#Food Industry Guide

[pestprosie]

Navigating Pest Control: A Food Industry Guide by Pest Control Experts

As pest control experts dedicated to supporting the food industry, we understand the unique challenges and high stakes involved in maintaining a pest-free environment. Our experience has shown us time and again that effective pest management is not just about dealing with infestations as they arise; it’s about creating a comprehensive strategy that addresses both immediate concerns and long-term prevention. Here, we outline the critical benefits and strategies for food business owners to mitigate risks and safeguard their establishments.

Proactive Health and Safety Measures

The presence of pests in any food-related business poses significant health risks, from foodborne illnesses to contamination. As experts, our first and foremost goal is to ensure the health and safety of your customers and staff. Implementing regular, professional pest inspections and treatments eliminates potential hazards, ensuring compliance with health regulations and maintaining the highest standards of hygiene.

Safeguarding Your Reputation Against Pests

In the digital age, a single negative experience can escalate rapidly, causing lasting damage to your business’s reputation. Effective pest control is invisible yet impactful, working silently in the background to ensure that your establishment remains synonymous with quality and cleanliness. By partnering with pest control professionals, you’re not just investing in services; you’re investing in your brand’s reputation and customer trust.

Financial Protection and Efficiency

The cost of an unaddressed pest infestation can be exorbitant, from the loss of stock and revenue to potential fines and structural repairs. Our approach to pest control emphasizes not only the eradication of existing pests but also the prevention of future infestations. This strategic focus helps avoid unexpected expenditures, ensuring that your financial resources are directed towards growing your business rather than mitigating avoidable crises.

Ensuring Business Continuity – Don’t let Pests ruin your business!

An infestation can disrupt your operations, leading to temporary closures and loss of revenue. Our pest control services are designed to minimize disruptions, allowing you to continue providing your services without interruption. Regular maintenance and monitoring form the cornerstone of our approach, ensuring that your business remains operational and your customers are satisfied.

Regulatory Compliance and Excellence

Adherence to regulatory standards is non-negotiable in the food industry. Our pest control solutions are tailored to not only meet but exceed these standards, ensuring that your business remains compliant and avoids potential legal complications. By staying ahead of regulations and adopting best practices, your business can demonstrate industry leadership and commitment to excellence.

Employee Well-being and Productivity

A pest-free environment contributes significantly to your staff’s overall well-being and morale. Knowing that their workplace is safe and hygienic enhances employee satisfaction and productivity, directly impacting the quality of service they provide to your customers. Our comprehensive pest control programs address this aspect, ensuring a positive and healthy work environment for your team.

Customized Pest Control Strategies

Understanding that each food business is unique, we offer customized pest control strategies tailored to your specific needs and challenges. From initial assessments to the implementation of targeted solutions, our focus is on providing effective, sustainable pest management plans that align with your business objectives.

Conclusion

Effective pest control is a critical component of running a successful food business. It goes beyond mere compliance, touching on every aspect of your operation, from protecting public health to ensuring business continuity and financial stability. As pest control professionals, we are committed to providing expert guidance and solutions, empowering you to maintain a safe, reputable, and thriving business in the food industry.

To food business owners navigating the complexities of pest management, remember that you’re not alone. Partnering with pest control experts offers not just a solution to a problem but a pathway to peace of mind and business excellence. Let’s work together to keep your establishment safe, compliant, and prosperous.

[astellarlife]

For all the friendly Foodies out there and for those who are simply interested, here are the Best Cuisines in the World as posted by TasteAtlas Awards for 2022. Enjoy and Happy Eating ☺️

[mowgliproductions]

Exploring a WWII American Tank on Peleliu Island, Palau

[femmefatalevibe]

Femme Fatale Guide: Top "Glow Up" Tips & Habits To Become The Best Version of Yourself

Prioritize the Holy Trinity: Nutrition, Movement, & Sleep. Following a whole-foods, plant-based diet with vegetables and/or fruit at every meal and limiting processed foods is one of the simplest ways to improve your overall health. Drink plenty of water, have any necessary supplements (like vitamin B12, vitamin D, omega 3s, etc.), and reduce your consumption of sugary, alcoholic, or caffeine-loaded beverages. Try to incorporate at least 30 minutes of walking and/or a simple 15-20 workout into your everyday routine. Make getting a full night's rest (usually 7-9 hours for most people) a non-negotiable in your life.

Practice Radical Self-Acceptance. Fully embrace your personal values. Get comfortable with your authentic desires. Define and set goals for yourself in every area of your life.

Nourish Your Body, Mind, and Spirit Consistently. Eat a healthful diet (enough food without overstuffing yourself), sleep and move enough throughout the day, and continue learning and educating yourself on current events, your industry/career field, art, culture, history, world languages, etc. Practice mindfulness and self-care activities. Honoring your sexual needs. Giving yourself at least one rest/reset day per week.

Cultivate Sustainable (and Personally-Fulfilling) Routines. Your sleep schedule, work/school schedule, workout schedule throughout the week, social and self-care time, date nights, time for your hobbies, errands, cleaning, and relaxation. Make appointments with yourself to empower you to fulfill all your daily tasks and activities to ensure you can work and play without burning yourself out in the process.

Set Boundaries. With your friends, family, work-life/professional network, romantic and sexual partners, and yourself. Understand your emotional, physical, and energetic limitations. Communicate them clearly, compassionately, and unapologetically. Cut toxic people out of your life. Avoid codependency like the plague. Nurture your healthy and supportive interdependent relationships regularly.

Learn What You Enjoy. Ensure To Incorporate These Products, Routines, and Relationships Into Your Day. It can be a piece of dark chocolate and a favorite T.V. show, a long evening phone call with a loved one, a hot bubble bath, or any other small luxury that gives you genuine pleasure and adds some necessary joy to your day.

Check In With Yourself Regularly. Pivot When Necessary. Self-improvement, goal setting, relationship building, and cultivating unshakeable self-love/life satisfaction takes time, experimentation, trial and error, and tons of self-reflection before you get it right in any area of your life. Be honest with yourself on what's work, what's not, where to remain consistent, and what areas of your life would benefit from a change.

[ghostlyferrettarot]

✨️💎Jupiter and the signs💎✨️

❗️All the observations in this post are based on personal experience and research, it's completely fine if it doesn't resonate with everyone❗️

✨️Paid Services ✨️ (Natal charts and tarot readings) Open!

🌟If you like my work you can support me through Ko-fi. Thank you!🌟

💎Masterlist💎

♣︎Jupiter in Aries: They tend to be more enthusiastic, assertive, energetic, and full of ideas about how to initiate, promote, or expand ideas. You can also be more stubborn and very persuasive in getting people to embark on your plans and ideas. As Jupiter represents the principle of growth and the notion of something higher, the actions of those born under the influence of Jupiter in Aries can lead to personal development more easily.

♣︎Jupiter in Taurus: indicates a predisposition to use money and material resources correctly and beneficially. Jupiter in the sign of Taurus has a strong tendency to attract wealth and have a good sense of the value of things. Those who obtain it like to enjoy material comfort, good food, various forms of art and the good things in life in general. They appreciate what is good and what has personal value, even if it is expensive.

♣︎Jupiter in Gemini: they tend to be intellectually curious, they can read a lot or be that type of person who is always on the Internet looking for new information, news, curiosities and teachings. Their curiosity can be aroused in different areas, so they tend to be mentally restless and enjoy movement. Valuing communication is an essential part of those who have this position, for example Working in the communication industry, whether with journalism , advertising, public relations or tourism.

♣︎Jupiter in Cancer: these individuals focus on family experiences, knowledge base, past and personal roots. The place where they belong and call their own, is also a place where friends and acquaintances can find greater comfort in case they have problems guiding the course of life. There is a desire to create a safe, comfortable, friendly, welcoming and prosperous family environment that can also be used for educational and fun activities.

♣︎Jupiter in Leo: Optimism, generosity and a kind way of being are highlighted. You tend to like to be admired and valued. Jupiter in the sign of Leo brings the tendency of leadership. Its natives generally arouse enthusiasm in other people, and therefore have the potential to be good leaders. The generosity, firmness and reliability of these natives stands out.

♣︎Jupiter in Virgo: The person will care about the details and the precision of his behavior. It influences the person to appreciate the details, the kind that he can do a lot with a little. They have a superior, prudent, intellectual, analytical and practical nature; They differentiate what is essential from what is not essential, truth from fiction, what is valid and what is not. Their judgment is generally excellent.

♣︎Jupiter in Libra: They are people who tend to worry about the moral principles that guide society, their unions and their interpersonal relationships. Natives with Jupiter in Libra believe that love and justice can create a much more harmonious social order, being more generous people and, for this reason, more popular and loved. These personal characteristics can make them develop activities related to the public. It is not uncommon for people with this position to be attracted to becoming diplomats, salespeople, presenters, etc.

♣︎Jupiter in Scorpio: tends to have a greater appreciation for everything that is hidden, secret. They like to investigate and delve into other people's minds, as well as more ethereal topics, such as death, the occult and religion, for example. Jupiter in Scorpio can discover secret information about the private affairs of others in an extremely natural way. People have the potential to become more resourceful and have very strong and resolute opinions regarding their beliefs.

♣︎Jupiter in Sagittarius: One of the main interests of those who have Jupiter in Sagittarius is higher knowledge. Topics such as philosophy or religion, education and foreign cultures have a lot of meaning and are appreciated. They tend to choose their own system of thought that will govern their behavior and the way they view life. This is the type of attitude that can earn a person the respect and admiration of others in many situations.

♣︎Jupiter in Capricorn: You can demonstrate greater economic or political responsibility, being prudent, cautious and trying to be fair in your judgments. For people with Jupiter in Capricorn, management, status and recognition tend to gain more importance. Due to Characteristics such as ambition, patience, administrative ability and the wisdom to deal with the resources acquired throughout life, those born with this position generally manage to save money and own property.

♣︎Jupiter in Aquarius: they tend to enjoy interacting with people of all classes, races or creeds, without much distinction or prejudice. They tend to be more tolerant and understanding, recognizing more easily that everyone has their place in the world and that in all positions there are lessons to learn. Jupiter in Aquarius are more likely to engage in philanthropic activities aimed at helping others.

♣︎Jupiter in Pisces: they tend to be more emotional, understanding and endowed with a greater sense of compassion. Having spiritual or philosophical convictions, with this positioning, becomes more possible; People can develop a more comprehensive, universal and fulfilling spiritual understanding. Because of this greater search for elevation, they tend to eventually enjoy moments of isolation, becoming more introspective. By meditating, you can better develop this intuition and renew yourself spiritually.

