#i need a hired guide to shepherd me around the store | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

neverdoingmuch · 3 years

Note

I just really love Two Person Love Triangles and Identity Porn. So, maybe a You've Got Mail AU? Or a superhero AU when one of them falls for both the masked hero and the secret identity?

because i love both of these aus i’ve written both!! but they’re pretty long bc i wouldn’t be me if i didn’t plot out an entire fic so the superhero au is here.

as for the you’ve got mail au, i went off and watched the movie for the first time and i am delighted by your taste anon,,, the au works so well!!

(okay for some reason tumblr won’t let me indent my bullets so idk how to fix that so big rip)

so we have lan & sons books, a company that prides itself on providing cheap books for everyone to read. think less evil corporation and more we wanted to provide easily accessible books for all people and ended up getting really rich off it

mr lan dadman was meant to be in charge but he ran off and lqr stepped up until lxc was old enough to take over and now lqr just kinda assists lxc when he needs help and does some other work

lqr is definitely the old guy who had a letter thing with this one woman who was enchanting but instead he was chatting to cssr and she was shameless

anyway lwj works as *random high up job that joe fox has* and his best work friend (and real friend) is jin zixuan

jin zixuan is the heir to some coffee franchise and the two families have a deal which is why you have the cafe inside the bookstores

we gonna give lwj some friends

as for wwx, his mother owned a bookstore, the burial mounds (why did she name it that?? idk she probably told bssr that she wanted to call it that as a joke and bssr tried to call her bluff so she ended up having to call it that a la suibian)

anyway he grew up with his mother and grandmother and they left the store to him (idk what happened to them?? maybe they just retired and are now travelling the world while wwx gets to have the bookstore)

now for the actual plot!!

lwj and wwx met on omegle an instant messaging site and now exchange emails. wwx goes by yiling patriarch and lwj goes by hanguang-jun bc we want that flavour

so they’ve been emailing for years and they never share any personal information - wwx knows that hgj has a pet rabbit but not hgj’s name or his job

as for the significant others?? idk let’s pretend they don’t exist.

wwx’s best friend nhs, who writes a column for so-and-so, always just comes over to his place and now he’s semi moved in and wwx isnt really sure why he’s here but he is.

lwj just vibes bc i can’t see him putting up with a patricia unless his uncle forced him to. even then he’d probably just be ~mysteriously~ gone while she’s home

maybe he has a really annoying pa who thinks its his job to come over and like make him breakfast. it’s su she,, it has to be

so wwx goes into work one morning and wen ning is waiting outside as he always is, ready for him to open and then like ten minutes later wen qing comes in and lastly granny wen comes in

why do they work together?? idk?? granny wen and bssr were close and so the wens and wwx kinda grew up as siblings? yeah i like that let’s go with that

so when cssr decided to go travelling wwx gets left with her store and he kinda knows how to run it but also he doesn’t have enough staff so he ends up hiring the wens (except granny who’s mostly there just to hang out with her family)

bonus: a-yuan always come to the shop after school and wwx gets to recreate the childhood he had with his mother with a-yuan. when the store closes wwx and a-yuan just twirl and twirl until they get too dizzy to stand up and then they lay on the floor and discuss their favourite book they’ve read this week. it’s very sweet

okay so the next day lwj gets to babysit his cousin/uncle/nephew/idk-how-they’re-related-person lan jingyi who is like eight or something?

they go out and hang at a festival and lwj does not buy him a goldfish bc i was very stressed by the way they treated the goldfish in the movie but he does get him balloons and a stuffed toy and plays all the games with him

eventually they’re walking back and see that the small bookstore near the new lan bookstore is hosting a story time so they go inside

lwj walks in and he’s immediately taken by the atmosphere of the store bc that place was absolutely beautiful and then he hears this voice and follows it around to the back of the store to see the most gorgeous man he’s ever seen in his life sitting on a kinda too small chair with a princess hat? cone? thing on top of his head

he’d planned to stay for like one story and then take jingyi home but he ends up staying for the entire book and it’s definitely not because the guy reading the book smiled at him once or twice

after the story time ends, lwj is reluctant to leave so he ends up letting jingyi pick a bunch of books and looks at a few fancy first edition books with wen qing

and maybe his mother used to love collecting books - the old ones with the yellowed pages and beautiful pictures - and that’s why lwj helps out with his family business,, bc he wants everyone to be able to have books like that (never mind that all their books are like mass produced and lack any sentimentality & the staff dont actually care about the books)

anyway he sees wwx help jingyi pick out books and lets him borrow his handkerchief when he sneezes and lwj’s like oh nooo he’s good with kids too so now he has to talk to him

so he goes up to buy the books and wwx’s telling jingyi about how much he likes daisies and lwj just blurts out “can i ask what your name is?” and wwx blinks but then smiles and is like i’m wei wuxian, but you can call me wei ying, and i own this store. what about you? and lwj is like wangji, you can call me wangji

wen qing takes one look at lwj and the way he’s staring at wwx and goes you’re going to come back aren’t you and lwj is trying so hard not to just run away so he just ignores her but then she mentions something about lan books and he’s Panicking and jingyi almost says that he’s a lan and lwj just kinda guides him over to a table and then goes back to flirt talk with wwx

anyway wwx ends up going on this big tangent about books and what they mean to people and the whole when you read a book as a child it becomes a part of your identity and who you’re going to become the way nothing else does (and lwj remembers his mother and her books) and then he apologises for going on and lwj is mentally going marry me, but he ends up calling wwx and his mother shameless

but it’s okay!! wwx & cssr are proud of it!

and then yada yada lwj buys the kinda expensive books and ends up awkwardly shepherding jingyi out of the store

cut to the next day when the lan book store opens properly and lwj ends up telling lqr about how he met wwx and lqr is like >:/ the son of that shameless woman,, how terrible,, it’s okay he won’t be a problem for long bc they’ll be driven out of business. which isn’t the response lwj wanted but lxc seems supportive enough if a bit concerned about how it would work with them as business enemies

business is already bad for wwx and it’s barely been a week since the lan store opened and he’s pretty bummed out but hopeful that maybe it’s a fluke

then nhs invites him to some fancy dinner with him bc wei-xiong they’re all so boring and smart and have opinions, please don’t make me have opinions so wwx gets dragged along

he ends up talking to lwj at the bar bc how could he not talk to the man who’s standing in front of all that fancy alcohol and getting some fruit juice. (he’d get water but lwj has had to put up with su she all evening so he needs something stronger)

anyway they chat and it’s pleasant but then after wwx gets approached by someone who’s like wow im surprised you’re talking to lan wangji and wwx is like lan?!

cue their passive aggressive argument around the food table complete with caviar and a turkey knife.

now bc it’s lan wangji,, instead of making scathing comebacks he just makes like factual and to-the-point statements that end up being really bitchy (or does he intend them to be that way? it’s a mix of both of them tbh but in this case he’s definitely being bitchy on purpose) and wwx is spluttering bc that boy does not stand up well against hot and mad people

nhs ends up coming over and defusing the situation but wwx makes a point of stealing the rest of the caviar off lwj’s plate before leaving

lwj ends up ducking out early as well to avoid su she and emails wwx that night at like 9:45 bc the guilt of being so rude kept him up late and yllz is like oh no that’s so sad ): but impressive! i wish i could zing people,, my brain just turns off the second i need to make a comeback

creative liberties,, wwx is good at teasing but not being genuinely mean? lets go with that

anyway now we get the delightful montage of wwx hiding behind cheese displays and lwj walking out of coffee stores with a newspaper covering his face as they try to avoid each other

when wwx gets in the wrong line at the supermarket lwj comes over and kinda glares the checkout woman into submission and gets her to let wwx use his card which wwx is really conflicted about bc why would he help me?? and once again angry lwj = hot lwj

a few weeks later wwx ends up asking hgj for help bc business isn’t getting any better but refuses to give any details and i refuse to have lwj watch the godfather so lwj just straight up messages him and is like tear that bitch apart

and so wwx decides to tear that bitch apart and asks nhs for help. nhs, fan of the arts and small businesses and local culture, is 100% down for it and writes a scathing article about lan books and how they’re destroying all the aforementioned things nhs cares about

it ends up getting a lot of traction and people show up to protest and wwx even goes on television

lwj ends up seeing the news coverage on the matter while he’s at the gym with jzx

jzx is 100% the guy who goes to the gym just to apathetically walk on the treadmill while lwj jogs

he sees the interview with wwx and lwj is like he’s not this nice in real life and jzx is like you met him?? and lwj is like mn. then jzx is like i bet he’s not as hot and lwj is completely silent but his ears are bright red and that’s how jzx knows that wwx is just that hot

also?? lwj goes on tv and says like three words and he’s kinda annoyed how the news decided to spin that but he also said like three words so what did he expect?

but, despite all the publicity, sales don’t get any better so wwx is like fine can we meet in person and lwj is like sure

he brings jzx along bc he doesn’t know the way there, it’s not because he’s nervous and kind of in love with yllz, it’s because he doesn’t know how to get to the cafe. (it’s two blocks from his apartment)

anyway jzx is like oof man it’s seems like yllz is wwx but he is that hot so not all is lost and lwj is like yikes no not happening im not going in but he also feels bad about standing wwx up so he ends up going in and sitting down in front of wwx

and lwj is like wei wuxian, all this publicity will do nothing to save your business and wwx is like lan wangji who do you think you are (or however that scene goes) but instead of lwj being asked to leave wwx decides he’s not gonna chicken out first so they end up spending like two hours having the most aggressive cup of coffee and chat he’s ever had

lwj is exhausted but he also refuses to give up

but then wwx spits something about how lwj is some cold, heartless suit who doesn’t actually care about or appreciate books so how can he possibly dare to think that he’s better than wwx and that hurts bc lwj had thought that he’d been doing exactly that so he leaves

anyway the next morning wwx is moping around the bookstore bc he didn’t get stood up, he swears. am i not cute enough he moans to wen qing and she’s like your hgj doesn’t know what you look like. but what about my personality? is that cute enough? and wen qing eventually manages to grit out that yes it is cute enough

wen ning comes in and is like are you okay? you got stood up? that’s good! your date might have been the rooftop killer xue yang! he got caught last night! and wwx is like i wish, i just got stood up like a chump

so they ignore each other for a few weeks bc wwx is very hurt and lwj doesn’t know what he’s going to say but wwx ends up caving and emails hgj about how guilty he feels and how even though wwx probably means nothing to lwj, he’s worried that maybe he did hurt lwj and also please hgj i still want to talk to you

now hgj never says a lot, he’s always really succinct and direct but this time he takes the time to write a proper apology. it’s not an explanation bc he doesn’t want to give this up, even if the yllz he thinks he loves is the wwx that he hates, but it is an apology

