#Mac is primping

[brigitoshaughnessy]

MacGyver 1985 || On A Wing and a Prayer

Mac is primping: [ 1 ], [ 2 ], [ 3 ]

[radioregine]

my personal 2nd day of novella november (i officially started my challenge on the 14th bc of schedule/planning issues; goal is 2k/day to hit 30k)

-> 2 separate snippets from today's session [part of the project that im calling either 'lonely machines' or 'sovereign citizens']

(the POV here is not the same as yesterday's -- that one was a building, this one is the water)

From unstable gas to impenetrable solid and now back to malleable liquid freedom. You've grown so much and you want more. You stretch as far as your waters will go which is everywhere, and nowhere all at once. Something more that you need, you crave, you desire. You forcefully shape new things with your waters eroding at everything you can touch but so many of these things are never truly /yours/, in the end. After fending for yourself for so long, you've come to accept that you need help.

Maybe the man that spends so much time watching you is your missing link. Maybe he's the key to your giving birth to something new. After all, he looks upon your surface so often, seeing his reflection. Seeing himself in you.

+++

[context: POV here is my character Z; she and her bf D are grad students and their old middle school teacher is now their mentor after having obtained his doctorate]

-

You think back on the middle school days, the days where you came into a new consciousness not unlike your first mental steps into early childhood. That moment, you assume, everyone has -- the out of body experience, the pop into existence. Like you're there and not there. Almost dissociative. You know you were alive before this point but in the same way man ponders unheard trees falling down in forests -- were you /really/ living? If you can't remember it? That's what starting Mr. Mac's class was like.

D curls up next to you on the couch. Tucks his head under your chin. Remember when we learned he basically started Isla Shannon?

When your hair was long, you say, smirking, and you wouldn't stop fiddling with it and he stopped his fucking story to tell you off. What'd he say? 'You can primp later, pretty boy, I'm teaching.'

D laughs his warm rusty wheelbarrow laugh and you can feel it vibrate through your chest. All I knew was he called me pretty. I was still getting used to boys saying that, so to have a grown ass men tell me that...that shit awakened something in me. Started caring a lot more about history then.

It did something to me too, you say, stroking D's dirty-blond buzzcut. And like... I think part of what made his history class better than every other one is that he was part of making the history, himself.

[tennessoui]

imagine the twins’ tears when obi wan and anakin go out on their ‘platonic’ date. absolutely heartbroken that their dads (sorry, their dad and their obi) would want to spend time together but without them?

luke is inconsolable, he doesn't understand what they've done, he's miette, he's the victorian cat, he's unsure how to go on in a world so cruel.

leia was upset but then anakin tells her that Ahsoka is coming to play with them and she spends the rest of the time primping in front of the mirror, blue eyeshadow and all

(luke gets over it because ahsoka makes him mac and cheese, the kind that's shaped like lil farm animals and tractors, which is luke's favorite kind ever but obi and daddy never get it for him so it's an Ahsoka special)

[wayward-dreamer]

Life’s Lessons - Part 2

Title: Life’s Lessons - A Lesson in Fitting In

Pairing: Mechanic!Dean x Female!Teacher!Reader (eventual)

Other Pairings: Dean x Lisa, Female!Reader x OMC – Ethan (past, mentioned)

Other characters: OFC’s: Emily Charlton; Olivia; Katie (Y/N’s best friend)

Word Count: 4,778 (song lyrics in italics). 

Part Summary: Y/N has survived her first week in a new town. However, after discovering that Dean and Lisa are in fact a couple, she wants nothing more than to lock herself up in her house. The neighborhood Saturday barbecue comes around, and Y/N finds herself by his side when Lisa isn’t around. Their conversation brings up some thoughts for her about Dean and Lisa’s so-called ‘perfect’ relationship.

Warnings: swearing, slight angst, reader misses her family, mentions of past family struggles, mentions of reader’s ex.

Music: All The Pretty Girls by Kaleo (Y/N unpacking scene), Howling at Nothing by Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats (BBQ scene), You Make Loving Fun by Fleetwood Mac (Dean and Y/N conversation).

A/N: Here’s Part 2! I’m so glad everyone liked the first part, and it’s been great to hear what you think about what might happen! Keep sending your theories and thoughts in, I love hearing what y’all think! Happy reading! :)

Dividers by the wonderful @firefly-graphics! Check her out for all your AU needs!!! 

Y/N’s first week didn’t go as great as she expected.

She naively thought things would be good after the first day, which had started a little wonky but ended up being better once she met Cas and Charlie. She had become really friendly with them, and she was glad that they were a highlight of each day. Her 7th graders were great, but she had to do a lot of work with them to make them come out of their shells. Her 8th graders on the other hand… she just didn’t understand how to get through to them. Some of them were loud and disruptive, a couple of them were bullying another girl, and others just didn’t seem to care at all. Ben was a good kid, but he got easily swayed by the loud ones. They had so much potential, and they had to start being better if they were ever going to survive high school.

She walked out of the grocery store, pushing a shopping cart with two heavy brown bags. After finishing up at school, she decided to go and buy a few essentials plus some stuff to make dinner. She was looking forward to a nice meal she cooked and a glass of wine, maybe two. As she drove through town to get home, she smiled. Despite everything, Lawrence was a peaceful town. She had to hope that she could strap in and really get through to the kids, so that living here would be worth it.

As she drove down her street, she smiled as she saw Dean sitting on his porch steps. She pulled into her driveway and got out of the car, smiling as she saw him talking on the phone. She walked over to her trunk and opened it, picking up the two bags in there. She left the trunk open, as she struggled to hold the bags, cursing the guy at the check-out for filling them so much to save on bags. Suddenly, there was a pressure on one of the bags, as it ripped at the bottom, not being able to handle the weight of the items. Two cans fell and started rolling down her driveway.

“Shit!” she yelled, as she manoeuvred the bags and tried to hold them both in one arm.

Dean, who was still on the phone as he sat on the porch steps, saw everything from across the street.

“Sammy, let me call you back” He quickly hung up the phone and rushed across the street. He got to the end of the driveway just in time and swept up the rolling cans. Y/N saw him and beamed, relieved.

“Thank you” she breathed heavily.

“No problem, can’t have run away cans on the street” he smiled, as he continued to hold them. “Here, let me get that for ya.”

He picked up the broken bag from her arm and held it, his hand at the bottom.

“Between my furniture and my groceries, I think you’re my savior” she laughed.

Dean shook his head, a smirk on his face. “I take the job very seriously.”

“I hope that call wasn’t important?” she asked, knowing he had been on the phone with someone.

“Nah, just my pain in the ass little brother. It’s okay, he’ll get over it” he replied, laughing slightly.

Y/N laughed with him, getting lost in his green eyes again. He looked even more sexy and handsome today, now wearing a red and black plaid shirt on top of a black t-shirt and dark blue jeans. She had told herself she’d wait to ask him for dinner, and now she couldn’t think of a more perfect time, having just saved the items for dinner.

“Hey, um… are you doing anything tonight? I was going to make dinner for myself but if you’re free-” she started to ask but got cut off by a voice coming from his house.

“Dean!” a female voice called as she came out onto his porch.

Y/N’s heart sunk as Ben’s mother, Lisa, came out and looked around. When she spotted him, she waved him in.

“Can you help with dinner?” she asked and then walked back inside the house. Y/N had never seen which house Lisa and Ben had come from that day, so this was shocking. The guy she was kind of crushing on was Lisa’s boyfriend. Ben’s dad. Fucking great.

“Sorry, I didn’t realize-” Y/N started but Dean shook his head.

“It’s okay, Y/N. I should go” he helped her take the bags inside the house and then awkwardly stood there.

“I’ll see ya around” he gave her a quick nod before he rushed off, before she could say anything.

Y/N frowned as she closed the door behind him. She leaned her head against it as she groaned. Why did she have to start liking him without knowing his situation? She moved away from the door and walked into the kitchen. She was going to get started on dinner for one and try to stop thinking about her ridiculously good-looking neighbor.

Dean walked into his house, finding Lisa in the kitchen. She had a blank expression on her face, as she chopped up the vegetables.

“What do you need?” he asked.

“Why were you talking to Y/N?” she asked in return, abruptly.

Dean blinked a few times, confused by her question. “She was just struggling with some broken grocery bags. I helped her.”

“Whatever” she mumbled, as she moved away to the stove.

Dean shook his head, walking out of the kitchen and to the backyard. Lisa was suddenly in one of her moods and he needed to get away. He usually hid out in the garage until things cooled down with her.

