#the first 2? chugging pickle juice

[zimmerdouche]

ok, who on smh drinks pickle juice for their post workout tho

#my vote is dex and holster at minimum #it’s good for fixing dehydration and carb deficiency ok #jack would recognize the benefits but not do it #ransom recognizes the benefits and does it but hates it #the first 2? chugging pickle juice #lynn talks #omgcp #omg check please

[definitelynotsuzumi]

Zapped to Another World [Chapter 2]

Genshin x fem! reader

I was able to write this up during my New Year break, though I cannot promise fast updates in future with school. TwT;;;

Hope you enjoy!

[Masterlist]

“Wanna grab a drink?”

Venti was all too happy to receive an unexpected treat. You were pretty excited too. A drink with Mondstadt’s Archon? It was a dream come true!

“Are you really who they say that you are?” You asked as Venti chugged back half a mug of dandelion wine.

“That I’m Barbatos? Yes, yes, that is very much hic true.”

It has been his tenth cup of dandelion wine and he seems all set to drain you of your Mora.

“First off, could you chill on the wine? You’re drinking way too fast…” You were feeling a tinge of regret now as his face was turning a bright crimson red.

“Can we get a glass of water? Thanks!” You whispered to Diluc, who gave you a stoic nod. You bit back your smile. So handsome…

“Hear ye! Hear ye! I hereby declare that every son and daughter of Monstadt hic should taste this! Finest of wines for the finest of people!” Venti was definitely drunk. You huffed in bemusement. Taking the mug of water Diluc had offered to you, you aimed your finger above the cup. Closing your eyes, you imagined 4 ice cubes forming and dropping into the cup.

With the sound of water splashing, you opened your eyes to see 4 cubes of ice in the cup. You grinned with glee.

“Now, drink this.” You offered it to Venti, who laughed and took a swig from that cursed mug. In exasperation, you grabbed the mug from him and willed for the liquid inside to freeze over.

“Wha-hey!” Venti complained, pouting so adorably as he snatched it back to drink more but found it completely frozen.

“Enough, drink your water!” Venti reluctantly took it from you and drank it down.

“You really should take care of yourself.” You sighed as he laid his head down on the wooden table. You and Venti sat in comfortable silence.

“Are you not going to drink?” Diluc asked as he swiftly polished a wine glass.

“I’m not really one for alcohol, they can be a tad too bitter for me. Perhaps some…Grape juice?” You hummed to yourself. You noticed the slight surprise in his eyes as you ordered his favourite drink from the menu.

“...Please wait a moment.”

“You really do have strange clothes. Anyways, you have not introduced yourself to me even after all these hic drinks.” Venti balanced his head on his hand, detaching himself from lying on the table.

“I’m (F/N) (L/N). You could say that I kinda came…A long long way from home.” You nervously laughed as Diluc raised an eyebrow.

“Aha! No wonder I liked you! That sense of freedom to go exploring and adventuring!” Venti grinned. His flushed face was an indicator that he had too much to drink, even with the iced water you made for him.

“Ah…Aha, I didn’t have a choice to. It’s more of Fate’s Decision for me.” You pressed your hand against your chest self-consciously. You could feel the thrum of the Gnosis against your chest and hand.

“Fate or not, you have a choice in everything you do and you chose the one you believed was right. Isn’t that good enough?” Venti giggled.

“That’s…That’s about right.”

You were surprised. Even though he was not there, he seemed to know what you have been through and speak into your heart. You did have a choice and you picked what you thought was best.

“You shouldn’t be afraid of the path you chose. Just enjoy learning and walking on it.” Venti’s eyes looked into yours and it felt as though he knew you for years.

“..Wow…Thanks. I really needed that.” You felt a weight lifted off your chest.

Diluc came with your drink in hand, pushing it onto the wooden table. You took a sip, reveling in the taste of grapes.

“You may be a young Archon right now, but it will be okay. You’ll grow as it comes along, no sweat.” You blinked in surprise as he murmured softly. You had never mentioned your form to Venti.

“How did you- We Archons can recognize when there is a new one among our ranks. But don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me.” Venti winked, stage-whispering to you.

“But…Will everything be okay?” You wondered. You distinctly remembered that the Fatui were actively hunting for Archons and their Gnosises.

“There is no sense in worrying on things you cannot control. Just do what you can.” Venti remarked, watching as the last customer staggered out of the door. Before you knew it, the moon was high in the sky.

“W…What about the Traveller?” Venti tilted his head in curiosity as you asked. He reminded you very much of a cat.

“Uhh…Aether?” You tried guessing.

“Ah, he went off to Liyue days back. He’s probably still there since the Lantern Rites are in a week’s time.” Venti managed to defrost the last of his dandelion wine and casually sipped on it.

“Are you looking for them?” Diluc asked, his eyes studying you closely. While you had strange clothing, he could not sense any malicious intent. You tugged at your sailor school uniform self-consciously as he seemed to check you out.

“Well, maybe, kinda? They helped me out when I was in a pickle so I really wanted to thank them for it.” You inwardly gulped. You could feel Diluc’s eyes pierce you. Could he tell that you were lying?

“Ah, maybe you should set off tomorrow. You might be able...to catch them there...” Venti finished off his wine before he slumped over the table, his eyes fluttering shut.

“Hey! Don’t sleep there!” You huffed as he seemed to black out. You heard the door open. The amicable spark in Diluc’s eyes vanished instantly and his shoulders stiffened. You knew one of the few people who could cause such a reaction.

Kaeya.

“Aether mentioned that he would be visiting the different lands and Archons, perhaps you might be of assistance.” The blue-haired man sat himself beside you. The way he jumped into conversation…Had he been listening in this entire time?

You couldn’t help but feel that something was off as Diluc stared at you. What is he planning?

“Oh…I guess I need to get going for Liyue tomorrow, I suppose. Don’t suppose you know of a good inn to stay in?” You stretched, trying to play off your nerves.

“You can stay with me for the night.” Diluc interrupted Kaeya as he poised to open his mouth. Diluc wiped his hands with a towel before donning his gloves, barely concealing his contempt for his stepbrother.

You could feel your gulp echo in the room. The air had became so heavy.

“Uh, you sure? I wouldn’t want to impose…” He was unusually…kind. It was strange as he reminded you of the typical cold characters in your manga.

“I insist. Also, that will be 1000 mora.”

“Ah.”

You handed up the payment for the drinks you had ordered for both Venti and yourself. As you stood to help Venti, Diluc pressed his hand against yours, stopping you from waking Venti from his wine-induced slumber. You felt your cheeks flush as you jerked back your hand.

“Leave him. He will be alright.” Diluc adjusted his gloves and coat. With a sharp jerk of his head, the bartender who was switching shifts hoisted the young boy up to the room above.

“…If you say so…” You nervously followed Diluc out to Dawn Winery.

Walking out of the walls of Monstadt, the questioning began.

“What will you do once you meet Aether?”

“Thank him, maybe follow him if he allows for it? Since he is visiting the other Archons and lands, I’d like to tag along to learn about them too.” You hummed.

“…Is that really all?” Diluc frowned.

“Yes. Besides, I have absolutely nothing to gain if I try to hurt him. If you are still that suspicious, you could always tail or follow me. Though, that means you have to…abandon your responsibilities here.” You said as you massaged your neck.

“That will not be a problem. You will find that my servants are well equipped to handle-“

“Oh Mr Hero, I was not talking about your Winery, though that is a fair point.” You stole a glance at him.

Diluc was silent as you both saw the Winery in a distance.

“…How did you know?” Diluc asked.

With a soft smile, you booped his nose, “That’s classified.”

As you settled in, Diluc took a moment to take a breather while his maids handled everything. Despite his suspicions, you were right. He had responsibilities to take care of. He could not rely on the Knights to do his job.

“Well, looks like I need to call in a favour…” Fetching a quill and some paper, he sealed the letter with wax.

“Head for the Umbrella Apothecary in Liyue and give this to the Healer who resides there.” As his servant bowed his head and disappeared into the shadows, Diluc sighed as he looked back towards your room.  

While it was a relief to find out that you mean no harm to Mondstadt or Aether, he could not help his curiosity.

“Classified information, huh?”

#genshin impact #genshin impact fanfiction #genshin x reader #kaeya ragnvindr #diluc #venti x reader #diluc x y/n #kaeya x reader #reader insert #childe x reader

[sickviking-fr]

This is a long one, fellows. Buckle the fuck up.

Y'all know I only started this job two weeks ago and was all excited but it all went to shit day one. Well I got an offer from Walmart to start at a dollar more and I took it.

So last night was my last night at this grocery chain and I guess the universe knew it. The manager was happy for me so that was good, he'd been super nice and supportive for the few days since I gave him my resignation so I came in deciding I was going to give my all and do the best I could. I shot down four energy drinks because I knew it was going to only be me and one other on the shift and I was determined.

Those energy drinks took an hour to kick in but once they had I was WIRED and Manager appreciated it. About half an hour into the shift, Manager pulls me and the other guy (we will call him Jack for no reason) to the side, clearly high on caffeine himself, to give us the low down. He gives us a huge list of stuff to do and says he's sorry, its ordering night and he's all alone so he can't help us. And like, I get it, shit is the opposite of streamlined and efficient here, as you all know from my bitching, he's got a lot of work ahead of him. Jack and I have to do the work of 6 people and Manager has to do the work of three.

"Time is our enemy tonight, guys, we don't have a minute to spare standing around talking. lets get to it!" he finishes his speech.

Me, being out of my gourd on energy drinks, yell "NO BOSS! WE CAN'T ALLOW TIME TO BE THE ENEMY! LETS GO BOYS, WE'RE MAKING TIME OUR BITCH TONIGHT!" Manager punches me in the shoulder and says "Heck yeah, thats the attitude I wanna hear, why the fuck are you leaving me?!" and with that he's gone.

Now. When I said that, Time looked over at God and said "Hold my flower. No, hold my fucking flower! Who is making who their bitch? We'll see about that!" And God sayeth unto Time "Kick his ass babe, I got yo flower."

So my first task was to stock Gatorade and the energy drinks which I did in record time, taking only a half hour to do about two hours of work, working three pallets and condensing them down to one AND wrapping it up so Manager can swing by with the forklift and haul it off no questions asked. I'm feeling invincible. Next, me and Jack have to go stock water. He's exhausted, was up all day and feeling sluggish so not a whole lot of help tbh. Thats okay I'm running on four energy drinks and the high of imagining the boss begging me to stay, I've got this!

There's several pallets of various types of water container on the floor to be organized and stocked, and I'm on it like a fly on dogshit. In only fifteen minutes I put up a full pallet worth of gallons (Probably about 60-70 gallon jugs) before Time makes her move.

I don't know where Jack is, I'd sent him to move another pallet a while ago and he's not back yet. I move on to the 2.5 gallon jugs with spigots (Different brand but this same jug tbh) get about twenty up, only have four or five more that can fit on the shelf. Both hands are full of these heavy ass jugs, I lift one up onto the shelf and the spigot comes off. It just pops the fuck off. I drop the second in surprise and its spigot pops off. There's water pouring everywhere, I'm now soaked and panicking trying to gather up these jugs and get them turned in a way so they aren't pouring water everywhere and I am swearing profusely this whole time.

The wooden shelf is soaked, I'm treading water and Jack comes around the corner to see if I'm okay, sees me juggling water and starts laughing his ass off. We double team taking down all the water I just put up so I can mop the floor and the shelf. It takes the two of us over half an hour to dry everything and get the water back on the shelf.

Jack starts in on the 2 gallon bottles while I finish cleaning up. As I come back from throwing the broken containers in Claims, I see Manager has arrived with a fresh 5.5 foot high pallet of these 2 gallon waters (Its also vital to note that these come wrapped in plastic in packs of 6, which we are separating to sell individually), both are laughing, Jack is facing away from me doubled over with laughter.

"All I hear" He says "Is suddenly 'SHIT...SHIT SHIT! FUCK-SHIT FUCK!' and then just 'squeak squeak squeak'. His shoes sounded like Spongebobs boots!!" And at this point I realize my shoes are squeaking in the water but their shoes are not (I still do not know why...) As soon as Manager hears my squeaking shoes coming towards them, he also becomes consumed by giggles. Ha-ha, okay y'all shut up so we can carry on. I'm still trying to be impressive here! But I guess we are opening the water packs too slowly for Manager because he takes his special plastic cutting cutter and starts slicing open packs so we can just grab the jugs and throw them up.

EXCEPT HE'S NOT PAYING FUCKING ATTENTION! He cuts this one pack thats on the edge of the stack, three of the waters immediately start to fall over dragging the whole pack with it and now six, two gallon jugs come crashing onto my foot and also suddenly I'm wet again. Manager doesn't realize it hit my foot, but I shout and he says "Don't worry, its plastic they wont break." This phrase gets repeated ad nauseum the rest of the night to mock him.

"Well that would be great except they all fucking exploded!" he just looked at me stupid, then started swearing too. My foots fine, thanks for asking. Actually its not, my ankle is killing me as I'm writing this but whatever.

All six jugs broke open at the bottom seam and are now spewing fresh spring water onto my newly mopped floor, under the pallet and soaking into my shoes. Again. I'm running around trying to gather as much of these jugs as I can as fast as I can and get them to the sink. Again. Meanwhile my shoes are squeaking anew. Again. Jack cannot stay standing, what between laughing at Manager for busting open six gallons, repeating "It'S pLaStIc! iT wOnT bReAk!" and laughing at my squeaking footsteps running all around the two of them.

Manager has us leave the spilled water and stock, then when we are done he moves the pallet and sends the janitor over with the zamboni to clean up the water while sending us to fill up a display of cases of 24 bottled water other-where. Jack is now awake and still melting into fits of giggles every few minutes, and with his newfound energy he's tossing the cases up onto the display and then punching them into place instead of just putting them there. Toss a case, punch-punch-punch, flex, repeat. (Did I mention Jack is 18? What is it with teen boys constantly wanting to show off? Like bro who are you showing off to? Its literally just me and Manager here.) I keep telling him to knock it off but eventually, you guessed it, he pops a couple bottles.

Its already the four hour mark by the time we clean up all the water and get the rest of the packs all on the display. Smooth sailing from here on out, yeah? We're done with water, everything that needs to be on a shelf is on a shelf. It has to be easy from here. We think so anyway. It can't possibly get worse, we've still got shit to do! Innocently, we go to lunch and I chug down another energy drink. Okay so we are done stocking, its now time to face the shelves(AKA make them look nice). Manager sends me and Jack to the opposite ends of one isle, Jack arranging pickles and vinegar and I'm freshening up condiments. Suddenly I hear Jack yelling and cursing.

For several days, theres been a mystery bottle of vinegar by the Huntz that no one knows where it came from but also no one has bothered messing with. We've just been nudging it to look nice lined up with everything else and if someone buys it good if not, well it seems happy there. Its kinda shaped like this but plastic and not quite a gallon. It's filled full to the lid.

Jack decides to remove it today. He grabs it, lifts it about three inches, and the neck comes off. Just comes the fuck off. Its a perfectly clean separation at that seam where the neck connects to the body. The entire contents are now soaking into Jacks clothes from mid-chest to his shoes and puddled all over the floor. I rush over to see that he's okay and then go to get the mop for him. I can smell the vinegar from four isles away. It takes nearly another thirty minutes for him to get that properly cleaned up and then he has to take a break to change into his spare shirt because the smell is giving him a headache.

