#whatever at least she sent me some money. that will be for weed and groceries amen
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my mother is so good at sending me shit that is actively worse than sending me nothing at all. "sending you a little bit of sunshine to brighten up your day" this made my day worse. what on god's good and beautiful earth is this nonsense
#the âaromatic fragranceâ candle smells like hotel soap#the stupid bangle bracelet says âwhen you cant find the sunshine be the sunshineâ........#every time she does this it almost sends me into a mental breakdown lol. it's never anything personal it's always some weird plastic shit#whatever at least she sent me some money. that will be for weed and groceries amen#also a card that said â26 years ago a very precious baby girl was bornâ well now the baby girl is a [DATA EXPUNGED]#ok i won't get into all that rn i have therapy tomorrow. going to go smoke some weed now god have mercy#me
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The Arrival - Ep. 01 - JJ Maybank
Summary: The pogues (and Sarah) decide to get away from the Outer Banks for senior week though Sarahâs suggestion that they spend the vacation with a friend of hers doesnât sit well with JJ, who just wanted a week away with friends. Though his opinion of the situation may change his expectation that nothing will go according to plan is truer than they could have hoped.
A/N: This is a âtheyâre just regular teens and there was no gold huntâ AU. This will be a 5 part story.Â
The Sâweek Masterlist | Outer Banks Masterlist
///
âNo.â JJ shook his head, âno, no, absolutely not.â Â
âWhy not?â Sarah asked, looking back at her boyfriend for support. John B quickly looked away, staring out at the marsh in order to avoid the conversation.
âWhy not? Because Iâm not spending senior week with a bunch of fucking kooks while they prance around like their in some MTV reality show!â JJ stresses, voice raised. He ran a hand through his hair, leaving it stuck up all over the place. Â
âIt might not be so bad,â Kie cut in, regretting it almost immediately when JJ looked over at her, âyou said yourself that weâve done senior week here...letâs do ours somewhere else?â
âSure. Wherever you want as long as itâs not a trip to kookland.â Â
âYou are so dramatic, oh my god JJ. Last time I checked you werenât exactly rolling in it. How do you propose we pay for a week down the beach?â Sarah pointed out. Â
âYou got money.â
âYou shouldnât even be going! Itâs not like you fucking graduated, this is senior week. For graduating seniors.â Sarah waved her hand to indicate her, John B, Kiara, and Pope. Â
âScrew you!â
âGuys!â Pope finally intervened, pushing his best friend back, âokay, letâs cool down.â Â
âCan we please just go to the keys? Iâm sick of wasting my time arguing. If weâre going we need to leave tomorrow morning...early.â Sarah said, looking pointedly at JJ.
âHey, Iâm always on time!â Â
Despite his protests JJ was exactly where he said heâd be on Friday morning at 5:30a. Sitting outside John Bâs house, on time and with his bag packed for Florida. He was the first one to arrive, followed by Kiara whoâd almost been early if it wasnât for the half hour argument sheâd gotten into with her mom for leaving the week after graduation. As if that wasnât ritual. Â
JJ said nothing, unusually quite and still completely pissed that everyone had been so on board with Sarahâs plan to spend Senior Week in Florida with some friend at their grandparentsâ vacation home. He wanted a chill holiday, just the four of them (five because John B couldnât be separated from Sarah) spending every day on the beach. He didnât want some kook vacation laying around a pool drinking vodka in crystal light and talking about âdaddyâs credit cardâ and whatever dumb shit else they did on their weekends. Â
With the Twinkie packed to exploding with teenagers and luggage John B took the first leg of the drive south. JJ spent the trip sitting behind the passengerâs seat, rolling blunts in his lap and ignoring his friends excitement for senior week. When Kiara nudged his leg halfway to Florida and he looked over she smiled sympathetically at him. Â
âIt might be a good week.â Kiara tried to sound reassuring, knowing that it was JJâs idea to go away in the first place and that they had in fact hijacked his plans, âat least the change of scenery will be nice?â
âSo far the only good thing about this trip is not being home for a week.â JJ replied, refocusing on his task. He would definitely murder one of them if he didnât spend the week at least somewhat buzzed. If you asked anyone in the obx theyâd tell you that JJ was laid back and chill, a go-with-the-flow, weed smoking, kid who would probably never grow out of his âit is what it isâ phase. But that wasnât JJ at all. Sure, he could hit up a kegger at the drop of a hat but he liked a plan and he liked the plan to consider him as an important factor. Not just another nameless sidekick to John Bâs summer. And so far, thatâs exactly what this senior week was shaping up to become. Â
âItâll be fine dude.â Pope said, voice low so he wouldnât draw anyone elseâs attention in the van. Â
JJ looked up at him and frowned before nodding. What else could he do but nod and pretend that he agreed with anything that Pope said. They were already halfway to Florida and no one cared about his opinion. Â
Sometime after that JJ fell asleep, Kiara taking the same case of blunts from his lap and folding everything up into his backpack. By the time Pope pulled the Twinkie into the horseshoe driveway of a house bigger than Tannyhill, JJ had woken up again, rubbing his eyes as he looked out the window. Â
âThis is the shit I was talking about.â He said. Â
Sarah whipped around, hair flying against her shoulders as she glared at him, âfor god sake JJ, can you have a good fucking time? Please.â Â
John B made a face, pleading with his best friend to chill. All he wanted was a stress free vacation and the fact that Sarahâs friend was willing to let them stay aided his ability to relax. If only it would aid JJâs. Â
You were standing outside on the steps when the bus pulled up, engine cutting in the middle of the horseshoe. Kiara recognized you from school and Pope recognised you from running groceries for his dad. Sarah pulled the door open and jumped out, throwing her arms around your shoulders. Â
âOh my god, you have no idea how much I missed you.â Sarah said, pulling away, âIâm literally gonna kill everyone, starting with JJ.â
âThat makes two of us princess.â JJ remarked, glaring at her as he climbed out of bus. Â
âHey,â Kiara called, drawing attention away from JJ and Sarah, âthanks for having us.â Â
âTrust me I was just happy to tell Scarlett that her and Kelce couldnât stay here.â You replied, looking over at JJ, âIâd much rather spend my senior week with you guys.â Â
âFlattered.â Â
âHey, youâve never had to sit around listening to Topper talk about workouts.â You replied, feeling unusually proud of yourself when JJ cracked a smile. Â
âOh come on, you canât just do a bench press without the proper preparation,â JJ joked, imitating Topperâs âbroâ dialect. Â
You laughed and nodded, following him to the trunk to help them unload packs. âHey Pope, my mom said you got that scholarship you were going for?â You mentioned as you grabbed Sarahâs bag. Â
âI did yeah,â he smiled, surprised that you knew or remembered anything about it. He definitely considered you better than some of the other kooks on the island but that didnât make you friends with him. You were just someone he delivered groceries to every once in a while. Â
Once the bus was unpacked you led the group inside, beginning the tour of the house. You lived on Figure Eight in the Outer Banks and you had a house as nice as or better than the Cameronsâ but this house was even nicer than that. Your grandparents had old money and they had used it to retire to the Florida Keys where they really only spent the winter months. Â
âThere are four guest bedrooms, you can divy them up however you want to, Iâm this bedroom,â you pointed to the closed door behind you at the end of the hall. âThe master is off limits, itâs my grandparents and theyâll murder all of you before JJ even gets the chance if you step foot in their room.â You instructed, looking over to JJ as you spoke. He smiled.
