#Sum Of Small Efforts Repeated Everyday

[betterlifeinoverall-rethabilep]

Success In Learning A New Love Language

Success In Learning A New Love Language Is The Sum Of Small Efforts Repeated Everyday!! Like, Shares and Follow Please don’t forget to comment

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#Build Together #Emotional Vibes #Foundation Built TOGETHER #Reflection In Relationship #Relationship Not Based On Length Of Time Together #Success In Learning A New Love Language #Success Love Language #Sum Of Small Efforts Repeated Everyday

[bettertomorrows-ao3]

Is It Worth It?

The year was mostly calm and generally uneventful. Her promise to Joel remained intact. She avoided trouble, but that didn’t mean trouble wouldn’t find her. [ao3]

Tags: AU - High School, Tiny Angst, Tiny Fluff, Mostly Friendship, Some Love, Protective Joel, Protective Dina Rating: Teen for language and depictions of violence TW: Homophobia, Bullying, Ableism

EllieDina Week // Day 3 // TROUBLE

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The principal’s office at Jackson High School has a few students that get called to Principal Burns’ office on a regular basis—Ellie Williams, the school’s resident outcast, was one of them. She was never the first to throw a punch, but that didn’t mean Ellie wouldn’t retaliate. After enduring years of abuse in the foster care system, she had learned the value of self-defence at a young age.

She remembers the biggest fight in Freshman year, the one that almost got her expelled. It was just a month into the school year when Abby Anderson and her goons cornered Ellie in the locker room after gym class. Ellie tried to ignore them, she really had. She kept her head down and focused on tying her shoes as they called her names from across the room, their jeers and cackles ringing in her ears.

Joel’s words come to mind. She repeats them over and over like a mantra, “take deep breaths. Think of whether it’s worth your time. Is it worth it?”

It’s not worth it, Ellie whispers to herself. It almost worked. Almost.

Ellie was on her way out of the room until Nora blocked her from the exit.

“Are you fucking deaf? We’re talking to you,” the girl shoves Ellie back and sneers.

Ellie opens her mouth, ready to bite back, but stops when another girl comes up beside her.

“Leave Ellie alone, Nora,” that’s when Ellie recognizes Dina’s voice. In her attempt to keep her head down and befriend the walls this year, she hadn’t even noticed they shared the same gym hour. She’s surprised, really, because since moving to Jackson, Dina is usually the first person Ellie notices anywhere. She’s beautiful, super likable, friendly, and so much more.

After a year of watching from the sidelines, Ellie learns that Dina isn’t your typical popular high school girl. She never flaunt it, she doesn’t look down on others, and she seems to be friends with literally everyone in the school. That is, except for Abby and her group. Dina is one of the rare handful of students who don’t fall for Abby’s antics and bullying.

So, it doesn’t surprise Ellie that Dina had come to her rescue that day. It’s something she would have done for everyone else without question. The part that shocks her is that Dina seemed to know Ellie by name.

“Didn’t know you batted for dykes too, Dina,” Abby pipes up from her corner of the room.

Dina shakes her head and places a hand on Ellie’s shoulder ready to escort her out of the room.

But Nora chimes in quickly, “look at that, Abs, the little orphan is not only a dyke, but she’s also a retard who can’t defend herself.”

Ellie lunged first. Or maybe Dina did, she’s not really sure.

All she remembers from that fight is the aftermath. Nora limp on the cold and dirty tiles of the locker room, face bruised and bloody from Ellie’s punches. Abby had tackled Ellie straight into the lockers, her ribs bore most of the impact, and had left her struggling to breathe. Dina was somewhere in the shuffle when the first punches were thrown. The most vivid memory of the day for Ellie is the image of Dina on Abby’s back attempting the get the taller girl off of Ellie.

Mel was the one who called the teacher for help, and Ellie was grateful that at least one of Abby’s friends wasn’t a total dolt. In the end, Ellie was understandably suspended for two weeks—the biggest penalty she’d ever gotten, but Nora’s injuries were enough proof to back the severity of her punishment. Dina was given a week of detention, which Ellie also had to go to school for. Abby, on the other hand, was given a free pass. Her father, Dr. Anderson, had donated a large sum of money to the school at the time, and Principal Burns hadn’t wanted the jeopardize the donation by punishing his “sweet” daughter for “a small insignificant fight on school grounds”.

The result angered Joel. He had wanted to report the principal to the Board of Education for a lack of disciplinary action against Abby, but Ellie assured him that the effort wasn’t worth it. Those kinds of people would get away with anything as long as they had the money to cover their filthy tracks.

Plus, Ellie didn’t really care much about what happened to Abby and her friends after the fight, because in the end, she had gained a loyal friend in Dina.

 Sophomore year was supposed to be different. Now that she actually has friends by her side, Ellie promised Joel she’d do her best to avoid trouble until graduation.

She and Dina had spent the summer together. Ellie thought befriending Dina would be hidden in the shadows, considering the rumours people talked about her at school. There was no way that Dina would have wanted to be seen in public with Ellie by her side. But she was wrong, because before Ellie even knew what was going on, she was invited to bonfires and parties and camping trips. She was introduced to people and her list of friends accumulated enough that she couldn’t count them with all the fingers in her hands.

Dina brought a brightness to Ellie’s life without even realizing it, and Joel could see the positive changes in Ellie as the summer continued its course.

Ellie seemed lighter on her feet. She talked more at home, spent more time outside her room, and sometimes had her friends over to play games when Joel was out of town for work. Joel would normally have Ellie stay with Tommy and Maria when he had to leave town, but he felt more comfortable leaving for the weekend knowing that Ellie would have Dina to keep her company.

Sleepovers with Dina were her favourite nights that summer. It’s the time Ellie would learn about the deeper side of Dina’s personality. They learned of each other’s fears and dreams, they shared secrets in the dark. On one occasion, with the help of a little weed, they talked about something so deeply personal and emotional that they both had to sleep with arms around each other for comfort.

One of those nights was also the time when Ellie learns that she was falling in love with Dina.

Soon enough, her thoughts of Dina went from “wow, she’s so lovely,” to “wow, I love her so much”. The switch was so jarring that Ellie was sometimes left speechless around Dina in order to prevent herself from confessing her love.

Sophomore year starts quietly. Abby’s group had found a new victim to torment for the year. Ellie now had her own group of friends to hang with, which made it almost impossible for Abby to find ways to harass her. The only times they ever had to interact was in the halls in between classes, and even then, their exchanges were limited to glares and shoulder shoves when they walked past each other.

The year was mostly calm and generally uneventful. Her promise to Joel remained intact. She avoided trouble, but that didn’t mean trouble wouldn’t find her.

She was standing in the school’s parking lot next to Dina’s car, talking to Jesse about the latest issue of Savage Starlight. They were both waiting on their friend, who was unusually late to meet them.

A loud and crowded “Ooh” from across the lot interrupts their conversation. Ellie and Jesse look up to see a swarm of students huddled in a circle. They make their way to the herd to see what the commotion was all about.

What they see shocks them both.

“Dina?” Ellie gasps, and runs over to her friend, Jesse right on her tail.

Dina is standing over a boy crumpled on the ground, her hands balled in a tight fist and her breath is ragged with fury.

“What the hell happened?” Ellie asks.

“Your fucking girlfriend punched me, is what happened,” Ellie looks down on the ground and finally recognizes the boy. Jordan, the slimiest of Abby’s friends.

Startled by his choice of words, Ellie is left gaping at Dina. Surprised that the girl would ever throw the first punch at anyone. Mostly, she’s a bit struck by the fact that people seem to think she’s good enough to even be Dina’s girlfriend.

“TEACHER!” Someone in the crowd screams, and suddenly the audience has spread out, people scattering about as if nothing had happened.

“Is there a problem here, kids?” The teacher questions the remaining people on the scene.

“We’re all good here, ma’am” Jesse speaks up, and offers his best Golden Boy smile.

The teacher, whose name Ellie always forgets, seems to acknowledge Jesse’s words and leaves them be.

Jordan shakes his head at them and scurries off to his own car.

Jesse picks up Dina’s bag off the ground while Ellie walks a still shaking Dina to her car. Dina’s silence is unsettling, so Jesse shrugs and takes that moment to bid them goodbye.

Ellie gets a ride back home from Dina everyday, but her friends condition makes her want to offer to drive them instead.

“I can drive us today instead if you don’t feel up to it? I can walk home from your house,” Ellie offers, but Dina remains silent. “I don’t know what happened with you and Jordan, but I hope he didn’t give you too much trouble.”

Dina gives Ellie her keys and makes her way to the passenger seat. Ellie starts the engine, ready for a quiet drive home until Dina finally speaks.

“It was worth it,” Dina reaches for Ellie’s hand, “defending you is always worth it.”

#elliedina week #ellie x dina #fanfiction #posting before 5pm whaduheck? #better than the 11:40ish post from last night that's for sure #this event has been fun btw #edw

[thdorkmagnet]

Light of the Sun and Stars Chapter 46: A Mewman and a Monster (Preview)

Summary: His whole life Marco Diaz has been raised by monsters, living under the cruel rule of their leader, Toffee. But one day Marco escapes into Mewni where he meets a magical princess and Mewman like himself, who begins teaching him all about her world. Together they will learn about life, love, and the lights within each of them, as they change their world forever.

Chapter Synopsis: Slime has asked his crush Princess Penelope Spiderbite out on a date and needing support, both emotionally and literally, calls upon Star and Marco for help. The two graciously lend a hand in helping create the most romantic date possible but, as usual, things rarely go the way they want it too. 

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Index

The dimension was completely lifeless. Once a sprawling community had dwelled there, setting up residence in its green pastures and lush landscapes, living a simple and basic life amongst the natural resources all around them. But that peaceful lifestyle had changed when technology was first introduced to the humble society. At first it had been small changes, as it always started, machines and many mechanisms made to help make life easier. Need to plow the fields? Build a machine that could do it half the time you could. 

Soon people were using machines for every part of their everyday life and with the invention of robotic helpers… everything changed. Their once grassy hills were torn up to make factories, their land broken and scarred for the sake of 'progress'. Soon their dimension more closely resembled a machine than a once thriving, living place. And the numbers of robots steadily grew, until they outnumbered all living beings 10 to 1.

Sunlight was blocked by heavy smog while frequent and heavy storms began to tear apart what was left of the landscape. The dimension became virtually unlivable and the people were filled with dismay.

That was until a mysterious benefactor appeared one day, offering to buy up the remaining usable land for unknown reasons. The people happily accepted the offer, using the money to relocate to a new dimension (hopefully with better luck than the last), leaving the new owner of the dimension to do with it however they wished. Soon they began construction on a single building, employing the many robots that still inhabited the place to the effort. It took a long time, even with beings that didn’t have the need to eat nor sleep at the head of construction, but eventually it was finished, a single living place in the dimension of dead architecture. 

The place was a sight to behold: a clean, cut courtyard leading up to a grand, multi-story building. The architecture was ancient, borrowed from famous castles and cathedrals throughout the multiverse, a sharp contrast to the sleek, modern buildings the dimension had been so known for. 

But for as magnificent as it seemed, there was something sinister as well, something dark lurking just behind the smoothly cut stones or grand balconies. A large metal fence had been built around the building, electrified at all times to deter anyone from entering or exiting through anything but the gate. A large tower stood above the building itself, pulsing with some dark magic that had been lost to time long ago. The building's architecture was full of sharp edges and spikes that could seriously harm anyone who was not weary of their surroundings. And though the grand double doors were made of the finest wood in any dimension, they opened onto halls of endless turns and deadends, a labyrinth built to keep everyone trapped inside forever. 

But the creator of this school did not care how others viewed it, because this place was serving a grand purpose, educating and enforcing positive change on the future monarchs of the multiverse. St. Olga’s Reform School for Wayward Princesses was a school like no other, standing superior to any other education system that dared to compete with it, for it was focused solely on punishment and strict results. Every young princess that was sent there, no matter how rebellious or resistant they were, would eventually be broken. It didn’t matter if it took days, weeks, or years, St. O’s and its founder and principal, Heinous , had a perfect record that had never once been broken. 

That was until a certain four-armed princess blew the whistle on the academy's “less than reputable” penalties and the school was shut down by the dimensional knights. The great Miss Heinous was forced on the run, leaving every part of her life, her career, her home, her minions, her legacy, to rot. She spent years on the run, just barely managing to stay one step ahead of the dimensional knights and any other form of military power a noble might hire to capture or kill her. But through it all, Heinous only had one thought that kept her going day in and day out. Revenge. Or rather, her legacy finally fulfilled. She often confused the two but it didn’t matter. The path was the same. The path to ultimate victory and control. The path of perfection. 

And that path had led back to where it all began. 

Nostalgia and old memories came flooding back to the once-proud principal as she stood in front of her old, decaying school. She could still picture it back in the prime of its life, see it as clear as if it were standing in the memory itself rather than the broken dream that stared back at her. Reality was far from the picture perfect days of old. Oh how the mighty had fallen. 

Her once proud school was now in desperate need of repairs, walls caved in over the course of time, entire sections of the school now gone. The courtyard was now filled with untamed weeds and overgrown plant life. The tower that had once stood as a beacon of power for her school had been the first thing taken down by those pesky knights and it lay in shambles around the area, an ever present reminder of the injustice Heinous had suffered. The fence was bent and disfigured,  was now full of giant, gaping holes in its structure making it completely useless, now it couldn’t even keep out the gust of wind that blew through the empty courtyard. The school had become nothing but an empty shell that had once housed life within it. Heinous couldn’t help but scoff at the irony, her greatest masterpiece was now no different to the rest of this forgotten waste of a dimension. 

She took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. No, she couldn’t start dwelling on all that now. She had come here for more than just reliving her past failures. Today was about seizing her future. A small cough behind her caused Heinous to roll her eyes. She had almost forgotten her hired hand had come with her, just in case some dimensional knights were lurking there and needed to be disposed of. It was clear that Rasticore, unlike her, was less than content with her dimension. She could practically feel Rasticore’s discomfort as he shifted from one foot to the other, over and over again. It was obvious he wanted to get this over with, something at least they could agree on, Heinous was ready to achieve the next step of her decade-long scheme. 

“So are we going inside or not?” Rasticore finally asked and Heinous turned back to him with a narrowed glare.

“Why? Don’t tell me you are frightened of my school?” she accused him, point blank. 

Rasticore tensed, before gritting his fangs, clearly holding back the retort. Instead he replied, “No, just all this smog is aggravating my condition.” He then made a point to cough into his claw. 

