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stitch-n-time · 5 years ago

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Can you explain how the US housing laws work? You have me interested

Short answer: they don’t.

Longer answer (because I have to work tonight and truly don’t have like 8 hours to write the thesis, because you bet your ass I could):

There is actually an internal structure that the low income housing system has been built around that makes it nearly impossible to navigate, difficult to get into, and specifically works against the people that it was supposedly built to help.

I’m actually not quite sure where to start with this, so it’s going to be all over the place and bouncing back and forth, but that’s also kind of on brand for the low income housing system.

The system as we know it is very much a post WWII thing, so the info here will be from after that point. A lot of this will be in kind of broad, sweeping terms. But since the US is like 60 different states in a trenchcoat trying to sneak into an R-rated movie, very little of it actually covers the entirety of the country. There are also state and city levels of bullshit that people have to wade through. Most people don’t make it.

I’m going to use my own experiences as an example. But know that my experiences are NOT typical. When I started down this rabbit hole, I was a 30-ish year old white woman, a part time student, presented as a professional female on a daily basis, had a fairly stable income from a job I had held for years, and a vehicle (though making payments). All of this put together meant I had it pretty easy.

Some of that caused problems, though. The vehicle was a problem. It was a newer model gently used vehicle. According to the dealership, the previous owner had traded it in because it was a manual transmission and they wanted an automatic. When I bought it, it had less than 60k miles on it and was in excellent condition. In the eyes of the people who approve the paperwork and rubber stamp applicants for low income housing, I could get rid of that vehicle, and the moneys spent on the payments and insurance could go toward housing. Which would be reasonable, except most of the US doesn’t have public transportation at all. What public transport does exist is sketchy, rarely runs on schedule, and often does not go into residential areas. I COULD have gotten rid of the car, but that would have meant a 2 mile hike to the nearest bus station, 4 hours on a bus to get to class and 5 hours on the return trip twice a week, then a 2 mile hike home OR a 2 mile hike to the nearest bus station, 4.5 hours on a bus, another 2 mile hike to get to work, and the same on the return. At that point, I would have been spending more time on the bus than either at work or school, and might as well just live on the damned thing, since all I would have time to do at home is shower and MAYBE eat a sandwich?

But that’s also typical. Part of the laws as they are written specifically state that a person or household can not own physical properties that are over a certain value, because those properties could be sold in order to elevate the person/family’s lifestyle. That also makes household absolutely reliant on public transportation, which is simply not available in many poor areas.

Which goes into redlining, and systemic racism, which is a huge part of this, but is a whole ‘nother essay.

The fact that I was a student also worked against me. If a person can afford to go to school, they can afford housing. So why would you want/need help from the government? I’m just thankful that I was a part time student when the need for low income housing arose… If you’re a full time student, you are automatically denied on any application for low income housing. There are different legal designations for “low income housing” and “student housing”. They can not exist in the same housing complex for legal reasons. So if I had been taking one more class that semester, I would have been denied, and would have been homeless.

That in itself doesn’t sound terrible. And there’s reasons for the legal differences. But think about it… What if I had been in the last semester of school and something had happened? What about the people who are both enrolled in school and are working, trying to make ends meet, trying to be able to do something better, and either their lease is up or they get evicted or… I don’t know… their house burns down or a tornado hits or suddenly medical bills? If a person fills out that paperwork while still a student, even if they say “I’m graduating next month and want to move in the month after that” they still count as a full time student and would get denied. Which means leaving school and being spit out into the post graduate world probably without a job, while being denied help with keeping a roof over their head, when it’s absolutely necessary to have a physical address while searching for a job.

Which goes into the anti-homeless way of thinking, which is a huge part of this, but is a whole ‘nother essay.

I’m going to lump the “fairly stable income from a job I had held for years” and “presented as a professional female on a daily basis” into one, because they are directly related. I had worked my way through a trade school, and had been working in the medical field for nearly 4 years. The practice was open 4 days a week. I was there 2 days, the male counterpoint was there the other 2 days. If a client preferred one of us over the other, either they scheduled appropriately, or the doctor asked us to come in for that client’s appointment time. Because a large portion of the clientele were middle aged and older, as well as conservative, the dress code reflected accordingly. Since I actually REALLY liked the job, and the doctor and his family were pretty awesome people, I dressed and styled accordingly, on a daily basis. But because the number of hours on the clock varied with the number of clients scheduled for therapy appointments, there were times when those paychecks got mighty thin. There were absolutely trends of busy seasons and light seasons. Sometimes during that light season there were days when I would go to work for a couple of hours, go home until about 3PM, then go back for 2 or 3 hours. It was hard to pin that down.

Having to explain that I could not pinpoint an amount of annual income with any accuracy while filling out the application worked against me. And just about anybody who works in retail, food service, etc. - all the jobs that people with low incomes tend to have – will tell you that they suffer the same thing. Go into work, put in a couple of hours, and have the manager come tell you to go home because it’s not busy enough to justify having people on the clock. But without having an accurate estimation of annual income (that could be verified by their calling your employer) means that the application is denied. The general consensus is that if you can’t pinpoint your annual income, then you’re lieing on the application, which means you’re untrustworthy, and therefore don’t deserve to get the help you need to keep a roof over your head.

That conservative professional look helped me here, though. I went into the office dressed well, in khakis and a nice blouse, to fill out the application and speak to the people. While I was there, another lady came in to fill out an application. This is somebody who I happened to know personally. She was also a professional, who was arguably in a slightly better place than I was because her income did not fluctuate (though it was low, as she was recovering from a divorce and most of the family income had come from her ex husband), but she was “dressed down” in shorts and a t shirt. We made the same arguments. I ended up in an apartment, and she did not.

Honestly, I was actually lucky to get into an apartment. A lot of people don’t realize it, but even with things being classified as low income housing, it takes a LOT of money to get into places. Just like every other rental in the US, before you move in, you have to pay the first month’s rent. And a deposit. And if you have pets, another deposit. And the cost of having the electricity and water turned on. And depending on the specific details of the contract you have to sign, possibly trash pickup. And if you want internet, either you pay for that and get a modem through the ISP, or you pay extra on signing the lease. And if you want to do your laundry in your home (if there’s even a hookup), there’s an extra rental fee for a washer and dryer, unless you bring your own.

I got lucky. When I applied and was approved, this particular housing development was running a “special” - if you sign a lease, you get one month rent free to use within 12 months of signing. I had to use it immediately. With all the extra fees and everything else, I could either pay for the rent OR the deposit, but not both – so I paid the deposit and laughingly told them I’d like to use that free month on the first month, immediately, right now, please and thank you, now where’s my key? They almost turned me away at that point.

I honestly believe that if it hadn’t been for my professional clothing and the fact that I could point to a couple of scabs on my face, that I would have been denied at that point. (The scabs were from a dog. I had been renting a room from a “friend” who is no longer a friend. Her dog bit my face, and instead of punishing the dog, she decided I needed to move out that weekend. Note: this is literally the ONLY time I’ve had a dog bite me, despite having been around them most of my life, and this particular dog had snapped at multiple people before.)

Which goes into classism, which is a huge part of this, but is a whole ‘nother essay.

Now the thing that has been on my last nerve for a few years now is a good one. The laws state that if your household changes in any way, you have to fill out the application again. Doesn’t matter if you literally got approved the day before: you fill it out again. Because there have been household changes. It doesn’t sound terrible at all, but I know somebody who got evicted from low income housing and ended up homeless because his wife left. Suddenly the household size was smaller, but had the same income, and it was over the limit for the household size. Sorry not sorry you have to go. I know somebody who was evicted for “falsified paperwork” because she had a baby and was in the hospital for 2 weeks, so didn’t get the paperwork in on time. They ended up in a homeless shelter (in this city, homeless shelters are more expensive than a lot of low income housing). Now she’s in debt that she’ll probably never get out of, due to that.

What’s more is that the eligibility requirements to be able to pass those income thresholds change constantly. Out of curiosity, I tracked the changes over the course of a year. Just checking on the first of the month. In a single year, the income requirements changed 10 times. It’s not easy to keep track of, and there’s not much reason to track it unless it’s literally part of your job, in order to keep in compliance with the laws.

My own personal gripe is much less severe than that. I can’t get married. Technically, my fiance can’t live with me. On paper, he lives with his parents, miles away. But he spends most of his time in my apartment, which is under my name only, because I’m disabled (but ineligible for disability) and need his help. We’ve been together for a decade. We’ve been engaged for over 5 years. But if we get married, then the household changes, and we have to fill out the paperwork and get approved again. The thing is: if we put together our incomes into one “household” income, we would never be eligible for low income housing. Which means we would have to move out.

Moving out comes with it’s own difficulties. Because of the paperwork you have to sign to lease low income housing – and depending on where you are because 60 states in a trenchcoat – there are hoops to jump through. The lease in this particular development, you get a choice. If you break the lease you either a) pay the full amount of rent on the apartment through the end of the lease term or b) pay two months’ rent on the apartment after termination of the lease. So not only would we have to find other housing that we could afford (with all of the move in fees, deposits, transfer of service fees for utilities, bla bla bla), we would also have to pay 2 months’ rent on top of everything else. Which means either borrowing literally thousands of dollars from an individual – banks won’t do loans for this – or having to decide which bills get paid and which don’t while surviving off of ramen noodles for months at a time. Which… uh… would not work well with the man-thing’s diabetes.

Which all goes into respectability politics, and deciding whether or not poor people deserve to have stability and emotional fulfillment, which is a huge part of this, but is a whole ‘nother essay.

Now this may sound like a whole lot of personal whining. And it kind of is. But I can’t speak for anybody else. This is my personal interactions with these people and with the laws behind their behavior. But it’s the laws themselves that are written to be exclusive of the people that need help the most.

Homeless people can not apply, because they don’t have a current address.

Unemployed people can not apply, because they don’t have an income.

Full time students can not apply, because of the legal definitions of the different types of housing.

People with “disposable” property (such as cars) are often denied because they could turn those assets into monies.

People who rely on that “disposable” property for work are unable to take advantage of low income housing due to the above.

People of color who have been relegated to specific neighborhoods where public transportation is not available due to the redlining of the last century are unable to take advantage of low income housing due to the above.

People who do not have thousands of dollars readily available are denied because they can not pay both the deposit and rent.

People who face employment discrimination (even though it’s illegal) are denied because they can not provide proof of steady income.

People who have bounced from employer to employer are often denied for the same reason.

People who have successfully gained low income housing are often unable to change anything about their household.

People who have successfully gained low income housing are often unable to get out of it if their situation improves.

All of it is written into the laws surrounding the housing itself.

So…. Yeah. It doesn’t work. But if you want me to actually get into the nitty gritty, I can start actually researching. But somebody’s gotta pay me for it.

#long post is long #hey nonny nonny #what was that?

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lovemesomesurveys · 5 years ago

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Ready to answer 151 Questions? 1. When was the last time you swam in a pool? Like 6/7 years ago. 2. Do you like to party? My idea of a party is a small get together with friends just chillin’ with food and music. Maybe play some boardgames. Just super laid back. Crazy party scenes with a shitload of people I don’t even know is not my thing at all. That all being said, I haven’t been to a party in like 3 years. 3. If your ex suddenly kissed you right now, what would you do? I can’t even imagine a scenario where that would happen now. We haven’t talked or seen each other in almost 5 years. For that to happen, that would mean we were talking and hanging out again and yeah, don’t see that happening. Plus, SO much has changed for the both of us. Our ship sailed a longggg time ago. 4. Are you a virgin? Yes. 5. What are your parents views on your relationships? Ty and I never dated, but my parents really liked him. My mom definitely thought something was going on and she was rooting for us, ha.

6. If you ran into your current boyfriend/crush in 10 years, would you marry them? I don’t have a boyfriend or a crush right now. But also, I wouldn’t just marry someone I bumped into 10 years later. Like, a LOT would have changed in that amount of time. Just because I dated or was interested in someone doesn’t mean things would be the same seeing each other that many years later. Would the feelings come back? Would we still vibe? What are we doing in our life at that time? Are we both single? 7. Is your best friend dating anyone? My mom has been with my dad for over 30 years. 8. Describe the shirt you’re wearing? It’s a tie-shirt with pastel colors. 9. Do people who wear Hollister and Abrerbrombie every day bother you? I really don’t care. 10. Could you go out in public without wearing make-up? I’ve been doing that for the past few years. To think that there was a time I would have never done that... 11. What is one feature that you don’t like? On me? I mean, everything, but my smile/teeth for one. 12. Would people describe you as happy? No. 13. Are you single? Yep. 14. Does it bother you that pretty much every survey you take asks if you’re single? Yes or questions about relationships. 15. Do you have Tumblr? Duhhh.

16. What about Xanga? Aww, RIP Xanga. 17. Have you ever babysat before? Yeah, my younger brother and a couple of my cousins when they were kids. 18. Is there a teacher who you absolutely hate? I had two awful math professors in community college. Like, they were horrible. 19. Ever shopped at Sephora? Yeah. 20. If your current boyfriend/crush suddenly moved away, what would you do? 21. Do you have any university plans? I graduated with my BA five years ago. I’m not going any further. 22. If your best friend revealed she was a homosexual, what would you do? I mean, it would definitely come as a huge shock if my mom came out now. Of course it wouldn’t change anything between us, but things would be different for awhile. Like, it would take time to get used to a new normal, one where she’s not with my dad who she’s been with for over 30 years and one where she’s with a woman. 23. What are your views on sex? Be safe. If you’re an adult and it’s consensual then I don’t see an issue. 24. Do sexual questions bother you? No. I just don’t have much to say on the matter. 25. Would you rather have sex with your boyfriend or break up? Wth. 26. Have you ever dreamed about your wedding? Nope. 27. Does it bother you when people TYpe 1yk dis’? Omg. I’m so glad I don’t see that anymore. That seemed to die when Myspace did. 28. Do you delete pictures of you and your exes off of Facebook? There’s still photos of Joseph and I. *shrug* 29. Would you ever date a friends Ex? No. 30. What’s the last book you read? The Girl and the Hunt by AJ Rivers. 31. Ready for 10 simple questions? Sure. 32. What is your last name? Stephanie. 33. What grade are you in? I graduated college 5 years ago, I’m done. 34. What school do you go to? 35. Summer, Fall, Winter or Spring? Fall and winter. 36. Favorite Color? Pastels, rose gold, yellow, coral, mint green. 37. Are your parents together? Yes. 38. Any siblings? I have two brothers. 39. Favorite subject? Psychology.