By the time he comes back, I've finished that isle and moved on to the cereal + juice isle and the store is now open. I tell him that he must have felt left out that Manager and I both made bigger messes than him with the water so he had to one-up us. This seems to make him feel better. Jack starts working juice while I'm tidying up the snacks and gummy candies. An older couple come up to me to ask about Rice Krispy Treats. I don't know where they are other than the ones I'm holding so I go to ask Jack. Poor Jack. I call out to him as he's kneeling in front of orange juice with both arms shoulder deep in the shelf and as he looks at me, for some fucking reason he squeezes his arms together in a hugging motion around maybe 8 jugs of juice.

Several fall into his lap and a customer must have gotten thirsty yesterday because someone took the cap off one jug and just left it there. Jack is now soaked chin to toes in orange juice. There is a looooot of swearing as I run over to check on him and then run off to get the mop and bucket from the back.

At some point the janitor had taken the mop from where we left it by vinegar and used it to mop up milk that the Dairy folks had spilled (so the bad luck wasn't just towards our crew, Time was taking her frustrations out on everyone). Anyway, the bucket is full of maybe four gallons of milk water and also the vinegar from earlier so it stinks but I don't have time to put fresh water in it because there are customers in the store now and the juice is a major slip hazard.

I'm pushing the bucket through the isles and I run over a drain like I do every day and thousands before me have done, except the drain cover decides TODAY IS THE DAY, NOW IS MY TIME. It kamikaze pops off and the bucket wheel goes straight in the hole, tipping the bucket over and spilling four gallons of stanky milk water every-fucking-where. Also, apparently this POS building wasn't built so that the floor sloped towards drains so the water is just flowing further and further out in every direction. Now I'm panicking trying to push as much of this water into the drain asap so I can get the bucket over to Jack so he can mop up the OJ. And I see the older couple are still waiting, toe tapping and pointing at their watches as soon as they see me. And then get all pissy that we didn't have any smaller packs of Rice Krispy Treats in yet.

Jack fucks off to the bathroom to dry as much as he can of himself while I do my best to hunt down the Janitor to send him and the Zamboni down juice, vinegar and the main pathway where the vinegar-milk-water spilled and is still stinking up the joint. Jack didn't come back for probably 40 minutes, I was honestly surprised he came back at all, I didn't think he was going to.

Manager has no idea any of this shit has happened because he's been darting off everywhere like a squirrel on coke doing his own thing. He's got the rest of those 2 gallon bottles from earlier on the fork lift and has us follow him to the frozen section. He wants us to add what's left to a display over there where we are selling the full 6-pack cases. He drops off the pallet and is gone before we can say anything. Jack, understandably, is beside himself pissed and starts literally throwing the water up onto the display and then punching them into position. Like, he's full force punching these things like gym equipment and chanting "It'S! pLaStIc! iT! wOnT! bReAk!". And of course, he pops two bottles. We still have 2 more hours of our shift left, plus 2 hours of mandatory overtime.

THANKFULLY, once we cleaned up that water the rest of the shift was uneventful, but it took forever because we were exhausted physically and mentally and pissed

#not fr #long post #this took forever to write up

[itsanerdlife]

Restless Secrets 13

Pairing: MC!Eggsy Unwin x Steve Rogers Sister!Reader

Warning: Language. Abuse mentioned. Secrets. Drugs mentioned. Violence. Alpha Males. Kidnapping.

Everyone has secrets. Everyone made mistakes. Now you’re rocking the single mom life. But when you’ve got yourself into trouble, you head home to seek the help of your brothers. Bucky and Steve. But your secrets are coming to light when a member of your brothers MC and you have a secret. She’s turning three and the apple of your brothers eyes. Gary ‘Eggsy’ Unwin, is the fling from college Spring Break, and the father of your daughter Olivia. You and Olivia came home for help, but all hell was going to break loose now.

Brandon drops into a stool at the bar, next to Bucky and Steve, Peter stood behind it opening beer bottles.

“I never thought Eggs, would be one for taking on someone else’s kid.” Buck snorts, sipping from the bottle in front of him. Brandon shifts uncomfortably on the stool, taking a large drink from his bottle.

“Oh well, Eggs loves kids.” Brandon shrugs, avoiding looking at anyone.

“Yeah, but I guess I never thought he’d play step dad.” Buck shrugs.

“That’s a lot to take on. Taking care of a child that’s not his.” Steve adds, nodding, finishing his beer.

“Well look at him with Daisy.” Peter swallows, looking a little nervous himself.

“Yeah, but that’s his sister.” Steve snorts. “Believe us when we say you go to no end for your sister.” Steve glances at Buck who nods.

“I think he’s good for them.” Peter shrugs, playing with the bottle opener in his hands.

“They all seem really happy together.” Brandon adds, before chugging more of his beer.

“Yeah, that’s true.” Steve sighs, almost as if he wasn’t so happy about it.

“Maybe it’s just we never thought he’d be taking care of our girls.” Buck laughs, sipping from the bottle. Brandon and Peter exchange an almost panicked look.

“Probably.” Steve sighs.

“Might want to get used to it.” Brandon chews the inside of his cheek.

“Why?” Steve looks over at him. “I mean they’re happy, but that’s not serious.” Steve shrugs.

“She mentioned the L word to me the other night.” Peter admits, quickly opening another beer bottle and handing it to Steve.

“Eggs said the same to as well.” Brandon nods.

“We’re really not getting rid of him, I guess.” Buck sighs, nodding. Picking up his beer again. Steve mutters to himself, bring his beer to his lips.

“Nope.” Peter and Brandon reply at the same time, both looking nervous. Which secrets they were afraid of the two brothers stumbling upon, neither one knew what the other knew. Both refusing to give up secrets that weren’t theirs to give up.

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

You lean against the archway into the kitchen, watching Daisy and Livie in the living room. Eggsy and his mom in the kitchen, he was helping her fill sippy cups.

“So Livie,” Michelle smirks at Eggsy as he fills one cup with juice “she’s cute.” She nods. You glance back. The look on Michelle’s face, spoke volumes on where she was going with this conversation. Her dirty blonde hair hung over her shoulders. She looked good for a woman with a grown son and little daughter. You could see where Eggsy got his features from.

“She is.” Eggsy nods, filling the second cup.

“Ah huh.” Michelle nods, folding her arms over her chest. “So did you just not plan to tell me I have a grandchild?” She cuts to the chase real quick. Eggsy’s head snaps up, stunned shock on his face.

“How? Did Brandon call you?” He gaps at her.

“Oh Brandon knows, huh?” She lifts a brow and Eggsy shrinks back a little. “Anyone else? Am I the last to know about your daughter?” She asks.

“We haven’t told Livie.” Eggsy shrugs.

“Or the club.” You add, shrugging a shoulder.

“The club?” She looks from you to her son.

“Her brothers are Steve and Bucky.” Eggsy sighs.

“Well you’ve got yourself into one hell of a pickle babe.” She nods.

“It’s really my fault.” You admit. “I sort of just showed up and shook up everyone’s lives.” You sigh.

“He looks really shaken.” Michelle snorts. Eggsy sighs putting lids on cups quickly. Livie bolts past you holding a book.

“Da, you wead?” She holds the book up. Da, something she had recently started called Eggsy. Eggsy grinned, turning into putty in her hands. He scoops her up, taking both cups with him. They head into the living room, he stops to kiss you quickly.

“Maybe you don’t need to tell her.” Michelle smirks as she comes to join you in the opening.

“She started that recently.” You nod, watching Eggsy sit on the floor, with both girls. He reads the little book, both girls giving their undivided attention, drinking their cups.

“She’s young enough she won’t remember there was a time he wasn’t around.” Michelle nods.

“So just tell my brothers.” You nod, snorting. “Nothing like leaving the best for last.” You shake your head, Michelle laughs.

“You were raised right. Eggsy says you’re a forced to be reckon with. You’ll do just fine.” She nods, a smile on her face.

“Gain! Gain!” Livie bounces up and down.

“Again? Again?” Eggsy laughs. “How about I tickle you for payment?” He scoops her up, he puts her on the floor, throwing a leg over her hips, pinning her to the floor.

“Noooooooo!” She giggles, trying to wiggle out of the weight, but she goes nowhere. Daisy is cracking up watching the two of them. Eggsy turns on her, she stops laughing instantly.

“Aye, you think it’s funny?” He grabs her quickly, putting her on the floor trapping her under the other leg. “Neither of you can escape me. At my mercy!” He laughs, using one hand to tickle each girl. The room erupts into loud, little baby giggles.

“Sthop!” Daisy squeals panting for breathe.

“Say uncle!” Eggsy continues to tickle them. You and Michelle giggling, as you watch.

“Uncle!” Daisy laughs loudly.

“Tevie!” Livie gasps, still laughing. Eggsy laughs harder, as he stops the torment.

“Close enough.” You shrug as Michelle cracks up next to you.

“Not nice, Da!” Livie pants as she sways on her feet, still unsteady for the tickle torment. Daisy is still giggling on the floor trying to catch her breathe.

“Kisses and I won’t do it again.” Eggsy flashes her that ever killer, cocky, crooked grin. Livie drops into his lap, giving him a few kisses. Daisy pushes herself up, before dropping into his lap as well. Both girls are messy haired and panting but look so content being stuck to him.

“He’s always been so good with girls.” Michelle snorts.

“Yeah, I learned that first hand. What with getting knocked up in two weeks.” You nod, the two of you exchange a look and laugh.

“Now imagine if you’d stuck around.” Eggsy looks over at the two of you, winking at you.

“Oh god, I’m going to have to get a stronger birth control.” You rub a hand over your face. Michelle cackles, patting you on the back.

“You sure those are BC and not mini mints?” Eggsy snorts, as Daisy hands him another book. You look over at Michelle a little shook.

“He’s your problem now.” She snorts, leaving you standing there, she takes a seat in one of the chairs. Livie grabs her cup, leaving Eggsy, she crawls into Michelle’s lap, curling up with her cup. Letting Michelle rock the both of them in the chair.

“Eggs, you were joking right?” You smirk at him coming into the living room as well. Eggsy continues to read to Daisy, only giving you a shrug of his shoulder. You glance over at Michelle, who is giggling quietly into Livie’s messy hair.

Everything Peaches 2/6/19: @xmtd5 @mo320   @all1e23 @irepeldirt @alyssaj23 @allyp1023 @joannie95 @kolakube9 @rileyloves5 @sarahp879 @pcterpvrker @pigwidgexn @doctoranon @abschaffer2 @nickimarie94 @teller258316 @wandressfox @amandab-ftw @son-ova-bitch @henrietteoaks @nea90sweetie @circusofchaos @bettercallsabs @lucifersnipnips @queenkrissy11 @destiel-artemis @paintballkid711 @iwillbeinmynest @teaand-cookies @sweet-honey15 @mellxander1993   @spookygrantaire @geeksareunique @supernatural508 @sammysgirl1997 @itzmegaaaaaaan @booksbeforebois @mariekoukie6661 @capsheadquaters @samanthasmileys @futuremrsb-r-main @lovemarvelousfics @petersunderoos96 @loving-life-my-way @booktvmoviefangirl @supernatural-girl97 @toffeecoloredqueen @abbypalmer14-blog @awkwardfangirl2014 @supernaturaldean67 @xqueenofthecraziesx   @writingaworldofmyown @sprinklesandsugarcubes @for-the-love-of-the-fandom @ocaptain-mycaptainmorgan @wonderlandfandomkingdom @crazy-little-thing-called-buck @letsgetfuckingsuperwholocked @stupendoussciencenaturepanda @jamesbarnesappreciationsociety

Eggsy Tag List 8/23/18: @courtmr @rockagurl   @kgbrenner @xlatinaaxx   @dkpink123 @sgarrett49   @poetsheart   @ingridsigne     @kazuha159 @breezy1415     @emilymorganb   @bellamouse16 @cece-lives-here   @orange-jps3497 @paranoiadestroyah   @nerdyandexhausted @deanwinchestersrifle @fandomsstolemylife00     @hunter-demigod-timelord      

Restless Secrets: @dumblani @patzammit @trustme3-13 @deghostyboi @callie-bear15 @geekymummy @raven-black102 @capandbuckylvr @mrskokitztelford @geeksareunique @that-awkwardnerd @crawlingnightmares @fanfictionjunkie1112

#Kingsman #Eggsy Unwin x Reader #KIngsman Fanfiction #Eggsy x Reader #Restless Secrets #Eggsy Unwin AU Series #MC Series #Eggsy AU Series

[toyboxgadget]

12

30 Uncommon Character Development Questions ( send me a number ): Accepting

12.) Describe 5 unusual characteristics your muse has.

[1] Yugi’s very particular about forgiveness and what can be forgiven. He will never forget how someone treated him, making him a master of receipts when it comes to bringing up dirt. This doesn’t account for first time impressions however. If you screw him over a second time, then that’s up to you mend a bridge you had unknowingly burned.

[2] Yugi likes trying to befriend people. He likes extending a hand to those who really need it or might just want it. However, he will only do this a few times before he gets tired of a constant rejection of his flat out friendship. He comes off a lot more blunt, however its never to the point of being rude either. It’s a careful balance to show he’s still open to conversation but will not attempt any kind of relationship minus acquaintance.

[3] He’s always wanted a pet since he was a toddler, but didn’t know what he wanted or what he could take care of. He’s let it go for several years until recently, taking on a snail as his very first pet. He affectionately named it ‘Chewie’, and it claims his desk as of right now.

[4] Yugi has a temper that he has forced down several times before. His rage is a very slow build up from all the micro transgressions throughout the days and weeks and months and even years. He was actual a bit of problem before he hit high school, getting into a few fights before he got his act together. Or found a better outlet for his anger which was just diving even deeper with his obsession with games.

[5] If Yugi has your phone number, chances are he has sent you a meme or meme compilation, or joke, or some bullshit logic his sleep deprived brain has come up with. At 4:30am, he has put milk in cheetos to make cereal, he has tried to freeze boiling water for “later”, he has taken a full bite of a hamburger with the wrapper still on it, he has accidentally made a 4 day baked potato meal, he has boiled cereal,  he has been caught chugging pickle juice with the pickles still in the goddamn jar. HE’S DONE WHATEVER THE FUCK THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE??

I like to think he’s something special.

#long #YUGI'S FUCKING AWFUL I HATE HIM #hell-howling

[northshorehealthandfitness]

WIAW

Helloooooo. Happy humpday! How’s the week treating ya? I’m getting SO EXCITED for Thanksgiving. My pie pants are packed haha. I can’t wait to see our Tucson family. We haven’t seen baby Everly since April, and she’s trying to walk now! We have lots of fun family events planned, and it’s going to be the best ever.

For today, I’ve got a WIAW (What I Ate Wednesday) post! It’s been a little while since I’ve shared one and I figured that this particular day was a very *real* day of eats. Sometimes when I do WIAW posts, I can’t help but be more cognizant of what I’m consuming. I find myself trying to maximize veggie intake and minimize dips into the almond butter jar. For this WIAW, it was pretty much a typical day: I taught a barre class + got in my own personal workout, Liv was at school, P was home, and I managed to cook real food for dinner.

Here’s what the day looked like:

7:50am: the rest of Livi’s waffles on the way home from school drop-off. I eat her leftover waffles pretty much every day and she leaves the bites in the bottom that are entirely soaked in syrup. Since I don’t usually have real breakfast until a couple of hours later, I appreciate the little sugar buzz, especially since P hasn’t been sleeping (STILL. HALP ME.) and it gives me a little pep in my step.

9:15am: real breakfast. This is 2 eggs with 2 egg whites, 2 almond flour tortillas, and sriracha. 

I’ve been enjoying the Speakeasy decaf coffee so much lately! A good friend recommended this brand because they use the Swiss water method to extract the caffeine. (If the company doesn’t specify how the coffee makes their decaf, chances are that they use chemicals.) It’s so delicious and mild! I’ll drink the coffee with almond milk, cinnamon and a small drizzle of maple syrup.