âHowâll they know?â He asked, looking down the hall toward the double doors of the master bedroom. This house could fit four of his inside of it. He shifted his weight as he looked around the hallway, the art on the wall looked like something he would have seen on a field trip to a museum, ugly and old but a clear representation of their wealth. Â
âThereâs a camera in their room.â
âKinky.â
âEw, oh my god JJ!â You practically gagged, causing him to laugh as Sarah scrunched up her face at the thought of your grandparents using the camera for anything more than G rated. âMoving on!â You continued through the whole house until youâd looped back around, reminding them again that the beach let out right behind the patio. Â
Once the tour was over you pulled Sarah away from John B, telling her that you needed to talk to her alone. And truthfully, you did. You hadnât been lying when you told her that you had turned Kelce and Scarlett away for the week. Kelce had texted you days before Sarah and asked about âall of usâ getting together for senior week at your grandparents. You knew what âall of usâ meant. Him, Scarlett, Topper, and (despite having graduated two years earlier), Rafe. If Sarah was still hanging out with them she wouldâve been there too. That was the senior week Scarlett had always planned for but there wasnât anything you wanted less in life than spending time with all your least favorite people. Â
While everyone else unpacked you led Sarah into the kitchen, âso, I told you Kelce had texted me about them doing senior week here?â
âYeah, but theyâre not...â
âNo,â you shook your head, âno I told them I had a full house. But they are here.â
âWhat do you mean here?â
âI mean they rented a place down the street. Like we can see their house from this house. Topper texted me this morning before you guys got here.â You fished your phone out of your pocket and showed Sarah the text that Topper had sent along with the picture of you out on your deck. Â
âBit stalkerish.â
âSarah, not the point.â
âLook, itâs fine,â she replied, trying to play off that maybe she actually believed that it was fine, âthey can do their thing and weâll do ours.â Â
âYeah, that would totally be fine. Except your brother is here too.â Â
Sarah groaned, âfuck.â
âWhatâs the matter?â Â
You and Sarah turned to find John B and JJ coming into the kitchen, the latter going straight for the fridge and pulling out one of the beers that you had bought before they came down. Â You watched as he popped the cap off on the counter and took a long gulp, head tilted back. Sarah smacked your arm to get your attention and both of the boys turned to look at her too. Â
âTopper told me that heâs here for senior week. Him, Scarlett, Kelce...Rafe.â
âOh cool...cool, awesome...so, the kook fucking vacation I said I didnât want.â JJ replied, grip tightening around the beer bottle. Sarah rolled her eyes.
âItâs fine. Itâs not like we have to see them.â John B replied, trying to ease his friendâs mood. He didnât need this argument to flare up again. JJ had only just started to relax and the last thing John B wanted was for him to be in a shitty mood all week. Â
âExcept we always do. Itâs fucking like...whatâs the word?â
âKismet?â You asked, pulling yourself up to sit on the counter as Kiara and Pope joined the small gathering. Â
âWhatâs kismet?â Kiara asked, shaking her head when John B offered her a beer. Â
âTopper andâ Sarah waved her hand as if to indicate the rest of the group, âthem are here.â
âWhat is kismet?â JJ asked, leaning toward you. Â
âIt means fate or destiny.â
âYes, thatâs exactly what it is. Itâs my destiny to have the shittest fucking time imaginable because we all had to agree to Sarahâs kook vacation.â
âWhat is that, your vocabulary word for the day? Iâm sorry that I didnât envision senior week as us sitting around together in a dumpster motel with a bunch of other pogues trying to pretend that weâre not still in the Outer Banks. How dare I fucking plan an actual good vacation that you, oh thatâs right, donât have to pay for!â
âGuys,â Pope stressed the word as he stepped between Sarah and JJ, âcan we please just focus on having a good time?â
âIâd have an awesome time if I was anywhere but here!â JJ shoved passed Pope and headed out the sliding glass doors toward the beach leaving the five of you to stand in the kitchen awkwardly. Â
âSo...â Kiara began, looking around at the group, âso Topper is here?â
âTopper, Kelce, Scarlett-â
âSheâs a bitch.â Sarah cut in.
â-and Rafe.â
âIsnât your brother a little too old to be partying on senior week?â Pope asked, looking toward Sarah. Rafe was at least two years into college by now, there was no way he shouldâve been hanging around a bunch of high school kids. âDidnât he already have a senior week?â
âHeâll probably go on senior week with Wheezie too.â You joked, âanything to party.â
âHonestly.â Sarah agreed. She had a feeling her brotherâs intention was for more than just partying. If Kelce had planned to stay with you than it was obvious why Rafe was even coming down in the first place though she wasnât about to say anything to anyone right now. Kiara, she assumed, knew that you had broken up with Rafe over spring break but she doubted that it was common island knowledge that you had been dating him at all. Â
Pope suggested that it was a good idea to leave JJ be, that heâd eventually cool down and come inside on his own, especially once he realized that he had no means to get back to North Carolina. He either came in and accepted that this was the vacation they were getting or he camped out on the beach, either way he was stuck in Florida for the week. Still, you couldnât help feeling guilty that he was having a shitty time. When Sarah had asked if she could stay with you for the week you had stressed whether it was okay with her friends or not. Â
That guilty feeling was completely, so you said, the reason for heading down the beach to find JJ. âI did ask Sarah if it was cool with you guys...coming down here. I know itâs not exactly what you had in mind.â You offered as you sat beside JJ on the beach. In another hour the sun would be completely gone from the sky, the oranges and pinks in the horizon hinting at the coming night. Â
âI feel like I should be bitching to a confessional about how much I canât stand Sarah right now.â He replied. Â
âI mean, you could try it?â You teased, moving so your back was to the water and you were facing  him, âalright JJ, tell us whatâs got you so upset and try to include a tragic story from your past.â
JJ cracked a smile, meeting you eyes as he put on his best reality show sob voice, âIâm just like, really pissed at Sarah and it totally reminds me of the summer my turtle died.â Â
You couldnât help the burst of laughter as you fell back into the sand. JJ joined in, sour mood getting shelved for another day. He honestly didnât hate the view or being near a beach, or the incredibly comfortable mattress that he had in the room he had claimed for himself. He was even hesitant to complain about you. Not quite the stuck-up kook that he expected, youâd been welcoming to them since the Twinkie first pulled into your driveway. Â
âIf itâs Top and them you arenât thrilled about I donât blame you. I was definitely looking forward to a drama free week and I feel like that might have just become unattainable. But, weâll avoid them best we can and focus on other stuff.â You said, trying to ease his upset.