40. Least favorite subject? Math. 41. Favorite song? I could never just choose one. 42. Okay. Simple questions are over. Happy? I don’t care. 43. How many friends do you have on Facebook? 150ish. 44. Ever been requested by some old guy from another country? They weren’t old, but yeah I’ve had several requests from men from other countries. 45. Have you ever googled yourself? Yeah. 46. Have a Formspring? I used to. I suppose it still exists out there since I never deleted it. I haven’t been on there in several years, though. 47. You’re offered free tickets to a Justin Bieber concert. What do you do? Probably decline the offer. I actually do like both his current and previous album, but I don’t know if I’d want to go to his concert. *shrug* I also don’t know anyone who would go with me and I wouldn’t go alone. 48. Would you rather spend the day at an amusement park or a water park? Amusement park. I don’t do water slides and whatnot. 49. Been to Disney world? Nope, but I’d love to go. I’ve been to Disneyland several times, though. 50. If someone posts their status “9 Inches :(” do you know what they mean? Sounds like one of those things where people post a random status from a list of things that will likely get people’s attention and whoever comments on it is privately sent said list of thing and they then choose something to post as their status and so on. That was a popular game thing on Facebook years ago. 51. Ever had a boyfriend? Yes.

52. Ever had a huge crush on someone who still doesn’t know? I’ve had crushes on guys who never knew, but the really serious ones (there were 5) all knew. 53. Have you done something in the last week that you regret? Yes. 54. Ever drank alcohol? Yeah. I drank in my early 20s until I was 24. 55. Know anyone who’s currently doing drugs? Yeah. 56. Ever watched The Hills? Yeah, the OG one and the reboot that came out last year. 57. What about Jersey Shore? No, I never got into that one. 58. Ever called someone a slut? I’ve said that jokingly to friends. 59. What do you think of short shorts? I don’t wear them. Or any length of shorts. 60. Does it bother you if people swear around you? No. I think it’s funny because my dad is still weird about cussing in front of me and so is our family friend. She always apologizes to me if she does it. 61. Have you ever gotten an A in a subject? I mostly got A’s and B’s throughout school with some C’s because of stupid math. 62. What about a B? ^^^ 63. And a C? ^^^ 64. How about a D? No. 65. Ever skived? What’s that? 66. Would you consider yourself popular and outcast or somewhere in the middle? I’d say I was the outcast. I mean, I had some friends, but I really just didn’t stand out or fit in. 67. Are most of your friends older or younger than you? My friends were my age or a year younger. Ty was the only one who was older than me (just by a year). 68. Ever been stabbed in the back by a close friend? Yes. 69. Do you think it’s immature when people laugh at the number 69? I have my immature moments, too. That one doesn’t do it for me, though. 70. Ever watched porn? I’ve seen it, but it wasn’t for my viewing pleasure or anything. I just personally don’t get the appeal. 71. How many laws do you think you’ve broken in the past month? I don’t think I’ve broken any. I don’t do anything or go anywhere, ha. 72. Do you wake up with an alarm clock? Yeah. I’d sleep later than 3PM if I didn’t and I don’t know, for some reason I don’t want to. Not like I have anything better to do, but *shrug* 73. Do you prefer Wednesdays or Thursdays? Makes no difference to me. 74. If your school had a Glee Club would you join? No. I can’t sing. I’m surprised I did choir for a few years in elementary school. 75. Ever performed in a talent show? My 2nd grade class did. We did “This Little Light of Mine” with a few very simple hand movements that went along with it. 76. Have you ever cried in public? Yeah. For the most part it’s only been at funerals and doctor appointments, but there have been a few other times in public where I felt the tears coming and tried to fight them back, but they started coming out anyway. I’m definitely someone who doesn’t like to cry in front of other people, so when it happens then you know it’s bad. 77. Do you have a favorite between your Mom and your Dad? I love both of my parents, but my mom and I have a closer relationship. She’s my best friend. I truly don’t know what I’d do without her. 78. Would you audition for a reality talent competition? Nooo. I have zero talent. 79. How many celebrity crushes have you had? A lot. 80. How many non-celebrity crushes have you had? A lot. 81. Name 5 male celebrities who you think are attractive. Alexander Skarsgard, Henry Cavill, Chris Evans, Matt Bomer, and Chris Pratt. 82. Name 5 female celebrities who you think are attractive. Margot Robbie, Jennifer Lopez, Ariana Grande, Hailey Baldwin, and Natalie Portman. 83. Ever been compared to a celebrity? Ha, no. 84. Have any embarrassing pictures on Facebook? If someone uploads a photo of me that I don’t approve of it gets deleted asap. 85. Do you think spending £20 on Lip Gloss is a waste of money? That’s too much to me. 86. Are you opinionated? I do have my opinions I feel strongly about, but I also consider myself to be openminded. I’m open to hearing different sides of things. I want to. And it’s certainly possible for my opinion to change. 87. Do you have a favorite store? BoxLunch, Hot Topic, Kohl’s, Target, and Bath & Body Works. 88. Would you ever wear Flare Jeans? No. 89. Do you own jeans that aren’t skinny? Nope. 90. Have you ever worn the same outfit twice in one week? Yeah. *gasp* Call the fashion police! 91. What’s the longest period of time you’ve been away from school? Well, I graduated college 5 years ago if that counts. But if you mean like while I was still going to school, then a few months. I had to miss school 3 times for a few months because I had to have surgery. One of the times was when I was supposed to start UC, but ended up having to start the following semester instead. 92. Do you google abbreviations you don’t understand? Yeah. 93. Does it bother you when people have cats as their profile picture? I don’t care? 94. Own a pair of converse? Yes. 95. Is there a teacher at your school who has obvious favorites? 96. If yes, are you one of them? 97. Do you text in class? I never did that. I was a goody-goody lol. 98. What brand of jeans do you wear the most? I haven’t worn jeans at all in like 3 years, ha, but anyway most of my jeans are the Arizona brand from JCP. They’re the perfect fit for me and they’re reasonably priced. 99. At what point do you think sizes are “Plus Sized?” According to Google, it starts at size 16. 100. Do you want to lose weight? Nooo. I’m too underweight as it is. I need to gain weight. 101. Ever seen a therapist? No, but I should. 102. Ever watched porn? Yeah, I’ve seen some of it. I didn’t watch out of enjoyment, though. I don’t get the appeal, personally. 103. Ever purposely ignored a text? Yes. 104. A facebook message? Yes. 105. A poke? I always ignored those. That was a dumb feature Facebook had. 106. A friend request? Yeah. I don’t accept a request from anyone I don’t know. 107. Would you say you read into things too much? Yepppp. 108. Is your best friend more likely to be the one suggesting something stupid or refusing to do something stupid? Refusing. 109. Do you have a “fun friend?” (A friend who you have tons of fun with but you never really have deep conversations?) No. 110. Ever been called a bully? No. 111. Ever purposely hurt yourself? Yes. 112. Ever gone to church? Yes. I used to go sometimes with both sets of grandparents when I was a kid. They were of different religions, so that began my complicated and non-existent relationship with religion. That changed a few years ago, though, and now I’m a Christian. For over a year I’ve only been listening to the audio version a local church uploaded to their website every Sunday until they started uploading video earlier this year. The past few months they’ve been doing live streams because of the quarantine/lockdown, but they’ll be continuing that going forward for those like me who aren’t able to physically attend. I plan to when I’m able, though. 113. Would you call either of your parents screw ups? Absolutely not! 114. If you turned out exactly like your mom would you be pleased? Yes. 115. What do you want to do with your life? I don’t know. That’s the problem.

116. Let me guess… You have brown hair? Naturally, yes, but not currently. 117. Already know what you’re being for Halloween? I don’t dress up or do anything for Halloween anymore. The past few years I’ve just stayed home and watched scary movies. I do for the whole month of October, though. 118. Do you still go Trick or Treating? Uh, no. I’m going to be 31 years old this year. 119. Ever liked someone WAY older than you? Celebrities, but not anyone “in real life.” 120. Does it bother you when people have really loud conversations on the bus? It didn’t really bother me back when I had to take the bus sometimes in college. 121. When you have sunglasses on, do you stare at people? I don’t wear sunglasses. Also, staring is rude. I’ve had to deal with people staring at me, mostly kids, all my life. Not cool. 122. Ever had a credit card denied? No. 123. What’s the last movie you watched? Parts of James and the Giant Peach yesterday. 124. Last TV Show? The Golden Girls. 125. You see your Ex making out with one of your friends. What do you do? I don’t have any friends, but I imagine I wouldn’t like seeing that. 126. Ever been called a whore? Jokingly. 127. Are you american? Yes. 128. Ever made yourself throw up? No. 129. Have you ever kissed someone who wasn’t your boyfriend? Yes. Joseph and I did that for the entire time of whatever it was we had going on. 130. Are you Cute or Gross? I’m trash. 131. Does it bother you when people say “LOOK HOW MUCH YOU’VE GROWN!”? No one has said that to me in a very long time. I don’t recall being bothered by it, though. 132. Can you say intelligent things around the guy you like? I don’t like anyone, currently. 133. Ever had the lead in a play? Nope. Never tried out for a play either. 134. What about a solo in a concert? Ha, no. I was in choir in elementary school for a few years, but there definitely weren’t any solo parts for me. 135. What kind of a student are you? I did well. 136. Worst subject? It was always math. 137. Best subject? English. 138. Ever had a crush on a teacher? No. 139. Would it bother you if you found out that your mother was pregnant? She had a hysterectomy several years ago. 140. How late do you sleep in? Until like 230 or 3ish. 141. Do you edit your profile pictures before posting them? I use a filter. 142. Be 100% honest. Do you have any friends who are uglier than you? I was the ugly friend. 143. Do you believe in love? Well, yeah. It exists. I just feel like I’ll never experience romantic love. I’ve been in love twice, but both times were unrequited. I can’t imagine finding love in return and someone who actually wants to be with me. 144. Would you consider yourself a good student? Didn’t you ask this? 145. Does it bother you when Surveys ask “Did you like this survey?” It just seems kinda pointless cause they likely won’t see it. 146. Salty, Sweet, Sour or Spicy? Salty and sweet. I would have said spicy back in the day, but I can’t eat spicy food anymore. Haven’t been able to for the past few years. D: 147. Are you going into High School this year? Nooooo. Thank goodness. I did my time and graduated over 10 years ago. 148. What about Junior High? Omg, no. I’m old. 149. What is one thing someone could say to you right now that would make you cry? Let’s not try and make me cry. It’s almost 7AM, I should be asleep. 150. Where did you find this note? LiveJournal. 151. Last question. How many unread messages are in your phone? I don’t leave any unread text messages.

#personal #text #survey #surveys

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lauren-nabors · 5 years ago

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day ??? of quarantine

today is easter sunday, april 12th.

we’ve been quarantined for 26 days. our restaurant’s dining room’s have been closed for 25 days. tensions are high, emotions are flowing, people are feeling all the feels. everyone except me, that is...

i have felt nothing this entire month. i haven’t cried once. i haven’t been all that angry. sure, i’ve been tired and i haven’t slept well and i’ve been bored and frustrated that there isn’t more to do. i was disappointed when our foster care class was canceled. but honestly, i haven’t felt much emotion at all. my anxiety hasn’t skyrocketed. i don’t feel scared. i am not paranoid of the virus or of getting sick (i’ve never been a germaphone anyway so i don’t feel panicky in the way that other people do). i told clif the other day, i keep waiting to cry or to just lose it on someone. i know those emotions are there somewhere under the surface...surely? i don’t know what’s going on. i guess because i feel anxiety all the time in normal life and i always feel like i’m waiting for something bad to happen or for “the other shoe to drop” so to say -- and this is the bad thing, at least for now. so it’s here and maybe it’s not so bad after all for me at least (that feels like a horrible thing to say because it is bad for so many people and so many have lost their lives or their loved ones and in cities like nyc it’s horrendous beyond belief) i’m also a pretty adaptable person so maybe it’s more that this feels like something i can adapt to for the time being and so my role in this is to be that person that keeps moving... and when it’s all over perhaps i’ll crash and burn?

as for other, non-mental-health-related things, since i last posted things changed in our world even more. everything is different as we know it. all non-essential businesses are closed (gyms, spas, clothing stores, etc) and restaurants can still only do carry-out and curbside. our team has continued to adapt well, i am proud of how we’ve handled things. we cut our hours from 7am to 6pm, and then about two weeks ago we cut them even further back to 3pm. it just didn’t make sense to stay open and run the labor clock out when we were so slow. for the most part our customers have been supportive and understanding. we’ve had the occasional angry customer that said “well google says you’re open until 8pm” and it’s like, ‘well sure but this is also a pandemic and everyone is closing early so maybe stop trusting google so much and just expect that things might be different.’

church has been online for us since i last posted. we’ve been doing Redeemer west side live streams, which honestly has been encouraging for my soul to sing old hymns with Tom Jennings and hear our friend Kate from our old community group lead the prayers of the people and to see David Bisgrove’s face each week and have him lead us in the Lord’s Prayer. there’s so much we miss about Redeemer so this is both a source of comfort to us but also creating a longing and an ache that will have consequences for us when this is all over...

we’ve seen very few friends in person but we’ve facetimed with so many that we wouldn’t have ordinarily. brendon & theresa, my college girls, jen & matt a lot, my mom and dad almost everyday. it’s funny but i think i miss my mom more than anything, this is the longest i’ve not seen her since we moved back to this area after nyc. the other night we played a game online with Boyd and Sarah while on Zoom with them. it was lots of fun. Zoom is a thing now... it’s not that important.

of course our president has handled this poorly. he is the absolute worst person you want leading your country in a time like this. he isn’t a leader at all, he’s a petty child who wants all the credit for things he should’ve done anyway. instead of leading, he takes to twitter or tv every chance he can get to say “look what i did! look what i did!” Dr. Fauci, head of infectious diseases for the CDC is leading our country through this. Gov. Andrew Cuomo of NYC has also had a profound impact not just on his state but on our country through his leadership. the situation in the city is so much worse and scarier and more real than it is here. maybe my feelings would be different (emotion-wise) if we still lived in nyc. obviously because of the denseness, the death count is so much higher there. they are building pop-up tent hospitals in central park, and facing real challenges of how to bury all the bodies of those who have passed away from the virus. KFed is a nurse at Mt. Sinai and it’s crazy seeing her photos of her in her protective gear. Brendon told us that no one is taking the subways in the city. he needed some things from his office so he walked from their apartment on 158th to his work in the 20′s. it took him all day. but he didn’t want to risk any contamination and Theresa is now high-risk because she’s pregnant (what the what?!?!?! omg so exciting! praise the Lord!)

people are wearing masks everywhere. there are lines outside of grocery stores because they can only have a certain amount of people in the building at one time. our unemployment count in our country is higher than it’s ever been, higher than during the great depression. the economic fall-out from this will last for years to come. the senate did finally pass a 2T stimulus package called the CARES act. it has some provisions for small businesses to get money that could be forgivable if used on certain things. we applied and got accepted for both restaurants -- we will get money to spend mostly on payroll and some other overhead expenses in 8 weeks once the money is funded. they are also sending a check to every american who made under $130K last year -- so we’re supposedly getting a check sometime for $2400 ($1200 per person and $500 per kid for those families who qualify). hopefully we’ll get some of our staff back to work and extended our hours back to 6, since we won’t have to be as worried about our labor costs being high.

