#[ ⁰⁰⁷ ; a little bit of reno to spice up life ]

[bitterarcs]

The past deserved to be in the past — a foundation for growth, for the future, Reno was a firm believer of such. People plastered a disgusting slew of inspirational sentiments across their shirts and with the decorations of their homes. Keeping the past buried like a corpse was nothing profound; it helped salve the soul from the rot of the ugly. Reno could keep quiet about all the horrid things he did even before reaching the age of eleven as well as the things which happened to him, yet the glory days of the electric company could not be suffocated into the recesses of his mind.

Smelling clean mountain air only made the redhead scowl with disgust, longing for the aroma of street food, lifestream pollution, and blood. He fucking hated it here. He fucking hated all the commoners who thought themselves better than cockroaches, better than the Turks. Ifrit, there were so many things Reno missed, but as long as he still had his fellow Turks . . he was not completely lost. Long gone was his ShinRa issued loft with its king sized bed, hot tub fit for three, and a cleaning service which worsened his sloth.

On the flip side, their limited resources had the Turks bunking in close, and it was possible that he and his partner had never been closer. Reno was radiant with the closeness even though they were demoted all their fancy gadgets; he was not sure, however, that Rude shared the same sentiment of kinship. Everyone believe Rude and Reno to be glued at their hip. For two people who were primarily solitary and did not give out their trust like flowing water, they were as close as two platonic friends could be.

Rude had still desired his space most nights . . likely to flirt with brunette bartenders. If the man was not in fact bald, the necessity of them sharing every common space would have made his hair fall out. At least that was what Reno told himself when negative thoughts plagued his mind. Even through his self deprecating thoughts, their big boss being stricken ill with geostigma, and no hint of ShinRa reclaiming its former glory, Reno still smirked. He smoked, too. Plenty of cartons gathered and burned through despite his best attempts to quit.

More than the ShinRa headquarters was demolished that fateful day. Foul smelling cigarette butt was smashed into the textured ground of the roof the redhead sat perched upon as he turned his attention from the wandering bumpkins to the sight of an energetic Elena following after Tseng. What a shitty time for someone to become an official Turk. At least Elena stayed loyal unlike the secondary Turks across the planet . . Reno had plenty of opinions regarding that lot. Their fearless leader was probably taking to the cool shadows of his temporary office; the man turned more and more vampiric as the geostigma progressed.

The cockroaches of the commoners would only amplify their displeasure and rumours if they saw the President so taken with illness. Rude was likely showering, or meditating, or jerking off — whatever the bald man's pointed look at his partner had been suggesting this morning. With Reno sick of smoking and nothing but smoking, he ignored his hunger pains and stretched himself out on the gravel roof top. He stretched like a feline in the sun when in reality he stretched his limbs to reach for his secret stash of whiskey. It was only noon. Lips barely had the time to touch the glass rim before he heard polished heels scraping against concrete.

(  ❛  Don't tell me some street rat found me out . . ❜  )

Reno mumbled under his breath and screwed the top of the bottle back on before hiding it beneath his oversized sweater.

starter for @shinrasfirst

[strfd]

Uhmm 🥺 Krvla? /anon

send URL for opinion. always open.

MY OPINION ON ;

character in general : you’re a mumu so i can’t really give you an opinion on all of them per se . sadly . i simply don’t know all of them . im sorry ! but i suppose i can do two characters that i think about when i see your url - in regards to like interacting ! rufus & reno .

lets go with RENO first though . honestly . i like him . i mean i hate him , but i like him too . then again i tend to favour ‘ problematic ’ characters cause they are extremely complex by nature ( often times , that is ) but like ? reno just has an aesthetic going imo . idk . i would like to look into his character more if i just didn’t like the fact that he can be a bit of a prick . but like ? idk . i really did enjoy whenever he had screen time in the game . mainly because like ... i think he has an important role to play for consumers ? like he’s meant to be disliked , i think . like the things he just DOES , you know he’s not supposed to be the good guy . but like you can tell that like ??? he’s just doing his job ? you know ? idk . i know he’s a bit older , but he has a bit of that playful air to him that causes you to take a step back and think about it . playful as in ALMOST childlike but not really ? be it that he’s kinda acts bored or dismissive of things . its like he is merely trying to seek entertainment or looking for something more fulfilling ? i dont know how to explain or how to english right now , but essentially ... i think reno’s character just has a bit of spice to him . spice that i enjoy . he’s complex & interesting . he’s chaotic . & you know what , even he has some sort or semblance of humanity to him . not sure if others can see it but he’s meant to be humanising . he’s still a horrid person . takes pleasure in things that you shouldn’t take pleasure in , but i think it’s because of how he’s brought up & how he’s gone through life . idk . i could go off but like . yea .

i like reno , but i also hate him . LOL .

anyay .. RUFUS next . from what very , VERY little screen time i have witnessed from him ? i think he is an entitled , filthy , rich kid . i know that is perhaps very generalising for him , but like i think he’s super pompous & has a disregard for others . like ZERO regard for anybody . he doesn’t care about others at all . like he’s selfish , egotistical , & would do anything to get what HE wants . doesn’t matter what is sacrificed to achieve it . i do think he can be a BIT coy at times . idk , idk ! it’s hard to explain . i don’t think he has people skills . he’s like that bully on the playground that wants to just show off his new toys & try to have the attention because i think .... he never actually HAD that growing up . HRNGH . like ... lol i think people don’t understand that rich kids sometimes have horrible lives growing up cause they are genuinely trying to fight for attention , & they grow up learning to be materialistic . like ... consider this . i think rufus has no love for others because like ??? he was never given that love to begin with ? its that whole like nature v. nurture thing . i think he just DIDN’T have that growing up . but i could be so WRONG about this LOL . i just ... idk . i just don’t think he cares for anybody or anything because he just never had any other aspect growing up . 

BUT i could be wrong , so i idk . ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

& now a read more cause this is long . apologies !

how they play them : well we haven’t really had much interaction in general for either of them . i do still have your rufus asks that i will eventually get to . it just takes time for me because im slow af & i prefer to write LONGER things for people . but !!

in all honesty , i think for what i have seen , i like what i see ? they’re small interactions though . so i really can’t give you much information for you im sorry ! but i would love to hear your thoughts about both of them & how you write them ! mainly because i just think it would be really nice to see how you portray them . im better at giving opinions when we’ve plotted or if i have a lot of information to work with . so im - ah - lacking in that department . i really am sorry about that !

the mun : i think you are very lovely ! you’re very welcoming & sweet imo . i can’t really pinpoint what exactly it is , but there is a soft aesthetic about you that i find to be a bit charming ? i think ? i do wish we could connect more . i often struggle keeping conversations with a lot of people so i always sound SO disinterested . but i promise you that im not . i swear ! its just really hard for me to reach out to people for no reason . but i think i would like for you to understand that i think you really are a sweetheart . i think your bunnies are really cute as well ! you should tell me more about them sometime ? that and hell , you are always more than welcome to come and ask to plot or discuss things about cloud or any of your muses . please ! don’t be afraid to ask me for my opnion on something . i’ll just pop off . i normally just need some conversation starter to begin HRNGH . 

anyway now im going off . but what i am saying is that i really do like you . i do enjoy your presence on the dash . i just tend to admire from afar because i don’t know what to do 90% of the time HRNGH . but i think you really are chill & very lovely ~

DO I ;

RP with them : not really ? we don’t have anything active atm . & we haven’t discussed anything that is current .

want to RP with them : of course ! lol . i have thought about the little crack things that we’ve done already . & like i said , im letting your rufus asks fester a wee bit cause i think .... i really want to give you something really nice for those asks .

WHAT IS MY ;

overall opinion : you’re doing amazing . take the race at your own pace . just know that i’m cheering you on ~

**Note: Mun’s answer are all to be completely honest. Don’t send url if you don’t want brutal honesty

[anoceaninthesun]

Needs Improvement

Thanks largely to a brilliant suggestion by @shineejeya the Home Improvement AU continues with this ficlet (mini-series ??). This time the renovating teams tackle their toughest assignment yet. If only it was all about the house and not the feisty, beautiful client.

Summary: When Yamanaka Ino meddles in her best friend’s love life quest to DIY renovate her new fixer-upper, Haruno Sakura finds herself caught up in a home improvement competition between four handsome, creative questionably qualified renovators.   

(Home Improvement AU, Modern AU, Slice-of-Life AU)

Pairings: FoundersxSaku (IzuSaku, TobiSaku, MadaSaku, HashiSaku), ShikaIno, other background pairs

Rating: T

Genre(s): Romance, Comedy, General

Warnings: none really—except maybe swearing, atrocious flirting skills and the Founders being renovating crackheads (not literally, but almost)

Pt.1 

“Another satisfied client here on From House to Home!” the man’s boisterous voice yelled from the TV. Senju Hashirama stood with his less than impressed brother on the clients’ front yard. Yamanaka Ino leaned forward, drinking in the naked torso of Uchiha Madara as he rushed into the shot, sweaty and with a prominent grass strain streaked across his glistening skin.

“Next time it’s our win, Hashirama. We lost the battle not the war, and all that.” he declared. Hashirama laughed, throwing a well-muscled arm over his rival’s bare shoulders. Ino wet her lips, mesmerized as credits started to roll. She got a firm nudge, blinking at the lightly scowling face of her boyfriend.

“Why are we marathoning this?” Shikamaru grumbled. Ino began to explain, only for him to scoff preemptively. “Like I don’t know,” his dark eyes glared at the screen, which now displayed an energy drink commercial. “You don’t care about home improvement.”

“I like some of the aesthetics they use on the show, okay?” Ino fired back, leaning back into the couch, and Shikamaru’s arm. “And,” she added a little defiantly. “I’m looking, that’s all. It’s like window shopping because we both know I’m off the market.”

“Bad analogy.” he rolled his eyes, though his body was less tense beside hers. “You’ve never gone to a store without bringing half of it home a day in your life.”

The blonde absently smacked him with a pillow as the theme music to From House to Home filtered through the room, the next episode starting. “You know...” she hummed.

Shikamaru groaned.

“Be quiet, I’m thinking.”

“Meddling.” he corrected.

“Agree to disagree,” Ino folded her legs underneath her. “You know how Sakura just moved into that new place on the other side of town, right?”

“Hard to forget. You dragged me to her house warming party.” Shikamaru yawned, running a hand through his hair.

