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homestuckcontroversyin2020 · 5 years

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My Opinions on The Epilogues

So I expect that this isn’t going to go over too well, whether it be because I get absolutely zero attention on this post, or for the fact that I’m literally typing up what is probably a hate post that’ll spark up some, “Oh fuck you.” comments. Either way, I don’t really care about the possible hate to be garnered or anything. I’m here to state my opinion on this, and opinions can’t kill anyone when you’re as weak at arguing as I myself am. Now, this isn’t a fucking logical article, I’m not taking time with comprehensive research and making sure I fact check every little detail because that would involve reading Homestuck for and eighth time and re-reading the Epilogues so I have the biggest refresher in the world. I’m not doing that, so take my sub-par rambles.

Preface over, let’s get into the meat.

My original thought when I heard that the Epilogues came out was initially an eye roll big enough to be like when Hulk smashed Loki in the ground. An arch of, “What the fuck, Hussie.” In other words? I didn’t want to read them. I spent the first few days in agony, complaining about how Homestuck was probably just becoming a money grab, and hearing from other people about the content that came out.

It.. wasn’t as bad as I expected when I jumped into it. People made a bigger deal about them than I thought was even insanely possible. Let me get this out of the way. I don’t hate the Epilogues. Do I think they were poorly done? Yes. Do I think that the writing was subpar? Absolutely. Do I think that fourteen year olds in their bedroom typing away at shitty fanfiction or roleplaying smut on MxRP/MSPARP have a better grasp on the characterization of each individual character than the people who took over and wrote the Epilogues? 10000%. Still, I thought they were a clever addition to alternate timelines. I had heard from a source they were meant to be a satirical take on fanfiction, and was a mocking poke at the Homestuck community... until Beyond Canon came out.

So here we are now with an 18 year old who’s spent their time on this planet obsessing over Homestuck since before they could read cuss words without feeling embarrassed telling you about how they’re pissed off with some small things that are of no value.

I’m an Alpha Kid Stan(TM) so everything that happened to my sweet babies has made me want to blow my brains out over the walls. Let’s go down the line.

Jane, sweetheart? Who hurt you? Now, I’ll be honest, I rushed through the Epilogues in my, ‘fuck I don’t want to read this but I feel like I need to in order to satiate my burning curiosity.’ mode. Jane’s whole... situation seems really fucked up to me. The color of her text in the EPs is another thing that pissed me off beyond belief, and I’m not sure why. The consistency between comic and canon was draining on my nerves. Jane, in Homestuck, is a whiny teen, but in no way do I look at her and see racist Hitler. Also, what the fuck was up with the clown thing? Why did she have an obsession with fucking Jake? Sure, she was into him before, but wasn’t part of her character arch getting over the buck toothed bangaroo? I thought so. I also thought that Jane was, you know, just a normal girl living her best life. She sure complained, but who doesn’t?? The Jane we’re given in the Epilogues seems to lack the internal dilemmas that the dear, sweet Crocker we’ve grown fond of does. There’s barely a hit of self hate, she doesn’t blow up, and sure we could possibly count this to her being older, but, what? She didn’t seem to be pissed off about the entire existence of trolls in Homestuck. Sure, her time with them was minimal and she didn’t really get all the shit through, but she fought side by side with Kanaya, even. I just don’t see it at all.

Jake. Oh boy. This is a big one. In either case, Jake’s whole thing really bothers me. He doesn’t seem like Jake. He seems like a watered down version of himself that doesn’t even make fucking sense? He’s an aloof dork, but he’s not horrendously stupid, there’s no reason to make him an alcoholic, and why the fuck is he an attention seeking slut? Yes, yes. We could blame this all on Dirk but really, what were the authors thinking? They had complete control over what happens in this and they turn Jake into something he’s not. He had other drives and passions than living out his life as the sexy action movie woman we all need in our lives. Jake’s smart to his own degree, stubborn, and kind of a flirt! He’s not insanely oblivious, either. For instance, I recall a specific moment where he insinuates that Jane was having a wet dream about him in Homestuck. I’m not going to find the quote, but I know it’s there. Jake spent time working on the robot rabbit for John with Jade and outright refused help from some outside sources. Jake is smart! He’s got an extensive vocabulary! He’s just a nerd, and he’s more than an uwu gay boy for Mr. Triangles.

Roxy, oh no. This is where I expect to get the most heat. Roxy is a beloved character. The light of my life and the best of the kids, in my opinion. (I’m an avid Dirk Stan, but Roxy has won my heart truly and thoroughly.) I don’t like the whole trans/non-binary thing. Not because I’m transphobic or anything, because I’m absolutely not. It’s because it feels like it just doesn’t fit with her as a character?? Roxy grew up in isolation in a place without humans, you really think she’s going to have an outright conceptualized view on gender roles and norms? Basic fucking psychology would tell you otherwise. This is something that her brain would have trained her to do based on a societal view. I may not have paid a huge ass amount of attention in psychology, but gender is a thing that’s completely up in the air and taught to us. Roxy didn’t have that. You could argue and say that her house has something of the sort that’d lead her to feel that way, or perhaps she’s learned this all off the internet, but her clothes scream femme and she had to make them herself, is all I’m saying. Again, whatever, go off, make Roxy trans. It’s not a huge deal, but that isn’t the only problem I have. Roxy as a character seems to have just lost her spark. There’s little outright love and enjoyment and adoration for her friends that there is in Homestuck. She’s not your hype go get them loving girl. Again, maybe you could blame this on the fact that they’re all older, but getting older isn’t going to drastically impede your previous personality and make you an entirely different person. They essentially turned Roxy into a watered down version of Dave, but trans. It’s like they couldn’t make Dave trans so they just made a new Dave. It’s annoying to me, and that’s my biggest problem. I love Roxy. I don’t care for Epilogue Roxy. If they had done it right, if they had used specific things from Homestuck, if Homestuck itself keyed in on this or ANYTHING, fine. But Roxy was old enough to question her identity, most people do around 16, and she could have had the opportunity to start representing this already. I mean, who was stopping her? Then the baby stuff. Huh? What? Why? Doesn’t make sense, pass. Her bffsy, brother, and person that cared about her most off and yeets himself from the top of the nearest belltower and all she can think about is copulating with John??? Alright, fam.

Onto Dirk. Y’know what? I don’t have many huge problems with Dirk. I found his personality in Meat really funny, I found the death in Candy absolutely soul crushing. Dirk is a good character. I don’t think they did his personality well, but I don’t think they did any of the characters well. Maybe John. Maybe. Dirk really just sounded like a child who wasn’t getting what he wanted, and it was amusing to say the least. He sounded horrible from the way people talked about him before I read it, but I really just found his overzealous ego entertaining. I found the fact that they made him still totally desperate for Jake kind of annoying though. Dirk broke of their relationship. Dirk was the one who took a moment to realize it wasn’t healthy for either of them, and getting what you want isn’t good. Taking over the narrative and making your ex nearly jizz himself in public is hilarious and all, but also, what??

Alright. Alphas. Let’s move onto Betas.

I skipped a lot of it, not going to lie. Rather than breaking it down for each character like I did with the Alphas, I’m just going to ramble and see where the wind takes. me.

I don’t ship Davekat. I don’t see it working in a romantic aspect. I see them being bros, and it felt really forced in both sides of the story. The homoerotic tension could maybe be smelled for a mile away, but lets not forget something very important. Dave has shown interest in women. Dave was interested in Terezi, he called Roxy and Jane hot, he totally fucking jizzed his jeans for Jade. The fact that so many characters in the Epilogues were exclaiming that Dave was gay, and Dave himself leaning towards the sentiment, didn’t seem to really match up. Dave’s not just pretending to like chicks either, he’s definitely interested in them to the point of being genuinely flustered and embarrassed (I.E The Hot Mom conversation.) So, I don’t really enjoy that. I think the economy shit is cute, his alternate counterpart seemed to have a good hand for business according to the spiel that was made about him, I liked it.

Rose? Didn’t pay a lot of attention to her. The drug abuse shit really pissed me off. Rose in general really pissed me off in the Epilogues.

John is a can of worms. His characterization was done well, but I guess I just don’t see the point in the two timeline deals. Also, why did he have sex with Terezi? Why was he so much of a baby when the rest of the people around him apparently seemed to mature? Who knows. I sure as hell don’t.

And... then there’s Jade. Poor, sweet Jade. She’s been done dirty almost as much as Jake has, if not worse. She has a dick for one. Yikes. She’s extremely sexually driven, which isn’t something I can see for canon Jade who just wants to hang out and vibe. She’s also so fucking insistent with the “uwu lets date Dave and Karkat” shit that it drives me up a fucking wall. Jade, you should know better! You dated an alternate version of Dave! You dated the OG motherfucker fresh timeline bitch who lost everyone, and sure he was depressed, but I think if I remember correctly you know about all of this???? Hmmmmm!!!! Big questions. It almost leads one to believe she’d know better than to enter into a relationship like this with Dave since it could be emotionally unfulfilling. :))))

Anyways, this entire thing is a can of fucking worms and I don’t suspect I’m going to use this account often aside from shitposting, so have this one uneducated article and if you made it through it and agree, disagree, or what have you, don’t be an ass in the replies? I get it, I’m opinionated and should probably shut my mouth, but it’s the internet and I don’t really care at this point.

#homestuck #epilogues #opinions #spoilers #roxy lalonde #dirk strider #dave strider #jade harley #rose lalonde #john egbert #jake english #jane crocker #rambles #controversy #trans roxy #hs epilogue

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kfs1001 · 5 years

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@souly posted today about not feeling comfortable within this fandom, and I can relate. The statement has made me seriously consider my own fate within this fandom. For months now I have felt a nagging angst in my heart as if I have been slipping. This has nothing to do with a wedding or the other things happening in D and C lives, but this sensation that grates at by beliefs. As a Buddhist, compassion, selflessness, mindfulness and honesty play a key role in my day to day life. Honestly, I find elements of the fandom stretching this beliefs.

I have considered pulling away a few times, but two men and the position they find themselves in makes me stay. I have compassion for them in their struggle. If what I believe in my heart is true, they are living a life many of us will not want. They go through this life with grace, a laugh and compassion. In the way they are selfless and mindful of what going on around them even when the light around them dims.

Being mindful does not mean you ignore the storms clouds. Yes, clouds are dark and usually hold a meaning there may be bad weather ahead. That weather is important to all life. The turbulent weather in D and C’s life (based on my belief they are a loving couple) are the circumstances of their life. Like rain, this is needful for all involved to learn and move on, though we may not see it. All living beings do things we may not see or choose not to see it. It is not for us to decide for others. Karma will sort it all out in the end.

Those who belief in CC or M/arren are, to me, two sides of the same coin. From this perspective, the differing sides of the equation have expressed their sentiments in hurtful ways. I have been asking the question lately—what does this serve? Harsh words hurt all those who hear or read them. Harsh thoughts only hurt the self.

I ask myself, if these harsh words are truly what some call ‘hate’ or a defence of beliefs? Or, is it a gut reaction to having someone you admire belittled? Words, when expressed can hurt, mine included. Yes, I am fully aware that what I am saying will not please people. I accept that.

As I have stated before, I do not dislike the people involved. They are all people who has chosen a path which affects those around her. Everyone affects those around them with what they do and say. Yes, I accept that my words will hurt some, and in that I am a hypocrite. In this regard we all are.

I became involved in the fandom because I feel for D and C (as a couple) have been given the short end of the stick. I did not join this fandom to fan the flames of harsh words for other to read and feel hurt and defensive. No, I joined this fandom to support to men – D and C. Support is not hurtful, it is compassion. The ego tells me I do not have to like what I read and see, but compassion to keep the hurtful words to myself. Thus, my personal struggle and the learning this adventure has brought to me—how to not fall to the ego and lose myself in the moment, in the words, in the hype?

The answer is easy, speak from a heart filled with the light of compassion. I cannot and will not tell other what to say to think. I have not right to do that. As a human being I am not responsible for how others think. I am only responsible for myself. As a human I may suggest, but it is up to those on the receiving end to heed or discard my suggestions.

In my soul searching over the past weeks, I have decided I will remain. Both sides of the coin have their darkness, but I choose to remain in the light. I am here to support two men and that does not mean I must be crass or disrespectful to others. The lessons we learn in life are not always black and white or easy. We are all living beings and we all deserve a chance to find the light. Even the darkest room can be brightened by a candle. Likewise, the darkness of one’s heart can be brightened by kindness or the absence of hurtful words.

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triptripletrolls · 5 years

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The Two Schools of Thought for Fiction and my thoughts, the realization, and the journey that I will forever be on

“Fiction =/= Real Life” vs “Fiction Impacts the Real World”

Those are the two arguments that I kept seeing popping up every once in a while. I was on the side of the “Fiction =/= Real Life” and I didn’t understand how any fictional media can be bad in real life. After all, we all have heard of parents blaming games for turning their kids bad, movies creating evil people, books causing women to run from their husband, blah blah blah blah blah. I was kind of exaggerating there but I’m sure people have seen those kinds of arguments before. The blame on fiction, to me, was silly. The stories I heard with these arguments usually have an underlying human problem that needed to be solved, but instead of realizing the actual problem of that person's trouble they use fiction as a scapegoat. Shifting blame is, after all, easier than owning up to one's fault.

Another reason why I heavily supported the "Fiction =/= Real Life" side and did not understand the other side of the fiction argument was because of the victims of abuse and how some of them would use fictions to cope with their past. Let me be brief about this point for a moment and come back to this later. I was sympathetic to the victim and tried to be empathetic to their past pain and to the pain that they may feel at present. Who am I to say that they cannot do this or that when their life was already once controlled by another person, in bad hands. They (the victims) have a fucked up life, so let them be and let them cope with their trauma however they can. That was what I thought.

For me personally, fiction was a means of escape from my own head where I thought I was rotted alive and crippled from depression. Yes, that was a pretty dramatic description of what my past mental state was, but that was the feeling I remember and I have not forgotten that feeling so that I may tap into it and empathize with others now that I have grown. The dark thought still lingers to this day, but I think life is nice and I like to think that I have moved past the thought of wanting to kill myself. That sentiment is something I want everyone to have and sometimes I wanna help that in others, as draining as it is.

Fiction was not the only help I had with depression, of course, but it did play a role. Fiction kept my brain thinking of worlds fantastical than my own. Imagination was fun; I could be anyone and do anything I like. I've enjoyed fiction by myself for a long time, but when I realized that I can have fun with others who also like make-believe. It was like a whole new world for me. So my thought at that point was “How could fiction that did so good to me be bad and have real-world consequences outside of my head?”

My view shifted recently when I was able to connect the argument for “Fiction Impacts the Real World” to me personally, outside of my head in a real tangible example. I am a Korean born in Canada. Growing up Asian in a North American society, representation of my race was lacklustre or very stereotypical. Of course, I had the Korean media to turn to, but I identify myself as a Canadian more than a Korean and I grew-up all before the Korean Wave became a phenomenon in North America. When the wave did hit my city, it hit hard, but by then I was already in High School and I thought that all of this hype was overrated and just a fab. Just because I am a Korean, it didn't mean that I would suddenly embrace the Korean wave into my life. But now that I think about it, representations and fiction were two key thoughts that I need to start understanding the “Fiction Impacts the Real World”.