i guess that’s about all i can think to update for now. as for what clif and i have been up to, well... we’ve taken a “cocktail walk” almost everyday. around 4pm we’ve made cocktails and taken them with us as we walk Lenny around the park and say hello to those of our neighbors who are outside, too. the weather has been great so we’ve been very lucky in that regard. we’ve done some yard work and clif has been doing some drawing and lots of bread baking. we’re trying to eat at home 5 nights/week and eat out the other 2. to spread the local love around, we’ve enjoyed Progress burgers, Farmer’s Gastropub, Everyday Thai, Craft Sushi and I think tonight we’ll get either Bambino’s or Los Cabos. i haven’t been doing too much because i’m not a “hobby” person so I don’t do well with stuff like this where you have to stay inside and pass the time. i’ve been reading a lot, that’s about it. here are some photos from the past few weeks:

feeding healthcare workers in partnership with local organizations has been a highlight for us! this is Cox Hospital staff here.

we’ve been selling both bread and flour like crazy. there has been a flour shortage in grocery stores so we’ve sold probably more flour in the last 3 weeks than in the 20 year history of neighbor’s mill.

hot cross buns for easter -- didn’t do hardly what we would’ve normally for a holiday weekend baking-wise but we still had to do these gorgeous buns and some festive cookies and cupcakes.

we were on the front page of the Newsleader as a “small business adapting during the time of COVID” -- we had some blowback from the photo of our bakers shaping dough without gloves on, but all ended well as we took the time to educate and had positive responses from most of our customers

our bread at Price Cutter -- i feel like the poor stock workers were like “screw up, it’s gonna be gone in three hours anyway, let’s just leave it on the dolly”

boredom leads clif to many funny and creative things, though not always useful -- here he made a concrete cup mold

my dad on KY3 for a story about local support of restaurants in Harrison

a quarantine meal when food was low -- let’s see what’s in the fridge!

said game we played with Boyd and Sarah where we had to draw different prompts -- i am a terrible drawer!

afternoon rose and popcorn while Lenny plays and wanders -- we began sitting on the front porch just so we could see anyone walking by on the street and have the chance to chat and be social from a distance

not much has changed with the animals

chalk art outside Cox South main entrance

lol...”i thought you said CLAMdemic” card from Donita

sign we purchased to put in front of our restaurant -- strange times

#COVID19 #coronavirus #quarantine

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niall-is-my-dream · 6 years ago

Text

Songbird - Part One

“When Erin decides to perform one of her favourite songs at a bar, she didn’t expect one of the singers, Niall Horan, to be in the audience. What started as an appreciation for her cover quickly turns into more than either bargained for.”

(Previously known as Fools Gold, this fic has been edited, reworked and finally finished!)

Thanks to @angryniall for being an amazing beta!

As always let me know what you think.

Em x

3065 words

Niall's POV

You really hadn't wanted to go out last Friday night, you'd barely gotten over your jet lag and would have preferred to lie on the sofa watching golf. However the lads said it was going to be a quiet one, at a place with live music and that they weren't going to be late back.

You were immediately pleased with your decision to go out when this absolutely beautiful girl stepped out on stage and started singing. When she reached her final song you couldn't believe it when she sat with her guitar and sung Fools Gold. A song you'd helped write and had performed on your recent tour. You quickly started filming her, she played it well.

God was there anything better than seeing an absolutely stunning girl sitting with just a guitar and singing one of your songs.

You'd clapped when she had finished, watching her pack away her guitar, before walking off towards the bar, talking to a few people along the way. She stopped by a lad at the bar and he brought her a pint of Guinness.

She was perfect.

Was that lad her boyfriend?

She hadn't kissed him when she greeted him and she'd not sat down with him. Instead she was sat next to another couple.

"Hey Nialler, it's rude to stare!" Deo had said laughing.

"What?! Wasn't staring at anything, just looking around." You'd replied.

"She sang your song well didn't she?" Willie had said, when he realised where you'd been looking.

"Yeah, really well, was going to send it to the lads."

"Maybe go over and ask her permission before you do that?"

"Yeah, maybe." You'd nervously replied.

"Have another drink for courage mate!" He'd laughed.

And you had.

Then ten minutes later when she'd gone back to the bar, you'd looked over catching her friends eye and decided to go talk to her.

She was even better in person. Her beautiful blue eyes sparkled when she spoke. You couldn't believe it when she said she'd been to your London gig, and that she liked it. She was a fan but not a crazy stalker one who waits outside tv studios for you, she was a fan who listened to your music, really listened and then learnt how to play it.

Now you were sat here, phone in hand having just received the lads response to the video recording of her singing Fools Gold. They'd loved it and said she was brilliant.

You wanted to message her, but nerves had engulfed you. It had been 5 days since you'd seen her. Had you left it too long to message? You did say you'd message once you'd heard from them all.

God why was this so hard?

You'd messaged girls before. But there was something about Erin, you hadn't stopped thinking about her.

After writing and deleting a message about ten times, you settled on keeping it simple.

"Hi Erin, the boys loved seeing the video I sent them. Hope you're ok and work isn't too busy. Niall x"

Was the kiss at the end too much?

Placing your phone next to you on the sofa and letting out a massive sigh, you browsed through the sports channels. A long and tense hour later and your phone vibrated beside you.

"Hi Niall, it's good to hear from you, glad they liked it and didn't think I was an idiot! Work isn't too busy actually, doing a few night shifts right up until Xmas eve. Hope you're enjoying your time off. Erin x"

She had put a kiss at the end. You smiled at the sight of it.

Not wanting to sound too eager to maybe spend some time with her, but not being able to help being direct, you replied with.

"Are you working over Xmas? I'm off now for a few weeks until end of January. Going home to ireland on the 23rd till the 28th. Looking forward to eating loads of my mother's cooking! X"

"Nothing better than your mother's cooking is there? I'm in on Xmas eve on the night shift till 7am then I'll go to my parents and sleep off the shift and probably stuff my face with my mother's Xmas dinner. Back in 7am on the 28th."

You let out a laugh at her reply.

"Ha! Stuff your face! Think I'll be the same, my mother always cooks like there's 50 people coming when in reality it's normally about 10 of us. Where do your parents live?"

"Not far only in Bishops Stortford in Hertfordshire. My dad will drive and pick me up as I don't have a car, don't find I need one much."

"I sold my car a while ago as I just wasn't using it, I've just been away for 7 weeks so it would have just sat unused that whole time. I tend to use the tube or borrow my cousins car who I live with."

"The tube?! That's brave! Do girls follow you around when they spot you?"

"Not really recognised much, you know what people are like on the tube they don't even look at each other!"

"Ha! I suppose! I just get on and look at my phone then hear my stop and get off."

"Londoners aren't exactly the most social on the tube!"

"No they're not! So you live with your cousin then?"

"Yeah, he moved to London around the same time I did so we decided to live together. He's one of my best friends so we spend a lot of time together. Makes sense that we live together any way, he can keep an eye on the place when I'm not here. Do you live with anyone?"

Did she have a boyfriend? You weren't sure you were ready to ask her outright yet.

"No, just moved out from a house share to a place of my own, managed to buy a place. Just a little one bed flat, but its good to be on my own. Hated sharing with my friends, they're so fucking noisy! I'm loving the peace and quiet."

"Congrats on getting your own place. Luckily my cousin is pretty quiet. No wild parties here!"

"Sure there isnt! I'm sorry Niall but I've got to go to work now, got to go deliver some babies! Maybe chat again? X"

"That's ok Petal, you go deliver those babies! And yes, I would love to chat again, message me soon xxxx"

You sat back further on the sofa, placing your phone beside you again. Had you sounded a bit desperate with your last message? Was 4 kisses at the end too much?

Oh god what had got into you!

"You ok Niall?" Willie asked, as he walked into the living room.

"Yeah, just text that girl from Friday."

"Oh yeah, what did you say?"

"Just chatted a bit, she's got to go to work now, night shift at a hospital." You said with a sigh.

"Sounds like you like her?!" He smirked.

"I do, she's different from other girls, don't know how. Just something about her."

"She got a boyfriend?"

"Don't know I didn't ask, didn't want to seem pushy. She said she'd message me soon when she's not working, I'll ask her then."

You both sat and chatted with each other for a bit, having a couple of beers before you both went to bed.

The next morning you woke up to a message.

"Hey Niall I hope this message doesn't wake you up, downside of a 1am break! Was really great talking to you earlier, sorry I had to cut it short and head to work. Hope we can talk again soon. Erin Xxxx"

A smile spread across your face, you looked at your clock it was 7:30am not normally a time you'd be up but jetlag had messed with your sleep schedule. She'd be on her way home now you thought.

"Was great to wake up to your message, hope you had a good night at work. Text when you wake up later would love to talk more xxxx"

You couldn't wait till later.

********

Erin's POV

You smiled as you sat on the tube home, reading Niall's message. You'd replied straight away.

"Work was hectic lots of babies! Can't wait to sleep, will message later, have a good day xxxx"

You had managed to get through the night shift at work without daydreaming of Niall. You'd not mentioned your texts to anyone, especially not Kathy. She was the one you'd been to the concert with. Her daughter Lyla was a massive fan, so she had brought 4 tickets and invited you and one of Lyla's school friends to go. If she knew you'd met him, and had been texting him she would freak out. She was a good friend, but you weren't ready to share this secret with anyone just yet.

You climbed into bed at 8am and set your alarm for 3pm. You were on another night shift tonight so you knew you'd need at least 7 hours sleep in preparation for another 12 hour night.

Your shifts weren't too bad. You normally did two 12 hour night shifts a week and two 8 hour day ones. You'd picked up a few extra longer shifts the last two weeks, as you'd got a few days off over Christmas, so wanted to help out before hand.

You fell asleep almost instantly, thoughts of Niall swimming in your head.

Your alarm woke you from your slumber. Your first thought was Niall. When you'd had been texting yesterday before work the conversation had been easy. You text him straight away, hoping you'd be able to chat before you went into work later.

"Hey I'm awake now if you're free to chat? X"

He replied within minutes.

"Afternoon Erin. You sleep well? X"

"Yeah, not too bad. Got 7 hours. Just about to get some food. Got to leave by 6pm to get to work again."

"Ah that sucks, was hoping we could hang out sometime before I go back to Ireland. I'm busy tomorrow and then I'm flying the day after that. Unless you have a boyfriend and can't?"

He's asking about a boyfriend.

Do not freak out!

"Yeah I'm sorry, I'm now regretting signing up for extra shifts! Maybe when you're back? And no I don't have a boyfriend."

"Definitely, there's always texting and maybe face time over Xmas?"

Oh my god!

He wants to face time.

Fuck!

Be cool!

"I'd like that. How was your day?"

"Did some last minute shopping and then wrapped some of it. Have left it till the last minute again!"

"Well you have been busy touring! Bet the shops were packed!"

"They were and I got spotted a few times which delayed it. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind having pictures with fans, but I just wanted to get in and get out today! Currently lounging on the sofa again!"

Then he sent an absolutely gorgeous selfie of himself lying on his sofa. He looked unreal. You could feel your body heating up from just that one photo.

"God that sofa looks comfy!" You replied cheekily.

"It is, just a shame you have to go to work. There's a space here for you next to me."

Your heart was beating so fast in your chest at this point that you thought it might explode.

"Hey! don't tease!"

You were thoroughly enjoying this carefree flirting you had going on.

"Ha! Sorry! What you cooking then?"

"Oh it's very exciting!" You replied as you took a picture of your stir fry.

"Looks good. You'll have to let me come over and cook for you some time. X"

"That's a deal! X"

The text messages just kept bouncing back and forth, until you were putting your stuff in your locker at work. You took a selfie of yourself in your scrubs and sent it to him.

"Got to go now, babies to deliver. X"

"Never seen anyone look so sexy in scrubs before! X"

"Piss take! X"

"Ha! No seriously you look beautiful Erin, hope work goes ok. 😘"

He had ended your messages with a kiss emoji. You internally squealed, the smile you had on your face was definitely not going away.

Another shift ended and you got your stuff from your locker to find he had messaged you again. You'd not had much chance to stop for a break so hadn't checked your phone in 12 hours. But there it was, a single message from Niall that definitely brightened up your morning.

"Hey I guess when you read this it will be morning. So good morning, hope work was ok. Can't wait to chat later, keep looking at your picture. I'm doing work stuff today but can reply. Can't wait to hear from you. X"

Honestly this whole texting thing was surreal. You replied, deciding to be cheeky and add the kiss emoji on the end like he had done last night.

"Morning Niall, hope you slept well, can't wait to sleep, my feet hurt! I will send you a much better picture than my scrubs one, I promise. 😘 Will message later x"

Jumping on the tube with all the early commuters on their way to work, you couldn't wait to get home. Work was about a 45 minutes trip and you soon made it back to your flat. After a quick shower to freshen up you threw on some cosy pyjamas and climbed into bed.

You didn't sleep long as you were not working that night and were on a day shift the next day. Niall had said he was working, but you text him just after 1pm when you woke up. It felt weird to be texting him like this when you had only just met. The messages had gotten quite flirty, and as much as you loved it you weren't expecting it to materialise into anything. This was Niall Horan for fucks sake, why would he want you?

This was only a bit of fun and you needed to remember that.

You messaged him saying hi and that you had just woken up and were about to take a shower, needing to wash your hair ready for this evening. By the time he messaged back, you had dressed in jeans and a long sleeve cotton top and dried your hair.

"Hey you, sorry only just replying I was in an interview. How was your sleep? You working tonight? X"

"Its ok, how was your interview? No I'm off tonight but back in tomorrow at 9am. I have a works thing tonight in Camden tonight, going to The Colonel Fawcett as they do loads of awesome gins, but won't be drinking much. X"

"Sounds fun, I'm catching up with some friends for a Christmas drink tonight to. Interview was ok, it was for a golf thing I'm going to next month. X"

"Golf? You play?"

"Yeah love it, it's not a boring old man's game!"

"Never said it was!"

"Ha! Most people think it is! So have you told anyone that we've been messaging?"

"No, I haven't"

"What no one?"

"No, I thought you'd prefer the discretion, plus no need for me to tell anyone. Have you?"

"Just my cousin, he was the one who encouraged me to come and talk to you."

"You weren't going to come over?"

"No, was too nervous, but he said I should probably ask your permission to send the boys the video of you, and may have given me a gentle nudge in your direction!"

