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rabbitcruiser · 2 years

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Go to an Art Museum Day

Remember how excited you were to go on a field trip to the museum as a kid? The first thing on your mind was probably, “Yeah, no class!,” but a big part of the appeal was the thought of going on an adventure. And art’s all about exploration—in fact, that’s why we celebrate Go to an Art Museum Day on November 9. More than 30,000 museums around the world participate, and each year even has a different theme. So today, go to a museum and discover something new! And if you can’t go to a museum yourself, you can always explore art online and read articles by some of the top art journalists.

Go to an Art Museum Day timeline

1503 Mona Lisa the Masterpiece!

Leonardo da Vinci painted his masterpiece - the Mona Lisa, which is "the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, the most parodied work of art in the world."

1793 The First Public Art Museum

The Louvre - the world's largest art museum, opens in Paris, France.

1870 The Met.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, or better known as 'The Met,' is the largest art museum in the United States.

2000 Recognizing Pop Culture as Art.

Moving from classical art, MoPOP- the Museum of Pop Culture, was created as a dedicated museum for contemporary popular culture.

Go to an Art Museum Day Activities

Share your experiences on social media

Go to an art museum

Pick up a book on art

Pictures make up a huge part of social media (memes, anyone?). So on a day that celebrates visuals, there's no shame in going on a share binge. And don't be shy about getting creative. Add captions, filters, or anything that gets the juices flowing. But be sure to follow museum regulations and tag your law-abiding posts with #ArtMusuemDay.

We know it's a novel idea to go an art museum on Go to an Art Museum Day, but what can we say? We're mavericks. The best part about this innovative idea is that there are so many ways to enjoy it. You can go with family, friends, coworkers, or by yourself. Each offers a unique benefit, be it stimulating discussion or quiet repose. Whichever you choose, you'll find something worthwhile to walk away with. Hopefully it's not the art itself, because that could get dicey.

With a bunch of museums holding special activities and offering discounts, things can get crowded. If literally rubbing elbows isn't your speed, you can still join in on the festivities. Drop by a library or bookstore and pick up a book on art. It might not be the same as seeing a print in person, but you do have the advantage of reading everything at your leisure.

Why We Love Go to an Art Museum Day

It lets us be a tourist in our own city

We love learning

It gives us time to clear our heads

It's easy to take the place where you live for granted. However, although we might not associate our everyday surroudings with getting away from it all, a little staycation action can go a long way. Visiting an art museum can take us to a different world, or, if the museum is local, show us how cool our cities really are. We're not saying a beach in the Caribbean's a bad thing, but we could all use a refresher that's closer to home.

Ever read the museum’s placard about a painting? It's packed full of intriguing info. There isn't always time to read everything, but it's amazing how much you can learn in a single visit. This gives us ammo for any wine and cheese party, as well as the all-important trivia night. Most of all, it feels good to end a lesisurely day with a sense of accomplishment.

Sometimes it's nice to turn off your phone and focus on something that's right in front of you. Looking at a piece of art and letting your thoughts drift can be really therapeutic. Many of our stressors melt away as we try to figure out what Gaudi meant by all of those melting clocks. But if that gets too heady, we're content with just admiring some beauty.

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naturecoaster · 1 year

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Countdown to Summer Break: Parents, Are You Ready?

Saint Leo University Psychology Professor Offers Useful Tips Countdown to Summer Break: Parents, Are You Ready? By Dr. Tammy Lowery Zacchilli, Saint Leo University It’s hard to believe that summer break is almost here. Students and teachers are finishing those last required exams and taking part in end-of-year activities. Our May calendars have been so packed that we didn’t think we ever would make it through the end of the month. But how many of us are truly ready for summer break and having the kids home for two months? Here are some ideas to help you prepare for summer break and avoid meltdowns or boredom. 1. Consider your own schedule for the summer. I, like other teachers and professors, am fortunate to have summer break with my children. While this can be exciting, this also can lead to additional stress since we aren’t accustomed to being around each other all day. Other parents may not have as much time off, so planning for their children’s summer break may be a bit more challenging. It’s always a good idea to plan ahead. Hopefully, you can also schedule some time off to spend with your children in the summer. 2. Summer is a great time for a vacation or staycation! Some families plan ahead and save money to travel in the summer. I always love road trips with my children. We have driven from Florida to Maine and back one summer and from Florida to Yellowstone National Park and back on another trip. We always travel one way there and a different way back so we can see as many places as possible. We also take shorter trips to Georgia to visit our family. Since we live in Florida, there are so many possibilities for a staycation too. Quick trips to the beaches, parks, zoos, aquariums, or amusement parks can be fun ways to enjoy summer break. 3. I definitely recommend checking out the camps offered in your area. If children stay home all day, all summer long, it can be difficult to keep them from getting bored. Some local elementary schools offer camps throughout the summer to help parents who are working during the break. You also can find camps for all sorts areas such as dance, music, gymnastics, art, etc. We even found a train camp for my son this June. Here is a great resource for summer camps offered in the Tampa Bay area: https://fun4tampakids.com/Camps/Variety-Camps/. And Saint Leo University is hosting camps ranging from athletics to CSI and robotics at https://www.saintleocamps.com/. Just remember that camps may fill up quickly so be sure to sign up as soon as possible! 4. Plan some activities for those days at home. Obviously, we can’t expect to travel all summer or have camps and activities planned every day. That can get expensive! Think about some of the things you did to pass the time during the pandemic. Break out the board games, make chalk drawings on the driveway, make crafts, or paint some pictures with your kids. Encourage them to play outside or check out books from the library. While we cannot avoid boredom completely, there are plenty of things that kids can do to occupy their time this summer. And remember to get out there and enjoy time with them! Good luck and happy summer! Dr. Tammy Lowery Zacchilli is a professor psychology at Saint Leo University. She is the Southeastern Regional Vice President of Psi Chi and associate editor of the Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research. Zacchilli earned her bachelor’s degree from Kennesaw State University; her master’s from Augusta State University; and her PhD from Texas Tech. About Saint Leo University Saint Leo University is one of the largest Catholic universities in the nation, offering more than 60 undergraduate and graduate-level degree programs and specializations to more than 15,300 students each year. Founded in 1889 in the Benedictine tradition, the private, nonprofit university is known for providing an education to learners of all backgrounds and ages. Saint Leo is regionally accredited and offers a residential campus in the Tampa Bay region of Florida, at education centers, and through an online program for students anywhere. The university is home to more than 103,000 alumni. Learn more at saintleo.edu. Read the full article

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projectcubicle1 · 1 year

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How To Recover From Burnout?

When you love your job and feel passionate about your industry, it's easy to lose yourself in the work. Success is a great motivator, but if you're constantly teetering on the edge of exhaustion, you might be close to burning out. To stay on top of your game, you have to strategize ways to protect your mental and physical health. Read on to discover the most important things you can do to recover from burnout. Check an Item Off Your Bucket List When you're feeling burnt out from overwork and stress, take a look at your bucket list and commit to doing something exciting to break up the doldrums. Making a bucket list is a great way to motivate yourself to do exciting and enriching things. From exploring new cultures and cuisines on immersive European cruises to taking scuba diving lessons, there's no better time to embrace all that life has to offer. If your bucket list is still blank, here are some popular ideas to get you started: - Go skydiving - Swim with whales - Run a marathon - Write a book - Explore ancient ruins - Learn how to sail Escape for a Weekend Away Sometimes you only have a few days to manage symptoms of burnout, but you can still seek out rest and relaxation when you escape for a weekend away. Don't underestimate the power of a short road trip to recharge your batteries. Even if you just have one night, it could be worth it to go camping in nature or even book a staycation at a local resort where you can enjoy great food and spa services. Taking a weekend to recharge isn't necessarily about the amount of time you spend but how you spend it. When you decide to treat yourself, it can help you feel better at work and in your daily life. Reconnect With Friends and Family When you work so much that you start to isolate yourself from friends and family, you have to make a strong effort to reconnect with those you love. If you're a very social person, you have to make your friends a priority and find time to go out for dinners and join parties.

But recovering from burnout can also happen in intimate settings. True connection is about spending quality time with those closest to you. Whether it's a deep one-on-one conversation over a coffee or a movie marathon at home, you should let people know what you need and carve out time to be with them. Challenge Yourself With a New Skill When you feel like you're stuck doing the same thing over and over, it's good to challenge yourself to pick up a new skill. You're probably in the habit of using certain parts of your brain at work every day. Burnout can make your projects and goals feel stale. Activating a different part of your brain by learning something new is a great way to shake yourself out of this state of being.

There are many ways you can embrace lifelong learning. You could download an app that teaches you a new language, or you could pick up a craft like crocheting or making DIY home decor. The key is to spend time doing something unrelated to your job so that you feel refreshed and renewed. Update Your Exercise Routine While a large part of burnout is mental, there's also a physical aspect, which is why exercise is so important when it comes to your work-life balance. Take a look at your exercise routine and see where you can improve your habits. If you have fallen out of exercising altogether, you might need to restart your daily activity with short walks around your neighborhood to slowly work up your motivation. There are also activities such as swimming and bicycling that can help shake up your routine and add a dose of fun that's great for mental health. It's best to avoid burnout when it comes to your career, but sometimes that's not possible. Use these strategies and tips to help you bounce back when you're feeling worn out. Read the full article

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carelesswispe · 3 years

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heya! can I request how Dimitri, Edelgard, Claude, and Yuri would court their crush? headcannons and fluff please :") also if there a character limit? (if you can't do Yuri, please replace him with Ashe) ty in advance </3

- 🍙

thank you for requesting! i had a lot of fun writing this ask and sorry if this took a little longer than expected ;; nevertheless, i hope you enjoyed this, jelly filled donut anon!

>genre: fluff with some angst if you squint (mostly for dimitri and edelgard's part)

>warnings: slight mentions of fighting, slight spoilers for the events of fire emblem three houses, some angst

>pairings: dimitri x reader (gn), edelgard x reader (gn), claude x reader (gn), yuri x reader (gn)

Dimitri

Hh he's the loml

I feel like he would only start to court anyone after the five-year timeskip due to the guilt of the tragedy Duscur and the pent up emotions he’s kept bottled up. The fact that he hasn’t overcome his trauma would probably give him the need to distance himself from the one he has feelings with <\\3

Of course, no one’s able to resist the pull of love and despite his irrational thoughts that tell him to distance himself from you, the thoughts that tell him to stay with you were stronger, the feeling that you give him was like a breath of fresh air in the suffocating miasma of his guilt and trauma which gave him the strength to carry on.

But once the war is finally over and he’s sorted out his feelings for you, the first thing he would do is to see you; to finally let you know how he feels...and maybe even propose you to stay by his side forever--

As for courting you, after so many years of killing and brutal murder, I think that Dimitri would be quite awkward in expressing his feelings for you, after having bottled them up for so long.

He would get flustered easily from the little things you do or say to him but still deliver the smoothest compliments as if it was second nature. Just like he always has in the academy, if not, smoother.

If you were to bring this up to him, he would try to deny it with a flushed face, causing him to be hyper-aware of the little things that he used to say with a nonchalant attitude from then on...how adorable

Dimitri is probably not the most romantic man with having basically no experience with relationships and all and would resort to consulting, albeit after much pestering, Sylvain for relationship advice.

It was quite cute though, seeing this grown man trying to be romantic but failing, looking like a teen with his first crush. Although, that may not be far from the truth.

Of course, after failing to pull off any of the ridiculous date ideas Sylvain proposed to him for the umpteenth time, Dimitri decided to do things his own way, even if it meant stumbling around like a newborn deer.

Dimitri’s idea of a romantic date is probably a bit odd...after all, this is coming from the same man who thought that a dagger is a great parting gift. He would take you to shop around for things you might like, wanting to show you that he would grant you anything you desired. And...while he’s at it, he might buy you a weapon of your liking--

After shopping, he’d treat you to a meal while you’re at it. Although he may not care for the flavours of food, seeing you eat your favorite foods with a delighted expression is enough to make the food that much more appetizing.

Being a king, Dimitri would most likely be very busy, filling up paperwork and all and so going out often isn’t something he could afford to do. In order to make up for that, the free time that he does get is all spent with you. Even for a little while, being with you does take away some of the stress that comes with the amount of responsibility on his shoulders.

Whether it be sharing a cup of tea or simply enjoying yourselves in each other’s company, Dimitri is satisfied to spend any time with you

Edelgard

Similar to Dimitri, I feel like Edelgard wouldn’t want to think about feelings of love so soon as long as she hasn’t fulfilled her mission since she wouldn’t want to let her emotions to obstruct her conquest at all, as baseless as those worries might be

However, this doesn’t mean that she would be able to control these feelings of hers with perfect success. After all, try as she might, she’s still a human

Even though she can deny her feelings for you, she can’t deny the comfort your company gives her

Having tea together or even just spending any amount of time with you gives her the break she needs from her burdens she’s imposed upon herself and in times like these, it reminds her of the people she wants to be stronger to protect

Conversations with her mostly consist of her plans and motivations for her cause but outside of that, she also enjoys being able to indulge herself in some much needed rest and she feels like she could share anything with you.

Well, perhaps not her family history but she finds herself revealing the sides that she hid from the public.

Occasionally, she would vent out her feelings of frustration to you, perhaps impersonating and imitating the words of the person who had irritated her

Even if it’s for a little while, she finds herself being able to act like a child or to let loose without fear of being judged around you and it reminds her that she’s not alone in this conquest of hers. And that fact alone comforts her. If you’re by her side, even the rockiest of roads seem like a cake walk as long as you’re here for her.

After the war, she would subtly propose a future with the two of you where you and her could pave the way for the new future of the empire. And when you don’t get what she’s hinting at, she would just throw whatever inhibitions she had out of the window and just tell you in a more direct fashion

Although she fears rejection, she’d rather say out her feelings than to keep it trapped for any longer.

As the emperor, Edelgard is very busy. Despite this, for some reason, she finds herself sneaking away from Hubert’s unrelenting supervision from time to time just to spend time with you.

