#invest collegiate middle

[mdccanon]

I wanna translate this into fantasy allegory, lol

On a thread, a man accused Lenin of ableism because he said every man should work for his food, but when I asked him if he genuinely thought Lenin believed hospital patients and other invalid people should be denied food, he couldn't answer because he couldn't articulate his outrage into a feasible demand Lenin would make against physically and mentally disabled people.

So, he tried again to say this MUST be ableism because it felt cruel to demand disabled people to work at all. I repeatedly asked him to work with me to make a tier-list of "disabled" because there is a large gap of space between a person with mild intellectual disability (MID) being a cashier at the local grocery story and a person with several schizophrenia who needs inpatient care. And did he have any reason to think Lenin was against expanded inpatient care with independent living? Does he have anything besides the momentary outrage of this one quote and concept that sounds entirely like it is presuming an able-bodied person? (Which means it does nothing to inform us of Lenin's actual views on disability.)

So, after a small tangent of complaining about American healthcare, which did nothing to inform us of actual communist Russia healthcare policy, he returned on topic to declare he'd work twice as hard if it allowed a disabled person to not work at all. I told him that sounded very noble and all, but - again - what does HE think he is referring to when he says "disabled people" because unless he thinks any Leftist political philosopher believed in starving people who were under medical care, why does he think anyone WITH a disability but with a functioning mind and body should be "spared" work? What does he think people should do with the 16 hours they are awake? Sorry, Timmy, you can't be an engineer; you're in a wheelchair. Rayshawn had big dreams of owning his own streetwear fashion store, but too bad that he's deaf. Who does he think he's helping? Also, has he ever actually worked with mentally disabled people, like as coworkers or worked with his local County Board of Developmental Disabilities?

He said no to either.

I have. I've trained a 22-year-old girl who couldn't read; taught her to memorize the menu of our restaurant and kept pushing her until she finally applied to be a supervisor. I needed a good Lt. in that kitchen and she'd put her whole foot up dishwashers' and cooks' asses when they slacked off. I honestly hope she lives with her grandmother for a long time; I think more people SHOULD live intergenerationally because we can't hire an entire third of the nation to be home health aids. But I certainly don't think that girl "deserves" to not work.

The guy kinda petered off into silence after a while because he just didn't have anything but empty outrage. The forum was anti-work and lord knows plenty of people on it have many reasons to hate labor (while also hating investing and capitalism) and don't want to work for others but also don't want to work for themselves, and so on and so on and so on.

But I asked him what point did he honestly think he was trying to prove. 1) Disability doesn't make a person invalid and more people, 2) by the full definition of disability, have one than you may think, adn 3) the vast majority of disabilities do not move the needle as much as he is assuming.

A person with mild mental retardation (2.0-2.5% of the population) can do your taxes for you because they can learn up to a 6th grade level and the average American reading level is 7th grade. High school graduation tests only test for 9-10th grade level and collegiate level education is used very sparingly in real life and most college-educated people use middle school level in daily life.

Who do you think you are saving when the only difference between you and a person with a 70IQ is that you have the capacity to learn more complex concepts and then waste your life never actually picking up a book? Do you know how dumb you look when a girl who can't read knows your job better than you because she had to put more work in to overcome her disadvantage, so she memorized and repeated until she perfected it while you used all~llll that extra IQ to rationalize your laziness and lack of integrity with "I won't be paid more if I know the menu better"? And then she got promoted. Above you. Before you. You chump. (Yeah, there was a 50yo guy at work who loved to undermine and game the system using that whole "if I make $16/hr but put in $12/hr effort, its like I'm making over on them" but then he went ballistic when she was promoted and because his supervisor.)

And with all that being said, comprehensive medical assistance care and public accommodation are vital to a nation that cares about quality of life and public health. But even the most depressed person in the world is awake for 16 hours a day, and I'm fairly certain digging up a potato and plucking a tomato would help both their depression and their hunger. There is no such thing as being too good or too bad for labor. Labor is not the enemy.

I think Jesus said it best. "Are you seriously telling me that if your cow fell into a well, you'd refuse to save it because its Sabbath day? The dogma of "I get one day off to rest" is more important to you than the clear and present necessity of saving your only cow? Honestly?"

#ableism

[blackownersseekingsuccess]

The Inspiring Story of a Mother's Championship Basketball Legacy Passed Down to Her Daughters

by Levi Wise Kenneth Catoe Jr.

April 9, 2024 - Years ago, the only way that a young Black man could fathom himself receiving a free ride through a top (PWI) college or even an (HBCU) was in the hopes of receiving a sports scholarship, which offered him far more financial backing than an academic-based scholarship, meaning that he or his Black family would have to stress coming out of pocket, leading to financial debt that he would be straddled with for the bulk of his adult life. But those days have come and gone because nowadays young Black ladies are also vying for that free ride and breaking every college’s glass ceiling doing it—not that this is a competition, but what it is becomes an opportunity for everyone involved, which leads me to Tynisha Sims. Sims is a former high school championship basketball player herself who made it to St. John’s University, which fields 17 NCAA Division I teams, with many scholar-athletes going on to compete on professional and Olympic teams. But that wasn’t enough for Mrs. Sims; basketball became about family, tradition, community, and Black love. I sat down to speak with Sims and learn more about the origins behind her and her two daughters and ‘this league of their own’.

Levi Wise Kenneth Catoe Jr.: Hi, Tynisha Sims can you please tell my audience a little bit about yourself and your championship career in basketball both high school and collegiate, and how you're passing the tradition of basketball on through your own daughters?

Tynisha Sims: Hello, yes, I’d love to too. I began playing basketball in middle school. I had an advantage with my height, but then I began to grow more and more in love with the sport. By the time I was in high school, I was invited to play in elite basketball showcases and camps and eventually ended up on a top AAU (Amateur Athletic United League) team. On that team, we won the Northeast region championship and played for the national championship. I also played for my high school’s basketball team, Paterson Catholic High School, and in my senior year, we were the Passaic County Champions. My high school years helped me be awarded a full D-1 athletic scholarship to St. John’s University, where I played against some of the most competitive schools. While at St. John's, I was named team captain in my junior and senior years. I was also selected and played on the Big East Conference All-Star team. After college, I continued my basketball career by switching to coaching. I started coaching the Passaic County Community College's (PCCC) women’s basketball team. While at (PCCC), the women’s basketball team made it to the junior college championships three times; two of the three times we won the junior college championship, leading me to be on the sidelines for my own two girls. I have coached both of my daughters since they were in the 2nd grade. I love coaching our youth. My mission is always to help make them a better version of themselves, to inspire and empower girls to be leaders in their own right, and also to not fear anything! 

LWC: How did you feel as a young athlete? And what would you say to your younger self?

TS: I felt blessed as a young athlete because my parents knew nothing about basketball, and I was blessed with coaches who saw fit to invest their time and energy in helping me be the best I could be. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be where I am now. What I would say to my younger self is that you are doing an amazing job! You will be a role model for the next generation.

LWC: Are the things that you would say to your younger self the same things that you now pass on to your daughters and the young ladies that you coach? 

TS: Absolutely! Lift each other up and speak positivity into all you do! You got this!

LWC: What are the ages of the players that you coach?

TS: Right now, I coach 12–13-year-olds. 

LWC: I have always considered sports to be very disciplined, similar to my training in theater. How did the discipline and the rigors of sports training affect your discipline as an adult?

TS: It helped me tremendously. Especially as a mom, wife, finance professional, and coach, it requires a lot of scheduling, early mornings and late nights, accountability, and overall discipline. In college, we would have 5 a.m. practices, then classes, mandatory 2-hour study halls, media training, and evening practice, and we would finish the day with film study. I remember, as an accounting major, being the only one on the bus or airplane (traveling to an opponent’s school for a game) studying or completing an assignment. It was definitely a very intense time of my life that has helped me prepare for adulthood and the many challenges that I face daily.

LWC: How did sports inspire your decisions as a parent of two daughters? Did you want them to play as well, or was it something that they chose for themselves?

TS: I am a firm believer that sports or anything outside of the classroom will teach you life skills, mainly accountability and responsibility. It helps you to advocate for yourself as well as deal with adversity.  I had my girls in gymnastics, soccer, and swimming as toddlers. They were swimming before walking. I wanted them to experience everything they could, and later in life, I knew they would pick the one that they liked the most. Basketball is something that seems natural to them but is not necessarily their favorite. Ultimately, they can choose which activity they wish to focus on when they are ready.

LWC: Do you see your younger self coaching your daughters? And if so, how does it make you feel now, looking at it through parental vision? 

TS: I currently coach one of my daughters, and for the other, I am just there for support. I love both. One is less vocal than the other, but I like the vantage point. 

LWC: What are some of the ways in which sports have influenced you as a parent? Does it make you more of a compassionate parent, an inspired parent, a relentless parent, an impatient parent, or a more patient parent?

TS: It definitely makes me more relentless and patient. From experience, I know that hard work doesn’t last forever; you become more receptive to it. You learn how to deal with hard things better, and that’s what I feel as a parent. 

LWC: Growing up, your parents were very supportive of you while you were playing as well, and now that you’re on the other side as the parent of young basketball players, does that put things in another perspective now that you’re the parent, creating a whole new level of appreciation for yourself now that you have put yourself in their former shoes?

TS: Of course, the only difference is that I played the sport, whereas my parents did not. But the experiences they loved about me playing the sport are the same that I feel for my girls. The travel, the bond, the highs, the lows, and everything in between is worth it.

LWC: Let’s talk about coaching girls’ basketball. How is it? Just in case some readers are not into high school, college, or the (WNBA) Women’s Basketball League.

TS: Coaching basketball is exhilarating! You become family to the players and the families of the players you coach. To see the practice and strategies that you teach executed on the basketball court and end in success is the best feeling in the world. But what’s most amazing and impactful are the lives you are changing by inspiring and empowering them to be their best. 

LWC: Do you still enjoy the game of basketball, or has it become just a job? 

TS: I love the game! I do it because I love it and not because I have to. I am a volunteer coach.

LWC: And that makes it even more commendable. What was the biggest difference between high school basketball and collegiate basketball at St. Johns?

TS: College basketball is where you transform from a girl to a woman. In college, you are playing at the highest level, traveling all over, and meeting so many new people. The networking I was afforded and the connections I’ve made are endless. 

LWC: Is there something that you can share about girls’ basketball that a lot of people may not already know? 

TS: Women’s sports in general are on the rise, and finally, people like me who played during a time when it wasn’t as popular as men’s basketball or sports. It is really special to see.

LWC: Thank you so much for sharing your knowledgeable experience from both sides of the court. Now please promote your girl's basketball team.

TS: Thank you for interviewing me. I Coach for the Team Sharp Basketball program. I coach the 7th grade Blue team. We will be traveling to Pittsburgh, Manheim, Atlantic City, Wildwood, and Kentucky to compete amongst the elite. Their website is www.teamsharpbasketball.com or you can find the program on Instagram or Twitter @Team_Sharp_Basketball

LWC: And there you go, so now that you know of its origins, follow and support these young athletes.

Levi Wise Kenneth Catoe Jr.

Editor, Journalist, BOSS, NY

#black tumblr #black girl magic #black theme #black girl aesthetic #black history #sims 4 legacy #girls basketball #black family #black excellence #blackgirlmagic #black women #black is beautiful #poetry month #black literature #black entrepreneurship #black is gold #black is better #sports #legacy challenge

[zooterchet]

American Patriotic Wars (Mohecan, Iroquois Constitution, United States)

Seven Years War: The end of the demand of law, to be legalized, to act, instead of prohibited, under legislature's code transferred to police.

American Revolution: The referendum of slain African, as common colonies code, to declare opinion on news article of slain African victim.

War of 1812: The dominatrix, as a nurse, as having determined nation-state of origin, of attempted lodger; any refused, as having concerted citizen's rights, the American citizen on baby footprints; outside of pedophile's attempt to replace American child or teenager or adult.

Mexican-American War: The aid of foreigner, as having necessitated revolution as oppressed, instead of national border, that of army having governed; instead of foreign power, having requested.

Civil War: The prohibition of the slave, as having been governed by wage, of foreign law of talent, all forms of labor, as having been required to pay well and offer comfort of worker; otherwise, the fraud of print.

Spanish-American War: The MI-6 infantry, the Irish soldier, and the African cop's steward, as having disrupted Farsi, Hebrew, and Arabic, hence the bio-exorcist project, the Gadze merged with Gypsy, as having been the purpose of the new spy's class, the Romajin.

The Great War: The foreign expeditionary force, as the new American power; hence, any serving, as having removed the power of the common classroom, from military service.

World War 2: The war against the kin, the Japanese, to reform, and through the Italians, the Catholic, to be rendered atheist, and the German Axis, the refutation of the foreign control of British Empire, as the unique instance of narcotraffic and controlled substance as aligning, the prohibition on alcohol and marijuana as for children; outside of MI-6 syndicate.

Korean Conflict: The end to the Gentleman's Agreement, with Chinese Communists, and other ethnicities aligning, as fully impatriated American citizens, the police investment of Chinatown, inside the FBI and common campus police department.

Vietnam War: The removal of Jewish-Seminarians, to Vietnam War USMC service, and the victims Catholic of Judaism's convert, as CIA and Company service, with MI-6, as serving overseas to protect the ARVN, and the expense of the wealthy black community, as held below the African poverty.

War in Afghanistan: The common British and Russian, as conflicted, the "Great Game"; placed into play, as forebearers of American, the end to the Russian and British and Indian empires, with future interactions with China guaranteed, with Vietnam as the future trade axis of Indochina, the Dalai Llama.

The Middle Eastern Suzerein War: The engineering sector, as having become prominent, and the refusal of the common warehouse career, under the refusal of MI-6 and the Scottish, instead the Americans seizing their goals and destinies under the hatred of the British Empire.