So the nervousness he had shown when he was talking to you had been real. He was so sweet, you really felt like you had got to know him over the last few days. The real him, not the one standing up on stage in front of thousands of people. You didn't hesitate with your reply.

"Ha! Well I'm glad he did, I really enjoy talking to you. X"

"Me to. I have another interview now so I'll message you in a bit. X"

He did message you back, 45 mins later as you were cleaning up your flat and sorting through Christmas presents. You'd started to sort out your bag to take home with you too. Your dad was going to come here for your stuff and then collect you from work early Christmas morning.

You began messaging back and forth again, this time getting more and more flirty. He practically begged you for a picture when you were ready to go out and you asked for one in return. You'd smiled and bit your lip nervously as you took it. Your fitted black knee length skirt hugged your curves well and you'd teamed it with black heels and a dark blue floaty top. Your naturally curly red hair was tucked over one shoulder.

He replied straight away and caused an instant blush on your cheeks.

"Wow, you look fucking amazing!"

"Ha! Thanks, now where's my picture???!!!"

He sent one to you, he was wearing his trademark dark blue jeans and a white long sleeve cotton v neck top, a little bit of chest hair visible. God you wanted to run your fingers through it. He'd styled his hair with a high flick and was doing his smouldering look.

"Ooohhh hello! Where's the smile Horan?!"

A minute later. He sent the same picture but this time he was smiling.

"Much better! Although I do love that smouldering look! 😉"

"Ha! Don't be cheeky! Seriously you look beautiful, don't go getting anyone's number and making me jealous!"

Interesting??!!!

"Oh really that's not allowed? Well make sure you don't get anyone's tonight either!"

"No it's not! Don't want to share you with anyone. X"

"Don't want to share you either. X"

This time you didn't bother to hide your squeal and the sound of it echoed around your small bedroom.

This made you happy to know that he wasn't seeing anyone else and that he didn't want you to either. You still didn't know what to expect from him. You'd only met him face to face once, and that was for literally less than ten minutes. This texting was getting crazy. You really needed to see him. You'd have to wait till after Christmas since he was away and you were working and away to.

Thanks for reading!I

Em x

Tag list @awomanindeniall

Let me know if you'd like to be added to the tag list.

#Niall #niall fan fic #Niall fan fiction #Niall Horan fan fic #Niall Horan fan fiction #Emily writes #Niall fluff #Niall smut

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raymondshieldsofficial · 6 years ago

Note

All of the asks mwuahahahahaha

will do!! ...under a readmore!

1. Have you met your soul mate?I don’t think we only have one soulmate so I’d say I’ve met some of them! lots of my platonic soulmates, for sure!

2. Favorite color when you were younger, and now?green when I was younger, and purple now!

3. Do you wear eye-shadow? What color?you’ve seen my instagram, I wear eyeshadow of every colour under the sun, and frequently!

4. Are you in love right now?nope!

5. In your opinion, is love at first sight real?no, I don’t think you can love someone just from seeing them - just because they’re attractive, doesn’t mean you’re at all compatible

6. Are you an optimist, realist, opportunist, or pessimist?I’d say I’m an opportunist, usually!

7. First kiss details? (If you haven’t been kissed, reply how and if you would like to be.)my first kiss was at a party when I was 16, with a girl I thought was just a really, really close friend, but looking back was actually the girl I had a crush on. comphet is a hell of a drug, I guess!

8. Do you own stickers, and stationary?yes yes yes!! I have lots of stickers, and I wanna be a writer so I’m forever collecting notebooks and stuff!

9. What’s your aesthetic?I call it “1989 goth wine spinster”

10. Do you wear dresses, and skirts?sure do! I bought a fake leather skirt last month and I’m living in it currently

11. What is your hair like?thick as hell, big, and purple! it’s french braided currently because I want it to be all nice n wavy for tomorrow!

12. Does time go by fast or slow to you?I wake up, 5 minutes later it’s midday, 10 minutes later it’s 3pm so time goes very very fast, I have no concept of time at all

13. What time do you go to bed? What time do you wake up?I’m usually in bed by midnight, but I don’t sleep until later, and if I’m lucky I wake up around 9ish! but I stayed up til 2am on Saturday/Sunday to welcome my parents home and since then my body clock has never known peace

14. Favorite sweet food?lava cake!

15. Tea, coffee, or hot cocoa?I love all of them but probably hot cocoa!

16. Space, Ocean, City, or Forest?space!

17. Favorite game as a child?my favourite board game was this old one my grandparents had, called ‘Tummy Ache’, and my favourite video game was Super Monkeyball

18. Comfort book?Moominsummer Madness

19. Princess, Fairy, Mermaid, or Unicorn?mermaid!

20. Do you fall in love easily?yes and no? I like people Quickly but it takes me some time to actually fall for someone properly

21. Favorite word?souffle!

22. Describe your life in 3 words.slowly building up

23. Do you dance? Slow dance?I dance a little, but not very well!

24. Do you wear fake nails, or paint your nails?I paint my nails quite a lot - I really want to get a set of acrylics done someday, but they’re expensive so!

25. Has anyone ever confessed to you?yeah, a few people ghkjdkfsdf and never the ones I want to confess to me,

26. Do you lie?yeah tbh, mainly just things that make life easier and aren’t hurting anyone. never anything big, though, because I’ll forget about stuff like that

27. What makes you smile?my friends, pictures of animals, nice music, cute scenes in movies

28. Have you ever cried in a book or movie?I cried at FMA just last week! several times! I really do cry at a lot of things like that!

29. When and who was your first crush?looking back it was probably my friend Louisa when I was in secondary school

30. Marriage or kids?maybe someday!

31. Are you superstitious?kinda? I don’t believe in the cat thing (all cats are lucky!), but I try not to cross people on the stairs, and stuff. also, the new shoes on the table thing, because Blood Brothers scared that out of me,

32. Who’s your 3 am thought?hmm... I’m not sure!

33. Do you like candy? What’s your favorite candy?yes I do and my favourites are veggie Percy Pigs!

34. Favorite holiday?Guy Fawkes’ Night, it’s not even a “proper” holiday but I just really love it? going down to see the bonfire and the fireworks, and it’s got that sort of festive cheer going on but without the stress of Christmas

35. Favorite season?Summer!

36. Cat or dog person?both but I think I’m slightly more of a cat person. slightly,

37. Are you quiet or loud?believe it or not I’m actually quite quiet irl!

38. Favorite time period? (80′s, 60′s, etc.)uhhhhh 80s, if we’re just talking aesthetics and stuff!

39. Favorite fashion fad that went away?that messy eyeliner look, I hate the sleek as hell instagram makeup trend, I think we should leave last week’s makeup on like the goblins we are

40. The best dream/ worst nightmare you’ve ever had?I had a dream I went to a house party with Ace Attorney characters, that was pretty cool, definitely one of the best!and my worst nightmare was one I had when I was 12, where I went to help in this medical tent but it was full of like... decaying bodies, that was terrifying

41. Worst fear as a kid?the dark, I absolutely hated it

44. Do you flirt?I wouldn’t even know how to start!

45. What’s your style?disaster is what it is!

46. Do you blush?yes, very much, but I also wear a lot of foundation so it’s not obvious when I do,

47. Do you feel everything, nothing, or you don’t know what to feel?all of the above! it honestly depends on what’s just gone down, it’s wild

48. Are you a crier? Do you smile?I cry a fair amount, but not too much? and I try and smile a lot!

49. First love?my secondary school boyfriend, thought for sure he was “the one” and all that

50. Last love?my most recent ex, I guess!

#love you!!#veganatthegatesofdawn

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magpie-69 · 4 years ago

Photo

My Mon - Fri manual job work routine:

Alarm goes off at 05:30.

I walk out the door about 7am.

20 minute drive to work.

In my own time I put on the uniform they insist I wear.

Clock in at 07:30.

Spend the next 2.5-3 hours working my ass off alongside the only other employee, on our feet all the time.

Take a 15 minute break where I eat for the 1st time that day.

Work my ass off until our 30 minute lunch break, which can be anytime between 12 & 3pm.

Work my ass off until our 15 min afternoon break, which can be anytime between 3 and 5:30pm

Work my ass off, still on my feet all the time, until the main task is done.

Sometimes we're allowed a 5-10 min break at this point and that can be anytime twixt 6 and 19:30pm.

Work my ass off until everything is clean & put away.

Put up with being treat like an idiot by the bosses anytime we interact.

Clock off anytime between 8 and 10pm, or later if it's required, which is far too often.

Change out of the uniform in my time.

20 min drive home.

Arrive home anytime twixt 8:30pm and 12 midnight.

Sometimes I eat if one of my kids has made something. Sometimes I just sit in silence for 1/2 hour then go to bed. Absolutely no time for socialising, hobbies or leisure in the working week.

Many physical problems brought on by years of this ridiculous work schedule and it affects my mental state too.

Zero chance of having a relationship. Who would put up with me only being available for them occasionally???

Weekends are spent sleeping a lot! I might get a chance to go out for a walk, or see a friend, or see friends down the pub, or tidy and clean a little, or get shopping & fuel etc.

I'm a semi-skilled/skilled worker. I'm paid minimum wage. I'm paid for 40 hours per week with overtime being given as time off in lieu at the company's discretion.

I have little opportunity to see a Dr, dentist, rest my injuries etc.

I'm physically & mentally tired all the time.

Just like far too many other workers 😔🥺

#work #exploitation

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fadingstrangerken · 3 years ago

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green

1. celery

The aftermath of drinking and smoking all weekend, I need a fresh and very simple drink that will rejuvenate my insides. Celery juice is perfect for that. I enjoy the process of juicing from chopping the celery to admiring the different ranges of green from the darker green of the top leaves, to the thinner amount of green inside the celery stick itself.

2. Starbucks straw

Part of a morning routine, maybe disposable in the way I use my time, contributing to the mounts of waste already profiting on our planet. Although everyday waking up feeling the dread of not accepting where I am just yet. Using Starbucks to give me a reason to get up and start my tasks, or just allowing me to sit in my car and watch Houston traffic.

3. Galveston beach

Big waves. Chicken salad sandwiches. Salt, a lot of salt. Salt water inhaled in my throat from the green water. Letting the waves take me so far away from the shore that I get scared and forget where my mom is set up, so then I paddle to the shore and get stung by a dead jelly fish on my way back. I feel my leg burning and I know something is not right I get on the shore and there are red slashes going through my leg. I tell my mom, but she thinks I am being overdramatic lol then tells me I have to pee on my leg.

4. laundry detergent

Cleaning day. I throw all my dirty clothes in the wash for a good cleansing before the week begins. I admire the fragrance of the detergent that I probably put too much and then remind myself that this big jug cost me $25.00. I don’t really care though because I enjoy the smell of laundry detergent. Sometimes I prefer it over perfume. I set a timer and come back to my once sticky clothes to fresh smells from the expensive green laundry.

5. dollar bills

calculating, stress, depression, trade all of the things I think when I think of dollar bills. Calculating your finances, calculating how to get the next higher paying job, calculating your networking groups to give you all the secrets to the next biggest job, calculating how much this wedding will cost. How much to spend on food to get me to the 1st of the month. My mother leaving me with my aunt in 2nd grade to the military so I could go to a good university to make more money. Sacrifice. Pain.

6. oak trees

Louisiana, tall strong trees that have seen just about every bright and dark thing come through its way. Eerie swamp trees that fold onto the lakes near my nanas house. Excitement as a child running through the park with my cousin after my aunt and mom finish the picnic table. Lots of dirt and mud pies, hearing my cousin crying after she probably fell or something lol

7. gum

green extra gum. I usually get some after I drink coffee to help with coffee breath. or after I smoke. It’s weird to notice how the taste of gum changes based on what you eat/do before or after.

8. bedsheets

green and white stiped sheets. morning breakfast. tobacco. the swinging chair of my upstairs neighbor’s autistic son swinging on his swing attached to the balcony. When we first moved in, we found it extremely annoying lol but as time went by it became a soothing sound. Almost like an alarm clock and that I needed to get up and start my day. Saturday mornings. Watching Martin and cuddling until 3pm then deciding when to start on laundry? A very simple life that I miss so much.

9. green tea! matcha

Matchaaa my favorite. but also, gassiness and bloating. sometimes a headache because the barista went a little crazy with the sweetener but also less intense than espresso. Long lines. My boyfriend telling me he never thought he would be waiting in a starbucks line going down the street lol! Then him asking why I won’t do curbside pickup. I don’t mind waiting honestly. sippy cups over straws. I don’t really understand what the difference is somehow it grosses me out that the sippy cup is so close to the hands but i don’t care in the moment.

10. green peppers

jambalaya, rice and beans, gumbo, okra and tomatoes. Warm warm food. Cornbread or rice! Onions, garlic and green peppers. A divine trio simply to make you happy and nothing else! My mom’s rotten peppers in the fridge. Fighting with a stubborn cheap knife. stressing over olive oil or vegetable. convincing myself olive is healthier lol

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auburnfamilynews · 5 years ago

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John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

When people ask me what is the best basketball game you’ve ever attended, this is it.

March 9, 2019 - Auburn Arena

Alright, this one is super special to me and allow me to get a little sentimental for a second.

From a personal standpoint, this was my last home game as a student in Auburn Arena. The last chance for me to line up early and wait for hours to go down the stairs that take you to floor level and into the Jungle of Auburn Arena.

I was the first person there that morning, getting in line at 4:30AM for an 11AM tip. Waiting in line for 5 hours seems bad but I’m here to tell you, a lot of people that I still talk to post-Auburn were people that I met in the Jungle and had the same level of passion for Auburn Basketball that I do. I cherish those moments and friendships and memories as my time in the Jungle was the best part of my experience at Auburn.

As for the team, this was the last time we saw Bryce Brown, Jared Harper, Chuma Okeke, Horace Spencer, Malik Dunbar and Cole Blackstock play inside Auburn Arena. I can’t put into words what those guys mean to the Auburn program but they came to Auburn to make history, to bring relevancy to the men’s basketball program and bah gawd, did they do just that!

In their way on Senior Day, was the 5th ranked Tennessee Volunteers, who were looking to earn at least a share of the SEC Regular Season Championship.

Auburn Arena had gotten incredibly loud during my time in Auburn but there were times throughout this game where it was the loudest I’ve ever heard it.

This game was a duel between Chuma Okeke and Tennessee’s Grant Williams. While Williams would start the scoring with a basket on the first possession, Okeke would hit a 3 on Auburn’s first possession.

The shots were falling on both sides early and the pace of this game was also incredible as we went nearly to the under 12 minute mark before we had the game’s first media timeout. Auburn was 4-8 early from 3 with Okeke, Anfernee McLemore, Malik Dunbar and Bryce Brown all making 1 apiece. The Vols led 16-14 with 12:30 to go in the first half.

