#unfortunately i flatter myself about my good taste and cannot stop going on about what i love and why once given the barest excuse to start

[landwriter]

Heya, I love your writing and taste in things.

I’ve finished (and loved) everything you’ve posted <3

Are there any sandman fics that have tickled your fancy lately?

Thank you so much!!! I sadly do not have time to read near as much Sandman fic as I'd like, but I have scoured both my memory and my bookmarks on AO3 (all twelve of them) and dug up some absolutely wonderful stories - hope at least one or two of these is new to you?!

I am probably a bit weird in this, but I don't bookmark fics I love (which is really nearly all I've read) insamuch as fics that have done something in particular that I think is so well-executed or clever or inspiring that I want to be able to study it like a creature in its own right. Usually these are stories that have the traits I admire most in fiction: economy of language, being very fucking funny, making me viscerally uncomfortable, or outright haunting me.

I loved reading all of them but your mileage may vary! Caveat lector like more than half of these are smut and/or violent so please check the tags against your own preferences. Several long-winded recs with excerpts and explanations under the cut:

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The Birthday of the Beast | @slythernim | Dream/Hob | T | 3.3K

Father Almighty, though I have long not been your servant, I remain your unmanageable son. Here on Earth, closer to Hell than to Heaven, as I celebrate perhaps the least holy of holy days, I must imagine myself like unto Lucifer more than as Michael, that he and I might together make of the darkness a place for humanity to grow. He blows out the candles. 

Hob turns 666. Extremely fun fic by Nym that features incredible characterization within a very short space, Catholicism, Lucifer, and of course, gets a very special birthday gift. But you shall have to read the fic to see what it is. Read everything of Nym's, actually.

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New Mistakes | Anonymous | Dream/Corinthian | M | 3.2K

Dream slid his thumb into the Corinthian’s mouth, the one he shared with most, the one with which he commonly spoke. “Well?” he asked. “Are you fed?” The voice that came from his left-eye mouth buzzed like locusts. My lord, we are. The voice that came from his right-eye mouth dripped like honey. My lord, we can always be fed more. Dream pulled back, looking at the Corinthian expectantly. The Corinthian swallowed, running his tongue along his teeth. There was a faint blush on his cheeks, and Dream was unaccountably flattered. “My lord,” he said. “I wish to be good.”

Have read almost no Corintheus but this fic hits on so much that I find distantly intriguing about the pairing. Perfect dialogue, gorgeous rhythm. Wonderfully visceral. Absolutely bonkers nuts for repetition in threes, as I'm sure you know, and I love how it was used here.

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Lucy Locket | Anonymous | Dream/Hob and Dream/Hob/Corinthian | E | 17K

Five chapters (now with a new threesome added in late April, much to my delighted surprise!) of just fantastic roleplay smut that in-between all the sex is by turns incredibly funny and tender. Alternating Dream and Hob POV. As somebody for whom sexual roleplay has been my literal bread and butter on a professional basis, it shouldn't be surprising I am so fond of this fic - but it catches me out every time! Like a blow from behind, and I am winded. It is ridiculously hot and distressingly perfect all-through, and I would absolutely marry the author about it (sorry author if you're reading this). No excerpt because I cannot choose and will simply suggest that if you're up for kink that you go read it all at once.

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Public | @softest-punk | Dream/Hob | E | 1.1K

"Oh, darling," Hob murmurs, fingering the edge of Dream's delicate lace knickers. Dream feels his smirk against his jaw, bites his lip at the brush of a kiss under his ear. "You forget how old I am. I learned to fuck with an audience."

Every day I get closer and closer to needing to write Dream and/or Hob with vulvas; this may have been the fic that sealed the deal for me, I think. Ridiculously hot, and enshrined in my head forever for the line above. I learned to fuck with an audience. God! How good. A masterclass in the slutty drabble that nevertheless retains peak Dream/Hob characterization (I would argue that sex is in fact one of the best narrative vehicles for characterization and exploration of interpersonal dynamics...this bias is probably why nearly all these recs are so horny.) One day I will learn how to write proper smut in media res like this and not preface it with gratuitous plot.

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worship like a dog | @thewalrus-said | Dream/Hob | E | 2.5K

“Is it so inconceivable that I might love you?” Dream murmured, running his manicured nail down Hob’s cheek. Hob tried to speak, swallowed, and tried again. “No one ever has before,” he said. “No one but God.”

Hob is a priest. Dream is a demon, except he's not. Dizzyingly hot for so many reasons, with a delightful canon dialogue echo. And again, must stress this: Hob is a priest. Hob is a priest. Hob is a priest, go read it.

---

Safehouse | Anonymous | Hob/Corinthian | E | 5K

“I need a room. One without a door.”

The best execution of the sex pollen trope I've ever seen, with the worst men. Very, very good fic with a brilliant premise and unerring execution. World-building is done in such brief but vivid strokes - it feels like a 50K fic whenever I remember it, and I'm always surprised how short it actually is. Haunts me in the best of ways.

