#time to spend the next few days decluttering

[ravixen]

i only have four or so days left of summer because the school year starts again...luckily, students don't come in for an additional two days and it's a half day, but MAN, where did my summer go!!

[gremlingottoosilly]

Cleaning services (perv!Konig x fem!cleaner!Reader)

Konig needs help in decluttering and cleaning his house. Unfortunately for you, he takes quite a huge liking in having pretty things like you around. And he isn't very nice about it.

TW: Perverted Konig, age gap, Konig masturbates at you without consent, implied kidnapping, yandere Word count: 3754 This work on AO3

There is no shame in having a professional cleaner, König tries to tell himself. 

Yes, he is a grown man with a very dangerous job that requires having a lot of responsibility. He holds the lives of his soldiers in his hands and risks his life every day not for the sake of his country, but certainly for the sake of his wallet and the reputation of KorTac. 

Hiring a professional cleaner for his house shouldn’t make him feel humiliated and embarrassed, and he knows it. Cleaners are basically like soldiers – doing stuff that other people can’t for a certain amount of money, providing services for the clients who can afford it. Besides, it’s a support of his local community – after everything he took from the people around his town, it’s only natural that he would support this growing business of cleaning services. 

There is no shame in having some nice old lady cleaning his house and watching over it while he is too busy trying not to kill himself or drown his head in liquor after a particularly rough mission. When you lose two guys on a run that was supposed to be the quickest task possible when you’re returning home with an injury that isn’t really that serious but brings your whole mental state into a very dark place, and when you’re forced to take 3 weeks of leave in the place you hate, hiring a cleaner to take care of everything really shouldn’t make him so ashamed of himself. 

Even if he can clean his space – the house is just too big for only one of him, and his ribs still have this funny feeling of fantom bullets traveling around his guts. So, he dials up the number of the cleaning services because he is too fucking old to understand their weird website and messenger ordering, even though speaking with a human operator on the other half of the line is somewhat more humiliating that having no idea of how to use a modern interface. 

There is no shame in asking for help, his therapist is trying to shrill it in his head all of the time and yet he is still hesitant when the cleaning professional is knocking on his door, finding this place surprisingly fast. König braces himself, thinking about all the ways he could avoid having a conversation – he drew a quick map of the place, put down the room cleaner shouldn’t be entering – his gun safe, mostly, already repeated in his head how he would greet them and swiftly extract himself from the situation. 

“Guten Tag, please, come in. This is the map of the place, don’t go to the red door on the right, don’t hesitate to ask questions, I will be on the second floor.” He takes a few wide, swift steps to his door and stops. Thinks again, overthinking, thinking too fucking much about everything, anxiously checking on his phone to read the message that yes, his cleaner is here and he should probably open the door or they would burst down the window. “Guten Tag, come in. Map of the place is here, don’t go to the red door to the right, please hesitate to ask questions, I will be somewhere around the house, lurking in the shadows” He braces himself to open the door, ready to see that sweet old lady who would spend the next 8 hours cleaning his house and then turn back another day to rinse and repeat until his house stopped looking like a place where a very, very miserable man lives. (Even if this is true) 

But, there isn’t a nice old lady with a bunch of cleaning supplies and determination to make someone’s life easier. 

But, there isn’t a cold middle-aged woman with a very professional no-nonsense attitude who wouldn’t even talk to him before going straight to work. 

But, there is a young girl. Well, not a girl, of course, if he had to guess you were somewhere around the “Too fucking young, but definitely legal” spectrum. Young enough to not be alive when he was already going to school, young enough to make him sweat, and definitely not old enough to be accepting a job where you’d have to spend so much of your life cleaning and scrubbing and sorting and…

There isn’t anything shameful in ordering a cleaning service when you genuinely need it, but you’re young and you’re pretty and he isn’t even wearing a mask because he is an old dumbass that forgot about it, and you look at him with your shiny eyes and…

Maybe, he should clean on his own – would definitely be less shameful. 

— Sir? H…hello? Good morning? Can you hear me? 

Yes, he can hear you. 

Yes, he would love to hear you every single day of his life, when he wakes up and when he falls asleep. 

— Ja. I apologize, I…thought it was mail. 

It’s a dumb excuse, but he can’t really say that he was just too fucking mesmerized by your shiny eyes and perfect hair and nice figure and basically everything about you. He has this nasty habit of imagining a future with people around him – with people who just fucking want to be left alone, and yet he still stares and looks and it’s probably ultra uncomfortable for them – but he can’t help imagining the life with every cute lady in the grocery shop or elegant lady sitting next to him on a train. 

He has a pattern – people who are not interested in him in the slightest. He has a pattern, a preference, cute girls, smart girls, popular ladies that were never even so much as looking in his direction. He could probably score someone now, having a colonel’s salary and honorably discharged payments, but he gave up on trying to find anyone. He has friends, company, has work where he spent most of his life anyway – he doesn’t need anyone, he wants to think. 

Then you waddle into his life with a bunch of cleaning supplies and a small vacuum, barely able to handle everything in your hands. He rushes to help and envelops your hands with his – you are so much smaller in comparison, he has bear-like arms and horribly big everything. he feels awkward when he gently removes everything from your arms – when he tries to help by simply putting everything on the table of the next room. 

König hated this house – it was big, it was empty, and the only reason he didn’t sell it was because Mother’s things were still locked in her old bedroom and every time he tried to clean it and evaluate the cost of the house, he decided that he will Do It Other Day. Coincidentally, all of those days were also followed by three-month minimum missions, making him utterly unable to do everything about this place anyway. 

This is why you’re here – a hired cleaner, a sorter, you promised to de-hoard everything and see if there is anything of value. Perfect for someone like him, especially since he is paying you double for spending the whole day and a few days more in his house exclusively. 

Now, he looks at how awkward your smile is, how you fidget with the edge of the broom you brought, and how you can’t even start a conversation because he is simply staring at you, staying in the living room of this dead, almost abandoned house. Now, he looks at how cute you are, how perfect, and remembers that he didn’t score with anyone in half a year already – not even in terms of sex, the casual flirting was also forbidden since half of his unit was transferred and the new people weren’t really fun of his tough methods of breaking rookies in. 

When was the last time someone genuinely smiled at him? 

Ah, he is staring again. Scheisse. 

— Where do you want me to start, sir? 

He wonders how much he should pay you to clean him instead. Would you be gentle? Rough? Would you call him a pervert, which he is, and then slap him and yell at him for being such a horrible old dog who is ready to pounce at every pretty girl in his presence? He would do anything that would set his mind free of the thought about Mom. Her bedroom. This whole house that he can’t call home ever since he turned 6 and understood why Father was always so, so angry. 

— The living room. If it’s not too much. 

He barely stops himself from talking more – you look weird, you loom surprised, you look at him like he is fucking stupid and, in fact, he is. Of course, it wouldn’t be too hard for you, you’re his clean, for fucks sake. You come here to clean, you get good money for it, he shouldn’t feel guilty for using your services because, in some way, he actually provides you with a job and a cute thing like you shouldn’t go to other houses, with old perverts that can do unspeakable things with the adorable worker. 

Ah, yes, perverts like him. God, he is hopeless. 

— Alright. Do you want to note something, like if there is anything I shouldn’t touch? 

He would allow you to take your adorable, yellow glow-wearing hands to get into his personal savings and all of his bank accounts, if you’d want to. He curses under his breath, hating how professional you are – hard worker, perfect, simply a fantastic person who deserves more than working for him. You aren’t trying to shy away from the job and he almost resents you for it. 