Heinous highly doubted that was the reason for his rush. Not when it was more likely her minion was playing up his sickness to hide his discomfort from her. After all, he was recovering remarkably well from the poison, ready to resume his work in just a few short weeks, so a little foul air shouldn’t be upsetting him as much as he was pretending it was. 

Still, she didn’t see any reason to delay things any further so Heinous just turned to her minion and said, “Very well, follow me.” 

Entering into her old home was like walking into a portrait in time, everything left exactly as she remembered it. The knights must have left things the same for evidence reasons but Heinous ws surprised her school was still mostly intact. A few rooms had been caved in or hallways blocked and everything certainly needed a good dusting but from the view outside she had been expecting much worse. Paper and pencils lay on the dusty desks, ready to use, as if some child had just set them down and then vanished from this dimension. The banners holding old phrases and mottos Heinous would often repeat in classes were decaying but still hung up even after all these years. The only thing missing was her beloved robotic staff. 

Shortly after her escape she had gotten word that all robots operating under her name had been discontinued and dismantled to “prevent further harm” as they had put it. Ha, as if her precious staff could be so cruel, every punishment was fully justified and all for the greater good. If only the royals of the multiverse had seen it that way. “Cruel and unnecessary” they had called it. Hypocrites! They were always happy with the results, even quick to praise her or offer her large sums of money as thanks, but the moment they knew how their beloved child came to be cured of their faults suddenly she was the villain, torturing their bratty children by making them perfect.

Well if they were too stupid and cowardly to see her perfect vision all the way through, then it was up to her to fix this miserable, chaotic world. 

Heinous entered into her old office, staring at it with wistful eyes as memories came flooding back to her all over again. Every detail of the small space was exactly as she had remembered it, not a single stone out of place, even after all these years. She ran her hands across her desk, her fingers brushing the loose pieces of paper she had been reading through when the alarm had sounded. Old student files and report cards now yellowed with age and beyond salvaging Heinous could have read them with ease, every single letter saved to her subconscious. 

Rasticore stood awkwardly in the doorway, watching as his temporary boss reminisced her old life. It was shocking in all honesty, the lizard assassin hadn’t even known Heinous had a smile that wasn’t sinister but she seemed… almost genuine now. That was until she came across a certain file and the peaceful look switched to a frown, the spell she was under was broken. She picked up the piece of paper, ripping it to shreds in a matter of seconds. Rasticore jumped but didn’t say a word as his boss fell deeper and deeper into a blind rage, picking up several other files and ripping them apart as well. Soon the room was coated in paper shreds and the desk was empty. Rasticore risked a look at what remained of the original file, surprised to see it was a young curly haired princess with four arms. He couldn't imagine what she had done to invoke such fire from the level-headed woman. 

Once the temper tantrum was over, Heinous straightened her clothes and smoothed down her hair, making herself look presentable again before turning to her minion. “Well, let’s get started, shall we?” she said as if nothing had even happened. She reached her hand into one of the many pockets that lined her oversized dress and pulled out a small key covered in intricate carvings. Without a word she shoved the desk to the side, Rasticore taken aback by the sudden show of strength. He certainly hadn’t expected it from such a petite woman. 

Heinous bent down and inserted the key into a small slot in the ground and turned it with a click. Suddenly, the ground beneath her feet collapsed and a long spiral staircase stretching into the darkness beneath was revealed. Heinous returned the key to her pocket before looking at Rasticore expectantly, much to his confusion. He had been caught off guard thanks to the multiple, unexpected turns this trip had taken and couldn’t for the life of him figure out what she was wanting. Her sharp eyes dug into his skin before she impatiently snapped, “Well? You are the one with the light.” 

Rasticore could slap himself for being so stupid and he quickly pulled the lantern out from behind his cloak, already brightly lit by phoenix embers. Without a word he started down the stairs, practically feeling Heinous roll her eyes behind his back and he had to clench his claw so tightly a few trickles of blood formed on his leathery skin. For not the first time, Rasticore seriously debated on just how bad a reputation he would get for killing his employer in cold blood. The lizard assassin cursed himself for his integrity as a killer for hire, every other job had been so easy but this one was really testing just how far he was willing to go for his reputation. He probably would have quit entirely if he weren’t for those stupid brats that eluded him mulitple times. Every attempt he made to take that worthless Princess Star resulted in complete and utter failure and the humiliation ate away at him almost as much as his anger. So if having to endure Heinous a little longer meant seeing the looks on those brats' faces when they finally got what was coming to them… well Rasticore wouldn’t miss that for the world. 

Rasticore smiled, imagining the faces of Butterfly and her friends when they realized they had lost and that brought a new fire back to his soul, descending the staircase with a new vigor. The lizard got a good look at his surroundings, his night vision easily spotting what it was they were down there for: robots. Dozens of them, old and rusted over to the point Rasticore questioned if they would even activate. He looked back at his boss, who was eying the robots with a glimmer of dark ambition, not at all concerned about their obvious defectiveness. 

“Thought all your robots were dismantled,” Rasticore questioned suspiciously. 

Heinous shook her head. “That’s just what you would think,” the woman replied in a condescending tone. “And I knew those idiot knights would believe the same thing, hence why I had these hidden away in case I was ever found out. Imagine it, they all believed they had beaten me and yet my true power was right under their nose all along.” 

“Well that explains their poor condition,” Rasticore mumbled to himself, low enough he knew Heinous couldn’t hear him.

The two reached the bottom of the staircase and Heinous began inspecting her machines closely, running her gloved fingers along their metal casings and grimacing at the layer of dirt left behind. “The truth is those robots from my time as principal were simple worker drones, but these, my dear Rasticore, are my army.” 

“So you had these things hidden away this whole time and you never thought to use them before now?” Rasticore asked in a deadpan, trying to hold back his rising anger. If she had an army this whole time, why bother hiring him for her dirty work? How much time had he wasted fulfilling her goals when she could have just as easily sent a robot to do it. 

“Of course I did,” Heinous replied with quite a bit of malice. “They were my plan from the beginning. I just had to wait for the right time to use them.” 

“And only after I’ve been poisoned for your little mission do you suddenly decide it’s the ‘right time’,” the lizard Monster grunted, doing air-quotes for emphasis. 

“Hold your tongue!” Heinous snapped, her voice echoing around the dark chamber. The two stared each other down, neither breaking eye contact for even a second. “You cannot possibly comprehend the amount of time and planning I put into this,” she continued, spitting every word violently at her minion. “I spent years concocting the perfect scheme to take back everything I lost, to regain control and create a perfect world order. And yet you dare to believe I would overlook something so carelessly. No. Everything has been planned out.” The woman turned her back to the assassin, stating smugly, “In a scheme like this, timing is everything, my dear Rasticore.” 

She approached the nearest robot, wiping the dust off its metal surface, pulling out the same key from before and examining it closely. “And the time has finally come for the next phase of my master plan,” she whispered decisively. With that she rammed the key into the center of the robot’s chest, causing its eyes to blink open and light up red. Heinous took a step back as the machine slowly rose to its feet, creaking and groaning loudly, its rusted body protesting greatly. Branches that had formed around its hollow shell snapped and broke as it pushed itself upward with great strength. Finally, the machine was up, standing tall and at attention, its red eyes blinking as it waited for new orders, somehow menacing despite its deteriorating body. 

Rasticore took a step towards the robot body, still eyeing it skeptically but didn’t see a point in arguing, if his boss wanted to gamble all their plans on some old, dumb robot then she could deal with the consequences. It wasn’t his problem if her plan failed, so long as he got paid. “So what, we send this hunk of junk after the Butterfly brat and finally be done with her.” He had to admit the idea of a robot taking her down instead of him left a sour taste in his mouth. 

Heinous admired her machine with a satisfactory smile, her hands delicately running along its frame. “Patience, Rasticore, patience. Star Butterfly will receive her punishment in due time. But for now she is too highly guarded to risk an attack on her. We must tread carefully from here on out, no more half-witted schemes, we must deal with her delicately or all of this will be in vain.” 

Rasticore grit his teeth at the small insult but kept his calm, extended time with Heinous had really helped him with his temper, the one good thing he could say about being stuck with the snooty, high-and-mighty ex-principal herself. “So who are we targeting?” Rasticore asked impatiently. “I thought the whole point of this field trip was so you could get your hands on Butterfly. You yourself said you needed a Mewman for-”

“And I what I said still holds true,” Heinous interrupted, turning to her minion with a very evil expression. “Which is why we will be targeting another old student of mine, one who is much less guarded and much more obtainable.” A dark look passed over Heinous’ face as she thought of one of her oldest and most successful students, just speaking her name again filled her with a satisfaction and pride Heinous had almost forgotten about. “Princess Penelope Spiderbite.” 

#star vs #star vs AU #Light of the Sun and Stars #Preview #Starco #Spiderslime

[buttherainbowhadabeard]

The Father (2021)

*contains spoilers*

Based on the world-renowned and re-enacted stage play of the same name by French writer and first-time director Florian Zeller, ‘The Father’ is a very personal portrayal of a very universal experience. Not only is it a masterclass in acting by legendary Welshman Sir Anthony Hopkins, even more importantly than that, it’s an intimate and powerful portrait of a man’s life in the throes of dementia.

These days there is an emphasis on embracing ageing and the wisdom, life experiences and insights that come from a long life. For a lot of people, however, ageing gracefully isn’t an option, and instead of shuffling off this mortal coil with memories of a life well lived and their dignity and humanity intact, they have to struggle and fight their way out.

Most of us of know something about or someone with dementia or Alzheimer's and can quite easily substitute Hopkins’ character for one of our own loved ones, but the poignancy in the performance doesn’t rely on prior knowledge. We know how hard it is for the families but we don’t think about it enough from the sufferer’s point of view. ‘The Father’ puts Anthony’s upsetting, chaotic and confusing frame of mind front and centre.

Hopkins is a powerhouse, that we know, but when you think that he won his first Oscar playing the terrifyingly magnetic and metallic tongued cannibal Hannibal Lecter in ‘Silence of The Lambs’, and has now just won his second Oscar as the frighteningly forgetful and fragile Anthony in ‘The Father’, his talent and range really does astound. At the age of 83, he is still in his prime and taking on another great role, and arguably his greatest role to date.

Banal moments of everyday life are peppered with sudden shocks and utter bewilderment as Anthony battles to make sense of his confronting new world. His existence may seem small and within the confides of one room or one flat, but his struggle is of earth-shattering proportions. Although dialogue, inner monologues and interactions are often the key cinematic tools used to convey a character’s thoughts and feelings, someone with memory loss doesn’t have the neurological energy or cohesion to explain the confusion inside their heads, so as Anthony’s descent into full blown dementia escalates, the audience is taken with him. Feelings of distress, disorientation, frustration, anger, loneliness, exhaustion, and heart-break increasingly consume Anthony’s every waking hour, and as a viewer, you very quickly begin to share the same sentiments and concerns.

Stylistically, script and production design wise, the film’s psychological roller coaster ride is strongly supported by a physical assault on the senses too. Scenes are repeated with slight variations in dialogue and staging, day becomes night and then suddenly back to day again, rooms are rearranged in the blink of an eye and a revolving door of actors come and go as the same characters. It’s amazing just how claustrophobic it can get inside your own head!

You begin to wonder how many days, weeks, or months the story is being played out over, and was he in the nursing home the whole time or did we chronologically journey from his flat, to Anne’s and then the home? Did the trauma of losing his beloved youngest daughter Lucy to an accident bring on his dementia or was it predisposed? Like the disease that is rapidly ravaging his mind, the movie and the character of Anthony is complex, with emotions that run the gamut from gentle, charming and cooperative to irate, stubborn and paranoid. He was, until very recently, a man of great intelligence and independence, so losing control and purpose understandably rocks him to the core.

His daughter Anne (the always brilliant Olivia Colman and momentarily also played by Olivia Williams) has great love, empathy and patience, but like most carers, there is only so much of her father’s everchanging moods and manners that she can endure. Her husband Paul (a deliberately disjointed joint acting effort by Mark Gatiss and Rufus Sewell) barely hides his insensitivity and implies that Anthony is intentionally burdening them by exaggerating his symptoms. He mainly treats his father-in-law’s condition with contempt and cruelty, and unless it was another lapse in reality, even physically attacks him in one of many harrowing scenes.

And like the supporting cast, ‘The Father’ often has you too paralysed by indecision. No, Anne shouldn’t have to give up her whole life to care for her ill father, however when she eventually does, you resent her for leaving him when he needs her the most. In the traumatic finale, when in a brief moment of clarity, he realises the extent of his condition and circumstance, Anthony cries “I feel as if I’m losing all my leaves”. It’s such a potent and poetic line. He feels vulnerable, exposed, upset, lonely, lost and afraid. It’s impossible to sum up how agonising and isolating it must feel to know you are slowly slipping away, but this goes some way to explain it in the simplest and saddest of terms. And if Hopkins sobbing for his “mummy” doesn’t reduce you to tears then I don’t know what will.

There are brief moments of levity, from Anthony’s obsession with his watch (or lack of it) and Parisian’s not speaking English, to his energetic interactions with his young new carer Laura (Imogen Poots), but I’m not going to lie. When I say the smiles and laughs are brief, I mean just that. Ultimately, ‘The Father’ isn’t a movie that can accommodate a happy ending and it would do a huge disservice to the ethos of the story if it did. The reality of dementia is that it doesn’t get worse before it gets better, it just gets worse. Sufferers slowly and painfully fade away into oblivion and their loved ones have to watch from the sidelines, helpless to do anything about it.

I’ve never cried as many times as I did during and after this screening, but please don’t let that put you off. Although on an emotional level it’s not for the faint of heart, anybody with a heart will feel privileged to have witnessed one of the best performances of Anthony Hopkins’ stellar career and one of the most damaging and demoralising real-life issues affecting our ageing population today.

Whether by design or devastating irony, ‘The Father’ is a movie about forgetting, but for me (and no doubt so many others), it’s a movie I will never forget.

5/5 stars

‘The Father’ is in cinemas now!

#thefather #anthony #anthonyhopkins #oliviacolman #oliviawilliams #markgatiss #rufussewel #imogenpoots #florianzeller #LePère

[itakesurveys]

Made myself dinner tonight. 🍤🌶🍽

*350 calories.

