#we survived first monday woohoo

[andehvol]

Thinking about this again...

#Matt and Tom harmony #we survived first monday woohoo #tscott #tomscottposting #mattgray #park bench #yes im losing sanity thanks for asking

[maladaptive-day-dreams]

Smoke Break

mostly fluff, light smut at the end (18+ pls), 3.7k words

Author’s note: This is an AU where the gang publicly defeated Vecna, Eddie survived and he was cleared of all charges. Y’all are both LEGAL. ENJOY!!!!!! (yes its a (Y/N) fic but it is in first person bc I feel like that’s better for immersion, and its also in gender neutral terms bc inclusivity)

Have at it!!!!!

The best things that happened to me when I moved to Hawkins in the middle of my second senior year were Eddie and the Hellfire Club accepting me with open arms (mostly because of Eddie). My parents forced us to move after I fought a classmate because they were a dick to my friend. And in true parent fashion, instead of just moving schools, dad decided to get a new job and upend my entire life to move to a tiny ass town in Indiana.

Eddie and I hit it off pretty much instantaneously—probably because we both wore Iron Maiden shirts on my first day and not on purpose. Once we got closer he invited me to join Hellfire Club and made sure all the guys weren’t assholes to me.

Unknowingly, Eddie and the Hellfire Club were also the worst thing to happen to me too. Ironic right? Yeah when Chrissy died and Eddie ran to my place to hide from the cops, I had no idea I was going to get dragged in to some supernatural bullshit and almost lose the people that meant the most to me. (Sorry mom and dad).

Yeah all that kinda made March the worst month ever. But Eddie was cleared of all charges once everyone in Hawkins saw Vecna try and kill Max again. Thank god El had enough juice left in her to revive Max (for a second time). But it’s been two months, Eddie’s all healed up and he and the gang are closer than ever.

Eddie and I have been even more inseparable since everything went down. Not that we weren’t close before, but there isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t hang out after school and I’m at almost every Corroded Coffin rehearsal. That is also partially because Eddie and I decided to date a month before he almost died and now we don’t really want to be apart from each other, just in case. Once he was all healed up from the demo bat injuries we started a weekly date where we read LOTR at the cemetery together. Next week is our 3 month anniversary.

It’s no secret that we want each other in that way and we’ve talked about it before but Eddie is a sucker for the romantics and wants to make sure our first time together is “perfect.” I tell him every time that it’ll be perfect so long as I’m with him but he always just shuts me up with either a finger on my lips and an “I don’t wanna hear it” or with a kiss. I think the other reason Eddie hasn’t been too keen on having our “perfect” night is because he’s been so stressed with graduation. We’re both graduating this year, thank god, me because your ‘rents threatened to kick you out if I didn’t and Eddie because I’ve been tutoring him since I met him.

__________ Next Week. Monday. Cafeteria for lunch.

“(y/n), (y/n), (y/n), (y/n),” Eddie says rounding the corner in the cafeteria. He barrels towards me and barely slows down enough to not knock me off my seat with a hug.

“Eddie, Eddie be careful! You’re gonna knock me off the seat,” I laugh. “What’s got you so excited?”

He looks at me with big bright eyes and I know it’s something really important. He moves to sit next to me and faces the rest of the table where the gang (that’s still in high school) and the Hellfire Club are sitting.

“Ladies and gents I have an announcement,” he bellows and gets up on the table. He pauses for dramatic effect, like one does, and says “Corroded Coffin has its first opening act show at Mickey’s Bar in Thomasville THIS Saturday.”

The entire table erupts in excited “woohoo’s!” and “fuck yeah’s” as Eddie sits back down next to me. “Does Mickey know that most of Corroded Coffin and its following are under 21?” Gareth asks.

“Yeah, he knows. Turns out he and my Uncle Wayne knew each other way back when and Mickey owed him a favor,” Eddie responded, running his thumb across the back of my hand as we held hands under the table. “So he’s letting people as young as 17 in to the bar for a three band night. Us and two bands from Thomasville that have a similar sound, The Rats and Six Feet Under.”

There’s annoyed groaning coming from Mike, Lucas and Dustin at the 17 and older comment. “Yeah yeah I know it sucks kiddos, but hopefully we’ll play somewhere you guys can come to soon,” Eddie says.

“Thomasville isn’t too far but does this mean we finally get to use the RV as a tour bus?” I ask excitedly.

“Hell yeah it does! We go on at 7 but we need to be there by 5 for set up and sound check. So we’ll have to leave around 4:30 ish since its not too far. Are you excited, babe?”

“Are you kidding me Eds?!? OF COURSE I’m excited! How could I not be?” I ask, reaching to hold his head in my hands. “Y’all have been practicing non-stop and sending your tracks to so many places since your scars finally healed. I couldn’t be more excited for y’all or proud of you for practicing and keeping your head up.”

“You have to be the absolute best thing to happen to me this year, (y/n) (y/l/n). This is our year, baby, ’86 is our year.” He says smiling and leans in to me for a slow kiss. A roll hits the side of his face and he pulls away and laughs then throws it back at Dustin.

“Y’all said you’d keep the sappy shit for home, I was just helping you keep your word!” Dustin laughs. Until Eddie looks at him, the he gets up laughing to try and run away. Eddie’s too fast for Henderson though and traps him in a headlock to give him a decently long noogie. “Ok ok let me go, I’m sorry!” Dustin gets out between laughs.

Eddie lets him go but holds him at arms length. “Never change, Henderson,” Eddie says smiling at him.

“I already promised I wouldn’t and I don’t plan on breaking that promise anytime soon,” Dustin replies with a smile. Dustin sits back down by Will and Eddie comes back to me but instead of sitting his own seat he pulls me out of my seat, sits down, and then pulls me pack down on his lap.

“Comfy?” He asks with a sly smile.

“You do have a comfy lap, so yes,” I reply with a laugh.

__________

Saturday

“Hey there beautiful,” Eddie says, sauntering up to give me a hug. “I missed you.”

“Eddie, we saw each other last night for our Friday film night with Robin and Steve,” I laugh hugging him back. He lifts me up so my legs can wrap around his waist, leans my back against the side of the RV we stole a few months ago (the owners sold it to us for cheap since it wasn’t in the best condition when we brought it back) and kisses me slow.

“Hi hello the young ones are here to help pack stuff up, can you guys stop sucking face please,” Dustin says. Eddie and I stop kissing with a laugh. We look over to see Dustin, Mike, Lucas and Max with hands over their eyes.

“You guys are free to look now,” I say. Eddie nuzzles his head into my neck and lets me get my feet on the ground again.

“Alright!” Eddie says with a clap, a huge grin on his face. “Lets get this bad boy packed so we can get this show on the road.”

An hour later we had all the gear and some drive snacks packed into the RV. Dustin’s mom was just pulling up as Eddie and the band said goodbye to the rest of Hellfire, plus Max, and they all wished Corroded Coffin good luck at the show. Steve and Robin had shown up by now and Nancy and Jonathan said they would meet us there closer to opening time.