12:30pm: I snack on Simple Mills crackers with Kite Hill almond *cheesy* spread. The truffle dill flavor is fantastic. I wasn’t sure how I’d like the texture, but it’s like a fluffier, lighter version of cream cheese.

+ 2 tiny apples

(Aren’t they precious?)

1:00pm: I get in my workout in the garage. I’m going through the Post Baby Bod advanced plan – it’s been a great way to build back my fitness to an advanced level safely – and get some HIIT intervals with the jump rope + heavy strength. I’m done in about 40 minutes and chug a Daily Harvest cacao avocado smoothie before P wakes up.

   The smoothies are two servings, so before blending, I split container’s worth in half and freeze the rest for the next day. I add almond milk to the blender with 1 scoop of Vital Proteins collagen, a handful of spinach, a tablespoon of almond butter, and a teaspoon of Moon Juice dust. 

5:45pm: poke bowl time! We picked up some tuna tataki from Whole Foods. It’s wild-caught and pan-seared with garlic and pepper before it’s frozen. (You can find it in the freezer section by the sushi.) We have to get more of this. It was insanely fresh and delicious and paired perfectly with sushi rice (cooked in the Instant Pot for 12 minutes then seasoned with sesame seeds and rice vinegar), seaweed salad (from the sushi bar), avocado, cucumber and pickled ginger. I didn’t know if the girls would be into it, but Liv ate her entire poke bowl! P wasn’t such a big fan, but she made up for it in copious amounts of avocado. 

I head to teach barre and add in an intense lunge sequence. I’ll take a video for Instagram soon because it was a serious quad burner.

8:15pm: a piece of leftover birthday cake with Liv and Tulsi rose tea before winding down for the night. I mentioned before that I don’t usually *love* vanilla cake, but I love this cake. 

What I liked about this day of eats:

It was a satisfying mix of all of the things I love: eggs, almond butter, smoothies, poke bowls, CAKE. I felt satisfied and energized all day. It was also a good day of protein, which I think helped to make the meals more filling. Eggs usually give me an excellent start for the day (let’s be real, it’s not a day if I don’t have eggs at some point) and the poke bowl was a special treat. It brought me back to our San Diego days when we could get them whenever we wanted. *Hangs head and cries softly*

What I could have done differently:

I was kind of low on the produce front. Sometimes I’ll sauté veggies to go with my eggs, and I’ll almost always have a big salad at some point during the day. Thankfully the smoothie was packed with lots of good produce (zucchini, avocado, spinach) and I got a little bit more in with the poke bowl (seaweed, cucumber, more avocado). Ideally, I like to try to eat the rainbow, and my rainbow this particular day was mostly green. The day ended with cake, so I’m still calling it a win.

Speaking of wine (win = wine), I didn’t have any that night. I’ve really scaled back on the vino since P’s sleep habits crumbled to the ground. If I have a glass before bed, I feel so much more tired when I have to wake up with her during the night.

  So, tell me friends: what was the best thing you ate yesterday? Do you have any food goals you try to hit each day? I stick with my “eat like a PRO” mentality (aim for PROtein and PROduce in every meal/snack) and also try to add in greens when I can.

xo

Gina 

The post WIAW appeared first on The Fitnessista.

from North Shore Outlet - Health and Fitness http://ift.tt/2zJeb47 via IFTTT

#IFTTT #North Shore Outlet - Health and Fitness

[squirrellybaby67]

Little Ditty About Jackie & Diane (Part 4)

https://squirrellybaby67.tumblr.com/post/182081428599/little-ditty-about-jackie-diane-part-3https://squirrellybaby67.tumblr.com/post/182081280884/little-ditty-about-jackie-diane-part-1

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Summary: Things get a little.......awkward.

Word Count: 3,353

Warnings: Language, Drinking, Jealousy, Fluff, Ribbing, 

Stuck in the Middle (With You) - Stealers Wheel

The crunching sound of metal gained my attention along with a loud thud. I turn just in time to see Dean roll himself off my car, his wide eyes on the six foot werewolf stalking towards him. His eyes searched around the area for his lost gun and I shot off three rounds into the hulking werewolf as he approached Dean. The monster fell forward, wacking its head on the front corner of Diane, blood splattering all over the headlights. "Thanks," Dean grunted out as he stood up slowly from the ground. He picked up his gun from the ground as I walked down the stairs of the porch towards him. He raised his gun up to take aim and I froze in my tracks as I heard the squeaking of the screen door of the house the werewolves had been shacking up behind me.

"All clear," I heard Sam say behind me as Dean lowered his gun.

"Ahh, Son of a bitch!" I groaned as I looked over the damage done to Diane. Her hood and hood scoop had been dented in from Dean being thrown on her and where the werewolf's head had hit had put a dent above the headlight.

"Well, bet you wish you would've rode with us now," Dean said smugly as he tucked his gun into the back of his pants.

"She may be blemished a bit, but she's still got all the goods," Sam said as he walked past me to get into the passenger seat. "Seriously, Dean. The stereo system she has in this is amazing," he said as he patted the roof of the car before getting in.

"I don't need any of that fancy-dancey shit, you shouldn't mess with perfection like Baby," Dean said as he rounded the front of his car.

"Dean, your tape deck is broken," Cas said as he got in Dean's car.

"And those blemishes make her beautiful," Dean shrugged. "That's what the radio is for."

Dean climbed into the car starting it up and the radio came to life. 'Never Gonna Give You Up' coming through the speakers could not have been more perfect. "I think you've just been Rick Rolled by your darling Baby," I laughed, which earned a 'One Finger Salute' from Dean. "Come on Jack, you can ride back with us. I don't think any child should be subjected to such torture," I said, patting Jack's back and leading him to my car. Dean rolled his eyes before backing his car up and laying rubber as he took off down the road

~~~

"Well, we are just under the 48 hour trial period," Sam said as he sipped his beer. We had decided to stay one more night in Dallas before heading back to the bunker in the morning. "So are you going to head home with us tomorrow morning or are you determined to be on your own?" he asked as he looked around the bar we were occupying.

"It has been fun," I smiled.

"You know, I can't argue with you there. It's been entertaining watching Dean get his ass handed to him by a girl," Sam chuckled

"I mean I can't leave from here, I still have stuff back at the bunker," I shrugged.

"Stay," Sam said simply. "It can always be like this. I've enjoyed having you around. You are like the little sister I never had," he smiled.

"Does that make me an honorary Winchester?" I asked with a chuckle.

"Only if you stay, because family sticks together," he said holding his beer out to cheers.

"Ok," I smiled, clinking my glass of Jack and Coke to his beer to seal the deal.

Sam was just about to take a drink of his beer when Dean walked through the door, "What the hell guys?!" He sauntered over to us, winking at a redhead he passed at the end of the bar before looking back at us, "I got out of the shower and the place was a ghost town. Couldn't even tell me you were leaving?" I shrugged my shoulders before downing the rest of my drink and gesturing for another one to the bartender. "Oh Sammy," Dean said, wrapping an arm around his brother's neck and grabbing his beer. "Bartender, I think you messed up his last drink order, he's more of a fruity drink kinda guy," Dean smirked before chugging the remainder of the beer in his hand. "And I'll take another beer," Dean smiled at the bartender as she sat my drink down in front of me. She opened another bottle of beer and handed it to Sam before mixing a fruity drink and handing it to Dean.

"I think I got the order right the first time," the bartender smirked before walking off to handle other orders.

"Oh, I like her!" I laughed, taking a sip of my drink and almost spitting it out after seeing the unbelievable look on Dean's face. "Oh, I'm sure you'll love sex on the beach, Dean."

"Is that an offer?" Dean quirked an eyebrow.

"That's the drink in your hand. Drink up, Pretty Boy. The only sex you'll be getting from me is in that glass," I retorted, cocking my head to the side slightly with a smirk on my lips.

"How about I give you the sex and you let me taste you," Dean said with an eyebrow raised in challenge as he sat his drink down next to mine and grabbed mine. I watched his face as he took a few sips of my Jack and Coke, closing his eyes and humming in appreciation, "Just as delicious as I'd imagined." He made solid eye contact with me before giving me a crooked smirk and walking over to the table Jack and Cas were sitting at. I couldn't help the flood of heat that washed up my neck and into my cheeks.

Sam cleared his throat, "You alright?" he asked raising his eyebrows.

"Ye-Yeah....Yeah, I'm fine. Just feelin' the alcohol kicking in is all," I mumbled as I reached for the Sex on the Beach and chugged the tart shit down.

I watched as Dean stood up from his chair, walking up to the bar to sit on the stool next to the redhead he had winked at earlier. He struck up a conversation with her after ordering another drink and I couldn't keep my eyes from rolling. "I'm going to need more alcohol," I muttered, signalling for the bartender. "Can I get a Irish Car Bomb, a shot of Liquid Cocaine, a Pickleback, and a Three Wise Men?"

"Are you trying to die?" the bartender asked with a horrified look on her face.

"I hear cheating death isn't that hard," I chuckled and looked over to Sam who was silently laughing.

"Coming right up," the bartender said, shaking her head. I glanced back down the bar at Dean, who was still talking to the redhead who touched his arm and laughed at something he had said. I knew I had called it, he was a womanizing douche and now I was just getting to witness it first hand.

The bartender sat the 4 drinks down in front of me and I asked for a beer knowing that these drinks alone would be my limit for the night. I paid off my tab and settled in for the ride. I grabbed the small shot glass and held it above the tall glass, readying my Irish Car Bomb. "Here's to steak when you're hungry, Whiskey when you're dry. A lover when you need one, and Heaven when you die," I said and nodded to Sam.

"Cheers to that," Sam said as he raised his beer bottle in the air. I dropped the shot glass into the dark liquid and started chugging it before it could froth over, slamming the empty glass back on the bar top.

"Damn you took that like a champ," Dean shouted from the end of the bar.

"Just one of my many talents," I smirked at him deviously making his eyebrows shoot up in shock.

"Here's to staying positive and testing negative," I said as I raised the shot glass of Jamison towards Dean to salute him. I watched as his face fell slightly, glancing at the girl next to him before looking back at me as I downed the shot and chased it with the pickle juice. "It's gonna be a fun night," I laughed as I grabbed the shot of Liquid Cocaine. I tapped Sam's beer bottle and threw the shot to the back of my throat, the liquid burning its way down into my belly. "I'm going to apologize in advance for my lack of giving a shit tonight," I said through my grimace.

"Alright," Sam laughed as he tipped his beer back and gestured for a new one.

"I need some music," I said as I hopped off of my barstool.

"They should be starting up karoake in a few and you can listen to all the horrible singing you can take," the bartender said as she grabbed the empty glasses in front of me.

"Karaoke?" I smiled. "Oh hell yes!"

It was only a few minutes before the DJ started playing music and announced the beginning of karaoke. I couldn't get to the DJ fast enough, knowing exactly what song I wanted to sing. The DJ found my jam for the night and told me to get up on stage. He announced my name and I watched as Dean swung his bowlegged ass around in his chair to watch me. The bass line came on, joined by the guitar and piano before I began singing the opening verse of one of my all-time favorite Journey songs, "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'." I swung my hips to the beat of the bass guitar, eyes closed and pouring my soul into the song. I opened my eyes, scanning the room for Dean, who was still sitting in his seat, his gaze watching me intently, elbows on knees as he leaned forward. He mouthed the words to the song as the infamous 'NaNa's' at the end came up. He had that smirk on his face that made me want to both smack it and kiss it off of him. I looked over at Sam, who was sitting in his chair glancing between his brother and I until he realized I was looking at him. Sam smiled and started singing along with the song with me. I finished the song and walked my content, and slightly buzzed ass, back to my seat without taking one glance at Dean.

"You aren't half bad," Sam said as I sat down next to him.

"Thank you," I smiled. "Here's to tonight," I said holding my last shot up to cheers him.

"The start of a new era of hunting," Sam added as he clinked his bottle to my shot glass. I took the shot down like a champ, but had to chase it with beer as the alcohol started to rise back in my throat.

I excused myself after a few songs to go to the restroom and when I came out of the bathroom, I heard someone singing my Dad's favorite song, 'Jack and Diane'. "Come on, let's dance!" I said running up to Sam, who nearly spit his beer out of his mouth as I tugged on his arm. "Come on, Sammy. Pretty please," I begged, puffing out my bottom lip and giving him what I imagined to be puppy dog eyes.

"Oh God," Sam sighed as he ran a hand over his face and looked at me again. "Fine, but I'm not promising your feet will be safe," he said as he stood up and finished off his beer. I dragged him out to the floor as the second verse started and we did our best to dance to the song as we sang along at the top of our lungs. I couldn't help but laugh as Sam twirled me around before the hook dropped and we let go of one another and clapped along with the song and shouted the bridge. He grabbed me back around my waist as the drums died out and swayed with me to the music. "Hey, is this why your car's name is Diane?" he asked as the outro began.

"Yep, it was my Daddy's favorite song," I smiled.

"That's cute," Sam smiled as the intro to 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door' began and we continued swaying slowly to the music.

"Thank you, Sam," I mumbled as I rested my head against his chest.

"For what?" he asked, pulling back a little to look down at me.

"For caring," I shrugged, trying to play off the seriousness of the confession.

"Are you getting soft on me?" Sam teased.

"You tell anyone and I will kick you ass, Jolly Green," I playfully glared up at him.

"Your secret is safe with me," he smiled as the song came to an end. The DJ played 'Promises' by Sam Smith next and Sam stepped away from me, "Sorry, I'm not dancing to this."

"Awww, come on!" I whined.

"I'll dance with you!" Jack jumped up from his seat.

"Alright, show me what you got, kid!" I laughed as we danced our hearts out. Jack was so full of life and innocence and I realized immediately that he was nothing like his father.

The DJ called me up to his podium to ask if I had another song I could sing and he entered the song to the queue before I headed back to the dance floor with Jack. "Thank you for dancing with me," I smiled before giving him a hug and headed back to my seat next to Sam. I finished my beer and asked for a shot of Jack, everything beyond that was remembered in flashes of dancing, lights, and more drinking.

"Come on, Jackie, let's get you back to the room," Sam said as he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled one of my arms around his neck for support.

"Awww, come on, Sammy, the night isn't over yet," I slurred.

"I think it is," Sam laughed as he walked me toward the door.

"You want me to take her back," Dean's voice came out of no where.

I peeled my eyes open looking up at his beautifully sculpted face and frowned, "Oh no, don't let me screw up your plans for the night." Dean looked at me with a frown matching my own before looking back to Sam.

"I got her," Sam said as he practically dragged me out of the bar, Cas and Jack close on our heels.

~~~

A sliver of light peeking between the curtains woke me from my heavy slumber. The light was excruciatingly bright and my head was throbbing. I moaned from the pain as I flung my arm over my eyes. The bed shifted and I stiffened. There was no body contact with anyone else in the bed, but I had definitely not imagined the bed moving. I lifted the covers looking down my body and finding I was in my underwear and a plain gray t-shirt. Fear took over my hungover state and I shifted slightly so I could look over to find out who my bedmate was, praying to God I hadn't made the mistake of sleeping with Dean last night.

Sam. Oh, thank fucking God, it was just Sam. A half naked Sam, but still it was Sam. Nothing would've happened with him, right? Right? No, it couldn't have. He said he looked at me like a sister. Plus, he wasn't the Winchester that had gotten my panties into a twist last night.

"Hey," Sam's sleepy voice grumbled out. "How you feeling?"

"Like shit," I groaned, swinging my legs off the side of the bed and standing up to head to the bathroom.

"There's a bottle of OJ in the fridge and some Advil on the counter," he mumbled out before turning back on his side to fall back asleep.

