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bubba4576 · 9 months

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The recap of several years in a row 🫣

June 2023

Right now I’m sitting in the backseat of a different car (I drove a minivan for 20 years and now have a smaller car a rav4, which is cute and fun to drive but I admit I miss a big car! Maybe this one will become a car for one of the kids one day…) listening to my grown daughters chatter about life and Taylor swift and in the heights and…life. It’s otherworldly and beautiful to be one adult among many instead of the adult (well one of two:). I realized that I haven’t written in so long not because I haven’t had things to write but because the speed of life has had me running and barely a chance to catch my breath.

I’m not going to do a good job recapping three years but I’ll try my best

2020 fall: Lindley went back to Purdue -thankfully to an apt- the dorms were not fun during covid. we went back to school at BCS with plexiglass, masks shield and terribly smelly hand sanitizer. I had to teach in the classrooms all year since they were tying to minimize the kids leaving their safe spaces and infecting others. There were too many cases and quarantined to count.

Mal had covid in late oct but didn’t suffer too much. Mostly a really bad headache. So james and I had to stay out of school for two weeks. I started getting really good at recording myself teaching and making viable music lessons from afar. James and I painted the big room in the basement (oh we also changed out the flooring in the sunroom during the spring 2020 lockdown).

At thanksgiving we didn’t know how to plan with the cleveland family and in the end it just felt too risky esp with the grandparents, so we rented a little cabin in southern Indiana and hike and explored caves- it was pretty fun. Sadly lindleys found out after she was already with us that she had covid. So she masked most of the weekend. Funny moment: when you open up what you think is a turkey and it’s HAM! Ham for thanksgiving….. no bueno!

Christmas was strange also - we did a drive thru in the 24th in Cleveland. JT had his party outside in the garage with heaters. We stopped by Grammy’s and nana and grandpa’s houses and unfortunately unknowingly infected them:( when we got home lindley started not feeling great and we found out she had covid again. We were so worried that the grandparents would freak out but no one had symptoms so they were fine. We loved it when lindley would come home for break and even though it was hard to see her go she loved Purdue and her friends. That year she lived in an apt with Cori, Lydia, and Alexis. Next door was Libby, Hailey, Mackenzie and….?? Those girls also went to Guatemala together the next summer and had a fabulous time!

I hardly remember the second semester in 21- things were still online-like ISSMA- Mal recorded her solo at Sweetwater, james was in 7th grade, playing soccer for United and playing the saxophone at school. Things eased up as the year went on at BCS thankfully. Public schools were a mess all year- they had students come every other day so that there weren’t as many ppl in the building at the same time and the students could stay 6 ft apart. It was a mess for families whose parents needed to work out of the home. As the students were virtual in their off days. Many people say that not much learning and much stress happened that year. The seniors who graduated and began college are who I feel the worst for. So challenging.

By the summer, things were beginning to feel more normal. We could always notice a difference between Ohio and Indians tho- Ohio was much stricter. More masks for longer- more stores closed down etc.

Black Lives Matter and the me too movement were huge at this time. The George Floyd murder at the hands of cops set into motion a wave of protest and outrage in the nation. It hope it all produced some change.

Mallory worked at Old Navy that summer (masked the whole time) and enjoyed it although never really wanted to go back. She was good friends with Maddie Lehman during this time.

Lindley went to Guatemala after meeting a boy at a wedding in May ❤️ that boy ended up being the one 💕and they are getting married in three weeks! We love Josh and are excited to welcome him into our family. She is home for several days and now and we are working on wedding details. I love having her home and am feeling nostalgic that the 5 of us won’t be a unit any more. There is nothing bad about it, it’s just change…. 😢

Both girls had their senior years at the same time - Lindley dating Josh and trying to figure out her life :) she lived with Tori and Olivia Coats in an apartment off campus and second semester went back and forth between Indy and Purdue as she had an internship at Riley hospital there. She really loved the hospital setting and hopes to be able to return after getting her masters one day. Josh came to Cleveland with us that Thanksgiving and got to meet the extended family.

Mallory had a rough beginning to her senior year as he friendship with Maddie broke up and she never really knew why or had an closure from that. So hard. She began a close friendship with Will Guthrie after getting close to him at Youth group and began dating him in November. The group went in a backpacking trip to northern Michigan (north manitou island) and she sadly got Lyme disease from a tick bite and it resulted in Bell’s palsy for about 6 weeks- one half of her face was paralyzed!! It was pretty crazy- she had to tape her eye shut at night because she couldn’t blink it and put eye drops in frequently to keep it moist. She was on medication and things did clear up although it is something she’ll need to mention to every doctor for the rest of her life probably. :( even with that she had a great soccer season, chapel leadership went great, and she thrives through it. Her college auditions were delayed bc of her Bell’s palsy, but by January she was ready. She applied to many schools but zeroed in in Wheaton and Belmont and decided to audition there. After receiving a very personal acceptance letter from Hope College she also decided to add that to her list, and that was the place she loved the most. We were all surprised but it has been a great place for her!

James just loved life as the little brother of a cool senior - playing soccer and getting taller by the day. He is still easy going and kind of quiet. Once Mal left for school we realized exactly HOW quiet and introverted he really is. I wonder if we have talked over him all of these years? Has he had something to say that we’ve ignored? Maybe we’re making up for lost time now. He doesn’t complain and also doesn’t like extra attention which might make him think deeply about emotions etc 😂 or maybe he’s just easy. Is that a thing? I think for james there is a part of him that is. He goes with the flow, doesn’t make waves, is mostly happy to do whatever is going on and can be convinced by his sisters esp to do just about anything:) it’s pretty great!

As a family we got into watching some shows together which have been fun- amazing race, Lego masters, survivor, marvel movies and series.

We went camping several times at pokagon, Mal and Kevin hiked the red river gorge, and youth group took Mal and separately james (and Kevin as a chaperone) up to manitou island to backpack. They all really loved it.

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college-girl199328 · 1 year

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The Ontario government and the province's poultry industry are putting a renewed focus on biosecurity at their first meeting in the three years since the COVID-19 pandemic began, with the hope farmers' actions today might stop an even deadlier pandemic before it starts this year. The National Poultry Show in London, Ontario, is traditionally held in April. But as infections and losses among domestic flocks continue to add up from the highly pathogenic avian flu, or H5N1, the event was moved to early February to get the message out before wild birds start their spring migration.

With farms still under quarantine in B.C.'s Fraser Valley and outbreaks in Quebec last summer, the talk among poultry farmers in London, at the industry's largest gathering in Canada, isn't about "if" the virus arrives but "when." At this year's show, authorities aren't taking any chances with their messaging to farmers about preventing the spread of H5N1, especially after a Spanish mink farm was decimated by the virus in what might be the first documented case of mammal-to-mammal transmission of the illness.

OMAFRA now discourages live poultry shows and livestock auctions while encouraging all poultry and swine workers to get the flu shot—to prevent human flu strains from mixing with their avian or porcine counterparts and potentially causing a zoonotic leap. If avian flu ever made the leap to humans, the result could make the COVID-19 pandemic look mild.

Since 2003, there have been 240 human cases of the virus in four countries in the Pacific region. Of these, 135 were fatal, giving the virus a case fatality rate of 56 percent, according to the World Health Organization. The most recent human case was detected in China last fall. The patient died in less than a month. "We have to push a hard message. People don't realize it's not just their little fish bowl."

Even a misstep, such as forgetting to change boots or tools between barns, can result in life-changing consequences on the farm. A single case of avian flu detected on a chicken, turkey, or duck farm would result in Canadian Food Inspection Agency officials imposing a 10-kilometre quarantine before euthanizing every animal.

That fact isn't lost on farmers like Brock Wiebe, who works on his family's chicken farm in St. Marys, Ont., where they depend on a flock of 14,000 birds to make a living.

Biosecurity has become such a big business in agriculture that it's prompted entrepreneurs such as Mark Bevan to make a foray from health care to agriculture. Bevan is president of EthoGuard, a company that's found a flourishing business selling disinfectants, personal protective equipment, biosecurity training for farmers, and even cleaning up after an avian flu outbreak.

The company's marquee product is Prevail, a stabilized hydrogen peroxide product that was first developed for hospitals during the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) crisis. As avian flu and swine fever began to increasingly threaten farms a decade ago, Bevan said he and his business partners saw an opportunity they couldn't pass up. "The technology is called accelerated hydrogen peroxide. It's a Canadian invention, actually," he said. "It's seen as the most effective choice. It's contact time for killing pathogens, but the real magic is that it's a cleaner."

Bevan stated that Prevail has been a minor player in agriculture since its introduction. He hopes to one day replicate the success the chemical has seen in hospitals, where it's as indispensable as rubber gloves.

A new report suggests the number of low-income rentals available in both Calgary and Edmonton has sharply dropped over the past 30 years, highlighting another challenge facing Albertans seeking affordable housing. The University of Calgary's School of Public Policy released the data in its Social Policy Trends report on Thursday.

U of C says that between 1990 and 2018, the number of low-income rental homes dropped by four percent (669 units) in Edmonton and by 26 percent (3,155 units) in Calgary. However, those figures don't quite illustrate the extent of the problem, the school says.

The study says low-income rental units are defined as older buildings in less desirable locations that are further away from resources like transit, parks, and schools. Ron Kneebone, the author of the study, says one of the possible reasons behind the change could be a shift in median incomes.

However, since the median incomes in both Calgary and Edmonton are nearly identical, Kneebone believes something else may be to blame for the decrease. "This explanation does not explain why the availability of low-cost rentals fell by so much more in Calgary than in Edmonton, nor does it explain why the number of relatively low-cost rentals has historically been so much lower in Calgary," Kneebone wrote.

He suggests that because of local land-use regulations, the cost of building and maintaining rental units--particularly labour and material costs--could also play into the issue. "The CMHC has recently studied the impact on rents of local land use regulations in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver," he said.

If such a relationship exists between Edmonton and Calgary, Kneebone suggests this may add weight to the argument researchers are trying to make with local governments. "It suggests attention be paid to local government policy choices when trying to understand what determines the local supply of low-cost housing," he said.

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stringerrachel · 1 year

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College Website Articles

2020-21 Academic Year in Review

(Written for Florida College's bi-annual print magazine)

The 2020-21 school year began in an atmosphere of cautious optimism. After months of uncertainty, the school was officially cleared to hold classes and house students on campus. Although Camp Rock, Labor Camp, and other summer events were canceled, there was still plenty of activity on campus as the faculty and staff prepared for the students’ return. The dorms parents and Dean of Students office facilitated move out procedures for the few students who were unable to collect their things in May, the new Dining Hall director created menus for the upcoming semesters, and the faculty attended trainings that prepared them to teach virtually.

As always, about 10 percent of the student body arrived up to a week early to prepare for campus activities. This year’s early arrivals included the Yearbook staff, the soccer and basketball teams, and the Alpha club. These students were the first to experience Florida College’s campus under the new COVID restrictions. These students wore face coverings during their trainings, had their temperatures checked before practices, and greeted their friends with elbow bumps instead of hugs.

These safety precautions also affected the bustling activity of Move In Day. This year, moving in was staggered according to last name in order to minimize the number of people in the dorms and encourage distancing. Although the protocols made this Move In day unique, the excitement and anticipation that accompanies each new school year was as palpable as ever. Even in the face of unforeseen adversity, the students greeted the challenge of attending Florida College during a pandemic with optimism and patience.

The students’ adaptability was tested in September during the school’s first (and only) major COVID outbreak. Due to some students contracting the virus while off-campus, the administration began contact tracing and placing students into isolation or quarantine. The students’ response was inspirational. Those who were still free to walk about campus used buckets, ropes, and paper airplanes to send snacks, treats, toys, and notes through their friends' windows. Chalk drawings on sidewalks, ice creams cups left on doorsteps, and Zoom Bible studies were just some of the creative methods the students used to maintain, grow, and form friendships during this time of temporary separation.