There was a podcast that I was listening to sometime this Spring, and the topic was about Asian representation in the mainstream media in America. My memories have yet again failed to remember what the exact podcast I was listening to but the people talking were all Asian Americans. Regular people just like me. They were talking casually, about the recent movies, like Crazy Rich Asians, and TV shows, like Fresh Off The Boat. The group of people that I was listening to expressed their amazement in these movies and shows in present times when they were growing up there really wasn't any movies and shows that had this many Asians. This is an expression I can relate to. At some point in the podcast, someone mentioned that in order for Asians to continue to get good representation in media, we need good stories that we can fill. Stories, as in fiction, and that was when it clicked.

There is still a lot of things in this world that I have yet to experience and I have a lot to learn even though I'm in my late 20s. I still think that being an adult is hard, a thought that I think many adults can relate to. Accepting new things is a process and while I still lean towards the “Fiction =/= Real Life,” I now know better. I know that fiction is important not only in the mind but also in the real world. It took an embarrassingly long time for me to come to this conclusion but hey, I'm glad I'm at this place now. Go me :p

Now here is the topic that I said I'll come back to. I know that this particular subject is really controversial in this community but I cannot ignore the consequences that this topic had on the community that I so love and to the friendships I once had.

Let me be very clear. There is no argument that CP is very bad. The sexual act against children no matter their age by an adult is despicable. CP in its nature is the exploitation of vulnerable children whose innocence of life and wonders are ripped away from selfish adults who are just thinking with their dicks, literal and metaphorical dicks. Adults are supposed to be protecting children. Adults are supposed to nurture and be a role model, but these vile sex offenders used their adult status for their own greed. CP is bad and this what I truly believe for a long time, even before any drama that has happened in this community.

What I did not know, or even thought of until reading ladytrollfishes' addition to glowtroll's post, is that there are adults who would actively expose pedophilic fiction to the children in order to do harm. This was huge news for me. I was enraged when I first read that and that could actually happen, How dare they taint the fiction I love and use it to manipulate the impressionable minds. I was aware of the pedophilic ships when I was consuming a large amount of anime as a child but those ships weren't my thing and I never thought anything of it. In all honesty, there were actually a couple of ships in animation between a child and adult that I thought was cute when I saw pretty fanart of it. However, after the epiphany of adults exposing children to problematic ships with the goal of real life CP, I am distraught by my own previous thought and grossed out by those adults.

When I said that I sympathize with victims of abuse, I still believe that I should give the victims my compassion. I understand the need to express the inexplicable pain that the victim may be feeling. To validate their own self and convince themselves that all is okay. However, like what ladytrollfishes said, there is an audience. The kind of adults I hate may use a victim's work of fiction feeding into the cycle of abuse. To sum up this particular subject of victims creating fiction as a coping mechanism, please do it privately and if you must share, do so with those you truly trust.

These are some of the thoughts that were plaguing my brain for a while. I usually don’t like sharing my personal baggage and thoughts like this, but this community has gone through a lot of drama and thoughts and opinions has been let loose. I didn’t really know where my head was, and with my own stuff going on around the same time, I think writing this out on paper and then having another thought during the typing, really has sorted out my thoughts. There are still a ton of other stuff that I want to let my feelings out, but right now, this is good for now.

#long text #cora #cora writes #aaaaaahhhhhhh #CP mentioned #just my own thoughts and stuffs #I just... aurrrg #I'm so tired #thinking is hard #writing is hard #why did i write so much for this #i hope this all makes sense #i don't have beta reader and ah it's been forever since i write something #never this much and of my personal thoughts though.... welll there was that one post not too long ago #actually writing and sorting out my thoughts letting it all out is nice #if anyone's actually reading this #I am an INFP Aries born in the year of the Rooster and because we are a part of the Homestuck my classpect is the Mage of Breath.#lmao this this actually had a very different approuch and while I untimately changed it i kinda liked that little bit. I'll add that #to my profile when i can.#mentioning of CP #should i trigger warn this? idk #past tense are hard #i perfer present tense #but i have no idea how to go about with the tenses here. like here i talk about my previous thoughts #and now i have a more broader thinking for a particular subject #the subject being this long post i wrote

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fieryrondo · 6 years

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my top 25 favorite programs from the 2017-2018 season

So. We survived Olympic season. (Or did we?)

A few lessons gleaned from the past ten months:

the season is indeed long

momentum is fleeting

in the wake of disaster there will always be skaters who shine (thank god)

eating pineapples and writing prayer fic is extremely therapeutic

Olympics hype really is all that

being an fs fan is equal parts suffering and reward, though often times it seems more of the former and less of the latter.

See below for twenty five of my favorite programs from what has been a most tumultuous season, roughly in order of enjoyment. There is no rhyme or reason to this list as it is purely subjective based on my taste, which is already questionable to begin with. To avoid cluttering the top spots with skaters I absolutely stan and would gladly die for, I have limited myself to one skater per program.

Re: performances from Olympics. It was notoriously difficult to find footage for many of these skates. Thanks ISU I’ve done my best to link to broadcast footage whenever possible but have resorted to a few fancam links for some of these performances. Please do not manipulate fancam footage without permission from the uploader; I’ve been guilty of reblogging gif-sets made from fancam footage (which 99% of the time have the watermark removed and are clearly uploaded without consent and credit to the fancam creator) and am now trying to be careful with what I reblog.

Without further ado, here are my top picks:

25. Jimmy Ma’s SP, Propaganda/Turn Down for What, 2018 US National Championships

A guilty pleasure but something this fun can’t be bad right? This is the kind of skating program I’d show to friends and family in real life who dismiss figure skating as a dated sport characterized by heavily used classical warhorse music almost everyone recognizes but can’t actually name.

24. Ross Miner’s FS, Queen Medley, 2018 US National Championships

While Nathan skated a very technically strong program at US Nationals, the free skate of the night for me went to Ross Miner, who roused the crowd into a roar when he had the skate of his career and made a convincing bid for the Olympic team. Fun and electric, this program sparkled with energy from start to finish.

23. Moa Iwano’s SP, Asturias, 2017 JGP Austria

I generally don’t pay much attention to the junior skaters (so much skating, so little time!), but this talented lady from Kobe caught my eye during the JGP series. There were quite a few tangos this season but this one was by far the best one (that’s right, the best tango this season came from a 13-year-old). While her jump technique is not the best, Moa has an impressive sense of musicality beyond most skaters her age. I’ll definitely be following her more closely in the seasons to come.

22. Keegan Messing’s FS, Chaplin Medley, 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics

Thanks to a certain Spanish skater, I’ve developed a soft spot for Chaplin programs and while Keegan didn’t manage to skate this program clean, I really enjoyed it. It’s cheeky, charming, charismatic and full of fun choreographic details that bring the program to life. With an exodus of Canadian men retiring this season, Keegan will be among the oldest. He really hit his stride this season; here’s hoping he snags his first Canadian title next season!

21. Patrick Chan’s FS, Hallelujah, 2017 Skate Canada

Enjoyed...is not quite the right word to describe my feelings when I saw this particular skate via live stream. Shocked to pieces was more like it, and perhaps an overwhelming sadness to see him struggle so much. This skate would set the tone for the rest of Patrick’s final competitive season--a mentally, physically and emotionally taxing end to a competitive career most skaters can only dream of having. While this skate was a technical disaster--he skated a total of only two clean triples--it is nonetheless beautiful in the way a withering flower is; a remnant of elegance, an echo of years of skill, a lament for what could have been.

20. Yuna Shiraiwa’s FS, Pictures at an Exhibition, 2017 Internationaux de France

I had a hard time with this one because I adore both of Yuna’s programs this season, set to two very interesting pieces of music. Her FS, “Pictures at an Exhibition” won by a slim margin mostly because I love Mussorgsky and “Pictures at an Exhibition” is one of my favorite suites of all time--I also realize now that it’s really really difficult music to skate to because of the million tempo changes, key changes and the fact that half of the movements are very slow and not at all suited to skating. It’s a highly ambitious program for a 15-year-old and choreographically there are a couple of abrupt music changes that break up the flow (it’s mostly variations of the Promenade theme with a few other movements spliced in) but I really appreciated the challenge she took with a riskier but interesting piece of music. Looking forward to more exciting programs next season!

19. Nathan Chen’s FS, Mao’s Last Dancer, 2017 US International Classic

Super early in the season when skater after skater hopped onboard the recycling train like there was no tomorrow, I was ecstatic to hear Nathan bring forth two brand new programs. While Nemesis proved to be an instant hit, I was drawn to the free, an intriguing blend of Chinese music and Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring (avant-garde eargasm!!!). Mao’s Last Dancer had the potential to become a truly memorable and complete program. While the strategy to strip down the choreography in favor of hitting the technical elements later in the season was a practical choice, alas the performance I enjoyed the most happened to be its debut.

18. Cheng Peng/Yang Jin’s SP, Assassin’s Tango, 2017 Finlandia Trophy

What a rough season they’ve had :/ But I loved their short program, which they only managed to skate clean internationally exactly once this season. For some reason, after Finlandia, this short never really clicked for them (missing the cutoff for the free at Olympics was tragic) and they ended up returning to their tried and tested short from last season for their post-Olympics redemption in Milan. It’s a cute and fun program and they skated it best here.

17. Vanessa James/Morgan Cipres’ FS, The Sound of Silence, 2018 World Championships

After a strong start to the season led to a lackluster 4th place finish at Europeans, James/Cipres scrapped their initial free program to return to a program they were much more comfortable with, a strategic move that paid off when they rebounded at the Olympics and at Worlds with season’s bests and a shiny Worlds medal :) While it is not a technically perfect performance (see their 2017 World Team Trophy for a clean skate), there’s a lot of power and passion in it.

16. Carolina Kostner’s SP, Ne me quitte pas, 2018 World Championships

Simply divine! I have nothing else to add except that this was a breathtakingly exquisite performance, and I’m glad Carolina was able to perform this program to perfection in front of her home crowd.

15. Maia Shibutani/Alex Shibutani’s FD, Paradise, 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics

I admit I wasn’t immediately sold on the Shibutanis’ final program to their self-proclaimed “Trilogy”. “Fix You” was an amazing program, the best program of their career so far, and as with all sequels, it was tough to imagine “Paradise” could be better. But somehow things started to pull together once they made a few tweaks midway through the season and they pulled off a magical performance in Pyeongchang. Technically brilliant but also brimming with emotion, a performance absolutely worthy of Olympic bronze.

14. Elizabet Tursynbaeva’s FS, The Prayer, 2017 Internationaux de France

I fell in love with Elizabet last season (particularly her free skate to “Princess Mononoke”) and was very excited to see what programs should would do next. And she did not disappoint. Besides having the only acceptable Carmen this season, I also loved her free skate to Celine Dion’s “The Prayer”- it’s light and lyrical, a good fit for her. She still rushes through the choreography and some of her spins look really weird to me but she has made enormous strides in her presentation despite being hampered with a serious hip injury midway through the season. She’s lovely to watch, so floaty and quick over the ice.

13. Adam Rippon’s FS, Birds, 2017 NHK Trophy

What can I say? I loved this program last season and seeing it again this season was even more spectacular. The attentiveness to the music, the choreographic touches with bird movements, the meditative atmosphere. It’s just a very beautiful program. Adam has such a vibrant personality that obviously shines in his more “showy” programs, but I think I enjoy seeing his softer, lyrical programs best.

12. Wenjing Sui/Cong Han’s FS, Turandot, 2017 NHK Trophy

As a fairly new fan, I don’t have the same level of distaste for warhorses as veteran fans do (I imagine this will change once I have more years of figure skating watching under my belt). It’s not as poignant or as memorable as “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” from last season, but I admit I still very much enjoyed this skate, if only because Sui/Han were the ones skating it. Did I wish they had picked something a little more interesting? Yes, but they’re Sui/Han. They can make anything look good.

11. Kana Muramoto/Chris Reed’s FD, The Last Emperor/Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, 2018 World Championships

Kana is the best thing that has ever happened to Japanese ice dance (Chris, you’re cool too.) I’m so weak for this genre of music and ever since I discovered a certain tiny queen skated to Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, I’ve been waiting to hear it again. I’m a sucker for nature imagery and you really get the sensation of the passage of time and the movement of the seasons. Watching this is like taking a breath of spring air.

10. Boyang Jin’s SP, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, 2018 Four Continents Championships

Meh movie, great music. My favorite Boyang program to date, it was really exciting to see him attempt something more serious, a heftier program that would expand the emotional range of his skating. His short program was brilliant at Olympics, but I enjoyed Four Continents a little more because it was such a comeback after an injury-filled first half of the season. Out of the new generation of rising quadsters, he’s made the most improvement and I have no doubt he’ll continue to grow over the next quad. Onwards and upwards, Boyang!

9. Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue’s FD, Across the Sky/Caught Out in the Rain, 2018 US National Championships

My favorite free dance of the season! You can always count on Hubbell/Donohue to do something a little offbeat. Blues is a bit of an unusual choice of music for a free dance (which tend to be either lyrical or warhorsey drama) but it fits them like a glove. After building some good momentum earlier this season, a few fatal errors in the free including an invalidated choreographic sequence left them trailing in 4th, just shy of the podium at the Olympics. They rebounded to claim their first Worlds medal a month later, which was a special moment to witness but I felt their Nationals performance was the most passionately skated.

8. Tatsuki Machida’s EX, Swan Lake: Siegfried and His Destiny, 2017 Carnival on Ice

Go big or go home. The time and technical requirements of amateur competition are clearly too restrictive for Tatsuki’s genius :) Why cram the greatest hits of Swan Lake into a paltry two-minute program when you can really do it justice by skating to it for almost eight minutes instead? Tatsuki spares no expense for his epic-length programs. Every moment is meticulously thought out and is as extra af. We’re treated to almost a minute of dramatic music and a skater-less spotlight before Tatsuki appears. The star of Swan Lake is typically the swan (or the black swan) but no, that’s too conventional; let’s make Siegfried the guy everyone’s talking about instead. Drama hands! Floofy hair action! Seven straight seconds of twizzles in time with the tempo change! Dramatique feather posing because why not. Did that twenty seconds of absolute silence between movements make you uncomfortable? Good, because it’s all eyes on me! Skating so gorgeous you wouldn’t even notice there are only two jumps (both amazingly timed to the music), this is a visual and aural feast for the eyes. It’s a Swan Lake to outclass all other Swan Lakes that have been, that are, and that will be.

7. Akiko Suzuki’s EX, O, 2018 The Legends

[inserts crying emoji] A regret I have is not becoming a fan when Akiko was still skating competitively. I love this program soso much and seeing it brought back again was a real treat. The choreographic sequence still sends shivers down my spine <333

6. Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir’s FD, Moulin Rouge, 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics

Scintillating. Flawless. The pinnacle of ice dance. It’s the kind of performance that just sears into your mind for a long, long time. Though they didn’t get perfect marks here, it’s as perfect a skate you’ll find.