I padded lightly over to the refrigerator to grab the juice and take the medicine, thanking Sam in my mind. I looked back into the bedroom area wondering why I hadn't been on the couch like I had been the night before and seen that Jack was sleeping there. I grabbed my bag of clothes before closing myself into the bathroom for a much needed shower.

The shower had helped and after getting dressed I opened the door to a figure blocking the doorway. I swung on instinct and the person ducked just in time. "What the fuck?" Dean's voice said as he grabbed my arm. "It's just me. I gotta piss," he growled.

"Oh, sorry," I whispered before walking past him to go back into the main room. I slipped on my chucks and grabbed my wallet, keys, and sunglasses from the nightstand. I groaned as the sunlight assaulted me when I stepped outside. I owed the boys after the shit I pulled last night and I knew just how to make it up to them.

~~~

The hotel room had a kitchen and I put it to use as I fried up bacon, sausage, and eggs. "Something smells good," Sam said as he stood up from his bed and stretched.

"I made everyone breakfast," I smiled over my shoulder as I continued making the pancakes on the skillet.

"I'm surprised you are even functioning after last night," Sam chuckled.

"You'd be surprised the powers asprin, OJ, and Starbucks can have on a hangover," I shrugged. "By the way, thank you for last night," I smiled over at him. I caught the side eye Dean gave him before looking back at his phone. "What's with you, Oscar the Grouch?" I said, turning completely around and leaning against the counter. "I figured you'd be happy I was making food," I said making eye contact with Dean.

"Yeah, smells good," he replied, giving me a quick upturn of his lips that didn't reach his eyes.

"Okay," I said in a sing-song voice as I turned around. Something was clearly bothering him.

"Well, food is done, boys. Dig in," I said, setting the plates I had filled on the small table. "Where is Castiel?" I asked as I sat down at one of the spots.

"He doesn't sleep," Jack answered before taking a bite of his eggs.

"Oh," my voice coming out as puzzled as my mind was. "What does he do while you guys sleep?" The boys all looked at one another and shrugged in unison.

After everyone had finished eating I cleaned up my mess from cooking and we hit the road back to Kansas.

~~~

"You need any help?" Dean asked as he walked up the stairs to the garage. I had been in the garage for the majority of the day after we had gotten back from our trip. I was determined to fix Diane back to her pristine self and I was currently standing on either side of the dent in her hood, plunger suctioned to the center of the dent.

"I'm good," I said as I gave the plunger a good pull and the metal of the hood snapped back into place. I hopped down from the hood and pulled a credit card from my back pocket, wedging it between the plunger and hood to break the seal of the suctioned rubber. "As good as new," I smiled at him, swinging the plunger up onto my shoulder.

"You already fixed the scoop?" Dean asked, walking over to admire my work.

"Yep, and the dent that wolfy bastard put above the headlight," I added.

"I'm impressed," he nodded before looking up at me.

"Daddy didn't just teach me how to hunt, Dean," I shrugged before walking towards the stairs back to the bunker. "Oh, Your tape deck is fixed as well," I said, stopping in the doorway and looking over my shoulder. "You're welcome," I added, giving him a smile before heading off to get a shower.

#supernatural #Spn #dean winchester #dean winchester x ofc #little ditty #my work #fanfiction

[topicprinter]

Hey - Pat from StarterStory.com here with another interview.Today's interview is with Harris Derner of Brine Brothers, a brand that sells premium pickle brine.Some stats:Product: Premium pickle brine.Revenue/mo: $10,000Started: March 2017Location: New York CityFounders: 2Employees: 0Hello! Who are you and what business did you start?Hello, my name is Harris Derner and I am the co-founder of Brine Brothers, an All-Natural Premium Brine company. I started Brine Brothers in 2016 with my friend of 25+ years, Michael Belicose. Our current products are all-natural, drinkable pickle brines; ‘Darn Good Dill’ - the classic for pickle lovers and ‘Chili Cherry Fire’ - for those who like it hot. Pickle ‘brine’ (also referred to as pickle ‘juice’) is the liquid solution that transforms cucumbers into pickles.What makes us unique and distinguishes us from thousands of pickle companies is that we do NOT sell pickles…..just the Brine. Our product is the only all-natural pickle juice on the market. We designed our 750ml bottles to fit specifically with a shot pour making it very easy and clean to serve. Most people think they can drink the leftover juice in pickle jars, but what they don't know is that brine is not meant for drinking. It contains a lot of preservatives and chemicals to keep the pickles fresh and can be dangerous to consume.Our customers at home as well as bars and restaurants use our brines for Pickle Back shots, Martini Mixers, Bloody Marys, Cramp Relief, Hangover Cure, and creating their own fun pickled food creations (pickle back chicken wings).Our company was recently featured on Barstool Sports Big Brain entrepreneur contest and won an investment from Barstool and Jon Taffer. We are currently generating over $10,000/month and are determined to make Brine Brothers a million-dollar beverage company.See the episode here.imageWhat's your backstory and how did you come up with the idea?In 2015, when I figured out Pickle Juice was curing my hangovers, I looked everywhere to find a drinkable pickle brine, but it did not exist.It took me a couple months to realize that pickle juice was the main reason I was not getting a hangover. When I went out and took over 3 pickle back shots, the next morning I felt great.This led me to drinking the leftover juice in pickle jars before I went to sleep after a long night out. After chugging countless pickle jars, throwing out pickles, and straining all the seeds, I searched for a drinkable pickle juice and to my amazement I couldn't find anything.I talked to Mike (who had just got his MBA from Haas School of Business at Cal Berkeley) about the possible endeavor and then we were on a mission to take every pickle back shot in NYC.Fortunately, we didn’t have to go to 10,000 bars to realize they had the same problem as us. Every single bar we went to used the same unsanitary pickle juice in a plastic quart that they would usually grab off the floor. We knew we had something with our idea.Brine Brothers started as a passion project but we always knew it was bound to catch fire.Take us through the process of designing, prototyping, and manufacturing your first product.Bringing our concept to reality was much harder than we anticipated. Neither of us had a background in the food/beverage industry but it was very helpful that we had a clear idea of the result we wanted to achieve.After researching our market, educating ourselves on the industry, and putting together a strong business plan, we were able to face our challenges.The JuiceWe started with small batches in a commercial kitchen to test flavors with family and friends, then ultimately found the flavor profiles we wanted.We needed the ability to scale the business, so we started looking for co-packers around the tri-state area. There was a lot of helpful resources online but like anything else on the internet it was harder than it looked. 95% of the co-packers we contacted stopped the conversation at ‘pickle juice.’They justified cutting the phone calls short by claiming they didn’t want pickle flavor affecting their bottling machines. We finally vetted a list of co-packers that agreed to run pickle juice through their bottling lines.Our next obstacle was learning how we can legally produce a consumable beverage. We worked with Cornell University and NC State. It took 4-months processing time to test our samples and obtain approval letters for our co-packer.https://www.instagram.com/p/BzVX9qHFBpj/We sourced our logo from 99designs. It was a really fun process where a community of artists compete for the project by submitting creative ideas. We selected a winning designer and worked with them to create the branding we have today.imageMike and I have witnessed so many bars spill pickle juice everywhere, so we always knew we wanted a glass 750ml bottle to make it easy to serve with a shot pour.Plus, we have never seen pickle juice in a wine bottle and thought it was another way to distance ourselves from just your regular pickle guys.imageOur startup costs were relatively low; business insurance, state filing fees, 99designs, trademarks, UPC Codes, food testing, and inventory. We invested a total of $11,000 in 2016 and had a business valuation of $200,000 3 years later.Describe the process of launching the business.After we ran our first 3,000 units, we went bar to bar in NYC handing out samples to bartenders. I worked part-time in a bar throughout college summers and knew if we could create something that was easier, cleaner, and faster for bartenders, they would love it. They never saw anything like it and were ecstatic.We were able to land several accounts before we started selling online straight to consumers. Mike’s brother-in-law, Jamie Haas, had a lot of experience building e-commerce stores so we were able to leverage his knowledge and employed him to build the site and run our IT. Mike and I know if we aren’t experts in a certain field then we will find someone who has the technical expertise.At this point in our operation we had 2 sales channels; e-commerce and NYC self-distribution to bars and restaurants. It was somewhat odd how the stars aligned when we launched in 2017, the year of the pickle trend. At the same time we were going live; pickle soda was trending, pickle flavored popcorn was in 7/11, and pickle slushee rumors were circulating out of Sonic drive-ins. There couldn’t have been a better opportunity for us to have the only all-natural premium branded pickle juice on the market.We caught the attention of Delish.com and 400k views on Facebook.https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10156721527587437Landing an athlete sponsorShortly after we launched, we saw NHL-NJ Devils forward Blake Coleman drinking a pickle jar in the penalty box. Pickle juice is a growing trend among athletes for cramp relief; faster than water and sugary sports drinks.https://twitter.com/njdevils/status/917129331939446785?lang=enMike and I are huge devils fans so we did everything we could to connect with him. We were finally able to reach him via Instagram DM, dropped off samples, and have been business partners with him since.We currently white label Blake’s sport version of pickle juice ‘P20.’ This past season we joined Blake in his charity ‘Pickles Pals’ which supports the boys and girls club of Ironbound-Newark, NJ.imageSince launch, what has worked to attract and retain customers?The first two years we were building Brine Brothers organically through grass roots growth. We attended pickle festivals on the east coast, pitched bar to bar in NYC, and were very active on social media. We had the longest lines at festivals, and nothing makes us happier than creating something people love and enjoy.imageWe currently run % discounts and promotions for holiday sales, MailChimp for email marketing, and have tapped one of our childhood friends, Kurtis Alward, for SEM and online marketing strategy.Kurt has an extensive background in this field, we are under his guidance for SEO, ad spending, and social media marketing.imageThese metrics are from 1.5 weeks after the Big Brain release. We monitor our activity daily and are cautiously distributing our online marketing budget. We are finding out which platforms are working best for us and at the right customer acquisition costs.Articles and mentions from companies like Barstool, $20 chef, Delish, NHL.com, trendhunter.com, CBS news, USA Today, and NJ Bergen Record have fueled our growth and online search results.imageCheck out our Barstool video here.Our biggest e-commerce challenge is shipping costs. Customers are deterred when they see shipping is $12.80 but the bottles are only $8. The new norm is Amazon free 2-day shipping and as an avid amazon user I understand their hesitation.However, we priced our online bottles at a lower price to make up for the high shipping prices. 3 bottles fit into one package, so we try to tell our customers the most cost-effective is the 3-pack for a total of $34.Our bottles retail at stores for over $11 ea, so they are paying the same price buying a 3-pack online. We engaged in talks with Amazon but they are crushing small businesses under their model and it would leave us near breakeven.How are you doing today and what does the future look like?The future is very exciting for Brine Brothers. Our passion project has escalated into a premium beverage brand that we hope continues to grow.Our focus after the Barstool Big Brain contest is on distribution. We have had so many people reach out to us, the support and requests for our product has been amazing. We are in talks with regional and national distributors to scale our company and get to more customers.Brine Brothers - All-Natural Premium Brine Company. We have always wanted to keep our options open for future products. After our recent success of pickle brine we will be expanding to premium olive brines. Everyone has seen bartenders strain unsanitary olive jars while making martinis. This will be another big market for us and this time we already have the infrastructure in place.We are also working on merchandise. We have orders in for branded tote bags for our festivals and Barstool Sports co-branded apparel. Barstool has been a great partner for us with a lot of resources we plan on leveraging. Look out for our t-shirts soon:imageBarstools investment has allowed us to scale our inventory and increase our profit margin from 60% to 80%. This will allow us to grow even faster than our YoY growth of 200%.Through starting the business, have you learned anything particularly helpful or advantageous?We have really valued surrounding ourselves with industry experts.Jamie and Kurt have been a great addition to our team. Another example is my father, Jules, who has been an executive in the packaging industry for over 25 years. We have been able to bounce ideas off him and looked to him for guidance on issues such as packaging, supplies, freight, and fulfillment. Another childhood friend of ours, Jason Sansone, is a professional videographer who has also helped us out with content:https://www.instagram.com/p/BzQETkFlg5E/We look back and are still amazed that we were able to partner with Blake and the Devils. It has been an extremely fun and rewarding partnership. Not only do we want to expand our business, but we are also trying to make an impact and strengthen communities.imageWhat platform/tools do you use for your business?We originally used WooCommerce but have recently switched to Shopify. We made the jump after realizing how much better shopify works for us. They offered better reporting and analytics we can use for customer engagement and acquisition.Social MediaInstagramFacebookTwitterToolsGoogle AnalyticsFacebook MarketingMailChimp99DesignsWhat have been the most influential books, podcasts, or other resources?I have always wanted to start my own company. Even if it takes working 80 hours/week instead of 40, I rather create something for myself and my family than work a job that is unfulfilling.We always try to surround ourselves with people that inspire us. Our families and friends have all played a major role in propelling us to where we are today.Podcasts I am listening to right now:Bloomberg’s; Masters in BusinessSide Hustle SchoolPlanet MoneyAdvice for other entrepreneurs who want to get started or are just starting out?Nothing is easy, be creative, and prepare to make sacrifices.It took us 2 years from concept to production and we faced more challenges than ever anticipated. Stay focused and goal oriented.We found a need for a product that didn’t exist. So we created it.Its been 3 years, Mike and I still have never taken a distribution from the company, not even our original investment. All of our profits go back into the business to grow and scale. We have sacrificed countless hours and efforts into growing our company.imageAre you looking to hire for certain positions right now?We currently do not have any positions open but are always seeking help with the following:Social content creators (we can always use more freelance content)Help at our pickle festivals (shoot us a DM if we are in a city near you!)Where can we go to learn more?www.brinebrothers.comhttps://www.facebook.com/brinebros/https://www.instagram.com/brinebrothers/?hl=enhttps://twitter.com/[email protected] you have any questions or comments, drop a comment below!Liked this text interview? Check out the full interview with photos, tools, books, and other data.For more interviews, check out r/starter_story - I post new stories there daily.Interested in sharing your own story? Send me a PM

#/r/entrepreneur #reddit

[waxeight06-blog]

‘White People Food’ Is Creating An Unattainable Picture Of Health

Tanisha Gordon doesn’t see what white people love so much about cottage cheese. Or salads, especially when they’re topped with fussy ingredients like candied almonds, pickled carrots or Brussels slaw.

Gordon is a 37-year-old employee at an IT company in the Washington, D.C., area, and until recently, her diet was deeply saturated with fast food ― McDonald’s, Taco Bell, you name it. When her doctor diagnosed her last year with pre-diabetes and prescribed her a CPAP machine to help her sleep through the night, she began working with a nutritionist to clean up her diet. But the lifestyle change she sought would require more than cutting out Chicken McNuggets.

As a black woman, Gordon battled the perception that most of today’s healthy food is “white people food.”

“A lot of the time, when you go to restaurants now, they have these extravagant salads with all these different ingredients in it, like little walnuts and pickled onions ― like the stuff Panera sells,” Gordon told HuffPost. “For me personally, that’s like a white person’s food. A lot of the mainstream stuff that’s advertised comes across as being for white people.”

Today’s Goop-lacquered definition of healthy eating has made it de rigueur to guzzle $9 bottles of cold-pressed kale juice or chug hydrogen-infused water. In this micro-bubble of fastidiousness, a healthy diet means more than consuming your daily dose of fruits and veggies. It means eating pudding made of chia seeds (yes, the same ones used to make Chia Pets) and sprinkling your açai bowl with goji berries, even if you have no idea what either of those things are.

There’s nothing wrong with being nutritionally ambitious, but we’ve cultivated a health food culture that’s unattainable for the multitudes who can neither afford nor identify with it.