“Thank you for asking Steve to drive this because, no offense Eddie, even with (y/n) helping you learn how to drive this better, I still don’t like the idea of you driving,” Robin laughed as she made her way to the couch by the kitchen. The rest of the band was already camped out on the couch in the back, and there was just enough room for Eddie and I to sit by Robin.

“Start her up, big boy,” Eddie said to Steve.

Steve laughed, “I told you to stop calling me that, Eds.”

“I say it with love buddy, it’s all with love.”

__________ At Mickey’s Bar

We get to Mickey’s bar with an hour or so until show time. We all unpack the RV and place all the gear on the stage at the back of the bar. Eddie’s standing with Mickey on the stage and talking logistics. I’m smiling wide watching him talk music with Mickey while the band starts putting stuff in places. Eddie must feel my eyes on him because he turns to look at me mid-sentence and gives me a wink before turning back to Mickey.

While the band sets up and tests their gear with Mickey and the sound guy, Robin and Steve and I snag a big booth close to the right side of the stage to sit in. Setting my purse down on the seat, I head to the bar. I grab a water pitcher and glasses from the bartender and make my way back to the booth, catching the last little bit of Steve and Robin’s conversation.

“So you’re headed to campus next fall right?” Robin asks Steve.

“Yeah I finally sent in my application, I’ve saved up enough money from work to at least get my AA degree,” he responds, pouring out five glasses of water just in time for Nancy and Jonathan to arrive.

We get up and do a round of hugs before setting back into the booth. Eddie hops off stage and bounds over to give Nancy and Jonathan hugs, and kisses my forehead quickly before getting back on stage for Corroded Coffin to start their soundcheck.

“What have we missed?” Nancy asks excitedly after taking a sip of her water.

“We were talking about college and stuff,” Robin says. “I finally got Steve here to send in some applications with me.”

“That’s exciting!” Nancy says, then she turns to me. “What are you and Eddie planning to do after graduation (Y/N)?”

“Oh gosh, um we haven’t really talked about it a lot,” I say, a sad smile on my face as I look at Eddie on stage singing and playing guitar with the band. “He’s been really stressed about graduation and stuff so it hasn’t come up yet.”

“What do you want to do after graduation?” Jonathan asks. “It doesn’t have to be a you and Eddie plan if you don’t want it to be, y’know.”

“I know, I know,” I smile. “But I want it to be an Eddie and I plan. Ever since I almost lost him in the Upside Down I can’t really imagine a life or even a chapter of life without him nearby.”

Nancy holds Jonathan’s hand at the last part of what I said, the look at each other and share a knowing glance before a brief kiss. “Being away from Jonathan this year has been hard so I get that feeling,” Nancy says with a smile.

I smile back and Robin pipes up. “Eddie won’t stop talking about all the traveling he wants you guys to do once graduation is over.” She grunts as Steve elbows her in the side.

“Pretty sure that was supposed to be a surprise Robin,” Steve says.

“Eddie and I have talked about traveling but we haven’t made any plans yet,” I laugh. “Don’t worry Steve, no surprise was ruined.

We all turn back to the stage as the other bands wrap up their sound checks. I get up to head to the restroom, and as I walk Eddie snags my arm and pulls me to his chest.

“Whoa, lovey, you shouldn’t tug someone with a full bladder that hard,” I laugh into his chest. “Or hug them this hard. Eds you’re gonna squeeze all the pee out of me.”

He laughs and pulls away, “sorry, I’m just so excited for tonight and that you’re here and that almost everyone important is here with me tonight.” He has the most beautiful gleam in his eyes while he says this.

“I’m excited to be here with you and for you, babe. You and the guys are going to be fantastic,” I beam up at him. “Now gimme a quick kiss so I can go to the bathroom before you guys officially go on okay?”

He smiles and kisses me slow and hard, one hand on each cheek, pulling me as close as possible to him. We separate with a shallow breath, “I love you (Y/N), I know I don’t say it enough but I really do.”

“I love you Eddie,” I smile. “And you might not say it but you show me daily.”

He plants a quick peck on my lips and pushes me towards the bathroom, “be quick! We go on in five!” His giddy laugh lingers behind him as he bounds back towards the stage.

Corroded Coffin completely change when they’re on a real stage in front of a real crowd instead of the small group that comes to watch their practices. Eddie is amazing on stage, and the band as a whole puts on a killer show. I don’t think Eddie took his eyes off me at all, honestly, even when he was singing and playing guitar and jumping around to hype up the crowd. We held eye contact the whole time and it made the show that much more magical for me (hopefully for him too).

As soon as they finish and pull their gear off stage for the next band to go on, Eddie finds me by the booth and scoops me up into a big, tight and sweaty hug (like a feet off the ground hug).

“You guys were INCREDIBLE,” I exclaim when he puts me down. “So amazing.”

“That was such a rush, (Y/N). Such a rush,” he beams. “I need a smoke break after that though, come outside with me?”

“Of course!”

Eddie intertwines our fingers and leads me out front and then around to the corner where he can smoke freely.

“You don’t mind if I light one right?” He asks.

“Nope go ahead,” I say leaning against the brick wall beside him.

“It’s really cool that you’re chill about this, I’ve had a lot of past partners that weren’t.” He says between hits.

“I won’t partake but I don’t mind when other people do. Take no peace, and do no harm, y’know? Doesn’t effect me so why stop someone,” I say, taking in his muscular form under the street lights. He wore his battle vest overtop of a DIY muscle tank made from an ACDC band tee, his classic ripped black jeans with a chain for his wallet and his signature black bandana in his back pocket. The lighting hit his arms just right, and his lean against the brick building was more seductive than I think he intended. As I looked back up I caught his eyes and he smirked.

“Like what you see, (Y/L/N)?”

“You know I do,” I laugh.

He looks up at the night sky, takes a long drag of his cigarette and blows the smoke towards the stars. Looking back at me, he asks, “would you mind if I kissed you after I smoked?”

Taken aback because he’s never asked that before, I pause, “uh…no, no I don’t think so.”

He takes a step towards me, eyes heavy with desire. “Ah, ah, ah no hesitation, love, I haven’t smoked around you a lot because I know its not your thing, but I need a solid yes or no. can I kiss you after I smoke?”

“Yes.” That was the fastest I’ve ever answered a question, and Eddie’s eye lit up with excitement at my eagerness. He comes closer to me, takes one last puff, drops his cigarette, uses one hand to grab my hip and the other to grab the back of my neck to pull me in for a heady smoke flavored kiss. I moan at his taste and he tries to pull me closer even though the only thing between us is our clothes.

He kisses me hard and slow, like he’s savoring me. I taste smoke and cheap whiskey on his tongue and moan—he must’ve done a pre show shot with the band. Then I pause, I feel his excitement through his jeans and pull away with a sly smile. “Damn Munson, all hot and bothered by a show, a kiss and some close proximity?”