[darsynia]

Forgiven (CEO Steve/f!Reader)

MCU MASTERLIST | STEVE ROGERS MASTERLIST | Ro Roll

Summary: Since dropping out of school to care for your sister, your daydream has been that a rich, handsome man will save you from drowning in debt. Until then (read: never), you’ll work hard at your new receptionist job and try not to ogle the impossibly hot construction guy working in the foyer…

Words/Warnings: 2,855 | none

As 5/7 of my Ro Roll birthday fics for @ronearoundblindly, forGIVEn is a fluffy meet cute between CEO Steve and f!Freader. Gif is by @ashilesun.

Excerpt:

“Something wrong, miss?”

You look up to see Foreman Eye Candy standing beside the desk looking gently concerned. One sandy blonde curl is plastered to his forehead with sweat, and you can see that his eyes are a gorgeous shade of blue.

From behind you, a hand lands on your shoulder with just enough pressure to guide you to your seat.

“Nothing of note, Sir, I’m sure!” your coworker says hurriedly.

“All right,” the man says, setting his left hand down on the counter. There’s no ring on his finger. ‘Sir’ Eye Candy (you’re going to hell for all of this) offers a kindly, “Have a good afternoon,” and right at that moment, both of the reception phones ring. There’s no time to process the oddness of what’s just happened, not until you’re back at home and making dinner for your sister.

“How was your hump day?” Jennie asks from the living room.

You nearly splash boiling hot water all over yourself.  

FORGIVEN

“Thank God for the internship last summer!” your sister says (again).

“I do, I do,” you promise, looking at yourself critically in the grubby bathroom mirror. She doesn’t have to know you pick a new deity to mentally ‘thank’ every time. Today it’s Thor, because you need to bring electricity to your first day on the job. 

You’re hoping to look professional but approachable for this customer-facing position, and it looks like the months of clothes thrifting before your internship last year are really paying off. Do you wish you could work in your field of choice? Sure, but working in the same company as a receptionist means you have both in-field and company knowledge. Once Jennie is back on her feet, you hope to be back on yours, too.

You step into the kitchen to check that everything is set up for your sister. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come back at lunch?”

“No mother hen-ing, you promised! I’ll be fine, and you’ll need your own lunch!”

Your watch beeps that it’s time to start walking to work, so you slip into your sturdy dress shoes and give the room a final once-over. Jennie’s cooler of food is near the couch, she’s got all of the remotes, and her walker is within reach. You’ve even put a pair of crutches in the umbrella stand and lashed the damned thing to the couch so she can’t knock it over. Her charger is at hand, the blinds are down, and the end table has her morning coffee on a coaster.

“Get out or I’ll start throwing things at you and you’ll be late from having to clean them up!” your sister teases.

“I love when you nag,” you tell her, shutting the door before she can retort.

Star Industries is honestly your dream workplace, even after pausing your mechanical engineering degree to take care of Jennie. After Tony Stark and his company spun it off as a subsidiary, Star really came into its own. The company has an inspiring mission: to ensure safe, affordable prosthetics for the people who really need them. Many customers are war veterans, just like the two men in charge. The COO even has one himself.

You’d filled out your paperwork after hours, so when you walk into the building, it’s a nice surprise to see how the morning light floods the lobby. The atrium of the building is made up of a multi-storey open space lit by tall windows, with the company’s logo laid out in the tile floor right as you come in the doors. The A in the word ‘STAR’ is, of course, a star, but it’s the missing ‘K’ from its parent company that catches the eye. Instead of upright, the K is laid on its ‘back.’ One stick figure’s front leg and another stick figure’s back leg make up the angled lines from the K--and they’re both wearing prosthetics.

The name badge you’re given has a smaller version of the same logo, and you can’t help but hope this isn’t the only time you’ll be representing the company. You fix it to your lapel and sit nervously at the desk beside the woman who will train you. It’s an hour before you come up for air long enough to notice there’s some renovation work going on nearby. 

Honestly, ‘notice’ is embarrassingly underselling it.

The windows in the lobby are clearly designed to encourage shafts of sunlight that flood a particular area with a cheerful glow. You’ve managed to look over right when one such beam illuminates a man wearing rough work clothes, his head tipped back to drink out of a water bottle. He’s handsome as hell, with a face like Adonis and powerful muscles straining his sweat-damp t-shirt. The sunlight turns him into a golden statue, and you sure as hell would visit museums more often if the art looked like that!

Your phone rings and you answer promptly, tearing your eyes away from the construction worker just as he smiles at someone. The stammered greeting you offer to the caller could be chalked up to it being your first day, but that isn’t the reason at all.

Your first week on the job is equal parts satisfying and stressful. Satisfying because it turns out you’re a natural at taking zero shit with maximum politeness. Your stress comes from the renovations.

The work isn’t loud, and it’s not like you’re worried about safety or anything. Technically, your job isn’t affected at all… well, not because of your assigned work, that is. No, you’re the one affected, and it’s thanks to the man who seems to be in charge.

After that first day, the tarp that separated their construction from the rest of the lobby had been removed, meaning you could just look over and see him at any point throughout your day.

You’ve been rationing those glimpses for your own sanity.

Despite this, there are still details you’ve noted. One, he’s definitely the foreman. Everyone defers to the guy, but his leadership style seems to rely on trust and respect. Two, he has the most genuine smile you’ve ever seen. Paired with his looks, it’s a disastrous combination, especially given Reason Number Three: he’s an utter beast. More than once you’ve seen him moving things with ease that would take multiple other men to lift.

Today is Monday and the men were all at work before you arrive. Their project is taking shape; it appears to be a café with low counters, maybe a wheelchair-friendly gathering space? It would be on brand for the company, and certainly explains why you’ve been brought on as a second receptionist. The usual population in the lobby will certainly go up once it’s completed.

Before you sit down, you take stock of the wide welcome desk. Would anyone notice if you nudged one of the large flower pots to the left to mostly block your view of the café area? You decide to risk it. Foreman Eye Candy is a Distraction with a capital D, and you already love this job.

The morning goes smoothly--but by lunch you’re fairly certain you’ve memorized the pattern on the side of that damned pot, for as often as you’ve looked over at it.

When you come back from your break, the pot is back where it was before.

Your hands shake a little bit as you log back into your computer. Did a cleaning crew come through and adjust it? You’re not brave enough to ask the senior receptionist for fear she’ll question why it was moved in the first place. It’s probably a fluke, you decide.

Without your makeshift barrier, you find yourself looking over at the Foreman way too many times before you’re done for the day, but he’s smiled at least twice in your direction, so that’s something.

On Tuesday morning, you choose discretion as the better part of valor and scoot the pot over to obscure your view again, even taking the time to nudge its closest neighbor a little, to even up the spacing.

After lunch on Tuesday, both pots are moved back, and Eye Candy is smiling. You doubt the two are related.

On Wednesday you bring in one of those Newton’s Cradle desk toys with permission from your coworker at the desk. It’s altruistic, distracting the children when their parents show up to ask questions. Because your area is recessed a bit, you risk setting the item on a little paper sorter to make it level with the visitors’ side. Completely incidentally, that placement blocks some of your view of the café under construction.

You come back from lunch to find the shelf moved to the other side of your computer monitor.

It’s so disconcerting that you stand there staring at it in shock for a long moment, long enough to attract attention.

“Something wrong, miss?”

You look up to see Foreman Eye Candy standing beside the desk looking gently concerned. One sandy blonde curl is plastered to his forehead with sweat, and you can see that his eyes are a gorgeous shade of blue.

From behind you, a hand lands on your shoulder with just enough pressure to guide you to your seat.

“Nothing of note, Sir, I’m sure!” your coworker says hurriedly.

“All right,” the man says, setting his left hand down on the counter. There’s no ring on his finger. ‘Sir’ Eye Candy (you’re going to hell for all of this) offers a kindly, “Have a good afternoon,” and right at that moment, both of the reception phones ring. There’s no time to process the oddness of what’s just happened, not until you’re back at home and making dinner for your sister.

“How was your hump day?” Jennie asks from the living room.

You nearly splash boiling hot water all over yourself.  

Chanting ‘it’s Wednesday, that’s called ‘hump day,’ there’s nothing that implies you’ve been thinking impure thoughts, pull it together!’ in your head, you answer something non-committal and continue with dinner.

That night you have a dream that Sir Eye Candy walks over and smiles at you, illuminated by one of those rays of light straight from heaven.

On Thursday you arrive at work to find the pots have all been moved farther back along the decorative part of the receptionist’s desk, much too far to move any of them without notice.

As if he’d been waiting for you to see the change, you make brief eye contact with Sir Eye Candy. He does a little nod of acknowledgment before turning to move the large sign for the café. By himself.

“Am I awake?” you whisper to yourself, unable to look away from how effortlessly he moves under heavy strain.

“Keep staring at the boss like that and the rest of his crew will never let you hear the end of it!” your front desk coworker Marcia jokes.

Your cognitive function flatlines as you try to process the word ‘boss’ while at the same time watching the man in question wipe sweat off of his brow. “It’s obvious he’s the foreman,” you mumble, dropping your phone so you have to look away to pick it up. If the screen cracks, you deserve it.

“Oh, honey, this is his side gig. Pet project. Maybe even a vacation, knowing Rogers,” Marcia chuckles.

The name ‘Rogers’ finally gets through to you, in context to ‘the boss.’ Steve Rogers.

Sir Eye Candy is CEO Eye Candy.

“Wait…”

“There it is!” Your coworker gives you the kind of look only busybody aunts and elder coworkers can pull off. “Word is his gym is closed for a few weeks, so he pulled some strings to move this project up. Nice way to start a new job, yeah?”

You’ve been ogling the CEO. “Should I put in my two weeks’ notice?” you whisper. Dismay doesn’t even cover it. You’re practically mortifie--

“I’d advise your manager not to accept,” a nearby voice says. “If anything, I probably ought to call myself into an HR meeting. I’ve been quite distracted this past week.”

It’s CEO Eye Can-- Rogers. All you can do is mutely look up at him, watching the amused look on his face turn into a stern one.

“Have you been messing with my plant display?”

It’s not at all what you were expecting him to say, and you’re still befuddled by the idea he was distracted by you, so you stammer out an admission that yes, you did move his pots.

The phone rings, and after a subtle gesture from Rogers, Marcia takes the call.

“Sir,” you begin, noting the way his posture straightens on hearing the title. You lick your lips in nervousness, and god, his eyes go straight there. HR would be having kittens.

“Go on?” Rogers’ voice is resonant. Everything about this feels like a rom-com, and you are totally worried you’ll screw it up.

“Forgive me for staring?” you offer. You’d meant to say something less obvious, but it’s too late now.

“Yes, well. I’d like to go over your conduct at a lunch meeting, if, that is, you--” he breaks off, lifts his chin, and clears his throat. “In a half hour.”