5. Wakaba Higuchi’s FS, Skyfall, 2018 World Championships

Such a cool and sleek program. I like the blue dress more than this one but this was easily the free skate of the ladies in Milan for me. A passionate and powerful skate, it was really nice to see Wakaba come back strong after a disappointing Nationals finish and hit it at Worlds. Reigning World Silver Medalist! (now please give her the PCS she deserves)

4. Aliona Savchenko/Bruno Massot’s FS, La terre vue du ciel, 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics

Wow. Just wow. I went in as a Sui/Han fan but wow, this free skate is gorgeous and sweeps me away every time I watch it. And they performed it to perfection at GPF, Olympics, and Worlds. The choreography is amazing and unique, and apparently full of little touches to previous programs (like the star catching moment from “The Lighthouse”, their free program last season). Dominant, majestic, and absolutely exhilarating to watch. I can watch this again and again and never tire of it.

3. Satoko Miyahara’s FS, Madame Butterfly, 2017-18 Japanese National Championships

While her short program is more loved (as it should be, it is an amazing work of art, Lori really outdid herself, you should go watch it ^^), I think I enjoyed her free skate more simply because it’s given her so many Moments this season. Coming back from a slew of injuries, including a serious hip injury from last season, it was highly questionable if she would even be able to make it to the Olympics at all. But Satoko silenced all doubters again and again, at Skate America and then at Japanese Nationals, where she gave the free skate of her career with an emotive and stunning performance that carried her to her Olympic dream on butterfly wings ^^. Triumphant, mesmeric, spectacular-it is a Madame Butterfly that rewrites the tragic ending into one of hope, a story that is entirely Satoko’s.

2. Javier Fernandez’s FS, Man of La Mancha, 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics

(password to video link: man of la mancha)

A skater from a small federation, from a country where figure skating barely exists, Javier has written history again and again. And what a journey it has been! From finishing 35th at his first Worlds appearance in 2007, Javier would go on to qualify for his first Olympics in Vancouver and become the first Spanish skater to win Europeans, to win Worlds, and ultimately, to win an Olympic medal. It feels appropriate that “Man of La Mancha”, an unapologetically Spanish program that perfectly captures the essence of Javier’s career--”to dream the impossible dream”--is to be the program to stake his Olympic dream on, And his Olympic dream truly seemed almost impossible in the months leading up to Pyeongchang. An uncharacteristically disastrous free at the Cup of China disqualified him from making the Grand Prix Final for the first time since 2013. And while his Chaplin short clicked for him (also excellent, highly recommended), he struggled with the free all season long. Unabashedly romantic, with just the right amount of earnest cheese (the best kind) and aged whimsy, “Man of La Mancha” is my favorite Javier free skate and I’m so glad he was able to skate it to its fullest potential at the competition that mattered most.

1. Yuzuru Hanyu’s FS, Seimei, 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics

What makes a skate great? Legendary? Memorable? It’s easy to jump to the pristine “Seimei” in Barcelona, the ethereal cleanliness of “Hope & Legacy” in Helsinki, or even the world-record breaking (again) “Ballade No.1″ in Montreal. While all of these skates are indeed great, legendary, and certainly memorable, I find my thoughts turning instead to a young seventeen-year-old Romeo in Nice, unleashing his battle cry after a dramatic fall as he fought through a sprained ankle to win his first Worlds medal. Clean performances are definitely great, but great skates don’t need to be clean. At the end of the day, what makes a skate great is in the struggles overcome, hardships endured, fears mastered, doubts silenced; in spite of it all, to manage to find joy and fulfillment in not only what you have accomplished but also in the thorny path that has led you there. It’s not as perfect as Barcelona, but the Seimei in Pyeongchang offers a different kind of magnificence, a triumph in more ways than one.

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mariajustinteriordesigns · 3 years

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littlemisssquiggles · 7 years

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RWBY Musings #17: I’m calling it now. Somebody’s ass is gonna get taken prisoner in Chapter 11. I also think the last remaining episodes of Volume 5 will be more Oscar-centric because...did anyone else notice that Oscar’s fears were never resolved?

In light of the recent hints that have popped up about tomorrow’s episode, just based on the title and teaser images alone, it seems like we might be getting that Oscar (and Ozpin) focused episode or episodes that I’ve been hollering about for the past couple of weeks.

While I’m unsure if the episode will jump straight into the gang meeting with Lionheart or, if it’ll just be a thing where Team RNJ and RWY stay behind at the main home while Qrow and Oscar/Ozpin see Leo, all in all, BOY AM I FREAKING HYPED!

Do you know what would be fantastic? If Qrow and Ozpin make up a plan to see Lionheart by themselves without bringing the other children.

Since they’re already suspicious of Leo and his actions and probably anticipate it to be a trap anyways, they’d probably not want to bring the children along in case of trouble. While I couldn’t squeeze much from the CRWBY Chapter 11 teaser shots, what I did interpret is Lionheart and Oscar/Ozpin being alone somewhere while Qrow is somewhere else meaning it’ll just be those two (well three) and Lionheart and Salem and her forces...plus Raven, the Branwen Tribe and the Spring Maiden.

A lot a people but hey, the More, the Merrier, am I right? *badumpsst* Plus, honestly at this point, I would not be surprised if Ozpin and Qrow do pull this kind of ‘lying to protect you’ sort of stunt again and make up some bogus excuse to leave the children behind in order to see Lionheart alone.

Like maybe something about going ahead to check in on things with Lionheart first and reintroducing him to his old friend Ozpin in his new body before ‘making their full departure to go find Spring at Raven’s camp’.

Sure, it will mean Ozpin breaking his promise to Yang about no half truths or lies but...I do see this being a possibility. And oddly enough, it’s a one that I actually want.

Plus it would also be interesting if they tossed in a minor conversation between Ruby and Oscar before departing to see Lionheart where the young farm boy attempts to hint to the silver-eyed girl about what Qrow and Ozpin were really up to but his other half prevents him or at least persuades him from doing so using the incentive that if he honestly cared about Ruby and her safety, he wouldn’t tell her the truth.

I know I’m most likely gearing myself up for much disappointment in that department but, it would be nice to see. Just saying. Anyways, now that I’ve talked about that, let’s get into the real meat of my post.

Oscar and the fears that the series has been so polite to gloss over up until now.

In rewatching Volume 5 Chapter 5 for the bazillionth time, one thing I’ve also acknowledged is that the show has yet to fully address Oscar’s fear.

I mean they’ve revealed the fact that he is scared out of his mind about everything that happened to him since Volume 4 and is going to happen to him in the future moving forward as Ozpin’s incarnate (which is justifiable since Oz’s role in the protection of Remnant is a huge shoe for Oscar to fill) but beyond that, the series has yet to resolve it.

As a matter of fact, the moment Oscar brought it up, the series had Ruby try to deter him from thinking too much about it by telling him to press on. A pretty dick move on Rubes’ part now that I think about it.

But yes, Oscar’s fears are still there. He has yet to overcome them. I know I theorized that Oscar did that on purpose to get Ruby to open up about her true feelings. However, it doesn’t excuse the fact he brought up his own fears and insecurities in the matter.

And while Ruby’s pain and qualms were tackled with her own motives for stopping Salem and her forces being reaffirmed, Oscar’s weren’t. As far as I understand, Oscar is still very much afraid of what is to come of his fate in all this mess.

As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t be too surprised if he was more scared than he was in Chapter 5 but has been bottling it up inside or keeping quiet mostly in order to keep up appearances, I guess. Now that I think about it, the lack of him being present in these last couple of episodes kind of confirms it.

I know folks are getting hyped for Leo and Oscar/Ozpin fighting, however, what matters to yours truly is not the battle but more so the outcome of it. A part of me would like to believe that the battle could either end in Lionheart being totally defeated by Ozpin/Oscar (and having to be saved by Salem’s forces) or...Oscar himself being captured by Lionheart.

Or maybe Qrow gets captured while Oscar and Ozpin escape forcing them to leave him behind and...solemnly inform Ruby and everyone else about the truth of what happened while facing their looks of betrayal and resentment along with Yang’s wrath and distrust after breaking his promise to her.

Toss in a RoseGarden moment where Ruby is the one to come to both Oscar and Ozpin’s defense after everyone else loses their trust in them both and I’d be one of the happiest RWBY fangirls in the world.

Yoo imagine if Cinder uses Qrow as leverage to lure out Ruby, implying that she wouldn’t kill him unless Ruby surrenders herself over to her. Brah! Imagine how chillingly suspenseful and awesome that would be.

Or maybe EVERYONE gets their assess captured by Cinder and her group and Oscar/Ozpin both still have to be held accountable for everyone’s imprisonment.

I don’t want to believe that the fight between Leo and Oz is the big highlight of the upcoming Chapter 11. If that’s the case then thanks for the lovely spoiler there CRWBY!

After all, this is something that the series has been building up since the first chapter of this volume.

We knew that Lionheart betrayed Ozpin and sided with Salem (heck we’ve known that since the end of Volume 4). We know that Lionheart luring Ozpin/Oscar, Qrow, Team RWY and Team JNR to Haven was going to be a trap. We knew that Lionheart was going to have to fess up to Ozpin and meet his newly reformed self at some point especially in this volume. WE KNEW ALL OF THIS ALREADY!

So I’m hoping that these last remaining episodes will highlight Oscar coming to terms with his fears of fighting in the war. I’m hoping that it’s not something where once again, Ozpin is mostly at the helm while Oscar takes a back seat. FREAKING NO!

If the series has Ozpin in full control of Oscar all the time then the CRWBY writers are pretty much contradicting the fact that they mentioned back in Chapter 3 that Ozpin can only be granted temporary control of Oscar’s body. While we don’t exactly know how long Ozpin can hold control over Oscar’s form; that still doesn’t exclude the notion that it is short-term.

This means, whether he likes it or not, whether he wants to or not, whether he’s ready for it or not; Oscar will have to be the one to fight on his own at some point starting in this volume. He has no choice in the matter.

He has to learn to depend on his own strength at some point and...I’m really hoping that these last remaining chapters address that. Like I can actually see Ozpin being the one to fight Lionheart in Chapter 11. The two headmasters and former friends then duke it out and at first, it may seem that Ozpin, being the veteran warrior has the upper hand but he ends up losing due to his control over Oscar’s form running out.

Like imagine Oscar succumbing to his fears and being too frightened to fight Lionheart, forcing Ozpin no choice but to step in to protect them both.

The other big thing I can see from this episode is Oscar/Ozpin getting captured by the enemy. Since Ozpin is the one that helped build the school and essentially designed the obstacles crafted to safeguard the Relic of Knowledge, I wouldn’t be surprised if the enemies keep him around in order to help with maneuverablilty.

Sure the series has made a big deal about needing the Maidens or at least their power in order to open the chamber containing the Relics. However from what we also know, Ozpin didn’t exactly make it easy for neither the relics or their respective chambers to be accessed either. It’d be interesting if there are several cleverly designed tests set up before anyone can snatch the relic.

And what would be even more awesome if the traps were crafted based specifically on the Relic they were guarding. Like since it’s the Relic of Knowledge, the traps in question were ones where pursuers will have to use their intellect to get out. Like a bunch of clever riddles and puzzles.

I seriously hope it’s not just hack and slash and BOOM! There’s the relic in the middle of the room. While a part of me wanted them to save the big Battle for Haven til next season; since they look like they’re gonna do it this volume, I seriously hope they Indiana Jones the shit out of acquiring the Relic of Knowledge.

Additionally, it’d be interesting if both Ozpin and Lionheart collaborated on inventing the traps to guard the Relic of Knowledge.

Remember how in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (or Sorcerer’s Stone for some), the Teachers of Hogwarts designed traps in order to guard the artifact while it was being kept within the school.

If I remember correct, it was Professor Sprout who provided the Devil Snare, Professor Flitwick and Madam Hooch I think for the part with the enchanted flying keys, can’t remember who designed the wizard chessboard but I do remember it being Snape who made the trap with the Potions. It’d been years since I read the book so my memories of these details are fuzzy.

But my point is the collaboration with the traps. So imagine if Lionheart designed a few of the traps and knows how to get around his obstacles but has no knowledge of what Ozpin concocted or how to maneuver around them.

Hence keeping him alive in order to get through it.

But for all we know, it could be a thing where the headmasters designed the respective traps for the relics so Ozpin has no part in knowing what Lionheart made for his even if he did help build the school.

However this is only if Oscar/Ozpin are the ones captured by the enemy. Like I said, anyone can be taken prisoner at the conclusion of Chapter 11.

It could be Oscar/Ozpin, Qrow or even everybody. It’s really hard to tell at this point. But for me, my money is more on Qrow getting taken captive cause I more favour the scenario where if Qrow is captured, Ozpin will have to deal with the guilt of letting his friend be taken by the enemy.

Not to mention the emotional weight it’ll have on Oscar cause he unintentionally got roped into it and will be held accountable even if it wasn’t his decision to make in the first place. Not to mention how seeing the remainder of the group’s reactions of anger and mistrust after discovering that Qrow got imprisoned because of Ozpin/Oscar based on another lie and a broken promise.

To me I like that idea more because it has more weight to it but...at the moment it’s just another theory. Just another musing. Once more I’m not the one writing RWBY so I have no idea what Kerry and Miles have in store for us tomorrow. But if anything, I’m sure it’s something that’s not gonna disappoint.

REALLY looking forward to seeing more Oscar/Ozpin in tomorrow’s episode. Especially in the part where they dual against Lionheart. I’ve been curious about Leo’s fighting style and weapon since his introduction. And YOU KNOW if Oz-car fights, we’ll get to see exactly what kind of tricks his special cane weapon can do. Maybe we’ll get to see it transform into something; like a mighty long sword comprised purely of magic or something more creative and awesome than Velvet Scarletina’s weapon reveal.

Maybe we’ll even get a new song in tomorrow’s episode! An Oscar/Ozpin battle theme song. It just dawned on me, that besides the new intro, we haven’t gotten any new songs for this season. Like for real, not one. When Qrow faced off against Tyrian in Volume 4 that was our first taste of ‘Bad Luck Charm’ which is his character theme. So Oscar/Ozpin are finally gonna fight, right? And it’s supposed to be big and epic, right? If we don’t get a battle theme for Oscar then maybe we’ll get one for Ozpin. Or maybe it’ll be a cool theme where the context of the song speaks about both sides of the mental coin.

At this point, it’s anyone’s game but words, words are not enough to express my overexcitement over tomorrow’s episode. Chapter 11, I cannot wait to feast my eyes on you.

~LittleMissSquiggles (2017)

#rwby #rwby musings #rwby volume 5 #oscar pine #ozpin and oscar #oscar and qrow #ozpin and qrow #rwby volume 5 predicitions #rwby volume 5 episode 11

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allenmendezsr · 4 years

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Weight Loss Myth #3 – Why eating less doesn’t always mean you’ll end up weighing less.

Weight Loss Myth #4 – How doing exercises for your tummy won’t help you to get six pack abs or even a flatter waistline.

Weight Loss Myth #5 – One of the biggest exercise myths around, that’s certain to leave you frustrated at your lack of progress.

Once you know these FACTS and a bunch of other NEW techniques I’ll tell you about, you’ll have the power to burn fat at will.