âOther stuff like?â Â
âOther stuff like, I got invited to a party down the beach tonight...if you wanna go?â You asked, âI mean who can be sad when theyâre drunk?â
âJohn B...never let him talk to you when heâs drunk.â JJ replied. He stood up and offered you his hand to grab. Â
âIâll keep that in mind.â You said, texting Sarah that you were headed down to a party with JJ. Â
The party wasnât far away and groups of people had already gathered despite it still being early in the night. People who had just shifted from lounging on the beach to the beginnings of what would become a party. It was still in the transition between disjointed groups sunbathing and people getting drunk as you and JJ walked up. He was quiet as you walked through people trying to find somewhere to set yourselves up. Â
You werenât sure if Sarah would really show up with everyone or if she was so peeved with JJâs attitude that sheâd stay away for the night. You kept an eye out for any sign of Topper or anyone else in his group, hoping to avoid them for as long as possible. Maybe the whole week if you were truly lucky. Â
Beach parties in the keys were not as good as the boneyard parties you were used to but it would have to do for tonight.  A little less chill and relaxed, people seemed to be forcing the good time as opposed to just letting it happen. The chill vibe that you felt like it shouldâve had was non-existent but you werenât entirely sure that wasnât just you projecting. Maybe everyone else was already having a good time and you were trying too hard already for the sake of the boy trailing  behind you. People had coolers sitting around with different seltzers, hard lemonades, seagrams, and locos but not a plain beer in sight. JJ complained about the missing keg and you tried to make up for it by offering him a peach Jack Daniels. You took a can of something called Unicorn Swirl, bypassing other people on the beach to sit up on the lifeguardâs deck. Â
âThis is disgusting, by the way.â JJ mentioned as he took a drink, face screwing up at the overtly sweet taste of the peach. He downed another gulp quickly, trying to trick his brain into not realizing the taste and only getting the alcohol. Â
âYouâll be hard pressed to find a keg here.â
âSo what Iâm hearing is, even the parties are shit?â Â
âNot total shit-â you paused to take a sip of your drink, JJ laughing as you almost spit it out. âOh my god, thatâs disgusting!â You gagged at the after taste, holding the 16oz can out for JJ to take, âtry it.â
âYou just spit it out and you want me to try it?â
âJust...you have to experience it...I canât even describe that taste.â You replied, taking the peach from him to wash down the taste. âIt doesnât even have a flavor.â
JJ kicked it back, tilting his head and gulping. The sugary taste of whatever flavor they intended it to be made him gag worse than you had and he leaned all the way forward, spitting most of it back out onto the sand. âHoly shit! That is the worst fucking thing Iâve ever had in my life!â He exclaimed, âit tastes like fucking medicine! Why did you make me drink that?â Â
âI didnât make you.â You insisted, taking a sip from his peach. Â
âYou literally held it in my face and told me I âhad to experience itâ. How is that not making me?â
âYeah  but I told you it was gross before you drank it so you already knew that.â
âI canât believe you brought me to a beach party with nothing to drink.â He replied, taking another, smaller sip from the can and pulling a face as he made himself swallow. Â
âWhy are you still drinking that?â
âTrying to get drunk enough that this whole vacation doesnât suck.â He shrugged. Â
âHey!â You reached over and smacked his arm, âthe whole thing doesnât suck! Iâm super cool, whatâre you talking about!â Â
âExcept you brought me to this party so...not as cool as you think you are.â He took another sip and gagged again, âgod I have to stop drinking this.â
âCome on,â you put your peach down and grabbed the unicorn from his hand to abandon that on the lifeguard stand as well, âI know thereâs a distributor around here...lets get some real beer.â Â
âSounds good to me, anything but this.â JJ replied, following you away from the crowd of people on the beach. Â
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sunshine in L.A.
A/N: kind of an original character piece but also not entirely. i just was having a great time writing! hope you folks enjoy!
word count: 3k
There was something about her twenties that never felt quite right, worn like a sweater a size to large. She watched as her friends floated from relationships and friendships seamlessly, while she felt caught. In what exactly, she wasnât sure. Part of her hoped with time that feeling would fade, become background static instead of pumping along with her heartbeat. Going with the current, she did exactly what was expected of her. Attended college, albeit a community college, but college none the less. Part time work covered what financial aid wouldnât, even scraping enough together to buy a beater car.
Time drifted on and the feeling stayed, haunting and hollow. Avoiding the problem didnât lessen its size but it never grew. In the back of her mind constantly. Social media was the worst part, watching her friends flourish and flower, while it took everything in her to remain sane and present. Two years flew by in the blink of an eye and she were left with a tiny degree she was not sure she really wanted. When the opportunity did present itself, she knew it was one she could not possibly pass up.
She knew that even in L.A these demons could surface but maybe the constant sun could choke them out. Packing her meager belongings into the back of her car, she pointed it in the direction of L.A. Whether she actually ended up in the sunshine state wasnât the point, but rather, it was to get out. Stop the cycle before it became the only focal point of her life. It took longer than it shouldâve, she passed the days slowly. Each spent behind the wheel simply heading west.
L.A. was a zoo. She worked your way through the city with fascination and hopefulness. She was certain of one thing and uncertain of many. She hoped to write but was willing to do just about anything to make money. Well, just about anything, she still harbored some self-respect.
