#Then youve got a serious problem. Many such cases

[ot3]

"listen to [minority] voices" is something that's all well and good on paper but I feel like it's something a lot of people use to avoid having to do any intellectual work of their own. I really don't think you're capable of enacting any positive change in anything if you outsource all of your thinking to someone else

[msmarvelwrites]

The Winter Ghost - Part 13

Info: A Devastating car crash causes you to lose your memory and start over. The only thing left in the wreckage was the horrific nightmares which plagued your mind. If you knew what today would entail you would have just stayed in bed. But you didn’t and because of that, everything you knew was about to change.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x reader

Warnings: Swearing, angst, some smutty thoughts... 

w/c: 2.2k

A/N: Lucky number 13! I’m honestly so caught off gaurd by all the love Ive been receiving on The Winter Ghost. I see all your late night binge sessions and I am SO immensely greatful for your interest. When I first started writing this I didnt really think anything of it, but youve all lit a fire under my ass and for that, I thank you! So please, enjoy and reblog and like if you feel so inclined. 

His hot breath fanned across your face, sending you into a frenzy like state you had never known before. Heavy breathing, mostly on your part as he placed excruciatingly slow kisses across your jaw. You needed him. More than you’d ever needed anything in your life. It made you sick. 

“Are you afraid?” He asked in a low seductive voice. Swiftly he wrapped his metal fingers around your throat, applying enough pressure to make you gasp. You clawed at his chest, drunk on his murderous touch. You wanted him to make you hurt as bad as your heart did. You couldn't possibly hate a person more than you hated yourself right now. 

“Answer my question.” He shouted, sending a ripple of ecstasy through your body. 

“No. I could never,” You gasped, choking as the walls of your throat began to collapse. 

“Liar.” He sneered. 

You let out an involuntary moan. 

“You good, Y/n?” Sam asked, sitting next to you on the couch as he, Nat, Wanda and Shuri all ate breakfast around the kitchen island. Your hand was lightly wrapped around your neck where Bucky’s was just a moment ago. 

“Yeah, fine.” You squeeked.

But you weren't. You hadn’t been since that morning in the hallway with Bucky. You could still feel the sting he had left behind from his touch. What was wrong with you? You couldn't even begin to unpack that question. Psychiatric help would be a start, though. 

After your memory had returned, the nightmares seemed to subside, only to be replaced with the image of Bucky, devoid of all emotion, seething in rage at your quips. By the third night, you would have gladly have traded, knowing that this was so much worse. 

You couldn't keep excusing your vile thoughts as his fault. They weren't, not entirely. You were the one waking up a needy mess every morning.

“Hey.” Bucky's husky voice filled your senses causing you to stiffen at the sound. The team around you said their hello’s while you tried to refrain from gawking. You had done your very best to avoid him as much as you could, but there were only so many places to hide. Whenever you bumped into each other he would keep his head down and you would run in either direction.

“Steve’s on his way back today. He left to meet Vision and gather intel on an active Hydra base located somewhere on the border of Germany.” Wanda’s eyes lit up at the mention of the name. This must be the famous Android she's always gushing about.  

“Pack up… We ship out first thing tomorrow morning.” Bucky declared, peaking your interest. It had been way too long since you had been back in the field, this was amazing. You could feel the excitement bubbling out of your chest vanish when Bucky’s eyes glanced at you. 

“Y/n, you can uh, keep Shuri company while we're away.” You blinked at him, unsure if you had heard him correctly. 

“No fucking way.” You scoffed. You were not missing out on this opportunity to give Hydra a taste of their own ‘serum’, so to speak. 

‘Captain's orders.” He deadpanned, averting his gaze to the ceiling. You stared at him, lost for words with needy eyes. He’d never tell you, but it terrified him when you looked like that. Small, fragile, though he knew better. He would kill himself before he tainted you. But that didn't make the idea any less intriguing.

“And since when do you listen to Captain's orders?” Nat spoke up before you even got the chance. You nodded violently, looking back to Bucky who only sighed. 

“You know very well why she can't go.” He muttered, fighting tooth and nail not to look at you again. You could sense his uncomfortability but you couldn't look away. 

“She’s not going, then I’m not going.” Wanda sulked. 

“Me too.” Sam mocked her tone. “Seriously, Buck. She’s a tank, we could use her.” He finished, more serious this time. 

Bucky huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his flesh fingers. “You gotta take that up with Steve. He and I aren't really on the best of terms right now.” He spoke, annoyance dripping from the last sentence. 

“Easy, I’ll take care of it.” Nat said to Bucky, but she sent a wink at you. 

You were so excited you almost leaped from your seat. You couldn't wait to blow some shit up!

……………………………………….

The next morning you woke up extra early, just to get a jump on everything. Nat had fought with Steve all last night, but eventually he conceded on the sheer fact that if you were there, it would mean double the Wanda power. This was a big base, one he had known of for quite some time now, but it required extra attention. They had been working on recreating your serum, but so far to no avail. You knew exactly where they were going wrong of course. But Steve explained they had been testing it out of Hydra members. The lucky few who survived may not have your powers, but they were still strong. He’d need all the help he could get.

After you were packed you dragged your duffle to Shuri’s lab. She had been working on a few new weapons she wanted you to pack. Just in case, she said. You got there in no time flat, literally vibrating with excitement. 

“You're sure about this?” She asked. 

“Absolutely.” You beamed. She signed, and handed you a small ring. 

“What's this?” You asked, holding the small band in your fingers. 

“It’s a beacon. It will help you hold onto your borrowed energies for longer. It’s like a mini you, only better.” She paused, “Speaking of, are you going to tell me what's in that serum of yours or am I just going to have to keep guessing?”

“I think it’s better kept unsaid. That thing had already caused enough problems. No one should be burdened with it.”

“Maybe so.” She signed.

“Thank you Shuri. For everything.” You half heartedly smiled but before you could leave her arms were around you, pulling you into a hug. You sucked in a breath and tapped her on the back in reciprocation. Physically affection was never something you were good at showing, try as you may. 

When you finally pulled away she sent you a soft smile, and wished you good luck on the mission before you headed out the door. 

……………………..

“Nice of you to grace us with your presence.” Steve muttered, when you finally got to the jet when the rest of the team was loading up.

“It is, isn't it?” You spoke sweetly, throwing your duffle onto the jet. You still weren't really sure where you stood with Steve. Of course you knew of the famous Captain America, even if you didn't remember a few weeks ago. But never did you imagine he would be such a class act dick. Or maybe he was just that way with you? The idea made you smirk, knowing you were the only one to really piss off the Captain was honestly the highest form of flattery. 

You boarded the jet and noticed the rest if the team already suited up. The tactical gear Shuri had made you was tight, and Natasha was living proof of that. I mean, it wasn't fair she had the body of a trained ballerina and New York supermodel. The woman was easily the most beautiful woman you had ever seen while your gear clung to you in all the least flattering ways. 

You quickly shook off the self doubt. It didn't matter how you looked, you were here to kick some ass. 

Well, not exactly. 

That morning Steve had announced that while the rest of the team ‘kicked ass’ you and the Soviet spy would sneak into their mainframe and collect the data of whatever new evil scheme Hydra was working on. 

Though you weren't thrilled to be stuck on recon duty, it was better than nothing. Besides, you were just a little rusty. Though Nat and Sam kept you busy and Wanda had taught you all her tricks, you weren't sure that if it came down to it you'd be able to pull the trigger. 

Better safe than sorry. 

“Are you nervous?” Bucky spoke under his breath, his voice deep and rough. You shivered at the sound. You hadn't realised until this moment that he was seated directly behind you. 

“Are you?” You asked. You tried to add some bite to your words, but they left your lips softly. The tone seemed to surprise Bucky as much as it did you as he half expected to to tear his head off again.

“Sometimes. But, not now.”

“Oh yeah?” Words betraying you once again. 

Ignore him. 

Stop talking to him. 

Stop. Talking. 

Bucky's tongue slipped from between his lips, tugging on his bottom one slowly and effectively knocking you back from your annoying thought and to the glorious man sitting behind you. 

“Yeah. Got this new girl on our side. She’s a totally badass. I know she’ll watch my six.” He shrugged causing a small smile to pull at the corner of your mouth. 

“How do you know she won't just leave you for dead?” She asked, playing along. Part of you, however, was just a little curious. Part of you wanted to ask yourself the same question. In a second, would you protect the man who murdered Tommy? Honestly you weren't really sure. 

“Just a feeling.” He spoke so casually. So sure, you wanted to believe him. It would be easy enough to feed him to Hydra, but you and him both knew you wouldn't have the stomach for it. 

“Huh. You sound pretty confident in that.” You sneered sarcastically.

He just gave you a small shrug, leaning back into his seat and pulling his bluetooth earbuds out of his back pocket. He offered one to you casually. Before you could protest your arm shot out and took it, placing it in your right ear. 

“I like to listen to music before a mission. It calms me.” He suggested, opening his phone, scrolling through his songs before the intro to Highway to Hell began playing. 

A grin spread across your face “I love this song!” You beamed. 

“I know. I remember you telling me something about spending an entire year listening to AC/DC cause’ your dad loved their music. I downloaded a few of their albums after that. Not exactly what I’m used to, but definitely good ass kicking music.” He nodded. 

That stopped you dead in your tracks. You couldn't help the smile that faded quickly from your lips at his words. You were, to say the least, shocked. You must have mentioned your love for the band at some point, but honestly couldn't for the life of you remember when.  

But he did. And he listened to it because you liked them. 

“Huh.” You repeated, turning back around and trying to suppress the butterflies that began erupting out of your stomach. You could hear Bucky behind you drumming his hands on his thighs along to the song. You couldn't help but giggle at how offbeat he was.

“Take off in five minutes. Everyone ready?” Nat spoke through your coms. Everyone gave a thumb up as the jets engine whirled on, vibrating through the aircraft.

You listened carefully as your song faded away and the next one took its place. 

Do I wanna know? If this feeling flows both ways?

You could physically feel Bucky’s mood shift behind you. The Super Soldier serum granting you access to his quickened heart beat and the lyrics mirrored the every present emotions you had been feeling this week.

Sad to see you go. Was sorta’ hopin’ that you’d stay. 

You let your mind wander as you listened to Bucky hum along quietly to the song, low and soft. The sound sending chills down your spine as the memory of your dreams from the past few nights replayed over in your mind. 

Baby, we both know. That the nights were mainly made For sayin' things that you can't say tomorrow day.

Bucky’s lips trailed along your swollen throat, the feeling of pleasure over bruises he had left behind caused you to moan in ecstasy. The way he kissed you, not like before. This time full of lust and something dark. His hands dipped under your shirt, the feeling of hot and cold sending you over the edge as your eyes rolled back in your head. You wanted nothing more than for him to throw you against a wall, any wall and tear you limb from limb.

“I like this song too.” Bucky’s breath fanned across the back of your ear, rocketing you back to the Jet that was beginning to take off. You looked around the small space, praying that Bucky was the only one to notice your breath hitch in the back of your throat. 

Any reminisce of the idea that you had to stay away from Bucky shattered into a million pieces. The hate, still ever present, but you knew damn well that would be the best part. It only fueled your desire. He was going to be the death of you.

Or even better, you'd be the death of him...

.....................................................................................................................

A/N: Gah! Thank you for reading! And thank you to @cutie1365​ for being the best hype woman/ editor around lol. Leave a like or reblog if you wanna show some love. I hope yall’ are having a great week! 

@kalesrebellion​

@projectcampbell​

@calwitch​

[fletchermarple]

Quick Review of the True Crime Books I Read in 2018 (Part 2)

Review of Books in 2018 Part 1

Review of books in 2017 Part 1 and Part 2

Review of books in 2016 Part 1 and Part 2

Review of books in 2015

In the Name of The Children by Jeffrey L. Rinek: This book was written by a retired FBI agent who worked a lot of cases involving child abuse and murder, so be aware that its contents are very disturbing. Much like John Douglas in Mindhunter, Rinek mixes his personal history with some of the cases he worked in when he was in the bureau, although his book offers less academic and actual crime information and a lot more emotional response and family life. This is not really a bad thing. Rinek is an interesting person, and he really shows the effect that working with cases like this can have in one’s mental health and close relationships. As for the cases themselves, they are all horrific and some more detailed than others. Probably the best one, because of the amount of information and detail, is the Yosemite Murders, which happens to be the only one that doesn’t involve actual children (the youngest victim was 15). Overall, a gripping read which might not be as insightful as other books written by former agents, but way more personal and raw.