You’d make a good soldier, he thinks – you’re able to hear the orders and oblige to them, you’re obedient and came even before the discussed time. You’d make such a perfect private for his unit, he observes. 

Ah, right, he was supposed to answer you. Shit. 

— No. Just don’t go to the second room on the left. 

— Alright. Anything else? 

He grumbles under his breath, trying to get into the right headspace to deal with someone like you. König knows it’s rude, to just ignore and leave you like this – but if he were to stay in he same room as you, he would do something horrible, disgusting, and completely dishonorable to you. So, he leaves – escapes – to his office. Father’s office, mostly, the only thing here that belongs to him are some documents and useless papers – and a laptop that he drags to every other room anyway. 

He doesn’t like this room, it reminds him of the worst episodes of his early childhood – yet, this is his only reserve. He doesn’t want to leave the house because the territory is secluded and if something were to happen to you, he would be the only one able to help. He also doesn’t want to leave his gun collection with you – he doesn’t want you to find it and freak out or hurt yourself. 

This is what he tells himself, at least. He wants to be there with you, in the same room preferably, but horrible for his anxiety, because he wants this illusion, phantasm of having a loving relationship. Of having a woman in his life, a lovely housewife who would cook for him, clean for him, and would be absolutely spoiled with gifts and attention. God knows he doesn’t have a romantic bone in his body – but he will carve one out of his ribs for you. 

And he only knew you for an hour tops. 

König feels like literally the worst man alive when he spread his legs and starts stroking his hard, glistening cock. He brushes over the swollen, red tip, not allowing himself to have any lube other than spit and oozing pre-cum – he tries not to cum embarrassingly quickly, thinking about your perfect gestures and smiling face. How perfect you look in your cleaning uniform – not like maids from the occasional porn he was watching, but still beautiful. Your body is perfect even with all of those ugly layers and grey fabric – and he can’t stop thinking about the sway of your hips or glimpses of your legs under your dress.

He thinks about you, bent over his couch, trying to clean the especially dirty spot on the furniture – how the material of your dress would be tight around your ass. The image makes him grunt quietly, stroking his barely wet dick even more – the pain from the dry sensation only makes the pleasure all the sweeter. He is hard, was hard for the past 10 minutes as you were introducing yourself and whatever your deal is. He is dirty, perverted, knowing only your name and your face – and he is still stroking himself, thinking about paying you extra just so you’d get on your pretty knees and suck him. Would you be sloppy, messy, get his cum all over your face so you’d have to wash it off? Would you be experienced, eager, trying to get as much seed as possible with that pretty tongue of yours? 

He is a lost cause because he hears the sounds of vacuum – you’re only a few rooms away from him, trying so hard to clean his house for him, to work through every bit of furniture and everything he acquired for the past twenty years or so – and he moans loudly, knowing that you don’t hear anything. You’re probably listening to music or some silly girl’s podcast about planets and gardens and maybe some university lectures. He’d pay for your courses, he would get you any book you want – having his salary and barely spending it made him softer in the saving habits. 

He can afford to splurge on a pretty girl who just needs a rich Austrian mercenary to sweep her off her feet. But, he is old – but, he is a monster who preys on someone helpless, using her pretty face to jerk himself off, and he doesn’t even deserve your number, although he has had it since accepting the service. 

His cock is big, angry red in his hand as he runs his finger over the bulging vein, teasing the sensitive flesh – always loud in bed, with grunts and moans of pleasure, he can barely contain himself now, only forcing his mouth shut when he doesn’t hear the sound of vacuum anymore. He strokes his dick fast, angry, and slams it into his fist, trying to make the pain last longer, so he won’t cum after a minute or two. He has the stamina to last longer – but it’s also the first time he was so horny since…he can’t even remember. 

König thinks about putting you in his bed – like a perfect housewife, you would hug his waist with your legs, would allow him to lick and grope at your tits, and won’t scream too much when he’d force his tongue inside of your precious pussy, taking every last drop of your pleasure. He wouldn’t want to be forceful, angry, you’re too precious for this and too weak for his strength – but he can imagine slamming into you in a matting press, cumming inside and not even pulling out, warming his cock in the heat of your body. 

Father would kill him for doing something so dirty in his office – but he is long dead, devil save his soul, and it’s König’s office now. Even when he barely uses it, even if he doesn’t really need this. It came in handy when he had to jerk off to the pretty cleaning girl who cleaned up after him – so, somehow, his father managed to improve his mood 15 years after he died. 

He cums with a low groan, whispering your name – he doesn’t understand how a pretty thing like you still works here and wasn’t taken by someone else already, but he would take what he can get. Never the one to get the first dibs, never being someone’s first choice – he feels terrible for thinking about you in such a low way, but his pleasure sticks to his fingers and, at this point, it’s too late to feel bad. 

Drying the tip of his dick with a tissue, he spends a good few minutes with spread legs, his soft cock laying on the chair, with cum still oozing out – such a waste, honestly, would be much better to stuff you full of his cock or even take your pretty ass, spread you slowly. Keep only the tip in, not pressuring you into anything more until you’d start moving yourself, like a good slut you will be. 

So perfect under him – the images and sounds of your voice are running through his mind, making him breathe heavily. If he was younger and had as much sex drive as before, he would already be hard – but he needs some time to relax, thinking about your pretty legs and adorable face. 

It takes him a few minutes of listening to your sweet voice to understand that you were not, in fact, a hallucination or a mystical fairy coming to make him come. You were standing outside of the office door, looking embarrassed and clearly hearing at least some of his horny mumblings – you avoid looking at him, and your fingers are trembling when you tug at the sides of your dress. Guilt immediately rushes to him again, he looks at you like a perfect treasure you are – and he is a horrible monster trying to hoard all of it to himself. 

— What is it, liebling? 

Petname goes smoothly from his tongue and he can only hope that you don’t know German – he is too embarrassed to talk to you, too anxious, his newfound shyness is a result of both your beauty and the post-nut clarity that already made him feel like a monster. He contemplates just giving you money and sending you off, paying double for the false call, and leaving you a 5-star review so you won’t get in trouble with your boss. 

You look so meek from his angle of view – he has to fight the urge to pinch your face, squeeze your cheeks, grab your waist in his firm hands, and just lift you in his arms, holding you to his bed. Maybe getting a nice set of cuffs to ensure you would never escape from him. 

— I finished with the living room and…well, I just wanted to ask if you want the decluttering work to be done today or tomorrow. 

He remembers how he basically paid you for a few days worth of work – and he smiles at exactly how perfect this decision was. Of course, you are a smart girl, a modest girl, you aren’t staying the night and would rather waste time on the road, much to his dismay, but at least he would see you for a few days already. 

He might not even let you go after. 

— Ach. Today, if it’s not too…

He stops himself again – of course, it’s not too much, you are a professional, not just a friend that comes to clean his place for a pack of beer and maybe some pizza. He doesn’t know how to talk to you, anxiety eats him whole, and he has to just avoid looking at you to avoid further embarrassment. 

— Alright. I will do it right away then. 

You smile awkwardly, your lips are twitching and he already knows that you could hear him moaning your name and sweet little praises while stroking his cock. You aren’t biting the hand that feeds you, not running away screaming at how perverted he is – poor girl, you probably need money more than you need personal safety if you’re fine with him heaving like this. If you were his, he would never allow you to be so careless. 

He moves behind you in the most dreaded room of the house. Mother’s bedroom, a room that she only used for sewing and only allowed him in when he was extra whiny after another failed fight with his bullies. All of her thighs are here – ever since she passed away, he just moved everything to one room and locked it, barely bothering to keep a key. He hates being here, almost as much as being in Father’s office — this room smells like death and old paper and you scrunch your nose in an adorable expression when you take a step inside. 