“I-- Of course--” You’ve answered too late, he’s already walking away and calling out to the crew. Stunned, you look over at Marcia. She’s grinning, but doesn’t look up, and you decide to take your cues from her.

Fifteen minutes later, the work crew wraps up. You see them file out in your peripheral vision, but if Rogers is going to play the Principal’s Office card, you’re going to play at being an obedient student.

This sends your mind on a complete irresponsible rampage, and you’re still tamping down the mental images when a gentleman in a suit walks up to the front of the desk.

Your welcoming smile is already in place when you lift your head to greet him, but it widens into surprised happiness to see that it’s Rogers. At the very last minute you stop yourself from acting like he’s picking you up for a date, even though you very much hope that’s what this is, HR be damned. Every fairytale has a villain, after all, and villains are made to be thwarted.

“Can I help you, sir?”

The word choice is deliberate.

“You can. Marcia, do you usually cover for lunch?”

“I do.”

“Good. We’ll be prompt,” he says firmly, tapping the flat of his palm on the desk with finality. You take the cue, getting up and slinging your purse over your shoulder, but inwardly your stomach is a riot of sawdust. 

Are you reading this wrong? All of your teenage aspirations to be swept off of your feet by a rich, handsome man feel like lead weights at the bottom of your shoes. Steve Rogers’ reputation is sterling, and despite your less-than-angelic daydreams, you don’t want to come across like a gold-digger. Even if you are strapped for cash.

Rogers opens the door for you. The front door. The front door of his business. It’s heady and confusing, even more confusing when a slick silver car pulls up and a valet hands him the keys.

“You look like you either need sunglasses or smelling salts,” he says gently.

“A neck brace,” you quip. “For the whiplash.”

His smile is sheepish as he opens the car door for you. “That’s fair.”

The car is cinematically nice inside, and you suppress the desperate desire to pinch yourself until you wake up as he gets in and adjusts the seat for his height. He doesn’t look over at you, which your adrenaline-drunk mind can’t decide is good or bad.

Then he does, and all you can do is smile back at him.

“A confession: I cribbed some of those lines.” Rogers eases the car out into traffic and lets out a long breath. “From Bu-- a friend of mine. Advice on how to be in charge and ask out a subordinate at the same time.” He stops at a red light and shoots a look over at you. “How’d I do?”

You kind of want that neck brace, but despite the trappings, you’re really enjoying who this man is turning out to be. “That depends. Do you want me to be turned upside down and sideways?”

That earns you a look akin to the one he sent you when you’d called him ‘sir.’ You shiver, and he notices. “I don’t think you want to know what his advice might be on the answer to that question! How about ‘maybe?’”

“Maybe is good,” you manage.

“Glad to hear it. What would you like? Italian? Deli?” Rogers looks over and catches his breath like he’d forgotten his wallet. “An invite to lunch without your employment on the line? I’m sorry about that. I got--” He looks back at the road, hands tight on the steering wheel. “--carried away.”

His candid mix of charm and command are sweeping you completely off your feet, tarnished halo and all. “I don’t think I have time to phone a friend for a better answer, but is ‘maybe’ still good?”

Your sister would walk her ass to the car to smack you if she knew you’d just told the CEO of your new company you’re a ‘maybe’ for a one-on-one ‘maybe’ date with him. You suspect his friend would be facepalming, too.

“Your job isn’t on the line, I promise. I’d never misuse power like that--” He breaks off from his serious tone, looks down at his suit and the fancy car you’re both sitting in, and chuckles. “All evidence to the contrary.”

The whole situation is absurd, unrealistic, completely romantic, and everything you’ve always wanted.

You’re going to wake up any minute now.

Rogers looks over and raises his eyebrows. You realize with embarrassment that he wants you to either tell him where he can stuff his lunch invitation, or where the two of you can go eat.

“I got carried away too,” you rush to say. “Yes to lunch. No maybes in sight.”

“You’re forgiven,” he smiles.

to be continued...

[smutoperator]

A Joyful Christmass

Park Sooyoung (Joy) x Male Reader

Tags: anal, cheating, christmas, creampie, facesitting, full nelson, (lots of) spanking

Word count: 3133.

It seemed like just another boring christmas. Stuck at home on a very cold day, you had resigned yourself to spending the holiday alone, watching some shows on TV, and preparing some food for yourself. You tried to call your cute friend, but she left you on voicemail, probably banging some dude. The hours passed by, and nothing new seemed to happen. You talked to your brother, who was thousands of miles away, wishing him a merry Christmas, but the boredom continued. You picked some snacks and watched the turkey, taking it out of the oven. It turns out you didn't even want to eat it; you were just feeling upset that you were going to spend the holiday alone. "What's the point of holidays if no one is around you?" you asked.

"Maybe I have a last chance, but she most likely won't answer, probably spending the holidays with her ugly ass boyfriend." You had a person in mind for your last call, but it was essentially a last-ditch prayer. She was taken and most likely wasn't going to come to your house in such cold weather. However, to your surprise, the doorbell started to ring. It was Joy You prepared yourself as you opened the door to a pretty woman in black hair and her nice-shaped body, looking at her from bottom to top, from her heavy boots protecting her wonderful thighs to her large coat covering her body to her pretty smile.

"Come in, Sooyoung", you told her. "Nice place you got here", she answered back, placing her right hand on your neck. It turns out she was just as bored as you, and even worse, her man had not come see her on Christmas. "You still look cute, baby", Joy smiled at you after a long time without seeing each other. She asked you where the bedroom was, and you guided her. "Have a seat", she told you, pointing towards the bed. "I think we both know why you called me; we've known each other for years", she continued. "I don't know what you mean", you tried to pretend, but Joy wasn't having it. She just smiled and took her coat off, leaving just the nightgown she had under it.

"You don't? Then let me show you", Joy pushed her gown up, showing her toned ass cheeks under the gown and her red undies. She slowly started going down, showing her big ass right into your face, shaking it up and down, and letting her fat cheeks move, before putting it back inside the gown and shoving you into the bed. Joy quickly climped on top of you and pulled the top of her gown to the side, flashing her tits, before moving towards you and smothering them against your face. "Don't worry, baby, as long as you make mommy happy, you can put it wherever you want it", hearing Joy call herself mommy suddenly woke up the tent under your pants. It didn't feel like she was already an almost 10-year industry veteran; she still felt so youthful to your eyes.

You kept sucking Sooyoung's wonderful pair of tits. If it depended only on you, that could keep going forever, but she had different plans. Joy climbed on top of you and put her fat butt on top of your face, twerking it on you. She then pulled her panties to the side, letting you eat her pussy. "Oh fuck", she groaned, letting her cheeks hit the side of your face. "Oh yeah, let me ride that fucking face; smoother you with this ass", she continued as she kept moaning, taking off her gown and fully revealing her red Christmas-themed lingerie. As you groaned under her ass, Joy took her bra off and stared to laugh, switching sides on top of you, still with her panties barely on,= She grinded her pussy on your mouth and started searching for your pants.

As Joy popped your cock out of your pants, you grabbed her ass, trying to make her moan harder as you were eating her folds under her. She didn't need any hands, sucking your cock, just dunking her head against your hips, and going up and down your shaft, leaving her lipstick marks on it. You couldn't resist and thrust upwards against her mouth, but she didn't gag at all. "Oh yes", you said as you hit the depths of her throat, as she only pulled out after a long succession of thrusts. A little jerkoff, and she was back into it, giving you the sexiest 69 you had ever witnessed.

You spanking her ass after she was done was what she needed to take off her panties, leaving her wearing just her black stockings and high heels on, turning around to let her ass face you as she also fingered her pussy with both hands. Your mouth joined it and also started stimulating her, taking turns between her pink pussy and her round anus before circling your thumb around her clit, her moans were music to her years. "Such a beautiful ass", you said to Joy before sticking your index finger in her asshole. She didn't say anything; she just let her moans do the talking. You then spanked her ass a few times and spat in her asshole, getting it ready as you slapped your shaft against her anal entrance.

Joy let out a long moan as you shoved your cock up her butthole. "Oh my God, you're such a freak. Oh my fucking God", she said as you grabbed her cheeks and started pumping in and out of her asshole. "Yes, yes, yes", you kept saying as your left hand grabbed her hair and your right hand grabbed her cheeks. "Destroy my fucking asshole", she demanded as you started pumping harder and deeper. Her hole was still very tight; maybe her boyfriend didn't fuck her ass at all or his cock was too small to reach the depths of it, unlike yours. Her cheeks clapped hard, letting out loud sounds at each thrust. You spanked her ass multiple times until you managed to finally stick it full length inside her butthole.

Joy let out a painful scream with your cock stretching her out fully. You slapped her ass again in approval: "Such a beautiful ass", As she stuck her tongue out and gave you some more out-of-breath moans and yet another beautiful smile, you pulled out as she smiled to you, treating her cheeks to some more beating and massaging them, before sticking your cock back inside, pressing her head against the bedsheets as she kept moaning, then groping her tits before you gave her right boob a massive slap. "Oh, you're so good", she kept saying as you grabbed her hair and stretched her asshole even further as she started screaming.

"OH FUCK YESSSS!" Joy yelled as you grabbed her by the hair and face, putting your finger inside her loud mouth and making the bed crack. She panted out of breath before diving her head back to the bed. "Oh fuck, you're so deep in my ass", she said, closing her eyes and increasing the speed of the painful pounding she was taking, your balls slapping hard against the entrance of her vagina. "Yes, baby, slap those balls in my fucking clit", she demanded as you kept going harder and harder until she fully lost her breath.

With her still trying to recover, you stuck your cock in her beautiful pussy, placing both hands in her tits as you stretched it out. "You're gonna make me fucking cum if you keep fucking me like this", Joy said. You had some mercy for her, pulling out as she bounced her ass in the air for a few seconds before going back in, grabbing and clapping her fat cheeks. "Right there, right there, right there. OH MY GODDDDDD!", she kept screaming, almost crying. But things were only going to get rougher for Joy. As you placed your right foot in her head and pumped as hard as ever against her cunt, she smiled while her moans were almost like a cry for help, looking defenseless as you stretched her out.

The noises coming out of the bed were louder than ever. You placed your whole weight against Joy's body, stomping on her sorry crying head as you destroyed her pussy, your balls smacking her entrance harder than ever. "Give me, give me that fucking cock, harder", it was all she could say as you kept pounding her fuckhole until you finally showed some mercy and pulled out after a long stretch, but not without spanking her butt again.

Joy turns around, ready to taste her juices. You quickly press her head against your hips and grab her hair as she moves up and down your cock. Her ability to suck your big shaft without gagging definitely impresses you. She moves harder, fucking her face and swinging your cock left and right inside her mouth, but she still takes it just fine. Another hard facefuck follows, this time with you fingering her pussy down low. "AHHHHH FUCK!" you scream as Joy's deepthroat almost makes you cum right there. Joy sticks her tongue out like a needy puppy as you grab her throat. You slap your cock against her tongue before she goes back to sucking you, moving her body while doing so, and coating your cock with saliva while also playing with your balls.

