surveys-at-your-service · 5 years ago
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Survey #218
“give me liberty or death. ... ah, fuck it, just give me death.”
Do you know anyone who had to have tubes put in their ears as a baby? Me. What is the nearest glass object to you? A cup. Were either of your parents baptized? I'm sure my mom was, but I have no clue about Dad. The last concert that you were at, was there a mosh pit? No. What was the last computer game that you played? World of Warcraft. If you had to choose a new cell phone, what phone would you pick? Some sort of iPhone. I hate my Samsung. Has anyone killed one of your pets before? People have run over our cats before, but I'm certain that wasn't intentional. Does your bathroom have a theme to it? No. Are any rooms in your house themed? No. Is there a song that as soon as you hear it you are happier? At least to a degree. Do you have a push lawnmower or a riding lawnmower? We don't have one; Mom pays someone to do it. He uses a riding one, though. When was the last time someone teased you? Idr. Would you trust a vehicle that automatically parallel parks for you? Lmao could probably do it better than I could. Have you ever hit a car while parking? No, but I rarely drive anyway and never park close to others. When you are eating fast food, do you tend to get burgers or chicken? Burgers. When was the last time you used Microsoft Excel? No clue. What was the last thing that you recorded? I was WAY too excited the rare felhound mount dropped for me in WoW so I had to show Sara while I screamed lmao. Have you ever edited an article on Wikipedia? No. Do you like the show Futurama? I've never been into what I've seen. Have you ever found an arrow head? I don't remember ever having had. Have you given up any bad habits for someone? Don't think so. Who is with you? My cat's in the room, as is of course Venus. In what part of your life so far, have you learnt the most about yourself? 2017-2018, probably. Have you ever been in a fist fight? No. What aggravates you most about people in general? I guess if you want to put all humans together, I guess you never know what's gonna hurt who. When they have a valid reason to be hurt by it, anyway. Are your ears pierced? Twice in each lobe and then my right tragus. What did you last say out loud? Something to Teddy about wanting so much attention. Not at all in a bad way. Do you like anything about being angry? Fuck no. Did you have a summer job this year? No. Where do you wish you were? I've been dying to be at Sara's BAD LATELY MY MAN. Do you get surprises often? No, nor do I like them. I get too nervous. Name a crime you have committed? Illegally downloading things. Do you tell people when they get on your nerves? No, not normally. You're in jail… Who bails you out? Dad, most likely, taking money into account. I don't even know if he could afford bailing someone out, though. Are your feelings hurt easily? YEAH. What’s the ultimate cake topping? Just frosting. Have you ever ridden a motorcycle? No. Do you ever forward or reply to chain mails? Never. Have you ever tried to make your own alcohol? Nope. If you were to join one of the armed forces, which would it be? Lol no. Have you ever been to see stand up comedy? No. Have you ever needed stitches? At least twice. Have you ever been in a submarine? No. What would you do if someone proposed to you tomorrow? I'd say no, even if it was Sara. We're not ready for that yet. Which fictional character do you wish was real? Sobs all my favorites of everything are villains and therefore shouldn't be brought to life. Uhhhh. Idk. Maybe Harry Mason from SH 'cuz the entire human population deserves a dad like that. Do you own a lava lamp? I wish. Have you ever been in a hot tub or sauna? Yes to hot tub, but you couldn't pay me to set foot in a sauna. Have you ever had chicken pox? No. Do you believe there used to be dragons? No. We would've found fossil evidence by now, I think. Who’s your favorite god from ancient history? Man, idk. I love mythology. But memory is pretty faint though so I don't remember what most did/what they stand for. What was the last present you received? Uhhhh I'm not sure. Could you go out with someone who had a child from a previous relationship? No. I am not being a mother figure for anyone. What was your first alcoholic drink? Hard lemonade. What was your first detention for? I've only ever had detention for excessive tardies. Did you ever have a treehouse as a kid? No. Have you ever appeared on YouTube? EW LET'S FORGET THAT. Have you ever been on radio? No. Do you like your own name? I do. Could you ever have an affair with a married person? Fuck no. Could you ever split up a couple for one reason or another? I mean I'd urge one to leave the other if they were abusive or not really in love or something like that. I wouldn't out of my own interests. Which celebrity do you find the most annoying? The Paul brothers are fucking obnoxious trash. Is there anyone you work with that you don’t get along with? Why? N/A Have you ever been romantically interested in a coworker? No. Have you ever been romantically involved with a coworker? No. What is the game you’re currently playing most often on your phone? None. Do you have an opinion on adopting/purchasing a pet? Adopt. I understand the temptation of wanting a certain breed of pet, but you've gotta think beyond your desires here. There are so, so, SO many homeless cats and dogs especially that need homes. When was the last time you climbed a tree? Never, I believe. Why were you last pulled over? I never have been, thank GOD. Do you have any friends that own a private lake? I can just about guarantee no. Are you cool with swimming in a lake? It would depend on the lake. Do you have a drone? No. Do you have any t-shirts from any local businesses? No. Do you listen to any talk shows or podcasts? Only Mark's and his friends'. Do you know anyone who’s had their own podcast? I don't think so. Where were you the last time you stayed in a hotel? The beach. Do you know anyone who is freaked out by cats? No. What kind of music do your parents listen to? Mom loves (classic) metal and rock like me, but she also enjoys Christian music. Dad likes rock and classic metal/rock. What do you do when you can’t escape thoughts of your ex? I mean, I'm a bad person to ask, because my PTSD is tied to my ex. My case is far more extreme. All you really can do is try to do things to distract yourself. What do you think about indoor pets? Love 'em. How it should be most of the time for most animals. Would you agree that love is blind? Very. Did your first real significant other change you at all? Yes. Are you waiting to have sex until you’re married? I don't think so, if I was to ever be in that situation with a man again. How many schools have you been to? Five, but I'm about to start my sixth. Do any songs give you goosebumps? I get goosebumps very, VERY easily when it comes to music. I don't even have to really like the song. What do you think about divorce? Sadly necessary in extreme cases. What’s your favorite way to eat peanut butter? In a Reese's lol. Do you still watch any cartoons meant for kids? I don't watch TV now, but if I was still into watching shows, I'd totally still follow Pokemon. What’s your favorite kind of cereal? Man, idk. Maybe Cinnamon Toast Crunch. What were you doing the last time you were on a roof? Just sitting up there. Do you have any stickers on your car? Mom has I think one? Have you ever given someone flowers? I'll always remember this one Mother's Day where I went down our old path with my sister and friend and we picked up SO many flowers to put in a glass cup as a bouquet for Mom. So yeah. Do you have any stickers on your laptop? No. Do you listen to Nirvana? I don't usually search them out, but they're on my iPod, and I won't generally skip 'em if a Nirvana song comes along. What is one thing stopping you from becoming a veterinarian? I hate seeing animals in pain and/or dying. Are you easily scared by horror movies? Not at all. How old were you when you were first pulled over by the police? I've never been pulled over. When was the last time you drank out of a champagne glass? I've no idea. Do you enjoy plane journeys, if you’ve ever been on one? If we're just talking the ride and not the process leading up to it, and so long I've the window seat, yeah, they're fine. What’s the last movie you’ve seen in theaters and can honestly say you enjoyed? I adored the live action TLK, truly and thoroughly. I didn't at all get the hate. Like I know a common criticism is they took the realism too far (they were lacking in expression), but I liked that, honestly. It made it feel all the more real. I mean honestly, I possibly liked it more than the animated (save for the "Be Prepared" singing), and that movie is sacred to me. Have you ever seen your father cry? I've only seen him tear up like once in my life. How would your parents react if you got pregnant? They'd be confused as fuck because I'm the polar opposite of promiscuous, monogamous, advise that to only happen after marriage, and am with a girl. If you’re in a relationship, how is it going? If you’re single, are you looking for someone? It's going great. We're just ready to no longer be long-distance. How big is your bed? Queen-sized. Do you believe the Holocaust happened? No??????????? fucking????????????????? shit??????????????????????????????? Ever spent any time on a military base? No. Have you ever tried putting black pepper on mac ‘n’ cheese? (It’s good!) Yes, delicious. Has a wild animal ever been loose in your house? Not our current house. We lived in the woods beforehand, and we did have mild mice problems in the winter. Have you ever felt a temperature below 0? No. Have you ever seen a volcano? Not in person. Are you a fan of Janis Joplin? I've actually never really listened to her. Have you ever mowed the lawn (even a little bit)? No. What’s the closest river to you? The Tar River. Don't mind sharing considering it's ginormous. Who were the last 3 males you talked to? My nephew, his dad, then my own dad. What was the last form of communication you used to speak to your best friend? (e.g. text message, phone call) Text. What was the last alcoholic drink you tried for the first time? Uhhhh I think some kind of white wine? Did you like it? Not in the slightest. What’s your favorite feature of the person you’re currently interested in? She has the cutest random little freckle on her hip. Do you remember the first CD you ever bought? I believe the first I personally wanted and got was the Swan Songs album by Hollywood Undead. Where is your favorite place to get fries? You have NOT lived until you've eaten Bojangle's fries. They have a special seasoning that is absolutely spectacular. The Bojangle's experience is so important that it's the first place we went when Sara first came here lmao. Do you know anyone who was raised by their grandparents? Don't believe so. Have you ever made your own pie from scratch? No. What is your favorite gaming console? PS2, always. What was the last major city you visited? Chicago. I mean, or Raleigh, if you count it as a "major" one. How many romantic relationships have you been in so far? I only really consider Jason and Sara as "romantic" relationships. Have you ever used a leaf blower? No. What would you say is the worst part of high school, period? The shift from child to young adult. Hormones make the experience so, so much more difficult than it needs to be. What is your favorite color of apple? Red, green or yellow? Red. They're usually the most crisp. If you were dying who would you say goodbye to first out of everyone? It'd either be Mom or Sara, definitely. I can't really say without being in that moment, idk. Are you someone who actually likes to babysit children? Fuck no. I've only ever done it once and never will again, even though the one occasion went fine. Who was the last person to call you fat, if anyone at all? Myself lmao. What color skin does the last person you danced with have? White. Has your mother ever called your school because of your grades? No. What is the worst name a friend has ever called you? Do you remember? I can promise you one has most certainly called me a bitch or worse. Have you ever wanted to be in a band? What position exactly? At the start of high school, I remember I'd sometimes daydream about being a guitarist, but it was never something I like, actively craved. Who is your role model or hero in life if you have one? *blinks* Do you ever call your cousins just to talk to them randomly? No. When did you last spend the night at someone’s house? December of last year. Do you ever have to wash your clothes at someone else’s house? If I'm at Sara's. Do you prefer it when it gets darker earlier? NO. I'm much unlike I used to be in that I prefer brightness. It actually does affect my mood; I recommend to aaaaanybody who suffers from depression to stay in a bright room. I used to live in the dark as well, and I promise, it makes a difference. Have you ever learned any self-defense? If not, would you be interested in learning? No, and yes, especially with how incredibly paranoid I am. Do you like Gushers? Yaaaaas hunty. Can you touch your nose with your tongue? No. When was the last time you felt like you didn’t have anything to worry about? LOL HUH??????? NO WORRIES??????? How old was the last child that you spoke to? Three. What is the name of the last perfume you put on? "Crazy Lady." That perfume is years upon YEARS old. It was a birthday present from Summer, and seeing as I barely ever wear perfume, it's still in my room. Expired, I'm sure, lol. Are you waiting for something to arrive in the mail? No. Have your parents ever forgotten your birthday? No. Do you like your orange juice with lots or no pulp? NONONONONONONO. I absolutely will not drink orange juice with pulp. Did the Spanish classes have an “El Dia de Los Muertos” (Day of the Dead) fiesta at school? I think so? How long have you had the hairbrush you are currently using? I use a comb now that we've had actually forever. What projects are you doing now for school? I'm not in school, not quite yet anyway. :') Do you know what durian is? Do you like it? No. I would never try it. What’s the most number of comments you have on a Facebook picture? What is the picture of? I don't know, and I don't plan on looking. Most likely some selfie. Do you like coconut flavored things? NO. Coconut is disgusting. Have you ever met a famous author before? No. Do you know anybody who has been raped before? I don't think so, and I truly hope not... How often do you get a fever? Like, never. What kind of laundry basket do you use? It's just a plain, white, plastic one. As a child, did you ever have a clown or a magician at your birthday parties? I actually believe I had both. I know I had a pair of clowns once, and with how into magic I was, I would expect I've had had one. Do you have a permit or license? I have my permit. It's more than due time I work more towards my license... List all the stores you’ve been in this past month. I think the only one is PetSmart. Have you ever thrown food at a stranger in a movie theater? No, because I was never that childish. Does/did either of your parents serve in the military? No. Do you like sour candy? My favorite! Where would you like to go on your honeymoon? Most likely Pink Sands Beach in the Bahamas, but honestly I'm terrified of the Bermuda Triangle, so that's unlikely, lmao. That black sand beach in Hawaii, however, will do. Are all nighters something you have grown used to? BIIIIIIITCH I've outgrown that shit. I'm rarely up past 10 at the latest these days. Is there anybody you’re not ashamed to tell anything to? Anything, no. Smoothies or slushies? Slushies. Ignoring nutrition, could you live off veggies for the rest of your life? Nooooooo. Elaborate on a way you have volunteered? I once volunteered at PetSmart during an adoption event, giving the cats and dogs attention while people visited. I absolutely fell in LOVE with a dog there that I begged Mom to get, and she came pretty close. I cried leaving, ha ha... Does anybody know about your sex life other than your partners? No. If you could see any musician live, front row, who would you choose? Um, Ozzy????? Duh??????? My Dad???????? Is great?????????????? If you had to choose between a million dollars or to be able to change a regret? And here you have it, the stupidest question I've seen on a survey. Have you ever been around someone who was high? Yeah. Could you handle living with a male roommate? No, with how afraid I am of men. It'd only work if it was with a long-time bf. Have you spoken to your mother today? Father? For once, both. Do you live by yourself? No. Do you shower every day? No, it's unhealthy and I don't find every day necessary. Especially when you live my hermit life. Is English your native language? Yes. Who is your favorite character from Harry Potter? N/A Do you watch PewDiePie? Very, very rarely. I'm not that into his content anymore, and his humor changed from more original to heavily meme-ish. Are you married? No. Did you ever color your hair pink? No, but totally not apposed. Do you have any subscribers on YouTube? Yeah, some. Do you salt your popcorn? Sadly. Do you like McDonalds? Don't even try to bullshit, you don't mind McD's. Do you have a Steam account? Yeah. Have you ever played Five Nights at Freddy’s? No. It's a cool series though, and I enjoy watching LPs of it. Do you like horror movies? YESSSSSS my favorite. Is your favorite animal a dog? No. Do you like chicken nuggets? mmmmmmmMMMMMMMMMMMMMM What color is the ceiling in the room? White. Do you like religion? It's interesting, but has done a shitload of evil. However, it has also made wonderful people. It depends on how you use it. Have you ever tried Akinator? Yeah. Can you twerk? Idk and idc. Do you like dabbing? It looks remarkably stupid/like you're sneezing into your elbow. Do you like fishing? I do, but I've stopped doing it. I feel too bad for the fish. Do you like sleeping? Oh fuck yeah. What do you think of Fifty Shades of Grey? Fucking disgusting, whether in book or movie format. Do you swear in front of children? No. Which Pirates of the Caribbean do you like the most? Never watched 'em. What do you think of Rob Zombie? I enjoy a lot of his music. How far out of your age bracket would you date? Once you hit 10 years, it's a no for me. Have you ever had an STD? No. Is the area you live in more liberal or conservative? I live in the South. Take a wild guess. Have you picked out flower petals, saying, ‘He loves me, he loves me not?' No. Do you like to pace? It's not that I "like" to, it's just a habit. What’s the greatest thing about science? Learning about the world around us. Discovering how life works. Does it annoy you when people dumb themselves down to be cool? It's not "annoying," it's just stupid. Intelligence is cool. What’s a song you like from the genre you hate? "When The Stars Go Blue" by Tim McGraw is a heavy exception. I adore that song. Are your parents divorced? Yeah, they separated when I was like, 16-17. Who was your first friend? Brianna. Have you ever been to Germany? Hell, I wish. What do you hear right now? I'm currently obsessed with "Brand New Numb" by Motionless In White. Have you ever been ice skating? No. Have you ever been to the Statue of Liberty? No. Would you consider yourself a shy person? I am one of the shyest people you will ever meet in your life. Do you like techno? Yeah, actually. I've really gotten into electronic music. How many windows are in the room you’re in? Two. Can you whistle? No. My lip ring is probably what makes me unable to anymore. How many X-rays have you had in the last 2 years? Three. One of my knees, then over the course of two years, I believe two for my teeth at the dentist. Are you on good terms with your last ex? Yeah. Do you own an Xbox? No. Favorite Snapchat filter? I've never used Snapchat before. How many pillows do you sleep with? Two. What’s the worst thing you have ever done? Depends on how you mean "worst." Most damaging to me, let myself turn Jason into a god in my head and nearly kill myself for it. As far as most immoral, probably be partially responsible for why my former best friend and her bf broke up because he wound up liking me because I was a dumb 12 y/o. What's your favorite candle scent? Probably coffee or cinnamon rolls. Do you take any medications daily? Yeah. What is your skin type? (oily, dry, etc) An annoying combo. What type of house do you live in? (big, small, etc) A small one. Are you going to change your last name when you get married? Yes, I hate my last name. Last person you called? Mom. Chocolate or rainbow sprinkles? I don't like sprinkles at all. The texture ruins treats. Who was the last person you cried in front of? Mom, I'm sure. Do you think vlogging in public is scary? I wouldn't say "scary," just incredibly awkward. You'd never see me do it. Would you want to be in a collab channel on YouTube? I don't even want to risk popularity, so no. Do you watch any collab channels? Which ones? Game Grumps and Sam & Colby, mainly. What colors have you dyed your hair, if any? Black, purple, and red. What is your gender and sexual orientation? Female and bisexual. Have you been to an escape room? Was it a success? No, but they seem REALLY fun. Ever performed on stage? Was it scary or amazing or both? Yeah, many times for dance. It was really neither for me. Have you ever recorded a cover of a song? No. Have you tried the Beyond or Impossible burger? Thoughts? No, but I want to, especially as I plan on returning to vegetarianism at one point. When was the last time you ate your all-time favorite candy? Oh wow, months. When was the last time you made friends with old enemies? Some time last year, Rachel and I reconnected. She's cool as hell now. When was the last time you took time to pray? It's been a long time. I don't believe it does anything. What is a movie that you heard about recently that you do NOT want to see? Is that "Cats" movie real or was the trailer a fever dream???? What do you do during long trips in the car? I just blare music. Best kind of music to dance to? And the worst kind of music to dance to? I really love "different" songs that warrant a modern sort of dance style. It was my favorite when I took dance, and it's by far my favorite to watch. Worst, I guess like, screamo. How would you dance???? Last candy you tried that you did not enjoy? Or one that you did enjoy? Oh my god. So I tried that new Reese's doughnut from Krispy Kreme today, and it. Was. Repulsive. A candy I actually liked, idk. I rarely ever have treats anymore. Were you a chubby or thin baby? I was normal. Have you ever not given a tip at a restaurant? Why didn’t you? N/A, y'all know my money situation. What is the most outrageous thing you’ve considered doing lately? Okay, I'll admit I at least briefly pondered the possibility of getting a nipple pierced after an eternity of saying I never would lmao. I'm not, tho. Have you ever known somebody who ran away? Most likely. What are your thoughts on Batman? I think it's cool he has that policy of never killing anyone, and he also doesn't have any actual powers, does he? I don't remember. The whole Batman universe (or comics for that matter) is one I don't really connect to anymore, as it was Jason's obsession, so it's a dangerous topic for me. When I say Dr. Seuss, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Green Eggs and Ham. I loooved that book as a kid. Rollercoasters that go upside down… yes please or no thank you? Hell to the motherfuckin no thanks. Is there a certain place or store you especially hate going to? Grocery stores. What was the last animal/pet that you met? There was a BEAUTIFUL standard poodle Mom and I briefly interacted with at the pet store a week or so back. Is there something in particular you always seem to forget? Straighten the shower curtain after I get out so it dries properly. When was the last time you had to wait in line for longer than a few minutes? *shrugs* Have you ever written a review for a product you bought online? No. What was the last board game you played? I think it was all the way back when Sara, Girt, and I played Scrabble.