The War on Terror: The draft of soldiers, under Canadian law, to fail, and voluntary enlistments instead, succeeding, in US Army, CIA, and NSA, those inspired by movies as having been rejected, to small suits of law, those using libraries and textbooks and courses of K-12 and collegiate instead, as having been placed on the front lines, as criminals; those otherwise, held back, married to obese under homosexual codes of Falwell.

The COINTELPRO War: The war against Law and Order, and related programs, by the FBI and CIA, the print of the Bellevue, H-Block, and Code Pink programs, as having the nature of torture of those brightly educated, upwardly mobile, and militantly creative, as victims for the bribe to politician of, television show. Those street wars, and prints of art, outside of common cabinet, instead inside courts and police orders.

The Ukraine Conflict: The support of the USMC, as divisions against the exploitation of foreign nations, and the dissolution of Europe, China, and Africa, as foreign trade pacts under ethnicity, the refusal of the Iranian "white" identity, instead as refusing Karl Marx, and Jimmy Carter, in the same.

#cia #megaman mush #batman #dc comics

[survivor76612651041]

Has Beens: Trying ti stay fit and active after the excitement of youth athletics

Im a has been yall I gotta admit it its time I can except it. Back when i was younger I was hesitant but at 38 years old it's been manyyears since I even touched a basketball or football its official. I'm not losing my athletic juice I lost it almost completely actually on. the road to recovery right 2 years ago was all-time low in conditioning.

When we were younger it was all so easy . I had tons of time and energy to burn we were still just growing into our bodies. Many of us felt we were in the lottery of some sorts getting calls and letters asking us to play collegiate sports and some of us even going pro. We al played in the top high-school leagues and played against future college, NFL and NBA stars it was an amazing time. I played three sports in high-school varsity in 2 and even got the chance to play college something I never even dreamed of but took the opportunity cause it was better then class and better then doing nothing in the hood played 3 years varsity d3 football I'm maybe could of went a division higher but I wasn't even recruited as a athlete I was actually a brain I got in private school for my test scores not my athletic abilities. But years of sports made exercise incredibly easy. If you never trained to be in the best shape you ever been in you don't know what your missing. It's worth it just beimg trained so strictly and proffesionallly people would pay for that experience and they were sponsoring us playing. Got laundry, food, clothes, got to travel and train all for free actually. that people invested in hellping you meet your physical peak. Its a very good deal a no Brainer to me. So I rarely missed practice, man practice was the best time of the day actually playing a game and now I'm faster, stronger and In better condition then ever. It was like that's untill about 22 and when it was all over it was so traumatic actually. Like the end of a dream training every summer through the fall was a regular and best part of the year many times. My youth was over and soon after college was over and it was back to the slums for a reality check.

I began working 2 jobs that year a d soon stared to gain a dose weight. I wasn't getting paid much so Ioften worked 2 jobs to make ends meet. So after working 14 hours day sometimes , no more sports training, no body to work out or be accountable. I began the up and down training and diet cycle. I had to work out alone, had to pay to work out , my time is gone I spend all day at work , I get off work all people do is drink and try to escape for a few hours then right back to work. It's getting hard to maintain. So I go through cycles of being in shape abd out of shape gaining 50.pounds losing 50 pounds focused working out to not having time or money to work out ..inconsistent pay and inconsistent work ruined mrle the worst working weird shifts no work stability for years working place to place for 2 weeks to.the longest 3 months longest any 1 place 1 years living a crazy lifestyle for years

So now here I am.what everyone fears middle aged and just burnt up. I really need the help and support to get healthy excessive to live a decent life I need ti be able to walk 1 mile for my whole life its been gettiing tougher abd tougher

So I'm starting a weekly workout group for other has been we are looking to meet 2 to 3 times a week to do group workouts together tomimimc being on.the too boring ass tread mill fir a half hour workout. Something fun or exciting to keep the other has beens motivated.

The mission begins now . I'm ready I'll be giving a few mothers reports on has been activated like Frisbee golf adventures abd swimming on the beach for a hour . Something new to keep a burn out like me inspired .

[snelbz]

Tempting the Fates {Chapter 7}

Summary: It’s the final semester of Aelin Galathynius’ collegiate career and she is so beyond ready to be done. Her schedule is packed full of nursing classes and labs designed to test her knowledge and hone her skills for the real world and her “big girl” job. However, she needs one last elective to graduate, so she decides to study a subject she’s always been fascinated by: Mythology. Who would have thought that a class about gods and goddesses living complicated lives would end up complicating her own in such an unexpected way?

A @snelbz X @theladyofdeath collaboration.

Word Count: 3260

Chapters will be posted every Wednesday.

Tempting the Fates Masterlist

Shelby’s Masterlist

Tara’s Masterlist 

***Announcement! *** After the completion of I’ll be Seeing You and Tempting the Fates, all of Tara and I’s joint fanfiction will be posted on a separate blog that we run together > @snacmc. Be sure to follow the new blog as we will start posting on there soon!

Artemis

– Goddess of the hunt, virginity, archery, the moon, and all animals

Rowan’s weekend had been completely and utterly perfect, and he owed that fact to Aelin.

They’d spent the entirety of Saturday and Sunday in bed, watching movies and eating and talking and making love. When Monday came, Aelin snuck to his apartment and they’d had dinner, which Rowan had cooked for her and served over candlelight.

Now Tuesday morning, nothing could kill his mood. He’d just gotten a coffee and was hurrying across campus, about to be late to his own class.

He didn’t care much, except for the fact that Aelin would be there and even though he couldn’t outright declare his adoration for her, he could sneak a couple glances from time to time.

For now, it was enough.

He burst into the classroom, which caused the murmuring students to hush down.

“Good morning, guys. Thank you to everyone who sent your essays in over the weekend,” he said, his back to the class. He was setting up his laptop, getting it connected to the projector. “For those of you who didn’t, congratulations, you’ve learned that you get one instance of grace from me over the entire semester. And you’ve already used it, so I hope it was worth it.”

He turned, and as hard as he tried, he couldn’t help his eyes from immediately falling on Aelin.

Gods, she looked gorgeous. Just as gorgeous as she had in his bed the evening before, her blonde hair sprawled out on the pillow behind her, lips swollen from his kisses, face twisted up in pleasure.

But then he noticed the dark-haired beauty next to her, and how attentive she was for his early morning class. Almost immediately, he knew this must be Lysandra, Aelin’s best friend and roommate, who she’d made very clear was very invested in their budding relationship.

Almost as much as Lorcan was, but his best friend wasn’t showing up in his classroom to monitor him.

For some stupid reason, Rowan grew nervous.

He cleared his throat, and sat up on his desktop. “With that being said, for those of you who did turn in your essays, keep up the good work. I’ll have your grades posted online by the end of the day. And, if you didn’t turn it in, your next missing assignment will be a zero, and, trust me, if you fail this ridiculously easy class, the rest of your time at university will be a major kick in the ass.”

A round of snickers flowed through the room, and Rowan noticed that Lysandra leaned over and whispered something into Aelin’s ear that made her laugh, quietly.

Rowan wondered what it was.

He began his lesson, and he swore that every five minutes, Lysandra would whisper something into Aelin’s ear. Even though his curiosity was about to make him combust, he didn’t let it show, even if it did make the hour go by a lot slower.

Towards the end of class, he couldn’t stop himself as she leaned over to Lysandra and whispered something to her instead. Her friend chuckled, which was a little bit louder than all of Aelin’s quiet laughs, and he paused in the middle of his lecture.

“Miss Galathynius, is there something funny you and your friend would like to share with us?”

Her eyebrows shot into her hairline and she blushed, but he saw the smirk that formed. She could tell he wasn’t mad, that she’d been paying attention the whole class, regardless of Lysandra’s presence. “No, sir, Professor Whitethorn.”

Hearing her reply with No, sir made him want to respond to her in about twenty different ways, but none of them were appropriate in class.

“Are you sure?” he pushed, cocking his head to the side. “How about you, friend of Miss Galathynius? Do you have something to share?”

Lysandra didn’t blush. Instead, a grin spread wide across her lips. “I was just enjoying your class, Mr. Whitethorn. I find mythology fascinating.”

Rowan watched her for a second, unsure of how to respond to Lysandra. He only knew what Aelin had told him, and judging by the light in her eyes, Aelin had been right - she knew how to have a good time, and she knew it.

“And what has been your favorite part of my lesson?” he asked, looking over his shoulder at the clock. “Don’t rush. We have twenty minutes left.”

Lysandra chuckled, quietly. “You reflect on Aphrodite so well, I don’t want to ruin it with my lowly thoughts. Although, I find it amusing you chose to share Aphrodite so early in the semester. To please the masses, is it?”

Apparently Aelin had told her best friend about the popularity of Aphrodite in his class. Then again, Rowan suspected Aphrodite was the most popular among young women. He’d at least gotten that hint as he read through his classes’ essays.

“It’s true, most people are familiar with Aphrodite, even those who aren’t all that familiar with mythology,” Rowan stated, crossing his arms as he leaned back against his desk. “Do you care to share with the class what you know of the goddess?”

Lysandra gave him a challenging grin. Aelin just looked back and forth between the two, chin propped on her fist, perfectly amused.

“I know that she’s the goddess of love and fertility,” Lysandra said. “So, basically she’s the goddess of sex.”

This caused a round of chuckles.

“True,” Rowan said. “But, she’s also a goddess of war, as well as a goddess of the sea. So, why do you think it is that she is strictly known as the goddess of sex?”

Lysandra opened her mouth to respond, but it was Aelin who said, “Maybe our generation is more interested in sex than war and water.”

He didn’t miss the fact that she said our generation. While there had been plenty of conversation and time spent together over the past few days, most of that time he’d been buried inside of her. After the unexpected, second time, they’d had the birth control talk, where Aelin assured him she took her pill on a very, very regular basis. Rowan was hesitant to go without a condom again at first, but after hearing her multiple alarms go off to remind her, he’d decided she was responsible enough to remember.

Plus it felt so much better without a condom.

“I see,” Rowan said, at last, as if her words had not affected him whatsoever. “And how many of you agree with Miss Galathynius and her partner in crime?”

Nearly everyone raised their hands, and some of the girls in the front row gave him their most notoriously girly giggles.

“Fair enough,” Rowan said, chuckling. “That leads us to tonight’s assignment, due before Thursday.” A round of groans. “Write a short, five hundred word essay on what Aphrodite should be known for, and why. Turn it in. Remember, if you missed last assignment, this one is a zero, and I don’t recommend going there in an introductory elective. I’ll give you the last ten minutes to get started.”

Without any hesitation, Aelin opened up her laptop, and Lysandra rested her cheek on Aelin’s shoulder to see what she would write.

Rowan sat behind his desk and fiddled on his own laptop, but he only ended up constantly sneaking glances at Aelin until time ran out.

He was proud, and mildly surprised, to see her hard at work, typing away. She must have been slamming through the essay, because Lysandra had pulled out her phone, like some of his actual students had, forgoing the head start he’d given them to browse social media.

His own phone buzzed from within his pocket. Usually he wouldn’t have checked it during class, but since he had given them time to work on their assignment, he slipped it out of his pocket. He was surprised to see a text from Aelin. He hadn’t even noticed her use her own phone, yet a notification awaited him. Even if her contact wasn’t saved under her real name.

Are we allowed to use outside sources for this assignment? My boyfriend would be a plethora of knowledge to help me out.

He tried not to roll his eyes or even a look at her before he replied.

I’m afraid you’ll have to do this one on your own. No help from your boyfriend, but I bet he’s very knowledgeable on the subject. However, the internet could be quite useful.

He swore he could hear Aelin chuckle from across the room. But we all know that the internet is full of shit.

Rowan couldn’t help but snort as he replied, Fair enough. Looks like it’s just up to you and your textbook, then.

A rolling-eye emoji was her only response.

Then a kissing face.

When he saw the time, he abruptly stood and cleared his throat. “It’s about that time, so remember this assignment is due before you walk through the door on Thursday and I’ll see you all then.”

Everyone began to pack up their belongings and slowly make their way out of the classroom, and back out onto campus. Just after Aelin walked through the door, his phone vibrated, once again.

I’ll see you tonight, professor.

*

They’d both agreed to forgo the gym, thanks to all the extra exercise they’d been getting, so when Rowan’s evening class let out, he was hurrying home to his apartment. He wished he could take Aelin out on a legitimate date, but it was too risky. If someone recognized either of them, or worse, they ran into another student, professor, or, gods forbid, Maeve, it would jeopardize both of them. And they both agreed they weren’t willing to risk that.

So movie nights and take out it would be for the time being. Aelin promised she didn’t mind, but it didn’t stop him from racking his brain for a way they could spend time together outside of his apartment. He’d suggested they could swap off at her place, too, but she’d reminded him she lived in a small two-bedroom with a roommate and her cousin. At least here, they could have privacy.

And fuck on every surface in his apartment.

Which they nearly had.

At quarter to seven, a knock on the door had him hurrying to the door, expecting it to be the pizza she’d told him she’d been thinking about for hours.

Instead, Lorcan stood on the other side.

“Hey, man,” he greeted Rowan, clapping him on the shoulder before stepping around him and entering the apartment.

“Hey,” Rowan said, slowly, shutting the door behind his friend.

“Game starts in fifteen,” Lorcan said, heading for the fridge for a beer. Instead he found a bottle of white wine. “Where’s the beer?”

Rowan hesitated. “Honestly, I forgot the game was tonight.”

Lorcan spun around and blinked. “It’s…Tuesday, of course the game is on. And if it was a home game, we’d be in the stands. Now, where’s the beer?”

Rowan began rubbing the back of his neck, and it was all Lorcan needed to groan. “You’re about to kick me out for a date, aren’t you?”

“Aelin is-.”

“Aelin?” Lorcan interrupted. “If Aelin is coming over, I think I’ll stay.”

“I don’t think you’ll want to stay when we start doing what we do when she comes over,” Rowan promised. “Besides, isn’t Elide home tonight longing for your attention?”

