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etoileholland · 5 years ago

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cooking fiasco

Pairing: Peter Parker x female reader

Summary: after a failed attempt at cooking your anniversary dinner, May and Pepper step in to save the day

Warnings: none, it’s just fluff

Word count: 2k

A/N: I’m still trying to be more active on here lol, but requests are still open! Please let me know if you’d like to be tagged in future posts, and also the gif is not mine, all credit goes to its respective owner

“May, should I make the fettuccine sauce from scratch or should I just buy a can of Ragú instead?” Peter asked as he perused the aisles of the small grocery store. He had already picked Fusilli noodles (to which he believed were better than long fettuccine noodles because they were twisty) and was still deciding on the brand of sauce.

“Oh honey, Bertolli is better anyway, it tastes more homemade.” She replied. “And it sticks better to the noodles.”

Peter nodded and placed the can into the basket. Along with the dinner ingredients, he was also picking out ingredients for the dessert he had planned, which was chocolate lava cakes. He found the recipe on Pinterest and decided that it seemed easy enough to do, even though this boy doesn’t have one ounce of baking skills in him. Here’s hoping it’ll go well.

The reason for all this, you may ask, is quite simple- it was yours and Peter’s one year anniversary. He couldn’t believe that it’s already been one year since he asked you out in one of the most unique ways.

He had tried to say the words out loud, but when he would speak, nothing came out of his mouth. His hands would get shaky and his heart seemed that it would beat out of his chest, but he was determined to ask you out. So, one day when you were over at this place studying, Peter got the bright idea to write the words “will you be my girlfriend?” on an etch-a-sketch. While you were grabbing some snacks in the kitchen, he quickly wrote out the words and left the toy on top of your open textbook. When you came in and saw it sitting there, you eagerly wrote back “yes”. He was so happy about it that he picked it up but forgot that when he did so, the writing disappeared.

“You cute idiot.” You stated, and the both of you broke out into a fit of laughter. From that moment, Peter knew that he would do anything to hear that giggle more often.

Coming out of his daydream, he quickly finished grabbing the ingredients he needed and told May that he was ready to go.

He decided that it was best to purchase the ingredients the day of your anniversary so that they would be the freshest, and therefore taste the best. Since he wasn’t a prolific cook; he wanted to make sure he had plenty of time to prepare, so he enlisted the help of Pepper to help him make the food.

He had about 5 hours to make the food, how bad could it go?

Very bad, apparently.

—

“Peter Benjamin Parker, I told you to watch the pasta so that it wouldn’t overflow everywhere! And why didn’t you put a timer on the oven like I told you to? The lava cakes are literally on fire.” Pepper exclaimed as she stood in the empty kitchen while Peter was upstairs getting ready for tonight. She quickly pulled the fire extinguisher off the wall and opened the oven door, grabbing the tin with oven mitts and quickly extinguishing the small fire.

Sure adds a whole new meaning to lava cakes, now doesn’t it? He thought to himself, which made him laugh.

“Why didn’t you watch over it?” Pepper shouted.

“You said you had it!” He shouted back but was interrupted by the shrill of the smoke alarm.

Pepper let out a word of profanity and replied, “No! I didn’t say that. I asked you to watch it while I had to take an important business call.” She groaned and tossed the pan into the sink. The water splashed everywhere, including on herself, and she let out a shriek. “I had asked you to do one thing Parker, one thing!”

Peter leaned up against his closet and let out a long sigh. “Well, so much for dinner.” He muttered under his breath. He was trying so hard to impress you, but instead he had ultimately ruined it by stepping out of the kitchen. She was right though; she had asked him to tend to the dinner but he figured that nothing bad would happen if he left it unattended for a few minutes. Oh, how wrong he was.

“What are we going to do now?” Pepper exclaimed from the bottom of the staircase. “I could call Happy, maybe he would know what to do?”

Peter paused for a second and then replied, “Wait, I have an idea.”

“Oh lord.” Pepper sighed.

He sprinted down the stairs and nearly knocked into Pepper sitting on the bottom steps, her index finger massaging her temple.

“I promise it’s a good idea.” He stated breathlessly.

“Tell me then.”

“Alright, so instead of me making her dinner, what if we ordered from that fancy restaurant that you and Mr. Stark always go to on your anniversary, and I’ll just say that I made it instead?”

She shot him a dumbfounded look. “Peter, honey, we both know you don’t know how to make filet mignon with caviar and coated with a truffle sauce on top.”

“Hm, you’re right.” He sat down next to Pepper on the second to last step on the stairs, slumping his shoulders forward and putting his face in his hands. “I’ve ruined the whole night. I tried to do something nice and I ended up ruining it.”

Pepper placed her hand softly on Peter’s back and gently rubbed circles on it. “Love, it’s so sweet of you to want to do something nice, and I know that she would’ve appreciated it, but maybe it just wasn’t meant to work out, hm?”

“What do you mean?” Peter questioned.

Pepper paused for a second as if she was thinking of the right words to say, before she ultimately spoke. “Well, maybe you both would’ve been sitting on the rooftop, having the time of your lives, when one of the many villains you’ve fought off sees you sitting there and then ruins your night by attacking you and kidnapping her.”

Peter scoffed and guffawed, and said, “Oh yeah, I’m sure that would definitely happen.”

“But you never know, you’ve experienced weirder situations. It wouldn’t be totally improbable though.” She answered softly and Peter noticed that she spoke to him in the same maternal voice that she often uses when she talks to Morgan. It was comforting to him, and somehow made him feel a bit better about the cooking fiasco.

“Maybe you’re right. Maybe something bad would’ve happened and this is just the universe’s way of stopping that.”

“Exactly. Life works in mysterious ways, little man. Usually for the better, or at least that’s what I tell myself.” She kissed the top of his forehead and stood up, holding out her hand for Peter to grab. “The night is still young, so you get ready and I’ll think of something in the meantime.” Pepper ruffled Peter’s hair and gently pushed him towards the staircase. “Now go.”

“Thank you Pep, I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“I know.” She whispered back to herself and watched Peter run up the stairs.

—

Peter came down from his room about 30 minutes later, phone in hand. Pepper and May were sitting on the couch talking to each other, but he couldn’t hear what they were saying. They both looked up to see Peter walking towards them with a frown on his face.”

“What’s wrong honey?” May asked.

“Y/N cancelled on me, she said that something came up so we wouldn’t be able to spend our anniversary together.” He walked over to the couch and plunked himself down on it dramatically. “I was looking forward to seeing her.”

“I know love, is she alright?” Pepper asked and Peter nodded his head.

“Yeah, she said it was a family situation that she doesn’t want to talk about. I’m not sure why though, she always tells me everything. Maybe I’ll go see her.” He tried to get up but May tugged at his arm and pulled him back down onto the couch.

“No,” she replied hesitantly, “you don’t want to do that.” She glanced over at Pepper who gave her a confused look back. “She’s asking for some privacy right now Pete, let’s respect that. And you know she’ll tell you when she’s ready to; you just have to be a little bit patient.”

“Mmhmm.” Peter replied. After a minute of silence, Pepper spoke up.

“I know!” Pepper exclaimed a little too loudly. “Let’s do something instead, just the two of us.”

“Like?” Peter asked hesitantly.

“Well,” she paused for a minute to think, “I was thinking that you would want to come with me to, um, Pottery Barn to pick out some things to decorate my guest bathroom with.”

“Sounds like a ton of fun.” He retorted sarcastically while he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Well we’ll just have to make it fun then. Besides, it just may get you out of your funk, and if you come with me I’ll treat you to a pretzel from the mall. I know how much you love those.” She grinned, but Peter didn’t smile back. “Please darling, for me?” She gave him her best pout and Peter sighed.

“Fine”

“Good, let’s go.” Pepper stood up from the couch and grabbed her purse. While she did that, she and May exchanged a knowing glance and tried to conceal their smiles.

“Okay, what are you hiding?” He asked and quickly the women both replied, “Nothing!”

“Right, let’s go then.” Peter replied unconvincingly. He waited by the door for Pepper to grab her things and together they went out to run that errand.

—

A few hours later, Pepper had dropped Peter off in front of his apartment.

“Thank you again Pep.” Peter stated as he got out of the car and waved to her from the curb.

“You’re welcome love, thank you for the help.” She waved back and quickly drove off.

Peter walked to the door of his apartment and unlocked it. He stepped in and gasped when he saw that there was a pillow fort in the middle of the living room. The smell of garlic wafted through the air, and he heard music playing softly in the kitchen and a giggle that he could recognize anywhere-yours.

“Hey Peter.” You ran out of the kitchen and threw your arms around his neck and lightly kissed his lips. “Happy anniversary darling.”

“What’s all this?” Peter asked and May stepped out of the kitchen holding a tea towel.

“May texted me after your, um, incident and told me what you had planned. Even though it didn’t work out, the gesture was super sweet and so we thought we would surprise you with dinner and a movie.”

You pulled away and motioned to the fort and towards the kitchen. “Really though, it was all May’s idea, so you should really thank her.”

“Wow, thank you May.” Peter said as he pulled you close to him and placed his hands on the small of your back.

“Welcome angel, but it was also Y/N who helped come up with what to eat and came up with the fort idea.”

“Thank you Y/N.” He kissed your cheek and pulled you even closer to him. “I thought you had a family emergency though.”

You shook your head no before answering, “Nope, that was just a way to get you out of the house without you wanting to come over to see me, so that I could sneak by and help plan all this. Pepper didn’t really need your help picking out shower curtains, you know.”

“I kinda figured when I pointed to one and she would answer, ““Honey are you blind? You know that fabric wouldn’t go well with the marble floors.”” He laughed and playfully rolled his eyes. “Remind me not to go into interior design.”

“Noted. Now come on, let’s eat and afterwards we can watch a movie in the fort.” You leaned forward to kiss his lips lightly and you felt him smile into the kiss.

“Sounds perfect, what are we eating for dinner?”

“Fettuccine and garlic bread.” You beamed and let out a mischievous giggle.

“Oh god, anything but that.” Peter laughed and playfully sighed, all while you grabbed his hand and dragged him into the kitchen.

— —

mes anges (taglist) @sunflowerhollands @scarletxwidow @fangirlwithasweettooth @taciturnspidey @musicalkeys @harrysleftchelseaboot @quaksonhehe

#peter parker x reader #peter parker x you #peter parker x y/n #peter parker and you #peter parker and y/n #peter parker and reader #peter parker #peter parker fanfic #peter parker fic #peter parker imagine #peter parker one shot #peter parker one shots #peter parker fluff #spiderman x y/n #spiderman fanfic #spiderman #mine

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thirsttrapholland · 6 years ago

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Curious: Part One

Requested? Yes

By: anonymous

Pairing: Tom Holland x Reader (College Roommates Au)

Anonymous said to thirsttrapholland: I’m a sucker for roommate au’s and I can’t help but feel like there would be so much sexual tension to the point where you’re like “are you gonna blow my back out or not??” ((Ik this is an old trope but !))

A/N: I’ve never written a roommate au before, so it’s a new trope for me. I was just gonna do a blurb but it started getting kind of long, so here we are.

A/N Part Deux: Could this be my first series? Will I ever post part two? Who knows? Do y’all even want a part two of this? Let me know.

Warning(s): Mentions of sex, masturbation, Tom being a cocky little shit, voyeurism, adult language

Word count: 2393

Picture found on: Pinterest

Hope you like it anon. Feedback is always appreciated.

You were sitting on the living room floor with your Econ book and your notes spread out on the coffee table when Tom came stumbling into the apartment backwards, dragging some girl with him. He had already started unbuttoning her shirt when you cleared your throat to get their attention.