Y/N was thankful to have finished her first week and now move into another Saturday. She still had a few boxes that needed to be emptied, having done most of them last week and then sporadically through the week. She was going to do that in the morning and then look over her plans for the next week of school, before chilling that night and having a drink.

After a quick breakfast and putting on one of her phone playlists this time, she got started as her favorite Kaleo song came through the speakers. She smiled sadly as she put up some of the pictures she hadn’t yet, her heart aching knowing she had left her family behind. One of her with her sister and parents. One of her sister and brother-in-law with her nieces; the younger one having just been born before Y/N had to leave. One of just her and her sister. This was the one thing that made her regret leaving: her family. She stepped back as she looked at the photos on the mantel above the fireplace, remembering all the wonderful times she had with her loved ones.

The doorbell rang, interrupting her thoughts. As she walked to the door, Y/N looked up at the clock, seeing it was 12.30pm already. She opened the door, her smile becoming a bit forced once she saw it was Emily Charlton, one of her middle-aged divorced neighbors. She had already been over several times that week with baked goods, which she ended up feeding to the birds after one bite.

“Hi, Emily. What can I do for you?” she asked, politely and hoping the woman would leave soon.

“I’m just here to find out if you got the fliers in your mail about the barbecue today” she replied, her big white teeth beaming.

“Oh, yeah, I did see that” Y/N said, remembering the two fliers she had received.

“Well, it’s at Sid and Olivia’s and starts at 1, and it would be good for everyone to meet you” Emily continued to smile. She pointed at the house, then primped her blonde hair with her long acrylic nails.

Y/N rolled her eyes while she wasn’t looking. “I’m sorry, Emily, I can’t. I just have a lot of work to do-” she started but Emily waved a finger, her fake nails looking like they could gauge an eye out.

“Nonsense, I absolutely insist on you coming to lunch. There’s still so many on the street you haven’t met yet” she insisted.

Y/N sighed, shaking her head. It was better to give in than keep arguing. “Sure.”

Emily laughed in a high pitch tone, making Y/N cringe. “Wonderful!”

“Great” she mumbled, under her breath.

“So, we’ll see you soon, and uh” Emily looked her up and down, causing Y/N to frown. She looked down at herself, dressed in just a loose, plain red t-shirt and her boyfriend jeans. Emily smiled one more time, fake as ever, before she strutted off.

Y/N closed the door, wanting to shut everyone and everything out, but she wasn’t going to do that. She was going to glam herself up and go to the barbecue, to rub it in Emily Charlton’s face that she could be fake all she wanted, it wasn’t going to affect her.

She frowned as she thought about how she shouldn’t go there empty-handed. If she did, she’d probably be the talk of the street and be highly judged for it. She normally didn’t care what people thought of her, but in this case, if she could avoid it, she would. It was better to be slightly late. Plus, who showed up right on time, anyway? She quickly searched around in her kitchen cupboards and found a box of Betty Crocker brownies in her pantry. She quickly made the pre-mix. She smiled. She was good, even in a time crunch. No one needed to know they were from a box. She put the brownies into the oven and set the timer.

Y/N showered and washed her hair, drying it into a natural, summer-y look once she got out. She got dressed into a red, cap sleeve summer dress, with a small white flower print on it. Looking at the clock, she saw that it was 1pm.

When the timer went off, she walked back into the kitchen and took out the brownies, waiting for them to cool. She went back into her room and applied her make-up, keeping it simple with a little foundation, some mascara and a little lip gloss. She put on her wedge heels and her small bag across her body. After a few minutes when she was dressed and ready, she cut the brownies and put them in a container. She put her sunglasses on, before walking out of the house. She locked up and put her keys in her bag, climbing down her porch stairs before walking down the street.

Y/N was nervous to be around so many people, hearing the sounds of music and laughter coming from Sid’s house. Especially if most of those people turned out to be like Emily Charlton, but she couldn’t let them scare her if they were. She wouldn’t let anyone overwhelm her and push her around again. She had suffered enough the first time, and she wouldn’t let it happen again.

She saw some people walk in through the side entrance to the backyard, as some older teens played touch football in the front yard. Y/N followed behind those people, looking out for Sid or Olivia. She looked around the large backyard as Nathaniel Rateliff crooned away from the large speaker on the back porch. She had seen them around, Emily telling her who they were, so Y/N hoped she could spot them properly and didn’t confuse them for someone else. Luckily, she heard Emily’s high pitched “Olivia!” and saw her hugging another blonde woman.

Y/N walked over, putting her sunglasses on her head. She smiled as she approached Olivia, laughing to herself as her face looked just as uncomfortable to be around Emily.

“Olivia, hi. I’m Y/N” she said, smiling.

“Oh yes, so good to finally meet you” Olivia smiled, shaking her hand. “Emily told me about you, welcome to the neighborhood.”

“Hello again, Y/N” Emily’s fake smile beaming once again.

“Hi” Y/N nodded at her before turning back to Olivia. “I thought I’d bring a little something.”

She handed over the container.

“Oh, you didn’t have to, but thank you. Okay, Sid’s handling the grill and there’s already plenty, so please help yourself. Can I get you a beer? Wine? Something stronger to deal with Emily?” Olivia laughed, when Emily had walked off to speak to someone else.

Y/N’s eyes widened with surprise, as she laughed too. She liked Olivia already.

“A beer would be great” she continued to laugh.

Olivia bent down and took a beer out of an ice bucket. She opened the lid with a bottle opener and handed it to her.

“So, what do you do, Y/N?” Olivia asked, as she sipped her wine. She started walking towards the food table and Y/N followed beside her.

“I’m an English teacher, junior high” Y/N replied, before taking a sip of her beer.

Olivia stopped and smiled at her, a fondness in her eyes, which Y/N would’ve found strange but something about her look was pleasant.

“My mom was an English teacher. She passed last year, but it still feels like yesterday” Olivia quietly told her.

“I’m sorry, Olivia” Y/N gave her a sad smile. “She must’ve been amazing, if she was anything like her daughter.”

Olivia beamed; her eyes slightly watery. She wrapped an arm around Y/N’s shoulders as they walked towards the food table.

Y/N’s smile dropped when she saw who was standing at the table. Lisa was shifting things around, making place for everything on the table. Dean, who was dressed in jeans and black half-sleeve button-up shirt, came up behind her. She turned her head and kissed him on the cheek. Y/N felt a tightness in her chest but chose to ignore it. Olivia walked over to the table and placed her container down, making some small talk with Lisa. Dean turned his head, smiling when he saw Y/N.

Dean could feel his heart racing. She was stunning, every single thing about her. From her hair, to the way she looked in that summer dress, which had a slit on the side, giving a peek of her smooth leg. He couldn’t be looking at her, not with Lisa standing right next to him. Y/N smiled in return, getting lost in his features yet again. He was so incredibly good-looking, it hurt to look at him.

Y/N looked away from him when Olivia tapped her shoulder. She smiled at her, trying not to let it show that she and Dean had been staring at each other.

“Aren’t they perfect together?” Olivia said, not really seeking a reply as she smiled at Dean and Lisa.

“Yeah.” Y/N smile faltered.

“So, help yourself. I’m just going to check in with Sid and see if he needs anything. I’ll be back” Olivia walked off, leaving her to go to her husband.

Y/N walked closer to the table, trying to smile when Lisa noticed her.

“Hi, good to see you” Lisa smiled. “Can I get you anything?”

Y/N shook her head. “No, I’ll help myself, thanks.”

“Okay” Lisa turned from her to Dean. “I’m just going to check where Ben is, can you plate some for me?” she leaned in and kissed his cheek.

“Sure” he nodded, before grabbing a plate and putting food on it.

Y/N smiled as Lisa walked past her and then looked over at Dean. She didn’t know for sure, but it felt like Lisa was being a bit aloof with her. She chose to ignore it for now. She walked closer to the table, and Dean looked up at her.

“It’s really good to see you” he said. The way he was looking at her was different to how he had been looking at Lisa.

She felt her cheeks get a little hot. “It’s good to see you, too.” Y/N started to put some food on her plate.

“So, how-” he started but was cut off by a shrill voice calling out her name.

“Y/N! Get over here, young lady!” Emily yelled from across the yard. She had a gaggle of middle-aged women around her.

She turned back to Dean; her eyes wide. “Is there any way I can get out of going there?”

Dean laughed. “Afraid not.”

She groaned, as she closed her eyes. “Wish me luck.”