(1) chopped onion (3) mini sweet peppers (1) cup of grape tomatoes (5) table spoons of teriyaki sauce (1/2) table spoon of butter (12) shrimp, salt and pepper. (1) whole wheat tortilla +130 calories.

I’ve managed to lose 30lbs this past year and total of 45lbs since downloading the MyFitnessPal app back in November of 2018. I’ve since then been tracking and doing my best to keep myself accountable for what I eat. This trick is to never get discouraged. You’re allowed to cheat, your allowed to go over your on your calorie count some days. You have a life to live. You aren’t tracking to restrict yourself. You track to become knowledgeable of what you are eating and help you make wiser choices. As a kid I never had to worry about what I ate and at some point in my 20s my body changed and I couldn’t eat the same way I did before. I’m thankful I had a mother who was always big into nutrition and taught me how to eat at a young age. Therefore, me losing weight wasn’t so much about “what can I eat, is this healthy” it was about choosing to be healthy and deciding I want to live a long and happy life. I was never extremely overweight but when you are jumping 3-4 pant sizes dramatically over a course of a year or two ; something needs to change. It was on me to take action and I did. I am proud of what I have accomplished and for anyone who thinks they can’t do it. You can, and I highly suggest the app. It takes time to get use to but I track even when I eat 1000+ calories over my calorie allowence. Track no matter what. It’s about training yourself to become a healthier person without realizing it. Now, I make healthier choices everyday with ease and without noticing. I never feel as if I’m on a diet. That’s the trick, never “diet.” It’s not a diet.. it’s your future.

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” -Robert Collier

#food #foodlog #recipies #food porn #calories #lowcal #low calories #low calorie meals #healthy #healthy living #words #vent #text #personal #healthy food #food recipes #nutrition #weight log #lose weight #weightloss #myfitlife #myfitjourney #myfitnesspal #skinny #counting calories #foodporn #foodie #foodblog

[tanyaryanmusic]

Go L*ve Yourself.

Have you weighed in on the debate? The one that says you can’t love someone else unless you love yourself first. It’s a conversation that can get pretty heated on peoples’ different opinions on the matter. 

I am totally ‘that guy’ because I will be the first to say I understand what both sides of the fence are saying… not sure if I can fully commit to either side just yet. 

On the one hand, I think you can absolutely love someone else regardless about your feelings toward yourself. And on the other, I think the reason people will argue the contrasting point is because loving yourself offers you a much different loving experience with others that is arguably deeper and more connected. 

Here’s the thing though. The reason that this debate becomes so heated is because A) SO MANY people struggle with loving themselves and B) no one wants to feel that they are incapable of love. Therefore, this would leave a greater sum of the population believing that they aren’t showing up for the people in their lives that they obviously cherish greatly. And that sucks, right? 

In my regularly and weirdly keen observation of humans… I’ve noticed the love parents have for their children. This fascinates me so greatly because it’s such a unique experience and you can’t have it until you have it. So I do my best to collect whatever data I can through observation - and leave room in my imagination to fill in some of the gaps that I know are missing by my lack of personal experience. 

From what I can assess so far there are few, if any, forms of love that are as deep as a parent’s love for their children. What’s even more interesting is that the love is constant. It doesn’t matter how old the parent or the child become. The love is unchanged. Perhaps the expression of that love changes. But the volume of love itself is the same. 

I was talking to a friend a while ago, he was expressing that he had more concern for others’ well being than his own. I believe this to be a relatively common way of thinking. Likely most people would volunteer their own lives for someone they cared about. He proceeded to tell me that when he would go skiing alone, he would venture into very risky territory. Potentially life threatening trails. Not because he’s suicidal (or maybe he is - no judgement. Been there!) but for the experience and the rush. However, if he’s ever in the company of friends, he won’t even consider taking these types of trails.

It’s a slight paradox though, if you think about it. 

Because, if you were to claim that you were truly more concerned for others’ wellbeing… then wouldn’t you be even more intentionally cautious with your life and safety? Hear me out on this one. 

Depending on your belief system, if you die you either (this list is probably longer, but for the sake of time) land in heaven (which is way better than earth from what I’ve heard), you’re enlightened and omni-understanding, and/or you turn to dirt and have no awareness of your death or anything else. So essentially - it might be the only linking consensus of all belief systems - we conclude: if you’re dead, you’re probably pretty okay with it.

The only people suffering are the people you love. They’re going to be devastated to lose you. So if you truly are someone that claims to place others’ wellbeing before your own, wouldn’t this be something you’ve considered? That caring for yourself is exactly that, an expression of caring for others.

When we grow up, we turn 18 (or 25, 31, 53 whatever) and without much thought we venture into the amazing world of adulting. We move out of the familiar comfort of our family home and being to focus on our new responsibilities, paying bills, surviving, getting through that first job or those University papers. The actual responsibility of truly ‘taking care’ of ourselves is far from our minds… if it even crosses it at all. 

In that same transition, our parents had an entirely different experience. Those people that love us SO much, literally handed over to us the responsibility of ensuring the wellbeing of the thing that they love and cherish the most in the world. There is literally nothing that could replace you to them. So by that measure, you would be doing a service to them by taking care of yourself, right? 

If you have kids, don’t you want them to one day take care of themselves like you take care of them? To love themselves like you love them; understand their abilities, potential, and gifts like you do? You forgive them when they make a mistake, don’t you want them to forgive themselves? You do right? YOU are somebody’s kid. Someone loves you so much, they want that for you. 

  Even if you were someone that grew up with shit parents. Say they really dropped the ball on the whole loving, supporting and appreciation thing; or maybe they were abusive, critical or neglectful. If you see that, and you know that. Then you are acknowledging that you deserved more. Which means you deserve more now. You owe it to yourself to love you. You’re due. You are entitled to love. 

In my opinion, the only other form of love that has the potential to be as deep, connected and meaningful as parental love is self-love. I think it’s simply that most of us just haven’t found a way to tap into it. And if we did… can you imagine? 

All those little holes, flaws, and self-perceived deficits would soften. Fear would be replaced by trust. Trust that you have and that you are everything you need. Guilt, shame… nope. No room for that. You love yourself. You forgive yourself. Therefore, guilt and shame would become obsolete. This doesn’t mean ignoring your flaws; it’s not ignorance or arrogance. It’s not turning a blind eye to the parts of you that you’re working on. It’s simply acknowledging those qualities, forgiving them and having patience with yourself while you sort through it. 

Parental love isn’t blind either. Your parents know you’re a butthole sometimes. They know all of your character flaws. Probably better than you do. But isn’t it cool how they love you through that? They aren’t ignorant to your bullshit. They just keep loving you. Deeply and endlessly. For no justified reason except for that they just DO. 

I can’t remember when I came to realize it… but one day I did. I thought - my parents aren’t here to take care of me anymore. I’m all grown up. So now it’s my job to take care of me. I need to make sure I eat my vegetables and I go to sleep when I’m tired. I need to make sure I don’t watch too much TV and that I get my work done on time. I have to clean my room, do my laundry, and make sure I have a shower everyday so I don’t smell bad. 

I parent myself. I truly do. 

Sometimes I’m a super lax parent…

Me: “Can I have popcorn for supper?”

Parent me: “You know what, why the hell not. Fibre. Sure!” 

And other times I’m a bit more mindful parent. 

Me: “Can I have another cookie??” 

Parent me: “You’ve already had 2 (or 5). I think that’s enough. If you’re hungry you can have a cucumber - or I’ll make you lunch. No more cookies though.” 

[Yes. Most of my self-parenting skills are tested at meal times.]

But what about the times when you’re tired, you’re sad, you’re angry or broken… What do you do with yourself? Are you kind? Do you let yourself cry it out, give yourself a metaphorical hug and take it easy? Maybe you’re someone that has grown so accustomed to your own abuse, you don’t even recognize it as abuse anymore. Maybe you’ve become so used to not loving yourself, that simply the absence of abuse feels like love. You need to know there’s more. And that you have the capacity to create it. 

Sometimes it’s too hard or too much to move from abusive inner-statements to positive mantras and self-affirmations. It was for me. It felt so false and gross coming out of my mouth. 

“I am beautiful and radiant” would be followed by this cruel sarcastic mental dialogue in a mocking tone repeating I am beautiful and radiant followed by a mental eye roll and taunting laugh. (I still think affirmations are stupid but hey if that’s jam, you go rock that shit.) 

Start small. And in ways that feel real to you. 

I think sometimes when people talk about self-love they say it like it’s just going to happen. Like it’s something that just ‘IS’ … like ‘Go love yourself.’ is the same as ‘Go make a sandwich.’

Like it’s this thing you just do and then you have it. But it’s not like that at all. Maybe it started that way… when we were really little… but we forgot, and that’s okay. So now, we accept that it’s a process. 

Few lasting relationships had a first date that began with “I love you so much, I want to spend my life with you. You are my everything.” There’s a natural evolution of getting to know each other and slowing showing small forms of affection. Establishing trust, commitment and eventually love. 

Go date yourself. Get to know you. Build a friendship, show yourself small acts of kindness and let those grow in to more meaningful acts of love. 

I don’t conclusively know if you can or can’t love someone without loving yourself. But I feel confident in saying that even the intention - just the effort of trying to love yourself can make some huge, unparalleled shifts in your body, your relationships and your quality of life.  

So go on now, go fall in love with you. ‘Cause you’re awesome. 

#loveyourself #love #selflove #depression #empowered #yoga

[femnet]

I have a goal.

I mean, I have several of them, don’t we all.

Going to bed at a reasonable hour,

Stopping to procrastinate like a loser,

Following yoga classes,

Organizing the time that passes.

These are some of the objectives,

That my 17 years old self puts in perspectives.

But there is this one,

This one is different, meant to be my sun.

Some people are good at setting goals for themselves and achieving them, others are radically not. I belong to the radically not group.

I have always tried to enforce some characteristics in my behavior that won’t want to stay put and stick to me. I mean, it’s not entirely their fault, maybe I do something wrong too.

Like not totally making an effort.

This is my problem: it’s not in me to make the effort to change. Not because I am lazy, but for some other reasons that, according to Tumblr posts, are typical for Ravenclaws, like me. 

I propose you to find out what this not-laziness-yet-not-achievement is, and how to cure it.

✶ Two years ago, I was assigned a school job on Monday, to be handed over on the next Monday. The part of you that belongs to the “achieving group” would have probably started right away. Well, my brain seemed to find more interesting occupations for me: a new sewing project, baking some cookies for my neighbors, writing a letter to my grandparents…

If we analyze all these things, we can see that they are not totally useless, they do have their importance. What’s wrong with them is not how useful they were, but the order in which I realized them: I could have done them after finishing the homework.

(I bent over the blank sheet on the night before the due date.)

Am I making some sense? Not yet? Follow me a little more…

✷ Some months ago, I put some order in my room: folded the clothes properly, categorized my books, redecorated the walls. My objective was to keep everything tidy, by making small efforts everyday. Guess what? After ten days, the room was as messy as ever.

The problem this time? As I piled stacks and stacks of papers on my desk, and moved my clothes from my chair to my desk for the day, and vice versa for the night, I kept thinking: “I’ll fix this tomorrow.”

But we all know that tomorrow never comes.

Are we getting more aware of the idea now? We still need another example.

✸As I was 14, I started writing a book on Wattpad. A nice novel, about three teenagers, in Spanish. I started writing because (shame on me for thinking this so easy) I wanted to win the Wattys -- for those that don’t know what this competition is, the Wattys are organized annually by Wattpad to find out and give a prize to the best authors and books on the platform. I kept writing because my friends liked the idea, my family was supportive, and I was getting some recognition and fans. 

In about two months, I did not win the Wattys, my friends had lost interest  the story, my family was involved in some other stuff, and my followers were getting rarer. The project flopped, and my goal to finish it sank down too, leaving the protagonists of my writings at three quarters of their peripeties.

✹ It’s also important to consider that I planned to use this book as a starter for a series, and had already figured out its name and its cover.

After these three examples, I think that we are ready to unfold the conclusion. If my lame explanation haven’t led to a coherent reasoning, here are the few ‘why’s that pulled me away from mastering my goals:

✶ a lack of sense of priority

✷ a tendency to procrastinate

✸ the wrong motivations

✹ an excess of expectations.

Now, let’s jump to the cure, because it’s the most interesting in all this, isn’t it?

As I speak from personal experience, I am once again going to use personal examples.

Goal: I decided two months ago that I wanted to donate my hair to an association that works for kids with cancer. 

Problem: I am the type of person that wants to have a haircut every time that her hair gets past her shoulders. 

Update: It now reaches below my chest, and I still haven’t cut it, nor do I think about cutting it anymore until the right time (it happened a lot in the first weeks, the temptation was made more difficult by my family’s encouragements to do so).

Why? Let’s use the checklist:

✶ a lack of sense of priorities: Learn to ask yourself what is the real priority. Be 101% honest, even if you know that you won’t like the answer.

Is the happiness of children more important than my impulsive want to have a new haircut every couple of months? In my opinion, and as keeping my hair long doesn’t really disturb me, a thousand times yes.

✷ a tendency to procrastinate: The proverb sums it up pretty well: “Don’t put off what you can do the same day.”

You may think, what does this have to do with cutting your hair or not? My brain thought about it too, clever as it it, and resolute to skip one more goal: I could have said: “I’ll do this on next time. I get my haircut now, and then let my hair grow.”

Dear old brain lost the battle this time.

✸ the wrong motivations: Don’t do things for a frivolous reason. Use some powerful boost.

Do I let my hair grow because society makes me think a girl with long hair is prettier? (Honestly, I wouldn’t have lasted two days if I had chose this reason) No, I do it because I can help some kids, and this really motivates me.

✹ an excess of expectations: Don’t consider that it is going to be easy, and that you’ll achieve it in no time and without effort.

It’s been two months, and my hair still hasn’t reached the required length. It will at least need one more month to be long enough. I did not tell myself it was going to be fast, I told myself that, no matter if I turned 25 before, I would cut my hair only when it’d be long enough to be used to put a smile on a little boy or girl’s face.

At the end of the checklist, I can confirm that I applied all four rules in the way to achieve my goal. I know that, when I’ll see the final braid fall on the floor, and feel my short hair brushing my neck, I will feel happy and fulfilled, because I would have been able to get to the end of it.

I am using the same method in order to lose weight, practice more sports, and eat healthier, as well as being more useful at home, and until now, the progresses I make cause me to smile when I think of them.

Some more tips:

✰ Keep telling yourself that you are strong, focused, capable, and tenacious.