---

As well - these fics are well-known and well-loved - but some stories that are utterly wonderful and contain lines that haunt me weeks, sometimes months later - stories that rearranged my soul, lurched me closer towards writing for Sandman, and warrant mention even though I am SURE you have read them, include:

@moorishflower's iconic and beautiful Odyssey fic, maybe sprout wings was the first fic I commented on with my AO3 account, and among the best fics I've ever read in any fandom; slightly deeper cuts from Heather's oeuvre (if, for some reason you are not reading everything already) that I am obsessed with and have reread multiple times: vowel shift, most vain devices, an act of faith. Genius stuff and unbelievably gorgeous language. Just go read it all, honestly

@softest-punk's Shelter is one of the first Sandman fics I ever read, and is beyond lovely; if you have not read their entire deep and profoundly lovely back catalogue, I recommend Catching Up (quintessential Cecil deep tissue emotional massage), Delayed (or: my favourite kink and favourite Endless); Ferrous (vampires! bad men! ahh! ooh!); and I would of course be remiss and ungrateful to not mention self-abandon, and the confounding effects thereof, a 10K fic that perfectly answered my general question of how the three lads would actually get together once the Corinthian and Hob had started fucking (as narrative foils that deserve such treats)

@xx-vergil-xx's Hounds is an ongoing epic that has singlehandedly caused me more emotions than humanity has language for; it is ambitious in scope and sticks every landing. The world is alive and lovingly-detailed. The language is a poem. It is so smart, so beautiful, and so well-researched and built. It is a TEMPLE unto itself, and appropriately worthy of worship

I will also suggest you read absolutely everything by @that-banhus because she literally cannot miss and writes the loveliest, cleverest worlds. All of it.

#asks #gloam's sandman rec list #this is basically my fic rec masterpost lol #unfortunately i flatter myself about my good taste and cannot stop going on about what i love and why once given the barest excuse to start #the sandman #dreamling #corintheus #hobrintheus #COB #fic recs #it's not that i exclusively read fic ppl feel the desire to publish on anon #it's that what people publish on anon FUCKING SLAPS #spent far too long enjoying drawing this up and it still feels woefully inadequate #but it's a start #into either remarkable sandman fic or my id really

[saikagerights]

A New Possession- Entry #11

THIS JOURNAL LIVES!

After nearly 3 weeks, I finally have a new entry just for you! And it's a juicy one. I kind of went all over the place with this one, but on the bright side, it's over 1k words. Perfect for my comeback.

Work has been kicking my ass lately, and so has my inspiration from the Newlyweds one shot. Unfortunately for this fic, there may be another time where I switch gears to work on something else, so it's not as if I don't want to continue this fic, it's just that other ideas overtake this one.

But do not fear, because I plan on prioritizing this fic in the near future. Thanks for the support as always

LONG LIVE THE JOURNAL!

Also available on AO3

February 14

It’s Valentine’s day.

I find myself kilometers away from the village on another search assignment from the Rokudaime. Lately the highest ranked missions available are to lead search groups for the ranks that were discovered missing after the war’s end.

There were multiple scenarios to describe these cases. There were some that went rogue like the shinobi that were amassed by Gengo in the land of Silence, but that was a small minority of the ones that disappeared. Many of these search groups had discovered that the supposedly “rogue” targets had simply wandered away from the village without notice as some sort of backwards resignation just to conceal themselves in smaller villages outside of Konoha.

Regardless of the intent, it was our responsibility to return them to the village for interrogation out of suspicion for not following standard resignation protocol.

Although I disagree with their actions, I do understand their motive. Many shinobi had resigned as soon as they could. Both the young and inexperienced, as well as the old and hardened had reached their threshold of tolerance for combat.

Resignations are still very common 2 years later, as more and more realize the sudden decline in available work due to the  truth that is peace. While I’ve also seen a decrease in my work load, I couldn’t ever see myself being anything other than a shinobi; It’s the only thing I know… I don’t know if I could even adjust to doing something different.

It’s not that I find any specific enjoyment in my work. Work is work, but I can’t help but find a specific fulfillment when I complete a task. I guess that’s just a result of my training. Naruto is usually quite enthusiastic when a job has been “well done” but I mostly assume that’s because he is working towards a higher position. Shikamaru’s demeanor suggests indifference,however he has revealed to me that his main determination lies in supporting Naruto’s rise to the level of Hokage.

In contrast, Sakura and Ino have only found more work after peace fell upon Konoha. It could arguably be the most important work of all; Healing and revitalizing the village.

Meanwhile, here I am leading search missions rather than the assassination missions I was executing less than 2 years prior.

The Choujuu Giga itself was a very essential tool that was best utilized for communication and reconnaissance, but all ROOT agents were highly skilled in assasination. As long as the target was disposed of in an efficient manner, it was enough to fulfill the will of Danzo-sama. And while Konoha’s will of fire has engulfed his will, Danzo-sama’s influence still leaves its remnants in the village’s deep underground networks and we are still far from finished in uprooting that.