“You don’t need it” Dean smirked.

Y/N opened her eyes, smiling when she saw him smirking at her.

“You can handle a few divorcee’s and housewives” he assured her.

She bit her lip, as she shook her head. Somehow, he had managed to ease her mind. “Thanks.”

Y/N took her plate and beer, throwing her shoulders back and walking over there with confidence. Dean admired her as she walked away, checking her out as her hips swayed. It was dangerous to be doing that with so many people around, but he took his chance. He picked up two plates and walked away from the table, in search of Lisa.

Y/N couldn’t hide the boredom on her face, as the divorcee’s and housewives asked her questions about her life. 

“So, Y/N, are you seeing anyone special?” one woman asked.

“Nope” Y/N answered around a mouthful of hot dog, not really caring about anything other than food at that point.

“Why not? A pretty, young girl like you” equally nosey Jill, added.

Y/N shrugged, still eating. “I just got here and want to take my time, you know?”

Emily shook her head. “No, there’s definitely more to the story. It was a bad break up, wasn’t it? That’s why you moved here.”

Y/N frowned, glaring at Emily. “You know, it’s really not something I want to talk about.”

“Oh, Y/N, if you don’t talk to us, who can you talk to? We’re here to help” Emily gave her the best sympathetic face she could probably muster.

“You know what? You could help me with this” Y/N handed Emily the empty plate. “I’m going to get another beer.”

She didn’t stick around to see the shock on Emily’s face to her abrupt departure and Y/N’s plate in her hand.

Y/N felt the anger simmering in her belly as she walked away. The last thing she needed was advice from that woman. She just wanted to grab a beer and go sit somewhere in the front yard, away from everyone else. She picked up a bottle and opened it, taking a sip as she walked away. She walked out to the front yard and looked around. There was a large tree with good shade near the fence, which would be nice and secluded. As she walked closer, she noticed someone leaning against it. She walked around, smiling when she saw Dean with a beer in his hands.

“Mind if I join you?” she asked.

“‘Course not” he smirked, as he shifted over.

“I seriously had to get away from those women” Y/N groaned, sitting down on the ground next to him.

“Yeah, they’ll do that to ya” he laughed, sipping his beer.

“Well, I handled it like you said” she smiled, holding her bottle towards him.

He nodded, approvingly, clinking his bottle to hers. “Nice.”

A comfortable silence fell between them, as Fleetwood Mac could be heard from the backyard. Y/N looked at him, appreciating his features now that she was closer. Freckles scattered under his eyes and on his nose, and his eyes were even more striking up close.

“So…” she trailed off, thinking of what to ask him. “Did you grow up here?”

He nodded, a small smile appearing on his face. “Yeah, born and raised. My parents are still in the same house we grew up in. My little brother lives in Kansas City with his wife.”

“Are you and your brother close?” she asked.

“Yeah, it’s always been me and Sammy. I mean, don’t get me wrong, my parents were good with us, but there were times when they’d fight, and I’d have to look out for him” he replied, looking down at his bottle.

Y/N frowned, and Dean noticed. “Oh, don’t worry, my parents were great, it’s just sometimes… they didn’t see eye to eye, you know? They’re good now, though. Have been for a long time.”

She smiled, seeing how fondly he spoke of his family. They must’ve been close. She was missing hers a lot.

“What about you?” he asked in return.

“I was born and raised in Rhinebeck, New York. No brother, but sister instead. She’s married to a great guy, so he definitely feels like a brother” she told him, a sad smile on her face. “They have two beautiful daughters, one was just born before I left so I’m going to miss seeing her.”

“Wow. From New York to Kansas” he muttered, laughing. She joined in. “Why the big move?” he wondered, as he took another sip of his beer.

“I…” she breathed out, shaking her head. “I needed to get away. It just became… too much.”

Dean nodded, but he understood that that wasn’t the whole story.

“But this is a great town, not too different from back home, so that’s a plus” she said, smiling at him.

Dean smiled in return. “That’s great.”

They looked into each other eyes, and she felt that familiar fluttering in her stomach.

Don't, don't break the spell It would be different and you know it will You, you make loving fun And I don't have to tell you but you're the only one

The words of the song were beginning to freak her out as they maintained eye contact. Y/N quickly looked away. This was unsafe ground they were about to tread.

“How’d you meet Lisa?” she asked, quickly changing the subject.

Dean breathed deep, with a long exhale. “She was here from Indiana visiting some friends, and we met one night at a bar. It was a one-time thing, but then a few months later she moved here with Ben when she got a job opportunity. We met up again… and we’ve been together three years.”

“Wait…” she thought about everything he just said, suddenly confused. “Ben’s-”

“Yeah, he’s… not mine, technically. It feels like he is, though” Dean finished for her.

“Gosh, I really should’ve guessed with the last names” she shook her head, rolling her eyes at herself for not realizing sooner.

“It’s all good, Y/N” he chuckled.

“Well, you guys look really close” she said, trying to sound happy.

“Yeah” he huffed, knowing he and Lisa were far from close these days.

Maybe coming to talk to him hadn’t been such a good idea. She seriously had to start liking a taken guy, didn’t she? At least he wasn’t married. Oh yeah, Y/N. That makes it better she thought, as she closed her eyes at her own stupid thoughts. Though she had to wonder, if things were great between him and Lisa then why was he sitting out here, far away from her?

Dean looked up and looked into her eyes again. Sitting there and talking to her about Lisa just didn’t feel natural. It really did feel like he was living a lie, it had felt like that since way before Y/N showed up.

Y/N quickly looked away from him. She needed to leave. She quickly stood up, dusting her dress off.

“I should really get going. I have a lot of work to do” she said, turning to him as he stood up.

“On a Saturday?” he asked, confused. Dean took the empty beer bottle out of her hand. The brush of his fingers against hers sent a tingling sensation through her arm and over her body.

“Life of a teacher” she quickly joked, pulling her hand away.

Dean huffed a laugh, scratching the back of his neck. “So, I’ll see you around?”

She nodded, a small smile on her face. “Yeah.”

Dean looked back at the back yard, before looking at her. “I better find Lisa.”

“Thanks for the chat” she said, playing nervously with the strap of her bag.

“No problem” he smirked.

He slowly walked backwards and gave her a small wave, before turning and walking away.

Y/N watched him walk to the back yard before she turned and walked down the sidewalk. She quickly made it home, closing the door behind her. She walked into her bedroom, dropping her bag on the chair and then stripped off her dress and shoes. She changed into her large sleep shirt, which came down to just above her knees. She threw her hair up in a bun and walked into her bathroom, taking the make-up wipes to rub off her make-up. She washed her face and wiped it down with a small towel, flicking the light off as she left.

As she went about that routine, her mind was on Dean. Just a short amount of time to talk, a few looks between them, a small touch of his hand against hers, and she couldn’t stop thinking about him. There was an air about him, almost like you could trust him completely. He would take care of you and never let anything happen to you. There was a sadness behind his smile, however, and she could feel that it had something to do with life at home. He and Lisa weren’t the perfect couple they wanted people to see them as.

She walked out into the living room, her phone in hand. She dropped down on the couch, tucking her legs up. She scrolled through her phone, finding the name of her best friend, Katie, and sending her a quick text to see if she could talk. They had been best friends since college, and right now, she needed to talk to her about Dean. Maybe she could give her some advice on how to stop the way she was feeling. When she got a text back saying she could talk, Y/N called her.

“Hey, sweetie” Katie greeted.

Y/N smiled, closing her eyes. “You have no idea how good it is to hear your voice.”

“It’s good to hear yours too. Though… you do sound a bit… off” her friend’s concern was evident in her voice.

Y/N scoffed and thought about what to say. “Well, it’s been a week in a new town… and I already have a guy problem.”

“Wow, that was quick” Katie commented.

“Yeah, well…” Y/N trailed off, playing with the edge of her shirt on her knee. “I wasn’t expecting for it to happen so fast, either. Especially after Ethan.”

“Okay, what’s his name?” Katie asked.

“Dean” a smile grew on Y/N face’s as she said his name, but it quickly dropped. “But before you say anything, he’s with someone and she’s got a kid, who’s practically a son to him.”

Katie let out a whistle. “Wow.”

“Yeah” Y/N agreed.

A silence fell between them, and Y/N knew that Katie was thinking.

“Well, as much as you probably don’t want to hear it, I think you got to let this one go” she said, finally.

Y/N sighed. “You’re right. I was already thinking it. I guess I just needed someone else to say to me, so I didn’t do anything stupid.”