Just imagine being able to get in to tip top shape in just 4 weeks time. Being able to look your best for…

Your next holiday

A works night out

An anniversary or celebration

Your Birthday

Do you ever stand in front of a mirror when you’re getting dressed or sometimes catch your reflection in a window and think to yourself ‘oh no, I look awful’

If you do or you just have a mild dislike for the way you look, don’t worry, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

In fact it amazes me how many people really hate the way their body looks.

But just imagine for a moment if that was different. Imagine looking in the mirror and actually liking what you see. Imagine smiling to yourself when you turn to the side and you look just as good as you did from the front.

Don’t you think that would be an amazing feeling… wouldn’t you like that to be you?

Of course you would, who wouldn’t!

What about shopping, how great would it be to buy the clothes you liked. Fitted, shapely clothes that look good on you, instead of buying something to hide your worst bits or anything to ‘do the job.’

However you feel at the moment, YOU DO HAVE THE POWER to change the way you look and feel, but you’re probably going to have to make some changes.

But don’t worry, I’m going to explain it all to you here in plain, easy to understand English so you finally understand the facts as they stand today. Then you’ll be able to plan a way forwards and start taking control of your body again.

“I am 58 years old and over the years have tried various diets. Whilst having a modicum of success in the short term, weight has always returned.

I then discovered Jago Holmes who has led me down the path of successful weight loss. Unlike a rigid diet, Jago’s plans have taught me that diet is not enough alone and should be balanced with exercise.

I have followed the diet plan in conjunction with the exercises suggested by Jago to not only lose weight but, to maintain that loss.

Following Jago’s theory has not only helped me achieve the weight loss, but has encouraged me to think about my day to day lifestyle using stairs instead of lifts, walk to the shop for a newspaper rather than taking the car. I haven’t followed the diet religiously either, but have snack a jacks for elevenses instead of chocolate biscuits.

I certainly feel better in myself and have reaped the benefits of following Jago’s simple diet suggestions and easy to follow exercise techniques.”

Martin, UK

Unfortunately, we don’t get much of our information from reliable, impartial sources.

All too often, the way we approach dieting and losing weight is through advice and information that we’ve been told works by companies that are actually selling diet products to us.

Many of the myths around today were created by these companies.

So once and for all, I’d like to tell you the truth about why you haven’t managed to find a workable solution to rapid weight loss and to do this, I’m going to explain the facts about 5 of the biggest weight loss myths there are out there…

Weight Loss Myth #1 – Diet Foods Help You Lose Weight

This one is a real killer. Again it’s a triumph of marketing and hype over truth. Let me give you a couple of examples.

Just because a chocolate dessert or a packet of biscuits is classed as low fat, it doesn’t mean it’s actually any good for you. Yes it probably is lower in fat than its regular alternative, but it’s also full of other ingredients that are actually much worse than the fat that was in it.

Makers of these products, emphasise the lack of fat in their products but hide the fact that to make them taste better, they’ve had to replace the fat with sugars. They’ll do it cleverly, by breaking the sugars down in to various forms… sucrose, fructose, glucose syrup. Glycerine etc, the list goes on.

But the problem with sugar is that every time you eat something that has sugars in it, the body has to produce a hormone called Insulin. Insulin’s job is to remove the sugar from the blood and take it to the cells. Unfortunately when insulin is produced, it doesn’t always remove the exact right amount of sugar from the blood.

It creates a low in blood sugar levels, which then sends a signal to your brain to eat more in order to normalise blood sugar levels again.

Another problem is that we’ve been conditioned to believe that ‘diet’ foods actually help us to lose weight. You’ll have seen it yourself when someone orders a big Mac and fries, but insists on getting a diet Cola to go with it!

Most diet foods are created by huge multi-million dollar companies that want your money. They play around with and process your foods adding all kinds of rubbish just to make it appealing for you to buy, because you think it’s going to help you to lose weight.

Processed foods will never help you to lose weight, there’s too much junk inside for your body to cope with, so stay away from them as much as possible.

Weight Loss Myth #2 – Eat Just 3 Square Meals a Day

This time it’s probably your parents fault and their parents before them… You see there are a few reasons why eating at certain times throughout the day just isn’t right.

Firstly you aren’t necessarily hungry at the times that you have to eat. This means that you may be eating for the sake of it and getting more calories than you need each day.

Secondly if you can only eat at certain times throughout the day, because of your work pattern for example, then you may go for hours without being able to eat anything and this slows down your metabolic rate and encourages your body to store fat.

One of the biggest problems with eating in the traditional way is that your metabolic rate slows right down. You’ll burn calories at a snails pace because there are too long gaps between meals.

Eating smaller amounts regularly throughout the day does two things…

1. It keeps the metabolism revving away and

2. It stops the body from storing as many of the calories you are eating. Over a period of time, your body gets used to the regular supply of calories and realises that it doesn’t need to store as many of them as there isn’t likely to be times when it won’t get food.

Finally, it’s likely that you’re overeating if you depend on eating 3 set meals a day as the gaps between them will lead to hunger pangs and cravings. When you start getting these messages from the brain, you’ll usually eat more than you need to do.

Weight Loss Myth #3 – Reducing the Calories You Eat Makes You Lose Weight and the Fewer Calories You Eat Then the More Weight You’ll Lose

Sounds logical doesn’t it, and up to a point this is actually true BUT if this was completely right then surely the more you reduced the calories you were eating, then the faster you’d lose weight.

But this just doesn’t happen, you’ll know it yourself if you’ve ever tried restricting the amount of food you eat so low. The weight comes off pretty fast to begin with but after a few days, you can’t seem to lose any more, you quickly reach a plateau.

Here’s the real kicker, doing this means you’re actually making things worse for yourself and compounding the problem.

The reason is that your body gets thrown in to what it perceives as starvation and goes in to survival mode. When you’re in survival mode, your body just won’t release fat to burn. It can’t, in fact it does the complete opposite and actually holds on to it, by producing a hormone called Leptin.

But that’s not all, some of the other downsides you’ll notice are…

A slowdown in your metabolic rate. This is the speed at which you burn calories. You see when food intake is strictly limited, your body will always try to protect itself by holding on to its energy stores… your body fat!

Increased cravings. Your body knows it needs calories to survive and as a response your fat cells produce a hormone called Leptin which increases your cravings for guess what? You’ve guessed it… calories. Usually in the form of high sugar or high fat foods, because it’s these types of foods that will give you the biggest surge in quick fix calories.

An increase in the amount of fat you store. If your body isn’t sure when it’s next going to be fed don’t you think it’s natural to store as many calories as possible to keep your body working normally.

Think of yourself like a camel, it’s hump is almost totally pure fat to help it survive the lean times, it’s there to provide a reserve source of energy… well our bodies can be a bit like this too if we cut down on calories too much for too long, only your hump won’t be at the back!

Weight Loss Myth #4 – Think You’ll Get a Flat Stomach By Doing Sit Ups, Crunches or Some Other SECRET Exercise That No Ones Been Telling You About?

Think again, it just doesn’t work that way.

Crunches, sit ups and other tummy toning exercises are great to do, but the benefits they give you have nothing to do with getting a chiselled torso. So why does everyone think that they do?

Simple, you’ve been lied to again. Infomercials and the media, manipulate our understanding of exactly what certain exercises can really do for you.

Let me explain it this way…

Imagine that you have a fine porcelain vase, but it’s been covered in bubble wrap and brown paper. Covered this way means that you’ll never see the real beauty of the vase because it’s been hidden underneath a thick ugly layer of padding.

That’s how it is with your own tummy muscles.

You’ll never see them or flatten your tummy by doing these types of exercises alone. In fact done to extreme, they may actually lead to an increase in the size of your tummy, because the muscles can slightly increase in size, pushing the fat underneath out still further.

I’m not saying don’t do exercises for your stomach and lower back, because they help to improve posture and overall strength, just don’t expect to have a really flat stomach after religiously doing them for weeks… you’ll only be disappointed.

Weight Loss Myth #5 – Hours of Cardio Burns the Most Fat

This makes me really laugh, especially when I see ‘supposed experts’ advising you to exercise at a particular heart beat level called the weight loss zone.

The theory here is that at a certain level of effort, your body will burn more fat than carbohydrates as it’s main fuel source, but it’s only a slight difference and to get the same benefit you’d need to keep going for much longer.

Do you know how many calories you’d have to burn to lose just 1 pound of fat? Wait for it…

3500 calories!

Yes that’s right, you’d need to burn off 3500 calories in order to lose just 1 pound of fat.

OK, so how many calories can you expect to burn throughout the course of a typical gym workout for one hour, if you really push yourself?

Well it would depend on what exercises you were doing and how hard you worked, but for a typical average cardio workout, you could expect to burn around 600 calories in an hour.

Now I’m not a mathematician, but that means that to burn off 1 pound of body fat, you’d need to do at least 5 or 6 good hour long cardio workouts a week. Yeah right!… Who has that amount of time and level of commitment to do this each week?

Not me, and I actually enjoy working out.

The secret isn’t in doing endless workouts, wearing yourself out and grinding yourself down, its about gently increasing the amount of activity in your life.

Ok, so these are all the things that you shouldn’t do, now let me tell you honestly about the things you do need to do in order to lose weight fast AND keep it off.

I’ll also tell you all about a proven system that you can get hold of in less than a minute from now, so you can get started straight away the right way to lose weight fast AND keep it off.

But Before I Go Any Further, Who am I and Why Should You Listen to Me?

Please let me quickly introduce myself.

My Name is Jago Holmes CPT and I’m a personal trainer working in the UK, with over 10 years experience working with people just like you.

I’m not a celebrity trainer who touts the latest off the wall diet to shed a few pounds, you know the types of diets I mean…

…’The Cabbage soup diet,’

…’The grapefruit diet,’

…’The Maple Syrup diet,

… This weird and wacky detox or that, the list goes on…

No I’ve been successful working with everyday people who have REAL lives, real budgets and don’t have the luxury of having their meals prepared for them, they have to go shopping to buy their own food like you and me.

And over the 10 years I’ve been doing this job, I’ve personally helped hundreds, if not thousands of clients to lose weight fast.

Here’s a Brief Selection of Some of My Clients and Their Success Stories

I understand the problems that everyday men and women face… but more importantly from your point of view, I know how to fix these problems.

But before I go in to that I want to explain to you some quite startling facts about why you’ve probably never managed to lose weight before and keep it off.

And then I’ll show you how by putting all the right pieces together at the same time, you can lose incredible amounts of weight in a remarkably short amount of time.

The Truth is For Any Diet Or Weight Loss Plan to Be Effective For Both Quick AND Long Term Weight Loss, it MUST Contain These 4 Vital Elements: –

Firstly it needs to be based around a ‘proven’ eating plan that works, one that helps you to feel full but also uses the latest advances in dieting research to boost fat loss, without causing side effects like yo-yo dieting or thyroid problems.

Secondly, it needs to address activity. Yes, I said activity, NOT exercise. The truth is that you don’t have to kill yourself to burn calories. Low intensity activities that fit in to your daily lifestyle are the new way forward and no, you don’t have to don your Lycra shorts and sweatband to become a fitness fanatic in order to succeed!

Thirdly, it should make use of a few select products that are sold by the supplement industry. Yes there are some that are worth your money. There is more junk on sale than effective products out there, but the truth is when you cut through the hype, there are some supplements that really should be included in an effective diet and weight loss plan.

Finally, it absolutely has to control and recondition the power of the mind to stop cravings, create inner strength and boost motivation levels. Because it’s in the mind that even the best diets can become overnight failures if the right programming hasn’t been put in place. Without fixing this part of the problem, the whole thing falls flat on its face.

So with a diet that contains all of these elements, I guess you would really describe it as more of a weight loss system, but I prefer to use the word ‘diet’.

In a nutshell, this is what any good diet system should contain. Each one of these elements is powerful in their own right, but put them together at the same time and you’ve created rocket fuelled weight loss.

This is Why ‘Traditional Dieting’ is Dead.

Sure a good one will give you some weight loss over a few months if you can stick it out that long, but if you want a system where the fat just seems to literally melt away, day after day then this is the solution for you.

Up until now, nobody has bothered to put everything together in one place. All this information is out there and once you sift through the misinformed ramblings and outright lies, you could probably get lucky and find a workable solution for you.

But do you really want to keep trying and testing every new diet there is, desperately searching for the right solution for you?

Wouldn’t you rather just follow a ‘proven’ weight loss system that’s been designed by someone who works day in and day out with clients that want to lose weight?

Up until now, getting it right has been very hard and confusing to follow, which means most people only get average or poor results.

But Now I’ve Done It… I’ve Put Together a Complete 4 Week Diet and Weight Loss System For You…

I wanted to use all of the research, testing and trial and error, I’ve done with my own one to one clients over the last 10 years to put together a complete package which includes everything you need to get dramatic weight loss in just 4 weeks.

I’ve tested every part of this diet plan on my own clients, many times. They’ve been the Guinea pigs that have tested and improved this system that you can now have access to today, immediately in fact, if you want it.

All the dieting tips, tricks and techniques I’ve tested, tweaked and perfected are all here in one place in the ‘4 Week diet’

THIS IS A DIET THAT ACTUALLY WORKS EVERY TIME!

“The exercise plan is a really good guide if you’re not a fan of the gym, it gives you loads of different ideas for exercises to do at home, and outdoor training options.

There’s even some suggestions about exercises you can do while you’re sat at work to tone your stomach!

If you have a busy life and need some advice on how to fit exercise into your diary, this is the guide for you. The diet plan is a great plan to help you get a healthy diet and keep it. The menus are easy to follow and you don’t have to be a great cook to make them. It also contains a whole lot of knowledge about food to help you pinpoint where the empty calories are and avoid them.

A really good guide if you want to take control of your diet. If you take this plan on board it’ll last a lot longer than 4 weeks.”

Sue, Halifax

So Please Let Me Tell You All About My New 4 Week Diet…

To fully cover everything that you need to know to be able to lose weight at the fastest possible rate in just 4 weeks from now, for a party, special event, wedding or any celebration I have written it all in to 3 easy to follow, clearly written manuals…

Firstly there’s the Theory manual. This is vital to the whole diet. In it you’ll discover exactly how my system works. I explain the theory behind my weight loss tricks, so you know exactly what it is you’re trying to achieve and exactly how to do it.

Inside you’ll discover…

A range of preparations you need to make before you start any diet, that virtually guarantee your success and without doing these things, you’re almost sabotaging your chances of having the body of your dreams (page 11)

How to set specific goals geared towards YOU that motivate and inspire you to succeed (page 12)

Why doing this one thing every day takes you from ‘dreamer’ to ‘doer’. At last you’ll have the drive to go on to take real control of your weight. (page 16)

3 Things that you can do, which done together really fire up your body’s ability to burn fat fast. (pages 20 – 24)

A range of little known mind programming techniques that you can use to conquer cravings and comfort eating once and for all. Once you master these techniques, you’ll never be at the mercy of your emotions again! (page 26)

The ideal foods to eat and the ones you need to stay away from.

A great, tasty and quick range of snacks that you can eat all day long that will help you to burn calories, not store them (page 54)

How to read the lies manufacturers ‘legally’ print on their labelling so you understand which foods to avoid at all costs. (page 55)

Some really great tips to help you when you eat out so that you’ll still have a good time without suffering the consequences of extra weight gain.(page 57)

Everything you need to know about supplements. The truth about which ones do have an effect on your weight loss whilst others are simply a waste of your money. (page 58)

Next, There’s ‘The Diet’, Which Covers All the Meals and Foods You’ll Eat Over the Next 4 weeks.

