#TOP 8 EXERCISES TO TRY AT HOME

[espionscribe]

The 8 Best At-Home Workout Routines

If you are someone who hates workouts and even yawns whenever the idea of a workout pops up in your mind, now is high time you should immediately need to consider your health. Workout has countless benefits and if executed correctly it can also save you money by disbursing off those extra bucks in the gym.

So, whether you are a gym person or not, or regardless of how short you are with time, you need to clear a space out in your living room and get started with shedding some extra kilos from your body and making your life better than usual.

Below we have shared the top 8 exercises to try at home which will not only help you to maintain your body shape but also your inner peace effortlessly. The below top 8 exercises to try at home can be scaled to anyone be it beginner, intermediate, or pro you are. So, with high spirits, energy & positivity let's begin this amazingly productive article.

1) Bridge

It helps you to strengthen your back and stretches your muscles from the chest, neck, and spine. This exercise also helps you to shed off the extra muscles from your back while making your back stronger.

2) Knee Pushups

This pose will help you with maintaining the balance of your upper body. This is the most common exercise to do when you can't do full pushups initially. The knee pushups will help you in building strength

3) Chair Squat

Squats are a very effective pair of exercises to strengthen your core and legs. It also makes your body movements easier. All you need to do is keep a chair behind you when you are doing chair squats.

4) Planks

Doing planks brings you too many benefits to be counted. It helps you to maintain posture, build core strength, improve flexibility, and even mental health. Planks also help you to improve body alignment and keep you safe from ailments.

5) Side-lying hip abduction

If you are a woman then this exercise is a boon to your body. Side-lying hip abduction helps in the prevention and treatment of knee pain. It also improves agility and helps you burn that extra side waist and hip fat.

6) Dead bug

This exercise plays an important role in opposite arms & legs limb movement. It also improves lumbopelvic stability and along with that, it is very effective in improving breathing patterns in your body.

7) Superman

The name might sound funny but the exercise is very effective when you are looking for improving the stability of your spine, and boost athletic performance. This also reduces back pain & improves posture.

8) Get-up squat

Every exercise we have mentioned above is either strengthening you or improving your body in varieties of ways. Get-up squat is also one of them when is intended to strengthen your skeleton, spine, and lower body muscles. As you'll grow older you might feel less elasticity in your muscles, ligaments & tendons but doing regular get-up squats will help you slow down this process.

Wrapping up

There is no denying that exercise cures many ailments and even prevents many from getting contracted. Workout doesn't only help you maintain your body weight and stay fit but it also makes your skin shine and look younger. So, why you are refraining your body from imbibing this many health benefits, try the workout from today itself and see what magic this brings in your body & life eventually.

[anonymusbosch]

on wanting to do a million things

prompted by @bloodshack 's

i wanna learn SQL but i wanna learn haskell but i wanna learn statistics but i wanna start a degree in macroeconomics also sociology also library science but i wanna learn norwegian but i wanna learn mandarin but i wanna paint but i wanna do pottery but i wanna get better at woodworking but i wanna get better at cooking but i wanna bake one of those cakes that's just 11 crepes stacked on top of each other but i wanna watch more movies but i wanna listen to more podcast episodes but i need to rest but i need to exercise but i wanna play with my dog but i wanna go shopping but i need to go grocery shopping but i need to do the dishes but i need to do laundry but i need to buy a new x y and z but i need to save money but i wanna give all my money away to people who need it more but i wanna pivot my career to book editing but to do that i have to read more and i wanna read more nonfiction but i wanna read more novels but i wanna get better at meditating but i wanna volunteer but i wanna plan a party but i wanna go to law school. but what im gonna do is watch a dumbass youtube video and go to bed

I think I've been doing slightly better this year about Actually Doing Things. not great! but I do a lot and I've been "prototyping" ways to get closer to doing as much as is possible. and if I actually talk about it it's a bunch of very obvious statements but I'll try to make them a little more concrete

rule number one: experiment on yourself

there's no one approach that's right for everyone and there's not even one approach for me that works at all times. try things out. see what works. pay attention to what doesn't. try something else.

rule number two: ask what's stopping you and then take it seriously

example: I often want to do Everything in the evening at like 2 PM, but then get home and am tempted sorely by the couch, and then get stuck inertia'd and not doing much but being tired and kind of bored. why?

if I don't have plans, it's easy to leave work later than planned and hard to make myself do something by a specific time

i'm generally tiredish after work. 4 out of 5 times, that'll go away if I actually start Doing Something, but 1 out of 5 it's real and I will go hardcore sleepmode at 8 PM and just be Done

i use up a ton of my program management/executive function/Deciding Things brain at work and usually find it noticeably harder to string together "want to do Thing > make list of Things > decide on a Thing > do Thing" after I'm home. Even if I have a list of Things to Do, how does one decide! how does one start! and god forbid there's a Necessary thing. then it's all downhill

therefore, mitigations: have concrete time-specific plans in advance.

if I have an art class at 6:00 PM I need to leave work by 5:15 and NO LATER and I can't get sucked into "oh 10 more minutes to finish this" *one hour later*

that also means I have to have a fridge or freezer dinner ready and can't spend 45 minutes cooking "fuck it, what the hell did I put in the fridge, why don't we have soy sauce" evil meal that is not good

plans with friends: dinner! art night! music night! repair-your-clothes night! seeing a show! occasionally, Accountability Time where a friend comes over for We Are Doing Tasks with tea and snacks etc.

for some reason I'm way better about Actually Doing Things when the plan exists already. magically I overcome couch inertia even though I am the same amount of tired! and while I never learn the ability to decouch without plans I at least learn to make them

still working on:

a "prototype" for maybe next month is a weeklyish Study Session for a thing I want to learn about. I want to somehow make it employer-proof (I am accountable to some entity to being at place X at time Y) and haven't figured out a good way. Maybe I can leverage that the local library is open til 8 on wednesdays and somehow make it a Thing? maybe I'll try it!

oh god oh fuck the thing about plans is that if you want to have them you need to make them. christ. a lot of the time I can cover this with some combo of weekend planning + recurring events (things like weekly friend dinner/weekly class) + having cool friends who reach out proactively but it still requires active planning and it can fall thru the cracks

rule three: cool friends

they can take you to things

they can remind you that you can do whatever the fuck you please

i have a friend who is somehow Always doing cool classes and learning shit. and this reminds me that I can ... do that. and sometimes I do

you can take them to things!!

rule four: try to kill the anon hate in your head

obv this depends on your circumstance but sometimes it's worth it to me to look at constraints that "feel real" and check whether they're an active choice I made thoughtfully or, like, the specters of people I don't know judging my choices

time and money are obvious ones. recently was gently nudged towards looking at whether i could give myself more time to Do Things by cooking less. imaginary specters of judgmental twitterites: "it's illegal to spend money. if you get takeout you're the first up against the wall when the revoution comes. make all your lunches and dinners and hoard the money for Later. for Something. how dare you get lunch at the store. you bourgeois hoe. taking charity donations from the mouths of the poor cause you don't have your life together enough to cook artisanal bespoke dinners every night. fuck you." and obviously eating takeout 24/7 is not the answer, but realizing I was not making an active choice helped me try making the active choice instead. "how much do I actually want to balance cost, time, tastiness, and wastefulness of my food, given my amount of free time and my salary and the tradeoff against doing something else? can I approach it differently to do more quick cheap food + some takeout?" -> current prototype: substitute in 1 takeout dinner or restaurant-with-friends a week, 1 frozen type dinner, and then batch cook or sandwiches lunches w/ "permission" to get fast lunch at the store. we'll see how it goes!

i am really really bad at this and find it helpful to talk to other people who can help point out when I'm being haunted by ghosts about it.

rule five: what would it take? what's the next step?