For some reason however, the Rokudaime has placed me in charge of this mission instead of allowing me to chase a new lead. And I’m missing Valentine’s day on top of that.

I find Valentine’s day to be a strange, yet rather enjoyable holiday. The idea of girls giving me chocolates is a strange concept to me, but getting gifts from friends isn’t inherently a bad thing, right?

However, there have been occurrences that now require me to be extra vigilant when celebrating.

Sakura has always been incredibly um… generous? She never fails to hand deliver her own chocolates to Naruto and I every year since becoming teammates. And while I am flattered by the gesture, I can only accept the gift with a smile and a thank you before swiftly tossing them out.

Despite her good intentions, she has had quite the history of poisoning me and Naruto with her generosity. One year, I expressed my concerns, and what I received in return was a quick dose of lethal retribution for my honesty

“I cannot accept this. The last time you offered something like this I ended up ill for days.”

I was expecting some kind of rage to come from Sakura, but instead she seemed calm and collected as she slowly stepped towards me. I turned my head to see Naruto back away, his hands raised in surrender.

“Sakura-chan…”

“Naruto, I need your support on thi-”

My plea was cut off by a punch. In my attempt to dodge, a powerful strike landed onto my trachea, completely cutting off my ability to breathe. It was immensely painful, my hands clutching my neck with strained wheezing breaths and dry coughs. Sakura swiftly yanked me by the collar to apply her healing hands to my throat.

“Geez, stop moving around so much and next time I won’t accidentally hit something vital.”

Naruto didn’t laugh for once, but he also never backed me up on my statement. Probably because he didn’t want to get punched. And despite Sakura’s numerous apologies over the incident,I’ve humbly accepted the gift with a thank you to avoid a repeat.

I don’t fear for my life every Valentine’s day, however. Ino had given me a much different gift for three years now. She had even been kind enough to ask me what I preferred.

“I do this for my boys every year.”

I remember that she didn’t meet my eyes when she said that.

“Shikamaru is a weirdo who likes white chocolate,and while Choji would eat anything I gave him, he prefers his chocolate with nuts…”

She trailed off, perhaps realizing the awkwardness of the situation. I know for certain I hardly had anything to say to respond to that.

“But I wanted to know what you like…”

I responded in the only way I knew how at the time, with utter honesty

“I don’t like the taste of chocolate. It’s too sweet for me.”

I was too used to the bland and flavorless meals and food pills to have a sense of taste like anyone else of the group. Naruto has set out to “broaden my flavor horizons” by taking me out to various eating establishments around the village with the rest of the guys. I was delightfully surprised how little ramen had fit into his plans, but I know that the others probably have some say in where we go. I have yet to have a bad experience with these outings, but I still prefer tofu above all else and tend to stray away from sweets.

But my statement never would deter Ino.

“There is such a thing as bittersweet chocolate…”

She said this more to herself, but determination set into her eyes as I could now clearly see the fire in them

You’d be willing to try that if I gave it to you, right?”

At the time, it seemed like she had disregarded what I said, but soon after, I realized that she was actually trying to include me in the tradition. I had no other choice but to accept this condition.

And nearly 3 years later I still look forward to her figuratively “sweet” gesture. Looking back on it reminds me that she can be pretty cute when she’s embarrassed like that. But I think it’s the sheer force of her will that makes her truly beautiful…

I don’t know if I’m using those descriptors well, but I have decided to use them in the manner I did.

Upon more thought and observation, I’ve concluded that I am able to find points of attraction in women, or at least in Ino I can.

When I look into her bright eyes, all I am reminded of is how they were the only things I could focus on when I drew her. Or how her immense kindness had shone through them when she saved my life. Not to mention the sheer determination that flows through her when up against a daunting task. I guess that’s in her blood as an interrogator, but it seems like it is all hers to take control of.

The same could be said about her smile.

I’ve analyzed many smiles over the past few years, tirelessly trying to find what gives them life and meaning so I could someday replicate them, but all I can muster is a poor imitation. In Ino’s smile, I can see so much emotion emanating from it, outlined by cherry red lips. And I like that.

I like that quite a bit, actually.

I should probably stop thinking about this while I’m on a mission. My team is already trying to get my attention about a new lead.

I guess now I have something to look forward to when I get home.

Bittersweet chocolate coming from a beautiful girl.

_________________________________________________________

God I'm getting really sappy with my writing. Newlyweds was full of it, but now that energy is seeping into this fic. It might not be a bad thing though.

I also found enjoyment in writing Sai getting throat punched

I mentioned work kicking my ass, but next week I will be away visiting my sister out of state. I am kind of worried about the second wave of Rona slamming the country, but I gotta be as careful as I can while traveling. I hope to get some writing done while I'm away.

Anyway, comments and critiques are always appreciated. See you next time!

-Saikage

#saiino #sai yamanaka #Ino Yamanaka #Sai Journal #si fanfic

[dickwheelie]

Day 29: Secret Admirer

For the @ineffable-valentines prompt list!