She finds herself giving the pettiest excuses to go on a date with you whenever her tight schedule has even the tiniest opening.

To her, spending time with you reminds her that she is not only Edelgard Von Hresvelg, the Emperor but El.

However, on occasions where she is unable to slip away from her aide’s watchful eye or whenever she has to go on a trip where she will be away from you for long periods of time, as soon as she is freed from her duties, she will immediately come see you, hopefully plan a vacation together away from all her responsibilities, even for a little while.

Speaking of vacations, this will be a regular occurrence between the two of you. Such vacations range from going out of the empire for some sightseeing to a simple staycation, relishing in each other’s company.

Claude

Unlike the previous two, I feel like Claude, although not necessarily looking for a relationship before the timeskip, he wouldn’t be too opposed to the idea if he falls in love.

But maybe if it's before the timeskip, the relationship between the two of you would be more casual than anything, just enjoying the moment rather than looking into the future. Of course, he would like to spend the rest of his days with you but it's more of a matter of whether that could be possible or not due to the uncertainty of the future.

Dates before the timeskip would consist of fun little lunch dates in the cafeteria, hanging out to the library afterwards.

Most of your dates together were spontaneous, Claude being the one to initiate it first.

Like you two could be chilling, minding your own business, being content in each others’ presence one minute and pranking the entirety of the monastery in another.

Every time the two of you got together, everyone started to go on full alert mode, fully expecting an explosion somewhere or something along the lines of that. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time…

After the timeskip, dates with him don’t really change much...on the surface. In reality, Claude puts more effort into each date, not that he hadn’t before.

It’s just that now, the more time he spends with you, the more certain he is that he wants you to stay by his side, forever.

These dates were comparatively tame as compared to before the timeskip, with him being more mature and responsible now, not wanting to take unnecessary risks now that he’s seen many of his followers come and go, he wouldn’t want you to be like them.

Expect calm candlelit dinners for most of the dates since he tries to reserve the evening for you, maybe going on a stroll around the kingdom, checking up on the state of his citizens with you.

Right, speaking of dinners, during dinner, he would tell the most interesting stories of times when he left the kingdom for important matters and you weren’t able to come along, often bringing home a trinket of sorts which reminded him of you.

I feel like on these trips, he would just pick up random stuff that caught his eye and thought you’d might like, looking forward to seeing your expression upon receiving his gift to you. He gets a little too excited sometimes and goes...overboard, buying WAY too much. On the bright side, now that you got him all fired up, he’ll do his best to rush home to you.

As much as possible, he invites you to go with him to the many many festivals in the kingdom just so that you wouldn’t get bored with just eating out with him. (not that you ever would) and plus, he enjoys seeing the different stalls and booths set up with you.

Yuri

Yuri is quite hard to get close to since he’s the leader of the underworld and all. And even if you do, he puts up a ridiculously high wall when he feels as if you take an interest in him in something other than a friend.

All these years of distrust had given him no choice but to surround himself with various walls. And should you try to break down these walls, he would panic and distance himself from you, anything to make you realise that he shouldn’t be the one to receive your affection. Classic romance novel moment

Of course, you persist and stay there for him anyway, maybe only just pushing it but not to the point where it gets uncomfortable for him. After the years, going through tough situations with you by his side especially when he needed it the most, without realising it, he had a spot for you on his previously cold heart. Maybe it had always been there, maybe not, he didn’t really know anymore.

When you two finally go out together, it comes out as something that was going to happen anyway to the other members of the Ashen Rats Wolves who, don’t even bother to act surprised, come on, even Constance saw it coming, Yuri, you didn’t fool anybody.

Dates with Yuri are always new and exciting, going out on undercover missions together, travelling across Fódlan. Yuri tries to discourage you from coming along because of the danger of each one of his missions but the more he refuses, the more you insist so after a while, he gets the hint that he won’t be able to stop you and eventually just invites you whenever he has to go on long missions without having you finding out about it on your own.

As much as he cares about each and every single one of his subjects in the underworld, being the lord of the underground isn’t exactly the most relaxing or safest job out there and sometimes he just needs a break from all that. Luckily, you’re there to give him some peace of mind. Just by having you by his side, he feels as if he’s transported into another world, a reverie away from all the dangers of his job. Even a protector needs someone to protect him, you know? And he trusts you. He trusts that you would always be there to protect him. Since you were there for him through thick and thin all this time.

You both got each other’s backs

(i wrote WAY too much for Yuri since man i had a wild Yuri phase and i still do and i am just RELIVING IT as i write this)

#fe3h dimitri #fe3h yuri #fe3h claude #fe3h edelgard #fe3h headcanons #fe3h x reader #Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd x reader #edelgard von hresvelg x reader #claude von riegan x reader #yuri leclerc x reader

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blu-joons · 2 years

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HUSBAND ATEEZ A⇴Z HEADCANON ⇴ Choi Jongho

A ⇴ AFFECTION

It doesn’t matter how many times Jongho has cuddled you before, but every time you feel his arms wrap around you again, you still find your heart beating quickly, never failing to get used to the feeling of his hold on you.

B ⇴ BOYS

After your first meeting with the boys, it didn’t take long before they started teasing you and Jongho, treating you like a second maknae to the group. It was something that never bothered you though, the most important thing was that you were treated as a part of the group, even if it was sometimes at your expense.

C ⇴ COMFORT

Seeing you upset always panicked Jongho initially, he could never quite adjust as quickly as other people could to seeing their partner cry. He tried his best, always, to comfort you, holding you tightly and reassuring you with his words, but even still, a small part of him always seemed to doubt whether he was doing the right thing.

D ⇴ DOMESTICATED

He was used to having the boys look after him, and so when he first moved in with you, it was a huge learning curve for Jongho. He wanted to help out and learn, even if he wasn’t necessarily the best at things, especially when it came to jobs like folding the washing away. It didn’t take long before you found his strength though, and after that, you built a routine together that made sure that everything got done.

E ⇴ ENGAGEMENT

For quite a few people, your engagement came as a surprise, with even the boys unaware that Jongho had been having any thoughts about proposing to you. He was keen to keep as much of it a secret as possible, with the exception of your dad whose permission Jongho wanted, allowing him to create as minimal fuss as possible, and also get some revenge on the boys once you told them that you were engaged too.

F ⇴ FAVOURITE THING

Jongho’s favourite thing about being with you was that he had a partner by his side when he was on his own. Whenever the boys teased, between the two of you, you often managed to find a way to shut them up, you were a great team together, which the boys soon all learnt to their detriment as well. After seeing you both together, it didn’t take long before the boys backed down, knowing you would give as good as they did.

G ⇴ GOING OUT

Between going out and staying in, the two of you tended to prefer to stay in and enjoy your time together without anyone else around you. When he spent so much time outside when he was busy working, it was nice for Jongho to head home for a while and enjoy spending some time with you too and not the staff.

H ⇴ HONEYMOON

Because you were both so busy, your honeymoon ended up being more of a staycation then anything else. Neither of you minded too much though, you enjoyed exploring round Seoul, and knew that one day eventually you’d be able to get the time off to go somewhere a little more different together.

I ⇴ “I LOVE YOU”

Although he didn’t tend to tell you too often as it always made him incredibly shy, whenever Jongho did tell you that he loved you, he made sure that you knew that he meant it too. He couldn’t say it just because, he wanted to say it each time because he had a moment where he reminded himself just how much he loved you.

J ⇴ JEALOUSY

He hated to admit that he got jealous, Jongho wanted to try and act as if he was unbothered like so many of his friends did, but he just couldn’t. You would always be able to tell whenever Jongho was jealous too, he would cave into himself quite a lot and fall silent amongst the conversation. Even if others didn’t pick up on it, you always could, moving around so that you were able to stand beside him and reassure him.

K ⇴ KIDS

Despite getting married, the two of you were still very reluctant to have too many conversations about starting a family, you still had a long road ahead of you, and plenty of other things that you wanted to achieve too, and so very little priority was placed on thinking about starting a family for you both.

L ⇴ LAZY DAYS

The two of you loved being at home on your lazy days, it didn’t matter what the two of you were doing, just be in the space where you could really be yourselves was more than enough for the two of you. It was nice for Jongho too to take everything at a slow pace, he didn’t have to rush to get up, eat, or anything else, instead he could work at his own pace and look forward to actually spending time with you.

M ⇴ MORNINGS

Out of the two of you, Jongho tended to be the better one at getting up in the morning, he was usually the one who would respond to your alarm better, and so he would give you a shake most mornings to make sure that you were awake, greeting you on his quieter days with a mug of coffee too.

N ⇴ NIGHTS

There was always one sign to look out for at night when Jongho began to feel sleepy, he would slowly move across to you and get cuddlier, letting you know that he was ready to head up to bed for the night.

O ⇴ OBSESSION

Jongho was obsessed with your company, he loved having you around and being able to talk to you. Even if the two of you weren’t doing anything, just seeing you there with him was enough to put a smile on his face.

P ⇴ PRECIOUS MOMENTS

When the two of you were doing nothing were the moments that Jongho loved the most. His world was often so busy, it was nice for him when he could be around you and get the chance to appreciate the little things rather than live his life constantly at a hundred miles an hour without a chance to breathe.

Q ⇴ QUESTIONS

If you can tell work is beginning to overwhelm him, you’ll tell Jongho to give you his schedule so that you can arrange some time to be with him, even if it’s just for an hour, to take care of him and make sure that he’s healthy.

R ⇴ RANDOM FACTS

Celebrating your anniversary is a huge deal to Jongho, and so he makes sure that the one day of the year that he makes sure to have off every year is your anniversary. Even though he might not be able to make the time for you every other day of the year, your anniversary is the one day when he makes sure to prioritise you.

S ⇴ SILENCE

At times, Jongho can be quiet, which you don’t mind, but when he’s quiet for a little too long, you start to worry. Usually, he’s fine, worried about talking if you’re busy doing something, but once you get talking to him, he finds himself again, equally as relieved as you that the two of you aren’t silent any longer.

T ⇴ TIPS & TRICKS

Jongho’s best trick for making your marriage work was making sure that you kept learning about each other, Jongho still found out more about you every single day which he always made sure to remember too.

U ⇴ UPSET

He hated seeing you upset, it scared him quite a lot of the time as Jongho felt the pressure to make sure that he made you smile again.

V ⇴ VISITS

It was always a great occasion for Jongho and the boys whenever you showed up at the studio and saw how they were getting on. They adored having you around, especially when you showed up with some food for them too.

W ⇴ WISH LIST

The only thing that Jongho still wished for was that he continued to be with you, that was the one thing that he always wanted.

X ⇴ XXXX

Most of the time when Jongho hugs you, he kisses you too, although no matter how many times he does kiss you, it still never quite makes him feel as happy as he feels when he’s able to wrap his arms around you.

Y ⇴ YOU

You were his human, Jongho loved being the person that had the task of taking care of you.

Z ⇴ ZZZ

Jongho loved having you cuddle into his side at night, if he didn’t have you tucked into him, his hand would reach out in search of you, pulling you across to the bed and into the spot where you were supposed to be.

---

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lovesgonnabe · 3 years

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Love Is Worth It Episode V - We Got The Pandemic Blues Under a New York City Skyline

Characters: Chris Evans x Maya Alonso-Evans (Black OFC)

Warnings: straight fluff, cursing, implied smut.

Word Count: 3485

Summary: What happens in NYC stays in NYC!

AN: The NYC Skyline prompt is by @iguessweallcrazyithinktho thank you so much for letting me use your theme I hope I did it justice. If you haven't read any of her stuff what are you doing get on it!

Disclaimer: There’s only slight edits so there may be errors. Also if you haven’t noticed this series will have many time jumps and things referenced here may make more sense later on in the series when new episodes come out so please bear with me.

Taglist: @thesecretlifeofdaydreamss, @canadian-girl87, @i-just-like-fanfics, @omg-mymelaninisbeautiful if you would like to join the taglist message me.

Please leave a note and tell me what you think!

June 13th, 2020

Being with Chris had its many perks but not working was definitely one Maya never wanted to take advantage of.

When Chris first brought it up when they got engaged she looked at him like he had two heads and said “I worked to hard put myself through school to get these expensive ass letters behind my name to just stay my ass at home” and that was the last time they had that conversation.

But fast forward to 2020 If you told Maya that she would have to close both of her dermatology offices in the middle of award season a few months ago she would have laughed at you.

She just couldn’t see herself not working because she loved what she does, but with both New York and Boston putting in place stay at home orders there’s nothing she could do.

It didn't help that it was only Maya in Boston dealing with work and all that entails, Delilah's up in the air school situation, and a whole hoax of things while Chris was in L A being as supportive of a husband and father as he could be on the other side of the country.

At least Dodger was being pretty normal.

Thanks to Chris's family for being so helpful where they could because for a minute Maya felt like she was beginning to drown.

This saga starts with the beginning of the pandemic.

January was chill there were whispers that there was a deadly pandemic on the horizon but no one took it seriously.

February Chris had left at the beginning of the month to LA to promote his new show Defending Jacob and it wasn't like anything out of the ordinary the couple worked, and called each other daily.

Chris told her he'd have to be there through March but would be home in time for Maya's birthday in April.

Her lawsuit against Boston PD was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount that was donated to charity and trust me that lawsuit cost them a pretty penny because Chris was threatening to go to the press and Boston PD did not need anymore negative press.

After finding out that the older officer already had many reports against him for abuse of power he was "let go" by Boston PD and the other officer was demoted to desk duty and sent Maya an apology letter for his actions

She thinks he only did it because her husband is Chris Evans but she tries not to be a cynic.

In mid March with her offices were forced to close and the lives of her twenty employees were in her hands, but sin there was no money coming in she had to regrettably furlough all of them until she could open back up.

This news could come at a worse time because Lilah's school was trying to transition them to online learning for the rest of the year.

So Maya now had to also be her home school teacher for the last 2 months before summer vacation .

Maya does feel blessed because she was still able to teach some derm online classes through NYU, and her family was healthy but Chris still wasn't home.