this one i give a lot of credit to @adiantum-sporophyte in particular for, especially for prompting me with questions when I muse about the million-ideal-lives on car rides. what would it look like to do xyz? what's something I could do right now to move in that direction? what's the obstacle? like, actually ask the question and think through it. with a person talking to you! damn! maybe the obstacle to x is that I don't know if I'll like it or if I just like the idea of it. and I don't want to commit to x without knowing. Okay, so maybe an approach would be to find someone who does x and talk to them about how their life is, or maybe it's "spend 15 minutes looking up intro-to-x near me", or "actively schedule 1 instance of x", or something like that. Or maybe it's that I don't know what it takes to do x. Okay, how about on Tues after dinner Adiantum fixes a sweater at my apartment while I spend 20 min looking at prereqs for x. like, it's so basic to say "to do a thing, you could try figuring out how to do it" but I think the important thing here is the feedback/prompting to even recognize "hey, step back, if you don't know the next step then figuring out the next step is the next step"

rule six: habits

prototyping: exercise

I do a lot better when I exercise in the mornings. I do a lot better when I do PT exercises regularly. For a while I was doing PT with friend in the morning every morning before work (accountability! a friendly face to make it more pleasant!) but that didn't really solve - it's not the kind of exercise that makes me feel awake/active, it's like dumb little foot botherings. but: having the habit of morning exercise made it easier to swap out 2 of the 5 days for more intense exercise, and then to swap those 2 for a different more intense exercise when I needed a break. it's easier to build a low-effort version of the habit and then work in the higher-effort one than to just Decide to be the kind of person who gets up at ass o clock to do cardio or whatever

rule seven: set up the structure of your life to make it easy

this is also a "duh" thing but like. on so many levels it comes down to structure your life to make the choice more doable. this can be something like "i structure my life to make vegetarian cooking baseline and vegan cooking the majority by stocking the pantry with staples and spices from cuisines that work well that way" or "i chose an apartment that lets me commute by bike" or "i have my camping gear put away in a fashion that makes it easier to gather frequently and lowers the barrier to trips" or "i keep physical books around to prompt myself to read xyz" to "i don't use instagram or twitter or snapchat or facebook" to . idk.

and in terms of charitable giving: similar deal. I have an explicit budget at the beginning of the year (~10% of my before-tax income), I know in advance what charities I give to, and I know what timing I will use (basically, alerts for donation matching around specific fundraising times). Anything outside the Plan comes from my discretionary budget/fun money. That makes it less of a mental load (the choice is already made; I don't grapple with every donation request or every bleeding-heart trap because I have a very solid anchor on "I give to xyz, the money's set aside") and it's armor against impulsive-but-not-useful scrupulosity. I structure the rest of my spending/life to prioritize a set amount and it makes it easier to follow through

rule eight: if you can do it at work a tiny bit that counts for real life

(infrequently used)

"hi mr. manager I think it would be great if I could use enough SQL to make basic queries in the database so we don't have to go through the software team for common/basic questions. I'd like to take 1 hr on Friday to go through some basic tutorials and then 1 hr with Pat on Monday so he can walk me through an intro for our specific use case. I estimate this will help save the team a couple hours a week of waiting for answers from the other team." and then you have enough of a handle with baby's first SQL that you can add little bits and bobs as you exercise it. this is responsible for a medium amount of my knowledge of python and all 3 brain cells worth of SQL.

rule nine: life is an optimization problem

not in, like, "you need to optimize your skincare and career and exercise and social life and have everything all at once" that's not what optimization means. optimization is like, maximize something with respect to a set of constraints. i explicitly Do Not do skincare beyond "wash face" and "sunscreen" bc I want to optimize my life for like looking at weird plants in the mountains. explicitly choosing to put time and money elsewhere! can't have it all all at once. so fuck them pores. who give a shit. yeah i ate a lot of protein shakes instead of home cooked breakfasts this week bc i was prioritizing morning exercise. im looking at this beautiful bug and it doesn't know what fashion is or what my resume looks like. im holding a lizard. im not spending time on picking cool clothes or whatever bc i spent that time looking up lizard hotspots on purpose.

that's really long and probably mostly, like, not surprising? but i keep benefiting from ppl being like "hey have you considered Obvious Thing" framed very gently

[virgo-barbie]

bimbo starter kit ✨💖

it can take a while for a bimbo to feel comfortable with cosmetic procedures, or even just to secure the necessary finances to take the next step in her journey! here are a list of things you can start on right away while you figure out the rest.

1. exercise! a bimbo's body is her best weapon. try to aim for a couple times a week at least. if you don't like running, try pilates, yoga, dance, anything. it's just important that you feel connected to your body in some way.

2. spray tans! for me, this really amps up my sex appeal. my skin has a golden hue that a spray tan really brings out. if i don't have time to go get professionally tanned biweekly, i'll use a tanning mousse instead. it gives a similar effect, but the spray tan is a bit more realistic.

3. manicure and pedicure! what is a bimbo without her claws? i personally love having acrylic nails. i don't have them right now because i can't have acrylics when i go in for my breast augmentation, but i almost always do otherwise. i like barbie pink or long white claws. both are very feminine and look great wrapped around the base of a cock or squeezing a beautiful boobie! having your toes done is also important - nobody wants to suck on and lick mangled feet, and you need to be prepared to be worshipped at any point in time.

4.new clothes! i literally threw everything out and started fresh with a wardrobe of basics. 5 pairs of tiny short shorts, about 20 basic tops in pink, white, and black. I am working my way up towards more exciting statement pieces and building up my shoe and purse collection, but this all takes time. In the meantime, you need clothes that look good on your body and show off your best assets. after my breast augmentation, i will be getting a bunch of new clothes from brands like skims, alo, for love & lemons, etc. for my more bimboish pieces, i kind of just shop around, but i think it's important to have a ton of basic pieces so you can create endless outfits. the mini skirts, fur coats and heels can come later - once you have things to wear them with that make you look super stylish and more importantly... show off your body.

5. get your hair done professionally! most bimbos like to be blonde (myself included) and unless you're already blonde to start with, i see absolutely no reason you should do this at home. save up some money and find a hair stylist in your town who specializes in blonde hair. you won't regret it, and there's nothing bimbo about having crusty, fried hair. if you're not certain if blonde is the best route for you (it probably is), ask a stylist! pink also looks adorable on bimbos with a more cutesy y2k style. a good haircut with some face framing layers can also completely change your whole look.

6. whiten your teeth! invest in a whitening foam and tray, or just use strips. i've had a similar effect with both.

7. get good with fake eyelashes! they elevate any makeup look from fresh to sexy. once you've had lip filler, lip gloss and lipstick will also become your new best friend.

8. silly little accessories! may i suggest a pink lollipop or bubblegum? this will help keep the attention on your perfect little mouth all day and will also give you something cute to distract yourself with while you fantasize about being used out in public.

[ixhika-jsx]

𝖼𝖼::⌗ -⌗𝖼𝖼:: ?? ⌗ -⌗

Top Secrets of Straight-A Students by Bullet Journals

Scrolling away from this post just proves you being an average student....go on scroll away you are doing good by decreasing competition. 🫶🏻😽

1.) They get to class early. Getting to class early gives you time to be prepared and ready to study. Review your notes from the day before, lay out all your supplies (notebook, water bottle, pens, etc). You can also ask the teacher any questions you had about the material.

2.) They get ahead. The second they get an assignment, no matter when it is due, they do it. This is so so helpful. Do NOT procrastinate. You just end up being exhausted and tired. It's not worth it. You might as well finish once you get it. Life will be so easy, believe me.

3.) They have an organized schedule. They figure out a schedule that works for them. They make sure to include time for extracurriculars, breaks, meal times, etc. Try to map out EVERY SINGLE MINUTE of your day.

4.) They prepare. They lay out their clothes for the next day, they finish their homework early, they even plan out what they will have for their meals for the next few weeks and what exercises theyt will be doing.

5.) They enjoy learning and want to learn. They aren't just there because they have to be. They have ajust there because they have to be. They have a strong desire to learn. When you want to learn (even if you fake it) you usually do better on exams and papers.

6.) Everything is organized. Their desk has nothing on it but their Mac, their pens are neatly on the shelf in small cups, they make their beds the second they get out of bed. They have a filing system, so the second they get papers back they put them in the files. When everything of yours has a home it's a lot easier to study and be productive.

7.) They treat school like their job. They may have other part-time jobs, but they know that school is their main focus, and it should therefore be treated as a job. Not wanting to be fired from your job corresponds with not wanting to fail your classes. They therefore work as hard as they can and try to "impress" the boss.