✰ Don’t sought perfection IT DOESN’T EXIST! Warning: do not confuse ‘perfection’ with ‘doing your best’. The latter is a must.

✰ Encourage yourself.

✰ Repeat, in your head, images of yourself when you will have achieved your goal: our mind is extremely powerful! Visualizing a situation in continuity helps it to happen.

Keep using the checklist, and you will never fail to achieve one more goal.

Trust me.

You can do it.

#august 2018 #by alice 2 #real life #goals

[transjoyblog]

How to Support a Trans Coworker

As transgender and genderqueer people become more comfortable expressing themselves in a professional setting, the culture, and habits of any workplace will need to adjust or risk, at best, alienating its employees, and at worst, committing outright harassment. Here are some pertinent statistics on the harassment that genderqueer individuals can have experienced in the workplace:

1. A study, linked below, of aggregated surveys by the Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy found that 90% of transgender workers have been harassed on the job

2. The same study found that 47% of workers have experienced an adverse job outcome because they are transgender. This includes: – Forty-four percent who were passed over for a job – Twenty-three percent who were denied a promotion – And 26 percent who were fired because they were transgender

Moving Forward

With these harrowing statistics in mind we can turn to figuring out how to better support our trans coworkers. The foundation of feeling secure in the workplace should be a robust and routinely communicated sexual harassment policy and an anonymous reporting system. Most organizations have some sort of sexual harassment policy in place, yet sexual harassment still happens everyday. The keys to reducing harassment start with the leadership team. People respect people in positions of authority. It isn't enough to just have some outside company come in and show some videos, and discuss some hypothetical situations with your team. As a leader, you are responsible for taking a hard line against sexual harassment, and articulating that every complaint will be thoroughly investigated so as to discourage false reporting, (which is so rare it hardly needs discouraging). This communication doesn't need to be a long drawn out meeting, either. In fact, you would be better served keeping things as clear and concise as possible, so as to leave no room for misinterpretation. If it does nothing else, this small effort on the part of those in leadership positions, will communicate to anyone who may become a victim of harassment that they should come forward. Ultimately, anything that promotes a culture of acceptance is worth the effort.

How to Help

Building an accepting workplace culture takes more than an email. Leaders have to demonstrate this acceptance in their day to day actions and conversations.

1. If someone has a nickname, any nickname, ask them if they are ok with it, preferably in private.

2. Be sure to always address people by their chosen names, and preferred pronouns.

3. Be careful of what jokes you repeat. Workplace culture has changed so rapidly that some older employees are not aware of what is appropriate. i.e. Buffalo Bill jokes, Ace Ventura jokes, ladyboy jokes

4.  Avoid tokenism - if you are putting together a diversity panel, or are looking to ask questions about "the trans experience", "how you can help" or "how you can improve company culture in regards to transgender issues", your one trans employee is NOT the first place to find this information. This is a form of emotional labor that many marginalized communities are forced into performing. LGBT+ people and people of color are not your source for all things relevant to their identity. They are not representative of their entire community. All it takes to shift this idea of the token "insert identity here", is for white/cis/hetero people around us to do the work of educating themselves up front. Read books and articles written by trans people and people of color. Listen to our podcasts, follow our Instagram pages, support our causes. Get in the trenches with us, so you can be an accomplice, not just an ally.

Lastly, keep in mind the reality that your employees may be facing. This country is not a terribly accepting place. We have not made as much progress as some would have you believe. People face harassment and micro-aggressions everyday. In fact, before the landmark Supreme Court case Bostock v. Clayton County, it was completely legal to deny a promotion, refuse to hire, or terminate an employee for being transgender. Bostock v. Clayton County, which was only decided on in June of 2020, finally extended the Title VII protections against discrimination on the basis of sex to genderqueer individuals. Meaning that terminations like the one that Vandy Beth Glenn faced will finally be illegal. Let Vandy, who held a job with the Georgia General Assembly, tell you in her own words what transgender people face when people become uncomfortable with their transition.

“[My boss] told me I would make other people uncomfortable, just by being myself. He told me that my transition was unacceptable. And over and over, he told me it was inappropriate. Then he fired me. I was escorted back to my desk, told to clean it out, then marched out of the building…I was devastated.” 

Wrapping it up

To sum up, if you have read this far you are better informed than most people out there. Use the suggestions here to shape your company culture going forward, even if you aren't in a position of leadership you can still have a positive impact. Intervene when someone makes an inappropriate joke, or comment. Use people's chosen names, and pronouns, and insist that others do as well. Stay informed on the issues facing the transgender community. Be kind to people. There is almost no downside to consideration and kindness in the workplace.

Citations

https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/employ-discrim-effect-lgbt-people/

#trans #work #transgender #support #workplace #money

[cryptoandfire]

Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and out 🔥 Take small steps everyday to create progress💯 💥Follow @cryptoandfire 🎊Link in bio 💫Follow #cryptoandfire 💯 Cryptoandfire.com 🎉Like the quality content and help support the blog #motivate #inspire #motivation #inspiration #success #motivationalquotes #love #believe #motivational #quotes #life #mindset #goals #entrepreneur #inspirationalquotes #lifestyle #business #positivevibes #quoteoftheday #inspirational #instagood #selflove #positivity #fitness #happiness #quote #successquotes #instagram #lifequotes (at San Francisco, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CE5pLgjgh3e/?igshid=1wi8i4c523h1q

#cryptoandfire #motivate #inspire #motivation #inspiration #success #motivationalquotes #love #believe #motivational #quotes #life #mindset #goals #entrepreneur #inspirationalquotes #lifestyle #business #positivevibes #quoteoftheday #inspirational #instagood #selflove #positivity #fitness #happiness #quote #successquotes #instagram #lifequotes

[dietmumrepeat]

Bank Holiday is here so It’s time to get ready for some picnics ☀️🌲☀️🌲☀️🌲☀️🌲☀️🌲☀️🌲☀️🌲☀️ Here are our top tips on planning ahead...💡 Change it up We’re sure you’d agree that eating the same thing every day would definitely get boring – variation is key! Don’t forget to ask your Consultant for meal ideas, we also have lots of yummy recipes for you to try. Try mixing-up your products, a few of our favourite product hacks are the Lemon and Lime Cheesecake, Chocolate Mint Truffles and Iced Coffee. Pick the perfect lunchbox/ picnic basket Treat yourself to cool new lunchbox. ‘Bento style’ lunch boxes are everywhere right now and have handy little compartments for different foods. Don’t forget to stay hydrated Remember to get in your four pints of fluid a day. Try switching up your water with a fruit or herbal tea or our delicious Water Flavourings, if you haven’t already. And make some Jelly sweets to snack on! Note to self – you’ve got this ! Include a post-it note with your favourite motto or quote to keep you on track, motivated and focused for the rest of the day. We like this one – ‘success is the sum of small efforts repeated everyday’. Routine Try your best to have a set time for your lunch every day to help get your body and mind into a routine. What’s your lunchtime routine or picnic tip? 🍽🍽🍽🍽🍽🍽🍽🍽🍽🍽🍽🍽🍽🍽🍽 Have a read of our Shake it Up Blog and Share your tips in the comments~ http://shakeitup.cambridgeweightplan.com/packed-lunches-not-just-kids/ #One2OneDiet #cambridgeweightplan #weightloss #weightlosstransformation #weightlossjourney #fitness #thisistheone #newme #picnic #weekend # (at The 1:1 Diet with Amy and Steve) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEjKyOcBAF9/?igshid=1x747flg09osi

#one2onediet #cambridgeweightplan #weightloss #weightlosstransformation #weightlossjourney #fitness #thisistheone #newme #picnic #weekend

[selfhelpfactory]

How To Achieve More With Little Efforts | Atomic Habits Summary

Print | Free Audiobook |Print(In)

What do you think, tiny changes in life matters? If they do, then how much impact they have on your life? Can you use these tiny changes to transform your life? According to James Clear, yes you can. James is the author of the best-selling book “Atomic Habits”. Today I’ll try to give you key insights about habits through this atomic habits summary.

Grab a book & pain there will be some action steps for you in the end so you can start working on yourself right after reading.

Why Are Atomic Habits The Key To Success:

This small story will give you the answer and make you understand.

The British cycling team was struggling from 1908 to 2003, in this long period of time they only won one Olympic medal. They were lacking behind in almost everything including Tour De France, the world’s biggest race.

Finally, the British cycling organization decided to hire Dave Brailsford as a new coach. Dave is a man of strategies, his Favorite strategy is the aggregation of marginal gains.

Actions Dave Took / Changes made As A New Coach:

Redesigned the seat for the better comfort of riders.

New fabric jerseys, weightless, and aerodynamic.

Rubbed alcohol for better grip of tires.

Made better quality of bed sheets and pillows for riders so they can sleep well and perform better.

Taught riders proper hand wash techniques for their better health.

Like these, he did all the small possible things which he could do to improve the cycle or rider, even if only by 1%.

The aggregation of marginal gains means bringing small changes or taking small action steps to improve at least by 1% daily.

So at the end when you sum up all the little changes and improvements you get huge benefits/results out of them.

In the 2008 Olympics British team shocked the world. Out of all the medals, they won 60% of medals. Also in London Olympic, they broke 9 Olympic and 7 world records.

Using this simple strategy the British team went from rank 178 to winning 66 gold medals and 5 Tour De France within just 10 years.

What are Atomic Habits :

You must have heard that “huge results require huge actions”. You might have made a new year resolution, set a goal for yourself but have you ever completed your resolutions? ever achieved your goal? How long you stick to your resolutions?

But taking huge actions is not easy. That’s why more than 80% of people quit, give up, and never change. Just like you do.

You must be thinking about what’s the solution then? Well, it’s simple. Don’t set huge goals. Instead, focus on improving just by 1% every day. Now this goal is not hard to achieve, you can easily accomplish it. Also, small changes won’t show any difference until you cross a certain threshold. After 1 year of constant improvement by 1%, you have been improved by 37% now this is huge.

And I don’t mean that you should not dream big and all. You should dream big, you must but to achieve that is hard and when you fail at it you give up. That’s why move towards your goal slowly, with baby steps, each day.

These everyday small actions, changes, steps are called atomic habits. Every successful person is the result of their atomic habits. That’s why keep forming atomic habits is very important.

How Do You Build An Atomic Habit :

3 Ways Of Behavioral Change:

Outcome-based, system-based, identity based.

Atomic Habits Outcome vs System :

If you really wanna achieve your goals as soon as possible then you should focus on the system instead of goals. Goals are about the results/outcomes you want. The system is about the process which leads you there. Love the process more than outcomes.

Winners & losers both have goals, they agree or not. What separates them is their systems. Achieving a goal is a momentary solution while fixing your system is a permanent solution.

Atomic Habit Ex: Suppose you wanna lose weight, this is your goal/outcome but what exercise you should do, what diet you should follow, how much to sleep? when, and how much eat and exercise? All this is the system.

Now if you only think about the outcome but neglect the system then you’ll never achieve your goal. But if you focused on improving your system, you’ll soon achieve your goal.

If you have the outcome mentality then you’ll be happy when you’ll achieve your goal. While if you fall in love with the system then you don’t have to depend on your goal to be happy.

Atomic Habits Identity :

Identity-based change is more powerful and better than outcome and system. You have an outcome mindset that’s why you focus on results, outcomes and when you don’t see any results soon, you give up and quite.

That’s why it’s better to pretend like you are already the person that you wanna become. Act and speak like the person you wanna become. Change your identity.

Atomic Habits Ex: Suppose you are trying to quit cigarettes. When someone will offer you to smoke what you’ll say is, no I am trying to quit, I haven’t smoked from last 2 weeks and etc. Instead you should change your identity and say, no thanks I am not a smoker, I don’t like it, etc.

This type of behavior change will help you to easily adapt or eliminate any habit.

To do so first decide what type of person you want to be, decide your identity. Second, prove yourself that you are actually that type of person by doing small changes, taking small action steps, etc.

Atomic Habits Ex: if you wanna be a reader then start reading every day at least one page and share what you read with others. By doing so you and others will think of you as a reader and soon you will become too.

4 Stages Of Habit Loop :

Habits are actions or tasks you do without thinking. When you get a certain satisfying reward after performing some action your brain forms the habit. You can learn more about the habit loop here. There are four stages of habit-forming according to James Clear. Which are as follows.

Cue: triggers your brain to take action. Tells you that there’s a reward you can get.

Craving: It’s about how badly you want to have that reward.

Response: It is the action you take or perform the habit in order to get a reward.

Rewards: It’s is the end of the habit loop. You chase rewards cause they satisfy you.

4 Laws Of Behaviour Change:

To form any new habit it should have following 4 qualities.

Obvious

Easy

Attractive

Satisfying

Adding these four qualities in any habit you wanna form will make it easier for you to make that habit. While without these four qualities it’s very hard for you to form that habit.

Obvious:

suppose you wanna start reading. But you don’t know which book you should read first? When you should read? How much you should read? Where are you going to read it? Having not obvious, cause of this confusion you won’t read the whole day. That’s why it’s important to be obvious.

Easy:

Now if you picked a Shakespeare book or scientific book or another heavy book which is hard to understand, you have to keep looking in Google for the meaning of words, cause of these difficulties there is very less chance that you’ll read daily.

Attractive:

If after starting reading you don’t like it, you don’t enjoy it,if you are not comfortable while reading, you think of it as punishment then also you won’t form that habit. Make reading interesting, fun be creative.

Satisfying:

If taking nap or watching useless videos seems more satisfying to you than reading then also it’s hard for you to become a reader. You have to find a way to get satisfaction out of it.

Atomic Habits Methods :

Habit Stacking For Obvious :

You must have some daily routine it might be bad or good but you definitely have one. Cause of this daily routine, a chain of actions you take required actions every day. This chain of actions indicates your brain what’s the next thing you should be doing.

Ex: to making reading obvious just fit in the habit of reading in your daily routine. Like after a brush or while having a tea or coffee.

Habit stacking simply means usage of your existing habits to form new habits. Doing this will clear your confusion & you can easily take actions on new habits.

Make it Easy :

Keep things easy and simple in the beginning. Your ritual should be easy so you’ll be at least motivated to do it and won’t give up. When you start a new habit, it should take less than 2 minutes to do.

Ex. When you stack up reading in your ritual don’t aim to read for an hour instead set a goal to read for 15 min or reading 2 pages, which you can easily accomplish and stay motivated to keep doing it every day.