“You’re a far more rational person than I am, so I doubt you would’ve” Katie reassured her.

Y/N huffed, rolling her eyes. “You haven’t seen what he looks like.”

“Well, photos when and if you get the chance” Katie laughed.

Y/N laughed, shaking her head.

They spent another half hour catching up on everything back home. It made Y/N miss everything even more, but she was glad to get the latest news. After they ended their chat, she got up from the couch when she noticed what the time was. She started fixing herself something for dinner, when she heard voices from across the street. She looked out the window, seeing people going home from Sid and Olivia’s.

Y/N watched Dean, Lisa and Ben walk back to their house. Dean and Lisa were holding hands, as Ben walked in front of them. Y/N felt her heart sink, seeing them look like a happy couple. Though it seemed that things weren’t all that great, or at least that was the impression she got from the way Dean looked at her.

Y/N shook her head and went back to making dinner. Once she was done, she settled in on the couch with her plate, a glass of wine and FRIENDS on Netflix.

It was silly of her to think that anything would ever happen with Dean. Even if he wasn’t with Lisa, she had only been around Dean twice. That wasn’t enough time to start thinking of him. This was just a crush, and it would go away soon.

Or so she hoped.

-x-

Tags: @flamencodiva @deanwanddamons @winchest09 @katehuntington @akshi8278 @hobby27 @michellethetvaddict @spngirl05​ @kyjey​ @halesandy​ @440mxs-wife​ @stoneyggirl​ @deanswaywardgirl​ @wonder-cole​ @that-one-gay-girl​ @redbarn1995​ @marianita195​ @babypink224221​ @deans-baby-momma​ @parinarain​ @thoughts-and-funnies​ @mandalou29​ @castiels-a-winchester​

[l0veforeyes]

Makeup is my art, I’m not that perfect but I try my best to do it and it’s the thing I enjoy the most 🌻
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“I believe in manicures. I believe in overdressing. I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick 💄 .
. Product used ~
Face primer…. @touchinsolus 
Foundation….. @maccosmetics 
Eye pallet ……. @morphebrushes 
Lipstick….. @hudabeauty 
Mascara…… @colourpopcosmetics 
Eyeliner……. @colourpopcosmetics . .
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#mua #muasupport #viral #makeuptutorial #makeuplooks #eyeliner #eyeshadow #makeuplover #makeupideas #eyeshadowlooks #photography #photooftheday #photoshoot #pakistani #pakistaniwedding #blogger #followforfollowback #sephora #mac #urbanphotography #urbandecaycosmetics #pakistanijewellery #trandingoutfits #traditionalart #indiaphotography
https://www.instagram.com/p/CA1Umnahr30/?igshid=foq2wslpxspd

[captain-self-ships]

F/O List! (Not complete, never will be tbh)

Romantic F/Os:

Camilla (Fire Emblem series) - The Knight And The Princess

Little Mac (Punch Out/Super Smash Bros) - Great Boxer Boyfriend

Ringo Andou (Puyo Puyo series) - Absolute Nerds

Ryuunosuke Naruhodou (Ace Attorney) - Love In Translation

Owain (Fire Emblem Series) - Hands Of Sword And Spear

Kiawe (Pokémon SuMo) - Flames That Spark

Zoe (Monster Prom) - Just Like Naruto And Garfield

Kelby (Blush Blush) - Not Exactly Prince Charming

Quickman (Megaman 2) - Speed Of Sound

Platonic F/Os:

Maya Fey (Ace Attorney) - My Spiritual Buddy

Amitie (Puyo Puyo series) - Primp Pals

Dawn/Platinum (Pokémon Gen 4) - Supportive Superstars

Lana, Mallow, Sophocles, Ilima (Pokémon SuMo) - Alolan Allies

Joe Tazuna (YTTD) - You Are My Sunshine

Familial F/Os:

Goro Majima, Kazuma Kiryu (Yakuza series) - Uncles in the Mafia

Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu (Danganronpa 2) - Blood Brother

Ex (Puyo Puyo Tetris) - The Father Of Time And Space

Charlie (Rhythm Thief and The Emperor’s Treasure) - Adopted Detective

[inkedwolf-archive]

Part One: The Shattered Glass

“Tighter. If I can breathe like a normal human being, it's too loose.” Mac said with a rather stern voice. She was standing in a private room, in naught but her knickers, letting some woman lace her into a corset for the dress she had made.

As she stood there, with hands on a large pillar to brace herself, she realized the woman didn’t possess enough strength to get the job done. Huffing out a sigh, she called for a halt. “Drop the laces, love.” Those words were the only warning before Mac began to walk away with the woman in tow, her petite form trying to keep up with Mac’s long-legged stride.

Mac walked straight to the door and flung it open, her modesty be damned as she looked across the rather busy shop. The tailor had been in high demand, a waiting list in place. Mac’s demands, however, were paired with an obscene amount of money. She wanted a dress, she wanted it soon, and so the tailor obliged.

Looking across the shop, Mac let her pale gaze inspect the customers, looking for one who had what she wanted. When her gaze fell upon a young man with broad shoulders, she grinned wickedly and walked over. The woman beside him looked as if someone had just pissed in her porridge when Mac strode over and laced her arm through the young man’s, feeling his bicep.

Her myriad of tattoos was on display, the corset doing little to cover them. Garters and stockings, lace and far too much leg for civilized folks, Mac was a beacon of defiance against modest behaviors. When she spoke, it only added to that perception. “Mm. Just what a lady needs. A man with a strong arm. Come with me, love. I require your assistance.”

Letting him go, Mac began to walk back to the private changing room, pausing halfway between the man and the door to look over her shoulder. She could see the hesitance in the man’s step as well as the livid look from his lady. Mac couldn’t help but further provoke the situation. With a playful grin and a wicked glint in her eyes, she addressed the woman. “Don’t worry, love. I’ll have him back before you know it. Unless… Would you like to watch? I always did love an audience.” 

Hours later, Mac was walking the bustling streets of Kul’Tiras with a pair of gentleman in tow. One was a simple courier and a young boy, likely no only than thirteen. The other, an older man in his fifties, weather worn, with his hand resting on the pommel of his sword. Protection and a messenger. Just the thing a Lady of Gilneas would need in a new city.

It was a tiring façade. While she possessed noble blood, title, and held the birth right to her lands and fortune, Nobility was dreadfully uncomfortable. It wasn’t even the corset that dug into her ribs, but rather that air of superiority. Jeweled, primped, preened, squeezed. Just getting her into this dress had taken a small army and she didn’t even want to remember how many people had worked on her hair, twisting and curling it, adorning it with pearls and roses.

She told herself it was all necessary. A mask she must wear in order to get what she wanted. Still, her scalp ached, and she knew her ribs would be bruised from her attire once she shed the beautiful monstrosity. For now, she would suffer through it. Tonight she would dine with her family under the image of Lady Macaela Marley. Tomorrow, she would go back to being Mac and drink sailors under the table at a seedy dive bar. 

Dinner carried on for far too long. Course after course, something the Nouveau riche often did to show off in front of those who actually held title. It was exhausting, carrying on with pleasantries. Her cousin, Nathan Vaughn, would not shut up. He was older, balding, and pockmarked. Not at all attractive. It could have only been his wealth that landed him a young and beautiful ginger wife. Nathan had, at the very least, two decades on his bride, and while she was now in her fifties, she carried her age beautifully.

There was mention of a daughter who had taken over the family business, one Macaela herself had invested in decades and decades ago. Long before the wall was ever closed and even before Kul’Tiras secluded themselves away like their Gilnean brethren. She was the reason Mac was here. Not this pompous retiree and his wife.

All she could do is wait, course after course, explaining again and again that she didn’t partake in meat. Plate after plate of food and she was still positively ravenous. Part of her wondered if it would be poor manners to accidentally eat her cousin. Surely with as rotund as he was, he would make a fine meal for a half starved wolf. 

There was enough wine in the world to convince Mac to stay as dinner wrapped up. Natalie hadn’t arrived, only word that should would be working late, so at her earliest opportunity, Mac feigned women troubles and, by the grace of the gods, was able to leave her cousin’s table.

Her feet simply couldn’t carry her fast enough, not without breaking into a run. She wanted to put as much distance between that balding man and herself before she had to pretend to be naïve enough not to understand the lecherous looks he was aiming at her less than modest bust line. She had hoped to be a lovely distraction, sadly in this, she was successful. It made her skin crawl.