— I will divide everything into categories, alright? 

— Gut.

You look at him nervously, clearly scared that he is watching over you now. It might feel like a logical decision – after all, it was his mother’s vintage things, who knows what kind of jewelry she kept here, something that he won’t even notice gone until it’s too late. You and him both know, however, that this isn’t the reason he is looming over you. A perfect obedient thing, you deserve something better than his affection, but he still locks his gaze with yours, looking at your hands and going through various furniture pieces. 

You work like a fairy, not an ounce of laziness or exhaustion in your actions – even after you already spent a few hours cleaning his living room, you act like a Cinderella that got a bunch of magic mice up her rags. He licks his lips, looking at your perfect ass you as sit on your knees, starting with decluttering every little box there is. 

— Can I just put it back in boxes or…

You look the the contents – vintage makeup, some jewelry, head pieces that don’t look particularly expensive but were definitely well-loved. You wonder who they belong to – probably a wife, or, maybe, some of his relatives who lived here. He doesn’t seem like a married or divorced man – he does, however, look insanely lonely. 

It takes him a good few seconds to respond, too mesmerized by the little song you were humming a minute before. He imagines you in that old, chunky jewelry, some necklaces that cost more than your salary – and the thought makes him salivate. 

He smiles, leaning closer to you – hot breath on your face, you shift immediately, scared. He is so fast for someone so big, his movements are perfect and his eyes are cold – you feel the chill deep in your bones when he moves even closer, his lips almost brushing against yours. 

Suddenly, you are very aware of the fact that he locked the door to this tiny room when you both moved in. 

[theambitiouswoman]

A self love night time routine 🌙🧸🪞🤍✨

Your night time routine is all about dedicating time to yourself. Your routine should be tailored to what makes YOU feel relaxed, loved, and cared for. You can add or modify any of these steps to make it perfect for you.

Cleanse & skin care routine. This isn’t just about hygiene. Cleansing your skin can also cleanse the day's stresses away. Remove makeup (if you wear it). Use a gentle cleanser. Apply toner, serums, or treatments if you use them. Moisturize to keep your skin hydrated.

Spend a few minutes decluttering and organizing so you can go to sleep with a clear mind.

Prepare for tomorrow. Pick out your clothes, prepare your lunch and create your to do list so you wake up with a plan of action.

Set aside electronics, especially those that might interrupt your relaxation (phones, laptops). Put them on the other side of the room, or another room to avoid distractions.

Spend a few minutes journaling or meditating on your day. Write down three things you're grateful for as well as your achievements or progress.

Make a herbal tea or warm milk. Stay away from caffeine, they will interfere with your sleep.

If you enjoy baths, now might be the time to have one with calming salts or essential oils. If you prefer showers, use this time to enjoy the sensation of the water, rather than rushing through it.

Spend a few minutes practicing deep breathing, grounding exercises, or meditation to calm your mind.

Choose a book, avoid anything too stimulating or stress inducing.

Stand in front of a mirror and speak kind words to yourself. Use positive affirmations that resonate with you, like “I am worthy of love and happiness” or “I did my best today, and that's enough.”

Dress in comfortable nightwear, ensuring your sleeping environment is cozy. This could be clean sheets and a comfortable pillow.

Dim the lights, play calming music or nature sounds, or use an essential oil diffuser with lavender or chamomile.

Before closing your eyes to sleep, visualize a peaceful scene or a memory that makes you happy.

As you lie in bed, silently express gratitude for the day. Set a positive intention for the next day.

Get full night's sleep. Make sure you’re getting 7-9 hours depending on your personal needs.

[manikas-whims]

Happy Diwali 🎇 and thanks for all the nice headcanons about lads

can i please please request some Diwali headcanons with lads boys pretty plase 🥹 lov u

Happy Diwali to you too anon 🥰

tho i’m kinda busy at home, i’ll write a few HCs for you ♡

Celebrating Diwali with LADS Men

some love and deepspace x Desi! Reader headcanons

Cleaning and Decorations with Xavier

-> Cleaning up the house during Diwali signifies letting go of the old (past) and bringing in/welcoming the new. Whereas decorative lights represent the triumph of light over darkness; victory of good over evil.

You tell Xavier about this desi tradition and the next morning he's at your door at 7 am sharp with all the cleaning supplies. He helps you clean up, declutter and even get rid of certain things you don't need anymore but keep hoarding for no reason 😭

Xavier will also love joining you in crafting lanterns, as well as buying decorative items because he gets to spend more time with you 🥺. He'll help you hang the decorative pieces at all the high places, and definitely enjoy setting up all the lights ✨. IT'S HIS FAVORITE PART ABOUT THIS FESTIVAL. He'll help place the diyas (🪔) all over the house.

Shopping with Sylus

-> Shopping for new items such as furnishings and such is a way to bring in the new things into your lives. It's also believed that buying gold or silver during Diwali is auspicious and brings in wealth and prosperity to a family.

Sylus learns about this custom and the next day, he's outside your apartment with his sportscar, inviting you to a shopping date with him. Will definitely spoil you and buy loads of gold and silver jewellery for you cause he can 😌

Will also buy you furnishings way too lavish for your liking, saying shit like “the couch in your living room is too shabby, sweetie.” May or may not ask Luke and Keiran to help replace and redecorate all the furniture in your house 😭

Making candles and sweet dishes with Zayne

-> Many people buy but many others also make their own candles and diyas (🪔) at home to decorate the house. We also make sweet dishes which vary accordingly with every region of India.

Zayne is a calm and patient person. So who better to invite for making candles and sweets than him? He'll be a very patient learner. He'll love this activity so much, mostly cause he'll get to see your cute, annoyed expressions. And his candles will definitely look better than your crooked ones 😭

ZAYNE LOVES SWEETS! He'll be kinda excited to try the Desi delicacies. He'd probably enjoy Gulab Jamun the most! And Rasmalai 😋. He may not like kaju katli or soan papri as much but he'll appreciate them all the same. Oh and he will surely like boondi ke laddu.

Rangoli and Mehendi with Rafayel

-> We make Rangolis during Diwali to welcome the Goddess Lakshmi, goddess of wealth and prosperity. It is believed that deities like houses with beautiful rangoli. Rangolis also represent the people’s joy as well as the triumph of good over evil. Whereas Mehendi (or henna art) is a tradition mostly performed by women. We love covering our hands in beautiful henna art 😍

Rafayel is an artist so of course he's gonna be most excited to indulge in the Rangoli making. His designs are gonna be the prettier than yours. He doesn't even bother looking up the simple rangoli designs on the internet. He'll directly create his own authentic and complex designs all over your house.

And he'd love Mehendi (henna art). He'd quickly learn the process of making mehendi at home. And then he'll get down to making beautiful patterns on your hands. Will definitely add lots of water symbolic designs as well as hide his name in the design 🤭 (eh-hem hiding each-other’s names in mehendi art is a hindu wedding tradition for bride and groom)

Miscellaneous HCs

♡ All of them will sincerely sit throughout the praying session. They'll help perform all the rituals.

♡ All of them will gawk at you in your pretty lehengas and sarees and kurtis and other traditional outfits you choose to wear 😊. They'll shower you with loads of compliments. Will definitely try out desi outfits for men if you ask them.

♡ They'll love trying out all the desi dishes you prepared.