Dark Dreams by Roy Hazelwood: Roy Hazelwood is probably one of the main experts in sexual crimes, and he was one of the top agents in the Behavioral Analysis Unit at the FBI (he sadly passed away in 2016). If you’ve ever read books involving some kind of predator, it’s not uncommon that the cops went to him for his advice regarding profiles. Again, this is another John Douglas type of book in which he goes through some of the cases of his career in the agency, although in contrast to In the Name of Children, this has almost no personal information about Hazelwood himself. That means this book is purely concerned with identifying different types of sex crimes and criminals by giving real life examples. It’s very academical and informative and a fairly easy read (because of the narration style, the subject is as dire as you’d expect). My only issue is that he never goes in detail into the cases and most of the time won’t even mention the names of the victims or the perpetrators, which annoys me because it makes it hard to look up more information. But still, a worthy read for true crime enthusiasts who want to understand more what goes into this sort of cases.

Burned Alive by Kieran Crowley: This books details the murder of Kim Antonakos, who in 1995 was kidnapped for ransom and left with no food, water or warmth in a basement for three days before she was set on fire. It provides a lot of information I didn’t know about the case and it’s a good account of how things went down in the investigation and trial. I don’t like though that the writer decided to write a full passage telling us what Kim was feeling and thinking while she was in that basement, because there’s no way to know that’s true and when you insert that kind of thing in a serious, non fictional book it always throws me off. It’s also quite evident that a lot of the information came from one of the men accused in the kidnapping, Julio Negron, who was the one who made a deal with police and testified against the other killers in their trials in exchange for a more lenient sentence. Apparently he was the only one willing to give his version of the story to Crowley, so I would take some of the things presented here with a grain of salt.

Blood Justice by Tom Henderson: Do you ever read a book and completely forget it soon after you finish it? That happened to me with this one, which is obviously not a good sign. The case it talks about is very compelling: two murders, six years apart, committed by the same perpetrator. One was Margarette Eby, a music teacher savagely killed in her home in 1985. Then, flight attendant Nancy Ludwig was rape, butchered and tortured in a Detroit hotel in 1991. It took a really long time and a lot of effort from police to finally get enough evidence to arrest their murderer. The book has plenty of details about the case, the victims and the killer to satisfy the reader, I think the problem to me is that the narrative falls flat most of the time. This book has a structure problem that takes away all of the suspense, and also the author failed to really give us a good character to focus on, which happens a lot in true crime books about long winded investigations. But it is a fairly unknown case, so you might want to give this a try.

I: The Creation of a Serial Killer by Jack Olsen: This novel is about serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson, also known as “The Happy Face Killer” because he had the tendency to draw smiley faces in the letters he sent to the media. Jack Olsen, an award winner journalist, makes the bold choice of writing some of the chapters in first person, as Jesperson. At first I was a little put off by this, because as you know, I’m a bit of a purist when it comes to non fiction, but I have to admit, those chapters are very gripping and really give you a glimpse into the workings of a very twisted mind. Most of what’s written in first person was culled from interviews Olsen had with Jesperson, so I’m sure he got the tone, the wording and the train of thought right. These chapters follow the actual murders and crimes committed by Jesperson, and they are interjected with more common third-person narrative and newspaper article style writing about the biography of Jesperson and what was going on with the investigation. It was a very interesting read, although you do have to be prepared to put up with a very sick individual pouring his thoughts, indirectly, on the page.

The Anatomy of Motive by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker: As usual, an excellent food for thought from one of the masters of crime analysis. John Douglas really knows how to pick cases to analyze and give you the right balance of information and opinion. In this case, as you can tell from the title, he wanders into the motive behind several crimes with very clear examples. This book reminds us that motive is probably the main mystery we always want to solve in any case. Even when we know the culprit, if we don’t understand the motive there’s always something very unsatisfying about its resolution. Douglas offers us a glimpse of his own thinking about some complicated cases, including Andrew Cunanan’s killing spree and the still unsolved Tylenol murders, among many others. Recommended.

[yaoisex]

A Serious Post.

I’ve been meaning on writing this for the last two weeks, since the whole *thing* has started here on Tumblr. But I wanted to wait and see what would Tumblr decide to do. And now it’s out and I’m pissed, angry, sad and devastated. 

Sorry in advance if this post is long. I’m not going to use a Read More cut either. I want you to read everything.  

In short - Tumblr has f***ed up. 

Instead of getting rid of all of the p*** bots, they decided to just get rid of ALL adult content. 

If I understood correctly, it’s mainly REAL s** and p*** photos and videos that they’re going to ban now. I’m not sure about fanart? Also I think fanfics are allowed. 

But I’m here to talk about the things relevant to me and my Tumblr: 

Like my bio says, I basically post about anime, seiyuu and BLCDs. But some of those include some n-sfw stuff. 

Even though my username is very n-sfw, I don’t actually post about that actual thing. I never post/reblog y*** manga scans (sometimes I post specific frames and censor them). I think that in my whole Tumblr life (~8 years) I’ve only reblogged two actual n-sfw gifs?? I try not to post too n-sfw posts, and by posts I mean pics/gifs, because as you clearly know, my most n-sfw posts are audio posts. 

If you’ve tried searching for the Y**i tag since the whole thing blew up - you probably noticed that you got nothing. 

I’m not posting too much of that, but I use that tag on some of my posts. Which means that now none of those posts will show on the tag because there will be no such tag. 

Same goes for the n-sfw tag. And I use that tag a lot.

SO. Questions time:

Do you think my blcd snippets posts will be ok? Since I tag them as n-sfw. From what I’ve read, it’s mostly pics they’re concerned about? I don’t know about audio files.... ._. I don’t know if they’re actually planning on forcefully deleting every post that has n-sfw in it?? If so, maybe we could think of a code name for those posts. For example - apple. If I tag a post apple - you know it’s n-sfw (and then you can add that tag to your blacklist or whatever-list you have so you won’t see it on your dash until you choose to click on it.)

MY USERNAME. It clearly has two of the No-No words now. I don’t know if they’re also going to deal with usernames?? o_o I’ve had this username for around 14 years (anyone remember Live Journal?). It’s also my username on some other social medias. Now I wonder if I should change it here on Tumblr? .______. What do you guys think? On on hand, it won’t be such a big deal for me I think, even though I feel connected to it after so many years, but on the other hand - many people connect this username to me?! They know me by this username, it’s part of me and my online life. I don’t know what to do ;___;

My Tumblr is not marked as explicit. I know they deleted many blogs that were marked as such :/ But I never marked myself as that because I’m not really explicit. 

****

I never thought I’d do that, but in case something bad happens here, I don’t want to lose the friends I’ve made here. So, even though I’ve been asked about my other social medias before (but never really replied to that) - I’m now open to allowing you guys to follow me on Twitter. 

My username there is the same as here. 

I’m not very active there. I mainly use it to rant once in a million years (I’ve used it more often years ago, but not anymore). I’m there mainly to follow seiyuus and BL mangaks/companies. 

But if I have no other choice and have to move my fangirling elsewhere - I’ll have to use Twitter more if I want to talk and fangirl with you guys, so I’ll have to add you back. 

My twitter is private, so you have to send a request. I’m probably not going to add everyone. At least not at first. BUT, if we’re friends, if we’ve talked here before (on chats/replies etc) - you guys probably know who you are - please send me a message here telling me you’ve asked to be added on Twitter and what’s your username there - so I can recognize who you are and then I won’t have any problem adding you. I’m saying that again, I’m not going to add everyone that send me a message, only if we’ve actively talked here before more than once. So maybe don’t bother to ask and send a request if you’ve only been following me here but we never actually talked before. Sorry if I sound super rude, I’m just very cautious and private on every other social media apart from Tumblr so I hardly add people, only if I know them for some time. 

I really hope my Tumblr will continue to live on (I actually never backed it up or anything). I don’t want to lose the community we’ve built here and the friends I’ve made. I think that as long as we continue to fangirl over anime and seiyuus we won’t have any problem, right?? The only risky thing is the BL, so we’ll have to think how to deal with that.

I love you all! 

❤️

[thanksfornothinguselessreptile]

A Shifting World Chapter 4: Goodbyes and Departures

First Chapter

<– Previous

Work Summary: Things have been going great since Hiccup and Toothless have defeated the Red Death. He has his father’s approval, a group of friends his own age, and is leading the integration of dragons and the Vikings of Berk. When neighboring tribes call together a meeting to discuss rumors of Vikings riding dragons, however, Stoick decides to keep their alliance with dragons under wraps. Hiccup must decide whether he should listen to his father or seek to teach the other Vikings of the archipelago the truths about dragons.

AO3

Rating: T

Characters: Hiccup, Toothless, Astrid, Stoick, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Snotlout

Pairings: Minor Hiccup x Astrid

Chapter Summary: Hiccup makes a promise to his best friend. Meanwhile, the twins are the twins and Mildew is Mildew.

Chapter Warnings: Discussions of death and murder, food mention

“You guys are all so lucky,” Tuffnut said as he shook his head at the nearest ship. “You all get to go to the Thing and we don’t.”

“I’d kill for the opportunity to go.” The scariest thing about that statement, Hiccup decided, was that Ruffnut sounded like she genuinely meant it. “The Thing is the prime pranking opportunity, and none of you are going to take advantage of it!”

“We’ll keep that in mind, I promise,” Hiccup said. He found himself regretting that the twins wouldn’t be coming along, even if it cut down the risk of other tribes declaring war on Berk due to missing beards and painted helmets.

Still, with a whole village to terrorize and no one else in their friend group around to entertain them or hold them back, Hiccup was sure that the missed opportunity would soon be a long distant regret.

Luckily enough for Hiccup, if not for Berk, it turned out that many of his friends were coming along, too. Astrid’s mother, Phlegma, was among the Berk Council, as was Spitelout, Snotlout’s father; both had decided their children ought to come along and get a better understanding of the other tribes. Fishlegs, while he had a mother aboard their ship as a sailor, had been chosen to come because Stoick believed he could have potential as a future ambassador of Berk.

Beyond them, all of the Berk Council were going as well. Well, all except for one, who was heading this way with a frown.

Hiccup was suddenly very aware that the twins had seemed to have vanished into thin air. They must’ve pranked Gobber somewhat recently, then.

“Ah, Toothless, there you are!” Gobber said as he wagged the wooden hand cutout attached to his prosthetic arm attachment as he prepared a lecture. “Remember that you aren’t going on this trip, you sneaky reptile.”

Toothless grumbled in irritation and glanced over at Hiccup as if asking him to reverse the decision.

“Sorry, bud,” he said instead, and gave Toothless an apologetic smile. “You know that Dad would kill me if I smuggled you aboard.” And anyways, even if he did go through with showing the other tribes that dragons weren’t inherently violent and were actually amazing, intelligent beings who were willing to live in peace if humans were, he wanted Toothless here, safe, if things went wrong. Again.

Toothless snorted and shook his head, his pupils narrowing slightly.

“Don’t worry, bud, it won’t be for forever.” If Gobber wasn’t there, Hiccup would have told him he’d try and make it so he could go to the next one, too. However, Gobber was still there, listening. He wouldn’t exactly be the sort that would keep quiet if Hiccup started making plans to go against his father’s and chief’s wishes behind his back.

“Yes,” Toothless said with a disgruntled huff.  

Hiccup could understand why. He wasn’t too happy about having to leave his best friend either.

Anything else he had to say, however, was swallowed up by a loud yell several feet away.

“I’m telling you, Stoick, this must be a sign from the gods to give up this unholy alliance with the beasts.” Hiccup had heard that voice enough times since after the Battle of the Red Death that he frowned and prepared to sigh with exasperation even before properly recognizing its owner.

Just as there were dragons too affected by the years of conflict to want to move onto Berk, there were Vikings who resisted the peace with the dragons with their heels dug into the ground. But where dragons were happy enough to avoid Berk, Mildew had decided to make his “opinion” everyone’s problem.

And especially Hiccup’s and Stoick’s.

“If the other tribes catch wind of us ‘befriending’ these monsters–” Mildew swung his staff straight toward a nearby Monstrous Nightmare who’d just dropped off a pallet of supply crates tied into groups with fishnet, ignoring their filthy look “–then we might as well kiss our lives goodbye!”