8.) They give it everything they have. They are dedicated, have goals, and know what they want. They don't want to "just get through high school/college." They want to learn, they want to become successful, and most are even aiming for goals such as valedictorian. They won't accept B's or C's. (Please note that while it is very good to have high standards. getting a lower grade once in awhilehigh standards, getting a lower grade once in awhile isn't that big of a deal!!!)

9.) They keep themselves happy and healthy. They take well deserved breaks (only when everything is done), they have "off" days, they get enough SLEEP and WATER, and they keep themselves fit doing yoga, running, cardio, etc.

10) They don't mind helping other people. They don't turn a blind eye to people who need help. Instead they use it as a teaching experience, and help the student through the problem or whatever they need help with. Teaching people is super helpful. I sometimes write on my whiteboard and pretend that I am teaching an imaginary (I'm such a loser but it helps;).

[annoyingkenku]

So, you know how we can become insanely strong with training and exercise? Sometimes with our muscles getting so big and dense that they tear through our skin(it's a biggggg ouchie and hard to deal with) imagine being on a station and a four armed extremely muscled alien walks into one of us ripped humans exercising easily with weights their species biggest members would struggle with.

A: *walks into the gym hearing a weight trainer groan under the strain of almost every single weight the gym has piled on top of it, fully expecting to see one of his species under it*

A:*sees a human?!? * w-what... Stars..... WAIT HOW?!

H: oh! Hi A how ya doing? *legs shaking under the weights trying to crush them into the floor and ignoring the adjustable grav sensors screaming with danger errors*

A: I am okay H... But I need to know what unholy stimulant combination you took that convinced you to try doing this.

H: what? What you mean stimulants *mid squat* I'm working out and this was the only thing that actually gave me a challenge.

A: A CHALLENGE?! H! The strongest of my species wouldn't be able to lift what you are lifting without ingesting enough stimulants to kill 8 derups!

H: yea a challenge, the grav sensors won't let me turn them up to earth gravity and the weights here are a hell of a lot lighter than at home. Honestly most of the challenge was disabling the error system so I can turn the grav sensors as high as they will go.

A: *does a high pitched squeak that he wasn't sure his species could even do* ʸᵒᵘ ʷʰᵃᵗ, H I am really concerned right now. Your home gravity is higher than the grav sensors max output.... Wait fuck you DISABLED the safety mechanisms too... How did your people get off world with the gravity like that, how are you managing to lift all that..... HOW?!

H: uhhhhhh dude... You all right? And in order of your questions, we strapped ourselves to chemically propelled rockets at first wearing what amounted to bags of our atmo so we could breathe, that has been sorted out a longgggg time ago now and I'm lifting all of this for a few reasons, 1 I need to work out to stay in shape, 2 our bodies evolved under high grav pressure so we are really strong even when not training as our bones, muscles and tendons are very dense and efficient so we can move around earth grav with as little energy expenditure as possible. And as for your third question *stands up grunting with the effort and racks the weights* SPITE!

A: spite? What is that?

H: basically weaponised anger. Out of spite for being really light and that terask looking fucker in cantina 4 saying I won't be able to beat him in a fight. I am GOING to beat him.

A: ..... I really don't understand you humans

H: that's fine we don't really understand you lot either... Anyway wanna go freak the others out with our tolerance for spice?

A: yes that sounds fun but please don't make me eat your horror story of concentrated poison again.... Wait you do know spice is considered a poison by the rest of the galaxy right?

H: .... Huh.... That does explain things....

A: what?

H: never mind come on let's get going *switches off the grav sensors and throws the weights back into their racks perfectly*

A:*stunned and respectful*

[snapthistiger]

exercise 02122025

bike ride to the gym / raining

worked lifeguard job 445a to 1030a

8 x 10 incline sit ups

3 x 10 pec machine

3 x 10 lat raise

3 x 10 low row

30 minutes on the step mill

picked up lunch at McD on my way home

the gym workers received Hershey kisses

work went well. only a few swimmers until the 830a water aerobic class. some light cleaning throughout the morning

top = flowers blooming in the gym parking lot. spring coming soon??

bottom = blood pressure check at my doctor's office

my doctor's office is changing to a new record keeping system. the clerks had trouble printing a receipt for my copay but they managed to succeed. the doctor told me they have been on the new system since October 2024. the new system allowed the doctor's office to receive notification of my pneumonia vaccination at Kroger on January 18. that was cool. at my annual physical in August 2024, my doctor suggested that he could change my blood pressure medication so it didn't have the diuretic. i asked him to hold off on that but today i asked if we could try that and he agreed so when i get a refill there will be no diuretic in my medication. also, the doctor said i am due for another colonoscopy so i will be getting a phone call to schedule that procedure

hope you have a peaceful afternoon and evening..

[burins]

@mengyao and @bao3bei4 did a 20 questions meme and y'all know I love a meme.

1. How many works on AO3?

72! a wild number. I thought about stopping at 69 but the lure of posting is too great.

2. Total word count on AO3?

334,157. which frankly also feels surreal. at some point I have to recognize that I've been in fandom for almost 15 years and thus have amassed a pretty substantial word count despite almost never writing longfic!

3. Top five fics by kudos?

unfurl

mission parameters

everybody says

flash in the pan 

field research 

shocking no one, these are all DC fics, but they're not all the ones I would assume would be the most popular (field research is straight up sex club idfic porn!) I try very hard not to write with a capital-A audience in the back of my head aside from like, a handful of friends I know will yell at me about certain lines because a) that's a surefire way for writing to not be fun anymore and b) you simply can't know what is gonna get recced on some massive server you've never heard of and what is going to be the sleeper fave of like five really dedicated commenters.

this wasn't asked but it feels important: as of right now 666 people are subscribed to me. great number everyone can pack up and go home!

4. What fandoms do you primarily write for?

DC at this point, aside from my yearly excursion back into Friends at the Table for the Secret Samol exchange. I have to be careful enough with how and when I write that I don't know when I'll be able to answer the call of a new fandom. I'd like to write more HxH stuff, though! 

5. Do you respond to comments?

if it's a substantial comment I really try to! comments bring me a tremendous amount of joy and I love to talk about my own writing (clearly.) I usually do in batches so it takes quite a while.

6. Angstiest ending?

one time I wrote a fic where one half of the pairing asked her wife to murder her, and her wife did <3 

7. Fic with the happiest ending?

god. I feel like I so rarely write a completely uncomplicated happy ending, because all the characters I like to write are kind of miserable people. actually if we're not counting fluff or porn, which don't so much have a happy ending as start there and stay there, the answer to this one in terms of biggest distance from beginning to end is breath hot blood red. this is the fic where Bruce makes a deal with a Creature and reaps the consequences. you might think a fic with these particular tags could not possibly have a happy ending but it does! I think Bruce setting aside the cowl is actually the happiest ending he is ever going to get. I really waffled on whether to give him one tbh. in an alternate universe Dick dies on that rooftop and Batman eats Bruce alive :)

8. Do you get hate?

not particularly! I was worried when I started posting jaydick but tbh I've gotten weirder comments about how I characterize superbat lol. sorry I do not believe that two men with this many neuroses are always nice to each other. I'm including Clark in that too if you think that man escaped growing up an alien in small town Kansas with no psychological damage in how he treats himself and others I don't know what to tell you. yes he's superman yes self sacrifice and caring are at the very core of his being and yes that causes problems! it is difficult to be in love with someone who will always put the world's needs above your own even if you know they're right to do so; it's also difficult, in a very mundane way, to be in love with someone who would rather chew their own arm off than ask for something.

9. Do you write smut?

do I ever! I love writing porn. I think it's a great way to get at the root of how characters relate to each other and a fun writing exercise for me, who at this point has written a lot of porn, to figure out how to make this one feel fresh and new and also still be hot. sometimes when this happens you wind up writing chair kink. I can talk about character relationships all day long but at the end of the day it has to be hot!

10. Do you write crossovers?

aside from my one mdzs locked tomb au, which is more of a sci fi fusion that riffs off of one specific premise in that series, no! it's not usually something I'm super interested in - the reason I write fic for any canon is the juice in the existing character relationships, so I don't generally feel the need to pull in anyone else. 