♡ Xavier and Zayne will enjoy all the card games and will definitely keep beating your ass 😭

♡ They'll say no to fire crackers cause they cause pollution. Celebrate a Green Diwali y'all 😊🫶

WISHING YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY DIWALI 🪔

» MASTERLIST «

[ros3ybabe]

Where Have I Been?

hello lovelies. so, I started the challenege, did one day, and all of a sudden I feel off the face of the earth. I fell into a bit of a depression, and while I've managed to pull myself out, life has been busy busy busy! This is probably the 2nd busiest week of the year (the 1st will be in August, and you'll find out why). Here's an update on life:

I fly to Colorado on the 16th, so....under 5 days now. I haven't packed or anything yet, but I plan on doing that either tomorrow or Thursday. And I have to clean and prepack for when I return because....

I signed a new lease for a new place to live! I'll have roommates who I haven't met yet (I'm taking over someone lease, actually), but my lease starts August 18th. I return from Colorado on the 14th of August, so....I'm going to be very busy once I return.

I decided to call it quits on getting a 2nd job. It's going to mess up the schedule with my first job, and it would only make me 200$ more a month, which I'm not worried about missing our on since I'll still sell stuff on depop once I return from Colorado and I'm going full time at my current job.

I've gone out to lunch with my dad a few times as well, it's been really nice hanging out with him and spending time with my dad. I lucked out in the dad department and spending time with him is one of my favorite things!

I've been debating going to San Fransisco in October for an XG concert, but I don't know if I'll have the money or ability to anymore. (thank you new apartment and all those fees and expenses!)

my anxiety has been terrible. I haven't changed anything about what I do, but I did squish a lot of anxiety inducing things into the span of two weeks, which....my bad on that. Now I know, don't do that to myself.

I bought new makeup! The juvias place bronzer, charlotte tillbury setting spray, nyx eyebrow stuff, and blush, ughhh I love buying new makeup, I just wish it didn't cost money!

I've gotten better at doing my makeup! I've had people not even notice I'm wearing it because it looks natural despite being like, a full face! Thank you perfect color matches on my skin tint, foundation, and concealors!

I went to two movies with a friend. We saw the new Strangers: Chapter One and the Planet of the Apes movie. Both were definitely good, in my opinion.

I now have to plan with my boyfriend for when he needs to come down here and get his stuff and work out changing the utilities to our roommates name since I'm leaving. I don't feel like it should be my job to coordinate that, but oh well. I guess it's too hard for him and his best friend (my roommate) to call each other for once?? Ugh, men get on my nerves sometimes.

I need to ask my dad and a friend to help me move upon my return, which also means I won't be able to work that weekend, which kind of sucks.

I need to declutter my room and start throwing away things I don't want or need anymore this week to make it easier on myself when I return from Colorado but hahaha I procrastinate a lot.

I'm stressed about paying rent. I'll have to pay rent for here and rent/fees for the new place before august and then September's rent for the new place, and my new rent is about double what I pay now. so yayy, adulting and finances. I don't feel qualified to be an adult, but here I am, age 21, an adult.

That's about it for now! Lots of stress, lots of anxiety, lots of stuff happening super close together. But that's life, I guess. Forgive me for my absence from my blogs. I also stopped studying spanish for now, and my routines are non-existent. Colorado will change that, tho, for sure. I do plan on updating a little more frequently once things settle down when I'm in Colorado. but for now, it'll be kinda here and there with my posting.

thank you for all the patience and kindness, lovelies. til next time 🩷

[jbbuckybarnes]

How Peter Parker would comfort and care for a depressed loved one

(don't mind me, just some self-indulgence I wrote when I was in the trenches of depression)

• "No, no, no, what we're not gonna do is feel guilty. This world is a depressing place when the rest of you isn't stable. And the world loves making people unstable."

• He'd meal prep for you, wake you up on time to keep your rhythm in check, bring you sleep tea, watch movies with you on particularly bad days.

• "What's your current take on going outside? Vitamin D might do you good." He'd ask cautiously.

• You'd tense up at the idea of spending more energy than you had but knew it was needed to get better.

• "I can...carry you to the rooftop?" He'd raise his brow.

• You'd do grabby hands at him from the bed.

• You'd chill on the sunny rooftop for 45 minutes every now and then, not talking much, just existing.

• "What are your thoughts on therapy?" He'd mumble a few weeks down the line.

• "The only thing my insurance covers is CBT. I fucking hate CBT."

• "What if we figure out a way to pay someone you can choose?"

• "I don't wa-" "Na-ah, friends help friends survive."

• Please imagine Spider-Man making a couple extra bucks by helping people install solar panels and carrying heavy stuff.

• He'd sit down next to you with a laptop and you'd search for therapy options.

• "DBT. IFS. EFT. The other EFT. Hypnotherapy. Logo Therapy. Integrative Therapists for Psychedelics. Somatic Experiencing." Even he was overwhelmed with the option.

• "IFS. Hypnotherapy. Maybe Logo Therapy." You mumbled and he decluttered the tabs.

• You landed on a woman doing both IFS & Hypnotherapy. Both things that intrigued you.

• "I mean if nothing else works...drugs still exist." You'd shrug and he'd smirk at that.

• He'd bring you to your first appointment giving you the biggest hug before you went in.

• The woman would explain to you that you needed to get mentally resourced first and that she'd try with a specific type of hypnosis to see if that helps.

• When Peter saw you get out of the building he'd instantly put his arm around you while walking.

• "I'm so tired." You'd mumble leaning against him while walking, trusting him to lead the way while you were spacing out, "Gonna tell you about it after a long sleep."

• You'd wake up the next morning with energy. Still depressed, but not quite as depressed as the previous days. He slept over to make sure there were no weird aftereffects.

• You would look at him sleeping and get up to make yourself something simple to eat.

• He'd peek his eye open before both of them were wide open seeing you standing in the kitchen.

• "Woah." He mumbled before getting up and hugging you.

• "How was it?" You paused for a second, "That's what he said."

• You told him what the hypnosis felt like and that you went back to the origin of your depression and did some inner child work thing. And the hypnosis took a lot more out of you than you expected. And now you had more energy and hoped it wasn't short-form placebo.

• "Even if it is, she can still do the other work with you." You nodded.

• "Can we go for a short walk?" He'd eagerly nod.

• Over the weeks you'd get better and better at coping with your symptoms and connecting to your inner parts. You'd figure out your triggers and how to calm yourself out of them.

• He'd love to see you flourish and take you on little friend (👀) dates all across New York City the more energy you'd have.

• He'd make sure you'd keep seeing the beautiful things in the world. He'd program your TV to not show news. He'd actually send you good news deliberately.

• "We should live together." You'd suggest.

• "If you can handle the feds searching the apartment at some point." He'd giggle.

• "I'd be good with that. I'd hide little things making it awkward for them." You both laughed.

[romirola]

Headcanons for the Shaw Pack’s Favorite Modes of Relaxation

David: He likes to take a long, hot shower. Having the ability to linger underneath the water for as long as he wants makes David feel alive and refreshed. Although he doesn’t have many products beyond the essentials, he takes the time to indulge himself in relishing each subtle scent. It’s a ritual where David washes away the stress that’s built up so that he can start fresh. 

Angel: They sprawl out on the floor (maybe with a few pillows, maybe not) while listening to music that suits their current mood. They take up all the space they can. They stretch out and crack all their joints. Angel lets the entire world melt away and becomes completely lost in the music. 

Asher: He goes on a leisurely hike. Asher takes every possible moment to smell every flower, look at every cool boulder, listen to every crackling leaf or singing bird. In short, he purposefully doesn’t hurry. Being in nature soothes him. Consciously deciding to meander, slowly and thoughtfully, allows Asher the periodic pause he needs to sustain his high-energy lifestyle. 