L.A. had of a way of worming its way into your heart, no matter how shitty people made it seem. Each self-respecting L.A citizen hated the city as much as they loved it. She found a decent studio apartment, managed to get a job as a barista quickly, and spent the first month slinging caffeine in the daytime and writing into the wee hours of the morning. Cash was always tight, considering she did live in one of the most expensive cities, but there was semblance of happiness. It was clawing itâs way in on the edges of her life.
The customers were not particularly strange, at least not always. There were a couple of memorable moments, but most days passed by in monotony. She knew customers by their orders, not names. These small moments between the register and picking up their coffee offered she a small window into their world. These hints they dropped left her wondering about their lives outside their order and these four walls. Who were these people who flocked to the shop like cattle to slaughter?
She certainly played favorites, every barista did, with both customers and coworkers. There were those who made the days a little brighter. The first was her coworker James. Somewhere in his twenties like her but an old soul. He came to work in sweaters, cooper rimmed circular glasses, and disheveled hair on the daily. He was welcoming and warm and chased away some of the darkness.
The two of them became instant friends. He would wait after work to hang out, get drinks on the weekend, and spend Sunday brunch complaining about his hangover. At first, she was confronted with the concern that maybe he was worming into her life in hopes of it ending in a relationship, but as soon as she met his boyfriend Scott, that fear was put to rest. In a way, she chose the two of them as family. She spent countless hours with them, at ease with the way things were.
In James, she confided most of her fears and a lot of her guilt. The backstory of her life surprising him but explaining the front she put up. Tragedy often bores the strongest soldiers. In the year she had been in L.A, James helped her pick up the pieces and put herself together, an unrepayable favor. Thanksgiving was right around the corner and she were destined to spend it with James and Scott.
âJames, Iâm running to the grocery store after work and if you play your cards right there might just be a bottle of Prosecco with your name on it.â she joked over the espresso machine, a sly smile on her lips. James and her always bantered at work, often to the amusement of the customers and other coworkers.
James matches her smile, âOh honey, you act like I would actually need to play my cards to get it, Iâve got you wrapped around my finger.â He chuckles and turns back to the drawer. The day was getting late, closing time just mere hours away. She was practically counting down the hours till she could curl up on his couch and binge âNew Girlâ, the new obsession for the two of them.
âI like to pretend itâs the other way around, but I would admit you are right, James. But besides that, anything else?â she asked, hardly looking at him. There was unspoken communication between you two most days, a glance could tell a story. âI was thinking pizza this fine Wednesday night. But Iâm certainly open to suggestions.â
âAnd break the Wednesday night pizza tradition, how absurd!â James feigns hurt, a hand over his heart and concerned expression painting his face. âThe table is already set, we canât go making changes now, silly girl.â
âThen pizza and prosecco it is. Perfect.â She giggled and sent a curt nod in his direction. The entire conversation was an open invitation for him to change the plans, but he never did. Wednesday night was always reserved for the two of them. They devoured pizza and whatever show they were working on. It was sacred to them both.
The rest of the day passed quickly, the sun just barely setting when she and James locked the shop doors. A brief hug and a quick exchange of words and the two of them were off in opposite directions. A pit stop at the grocery store and then to Jamesâ place. He would order the pizza in, as per tradition. Tasked with grabbing the drinks and whatever bits she needed, she would be to his place shortly.
Her car sat tucked in the back lot, warm from sitting in the sun. Cranking the window open once she had climbed inside, turning on the radio, she set off to the grocery store. It was smaller than most that scattered around L.A, which is why it was her favorite. She did not have to fight the yoga obsessed mothers to get through the aisles or hope the hipsters didnât pick through the all the good stuff before she got a chance to be there. The old man, who she assumed owned it, knew her by name. Often, he would gift products just a day out of date to her. He did save your ass more than once.
âCharles, whatâs the good word for today?â She asked, swinging the door open and nabbing a basket.
Smiling, he gushed, âI beat the finalist in Jeopardy today, but Iâm here and heâs there,â shrugging he went on, âI put some of those cookies you like in the back, they went out of date yesterday, Dandelion.â Charles had been using the nickname since she had started coming here. She was totally convinced he had to be her guardian angel. When she asked him where it came from, his response surprised her. âLike the weed, you always come back. You are full of fire and strong. I can see it.â She felt partial to this grocery store. She ended up here for a reason.
âGreat, I was craving something sweet all day. Remind me, I have got something for you in my bag before I go. Donât worry, nothing poisonous.â Jokingly she added.
Charles had a love for Jim Harrison. Often when she was browsing at old bookstores or garage saleâs she would stumble across one for him. He probably owned nearly every single book published by Harrison, but always acted thankful and surprised when she presented him with another. She wanted to make sure he knew how much she appreciated him in a way of more than just saying thank you.
She scanned the aisles looking for the familiar packaging of her favorites. She hardly noticed the boy till she had practically run into his back.
âAnother one in Charles good graces, a rare species.â He teased.
Chuckling, âThat must mean there are people on Charles bad side, which I highly doubt.â He was home strung, as far as she could tell. Clean cut and not looking for a lot of attention, judging by his all black attire. âIâm assuming youâre one of the lucky ones, too.â She implored.
âThankfully, I have managed to make my way into one of his chosen few. Even without it, I would still come here. This is the only grocery store where I donât have to cross my fingers and hope all the good stuff isnât picked over. Charles seems to have a force field to keep this place hidden. Certainly, the best kept secret of L.A.,â he pauses, searching your face, âyou work at the coffee shop on Sunset, Eight-Fold Coffee, right?â
âGuiltily is charged, Mr. iced latte with almond milk,â tapping your temple, âsteel trap. I only know peopleâs drinks, not their names, sorry. I was wondering if you looked familiar or if it was just the lighting.â
Extending a hand, cheekily responding, âDavid. The nameâs David Dobrik, or iced latte if you please.â Â His smile was easy and charming, you couldnât help but stare. His entire posture oozed ease, you couldnât quite decide if he was trying to flirt or simply be friendly. Of course, that wonderful friend called self-doubt started to crawl its way into your chest, so it was time to go.
Flashing him what you hoped was a friendly parting smile, âY/N. Y/N Y/L/N. It was nice finally meeting in more than just an âiced latte with almond milkâ kind of way. Iâll see you around. I have promised the roommate a night in and if I donât come through, the world might stop turning.â Turning on her heel, tossing David a small wave, she headed for the register. All the things she needed forgotten.