11. Ever had a fic stolen?

not to my knowledge! I mean I'm sure they've all been scraped but. :(

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

yes! itsuki_minatsu did a Mandarin translation of take a pic, strike a pose and I only wish I could read it because I bet the translations of the group chat are really funny. 

13. Have you ever co-written a fic?

also yes! not in years though. I cowrote an ungodly amount of porn about ttrpg OCS in the process of getting together with my spouse (and also meeting many beloved friends.) I do often get inspiration from riffing off of things with friends on social media or in group chats, which has some of the same juice to me!

14. All time favorite ship?

truly not a question I can answer. I go back and read for a lot of old fandoms!

15. WiPs you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

this is a bit of a depressing question at this juncture so I am skipping it ✌️

16. Writing strengths?

due to my years in the Twitter mines making my friends sad via 140 characters or less I can create atmosphere quite quickly! I'm proud of my prose in general, and I put a lot of thought into creating meaty characters that bounce off each other in satisfying ways.

17. Writing weaknesses?

plot. oh my god. you want me to keep track of these people's emotions AND make up things to happen? there's a reason I've written a grand total of five fics that broke 10k and it's not just because I have chronic pain in my arms.

18. Thoughts on mixed language dialogue?

I know enough about how being multilingual works to know I won't be attempting it. The exception is I don't tend to translate titles or words that normally wouldn't be translated in an English sentence. I'm not out here making Lan Wangji play the zither.

I did have to go kind of the opposite direction in from the inside of the wound when Clark and Kara are speaking in Kryptonian, though, because a) I wanted their conversation to be entirely in Kryptonian but English for the reader because b) I can't be going into the conlang mines. I have utmost respect for folks like blorb-el who are out here doing the work! but once I cross that Rubicon I never come back and I need to save my language learning juice for languages that will help me out at work. I think I managed it with a minimum of awkwardness!

19. First fandom you wrote for?

warrior cats baybee! I was a proboards forum kid.

20. Favorite fic you’ve ever written?

impossible question, I answer it differently every time. I think how cleanly how quietly might be one of my faves because Tim has historically been difficult for me to write and I wanted to make Bruce an unreliable narrator who's clearly in the wrong here while still making him not totally unsympathetic. (the comments section to that one kind of bears up my suspicion that your reaction to that fic is a litmus test for how you feel about your dad.) also I got to throw in a ton of Easter eggs which was simply so fun for me, a person who adores coming up with silly little details. 

also tbh I think every year I do a secret Samol it comes out better than the last. some of my absolute best writing has been read by several dozen very dedicated people who are still into hieron six years after it ended. and for that I say thank you!!! friends at the table is your favorite writer's favorite writing. they're starting a new season now you can get in on the ground floor- 

tagging: if you want to do this, you should tag me in it. for real, I mean that, I want to hear how you think about writing! even if we aren't mutuals!!!!

[shannendoherty-fans]

January 1988 - Shannen by Teke for 'Teen magazine, vol. 32, num. 1.

Shannen Doherty. Showing her superstar stuff.

Come along with us as we get the inside scoop on celeb beauty Shannen Doherty! We'll fill you in on all she does to keep herself superstar beautiful (and busy)!

Shannen Doherty gets top ratings as Kris Witherspoon on NBC's "Our House." But she doesn't hold back when it comes to mixing beauty with business! Read on to find out more about this rising young star and learn her super beauty secrets as well!

Shannen's acting career began when she was 8. She and her brother Sean were watching auditions for a community church play. Encouraged to jump up and give it a try, Shannen and her brother instantly felt at ease on stage. Each won leading roles in the play Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Sean was the good prince and Shannen was Sneezy!

"A local newspaper photographer saw us and encouraged us to call an agent he knew. My mom was against the idea at first, so we didn't call for a long time," the dark-haired teen says.

After two years, however, Shannen's mother realized that her children were determined to follow their dream. "She dug out the buness card she had tucked away. The next thing I knew I was getting acting jobs!" Shannen recalls. And this talented young star has been hard at work ever since. She had a role on TV's "Little House on the Prairie" for some years, as well as Drusilla Shannon on "Father Murphy."

[Being outdoors makes Shannen feel special! Get a picture perfect look too with: Oil-Free Makeup, Bare Blusher, Thick'n Healthy Mascara, Shadow'n Line Eyekit, Silksticks Lipstick, all from Coty. Cambridge Dry Goods outfit.]

Since Shannen's constantly on the go, she has to work hard at fitting in a proper beauty schedule.

"With the kind of hectic shedule I've got now, it's important to set aside time for a little pampering, and of course, a good workout," she says.

Despite the fact that she frequently works a 10-hour day, Shannen insists on exercising each night. "I get home after dark during the week so I work out to an aerobic tape,"she says. "When the weekend rolls around, I'm up bright and early and can't wait to get outside!"

[Working out is a top priority for this teen. Body design by Glida Marx outfit.]

Shannen heads to the beach for relaxation whenever she can. "I love being anywhere outdoors, but the beach is truly one of my favorite places!" she exclaims. This teen enjoys a quiet walk on the sand, listening to the waves crash and smelling the cool salt air. "It's a place where all my worries and pressures wash away. My private moment!"

Come Saturday morning, you'll catch this fast-forward gal packing up her two golden retrievers, Crazy Clancey Moldune and Silly Sally, and heading on over to the riding stables. "I have a great love for horses! Rigind English has been a favourite hobby of mine for years, and I know I'll be riding for a long time to come," Shannen exclaims. In the future she plans to open up a thoroughbred breeding farm where she can own and raise her own horses.

[Shannen enjoys e moment with her dogs. Cambridge Dry Goods outfit.]

Along with her love for animals comes a passion for anything athletic. This teen celebrity likes bicycling, swimming, racquetball, tennis, soccer, football, and golf to name just a few! "You name the game and I love it!" Shannen laughs.

Shannen knows that practicing in a dusty riding ring and working under hot studio lights can be hard on delicate skin. "I wash my face twice a day and follow up with an astrigent and a light moisturizer," Shannen tells 'Teen.

[Shannen and Indiana Jones take a quick break in the shade. Cherokee outfit. Neccessories by Mindy Lubell scarf.]

She's a firm believer that beautiful skin comes from what you put inside your body as well as how you care for it outside. "I watch my diet closely. As the old saying goes, 'what you eat today, you wear tomorrow.' That's definitely true for me!"

Shannen loves salads, fruits, and vegetables, especially pineapple and watermelon. "I try not to eat junk food or greasy fried foods," she says. "As soon as I pick up something bad for me... candy bars or chips... there goes my complexion!" she laughs. "And the makeup artists on the set can see it in a second!"

[Show business is a lot of hard work, but Shannen loves it! Ivy outfit.]

From the begining of her acting career, Shannen Doherty has worked closely with some of the top makeup artists in the industry. From them she was able to learn some inside tricks of the trade.

But makeup know-how isn't the only behind-the-scenes skill this young actress wants to master! She is actively trying to learn all angles of her profession. "I'm always behind our director, watching what he's doing and asking lots of questions," she says. "I'm learning about lightning, camera angles, and about the theory behind it all."

The idea of being in charge and having the ability to change what she doesn't like about a script or setting is fascinating to Shannen.

[Being a good jumper takes a lotof practice, so Shannen and Winter go the rounds one more time! Photographed at Far West Farms, Calabasas, Calif. Penny Kinnally/trainer.]

Also interested in the "total picture," Shannen is currently working on a project in wich she will be the producer. Not a bad start for a 16-year-old!

"I believe I'll be able to evolve more as an actress by learning every aspect of show business. It's important to constantly be learning new things."

Learning is what she'll be doing a lot of in the next few years! After high school graduation, Shannen plans to attend University of Southern California Film School. "I'm excited about my future, there's so many things I want to do!" she exclaims.

With brains and beauty on her side, there's no telling how high this young star will reach some day!

PHOTOGRAPHY/TEKE. MAKEUP ARTIST/RHONDA HOVATER. HAIRSTYLIST/SHARON LEVIN OF TRESSIERS, ENCINO, CALIF.

-

Thank you to my sister @tina-aumont for buying the magazine and scan it for me!