Add Something Attractive:

Be creative. Add some fun things with your habit to make it attractive. Like plying favorite games while running on a treadmill or something like that. This will make you repeat the same habit daily.

Ex: add some fun activity in reading or reward yourself when you finish your reading goal. Like you won’t touch your phone until you complete reading or eating something you like.

Atomic Habits Visual Score:

It’s simple when you see doing progress in anything you feel satisfied and motivated. To do so make a visual scoreboard which can show you your progress and keep motivating & pushing you to perform your habit.

Ex: when you complete your reading goal, Mark “x” on your calendar so you can see your daily progress. You can have some app too for doing so.

Conclusion:

With the help of tiny changes, you can transform your life. These everyday small are called atomic habits. Atomic habits are a small part of the big system.

Don’t set hard goals instead focus on improving just by 1% every day.

Start focusing on the system instead of goals & outcomes.

change your identity, your beliefs. Pretend to be the person you want to become.

Cue>Craving>Response>Rewards, the habit loop.

To form any new habit it should be obvious, easy, attractive and satisfying.

Action Steps :

Analyze yourself. Write down your daily ritual. What are those things which you have been doing every day? Write them down in order.

Now identify which of them are good for you, which of then ate badly for you and separate them.

To eliminate bad habits, try to understand the habit loop. Write down the cue and the reward you are getting at the end.

Now add the habit you wanna have and try to get some reward out of it.

Change your identity. Think about the person you wanna be and write down his beliefs. How he thinks, speaks all that.

Now subscribe, share let me know in the comments what you think about this. Atomic habits summary also let me know which habit you would like to have.

Atomic Habits Review:

There are many books available on habits and decision making but this one by Janes clear I really loved. It showed that to achieve big results it’s not necessary that you should work hard each & every day, just improving by 1% or bringing tiny changes in your life can give you big results. It also shared the idea of how to easily form or get rid of any habits which are very important. Again this was just an atomic habits summary it can’t replace the original book. If you interested in reading the whole book like are given below.

Print | Free Audiobook |Print(In)

The post How To Achieve More With Little Efforts | Atomic Habits Summary appeared first on Selfhelp Factory.

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[noirveganrunner]

"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out. Strive for success everyday." What an amazing day. A little warm, but I am not complaining. Did and easy 7.5K for lunch today. Pushed the pace a little with some surges throughout the run. Now, back to work. I love this life! (at Al Jazirah al Hamra') https://www.instagram.com/p/B_w9WK9H2LE/?igshid=7526740sm5en

[onlinening4u]

Making money with the internet: misconceptions

For some people, the web saves a little money; for others to earn enough income to live on. In reality, everything is possible: even to get rich (by playing the lottery online for example - although it is unreasonable to expect to win the jackpot given the odds of having this chance ...). As often, many misconceptions exist: we hear everything and its opposite. This article is an opportunity to clarify things by evoking the most common misconceptions.

Make money on the internet: these are just scams

"Mistrust is the mother of security" says the proverb of Jean de La Fontaine. It is perfectly legitimate to be skeptical. Sometimes, in the face of certain scams , being cautious is recommended to save your wallet. It is better to be too wary and not fall into the traps aimed at stealing money from you ...

That said, not all lucrative deals on the internet are scams. Our guide also exists for this reason. Because, fortunately, honest companies imagine solutions so that everyone really wins!

Not to mention all the home job offers that often require special skills, paid surveys are a good example. It's about making ends meet by answering consumer surveys. Your opinion is then taken into account for the improvement of everyday products or services. In return for your contribution, you get rewards in euros or in the form of various gifts.

You will find other examples of serious methods thanks to BenefsNet . We explain to you each time how the different remunerative techniques work to prove to you that there is no scam.

An equally false idea: we earn a lot of easy money

Contrary to the first received idea, earning a lot of money on the internet is not so simple . There are many solutions to easily supplement your income , but let's be serious: these are small sums - very useful for making ends meet - and not fortunes.

99% of ads that promise to win thousands of dollars without doing anything are scams. They make you believe that you have the right to a golden opportunity, which is reserved for you, to achieve their ends: to extract your money. In many cases, these are called scams . Some victims have lost all of their savings.

As for the professions made possible with the use of the Internet, we repeat it quite often: nothing is easy in general. No matter how much you work at home, you won't be able to hang out on your sofa. You will not gain much with the TV remote control in hand ...

You must invest yourself personally to achieve the objectives set. By retaining your customers, you can hope to earn enough income to make a living.

Using the best websites that we present in our guide, it is possible to earn money quickly. But do not expect miracles: it will only be a few cents to start. One tip is to multiply your participations to accumulate your earnings. It is a good way to do it, but it requires great efforts of implication and perseverance . It's hard to stay motivated when you have to repeat similar tasks. Varying the solutions is a wise choice.

As you can see, most of the lucrative online business requires determination. However, ambition pays off! Visit our informative pages, find the offers that best suit you, and give your all.

Goodbye social life?

It is a recurring misconception. It is true that working from home is life changing. First of all, there are significant advantages : no trip to make, a better family life, etc.

On the downside, there is one that is considered particularly annoying: the physical absence of colleagues. Many people fear - and rightly so - loneliness. According to our character, it is easy to suffer from it terribly. When you think about it, the web nevertheless promotes social ties. You can make beautiful and numerous meetings there. It is up to everyone to benefit from it and also to know how to "disconnect".

Teleworkers are rarely unhappy with their situation. Admittedly, they stay at home all day, are alone, but compensate with their leisure activities, outings with friends and visits to family. By having relationships, making money with the internet is nothing bad for social life. The possibility of managing your own schedule is good!

Also note that, at home, there is no risk of having to support annoying colleagues (there is a bundle!).

At home it is impossible to concentrate

Always in the register of received ideas, we often hear that concentrating on your work is complicated from home. There are many sources of distractions in our homes. We can cite the most important: television and video game console.

Becoming productive everywhere, thanks to the internet, is learned. You just have to be a little serious, no matter where you are. The ideal to achieve this is to set up a real office, in a dedicated room, to evolve in a real professional environment (see our 6 solutions to get started seriously ).

In addition, a large study carried out in France by the firm Greeworking , in May 2012, showed that teleworkers are 22% more productive than employees in the same positions and working in the company. This is explained in this way: people at home tend to work more hours. They do not waste time in transport or in the coffee machine.

The satisfaction rate for teleworkers, managers and employers is 96%. To read the full results of this study, click here . Furthermore, if you are sensitive to ecology, know that telework is good for the planet: there are fewer cars on the roads, and therefore fewer polluting traffic jams.

Conclusion

After reading this article, you find that popular beliefs are not always justified. They have a tough skin, but mentalities will gradually change with new technologies and the transition to digital.

So, if you want to make a living using your internet connection, we wish you all the best for success. On the other hand, with our BenefsNet guide and its regular updates, let yourself be guided and discover in your turn how to earn money . You will easily find your happiness there. Good luck for the future !

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#To make Money #earning online

[daisy-chain-gardens]

Exchange Romance - Chapter 7

A/N: Hey guys, me again. Sorry for the slow update but I've had a bit of a crazy week so I haven't had a lot of time to write. This chapter is quite long though so hopefully that makes up for it! The next chapter is going to be 'day by day' style as well. I was going to merge this chapter and the next chapter but I really wanted to post something today and I think this chapter is long enough as it is. Happy reading :)

Word Count: 6,050

Ch. 1 // Ch. 2 // Ch. 3 // Ch. 4 // Ch. 5 // Ch. 6 // AO3 link

Brave. This is the first word I would think of if someone asked me to describe Betty Cooper. Although these five small letters do nothing to describe the incredible human being that you are, they begin to describe what you are to me. The next word I think of is gentle, then strong, then intelligent, and then a millions others which would take a lifetime to write out. The truth is, a light such as yourself can’t be summed up with mere words, no matter how many I try to use. You couldn’t possibly be summarised because you are so much more than just a few sentences. You are your accomplishments, your failures, your memories, your regrets and everything in between. Every single one of these things has created you, the amazing, ethereal, kind hearted girl who I am incredibly lucky to call my girlfriend. You make me feel safe in this screwed up world and for that I am eternally grateful. Snowball fights and late night movies and vanilla milkshakes and that certain shade of green will forever remind me of you, surely bringing a smile to my face until my dying days. If someone ever asks me about it, I’ll be sure to tell them all about the beautiful blonde with a funny accent and piercing green eyes. The way her hair looks like pure gold when the sun hits it just so. The look of pure joy and wonder on her face at the sight of snow. The way she tilts her head back slightly and scrunches her eyes shut when she laughs. The tune she taps absentmindedly against the table as she does her math homework. If anyone ever asks me why I remember all of these small moments that anyone else would deem insignificant, I'll tell them it is because of you. The unforgettable Betty Cooper. The girl who had my heart from the second I saw her laughing away in a booth at Pop's. What I'm trying to say, or rather write, is that I love you Betty Cooper. Somehow it feels like I always have. Like I just knew, as soon as we locked eyes, that you were the only girl that would ever be anywhere near enough for me. I am so so happy that you're in my life, and now that you are I can't imagine my life without you. I hope that you have the most unforgettable Christmas, Betts, because you deserve it. You deserve all of the goodness and happiness in the world and I will try my hardest to give it to you. I love you.

This was the letter that Jughead wanted to send. The words flowed smoothly as his pen raced across the page to keep up with his thoughts. Before the ink on the first word had even begun to dry, Jughead knew he would never send this to Betty, no matter how desperately he wanted to. "What kind of wimp tells his girlfriend he loves her in a letter?" He mumbled under his breath before scrunching it up and tossing it in the bin.

What felt like several hours later, the bin beside Archie's desk was overflowing, crumpled paper marked with half finished sentences spilling over the sides of the small metal basket. Jughead held his head in his hands, willing himself to continue. This letter had to be perfect but nothing that he wrote felt right. His sentences felt clunky and his words sounded generic and impersonal. After many more failed attempts, he begrudgingly sifted through the paper mountain and pulled out the crumpled sheet hiding at the very bottom.

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

Betty didn't realise she was crying until the ink became blurry, forcing her to clear her eyes before reading the final words of Jughead's letter. His fingers ran over the crumpled page, circling those three words that changed everything. She didn't try to fight her lovesick smile, knowing that her efforts would be in vain. He loved her. Jughead Jones loved her, Betty Cooper. She couldn't believe it. She had to stop from running and jumping around the room for fear of waking up her host family. She reread his letter countless times until she had it memorised, her mind playing the words over and over again. She reached over to her dresser and grabbed her phone, bringing up Jughead's name on Skype and calling him faster than she thought was humanly possible. He picked up on the second ring.

"Hi Betts," he mumbled sleepily, a groggy smile on his face at the sight of his girlfriend.

"Hi Juggie." Her voice was quiet but Jughead could hear the excitement in it.

"Everything ok? It's pretty late. Shouldn't you b-"

"I love you," Betty blurted out, her voice now strong and sure. "Jughead Jones, I love you," she repeated, more to herself than anyone else. Betty wished she had a camera to take a photo of Jughead the minute the words slipped out of her mouth. Pure love and adoration covered his face, no sight of his usual nonchalance.

"Betty Cooper, I love you." There were tears, and quiet promises, and three words whispered over and over again, so many times that they were the only ones either of them could remember. All that Betty wanted was to be with him. To be able to hold his hand, stroke his cheek, press his lips against hers, anything. She absentmindedly traced his face on the screen, aching for his touch. They kept talking until their conversation turned to yawns, the quiet sound of Riverdale in the morning flooded through the speakers before their screens finally turned black.

26th December

By the time Betty emerged from her room, Ronnie had already finished one mug of coffee and Hiram and Hermione were standing near the door.

"Ah, Betty, I'm glad you're awake. Hermione and I are heading off to Paris until the New Year. We have some meetings and things to attend for the company. You two should be fine here but Smithers is staying behind in case you need anything. Have a good time, stay safe," Hiram called over his shoulder as he strolled out of the front door, his wife on his arm. Veronica let out a small sigh when the door closed before quickly turning her attention to Betty.

"So B, I heard voices very late last night. What were you and lover boy up to?" Veronica questioned playfully, waggling her eyebrows.

"Nothing just ... talking," The blonde looked down at the table to hide her smile, failing to hide her happiness as her face blushed red.

"Just talking? If you say so. What did he say in that letter he gave you?" Betty looked up at her host sister, her face resembling that of a deer in the headlights. Ronnie had an innocent smile on her face causing Betty to narrow her eyes.

"What do you know?" Betty asked slowly, her voice curious but threatening.

"I know nothing. But I may have talked to a certain boyfriend of mine who may just happens to sleep in the same room as a certain boyfriend of yours. A certain boyfriend who might sleep talk." Ronnie's voice raised teasingly as she kept her eyes trained on Betty, her innocent smile now having morphed into a knowing smirk. Betty kept her eyes narrowed, still unsure as to whether or not Veronica was bluffing.

"What do you know?" She repeated, her tone becoming more threatening than curious.

"Fine, I give up, you're no fun. Archiekins was clearing out the bin in his room and there was a whole bunch of letters; all addressed to you, all written by Jug. Arch kept teasing him about it until Jug confessed that he loves you." He waited for a beat, creating a dramatic pause which only Veronica could pull off in an actual conversation. "But I wasn't lying about the sleeptalking thing." Betty couldn't contain the smile on her face. Last night the pair had said that they loved each other more times than most people did in a lifetime but Betty didn't think she would ever get tired of hearing it. "So then, last night wasn't just talking, was it?" The brunette raised her eyebrows again, this time questioningly instead of playfully.

"Yes, V, just talking. Sorry to disappoint," Betty replied, laughing when Veronica fake-pouted. "You are the only person I know that would be annoyed I didn't do anything other than talk with my boyfriend on Christmas. Well, you and Kevin."

"At least Kevin has his priorities straight. Speaking of which, shopping is compulsory today because, well shopping should be compulsory everyday really. But, we need to get you something nice for when you get to see Jughead again!" Ronnie practically squealed, looking a lot more excited than Betty.

"Fine, only if we can go sightseeing this afternoon. I haven't gotten to do any sightseeing."

"Deal. Now go get changed, I just got to make some calls," Veronica agreed mysteriously but Betty was too caught up in her daydreams to notice.

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

Not more than an hour after their conversation in the kitchen, the two girls were walking around one of the many malls New York had to offer, arms linked at the elbow as they walked through the crowds of shoppers.

"Ok so, first stop, Victoria's Secrets? What colour are you thinking? I think you'd look good in light pink, maybe blue," Ronnie started rambling, talking about various styles of lingerie.