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trickortpwk · 6 years ago
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Niall's GA Show - Review? (more like me being up Niall's ass)
As promised, MY NIALL SHOW REVIEW! (again not really a review, more of just me praising Niall and his holyness)
Okay so first, some background: I’ve seen Niall live before. I went to his ATL Flicker Sessions show last year and it was so fucking amazing that literally the next day after I bought tickets to see him again, which was today. I spent a considerable amount of money on the tickets, more than I liked to admit at the time of buying them but by now I don’t really give a shit because I hardly ever spend money on myself anyways.
It was a little weird, the difference, because last year my friend, Raelen (I’ve also had a crush on her for a yeah shhh don’t tell her) and I had to sit outside for six hours before the doors opened to secure good seats, whereas as this show the seats were already verified. So anyway I got home from college (I had class today and my campus is an hour away and I was also getting a test grade back today and I wasn’t too confident and I didn’t want to to deter my mood, but I got a good grade and it was great) at like 16:00 and we live an hour away from the venue (we live an hour away from everything okay) so I was like “so mom when do you want to leave?” and she was like “ah 18:00 I guess” (she didn’t say 18:00 she said 6 o'clock but I like the 24-hr clock more so I use it) and I was over here expecting to have to leave as soon as I got home so I was like “…..oh. okay then” and spent the next two hours wasting away my time and getting ready to leave. 
Okay so we left and I, of course, knowing my mom would know 0.1% of the songs, decided to play his CD in the car (preserve that phone battery life bro) and was telling her like “yeah he covers Dancing in the Dark by Bruce Springsteen and possibly Life in the Fast Lane by The Eagles” and she grew up in the 70s and 80s so I knew that would cheer her up a little (she was already looking forward to the show but I wanted to hype her more). Anyway so we get there at like 19:00 and I’m over here like “if I fucking miss Maren Morris I’m gonna be so pissed” bUT thankfully we got parking that was right next to the venue and the lines were super efficient so we got in at like 19:15 so we decided to get merch (by we I mean I because I always get at least a shirt at every concert I go to) and then food and STRANGELY ENOUGH the merch line was faster than the food line lololol i mean it makes sense but at my Harry show the merch line was like 454871875 hours long (jk they were efficient too but it felt like longer I guess). So I got my shirt and my keychain and my tour program and a wristband (because again, i always at least get a shirt and i didnt have the keychain yet and i would’ve got a poster but im running out of fucking room and i didnt want 178178578027 posters of 1d (not kidding i have like 70 all around my room from the calendars from past years and double sided ones hanging from my ceiling and two big ones and a poster of 2011 1d memes my niece made for me christmas 2013 and all past concert tickets and two black light posters, with a single poster from my jacksepticeye show earlier this year (not important but still) and one from niall’s tour, and also because it was basically just his album cover and i have a cd version of his album and i didnt want two of the same thing ok (i really didnt need to go into detail about it but i have all the space in the world on these things so YOU’RE WELCOME (sorry i lub u)).
I actually realized right after I paid that I should’ve gotten a second wristband because last year i got two (i was really only gonna get one but i had a friend who was like “hey im going to harry’s show (in 2017) ill get you a shirt if you get me a shirt and wristband from niall’s show” so i did but like a WEEK before the show she moved and after the concert i was never able to get into contact with her again :/ but it worked out because i ended up wearing my first wristband so much that it’s literally on the verge of breaking (i literally never took it off. like ever.) so now i have the backup) and i wanted another two because they were NAVY this time when last year they were BLACK so CHANGE. so when my mom was in like for food i was like “k there’s another merch line over here and its much shorter im gonna go get another wristband” so i DID (also i just got home and these new wristbands are so much more durable than the last year ones, the bead on the black ones move sooo easily when when they’re brand new and i tried to put on one of the navy blue ones tonight when i got home and i almost got a cramp trying to move the bead. so GOOD it won’t fall off easily and will last longer but geez whenever i have to shower its gonna be a pain in the ass getting it off.)
I haven’t even gotten to the show yet jesus but okay ONE MORE STORY BEFORE MAREN COMES ON. Okay so it was like 19:35 at this point and we were still in line for food and i was like “okay its okay if i miss the first part of maren’s first song it’s fine” because we could still hear her and they had screens up at the concessions so i could see it so that was :) but anyways there was this girl and her mom behind me and like right before maren went on they were talking about how they thought the show started at 19:00 because that’s what it said on the tickets so they got there at like 18:15 and the mom was like “ive been to 40 shows and none of the artists have ever been on time !1!” and i turned around and, being the intellectual i am, said (nicely by the way) “the email said the parking opened at 15:00, the doors at 16:00, Maren comes on at 19:40, and Niall at 21:00” and she was like “ooooOOOHHHH” it was so funny. 
Okay so I missed Maren coming on so we got our food and went back to our seats and I was in this spot where there were these vip seats right in front of us (literally all of them had old people in them. deadass. i think it was because those seats were sponsored by this hospital and i think most of them worked at that particular hospital and got seats for free or whatever. (i also got a little annoyed because my dad AND my sister work at that same frucking hospital so if they really got in for free and i could’ve done that because TWO OF MY FUCKING FAMILY MEMBERS WORK THERE I WOULD BE PISSED. no jk because i want to support niall so ill pay the money, its more worth it when you do i think. haha but i was still lost about it) but thankfully i was sitting in this spot right where the entrance of this particular vip section was so NO ONE was sitting in front of me but this girl next to me, this poor ass girl (she was like 14 id say) she literally had to switch seats with her father because she couldn’t see maren and then someone else came and sat RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER and she looked so sad :(( i mean not sad enough for me to give up my good ass seat for it, but i felt bad anyways. i leaned over and was like “hey when niall comes on stand up because i know they won’t and you’ll be able to see” and she did so i felt kind of helpful :)
anyways, so maren starts and she starts playing this one song (i cant fucking remember which one it was okay i dont know maren’s songs too well) but there was this sheet at the back that had lights going across on it (it was covering the NH lights) and when the song started it showed a rainbow and obviously, being a Gay Demon ™, i was like PRIDE FLAG YUS so i took a picture. i also felt twinning to it because i wore a shirt with troye lyrics on it “if im losing a piece of me than maybe i dont want heaven: and it had a half puzzle piece on it and the shirt was black but the words and puzzle piece were the PRIDE COLOURS TOO SO I FELT REPRESENTED (btw im that person who said i wear a shirt signifying the next person im going to see in concert. yeah.) also during like the last two songs there was this man standing on the side of the stage and i dont think it was niall because obviously other people would’ve screamed at seeing him but i still took a picture because i thought it was funny. (why when guys are waiting around do they all stand the same way? with hands in front or back pockets? like why)
so Maren finishes and gets off and my mom’s like “i cant sit for too long so lets go walk around a little” and she also had to use the bathroom so we went over and i sat at this table while she peed and checked my notifs or whatever and then SUDDENLU the crowd screams so im over here like “wtf what happened is he out what” so my mom comes out and we walk back and i ask the girl next to me what happened she was like “oh they just took the sheet down” lololol wow. i mean i prob would’ve screamed if i was there too but still.
okay so we chill out and then like 20:50 rolls around ( heard The Chain at some point in there and posted on snapchat about narry because im a narrie whatup) and i start getting excited butterflies in my tummy so that was fun. i was counting down the seconds to see if he came out on time and i was watching all the people give each other thumbs up to each other and i was READY for the lights to go out and i even told my mom “they lights are gonna go off and you’re gonna be deafened, by prepared” and obviously that happened. so i stood up and so did the girl next to me (my mom didn’t and, thankfully, the vip people didn’t either) and he started and FUCK. i barely even remember the first few songs because i was so in shock. anyway i take pictures and videos as usual and he’s SO GOOD AND BEAUTIFUL I LUB HIM SO MUCH. 
okay so the bruce cover comes up and most of the time im watching the people in front of me actually get kind of partially involved with like singing along (they were still sitting) and they seemed a bit surprised they he did it so well BUT another thing with bruce’s song, when Niall introduced it this guy behind me fucking BOOED and i was so confused like “what dude what what did he do? he’s just covering a song” but i just think the dude didnt initially like the song, like the song itself, but at the end of the cover he didn’t boo (he might’ve gotten told off by the people around him but id like to believe it was because he loved the cover and niall so yeah).
anyways we move on and i record all of niall’s speaking parts because i want to remember them ofc.  seeing blind was so energetic because maren came back out, i was a little disappointed she wasnt able to make niall laugh when theyre looking at each other at that one part but eh its okay i still loved it.  then he gets to flicker and okay: story time.
he says not to record flicker (as usual, but it seems he saw some people with them still out and was like “u guys dont want to give em up huh” sjfduzh) but, being a sly bitch i record just a little little little bit of the start (like 20 seconds) but then when i went to put my phone away i GUESS my first missed the button to stop recording so it KEPT RECORDING FROM INSIDE MY PURSE and i havent watch it yet but its literally probably gonna be 90% of muffled singing and darkness shgdkgd fuck. note to self: when niall tells you to do something, FUCKING DO IT. no but it was funny. also about flicker: niall has his fucking audience WHIPPED like no one else had their phone out that i could see and i felt like such a rebel. he probably looked at my phone and was like “this fucking bitch” lololo NIALL I STILL LOVE YOU. 
so the show goes on and he does fools gold and we sing and i think we did okay i mean who knows, he didn’t laugh at us but i think he was trying to hold it in NIALL WE’RE NOT ALL SINGERS OKAY WE CANT ALL BE GREAT LIKE YOU. 
he starts Too Much To Ask and have i ever mentioned how much i LOVE his range? like how the flying fuck can he go from the softest fucking voice in the world to, in a deep raspy voice “waiting here for someone” like fuck me pink niall im gay but jesus (its kind of like that girl that auditioned for x-factor who did a duet BY HERSELF?????) 
so next is to long and he does his whole like “if u know it sing, if you dont please dont because you know how bad it sounds when like three people in a car try to sing a song they dont know and then does this cute little mumbling thing (have i mentioned i lub him?) and then he’s like “just kidding do whatever you want!” and im over here like belting out all the lyrics and everyone around was probably like “shut this fucking bitch up christ" 
next we have since we’re alone and fire away and i love them and they’re great but then he gets to finally free and im like “okay, so some people say this song isnt as good live” hint hint you “but i think it’ll be good!” and he tells about how we should see the movie because its really good and because his song is in it and RESAL UR A LIAR THIS SONG IS FUCKING AMAZING LIVE (like i dont like it was on setlist at the time of your show so you’ve only seen it live in videos so i dont blame you) and i kind of accidentally recording the entire song. i didnt mean to do it, i normally stop a recording at a point where it seems fitting to stop in the song but this one was ???? so good???? i just couldn’t stop.
okay so on my own happens and the crowd is fucking CRAZY and IM CRAZY and HE’S CRAZY we’re all CRAZY and its so good. so after he goes off stage people keep cheering for the encore, obviously, and i could actually physically feel my ears hurting because of the screaming :/// i already have a little bit of tinnitus at the ripe age of 17 so thats fun ! but then he comes back with life in the fast lane and DAMN HES SUCH A HOE DURING THIS SONG. this is another song that gets the people in front of me and im like “yes fall in love with him u asshats” haha and my mom told me this was the only song she knew all the words to so that was good. 
okay so after that he plays drag me down and BEING COMPLETELY HONEST I FORGOT HE PLAYED THIS SONG SHDGNIF i even was like “whens he gonna get the yellow guitar out” because he only plays dmd with that guitar but i fucking forgot it was THAT SONG HE PLAYED WITH IT DAMN IM A FUCKING IDIOT. but dmd was so good and energetic and i loved it soo much like he just needs to be a rock artist. like i love his folky and poppy music but rock songs are like a DIFFERENT LEVEL.
next is slow hands and again, WHAT A FUCKING HOEEEEE he is during this song. i sing my ass off during this song and if he hip thrusted i FUCKING MISSED IT BECAUSE I WAS SO INTO SINGING I HAD MY EYES CLOSED FOR HALF THE SONG FKUC.
and last but not least is mirrors which, fun fact, was actually my favourite song before the album officially came out. it was so fun and energetic and i loved it and i loved him he was so good i almost started crying but i didnt its okay.
OKAY NOW FOR SOME HONORABLE MENTIONS (??? kind of i mean not really, more of just some random stuff here and there)
he’s so funny??? like i dont think people give him enough credit for how funny he is. like he wasnt even telling jokes and half the time i was laughing my ass off because of just the way he interacts with his band and some of the shit he says like BE A STANDUP COMEDIAN AT SOME POINT NIALL.
okay so there were these two/three girls behind us (i think they were like 13) and they were so loud. like its not a bad thing, i know im loud and i sing loud and everyone around me hates me probably be i feel like these girls screamed at such bad times :// like during every pause in flicker they would start screaming and like i get it, you’re proud and love his voice but please, not during flicker. they would also randomly yell out “I LOVE YOU NIALL” and again, i do too, but sometimes it wasnt fitting. each person fans in whatever way they want or whatever, but i knew my mom was getting annoyed with it ://
one of my favourite things to do was watch as the people in front of me progressively get more and more involved and by the end i think they fell in love with niall (as they should). but seriously, they did sit the time yeah, but throughout the start of the show they were literally just on their phones and not really paying attention, and by the end, they were bobbing their heads around and i saw some of them recording videos and taking pictures a certain points like yes niall, get people of all ages to love you, get em sweetie.
okay so my mom sat down for every song except for one and i dont even know why she did (i think she was stretching her legs) but like, my mom is super tall. she’s like 5'9 (which is tall for people in my family, all us kids at like 5'3-5'5 and my dad is 5'10 or 5'11) and was also wearing like thick flipflops and i KNEW the girls behind us were pissed. like they didnt say anything but they were super short (being only 13 and all) and behind this tall lady asnvdbhd i think that’s why she sat back down lol. 
I LOVE NIALL’S BAND SO MUCH! I hope it doesn’t come out at some point that one of them is dumb and petty like clare turned out to be because they’re all so talented and i love them (actually on the ride home my mom was talking about where they’re all from and i was like “yeah theyre all from england and ireland” and she was like “but she introduced one of them as being from the US” and i was like ????? i could’ve sworn they were all from england and ireland and then i realized i didnt know where alex is from and im like 90 percent sure hes from england but FUCK SHE GOT ME ALL CONFUSED NOW (okay i looked it up and it said hes london based so i think that means from england? idk thanks mom) 
i dont think my mom know niall had a song with a swear word in it (too much to ask obviously) and of course its her least favourite one (ironically because i say fuck all the time, evidently, just not around her) and when that part came up i was like “oh fuck what do i sing do i not sing at all can she hear me fuck should i say messed will he say messed i dont think hell say messed okay ill sing along and say fucked” i literally had an entire existential crisis in like two seconds. she didnt say anything though so i dont think she heard me, or she just decided not to care.
one thing that bothered me is PEOPLE CANT JUST FUCKING SIT AND WATCH THE WHOLE SHOW CAN THEY? like you know how when you go to the cinema and see like an animated movie or something (cant relate havent been to the cinema since dp2) and theres always ONE KID that has to go to the bathroom in the middle of the movie and theyre always in the middle of the row youre sitting in so they have to walk in front of you? yeah, think of that, but instead of kids (who’s bladders are understandably smaller and they get restless easier), its only ADULTS every FIVE MINUTES passing you to do whatever the FUCK LIKE GUYS COME ON. and also sooo many people were leaving early and so many people were just walking around all the time (i was on the first row, behind vip, behind the lower walkway so i could see all these people walking and it was so distracting.) and yeah i get it, sometimes you have to leave early or get up for whatever reason, but it just felt like the entire venue was constantly walking around and i REALLY wanted niall to do like 1d did and call them out like “wtf u think ur doing leaving early get the fuck back here” but whatever.
i recorded so much stuff and i dont want to go through all the videos and pictures and cry and realize how shit they are because i wasnt close enough to get like super good shots and stuff zoomed in never looks too good anyway but hopefully theres a few salvagable.
i love the lights. they’re beautiful and so thematic depending on the song. 
my cheeks hurt from screaming and singing.
so do my feet. do not wear boots that are bad on the heel when youre gonna be standing for a few hours.
there was this bar in front of me for the vip section and sometimes to take the ease off my feet id put one foot up on it and whenever i did i felt like niall when he stands on his amps at the front of the stage. 
HE DIDNT DO THE FLYING EAGLE JUMP THING (thats what i call it by the way) OR IF HE DID I HAD MY EYES CLOSED FOR IT BUT EVEN STILL, IF HE DIDN’T NIALL THANK GOD FOR YOUR KNEES BUT BITCH! I WANTED TO SEE IT LIVEEEEE JUST LIKE THE HIP THRUSTS!!! 
same with my harry show, i realized just how much i close my eyes during the show. like i probably missed so much shit because i wasnt even watching the stage. my eyes were closed literally half the time because i always do that when i sing. bitch if i missed the hip thrust and flying eagle because i was singing im gonna staple my fucking eyes open next time.
okay so at this point the show is over and we’re driving home and my mom likes all of 1d’s early stuff and trust me, i love it too, but she always insists to listen to wmyb and lwwy and all the early singles and she wont even give the later stuff a chance :/ she deadass thought they had three albums sdnvdjbhd. but we listened to 1d on the way home and i told her how they have a song called diana (the name of my aunt) and a song called olivia (the name i ALMOST had but didnt because its not three syllables (all my siblings and i have names that ended in the “a” sound and are three syllables I WAS ONE SYLLABLE OFF)) but u know whats funny? Boston (an american rock band) has a song called Amanda, my name. who have I seen play at this particular amphitheater, TWICE? Boston. And they played this song BOTH TIMES. I DONT BELIEVE IN COINCIDENCES (I do but i just think its funny). 
also technically boston was my first concert because i saw them like a month before i saw 1d in 2014 but i dont consider it to be because 1) that show was for my dad, not me and 2) i dont have the tickets. after a show i always pin my concert tickets to the wall (so far i have 1d, a dunkirk tickey bc why not (i would have the 1d tiu ticket from when i saw it in theatres but i lost it before i got the idea to put it up :/), niall from last year, my jacksepticeye show, harry from this year (soon, i still need to print it out lol) and then niall will go up again, and then troye, and then ajr
okay i think i rambled enough, you probably dont have eyes anymore and (as evident by my ask earlier that you responded to) you cant read too goodly so im gonna go and give ur eyes a rest, but ill probably send in an ask with anything i feel like i forgot. 
i love niall, he’s so good and funny and entertaining and he’s also draining my wallet but its fiiiiiiiine i dont need money anyway for anything else, right??? 
- Amanda (potatomustaches)
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mendesstg-blog · 7 years ago
Note
1 - 200 I WANNA KNOOOW 😊💕
Took all day, but she answered mine so I’ll answer her’s ❤️
200: My crush’s name is: Shawn Mendes ofc