Because of travel restrictions in LA on April 1st Maya found out that the earliest Chris could be home was in possibly July or Mid June if they are lucky because he need to start filming for Grey Man that was set in Boston.

Then rumors started to swirl that Chris could be cheating on Maya but

She doesn't play that and isn't a dummy

Chris isn't stupid and

He's been in their home in LA quarenting with his brother Scott the whole time so if some foul shit did happen she would be the first one to know and on the first jet smoking to beat some ass.

But hey when it rains it pours.

In interviews Chris would say he was "quartining with his family at home in Boston."

They would try to make the spaces look just like Chris and Maya's homebase in Boston even going as far as strategically moving photos of them in the background to make it look like his office at home.

And it actually work most people thought Chris was in Boston anyways and it was all gossip the others thought he went back home to clean up this mess.

But nope Chris was not in Boston he was 2,764 miles away and this time it all just felt different and he hated not being able to be there with them during this crazy uncertain time and Maya just needed a vacation.

In April Maya and Delilah just had dinner at the house for her birthday they facetimed Chris and once Liliah had gone to bed Chris and Maya had sexytime over the phone.

The rest of the month Maya just went with the flow and did the same through June.

Now we are all caught up and in the present day.

It's Chris's 39th birthday but he was still in LA.

Maya stayed up to call him at midnight in LA because that was their tradition but now it was about 12pm and Chris has not picked up any of her phone calls Maya was annoyed.

Maya and Delilah sat in the Den as Maya was detangling Delilah's freshly washed hair getting ready to put her curly hair into braids as Mulan played on the tv in front of them.

"Mommy can I call dad it's his birthday and I haven't got to talk to him today. Lilah says playing with Maya's phone.

"Go ahead sweetheart maybe you'll have better luck them me." said Maya as she sectioned Lilah's hair.

As the facetime ringtone went Dodger who was laying in his dog bed next to Lilah began to bark and then he ran for the front door Maya looked that way but didn't see anything since the alarm didn't go off either which she found strange.

She shrugged it off only for a second until she heard a bag hit the ground as she quickly stood up the only thought in her head was to protect Delilah helping her to hide under the couch.

As the person entered their den Dodger continued to bark and she grabbed a pair hair scissors about to attack the intruder until she saw his face and exhaled the breath she didn't even know she was holding.

"CHRIS you scared the shit out of me" she said before he could say anything.

He laughed "Baby I didn't mean to scare you" Chris said

Lilah screamed and crawled from under the couch.

"daddy, daddy, daddy I missed you and Happy Birthday." Lilah said running into Chris's arm.

"I missed you to babycakes you been taking care of mommy for me" Chris said holding Lilah and walking towards a still shocked Maya.

He kissed Maya's forehead trying to pull her into a hug but she rolled her eyes and pushed his hand away.

"Chris i thought you weren't coming home till July" Maya asked

Chris shrugged "plans change now are you gonna come and give daddy a kiss you what"

He said flopping on the couch with Lilah on his lap.

Mays sucked her teeth peeked his lips and told Lilah to come so she could finish her hair.

Her saltiness cause Chris to laugh as Lilah moved over to her mom.

They were sitting on the same couch so Chris bent over and began to whisper in her ear. "Stop acting like that baby I wanted to surprise you"

Maya gave minimal response and Chris didn't like that so then he brought heat.

When he walked Maya had on a beige short set the top was fairly tin and the shorts barely covered her ass, he could see her nipples stand at attention on her delicious breast when walked.

It's been 3 months since he's had sex with his wife and boy can he feel it. He gave her tigh a firm squeeze now pecking her spot behind her ear forcing Maya to stop mid greasing Lilah's scalp to take a deep breath.

"if you stop acting up tonight I'll do that thing with my tongue that you like if not daddy won't be letting you cum at all tonight.

Chris said moving his body back to his original position smirking at his shooken up wife whose attitude did a 180 quick, fast and in a hurry.

Chris was no home and with his girls and he couldn’t be any happier.

After braiding Delilah's hair Maya went and they dropped her off at Chris’s moms which was a fight in itself because she wanted to stay with her daddy but Maya had other plans.

The original plan was to take Chris out of the country for his birthday but plans change.

Before Chris showed up today Maya had nothing planned for Chris's birthday because he was not suppose to be home they were just going to the same thing they did for her birthday.

On there way back home my had an idea with there hands intertwined Maya began to speak.

“So birthday boy what do you want to do for your birthday” Maya asked

“You know I don’t care as long as I’m with you my love” Chris said kissing her hand.

Maya giggled “Well we’ve dropped Dede at your moms and Scott said he could take Dodger”

She states looking at the puppy through the rear view mirror as Chris began to rub is thumb over her knuckles.

“It seems you already have a plan for us babe” he smirks

“I know you are just getting home but how about we drop Dodger off and I was thinking maybe drive to New York, I need to get out of Boston and have a bit of a staycation”. She said.

Chris chuckled and looked at Maya as the stopped at the red light.

“Wherever you lead I’ll follow. He said

“You are so corny old man” Maya laughed as she leaned over and peek his sweet lips.

They continued their drive to Scotts and talked enjoying eachothers company for the first time in a while, they were so wrapped up in each other that Dodger had to bark to remind Chris he was about to pass Scoots house .

Maya laughed at the puppy then pet him telling him how good of a dog he is.

“Alright birthday boy Scott has Dodger now let's switch its my turn to drive you around” She said.

They headed home to pick up a few things and then The Evans were off and headed for there trip.

After the 3 and 1/2 hour drive they got to New York and the barren streets shocked them.

They are staying in there penthouse apartment on the upper east side that over looks Central Park and New York's famous skyline.

Before settling in Maya decided to get groceries once she got back Jazz played softly in her ears as the punchy aroma of the candle Slow Burn hit her nose.

“Hey Chris I'm back” she called out to him.

She was met without a response just the smooth stylings of Frank Sinatra.

Maya put the groceries in the kitchen and headed to their master bedroom.

Kicking her shoes off and following the rose petals into the bathroom that revealed Chris who sat in all his glory in the pink tinted bathtub.

Apparently he did not hear her as his eyes stayed closed and his arms outstretched.

And all Maya could do was admire the greek god that was her husband.

His long wingspan encompassed the entire back of the tub as his strong biceps would flex ever deep breath he took. And don't to get Maya started on those baby blues which were one of the only things Lilah did not get from Chris. Those same blue eyes were now looking straight at her.

“I was hoping you’d be back soon” he said

Raising his head to look at his goddess of a wife smirking at him.

“So I’m guessing you would like me to join you?” She asked

Maya teased him as she began to slowly remove her clothes.

“Hey aren’t I the birthday boy that shouldn’t even be a question Maya so you better bring your sexy ass in here” Chris said to her as his arms still laid on the back of the tub looking like a king”

Maya stepped in with Chris’s help the warm water encapsulating her body as she sinks down.

She sighs in satisfaction when her body is finally completely in the water as she lays into Chris’s embrace.

They just sit there and enjoy each other company, washing the dirt off of each other from the day, and stealing kisses from one another.

Maya and Chris were that couple you loved to hate they didn’t show off their love that much with Chris’s anxiety and Maya’s destain for public scrutiny because she’s black woman with a man of Chris stature, PDA was mostly off the table. However behind closed doors they are the cutest most intimate couple you’d ever meet.

Once she was clean from her road dirt Maya left the water first placing a kiss on Chris’s lips as she headed to start dinner and Chris laid back and continued to relax.

Once Chris finally got out the bath he found Maya in the kitchen halfway finished with dinner.

“Jesus babe it smells fantastic in here and I see you changed the music” Chris said

He was now fully dressed in a blue t-shit in matching joggers, his hair damp from the bath as Lauryn Hill's rendition of Can't Take My Eyes off of You played in the background.

She chuckled “only the best for you my king”

"Mhm I like the sound of that" He said as he went in the fridge and grabbed a bottle of white wine and poured them both a glass.

She was at the counter cutting up veggies.

“Ok so how long do I have wait before I can devour all this?” he asked placing the glass in front of Maya.

They took their first cheers of the night tapping the glasses together.

Maya took a sip and moan at the taste of the wine.

“Soon Chris don’t stress it babe you will be fed very soon” she said.

Her hips began to sway to the music as she hummed along.

At long last, love has arrived, and I thank God I'm alive

Chris walked up behind her wrapping her arms around waist swaying with her body and catching the rhythm.

You're just too good to be true, can't take my eyes off you

Moving her hair to her left shoulder Chris begins to kiss her neck.

"Remember when we first bought this place." Chris asked

"Yes you didn't want to you said my place in Brooklyn was enough for us" Maya said putting the knife down and melted into Chris's strong arms.

"Mmm but you did an excellent job at convincing me why we need this place, 3 bedrooms right in the Heart of the city just for times likes these when want to get away." Chris said with his arms still wrapped around her.

She laughed "I thought it was because you fucked me against the balcony on our terrace is why you said yes"

He smirked at the memory "well that to"

Chris sucked on her neck and moved his down her satin dress but the timer on the pot decided to be a cock block and go off before he could make a move.

He groaned and Maya laughed directed him to get ready to eat.

Just as the food was finishing up Chris set the dining table for two, taking the rest of the flowers from his bath laying them out between the kitchen and there Terrence where they were having dinner overlooking the city.

It was a beautiful night. There was a soft breeze and the city was a glow quieter that usual but still a sight to behold.

Maya brought out the food as Chris poured them another glass, they both sat prayed then rose their glasses to cheers again.

During dinner Chris made some corny jokes that always seemed to put Maya in a better mood as Maya would slyly rub her foot up Chris’s pant leg.

Next came dessert still out on the terrace they shared a slice of cake (more like Maya fed Chris cake) which is how she ended up in his lap enjoying the very expensive yet immaculate view they had from their home.

He rubbed her thigh as he kisses her shoulder just thinking of the fastest way to get Maya out of her dress.

"god you are beautiful" Chris said

His hand now playing with the trim of her panties under her strappy white satin dress.

"Oh no birthday boy you not fucking me out here tonight you gotta come inside for your last present" Maya said.

Chris groaned Maya got up seductively waking back inside her curves just begging him to follow her

“This woman Is going to be the death of me” Chris thought as he came back inside and closed the door that lead to the terrace.

Maya handed Chris his third and final glass of wine of the night.

He raised an eyebrow "Are you trying to get me drunk Mrs. Evans so you can have your way with me?" he asked.

Taking a sip from his glass he smacked Maya the ass and watched it move as she walked towards their living room.

She laughed "I wouldn't have to get you drunk to have my way with you Mr. Evans"

Their living room had floor to ceiling windows that overlook Chris's second favorite city, and that's where Maya stood wine glass in hand looking all the people that looked like ants. But all Chris could think about was how this woman fell for him.

She watched the scenery and he watched her but when that signature trumpet blew he remembered that the music was still playing and so did she.

Maya turned around to see Chris was watching her one hand in his pocket and the other still holding his wine, she made a face at him.

"What are you looking at me like that Chris, you ok?” she asked hand on her hip taking another drink from her glass.

The moon shined off her skin like she was in the sun, her white dress reminding him of their wedding day the way it hugged her figure.

Still speechless Chris walked up to her placing both of their glasses on the coffee table, he brushed her hair behind her ear and she moans nuzzling her head in his touch.

"Baby I am absolutely perfect because I am here with you" he says.

Chris softly pulls her by the waist bringing her flush against her body as raspy voice of Louis Armstrong in Le Vie En Rose brought butterfly’s to Maya’s stomach because this was their song.

His hands lay softly on her waist as her arms lay around his shoulder as they dancer slowly around there living room.

Hold me close and hold me fast, The magic spell you cast, this is la vie en rose.

His cologne sent waves of pleasure and warmth through her body, when Maya laid her head on his chest not wanting to let him go. As their heartbeat became in sync the moonlight casted their sillones on the ground.

They were two lovers who were lost in eachother hoping to never get out and wanting to hide from the world it felt new but familiar.

Once the song ended Chris kissed her so deep and and passionately Maya thought she was gonna cum then and there.

Chris's hands moved from their previously respectable position making circle on her hips to the bottom of her ass telling Maya to jump causing Maya wrap her chocolate legs around his waist.

As Chris walked he kept repeating how much he missed Maya so much while he was in LA.

They couldn’t even make it back to their bedroom for their first round of many.

And Maya was a goner as Chris made love to her all night in every corner of their apartment as the city watched as the couple were engulfed with each other.

But there was a little voice in the back of Maya's head "Well damn how are we going to top 40 next year" it asked.

The preoccupied side of her brain shooed hat thought away so she could just enjoy being with her man at this moment.

Thanking god there was no more space between them like the miles before.

#chris evans fanfiction #chris evans x black ofc #chris evans x black!reader #chris evans x poc!reader #chris evans x reader #chris evans x black reader #chris evans x ofc #chris evans x original female character #chris evans x black women

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abiteofnat · 3 years

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If you’re reading this, I’m coming back to Chicago, beetch

The non-existent rumors are true. After a brief 10-month exit from the city to soak up the fresh air and social distance-friendly suburbs, I am now returning to Chicago as a single, slightly more anxious version of myself. While I’m still trying to kick some of the anxiety and OCD that COVID-19 pushed from “lifelong tagalongs” to “all-controlling demons”, I feel 97% ready to be back where I feel most myself, and cannot wait to welcome that change. While that 3% still makes me a little uncomfy and hesitant, I’m a believer in pushing your boundaries to allow yourself to grow, and also, I am really sick of suburbs food.

Ha! I joke. I wouldn’t move downtown simply for access to more diverse & higher quality food... or would I? All I know is while there are plenty of gems in the North Shore, I’ve eaten take out from all of them ten times over, and I did not foster my dislike of cooking out of nowhere. My parents do not enjoy cooking, my sister pretends to enjoy cooking, and I will cook if it is 5 ingredients or less. My latest speciality is a toasted bagel with butter, hummus, and EBTB seasoning. Voila. So when it comes to dinner, we are living off of a carousel of suburban favorites, and are losing steam as we are still not comfortable with dining inside (or dining inside in the city, where the fun food is).