“You’ve got the dominant culture in the USA being white culture,” black restaurateur Dr. Baruch Ben-Yehudah told HuffPost. “And that white culture has taken the power to define all things good as white, and all things white as good. So that definition of healthy eating is not an accurate depiction of eating healthy.”

Over the course of a year, Gordon shed 60 pounds and outgrew the need for a CPAP machine simply by making some changes to her diet. But food isn’t always the biggest obstacle to a healthy lifestyle. Cultural barriers can be just as powerful.

“White culture has taken the power to define all things good as white, and all things white as good. So that definition of healthy eating is not an accurate depiction of eating healthy.”

- Restaurateur Dr. Baruch Ben-Yehudah

“For a person who needs to re-train their mind and think differently about healthy eating, that’s always gonna be their struggle; getting past, ‘This plate of food is for a white person,’” Gordon said.

Healthy food has historically been less accessible to black Americans in a number of ways. So, does eating healthy have to be equated with eating like white people? According to a new generation of chefs, nutritionists, academics and patients, the answer is no.

Charmaine Jones, a Washington, D.C.-based dietician who is black, penned a short paper earlier this year called “Do I Have To Eat Like White People?” that shared the dietary struggles of her clients, whom she describes as primarily low-income African-Americans on D.C. Medicaid.

The majority of her clients seek nutrition strategies to treat obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease or high cholesterol, a set of challenges that are particularly prevalent in the black community. Gordon was one of her clients.

Jones describes “white people food” as salads, fruits, yogurts, cottage cheeses and lean meats ― the standard low-fat, heart-healthy foods promoted by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines.

Every five years, a 14-member advisory board writes those guidelines, which dictate what the average American should eat to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The current board has only two black members. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services didn’t respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.

Isabella Carapella/HuffPost

African-American adults are nearly 1.5 times as likely to be obese as white adults.

African-Americans are at a much higher risk for a number of genetic predispositions and health issues, many of which are strongly influenced by diet. The numbers speak volumes.

Black Americans face a significantly higher risk of diabetes than white Americans, particularly for Type 2 diabetes: The prevalence is 1.4-fold to 2.3-fold higher in African-Americans.

The prevalence of high blood pressure in African-Americans in the United States is among the highest in the world. That high blood pressure is often attributed to higher rates of obesity and diabetes in the black community, as well as a gene that potentially makes African-Americans more salt sensitive.

African-American adults are nearly 1.5 times as likely to be obese as white adults. While approximately 32.6 percent of whites are obese, the rate for African-Americans stands at 47.8 percent.

Jones’ clients say they didn’t find it easy to get help in the black community.

“I found it difficult to find a black nutritionist. [Jones] was the only one I found when I was looking,” Gordon said. “Part of the reason I picked [Jones] was because she had similarities to me. I felt as if she would understand my body type more and she would understand the culture I come from more.”

“Even after I met her, I asked her what made her become a nutritionist, and she said, growing up, she’d never seen a black person be a nutritionist. So that was something we definitely related on and ultimately why I picked her.”

That’s not to say the black community isn’t without its proponents for healthy eating. Former first lady Michelle Obama launched the “Let’s Move” campaign in 2010 to address the problem that one-third of U.S. children are overweight or obese. She sought to break down cultural and socioeconomic divides by cultivating partnerships with big business and championing sweeping legal changes that would affect both the rich and poor.

But Obama often met resistance, finding that food is an everyday comfort that many Americans aren’t willing to compromise on.

Empics Entertainment

Former first lady Michelle Obama speaks on behalf of Let's Move in London.

Jones says she runs into this problem with many of her clients.

“It’s very frustrating,” she told HuffPost. “My clients feel pressure that they have to change the way they eat. They have to start incorporating foods that are not common to them. So any time that happens, there’s a resistance against the pressure.”

Natalie Webb, another registered dietician and nutritionist in the D.C. area who is also black, told HuffPost that her clients share that same frustration.

“My clients absolutely associate healthy eating with eating like white folk,” Webb said. “I think it stems from what people see in marketing and what they associate healthful eating with, and it often doesn’t include foods they’re familiar with.”

“When you change folks’ food ― especially people of color ― it’s like you’re asking them to change who they are,” Webb said. “That’s why it’s so important as a dietician to start where folks are and introduce foods that are going to be familiar but maybe in a little different way.”

Psyche Williams-Forson, associate professor and chair of American Studies at the University of Maryland, powerfully described how people react to interventions in their diet.

“When you go into a person’s culture and you say, ‘You can’t eat this,’ or ‘You can’t do that,’ it’s just like going into your house and moving your furniture. You’re going to feel violated, you’re going to feel invaded. It makes people feel like their cultural sustainability has been compromised.”

“I try to encourage people to remember that food is part of the constellation of material objects that we deal with every day. And every time you have a material possession that’s been taken away from you, you’re going to be very protective.”

Few, if any, cuisines are more firmly attached to African-American culture than soul food, which took on an especially political meaning in the 1960s.

Williams-Forson explained that when writer Amiri Baraka coined the term soul food in the ’60s, he was very specifically responding to a criticism that the African-American community didn’t have its own culture. “Baraka chronicled a number of foods that at the time were heavily eaten by people in the South, everything from ham to sweet potato pie and sweet tea,” she said. “The actual label of soul food became a political term.”

Cultural historian Jessica B. Harris has echoed that argument, writing that in the 1960s, “soul food was as much an affirmation as a diet. Eating neckbones and chitterlings, turnip greens and fried chicken became a political statement for many.”

“When you go into a person’s culture and you say, ‘You can’t eat this,’ or ‘You can’t do that,’ it’s just like going into your house and moving your furniture. You’re going to feel violated, you’re going to feel invaded.”

- Psyche Williams-Forson, University of Maryland

Ben-Yehudah adds even more context: “Soul food is an experience in culture, it’s an experience in connecting with not only the people around you today, but connecting with the souls and the spirits of those that came before us that had created an identity for the food we were consuming,” he told HuffPost. “It not only provided nourishment but also allowed us to have a good experience. The soul food was a comfort food. It comforted us in times of difficulty.”

Erica Bright is a 45-year-old management analyst who sought Jones’ help last year to make some dietary changes. She’s been making positive changes to her health by adjusting what she eats, something she was open-minded to since the beginning of the process. But she doesn’t think everyone feels that way.

“The thing that bothers me about eating healthy is that in the media, people appropriate different ways of eating to different people,” Bright told HuffPost. “And so I don’t necessarily feel like black people eat as unhealthily as people would assume that we do. If you think about Italian food, which I love, it’s just as fatty [as soul food], but it doesn’t have that same reputation.”

She points out that the origins of Southern food took root at a time when it was necessary to cook with less-than-ideal ingredients.

“Some people think all black people eat is chicken and collard greens, and that’s not necessarily true. However, out of utility and necessity, we ate a lot of that down South back in the day because that’s all that was available. It’s not like we didn’t know what carrots or Brussels sprouts were.”

“Stereotyping is extremely frustrating. We all have to find an approach to food that still respects and honors our culture. We can still respect our ancestors for how they had to eat out of utility. Now, I have a lot more choices than they did. I shop at Whole Foods, I can go to Trader Joe’s.”

It’s especially evident that these diet stereotypes don’t always apply when talking to someone like Novella Bridges.

Bridges is a 45-year-old nuclear chemist who lives in the D.C. area. She started seeing Jones in 2017 to treat high blood pressure that suddenly arose after both of her parents passed away. Unlike many of Jones’ clients, Bridge pays out of pocket for the nutritionist’s services. But more significantly, she has been eating healthfully her whole life.

“I was raised by a nurse,” Bridges told HuffPost. “I didn’t have to make a lot of changes once I started seeing [Jones]. I was used to eating the food pyramid, so I was raised in such a way that we all were real big on fruits and vegetables. Most people from the inner city or from my culture didn’t eat a lot of those vegetables, but we did.”

Bridges sees herself as being from a distinctly different cultural cross-section than most of Jones’ clients, and she doesn’t feel closely connected to her roots through the foods she eats.

“Some people think all black people eat is chicken and collard greens, and that’s not necessarily true. It’s not like we didn’t know what carrots or Brussels sprouts were.”

- Erica Bright, 45-year-old management analyst

“I would never qualify what I eat as being from one culture or the other,” Bridges said. “No matter who you are, you need to eat fruits and vegetables every day. The bottom line is, we’ve gone to a processed way of eating, and African-Americans have claimed that as their type of food. [African-Americans] want to dismiss healthy eating as being for white people because it’d require a change. The truth is, when people are asked to change, change is difficult.”

“It has more to do with class than race,” she added.

Indeed, money is an inevitable issue when it comes to healthy eating.

Larry Perkins is a 40-year-old married father of two and a Walmart employee. His doctor sent him to Jones last year because he had been diagnosed as pre-diabetic. He made the suggested dietary changes with aplomb, but not without increased financial strain as he attempted to provide healthy meals to his family.

“The most frustrating thing about being on a diet is not having the money to purchase the stuff that you need,” Perkins told HuffPost. “It’s hard to pay for it.”

“A lot of the healthier meals are not marketed toward us. When you go to Sweetgreen or Chopt, their menu is not geared toward low-income families. I can’t take my family there to eat healthy without breaking the bank.”

“I think it’s more of a class issue than a race issue, because in all actuality, you’ve got low-income people, black and white, trying to eat healthy, and the prices really aren’t geared toward any of us,” Perkins said. “We all want to eat healthy, but they just don’t market their menu for us.”

Jones, too, cites socioeconomic factors as one of the primary roadblocks preventing her clients from transitioning to a healthier diet, in part because her clients do the majority of their shopping in food deserts, which lack access to affordable, healthy foods like fresh fruits and vegetables. In the United States, many low-income black neighborhoods can be considered food deserts.

Based on the United States Census Bureau’s Income and Poverty in the United States report from 2016, the average black household made $39,490, while the average white household made $61,858. While only 11 percent of white Americans lived below the poverty level, 22 percent of the black American population did.

There are, however, those who warn against using the term “food desert” as a blanket assessment of a community. Forson-Williams explains: “Every community has a means of sustaining itself culinarily. Not every community may have a supermarket, but supermarkets are not panaceas.”

Jones has to find innovative ways to help her clients make healthy choices when the options are sparse. “Most of my clients live in economically disadvantaged areas, and I have to become creative and learn what’s in those stores to direct my clients how to eat healthy from those places.”

Though Jones teaches her clients how to make healthier soul food at home, finding healthy restaurants that serve soul food is another issue entirely. HuffPost talked to two black restaurateurs who run vegan soul food restaurants, chef Gregory Brown and Ben-Yehudah, about their experiences.

Barbara Haddock Taylor/The Baltimore Sun/TNS via Getty Images

Gregory Brown holds a plate from his restaurant in Baltimore on Aug. 26, 2016. 

Brown is co-owner of Land of Kush, a vegan soul food restaurant that opened in downtown Baltimore in January 2011. His restaurant specializes in dishes like vegan BBQ rib tips, smoked collard greens, vegan mac and cheese, candied yams, vegan drumsticks, smoothies and fresh-pressed juices. He created his restaurant to provide patrons with a healthier version of soul food, which he says is inherently unhealthy. “It’s heavy, greasy, animal-product based ... in its original form, it was really just scraps. Not the healthiest things. Black people just kind of made it taste good to make it palatable. That just became the cultural regularity.”

Ben-Yehudah is the owner of several restaurants, including vegan soul food restaurant Everlasting Life in the Capitol Heights area outside D.C. He agrees that soul food has been in need of a healthy makeover.

“Soul food is always greasier, it’s always saltier, and it’s always sweeter,” Ben-Yehudah said. “So those three elements that we don’t need more of in our diet are definitely found it more abundance in today’s soul food diet. I call it the Standard Black American diet, and it has created many of the health challenges that we have today because it’s void of nutrition, it’s full of toxins and it’s addictive.”

But now Brown sees a change in pop culture that’s influencing the black community to make some healthy changes.

“Just in the past three years or so, you just see an influx of popularity of veganism in pop culture. You see celebrities and athletes eating a plant-based diet. You hear about [NBA player] Kyrie Irving, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, you hear about a lot of different celebrities going vegan, so it makes people more willing to try it if they hear about their favorite celebrities doing it.”

But when Brown first opened his vegan soul food restaurant seven years ago, he saw some resistance from the black community.

“There’s always resistance,” Brown said, “because people are stuck with their culture, their background, their traditions. It’s a part of their living. It’s difficult to break people away from that, so people show a little resistance.”

“African-Americans might say, ‘I don’t want to eat like white people.’ However, at the end of the day, it’s not eating like white people, it’s actually eating the way we used to eat before we were brought to this country.”

- Restaurateur Dr. Baruch Ben-Yehudah

Brown’s solution to changing customers’ mindsets is meeting them where they are and finding a path toward healthy eating that lies somewhere in the middle.

“That’s the basis of our restaurant: Meet people where they are,” Brown said. “Black people like barbecue and they like collard greens, they like yams. Let’s offer that to them but at the same time, let’s put quinoa on the menu, and let’s also have some fresh fruit smoothies. That’s how we integrate it into people’s mindset. What do you like to eat? Let me tell you how I can make that vegan.”

“What we want to provide is the full transition,” Ben-Yehudah echoed. “We want to meet the person who’s accustomed to the fried fast food, meet them there and be able to provide them a transition point so they can engage the vegan, healthier food lifestyle.”

And that healthier food lifestyle doesn’t have to look white.

“African-Americans might say, ‘I don’t want to eat like white people,’ said Ben-Yehuda. “However, at the end of the day, it’s not eating like white people, it’s actually eating the way we used to eat before we were brought to this country.”

“I don’t think there’s such a thing as white people food,” Williams-Forson said. “But I think there are foods that have been assigned to black people, and there are foods that have been more in line with white communities. And I think soul food is largely what gets short-handed as black people food, and things like veganism and vegetarianism get short-handed as white people food. Quite frankly, African-American people have been eating white people’s food since we arrived on this continent. But a lot of folks don’t know that because the food we tend to get associated with is almost always soul food.”

And though redefining one’s diet always comes with challenges, for Bright, the journey to a healthier lifestyle turned out to be much more personal than cultural.

“We can learn how to make the foods that we love in a [healthier] way and be comfortable with that. It’s not an insult to Grandma and Mommy and how they used to make these things,” said Bright, whose mother died of colon cancer and whose grandmother had heart issues.

“I want to honor them by learning how to do this whole thing a little bit better. A different diet could have maybe kept them here a little while longer. It’s important to me: I feel like if I can learn how to do this a little better, I’m still honoring them, and I think they’d be proud of me in the process. I think that’s the kind of shift we have to make collectively.”

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misspelled Capitol Heights and indicated that it is in D.C. In fact, it is just outside the city in Maryland.

Source: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/white-people-food_n_5b75c270e4b0df9b093dadbb

[rodrigohyde]

56 ways to burn belly fat faster

It’s pretty common for men to pack some extra poundage around their midsection. In fact, the average man is about 24 pounds heavier today than men in 1960, according to stats from The State of Obesity—and the figures are rising. We’ve seen slimmer days, but don’t think this is a grim sentence, dooming you to eternal chubbiness. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of ways for you to burn belly fat—fast.

The fact of the matter is battling the bulge takes different strategies and approaches depending on your genetics, your metabolism, your will power, etc. What works for your buddy won’t necessarily be your be-all and end-all solution. To simplify things, we compiled plenty of tips to help rev your metabolism, lose your love handles, and unsheathe your abs. You'll have to do some trial and error to deduce which ones work best for you (hey, losing weight is hard work). But if you put in the work (a.k.a. incorporate a few of these tips each week), you’ll be well on your way to a smaller waistline. Who said your glory days were in the past?