"Wait, what? Why are we going here for me?" Betty asked, her face revealing her confusion.

"To get you something for Jug, remember?" The dark haired girl replied before laughing at the blonde's blatant confusion. "What did you think we were shopping for, lollipops?" Thank god for waterproof makeup because Veronica was crying herself to tears at how naive Betty was.

"I don't know. I thought maybe a new dress or something. I don't really know if we're at the lingerie stage yet," Betty said shyly. She was used to talking about her relationship with Ronnie but this felt different, more personal.

"Not yet but I have a feeling you will be soon. You love him and he loves you, what else is there?" Veronica asked, as if it were as simple as that.

"I don't know it's just ... scary, I guess," Betty confessed, slightly embarrassed.

"B, I'm not trying to pressure you into sleeping with your boyfriend or anything but it's just how it is. people have needs. You might not feel that way yet and that's nothing to be ashamed of. If nothing else, we can always just go and get cute bras for you, Jughead never has to know." Betty hugged her host sister tightly, thankful that she wasn't pushing the matter.

"Fine V. Only because I know that you’re not going to drop this."

"I have raised you well my little kiwi." Veronica smiled up at her blonde friend with motherly affection, laughing when Betty crouched down to her height. Half an hour later, although Betty would probably tell you it was about five hours later, the pair walked out of the mall, arms laden with bags, all from the same store.

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

They finally sat down for lunch at a trendy vegan restaurant, shopping bags surrounding their small table. Their food came quickly and they were just about to start eating when a high pitched voice interrupted them.

"Veronica Lodge, OMG! I didn't know you were back in New York!" A short blonde girl hurried towards them, the amount of shopping bags she was carrying rivalled Ronnie's.

"Zara? It's so good to see you! I thought you guys were in Spain for the holidays." Veronica rushed out of her seat and into Zara's arms, hugging her tightly.

"Just for christmas, we flew in this morning. You know how much I love the shopping in New York." She said, her voice bubbling with excitement.

"Tell me about it. Zara, this is Betty. She's an exchange student from New Zealand and she's staying with me in Riverdale until June." Betty stood up, remembering all of those years of etiquette training her mother had drilled into her.

"IT'S VERY NICE TO MEET YOU," Zara yelled very slowly, over annunciating each syllable.

"It's nice to meet you too," Betty replied, trying to not to laugh at the small girl in front of her.

"Oh, you speak english. I thought maybe you spoke dutch or something." Zara said, unfased by her mistake. She joined them at their table, contributing immensely to their mountain of shopping, and kept the conversation easy until Betty and Ronnie had finished their food. "You girls up for round 2?" Ronnie looked at Betty, waiting or her to answer.

"You two go ahead. I wanted to get in some sightseeing but I'll be fine on my own. I'll text you if I need anything." Betty said, ever the people pleaser. Ronnie thanked her silently before kissing her on the cheek and bouncing out of the restaurant, Zara following right behind as they handed off their shopping to an ever obliging Smithers. Betty chuckled at the sight of them before walking out of the restaurant herself, heading in the opposite direction.

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

Juggie: Hope you haven't died from over-shopping. Betty laughed when Jughead's slightly morbid text lit up her phone about an hour after she'd left Ronnie. She'd managed to navigate the subway more a less successfully and then was currently standing in line to go up the Empire State building.

Betts: Not yet. Check back tomorrow and I might have a different answer. They texted back and forth until Betty got to the front of the line, eventually making her way to the elevator and stepping out once it arrived on the top floor.

She was speechless. The whole city was spread out beneath her, the skyscrapers looking like they were a normal size while the rest of the city looked like it was built for ants. She slowly walked along the edge of the fence, trying to soak up every second of the experience. Her phone buzzed in her bag, forcing her to tear her eyes away from the skyline and redirect her attention to the screen where a new text from Jughead waited for her.

Juggie: I love you. She felt unstoppable. Reading those words whilst standing on the top of the world made the butterflies in her chest flutter. Betty turned her back to the city, turning her camera around to take a selfie, the smile on her face bright enough to rival the lights which the city was known for.

Betts: I wish you were here with me

Betts: I love you. It made her so happy to be able to type out those eight letter. Jughead replied almost instantly.

Juggie: I'll be seeing you sooner than you think. She held her phone to her chest, smile still bright as she looked out across New York for one last time before walking back over to the elevator and heading back down to earth.

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

Jughead and Betty continued texting for the rest of the afternoon, Betty sending him various photos of herself posing in front of New York landmarks. She ached to see him and sent him a Skype request as soon as she got through the apartment door that evening, making note of Veronica's absence and figuring she probably wasn't going to be back any time soon.

"Hey Betts," Jughead said as he accepted her request.

"Hey Juggie." She was almost breathless at the sight of him, not sure how he could make her feel like this through a computer screen.

"I was just about to order burgers for dinner. Archie's out somewhere and Fred's working late. I don't know why on boxing day but I get the house to myself so I'm not complaining," Jughead said, reaching for the phone to call the number for Pop's he'd memorised a long time ago.

"I think I'm in the mood for pizza. You up for a movie tonight?" She asked, barely able to keep the expectation out of her voice.

"Always, any ideas?"

"I am in New York so I feel like 'West Side Story' is compulsory viewing," Betty said whilst scouring the internet for nearby pizza places. Of course there were a million.

"Not sure if I agree with your reasoning but you've convinced me, West Side Story it is," he said in mock disappointment.

"You've gone soft Jug. Probably just because you love me," she smiled, turning her attention away from her computer to look at him on her phone. His eyes sparkled and they somehow looked deeper than normal. His beanie-less hair was sticking up in all directions, leaving Betty wishing she could run her fingers through it.

"Anything for you Betts." His expression could only be described as loving and Betty had to bite her lip to try and prevent her smile from taking up her whole face. "However, I do have food waiting for me so I'll call you back in 20 minutes, ok?"

"Okey dokey. I'll see you in 20 minutes, not a second later. Love you!" She called out before hanging up the phone, promptly dialing Smithers number.

"Hey Smithers, do you know of any good pizza places nearby?"

"Certainly Ms. Coo-, Betty, I can go and find some for you if you'd like? Any particular toppings?" It had taken almost three months for Smithers to voluntarily call Betty by her first name but it still made her giggle a bit when she heard him struggle with the informality so much.

"Surprise me. That would be amazing thank you. I think it's a pj's and takeout kind night."

"I understand Betty. I'll bring it up to you as soon as possible."

"No rush. Thanks a ton Smithers!" Betty set up the TV and found the movie on Netflix, changing into her pyjamas while she waited for Jughead to call. Her phone started buzzing as soon as she walked back into the living room.

"You ok Jug? You look a bit flushed." Betty stated as soon as his face popped up on the screen, voice laced with concern.

"I'm ... fine ... 20 ... minutes ... isn't ... very ... long." Jughead choked out, breathing heavily.

"Did you run Jug?" Betty asked, trying to stop herself from laughing at his breathlessness.

"Maybe ... I think Pop's has ... gotten further away ... since you've been gone." A giggle slipped from her lips and Jughead laughed along with her, both just happy to be with each other. Smithers knocked politely on the door, handing Betty her pizza before slipping silently back into the elevator.

"Ok, dinner's all set, you ready to start watching?" She asked, the remote already in one of her hands as she reached for a slice of pizza with the other.

"As ready as I'll ever be," he replied, his breathing finally under control. The music for the intro started and Jughead couldn't tear his eyes away from his girlfriend. It wasn't the same as having her with him. He couldn't feel the weight of her lying across him, his arm wrapped around her or running his fingers through her hair. He eventually looked away when he heard the Sharks clicking through the streets of New York, the sound ripping him from his thoughts. They engaged in their usual movie conversations throughout the film, commenting on various things which caught their eye.

Jughead noticed Betty's uncharacteristic silence and looked down at his phone, the sight before him one which he swears made his heart stop. Betty was leaned back against the couch, wrapped up tightly in a blanket with her hair messily falling around her face. Her mouth was hanging slightly open and her soft snores were barely heard over the noise coming from the TV. He let himself look at her for a few more seconds before softly whispering those three small words and ending the call.

Veronica tumbled through the door very early the next morning, or late that night, she's not quite sure. She's greeted by Betty's sleeping figure on the couch, the Netflix menu on the TV, and Jughead's Skype profile on Betty's open laptop. Ronnie couldn't help but think about how the sleeping blonde was going to react when she found out about her surprise tomorrow. The raven haired princess recovered Betty with her blanket, shut down her laptop and the TV, and then walked down the hall to her room, her eyes closing as soon as her head hit the pillow.

27th December

Betty woke up to the sun streaming through the windows, New York already buzzing down below. She got up slowly and decided to make some pancakes, blasting her music in the kitchen while she worked. Veronica stumbled into the kitchen as Betty was taking the last batch out of the pan, fumbling around for her coffee mug.

“Fun night V?” Betty asked.

“How could it not be? Two girls armed with daddy’s credit card, sounds like a recipe for success.” Veronica replied sleepily, filling up her cup carefully. “Care for a stroll in Central Park after breakfast? I think a bit of fresh air will help get rid of this thumping headache I just happen to have accumulated.” The brunette’s eyes twinkled knowingly as she finished her sentence, causing Betty to giggle.

“New York, new Veronica? I thought you hated strolling, and the outdoors, and watching people exercise,” Betty pointed out skeptically, confused as to what had caused Ronnie’s sudden change of heart.

“You never know, maybe we’ll find something more interesting to do along the way.” She took a long sip of her coffee, dismissing Betty’s bewildered look.

“Whatever you say V. As long as it doesn’t involve shopping I’m good with whatever.”

“Speaking of shopping, you should wear something that you bought yesterday. What’s the point in buying it if you’re not going?” Ronnie asked, feigning nonchalance.

“What’s going on V? First you want to ‘go for a stroll’ and now you’re trying to get me to wear nice underwear for said stroll. Is there something going on that I don’t know about?” Betty was completely puzzled at this point and was frustrated that Veronica was being so secretive.

“Only time will tell. Eat up quick, I want to go to the park as soon as possible.” The brunette refused to meet Betty’s eye as they finished their pancakes, Betty’s mind racing with possibilities as to what Veronica could possibly have planned for them at the park. Although she would deny it if Ronnie asked her, Betty put her new baby blue bra and matching underwear on under her winter clothes. Ronnie all but dragged her out the door as soon as she was decent, stilettos clicked hurriedly along the icy pavement. Betty was lead this way and that for about ten minutes until she realised that Ronnie was following the signs to the ice skating rink.

“V, why are we going ice skating? I know how you feel about wearing shoes that other people have worn.” The raven haired princess shuddered at the thought before replying to the girl she was dragging along, a devious smile playing on her lips.

“If things go well, we’ll be doing a lot more than ice skating.”

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

A bright smile lit up Betty’s face at the sound of children playing, a sure sign that they were getting close to the ice skating rink. Her curiosity was killing her and she could tell that it was taking everything Ronnie had not to spoil her mysterious surprise. As soon as they rounded the corner the ice came into view, but Betty took no notice. All that she could see was him. Jughead and Archie were leaning against the barrier, chatting animatedly about something, caught up in their own bubble. Betty ran over to them and jumped into Jughead’s arms, hugging him tightly. Jughead reacted in an instant, holding her close and spinning her around.

“I missed you,” she whispered in his ear, melting into him.

“I love you,” he whispered back. She shifted slightly in his arms, moving so she could rest her forehead against his, her green eyes getting lost in the depths of his.

“I love you.” Before he could react her lips were on his, desperate and loving, trying to convey how they felt now that words were no longer enough.

“As adorable as you two are, there are children here,” Veronica pointed out from where she was standing next to Archie. His arm was already wrapped around her shoulder as he placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. Ronnie’s eyes fluttered closed at the sensation, letting herself lean into his chest. Betty pulled back slightly, blue eyes meeting green, giving her a look that made her feel like she was floating. She had thought that reading those words made her feel something but after hearing them fall from his perfect lips, she didn’t think she could ever get enough. Reluctantly, Betty untangled herself from Jughead as he lowered her gently to the ground, her arm staying around his waist as she turned to face Veronica.

“This is incredible V, I can’t believe you did this,” Betty said, her emotions written all over her face.

“Anything for you B, you know that. I think Archiekins and I are gonna head back to the apartment, you guys want to tag along?” Jughead didn’t even check with Betty before replying.

“Thanks Ron but I think we’re gonna walk around a bit, maybe do some sightseeing.” Jughead looked down at Betty with a sly grin and she burst out laughing, remembering all of the strange pictures she had sent him yesterday.

“Ok well we’ll see you guys for dinner? Maybe watch a movie after?” Ronnie asked, taking over Betty’s usual role of organising everyone now that the blonde was too busy staring at her boyfriend.

“Sounds good, see you tonight,” and with that they were off, running away from their friends and deeper into the park, hand in hand, laughs ringing out and masking the sound of the ice skaters beside them. Ronnie watched them go, a small smile on her face as she watched the pair disappear through the trees. The couple stayed like that for a while, holding each other close and watching the snow fall around them, before slowly turning around and strolling off in the other direction.

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

As soon as Archie and Ronnie were out of view, Betty and Jughead once again became a tangle of limbs, holding each other so tightly they almost seemed like one person. Jughead’s hands were cupping her face, pulling her into the kiss with everything he had. Her hands mimicked his before running through his hair, knocking his beanie to the ground. Neither of them knew how long they stayed like that, kissing the life out of each other, hands roaming as they pleased. Seconds felt like hours but even the hours weren’t long enough. The snow had stopped falling by the time their lips pulled apart, hugging each other as though they would disappear if they put too much space in between them.

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

Their words repeated over like a mantra until their voices turned hoarse from the cold, forcing them to held each other in silence. Silently, they let each other go, hands still joined as their fingers laced together. Jughead leaned down and picked up his beanie, the colour almost black from the dampness of the snow it was half buried under. He tucked it into his pocket, sending Betty that smile which made her heart melt. They slowly made their way out of the park not quite sure of their destination but not really caring.

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

Jughead and Betty spent the whole day running around New York, hand in hand, laughter following them through the bustling streets. They retraced Betty’s steps from the day before, recreating her goofy photos with the camera Jughead had been given for Christmas. He was constantly taking photos of anything that caught his eye; a colourful sign, people caught in conversation, old buildings, Betty. She was somehow completely oblivious to his camera, too caught up in her own little bubble to hear the constant click or notice the lovesick smile on her boyfriend’s face whenever she appeared in his lens. Halfway through the afternoon, Jughead’s phone buzzed in his pocket.