As the semester progressed, the students adjusted to a new normal that included multiple abbreviated fall breaks, a county-wide mask mandate, and online tests and finals. Each of these changes presented its own challenges, but the students persevered by bonding together. As they bid farewell and began their six-week winter break at Thanksgiving, many students took to social media to express the gratitude they felt toward the friends who remained close even while staying six-feet apart.

January saw a delayed return to campus but no major COVID breaks as the students returned to campus. Several students, including sophomore Jordana Volpe, were able to move back into the dorms after being an online student in the fall. “I decided to come back to campus because of the amazing friends and community that support me spiritually and emotionally,” says Jordana. “Being back on campus allows me to make more meaningful memories during my time at Florida College.”

The school’s spring schedule was adjusted in several ways, including the delaying of Lectures until May. However, many of the events that were postponed or canceled in 2020 are on track to proceed as normal in 2021. Camp Friends were selected and began training as the Florida College camps opened for registration. The SBGA found a venue and booked entertainment for the Spring Banquet. Students made plans to register for fall classes and submit dorm room reservations as the semester passed its halfway point.

A normal spring break, which included tours for the Chorus and Improv team, marked an exciting accomplishment for everyone on campus. As the students made their way back to Tampa, they prepared to do something that proved impossible in 2020: finish out the spring semester on campus!

It has been more than a year since the COVID-19 virus first affected the Florida College experience. In the last 12 months, the student body overcame trials and emerged stronger as their friendships and faith were refined by this unforeseen challenge. We couldn’t be prouder of this incredible group of young people and the attitudes they have exhibited this year.

#articles #writing

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travelandvoyage · 1 year

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TRAVEL ADVICE AND INFORMATION FOR YOUR VISIT TO SOUTH KOREA

South Korea is one of the newest tourist hotspots, but most visitors only stay in Seoul and potentially the nearby regions, oblivious to the fact that the country offers a wealth of cultural, natural, and gastronomic attractions. Additionally, despite the fact that many people choose to use the public transportation system rather than drive themselves, South Korea is said to be the ideal location for a road trip with a hired automobile. Let's look at the planning and organization of a road trip to Korea in depth to ensure you have the greatest experience possible.

Korea travel season?

Korea may potentially be visited year-round, but visitors should be aware that in the summer it can be quite hot and even in school, and that in the winter it can become very cold and make outdoor activities impractical. It could be challenging to maneuver in this situation. Spring and autumn are the greatest seasons for two key factors. Every year, between March and April, cherry blossoms surround the whole nation and are a very breathtaking sight. The same thing occurs in the fall, particularly in October, when the leaves turn crimson and the landscape becomes incredibly lovely. This also implies that these two times—the flowering seasons—are very well-liked by local visitors to go, so it's important to prepare everything in advance to ensure that you don't miss a place. (Also due to higher-than-normal costs for travel and lodging).

How Do I Travel To Korea?

Unsurprisingly, there are a variety of methods to go to Korea, all by flight. There is normally at least one stopover airport, which may be longer or shorter and determines the higher or cheaper costs then. The choice of airline to travel with much relies on the chosen time period and also from the departing airport. I advise comparing costs, times, and carriers. I took a KLM flight to Amsterdam on the outbound leg, then an Air France flight to return to Paris Charles de Gaulle.

What paperwork is required for travel to Korea?

You require a passport that is valid for at least three months after the date of arrival if you are traveling to Korea from the United States, Canada, Europe, or Australia. Unlike other nations, you won't have a stamp in your passport; instead, you'll get a pamphlet with the dates of your arrival and departure that you must preserve till you return instead. nation (3 months from arrival, if you are visiting for tourism purposes) (3 months from arrival, if you are traveling for tourist reasons). You must apply for a visa if you want to remain in Korea for a period of time more than 90 days or if you need to work there. You will be required to complete an entrance declaration, a customs declaration, and a quarantine questionnaire before to landing. The quarantine questionnaire is particularly significant since Korea is cautious not to import things that are regarded to be products. is suspected of having the illness.

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spellsthename · 3 years

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~Spring Quarantine Study Challenge~

Well... I don’t know about you guys, but I’m still doing university from my childhood bedroom. So to keep myself and you guys accountable I have created another challenge! This challenge is going to be 110 days long! Feel free to do prompts you like, all of them, some of them, or just follow the tag for the adventure! I can’t wait to read what you have all posted!

Alright, now that I have everybody up to date on how this is going to pan out let’s get to the nitty gritty of what exactly we are going to be doing! There is going to be new prompts each weekday and similar reflective posts on Saturday and Sunday!

Tags for this challenge are going to be #SpringQuarantineStudyChallenge #SQSC #heyspell-studies and anything you’d like to add! Feel free to @spell-studies and tag me with #heyspell-studies

~I’m going to do a read more so I don’t overwhelm your scrolling lol~

1. Mon. Jan. 25: Welcome back to another challenge! What are your goals?

2. Tue. Jan 26: What classes are you taking this semester?

3. Wed. Jan 27: what are you most excited for this semester/challenge?

4. Thur. Jan 28: Wanna post a work space pic?

5. Fri. Jan 29: TGIF what’s today’s ~vibe~?

6. Sat. Jan 30: How did this week go for you?

7. Sun. Jan 31: What’s the plan for next week?

8. Mon. Feb. 1: Favorite studyblr tip/quote?

9. Tue. Feb. 2: Shelfie!

10. Wed. Feb. 3: What are you doing as a study break today? Post a pic!

11. Thur. Feb. 4: Why did you join studyblr?

12. Fri. Feb. 5: Currently reading?

13. Sat. Feb. 6: How did this week go for you?

14. Sun. Feb. 7: What’s the plan for next week?

15. Mon. Feb. 8: Did you have a nice weekend? Did you take a good rest?

16. Tue. Feb. 9: Small goals this week?

17. Wed. Feb. 10: guilty pleasure show!

18. Thur. Feb. 11: How do you manage your time?

19. Fri. Feb. 12: Give yourself three compliments!

20. Sat. Feb. 13: How did this week go for you?

21. Sun. Feb. 14: What’s the plan for next week? (also can I be ur Valentine!?)

22. Mon. Feb. 15: Currently listening to!

23. Tue. Feb. 16: Favorite study app? (or any app it’s your blog!)

24. Wed. Feb. 17: Cozy corner, what makes you feel cozy?

25. Thur. Feb. 18: Do you exercise? Do you have a favorite type?

26. Fri. Feb. 19: Tag some friends and write them a little note!

27. Sat. Feb. 20: How did this week go for you?

28. Sun. Feb. 21: What’s the plan for next week?

29. Mon. Feb. 22: What is your study style?

30. Tue. Feb. 23: Do you study in your pajamas?

31. Wed. Feb. 24: What is your favorite doodle? Show us!

32. Thur. Feb. 25: Cursive or print?

33. Fri. Feb. 26: Handwritten or typed notes?

34. Sat. Feb. 27: How did this week go for you?

35. Sun. Feb. 28: What’s the plan for next week?

36. Mon. March 1: How do you prep for class?

37. Tue. March 2: Blue or black ink?

38. Wed. March 3: Favorite type of self care?

39. Thur. March 4: How do you stay motivated for school?

40. Fri. March 5: What is your favorite vice?

41. Sat. March 6: How did this week go for you?

42. Sun. March 7: What’s the plan for next week?

43. Mon. March 8: Planner, bullet journal or?

44. Tue. March 9: To- do list!

45. Wed. March 10: Hydration station, how are you hydrating today?

46. Thur. March 11: have you ever tried a study tracker?

47. Fri. March 12: When was the last time you really treated yourself?

48. Sat. March 13: How did this week go for you?

49. Sun. March 14: What’s the plan for next week?

50. Mon. March 15: Halfway! Goal check in how are you doing?

51. Tue. March 16: Share your to read list!

52. Wed. March 17: Share what you have read!

53. Thur. March 18: Shameless self promo! Drop your handles!

54. Fri. March 19: Any new goals?

55. Sat. March 20: How did this week go for you?

56. Sun. March 21: What’s the plan for next week?

57. Mon. March 22: What are you grateful for today?

58. Tue. March 23: What are you proud of yourself for?

59. Wed. March 24: Favorite sweet?

60. Thur. March 25: What makes you happy?

61. Fri. March 26: What are your strengths?

62. Sat. March 27: How did this week go for you?

63. Sun. March 28: What’s the plan for next week?

64. Mon. March 29: What is your weakness?

65. Tue. March 30: Can’t pour from an empty cup! How do you refill your cup?

66. Wed. March 31: What was the last compliment you got?

67. Thur. April 1: When do you feel most at peace?

68. Fri. April 2: Who do you admire?

69. Sat. April 3: How did this week go for you?

70. Sun. April 4: What’s the plan for next week?

71. Mon. April 5: What does your ideal work day look like?

72. Tue. April 6: What does your ideal off day look like?

73. Wed. April 7: Where do you see yourself in six months?

74. Thur. April 8: How would somebody else describe you?

75. Fri. April 9: What does your best life look like?

76. Sat. April 10: How did this week go for you?

77. Sun. April 11: What’s the plan for next week?

78. Mon. April 12: City or country living?

79. Tue. April 13: Paper books or e-readers?

80. Wed. April 14: Favorite study beverage?

81. Thur. April 15: What are your hobbies?

82. Fri. April 16: Favorite smell?

83. Sat. April 17: How did this week go for you?

84. Sun. April 18: What’s the plan for next week?

85. Mon. April 19: What language are you (or do you want to) learn?

86. Tue. April 20: Do you play any instruments?

87. Wed. April 21: When are you most comfortable?

88. Thur. April 22: Are you extroverted or introverted?

89. Fri. April 23: How do you handle life requirements outside of school?

90. Sat. April 24: How did this week go for you?

91. Sun. April 25: What’s the plan for next week?

92. Mon. April 26: Where would you study abroad if you could go anywhere?

93. Tue. April 27: Warm bubble bath or stress relieving shower after studying?

94. Wed. April 28: Favorite study snack?

95. Thur. April 29: Do you best in the morning or the evening?

96. Fri. April 30: Would you consider yourself a romantic?

97. Sat. May 1: How did this week go for you?

98. Sun. May 2: What’s the plan for next week?

99. Mon. May 3: Favorite book?

100! Tue. May 4: View from your window!

101. Wed. May 5: Give some advice to younger studyblrs!

102. Thur. May 6: What time does your alarm go off?

103. Fri. May 7: Do you like to write?

104. Sat. May 8:How did this week go for you?

105. Sun. May 9: What’s the plan for next week?

106. Mon. May 10: Almost done! Take a peek at your goals how’d you do?

107. Tue. May 11: Game plan for final exams?

108. Wed. May 12: How are you managing finals?

109. Thur. May 13: Hopeful! What’s your plan for break?

110! Fri. May 14: All done! Pat yourself on the back! What have you learned and/or what are you proud of!

#SQSC #spring quarantine fall challenge #studyblr challenge #studyblr #studyspo #study motivation #study #studying #studygram #study notes #aesthetic #study 100 challenge #notes #study challenge #spring semester #winter quarter #spring quarter #prompts #cici speaks

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chaoshomeschooler · 3 years

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1/29/21 - 3:40 AM

this is pretty long so here’s a read more

I’ve come to accept the fact that I simply do not operate in the daytime. The past several days I have ended up staying up until 4 saying “I’ll go to sleep soon” while getting nothing done. Then I sleep until some ungodly hour the next day - not like I’m in my bed sleeping until noon. No. I get up, go to work, then doze off at work between customers. Every time I fall asleep at work I get... scared? I hear these clicking sounds and I feel dread while I’m sleeping but I still just kind of sleep. It’s really not fun. But either way, I’ve been getting almost nothing done in the day because I sleep until really late (today I stayed home and I ended up being up for three hours then taking like a four hour nap) and then I get nothing done at night because I keep thinking I’ll go to sleep soon.