Babe: They break out their coloring book and colored pencils. Babe will work on one image until it’s complete. They don’t get caught up with what colors the objects in the picture “should be” and instead, take the liberty of letting their imagination guide them. They have full creative control over what they create. Babe loves to see the image come to life, full of color and style. 

Milo: He gets wrapped up with a crossword puzzle. Milo is a crossword whiz! He loves to sit back in a comfy chair (preferably Aggro on his lap), unwind, and figure out each and every clue. Milo loves to see the tangible progress he makes as he works through the clues, plus he gets the chance to indulge (and, when Sweetheart is also home, to show off) his logophilia. 

Sweetheart: They practice yoga. Sweetheart adores how a yoga practice gets at every muscle and joint in their body. Some days, it feels like the only time they can be gentle with themselves is when they are on their mat. A consistent practice helps them feel stronger and helps them be more deliberate in everything they do. 

Darling: They binge hours and hours of a franchise (film, TV, books, whatever) that they have not yet had the chance to view. This way, Darling can fully devote themselves to the ins and outs of the story without distraction. Darling loves to see all the narrative pieces come together without having to wait for the next part to be released. 

Sam: He sleeps during the night, just like he used to do when he was human. Even though he doesn’t need sleep like he did when he was human, every now and again, Sam craves the nostalgia and normality of crawling into bed and burrowing under the sheets before turning off the light and losing himself to the darkness. 

Bonus-

Gabe: He rearranges… anything. Everything. Whatever he can get his hands on. Gabe declutters a closet, organizes the inside of the refrigerator, or even straightens out the papers on his desk. Alpha duties often consume Gabe’s time, so when he gets the rare chance to spend some time on himself, it makes him feel good to use that time to make the house nicer for David and himself. 

Marie: She gets a professional massage at a nearby spa. It’s a rare treat, but Marie works hard. She deserves to rest easy. The whole experience simply delights her. Checking in and changing into the robe, choosing the type of massage she’ll get, smelling the oil, and feeling that tension get rubbed, squeezed, and coaxed away. 

[the---hermit]

New books in my Tolkien collection lovingly provided by my best friend who was decluttering her bookshelves, a lovely card she got me in one of her travels, and new books I got (I cannot wait to continue the poppy war series!!)

24|08|2023

The last few days have been intense to say the least. I am trying to spend as much time as I can with my friend before she leaves again. We had a sleepover, I met two of her friends who were visiting and overall we spent a lot of quality time together. We played board games, cooked together, went on walks, stayed up talking until 3 am. The other day we also went to a bookshop and after we spontaneously decided to get piercings together. I finally got my septum done, and here's were things started to go downhill. Now, I was very much aware my parents were not going to be happy about it, but I was not expecting to unleash the apocalypse itself. Things are somewhat cooler at the moment, also thanks to my beloved brother without whom I don't know what I'd do. He didn't hesitate a second to take my side, and he supported me in a very emotional argument with my parents. It's not that they're happy now, and I am not over the fact that a big chunk of joy I was feeling over this thing has been taken away from me, but at least things seem to be calmer. They will get used to it one way or another, because I am not up for compromise on things about my own body that make me happy. I might wait a bit longer than I originally planned to get my next tattoo, but that's fine since I didn't have everything planned out yet. I won't lie and say I wasn't upset with all of this, I still am, but I am thankful I had thr support of my brother and of my friends, that really filled my heart with love and gratitude.

Chill hobbit summer things of the last few days:

Slowly got back into reading first thing in the morning

Sleepover and late night talks

Meeting new people without feeling nervous about it

Taking my meds when needed (self care at its core)

Continuing my Irish review on duolingo and reaching a 400 day streak

Finishing The Witcher Blood Origin (I didn't mind the story, it was pretty entertaining, but there were a couple of things I didn't love love about it)

Doing something spontaneous (and paying rhe consequences I guess, but fuck it)

Saw not one but two hedgehogs in my garden at night (which means the little lads might be making a home in there and I would be so happy about it)

📖: currently rereading the Heartstopper series by Alice Oseman

[thelaurenshippen]

I saw things here and there about BW a little while ago but didn’t see myself getting into a new podcast at that time. Well, today I saw your finale notice and thought, “Hey, I’ve got a room to declutter. This sounds like a good thing to listen to.”

Immediately, it’s so comforting, like listening to a hug. I’ve listened to TBS (three times??) and Ars Paradoxica so your voice is one familiar to me. And I just played Firewatch for the first time; listening to Whiskey’s radio calls reminds me of chatting with Delilah. I don’t know if I’ll be deciphering the morse code I’m hearing, but I’m interested in what I’d find if I did. There’s nothing like the zeitgeist of listening to/watching/reading something *as* it’s coming out, where you spend all day looking forward to the next little bit and trying to decipher everything you can. It makes me wish that I *had* been listening to BW for the past year. I think I’ll end up having to either go back on and relisten to these first few dozen to catch up on the puzzles and secrets or I’ll just do a full relisten in the future where I do everything then. It excites me.

One of my favorite stories I’ve read is a webcomic I followed as it was coming out. The story isn’t important to this ask, but it was very similar to BW in that every day, a single page of four panels was published. That was all. Bite-sized, but daily. And that story is still so special to me even as I know it forwards and back. I’m so happy to hear of the good experiences you had while making this. Everything you write is incredible. Thanks for sharing your stories with the world ❤️

ahhh thank you so much for this message!! I'm so glad you've gotten into the show and thank you for listening to TBS multiple times!! it always gives me big, indescribable feelings to hear that from folks.

I love that it's reminding you a bit of Firewatch, because I love that game so much!

there really is something so special in getting to follow a story regularly over a period of time. that webcomic sounds awesome--we don't have enough stuff that comes out regularly anymore! and I know that you may have missed the first year of Breaker Whiskey, but now you'll be aboard for any continuations in the future :)

thank you for your kind words about my writing, it really means so much to me <3

[marscia]

On life post-grad and how I've been, where I've been

It’s been almost a year since I finished my bachelor’s degree. Funny though, I don’t miss university at all, when all I could think of before graduation was how much my life would probably feel so weird without uni. But I think I just felt so burnt out in those last few months that all I wanted was to wrap things up and move on—which I did quite easily, to my surprise. Though, despite wanting to write about my experience in terms of graduating uni and shifting to working full-time in corporate (which was quite the change of environment!) sooner, I just could not get the right words out of my system and was always faced with a blank Word document. Now that it’s been over ten months since, I’m starting to get my rhythm back.

I now work in marketing for an e-commerce website that houses international luxury fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands. I execute and produce (mostly) video content for the website’s social platforms, mainly Tiktok, Instagram, and Facebook. A lot of people I know describe their first few months of post-grad as overwhelming, confusing, etc., but luckily it wasn’t the case for me (which I’m very thankful for). I was given the opportunity to apply for Vogue and managed to submit my writing portfolio and even snagged an interview, but after receiving a job offer from a different company that met my requests, I took it without hesitation. 

I immediately started two weeks after graduation. So far, the work environment has been wonderful. The company values work/life balance and I always get to enjoy my weekends and hours outside of work. I’m aware that this is a privilege not many people have, so, I’m extremely grateful for it. 

What really threw me off, though, was the sudden shift in where most of my mental energy goes. In university, I was always thinking in the context of theory application and research. But now, at work, I’m required to think in the context of aesthetics and what makes something visually appealing and how to effectively translate that into an equally appealing visual content. It’s a different kind of challenge; though I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss being directly involved in academics and writing essays.