She then puts her back against the bed, once again sticking her tongue out as she jerks you off. Joy masturbates herself as she gets ready for another round of face-fucking. You top her, sticking your cock deep in her throat while eating her pussy. "Ah yes, yes, yes, yes," you groan as you keep fucking her mouth. Joy finally cracks, leaving room for you to amp up the stimulation in her clit as she gets throatfucked. "Oh my God, your mouth is so slutty!" you exclaim as you keep fucking it and pinching her clit. Joy flips herself out, getting back on her knees to stroke your cock, her tongue out before she gives it a nasty blowjow, spitting all over it. After a while, you had enough of her shenanigans, grabbing her throat once more and even spitting on her whore face, slapping her as you once again filled her mouth with your cock.

"AH AH AH AH AH AH AH!" Joy starts to scream as you keep throating her and messing with her hair. "You're a fucking devil", you say as saliva flows out of her mouth. You lie your body in bed as Joy climbs on top of you, spanking her ass as she grinds on your cock before putting it back in her pussy, bouncing her ass hard as she rides you. "Easy, easy, easy", you tell her. "FUCKKKKKK!" she screams; maybe she should have indeed listened to your advice as she gets impaled. Up and down, but also sideways Joy makes sure for your cock to hit her hole at every angle as she bounces on you. She moans and inhales hard with your prick inside her. "Holy shit", you exclaim as her ass moves against your hips.

Joy is ready for a bigger challenge and quickly switches back to her asshole. "Yes, yes, yes, yes", you say as her anus wraps around your cock. You grab her cheeks as you keep stretching her out, and she rides you. You turn things around as you start thrusting upwards, pounding her ass from down low, Joy moans in pain as you hit her anal walls hard and smash your balls in her ass. You go so fast that your cock slips out of her asshole, but she quickly makes sure to put it back in. After all, she loves the pain, answering back with a ride of her own like an amazon riding a big horse. You grab Joy by her hair once more and answer back, making her scream again, before letting her take full control as you smile in pleasure.

Every day is a struggle for Joy, but she keeps going, riding you harder as she switches back to her pussy. You cheer her on with more spanks on her cheeks. "OH yes, I'M CUMMING", she yells after a few more rides. You grab her sensitive nipples as she keeps bouncing. After a few grinds, you take back control and pound Joy's pussy from below with a firm grip on her cheeks, her body pressing against yours. You groan a lot, and Joy can't stop moaning. "SHHHHHH", you tell her, tired of her screaming and crying so much. "Bounce on that fucking cock", you order her as you continue to spank her butt. Joy opts for a straight bounce, which drives you crazy, before she takes a few extra slow rides and pulls out.

At this point, Joy's hair is extremely messy, her makeup is ruined, and her lipstick is almost gone, but there is still enough to cover your cock as she drinks her juices from it. "You're such a fucking whore", you tell her as she sucks and jerks you off, playing with your balls. After a while, following another spank, she puts your cock back in her pussy. As you pound her in reverse and grab her tits, balls once again slap on her clit, crying sounds come out of Joy's mouth. She answers back with her craziest ride so far, making you exclaim, "Holy shit". But as soon as her legs start to tremble, you go back to hard-pounding Joy, hitting her pussy at full speed. She grabs your balls and fingers her pussy as you hit her insides, before a deep pound makes her scream and stop everything. Pinching her nippes, you push your cock even faster, rendering her completely submissive.

After a while, you pull out and slap your dick against her sensible clit that makes her squirt, before surprising Joy with a quick entry back inside her asshole. "Ruin my fucking holes" is all she can say. You keep destroying her asshole until she has to stop once again as you hit her deep. Her tits get a lot of attention as they bounce at each thrust, and you grab them. "Yes, baby, go deep", you tell her as she recovers and bounces her ass back. "Oh my God", you groan as she grinds laterally, shaking your cock inside her anus. You punish her by spanking her tits, which only makes her go harder, before you put her legs up in the air and give Joy an anal full nelson. After some poundings, you tilt her body left but stay fucking her asshole hard and deep.

"That's it, that's it, that's it", you say as you pull out of Joy, who tried to taste her anal juice like a crazy dumb whore. You quickly take her mouth out of your cock. "Calm down, whore; put that tongue back in", you tell her, but she keeps showing her tongue like she's some lizard. Joy looks utterly wasted as you start to play with her, grabbing your cock to prevent her from sucking it, then holding her by the hair. Once she finally gets to it, you lock her head under your legs, only freeing her after she gags, followed by pounding her face in a similar fashion to the one you just did to her pussy and ass, going so hard that her lipstick gets marked in the base of your cock.

"Stop being a dumb whore, Joy; it's Christmas", you tell her, putting Joy in a romantic spooning position as you finger her pussy before sticking your dick back inside her. You grab her sexy, thick thighs as you passionately fuck her, staring at her moaning face the whole time. When you reach the depths of her pussy, you spank her thighs and finger her, then switch to some more neck-grabbing as you pound her. "OHHHHH FUCK YESSS!" she screams as you stretch her shaved cunt out before pulling out and fingering a little bit more as Joy squirts.

But you saved the best for last. With Joy still in that position, you go back inside her ass, giving it very slow but deep thrursts, watching as she smiles, moans, and fingers herself. "Can you please cum inside me, baby? Cum inside my  ass, she asks. "Beg harder", you tell Joy as you pinch her nipples. "PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR CUM", she says in quick succession, her whole left hand inside her pussy while you stretch her butthole for one last time. "Squeeze that fucking asshole", you demand, as she voluntarily lenches her already very gaped hole. Her once tight butthole was completely gone after such rough stretching.

"PLAY WITH THAT PUSSY!" you scream at Joy, firmly grabbing her right thigh with your right hand while she holds hands with you. You get closer as her asshole wraps around your cock, putting your hands in her moaning mouth as you keep punding. You pull out and slap your cock against her clit, asking her to beg a little more. Joy does, and soon you're back in her asshole. "Oh my God, I'm finally cumming in that ass", you tell her. "Fuck yes, baby, give me that cum", Joy pleads. A big smile fills her face, just like, a few seconds later, a big flood of cum fills her shithole as soon as you start groaning. Joy lets out a few more moans before you pull out, getting herself on her knees and spreading her cheeks. In that position, her gaping anus doesn't hold your sperm for long, as she starts farting it out into your bedsheets with a couple bounces of her ass.

Joy wants it all out as she pushes it deep from her anus with her fingers. "Damn, there is so much cum inside me", she says, her white nails covered with your jizz. She digs it up fully, expelling it all from her sore anus. You are also very tired, as even on a cold day, it took you so much energy to fuck that slut. As Joy cools off, she puts her clothes back on and heads back home, where her boyfriend waits for her. For that hour, your Christmas wasn't a lonely one, but you felt so good that you weren't empty anymore (except for your balls, of course) as you watched Joy walk away, with cum still on her thighs. "Merry Christmas, Joy", you tell her. "You too", she replies before walking out of the door. Who knows when it's going to be the next time you'll see her, but even if it's the last, that's enough.

Quick Christmas smut with the wonderful Joy getting her big ass pounded hard. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everybody.

[sokosmic]

Love, Values & Money:

Venus Thru the Houses

Venus, often known as the planet of love, beauty, and money, holds a profound influence in astrology, symbolizing what and how we value life's treasures. It governs our affection, the way we express love, and our aesthetic preferences, shaping our attractions and the pleasure we derive from art, beauty, and social interactions. Beyond the realms of the heart, Venus also dictates our financial wellbeing, highlighting paths to prosperity through what we cherish and find joy in. It reflects our approach to money, from earning to spending, emphasizing the importance of harmony and satisfaction in our material pursuits. Essentially, Venus serves as a guide that illuminates our desires, and defines our sense of beauty. It also steers our financial ventures towards fulfillment and balance. Understanding Venus's placement and aspects in a birth chart can unlock secrets to navigating relationships, financial success, and uncovering what truly brings us joy.

Venus 1st House -

You love working on your self-image. You value your independence. You make money through your creative pursuits. You love sticking up for the underdog. You value confidence. You make money in leadership positions. You love showcasing individual expression. You value authenticity and charm.

Venus 2nd House -

You make money in the food industry. You value your own self-worth. You love material comfort. You make money in real estate or business related fields. You value sensuality, physical touch, and gifts. You love creating an aesthetically pleasing environment. You make money in joint ventures or by building partnerships. You value being rewarded for hard efforts. You love luxury items. You make money with wise investments or through avenues that appreciate value over time.

Venus 3rd House -

You value your mind. You love to talk. You value good communication. You make money in your local community. You value your siblings. You love a nice vehicle. You make money in sales or commerce. You value facts or the opportunity to learn new things. You love to research. You make money as a researcher or writer. You love taking short trips.

Venus 4th House -

You value family. You love your mother. You make money in real estate or by having a family business. You love your childhood memories. You value security or being secure. You love emotional expression. You make money working from home. You value your intuition. You love being a homebody. You make money researching history.

Venus 5th House -

You value creativity and pleasure. You love expressing yourself through artistic or creative endeavors, finding joy in romance and leisure activities. You make money through the arts, entertainment industry, or any field that allows your creative juices to flow. You value joyful experiences and love affairs. You love investing into creative projects. You make money in businesses related to leisure and entertainment.

Venus 6th House -

You value service, health, and daily routines. You love helping others and are passionate about improving well-being for yourself and those around you. You make money in health care, the wellness industry, or services aimed at enhancing others' lives. You love animals or caring for people or animals that require help. You value efficiency and practical solutions. You make money in administrative roles or businesses focused on efficiency or making improvements.

Venus 7th House -

You value relationships and partnerships deeply. You love when interactions are harmonious and fair. You make money in legal fields, counseling, or through partnerships that require a balanced approach. You love social gatherings and networking. You value collaboration and partnerships. You make money via marriage or from a partner. You value compromise and diplomacy.

Venus 8th House -

You love exploring the depths of relationships. You value transformation, intimacy, and shared resources. You make money in finance, investments, or managing other people's resources. You love researching occult topics and taboo subjects. You value psychoanalysis or digging into fields dealing with crisis or trauma. You make money with an esoteric or occult business.

Venus 9th House -

You value adventure, philosophy, and higher learning. You love traveling and exploring different cultures. You make money through education, publishing, or international business or travel. You value freedom of belief and wisdom. You love engaging in philosophical debates and spiritual quests. You make money from religious or spiritual leadership, or as a cultural ambassador.