Once she was out of sight, she dismissed her courier and the man she hired to look like a bodyguard. They were irrelevant now. The fewer people to watch her venture into the more disreputable parts of the city, the better. The woman she wanted to meet was working… so Mac would do what she should have done in the first place. Rather than risk scheduling another house call, she would simply go to the office instead. Business discussion in a business setting. 

Mac was not disappointed when she found her cousin. While the woman was a talented scribe, she also seemed to thrive amidst the chaos that was her company. Packages coming and going, the buzz of business in the air, and all the while, the red headed lass remained focused on her task until the need arose for her to assert herself.

She handled the men with a quiet authority. She didn’t need to shriek above the cacophony of voices, but rather the whole office quieted when she issued a command. Mac stood in the shadow of the doorway, watching and waiting until the last of the men saw their way out of the office with parcels in hand.

It became the quiet before the storm. That sudden peace before Mac’s heeled boots began to click against the wooden floor. The noise brought attention to her immediately, pale blue eyes rising up to meet Mac. “Hello, cousin. Missed you at dinner.” Mac said with a slow grin curling across her lips. “Let’s talk business….”

[bangtan]

Inside BTS-mania: A Day in the Life of the K-Pop Superstars

The screaming begins just beyond baggage claim, when the first bob of purple-gray hair peeks up over the security wall separating the biggest Korean pop band in the world, in history, from its fans. Amid shrill hysteria, the seven soft-faced men of BTS stride through Los Angeles International Airport flanked by human trains of burly people in yellow “Event Staff” shirts. The boys smile, wave and, with the efficiency of British royals, slip past a few hundred young women and teen girls into black Escalades, their portal to the heart of the American mainstream. It’s mid-November and BTS have flown here from South Korea, propelled by the fervor of their admirers, a diverse group that calls itself ARMY (short for “Adorable Representative M.C for Youth”). The band is here for a string of high-profile TV appearances: They go from the airport to James Corden; Jimmy Kimmel the next day; then they’ll meet Ellen Degeneres, who’ll compare their U.S. arrival to that of the Beatles in 1964. But BTS are mainly in town to perform their hit song “DNA” at the American Music Awards – a performance that will make them Google’s top trending topic and set a Guinness record for Twitter engagement. Group leader RM (short for “Rap Monster”), 23 and palpably ambitious, compares the whirlwind trip to being “like surfers on a big wave.” But at 9 a.m. the day after BTS land, the vibe is more like “showing up for work.” We’re at a rehearsal studio when AMA reps arrive to shoot promo photos in the parking lot. Bubbly ham J-Hope, 23, an MC and onetime street-dance champ, walks out with his arms up, shouting, “Hello! AMA! Whoa!” The others trickle out with less ado and take turns getting primped, on the asphalt, by a team of stylists also in from Seoul. There’s Jimin, 22, the prettiest yet most puckish, a former top modern-dance student who’s currently shaving his chin while a woman holds a mirror. The perpetually wide-eyed singer V, 21, another art-school kid, who made his screen debut in a Korean historical drama last year, gets his purple-gray bob brushed and parted. A man uses a pick to dislodge something from the teeth of Suga, who like RM started his career as an underground rapper. Lead singer Jungkook, 20, a devout Belieber who joined BTS at 15, gets a streak of eyeliner. Meanwhile, singer Jin, 25, an aspiring actor so handsome he was recruited by a boy-band casting agent while walking down the street, shuffles quietly through the flurry. Their entourage is massive; I lose count in the mid-thirties. There are managers, publicists, a choreographer, a masseur, the interpreter, groomers, folks with cameras, unsmiling guards and several drivers with earpieces. Back home, BTS are pretty much only breaking their own records at this point – for video views, album pre-sales and chart placement – and it’s spilling over to other countries. Their recent EP, Love Yourself: Her, which features a song written with Andrew Taggart of the Chainsmokers, topped iTunes’ album chart in 73 countries, and BTS have become the first Korean-pop group to crack the American mainstream, with a Steve Aoki remix of their “MIC Drop” recently crashing the Top 40. ‪"We are so lucky that we’re living in this time, in 2017,“ says RM, the only one who can carry on a conversation in English. “When we post a tweet, it becomes translated to more than 30 languages.” The group’s lyrics – which are almost entirely Korean but close-captioned on YouTube and translated for sites like Genius – are a big part of its international success. BTS songs tackle issues like depression and anxiety. They promote progressive social ideals like female empowerment and accepting people from different backgrounds. They even address the internal unease of ditching less commercial career paths to become “idols,” as K-pop stars are called. BTS fans appreciate the band’s empathy, honesty, and independence—themes that are particularly in-demand amongst Western pop audiences these days. Plus, BTS set their message to canny hyper-modern production (frequently done by the members themselves) that devours all manner of EDM- rap- and R&B-leaning pop – think Major Lazer, Justin Bieber, DNCE, Logic, the Chainsmokers, Nick Jonas – and spits out a deeply catchy, slightly askew pastiche. After the photoshoot, the guys go in to practice their AMAs routine. From the opening whistle of “DNA,” they are a single-minded, many-limbed organism. Jin, who normally seems like he’s brooding, deploys pouty looks and precise hand jives. They goof around a bit – Jimin grabs Jungkook’s ass after the latter executes a balletic twirl – but are in the zone. An hour later, at 10:40 a.m., they’re chugging water and getting cooled off by women who use their entire bodies to swing paper fans emblazoned with the boys’ own faces. Jin quickly nods off in a rolling chair but is soon awoken by the masseur, who wants to jam an elbow into his shoulder; Jin winces as he does. Minutes later, V is yowling in pain, mouth wide as a handler treats a canker sore inside his cheek. Later, RM will dance with a bloody tissue in his nose – the wages of jet lag and constant hustle add up. An early lunch of cold burgers and fries seems meager compensation, but they eat with abandon. BTS, an acronym for Bangtan Boys (“Bulletproof Boy Scouts” in Korean), was built around RM and finalized via auditions. The group was assembled by a small company – Big Hit, run by songwriter “Hitman” Bang Si Hyuk, who co-founded one of the so-called Big Three agencies, JYP, before leaving it behind – which gives them underdog appeal. And while BTS came through the famously rigorous K-pop system, living in dorms together and training constantly, RM says Big Hit offers relative artistic freedom. To wit, in a unique spin on K-pop fan service, BTS build mythologies around their albums, like last year's Wings, whose theme comes from Hermann Hesse’s 1919 bildungsroman Demian. The concept appears in the lyrics, art and videos. Exactly how these subplots take shape is unclear, but it’s feasible that RM, who reads heady authors like Haruki Murakami and Albert Camus, is involved. “We try to make our own BTS context,” he says. “Maybe it’s risky to bring some inspiration from novels from so long ago, but I think it paid off more. It comes through like a gift box for our fans. That’s something you can’t find easily from American artists.” Instead, he likens it to Star Wars. “The big thing about creating our universe is expandability,” adds Suga, the most contemplative of the group, via interpreter. “Because it draws from our personal lives and interests, we can expand it as much as we want and it’s not alien for us. Having that allows us more diversity in the stories we can tell and the music we can make.” Do they feel free enough to write about Korean politics? RM says they’re working on a song that does so subtly, but Suga cautions that the subject “is fraught with danger, not in a literal way, but because of the risk of being misunderstood by young people who may not have fully developed sensibilities.” He’d rather focus on fostering understanding than “inciting conflict.” The rest of the group stays silent for our midday interview except to shout out ARMY and admit they’re eager for more crossover opportunities. As J-Hope puts it, “It’d be an honor for us to work with anyone.” RM says that, instead of breaking more records, the band’s mission is to promote individuality, which isn’t always encouraged back home. “Especially in Korea, there are all these standards: Get married, go to a nice university.” How will they spread that message? He smiles. “Better music and doper performances.” After selling out arenas in California, Chicago and New Jersey, BTS are planning a bigger U.S. run in 2018. They’re in unprecedented territory. Unlike PSY, their success here didn’t spring from a novelty hit – their rise up American charts was gradual and shows no sign of slowing. While they’ve brushed off the idea of an English-language album in the past, RM dropped English verses on a Fall Out Boy remix and Wale collab this year. At 1:30 p.m., it’s time to get ready for Kimmel. I follow BTS from the dance studio into the hall near their dressing room. There’s a folding table covered with silver rings, flashy necklaces and dangly earrings for the choosing. On the floor is an outsize ziplock full of identical Puma slides. After hair is redone and outfits adjusted, they load into the four Escalades with no fuss at all. As our caravan passes Hollywood Boulevard and turns onto the small street leading to Kimmel’s backlot and outdoor stage, we see them: more than a thousand BTS zealots who explode when they see us. They’d been waiting for hours. Kimmel music producer Mac Burrus later tells me a group of five teens spent two nights out there, on the street, in sleeping bags. In the green room, there is finally downtime. Suga and RM eat bananas. Jin plays his Nintendo Switch. Jungkook and J-Hope sleepily lean into one another on the couch. V lays on the floor to get his neck adjusted by the masseur’s bone-crunching assassin-twist before settling into a sofa to stream “Carpool Karaoke.” Around 4 p.m., producers bring in a couple ARMY moms for a skit where they taunt their girls, who are still in the line, via FaceTime from BTS’ inner sanctum. The daughters eventually come back and I steal them for a chat. Both discovered BTS on YouTube. Adriana, 24, is teaching herself Korean “slowly but surely” so she can hear the boys in their own tongue. Rosa, 18, insists, “Language isn’t a barrier when it comes to music.” At 6:20 p.m., BTS head to the stage. From the back, it sounds like there’s a roller coaster full of shrieking riders on the other side. A grizzled staffer walks by with a kooky grin, muttering, “This is nuts.” From the wings I watch the band rip into a six-song set that inspires face-clutching and tears. For “Save Me,” a “Where Are Ü Now” soundalike, the crowd deploys a coordinated K-pop “fanchant,” roaring each member’s birth name in perfect rhythmic succession. I can barely hear the music, so it doesn’t occur to me until the end that BTS don’t seem to be using vocal backing tracks, as a U.S. or U.K. group might – they rap and sing every last part while doing constant choreography. When it ends just after 7 p.m., an exhausted J-Hope flops onto the asphalt out of view of the crowd and his team, chest heaving, eyes wide. After 30 seconds, he picks himself up and rushes to join the other members of BTS disappearing into the hall leading to the green room. As he turns the last corner, a voice squeals, “Oh, my God! J-Hope looked back at me!”