I still fall behind on some days and forget to eat lunch, or drink water to keep my body hydrated. I sometimes spend way too much time on my phone and lose what could have been a couple more hours of sleep. Reading slumps hit me more often now than it did when I was a student; because no one warns you that when you start working full-time in corporate, you get home every day, tired and socially exhausted, and most days all you want to do is close your eyes and take that nap you’ve been dreaming of since lunch. 

But I try. I’ve managed to get back into the habit of doing my skincare every night before bed. I watch Booktube to inspire me to read and lately it’s been such a big help; I’m slowly getting back into reading again. I bought a new shelf to organize the stacks of new books that have been piling up all over my room the past couple of months—now it looks so pretty standing next to my desk. Last month, I decluttered my closet to make room for new clothes. This weekend, I’m planning to buy new sheets and a comforter I’ve been eyeing for a few weeks now. I’m doing alright.

It’s comforting though, that one day you’re crying about finals and the next, you’re drinking a hot cup of tea on a Monday night after a long day at work, telling yourself that you did good and tomorrow’s another day. And you realize that no one’s after you. There’s no need to rush and everything will be fine. Things always figure themselves out, anyway.

[writingfanficsfan]

For the new year...

I need to stop thinking that giving people money will make us friends. Or that they will somehow like me more because of the money I give them. 

This is a reminder to myself to stop buying fandom-related items from people I follow on social media. While I am glad that I have those stories on my bookshelves, this month I ordered some fanfic books, but it’s actually not the best idea to do so. 

I can afford them, but I did need to shift some money around on my bank accounts and that’s a sign that I’ve spent too much money on too much stuff. 

Not just now with these books but the whole year in fact with clothes, decor, cleaning supplies etc…. 

I do like things fast, I walk into a store or see a newsletter and there is always something I want. Part of me thinks I will be more like the person who is wearing that type of dress in her YT video. That I’ll somehow magically lose a few pounds, live in the countryside, and fill my days with baking bread and talking to animals. So that is part of the reason, wanting to be prettier, smarter, better. 

Turns out I’m still the same, still as average, still as fat, just with more stuff and less money. 

So yes, next year no more spending money on fandom stuff. And actually no more spending money on almost any stuff. I have enough clothes. I have enough home decor. I have enough books. I have enough fanfics. I have enough craft supplies.

 I just have enough. 

Just not enough money, at least that’s not how it feels right now. I know some people are worse off. But that’s always the case in the world. Someone is always worse off than you or better off than you. But I can’t keep looking at the other people around me. 

I need to look at my own situation, maybe compare it to last year and see what has changed and why. And it’s time to face some facts and some truths about myself. 

Nobody will like me just because I buy their fanfic books. Nobody will know me because I buy their fandom items. Me making that purchase will not make us friends. Influencers are not my friends. Most other people on Tumblr are not my friends. 

And all the dresses in the world won’t make me lose 10 kilograms

So low buy/no buy year, here I come. Maybe that means spending less time on the internet and social media. Maybe it means spending less time watching TV. Maybe that means reading more books. Or cleaning my flat more. Or decluttering all my closets. 

I’m not sure what it means but I know I need to change a few things in life. Starting with realizing I spent too much money on stuff. Stuff I sometimes don’t even remember buying. Stuff I sometimes get rid of just a few weeks/months later. Stuff I have multiples off because I didn’t do a good inventory.  

2024 needs to be richer. Not just in terms of money but in terms of my time spent and life lived.  Wish me luck.

[megan-loves-surveys]

#33.

Do you think you could handle a job in the medical field? Why or why not? No, not my thing.

What is one electronic device you own that you have not used in a long time? My iPad. It's super old and it ran out of space a long time ago, I didn't have enough room on it for iOS updates lol.

Do you prefer to play chess or checkers? Checkers I guess, I don't get chess.

If you had to go an entire week without using any technology, what do you think you would spend most of your time doing instead? Reading, writing, sleeping, cleaning and decluttering my room etc.

Would you rather travel to Asia or France? Asia if it's Japan, otherwise France.

Do you prefer dark, brown or white chocolate? Milk, but I'll eat them all.

Would you rather visit Australia, Germany, Croatia, or Jamaica? Germany cos I've been to Australia loads already, and the other two don't really interest me.

Would you prefer a pet rat, mouse, snake, lizard or spider? Rat or mouse! I love those little guys.

Have you ever fallen into a hole or crevice whilst hiking? No.

A romantic meal, a trip to a theme park, or go to a concert? Depends what concert xD If it's someone I like then the choice is a no brainer. Otherwise I pick a theme park.

How often do you wear necklaces? Never.

Would you rather wear a bracelet or a necklace? Bracelets, I own loads! My fave is my Pandora charm bracelet.

When was the last time you had a donut? Ooooh... a few months ago.

What’s your favorite song by Miley Cyrus? Liberty Walk or Bottom Of The Ocean.

Who do you absolutely adore? My parents, my boyfriends, my friends and Jon Moxley :P

Have you ever had a crush on a kinda-country boy? No.

Do you care about any of your exes at all? No, but I do hope they're doing well.

Who last slapped your butt? My boyfriend for sure haha.

Where have you lived throughout your life? Auckland, but all different parts of it. I grew up in central, but now I live out east.

What kind of cake did you have for your last birthday? I've not had a cake for years. My Mum teased getting me one this year though xD

Have you ever had a panic attack? Yep.

Anyone’s birthday coming up soon? Today is my boyfriend's birthday actually!! <3 We're celebrating on Friday though cos it's Wednesday. Fun fact, until my birthday in July, he's 19 years older than me, not 18 xD

When at a restaurant, do you put your napkin on your lap? Yep, I do with that every napkin at any time lol. I did it earlier today when I had lunch.

Do you prefer electric or manual pencil sharpeners? Dunno, I never use them haha.

Are your biceps at all noticeable? No.

When are you moving next? No clue. I don't think we're moving anytime soon unless I decide to move in with my boyfriend, but it wouldn't be much of a change cos he lives on the same street as me xD

Have you ever had a bad concert experience? No.

Have you ever carried a concealed weapon? No.

Do you call your boyfriend “Monkey”? No, why would I?

Would you rather go to Greece or France? France, I've always wanted to go to Paris.

How would you spend a day at the beach? I don't really like the beach tbh.

Have you ever experienced altitude sickness? Don't think so.

Was the last show you watched a re-run? No, it was a new episode of my local soap opera, and right now I'm watching the new weekly ep of WWE Raw.

What’s your biggest priority right now? The people in my life.

What does it feel like to fall asleep in someone’s arms? Depends on how comfortable I am and what the temperature is.

Do you recall the first time that you learned the truth about sex? Dunno, maybe sex ed class?

Do you need the opinion of others to make yourself feel worthwhile? Nah. I don't care what people think of me, they can like me or not.

Have you ever rubbed anyone’s feet? Yes.

What is one thing you fantasize or daydream about doing? Attending the Royal Rumble or Eurovision. Probably will never happen cos I don't have the money but I can dream xD

What would you rather: lethal injection, electric chair, or hanging? Ugh... I guess the injection.

Have you taken someone’s virginity? No.

What would you say if the person you love/like kissed another girl/boy? Be like WTF? Out of character for him, he's very loyal.

Does the person you have feelings for right now, know you do? Yes. Haha, we're in a relationship xD

Why did you kiss the last person you kissed? Cos I was leaving his house.

Did you hug/kiss one of your parents today? Yes, my Dad!

Who would you like to see in concert? Ayumi Hamasaki. It'll never happen unless I go to Japan when she's touring lol. I love her so much though, I'd be so happy if I got to see her in person!

Who was the first person to ever ask you out? A boy at school. I said no xD

What’s one thing your partner must be able to accept about you? My love of wrestling xD You gotta accept that I have a big Jon Moxley standee in my room and posters of The Shield guys all over my walls lol.