“No, she went to trivia with Manon and Asterin, just like she does every Tuesday.” Lorcan sat down on the couch. “Because I came here to watch the game, just like I do every Tuesday.”

Rowan opened his mouth to reply when another knock sounded. He sighed, but crossed the room, opening the door and being greeted by the pizza delivery guy. After paying him, Rowan carried the boxes back into the apartment and set them on the counter.

“You even ordered pizza?” Lorcan asked. “For a girl and a date, but not me?”

“Do you remember how much you blew me off when you and Elide first got together?” Rowan asked, turning to lean against the counter and cross his arms. “I didn’t see you didn’t see you for almost three weeks.”

“You were also in class and studying all the time,” Lorcan defended. “Now you’re in class and teaching all the time, so I have to take what I can get.”

Rowan stared at him.

Lorcan stared back.

Another knock at the door sounded, and Rowan began walking toward it. “You can stay, but I’m not telling Aelin to leave.”

Lorcan muttered something incomprehensible but fell onto the couch, nonetheless, and began searching through the channels for the game.

Rowan opened the door to find a smiling Aelin who quickly made her way inside.

She stopped when she saw Lorcan sprawled out on the couch. He gave her a wave. “What’s up.”

Aelin blinked. “Hi.”

Rowan sighed, shutting the front door. “Aelin, Lorcan. Lorcan, Aelin.”

Lorcan had turned back to the TV, having found the preshow for the game, and was pointedly ignoring the two of them.

Even though he was in Rowan’s home. Crashing his date. Even though Rowan had technically forgotten about their Tuesday night tradition.

Rowan was staring daggers at the back of his head, about to say something, when Aelin said, “I don’t see how the Wastes have a chance of beating the Staghorns. Their defense was a mess last time we played them.”

Both Rowan and Lorcan slowly turned to look at Aelin, who was pulling slices of pizza out of the box and putting them on three plates. She went to the fridge and pulled out the bottle of white wine Rowan had chilling for her and found them staring. “What?”

It was Lorcan who spoke. “You keep up with hockey?”

She shrugged. “Sure. I like it, but my cousin loves it. He plays on the university’s team. He’s hoping to go pro one day, so it’d be rude of me to not follow what could be his future career.” Pausing to rummage around in Rowan’s kitchen drawers, she asked, “Baby, where’s the bottle opener?”

Lorcan’s dark gaze dragged to Rowan when Aelin turned to check another drawer and he mouthed Baby?

He whispered, “Shut up, asshole,” and assisted Aelin in locating the bottle opener and carried the pizza to the living room while she poured herself a glass of wine.

Lorcan helped himself.

“So, Lorcan,” Aelin began, sitting on Rowan’s lap in his recliner. “What do you do?”

“I’m a bartender,” Lorcan said, drinking from his newly poured glass of wine. “This tastes like shit, by the way.”

“Then don’t drink it,” Rowan muttered.

Lorcan poured himself more.

“You should bring Elide over one night,” Rowan said. “We can all hang out.”

“Why can’t we all go out?” Lorcan asked.

Rowan shot him a look.

Lorcan grinned.

Aelin ignored it. “Who’s Elide?”

“The only person that Lorcan isn’t a dick to,” Rowan said.

“Girlfriend?” Aelin asked, though that was pretty clear.

Lorcan tore into a piece of pizza. “Yep.”

She asked Rowan, rather than Lorcan, “Is she nice?” Lorcan’s head turned towards them and she added, “Nicer than him at least?”

Rowan smirked. “She’s very nice, sweet even. Don’t ask me how he convinced her to go out with him, but she did. I think you’ll like her.”

Lorcan just flipped Rowan off.

“I went to school with an Elide when I was younger,” Aelin said, chewing thoughtfully. “She moved to Perranth when we were in elementary school though.”

That got Lorcan’s attention. “Elide moved back to Orynth from Perranth after she graduated high school.”

Aelin smiled at him, and thought it was kind, Rowan could see the sass beneath it. “Small world, maybe my Elide is yours, too.”

“She’s not yours,” Lorcan said, tensely. “She’s mine.”

That smile grew. “We can share.”

“It may not even be the same Elide,” Rowan said, interrupting the most unexpected pissing contest he’d ever heard, smoothing his hand up the outside of Aelin’s thigh.

That got her attention. She leaned into him before taking a bite of his pizza.

Rowan scoffed and held it far away from her. “Get your own.”

“Why would I do that when I can just eat yours?” Aelin asked. “Getting my own is so much work.”

“You two are ridiculous,” Lorcan mumbled. “Disgusting, even.”

“Feel free to head out at any time,” Rowan muttered, pressing his lips to Aelin’s.

“I’m trying to watch the game,” he muttered, which had indeed finally started. “Is this what you two do every time she comes over?”

They looked at each other for a second before he shrugged. “We have dinner, we talk, sometimes we watch a movie, then… Other things take place.”

Lorcan’s nose turned up. “You’re sickening.”

“So you and Elide don’t do other things?” Aelin asked and Rowan squeezed her knee gently. He knew she was trying to rile Lorcan up, but she didn’t know how easy that was to do.

“We do, but we don’t show it off or tell anyone about it.” His eyes were firmly locked in the TV screen, but he drank the rest of his wine in one big gulp.

She snorted, but pressed a kiss to Rowan’s cheek and got up. Grabbing her bag she’d dropped by the front door, she refilled her wine and headed for Rowan’s bedroom.

“Where are you going?” He asked, half tempted to leave Lorcan out here and follow her in.

“You guys have boy time, I’ve got a few assignments to work on,” she said, smiling over her shoulder.

He knew one was probably the rest of her essay for his class, and he wanted to tell her to ignore the deadline. But that would blur the lines they’d been very clear about. She didn’t want any sort of special treatment from him and he didn’t want to do anything that would be seen as unfair.

Except for the orgasms.

He knew she had long labs to work on, too, and she very well might need to focus on those.

“Don’t tell me your girlfriend just left to work on homework for your class,” Lorcan said, eyes still on the screen. “Because that’s weird as shit.”

“It’s not weird,” Rowan argued, even though he was fully aware of how weird it was.

Lorcan snorted and poured another glass of wine, nearly emptying the bottle before he said, “Maybe I’ll bring Elide over on Friday.”

Rowan looked at his oldest friend and lifted a brow.

Lorcan shrugged. “Elide’s sassy-ass would love her.”

Rowan just shook his head and grabbed another slice of pizza as the game fell into full swing.

Aelin sent him a text that read, Aw, did I just hear Lorcan give me a compliment?

Rowan chuckled as he typed back, It’s as close as he comes to a compliment, yeah.

She texted him back a laughing face, then wrote, As soon as he’s gone, you better haul ass back here. It’s hard to focus on your bed without you.

You think I’d make it easier to focus? I think I’d be one hell of a distraction.

I’d rather have the distraction. One of my professors has me writing about fucking Aphrodite.

Rowan couldn’t help but laugh out loud, and Lorcan’s eyes snapped to him. “Are you seriously texting her from the other room?” He shook his head, then muttered, “Fucking honeymoon stage.”

Honeymoon stage indeed, Rowan thought. He hoped they’d stay this happy for a while, that things would be this easy.

But he couldn’t shake the feeling that they wouldn’t be.

#snacmc ttf #tempting the fates #rowaelin ttf #throne of glass #rowan whitethorn #aelin galythinius #rowaelin #modern au #college au #professor au

[joontier]

Subliminal in Scrubs | V1; report vii

pairings: dr. jeon jungkook x female reader

chapter rating: NC-17 | genre: humor, romance

warnings: FINALLY~ we get to see a little bit of JK’s pov heh 

word count: 2.4k

g/n: Send me your thoughts?

[taglist] @nottodayjjk @ditttiii​ @zeharilisharaban​ @btsbunny07​ @turquoiseandplaidinautumn  @aamxxrii @codeinebelle ​

Subliminal in Scrubs (the records) |  navi. | m.list

“I hope you don’t mind us picking up a friend first then a drive thru afterwards... we did promise  someone a ride to the ceremony as well.” Chohee eyes Jungkook through the rear-view mirror. “Plus, we haven’t had any breakfast yet sooo…” Your new passenger uncharacteristically nods with unbridled enthusiasm. Huh.

“Totally not an issue at all. If you don’t mind, breakfast is on me,” he announces, sitting up a little straighter in his seat. You raise a freshly threaded eyebrow. There is no way this kid is actually offering to pay for your food. Jungkook clears his throat quietly, “Um...since you guys offered me a ride...you know…” 

Without even having to look at each other, you just know you and Chohee have similar smiles plastered on each of your faces. “Well,” Chohee makes a quick glance at the man seated at the back, “if you insist, Jungkook-ssi. How nice of you to do so.” 

You’re positive Jeon Jungkook will regret he even offered - in half an hour. Probably less. 

Just recently, Chohee has decided to relive an old hobby of hers: teasing you relentlessly with men clearly way out of your league until you actually end up investing much more time than intended (just as planned by Chohee) - until you come to the realization that there wasn’t going to be even the slightest chance of them even liking you back. End point is - you end up getting heartbroken for irrational reasons. 

Chohee, whose eyes sparkle with mirth with every mention of the Jimin, continues her teasing, despite your constant reminders to have her energy and time diverted to another subject, instead of poking her head through your currently non-existent love life. 

It’s an undisputed fact that Jimin is a cutie and quite the charmer, especially with his heroic deed of saving your sorry ass from getting your drinked spiked at the bar. However, there is a part of you that knows the slightest bit of infatuation you might feel or might have felt for Jimin was probably caused by the lack of interaction with men for the majority of your collegiate life. Of course, you always came back to your principles, that of which is prioritizing your career to shun love interests. 

Admittedly, you might have gotten distracted once, but you won’t ever let that happen again. 

In line with your best friend’s attempt to have you score a date and a boyfriend eventually, (her timeline, not yours!)Chohee had even gone so far as offering Jimin a ride to the oath taking ceremony that’s going to be held today at the Coex convention center at Gangnam. 

With Jimin’s apartment just a couple of blocks away from the gasoline station, you spot him right away when Chohee turns right into the corner. He’s stood by the entrance of his apartment building, looking effortlessly attractive as he scrolls through his phone while waiting. 

Chohee presses her fist lightly against the center of the wheel, the car emitting a soft honk to get Jimin’s attention. Jimin gives a curt wave in acknowledgment and reaches between his legs to grab his satchel. As soon as Jimin opens the car door, his head jolts slightly backward in surprise when he sees another passenger already inside. 

Chohee does the ice-breaker, introducing Jungkook to Jimin while she drives off. “Just before we got to your place, we had to fill the tank first and whaddya know? Met Jungkook at the gas station too! His bike broke down and I’ve offered him a ride - ergo, your new seatmate.” She adds a thumbs up. “Park Jimin, Jeon Jungkook. Jeon Jungkook, Park Jimin.” 

Contrary to Chohee’s cheerful voice mere seconds ago, awkward silence ensues after the two men bow to each other in greeting. The only subject of sanity the car was holding onto was the soft voice of Chohee’s navigation app coming from her phone on the dashboard. 

Why was it so hard to talk when you’ve all got at least a few things in common? 

Right, maybe it’s the fact that Jimin may or may not have known about your beef with Jeon Jungkook. Chohee’s doing, obviously. 

Thankfully, you spot a Burger King joint along the way and propose getting a greasy breakfast instead of looking for other options. There are murmurs of agreement heard in the suddenly cramped space of your best friend’s car. “Jungkook-ssi, breakfast still on you, yeah?” Chohee asks, joining the queue. 

“Uh…yeah-” 

“Perfect! Just making sure because _________ and I are famished!” Okay - that wasn’t exactly the word you were looking for, but if it gets you the free meal, then you’re absolutely ravenous. Chohee’s eyes briefly pass yours before sending a wink in Jungkook’s direction. “How ‘bout you Jimin-ssi? You hungry?” 

He looks at you, then Chohee, then at Jungkook. “I’m fine, I’m not hungry.” You see Jungkook trying painfully hard to not let his eyes dart around too much. Just then,  a low rumble erupts from Jimin’s stomach. Woops. Your brain can dictate your emotions but tummy would never lie outright. 

“Jimin-ssi!” Jungkook clasps a hand on the blond’s shoulder. “It’s fine! Breakfast is on me. Order up, bro!” 

With Jimin still looking hesitant, Jungkook decides to add a little fairy dust to his encouragement, “think of it as a mini celebration of us finally getting to be licensed doctors in a few hours!” Jimin gives in with very evident reluctance, even offering to pay for the whole group instead at one point. 

Your swear you see hesitation cross Jungkook’s eyes briefly, but you’re glad he’s a man of honor, even if it be for this particular instance only, firmly dismissing Jimin’s proposal. Which is perfect, honestly, because  this time you get a chance at revenge and a very hearty breakfast. 

“No crumbs on the floor, please!” 

From the backseat, you see Jungkook eyeing your paper bags on yours and Chohee’s laps, face stoic as ever. Emphasis on bags. A little more concentration and Jungkook can pretty much send lasers blasting through his eyes with the way he’s scrutinizing your orders. 

As shameless as it sounds, you and Chohee were never ones to back out of a free meal - and make the most out of it, especially when one had offered so nicely. So imagine Jungkook’s reaction when he and Jimin only got a Whopper meal and you and Chohee get upgraded full meals. 

“Doesn’t seem like we’re the ones who should be worrying about crumbs…” Jungkook mutters, taking a bite of his fry that’s a little too harsh for a slice of a poor fried potato. 

“You say something Jungkook?” Chohee queries, unabashedly letting out a small burp after taking a sip of her chocolate flavored milkshake. Bowing his head, Jimin tries to hide his smile as he takes a bite of his burger. You decide to step in, wanting to add a little more MSG to your breakfast menu this fine morning. 