He laughs, but doesn’t let go of me, moving both hands to my hips. My shoulders and the top of my back are braced on the brick wall but Eddie pulls my hips to his so I can feel him again.

“I don’t wanna be vulgar with you, love, but I haven’t been able to rub one off in a while with school, graduation, passing the Hellfire torch to Henderson and rehearsing with the band,” he groans, grinding his hips into mine.

I hold back the moan in my throat.

“Ah, well too bad we can’t fix that until you set up our perfect first night,” I say, meeting his gaze and matching his desire tinted eyes. “Anyway, we should probably get inside before the gang thinks we left them.”

“One more kiss, please.” Eddie asks, hands rubbing my hips, thumbs finding my skin under the edge of my homemade Corroded Coffin tee. I nod and he pulls me around the corner into the alley away from the light to ravage my lips again. I’m at his disposal, stuck between him and the wall. He’s grinding himself against me and we’re both moaning at the sweet, sweet friction. I can feel his hard on even more now.

“Fuck Eddie, do you want me to touch you? Can I touch you?” I ask breathlessly, breaking away from our needy kissing.

“Fuck, yes,” he moans eagerly. He kisses down my neck as I undo his jeans and palm him through his boxers. He bites where my neck meets my shoulder and pulls back only to lean his forehead against mine and watch as I touch him.

I reach into his boxers and run my hand along his cock—thick and heavy, bigger than I thought it would be—and I’m getting turned on at the thought of him inside me. His head drops to my shoulder as I move his boxers down so his cock is unconfined. I run my thumb along the tip and Eddie pulls in a gasp. Using his precum, I grip him and make my way from head to base, squeezing slightly at the end.

“Fuck,” he gasps. “(Y/N), please.” I continue moving my hand up and down along his shaft slowly, loving all the sounds he’s making. Head moved to my shoulder, Eddie is groaning and moaning all from my touch. He’s squirming and gasping and I feel like I’m high. We’ve never gone this far before. Sure there were hot and heavy make-outs and grinding through clothes but we’ve never been so intimate. We’ve never touched each other this way before.

“You’re doing so good, baby,” I praise him as I speed up my ministrations. He moans and whines at the same time and I think it’s the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard. “Mr. Cuffs-by-the-bed-Munson,” I tease. “Do you have a praise kink?”

He groans and his head falls back, as I circle the head of his cock with my thumb again. “Shut the fuck up and kiss me, (Y/N).”

“So demanding,” I laugh. He whines, “please.”

“Only because you asked so nicely.” And this time I’m the one that takes his mouth and ravages him. As we fall deeper into our kiss, I continue rubbing and squeezing his cock with my hand, fast and slow, fast and slow. I can feel him start to falter, and he thrusts against my hand, reaching for his orgasm himself. He shudders and breaks our kiss with a moan of my name, “(Y/N),” as he cums in my hand.

Eddie watches as I lift my hand to taste him, sweet but salty and oh-so-perfect. “Fuck that’s so hot,” he whispers, words laced with desire. He couldn’t take his eyes off my hand as I sucked dripping fingers into my mouth, looking down I saw his cock twitch at the sight.

Eddie tears his eyes away from me and pulls the hanky from his back pocket to wipe himself off and then pass it to me to clean my hand. Tucking himself back into his boxers and righting his jeans, Eddie takes the used bandana and tosses it in the dumpster across from where we took cover from the street and bar lights. He looks at me with a dumb, satisfied yet heated grin and pulls me in for another searing kiss. Now I’m the one all hot and bothered and I know he can sense it, but just to be sure I moan into his mouth and deepen the kiss, grinding myself on his already hard again, jean covered cock.

He pulls back with a smirk, licking his lips. “Fuck a perfect first time, you’re all mine when we get home tonight and you’ll see how I put those cuffs to use.”

#eddie munson #eddie x reader #eddie munson stranger things #eddie stranger things #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson edit #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson oneshot #eddie munson one shot #eddie munson smut #stranger things smut #stranger things #stranger things season 4 #stranger things fandom #stranger things fanfic #stranger things one shot #fanfic #fandom #one shot

[vampykween]

MIC HI!! i miss you so much how's everything going :3 ??

RURU my bby omg hiiiiiiiii <3

i miss u too :( and things have been going well for me lately! thank you for asking mwah

i survived my first week of clinical teaching and my mentor is so awesome! she had me teach on friday and was like “you’re seriously a natural” & one of my students said i was the best teacher ever because we went on a field trip and i helped her learn to skate 🥹🥹

ooh ooh and i’m planning to get a cat soon and eek i’m so excited i can’t wait! the only kinda bad thing right now is that we’re supposed to get super bad weather on monday so i’m kinda nervous about it, but i’m sure we’ll be fine.

i really miss being active here ugh but i’m also kinda enjoying just doing stuff i used to like right now i’m making a little photo wall of pics of me and my gf <3 and then i’m gonna make some jewelry later woohoo ☻

again miss u times a million, i hope life is treating you well <3 smoochhhhhhh

#mic answers #kinda teared up a little cause i’m on my period and am in my feels #thanks for thinking of me seriously it means the world to me <3 #ruru 🫧 #also should mention i put the little bubble emoji cause you’re the type of fun everyone loves

[187days]

Day One Hundred Forty-Seven

Oh man, today was the Monday-est Monday ever. It was a mess. Let me take it block by block...

Block 1: my plan was to show Shake Hands With the Devil, which I have on DVD because it’s a Canadian film and it wasn’t available on any streaming services here in the US (spoiler: it is now, but I didn’t know that at 8:05 this morning). I had my DVD player hooked up to my projector, but I couldn’t get the sound to work. Tried a different projector, still couldn’t get it to work. Tried hooking the DVD player up to the classroom TV, nope. My students were very patient with me, and a few of the tech savvy ones tried to help, it was very sweet of them. At one point, I joked that I’d never felt so old as I did in that moment, not being able to make the technology work, and that got me a few laughs. Finally, I decided to check if I could find the movie online, and, whew! It’s on Amazon Prime now. So I got a copy and then everything was fine, and I may have done a victory dance and gotten applause. All’s well that ends well, I guess? 

Block 2: One of my students came up to me during the bell change and tried to convince me to let him watch the movie without parental permission (which isn’t allowed because it’s R-rated), which was made funnier by the fact that The Principal was STANDING RIGHT THERE (he’d come to ask how the track team did at the relay meet on Saturday). I was like, “Kid, I’m not breaking the rules, and I’m definitely not breaking them in front of my boss.” Luckily, though, he was able to call his mom and get permission. However, about ten minutes into the movie he took out his cell phone to play games, I told him to put it away, and he asked if he could just go sit in the office because he “wasn’t interested in learning this.” I’ve been a teacher for seventeen years now, and that was a first for me. I bit back a laugh and said no, but I was kind of shocked for the rest of the block that he’d even thought there was a chance I’d say yes to that. The movie and its sound worked, though, so yay for that.