But Auburn couldn’t slow down Grant Williams or Jordan Bowden who was on fire coming in off the bench. Tennessee surged to a 35-24 lead with 6 minutes to go in the half. Thanks to Okeke though, Auburn was able to hang around as he had 13 1st half points to lead Auburn.

No. 5 Tennessee leads Auburn 41-35 at the half. Chuma Okeke (@chuma_okeke) is leading the way for the Tigers. Full highlights to come after the game. pic.twitter.com/5MwMiiLZfv

— Sara Palczewski (@SaraPalczewski) March 9, 2019

Auburn got within 4 on layup from Jared Harper in the final minute but a questionable blocking foul against Harper in the final 10 seconds sent Auburn Arena into a building full of irate people. Tennessee led 41-35 at halftime after the Williams free throws.

Auburn jumped out of the gate hot in the 2nd half scoring the first 7 of the half. Bryce Brown hit a 3 to get it started and free throws from Dunbar and Brown put the Tigers up 42-41. Tennessee had their own 7-0 run to go back up 6 though.

The lead was 7 for Tennessee with 15 minutes to go when Chuma stepped up once again. He knocked down another 3 pointer and then absolutely picked Admiral Schofield’s pocket and made sure to finish on the other end.

Nobody: @chuma_okeke: This ball is mine now. pic.twitter.com/WPhoxFf5xw

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) March 9, 2019

Samir Doughty spent his first season playing in Auburn as role player but man did he make some big shots in this game. The first, coming after Tennessee had gone back up 6 and Doughty hit a shot clock buzzer beating 3 to make it 54-51 Vols. More on the 2nd one later.

The big run for Auburn came midway through the 2nd half and I distinctly remembering being completely out of breathe once we hit the Under 8 Timeout because of all of the action taking place.

We had some #VintageJVon moments in this game with his patented drives to the basket and tough-shot making ability, the first coming with 12 minutes to go and then another that gave Auburn the lead 61-59 with 9:19 to go.

After getting a stop on the other end, Chuma went back to work in the paint getting this pretty layup to go to put the Tigers up by 4.

Chuma Okeke (@AuburnMBB) having himself a good game vs. Tennessee thus far, showing off his range (3 3pm) and touch around the rim. Does a good job sealing off his man for position and gets a little creative for the finish. pic.twitter.com/9W3yscXd0r

— Luka (@preptopros) March 9, 2019

The teams would continue to throw haymakers and this game was tied at 69 with less than 4 minutes to go. And it was Closer time for the Tigers.

Jared Harper would knock down a 3 with 3:28 to go and then would benefit from some controversy (doesn’t Auburn always benefit from controversy!!!).

It appeared that Jared had missed a 3 and the rebound was tipped in by Anfernee McLemore. But the ruling was a 3-pointer and Auburn was ahead 75-69. I’ll be honest: I thought Anfernee tipped it in and I think a lot of other people did too but “that’s the way it goes” sometimes.

A 3 from Schofield would cut Auburn’s lead in half going into the final 2 minutes.

Now remember earlier I said Samir had a knack for making some big shots? Here’s one of the biggest and my favorite Samir Doughty moment. With less than 90 seconds to go, the Tigers ran clock and with the shot clocking winding down, Jared would drive before getting blocked by Grant Williams. But Williams swatted it right into the hands of an open Doughty behind the 3-point line who calmly knocked it down with 1:14 to go.

I lied last week when I said my favorite Samir play was the crossover, step-back 3 against Colgate. THIS is my favorite Samir Doughty play!!!! pic.twitter.com/FPpObA206C

— Jaylin Williams/Simpson Fan Account (@ShootyHoopsWill) March 16, 2020

After a pair of free throws, Auburn led 80-74 and looked ready to close it out. But.....

A flagrant foul was called on Anfernee McLemore on a hook and hold allowing the Vols to get 2 free throws with 24 seconds to go. On the inbounds pass, Tennessee scored again making it 80-78.

Jared Harper would come down after being fouled and knock down 2 free throws to make it 82-78. Jordan Bone would miss a 3 on the other end and Tennessee would throw it away with 8 seconds left to send Auburn Arena into a frenzy and cueing one final “Party Til We Die” in Auburn Arena for the season. Samir would knock down 2 free throws to ice it and to quote Rod:

“Number Five Goes Down In the Jungle!!!!!!”

Chuma Okeke finished 1 short of his career high with 22 points, 5 rebounds and 4 steals and showing a national audience that he was ready for the next level. Jared Harper had 16 points and 8 assists with Bryce Brown also scoring 16 in his final home game, shooting 4-9 from 3. Samir Doughty had 9 points and Anfernee McLemore and J’Von McCormick each added 7 points.

Here are the highlights!

#WarEagle x #UnfinishedBusiness pic.twitter.com/iEYaZMNgak

— Auburn Basketball (@AuburnMBB) March 10, 2019

Auburn finished the year winning 4 straight and clinched the #5 seed in the SEC Tournament. And as incredible as these 2 weeks were for Auburn Basketball... this was just the beginning.

War Eagle!

from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2020/10/29/21537677/tip-off-countdown-34-auburn-84-5-tennessee-80

#IFTTT #Blogger #auburn #auburn fast #wareagle #AuburnFamilyNews #war eagle #sec #football news #aubu

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fefuckability · 1 year ago

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The Thracia 776 Bracket Qualifier! Starts Monday, July 1st at 3pm EDT

Here’s how it’s going to work:

There are going to be nine qualifying polls (six for the men, three for the women)

Pick your most bangable favorite from each poll

Polls will run for one week (I’d prefer 3 days but alas Tumblr doesn’t offer the option yet)

The top 32 male characters and the top 16 female characters will qualify for the men’s and women’s bracket

Polls:

Qualifier 1 (Finn, Osian, Halvan, Dagdar, Marty, Ronan, Lifis, Brighton)

Qualifier 2 (Fergus, Dalsin, Hicks, Shiva, Carrion, Cain, Alva, Robert)

Qualifier 3 (Fred, Salem, Perne, Troude, Glade, Deen, Homer, Ralf)

Qualifier 4 (Ilios, Sleuf, Shannam, Xavier, Conomor, Diarmuid, Saias, Ced)

Qualifier 5 (Galzus, August, Julius, Manfroy, Hannibal, Dryas, Arion, Travant)

Qualifier 6 (Bloom, Raydrik, Veld, Kempf, Reinhardt, Lewyn, Seliph, Leif*)

Qualifier 7 (Eyvel, Tanya, Safy, Machyua, Lara, Karin)

Qualifier 8 (Nanna, Selphina, Olwen, Mareeta, Linoan, Misha)

Qualifier 9 (Amalda, Ishtar, Altena, Julia, Eda)

I am also adding a Google Form to submit characters for an enby bracket so Limstella, Kyza, Mark, and Bramimond don’t get left out. These can be characters from any game as long as there is canon basis for them being nonbinary.

Extra notes under the cut

Characters who are excluded from voting:

Anyone who obviously both looks and acts like a literal child. I am not taking Kaga/manga ages into account. IS is very inconsistent on whether or not they bother following them anyway. So the standard is literally "if a reasonable adult could look at this character and immediately clock them as a child, then they're out". Some characters are borderline so discretion may be used

Palette swaps or characters who are mostly the same portrait with only slight variation to hair, outfit, etc. (so, basically, all of the tertiary antagonists lol)

Anyone who lacks either a unique portrait or a unique name

Characters who do not have a unique human form

Special Notes:

While Genealogy and Thracia have mostly different casts, there are going to be some characters that overlap. e.g. Lewyn, Seliph, Altena, Ced, etc. Since I've never actually played Thracia I have no idea how involved some of these characters are, but I've decided to just run them twice (once on Thracia, once on the Genealogy polls when we get there). If you don't think they belong with Thracia then feel free to not vote for them.

We're using whatever name popped up for them on the wiki when I googled "Thracia characters", which seems to be the localized names IS uses for them in the CYL polls.

*Leif was very borderline on whether or not I should include him. I've ultimately decided to include him because of his presence in Genealogy, where he's older. Since he uses the same design for both games I thought it'd be odd if I put him on the Genealogy bracket but not on the Thracia bracket. Feel free to not vote for him if you don't like that he's here

#Fire Emblem #FE5 #FE Thracia 776 #Thracia Fuckability face off #polls #tournament

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mnranger5 · 6 years ago

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Getting the Z19 wet for the first time…and the drama starts. Lake Marion, 5/13/19 & 5/15/19

5/13/19

With some crazy hectic schedules, the boat sat in the garage for nearly two days before I could actually get it out on the water. Mike and I headed over to Lake Marion after work and dropped the black beauty into the lake. She fired right up, a roar so to speak, letting everybody at the launch know this was Mercury’s brand new, 4-stroke, V-8, Pro XS.

We blew across the glass lake at 50mph, never even getting her close to max speed – the engine needed to be broken in before we got close to that 70mph mark. She moved through the water like cutting soft butter. So smooth. It was love at first ride.

After 10 minutes, Mike and I decided to do a little fishing. I dropped the Ultrex trolling motor on the south bay of the lake. Mike and I cast spinner baits and square bills, not finding any fish. Water temps were in the low 50’s. We needed to find warmer water. We jetted over to a tiny bay on the northern side of the lake and carefully trolled into the shallow (2 fow) bay. Still cranking the KVD Sexy Shad square bill, I immediately hooked up with a biggin. This big girl was in about 6” of water on the shoreline just behind me.

She whacked my crankbait as soon as it hit the water. This 3.5 pound bass was a great start to what I hope will be a lot of fun memories in this boat.

Once outside of the bay, we slowly worked the sand bar between the upper and lower end of Marion picking up a couple of pike.

We had the trolling motor in and out of the water on a couple of stops and each time we stowed it. While in its’ stored position, it seemed to have sucked in water all the way to the motorhead because when buzzing across the lake, the water in the head was pouring out of the unit all over Mike who was sitting in the passenger seat. Weird. Maybe just a fluke? But it did this the entire evening, and we began to notice the water coming out of the head was discolored green. Something wasn’t working correctly. We loaded the boat on the trailer and covered it. It was getting dark so I’d have to look at it tomorrow…

5/15/19

Tomorrow turned out to be a washout, so the next time I could get the boat on the water was Wednesday. It was a perfect evening in the 70’s. I dropped the boat into Marion and quickly went about using the trolling motor. Once again, the Ultrex appeared to be sucking water in through the lower until, up through the shaft and into the head of the trolling motor. Green water leaked out of the head around the collar. The green water was spraying my entire bow – trolling motor, carpet, electronics, trim and gel coat. It was a mess.

I called DJ, my boat salesman. After explaining the problem and sending this picture to him, he knew there was a big issue. He told me he had another boat in his shop with the exact same problem. His explanation was that the factory did not install the seal behind the propeller, so the water was being sucked into the entire unit. As far as the green color, he believed it to be oil from inside the unit.

DJ wanted me to bring the trolling motor in for repair, right away. From 800 miles away, he did a quick search and found that Dan’s Southside Marine (DSM) was the closest MinnKota (MK) repair shop in the area. While on Marion, I gave DSM a quick call to tell them about the issue and ask if I could bring it in….”Sure, but we close at 6.” As fast as I could, I loaded the boat, and headed north on I-35 to Bloomington. I arrived at 5:00 and spent nearly 30 minutes waiting for the right guy (Tim) to come look at my boat. They were insanely busy. Finally Tim emerged. And we headed out to look at the trolling motor. When we got next to the boat, I looked at it in horror. All of the green oily water that had been inside of the MK Ultrex had blown all over the boat while driving on the interstate. My boat was an absolute disaster. Like a gory horror movie, but the blood was green instead of red.

I wasn’t sure what to be more concerned with? A broken trolling motor, an oil spill inside my boat, or my newest thought that this boat might not be fixed or cleaned up before our huge fishing trip up north the following week. I was distraught. DSM told me they could fix the trolling motor, but it could be a few weeks before they’d get to it. I told them about my fishing trip and they said they’d try to get me in, but no promises. They also said that since the trolling motor was not on a quick release bracket, they wanted to keep the boat. What a nightmare. I could not believe this was happening to my brand new boat. I spent the next 90 minutes cleaning up the boat as best as I could with a rag and some water in DSM’s parking lot.

But the rag and water were not completely removing the oil. A discolored residue and many stains persisted. DSM was closing, and they needed to get my boat in their locked up yard. I covered it, not yet completely cleaned, and reluctantly drove off.

On my drove home, DJ called. Give me good news, please. Apparently this is a known issue and MK will want to replace the entire unit. All they need is the serial number on the trolling motor. AWESOME! Wait, I don’t have the serial number. It is on the trolling motor that is currently parked behind a locked fence at DSM. DJ acted as though this wasn’t a problem. All I needed to do was call DSM in the morning and have them fetch the serial number. He would do some work on his end with his MK rep. DJ assured me everything would be fine. Ok DJ.

The following day DJ requested I send him an email with the issue and pictures so he could send it over to his MK rep. Unfortunately, DSM was so busy they were having a difficult time finding somebody to pull the cover off my boat and fetch the serial number on the trolling motor. So I sent the email, without the serial number. DJ told me his MK guy would be getting in touch with me. I waited all day for MK to call me, but my phone never rang.

It was now Friday morning. No word from MK the entire morning. At 11AM, I reached back out to DJ and let him know MK had not called and time was being wasted on this issue. “Let me make a phone call real quick,” was his reply. Who ever he called, seemed to light a momentary fire under MK. Mark from MK sent me an email requesting a serial number so he could research further. I left Mark a voicemail to explain the boat was not in my possession so I could not get the serial number. Mark followed it up with another email that he basically could not do anything until he had the serial number. So, I took a long lunch and ran over to DSM and picked the boat up. The interaction at DSM was quite awkward and basically was me saying I need the boat to get the serial number you could not find time to get me. Ugh. But, at least the boat was back in my control.

That afternoon, Mark called and I provided the serial number to him. He explained to me over the phone that the trolling motor was a unit shipped from the factory to the dealer in December. He said the packaging was faulty and allowed for the units to be damaged during shipping or installation at the dealership. I wanted to ask why they didn’t recall the units if they knew the packaging was bad, but I bit my tongue. I also wanted to ask why his explanation of the problem was different than DJ’s explanation, but I remained reserved on that one too. He said he would replace the trolling motor, but the bigger problem was finding my exact unit. He had none built at the factory, but indicated he would start the production line on Monday for the unit I needed. He would then overnight ship it to me and I would have it on Tuesday. He went on to tell me that installation was a piece of cake and provided a one sheet install guide. While I could probably do it, I didn’t want to be responsible if something went wrong. And if you read this blog, you know about my issues with fixing trolling motors. I have a less than stellar track record. I told Mark flatly that this was a brand new boat, and it needs to be installed professionally. This is a MK problem, and I need them to make it right – before I leave for my fishing trip the following week. Mark said not to worry, that they would get me taken care of. I still worried about it the rest of the weekend.