She set the single bottle on the counter and wait for Charles to ring it up. Silence elapses, you lost entirely in your own thoughts.
âDandelion?â
âHuh, what?â she missed what he asked, cheeks flushing at him catching her in dreamland.
âLots on your mind today?â Charles inquired, a knowing look on his face.
Smiling and rolling her eyes, âI respect the fishing for a morsel of mind but maybe when inquiring minds arenât near.â she winks. Digging in your bag, she pulls the book for him, Returning to Earth, out. âI found it at a garage sale this weekend and thought you could add to your collection. But this one, is to expand your horizons.â She pulls The Pleasures of the Damned by Charles Bukowski out. âIâll need it back but keep it as long as you need, I know where to find you. See you around Charles.â She pays and get ready to go, sneaking one last glance in Davidâs direction. Grabbing onto her bag with the prosecco and cookies tucked in, she heads for the doors. One last look to the aisles and she can see David still tucked amongst them, scouring for something in the sea. A shake of her head and she is out the doors.
Tossing the bag in the passenger seat, she meanders down the streets towards James. A stampede of thoughts about David comes and goes. It was just mutual acknowledgement that the two of them did in fact kind of know each other. Yet, she found herself wondering if she should tell James about him, see if he had any insight on the guy. The thought felt foolish considering it was just a run in at the grocery store, nothing more.
Charles knew more about her then he let on. He knew her heart was kind but had been through a lot, he knew you were loyal and strong, but he knew also knew when her heart would tell you who to let in. David did not need much from that grocery store, mostly some alone time. His inquiring mind also wanted some more information on the barista who stole his breath away. As he left that day, Charles told him something he would carry with him for a while. âPeople like her, they guard their hearts, but hers is golden. It wonât always be shut.â
Opening the door to James and Scottâs apartment, she could smell the pizza. Her mouth was already watering. James rounded the corner into view between the small kitchen and living.
âI was beginning to wonder if you bailed.â He poked.
âOn you, never.â Rolling her eyes.
âI am almost flattered.â He made for the bag in her hand, noticing the cookies right away. âCharles treats you like your one of his own grand kids. One of the people placed on that golden list.â
âAbout Charles coveted list, I ran into a guy from the coffee shop. David? Iced latte with almond milk, dresses like an unemployed ninja. Do you know anything about him?â She asked trying to keep the hopeful tone from her voice.
James searches her face before continuing. âA sudden interest in a customer, more like prominent interest. Iâve noticed the favorites you play with him.â He flashes you a joking grin. âI donât know much about him honestly. Iâve heard whisperings from the other baristas that he has some youtube channel, not much else. He seems nice.â Bumping his shoulder with hers, âIt wouldnât hurt if you tried to be friends with him. Itâs not a crime to branch out. I would not be insulted if you did. I worry that maybe you donât because I take up a lot of your time.â
âCertainly not, you take up a perfect amount of my time. I just, remember how hard it is for me to be friends with people, I guess. I am a lifelong hermit. Plus, if heâs doing that whole âsocial media careerâ, he might not be the kind of friend I want.â Socializing was never her strong suit and if Davidâs preferred choice was blasting his life across the platforms, maybe she would take a pass.
The two of you vegged out on the couch way past what was a reasonable time, both scheduled to open tomorrow. He was on her mind all night, the little she knew about him had her mind doing circles. He seemed innocent enough, a good guy if Charles liked him.
 The sun shown through the windows all morning, bringing a warming light to the coffee shop. All day you hoped he would pop in, yet, it went unanswered. Clocking out, she nabbed her notebook and a mug of coffee, making her way to the bank of windows along the window. She tried to keep her mind from wandering, yet it seemed impossible. Perhaps she scared him off.
âI figured you were a writer. Nobody suggests poetry books, Bukowski especially, unless they are a writer. Or terribly sad, but judging by the notebook, Iâd say the first.â David said, standing next to you bathed in the afternoon sun. He looked as though he just woke up but in a delicious way. His hair was messy and his eyes warm. She could not help but bath in the light emanating from him.
A small smile spread on her lips, âYouâre a fan?â
âI saw it on Charles counter on my out yesterday. A simple Google Search did the trick. Guy seems kind of dark for you.â A blush plays on Davidâs cheeks. âI was hoping to run into you today. Listen, me and my friends are going to this party tonight, would you be interested?â
âUh,â glancing behind the counter you see James shaking his yes vigorous, âsure, why not?â It seemed in Davidâs presence, the hole in her chest seemed to lessen some.
#david x reader#david dobrik#davids vlogs#david dobrik imagine#david dobrik x reader#vlog squad#vlog sqaud#i mostly write vlog squad
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tell me about your kokuyo gang headcanons pls and thanks
Let us talk about my children the Kokuyo Gang aka Mukuro, Ken, Chikusa, M.M., and the rest but not Chrome because Chrome is a member of the Vongola Family and was kicked out. :^) EDIT: NO FRAN BECAUSE THIS POST GOT TOO LONG GOMEN. Â Iâm going to do a paragraph or so segment for each character I think with some canon facts mixed into headcanon so have FUN!
Mukuro- Mukuro has a lot of canon info already so this is gonna be on the shorter part. Mukuro is a little shit kjasnd Mukuro enjoys reading of all types- from picking up a magazine to novels. He is also very spiritual- yes his powers have ties to the levels of Hell, but I can see religion and belief systems being topics of interest for him. Heâs extremely up to date on politics (less in a âwow politics is interestingâ and more as a study of people. He watches to see the corruption, lies, and abuse of power. And letâs make it pretty damn clear that if he had nothing better to do/ there was no effort to it, Mukuro would 10000% be okay murdering those people in cold blood because he can. I feel like a lot of people forget Mukuro is a villain (antihero but still a villain too). On a less serious side of everything though- Mukuro can also be very laid back and playful. He pampers himself (spa day with M.M., glass of wine FRUIT COCKTAIL, video games with the rest of the gang, etc.) As serious and scary as he can come across, he is still a teenager. A teenager that is fully aware of how bad the world can be, but also in a bit of a chuuni-bubble where he feels this one man illusionist wrecking machine can take over everything and his only obstacle atm is the Vongola Family.Â
Also Mukuro strikes me as someone who would enjoy David Lynch movies. I mean Iâm not projecting my love of Twin Peaks on him, but watching Twin Peaks made me think heâd enjoy it a fair amount. :T Or at least Fire Walk With Me.