Block 3: I went over the last test I gave with my students, and discussed what went well and what they could do to improve.... and totally misread one of my own test questions. Luckily, a student caught my error and I corrected myself quickly. That was still messy, though. Also, at the end of the block, a few of them were discussing a recent car crash (drunk driver survived, passenger did not, both are graduates of our school), and I cautioned them to speak a bit more carefully because there are students in the building who have ties to both the driver and the passenger. And one said, “Wait, to the driver, too?” and I realized they either hadn’t seen the driver’s name, or hadn’t connected who he’s related to, so... awkward reveal there. But my students were glad I told them because, obviously, they don’t want to hurt anyone unintentionally. 

Block 4: The movie still worked! Woohoo! But a student from another class attempted to interrupt mine to grab a football from one of my students, and did not understand why I stopped him at my classroom door and told him he couldn’t come in and do that in the middle of my class. 

These kids are wild sometimes, y’all...

So, yeah, it was a messy, messy day for me. A bunch of my sprinters said it was for them, too, and we agreed it’s all because it’s a Monday after a holiday and we should’ve just had the say off. And, of course, anytime someone screwed up a warm-up drill, someone else would yell, “Monday!” and everyone would laugh. So, y’know, at least we’re all in good spirits. 

#teaching #teacher #teachblr #edublr #educhums #education #high school #social studies #showing r-rated movies in class #shake hands with the devil #the principal #coaching #track #being a hot mess #day one hundred forty seven #technological mishaps

[deepdisireslonging]

Family Found Part 37: Planning the Rumble and Beyond

That last matches are set for Sunday. Several things get out of hand. Is the Reader losing control of Monday Night Raw? Is anyone noticing?

Warnings/Promises: wrestling violence

Word Count: 3266

Note: Hell yeah, Nikki Cross, Lacey Evans, EC3, and Heavy Machinery joined Raw last week! Going forward, they will be included in storylines. Woohoo! (Gotta figure out where to put them… but I will find a spot…) And for reference: Graeters is a Cincinnati-specific ice cream brand. Any and all feedback is super appreciated. It can be with a reblog, or an ask on anon. Please let me know how you are liking this series. Enjoy!

Part 1: Welcome to the Team

Part 36: Choices

Monday Night Raw – January 21, 2018

The show hadn’t even started yet, and you knew it was going to be a long night. You ran in front of the referees and flock of wrestlers, following the sounds of a backstage brawl. You threw your hands in the air once you found it. Seth Rollins was helping Dolph Ziggler throw Drew McIntyre into a stack of crates. The second the Scotsman was inactive, they turned on each other, sending steel rods clanging and ladders crashing to the ground. You let the refs and others break them apart. The new arrival, EC3, dodged a punch and was able to pin Seth’s arms behind his back long enough for you to grab control. “Seriously, guys? If you wanted to fight, you know where to find me-“

“There wasn’t time,” Seth cut in. “Drew attacked me, then Dolph hit him-“

“And Drew tossed me into the wall,” Dolph added. They began to talk over one another, oblivious to the tall man getting back to his feet behind them. You pushed them apart and kept Drew from getting engaged.

“Oy! Stay right there.” You quickly retracted your hand from his stomach. “None of this is acceptable. From any of you,” you said, looking pointedly at Seth. “But, we still need to work this out. Seth, I can already tell you upfront that you’re not going to like this. But you will be defending your Intercontinental Championship at the Royal Rumble.”

Seth shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I like that? I’m a fighting champ.”

“It’s going to be against both McIntyre and Ziggler.” You cringed as Seth’s face fell. Then you were surprised to see the other to men not as happy as you thought they would be. “Why are you two so glum? I figured-“

Drew growled, “how come Dolph gets to be in the match? He lost fair last week. At least when I lost it was because of interference. From him. The Rumble match would have been my rematch.”

With a nod of his head, Seth agreed. Dolph pushed at Drew’s shoulder and went to add his piece but you beat him to it. “It’s because of interference that I’m putting all three of you in the match. No use getting the title match disqualified because someone gets involved where they shouldn’t.” You sighed. “If you have any questions… you know where my office is. Don’t let me get another call about you three.” Gritting your teeth, you walked away not really caring of their glaring at each other.

***

Ember Moon paced back and forth in the ring with the title on her shoulder. “All this week, really all month, I’ve been thinking about the Royal Rumble. What I would do depending on who won the tournament if any of them were more a threat than the others. And do you know what I realized?” She stopped and looked at the crowd. “I don’t care.” Ember smiled. “I don’t care which woman is coming down that ramp on Sunday. As a matter of fact, it could be any of the guys too and I wouldn’t care. And you know why? Because I am the Raw Women’s Champion. I clawed and bled to earn this title.” She raised it above her head. “And no one is going to take it from me.”

She had to stop as Rhonda Rousey’s music interrupted her. “That’s all very nice, Ember. But it’s not just anybody who's going to be in that ring with you on Sunday. It’s going to be me.”

“And what of it?” Ember scoffed. “I don’t care who you are or what you burned to get here, I am going to keep you from holding this championship again.”

Rhonda’s jaw clenched. “Is that so?”

Now Ember knew she had her. “Yes. Yes, it is. But… we don’t have to wait until Sunday.”

“You know, I have to agree.”

A referee was there a minute later to officiate the match. Jojo stayed in her seat, listening to your orders over the headset. Renee passed the information along once it reached the announce table. “Y/N still wants the title to be defended at the Royal Rumble.”

“More practice for the women, I guess,” Corey quipped.

The women fought tooth and nail. The longer the match went on, the longer it took them both to get back to their feet. Ember climbed for a Total Eclipse, but she was ripped from the turnbuckles. Rhonda just about had Ember in an armbar when the referee was pulled out of the ring. Ruby Riott slid in, breaking the two women apart. She attacked Rhonda first, tackling her to one side. By the time she moved onto Ember, the referee had recovered and called for the disqualification in favor of Ember. Ruby rolled out of the ring with a cackle, barely making it to the floor before Rhonda made it to the ropes. She watched as Rhonda helped Ember to her feet.

“Good to see who you consider a threat around here, Ember,” she called back. “But Rhonda shouldn’t hold all your focus. That’s how you lose sight of a worthy opponent… me.” She walked backward up the ramp with a sneer. At the top, she laughed one more time at Ember and Rhonda angrily holding onto the top rope, then disappeared backstage.

***

Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan were waiting for her. They shared a hug and a flurry of giggles as you walked up. “Too bad it wasn’t a title match, Y/N,” Ruby said, “or I could have filled in for the loser on Sunday.”

“For the person you disqualified, you mean?” Huffing your emotions back into control, you crossed your arms. “And that’s assuming I wouldn’t just set them a rematch on Sunday. But that’s not what I’m here to talk to you about. You’ve got a singles match against Alicia Fox next, but you haven’t said who is going to be fighting.”

Liv snickered. “That’s assuming we were going to tell you at all.”