Monday rolled around and I spent the better part of the day exchanging messages with DJ about helping me find a dealer to install the trolling motor by Wednesday afternoon. Finally, late in the day DJ indicated that Tim at DSM agreed to do the install on Wednesday. Awesome. DSM was going to fit me in, but that would be another awkward exchange when I dropped my boat back off to that dealer. I reached back out to Mark and MK and he provided me a tracking number for the new trolling motor. It would be delivered on Tuesday, and I would drop it off at DSM on Wednesday with the boat for install. Finally, things were looking up.

All day at work on Tuesday, I watched our Nest security camera from my phone, waiting for delivery of the new trolling motor. The entire day went by so slowly.

As the hour hand ticked on the clock, I began getting a pit in my stomach. Finally at 3PM, with the trolling motor still yet to be dropped off in my driveway, I contacted Speedee Delivery Service. They confirmed my absolute worst fear. They had no idea where the package was in the delivery process. I called MK and pleaded with them to help me. The trolling motor had to be installed by tomorrow. After a bit of research, MK reached back out and said there wasn’t much they could do. I finally lost it giving them my entire piece of mind. This entire situation was their fault, and they needed to make it right asap.

Wednesday was the drop dead date for getting the motor fixed. By 9AM, I had ruffled enough feathers within Johnson Outdoors (MK parent company), White River Marine Group (Nitro parent company), Norris Marine and DSM, that they were finally all hands on deck. They mysteriously found an identical trolling motor at a warehouse in the Twin Cities which they made plans to ship to DSM during the day and have installed. Around 9:30, I dropped the boat off at DSM and left it there, hoping for the best. Around 3PM, DSM called. The trolling motor arrived and it was installed. My boat was ready for our northern Minnesota fishing trip!

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charllieeldridge · 5 years ago

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21 Things To Do in Santiago: Chile’s Cool Capital

Surrounded by the Andes mountains, Santiago has to be one of the most beautiful capital cities on the planet. It’s also a very fun place to visit, with a rich history, vibrant culture, and great tourism infrastructure.

If you’re ready to plan a big trip to Chile for hiking in Patagonia or exploring the Atacama Desert, be sure you dedicate at least a few days to taking in all that the capital city has to offer.

With a few days in Santiago, you can enjoy the sights, go trekking in the Andes, cycle to vineyards for wine tastings, explore local markets, partake in the city’s fun nightlife, and much more. These are just some of the many awesome things to do in Santiago Chile.

Read on for recommendations on what to do in Santiago, including plenty of useful info to help you plan the perfect trip there.

1. Explore the Plaza de Armas

The best place to begin your exploration of the Chilean capital is the Plaza de Armas. As is the case with most major cities in South America, this “Square of Weapons” was designed to be the city centre. Santiago’s main plaza has been just that since the city was founded back in 1541.

Back in colonial times, you would find the gallows at the heart of the Plaza de Armas. Thankfully, those have been replaced by a fountain celebrating Simon Bolivar. The plaza is full of Chilean palm trees and benches, making it a popular place to relax and socialize during the day.

Walking around the plaza, you might find people engaged in a heated game of chess, busting a move with some group dancing, or just laughing hysterically at a clown show. Exploring the Plaza de Armas is definitely one of the most entertaining things to do in Santiago!

Surrounding the square are several historical and cultural landmarks, such as the Metropolitan Cathedral, Royal Court Palace, and the Central Post Office. You could easily spend an entire day just taking in all the sights in and around the plaza. Get directions to the Plaza de Armas by checking the map here.

2. Take a Free Walking Tour

When you’re new in a city, it’s a great idea to take advantage of the free walking tours on offer. Not only do you get to learn something about the place from a local, but you’ll also make new friends in the process. This is the best thing to do when you first arrive in Santiago.

In Santiago, the best free walking tours are run by Tours 4 Tips. They run two different tours every day of the week. Their 10AM Santiago offbeat tour checks out a market and the cemetery, while their 3PM tour covers some of the highlights of the Chilean capital. Both tours last around 3 hours and cover a few kilometers.

The guides are super friendly and knowledgable, and they’re always happy to point you in the right direction with recommendations on where to eat, shop, and party. They’re also really easy to find, as they all dress like Waldo from the popular children’s books.

3. Climb Santa Lucia Hill

Climbing Santa Lucia Hill is definitely one of the best things to do in Santiago Chile. This large park is located in the city centre just a few blocks away from the Plaza de Armas and is a great place to spend an afternoon.

There’s actually quite a bit of history behind this park. First of all, this hill is the remnant of a 15 million-year-old volcano. It was also here that the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia founded the city of Santiago in 1541.

Upon entering the park, you’ll be greeted by the gorgeous Neptune Fountain. From here you can follow the system of trails and stone staircases to the top of the hill. Along the way, you’ll pass by the Castillo Hidalgo, which was built in 1816 to protect the city.

Keep on going until you reach the stunning viewpoint at the very top of the hill. If you visit on a clear day, you’ll get some fantastic views of the city and the surrounding mountains. The park is free to visit and is open every day from 9AM to 7PM. You can find it on the map here.

4. Go Museum Hopping

As the capital city of Chile, it should come as no surprise that Santiago is full of excellent museums. You’ll definitely want to make sure you carve out some time to visit a few while you’re in town.

A great place to start on your museum-hopping journey is the Museum of National History. It’s located in the historic Royal Court Palace, which once served as the seat of government. After checking out the beautiful exterior, head inside to explore the many exhibits.

While you’re there, be sure to climb the clock tower for an unbeatable view of the Plaza de Armas. The museum is open Tuesday-Sunday from 9AM to 6PM and is free to visit.

Another can’t-miss museum in Santiago is the Museum of Memory and Human Rights. This museum commemorates the many victims of human rights violations during the brutal regime of Augusto Pinochet between 1973 and 1990.

It opened in 2010 to mark the bicentennial of Chile’s independence and serves as an important reminder of the country’s recent dark past. It’s open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10AM to 7PM and is also free to visit. You can find the museum here on the map.

5. Eat Seafood in the Central Market

Without a doubt, one of the tastiest things to do in Santiago is eating seafood in Mercado Central. This bustling market has been in business since way back in 1872 and continues to be a popular place to shop and eat.

Thanks to its long coastline and booming fishing industry, Chile is home to a vast array of delicious seafood. Santiago’s Central Market is a bustling place every day of the week. Locals come in the morning to do their shopping, while tourists frequent the market in the afternoon to dine in the many restaurants.

The seafood here is all super fresh and delicious, whether you order a plate of ceviche, king crab, or clams au gratin. It’s a bit touristy, sure, but it’s a nice place to experience at least once on your visit.

The Central Market is open every day, but the vendors and restaurants keep different hours. You’ll want to get there early in the morning if you want to see the market at its busiest and be sure to get there before 5 if you hope to get a table and eat. You can find the market on the map here.

6. Take a Bicycle Tour

Santiago may be a sprawling capital city, but it’s still a very bike-friendly place. There are dedicated bike lanes everywhere and it’s very easy to find a bike for rent. Exploring the city by bike is easily one of the top things to do in Santiago Chile.

While you could just rent a bike and go off on your own, you’ll get a lot more out of it and have way more fun on a tour. The folks at Huaso Bike Tours have several excellent options for you to explore Santiago on two wheels.

They have half-day tours where you take in the highlights of Santiago and visit several markets. You can also choose to do a cultural bike tour, or evening tour.

Their 3-hour tour in the city costs $56 per person, with a guide and equipment included. Click here to learn more about the bike tours in Santiago.

7. Drink Pisco

Pisco is a high-proof brandy that’s made from fermented grape juice. It’s definitely the most popular booze in Chile and Peru as well, so you know that trying some of it has to make our list of the best things to do in Santiago.

There’s an ongoing debate between Chile and Peru about who created pisco and who does it the best, but we’re not going to get into that heated argument here. I will instead point you in the direction of an excellent establishment that celebrates the pisco of both countries!

This awesome Santiago bar-restaurant has to have one of the coolest names and concepts ever. It’s called Chipe Libre – Républica Independiente del Pisco. The “Chipe” is a combination of Chile and Peru, and the name translates to the Independent Republic of Pisco.

Rather than argue over who made it first and who does it better, this place serves up pisco from both countries. What an awesome idea! Go ahead and order a flight to sample the best of both Chilean and Peruvian pisco, or just stick with the classic Pisco Sour cocktail. You can find Chipe Libre on the map and get directions here.

8. Explore the Art Scene

Art lovers will definitely want to pay a visit to the National Museum of Fine Arts. The beautiful building it’s housed in dates back to 1910 and was a commemoration of the centennial of Chilean independence. It’s also free and is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10AM to 6:45PM. You can find the museum and get directions here.

If galleries are more your scene than museums, you’ve got plenty of options for those as well. A popular place to visit is the Centro Cultural Matucana 100, an art centre housed in an old government warehouse. In addition to the spacious art gallery, they also show films and have concerts here. Find them on the map here.

Finally, you’ll want to be sure to check out some street art in Santiago as well. While it may not be as much of a street art haven as nearby Valparaiso, there are still plenty of awesome murals in Santiago. Speaking of Valpo, it’s one of the best places to ring in the New Year in all of South America. We started our year-long party with New Year’s Eve in Valparaiso and had an absolute blast!

You can go off in search of street art on your own, or sign up for a tour with Urban Adventure. Their tour visits the Open Sky Museum in the San Miguel district of Santiago. Tours last 3.5 hours and cost about $60 per person, including transportation and a typical Chilean tea time snack.

9. See a Show

Santiago is a very cultured city, so you’ve got lots of great options when it comes to the performing arts. Seeing a show at one of the city’s many venues is one of the top things to do in Santiago Chile.

Certainly, the classiest place to see a show in Santiago is the Teatro Municipal (Municipal Theatre). This beautiful neo-classical theatre was built in 1857 and hosts performances of opera, choir, and ballet.

You can check their website to see showtimes and ticket prices, but be warned that it’s only in Spanish. Alternatively, just drop by the box office and see what’s playing while you’re in town. Tickets are as cheap as $3, so why not? You can get directions and find the theatre on the map here.

10. Spend a Day on San Cristobal Hill

San Cristobal Hill makes just about every list of the top things to do in Santiago, and for good reason. From high up here, you’re treated to some incredible panoramic views of the city.

There’s an easy way and a hard way to get to the top of Cerro San Cristobal. The easy way is hopping in the cable car, which is a nice scenic ride across the park. It’s open on Mondays from 1:30-5:30PM and Tuesday-Sunday from 11:30AM-5:30PM. Tickets cost about $5 for adults and $2.50 for children.

Of course, you can always just hoof it! The hike takes about an hour depending on how fast you move. However you decide to get there, your ultimate goal is to reach the sanctuary dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. Outside, you’ll find a 22-meter statue of the Virgin Mary.

The hill is a part of the larger Metropolitan Park, which is the largest in the city. In addition to the sanctuary, there’s also a Japanese Garden, and even a few pools that are open in the summertime.

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11. Tour the Home of Pablo Neruda

In the Bellavista neighborhood of Santiago, you’ll find La Chascona. Once home to the famous Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, it’s now a museum that’s open to the public.

Neruda had this home built for his third wife, Matilde Urrutia. Actually, she was his secret lover when he started work on the house. He called her La Chascona (tangle-haired woman) for her wavy red hair.

Inside the museum, you’ll find a wide variety of quirky artifacts that Neruda collected. Of course, there’s plenty of artwork as well, including a famous portrait of the house’s namesake created by Neruda’s friend Diego Rivera.

One tricky thing about visiting La Chascona is that it’s only open on a first-come, first-serve basis. They open at 10AM from Tuesday to Sunday, so it’s best to get there early to guarantee your spot. Tickets cost about $10 and include an audio guide. Check the location on the map here. Another option is to join a day tour which includes a winery visit and the home of Pablo Neruda.

12. Head to the Top of Sky Costanera

If you want to take in the views of Santiago from above, don’t miss out on a trip to Sky Costanera. At 300 meters, their observatory is the highest in all of Latin America.

In just two minutes, the elevator takes you to the 360-degree observatory. Try to time your visit so you can watch the sunset and see the city light up. It’s definitely one of the coolest things to do in Santiago Chile. Don’t miss this attraction! Get your tickets here.

It’s open every day from 10AM-10PM with the last elevator rides going up at 9. Tickets cost $22 for adults ($18 when booked online here) and $15 for kids ages 4-12. It’s located right on the Mapocoho River, which you can see on the map here.

13. Eat a Completo With a View

I realize not everyone is going to want to fork over $20+ to head to the top of the Sky Costanera tower. It’s alright – I totally understand. I rarely buy those tickets but feel like they’re still good items to include on a list like this.

If you’re on a budget, you can just head to the food court in the Costanera Centre Mall. They have an outdoor seating area that still has a great view, even if it isn’t the tallest in Latin America.

While you’re here, you may as well try a local favourite – a completo. This Chilean hot dog comes loaded with chopped tomatoes, avocado, sauerkraut, and a big ole’ glob of mayonnaise. One of these and some fries will fill you up for a while and only cost you a couple of bucks!

14. Check Out La Moneda

Washington D.C. has the White House, London has Buckingham Palace, and Santiago has La Moneda. Currently the office of Chile’s president, it was once the official mint of the country. Hence the name, which means “the coin” in Spanish.

This beautiful neoclassical building was designed by Italian architect Joaquín Toesca and completed in 1805. It was badly damaged in 1973 during the military coup.

The Chilean air force bombed the palace when then-president Salvador Allende refused to leave. He died later that day, which remains controversial to this day. Some believe it was an assassination and not a suicide, as the official story goes.

You can take a tour of La Moneda but you need to sign up at least seven days in advance. You can find the form that you need to fill out in English here. If you can’t get on a tour, you should still come to check out the changing of the guard ceremony. It happens every other day (odd-numbered days in odd-numbered months, even in even) at 10AM or 11AM on Saturdays.

15. Get Out in the Mountains

Santiago is surrounded by the Andes Mountains, so why not plan for a day trip out there while you’re in town? In the warmer months, you can head out to the mountains to go enjoy a nice day of hiking, biking, or even horseback riding.

Some of the most popular spots near Santiago for hiking include Provincia, Manquehue, and Pochoco. If you want to do a little bit of hiking, with a side of hot springs, check out this awesome tour of the Maipo Canyon and Volcano. For a stunning 8 kilometer hike in the canyon, click here. It can be tricky trying to get yourself to trailheads on public transportation, so if you don’t plan on renting a car you’re better off just signing up for a tour.

Once winter rolls around, the snow-capped Andes are the place to be if you enjoy skiing. There are several ski resorts within a 60-90 minute drive. Many of the resorts run shuttles that leave between 8-9AM and return between 4-5PM. Check out El Colorado, La Parva, Valle Nevado or Portillo.