This manual contains simple menus, shopping lists and quick snack choices in a day by day format, to ensure that you’re feeding your body the right types and amounts of foods essential for losing weight fast.

You’ll also discover…

An easier way to eat a healthy diet by choosing foods that fill you up for longer, without the addition of extra calories that also saves you time and money!

How much you should be eating and when to eat it and also the crucial timing of changing the way you eat to boost energy levels and fat loss

A simple but time tested way of eating which guarantees you eat a constant and regular supply of nutrients which stops you craving food at the same time as making you feel fuller.

Some great tricks to make eating healthily whilst following the ‘4 Week Diet’ child’s play that are quick and simple to do even on your busiest days!

A range of quick and healthy food alternatives to your favourites, that give you loads of energy and make you feel fuller for longer.

The #1 biggest mistake nearly everyone makes by NOT getting enough of this important nutrient and why doing this simple thing each day will improve the quality of your hair, your skin and energy levels 100%!

A step by step eating system that includes shopping lists and daily menus, leaving you to eat on auto pilot, no need to worry about what you are going to eat, it has all been planned out for you in fact, it couldn’t be easier!

Last But Not Least, You’ll Also Get ‘The Exercises.’

This Manual Contains the Final Key to Rapid Weight Loss. The Missing Link in Almost Every Diet You’ve Ever Tried.

But this is no ordinary exercise plan. This is one of the easiest activity plans you’ve ever seen. You don’t need to get your Lycra shorts on and join a gym, you don’t have to spend every spare minute exercising and you don’t have to kill yourself by doing a workout that leaves you aching for days.

This activity and exercise plan is different, inside you’ll discover…

A simple but effective way to exercise at home, which takes just a few minutes to do, but that boosts fat loss and leaves you feeling energised all day long (page 9)

An easy and enjoyable way to become more active that you can do anytime (page 22)

Some great tips you can use everyday to help you catapult your weight loss to new highs that are easy to do and fit nicely in to your everyday life (page 20)

A simple but extremely effective walking plan that’ll have you losing weight and loving the feelings of accomplishment you get after each session (page 25)

An easy to follow workout you can do at home, that includes clear photos and descriptions so you know exactly what to do to tone those ‘hard to reach’ places! (pages 27 – 32)

A quick way to tighten and firm your tummy muscles which you can do at home for FREE and in less than 5 minutes a day. (page 33 – 46)

How to fit exercise in to a busy day. So easy to do, you’ll never again struggle to find the time to exercise. You’ll definitely have time to do this. (page 51)

OK Jago, So Why a Diet That Lasts Just 4 Weeks?

Well, that’s a very good question. Remember the last diet you tried, How far did you get?

A few days, a week, 10 days, 2 weeks?

One of the biggest reasons people don’t stick at diets is that there’s no completion date.

Psychologically it’s very difficult to keep doing something that you wouldn’t normally do for an indefinite period. If you know you’ve only got to do something for a short amount of time, it’s much easier to stick to AND you’ll try harder.

Another reason is that I wanted to use a time frame that didn’t just give barely noticeable results, I wanted the ‘wow’ factor and in 4 weeks, you really can achieve outstanding results… believe me, I’ve seen it so many times.

But the real beauty of my NEW improved 4 week diet is…

It won’t take over your life

It’s quick and easy to do

You’ll see fast results and

There are no nasty side effects, except having to buy a whole new set of clothes!

It’s really easy to do and very effective.

If You Follow My NEW 4 Week Diet You’ll…

Lose weight fast, so you and anyone who knows you will start seeing your body shape change before your eyes

Feel more confident about the way you look so you feel comfortable and relaxed around other people

Have tons more energy and get up and go, nothing will feel like an effort, you’ll have the energy levels of a 5 year old.

Discover a system that you can use anytime to drop weight at will

See improvements in the condition of your hair and skin

Have more zest for life, approach life with a positive attitude so you attract more of the good things in life.

Be able to buy the clothes you like, not just the ones that hide your worst bits. Shopping will no longer be a chore, you’ll love trying on new clothes.

We all have a perceived idea about dieting…

It’s got to be hard, a challenge. It’s like you have to deprive yourself, almost like punishing yourself for gaining weight.

If it’s not hard, most people don’t consider it to be a diet, but the truth is that dieting doesn’t have to be like this.

Because There’s a Way to Lose Weight Fast Without Starving Yourself or Taking Tablets or Potions That Are Harmful to Your Health…

…and it all Hinges Around Taking Control of Your Mind.

When you really think about it, it’s your mind that controls everything you do.

Once you manage to control your subconscious mind, you hold the key to not only losing weight fast, but also losing weight and controlling it forever.

And ‘The 4 Week Diet’ helps you to do just this. With the mind tricks and reprogramming techniques you’ll learn inside, you’ll finally be able to win the war of the mind.

Cravings and comfort eating will be a thing of the past.

With the information you’ll learn, you’ll find that you crave foods that actually improve your health and help you to lose weight even when you’re feeling a bit down or tired.

But the best thing is that by eating the right types of foods, you won’t have these kinds of mood swings or feelings of tiredness all the time.

You’ll find that you have so much energy, that you’ll wonder how you ever got through each day when you weren’t following ‘The 4 Week Diet’. Everything will be so much easier.

Here are some more things you’ll discover when you use my 4 Week Diet and weight loss plan…

Exactly how much food you need to eat each day WITHOUT counting calories.

Which carbs are your friends and which ones will sabotage your best weight loss efforts.

How to turn your body in to a fat burning machine that burns off your unwanted fat all day long without you having to be constantly on the go.

How to use some tricks of the mind to create the perfect weight loss mentality, so you won’t cave in to temptation at the first sign of a challenge.

Okay Jago, This Sounds Like Something That I Can Benefit From, But How Much Does the 4 Week Diet Cost?

Losing weight is always going to cost you something…

Whether it’s joining a gym at a cost of $500 – $900.00 a year, hiring your own trainer and paying at least $300.00 a month or signing up for the latest diet scam, where you’ll pay over inflated prices for your shakes or tablets etc.

Or you could start a fitness regime yourself at home and buy yourself a treadmill or cross trainer.

So, let’s just do a quick comparison. The last time I checked, the cost of buying a treadmill would set you back well over $1,000.00. And virtually everyone I know who bought one used it at first but after a few weeks simply used it to hang their clothes over. It was left to gather dust.

Or you could easily pay $75 – $100 bucks per month for a gym membership which you’ll maybe use a few times (that’s over $900.00 per year for that alone!).

Or you could hire a personal trainer like me to work with you. But at a cost of over $75.00 per session, you’d quickly run up a bill of over $300.00 a month, for only four workouts, after that you’d be on your own.

If you think of it this way, you’re actually getting hundreds of dollars worth of top quality expertise and training at your disposal inside this new program, which you get to keep forever…

You can use the techniques time and time again.

But you won’t have to pay anything like this amount or even match my minimum hourly rate of $75.00.

In fact, your total investment for this entire system is just $149.99 $75.99 $37.95.

That’s just a little over a measly dollar a day!

And how many gyms have you been to that give you a 60 day money back guarantee?

(That’s right, I’ll tell you about this in a moment.)

You’ll have everything you need and what’s more you’ll be able to start immediately. Within a few minutes from now if you like…

The best part is my NEW system is fully and unconditionally guaranteed.

100% RISK-FREE Money Back Guarantee

If you aren’t 100% satisfied that ‘The 4 Week Diet’ provides you with absolutely everything you need to know and all the tools you need to lose weight quickly over the next 4 weeks, then you can simply request a full and complete refund in the next 60 days.

I am pleased to be able to offer you a no questions asked, 60 day money back guarantee.

And should you decide that the program isn’t right for you in any way whatsoever, then I would like you to keep all of the special bonuses which I’ve included for you below. These are worth over $119.94 and are yours for free to keep forever when you place your order.

NO QUESTIONS ASKED… no gimmicky rules or requirements.

You don’t even need to write an explanation as to why you don’t want to keep the program or produce evidence that you’ve tried the system out, NOTHING!

Remember, I’m so confident that you’ll be delighted with this program and all of the FREE bonuses worth $119.94 that I absolutely INSIST that you send the program back to me for a full and complete refund if you don’t think it’s the right solution for you!

All you need to do now so you can try out my system completely risk free is place your order now by clicking on the ‘Order Now!’ button below. Follow the simple instructions on screen to download the eBooks through our secure system and you’ll be able to get started in just a few minutes from now.

I promise within days of following my system you’ll be amazed at how quickly the changes will start to happen.

You can relax because you’ve found your solution… this works!

Remember, I’ve used my own experience and extensive research through real life working in the trenches knowledge I have gained with my private 1 to 1 clients over the last 10 years.

I’ve tested this out on them and perfected it before releasing it to you. This is the reason why I‘m so sure it will work for you too and I’m happy to offer such a generous, iron clad, 100% money back guarantee.

“The biggest boost for me is that I now, once again have a regular exercise plan and I am continuing to lose weight and feel better all the time” Debbie

“New Image has been very helpful and has given me lots of encouragement at all times. I am extremely pleased with the results I achieved in my body shape and general fitness”Dawn

“I started the plan with eager anticipation and a determination to succeed, and due to the encouragement and expertise I received along with a lot of hard work , I am delighted to say it has been a resounding success” Barry

Now Even Though You’ll Lose Weight Fast If You Follow My Instructions in ‘The 4 Week Diet,’ I Want to Add Even More Value to This Offer…

I don’t want you to simply be pleased about your purchase, I want you to be absolutely delighted with it!

So I know if you’re anything like me you’ll also find some of these additional FREE bonuses extremely useful: –

BONUS #1 (worth $11.99) – order now and you will also receive this eBook completely FREE – ‘Healthy Smoothies For Rapid Weight Loss’

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These smoothies are low in fat but very high in taste!

BONUS #2 (worth $17.99) – order now and you will receive this superb NEW eBook completelyFREE – ‘Healthy Soups For Healthy Living’

In this great little eBook you’ll find a range of tasty and nutritious soups which are both easy and quick to prepare… exactly what you need when time is short.

The recipes have been chosen for their taste but also for their nutritional value, the majority of the soups are low in fat and high in vitamins and minerals.

Each recipe comes complete with its own nutritional breakdown section.

BONUS #3 (worth $11.99) – order now and you’ll also receive this eBook completely FREE – ‘How To Boost Your Metabolism’

Inside you will learn how absolutely anyone can instantly boost their metabolism by making just 3 SIMPLE changes to their lifestyle.

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prettyfunkyunorganized · 7 years

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OC Interview - Natalia

Character development is always fun you guys. Always! Have some info on Natalia! I love this gal.

FYI, these questions aren’t mine, but the original post was unfortunately deleted. They were from this blog, though.

Other OC Interviews: Mirra, Sonya

1. What’s your name?

Natalia May. May was the last name of my adopted family.

2. How old are you?

Twenty two.

3. How would you describe yourself, as a whole, in ten words?

Shit. Uh . . . Overwatch newbie. Jack’s daughter. Medic. Daydreamer I guess? Workaholic, definitely. Three more. Ummm. Dedicated. Or is that pompous?

Nah, it’s true. You’re good.

Confused, I suppose.

Why do you say that?

Well, because I’m still trying to figure out what I want as a person? *awkward wiggles*

That’s very brave of you to say, and there’s nothing wrong with still trying to figure things out.

Thanks. I guess my last one would be trying. Because I am.

4. What’s your favorite food?

My mom, the one who adopted me, I guess I should say, made the most AMAZING biscuits and sausage gravy. I miss them so much. And her, of course.

5. How do you feel about your job situation?

I’m stoked! Obviously. I – me. Me! I’M in Overwatch! I get to hang out with so many of the people I idolized as a little girl. And I get to work with my dad sometimes! This is literally a dream come true.

6. What’s your most treasured possession?

I don’t know. My parent’s home, I suppose. It’s just waiting there for me to settle down. I don’t know when that will be, but it’s nice to know I have my old home waiting for me, small and cluttered as it may be.

7. What’s your favorite song?

Okay, so this is probably going to sound weird, but you know that SUPER old ‘Big Rock Candy Mountain’ song?

Of course! Well, sorta. I think everyone at least KINDA knows that song. Or knows OF it.

Yeah, my Pops knew EVERY word. Every one. And he sang it ALL. THE. TIME! I used to think it was annoying or embarrassing, but now that he’s gone . . . I’d give anything to hear his off key voice half yelling that tune again.

I understand. I’m sorry for your lost.

Thank you. At least they’re not hurting any longer. And they’ll always be together.

8. If you could meet anyone in the world, from any time, who would it be?

Okay, in all honesty? I’d wanna meet Gabriel Reyes.

Whaaaa?!

Look, all the old Overwatch members are badasses, don’t get me wrong, but Commander Reyes seemed great. My best friend all through school was Latina and she LOVED Reyes. Her whole family did! Revered him as a misunderstood staple of their culture. She was so hype, it was great. I loved hearing her talk about him and all the Overwatch conspiracies about him. Seemed like a really cool, really interesting dude. Plus, there’s all that history with him and my dad. I bet Reyes would have some good stories about him.

He probably does have some good Jack stories.

You mean did.

Uh, yep. Did. *snickers*

Why are you laughing?

No reason . . .

9. What are your most and least favorite things about yourself?

I love that I’m a medic and that I’m good at it! I love helping people heal, I never want to do anything else. Not so fond of the fact that I superimpose all these expectations on myself. I think I’m too hard on myself a lot of times.

You are. Just remember: no one thinks about you and as much as you do.

Is that supposed to be a good thing?

Let me rephrase: No one overanalyzes you as much as you do.

Oh. Oh! That is helpful! Like when I’m thinking about how I was walking around all day with my shirt inside out like a dummy, no one else is still thinking about that.

Exactly.

*brain explosion motions*

10. Can you tell us a little about what you’re wearing right now?

Why?

It’s a thing people care about.

Ugh! *grumbles* Of all the dumb things to care about . . .

Hey! Some people find confidence in self defense classes and nanobots, some find it in clothing and accessories. And that’s okay. You ever dress up as a kid and pretend you were a superhero.

*slightly guilty sounding* Yeah.

Same thing, but in a more grown up way. I feel better in a rocking outfit and mascara. And that’s OKAY!

You’re right, you’re right sorry. Didn’t mean to be judgmental. But I’m not wearing anything all that interesting. Athleisure stuff since I’m off duty. Um, it’s a matching set. I like sets of stuff so I don’t have to figure out outfits. I’m not good at that. At all. My closet is probably pretty boring by your standards.

It’s all good, Talia. I’m cool with whatever fashion makes you feel good if you’re good with me.

11. Are you in a relationship?

Nah. Had a few dates with a gal a little while ago, but it didn’t amount to anything. She was nice and all, but was looking for a traditional lifestyle – date for three years, get engaged, huge wedding, adopt a few kids, live a white-picket life. I just can’t do that yet. Not into it. At least not yet. And not with her. I feel bad saying this, but that vet was too . . . boring. I know, I know! I’m awful! I just want someone a bit more . . . wild. Is that wrong.