[billdecker]

so yesterday i left the grounds of my flat for the first time since march and stuff happened...

my dentist on the edge of the town centre and is across the road from the town's biggest supermarket, a high school, and the town college so the traffic was mayhem. i was anxiety ridden anyway because of my agoraphobia, general the world outside being Too Much, and my dentist phobia, but being late on top of that sent me to the edge of meltdown. I think it shows that I am very slowly progressing because not too long ago I would've just lost my mind and not be able to go through with the appointment.

got there right on time. bossed my appointment. I still have loads of work to have done but my dentist gave me a good report and said I just need to be more confident brushing my teeth. so I was feeling Very Happy with myself and went to sit in the reception area while my partner sorted out my prescription and next appointment. he helps me to sit down, makes sure I'm calm, and then heads down to the other end of the room. the reception is empty except for me, two women and two kids (age around 14 and 8/9).

the youngest kid then says to her mum in the LOUDEST WHISPER EVER, "she's fat." And yes, I am. I'm a uk30, which is big. I have shit mobility. it's a viscious of circle of that I need to go outside to practice walking again and yet I'm stuck in my flat because of agoraphobia, and the reason I'm so agoraphobic is because I've literally had people point and laugh at me in the street and shout abuse because of my size. this was even before people thought it was okay to film strangers on the street and post it online.

I gave them my best death glare. The mum goes, 'Shhhh!' and the little girl and her sister spend the rest of the time I'm in reception nudging each other, trying to look at me when I'm not looking, and trying not to laugh. I somehow kept it together and avoided another massive meltdown or saying something I regret and being unable to return to the dentist because of embarrassment. My partner came back to me, we left, and then my dad took my partner to the supermarket to get some stuff. I stayed in the car and listened to my dad rant about the us election and bitcoin and had to explain doge to him.

I kept it all in until I got home and then I told my partner and had a good cry. I've tried to focus on the positive in that I got through my appointment with very few tears shed and I'm making good progress on my treatment. I vaguely mentioned it on my IG post I made because I was proud of going outside, and then today my auntie comments and part of her comment is, 'at least you got someone coming home at night.' what the fuck has that got to do with going to the dentist?? i'm sorry your husband died three years ago diane but what the fuck???

usually when I go outside I need weeks to recover from it. i don't have that. next wednesday i am finally going to see my gp to ask for an autism referral. i'm already bricking it. my bff is doing hers through right to choose with an online psychiatry place, and while i'd be seen a lot quicker I don't feel comfortable with using teams things and am wary about being able to express myself through a screen. the downside is if i wait for the nhs then i'll be waiting for years.

that's if my gp agrees. he's a dick. i asked him for weight loss help/psych help with my binge eating and he referred me to a private weight loss group that focused on group bootcamp exercises which why the fuck would i ever go to that when i'm agoraphobic?? the private weight loss people said that my only other option was vouchers for slimming world. they did no one-to-one psych or counselling.

anyway wish me luck for next wednesday. i'm gonna need it for getting out of the flat again with the confirmed fear that i could get actually laughed at and people are no kinder, let alone getting myself referred for an assessment.

[t0talbra1nd3ath]

Facts about Efren? 🙏 (I’m fixating on him at a concerning rate rn)

IVE BEEN WITING FOR THIS QUESTIONNN

Efren Lore + Fun Facts

(May contain some mild spoilers)

I think out of all of the DBM characters Efren has the most mild lore.

He's Filipino, but he was born and grew up in USA. His full name is Danilo Efren Dagohoy (yes he goes by his middle name). He doesn't really know any language other than English, though his parents did try to teach him Tagalog and he did take Spanish in high school.

His family is overall very average: middle class, suburban white picket fence house, church on Sundays, etc. He has 4 siblings - one older brother, and three younger siblings - two sister and a toddler brother.

Despite the pretty average upbringing he was always the black sheep of the family. He was always the biggest out of the five siblings, being born the weight of 8 pounds and 11 ounces. He was a chubby kid, though during puberty he started to grow really tall and with a bit of regular exercise he developed an impressive muscle mass.

He was always freakishly strong and completely unaware of it. In kindergarten and primary school he would get in trouble for accidentally hurting other kids and breaking toys. This self control issue really came to a boiling point when he accidentally killed the neighbours cat while playing with it. After that incident most of the kids his age in the area weren't allowed to talk to him. In middle school he became more of a loner and that stays true even to this day.

He still lives in a suburban-ish area. There aren't any houses near by but there is a road that joggers frequent near by.

Efren works from home as a cyber security guy for a whole array of websites ranging from sketchy to full on illegal. On top of being naturally strong he also has a talent for IT. In high school he would make simple viruses and hack into random websites for shits and giggles. That is actually how he got his job - he broke into one of those sketchy websites and after being tracked down on suspicions of being a fed he was offered to either work for them or perish (lol).

Efren has a very skewed sense of empathy. He doesn't feel much for people, you could confess your undying love to him or shoot yourself in the head in front of him and he wouldn't care either way. On the other hand he has insane levels of empathy towards animals, even the "gross ones" like bugs, snakes, arachnids, etc. He gets genuinely mad if someone kills a spider.

Other than a skewed sense of empathy Efren also has a very odd aggression response. His emotional response to being mad never results in impulsive physical or verbal aggression (yes ik in-game it's not really shown, I'll have to rewrite a few sections). But what does illicit impulsive physical aggression in Efren is something cute. That is the primary reason he won't get an actual pet cat, even though he desperately wants one, he is terrified of hurting it.

Ok now for a rapid-fire-round-up of small fun facts:

Efren hates beer! His favourite alcoholic drinks are a vodka-redbull and a banana daiquiri.

Efren is a massive nerd, he grew up spending all his free time playing video games and nowadays since his schedule is pretty lax he spends a large amount of his time watching anime and playing FPS shooters.

Efren has a two pet tarantulas named Tarantino and Tammy (they are both female).

Ok this turned out much longer than expected, sorry for the info dump Q_Q

Let me know if any on y'all are interested in lore on Isra and Hawk!! (I'm holding off on Orion lore since it would be a major spoiler for the full game)

[changingplumbob]

Pancakes Household: Chapter 8, Part 5

In this part Bob tries another food sale and gets ready for his birthday. Eliza takes they day off and they celebrate him becoming an adult. Lastly Onyx has a new dream. Contains some sim spice, as usual no pixel private parts are shown.

Bob takes Ginger out for their regular run and decides to stream it to try increase his fame. He needs fame for promotion and a level 10 career is his dream. I take the opportunity to enjoy the views of the bay, as everyone else is at work or school.

Back home he washes his hands before beginning some more baking. The bench quickly becomes filthy but he reminds the camera that as long as they don’t dump the mixture on the counter, it’ll be fine. When Fergus and Onyx get home they both quicky skim through their homework before their after school activities. Good news today, Onyx has reached A student level! Will they be able to keep it with their cheer commitments though?

Bob: Let’s see here

Onyx: Later dad, I’m heading to practice

Bob: Good luck! Okay, everything is arranged. Come one, come all, we have fudge bars!

Before the sale gets too underway however the drone malfunctions. Bob has been using it a lot lately. Guess he will just have to charm customers by himself.

It seems like Bob may be inspiring some loyalty. The first few customers are all ones that purchased snacks from him at the dog park! Onyx arrives home and resists the temptation to grab a lemon bar for free. Fergus also arrives back from drama club at the same time and can talk to Briana who came around after school. She is not having a good day so Fergus tries to cheer her up with some jokes.

Eliza arrives home and has a proud wife moment when she sees all the sims keen to try Bob’s baking. Inside it’s grand meal leftovers for everyone. Following dinner while Bob is still doing his sale, Eliza heads to the computer to file reports for work, gaining level 4 in the entrepreneur skill. Onyx spends time practicing on the cheer mat and reaches level 2 fitness. Fergus plays on the treehouse with Briana and reaches level 9 creativity skill.

Bob: Guess who made 250 simoleons on their day off work? This guy

Eliza: Well done. Are you excited for your birthday tomorrow? I’m going to take the day off work

Bob: Why?

Eliza: *laughs* Because it’s your birthday

Eliza has to head to bed but Bob still has some energy. He teaches Ginger how to fetch then carries her inside to save her little legs the trouble.

Light begins to peak over the horizon and Bob and Eliza are snuggled together.