Ino scrunched her nose, “And I still say it needs a lot of work. I know Sakura’s proud because it’s her first house, but, you’ve seen the place.”

“I’ve seen the couch. I was napping through most of the party.” he corrected.

“But what if we got them to come and renovate it,” Ino motioned to the TV, watching with rapt attention again as Senju Tobirama used a power saw to cut a board into uniform pieces, his biceps flexing as he worked. The cameraman chose that moment to zoom in for a close up of his sharp, tattooed jaw, and Ino nearly swallowed her tongue at the way it clenched in concentration.

“Sakura wouldn’t go for that.” Shikamaru’s eyes narrowed, his fingers on the remote and dangerously close to changing the channel.

When the view switched to a safer scene of Uchiha Izuna chatting with the Uchiha team’s clients, his girlfriend finally broke free of whatever spell she was drooling under.

Now Ino was already springing from the couch and flitting around in search of something. Shikamaru observed, not bothering to get up when he knew from experience it was futile. “It’ll be a surprise! I’ll get on their website and submit a request on her behalf to be one of the next houses they choose to renovate.”

“You know what, fine. But this wasn’t a ‘we’ idea. It was a ‘you’ idea.” he drawled, slumping back into the cushions and reaching for the bowl of chips on the table.

Hashirama lifted his aviators, the quaint shop’s warm atmosphere and heavenly smell almost making his toes curl. The walls were a mellow pink, a sample table containing tiny, fresh-baked sweets on a table by the front door. Shelves lined one wall where packaged candies were neatly arranged by flavor, large lettering at the top of each shelf to label.

 A middle-aged woman in a cheerfully decorated apron smiled at them from behind the display case. “Oh! Hello,” her eyes shone just a bit brighter as she took him in, and then Tobirama who had shouldered forward from behind his brother. “I’ll be with you shortly.” One last, appreciative glance and then she was back to boxing up the customer’s order.

 By the hunch in his back and the distracted look on his face as he thoughtfully peered into the case, it would be a while before he finished deciding. 

Not that Hashirama really minded. 

“I told you it’d be okay if I took that detour,” The elder Senju grinned, “We still made it early.”

Tobirama stared around the bright space, which doubled as a sweets shop and bakery, picking a booth in the corner by the front glass. Their producers had called the impromptu meeting in the middle of the week, and so the younger of the “Reno Twins” (a nickname his brother despised for some reason) was sure it was bad news. More importantly, he was sure it was Hashirama’s fault.

“Good thinking,” Hashirama beamed, doing his best to ignore his brother’s mood. “You save us a spot and I’ll order us some snacks!”

He wandered over to stand and look at the baked goods on display. The bell above the door chimed again, and the young cashier, who had just accepted payment for the order she’d been ringing up, paused. 

“Hello, welcome to...” The same woman who had greeted them came from the bake with a tray of fresh croissants, which nearly slid onto the floor when she stopped abruptly. 

“This is where we’re meeting?” The baritone voice was familiar, as were the footsteps on the tile floor behind him. “Well, at least it smells nice.”

Hashirama spun, taking in the sight of his old friend and rival dressed casually in a leather bomber jacket, opened enough to reveal a tight gray tee-shirt underneath, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his black jeans. While Madara idly perused the pastry selection, Izuna greeted the Senju with a wave and a small smile. He looked comfortable in a soft red henley and blue jeans.

“So none of the producers have arrived yet?” Izuna asked after stepping out of their short, friendly hug.

Hashirama shook his head. “Not so far, but then we’re early.” The man who had been buying sweets finally moved past them on his way out the door, his sleepy eyes slightly more alert as he munched a donut.

“Hi,” the baker peered as closely as she could at them all. They weren’t exactly in disguise, and the show’s popularity had only grown in the last several years. It was now one of the highest-rated on their network. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they were recognized. “So sorry for the wait. Are you ready to order?” 

Hashirama quickly got an assortment, three small spiced plum cakes for himself and daifuku for Tobirama. He added Izuna’s slice of apple pie and the fondant o’maron Madara kept eyeing to the tab as well, ignoring the complaints from the latter. 

When they were all seated at the booth Tobirama had chosen, Senju on one side and Uchiha on the other, Hashirama picked up his fork and savored the first bite of the succulent dessert. 

Izuna took a sip of water before addressing the elephant in the room. “So, what do you think this meeting’s for?” 

Madara, who had finally stopped grousing enough to eat, lifted his head. “We’ve won the last three challenges consecutively. Maybe the network’s decided From House to Home would be better with just one team.” he innocently bit into the chestnut-shaped cake. “Us.”

“Huh,” Tobirama sat down his glass with force. “There you go again, making asinine conjecture. It might be true that you’ve enjoyed a small winning streak as of late, but I wouldn’t let it go to your head.” 

Hashirama bit his lip, wondering if he should just go ahead and jump in. There was definitely more than a little friendly rivalry between all of them, but Tobirama and Madara tended to exchange words that were more caustic than charitable when they got worked up. Which was...frequently in each other’s presence.

“Oh?” Madara leaned forward across the table, eyes narrowing, “Care to explain?”

Hashirama swapped looks with Izuna, and he could tell both of them were now a bit apprehensive about the direction the conversation was headed. “The last three challenges you’ve worked on houses for lonely, single women.” Tobirama explained calmly. “Our clients have been older couples. It doesn’t take a moron to see you appeal to the lowest common denominator.”

“Are you saying our renovation can’t stand on its own merits? This is pitiful, Tobirama,” he sighed. “I knew you were a sore loser, but control yourself.” 

“I’m simply wondering what removing your shirt has to do building fire pits or converting attics into studio office spaces.” he insisted. “You play on sex appeal more than actual skill.”

“I resent that.” Izuna chimed in, disgruntled. Hashirama frowned at his brother. Despite Madara’s...eccentric habit of losing his shirt, their rivals worked hard, and when they won a challenge, it was because their vision for the week’s reno had been better.    

Tobirama raised a brow at Izuna but didn’t take it back. A thick tension settled over the table.

“What’s this?” a new voice guffawed. “We leave you boys alone for hardly half an hour and you’re going at it? That’s not going to work.”

“Gengetsu-san,” Hashirama’s chest fluttered with relief as he stood, smiling at the approaching team of producers. Hozuki Gengetsu led the way, followed by a stout, elderly man leaning on a cane, affectionately dubbed Old Man Onoki. The third producer present, Terumi Mei, had beelined for the sweets, though she looked reluctant to sample any. 

Gengetsu eyed the food on the table with interest, not hesitating to reach for one of Tobirama’s daifuku. 

“Oi,” Tobirama scooted his plate away and the blonde man only laughed. “This place has the best pastries in town, doesn’t it?” he plopped down on the end of the booth beside Izuna, stroking his chin. “We thought the cozy atmosphere would be best to break the news.”

“Cancellation.” Tobirama said. 

“No, nothing of that sort!” Onoki waved him off. “Don’t be so cynical.” 

Although the others might have hid it better, Hashirama could tell that they were relieved that whatever the news, it wasn’t that.

“We’ve been thinking of what the show should do for its 300th episode, which subsequently starts a new season. And then we got a very interesting letter.” Gengetsu rubbed at his short goatee, his eyes twinkling. 

Madara leaned back in his seat, arms crossed and staring out at the street, where a group of shoppers had happened to spot him and were already pulling out their phones. 

“As much as I like seeing them a little hot under the collar with the suspense,” Mei sashayed over with a plate in each hand “I think you should just get on with it.” 

“Here’s how it’s going to go, boys...” Gengetsu successfully snagged one of Madara’s cakes and waved it around before taking a bite. Afterwards, they had to wait for the man to get his bearings as he groaned exaggeratedly over the flavor. “Oh, this is heavenly.”

“Hozuki-san, today.” Tobirama urged. Hashirama nervously elbowed his brother, but Gengetsu took it in stride. 

“I was right, wasn’t I? Only one team’s staying on the show.” Madara’s smirk was victorious. “You’ve made the right decision, I assure you.”

“Hold on, hold on--how’d you know?” Onoki grumbled. 

Hashirama felt his jaw drop, eyes widening more than the plate his unfinished plum cakes sat on. 

Tobirama’s neutral expression shifted into a full blown frown. “You can’t be serious.”

And although it was Madara’s idea to begin with, some of the fire left his eyes, his lips parting. 

“Uh, I don’t see how this is going to work either, actually.” Izuna tilted his head. “The show’s been two teams competing since it started. How is switching the format now, when the ratings are solid--or better than ever even--going to be...”

“Not forever.” Mei clarified. “Just for the season premiere. It’s true it’s always been two teams facing off on two separate houses. But what if you all joined together and completing just one house?”

“All of us working together?” Hashirama was the first to recover, and the idea instantly sent excited sparks through his brain. “I’m intrigued. What kind of project is it?” 

Admittedly, he’d considered a few times before what would happen if he and Tobirama ever joined up with Madara and Izuna. Competing was fun because the Uchiha brothers were worthy competitors, but collaborating could take their projects to a whole new level.

 It wasn’t an idea he’d pitched to the execs because everyone seemed content with the dynamics already happening. But in the end he hadn’t had to say anything! 

“A young woman by the name of Yamanaka Ino wrote to us recently. Her close friend bought a new house.” Gengetsu explained through his chewing. “Miss Yamanaka feels it’s in need of renovation. She signed up for the house in question to be featured on an upcoming episode of the show, and after thinking it over and looking into the property itself, we think this could be the time to try something new.” 

[vancilocs]

Relationships and fun facts for mallory and neja?

i’ll just delete the ones i don’t have an answer to lmao (edit: i didn’t delete any)

RELATIONSHIPS

Do they have any friends? Would they consider anyone to be their best friend?

Many work friends, old school friends, some from Spain she still talks to, pals with her siblings. Best friend is either Callum or Gilly

She has friends from work, some from school, some she sees less but is in contact via the web. Buddies with Shyn. Considers Yecal her best friend

What’s their friend group like? What role do they play in it?

A bit of a loud leader type who keeps the hype up. Her friend group composes of mainly other girls who like do stuff she also likes, like going to cafes or concerts

Her friend group is somewhat scattered, she mainly sees friends at work and sometimes goes for a drink afterwards. She’s not very loud but she’s fun and keeps the hype up

What’s their love life like? (See also: ship question meme.) Do they have any kids?

She has a girlfriend whom she loves, but they’re taking it chill and slow, no hurry for either one. No children but literally wouldn’t oppose to having five of them

She’s married to the man of her dreams, but doesn’t want kids

Who do they look up to? Who do they trust?