Ha! No, Natalia, that’s just fine. I don’t think you’re ready to be a homebody either.

Yeah! I got some more hellraising to do! And I want someone to be my getaway driver!

I think that can be arranged . . .

What?

Nothing!

12. Can you tell us about a certain piece of juicy gossip that’s been going around?

Oh my god! YES! My dad let it slip that Ang dyes her hair! Holy shit, it was SO funny! The three of us were chatting on a conference call and Angela was trying to guilt my dad about something – can’t remember what – and then OH SNAP! 76 says, “Oh, get off my back, Ang. Don’t you have better things to do than gripe at me? Give McCree a tetanus booster? Touch up your grey roots?” ANGELA WAS SO RED! AND SCREAMING! Just spitting angry German at the receiver! Almost fell apart laughing! 76 must have apologized a million times.

@envy-kitty @collinssie

#mine #overwatch #interview #overwatch interview #oc interview #natalia #soldier 76 #mercy #daughter series #characterization

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shark-myths · 7 years

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2017 Writing Reflection

*All answers should be about works published in 2017.

@horsegirlharry tagged me in this! I have been in a brief writing hiatus while I study for my licensing exam (read: I am all the way dead inside) and I miss it so, so much! Looking back over this year made me HYPE to return to the Peterick motherland in 2018.

1. List of works published this year:

Processions

V Day

Be Careful Making Wishes

Small Things

Love’s A Universe

If It Helps You Control Yourself

Fall Out Boy: Live In Tokyo

Like A Chapel In A Hospital

Yes Or No, But No Maybes

Romance Is Dead

Joe Troh Band Ho

Leaves a Mark

The Mad Key

In Every Universe

Saint Anthony

The Difference Between Real Love and the Love On TV

Smash The Mirror, Break The Palm Reader’s Hand

Girl Out Boy

The Opposite of Amnesia

2. Work you are most proud of (and why):

This can’t possibly be a surprise to anyone because it’s all I can talk about, but GIRL OUT BOY. I found so much of myself in that story, far more than I ever expected to. I have never written anything more important or more impactful. Every single person who read it and told me it was important to them too, that they felt something, that it allowed them to understand their young selves differently or more kindly, made me cry. Literally every one of them. It’s the best thing I have ever done.

3. Work you are least proud of (and why):

I don’t know if I’ve ever published anything that I wasn’t proud of? I’m either arrogant or self-assured, idk. There’s stuff that turns cringey or embarrassing with age, of course, but I think everything I’ve put up this year is solid writing and good storytelling. The closest answer I have to this is that it’s really surreal that I posted two AFI fics this year, because it feels like it’s been a literal lifetime since I was in that headspace. I have an awkward-guilty relationship to my works in that fandom now, but I think that they are still good technically, and Small Things was an intensely personal and important piece about my ED experience, so I’m still glad I wrote it and proud of the work I put in.

4. A favorite excerpt of your writing:

My favorite single scene I wrote this year was the horseshoe crab scene in Girl Out Boy. It makes me laugh so hard. I almost copied and pasted the whole thing here before deciding on this:

What’s ‘boyfriend’ but another word for ‘someone who fucks other girls when you’re not looking’? No, Pete doesn’t belong to anybody anymore. Not even herself. Pete leaves grim, surly Andy at the bar, saying nonsensically, “Be our lighthouse. Guide us home” before she drags Pat out onto the cramped, sweaty dance floor.

Jo, of course, is already in the center of it, just as drunk as Pat and spinning like she personally was elected club disco ball. Pete grabs Jo by the hips and dances up on her, laughing when Jo realizes it’s her and starts grinding and booty popping with abandon. They dance til the club seems to spin of its own accord, three girls linked by heat and heartbeat and meant to be. Pete feels like the brightest thing in the room. She tips her head back, shows her throat to the ceiling ‘cause the sky’s all that she’ll submit to, laughs and laughs. If enough people see her having a good time, she must be. Happiness is brittle and splintery. It’s other people’s eyes that make things real.

Pete gets distracted for a little while by a Tall Dark and Random who hooks her by the belt loops and moves his body with a passion that moves her in return. She feels manageable under his big hands—like she can be broken down, bite-size, and swallowed. It is good to feel hands on her, like someone else is holding her together for once. His mouth is on her neck, stubble and teeth, and she thinks about how soft and vulnerable she is in all the places she gives away, how bitter and rough she is in those few hardscrabble places she keeps for herself. She’s just drunk enough to be strung between caring too much about everything and not caring about anything. His hands on her body either feel good or like nothing at all.

5. Share or describe a favorite comment you received:

Okay, like I said, literally every comment I got on Girl Out Boy is basically etched on my heart forever, so this is impossible. One person said “Your writing is always where fic and lyrics collide” though, and that was pretty amazing, because I spend a lot of time steeping in lyrics and then weaving them into fic, and I’m always delighted when people have a positive response to that. Another amazing comment was when someone proposed marriage to my tryst theory and then we planned the wedding together. (It’s next Halloween. You’re all invited.)

6. A time when writing was really, really hard:

I very nearly died while writing Smash The Mirror, Break The Palm Reader’s Hand. I was so absolutely stuck and running up against a deadline, and I felt like every word of it was garbage, and it sucked to have to fight and struggle so hard for each word when it seemed like I was producing crap. Luckily my amazing beta @immoral-crow came along and said kind, soft things, and I started to see value in the work and get excited. I’m really fond of the fic now, and I love how it came out all dreamy—I was trying to channel Sarah McCarry or Francesca Lia Block and I think I did okay at that. I’m a pretty lazy writer—when it’s not working or doesn’t feel good, I’ll usually stop and come back later when things are flowing. Which means that I have noooo self-discipline when I’m up against a wall, and I get very pitiful. I complaind more in the month I was writing that fic than I did in the rest of 2017 combined, probably. Me every 2 seconds: why is it sooooooooo hard, why is my life like this, cut off my hands I shall never write again

7. A scene or character you wrote that surprised you:

They surprise me constantly! I’m a discovery writer—it’s fun for me because I generally have no idea what’s going to happen next and I’m delighted when the characters show me. One surprise was when I was writing The Difference Between Real Love and the Love On TV, and I had to write a sex scene but it kept ending itself in a fade-out and then I’d have to go back and try again. That’s why the big sex scene in that fic plays like the end of Lord of the Rings. I couldn’t write it through without a million cut-aways.

8. How did you grow as a writer this year:

- I wrote about queer women and their interiority in a really intentional way, which challenged me and moved me and helped me know myself better.

- I did Bandom Big Bang, wrote a fic-by-request for a fundraiser, and participated in Bandom Bingo 2017. That’s a lot of writing for specific prompts and on specific timelines that was different for me—usually I just write what I feel when I feel it. I’ve definitely been learning better discipline as a result.

- I’ve always been a really personal writer, but somehow it took me this long to realize that instead of writing out my issues through band member proxies, I could literally make them queer women and figure out my shit directly. An unusually large bit of what you’ve read of my work this year is cribbed directly from my life or my experiences.

- I made more writer friends and deliberately read and commented on more fic and I started working with a beta for the first time in my life!

9. How do you hope to grow next year:

I want to do even more of the above! Especially reading other people’s fic. I read a ton of traditionally published books, but I learned how to write from fanfiction and I want to get back into the habit of reading more of it! Yeah, that’s an open invitation to send in your recs.

I’m also hoping to work with my new pal @conditionsofhappiness to learn how to do that neat writerly thing called ‘revision’ and get more disciplined. And I want to focus more on representation in my work, especially making room for POV characters of color, because that’s something we aren’t great at in fandom and I think we could do better. (That’s why I wrote Saint Anthony, and it’s the best short thing I’ve written in ages! I’m hoping to do more of that in 2018.)

10. Who was your greatest positive influence this year as a writer (could be another writer or beta or cheerleader or muse etc etc):

@immoral-crow, who is there for me for every problem whether it’s in-story or not. She betas my life as well as my work, and she always has something to say that I need to hear. She helps me celebrate women and rage at the heteropatriarchy, we read amazing books together, her kindness may well be bottomless, and sometimes, if I am very very good, she Facetimes me drunk and pink and silly. She’s my first beta after 15 years of writing rogue, and I have no idea how I ever lived without her.

@horsegirlharry, who journeyed out of the black pit of AFI fandom with me this year (we climbed a ladder of rainbows to escape) and has celebrated fandom community and girlhood and softness and vulnerability with me all year. She is the staunchest supporter of my commitment to the FOB fandom, to goodness and love, and to whatever project I’m excited about. I am so proud of both of us for how we’ve let ourselves grow!

And any of you who have read my work and told me how it impacted you. That shit literally keeps me going. This year and every year, I would not exist without you guys.

11. Anything from your real life show up in your writing this year:

Always. I am more obsessed with my relationship with myself and my own past than Pete Wentz, istg. The most egregiously stolen-from-my-life things this year are the entire fic Small Things and the Girlsploration of Pat Stump in Girl Out Boy, when she’s reviewing her history and realizing belatedly how incredibly gay it is. Every story about every girl Pat recalls in that bit literally actually happened to me. My life is so specifically embarrassing.

12. Any new wisdom you can share with other writers:

> Write! The most amazing thing about writing is that you can package up something deeply personal and true about you and just—send it out into the ether. That means people who are ideally suited to befriend and care for you are likely to find it, to find you. I make most of my friends by posting fanfiction on the internet and letting nice strangers bound up to me and start conversations. It doesn’t matter what you’re writing or if it’s ‘good enough.’ The way to get connected to your community and find your people, the way to get better and to learn, the way to get involved in something that will inspire and motivate you and possibly change your life, is just to write and put it out there. I didn’t expect a single person to read Girl Out Boy but I wanted to write it anyway, so I did, and it’s the best thing I did with my whole year. So seriously. Write.

> Some people are assholes and that’s okay. You’re writing for yourself and your friends. Anyone who doesn’t fall into those categories is humbly invited to choose any dick in the world and suck it. Seriously—if someone is hurting you, you don’t need to listen to them, and that doesn’t mean you’ll be a bad writer. Relatedly: if you aren’t enjoying your work, put it down. Write something else. This should feel good.

> Write 20 Minutes. This is how I bully myself when I’m procrastinating or having trouble getting into a flow. Make a commitment to spend 20 minutes really writing—no tumblr, no cell phone, no distractions. Turn off the wifi. Put your phone under a pillow in the other room. And just write, or try to, really honestly for 20 minutes. When the timer goes off, if it still feels sucky, stop! Writing isn’t working today so don’t worry about it! You made a serious attempt, and now you don’t have to feel guilty. Seriously, guilt will kill you. It will never help you produce more words. Try being kind to yourself instead. You’re doing great, even if you only got seven and a half words down in that whole 20 minutes.

> Take a notebook out in public and write! This is one of my favorite treats to myself, even though it’s hard to make myself actually leave my cozy house when the moment comes. In public, you will be so bored and avoidant of stranger small talk that you’ll be forced to focus on your work. It’s also really nice to get a change of scenery, and signal to your brain that it’s time to be intentional and engaged! Try coffee shops and libraries and parks and whatever the most beautiful places are in your town.

13. Any projects you’re looking forward to starting (or finishing) in the new year:

If you saw the length of the “Peterick Ideas” doc in my phone you would be horrified. Um, I want to write everything all the time! I’m already thinking about the next installment of Girl Out Boy (it has a playlist), I’m planning a StormPilot fic, and I’m open to suggestions.

14. Tag three writers/artists whose answers you’d like to read.

@leyley09, @immoral-crow, and @beckettsthoughts!

#thank you love this was so nice #self-reflection is my jam #writing #2017 #year in review #writing reflection #scarredsodeep

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the-man-of-mirrors · 7 years

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Doki Doki Literature Club

I caught the hype and noise around the game, so my partner and I decided to play through it, and i’ll be damned if it wasn’t one of the most well made horror games I've seen (which isn’t a high bar, technically, because I usually avoid horror like the plague -- but this was still really good), and it was the first time I ever “got got” by a dating sim -- by low key falling for one of the characters. Just Monika

Spoilers below this point

So I’m going to, instead of walking through the plot, which is really the treasure of the game -- go play it -- I’m going to discuss the characters, and why the game’s writing caught me as it did. Let’s start in order of importance, both to plot and to me.

Sayori -- I’ll begin by saying, for those of you that played the game, if you went with Sayori as your first girl, that’s just wrong. She’s like your little sister! Moving on, Sayori is perhaps the most accurate depiction of major depressive disorder I’ve ever seen in a visual or written medium. She works so hard to make everyone else happy, because she feels like it’s the only way to get them to stop “wasting” time and energy on her. She puts on a mask every day at club, and is stated to have done so every day of her life, because she wants other people to not think about her. She think’s she’s a worthless, selfish, weak human being, when she is anything but. She doesn’t understand why others would want her around.

Now, I have depression, though the doctor says its not a terribly bad case, and as a man my symptoms tend to differ from those of women sufferers. I’ve been with girls that have depression like this, and I’ve had the same kind of frustrations as the idiot MC does with those feelings, and that pit-of-your stomach feeling when you don’t know what to do, and you know that you are failing that person. I both understand the worthlessness Sayori feels (to an extent) and the frustration of the MC. Sayori is a very powerful character because of that, and is very much one of the game.

YURI -- Best Girl. Only talked about Say-o first because of plot reasons, I’m sure you understand. So, Yuri was the character that snared me, and did so quite neatly and elegantly. As my partner is fond of telling me, I have a very defined...type. I, as you know, am both an avid reader, and a writer (despite my low activity on this page, I apologize, school gets in the way of creation). Another person having those qualities, especially when those qualities are focused in the deep worlds of fantasy and science fiction (and horror I guess, I do enjoy Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe a great deal), is like having a light turn on inside me. So that’s one box ticked off. To continue, she is very shy and introverted, and only really opens up when she’s talking about something she’s truly passionate about, or if she’s alone with you, and I understand how that feels, though I’ve opened up in the past years. To continue, I have, apparently, some kind of Christ complex, where I want to walk into the lives of people like Yuri and just hold them, and tell them everything is going to be okay. I want to be that person that saves them, I want to make them not be hurting anymore. Most importantly, I understand what it’s like to feel truly, truly alone, and I can’t bear to see someone live like that -- not when I know I can be the rock they lean on, or (and I’ll regret saying this -- my partner will probably read this post and tease me about it) be like their service dog, dedicated to loving and helping them for as long as it takes.

As I write this, I cannot but help and think that this mental pattern of mine might be terribly codependent, deriving a large amount of my self-worth from pulling other people away from the brink of the abyss many of us know too well. But that’s not the entirety of who I am, or the only source of worth, so I’m sure I’ll be fine.