Venus 10th House -

You love achieving goals and gaining recognition. You value aspects of career, reputation, and your public image. You make money in high-ranking positions, the arts, or public relations. You love to plan and structure for success. You value ambition and responsibility. You make money in entrepreneurship or industries that value tradition and prestige.

Venus 11th House -

You value friendships, community, and your goals for the future. You love social reform and working within groups. You make money through technology, innovation, or community-driven projects. You value individuality and collective progress. You love unique expression and the freedom to be authentic. You make money in networking and social movements, such as non-profit organizations or social enterprises.

Venus 12th House -

You love spending time alone. You value your spiritual connection to Source. You value your privacy. You make money working remotely or in isolated environments. You love visiting far away lands. You make money from embracing your spiritual path. You love fantasy genres. You value compassion. You make money working in hospitals or prisons.

[n0tamused]

Can we have some fluff pining with Mortefi? Or just fluff in general pre relationship? Pls?

A/N: Hope you enjoy, anon! <3

-Ah, sweet old Mortefi, that grump is not the most open individual when it comes to his emotions. He doesn't even like bragging about his own genius inventions or ranting about the effort he had to put it, let alone be open about something as trivial as love

-Mortefi wasn't raised in an environment with the luxury of such emotional freedom, and for the biggest part of his childhood he only knew irritation and anger. Had he been younger, his approach to his current predicament would've been more aggressive, if nothing else

-But he is a man grown, and mature way past his years, and he knows the fragility and importance of these feelings he harbors so deep within himself

-So, when he began noticing tell-tale signs of love and longing forming and tying themselves around his heart all because of you, he began to wonder when these feelings began. 

-He softens towards this new wound in his heart that he couldn't complain about..he doesn't remember when he last felt this way and it was certainly new and worthy of his curiosity 

-Mortefi will not approach you for a long time in regards to these feelings, he'd much rather bury his nose in his works and overwork himself with endless projects 

-But ever so slowly you notice his lingering presence. It's not overwhelming, and you get rather comfortable with him around. He is always there if you run into any problems, how convenient.

-He still longs to be close to a person, to share company with someone dear to him, and he tries to make it as comfortable for you both as best as he can and as best as he knows how to. This would often be after work hours, inviting you over for deserts, be it at a restaurant or his own place where he makes dishes for you himself

-He isn’t a fan of the fast food industry so you won’t catch him buying anything of that kind, yet if he knows you like a certain fast food brand he may gift you a packet of your favorite snacks, or even better- he’d create something better than that brand. He has no lack of materials or knowledge on this, so in just a few days he’d present you with a box of your favorite flavors, just don’t press the issue too much, he may become a sassy or snappy

-A simple thanks will do.

-He expresses his care through these gifts and acts of service that aim to make your day better and easier and he is noticeably softer towards you, a bit kinder in his word choice. But he also never falters with guiding you through your problems with a firm but caring hand

-At times he may come to avoid too much eye contact with you, especially if he is too caught up thinking about these growing feelings he has

-It takes a long time until he comes to terms he will either have to fess up or learn to live with these feelings. The latter is more probable, as he doesn’t wish to make you uncomfortable by just admitting his feelings when you may not even return the sentiment

-But if you show the same interest back? And state it clearly without any mixed signals? Well, Mortefi couldn’t be more relieved and happy.

-He does go out of his way to make the confession sweet but not too flashy, he is not a man that likes that much attention in general and that hold up even stronger when it comes to his love life

Ⓒ n0tamused. Do not repost, translate, edit, and/or copy any of my works. Likes, comments, and reblogs are appreciated.

[writingduhh]

hii so i was wondering if you could do hansumfella x chef!reader and tyler’s doing a cooking stream and she helps him do it doesn’t turn out like ass 😇🙏🏼

You got it!! Hope this is okkk! I’m still new to writing for him so bear with me

Hansumfella || Cooking Stream

Tyler had been hyping up his cooking stream for weeks. He wanted to show off his culinary skills—or at least try to acquire some. You, his partner and a professional chef, had reluctantly agreed to help him when he had offered.

The stream started with Tyler setting up the camera, greeting his audience with his usual charm.

"Hey everyone, welcome to today's special cooking stream! I have my beautiful partner, Y/N, here to make sure I don't burn down the kitchen."

“YEESSS Y/N!”

“Finally some good food 😭”

“I missed y/n sm”

“Y/N SAVE US.”

You waved to the camera, smiling warmly. "Hi everyone! I'm here to guide Tyler and hopefully, we’ll create something delicious together. Or well, at least edible.” You jest, earning a big reaction from chat.

“BURN”

“$10 he still ruins it.”

“I can actually relax now because he won’t die.”

“Edible 💀”

The plan was to make a simple dish: spaghetti carbonara. Tyler had chosen it because it sounded fancy, but you knew it was straightforward enough for a beginner with some guidance.

"Alright, first step is to boil the pasta. Fill that pot with water and add a generous amount of salt."

Tyler followed instructions, making faces at the camera as he poured the salt. "Is this generous enough?" he asked, holding up the container.

"More," you replied with a chuckle. "You want the water to taste like the ocean." He nodded and proceeded to pour more into the pan. Once he saw the excess salt on his hands he had an idea.

“Hey y/n, y/n, look. Want something salty?” He smirks, his lips now covered in salt.

You rolled your eyes playfully, fighting a smile. "Focus, Romeo. We've got a meal to make."

“Nope. You have to taste some or I won’t help anymore.” He mumbles, lips still puckered.

“But this is your stream… Oh alright.” You playfully scoff, accepting his kiss much to the amusement of the chat.

As the water heated up, you moved on to preparing the pancetta. You showed Tyler how to dice it properly, and he mimicked your actions, though his pieces were noticeably uneven.

"Perfect," you said encouragingly. "Now, let's get that cooking in the pan. Low and slow, we want it crispy but not burnt."

The chat couldn’t help but chime in

“PERFECT?!”

“It looks like he ripped them apart by hand”

“Helll nah 💀”

“Y/n is so patient…. Couldn’t be me”

Tyler narrated every step dramatically for the audience, keeping them entertained with his usual antics. "Look at me, slicing and dicing like a pro. How am I doing, chef?" He turned to you with an exaggeratedly hopeful look.

"Not bad, but don’t quit your day job," you teased, nudging him with your elbow.

"Harsh, but fair," Tyler laughed. "I guess I’ll have to rely on my charm to keep you around."

You smirked, leaning closer. "Maybe if you cook this meal right, you'll earn a reward later." You we’re honestly quite shocked by your own words, but it was too late to take them back.

Tyler’s eyes widened, and he turned back to the camera with a grin. "You hear that, chat? High stakes tonight!"

Things started to get more chaotic when Tyler accidentally knocked over the pepper grinder, spilling peppercorns all over the counter. "Uh, that was intentional. That’s what we call 'seasoning the kitchen' in the industry…” he joked, bending down to pick them up.

You laughed, shaking your head. "Less seasoning the kitchen, more seasoning the food."

While whisking the eggs and cheese together, Tyler got a bit too enthusiastic, splattering some of the mixture onto his shirt. "Ah shit. Looks like I’m adding some extra flavor.”

You handed him a towel, still chuckling. "Try not to add yourself to the recipe."

"Noted," Tyler said, dabbing at his shirt. To his dismay he only made the stain worse.

“Ugh. Should I just take my shirt off?”

“I mean, that’s up to you.”

“Nah, I won’t. That’s only for you to see.” He winks, your face uncontrollably turning red as a sea of comments emerge.

"Alright, now comes the tricky part," you said, your tone a bit more serious. "When the pasta is done, we're going to mix it with the egg and cheese mixture off the heat, so the eggs cook gently and make a creamy sauce."

"No pressure, right?" Tyler joked, though a hint of nerves showed in his voice.

"You’ve got this," you assured him, placing a hand on his arm. "And I’m right here to help."

When it came time to drain the pasta, Tyler nearly lost the whole pot in the sink, fumbling with the colander. "Crisis averted!" he declared triumphantly, holding up the drained pasta.

You shook your head, laughing. "Careful! You almost dropped it."

Tyler made exaggerated whisking motions, earning laughs from both you and the chat. "Is this how you do it, or am I just showing off my guns?"

"Less showing off, more whisking. We want it smooth and creamy, not chunky."

"Got it, boss," Tyler said with a mock salute.

You managed the final steps together, Tyler following your lead. When they plated the carbonara, it actually looked—and smelled—delicious. Tyler took a dramatic bite on camera, his eyes widening in exaggerated delight.

"This is amazing! You’re a miracle worker, Y/N," he said, leaning in to give you a quick kiss on the cheek as his arm slung over your shoulder

You blushed, smiling at the camera. "Couldn’t have done it without my amazing assistant."

Tyler turned back to the audience with a grin. "Alright, chat, if you liked this stream, let me know, and maybe Y/N will come back for another round. What do you say?"

The chat exploded with enthusiastic responses, and Tyler wrapped up the stream with a promise to cook more often—with your help, of course. As the camera turned off, he pulled you into a warm embrace.

"Thanks for saving my bacon—literally," he said, pressing a kiss to your forehead.

"Anytime," you replied, snuggling closer. "Now, about that reward…"

[sketchguk]

part time lover (moodboard)

➳ pairing: investigative journalist!jeongguk x daycare teacher!reader. alternatively, spy!jeongguk x assassin!reader

➳ genre: smut, fluff, angst, fake marriage au, dad au, spy x family au

➵ word count: 465 (teaser) / 30.8k

➳ summary: there is no crime more perfect than marrying jeon jeongguk. your relationship is nothing more than a ruse - while your friends pester you for being perpetually single, jeongguk desperately needs a wife to complete the pristine image of a family, fooling his way through the parent interview at the nation’s most prestigious private school.

only time will tell how deep your lies will run as you find home in one another’s minds. because untangled in the moonlight, he is but a spy, exposing a secret world of corruption, and you, an assassin, ridding the streets of danger one hit at a time. 

➳ warnings: themes of parenthood, raising a child, reader and jk are both orphans, reader has a past where she struggled with financially supporting her family, eldest daughter trauma, reader is insecure, fears of abandonment, mentions of violence and m*rder (but not explicit), mention of weapons (guns, knives, grenades, poison),  jk has a bruise from boxing, descriptions of an explosion, blood is drawn twice (via kitchen knife and shrapnel from aforementioned explosion), (1) mention of weight loss, jk changes his appearance in an attempt to fit in, mention of a minor car crash, social drinking, scars (surgical/knife, bullet wounds), characters are liars for the sake of the plot, side characters are misogynists (satire), food descriptions, pet names (hers: angel, good girl, princess his: love). 

➳ publish date: saturday, october 14th 8pm EST

➳ a/n: thank you for all the love you've shown on the teaser. i really didn't expect so much support >.< i hope you're all as excited as i am though !! once again, this is part of the “industry baby” collab! please look forward to all of the other fics in the masterpost 💛

smut warnings below the cut!