source

[brigitoshaughnessy]

MacGyver 1985 || High Control

Mac is primping: [ 1 ], [ 2 ], [ 3 ]

[polinathinkstoomuch-blog]

Day 1 - Overcompensation.

Or what goes through my head repeatedly and unnecessarily as I put myself into Day 1 of a solo Arizona trip.

If I had to boil Day 1 down to a dish it would be in a bed of tolerance and overcompensation, with a sprinkling of completeness in a slightly anxious reduction. I’m also reading a book about the restaurant industry - Sweetbitter - so it may get insufferable.

So I started off overcompensating the moment I walked towards registration, but it’s not entirely (or you know what screw that – I’d wager not even at all) my fault, but SOCIETY has attached a stigma to single anyones, but even much more so to single women. It is as if a person on their own is there by the accidents of their life; they had to have been abandoned through the choices of others, a reflection of them as a person – just simply not someone who would be chosen – and that if they had their druthers they would be there with someone else, anyone else, just craving and scavenging for the attention of others. This is super dramatic. I get it – but really, try going out to dinner by yourself and see how many times you get (1) asked if someone is joining you – even when you asked for a table for one; (2) ask you if something happened or keep asking repeatedly if you’re okay; (3) ask you if you’re new and/or not from the city; (4) abandon you – straight up forget your table exists for a good 30-45 minute increments at a time. I know there are women reading these (especially those that have traveled for business) that are mentally or audibly checking off each of these one by one don’t @ me.

So in my complete awareness of society’s problem, I am always so nice, so accommodating. I try to make jokes and laugh and giggle and then proceed to take myself out of the conversation, because there is just this need to show people that I’m not alone because I’m an unlovable monster or a narcissistic maniac (although that seems to work out as a great personality trait for men HEYO!), but a generally pleasant human being making a rational, lunacy free choice. To be by myself and god forbid make the statement that I enjoy my own company.

Or even take my behavior and the behavior of my waiter at dinner. First of all, I dressed up for dinner as if I was going out anywhere, because I owe my grandmother some respect to not walk out of the house not looking and acting my best that’s a one, and because I act the same no matter who is around me or where I am. As you know today is Beyoncé's birthday (may Beyoncé be with you and also with you) and she is inspirational to me for countless reasons but one of the biggest ones is her control. While I’m actively aware and working on it, I could never emulate that level of personality planning in my life. My face gives away my emotions; I don’t count to ten before I react to stupidity, mental laziness, or general disrespect; and I most certainly wear my heart on my sleeve. You can’t both be dramatic and controlled, or can you? Plotting the times when you’re overly dramatic - maybe? I have no idea. I viciously rolled my eyes when my laptop mouse couldn’t get it’s shit together and distinguish right from left click. The point being that I cannot help but over-exude my personality when I’m alone and people can’t help (like my waiter, god bless his heart giving me free wine and dessert and making small talk when he came over) trying to cure me of my perceived aloneness. 

As I sat there at dinner, facing this mountain, drinking this Merlot I picked out and threatening a dragonfly - out loud no less - for getting too close to my smoked mac n cheese, I thought of how easy this was. How there were no expectations of me (am I enough) or of anyone else (why are they here, where is this going and where do I want it to go, why did I allow this person to happen to me, this is partly my fault at least). I didn’t need to create conversation or atmosphere. In Sweetbitter there is a lot of talk about finding families within your circle - for her it’s a restaurant she works at - and almost curing this apparently inherent loneliness that we all have and need to fill even with shitty people. I could not disagree more; even the idea that I was sitting and not responsible for anyone’s feelings or needs was freeing. No one had to be tested for how good of a time they were having and I wasn’t in a position to have to make any decisions about what happens after dinner. No what do I want, what are the consequences, in short (HA!), no overthinking, planning, worrying, primping. Just peace. Just the feeling of sitting here, drinking the second glass of wine my waiter comped me and absorbing the fact that I created this moment myself. I gave myself permission to be here, I paid for this resort out of money I made from a job I got having no one make a call on my behalf, eating a meal I didn’t count the calories on or think whether this person or that person will like me less. Sometimes it’ s hard to find that kind of reminder in a daily life because you’re constantly surrounded by judgment, by evaluation in one way or the other - whether it’s your job or your personality, your reactions, your looks, and how much one person cares about any one part of you over another. It’ s hard to find space to tune those voices out when they’re ingrained in your day-to-day.

Which is why I so surprised at how quickly I was able to tune people around me out. I think a lot of it had to do with my general grumpiness towards unwanted guests - in that I planned something for myself how dare you change any aspect of my experience in this bubble. I mean, what kind of open to the public place is this? I put on my headphones and chair danced to the beat, listened to the lyrics, accepted every frozen mango the staff offered me, and ignored the squeals, the random conversations, the whomevers were next to me - which is a little worrisome. I managed to spend the entire afternoon that way; alternating between tanning and music and reading in the shade. I had two moments of concern - the first being the quickness with which others disappeared. That...can’t be healthy. I will give that some more thought over the next couple of days.

The second moment of hesitancy was the sudden feeling after I was ready to leave the pool was this need to fill time - immediately - to know exactly what I was doing after this and after that. But I think those are leftovers from my anxiety about the future; about wasting time and feeling like I’m constantly behind - the feeling was gone by the time I got to my room - but it was still annoying to meet after a year on my you can do things alone trip. I’m working on it.

My only guess currently - and this may change - is that I’m old and I’ve spent that time getting to old on building and cementing how I am and who I want to be as a person. That is hard to change. Not to mention that frustration of constantly having to change around one person or another; to always feel like less than or not enough - to be forced to be some tuned up or drowned out version of yourself. That is so hard - mentally and physically and that is a doubt I don’t think I deserve. My plan is to opearte under the banner of how I treat people is my karma, how they treat me is theirs. As long as I can say that my actions make me happy, I can’t imagine I’ll look back and say treating someone well was a waste of time - reciprocated or not.

Right now the most intimidating aspect is the hike. Maybe it’s the afternoon heat, but even the thought of potentially getting turned around in that weather makes me kind of nervous. I actually expected this to be the easiest decision of the trip – the most natural translation of home. I walk for absolutely no reason in Chicago – it’s how I get around even when I can make life easier on myself in an Uber or on the L. But I don’t. I like my legs getting me there. I could take a tour but I don’t really want to pay $70 to walk in a line with strangers; it would also kind of miss the boat on the theme of the trip. This is completely unrelated, but when I was at dinner I saw people coming down from the trails with flashlights. I want nothing to do with that group because they are the kind of people that got told about the wild mountain pigs and still went. No thanks lunatics. I’m going to try tomorrow morning. Stay tuned.