Tom turned around with a phony surprised look on his face. “Hey Y/N, what are you doing here?”

“I live here, Tom.”

“Hilarious as usual. I thought you were going to be out late with your study group.”

“I very distinctly remember telling you this morning that the study group was cancelled and I’d be home tonight.”

“Did you? It must have completely slipped my mind.” He didn’t even do you the courtesy of pretending he wasn’t lying. He knew good and well that you would be home; he just didn’t care. Or worse yet, he wanted you to be home for this.

The girl with him started buttoning her shirt back up, an uncomfortable look on her face. She spoke to Tom in a low voice. “Maybe we should go to my room instead.”

“That won’t be necessary. Y/N doesn’t mind.” Tom glanced at you over his shoulder. “Do you?”

You forced a smile onto your face. “Of course not.”

He turned back to his date. “See love, it’s fine.” He punctuated his statement by pulling her into a long, deep kiss. “Go on back. I’ll be there in a minute.” She let out a squeal as Tom smacked her on the ass and sent her back towards his bedroom.

Tom watched her walk away before turning his attention back to you. “You might want to turn your music up tonight. I think she’s gonna be a loud one.”

“They’re all loud Tom,” you said to his back as he started to walk away. “And so are you.”

Tom’s only response was the slamming of his bedroom door.

You were still sitting in the living room two hours later. You had tried to convince yourself that you were still studying but the truth was you had been shuffling the same papers back and forth for the last forty minutes. No new information was soaking into your brain; you were just trying to prolong the inevitable.

Not for the first time, you regretted choosing the floor plan that put Tom’s bedroom right next to yours, his bed right up against the same wall as yours. Meaning there was no way to avoid every bump, grind and moan that went on in there. The fact that discretion was apparently a foreign concept for him certainly didn’t help matters either.

You hoped that since both you and Tom had classes in the morning, maybe, just maybe, he could make this a short one. One of his classic, wham-bam, shuffle her right out the door, ma’am hit and runs. Not that it would make much difference to him.

Tom was one of those absolutely infuriating people that could stay up all hours of the night partying and fucking and still roll out of bed the next day bright eyed and innocent looking as ever. You on the other hand, would look like a bedraggled forest witch come to steal someone’s firstborn if you didn’t get at least seven hours of sleep.

You knew you were in trouble when you heard Call Out My Name start up for the second time. When Knockin’ Da Boots came on, you finally had to accept defeat. Once Tom switched over to the 90’s sex playlist, it was definitely gonna be an all-nighter.

You tidied up the living room, took a shower and finally, reluctantly, went to bed.

You tried to ignore it; really you did. You couldn’t even say for sure which was worse. The loud music or the giggling and inane dirty talk you could hear in the dead air between the songs– “Oh Tommy, it feels so good”. Oh brother. You’d called him Tommy once and he’d pitched a fit. Apparently, it was anything goes when he was getting his dick wet.

You listened to your own music until your earbuds started to irritate your ears. You tried to create some distance by lying with your head at the foot of your bed. You even pulled the covers up over your face and put a pillow over your head in an attempt to shut everything out; but nothing was working.

When you glanced over at your phone and saw that it was almost one o’clock in the morning and the music was still pouring out of Tom’s room with no seeming end in sight; you’d had enough.

You were loath to do it but at the very least you needed to ask Tom to turn the music down. You had to be up by 8 to make your first class. Then you had to work a short shift at your job in the campus bookstore before taking your Econ exam that afternoon. Tossing and turning all night so your roommate could have a soundtrack to get his freak on, just wasn’t an option.

You swung your feet over the side of the bed and sat there for a moment to gather your nerve. You knew Tom wasn’t going to be happy about being disturbed, but he had left you no choice. You slid on your bedroom slippers and made the short trip from your bedroom to Tom’s.

“No wonder the music was so loud,” you muttered to yourself when you got to Tom’s door and found that it was only partially shut. Your fist was poised to knock when movement through the crack in the door caught your attention. It took a moment for your eyes to adjust to the dim lighting in Tom’s room, but when they did what you saw made your mouth go dry.

Tom’s bare back, glistening with sweat and moving rhythmically as he thrust into the girl he had bent over his dresser. One hand grasping her hip so tightly that even at a distance you could see his fingers sinking into her flesh. His other hand around her throat pulling her head back to him as they exchanged sloppy, wet kisses; grunting and moaning into each other’s mouths. It was an awkward looking position but neither of the involved parties seemed to mind one bit.

“Of course,” you thought, “he’d be the kind of narcissist to fuck in front of a mirror.” There were of course only two logical, morally acceptable choices you could have made in that moment. You could have pressed forward with your plan to knock and beg him to turn his music down. Or you could turn tail go back to your bedroom, pretending you hadn’t seen anything and try once again to tune him out and get whatever rest you could.

Knowing these things, you couldn’t explain what drove you to a third, questionable at best, option. You stayed exactly where you were standing. And you watched.

Your sense of guilt was palpable. You could feel the sheer wrongness of your actions like a weight pressing against your shoulders. No matter how obnoxious and exhibitionist Tom could be when it came to his sex life that didn’t make it okay to invade his privacy that way. And yet, you continued to stand there wide eyed and slack jawed watching something you had no business seeing.

There was no defense for what you were doing but there was an explanation. The one thing that led you to abandon every shred of common sense and decency that you had: pure and simple curiosity.

You’d heard it of course. The begging, the moaning, the gasping, screaming, the unmistakable sound of flesh on flesh.

You’d seen the aftermath. The disheveled clothing, sweat matted hair, ruined makeup.

You’d witnessed the almost puppy like devotion with which some of these women followed Tom around campus none too subtly pleading for the very seldom given, encore performance.

While you would have never admitted such a thing, not even to yourself, you had always been curious as to what exactly he was doing to elicit the sort of responses he got. And now circumstances had presented you with a rare opportunity and front row seat to find out.

Tom whispered in her hear as the tempo of his movements changed. His strokes were slow but hard and deep; methodical and deliberate. The movements of someone that had found that spot inside that made you melt and was determined to hit it every time. You felt a strange prickling sensation in your own spine as she started to whimper and her body went slack.

You were brought out of your thoughts as Tom suddenly stopped moving. His head cocked slightly to the side as though he had heard something. Your heart dropped into your stomach. You wondered if he had heard you or somehow sensed your presence. If he looked up or turned around there was no possible explanation you could give for why you were standing outside his bedroom watching him have sex. He would never, ever let you live down such a thing.

You stood frozen to the spot as you anticipated his next move. Your breathing returned to normal when instead of stopping to confront you or at the very least yelling at you to go away, Tom pushed the girls head down to the dresser and grasped her hips with both hands. The speed and intensity of his thrusts picked up to the point that the mirror began to knock against the wall as his companion desperately grabbed at the edges of the dresser needing something to hold on to, to keep her balance.

You had been brought back to your senses. You scolded yourself internally hardly able to believe what you had just done. You had started to move away when Tom looked up, his eyes locking with yours in the mirror’s reflection. He stared at you for a moment lopsided grin slowing growing on his face. And then, he winked.

You jumped back; flattening yourself to the wall in between Tom’s bedroom and yours. Feelings of panic and shame coursing through your body as you practically ran back to your own room. You closed your door behind you as quietly as you could and jumped back into your own bed wondering what the consequences of your actions might be.

The longer you laid there, however, the more you were able to convince yourself that maybe your eyes had been playing tricks on you. Surely, if Tom had seen you looking through the crack in his door like some sort of pervert, he’d have already been beating your door down by now demanding an explanation.

You willed yourself to forget the incident; assured yourself that such a lapse in judgement would never happen again. You had rolled over onto your side determined to will yourself to sleep when you heard your bedroom door creak open.

“Y/N, are you awake?” Any indignation you might normally have felt about Tom coming into your room uninvited was obviously made null and void by the breach of privacy you had committed against him just moments before.

You squeezed your eyes shut tight and hoped that if you didn’t make a sound and didn’t move, he would just go away.

Instead Tom took your silence as an invitation to come closer. You could smell him as he hovered over you; a mixture of sweat and sex that probably should have been disgusting to you but didn’t even come close.

“Did you need something when you stopped by my room before?” You felt like your heart was in your throat. Tom paused giving you time to answer but you didn’t say a word or stir at all.

“Sorry I couldn’t help you but as you could see I was a bit preoccupied.” He paused again. “So, nothing to say?”

It took every ounce of self-control you had not to flinch as you felt Tom sit down on the edge of your bed. “I’m about 99% sure that you’re not actually asleep.”

You could hear Tom sigh as you continued to feign being asleep. “At any rate, I’ve been a terrible roommate tonight. The music has been way too loud and probably kept you awake and I do apologize for that. I’ll turn it off as soon as I get back over there.”

Tom stood up from your bed but didn’t move away. You could feel the heat from his body as he stood over you. Even with your eyes squeezed shut you could sense him watching you, looking for any sign that you were indeed awake.

“You know what? Maybe I was just seeing things and you weren’t standing in my doorway a little while ago. Either way I just want you to know that if you ever need anything or want anything, I’m always just right next door.” His words were simple enough, but his tone was loaded with innuendo. “Goodnight, Y/N.”

Your eyes snapped open as soon as you felt Tom retreat from your bedside, and you heard your door opening and closing. The tension you felt lingered on as you wondered what the fallout from this situation was going to be.

You dreaded the thought of having to face Tom the next morning.

True to his word, the music cut off soon after Tom left the room. The loud music was soon replaced however by the rhythmic creak of Tom’s mattress springs and the insistent thump of his headboard against your shared wall. Moaning and whining coming through loud and clear as if they were in the room with you.

Despite your best efforts, you could feel your body start to react as the sounds you were hearing paired with the images in your mind from what you had seen earlier. If you were being honest with yourself, you had been turned on since you had taken your first glimpse into Tom’s bedroom.

You gave up and allowed your hand to slip below the waistband of your underwear. You had reached a saturation point for shame and guilt for the night, adding one more offense to the list was hardly going to make a difference.

“At least,” you thought as you began to rub slow circles around your clit, “this should put me to sleep.”

Those who asked to be tagged: @jackiehollanderr @thoughtsofaredhead-blog @spideyxxboi @greenarrowhead If anyone else wants to be tagged, just let me know.

#tom holland #tom holland smut #tom holland x reader #tom holland fanfiction #tom holland imagine #fic request #anon fic request

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louhooo · 6 years ago

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Hello My Old Heart | Chap. 10

Chapter Summary: Why are they called ‘rehearsal dinner’s’ if they don’t serve food until after?

Pairings: Bucky Barnes x Reader [AU]

Warnings:Swearing, ANGSTY-ANGST-ANGST (sorry 😬) maybe some fluff? (not really but maybe if you squint?)

A/N: I’M SORRY THIS IS SO LATE!!! Motivation has been at a zero this week. I’m hoping to get more writing done this weekend, so I may (heavy emphasis) start posting twice a week, but idk yet

All feedback is welcomed! 💘

Why would he say he needed you if he really didn’t?

Had that been what Sharon was talking about when she asked if you had talked with Bucky? Was that a nice way for her to say that he wasn’t single? Was he just looking to hurt you? Did he think empty promises would sway you back to him?

They had.

You spent the night at Nat and Clint’s, tucked into your old bed, pretending that you didn’t exist for the rest of the day. Clint only reminded you why you were so happy to move out.

“Ya know, you’re bein’ kinda dramatic this week.” You glared up at him and chucked the alarm clock at him. He dodged it and hid behind the door. “This is what I’m talking about.”