199: I was born in: Wisconsin, USA. Date: Aug 26

198: I am really: Passionate about music, caring, and shy until I get to know you

197: My cellphone company is: Sprint

196: My eye color is: Brown (sometimes hazel or green, but usually brown)

195: My shoe size is: Depends on the shoe. I range from 6 to 8.5

194: My ring size is: 6

193: My height is: 5'1" (yeah ik I’m short but I like my height lol)

192: I am allergic to: idk, but I have seasonal allergies

191: My 1st car was: Haven’t gotten it yet

190: My 1st job was: babysit I guess (if that counts)

189: Last book you read: Sherlock Holmes

188: My bed is: a futon at my dad’s and a normal bed (? lol) at my mom’s. They’re both comfy

187: My pet(s): 1 dog, his name is Koby

186: My best friend: Is amazing and I love her so much. She’s helped me through a lot. 

185: My favorite shampoo is: Head and Shoulders

184: Xbox or ps3: Xbox
183: Piggy banks are: Cool. I still have one and I just emptied it for the Shawn Mendes concert lol

182: In my pockets: don’t have pockets on my pants rn

181: On my calendar: School events, vacations, college stuff, and weddings.

180: Marriage is: beautiful when you see two people absolutely in love with each other

179: Spongebob can: give me a crabby patty. Seriously. I’ve been waiting since I was 5
 
178: My mom: Annoys me sometimes, we don’t agree on certain things, but I still love her. 

177: The last three songs I bought were: Havana by Camila Cabello, Kiwi by Harry Styles, and It’s a Vibe by 2 Chainz

176: Last YouTube video watched: makeup videos lol

175: How many cousins do you have?: 9

174: Do you have any siblings?: 2 younger brothers

173: Are your parents divorced?: yes.