the next day wwx goes to lunch with granny wen and finally dares to ask her whether it would be okay to shut the store down. he doesn’t want, of course he doesn’t want to, but he doesn’t think he can afford to keep it open. granny just tells him that it’s okay and that if the time has come, the time has come

we don’t have to worry about wwx breaking up with anyone, so he just goes home and asks nhs if he can have some space and nhs quickly packs his stuff and goes home. as he stands in the doorway with his last box of stuff he tells wwx that he’s sorry and wishes he could help more and wwx sends him this tremulous smile but manages to hold it together until nhs leaves and then he cries and cries

the next day he goes back to work and tries to stay bubbly and cheery even as he sees all of his shelves slowly being emptied and people who haven’t stepped foot in his store in six months are telling him what a shame it is and how they wish it didnt have to come to this and wwx is internally screaming

he manages to stave off any actual screaming but when he closes up that day he ends up going to the children’s section of lan bookstore and just as he had thought, none of the staff care about the books, none of them know any books and he ends up recommending a series to some young mother

lwj, who’d spotted wwx and come over to see if whether he was here to pick a fight, comes to the awful realisation that maybe wwx is right about his store lacking heart

he goes home that night and su she tags along even though lwj just wants space and the elevator breaks. he’s sitting there on the ground listening to his neighbour talk about reconnecting with family and the elevator button pressing dude talks about getting engaged and su she is just there whining about his job and the inconvenience and lwj goes fuck this. when the elevator starts working again he grabs his rabbit and goes back down to the ground floor, ignores su she’s shouts, and goes back to his childhood home

wwx gets stuck closing his store down. he looks around at the shelves and tables he’d grown up with and sees his childhood and a-yuan’s and countless moments he’s had with people he’s loved and realises he’s going to lose it all forever. he grabs the bell, the last thing he has left of the store and closes up for the very last time

in the meantime, lwj is living the high life. he hangs out with his bunny, gets to read pride and prejudice for fun and actually manages to get all the way through it and then his brother comes to visit

apparently he’d broken up with jgy bc he was gold digger-esque and had decided to run off with someone richer and lwj is like oh thats so sad ): anyway nmj is right there and he fills your heart with joy and lxc is like have you ever had someone like that? and lwj immediately thinks of wwx and is like fuck

his first order of business is to buy wwx’s shop bc it broke my heart that she didn’t get it back in the og movie and he starts filling it with books again. he buys ten copies of his mother’s favourite books and places them on the shelf by the door and then he sees a book that reminds him of jingyi so gets some of them and he sees a book covered in daisies and thinks of wwx. and slowly, slowly he’s building up his own library, his own store, and this time every single book means something and for once lwj looks out across the floor with pride and satisfaction

his second order of business is to apologise to wwx for being a dick. he buys some daisies and goes to his place and comes in and cooks soup for wwx. lwj apologises and tells him it wasn’t personal and wwx is like that’s not true, it was personal to me and it’s personal to a lot of people and lwj understands that now. he remembers the way he’d filled wwx’s store and left his own touch and bared his heart through each of those books and he understands. he doesn’t actually say this and just tells wwx that he wants to be friends

lwj considers coming clean about being hgj but he knows now that he definitely loves wwx and knows that wwx currently hates him but damn is it hard not to say anything when wwx is telling him how much he loves hgj

anyway he’s like organise a meeting again with hgj

i’d say it’s ooc for lwj not to come clean but this is the man who pined for x decades and just didnt tell wwx that his son was alive so like not ooc at all

so lwj decides he’s going to woo wwx as best as he can and organises to meet up with yllz and then goes and meets with wwx and they end up going to hang out and for some strange reason, even though wwx keeps getting stood up, he doesn’t seem to care too much. he keeps agreeing to meet hgj and when he doesn’t show is more than happy to spend the rest of his day with lwj

and slowly, they start to get closer. wwx takes a sip of lwj’s coffee and lwj buys him daisies. wwx brings him an interesting book and lwj tells him about his mother. they chat freely about hgj and lwj is happy for the first time in a long time

eventually lwj organises the final meeting. wwx is really confused about the place he picked but he’s hopeful that maybe this time hgj will show. after wwx and lwj’s farmers market date ends, lwj ends up asking wwx if he could love lwj and wwx is like you put me in such an uncomfortable situation. ie stammering and blushing and eventually going oh no ill be late and running off

anyway a couple hours later wwx finds himself standing outside his old bookstore and he refuses to look at it bc he doesn’t want to see what it’s become but then, through the open door of the store, a bunny hops out and over to wwx

lwj comes running out after it calling out its name (bichen?? flopsy?? rabbit?? one of them) and wwx looks up and is like oh,, it’s you, i’d hoped it was you and he’s all teary and lwj has a handkerchief that he’d embroidered himself (with gentians of course) and he’s like dont cry yllz and then they kiss and it’s beautiful

bonus: lwj takes wwx inside the store and shows him everything and explains the meaning behind every book that they’ve picked and then wwx does cry for real bc there is definitely an entire two walls dedicated just to wwx

do they open the store as a bookstore again and work together? does wwx end up writing books?? idk up to you. i like the idea that they open the store for story time and sell children’s books but lwj still works with lan & sons to get some heart in their stores and wwx works on his own books in his spare time

#Anonymous #mdzs #modao zushi #mo dao zu shi #wei wuxian #lan wangji #wangxian #cql #the untamed #asks #thank you so much for the ask i had a lot of fun making this!#let me know if you'd like anything else!!

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nettlestonenell · 7 years

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Never forget, this is for @jammeke.

I have begun posting this to FictionPress. (It’s not caught up with all my postings here, yet)

Find the earlier bits here on my tumblr.

Part XIII - The Day Of

Toronto – some weeks later - Ada Covington pressed the accelerator down in her elder brother Roger’s pickup, trying to lose the cars, and several motorcycles’ worth of paparazzi, now in swift pursuit of her on the QEW.

Her eyes stung with tears she was doing her best to hold back, and prevent them from impeding her ability to drive, leaving her eyesight clear enough to show her that she hadn’t enough gas in the pickup’s dual tanks to evade them for long—certainly not enough to get back to the relative privacy of the farm without stopping to fill-up.

She could not stand the idea of pulling into a gas station only for them further mob her there.

She needed, and quickly, to find a restricted, non-public space they couldn’t follow her into, a friends’ house—not the law offices—she couldn’t stand being trapped in them for even ten minutes longer. But she knew no one in the city.

She sped past a billboard advertising the University, and had to correct herself. Yes, she winced, she did know someone.

Conrad Bierkut was not usually home at his townhouse this time of day, but circumstances had conspired for him to need a plumber, and so here he was, waiting.

When his bell rang, he had expected it to be said plumber. Not at all a very upset Ada Covington, her jacket pulled up over her head like a murder suspect trying to avoid the press.

“Ada!” he exclaimed, upon opening his front door. It had been some weeks since he had silently excused himself from her farm following the explosive (and seemingly intimate, or post-intimate) pictures of them running in the Sun tabloid. He had no false illusions that she had any wish to ever encounter him again, though their day in court was soon to arrive.

“Please,” she said, “please—I beg you—have me in, quick as you can—“

“Yes. Yes!” he agreed, moving to the side so she could dive into his short front hall.

“Are you—is everything alright?” he asked as he shut the door.

“Yes. No. I mean—of course not. Why else would I come here, without even trying to contact you for an invitation?"

Conrad restrained himself (not without feeling the unintentional humor in her question) from reminding her of him being in that self-same situation arriving at her farm one rainy night not so long ago.

"They’ve been at chasing me for almost an hour. I could think of nowhere else to go, and Roger’s truck needed gas. I—it’s outside. Probably not parked very well.”

Conrad looked out through his front door's Judas window to the street beyond. She was right. Roger's truck was not parked very well, but it was so large with its doubled rear tires and wide bed it was at least partially shielding his townhouse’s front from the photogs camped-out in the small neighborhood park located on the street’s opposite side.

Conrad shepherded Ada Covington through his short entry hall and into his front room. She noticed the wood blinds in the street-facing windows were all but closed. No one—no drone, even, could see in.

She collapsed into the nearest chair, still in her jacket.

“Can I get you something?” Conrad asked, not quite sure what to do next.

“Don’t let me keep you—from whatever you were at doing,” Ada said, looking like she was still teetering on miserable. “You needn’t treat me as company.”

“Oh, well…I was just,” he pointed up, “in my office.”

“Go on, then. I’ll be fine alone,” she told him, asking, “Do you have anything to read? Perhaps something to watch?” She looked about the room for such things.

“Well, I’ve—“ he pointed out several scholarly journals artistically strewn about here and there on end tables. “But no, no proper television. Why don’t you let me show you around for a moment, help you get your bearings before I leave you to…” he didn’t know what to call it, he lightly shrugged, “your solitude.” He was not so unobservant to think that she had come here actually looking to spend time with him.

Ada followed Conrad Bierkut through a tour of his modest townhouse. The majority of rooms of the 1920s-era now-renovated home looked like they belonged in a glossy mag that sang the praises of open floor plans and modern design.

Except the last room, which she had expected to be a bedroom--his bedroom, as the only other bedroom he had shown her housed but a just-shy-of-monastic-looking twin-sized bed, and she had taken that space for a guest bedroom.

But this last room was, in fact, his office, and it shared almost nothing in common with the house it sat within. Books were everywhere: stacked high upon any flat surface. Windowsill, fireplace mantel, floor, desktop, chair seat, bookshelf, sidetable, rolling box heater.

A very old-looking divan, its upholstery as dark as its wood frame, was relatively free of books, but draped in several older-looking quilts. Four hardcover books stacked under its left front leg (broken and missing) helped attempt to keep it level. A bed pillow at one end added to her impression that this was quite possibly where the master of the house did most of his sleeping.

The wood floors in here were not refinished, the wood trim unpainted, the furniture old and some pieces, like the divan, in rough repair. In the introducing of it, Professor Bierkut didn’t show any self-consciousness.

“You’ve no computer?” she asked, noticing its lack.

“Not here, no. Sometimes I bring home my laptop.”

“Sometimes?”

“It’s only good here for typing, anyway. I’m not wired for internet access.”

“Not wired?”

“No. I don’t pay for access.”

Ada stared. The entire farm had gone wireless (with only occasional outtages) three years ago.

“I’ve got my phone, if I really find I need it," Conrad tried to explain, himself as mystified at her flummoxed response to his confession, as she was to his confession. "I’ve got it at my university offices.” He struggled on to make sense of it to her, “My field—it’s a book-based field, really. That, and journals,” he shrugged. “I handwrite a lot of things.

“Of course you do,” he heard her say, and it raised something of a hackle within him he had not felt rise in a long time. Not since Julie.

“Why are you come here, Ada?” he asked, baldly and abruptly. Surely not just to devil me? he thought, to himself.