If you made it all the way to Chile, chances are you’re planning on heading to Patagonia. Be sure to read this huge guide to trekking and camping on the famous “O” circuit in Torres del Paine. If you’re not sure what to pack, we’ve got you covered with that as well!

16. Ice Cream at Emporio La Rosa

I’m really not a huge fan of sweets, so you know a place has got to be good if I’m recommending ice cream as one of the top things to do in Santiago! Emporio La Rosa is a local favourite, which you’ll notice right away from the long queue out the door. Don’t worry, it moves fast and is well worth the short wait.

My amiga from the city took us to this place when we first got to town, and we liked it so much we came back for my wife’s birthday a few weeks later. They have a bunch of different ice cream flavours as well as several different cakes and various sweets. I also tried their empanadas and they were fantastic!

There’s an outdoor seating area and there are often wandering musicians who stop to serenade the crowd. It’s a nice place to go for a snack, a coffee, and some people watching. You can find them on the map here.

17. Tour a Vineyard

Chile is known for making excellent wine, as the climate here is perfect for harvesting grapes. Visiting a vineyard easily makes the cut on this list of the best things to do in Santiago.

The great news is you don’t even have to travel very far out of the city centre to visit a vineyard. Cousiño Macul is located about 15km from the central part of Santiago and can be easily reached by cab or even a local bus.

This vineyard has been operating since way back in 1856. It’s still run by the Cousiño family and is currently run by the sixth generation. They definitely know what they’re doing when it comes to making wine here!

They have a few options for tours at the vineyard, with the regular tour costing about $22 and the premium version going for $38. This gets you the tour, a tasting of six wines, a souvenir glass and corkscrew, and even a cheese & fruit plate. They have four tours a day during the week, two on Saturday, and are closed on Sunday. You can find them on the map here.

For those of you who want to learn more about the popular Concha y Toro (the main exporter of wines from South America) and Unduragga brands of wine, don’t miss a visit to their vineyards. From $22 for a visit with tastings.

18. Experience a Local Festival

There are all sorts of festivals going on in Santiago throughout the year. The Chilean capital has festivals for literature, film, music, dance, food, and more. Here’s just a taste of what’s on tap for festivals in Santiago.

In January, Santiago a Mil is a performing-arts festival where over 1,000 shows take place across the city. Best of all, many of them are in parks and plazas and totally free to attend!

Another great choice is the Providencia Jazz Festival. It takes place over a weekend in January in the Parque de las Esculturas and is free, but you’ll have to grab tickets in advance as it’s very popular.

Movie lovers may want to come to Santiago in August for the International Film Festival. Several different cinemas across the city show independent films from Chile and beyond and has grown into one of the most prestigious film festivals in the region.

19. Day Trip to Cajon del Maipo

While there are plenty of excellent things to do in Santiago, you definitely need to carve out some time for day trips out to the natural wonders that surround the city. A trip to Cajon del Maipo is a great choice for spending a day out in nature.

This canyon in the Andes is a beautiful place to visit with captivating scenery all around. There are some great trekking opportunities here of varying difficulty, including one that brings you to a high-altitude reservoir 2,500 meters above sea level.

After a tough hike, there’s nothing better than soaking in some natural hot springs, and that’s exactly what you can do out here! Other activities available include horseback riding, ziplining, and whitewater rafting.

Your best bet for exploring all that Cajon del Maipo has to offer is hopping on a tour out of Santiago. There are plenty of options, including a tour that includes a bit of trekking and a visit to the hot springs from around $55 per person.

20. Take a Cooking Class

Since you’re going to eat plenty of delicious Chilean food in Santiago, why not learn how to cook some of it yourself? There are plenty of cooking classes available in Santiago, so get in the kitchen and get cooking!

Uncorked is a popular choice for a cooking class in Santiago. It starts with visits to some of the city’s markets to pick up some fresh ingredients, and you’ll then head into the kitchen to whip up some Chilean classics. Classes cost $95 per person and include some Chilean wines.

Another option is Chile Cooks, which runs tours every day at 10AM. You’ll cook dishes such as pastel de choclo, empanadas, or cazuela while enjoying a Pisco Sour and some Chilean wines. Their classes are a bit cheaper as well, at $80 per person.

21. Hang Out in Bellavista

Located between the Mapocho River and San Cristobal Hill, Bellavista is Santiago’s bohemian quarter and a fun place to hang out day or night. You can combine a visit here with a trip to the hill and Neruda’s house to make for one exciting day in the capital.

During the day, you can enjoy a stroll around the area taking in the street art, perusing the markets, and stopping to relax in one of the many cafes. Once night falls, Bellavista really comes to life as locals and tourists flock to the countless restaurants, bars, and clubs.

Now You Know What To Do in Santiago, Chile!

That’s a wrap for this list of the top things to do in Santiago Chile. As you can see, the Chilean capital really packs a punch when it comes to activities on offer. Here you can hike in the Andes one day and cycle through a historic vineyard the next. How cool is that?!

Santiago is definitely one of the best cities to visit in South America, and it’s the perfect jumping-off point for adventures to places like Patagonia and the Atacama Desert. With its wealth of activities and big-city amenities, Santiago is a solid choice for a home base while exploring the region.

Note: Photos in the post are courtesy of Shutterstock

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acrossthemar · 8 years ago

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Portugal & Greece

A summary of our trip to Europe, mostly for my own record.

Portugal

Porto

Day 1: We arrived at 8am, dropped our things at our hotel, and walked to the port side of the city for beautiful views along the Ponte Luis Bridge. We then went to Taylor’s Port for a tour of the wine cellar, history of the Douro Valley, and a wine tasting. We then stopped for our first meal along the water for sardines and sausage and cheese. Our hotel, The Poets Inn, was finally ready for check in. Having skipped a night of sleep, we found the energy to get a drink at Base, an awesome outdoor bar with super cool seating. We then took a walk to the botanical gardens, where we climbed a tower for a gorgeous view of the city. Our first dinner was at Traca, an outdoor restaurant with a delicious Octopus.

Day 2: We started the day by walking to an outdoor market with food, produce, and arts and crafts, which attracted a mix of locals and tourists. We then took a boat cruise of the city that passed all six bridges connecting both sides of the city. We then went home to read on our patio. Next was a four mile run along the Douro Valley. As much as I love my East River Run Path in NYC, this view was nicer. Our exercise was rewarded with pastries, a drink, and dinner at Flow Restaurant for some rich but tasty risotto. And then there was Gelato. I had a flavor called Egg Yolk with Port Wine, sounds gross but was delicious!

Day 3: I started the day with a three mile run around a park near our inn. We then caught a free shuttle to the Porto Zoo. There was an animal called a "Patagonian Mara." We then took an Uber to a beach called Praia De Matosinhos (Praia means beach) which was beautiful, open, clean and uncrowded, filled with mostly locals. We stopped at a beachfront bar for a drink and a snack. We then went to 360 Terrace for cocktails, a beautiful rooftop bar overlooking the river. Lisbon tomorrow!

Some thoughts on Porto:

Not many Americans, mostly surrounded by locals or tourists from other parts of Europe

Narrow, cobblestone, hilly, windy streets that are at times scary to walk on!

Beautiful orange roof tops

A lovely city with a great culture and a beautiful old city feel.

Apparently the Yankees are an international team, which I didn’t realize. We saw Yankee hats everywhere. At first I’d get excited thinking it was an American, but it was almost always a local or European!

People smoke cigarettes everywhere. Yuck.

Lisbon

Day 1: We first walked to a famous viewpoint, took some pictures, and then stumbled upon a little hole in the wall Cafe with outdoor seating on a hill for lunch. We then ventured down to the water and had gelato overlooking the bridge and river. We then had drinks and pizza by the water and called it an early night.

Day 2: We started the day with a six mile run along the river path. We then tried to find this hole in the wall sandwich shop that our hotel receptionist recommended. We tried to find it for over 30 minutes and finally gave up. I then spotted the name in tiny print on the side of a building, but turns out it was closed for renovation until August 17th. Sigh. We settled on some pastries at a nearby bakery and then made our way to the train station to head to Sintra. Turns out because it was Sunday, trains only run hourly and we missed a train by just one minute. (In retrospect, this ended up being our largest issue on the trip, so I feel silly even mentioning it. We were incredibly fortunate to have perfect weather, on time flights, great hotels, and no big issues). We grabbed a beer to kill the hour then hopped on the train. I did not fully understand what Sintra was until we arrived and explored. Sintra is a historical resort town that includes beautiful parks, gardens, medieval castles and ancient royal structures, and cute streets and shops. Inside Sintra is a massive home and outdoor exotic area that I believe used to be the summer getaway for the royal family. After Sintra, we had dinner at a tapas place outside. (Portugal does an awesome job taking advantage of its outdoor space and areas by the water, almost every restaurant has outdoor seating!).

Day 3: We ran a quick 3 miles by the water, and then headed to Belem by train, a town near Lisbon. We paid 5 euros to climb the tower of Belem which turned out to be underwhelming, but they had a cool museum of racism and citizenship that was interesting. We then went to a famous pastry shop in Belem. I have had so many pastries in Lisbon that I need to take a pastry break. I am really missing grapes right now. We then went to CaisCais, a cute beach town nearby. We headed back to Lisbon and went to the museum of beer where we paid 5 euros to have a beer and walk through the museum. We then went to dinner at a restaurant with a really famous chef who apparently owns a lot of restaurants in Portugal. The food was incredible. Eric had a really yummy steak sandwich. I don't even like steak and it was the best bite of steak sandwich I've ever had.

Day 4: We started the day by heading to Alfama, a nearby town with a famous flea market. The market was massive, and had a unique blend of nice stands and then random people selling old crap from their garages. I bought a cork handbag (cork is famous here) and Eric bought a lovely set of artwork for his living room. We then went to a cute local deli by the water where I had fruit for the first time in a week (gasp!) and also a yummy sandwich. We started the afternoon by going to LX Factory, a mini district with shops and restaurants. We had a fabulous chocolate cake and walked through some artsy stores. We then went back to CasCais, the beach town near Lisbon. It's so adorable! It feels like such a beach resort town. We then went to a place recommended by Eric's friend that specializes in gin and mussels and I had a massive gin and tonic. We also had the best mussels I've ever had in my life cooked in basil and parmesan cheese. We headed back to Lisbon and got gelato and then a beer by the water. Greece tomorrow!

Greece

Athens

Day 1: We arrived in the evening and took an Uber from the airport to our hotel. We stayed at a nice hotel in Athens, so we were excited about the buffet breakfast and complimentary bottle of champagne they gave us! We immediately asked for some restaurant recs and headed out to a lovely Greek restaurant for a late dinner. Although it was really 8pm in Portugal and 3pm in New York so the late start felt acceptable. We had our first greek salad and the tomatoes and feta were so fresh it was unbelievable!

Day 2: We got up late since we were still on Portugal time and made it to the last minute of the included buffet breakfast. We then tried to do laundry at the hotel, as this was the half way point of our trip and we were very ready. But the hotel had a fancy pay per item system (t-shirt = 4 euros), so we found the nearest laundromat instead. Incase anyone is looking for laundry recommendations in Athens. We then made our way to Lycabettus Hill, which is a mountain that leads to the highest point in Athens. We hiked our way up, it was very steep! At the top there was a beautiful view of the city with the Acropolis far out in the distance. Eric befriended a Mets fan at the top of the hill. We already notice that there are far more Americans in Greece than in Portugal. Conversations in English surround us. We stopped at a cafe at the top of the hill for some lunch and nice views. We then set out to the Acropolis. We walked through the beautiful park and national garden by our hotel, and passed by the old Olympic Stadium and several other historic sites and ruins before getting to the Acropolis. The Acropolis was awesome! Much larger than I expected. After the Acropolis I went on a short run through the national gardens. We then went to a late dinner at a Tavern with Terrace seating. I had a stuffed Squid! I felt proud of myself for going out of my food comfort zone cause at restaurants I usually resort to the pasta or rice dish. We ended the night with Gelato and then came home to exchange gifts for our one year anniversary.

Day 3: We started the day with a short run through the garden and then made it to the end of breakfast. It's hard to make it to breakfast on time when you're jet lagged and it's already early to begin with! We then headed out for the Monastiraki Flee Market. There were cute shops and we stopped for a smoothie. Next was a beach town by Athens. When we got back, we went to ManhManh, where the highlight was the flipped Greek Salad and the complimentary dessert.

Day 4: We took a three Island cruise today, leaving our hotel at 7:15am to make the 8am departure. We went to Hydra, Poros, and Aegina, three Greek islands. Hydra was the cutest in my opinion. We had gelato, went to a viewpoint, and walked by the water. In Poros we climbed a hill to the top of a clock tower. At Aegina we had a beer and went swimming in the Mediterranean. And got a second round of gelato. We spent a lot of time on the ferry, with nice seats at the rear of the boat. We mostly read and then played some games. We got back around 8, and went to our final dinner in Athens. I had Moussaka and we had Baklava for dessert and it was delicious.

I'm already on my 4th book of the trip and have loved them all, so here are some book recommendations: Most Wanted, Orphan Train, Behind Closed Doors, Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

Santorini

Day 1: We flew in from Athens, and the owner of our villa picked us up. We dropped our things and walked to the center of Fira, where there are incredible views. We then took a donkey ride down 600 steps from the top of Fira to the port. I went into the experience not being nervous at all, but it ended up being terrifying! I think I had a newly trained donkey. He didn't seem to understand that when he walked too close to the wall (which looked over a very high drop) or to another donkey that the side of my body would smash into it. I got scraped against the wall many times and thought I was going to get flipped over the wall. My donkey also kept smashing my legs into the donkey in front of us and one time my knee cap hit the donkeys butthole and I got really grossed out. Eric's donkey seemed well trained but very old. His hooves would slip and his knees would buckle and I thought Eric was going to get thrown off, but he somehow wasn't nervous. When we got to the bottom they tried to convince us to donkey back up the hill but I firmly declined and we took the cable car up. On the cable car a family noticed Eric's Mets hat and asked if we were from NY. It turns out the family was not only from Larchmont but the daughter attends Central School (my elementary school) and we had the same 4th grade teacher! I love things like this. That night we watched the sunset in Fira and had dinner at a local spot called Mama's that the owner of our villa recommended to us.