“Get out, Clint!” You threw a shoe at him – you didn’t miss that time– and he finally seemed to get the message, leaving and shutting the door behind him.

“Bucky wants to know if you want him to come over, since you don’t seem to be answering him. Do–?”

“No!” You weren’t sure you could stand to look at him right now, let alone talk to him. What was there to talk about? How great Dot is? How fabulous of a couple they are? How pathetic you were for thinking he’d still want to be with you after you left him?

No thanks.

When Nat got home, she came in and laid with you, rubbing your back as you laid together in silence. She didn’t ask you what was wrong, but you knew full well that she wanted to know. But as long as she didn’t bring it up, you weren’t going to either.

You knew if you asked her about Dot and Bucky, she’d tell you flat out what was happening, but you couldn’t bring yourself to ask. It hurt too much.

Most of your day was spent running around town and getting last minute things done before going with Nat to the church and helping setup for the rehearsal.

“So,” Nat tied a bow on the ribbon at the end of one of the pews, “are we just ignoring yesterday, or are we gonna talk about it?” You sighed and tied another bow.

“Can we talk after the wedding? I don’t want Sharon or Steve to deal with any more of… that. It’s not fair for them.” Nat turned and assessed you, not sure if she should believe you or not. You were notorious for saying you’d talk about something “later” but later never came.

“I’m not lettin’ you leave town until you talk to me. And, I know where you live, so don’t think I won’t drag you back home.”

“Who’s dragin’ who home?” Sam came into the chapel, snapping his gum, dressed in black dress pants and a purple polo.

“Nothing, Sammy,” you walked over to him and took the extra ribbon from his hands and kissed his cheek. “I gotta put her bouquet together.” You walked out and went to the room in the back that would be the dressing room for the bridal party tomorrow. You pulled up a tutorial on making fake flowers with the ribbons and bows from the bridal shower and started piecing them together.

Sam pinched his brows and followed you with his eyes until you were out of sight. He turned back to Nat. “What’s wrong with her?” Nat sighed and shook her head.

“Wish I knew. Think something happened with Bucky.”

“Al-ready? Didn’t they just get back together?”

“I don’t think they ever made that official…” Nat chewed on her lip, “I take it you haven’t talked to him?” Sam shook his head.

“No, haven’t seen him since our run yesterday morning.”

“Jesus, when do you guys sleep? I swear I haven’t seen Clint sleep longer than three hours in the last two years.” Sam chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.

“I slept all day, so I don’t know about the guys.” His ears perked at the sound of others coming into the church. He turned and watched Steve and Bucky come in, each carrying a box.

“Here’re the programs. And some other aisle decorations Sharon wanted.” Nat fought the urge to roll her eyes. Just one more day and Sharon would stop finding last-minute ideas on Pinterest, and Nat would be free from this wedding shit.

“Okay, just set it down. I gotta finish this stuff first.” Steve set down the box his hands, and waited for Bucky to follow. But he didn’t. When Steve turned to look at him, he was looking around the chapel, completely oblivious to the other people in the room.

“Buck.” His eyes snapped to Steve’s and he hummed.

“What?” Steve raised his brows.

“Ya gonna set it down?” Bucky blinked and looked to where Steve was pointing his head.

“Oh. Right.” He set the box down beside Steve’s and fidgeted with his shirt sleeve. He was mad at himself for letting his mom convince him to wear a long sleeve shirt. He might have a t-shirt out in the truck, but he wasn’t sure how well that would go over with Sharon. Or Steve, now that he thought of it.

“Hey, Bucky? Can you get a pencil for me? There’s some in the Sunday School room.” His brows pinched skeptically.

“I’ve got a pen out in the truck if–”

“I want a pencil.” Bucky put his hands up defensively.

“Okay, okay….” He followed the signs in the hallway to the Sunday School room, curiosity filling him when he heard music and quiet singing as he got closer. He leaned his head in first, only to stand straight as he watched you make something out of ribbons and sing, completely oblivious to the audience.

You felt someone standing behind you, and jumped when there actually was.

“Jesus, you scared me.” Your heart was racing, and not just because you were startled. Bucky blinked at you, and you tried your best to keep working and ignore him.

“Are you mad at me?”

“Bucky…–”

“No, don’t ‘Bucky’ me. We texted all night,” he moved to sit in front of you, demanding your attention, “and then twenty minutes before our date, you cancel and don’t tell me why, and you don’t answer any of my texts or calls. What happened in those seven hours that–”

“I’m not talking about this right now. The rehearsal starts soon and–”

“I deserve to know what fucking happened, Y/N!” Blood was rushing in your ears and you weren’t sure if you wanted to scream or cry. Maybe both.

You stood up, turning your music off and grabbing the extra ribbon and bows you didn’t use, “No. If you really wanna talk, we’ll do it after the wedding is done. But right now, we have friends getting married and we aren’t going to keep fucking ruining it for them by making it about us. And don’t talk to me about ‘deserving’ to know what happened. I deserved to know, too.” You stormed out of the room, leaving Bucky only more confused.

“Y/N! What are you–?!” A hand came out and stopped him.

“Don’t start it right now. Sharon’s family’s here and this room isn’t as soundproof as you seem to think.”

“Sam, I gotta–” Sam moved his head until he was in Bucky’s line of sight.

“No… you don’t.” They stared at one another, each trying to silently prove their point. Once Bucky’s fists unclenched, Sam lowered his own defenses, “C’mon. It’s startin’ soon.” Bucky followed Sam back to the chapel, watching as you smiled and laughed with Sharon and Pepper, trying desperately to ignore the brunet consuming your every thought.

After the run-through (which took longer than expected because Sam and Clint wouldn’t stop messing around), it was finally time for dinner. You smoothed out your cornflower blue A-line dress and messed with the fake vines leading up the arch on the side of the restaurant.

“Nat wants to know if we’re gonna have to drag you in?” Clint appeared out of thin air, making you jump.

“Jesus! Will you stop scaring me?” He raised his brows, not sure where the outburst came from. You closed your eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I-I’m just on edge.”

“Yeah, no, pieced that one together.” You took another breath and followed Clint inside. The sound of people laughing filled your ears. All of Steve and Sharon’s close family and friends were gathered in the small Mexican restaurant, the same one where Steve proposed almost a year ago.

Clint continued walking, and you followed closely behind, your eyes scanning the room for a friendly face.

Of course, Karma made you make eye contact with Rebecca Barnes. You watched her shoot up and beeline her way to you, nearly knocking you over as she hugged you. Neither of you said anything, and it wasn’t until you heard a quiet sniffle did you realize you were both crying.

“Hey, Becca.”

“Hi, Y/N.” You both pulled back, and you wiped her tears with the sleeve of your cardigan. She had cut her hair since you’d seen her last, now styled into a smooth pixie cut that complimented her high cheekbones and sharp jawline. She wasn’t the doe-eyed girl you left.

“I feel old for saying this, but when did you grow up, Bex?” She chuckled and wiped your tears.

“Dad says that, too.” You grinned and both moved to stand against a wall. “I missed you.” You grinned morosely.

“I did, too, Becca.” She looked over her shoulder, then turned back to you.

“I know mom and dad wanna see you…–” You shook your head. You had done a fairly decent job at avoiding them all night, and you would like to keep it that way.

“Your dad maybe, but I know your mom doesn’t want to see me.” Bucky was a Mama’s Boy, so there was no way she wanted to see you after you hurt her son.

“That’s not true! They both want to see you, Y/N!” You gave her a soft pointed look. “C’mon, I’ll show you that–”

“Hey, Y/N, come help me set up the slideshow.” Nat appeared at your side and grinned at Becca. “Hey, Bex, I’m gonna steal her for a bit.” Becca grinned and nodded as Nat pulled you along. You helped Nat with the slide show and quietly found your seat with the rest of the wedding party. Clint draped his arm on the back of your chair and leaned closer to you.

“I don’t wanna tell you what to do, ‘cause I know you know what to do, but can you talk to Bucky, already? If he asks me one more time what’s wrong with you, I’m gonna take my hearing aids out and wear a blindfold so I can’t read his lips.”

“I already told him when I’d talk to him. He can wait.” Clinking of glass rang out and everyone turned their attention to Nat, who stood by the projector screen on the back wall of the room.

“Hi, everyone! On behalf of Steve and Sharon, I just want to thank you all for being here tonight. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Nat, the maid-of-honor, and me and the other bridesmaids decided that since all of the fun, embarrassing things got banned from the wedding, we’d just show them all tonight!” Sharon and Steve both laughed, both of them getting red-faced from embarrassment as the cheesy pop music started to play, displaying baby pictures of both of them.

Halfway through the slideshow you snuck to the bathroom, partially to use it, but mainly so you wouldn’t keep catching Bucky stare at you. You kept your head down as you walked to the bathroom, and as you entered the restroom, you locked eyes with Winnie. She blinked and spun around as the door shut behind you. The sink was still running as she stood there with dripping hands, trying to process that you were actually standing in front of her.

“Y/N?”

“Hi–i, Winnie.” She blinked again and shut off the water and dried her hands. You shifted awkwardly on your feet, not sure what you should do. Once her hands were dried, she looked back at you and took four steps until she was standing in front of you.

She still looked the same as she did, just maybe with a few more grey hairs. Her eyes glistened just as Becca’s had, and you secretly wished she hadn’t given her eyes to her children so that it wouldn’t hurt so much to look at them.

“Are you avoiding us?” She sounded… sad? You blinked and shrugged your shoulders, staring back at your feet.

“Didn’t think you’d want to see me.”

Her hands landed on your shoulders and you looked up at her. “Y/N, we always want to see you. We still love you, sweetheart, that’s never changed. We just thought you were mad at us, too.” You shook your head, a tear sliding down your cheek.

“I’m not mad at you or George, or Becca. I–I–I just…” you took a shaky breath, “I’m not really your family, so–”

“Not really my family? Y/N, you’ve been part of our family since you became friends with the boys.” She wiped your tears and gave you a warm smile, “Honey, you will always be our family. No matter what.” Would she say the same thing to Dot? Had she already?

… Did you really want to know?

“You really won’t let me give you girls a ride, at least? I’d feel better if I did.” You grinned at Steve and shook your head.

“Not happenin’, Rogers. I’m driving the girls’ to Clint and Nat’s all by myself.”

“How many drinks have you had tonight?”

“None. How many have you had, officer?” He narrowed his eyes, not finding your teasing nearly as amusing as you did. “Steve, scout’s honor. You can even ask George and Winnie, I only drank water tonight.”

“Don’t think I won’t. I have their numbers, I’ll–” You saw Sam and Clint walking over and you yelled for them.

“Come get the groom and take him home. He’s doin’ that thing where he acts like he’s in charge and knows everything.” That got you a pinch and a stern look.

Sam and Clint chuckled and nudged for Steve to move. “C’mon, Stevie. The girls gotta go and do… whatever girls do at sleepovers.” Steve sighed and accepted that he wasn’t going to get his way.

“Fine, just let me tell Shar goodnight.” He opened up the passenger door and leaned in to tell his girl goodbye for the tenth time in the last half hour. You rolled your eyes and hugged Sam and Clint goodnight, and told them not to drink too much. No one needed a hungover groom or groomsmen on the altar tomorrow. You got into the driver’s seat and Sharon finally coaxed Steve to shut the door so you could leave.

Nat and Pepper waved to the guys as you drove off towards Nat’s house.

“Steve acts like he isn’t going to see you in ten hours,” Pepper chuckled.

“It’s sweet. He does the same thing when he has an overnight shift at the firehouse. He said it’s because he hates sleeping alone,” she rolled her eyes, but grinned. You chuckled.