Are there any videos of yourself on YouTube? Yes.

What’s one thing that’s annoying you about the book you’re reading now? It's almost over, lol.

Do you have trouble letting friends go when you need to? I dunno.

If you had a daughter, would you allow sleepovers? Of course. I had hundreds of sleepovers growing up, some of the most fun times of my life. I don't get the paranoia about them these days, they're an important part of growing up - bonding with your girlfriends!

Which do you like better, your first name or your middle name? Middle name, my first name has been ruined by certain things.

Where is your brother? I don't have any brothers.

Do you like using terms of endearment? Oh yeah, I love them being used on me and using them on other people.

Do you have any plans for tomorrow? It's Mother's Day, and we're watching the Eurovision final! Can't wait.

What’s the longest movie you’ve ever seen? One of the LOTR ones?

What was the last thing you wrote down in the notes app on your phone? I added to my Converse list cos I bought a new pair.

Would you ever want to visit South Korea? Yes, that'd be cool.

Do you own anything from Victoria’s Secret “Pink” line? Do you really think the clothes are worth the price? No, and I don't really know cos I don't go to their store lol.

Who would you say is the overall best person you know, and why? So hard to pick cos my parents are great and so is my boyfriend, so is my friends etc.

Do you have a specific gas station you usually go to? Or do you stop wherever? I don't have a car, but if I did, I'd probably go to the BP that's like 2 mins away.

What is your opinion on dating someone who already had a child/children from a previous relationship? My boyfriend has 2 adult sons (one of them is only 4 years younger than me lol), I'm fine with that. I don't think I'd date a guy with young kids though.

Have you recently accomplished anything that you are proud of yourself for? Not really, but that's ok.

Are you still friends with any of your exes? Do you still communicate with any of them at all? No, I don't talk to any of them.

Is there anyone that you text on a regular basis that you do not have saved in your phone? If so, why don’t you have their number saved? Not that I can think of.

What’s the color of your front door? It's frosted glass with a black outline.

How many people have you been really in love with? One.

How frequently are you inclined to read, and how much? It really depends. Sometimes I read loads, sometimes not at all.

How do you feel after spending a great quantity of time online? Again, it depends on what I've been doing online.

What is something you hope you never have to do again? Surgery of any kind.

Have you ever seen a leech in person? No?

What are two things you’d tell your child self that you wish you would’ve known then? Don't go to university for what you did, study law or computers of some kind instead!!! Trust me on this.

Did you used to play hopscotch? Oh, all kids did lol.

Do you have anything monogrammed? No.

Have you ever joined a mosh pit? No. The concerts I go to don't usually have them :P

Have you ever been hurt by a narcissist? No.

Have you forgiven everyone who’s wronged you? Oh yeah. I forgive, but I don't forget.

What’s your favourite thing to do at sunrise? Sleep xD

What does Notre Dame Cathedral mean to you, and how has its fire affected you? It's sad, but it doesn't affect me that much.

Are you prophetic? Dunno?

Have you ever smoked weed, and if yes, did you like it? I've never done it, and I don't think I ever will. The smell of it is gross.

Does your town’s hospital have a good reputation? Yes.

Have you ever read a Bible verse and thought, “this isn’t true”? If so, what do you do when that happens? I'm atheist, so no.

What is your favorite shade of brown? Hmm, a nice chocolatey one.

Do you prefer kale, lettuce, or spinach? Lettuce.

Can you usually tell when someone has feelings for you? Mostly.

Do you know what things your pet(s) prefers to eat? -

Would you ever consider visiting Texas? I've already been there, I went to Dallas in 2016. Dallas was great, I enjoyed it.

Did you ever want a pony for a gift as a kid? No.

Do you know who your mom’s favourite singer is? The Beatles and this singer named Christie.

Have you ever tried to surf? No.

Do you want to learn? Sure.

Honestly, have you ever mooned anybody? Yes LOL. Before I moved out of my childhood house, my friend and I mooned the street xD No idea why we did it, but we did.

Which one of your family members do you wish you could see more often? My stepmum, I love her but I don't see her much.

What room in your house is the messiest? My room, but not like overly so, it's just got a lot of stuff in it.

Are you proud of your parents? Yes.

Have you ever used a “puppy face” to get your way? Haha yes, I use it on my boyfriend xD

Do you have dimples when you smile? No.

Have you ever carved anything into a tree? No.

Who will you be with Saturday night? I'll go see my boyfriend, so him.

What woke you up this morning? My alarm. I usually wake up before it, so it's surprising actually.

Did you kiss or hug anyone today? Yes.

When were you the saddest in your life? Mid 2017 when I broke my shoulder, then 2 weeks after my surgery, my Grandma died. Worst time.

Do you ever get groceries delivered to your house? Never.

What was the last job interview you went to where you didn’t get the job? Do you think the interview went well or not? That's most interviews except the one for my current job. And I thought it went well, but then they ghosted me and never got back to me. Guess I dodged a bullet.

What’s your favorite pasta shape? Dunno, any of them lol.

What’s one of the saddest movies you’ve ever seen? Hmm.

What was the last physical pain you experienced? Migraine, last night.

Do you know anyone who is terminally ill? No, thank god.

[glow-up-girlie]

Day 6: April 10th, 2024.

Care Tasks: I'm going to spend some time decluttering my bedroom. Specifically, I'm going to be finding home decor items to get rid of. I found this guide on Pinterest and will be referencing it over the next few weeks.

Health: Today I'm going to focus on staying hydrated and take time to sit down and enjoy some of my teas throughout the day. One of my favorites is spearmint tea, which is supposed to be good for hormone regulation (it has anti-androgenic properties) and digestion.

Finances: I'm going to do my local taxes!

[Extra] Aesthetics: I used my teeth whitening kit this morning.

[shesnotme]

my plans for summer ❦

i dunno about you but i always, always spend my summers absolutely depressed. it's not a matter of whether or not you i friends, because i always have, but rather it's an issue of all that fucking time on your hands. two whole months of just.. nothing. so what do you even do? my plans for summer mainly revolve around helping my future self. because once september rolls around, what good will it be if i spent the past 2 months lazing around in bed? i won't be benefited by that, quite the opposite, really. so instead i've figured out what i need for the new school year and to really reach the goals i have for this upcoming year (post on that soon !). nothing revolutionary, sure, but it'll definitely help out at least a couple of you wondering what to do this summer <3

self care. this means caring of my body both inside and out. inside, i'm working on self improvement by becoming a kinder, more feminine person. i'm getting over my failed situationships and getting more comfortable being alone. i'm practicing detachment and, of course, protecting my peace. outside, i'm working on my hair and my body. i don't think it's any help to work on my wardrobe, because in summer you make really shit decisions. i've begun working out 3 times a week with my friend who's more experienced in the gym, mainly working on my glutes, cardio and abs. i'm planning on investing in heatless curlers, because my hair's volume hasn't been great. <3 ways you could practice self care: inside, you could work on your gut health, diet (eating healthy, not practicing any restrictive eating!), mental health, social life, self confidence. outside, you could work on your physical health (gym, running, biking), skincare, hair health, wardrobe (if you trust your decision making during this season), posture.