At his unusual-for-him biting response, Ada stopped short from where she had been walking away from him, ready to leave the room and return downstairs. “I made a bad decision,” she said.

“In coming here? I don’t think you did,” he said, the edge of his earlier annoyance only slightly receding in response to her honest answer. “Did you have anywhere else in the city to go?”

“No,” she confessed. “I needed somewhere I could be invited into a private home where they couldn’t follow me.”

“Then you made a good decision—the right decision.”

“No,” she again disagreed, and sat down (her action like one plunking down an over-heavy suitcase one has been carrying too long) on his top stair, without his inviting her to do so, her back now to the railing.

“I didn’t tell Roger, you know," she said, without contextualizing the remark to Conrad, "in the way you don’t tell people you love when you’re about to do something they won’t approve of. In the way you know you might not do it if you have to confront their disapproval. And I wanted to do it. I’ve wanted to do it forever, I think.”

“Do what?” Conrad asked, thoroughly confused, seating himself on the stair nearby her, their knees now almost touching, concerned that his continued standing might track as a position of judgment, a feeling he did not care for, no matter his momentary sniping.

Ada sighed. “I’ve been searching for my—for our--birth mother. This week the agency I'd hired told me they’d found her, and she was willing to meet me. So, I came to the city today to meet her for the first time. But I wasn’t at the agreed upon spot fifteen minutes, waiting, when they showed up. So many of them, snapping shots, yelling at me.”

She had not been looking at him as she said--as she confessed--any of this. She stared at the wall ahead of her, and occasionally to the ceiling. “And she didn’t come,” she concluded.

“They scared her off?” he asked, his own eyes never off what he could see of her face, now only in profile.

“I don’t know," she shook her head. "Maybe she was never coming. Maybe she lost her nerve before she saw them. I only know, if I’d have seen them, I’d have lost my nerve.” The final words of her sentence came out half-hushed, in the way coming-on tears can often bring about.

“I’m sorry.”

“I don’t mean to be so upset,” she said, tears starting as she spoke about the experience and she finally turned toward his face, so close beside her, but a step and riser below. “It’s just, you know, it’s your worst fear, that after all this time you’ll find them—the one who gave you up--and still-still they’ll turn away from you.”

Her tears were silent, and without sobs. She was very still. He thought maybe he would have preferred sobs.

“I’m sure she just got spooked, that’s all.”

“And then I think about—“ she stalled, and looked away from him. “I think about the baby,” she had never been one to speak so, “is this what’s in store for her? Dogged by photographers at every turn? Constantly reminded no one in her family wants her? Finding our two faces in newspaper archives—seeing all we wanted was to be well shot of the legal case, of her future? Believing she isn’t worth anything because the court system had to be called in to decide who, of the many people trying to avoid taking her on, is obligated to?”

Her eyes were again upon him. Their now-familiar blue swam in tears. Why did she do that? Turn toward him like he had the answer--a good answer--any answer?

He squinted. “Don’t talk like that. That’s not gonna happen," he felt worthless in this interaction, clumsily guiding someone through heartbreak, all platitudes and reassurances, and no wisdom. "Let’s get you downstairs, let’s call your family, let them know where you are, that you’ll be along home later. I can drive the truck and get it filled up.”

Her eyes were now straight on him, her confessional for the moment done. “It’s a stick.”

“O-ookay," he made the adjustment. "I can find someone to take the truck for a fill-up, and get you on your way.” He pulled out his phone.

She did nothing to conceal her worry. “Who are you calling?”

“Plumber,” he said.

“What?” a half-hysterical edge threatened to come into her tone.

“I’ve got a plumber coming," he said it like a throw-away line in a play, Ada thought. Like it was the most normal and routine thing in the world.

"Did you want some lunch?” he went on to ask, “I haven’t got much here—I’ll have him pick something up.”

“You can't seriously have invited someone into the house—while I’m here?” Hers was not a pleasant tone.

“No worries. He’s a friend. I’ve used him forever. He’s not gonna photograph us together for a quick buck. I trust him, one-hundred percent. He’ll gas up your truck for us, too. Promise,” Conrad said, and the smile he gave her she could hardly naysay.

The plumber came, and with him dinner for two, and ten gallons of fuel for Roger's truck. The paparazzi expended several hundred pictures each before assuring themselves he was no one important come to call on the couple dubbed The BabyMakers.

While the plumber fixed the pipes in question, Conrad fell to eating in his study, as was usually his way, hunkered over whatever text he was at presently dissecting. Ada avoided the second floor, the plumber worked. Hours passed.

When Conrad came down to the kitchen to settle up with the plumber, he found Ada taking something out of his rarely-used oven. "What's this?" he asked, curiously bemused.

"I thought, you know, as a sort of thank you, for the lunch and all," Ada said, taking what looked like fresh-baked bread out of a loaf pan Conrad, honestly, did not even know he owned. "One for you, one for your plumber."

"You--you're--baking down here? With what?"

"Oh, I found some things in your pantry."

"I can't imagine what," he said.

"The only truly fresh thing was yeast," she said.

"Yes, well, I had been mulling over trying out a thirteenth century brewing recipe for honey mead," he said, smiling with the recollection of yet another of his one-time plans eternally unfulfilled. "I had almost forgotten about that."

The aroma of the bread and whatever ingredients she had put it in was pungently alluring, almost heady. It was not a feeling he generally associated with this kitchen. He may have just eaten, but it worked to awaken what he had thought was his appeased appetite immediately. "Do you bake a lot?"

"What?" she asked, poking around for something to cool the loaves on. "No, I, I mean I do lots of things when I'm, when I'm--"

"Distressed?" he offered, not having forgotten the disastrous non-meeting with her birth mother.

"I usually play my viol, or knit. Sometimes I knit. But baking, you know, baking works, too."

"I clean," he confessed. "Lots of chemicals, scrubbing. Once, for a week I thought I tore my rotator cuff working on a stubborn tub ring. That was the week of my doctoral thesis presentation, which went only slightly better than the Battle of Monmouth."

"You'll have to tell me about that some time," she said, smiling, as though they might schedule another visit later in the week, or meet-up somewhere for drinks. Neither of which, of course, would they do. She did not specify if she meant the thesis presentation or the historical battle.

"I called home," she said. "Roger's rung some of his army buddies that live in the city. They're going to come by and, well, they won't come in. But they'll make sure the photographers keep their distance."

"Roger was in the Army?"

"Special forces."

"Right. Gina, too. It's where they met."

"Gina?"

"Of course! Have you see her arms?"

This question now had him smiling. "You'll be leaving, then?" he heard himself ask, "Since Tim brought you gas for your truck."

"It wouldn't start for him, though,” she told Conrad. “He tried it for me, you know, get it running and then I could run out of the house and be on my way. We both of us, Tim," she used the plumber's first name, "and I, have our suspicions."

"You think the guys camped out did something to keep it from running?"

She gave a light shrug. "Who wouldn't consider a little theft, a little vandalism when a million-dollar picture is almost in your grasp, just across the street?"

Conrad nodded. "You may well be right. Perhaps Roger's friends might ask them about it."

"I have every expectation that they will."

"You don't seem as upset as I would expect you to be," he hazarded saying, noting her lack of fury at the newest roadblock she had encountered into leaving him, and his home, and returning to the safety of her farm.

"To be honest, with you and with myself, I'm tired. To the bone. Could I stay? Please? I just--I don't feel ready to walk out that door into--everything."

"Of course," he said, "of course you can stay. I insist on it as a doctor," his small joke was rewarded by the slightest beginning of a snicker. "I've know just the thing for supper later. You've made the bread, I've got the cheese."

"Can we maybe, I mean, I'd just like to watch something. Take my mind off it all for a bit. But you don't--you don't have any way to do that, do you? I could bake more," she cast her eyes around his kitchen, knowing at this point she'd made use of just about anything that might be used. "I have to confess, your--magazines--"she referenced the academic journals lying about here and there, "well, I think I've gotten just about everything from them I could--without writing a term paper."

He nodded. "Give me a minute," he said, and disappeared back upstairs.

Shortly she heard furniture creaking and a stack of books falling over, before he came down the steps. He was holding a thirteen-inch CRT television that something told her was also going to be black-and-white. It had a built-in VCR.

She now recalled having seen it squirreled away in one of the corners of his office.

"Fooled ya," he said brightly, "I do own a TV!"

"I stand corrected," she replied, watching on, slightly amused, slightly horrified as he got down on the elegant, reclaimed hardwood floor of his modern, stylish front room and searched for a wall plug to plug it into.

He popped up, "there!" he said, claiming triumph as the elderly screen sizzled and fuzzed to life. "We'll have to...drag some pillows down here," he did the job himself, taking the couch apart into its pillows and strewing them on the floor in front of the tiny screen. "No, no," he told Ada, sounding as cheery as someone organizing an Easter Egg hunt, "wait right there. I'll be right back."

She waited. He returned, bounding down the stairs this time, and into the kitchen, where he came out with her bread and a sizeable cheese.

"What is it?" she asked, looking at the unfamiliar-to-her golden rind.

"It's a Boerenkaas," he said, no small amount of pride in his tone. "Helped make it myself."

"You're now a cheesemonger? As well as an aspiring brewer?"

There was no overlooking the pride in his voice as he spoke, nor the nostalgia. "Writing my last book, I was in the Netherlands," he said, "excellent country, fascinating agriculturally. I stayed for about a year on and off--I also traveled and lectured--with a family on their farm. They had about half a hundred red Friesians. They let me sit in on their cheesemaking--their farm is four centuries old--it literally sits on a dike--"

Ada didn't mean to be, but now she was smiling, too.

"--they were utterly committed to sustainable production, they make cheese every day."

"So, you speak Dutch?" she asked, already mostly knowing the answer.

"Not as well as I'd like," he said. "I'm better at reading Old Saxon texts than, say, being conversational."

"I suppose they were sorry to see you go?" Ada asked, imagining a dock-full of mournful Dutch girls weeping at the handsome American professor taking his leave.

"Maybe a little. Mostly I think the old couple were relived at not having to share my name with their neighbors."

"What?"

"Oh, I'll just let you Google that when you're back online," he said, half in throwaway line. "I found this. It's all I've got to watch."

He sat down the cheese, knife, and bread on the floor near the pillows and produced an old VHS clamshell case. "Bye Bye Birdie" proclaimed the movie poster facsimile on the cover.

"My mom, you know, I said. Musicals. I found this in her things after she passed. It's the only sort of movie I've got." He gave a shrug. Would she accept it as entertainment? Or tell him he had to be kidding?

"When was the last time you watched it?" she asked, gingerly taking the case from him.

"Oh, I dunno. Year or two, probably. Does it matter?"

"I'm just wondering," her eyebrows raised, and one of her eyes threatened a twinkle, "if the tape itself hasn't turned to dust."