➳ smut warnings: virgin reader, sexual tension, body worship, nipple play, marking, oral (f receiving), fingering, hair pulling, unprotected sex, jk has a big dick, praising, stomach bulge, spitting, use of the word slut, marriage kink(?) he loves his wife so much, reader wants to be bred, cumshot

“You can touch me if you want,” he offers. 

You’re not as confident as Jeongguk, but oh, how you wish you were. 

“Do you want to?” He senses your hesitation, yet you nod your head, affirming.

“I do,” you bite the inside of your cheek. “I want to touch you- feel you.” 

Jeongguk wraps his fingers around your wrists, bringing your hands to rest on his broad shoulders. They’re muscular beneath your touch. You curse yourself for letting your mind wander and for letting your panties soak with arousal ー neither of which you can control. 

Somehow, you resist the urge to look down at his physique. The sleeves of his shirt are rolled up to the elbows, revealing his strong forearms, adorned by the dark tattoos that coil up his muscles. Your gaze darts across his features, struggling to focus on the starlight in his eyes. You switch between the edge of his jaw, the dip of his neck, and the plump of his lips. 

“My eyes are up here, angel.” The corner of his mouth draws into a smile ー so bright and devastatingly beautiful. He hooks a gentle hand beneath your chin, guiding you to meet his stare. “Tell me what you’re thinking about. What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?” 

Your voice is soft, just barely above a whisper. It’s nearly inaudible. “Thinking about what it would be like to kiss you.” 

The innocence of your words makes Jeongguk blush. He’s never been the type to be so easily affected. After all, he’s the bold one in the relationship ー confident, decisive, dominant. But you make him weak in the knees.

“You don’t have to ask permission to kiss me.” Jeongguk inches closer, considerate hands squeezing around your waist. “You’re my wife.” 

Why does the thought of belonging to Jeongguk make your heart stutter? You’re certain that this is nothing but pretend, yet the only thing that makes you believe this could be real is the soothing circles that Jeongguk draws onto your skin. He’s present. He’s willing. His lips are right there, right in front of you. You could take the leap of faith and close the distance, leaning forward to kiss him. 

So you do. 

.

.

.

Your eyes are half lidded as you murmur a quiet confession, “I want to kiss you again.” Normally, you wouldn’t dare to be so bold, but you feel drunk on his taste.

“You can do whatever you want to me.” Jeongguk draws you closer, dragging your core onto the apex of his thighs, thick and sturdy. “I like anything that you like. Kissing you. Holding you. Just looking at you,” he shrugs. “And if it wasn’t obvious enough… I like you.” 

Jeon Jeongguk makes you absolutely breathless. “Ar- are we still pretending?”

check it out here!

[sweetteainthesummerx]

THE LOVE LASTS SO LONG

Ollie Bearman and his girlfriend turned wife, as seen from social media and the public. 

series masterlist

reader has a name and a no fc, but is portrayed as East Asian :) No warnings, probably going to have multiple parts :) ALSO NO HATE TO MACE CORONEL I literally searched up young actors and he popped up AND no hate to ollie and Estelle's relationship I just wanted to write for fun. pls be kind this is baby's first Tumblr post also someone pls help me how do I make my blog aesthetic

★・・・・★・・・・ ★・・・・★

E-news!

TRENDING NOW

AUBREY YANG WINS OSCAR AT AGE 17

Aubrey Yang, age 17, wins Best Supporting Actress in break out role on blockbuster movie, Station 13. This young star has been acting since the age of 7, landing roles such in which she worked with household names like Michelle Yeoh and Robin Williams. Her astounding and emotional performance as a newly orphaned teen in the apocalypse adjacent Morgan Freeman has secured her spot in this tumultuous industry. In her acceptance speech, Yang delivered an impactful critique on Asian presence in Western Media and how her win is “ not just [hers], but for all of us”. 

Yang is set to star in upcoming movie, White Jade Tiger, a historical film based on the book of the same name, directed by John M. Chu next fall. 

See below for Audrey Yang’s Acceptance Speech I 2024 Academy Awards. 

aubreyyang posted

liked by morganfreeman, michelleyeoh_official, and 987,432 others

aubreyyang Wow. I am still in absolute shock. Thank you so much to everyone who supported me and helped make this happen. Here’s to more change and more love in the future! 

view all 26,183 comments

morganfreeman well done, and well deserved Aubrey. It was an honor seeing your incredible talent and hard work. 

— aubreyyang thank you so much for guiding me and imparting your wisdom!! I love you on set dad!

michelleyeoh_official They grow up so fast…proud of you, Aubrey!

— aubreyyang MICHELLE MY HERO

dior.n.goodjohn MY QUEEN YOUVE SLAYED TOO HARD IM AFRAID

— aubreyyang AHHH MY GF VAN TRIP WHEN???

user dior and aubrey are friends???

user2 yes they’re both from vancouver their friendship is so cute 

macecoronel ❤️

liked by author 

sabrinacarpenter girlboss

aubreyyang SABBB my lover

olliebearman posted

olliebearman Spring break, ready to get back on (the) track 😁

tagged: kimi.antonelli

comments are turned off.

liked by kimi.antonelli, arthur_leclerc, and 7,4720 others

celebgossipnews_page posted

celebgossipnews_page Aubrey Yang has won an Oscar: but is she winning in the love department? The actress was seen arguing with long-term boyfriend, Mace Coronel in front of Nobu Downtown last Friday night, at 9:00 pm. She left the restaurant in tears, without Coronel. Could this power couple break up at the height of Yang’s career?

Liked by 7344 others

view all 207 comments

user1 dude I hate him sm like wdym u pulled Aubrey, the baddest baddie out there

— user2 fr man is washed up

aubreyyyfanpage girl stand up that man is not worth it LEAVE HIM

— yang4eva WORDD miss ma’am he does not deserve u ONE CHANCE PLS

aubberieyaang posted

aubberieyaang as liv once said, its brutal out here 

liked by celine_diorr and others

view all 20 comments

celine_diorr NAH NO WAY LIL BRO CHEATED ON U LIKE WDYM

celine_diorr WHEN I CATCH U BRO WHEN I CATCH U

liv_laugh_love girl are r u ok u know its bad when ur quoting me

— aubberieyaang I can’t help it I start singing one step forward three steps back whenever I start crying

chuck_bushes do u want me and walker to go beat him up

— celine_diorr YO I want in

— aryannawhatrudoinghere me too

— walkdontrun pulling up to his house rn

— leeahh_j AUBREY I LOVE YOU DONT CRY

— aubberieyaang AW I LOVE U GUYS

dallastexas dude how r u showing up to set and pretending to be okay

dallastexas im gonna grab food and come over to urs

— aubberieyaang PLS. Also water im so dehydrated

★・・・・★・・・・ ★・・・・★

© sweetteainthesummerx.tumblr. all rights reserved. unauthorized copying, translation, or claiming of my writing or any works as your own is strictly prohibited.

[zvouyage]

a guide to living in the 21st century.

pairing.ᐟ ; vampire!ni-ki x fmr . . . fluff – bad attempts at comedy . . . précis.ᐟ ; you take him, the accidental summoned vampire, outside to experience the modern world.

w.c.ᐟ ; 1381 ( 𝒷ack 𝓉o 𝒷log ? )

warnings.ᐟ ; lowercase intended , not proofread , grammar , riki is still his sarcastic and grumpy self , readers name is just blank . . . 🐈

the sun had barely dipped below the horizon when riki materialised in your living room, his usual air of aristocratic disdain firmly in place. you had spent most of the day mentally preparing yourself for the inevitable awkwardness of taking a centuries-old vampire out into the modern world, but nothing could have fully prepared you for the sight of him standing there, dressed in his usual dark, outdated attire, looking every bit the part of a disgruntled gothic novel hero.

“so…” riki drawled, his sharp eyes scanning the room with a bored expression, “what’s on the agenda for tonight, ____? another riveting evening of staring at glowing screens and consuming copious amounts of artificial sustenance?” you rolled your eyes, already accustomed to his constant sarcasm. “actually, i thought we could go out tonight. y’know, give you a taste of what life is like for us ‘lazy’ humans in the 21st century.” riki raised an eyebrow, his expression a mix of scepticism and amusement. “go out? and what, pray tell, does that entail? wandering aimlessly through streets lit by blinding electric lights, surrounded by the cacophony of human mediocrity?” he huffed. “something like that.” you replied with a grin. “but i promise, it’ll be fun. you might even enjoy yourself.”

“hmm…doubtful.” riki muttered under his breath, but he followed you to the door nonetheless, his curiosity clearly piqued. as you stepped out onto the bustling street, the city alive with the hum of evening activity, riki looked around with a mixture of disdain and mild interest. he sniffed the air, wrinkling his nose at the various scents of car exhaust, fast food, and humanity that wafted by. “the air smells…different,” he remarked, his tone dripping with distaste. “what happened to the fresh scent of nature? the fragrance of blooming flowers and the crisp, clean breeze?” you chuckled, shoving your hands into your pockets as you walked beside him. “yeah…well, the industrial revolution and a couple hundred years of progress kind of changed that. but hey, at least we have better plumbing now.” riki scoffed. “ah yes, the miracle of indoor plumbing. truly, humanity’s crowning achievement.” you led him down the street, trying to ignore the odd looks people were giving you. it wasn’t every day they saw someone dressed like a character from a period drama, after all. as you passed a coffee shop, the smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted out, and you couldn’t resist the temptation. “let’s get coffee,” you suggested, nodding towards the café. riki raised an eyebrow. “coffee? the bitter concoction that humans seem so inexplicably obsessed with? what’s the appeal?”

“you’ll see…” you said, dragging him inside. the café was warm and inviting, with the soft hum of conversation and the sound of coffee machines whirring in the background. you walked up to the counter and ordered two coffees, ignoring riki’s sceptical gaze. when the barista handed you the drinks, you passed one to riki, who stared at the cup like it was some kind of foreign object. “you’re supposed to drink it.” you said, stifling a laugh. riki took a tentative sip, his expression immediately morphing into one of disgust. “this is…vile, disgusting possibly even” he declared, holding the cup away from him like it was poison. you couldn’t help but laugh at his reaction. “yeah, it’s an acquired taste. but it’s not that bad once you get used to it.”