Looks up to many senior hunters, admires Zoe and Reno greatly, as well as Jesse and Wolfgang. Trusts her fellow hunters, even Manon.

Admires strong, independent women like Shyn, has probably met Trias and likes the not-giivng-a-damn attitude too. Looks up to her husband too and trusts him with her life

Who do they hate? Do they have any enemies?

Has a tense relationship with Manon because he’s a bitch but they have a bonding moment later and get along. No enemies apart from the people she hunts probably

Hates people who don’t pay her for her work or hurt others in other ways. Should look out for the guy whose engine she smashed but then again, he didn’t pay her

Do they have any pets?

No, wouldn’t be opposed to a pet but right now she feels she’s not in the situation to have one

No, she’s found some animals from engines but she hasn’t been able to keep any so she’s had them for a while before handing them over to someone who was able to keep them

Are they good with kids? Animals?

Very good with kids, loves messing around with them. Likes animals too, especially dogs. Big fan of Cal’s chickens and cat

Has no problem with kids, if a kid was obviously alone and in distress she would ask if she can help. But generally doesn’t pay much attention. Likes animals a lot.

FUN FACTS

Which tropes do they fit? Which archetypes?

Hero at least, some Warrior

A bit of Seducer, bit of Caregiver, bit of Rebel at least

Do they play any instruments? Sports?

Lifts weights and jogs. No instruments

Not really, no

What are some items they always carry?

Mirror, foundation, lipstick, hair pins and ties, napkins, chewing gum

Napkins, hair ties and pins, reading glasses, breathmints

Do they collect anything?

Makeup if anything

Little baubles like nuts and bolts she finds at work, souvenirs. Has a fridge magnet from every place she’s been to

What position do they sleep in?

On her side or back, nothing special

Either curl up on her side or crawl halfway across husband

Which emoji would they use the most?

🥰🥰😂💗💗

🥺🥺🥰😊😳😳

What languages do they speak?

Trade, English, a bit of Gaeilge, bit of Hindi, some Spanish she still remembers

Trade and Chissadian

What’s their favorite expletive?

Feck

Bitch

What’s their favorite candle scent?

Cinnamon and other spices, baked apple

Flowery scents, vanilla

What songs remind you of them?

Cruachan - the Marching song of Fiach Mac Hugh

Girls just wanna have fun

Which animal would you say represents them?

A lioness

That little angry orange kitten

What stereotypical high school clique would they fit into?

A weird combo of prep and jock

Prep nerd

What would their favorite ride at an amusement park be?

Loves anything, but favorite would be those towers that shoot you up and drop and you know?

Splash Mountain type

Do they believe in aliens? Ghosts? Reincarnation or something else?

Believes in aliens, has met some. Kinda believes in ghosts.

Is married to an alien. Doesn’t believe in ghosts.

Do they follow any religions/gods? Do they celebrate holidays?

The main thing she believes in is karma, otherwise not particularly religious (is a good Catholic girl though). Happily celebrates holidays.

Not really religious, celebrates big holidays sometimes or then goes home to her family to celebrate them.

Which Deadly Sin do they most correspond to? Which Heavenly Virtue?

Pride probably, and then Charity or Patience

Greed or Lust, and Kindness or Diligence

If you had to choose one tarot card to represent them, which would it be?

Strength (upright: inner strength, bravery, compassion, focus / reversed: self doubt, weakness, insecurity)

Fool (upright: inncence, new beginnings, free spirit / reversed: recklessness, taken advantage of, inconsideration)

[thedaughterofkings]

Tag Game: Dig a Little Deeper

Thank you for the tag, @theproblemwithstardust! These are always fun to think through!

1. do you prefer writing with a black pen or a blue pen? Blue

2. would you prefer to live in the country or in the city? Depends on the city - I was very happy in Edinburgh, but wouldn’t be able to live in New York, I think, at least not for long. In general, the happy middle is ideal - big enough to get most of the advantages of a city (big shops with long opening hours, good travel connections, some cultural options), but small enough and close enough to the country side to have a garden and a short way into a forest

3. if you could learn a new skill, what would it be? I think I’d like to be better at handy man type things, and just feel more confident to try them out? Other than that there are so many instruments I’d love to learn!

4. do you drink your tea/coffee with sugar? I very, very rarely drink coffee, and if I do I’ll often add some sugar. But I drink tea every day and take no sugar there.

5. what was your favorite book as a child? An old book of my grandma’s, from when she was a child, which I used to read every single time we visited! It was about four sisters and their coming of age and I just loved it! I really need to reread it. Other than that our fairy tale books (good old German bloody versions, no disney sugar in this household!), and Max Kruse’s Urmel series!

6. do you prefer baths or showers? Showers for sure! I pretty much only take a bath in winter and then I’ll usually take a quick shower afterwards to wash my hair, because washing my hair in the bath is a pain that will lead to flooding.

7. if you could be a mythical creature, which one would you be? A DRAGON!!!!! If that’s for some reason not an option, then a selkie!

8. paper or electronic books? Paper books and electronic fics - though I’ve seen some book binding tutorials making the rounds and I’m very tempted now to print out my favourites and bind them prettily!

9. what is your favorite item of clothing? Gosh, I don’t even know? Probably a dress, but I wouldn’t be able to choose between them...

10. do you like your name? would you like to change it? I like it and wouldn’t want to change it! It’s relatively rare here (though not world wide, so not some strange invention from my parents), but not to the point of being incomprehensible (usually - there have been some interesting spellings, especially from English speaking people) and I think it fits me!

11. who is a mentor to you? My mum? But she’s my mum, so does she really count as a mentor? Singing wise perhaps my conductor, but she’s also a pain, so there’s that? I can’t really think of someone I’d truly call my mentor!

12. would you like to be famous? if so, what for? To do Dancing with the Stars! (Or Strictly, or Let’s dance, wherever they’ll take me!) No seriously, I’d love to do one of the dance shows, and that’s the only reason I’d like to be famous. I’d like to be reasonably rich of course, to be financially secure enough to be able to easily help family and friends and causes close to my heart (and buy and uphold a Scottish castle), but you don’t necessarily need to be famous for that. But just being famous for famous-sake? To be recognised wherever you go? No thanks. That sounds absolutely horrible.

13. are you a restless sleeper? That’s a pretty resounding yes unfortunately.

14. Do you consider yourself to be a romantic person? Oh god, I don’t even know. Do I enjoy romance? In fic yes, in books and films often not, in realy life excessive PDA creeps me out and honestly, my threshold for that is super low, so excessive probably means more like ‘any PDA’. As for whether I’m personally romantic? I’ve never been a romantic relationship and I’m not sure I even want to be!

15. which element best represents you? Earth perhaps? I’m not really sure what the elements even represent, though, so who knows! Probably not fire, though :p

16. who do you want to be closer to? I’m good actually, I think!

17. do you miss someone at the moment? Not in a particular ‘I miss you right now and won’t miss you in an hour’ way. I always miss my dad and grandpa, but that’s a different kind of missing, I think.

18. tell us about an early childhood memory. I remember the blinds and doors of the holiday home we stayed in when I was ... four? five? And the path to the beach!

19. what is the strangest thing you have eaten? I’m not the most adventurous eater admittedly, but as far as ‘I’ll never eat it again’, I took a bite out of a pickled egg once and it was properly disgusting!

20. what are you most thankful for? My family and my living circumstances (is that a word? term? It sounds weird)

21. do you like spicy food? Not reallyyyyyy - some spice is okay, and some spiciness is worse than others, but in general I’m a total wuss.

22. have you ever met someone famous? I said good morning to David Tennant, but I’m not sure I’d call that “having met him”.

23. do you keep a diary or journal? Nope! I’ve started one a couple of times, but never made it beyond three days or so!

24. do you prefer to use pen or pencil? Generally a pen, but a pencil is fine, too!

25. what is your star sign? Leo

26. do you like your cereal crunchy or soggy? Crunchy! (though I haven’t had actual cereal in ages)

27. what would you want your legacy to be? Positive, if I’m to have a legacy at all

28. do you like reading? What was the last book you read? Very much so! I last read Cornelia Funke’s Reckless series.

29. how do you show someone you love them? I try to tell them, and I try to make sure they know I’m here to listen or help or talk or whatever they need. I’m not sure I always succeed, though...

30. do you like ice in your drinks? No.

31. what are you afraid of? Not being good enough.

32. what is your favorite scent? My roses - individuals with a superb scent are The Lady of Shalott, Rose de Resht and Sweet Juliet, but there’s something really special about that first breath of rose air when Frühlingsduft (scent of spring), the first rose of the year blooms!

33. do you address older people by their name or surname? Surname! Unless they offer their first name and the ‘Du’, and even then I’ll probably try to avoid using either^^°

34. if money was not a factor, how would you live your life? I’d buy a Scottish castle and plant so many roses!

35. do you prefer swimming in pools or the ocean? Definitely pools, I’m always just a little afraid something is going to happen in natural water^^°

36. what would you do if you found $50 in the ground? I’d collect them (Unless I just saw who lost them) but try to put it towards something charitable (not 50, but one day I found two pounds on the ground, gave them to the homeless person with the kitty on Princes Street, found another pound, gave that to the one with the pupper and found another three, I think! That was a really nice day)

37. have you ever seen a shooting star? did you make a wish? Yes and yes!

38. what is one thing you would want to teach your children? To be kind? To themselves and others

39. if you had to have a tattoo, what would it be and where would you get it? A watercolour tattoo probably, perhaps of a dragon or fox, or a flower, and somewhere not always on display

40. what can you hear now? If I opened the window I’d probably hear at least some birds (some woke me up this morning with unholy yowling)

41. where do you feel the safest? At home.

42. what is one thing you want to overcome/conquer? My perfectionism that usually appears through some really strong procrastination. I also wish I was better at talking to people, especially people I don’t know or who are intimidating (which is everyone I don’t know and quite of those I know a little). I’ve mostly come to terms with my shyness, but that doesn’t make everything easy suddenly, unfortunately.

43. if you could travel back to any era, what would it be? There’s way too many! But for just one I’d love to see a Shakespeare play in the Globe when it was performed originally, ideally Twelfth Night or Hamlet! And I’d like to meet Queen Elizabeth I!