"Only one way to find out," he answered with a smile. Taking the tape out, and feeding it to the machine.

Conrad found himself so engrossed with the film, and his personal nostalgia surrounding it (and one did have to watch very closely to follow it on the tiny monochrome screen), he was surprised to turn at one point fairly deep into the narrative and find that Ada had nodded off.

He had to force himself to turn back to the screen, his attention no longer fully with the film. He reminded himself that the woman that had shown up without fanfare on his step that day had little enough privacy, without him invading it when she had let her guard down.

Yet it was no easy thing to look away.

Ada was in and out. Perhaps it was the pillows so casually on the floor, perhaps the teeny black and white screen she found it so hard to see. Perhaps, simply, for the first time in a very long time she was in a spot where her exhaustion overwhelmed her, and she let it.

Half-dream, half-memory, she relived Garrett’s recent farewell. He’d been offered a job in the Pacific Northwest, head arborist. A job that before all of this the two of them had jointly dreamed of for him. His face showed her how happy, how hopeful it made him.

But she hadn’t managed to match his pleasure. She was suddenly far less certain she was ready or willing to leave the farm and travel west with him.

He mentioned Conrad Bierkut’s name.

She told him not to be ridiculous.

He looked sad.

“It’s not that I think you’re with him—“ he said, referring to the phony story the tabloids tried so hard to keep alive; that she and Conrad were now a couple. “It’s only, Ada, you’ve never seemed upset enough.”

There had been no argument. She wasn’t sure how, even, to argue such a point: not upset enough? She felt terribly upset all the time. All her anger, she thought it was apparent, wore the handsome face of Conrad Bierkut. That didn’t mean that she wasn’t pleasant to Professor Bierkut when he’d showed up at the farm. That she couldn’t share a laugh, or a conversation with him. Who else, after all, might understand even a fraction of this absurd and taking-over-everything situation she’d been unfairly thrust into?

If you don’t want to go with him, Mum had said, and he doesn’t want to stay here with you—there’s your answer, isn’t it? As to whether you two still love each other?

Garrett had left two days ago. He’d extended Ada an offer to join him. But he’d also said he didn’t honestly expect to see her, said that if she couldn’t decide to come within the next two weeks, she never would.

He was right, she thought. Two weeks was long enough for anyone to make up their mind about just about anything. But she didn’t need that long. A few years ago, yes, Garrett and that job in the PacNor had been among her dreams. But her dreams now were of the farm, her land, her business. She didn’t want to leave, and it appeared that this was a two-for-one decision: that she also, no longer wanted Garrett, who very much still did want to leave.

She awoke occasionally to volume fluctuations on the small screen. Several times she sneaked the opportunity to watch Conrad as he watched the screen. How his expressions tracked with the film the way a child’s might. Perhaps, as a child with his mother, his had also done.

A few moments at that, and she would nod off again.

Finally, she awoke to find Conrad Bierkut also asleep, the film still playing near the beginning, as the tape must have rewound and re-started.

She must have fallen over in her sleep, and him as well, for they both lay now face to face (though some distance apart, their feet at opposite ends of the room). She let herself examine his upside-down features as he slept (and thankfully did not snore. Oh! Had she snored?) ‘Never seemed upset enough’, she thought.

He was a nice person, Conrad Bierkut. The papers pairing her with him was annoying, the attention unwanted, inconvenient, but it wasn’t improbable, was it? That she, Ada, might to the mind of a reasonable person, be involved with an accomplished, kindly man such as Professor Conrad Bierkut?

I mean, the too-poor pantry would have to improve, she thought. The teensy monk-sized rack bed would have to be banished, and perhaps over time his backward attitude toward technology would get up to speed—or she would (in this wholly fictional future) come to find it endearing. But really, was it such an impossible thing to believe? To root for, even? He brought his tiny TV/VCR downstairs for her, didn’t he? And his mum’s film to watch? A person could be phenomenal on paper—book title in Dutch and all—and still be decent company, couldn’t they?

Before she had a chance to answer her half-asleep self, she fell fully asleep, without even the chance to contemplate what price such a photo of her and Conrad now, asleep together among pillows on his living room floor, might bring on the national tabloid market.

(next Part is the FINALE!)

#the babymakers #fake film meme #fake movie meme #romantic comedy #chris pine #stars as conrad #lucy griffiths #as Ada #this is the post that this day needs #things i have written that are not technically fanfiction

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emilyzh2019-blog · 5 years

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Tips For Renting A Car In Ireland

Ireland Driving Guide

Renting a car in Ireland and driving around the country yourself is a wonderful way to experience the Emerald Isle. But here’s some advice about the best way to do it.

When my family and I were planning our genealogy trip to Ireland to learn more about our ancestors, we were initially hesitant about renting a car to explore the country by ourselves.

Ireland has a bit of a reputation for narrow and scary winding roads!

Plus of course, they drive on the other side of the road, so there’s that. But the more we researched, the more we realized renting a car in Ireland would allow us to make our itinerary as imaginative as possible.

I love the freedom of road trips and planning my own travel itineraries. Ireland is such a diverse country that it made sense to rent a car so we could stop anywhere to discover small villages, castles, and go hiking in the mountains at our own pace.

Here are some important tips we learned from our experience renting a car in Ireland, to help you save money and stay safe while driving around the country!

How To Rent A Car In Ireland

Driving in Ireland for Tourists

Should You Rent A Car In Ireland?

Hey, if you love those big group bus tours, by all means, go book one. It’s a decent way to see Ireland if you don’t have a lot of time.

No planning, no driving, just sit back and let someone else do all the work!

But if you’re like me, you prefer the adventure of independent travel.

No set schedule or timetable — driving around Ireland with the freedom to stop anyplace cool you find along the way.

If that’s the kind of traveler you are, renting a car in Ireland is the way to go!

Just keep in mind that some of the backroads in Ireland can be very narrow, and often feel like a single lane (but they’re not). With some practice, you’ll gain confidence on them!

Another nice thing we enjoyed about having a car was the ability to store things in the trunk, stopping off in Irish towns with small daypacks rather than hauling luggage everywhere.

Learning to Drive on the Opposite Side!

Where To Rent Your Car In Ireland

The best site to book your car is Discover Car Hire. They search both local and international car rental companies to help you find the best possible price. This is the easiest way to rent a car in Ireland.

We rented our car from Dublin Airport after spending a few days in the city. Our South West route brought us to Cork on the M8 before moving on to Killarney National Park and then Glengarriff, where my grandmother was born.

After tracking down our family history in this small coastal fishing village, we drove North on the Wild Atlantic Way up to Dingle and the famous Cliffs of Moher, then to Galway, and finally back to Dublin.

However there are many different road trip routes you can choose when driving in Ireland. Other major airports to consider picking up a car are Shannon in the Southwest and Cork in the Southeast.

Crazy Irish Winding Roads!

The Amazing Cliffs of Moher

Car Rental Insurance In Ireland

Some of the rumors about driving in Ireland are true, and the roads are VERY narrow in areas. Especially the backroads outside Ireland’s smaller towns. Don’t worry, I’ll share some tips for dealing with them below.

This is why I highly recommend getting full insurance coverage.

Typically, rental cars in Ireland come with a basic Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), but this isn’t exactly insurance, and only covers the car for up to €1000-3000 EUROS worth of damage.

This is the amount they hold on your credit card until you return the car in one piece. CDW typically does not include tire, cracked windshield, or undercarriage damage either.

While you can often save money booking your car with a credit card that includes car rental insurance, you REALLY must read the fine print, because many people wrongly assume their card covers them in Ireland.

If you get in a wreck driving in Ireland, declined full coverage, and you suddenly learn your credit card doesn’t actually cover the damage — you’re screwed. I can’t tell you how many travel horror stories I’ve heard like this…

It’s why I usually pre-book full coverage online. It’s cheaper than at the counter — and then you won’t have to worry about accidents at all!

The Stunning Cobh Cathedral

How Much Does It Cost To Rent A Car In Ireland?

Renting a car in Ireland is going to cost you around $25-$40 USD a day, depending on the type of car you get. Our 4 door sedan was about $30 per day.

I recommend renting a car with an actual trunk (no hatchbacks) to hide your luggage from prying eyes. It helps to prevent break-ins if thieves can’t see your stuff.

Gas Prices

Gas (petrol) prices in Ireland might seem cheap to Americans, but remember that the rest of the world quotes gas in Liters, not Gallons (1 Gallon = 3.78 Liters). Currently, gas costs about $5.90 per gallon (€1.40 per liter) in Ireland. Diesel cars will often save you some money on gas.

Automatic vs Manual

Automatic cars are more expensive to rent than manual cars (but manuals are more common in Ireland), and you must specify what type you want when booking.

One-Way Rentals

There’s also an additional fee for one-way car rentals, which can vary by company. For example, if you want to drop off the car in a different city than you started from.

Admin Fee

If you opt to use your own credit card insurance, companies will charge you an “admin fee” of about €30 EURO.

Credit Card Fee

I was charged an extra €5 EURO just for using a credit card. Which is strange to me, but typical in Ireland.

Irish Taxes

Car rentals in Ireland have a very high tax rate of 13.6%. Ouch!

Age Requirements For Renting A Car

The minimum age for driving in Ireland is 18 years old, however most car rental companies enforce their own age limit of 21 years old to rent a car. They also charge an additional fee if you’re under 24 years old.

Driving Through the Town of Killarney

Irish Driving Laws Tourists Should Know

The most confusing part of driving in Ireland for most tourists is driving on the left side of the road — with the driver’s seat on the right side of the car.

If you’ve never been to a country that drives on the left, it’s wise to practice a bit in a small town before you head onto the highways of Ireland.

For example, just North of Dublin Airport is the town of Swords. Maybe spend an hour or two getting the hang of driving there before you enter Dublin or onto the main highways.

While challenging at first, especially if driving a manual, you’ll get the hang of it quickly and will be ready to explore Ireland by car in no time!

The speed limit on local roads is generally around 80 km/h while on national highways it’s up to 100 km/h.

International Driver’s License

No, you do not need an international driver’s license to drive in Ireland or rent a car there. Just bring your passport, credit card, and your driver’s license from your home country.

Ross Castle at Sunrise

Helpful Tips For Driving In Ireland

Watch out for sheep! In many smaller towns, local shepherds move their sheep on the roads. You can easily round a sharp bend and find yourself stuck behind a huge flock walking down the road.

Narrow backroads in Ireland don’t have standard break-down lanes as we have in America. There’s often no room for error or pulling over.

Sometimes your side-view mirror will be inches away from stone walls or hedges while passing other cars! It can make driving here nerve-wracking.

Remember to carry some cash for road tolls on Ireland’s major highways. Irish tolls can cost between $1-$3 for a passenger car.