172: Are you taller than your mom?: We’re the same height by she argues that she’s taller

171: Do you play an instrument?: Clarinet, violin, piano, ukulele, and guitar 

170: What did you do yesterday?: spent all day with my school’s marching band and ended up looking like neopolitan ice cream because i got so burnt

[ I Believe In ] 
169: Love at first sight: idk

168: Luck: yes

167: Fate: yes

166: Yourself: YES OFC

165: Aliens: yes

164: Heaven: yes more or less

163: Hell: yes more or less

162: God: yes more or less

161: Horoscopes: idk, I occasionally read mine

160: Soul mates: idk

159: Ghosts: yes

158: Gay Marriage: YES 🏳️‍🌈

157: War: fuck no

156: Orbs: maybe? Idk what they are

155: Magic: idk

[ This or That ]
154: Hugs or Kisses: depends. Hugs i guess

153: Drunk or High: neither. You can have fun without alcohol or drugs

152: Phone or Online: both

151: Redheads or Black haired: both

150: Blondes or Brunettes: both. Honestly hair color doesn’t matter

149: Hot or cold: both

148: Summer or winter: summer but like winter is beautiful too (i just don’t like shoveling)

147: Autumn or Spring: both

146: Chocolate or vanilla: chocolate

145: Night or Day: both lol
 
144: Oranges or Apples: apples wellllll oranges no both (IM SORRY FOR BEING INDECISIVE)

143: Curly or Straight hair: curly

142: McDonalds or Burger King: McDonalds

141: White Chocolate or Milk Chocolate:both

140: Mac or PC: Mac

139: Flip flops or high heels: Flip flops for everyday wear and heels for events

138: Ugly and rich OR sweet and poor: sweet and poor

137: Coke or Pepsi: Coke

136: Hillary or Obama: OBAMA!!!

135: Buried or cremated: idk

134: Singing or Dancing: both

133: Coach or Chanel: Coach

132: Kat McPhee or Taylor Hicks: idk

131: Small town or Big city: Both

130: Wal-Mart or Target: i like both but I shop at walmart more

129: Ben Stiller or Adam Sandler: Adam Sandler

128: Manicure or Pedicure: Manicure

127: East Coast or West Coast: hard choice

126: Your Birthday or Christmas: hmm

125: Chocolate or Flowers: which ever

124: Disney or Six Flags: Disney only because I’ve never been to six flags

123: Yankees or Red Sox: Red sox

[ Here’s What I Think About ]
122: War: I think it is dumb. Fighting over cultural difference shouldn’t happen instead it differences should be embraced. Who knows how many different wars there will be in my future let alone my future children’s.

121: George Bush: I honestly don’t have one

120: Gay Marriage: Everyone should be able to marry whomever they love. Why does it have to be voted on whether they can get married or not? Just let them live, be loved, and be happy.

119: The presidential election: It amazes me how he was elected. I am team Hillary. I have my opinions and you have yours. I respect that, but I’d rather not share mine.

118: Abortion: It is 2017, almost 2018, and women still don’t have control of their own bodies. I’m pro-choice. Abortion should be given as a choice to women. My mom had an abortion before she had me because she was really ill.

117: MySpace: haha never used it so don’t have an opinion about it

116: Reality TV: yeah it can be fun to watch but honestly what’s the point? Everyone’s own lives are hectic too

115: Parents: Some are great, some are bad. Some are controlling, some don’t care enough.

114: Back stabbers: I’ve dealt with many of you, but it’s your fault that you lost out on a great friend. Hated you guys for a while because I thought we were good friends, but I’m thankful toxic people like you are out of my life.

113: Ebay: is the shit. I got a crap ton of barbie clothes for my dolls when I was younger from there. Haven’t gone on there for a while tho

112: Facebook: the go-to app for when parents are around. That’s the only most censored app I have that I go on when they’re around

111: Work: wish I had one because all of my friends are making money, but once I get one I’ll wish I didn’t have a job so I can have more free time. It’s not like my parents will let me get a job anyways.

110: My Neighbors: Never really talk to any of my neighbors at my dads or my moms. Pretty sure they get annoyed with how loud I play my music

109: Gas Prices: i remember when it costed $5 or $6 a gallon. Please stay at $2.35 

108: Designer Clothes: hella cool but also hella expensive. Thankful for cute cheap stores because I’m about to be a broke college student

107: College: thankful for the opportunity to get a higher education, but it’s always super expensive. If more jobs require a degree, why can’t we just make it more efficient to get a degree with less money? But that’s also too much to ask for

106: Sports: I like watching it and playing it is also fun. 

105: My family: My parents divorced had me go through shit mentally and physically. (no they didn’t abuse me, their divorce was just difficult) I hope one day you two will stop acting like children and not beat down the other parent when we spend the night at your house. But I know it won’t ever end. I’m thankful my younger brothers won’t remember your divorce and they’re what keeps me going.
104: The future: I can’t wait to see what you hold. I can’t wait to go to college. I can’t wait to go into my career choice. I can’t wait to meet that special person. I can’t wait to start a family. I’m just excited for you
[ Last time I ]
103: Hugged someone: An hour ago when I put my brothers to sleep
102: Last time you ate: idk 2-3 hours ago

101: Saw someone I haven’t seen in a while: a year ago

100: Cried in front of someone: yesterday

99: Went to a movie theater: 2 years ago

98: Took a vacation: idk if you count it, but my school trip this past spring 

97: Swam in a pool: 2 years ago

96: Changed a diaper: 4 years ago

95: Got my nails done: I think I was 7? Idk I do my nail myself now

94: Went to a wedding: 12 years ago

93: Broke a bone: never broke a bone

92: Got a piercing: I got my ears pierced before I turned 1 and I got my nose pierced on my birthday last year

91: Broke the law: idk
90: Texted: like 5 min ago

[ MISC ]
89: Who makes you laugh the most: my brothers or my best friend Kate

88: Something I will really miss when I leave home is: Brothers or my doggo

87: The last movie I saw: Boss baby

86: The thing that I’m looking forward to the most: going to college, interning, and getting a job in my career (Ik it’s 3 things but I’m excited lol)

85: The thing i’m not looking forward to: Moving away from loved ones

84: People call me: Mia

83: The most difficult thing to do is: Forgive someone who hurt you badly. Like truly forgive them 

82: I have gotten a speeding ticket: never gotten a speeding ticket

81: My zodiac sign is: Virgo

80: The first person i talked to today was: My dad

79: First time you had a crush: 5 or 6 and it was on Zac Efron

78: The one person who i can’t hide things from: idk, maybee my best friend

77: Last time someone said something you were thinking: Yesterday 

76: Right now I am talking to: my internet besties ❤️

75: What are you going to do when you grow up: something in the music industry

74: I have/will get a job: whenever my parents let me

73: Tomorrow: I will get up early, ride on a bus for 3 hours, and march in a parade

72: Today: I cut my hair short AND I FUCKING LOVE IT

71: Next Summer: I will try to spend as much time with my bestfriend before we leave for different colleges

70: Next Weekend: I get to spend with my best friend

69: I have these pets: Beagle- Eskimo cross

68: The worst sound in the world: whining when they don’t get what they want or smacking gum

67: The person that makes me cry the most is: honestly whoever cries in front of me I will cry with them

66: People that make you happy: Family, my dog, and my friends

65: Last time I cried: yesterday

64: My friends are: honest and caring

63: My computer is: an old macbook pro but it still works and I love it

62: My School: is full of fake people and drama

61: My Car: Don’t have one

60: I lose all respect for people who: lie, cheat, and treat people like they are less than them

59: The movie I cried at was: I can’t remember but I think TFIOS

58: Your hair color is: brown

57: TV shows you watch: Shadowhunters, Raven’s Home, Jane the virgin, Riverdale, and others I can’t remember

56: Favorite web site: Tumblr or twitter

55: Your dream vacation: big city in new york with my best friend or toronto with my grand parents/aunts

54: The worst pain I was ever in was: during my parents divorce 

53: How do you like your steak cooked: medium rare

52: My room is: boring, cozy, and a little bit messy

51: My favorite celebrity is: Shawn Mendes, duh

50: Where would you like to be: Somewhere where I can say “I finally made it"

49: Do you want children: Yes!! I can’t wait to have kids

48: Ever been in love: I don’t think so

47: Who’s your best friend: Some beautiful, crazy, weird girl named Kate i guess (let’s see if she reads this later)

46: More guy friends or girl friends: I have more girl friends than I do guys, but I wish I had more guy friends

45: One thing that makes you feel great is: music

44: One person that you wish you could see right now: My grandpa

43: Do you have a 5 year plan: I guess yeah, but it’s very loosely planned

42: Have you made a list of things to do before you die: no

41: Have you pre-named your children: thought of names, but not planned them lol

40: Last person I got mad at: idk

39: I would like to move to: Cali, New york, by my grand parent in canada, and where I am now

38: I wish I was a professional: something in music

[ My Favorites ]
37: Candy: Sour gummy worms or cinnamon bears

36: Vehicle: Jeep
 or Range Rover
35: President: OBAMA

34: State visited: Illinois or Florida

33: Cell Phone provider: Sprint

32: Athlete: Jose Bautista 

31: Actor: Rupert Grint

30: Actress: Zendaya, Lucy Hale, or Emma Watson
29: Singer: Shawn Mendes or Selena Gomez

28: Band: R5 or 5SOS

27: Clothing store: Ross or American Eagle 

26: Grocery store: Walmart

25: TV show: Shadowhunters 

24: Movie: HARRY POTTER SERIES

23: Website: Again, tumblr or twitter

22: Animal: doggies or dolphins

21: Theme park: no clue

20: Holiday: christmas

19: Sport to watch: Baseball

18: Sport to play: Baseball or volleyball 

17: Magazine: Vogue

16: Book: The Mortal Instruments Series

15: Day of the week: Friday

14: Beach: Clear water in FL

13: Concert attended: Illuminate tour (on Aug 6th, 2017)

12: Thing to cook: Pasta anything

11: Food: chicken alfredo or pasta anything or anything really I’m not picky
 
10: Restaurant: Chinese restaurants 
 
9: Radio station: idk
 
8: Yankee candle scent: idk lol that pumpkin one??
 