“It’s not Sunday yet. I could suspend you and let Tamina and Nia win by default. But I would rather not do that. Who is fighting tonight?”

The Squad bristled. They side-eyed each other, coming to an unspoken agreement. Sarah spoke up. “I am.” She shuffled on her feet. “Tamina got one over on me last week. I’m not going to let that happen tonight.”

You nodded. “Thank you. Have fun.” You walked away with your head held high. And you didn’t look back, even when you started to hear screaming. Though it did make you pause. But just for a second.

What you didn’t see was Sasha Banks and Bayley attacking the Riott Squad. Sarah was beat up the most. When Sasha and Bayley made their retreat, she wasn’t able to make it to her feet. Her teammates rushed to her side, followed by a referee. He shook his head. Ruby and Liv pointed between each other.

“Stay with her,” Liv said as their music started to play. Then she rushed off to replace Sarah in the match. Lacey Evans rounded the corner, stopping to one side of Ruby. She snorted, then made a show of stepping wide over Sarah’s outstretched legs.

When Alicia entered the arena, she was flanked by both Alexa Bliss and Mickie James. Though they weren’t in the match, they did their part. And they did it well. If Alicia wasn’t holding Liv’s attention, Alexa or Mickie was. Alicia stuck to staying in the ring, distracting the referee when Liv rolled out and was caught in a blind attack. Cole mentioned how similar the plan was to how the Riott Squad operated. And like with their planning, the strength of numbers was too much for Liv alone. Though, to her credit, Alicia moved with a bit of a limp, even as the ref raised her hand in victory.

Liv didn’t stick around. She rushed backstage to check on Ruby and Sarah.

***

In catering, the various tag teams were abuzz for the match later that night. For the number one contender spot, Chad Gable and Bobby Roode were going up against the Ascension. Whoever won that match, would face AOP at the Royal Rumble. But first, they would have to survive tonight’s lumberjack match.

Tyler Breeze walked into the fray with a smile. The glow disappeared as most everyone turned their backs on him. Shrugging, he walked around to include himself in a circle, but they split up and walked away. He tapped Bo Dallas’s shoulder. “Hey, why is everyone’s acting weird? It’s not like Dango and I are handing out fashion tickets.”

Apologetic, Bo explained. “That’s kind of the problem. Fandango has been out for months. As far as tag team events go… you can’t really participate.” He brightened up with an idea. “But if you could find a partner, then yeah, I’m sure you could join the match tonight. But until then… sorry, Breeze.” Bo turned away, leaving Breeze stunned. Stunned, but wheels turning. He left the room like a man on a mission.

***

“Come on, Y/N, tell me.”

“Nope.”

Dean wiggled his shoulders trying to think. “Hey, I’ll promise you Graeters. Is mint chocolate chip still your favorite?”

You had to smile. “Yeah, it is. But I’m not going to tell you your Rumble entry number.” You stopped him before he could ask again. “Nope. Now, do you mind? I do actually have work to do.” Dean punched lightly at your shoulder but left your office. Your face fell as another knock came to your door. “Come in.”

Elias entered. “You wanted to see me?”

With a nod, you wrote down something on a piece of paper. “Yes. I have a proposition for you, a kind of reward for helping out. This is your scheduled entry to the Royal Rumble.” Elias glanced at it, his eyebrows raising in slight approval. “But win your match… and you can enter at this number.”

He whistled.

“Just… It won’t be easy. Your opponent is Baron Corbin.” You took his relaxed strumming to mean that he wasn’t worried.

***

Nearly thirty minutes later, Elias had the better spot. He never left the ring, even though Baron had. Briefly. And he had sling-shot himself back in for a speed attack. But the new golden number was at the front of Elias’s mind and he did everything he needed to get that spot. Everything but use his guitar for anything other than making music. Elias sat back on his haunches and whistled again.

“What are you so chipper about?” Baron groaned as he sat up against the turnbuckles.

“No reason. But… my future just got a little bit brighter.” With a smile, Elias proudly let his hand be raised in victory. He shot one last triumphant grin at Baron before leaving the ring. Baron watched him leave, then focused his attention on Gorilla.

***

Curt Hawkins twirled his baton. “Are you interested?” He nodded at Dean, who tapped his collarbone deep in thought.

“Let me get this… correct. We have a match tonight. If I beat you, I get your later spot at the Rumble if it is later. But if you beat me, you get my later spot. If it is.”

“That’s it. No strings. No stipulations. Just two of the best in the business.”

Dean tilted his head back. Considering. “What do you get out of this? What do you really have to gain?”

Hawkins chuckled and shook his baton at Dean’s face. “You’ve been hanging out with your cousin. Good question. Let’s just say I really liked the feel of the Universal Championship on my shoulder. What do you say?”

With a grin that said he was sure in his choice, he shook Hawkins’s hand. “Deal. See ya in the ring.”

Then he could hear cackling. They both turned and saw Nikki Cross with her knees hooked over a trellis, upside-down and swinging back and forth. She laughed and clapped her hands. “You gonna play? Nikki likes to play. Mhmm. Play. Play. Play. Play!”

Hawkins kept his eyes on her and leaned towards Dean. “She looks crazier than you ever got.” He flinched with an ‘ow’ as Dean smacked the back of his head.

“We’re not crazy. Just living and wrestling at a higher frequency than you.”

***

The match didn’t go like Hawkins had hoped. Even his distraction by tossing his baton into Dean’s face, and then his vest, didn’t give him enough of an upper hand. Apparently, his earlier comment about Dean being crazy had ignited something in Dean. Like he wanted to live up to the description. So he did while staying within the legal constraints of the match, despite eyeing Hawkins’s baton to use as his own. Then, he flipped. Crazy men don’t break down their opponents with submission moves, right? He dashed Curt Hawkins’s dreams with a Dirty Deeds.

***

“Why is Y/N already making matches for the Elimination Chamber? It’s bad management,” Corey said as Zack Ryder entered the arena.

Renee scrunched up her nose. “Why is it bad management? After the Rumble, there’s only three Mondays until the Elimination Chamber. I think it’s great planning. We’re on the road to WrestleMania and she’s properly thinking ahead. And it’s only the second spot in the Universal Championship chamber match. It’s not like all the spots have been filled.”

As Braun Strowman entered the arena, and then the ring, Corey was still grumbling. “How can anyone plan if they’re thinking about two pay-per-views at a time?”

Michael Cole tried to redirect the conversation to the match, but Renee had one more comment. “Well, that just shows how brilliant Y/N is. And how small-minded you are, Corey.”

“And they’re off,” Cole said, cutting through Corey’s rebuttal. “How do you think Zack Ryder is going to do against Braun tonight?”

He was doing well. Mostly his strategy seemed to be dodging any kind of hits at all. A game of keep-away with his own body on the line. In the meantime, Ryder kept Braun going in circles, quickly moving in for attacks once the larger man was dizzy. Then Braun caught him. And threw Ryder through the ropes before stepping through them himself. Each time Ryder tried to escape back into the ring, Braun would pull him back out. And when the 10-count would get close, Braun would roll in and back out to break it.