Stoick, half turned toward Mildew and half toward the freshly delivered stack of supplies, rubbed at his head in a way that told Hiccup that he was sensing an oncoming headache. “You’ve already brought this up. For sixteen Gripe Days in a row.”

“And you wouldn’t listen!” Hiccup winced as the vibrations of the resulting slam of the staff end into the wooden dock made their way up his prosthesis. “But now that the other tribes have come knocking, maybe you’ll finally care!”

Stoick cast Mildew a glare so sharp Hiccup almost expected to result in Mildew bursting into flames without a dragon’s intervention. Unfortunately for all of Berk, it didn’t. “Enough, Mildew. I am sticking to the answer I’ve given you every time before. We are not driving the dragons away.”

Mildew’s voice dropped just a fraction, and turned even more bitter and accusing. “Is it something you’re willing to bet the whole village’s lives on?”

“I assure you,” Stoick said, his voice unyielding, “I have the village’s best interests on my mind. And, like it or not, that includes yours.”

“Besides,” Gobber said, walking from beside Hiccup up to Mildew, “is right before Stoick’s about to leave to ensure we continue living in peace really the time to bring this up? Especially since he heard it before?”

Mildew snorted, sounding for all the world like a particularly stubborn sheep not unlike the one that often followed him around.

“I thought so. Now I suggest you go back and tend to your cabbages, unless you want to help load up the ship.” Gobber used his hand prosthesis to gesture at the supplies.

With one last scowl and “Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you,” Mildew stormed off the docks, staff tapping each wooden board along the way.

“Thanks, Gobber,” Stoick said, sounding more relieved than he’d been since the announcement of the Thing.

Gobber shrugged. “Eh, I’ll just add it to list of stuff you’ll owe me for while you’re gone.” He shuddered overdramatically. “Including the Gripe Days you’ll be missing. Not looking forward to those, I’m telling you!”

Stoick laughed and shook his head. “It makes dealing with the other chiefs seem like a picnic.”

Hiccup and Toothless walked toward them. “Can’t you do something about his attitude problem?”

Stoick frowned and sighed. “He gets under my skin as much as yours, son, but I’m afraid I can’t.”

“What does he have against them, anyways?” He leaned over to pat Toothless’s side, to calm himself and his dragon. “They hardly attacked his farm.” Cabbage, to no one’s surprise, was hardly a dragon’s preferred delicacy. In fact, they seemed to avoid them more often than most other crops.

Gobber and Stoick shared a solemn look.

“You see, years ago he set his farm up there,” Gobber said, sounding like he was getting into a long story that had no happy ending. “No one particularly minded, given he was always that… well, Mildewy, for the lack of a better word.” He shrugged. “And he married a woman who was just as grumpy as he was, and they had kids who took after the both of them.”

If Gobber and Stoick hadn’t looked so serious, Hiccup would’ve shuddered at the thought of a family of Mildews.

“They all seemed happy, though, and they kept mostly to themselves, so everything was fine.” Stoick shook his head. “And then, one day, his wife and children were picking up supplies in town when a dragon raid hit.”

“It was the worst in decades.” Gobber bit his lip. “Our best could hardly keep up defending the town from the dragons.” He sighed and shook his head. “By the time dawn came and they retreated, so many had died, even those who hadn’t fought.”

“Including Mildew’s family.” Hiccup never thought he’d feel anything regarding sympathy for the man, but then again he’d always summed his irritability up to stubbornness beyond the usual Viking levels.

“And that wasn’t the end of it.” Stoick’s tone caused Hiccup to brace himself. “Mildew somehow got it into his head that we let them die intentionally because no one liked them.”

“Well, no one did like them,” Gobber jumped in with a conciliatory tone. “But no one hated them that much,” he added when Stoick glared at him.

“Everyone kind of understood that it was mostly the grief talking, and things kind of died down after a while.” Stoick stroked his beard. “And eventually he ended up taking another wife.”

“And that’s when a dragon came to his farm and burnt it to a crisp.” Gobber shook his head. “Mildew escaped. Not his wife.”

“And after he got over that, he married another woman. She was from the Northlander Tribe, I believe.” He glanced at Gobber as if to confirm.

Gobber nodded. “Aye. And I bet you can get what happened to her.”

Hiccup’s stomach clenched. “I’m guessing not a peaceful death by old age.”

“After that, he became obsessed with killing dragons.” Stoick stroked his beard, lost in thought.

“Not himself, of course.” Gobber shrugged a single shoulder. “Let’s just say he chose to keep a farm far from the raids for a reason. But he bought dragon parts off those who did kill them. Bones, scales, heads, the lot.”

Toothless made a nervous sound, and Hiccup reached over to scratch him under the ears in an attempt at reassurance. “Don’t worry, bud. No one’s getting your head.”

“He was always advocating for crueler ways of killing them off entirely, not just driving them off our land for good.” Stoick frowned. “In any case, any intention he had of making his peace with them died with his wives and children.”

“But now we can make sure that no one else has to go through that.” Hiccup knew that losing family to dragons hurt; he’d lost his own mother to a dragon when he was a baby, and that had definitely stung after finding out that it was the Red Death’s fault. Still, he couldn’t imagine preferring being at war with dragons to the peace they had now over it.

“I know, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.” Stoick placed a hand on Hiccup’s shoulder, being careful not to knock him over. “However, he’s been bitter since the day he was born, and circumstances only made him worse. When you’re chief, you’ll have to deal with worse than the likes of him.”

Hiccup resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Encouraging pep talk, Dad.”

Stoick shook his head and laughed, and the somber tone the conversation had taken seemed to disperse like that. “Next time, I’ll let it surprise you.” He glanced around the docks and the ship, scanning everything. “Well, it looks to me like we’re just about ready to set out here. You get on the ship and I’ll get the loose ends tied up.” With that, he walked off.

Hiccup turned back to Toothless. “Well, I guess it’s time to say goodbye, bud.”

Toothless warbled in a very unenthusiastic tone.

“I promise I’ll be back, with a whole new bunch of stories to tell you.” A gathering of Viking chiefs was certainly never boring, as Stoick had often been inclined to share. “I’m sure you will too, since the twins are staying behind.”

At that, Toothless snorted and rolled his eyes.

Hiccup couldn’t help but smile at that. “You never know, you might have too much fun watching them get in trouble to even notice I’m gone.”

Toothless snorted and shook his head. He didn’t sound particularly convinced.

“It’s just for a few weeks, I promise.” Hiccup held out an open hand. Toothless stared at it and hesitated, then leaned his head over until his nose met Hiccup’s palm.  “Take care while I’m gone.” He let himself give his best friend a crooked, mischievous smile and wagged a finger at him in warning. “And no helping Ruff and Tuff with their pranks, alright?”

Toothless seemed to raise the draconic equivalent of an eyebrow, but nodded. “Yes.”

With that, Hiccup forced himself up the gangplank and looked for a place to sit. It was going to be a long journey.

So this is probably the last chapter I’m posting to Tumblr before the Log Off Protest. While the next chapter will likely be published on AO3 around the same time next week, I won’t crosspost it to Tumblr until the protest is over and I log back in. After that, crossposting should continue as usual. Thank you!

Next –>

[nicoleatrandom-blog]

7 Quick Self-Care Tips You Can Fit Into Even the Busiest Schedule

i’ve really got to work on shortening these titles. 

Welcome to Thursday, friends! We’ve almost made it through the week, so you may find yourself in need of some quick relief to the stress of your everyday routine -- or perhaps even those things which have not gone your way recently. 

Self-care is an important thing that many of us forgo in the interest of working, homework, taking care of children and family, or any of the other many obligations we face on a day-to-day basis. Self-care becomes even more important when we are stressed, overwhelmed, anxious, or angry — and I’m sure there are a million other instances in which we need to prioritize self-care. 

Maybe a lot of the reason we let self-care opportunities pass us by is because we think it will be too time consuming; the thing is, self-care doesn’t have to be taking time out to get a mani-pedi or a massage or a facial. It doesn’t have to be finding a sitter to get some alone time. It doesn’t have to be taking a mental health day from work and using those precious paid-time-off hours. 

I’ve compiled a list of seven things you can do to take care of yourself without taking too much extra time in the day or forcing your schedule to come to a complete halt. Do yourself a favor — read the list, then pick one or two to focus on for the next week or month. Obviously this list isn’t going anywhere, so feel free to come back to it anytime, and don’t forget to share your favorite on-the-go self-care tips in the comments! 

Have a hot beverage. This seems so simple it’s silly, but I’m serious. Make yourself a cup of coffee or a cup of tea. My go-to lately has been hot chocolate. Don’t forget that hot lemon water in the mornings! Put it in a to-go cup and continue on about your day while you drink it, or do what my friend Ashley does and pour into your favorite mug, have a seat, and put that to-do list on the backburner for a few minutes. I’ll tell you a secret: the list will still be there when you’re done. Crazy, right! The warm, coziness of having your favorite warm beverage will help to calm your nerves and soothe the tension of the day — and you know, no one said you can’t add a little grown-up juice, right? A little Bailey’s in your coffee, a hot toddy. Although, if you’re driving, at work, or taking care of kids, you might want to save the grown-up juice for later. 

Give your face a little extra care. I know, we’re talking about things that don’t take that much time, but hear me out. You’ve got to wash your face at night or in the morning anyway, right? Instead of your usual routine, throw a mask in there. The beauty industry has a whole range of face masks for purchase, and there are some that are not all that expensive. I’ve done masks that have to stay on anywhere from five to twenty minutes, so it depends on how much extra time you want to use. A five minute mask could be a good slow down for a hectic morning, but a twenty-minute mask can set while you get the kids ready, choose your outfit, or get your lunch together. Or, if you work the mask into your nighttime routine, it’s a great day to just close your eyes, put on your favorite music, and unwind from the day. Personally, I really enjoy Feeling Beautiful masks, which come in a one/two time use packages, or in a tube just under five dollars which lasts forever. Or, if an overnight mask is your thing, try Bliss’s What A Melon Overnight Mask. No affiliations here, just making some suggestions for masks that make me feel calm and pretty. 

Get up, make up, show up. Personally, nothing makes me feel more at ease than knowing I’ve beat my own mental blocks. Getting out of bed when I’d rather sleep a little longer, putting on a cute outfit when I would rather just throw on jeans and a t-shirt, putting on a full face of makeup (for me, this is less than others) and going to work when I just want to stay home bare-faced — if I can conquer that, I know I can conquer the rest of my day. 

It’s just one thing. When you’ve got a long list of things to do but you’re overwhelmed, the first thing you need to do is prioritize those things. What absolutely needs to be done today, and what can be moved to tomorrow or later in the week, or even next week? Once you’ve moved out things that are not required to be completed today, look at what you have left, how they’re prioritized, and just do one thing at a time. Don’t think about the x-number of things that are on the list, think about the thing that’s highest priority. Do that, cross it off the list, then do the next thing. Rinse, repeat. We get so caught up in getting things done that we tend to overwhelm ourselves at time. The thing is, life is hard enough, and, some days, we just don’t need to make it any harder. Simplify your to-do list, and take it from there. 

Eat what makes you happy. This one, you have to be careful. If you’re overwhelmed every day for a month, having tacos every day for a month might not be the best idea. But every now and then, forget the diet/healthy eating lifestyle, and get you some tacos — or whatever it is that makes you happy. Take that little bit of pressure off yourself and eat what you want. You’ll be surprised at how much just that one less thing makes a difference! Bonus #5 Info: There are foods that might actually improve your mood and mindset, and keep you healthy! Bananas, berries, quinoa, dark chocolate, green tea, apples … there’s more on the list, but these are just a few that will help to improve your mood and are relatively healthy. Google “food that makes you happy” and you’ll find even more options! 

Ask for help. Perhaps one of the most difficult things to do! We’ve been trained to have it together, to get things done, and to not burden others with our problems. I’m here to tell you, asking for help does wonders for my anxiety/stress. It’s okay to share your load with others, as long as you’re not taking advantage of them. That’s why we have family, why we have friends — and it lets them know that when they’re the ones who are stressed/overwhelmed/whatever the case may be, they can come to us for a return on the favor. 