[RELATED1]

1. Eat more protein

About 25%-30% of the calories in each gram of protein are burned in digestion, compared to only 6%-8% of the calories in carbs. Do the math: You save 41 calories every time you substitute 50 grams of protein for an equal amount of carbs.

2. Read labels

Avoid foods with "high-fructose corn syrup" in the ingredients list. Since 1971, consumption of this sugar substitute—which is used to sweeten soda, commercial baked goods, and even condiments—has increased more than 350% in the U.S., paralleling the rise in obesity.

3. Get off your ass

Do every exercise standing instead of sitting. "You'll expend up to 30% more calories," says Joe Stankowski, C.P.T. The solution for the bench press? Dips.

4. Mix up your movements

When you lift, perform supersets in which you alternate between sets of lower body exercises  and upper body exercises. That way, your lower body rests while your upper body is working. "This allows you to work your muscles maximally with very little downtime between sets for a faster, more effective workout," says Craig Ballantyne, C.S.C.S.

5. Exercise blind

When you're using the elliptical trainer, try letting go of the handles and closing your eyes. (Be careful!) Without the visual feedback, your core muscles will have to work harder to keep you balanced, burning more calories.

6. Embrace yardwork

View any type of physical activity—even those you try to avoid, such as mowing the lawn—as a chance to burn fat and condition your body. (Just make sure you use a push mower.)

7. Snack on dill pickles

They have one calorie per slice.

[RELATED2]

8. Take larger steps

When using the stair climber, skip one out of every five steps. Then take one large step to get back to your normal walking pattern. This step recruits additional muscle, upping fat loss, says Cameron McGarr, C.S.C.S.

9. Rent motivation

Once a week, watch a movie that inspires you to exercise. Examples: Rocky (for the gym), American Flyers (for cycling), Hoosiers (for team sports), and Chariots of Fire and Without Limits (both for running).

10. Break a record

Challenge yourself to run farther in the same amount of time—even if it's just one-tenth of a mile—every single workout. This ensures you're always burning more calories from one workout to the next.

  11. Smash your dinner plates

And buy smaller ones. That way, even if you fill your plate to capacity, you're ultimately eating less than what you would likely pile on your existing platters.

12. Cut carbs

Yes, you've heard it a zillion times. The reason: It works. In just one of many recent studies, a Journal of Nutrition report found that men who reduced their carb intake to just 8% of their daily calories lost seven pounds of fat and gained two pounds of muscle in six weeks.

13. Lift first, then run

By doing cardio after you've lifted—when you're already tired—the same speed or intensity will have a greater effect than had you done it beforehand, says McGarr.

14. Change directions

Try this interval-training trick on the elliptical trainer: Ride for 30 seconds as fast as you can, then immediately reverse your direction and ride for 30 additional seconds just as fast in the opposite direction. Rest 60 seconds and repeat. The force of stopping your momentum, as well as going from a dead stop to full speed twice in the same interval, will give your fat-burning efforts a massive boost, says Alwyn Cosgrove, C.S.C.S.

[RELATED3]

15. Fill up on high-fiber foods

Consider them "good carbs." Their bulk takes up space in your stomach, helping you feel full and eat less. The top fiber food: beans, which contain 8 grams per 1/2 cup. Research shows that guys who added 12 grams of fiber a day to their diet lost a quarter of an inch from their love handles, without otherwise modifying their diet. Here are some of the best sources. 

16. Top your salad with vinaigrette dressing

Studies show that acidic foods such as vinegar and lemon juice work like lighter fluid in your body's fat incinerator, increasing carb combustion 20%-40%. Researchers believe the acids blunt insulin spikes and slow the rate at which food empties from your stomach. Fermented foods like pickles and yogurt are also good sour options.

17. Don't skip meals

Not eating for long periods of time puts your body into a catabolic state, meaning it starts to break down muscle tissue for energy—and conserves fat.

18. Try the VersaClimber

The more vertical you are when doing cardio, the more calories you burn.

[RELATED4]

19. Don't be a couch potato

If you're a TV junkie, add up the number of hours you watch right now, and cut out all reruns—even if there's an episode of Seinfeld on you've never seen. Spend the time you save on your feet: outdoors or in the gym.

20. Hit the weights

If you're lazy, it's not as bad as you think—just 10 minutes a day of lifting, three days a week, will help. Harvard research shows that 30 minutes of weight training per week has a greater reduction on waist size than almost any other variable.

21. Pass on the potatoes

In any form—mashed and baked, as well as French fries and potato chips. They raise levels of insulin in the blood, triggering your body to stop burning—and start storing—fat. Sweet potatoes are acceptable. They have more nutrients and fiber.

22. Eat your biggest meal of the day after you lift

It takes calories to digest food. And researchers at the University of Nevada found that it takes 73% more calories to process that food after a weight-training session than if you hadn't worked out at all.

  23. Chug H2O before a meal

The water will take up room in your stomach, making you feel more full and reducing your appetite, says Christopher Mohr, M.S., R.D.

24. Request substitutions

Any time your restaurant entree comes with a side of pasta, potatoes, or rice, ask for vegetables instead, says Jeff Volek, Ph.D., R.D. Your server will be more than happy to accommodate you.

25. Join a league

That is, sign up for a sport such as softball, soccer, or even kickball. It'll automatically schedule exercise sessions into your week, and because you're part of a team, you'll have peer pressure that'll ensure you keep showing up.

26. Break between scoops

That is, if you can't live without ice cream, cake, or other calorie-laden desserts, go ahead and have one scoop (about 1/2 cup) or one small slice. Then, if you still want more, wait 20 minutes. Typically, you'll find that while you wait, hormones kick in and trigger a feeling of fullness, reducing desire for that second serving.

27. Brush your teeth more often

In a recent Japanese study of 14,000 people, researchers found that men who brushed their teeth frequently were leaner than men who did not. Thank that minty-fresh flavor, which may make you less likely to snack between meals.

[RELATED5]

28. Eat an unbalanced diet

"By cycling your calorie intake so that you eat less calories one day and more the next, you'll keep your metabolism on its toes," says Volek. And that'll ensure you keep burning fat at a high rate. The key: Shoot for an average of 2,000 calories a day over a week's time.

29. Dial up an incline

When you run outside, you apply force to the ground and propel your body weight forward all by yourself. When you run on a treadmill, the belt helps you. To counteract this, always walk or run on at least a 1% incline, the treadmill grade an English study found is nearly equivalent to outside running.

30. Stick to no-calorie drinks

That means coffee, tea, diet soda, mixes such as Crystal Light and, of course, water.

31. Have breakfast every day

Research from Harvard and Boston's Children's Hospital shows that obesity rates are 35%-50% lower in people who eat breakfast regularly, compared with folks who don't. Nutritionists believe a.m. meals help regulate insulin levels and hunger, so you're less likely to overeat throughout the reminder of the day.

[RELATED6]

32. Avoid foods that come in a bag or box

Typically, these are highly processed carbs—foods that quickly raise blood-sugar levels and shut down your body's ability to burn fat.

33. Snack between meals

This not only keeps you from being ravenous—and overeating—at lunch and dinner, it forces your body to process food all day long, which keeps your metabolism stoked.

34. Buy a TiVo

And only watch the shows you record. By fast-forwarding through the commercials, and watching only the shows you care enough to set a season pass for, you can cut your TV viewing—and the amount of time you spend on the couch—by more than a third.

  35. Load up on yogurt

When researchers at the University of Tennessee put a group of volunteers on one of two diets—one high in calcium and one not—and cut each group's calorie intake by 500 calories, they found that the people getting calcium lost twice as much weight (an average of 13 pounds) compared with people on the standard diet. Study author Michael Zemel, Ph.D., believes extra calcium helps the body burn more—and store less—fat.

36. Order appetizers

And avoid the bread bowl at all costs. If you're ravenous when you sit down to eat at a restaurant, immediately order a side salad, or a meat- or vegetable-only appetizer, rather than be tempted by these bottomless—and fattening—freebies.

37. Pop peanuts

Nuts have a very high satiety power—meaning they make you feel fuller after eating than many other foods. And even though they're high in calories, those calories appear to be processed differently in the body. University of Michigan researchers found that men who added 500 calories' worth of peanuts a day to their diet gained no excess weight at all.

[RELATED7]

38. Track your calories

You could do it in a journal, but we know that's never going to happen. Instead, do it on the web, at a site like fitday.com. Just create a free account, plug in the amount of food you're eating throughout the day, and let the software tell you exactly how good—or bad—you're being.

39. Do sprint intervals

Interspersing short, all-out sprints with brief periods of rest is the most effective form of cardio for fat loss, says Stankowski. Try a 2-to-1 "work-to-rest" ratio. That is, sprint two times longer than you rest. So if you run a 150-yard sprint—a good distance to start with—in 20 seconds, rest 10 seconds, then repeat 3-7 times.

40. Check your mood

The desire to snack may not be due to hunger at all, but rather the result of loneliness, depression, or anxiety. "Emotional eating is at the core of bad eating choices," says N.Y.C. psychotherapist Elizabeth Fagan, C.S.W. If you often find yourself eating when you feel down, or if you feel happier after a meal, that may signify a problem.

41. Shop for one

If you have to buy cookies, chips, or other processed junk foods, buy the single-serving package—rather than the large, family-style bag. That way, when you eat the whole package—and let's be honest, you know you will—you'll at last have done a lot less damage to your waistline.

42. Find inspiration

Take a digital picture of yourself, shirtless at the beginning of your journey. Every couple of weeks, take a progress pic to visually document your progress. It'll help you stay accountable. 

43. Go the distance

Perform intervals for a designated distance rather than a designated time. Otherwise, you'll be running shorter sprints as you get tired, reducing the number of calories you burn, says McGarr.

  44. Cheat once a week

Use the meal as a reward for a week's worth of hard work, or the completion of a project you've been dreading. "It's OK for people to blow one meal a week without feeling guilty," says James W. Anderson, M.D., director of the Metabolic Research Group at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. "If you follow a healthy diet 95% of the time, you can relax and enjoy yourself the other 5% of the time without gaining weight," he says.

45. Row to the sky

Every time you complete 10 reps on the rowing machine, lift the handles straight up over your head—without bending your elbows—for two consecutive repetitions before returning to normal rowing form. This works your shoulders and back harder, as well as your legs, since they have to produce more power in order to give you the momentum to perform the move, says McGarr.

46. Avoid white bread

When Tufts University researchers studied the waistlines and diets of 459 people, they found that even in men of similar age and activity level, those who ate white bread frequently weighed more than those who didn't. "The calories from white bread and refined grains just seem to settle at the waistline more than calories from other foods," says Katherine Tucker, Ph.D., the study author.

47. Keep an eye on portion sizes

"Most people who have been lean their whole lives have a much better understanding of proper portion size than people who are overweight," says Deborah Riebe, Ph.D., a professor in the department of kinesiology at the University of Rhode Island. "If they go out to eat, they're much more likely to ask for a doggie bag right away or to leave food on their plate rather than cleaning it up," she says.

[RELATED8]

48. Never forbid yourself a favorite food

Here's a shocker: When a group of U.K. researchers told 30 women to avoid chocolate, then packed them into a room filled with the stuff, the women were much more likely to sneak a bite than individuals who hadn't been given the order. Blame the allure of the forbidden: The more you tell yourself you can't eat something you love, the more you're going to want it.

49. Outdo yourself

When you exercise on the rowing machine, try this interval workout: Row for 60 seconds, note the distance on the machine, then rest 60 seconds. Repeat, only this time, row for 55 seconds and try to match or better your distance from the first time. Rest 55 seconds, then repeat, reducing the time to 50 seconds. Continue until you can't beat your original distance.

50. Sneak extra activity into your day

Pace around your office while talking on the phone or run into the bank to cash your check instead of using the drive-thru. When researchers at the Mayo Clinic fed a group of volunteers an extra 1,000 calories a day over the course of eight weeks, they found sedentary individuals gained eight times more weight than those who fidgeted a lot during the day.

51. Turn off The Late Show after the monologue

Or skip your favorite early-morning show—whatever it takes to grab a few more minutes of sleep each day. When researchers at the University of Chicago studied men who were sleep-deprived, they found that after just a few days, their bodies had a much harder time processing glucose in the blood—a problem common in overweight diabetics. When the individuals returned to a more normal seven to eight hours of sleep a night, however, their metabolisms returned to normal.

  52. Buy some new blinds

And maybe a new mattress, because it's not just the amount of time you spend sleeping that keeps you lean, it's also the quality of your sleep. Fat cells in your body produce a hormone called leptin that helps the body keep track of how much potential energy (i.e. fat) it has stored. But leptin is only produced during certain stages of sleep. Miss out on those stages because you're not resting soundly enough, and you'll disturb levels of the hormone, leaving your body with no real idea of its energy reserves. Consequently, you'll end up storing calories rather than burning them.

53. Don't starve yourself

"Under normal conditions, humans absorb only about 80% of the nutrients from the food they eat," says A. Roberto Frisancho, Ph.D., a weight-loss researcher at the University of Michigan. But, he says, when the body is deprived of nourishment, it becomes a super-efficient machine, pulling what nutrients it can from whatever food is consumed. Start eating again normally and your body may not catch up; instead it will continue to store food as fat.

54. Eat more slowly

"It can take 12 minutes or longer for the signal that you've started to eat to make its way to your brain," says Mark S. Gold, M.D., of the McKnight Brain Institute at the University of Florida. Quick tips: Sip some water between every bite of food you eat, or at least eat more meals with friends or family members. You'll be more likely to talk and therefore to eat more slowly.

[RELATED9]

55. Floss twice a day

When researchers in Brazil studied 13,000 people over a three-year period, they found that men with the highest levels of inflammatory agents in their body were also the most likely to gain weight. And periodontal disease, which is caused by poor oral health care, is one of the most common sources of inflammation. Brushing twice a day, flossing, and making regular trips to the dentist are the best ways to prevent the disease. Hate flossing? Studies show that a dose of Listerine may be just as effective at reducing levels of inflammatory bacteria within the mouth.

56. Step on the scale at least once a day

"If there's one thing that comes up over and over with the thousands of patients enrolled in the National Weight Control Registry, it's weighing yourself every day on a scale," says Rena Wing, Ph.D., founder of the registry, which tracks more than 4,500 men and women who have lost an average of 20 pounds or more and kept it off for at least six years. "Don't obsess over the number," she says, "but at least keep track of the general range of what you weigh so you can catch small changes as they occur and take corrective measures immediately."

[RELATED10]

Weight loss

from Men's Fitness https://www.mensfitness.com/weight-loss/burn-fat-fast/56-ways-burn-belly-fat-faster

#Men's Fitness

[egooksconnolly]

56 ways to burn belly fat faster

It’s pretty common for men to pack some extra poundage around their midsection. In fact, the average man is about 24 pounds heavier today than men in 1960, according to stats from The State of Obesity—and the figures are rising. We’ve seen slimmer days, but don’t think this is a grim sentence, dooming you to eternal chubbiness. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of ways for you to burn belly fat—fast.

The fact of the matter is battling the bulge takes different strategies and approaches depending on your genetics, your metabolism, your will power, etc. What works for your buddy won’t necessarily be your be-all and end-all solution. To simplify things, we compiled plenty of tips to help rev your metabolism, lose your love handles, and unsheathe your abs. You'll have to do some trial and error to deduce which ones work best for you (hey, losing weight is hard work). But if you put in the work (a.k.a. incorporate a few of these tips each week), you’ll be well on your way to a smaller waistline. Who said your glory days were in the past?

[RELATED1]

1. Eat more protein

About 25%-30% of the calories in each gram of protein are burned in digestion, compared to only 6%-8% of the calories in carbs. Do the math: You save 41 calories every time you substitute 50 grams of protein for an equal amount of carbs.