[starlingsrps]

manon williams development

ORIGINS & FAMILY:

Name: marie suzanne williams (nee belanger)

Nickname: manon

Birthday: april 4

Age: thirty

Gender: female

Place of birth: saint-malo, france

Places lived since: [passing car]

Parents’ names, backgrounds, occupations: blaise (63) and anna (60). blaise and anna have been a couple since the dawn of time and do everything together from running the family tour boat business to visiting the same bar every single saturday night where they sit at the same barstools every single time (next to each other, of course).

Number of siblings: two - an older brother, julien (38), and an older sister - lili (35)

Relationship with family: they're close but there's a bit of transatlantic distance that's a problem. she tries to talk to her parents at least once a week and talks to lili more frequently than julien but she’s okay with that.

Children of her own?: a son, sebastian. he's five and her absolute favorite person in the world (sry elijah).

PHYSICAL

Height: 5'7

Build: average and she swears she's hippier than she used to be ever since having sebastian.

Disabilities: n/a

Complexion: tanned all the time - manon is the worst about sunscreen.

Face shape: roundish

Distinguishing facial features: manon has a pretty animated face - she's expressive but she can also go cold real fast and has a stare that can kill a man when she's pissed.

Hair color: blonde

Usual hair style: long and wavy/messy.

Eye color: blue

Glasses? Contacts?: both

Style of dress/typical outfit(s): pretty casual mom gear but she likes to knock elijah on his ass when they manage to go out.

Typical style of shoes: anything she can chase after sebastian in.

Grooming: clean and showered always but she's not much for makeup or primping but again: she likes to knock elijah on his ass now and then.

Jewelry? Tattoos? Piercings?: her wedding ring every day but not much otherwise. she has pierced ears and briefly had a pierced nose in her early twenties but that's long gone.

Accent?: french af

Athletic?: she goes for a run whenever sebastian is at school or a playdate.

INTELLECT

Level of education: secondary school but she skipped university - no one in her family ever went and she always had the boat business to work in. so she went until she was eighteen and started working and she's just fine with it.

Level of self esteem: pretty good but she can be sensitive about weird things

Gifts/talents: manon is a hell of a mom and she's proud of that. she works to make people feel wanted and welcome - warm. she's a warm person and tries to be generous. she's also got a million and one stories from traveling and working the boats and loves to tell them.

Shortcomings: manon is stubborn as an old goddamn mule.

Style of speech: english is absolutely her second language and while her accent isn't as thick as it used to be, she absolutely still has one and it's apparent. she can be a little tricky to understand at first but once you get the hang of it, it's not too hard to figure out what she's saying. and then there are the times she pretends to not understand english to avoid unwanted conversations.

Artistic?: she tries to be crafty with sebastian but it's hit or miss.

Mathematical?: not especially

Makes decisions based mostly on emotions, or on logic?: emotions

Neuroses: she's a little anxious about getting pregnant again and it's leading to her being a little more sensitive than usual about stuff and things.

Life philosophy: like just be good and do good okay?

Religious stance: catholic and a little superstitious about it - sebastian was baptized and even if she doesn't go every sunday, she'll still haul the whole gang in if there's something that needs praying over.

Cautious or daring?: daring.

Most sensitive about/vulnerable to: ohhhh it's a list. parenting and motherhood in general (she once mentioned that she had a glass of wine while pregnant and nearly got kicked out of mommy and me class), sebastian, elijah, the status of her tomatoes - manon is sensitive about a lot of random shit and gets emotional easily.

Optimist or pessimist?: optimist

Extrovert or introvert?: extrovert

Level of comfort with technology: comfortable enough

RELATIONSHIPS

Current marital/relationship status: hella married

Sexual orientation: heterosexual

Past relationships: a few when she was in school and while bopping around but she's been with elijah for a good long time.

Primary reason for being broken up with: not taking it seriously enough.

Primary reasons for breaking up with people: taking it too seriously.

A social person?: very.

Most comfortable around: elijah

Oldest friend: her sister lili

How does she think others perceive her?: manon doesn't particularly care as long as people like her and treat her nicely.

How do others actually perceive her?: generally pretty nice if a little air headed

VOCATION

Profession: stay at home mom

Past occupations: secretary for the family tour boat business

Attitude towards current job: it's the dream

Attitude towards current coworkers, bosses, employees: he's okay but she could do without the sass.

Salary: nah.

SECRETS

Phobias: the day sebastian wakes up and doesn't want to hang out with her anymore.

Life goals: as long as she lives a good life with elijah and raises sebastian right, she'll be happy.

Dreams: she'd really love to have more children.

Greatest fears: something happening to elijah or sebastian

Most ashamed of: sometimes the other moms make her feel like she should be more educated or brighter and she knows that it doesn't matter and /yet/.

Hobbies: mom stuff and gardening. she's also real good at swimming and sailing but those aren't really daily activities.

Secret skills: manon insists upon having a boating license wherever she lives, even if she doesn't have access to a boat. never know when you'll need it.

Past sexual transgressions: nah.

Crimes committed: nah

What she most wants to change about her current life: she'd really like to pregnant but that does not seem to be in the current cards.

What she most wants to change about her physical appearance: nah.

DETAILS/QUIRKS

Daily routine: up when sebastian is up, make breakfast (manon really likes cooking but especially breakfast), hang out with sebastian and do errands while he's at preschool, various stuff and things, family time, bedtime, hanging out with elijah after bedtime.

Night owl or early bird?: early bird

Light or heavy sleeper?: light

Favorite food: breakfast. manon loves american breakfast so damn much.

Favorite book: le petit prince - sebastian isn't quite old enough for it yet and she can't wait until he is.

Favorite movie: manon thinks stepbrothers is the single greatest film of our time. she likes comedies - anything too serious makes her antsy.

Favorite song: "landslide" by fleetwood mac

Coffee or tea?: coffee

Type of car she drives: a small suv - very momly.

Lefty or righty?: lefty

Favorite color: blue

Cusser?: yes but only in french - she figures it's better if sebastian repeats it and no one understands him than if she does it in english.

Smoker? Drinker? Drug user?: #winemom

Pets?: a doG!

[l0veforeyes]

“I believe in manicures. I believe in overdressing. I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick 💄 . . . . . . . . . . #mua #muasupport #viral #makeuptutorial #makeuplooks #eyeliner #eyeshadow #makeuplover #makeupideas #eyeshadowlooks #photography #photooftheday #photoshoot #pakistani #pakistaniwedding #blogger #followforfollowback #sephora #mac #urbanphotography #urbandecaycosmetics #pakistanijewellery #trandingoutfits #traditionalart #indiaphotography (at Lake Ridge, Virginia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAzVVOYBs5W/?igshid=wjelagjyyxok

[travelersdiary-blog1]

21 things not to forget when packing for your vacation

Heading to the Sahara without a hat? Up the creek without a paddle? Avoid a vacation disaster with our travel checklist and packing tips. With your flights and hotel booked, the luggage is the last thing stopping you from that great holiday. We know it feels like a chore, but if you follow our expert packing tips you’ll never have to worry.

1. Make a list Ok, so it sounds a little boring, but idiot-proof lists are the gateway to a stress-free holiday. Separate your essentials from your desirables, and be realistic with your luggage limitations. If you need list inspiration – the following might be a good place to start…

2. Don’t forget the first aid kit We’re not asking you to prepare for ER, just a small bag with the most necessary pills and medicine you might need. After all, nobody wants to suffer a punishing headache, high-climate fever, upset stomach or all three during a holiday. It might be easy enough to pick up a domestic remedy for your ailments at home, but medicines in the country you are visiting may be limited to prescription only. The same goes for allergy meds and asthma remedies – bring them on board!

3. Limit your liquids We all know about it by now, and yet there’s still a mass confusion and hold-up when some chancer tries to sneak a bottle of water past airport security. Much to everybody’s chagrin, pan-European baggage restrictions state that all liquids carried in hand luggage must be no more than 100 ml per item, and must fit into one small and resealable transparent bag (usually available at the airport for a nominal fee). If you’re carrying anything larger, stow it with your checked-in suitcase.

4. Name tags are there to help Unless you’re an international man of mystery, you shouldn’t have to worry about travelling incognito. Most suitcases come with name tags fitted as standard, so be sure to fill them in just in case you – or the airline – lose your luggage!