“Well, I know Sam likes to cuddle, so maybe they’ll share the bed tonight.” Everyone laughed and you turned left.

“And leave Bucky out? I don’t think so,” Nat cackled out. You laughed, too, choosing to ignore the look Sharon cast your way and continued your drive to the house.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

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#Bucky Barnes x Reader #Bucky Barnes x Y/N #Bucky Barnes x You #Bucky x You #Bucky x Y/N #Bucky x Reader #Bucky Barnes AU #Alternate Universe #Fireman!Bucky

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warsstag · 6 years ago

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JAMES F. POTTER.

twenty. order member. probable trouble maker. junior auror / in his last year of training. ex-gryffindor. rebellious. mischievous. cocky. courageous. moody. pinterest.

BACKGROUND.

James grew up in a large and airy house situated by the beach in Norfolk, England. The house was painted blue, and was a little bit on the older side, which you could tell by the deteriorating panels, which needed constant upkeep. The house and the grounds themselves weren’t exactly suitable for children, with sharp cliffs close to the water, steep staircases inside the house and an attic with a window that just seemed to invite for someone to try to climb onto the roof. The house itself was also very cozy, though. Floorboards that creaked, paintings with a vast amount of personalities ( catch James bickering with the sailor in the painting in the living room, any day ), warmth from the fireplace, walls painted in soft blues and whites and browns, old furniture that has come to mean something over the generations. The house itself had a lot of personality - Potters ( on his father’s side of the family ) had lived in it for generations, all bringing something new to the place, a new touch. Since the house has been inhabited by Euphemia and Fleamont, new life has been breathed into its walls. Brighter colors have crept into the usually bleak decor. They’ve brought warmth, beautiful patterns and personality to the house.

James’ room was located on the second floor of the house. It was big, with walls painted in red and black, and the decor being very much influenced by his favorite Quidditch teams. He also has a flying carpet hanging over his bed.

When friends stayed over, they usually stayed in the attic. It had been kindly decorated by his mother to be a sort of guest room ( mostly with James + friends in mind, lbr ). James and pals sitting on the roof at night, counting stars, is an aesthetic too, I would say.

James grew up playing Quidditch on the beach and constantly scaring his parents half to death when pushing himself a little too far. Flying a little too close to the cliffs. Dipping his toes in the water. Doing backflips.

Was sort of a lonely child, because their house was a little bit secluded, and there weren’t a lot of kids around. James mostly played with his dogs.

His parents were a little bit on the older side of things. Euphemia, his mother, was nearing forty two when he was born. Fleamont, his father, was forty nine. They had both wanted a child for so long, and had most definitively given up hope by the time James finally came along. Homeboy is always late.

His mother was incredibly empathetic, compassionate and kind. She was also very driven, and so so clever.

She moved to England after finishing her education at the best wizarding school in India ---- where she scored top marks, and used all of her free time to delve into muggle sciences. Mathematics, chemistry and biology would soon become second nature to her. She moved to England in order to work at a magical research institute, developing potions ( she was also the kind of witch to believe that muggle science and magic shouldn’t necessarily cancel each other out ).

So Euphemia Potter ( née Vaidya ) became a potioneer, and a highly educated woman - before James’ birth, she had taken several muggle courses and wizard courses, and held a pHD in chemistry. During her free time, she was also a popular children’s book author, and published several books that were well loved throughout wizard Britain.

Fleamont Potter was also a potioneer, like his wife, —- which is how they met. Working together, bickering about what the best approach to different remedies and potions would be. They challenged each other, constantly making one another better. Though he was more of a businessman, than a scientist, and launched his own successful hair potion company ( Sleekeazy’s Hair Potions ), which he eventually sold for a vast profit. Both Euphemia and Fleamont passed away from complications due to dragon pox shortly after one another, when James was eighteen. They left him a fortune, and their house ( which James doesn’t have the heart to sell, at least not quite yet / probably not ever ).

HOGWARTS YEARS.

James was the kid that somehow got into trouble at the Hogwarts Express during his first year. Before even arriving at the school. And then his second. And then his third. And fourth. At that point, it was basically tradition. That’s how he started every year, and that would also set the tone for the rest of the term.

Also somehow managed to always drag other people into his bullshit? It’s a talent.

His electives at the school were as following: care of magical creatures, alchemy and muggle studies.

Very Gryffindor™, but would have done well in Hufflepuff too, I think.

During his second year, he made the Quidditch team, and became a chaser. After that point, Quidditch basically became his life. Wouldn’t shut up about it. And he also knew that he was good, so his head grew about ten sizes probably.

Had zero impulse control. Was the type to punch first, ask questions later. On that note, James got into quite a few brawls with other boys at the school. Most fights were rooted in 1) James getting annoyed by their pureblood elitism 2) someone insulting one of his friends 3) possibly trying to show off, just a bit.

Emotional maturity, while at Hogwarts? Sorry, who?

May or may not have some sort of record in most detentions in a year. Every year. Which.... he was kinda proud of....

Was active in a lot of clubs !! His personal favorite was the dueling club.

Managed to keep his grades up without much effort. Teachers were lowkey perplexed as to why someone as bright as James would CONSTANTLY cause problems / trouble. James was mostly in it for the thrill, the fun, and the risk. Taking unnecessary risks ( often putting himself in danger ) was kind of his thing? And he’s still doing that.

Was infamous for having a mood that changed like the weather, often quickly and without warning. Could be smiling one minute, and be incredibly testy the next. Was unfortunately also infamous for showing off, mostly through hexing people that he didn’t like. He was also quite inventive, and made up hexes with the sole purpose of embarrassing his enemies further.

Sometime during his fifth year at the school, he became an animagus, mostly to help Remus during the full moons. He also saw it as a challenge, and a bit of a test — to see how good they truly were, how far they could push themselves. ‘Could they do this, too? Where’s their limit?’

Also made Quidditch Captain !!!! Can’t believe this man achieved all his dreams at the age of 15....

Eventually mellowed out a bit during his sixth year, grew up a bit, became a little less full of himself. Could see things clearer. Though the pranks and the mischief in reality became more elaborate ( as he was growing older, and also bolder ), he found other ways to entertain himself that didn’t always involve hexes.

Was also slowly growing out of his teenage angst, so that definitively helped. Though the occasional punching without thinking still… occurred.

In his seventh year, he was made Head Boy. Was probably not the best for the job, but he showed up to everything he was supposed to, and didn’t make a total fool out of himself either. Also decided it would be best to be more lowkey, so he stopped getting caught. He still sneaked out of the school, but he was more careful about it, you feel?

POST HOGWARTS.

James enrolled in auror training the day of graduation. With the war weighing heavy on his shoulders, he didn’t see any other options, any other futures. Though he had idolized aurors since he first heard of them as a child, there were still other roads that he could have taken, if there hadn’t been the urgency of war pushing him towards action – doing something good. He could have pursued playing Quidditch professionally, could have worked with dragons, could have been a hit wizard. Mostly, really, any action packed job would have suited him ( and he had the grades to choose any profession he would have liked ). In the end, the war chose for him.

Joining the aurors just felt right. He passed extensive aptitude tests (which made him a little impatient tbh, he just wanted to get out there, do stuff) and soon started his first year of training.

Auror training has been lowkey hard on him, though? It’s so exhaustive, very serious, no room for errors. Luckily, James is about as stubborn as they come, and is determined to get through it. It’s just another challenge, right?

Now, he’s one of those mini aurors lowkey following the older aurors around. Probably being annoying while doing it.

Joining the Order and the aurors has definitively sobered James up a bit. Made him more responsible, a little less impulsive. But unfortunately not less reckless with his own life. Taking dumb risks, all the fucking time, is still his brand.

Has somehow managed to not kill someone himself yet. Sure, he has wounded and hurt a lot of Death Eaters. There is blood on his hands for sure. But it will also 4 sure change James once he Kills Someone With Intent, u feel.

PERSONALITY.

James ultimately has a heart made of gold, and is constantly trying to prove himself by showing off just how good he is at what he does. This adds up to a bit of a hero complex, tbh.

Is 1000000% his son’s father and I try to play into that... a lot...

James usually has a stupid grin glued to his face ( the cocky kind, often a little crooked, as if he knows something you don’t ). He never stays serious for long, and is in the habit of playing serious things off as a dumb joke.

Known for being highly unpredictable and volatile, and can change from bright and smiling to tense and sour in the matter of minutes. He’s usually the former though.

That fun mix between Atlas, Icarus and Achilles, tbh !!

Radiates energy ! He’s such a lively person, like a human espresso. Kinda short compared to his pals, definitively a little bitter, high energy.

Was raised to be polite and pleasant, so he has good manners.

Pays little regard to rules in general though, and usually does not respond well to authority ( but it kinda depends on who it is too? Like. He can semi-behave while at the auror’s office, and respects them… but is also the guy who plays pranks on his co workers constantly ). WILL also get himself into trouble by mouthing off if he thinks someone is in the wrong at work ( common situation is that someone else suggests that they hold off on going in on a death eater nest & James is not a fan ).

Constantly taking things as a challenge! Even if they definitively aren’t a challenge.

Kinda moody.

Definitively that guy that tries to light up a shitty situation with an even shittier joke.

Bad at following orders. Usually winging it. There are only really two people that he will properly listen to, we all know who they are.

Very loyal !!!! Would die for his pals. : ~) Would kill for them, too.

A sentimental bastard.

Smokes way too much. Knows it isn’t good for him, but got hooked back in school, when he thought it made him look cool.

Loves teasing people. Can be a bit mean spirited at times, but he usually doesn’t mean any harm by it.

Doesn’t know how to pick his battles.

Known for being way too impulsive for his own good. He acts first, thinks later.

Has a Queen playlist on repeat probably.

James is so bright, but also so so dumb. I hate him.

Can be really confrontational. Will deadass fight u.

#semi recycled intros are my brand !!!!#maraudrs:intro #✦ ° • ☆ ◣ ▽ ┊STUDY • and you wake up with ichor in your mouth. spilling from your startled lips like prophecy. )#✦ ° • ☆ ◣ ▽ ┊HEADCANON • heroes may win the war; but they rarely live through. )

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allenmendezsr · 5 years ago

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jenniferfaye34 · 6 years ago

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#Giveaway ~ Her #Christmas Pregnancy Surprise by Jennifer Faye... #books #reading #amreading #ContemporaryRomance #romance #rescuedog #SweetRomance

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

We hope you enjoyed the tour! If you missed any of the stops you'll find snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below:

Launch - Note from the Author

. . . I hope you’ll join Pepper, Simon and Daisy this Christmas as they make peace with the past, embrace the miracles of the present and are filled with hope for the future. Happy reading, — Jennifer

For Him and My Family - Review

"Love the abandoned puppy in the story. The author has a distinctive flair to her writing that makes it a pleasure to read. . . . If you love a good romance this book is for you. . . . This is strictly a light-hearted romance that you will enjoy reading curled up in a blanket with a cup of hot tea on a snowy day."

Thoughts of a Blonde - Excerpt

Was this really happening? An invitation to one of the most exclusive parties in New York City. It didn’t get much better than this. Okay, it wasn’t quite an invitation. Still, she was here among the crème de la crème of New York society—actresses, models, politicians, and the list went on. How she got here shouldn’t matter, right? And, okay, she just happened to be one of the waitstaff. Not an actual guest. But still, this wasn’t just any party. This was Simon Ross’s party at the top of the tower. She stifled a squeal of delight as she considered pinching herself just to make sure this was real.

underneath the covers - Spotlight

Locks, Hooks and Books - Review

"I am giving Her Christmas Pregnancy Surprise five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy a light romance. It is definitely worth a read."