Eliza: Happy Birthday Sleek

Bob: *sleepily* Happy birthday to you

Eliza: *giggles* your birthday, not mine

Bob: My birthday? That must be why I’m waking up next to a drop dead gorgeous woman

Eliza: Bob, I’m not that-

Bob: You are beautiful Jumble, inside and out. Thanks for sticking with me through it all. I love you so much

Eliza: And I love you, clothing piles and all. Now, I do have a day off, the kids can get themselves ready for school… Do you want to start your birthday off right?

...

Onyx: Did you have a good night ginger? Weird, mother is normally up by now. Must be resting

...

Bob: Please… faster…

Eliza: Is that an official birthday request? I’ll take it into consideration

Bob groans in delight as Eliza speeds up.

...

Fergus: You seen dad yet?

Onyx: Nah, he’s probably sleeping in for his birthday. We better be quiet when we leave so we don’t wake them up

The kids have indeed left for school by the time Bob and Eliza get out of bed. While Dale was obsessed with kitchen things it would appear Ginger is fascinated by bathroom plumbing. Following a quick breakfast Eliza suggests they head to the island off the coast to get their exercise in, oh how I wish there was an option to have sims go jogging together. Eliza takes Ginger so Bob has a chance to see how fast he can run without worrying about if the dog can keep up.

Of course no trip to the island would be complete without a visit to the top of the lighthouse. And, since it’s Bob’s birthday after all, a trip inside the lighthouse. I mean it’s a very cloudy day so really they were doing a public service making that light shine out.

Eliza: Oh Bob... is that your adult look?

Bob: It’s not too ridiculous is it

Eliza: It’s completely you Sleek. Ready to age up?

Bob: As ready as I'll ever be

He blows the candles out and spins up while Eliza does her best to sing happy birthday.

Bob hates parties, they are a nightmare for loner sims. However Eliza did manage to convince him to have his friends come over for a “casual catch up” and sure enough Bob enjoys it. He doesn’t feel quite so out of the loop now Onyx has aged up and he can join the discussions on the perils of raising teens.

After school Fergus does his homework before drama club and Onyx fits in some cheer practice since the watcher didn’t have time to follow them to school more this week. In the kitchen, while the adults chat, Ginger has realised that a crime has been committed. Her food bowl is empty! She begins to yap in distress until Eliza comes over to fix the situation.

Ginger: *yapping* thank goodness Mother, I almost STARVED

Harvey: I just don’t understand why he won’t accept some more money. It's not like they couldn't use it

Bob: Maybe he wants to be his own person

Harvey: Yeah or maybe Samir is telling him not to

Kayleigh: Look we don’t know Samir much, let’s give him the benefit of the doubt. He was the more attentive of the two when we gave Reece the woohoo talk

Harvey: All I know is we have more than enough and our son is choosing to sleep in a ruin of a house *sighs*

Bob: Do you regret letting him move out

Kayleigh: It’s not that exactly Bob. We're glad he's getting out in the world...

Harvey: It’s more, it hurts imagining him uncomfortable when we could help. I think I'll try give Reece money for his birthday

Bob: If it helps, I can deal with dirty surroundings just fine. Not everyone needs the dust free life to be comfy

The guests are gone by the time the kids get home and Bob figures it would be fine to work on his skills for promotion.

Bob: Do you two mind if I do my cooking livestream

Fergus: Pretty sure you’d do it anyway

Bob: Maybe but I wouldn’t enjoy it as much

Onyx: *laughs* go ahead dad, we’re almost done

Bob: Today followers, we will be looking at the best way to cook a rack of lamb. First step, don’t be imagining cute fluffy lambs while cooking, that’s how I get gloomy

Bob continues walking through his cooking process and once the rack is done reaches level 10 Gourmet Cooking skill. I’m so proud of him, well done Bob!

Fergus heads to play some games but Onyx has other tasks on their mind. First they set the table, then they check the house for dirty dishes. Finally they pick up Ginger’s latest poop to throw away. They want a horse! Of course a horse is a big ask for their parents so they’re trying to get everything just right to convince them that they should have one.

Eliza: My husband, level 10 gourmet cooking! Oh it’s simply too good for words!

Ginger: *yaps* you’ll cook me pet food when???

Eliza: I myself managed to level up my debating skill, so all that’s left for the next promotion is charisma

Bob: Oh hey, maybe we should throw a dinner party sometime. Take advantage of the charisma boost that comes if it goes well

Eliza: A proper dinner party will take a lot of planning

Bob: I’m sure we can do it together

Fergus is practising his dramatics, despite being too short for the mirror, when Ginger finds him.

Ginger: *yaps* I would like some attention and I would like it now

Fergus: Oh hey Ginger, you are just mastering going up and down stairs aren’t you

Ginger: *yaps* Of course, I’m a dog

Fergus: What have you been doing? You’re all dirty!

Ginger: *yaps* beats me, I literally just stood here and it happened

Before bed Onyx has time for some cheer practice, and judging by their routine, they need it! After falling over several times they cut their losses and head to bed before they can get more bruises. In the morning Bob is first to the breakfast table for once.

Bob: What’s all this

Onyx: They’re called placemats dad

Bob: I know, I do work in a restaurant Onyx, but why are they out? I thought we only used them for fancy times

Onyx: I thought you might like them

Bob: That’s sweet kid. Morning whippersnapper

Fergus: Morning dad

Onyx: Dad, as I’m sitting here eating this brilliant meal so lovingly cooked-

Bob: Alright kid, what is it

Onyx: What do you mean

Bob: I’m a chef, I can tell when something’s getting buttered up

Fergus: Yeah Onyx, even I could smell the cheese a mile away

Onyx: *rolls eyes* I was wondering… would I be able to… maybe if you’re okay with it… get a horse

Bob: *is surprised* Oh, well you know how it goes. Changes in the house get run past the mother

Onyx: But dad if you said yes-

Bob: Wait until your mother is here

Previous Part ... Next Part

[thana-topsy]

Fic Writer Interview

Tagged by @mongoose-bite ! Thanks so much, crunchy. :)

I'm tagging whoever else wants to chime in! I lose track of who all on here I should be tagging lol. Or who might actually want to participate in such a thing.

----

How many works do you have on AO3?

38

2. What’s your total AO3 word count? 643,096 words Mostly written within the last 5 years!

3. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Breathing Water - My flagship fic for the longest time. It still holds up 4 years later! And I'm still simping for Neloth.

Halfway to the Sky - Coming in with only about 30 kudos less than BW, I'm always tickled and humbled and just so honored that so many people like this story.

The Shadow Over Solstheim - This one had the most kudos for the longest time just because it's my oldest multi-chapter fic. Baby's first foray into something more than a smutty one-shot! My writing is unpolished and my lore knowledge is amateurish at best, but it's just so full of verve.

Hollow Men - A fic I honestly didn't expect many people to read due to the subject matter, but one that's near and dear to my heart.

Invictus - The bonkers, off-the-rails sequel to Shadow Over Solstheim in which Topsy discovers TES Lore in real time as they write. I don't think I could ever write something this free again even if I wanted to. I'm too burdened by knowledge (much like Teldryn).

4. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try to respond to almost every comment, but sometimes I get stuck with Comment Paralysis and they just pile up in my inbox until I'm thoroughly overwhelmed. I read every single comment and blush and kick my feet excitedly, though.

5. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

Hmmm... I don't really do angsty endings. I like pleasant, contented endings, sometimes bittersweet, sometimes open-ended. But I guess Dreamers, my Hadvar/Ralof fic as it currently stands, has the angstiest ending. At least until I manage to finish the final chapter...

6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

Uhhhh... They're all pretty happy, from my perspective at least. Maybe Finding Mara takes home the gold for happiest ending. (Erandur takes home the gold, too -snerk-)

7. Do you write crossovers?

I have written exactly one crossover and it's the oldest fic on my AO3 (from 2014). Otherwise, they're fun to think about, but nah. Not really.