Rock out like there’s no tomorrow. There’s no denying the calming effect of music. Play it while you complete your cleaning for the day or on the way home from dropping your kids at school or while you finish your errands for the day. Sing-along, shamelessly, and without caring what anyone else thinks. You’re taking care of you, and that’s all that’s important in that moment. 

Like I said, just a few things I’ve found that help me through days when the hours or even minutes seem insurmountable. What are your go-to quick self-care tips? Drop them in the comments below! 

I’ll see you (hopefully) Tuesday with a new post, and until then, keep moving forward. 

[angel-scythe]

I need you : Chapter 9

Hi people !

Thanks again to be there! I hope you will love it! This is a short chapter where nothing big happen and still... !!

If you want to read it on ao3, smash my door |   °| or keep reading?

“I’m here since

8

Days”

 That was the little board in front of Niles was saying. The man was sat on the couch, sorting out the mail. His phone was just near the board. He glanced toward his room as he did so often. His room and then the whole apartment. That austerity started to really bother him. He tried to keep himself busy to stay in this reality. Gavin’s reality. But sometimes, like now, it became really hard.

Everything was pushing him to retreat on himself.

When he had realized that, at the moment where Gavin took out the trash, he had turned off the TV. He didn’t want to stay in front of TV, looking all the time the same documentary. When he was doing something, he wasn’t mopping on himself the problem? He wasn’t able to get up and busy him with anything… He could only do what was within reach.

And it was few things.

When the door opened, he tried to get up but as much he could push on his arms, he felt his legs really weak and let himself fall in the couch as soon as Gavin was in the house. He didn’t saw him but that was okay. The Android came to him and took the empty bowl of soup to bring it back to the kitchen.

“Tonight, I’ll prepare you another soup, you’ll love it, I think.”

“Tonight?”

Gavin looked toward Niles.

“Don’t you think eating more than one time a day wouldn’t be a good thing?”

“I don’t know, Gavin.”

“If you eat well, you’ll have more strength and you’ll be able to do more.”

“I’ve a bad appetite…” Niles remembered.

The Android turned his head and started to make the dishes. In fact, the man appreciated the other didn’t force him. He tried a bit but he wouldn’t do it again and again until he’ll yield.

Maybe in few days, he’ll be able to eat? But not now. Even though that should give him strength.

He could see progress and yet that was already a big change for him…

He wanted to do a lot of things but he also knew he should not hurry the things. He even looked for exercise to muscle his legs and be able to walk again without Gavin help. Though he’d  love to throw his arms around his neck any time.

“I’m a little robot, short and strong. Here are my handles, just turn me on. When I get all warmed up, watch me go. Sometimes fast and sometimes slow.”

That song…that soft song. He continued to whisper it, all the time. He did it when he was doing repetitive task, or when he was alone. He didn’t get the song though but still liked to hear Gavin sung it.

When the Android had finish to clean everything, he came in the living room and stretched himself. He still had his random uniform with white jacket and blue lighting. He came next to Niles.

“How is the mail?”

“Sort out.”

“Nice.”

Niles took his phone.

“Do you want to help me?”

“For what?”

“I’d like to bright this apartment. There is… nothing there…”

“Yay! That would be fun! First, you need a Hang in there cat poster.”

“Okay.” Niles gave him the phone. “Choose it.”

“Why?”

“You’re living there too so I think it will be nice if you decorate with me. And I’ve poor taste,” he added with a face.

“Do you think I’ve better taste?” he laughed.

“Yeah? You thought about the poster.”

Gavin nodded but for him, it was a joke.

“You don’t think about a thing? In movie you like for example? People you like?”

Nines thought about that. He couldn’t remember his mother decorating, in fact. Even in his childhood house it wasn’t really bright. The only thing a bit odd he could remember, it was the lot of flowers everywhere. She could take care of them for hours.

“I know what I want.”

“Yay?”

“Let’s take a pic’.”

“Of us?”

Niles nodded. He could upload the photo on one of his tablet and he’ll keep it activate to have the picture. He also could use another for one with him and Connor. Or use a program for the images to switch?

Gavin smiled. “You see, you’ve wonderful idea. I like that. I don’t often take a pic’ with someone but there, I’m really excited.”

“So… it happened?”

The Android glanced to him and shrugged, letting out a little ‘yay’.

“Let’s take that pic’. What do you want? We look like bitch? We’re silly? We’re serious? We’re cop! … No, not cop. Cop sucks. We can be cute also. You’re cute.” He tilted his head with a smile. “And sexy.”

“You’re beautiful.”

“Thanks!”

“Let’s take a pic’ that look like us. That’s what I’d like.”

“Then you must pass your arms around my neck!”

Niles pressed himself against him and passed an arm around his shoulders. Gavin hugged him back and when he started to take the pics, they were looking each other because… what looking else?

  Gavin stretched as the Human was looking furniture on his telephone. Except the poster and the photo, he hadn’t choice anything. He really wasn’t good at that. Each time, he asked to the Android his advices. But he couldn’t decide. Each time he looked all those things, that seemed useless for him, too bright? Too big? Too ridicule? And when he asked to Gavin his advice… He loved everything. More it was useless, bright, big and ridicule, more he loved. He seemed to think it was the point to decorating.

But he couldn’t. He needed something useful.

And he felt so stupid because he needed so much to have something useful when it wasn’t the point. For example, he even never had a coverlet.

“I can’t do that,” he finally gave up.

“Hang in there!” Gavin said, pushing him at the temple.

“Hm… Maybe.”

“Let’s try from somewhere else. What do you need?”

“I need…”

Niles groaned. He had everything he needed, of course. When he needed something, he bought it and there we are.

“Where did you live when you were cop?” he asked. “What did you have there?”

Gavin looked away and took the skirts of his hoodie to tug it.

Damn. He had made a mistake.

Once again.

“I lived at the Precinct. With the others Androids. We were supposed to be in Standby and used when they needed us…”

“But you…”

“I quickly stopped to go in Standby. But… I wasn’t a Deviant yet.”

Niles nodded. In fact, he didn’t know well the Androids. He had few cases but due to his mother’s relation with them, and Elijah Kamski, he didn’t really know what he should know about them. The most he knew, it was because of case he had with Connor.

That wasn’t much.

Gavin probably knew better than him if he was Deviant yet or not. Thought he’d said he was surely already since he stopped to do what he must do…

“Still, there was nothing there.”

“Then, you should definitely help me.”

“You only ask that because you don’t know what to do!”

“Just a bit.”

Gavin smiled to him. “You can’t fool me!” He bent over him and looked the phone.

Niles was looking for colorful pencil. Why not? It was a start.

“Hm… What room do you want change the most?” the Android asked.

The Human frowned. It was hard. Each room needed to be changed if you think about brightening everything. But he needed to do something important. He needed to change because he wanted to be able to face this world again. He felt so many strange things now. A second he felt he could do the difference, got up and just start to live again and the last one, everything was crumbling in the floor.

It was like trying to do a beautiful drawing with domino in the middle of the storm.

He couldn’t even figure out what drawing he wanted to do since the wind was so powerful.

Gavin stared him patiently, glancing sometime toward the window where you could see the snow. He even looked him as he was pushing back that hoodie. He wanted to rise and turn around the sofa to kiss that LED which never stopped changing its color. In a way, you could think this GV200 was weak but for Niles who never showed emotion because it was bad, that looked so powerful.

Sometimes, he was jealous of his brother because he had so much joy in his live. Each time he thought about him, there was a mix of powerful joy and awful sadness because he didn’t get why they were twin, raised in the same way and still…

“Can you sleep?”

“No. Only went to standby.”

“So you find no interest at sleeping?”

“It’s strange to explain. I can if I want and sometime, I even can… dream? I think?” He shrugged. “Never analyzed that.”

“What are you doing when I’m sleeping?”

Gavin shrugged. “Stuff.” He watched him. “What are you trying to ask?”

Niles sighed and looked his phone. In fact, the Android’s chin was almost on his shoulder and he could feel his warm. That pushed his heart to beat way faster.

“Don’t look at me like that, Niles Stern. I was a great Detective, you know. Dare to ask.”

“Will you say ‘yes’?” Niles said.

“It’s not the question I expected,” Gavin smiled.

“But if you say no…”

“You’re a tiny asshole.” Gavin looked him from toe to head. “You’re a big asshole! Even depress like you’re, you seem to be really skilled to have what you want? Seeing you in an interrogation room was probably really hot.”

“Never watched me doing that,” Niles replied. He sighed and his thumb pressed the screen, now black, of his phone. “Will you be okay… to sleep with me?”

“Yes.”

“Then…” Niles glanced toward his bedroom.

He never had needed a double bed, only a bed for him and nothing else. Yes, he had already brought partner there but he never intended to share the night with them as long as they had receive enough pleasure.

One time, Connor had been there and taunted him a bit because he wanted to sleep with him but except that, he really never had needed a bed for two.

Though he wasn’t sure he really needed one now. Being on Gavin was so good…

The GV200 was waiting for him to talk so he finished.

“We need to have a new bed.”

“Yeah! That’s the spirit! Take the most useless and ridicule one!”

Niles winced a bit. “Do you want? Maybe we could have something useful?”

“But not common. We will have a bedspread really zany.”

“Okay.”

Niles activated his phone and started to look. Gavin didn’t miss he wanted a coverlet with cat and he saw a lot very nice. This one with a bunch of cat, the other black with a white cat, this one with a big kitten. Or this one with “my place, cat’s place” with the cat’s place so big. What about the grumpy cat? The cat doing a fuck? So much! He could have chosen them all. And then, Niles found the ‘perfect one’, ‘really nice and zany’.

A white one with an effect like you had a cat sleeping in the edge of the cover.

“This one!”

“Damn you’re so cute,” Gavin said before kissing his cheek.

“You like it?” Niles asked.

“Yay! And for the bed?”

The man put this bedspread in the basket, knowing he’ll need some blankets and cover and maybe more pillow but first looked after a bed. He felt bold! Gavin was there and he was looking and he thought the quilt he had chosen was zany! He was doing well and he felt a bit of excitation. He couldn’t wait to try that and to send a pic to Connor. He will be so impress!

For the bed, he searched a lot.

He saw Gavin looking excited when they found a hamburger bed but he really couldn’t buy that. And that wouldn’t be cute with the bedspread! They find bed with soft curtains around and he liked that but it didn’t seem crazy enough. However, if he didn’t find a thing, that will be that.

They passed by high-tech and strange bed, even kid-bed like with the mattress in big boat or other strangeness like that.

It was hard because sometimes, it seemed like Gavin was really up for one but he couldn’t. Or it was way too expensive. For example, they both liked the one surrounded by woods but it was ten thousand dollars! Niles didn’t understand of that could work.

Some were funny thought. They laughed at the chocolate-bed and Gavin was really hyped by the big cat though that looked more like a joke than a bed. They found out a bed in a skull and Niles was a bit pleased but he could never sleep in that because it didn’t look comfy at all.

And there, he found something perfect!

“This one. What do you think about this one?”

It was an elevated bed but under it, there was a cupboard, some drawer and bookshelves.

Niles turned his head toward since Gavin hadn’t say a thing.

“It’s not good?”

Gavin bent on him and kissed him tenderly. “It’s perfect,” he said.

“You looked disappointed,” the man said, frowning.

Though, he had a tiny-tiny smile because of the kiss. It was just a peck, something quick but honestly? It was perfect and full of love.

“Absolutely not.” In fact, he was disappointed by himself.

That level of zany was sweet and perfect for Niles.

“Do you think you need something else for your room?”

“Blankets, pillows… What do you think else?”

Gavin shook his head.

“We don’t need to hurry up. This will be already awesome.”

“Okay,” Niles replied.

The GV200 watched him as he was looking for the materials they needed. Instead of white, maroon, black, grey, the Human went for color a bit brightly. He liked the blue-grey since few days and the light blue so he chose those tones.

“I’m really proud of you,” Gavin said softly to him.

And Niles’ heart shivered because… guess what? Except Connor, nobody never said that to him…

[researching01]

Amelia Butlin's Instagram About Chronic Pain Encourages People To #BelieveUs & Here's Why It's So Important

New Post has been published on https://headacheshelp.com/awesome/amelia-butlins-instagram-about-chronic-pain-encourages-people-to-believeus-heres-why-its-so-important/

Amelia Butlin's Instagram About Chronic Pain Encourages People To #BelieveUs & Here's Why It's So Important

For most people, pain comes and goes. It can be agonizing and immobilising, lasting for days, weeks, months, or even years. Yet we can feel safe in the knowledge that the ache were experiencing isnt our permanent state of being. But this isnt the suit for everyone.