Back to Yuri. She’s anxious and both terrified of being hated, while hating and being overly harsh on herself. She is convinced that her weird hobbies (and some of them ARE weird) are justified reasons for people to hate and dislike her, which just isn’t true. So when you let her open up to you, it’s like watching a sunrise over clear mountains -- some things are still trapped and blocked away, and will be for a little while, but there is light now. I hadn’t felt that sunrise since the early days of my current relationship, and it is addicting. Once she realizes that what she likes (for the most part, but we will get there) won’t push you away, she really blossoms. That said, there is still a darkness to be addressed, and that darkness is her (even before act II) obvious habit of self-harm, and the question of her sado-masochistic tendencies (the bloodied finger scene -- which I found really cute -- and the statement from Monika about how she harms for the rush). I’ve been in a lot of relationships where self-harm was there, like that black looming shadow, glaring down on my partner. It’s one of those things that simultaneously breaks my heart, and puts me dangerously close to the stereotypical “I AM MAN. I MUST FIX.” mindset, and people don’t like to be “fixed”. Especially if they are in that state of mind. I suspected she did this from the first interaction -- as my partner says, I have a type, and I can read the signs well. This game is so well written -- but when she was rolling down her sleeve in MC’s house, that was all the confirmation I needed. Whether she actually does it for a rush, as Monika states in act 2 (this of course, being after the point Monika tampered with best girl, and is trying to actively remove her), which is heavily doubtful to me, or is doing so to punish herself, or is doing so simply feel at all, I wanted to help. She embodies that social anxiety and isolation that I know so well, and is also a fairly realistic depiction.

Do I think she, the actual Yuri (yes, It’s a game, it’s just code, but these characters are so realistic that real life parallels matter, so I will address them as such), self harms for a rush that the pain and blood brings? No, the only trustworthy evidence to that theory is the scene where you prick your finger, and she puts that finger in her mouth, and that could be a number of things, from wanting to make it better (without knowing how), to acting on the clear sexual tension in the room (please?), to what I’ll talk about in a minute. Does she have a sado-masochistic fetish? Probably. I’m a sadist myself, my partner is a masochist, so I understand that feeling to an extent. Does she find blood play hot? Perhaps, maybe in the same way some people find rape-play (yes, it’s a legitimate thing. No, I don’t care to argue that with anyone) hot -- from a distance, or maybe only with slight imitations. These questions are interesting ones, and it made me want to get to know this fictional character better. It’s part of why I’m really annoyed that the there is no way to get a good ending for each character just Monika.

It’s also really nice that Yuri had objectively the best body and the cutest fucking demeanor in the game. She also looked very, very cute in that sweater and it’s great.

Natsuki -- I don’t like her, but I haven’t truly explored her character arc yet. I get the definite impression that her home life is traumatizing and out of control, which is why she is so combative and assertive in the club. She is scrambling for any ounce of control. I’ve seen it before, and while her personality turns me off harder than scat porn, I want to know what’s going on.

Monika -- I saved her for last. I simultaneously wanted to kill her and ask her “why?” for most of act 2, and actually from the end of Act 1 when Sayori said “She was right, I should just ---”. I wanted to murder this girl, as memeable as she is (so, so gloriously memeable). It felt SO GOOD to delete her. So when she came back from the dead, to SAVE you, it felt so strange. She is a walking fourth wall break. I can’t really describe her well, just go play the game.

All in all, the game is incredible. Yuri describes my type to a “T”, the only thing missing is that she isn’t a redhead. The characters (aside from the idiot MC) were very realistically written and pulled at my heart in ways that, in all honesty, shouldn’t have been so effective -- they are just code, right?

#ddlc #doki doki #doki doki literature club #monika #yuri #sayori #natsuki #horror #dating #love #self-harm #suicide #review #analysis

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rdpshop · 5 years

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Why Do People Want To Work From Home

Have you been thinking about working from home or do you wonder why do people want to work from home? The best answer anyone can give and it is the most common reason for both, it's Freedom… It seems in today’s life, we are busier than ever, there's just never enough time. Why do people want to work from home?

Most jobs demand at least 8 hours of your day 5 days a week. Sadly, that is light compared to those working two jobs or jobs with longer hours. With that kind of work schedule, doing the mundane task at home becomes hard to schedule. You have to sacrifice the time somewhere, sadly it ends up being friends or loved-ones. I am a single full time dad, I have an automotive business and I do internet marketing. The garage life sucks up more time than I want it to. On top of work, I have cooking, cleaning, driving my kid around and trying to spend quality time with her. At the end of the day, there is no time for me. No doubt I am getting older and I would like to enjoy my life before checking out. First Starting Out When I first looked into internet marketing I was really skeptical. I thought it all was either a scam, MLM, selling people you know crap they don’t want or would be too complicated for me to do. With nearly 20

years of IT experience, I wasn’t too afraid of the technical side of things but more afraid of the marketing aspect. I come to realize that persistence, consistency, dedication and believing in yourself is really what you have to have. In the beginning, focusing was a real challenge. Too many interest and distractions. Once I started focusing on one niche at a time and one project at a time, it started coming together. Working from home isn't easy, not because of the work it requires discipline. I mean you are at home, watching the tube or sleeping might be tempting than sticking to your business. So why do people want to work from home if it requires such self-discipline? No Regrets In the end, the freedom you gain and the money you can make is well worth the effort. This may sound like it is really hard to do and can be. You have to "Keep your eye on the prize". Anyone can give up, but there is regret. Living with regrets, always wondering what could have been if I tried. That is just too high of a price. I really feel it would be better to try and fail, than to just sit there procrastinating about it until it is too late to act. That is a key factor in any business, "ACT". There is nothing wrong to make a plan, or think about how to deal with things. But when there is an opportunity at hand, you act on it, not ponder on it and miss it. Inspirational Reasons To Work From Home As mentioned, many are looking for a work at home opportunity. However, there are other reasons people look for an online income or a home business. Working at home is ideal for those that are disabled. Some of which can’t walk and have lost a certain amount of quality of life.

It was the disabled or handicapped people that inspired me. They will not give up from trying to better their lives. It made me think of all that I have had going against me. In comparison, seeing how they made themselves successful with their challenges, woke me up. There are also people required to stay at home. Those "stay at home parents" much like myself. Those that have it even worse, caring for a sick loved one or the elderly. Then you have those with a low immunity system that can't leave home. Other Inspirations People that are retired have found running a business from home not only profitable but gives them purpose. I find it real inspirational that the elderly can make a living from home. There are many elderly people that help other elderly people from charities from home. Disabled Veterans also work regular jobs from home. Some have profitable blogs and help other Veterans through specific organizations. Even kids are making money online through blogging about games, doing YouTube videos and much more. So really anyone can make money online, you just have to have vision and determination. Making Money Online Make no mistake, internet marketing or just making money online is work and takes some investments.

Many people think you just get online and put something out there and you will be rich. Once this doomed plan fails, they give up. Making money online requires discipline and work. It does require some money but for those on a budget, you can do a lot for free and what cost do incur, is very little. The goal is to get some money coming in and then use that money to scale up. So why do people want to work from home knowing that they are going to be taking on a real business? Aside from freedom, it can give anyone a sense of accomplishment to take an idea and turn it into a reality. The goal is to put yourself in financial freedom so that you may live a better life. For anyone wanting to start working from home full time or part time, realize this is a job. It is work and in the beginning, you will put time and money into it just like you would with any business, that is if you plan for it to be successful. Be Careful Out There So do not fall into these scams and hype that claim you will be in 6 figures in a month or even 6 months. Can that be done, yes, but that is if you already have lots of experience accompanied with a lot of money to invest. Even if you plan on getting into high commission deals, you will want to start small and at least learn how all this works before going all out. Keep coming back to visit, I will be posting “How To’s”, tips and more to help those who are serious about succeeding at an online business. If you are interested in knowing more about what it takes to do Internet Marketing, check out my page on Training. As always, drop me a line, I always try to respond back to everyone… Site Index Read the full article

#benefitofworkingfromhome #howtomakemoneyfromhome #makemoneyfromhome #makemoneyonline #telecommutejobs #Whydopeoplewanttoworkfromhome #whyworkfromhome #workfromhomeopportunities

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sunnydawn444 · 7 years

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New Post has been published on Sunny Dawn Johnston

New Post has been published on http://sunnydawnjohnston.com/blog/riding-out-the-storm-life-with-irma-an-sdj-guest-blog/

Riding out the Storm - Life with IRMA - An SDJ Guest Blog

This guest blog is from a client, student, colleague and friend, Shanda Trofe. She lives in St. Petersburg Florida and was forecast to be at the eye of IRMA. Her family made a choice to stay put, and with that choice came a lot of insight. I truly believe that Harvey, Irma and many others are coming to teach us … so much. What have you learned? Here’s Shanda’s story and what she became aware of. I’d love to hear what your thoughts are. Please share in the comments below. For those of you that have been touched by the hurricane, in whatever form, I send you Love and Light … And stand as a LIGHTHOUSE!!! – Blessings SDJ♥

I normally write a guest blog post for The Writer’s Nook on Sunny Dawn Johnston’s blog, but this month I was unable to submit my article in time. As the deadline drew near, so did the impending news of Hurricane Irma, one of the deadliest and largest storms in history, according to the media, but more on that later. Needless to say, I had a hard time concentrating on my writing when the fate of our future was drawing closer each day—hour by hour, minute by minute, second by second. Would we survive such a storm headed right toward us? That was the question on millions of Floridians’ minds as we heard the forecast that we would indeed be hit by this massive storm. Where it would hit … well, nobody knew for sure.

As an empath, I have a personal rule for self-care not to watch the news. It fact, my loved ones and those close to me understand that I refuse to watch and know that if something in the world is life-threatening or requires my immediate attention, they will alert me or fill me in on the details. This is a personal choice I made when I was studying journalism back in college. That’s when I learned the ethics of the media and the motives of some journalists, deciding that wasn’t a world I wanted to be a part of either as a journalist myself or by feeding into their hype.

As you can imagine, it wasn’t long before the frantic calls and messages about the hurricane starting to come in from concerned family members and friends out of state. I could feel their fear and concern, and knew this is something I might want to see. So, I flipped on the news and lo and behold, there was a hurricane named Irma off in the Atlantic heading toward the Caribbean. It would be several days before it reached us in Florida—six action-packed days of anticipation and torture, to be exact. Do we stay or do we go?

That was the question of the hour. As the storm ripped through the islands and headed toward Cuba, it was initially projected that Irma would make landfall in southeast Florida. With only two major interstates out of South Florida, a mandatory evacuation of the Keys and then the greater Miami area had several-million people trying to evacuate the bottom of our peninsula of a state all at once.

On the west coast of the state, where I reside in Tampa, FL, we were starting to hear reports of stations running out of gas and motorists stranded on the side of the road. This is not where any of us wanted to be when a hurricane hit, and since it was projected to make landfall on the east coast of our state, we thought we might be a little safer. However, the storm was massive in size and looked larger than our entire state from the shots on the news and those being shared across social media.

In 2004 and 2005, a series of hurricanes ripped through Florida, and I lived on the southeast coast of the state at the time, so I know just how unpredictable these storms can be. In fact, it was Hurricane Wilma back in 2005 that prompted me to leave Florida for a few years, and I headed back home to Michigan. That storm was in the Gulf of Mexico when it made landfall, so we thought we were in the clear, but it crossed the state and pummeled us harder than any other storm that year. It knocked out power for nearly two weeks, and living through Wilma placed a fear deep within me that Irma was now stirring up. Flashbacks of Wilma had me riddled with fear, so this is about the time I decided to throw out my rule about the media; quickly I was glued to reports as we waited to see what would happen next. Watching the news started to become an obsession, and I found I couldn’t turn it off. Even when I forced myself to turn the TV off, it wasn’t long before I felt I had to tune back in to learn what was going on. This was causing me to have panic attacks for the first time in my life, and I would fall asleep watching the news only to wake up with night terrors every night leading up to the arrival of the storm.

Once the storm hit Cuba, it became unknown if Irma would actually make landfall in southeast Florida or come into the Gulf of Mexico to hit the west coast of our state. By now, we were receiving news that hotels were filled to capacity, traffic out of Florida was traveling at a rate of 5-7 mph, and gas was scarce. I was even getting word from friends as far north as Atlanta, Georgia that supplies, hotel rooms and gas were almost non-existent in outlying areas as well.

How could we risk leaving at this point? By the time it seemed necessary to go, it was almost too late. Even though our gas tanks were full, that wasn’t enough to get us out of Florida, so by the time the storm was projected to come into the Gulf of Mexico, it would be too dangerous to risk leaving. This is something people outside of Florida couldn’t quite understand.

We started receiving phone calls and messages from friends and loved ones out of state whose information was mostly from the Weather Channel and CNN. The media seemed to have everyone in a frenzy, because I would answer my phone to hear people in an uproar, claiming I was “stupid” and “ignorant” for not leaving, and even telling me I was going to die. Not what you need to hear when your stress level is off the charts! We were having judgment passed on us in fear from what I believe the media created. Yes, the potentially deadly storm was a massive threat, but I noticed something interesting while glued to the TV for those days leading up to the storm. When I would flip to the Weather Channel and CNN, those reports differed from what our local media was sharing. Yes, all stations were trying to hammer it home that we now needed to evacuate and get to safety, but I noticed the local news was focused on accuracy while the national news seemed to be bent on generating fear. This put people all over our nation in mass hysteria, and many of us living through the storm spent all our time trying to calm down loved ones from out of state while trying to keep ourselves calm as well. This caused a level of anxiety like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I AM a lighthouse

Throughout the entire ordeal, my loving mentor, Sunny, stayed by my side in spirit, a beacon of light in a very dark time. She reminded me that fear was feeding the storm, and it was our work to be the lighthouse outside the storm. She told me to stay present, place my hand on my heart, and listen; this would guide me. Every few hours she checked in and reminded me to breathe. At first, I rejected her advice, since I was in a dark place and at a low vibration. I actually retreated from life because I knew I wasn’t being that beacon of light for others and I didn’t want to pull anyone else into my internal storm. But she held strong, checked in with me every few hours and gently reminded me that I AM a lighthouse, and to trust my inner guidance. She never once judged me for my decision not to evacuate, although there was a time toward the end when Irma was in the Gulf and headed right toward us, and Sunny recommended we go to the shelter since we were in a mandatory evacuation zone, but yet she honored my decision to stay. Her unconditional love and support kept me calm, and slowly I decided to become a lighthouse, too.

While she held the vision of the highest good and least amount of impact for all, I decided to step into my role as a lightworker and put a positive post out on social media amongst all the negativity and fear that seemed to be circulating. What happened next was incredible. So many prayer warriors came out of the woodwork. People were commenting on my post with well wishes and prayers of protection, sending angels and love and light. It might be one of my most popular posts to date. It was heartwarming to watch the comments roll in, and honestly, the love and support from people all over the US and people I’ve never met in person or haven’t seen or spoken to in years filled my heart with gratitude and hope, and slowly but surely, started to shift my vibration.

Now we had a pack of prayer warriors holding the vision along with us. As the post grew with love, the storm also drew closer, and by the time it made landfall on the east coast of Florida in Marco Island / Naples it was down to a Cat 3. Although still devastating for those who received the initial impact at landfall, it could’ve been far worse if the storm had remained a Cat 4 or 5, as it was at various points throughout its journey.

Check out the heart!

As Irma made her trek north toward Tampa, something miraculous occurred. The storm, initially projected to cross over just to the left of us, started to weaken and move north instead of northwest. It was now expected to be a Cat 2 or even Cat 1 when it hit our area, and by the time it arrived it was to the east of our coastal towns, which meant the storm surge we had all dreaded was no longer the threat it would’ve been if to the west of us.