44. what is your most used emoji? 😘 probably or 😊

45. describe yourself using one word. overwhelmed (I am also hungry and tired right now, and that plays a big part in that - ask me again in an hour or so when I’ve eaten and the world will look a little more rose-y again^^°)

46. what do you regret the most? I can’t think of anything I truly regret - there are things I wish I’d done differently, but what’s done is done and I have to do the best with what I have now

47. last movie you saw? The Martian!

48. last tv show you watched? Die purpurnen Flüsse/Les rivières pourpres (the purple rivers), a French (German co production?) series based on the novel the Jean Reno film was based on!

49. invent a word and its meaning. This is hard because in German you can just compound away, so for every thing I think of, I’m like ‘but you could just put these three words together for the same effect!!!’ But this is English, so I’ll go with “pflundering” - the sound a bird makes when it takes a very enthusiastic bath!

This took quite a bit, and my brain is no longer able to come up with people to tag, so I’m tagging you, person who actually read through this! Do it (be honest, you already thought up most of your answers while reading it^^) and tag me, I’m curious!

[mcguireboone0-blog]

July Exercise Schedule. Register for Newsletter & The PW Willpower Be Emailed.

Folks for the Moral Therapy from Pets has actually delivered vegetarian/vegan starter packages to Australia's fattest areas and American Samoa. They warns me about diet on a lengthy term Whenever I chat along with some nutrition practioner in my country which understand keto and LCHF. Make certain if any individual distinguishes you that through just basing on the machine wobbling about, you can burn fat. For the weight loss, for the surgery - under YOUR choice and YOUR opportunity, for each of the happiness you are worthy of. The other thing I missed after dumping the diet regimen was my extreme obsession along with meals. While this is actually extremely most likely to cause weight increase also for under a healthy weight people, you'll acquire primarily fat around your abdomen, making you skinny fat". However, after submitting this active ingredient for evaluation to the European Meals Safety and security Authority, which resembles the FDA, they fully examined it and surmised this component had not been helpful for fat burning. Yes, I'm that irritating person which actually did drop weight as well as keep it off with a practical diet plan and a little bit from workout. I liked and also didn't as if some factors in each book, however what resonated with me was the fact that this will certainly need to be 80% diet, 10% workouts, and 10% genetic makeups" baseding upon Tosca Reno, writer of The Eat-Clean Diet, healthy and balanced chef, and physique rival. If you're definitely intending to lose weight, when they mention fat loss is 80% what you consume and TWENTY% exercise," they're fairly best-- receiving just what you eat so as (and also I am actually not pointing out only consume cabbage shakes," only something as straightforward as mattering calories) is actually way more vital. The Revelation: Delight's blog site is a terrific source for clean, unrefined and also healthy recipes, along with DO-IT-YOURSELF all-natural charm pointers, product referrals, video clips and dish prepare tips. I was doing this HIV vaccination study as well as receiving had a weight of each month while I was actually losing my weight. Snatch your copy of 5 Measure Dish Think about Lean As well as Healthy and balanced Body system" book through clicking the web link below to find out the basics from possessing a healthy and balanced diet today! At 19 years of ages, I am 5' 4 1/2" as well as my body weight varies between the low to the middle of 130s. Despite the fact that I recognize the typical person can't maintain this up, so my recommendation is three dishes a time, like the French, the Okinawans, and also no food items between. Additionally soon after surgical procedure, the pancreatic recoups the capacity to reply to a meal with a proper blood insulin spike. The Carb30 resembles an Atkins design plan and also has under 30 web carbohydrates daily. A reduced carb diet without sweeteners is extremely effective at decreasing sweets food cravings. This study assists the use of vinaigrette as a mixed greens or vegetable wearing people attempting to reduce weight along with diet plans like the Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet regimen Vinaigrettes are actually mixtures of olive oil and also vinegar, usually with different seasonings included. Various other analysis presents that a bulk from ladies which reduced weight report significantly higher frequency and also total satisfaction from sexual activity and much better emotions about their good looks and their self-worth. Three months later on Jeff had shed four kilos, whereas Liz's body weight was the same. He/she could help lead you on properly, and of course, you can do it. 5 years ago I was 230lb and 5' 2 ″, and also I lost the body weight without medicines or surgical treatment. When I simply can easily plug that in my personal digital assistant and also compose that down, plus I simply loathe having to search for precisely what I prefer online. So after I would certainly take 15 minutes to consider on my own at my objective body weight I will take that picture out and also check out this and also tell myself that I will certainly never ever be that person once more. This breaks the idea of the Paleo way of living, which motivates that meals options are cooked in their all-natural condition. Therefore food is quite low-cost, that is actually certainly never been as cheap; whatever we earn, what our experts spend on meals, it's cheap and also that is actually freely readily available. At concerning half-weight point in the course of his weightloss (measuring about 145kg) he would certainly require concerning 13200 kJ each day to sustain his body weight. Supporting, fulfilling and cooling with sauce spices to help food digestion, this is an excellent supper meal. But if you do not find out the best ways to switch these practices in to lifestyle from low-carb lifestyle, you are actually guaranteed to gain the weight back. Yet typically, nutrition shortages tend to have their very own collection of distinct signs and symptoms, but meals substance addiction is none from all of them. Foot as well as ankle items are actually a popular issue for folks which deal with their body weight. The concern along with any kind of diet plan is that this does produce you slim down as well as our experts see that as a good thing while that is actually most likely merely some portion of a fancy responses device to keep you booming as well as to life. If you are actually truly looking for a brand new technique to receive encouraged to drop weight, this happening February I desire you to sign up with in on the Blogilates Hot Body Difficulty. http://egeszsegeseletmod-blog.com/eroman-opiniones-precio-como-utilizar-como-funciona-efectos/ in meals don't result in cardiovascular disease, whether you are a type 1 diabetic person, or not. There were additionally 125 unfavorable customer reviews, with the bulk declaring there was no effective weight loss, cravings reduction, or even any type of perk to this label. During the time of health center admittance, higher ejection portions were actually connected with more significant adherence to the Mediterranean diet plan (P Because his diet plan at lengthy phrase results in very massive damages to the health and wellness from the patients, no surprise he was actually banned off the medical association. Thus, when I woke up I went straight to my e-mail to allow the DailyBuzz Meals welcome for Ocean Spray's Diet plan Cranberry extract Juice Drink Assessment. Hey there Kwaku, No, avoiding dishes really isn't the technique to go. Compute your calorie requires for effective weight loss as well as spread out those fats out one of your 3 foods and also a treat.

[soulmatepsychic]

Happy Wednesday🌻 . Every morning I give gratitude for all my blessings and thank God with prayer, I also look forward to my delicious smoothie (courtesy of Reno), and a cup of black Tea. . It’s raining today, but that doesn’t stop me from being positive, I always manage to find a bit of sunshine in the morning, I love sunflowers and sparkly things that make me smile. it raises my vibration up for the whole day. But most importantly always saying positive affirmations, it will help start your day and gets you in the positive mindset. . No matter what you’re going through in the morning, always find that little piece of sunshine inside you, it will help you get through a difficult day. . I love the caption on this cup “Pumpkin spice up your life” 🧡🍂💛 https://www.instagram.com/p/B3riYbRHFnS/?igshid=zvtcqf6vw4vc

[mybikeasmypride]

Devotion

An Alvis x Reno drabble, in which Alvis goes through great lengths to keep himself and Reno happy and safe after their leaving Shinra.

Life had a funny way of working out. Sometimes, it didn’t always work out the way most people think it will. For example, when Alvis had returned to the Turks, he’d imagined that was where he would remain for the rest of his days. That’s just how things were though. Once you’re a Turk, you never stop being one. Even during the time of his and the other Turks’ ‘unforeseen deaths’, he’d never stopped. He never relaxed. Not really. It was like he’d been incapable of returning to a life outside the one he’d spent so many years with. That’s what he thought at the time anyway, which is what spurred him into going back. Well, there’d been another reason. A bigger reason.

“You headed out to town, yo?”

He paused at the doorway, glancing back to his life partner. Reno’s hair, black now instead of bright crimson, was a mess of bed head. It made Alvis’s lips twitch up into a smile every time.

He nodded. “Just for a little while. We running low on food.”

Reno rubbed his neck, nodding as though that were a suitable enough answer. Though Alvis could still spot the briefest flicker of worry in his eyes. Reno was the same as him. He couldn’t stop being a Turk either. Not fully.  

“While you’re out, mind picking me up some more spices? The shop should’ve gotten a new stock by now.”  

“Sure thing.” He playfully blew a kiss, and Reno, with a heavy eye roll and a smile he couldn’t fully suppress, caught it from the air.

“Sap.”

“Ass face.”

“You’re wasting daylight. Get going.”

Alvis chuckled but nodded and headed out the door. The ranch house they’d acquired was a ways out of town, off the beaten path, which was fine by them. Made it way less easy to find. It had been many months since they’d left the life of Turks behind. Yet neither of them could fully shake it off. Neither could fully relax. Alvis couldn’t deny, he sometimes missed it. Yet, he knew he made the right choice when he took Reno away from that place. Because as much as he missed that old lifestyle, there was just some things he could live without, and then other things he couldn’t.

It took him about an hour on foot to get to the town, and then another 20 to get to the market area. Many of the shops were coming out with their seasonal wares, so Alvis did a little extra browsing in case there was anything he or Reno would like.

  “Morning, Savil!” Joe ran the multi-food store, which had a little bit of everything despite its humble size. Alvis and Reno  had become regulars there, under different aliases of course. “How’s the breeding going?”

“It’s looking good, we’re expecting a good flock this season,” Alvis answered with a smile.

“Oren still having troubles getting the greens to grow?”

“Naw, that fertilizer you recommended really seems to have helped. Actually, he even managed to improve it.” Because that was Reno, once he figured something out, he found a way to make it work better. “Do you have any new sweets available today?”

“Sure do, right over on that far shelf there,” he said, pointing it out.

Alvis thanked him and headed over to peruse. He gathered himself a few items as well as some essentials before bringing them to the counter for payment.

“By the way, Savil. You expecting a family visit?”

Alvis glanced up, mood suddenly darkened. “Why do you ask?”

“Couple out-of-towners been about today. Asking around, saying they’re looking for missing family.”

“Huh…” Alvis took a deep breath. “What did they look like?”

“Mm, let’s see, one was a male, bulky with towhead. The other was a lady, mousy brown hair. Kinda petite.”

The breath was released. It didn’t sound like any of them. “Doesn’t ring a bell.”