So today I’m just staying up all night, getting things done, and hopefully I’ll be so tired that I can get to sleep at a decent hour tomorrow, even if I end up dosing off all morning.

And guess what. It worked. I got an assignment done and I started on my next one. I’m still awake enough that I’m going to go work on a scholarship and a commission after this.

For me everything is about results and not method. Ideally I’d operate during regular hours but ya know - it may not be the right way but it’s the only thing that’s working for me right now.

Oh yeah and I’m actually using my desk for once in my life so I feel like a real student for once lol.

Stu-dna challenge days 27-29:

27. study in groups or study alone?

What’s a group?

JK umm when I used to be in co-ops (Classical Conversations or CC, for the initiated) and that one year I was at the career center I did have several group projects and breakouts in classes - I hated the group projects because either I was the only one who did any work (career center) or I was stuck with someone who hated me/the group was so big it was hard to get anything done (CC). So nah, in most cases I would rather study alone unless it’s with my one friend who actually cares about her grades like I do.

28. do you like the cold? what are your favourite winter activities?

I don’t necessarily like the cold but it’s better than the heat bc you can put on layers or use a space heater - in the heat there’s only so much you can do.

Uhhh my favorite winter activities would really just be anything Christmas related. Just hanging out at home and decorating or baking or making gifts for my friends or anything like that

29. do you have any hobbies?

I find it hard to define hobbies? Like I sew and crochet but that’s also my job. I learned embroidery over the summer and I also write but I don’t have time for either of those things any more.

I also play piano but it’s kind of a school subject due to the like intensity of my learning that (wow I can’t english rn). Cello is more of a hobby for me because I don’t take lessons anymore - but that’s another thing that I don’t have much time for.

spell-studies challenge:

3. Wed. Jan 27: what are you most excited for this semester/challenge?

This isn’t school related but it’s happening this semester - I’m going to go visit Belmont University and my Adult Friends aka my favorite band who all went there are gonna meet up with me there.

I guess describing them as my favorite band makes it sound really unrealistic - they’re a super tiny band and I met them when they were even way less famous - I started talking to them and one of them commissioned something from me etc etc now we talk on and off on social media and whenever they come to my area we hang out. Also they’re not that much older than me I think they’re like 7 or so years older.

4. Thur. Jan 28: Wanna post a work space pic?

I added the pic at the top of the post before I even saw this prompt lol :)

5. Fri. Jan 29: TGIF what’s today’s ~vibe~?

today’s (yesterday’s???) vibe is ✨disappointment✨ I slept way too much and got nothing done yaaayyyyy - so by the time my parents got home (they work like a million hours a day so I don’t get to see them much) I was still working so I couldn’t spend any time with them. I’ve been trying to spend more time with them bc I’m graduating this spring/summer (*barf*)

but the vibe going into the rest of today is ✨fuck you you better get some shit done and tire yourself out so you can go to sleep fuck you and your bad habits✨

#high school #stu-dna challenge #SpringQuarantineStudyChallenge #spring quarantine fall challenge #study challenge #homeschooler #homeschooling #home school studyblr #homeschool studyblr #home school #homeschool #studyblr

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growing-nerd · 3 years

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3/12: When was the last time you really treated yourself?

Well I have dessert every day! I had some canned bubble tea while doing some major laundry today. I feel very productive.

#studyblr #bubble tea #laundry #lofi #music #YouTube #spring quarantine fall challenge #chill aesthetic #heyspell studies #academics unite

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momolady · 3 years

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Werewolf Boyfriend: Grayson

Guess what? This doesn’t take place inside Hearthway Hollow! This story is about a werewolf outside the town.

Female Reader x Male Monster

Usually, when your family says they have relatives living in the woods, it means someone is living off the grid, a redneck, a crazy person, or some mixture of the three. Your aunt and her wife are none of the above, except maybe a little crazy. When the pandemic began, your aunts invited some of the family to come stay with them during quarantine. They owned and operated a bed-and-breakfast, so they had the room, the supplies, and the ingenuity to make it through the months-long lockdown.

You take up the offer, only because you know your roommate is going to be a giant challenge. Your cousin, Junie, has also come back from college, and another relative has taken up a room. The handyman of the bed-and-breakfast is also staying, but you barely see him. You and Junie start to refer to him as cryptid, because he only appears when it’s foggy or dark out. He keeps to himself, which was nice, considering the need for social distancing. It’s better than your tiny apartment, but still it feels like the walls are closing in sometimes.

Your original plans for the spring and summer revolved around work, but all are canceled by the pandemic. At least you have a camper attached to your truck, which is filled with camping equipment, rations, and all your photography equipment. The plans for your travels are still marked in the planner on your front seat. Sometimes you sit behind the wheel and just look at the planner, thinking about where you would be now, what you would be doing. Sitting back and looking out the window, you could be anywhere but a bed-and-breakfast in the woods with only a tourist trap in view.

During one moping session, the cryptid handyman walks right in front of your truck. He has an axe slung over his shoulder, and looks more like a bear than human. He seemed less hairy when this whole thing started, but then again so did you. You slouch in the seat, hoping he doesn’t see you. Once you think he’s gone, you sit back up with a sigh of relief.

You glance back into your planner, feeling heavy-hearted about your plans. You won’t have the money you usually do to take a winter vacation, so you’ve already been putting feelers out for winter and fall work. Which you hate, not dealing with the cold very well.

There’s a tap at your window and you turn, seeing the handyman standing there. You lurch, feeling your hair stand on end. “It’s supposed to storm tonight. I’d move your rig out from under the trees.” He points with his axe to the driveway. “Just park in front of the garage. No one is coming in or out.”

You roll down the window slightly. “What kind of storm?”

He shrugs. “Does it matter? Just trust me.” He points at the driveway again and walks away to the shed behind the house, where all his equipment is stored.

You do as he asks, moving the truck and camper so it takes up the driveway. You take some of your equipment inside too, just in case. Fiddling around in your room, you start cleaning your camera, which leads to cleaning everything else. You double-check connectors and backups, and begin the long process of going through your inventory and updating your website.

Soon, it begins to get dark outside as storm clouds gather. You take your camera up to the attic, which your aunts have turned into a sort of tearoom. It smells like potpourri, and the bisque dolls sitting around the place are creepy, but the big decorative window is the perfect place for pretty snapshots. You’ve been trying to set up a print shop, hoping to make some small amount of money. Taking a series of photographs taken through this window had been a goal of yours, but quarantine got in the way.

The first shot you took when you arrived, the scenery outside was gray and heavy with small strokes of green as winter gave way to spring. The second was lush with greenery and flowers from spring. Then you gave up. Now, the third shot showed the world painted gray and heavy from the upcoming storm. In the distance you hear rumbles of thunder, which you began to count to track how far away it is.

On the road just outside, you see the handy man walking. He comes to a stop and drags his ax along the dirt, making an X at the doors. You watched him curiously. It almost seems like he was placing a warning. But for whom?

That evening, you help your aunt Rosie in the kitchen. You’re used to quick roadside diners and fast food during the summer, and having a home-cooked meal almost every night is kind of nice. “Did Grayson have you move your truck today?” Rosie asks.

You look up from chopping vegetables. “Who?”

“Grayson!” she laughs. “Our maintenance man.”

You never knew his name. “Yeah,” you nod. “He told me earlier today.”

“Such a nice young man,” Rosie coos. “Been working here since he was a boy.”

You furrow your brow slightly. “A boy? How old is he?”

“I’d say he’s a little older than you,” Rosie says thoughtfully. “Came here when we first opened. We’d been open a few months and it was becoming apparent we were a little confused with things. Then he showed up wanting to rent a room. All he had was a plastic bag of his belongings and greasy hair, so Honey and I put him to work in exchange for room and board. Twenty-odd years later, he’s still here. Does odd jobs in town when we’re slow, but he mostly keeps to himself. He’s a very quiet young man.”

“He really must have been a kid when he first came here,” you murmur.

“Honey and I have never really figured out just how old he is,” Rosie sighs. “We could never get it out of him when he arrived. He looked like a baby, but he acted like an old man. We figured we’d just take care of him, it didn’t seem like he had anywhere to go. We couldn’t live with ourselves if we just let him go. So that’s why we gave Grayson the job here.”

“You have no idea where he came from?”

Rosie shrugs. “He’s been wonderful, never gives us trouble, and works hard for us. I don’t think in the past,” she says. “Whatever he left behind is long gone, what he has now is a future, and everyone deserves that.”

That evening as you all sit down to eat dinner, the storm arrives. Rain patters against the windows, and then the wind picks up and sways the trees. The downpour comes, dimming the lights for a moment. “I swear to god if we lose WiFi, I will become an ax murderer,” Junie grumbles.

Honey turns to glare at her. “No you won’t. Stop that.”

The door opens, letting in harsh wind and rain along with Grayson, soggy, dripping, and huffing. “What on earth were you doing outside?” Rosie snaps.

“Got caught.” Grayson shuts the door, then pushes his wet hair back from his face. “I was getting the chicken coop taken care of.”

“I’ll fetch a towel,” Rosei says. Then she motions to you. “Fix him a plate.”

You stand up, but Grayson stops you. “Don’t worry about that, I’ll eat later. I’ve got a few more things to take care of.”

“No, you don’t. You’re going to get dry and eat, and that’s final,” Honey scolds like any good parent would.

Rosie returns with towels while you set Grayson’s plate of hot food before him. It’s silent as everyone focuses on the ruckus of the storm outside, and you watch the shadows of the trees move between bites of food. “Grayson, where do you keep your ax?” Junie suddenly asks.

You look at Junie. “Is the WiFi down?”

“I can ask where sharp objects are in my own home.”

Grayson wipes his beard and chuckles. “I think I left it at the chicken coop.”

“Oh, great!” Junie scoffs. “Now the chickens are gonna kill us.”

After dinner, you go back to the attic to take a picture of the storm through the window. You’re lining up the shot, waiting for a lightning bolt to strike, when you notice something moving in the storm, dark shapes darting between the trees. They linger where Grayson made the X earlier, then scurry away.

Your finger lifts from the shutter. You didn’t realize you’d been taking a long burst of pictures this entire time. Heart racing, you look back through the pictures, seeing something that your bare eyes couldn’t. What were dark shapes to you have glowing eyes through the lens of the camera. You thought the intruders were coyotes. These aren’t coyotes.

“What are you doing up here?”

You jump, turning back to see Grayson coming in. “I was...” You look at your camera, then back at him. “... trying to get a photo.”

Grayson’s dark eyes narrow before he turns his attention to the window. He has a tarp and a nail gun in his hands. “I came to board up the window, just in case.”

Your eyes widen. “It’s going to be that bad?”

“Just being safe.” He steps up to the window. “It’s my job to take precautions. The more I do now, the less work it’ll be if something bad does happen.”

“Oh.” You look back at your camera and quickly switch the screen. You don’t want to face what you might have captured. “Need any help?”

“No. I have this.” He waves the nailgun. “This is loud, though, so you might want to step back.”

“Can you wait?” you quickly ask. “I was hoping to get a lightning shot.” You wonder if he’ll be upset by this request.

“You have twenty minutes, and then I need to fix this up.”

You relax. “That’s more than enough time.”

You set up the shot again, preparing the camera to instantly take a picture once it detects a lightning flash. Grayson sits down, gingerly turning away a doll that appears to stare a little too hard. “How long have you been doing this?” he asks.

“Professionally, about five years. But I’ve been using a camera since I was a kid.”

Grayson sighs and leans back in the chair, turning another doll around when he realizes it too is looking at him. “I was looking at some of your work the other day. It’s very good.”

You flinch. “You were looking at my work?”