2. Read labels

Avoid foods with "high-fructose corn syrup" in the ingredients list. Since 1971, consumption of this sugar substitute—which is used to sweeten soda, commercial baked goods, and even condiments—has increased more than 350% in the U.S., paralleling the rise in obesity.

3. Get off your ass

Do every exercise standing instead of sitting. "You'll expend up to 30% more calories," says Joe Stankowski, C.P.T. The solution for the bench press? Dips.

4. Mix up your movements

When you lift, perform supersets in which you alternate between sets of lower body exercises  and upper body exercises. That way, your lower body rests while your upper body is working. "This allows you to work your muscles maximally with very little downtime between sets for a faster, more effective workout," says Craig Ballantyne, C.S.C.S.

5. Exercise blind

When you're using the elliptical trainer, try letting go of the handles and closing your eyes. (Be careful!) Without the visual feedback, your core muscles will have to work harder to keep you balanced, burning more calories.

6. Embrace yardwork

View any type of physical activity—even those you try to avoid, such as mowing the lawn—as a chance to burn fat and condition your body. (Just make sure you use a push mower.)

7. Snack on dill pickles

They have one calorie per slice.

[RELATED2]

8. Take larger steps

When using the stair climber, skip one out of every five steps. Then take one large step to get back to your normal walking pattern. This step recruits additional muscle, upping fat loss, says Cameron McGarr, C.S.C.S.

9. Rent motivation

Once a week, watch a movie that inspires you to exercise. Examples: Rocky (for the gym), American Flyers (for cycling), Hoosiers (for team sports), and Chariots of Fire and Without Limits (both for running).

10. Break a record

Challenge yourself to run farther in the same amount of time—even if it's just one-tenth of a mile—every single workout. This ensures you're always burning more calories from one workout to the next.

  11. Smash your dinner plates

And buy smaller ones. That way, even if you fill your plate to capacity, you're ultimately eating less than what you would likely pile on your existing platters.

12. Cut carbs

Yes, you've heard it a zillion times. The reason: It works. In just one of many recent studies, a Journal of Nutrition report found that men who reduced their carb intake to just 8% of their daily calories lost seven pounds of fat and gained two pounds of muscle in six weeks.

13. Lift first, then run

By doing cardio after you've lifted—when you're already tired—the same speed or intensity will have a greater effect than had you done it beforehand, says McGarr.

14. Change directions

Try this interval-training trick on the elliptical trainer: Ride for 30 seconds as fast as you can, then immediately reverse your direction and ride for 30 additional seconds just as fast in the opposite direction. Rest 60 seconds and repeat. The force of stopping your momentum, as well as going from a dead stop to full speed twice in the same interval, will give your fat-burning efforts a massive boost, says Alwyn Cosgrove, C.S.C.S.

[RELATED3]

15. Fill up on high-fiber foods

Consider them "good carbs." Their bulk takes up space in your stomach, helping you feel full and eat less. The top fiber food: beans, which contain 8 grams per 1/2 cup. Research shows that guys who added 12 grams of fiber a day to their diet lost a quarter of an inch from their love handles, without otherwise modifying their diet. Here are some of the best sources. 

16. Top your salad with vinaigrette dressing

Studies show that acidic foods such as vinegar and lemon juice work like lighter fluid in your body's fat incinerator, increasing carb combustion 20%-40%. Researchers believe the acids blunt insulin spikes and slow the rate at which food empties from your stomach. Fermented foods like pickles and yogurt are also good sour options.

17. Don't skip meals

Not eating for long periods of time puts your body into a catabolic state, meaning it starts to break down muscle tissue for energy—and conserves fat.

18. Try the VersaClimber

The more vertical you are when doing cardio, the more calories you burn.

[RELATED4]

19. Don't be a couch potato

If you're a TV junkie, add up the number of hours you watch right now, and cut out all reruns—even if there's an episode of Seinfeld on you've never seen. Spend the time you save on your feet: outdoors or in the gym.

20. Hit the weights

If you're lazy, it's not as bad as you think—just 10 minutes a day of lifting, three days a week, will help. Harvard research shows that 30 minutes of weight training per week has a greater reduction on waist size than almost any other variable.

21. Pass on the potatoes

In any form—mashed and baked, as well as French fries and potato chips. They raise levels of insulin in the blood, triggering your body to stop burning—and start storing—fat. Sweet potatoes are acceptable. They have more nutrients and fiber.

22. Eat your biggest meal of the day after you lift

It takes calories to digest food. And researchers at the University of Nevada found that it takes 73% more calories to process that food after a weight-training session than if you hadn't worked out at all.

  23. Chug H2O before a meal

The water will take up room in your stomach, making you feel more full and reducing your appetite, says Christopher Mohr, M.S., R.D.

24. Request substitutions

Any time your restaurant entree comes with a side of pasta, potatoes, or rice, ask for vegetables instead, says Jeff Volek, Ph.D., R.D. Your server will be more than happy to accommodate you.

25. Join a league

That is, sign up for a sport such as softball, soccer, or even kickball. It'll automatically schedule exercise sessions into your week, and because you're part of a team, you'll have peer pressure that'll ensure you keep showing up.

26. Break between scoops

That is, if you can't live without ice cream, cake, or other calorie-laden desserts, go ahead and have one scoop (about 1/2 cup) or one small slice. Then, if you still want more, wait 20 minutes. Typically, you'll find that while you wait, hormones kick in and trigger a feeling of fullness, reducing desire for that second serving.

27. Brush your teeth more often

In a recent Japanese study of 14,000 people, researchers found that men who brushed their teeth frequently were leaner than men who did not. Thank that minty-fresh flavor, which may make you less likely to snack between meals.

[RELATED5]

28. Eat an unbalanced diet

"By cycling your calorie intake so that you eat less calories one day and more the next, you'll keep your metabolism on its toes," says Volek. And that'll ensure you keep burning fat at a high rate. The key: Shoot for an average of 2,000 calories a day over a week's time.

29. Dial up an incline

When you run outside, you apply force to the ground and propel your body weight forward all by yourself. When you run on a treadmill, the belt helps you. To counteract this, always walk or run on at least a 1% incline, the treadmill grade an English study found is nearly equivalent to outside running.

30. Stick to no-calorie drinks

That means coffee, tea, diet soda, mixes such as Crystal Light and, of course, water.

31. Have breakfast every day

Research from Harvard and Boston's Children's Hospital shows that obesity rates are 35%-50% lower in people who eat breakfast regularly, compared with folks who don't. Nutritionists believe a.m. meals help regulate insulin levels and hunger, so you're less likely to overeat throughout the reminder of the day.

[RELATED6]

32. Avoid foods that come in a bag or box

Typically, these are highly processed carbs—foods that quickly raise blood-sugar levels and shut down your body's ability to burn fat.

33. Snack between meals

This not only keeps you from being ravenous—and overeating—at lunch and dinner, it forces your body to process food all day long, which keeps your metabolism stoked.

34. Buy a TiVo

And only watch the shows you record. By fast-forwarding through the commercials, and watching only the shows you care enough to set a season pass for, you can cut your TV viewing—and the amount of time you spend on the couch—by more than a third.

  35. Load up on yogurt

When researchers at the University of Tennessee put a group of volunteers on one of two diets—one high in calcium and one not—and cut each group's calorie intake by 500 calories, they found that the people getting calcium lost twice as much weight (an average of 13 pounds) compared with people on the standard diet. Study author Michael Zemel, Ph.D., believes extra calcium helps the body burn more—and store less—fat.

36. Order appetizers

And avoid the bread bowl at all costs. If you're ravenous when you sit down to eat at a restaurant, immediately order a side salad, or a meat- or vegetable-only appetizer, rather than be tempted by these bottomless—and fattening—freebies.

37. Pop peanuts

Nuts have a very high satiety power—meaning they make you feel fuller after eating than many other foods. And even though they're high in calories, those calories appear to be processed differently in the body. University of Michigan researchers found that men who added 500 calories' worth of peanuts a day to their diet gained no excess weight at all.

[RELATED7]

38. Track your calories

You could do it in a journal, but we know that's never going to happen. Instead, do it on the web, at a site like fitday.com. Just create a free account, plug in the amount of food you're eating throughout the day, and let the software tell you exactly how good—or bad—you're being.

39. Do sprint intervals

Interspersing short, all-out sprints with brief periods of rest is the most effective form of cardio for fat loss, says Stankowski. Try a 2-to-1 "work-to-rest" ratio. That is, sprint two times longer than you rest. So if you run a 150-yard sprint—a good distance to start with—in 20 seconds, rest 10 seconds, then repeat 3-7 times.

40. Check your mood

The desire to snack may not be due to hunger at all, but rather the result of loneliness, depression, or anxiety. "Emotional eating is at the core of bad eating choices," says N.Y.C. psychotherapist Elizabeth Fagan, C.S.W. If you often find yourself eating when you feel down, or if you feel happier after a meal, that may signify a problem.

41. Shop for one

If you have to buy cookies, chips, or other processed junk foods, buy the single-serving package—rather than the large, family-style bag. That way, when you eat the whole package—and let's be honest, you know you will—you'll at last have done a lot less damage to your waistline.

42. Find inspiration

Take a digital picture of yourself, shirtless at the beginning of your journey. Every couple of weeks, take a progress pic to visually document your progress. It'll help you stay accountable. 

43. Go the distance

Perform intervals for a designated distance rather than a designated time. Otherwise, you'll be running shorter sprints as you get tired, reducing the number of calories you burn, says McGarr.

  44. Cheat once a week

Use the meal as a reward for a week's worth of hard work, or the completion of a project you've been dreading. "It's OK for people to blow one meal a week without feeling guilty," says James W. Anderson, M.D., director of the Metabolic Research Group at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. "If you follow a healthy diet 95% of the time, you can relax and enjoy yourself the other 5% of the time without gaining weight," he says.

45. Row to the sky

Every time you complete 10 reps on the rowing machine, lift the handles straight up over your head—without bending your elbows—for two consecutive repetitions before returning to normal rowing form. This works your shoulders and back harder, as well as your legs, since they have to produce more power in order to give you the momentum to perform the move, says McGarr.

46. Avoid white bread

When Tufts University researchers studied the waistlines and diets of 459 people, they found that even in men of similar age and activity level, those who ate white bread frequently weighed more than those who didn't. "The calories from white bread and refined grains just seem to settle at the waistline more than calories from other foods," says Katherine Tucker, Ph.D., the study author.

47. Keep an eye on portion sizes

"Most people who have been lean their whole lives have a much better understanding of proper portion size than people who are overweight," says Deborah Riebe, Ph.D., a professor in the department of kinesiology at the University of Rhode Island. "If they go out to eat, they're much more likely to ask for a doggie bag right away or to leave food on their plate rather than cleaning it up," she says.

[RELATED8]

48. Never forbid yourself a favorite food

Here's a shocker: When a group of U.K. researchers told 30 women to avoid chocolate, then packed them into a room filled with the stuff, the women were much more likely to sneak a bite than individuals who hadn't been given the order. Blame the allure of the forbidden: The more you tell yourself you can't eat something you love, the more you're going to want it.

49. Outdo yourself

When you exercise on the rowing machine, try this interval workout: Row for 60 seconds, note the distance on the machine, then rest 60 seconds. Repeat, only this time, row for 55 seconds and try to match or better your distance from the first time. Rest 55 seconds, then repeat, reducing the time to 50 seconds. Continue until you can't beat your original distance.

50. Sneak extra activity into your day

Pace around your office while talking on the phone or run into the bank to cash your check instead of using the drive-thru. When researchers at the Mayo Clinic fed a group of volunteers an extra 1,000 calories a day over the course of eight weeks, they found sedentary individuals gained eight times more weight than those who fidgeted a lot during the day.

51. Turn off The Late Show after the monologue

Or skip your favorite early-morning show—whatever it takes to grab a few more minutes of sleep each day. When researchers at the University of Chicago studied men who were sleep-deprived, they found that after just a few days, their bodies had a much harder time processing glucose in the blood—a problem common in overweight diabetics. When the individuals returned to a more normal seven to eight hours of sleep a night, however, their metabolisms returned to normal.

  52. Buy some new blinds

And maybe a new mattress, because it's not just the amount of time you spend sleeping that keeps you lean, it's also the quality of your sleep. Fat cells in your body produce a hormone called leptin that helps the body keep track of how much potential energy (i.e. fat) it has stored. But leptin is only produced during certain stages of sleep. Miss out on those stages because you're not resting soundly enough, and you'll disturb levels of the hormone, leaving your body with no real idea of its energy reserves. Consequently, you'll end up storing calories rather than burning them.

53. Don't starve yourself

"Under normal conditions, humans absorb only about 80% of the nutrients from the food they eat," says A. Roberto Frisancho, Ph.D., a weight-loss researcher at the University of Michigan. But, he says, when the body is deprived of nourishment, it becomes a super-efficient machine, pulling what nutrients it can from whatever food is consumed. Start eating again normally and your body may not catch up; instead it will continue to store food as fat.

54. Eat more slowly

"It can take 12 minutes or longer for the signal that you've started to eat to make its way to your brain," says Mark S. Gold, M.D., of the McKnight Brain Institute at the University of Florida. Quick tips: Sip some water between every bite of food you eat, or at least eat more meals with friends or family members. You'll be more likely to talk and therefore to eat more slowly.

[RELATED9]

55. Floss twice a day

When researchers in Brazil studied 13,000 people over a three-year period, they found that men with the highest levels of inflammatory agents in their body were also the most likely to gain weight. And periodontal disease, which is caused by poor oral health care, is one of the most common sources of inflammation. Brushing twice a day, flossing, and making regular trips to the dentist are the best ways to prevent the disease. Hate flossing? Studies show that a dose of Listerine may be just as effective at reducing levels of inflammatory bacteria within the mouth.

56. Step on the scale at least once a day

"If there's one thing that comes up over and over with the thousands of patients enrolled in the National Weight Control Registry, it's weighing yourself every day on a scale," says Rena Wing, Ph.D., founder of the registry, which tracks more than 4,500 men and women who have lost an average of 20 pounds or more and kept it off for at least six years. "Don't obsess over the number," she says, "but at least keep track of the general range of what you weigh so you can catch small changes as they occur and take corrective measures immediately."

[RELATED10]

Weight loss

Article source here:Men’s Fitness

[russellthornton]

12 Essential Manly Drinks and the Types of Men That Drink Them

There are some things that no card-carrying man should order from the bartender. Real men order the manly drinks in the secret menu.

But what is it that makes manly drinks? Is it the outrageous name? The lack of pretentious flavorings? Or is it in the drink’s raw ability to turn the drinker into a crawling, incoherent heap after the first shot? Most would agree on the latter, but every man is entitled to his own poison.

The 12 most manly drinks every man needs to remember

While some prefer the raw punch of unadulterated alcohol, others get a little fancy and want a small manly garnish to their drink. Here’s a list of manly drinks for different types of men.

Classy drinks for classy men

Ordering these drinks exudes class and taste. These are the types of manly drinks for men who know what they want. Best imbibed while wearing a suit and smoking a cigar.

#1 Whiskey. Whiskey is the definitive manly drink. Either served neat or on the rocks, this liquid gold is so manly they make men’s perfume that smell like it. One famous type of whiskey is Scotch, made from malted barley. While across the pond, American ones are made from various combinations of other grains including corn.

There are other drinks out there that use whiskey as a cocktail base. Real men know how to appreciate it as it is. [Read: Alcohol’s effects on your sex life and libido]

#2 Martini. In its purest form, a martini is a cold mix of gin and vermouth garnished with either olives or a lemon twist. A complicated drink, a martini has various forms. Asking the bartender for “dry” martini gives you a version without the vermouth.