“Didn’t figure. They seemed pretty interested in you boys. So I sent em towards the house.”

Alvis clenched his jaw and nodded. “Thanks, Joe.”

He finished paying, telling Joe to keep the change before heading out. He headed out to the direction of the house, trying not to make his pace too quick. He can’t run. He wants to but he can’t draw attention to himself. Instead he walks and he watches, his senses all on high alert.

He headed towards the house. Not his and Reno’s home. Not many knew about that location. Instead, Alvis used a different place. An extra place. He took care to keep out of sight as he made his way there. Lo and behold, he found a couple sniffing around.

No suits though. He released a breath. He did recognize the uniform though. He’d seen it a few times now. He knew why they were there.

The first time it had happened, Alvis had gotten lucky. He’d figured the person out before they had figured out who he was. Killing them had been easy. He didn’t lose much sleep over it either. Not when he thought about what he was protecting. Joe had done him a solid by having a friend transport their cellphone across the continent, so that whoever sent them wouldn’t be too wise as to where exactly their little worker disappeared. Reno had been unawares at the time. 

After the second or third times, Reno probably started to suspect. He never brought it up, however, never pressed Alvis for the details. Maybe he didn’t want to make the idea real, that they were being hunted. That their lives now were nothing but a temporary settlement. Joe was an upstanding and trustworthy guy, giving Alvis info anytime he needed it in exchange for the best goods Alvis and Reno could provide. Alvis got a second home to lure people away from their true location. So far, it had worked wonders. About a dozen people had met their end inside that little storehouse.

“Please…”

And another was about to be added.

“Why do you people keep coming around?” Alvis asked. He held the gun with a steady hand. The girl sat out the floor, shaking so hard it was a miracle her uniform was holding together. Her partner was already dead beside her.

“We were just following orders. Please!”

“Pipe down,” Alvis snapped.

She flinched and bit down on her lip as tears spilled from her eyes.

“Did Shinra send you?” he asked.

“Wh… n-no! We’re members of the new world order. We’re trying to prevent another Shinra from rising up.”

“By doing what, exactly?”

She bit her lip, looking away.

“Hey…” Alvis crouched down so he was eye level with her. “You might wanna just spit it out. I’m not a guy who’d shy away from torturing a woman.”

She visibly paled. “So it’s true then… you’re… a member of Shinra. A Turk.”

Was. Is what he wanted to say, but that wasn’t something she needed to know. “You guys hunting Turks? That it?”

“Shinra has done so much wrong in the world,” she said, her eyes hardening despite being so watery. “People like that can’t continue to exist. They need to be brought to justice.”

“Tch… a witch hunt then.” He sighed, standing up to his full height. “Where were you and your partner set to go next, assuming you came up with nothing here?”

She stayed quiet and Alvis said, “Tell me, and I’ll let you be on your way. Assuming you forget what you saw here.”

She stared up at him for several moments before answering. “G-Gongaga.” 

“You’re not lying to me, are you?” Alvis pressed, staring her down.

The girl shook her head. “No! I swear, that’s where we were scheduled to go next.” 

Alvis watched her carefully, and he sensed she was being truthful. “Great, thanks.” And he shot her in the head.

The surprise in her eyes was brief, before they faded to lifelessness. It’s not like Alvis enjoyed it. But at this point, he couldn’t bring himself to be bothered by it anymore. Not after what one of them said.

“You can’t hide forever! There will be plenty others to take my place.”

To which Alvis said, “Good thing I have plenty of bullets.”

Alvis got to work on taking the bodies out back and burying them. No one would know it, but the backyard was turning into a mass graveyard. He’d have to go back to town and give the phones to Joe, once he was finished pulling data off them anyway.

He felt his phone go off in his pocket, and he paused his digging to check it. It was Reno.

“Hey, everything okay?” he asked the moment the line was connected.

“Was about to ask you the same thing, yo,” Reno answered, sounding both annoyed and relieved. “What’s keeping you?”

Alvis glanced down at the corpses. “Found some potential business, turned out to be a dead end.” He smiled, leaning on the shovel. “Hope you weren’t too worried.”  

“Of course I was!” The tone was indignant but almost immediately turned playful. “Who else is gonna take care of RJ? That bird’s a maniac.”  

Alvis snorted. “I’ll be home soon. Cook me something tasty for when I get back, huh?”

“Yeah, yeah. Hurry back, alright?”

Alvis hung up and stared down at the two corpses. He remember another man, pleading for his life.

“Please,” he begged. “I have a family. They need me!”

Alvis hesitated long enough to answer. “I have someone who needs me too.”

But… maybe that had been a lie. When he thought about it, it was likely the other way around.  

After he finished burying the bodies, he headed out back into town, and then out to home. By the time he got their, the sun was beginning to set.

“’Bout damn time, yo!” 

Reno was right there at the door, throwing it open before Alvis’s hand could settle on the handle. He pulled Alvis inside, shutting the door behind him before pulling Alvis in for a kiss. Alvis could feel the utter relief flowing through Reno’s mouth onto his. Alvis needed to take care not to make him worry so much next time.

“You stink,” Alvis said with a grin when their lips parted.

“Shaddup!” Reno kissed him again, longer, and hanging out Alvis as though proving a point. “Did you get my spices?”

Shit… “No,” he said, looking apologetic. “Sorry.”

“Well, whatever. Just means I’ll have to go easy on the spices tonight. You better not complain about the flavor.”

Being home allowed Alvis to relax from the day, and any shred of guilt he might’ve felt ended up trickling away. He went out to check on the birds while Reno got dinner ready, stopping only when Reno called him back inside.

“Everything go okay today?” Reno asked as he spooned food onto Alvis’s plate.

“Yeah, you?”

“Your damn bird kicked me into the manure pile.”

“So that’s why you’re so smelly,” Alvis said with a laugh.

“Ain’t funny, yo. Can’t believe you forgot my spices of all things,” he grumped.

“I said I was sorry,” Alvis told him. “I bought your favorite snacks though.”

This seemed to perk him up a bit. “Alright, but I’m going out next time.”

Alvis nodded. “Yeah, I know.”

They rarely ever went to town together. Someone had to stay behind and keep an eye on things after all. So far, it had been stray agents, seeking vengeance on the dogs of Shinra (former or otherwise). So far no one from Shinra specifically had come snooping around that he knew of. Though it was always possible they knew and were either waiting or had done the smart thing and left it alone. Alvis imagined to himself if those assassins had been Turks, if he would’ve done anything differently. 

“Hey, you sure you’re okay, yo?”

Alvis glanced up at him. “Just thinking about how lucky I am.”

Reno shook his head. “I dunno how you manage to say that stuff with a  straight face,” he said, but Alvis could tell he was happy. “’Sides…” The next words were mumbled, but Alvis was sure he’d heard, “I’m the lucky one.”

He hoped, for their sake the Turks never came looking for them. Because Alvis knew in that moment, he would do anything to protect Reno. For him, Alvis would bring the world to its knees.

[cearyfloyd]

Home Office Organization – April Household Organization Diet

Get all of your paperwork, work stations, and desks organized with these simple home office organization ideas and free printables.

Whew! April is flying by and I’m a bit behind on things!  We are almost finished all of the home renos that we were doing and I’m so happy to be able to get things cleaned and organized again. I’m excited to show you all of the finished spaces over the next few weeks so stay tuned for that.

Hopefully, you were able to get through all {or at least some!} of the tasks for the March Household Organization Diet last month and are enjoying your cleaned and organized bathrooms!  Always remember that these plans are just a guideline. Sometimes, you’ll be able to get things done quickly and sometimes it may take you a couple of months. The important thing is to continue moving ahead and not use incomplete tasks as an excuse to stop.

The Household Organization Diet Plan

If you’re not familiar with The Household Organization Diet, it’s basically a year-long plan to work on decluttering, deep cleaning, and organizing every space in your home. Each month we work on a different room. Some spaces may need a lot of time and others will be easier. Just work at your own pace, do what you can, and feel free to adapt the plan to make it work for you.  The key is to just get started!

At the beginning of each month, I post a free set of printables for the month including a task list, a blank task list for you to add your own tasks, a calendar, and a notes sheet.  I recommend that you print these out and put them in a binder for frequent reference.  You might even want to print two copies of the task sheet so you can hang one up on the fridge or other visible area of your home.  You can read a little more below about how to use them.

I also always post some helpful tutorials and tips to help you complete each of your tasks.  Be sure to pin or bookmark this post so you can read these over before you get started. I’ll be updating them throughout the month with any changes I’ve made and will be sure to let you know when I’m working on anything new.  Please leave me a comment or email me if you have specific questions or ideas that you would find helpful to complete the tasks and keep you on track. I love to hear from you!

The April Household Organization Diet – Home Office Organization

This month we’ll be working on home office organization and clearing out all of that paper clutter! I know not everyone has a dedicated home office {us included!}, but you should have at least one place in your home dedicated to paperwork, important documents, paying bills, storing basic office supplies, etc.  Since you are likely going through a lot of your paperwork for tax season anyways, this is the perfect time to set up some long-term organization systems that will work for you and get your financial situation under control.

I also thought that this would be a good time to talk a little bit about clearing out the mind clutter as well.  It’s definitely one of the things that I struggle with the most and can be a huge obstacle when it comes to living a more organized life. Honestly, if you can get your paperwork organized and come up with a scheduling system that works for you and your family (and stick with it!), at least half of the mind clutter will probably be cleared up already.

April Household Organization Diet Printables

The April To Do List

It’s always a good idea to have a plan in place for any organization task, so here are the April tasks and calendar for you. As always, you can use my pre-made plan or download the blank task sheet to create your own.

 THE APRIL TASKS HERE DOWNLOAD A BLANK COPY OF THE APRIL TASKS HERE

April Calendar

I like to keep track of when I’m going to do what on a monthly calendar.  Make your {realistic!} monthly plan and stick to it! Some people like to do a little each day and others would like to block off a longer time period once per week.  Do whatever works best for your time schedule and personality.

DOWNLOAD THE APRIL CALENDAR HERE

April Notes Sheet

Keep a notes sheet {or two!} handy to jot down any projects, home improvement ideas, extra tasks, etc. that you would like to do.  You might want to use one for tasks that you would like to do this month and a second sheet for future projects that you would like to do.  Sometimes just getting it down on paper will give your mind a bit of a rest.