He nods and casts his eyes down. “I was curious, and Ms. Rosie showed me our website. I’ve never known a photographer before. A real one, anyway.”

“What do you mean?”

Grayson scoffs. “We get a lot of influencers here looking for a photo op.”

“Ah.” You turn back to your camera. “Rosie said you’ve been here twenty years.”

He nods. “Just about.” He’s rough, but there’s also something so peaceful about him. Usually, you’d feel nervous talking to someone you barely know, but with him you experience a sort of quiet that doesn’t need to be filled.

“Do you like it here?”

“I’ve come to call it home.”

You smile to yourself. “I’ve always liked Aunt Rosie. She was one of the few people who never picked on my weight.”

“She’s good at making you feel accepted.” Grayson sighs softly. “Not many people would take a chance on some greasy asshole like me back in the day.”

“Were you an asshole?”

Grayson chuckles. “Who isn’t as a kid?”

You nod along. “I guess that’s true.”

It goes quiet again, nothing but the sound of rain and wind outside. The silence feels comfortable, almost warm. You step back from the camera and look around the dark room, through the shapes of chairs and dolls. “I hate this room,” Grayson grumbles.

“Why? The dolls?”

“Yes!” he laughs. “They’re so creepy.”

You giggle. Lightning lights up the room, and your camera clicks away before you shut it off once it goes dark. Grayson stands from his chair. “Did you get what you were after?”

You look through the pictures and smile. “I think so.”

By morning the power is out, and a tree has been knocked over across the road. Grayson hooks up the generator just so you can make coffee and heat up leftovers for breakfast. You eat to the sound of his chainsaw revving outside. You and Junie decide to go out and help him move the wood out of the way, since it was quite a big tree. As you’re hefting debris, your foot slips in the mud and you start to take a tumble, but Grayson catches you.

“You look like some backwoods romance novel cover,” June snickers.

You quickly straighten up, stepping away from Grayson. Your heart is hammering, and your face feels red hot. “Thanks. Good save.”

Grayson arches his brows. “No problem.”

You smile, biting it back so hopefully no one will see, but Junie does.

The power remains out almost all day. In the evening Rosie and Honey go into town to get gas for the generator, and some food from the diner. You go out to your camper, where you have all sorts of extra battery packs and solar chargers but don’t remember where you put them. You find a box with a couple of chargers and take them into the house, to the ecstasy of Junie. Even though the WiFi is down, she still needs her phone.

You take your camera out onto the porch to charge. Grayson walks up, his hair wet and pulled back from being washed. Even more shockingly, his bear has been almost completely shaved off. He’s still protected by a thick layer of stubble, but you can actually see the shape of his face, and scars along his jaw and down his neck. There also appears to be something else sticking out from under his collar.

“Who are you?” you ask.

Grayson smiles and shakes his head. “Not funny.”

“Why the shave?” you ask.

“Getting hot out, so I figured now was the time.” He sits down near you. “Get anything good last night?”

You sigh, wondering if you should divulge the whole truth. “Good, bad, weird.”

His brow pinches. “Weird?”

You move closer to him, sitting beside him on the bench so you can share your camera with him. He smells amazingly good from whatever soap he’s using. You swallow nervously and scroll through the photos, showing him the ones of the lightning. “Not bad,” he murmurs. He shifts slightly, almost nervously as well.

“That’s not all,” you murmur. “I saw something kind of weird yesterday. Are there coyotes around here?”

Grayson’s thick brow furrows. “What do you mean?”

You show him a photo of the strange shapes in the dark, their eyes seeming brighter than they did before. “I don’t know what these are. I can’t figure it out.”

He sits still, and without his beard you can see his jaw flex and tense as he grits his teeth. His fists knead into his knees then he lets out a long sigh. “At least they left.”

“Do you know what they were?”

“Nothing for you to worry about.” His voice is soft, his eyes distant. “I would just delete those pictures and forget about it.”

“I saw you mark the road before the storm,” you murmur nervously. “Is there something out there you know about?”

Grayson looks at you sternly. “I was doing my job. Taking care of things beforehand so they wouldn’t be worse today.”

You simply nod. “Of course.”

After the power comes back on, things return to normal. Grayson keeps his distance, but you have the desire to be around him more. Maybe you’re lonely, or maybe you want to smell his soap again. You go out one evening hoping to track him down. You saw him head towards the chicken coop, but when you arrive there he’s gone. You see his shirt hanging on a tree limb - odd, but considering it was warm, not surprising. You go behind the chicken coop to find his tools are laid under a tree. You snap a few pictures before moving on.

There’s a path marked for hikers, with a small signpost pointing out the advanced trail and the pond. You decide to go towards the pond. As you get close, you find a bundle of clothes laying on the ground - Grayson’s clothes. You hear splashing, and your cheeks grow red. Have you accidentally stumbled upon Grayson skinny dipping?

It would be best to turn around and leave things as they are. You certainly wouldn’t want him stumbling on you naked. You turn to head back down the path, thinking the advanced trail might have an opportunity for some good photos.

That’s when you hear something breathing. Your skin crawls and shivers go down your spine. You look around, seeing nothing but the path behind you. You tread up the path along a steep hill. The sound of breathing returns and you stop, eye darting back and forth, catching glimpses of something moving in the shadows. You hear a laugh, and you stumble, tripping on the hill and nearly tumbling down. You scrape your knee but you don’t stop as the laughing advances behind you. Something is chasing you, but you’re too afraid to turn and look around. You can feel breath on the back of your neck, and you trip falling facedown on the ground.

This is it, you think, I’m dead. You curl up, covering your head with your hands as the laughter becomes tauntingly loud.

Something lurches out of the trees and howls, long and hard. You look up from the ground and see dark fur as the thing covers you with its body. The laughter becomes yelps, and there’s a struggle. You’re pushed out of the way. The laughter is now screaming, and the big creature howls and bellows.

The commotion fades into the distance. You peer out from your hiding spot as the massive creature stumbles onto all fours. Bleeding and breathing hard, it begins to collapse. Its dark eyes convey concern and then relief before it falls to the ground.

You start to run, then stop. Looking back, you decide you can’t leave your apparent rescuer. You approach, gently kneeling down beside it. You don’t know how you can move such a big creature. Covered in dark fur, it almost looks like a monstrous wolf.

The body ripples, bones crack and pop, and the fur fades away. You watch in shock as the creature turns into Grayson. You decide to take things in later. Grayson is huge, but you can move him easier than a giant wolf. You manage to get him to your camper, which you parked back near the woods, get him inside and take out your first-aid kit.

After you’ve doctored his wounds and bandaged him, he begins to stir. He wakes, turning to look at you sitting beside him on the floor. “Good, you’re okay.” He lifts his hand and you take hold of it.

“You’re not. You should be going to a hospital.”

He sits up with a grunt, and the blanket you had placed over his naked body falls into his lap. “I heal fast. There’s no worry about that.” His body is thick, hairy and muscular.

You look away, feeling silly for getting flustered when he’s hurt. “There is reason to worry.”

“I chased them off. It'll be okay.”

“Who are they?” you demand.

Grayson is inspecting his bandaged wounds. They’ll only be more scars among the canvas of his body. He has burns and lacerations all over, some newer than others. “Things that go bump in the night.” He gives you a serious look. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

You smile reassuringly at him. “Don’t do it again, okay?”

“It’s my job.”

You both sneak back inside that evening, as all he has on is the blanket around him. You go to his basement room and help him get dressed, and he agrees to answer your questions.

“Do Rosie and Honey know about you?” you ask.

He shakes his head. “I’m the maintenance man. That’s all I want them to know.”

You nod and look down at your hands. “So, is ‘werewolf’ the correct term for you?”

“It is.”

“Wow,” you exclaim breathlessly.

“No one knows this. Only you. I would appreciate it if you kept it that way. So I’m asking you...”

Shaking your head, you look back at him. “You don’t need to ask. I wouldn’t tell. I wouldn’t even know where to begin. I still don’t know exactly what to think.”

“I know.”

You lean back in the chair and fiddle with your fingers. “So, uh, this is your room?”

His smile is soft, but his gaze is even sweeter. “Yeah, it is.”

You look into his eyes. “It’s nice. Much cleaner than I expected.” You smile at him, relieved to see him in one piece. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“Is there anything I can do to...”

He cuts you off quickly. “No. I’m just glad you’re okay.” He reaches out and takes hold of your hand. “Once I’m better, I’d like to show you the other side of myself.”

A few days later he’s almost completely healed. Like her promised, he agrees to show you his werewolf form. He invites you down into his room late one evening and has you close your eyes, promising only to open them once he tells you. Your heart is racing, both from excitement and the unknown. You keep your hands over your eyes, only peeking once to glimpse his naked backside, and close your eyes again as he turns around. You hear him grunt, and then the snapping and popping begins. Silence descends, and you feel his hand over yours. He pulls your hands from your face and you look up at a werewolf.

The silence stretches on, and you don’t mind. Grayson lowers down before you, his eyes pleading and shy. You touch his face, running your hands through his fur, and pull him close before feeling his kiss. You close your eyes, pulling him deeper. His hands wrap around you, and a moan of desperation escapes both your lips.

“Make me stop,” he growls.

“No.” As soon as the word leaves your lips he grabs you, lifts you up and presses you against the wall, kissing you hungrily. His hands go up your shirt, touching bare skin. You dig your fingers into his fur, holding tightly onto him. “Make me stop,” he begs again.

“Please don’t!”

He throws you down on his bed, hunkering over you as he strips away your clothes. You have no fear of his gaze. His touch is loving, his panting breaths ecstatic. He kisses and licks his way all over your skin, finding you supple and warm between your thighs. He moves between them and looks into your eyes, and your stare feels wild and hungry as he is. Your kiss is soft though, pleading and wanting. You stroke your hands gently down his body, breathing in as he nuzzles to your ear.

“I will stop.”

You shake your head. “Please. I don’t want you to.” You grab tight onto his arms. “Please, Grayson. Now.”

He moans into your ear, sharp teeth nipping at the lobe. “Soft,” he chokes. He moves slowly, taking his time. He rubs against you, slipping a bit before he lines himself up. You whimper, moving your hips to urge him inside. His body hovers over you, heavy and warm. He breathes into your ear again. “I’ll come if I rush.”

Your insides quiver. “Okay. Take your time.”

He dips deeper inside, grunting with effort to keep his control, and sighs raggedly as he fills you. Crying out, you grab firmly onto his shoulders. He pulls out slowly before thrusting back in, then breathes against you, whispering sweetly into your ear. His movements take time, growing in speed and roughness.

“You’re not scared?” he whispers.

You swallow a breath and look into his concerned gaze. “What’s there to be afraid of?”

“I’m a monster.”

You could almost cry. You kiss him lovingly. “That’s not true.” Then you climb on top of him. Your legs tremble at first, but the more you move, the better it feels. You plant your palms upon his belly to anchor yourself.

“I want this,” you moan. “I want you.”

Grayson’s hands move up your body, groping your breasts and belly before they clutch your hips. He helps guide you, easing you down on him. His gaze is hazy but desperate. He feels so warm, so good. You bounce on him, faster, harder. You lose your breath. Your mind races. You wail high and loud.

“I’m coming,” he pleads. “I’m coming! Oh god. I’m coming.” His pitiful moans make your mind go blank. All you feel is warmth, and all you have is him. You twitch and spasm, fisting his fur and crying out. Then you drop down beside him, feeling his kisses and breath against your skin. You look up and see him smile. “You’re not a monster.”

“What makes you so sure?”

You kiss him and guide his head to your breast. “Because even in silence, I feel safe with you.”