Becky on Books - Spotlight

FaithLaneAuthor - Excerpt

With Simon standing so close to her, she had to tilt her chin upward for their gazes to meet. As she stared into his dark eyes, she felt as though she could get lost in them. She couldn’t think of anything she’d rather do than spend the evening with him. “I’d like to go to dinner with you.” His voice lowered even more. “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to ask you out.” “Really?” He nodded. “You intrigue me.”

Rockin' Book Reviews - Review

"This was a, mostly, predictable tale, but was so effectively written, I could not put it down. It captured my complete interest."

Liberty's Literary Loves - Excerpt

“Can I ask you a question?” He shrugged. “Sure.” “If you like animals enough to start up a chain of pet stores, why don’t you own one?” Simon didn’t want to think about the past and how he’d wanted a puppy so badly. Yet the door to the past had been cracked open and now the memories slithered through, filling his mind.

Andi's Book Reviews - Review

"I'm a sucker for holiday stories. . . . It took me a while to fall for them as a couple, because there was such a slow burn and that awkwardness between the two of them. But I did still root for them along the way. And as in all good romances, things start falling into place in the best of ways. I read through it in one evening."

Baroness' Book Trove - Review

"Her Christmas Pregnancy Surprise by Jennifer Faye is another laugh-out-loud book. I loved this book; it feels like, with every story, her books get better. Simon and Pepper are the definitive definitions of opposite’s do attract. There are a lot of things to love about this book, but you should read it for yourself. This book deserves the five stars I’m giving it and recommending it to everyone that loves a romance."

Melissa McClone - Excerpt

The new bakery was pulling out all the stops with big ads, radio spots and every other promotion they could think of. The bakery was part of a national chain that could afford to undercut their prices to drive the competition out of business. Then once the competitors were out of business, they’d jack up their prices. The nerve of some people. But Pepper refused to let them drive her out of business—not without a big fight. She’d sunk everything she had into making this bakery a success. It was a dream of hers—a dream that she refused to let die, even if it meant doing things that she wouldn’t otherwise have done, like working round the clock if she had to. The chain couldn’t keep up their deep discounts forever. At least, she hoped not.

Peaceful Pastime - Review

"Overall, I found this heartwarming story a fast and end entertaining read. I normally find novels about billionaires a little unbelievable but that wasn't the case in this book."

janicesbookreviews - Review

"I loved the dog in the story named Daisy. Pepper falls in love with Daisy. . . . I love the author’s books. I think this one of my favorites. It was such an enjoyable story with the dog."

Jorie Loves A Story - Review

"Faye tucks you into the plausible way in which two contemporary career-driven individuals can find each other quite randomly (or was it?) in their ordinary lives and find a strength of connection . . . . Faye charms you with the quirky way in which she allowed Daisy, Simon and Pepper [to] develop into a family - giving you pause for thought about the intricate ways in which our lives can be affected by each other whilst renewing your joy of a romance set during the Christmas season where anything is truly possible when it comes to love, romance and the hopefulness of second chances!"

Wishful Endings - Excerpt

He nodded. “Elaine Haskins is my assistant and the party is at my country home.” Pepper’s face creased with lines of frustration. She didn’t say a word as she digested the information. “I’m sorry,” he said. “This is my fault. Everyone was so impressed with you at the office party that Elaine added you to our catering list. After what happened between us, I forgot to say anything to her. I totally understand you wanting to cancel—” “Cancel?” Her shoulders straightened and she lifted her chin slightly. “I’m not canceling.”

Splashes of Joy - Review

"This is quite the Christmas story, with a little surprise thrown in to make it a bit of a surprise. I enjoyed Pepper’s character. . . . This is a nice sweet read, it only took a few hours to read."

Hallie Reads - Review

"Get in the Christmas spirit with Jennifer Faye’s Her Christmas Pregnancy Surprise! It’s a fun story full of delicious treats, complicated romance, and an adorable rescued puppy."

Don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end of this post...

Her Christmas Pregnancy Surprise

By Jennifer Faye

Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 256 Pages

November 1st 2019 by Harlequin Romance A festive reunion… …with an unexpected gift! When Pepper Kane’s home and bakery are burned down in the weeks before Christmas, billionaire CEO Simon Ross—the man she spent one unforgettable night with—comes to the rescue! Pepper knows this playboy doesn’t do relationships, but staying with him in his penthouse and caring for an abandoned puppy, their spark is rekindled… And then comes a festive surprise that shocks them both: she’s carrying his baby!

(Affiliate links included.)

Freebie

Go to Jennifer's Contact Page HERE and order your bookmark(s)!

About the Author

Award-winning author, Jennifer Faye pens fun, heartwarming contemporary romances with rugged cowboys, sexy billionaires and enchanting royalty. Internationally published with books translated into nine languages. She is a two-time winner of the RT Book Reviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the CataRomance Reviewers' Choice Award, named a TOP PICK author, and been nominated for numerous other awards.

Tour Giveaway

One winner will receive (US only):

The Pioneer Woman – Utensil Crock and spoon holder

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Wilton cookie cutters & more…

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#Her Christmas Pregnancy Surprise #Jennifer Faye #Contemporary Romance #Christmas Romance #bakery romance #rescue dog #New York City #Prism Book Tours #Hearts & Scribbles

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emilyzh2019-blog · 6 years ago

Photo

Jess Works as a Virtual Assistant

Travel Jobs

Are you good with computers, following instructions, and social media? You might be the perfect fit to work as a virtual assistant making money online remotely.

Today, my friend (and my own VA) Jess shares her experience becoming a virutal assistant, along with tips for how to find jobs while traveling. Here’s Jess:

The Best Travel Jobs

Hi guys! My name is Jess, and I work as Matt’s virtual assistant for this blog.

After traveling around the world full time for 9-months, my savings were starting to run out, and I was determined to find a travel job that would allow me to earn an income on the road.

I was already “living the dream”, now I just needed to figure out how to afford that dream!

After many trials and errors, I finally figured out how to make extra money traveling the world while working as a virtual assistant (VA).

In this article, I’m going to share how to start working as a virtual assistant, where to find virtual assistant jobs online, what skills are important to know, and tips for working remotely.

Searching For A Travel-Friendly Job

I remember the moment I decided to become a virtual assistant. I thought to myself “If other people are doing this, why can’t I?”.

It all started when I wrote out a list of all the skills I had picked up from studying and working in digital marketing, photography & video throughout the years prior to my gap year.

I knew what I was good at, but I had no idea how I was going to find someone who needed my skills.

Somewhere along the way, I figured it all out – and now it’s time for me to pass this wisdom onto you my young Padawan. ;-)

How to Work as a VA

What Is A Virtual Assistant?

This will change from client to client, but essentially a Virtual Assistant can do any digital task you need them to!

Most virtual assistants provide support to their clients by answering customer emails, updating websites, organizing files, bookkeeping, coordinating schedules, social media management, research, or even photo & video editing.

Basically, any small task that your client doesn’t want to do or doesn’t have time for. Freeing up valuable time that can be used on his or her primary business objectives.

In modern times, the need for an executive assistant to work in the same physical office space as their clients has reduced dramatically with the power of the internet, online tools, and new software.

Virtual Assistant Duties & Tasks

Virtual assistants can work as executive assistants, administrative assistants, or personal assistants depending on the client. Tasks may include things like:

Email Management

Answering customer support emails, highlighting promising business opportunities for the client to follow up on, declining unattractive offers, clearing out spam messages, or putting together a monthly newsletter.

Social Media Management

Scheduling posts on social media accounts like Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube. Designing graphics to use. Crafting descriptions. Researching hashtags. Maybe even responding to comments, updating profiles, and more.

Website Management

Formatting, editing, drafting, and scheduling blog posts on WordPress or another CMS (Content Management System) for the client’s website. Moderating the comments section. Fixing broken links and other general website maintenance tasks.

Administrative Tasks

Managing a client’s calendar, setting schedules, booking travel arrangements, creating spreadsheets, answering phone calls, etc.

Computer skills are also very important, as is knowledge of certain common software programs like:

Word Processors (Microsoft Word, Google Documents)

Spreadsheets (Excel, Google Sheets)

Blogging Platforms (WordPress)

Image Editors (Adobe Photoshop, Canva)

Social Media Tools (Tailwind, Buffer)

Just Another Day at the Office!

My Typical Day Working As Matt’s VA

While I’m going to share what my day looks like, there are all kinds of variations to this. Because virtual assistants can do all sorts of different tasks.

9 AM: Email Management Rise and shine! Time to check in on Slack (our team collaboration tool for organizing tasks, sending files and chatting about projects) to see if there’s anything to add to my to-do list for the week.

Next, I respond to and organize emails as well as approve blog comments — which can start to pile up overnight.

Matt receives a lot of similar questions & comments via email, so we have some standard replies for saving time. I save them as drafts and Matt adds his own personalizations before hitting “send”.

10 AM: Content Research & Blog Post Formatting I review Matt’s upcoming blog content, maybe do some extra research, or format unfinished blog posts so they’re ready to publish.

We are constantly working to improve Expert Vagabond content, updating older blog posts with more relevant information, plus adding maps or additional imagery to enhance the reader experience.

12 PM: Social Media Management Over the past few months, I’ve worked on creating Matt’s Pinterest ‘brand’, to ensure that there is a consistent look and feel between all of his pins. Creating some eye-catching pins using his images.

Once the Pinterest images are ready to go, it’s time to open up Tailwind to schedule the pins to go out for the next week. I create, source and schedule 15 – 20 pins per day.

Matt recently decided to try out Flipboard as another platform for sourcing and sharing content, so I usually spend 30-minutes updating our online Flipboard ‘magazines’ for the week.

Benefits Of Working As A Virtual Assistant

1. Work From Anywhere In The World

For me, this cancels out ALL of the disadvantages of VA work. I found out about this position when I was traveling through Asia earlier this year.

My bank account was telling me it was time to go home, but I wasn’t ready to stop traveling yet.

Having the opportunity to work from anywhere gave me the freedom to live life on my own terms. I can work from home, from a coffee shop, from a different city, or even a foreign country!

2. Cut Costs On Your Commute

When I worked in a typical office in Dublin, I would spend €11 and 2.5 hours on my commute every day.

Working from home allows me to save €220 every month – that’s €2,640 every year. That’s the price of a new camera or an incredible holiday abroad. I’ll take that over commuting any day!

3. Set Your Own Hours

If working the 9 – 5 grind works for you, stick at it! But if not, how about finding a job that allows you to work at a time that suits you.

Not much a morning person? Do the late shift. Not much of a night owl either? Not a problem, working from 11am to 7pm solves that problem. This is the kind of flexibility you just don’t find in a typical office environment.

4. Spend More Time With Your Family

What would you do if someone gave you an extra 2.5 hours in your day? I spend mine with the people I love, doing the things I used to have to save for the weekends.

Coffee Shops & Coworking Spots

The Downside Of Virtual Assistant Jobs

1. Loneliness

If you are thinking of getting into the digital nomad world, you’re going to have to get used to the idea of being alone.

There’s no one sitting beside you to support you or even just have a little chat with over lunch. If this doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, you should look into co-working spaces or networking events that you can go to in the evenings to get some human interaction in your day.

2. Distractions

I’m learning how to master this slowly but surely…

When there is no one looking over your shoulder all day, making sure you are focused on the task at hand, it is easy to become distracted by anything and everything!

You have to remember that you will only get paid for the hours you actually complete, not the 40 minutes you spend daydreaming out the window.

3. Self Discipline

Tying in nicely with the last point, self-discipline is a skill. Technically, you are your own boss now, so you have to make sure that you get the task done on time.