Ken- SMELLY BOI. I love Ken. Ken may not be the smartest, but do not call him stupid! He just works things out differently. Ken can pick up on small things that many people miss due to his keen observation skills; his sense of smell, hearing, and vision are all heightened compared to a normal human being. He can almost âsniffâ out illusions if theyâre not very well done and he is a natural at catching someone in a lie. Ken canonically hates bathing but I can also see him being grubby in general- he doesnât floss as much as he should or clean his ears, he has dirty nails, runs around barefoot a lot- stuff like that. Ken doesnât eat his veggies either. Heâs like that one tumblr post where Chikusa is the âDo you feel guilty when you dont eat vegetables/ only junk food for awhile and you need healthy food to feel better?â âIdk Kakipi Iâve only had soda and gushers for 3 days and I feel fineâ âKen...no...â That is Ken. Ken has a huge fear of doctors/dental offices in general, but I think one of the biggest things that heâs scared of is anesthesia and needles, even though these things are supposed to help. Seeing tanks of nitrous or the small plastic mask to go over oneâs mouth and nose really drive up his anxiety. Only Chikusa and Mukuro can really calm him down and convince him everything will be okay. Even if the doctor is Verde/ someone he has developed a degree of trust, he still cannot control his PTSD. Ken hates wearing suits and he doesnât really like getting new clothes either- not so much anything against new clothes, he just likes wearing the same smelly shirt 5 days out of the week if he can. Also, not a set in stone headcanon, but I can picture Ken being colorblind.
Chikusa- Chikusa is such an overlooked character aaah- Okay first off- Chikusa is not as smart as Mukuro, but smarter than Ken. He sometimes reads or peaks into the books that Mukuro is reading, and he does try to continue his education however way he can. There actually isnât a subject he really dislikes, but Ken and M.M. tease him for still doing things like homework or reading the old textbooks they have despite none of them going to school. Chikusa is also one of the only few in the house to do chores: cleaning, cooking, making Ken take a bath, grocery shopping, etc. He can also do small sewing/stitches for mending holes and he learns small skills relatively quickly as long as they arenât too complex. Despite his extreme loyalty to Mukuro and rarely seen without Ken tagging along, Chikusa is a very independent person. Introverted, but independent. He spends his time at home playing video games and listening to music, and when he needs to leave, he just goes out. Chikusa is a better functioning adult as a teenager than most adults LOL (minus the fact he has no bills to pay). Chikusa tries to save his allowance money but usually gives some to Ken for whatever small reason like a few extra tries in an arcade game, some junk food or comic, etc. He never brings it up or asks for money in return but sometimes sighs with reluctance. If he really doesnât want to, heâll say no, but thereâs usually a reason (âKen we need real groceries. Iâm not eating gum for dinner.â âI need to replace my headphone cordâ âI have a crack in my glassesâ etc.) Opposite to Ken, Chikusa tries to have really good hygiene. The only thing that truly bothers him is that he canât wash his hair as much as heâd like, but he covers it with his hat and possibly dry shampoo from M.M. if desperate.
Chikusa is ambidextrous. :v
ABOUT THE BARCODE- Okay so another person I rpâd with had the headcanon of Chikusa being a twin and the barcode being a way the Estraneo kept track of them, which I thought was fucking genius. Screencaps and manga scans show he didnât have that tattoo as a kiddo/pre-Mukuro rampage, so technically it isnât accurate, but itâs a thought nonetheless. I do consider the barcode a tattoo and not drawn on/temporary/birthmark/etc. I still like that idea as an honoring thing. Like if he had a twin who they marked but the twin died during an experiment so when they were out of there he did it as a we-will-never-be-apart thing.M.M. - MY DAUGHTERU. God M.M. is such a good character but people snub her because sheâs a âbitchâ and a woman (I say that because when Mammon is greedy it is cute but when M.M. is greedy sheâs bad. Same with her attitude! If a male shounen character acted that way heâd be like, a princely type. So yeah I think a lot of M.M. hate comes from people who donât respect women :T)Â
ANYWAYS I genuinely love the idea of M.M.âs name/design/background having a small reference to the book series of Madeline. PROBLEM HERE IS I HAVE TWO HEADCANON BACKGROUNDS FOR HER AND I LIKE BOTH SO HERE THEY ARE: I headcanon her real name as Madeline, and the she was sent off to a wealthy all girlâs boarding school as a child. She lost her parents at a very young age and inherited a small fortune, but had nowhere to go. She would stay and live in the boarding school until school was out, and then stay with an estranged relative during the breaks. However, she quickly started staying at âfriendsâ homes instead as her limited family did not look after her or have any interest in her actual well being. THE OTHER VERSION VERY SIMILAR BUT INSTEAD OF BEING WEALTHY SHE WAS VERY POOR AND SENT TO A WEALTHY SCHOOL. The idea of her either being a poor young girl who got a taste of riches and fucking took it or the idea of a young girl who grew up wealthy but was surrounded by people who wanted what she got made her be a lot harder and did a fuck you all Iâm M.M. and I get what I want. I love both those ideas and I can see them both working as a background. Both M.M.sâ see how the capitalism really runs the world and the main difference is one just had to work a little more to get rich while the other had less of a struggle but equal amount of determination. M.M. learned quickly that she was rather âprettyâ to men and with money, she wouldnât have to run to anyone or need help from anyone.
To earn money, she started as a small petty thief and moved on to grander schemes quickly. M.M. was a talented shoplifter and would pick up on things she could sell off to the girlâs in school, and then for the big money she knows how to blackmail people and get dirt on anyone. A cheap disposable camera and risky photos can ruin a personâs life. A little bit of alcohol is all it really takes for someone to make a horrible mistake. Also a lot of alcohol can make someone pass out and lose all the money in their wallet. Although she never liked the business, I can see M.M. knowing the fastest cash she could make would be to sell drugs to other girls. A little coke here and there. Think of that post making fun of the group of white boys vs. hipsters with the caption âWho would pay more for weed?â M.M. knows who and knows how to convince them âthis is some really rare good stuff that I stole from my parents~ Yknow itâs imported from Amsterdam~â or âHey I heard you want to lose weight, yknow I know how you can be the thinnest girl in school~â M.M. is resourceful and cunning and she can and will prey on someoneâs insecurities for money. M.M. has been arrested and does have a mugshot, but this was in the beginning of her thieving days and she was released later that night. She also may or may not have tried to seduce her guard(s). Also despite her flirting and knowing what she CAN do, she has never gone into sex work. She hasnât met a man or woman who can afford her. Sheâs a virgin but sheâll lie about it/ leave it ambiguous just to see what pays more. :T
Now a lot of this all applies to her before she joined the Kokuyo gang. Mukuro had heard about M.M. when seeing her mugshot in a trashy gossip magazine. A young, pretty and precocious teenage girl with a natural talent of stealing? No family really known/ totally independent? Why not try and get her in your growing gang of misfits. She was hesitant at first, but Mukuro, in Verdeâs own words, is extremely charismatic. Plus she finds him cute and really saw promise in his plans. She hates Kokuyo Land because of how dirty it is, and actually bothered to have her part of the hideout remodeled for her liking (a nice bed, a vanity in her room, a throw rug over the damaged floorboards, etc.) She managed to turn abandoned and run down into âshabby chicâ but sheâs hoping she can get it to a more Versailles tier one day.Â
Not to bring up Twin Peaks again but after watching it I definitely get Audrey Horne vibes out of M.M.