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

If you count an entire series of callout posts, years of harassment, and people jumping to conclusions over a fic they never even read, then the answer is yes.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Yes. All kinds, but generally smut with a purpose. "Porn with plot" as they say. I write smut that zooms into the characters' heads, prys open their wants and desires and fears and insecurities. I write smut that can get a little hyper-realistic, to the point of sometimes being kind of gross. I write smut as a form of raw expression, people at their most vulnerable, literally stripped bare. It's one of my favorite things to write because it is an endless exercise in character study, in boundaries, in what it means to consent, and how the lines between who we think we are and what others perceive us to be get so easily blurred.

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

If I have, they've gotten away with it.

11. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, once! Someone asked if they could translate the first chapter of Halfway to the Sky into Russian.

12. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes, back when I first joined the TES fandom. Two of my fandom bests at the time co-wrote a couple of stories with me. One is posted to AO3 (Ceasefire), and the other was a horny, whirlwind, feverdream of a fic that the other author and I mutually agreed we would probably never share with the greater world lol. We are still bests to this day and I often revisit that fic in awe and bafflement of our energy.

13. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

It's so tough to choose, honestly, but I gotta go with Neloth/Teldryn, because it just took me by surprise and spun out into something so wild and wonderful.

14. What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

I never say never with my WIPs. If I've learned anything over the past 5 years in this fandom, it's that I'll pick an old WIP up on a whim. I do wanna get back to my Arvel the Swift WIP at some point. I also started working on a Dark Brotherhood-centric fic last year, too. And so help me Talos I am going to finish Dreamers.

15. What are your writing strengths?

Dialogue. People talk in my head and I just write it down. It usually ends up sounding pretty natural. And pacing. I feel like I manage pacing pretty well and can make good calls as to when a scene is dragging or we need to skip forward in time a bit.

16. What are your writing weaknesses?

Wordiness. Relying too much on "feeling" words. Telling instead of showing more than I need to. Repetitive sentence structure. My goal in 2024 is to become more direct and succinct with my writing style.

17. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

Eh... I've done it before. I threw in a lot of Dunmeris and Ta'agra back in the day when I was first writing TES fic, but I'd say just use italics and translate what's being said. Or, alternatively, if the POV character can't understand what's being said, don't even use dialogue, just mention that it's being spoken. It's all gobbledygook to them anyways.

18. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Yu Yu Hakusho (in 2004)

19. What’s a fandom/ship you haven’t written for yet but want to?

I'm monogamous with my fandom currently, so I'd really love to write something with Cicero, because it's been a long time coming.

20. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

That's really hard to choose. They're all my favorite when I'm writing them. Each fic is its own little relationship for me. I don't write things unless I'm absolutely in love with what I'm writing. So they're all my favorite, in that sense.

[rebellconquerer]

So I've been trying to get back into writing (not particularly successfully) but you know, it's like a muscle. Gotta keep doing your reps. So here, have some MinSung pebbles.

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

This isn't a problem Jisung expected to have, and certainly not in this, the year of our Lord 2024.

He's lived with Minho before, and yeah, sure it's been a few years, but time really has worked to make him a better, more even-keeled version of himself, less prone to wild emotional swings and flights of fancy. It has smoothed his sharp edges, sanded them down until they couldn't hurt anyone, most especially himself. He knows himself now, and this really shouldn't be an issue.

It hadn't even been a discussion, really. When they had all gone away on the first Real Vacation of their careers, scattered to the corners of the globe without the constant drumbeat of 7 other hearts on their sleeves, it had been with the vague instructions to think about their future. Their future together, their future in music, and whether that future lay with their company.

They all knew it was an exercise in futilty because Chan wasn't leaving JYP and they weren't leaving Chan, so when their fearless leader had returned from the land down under, he had started having little chats with each of them.

‘Taking their temperature’ is what he called it. Really, it was them unionizing. Deciding on their demands for collective bargaining so the process could start before the summer of stages with the new album and all the other things that were coming down the pipeline.

It hadn't been a shock that some of them had wanted to continue living together, but it had been shocking that all of them did, and so it was Chan's idea to push for more space.

He doesn't even think anyone actually asked if he and Minho would be moving in together. Chan and Minho had just done that telepathic communication thing they have going on where they shared a ‘significant look’ before Minho shrugged and the decision was settled trusting that, like in everything else, he and Jisung would be on the same page. And don't get him wrong, they were. They really really were.

Jisung wouldn't have dreamed of asking anyone else, no matter how much he loves his twin or needs to irritate Hyunjin once a day else the withdrawal starts setting in. Not after too many years of too many nights spent too far away from his self-proclaimed soulmate. Honestly, what else could he have done?

Still, he didn't expect this.

“Morning Sungie,” Minho mutters, voice gruffer than his usual register as he stumbles out of his room. It's just late enough to qualify as morning, long shadows curling around the apartment, draping Minho in the half-light Jisung is so fond of.

Minho has been an early riser the entire time Jisung has known him, insisting on meeting the day at a time no sane person would agree to, and today it's no different. He shuffles towards the kitchen as the threadbare muscle T he's been wearing to sleep rides up above the dip of his hip when he stretches, back arched in a mouthwatering arc, his movements lazy and self satisfied like a house cat. Jisung can't seem to look away.

“Morning, hyung,” Jisung mumbles back, traitorous eyes committing every shift of Minho’s bed warmed skin to memory.

See this is the problem. A problem he doesn't know how to manage because he didn't know to expect it. A problem he can't really talk to anyone about because how does he explain that he just can't stop looking.

And boy is he not starved for opportunity.

He logically knows he's surrounded by good looking men. On top of the fact that they're kpop idols who are primped, prodded and waxed to the kdrama ideal, their little 8 some includes hyunjin, who’s pretty enough on his worst days to have the straightest of straight men question their beliefs and Chan-hyung’s allergy to all fabric inside his home means they spend a lot of time reminding each other that if they stare at him.in.public the way they do at home the questions about their sexuality will go from questions to answers just like that.

But he'd gotten used to all of that well before the first camera started rolling on their survival show, at least that's what he'd told himself about why he initially couldn't stop staring slack-jawed at their newest recruit.

That Minho had been smart and funny and so fucking weird had only made the stupid crush Jisung developed that much worse and not a day goes by without him hoping against hope that all recordings of those first days, when all he could do was follow Minho around like a love sick puppy, will spontaneously combust. That Lino didn't notice his obvious heart eyes probably says more about how much stress he was under than Jisung’s ability to hide anything, but still.

There was a time and a place. And Jisung has been very, very certain that both those things were firmly in the past.

“Why are you up this early? You're never up- Han Jisung! Are you still up from last night?!” Minho's morning brain has clearly caught up which means Jisung needs to get his eyes in order.

He pulls his attention away from that exposed strip of skin and gives Minho his best shit eating grin, half chewed cereal and all. It's worth it for the look of absolute disgust Minho gives him. That'll distract him from wondering where Jisung's eyes were.

“Aish! It's like you were raised by barn animals,”

Jisung shrugs, slurping the last of the milk from his bowl.

“We do call Channie-hyung kangaroo,” he replies through his full mouth.

Minho rolls his eyes. “Don't blame Chan-hyung for raising you. He'd have done a much better job,” Minho grumbles, turning back to where he had started the involved process of making himself a cup of tea.

Jisung finds himself captured again, staring at the broad planes of Minho's back and the precise motions of his hands as they set the kettle to boil and gather up his fancy loose-leaf tea. He's seen those hands gentle enough to comfort Felix on the days his back pain gets the best of him, yet strong enough to manhandle Chan into bed when his stubbornness wins out. He's seen them in plaster, broken from an awkward fall, and covered in jewels, gracefully slicing through the air. But he hasn't been this distracted by them since he was 19 years old. Certainly hasn't wanted them in him this badly since then.

The thought accosts him out of nowhere, and suddenly he can't ignore that that's what the looking and staring means:

That he wants.

[freeonlineworkouts]

Kettlebell Workout

Kettlebell workouts are a fantastic way to build strength, improve endurance, and enhance overall fitness. Kettlebells are versatile tools that combine cardio and strength training, making them ideal for full-body workouts. Below is a beginner-friendly kettlebell workout that targets major muscle groups and boosts cardiovascular fitness.

Benefits of Kettlebell Workouts

Full-Body Conditioning: Engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously.

Improves Strength and Power: Builds functional strength through dynamic movements.

Boosts Cardiovascular Fitness: Combines strength and cardio for an efficient workout.