“Can you grab that Betts? I really want to get this shot,” he asked without looking at her, eyes completely focused on the small screen of his camera. A small smile played on her lips at the way he looked when he was completely focused, tongue slightly visible through his pink lips as his fingers fiddled with some buttons. She watched him for a second before digging his phone out of his pocket.

Arch: Ronnie wants to go out tonight so we might not be here when you guys get back. Movies tomorrow night?

“It’s Archie. V’s taking him out tonight so we’ll be all on our lonesome,” Betty relayed, unable to keep her smile from growing at the thought of having the apartment all to themselves. She sent off a quick reply to Archie and was just about to turn it off when something caught her eye. Jughead’s background was the photo she had sent him yesterday, her smiling face looking back at her from the screen, New York filling up the background. SHe stood up on the tips of her toes and softly kissed Jughead on the cheek. He stopped fiddling with his camera and looked down at her.

“What was that for?” He asked, slightly confused by his girlfriend’s sudden display of affection.

“Because I love you,” she replied, slipping his phone back into his pocket.

“I love you.” He leant down to kiss her, slow but quick at the same time. “I don’t think I’m ever going to get tired of say those words,” Jughead confessed, eyes locked on hers.

“Good because I’ll never get tired of hearing them,” Betty said with a cheeky grin, pulling him back in for another kiss, lacing her fingers back through his and leading him through the crowd.

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

They tumbled into the apartment later that evening. Jughead held takeout in one hand and Betty in the other. The two of them promptly collapsed onto the couch, not even bothering to take off their winter coats. Betty leaned against Jughead, closing her eyes for a few seconds.

“You ok Betts? We can just go to sleep if you want,” He suggested, concern leaking into his voice at the sight of his exhausted girlfriend.

“No, I’m fine. It’s just been a busy day,” Betty said, opening her eyes and smiling up at him, adjusting slightly so she could see him better.

“It’s been an amazing day.” His voice sounded soft, his hand squeezing her gently from where it rested on her hip. She snuggled in closer to him, leaning into his chest with her legs lying across his lap.

“It was truly incredible. But now we have to eat, my stomach is getting angry at me,” she commented, making no effort to move from her spot. Jughead chuckled at her response.

“A girl after my own heart,” he quipped, running his fingers through her blonde locks a few times before moving her off his lap so he could grab the food. Betty took off her coat and shoes while she waited for him to return, turning on the TV and scrolling through Netflix. They ate their takeout and watched movies, just like they always did. Betty was so happy that he was here and not on the other side of a screen. She sat as close to him as possible and took every chance she could to touch him; brush his hair out of his eyes, draw small circles on his arm with her thumb, kiss his hand as he held it in hers. Jughead found it adorable how affectionate she got when she was tired. It seemed as if her inhibitions melted away and she was truly herself. He had to fight off a laugh at the end of the movie when he realised she had somehow fallen asleep in what he thought looked like a very uncomfortable position wrapped around him. He was unable to extract himself without waking her up so he gently nudged her shoulder.

“I’m awake, I’m just … resting,” she mumbled, eyes still closed. The chuckle finally escaped his lips as he helped her slowly move to an upright position.

“You ready for bed babe?” He teased, brushing her hair out of her face.

“I like it when you called me babe.” She sent him a sleepy grin which made his heart flutter. God she was beautiful, even with her hair a mess and eyes half closed. He quietly stood up and half carried her down the hall.

“Which bedroom is yours?” Jughead asked when they got to the corridor.

“That one over there,” she pointed to a door about halfway down and Jughead chuckled again. “What’s so funny?’ Betty asked, not sure if she had missed something or if Jughead was just being strange. “Just Ron. That’s the room I stayed in last time I came here with her and she told me I would be in the same room again.” Betty smiled again, not really awake enough to give a proper response.

“Guess you’re stuck with me then.”

“I can think of worse things,” Jughead replied, kissing her nose when she scrunched it up in mock anger. Betty flopped straight onto the bed when they got into the room

“I can’t be bothered moving now,” she admitted, voice muffled by the duvet.

“Come on babe, you can’t sleep in your jeans. Where do your pj’s live?” He asked as he put his bag in the corner.

“Second drawer down. Just grab whatever.” Jughead could hear her voice getting sleepier and moved quickly around the room, grabbing a pair of flannel pj’s before walking over to the bed.

“There you go. Do you want me to wait in the bathroom?” She shook her head before dragging herself off the bed, starting to take off her sweater. Jughead walked calmly over to his bag, pulling out his own pyjamas. By the time he turned around to ask her something, she was only in her bra and undies. He help but stare. She was absolutely breathtaking. He tried to gulp down the lump that was forming his throat, will himself to stay calm but not quite sure how to go about it. Betty noticed him staring and let out a giggle.

“Like what you see?” She teased, a sparkle in her eye that Jughead hadn’t seen before. She walked over to him and he could have sworn it was in slow motion. She wrapped her arm around his neck and kissed him, hard. Where their other kisses had been filled with unspoken promises and loving touches, this was purely instinct. Hands roamed where they pleased and tongues collided, both of them trying to get as much of each other as possible. Jughead’s hands gripped the back of her thighs, pulling her up as she wrapped her long legs around his waist. He carried her the short distance across the room, his body pressed against hers until he carefully lowered her onto the bed.

“Juggie, I really want to carry on but I’m having trouble keeping my eyes open. Is it ok if we continue this later? I’m really sorry,” Betty mumbled into his ear. Jughead could hear the sleep weighing down her voice and had no problem complying.

“You have nothing to be sorry about,” he whispered back, content that she felt secure enough around him to tell him how she was feeling. She crawled across the bed and snuggled under the covers, patting the space next to her to encourage Jughead to slide in next to her. He did just that, wrapping his arms around her as her eyes fluttered closed once more.

“Good night Betts,” he murmured into her hair, kissing the top of her head lightly. He took a moment to remember this feeling before closing his eyes to the world and joining her in dreamless slumber.

#exchange romance #bughead #bughead fanfiction #bughead fluff #betty cooper #jughead jones #veronica lodge #archie andrews #hiram lodge #hermione lodge #guess who's finally learnt how to use tumblr

[ts1989fanatic]

Taylor Swift's 15 Best Songs: Critic's Picks

From her beginnings as a country artist to her reign as a global pop star, Taylor Swift has become one of the defining artists of this century -- and that’s in large part thanks to her masterful song craft. Each era of the singer-songwriter’s career has included intricate, instantly memorable musical moments that it’s difficult to narrow down the best of the best to just 15. Yet these songs represent Taylor at the top of her game, whether it be through an extended heartbreak anthem or hilarious declaration of independence.

Here are Billboard’s picks for the 15 best Taylor Swift songs, from her self-titled debut through 1989.

15. Taylor Swift, "New Romantics"

A bonus track off 1989 that out-popped the bubblegum pizzazz of most of the standard track list, “New Romantics” finds Swift gliding alongside gooey '80s synths before pogoing on the chorus with a slew of declarative statements. “Heartbreak is the national anthem -- we sing it proudly,” she states, making “New Romantics” a spiritual cousin to the “miserable and magical” time she had on “22.”

14. Taylor Swift, "Fearless"

A song like the Fearless title track demonstrated why, even as a teenager, Swift’s songwriting was miles ahead of her country contemporaries. The lyrics include several Swiftian hallmarks -- dancing with a romantic partner in the parking lot becomes dancing with a romantic partner “in a storm in my best dress”! -- but that opening line, “There’s something ‘bout the way/ The street looks when it’s just rained/ There’s a glow off the pavement,” effortlessly creates a sense of whimsy and romance that not many artists can pull off.

13. Taylor Swift, "Mine"

The lead single from Speak Now, Swift’s follow-up to the Grammy-winning Fearless, is more muted than its predecessor’s “You Belong With Me”and “Love Story,” and understandably so: It’s a song about not just finding love but maintaining it when the meet-cute has drifted into the past. When that final chorus hits and reaffirms the caring at the heart of this Taylor Swift song, though, it’s one of her most moving moments to date.

12. Taylor Swift, "Tim McGraw"

Taylor Swift sure has come a long way from the first track on her first album, huh? Although “Tim McGraw” sounds nothing like her pop stylings, the charming debut features the same type of vocal resonance and clever wordplay that have become calling cards for Swift. Plus, the fact that she pulled off the line “When you think Tim McGraw/ I hope you think of me,” and then proceeded to become even bigger than Tim McGraw, is something to marvel at.

11. Taylor Swift feat. The Civil Wars, "Safe and Sound"

The bad news is that one of the very best Taylor Swift songs, the dark, devastated “Safe and Sound,” is not featured on any Taylor Swift album. The good news is that we live in a playlist-friendly culture, and that this collaboration with The Civil Wars for the first Hunger Games soundtrack can be included in any mournful collection of your choosing. A song about protection amidst terror, “Safe and Sound” features Swift’s voice at its most shattered, her best efforts pummeled by the marching drums outside her door.

10. Taylor Swift, "Our Song"

What if Swift had resisted the allure of pop music and committed to a lifetime of fiddle-filled country jams? We’ll never know the answer, but “Our Song” is a gloriously twangy testament to what Taylor once was, before her lyrical ability to find music in everyday life was translated to a different genre. Here, the bubbly words give way to the lush arrangement, which encapsulates the exuberance of first experiencing the world with a romantic partner.

9. Taylor Swift, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together"

Years after its release, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” remains bitingly funny, an eye-roll of a pop song about a boy who just doesn’t get it through his thick skull that it’s time to move on. Swift deftly balanced sarcasm with the sincerity of the hook and nails one of her first pronounced attempts at mainstream pop (which became her first single to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart).

8. Taylor Swift, "Teardrops on My Guitar"

Poor Drew: The object of Taylor’s affection in “Teardrops on My Guitar” has a soon-to-be superstar longing for him and he’s totally unaware. The standout from Swift’s debut LP boasts the type of nuanced songwriting that would eventually make Swift a sensation, and while the “I secretly like him but he likes her and he’ll never know how much I like him” dynamic is repeated throughout her catalog, “Teardrops” captures that resignation within a handful of striking images, most notably the title phrase.

7. Taylor Swift, "Blank Space"

There aren’t too many pop songs that turn on a dime in the middle of the second verse, but just as her unhinged character in the “Blank Space” video unravels midway through, so does Swift at the song’s center, diving into self-deprecation and mocking her well-documented romantic history outside of music. “Blank Space” works as far more than satire, though: snappy and uncluttered, it’s a fantastic sing-along dotted with quotable moments (“I can make the bad guys good for a weekend,” “Boys only want love if it’s torture”).

6. Taylor Swift, "Love Story"

It takes guts to name a song something as bold and straightforward as “Love Story,” but Swift’s breakthrough single makes good on the “story” part of the equation by unfolding a modern-day parable that somehow never slips over the edge into full-on cheese. Perhaps it’s the earnestness of Swift’s performance as a heroine searching for an escape route with her Prince Charming and finally realizing that reality can make room for their tale. Out of the millions of love stories in the history of pop music, “Love Story” stands out.

5. Taylor Swift, "Mean"

Simply put, a pitch-perfect rebuke of bullying. The Speak Now single posits that living well is indeed the best revenge, as Swift bashes her early detractor by predicting that her future is bright, while their future only contains minor victories (and a huge helping of meanness). Swift sings “Mean” in first person, but it’s not really for her -- this is a song for people who feel belittled and beaten down by others, who look to someone like Swift for uplift and assurance. “Mean” is designed to shout along with cathartically, and it succeeds.

4. Taylor Swift, "State of Grace"

A bulldozer of an opening to Red, “State of Grace” is Swift’s most sonically towering track ever recorded; it’s a good thing that its author headlines arenas, because no small room could contain this song’s might. Instead of relying on lyrical detail, Swift stacks guitar lines upon propulsive drums and lets the whole thing rip; instead of opting for a wordy chorus, the hook here echoes with conciseness: “I never saw you coming/ And I’ll never be the same.” At nearly five minutes in length, “State of Grace” stays exhilarating start-to-finish and will be one of Swift’s most enduring non-singles ever.

3. Taylor Swift, "Dear John"

One of the (many) reasons any man should think twice about screwing over Taylor Swift: She is capable of penning a visceral, eviscerating takedown as potent as any hip-hop diss track. “Dear John,” a mangling of ex-beau John Mayer, is nearly seven minutes of simmering anger -- but it never feels exploitative or unyielding, instead exploring the feeling of being taken advantage of and punctuating each chorus with a sorrowful “I should’ve known.” Swift uses “Dear John” to turn the gut-punch of being led astray into a clenched fist and declaration of survival. “I took your matches before fire could catch me,” Swift spits at her beloved-turned-enemy. And we, the listeners, simply get to sit back and watch the fireworks.

2. Taylor Swift, "Style"

“Style” is all about the details: the hints of the guitar lick in the verses, the echoing vocals of “out! of! style!” on the chorus, the tension in Swift’s voice when she debates telling her guy that it’s time to leave, the way “James Dean/daydream” and “red lip/classic” are perfect rhymes positioned on top of each other, the release of the “take me hooooome” on the bridge. On an album filled with very good-to-terrific pop songs, “Style” is the most finely manicured, the most well-produced, the most fully realized -- and still, the most affecting. Decades from now, musical anthropologists will study how pop could be this perfect.

1. Taylor Swift, "You Belong With Me"

Throughout the twists and turns of her career, Swift has changed sounds, collaborators, personas and approaches, but has not -- and perhaps will never -- eclipse the magnificence of “You Belong With Me.” Credit the song’s simplicity, echoing the thematic concept of “Teardrops on My Guitar” but amplifying the high school heartache and polishing the hook so that it never floats back down after leaving the ground. There are so many things to love within “You Belong With Me,” from the high heels/sneakers dichotomy to that double handclap during the bridge, but more than anything, it’s quintessential Taylor, the ultra-relatable protagonist who can sum up complex feelings in a vocal run or quick turn-of-phrase. “You Belong With Me” has been her defining song for years, and that’s because it’s her best.

ts1989fanatic I guess it’s all in the eye of the beholder or ear of the listener to decide what your own top 15 Taylor songs are. I have to say that most of these would make mine, maybe not in the same order as this list but close.

As for the article itself it’s nice to have someone acknowledge Taylor for her writing ability without slamming her for something or other in the same piece.