You never imagine yourself waking up one day and simply being in pain that will never run, says Amelia Butlin, the 26 -year-old illustrator behind an Instagram account documenting the experiences of those living with chronic pain and illness: @cantgoout_imsick .

With few advocates or resources online, Butlin has decided to use her love of art to create a community for women who want to share their experience with chronic conditions and the crippling, never-ending pain associated with them.

Earlier this year, Butlin began describing portraits of celebrities like Selma Blair, Lena Dunham, and Sarah Hyland, who have spoken out about their experiences with multiple sclerosis( MS ), endometriosis, and kidney dysplasia, respectively. Underneath her portrait, Dunham commented Wow I just cried thank you. Since then, the illustrator has been inundated with messages from people who want to share their own tales, encouraging her to start a series she calls #BelieveUs.

[ Living with chronic pain] is one of these things that is so isolating, she explains over coffee at her local tavern in Fulham, London. Unless you have engaged with the online community of sufferers you would think it’s only you, because youre made to feel that way.

Butlin was hospitalised with chronic meningitis in 2013 after her first year examining History of Art at the University of Leeds. But as she moaned into a hospital pillow to stop herself hollering from her migraines, she had no idea the ache would stay with her for this long. You dont imagine that could happen, she says. Butlin has now been diagnosed with Postural tachycardia syndrome( PoTS ), a nervous system disorder that causes lightheadedness and fainting, Ehlers-Danlos syndromes( EDS ), a connective tissue ailment, and fibromyalgia, which causes all-over body pain, headaches, extreme fatigue, and problems with mental process( also known as fibro-fog, according to the NHS ). In her experience, Butlin has found that if one thing isn’t working in your body, then the rest of your body kind of falls apart.

While one in three individuals in Britain suffer from some degree of chronic pain or discomfort, as the Ramsay Health Care hospital group reports, it remains an under-researched and dramatically underfunded area. And one that affects women seriously. In fact, as NRS healthcare reports, fibromyalgia has nearly two million sufferers in the UK alone, and 80 -9 0 percent of those people are women.

Lady Gaga spoke about her battle with fibromyalgia as she prepared for the Super Bowl halftime show in her 2017 Netflix documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two. It became an important moment for discussions around the illness, as the vocalist proved the psychological and physical suffering on camera for all to see.

Butlin explains how she had to go through a grieve process for the person she was before the ache began. Because you’re never going to be that person again, she says, so “youve got to” grieve yourself and attain the most of this new life that you have now because it’s merely not the same. It’s hard. It’s almost like the death of yourself.

Because fibromyalgia cannot be detected in blood tests or scans, and patients appear normal and healthy, get the correct diagnosis poses a huge problem. Butlin explains that people are often disbelieved by both doctors and loved ones, which can come with serious psychological repercussions for the sufferer.

We all grow up going to the doctor, they give you antibiotics and then you’re fine, Butlin says. But thats not been the case at all. I’ve been diagnosed with PTSD from all of the trauma I’ve had going to the doctors and people not believing you and saying it’s in your head.

By starting her illustration project, Butlin has realised she is not alone in feeling this route. One woman, whose story is shared in a caption under the title Believe Rose , said: I have been misdiagnosed and written off as crazy too many times to count. I was sent to a locked eating disorder division when I was 17 because my doctors presumed I simply didnt want to eat. In reality I was in excruciating pain and vomiting every time I feed. I was told it was bulimia, anorexia, anxiety, depression, psychosomatic ache, all before they would admit they couldnt figure out what was wrong. I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and its not in my head. My pain is real. My dislocations are real. My vomiting and nausea are real. It is all real.

Reading these tales about various chronic illnesses, it becomes clear just how much some people have had to fight to be believed. Jameisha,who has been diagnosed with the inflammatory autoimmune illnes Lupus, thinks its a combination of a lack of knowledge on their part, as well as my age and gender. Theres often a patronising tone, as if I don’t know much about my own body. She continues in her caption: But its not just physicians. Its also the stranger that assumes Im young and healthy enough to take the stairs, or the family member that only doesnt think Im trying hard enough.

Claudia,who has been diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis( ME)/ chronic fatigue syndrome( CFS ), as well as fibromyalgia and hyper-mobility joint syndrome, is also quoted saying: I would report constant muscle stiffness, hip ache, back ache since I was a teen and be met with silence. I have self-diagnosed my entire life and been my own physician because no one heard me.

Even Selma Blair, who Butlin has illustrated, was told the reason she was feeling depleted all the time was because she was a single mom . It took her collapsing at the doctors for them to give her the tests they needed to be diagnosed with MS.

Sufferers of endometriosis( a condition where tissue that are usually lines the inside of your uterus grows outside your uterus, often affecting your ovaries, fallopian tubings, and the tissue lining your pelvis) are some of the worst hit, with an average diagnosis time of 7.5 years in the UK. Yet figures shows that one in 10 people with a uterus suffer from the endometriosis.

For those shown on Butlins account, chronic illness has presented two debilitating problems: the physical pain of their condition and the emotional burden of trying to convince others it exists. In a similar way to the # MeToo movement, Butlin hopes # BelieveUs will encourage those living with chronic conditions to find strength in numbers and speak out about the mistreatment they have faced, with women finally saying Im not going to live in pain in silence.

Read more: bustle.com

[buggerjagger646]

nobody is going to like this and i just dont care at all.

alright.

im gonna rant

because my head hurts and maybe this will make it a little less terrible. 

How very not buddhist of me, but fuck you “fat acceptance” or “mental health acceptance”. fuck. you.

allow me to introduce myself in a way that makes me cringe at my very core, for this is the way that so many talk about themselves these days and i find it fucking deplorable to define yourself not by the content of your character or the achievements which you have brought to yourself, but instead these fucking bullshit words which hold little to no meaning of who YOU are. fuck that. but for the sake of the argument of this rant, ive been seeing a therapist for several months after what i can only think of as a fairly serious break and im being monitored for some variation of depression and suicidal whatever, and also for anorexia, apparently.

to the “accept my mental illness” bullshit - screw off. just screw off. it was suggested at my most recent session that i might need to enter a hospital facility for the apparent severity of my thoughts. i have to go to a long, pain in the ass diagnostic session in a couple of weeks to see if theyre going to medicate me, and that session was very difficult to get because hey apparently very few prescribing mental doctors who take my insurance deal with people who have eating issues. so fuck that first of all. 

“accept my mental illness, i dont need to see a therapist.” go to hell, quite frankly. i force myself to be honest with my therapist. i keep a stupid log of my “emotion states” because she asks me to even though i think is ridiculous. i read and listen to many psychological figures and ideas and force my own self to do everything i can to try to figure out some way to get around all of this. fuck you and your “accept me as i am because i dont want to/am too scared to do any real work for my own wellbeing”. fuck you. get fucking help, do some fucking work, get the hell over yourself for the love of everything. stop moaning and telling ME, ME who is working herself raw to figure out what the hell to do, that you dont have to do the same damn work as me. get off it. get yourself together, damnit. do some damn work. 

moving along, 

“fat acceptance” can fuck. the hell. off. right off. so far off that i never have to see that bullshit again in my life. they weigh me once per month at my doctor. the doctor who i had to sit in front of like a little kid and admit that i was barely eating and watch THAT look. you dont know THAT look unless you know THAT look. the doctor who i was given the (appropriate) ultimatum of ‘go to the doctor to be sure youre not dying or we cannot continue’ by the therapist i already mentioned. i just happened to find and like the one who had a specialization in eating disorders. lucky me. i keep a food journal on and off where i have to describe my feelings around what im eating. and when i hand them off i get to watch her get that little look of repressed concern, going ‘this cant be all that there is’. they primarily consist of the feeling “i hate this” and “im forcing this down my throat and i feel terrible”.

so fuck your fat acceptance. dont give me bullshit about “glandular” this and “hereditary” that. the overwhelming majority of you who are fat are so because your food intake is complete and total shit and entirely more than it should be, and you dont fucking care. or, frankly, youre lazy. and dont sass me, ive had a number of fat people admit to me directly that they are too fucking lazy to learn to cook or to cook for themselves or to eat within healthful bounds.

fuck. you. 

you know what? if you want to destroy your body and your general well being and youre somehow content there, fucking go for it. but dont fucking demand that i accept the fact that youre too stubborn or lazy to do well for yourself. fuck you. if i have to shove food into my mouth and i have to be fucking uncomfortable and i have to fucking deal with this, fuck you, you can fix your diet and stop being an ass. and for the record, anyone who is pushing this shit for children is absolutely, sickeningly, deplorable. children should not be fat. they have every metabolic and physical reason to not be fat unless their jackass parents are too ignorant or arrogant to do something. and yes, thats fucking child abuse. if your kid is fat, its almost certain that you are doing something wrong and you need to either seek assistance or have some kind of repercussion. fuck up your life if you must but dont try to bring kids into this. 

fuck you. if i have to force myself to eat, if i have to make myself be honest with what not eating does to me, then you assholes should be held to the same accountability. you know that the food you eat is shit and/or too plentiful. you KNOW it. dont give me this shit about “fat acceptance”. get your shit together and learn how to accept yourself and you might find that in most cases, youre well aware that youre fucking killing your body and you really dont actually like it. if anorexia is an eating disorder, then most of the overeating is so as well. your relationship with food is just as unhealthy as mine is, stop fucking lying to yourself because youre too lazy to be honest and to find the better solutions. 

fuck your acceptance bullshit. 

almost no one knows whats broken in me right now and im damn well going to fucking keep it that way. because i will be fucking damned if i am going to be defined by this shit as opposed to the things that i have done or will do or the person who i am or my long thought and pondered ideas. and even better, ive been completely betrayed by one person i trusted with this information of me who was so enamored with these labels. and ill tell you, it certainly hasnt helped my view of these label lovers. 

get over yourselves. figure yourselves out, give therapists something to do. if youve got problems, fucking address them. if you want something, fucking go and do the work for it. you dont get things just because you think that you somehow deserve them. work for it. and be someone worthy of what you want. dont be a weak little cowering barely person who demands things from people to try to fulfill something youre not willing to work for. and jesus fucking christ, dont just sit there being broken and insist that we have to take you as you are broken or accept your delusions.

i force myself to eat. i work my mind in circles trying to figure out how to be in a better mind. you “accept me” people are so full of shit i can barely stand it.  

[themoneybuff-blog]