In the countryside, some roads are truly single lane, but with traffic in both directions. In these situations, there are pull-outs so one of you can pull over for the other to pass.

USEFUL TIP: Buy a cheap “learner” sticker (L) sold at gas stations so locals don’t get pissed off at your incompetence on their roads!

The Colorful Town of Glengarriff, Ireland

Advice For Renting A Car In Ireland

You don’t need a rental car for Dublin itself. Parking can be a pain and Dublin is very walkable with excellent public transportation too.

If you’re starting your trip in Dublin, maybe book a rental car when you’re ready to leave the city, for exploring the rest of the country.

Don’t book a car without reading the company reviews. You’ll find plenty of bad reviews for every company (people love to complain online), but try to pick one with the LEAST bad reviews.

You may not always get the make/model/type of car you booked. If they give you a smaller car, or a manual when you asked for an automatic, be pushy and ask for an upgrade.

Inspect your car thoroughly and record video on your smartphone pointing out damage before you leave. This is a backup if they attempt to charge you for damage that was already there.

Pay attention to if your car takes regular petrol or diesel fuel, so you fill up with the correct type at gas stations.

Use Google Maps on your smartphone for directions. Bring your own hands-free adapter and buy an Irish SIM card at the airport.

Enjoy Your Ireland Road Trip!

Exploring the small villages, ancient castles, green mountains, and coastal cliffs of Ireland in a rental car was definitely the right choice for us.

Self-drive road trips get off the beaten track to see things most people miss! ★

Check Car Rental Prices & Availability In Ireland

Packing Guide

Check out my travel gear guide to help you start packing for your trip. Pick up a travel backpack, camera gear, and other useful travel accessories.

Book Your Flight

Find cheap flights on Skyscanner. This is my favorite search engine to find deals on airlines. Also make sure to read how I find the cheapest flights.

Rent A Car

Discover Car Hire is a great site for comparing car prices to find the best deal. They search both local & international rental companies.

Book Accommodation

Booking.com is my favorite hotel search engine. Or rent apartments from locals on Airbnb. Read more about how I book cheap hotels online.

Protect Your Trip

Don’t forget travel insurance! I’m a big fan of World Nomads for short-term trips. Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. Read more about why you should always carry travel insurance.

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I'm an older full-time college student and my husband works full-time at Walmart. In the past three years, I've been through 4 cancer related surgeries, which were paid for by the breast/cervical cancer Medicaid program. Unfortunately, follow up care and monitoring aren't covered and I was dropped from Medicaid. I'm now on my husband's health insurance, which is basically worthless because our income is under $20,000/yr and the policy has a $4500 deductible plus 20% after. I haven't seen my oncologist for over a year because we can't afford the expensive scans, biopsies, and lab work associated with cancer follow-up with a deductible that high. I thought my situation would change in 2014 with Obamacare. I recently learned from the healthcare.gov website calculator that our income is low enough to qualify for expanded Medicaid (which our state decided not to expand), but I don't qualify for the health insurance subsidies I desperately need because the outrageous deductible health insurance from my husband's job covers spouses. How can a couple with an income so low they would qualify for expanded Medicaid be ineligible for subsidies? I am completely devastated over this and I don't know what to do. Not being able to afford cancer follow up care is putting my life in danger. Even if my husband's employer (Walmart) quit covering the spouses of full-time employees, I think that would only apply to new hires because of the grandfather clause. If getting subsidies was based on income alone the way it should be instead of access to employer provided coverage, I would qualify for a zero deductible policy and $3 co-pays with a monthly premium of around $60. I could then afford the expensive health care I need. We live in a college town so if my husband got a different job, he'd make even less than he does now and we would probably end up homeless. If my husband transfers and we move to a state that's expanding Medicaid, I'll have to quit school and get rid of my German Shepherd and Siberian Husky since it's almost impossible to find a landlord that allows them. We thought another option might be to get a divorce on paper and co-habitate until our situation changes (completing my degree and getting a good job so I can afford the deductible), then re-marry. When I asked about that, someone actually accused me of wanting to commit fraud! How can anyone think of something like fraud when a situation is endangering someone's life? I am desperate to somehow qualify for health insurance subsidies without lying, which could get us in trouble. Any ideas?""

Are we required to have insurance?

We live in Oregon. We have a Blazer that is just sitting in our driveway not being driven. Our insurance doesn't know about it. My husband thinks if we insure it for a month the insurance will require us to insure it always even when we stop driving it just because we own it. Is that true?

Anyone know of a good insurance company in Texas for Home Owners Insurance?

I'm shopping for home owners insurance and I was wondering whats out there and is good and reliable.

low price car insurance quotes

Does planned parent hood accept health insurance?

does Planned parent hood accept health insurance ? if they do does anyone know if they will accept aetna health insurance?

Question about Liability Insurance.?

My mother has insurance on a car I drive, but do to a horrible driving record State Farm - her car insurance company - won't carry me, and when they will again it won't be cheap. I recently found some cheap liability insurance but I was curious - the insurance companies won't give me a straight answer - does my mom have to switch all the insurance for the car, or can I have insurance just for when I drive. If so should I get PIP - personal injury protection instead of liability? Pretty much can there be 2 forms of insurance from 2 seperate companies on one car? Full Coverage for the car and my mom, and Liability for me?""

Where can someone find health insurance if your not perfectly healthy?

my daughter is 25 and needs affordable health insurance

Do I really need Car Insurance?

I live in Kentucky. My car is not drivable at the moment and has not been for months. Since I can't even drive the piece of ****, do I even need Insurance? I'm paying to much for it anyway and I don't think I should be paying for something I'm not driving!""

Aprox how much will my insurance cost?

im going to be 16 in a few monthes and get my license then me and my parents are going to buy my first car. Ill be 16, a girl, and the car will be some cheap used car most likely.""

How is the health insurance subsidies calculated?

Just wondering how the affordable care insurance tax subsidies are calculated? Is it based on last years wages or estimated wages of the year you are applying for the health insurance. Let's say I made $100,000 last year and retired this year and applied for the affordable care insurance. Say my estimated taxable income for 2014 was $40,000 with family of four, can I get government subsidies?""

How much will my dad's car insurance go up?

I hit a road sign. No one was injured, no other vehicles were damaged besides mine. The cop said the damage to the sign was minor but the city probably will come after us and make us or my dad's insurance pay for it. I was borrowing his car, I do not have my own insurance right now. I should have gotten 4 different tickets but I only got one. The cop let me off easy and only gave me one for the accident. Also, do I qualify for driving school, and how does that work? I know you can do that for speeding but what about accidents? I'm only 16.""

AAA insurance will only pay body shop?

Hi there, My mom was rear ended by an uninsured motorist while driving my car. I have uninsured motorist coverage and AAA estimated the damage to be approximately $1000. I own my car (it's paid off) and I would rather buy the bumper and someone I know replace the bumper, rather than go to the body shop of AAA's choice. AAA does not want to give me a check and is saying they want to pay a body shop to do it. Can they do this? I looked at my policy and it doesn't say anywhere that repair costs are to be paid to a body shop, rather than the car owner or driver. I certainly don't have anything signed that says that and there is nothing in my policy details. Thanks for your help!""

Best way to grass without any comeback on stepson whose put our address for cheaper car insurance?

How much does the cheapest insurance cost for a honda fit in the US?

i heard that cars r pretty cheap in the US, but insurance is a must they say??!, im from south east asia, and they sell cars triple the price here but dont required insurance, so how much is the average insurance for a honda fit in springfield virginia???""

Where can I get SR-22 insurance?

I got a DUI and am now required to get SR-22 Insurance in Illinois. I called my local Insurance companys and most of them are saying I need to have insurance with them prior to this so I can't get it through them. Any ideas on some good companies that would do this, and the cheapest way to go about it?? Much thanks!! Mandy, Illinois""

Which costs more to insure?

I'm 17, get okay grades in school, I guess, but I can always make it look like I got all A's. I'm insured under my grandparents and currently I believe it is around $20 a month or so to insure me on a 03 Galant, I was wandering (I am buying my own car) if I purchase a 97 Eclipse, would the insurance be more or less than a 93 GT3000 Mitsubishi? If so, how much would it cost?""

Business insurance in san diego?

i need to get liability insurance and workers compensation for my insurance, i dont need big or expensive ones since i barely started my business and its small, any companies would be fine, thank you!""

What are the cheapest cars to insure?

i just want to know what the cheapest cars are to insure as i am going to get my first car soon.

Switching health insurance while pregnant--bad idea?

Hi, I am insured under a program called Healthy New York, which provides affordable health insurance for low income workers. I am pregnant and my OB GYN dropped my insurance. I am allowed to change provider and remain under the same program, and according to Healthy NY, pregnancy is not a preexisting condition if the insured is a sole proprietor , which I am. I also called Blue Cross Blue Shield, the new insurance, and they claim my pregnancy would be covered. Somehow I still am afraid there is some hidden problem. Any insights, personal experiences? Thank you, Anja""

My GF just renewed her car insurance and has to pay an extra 55 a year for 3 years because...?

In June last year some halfwit drove into the back of her while she was stationary at a junction, no claim was made as an accident management firm was used to claim the money back from the halfwit, it was a no fault accident on the GF's part, she also had full no claims bonus at the time. So will every company charge her this premium or is it just her insurance company? This is so unfair!""

Pregnant with no insurance?

I recently moved and I no longer have health insurance. I am 33 weeks pregnant. I do not qualify for Medicaid. are there any other inexpensive options? I am currently working part time but I won't be working for much longer.

Roommates car insurance company wants my car insurance info?

My roommate just changed her address told her car insurance provider she moved in with a friend. Her insurance company wants my car insurance info. Why? Do I have to/need to supply this? What are the positives and or negatives to doing this? Could it make my insurance go up? Note: We are not under the same company or policy for that matter. Thanks

How much does car insurance cost for a 16 year old?

Im a girl with good grades that would be added on to my parents insurance policy, can anyone give me a dollar estimate?""

What is the best car insurance for a first car and someone in the early 20s?

Hey guys.. So, i'm only 22 years old and i'm looking to to buy my first car really soon but first i want to find a good and affordable insurance agency. So far i'm looking to compare the following insurance companies: Geico, State Farm, Progressive, State Farm, etc. Any other suggestions would also come in handy.. Thank You!.""

How to calculate california disability insurance?

How much would car insurance be per annum for a 17 year old girl (new driver) with a car worth around 500? ?

How much does a 09' Honda Civic Coupe run on insurance?

I'm looking to buy A new car, & just curious about the insurance costs.""

Insurance policies and pre existing conditions?

i have been looking into to health insurance policies.Since i no longer can carry a HMO through my state since they are doing away with the program altogether. I dont know what to look for, for the best usage of my money. I have had some medical issues come up but have not really been diagnosed with anything yet and need to have a procedure and a few test done but because i do not have insurance then they want an outrageous down payment that i can not afford. So my question is, what policies should l look for? should i be looking into pre existing health insurance? Is short term health insurance something i should steer away from? i need health insurance like yesterday!""