Boy oh boy. I cannot believe I was able to post a fic for this prompt list, on time, every day for an entire month. For me, that’s huge. I tend to be a slow writer and I rarely finish the stuff I start. Not every fic was amazing, or very long, but by gosh, I sure did finish them, and I had so much fun doing it! Huge thanks to @mielpetite for making this list and reblogging all the entries throughout the month, they’ve been amazing. Thank you also to all the lovely folks who commented/reblogged/liked my fics, you gave me the motivation to sit down every day and write something, even when I wasn’t feeling it. Much love to all y’all.

If you go to the #ineffablevalentines tag on tumblr, you’ll see the other entries, and if you go here on my blog you’ll see all of mine. Okay, enough chat, please enjoy my final fic of the month, wherein to no one’s surprise, there is more letter writing.

__________

To the proprietor of A.Z. Fell & Co Booksellers, Downtown Soho, in case there’s another one knocking about somewhere—

I saw you in the shop the other day and couldn’t help but stare. You were gently ushering someone out the door without a single book in their hands, and I couldn’t help but find your tenacity admirable. I myself was careful not to remove any item from the store when I left, but I’m afraid I may have left one behind. I was wondering if you might have seen it, so I can come back to fetch it. You see, it’s terribly important to me. It’s my heart.

Love,

Your Secret Admirer

Aziraphale chuckled through an unseemly blush as he refolded the letter and placed it on the top of the stack that had been slowly growing on his desk for the past month. Every day of that cold, miserable February, a letter had arrived at his doorstep, with no return address and no name of sender. They were—and there was no beating around the bush about it, really—love letters, very obviously meant for him, from an anonymous so-called secret admirer.

At first, Aziraphale had been rather confused, but had kept the letters anyway, intending to show them to Crowley and have a good laugh. However, as each day passed and each new letter arrived, Aziraphale found himself quite charmed by this secretive writer. Clearly, they were a regular customer of some kind to know Aziraphale so well. They made all the right jokes, said all the right things, made references to all the right literary figures; either they had discerned Aziraphale’s tastes with perfect accuracy, or they had much in common with him.

Some of the letters were extremely lengthy; others, like today’s, were only a short paragraph or two, recounting the admirer’s feelings for him. Some were maudlin and prose-laden; some were humorous and sweet; others still were almost salacious in tone, never saying anything too outlandish but bordering on the cusp of it, hinting at things and implying things that made Aziraphale blush absolutely scarlet. All of them were quite flattering, and left Aziraphale’s mood brighter for the rest of the day.

Aziraphale had been charmed by humans before, and even been romantically pursued by some of them, but never before had one so captivated him with the written word. (This, of course, did not include works of literature. That was a very different kind of captivation that involved less blushing.) He’d never had a secret admirer before. It was all very thrilling and romantic.

Not being able to write back was a bit frustrating, but Aziraphale supposed it was for the best. Though he was quite flattered, and had reread some of the letters more times than he’d like to admit, at the end of the day, his admirer was only a human who only knew him as a bookseller.

Besides, Aziraphale was already taken. Speaking of which, he ought to get himself ready to meet Crowley for dinner; their reservation was at eight.

I ought to tell him about the letters, he thought as he went about selecting a bowtie. Crowley ought to know, after all, that he had some competition. Aziraphale laughed aloud at the thought. After dinner, he decided, he’d bring Crowley back to the shop and show him the pile of letters.

And so he did. Aziraphale poured them both a glass of wine and brought Crowley into his study, presenting the pile of papers as though it were an ice sculpture.

“Terribly sorry I didn’t mention these to you earlier,” said Aziraphale cheerily. “I suppose I didn’t want you getting jealous that I had a secret admirer.”

“Jealous? Me?” said Crowley wryly. “Never.”

“Well?” said Aziraphale, when Crowley didn’t make a move towards the desk. “Go ahead, read some of them. You have my full permission.”

“Hmm. I dunno,” said Crowley, making himself comfortable on one of the armchairs on the opposite side of the room. “Seems like your private affair, to me.”

“Nonsense! Here, I’ll read one to you.” Aziraphale selected one at random from the middle of the pile, unfolded it and cleared his throat. “Oh, this is rather a good one.

“My dear bookseller—

“I’ve read every Wilde I can get my hands on, but apparently even your shop doesn’t hold the book which may contain a description vivid enough to capture you. In my experience, none do; not Whitman, not Keats, not Dickenson. The most complimentary of love poems do not contain a subject more appealing to me than you are. I’m afraid there may not be words in the English language or any other to describe your radiance. Compared to all the other authors and poets, who am I to attempt such a feat?

“I must try anyway. You, of all the beings of the Earth and Heaven above and Hell below, deserve to know your own wonder. Compared to you, my perspective is lowly, to be sure. Still, was it not Wilde who once said that we are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars?

“Endlessly Yours,

“Your Secret Admirer.”

Aziraphale had to pause to surreptitiously wipe at his eyes. That one had been particularly moving when he’d first read it. “Now, wasn’t that just lovely?” he said after a moment. “They know my tastes so well.”