Tax Identity Theft: Protecting Your Credit and Finances

Tax season is here, and though you technically have until April 15 to file your returns, you might want to submit yours sooner than that at least if you want to avoid potential identity theft (and a whole lot of hassle). Tax-related identity theft is a growing problem in America, and the more security breaches, information hacks and digital business we do as a society, the more consumers who fall victim to it. In fact, in 2016 alone, thieves stole more than $21 billion in tax refunds as a result of this simple, yet clever, form of identity theft. Have you fallen victim to Tax ID Theft and need help dealing with the financial ramifications? Or just want to know ways to prevent it from happening to you? This guide can help. What is Tax-Related Identity Theft? Tax identity theft occurs when someone files a tax return using your Social Security Number. In some cases, thieves do this in order to claim a fraudulent tax refund. In others, they may have used your SSN to obtain employment. When this occurs, their employer will report all income to the IRS using that SSN. When you dont report that same income on your own return, the IRS will flag it as suspicious and require you to pay taxes on that additional income. It may even lead to a tax audit. Victims of tax-related identity theft face serious financial ramifications. Not only are they unable to file their own returns (or claim their tax refund), but it also may indicate other financial vulnerabilities are at work. Unauthorized loans, credit cards and other accounts may have been opened using the victims identity. Victims are typically encouraged to freeze their credit when tax-related identity theft occurs. They may also need to work with creditors and credit reporting agencies to clear their name of any fraudulent activity. How Does Tax Identity Theft Happen? Generally, tax-related identity theft and all identity theft, for that matter occurs after a persons sensitive information has become public or fallen into the wrong hands. This often happens due to security breaches or digital data hacks, like the recent ones involvingmortgage data,Quora users andMarriott/Starwood Hotels customers. Tax-related identity theft often occurs in February and early March, as thieves must file the fraudulent returns before the real taxpayers file their legitimate ones. Fortunately, theIRS is taking steps to reduce identity theft from many angles. The agency has hired more employees dedicated to stopping fraud, implemented additional safeguards and also changed many of the standards used to file and authorize returns. Despite these efforts, tax-related identity fraud does still occur and its important everyday Americans are ready should it happen. How to Know Youve Been Victimized If youve fallen victim to tax-related identity theft, there are several ways you might learn of it. First, your legitimate tax return may be rejected. When you go to e-file your tax return, the IRS will reject it if a return has already been filed for your Social Security Number. If you filed a paper return, you would get a rejection notice in the mail, alerting you that your return has already been filed. In the event the thief used your SSN to obtain a job, you likely wont learn of the issue until your returns have been filed and processed. Once the IRS sees that your reported income does not match the income reported by employers to your Social Security Number, they will send you a later saying you failed to report income or that you owe additional taxes. Its important to note that all communications from the IRS will come via mail. The agency will not call, text or email you regarding your returns or any suspicious activity. Do not provide sensitive information to anyone pretending to be an IRS agent via these methods and report the issue to theU.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. What to Do Next If you discover that you are the victim of tax identity theft, youll need to report it to both the IRS and the Federal Trade Commission. Specifically, youll need to: Fill out Letter 5071C, if youve received it. The IRS may send youLetter 5071C if it flags your return as suspicious or suspects fraud has been committed. This form requires you to verify your identity and breaks down the steps for doing so. Follow these directions exactly and take any additional steps recommended once your identity has been confirmed.UseForm 14039 to alert the IRS of the issue. Fill out the form, along with a copy of your Social Security card and drivers license, to Internal Revenue Service, P.O. Box 9039, Andover, MA, 01810-0939. Make sure to send the letter by certified mail to ensure it arrives safely and untampered with. If you received a notice in the mail, include this with your letter as well.Apply for anIdentity Protection PIN. These are six-digit numbers that the IRS will use to confirm your identity on all future returns and filings.Notify the Federal Trade Commission. File an identity theft report atIdentityTheft.gov in order to alert the FTC. This website can also help you create a plan of action for responding to identity theft.Contact yourstate tax agency. There may be additional steps your state requires when identity theft occurs. If you tried to e-file and got rejected, you should go ahead and file your paper return and pay any taxes you owe via mail. If at any point you need help in the process, call the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 800.908.4490 for assistance. An agent can walk you through the appropriate steps to both report and respond to the theft. The Road Ahead Rebuilding Your Credit and Finances Though the IRS says it typically takes 120 days or less to address cases of identity theft, according to USA Today, it often takes as many as278 days to resolve a claim and get your legitimate refund. This doesnt even include the time and resources needed to address other consequences of identity theft such as unauthorized loans, credit cards, purchases and more. Depending on how deep the theft goes and how available your personal information was, the financial ramifications can often last months or even years. The important thing to do is to remain vigilant. This means: Pulling your credit report and monitoring for suspicious financial activity. Look at your credit report and make sure there are no unauthorized accounts or loans to your name. Contact the creditors and close these if necessary. You should also check with your banks and lenders to ensure there is no suspicious activity. If there is, dispute the charges and follow the steps to have those waived from your accounts.Placing a fraud alert on your credit profile. Contact one of the three major credit reporting bureaus (Experian, TransUnion or Equifax) and ask that a fraud alert be placed on your record. This can prevent thieves from opening up new credit cards or loans in your name. You can also request a total credit freeze if you want to be extra safe.Considering credit monitoring. Though these services come at a fee, they can help you keep tabs on your credit profile as well as any changes that occur on it. Working with the Social Security Administration. Report the identity theft and take any additional steps recommended. In severe cases, you may need to apply for a new Social Security Number. Continuing to work with the IRS and FTC as necessary. Respond quickly to any FTC or IRS request. Any delays could delay the resolution of your case and the delivery of your refund. In some cases, you may want to involve a lawyer especially if your investments, retirement accounts, mortgage or other major financial products have been affected. They can help you traverse the legal issues that crop up with creditors, lenders and financial institutions along the way. Your Options for Financial Recovery Many victims of tax-related identity theft experience cash flow issues or must deal with additional debt as a result of the experience. They also may be unable to take out traditional loans or credit accounts due to the impact the theft has had on their credit score and profile. When this occurs, victims have these options: A Tax Advance Loan Tax Advance Loans (TALs) give you an advance on your projected refund. While sometimes helpful, these arent the best idea if your refund is small. They can also impact your credit score and often require a significant chunk of your refund to secure.A personal loan Personal loans can offer access to more cash, as well as more lenient (and longer) repayment terms. These can be especially helpful for victims hit hard by their identity theft. Credit-builder loans These loans are beneficial if your credit score was severely impacted by the theft. Typically offered through community banks and credit unions, they help you improve your score by reporting your consistent payments to credit bureaus.Secured credit cards If the identity theft required you to close your credit accounts, a secured credit card can be a good option. These require you to deposit money up front, as collateral. They then function like traditional credit cards, while also helping you establish good credit standing (as long as you pay on time, every time).Help from loved ones In many cases, family members, friends and other loved ones are willing to provide financial help. They might offer no-interest loans or even gifts to help you get through your rough patch. Theres always the option to wait it out, too. If the damage was minimal or you werent relying on your refund for financial stability, you may be able to await the IRS resolution of your case. Reducing Your Risk If you arent already the victim of tax-related identity theft, you should take action to ensure you never become one. This means protecting your personal information, shredding sensitive documents and using strong passwords on all online accounts. You can also: Lock your mailbox.Use a secure computer on a secure network when e-filing. Check your credit report annually for suspicious activity.Install a firewall and antivirus software on your computer. Learn how to recognize phishing emails and fraudulent requests for information. Keep sensitive documents (like your Social Security card) in a safety deposit box. Only provide your Social Security Number when absolutely necessary. You should also file your returns as early as possible. A fraudster cannot file a return using your Social Security Number if one has already been filed. Make it a point to file your taxes as soon as you have the information necessary to do so. https://www.thesimpledollar.com/protect-yourself-from-tax-identity-theft/

[topicprinter]

This is more for tech entrepreneurs here. However, the core ideas can be taken out for some other businesses. Let me know if it helps.I was answering the question “What are the strategies to convert a free user to a premium user for a SaaS product?” and the answer became an article in itself. At the same time, it’s yet another one of my core fundamentals which I think can impact someone. Below is my answer.It’s all about intent.If your intent is to make as much money as possible as fast as possible (i.e short term), the answer is not for you. You’ll do things that other guys/gurus mention such as “Provide incentive for prospects to sign up for freemium but do not provide too much value so that free version of the product is enough.” — that’s corny, dull and lacking a long-term vision.Here’s something that I’ve noticed within myself. At a point, I’ve realised I love some companies to the point where I feel like they’re my friend. They’ve done so much good to me and they’ve been “by my side” to a point where I don’t have any problem with parting with my money.There’s an emotional connection between me and them. It may sound dramatic but it’s true. When I pay them I do so happily as I support their cause.Here’s the TLDR answerHelp them grow so you can grow together.By that I mean the freemium model should offer the client the chance to grow — equality of opportunity — and if it does happen that they grow and become profitable, the SaaS starts charging based on that. In a sense, value-based pricing, or at least as much as it could get with a scalable model.In other words, open up the doors for a lot of people and then benefit mutually from the winners.Objection 1But I don’t want to have users on the freemium plan leeching my resourcesNow here’s the catch — I’d say charge the winners enough so that it’ll cover the expenses for those who didn’t get it yet (or leeches, because I know that might be going through your mind, especially if you’re a business person).Charge them enough so that you won’t get mad when you find out about that couple of users that just sucked the benefits of your benevolence and never contributed towards your company.Objection 2I can’t afford to offer the free plan to so many peopleHere’s another magnificent thing that happens when you open the doors for everyone — word of mouth is on steroids. You’re on a fast track to word-of-mouth express. It’s possible you might have heard this comparison before — arguably you can reach 1000 people. And one of these people knows 1000 people. That means you’re a person away from a million. And two people away from a billion.If your intent is to do good and give chances to everyone to prove themselves, within that network of a billion some of the engagements will include how nice it is that your SaaS is doing them good — whether they pay or not.Therefore, I’m pretty confident when I say that the ARR you’ll get to in 1–2 years, given the money you’ll be burning initially because of the free plan (it’s not the case all the time though) will be significantly bigger than the ARR you’d have by implementing the shitty tactic of“Provide incentive for prospects to sign up for freemium but do not provide too much value so that free version of the product is enough.”Give them bloody enough if you can. Because you’ll have a customer for life and some of them will become even friends. And then when they win and scale, they’ll be more than happy to pay you. And I’ll state it again: they’ll be happy to pay you amounts of value that will cover for those on a freemium plan.Why? Simple — you see it everywhere. Millionaires who grew up as orphans donate back to orphanages because without these houses, they couldn’t have won. Most of the time it’s more than just THE orphanage they grew up in. We’re humans and once we accumulate resources, if the intent is good in that person, they want to help the cause. Remember what I wrote above that in my case I wanted to contribute to the company’s cause?Objection 3I really can’t afford it because I don’t have the money right now — I’m bootstrapping it, hence no investmentsFair. Charge for what you do, don’t offer a freemium plan or do so but only as a trial. But as soon as you’re able to do what I said above, please do it.The point is this: the more you’re able to give away for free, the more it will come back to you. It won’t make any sense to you unless you’ve experienced it yourself but maybe one single reader will simply trust it by heart and she or he will be taken far.Here’s another choice of words for sceptics: the more you’re able to give to people, the more you’ll be able to ask from them (eventually). Makes sense?Some practical examplesI’ll give some examples below along with a brief description. Cloud services are more prone to do so given the fact that what they offer is more fungible and is easier to be priced in a “pay as you go” model.Dropbox — 2 GB free for anyone. Moreover, get people onboard and we’ll give you more. All for free. Help me, help you.Spotify — free music, no problem. Just ads. If you mind them (i.e. if your time is more valuable than the monthly $10), we’ve got you as well.GitHub — sure, put your beloved code and creations on our platform. Open to anyone. If you’re looking to do more than just a hobby, only then we’ll charge youFirebase — If your database downloads exceed 10 GB/mo, then you’re pretty serious and most probably you can afford to pay for a solution. If not, however, it’s fine, we’ll take the risk with you. Let’s see if your idea works, no problem if it doesn’t. We’ll swallow it.Cloudflare (which I absolutely love by the way, even though I don’t use their service) — You know what guys, we’ll sell you the domains at wholesale price, we won’t get any commission. And if your website is tiny, it’s just a small personal website or a blog that just started, it’s fine. Stay for free. Only later, when you worry about high-performance and security (which is when you’re at a later stage), we’ll start charging you.MailChimpThe bottom lineOpening up the doors for everyone can go this way. One in 10,000 make it through and have a huge impact on the world, which usually is affiliated with resource gathering.If your intent is to create a win-win environment and give equality of opportunity so that eventually the next Leonardo da Vinci will come from under your rooftop (and he won’t forget that), this is a way to solve the freemium-to-premium user conversion problem.——Originally posted here. I run an experiences design agency that helps SaaS CEOs reduce user churn.

[fashiontrendin-blog]

Don't touch your spots until you've read our ULTIMATE spot squeezing guide by Dr Pimple Popper herself

http://fashion-trendin.com/dont-touch-your-spots-until-youve-read-our-ultimate-spot-squeezing-guide-by-dr-pimple-popper-herself/

Don't touch your spots until you've read our ULTIMATE spot squeezing guide by Dr Pimple Popper herself

She has over 2.5 BILLION views across her Youtube channel, a cool 8 million followers across social media, and has squeezed more spots than Kylie has sold lip kits. But what makes Dr Sandra Lee, aka Dr Pimple Popper, so mesmerising? And what are her top tips for a successful squeeze? Ahead of her UK TV debut in her new show, Dr Pimple Popper on TLC, we catch up with the Dr herself to find out.

“I don’t actually recommend popping anything”

As a dermatologist, I actually don’t recommend popping anything at all at home. But I also know that many of us are pickers and poppers and if you are going to do it, I want to tell you the best way to avoid scarring or aggravating the skin even more.

“Know WHAT to pop”

You should only attempt to pop a pimple which has a fully formed head. We call this a pustule and usually they’re only covered by a very thin, superficial layer of skin so can be easily popped. The more superficial, the better, as you’ll cause less trauma to the skin and it’s less likely to scar.