  DOWNLOAD THE APRIL NOTES HERE

Home Office Organization Ideas

Are you ready to get started on your home office organization?  Grab a box each for garbage, recycling, and shredding, and let’s get going! Here are some tips to help you get you going…

Completely empty out the space.

When I am re-organizing a space, I always find that I do best if I completely empty it out before starting. Depending on the size of your space and how much time you have, however, you may want to divide your space into smaller projects that you can get done in a day so you don’t end up with a bigger mess than when you started!  For example, one day you may tackle the desk drawers while the next day you organize the filing cabinet.

Sort into piles.

Go through every item that you have emptied from your space and sort into piles: items to keep in the space, items to donate/give away, items that actually belong somewhere else in your home, and items that are headed for the garbage/recycling.  Be sure to shred any documents that have any personal information on it and recycle any paper products when able. Really be honest with yourself when you are deciding if you should keep an item or send it off to goodwill or recycling.  If you are having trouble decluttering, read this post to overcome your decluttering paralysis.

Group your “keep” items.

Now it is time to focus on those items that you are going to keep {and USE!} in the space.  Group the remaining items into similar categories and come up with a plan for how you would like to store/organize your belongings.  If your organization method wasn’t working before, you either need to significantly declutter or change up your organization system.  When it comes to your desk space, keep only your most frequently used items out and try to store the rest away {but still easily accessible}  A rolling cart  or a floating shelf above your desk work great if you need a little extra storage space.  Use drawer dividers or small bins inside of larger drawers to make it easier to keep your items where they belong.

Shop your home for creative storage ideas.

Be creative in your storage and look around your home for other items that could be repurposed to meet your needs. Kitchen items such as spice racks, ice cube trays, and small muffin tins are great for keeping smaller office items in check. Bathroom items such as caddies and shower organizers can also come in handy. Recover small cardboard boxes or tin cans with pretty wrapping paper or use clear mason jars for an inexpensive storage solution.

Keep things simple.

The easier your organization is, the easier it will be to actually follow. If you have a lot of items stacked on top of each other, it may look pretty at first, but it will likely lead to a cluttered space in the future.  Make things easy to put away and use labels as much as possible so everyone knows where things belong. Try to keep items stored as close to the place that you will be using them as you can.

Favorite Home Office Organization Ideas

I’ve put together some of my favorite home office organization ideas for you.  Be sure to read these over before you get started!

How to Declutter and Organize Any Space.  This is a good post to review before organizing any space in your home.  The more you practice these tips, the easier they will become!

Free Budgeting Printables.  Even if you’ve done these before, your budget should be reviewed and modified at least once per year (or sooner if there are any signficant financial changes).

How to Organize Bills.  If you’ve ever missed a bill payment or have no idea when your automatic payments will be coming out, check out this simple, fool-proof system…

How to Get Rid of Paper Clutter.  Paper clutter is often one of the biggest elements of clutter in the home.  In addition to the visual clutter, this can also become a big source of stress and lead to missed bill payments or appointments, lost documents, and poor daily organization.  Get a system in place that works for you, and the paper clutter will be a thing of the past!

Simple Storage Solutions for Items You Don’t Know Where to Put.  We all have those little items that you’re not quite sure where to put.  If every item has a home though, it’s so much quicker and easier to clean up!

Kitchen Command Center. This is the heart of our home and the main area that all of our papers are sorted.

Simple Tips to Organize Your Desk.  If you don’t have a dedicated home office {like me!}, creating a functional and organized desk space is essential.

Office Organization Inspiration.  These are some of my favorite home office and desk organization ideas from around the web.  Check them out for some beautiful home office inspiration!

How to Organize Your Life with a Notebook.  If you have difficulties keeping yourself on track, this is the plan for you.

And there you go!  Hopefully that will provide you with a ton of home office organization inspiration!  If you have any questions or other topics that would be helpful for you, just let me know.  My book, The Home Decluttering Diet, is designed to go along with this plan with extra tips, ideas, and simple DIY projects to help you along.  It’s SO helpful having the information right at your finger tips, so order now while it’s still on sale!   You can purchase HERE in the US and HERE if you’re in Canada.

************************

This post is part of The Household Organization Diet.  If you need some organization inspiration, check out THIS POST  to learn more about the plan and THIS POST for all of the 2018 updates.

It’s updated on the first of every month with the new plan so don’t forget to bookmark it! You CAN get that house cleaned and organized once and for all!  To see all of the previous posts click the Get Organized tab at the top of the blog and go to The Household Organization Diet.  I also have all of the posts pinned to my Household Organization Diet Pinterest Board.  Start at any time and make sure you are following along so you don’t miss out…

INSTAGRAM / FACEBOOK / PINTEREST / NEWSLETTER

The post Home Office Organization – April Household Organization Diet appeared first on Clean and Scentsible.

from Home Improvement https://www.cleanandscentsible.com/how-to-organize-the-home-office/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[bitterarcs]

Second cigarette of the day, and it hung flaccidly from between fingers. A play thing. Red embers continued to devour, yet darkening thoughts refused to blow away with the carcinogenic smoke produced at smoldering end. Reno hated it . . the smell of cigarettes, actually. As if the weakness of surrendering to a vice was not a pounding to ego, the odour which clung to hair, clothes, and skin continued to remind and reprimand. Realization permeated as deeply as the stench, even as the lighter was flipped open, as the flame danced in eyes, and as the cigarette was removed from the half crushed box. Plenty of time to back out, yet turmoil acted as ten different voices shouting within his mind.

At least with the deadly ritual completed, frustration at himself was singled out; one disappointed voice better than several deafening ones. Only a third of the second cigarette was actually smoked, another third was left to burn as he watched quietly, and the last third — it fell from fingers. With a shocking amount of precision, it hit his target three floors down. Gunners dressed in company issued sweats and tees had been taking a break from their training, gathered in a cluster of three within the training arena. Of all the horrid things to possibly occurred, none expected to have a Turk watch them, least of all drop a cigarette.

From his height, the red head was unable to see the extent of the damage, but the single gunner yelled suddenly and ran around while attempting to dislodge the cigarette which had slithered past collar. Depending on his mood, a burst of inappropriate laughter or an apology would have been issued; he said nothing. Several pairs of heated and confused eyes looked upwards, and the sight of an unusually stoic Reno washed animosity away from tongues with freezing water. Maybe he could indulge in his mindless sadism later. At the moment, he pushed himself away from the railing over looking the impressive training hall and casually walked ( not sauntered ) towards the double doors leading to the elevator.

Black duffel bag full of supplies was carried with his right hand, hanging over right shoulder, and left hand was shoved inside the pocket of his ebony trousers to toy with the silver and scarlet lighter. He fingered the cool metal until it absorbed the heat of his flesh. DING. A light hum of the elevator mechanism, and the large doors opened at the helicopter landing pad on the building's roof. Hand moved away from lighter and out from pocket to hang awkwardly at his side whereupon the agitated tick of fingertips toying with the stitching of leather glove commenced. Leather binding palms and knuckles were a second flesh. Suit . . he could have done without.

Tiny gravel stones gave way with each step he produced on route to the awaiting helicopter. No recognition was given to the pilot, loathing the fact they needed a pilot, as the duffel was tossed in the back without much of a care. The pilot had, of course, not done anything ill, but the sight of him caused tongue to click against teeth with displeasure. The mission details including the part where Reno was not to pilot the helicopter in order to keep an eye out on his burden refreshed within mind. Tseng's emotionless voice. The mission file. The vile stench of smoke. Fuck, I shouldn't have smoked.

Now he was going to be stuck in reeking clothes AND be at the side of an unhinged gremlin. When the news had broke, even Rude, the bald and stacked pillar of a man, had reacted. Of course it was only Reno who noticed the reaction, for the red head had been stunned in the subsequent moments. Was it a punishment? Apparently not, but Reno called bullshit. He had tried bargaining with Tseng, offering Rude's services in the stead of a man Reno had personally helped to subdue. He wasn't fucking clingy, and not every mission required the services of red and bald, but why ruin something which worked? Fucking Tseng. Fucking shaddy ShinRa departments. FUCKING SEPHIROTH.

The infallible pillars of the ShinRa Electric Company crumbled in an instant. No, it had taken a little bit more time, but the dramatics of the situation made everything appear like a sudden explosion. The SOLDIER program was practically annihilated, and the Turks and . . the other scraps followed to pick up pieces. Neither a pessimist or an optimist, Reno knew there would be no repairing the wounds created by Genesis, Angeal, Zack, and Sephiroth. Fucking SOLDIERs. No one had listened to Reno, and how right he had been. . . .

No, Reno hadn't precisely predicted the dissension and desertion among the SOLDIERs, but the Turk had never trusted any of them. Bunch of mako freaks, and once again Reno was stuck with another caliber of freak. The red hair was a hair away from pulling out lighter to set fire to something . . anything, when Nero and his walker appeared from the same elevators Reno had emerged from a minute earlier. Equally scoffing and grimacing at the sight, the mouthy Turk pressed back against the sealed pilot door and defiantly crossed arms against his chest. Once close enough, he cocked his head to the side and spoke,

(  ❛  Anything I should know? Favourite treats? What times does he need to be walked to go potty?  ❜  )

Reno was proud of that one, almost enough to erase the shitty fucking circumstances of the fucked up mission. The red head did not allow it to show in his expression instead he moved for the ajar door and jumped inside with swift agility.

(  ❛  Alright, freak show. You better be able to handle heights.  ❜  )

starter for @stagnantmako

[inb4vaughn]

Golf, Food And Fun In Punta Mita Paradise

Not five minutes had passed since the shuttle dropped us off at the Puerto Vallarta airport after three and half days in Punta Mita paradise when my wife uttered the words I knew I’d hear eventually.

“When are we coming back?”

And she’s not even a golfer. I am, of course, and I second her emotion. Third it, even. We gotta get back here, and soon.

After years of somehow avoiding the Mexico mainland (or any other part of America’s southern neighbor) for a tropical visit, we hit the getaway jackpot by taking part in the eighth edition of the Punta Mita Gourmet & Golf Classic, a late fall foray into the best cuisine, hospitality and seaside swinging that Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit has to offer.

Tucked between the towering Sierra Madre mountains and Pacific Ocean, the stunning stretch of coastline starts just north of Puerto Vallarta and includes the Punta Mita peninsula itself which, from the air, looks like a deep green camel’s head drinking deeply of the heaving, azure sea. Title sponsor American Express, Punta Mita’s real estate developer Dine (pronounced deen-ay), the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau and St. Regis and Four Seasons resorts welcome hundreds of sun-seeking customers, clients and other guests to a luxury-steeped swatch of water, beach, manicured jungle and coiffed fairways and greens that, I realized as we sipped Mexican beer and soaked up sunset rays slanting through stacks of purple clouds, is every bit the equal of Hawaii — without the five-hour flight from America’s West Coast.