What would you say about geico insurance?

I have my auto insurance with state farm insurance but I was thinking of switching it to Geico. What would you say about Geico? Thanks

low price car insurance quotes

Drivers permit and insurance help?

If I get my drivers permit would my moms car insurance go up? If so, what are average rates? Thanks for the time to read this, and thanks in advance for a reply.""

Basic features of insurance?

features of insurance

What is the cheapest sr22 insurance in california?

i had one accident in 2009 and i am currently paying the other party but i hadnt done it before and the dmv took away my license now i need to get a sr22 one but they keep on giving me car insurance quotes,, any help appreciated im 20 years old and dont own a car my uncle lets me borrow his""

What car insurance is best/cheapest?

I am going to be getting a used car from my uncle and would like to know your opinion on what car insurance to get. My parents wont put me on their plan(this is my first car btw) so I have to get my own. I need a cheaper plan considering I only work during the summer as of now(thinking of getting a job on my college campus next semester). Any help would be good(your experience etc) I tried going onto the General insurance website(commercials say their cheap) for a quote but they keep on sending me to a Geico website, has anyone else had this problem? Thanks in advance for answering.(BTW I am a girl, I know that we get cheeper insurance typically for some reason lol and I also went through drivers ed in the past and I know most companies will give me a discount for that)""

""My insurance is not responding to my calls, but the other party insurance does after the accident. What to do?""

I reported about an accident to my insurance. Waiting for the police report, weeks came by. Now, I have the police report but my insurance is not responding my calls, but the insurance of the responsible party is. Who is in charge of fixing my car?""

Questions about car insurance?

I understand that I will need car insurance and when I do get my first car my insurance will be high (I'm 17). My parents don't drive, so I can't rely upon them. Tell me if I'm wrong and help me out... 1. So the big picture of car insurance is that if I get into an accident, the money I put for my car will be paid for with the money I put in? 2. Will car insurance cover anything I do with the car? (Such as swapping parts, oil change, etc.) 3. Why does insurance quotes matter? Doesn't the more you pay the better coverage you have? Why do you need to save money? Are they trying to make you pay less so you if your accident can't be paid fully, you will pay with some other type? 4. How much will insurance supposedly cost? My first part-time job will only pay approx. 30k a year, I don't know how much I'll lose. 5. Does the type of car affect how much I will pay? (Hopefully, but I will be getting a Scion FR-S automatic) 6. Which car insurance company is mostly recommended for teenagers? Thanks for your help!""

Can a 16yr old register a car in his name in TEXAS and can he still be on parent's insurance?

Does anyone know for sure if it is legal in TEXAS for a minor to purchase a vehicle in his name? The car lot said it was okay but my insurance company says that it must be in my name for him to be on my policy. Is that true?

Will my car insurance cover this?

My car was parked in a parking spot at my apartment complex last night as it always is when I'm here, and this morning I go to my car and notice a decent size dent in my hood. It must have been done by some rowdy drunken fools last night. Will my insurance cover this?""

""Advice for buying new car insurance (21 yr old, male)?""

Im 21 year old, male, college student. I just got my driver license. This is my first time getting car insurance since I had never needed it before. I need insurance for a 2007 Mazda CX-7 or 2007 Toyota RAV 4 (full cover)""

What would happen if we lowered the cost of health insurance?

I have to write a paper on health care insurance.

How do i pay car insurance at 18?

Okay, so i'm about to turn 18. I'm moving out and into my Boyfriends home(He's 20). He still lives at home, but his parents love me and want me outta my parents home, so i am! But i need to know how to switch my car insurance over so that i can keep my car and pay my own insurance. I refuse to get put on to my boyfriends parents policy. Is there a way for me to get the bills and pay for it, without my parents or his parents having to worry about it? (Please don't tell me that i shouldn't be moving out at 18. I'm responsible, and i've had a job since 15. I've been saving every penny for this moment.)""

About how much does General liability insurance?

Any Independent Contractors out there that could give me an idea about how much it cost, because I have no idea.""

""How much is a no proof of insurance speeding ticket in Tylertown,MS. ?""

How much is a no proof of insurance speeding ticket in Tylertown,MS. ?""

Dollar general insurance rates. are we getting screwed?

how much would a manager at dollar general have to pay for comany insurance? 3 children covered, no heath probems. living in missouri i think my fiance is getting screwd by his ex wife and i think he is paying for her on the insurance with the boys. he pays an extra 300 a month suposedly just for the boys insurance. please help!""

17 year old car insurance prices ?

im comparing cars on moneysupermarket because im 16 an need a heads up on insurances costs etc... but i compared a classis mini 1.0- annual: 6000 and Monthly: 650 also, 2007 vauxhall corsa 1.0- annual: 8000 Monthly: 852 and a 1993 Ford Fiesta 1.1- annual: 12000 Monthly: 1152 now i can sort of understand the price for the mini, due to its a small car with a small engine, but the corsa's like brand new? how can the insurance be sort of lowish. but why are they charging huge amounts for a fiesta that is older than me and is probably falling to piece's slowly ? im so confused :S can some one help me and please explain this i really want to be able to have a first car at 17 but at this rate i might be stuck on a motorcycle for a few years then maybe have enough money to afford a car :/""

""California has had lawsuits capped at $250K for years now, and it didnt make rates go down one cent....?

....In fact they are still some of the highest in the Country. Can some conservative explain how this is so given their constant claims the 5% (!!!) of insurance company budgets that go towards lawsuits drive prices up?

Anyone know any good cheap car insurance providers?

preferably direct rather than compare websites. cheers.

Why do I have to get car insurance?

Insurance guy lied, my fun sporty little 04 Mitsubishi eclipse gt (5 speed manual v6) was actually going to be $200 more monthly than he said it would be. It was fun to learn how to drive it. But now it's as good as gone (parents were helping with the insurance). Who's to blame? Why do I have to deal with insurance goons to start with? Couldn't there be a better way? In a slightly more perfect world what theoretical system would cut out the goons?""

Know of somewhere cheap which will let me drive a car for only a few months for people under 21?

I've recently passed my driving test and would like to drive a car for a few months before I go to Uni but there's no where I can find with a few months insurance (fairly cheap) and a car I don't need to buy in full. I'm 18 which makes it more difficult Any help would be appreciated!

Car insurance question?

My boyfriend doesn't have a car therefore he doesn't have car insurance... If he were to get into an accident driving my car or get a ticket, would my insurance go up? I have full coverage and the insurance company said he and I would be covered. But I was wondering if my insurance would go up if he were to get pulled over or get into an accident.""

What is the minimum automobile insurance required in the state of california?

What kind o risk is being managed when someone takes out a life insurance?

How much would insurance be on a mistibishi lancer GT on my moms insurance? (16 yrs. old)?

We are thinking about purchasing a mistibishi but we fear the insurance would skyrocket as me being a new driver. Any help?

How does insurance work?

im 19 years old n as far as i know i have insurance through my parents work...n i want to go to the doctor for birth control but i dont know how to tell them about it...im not close with my parents at all! so i was thinking of going without them knowing but if they bill my insurance is there a way for them to find out even tho im over then 18????

Which Is the best car insurance?

Hi everyone!! I am a 20 year old single mother. At the moment, I am studying and also about to get back into work. I have just passed my driving test and looking to buy a car....realistically, I think at this point a used one is ok even though I saw a site that sells cars and you can pay on installments. If I wanted a Ford KA, or a Mini Cooper, or a Renault (the one from the I see you baby shaking that asss advert few years ago), which insurance company is best and can give me a good cheaper deal. Thank you!!!! p.s manual cars are my focal point.""

Does anyone know where a 17 year old with a 3.8 grade average and a good driving record can get insurance?

I can't find anyone that will cover him,except Progressive, and they want 1400 dollars a year.""

low price car insurance quotes

Car total by unlicensed and uninsured driver...what to do?

My car was being driven by my husband,an excluded driver on my insurance, and was hit by a driver running through a red light. The driver has no insurance and no license so I doubt I will recover anything from her but my insurance company won't pay anything as well. Will my GAP coverage still pay the difference between the totaled value and the cost of my lien?""

How much will the auto insurance be? ?

Ok so my dad wanted to get an 06 chevy Cobalt SS supercharged but is wondering how much it will cost... He is 53 years old has a good driving record, the car is Black and of course supercharged. He has dairyland auto insurance.. Is there anyway we can check online or can anybody give me estimates? Thanks""

UK: how does the ncb function for car insurance?

The insurer of my new(ish) car wants a proof of no claim. I already have a insurance on a first car with ncb of 9 years, protected. How come I can't use this ncb for the second car? the cost of insuracne is outrageously expansive if I start again from zero year ncb for the second car... how does this work? why can't I carry on having the ncb for the second car too?""

""Need help to find a boy car for around 1000 or below, something cheap on insurance and also a bit sporty?

i know sporty and insurance dont go together well but am sure there are some cars that are fast and boy racer cars that arnt tooo expensive to insure

How much will my car insurance cost?

im 16 right now and ill be getting my license in couple months and ill be 17 by the time i get my license. im thinking of getting a used Lexus Es 300 1995~2001 that are under $5000. how much will my insurance cost per 6 months? or year?

How can I get a fair replacement cost by the auto insurance company when my car is totaled?

my car is being paid off by the other person's insurance company, not mine.""

Car insurance in America?

Im just curious, seen as how there are very few small cars in America compared to Europe, does the size of a cars engine have a big impact on your insurance, as in the bigger the engine the higher the insurance cost?""

Crazy car insurance!!!??? advice please?

how on earth do young drivers these days manage to afford car insurance! my son is 19 and has his provisional licence. we were hoping to buy a car for him and the lowest quote we have for insurance is for 1,900!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!how on earth do young people manage! does anyone know of a way round this??? we just want him to be safe and legal! advice please? all answers greatly appreciated.""

Is my son even covered under our car insurance?

My 21 year old son not only is no longer in college he also got married 3 months ago. I have not canceled him from our multi-car policy, I guess just so he will have car insurance (liability, required in our state), but I know he was supposed to be removed when he got married, as he is no longer in our household. I also would like to remove him so I can benefit from a lower premium. He keeps saying he can't afford it, so I keep paying the bill each month, that includes his car on it. I guess I am asking if he got into an accident would the insurance even be good, as he isn't even living in our house and he's married. I may have wasted my money these last 3 months anyway, but don't want him to get caught with what appears to be uninsured, without a valid insurance card in the glove box.""

Asking all under 25 female drivers in uk- whats a cheap car insurer?

Asking all female drivers under 25!! Does anyone know of or have been with any cheap car insurance companies? Ive already checked quite a few but they seem really expensive...Please help!