M.M. has the highest education of the Kokuyo Gang and has actually has a very good understanding of chemistry. Her main passion though is music and she genuinely loves to play her clarinet in her room for fun.Â
OTHER CHARACTERS!:
FUNÂ âFACTSâ:
M.M. is a Sephora VIB Rouge member and makes fun of people who have to shop at Ulta (except she does shop at Ulta when no one is looking.)
Each member of the Kokuyo Gang has a preferred fighting video game and main. (SIDE NOTE: I donât play enough fighting games to be familiar with every characterâs play styles in all games so these ideas can easily change) Mukuro- Mortal Kombat (I only played MK1 for genesis and MKX which I suck at but I can see him playing Scorpion and beating up Johnny Cage repeatedly), Ken- Tekken and probably mains Kuma (Ken can definitely tap the buttons fast enough for those combos), Chikusa- Street Fighter as Ryu/ he keeps things very classic (But usually he plays whatever Ken wants to play, so I can see him maybe playing a lot of Yoshimitsu), Â and M.M. is Soul Calibur as Ivy, who is definitely 100% not overpowered. Also Fran plays Smash bros. and heâs probably a Mewtwo spamming lil shit. Or Metaknight.
Chikusaâs likes to go inside Tower Records and Mandarake stores, but rarely buys anything because of his limited finances.
They didnât have cable until Verde moved in and would sometimes watch daytime television. Local news, daytime soaps, public tv anime, etc. Sometimes they rent videos for a night at home, or sneak into movie theaters with a little illusion help.
NONE OF THEM HAVE GONE TO A DOCTOR OR DENTIST (except M.M. and Fran when he was at his grannyâs) because of their past trauma. When Team Verde was formed, Verde did a health assessment but has been unsuccessful at making any of them see a dentist. Especially Ken- but Ken does take better care of his channels.
i have so much more to type but oh fuck i went on sorry chi jkdsfnaksdfn
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What We Have Learned So Far
I remember back to the 1970s, when I was a mere teenager. My Dad the Accountant was also the purchasing agent for our family. It was a task in which he prided himself and his squeezing-blood-out-of-turnips ways. He shopped with ruthless cunning and laser precision. This explained why our basement had metal shelves lined with enough canned goods to get us through a nuclear fallout, because Dad was the kind of guy who would find corn on sale, and then buy the whole case.
My friends used to make fun of me. âAre you guys planning on World War III?â they would ask. Nope. Dad was just being a good shopper, so we shut up and ate corn.
But suddenly I realize that Dad was ahead of his time, while at the same time, a product of his times. He grew up during the Great Depression, so he knew the value of a nickel saved, a paper clip, piece of string, even an empty beer can with its top removed to use as a pencil holder. This is not just quaint nostalgic yearnings, itâs the new survival strategy. I suspect if you went into many American pantries these days, you would think my Dad had paid them a visit.
While the first documented US case of coronavirus happened on 20 January 2020, it wasnât until the last two weeks that we really stood up and paid much attention here. In that short time, we have learned many things, about ourselves, about our society. Here are a few:
No one is happy right now. We are filled with anxiety. Weâre stress-filled, and easily provoked by the littlest thing someone might do to us in public. I get it. When your world is turned upside down, itâs easy to take it out on others. Even though only a tiny tiny fraction of our 330 million people will contract COVID-19, there is still the chance it could happen. Given the fact that we are all told to stay home, one has to wonder what the social outcomes will be down the road. Will there be a baby boom next winter, as some chirpy people suggest? Or will the added stress lead to divorces? Worse yet, not if, but when, will there be shopping cart rage and shootings in shops as people fight over scarce commodities?
What we once took for granted, we may never do so again. Remember when we could go to a supermarket and they would have everything we needed? Yeah, me tooâŠabout two weeks ago. I remember my first semester at WT, when I had a young Polish emigre in my Principles of Marketing class. She told of life in the mother country, still reeling under years of an oppressive regime. She spoke of being overwhelmed by all the choices we had in America, because in Poland, it wasnât about which bread, it was about whether there was any bread at all. If you saw a queue forming outside a store, you got in line without even knowing why you were there, under the assumption that someone knew something you did not, and you better not miss whatever was available.
How sad that we now think the same thing. We blindly get in line before opening hours in hopes that shelves have been restocked during the night. Â And for that matter, every other aspect of our lives, from dining out to movie theatres, concerts, sporting events, and more, are all out the window right now. We have our Netflix, as long as they donât cut the bandwidth to save the internet for everyone now engaged in online learning.âš
Cheap gas is nice, but if you canât go anywhere, it is worthless. With a barrel of oil around $24, dealers are practically giving gas away. Today, you can get gas for $1.69 a gallon in Amarillo. The only problem is that, with so many people sent home to work, shops closed, and everyone hunkering down, thereâs really nowhere to go other than the grocery. Oh, for fuel this cheap when we are able to take road trips. This is nothing but a false positive externality of the coronavirus crisis.
Agile companies and organizations will survive, while the others will be weeded out quickly. We will definitely lose a lot of businesses during this pandemic, especially mom-and-pop businesses. There are more businesses than we realize that are only one or two months away from bankruptcy, mirroring the condition of many citizens who are similarly skating by, month-to-month. Are you in the restaurant business? Why havenât you considered takeaway before? Have a retail shop? Why havenât you gone online yet with a commerce-driven website and/or mobile app? Teach at a university? Why havenât you pushed yourself a little the last two decades by developing at least one online course?