Aziraphale glanced over at Crowley to see his reaction, but to his surprise, Crowley was smiling. A small, rather sweet smile, not at all jealous or mischievous. “Yeah,” Crowley said, “it was alright.” He put out his hand. “Can I have a look?”

Aziraphale handed him the letter and Crowley perused it, his expression much more pensive than Azirapahle would have expected. After a minute or two, Crowley said, “Yeah, not too bad, really. Not much I’d change, on this one. Just that the references to Heaven and Hell were probably a little too on the nose. And I’m pretty sure I used ‘complimentary’ incorrectly there.”

“Oh, really?” said Aziraphale, taking the letter as Crowley passed it back to him. He gave it another quick once-over. “No, I think ‘complimentary’ with an ‘i’ is correct. If it was an ‘e’ then it would be wrong, as in ‘complementary’—wait a moment.”

Aziraphale looked back up at Crowley so quickly he could have given himself whiplash. “You said I. ‘I used it incorrectly.’ Crowley. Did you—”

Crowley grinned, and crossed the room to press a kiss to Aziraphale’s brow. “Happy Valentine’s, Angel,” he said. “Well, happy February. The fourteenth went by and I had more I wanted to say, so I just sort of kept going.”

And suddenly, it all made sense. Who else, after all, could know Aziraphale so well? A human, with limited time on the planet, observing Aziraphale from afar, could never reach such an intimate understanding of him, and what he loved.

“Oh, my dear,” said Aziraphale. He glanced over at the pile. He was already planning a late night of reading through them all again, this time with the proper demon in mind. “Do I even have to say it?”

Crowley stuck his hands in his pockets and bobbed his head from side to side in a pantomime of thinking. “Well, considering it look me bloody ages to draft these all up, and write them by hand, and train the mice to deliver them, and stop myself from bragging about them to you every day for the last month—”

Aziraphale interrupted him with a kiss. “All right then,” he said, laughing. “Thank you, secret admirer.”

Crowley beamed. “Ah, it was no big deal, Angel.”

***

On February first of the following year, Crowley woke up to find an envelope sitting on his bedroom windowsill, outside his flat. It was addressed to “The handsome gentleman on the fifth floor,” and there was no return address. Inside was a letter, written on very old parchment and with very expensive ink, which read:

My dear,

Forgive me for my boldness, but I happened to see you in the Ritz the other day (you were with a rather good-looking gentleman in white, a very lucky man, if he had the privilege of being your dining companion), and you seemed to me to be the most dashing person in the room. Nay, in all of London. I found myself thinking about you for the rest of the evening, and I just had to draft up this letter to tell you exactly how lovely you looked that night. Though you wore dark glasses, I could occasionally catch a glimpse of your eyes behind them, and their beautiful golden color, and I found myself nearly speechless every time.

In all of creation, I have never found a being so wonderful to gaze upon. I imagine that if I were to, hypothetically, take the place of your ever-so-fortunate dining companion, and have a conversation and a drink with you, I would also never find someone so fascinating, so caring, so clever as you. I imagine if I were lucky enough to know you so well, your wit would be as dazzling as your eyes.

With the Greatest Affection,

Your Secret Admirer

Scrawled at the bottom of the page, in a much hastier hand, was a postscript. Crowley read it, cackled uproariously (which helped to hide his blushing), and went immediately to phone Aziraphale, intending to explain to him the point of having a secret admirer.

P.S.: Please do let me know if you received this! The doves are not very good with street directions, unfortunately. I am working on it with them. Much love! —A

Crowley also intended to tell him that he bloody well loved him, too.

#ineffablevalentines #good omens #ineffable husbands #crowley #aziraphale #gwyneth writes

[thesimplyluxuriouslife]

263: Timeless Seasonal Style — Autumn in Britain

“Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first September was crisp and golden as an apple.” —J.K. Rowling in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Style and comfort. Knowing how to achieve this combination while we travel enables each of us to relax and fully enjoy our excursions wherever our wanderlust might take us.

As would not surprise TSLL readers, many of you, including myself, love to journey to Europe, in particular France and Britain, and while I have primarily traveled to France in the summer, and London during the summer months as well, it was during the fall of 2017 that I had the good fortune to travel back to Britain. Expectedly, the suitcase's contents were far different than for the warmest months of the year.

So when a TSLL reader recently reached out and asked for style ideas for her upcoming trip to London this October, I came up with the idea to share a seasonal style episode/post for Anglophiles.

In the coming months and seasons look for the remaining three seasons for both Anglophiles and Francophiles as having a resource to help simplify the packing process so that we travelers can focus on creating an itinerary that surpasses our dreams.

Admittedly, and unsurprisingly, I enjoy selecting the perfect outfit for whatever the occasion might be, but equally as desiresome is to not have to worry about my clothes while I am traveling. Just trusting that what I have packed is exactly what I need frees my mind to absorb the many new sightss, sounds, tastes and interactions which enrich the trip all the more.