“Hey Chee, heard of the news last Monday? There had been recent occurrences of drivers kicking out their passengers in the middle of the expressway, especially this road in particular… talk about some zombie apocalypse shenanigans...I wonder why though…” 

Jungkook clears his throat, addressing you this time. “Your strawberry milkshake...good, yeah?” With cheeks flushed, Jungkook dares not to look forward, murmuring his regrets over ordering more food next time. 

You nod with genuine gusto, throwing him an additional thumbs-up, which only causes Jungkook to sulk slightly in his seat. You eat the rest of your food with a bright smile. Ah, free food - what else is there to say? 

“If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.” 

After reading the Hippocratic oath, the newly declared licensed medical doctors collectively put their hands down and take their seats. There is an immediate sense of fulfillment heavy in the air. Nobody can blame them - not when one has gruelled through six years of medical school. 

Jungkook inhales deeply, yet he still feels like he’s out of breath. 

He draws in another long one, savoring each second of exhale afterwards. From his peripheral vision, Jungkook watches you as you wave endlessly to the someone on the far right where the family and relatives are seated. Though he can’t see much from afar, with the way your hands are moving slower by the second, he figures you’ve already managed to catch the attention of whoever it is you were waving at. 

Jungkook diverts his eyes somewhere else, eventually landing on the stage where he sees his own father, standing behind the podium as he gives - what people beside him would consider - a ‘motivational’ speech in front of all the new doctors of Korea. 

He wonders if he could even see him, if he knew that his own son actually made it through college, if he realized that they were under the same roof at this very moment - an occurrence he never thought would happen again. 

Jungkook reverts his eyes back to you, watching you in secret as you talk to yourself while trying to address someone else. So you were waving to your parents after all. Cute. The man couldn’t fight back the small smile etching onto his face.  

He was happy for you - a genuine statement, even though majority, if not all, your encounters consist of you both bickering like small kids… And yet, he can’t deny the strong feeling of envy brewing at his heart, knowing that he could never have the same type of interaction you had with your parents, with how tight you all seem. 

Jungkook felt sick. Even though you ordered twice as much as he did, he felt like throwing up. He wanted this ceremony to be over with already.

Much to Jungkook’s relief, the program ends shortly after that. Excited to greet and congratulate the new batch of doctors, people from all sides of the venue rush to the entrance. With literally nowhere else to go, Jungkook decides to follow you through the crowd, in the hopes that you’ll lead him to Chohee and Jimin so he could properly thank them for the ride and he could be on his way. 

He’s surprised to not see you the least bothered by it, but then again, the convention center is packed with both the oath-takers and their relatives, so you might have really not known that he’s been following you all along. 

Like usual, it’s Chohee who notices him first. This girl is everywhere, all the time. 

“Jungkook, you’re here!” 

Chohee's acknowledgement of his presence causes you to turn in your heel quickly to verify it. You stare at him briefly, opening your mouth as if to say something when someone calls out your name.  “Mom!! Dad!!” 

Your English call causes a few onlookers and Jungkook recalls somebody once pointing out that you were a foreigner - and that you were also the first one to finish at the top of the class at SNU. 

With Chohee’s parents tailing yours, they rush to their own daughter, congratulating her with a hug and a cute bouquet of tulips. As Jimin appears with his own party not too long afterwards, Jungkook figures it’s his cue to leave. At this rate, none of you would have noticed if he actually left. 

Just as Jungkook was about to take off, a small hand grabs his wrist. You’re looking up at him and he swears he sees your lips curve upward a little before dragging him back to your little group. Stunned as ever, Jungkook wonders if he hinted on a little bit of concern in your features… and you smiled at him! For the first time! At least that’s what he thought he saw. 

Admittedly, all interactions between you and him were not the most friendly. Jungkook knew he acted like a dick a couple of times, but it’s the only way he knows that might allow you to lower your guard because the only thing he was certain of was that you get worked up every time you see him. 

Regardless of whether or not it really was a smile, Jungkook finds himself standing in the midst of this gathering of some sort. “Moms, Dads, this is Jeon Jungkook and Park Jimin.” 

The moms suddenly gush over them, while their fathers eye the two younger men warily. “Are you?… you’re not…” Chohee’s mother nudges her husband a little too obviously. “If they are, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing, would it?” she grits, a bright smile plastered on her face. Jungkook wanted to laugh at the uncanny resemblance with her daughter. 

“Oh what young fine men you are! Mrs. Park, you must be very proud of your son!” Your mother exclaims, resting her cheek on her palm. “But Jungkook-ssi, your parents must be lost then… my husband and I couldn’t figure out how this whole convention center works either…” 

Jungkook shakes his head slowly, lips pursed. “Oh. Um, my parents won’t make it today. They’re very busy people…” Jungkook drags his words, hoping they’ll drop the subject. 

Well, they did, but there was an inevitable pregnant pause after that - one which Jungkook was avoiding in the first place. Chohee’s mother clasps her hands together, breaking the awkward tension. “Uh - would you like to join us then? A little celebration for a memorable day?” 

Jungkook bows his head curtly and declines the offer. He wanted to, but he knows it’ll only do more damage to the wound. “It’s okay, Ma’am. I still have quite a lot of things to do today, like getting my motorcycle fixed.” Jungkook nods to Chohee and the girl briefly recalls how they got to the venue together. 

Jungkook doesn’t take long after that, bidding his goodbye to everyone and thanking Chohee for the ride that morning. “Well, I’ll be going now. __________-ssi, Chohee-ssi, Jimin-ssi, guess I’ll….see you when I see you.” 

“See you when we see you then,” you reply and Jungkook swears it’s an actual smile on your face this time. He returns the action and gets on his way, hoping that he really does get to see you all another time.

© joontier 2021

#jungkook x reader #btswritingcafe #bangtanarmynet #btsghostie #jeon jungkook #bts aus #bts fic #jungkook au #jungkook imagine #bts series #jeon jungkook x reader #jungkook fluff

[angelsarts]

Hey I'm sorry to ask, but do you have updates for korean dramas? I can't find the link to your old one but also maybe some newer suggestions? (It's okay if you don't!)

It’s cool, I can do a new one! These are all in the order that I watched them in!

WARNING: LONG POST AHEAD

1. Coffee Prince ( A great choice for a first k-drama)

Choi Han-gyul is the grandson of chairwoman Bang of Dong-in Foods, a company that has a thriving coffee business. He has never had a job and does not care for responsibility. Han-gyul is hung up on his first love, Han Yoo-joo, who only sees him as a friend. Go Eun-chan is a 24-year-old tomboy who is often mistaken for a guy. Her father died when she was 16 years old and since then she has taken over as the breadwinner in her family. When Han-kyul and Eun-chan meet, he, not knowing that she is a girl, decides to hire her to pretend to be his gay lover so that he can escape the blind dates arranged by his grandmother. 

2. Cinderella with four knights

Eun Ha Won is a bright college student who dreams of becoming a teacher. Unfortunately, she loses her mother in a tragic accident, moves in with a cruel stepmother, and has no money for her education. One day, she helps an old man and as fate would have it, moves into a gorgeous mansion with three equally gorgeous men, who also happen to be billionaire cousins and heirs to the Kang family fortune. Between the rebel-minded loner Kang Ji Woon, playboy money machine Kang Hyun Min and the super-sweet singer Kang Seo Woo, Eun Ha Won finds herself in the middle of the hottest love quadrangle to ever befall a modern fairy tale princess. Rounding out the mansion’s chaebol lifestyle are Lee Yoon Sung, who serves as the cousins’ handsome bodyguard, and Park Hye Ji, a gorgeous girl who has her own interests in the Kang family and is not above manipulating one cousin to get closer to another.

3. Bride of the century

Taeyang Group is the largest conglomerate in South Korea. The Choi family who runs Taeyang has supposedly been under a curse for a hundred years that the first bride of the eldest son will always die. When the wealthy heiress Jang Yi-kyung disappears right before her wedding to chaebol heir Choi Kang-joo , Na Doo-rim , a lookalike impostor, is brought in to take her place. Unlike the cold and calculating Yi-kyung, Doo-rim is sweet and sunny, and Kang-joo genuinely falls in love with her. As the wedding plans progress, Kang-joo and Yi-kyung’s mothers both scheme and plot behind the scenes will the romance gets more complicated with the secret of not being the real Jang Yu-kyung.

4. Strong woman Do Bong Soon

Do Bong-soon was born with superhuman strength. Her strength is hereditary and passed along only to the women in her family. Her dream is to create a video game with herself as the main character. She desperately wants to become a delicate and elegant woman, which is the ideal type of her crush, In Guk-doo, a police officer. Thanks to her strength, she gets a job as bodyguard to rich heir Ahn Min-hyuk, the CEO of a gaming company, Ainsoft. In contrast to Guk-doo, Min-hyuk is an eccentric man who is playful, a little spoiled, has no regard for rules, and dislikes policemen. He has recently received anonymous threats and has even been stalked, leading him to hire Bong-soon as his bodyguard after seeing her beat up a bunch of men after they threatened an old man who was an elementary school bus driver. A series of kidnapping cases soon happen in Dobong-dong, the district Bong-soon lives in, and she is determined to catch the culprit, who targeted her best friend. With help and training from Min-hyuk, she manages to control her strength to use it for good causes. Min-hyuk and Bong-soon find their relationship growing into something more.

5. My secret romance

Jin-wook and Yoo-mi meet at a Gangwon-do resort and get caught up in a series of misunderstandings and accidents. Yoo-mi is there to attend her mother’s second wedding while Jin-wook is there working as a bellhop (a position given to him by his Chairman father to teach him responsibility.) Yoo-mi is charmed by Jin-wook’s sly and playful personality, and they unexpectedly spend the night together. However, Yoo-mi disappears in the morning, leaving Jin-wook feeling perplexed and insulted. Three years later, the two meet again when Yoo-mi becomes a nutritionist at the company cafeteria where Jin-wook works. It seems that once a playboy Jin-wook, has given up his carefree life and works at the company owned by his father. He has feelings for Yoo-mi and has kept her bra-pad as a memory of the night that they spent together. At first, he is strict toward her, though it is only because he is looking for reasons to be near her. He later confesses this to her and agrees to wait for her.

6. Scarlet heart ryeo ( One of my all time favourites) 

During a total solar eclipse, a 25-year-old 21st-century woman, Go Ha-jin, is transported back in time to the Goryeo Dynasty. She wakes up in the year of 941 in the body of Hae Soo, among the many royal princes of the ruling Wang family. She initially falls in love with the gentle and warm-hearted 8th Prince Wang Wook, and later Wang So, the fearsome 4th Prince who hides his face behind a mask and is given the derogatory label of “wolf dog.” As the story develops, Hae Soo finds herself unwittingly caught between the rivalry and politics among the princes over the fight for the throne, an she stay alive long enough for a happy ending?

7. Falling for innocence

Min Ho is a cold-blooded corporate raider who takes no prisoners. He is a scoundrel investment banker for Gold Investment, seemingly the world’s largest financial service firm. As a cynical, self-defensive, suspicious sociopath, he wears down people with his tenacity and takes advantage of them with his delusions of grandeur. However, Min Ho has his own story of how he became evil - it was because of his uncle’s betrayal. His father was overthrown by his uncle and it caused his family to hit bottom. As Min Ho vows to get revenge, he meets Soon Jung, the daughter of his father’s former secretary who betrayed him and whom now works for his uncle. One day, he has a heart attack and is taken to a hospital. He miraculously survives his heart attack after undergoing a heart transplant. His heart is actually from Dong Wook, a young detective and Soon Jung’s fiancé who suffered from brain damage from a mysterious car accident. After receiving a new life thanks to the new heart, he is no longer the cold and callous person that he has been and undergoes a profound change to his personality, talking differently and warming up people. But he still pursues his plan to get revenge on his uncle even though his emotions get in the way at times. He gradually learns the meaning of happiness when he finds Soon Jung, whom he wants to cherish and protect. His heart becomes tender and his eyes swell with tears when as he works with her. He falls in love with her without realising it.

8. The bride of Habaek / the water god

When the narcissistic water god Ha-baek visits earth in order to find three stones powerful enough to help him claim his throne, he seeks out the help of his servant and destined bride, psychiatrist So-ah, whose family is fated to serve the water god for generations. The problem is that she has no belief in the gods and initially mistakes him for suffering from delusions. Things get even stranger when the wind god Bi-ryeom, the water goddess Mu-ra, and the semi-god Hu-ye show up to complicate things

9. Weightlifting fairy Kim Bok Joo

Kim Bok-Joo is a promising collegiate female weightlifter. Her father runs a small chicken restaurant and her uncle wants to become an actor. She has a bright personality and strong sense of justice. Kim Bok-Joo and her friends on the female weightlifting team are not popular with the guys and they don’t have boyfriends. The weightlifting team and the rhythmic gymnastic team also don’t get along at all. Meanwhile, Jung Joon-Hyung is a collegiate swimmer plagued with numerous false start disqualifications. He is 21-years-old and has a free spirit. His uncle and aunt raised him along with his cousin Jung Jae-Yi. One day on campus, Kim Bok-Joo bumps into Jung Joon-Hyung while he is riding his bicycle. Her face looks familiar to Jung Joon-Hyung. After he leaves, Kim Bok-Joo picks up a handkerchief left behind by Jung Joon-Hyung. The handkerchief is very important to him and he begins looking for it. Later, Kim Bok-Joo cleans and irons the handkerchief. She goes to the school’s swimming pool and gives back his handkerchief, but he explodes with anger when he sees that she cleaned it. Kim Bok-Joo then falls into the swimming pool and Jung Joon-Hyung jumps into the pool to save her. At that moment, Kim Bok-Joo and Jung Joon-Hyung realize where they have seen each other before. When they were both children, Kim Bok-Joo saved Jung Joon-Hyung’s life by catching him before he fell to the ground.What happens now they know each other?