#monsterxhuman #werewolf #werewolf boyfriend #monster romance #monster lemon #lemon #my writing #momolady monsters #monster fudger

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path-of-my-childhood · 2 years

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Billboard’s Greatest Pop Stars of 2021: #1 - Taylor Swift

By: Jason Lipshutz for Billboard Date: December 16th 2021

“You guys turned a hard thing into a very, very wonderful experience,” Taylor Swift told an audience of diehard fans at a November screening of her All Too Well short film at New York City’s AMC Lincoln Square theater. Before unveiling the self-directed companion piece to the 10-minute version of the fan favorite epic of the same name, featured on the re-recorded Red (Taylor’s Version), Swift expressed gratitude to a group of supporters that helped turn a non-single breakup track from her original 2012 album into a signature song worthy of expanding past the double-digit minute mark. “All Too Well” could have been little more than a personally revealing footnote to her career, Swift pointed out; instead, the fans identified its intimate power, championed it, and ultimately revived it, to create one of the most eagerly anticipated revisited songs in pop history. “All of this is happening,” Swift told her audience, “because you made this happen.”

Well, yes and no. Swift is correct that the fandom that gathered around “All Too Well” - a long-form songwriting feat, with some of the most evocative lyricism of Swift’s career - in the nine years since its original release helped clear the path for “All Too Well (10-Minute Version)” as a capital-E Event stretching beyond the Swifties into the mainstream. Yet she deserves a ton of credit herself: No other popular artist harnessed that type of fan energy with as much passion and imagination in 2021 as Swift, across albums and platforms, on projects that challenged the modern music industry while still succeeding wildly within it.

Swift began 2021 still riding high from a triumphant 2020 – a year she reasonably could have taken off, having delivered her Lover album in August 2019 and watched her planned Lover Fest stadium shows fall victim to the pandemic the following year. Instead, Swift fell down a musical rabbit hole that yielded two full albums and, in hindsight, catered perfectly to her songwriting strengths. The first one, Folklore scored the largest debut week for an album in 2020 upon its July release, and companion piece Evermore earned the fifth-largest in December, both ending 2020 and starting 2021 atop the Billboard 200 albums chart.

With Evermore, Swift continued the sonic reinvention kick-started by Folklore, an unexpected alt-folk exploration recorded in secret during quarantine with indie vets like The National’s Aaron Dessner and Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. Evermore would go on to spend three total weeks atop the Billboard 200 in 2021. Meanwhile, its hushed, woodsy single “Willow,” which launched atop the Hot 100 in December alongside the album release, grew into a radio success in the spring, ascending to No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult Pop Airplay chart in April.

Before that, however, Swift won another album of the year trophy. At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards in March, Folklore took home the top prize — the third of Swift’s career, following wins for Fearless at the 2010 ceremony and 1989 in 2016. Not only did the win help Swift enter the record books, as the fourth artist overall and only woman with three album of the year wins (following Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon), the accomplishment was also a bit of personal validation after Swift’s two previous albums, 2017’s Reputation and 2019’s Lover, were not even nominated in the top category. Once again, Swift thanked the fans, this time for embracing the artistic swerve of her 2020 output: “You guys met us in this imaginary world that we created,” she said in her acceptance speech, “and we can’t tell you how honored we are forever by this.”

One month later, Swift returned to that first album of the year winner of hers. In April, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) kicked off the behemoth endeavor of re-recording her first six studio albums. Announced in 2019, the project followed the acquisition of Swift’s master recordings by Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings, as a way for her to essentially reclaim ownership over the period of her career that made her a household name. What could have been an industry curiosity based around a rights dispute instead played out like a widescreen revisit to a pivotal era of Swift’s career, as hits like “You Belong With Me” and “Love Story” were lovingly re-created, and previously unreleased tracks from the Fearless recording sessions were finally unveiled as “From The Vault” treasures.

The amount of care that Swift put into Fearless (Taylor’s Version) turned the 26-track set into a must-hear remake of the diamond-certified original, and fans embraced it as such. The full-length became the first re-recorded version of a previous No. 1 album to top the Billboard 200 albums chart upon its release, with the biggest debut week of 2021 at the time with 291,000 equivalent album units, according to MRC Data.

It wasn’t the only way that Swift’s towering legacy cast a shadow over the first half of 2021, either. In between the April release of Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and the June announcement that Red (Taylor’s Version) would be the next re-recorded album to arrive in November, Swift proved a key influence, and contributor, to another artist’s year-defining album. Pop singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo hasn’t been shy about her love of Swift’s music over the course of her breakout year, name-checking the superstar as a sonic and spiritual guide when “Drivers License” was released back in January, and receiving an Instagram shout-out from Swift during the debut single’s quick ascent.

Rodrigo’s debut album Sour took the adoration even further upon its May release: the heart-wrenching piano ballad “1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back” borrowed from Swift’s own heart-wrenching piano ballad, 2017’s “New Year’s Day,” resulting in Swift and Jack Antonoff being listed as writers on the track. Two months after the album’s release, Rodrigo also added Swift, Antonoff and Annie Clark as co-writers to the post-breakup reflection “Deja Vu” due to the bridge’s similarities to Swift’s own complex-romance remembrance, 2019’s “Cruel Summer.” Rodrigo is pop’s rookie of the year with 2021’s biggest breakthrough album - which Swift gets some of the credit for, in ways both figurative and literal.

Delays in the vinyl shipping of Evermore pushed the album back to the top of the Billboard 200 when the record was finally sent out to fans in June, displacing Sour at #1 for a nice bit of teacher-student pop interplay. Swift stayed active all summer, guesting on two songs on How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last?, the latest album from Dessner’s Big Red Machine project - a charming continuation of the Folklore/Evermore era of gentle songwriting and rustic textures - and tossing out the Taylor’s Version re-recording of 1989’s “Wildest Dreams” to have a little fun with an unexpected viral moment the song was enjoying on TikTok.

But by then, the 1989 era wasn’t the one fans were anxiously awaiting to revisit. If Red (Taylor’s Version) had simply matched Fearless (Taylor’s Version) in terms of fanfare and listenership, Swift’s year would have still been pretty spectacular. Instead, her second re-recorded album wildly outpaced its predecessor in nearly every way, turning the release of “All Too Well (10-Minute Version)” into a cultural sensation - The short film! The remarkable SNL performance! The new lyrical allusions that launched a thousand Jake Gyllenhaal jokes! - and another chart-topper for Swift. With its November debut atop the Hot 100, “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” also became the longest #1 in the chart’s history - in the age of TikTok virality and dwindling attention spans, no less.

The expanded “All Too Well” wasn’t the only new revelation from the set, which also boasted new collaborations with Phoebe Bridgers, Ed Sheeran and Chris Stapleton on old “From The Vault” tracks; the Stapleton team-up, “I Bet You Think About Me,” has been getting airplay on Swift’s old stomping grounds of country radio. In the end, Red (Taylor’s Version) drove as much conversation as any of Swift’s recent all-new studio albums, and scored a blockbuster debut, with 605,000 first-week equivalent album units moved - good for the third-best debut week of 2021 with, it bears repeating, the majority of its songs released nearly a decade earlier.

Even without a proper new album in 2021, Swift sent three separate projects to the top spot of the Billboard 200 during the calendar year - the first female artist to accomplish that feat in the chart’s 65-year history. And in November, one final domino fell for Swift’s re-recordings project when iHeartRadio announced that it would now only be playing Taylor’s Versions of her older hits from each album as they rolled out - after streaming platforms had already given them prominent placement on main pages and major playlists. In addition to the impressive sales of her re-recorded albums, the reactions from the streaming and radio worlds underline the widespread acceptance that these new recordings have replaced the classic versions as the ones listeners will be digesting and caring about moving forward.

As Swift enters 2022, she once again has the chance to make history: Evermore is nominated for the album of the year Grammy, and a victory at the Jan. 31 ceremony would make her the most celebrated artist in the 64-year history of the category. While other popular artists are rightfully celebrating award nominations and chart achievements, Swift can do both, while also credibly changing the way artists can approach creative ownership and sonic shifts. If Swift changed the game in the mid-2010s when pivoting from country to pop, playing it top 40’s way and earning the splashiest commercial wins of her career, including the distinction of also being Billboard’s Greatest Pop Star of 2015, the past year found her rejecting the game entirely and drawing up her own rules. Now, she has the power to pull any sound she wants into her mainstream orbit, or make any industry institution reckon with her impact. She could release a 20-minute version of a song on her next re-recorded album, and you’d be foolish to bet against it becoming a hit.

Taylor Swift is making the type of moves within and outside of her music that elevate an artist from superstar to legend. Those moves are often very hard to execute, but no one who had been paying attention was the least bit surprised when she stuck each landing. Wind in her hair, Swift is here, and making it look all too easy.

#niceee #taylor swift #billboard #about taylor #evermore era #re-recording #legendary stuff #breaking records

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adhdanalogbrain · 4 years

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Defeating Understimulation in Quarantine

The other day I was driving home and I had the urge to drive really fast and get that gut-swooping feeling (that I usually HATE), and lately I've been looking up mini trampolines online, and it occurred to me that quarantine has caused me to be understimulated af.

Most of us are familiar with overstimulation-- when the world is Too Loud and Too Bright and Oh God Everything Is Touching Me.

Understimulation is less well known, but it can be just as painful, upsetting, and annoying.

So, I have compiled a list of a few ways you can stimulate your senses and feel a bit more even-keeled, even while locked down at home.

Proprioception / vestibular sense:

Lift a jar of pasta sauce (or similar) over your head a bunch of times. Count the reps by speaking like a pirate.

Jump on the couch cushions

Jump on the bed

Pile the bed with pillows and flop onto it (belly-first, backwards, sideways, etc). See if you can fall from standing up without wussing out.

Put pillows/cushions on the floor and play The Floor Is Lava

Have a pillow fight (NO head-shots! seriously you don’t want to go to the ER with a concussion right now). If no pillow fight partners, beat up your mattress/couch with a pillow

Rearrange your furniture.

Write in your carpet (or use tape) to add hopscotch to your floor. Do it every time you're in that part of the house.

Taste/smell:

Light a scented candle

Cook up garlic / onion in oil

Make yourself a platter of raw vegetables and 3-5 dipping sauces in a range of intense flavors (i.e. buffalo, sriracha, wasabi, mustard, soy, yogurt, honey, balsamic, etc).

Clean the bathroom or the kitchen just enough that it smells clean instead of gunky (and throw out the trash).

Vacuuming can also change the way your room smells just enough to feel Different and New.

Open all the windows and let the breeze in.

Hearing:

Listen to brand new music you've never heard before

Listen to music you haven't listened to in years

Listen to your parents'/best friend's/partner's favorite music

Listen to ASMR videos

Tear up paper!!!!! Shred it!!!!!

Find things in your house that make interesting sounds. Catalog them.

The spring! On the back!! Of the door!!!

Read out loud to yourself. Do the voices.

Listen to a song that requires you to clap along. DO IT.

Sight:

Stare out the window as far as you can see. Catalog what you see.

People watch. Pretend you're an extraterrestrial investigator and have to report back on planet earth.

Virtual museum tours. Watch them.

Got crayons/colored pencils/markers? Dump them on the floor. Sort and categorise them. Dump them again and categorize them a different way.

Hang new things on the walls. Rearrange what's already there into a new scheme.

Change your sheets!!

Pick up the clutter that's been slowly driving you bonkers.

Many PBS/Nova documentaries are free on streaming -- watch one about places you didn't know existed (i fuckin loved the Wild Islands series and all its related series).

Make an X on the wall with tape. Shoot rubber bands (or throw wadded up paper or dirty socks) at it. Move further away from the X to increase the challenge.

Touch:

Run hot water over your hands from the faucet. Switch it to cold. Notice the way the temperature changes. Switch it back and forth (ahem do NOT scald yourself please).

If you have a pet, pet them!

Walk around your living area and find things with the best/weirdest/most unique textures

Wash your hands. Dry them. Dig them into a container of dried beans or rice. Concentrate on the textures.

Take a bath or shower. Use a very very soapy washcloth and gently scrub all of your skin until you feel all tingly.