What's the average price of a Doctor's visit without health insurance?

My eyes are yellow.

What is a reasonable price for a teen's first car?

I'm hoping to get my license soon, but figure, there isn't a whole lot I can do with it without a car of my own. I'm really not sure how low the prices of cars get without being a piece of junk. Are there decent cars that start in the thousands, or is everything pretty much over ten thousand? What difference does it make if it's used? I'm not looking for a dream vehicle, just something for the next few years to get myself from a to b. The only knowledge I have so far is that my mom's toyota was around $30,000 brand new (and I'm definitely not looking to spend that much), so that's basically what I'm comparing everything else to. Any advice on the basics is greatly appreciated. Thanks!""

Im a new motorcycle rider and I was wondering which insurance is the best but cheap?

Im 24 yrs old, I was thinking of Progressive insurance? Is there anything that I can do to make my insurance lower?""

What are your rights if a person's car hits you and they don't have auto insurance?

This was a non-reportable vehicle accident. The person's car who hit mine was a manual and somehow came down the hill and hit my car. No one was in that person's car. But it rolled down and hit my car. I went to a dealer to get an estimate and it was about $955. I have car insurance, but the other guy doesn't. I have full coverage, but my deductible is $1000. What are my options? The owner of that car who hit me said that he is a mechanic and can fix my car. What should I do? Should I allow him or should I ask for his certification/license? I don't know if I can trust them either. I would rather have someone else fix it. Or should I just ask him to pay for the accident since he doesn't have car insurance? Is there a way where I don't have to pay anything? Any information what so ever will help out so much. Please give as much feed back as possible. I'm really looking for some possible answers.""

Need help ASAP. Is it possible to get retroactive car insurance after a car accident?

I was recently involved in a car accident where I was at fault. The major problem is that at the time it happened my car insurance had been canceled for nonpayment more than 30 days before. Is it possible to pay the premiums that I missed and get retroactive car insurance? I'm trying to avoid a misdemeanor on my record. My insurance company is State Farm, and after the accident I immediately called them and had my insurance reinstated. I also told them about the accident. Please, I need help ASAP.""

Mandated Health Insurance is different from Mandated Auto Insurance how?

The Supreme Court will be deciding if the government can force us to buy health insurance from a private corporation. The government forces us to buy auto liability insurance from a private corporation. I am at a loss to see the difference.

Can I get insurance if I don't have a license?

I'm 18 and want to get my license but I need insurance, can I get liability without a license and about how much it would cost?""

""Decent looking vehicle, good gas mileage,low car insurance? &Where to find good car insurance rates??""

I filled out a couple quotes from esurance.com and allstate and i got like $2100 & $4100 premium 6 month payment. Does that mean its going to cost me that much for insurance for only 6 months? If so, that is insane. That would be $350-$750 dollars a month. That cannot be real. My dad gave me a quote from Allstate(thats what he has) and it was about $117.00/Mth for a Chevy Blazer for 18 Year Old First Driver. I am very new to the whole insurance thing so can someone just point me in a small direction to the lowest priced insurance with good plans. I would absolutely love to have an older car(oldsmobile, or between 60s&80s)But thats way to pricy, along with a nice sports vehicle. Because of the gas mileage and decent look, i would like a Chevy Convert Tracker. Just give me some advice if you know what im talking about. :) Thanks Much xox Brittany xox""

17 year old student Car Insurance for a Ford Fiesta 1.25 or a 1.4 climate 2004-2005?

Insurance for a Ford Fiesta 1.25 or a 1.4 climate 2004-2005 I need reasonable car insure I have no no claims bonus and I am new driver. I have been quoted around 4000 fully com on a 4000 car. My budget for insurance is around 1400 full or third party. I am an A level Law student I will going to uni next year and I might use the car to commute to there

What affordable health insurance is the best one out there for me? I have no health problems except BP I am 58?

I will be divorced in 2 months and will have to find my own health insurance. I have been with Anthem for 14 years and have no health problems and no medications except 1 blood ...show more

""I am 26 and currently a student and i dont have a job,i was looking for an affordable health insurance.?""

I am 26 and currently a student and i dont have a job,i was looking for an affordable health insurance.?""

How much do you pay for your motorcycle insurance?

I just check for a quote for a cbr 600 f4 I wanted to buy and it quoted me $2,200 a year! Does that sound right? I'm 19, live in New york city, male. Whats your state, age, bike model, gender, and insurance rate?""

Do you need insurance for a scooter under 50cc in Pennsylvania

How can I get some cheap/reasonable health insurance?

Cheapest motorcycle insurance ?

low price car insurance quotes

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/kingston-michigan-cheap-car-insurance-quotes-zip-48741-clayton/"

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char27martin · 7 years

Text

Finding an Agent & Approaching Artist Residencies

I’m determined. The Stupendous Adventures of Mighty Marty Hayes will soon rest on the shelves of bookstores, libraries, and retail stores everywhere. Middle-grade fiction readers will delight in reading about a 12-year-old African-American superhero and his multi-cultural band of friends, along with their love of spy gadgets and science.

But first, I need an agent.

This guest post is by Lora Hyler . Hyler has completed the manuscript of her middle grade novel, The Stupendous Adventures of Mighty Marty Hayes, and has begun the second in the series while actively seeking an agent. She founded her Wisconsin-based public relations and marketing company in 2001. She will join the faculty for fall 2017 conferences of both SCBWI Wisconsin and Wisconsin Writer’s Association. She holds a 2016 Jade Ring award from the Wisconsin Writers Association for an adult short story, several screenwriting and news awards, and has published hundreds of corporate articles. She was the recipient of a 2017 artist residency at Marnay sur Seine, France and two previous residencies at Noepe Center for the Literary Arts on Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.

My writing journey began a couple of decades ago with a career in radio news, public relations, and marketing. I started my own public relations firm in 2001 (www.hylercommunications.com), have represented a handful of authors, and look forward to marketing my own books. Short stories and screenplays were my first forays into the world of fiction. Encouraged by a few screenwriting awards, I began to exercise my fiction writing muscle through a middle grade manuscript.

After joining the Society of Children Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) in 2015, I learned much about the business of children books. Many times, the wealth of information on the path to publication appears daunting. Yet, there are plenty of authors willing to share their stories about how they landed an agent, sometimes after 100 or more rejections. I’ve chosen to view each “no” as a step closer toward “YES!” After all, that’s how I’ve run my career.

My tally sheet reveals I’ve sent queries to nearly 30 agents. To date, I’ve received 17 no-thanks, a couple requests for full manuscripts, and several encouraging words. My advice to any budding author: Face these rejections with the view of a glass half-full. If you’re like me, your eyes race across the email the minute it pops into your in box. Yep, there it is … the dreaded, all too familiar sentence. You know the one. It’s always some version of: “Thank you for sending your manuscript. It’s not a good fit for my current list.”

I had a recent chat with my critique partner and shared my story of a lovely rejection email from an industry leader. I successfully queried her and was told to send the full manuscript. During the discussion, I had a revelation. This industry leader wrote, “Thanks for sending me your manuscript which I have so enjoyed looking at. It is such a great fun concept and the ideas you have for further titles makes it a more commercial project than we (pursue).”

Great news! I was worried my concept wasn’t commercial enough. This individual has successfully shepherded through a fantasy series that set global sales records, captured the imaginations of youth and adults, and gained fans from reluctant and avid readers alike.

Infographic. Vision board. Visualize your way to success.

On my journey toward publication, I’ve decided to harness all the positivity the Universe sends my way. I’ve created an infographic of written quotes from agents and editors who have reviewed my work. With this lovely visual encouragement greeting me each day, I expect to keep my spirits up and forge ahead until the day an agent says the ultimate, “I’d love to represent you.”

Do go back and carefully read any rejection notes you’ve received. Wait! You want me to revisit the source of so much pain? Yes, I do! Occasionally, amidst the gray clouds, the skies part and a beam of light peeks out. Mine these rejection notes for bits of wisdom and any encouraging words.

Find an agent who’s best for you.

Where do you go to meet these agents? In person at workshops and conferences, or on websites and webinars. I’ve found agents that I’ve met face-to-face to be accessible. It also pays to listen closely when authors are speaking at conferences. I attended my local SCBWI conference where an author choked up while thanking his agent, saying she believed in him when he had stopped believing in himself. High praise! Due to his accolades, I queried this agent noting how impressed I was with her. She replied within an hour asking me to send my manuscript.

Try Twitter and the laundry list of pitch sessions available to budding authors. Brenda Drake leads Pitch Wars.

Another interesting concept allows you to get a handle on select agents and what they are currently seeking for their list. It’s called the Manuscript Wish List. I’ve found that tracking this provides insights into the whims of a particular agent.

While I seek an agent, I also keep an eye out for nonfiction work for hire opportunities to capitalize on my journalism background. I also like to blog. A sure way to keep writing muscles in good order.

The biggest literary agent database anywhere is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the most recent updated edition online at a discount.

Discover your tribe through residencies.

Now, I’d like to share an exciting part of my journey that I like to think of as a blindingly bright light directing me to the finish line. Artist residencies. They are available worldwide; some are for artists of all kinds, others are specifically for writers.

The joy of being selected for a residency provides a high to keep any writer powering through rejections, and revising. In our harried daily lives, where we struggle sometimes to find quiet time, residencies provide space and time to create. Often in beautiful, one-of-a-kind settings. My last residency set me up in a writing studio with windows opening up to the Seine river running through a small French village. Cool breezes, swooping birds, and the occasional family swimming downstream accompanied my writing days.

It’s fantastic to begin a residency living among strangers, and as the days progress, to become supporters of each other’s work and lives. Critique groups form and friendships blossom. Many residencies encourage public readings, providing writers an opportunity to reveal their work in progress, or completed work, to an eager audience. I’ve received adrenaline highs when an audience member laughs at the right spots. The cherry on top is one-on-one feedback offered post-reading.

My residencies to date:

May 2017: Centre d’Art Marnay Art Centre, (CAMAC), Marnay sur Seine, France. Month-long residency at a 17th century complex in a village of 240 residents. I was one of eight selected artists from around the globe.

Fall 2016 and Fall 2015: Noepe Center for the Literary Arts, Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. Noepe has since closed its doors.

As you read this, I am applying for additional residencies. Spain, Italy, Mexico, Washington state, and Illinois residencies are just a few that have caught my eye. I encourage you to pursue the thrill of a blinking cursor before you in a fresh space, in a new state or country. You’ll be surrounded by like-minded souls who, a door or two over, work on their own creations. And they’ll be happy to join you in a laugh and sips of wine when you need a break.

However, wherever you decide to write, just keep writing. Publication is just a few no’s away. Until then, mine your rejections. In the midst of it all, there may be gold.