If you lack in self-discipline, you will lag in productivity. Set yourself boundaries, time frames and rules – then stick to them.

How Much Money Can You Earn?

Virtual assistants can usually make between $10 to $35 an hour with a median hourly rate of about $16. It will really depend on your skills, qualifications, and experience level.

If you’re just doing data entry, the pay might not be that great.

But if you’ve built up some basic graphic design skills, understand WordPress, know how to edit videos and photography, have in-depth experience with social media platforms, or other specialized knowledge, you can earn more.

Where To Find Virtual Assistant Jobs

If you’re ready to start making extra money on the side with a virtual assistant business, here are a few places to get started.

Freelancer Websites

FlexJobs

Upwork

People Per Hour

Social Media

Let your family and friends know you’re looking for a virtual assistant job by posting it on social media. Networking is a powerful tool. You may be surprised who knows someone that may be able to help you up with a job.

In fact, this is how I got my job! By posting on social media that I was looking for VA work.

Reach Out To Potential Clients

I’m sure you follow some professional bloggers, YouTube video creators, or social media influencers who you’d love to work with. It doesn’t hurt to send them all a quick message via email offering your services.

Be friendly, don’t be pushy, and if they aren’t hiring — maybe they know someone who is?

Tips For Landing Your First VA Position

Step 1: Work On Your Skills

The first step is to define the skills that you can use as a Virtual Assistant. Not sure if you have the right skills for the job? No problem!

Put some hours aside every week to learn skills and within a few months, you will be ready to put your new knowledge to the test.

There are millions of Youtube videos you can watch that will teach you how to run a successful social media campaign, manage calendar appointments, edit video on Final Cut Pro, create social media images using Adobe Photoshop and more.

You can also sign up to Skillshare (2 months free with that link!) to get unlimited access to over 23,000 classes.

This is exactly what I did to improve my organizational skills, digital marketing, video editing and photography before I started to look for jobs online.

Step 2: Find The Right Industry

For me, I knew that I wanted to work in the travel industry so that immediately narrowed down my options.

A lot of people go straight to the internet to search for a job. I decided to start my job search using the “networking” route by telling everyone I knew what I wanted to do.

I told my family and friends “I’m looking for a Virtual Assisting role in the travel industry. If you know someone who might be able to help me, could you give them my details?”

Then I put the message out to my connections on Facebook and Instagram.

Within a week, a friend of mine posted that Matt from ExpertVagabond.com was looking for a virtual assistant! Moral of the story – put it out into the world, and the world will often support you.

Step 3: Create A CV & Cover Letter

Throw away that boring Microsoft Word CV that you created when you were 16 in computer class! It’s time for a modern upgrade.

My go-to tool for CV creation is Canva.com. Not only does it have a tonne of templates for you to use, but you can also customize them to really showcase your top skills and highlight the many reasons why someone should hire you.

Don’t be afraid to add a little bit of personality to your CV. Keep in mind that your potential employer is probably sifting through a hundred CV’s, so you want them to open yours and say “Ooooh, what’s this?”. Leave them feeling intrigued.

Please remember that your CV should only be 1 – 2 pages long and your cover letter should be 2 – 3 paragraphs maximum. Employers usually don’t have a lot of time to look at them, so you need to present the information as concisely as possible.

Step 4: Interview Prep

Now that you have nailed the CV & Cover Letter, it’s time to prepare for the interview stage.

It is almost 100% guaranteed that they are going to ask you to tell them more about yourself, so make sure to have a little elevator speech worked out in advance.

Remember you don’t have to solely focus on the business side of life. Give them an insight into your hobbies, where you get inspiration from and how your life has lead you to this new role.

This is your moment to show them exactly why you are perfect for their virtual assistant position, so take the time to discuss your skills, your experience, your education (even if it is just from Youtube and Skillshare!).

They will love to hear that you are constantly learning and improving your knowledge of the key skills needed for the role.

ALWAYS have 2 – 3 questions prepared to ask them at the end of the interview. If you don’t, it can look like you are not interested in finding out more about them or their business.

If they have already answered all of your questions throughout the interview, you can tell them the question you wanted to ask, and thank them for already answering it in so much detail.

Step 5: Go Above & Beyond

If you want to really knock their socks off, why not create an example of the work you will create for them.

Show them your social media image designs, or write out a sample travel blog post to show them how serious you are about taking these tasks off their hands.

Not only will you stand out from the crowd, but it will instantly build trust that you can get the job done.

In the past, I’ve created video CV’s for clients who have a background in Youtube and have even created a brand new CV in the style of my favorite book for a position to work with the book’s author.

You have to do whatever it takes to stand out from the hundreds of other candidates.

The truth is there are many advantages and disadvantages to this type of job, but if you can master the art of virtual assisting, the world is your oyster!

It takes dedication, drive and an enormous amount of self-discipline, but it is definitely a dream job that will give you the freedom to live life on your own terms (and travel if you want to).

If you are attempting to find a VA job at the moment, just remember that the first client is the hardest. If you can land that first client, the next 50 clients should be no problem.

So keep on trying, keep improving your skills, and don’t stop learning until you’re living it up swinging from a hammock somewhere with your laptop in one hand and a cocktail in the other! ★

BIO

Jess Glynn is the author of The Gap Year Guru and has worked in digital marketing for over 5 years, specializing in Social Media and Content Creation. In 2017, she decided to quit her job and write about her travels through Brazil, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines for 9 months. Follow her on Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter!

Virtual Assistant Job Resources

Remote Job Listing Websites

FlexJobs.com

Guavabean Facebook Group

Remote.co

Freelancer.com

Useful Tools & Software For VAs

Canva

Slack

Trello

WordPress

Ultimate Travel-Friendly Job Guide.

Enjoy This Post? Pin It!

READ MORE DIGITAL NOMAD ARTICLES

How To Find Online Translation Jobs Working On Sailing Yachts How I Make Money While Traveling Side Income Ideas: Earning Money From Home

Have any questions for Jess about working as a virtual assistant or landing your first job? Drop her a message in the comments below!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

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plogan721 · 5 years ago

Text

I want to do something fun…My favorites so far 2020

Please note: I am doing this topic for several reasons, including that I would love to collaborate with someone both in video and or blogging. I am also available for freelance work. You can contact me through my email address [email protected]. I take serious people as I had a scammer back in November for my graphic work. This caused a major shift in how I accept writing and graphic gigs. I am not bitter about the experience and I caught it in time, or my identity could have been compromised. Sorry, I am mentioning this on such a fun topic as the one you are about to read. With that being said, on with today’s topic.

Disclaimer(s): P. Lynne Designs is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

P. Lynne Designs is also a participant partner in the Erin Condren affiliate program which is designed to provide a

means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Erin Condren.

Ok, that last topic took something out of me. I am not going to lie when I say that that the blog post was the fourth one I had written and the first one I am proud of since Corona broke out, landed in the United States, and showed herself out.

Now I am done. I have said my piece for now about her. I am ready to have some fun writing topics. I am ready for the doom and gloom to go away for a while. I was reminded of that last week by my pastor.

I attend an online bible study via Facebook Live. This is how I have been attended church worship services too, and except for a few times when my computer has not quite cooperated in either task or the two weeks I had to deal with my cat, Gizmo going through heat issues. Yes, Gizmo is a girl, my girly girl, and she was named after the Mogwai Gizmo from the movie, Gremlins, who is a boy. Yes, you can feed her after midnight, although I do not suggest dealing with her during heat because she turns into a little Gremlin, LOL. Anyway, she is my little gremlin,

Anyway, My pastor said of African Americans who have been killed in the last few months because of the continued hatred from certain types of white folks, that you can post all you want to about how much you hate what is happening from Trevon to Breanna, the RN who was killed because someone reported to police about some drug activity going on in her apartment, and she was sleeping after a grueling shift, and it was the wrong apartment. If you do not act on how much you hate it, and make people aware of the problem in this country, then you are part of the problem.

What does that have to do with the coronavirus? Same thing and the best thing to do at this point is to stay at home, wash your hands, and stay 6 feet apart.

Okay, enough of that.

Just making a list of my favorites. (photo by Pixabay.com)

What is today’s topic?

I want to give all my writers and journal writers a task this week. Yes, this week. This will break you out of your mode of “normal” writing, and if this is not your thing, then try it once. You may like it.

I normally write about lifestyle things on my other blog, Home Prep and those topics are on organization, decorating on a budget, and anything that is home-related. Every once in awhile, you would see something about travel, and the reason was I had a travel portion on the blog. I found after writing about my plans for a family Disney trip in December 2019 (see the previous post on THIS BLOG) about the problems leading to me canceling the trip. I decided it would be best if I had a separate trip blog.

Anyway (count how many times I write, “anyway”), I want to write on this blog my favorite writing things or products of 2020 SO FAR. So in no particular order, I will have my list, and I will reference them with a link if I find the product on Amazon, Erin Condren, Walmart (which I do not get a commission on, but I love) or information I think you can use. Again, you are not obligated to make a purchase.

Favorite item to use while writing:

These are routines, products, or tips that help me get into the mood of write. Note: Lately, I have not felt like writing much. My mind had been scattered all over the place in terms of what topics to write. Remember, I have chosen to write 3 blogs (soon to be 4), and it was not the number of blogs I write in, but how I write them. So, the first thing I did was a little soul searching. I turned to the very thing that got me started writing in the first place, which I mentioned that is was my friend, Lois, and writing in a personal journal. In that journal, which is now an OneNote Notebook on my computer, it has allowed me to really think about what I am supposed to do. It is the one thing that connects me to her, even though Lois died in 2002 to advanced breast cancer.

Another thing is surprising, my pastor also journals. He came to my congregation last year, and he has been a blessing. He is younger than me, but I find him very relatable. He is also an accomplished author, and has written a couple books and has a blog himself. Personally, I felt that in the year since he has presided over the congregation (along with our “sister”, Westley United Methodist Church), my pastor has given me some insight on how a “woman of God”, “God’s child”, a Christian should govern over herself.

Next, My favorite tea, which has to be decaf. I do drink caffeinated coffee and tea, but I need something to calm me down, especially if I write at night. I started writing at night because it was the only time that I did not have the noise of the day. Up until February 25, 2020, my nephew and his girlfriend stayed here with me until they found an apartment. Well, my great-niece came, and they are staying with my parents until they were able to save a little money for an apartment, which they had found, but corona reared up her head, and since he had been working double shifts at a shipping company (due to everyone online ordering and PPE stuff shipping in), they have not been able to move in. since they have been gone, I still write at night, along with my tea, which is nothing more than Celeste Seasons fruit tea bags-assorted. I used to drink Chamomile tea or CS Sleepytime tea, but I love these teas better. I think it helps Gizmo calm down that I am not moving around so much.

What I use to write with? That is simple, MS Word. I will write down as much as I could, edit later. Tip: it helps to write it all down, then come back later to edit for clarity. You may not have the same thoughts as you did when you first write it down. This is why it takes me a long time for one blog post. My blog post writing routine is:

· Write for the thought process

· Edit for clarity (this is where I add and take away)

· Add bullet points, bold and italic and other ideas I want to emphasize.

· Decide my font (which will go away once I start writing this blog in WordPress format)

· Paste to Blogger (or WordPress when I start writing in that format)

· Edit for Grammarly

· Finally, add my title (which is already written in MS. Word), scheduled to publish, add Keywords/SEO, summarize, hook up my links, and add photos and capture points.

It sounds like a lot, but it really is not. I did not mention the hard part (yes, there is), which is promotion. I post a link to Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Favorite ways to write.

