆𝖙𝖔𝖓𝖘𝖍𝖎𝖕  𝖈𝖔𝖓𝖙𝖎𝖓𝖚𝖊𝖉  𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖓  after  the  man  returned  to  texas ,  but  that  didn’t  stop  barom  from  going  to  live  his  best  life  in  new  york  over  the  summer .  once  again  he  spent  time  focusing  on  his  art  in  a  new  city ,  but  he  also  found  himself  playing  the  same  tricks  on  a  man  in  his  thirties ,  who  became  trapped  under  barom’s  thumb  with  only  a  few  kisses  on  his  neck  and  his  skilled  usage  of  his  ‘  fuck  me  ’  eyes .  out  of  the  sugar  daddies  that  he’s  had ,  the  one  from  new  york  was  the  only  one  that  he  had  ever  been  intimate  with .  to  barom ,  this  one  was  a  bit  different  for  whatever  reason  and  the  two  decided  one  night  to  go  out  to  an  upscale  club  in  manhattan .  the  two  sipped  alcohol  until  the  early  morning  hours ,  soon  leaving  the  venue  so  wrapped  up  in  one  another  that  they  missed  the  paparazzi  lingering  outside  (  did  i  forget  to  mention  that  his  man  was  ahem  ...  ~famous  ?  ) .  so  anyways ,  some  risque  photos  of  the  couple  get  taken  due  in  part  of  these  fools  not  letting  up  the  window  to  their  car  (  nothing  bad ,  but  let’s  just  say  that  barom  looked  as  though  he  was  thoroughly  enjoying  himself  ) .

          𝖙𝖍𝖊  𝖌𝖚𝖞  𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖘  𝖚𝖕  ending  their  relationship  when  he  gets  blackmailed  for  them ,  and  maneater  barom  had  his  heart  broken  for  the  very  first  time .  thus ,  when  he  returns  to  #hworth  for  his  junior  year  ,  barom  avoided  getting  another  sugar  daddy  for  an  entire  year .  he  focuses  on  his  fraternity ,  schoolwork ,  and  really  buckles  down  on  his  art .  his  junior  year  goes  well ,  but  an  old  dog  won’t  learn  new  tricks ,  so  the  summer  before  his  senior  year ,  barom  picks  up  his  fourth  (  and  most  current  )  sugar  daddy ,  a  guy  who  lives  in  buckhead ,  atlanta  and  honestly  don’t  ask  me  why ,  but  i  picture  him  as  a  young  matthew  mcconaughey .  again ,  DON’T  ask  me  why .

��         𝖆𝖘  𝖋𝖔𝖗  𝖍𝖎𝖘  𝖕𝖊𝖗𝖘𝖔𝖓𝖆𝖑𝖎𝖙𝖞 ,  barom  is  quite  wise  for  his  age ,  and  he  partly  blames  that  on  the  fact  that  he  grew  up  in  the  church .  if  you’re  in  need  of  some  sound  advice ,  he’s  your  man ,  but  he’s  gonna  beg  you  not  to  ask  as  well .  despite  his  sugaring  ways ,  he  is  also  very  independent  and  likes  to  do  things  on  his  own .  his  family  may  have  provided  him  with  the  best  of  things  ranging  from  maids ,  butlers ,  and  a  slew  of  foreign  cars ,  but  he  liked  to  do  things  on  his  own .  he  found  doing  his  laundry  or  washing  his  dishes  after  dinner  as  quite  therapeutic ,  and  he’s  still  the  same  way  to  this  day .  negatively  speaking ,  barom  can  be  very  childish ,  but  i  would  say  leaning  more  on  the  bratty  side .  as  a  man  who’s  used  to  getting  his  way ,  being  told  no  will  turn  him  into  a  pouty  baby  in  no  time  and  he’s  the  worst  because  i  swear  he’ll  sit  in  the  middle  of  the  floor  and  pout  until  someone  says  yes .  he  can  also  be  lewd  in  his  speech  and  it  mostly  stems  from  the  fact  that  he  is  extremely  confident  with  his  sexuality .  it’s  even  worse  when  he’s  had  alcohol  --  this  is  when  he  gets  more  relaxed  and  he’s  more  likely  to  start  turning  those  sweet  nothings  to  tender  touches  and  soft  kisses .  also ,  you  should  know  that  he’s  the  biggest  blackpink  stan  so  if  you  hear  him  blasting  their  music ,  chances  are ,  he’s  wearing  a  face  mask  with  his  hair  pulled  back  by  a  pikachu  hair  band  and  living  his  best  life .