hobbies. you're not gonna want to go to the gym or journal every day, so finding some ways to spend your time alone and having fun can be really beneficial. i've started watching a couple tv shows, in july i'll be watching a movie every day (hopefully), scrapbooking more, making bracelets, and cooking. these aren't necessarily beneficial to future me, however they are fun and beneficial to present me, and balance is really important! summer is the time to take on projects and begin passions for things you can't do during the school year. hobbies that could help you: if you want something beneficial, try learning a new language, practicing an art (music, painting, writing), learning to cook, taking up a new sport, learning touch typing, or reading. if you want something fun, try watching a new tv show (skins, gossip girl, pretty little liars), watching a movie a day (you could do movies all with the same actor, by the same director, in a series, etc), scrapbooking, keeping a journal, growing a garden, crocheting, or decorating your room.

jobs. i have a late birthday so i can't volunteer yet, so instead i've taken on a few "jobs", mainly babysitting and doing things for my parents. it's not the most fun but if you want the money for the new school year (especially new clothes), you should do it. put the money into savings. of course, if you're under 15 you likely can't do much, but it's worth a shot. jobs you could take on: getting your volunteer hours (summer camps!), babysitting, working at fast food, designing carrds, mowing lawns.

planning. lastly, i'm planning out my next school year. it's good to have things figured out so that september doesn't hit you too hard. i'm working on things like schedules, study guides, phone decluttering, and, most fun, moodboards. i'll make a bigger post about my plans in specific <3 this is also a really great way you could practice manifesting. make your intentions clear and assume that these things will happen, and they will, but this isn't the place to be learning about that. things you could plan: your daily schedule (by the hour), outfit ideas, lunch ideas, goals, the mood for this school year, a desk system.

[matthewnicosia]

Tips For Doing Away With Disorganization By Matt Nicosia

Are you a business leader looking to take your organization to the next level? You're certainly not alone. The fast-paced world of the 21st century demands efficient operations and clear workflow if businesses are going to stay competitive, and this can make disorganization an organizational death sentence. But don't despair! There are simple steps leaders like yourself can take that will help get everyone on the same page and provide a laser-like focus for executing strategy. Read on for practical tips by Matt Nicosia on banishing disorganization from your business operations so that you can set off confidently toward success!

Matt Nicosia’s Tips For Doing Away With Disorganization

1. Create a Schedule and Stick to It: Creating and following a schedule is essential for staying organized, says Matt Nicosia. Make sure that you structure your days so that you have time for each task, both work-related and personal, then stick to it as much as possible. Break up large tasks into smaller pieces and set deadlines so that you can keep track of your progress and stay motivated.

2. Declutter Your Workspace: A messy workspace can make it difficult to focus on the task at hand, so take time each day to declutter your desk or office space. Organize items into categories like stationary, books, tech devices, etc., and store them in labeled containers or drawers when possible. If needed, purchase organizational tools like desk trays, hanging files, or wall organizers to keep items in their proper places.

3. Stop Multitasking: Multitasking can be tempting when you're feeling behind on your work, but it's not always the most efficient approach for staying organized. Try setting aside a few minutes each day to focus on one task at a time without distractions. This will help you stay focused and concentrated on the task at hand instead of becoming overwhelmed by trying to do too much at once.

4. Take Notes: Taking notes is an essential tool for staying organized, both during meetings and while working independently. Jotting down ideas, tasks, and deadlines as they come up will help ensure that nothing gets forgotten or overlooked and also serve as a reference should you ever need to refer back to them.

5. Make Use of Technology: Technology can be a great way to streamline the organization process and make it much easier. Consider using task management apps, cloud storage for documents, or digital calendars for tracking appointments and deadlines. These tools will help keep your information safe, organized, and easily accessible when needed.

6. Schedule Time for De-Stressing: Staying organized isn't just about making sure everything is in its place; it's also important to take time for yourself so that you can de-stress from work or personal obligations. Spend some time each day doing something relaxing like going for a walk, listening to music, or reading a book – whatever helps you to relax and clear your mind. Taking personal time for yourself is important for staying organized both mentally and physically.

7. Set Reminders: According to Matt Nicosia, it can be easy to forget about tasks or deadlines that don’t seem urgent, so make sure you set reminders on your calendar or phone of any upcoming due dates. This will help ensure that nothing slips through the cracks and allow you to stay on top of everything without feeling overwhelmed.

Matt Nicosia’s Concluding Thoughts

By following these tips by Matt Nicosia, business leaders can stay organized even in their busiest moments and maintain a sense of control over their work life. With practice, they'll soon find themselves managing projects with ease while also having plenty of time left over for de-stressing and giving back to their communities. Staying organized doesn't have to be a chore – with the right habits and tools, anyone can take control of their lives and accomplish more than they ever thought possible.

[whentherewerebicycles]

time to declutter my brain by making some LISTS!!!! 

time available to me in the immediate future:

had amazing weekend in pittsburgh! am flying home tonight so will have about 5-6 hours of airport and flight time where i can work on whatever

i have only one meeting & one tiny work task on the agenda for tomorrow so i will have that entire day

wednesday morning is packed with meetings but i’ll be finished by 12 and then will have the rest of the day to run errands, pack, and do other last-minute trip stuff

thursday morning will be a bit of a mad scramble but then i will have 10-11 hours of sustained work time on the plane to use however i want

things i need to get done: 

pre-trip errands. i ordered a shitload of travel clothes & other stuff that all arrived this weekend, so i need to try everything on, decide what i’m taking with me, and drop off all returns before i leave. i also need to buy dog food, water plants, and pay some medical bills.

campus visit. i’ve gotten too far in the weeds with all the prep work and research, which is fine, like i needed to do that reading and thinking, but also now it’s time to step back from it a little bit and start thinking about the pieces i’m going to pull out for the actual talk. the sooner i can get a detailed outline together the less stressed i’ll feel, so i think i may spend tonight’s plane ride outlining by hand (since writing things out instead of typing helps me organize my thinking more efficiently). i want to think about several possible configurations for that hour, and then i also want to create a to-do list so i have a clearer sense of the stuff i need to prep or script in the next couple weeks.

i know i am going to put a lot of pressure on myself to do this “perfectly” or whatever, but i want to try to gently push back against that impulse. i am so prepared for this interview. the presentation doesn’t have to convey absolutely everything because i will have the entire day to answer questions and bring up things i want to mention. my goal is to not get lost into the details but to keep my messaging simple, direct, and compelling. i also read a bunch of articles in the chronicle this morning about how hard it is for universities to recruit and retain talented admin staff right now, and that made me feel a bit better about going into the interview. interviews are two-way evaluations and if they are interested enough in me for this role to invite me to campus, they are also going to be feeling some pressure to make this a positive experience and to convince me that this is the place i want to be.

IUI planning. i test tomorrow but kind of have a gut feeling this cycle didn’t work! i know i’ll be disappointed if the test is negative but i also think i’m so busy with other stuff that i’ll move on pretty fast and be ready to try again. i just need to reach out to my doctor before my trip to see what she thinks about squeezing something in around the travel and the campus visit - the timing will get a little hairy so it might not be worth it to try this month. we’ll see! but i have to do that before i leave as i need to know if i should take the meds with me & i also will need to set up my sister with the info to call the donor bank for me.

fic comments. lol my goal for this last cycle was to do 14 comments in 14 days and i only managed to do 4!! i will cut myself some slack here as when i set the goal i didn’t know about the job interview yet and didn’t anticipate that other stuff would fill all that open time. but i might try to do a few more on the plane tonight - maybe i can get to 7 at least. 

okay! there’s a lot ahead of me but honestly i think i did a ton of good work in march and that has prepared me to roll into a very busy april in a reasonably calm state of mind. i can handle everything that lies ahead. and wow i’m about to have a very cool travel experience too!! and basically two full weeks where  don’t have to think about my current job for even a second! i know i’ll probably be tired at the end of the trip but i hope it’s also a good brain break for me.