If you’re an agent looking to update your information or an author interested in contributing to the GLA blog or the next edition of the book, contact Writer’s Digest Books Managing Editor Cris Freese at [email protected].

The post Finding an Agent & Approaching Artist Residencies appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

from Writing Editor Blogs – WritersDigest.com http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/finding-agent-approaching-artist-residencies

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batterymonster2021 · 5 years

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The anti-CEO playbook | Hamdi Ulukaya

New Post has been published on https://hititem.kr/the-anti-ceo-playbook-hamdi-ulukaya-2/

The anti-CEO playbook | Hamdi Ulukaya

A bloodless January day of 2005, I took one of my important drives of my existence. I used to be on this road in upstate the big apple, looking for this ancient manufacturing facility. The day earlier than, I acquired a flyer within the mail that mentioned, "totally prepared yogurt plant for sale." I threw it in the rubbish can. And 20 minutes later, I picked it up and referred to as the quantity. The plant was 85 years ancient, and it was closing. So I decided to move see it.Right now, I wasn’t certain the place this avenue or my lifestyles was once going. I owned a small cheese keep however relatively hated industry. However the hills and the roads and the smells are all acquainted. I grew up in Turkey, in a identical environment, close the Kurdish mountains. My loved ones made cheese and yogurt; I grew up paying attention to shepherd’s stories. We did not have so much, however we had the moon and the stars, simple meals, each different. Eventually, I got here to the usa. I didn’t even know big apple had farms. I made it to upstate, and i in no way left. Now i’m lost. I passed the avenue sign that said "useless finish." Then quickly after, there it used to be: the manufacturing unit. The scent hit me first. It was once a like a milk container disregarded in the solar. The partitions were so thick, paints had been peeling, there have been cracks in every single place.The manufacturing unit was so historic, the house owners notion it was worthless. I concept they left a zero off, i could not feel the fee. As I entered in, i ended noticing things. All I would see have been the folks. There have been fifty five of them. Simply quiet. Their most effective job was to break the plant aside and shut it eternally. I used to be met with a man named rich, the production supervisor. He furnished to take me round, exhibit me around. He didn’t say so much, however round each corner, he would point out some stories. Wealthy labored there for two decades. His father made yogurt before him, and his grandfather made cream cheese earlier than that. You would inform that wealthy felt responsible that this factory was once closing on his watch. What hit me the hardest at the moment used to be that this wasn’t simply an historical manufacturing unit.This used to be a time desktop. This is the place people developed lives, they left for wars, they bragged about home runs and document cards. However now, it was once closing. And the organization wasn’t simply giving up on yogurt, it was giving up on them. As in the event that they were not good sufficient. And i was greatly surprised how these humans have been behaving. There used to be no anger, there have been no tears.Simply silence. With grace, they were closing this factory. I was so irritated that the CEO was far away, in a tower or somewhere, watching at the spreadsheets and shutting the manufacturing facility. Spreadsheets are lazy. They do not let you know about humans, they don’t let you know about communities. But regrettably, this is how too many industry selections are made in these days. I used to be not ever the same person after what I noticed. On my means back residence, I called Mario, my lawyer. I known as Mario, I said, "Mario, I need to buy this place." Mario said, "Hamdi, one of the biggest meals companies on this planet is closing this situation, and so they’re getting out of the yogurt industry. Who the hell are you to make it work?" I said, "you’re correct." but the next day to come, I referred to as him once more, and i mentioned, "Mario, really, I rather wish to purchase this location." He stated, "Hamdi, you don’t have any cash. (Laughter) you haven’t even paid me in six months." (Laughter) Which used to be real.(Laughter) however I bought a loan, an extra loan. By August 2005, I had the keys for this manufacturing facility. The first thing I did used to be to rent four of the common 55 persons. I had Maria, the place of work manager. I had Frank, the wastewater man. I had Mike, the preservation man. And wealthy, who confirmed me the plant, the construction guy. And we had our first board meeting. Mike says, "Hamdi, what are we going to do now?" They appear at me as if i’ve the magic reply.So I stated, "Mike, we’ll go to Ace ironmongery store, and we will get some paints. And we will paint the partitions external." Mike wasn’t impressed. He looked at me. He said, "Hamdi, that’s first-rate, well do that, but tell me you will have more strategies than that." (Laughter) I said, "I do. We’ll paint the partitions white." (Laughter) sincere to God, that was once the only idea I had. (Laughter) however we painted these partitions that summer season. I regularly wonder what they would have stated to me if I instructed them, "See these partitions we’re portray? In two years, we’ll launch a yogurt here that american citizens have on no account seen and certainly not tasted earlier than.It’ll be scrumptious, it is going to be average. And we’ll call it ‘Chobani’ — it means ‘shepherd’ in Turkish." And if I said, "we’re going to hire all of the fifty five staff again, or most of them again. After which one hundred more after, after which a hundred more after, after which 1,000 more after that." but if I advised them, "You see that town over there? Each individual we rent, 10 extra local jobs can be created. The town will come back to lifestyles, the vehicles might be far and wide the roads. And the primary money we make, we’ll construct some of the high-quality Little League baseball fields for our kids.And 5 years after that, we will be the number one Greek yogurt company in the country." Would they have believed me? Of direction now not. However that is precisely what happened. (Applause) In portray those walls, we got to understand every different. We believed in each and every other. And we figured it out collectively. 5 years, me and all my colleagues, we not ever left the factory. We labored day and night time, via the vacations, to fix that plant. The excellent part of Chobani for me is that this: the same exact humans who got up on have been the ones who built it back a hundred occasions better than before. They usually all have a monetary stake in the organization in these days. (Applause) And all this time, I stored questioning — you see, i am not a businessman, i do not come from that culture — I just stored questioning: What is that this all about? Company the usa says it is about earnings. Mainstream trade says it’s about money. The CEO playbook says it’s about shareholders.And so much is sacrificed for it — it’s factories, communities, jobs. However not via CEOs. CEOs have their workers undergo for them. But but, the CEOs’s pay goes up and up and up. And so many individuals are left in the back of. I am here to inform you: no more. It is now not right, it’s certainly not been correct. It can be time to admit that the playbook that guided firms and CEOs for the final 40 years is damaged. (Applause) It tells you everything about industry except how to be a noble leader. We want a brand new playbook. We want a new playbook that sees persons once more. That sees above and past profits. Within the movies, they have got a name for humans who take a different course to do things correct. They name them "antiheroes." I feel we need the identical suggestion in industry. We need anti-CEOs, and we’d like an anti-CEO playbook. So let me tell you about what this anti-CEO playbook is all about. An anti-CEO playbook is ready gratitude. Cutting-edge business book says: trade exists to maximize revenue for the shareholders. I feel that’s the dumbest thought I’ve ever heard in my lifestyles.(Laughter) truely, business will have to care for their employees first. (Applause) you realize, a couple of years ago, after we announced that we’re giving shares to all our 2,000 employees, some men and women mentioned it is PR, some mentioned it is a present. I said, it is not a present. I watched it, i have been part of it. They earned it with their skill and with their difficult work, and i don’t see every other way. The new way of industry — it can be your staff you deal with first. Not the earnings. The brand new anti-CEO playbook is about community. Today, the firms which have all of it ask communities, "What type of tax breaks and incentives are you able to give me?" the reality is, companies must go to the struggling communities and ask, "How can i help you?" (Applause) when we desired to construct our second yogurt plant, Idaho was once on no person’s radar display. It was once too rural, too a long way away, didn’t have a lot incentives. So I went there. I met with the nearby folks, I met with the farmers. We shook palms, we broke bread. I mentioned, "I want to build it correct here." i don’t need to see fiscal reports.And the outcomes — its neighborhood is flourishing. There may be new colleges that open every year. New food businesses are coming up every year. And so they instructed me, "you’re no longer going to find any expert staff right here." I mentioned, "it is ok, we will train them." We partnered with the regional community institution, and at the same time we were building the plant, we proficient countless numbers of hundreds of folks for advanced manufacturing. And at present, our manufacturing facility is without doubt one of the biggest yogurt vegetation in the world.(Applause) the new approach of industry — communities. Go search for communities you can be part of. Ask for permission. And be with them, open the partitions and be successful collectively. The anti-CEO playbook is ready responsibility. Present day playbook says, the corporations will have to stay out of politics. The reality is organizations, as residents, ought to take a side. When we were growing in the big apple and watching for extra folks to rent, I remembered that in Utica, an hour away, there have been refugees from Southeast Asia and Africa, who have been watching for a location to work."they don’t communicate English," anyone informed me. I said, "i do not rather, either. Let’s get translators." (Laughter) "They would not have transportation." I stated, "Let’s get buses, it’s not a rocket science." in these days, in one in every of the us’s rural areas, 30 percentage of the Chobani workforce are immigrants and refugees. (Applause) (Cheers) And it modified us for higher. The brand new manner of trade — it’s trade, no longer executive, in the nice position to make a transformation in present day world: in gun violence, in climate exchange, in sales inequality, in refugees, in race. It can be industry that have to take a aspect. (Applause) And lastly, an anti-CEO playbook is set accountability.Brand new playbook says, the CEO experiences to the company boards. In my opinion, CEO stories to purchaser. In the first few years of Chobani, the 1-800 number on the cup was my private quantity. (Laughter) When an individual known as and wrote, I replied for my part. In many instances I made changes founded on what I heard, for the reason that consumer is in vigour. That is the cause the trade exists. It is you — every single certainly one of you is in vigour to make alterations at present.If you don’t like the company and the firms, what they’re doing with their business, that you would be able to throw them into the rubbish can. And if you happen to see the ones which can be doing it right, you can reward them. Eventually, this is all in our responsibility. The brand new way of business — it is the patron we report to, to not the company boards. You see, in case you are correct with your people, if you are correct with your group, if you are right along with your product, you are going to be extra lucrative, you are going to be more progressive, you’re going to have extra passionate individuals working for you and a neighborhood that supports you. And that’s what the anti-CEO playbook is all about. The treasure that I observed in that factory — dignity of labor, force of personality, human spirit — is what we have got to unleash all across the world.Brothers and sisters, there are people and locations all world wide overlooked and left behind. But their spirit remains to be powerful. They simply need a different chance, they need anybody to present them a hazard once more, to not simply build it again, however construct it better than before. And that is the difference between return on funding and return on kindness. This is the difference between profit and actual wealth. And if it may possibly happen in a small town in upstate the big apple and Idaho, it may happen in every city and town and village internationally. This isn’t the time to build walls, this can be a time to portray the walls. I depart the colors all up to you. Thank you a lot. (Applause) .

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airoasis · 5 years

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The anti-CEO playbook | Hamdi Ulukaya

New Post has been published on https://hititem.kr/the-anti-ceo-playbook-hamdi-ulukaya-2/

The anti-CEO playbook | Hamdi Ulukaya

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