Furthermore, this will cause many businesses, organizations, and even governments to reconsider how business is done, but only among those that survive. Does it necessarily have to be face-to-face? Why canât it be done electronically? Does it have to be done the old way forever?
I do not need to eat out anywhere near as much as I once did. I have been moving in this direction for the last few months anyway in an effort to eat more healthily, as well as because I am enjoying teaching myself to cook. But with restaurants off-limits in most areas, and everyone my age being urged to have a monthâs worth of provisions on hand, my pantry runneth over. And you know what? I am enjoying it. Even with my beginnerâs skills and tools, I can put together a mighty tasty dinner. My oldest daughter often joins me in this endeavor, and she, better than I, produce some amazing meals. Guess what? We are saving money. We are eating very healthily. And I am losing weight. Lots of it. Yay, us! Of course, thatâs bad news for the restaurants if they are able to survive this tragedy, because I may not return there as frequently as I once did.
Many more people are now getting exposure to e-commerce, curbside pick-up, and home delivery. This could forever change the way we buy things, making it difficult for those unable or unwilling to evolve. This goes far beyond the native convenience of it all, and even the social distancing aspect. I, for one, do not want to purchase items that have been handled, tried on, manipulated, etc., by others.
What people purchase during times of panic reflects their worst fears. Panic is irrationality at its worst. It causes us to do things completely out of character, and when it comes to purchasing, it causes us to buy things that make no sense whatsoever. The elephant in the living room right now is toilet paper. The coronavirus does not even cause diarrhea, so thereâs no worry in that department, yet Americans and others worldwide have gobbled up virtually every available roll. One report I read said that we bought 60 daysâ worth of toilet paper in three days. A standard 18-roll pack should last a minimum of one month, and quite possibly two months, in a two-person household.
So why did everyone hoard this most basic commodity? Simple. Because everyone fears having to take a dump and not having paper with which to wipe. Never mind starvation or more important matters; we just want to be clean down there. I want to be clean, too, but Iâm not going to go crazy on inventorying it. A second fear is bottled water. Really? Unless our public utilities also break down, weâre going to have tap water. So picture this: We are a bunch of defecation dehydrophobes. I donât like that mental picture.
The food people are buying reflects our rather pedestrian American cuisine, which also turns out to be our comfort foods. The American diet is a mash-up of various international influences and regionalized adaptations, along with some items of our own making. To be honest, I donât think it is all that good. It is rather bland, favors sauces that happens to red, and probably puts more emphasis on the centerpieceâmeatâthan is healthy. But thatâs a discussion for another time.
Folks are buying the things they know how to prepare, because going out to eat is out of the question unless you can live with takeaway, and people are buying the things that will provide comfort and hope during a time of discomfort and seeming hopelessness. If pounded steak and potatoes make you feel good, then by all means, eat it. It also means that my rather esoteric tastes and dietary preferences are pretty safe. This is one time that being in the minority has its benefits. All of my stuff is still abundant.
People will rearrange their schedules to go shopping if there is hope that a scarce item has been replenished overnight. When was the last time you went grocery shopping at 7:00am? I did it this week, and was not the least bit surprised to see about two dozen others out there, milling about in the pre-dawn moonlight. Many stores have now trimmed their operating hours to allow more time for thorough overnight cleanings and restocking, as well as to accommodate seniors-only shopping hours, but the long and the short of it is simple: Weâll do whatever it takes if we think we might find a roll of toilet paper or canister of Lysol. Think about this. Aside from Black Friday, when was the last time you engaged in cart-to-cart contact for a limited supply of products?
We are social animals, and we are already starting to miss each other. I can see it on social media already. We wantâŠno, we needâŠhuman interactions, whether it is at church, the pub, the workplace, the classroom. All of those have been taken from us in short order, and it did not take long for us to feel that immense loss. Thankfully, we have social media to stay in touch, and inexpensive calling plans to just say hello. Reach out and touch your loved ones, maybe not physically, but at least electronically. It may be a while before we can hug, kiss, even shake hands. But we can still communicate.
There will always be defiant, belligerent people among us. This is the scariest part. There are many folks taking to social media trying to downplay the importance of this matter, dissing the statistics that shows this to be a highly communicable disease with a much higher mortality rate than the common flu. Worst yet, I have seen some of my former students echoing these refrains online. Now more than ever we must use reasoning and logic to filter through the news, all of it, from real to fake. This is a very real contagion that can grow exponentially if left unabated. Interventions of the highest order are necessary to throw speed bumps in its growth. This is not a conspiracy from any political party; it is a global pandemic that knows no borders nor ideologies. Donât blow off the truth; donât dig your heels in the dirt and embrace nonsense claptrap that ignores the magnitude of this situation.
We use social media to vent our frustrations and anxieties. And argue. It is sadly ironic that the very tool intended to bring people together has also made it possible for oceans of discontent to rage between us. Give someone a microphone, and suddenly they feel like they are back in high school debate. But more than that, I see raw emotions in peopleâs postsâŠthe empty shelves, the shuttered stores, the empty parking lots. The mere act of photographing, composing a caption, and posting them is cathartic in that it lets us release those pent up emotions. My advice going forward: skip the arguing, but keep posting your photos and words. If anything, we are all now citizen journalists documenting history in the making. Can you imagine nearly everyone in 1918 had a decent camera in their pocket or purse, and snapped hundreds of photos of the pandemic that year? We would have a much better record had this all been available. We do, so keep shooting and posting.
Finally, we need to love our educators. They have all been forced to do things they may or may not know anything about as they transition to online. For some, it has been easy. For others, it is like being thrust from knowing miles, pounds, and quarts, and suddenly having to use kilometers, kilograms, and liters. We are doing our best to make sure the learning continues, with or without the comforts of the classroom. We all have to make the best of the situation. And I offer encouragement to students for whom online learning is unfamiliar. Itâs not perfect, but neither is the classroom. Keep an open mind, and trust your educator. Weâre not doing this for ourselves.
I know that I could go on, and there is certainly much more we will learn in the days and weeks ahead. And thatâs rightâweeks. I am not hopeful that we will return to what we consider to be normal for quite some time. This is the new normal. All I know is that my dad was right. Life could get tough again, maybe not quite like it was in the 1930s, but certainly a far cry from what we all know as the American way. In the end, though, it will make us tougher. Our steely resolve will help us get through this, and prepare us for whatever the future may hold. âšâš
Now who wants some corn?
Dr âGoing The Distanceâ Gerlich
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