So with that introduction, I'd like to share with you Style Essentials for Traveling to Britain in Autumn, the city and the country.

City

GOAL: Layers of style that provide warmth when necessary from the rain and chill, but walkability as you make your way about the city on foot, the tube, bus or taxi.

1.Ankle boots (flat or with a slight heel) to wear with jeans or pants (my Eileen Fisher suede pair seen on the chevron floors of Burberry - here is a similar pair)

2. A short trench, works well with jeans (more casual outfits) and over midi dresses if the quality is top-notch (use promo code RLFAMILY to save 30% site-wide through October 15, 2019). For a full trench, or how to find the perfect trench for you, read my post after visiting the Burberry flagship store in London - The Perfect Trench is Personal.

3. Light-weight high-quality sweater (for layering)

4. Button-up collar shirt

5. Scarves - light-weight, yet autumnal hues (these scarves offer many color options and are well-priced)

6. Pants or dark denim jeans

7. Midi dress, wear with #8

~The Royal Albert Hall~

8. Knee-high boots with a slight heel (pack your toiletries and beauty styling utensils inside your boots to save space in your suitcase)

9. A sturdy pocket umbrella (James Smith & Sons are one of the longest running British umbrella businesses and used by the Royal household). You can order online (5-6 color options), or visit their shop in London for even more colors and patterns.

10. Short or long sleeve blouses (silk or light-weight material for layering)

11. Worn in, yet stylish walking shoes for those days when you will be visiting many places and be on your feet most of the day.

~the Dale Chihuly scultipure see in the entrance in the Victoria and Albert Museum~

Country

GOAL: Layers for warmth when the rain fall in misty waves never-ending and days and evening strolling about the many towns and shops you come across as well as hikes about the hills and along the coastline.

~the rolling hills in Northern Devon~

1.Wellies, choose a size and shaft height you feel most comfortable wearing

2. A light-to-medium weight coat that is rain-resistant. I brought my Patagonia coat, and it was perfect.

3. A stocking cap. Primarily it misted often, but when it rained heavily, I stayed inside. If you will be outside when it rains heavily, bring a raincoat with a hood, such as these from Columbia available in many different colors and figure flattering.

~a quiet country road in northern Devon~

4. Jeans, comfortable for walking, but also capable of transitioning for a nice, casual outing. These J Brand jeans are a classic style - straight-leg - in a timeless color (darker blue is available).

5. Button-up collar shirts, I gravitate toward Shirtini's for their variety and classic cuts and colors

6. Gloves, water repellant, yet warm also

7. Flat or low-heel ankle boots

8. Light-weight sweater or long-sleeve tee

The lists shared above were based on my own travel experiences in the city and the countryside during my trip in November 2017. If you will be traveling in early autumn, bring a few lighter and shorter layers (sleeves, even shorts perhaps), but no matter when you travel during this season, if you pack items that layer well, you should be prepared for any occasion.

Of course, your go-to handbag for day and one for evening is a good idea to pack as well, and I have even purchased a blow-dryer, rather than worry about adapters as blow-dryers often have more wattage than my adapter can handle. This was a choice I made, and it just made it simpler as the blow-dryer was not all that expensive and I just stow it away in my closet for my next trip to Britain.

May you have the opportunity to visit Britain soon, and when you do, feel free to stop back by and share what worked for you!

~Click here for the SHOPTAGR App and to be entered automatically for a giveaway to win $250.

SIMILAR POSTS YOU MIGHT ENJOY:

~10 News Items & Inspirational Ideas for Anglophiles (September 2019)

~episode #185, Give Yourself Permission to be Awkward

~TSLL's Latest British Week Round-Up of Posts (May 2019)

~You Might Be An Anglophile If . . . (30 signs)

~My Devon Vacation Cottage

~London Perfect: A Traveler's Sanctuary

~My Discoveries in the Devon Countryside

Petit Plaisir:

~Floret's Flowers, purchasing bulbs in the fall for spring!

~Starting today (and they go fast, so shop soon), Floret's Flowers is selling their bulbs (daffodils, tulips, ranunculus and more) until they are sold out. Last year I purchased two packages of daffodils (40 total) that I fell in love with this past spring and have since brought with me to my new home. I am looking to pick up some tulips this time, and cannot recommend the quality of her bulbs more highly. Unfortunately, she does not ship internationally, but wherever you purchase bulbs, the fall season is the time to plant them so that in the spring you will be greeted from the long winter with their beautiful fresh colors.