as  for  most  wanted  connections  :

i  would  really  love  the  drama  of  someone  figuring  out  that  he’s  a  sugar  baby  and  holds  it  over  his  head  all  the  time  ?  and  barom  always  is  whisper  yelling  at  them  to  not  tell  anyone  or  his  life  would  literally  be  ruined .

hmm ,  i  think  it  would  be  interesting  for  him  to  have  a  crush  because  he  wouldn’t  know  what  to  do  with  himself .  he’d  be  a  little  awkward  baby  around  them  with  blushed  cheeks  and  probably  stuttering  all  the  time  ....  i  need  it  !

i’m  literally  so  desperate  for  an  angsty  friends  with  benefits  or  ex  friends  with  benefits  because  i’m  such  trash  for  plots  like  these  it’s  not  even  funny .

um ,  i’m  also  down  to  brainstorm  or  work  based  on  chemistry  but  i’m  really  excited  to  plot  and  interact  with  everyone  again  ! 

[all-the-love-harold]

Chapter 2 - Let It Snow

It’s a very christmassy Chapter 2 for you all to enjoy! As always I have @lovesmelikebrandnewstarlight to thank for helping this chapter happen. Let me know how you’re liking the re-write so far! 

Master Post 

December 2013,

 London in December was everything that Poppy dreamed it would be. There was a sense of magic in the air everywhere she went and for the first time since she was about eleven she actually felt festive. She spent her evenings curled up by the fireplace watching Christmas films with Harry, when he was around, and her days running around the city between classes and christmas shopping. There was a sense of bittersweetness to it all though, she missed home and all the talk about christmas only made her miss her family. Her plans had always been to go home for christmas, but things with her apartment fell through after two months of living with Harry and all the money that she would have spent on a plane ticket now had to go towards a deposit on a new apartment, which would be ready before her birthday in February. Living with Harry had been a whirlwind for Poppy, she’d made a friend for life, someone she could call at 2pm for a chat or crawl into bed with at 2am for a snuggle because she was missing home. They told each other everything, from the crazy stories that Harry shared about life on the road to Poppy’s miserable attempts at dating, they knew everything about each other and that’s why Harry knew something was up when Poppy hadn’t arranged her flights home by mid December. He gave her a few extra days to bring it up herself, but by the time the 19th rolled around and she didn’t look like she had even started packing anything he decided to bring it up.

“You know how much I love having you around, don’t you Pop?” he said to her as he sat next to her watching ‘Love Actually’ for the third time this week

“Mmm” she nodded to focused on the film

“But you also know how much you love your family?”

“I do love them, yeah, where are you going with this H?” she muted the TV and looked at him

“Are you heading home for christmas?”

“Oh” Poppy sighed “I can’t afford it since I put that deposit on the new flat”

“Do you want to go home, because you know all you have to do is ask and I’ll get you a ticket?”

Poppy thought for a moment, as festive as she felt, she knew when christmas day rolled around she’d feel pretty miserable because everything over here was so different and cold and she’d probably end up spending it alone, but she’d already taken enough from Harry, she couldn’t let him buy her a plane ticket too.

“No” she shook her head “I can’t ask you to do that”

“Well I’m offering, but if you don’t want to go, you can come to cheshire with me”

“I’m already invading your house, I’m not going to invade your family christmas too”

“There’s no way I’m letting my best friend spend christmas alone” Harry said, matter of factly, “so if you’re staying in England either you’re coming to cheshire or I’m going to stay here”

Poppy leant her head on Harry’s shoulder and nodded “Guess I’m going to Cheshire then”

“Great!” Harry said, excitement evident in his voice “We leave early Tuesday morning”

***

December 24th,

 The days in London at this time of the year were short and the afternoons were dark and cozy. Made for snuggles by the fireplace with a warm cup of tea with some homemade shortbread. And with the promise of just that waiting for them when they arrived in Cheshire, Harry and Poppy set off early on Tuesday morning. For Poppy the three hour trip was nothing that she hadn’t done before, it was only half of the trip that she’d take back home to visit her grandparents once a month. Harry on the other hand, had to stop every hour because despite all the travelling he’d done this year, three hours was just too much. The last hour of the trip went by the quickest as they sang along to christmas songs with wide smiles glued to their faces. By the time arrived the guilty feeling that sat in Poppy’s stomach since she called her mum to say she wasn’t coming home, had disappeared and she was filled with christmas cheer.

 This wasn’t the first time that Poppy would be meeting Anne, that happened only two days after she’d landed in London, when One Direction just so happened to have a show at the O2 arena that Harry had forced her to go to, and since then Anne had welcomed Poppy with open arms. When Harry pulled up in Anne’s driveway, she was already out the front waiting for them and Harry let out a slight chuckle at the sight of her in her christmas jumper.