All of this to say, it’s exciting to imagine what life is going to be like in a few short weeks. While I’m still extra precautionary, I can’t wait to have my own space downtown, where I can enjoy coffee on my little balcony (!!!) and dream of the days friends can come squeeze into my studio safely while I lay out an entire table of sharable spreads and snacks from Ema (Charred Eggplant Spread is the best one, don’t fight me).

So you may ask, how did you come to this decision to move to the heart of downtown out of seemingly nowhere, you hermit?

It starts with my mom and I having a brief, simultaneous breakdown and coming to the conclusion that we would both feel comfortable doing a staycation downtown, as long as we wore masks, sanitized always, and braved the cold to eat outside. This was big for me! As a person with real OCD, not cute TV show “I have to keep my pens straight” OCD, this would be the most exposure I’d had to a lot of uncontrollable variables since the pandemic started. If you’re thinking, “you get to spend a weekend downtown in a hotel with your mom, shut up”, know that I hear you. I am unbelievably grateful that I’ve gotten this time with my parents, and that we can do a staycation. However, having anxiety comes at a cost, and that cost is blowing everything way the fuck out of proportion instead of being able to rationalize it sometimes. Let’s! Normalize! Having! This! Discussion!

So, we went downtown in early March for a two-night stay, and oh my goodness. The realization that we got to be in a different space, and do different things, and eat different food for a weekend made it feel like a legit vacation, and not like we drove 30 minutes to get there. The view from our room was of Michigan Ave, and hearing the traffic and seeing the people out and about instantly made me feel a sense of peace I wasn’t expecting. I’ve lived downtown for 6 years, but it always shocks me how much the city feels like an extension of me once I’m in it after being away. My mom and I went out for a walk (gentle yet forceful reminder to please wear a mask), then decided to grab dinner while we were out. The plan was to bring it back to the room, but there was a warm spell, and there just happened to be a table for two at Topolobampo on Clark, and suddenly we were sitting on the patio under the lights eating masa quesadillas dipped in a spicy salsa verde. It just happened!!!

Before getting downtown, I was tentatively looking at apartments for the spring. I was looking at Lincoln Park, Old Town, maybe Lakeview, and came across a listing in the Gold Cost that caught my eye. That one was swiped out from under me within days, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the area. Then I discovered another unit that was available, and couldn’t shake it from my mind. Over mushroom tacos I discussed it with my mom, and we decided to go see it. Totally not what I had been planning for in terms of location, but why not?

Once we polished off breakfast the next morning (Eggs Benedict with fried eggs, extra hollandaise) we headed out to see the place. Let me say I have never seen my mom fall in love with a single apartment I’ve lived in, and she was ALL. FOR. IT. Unreal reaction on her part. Once I saw the west-facing views and the incredible natural lighting, I was 100% in as well.

We spent the rest of the weekend wandering the downtown area, enjoying another dinner outside at The Gwen and my mom’s first visit to the Starbucks Reserve Roastery, which was 95% more empty than I’ve ever seen it given we went in a pandemic at 8:30PM. Shit on Starbucks all you want, but that Roastery is an incredible use of space (in non-pandemic times) and the coffee & Princi pastries are really, really good.

When we got back home feeling refreshed and like we had actually gone on a vacation, I jumped into apartment shark mode real fast and signed as many documents as the very kind realtor could send over. One week later, whabaam, I was a Gold Coast girl. Ahem, *lady*. What better way to celebrate than going to Somerset and having the Rapini & Roasted Garlic Flatbread and Wild Mushroom Risotto? No clue. As I sat outside, yet again with my mom, I felt a wave of excitement come over me and realized, this is it. This is the sign and feeling I’ve been waiting for, telling me it’s time to move back to the city and start over. The creamy, herbacious risotto also helped solidify that.

SO. After all of that, the news is I’m moving, and you’re probably wondering why I shared all of this on a blog about food. I meant for this post to be about everywhere I ate during my staycation, but realized quickly we ate at some very basic places - DELICIOUS, but still basic. Oops. Below are all the dishes I had and a rundown of the flavors, textures, etc., however don’t expect to find any new, revolutionary restaurants. Sorry!

1. Topolobampo

This Rick Bayless restaurant has been around forever, and unfortunately, you can tell by the interior. We’ve eaten here as a family a couple of times before, but never had a noteworthy experience. I can confirm that in a pinch, the patio covered in fun lights & mini piñatas, and the sharable, filling bites will do just fine. This was my first time going to a Mexican restaurant as a non-alcohol drinker, and instead of my typical mezcal margarita, I opted for a Fresh Limeaide which was refreshing and flavorful. We split the Guacamole and Chips, which if you’ve ever stopped at the Frontera in O’Hare, you know is good as fuck. It’s smooth, creamy, tangy, and topped with chopped onions and cilantro for a little crunch. It’s not the most life-changing, but it is consistently satisfying. Next, we got the Mushroom Tacos and Masa Quesadillas. The Masa Quesadillas were a fun surprise, as instead of a tortilla, the masa is what makes up the outside. They are almost like empanadas and stuffed with gooey, melty cheese, and come with a spicy salsa verde on the side. I would come back for these alone - they’re rich yet light, warm, and comforting, all the things you would want when dining outside when it’s still a little chilly. The Mushroom Tacos were quite frankly unreal, because whatever they seasoned the mushroom slices with and grilled them on made them taste unlike any mushroom I’ve had before. There was definitely some meat crossover on the grill, so don’t order those if you’re vegan, or ask them to prepare the mushroom separately. I however was LOSING MY MIND. Over mushrooms. The joys of being vegetarian!

2. The Gwen

On a happening Saturday night in Chicago, Upstairs at The Gwen is sure to be a packed scene. Located in River North, this hotel bar/restaurant offers a somehow cozy rooftop filled with loungey couches, fire pits, and ambient lighting, even though you’re surrounded by apartments and skyscrapers and there is nothing “cozy” about River North. Every table was filled, yet since you’re outside and it’s fairy spread apart, it still felt safe. I got my new classic, a Lemonade, and we got the Burrata to start. With sourdough, roasted beets, squash, pomegranate, pistachio, & arugula, this plate was nothing short of mouth-watering. It has textures! It has flavors! It has pomegranate seeds, the TikTok must have of the moment! The bread was 10/10, the burrata was 8/10, and all of the toppings made for a very find bite of salad on their own. For my main I got the Lobster Fettucine, a beautiful bowl of “charcoal fettuccine with saffron-tomato sauce, lobster, calabrian chili butter, and basil-brioche crumbs” as listed on their website. Take any of those ingredients and it’s going to be delicious, but all of them TOGETHER? INCREDIBLE. The chunks of lobster were huge, absolutely making the dish worth its price tag, and the sauce was flavorful, unique, and unlike any sauce I’ve tasted in the last few years. It’s typical to do a squid ink pasta with seafood and tomato sauce, but the saffron added a new element I very much appreciated.

3. The Starbucks Roastery

I KNOW. THIS IS A TOURIST DESTINATION. All I am saying is if there’s no line, go get an iced latte with two packets of sugar in the raw. That’s all. It’s really good after something like, I don’t know, Lobster Fettucine.

4. The Penninsula

You cannot go wrong with hitting up The Penninsula for breakfast or brunch, especially if you are staying there and have the option to do room service. Typically we would go to Pierrot Gourmet, the cafe in the ground floor of The Penninsula, however it has been closed temporarily. If there’s one thing to order with your breakfast, it’s the smashed fingerling potatoes. Delish.

5. Somerset

Somerset is becoming a quick go-to of mine for an impromptu dinner downtown, given it’s in the heart of Gold Coast and is cute if you’re sitting indoors or outdoors. The food is nothing too innovative, but it is done well, which is the most important part with “cuter” restaurants that may focus on the Instagram appeal over the food sometimes. Each time I’ve gone I’ve gotten the seasonal flatbread and a pasta or risotto, usually something with mushrooms, and it’s always been plate-licking good. To drink, I got -you guessed it- a Lemonade! For dinner I went with the Wild Mushroom Risotto which was everything you could hope for in a risotto, topped with olive oil, herbs, and local parmesan. We split the Rapini & Roasted Garlic Flatbread which was as it sounds, flatbread covered in rapini, garlic, and ricotta, which added a nice crunch and had enough rapini to feel like it was replacing a boring vegetable side dish or salad. The patio vibes were wonderful, the judgemental girls in the greenhouses looked like they were having a good time, and our waiter couldn’t have been sweeter. I will be going back to try the Fontina Arancini, which I just noticed on the menu. FRICK.

So there you have it, a very long-winded explanation of the last few weeks of my life and where you can find me on a staycation in Chicago. Hopefully once I move back to the city I’ll have endless new spots to try and won’t be basic anymore!

Until next time, Happy Eating!

-Natalie

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cupofepiphany · 3 years

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When everything falls into place

If you visually summarize my relationship with my boyfriend, Adriel, a considerable portion of it is spent inside his car. What used to be a half and an hour drive from Malate to Ortigas has stretched into hours from Malate to Pampanga.

This post isn’t about our long distance relationship, by the way, but if I had to pick one among my favorite moments with him, it would be here at Lotus Pod in Bay, Laguna.

As much as I want to vividly compose my amazing experience in Lotus Pod, I think these photos will speak for themselves.

LOCATION: 2340 Kalsadang Putol Brgy, Bay, 4033 Laguna

INSTAGRAM: @lotuspondbnb

PRICES

P8,500 - Standard Casita

P9,000 - Special Casita (for PWDs)

P9,500 - Deluxe Casita

Adriel got the Deluxe Casita. If you look at their website for comparison, there isn’t really much any differences except for the fact that the Deluxe Casita has more large windows.

REQUIREMENTS

PCR-test result

You have to answer 2 google forms before checking in

All villas have their own mini hot springs. This officially made our trip worth the long drive.

Before you even enter, you will be shuttled by a golf-cart, which is your chance to marvel at the landscape of the place. We arrived at around 5 pm and the sun was setting, the creamy light generously spilled on the surroundings. We kept discovering picture-perfect scenes as we walked aimlessly before the night engulfed the sky.

Imagine just lounging here. This place was meant to be exclusive for only few people. They only have 8 villas and each can only accommodate at most 2 adults. Because there’s a pandemic, they only welcomes guests for 5 villas. Despite that all villas were occupied at the date we booked our mini staycation, the place was so large for all of us that we were rarely at the same place all at once.

Before we checked out, we walked for a while and discovered their spa. Unfortunately, massages are not available because of the pandemic. We will definitely come back here just to complete our Lotus Pod experience with their signature massages.

Actually, the place is available if anyone wants to just lounge around or read a book. The only unavailable part of their spa are the massage services.

They also have a hot spring inspired infinity pool. You only have to pay P300 each to dive in. It’s about 5 ft deep and we were able to enjoy the whole area all to ourselves.

They also have a public pool area and a bar is available right next to it. Order 1 burger and the serving size is already good for more than 2 people.

Other activities

They have available bikes that you can take around for a ride whenever you want even without anyone’s permission.

There is a really nice children’s park (with all the fun playground stuff) and barbecue area

Trampoline

Tree house

A complementary zip-line

Here are some other photos.

Our total bill was around P13,000.

P9,500 for the villa

P600 for the spa

The rest? Food.

We didn’t expect that the servings were big so we ordered more than enough for the two of us. They also have a complementary breakfast for 2, and I honestly loved it so much. I enjoy it more than complementary breakfast buffets.

I think we could have spent another day here only if they allowed us to. We’re glad that we didn’t push through in Highlands Bali in Nueva Ecija. This is definitely worth more than a P20,000 generic hotel room.

There were so many moments when I forgot to take a video and just enjoyed what was in front of me. It’s cliche, but I think this must be paradise. It’s as if everything just fell into the right place.

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fanfictionisliteraturetoo · 4 years

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A Supernatural Christmas Carol (Chapter 3)

Chapter 2

Series Summary: After a rough year, the reader is having a hard time doing anything besides work. When Dean encourages the reader to celebrate Christmas with Sam and him, the reader declines. After their disagreement, the reader retreats to her room. Throughout the night the reader is visited by four unexpected visitors. Will these visitors be able to help her have a change of heart before it’s too late?

Chapter Three Summary: The reader is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Present. What he shows the reader causes conflicting feelings in their heart.

Pairings: Dean x Reader

Warnings: Mild Angst

Word Count: 2,050+

A/N: Clearly I’m a little behind. I got sick yesterday, and while I was trying to finish this part I was falling asleep sitting up. I still need to post two chapters after this one before the end of Christmas Day. So be prepared for a lot of fanfiction for Christmas! Anyway, this is loosely based on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. I will be writing five chapters to follow the format of the book. Wish me luck. Merry Christmas and Enjoy!

Remarkably my deep sleep got interrupted somehow. I sat up straight unsure as to why I was suddenly awake. Between my sister and the glowing ghost, my mind was reeling. Just as I sat up my phone began to go off once again. This felt like the final straw. I had turned the phone off. In no way should it be able to make sound or light up my bedroom. I turned it off once again and waited for the next messenger my sister spoke of. Where they would come from, I had no idea, but I wasn’t going to lay down and wait for them to arrive. This time I was ready.

Almost an entire hour passed waiting for the next visitor, but no one showed up. This unnerved me. I was just starting to feel like I understood how this worked. Had they decided to leave me alone? I couldn’t be sure. I reached over to my bedside table and opened the drawer. I started fumbling around searching for my watch. Once I grabbed hold of it I noticed a light begin to peak out from my closet door. It was different from the previous spirit’s light. This light appeared more like a warm and crackling fire. It danced quietly beneath the door as if it was beckoning me closer. I got up quietly, and tiptoed to the door. The moment I placed my hand on the doorknob, I heard a voice call out to me.

“Come in (Y/N),” the voice invited. I complied and opened the door.