Day 2: Today we took a 6 hour boat tour of Santorini. We took the cable car down to the port (donkeys were out of the question at this point), got some breakfast and boarded early. Our first stop was the volcano. It's so cool! The eruption from the volcano almost 4000 years ago is what formed Santorini and broke up the original circle of Islands. We got to see and touch parts of the volcano that are still active. After the volcano we went to swim in the hot springs. It was fun and not actually that hot. Our next stop was the island of Therisa. We got lunch and had a beer on some rocks in the water. It seems like 100% of their economy must come from these boat tours docking for two hours. Our last stop was Oia. This is the northern part of Santorini. We hopped off the boat and explored, first by walking the 300 steps to the top. I was very sweaty. After some walking around, I found a bar with a pool! How cool! After the 300 steps all I wanted was to jump in a pool. Oia is beautiful, and is famous for its sunset. Dinner that night was on a rooftop with an incredible view and a phenomenal baked feta cheese appetizer. The recommended place to watch the sunset is the castle. We headed to the castle a bit before 8 and I was completely shocked by the crowds. It's literally as if the entire island comes to this one spot to watch the sunset. People were camped out there hours before to secure a good view. Nuts! When the sun finally set, everyone started clapping and people were even crying. It felt odd. Kinda like when you're on a plane that lands and everyone claps and it seems out of place. We then took a bus back to Fira and called it a night.

Day 3: Today we switched hotels. Our first two nights in Santorini were at a villa in Fira, walking distance to the center city and main port. For the last two nights of our trip we switched to a villa by Perissa beach (black sand beach), in the south east part of the Island. Our hotel was super cute and had a pool and bar with a nice view. Black sand beach actually has black sand, remnants of the volcanic eruption. We checked in and walked right to the beach (about 20 feet from our hotel) and had lunch in lounge chairs by the water. It's awesome, every restaurant has lounge chairs and umbrellas on the beach and they come out to serve you. We then rented an ATV! I've only driven an ATV twice before, once in upstate NY where I got nervous, accidentally slammed on the gas, and crashed into a tree. I was traumatized and then six years later had my second ATV experience driving up the Golan Heights in Israel. This was my third and I'm gladly reporting that it was a smooth experience with no accidents. Everyone seems to rent ATVs in Santorini. It makes a lot of sense, the island is small, and with an ATV you can get pretty much anywhere in a short amount of time. We first drove over to the historic site of Akrotiri. It's a prehistoric city from 17th century BC that is still preserved and maintained! It was abandoned after the volcanic eruption. They had multi story buildings and it's crazy to get a glimpse of life from that long ago. We then drove over to red sand beach, which was actually red! And they make you seriously work to get there. We parked the ATV and had to climb a mountain to access the beach. Santorini is really not a place for old people. After red sand beach, we headed to black sand beach and had drinks by the water and read. We had a dinner along the beach as well and ended the night with a beer at our hotel pool.

Day 4: Today is our last day of our trip. I'm very sad. Mostly because it's something I looked forward to for a long time, and it's odd when these things end. I’m also dreading the 11 hours of airplane travel and work on Friday. We decided to spend our last day relaxing. Started with a four mile run along black sand beach. It was too hot though which made it not so pleasant. We have actually managed to fit in 9 runs throughout our 15 day trip, which I think is quite impressive! Granted most of them were just 3 or 4 miles, it still felt nice to maintain some exercise routine. Especially since we have been eating so much! We then spent a few hours by our hotel pool, where we got lunch and read. We then switched over to black sand beach where we got gelato and some snacks. We came back to the pool to read and change for dinner. We went to a restaurant called the Acropolis for our last dinner and then sat by our pool for a bit.

On our last morning we squeezed in a three mile run and then read by the pool for half an hour and headed to the airport at 1030am. 4 hour flight to London then 8 hour flight to NY. We were extremely fortunate to have had five on time flights, not a drop of rain in 15 days, 5 good hotels in great locations, and a really wonderful trip.

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stellacarrierimaginationbuilders · 8 years ago

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Heaven’s Warehouse Wishlist Freestyle Story by Stella Carrier

To those who have been following my pictures, blogs, freestyle stories. I show appreciate to you whether you are a supporter andor critic for looking at the content that I post online. With that out of the way, due to wanting to allow myself enough time to eat, relax, and breath before leaving for work today, I intend to post photos of my Friday Costco trip, more photos of the University of Maryland College Park area to googleplus later on today after I get home from work (I work from 3pm to 9pm today), including a listing of dvds that I already released and books that I am certain that I am going to let go off by this Thursday March 30, 2017. This would help me prepare to find another apartment andor house to rent in the University of Maryland College Park, Maryland area for my husband and I by ideally July 1, 2017 or sooner. My first choice of apartment rentals for my husband and I that we mutually agree on preferably in the College Park, Maryland area are for the one year options. Obviously, I prefer to get extended at my current food service job at the University of Maryland College Park in May 2017, yet I intend to stay here in the Washington D.C. area for the remainder of 2017 regardless of my employment situation. Yes, you read that right, I prefer to get extended at my current job in May, and I have made a promise to myself and my husband to stay here for the rest of 2017 regardless of what transpires. Yes, I have expressed an openness to going back to school to obtain a second bachelor’s degree online. However, that is independent from the fact that I would prefer to keep working at my current job (University of Maryland College Park food service) during the remainder of my time of residing in the Washington D.C. Area. Additionally, I hope to secure temporary employment with the University of Maryland College Park for the summer time break (during the months of May 2017 until August 2017), but even with me being child-free and having an amazing husband, I understand that I must keep an open mind to securing temporary employment in the summer time as a plan B option. Hopefully, my employment intent is going to be understood for the rest of my current time of residing in the Washington D.C. area. However, regardless of what my most influential andor persuasive critics might say,I intuitively felt the need to write and comment online as an act of transparency.

Songs For Today’s FreeStyle Story

State of My Head by Shinedown

Shine by Collective Soul

More by Madonna

If You Can Only See by Tonic

Riptide by Vance Joy

I Don’t Want To Miss a Thing by Aerosmith

Drive by Incubus

Start time; by 1230 pm

End time;134 pm

Julie Martin just came back from her maternity leave to work at a college campus in southern California that models their cooking around some of the hotels around the country. She is a 47 year old woman who gave birth to twin children Heidi and Abraham. Last week, the college she worked at modeled their cooking after the Broadmoor hotel in Colorado. Julie Martin works as a cook at the University of Southern California Los Angeles and is getting up to speed on some of their new techniques. She happens to get a lot of attention where she works because she resembles Madonna when she sang More for the 1990 Dick Tracy film starring Warren Beatty and Madonna.

Julie’s husband 49 year old Roy Martin works as a public relations specialist for the University of Southern California. Julie met her husband Roy during an Aerosmith concert and bonded during the I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing song. Roy Martin is gone away for a week because he is attending some classes related to his job at the University of Maryland College Park. Julie is use to this because Roy goes away on class or business trips once every 3-4 months. Last summer, he was in some classes related to his job at American University, and then three months later it was Georgetown University. Three months ago, they were going to send Roy to George Washington University, yet due to the budget they had to postpone the trip where he got sent to a week long course at the University of Maryland College Park two weeks later. He returns less than seven days from now, and fortunately Julie Martin’s mother and father Brooke and Christian O’Neill are looking after Julie’s kids for the week. On the plus side, this means that Julie can get some rest time as she readjusts back to her job and have some private time with Roy for the weekend before her parents return the kids to her.

Julie’s coworkers 45 year old Violet Barnes and 48 year old Lee Walker are showing her some of the dishes that they made last week. Both Violet and Lee are also concert buffs as well but they met Juliet at different times. Julie met Violet during the Collective Soul concert and they bonded on a platonic friendship level during the group’s performance of Shine. Julie met Lee during a Tonic Concert as he is a close friend of her husband’s and she talked to Lee’s wife during the group’s performance of If You Can Only See.

Anyhow, Violet shows Julie a picture in their work kitchen of one of the dishes that they made last week which was some type of Pendernales River Chili. Meanwhile since Julie has been out for 8 weeks, Violet shows Julie how they were told to make Goat Butter Biscuits. Meanwhile, Lee Walker and his wife 53 year old Belinda have been eating healthier and he found it timely when he was being asked to make Snowball Salad for today and show the procedure to Juliet. Lee’s wife Belinda Robinson works as a food and beverage director at University of Southern California, just at a different dining hall. Belinda and Lee have been married for 8 years and met during a Vance Joy concert and romantically bonded during the song Riptide.

Anyhow, all three of them rush home after clocking out at work after 2 pm to attend to errands they want to run. On Juliet’s way to her parked car, both Violet and Lee tell her about a book club that is schedule to meet at 6p.m.. Apparently, this book club that they invited her to have been meeting for ten years and encourage their group members to read various types of fiction and non-fiction books. Julie, Violet, and Lee all enjoy writing and are fortunately encouraged by their spouses to do so. Meeting up at the book club gives them an outlet to channel their passion. Julie had three hours to get ready before the book club meets and wanted to know what their theme was for tonight. Lee and Violet explained that the book club was going to do the process of Make Every Dream count were they recall one of their dreams, can be past or present, and turn it into a story andor script.

Julie was intrigued by what Violet and Lee told her yet wish that she could recall a dream that she felt safe sharing with a group to turn into a story. What is meant by this is that fact that Julie could tell her husband Roy some of her most shocking andor controversial dreams of an erotic nature yet she is wise enough to know that other dreams must sometimes be left unsaid/left private outside of the person dreaming the dreams. Julie’s most recent dream might make even Madonna herself blush and so she knows that she must remember some other dreams to share.

As Julie drives home, she gets an idea to stop off at the local beach and relax for just an hour before heading home to get ready to meet Lee, Belinda, and Violet for the bookgroup. However, just as she parks the car to head out to the beach, she delays in heading outside because her husband Roy is calling her. Julie is having a good day, yet she still feels better after hearing his voice and so she picks up the phone. Roy tells her good news that he has been asked to chair some club and event related to what Julie is doing that would give them more time to see each other during the day (Julie sometimes works from 2 pm to 9pm at least 2-3 days out of the week while Roy sometimes works from 5 am to 1 or 130 pm also at least 2-3 days out of the week so sometimes they miss each other unless Julie shows up early). Julie congratulates Roy at his success and is happy for him regardless if their hours would be the same because she fortunately has friends from her job.

They start to talk more, but Roy asks Julie to hold on for a minute so that he share with her the paperwork that describes his new job that is still with the same company and managers, just different duties. Julie plays the radio at a quiet volume while she waits and the song Drive by Incubus comes on. Julie realizes that she must be the way the song describes more often, in terms of aiming and make sure to do her best to be more frequently the driver in her life. Less than, 4 seconds later, Julie’s turquoise blue car disappears before her as a male figure with an orange orange, yellow, and pink robe tells her that she can creatively take control of her life more and turn even the most adverse challenges into creative opportunities for further intuition growth. Julie politely asks the male figure who are you as she realizes that she must have accidently went to sleep. The male figure greets her as Enoch and explains that he has come to her in concert/collaboration with her higher self/soul to deepen her spiritual connection and help her complete her writing projects/book writing goals. Enoch then introduces Julie to an androgynous benevolent figure dressed in a yellow, violet, and gold robe who prefers to go by the name Ramiel and comes to those who request help with self-confidence.

Still, Julie intuitively understands that she must use her own logic and intuition when it comes to what advice and guidance to follow. Enoch then explains to Julie, we have only 90 seconds to share with you what one of your spirit guides read in the book Letters to the Afterlife and we gently advise you of this not just for yourself but also for other people who come into contact with you and are open-minded; As you know, aligning with God to create miracles in your life is well-meaning and good advice, but you have seen yourself that even people who proudly declare themselves to be abrasive can still attract miracles and make their dreams come true because of the highly developed power of imagination. Enoch and Remiel walk towards the water as they tell Julie we are answering one of your most recent prayers from four months ago that the way that you and others can develop your imagination to also be more highly developed; You are a writer and blogger and it is beneficial to allow yourself to make online wishlists on your blogs regardless of how others would judge your actions. This would help you creatively focus your thoughts more powerfully on a spiritual basis and strengthen the intent and why around your goals which would give you the spiritual strength of clarity. The second guidance Enoch and Remiel gives Julie, take time at least once a week to write to your future higher self at least once a week on your most obscure blog and imagine how they would answer you while obviously making it what you would call family friendly but allow yourself to be more uninhibited in a separate entry in private even if it means that you might have to change andor use moderation in the frequency of your online activities. Before Julie could ask more, Enoch tells her that he and Remiel must go so that she could be present when her husband Roy gets back from sharing the paperwork within 20-30 seconds but that they go in love until she sees them again in one of her future dreams pertaining to her writing ambitions/goals.

Affirmations For Today

https://www.orindaben.com/pages/rooms/affirmations_room/

I am creating heaven on earth.

Each day my psychic abilities and intuition expand

I am able to strategically transform dangers into arenas for creative opportunities.

I also navigate any unexpected/expected new territory successfully regardless of whether I get a boost from friends andor loved ones.

I reach for my dreams regardless of how others perceive the odds to be in my favor.

I focus on the positive in even the challenges of my life. I trust that I will be able to build the momentum I need.

https://www.orindaben.com/pages/rooms/affirmations_room/

I honor my connection to my guide with my words and actions.

My mind is tuned to the higher planes of reality.

I spend quiet reflective time; I hear my inner guidance.

My path and life's work are my highest priorities.

I remember my dreams. They show me answers and solutions.

I know who I am. My vision of my potential and myself expands every day.

Resources

The secret service website ad that I saw while listening to Pandora music today

https://www.secretservice.gov/

The Broadmoor hotel that I saw featured on the Food Paradise tv show while watching the Travel Channel with my husband yesterday and the mention of a Food and Beverage Director

https://www.broadmoor.com/

https://www.broadmoor.com/dining/

The White House Family Cookbook by White House Executive Chef Henry Haller page 72 Snowball Salad, listed in the section The Nixon’s Light Luncheon Plates

The Washington Post Cookbook Reader’s Favorite Recipes by the Washington Post page 188 Goat Butter Biscuits credited to Nathalie Dupree and Cynthia Graubart

Care A lot Cookbook by Melinda Stevens page 75 Pendernales River Chili listed as being made for Robert Casey and Ellen Casey when they were Governor and First Lady of Pennsylvania

Letters From the Afterlife Book: A Guide to the Otherside written through the hand of Elsa Barker 1914 Letter 27 Except Ye Be As Little Children-chapter on imagination

Author in Progress book by Therese Walsh, The Writer Unboxed Community, Foreword by James Scott Bell page 145 Find the Right Book Club

The book Making a Good Writer Great; a Creativity Workbook for Screenwriters by Linda Seger (author of Making A Good Script Great) pages 120-121 Making Every Dream Count

An Angel Every Day by Anglea McGerr page 162 Angel Remiel to make oneself more self-confident and self-possessed

The Complete Encyclopedia of Angels; A Guide to 200 Celestial Beings to Help, Heal and Assist You in Everyday Life by Susan Gregg page 123 Enoch

http://writingexercises.co.uk/random-name-generator.php

http://www.usc.edu/

University of Southern California website

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