“i highly doubt that.” riki muttered, but he took another sip anyway, wincing as the bitter liquid hit his tongue. “humans have truly fallen far if this is what passes for a pleasurable beverage these days.” you shrugged, taking a sip of your own coffee. “hey, it gets the job done. keeps us awake and functioning, which is more than i can say for your diet.” riki smirked, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “true, but my diet is far more…satisfying.” you shot him a warning look, and he chuckled, taking another reluctant sip of his coffee. the two of you spent the next hour wandering through the city, with you pointing out various landmarks and places of interest while riki alternated between sarcastic commentary and genuine curiosity. he was particularly fascinated by the way people were so glued to their smartphones, often muttering under his breath about how humans had become slaves to their devices. “this..” he said, gesturing to a group of teenagers taking selfies in front of a fountain, “is what humanity has been reduced to? capturing meaningless images of themselves to be shared with the world? it’s a wonder society hasn’t collapsed under the weight of its own vanity.”

“yup…well, it’s just how things are now,” you said with a shrug. “people like to document their lives, share their experiences with others.” riki shook his head, clearly unimpressed. “in my day, experiences were lived, not captured. memories were made, not posted for the world to see.” you grinned, nudging him playfully. “wow, you really are an old man, aren’t you?” riki shot you a withering look. “i’ll have you know I was in my prime when the likes of you weren’t even a thought in the universe.”

“yeah, yeah,” you said, rolling your eyes. “come on, there’s one more place i want to show you.” you led him to a nearby park, where people were gathered for a small outdoor concert. the sound of live music filled the air, and the atmosphere was relaxed, with couples lounging on blankets and kids running around, playing tag. you found a spot on a grassy hill and sat down, patting the ground beside you. riki hesitated for a moment before joining you, his posture stiff as he tried to make sense of the scene before him. “what is this?” he asked, his tone softer than before.

“just people enjoying a night out,” you said with a smile. “listening to music, spending time together. you know, the simple things.” riki was silent for a long time, his gaze fixed on the stage where a local band was playing a mellow tune. “it’s…different,” he admitted finally, his voice thoughtful. “not what i expected.” you leaned back on your elbows, watching the sky as the first stars began to appear. “not everything about the 21st century is bad, you know. sure, we’ve got our problems, but there’s a lot of good stuff too. like this. just…being here, in the moment.” riki glanced at you, and for the first time, you saw a hint of something other than disdain or sarcasm in his eyes. maybe it was curiosity, or maybe even a flicker of understanding. he sighed, leaning back beside you, his expression softening ever so slightly. “perhaps.” he said, his tone grudgingly accepting, “there is some merit to this…modern existence. though i still maintain that humans have grown far too dependent on their conveniences.” you laughed softly, nudging him with your shoulder. “i’ll take that as a compliment coming from you.” riki rolled his eyes but didn’t move away, the two of you sitting in comfortable silence as the music played on. for a brief moment, the centuries between you seemed to fade away, leaving behind only the present—two beings from different worlds, finding a strange sort of companionship in each other’s company.

as the night deepened and the concert came to an end, you finally stood up, stretching your legs. “ready to head back?” riki nodded, rising gracefully to his feet. “yes, i suppose i’ve had enough of this…modern life for one evening.” you grinned, walking beside him as you made your way back home. “don’t worry, i won’t make you drink any more coffee.”

“thank the heavens.” riki muttered, though there was a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. as you reached your apartment, you couldn’t help but feel a sense of contentment settling in your chest. sure, your life had taken a bizarre turn since riki had entered it, but somehow, you didn’t mind. there was something oddly comforting about having him around, even with all his sarcasm and grumbling. and as for riki, he might never fully embrace the 21st century, but you had a feeling he was starting to see that it wasn’t all bad. maybe, just maybe, there was a place for him in this modern world after all.

@zvouyage. 24/plagiarism won't be tolerated on my page.

[astrojulia]

Tarot Cards as Professions

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Major Arcanas:

The Fool: Work with abroad, connections with imports, language teacher, multinationals, entrepreneur, intern, college student, art major.

The Magician: Entrepreneur, job that needs skill with the hands (acupuncture, hairdresser, artisan), actor, salesperson, influencer.

The High Priestess: Education, especially children, nutrition, psychology, cook, housewife, food engineering, toy factory, fortuneteller, spiritual advisor, librarian.

The Empress: Management, business administration, foreign trade, secretariat, translation, decoration, stay-at-home mom, model, cook, farmer.

The Emperor: Business administration, work related to areas of technological innovation, the military or sportsmen, CEO, tycoon.

The Hierophant: Philanthropic areas, ONGs, religious work, social work, diplomacy, and a degree, journalism, writer, editor, priest, spiritual guru, politician.

The Lovers: Sales area in any sector, tourism, theater, advertising, the arts in general, porn star, stripper, masseuse.

The Chariot: Activities related to transport, cars, the latest technology, chauffeur, mechanic, athlete.

Strength: Aesthetics, physical education and various body therapies, medicine, zoologist.

The Hermit: Teacher, writer, doctor, antique dealer, restorer, librarian, gardener.

Wheel of Fortune: Financial market, exchange offices, casinos, lottery houses, stock exchanges, and areas related to public relations, hospitality, game show host.

Justice: Public jobs, won through competitions, politics, police, with government positions, in the diplomatic area, law, insurance company worker.

The Hanged Man: Nurse, auditor, inspector, porter, secretariat, general assistants, yoga instructor, prison guard, philanthropist.

Death: Doctor, farmer, geologist, business administrator, gardener, accountant, assassin, death row executioner, surgeon.

Temperance: Working with liquids in general or with what is transported in liquid form such as alcoholic beverages, medicines, juices. chemist, chef, food critic, regional or even international traffic.

The Devil: Does not limit the individual to a professional wing, so he can also go to extremes for the desire he has, such as landlord, drug lord, sex trafficker.

The Tower: Social assistance, humanitarian aid, medicine, firefighter, police officer, construction worker.

The Star: Music, painting, sculpture, poetry, cinema, makeup artist, dressmaker, beautician, agent, promoter, sound artist, astronomer, harpist, dealer, meteorologist.

The Moon: Oceanographers, sailors, fishermen, owners of bars and restaurants or nightclubs, artists in general, medium, hypnotist, psychiatrist.

The Sun: Motivational speaker, entertainer, comedian, social relationships, work with the public, artist in general, member of society.

Judgment: Work done at home, connection with the law, lawyer, judge, work with disabled or people excluded from society, social assistance, board member, executive producer, director.

The World: Pharmacist, massage therapist, scientist, teacher, community leader, religious leader or priest, fashion designer, makeup artist, interior decorator.

Wands:

Creative industries such as advertising, marketing, and graphic design.

Entrepreneurship and starting your own business.

Athletics, sports coaching, or physical training.

Outdoor jobs like park ranger or tour guide.

Event planning or organizing.

Firefighters or rescue workers.

Ace of Wands: Entrepreneur, startup founder, motivational speaker, fitness coach, personal trainer.

Two of Wands: Business strategist, project manager, travel agent, international consultant, import/export specialist.

Three of Wands: Sales representative, marketing manager, e-commerce entrepreneur, market researcher, international trade coordinator.

Four of Wands: Event planner, wedding coordinator, party organizer, festival manager, hospitality industry professional.

Five of Wands: Conflict resolution specialist, mediator, lawyer, debate coach, competitive sports coach.

Six of Wands: Public relations manager, spokesperson, social media influencer, motivational speaker, winning athlete.

Seven of Wands: Defense attorney, human rights activist, political campaigner, advocate, civil liberties lawyer.

Eight of Wands: Courier, delivery driver, airline pilot, travel blogger, expedition guide.

Nine of Wands: Security guard, bodyguard, soldier, endurance athlete, self-defense instructor.

Ten of Wands: Overworked entrepreneur, project manager, event organizer, professional organizer, heavy equipment operator.

Page of Wands: Assistant in a creative field, aspiring artist, intern in a startup, social media coordinator, apprentice.

Knight of Wands: Travel journalist, adventure tour guide, professional athlete, race car driver, stunt performer.

Queen of Wands: CEO, business owner, charismatic leader, life coach, influential speaker.

King of Wands: Executive manager, entrepreneur, leadership coach, consultant, director of a creative agency.

Cups:

Counseling, therapy, or social work.

Hospitality industry, including restaurant management and bartending.

Wedding planner or event coordinator.

Artistic fields like poetry, writing, or acting.

Healing professions such as nursing or holistic therapy.

Psychologist or counselor specializing in emotions and relationships.

Ace of Cups: Therapist, counselor, social worker, holistic healer, emotional support specialist.

Two of Cups: Marriage counselor, matchmaker, relationship coach, wedding planner, love psychic.

Three of Cups: Event organizer, party planner, celebratory event coordinator, community organizer.

Four of Cups: Meditation teacher, mindfulness coach, spiritual counselor, psychologist, therapist.

Five of Cups: Grief counselor, trauma therapist, hospice worker, emotional healing practitioner, bereavement support.

Six of Cups: Child psychologist, teacher, daycare worker, children's book author, pediatric nurse.

Seven of Cups: Creative writer, fantasy novelist, imaginative artist, dream analyst, visionary.

Eight of Cups: Travel blogger, adventure seeker, spiritual pilgrim, explorer, wanderlust photographer.

Nine of Cups: Life coach, happiness consultant, gratitude coach, self-help author, wellness retreat organizer.

Ten of Cups: Family therapist, marriage and family counselor, foster care advocate, wedding planner, family mediator.

Page of Cups: Creative writer, artist in training, intuitive healer, aspiring therapist, dream interpreter.

Knight of Cups: Actor, romantic poet, musician, art therapist, love and relationship coach.

Queen of Cups: Psychic reader, intuitive healer, counselor, compassionate caregiver, therapist.

King of Cups: Therapist, counselor, intuitive mentor, emotional intelligence trainer, psychologist.

Swords:

Legal professions like lawyers, judges, or law enforcement officers.

Journalists, reporters, or investigators.

IT specialists, computer programmers, or hackers.

Teachers or professors specializing in critical thinking or philosophy.

Military or defense-related careers.

Strategic planners or analysts.

Ace of Swords: Lawyer, judge, legal consultant, investigative journalist, strategic planner.

Two of Swords: Mediator, conflict resolution specialist, negotiator, diplomat, relationship counselor.

Three of Swords: Divorce lawyer, grief counselor, trauma therapist, emotional healer, heart surgeon.

Four of Swords: Rest and relaxation specialist, meditation teacher, spiritual retreat organizer, yoga instructor.

Five of Swords: Military strategist, competitive sports coach, lawyer specializing in litigation, debate coach.

Six of Swords: Travel agent, relocation consultant, therapist specializing in transitions, boat captain.

Seven of Swords: Private investigator, spy, intelligence analyst, cybersecurity expert, undercover agent.

Eight of Swords: Social justice lawyer, human rights advocate, disability rights activist, therapist specializing in limiting beliefs.

Nine of Swords: Insomnia specialist, anxiety therapist, nightmare counselor, sleep coach, mental health counselor.

Ten of Swords: Surgeon, coroner, forensic scientist, mortician, grief counselor.