What is that? I have several ways to write, and some I like because most of the time, it is for continuity, a flow, while others have to be for the style.

· Narrative. Most of the time, I will write in a narrative-style or first person. I am given you an account of my day, a routine, or even a place that I have visited.

· Ghost-writing. I am writing in the style of the author or blog writer. Yes, it is my work, but I cannot put my name in the by-line. The byline has to be the person who publishes it on their blog. I cannot offer my bio either. It has to look like the blog poster wrote it themselves.

· Guest-writing. I offer to write a blog post or article for a magazine or blog to name a few, and my name goes in the by-line, as well as my bio at the end of the article.

· Lists. This is still fairly new to me, but I like it just the same as the other styles of writing. For example, I can write, “20 reasons to visit Walt Disney World”, or “20 reasons not to visit Walt Disney World”. The trick is to do your homework or research before attempting to create lists. I usually research to see if what I have to say is the truth.

· SEO/Keyword. Okay, I will admit it, I like it and I hate it. It all depends on the post. I have done some ghost-writing that required me to mention “body-building” 5 times in six 1000-word articles back in 2011. I found that the subject was very boring, and I had to stomach through all 6 articles that I needed to write by the end of the week. Three weeks later, I had to write 8 articles mentioning the words, “organize” and “cabinets” 8 times in 500-word articles and I wanted to write more. So, it all depends.

· Journaling. Yeah, you knew this was going to come up soon or later. I have mentioned how many times I have enjoyed the art of journaling, decorating journals, and now I can add planners to the mix. You can now journal in your planners, and visa versa. You know I am here for that. This is the reason I have the horizontal version of the Erin Condren Life Planner. I am a detailed person, and the more detail I can get, the better. In addition, I get to put what date I want in this planner. In addition to the Life Planner, I love using the Duo-tip markers, stickers (even though I make my own as well- coming soon to my shop and website), and petite books, which are perfect for sermon notes, goal setting, and project planning.

Well, that is it for this round. I will update later in the year with new things. Oh, I love to write in loungewear, and the pants I love are from Target, which is the Women’s perfectly cozy wide-leg lounge pants by Stars Above™. I use any top that is comfy to me. Right now as I write, I have on a tank top. In the wintertime, I have on my Laura Ashley fluffy robe that I bought for Christmas. I now have to find one that is perfect for summer.

Finally, I love writing in the dark. Let me explain….

At night, when it is nice and quiet, and it is past midnight, I may get into the mood of a nice fluffy robe, my sock, loungewear on, and I turn off the overhead light in my office and have on only the lamps illuminating my screen. It gives me the sense of a warm blanket, and this is one way that I cocoon. The other way of cocooning is having 3-4 blankets on my bed and turning off the heat in the wintertime or turning on the air conditioner in the summertime, and snuggle. Another conversation for a different day.

Anyway, I also have a sense that I am in some sort of secret cave and it is just me and the computer, then Gizmo wants something and ruins the moment, LOL. But between the time I settle in and Gizmo’s wanting, I can get a lot done with my writing.

Fact: Dealing with an almost 3-year-old cat (who is still a kitten) is like dealing with a human toddler, but I like human toddlers better, LOL. I do not have to dress this one or listen to it say, “Mommy, mommy, mommy”. Oh, wait, constant meowing is the same as “mommy, mommy, mommy”. Never mind, LOL.

Have a good day.

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jonasmaurer · 5 years ago

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Looking back on 2019 + my goals for 2020

Hi friends! I hope you’re enjoying the new decade so far. What are you up to today? I’m going to get in an arms workout at the gym and start blasting through my editorial calendar for the new year. I have my new planner ready to go (major nerd vibes because new planners make me oddly excited) and am pumped to get content ideas together. Thank you again to those of you who took this year’s blog survey!

I thought I’d share a little look back on the past year and my goals for the upcoming year. I’d love to hear about a highlight from your 2019 and any goals you’re going after this year!

Here are some of the major highlights from 2019:

– The Pilot came home after a 7-month deployment! He immediately was hired by the airlines, which I’ll share a bit more about below

– I attended my first Beautycounter conference (and we saw Michael Buble that weekend! AMAAAAZING)

– I launched HIIT Bootcamp

– Baby August was born! I love this little guy so much.

– We explored Vancouver and took our first Disney cruise to Alaska

– I got to meet up with Julie and Anne at the NOW Foods trip to Chicago

– We went to San Diego for the 4th of July

– I launched my first pair of leggings with Four Athletics

– We got two guinea pigs, Donut and Lollipop, and we love them

– Did a couple of Phoenix staycations (like the opening weekend of Great Wolf Lodge Scottsdale)

– Went back to San Diego and Disney for a fall trip

– I turned 35 (AH)

– I took Liv to NYC for her first time! We saw Frozen, Wicked, Aladdin, went ice skating at Bryant Park and ate the best pizza

– We celebrated our second year of holidays back in Tucson partying with the fam, but the Pilot was out of town

2019 ended up being a challenging year for me. It was studded with more beautiful memories than difficult, but I thought/hoped this year was going to be a bit of a “reset” and much-needed reprieve from the stress and tireless effort of the Pilot’s deployment. As it turns out, it became another solid year of trying to keep my head above water. See, the Pilot spent the down time of his deployment refining his airline applications and preparing for potential interviews, so when he got home, he immediately got his medical stuff updated and put in his apps while he finished separating from the active duty military. While everyone would’ve loved a little bit more of a break just living our normal lives here, there was no telling how long it would take to hear back from a major airline. As luck with have it, the Pilot had interviews lined up (and was hired) shortly after settling back into Tucson. Of course, for him, that meant traveling for a months of training and jumping into the first year’s schedule with both feet. For me, that meant an immediate return to being the full-time caretaker for the girls while also running a business from home. I absolutely love being with our babies and feel so thankful that I’m the one here and not away, but at the same time, you always have to be “on.” I also felt a lot of pressure from financially supporting the fam and keeping things afloat during the first year. I know it’s not always going to be like this, but for now, I just know it’s my time to hustle and I’m running with it.

As far as the airlines go, I know I’m venting a lot here, but we do love the Pilot’s new job and his company, We couldn’t be more thankful to have the security of a great second career, and we expected an intense first year paying our dues, but it’s been tough. I feel more used to him being gone than here. Sometimes it’s very lonely, which is why I feel so happy we’re near the family and also to connect with all of you.

I’ll definitely be ok if 2020 is a more low-key year than 2019. I have some goals set, but am trying to reduce some of the pressure I put on myself. I’m looking at these goals as concepts I’d love to work towards, but if they don’t all happen this year, that’s ok. Mostly I was to emphasize creating time for the things that make me feel fulfilled, and spending time together as a family of 4 whenever possible.

Health and fitness:

– Continue to follow my gallbladder protocol so I have a good ultrasound in February. This protocol is totally self-imposed and I haven’t written about it in detail because I’m not a medical professional and I have no clue if it’s actually working. My next ultrasound is in February and if the polyps have grown, they want to take out my gallbladder. I can’t go into the ultrasound without doing everything in my power to have an awesome result. Obviously a lot of it is out of my control, but I’m all about taking every step I possibly can. I really, really don’t want to have another surgery for a very long time so I’m crossing my fingers that I can keep my gallbladder.

– Stay consistent with my current routine. I feel like I’ve hit a stride with my workout routine and love the mix of classes I’m currently taking. Each week, it’s a mix of Orangetheory, Telos (CrossFit-ish), barre, hot yoga, Peloton, outdoor hikes, and Les Mills On Demand workouts I’ll do at home. It’sfun to mix it up depending on what I’m subbing and how I feel that week. Nutrition-wise, I stopped counting macros a while ago (I feel like it was too much for my gallbladder to eat when I wasn’t actually hungry) and am just trying to get in protein, produce, whole grains, healthy fats, and lots of water.

Family:

Make it through the first year of airlines (and I’m not even the person flying the planes lol). Whooooaaaaaa we’re halfway there. We’re definitely having a party when we hit 2nd year!

Keep supporting our babies in any way possible. I just love them so much and want them to know I’m always their advocate.

Really start to figure out a budget and long-term plans. This is something we’re going to work on for the following year, especially since we have some big long-term financial goals. I guess I’ll dust off my old Excel skills and get a spreadsheet together.

Focus on things that fulfill my soul:

– Audition for choir (again). You guys know the choir audition I bombed? I’m going for it again. If it doesn’t work out, there are a few other local options to explore. I think that singing again would make my heart happy and a choir feels like a safe bet.

– Join a volunteer organization. I always say I want to volunteer more and end up feeling overwhelmed with options and don’t end up doing it as often as I’d like. We’re going to be joining a specific organization that has requirements and I’m excited because the Pilot and I are going to do it together, and will also be held accountable.

– Reading every night before bed. I enjoy it so much and sleep better when I read for even 15-20 minutes before crashing.

– Meditate at some point each morning. I’ve been using the Calm app and love it! My tips for starting a meditation practice are here.

– Make time to hang out with friends and other couples. We’re at a point in life where it can be tough to get together with friends. I was doing a cooking club here in Tucson, but after a couple of months, no one could make it because everyone is shuffling kids to dance class and sports practice/games. I’ve found that with young kiddos and such a busy schedule, you won’t hang out with friends if you don’t make the time and concrete plans. (Instead of “Let’s meet up this week!” it has to be something like, “Do you want to grab breakfast at 10 on Friday?”) Since I work from home and the Pilot is gone a lot, I feel a bit more sane and happy when I have time to meet up with friends.

Pick up some regular fitness classes to teach. I’ve been subbing classes at a couple of studios, but didn’t take any of my own classes mostly because of childcare. I put it out to the universe (= Facebook) that I wanted to start teaching a couple of my own classes in the new year and was offered a HIIT class where I’m subbing that will start in February. I’m excited to be teaching more regularly again!

Continue therapy. I started seeing an incredible therapist the morning my grandfather passed away. I had made the appointment over a month in advance and figured I couldn’t cancel it, because if you ever needed a therapy appointment, that would be the day you should take one. So I went, and sat in her office and sobbed for 30 minutes. She told me that her office loved tears and I needed to truly feel everything I was feeling, and since then, she’s wrapped me in so much kindness and compassion. She’s become an extremely valued member of my tribe and even though I only see her every couple of weeks, it’s changed my life. It’s helped so much with my anxiety and my relationships, and if you are on the fence about therapy in the New Year, do it. It’s so worth it.

Travel:

– Traveling is one of my very favorite things, so I’m hoping for more in 2020! It gives us a chance to fully be present and enjoy time with each other while exploring a new, or beloved place. We have a cruise planned already (YEAHHH) and I’m also hoping we can start planning our next Italy trip.

Professional:

– Finally find time to focus on SEO. It’s a wonder that my blog has survived this long considering that I know nothing about SEO. I’ve picked up a couple of tips over the past couple of years but I have no idea what I’m doing. I’m going to take a course and also am looking to hire an SEO expert to help me update old posts that are performing well.

– Hire an editorial assistant. I have a couple of amazing team members who help behind-the-scenes with Pinterest, editing (not this post since I’m writing it the night before it goes live so sorry for the typos…), and Beautycounter. I’m looking for someone local who can help with filming/editing and kitchen days so I can post more recipes in the new year.

– Update the podcast more consistently and focus on producing video content more consistently.

– Work on opening my own studio. It may be next year, it may be 5 years from now, but it’s a huge goal of mine.

– Run more online challenges through the blog. HIIT Bootcamp was so much fun (we’re going to do another one towards the end of January!) and I’d love to create more video packs with full calendars to follow.