7: Perfume: Signature by Shawn Mendes or Bombshell by VS
 
6: Flower: Pink hibiscus 
 
5: Color: aqua
 
4: Talk show host: Ellen Degeneres
 
3: Comedian: Jo Koy, Kevin Hart, or Gabriel Iglesias
 
2: Dog breed: honestly any breed
 
1: Did you answer all these truthfully?: of course 💕
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dyingstarsinyoursky · 5 years ago
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So it seems I’m going to see Louis @ Pryzm in February wtf
The tickets went on sale at 11am. I had class at 11am. I was hoping I’d already be sitting down in class when the tickets went up for sale, but I was still walking, though i was very very close to the building where i had classes. So I was just in the street refreshing the page like crazy. So the moment it went for sale I clicked to get just the tickets (cause I already have the CD, and I have no use for an LP), and it was like “yeah bitch it’s sold out lmao”, so I was like “I guess i’ll try ticket + CD since it’s just £4 more”, so now I’m have 2 copies of the CD apparently?!
I was so focused on buying the ticket that I climbed one more flight of stairs than I needed. I had classes on the 2nd floor, but when I looked up to look for the classroom number they were all 3.something which means 3rd floor, so I had to go back down. I entered the classroom with phone in one hand with the confirmation i got the ticket on screen and my credit card on my other hand (cause I don’t have my credit card info saved on my phone... call me paranoid lmao)
They must have released the tickets in small batches cause I checked just a bit later there were tickets on their own available. Oh well... still don’t regret the extra £4. The tickets weren’t expensive. It’s gonna cost me way more to get there I’m sure lmao. Why are trains in the UK so expensive?
I’m honestly surprised how far up Louis’s ass I am?!?! Any other artist that I already had tickets for their tour that announced a sooner date for an acoustic performance, I’d be like “cool” and not even consider going?!?
I mean I almost didn’t went to see Harry for the second time in 2018, cause I had seen him 6 months before in 2017 touring the same album. It took seeing videos of the 2018 leg of the tour to convince me (i think hearing him sing IICF was what did it for me) and I bought tickets like 3 weeks before the concert. I’m so glad I went to both concerts, but it took some convincing for me to decide to go again (tbf I was much poorer back then, when the tickets for the 2018 part of the tour went for sale I just moved to new country, with no job and had been living off my saving for MONTHS, my bank account was draining FAST, by the time I finally bought the tickets I had found a part time job, and uni had just given me a one-time scholarship money for my good grades in high school)
Even Niall, I only decided to see him, after I’ve listened to his album on repeat so many times that I was like “wtf are you doing not seeing him live?” Of course by then it was too late to get London tickets so I had to see him in Brighton. Also had to cut my easter holiday back home in Portugal short to come to the UK earlier to see him. Went to Brighton straight from the airport. It was an amazing concert and I’m so happy I went, but also not an impulsive buy the moment it went for sale
When I went to see Harry for the second time, I met people who were going to both of his London concerts one day after the other, and my poor ass was so confused, why would you pay twice the money to see the same show one day after the other?
I truly only understood when I went to see the Spice Girls and the moment I left the stadium I was like “oh man i wish I could see them again tomorrow!!!” (i couldn’t cause one those were the most expensive concert ticket i’ve ever bought, I couldn’t afford 2 of them, and two i was flying back to portugal the next day to attend a baptism) 
But Louis?! I bought tickets to both his london dates?! One when the pre sale happened and the other the moment the tickets went for sale?! I just bought them? It helped that the tickets weren’t that expensive... but still.... I ended up buying another ticket for one the dates at a higher price to get a seated ticket (and sold my other ticket for that date)... now I impulse bought the tickets to see see himat the Pryzm. No regrets, but I’m literally seeing him twice in march?!?! But my ass doesn’t want to miss an acoustic performance if I had the chance? My ass can’t wait for march apparently?!
For Louis I make all these impulse decision buys right away?! The money I’ve spent on him?!?! The concerts?! The merch?!?! It doesn’t make sense to the person I usually am. 
The merch lmao... I bought the hoodie... the polaroid with all the coloured cassettes...i want the hat at some point... i now about to have 2 copies of the CD... louis will drain my bank account and I’ll feel happy for it.
I can’t even regret it.
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joycey4 · 6 years ago
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Southeast Washington State – Back in Summer of either 2003 or 2004, a friend of mine I decided to pack up my car and head south along the coast. We didn’t really know where we’d end up going only that were going to follow the Pacific Highway as far as we could go until we either ran out of time or money.
Highway 1
Photo ©: Jimmy Emerson, DVM & Derek Helt
Eager to get on the road, we left home the evening before and stopped an hour and change away in Goldendale, WA. There we spent the night at her grandparents 15-room house in the woods. Purchased in 1983, they’d been working on the house bit-by-bit. Y2K wasn’t going to catch them off guard. Each of the room had a different theme and could sleep a family. Most of them had direct access to the center piece of the home, which was a large indoor pool. Most pools you see are surrounded by concrete. This one had pretty cobblestone. It looked like something you’d find in a lodge at ski resort in the Colorado Rockies.
Through the glass paneled wall, which looked out onto the surrounding evergreen trees,  their tailless pet peacock in its metallic blue and green brilliance could be spotted strutting about. We were told that it had been spooked by something and left its backside behind as it ran. I didn’t want to laugh, but the way it was carrying about, you’d swear it would tell you a different story. “You should see the other guy” was written all over it’s proud, avian face; Whether a town fair or a festival, I can’t remember, but we spent a whimsical evening in town before turning in.
The stop in Goldendale set the tone for the rest of the trip. My pal Bean couldn’t drive stick (manual) so I drove it all for us. We continued through the Columbia River Gorge (taking a break at the Gardens in Portland), with overnight stops at the Redwood National Park, CA; San Francisco, CA; Santa Cruz, CA; Anaheim, CA; and a Rosarito, Mexico. Rosarito was as far as we made it when both time and funds ran short. During the trip we camped, hosteled, hoteled and homestayed and then car slept on the way back. On our return, we took the major interstate routes outside the major cities through Sacramento all the way back. All this to say:  I’ve never made to the city.*
The opportunity was there, but we got stuck in traffic along the way. After balancing gears for two+ hours, I’d had enough and we decided to book a hotel in Anaheim and hit up California Adventure instead. I don’t know that that actually counts. Either way the experience left a bad impression. From that brief encounter, I had no desire to visit Hell-a.
The City Angels
Between the trip to Copenhagen and December 2017, I’d managed to bank my holidays and a couple weeks of overtime. Having moved last August to save some dough, I decided this year to use some of it and live my best life.  Rather than take holiday with everyone else, I held out for the end of January to take advantage of lower fares and less tourists. A perk of a child-less traveller. The original plan was to spend a proper winter at home in Washington State, but we wouldn’t be able to do much. Better saved for July.  Instead I’d opted for So Cal and Vegas before heading south.
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The North American leg of the trip was sort of my first solo trip and I. LOVED. IT. My entire life was got. Before I get to the highlights, a very public shout out to my tía (aunt) Vi. not only for hosting me the week I was there, but also for having me drive around town in style as the Angelinos do.
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I didn’t actually stay in LA, but in Riverside. I heard from mom (who flew down for a couple days as I flew to Vegas) that it’s a very nice place:
Photo ©: Mom
I have a lot of exploring to do next time. From my own time there, these were the highlights:
My Summer do (hairdo).  Technically this was just before the trip, but I’m counting it. Heat, humidity and I are not friends. I don’t know what to do with myself. In the run up to Sydney summer, I had my hairdresser (Rumbi & Co) do as she wished; anything to make dealing with my hair in the wet heat manageable. This is what she did. Also peep the new specs the guys at Vedi Optik (Copenhagen, DK) picked out for me. In the end it came down to the exact frame in two colors: obviously cool and interesting. I went with interesting.
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Day 1: Was really just me landing and knocking out a list of things I had to do (including updating my phone). Nothing special, but I was immediately reminded the nation’s customer service prowess. I miss it.
  Day 2: Disneyland. Having been before (Disney World in the late 80s and Disneyland Tokyo in 2000) I was surprised by how excited I was about to go.  It👏🏾 was👏🏾 FUN👏🏾! Largely because I didn’t have to answer to anyone. Also because it was A) Low season (= less people) and B) single rider lines. The longest wait I had  (10-15 minutes roughly) was for the Haunted Mansion, which I only went to because I’d gotten my portrait done and the paint needed time to dry. I regretted going to it immediately after the doors shut. #notforme
After the ride and picking my picture, I bought my self some funnel cake mindlessly wandered over to a cluster of people standing around and joined them. Seemed like a good thing to do and it turned out it be so. Not only did I meet a lovely older couple from Spokane, WA, but it was the prime standing zone for the evening firework show. Spectacle? Whatever you’d call it, it was pretty cool and I enjoyed watching it.
Faves: The Bayou/Pirates ride (the Bayou was so pretty!), funnel cake and spotting Mary & Bert (in the photo above on the left). Regrets: The shoes I wore. Although flat, they had no arch support. By the end of the spectacular show, my dogs were howling. Who knew you could drunk-girl-in-heels walk entirely sober in flat shoes? I struggle-walked back to the shuttle and barely made it to the car.
Day 3: Universal Studios. I had no intention of visiting UP at all. Figured a day or two at Disney would be good. But the couple from Spokane convinced me it was worth the trip and I’m glad that they did. We hoped to meet up again at the Three Broomsticks, but this was not meant to be.
Like Disney, it was a good time to visit. Since I’d only be there one day, I opted for an Unlimited Express pass (includes unlimited express access to each ride, attraction and seated shows). At $220USD (for general admission + pass), it makes a dent, but I could not have been happier with my decision. Rather than spend most of my day there waiting in queues (the Studio Tour was at least 30 mins, Harry Potter & Jurassic Park more like a hour) I was able to hit up every ride** and most the shows. I don’t know that that was a good thing as I was began feeling my age a few rides in, but no barfing. A slight headache yes, but I imagine it was because at all the virtual simulation.
Newbie tip: Amex has a lounge in the park that’s open to card members! Though small, it’s clean, air-conditioned, cosy, quiet and empty (when I was there anyway). Free to take were a selection of beverages and light snacks. Note that you have to purchase your entry ticket with your Amex card in order to access the space. I didn’t know this. But, since I was alone and there was only one family in there, they let me in. It was a welcomed break from all the walking and all the noise.
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Photo ©: Universal Studios
Favorites: In second place, the Special Effects show. The top spot goes to Harry Potter World. I’d seen the movies but never read the books prior to going. Every part of me was blown away by the attention to detail and imagination of Hogsmede. I wanted to live there. It’s how I imagine my tiny house in the woods would look minus the wildflowers if that stonework wasn’t so expensive. Twice I hung out there, upon arrival and after I’d seen everything else, and enjoyed some Butterbeer (like a butterscotch soda). My souvenir? Harry’s knitted sweater. The Sydney Opera House has been running an HP in Concert series and I was able to debut the jumper.
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This last one I was able to convince Als to join me. Unimpressed with the basic pics we ended up with, I had my way with them and came up with the much better pics below. Als looked too put together and pretty in her pic so I gave her greasy streaks, teardrop tatts and a chipped tooth. 😂😂😂
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  Day 4: The Downtown Street Fest. What’s not to love about a block party in someone else’s neighborhood? It was a pity not to have been able to stay longer, and that there wasn’t better dance music on the open spots (although large CPH’s Distortion it is not), but it was meeting up with a friend from Chicago (he and I met working at a comedy theater) and his wife.
Day 5: Oxy, my Ukranian sista, and I went shopping. 
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We studied together in Michigan. It had been a minute. The last time I saw was just after my graduation when she and two other friends came to Chi-town to hit up the zoo with me for my birthday. That was over ten years ago already…
  Chicago Zoo 2008
Chicago Zoo 2008
Chicago Zoo 2008
Chicago Zoo 2008
Chicago Zoo 2008
Photo ©: Rich Beckermeyer
I wasn’t expecting to see her. I shouldn’t have. Something was wrong with her car. A burning smell or smoke. I told her not to risk it, but as I made my way to the Desert Hills Outlet Mall, a text came in on my phone. She was on her way. My friend drove a questionable vehicle 2 hours (4 hours round trip) to see me. Oxy. We spent the next four hour strolling about, catching up and constantly leaving our items behind. In all I made two purchases, which she approved of but wasn’t impressed with. “My dear, these are not sexy. How are we going to find you a man? You need to show more skin!” Oxy.
Next up: Vegas
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*Somewhere the physical photos for this trip exists. If I find them, I’ll share them.
** The downside of these parks this time of the year is that a few of the rides are closed. At Disneyland it was Matterhorn and It’s a Small World. Think there was another. At Universal Studios, the Water World section was closed.
Los Angeles...in which I catch up with friends, hit some amusement parks and reminisce about a road-trip I took many moons ago. La ciudad de los angeles gets two thumbs up from me. Southeast Washington State – Back in Summer of either 2003 or 2004, a friend of mine I decided to pack up my car and head south along the coast.
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13thfloornz · 7 years ago
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Last night’s concert at Spark Arena found Harry Styles caught between two paths; that of the tween-pop that made his name in One Direction and the more classic-soft-rock-inspired path of his first solo outing, with the performer himself seemingly uncertain as to where between these two he wanted to be.
The result was an intriguing performance that left a picture of an artist finding his footing, not quite delivering fully on either path, but still effortlessly bringing joy to a sold-out arena on the biggest night of his Australia/New Zealand tour just by showing up and opening his mouth.
The opening act was Tasmanian singer-songwriter Maddy Jane, joined by a three-piece band. I thoroughly enjoyed her brand of bouncy garage rock, which borrows more than a little from fellow Australian Courtney Barnett, both in musical style and her openly accented vocal delivery. She was a surprising choice of opener for the tour, though her set was met with incredible enthusiasm and even some early phones-in-the-air moments from the audience.
Speaking of the audience, I have never seen a concert crowd so dominated by one gender and age group before (female, 12-25, in case you needed telling.) Looking out over the entire floor of Spark Arena was almost a surreal view. While it may not have been much different from the view at One Direction’s 2013 show in the same venue, signs pointed to a different approach on the performer’s part. Following the rocking opening act, the songs played over the speakers in the long wait included cuts by The Kinks, The Beatles, and several other “classic” artists. The stage setup was minimal by superstar standards, and undecorated beyond the musical equipment.
For the first few songs Styles appeared to be purposefully restraining the gimmicky boy-band charm, standing still at the microphone in his plain black outfit, an electric guitar around his neck, singing with an expression of furrowed seriousness. His initial greetings were even fairly calm, playing it cool to an audience who repaid him with unconditional hype anyway. This disconnect vanished when he shed the hollow-body guitar, which he seemed almost uncomfortable holding, and stepped into full boy-band-star mode, working the crowd with rehearsed showmanship (complete with blown kisses and “is there anybody out theres).