Being on an island in the Gulf of Mexico, just south of St. Petersburg when Irma finally passed through, should probably have been one of the scariest moments of my life, but oddly enough, I was calm. I lay down in my bed and listened as the storm raged. Although it sounded like the roof might be ripped off at times, I had a peace about me and actually drifted off to sleep easily for the first time in a week, knowing in my heart we would be OK. Archangel Michael

The next morning, I awoke during what should have been the storm surge, but there was no flooding and minimal damage to the surrounding area. From what we could see, just a few downed trees, fences and shingles from rooftops. No damage to our home or ourselves. I felt deeply blessed, as this was nothing short of a miracle.

When I first told Sunny of our decision to stay put and ride out the storm, she advised me to light a candle, walk the property and call in Archangel Michael to send protection around us and our home. I always start each day by invoking Archangel Michael and calling on him for protection, but I listened to Sunny’s advice about walking the property, and each day I prayed and envisioned angels filling and surrounding our home.

As someone who works closely with Archangel Michael, I keep his angel card deck on my altar, and several times throughout the week as I would pass by my altar I would silently ask Michael if we would be safe, and I drew the same exact card EVERY SINGLE TIME: Your home and loved ones are safe and protected by angels. So, when the storm was near and projected to make a direct hit, and we had to make that final life-threatening decision to stay or go, I went to my deck and pulled a card, and again it was the same: Your home and loved ones are safe and protected by angels.

Between Sunny’s guidance, the support I received from everyone on social media and trusting my inner guidance, we made a decision to stay, which some ridiculed me for and even showed anger and aggressiveness, but I knew in my heart we would be safe. We must learn to go within during times like these, to find our own answers and trust the guidance we are given.

What I learned from Hurricane Irma

Irma taught me so many lessons, but these few stand out most:

You can’t make someone do something from bullying or fear. If someone is making a decision that doesn’t make sense to you, the best thing you can do is send love and light and hold space. You can’t control people, you can only love them. We all have our own lessons to learn and our decisions, good or bad, are our own to make.

The media, although tasked with informing us on worldly affairs and life or death situations, should be taken in small doses. Negativity breeds negativity, which lowers vibration, causing stress, anxiety and panic.

You never know how you would react in a situation unless you live through it. You can say what you think you might do, but there are many factors at play when decisions are made, and unless you are experiencing it for yourself, the truth is, you don’t know for certain what decision you would make, so never tell anyone else what they should or should not do.

Believe in the miraculous power of prayer. Positivity is contagious, pass it on! I witnessed one of the largest and most powerful storms our country has ever faced dissipate rapidly over a very short time. You can give me all your scientific explanations, but as someone who lived each moment as the storm drew near, I know I was protected by a higher power, and you’ll never convince me otherwise.

Above all else, always trust your intuition.

When in doubt, be a lighthouse.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.”

~Dr. Martin Luther King

In closing, I’d like to sincerely thank everyone who reached out during the storm with your messages and prayers, and those who kept vigil silently from afar. Thank you to all the prayer warriors who held the vision for the highest good of all concerned and sent prayers of protection to those of us in Irma’s path. I honestly believe it’s our faith that dissipated the fear feeding the storm, which just goes to show our love and light can and will change the world and is needed now more than ever.

And finally, to Sunny, my mentor and teacher who guided me each step of the way, held space and sent unconditional love each hour of every day. Your support means more to me than you’ll ever know. You truly are an angel on this earth.

Blessed and forever grateful, Shanda Trofe – Tierra Verde, FL

Shanda Trofe is a best-selling author, publisher, and author coach. As the founder of Spiritual Writers Network and Transcendent Publishing, she’s made it her life’s work to assist aspiring authors through the book-writing process and on to publication. Shanda helps writers find their voice and extract the unique messages from within. She resides in St. Petersburg, FL with her husband and two fur babies. www.shandatrofe.com.

#affirmations #angels #appreciation #energy #healing #intuition #love #psychic #psychic medium #spirit #spirits #spiritual #sunny dawn johnston #writer #writers #writing

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ibelily · 7 years

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Problem

This is based off a text post by @cradledbykeith based around a different fandom:

Lance jokingly: you're not allowed to fall in love with me

Keith seriously: won't be a problem

Keith after a week: T H E R E S A P R O B L E M

I have no idea what fandom it is, but I saw it and immediately had an idea, so I unashamedly turned it into the inspiration for a prinxiety fic. Enjoy!

Also, shoutout to @prinxietyhell for reawakening my fic writing by inspiring me with their amazing stuff !

Word count: 2129

Trigger warnings: mention of potential self-harming

“We have to WHAT NOW?!” Anxiety shouted incredulously, while Prince shared a similar face of shock.

“You heard me, Anxiety” Logic insisted, pushing his glasses further up his nose with a finger.

“It’s the logical decision. Prince’s project is a big one, and you working with him will help him stay grounded and make better decisions”

“Logical, my as-” Anxiety retorted, only to be cut off by Morality:

“-paragus, a healthy and delicious snack, especially when dipped in hummus!” The other traits stared at him while he just smiled uncomfortably. It was a common occurrence for Morality to stop them, especially Anxiety, from saying bad words, but they were always amazed by what he came up with to cover them. Prince was the first to bring them back to the topic at hand.

“Logan, you know full well that Anxiety and I tend to disagree about, well, everything. It may seem logical but I sense that we will only spend our time arguing about things. I am perfectly capable of handling things myself.” He tried his most charming smile, but Logan wasn’t buying it.

“Yeah,” Anxiety added “I don’t want the extra work, and when he inevitably fails I can look down on him with judgment without an ounce of guilt.”

Logan crossed his arms and stared them down with a hard gaze.

“No, I’ve made my decision. Unless you’d rather take it up with Thomas himself, who is rather too busy for this right now.” Logan stomped off, taking away all possibility of continuing the discussion. The pair looked to Morality for help, but he just shrugged and said “Sorry kiddos, but I’m with Logan on this one. Who knows, maybe you’ll bond over it” and followed Logan out of the room.

Anxiety and Prince stood there in shock, before Anxiety huffed and grumbled “Pfft, bond. Yeah right!”

Prince chuckled to himself as he threw an arm over Anxiety’s shoulder. “Well, I know it will be hard, but with us spending all this time together you’ll have to refrain yourself and not fall in love with me”. He set a gleaming smile Anxiety’s way, who countered it by pushing off Prince’s arm and rolling of his eyes.

“Trust me, that won’t be a problem”.

*****

A week went by, and Morality was shocked by the peace and quiet that surrounded him. He’d expected Anxiety and Prince working together for longer than an hour to result in shouting matches and Anxiety retreating to his room, grumbling to himself while Prince complained about how having to work in such conditions was cruel and unusual punishment for something he hadn’t done. Surprisingly however, the traits seemed to be getting on better than ever. They could be observed most of the time in the Common Room, discussing an idea one of them had had, or some aspect of the project that needed improving or changing. Once, Morality had even caught them taking a break together, sharing one of the group sofas and watching an old school Disney movie, chuckling at the jokes and singing along with the songs.

Yes, the entire mindspace had a calm aura about it, and Morality was enjoying it immensely.

He was sitting on his bed in his bedroom, reading one of his favorite books - Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Joke Book - and giggling to himself when he heard a frantic knocking on his door. He placed his World’s best Dad bookmark in to mark his place, and set the book down on the bed. He opened his door and his natural smile dimmed somewhat at seeing Anxiety standing before him, looking rather disturbed. As Thomas’ centre of emotion he was used to dealing with Logan and Prince’s emotional problems but Anxiety was a rare visitor. He preferred to keep all his emotions under wraps, pushing everything down and denying it ever existed.

Before he could get a word in, Anxiety asked: “Can I come in? I need your help” He whispered the last part, because God forbid anyone know that Anxiety needs help.

“Of course!” Morality answered and he stepped aside to let the younger trait in. Anxiety hurried inside and immediately started pacing around the room, one hand in his hoodie pocket and the other running through his hair. Morality shut the door and made his way to the bed, sitting on the edge of it and patting the spot next to him, inviting Anxiety to take a seat. His invitation was promptly ignored as the trait continued to pace back and forth. Morality waited patiently for Anxiety to start talking, which didn’t happen for a full ten minutes.

“I have a problem.” He finally said, stopping momentarily in front of the father figure, staring at him in need.

“I gathered that kiddo, but I can’t help if I don’t know what it is” He patted the bed again, but Anxiety ignored his offer and resumed his pacing once more.

“How do you deal with it?” Anxiety started rambling “It’s just so … PRESENT! I can’t ignore it, I can’t avoid it like everything else and there’s no way I’m going to ‘accept it and/or do something about it’, so don’t even think about saying that!”

Morality grew more confused as time went on. Anxiety was so wrapped up in his thoughts and ramblings he didn’t seem to notice Morality’s confusion and carried on.

“You’ve got to help me Mo, you’re good with these things!”

“Maybe I would give helpful advice if I actually knew what you were talking about, Anxiety! What are you talking about? What can’t you ignore?”

“FEELINGS!” Anxiety blurted out, much louder than he intended. He sighed and flopped face first next to Morality onto the bed. Morality eyes widened in understanding and he turned to the boy lying next to him.

“Wha- what kind of feelings?” he stuttered. He was so unused to doing this sort of thing with Anxiety that it caught him off guard.

“Bad ones” Anxiety mumbled numbly into the comforter.

“How are they bad?”Morality inquired.

“Everything will end in disaster” Anxiety answered in the same monotone voice as before.

“Anxiety… do you want to h-hurt yourself?” Morality didn't want to know the answer, but knew he had to ask. The other trait’s head snapped up and looked at him.

“No, no! Not that kind of bad! Nothing like that!”

“Oh thank God!” Morality sighed in relief, putting his hand on his chest. “Just tell me what's going on so I don't have to guess”

Anxiety sat up and shuffled around, trying to make himself comfortable but failing as the discomfort came from inside him.

“It’s… Roman” He finally said. Morality waited for him to elaborate but the boy didn't want to say more.

“Well what about Rom- Oh. Oh!” Morality stopped short as everything clicked into place for him. A great grin overtook his face and he couldn't stop the squeal that came out of his mouth.

“Oh my!” he started bouncing where he sat, his hands clapping together as Anxiety looked at him in shock.

“You have a cru-” The end of his sentence was muffled by a hand.

“Shut up, or everyone will hear you!” Anxiety stage-whispered to him, his hand covering Morality’s mouth. The father made an effort to calm himself down and held his hands up in surrender, showing Anxiety he would be composed. Slowly, Anxiety retreated his hand and shoved it back into his pocket as Morality tapped the tips of his fingers together to release some of his energy. Eventually he couldn’t stop himself and he grabbed Anxiety and pulled him into a hug, which Anxiety didn't return but surprisingly didn't pull away from either.

“Well I think this is just super! Wonderful! A joyous occasion for all!” Morality exclaimed, pulling away and resting his hands on the younger’s shoulders.

“Yeah, we'll you would think that wouldn't you?” Anxiety grumbled rhetorically, fixing his bangs back in front of his eyes.

“Oh hush, you two would be so cute together!”

“Well it’s not like I’m going to tell him, so get those thoughts out of your head immediately.”

“Oh come on Anxiety, you’ve got to tell him! If you don’t it’ll eat you up inside forever!” Morality insisted.

“I can live with that.” Anxiety answered, deadpan as usual.

“Anxiety…” Morality warned, not wanting him to resort to sarcasm during a serious talk.

“What do we regret most in life?” he prompted, looking at Anxiety expectantly. Anxiety rolled his eyes, the phrase was one that Morality used fairly often whenever someone didn’t want to do something in an attempt to motivate them.

“The things we don’t do” he answered unwillingly, making a face as he said it.

“Exactly!” Morality continued, ignoring the face. “What’s the worst that could happen?” The look Anxiety shot him reminded him of who he was taking to.

“Never mind. Just go do it, and I’ll help you deal with whatever the aftermath is. I promise.” He held up two fingers in a boy scout salute. Anxiety halted, thinking so hard one could practically see the cogs turning in his head. Hesitantly, he offered up his pinky finger. Morality grinned and grabbed the littlest finger with his own.

Anxiety gave something that could somewhat be construed as a smile, and stood up from the bed.

“Right, I’m going to do it now, no second guessing” He said it with more enthusiasm than usual, and was even bouncing on the balls of his feet in an attempt to hype himself up, like an athlete about to enter a big game.

“Go, go!” Morality chanted, and Anxiety ll but ran out of the room towards the Commons. Morality couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face, and his eyes welled up a little from emotion. His babies were growing up.

***

Roman was in the Commons, typing up some ideas for his Big Project with Anxiety with an old fashioned typewriter. He much preferred the feel of the mechanical keys under his fingertips, and having a hard copy of everything was much better in his opinion. He glanced up at the sound of someone entering the room, and smiled when he saw who it was.

“Hey Anx, I’ve had a burst of inspiration so I’ve been typing non-stop to try to get everything down. Can you read through some of it and tell me what you think? I’d love your opinion on this bit in particular” He gestured down at one of the many stacks of paper piled onto the table.

Anxiety almost backed down from his plan. The way Roman was looking at him, the nickname, genuinely wanting his opinion on something, it all made him melt inside. Taking a deep breath for courage, he put a hand on the prince’s shoulder.

“I will later Princey. For the moment, I need to talk to you about something.” He gestured for the man to take a seat, which he ignored, but rather getting closer to the darker trait.

“What’s wrong Anx?” He asked, seeming worried by his friend’s demeanor.

Anxiety took another deep breath, pushed himself away slightly from Prince and proceeded to what can only be described as word vomit.

“RecentlyI’vebeenfeelingthingsanditfreakedmeoutsoIwenttoseeMoralityandhetoldmetojustgoforitsohereIamandIreallylikeyoubutIknowyouprobablydon’tlikemeandthat’sfineIjustneededtotellyoubeforeIexploded”

Trying to catch his breath, Anxiety looked at the other trait. Roman’s mind was working overtime to try and catch up with everything Anxiety said, but he thought he got the gist of it.

He slowly got closer to Anxiety again, and whispered “Anx…”. The darker trait held his breath, waiting for the inevitable apocalypse.

Roman grabbed Anxiety with one hand on his back and the other on his waist, and dipped him. The other squealed, a sound that was muffled by the prince’s lips on his. After a moment’s hesitation, Anxiety gave himself fully to the kiss. He wrapped his arms around Roman’s neck and responded with all the passion and feeling he could muster for a person who was the embodiment of everything other than such. When breathing became a necessity rather than a choice, the two separated and Roman settled the other back on his feet, keeping a firm grip on his waist. A smile spread across his face and he chuckled as he brushed Anxiety’s bangs out of his eyes.

“See Anx? I knew you couldn’t resist falling in love with me”

Anxiety snorted and slapped Roman lightly on the arm, making them both giggle. They pressed their foreheads together, basking in the glow of a new found love.

Outside of their little bubble, Morality and Logic stood at the entrance of the room. Morality had his hands on his cheeks, and squeaked at the adorableness of it all. Logic just chuckled to himself and leant over to whisper at Morality: “Told you it would work”

#prinxiety #anxiety sanders #prince sanders #roman sanders #sandersides #fic #problem #thomas sanders #ibelilyfics

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