[serienzacharysblog]

Opinion in "Given"

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For a beginning

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Welcome to all of you today. I wish you a good day and full of success. I'll talk to you today about Little my opinion in GIVEN . I hope you like it and have fun reading it. And  without prolonging. Let's get started.

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*°.•• in General opinion »•.°**

〈〈〈〈〈〈〈.........................

For me.. If we want to look at this anime in general, I see it as a very special anime. It tells a human story about a boy's struggle that he wishes to cast his only end in the world after losing his dearest person in his life, but. All of a sudden. Someone who completely changes this perspective and takes his hand in the broad way of life.. And it's a reason for his talent and self-expression to be revealed to the world through music..

On the other hand, it is a very calm and emotional anime, and simple words cannot sum up the beauty and depth of feelings inherent in this anime..

And for me. As a band. I see that their band Given is a very amazing and wonderful band despite their seemingly "modest" start to the famous real bands, if we look at the skills of the members of this band we will know that they are an amazing band and no doubt about it! ..

We have, for example, Mafuyu, who has a unique singing that sings according to his feelings. And we have Uneoyama, a talented guitarist who has reached the pinnacle of what a boy his age would have. We have akihiko with the versatility and ability to play many machines and believe in himself entirely - despite the departure of his parents - and get multiple jobs at once. ،And we have Haruki, the band's official and the real interest in the band. And his gentle and attractive personality made him able to be in charge of many other teams. That's if we don't forget his unique skills in playing bass..

And best of all, their talent goes beyond the limits of the usual, they when they play together do not seem to play according to a specific tone or scenario, but they play and compose their tunes according to their own skills that express their spirit and passion for music, they are friends brought together by this passion and unite With him, so they became a really special band because of that, in my opinion..

(As an anime program) is modest and short, but the quality of the images and colors. Even in how to present the events of the series and choose exciting events in anime such as action, drama and romance very successful in my opinion - not to the degree of 10 / 10 -

For animation, anime quality, images, and so on. I see that the animation is really special, and the quality of the images and colors in the videos is not commendable, it may be

But he's an excellent anime in my opinion, and I feel that he's really an aggrieved man in terms of the number of fans, he's actually worth more! As the characters and events that go through and the story of anime itself is beautiful and interesting, frankly this anime is a very respectable effort that we can not see in many other animeines in terms of animation, music and attractive colors..

As my own assessment, I give this anime (10/10) I loved it very much especially because it speaks about music, and we do not forget that the musical influences in anime make it very realistic as if the characters are real! ..

- If you have not seen this anime before and tried to watch it, I assure you that you will not get tired of its episodes, and you will return it again and again even if it is old -

That's because the third feature, which isn't so prevalent in anime, other than this show, is "Touching the feelings."

The more anime comes into contact with human feelings and the everyday daily life of human beings, the more elegant and beautiful it becomes ..

- The places and events in the story touch real life as well -

This anime becomes more touched by feelings in the talk of some of the characters of the story such as Mafuyu . Even the simple glimpses added by the authors and authors of this program really touch human feelings, for example when the beginning song appears as a vibrating sound as a heartbeat..

It's like this guy's singing depends on his* *heartbeat, or his singing comes from the heart..

And so is when you see the logo of the start song..

"Given" has very thin and small words.. But it's not in vain. It's what it says..

"Can't say goodbye.

I'm still Drifting with your echoes" 

As if the songwriter Mafuyu was unable to leave, Because he's still fighting for the echoes of those who left him..

Likewise you will notice that at the end of the episode the title of the episode appears at the bottom of the screen in black and hashtag and ring number as well! .. It's like the episode is a chapter in the story's characters' lives. Or a special class. But it's a small part of their daily lives..

- This song was really cool and quiet! - ..

And so, especially for those who didn't notice, when the first episode of anime, there was no end song, it was just melodies without a composer's voice, because Mafuyu had not shown his musical talent in that episode. But in the next episode, in which Uneoyama discovers Mafuyu's musical talent, Mafuyu's voice appears as a singer at the end of this episode..

* Oh,. Every time I hear that song, I want to cry from deep inside.*

Of course, these things you notice sometimes recur in anime. But it is rarely repeated with such power, beauty and precision in my own anime. And repeating it in a specific anime is the reason for the splendor of anime in reality!..

For example, if we look at Hunter x Hunter 2 011, what made him a famous and legendary anime is that his anime and the way of life were the cause of his success and fame.. I know there are more anime than that of Naruto, one piece, and so on. But if we look at it from that point of view, it is the true distinctive anime that manifests itself in order to express true human feelings without exaggeration or demonstration.. This is because if it was designed to improve the quality of anime only without carrying a real message to its viewers, it is like a anime that has no meaning, its purpose is to show a fantasy that cannot be seen in concrete reality..

And in the end. That's what really attracted me to this anime.

"The beauty of animation, colors, characters, its main story and the goals of this anime."

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Features and disadvantages ☇

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If there are other features I would like to add to anime other than the one I've added before, it's one of the latest anime releases I've seen up to this point. Version 2019..

Of course, anime itself is as special as a story and as an event. But the advantage of being as the latest version will make the authors take care of the beauty of his designs, whether at the level of the program or manga,

- Because it is a new version - this is a very positive point for this series to push it for the better and encourage a lot of anime lovers in general to become fans of this series..

Course.. Until this moment, I do not see any defects for this anime more than its injustice in terms of the number of fans of this anime, this anime frankly I see that it has a remarkable work and a remarkable fatigue, whether at the level of anime or manga. This is if we do not forget that there is an official website for anime and that its episodes are starting to come down regularly and at reasonable times. And the effort of the program's sponsors is great in my opinion, but..

He's very oppressed in terms of number of fans. If we see how much effort this anime is about, we realize that it's worth a lot, frankly. And I hope that this will change for the better in the near future..

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The purpose of  the anime  ☇

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Of course, most egos have a message for the viewer, either directly or indirectly, and their purpose is to learn from them a valuable and useful lesson for you in your life, or wisdom to help you through this life.And one of the most valuable lessons That I think I've seen so far combined in this anime and his manga is..

"Hope" and looking at tomorrow without surrend'ering and expecting the near-tomorrow release, and believing in the victory of God and others for you in the future no matter how narrow your life circumstances are..

This anime tells not only the story of a specific character, but also the story and circumstances of the main characters as well as the anime and how she faced her life and reality to become better..

⇸ Mafuyu ☈

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⍈ For example,

One of the most beautiful goals I have learned from Mafuyu's difficult experience after losing his only childhood friend and confidant is "not giving up", and he is forced from the severe pain that Mafuyu has to lose yuki.But that didn't stop him from completing his career, hoping to find a solution to fix the pain of his past through him and express those feelings that he had that he couldn't express by talking, joy, crying or pain.He was able to express it only by singing when he found someone who saved him only the only moment he felt lonely and wanted to disappear..

Mafuyu has already lost his friend yuki! .. But because of his patience and hope, he has another dear friend to make up for his pain, uneoyama. Not only that! Instead, his friend was credited with helping him express his feelings and directing his musical talents, which he did not realize existed in reality. Through this, he helped him find a new special path for him in his life..

⇸ Akihiko ☈

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⍈ And so,

We have an example of Akihiko. This boy who sewagedanosis and the other on the streets or his life ends without accomplishing anything important..

Maybe he didn't really have a home to go back to. Not from his parents. Not from his former friend Ugatsu, but he struggled his circumstances and endured the pain and costs in order to live, so he worked in many jobs to get enough money. He became a professional musician.. 

And despite the terrible mistakes he's made in his life, he's not going to be able to do that. But that didn't stop him from continuing to look at the better tomorrow he's waiting for. And he was able to see a glimpse of the light of the day when he first met Haruki and became his band mate later, Akihiko himself confessed to Haruki saying in manga no. 1‪0

"Thank you for inviting me to join the band, you saved me! "

⇸ Haruki ☈

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⍈ And in the same vein..

We have Haruki. Which has long been the founder of many other teams, and despite how many problems he's had before. And the many disagreements he faced with the other teams before he was on his current team, he didn't let him frustrate his work as the founder of the teams.. He did not allow those things he faced to frustrate him or to change his gentle and fun personality, through which he could treat everyone around him with courtesy, humility and kindness. He didn't let his social personality and good spirit be compromised, despite the many problems he faced..

Whether it's the times he left the teams that've been arguing, or the time he felt broken and defeated when Akihiko told him in manga number 20. 

"Even if i do, it won't change anything."

Or even after Akihiko confessed to his love for Haruki in Chapter 29

Haruki may have lost confidence from people he had hoped to find their trust in. He lost his ex-girlfriend's trust and abandoned him when he trusted her. Akihiko lost his confidence in Chapter 20 when he gave him his trust and asked him to tell him what made him so bad..

In the end, i'm going to have to go back to my old. No matter how big the problems Haruki was facing, he was able to overcome them without allowing them to influence his personality or his character with others..

He lost the trust of the previous teams he was in, most of which ended up being dissolved and no longer existed..

He lost the trust around him..

And he forgot that, though..

⇸He was the only person who helped Akihiko and saved him when Akihiko could neither find a place to go and begged him to stay there..

⇸He was the only person who helped Uneoyama wish his unique talent to play freely without problems when he founded the team with akihiko..

⇸He was the only person who saved Akihiko from the boredom of the musician and felt like he was going to die inside when he invited him to join the band, and that thanks to him he gave him fun times in music by being part of the band..

⇸He was the only person who always cared about the band and all the time when things went wrong..

⇸He was the one who always saved the band from the difficult situations you might face..

▹▹ One of those situations was when Uneoyama almost quarrelled with Mafuyu because he had not yet specified the song and therefore the team would play without a song, and this annoyed Mafuyu to the point of accidentally cutting his guitar ball, and this got Uneoyama confused and was about to cry..

- Because he realized that Mafuyu was angry to hear it from him and that he shouldn't have said it to him because he was the one who pushed him to join the band in the first place, and he cut the guitar strings that he had fixed for him the first time he met him -

If it had not been for Haruki's awakening to Uneoyama from his ramming thoughts and telling him to fix his guitar as he did it in the first time they met, Mafuyu would not have been able to trust himself and show his musical talent at this time..

▹▹ Haruki may have already lost a lot. But he won a special band. And special friends of his in that band. And a loyal and loving friend of his, Akihiko..

The best lesson we can learn from Haruki's character right now is the wisdom of "Be beautiful, you see beautiful existence", and really. When Haruki didn't give in to his life problems and believed in beauty in life. He eventually found him by meeting Akihiko and forming a band and successes. After a long wait..

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And there are of course many other goals directed from anime, of course for anime in general we can not say that there is anime with ideal goals, no matter what anime you see, each anime has its pros and cons, but the best we gain from any anime we see is its pros and cons, so it was negative. Any anime to benefit us something in our lives, of course we can mention the positives of the goals directed by this anime which are..

⇱ "Love music" or draw the viewer's attention, i have to master something in life that requires you to have a deep love and passion for this thing that you want to succeed in..

If you do not have the determination and determination to reach it, it is good for you not to strive to achieve it from the beginning..

⇱ "Communication" this anime explains how people can communicate together using music and integrate their feelings and thoughts through it, and how one can express one's inner thoughts and feelings through it, and it also explains how humans can communicate through it and how it can profoundly affect our feelings and thoughts towards It's a good thing in life..

⇱ "Talent" this anime draws the attention of the viewer to the need to have talent to achieve your goals, if you do not have the talent what you aspire to you will not achieve much even if you work hard to reach it, but you will only reach it without being distinguished from others around you in something, be as you and believe in your abilities And your own talents and don't imitate others, always be distinct from others in your own way and different from them..

⇱ "Positive ethics" this anime also draws the viewer's attention to some of the good ethics that we have, such as 'humility'.

Mafuyu despite his high talent and being a anime hero in my opinion, he is just a simple boy who learned music and played by Uneoyama, and also draws the viewer's attention to the importance of ''giving opportunities to others to show their talents and help them ''..

If it wasn't for Uneoyama's feelings that make him care about others and not offend them, this would not have led him to help Mafuyu and fix his guitar, and if it were not for Uneoyama's interest and appreciation of Mafuyu's musical talent, he would not have been able to join the band and Mafuyu would not have been able to reach that much musical prowess and sing without him, That's what Mafuyu acknowledged to Uneoyama in Chapter 10 himself ..

"Thank you for bringing me so far."

Of course, thanks to Uneoyama, Mafuyu was able to show off his musical talents, which he did not even know existed for. This is an unprecedented human tender. To be a cause of a future and a life. It's another human being's gift! This is a great gift that has no price in its beauty! ..

Of course there are many other objectives that exist during the events of anime and the series itself, and of course the positions that we see in any general anime are a translation of our living reality carries a message through which it carries a message to its viewers, the anime may be a fantasy . But it is a fantasy that carries in its attitudes and problems of its characters and their goals and motives all that creates and moves our living reality.. Through his events, he carries his direct or indirect sms messages to his viewers. Which she tells you through..

"Have you learned anything from the characters of this series? Did you learn from her what to do and what not to do? Have you learned the principles you should stick to and the principles you should leave behind? Have you learned how to guide your life and future for the better? "

All those questions will inevitably involve in your mind after watching any anime episodes, there is no point in watching anime unless you want to learn something new and you just want to spend your time..

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⎇Conclusion ⛡

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In the end, i'm going to have to go to the If there were any words I might want to add as a conclusion, we wouldn't have started it. I realize that any words I might put here as a summary or as a conclusion here will not help..

Given in the end. It's "anime", no matter how long it's been explained and increased, but it's a special anime. It is a tender of its author for all anime and manga lovers in this world. It is more of a gift than just a distinctive and beautiful anime, it is a beautiful and quiet human story.. It is a special gift he gave to the world by writing this distinctive anime, it is my anime i was subjected to my hopes in the end to write about him and to explain my heart through the feelings that made me and i was overwhelmed when I had the opportunity to experience this anime. And all the more..

No matter how long it takes to speak, it will never give a true or accurate summary of this anime because it is not finished yet. My humble words will not give him his full right in terms of praise and appreciation..

All I can tell you is that I hope that my modest effort to explain and express this anime has won your admiration. I know that I did not say much, but I know that there is no perfection but to God, so I wish to accept my sincere efforts in my attempt to ask you honestly , and I hope that the advantages of this anime and what I felt through this anime have reached you through the folds of my simple words. I wish you a good day and you enjoyed reading. And I'll see you in other blogs soon..

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