If you can go outside (wear a mask!):

Lay down on the grass in the sun

Find a grassy, debris-free hill and roll down it like a five year old

Throw rocks at trees

Throw rocks in water

Beat up a tree with sticks (wear eye protection if possible)

Stare at the sky. Do the cloud thing.

Stare at the grass until you see bugs going about their business. Try to figure out what they're doing.

If possible, find a body of water to stare at.

Look for birds! Give them names.

Please reblog with your own ideas! I tried to give ideas that would work in a range of situations for people with varying levels of ability, but more ideas = more awesomeness.

#quarantine #covid 19 #adhd #stimulation #understimulation #pandemic

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ihearthes · 3 years

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Quarantine Christmas Part 1

Author: @ihearthes Pairing: Harry x y/n Rating: Fluff/Smut (Smut in Part 2) Word Count: 2826 (Part 1) Fiction Chalenge via @caitlin‘s fiction party via @sweetcreatureinthedark

December 23, 2020

My head spins as I haul my suitcase from the trunk, using two hands due to the heft of the dirty clothes inside. Setting it on the ground, I yank on the handle before grappling with the two shopping bags filled with presents, reaching back for the decorated Christmas tin that is filled with homemade cookies, fudge, and other delicacies baked by my colleagues at Apple Music.

Wrestling with my hands full, I close the trunk with an elbow, shivering in the chilly LA air. At the front door, I want to cry. Dammit. I could clearly remember that when Glenne had given me the code for the front door and the alarm, I placed them in my phone under her contact information.

“FUCK!” The primal scream is released from my lungs, likely scaring the neighbors if any of them are outside enjoying Christmas lights or having family celebrations on this Christmas Eve Eve. Balancing the tin of cookies on top of the suitcase, I set down the shopping bags to reach for my phone. My purse slips off my shoulder, knocking the container of sweets, and in the scramble to rescue them, I nearly fall head over heels into the bushes.

It isn’t until I punch in the numbers and drag my personal effects inside that it occurs to me that the alarm isn’t armed. Had Glenne and Jeffrey forgotten to punch in the code before they left for Palm Springs? Deciding I don’t care, I leave everything by the door as I drag my suitcase to the main floor laundry room, dumping everything in without regard to color or type of clothing. Since we’ve been working remotely the majority of the time for the last fucking nine months, “dressing up” encompasses blue jeans and the occasional blouse, but most of my clothing is sweatpants and t-shirts. Deciding washing the blue jeans and blouses with the sweatpants and t-shirts is the worst idea ever, I fish those out before pouring laundry detergent over the remaining garments and starting the washer.

Glancing down at the clothing currently on my body, it seems completely reasonable to drop them into the washer too. Stripping the t-shirt from my body, I toss it into the swirling water before adding my bra, socks, and leggings to the murky mix. Wearing only panties in the cool house makes my nipples bead.

Ha! I’m sure my nips are happy to get any action after almost a year with no dating of any sort because of the fucking pandemic. Which reminds me that I’ve forgotten my vibrator at home. Shit. Of all the things I don’t mind borrowing from Glenne, I do have a line I won’t cross.

Placing the tin of Christmas yummies on the kitchen counter, I grasp the handles of the two bags of gifts. It might be silly to put them under the tree since I’m the only one in the house, but it will make me feel better. More like I’m at home with my family in Indiana. Less like I’m stuck in quarantine in an empty house for my favorite holiday. Sniffling, I swipe at my nose with the back of my hand as I pad down the two steps into the living room to the tree.

Kneeling at the fake tree, I reach for the switch to turn on the lights. As the colors begin blinking, I carefully withdraw each present, reading the tag before gently placing the gift under the tree. Even my brother had sent a present through the mail which must mean he misses me his year. Right now, we should be challenging each other to the most ridiculous games to see who is the best. Inevitably, he would win some while I beat him at others until eventually we declare a tie. My mother would chastise us both with a grin on her face, implicitly encouraging us to continue our “reindeer games” as my father called them.

From behind me, I hear a shuffling sound. Hadn’t they taken Myles with them? No matter. I could use the company a dog would provide.

“Santa, you’ve changed!” a soft voice exclaims, and I jump, twisting around to find another human wearing sweatpants and a hoodie.

“It’s you!” Both voices exclaim simultaneously. “What the fuck are you doing here?” We both pause, “Stop saying what I’m saying!”

Out of breath, I stare at him. The Harry Styles. Fuck.

His eyes roam over my body, and it finally dawns on me that I’m wearing nothing but my Victoria’s Secret lace panties. Shit.

Pacing measuredly to the couch without openly cringing, I grasp a wool throw and wrap it around my chest regally like I’ve just exited the pool at some exotic locale near the equator. My shoulders straighten, and I face him openly.

“Are you joining Glenne and Jeffrey in Palm Springs?” My back is a board, and my tone is barely restrained.

“Nope.” His nonchalance combined with his truncated answer pisses me off, per usual.

“So you’re flying home, waiting here for your flight tonight?” The hopeful tone is obvious to me and probably to him as well.

“No.” Those green eyes of his rake over my nearly-naked body, and I shiver. From the cold of course. Jesus. Get your heads out of the gutter!

“Watering the plants prior to returning to the Soho?”

“Uh uh.”

Delayed dread begins to fill my stomach. “You mean --” I clear my throat -- “you’re staying here?”

“Yep.”

“Shit.” Running my hand through my hair, I ponder the impact and my next steps.

“You?” He asks politely, even though I know he doesn’t feel solicitude at this moment.

“Glenne told me I could stay here for a few days. I made arrangements for my place to be fumigated while I was in Indiana for Christmas.”

His raised eyebrow mocks me.

“I’m not going, though. Okay?”

“Why not?”

“Seriously? Where the fuck have you been, Styles? In case you didn’t know, there’s a global fucking pandemic, and all of Los Angeles is locked down. So no -- I am not getting on a plane with a bunch of potentially infected and contagious --” Emotion overwhelms me, and I have to stop and catch my breath. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I turn away from him so he can’t see the tears that form in my eyes.

“Whatever, Smith.”

“My name --” I draw myself up and gather my anger around me like a cloak -- “is not Smith.”

“Yeah, right. Which bedroom are you planning to sleep in?”

“Surely you’re not suggesting we both stay here?” Appalled, I stare at him with my mouth open. “I’ll get a hotel room.” When I realize my wardrobe is in the washing machine, I softly say, “As soon as my clothes are dry.”

He shakes his head. “Don’t be ridiculous, Smith. We’ll share the space. It’s only a couple of days.”

“Excuse me!?” Anger wells up. “Only the most important days in the entire year!” Superiority makes me stand up fully to him. “Besides, I’ve been quarantining for months. No way do I want to share germs with you!”

“Oh please! As if you’ve got a monopoly on quarantining! I’m perfectly safe. We get tested every morning before we film. When was the last time you were tested?”

“Two days ago!” She’s at her boiling point. “Look, if we're both staying here together, then we’re just going to have to avoid each other. It’s a big house. We can do that.”

“Maybe once you put some clothes on,” Harry comments, smirking in that way he has where the left side of his mouth tilts up.

Mortified, I glance down at myself. Briefly I consider scurrying for Glenne’s closet, but I pause. Why should I rush away? Because he’s male? Because he was here first? Because he’s sexy as fuck and my panties can’t take anymore?

“Fine,” I respond as I brush past him like the Queen of England. “I’ll find something to wear, and then we can hash out the details.”

“Great plan. I’m ordering something for dinner.”

My stomach growls, and I suddenly feel an irrational hatred for that part of my body. How I long to state that I’ve already eaten or that I plan to cook something! But alas, I’ve brought no food with me, and I’ve no clue what’s in the kitchen. If Glenne and Jeffrey even left anything.

“Does that mean you’d like some too?” He gloats, and as much as I would like to smack the grin off his face, I’ve not eaten since a quick bite for breakfast hours before.

Knowing I’m going to have to grovel, I face him. “I’m capable of ordering for myself.”

“Yes, but that’s not necessarily good for the environment, is it? Sending two drivers to the same address from different restaurants?” Pausing, he appears to swallow whatever snarky comment was forthcoming. “Can we agree on this one small thing? I’m thinking poke.”

Shit. Fuck. Goddammit. That’s exactly what I would have ordered. Fuck.

Casually, I shrug. “Yeah, whatever. I can choke down some poke.” As I saunter away, tucking the ends of the makeshift shroud under my armpits, I call back to him, “Spicy please.”

Quickly I make my way to Glenne’s closet, surveying the items there. Ripping down a pair of joggers and a Full Stop Management hoodie, I drop the covering I’ve been wearing and rapidly draw the clothes over my naked body. Nothing I can do about not having a bra, but the hoodie is roomy so I worry less.

In the bathroom, I run my fingers through my hair, combing out the curls as best I can in this environment. In no way do I want it to appear that I’m trying to look amazing for Harry. Biting my lip, I admit to myself that the opposite is true. I absolutely want him to fall at my feet.

Which isn’t going to happen, I remind myself. Give up the ghost of a fantasy.

Making eye contact in the mirror, I provide a pep talk for myself. “Listen,” I remind my reflection, “this is just one more fucked up situation in 2020. You’ve gotten through worse. It’s truly a giant house, so there’s no reason -- wait. Why is he staying here anyway?” For whatever reason, I had allowed him to dodge that incredibly simple question.

Tucking my hands into the hoodie’s front pocket, I amble to the kitchen where Harry is just disconnecting his phone.

“Food will be here in 45 minutes,” he promises.

“Why are you staying here again? I missed your answer earlier,” I prompt.

I’m confident I see a flash of embarrassment crossing his face as he lowers his head. “Wine?” He asks, gesturing towards the extensive rack of reds and then the chiller of whites.

Unsure as to whether I should allow the diversion or press, I examine him. His eyes look tired and sad. His clothes, while comfortable, aren’t upbeat. Nor is his current demeanor. Is he okay?

Planting his hands in his hoodie in an unconscious mimic of my pose, he glances at me before his eyes stray to the side, examining the marble countertop. That look tells me more than I need to know, and my empath side emerges as I toss him a life preserver.

“With poke? I think perhaps a Reisling.”

He nods, bending to look through the wines in the cooler before he extracts one, holding it up for me to inspect the label. My eyes start to widen at the vineyard, assuming the extravagant cost, but I calm my features. “Perf!” I declare.

Grasping the wine opener from a nearby drawer, Harry removes the cork as I snatch two wine glasses from the cabinet and place them near him. Carefully comparing the amount in each glass, he pours enough before recorking the bottle. Taking my glass, I move into the living room where I can view the tree. It’s Christmas Eve Eve after all, and I refuse to be deterred from watching the lights twinkle and celebrating the season.

Harry apparently has a similar idea as he fiddles with the sound system before a crackle of ‘Jingle Bell Drunk’ by RaeLynn starts playing which causes me to giggle.

I settle on one side of the sofa, and Harry plants himself on the other side. Separately, we each take a sip of the riesling. My tongue does a happy dance at the flavor on my tongue. “This sweetness will cut the spicy quite well. Excellent choice.”

“You made the selection,” Harry reminds me, and I cringe.

“Oh. Yeah.”

Silence descends as the song proclaims “I’ve been naughty. I’ve been nice.”

“If there was ever a year for this song, this is it.” I announce into the quiet.

“Yeah. It’s been quite the year.”

Sharply, I glance at him. Perhaps I had missed something? “Excuse me? You’ve had one hell of a year, Styles. Grammy nominations aside, there were how many music videos released during this global disaster? Plus a movie!”

“Agreed.” He’s quiet, his jaw clenched, and suddenly his words burst forth as though a gate at a dam has been opened. “But no tour. And almost no family time.”

Wait. Was this superstar feeling some of my emotions? He’d had a stellar year in anyone’s estimation. Maybe I could be more sympathetic.