Speaking of beer: Negra Modelo, Pacifico and a few local brews that most Yanks have never tasted, but should, were just one ingredient in the beverage binge we enjoyed during our all-too-brief stay. After checking in at the Four Seasons and settling into our “standard” garden view suite that was anything but, we grabbed a ride back to the breezeway-slash-lobby on one of the resort’s ubiquitous multi-seated golf carts.

“We’ve got a special shuttle waiting for you,” an attendant told us, pointing to a brand-new Tesla Model X for a quick jaunt to the St. Regis’s Sea Breeze restaurant, sprawling public courtyards and cabanas for the event’s welcoming cocktail bash sponsored by Aeromexico and Delta. After stepping into the sultry evening breeze we were immediately offered champagne, and moments later we found our way to one of several well-stocked bars where the mixologist whipped up a pale pink concoction.

“What is that?” I asked. “Paloma,” came the answer. I held up two fingers, appropriate because the refreshing drink is made with Patron blanco tequila, pink grapefruit juice, a dash of sugar and fresh lime juice — Margarita’s lower-calorie cousin. We were in; the drink became our go-to as each evening’s festivities played out.

Incredible food greets every player at the Punta Mita Gourmet & Golf Classic

And the food? What a way to begin: Several tended stations prepared fresh takes on “true” Mexican cuisine from the kitchens of three renowned chefs from both sides of the border — John Signorelli from the St. Regis Houston, Erik Guerrero from DOS restaurant in Veracruz and Alex Branch from Hakasana Group in Los Cabos. In the dizzying array of tastes and textures, our favorite was a succulent bit of grilled pork belly on a warm tortilla, topped with fresh salsa.

Over the Gourmet & Golf tournament’s two days of competition in the strong Mexican sun, beer took precedence for me and my Guadalajaran playing partners, Pedro and Pedro Pablo, as we encountered the dozen or so food and drink stations dotting both of Jack Nicklaus’s Pacifico (opened in 1999) and Bahia (2009) layouts, breaking up the suds with the occasional mini-margarita, glass of south-of-the-border wine, shot of exquisite regional tequila or, better yet, mezcal, which is smokier — an anejo-based take on single malt whisky. With such libations and all sorts of incredible edible morsels from top-shelf chefs — incredibly fresh ceviche, lightly grilled octopus, succulent veggie burritos, addictive street tacos al pastor — under my belt, concentrating on each shot was tough, especially on the dozen seaside holes between the two tracks, including Pacifico’s famous “Tail of the Whale” hole with its green cradled among rocks and surf on a natural island some 185 yards from the beach-side middle tee. We took turns giving that island our best shots, as did everyone who came through, though, since the tide had come in and the green wasn’t accessible by cart — we’d have needed stroke backstrokes or scuba gear to get there — it didn’t count on the official scorecard.

The Tail of the Whale on Punta Mita’s Pacifico Course.

Actually, our threesome wasn’t officially part of the formal tournament due to a clerical error, and that was a blessing. We could just have fun playing our own balls rather than grinding over every shot and sweating the final team scores, based on a best ball format one day and two-person handicapped scramble the other, as the other 200 or so golfers did. And I didn’t have to stress when I thought my snap-hooked tee shot on Bahia’s handsome, beachside par 4 17th was lost to the waves; I just reloaded, hooked one even further left (this time with an unmistakable splash) and moved on, only to discover that my first ball had ricocheted off a rock and back into play at the very edge of the fairway, leaving a simple wedge home.

AVOID GOLF’S BIGGEST ‘DEATH MOVES’ WITH PUNTA MITA DIRECTOR OF INSTRUCTION AND GOLF TIPS 25 TEACHER TOM STICKNEY

Ah, yes, the good life in Mexico, and it never waned.

Not when I showed up for each day’s outdoor pre-tournament breakfast feast on the expansive practice range, digging into truly fresh fruit (you just don’t see mangoes like this back home in Reno), made-to-order omelets, colorful Mexican pastries and fried chilaquiles.

Not when we teed off just as the sun breached the tree-line and spread broad, dewy shadows over gently rolling fairways, trickily tiered greens and broad waste bunkers, including a big palm-dotted expanse on Pacifico that ties several holes together. Not when our rounds tumbled down to the ocean in one heart-swelling view after another, or when Mexico’s greatest player ever, Lorena Ochoa, and 1982 Masters champion Craig Stadler — the event’s special guests — greeted us during our rounds.

A crackling fresh salad at Punta Mita’s Gourmet & Golf Classic

Not when I reunited with my wife for several incredible meals, including Chef Atzin Santos’ six-course dinner lineup of Mexican and Spanish delicacies on Friday — again the pastor porkbelly with fermented pineapple and macha sauce was a standout — and Saturday’s delicious and delicate vegan lunch authored by Chef Leslie Durso, both at Bahia, the Four Seasons’ open-air restaurant overseen by Richard Sandoval (I skipped the tournament’s epic awards lunch back at the range, which, I’m told, was off the charts).

Not when we kicked the party up a notch at the American Express Platinum House, otherwise known as Kupuri Beach Club at the St. Regis, sipping yet more signature cocktails and supping on mini-miracles of deep, cross-cultural flavors lovingly prepared by Chefs Antonio de Livier, Yasuo Asai, Abraham Salum, Sergio Chávez, Andrew Ormsby, Betty Vásquez, Alfredo Villanueva and Pato Pérsico.

Trophies are awarded to teams and individual men and women for closest to the pin, longest drive, etc.

In fact, through the weekend, every bite of tender seafood, farm-to-table vegetables and spices and locally sourced meats was a revelation of freshness, chipping away at my stubborn gringo preconceptions of what Mexican food is, and should be. We savored that celebratory closing dinner to the sound of the crashing surf, which in turn was the backdrop for a full stage erected on the beach. As the music began we sipped and swayed and laughed into the night, enjoying every starlit minute among our fellow revelers. It was the second day of December but felt like its own holiday.

But the glorious gluttony wasn’t over. Sunday morning brought a farewell brunch to the Sea Breeze — a traditional buffet inside, yet more delicacy-dealing food stations outside, the Pacific singing its timeless song a short par 4 away, and a warm realization that we’d just taken part in the kind of getaway that should be shared not only by golfers, but by their significant others. All the smiling charm and gentle spirit of the Mexican people, all the beauty of Riviera Nayarit, that state’s best golf without question, and the luxuries of its two finest resorts are brought to bear on one sweet little peninsula. And early next December will bring it alive for the ninth time.

Then again, we may not wait that long. We fell hard for this place, we know how to get there with relative ease, and we know the welcome extends to every month and every sun-seeking soul, whether nor not you’re packing clubs.

Únete a nosotros por el tiempo de tu vida, ¿verdad?

For information on next year’s Punta Mita Gourmet & Golf Classic, visit www.puntamitagourmetandgolf.com; for year-round resort reservations visit www.puntamita.com

  The post Golf, Food And Fun In Punta Mita Paradise appeared first on Golf Tips Magazine.

from Golf Tips Magazine http://bit.ly/2AD8tm1

[markyishanthonymartinez]

1/22/17

sry sry sry sry future mark, past mark messed up and wrote nothing last night but current mark is fixing his mistakes.

yesterday wasn't super eventful. football was good, rooting so hard for the falcons. they absolutely handled the packers. pretty certain the entire world is rooting for the falcons at this point. hopefully matty ice and julio come in clutch af. the patriots beat the steelers, but like i hate both of them so idrc.

i edited a lot. the vlog from 1/20, in case you ever want to go back and see what you were doing. you were editing that vlog. and it’s very funny. and it took forever. but you're really happy with it and you even squeezed in a titanic meme. good job pal.

you didn't pack until like 2 hours before your flight, what is wrong with you. not only that but you had to pack your xbox and i have no idea how you fit all your stuff in there and were still under the weight limit. oh wait i do know, because you didn't. you totes had to leave your tripod, which is a bummer, but there was absolutely no chance of it ever fitting. don't cry, you can film by the sink, the spot with the good lighting. 

my flight was probably pretty close to getting cancelled. hella rain in vegas, hella snow in reno. i have no idea how it didn't, but it didn't. airport was hella chillin’. the lady that checked your bags was like old lady flirting with you. 

okay can i not talk in third person now.

the lady that was checking my bags made my life awkward. just kidding it wasn't that awkward. but like she was like oooo mark anthony? can you sing us a song? and kept going and going and going and i’m like uhhhhh, nah b. jk i’m nice, i play along, but in my head i’m like “bye plz.” this dude outside the terminal was the biggest douche i’ve ever heard open his mouth. i mean like he looked like it, but he did not try one bit to not be a douche. he was having a outdoor voices-level conversation with his friends about the first time he got fucked up, and smoked spice (WHAT IS SPICE? I’VE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF THAT), and smoked weed, and had sex. and how some girl he knows now used to be the sweetest girl in high school cause she only had sex with two guys, but now, now she gets railed every single night, but she’s still a sweet girl. and how he hit up a bunch of girls who are seniors in high school this past break. and how good he is at being fucked up. so good that he spent the entire break fucked up besides the past week. and omg i kept making eye contact with people around and everyone wanted him to stop so badly but no one said anything and ughhhhhh. how are we the same species.

the pilot said the flight was gonna be hella hella turbulence-y but it wasn't... it was chill. i had a nice little playlet goin’, i was jammin’. the guy next to me was trippin’ tho, dude would not stay still for more than 3 minutes at a time. 

miyanna was the real mvp for driving through horrible roads late at night to come get me. we drove home really slowly, but it gave me a chance to tell her my whole life. she’s funny.

my ankles got cold cause there was so much snow and i had so little shoe and so little sock. rip lil mark ankles.

hope that wasn't so horrible you threw up a little.

but if you did i hope you at least had fun doing so.

do fun things. stay beautiful

-mark anthony martinez

[bitterarcs]

 It was a spur of the moment thing. There was no way Reno had mulled over the amusing possibility a week prior, and there was certainly no way the Turk thought about the SOLDIER out of work hours. He had watched the young SOLDIER from a distance when their paths distantly crossed paths. Both men heading in opposite directions in the same hall and watching the SOLDIERs and rookies have it out either in the boxing ring or running laps around the impressive gymnasium. Completely normal things, surely. As much as Reno generally disliked the SOLDIERs, it was even wiser to keep an eye on the enemy . . the Turk told himself as much. They often worked different missions and odd hours, but finally, finally all of Reno's paperwork was completed and Zack apparently was finished with work, too. The redhead quickly sprinted forward to meet the young SOLDIER at the exit of the ShinRa building and brazenly stepped in the line of his path.