10. I’m not a robot

Kim Min-kyu lives an isolated life due to a severe allergy to other people. He develops extreme rashes that rapidly spread throughout his body once he makes any form of skin contact. Jo Ji-ah is a woman who is trying to make it in life by creating her own businesses. Kim Min-kyu who owns the KM Financial company which owns Santa Maria team headed by professor Hong Baek-kyun. Professor Hong’s team has created a humanoid robot called Aji 3 which looks like his ex-girlfriend Jo Ji-ah. CEO of KM Financial, Kang Ki-young, and his father try to sell the Santa Maria team to foreign investor, Martin, who secretly knows about the Aji 3 and wants to use it as a weapon. Hong Baek-kyun sends the robot to Kim Min-kyu to convince him not to sell the team. Before Aji 3 is delivered, the robot’s body is accidentally damaged. Hong Baek-kyun approaches Jo Ji-ah, asking her to pose as the robot, giving the team time to repair Aji 3. Jo Ji-ah agrees, and impersonates the robot under the supervision of the Santa Maria team and the robot’s computer brain, can she survive without being caught out?

11. Goblin / Guardian the lonely and great

Kim Shin is a goblin and protector of souls. He is the landlord of the grim reaper, who is in charge of taking deceased souls. Wanting to end his immortal life, Shin has been looking for his human bride, the only person who can end his life. Meanwhile, Ji Eun-tak is a high school student who remains optimistic despite the tragedies and difficulties she has experienced in her life. She summons the goblin by chance, and through various encounters, ends up falling in love with him. Sunny is a chicken restaurant owner, whose beauty is undeniable, but what has she got to do with the goblin and reaper? These four characters’ lives took a series of twists and turns when they intertwined.

12. Terius behind me (Another favourite!)

Go Ae-Rin suddenly loses her husband left to take care of her two children on her own. A mysterious man, Kim Bon, that lives next door ends up getting tangled into their lives. Kim Bon is a legendary NIS agent and 3 years ago, he was involved in a failed secret operation and the woman he loved died. He has since become disconnected with the world and lives alone quietly but that soon changes as he helps his neighbor Go Ae-Rin with her children and uncover a conspiracy, which her husband became involved with all the while trying to keep his secrets by the nosy neighbours in the building.

13. 100 days my prince 

Lee Yool is the Crown Prince of Joseon, a perfectionist who disregards the majority of those in the royal palace and appears to be cold and demanding, when in reality, he is lonely. He then passes the law that all women must marry before they reach the age of 28. Hong Shim is head of the first detective agency in Joseon, a strong, intelligent figure who takes on multiple jobs to support herself and her father. She is also the oldest unmarried woman in her village, and begins to look for a husband to avoid trouble from law officials. In an attempted assassination, Lee Yool develops temporary amnesia and wanders around aimlessly as a commoner with no name or identity, until he meets none other than Hong Shim, who takes him under her care. Hong Shim is then forced to marry Won Deuk to save her village from drought, due to beliefs in that era where natural disasters are a result of an unmarried woman’s misery. This drama depicts how the love story of Hong Shim, ‘Joseon’s oldest unmarried woman’ and Lee Yool, the amnesiac Crown Prince, develops over the span of 100 days.

14. My ID is Gangnam beauty

Kang Mi-rae decides to get plastic surgery after years of being bullied because of her looks. Her “rebirth” seems successful at first, but as her life at the university unfolds, her plan starts to backfire. The pressure of being a “pretty girl” begins to pressure her and, worse, those who can see through her surgery ridicule her and tag her as the “Gangnam plastic surgery monster.” The drama follows Mi-rae’s story of recovering self-esteem as she figures out what a two faced friend is and gets to know her coursemate, and former schoolmate in middle school, Do Kyung-seok

15. The secret life of my secretary 

Do Min-Ik works as a director of the mobile media 1 team at T&T, he’s smart and excellent at his job however he doesn’t like to attach himself to people or his secretary. His secretary is Jung Gal-Hee, a diligent and motivated person that does whatever it takes to keep her job and feed her family. Do Min-Ik often does childish things like calling Jung Gal-Hee continually, Jung Gal-Hee carries out Do Min-Ik’s orders without complaints but though she may look soft, she hides her tough side. The tough side soon comes out as she is fired, much to Do Min-Ik’s regret he soon discovers that he’s going to need her more than ever and discovers a new side to her in the process.

16. W - Two worlds ( Really recommended!! )

A love story of two people split apart in different worlds connected by a webtoon. The series focuses on the eponymous fictional webtoon entitled W, written and illustrated by its legendary author and illustrator Oh Seong-moo. W became famous in the entire South Korea, the storyline of the webtoon W starts with the younger years of its main character Kang Chul, a handsome and intelligent boy who is also skilled in shooting. He becomes famous as he won a shooting competition during the 2004 Athens Olympics but this fame gets ruined when his entire family was killed by an unknown Murderer, and then framed for it. Another villain Han Cheol-ho  handles the case to gain political popularity, pronouncing in court to impose death penalty upon Kang Chul. Nevertheless, Kang Chul was deemed innocent of the crime. Depressed over losing his family, he attempts to commit suicide over the Han River but he stops himself and chooses to move on with his life.Ten years later, Kang Chul becomes a multimillionaire, starting his “Project W” in his continuous efforts to catch the real culprit behind his family’s death; part of the project is his television broadcasting company dubbed “W,” after the initials of the interrogatives “who” and “why” (hence, the title of the webtoon). One night, he receives a suspicious phone call and gets severely injured by the same mysterious Murderer at the rooftop of his penthouse, only to be saved by a mysterious girl, none other than the authors daughter. How did she get there? Why is she there? How will they become entangled?

17. My contracted husband Mr Oh

Han Seung-Joo (Uee) is a single woman in her mid 30’s who works as a PD at a broadcasting station. She does well at her job, but is not nearly as good when it comes to housework. Han Seung-Joo has a hard time dealing with social prejudices about single women but still refuses to marry at least until an incident that occurs leading to a dramatic change in her life. She seeks to find a husband thinking it would help her situation but to get the position of a “married woman,” Han Seung-Joo marries Oh Jak-Doo as a contract husband who lives in the mountain that she just happened to own. Their marriage is not based on love, but their relationship develops romantically after several twists and turns.

18. Marriage contract ( For those who love to cry, seriously heartbreak ahead )

Kang Hye-soo is a single mother who struggles to raise her daughter while paying off her late husband’s debts. Han Ji-hoon is the son of a chaebol who seeks a contract marriage in order to save his mother, who needs a liver transplant. When Hye-soo is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, she agrees to marry Ji-hoon and donate part of her liver to his mother, in exchange for enough money to provide for her daughter until she reaches adulthood. Han Ji-Hoon is driving along when Hye-Soo is almost hit saving her 7 year old daughter Eun-Seong, He rushes her to the hospital as she faints however while she is being tested the Manager of the restaurant Han Ji-Hoon owns Ho-Joon tells him might be a scam and to make sure she is really hurt. Han Ji-Hoon has Hye-Soo’s phone and receives a call from a mysterious man which turns out to be the debt collector who comes to the hospital after hearing it being said in the background. He chases Hye-Soo when she is leaving, where he almost catches her but she in the end hides in Han Ji-Hoon’s car with Eun-Seong. Han Ji-Hoon’s mother has been rushed to the hospital where they find out that if she doesn’t get a liver transplant she will die but she is way down on the list so Han Ji-Hoon decides to marry a Hye-Soo she agrees so she can pay off her debt and also make sure Eun-Seong has money to grow up on as she gets the results back from when she fainted and she has a brain tumour. Eun-Seong in the beginning doesn’t like Han Ji-Hoon but she warms up to him as the pretend relationship blossoms into something real.

BONUS

19. 200 pounds beauty

Han-Na is a very large girl with a warm heart. She also possesses an unbelievable voice. Han-Na wants to become a pop-singer, but due to her extra-large appearance, can only work as a faceless singer. She provides the vocals for a popular singer named Amy, a beautiful young lady that can’t carry a note to save her life.Han-Na is also in love with Amiys music producer, Sang-Joon, but it’s a one-sided love. One day, Han-Na is invited to Sang-Joon’s birthday party and receives a red dress from him to wear to his party. Han-Na is excited, yet scared. The dress is revealing and quite extravagant. With her very large figure, she is not sure if she can wear such an outfit. Han-Na does eventually go to the birthday party in the red dress, but is mortified when petite Amy appears in the same red dress. During the course of the birthday party, Han-Na absorbs more emotional trauma and she simply disappears for one year. Han-Na then returns as the beautiful Jenny, a beautiful stunner who decides to make it on her own in the industry but encounters her once sided love. Will she be a success? Will her feelings get in the way and can she keep the guilt of the consequences of what her change brings?

20. Takane to Hana ( Japanese )

A tv show adapted from a manga ( that I particularly loved).  After her older sister refuses to go to an arranged marriage meeting with Takane Saibara, the heir to a vast business fortune, high schooler Hana Nonomura agrees to be her stand-in to save face for the family. But what happens when Hana meets Takane is an unexpected pairing of utter opposites! Although it seemed a little rushed at the end it was a nice tv show!

#k-drama #long post #coffee prince #cinderella and the four knights #bride of the century #strong woman do bong soon #my secret romance #scarlet heart ryeo #Falling for Innocence #bride of the water god #weightlifiting fairy kim bok joo #i'm not a robot #goblin #Terius behind me #100 Days My Prince #my id is gangnam beauty #the secret life of my secretary #w two worlds #my contracted husband mr oh #marriage contract #200 pound beauty #takane to hana

[rabbitcruiser]

5th Avenue (No. 11)    

The Marble Collegiate Church, founded in 1628, is one of the oldest continuous Protestant congregations in North America. The congregation, which is part of two denominations in the Reformed tradition—the United Church of Christ and the Reformed Church in America—is now located at 272 Fifth Avenue at the corner of West 29th Street in the NoMad neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It was built in 1851–54 and was designed by Samuel A. Warner in Romanesque Revival style with Gothic trim. The facade is covered in Tuckahoe marble, for which the church, originally called the Fifth Avenue Church, was renamed in 1906. 

The building was designated a New York City landmark in 1967, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. 

The church congregation was founded in 1628 as the Collegiate Reformed Protestant Dutch Church and was affiliated with the Dutch Reformed Church, a Calvinist church in the Netherlands. During its first 150 years, Marble shared its ministers with the other Collegiate congregations as they developed in the city. This pooling of pastoral ministry was abandoned in 1871. The name "Collegiate" remains as part of the heritage of the four such churches in New York City today, and they participate in an administrative unit that oversees physical properties and investments held in common. The other congregations are Middle Collegiate, West End Collegiate, and Fort Washington Collegiate.

Norman Vincent Peale, the noted author of The Power of Positive Thinking, served as senior minister from 1932 to 1984. Under Peale's ministry Marble's influence reached national levels and it became known as "America's Hometown Church". On November 19, 1961, Lucille Ball married her second husband Gary Morton in the church. Following Peale's fifty-two year ministry, Arthur Caliandro served 25 years as the fifth senior minister of Marble Church. In all, he served 42 years on the pastoral staff. During Caliandro's tenure, MarbleVision, the media ministry of Marble Church, was founded, its first woman minister was ordained, and the first women elders received. In addition, the church added its first new stained-glass window in almost 100 years. In 2009, Michael B. Brown, former pastor of Centenary United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, succeeded Caliandro as senior minister.

Peale was the reason why the Trump family came to attend Marble Collegiate Church; Peale also officiated the first marriage of Donald to Ivana Trump in 1977. In 1993, Marble's Minister Arthur Caliandro performed Trump's marriage to Marla Maples in the Grand Ballroom of the Plaza Hotel owned at the time by Trump. During his 2015–16 run for the Republican Party's presidential nomination, Donald Trump claimed to attend Marble Collegiate Church. Marble stated that though he has a history with the church, Trump is not currently an active member of Marble's congregation. 

The church takes an LGBT-welcoming, open and affirming approach to  same-gender relationships and non-cisgender identities. This includes the performing of same-sex marriage ceremonies, a designated queer fellowship (GIFTS), annual participation in the NYC Pride parade  and sermons and material on the church website encouraging a historical-critical view of Scripture in opposition to the conservative belief in Biblical Inerrancy. 

Source: Wikipedia  

#5th Avenue #architecture #cityscape #façade #detail #window #Manhattan #New York City #original photography #summer 2018 #USA #vacation #travel #landmark #Croisic Building #neo-gothic #220 Fifth Avenue #Empire State Building #Marble Collegiate Church #Romanesque Revival #Art Deco #Samuel A. Warner #John E. Terhune #water tank #500 Fifth Avenue

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

Sun Myung Moon’s One-World Theocracy

by Robert Parry

... A silent testimony to Moon’s clout is the fact that his vast spending of billions of dollars in secretive Asian money to influence U.S. politics – spanning nearly a quarter century – has gone virtually unmentioned amid the current controversy over Asian donations to U.S. politicians.

With unintended irony, Moon’s Washington Times repeatedly has featured stories about secret Asian money going to Democrats. “More than a million dollars of this foreign money is believed to have been contributed to the Democrats, putting the election up for auction,” charged Times’ editor Wesley Pruden in a typical column. [Oct. 18, 1996]

The blind spot on Moon is especially curious since there have been U.S. government allegations dating back to the 1970s that Moon’s organization fronted for the South Korean CIA and funnelled money to Washington for right-wing Japanese industrialists. For the past 15 years, The Washington Times has been the most obvious conduit for this foreign money. The newspaper and its sister publications – Insight and The World & I – have cost Moon an estimated $1 billion in losses. Yet, Moon has never accounted for the sources of his money.

Moon’s jingle of deep-pocket cash also has caused conservatives to turn a deaf ear toward Moon’s recent anti-American diatribes. With growing virulence, Moon has denounced the United States and its democratic principles, often referring to America as “Satanic.” But these statements have gone virtually unreported, even though the texts of his sermons are carried on the Internet and their timing has coincided with Bush’s warm endorsements of Moon.