“Yeah. I’m sorry about tour. I had tickets to Vegas and one of the LA shows.”

His head swivels to me more swiftly than an owl focusing on prey. “You had tickets?”

“HAVE.” I swallow. “Thanks for not canceling by the way. I cannot imagine the bloodbath for getting tickets in the future. You’ve become the ‘it celebrity’.”

A blush is followed by a sheepish smile. “You can always get tickets, Smith. Just ask.”

“I don’t do that.” My voice is filled with the prickles that I feel at his words.

“Do what?”

“Use my privilege to get tickets to shows.”

“Oh. I…” His words trailed off.

Suddenly, I feel less uncomfortable around him. Reaching out, I shove at his shoulder. “You’re a giant star, and you have a ton of fans who want to see you. Me? I’m just happy to be a member of the audience.”

“Really?” Incredulous is what I sense in that one word. “Why?”

“Seriously?” I’m appalled. “Do you not know what an amazing entertainer you are, Styles? Fuck. If I hadn’t been able to see your Fine Line show at the Forum last December, I probably would have cried. You know exactly what your audience wants, and you deliver it. Consistently.”

“But --”

“Hush. Don’t you dare negate your talent!” Taking another sip of wine, I reveal unabashedly, “Maybe it’s the wine talking, but I really enjoy your shows.”

“Smith?” He inquires, and my hand stalls with my wine glass halfway to my mouth.

“Yeah?”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why do you like my shows?”

Stalling, I run a finger through my hair and empty my wine glass before holding it out to him. “More please?”

He rises, but I can read his reluctance. Within moments, Harry is back at my side, handing me a second glass of the riesling. I can’t help but notice that he’s topped his own off too.

“Answer the question, Smith.”

“My name isn’t Smith. In fact, there’s not a single part of my name that’s related to Smith. Why do you call me that?”

“Tell me why you like my shows, and I’ll reveal the meaning behind the nickname.”

My head feels fuzzy from the wine and the headiness of being near Harry, and I watch the lights flashing on the tree for a few minutes while Meghan Patrick belts out her version of ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas’ over the sound system.

“You make your fans feel like they matter.”

“How?” His question comes rapidly, and I have to gather my thoughts.

“You...talk to them. Listen to them. Watch them. Appreciate them. It’s rare, Harry. I mean, I’m in this business too, you know. Not every artist does what you do.”

“False.”

“I’m fucking serious, you asshole.” I gulp down more of the wine. “You make your audience feel like they’re your closest friends. I wish more artists did that. Specifically the ones I represent.”

“Oh.” His single utterance is enough, and we sit in pure tranquility for several minutes as the lights blink and Ava Max sings “Christmas Without You”.

“Wanna watch the quintessential holiday movie?” I inquire, looking at him.

“Which is?”

“Die Hard, of course,” is my response. “What were you thinking?”

“It’s a Wonderful Life.”

“Nope. It’s pretty good. In the top five for sure.”

“Wait. What are your top five?”

“Oh, that’s easy. ‘Die Hard’, ‘Home Alone’, ‘A Christmas Story’, ‘The Santa Clause’, and ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’.

“You’re serious?”

“Deadly?” I giggle at the joke since ‘Die Hard’ is full of death.

“Fine. But we watch ‘Wonderful Life’ afterwards.”

“Deal.”

Part 2

#my writing #harry styles #harry styles fanfiction #caitlin's fic challenge #part1 #harry styles smut #harry styles imagine #harry styles x reader #harry styles fanfic #original writing

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sunlightwoo · 4 years

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fated by the stars (epilogue 2/2)

summary: with the soulmate system implemented, all that you wanted was someone that you could love naturally, without having to be bonded to a complete stranger that you’d meet inevitably. however, fate works its wonders in the collection of stars that you managed to end up with two soulmates, not knowing who you truly heard the soulmate bells for.

wc: 1363

taglist: @omgnctchina @memesolvernonchwe @vannitey @dvoz-writes @woozisnoots @solarwonux @yuzusoju @cheolright @shoshishua @urlocalcaratclown @s1ardusk @ayla-hathway @lieminoh @silverstonemanor @lynniac @mariecoura @hannie-dul-set @neojpg @my-chaos-in-stars @xxbluestrifexx @sncaffee @sdoulc @k-pop-ology @chirpyjisungg @emerod @rjsmochii @lowkeycarat @assiqueen @haotheheckk @shra-vasti @mvltimoon @moon-asia @dimpledsatan @shuatoyou @gyubagebin @jisungsdreamy @itsdnguyenxoxo @1-800-luv-u @mercyeol @isa499 @youdawonu @taeguk-munchkin @skylions-den @fluffyhyeju @riashushu (send an ask or dm to me or @viastro to be added to the taglist!!)

a/n: on behalf of lila’s end, we really would like to thank everyone that has been enjoying our collab on this fic series!! this was something that i remember we created out of like thin air one night i think it was over the summer or sometime in quarantine, and we were like ahaha what if we make everybody shit their pants and collabed. and i truly think that this fic was really something that you can see both of our creative personalities in, and again we love reading all the reblogs/feedback that we get for this!! this has been a really long journey, but with that comes to an end :(( we thank you guys again for reading fated by the stars!! and make sure you guys check out @viastro ‘s stuff if you don’t already!! until the next collab... 😼

masterlist | previous

“You’re going to eat shit, Yoon.”

You grin at the latter that stood across from you with a smug smirk on his face, one that shortly fell into a pout as he trudged over to you before wrapping his arms around your waist. His eyebrow is raised as though it were a challenge for you to test against him, but by the time that you gently hit the back of his head with your own helmet, he lets out a noise before you start giggling to yourself.

“In your own dreams, sweetheart, because I will make sure that I win tonight. I only let you win that first time around because I was going easy on you,” He chuckles and nuzzles your noses together just as he brushes the loose strands in front of your face away from your eyes, “I’ll make sure that you’re going to be the one that eats your own words.”

Winking at you and walking away from where you stood frozen a bit, you blinked back into reality and brushed off the heat that was escalating to the tips of your ears to get into your go kart. You noticed that Jeonghan was already buckled up in his as you knew that the rematch for your first date was going to happen in a few moments and you wanted to be sure that he wasn’t going to go easy on you this time around.

“You’re lucky we’re soulmates, you cheating snake.” You snickered to yourself before getting into your go kart and putting on your helmet for safety measures.

You were already buckled up into your go-kart and already revving up the kart so that you had the advantage of a boost at the beginning before the race started. Glancing back to where he was beside you, he throws another wink to you through his helmet as you playfully rolled your eyes at his cute banter before focusing on the race course that was in front of you before the green light flashed for you to start in a few seconds after.

“You freaking cheated.”

Both you and Jeonghan were now staring up at the scoreboard to see what your times were and the puff of breath that he had let out from beside you made you grin as you once again scored a faster time than him. Looking over towards him, he was still staring at the time incredulously before looking back at you with a frown on his face.

“I didn’t even cheat-”

“I even tried to cheat my way and do it mario kart style.” He frowned and you gave him a shocked look before frowning as well.

“What the hell, Jeonghan? You tried to cheat?” You say with a bit of feigned hurt in your voice to tease him and made sure that your fake tear up was believable when suddenly he lifted you up from the middle of your torso and carried you over his shoulder, “What the hell- Jeonghan put me down!”

“Nope, we’re going back home. I rather race you in mario kart and win than see this rigged timer.” He grins hearing the squeals and giggles that were leaving your lips as he was walking back to where his motorcycle was still parked.

He puts you down after a while and finally starts to drive you both back to the house that you had just moved into days ago since the spring semester ended about a month ago. It’s been at least two months since the night of the lantern festival as you thought about how things were as though they were in the right place and in the right pieces of a puzzle while you clung onto Jeonghan with the wind breezing in your ears.

You didn’t think that wishing upon the flower that night would actually bring him to you, nor did you think that the fortune from the rigged fortune telling machine would guarantee that he was your soulmate. However you were still grateful for the bells and red string that still tied you both together when you realized later that night that your string and bells with Joshua were no longer present.

You remember him telling you that night since you couldn’t fall asleep that he found his soulmate, and you were happy for him, as he was happy that you ended up with Jeonghan in the end of fate’s game.

The game of fate; a test for your heart.

A smile crosses your face as you knew that you were right where you wanted to be, just as Jeonghan parks the motorcycle right in front of your new home before you both hopped off of the bike to head back inside. You knew that you still had things to unpack and that pretty soon your furniture would pretty soon come in the next couple of days that were coming up, but it still felt like home with the stuff that already filled the house.

By the time that you walk inside with your hand in his, you make a beeline to your bedroom to crash onto your soft mattress, his weight making the bed dip a bit on the other side as he already starts to cuddle you on it. A quiet laugh escapes your lips as you turn to face him and you notice how his chocolate orbs seemed to sparkle even in the dark with the moonlight shining in through the window reflected off of them.

“I love you, Jeonghan,” You whispered quietly out of nowhere and smiled as he places a kiss on your forehead, however there was something that was on the other side of the wall that catches your eye before you could even hear him say the familiar three words back, “Wait, what is on the wall? Is that your fortune from the machine at the festival?”

Just seconds before he could even stop you from getting up, you were already up off of the mattress as you looked at the framed ticket and there was a gasp that left your lips as you finally realized what his ticket was that night. Rather than words that were scribed on the ticket like yours was, it was an image instead, one that had your face on it as you realize then that it was no coincidence that the machine was there that night.

So he knew that night that you were most likely going to be his soulmate by the end of the night.

“That’s me…” You breathed out quietly, feeling speechless as you knew that he was looking at you from where he must’ve been sitting on the mattress.

You turn around to confirm your thoughts as he nods in response, not saying as you went back to sit next to him on your bed as a breath of what seemed like relief while you leaned your head onto his shoulder.

“I didn’t want to tell you that night because I didn’t want to be too sure. It was still fair game, whether or not you had those fortunes and guides that led to me.” He says and you nodded before turning to face him, just in the split second where your faces were now just centimeters apart from one another’s.

“But I still somehow found my way to you, especially when I wished upon that flower at the festival. It almost didn’t make it, yet it still flew with the wind and led me to you. I think I was lucky that Wonwoo told me where you were so that I wouldn’t miss my shot and lose you.” You speak up and lean in just to place a soft kiss on his lips, one that you felt him kiss back against your on lips as a smile crosses on his face.

“I love you, Y/N, and I’ll make sure that fate and whatever stars that created our destiny sees that we’re meant to be.” He whispers quietly, placing one last kiss against your lips as you smile back at him when you both hook your marked pinkies together as a sign of the promise.

“Until the end.”

#fbts #seventeen imagines #seventeen scenarios #seventeen social media au #seventeen college au #soulmate!seventeen #soulmate!seventeen au #seventeen soulmate au #seventeen angst #seventeen fluff #yoon jeonghan #joshua hong #joshua imagines #joshua scenarios #jeonghan imagines #jeonghan scenarios

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minghellafine · 3 years

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Full interview below.

The first thing Max Minghella does when he joins our Zoom call is ask me about the weather. It wasn't just a conversational cliché though, he really wanted to know what it was like where I was. I tell him I'm in New York City, where spring can surprise you with a day that's colder or warmer than it looks. This particular day was chilly. "I'm always cold," he interjects, "I'm reptilian. My body finds a way to keep me cool." He shivered as he spoke, sitting in his sunny backyard in Los Angeles wearing a T-shirt. I checked the temperature right after our call. It was 80 degrees in L.A.

Despite any discomfort, Minghella is just really happy to be at home. Unlike the millions of people who spent 2020 in quarantine, he was working on season four of The Handmaid's Tale throughout the spring and summer."I'm sort of jealous of people who have this moment to pause and reflect," he says soberly. "Even with all of the trauma it's caused and all the things that obviously were detrimental, I know a lot of people who've had big life changes in the past year."