He certainly has a strong live voice, though interestingly it was noticeably weaker on the two One Direction cuts he played, Stockholm Syndrome and What Makes You Beautiful. It was nice to hear some roughness however, particularly in the sickly-sweet latter hit, where he didn’t even try to hit the high-reaching melody. Musically the set bounced along on chugging electric guitars, picked acoustics, and some great rock-solid drumming, courtesy of drummer Sarah Jones.
With relatively concise pop songs, Styles spent as much time talking to the audience as he did singing, repeating over and over his gratefulness and his desire for all of us to “have fun” to never-diminishing squeals. Despite this, the set still ran well short of an hour and a half – as he reminded everyone in another bout of nice-guy thankfulness, “I’ve only got ten songs”. These were fleshed out with two One Direction tunes, an Ariana Grande song he co-wrote, and a surprisingly fitting cover of Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain. Set closer Sign Of The Times was the inevitable highlight, for its deeply satisfying melodic grandiosity.
This is the singer’s first solo tour, so it is certainly interesting to see him find his footing and struggle with carving out a more mature musical identity, while still remaining firmly anchored to the twee pop tropes that have earned him his fans. Personally I wasn’t entirely convinced by the mid-ground result this time around. The more obvious of the 70’s-rock-inspired pieces were delivered slightly too poppy to sound genuine, while the straight-up bubblegum pop bangers lost much of their impact from their ‘mature’ reworkings.
But let’s be honest, Harry Styles didn’t really have to do much, did he? Maybe in ten years he’ll have to work hard musically to retain the sort of reaction he received last night. But in 2017, 90% of the audience who had actually dished out the money for tickets were convinced before a note of music was played, simply by his presence. When the lights dimmed, the audience gave the loudest collective scream I’ve ever heard. There was little he could have done, besides totally sucking (which he certainly did not), to lessen their adoration. So, regardless of the thoughts of one of the few non-fans in attendance, isn’t that a success?
Ruben Mita.
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  Setlist:
Ever Since New York
Two Ghosts
Carolina
Sweet Creature
Only Angel
Woman
Meet Me In The Hallway
Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart (Ariana Grande cover)
Stockholm Syndrome (One Direction song)
What Makes You Beautiful (One Direction song)
Kiwi
encore:
From The Dining Table
The Chain (Fleetwood Mac cover)
Sign Of The Times
Harry Styles – Spark Arena December 2, 2017 Last night’s concert at Spark Arena found Harry Styles caught between two paths; that of the tween-pop that made his name in One Direction and the more classic-soft-rock-inspired path of his first solo outing, with the performer himself seemingly uncertain as to where between these two he wanted to be.
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aawarning-blog · 7 years ago
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New Post has been published on AAW
New Post has been published on http://www.anamericanwarning.com/2017/10/stephen-paddock/
Some Things Are Not Adding Up About the Stephen Paddock Narrative
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Let me say that my heart goes out to the victims of this tragic event. This is absolutely horrific and very sad indeed. While horrible people are tying desperately to exploit this tragedy for political gain, there are a lot of good people doing all that they can to try and find the answers we all desperately seek. I want to thank those of you working hard and trying to find answers. Still… I think it’s important for everyone to continue to ask questions and this is especially true when pieces of the puzzle don’t quite fit. I want the truth just as much as the next guy so let’s start asking ourselves some uncomfortable questions.
As you probably know by now, Stephen Paddock has been identified as the Las Vegas shooter. He is a 64 year old licensed pilot with no criminal record. He was a retired accountant that owned a $400,000 home in a Nevada retirement community and has been described as a “normal guy” with a long-time girlfriend and a good life. The story right now is that this guy snapped and decided to kill a bunch of people.
It was to be expected, but there are already cries about false-flags, conspiracy and so on. We have seen reports about ISIS claiming responsibility as well. I have even seen reports that it was an illuminate hit based on the idea that the slaughter was right in front of the pyramid and sphinx.
Theories are plenty at this point and I suppose I am no different in the idea that I want to try and make sense of this horrific event. The thing we need to try and understand is the motive. Another thing we must strive to see is the bigger picture. It seems outlandish that people would jump to such wild conclusions but in their defense, there are some puzzling questions that have yet to be answered and much of what has been discovered simply doesn’t make sense. I haven’t come to many conclusions myself yet but let me show you some of what I mean.
Different media outlets are suggesting that Paddock was a hunting enthusiast (a person who is highly interested in a particular activity or subject), but according to his brother Eric as reported by CBS News – Stephen was “Not an avid gun guy at all…where the hell did he get automatic weapons? He has no military background?” The brother’s statements seem almost contradictory to the picture that the media is trying to paint. Why? Because you cannot mistake a hunting enthusiast with someone who is “not an avid gun guy” and this is especially true when it comes your own family. This is strange indeed. However, this is just where the questions begin. Was Stephan living a double-life? Was there something underlying that his family didn’t know about?
Reports says that Paddock had more than 8 guns inside the hotel room. Some reports are saying he had as many as 16. They also said that he had two different platforms set up to shoot from… because evidently the extra foot or two from the platform helped to provide a better vantage point of the concert… better than the 32nd floor could otherwise provide? Additionally, they said that Paddock had set up cameras to see when police might be arriving.
Does this sound strange to anyone else? At the very least, does this sound like a squeaky-clean 64 year old retiree with no military or intelligence background? To me… this is very odd indeed.
Furthermore, police have said that Paddock occupied the hotel rooms since Sept. 28 and reports are suggesting now that he had been blowing a lot of money on gambling. This part isn’t necessarily strange. In fact, he was considered a “high stakes gambler“. This was common place for him. The part that is strange is that he decided to rent two rooms and shoot up a concert. So let’s look at some of this from a simple perspective.
CBS News showed a video of the brother saying that Stephen “… had a couple of guns but they were all handguns, legal…he might have had 1 long gun, but he had them in a safe.” But reports are saying the weapons used were automatic and the police are saying there were somewhere between 8 and 16 with him in the room (reports conflict a bit). Sure, it’s possible that the brother didn’t know Stephen too well. I can concede to that.
So let me talk about the weapons – which did sound like automatics from the videos. CNN reports that the police believe that the weapons were purchased legally but I don’t trust CNN so I don’t know how accurate that really is. They very well could have been. All I have found is that police suspect that at least one of the weapons was modified to allow it to function as an automatic weapon and that the guns included a handgun, a .223 caliber and a .308 caliber rifle. But that’s only three out of the 8 to 16 used.
Another interesting point is that the police searched the home of Paddock and found 8 additional guns, some explosives, thousands of rounds of ammunition and “electronic devices” inside the house. This could be evidence that perhaps Eric didn’t know Stephen as well as he once thought or that perhaps there is something much bigger going on. There are still a lot of question marks there, so let’s just put a pin in  that for a moment and focus on what we do know.
A man with no formal military or intelligence background sets up two shooter platforms in two different rooms, he smuggles 8 to 16 guns including what sounds to be fully automatic rifles, smuggles in enough ammunition pull it off, smuggles in and sets up camera equipment, etc., over the course of a several days while blowing money in the casino and yet somehow, hotel employees went “to and fro” during the days before the shooting, but saw “nothing nefarious” or anything that could be labeled “suspicious”? Is it possible? Sure. Is it suspicious? Absolutely.
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So now lets talk about the reports of more than one shooter. We should all concede to the fact that a firearm going off will echo. It is quite plausible that there was only the one shooter and the reports are pointing to nothing more than the echos that are often heard. But then I’m left to question why the two shooter stands, why the two shooter positions and why have so many weapons?
Now, let us remember that the brother said that he was a normal guy who must have ‘snapped‘ before carrying out the worst mass shooting in American history. He said that there was ‘absolutely no indication he could do something like this‘ and said that Stephen had no political or religious affiliation. This may be true and we need to consider that but I’m not buying that this is what happened. That being said, if it was really Paddock that did this, Eric’s declaration seems to support Deputy Sheriff Kevin McMahill’s statement that Paddock shot himself as police entered the hotel room because that’s what mentally distressed people tend to do. But that’s not what happened. A SWAT team actually found Paddock dead in his hotel room and they merely suspect that he killed himself (as of right now).
There is not a lot to suggest that Paddock had some kind of mental breakdown and his motive remains a mystery. This is especially true if the brother is correct in the idea that he had no political or religious affiliations. That being said, reports are showing that Paddock’s father was a serial bank robber who was ‘diagnosed as psychopathic‘ and spent eight years on the FBI Most Wanted list after escaping prison. Something to keep in mind here is that according to the Mayo Clinic, mental illness is more common in people whose blood relatives also have a mental illness. I guess what I am saying is that it’s possible. However…
According to Wikipedia, a mental breakdown is an acute, time-limited mental disorder that manifests primarily as severe stress-induced depression, anxiety, or dissociation in a previously functional individual, to the extent that they are no longer able to function on a day-to-day basis until the disorder is resolved. The problem here is that we have a planning element to contend with. Mental breaks don’t usually last very long. For some, a mental breakdown lasts a few days or a week. For others, maybe a month. Did Paddock have the time? Granted, we don’t know how long he had been planning this. I know I’m looking forward to seeing when exactly he rented the rooms.
Regardless, it is possible so we shouldn’t rule a mental breakdown out by any means, but the thing that I keep coming back to is that Paddock’s mission (purchasing, planning, etc.) had to have started well in advance of the concert which reduces the chances of this being some quick mental breakdown. I think we need to consider the target itself. Why a country concert? Think about the forethought necessary to know which rooms would be facing the concert. Think about the multiple rooms. Think about reserving the rooms far enough in advance to ensure that concert goers wouldn’t take up the rooms necessary to pull it off.
Aside from all of that, think about who is going to be attending a country concert. This was a huge 3 day event with well over 20,000 people in attendance. Like top legal executive at CBS, Hayley Geftman-Gold, said “I’m actually not even sympathetic bc country music fans often are Republican gun toters.” In other words, it’s probably a bunch of Trump supporters. I’m not buying that Paddock had no political ideology though. Even the majority of the “non-political” people I know still have very strong political feelings over this last election. Was Paddock one of them?
Now, let’s consider the history of active shooters in the United States. It’s not a competition, but what do Nidal Hasan, Elliot Rodger, Aaron Alexis, Seung-Hui Cho, James Holmes, Amy Bishop, Andrew Stack, James Lee, Jared Loughner, Harris and Klebold, Bill Ayers, Lee Harvey Oswald, ANTIFA, BLM, etc. etc. all have in common? Add in the extremely heated political climate as of late and this is the part that actually would make the most sense (at least so far). If a man with a hidden mental illness suddenly snaps and takes his rage out on a bunch of Trump supporters, what is the simplest answer?
I’m not saying what did or didn’t happen. I concede that my theories on this may be way off and I don’t know the motive here. I am just trying to put some of the pieces together based on what we do know. Regardless, there can be no doubt that this attack was highly organized, which leads me to believe that this was not the impulsive act of someone suffering from a mental breakdown or someone that “just snapped”. Instead, I am suggesting that this was methodical and very deliberate. Simply looking at what would be necessary to pull this off leads us to this conclusion. This tells me that Paddock was either a victim or very dangerous man with a very specific mission.
Regardless, law enforcement has said that they do not believe that this was preventable. I guess I’m just bothered by the fact that so many reports seem to indicate that a lone-wolf shooter with no military or intelligence background somehow got angry enough (for whatever reason) and decided to organize an attack, buy the necessary weapons and materials, reserve the rooms, construct the parts, set up a camera system and pull off a highly sophisticated mass shooting event and then kill himself right before police entered his room and all without anyone noticing a thing.
It’s as if I have seen elements of this before. Eagle Eye and Jack Reacher come to mind. So does the movie “Shooter” with Mark Wahlberg. If this were a movie theater, I would be on the edge of my seat trying to figure out the details of Paddock’s double life or wondering if he was simply a fall guy while the real killers framed Paddock and escaped not long before the police arrived. But this isn’t a movie. So perhaps we should also consider reports from people like Breanna Hendricks. She told the DailyMail.com that a woman had entered the crowd with a male companion and screamed ‘They’re all around… You’re all going to f***ing die today‘ just about 45 minutes before the first shots rang out. Is this some incredible coincidence or what? This aligns with the reports of the multiple shooters.
So let’s think about that for a moment. Hendricks said ‘She said they’re all around us and we were going to die.’ What are the odds of that? Hendricks described the lady as ‘Hispanic, probably about 5ft 5, brown hair. It felt like she had knowledge of what was about to happen, her and her boyfriend who was also Hispanic.’ She went on… ‘It seemed she was telling us to either warn us or she was part of it and she was telling us because she knew we were going to die, it was so scary.‘ That is a little bit beyond odd. Who are “they” exactly?
Granted, it’s still not clear whether what she witnessed is related to the shooting or not, but it is worth keeping in mind as we continue to move forward. This is especially true when you consider that the concert was attended by what would be considered to be a mass of Trump supporters during a time of extreme political volatility and after repeated promises by the left for continued violence and a potential war. I’m not saying that Paddock couldn’t have done it, I’m just saying that I do not believe this is as simple as what some are making it out to be.
Like I said… I don’t have many conclusions but some of this simply doesn’t make sense to me yet. My mind races with leads and potential suspects – from political figures to drug cartels. But you know what? Hopefully Paddock was the lone shooter and this is all over with and we will discover his reasons. Maybe he really was just a retiree with too much money and time on his hands and wanted to take out some anger on the world. Maybe he was lashing at Trump supporters or Country Music. Or maybe he was set up. Anything is possible at this point and many more facts are needed. I’ll tell you this much; I am definitely looking forward to some added clarity over the next several days. My advice is to continue to ask questions and be careful about your conclusions. Until we figure this out, I would like to encourage you to read a couple of articles I have written about active shooter scenarios and situational awareness.
Survive an Active Shooter
Situation Awareness 