Tune in to the latest episode of The Simple Sophisticate podcast

#tsllpodcast thesimplesophisticate

[tweetie-voice]

Episode #7 - The Cut - Brammer - Ugly - June 26, 2021

https://www.thecut.com/article/hola-papi-i-think-i-might-be-ugly.html

Welcome to twenty boys, the world's first audio radio, vocalizer social man tweets posts daily news, a stories today, yes june, twenty six, two, twenty twenty one. It is one, fifty seven, a m! Here's our first story. I think i might be ugly most viewed stories that cut com. I think i might be ugly by j p bramer june, twenty five, two thousand and twenty one. So i don't know if i'm an artist have extreme vision. Promise of my maoris want to buy lubercal the an anity warping, my sense of reality, but i think i look good thing is i don't think anyone else shares that view. I know this is typically the opposite problem for people who live with this morphia. They view themselves as being in hideous despite being breathtakingly gorgeous. For me, though, i often feel genuine love for the person i see in the mirror. I feel enamored when i see flattering photos on myself. I love myself. Well, i do until i'm remind that i'm wrong for doing so. If i were to describe my appearance and say i check most of the boxes, what could be considered conventionally decent? Looking not hot enough to have a recurring role on river deal, but so cute enough to be murdered as part of the beef story line. I'm happy with my weight and wear clothes at. I think suit me and have average bove tattoos and a perky ass people. Don't tell me i'm ugly, but they don't tell me i'm beautiful either and when you're beautiful people tell you you're beautiful, it's pretty clear. My confidence isn't terrible, i'm normally the first and message guys who are likely out of my lead, because i don't want to write myself for sometimes it works. I've hooked up with that salute tenant of tens, which grants me some temporary pride of validation until i soon discovered they just look up with anyone simply because it cannot, because i'm special. I know it's wrong to need validation for mothers. Myself. Love should be enough, but it's just not. I find myself deleting pictures of me on my phone instead of posting them because i know they're just going to flock. I give them style in my hair when getting ready, because i know no one cares. I don't say nice things about myself, because i probably sound illusion in doing so. I think i'm good looking a truly do, but how can everyone else be wrong? Bringing desire isn't everything but being undesirable as a life sent of nothingness sincerely on the cover ugly, how they on the cover? Yes, if self love manifests and studio apartment, but no one is around to hear it doesn't make a sound. I am interested in this question because i too identify as an undercover ugly. I don't really have the self esteem you mentioned, but i do have a nagging notion that the narrative art of my life is frequently interrupted by a certain inadequacy, one that i can't quite name but often feels a whole lot like not cute enough and so on to cover. If anything i say here sounds like tough love just now, i'm mostly directing it myself. Don't you feel better already, knowing that we're in this together? No well too bad because much like my fail dates and various brooklyn bars with port point three stars in google. You stuck with me for at least another few minutes i'll start by asking what purse you think you hot people, i'll start by asking what perks you think hot people are enjoying that you are not purty a letter. You say you feel good about yourself. You dress well, and you hook up with people. You find attractive a lot o to consult mascos hierarchy of needs, but my god reaction is you're, pretty doing pretty good. I do wish more stranger would mark on my beauty upon first playing eyes on me, but there's simply no. I can, if i taste either way, that is for a moment, be a little ridiculous. An entertainer thing suspicions on the cover. Yes, you and i were ugly. We fall outside the conventional beauty standards set by society. People do not stop us on the street and ask us if we like the guest star as hot person and the sketch comedy web series, the guys who find a track the ten to pass us over, because it was simply failed to meet the criteria. Now is any of that? True, i don't know now. Do i think it's a particularly useful question, here's a better one! If any of that word true, would we carry? Would we card carrying your members of the uglies? Only club, not anseres, to feel good about ourselves would not be. Would we not deserve love romance sexuality, the similar pleasure of wearing a nice offett? Do you look at random people on the street? I think that person has no business being so confident. Look at you on the cover living in a cage. You yourself is deecorations in your check box in your ratings one through ten and for what for whom? How does this serve you on anyone else? What are you doing, if not failing your own imagination, even if a good chunk of people were to tell you right to your face that you are not attractive? Well, what do you would you think? How do you feel? What about your daly, giving a right to define things for yourself to have your own criteria from one makes something beautiful a worthy, your precious isn't un more compelling than just being born into praise from a said culture that changes its mind. Every few minutes, i'm not in the business sugar coating anything i can't lie. It doesn't feel like gravitating that great navigating a world that has made exclusively be into a science. You can and will be excluded for any number of things in this live color ism your size, the way you express yourself the list goes on and on and on, and so like a few people would be deem worthy and will be celebrated in the ways you will not. You yourself would likely re benefits from the whole process, while others are punished. There is nothing fair about it. There were brutal things about this lap. Sadly, until i collect, if you remaining forbidding artifacts, i don't have the power to fix that for you right now, but concurrence. This harsh reality is another annotating that they can truth to a certain degree. We have the power to name ourselves, to determine what we make in the hand we been tell when i feel ugly on a cover. It's exactly that a feeling, a story, a way of seeing myself i'm method of moving clucky through a word that doesn't wami. That's real, that's unpleasant! That's a place and i'm a regular in life, though we visit many places, must have felt desirable. I felt capable of giving and receiving pleasure of being enchanting of a hold thing, a secret gravity at the center of my existence when it draws others in quite effortless lean. Why wouldn't it the fact that i can pitch my tents here in this place, where ii feel good as unfortunate, but movement is an evitable. We either learn we go when we suffer, as were dragged and short on. The cover. Human life is largely hallucinated. There was no gotcha here. You were not secretly ugly sure when you're rejected it when no one to retreat your selfe or when i want to retreat yourself and when you just in a funk ugliness can feel a lot more like the truth, but it isn't where it is and it's a temporary want. You are a more or less deserving of anything based on your looks nor as anyone else out there doing their best piloting a body. The most important thing is how you feel if you feel hot your hot, so my best advice is just to be hot. Thank you. Please buy my book on mota mortiboy, originally desire originally published in may tend four o tousand and twenty one the cut oile puppy. I think i might be ugly written by j p, brammer tweeder twenty june twenty six, two thousand and twenty one, two d, twelve, a m t