When I looked inside it was no longer my closet. It opened up into a mirror copy of my bedroom. I looked behind me to find black nothingness, and quickly ran inside the room in front of me. I found that my room was greatly transformed from how I left it. Christmas lights were strung about the entire room, giving it a cheery glow. My desk and bedside table were covered in beautiful poinsettias, and a single mistletoe was hung just inside my door. Yet the thing that shocked me the most, was the comforting smell of pie and cookies that filled my room.

At my desk sat a joyful looking man in an evergreen bathrobe. Luckily, it was a nice bathrobe so nothing unseemly was exposed. He also wore a holly wreath on his head of dark brown curls. “Come in!” he exclaimed. “Come in and let’s have a chat!” I took a few steps towards him but wasn’t willing to go any closer. I didn’t want to travel anywhere else. My trip with the Ghost of Christmas Past was enough for me. The ghost in front of me seemed jovial, but looks can be deceiving so I kept my guard up. “I am the Ghost of Christmas Present, he said. “Come closer!” He waved me to approach him. Just like when my sister appeared to me, I went and sat on my bed across from my desk.

“So where are you going to take me? I’ve already visited enough memories. I learned that I haven’t been allowing myself to have any fun lately, let alone feel any happiness. Have you always been this joyful?” The spirit looked at me and stood up.

“Most certainly not. We all go through ups and downs in life. It took me many years of practice to discover how to be happy, even during the hard times. The most important thing I learned is to take care of your loved ones.” He answered my question about his demeanor, but ignored everything else. “Now come with me, we are not traveling far.” He stuck out his elbow and I linked my arm with his.

I followed him through my bedroom door, down the bunker hallway and into our main living space. We found Sam and Dean trying to set up a Christmas tree. I wasn’t sure where they got it but they had brought it in impressively quiet. Lights were already wrapped around the branches, and the Winchester’s were now placing ornaments on the tree. There was Christmas stuff spread all across the room. There was no way they planned this last minute. They must have been preparing this Christmas staycation for months.

“I’m going to grab us both a drink,” Sam huffed after placing a giant gold star on top of the tree.

“Alright” Dean replied, still focused on his work decorating the tree. The spirit lead me to the couch to sit down and watch.

Dean quickly went through the motions of decorating the tree. I knew Dean well enough to know that he should be enjoying this moment much more than he was. He seemed deeply troubled, probably thanks to our argument earlier. Sam came in a few minutes later with two glasses of eggnog.

“I made it extra strong for you.” Sam mentioned as he handed Dean his cup.

“Thanks” Dean replied, tapping Sam's glass with his before taking a sip. Sam got back to work, and began hanging garland around the room.

“Dean we need to talk about what happened today with (Y/N).” Sam suggested, looking over his shoulder at his brother.

“Sam I don’t even know anymore. We’ve been trying all year to find a way to help her, but nothing is working. It seems like every time we try, the more closed off she becomes.” With that Dean began to put the tree skirt down around the tree.

“True, but both you and I know that some of the burdens we carry take a long time to overcome. In the end family is what helped us through all of that. There’s got to be something we can do for her to at least help her start to feel better.” Sam was like a brother to me, but he didn’t know my mind like Dean did. He knew if anyone could tell what I was thinking it would be his older brother.

Dean sat down on the floor and meticulously placed presents around the tree. One in particular stood out to him. He picked up a thin, medium-length box off the table and weighed it in his hands. I watched as a single tear fell from his face. Once that happened Dean quickly set the present under the tree, wiped his face, and grabbed for his eggnog. I wasn’t the only one who noticed. Sam had been watching Dean from the corner of his eye.

“Dean…” Sam started, before Dean sharply cut him off.

“Sammy I don’t think she thinks of us at family anymore. The whole reason we planned this big Christmas is because years ago (Y/N) mentioned she wanted to stay home for Christmas one year. We haven’t been able to do that until now. It feels like it’s too late. I failed her.” Sam hung the last piece of garland and then joined Dean on the floor. Dean continued, “I am so scared of losing her….her leg is almost healed up enough that she can go hunting again. The look in her eyes lately scares me. I know she is going to throw herself into it too hard and get hurt again, or worse, killed.”

“Yeah you two are similar in that way.” Sam said raising his eyebrows before taking a sip of his eggnog. Dean looked at him annoyed.

“Very funny Sam.” Dean grunted.

“Listen Dean you and (Y/N) are more alike than you want to admit.” Dean rolled his eyes at this. “That’s exactly what I’m talking about,” Sam laughed. “But on a serious note, if anyone can pull her out of a funk, it’s you.”

“I hope so,” Dean placed the last gift under the tree. “I don’t know what I would do without her…” Dean mentioned before standing up and chugging the rest of his eggnog. Sam stood up, but he left his eggnog on the table. Sam grabbed Dean into a bear hug, surprising Dean at first, but eventually Dean joined in.

“She’ll come around Dean.” Sam reassured, patting Dean’s back. The embrace was short but sweet. Sam let go first and started to clean up.

“Will you be alright if I head to bed?” Dean asked.

“Sure thing, I’ve still got to finish my eggnog. Rest up. We’ll hatch up a new game plan tomorrow.”

“Merry Christmas Sammy”

“Merry Christmas Dean.”

I watched Dean for as long as I could before he disappeared down the hallway. Then I turned and watched Sam slowly sip his eggnog as he inspected all the decorating they did. The ghost got up off the couch and offered me his arm again.

“It’s time to go” He instructed. Once I took hold of arm we traveled even faster than I had with the Ghost of Christmas Past. We first landed in a familiar town, Sioux Falls.

Not only were we in Sioux Falls, but we landed in front of Jody’s house. The ghost led me inside to find Jody sitting in her living room, staring at her Christmas tree. She picked up her phone and dialed a number. The phone rang twice before someone picked it up.

“Hey Donna….Yes I’m ready for Christmas….supposedly they’re all in bed….are you still coming over tomorrow?” I couldn’t hear Donna’s replies but from what Jody was saying I had a pretty good idea of what they were discussing. Then they caught me off guard when Jody said, “Did you get a call from Dean today?” I didn’t know Dean called Jody and possibly Donna. “Yeah we definitely need to have her out her for a girls’ day. She’s been working herself way too hard.” The conversation lasted a few minutes more before Jody wished Donna a Merry Christmas and ended the call.

The ghost then led me outside away from Jody’s house. I felt strange. My heart was being exposed to all sorts of pain this evening. However, the strangest part of the evening wasn’t the pain. For the first time in a year, I was feeling something lighter and brighter. Hope. Even though I felt bad for causing my loved ones heartache, listening to them with the assistance of these spirits, was somehow helping my shoulders feel less heavy. I realized that I had some important people in my life who truly cared for me. It was time for me to start spending more time with them so that I could support them in the way they support me.

The spirit continued to take me to familiar and unfamiliar places. He showed me all kinds of families preparing for the holidays. Many of them were putting their insecurities, disappointments, and sadness aside so that they could make memories with their loved ones. These visits filled my heart continually with joy and sorrow. The more we saw, the more I thought about how I spent my year, and what I could do to improve upon it.

We finally arrived back at the bunker, if you could call it that. We were technically in the woods next to the bunker. The spirit looked at me with his jolly eyes. “Balance is the key to everything. Don’t allow work and pain to overcome your life. You have plenty to give and plenty to receive. Listen to your heart, for it will tell you what is right.”

“How can I make sure I do this?” I inquired.

“The answer can be found with you. This whole time you’ve been hiding from who and what you are. Embrace that and you will find the answer.” He finished speaking as a large gust of wind came blowing through. I closed my eyes and shivered. When I opened my eyes again the Ghost of Christmas Present was gone. I was now alone in the chill and fog of the woods. The words of my sister echoed again in my mind.

“If you do not listen to them, you will never be able to overcome the challenges that lie ahead.” Once that line ran through my head I felt a chill on the back of my neck. I turned slowly to see a large figure in a black cloak. I could not tell what or who it was, due to the dense shadows of the forest. It glided across the ground until it was standing across from me, face to face.

TAGS: @spnfamily-j2

#dean x reader #dean winchester x reader #dean x you #A Supernatural Christmas Carol #supernatural christmas #supernatural fanfiction #a christmas carol #supernatural

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namjuicyy · 5 years

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The Contract - Chapter Six

Masterlist | Requests are open.

Genre: Angst, fluff, smut.

Genre of this part: Smut.

Word Count: 3.3k.

Summary: Your life is turned upside down when a contract is pushed your way. But what happens if you sign it?

Warnings: surprise sex - kind of???? unprotected sex (rubber up, kiddlywinkles), little foreplay, penetration, interruption, voyeurism, qualities of a threesome but not an actual threesome (just read it), multiple orgasms, choking.

The next morning you woke up in Yoongi's bed after falling asleep there. At some point, you'd both curled into each other's bodies, holding each other tight enough that you wouldn't be able to fit a piece of paper in between you. Not without it crumpling up anyway.

Yoongi looked so peaceful when he slept, so soft and sweet. But then, after the way he was with you last night, you were hardly surprised. He was a giant softie underneath that socially awkward exterior. You had to peel yourself away from him in order to get out of bed – the heat he was providing proved too much for you to cope with first thing in the morning. You also couldn't be arsed to find your clothes that you had taken off last night, opting to rummage through his to find one of his super-oversized shirts and dress yourself in that.

Jin was already cooking breakfast and making coffee by the time you emerged from Yoongi's dark, little cave. He flashed you a little smile when he saw you dragging your feet along the hard wood flooring, too sleepy to lift them properly. And wearing one of his dongsaeng's shirts too. You looked absolutely adorable. He told you as much.

"Are you blind first thing in the morning, or just incredibly stupid?" You joked.

Jin tutted. "Neither. Though, I am learning your sarcasm knows know time. Shouldn't your brain be slow first thing in the morning?"

"I was just made to perfection," you joke tossing your hair over your shoulder, "what can I say?"

Jin waited a little while before speaking again, flashing you a knowing look. "I see you and Yoongi had some fun last night. Well, heard it, too."

"Was I that loud? Sorry."

Jin laughed. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but you weren't the problem."

You grinned triumphantly. You made Yoongi lose all his inhibitions last night. Though, you didn't think Yoongi was making a lot of noise. To be fair, you had spent a lot of time recently with Jimin in between your thighs, and no one makes as much noise as he does. Maybe Yoongi was just quiet in comparison.

"Well, be grateful you weren't Jungkook. That reminds me, I must apologise to him."

"What for?"

"I sort of went all dom on Yoongi in front of him. He looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights."

"He was shocked, I take it?"

"Understatement of the century."

"Yeah, well, he's not used to stuff like that, is he?"

"I take it he's not very kinky, then?"

"I don't think he even knows, to be honest."

You frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Wait... you don't know?" Jin looked at you with nothing but surprise on his face. You didn't respond, just stared at him expectantly. "Well, if you don't already know then it's not my place to tell you." Jin's wording made the pieces of the puzzle fall into place.

"Jungkook's a virgin?" You asked. You half doubted yourself, wondering how on earth this gorgeous 21-year-old man hadn't had a sexual partner before. Though, despite knowing, Jin's confirmation knocked you for six. "Fuck. How is that possible?"

"Well, he joined us when he was 15. And though he'd had a girlfriend before, he was too shy to take it any further. Then when he joined, any time he had for intimacy went out the window. He was always too preoccupied with making himself better for Army and for us, he never made time to go out and get laid like the rest of us. That and the fact that he was painfully shy to begin with. He's still adorably shy now but before that it was crippling. He would wait until we were asleep before he'd shower, he wouldn't talk to many staffs – and don't get me started on what he was like around girls."

"Oh God, don't tell me he was like Raj from the Big Bang Theory."

"Basically. Except even when he was drunk he wouldn't talk to any of them."

"Oh, Kookie."

"I know. I mean, me and Yoongi are quite shy, and none of us have had many sexual partners but none of us have been quite as bad as JK. He's part of the reason why I agreed to you joining us. He needs social interaction that doesn't involve six other men. Even if you never fuck him and he remains a virgin for the rest of his life, it's a woman's touch he needs, because he's very deprived of that."

"Wow."

"Oh please tell me I haven't scared you off!"

"Of course not! He wouldn't have agreed to this if he wasn't comfortable with it. I'm just surprised, is all. If anyone out of all of you was going to sleep around, I assumed it would be Jungkook."

"We all thought that. He's got that jock feel to him, hasn't he? But nope. Baby boy's an enigma."

You enjoyed Jin's breakfast and brought a cup of coffee to Yoongi's room to leave there. He was still sleeping so peacefully, you were sure his coffee was going to get cold, but you couldn't wake him. Instead you gave him a little kiss on his exposed forehead and left him to it. You needed to make yourself look a little more presentable. Even if you didn't put any makeup on, you needed to sort your hair out. You had no intentions of taking off Yoongi's shirt, it was too comfortable. So instead you made your way to your room to get ready.

Of course, Jungkook was still in bed, sound asleep and clutching onto your pillow like it was you. He was so adorable the way he buried his face into the sheets, inhaling your scent, you couldn't look away. You found yourself standing in the doorway, watching him sleep.

"Don't do that," Jungkook commented sleepily, "it's creepy." Of course the Golden Maknae would have a sixth sense when it came to people watching him sleep.

"I don't know what you're talking about." You replied.

Jungkook chuckled. Even when he was half asleep he still had his wits about him. "Last time I heard that you took Hyung into his room and fucked him."

Your eyes widened. He was right. Just as you were about to respond, you heard light snores coming from him. He'd fallen asleep again. You couldn't help but look at Jungkook differently now that you knew. You didn't want to – but it was almost inevitable. He seemed way more innocent than before, more babyish but in the cutest way. He was untouched snow after a snowfall; fresh paint in a new room. An alien in modern day society. A sweet, young man you couldn't wait to completely ruin for everyone else if he'd let you. God, the things you'd teach him. You could feel yourself getting wetter and wetter just thinking about it. But you couldn't rush him. You had to let him come to you – show you the smallest indication that he wanted to be inside you. Only then could you soil his innocence.