If it’s a cyst (a deeper, under-the-skin lump), a milia (a small white lump) or a mole – don’t even think about it. You’ll just make it far, far worse or cause more serious issues for yourself.

“Encourage the pimple”

Before popping, always encourage the pimple to come to the surface. A pimple is the result of an immune reaction where white cells and puss has collected to heal the bacterial invasion – you can bring all this closer to the skin surface using a hot compress. Just place it on the area for a few seconds a few times a day and be patient.

A step-by-step guide to banishing acne on every single part of your body

“Know when to stop”

The most important thing is to know when to stop. People can become totally fixated when squeezing a pimple but you’ve got to know when enough is enough. As a general rule, I would say that if the pimple hasn’t popped after 30 seconds of squeezing, you have to walk away. Set an alarm on your phone to time yourself – pimple popping is the ultimate time warp and people often don’t realise just how long they’re digging around in one spot. If you really can’t stop yourself and you keep going back for more, even after the 30 second deadline, put a band aid on it.

“Keep everything clean”

It goes without saying that you should wash your hands before touching your skin, and especially before popping pimples. I’d even recommend showering beforehand, not just from a hygiene perspective, but also to open up the pores and soften the skin. Afterwards, use an antiseptic cream or something with salicylic acid to make sure the area is properly cleansed. Oh, and steralise any popping tools with rubbing alcohol.

“I think people find it relaxing”

People do it because they find it relaxing – it’s a problem that gets resolved, and that is satisfying. But there’s a difference with that and with skin picking disorder, when people are compelled to obsessively pick their spots, and can really cause serious damage to their skin. I think in those cases, or when there’s a risk of scarring or severe acne, you should always seek help from a dermatologist. Acne scars and skin issues can have a huge emotional toll that you carry for life, so it shouldn’t be dismissed. That’s the message I want to get across – yes, I entertain but I also educate. I want people to understand their skin and know what treatments are available.

Dr Pimple Popper airs Thursdays from 26th July at 9pm on TLC

Check out our roundup of the best spot-busting acne treatments

[itesfashion]

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What is the best project of your own school vocation? What is the solitary project that will discover your prosperity or collapse with regards to your advanced schooling college degree, your upcoming work, all of your near future? The unfortunate facts are, there will be a person task one which might a pocket guide to writing history be very important in analyzing no matter whether you aquire your university or college college degree. You could have already got an inkling about this papers. It is the annoying dissertation, a thesis-motivated, significant problem of an old fashioned paper that lab tests your strength of will, your knowledge, your advancement with your vigor. From researching to formulating, all students wind up not capable of concluding their dissertations.

When university students end up not capable of dissertation creating, it may possibly loom across them just like a cloud of disaster. Some may come to feel inferior, despite the fact that theyve accomplished several years of advanced schooling. At MyCustomEssay.com, we do not want university students to ever previously come to feel disappointed with theirselves or their earlier a reason for writing manuscript transition academics. The main cause plenty of scholar suffer from formulating a dissertation is not really simply because cant do this, and positively not basically because they arent shrewd ample for doing this; its mainly because the task will take a huge amount of time. Very first, college a raisin in the sun essay questions students really need to go with a thesis and have confidence in us, thesis composing is thin air close as simple as youd just think. When they get a thesis sanctioned, pupils still need to undertake a huge level of explore. Ended up being chatting numerous hours, each day, for weeks time with pupils hidden in publications, articles or reviews and academic periodicals. All this takes place just before scholars even commence to get started with posting a dissertation. Then theres the challenge of using that mountain / hill of knowledge and quarrels youve bought and in some manner converting it in to a effectively-planned, sharp, fascinating and progressive dissertation old fashioned paper. If this doesnt seem like a challenging task, we do not realize what does! Dissertations are, undeniably, the main project ranking in between young people and achievements. Do not allow it give you reduced lay there are a variety of some others!

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Who prefers school assignment composing? In the event you sought after that inquiry to all the individuals within your school group, I hesitation that several of them would elevate their control. Producing period reports is a thing that almost most people dreads.

You recognize the actual sensation formulating it along quickly in your own institution-produced goal the morning your professor says to you the horrendous news flash, after which arranging every other pastime avoiding focusing on it. Even washing the powder room noises a plan for the essay more pleasant than detailing or investigating that school assignment, composing a proposition in your niche or simply contemplating what you need to express.

Regardless of whether its been about the syllabus considering the fact that the starting of the semester, like other people, youre expecting itll go away from you naturally; get by chance erased on the programs. Obviously you are aware of it doesnt work well in that way, but expecting and procrastinating are most likely helping to make factors even more difficult for your needs.

What percentage of friends and family are missing evenings out or possibly date ranges with the important other individuals to attempt to cram for those investigate and producing they have to do? Youd more or less instead not cross than need to have no social interaction. If it may sound like you, then youve happen off to the right web site.

School assignment formulating solutions

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For college kids caught in inactive conclusion instructional a piece of writing is never finished classes, there will be have high hopes. As a result of MyCustomEssay.com, they may full training that is going to generally go down through the wayside as a consequence of apathy, affordable reason or lack of information during the a read essay matter space. Through providing training aid in the realms of contacting, modifying and finish composing professional services, we can easily give university students the supercharge they will need to cause it to throughout the previous uncomfortable times of their the least treasured training. By supporting with training, authentic creating capabilities and being exposed to very good company actions may also allow college students correct unwelcome training in good ways additionally later on. Our intention isnt to bring your hard earned dollars and manage. We would like to get you ready a persuasive essay against school uniforms for a potential in pointless programs and demanding duties by demonstrating how wed produce regular training.

Many reasons exist for trainees use MyCustomEssay.com for training assistance, nevertheless the best cause will have to be our cheaper selling prices and revisal assures. Usually when you use expertise from MyCustomEssay.com, you do not just get thorough training publishing aid; also you get yourself a dollars-back again warrant that in case the training isnt as many a place to keep your writing as your principles, perfectly modify and resend the project free of charge. The fact is, properly return you if your training falters to obtain whatever underneath a top-notch class. Extra incentives in our services add a 24/7 client care group that may reply almost any queries about our policy or ways to made to order training, in addition to ascertain check alternatives and give other vital specifics of our freelance writers and requirements.

Our freelance writers, incidentally, are conference a remarkably substantial a raven like a writing desk ordinary. Our training posting expertise are simply available at a organization of swift, wise authors perfect for transforming near operate so quickly it could design your sight ” spin “. Furthermore, on the subject of delivering training, first authoring suggests primary publishing; every little thing these authors deliver is consisting absolutely from the beginning, interpretation you will not come across training of this nature elsewhere across the world. We arent like a few of these affordable, funds-taking hold of businesses that provide you with training producing support available as reused reports or badly authored justifications for responsibilities. Had been a picture of a bullet writing experts, determined to become greater with every new morning and each and every new task. In the event the time can come that you should undertake training you actually are much less than serious about, perform the sensible issue; have MyCustomEssay.com conclude your training to help you start working on the subject matter you undoubtedly love!

What is the best project of your own school vocation? What is the solitary project that will discover your prosperity or collapse with regards to your advanced schooling college degree, your upcoming work, all of your near future? The unfortunate facts are, there will be a person task one which might a pocket guide to writing history be very important in analyzing no matter whether you aquire your university or college college degree. You could have already got an inkling about this papers. It is the annoying dissertation, a thesis-motivated, significant problem of an old fashioned paper that lab tests your strength of will, your knowledge, your advancement with your vigor. From researching to formulating, all students wind up not capable of concluding their dissertations.

When university students end up not capable of dissertation creating, it may possibly loom across them just like a cloud of disaster. Some may come to feel inferior, despite the fact that theyve accomplished several years of advanced schooling. At MyCustomEssay.com, we do not want university students to ever previously come to feel disappointed with theirselves or their earlier a reason for writing manuscript transition academics. The main cause plenty of scholar suffer from formulating a dissertation is not really simply because cant do this, and positively not basically because they arent shrewd ample for doing this; its mainly because the task will take a huge amount of time. Very first, college a raisin in the sun essay questions students really need to go with a thesis and have confidence in us, thesis composing is thin air close as simple as youd just think. When they get a thesis sanctioned, pupils still need to undertake a huge level of explore. Ended up being chatting numerous hours, each day, for weeks time with pupils hidden in publications, articles or reviews and academic periodicals. All this takes place just before scholars even commence to get started with posting a dissertation. Then theres the challenge of using that mountain / hill of knowledge and quarrels youve bought and in some manner converting it in to a effectively-planned, sharp, fascinating and progressive dissertation old fashioned paper. If this doesnt seem like a challenging task, we do not realize what does! Dissertations are, undeniably, the main project ranking in between young people and achievements. Do not allow it give you reduced lay there are a variety of some others!

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Custom made School Assignment Formulating Solution. Require assistance producing your training? We have been on this website! Dissertation Solution On the net From PhD Authors

Custom made School Assignment a recent history of writing and drawing Formulating Solution.pay someone to write my essay uk Require assistance producing your training? We have been on this website! Dissertation Solution On the net From PhD Authors

Who prefers school assignment composing? In the event you sought after that inquiry to all the individuals within your school group, I hesitation that several of them would elevate their control. Producing period reports is a thing that almost most people dreads.

You recognize the actual sensation formulating it along quickly in your own institution-produced goal the morning your professor says to you the horrendous news flash, after which arranging every other pastime avoiding focusing on it. Even washing the powder room noises a plan for the essay more pleasant than detailing or investigating that school assignment, composing a proposition in your niche or simply contemplating what you need to express.

Regardless of whether its been about the syllabus considering the fact that the starting of the semester, like other people, youre expecting itll go away from you naturally; get by chance erased on the programs. Obviously you are aware of it doesnt work well in that way, but expecting and procrastinating are most likely helping to make factors even more difficult for your needs.

What percentage of friends and family are missing evenings out or possibly date ranges with the important other individuals to attempt to cram for those investigate and producing they have to do? Youd more or less instead not cross than need to have no social interaction. If it may sound like you, then youve happen off to the right web site.

School assignment formulating solutions

Youve possible read a quick guide to writing songs about word paperwriting professional services, that permit you to pay off other people to get it done in your case. At MyCustomEssay.com that is accurately our eagerness. If 24/7 support service a problem solution essay and freelance writers that would encounter perhaps the least amount of of because of schedules piques your desire, look into our web-site; you will not be dissatisfied.

With more than 100 freelance writers that are indigenous English language audio system and ideal freelance writers, theres an assurance good hire a company who are able to do your school assignment posting, and savor publishing it! Youll get only one completely authentic and unique cardstock, totally free alterations of any situation that may not be precisely for your style and prompt web mail transport whenever the old fashioned paper is composed. Theres actually hardly anything else you could possibly look for in the essay composing solution, but we give selecting even finding which creator youd wish to produce your essay, and then we arent bashful of revealing their expertise.

Obtain Personalized Name Documents On-line

Regardless of how lots of websites or written text your professor calls for, or what is the subject material is, if youve received an expression pieces a persuasive essay of paper in need of creating, weve gotten a creator planning to generate it. At low priced pricing, along with a pocket guide to writing in history an painless obtain technique, youd be insane to not ever we will compose your papers for yourself.

Knowledge is not actually an elective technique. Generally, individuals do not get to discover the types of training they are looking for. Expected training courses much outnumber the types of training systems trainees in reality choose to practical knowledge. The reality is, these desired courses can even insure that it is not possible for pupils to accept electives they are looking for! When scholars are tangled in training they dislike, even basic, day-to-day training can appear complicated. When young people have minimal experience within all those desired lessons, an tremendous work load can be wholly very unlikely! How could university students comprehensive duties for instructional classes they do not appreciate? Its with enough concentration for getting along the power to go to the category and enjoy the lectures; what amount stronger do you find it to invest recognition and publish in a matter you discover uninteresting or avoidable?

For college kids caught in inactive conclusion instructional a piece of writing is never finished classes, there will be have high hopes. As a result of MyCustomEssay.com, they may full training that is going to generally go down through the wayside as a consequence of apathy, affordable reason or lack of information during the a read essay matter space. Through providing training aid in the realms of contacting, modifying and finish composing professional services, we can easily give university students the supercharge they will need to cause it to throughout the previous uncomfortable times of their the least treasured training. By supporting with training, authentic creating capabilities and being exposed to very good company actions may also allow college students correct unwelcome training in good ways additionally later on. Our intention isnt to bring your hard earned dollars and manage. We would like to get you ready a persuasive essay against school uniforms for a potential in pointless programs and demanding duties by demonstrating how wed produce regular training.