#All-news #mayoral race #new york city #comedy #funny #current events #breaking news #June #June 2021 #commentary #United States #local news #fast news #hysterical #hilarious #news clps

[ianxfalcon]

Writing meme

I was tagged by @eighteenbelow (thank you! You’re such a good writer, I’m flattered that you’d consider me a favourite!)

What is your total word count on AO3?

0. When I started writing fanfic, I didn’t know AO3 existed. I’ve always thought about transferring my fics from the Pit, but I just never get around to it. (On FFnet, I’ve got a total word count of 31,126, by the way.)

How often do you write?

I try to write every day, but it doesn’t really pan out. University takes its toll, as does the internet in general (there are so many distractions!) Though when I do write, I tend to focus on my original stories, and the fanfics unfortunately end up suffering as a result.

Do you have a routine for writing?

Well, when I sit down to write, I just write. Though I tend to start by going through what I wrote recently, editing as I go before continuing with the story. I always keep a pad of post-it notes next to my bed, so I can write down the new ideas as they come. The wall above my bed is constantly full of post-it notes! Every now and then, I move them to a note pad on my desk.

I recently (as in, last year recently) got the tip to write a scene by scene layout for the story, which actually turned out to be very helpful though I don’t really use it afterwards. Turns out that writing a layout got my imagination running, and it helped me solved a lot of logistical problems! I thought it would be restricting, but it was in fact the complete opposite. I definitely recommend it.

What’s your favourite kinks/tropes/pairing.

I… don’t really have any favourite pairings. I can enjoy a good shipping fic, but I’m not overly invested in shipping itself. As for kinks, I really don’t have any. I cannot write erotic scenes to save my life, I’m absolutely awful at it, and I find it boring. When it comes to tropes, I have discovered that I really like writing “between the scenes” fics, simply things that happens off-screen, usually from minor character’s perspectives. In my original stories, I have a fondness for scenes where the characters just sit around and think about their lives, talk, and build emotional connections. It often worries me that my most common genres – fantasy and magical realism, usually set against some kind of war – aren’t really compatible with long scenes of nothing but navel-gazing. But it’s more fun to write that than action scenes!

Do you have a favourite fic of yours?

I’m very fond of my first published fic, A Flat in Muggle London, despite its somewhat wonky English. I’ve considered fixing it but it’s been so long so I can’t really be bothered. A Nice Night for Introspection is another favourite. It was also probably the one I had the most fun writing.

Your fic with the most kudos?

Well, they’re on FFnet so “kudos” isn’t a thing, but I assume it’s basically the same as “favs”. The fic with most favs is a Supernatural fic, Paradise. I don’t really understand why. It’s probably the worst of my Supernatural fics, but people seem to really like it (well, relatively speaking – it’s got 18 favs so it’s not like a huge lot, but it’s way above my others), so maybe I just don’t have any taste?

Anything you don’t like about your writing?

I have a tendency to use “could” and “would” a lot. Not so much in English as in Swedish (“kunde” and “skulle”, respectively). It’s pretty annoying, because now every time I write any of those words, they jump out at me, but there really aren’t any other words I can use instead. I also use passive sentences a lot – I tend to write “He thought it looked nice” instead of just “It looked nice”, but I’m getting better at it. Recently, I’ve developed a hatred for semi-colons, and since I was very obsessed with them once, looking at my older stories is really painful. Lastly, I find it really hard to write certain characters. One of the reasons why I stopped writing Supernatural fics was because I felt like I could never get the characters right (another reason why I don’t understand people’s love for “Paradise”).

Now something you do like?

I really like writing dialogue and I feel that I’m pretty good at it. You’ll notice that the fics I mentioned as my favourites are the ones that are basically all dialogue and introspection. I also think that I’m pretty good at capturing moods and emotions. And sometimes, there is sentence or two that is just… right, just right. Actually, to be honest, I consider myself a pretty good writer for the most part. Certainly not amazing, and I can always improve, but good enough that I think I could possibly have a shot at getting published if I ever manages to finish something. It’s considered very rude here in Sweden to speak well of your own accomplishments, but there you go. I like my own writing for the most part. It’s the one thing I genuinely feel that I’m good at.

 I don’t really have anyone to tag. Anyone reading this can do this if they want to!

#meme #challenge #personal #writing