Ryder began his dodge and weave again. Where Braun tried to run him over, he soon found Ryder wasn’t there and ran his own shoulders into the ring posts. When Braun caught him again, he tried to throw Ryder into the stairs, only to have it reversed. Braun was getting agitated. He finally met Ryder back in the ring, where they nearly demolished one another. The referee went to check on Braun after he had missed Ryder again, crashing into the ring post.

That was when Dr. M struck. He rolled into the ring, then Vaccinated the oblivious Ryder and spun him to the canvas. By the time Braun was back on his feet, Dr. M wasn’t visible by anyone in the ring. He only emerged from the bell booth after Braun pinned Ryder.

***

Ryder rolled out of the ring and was helped up the ramp by the referee. Braun stayed where he was, standing still as a statue as Dr. M joined him in the ring.

“Do you see it?” Dr. M asked the audience. “Do you see how easy it is to weed out the afflicted? Pride, a deadly sin, is also a disease. It builds with each accomplishment, no matter how short it lasts. And then when it is conquered, it spreads to the conqueror. There are times when small doses of pride are required. They give strength and direction, like with the Authors of Pain. Their pride helped them into the championship light. Then I gave them the last dose they needed to win the Raw tag team titles.”

Braun’s stoic face flickered. His eyes darted to the back of Dr. M’s head as he wondered what credit he was going to get. He received none as his teammate continued.

“But they are not yet finished. When the time is right, they will save the division. Healing it, showing the teams who have the real power.” He laughed. “And I cannot wait for the cleansing bonfires.” In a flicker of lights, they were gone.

The lighthearted music of Chad Gable and Bobby Roode replaced them. Next came the long line of tag teams to circle the ring. Tyler Breeze was at the end of the line. The Revival stopped him. With a smile, he took a step back and waited. Dana Brooke’s music hit, and she entered the arena. She stopped at Breeze’s side, then they shouldered past the Revival to join the others at ringside. Tucker Knight and Otis Dozovic of Heavy Machinery helped start a “Lucha” chant with the Lucha House Party. They were interrupted by the entrance of the Ascension.

They fought. When one team member was thrown out, they were roughed up a bit then thrown back in. Even Dana did her part. She received hearty pats on the back and welcoming handshakes. It was an even spread. For once, no side battles on the floor took away from what was happening in the ring. The whole tag roster reacted with cheers and jumping as Roode pinned Viktor.

Bodies of teammates started dropping outside of the ring. There was snap pandemonium, then Akam and Rezar slid into the ring, gunning for the victorious wrestlers. Drake tried to follow, but he was pulled back into the fray on the floor. In the ring, AOP made quick work of Gable and Roode, and of Viktor and Konnor. Except Konner didn’t go down as easily. He stumbled back to his feet just as Drake was finally able to escape into the ring. He turned right into an oncoming punch. Akam and Rezar shifted their attention to getting him out of harm's way but were attacked by teams as they flooded the canvas.

Drake punched back at someone grabbing him by the back of his vest. It turned out to be Rezar, who dragged him through the ropes. Drake continued to shout at the teams straining against the ropes. He looked back, expecting to see his teammates glaring at them. He was alone. And AOP was halfway up the ramp. He rushed to catch up with them while Gable and Roode were congratulated in the ring.

***

You stared at the number on your screen for a long minute before answering it. “Yes, Mr. Heyman?” You listened as he talked, rolling your eyes as he began to drone on. “I’m going to stop you there. No. Your client made it very clear that he wanted no part of this company. He can stay gone.” With a hiss, you stopped. He had started talking again. “Go ahead and talk to Hunter and the McMahons. Go for it. See if it makes a difference.”

With that, you hung up on him. Then tossed your phone across the room. This wasn’t good. You bit at your lip, trying to come up with a solution. You tilted your head. “That’s an idea,” you said to yourself. “No. It would be too easy. Right? Hmm. Maybe not.” You nodded. It was half a plan anyway. It would require just a tiny change to another plan, but it was one that might just help everyone.

Part 38: Squirrels in a Row (Royal Rumble)

Series Masterlist 

Masterlist 

Forever Tags: @blondekel77 @hallemichelles @laochbaineann @lavitabella87 @ramblingsofabourbondrinker @savmontreal @southsidebucky @tinyelfperson @zuni21798 

WWE/Series Tags: @a-home-for-stray-stories @kingslayers-queen @top-1-percent @mother-forker @neversatisfiedgirl @racheo91 @roman-reigns-princess @secretagentfangirl @thetherianthropydaily @wwe-smutfics @scuzmunkie @likeisaidwhatever @cait-kae @ramsaypants @sony-undead18 @brianaraydean @st4yingstrong @dopeybubbles @crystallizeme @jessica91073 @denise8691 @stalelight @kenyadakblalock @1dluver13xx @lauren-novak @lunatic-desert-child @littledeadrottinghood @livelifewondering 

#Family Found Series #Original Storyline #cousin!dean ambrose #cousin!reader #cousin Ambrose storyline #general manager!reader #reader insert #female!reader #wwe #royal rumble 2019 #dean ambrose #seth rollins #drew mcintyre #dolph ziggler #ember moon #riott squad #dana brooke #tyler breeze #bo dallas

[hasafraker]

Ride to Work

I think last month was ride your bicycle to work day, week, month or something. I totally missed the boat mostly because I just didn’t have a way to carry all my stuff with me. Rather than kill myself trying for the sake of doing it on the designated day, I have finally gotten what I need to just do it every day. I got a rack and some bags last weekend for my Jamis Coda Elite.

Got a few other things as well, a lock to make sure it stays where I left it. I’ve seen others drop their horse shoe style lock in the rails of the rack, and would you look at that mine fits there perfectly too!

So this last Monday I worked from home, yes its a thing! When I worked for the place that shall not be named, my boss there was very adamant that nobody was allowed to work from home (except him) because he didn’t trust that you would be working. Yeah ok... I got nothing, my new job/boss is like “you will work from home 4 days a week, 1 week a month and if you need to work from home on a particular day for whatever reason just let me know we’ll figure it out.” WOW such forward thinking I don’t know how to act. 

Anyhow so Monday I worked from home, my laptop weighs a TON! It might as well be a legit boat anchor when it comes to carrying this beast on my bicycle. The bags I got (which I will review later for fun) are quite spacious and swallowed the laptop, power supply, headset, change of clothes, towel, lunch box and misc other stuff that I pack to work w/out any problems. 

Now mind you, I’ve been trying to get out and ride 3x a week at the minimum to make sure I am in shape enough to survive the 5 mile ride to work. You laugh, “hah a mere 5miles?! you smell of elder berries!” No really, this is a rough 5 miles. I’ve never lived in a place that was more hill ridden in my life! From the house I ride up hill about a mile to the first main road that runs towards work. Then the next 3.5 miles are flatter but slightly downhill, it’s a decent roll and I can get cranking on it pretty good. The last .5 miles... I should nickname it the murder hill because the grade is ridiculous.