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prettyinlimegreenboots · 7 years ago
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Stories of Our Lives, Chapter 4
A/N: This is part four!! What do you think so far??? What about Gia and Louis' relationship? Let me know what you think!! Any feedback is fantastic!
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.
December 22, 2017
She took the train back to London. Her time off started the morning she arrived. After dropping her bags off at her flat, she headed to the O2 arena to meet up with Louis. Her boyfriend and his bandmates were headlining the annual holiday concert benefiting various children’s charities.
Pulling into the parking lot, she dialed his number while maneuvering her car into a space.  “Hey Popstar, I just got here and parking. Where do I go?”
“Just follow the side of the building until you come to the back of the arena. I’ll send our security guard, Paul to meet you.” He said out of breath. “Hey Gia?”
Hearing the loud roar, she looked to her left to see girls standing behind barricades with signs professing their love for the boys. “Yeah Tomlinson?”
“I’m really glad you’re here. The boys are angry at me.” He confessed.
Laughing loudly, she found herself at the back of the arena. “Why are they angry at you?”
“Because I’ve been bouncing around all morning singing Christmas songs at the top of my lungs.” He chuckled.
She took a moment to envision that actually happening. “Did anyone get footage?”
“Ugh . . . Harry might have and Niall too.” He smiled. “They knew you’d want to see what kind of dork your boyfriend is.”
Seeing a door open and a tall, bulky man step out, she smiled. “I think Paul has spotted me. See you in a bit.”
Disconnecting the call, she grinned at the man. “Are you the infamous Paul I’ve heard so much about?”
“Yes I am. Are you Gia or otherwise known as Pain-In-The-Butt Number One’s girlfriend?” Paul asked reaching out to give the girl a hug.
Feeling the warmth of his hug, she nodded. “That I am. I apologize for anything he has done in my absence.”
“Oh you can stay around. I’m going to like having you around,” Paul said happily holding open the door for her. “He was dancing around like an idiot singing Christmas tunes this morning. I blame Harry for bringing him coffee.”
Rolling her eyes, she giggled. “I’m sorry.”
“Oh it’s how he always is. We tend to roll with it.” Paul paused. “I will say that I’ve never seen that boy happier than when he came back from seeing you. Those five boys are like sons to me and all I ask is that you don’t hurt him.”
She smiled and nodded. “Louis and I have had many conversations about this. Our careers are similar in the fact that that we are so busy during the day but we are both committed to making this work.”
“That’s all I ask.” Paul chuckled, Gia following him through the maze of hallways. “When Louis told us about you being a bombardier, this isn’t what I envisioned.”
She wasn’t surprised to hear those words tumble out of his mouth. Most people were surprised to see how tiny she was when they learned of her career choice. “And what did you envision exactly?”
“I’m not too sure but definitely not this little 5’3 girl with such a big personality.” He chuckled as she mocked glare in his direction.
Stopping outside the boys’ dressing room she stomped her foot. “Dammit I’m 5’4 ½  . . . get it right!”
“Uh oh someone questioned Giovanna's height!” She heard Louis exclaim as the dressing room was thrown open. Her face lit up with a smile seeing her boyfriend standing in front of her. He was dressed in jeans with a navy blue baseball tee.
He reached forward and pulled her into a bone crushing hug lifting her off the floor before she could say a word. “You are a sight for sore eyes pretty girl. How was your trip back?”
“Good, no hiccups. Train was more crowded due to the holidays.” She smiled. “You have crazy fans outside all ready . . . it’s really cold out. They’re nuts!”
“They’re passionate and dedicated . . . not nuts!” He grinned before leaning down and kissing her. Her arms rounded around his neck as he deepened the kiss.
“Geez don’t eat her face off Tommo before we get the opportunity to meet her.” An unfamiliar voice cheekily said behind them.
Pulling back, a blush crept over her cheeks, the three unfamiliar boys grinning at the couple. “I was just telling her hello.”
“Uh huh . . . that the new way of exchanging hellos?” One of the boys joked as she moved closer to Louis for protection.
Louis looked at her with a smile. “And now you’re embarrassing her. Babe, these three lunatics are my best friends. Liam, he’s the normal one; Niall is Irish; and Harry is the weird one. Guys, this is Giovanna or Gia.”
“It’s very nice to meet you Gia. Lou hasn’t shut up about you for the past two weeks,” Liam started. “We are all pretty impressed by you.”
She smiled already liking the boys. “It’s just a hunk of metal I stare at everyday.” Louis laughed at her description of the bomber.
“Hunk of Metal? The bombers are amazing!” Niall exclaimed, causing her to jump at the volume of his voices.
“And for you to be the lead engineer . . . you must have some incredible stories,” Harry added.
Louis chuckled at his friends essentially fangirling at his girlfriend’s job. “Just wait until you’re standing in front of one or even flying one.”
“You can fly them too?” She had to laugh at the boys' excitement. Turning to her boyfriend, she motioned to the other three. “What exactly did you tell them?”
“Just that you worked on the bombers and you did a fair amount of traveling with your job.” He smirked. “Worried I talked you up too much to the boys?”
Her eyes went widened with realization. “No but I didn’t know how much you told them.”
Gia spent the following 45 minutes answer questions the boys threw at her. Louis had the biggest grin on his face watching his girlfriend gush about the ‘hunk of metal’ as she called it. Somehow he fell more in love with her as she sat and talked about her passion.
The boys all disappeared from the room. Gia smiled at her boyfriend brightly. “Hi.”
“Hi love. I’m glad you’re here.” Louis said standing from the couch. “I’ve got some other people I want you to meet if you’re up for it.”
Nodding, she took his hand allowing him to pull her from the couch and leading her from the room. “It’s like a small army back here with the number of people.”
“This isn’t anything yet. Just wait until right before show time.” He paused. “That’s when things get really crazy.”
Gia’s eyes widened as they walked through the corridors. “How do you know what you need to do at all the time? I mean, with the production and craziness of this, is it insane to be constantly on time with everything?"
“Paul . . . he’s our ‘dad’ on tour and he legit tells us when and where we need to be.” Louis paused at a door. “I’m going to apologize now for anything that may be said in here.”
She was confused. “It’s catering . . . what’s the worst that’ll happen?”
“It’s not what will happen; it’s who is behind these doors that will reveal stuff, awful stuff.” Louis, a shiver ran down his back thinking about the possibilities, pushing open the door.
Louis led her into the room that held several tables, more than a few filled with people eating. He led her over to a table where three women were sitting with a couple of younger children eating cupcakes. “Well there he is. We were wondering when you were going to show up. The rest of the boys were in here earlier.”
“I was spending some time with this girl.” He grinned looking over at her. “This is Gia. Gia, that’s my mum, Jay, my sisters Lottie, Fizzy, Daisy and Phoebe; and Harry’s mum, Anne and his sister Gemma.”
Feeling the nerves kick in, she could have killed Louis for not giving her proper warning about meeting his mum and sisters. Suddenly, she felt the need to impress the one woman who sealed her fate with Louis. “We’ve heard nothing but great things from Louis. He’s a tough nut to crack about you, dearie.”
“Louis wouldn’t stop talking about you as well. It’s very nice to meet you.” Being pulled into a hug, Gia couldn’t wipe the smile off her face at Louis’ mum's words.
Watching his mum and girlfriend interact, the knot of nerves in Louis' stomach disappeared. He was nervous for Gia to meet his family but he knew if he told Gia about it beforehand, she would be impossible with nerves.
“Louis didn’t tell me you all were going to be here,” Gia said knocking him out of his thoughts.
All eyes turned to him as he held up his hands. “I think I hear the boys calling for sound check.”
“Chicken!” Gia yelled after him as she turned back to the strong female influence.  “So where were we?”
Jay looked at her son’s girlfriend with a smile. “Louis didn’t tell us much about you. How about you fill in the gaps?”
“Well . . . not sure what he told you but I’m with the British Army as a bombardier. I live primarily up in Hampshire but have a flat in London. I love the theatre and autumn nights.” She paused. “Anything you want to know? I’m a pretty open book.”
Anne smiled liking the girl already. “What about family? Do you have any siblings?”
“I have three older brothers and a younger sister. My parents have been married 37 years and are still in love as the day they got married.” Gia laughed. “There hasn’t been a calm day since the twins were born.”
Gemma laughed. “I sense there was never a dull day in your house growing up.”
“Calm houses are overrated.” Gia laughed. “The only calm days were when my parents would send the boys to summer camp leaving just me and my sister at home.”
The women fell into an easy conversation, Jay trading stories of when Louis was a child. By the time the boys returned, Gia had an arsenal of stories to embarrass her love with.
“What are we discussing here, ladies? How to knit tea towels?” Harry asked taking a seat next to his mum with a cheeky grin.
Anne swatted her son as he laughed. “No . . . just filling poor Gia in on the craziness of One Direction. Jay has been swapping baby stories of Louis though so I’d be careful not to make her angry.”
“Mum!” Louis’ cheeks turned a nice rosy pink at the mention of baby stories. “You’re supposed to wait until a few months in for those to come out.”
"I'm sure my family will bring out the baby stories if you ever meet them." Gia smirked watching her boyfriend perk up at the thought.
He cocked an eyebrow in her direction. "If I ever meet them?"
"Oh you know just in case another man comes along to tickle my fancy." Gia teased.
"Like me madam?" Harry slide up besides her with a grin on his face.
Giving him an uninterested look, Gia shook her head. "I don't mess around with boys who go through way too many girls to count. No thank you!"
"Oh you are staying - I don't care what Louis says. You're part of the family!" Gemma exclaimed causing Gia to grin. "Any girl that calls my brother out like that is ace in my book!"
Louis pulled her closer kissing her forehead. "What are you sucking up for Popstar? Guilty of something?"
The women around the table burst into giggles at the little five foot four and a half inches girl who had just put two of the biggest pop stars in their place.
"No no I ugh ..." Louis stutter causing the ladies to fall to giggles again.
Gia saluted in his direction. "That's what I thought Tomlinson."
Louis sighed in defeat. "I'm sorry Damsel. What can I do to make it up to you?"
"That's a loaded question. You sure you want to give me that power Pookie?" Gia smirked.
Louis' eyes went wide at the nickname. "I thought we agreed on no more nicknames, Soldier!"
"That was you agreeing and me just nodding my head but my fingers were crossed so it voided the agreement." Gia bit her lip, fighting a smile from appearing on her face.
Shaking his head, Louis mumbled under his breath. "Women!"
"What was that darling baby boy?" Jay asked grinning at her son.
Throwing his arms up, Louis shook his head at the females in his life. "I can't win!!"
"Better to learn that now than five years down the line!"
The women laughed causing Harry and Louis to shake their heads. Women - can't live with them; can't live without them.
7:45pm
Standing out in the hallway was the first moment Gia had to herself. The afternoon had been spent hanging out with everyone, them getting to know her and vice versa. By the time the boys left to get ready for the concert, Gia had gained three new brothers and five new sisters in Louis' sisters and Gemma.
She also had the pleasure of meeting the other One Direction girlfriends. Scarlett was with Harry and managed to keep the cheeky lad in check. She was a Physical Therapist at the local hospital and had been dating Harry the past year and a half.
Niall had Tricia, the childhood friend he finally coughed up the guts to ask out in 2014. Gia found out through Louis that Niall would be asking her to marry him in the upcoming weeks. She was a photographer for the local paper and wasn't found without her camera swung around her neck. Tricia had a four-year old daughter, Mollie Anne, from a previous relationship who Niall came to love as his own too.
And Liam - dear, dear Liam had gotten back together with Danielle in 2015. They were engaged and planning their wedding for the upcoming year.
Smiling at the hustle and bustle surrounding her, Gia wondered how everything went so smoothly. You would think it would be horrendous mayhem but there was a sense to the madness, a kind of feeling that told Gia all of the pieces she saw in front of her fit together perfectly.
"You ok?"
Tricia came up behind Gia with a happy Mollie in her arms. "A little dazed but hanging in there. Hi pretty girl."
"Gia!" Mollie screamed, caught up in the excitement.
Tricia smiled. "I think she's in awe of you. She's not used to sharing her Uncle Louis."
"Louis couldn't stop talking about her. He's enamored with her as she is with him." Gia grinned. "You can keep him Miss Mollie."
Tricia hesitated. "Hey Gia?"
"Yes?"
Tricia liked the woman in front of her but she was protective of Louis. After the breakup with Eleanor, Louis had gone into a dark depression. He was miserable and if it wasn't for her, Scarlett, and  Danielle he wouldn't - it was too painful for her to imagine.
"Just promise me you'll be patient with Louis." She paused. "I'm not sure how much he's told you but a couple of years ago Louis was in a bad place and the boys along with me don't ever want to see him slip back to that."
Gia nodded. She knew some of Louis' past but he hadn't gotten into too much details. "I promise. I've been burned in the past and the last thing I want is to hurt him."
Pulling the girl into a hug, Tricia grinned. "All right, I've said my peace now we can boogie all night!"
Danielle and Scarlett joined the two in the hallway, falling into easy conversation. Soon the hallway became more crowded with the boys and their families. Louis spotted her with a grin tugging her over to stand near his family.
Paul yelled for the crowd to gather round. A prayer was said followed by hugs. Paul led the boys towards the stage as additional guards led everyone to their seats. Gia's eyes were wide taking in the sheer scene of the O2. Girls screamed, the arena going black as a video played on the screen.
A nervous pit filled Gia's stomach as the video played. Scarlett and Danielle both looped their arms through Gia's, the screams of the girls grew louder. In the front of the suite, Mollie was bouncing along to the intro with a massive grin on her face.
The sound when the boys finally busted on stage was something Gia would never forget. The amazement and grin on her face matched the other three girls to her left and right. From the first note, Gia fell more in love with her man. The grin on his face caused the one on hers to grow.
"All right so we are going to get serious for a minute." Harry spoke taking a moment to catch his breath. "It's a special night for all of us. All of our families are here celebrating with us tonight."
All of the boys looked up to the suite waving happily. "This next song is for them. We love you all."
The opening chords for "Don't Forget Where You Belong" started. Gia moved from beside the girls to where Jay stood, linking arms with her. Jay grinned at the girl that had captured her son's heart. She couldn't be happier for Gia and Louis. "Thank you."
"For what?" Leaning in close to Jay, Gia looked puzzled.
Jay glanced at the stage, before letting her eyes drift to the amazing girl in front of her. "For being here for Louis, for making him happy. I know it's not easy with his or your job but you are absolutely amazing for him and I couldn't be happier you two are together."
"I would never hurt your son." Swallowing the knot in her throat, Gia green eyes glistened. "He means too much to me and your support means more than you'll ever know."
Pulling her into a hug, Jay laughed. "Anyone who can put Louis in his place is ace in my book."
Turning her attention back to the concert, Gia felt at peace. She couldn't imagine being anywhere else but at the O2 arena.
11:00pm
Being ushered backstage, Gia couldn't get over the past two hours. She had gotten to know the regular version of Louis Tomlinson. But for her to see the celebrity and onstage presence he is was different; not bad, just different.
The families had been shown a room where they could gather until the boys finished their meet and greet with some fans. A yawn escaped her mouth causing the girls to giggle. "You going to be ok?"
"I think so. I'm not used to being up this late," Gia admitted.
Danielle and Scar just laughed. "Early bedtime up at base?"
"I'm typically in bed by 9 if I'm not working a 24 hour shift."
Both girls grimaced, Dani shaking her head. "That sounds awful. How often does that happen?"
"Depends on the week but once or twice. I had three this week due to the holidays." She smiled. "Candy Crush comes in handy during those shifts. And it helps to have a boy who has as much of a screwed up schedule as I do."