“America has become the kingdom of individualism, and its people are individualists,” Moon preached in Tarrytown, N.Y., on March 5, 1995. “You must realize that America has become the kingdom of Satan.”

In similar remarks to followers on Aug. 4, 1996, Moon vowed that the church’s eventual dominance over the United States would be followed by the liquidation of American individualism. “Americans who continue to maintain their privacy and extreme individualism are foolish people,” Moon declared. “The world will reject Americans who continue to be so foolish. Once you have this great power of love, which is big enough to swallow entire America, there may be some individuals who complain inside your stomach. However, they will be digested.”

During the same sermon, Moon decried assertive American women. “American women have the tendency to consider that women are in the subject position,” he said. “However, woman’s shape is like that of a receptacle. The concave shape is a receiving shape. Whereas, the convex shape symbolizes giving. ... Since man contains the seed of life, he should plant it in the deepest place.

“Does woman contain the seed of life? [“No.”] Absolutely not. Then if you desire to receive the seed of life, you have to become an absolute object. In order to qualify as an absolute object, you need to demonstrate absolute faith, love and obedience to your subject. Absolute obedience means that you have to negate yourself 100 percent.”

Evil Hamburgers

These pronouncements contrast with Moon’s lavish praise of the United States disseminated for public consumption during his early forays to Washington. On Sept. 18, 1976, at a flag-draped rally at the Washington Monument, Moon declared that “the United States of America, transcending race and nationality, is already a model of the unified world.” He called America “the chosen nation of God” and added that “I not only respect America, but truly love this nation.”

Yet, even as Moon has soured on America, his recruiters continue to use that flag-draped scene of the Washington Monument to lure new followers. The patriotic image struck powerfully with John Stacey when the college freshman watched a video of that speech while undergoing Unification Church recruitment in 1992.

“American flags were everywhere,” recalled Stacey, a thin young man from central New Jersey. “The first video they showed me was Reverend Moon praising America and praising Christianity.” In 1992, Stacey considered himself a patriotic American and a faithful Christian. He soon joined the Unification Church.

Stacey became a Pacific Northwest leader in Moon’s Collegiate Association for the Research of Principles [CARP]. “They liked to hang me up because I’m young and I’m American,” Stacey told me. “It’s a good image for the church. They try to create the all-American look, where I think they’re usurping American values, that they’re anti-American.”

At a 1995 leadership conference at a church compound in Anchorage, Alaska, Stacey met face-to-face with Moon who was sitting on a throne-like chair while a group of American followers, many middle-aged converts from the 1970s, sat at his feet like children.

“Reverend Moon looked at me straight in the eye and said, ‘America is Satanic. America is so Satanic that even hamburgers should be considered evil, because they come from America’,” recalled Stacey. “Hamburgers! My father was a butcher, so that bothered me. ... I started feeling that I was betraying my country.”

Moon’s criticism of Jesus also unsettled Stacey. “In the church, it’s very anti-Jesus,” Stacey said. “Jesus failed miserably. He died a lonely death. Reverend Moon is the hero that comes and saves pathetic Jesus. Reverend Moon is better than God. ... That’s why I left the Moonies. Because it started to feel like idolatry. He’s promoting idolatry.”

One-World Theocracy

Despite growing disaffection among many longtime followers and other problems, Moon’s empire still prospers financially, backed by vast sources of mysterious wealth. “It’s a multi-billion-dollar international conglomerate,” noted Steve Hassan, a former church leader who has written a book about religious cults, entitled Combatting Cult Mind Control. At his Internet site, Hassan has a 31-page list of organizations connected to the Unification Church, many secretively.

“Here’s a man [Moon] who says he wants to take over the world, where all religions will be abolished except Unificationism, all languages will be abolished except Korean, all governments will be abolished except his one-world theocracy,” Hassan said in an interview. “Yet he’s wined and dined very powerful people and convinced them that he’s benign.”

Hassan argued that perhaps the greatest danger of the Unification Church is that it will outlive Moon, since the organization has grown so immense and powerful that other leaders will step forward to lead it. “There are groups out there that want to use this organization,” Hassan said.

A couple of years ago, Moon shifted his personal base of operation to a luxurious estate in Uruguay. The church has been investing tens of millions of dollars in that nation since the early 1980s when Moon was close to the military government. In a sermon on Jan. 2, 1996, Moon was unusually blunt about how he expected the church’s wealth to buy influence among the powerful in South America, just as it did in Washington.

“Father has been practicing the philosophy of fishing here,” Moon said, through an interpreter who spoke of Moon in the third person. “He [Moon] gave the bait to Uruguay and then the bigger fish of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay kept their mouths open, waiting for a bigger bait silently. The bigger the fish, the bigger the mouth. Therefore, Father is able to hook them more easily.”

As part of his business strategy, Moon explained that he would dot the continent with small airstrips and construct bases for submarines which could evade Coast Guard patrols. His airfield project would allow tourists to visit “hidden, untouched, small places” throughout South America, he said.

“Therefore, they need small airplanes and small landing strips in the remote countryside. ... In the near future, we will have many small airports throughout the world.” Moon wanted the submarines because “there are so many restrictions due to national boundaries worldwide. If you have a submarine, you don’t have to be bound in that way.”

(As strange as Moon’s submarine project might sound, a cable from the U.S. Embassy in Japan, dated Feb. 18, 1994, cited press reports that a Moon-connected Japanese company, Toen Shoji, had bought 40 Russian submarines. The subs were supposedly bound for North Korea where they were to be dismantled and melted down as scrap.)

Moon also recognized the importance of media in protecting his curious operations, which sound like an invitation to drug traffickers. He boasted to his followers that with his vast array of political and media assets, he will dominate the new Information Age. “That is why Father has been combining and organizing scholars from all over the world, and also newspaper organizations – in order to make propaganda,” Moon said. Central to that success in South America is Tiempos del Mundo.

http://consortiumnews.com/archive/moon1.html

______________________________________

How Sun Myung Moon’s organization helped to establish Bolivia as South America’s first narco-state.

In order to rule the world, Sun Myung Moon had to start with Korea.

Sun Myung Moon’s desire to take over the League for his own financial and political ends

Fraser Committee Report on Moon org.:  “these violations were related to the overall goals of gaining temporal power.”

My experience within the hierarchy of the Moon cult during its years of expansion in Russia and in the CIS

Press Release on the FFWPU by the Department of Communication, Nizhny Novgorod province, Russia

Sun Myung Moon was eager to infiltrate the European Parliament

Group Founded by Sun Myung Moon Preaches Sexual Abstinence in China

Robert Parry’s investigations into Sun Myung Moon

#Sun Myung Moon #world domination #Unification Church #FFWPU #Hak Ja Han #Family Federation for World Peace and Unification

[whoacanada]

Title: Baggage You Can’t Leave Behind

Pairing: Zimbits

Word Count: 2500

Warnings: Internalized Homophobia

Summary: Eric has quietly struggled with his body image for years and now that he’s gone public with his relationship with Jack, the added scrutiny has Eric tripping over emotional landmines he is not prepared to handle.

Eric started shaving in middle school.

Not his face — he’s never grown much in the way of facial hair — but when he hit puberty Eric found the outfits he wore in competition were always a little more comfortable against smooth skin. Every shower, every bath, a quick few passes with a razor and he was done. Over time, and only somewhat thanks to a new relationship giving him a renewed appreciation for the term ‘clean shaven’, that routine evolved into something slightly more elaborate; he shaved a little higher, kept things smooth and in order, any excuse to be a little closer to his partner.

Eric likes to feel as much as possible, particularly when his very large, very handsome boyfriend is on top of him.

Now, unlike Bitty, who takes care to wax, trim, and shave what little hair decides to grow in a shade too dark, Jack practically ignores his body hair.

Eric watches in the mirror one morning when Jack hikes a leg onto the edge of the tub to trim his pubic hair to a more manageable tangle after a long stretch of away games, and the razor never touches another part of his body. Not his legs, not his chest, not the soft thatch that sneaks wispily from his stomach to his groin.

Eric thinks about his extra long showers, shea butter bath bombs, moisturizers, lotions, and skin creams. The fact that below the waistband of his shorts and between his legs, there is nothing that resembles what he’s looking at now.

Though the action starts unconsciously, Eric catches himself rubbing the sole of his foot on his smooth, toned calf, thinking ‘You look like a girl.’

“Bits? You okay?”

The address shakes him out of his daze and he smiles at Jack’s reflection.

“Just admiring the view, honey.”

“Yeah? Like what you see?”

Eric’s boyfriend grins wide, his new white bridge teeth contrasting sharply with his dark playoff beard. In response, Eric undoes the knot on the towel around his waist, dropping it to the floor and cocking his hip before countering, “Do you?”

He doesn’t just shave for Jack. He likes the way his skin feels, he likes the way he looks. He tells himself this isn’t his own insecurity, it’s a social construct that’s built a tiny stronghold within him; but later, when Jack is asleep beside him, Eric pulls Jack’s arm over his chest and takes note of his own hands against his partner’s.

Jack’s rough callouses and penchant for nervous nail-biting offer a hell of a contrast to Eric’s own baby soft skin and manicured fingers. Sure, he has his own callouses from years of hockey, but somehow they’re different. Fading. Less masculine since he graduated and left collegiate sports behind him.

He feels something off, something that isn’t necessarily his own.

Judgment, maybe. Shame, probably.

These aren’t his thoughts. 

Eric is happy; in his life, in his relationships, and he loves his body but sometimes he plays a traitor to himself, mind echoing the vicious insults of his youth.

“Bits,” Jack whispers, pulling Eric close and tickling his fingertips over Eric’s smooth stomach. “I can hear you thinking, bud.”

“Oh, can you?” Eric whispers back, moving Jack’s hand up again to press a kiss against his boyfriend’s rough knuckles.

Jack groans obnoxiously and rolls over to sprawl spread eagle on top of Eric.

“Lord — get off! You’re squishing me!”

“No, your thinking woke me up and I have to crush you,” Jack mumbles tiredly against Eric’s neck. “I love you so much you have to die by squishing. Murdered by hockey greatness.”

“Why do I love you,” Eric laments, shoving Jack to the side so he can shimmy out from under Jack’s thighs.

“He loves me,” Jack cheers lamely, lifting a fist to the ceiling in a mock-celly before rolling his head to look at Eric, his concern barely visible in the room’s dim light. “But, seriously, you’ve been weird all night. Did something happen at dinner?”

Eric takes a breath before rolling over onto Jack, legs spread on either side of his waist so he can rest back on Jack’s pelvis. They’re both wearing underwear and it’s not sexy, just practical if the ‘oof’ Jack lets out is anything to go by.

Jack rests his hands on Eric’s thighs with a soft slap and a gentle shake, asking sternly, “Who do I need to kill? Say the word.”

Eric covers Jack’s hands with his own, stretching his fingers out far enough to touch the wiry hair on Jack’s forearms, trying to think of an answer. Jack can’t very well fight the demons of Eric’s past, but maybe he can stop them from advancing any further into the present.

“Why are you with me?” Eric asks, holding his boyfriend’s hands in place and trying to convince himself this is a question he actually needs an answer to.

“What?”

The bemused expression on Jack’s face turns serious before Jack pushes himself up against the headboard, Eric dutifully scooting forward to not lose his seat as Jack moves to switch on the light.

“What kind of question is that? Did someone say something to you?”

“It’s not anything anyone said, it’s just…” Eric puts his hand against Jack’s chest before pulling Jack’s hand onto Eric’s own, imploring him to just understand. “I’m me. You’re you.”

“You’re you,” Jack echoes, tapping his fingertips against Eric’s pec. “Bits, why wouldn’t I be with you?”

“I’m not this,” Eric reaches out and tugs at Jack’s chest hair. “Masculine.”

“Easy, bud, those are attached, okay, you don’t have chest hair but that doesn’t mean you aren’t, what, ‘masculine’? You’re a man, by definition you’re masculine. You played hockey, you’re not…did someone call you…?” Jack can’t even finish the sentence, his lips curling up into a sneer.

“You can say it,” Eric says softly, leaning into the pain of the conversation because all he can hear is the doubt in Jack’s voice. “It’s true.”

“It’s not fucking true,” Jack huffs, running his hands over Eric’s thighs, comforting himself more than Eric. “You’re perfect. You’ve always been perfect.”

“I don’t want to be a stereotype,” Eric whispers, looking anywhere but Jack’s face, “and I think I am, now? I don’t have hockey anymore, I don’t do anything, I don’t have a career or any prospects…why are you with me? You could be with anyone and you’re you and I…I’m a cliche, Jack. I’m small and gay and people see me with you and —”

Eric presses his lips together to keep his composure; he’s accidentally tripped something big, bigger and older than he was maybe prepared to deal with this early in the morning.

“Bits,” Jack says softly, “Eric. Look at me. Please.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea right now,” Eric whispers tightly and in response Jack pulls him into a hug, resting his chin on Eric’s head.

“You don’t have to look at me. I understand. You feel like you stop being a real person, right?”

It’s the tiny push Eric needs to let go, his sniffles quickly turning to deep, heaving sobs that shake his entire body.

“It’s okay, bud,” Jack soothes, running his hands alone Eric’s back as he cries. “You’re okay.”

“I’m not,” Eric bawls against Jack’s shoulder. “I’m not okay. I shouldn’t still feel like this —”

Eric can’t get anything else out, too caught up in his own emotion to breathe, let alone speak, and god knows how long they both actually sit there until Eric’s legs begin to cramp and he runs out of tears.

“I’m sorry,” Eric sniffs, wiping his face with the edge of a pillowcase. “I don’t know where that came from.”

Jack gives him a moment of grace, enough for Eric to think he’s gotten away with the lie, but when Jack nudges Eric’s chin up with a firm touch, Eric realizes he’s been caught.