Wednesday mornings ride started out great, yay, riding to work, this will be glorious! I head out, first hill, no big deal, heart pounding, breathing heavy, legs warming up wow the bike feels really heavy lol. As I crest the top of the first big hill and get ready to turn right at the light my legs are really burning. I will say one thing for traffic here in MD is that bicyclists are tolerated really well? Maybe it’s just really pro-bicycle? I’ve only had 1 motorist honk at me and in retrospect she may have been honking at another driver for not letting her get out from behind me. 

Anyhow, so the next stretch I really get going there are a few upward sections that slow me down some but it’s mostly flattish so this is where I make my time, even the roads are in decent shape so I’m not dodging potholes or anything. 

Then I reach the decent before a good downhill section and I attack it with as much energy as I can because I want to carry some speed through to see how far I can get up the hill before I have to start down shifting to keep the wheels moving. I’m in top gear about 1/3rd of the way down because I was already moving pretty fast, now I’m going probably 30+ mph and the FRICKIN LIGHT CHANGES!! GAH! So I downshift because I don’t want the cross traffic to road pizza me and stop at the light panting. Green light and now I’m at the bottom on the hill before the murder hill and I have to climb this section first to get to the real hill... real hill, like this hill is just an illusion that’s kicking my ass? If only that were so. 

So I get up the hill, and again catch another red light and grab a drink while I wait for the light to change. Now this downhill section at the bottom of the murder hill is just long enough for me to get nearly into top gear with some serious effort on my part, but with traffic coming and going on both sides of the road I feel a little like Mad Max now because I’m trying again not to die on my way to work and the motorists only have so much humor when it comes to cyclists so I do try not to surprise them by popping out in front of them without any notice. I manage to slip in behind the last mini van to go by and find a gap in the oncoming cars so I’m able to slip all the way over to the left side of the road because there is a second lane on that side for traffic turning into any of the multiple driveways over there vs a 2′ shoulder on the right side of the road.

So now as I attack the murder hill and shift down into 1st as fast as I can and just try to keep the cranks spinning so the wheels don’t stop I can feel my heart rate climb, my lungs are burning almost as much as my legs and I push myself and push myself and I can feel my breakfast threatening to make another appearance and I tell myself not to think about it and just keep the pedals going and I realize at this point that if I don’t stop I will likely either pass out and fall over or puke, or both, and if I’m really unlucky maybe even a heart attack is lurking in there for me! Ok so I unclip first because I’ve had a number of “OMG I can’t get out of my clips and I’m going to fall now” recently and I don’t want to crash with my new bags and my laptop and all my stuff so yeah at least I had enough brain power left to remember to unclip first. 

I get off the bike and walk it the remaining 200′ to the first driveway that is linked to the work parking lots. I grab another drink, catch my breath a little, hop back on the bike and will my legs back to work again pushing the pedals and off we go, I find a little service road that takes me to another road that seems like it goes off into nowhere so I jump the curb and ride along a volleyball court and come to another drive that comes to the first manned guard access gate. WHEW I’m gonna make it! I get there, badge in and ask for directions to the building where the Gym is located because employees can use the showers there if they need to. Boy do I need to at this point because I’m dripping sweat.

I roll down to that building, another guard nearby directs me to the nearest bike rack, I get locked up, grab my bag with my change of clothes and he then tells me how to find the showers, what a guy! I got showered and dressed and back to the bike. Load back up and now I have like 2 blocks to slow ride cause I’m beat to get to my building and stow my bike and head up to my floor so I can get to work. 

So that was my first day riding to work! The ride home was seemingly easier but I don’t think it really is, the murder hill is fun going back the other way but if you don’t mind the potholes (there are a couple I have discovered) your water bottles will eject from their bottle cage (cage my ass) like little rockets that you may never find again especially if the cars behind you think it’s a game and try to run them over for you... :(  but... the murder hill I can really fly down and carry enough speed to reach the top of the next hill which makes that section easier. Once you head past that and through the next downhill section the long stretch to the last mile to the house is mostly uphill some is not as bad as others but still by the time I got home I was a sweaty mess.

I didn’t let my first day stop me oh no, my second day I got up, got ready and looked outside and it was POURING lmao just my luck, well... we have just 1 car right now, my motorcycle is in the shop getting new brake lines and the bicycle is all I have so I suited up and off I went and soaked to the bone I got, my gear was still fairly wet by the time I went home that day. The benefit to riding in the rain and having showers at work is, I don’t wear a rain cover, who cares I’m not made of sugar right? The rain and wind keep you much cooler so that helps, other wise I’m just soggy which for a long ride would be miserable but 5 miles is totally no big deal.

Then yesterday it was still raining on my way to work but not as hard so that was actually very pleasant I dare say I enjoyed it. However yesterday, I made it up the murder hill without having to get off my bike! Woohoo!! Then last night my wife got done with her job early and offered to come get me at work and just put my bike in the back and I declined, I like riding, I told her it would be fine. It was 86 degrees yesterday when I left work so I was cooking and sweating but again, I enjoy the ride, I like pushing myself it makes me feel alive and I’m hoping in the long run will improve my fitness level and help me bring my weigh back down.

So there you go... I’m riding my bicycle to work now every day, though I do reserve the right to ride my motorcycle on days when it’s pouring because trying to dry my stuff out before the ride home is a bit of a pita lol otherwise, go out there and get it!

If you ever wanted to ride to work and you have the time, that is the big investment here, if you live within 10miles of your job it’s very doable, even 15 if you’re very fit, 20 becomes more trouble because now we’re talking 1hr to 1hr 20 minutes. I needed a rack and panniers because a backpack will put my arms to sleep and I can’t ride like that. I remember what it was like in HS and now I have carpal tunnel and bad arthritis in my thumbs and yeah no not gonna do it. 

I encourage anybody who has the desire, who has a bicycle worthy of the commute, to give it a shot, even if it’s just once, just to say you did, and if you can do it on the bike to work day/week/month well if the area you live in does that sort of thing there could be a free meal and swag in it for you. Here the LBS’s and some local food and sporting goods places are really big on it and get together and have rides and food and it was a little crazy I was sad I missed it.

I will probably start doing bits on my ride to work shenanigans, like how to fix a flat tire or more likely how NOT to fix a flat tire on the side of the road on your way to work and not take too much time so you’re not late hehe. Anyhow my peoples, have a great week, get outside, be happy and healthy!

#biketowork #bicycle #fitness #commute #bikelife

[lindsaydoeslanguages]

Language Learning Goals: #ClearTheList – October 2019

So..it’s been two weeks and I already feel like I know more in this new language than years of Korean…is this normal?! Here’s my language learning goals for October.

Your Free Language Planner

If you’re ready to get your plannin’ on (totally an already existing expression) then click the image below to get your free My Month in Languages Planner.