Recording season always has been and always will be your most boring season. The boys were never in the media during this time. There were no media appearances or concerts you needed to prep them for, so you were, in essence out of a job for a few months. Not that it mattered so much now, of course, as you were no longer paying the bills. Just your phone bill. You were able to turn down some freelance work now and take a staycation, pick up some hobbies that you had to give up because you simply ran out of time for them. Reading was something you used to do a lot before Big Hit hired you. You had a library that could rival a palace. Though, of course, that library resided in multiple cardboard boxes as you never had the space to display your books. But maybe now you'd be able to figure out a way to display them in your new room. Your room that was just as big as your last apartment.

It was the middle of the day and you found yourself almost home alone. Well, except for Hobi who was asleep in his room catching up on all the sleep he missed out on in the studio last night. He'd been up so late according to Jimin, doing a lot of work for his mixtape mostly. So, despite Hobi being there with you, it was almost as if you were alone. Which is why you decided to take your book and sprawl out on the sofa, laying on your tummy and rubbing your socked feet on the leather and feeling the skin of your thighs stick a little to the cold material. You had refused to put anything on underneath Yoongi's jumper, preferring the feel of knee-length socks instead of sweatpants or shorts.

You were so engrossed in your story, you didn't hear the sound of footsteps approaching behind you.

You felt a large hand rubbing at the back of your legs, stroking the socks and drawing your attention. Looking behind you, you saw Namjoon crouched eyeing you up. What you didn't realise, was in your non-caring attitude about what you were wearing and your thought of being alone, the way you were lay had made your jumper rise up, and expose the bottom of your ass cheeks. A part of your body that Namjoon was staring at like he was looking at the first meal he'd seen in months.

"Oh hey," you said casually, ignoring the look in his eyes, "didn't expect you home so early."

Namjoon hummed. "Wanted a break and forgot to pick something up."

"Oh."

Silence. You decided to return to your book as Namjoon was no longer wanting to keep up a conversation. You felt his hand continue to stroke you, moving upwards to your bare thigh and tickle it with the tip of his finger, sending shivers up your spine. "Namjoon-" You started, but he wasn't having any of it.

"Sssh." He interrupted. "Just ignore me. Keep reading your book. Pay me no mind."

That's going to be difficult, you thought. But you did as you were told and turned back to your book, pretending to read the same page over and over as you felt his hands wander. His lips came down to your upper thigh, kissing the spot where your flesh began to curve to the shape of your ass. The, to Namjoon, erotic spot that ended up giving him a raging hard on. His hand lifted the jumper up just a little to expose more of your ass for him to kiss. Well, over your underwear anyway. You felt his hand move to your core, his thumb resting on your ass as his index finger rubbed your slit through the cloth. You shifted, allowing him a little more access as you sighed at the sensation. His fingers were so long and beautiful, and they were barely touching you yet they were working you into a frenzy.

"Namjoon, please."

"Don't beg me. I'm not here."

You felt him pull your underwear down, then heard the light thud of them being thrown somewhere in the room. Namjoon's finger connected with your clit, and began to rub you in tight circles as best he could, given that your thighs had only slightly parted for him. Without moving you, there was no way he'd be able to stretch you out with his fingers for him, but there was a part of you that didn't want that. You wanted to feel him stretch you out fully with his cock. There was no way you wasn't wet enough for him. He could even hear the way your cunt was making wet little sounds as he played with your clit and sank his teeth into the cheek of your ass.

"I wanna make you cum so bad, but I wanna be inside you too. What a conundrum." Namjoon teased. "I wonder how fast I can make you cum."

He wasn't looking for a response from you, or if he was he just wanted it in the way of the moan he received as he started to rub your clit faster, as he added more and more pressure and soon enough your book had fallen to the floor and your cries were being muffled by the pillow as you came on his fingers.

Namjoon looked at his watch. "Two minutes. You must be really fucking wound up if it takes two minutes to make you cum."

"Or maybe I just want you inside me."

"Keep talking like that and I won't last two minutes."

You giggled.

Namjoon parted your thighs a little more and straddled you. You could hear him taking himself out of his trousers, felt his tip rub up and down your slit before sliding inside. The moan you let out was a lot louder as you felt your dripping yet unprepared cunt stretch significantly around his thick length, that just kept burying itself into you, seemingly not stopping. Just how big was he? Maybe the same size as Jin? Maybe a little bigger? You couldn't tell. All you could feel was your impossibly tight cunt being invaded by something that felt damn substantial.

"Fuck how big are you?" You moaned out when he bottomed out.

Namjoon chuckled at your surprise – you knew him well enough to know that he was blushing slightly. "I'm not hurting you am I?"

"Fuck no. Please move. Please."

Namjoon groaned. "Now I know why Hoseok and Jiminie like to make you beg. You sound so fucking pretty. I don't think I can be soft with you, is that okay?"

You tightened at Namjoon's sweet words filled with so much filth. The thought of him mercilessly pounding into you on this couch physically did something uncontrollable to your cunt. "Please destroy me."

"Fuck."

That was all it took to get Namjoon moving inside of you, slamming into you over and over again. You were bouncing on his cock without even moving yourself to meet his thrusts. It was like you were ricocheting off the sofa and back into him as he fucked into you. "God this cunt." He moaned. His hands came to rest on your ass, using that as leverage to steady himself. "They were telling me to hurry up and get inside you. They told me you – shit – felt amazing." He was ramming into you at this point. You didn't want to wake up Hobi, but the loudness of your moans were uncontrollable. You were screaming as he impaled you. "They didn't say you felt heavenly."

How was he doing it? How could his words be so sweet and soft yet his body was absolutely ripping you to bits, leaving you in shreds on the sofa.

"Fuck me, you're so big."

"You're so tight. Oh God."

Namjoon knelt back, hitting a different angle. "Yes! Namjoon! Right there. God, please don't stop. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"Why?" Came a voice from the other side of the room. "Why is it always me who walks in on you getting fucked? It's like you do it on purpose just to torment me."

"Sorry, sir." You said to Hobi through your screams. "I don't mean to."

"I think you do." He walked over to the sofa and knelt down in front of you, watching your face intensely as Namjoon kept his merciless pace. "First you fuck Jimin in my studio-"

"She did what?" Namjoon asked.

"Yeah. Caught Jimin balls deep inside her as he had her spread legged on my couch."

"Fuck."

"Had to fill her with my cum afterwards, didn't I? Let the little slut know she can't just fuck on my couch if it's not me."

"Did you punish her?"

"Hmmm, I can't recall. Did I punish you, slut?"

"Yes, sir." You answered.

"What did I do?"

"Y-you made me cum more than once. And s-spanked me, oh God. Namjoon, please!"

"Oh fuck that's hot." Namjoon commented.

Hoseok, "spank her, Joonie. The little whore loves it."

Namjoon did as he was told, a hard thwack came down on your bare ass cheek. It was way harder than anything Hobi had given you, and fuck did it feel good. You instantly tightened making Namjoon roll his eyes. "See?" Hoseok asked. "Turn her around, Namjoonie. I wanna make her cum for you."

Namjoon pulled out of you briefly to allow you to lie on your back and spread your legs wide for him. It was now you got to look at his impressive length while he stared at your beautiful cunt. He was bigger than Jin, no question, in both length and girth, and you were practically desperate for him to be inside you again. He wasted no time in diving back in, picking up exactly where he left off. His eyes were fixated on your tits as they bounced underneath the jumper.

"Hold on a second," Hoseok said, "that's Yoongi-hyung's jumper. You little slut, fucking another member while wearing someone else's clothes."

Namjoon tutted. "You know what I'm going to have to do, don't you, Hoseok-ah?"

"What?"

"I'm going to have to cum all over it to let Hyung know what a little slut she is."

Hobi's eyes widened. "Filthy boy." He playfully scolded. He didn't tell him to not, though. Without warning, his one hand wrapped around your throat, and the other made its way down to your clit, rubbing at the little button hard and fast. "I wonder how he'd react to that. Knowing that she fucked someone else in his clothes. Would you like him to know that, baby girl? That his little miss is a whore for someone else."

You couldn't answer. You could barely breathe. With both Hoseok and Namjoon giving you pleasure, your mind wasn't giving you the capacity to do much except scream out loud at the feel of your impending second orgasm.

"Hoseok-ah, she's getting so much tighter. You're gonna make her cum soon."

Hobi moved his lips to your ear, and in between nibbling at it, he spouted more and more filth. "Cum, ___. Cum for us. All over his fat cock. Show him how much you love it when two guys please you."

You let go, almost passing out at the onslaught of your orgasm. Your breathing was heavy, and you were gasping for air by the time you'd finished cumming. You winced at the feeling of Namjoon pulling out of you, and it wasn't long before spurts of his cum landed all over Yoongi's jumper just as he promised he would. Streams and streams of his seed landing on the fabric as he came hard all over you.

You both remained there for a while, catching your breaths and recovering from perhaps the best sex you'd had in a good while. It wasn't until Hobi stood to walk away you remembered he was still there. "Wh-what about you?" You asked.

"Oh please, as hot as that was I'm too fucking tired to get anything up." He bent down and kissed your forehead. "Maybe next time I'll get you to scream louder than him." He turned to walk away. "Oh, and the next time you two wanna fuck, don't wake me up."

"Sorry, Hobi." Namjoon said. "We'll try to keep it down." He turned to you. "Are you okay?"

"I need to sleep."

Namjoon laughed. "Come on then, baby. We'll nap in my room for a bit." He took your hand and led you off to his bed, giving you new clothes to wear before holding you from behind, watching you drift off into a deep sleep – completely exhausted.

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cutiecrates · 5 years

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Cutie Reviews: Yume Twins Sept 18

It’s been about 3 months since my last Yume Twins review.... it feels so weird! But to be fair that wouldn’t have happened if Tumblr didn’t act weird for a month, it really put me behind.

Although I did hesitate a little now and then, and video games, new manga, anime...

Anyway! Here we are :3 Let’s go!

This months theme: Staycation!

Have you ever suddenly decided that you wanted to go on a vacation, but couldn’t find the time to go out of the country or even far from your own town? In Japan, this happens quite a lot so we thought, “Hey, Let’s curate a box hat can help out others who ave this issue too!” Inspired by this, we decided to make September’s Staycation box! In this box you can find a variety of items that will help you when you go out on a trip, whether it is just a weekend or a week away! We hope that with this month’s box you can feel motivated to go on your own staycation and enjoy a nice, kawaii weekend away somewhere, even if it is close by your home!

Content

For this month subscribers were asked to take a photo using the included eco bag. First place not only won the big pikachu bag, but a fold-able umbrella and free 3 month subscription. Runners-up received a Pokemon mug and free 1 month subscription.

Yume Prize

This month the prize included the recently ended Pretty Cure series, Cardcaptor, and Little Twin Star.

I really really really really REALLY wish I would have gotten this one, I love Pretty Cure; especially the irresistibly precious Cure Yell plush~♥

Besides these, the book also featured a page on Pikachu, the Hello Kitty made-over Shinkansen/bullet train (a promotional event only lasting 3 months), and the art corner featured some cute bento.

With that let’s get on with the review!

Onsen Bird Plushy

An onsen is a natural Japanese hot spring, and a popular spot to visit during vacations or holiday break to stay overnight, or even just for a day to unwind after a busy school or work week.

These cute little birdies are preparing for their own onsen visit by the lovely sakura trees. There is six in total, and we’ve seen these little birdies before. This time I got the cockatail? Or maybe it’s a parakeet?

Anyway it’s different than last time. I still really want the cute pink birdie though~

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥

It’s a nice quality plush, it has a “bean bag butt“ and the rest is super soft stuffing. The outside fabric feels nice, but I noticed mine has a lot of loose glue strands where the felt pieces (flower, feet) were applied. I also found some random loose strings sticking out of it in various places. Mine also has a permanently re-positioned beak (I don’t remember how it came though, so...).

But I will say that the detailing on it is nice regardless of that, especially the clean onsen symbol on its butt. I can clearly tell it’s a bird, and I like the little additional features.

Sanrio Eco Bag

Next up is a fun, re-usable item. An Eco Bag is perfect for those last-second shopping trips, or you could even use them for your Staycation plans!

Not only that, but the material means they can easily be cleaned up if you were to spill something on them, and they would be perfectly fine to use in bad weather and can hold a good amount of weight.

There are six available in 2 different styles of either My Melody or Little Twin Stars, in 3 alternate colors. They all come in small bags to carry them around in for easier storage, making them great to put in the car or purse.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I really like using these types of bags due to how useful they are. I have a couple already, which comes in handy because like other bags, they can only hold so much- but they’re all really cute and fun too! They add a touch of cuteness to shopping.

I especially like this pastel series with vibrant accents we got in this box because it stands out greatly against my other ones and it’s perfect for spring- in fact I used this one today and it really stood out against the cloudy weather, and the car. If you’ve never tried one out before I would recommend buying one sometime.

Tsum Tsum Tumbler

Next up is a tumbler, a good item to have on hand during a long trip for storing a drink you can travel with. There were 3 available designs, all featuring a colorful cast of adorable tsum tsum~

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I adore Tsum Tsum/Disney, especially when I can find my favorite characters on them, and watching them swim around in the drink is equally cute. My only issue (and this is me nitpicking a feature, there’s nothing wrong with the tumbler) is that there isn’t a built mouth piece. I don’t know if it’s just me or what, but I end up spilling my drink/missing my mouth when it has such a hide mouth like these do <3<”

Character Toothbrush Kit

Our next item is essential for travel and overnight trips, a toothbrush! Not only that, but it comes in it’s own handy rinse cup!

These were available in 2 styles, including this yellow-chartreuse one (that matches the totoro cup I got months back), and a dark mauve hello kitty one.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I’ve already gotten 2 types of these before, but this is the first one I got in this shape. I love it! It looks like an actual cup, and it looks so smooth. I also like the hole of the toothbrush, although I don’t entirely know what it or the little notches are for...