“You’re upset, that’s understandable,” Jack says carefully, clearly trying to prevent another round of crying.  “But I don’t believe for a second you don’t know what this is about.”

“It’s dumb,” Eric breathes, letting the weight of his head rest on Jack’s fingers.

“Okay, there — look, it’s not dumb and if it hurts you this much, it’s not ‘nothing’. You don’t have to tell me what happened but I want to know as much as you’re willing to share.”

Eric’s energy is gone but what he’s lost Jack seems to have gained; he’s awake, alert, and far more invested in this conversation than Eric was hoping he’d be. 

Eric presses a hand to Jack’s chest, again, and watches as Jack follows the motion with curiosity.

“You keep doing that,” Jack murmurs, gaze flicking back to Eric. “You keep touching me but you’re not doing it like you enjoy it.”

For the second time that night, shame burns hot and sudden behind Eric’s eyes.

“I love you so much,” Eric forces, throat tight. “And I don’t understand how you can love me back.”

The tears come again and Jack pulls him close, tighter than before.

“Easy, bud, let it out,” Jack soothes, whispering into Eric’s hair. “Let it out.”

This time Eric gets a second wind and he’s not just sad, he’s angry. Really, really angry.

“I don’t understand how you can be attracted to me,” Eric repeats fiercely, voice thick with tears, “because I think I’m not attracted to me. That’s insane, isn’t it?”

“No, bud, it’s not insane, you’re just not your type --”

“No, you are my type, that’s the whole point,” Eric rears back and scrubs at his face roughly.  “You’re everyone’s type and I’m the human embodiment of a defiled snack food.”

“There is…a lot to unpack there, do you want to look like me?” Jack asks motioning to himself. “Bits, I don’t like my body. I never have. Logically, I know I’m handsome, there are people who are attracted to me, who love me —” Jack taps Eric’s trembling lower lip gently “—but being on the Swallow’s Top 50 list didn’t suddenly erase the damage done by tabloids calling me ugly as a child. I have to carry that with me, every time you compliment me, I have to run that compliment against two decades of self-doubt. We all have our baggage and you’ve told me how shitty people were to you for being…small. There’s no way in hell you didn’t internalize that.”

“But I’m out now,” Eric sniffs, interrupting his boyfriend. “And you’re out and it’s different. People look at us and you’re the one everyone’s surprised about; that’s by design. I spent so long trying not to be this, trying not to let anyone know, and it didn’t matter at all. I’m a fucking cliché.”

“No, no, Lapin,” Jack brow furrows and he reaches out to cup Eric’s cheek, gently thumbing away a rogue tear. “Nothing about you is stereotypical. And you keep saying ‘everyone’, who is ‘everyone’?”

“I’m small and blonde and gay, Jack! I bake, I wear inappropriately short clothing, I love Beyoncé, I’m a —“

Jack covers Eric’s mouth with his hand, muffling the slur on the tip of Eric’s tongue.

“Enough. Nothing I can say tonight is going to undo years of self-hatred, Bits. That’s not how it works. The best I can do is tell you I love you for who you are, not in spite of it. I can also seriously recommend you talk to my therapist because it is possible to be gay and a little homophobic at the same time. I’m proof of that. Apparently, you are, too.”

Eric’s anger dissipates slightly as Jack’s words sink in and he pulls away from his boyfriend’s hand to argue, “I’m not homophobic, how can you even say that? After everything I’ve been through?”

“Bits, you doubt your value as my partner because of a societal misconception you were very likely raised with. Maybe homophobic is too harsh but you clearly have prejudices affecting how you see the world, how you see yourself, and apparently how you see me, too.”

“I don’t judge you.”

The statement feels wrong the moment the words leave his lips because it is. He’s judging Jack as harshly as he’s judging himself, just in a different way. Eric falls back on his haunches and the fight leaves him completely.

“You do, Bits. I just didn’t realize this was the reason behind it. It sounds like you’ve made me the opposite side of whatever coin you’re judging yourself by and I’m, what, your idea of what a real man should look like?”

Jack runs a hand along Eric’s (smooth) leg and urges him to move over.

“I’m not prejudiced, Jack,” Eric repeats, rolling to the side. “Or, I don’t want to be.”

“We all have our shit,” Jack grunts, kicking off the comforter. “When I was eleven I was thought you didn’t want a gay teammate because ‘cocksucking was contagious’. I spent too much time in the locker room with my dad’s teammates and I picked up a lot of shit. That was only one of several dozen notable incidents that resulted in the deep-seated, internalized homophobia I am still dealing with today. Hell, Bits, you didn’t even know I liked men until we were making out, that wasn’t an accident —”

A soft chime interrupts Jack; an alarm set to wake him for his morning run.

“— Fuck.”

“It can’t be that early already,” Eric panics, desperate not to leave the conversation unfinished, “please stay.”

“Nope. Come run with me,” Jack offers, sliding out of bed to pull on his sweats. “We’re both processing a lot right now, it’ll clear your head.”

“I haven’t jogged with you in months, I —“

Jack disappears into the closet and emerges holding Eric’s favorite floral-print Ivy Park compression leggings, and a Samwell hoodie.

“I’ll go slow. We can keep talking, but I need to get you out of this house.”

“Jack.”

“Eric, listen to me. Really listen. You are the most handsome, kind, generous man I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, but I fell in love with you because you’re you. Because you love Beyoncé and baking, and taking care of me. Everything that makes you who you are, not just how you look. Would you say the same about me? If I didn’t have my huge ass or sharp cheekbones? Would you still want to be with me?”

Eric nods, taking the clothes from his partner’s outstretched hands.

“Then come run with me. We can work out your insecurities later, right now I just want to be Jack and Eric for a while.”

“Sweet-Pea and Bits,” Eric echoes, running his fingers over the Samwell emblem. “Lord, I’m going to need so much therapy, aren’t I.”

“Good thing I’m rich,” Jack chirps. “Another perk we failed to stereotype, eh?”

“I love you,” Eric blurts, still sitting on the bed while Jack dresses. “I don’t want you to ever think differently.”

“Loving yourself and loving another person are two very different things,” Jack replies, moving to stand over Eric. “But they don’t have to be mutually exclusive, Lapin.”

Eric leans forward to press his face against Jack’s still-bare stomach.

“I don’t want to hate myself, Sweet-Pea. I love everyone so much, why can’t I feel the same about who I am?”

“Because you’ve got damage, bud, just like me,” Jack answers, carding his fingers through Eric’s hair. “But now you’ve identified it, so you can try to heal it.”

“If you want me to run with you, maybe don’t make me cry again?”

“Go hard enough and your face will be blotchy from exhaustion, the one human being we see will be none the wiser. Promise.”

#zimbits #omgcp #omgcheckplease #my stuff #my fic #cw: internalized homophobia #long post

[rebuildupnow]

Invest Collegiate Middle wins the 2018-19 Spring Season Food Growing League Championship

Invest Collegiate Middle wins the 2018-19 Spring Season Food Growing League Championship #champion #championship

Charlotte’s Invest Collegiate Middle took the top spot with a 4-0 record to win both their Conference B Title and the overall Food Growing League Spring Season Championship with the tallest basil plants.

Hendersonville’s Sugarloaf Elementary won the Conference A Title and Pleasant Garden Elementary received first place for both the number of plants sold at 45 and most money raised with $200going…

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#champion #championship #charlotte #food growing league #ictransform #invest collegiate middle #rebuildup #school garden

[gdmli]

Alumni Spotlight: Catching up with Cece Villa (YLI ‘20)

It is impossible to lead if you don’t have followers. I have always loved leading groups and taking control, but YLI taught me that being a loud boisterous person is not always the best way to lead. If everyone is annoyed with you it will be harder to lead. YLI taught me to take time to create relationships and mutual respect. To invest time in the people I want to lead so they trust me and want to follow me.

I attribute a lot of my leadership successes back to YLI. I learned more about myself and my own leadership style than I ever thought possible. I am currently a freshman at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and am a part of the women’s soccer team. Playing collegiate soccer has been a goal of mine since middle school and leading the team has become a more recent goal. I try to lead my team, even as a freshman, by using the skills I learned in YLI, especially the five practices of exemplary leadership. Being able to work my hardest and encourage those around me to do the same incorporates all five of the practices. I know that if I keep working to incorporate those into my life and my sport, I will reach my goal of leading the team, even as a young member.

My advice to the current YLI class – Keep growing your hunger to help others, keep your ears and eyes open to opportunities to expand your skills and what is in your leadership tool kit, and remember anyone can be a leader if just given a chance.

Cece is a freshman at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, majoring in nutrition, exercise, and health science with minors in leadership and communication, and coaching.

#YLIAlumniSpotlight

[abennage-designsurvey]

Week 1 - About Me

My name is Armand and I’m a junior in the IST program. I live in Kenosha, work a part time job at Amazon, officiate soccer at the youth to the collegiate level, and look to land a job in IT/Cybersecurity/Computer Forensics. My hobbies include traveling, camping, hiking, investing, working on cars, and gaming. 

I chose to take this class because I thought it would present some opportunities outside of my comfort zone. To be honest, I think my last art class was in middle school so I don’t have much to bring to the table in terms of design, creativity, or whatever else there is to make art. What inspires me the most is knowing that the final product being created and what leads up to it is something that I can apply to all aspects of life. As for a recent purchase in which design was a deciding factor, I just bought a used vehicle with this reason in mind. There are so many cars on the road today that look great and have the newest and best features available, but the big problem is that they just aren't reliable. I bought a Toyota because the Japanese make reliable cars that last forever if properly maintained. They have nearly perfected the design of their engines making them reliable and cheap to repair if needed. Compared to a Chevy or Dodge on the other hand which have poor track records and customer satisfaction, it is hard to justify that their vehicles will last over 200k.

[vintage1der]

What separates these works from the Harry Potter fanfiction you find online may come down to snobbery. There is an undercurrent of misogyny in mainstream criticism of fanfiction, which is widely accepted to be dominated by women; one census of 10,500 AO3 users found that 80% of the users identified as female, with more users identified as genderqueer (6%) than male (4%). Novik has spent a good deal of time fighting against fanfiction’s stigma because she feels it is “an attack on women’s writing, specifically an attack on young women’s writing and the kind of stories that young women like to tell”. Which is not to say that young women only want to write about romance: “I think,” Novik says, “that [the popularity of fanfiction amongst women is] not unconnected to the lack of young women protagonists who are not romantic interests.” Devotees of fanfiction will sometimes tell you that it’s one of the oldest writing forms in the world. Seen with this generous eye, the art of writing stories using other people’s creations hails from long before our awareness of Twilight-fanfic-turned-BDSM romance Fifty Shades of Grey: perhaps Virgil, when he picked up where Homer left off with the story of Aeneas, or Shakespeare’s retelling of Arthur Brookes’s 1562 The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet. What most of us would recognise as fanfiction began in the 1960s, when Star Trek fans started creating zines about Spock and Captain Kirk’s adventures. Thirty years later, the internet arrived, which made sharing stories set in other people’s worlds – be they Harry Potter, Spider-Man, or anything and everything in between – easier. Fanfiction has always been out there, if you knew where to look. Now, it’s almost impossible to miss.

In the last few years, fanfiction has enjoyed something of a rebrand. Big-name authors such as EL James, author of the Fifty Shades books, and Cassandra Clare, who has always been open about writing Harry Potter fanfiction before her bestselling Mortal Instruments series, have helped bring it into the mainstream. These days, it’s fairly common knowledge that some people just really like writing about Captain America and Bucky Barnes falling in love, or Doctor Who fighting demons with Buffy. The general image of fanfiction has brightened somewhat: less creepy, more sweetly nerdy.

But the divide between fanfiction and original writing holds strong. It’s assumed that if people write fanfiction, it’s because they can’t produce their own. At best, it functions as training wheels, preparing a writer to commit to a real book. When they don’t – as in the famous case of Fifty Shades, which one plagiarism checker found had an 89% similarity rate with James’s original Twilight fanfiction – they are ridiculed. A real author, the logic goes, having moved on to writing their own books, doesn’t look back.

“Here’s the thing,” Naomi Novik explains over the phone from New York. She is the bestselling author of the Temeraire books, a fantasy series that adds dragons to the Napoleonic Wars, and Spinning Silver, which riffs on Rumpelstiltskin. “I don’t actually draw any line between my fanfiction work and my professional work – except that I only write the fanfiction stuff for love.”

In between writing her novels – or indeed during, as she admits that fanfiction is one of her favourite procrastination techniques – Novik is an active member of the fanfiction community. She is a co-founder of the Archive of Our Own (AO3), one of the most popular hosting websites, and a prolific writer in the universes of Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Merlin and many more.

And she’s not the only professional at work. Rainbow Rowell, the bestselling author of Eleanor and Park and other novels, once told the Bookseller that between two novels, she wrote a 30,000-word Harry Potter fanfiction. “It’s Harry and Draco as a couple who have been married for many years, and they’re raising Harry’s kids,” she said. “It’s them dealing with attachment parenting and step-parents and all these middle-aged issues.”

The divide between a fanfiction writer and an original fiction writer can look very arbitrary when looking at authors such as Michael Chabon, who once described his own novel Moonglow as “a Gravity’s Rainbow fanfic”. Or Madeline Miller, whose Orange-prize winning The Song of Achilles detailed the romantic relationship between Achilles and Patroclus, and whose latest novel Circe picks up on the witch who seduces Odysseus in the Odyssey. Miller said she was initially worried when one ex-boyfriend described her work as “Homeric fanfiction” but has since embraced her love of adapting and playing with Greek mythology. The tag could also be applied to classics such as Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea, reworkings of Shakespeare by the likes of Margaret Atwood and Edward St Aubyn in the Hogarth series, and a spate of parodies: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, or Android Karenina.