They all laughed. Their attention was diverted to the door being thrown open. Four tired boys piled in, each with a grin on his face. They greeted their families first. The girls walked over to their respective partners, leaving Gia rooted where she was. Louis threw a look in her direction causing her smile.
Slowly walking over to join him, she slipped her hand into his, giving it a squeeze. He never stopped his conversation with his mom and sisters. Giving hugs to his family, Louis smiled watching them leave turning to Gia. "Hi love."
"Hi Popstar!"
Pulling her into a hug, he relished the feeling of her in his arms. "How was the show?"
"Good. It was kind of weird to see you on the stage. It was a different side that I hadn't seen before." Gia pushed loose strands of his hair off his face, planting a kiss on his lips. "I loved it. You looked like you were having the time of your life up on that stage."
He laughed. "It's always a good time up on stage. But the most important question is, did you enjoy it?"
"Surprisingly I did." She teased. "I had a lovely time and danced around with the girls. And your mom and I had a talk."
His eyes lit up at the talk between her and his mom. "What did you two talk about?"
"She couldn't be happier we are dating. She said that anyone who can put you in place is ace in her book." Gia laughed. "And she thanked me."
Louis raised an eyebrow. "For what?"
"Making you happy."
Smiling, Louis nodded. "You make me so incredibly happy Soldier. I don't know what I would do if you weren't around." He paused. "Promise me you'll never leave."
"You have my word, Tomlinson." She smiled. "As long as you promise the same, Pooks."
Placing a kiss on her lips, Louis sighed. He had found his home in the girl that was currently in his arms. And he never wanted to be anywhere else.
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thenovelescapes · 7 years ago
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may 2017
I know that we are well into June already, but let’s just pretend I posted this three weeks ago. Ok? Okay.
- the television - 
I did not mean for this to happen. When I put Grey’s Anatomy on in the background while cleaning in March, I really did not mean to re-watch the whole series, but somehow it is two months later and I’m nine seasons deep. (I watched seasons seven, eight and nine this month). The later seasons of this show (particularly 8) make me so unbelievably angry - (I could write an entire dissertation on what a human dumpster fire Owen Hunt is) - but I’m just seething and powering through.
To counteract the rage, I watched seasons one and two of Schitt’s Creek - a dumb, and surprisingly charming, Canadian sitcom - as well as season three of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Master of None season two, and the first season of Dear White People.
- the books - 
After my mini-slump in April, I rebounded hard in May and read nine books. I’m now 16 books ahead of schedule on my 2017 reading challenge (SUCK IT, GOODREADS). Not all of the books I read this month were good, but the ones that were were so good they almost made me mad. 
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The not-so-good: The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes by Anna McPartlin and What I Had Before I Had You by Sarah Cornwell. McPartlin’s book is extremely sad, but I couldn’t settle into the writing style or the characters enough to fully enjoy it. Cornwell’s novel had a confusing narrative structure, underdeveloped characters and couldn’t seem to decide what kind of book it was - young adult or adult, magic realism or contemporary. It was a quick read, thankfully, but not a particularly enjoyable one.
This month, I also read a string of young adult books that are all absolutely amazing. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is a vital, timely read that explores race, police brutality, and the Black Lives Matter movement in the lives of teens, especially the remarkable protagonist - Starr. Public Relations by Katie Heaney & Arianna Rebolini is a fun, Harry Styles-inspired story of a woman who works in PR and falls for her client, Archie Fox, as she orchestrates his image-revamp. The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord is the summer-camp story I’ve always wanted. The cast of characters is so unique and inclusive, and the story packs an intense emotional punch. Grace and the Fever by Zan Romanoff is the perfect novel for anyone who has ever felt self-conscious for loving something “too much” (and also for any One Direction fan). I read it in a single afternoon. 
Finally, in May, I read We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, and listened to the Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince audiobook, narrated by Stephen Fry.
- the podcasts -  
I’ve always loved ReplyAll, but I had never done a deep dive into their archives before. My long commute and dull work days mean that I have plenty of time for podcasts, so I spent the month of May going all the way back to November 2014 with Alex Goldman, PJ Vogt, and (sometimes) Alex Blumberg. Listen if you’re a fan of the Internet, Twitter,  and funny, baffling technology stories.
I also stumbled across an interview/conversation podcast from comedian Pete Holmes this month - You Made it Weird with Pete Holmes. I’ll be honest: I find Holmes suuuuuper grating, but it is admittedly interesting to hear two comedians have hour-long conversations about nothing and everything. I only listen to the episodes with people I already know and like, so some highlights are Phoebe Robinson, John Mulaney, Kate Micucci, Andy Samberg, and Josh Gondelman.
- the movies - 
With my sister, I rewatched Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince this month. I also saw Guardians of the Galaxy 2 in theatres, and took to Netflix for two comedy specials - The Comeback Kid from John Mulaney, and Thank God for Jokes from Mike Birbiglia.
- the music -  
Hi, my name is Cristina, and I miss One Direction.
But! The boys have started to release their solo work, so there is still new music to look forward to. In May, the first of the bunch (and my personal fave), Harry Styles, put out a full album and it is. SO. DAMN. GOOD. I want to live inside it. Tickets to his first solo tour went on sale last week and I dropped a distressing amount of money, but I will be seeing him perform live in 381 days! WOO. Seriously though, even if you never got into 1D, you should listen to Harry’s album - I promise you won’t be disappointed.
- the miscellaneous -  
This month, I went to Las Vegas for the first time. It only took a few hours to come to the conclusion that I do not have the correct constitution for that town, but there is some A+ entertainment available to those of us who do not enjoy clubbing or drinking dozens of watery margaritas. While I was there, I went to see Le Reve, a Cirque Du Soleil show with truly impressive acrobatics, synchronized swimming, and a confusing plot, and Celine Dion’s concert at Caesar’s Palace. Celine is a Canadian icon, and so talented, but I was surprised at how emotional I was watching her perform. At one point, she started singing Beauty & the Beast, and I burst into tears. Live music + Disney = kryptonite for my tear ducts, apparently.
I hope you’ve been having a wonderful start to the summer, and, as always - happy reading, watching & listening!
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goingallthewayy · 8 years ago
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Review of my 2016 Goals
(AKA holy shit is it 2017 already?!)
1. Get my concealed carry.
Damnit, still didn’t do that. Still want to, too.
2. Train for and compete in another triathlon- more than one would be good, too!
Well that didn’t turn out how I’d hoped. I still want this to happen in 2017, too. Darn ACL. Happened not even a month after I wrote this, and I was doing GREAT on my fitness goals, too.
3. Go backpacking and explore new parts of Colorado.
I didn’t get to backpack (ACL) BUT I explored some great new trails and campsites in 2016. Here’s to a few more in 2017!
4. Catch a fish! Just because.
YES! I still want to do this too. But did not accomplish in 2016.
5. Climb at least one 14er that I’ve never done before! Hopefully more than one.
Did this! Democrat and Cameron! Yas.
6. Travel someplace new! hopefully a new country or two, but even a few new places in the US would be great.
I visited the Grand Canyon! So that was awesome! But no new countries or states. Still... the Grand Canyon. I give myself a B- on this one.
7. Foster another 3 dogs. More would be even better but I’m afraid it will make it hard to travel and explore this summer.
I fostered even more than that! Geez I thought I had set this goal to be like ten dogs or something. I fostered Chase once I recovered from my ACL a little bit, then I helped out with Leo and Summer, then I fostered Truman (best dog EVER), then I helped with Felix, and finally I fostered the two puppies- Nova and the other one whose name I forget right now. Smashed this goal right out of the water!
8. Take meaningful steps towards a future career. Take the GRE, apply to grad school, work jobs other than waitressing!
I took the GRE, I applied to grad school, I didn’t go even though I got in AND paid for a class (dumbass) and I got an awesome internship where I’ve figured out what I want to do with the rest of my life! Hell yeah!
9. When my lease is up in October, I hope to move to a new state, hopefully for a new job or for grad school. Preparation starts now! We’ll see where this goes. This is pretty tentative since I love my current apartment and my roommate, but have been craving change in my life. Change is in the air- I’m excited to see where things go.
I didn’t move to a new state, I got an amazing internship at Denver Animal Shelter that kept me here in Colorado. BUT I did move into the city and now i have a HOUSE and not just an apartment that I’m renting. <3
10. Go skiing at least a few times this spring. I’ve finally got all the equipment, I bought a pass to go up for a weekend with my dad and test it all out, it’s time to get up and enjoy something I used to love! Even if it means sitting it traffic for a little while. Maybe I’ll even air BNB by myself up there! :)
Yeah this didn’t work out quite how I planned, either. ACL. But I did go up twice last year before the whole thing happened!
11. Write more. Looking back through my text entries is so meaningful to me, and it really allows me to see how much I’ve grown and changed. I need to try to write more often. It helps me to stay organized and focused.
Ahhh I wish I did this. I wrote through my pains with surgery and living with my folks again. But I haven’t written nearly enough. I just got too busy. I’m going to retry this goal, too.
12. Figure out a birth control solution that works for me so I can have safer sex. Taking a pill everyday is not my deal, clearly.
Fuck. Did not happen. I stopped sleeping around though, so that helped.
13. I need to spend less time on social media. I need a plan to try to break me of my addiction. It’s bad.
Yeah, didn’t do a great job of getting off of social media, either. I have a Facebook addiction, and the fact that my career revolves around it does not help. I should come up with a great solution for this as well.
14. I need to read more and paint more. I got through the Harry Potter books and that’s pretty much it in 2015. I need to read! And I only painted a couple of times. What’s up with that? I just spent a week in New Mexico studying Georgia o'keefe. Time to get crackin on some painting.
I read some great books in 2016! I got super into audiobooks for awhile, which could totally happen again when I start working out again. I should list the books I read but I did NOT keep track-this year I set a goal to read 25 books and Goodreads is keeping track of it for me.
Worth noting- I almost always have to include resolutions about my relationships; meaning family, friends, and romance. This year I’m not doing that.
I’m proud of myself for that last year, and I’m going to keep it to a minimum again this year. <3
What a wild year 2016 was. It’s just amazing to me looking back- part of me feels like the beginning of this year was SO LONG AGO and an entire epic has happened since then; part of me feels like “how the heck did I think I’d have time to accomplish all this shit it flew by so fast oh my god.” It was an adventure from (practically) rock-bottom (I still reserve rock-bottom to spring 2014) to some of the best times of my life. Like seriously, THE BEST. Just what an adventure.
January was beautiful and filled me with this feeling of hope for the new year; I started working out and was starting to look really good until
February I went on an amazing hike with Charley (best friend at the time) and decided to quit my serving job since I had a bunch (okay, possibly an exaggeration) of money saved up. So I quit. And exactly a week later, I tore my ACL in Snowmass skiing with my dad.
March I had to return to my parents house with Finn and had surgery March 8. It was HARD. One of the hardest things. I did a lot of reading, applying for jobs, and dicking around on the playstation. I also played plants vs. zombies constantly. I was on good drugs.
April I was still at my parents’ house going to physical therapy and taking walks when it was nice. I took the GRE and planned for my future.
May I took a trip to the Grand Canyon with my best friend Charley. It was a great trip; we saw all kinds of beautiful places. We hiked up to Hanging Lake, camped near Arches and saw Delicate Arch, and then drove down to the Grand Canyon. It SNOWED while we were camping there, but it was absolutely magical. It snowed our whole way back, too, so we booked it home instead of taking our time. We still spent the night with my Auntie Joni and Uncle Pete, which was really nice. I also fostered Chase during the month of May and started my new job at Perry’s with Charley. I also started the Outpaws Tails and Trails Hike Competition, which Finn and I competed in all summer. We would have won if I had kept better records, too. ;)
June I worked at Perry’s and met my future boyfriend, Leo. I went on an awesome camping trip by myself to Red Feather Lakes in the Roosevelt National Forest. I also was FIRED from a job for the first time- Perry’s fired me for insubordination, which was a bummer because (1) it was untrue. the thing they said I did, I did not do. (2) Leo and Charley worked there, and it sucked to no longer work with them. BUT it really was 100% for the best- Perry’s paid people in a super sketchy way, I didn’t like my coworkers or my boss, there was a constant feeling of discontent there. And it pushed me to apply for my current job, which is my dream job. Plus the day I got fired, Leo took me to his brother’s house and I met Jocelyn, who is now one of my closest friends.
July I went to a Keith Urban concert with Charley, which was fun. I also visited Ashleen in Tennessee, which was SO FUN! We did so many awesome things together. I also went camping again up at Red Feather! I also watched several dogs but didn’t get my next foster until
August! I fostered sweet Truman, the best good dog. We also took an amazing camping trip to Leadville, where Leo and I seriously bonded and adventured together. It was really fun. I also started my new job hostessing at La Sandia.
September I interviewed for my Denver Animal Shelter position and got it! I went on several gorgeous hikes. Our Tails and Trails competition ended, but we won some great prizes and figured out that Finn and I hiked over 300 miles during summer 2016. Very cool!
October feels like a stressball dream. I started a new job at Denver Animal Shelter, started living with my boyfriend, and moved in to a new house. I didn’t get to do any of the fun fall stuff I wanted to, but it’s all okay- I accomplished some cool things that month.
November I dove into my jobs. We took a family trip to Montrose where I bonded with dad over a 5k and got to see my grandparents and my second cousins. I worked an average of like 60 hours a week! It was crazy. I also helped out with a foster named Felix this month and then fostered two baby puppies because Leo kept telling me he wanted a puppy. Needless to say, now he doesn’t want a puppy.
December I kept working my two jobs! We went on a few hikes, but no new adventures. I spent a little bit of time with my family, but it is still hard to be around them when Lindsey is home. I have been reaching out to her and her lack of interest in seeing me makes it feel like she really doesn’t have any interest in being my friend. It is just so weird- I don’t know what happened that caused her to just stop valuing our friendship. But that’s a post for another day. I also celebrated a dual Christmas with Leo’s family. Mexicans celebrate Christmas at 12:00 AM- who knew? It was really fun though; I love his family. Kendall also moved back to Colorado, so I’ve gotten to see her more often. I feel like I did something else really fun and I just can’t remember... I’ll think of it eventually.
I’m going to sit down and set my goals for 2017 tomorrow, I just needed some time to reflect on these goals from 2016. There’s a lot that that I didn’t accomplish, but then again... there’s a lot that I did! These goals were well thought-out and reviewing them makes me feel like even though I can EASILY say 2016 saw some of my biggest personal struggles, but it was still an year of amazing accomplishments and taking charge of my own happiness. 2014 was the year I learned that I was responsible for my own happiness, 2015 saw me figuring out what made me happy, 2016 saw me taking charge of it. I love it.
New Years Resolution 2017 to follow. <3
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