“Hope you have one of those for all of us” he said as he stepped out of the car

“I have better one’s for you two” she winked at Poppy.

“How are you Anne?” Poppy said, stretching her arms out and embracing Anne in a warm hug

“Oh I’m good beautiful girl, how are you, first Christmas away from home?” Anne pulled away from the hug but kept hold of Poppy’s shoulders, holding her at arms length so that she could make eye contact.

“I’m ok, it’s already Christmas Day back home, so I’ll give my family a call soon” Poppy smiled.

Anne nodded “You make yourself at home while you’re here dear, what’s ours is yours” she turned towards Harry and greeted him as any mother would greet her son that she hadn’t seen in months, with a hug that lasted what felt like five minutes and dozens of kisses on the cheek.

“Alright Mum” Harry giggled, “That’s enough, poor Poppy’s freezing, she’s not used to this cold.”

“Oh right of course” Anne said shaking her head “I forgot, the fire’s on inside, let’s go in an get you both warm”

Living in London was completely different from living in Sydney. For starters, if Poppy was in Sydney right now, she’d probably be in shorts and a t-shirt on her way to the beach on a hot summer's afternoon. But instead it was 4:30 in the afternoon and the sun had already gone down and Poppy was curled up on the couch under a fluffy blanket, snuggled up to Harry with a hot chocolate cupped in her hands, watching as snow fell outside.

“Is the first time you’ve seen snow Poppy?” Harry’s sister Gemma asked

Poppy shook her head “It snowed once back home, I think I would have been about four, my brother and I walked outside in our pyjamas and no shoes, Mum has a photo of us laughing at how cold our feet were.” Talking about her family usually made Poppy feel homesick, but right now, she felt more at home than she had all year, and part of her knew that that had everything to do with being wrapped in Harry’s arms.

****

Anne went all out for christmas lunch, there was a turkey and a roast beef and enough peas to feed a small village, although Poppy quickly learned that that small village was in fact just Harry. The table was decorated with festive foliage and ornaments galore, and Poppy was sat next to Gemma who couldn’t stop asking her about Australian christmas.

“So you don’t have a cooked meal like this?” she asked, curious about how the holiday is celebrated on the other side of the equator

“No” Poppy said simply “It’s usually a barbeque, with a honey glazed ham and a ton of salad followed by a pavlova and in my family, a mango cheesecake”

“Mango Cheesecake?” Harry chimed in “That sounds delicious”

“It’s pretty much the best thing ever” Poppy laughed “I’ll make you one when mangoes are in season here”

The food was everything that Poppy had always imagined a traditional christmas meal would be and at this point she was a little annoyed that Harry hadn’t introduced her to yorkshire pudding sooner.

When everyone had finished eating, Anne and Robin cleared the plates from the table and put their santa hats on.

“Right, everyone over near the tree, it’s present time” Robin said in a low bellow that could very well have been the voice of father christmas.

They all sluggishly moved over to the tree and sat down on the couch with their drinks still in their hands. Poppy wasn’t expecting any gifts for herself given that she was there on such short notice but she was pleasantly surprised when Robin called her name and handed her a bag full of gifts from everyone. Gemma gave her a candle that she’d found in a quirky london store that smelt like “Australian Summer” and Anne and Robin got her some Marc Jacobs perfume that Harry must of told them she wears regularly but it was Harry’s gift that surprised her the most, it was simply a card with a picture of a “P” drawn on somebody’s skin resting inside with “My next Tattoo” written on the back. Underneath the picture there was a message that read:

My Dearest Poopy,

Thank you for everything you do for me and everything that you are. I know you’re moving out soon and my house won’t be the same without you but this friendship will last a lifetime, I’m sure of it.

I’ll always hold you close to my heart.

Merry Christmas

All my Love Always, Hairy xx

 With their bellies full of the mouth watering meal that Anne had made for them, they retired to the living room where Harry immediately put on Michael Buble’s esteemed christmas album and started singing along.

“Oh the weather outside is frightful” he sang, holding his hand out to Poppy and pulling her into dance

“But the fire is so delightful” Poppy sang back, pointing to the open fire next to them

“And since we’ve got no place to go” Gemma joined from the couch

“Let it snow, Let it snow let it snow!” they all sang together.  

With a glass of mulled wine in her hand, Poppy sang and danced the night away, and not once did she even think about what she was missing out back home because she knew that she had all she needed right here; A best Friend who would do anything for her, and his family who had taken her in as their own.