What separates these works from the Harry Potter fanfiction you find online may come down to snobbery. There is an undercurrent of misogyny in mainstream criticism of fanfiction, which is widely accepted to be dominated by women; one census of 10,500 AO3 users found that 80% of the users identified as female, with more users identified as genderqueer (6%) than male (4%). Novik has spent a good deal of time fighting against fanfiction’s stigma because she feels it is “an attack on women’s writing, specifically an attack on young women’s writing and the kind of stories that young women like to tell”. Which is not to say that young women only want to write about romance: “I think,” Novik says, “that [the popularity of fanfiction amongst women is] not unconnected to the lack of young women protagonists who are not romantic interests.”

Others may find it odd that published authors would bother writing fanfiction alongside or between their professional work. But it’s all too simple to draw lines between two forms of writing that, in their separate ways, can be both productive and joyful. Neil Gaiman once wrote that the most important question an author can ask is: “What if?” Fanfiction takes this to the next level. What if King Arthur was gay? What if Voldemort won? What if Ned Stark escaped?

“I believe that all art, if it’s any good, is in dialogue with other art,” Novik says. “Fanfiction feels to me like a more intimate conversation. It’s a conversation where you need the reader to really have a lot of detail at their fingertips.”

For writers still wobbling on training wheels, fanfiction offers benefits: the immediate gratification of sharing writing without navigating publishers; passionate readers who are already interested in the characters, and a collegial stream of feedback from fellow writers.

“There was an audience of people who wanted to read my writing,” says young adult author Sarah Rees Brennan, who wrote Harry Potter fanfiction in her teens and twenties before she published her own novels, the latest of which, In Other Lands, was a Hugo award finalist. “Here were all these people online who wanted stories about familiar characters. Audiences were pre-invested and waiting.”

For writers, whether already published or on the path to being published, this instantaneous readership functions as a writer’s workshop: Novik calls it a “community of your peers”. Spending hours thrashing out the details of Draco Malfoy’s inner life can’t help but function as a crash course in character motivation. And the limits and constraints of working within a pre-existing world, with its own characters and settings, is a unique challenge.

“Fanfiction is a great incubator for writers,” Novik says. “The more constraints you have on you at the beginning, the better. It’s why people do writing exercises, or play scales. That kind of constraint forces you to practice certain skills, and then at a certain point you have the control to bring out the whole toolbox.”

Once some writers get those tools, they never look back. Rees Brennan no longer writes fanfiction. “I had a friend say it’s like the difference between babysitting kids and having children of your own,” she says. “With a world you built yourself, and characters you built, there’s this sense of deep, overwhelming love.”

But Rees Brennan is still a fan of collaborative writing and shared universes, as in the short stories she writes with Cassandra Clare about characters from Clare’s Mortal Instruments universe. “It’s amazing to gather around a kitchen table and yell at each other excitedly about what’s going to happen to mutually beloved characters,” she says. “I want that for every creative person – a chance to find their imaginative family, wherever it may be.”

Novik scorns the idea that published authors should turn their back on fanfiction. She recalls being on a panel where one member said he couldn’t understand why someone would waste their time writing it over an original work: “I said, ‘Have you ever played an instrument?’ He was like, ‘Yeah, I play piano’. I said, ‘So, do you compose all your own music?’”

“When I was first published, I deliberately went to my editors and said, ‘Yes, I’ve been writing fanfiction for 10 years. I love it.’ It was non-negotiable for me. As soon as you do that, by the way, it turns out that like half of the publishing industry has read or been involved in fanfiction,” she laughs. “Shockingly! It’s amazing how all these women who like storytelling have some connection to the community.”

For Novik and many other writers, fanfiction is a fundamental a way of expressing oneself, of teasing out new ideas and finding a joyous way to engage with writing again after the hard slog of editing a novel. The journey to become a published writer isn’t a straight line; it’s a spiral, as we grow older and continue to explore the characters and tropes we love. There’s so many stories waiting to be told – perhaps one or two of them could involve getting Captain America laid. God knows he needs it.

#creative writing #books #culture #fiction #fanfiction #The Guardian

[dmtikey]

Tyquan Robinson’s Forbes #Under30 Pitch

After graduating from the private educational institution, ASA College of Excellence, with an Associate's in Occupational Studies for Business Administration-Accounting during the summer of 2017, Tyquan “Tikey” Robinson has quickly elevated into one of the most innovative and crafty individuals in the business world of New York City. At the age of 22, Robinson is projected to become one of the youngest individuals to join the Forbes: Under 30 list in the Social Entrepreneurs category. His unique approach to business, along with his rare resources has shaped him as a future Hip-Hop mogul in the making.

With his hands in several sports, media and entertainment ventures, he has created a sense of community in not just his hometown of Far Rockaway, NY, but also other communities throughout the Queens and Kings counties of New York City.

Here are all of the ways Robinson has developed, and is currently developing his personal and business assets.

Trooper Tikey

Even though Robinson elevated from his humble beginnings of producing music during high school, it is the least of his concern and grossing income. Hip-Hop artists do not make as much money as they did off of music at one point in time — but Robinson has taken a unique approach to the music business world; with the brand of Trooper Tikey, currently evolving him into the super-producer he is today. Trooper Tikey has made ends meet as an entertainer and independent artist, taking advantage of social media marketing tools through popular social networking apps, such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; whilst distributing music through free online music streaming platforms like Soundcloud, Spinrilla and Bandcamp. The music content is what turned heads and created several networking opportunities for the young entertainer, landing him a freelance job as a record producer and studio engineer at the professional recording studio Signature Soundz, and has also gotten him numerous event hosting gigs. His musical brand has also landed him joint ventures with the music distribution company Distrokid, where he receives 100% of his music royalties, with an endorsement from the music streaming company Spotify. He has also partnered with a non-profit social justice organization The Rockaway Youth Task Force, for two promotional music videos to spread awareness about the organization in the past. Robinson stated that he has been making music money off of music since the age of 18, by engineering recording sessions from his home with a $250 recording set his mother bought him for his 16th birthday. He claims that the recording set is still his most important asset, even upgrading it with an expensive $300 Blue brand microphone he received as a gift from his former studio engineer and mentor Castro. Robinson has since used musical talents as his main source of leverage in urban culture, and the Hip-Hop business world.

Degenerate Entertainment/Young Kings Entertainment

In the fall season of 2015, Robinson achieved his high school dreams of starting his own record label during his first semester of college. He was given an assignment in his Introduction to Business class, which required him to create a business plan in the field of business he would like to pursue, which just so happened to be the music industry. Robinson researched and gained inspiration from some of the most successful "artist owned" music brands such as Shawn "Jay Z" Carter's Roc Nation and Aubrey "Drake" Graham's OVO Sound. He admired how the two companies were able to become brands bigger than "just music", and how they were able to adapt to today's music industry so efficiently. Even though Robinson felt these companies were flawless, he felt like there could be a way to be more innovative and up-to-date with today's music industry.

Robinson later invested into the music distribution company Distrokid, after reading about the company in a Forbes article during his business class. He was curious to learn how the company was able to "cut out the middle man" and ship music from independent artists straight to any music streaming platform in a matter of hours, while promising artists 100% of the music royalties they make off of streaming. Robinson tested the service out by paying a small fee of $19.99 per year, which guaranteed unlimited uploads to any online music stores and streaming platforms of his choice for one artist, along with monthly earnings. Robinson chose himself to market as the artist, releasing his single Watch Ya Back under the stage name Trooper Tikey, he only earned $1.09 in a span of a month, but was amazed to see how simple and efficient the service was. He later partnered with his best friend from high school, and frequent music collaborator Giovanni “KingYungGio” Gates to upgrade to the Musician Plus package for $35.99 per year, to form a joint venture and music collective by the name of DMYK, combining Robinson's Degenerate Militia brand and Gates' Young Kings brand for one big duo brand. The two released several singles under their separately operated independent record labels Degenerate Entertainment and Young Kings Entertainment.

Robinson and Gates currently operate as independent record labels and receive 100% of their music royalties every month for the money they make off of their music streams and music store purchases. They've have recently upgraded to the 10 artist record label package for $139.99 per year, where they can sign artists and offer them distribution deals through the online service, which handles distribution for both labels. The two have gone on to have sponsored pages on Spotify and Apple Music and curated playlists to help promote other independent artists on the same mission. At the current ages of 22 and 20, the two are bound to become future music moguls with the path they are on, along with the pace they are operating at.

The SBC Network

Even though Robinson has elevated tremendously in the music world, his prior passion for sports still holds a special place in his heart. After graduating high school in 2014, Robinson began to volunteer as a photographer and videographer for his high school's football team, which he participated in junior varsity and varsity for during all four years of his education at the school. He believed that the lack of media outlets, along with bad grades was the main causes of the drought of student-athletes from the educational campus not being scouted and/or recruited by top-tier schools. Student-athletes from the campus began to gravitate towards this philosophy, and encouraged Robinson to continue his efforts. During these operations, Robinson was able to create a Facebook page with content such as in-game photos and highlights; he even shot and directed a campaign video to help with a fundraiser for the football team, which was able to support the team with new equipment and alternative jerseys with names on the back; something that the campus was not able to accomplish in over a decade. One senior also went on to commit to Division I school, Michigan State University, and later went on to play football for the institution. Robinson and the school saw the efforts as a success and continued to increase media efforts throughout the campus.

One year later, Robinson took on the position as an after school tutor for one of the high schools located in the Far Rockaway Educational Campus building, by the name of Queens High School for Information, Research and Technology. After realizing that a majority of the students lacked motivational factors, he began offering open gym time for basketball in exchange for academic efforts. The practice became successful, and he decided to enter some of the students a basketball tournament at a local community center in the neighborhood ran by the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation for their Jr. Knicks program. He later unintentionally volunteered as the coach for the team, which didn't go as planned, with the team losing every game, due to his lack of experience and knowledge for the game of basketball, but he was inspired by the potential of some of the players, and saw a bright future in developing student-athletes in both, football and basketball.  

In the fall of 2017, Robinson developed The SBC Network brand, which was originally formed to increase the media exposure of student-athletes.  He began to produce several sports-related media content through his personal social media platforms for various high school, college and little league sports teams. Various student-athletes from all over the city began to gravitate towards the brand, and Robinson saw it as an opportunity to officially tap into the sports business. He took tips from Shawn "Jay Z" Carter's Roc Nation Sports division and began to hand-pick specific athletes from all different levels of competition to promote, later offering verbal contracts to athletes looking to find alternative routes for their passion of sports. He produced several sports-related media content through his personal social media platforms for athletes who corresponded with his vision, while being an independent contractor for athletes who just needed temporary services, but did not want to participate in the company's efforts. He later took on jobs to participate as an temporary employee for several NYC based basketball events sponsored by online sports broadcasting company, Baller TV.

Robinson soon expressed his interest to form his own sports teams. He formed an AAU basketball team, called Team Fame, in collaboration with his cousin Tariq Robinson, to prepare student-athletes for high school, collegiate and pro level basketball. He recently showed support for Lavar Ball and the Big Baller Brand's Junior Basketball Association, encouraging his AAU participates to chase their dreams as early as they can, even if it doesn't involve playing in college. Robinson also advocated to bring a semi-pro football team by the name of the Rockaway Neptunes to his hometown of Far Rockaway. He received co-signs from important stakeholders such as City Council member Donovan Richards of the District 31 community, who Robinson was a former unpaid intern of, and members of the community who believed a sports team could bring pride, spirit, traffic and profit to the city of Far Rockaway. The team is expected to have their inaugural season in the American 7s Football League, in the Spring of 2020. Robinson's sports ventures are guaranteed to be some of his biggest entities in years to come.

Other Ventures

Robinson does not seem like he plans on slowing down anytime soon, and considering his somewhat youthful age of 22, he is not expected to. He participated in several other business projects and partnerships that have also helped solidify his title as a future mogul.

• Cloudgunk

Robinson has endorsed the online cloud storage company Cloudgunk. They have recently released a commercial featuring his single "Clouds" and currently have a commercial starring Robinson in the works.

• Distrokid

Robinson has partnered with Distrokid to provide distribution deals for up and coming independent artists through his Degenerate Entertainment label.

He has reportedly already signed five artists to the label, which consists of rapper/producer Lil Mizfit, his half-brother/rapper LA Rio, cousin/rapper GP Dopeboy, and two female artists, a rapper by the name of Ressie Monae and singer by the name of Lexee.

• Sony

Robinson has gravitated towards Sony, due to the influence of the company on his life, owning manufactured Sony products such as the PlayStation 4, a pair of Sony studio headphones and a Sony credit card. He currently holds stocks in the company.

• Nissan

Robinson recently financed a Nissan Altima towards the end of March 2018, right before his 22nd birthday. He has since supported the company fully and promotes it as the perfect first car. He plans on investing stocks in the company soon and plans on becoming a brand ambassador for the company.

• The Child Center of New York

In 2015, Robinson began working as an employee for the non-profit agency The Child Center of New York, where he operates as a student mentor for Queens HS for Information, Research & Technology, which is the high school he graduated from. It is currently his biggest and most reliable income, helping him rake it $25,000 annually. His contract was renewed for another three years in the beginning of 2018.

#Forbes #Under30 #Tyquan Robinson #Trooper Tikey

[rebuildupnow]

rebuildup.com Podcast: Round 4 Championship of the Food Growing League Fall Season

rebuildup.com Podcast: Round 4 Championship of the Food Growing League #ayden-griftonhigh #charlotte #coneelementary

Bananas are High in Dopamine, Championship Round 4 of the Fall Season Food Growing League, the School Line Up for the Spring, and more in this episode of the rebuildup.com Podcast. Watch the competition video of Round 4 by clicking here.

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#ayden-grifton high #charlotte #cone elementary #eastern wayne high #food growing league #Goldsboro #greensboro #hendersonville #invest collegiate middle #leesville road middle #pleasant garden elementary #raleigh #rebuildup #rebuildup.com podcast #stokesdale elementary #sugarloaf elementary