What happened in September?

I had lots of good stuff to share with you ready before my trip so didn’t get to share as much as I’d like because it was all scheduled in advance! But there’s some real good stuff here…

On The Blog:

12 Spanish Bands and Singers to Learn Spanish (If You Hate Reggaeton)

The Ultimate Guide to Using Genius for Language Learning

12 Best Korean YouTube Channels to Help You Learn Korean

On YouTube:

5 Tips For Finding Music For Language Learning

How To Use Genius (+ Rosalía!) For Language Learning

Teach Languages Online Podcast:

Science Stuff: The Audio-Lingual Method

Creative Stuff – Make Grammar Fun Again with MEMES!

Hidden Stuff – Overcoming Your Hesitations to Become Online Teachers

Language Learning Goals Review for September

I was in Korea for 2 weeks and then came home and started my next language project right away for the last 2 weeks of September.

Korea was a lot of fun and by the end, I was really comfortable with my level of Korean and even managed a 20 minute conversation with my Korean tutor to mark the end of the Add1 Challenge I started back in June!

There’s plenty of moments when I didn’t quite understand a word or know the exact word I wanted to say. When that happens, I mime a lot, try and think of other ways to say it, or say “no” and then the opposite!

That’s what language fluency at this level is all about to me – working around the stuff we don’t know rather than blanking or resorting to English.

For example, at the start of the video, my tutor asked me how the weather was. This was something we’d studied a lot but I hadn’t practised or used for weeks (I was in Spain for two weeks before Korea as well!!)

It was really sunny and warm out that day. But…all I could remember was the word for ‘rain’ (it’s ‘pi’ so easy to remember!), so I look out the window, give a thumbs up, and say ‘it’s not raining’.

And as for the new language? Well, somehow it feels like I know more in that language than I ever did in Korean! Weird, huh?

I’ve got 4 weeks until we visit the country so that’s what October is all about for me…

(And if you missed last month’s Clear The List and am wondering why I’m being so cryptic, it’s because it’s a surprise trip for my mum and she doesn’t know where we’re going!)

Language Learning Goals for October

italki

Just as I was looking around to start lessons, I spotted the banner for the italki Language Challenge starting October 1st – perfect timing!

I’ve set my goal at 20 hours and booked most of my lessons already so they’re in and on my schedule. It helps me a lot to book lessons in advance rather than flail around wildly at the last minute searching for a tutor at the time I’m free.

I’m planning for two 30 minute lessons Monday to Friday at 8am (right after I finish my language study hour) and at 4.30pm (the last half hour of my working day).

I’ll likely need to book a couple of odd lessons over weekends to top up my time to 20 hours as there’s a couple of days I can’t do those two daily 30 minute lessons.

Teach Yourself ____

I was very pleasantly surprised before we left for Spain to discover that my local library actually has a Teach Yourself study pack for the language I’m learning.

It was even better when I actually went back to get it the weekend after returning from Korea and it scanned out without needing to be paid for! For years I’ve been avoiding getting out language sets with audio because I thought I needed to pay each time. I guess not anymore! Woohoo!

I’m working through roughly one chapter a day. However, as the book goes on, what’s in each chapter gets a little bulkier so we’ll see how this goes. Happy to add some weekend study if it means I get to finish before our trip!

Memrise

There’s no Duolingo or Drops course for this language, so I’m really enjoying being back on Memrise for it.

I’ve already completed a handful of small starter courses and have things mapped out to finish my current bigger one by the end of September.

Plus I’ve got the next ones earmarked too.

Peace Corps, FSI, DLI Audio

I’ve really been thinking with this project about what I can change with my language study to get more exposure and make the best of my time.

One of those changes has been switching from music and podcasts when I’m working to listening to lots of old (as in ‘turn the cassette over’) and repetitive (as in drills) language audio instead.

The Peace Corps, FSI, and DLI audio files downloadable from Live Lingua have filled this job quite nicely.

No goals here on listening to specific tracks/courses a set number of times, just to listen as much as possible when I’m working.

___Pod101

The language isn’t quite like Korean in that there’s no reality TV on Netflix or Amazon Prime to watch when I’d normally watch stuff.

Rather than just write off that time, I’ve replaced it with audio – specifically ___Pod101 audio lessons for the language.

I started my free trial just before leaving Korea and downloaded loads for my flights home. Those downloads actually stayed on my iPad after the trial ended! Seeing as I don’t need the PDFs or further lessons because I’m using other resources, I don’t think I’ll need to upgrade for the month as I’d originally planned.

I’m focusing on rotating through the Basic Bootcamp, Survival Phrases, Top 25 Questions You Need to Know and 3 Minute ____ series.

I’ve also replaced the YouTube video time I typically have each day (brushing teeth etc) with watching ___Pod101 videos, mostly ‘100 Nouns/Verbs/Adjectives You Need To Know’.

Other Resources

As well as all of these resources, I’ve got a list I made with more resources (I’ll share all of the details soon!). So should I get bored, fancy a change, or want to reconfirm something, I know where I’ll be looking to find it.

Join the IGLC in October!

Looking for an easy way to practice your languages each day? Hop on over to Instagram and join the Instagram Language Challenge for October!

The Instagram Language Challenge (or #IGLC as it’s known to its friends) is a monthly challenge to join for free.

You simply use the daily prompt to inspire a little language learning and share on Instagram to help you remember. It also helps to document your learning process, and to hold you accountable – all the good things.

The whole idea is that you can get creative! So, for example, if the prompt is ‘red’ and you already know your colours because you’re quite advanced, think about how you can say ‘caught red-handed’. Or maybe ‘red sky at night, shepherd’s delight’ or ‘red in the face’ or even ’embarrassed’ in the language you’re learning.

Or use it as a chance to practice simple vocab in multiple languages you know!

And on that note, half of this month’s theme is colours. The other half is animals – something that at first seems basic but actually has lots of scope for interesting idioms and expressions.

Here’s the #IGLC prompt list for October 2019…

Your Free Language Learning Goals Planner

Feeling inspired and want to get your language learning goals ready for October? You need a copy of my free planner!

Click the image below to join my email list and get your free planner.

Join Clear The List + Share Your Goals!

1. Share your goal post whether it includes your aspirations for the month or year. Submissions unrelated to the theme or links to your homepage will be deleted.

2. Link back to this post. You can use our button code below if you wish.

3. Follow the hosts: Lindsay from Lindsay Does Languages and Shannon from Eurolinguiste.

4. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE: Please visit the site of the person who linked up immediately before you and leave them an encouraging comment! By hosting this linkup, we’re hoping to create a positive community where we can all share our goals. If you do not do this, you will be removed from the linkup.

5. Share on social media using #ClearTheList.

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How did your language learning go this month? What are your language goals for next month? Share in the comments below!

The post Language Learning Goals: #ClearTheList – October 2019 appeared first on Lindsay Does Languages.

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#Language Learning