Oh, oh! And the base/clear part even has a flattened bottom so it stands! My other two didn’t have that. The only thing is, this one doesn’t provide a toothpaste- which the other two did. So it’s sort of like a trade off. But if you have your own toothpaste I would recommend this type over the other style.

Marumofubiyori Sticky Notes

Next is this cute stationery item perfect for every day occasion, not just a trip. Although you could use them to mark and organize your things. Besides the 8 different styles seen here, each sticky note includes about 14-15 sheets! So these will go a long way.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

These appear pretty frequently in my boxes, but I think this set might be my favorite on cuteness factor alone. Otherwise they’re just like any other ones I got.

Cute Zipper Bags

This is our final item, a 4 set of kawaii zipper bags themed after jars featuring a variety of characters ranging from Sanrio, to Pokemon, Doraemon, and a cute bear character I’m not familiar with...

Anyway, the bags are very cute. Not only would they make for great snack bags you can carry around with you, but they could also be used as little gift bags or just to hold some little items and decorate with.

I got the My Melody one, and you’re wondering what it says, it reads:

New places give me the jitters but I must go. Such a wonderful world awaits!

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I think the set I got is really cute, and I love the quote on it. I think it fits me really well as a person too, because I tend to get anxious and stressed out when I’m out in public, and new places make me feel nervous. But I love getting to go out and exploring, and enjoy things outdoors~

I also like how sturdy the bags feel, and they’re sealed really well.

♡ Cutie Ranking ♡

Content - 4 out of 5. I liked the items well enough, but for me they were essentially very repetitive because of how many boxes I order/how long I’ve been a subscriber. I loved almost everything, but there wasn’t much of a surprise factor for me because the one unique item (the bags) were spoiled through email.

Quality - 4.5 out of 5. Everything was fine, although my birdy had some tiny issues that kind of caused me a little concern. Very tiny though.

Price - 2.5/3 out of 5. Honestly I’m not sure this was worth the price we pay. I mean yeah sure character goods- they get you on that. The items themselves are good quality and all, but like... I can’t see the 4-pack bags, plush, and toothbrush being more than 10 dollars together. I could see paying decently for the bag but... it’s very confusing to determine in my case because I don’t have any online websites to find the items and refer to like I do Kawaii Box.

Theme: 5 out of 5. Everything fits the theme, there’s no denying that : P

Total Rank: 15.5/16(?) out of 20 Cuties. I really liked the items we got this month, and the theme is a great one. I wish we had more like it.

♡ Cutie Scale ♡

1. Eco Bag - I love how bright and clean looking it is! The twins are so cute and vibrant too, it really works well for this time of year~

2. Zipper Bag Set - It’s very sweet, if I could find the whole collection in store I’d be tempted to purchase them~

3. Toothbrush Cup - I love the translucent lid and piece for the brush. I’m not a big yellow person, but it’s more of a chartreuse and I kind of like it. I also like how it matches the cup I got from several boxes back.

4. Sticky Notes - I love the different little images and the pastel color options, They’re so sweet.

5. Tsum Tsum Tumbler - Besides the large mouth opening, the design itself on it is very generic. The other two options were more unique. But it’s still plenty cute I rest assure.

6. Bird Plushie - It’s cute in it’s own kind of way, but... I don’t know, I’m not a huge fan of it.

Okay, so that will be doing it for this review~ I hope you found it enjoyable and thanks for taking the time to read it. I really appreciate it.

Next up we’ll be getting back into the beauty supplies so if you enjoy those be sure to stay tuned! Until next time, stay cute!

#yumetwins #yume twins #sanrio #tsumtsum #marumofubiyori

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thezodiaczone · 6 years

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November Forecast for Gemini

Brace yourself for one action-packed month in the cosmos, Gemini! There are a lot of shifts ahead, some of them long-term, and by the end of November, you could have an entirely different focus for your life. Mercury, Venus and Neptune are moving in and out of retrogrades, Jupiter and Uranus are switching zodiac signs, and their costume changes will keep you on your toes.

Normally you could roll with it, but many Geminis have a lesser-known type-A side, and this is all happening against the backdrop of Scorpio season. With the Sun in Scorpio and your orderly, task-driven sixth house until November 22, your efforts to corral the chaos could be somewhat in vain. Take things one step (and one day) at a time now. If you get frustrated, channel any stress into a good workout. The sixth house rules health and fitness, so when the email server crashes for the fifth time or you start feeling anxious, take it to the gym or yoga studio, or step outside for a brisk power walk, with your earbuds and a calming playlist at the ready.

Movement and clean eating will be saving graces, and the Scorpio new moon on November 7 is an especially fortuitous day to reboot your healthy habits. It’s also sandwiched in the middle of two major planets switching signs, making it extra important to anchor yourself with simple, grounding practices.

On November 6, disruptor Uranus, which is retrograde from August 7 to January 6, will back out of Taurus and your foggy twelfth house for one final spin through Aries and your eleventh house of groups and humanitarian issues. If you’ve drifted from your ideals, a surge of activism could rear up again (right in time for the U.S. midterm elections, coincidentally). You might also reconnect with a cutting-edge group of collaborators or use technology to get your message out to the masses. On March 6, Uranus will depart Aries for good and not return again in your lifetime. Use this time to align yourself with the tightest team possible, making sure your allies truly share your mission.

Speaking of allies, on November 8, expansive Jupiter starts a 13-month visit to your opposite sign, Sagittarius, putting partnerships on the fast track. From business to romance to creativity, dynamic duos are where it’s at between now and December 2, 2019. Engagements, weddings, business deals, BFFs—the next year is all about discovering the adventure of commitment (and no, that’s not an oxymoron) or making things more official.

Because Jupiter is all about evolution, you might outgrow certain people or amicably part ways with a longtime love. Or Jupiter could totally rejuvenate your relationship, giving you a new and inspired shared mission. In some cases, this move could bring a “role reversal”—for example, if one of you was the breadwinner while the other held down the fort, you might trade places. Either way, this power-pairing energy is balm to the Gemini soul. You ARE the sign of the Twins, after all!

Jupiter was last in Sagittarius from November 24, 2006 to December 18, 2007, so if you can remember back that far, look for repeating themes from that era. This is the start of a new 12-year chapter for your closest relationships. Use it to find a new, healthy balance of give-and-take with everyone in your life.

It will be nice to have some company and support as you navigate the stresses of modern life, to which you’ve had a front-row seat for the past year. Since October 2017, the red-spotted planet has been in Scorpio and your sixth house of health and organization, whipping your life and your wellbeing into fighting shape. From hiring new members of Team Gemini to learning to delegate to tackling clean living, it hasn’t been the sexiest year, but it’s certainly taught you to handle your business. If you’re the typical Gemini multitasker who has way too much going on at once, streamlining and systematizing became your new religion.

Some Geminis may have dealt with a medical issue, but with auspicious Jupiter here, you were probably led to helpful treatments and able to see the “wisdom” that your body was trying to convey to you. And, not that there’s anything wrong with this, but abundant Jupiter in the sixth house can be notorious for causing weight gain—no matter how healthily you eat. So if you went up a clothing size this year or didn’t see outward “results” from your workouts (even if your health improved dramatically, which is what really matters), you can blame Jupiter for that.

On November 16, Venus ends a six-week retrograde in Libra and your fifth house of love. Amen! Since October 5, the planet of romance and interpersonal harmony has been back-spinning, a cycle that happens every 18 months for six weeks. An ex may have resurfaced, or you could have dealt with disruptive and drama-filled dynamics with everyone around you. You enjoy a LITTLE excitement, Gemini, but when it gets this complicated, your patience wears out fast. So if you asked the universe for more thrills in your love life, maybe you should’ve been a little more specific!

Venus turns direct mid-month, but just as the love planet corrects course, communication planet Mercury (your cosmic ruler) turns retrograde until December 6. Mercury will back through Sagittarius and your relationship house until December 1 and then finishing its last few days in Scorpio and your health sector. With outspoken Jupiter in Sagittarius, you’ll have the urge to start making heartfelt confessions and dropping truth bombs on your inner circle. Well…you’ve got about a week to do that, Gemini, before Mercury issues a gag order. Since Mercury retrograde can mess with everything from technology to travel plans to your conversations, be extra vigilant about backing up files, booking flights and hotels, and saying the important stuff in the first half of the month.

The relationship energy really ramps up starting November 22, when the Sun starts its month-long visit to Sagittarius and your committed-partnership house. With el Sol at its farthest point in the sky away from you, don’t be surprised if you feel a little tired or unmotivated. After all, the Sun is our “power supply” that provides our vital life force energy. Low on fuel? Balance out this internal deficit by leaning on your closest crew. Let people support YOU for once, instead of you always holding them up. Got a big project to finish? Use the buddy system. Working together will make the tasks easier to get through (and might produce some epic inside jokes). Find creative ways to team up: Grab an accountability partner, hit the gym with a friend, or outsource the drudgery to a skilled specialist.

But there’s one day this month when your solo star will shine. On November 23, the year’s only Gemini full moon puts the spotlight directly on you. If you’ve got something to launch, share or just say unapologetically, speak clearly into the mic. For business owners, this is also Black Friday, so consider sharing a personal story as part of your marketing or posting some glamorous new photos of yourself. If you’ve been wanting to treat yourself to something that will improve your life or bring you more happiness, the Gemini full moon is the perfect day to do that. It’s the culmination of plans and efforts you’ve been putting into place since around your last birthday.

It’s an action-packed sequence of days (and also the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in the U.S.) because on Saturday, November 24, hazy Neptune will end its five-month retrograde in Pisces and your career zone. If you’ve been in a holding pattern with work or unclear about your mission, you’ll be glad to know that things should start to pick up. Even better? Intensely ambitious Mars is also in Pisces from November 15 until the end of the year

Circle November 26 as the “luckiest day of the year” according to astrology. It’s the annual summit of the bold Sun and expansive Jupiter. This year, they’ll join forces in your relationship house. Some Geminis could achieve “power couple” status, meet the love of your life or get an exciting work offer. The message of this risk-loving day is to “go big,” so don’t let yourself be limited by fears and doubts. Under these confident, anything’s-possible skies, you’ve got nothing to lose by trying!

Love & Romance

Love on the rise…or on the rocks? It’s a mixed bag for the first half of the month as romantic Venus rounds out a frustrating retrograde backspin through Libra and your passionate fifth house. Until November 16, old baggage around relationships could arise—in the form of an ex or unresolved issues. You might be moody and mercurial, quick to react when you’d normally just shake something off.

Venus turns direct (forward) on November 16, but that same day, communicator Mercury will go retrograde until December 6, reversing through Sagittarius and your committed-relationship house for nearly its entire backspin. There might be one more round of unresolved stuff to sort through (sigh).

Luckily, you’re getting some balanced perspective from the other love planet, Mars, which is in Aquarius and your optimistic ninth house until November 15. You might just be too busy with travel and adventurous pursuits to get sucked into drama. With Mars in this wisdom-seeking zone, a little “shelf help” could go far, so look for books, podcasts and courses to help you learn bigger lessons from any love-related breakdowns.

On November 9, the love planets meet in a beautiful and harmonious trine—and even the retrograde will be no match for this generous gesture. If you’ve been at odds, a little vacation (or staycation) might be the perfect antidote to shaking off all that stress. Single Geminis could meet someone from a wildly different background today, or a person who wouldn’t normally be your “type” might turn out to be a great catch.

On November 15, Mars will move into Pisces and your ambitious tenth house for the rest of the year. You could get intense about commitments and goals in your love life. With Mars in your career house, work demands can cut into quality time, or you might feel sparks with someone you meet professionally. Be careful about any dating-the-coworker scenarios, but don’t turn your nose up at those industry events and holiday parties. Your soulmate could be hanging out there with a stick-on name tag and a napkin full of passed hors d’oeuvres!

The headline news is that expansive Jupiter will settle down in Sagittarius and your committed-relationship house from November 8, 2018 until December 2, 2019. This will only play into the Mars-driven focus on the future. Whether you’ve already found your “special someone” or you’re still waiting to meet them, the planets are lined up in your favor. You’ve got so much to look forward to this holiday season and for almost all of 2019, so open your mind (and your heart) to new people—or new ways of seeing your longtime love.

Key Dates

November 30: Venus-Uranus Opposition Are you or someone close to you playing mind games? So frustrating! One minute it’s all “come closer,” the next you feel like a ghost. Sit this round out and wait till this distancing transit passes tomorrow.

Money & Career

Shoot for the moon! Ambitious Mars is zooming through the top of your chart all month, rounding out a two-month visit to Aquarius and your worldly ninth house on November 15. After that, Mars will spend the rest of 2018 in Pisces and your career zone, a hyper-ambitious transit that happens every two years. While others downshift for the holidays, you’re just warming up. Make the most of it but be mindful how much you take on. You don’t want to be stuck toiling away while everyone else is celebrating.

Sharing the load will be the key to surviving and thriving. And with Jupiter, the planet of global expansion, starting a 13-month spin through Sagittarius and your partnership house on November 8, new collaborations and contracts could come from far-flung places. But careful: Mercury will be retrograde here from November 16 to December 6, which could cause miscommunications and technology glitches.

On November 6, innovator Uranus backs into your teamwork sector for four months—adding yet another challenge to wrangling the troops. With tech-savvy Uranus retrograde until early January, make sure you go beyond the apps, emails and chats when you interact with your people. Don’t underestimate the importance of face time. If you work remotely, use a video app like Zoom or Skype—sometimes just seeing someone’s facial expressions can make it easier to connect and pick up on nuances.

The November 23 Gemini full moon could put the spotlight directly on you or catalyze one of your solo endeavors. What have you been working on since your birthday season? Seeds you planted then could blossom. This assertive full moon also helps you speak up for yourself, so go ahead and advocate for needs or share a bold opinion, even if others don’t get it right away.

Key Dates

November 19: Mars-Jupiter Square You could hit a roadblock on your race to the top. It may slow you down or force you to take a different route, but it’s not going to stop you. You know exactly where you want to go, so stay focused on the goal and don’t worry about a couple minor impasses.