Ordering vodka martini will get you a mix with vodka instead of gin. Telling the bartender “straight up” would omit the ice. And, of course, we’re all familiar with “shaken, not stirred.” [Read: What your favorite drink says about you]

#3 Old Fashioned. A dapper drink for the likes of Don Draper from Mad Men, the Old Fashioned is made up of two ounces of Bourbon or Rye whiskey poured slowly over a glass with a sugar cube then splashed with a bit of water and bitters. Then, garnished with some ice cubes and a slice of orange. The drink may sound fancy but it sure does pack a punch.

#4 Classic Manhattan. This drink was pretty popular during the Prohibition era and is also known to be Frank Sinatra’s favorite. Every bar has their own version of the Manhattan but essentially it contains two ounces of Rye whiskey and half an ounce of vermouth with a dash of bitters and the optional stemmed cherry.

Say what you want on how unmanly the garnish is but this drink can get you in trouble if you’re not too careful. [Read: What to talk about when you’re drunk on a date]

#5 Rusty Nail. The Rusty Nail is one of those drinks that pass itself off as a cocktail but tastes more like a fist fight after the first sip. For this one, you take one and a half ounce of Scotch whisky and dilute it with three-quarter ounces of Drambuie. Then top it off with some ice and a lemon peel.

The mix may sound fancy but legend has it that the drink got its name from the tradition of some rowdy Scotsmen stirring this concoction with a rusty nail. If that’s not manly for you then we don’t know what is.

No-nonsense drinks for the quintessential man

For the breed of men that abhors fancy cocktails served in fancy crystalware. The quintessential man’s drink is anything with ethanol in it. He won’t mind if he drinks it from a beat up tin can or from the sawed off skull of his enemies.

#6 Beer. The most ancient and manliest drink of all and enjoyed by all social classes. Beer is jokingly referred to as a “liquid meal” by its most devoted drinkers. It contains both alcohol and a good amount of carbohydrates no red-blooded man should ever fear to chug. [Read: 12 quick ways to go from sloshed to alert]

#7 Gin and Tonic. A classic drink that calls for 1:1 ratio of gin and tonic water finished with a slice of lime. This drink was originally introduced by British soldiers in India as a way to mask the bitter taste of quinine in tonic water they drunk to prevent malaria. Sounds unmanly but we think they just wanted an excuse to get drunk while taking their medicine.

#8 Rum and cola. As straightforward as the name implies, this concoction calls for a combination of cola and infamously high proof Caribbean rum. This drink is often served over ice and topped with a slice of lime to give an acidic accent to the dark, bitter, and crisp mixture swirling beneath. A manly drink that’s sure to give you a baritone voice if you’re sober enough to speak after the first glass.

#9 Mojito. This drink gets its manliness from being the favorite drink of Pulitzer-winning author Ernest Hemingway. The Mojito calls for two parts spiced rum, one part soda, along with a garnish of mint leaves, some lime juice, and crushed ice. We probably think that the drink influenced him to say the famous quote “write drunk, edit sober.” [Read: The 5 biggest factors that boost a man’s sexual market value]

Crazy drinks for the craziest of men

These are drinks born during desperate times and more often a health risk than a pleasurable sip. Taking a shot is like playing a game of Russian roulette with your liver. Only the manliest gets through a glass and still stands on their feet.

#10 Naga Chili Vodka. If vodka itself is not manly enough, why not add another dash of manliness by pickling Naga chili peppers in it? Just so you know, Naga peppers rank up at 250,000 units on the Scoville heat scale. This means every bottle needs an FDA warning sticker that reads “drink at your own risk.”

#11 Moonshine. Moonshine is simply whiskey that omits the barrel aging and health standards involved in normal whiskey production. It was made popular by bootleggers during the Prohibition Era by means of homemade stills built from car radiators. They were used to distill alcohol from grain mash.

The resulting drink can be clear or cloudy with expected high alcohol content and some additive by-products that sometimes kills the drinker. There are still some craft distillers that produce this alcoholic drink that follows safety standards. But only a true man drinks something otherwise used as a firebomb. [Read: How to unleash your inner alpha male]

#12 Everclear. If moonshine is not enough to scare you, try Everclear with its 190 proof alcohol content. What does 190 proof mean? It means that once you open the bottle, you cannot (1) put your eye near the mouth of the bottle unless you want to go blind, and (2) you cannot light a cigarette a few minutes after opening a bottle.

Seriously, the label of this drink says “don’t consume on its own.” So, if you want to prove something, dilute this first with a liter of water before consuming or else you’ll be like Jesus dying for three days before waking up with a bad hangover.

[Read: Girly drinks galore! 24 girly drinks that’ll help you order the right one for a girl]

As far as alcohol is concerned, real men would rather take a shot rather than argue whether they are manly drinks or not. After all, real men drink whatever they want!

The post 12 Essential Manly Drinks and the Types of Men That Drink Them is the original content of LovePanky - Your Guide to Better Love and Relationships.

[marklipinski]

ARTspiration

Artists or art that turns me on and feeds my soul.  This piece is called Girl With Pigtails by Sir Samuel Henry William Llewellyn,  who was an English painter of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries

YOKE DU YOUR

Two elephants walk in the wilderness and spot a guy peeing at the bushes. One elephant nudges the other, “Man, I wonder how he ever manages to eat anything with that thing!”

DESIGNspiration

Look around you. Design is everywhere! Keep your eyes open. How can you incorporate the beauty that surrounds you into your art or craft?




IDEA I LOVE

I love the look of these ric rac flowers.  They look pretty easy to make.  Check it out here: http://todayscreativelife.com/how-to-make-ric-rac-flowers/

IDEA I LOVE

What kid wouldn’t love this cozy pillow bed? I’m trying to figure out the proportions for making an adult sized version.   Click on the like to find out how to make your own for your munchkins:  http://dabblesandbabbles.com/how-to-make-a-cozy-pillow-bed/

  YUMMY DISH!

CLASSIC MARINARA SAUCE

(No Sugar like the jar versions)

Ingredients

San Marzano tomatoes

extra-virgin olive oil

garlic cloves

dried whole chile, or crushed red pepper flakes

kosher salt

fresh basil

FOR THE FULL RECIPE, CLICK HERE  http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015987-classic-marinara-sauce?action=click&module=Collection+Page+Recipe+Card®ion=No-Sugar+Added&pgType=collection&rank=1

  IDEA I LOVE

  I’m a hoochie for little boxes, any kind of little boxes.  Needless to say, I was thrilled to find this cool tutorial for making embossed boxes from soda cans.  Let’s face it, it’s totally worth diabetes and morbid obesity just to get enough stash to create these little suckers.  Click on the link for the tutorial for making your own:

Click on the link for the tutorial for making your own: http://hackaday.com/2011/01/21/making-boxes-from-soda-cans/

BREATHLESS INSPIRATION 

Handmade marbles . . .

Aren’t these amazing?  You can buy your own handmade marbles and see more examples by clicking this link:  http://www.route66glassworks.com/Gallery.html

SO DRINK, CHUG-A-LUG CHUG-A-LUG

CHOCOLATE WHITE RUSSIAN 

Ingredients

Vodka

Kahlua

Heavy Cream

Chocolate Syrup

Ice

FOR THE FULL RECIPE, CLICK HERE  http://basilandbubbly.com/chocolate-white-russian/

IDEA I LOVE

Aren’t these sprocket pillows cute?  They’re not hard to make and are totally the right project to start with if you’re ever considering a Dresden Plate quilt block and fabric covered buttons are one of my all-time favorite idiot-proof things to make.  Heres’s the tutorial for making these fun pillows yourself: http://cluckclucksew.com/2011/03/tutorial-sprocket-pillows.html

WORDS TO LIVE BY

   IDEA I LOVE, CROCHETspiration

Grab your crochet hook and a pair of rubber flip-flops and, oh baby, you will have boots to die for. Make them even better by weaving ribbons into your crochet, embellish, hand-dye, etc.  If you have strong arches, these could be quite comfortable.  If you have feet as flat as Donald Duck, well, you’re screwed.    Here’s the tutorial on how to make a pair of your own boots:  http://makeanddocrew.com/crochet-boots-flip-flops-pattern-video/

MAN CAN LIVE BY BREAD ALONE!

MARK BITMAN’S NO-KNEAD BREAD

  Ingredients:

bread flour

instant yeast

salt

 Cornmeal or wheat bran 

  For the full recipe CLICK HERE:  http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11376-no-knead-bread?action=click&module=Collection+Page+Recipe+Card®ion=No-Sugar+Added&pgType=collection&rank=6

MEMBA?

  And now a word  . . .

Now that the weather is cool, I’m heading back upstairs to continue clearing out my studio.  Get first dibs on all of my eBay listings when you follow the  Pickle Road Stash Busting page on Facebook!  Here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PickleRoadStashBusting/

win WIN win

Check back here soon.  I’ll be a part of a blog hop and you can win the book I LOVE PRECUT QUILTS!

  SALE SALE SALE 

$5.00

Over 40% OFF the regular price of my digital Palm Beauty pattern

Today and Tomorrow only (January 28 &29 2017)

Order your Palm Beauty pattern here:  http://www.marklipinski.com/shop-2/

AND

COOKIES!

TWIX COOKIES

Ingredients

butter

powdered sugar

flour

vanilla

salt

caramel

milk chocolate chips

shortening

FOR THE FULL RECIPE, CLICK HERE  http://www.thisgrandmaisfun.com/twix-cookies-3/

LOL

JUST BECAUSE I SWOON 

 Documented 1971 Valentino Couture Italian Vogue Audrey Hepburn Gown Dress

DESIGNER: Valentino Couture, published in the 1971 Italian Vogue, in a different print, on model Isa Stoppi. The same blue version of this dress was worn by Audrey Hepburn in Italian Vogue 1971. The white long sleeve version of this dress, also seen in the photo with Isa Stoppi, was shown in the exhibit Valentino Retrospective.  $42,999

You might disagree, but although this dress costs a mint, it reminds me of something that Eunice might wear.

IDEA I LOVE!  

I think painting on fabric is an amazing talent.  It’s an amazing way to create your own fabric. Can’t draw?  So what?  There are so many cheating tools you can use – lightboxes, computer printouts, embroidery transfer papers…  Why not try it. It won’t break the bank, and you might just learn to love it.  Click on the link for more information on how to rock your fabric:  http://uniqart.blogspot.com/2015/02/tutorial-painting-on-fabric-with.html

    BE DAZZLED!

  This is a vintage piece of costume jewelry from 1948. It is marked, Coro with Pegasus and designed by Adolph Katz. It is in excellent condition.  $475 ‘

Here’s how you can own this piece: http://www.trifari.com/pages/cor1377.html

PATCHWORK, BABY!  QUILTspiration!

Call me sentimental, but I love cheddar in a quilt.  Make this easy traditional Album Patch quilt from McCall’s Quilting. Now, cupcakes, think out of the box.  This pattern can look totally contemporary with just a change of fabric colors.  Click-o on the link-o to get the pattern: http://www.mccallsquilting.com/content_downloads/Album_Patch_WEB_BONUS.pdf

SHOEspiration

  So what do you think of these Clear Floral Oxfords by Kunihiko Morinaga?  These are from the 2012 collection and made from leather, plastic, and embroidery!

IDEA I LOVE! 

What a great idea for upcycling your Altoids tin.  Make a pocket-sized watercolor box.  Listen, I know you’ve always to create an art journal on the run. Now’s your chance to honor your creativity or try something completely new.  Click on the link for a tutorial on how to make your own version of you watercolor box:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Altoids-Tin-Pocket-Sized-Watercolor-Box/?ALLSTEPS

  IDEA I LOVE!  KNITspiration!

These are the absolute cutest knitted pigs I’ve ever seen. I wish I could knit better; I’d try to tackle this. Instead, I’m going to have to sell my soul for one.  Not only that, I’m guessing the knitting shops still don’t have pink yarn in stock after the run for the Women’s March hats (well, unless you’re in Franklin, Tennessee  http://huff.to/2jzY8fT).

Here’s the pattern:  http://blueskyfibers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Oink1.pdf

GARDENspiration

Yummy! Make a freshwater terrarium. It can’t be any easier.  Here’s how to put one together for your home or office.  Look, if this works out, say goodbye to the bathtub.

Here’s the tutorial:  http://artseachic.blogspot.com/2013/07/diy-freshwater-terrarium.html

MUST HAVE

They say (whomeverthehelltheyare) that our phones are the filthiest and grimiest possessions we possess. No more, babycakes.  I want to zap my smartphone with this sanitizer.  Get one for you:

http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/phonesoap-smartphone-sanitizer

IDEA I LOVE!

A simple embroidery stitch can help you create the dopest border on napkins, collars, and almost anything (why not stitch on paper for homemade Valentine’s Day cards?).  To learn the technique, click on the link:

http://www.designsponge.com/2014/02/diy-project-chain-of-heart-napkins.html

TIP I LOVE

Isn’t this a great tip?  Organize your seam ripper, marking pencils, and snips by using a suction cup soap holder!  Take a look:

http://sewmanyways.blogspot.ca/2014/01/organizing-ideas-for-suction-cup-soap.html

EMBROIDERYspiration! 

LOVE this teeny tiny embroidery. What is better there is a tutorial for how to embroider your own version. What a terrific little embellishment for you bib overalls, mittens, jeans, or wherever you need a little life.  Start your project by clicking the link:

http://randomactsofamy.com/2016/09/09/tiny-embroidery-tutorial/

DESSERT!

BEST EVER JAPANESE COTTON CHEESECAKE

INGREDIENTS

Full cream milk or Low-fat milk Butter Cheese cream Plain flour Corn flour Egg yolks Vanilla flavor Egg whites Cream of tartar Sugar

 FOR THE FULL RECIPE, CLICK HERE  http://amirahwaznahku.blogspot.de/2014/06/best-ever-japanese-cotton-cheesecake.html

IDEA I LOVE

Dollar Store here I come.  Grab several colorful bags of garden glass and glue them to a window.  Glorious.   It’s so darn simple, but if I were you, I would campaign for the death penalty for anyone breaking a stained glass window before you make yours.  Start here:

http://www.hometalk.com/26593919/easy-stained-glass-window

 … and VALENTINEpiration IS HERE

These are designed to be fabric heart coasters.  I love them but I’d be afraid that the seams might tip my full glass of Old Turkey onto my rug, leaving me no option than to suck the juice from the carpet (like it hasn’t been done before).  You could add a little ribbon to the top so they can be used as doorknob decor.  I’d also love to see some embroidery accenting the fabric used for the hearts.   Here’s how you make these pretty Valentine coasters: http://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/fabric-heart-coasters/

IF YOU LIKE THIS BLOG

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I LOVE this blog and think you will, too! Check it out:  https://marklipinskisblog.wordpress.com

  Please Leave a Comment Below

Create Ric Rac Roses! Sew a Cozy Pillow Bed! DIY Embossed Metal Boxes! Learn to Make Sprocket Pillows! Crochet Sweater Boots! Paint Fabric using Inktense! Piece an Album Patch Quilt! Craft a Portable Watercolor Box! Knit a Flying Pig! Plant a Freshwater Terrarium! Embroider a set of Chain of Hearts Napkins! Create Stunning Stained Glass Windows! Sew Heart-Themed Coasters! Mini Embroidery Project! Make a Soda Can Rose! A Sewing Machine Tip! How to Spin Yarn! Sewing Ric Rac! PLUS . . . Recipes, Videos, Inspiration, Creativity, Ideas, and More ARTspiration Artists or art that turns me on and feeds my soul.  This piece is called