Enhances Mobility and Flexibility: Promotes better range of motion and joint health.

Burns Calories: High-intensity kettlebell exercises torch calories and fat.

Portable and Versatile: Easy to use at home, in the gym, or outdoors.

Kettlebell Workout Plan (Beginner-Friendly)

Warm-Up (5–10 Minutes)

Prepare your body with dynamic stretches and light movements:

Arm Circles: 10 forward, 10 backward.

Bodyweight Squats: 10–15 reps.

Hip Circles: 10 each direction.

Jumping Jacks: 1–2 minutes.

Lunges: 5–10 reps per leg.

Kettlebell Workout (20–30 Minutes)

Perform each exercise for 40 seconds, followed by 20 seconds of rest. Complete 3 rounds of the circuit. Use a lightweight kettlebell (8–12 kg for beginners).

Kettlebell Goblet Squat

Hold the kettlebell close to your chest with both hands.

Squat down, keeping your chest up and knees tracking over toes.

Push through your heels to return to standing.

Kettlebell Deadlift

Stand with feet hip-width apart, kettlebell on the floor in front of you.

Hinge at the hips, keeping your back flat, and grab the kettlebell with both hands.

Drive through your heels to stand up, squeezing your glutes at the top.

Kettlebell Swing

Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, kettlebell between your legs.

Hinge at the hips, grab the kettlebell with both hands, and swing it back between your legs.

Thrust your hips forward to swing the kettlebell to shoulder height.

Kettlebell Row (Single-Arm)

Place one hand and knee on a bench or stable surface, holding the kettlebell in the other hand.

Pull the kettlebell toward your hip, keeping your elbow close to your body.

Lower the kettlebell with control.

Kettlebell Push Press

Hold the kettlebell at shoulder height in one hand.

Dip your knees slightly, then explosively press the kettlebell overhead.

Lower it back to shoulder height with control.

Kettlebell Russian Twist

Sit on the floor with knees bent, holding the kettlebell with both hands.

Lean back slightly and twist your torso to the right, then to the left.

Cool-Down (5–10 Minutes)

Stretch and relax your muscles to improve flexibility and recovery:

Hamstring Stretch: Hold for 30 seconds per leg.

Quad Stretch: Hold for 30 seconds per leg.

Child’s Pose: Hold for 30–60 seconds.

Cat-Cow Stretch: 5–10 reps.

Tips for Success

Start Light: Use a lighter kettlebell to focus on form before increasing weight.

Focus on Form: Proper technique prevents injury and maximizes results.

Engage Your Core: Keep your core tight during all exercises for stability.

Breathe Properly: Exhale during exertion (e.g., lifting or pressing) and inhale during relaxation.

Rest as Needed: Take longer breaks if you feel fatigued.

Advanced Kettlebell Workout

For those with more experience, try this advanced kettlebell circuit:

Kettlebell Clean and Press (10 reps per arm)

Kettlebell Snatch (10 reps per arm)

Kettlebell Lunge (10 reps per leg)

Kettlebell Windmill (8 reps per side)

Kettlebell Burpee (10 reps)

Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up (5 reps per side)

Perform 3–4 rounds with minimal rest between exercises.

Conclusion

Kettlebell workouts are a powerful way to build strength, improve endurance, and burn calories. Whether you're a beginner or advanced, this workout can be tailored to your fitness level. Start with lighter weights, focus on form, and gradually increase intensity as you progress. Enjoy the benefits of this versatile and effective training tool!

[snapthistiger]

exercise 08142024

bike ride to the gym

8 x 10 incline sit ups

3 x 10 pec machine

3 x 10 lat raise

3 x 10 low row

30 minutes on the step mill

3 x 10 seated press

worked lifeguard job 8a to 2p

bike ride to Kroger, my Mom's primary doctor office, then home

the gym workers received mini Hershey bars

at work i watched swimmers for 5 hours and cleaned for 1 hour. my coworker and i listened to 70s rock and roll for about an hour and enjoyed reminiscing

talked to clerk at my Mom's primary doctor office about possibly getting a referral to another orthopedic doctor. still have not been able to get an appointment with the ortho doctor that the hospital referred to. clerk said she would get the nurse to review the information and see about a different referral

called the orthopedic doctor again and the clerk said the doctor is in surgery and will try to get me an appointment for tomorrow morning. hoping she calls. uuuggggggghhhhhh

top left = my bluetooth speaker

bottom = Halloween decorations at 530a this morning

hope you have a peaceful afternoon and evening..

[sssammich]

fanfic writer questions

Thanks for the tag, @foibles-fables

1- How many works do you have on AO3?

i'm at 122 right now (wahoo!)

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

794,634 (i am on a mission to 1 million in the next couple of years)

3. What fandoms do you write for?

well i've been around many a fandom block, but i'd say for current brainrot:

supergirl (mostly supercorp, but i have a smattering of rare pairs because women, amirite?)

swan queen

bumbleby (i also still have so many rosebird dreams i'll get there someday)

makayuro (with a smattering of rare pairs also because women, amirite?)

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

well unsurprisingly, ever since plopping down on supercorp fandom, the numbers have been from there. but shoutout to my victorious fic from 2012 holding strong lol

evergreen, closest i get, not for nothing, you've got mail, and one way or another

5. Do you respond to comments?

yes yes absolutely!! sometimes i am late and sometimes i just leave it in there so i can have it stay unread but anyway i try to respond and i appreciate everyone who sends them to me. i have historically been a oneshot writer so it's been nice also to get comments on wips!

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

oh shoot angstiest ending?? well i think i would say my supercorptober ficlet about memory loss of sorts might tick that (it ends kinda idk open but not bad, i will say)

but then there's also this one old soccer RPF i wrote that's more, idk, poetry than any real fic about one of them leaving lmao

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

the happiest ending? i mean all of them, i reckon. if they end up together or have a promise of together then they count lmao

8. Do you get hate on fics?

uhhh none that i've seen? i mean if it's in the comments, no? but if it's elsewhere, then also no? i have been fortunate in that way

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

OMG YES I AM FINALLY IN MY SMUT ERA

uh i reckon comedy smut for now (read DickFic here) but the day is young and my doc is empty so who's to say

but i have dreams for some sad smut because i'd like to develop the range LMAO

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

surprisingly, i do not. what i instead do is just little spin through five fandoms at any given time and just confuse myself that way

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

unfortunately yes. twice now. once was for my victorious fic that was used for a 5th harmony RPF lmaooo

and then on thanksgiving weekend, the first chapter of Crepe AU was posted by an anonymous for a The Wilds ship (but my friends rallied to get it taken down so i didn't have to send a takedown form to ao3 while i was traveling home)

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

nope but that would be totally rad

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

i love fic writing group work so yes! i have a series of sad angsty women that i have with my best friend in my revue starlight fandom, and then, of course, @sideguitars and i have 'humans in the storeroom' (that reminds me it's my turn to write the next part smh)

i also like jumping into writing sprints or writing exercises with folks (like a round robin)

14. What's your all time favorite ship?

let's not do this, i shan't pick amongst my children

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

so far all my wips are things i wanna finish and will do my best to finish. i have a couple of retired wips that will just sit in my ao3 forever and i have made peace with them, though.

16. What are your writing strengths?

i wanna say characterization, pacing, emotional resonance, and a simple and natural writing style maybe

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

action?? plot??? proper AUs lmao

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

i do not because i find i butcher it and also then i cringe lmao

19. First fandom you wrote for?

oh written for but never posted? hermione/ginny

posted for? god probably All My Children (bianca and maggie) when i was like a teenager hahahahaha

20. Favorite fic you've written?

sorry no can do i love them all because i wrote them and there are so many things i enjoy about them. but i will say that the writing events circuit i've done this past year (supercorp bigbang, bumbleby big bang, and swan queen winter solstice) are born out of a lot of labor of love and i'm really proud of the work i've done for them.

and not for a writing event, but i am also extremely proud of re:live for mayakuro fandom-- that one makes me think that if i never wrote for that fandom again, that that's a really good fic to end on)

No-pressure tags, of course: @sideguitars, @eqt-95, @fazedlight, @luthordamnvers, @vox-ex, and @waytooinvested

(yall have probably done this before but here it just in case!)