Love Days: 8, 13 Money Days: 20, 29 Luck Days: 27, 18 Off Days: 24, 11, 16

#gemini #monthly horoscope #horoscope #horoscopes #astrology #gemini monthly

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readmylip-s · 5 years

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thank u, next.

so here we are, a week left until we usher in the new year. 2018 is probably one of the more major roller coaster rides i’ve had for a while now. i’ve had quite a few accomplishments and fcos the usual emotional-down-turns. i’ve also had tons of blessings and a lot of lessons learnt through the year. i’ve always been told to count my blessings so thats exactly what i’ve been doing.

if you know me you’d know i prefer keeping my social circle small, though it may not seem that way on socmed. but thats the thing, thats social media. i dont revolve my life around social media. i think i’ve said this way too many times - what you see is only what i choose to show. on a personal level, i rlly prefer the company of a small group of people, even if it means just hanging out with one or two friends. i think 2018 is also the year i’ve had one of the most me-time. i enjoy going to the movies alone, having the entire couple seat to myself, i love sitting at starbucks sipping on GT Cream or seasonal drinks and occasionally with a plate of beef pie. teehee.

i’ll prolly share some positive and not so positive highlights of my year, as well as all the blessings i’ve had through the year.

this year, just like the past 2 years, i landed myself in the hospital.

pretty much because of the same old issues i’ve been having. was put on oxygen supply for quite a fair bit, had multiple needles poked through my skin, and multiple bags of glucose. it was a crazy period because it was during the fasting month and prior to the hospitalization, i was fasting. and even when i was in the a&e and eventually warded, i was still not allowed to have food. i was cranky, i was upset and best of all? i felt like i was gna faint. i was due for surgery, again, the next day so i couldnt eat. but i was a rebel. during the night, i secretly chewed on Mr Bean pancake that my brother got me when he accompanied me for a bit. so glad i didnt get caught hehe. fast forward, post surgery, i ate like a monster. the little brother was supposed to fly off the next morn for his school trip but he still came to visit me during the night. he even brought me bubble tea?! i was discharged after what seemed to be a torturous 3d2n staycation at NTFGH.

2018 was the year i get to tick off certain things in my bucket list. i finally, finally did something i really wanted to do.

i got myself a septum piercing. its a pretty unorthodox thing considering how i dress and all but hey, a girl can dream, and make her own dreams come true. it was on a very random sunday that i decided to get it. but i’m kinda glad i did. i guess all the needles from all my hospitalizations helped me coped with the needle that poked through my septum. pretty sure this is only gna be a phase so all you hateful people, shut your trap. hahahaha. :)

also this year, i finally got to climb a mountain again.

it was DFOALC’s first overseas staff expedition. (no, i wouldnt consider pulau ubin ‘overseas’, haha) it was the toughest climb i’ve had of all the 4 climbs i’ve done before. in summary - my injury acted up during the ascend and descend, and i also almost lost my life to Gunung Berembun. i survived, alhamdulillah. i just needed my cast when i got back to Singapore. phew.

moving on to counting my blessings, i call them my constants.

#4.

its no surprise that AY is one of the greatest blessing i never knew i needed in my life. i never know where to begin when it comes to how beyond blessed i am for his presence in my life. its still so surreal how we were friends for the longest time and now we’re planning for a future together?! WHAT. hold on, time!

it is rlly crazy how this whole love thing works. but whatever that is, it has brought so much joy in my life. and AY has made me the happiest kid ever since we began our journey in chasing NZ! thank you, AY. you’re so bloody amazing, and i can’t wait to spend forever and a day with you. dont know what i did to deserve you but i’m glad i did. x

#3.

my bestfriend; nurul. we went through our poly days together, and even when we were separated in to different classes, we still made it a point to have lunch together atleast once or twice a week. clingsterzx much. we even applied for the same job together and among our group of friends who applied, only the two of us got it. is this fate or what?! thank you sissy for being there, always. and for always being the one with the sneaky pick me ups, and listening to all my sob stories. but please dont degil when i try to help you find a boyfriend??? but if you insist then i hope you find your oppa lah okay. we have had our differences and our bumpy ride but what doesnt kill us makes us stronger, yes? so much love for you, sissy! x

my other bestfriend, zulh.jsmn. this photo is the exact representation of our bestfriendship. he annoys the living shit outta me but i have got no choice but to accept him the way he is. unlike nurul, this one is lowkey always asking me to find him a girlfriend. smh. your day will come soon, buddy. i’m grateful for all the times you made sure i was always in check. also for being my guitarist bcus i’m that much of a loser who cant play the guitar, and most importantly for the letter you wrote to me 5 years ago for me to look back to when i feel like the worst person on earth. oh and all the times you traveled down for me just to send food that you cooked so i’d have food to break my fast with during my internship?!?! you always have the most interesting gifts for me whether its for my birthday or just a random gift. the box of clouds from genting, i still have it! appearing in Chicago with SD and a guitar to sing me a birthday song at midnight for my 19th birthday. and the lantern we flew for my 20th birthday in Tennessee at midnight? i choose to believe its still flying somewhere in the sky! thank you, buddy for everything. smell ya in futura tomato saucin, buddiok! #OHOS #GBT #NZV lives!

my sister, SD. oh sisthur, the resemblance we have is uncanny. it is no wonder people automatically recognize us as sisters through photos. our taxi stand incident will always be etched at the back of my mind. it is one i would never forget bcus it is that one short incident that led us to how close we are up till today. though things cannot be exactly how i imagined it to be, i’m still glad i have you almost entirely. here’s to more sisthur hangz! sayang sawah! x

and of course, my number one constant, my only older brother. you suck and you’re such an idiot but you care for me in ways no other human would. no one, and i rlly mean no one, can ever take your place in my life, for blood is thicker than water. i promise, to always make you proud of me. and i too promise that when the day comes that you shed your tears for me, i’d cheer you up and promise to always be the same baby sister you grew up with. thank you, for calling me your bestfriend, and for loving me with all your life. growing up together hasnt been an easy feat but i’m glad our rivalry only lasted through the times we wore the same sneakers, shared the same room and have the same mp3 player. you rlly suck sometimes but i love you every other day. x

/wow so much of a summary and a wrap up, nurfa./

but yep, these pretty much sums up my 2018. fcos there were pockets of crazy shit that happened through the year; from suffering cuts and bruises bcus of anxiety attacks, to losing my sanity, to falling out of a relationship, to my injury and to losing friends i thought who would be around a little longer.

some other things i ticked off my bucket list was meeting Haqim Mokhtar and watch him perform live, singing on stage (i got to sing with sufian suhaimi!), being present for TLV gigs, and fcos, completing my desired Nike Collection hehehehe.

i am very much thankful to God for allowing me to unlearn and relearn whatever i needed to. i dont really do resolutions but in 2018, my goal was just to seek happiness. i’m glad to say that i have achieved my goal of being happy. and in 2019, i pray for constant happiness with the people i love most, and for inner peace. may 2019 be the year i break the chain of having to be hospitalized, and may 2019 also be the year of recovery.

x, nvrfa

1623 | 23rd December 2018

#nvrfadiary

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rubinahassan · 5 years

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Salaam everyone!

It’s officially December and here in South Africa, we’re in Summer!!!

Schools are about to close in the next week or two, and many people have already made their plans as far as travelling goes, both local as well as international travel.

Some of us however, don’t have the luxury of going on holiday, as December turns out to be the busiest of times for many businesses.

As such, we tend to have many ‘staycations’, mainly at home, while our spouses are of to work.

So to keep from going ‘stir crazy’ at home, I’ve decided to compile some activities all around Gauteng.

1.Get Pampered!

I’ll admit that I love getting pampered. Massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, hair treatments, etc, are something I miss a lot.

Since I’ll be home for the holidays, I have absolutely no reason not to have all the above done. However, there are those times when its month end and after paying all the bills, you don’t quite have much left over for a spa treatment or session, or you just don’t have the time.

If you’d like to spoil yourself, an option may be to have a mobile spa come to your home and you can have all of the above mentioned things done in your own space.

If not, than perhaps a ‘pamper day’ would be fun. Invite all your besties or nearest and dearest, get everyone to bring their favourite facial masks, nail kits, hair treatments, oils, creams and lotions, and give each other massages, manicures or pedicures while waiting for your face masks to dry. Also make sure to have some healthy snacks like a fruit platter and some refreshing lemon or fruit water/ cucumber water handy ( its great for hydration of the skin!).

2. Gardening

I fondly remember helping my grandfather plant seeds for vegetables and herbs on Sunday mornings when i was a child.

Recently, my husband and I bought some rather pretty pots and some flowers, a tree, and some herbs to begin a potted garden as the place we live in doesn’t really have room for a normal garden as such.

It looks really pretty and I hope to add a few more pots as time goes on, to plant more vegetables, and perhaps some fruit trees.

It’s a great way to spend an afternoon and once things begin growing, you can see and perhaps even eat the results of you’re handwork.

Did you know that by working with soil and earth in general is both calming and good for you?

3. Sporting Activities

Many of us love doing certain sports. You could be kicking a ball with the kids or inviting the neighbours to all join in for a game of cricket, or maybe just taking your bestie out for a walk, there are many options open to you.

If you have a love for hiking and history, be sure to check out the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve for hiking, bird spotting, and even some wildlife sighting such as zebra, red hartebeest and black wildebeest. There is also a heritage ‘farmstead’ site which is quite interesting.

This reserve is open to the public from sunrise to sunset daily and has no entrance fees.

Laser tag and adventure golf are two other fun sport games. There are places around Gauteng as well as around the country, for both of these.

I much prefer Laser tag instead of paintball as it definitely doesn’t hurt, compared to paintball. Check out Swat Laser Tag for more information.

Or if you’d prefer adventure golf, click here.

4.Picnics In The Park

In Gauteng, we may not have been blessed to have an ocean front, but we do have some amazing botanical gardens and some lovely parks, as well as the zoo lake, which is always nice.

As its summer now, it’s a good time grab your sunglasses, sun hat, a picnic blanket and your picnic basket. Make some delicious food and chop up some fruit, add a bottle of frozen pink lemonade and water…. and of course your sunscreen, and off you go.

The Rietvlei Farm and Lifestyle Centre is a lovely place to go to. Based in southern Johannesburg, it’s quite near to places such as Walkerville, Eikenhof, Ridgeway, Mondeor, and Lenasia.

It’s a perfect location for picnics and letting the kids go wild, as they have a petting zoo and Tractor Cart Rides, Pony Rides, Steam Train Rides, and a Mini Zipline. There are lapas and a venue for hire as well as drum braai hire if you do not have your own.

There is an entrance fee as well as a fee for hiring Lapas and they sell tickets for all the rides mentioned above, as well as for the zipline.

5. Have An Amazing Dinner

Ok, so all year you may have been hearing about people raving, on social media especially, about some newly opened restaurants. Why not treat yourself to a fabulous meal that [a] you didn’t have to cook, and [b] you deserve for working hard all year round. Alternatively, include your spouse or best friend if you’re not comfortable with eating alone.

6. Take An Art, Language or Cooking Class

The holidays are a great time to learn something new. Learning how to cook a gourmet four course meal, with dessert or if you’re adventurous, how about learning to cook a different cuisine completely? perhaps Thai, Middle Eastern, Korean or French? Maybe even learn to speak 2nd or 3rd Language?

If classes are unavailable, how about following a recipe from some amazing cooks around the world? Or learning from an online website?

Check Terrapetti, the cookbook out, available on Amazon. They have an amazing collection of recipes from around the world, in one digital copy. Not only does it have recipes, but it has some great stories in it which make for interesting dinner conversation.

7. Be A Tourist In Your Own City

Although we live in a country with a lot of history, how many of us have actually gone out to visit places such as the Carlton Tower, famous for once being Johannesburg’s tallest building in Newtown, the Apartheid Museum, or the Hector Pieterson Museum?

There are some interesting art galleries to visit as well, click here to see Getaway.co.za’s 12 Must-See Art Galleries in Johannesburg.

Or view Vibescout.com’s 21 Museums & Art Galleries in Joburg here.

8. Take A Day Trip

Day trips are always interesting and fun… and sometimes educational too.

The Lesedi Cultural Village in the Cradle of Humankind is quite interesting.

If you’d love to see animals, check out the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve in Krugersdorp.

A personal favourite place to visit is the Magaliesburg. It has some great fruit farms and picnic places. From mountain biking, fly-fishing, hiking, horse riding, and even adventurous canopy tours to luxurious spa’s, there’s something for the whole family. Click here to read more about Magaliesburg.

Hartebeespoort Dam is really popular and there are so many places to visit. It boasts a variety of boat cruises, hot air balloon safaris, and other activities for the adventurous traveler.

My favourite thus far has been visiting ‘French Toast’ to see the ‘Little Eiffel Tower ‘ and ‘Bridge of French Love Locks’. Its like having our own ‘Little Paris’ in Gauteng!

[Please do note that French Toast is NOT a Halaal Certified establishment. Its always a great idea to pack a picnic basket & cooler bag with drinks, as many places do not cater for Muslims.]

French Toast

French Love Locks Board

The Bridge Where French Love Locks are Locked.

The Little Eiffel Tower at French Toast

The Beautiful Painting Displayed On The Wall At French Toast

The ‘I Love You Wall’ Sign

The ‘I Love You’ Wall [I Love You written in many different languages]

Belle Fleur Gift Shop Sign

I hope that these ideas will inspire you to enjoy your ‘Staycation’. Should you have more ideas to add or if you would like to share your favourite ‘Staycation’ idea, please do, by clicking that comment tab now.

Was salaamu alaikum wa rahamatullahi wa barakatuh.

Activities For Your December Staycation Salaam everyone! It's officially December and here in South Africa, we’re in Summer!!! Schools are about to close in the next week or two, and many people have already made their plans as far as travelling goes, both local as well as international travel.

#Best Friends #Couple #Food #Fun #Gauteng #Ideas #Johannesburg #Solo #South Africa #Staycation #The Turquoise Scarf

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