5. Observe restrictions on baggage Overstuffing your suitcase is never a good idea. If your airline says: “23kg”, then they mean 23kg! Weigh your bags before you get to the airport and make sure you are within the restrictions, otherwise you’ll be forced to cough up extra cash at the airport or, even worse, have to say goodbye to that lovely hand-knitted cardigan your grandmother spent so long slaving over. We’ve all tried to squeeze that extra pair of pants in the already overstuffed suitcase, but the restrictions are there for a reason, and that reason is your safety. Which reminds us…

6. Save bag space for all your holiday purchases Whether it’s duty free goods or holiday mementos, it’s inevitable that you’ll be bringing more back home with you than when you left – so make sure you have room for it!

7. Skip the shoes The biggest and most frustrating item of luggage. How many pairs of shoes you should take is very much dependent on how long your vacation might be, but we’d suggest that three pairs is a reasonable average for a 1-2 week getaway. More important than volume is versatility, so make sure you’re not stuck hiking in stilettos by bringing a pair of shoes for every realistic occasion of your trip. Wear your most cumbersome pair on the plane – plus, stuff your socks in the rest – and you’ll save even more space.

8. Cosmetics – at a minimum! Unless you plan on travelling to a desert island, it’s likely that you’ll be able to pick up popular shampoo or sun lotion brands in almost any corner of the world. Fewer cosmetics also mean that you’ll be less likely to find an explosion of nondescript gooey liquids spoiling everything in your suitcase when you arrive at your destination. If you really can’t live without that special face cream, try to take only as much as you’ll need for your trip and nothing more. That way you can discard the empties and save extra luggage room for your trip back home.

9. Keep on rolling… This tip is certainly up for debate, but we think that rolling your clothes really is the only way to go. Not only will it reduce those pesky wrinkles and creases in your gear, it’ll save you some much needed suitcase space.

10. All valuables go in hand luggage It’s rare that airlines lose luggage these days, but why take the risk? Stay safe and stow all your expensive luxuries – from your camera to your diamond engagement ring – in hand luggage.

11. Don’t forget the adapters If you do need them, save on the crazy airport prices by buying them ahead of your trip.

12. Pack all-rounder fashions, not eccentric statement pieces You might want to pack that banana costume for your trip, but is it really necessary? Fancy dress or no, this is a question you should really ask yourself when pressed for suitcase space. Pack great all-rounder attire and a classy evening outfit, but leave those outlandish statement pieces for a night out at home.

13. Be delicate with your delicates If you have to pack any china plates or glass goods, wrapping them in bubble wrap or in-between clothes and putting them right in the middle of your case is safest way to make sure they arrive with you in one piece.

14. Categorise your clothes Pack clothes in groups: that means shirts with shirts, pants with with pants -it’s easier to find what you need and unpack on the other side.

15. Pack a mini closet in your hand luggage Not literally, of course, but it’s always a nice idea to add a clean set of underwear and a garment in your carry-on bag, in case of your luggage being lost in an aeroplane mix-up.

16. Don’t predict the weather – check it Depending on where you’re going, weather forecasts are either your holiday’s best friend or biggest foe. Come rain or shine, meteorologists will always give you the best idea of what weather to expect on your holiday. Check the day before you fly and pack accordingly, and save room for that trusty pac-a-mac or umbrella you hope you’ll never have to use.

17. No on-board manicure Tip for the well-groomed flyer: if you’re thinking about carrying a nail file, scissors, or any other sharp primping tool in your luggage – give up the idea! They are prohibited and airport workers will ask you to get rid of them.

18. The most necessary things go on top If you believe that a particular thing can be useful to you very soon (perhaps at the airport), for example, a jacket – put it on top. Very obvious advice, but perhaps it’s so obvious that you’d be bound to forget otherwise!

19. Towels? Towels! Yet another pesky space-filler you need to think long and hard about whether you actually need. Check ahead of time to see if your holiday accommodation will be providing them (they probably will) and pack accordingly.

20. Strip at airport security It’s unlikely you’ll be asked to strip down to your undergarments, but it’s possible that you’ll be asked to undress a bit as you go through to the terminal. This usually means taking shoes, belts and jackets off, and removing any jewellery or metal goods. Travelling with a laptop or tablet device? Be prepared to present your gadgets to the friendly security staff too.

21. Don’t leave home without the essentials This penultimate tip is a big one as, without these necessities, you won’t be heading anywhere but home: check and check again that you have your monies, a valid passport and – for the sake of your holiday companions – a toothbrush. Keep these all on hand and then you’ll be able to remember the most important thing…

Enjoy your vacation!

[loradmurphy]

Manchester’s Best Hen Party Activities

This post Manchester’s Best Hen Party Activities first appeared on The Wedding Community Blog

Manchester is cool, calm and collected (during the day…), boasting a huge amount of hen party activities. You won’t be short of naked men, dazzling drag queens and delicious cocktails. Lauren of Last Night of Freedom rounds up Manchester’s best activities for an unforgettable hen weekend.

Naked Chocolatier Party

This indulgent class boasts all the necessary elements to a sumptuous Manchester hen party; semi-naked men and chocolate.

The Naked Chocolatier Party involves audience participation (ooh err), as you’ll be mixing, piping, dipping and decorating your own mouthwatering truffles.

Of course, you’ll do all this alongside the Naked Chocolatiers. Your spectacular companions will give you tips and tricks for creating your masterpiece, whilst wearing a teeny tiny apron. You can even bring your own drinks which they’ll pour and serve for you. This is what dreams are made of.

The Birdcage Cabaret Show Entry

The Birdcage is a dazzling stage show of sequins, drag queens and feather boas.

Thought of as ‘a slice of Vegas in the heart of Manchester’, this swanky venue is a scene straight from an eccentric film. It’s spacious and impressive, turning into a fully-fledged nightclub after dark.

The cabaret show performances take place every 40 minutes, and your hen group will get reserved tickets for the unforgettable show. Get swept up in a heady whirlwind of the best drag queens in the north, along with the finest music.

MAC Makeover and Photoshoot

Primp, preen and perfect that look with our hugely popular MAC makeover and photoshoot.

You’ll feel seriously VIP under the care of an expert make-up artist, with bags of experience under her (very extravagant) belt. Whilst you are supremely taken care of, there’ll be a glass of bubbly to add to the decadence of your hen party.

Once you are ready, it’s time to step under the bright lights. The professional photographer will teach you insider tips to working the camera during your exciting mini photoshoot.

Murder Mystery Night

Immerse yourself in a whodunnit on this murder mystery Manchester hen weekend.

It’s the excitement of Cluedo, but in real life. Actors will perform a show, involving a climactic murder scene… and you’re all suspects. Evidence will be brought forward throughout the night, with a detective leading the intense investigation. Then all will be revealed at the end of the night… If your suspicions were correct, you may even win a prize too.

There are three different themes to choose from, ‘Hollywood Hen Night’, James Bond-inspired ‘Goldzimmer’ and ‘Death by Chocolate’. So, are you up to the challenge?

The Fitzgerald Tipsy Afternoon Tea Party

The Great Gatsby’s Manchester home (not literally…) is a dazzling venue to celebrate the bygone era of the 20s.

The Fitzgerald is a beautiful cocktail den, tucked away in the boho Northern Quarter. Although dedicated to the days of the Prohibition, this place has plenty of booze to keep you entertained on your hen do. In fact, you’ll enjoy a tipsy afternoon tea party – 1920s themed, of course – with two delicious cocktails each.

Amongst the crushed velvet, cut glassware and flickering candles, you can choose Moulin Rouge or The Great Gatsby to screen during the activity.

It’s a Knockout

Forget feeling utterly relaxed on your hen weekend, and prepare to fight for survival in an inflatable costume.

Based on the legendary BBC show, It’s a Knockout is an outrageous and hilarious hen activity involving the use of water, foam and those aforementioned inflatables, as well as native wit and cunning.

You’ll be attempting a range of challenges, including the Slippery Summit, Wacky Walters, Fools Gold and Penguin Pursuit, and there’ll even be an opposing team arranged. Not only that, but the costumes you’ll be wearing (and there will be costumes) are originals. It’s a knockout… it is now.

Guest post by Lauren Green of Last Night of Freedom

This post Manchester’s Best Hen Party Activities first appeared on The Wedding Community Blog

[brigitoshaughnessy]

MacGyver 1985 || Squeeze Play

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