  (  ❛ Who ever told you turtleneck were in fashion is a liar. Was it your mom? Probably. Don't look to Angeal or even Genesis for fashion tips. I witll graciously help you.  ❜ )

Reno punctuated his last sentence by poking the other man's chest, further bringing attention to the atrocity which was his sleeveless turtleneck. The redhead withdrew his hand moments later and took a step backwards, then both hands landed on his hips with dramatic and unnecessary flare.

  (  ❛ No excuses. Come with me, pup.  ❜ )

Head knocked to the side, signaling Zack to follow. He turned on the heels of his polished ShinRa issued shoes and made for the transportation rail.

silly shit for @nerdynanny

[bitterarcs]

Reno. Was. Down. BAD. Kids and adults were treated as pariahs, croaking left and right, and the prodigal son and president Rufus ShinRa was afflicted by the sickness, however Reno — shit, he missed late night bar crawls and spending well-earned gil on the most ridiculous things. When sleep eluded the Turk, he missed luxurious trips to Midgar's premiere spa more than ever. Deep tissue massages, cleaning out the stock of gold label alcohol at adjacent bars, and taking a casual stroll by the HoneyBee Inn to amuse the girls with a charming smile and some generous gil.

For how much credit the entire world gave the Lifestream, Reno continued to think very sparingly of it. Couldn't it just fix all the shit going on, or, better yet, wouldn't it punish those who had fucked Gaia over time and time again? Some saw the president of the collapsed ShinRa as getting his new due, but there were thousands of former employees and a few handfuls of loyal Turks who remained unaffected by the geostigma. Reno supposed the Lifestream did not have conscious thought . . except for the time it saved the earth . . or had that been instinct?

Deep thought was not offered to the way the world worked, only that he, his Turks, and the boss man were shit out of luck. It was the end of an era for ShinRa, though the remaining Turks and Rufus claimed it to be the beginning of a new era. The hope people clung to when control was out of their hands — Reno was capable of understanding now. There were two things the redhead knew in life: how to be a ruthless kid and how to be a successful Turk. Clawing his way to the top as a child led him to the elite and coveted position among the Turks, but what was there after becoming a Turk?

Reno knew nothing else, and Reno wanted nothing else. The Turks who, in truth, were more civilian than actual Turks had built up lives for themselves far before the fall of the electric company. As for Rude, Elena, and Tseng, they, too, had nothing else. All of them heard the bitter remarks and snickers from the public . . the Turks were just playing pretend. Reno did not give much thought to it, because frankly deep and meaningful thoughts did not look good on him. He did what he did best, and wasn't that just part of the shit show that was life?

Luxuries aside, easy to jest about, the redheaded Turk missed the international missions of utmost importance, the state of the art equipment produced by ShinRa engineers, the feeling of power and importance on a global scale. He felt as though he had been knocked down the totem pole by many degrees. Did his comrades feel the same way as well? When inebriated, Reno attempted to pick his partner's brain over the matter, yet neither of them seemed too intent traversing down a rabbit hole of self-exploration and pity.

Perhaps the universe had heard him ( again, he didn't exactly believe in such a sentience ), perhaps Rufus grew tired of his Turks running around like errand boys and girl instead of putting their training to use. Just attending an exceptionally formal meeting in the meager home roused renewed energy within Reno, and the details which followed also excited him. Something different? Something actually new? There were no files to push around and no screen to project pertinent information; there was only memory. There was a name Verona and the rumours which surfaced to the front of his mind.

Apparently the half Turks had caught wind about her whereabouts; rumours they had followed until they found the woman themselves but had not approached. Rufus was already considering getting in leagues with the ex-AVALANCHE members, was he really contemplating extending a hand towards another ShinRa betrayer? The answer, of course, was yes. Reno and Rude were tasked to the mission, and mixed feelings spewed freely from the redhead's mouth during the trip. A meager amount of gil, rudimentary supplies, basically living out of a van . . . yeah, it was totally like the old days.

Reno wanted action, right? He certainly received it. He ceased complaining after the fourth day of travel as worry and paranoia mounted. Rude had heard the rumours too, but he offered little input whether or not he believed it. He knew his bald partner like the back of his hand didn't fail to notice the new level of tension on the fifth day of travel. They arrived at the coordinates provided by the other guys, and the van pulled up slowly as if to advertise their friendly presence.

Donning their Turk issued suits, both Reno and Rude exited the van at the same time and though his bald partner was head and shoulders taller than he, both men kept the same pace to the front of the home. Reno wished to whisper something snarky but dreaded the possibility it would be heard and taken badly. Wild thoughts kept bottled. Rude wore his black sunglasses, but the redhead as able to decipher the expression beneath as both men exchanged glances. Reno won, so the larger Turk knocked on the door with a gloved hand. Two steady beats, and then . . they waited.

starter for @strywoven

[bitterarcs]

He didn't like it — the stench of pungent leaves and carcinogenic chemicals burning; it reminded him of home in the same way the smell of blood informed cattle of slaughter. It was preferable over the smell of body odour and that of garbage which littered the slums, more prominent with each year the citizens fell to poverty. Law enforcers only stuck their noses and batons in when urged by ShinRa or the benefit of their pocket outweighed the risk of their lives. It was a jungle of concrete and bodily secretions.

A kingdom fit for a cruel king, and while Reno always pictured himself ruling high, there were so many things he hated about the slums and the poor. Was it an inflated ego — believing himself better than the struggling bakers and fathers with gambling addicts? Cut from the safe cloth as everyone who survived and rotted he may have been, but he was starved for more, more than slitting throats and counting stained gil in the back of a warehouse; even sitting king held its displeasures in his mind.

People were just vile and annoying. Granted, he, too, was vile, wanting to get his dick wet and itching to cause pain. Reno was jaded and hurting people made him forget about it. What else could he do however? He sucked too much dick and stabbed too many saps to become some god damn saint, or worse, a farmer. Nose winkled with disgust just thinking about it, or was it the smoke around him, or the lewd noises being expelled from a woman being pounded into. What a way to spend the fucking evening.

To the right of him Todo, an even more loud mouth crew member, munched away on a semi-stale sandwich with eyes glued to the scene. In times like this, Reno pretended he disliked the scene because there was no point watching two people fuck if he wasn't involved directly. Reno had his other reasons. He used his cigarette was an excuse to drop his gaze, crushing the lit stick within itself and only burning himself slightly as the slapping of flesh ceased. His gaze only jerked upwards when their other crew member, Jamie, pushed away the dirty partition and zipped up his pants.

❛ Does she even know how old you are, man? ❜ That was Todo speaking after swallowing a mouthful.

❛ She's just happy that a young buck gave her a good pounding into. ❜ Jaime dissolved into a proud grin like fucking someone twice his age was a rare feat. Reno had rich shit heads old enough to be his grandfather try to shove gil in his pocket for a night with his mouth; the whole affair left a bitter taste in his mouth the cigarettes could not squash. Paper and ash fluttered down to the ground to join the rest of the muck as Reno drew himself to his feet. He wiped sweat laden palms on his coveralls before shoving fists into oversized pockets.

(  ❛  Riveting as this is, am gonna get action of my own. If I collect on the Yamazaki's, I get enough to buy that fur coat. ❜  )

As spry as he was and slightly underweight, Reno made his swift exit before his gang members could twist his arm into sharing the interest or more talks of sex. At the exit of the building that was mixed steel and plywood, gemstone eyes accidentally met the glassy ones of the woman Jamie had just fucked. She looked high but not regretful, even going as far as offering Reno an inviting smile. Old hag. Hair that could have used a good wash didn't feel the detriment of running dirty fingers through scarlet spikes.

A father and two children veered to the opposite end of the alleyway upon spotting the teen and recognizing sin on his features; Reno snickered. A ragged haired black cat face deep into a rodent spared him a glance and hissed; he flipped it the finger. His plans took him out the slums where he indulged in a food stand specializing in fried curry balls and light people watching. Where the air was slightly fresher, workers, families, and elderly couples loaded themselves into buses.

At another spot, a dull blue bus came to a stop and the typical faces crawled into the arteries of Midgar. Chumps and idiots. Old comers who found nothing but dirt beyond the city or fresh faced newcomers hoping to catch some big break. Donning his coveralls and not enough salacious or stained in blood, there was a decent chance he could run a scam on someone.

Warm ,fried deliciousness was stuffed greedily in his mouth when eyes jumped from a farmer wearing a too tight suit to a kid who looked like a baby chocobo @riotseas. Reno licked the spices off the front of his teeth and jumped into action. Innocent, as innocent as plausible, expression decorated his lips as he saddled up to the outsider. Teeth were bright despite excessive smoking but eyes were brighter.

(  ❛  Needing a map of the city? Only costs 10 gil, friend. ❜  )

[bitterarcs]

Notorious reputation  — the lapdog of the President, second youngest to join the Turks, sadistically efficient, and the ShinRa employee who poked his ears and eyes into everyone’s business. The latter was not strictly due to his innate desire to gossip; he wanted to decipher enemy from ally, loyal from reckless, and stable from unhinged. Just as he was put through the rigors before being recruited into the Turks, he, too, applied pressure onto newbies, no matter from what department, in order to get the best of the best among their ranks. He didn’t know much about the SOLDIER, Snow Villiers. Part of Reno wanted to keep things as they were, however the curious side of him could not allow an important face to remain just a face. The redhead waited for the departure of the tall man outside the gymnasium and threw the line to gauge his personality. The response brought a grin to lips. One thing was checked off in Reno’s mental list.

                              (  ❛  I’ll do you one better. Five drinks at Sector’s 8 nicest bar. Ever drank tequila from a waitress’ belly button? It’s not that kind of place, but if you’re into that, I know another bar that specializes in such . . things. ❜  ) 

Mad rod was twirled deftly with his left hand as turquoise hues eyed the SOLDIER for a response, be it verbally or physically.

@cryogenicmuses​ continued from here.