– Hit Senior Director with Beautycounter. Beautycounter has become one of the best things I’ve added to my business, especially because it’s given me the opportunity to connect with some many incredible friends and women, while creating an additional income stream. I’d love to hit Senior Director this year! You can read more about what it’s like being a Beautycounter consultant here.

– Finish my second book! I signed my second book deal in December and I’m so excited to get this one out into the world! I’ll share more details when I can, but it’s geared more towards my beginner friends who are just getting started.

If you made it to the end of this post, here’s a high five because this was a long one!

Thank you so much for being here with me on the crazy 2019 ride. Thank you for being here and being so amazing. I can’t help but feel like I dropped the ball a bit this year (especially on the podcast and posting as much as I’d like) but I have a feeling that 2020 is going to be a good one. Honestly, if I get lots of time with the fam, a good report on the gallbladder front, and make a lot of cheese boards, I’m calling it a win.

Cheers to the new year! Tell me, friends: what goals do you have set? Please share a personal and professional goal with me in the comments – I’d love to hear them!

xoxo

Gina

The post Looking back on 2019 + my goals for 2020 appeared first on The Fitnessista.

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smartphone-science · 6 years ago

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I have ALWAYS wanted to go to Southeast Asia. When I found out this year’s Society for Conservation Biology was going to be in Kuala Lumpur, I applied immediately to give two talks (which were accepted – yay!). Now that I knew I would be going to Malaysia for work, I also knew I had to organize an add on trip for play! This post summarizes my four day visit in Deramakot Forest Reserve in Sabah, Borneo.

How Did I Find Deramakot?

I had one goal – to see as many wild animals as I could (with a focus on mammals and especially orangutans), but I knew nothing about Malaysian wildlife tourism. I knew going to Google or Pinterest would give me information overload, so I proposed the question to my Twitter followers, many of whom are scientists, knowing they would provide me with off-the-beaten path suggestions full of animal adventures.

To see orangutans, you have to go to Borneo, so I knew I would be headed there. A lot of the responses coalesced around Danum Valley, perhaps the most famous ecotourism destination in Borneo. When I looked into Danum Valley though, I found several problems: it was pretty expensive, seemed kind of touristy, and was starting to book up fast. I posted the same question to Facebook, and my former labmate who worked in Borneo, told me about Deramakot Forest Reserve.

He put me in touch with Zahari Bin Zainal, a Malaysian guide who has been leading tours in Deramakot since 1999. Zahari was incredibly helpful in answering my questions about Deramakot! I decided to book a trip with him after the conference.

What is Deramakot Forest Reserve?

Deramakot Forest Reserve is a protected area located in Northeastern Borneo, north of Danum Valley. It differs from Danum Valley in that it is not pristine, it has been selectively logged since 1956, but it is still rich in wildlife. This is largely because it is a Forest Management Unit.

Deramakot has been spit into different units and these units get selectively logged every 1-3 years making it a sustainable practice. Only certain trees are felled. This greatly differs from clearcutting land, which is not sustainable and bad for wildlife.

Some disturbance in forests can even be good for wildlife! It creates new micro-habitats for species and provides new food. For example, elephants in particular like secondary growth (i.e. new plants growing in).

Part of Deramakot Forest Reserve is set completely aside for wildlife and never logged. Deramakot is also surrounded by 6,500 km squared of forest, which together contains ~50% of all orangutans in Sabah. This is said to be the most important wildlife refuge in Borneo.

What Did We Do?

In a nutshell – LOOK FOR ANIMALS! We did this two ways: (1) by hiking in the forest and (2) driving around the park looking for animals.

Starting a hike up the ecology trail behind our cabin.

I was ALWAYS sweaty in Deramakot.

Old orangutan nest spotted during the forest hike.

Beware of the forest leeches (video coming soon on this!). I thought my socks would protect me, but they sucked through. It didn’t hurt at all though. I didn’t even notice.

Because I wanted to see mammals the most, we prioritized driving. Driving allows you to cover more range, and provides more open areas (from the road), so you can scan the landscape, increasing your chances of seeing an animal. In the forest, it is much harder to see mammals, but this is definitely the way to look for birds, other smaller vertebrates, and insects.

Sitting on top of the car looking for animals.

Some of the animals you can see in the park (the photos are not completely accurate though and Michael Jackson is a fun joke).

Bring old clothes as you will always be dirty and sweaty.

You can also see wildlife by boat on the Kinabatangan River. The day we went, it was storming, and our river cruise got cancelled. Luckily, I had a few more days in Borneo and was able to reschedule a cruise in a different area. I’ll have a full post up on this amazing experience soon.

Where we stayed.

It was delightful!

Deramakot Forest Reserve has lots of orangutans (~700) and is one of the few sites where you can see all five species of wild cats in Borneo. I saw so many cool animals that this warranted two different posts: one on mammals and the other on other wildlife. They will be up soon.

These ferns were soooooooo cool. I loved them.

I highly recommend Deramakot Forest Reserve for an ecotourism adventure in Borneo. In addition to how beautiful it was, I loved how quiet it was. Sometimes we went whole days without seeing other tourist vehicles, and even when we did see them, it was just one or two cars.

Thank you to the Phillips’ Field Guide to the Mammals of Borneo, which helped me write this post. This book is not only amazing as a field guide to Bornean mammals, but also includes fantastic information on Borneo’s tropical forest ecology. It’s a must if you are going to Borneo!

The post Ecotourism Adventure in Deramakot Forest Reserve, Borneo appeared first on Dr. Stephanie Schuttler.

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marymperezga · 6 years ago

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How To Become A Virtual Assistant

Jess Works as a Virtual Assistant

Travel Jobs

Are you good with computers, following instructions, and social media? You might be the perfect fit to work as a virtual assistant making money online remotely.

Today, my friend (and my own VA) Jess shares her experience becoming a virutal assistant, along with tips for how to find jobs while traveling. Here’s Jess:

For more travel friendly job ideas, check out my ultimate guide: The Best Travel Jobs

Hi guys! My name is Jess, and I work as Matt’s virtual assistant for this blog.

After traveling around the world full time for 9-months, my savings were starting to run out, and I was determined to find a travel job that would allow me to earn an income on the road.

I was already “living the dream”, now I just needed to figure out how to afford that dream!

After many trials and errors, I finally figured out how to make extra money traveling the world while working as a virtual assistant (VA).

In this article, I’m going to share how to start working as a virtual assistant, where to find virtual assistant jobs online, what skills are important to know, and tips for working remotely.

Searching For A Travel-Friendly Job

I remember the moment I decided to become a virtual assistant. I thought to myself “If other people are doing this, why can’t I?”.

It all started when I wrote out a list of all the skills I had picked up from studying and working in digital marketing, photography & video throughout the years prior to my gap year.

I knew what I was good at, but I had no idea how I was going to find someone who needed my skills.

Somewhere along the way, I figured it all out – and now it’s time for me to pass this wisdom onto you my young Padawan. ;-)

How to Work as a VA

What Is A Virtual Assistant?

This will change from client to client, but essentially a Virtual Assistant can do any digital task you need them to!

Basically, any small task that your client doesn’t want to do or doesn’t have time for. Freeing up valuable time that can be used on his or her primary business objectives.

Virtual Assistant Duties & Tasks

Virtual assistants can work as executive assistants, administrative assistants, or personal assistants depending on the client. Tasks may include things like:

Email Management

Social Media Management

Website Management

Administrative Tasks

Managing a client’s calendar, setting schedules, booking travel arrangements, creating spreadsheets, answering phone calls, etc.

Computer skills are also very important, as is knowledge of certain common software programs like:

Word Processors (Microsoft Word, Google Documents)

Spreadsheets (Excel, Google Sheets)

Blogging Platforms (WordPress)

Image Editors (Adobe Photoshop, Canva)

Social Media Tools (Tailwind, Buffer)

Just Another Day at the Office!

My Typical Day Working As Matt’s VA

While I’m going to share what my day looks like, there are all kinds of variations to this. Because virtual assistants can do all sorts of different tasks.

9 AM: Email Management Rise and shine! Time to check in on Slack.com (our team collaboration tool for organizing tasks, sending files and chatting about projects) to see if there’s anything to add to my to-do list for the week.

Next, I respond to and organize emails as well as approve blog comments — which can start to pile up overnight.

10 AM: Content Research & Blog Post Formatting I review Matt’s upcoming blog content, maybe do some extra research, or format unfinished blog posts so they’re ready to publish.

We are constantly working to improve Expert Vagabond content, updating older blog posts with more relevant information, plus adding maps or additional imagery to enhance the reader experience.

Once the Pinterest images are ready to go, it’s time to open up Tailwind to schedule the pins to go out for the next week. I create, source and schedule 15 – 20 pins per day.

Matt recently decided to try out Flipboard as another platform for sourcing and sharing content, so I usually spend 30-minutes updating our online Flipboard ‘magazines’ for the week.

Benefits Of Working As A Virtual Assistant

1. Work From Anywhere In The World

For me, this cancels out ALL of the disadvantages of VA work. I found out about this position when I was traveling through Asia earlier this year.

My bank account was telling me it was time to go home, but I wasn’t ready to stop traveling yet.

Having the opportunity to work from anywhere gave me the freedom to live life on my own terms. I can work from home, from a coffee shop, from a different city, or even a foreign country!

2. Cut Costs On Your Commute

When I worked in a typical office in Dublin, I would spend €11 and 2.5 hours on my commute every day.

Working from home allows me to save €220 every month – that’s €2,640 every year. That’s the price of a new camera or an incredible holiday abroad. I’ll take that over commuting any day!

3. Set Your Own Hours

If working the 9 – 5 grind works for you, stick at it! But if not, how about finding a job that allows you to work at a time that suits you.

4. Spend More Time With Your Family

What would you do if someone gave you an extra 2.5 hours in your day? I spend mine with the people I love, doing the things I used to have to save for the weekends.

I Often Work from Coffee Shops

The Downside Of Virtual Assistant Jobs

1. Loneliness

If you are thinking of getting into the digital nomad world, you’re going to have to get used to the idea of being alone.

2. Distractions

I’m learning how to master this slowly but surely…

When there is no one looking over your shoulder all day, making sure you are focused on the task at hand, it is easy to become distracted by anything and everything!

You have to remember that you will only get paid for the hours you actually complete, not the 40 minutes you spend daydreaming out the window.

3. Self Discipline

Tying in nicely with the last point, self-discipline is a skill. Technically, you are your own boss now, so you have to make sure that you get the task done on time.

If you lack in self-discipline, you will lag in productivity. Set yourself boundaries, time frames and rules – then stick to them.

How Much Money Can You Earn?

Virtual assistants can usually make between $10 to $35 an hour with a median hourly rate of about $16. It will really depend on your skills, qualifications, and experience level.

If you’re just doing data entry, the pay might not be that great.

Where To Find Virtual Assistant Jobs

If you’re ready to start making extra money on the side with a virtual assistant business, here are a few places to get started.

Freelancer Websites

FlexJobs

Upwork

People Per Hour

Social Media

In fact, this is how I got my job! By posting on social media that I was looking for VA work.

Reach Out To Potential Clients

Be friendly, don’t be pushy, and if they aren’t hiring — maybe they know someone who is?

Tips For Landing Your First VA Position

Step 1: Work On Your Skills

The first step is to define the skills that you can use as a Virtual Assistant. Not sure if you have the right skills for the job? No problem!

Put some hours aside every week to learn skills and within a few months, you will be ready to put your new knowledge to the test.

You can also sign up to Skillshare to get unlimited access to over 23,000 classes.

Click here to sign up for a 2-month free trial, which is exactly what I did to improve my organizational skills, digital marketing, video editing and photography before I started to look for jobs online.