He acknowledged, however, that creating something in a time when everyone wished they could escape was ultimately a lucky thing. "There was a ubiquitous sense of gratitude," he adds.

Outside of the global pandemic, the dynamics on set had shifted — this season, his co-star Elisabeth Moss (or "Lizzie" as he affectionately calls her), was a director. "She was amazing on set," he explained. "Just very in control and it ran super smoothly. When I saw the episodes she directed, it just kind of blew me away. Her style — it's very cinematic and it really underlines the sci-fi elements of the show. It has a real kind of scope and confidence to it. I think she's a real filmmaker."

RELATED: Marvel's New Face Danny Ramirez Has the Range

Minghella's character Nick has an interesting arc this season too – he's realizing his role as a senior member of the Gilead ruling class, but also still in love with June [Moss]. It's a complex character that challenges you as an audience member. He is the brooding love interest, and while you may root for him and June to be together, you also have to see him for what he is: an architect of a world that kidnaps women and uses them for childbearing.

What made the previous three seasons of the show even harder for viewers to digest was the fact that people so badly wanted to believe there could be a good guy defector — maybe even Nick — in a room full of bad guys. During those years, many people felt that the dystopian elements of the show were reflective of the nationalist agenda being put forth in the United States by the Trump Administration. So much so that a group of protesters famously wore Handmaid costumes to protest anti-abortion bills and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings. Without saying much about the parallels in the show — other than chalking them up to "pure coincidence," Minghella felt the Handmaid's Tale, whose protagonists are anti-Gilead, are "on the right side of history." He added diplomatically, "Ultimately, I'm most proud because I think it's really great fiction."

I get the sense that the pursuit of "great fiction" is something that consumes Minghella. He's someone who appreciates art (he got his big break in 2006's Art School Confidential), and his parents are Anthony Minghella, the late award-winning director of The Talented Mr. Ripley, and actress Carolyn Choa. He loves details (see our earlier weather conversation). Even the way he talks about Los Angeles has a story-like quality. He tells me about how he knew when the city became his home after a feeling he got driving past the Silver Lake 7-Eleven. As he told it, I pictured it like a scene in an indie movie starring Zach Braff.

"I had this sort of pathological obsession with movies from birth. [My mother] worked for the British equivalent of the Motion Picture Association, so she would watch three films a day. By three or four years old, I was just kind of an obsessed movie person." It's his favorite movie, Beverly Hills Cop ("I think I saw 100 times by the time I was eight years old," he says) that inspired another big role he was working on during quarantine: Minghella stars as a detective opposite Chris Rock in the Saw franchise spin-off Spiral: From the Book of Saw.

"The movie was so serendipitous for me. I feel like I almost manifested it in my life," Minghella muses. "There's a line very early in the movie where we're investigating these crime scenes and we come to a grizzly one. My character looks nauseous. Chris's [character] says to me, 'Are you okay?' And my character says, 'Yeah. I mean I'd been dreaming about this since I was 12-years-old.' And that was a very kind of weird line because it's just true."

Now at 35 years old, Minghella is feeling settled. He is still a "film nerd" that gets giddy with each new opportunity, but he's less anxious about the results. Next thing on his list? Vacation.

"I'm hoping in May once the movie comes out I can run away somewhere."

Read on for his cheesy would-be campaign slogan, his fast-food weakness, and the time he escaped a tornado while working on a film with Blake Lively.

Who is your celebrity crush?

Mary Tyler Moore.

What's the last thing you do before you fall asleep?

I listen to 1950s radio shows. Usually Dragnet. I was researching a project in that period briefly and got sort of into the radio culture of that time. And now I find it incredibly soothing.

Favorite villain?

Hans Gruber.

Describe a memorable dream.

I had a recurring nightmare as a child in which my grandmother turned into a cat. So Tom Hooper's Cats was very traumatizing to me.

First album you ever owned?

My mother bought me the Top Gun soundtrack on audio cassette.

If you were required to spend $1,000 today, what would you buy and why?

I would do anything to help a distressed dog.

If you ran for office, what would your slogan be?

Some kind of tacky pun using my first name. "Take it to the Max," or maybe "Max on, Max off."

Name one place you've never been but have always wanted to go.

Easy. Japan. I went when I was one, but I don't think that counts.

What's the most uncomfortable outfit you've ever worn?

I did a film called Art School Confidential and I had to wear a beret and I found every moment of it truly humiliating. I remember being completely traumatized by it.

Describe your first kiss.

My first kiss was at a bus stop. I was 14 and I lied and told the girl that it wasn't my first kiss, but I think it was probably immediately evident that it was.

What's one dish you're always tempted to order if you see it on a menu?

There are so many things. That's the sad answer. French fries is the truth.

Favorite on-set memory?

I did a movie called Elvis and Anabelle with Blake Lively like 100 years ago and we shot in Texas. There was a tornado one night that forced us to evacuate the set and we had to sort of drive off in a hurry. I put on this song by The Knife called "Pass This On" in the car which is very dramatic and cinematic. The tornado was sort of in pursuit of the vehicle while we were speeding away. And it was just far enough that it wasn't life-threatening, but also a radical visual. That's one of my favorite life memories.

The Handmaid's Tale season 4 premieres on Hulu April 28, and Spiral: From the Book of Saw hits theaters on May 11.

Photographs by Emily Malan. Grooming by Sonia Lee for Exclusive Artists using La Mer. Polaroid Photos by Max Minghella. Special thanks to Polaroid. Production by Kelly Chiello.

#max minghella #the handmaid's tale #saw #spiral #elvis and anabelle #the social network #interviews #*

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saturndivine · 4 years

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Aries in Mars ‘20-’21 (6 month journey)

“Transforming darkness into light, converting fear into hope, transmuting restlessness into creativity, and artistic self-expression,” - Asja Boros

Aries will be stationed in its home planet, Mars, for a six month period, beginning June 27th, 2020 all the way until January 6th, 2021 and within that period, Mars will retrograde beginning September 9th, 2020 to November 13th, 2020.

Aries in mars is all about immediate action, drive, and self-empowerment. This will be a time period where everyone takes what they believe is rightfully theirs, if you thought tensions were high now, just wait for whats in store within this half-year transit.

To find out whats in store for you, look at your rising that points you to which house Aries falls in, this will show where action and your own personal energy will be directed to within this long intense journey.

1st House/Aries Rising: you’ll be quite the firecracker this season, lots of tensions will arise within your life and you’ll address them with haste. This is a time where you have to watch how fast you react to things and make sure that you understand that you’re in control. Issues of self will arise and how you yearn to be portrayed versus how you are portrayed. You may be prone to go through a remodeling phase as this is a huge period of growth for you.

2nd House/Pisces Rising: Safety is a huge theme within the six month period and finding out what makes you safe as well as what helps you thrive will need to be discovered. You’ll be pushed out of the safety of your own boundaries and forced to deal with what you may have been ignoring for quite some time. Be cautious of over-spending and not budgeting.

3rd House/Aquarius Rising: This is going to be a crazy time period for yall, ill just say it. You will be charged up and ready to take on the world, you’ll receive tons of mental stimulation and you’ll most likely be diving deep into a craft that you hold dear to your heart but some anger issues will definitely arise and you’ll have a sharp tongue, be careful. Think about your words before you say them and make sure you’re speaking from a place of love rather than authority.

4th House/Capricorn Rising: For the water houses, this is going to be a heavy period of realization and stressful encounters, especially if you’re still quarantined with family. A lot of issues revolving around family and home life will come up and your emotions will be strong as sensitivity is rising within your being. Lots of issues that you’ve been avoiding will come out whether you like it or not but this is to heal you, not hurt you. Be prepared.

5th House/Sagittarius Rising: New awakenings are coming into view for yall, whether it be creating a business or making art or just creating something dear to you that helps you blossom, you’ll be stepping deep into the realm of excitement but you’ll start a lot of tasks and then not want to finish them. Try to have the patience and desire to complete work rather than just ignore it, I have a feeling that the work you complete will cause (good) changes to come into your life.

6th House/Scorpio Rising: Here, there is going to be a major focus on evolving within the matters of spiritual health. You’re not made to just sit around and mope, you’re meant to become something better and you know it, you just don’t know how to grow yet. Aries mars will teach you just that, listen to your intuition as it will guide you down the right path, don’t ignore your calling. If you work with tarot, it’s going to be a good time to pull those cards out!

7th House/Libra Rising: This is going to be a little tough on you guys, many relationships that you’ve held onto within your life aren’t serving you anymore, nows the time to let go. You cannot save everyone and not everyone has good intentions for you either. Now is the time to go on a social media spring cleaning and observe what people don’t spark joy in your life. If you ignore this task Aries mars will surely be ready to help you face it head-on. Prepare for some relationship occurrences whether they be good or bad.

8th House/Virgo Rising: Now why have yall been ignoring your feelings? You lot tend to have a darkness to you that’s beautiful and mystical but you shove it under a rug, there is so much more to you all that you hate to address. You are not one element, you’re a mixture of elements, you have so many layers and you choose to hide all but one. This season wants you to dig deep into your soul and examine who you truly are, a sexual awakening is bound to happen as you’ll gain a lot of power within that realm but if you’re asexual (or just don’t fancy sex) the power gained will be through deep evaluation of your own mind. You’ll definitely be prone to overthinking but that’s okay, just trust your gut, I can’t stress that enough. You have immense power within you, trust yourself.

9th House/Leo Rising: The third house/ninth house axis will have the most positive experience out of this Aries mars journey, so lucky you. With you all you’ll be experiencing this newfound joy within your philosophical desires and quite honestly breaking through the boundaries of your own mind, creativity will blossom, and you’ll be finding out what is important to you and whats not. Definitely going through some Marie Kondo phases of what sparks joy vs what doesn’t. You’ll feel a large release as if the weight of the world is falling from your shoulders and I promise you, if you welcome the change in-store, you’ll have a positive experience.

10th House/Cancer Rising: This is going to be quite a big deal as this mars will eventually be sitting right on top of your midheaven. The universe has seen that you’re striving towards something, a large goal that you’ve talked yourself out of achieving. Now is the time to attack your desires with full force as the universe is working in your favor to help you achieve whats meant to be yours. Dont shy away from it as chances like these, dont come often. You have a very soft heart and kind soul and sometimes aren’t as aggressive as you need to be, this transit is giving you that loving shove, take what is yours.

11th House/Gemini Rising: You will have this boiling energy inside of you piled on top of the energy that you always have, you’ll be ready to take on the world but what might you do with all this extra energy? To fulfill your soul I say go be an activist, theres a lot of mistreatment within the world and whether it be marching in the streets, spreading petitions, or donating, this Aries mars transit is here to awaken the inner-activist in you all. What do you see that’s unfair within this world? Change it to the best of your ability, you know you have the power to do so, your voice will be amplified during this time. You have the power.

12th House/Taurus Rising: Where do I start with you all? You all will be feeling the most out of this next to natives with Aries transiting through their 4th and 8th. Water houses are going to experience this period of awakening because you all have been hiding from something and not facing what’s meant to be faced. Mars is here to shake shit up, life isn’t sweet currently, stop hiding from who you are and what you’re meant to do. You’ll be incredibly challenged throughout this transit and forced to look at your soul and see what needs mending. You have scars that yearn to be healed. Lots of restlessness will take place as your psyche will be constantly awake. All in all, you’ll feel drained but this all for the better. Mars is working to heal you in the way mars knows how you’ll feel more in tune with yourself and healthy. Be careful to not spend too much time alone throughout this transit as you need human connection as well. It’s going to be tough, but you’re tougher.

#aries rising #taurus rising #gemini rising #cancer rising #leo rising #virgo rising #libra rising #scorpio rising #sagittarius rising #capricorn rising #aquarius rising #pisces rising #aries mars #aries mars transit

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