Page of Swords: Researcher, journalist, fact-checker, apprentice in a legal field, investigative reporter.

Knight of Swords: Military officer, police officer, attorney, competitive fencer, conflict resolution specialist.

Queen of Swords: Judge, lawyer, critic, journalist, literary agent.

King of Swords: Judge, attorney, CEO, strategist, military general.

Pentacles:

Financial advisors or investment bankers.

Real estate agents or property developers.

Agriculture, farming, or gardening.

Architects, builders, or construction workers.

Conservationists or environmentalists.

Accountants or bookkeepers.

Ace of Pentacles: Financial advisor, investment banker, wealth manager, entrepreneur, luxury goods retailer.

Two of Pentacles: Financial analyst, accountant, bookkeeper, event planner, stock trader.

Three of Pentacles: Architect, contractor, project manager, teamwork facilitator, craftsman.

Four of Pentacles: Wealth manager, investor, financial planner, asset protection specialist, treasurer.

Five of Pentacles: Social worker, philanthropist, charity organizer, financial counselor, volunteer.

Six of Pentacles: Philanthropist, humanitarian worker, non-profit manager, social worker, charitable fundraiser.

Seven of Pentacles: Gardener, farmer, agricultural consultant, sustainability expert, botanist.

Eight of Pentacles: Craftsperson, artisan, apprentice, skilled tradesperson, technical trainer.

Nine of Pentacles: Luxury brand manager, independent business owner, successful entrepreneur, vineyard owner, art collector.

Ten of Pentacles: Real estate developer, property investor, family business owner, generational wealth manager, financial advisor.

Page of Pentacles: Intern, student, apprentice in a practical field, aspiring entrepreneur, entry-level employee.

Knight of Pentacles: Accountant, financial planner, farmer, skilled tradesperson, meticulous worker.

Queen of Pentacles: CEO, business owner, property developer, hospitality industry entrepreneur, financial advisor.

King of Pentacles: CEO, business mogul, successful investor, high-level executive, financial consultant.

(CC) AstroJulia Some Rights Reserved

[notbecauseofvictories]

Hi Sarah, I'm going to visit Chicago in a couple of weeks and when I think of Chicago I think of you. What would you recommend I visit/do?

Unfortunately, Chicago is not its best self for a couple months---while I maintain that the city is for all seasons, summer is undoubtedly when it's most alive. However, there are a couple things I will definitely recommend for the unseasonably warm spring traveler:

(1) Eat some food

A friendly word of warning: do not be tricked into eating Giordano's or Lou Malnotti's. Perhaps your companions might try to win you over with promises of Chicago-style hotdogs---do not be swayed! You must manfully resist! (Harold's Chicken is that good though, and if you're close to the one in Hyde Park, feel free to devour the three piece dinner of your choice. Cheap bottle of the too-sweet wine I preferred as an undergrad optional.)

A much better option is to find a place that serves whatever food you love, but does it really really well.

Do you like sophisticated twists on a brewpub menu? Try Moody Tongue in the South Loop

Or are you really more of a tapas person? Highly recommend mfk in Lincoln Park

Would you prefer something a little....meatier? My favorite steakhouse in Chicago is Tango Sur (though I would argue their empanadas are really the showstopper)

There's nowhere in the city that does Hong Kong-style barbecue like Sun Wah in Uptown---I just stopped by after the parade for the Lunar New Year, the duck is to die for.

Are you on the West Side? First of all, do not go to Big Star. I mean, it's fine, but....come on. I'd pick Forbidden Root instead, or head over to Pilsen for Rubi's if you can't survive without tacos.

There are so, so many different bars I would recommend. Chicago was the home of bootleggers for a reason, goddamn it. Still, if you can't get to Wang's (look, I like Violet Hour too, but sometimes you don't want to drink in near-darkness), Koval (the rare distillery in Chicago), or any of the many, many craft breweries we have in the city right now, you probably can stop by one of the many, many, many bars we have in Chicago, and get a drink anyway.

There are more---of course there are more!---but we don't have all day. So instead I will leave you with this bit of wisdom: don't eat at Navy Pier or anywhere too close to Lincoln Park Zoo. If you are at a bar, don't settle for a burger when sometimes, the chicken tenders are actually better. And if you absolutely must go somewhere for pizza, choose Pequod's.

(2) See a thing

Chicago has many things in it! So many things! A hundred thousand things! Unfortunately, I don't know what you're into, so I will just talk about them in general.

MUSEUMS: I am a devoted museum-goer, and Chicago has blessed me with an endless feast. There are the big ones, of course---the Field Museum of Natural History, the Adler Planetarium, the Shedd Aquarium, the Museum of Science and Industry, the Art Institute of Chicago. However, my favorites are smaller, more unique: the International Museum of Surgical Sciences, Intuit (though it's temporarily closed, more's the pity), the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures at UChicago, the Lincoln Park Conservatory. That's not even all the museums in Chicago! That's not even all the museums that I've been to. It's amazing.

EVENTS: I once joked that I was a person who needed to schedule her enrichment like a blue-haired senior, but the joke was on me---I am that person! Fortunately, Chicago supports me in this endeavor by publishing many, many different calendars of "what to do this week or weekend". Do you want to see something onstage? Well, here you go. How about some classical music? I have a trusty guide. What about non-classical music? Always go to the Chicago Reader for that. Are you thinking of catching a game? Well, we're still in spring training for the Cubs and Sox, but the Bulls are doing okay even if the Blackhawks aren't, and we've got soccer (male and female) now too!

(Unfortunately, the Chicago Sky aren't playing right now, they're my favorites.)

OTHER: Unless you are extremely efficient, coming here and eating good food, doing one other thing, is more than enough. I promise it is! However, if you have more time, I definitely recommend just---wandering around. The Loop in particular is great for this, because it's reasonably small and everyone there is busy doing things. Going places, talking on phones, getting into or out of ubers, protesting outside of the Daley center, etc. etc. It's amazing to watch, and the buildings are pretty neat too.

Or you could wait a couple months, and take the Chicago Architecture Boat Tour, which I think should be a requirement for all Chicagoans. Maybe even everyone alive in the world. Just saying.

(3) Walk along the lakeshore

Chicago offers many delights, but I really do believe that Lake Michigan and its vast expanse of water, sky and space, is a unique gift to the city. It is beautiful in winter, in spring, in storms, in sun. It is free. You can sit in the grass or the sand or amble along its broad paths for miles, looking at unexpected art installations and waving grasses and the way the beaches slope to the water; you can talk to a friend or watch bikers and joggers pass you by. In the summer, there are a dozen different stands offering warm elote or cold soda, and cheerful men on jingling bike carts that will sell you neon orange push pops. In the winter, there are still bikers and joggers but also Canada geese, and you can stare mournfully at the slate grey water and ponder existence.

It is the heart of Chicago. Nelson Algren called us an "October city, even in summer"; Carl Sandburg described us as a shirtless dude who gives great oral. Personally, I think of Montrose Beach in the setting sun of winter, the sand almost too cold to touch---and beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

[girlactionfigure]

THURSDAY HERO: Shalom Yoran 

Selim Sznycer, aka Shalom Yoran, was a Polish Jew who escaped the mass murder of all the Jews in his town, including his parents, and wanted to fight Nazis. However, when he tried to join a Russian resistance group, they rejected him for being Jewish, which led him to create his own militia of 200 Jews who hid in the forest and carried out acts of sabotage against the Nazi occupiers.

Selim Sznycer was born in Poland in 1925. After the Nazis invaded Warsaw, the Sznycer family fled to a different part of Poland, the town of Kurzeniec, occupied by the Soviets. But in 1941 the Germans invaded the Soviet Union. and despite their best efforts to escape the Nazis, Selim and his family found themselves living under Nazi occupation once again.

The Jews of Kurzeniec were forced into a squalid ghetto. Not far away was a Russian POW camp, where the prisoners were suffering from abuse, starvation and disease. Local Soviet partisans were forming militias to fight the German occupiers, and Selim heard about the nascent resistance movement from an escaped Russian POW.

The day before Yom Kippur in 1942, Nazi high command gave orders to “liquidate” the ghetto – meaning kill all the inhabitants. From a contact in the resistance, Selim learned of the horrific plan, and he and his brother were able to escape from the ghetto and hide in a nearby barn owned by Polish peasant, Ignalia Biruk, who took in the terrified Jewish boys at great risk to herself. From his hiding place, he heard the sounds of all the Jews in the ghetto being massacred, including his own parents. He later remembered his mother’s last words to him, “She told me, ‘Go fight… try to save yourselves, avenge our death and tell the world what happened.’ These are the words that guided me through that dark period, what gave me strength to fight, and what inspires me to share my story today.”

That winter, Selim, his brother and three friends hid in the Polish forest near the Sang river. They survived the brutal cold by building an underground bunker. A few kindly locals periodically gave them some food, but most of their provisions were stolen.

Selim wanted to fight the Nazis who had taken everything from him, and in 1943 he and his small group approached a Russian partisan unit, but they wouldn’t allow the five Jews to join because they had no weapons. Desperate to join the fight, Selim persisted, and finally the unit commander told him that if they returned to Kurzeniec and blew up the Nazi munitions factory, they would be allowed to join the resistance group. The Russians assumed the Jewish boys couldn’t possibly survive the dangerous mission, but they carried out the bombing successfully and returned to the forest, only to be told the real reason they were rejected: they were Jewish.

Undeterred, Selim wandered the forest in nearby Belarus looking for Jews who wanted to fight. He formed an all-Jewish resistance unit featuring 200 fighters. After the Germans were defeated at Stalingrad, Selim and his group harassed and sabotaged the retreating German soldiers. They blew up bridges and railroad supply lines. In 1944, Belarus was liberated by the Soviets, and Selim and the other Jewish resistance fighters went from the firing pan to the fire: they were drafted into the Red Army, where they were viciously persecuted for being Jewish, enduring beatings and near-starvation. Selim managed to escape and flee to Italy, where he illegally fought with the British Army until the war ended in 1945.

Selim used a fake British passport to emigrate to Palestine, then occupied by the British who severely restricted the number of Jews who could enter the territory. Like many Jews, when Selim got to Israel he dropped his Polish name and started using his Hebrew name: Shalom Yoran. He joined the Israeli Army and became a decorated Air Force officer. He built a successful career developing the Israeli aircraft industry. He was a founding member of the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York and a governor of Tel Aviv university.

In 2003, Selim/Shalom published “The Defiant,” a memoir about his experience as a resistance fighter during the war. He dedicated the book to his parents. Shalom Yoran died in 2013 at age 88, survived by his beloved wife Varda, and their children and grandchildren.

For fighting Nazis and avenging his parents’ deaths, we honor Shalom Yoran as this week’s Thursday Hero.