Many reasons exist for trainees use MyCustomEssay.com for training assistance, nevertheless the best cause will have to be our cheaper selling prices and revisal assures. Usually when you use expertise from MyCustomEssay.com, you do not just get thorough training publishing aid; also you get yourself a dollars-back again warrant that in case the training isnt as many a place to keep your writing as your principles, perfectly modify and resend the project free of charge. The fact is, properly return you if your training falters to obtain whatever underneath a top-notch class. Extra incentives in our services add a 24/7 client care group that may reply almost any queries about our policy or ways to made to order training, in addition to ascertain check alternatives and give other vital specifics of our freelance writers and requirements.

Our freelance writers, incidentally, are conference a remarkably substantial a raven like a writing desk ordinary. Our training posting expertise are simply available at a organization of swift, wise authors perfect for transforming near operate so quickly it could design your sight ” spin “. Furthermore, on the subject of delivering training, first authoring suggests primary publishing; every little thing these authors deliver is consisting absolutely from the beginning, interpretation you will not come across training of this nature elsewhere across the world. We arent like a few of these affordable, funds-taking hold of businesses that provide you with training producing support available as reused reports or badly authored justifications for responsibilities. Had been a picture of a bullet writing experts, determined to become greater with every new morning and each and every new task. In the event the time can come that you should undertake training you actually are much less than serious about, perform the sensible issue; have MyCustomEssay.com conclude your training to help you start working on the subject matter you undoubtedly love!

What is the best project of your own school vocation? What is the solitary project that will discover your prosperity or collapse with regards to your advanced schooling college degree, your upcoming work, all of your near future? The unfortunate facts are, there will be a person task one which might a pocket guide to writing history be very important in analyzing no matter whether you aquire your university or college college degree. You could have already got an inkling about this papers. It is the annoying dissertation, a thesis-motivated, significant problem of an old fashioned paper that lab tests your strength of will, your knowledge, your advancement with your vigor. From researching to formulating, all students wind up not capable of concluding their dissertations.

When university students end up not capable of dissertation creating, it may possibly loom across them just like a cloud of disaster. Some may come to feel inferior, despite the fact that theyve accomplished several years of advanced schooling. At MyCustomEssay.com, we do not want university students to ever previously come to feel disappointed with theirselves or their earlier a reason for writing manuscript transition academics. The main cause plenty of scholar suffer from formulating a dissertation is not really simply because cant do this, and positively not basically because they arent shrewd ample for doing this; its mainly because the task will take a huge amount of time. Very first, college a raisin in the sun essay questions students really need to go with a thesis and have confidence in us, thesis composing is thin air close as simple as youd just think. When they get a thesis sanctioned, pupils still need to undertake a huge level of explore. Ended up being chatting numerous hours, each day, for weeks time with pupils hidden in publications, articles or reviews and academic periodicals. All this takes place just before scholars even commence to get started with posting a dissertation. Then theres the challenge of using that mountain / hill of knowledge and quarrels youve bought and in some manner converting it in to a effectively-planned, sharp, fascinating and progressive dissertation old fashioned paper. If this doesnt seem like a challenging task, we do not realize what does! Dissertations are, undeniably, the main project ranking in between young people and achievements. Do not allow it give you reduced lay there are a variety of some others!

Need Assistance Creating Your Dissertation? We Will Support!

If you are one of several scholars a pro and con essay that has to have enable producing a dissertation, do not give up hope. MyCustomEssay.com will be here to art good quality dissertations that can produce a flourishing conclude towards your school work. Most of authors store diplomas in British-associated topics a pocket guide for writing in history and now have put together dissertations them selves more often than once. Faith us, they do know what theyre accomplishing. Dissertation authoring is the specialization, and they usually would love you to help. By means of MyCustomEssay.com produce your dissertation suitable for you, you can actually but not only achieve a good standard, and also build your home on that graduating phase!

The Rubik’s Cube solver functions inside of your internet browser also it locates the answer in your problem within minutes.

The post Custom made School Assignment Formulating Solution. Require assistance producing your training? We have been on this website! Dissertation Solution On the net From PhD Authors appeared first on Guest Blogging Platform for Jewelry & Fashion.

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The basketball legend and social activist who counted Ali and King among his contemporaries discusses Colin Kaepernick, LaVar Ball and Trumps America

Like all people my age I find the passage of time so startling, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar says with a quiet smile. The 70-year-old remains the highest points-scorer in the history of the NBA and, having won six championships and been picked for a record 19 All-Star Games, he is often compared with Michael Jordan when the greatest basketball players of all time are listed. Yet no one in American sport today can match Kareems political and cultural impact over 50 years.

In the 90 minutes since he knocked on my hotel room door in Los Angeles, Abdul-Jabbar has recounted a dizzying personal history which stretches from conducting his first-ever interview with Martin Luther King in Harlem, when he was just 17, to receiving a hand-written insult from Donald Trump in 2015. We move from Colin Kaepernick calling him last week to the moment when, aged 20, Kareem was the youngest man invited to the Cleveland Summit as the leading black athletes in 1967 gathered to meet Muhammad Ali to decide whether they would support him after he had been stripped of his world title and banned from boxing for rejecting the draft during the Vietnam War.

Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who has been shut out of the NFL for his refusal to stand for the US national anthem, is engaged in a different struggle. But, after being banished unofficially from football for going down on a bended knee in protest against racism and police brutality, Kaepernick has one of his staunchest allies in Abdul-Jabbar.

At the Cleveland Summit Abdul-Jabbar was called Lew Alcindor, for he had not converted to Islam then, and he became one of Alis ardent supporters. When Ali convinced his fellow athletes he was right to stand against the US government, the young basketball star knew he needed to make his more reticent voice heard. He has stayed true to that conviction ever since.

Were talking about 50 years since the Cleveland Summit, wow, Abdul-Jabbar exclaims. We were tense about what we were going to do and Ali was the opposite. He said: Weve got to fight this in court and Im going to start a speaking tour. Ali had figured out what he had to do in order to make the dollars while fighting the case was essential to his identity. Bill Russell [the great Boston Celtics player] said: Ive got no concerns about Ali. Its the rest of us Im worried about. Ali had such conviction but he was cracking jokes and asking us if we were going to be as dumb as Wilt Chamberlain [another basketball great who played for the Philadelphia 76ers]. Wilt wanted to box Ali. Oh my God.

Abdul-Jabbars face creases with laughter before he becomes more serious again. Black Americans wanted to protect Ali because he spoke for us when we had no voice. When he said: Aint no Viet Cong ever called me the N-word, we figured that one out real quick. Ali was a winner and people supported him because of his class as a human being. But some of the things we fought against then are still happening. Each generation faces these same old problems.

The previous evening, when I had sat next to Abdul-Jabbar at the Los Angeles Press Club awards, the past echoed again. Abdul-Jabbar received two prizes the Legend Award and Columnist of the Year for his work in the Hollywood Reporter. Other award winners included Tippi Hedren, who starred in Alfred Hitchcocks thriller, The Birds, and the New York Times reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey who broke the Harvey Weinstein story two months ago. As if to prove that the past can be played over and over again in a contemporary loop, we saw footage of Hedren saying how she would not accept the sexual bullying of Hitchcock in the 1960s just before Kantor and Twohey described how they earned the trust of women who had been abused by Weinstein.

Abdul-Jabbar explained quietly to me how much of an ordeal he found such occasions. He was happiest talking about John Coltrane or Sherlock Holmes, James Baldwin or Bruce Lee, but people kept coming over to ask for a selfie or a book to be signed while, all evening, comic references were made to his height. Abdul-Jabbar is 7ft 2in and he looked two feet taller than Hedren on the red carpet.

The following morning, as he stretches out his long legs, I tell Kareem how I winced each time another wise-crack was made about his height. I can tell you I was six-foot-two, aged 12, when the questions started, Abdul-Jabbar says. Hows the weather up there? I should write down all the things people said when affected by my height. One of the funniest was at an airport and this little boy of five looked at my feet in amazement. I said: Hey, how youre doing? He just said: You must be very old because youve got very big shoes. For him the older you were, the bigger your shoes. Thats the best Ive heard.

In his simple but often beautiful and profound new book, Becoming Kareem, Abdul-Jabbar writes poignantly: My skin made me a symbol, my height made me a target.

A group of top black athletes gather to give support to Muhammad Ali give his reasons for rejecting the draft during the Vietnam War at a meeting of the Negro Industrial and Economic Union, held in Cleveland in June 1967. Seated in the front row, from left to right: Bill Russell, Ali, Jim Brown and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Standing behind them are: Carl Stokes, Walter Beach, Bobby Mitchell, Sid Williams, Curtis McClinton, Willie Davis, Jim Shorter and John Wooten. Photograph: Robert Abbott Sengstacke/Getty Images

Race has been the primary issue which Abdul-Jabbar has confronted every day. In another absorbing Abdul-Jabbar book published this year, Coach Wooden and Me, he celebrates his friendship with the man who helped him win an unprecedented three NCAA championship titles with UCLA. They lost only two games in his three years on campus as UCLA established themselves as the greatest team in the history of college basketball and Wooden, a white midwesterner, and Kareem, a black kid from New York, forged a bond that lasted a half-century. Yet, amid their shared morality and decency, race remained an unresolved issue between them.

Wooden was mortified when a little old lady stared up at the teenage Kareem and said: Ive never seen a nigger that tall. Even though he would later say that he learnt more about mans inhumanity to man by witnessing all his protg endured over the years, Woodens memory of that encounter softened the womans racial insult by saying that she had called Kareem a big black freak.

Abdul-Jabbar nods. He would never see a little grey-haired lady using such language. When it doesnt affect your life its hard for you to see. Men dont understand what attractive women go through. We dont get on a bus and have somebody squeeze our breast. We have no idea how bad it can be. For people to understand your predicament youve got to figure out how to convey that reality. It takes time.

Abdul-Jabbar made his first high-profile statement against the predicament of all African Americans when, in 1968, he boycotted the Olympic Games in Mexico. After race riots in Newark and Detroit, and the assassination of King in April 1968, he knew he could not represent his country. Dr Harry Edwards [the civil rights activist] helped me realise how much power I had. The Olympics are a great event but what happened overwhelmed any patriotism. I had to make a stand. I wanted the country to live up to the words of the founding fathers and make sure they applied to people of colour and to women. I was trying to hold America to that standard.

The athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos took another path of protest. They competed in the Olympic 200m in Mexico and, after they had won gold and bronze, raised their gloved fists in a black power salute on the podium. I was glad somebody with some political consciousness had gone to Mexico, Abdul-Jabbar says, so I was very supportive of them.

Does Kaepernicks situation mirror those same issues? Yeah. The whole issue of equal treatment under the law is still being worked out here because for so long our political and legal culture has denied black Americans equal treatment. But I was surprised Kaepernick had that awareness. It made me think: I wonder how many other NFL athletes are also aware? From there it has bloomed. This generation has a very good idea on how to confront racism. I talked to Colin a couple of days ago on the phone and Im really proud of him. Hes filed an issue with the Players Association about the owners colluding to keep him from working. Thats the best legal approach to it. I hope he prevails.

Over dinner the night before, he intimated that Kaepernick knew he would never play in the NFL again. We didnt get that deep into it, he says now, but he has an idea that is whats going down. But hes moved on. He hadnt prepared for this but he coped with different twists and turns. Some of the owners in the NFL are sympathetic, some arent. Its gone back and forth. But he appreciates the fact that kids in high school have taken an interest. So he got something done and this generations athletes are now more aware of civil rights.

Abdul-Jabbar is proud of Colin Kaepernicks stand. Photograph: Michael Zagaris/Getty Images

Kaepernick has been voted GQs Citizen of the Year, the runner-up in Time magazines Person of the Year and this week he received Sports Illustrateds Muhammad Ali Legacy Award. Considering the way Kaepernick has never wavered in his commitment, Abdul-Jabbar writes in Sports Illustrated that: I have never been prouder to be an American On November 30, it was reported that 40 NFL players and league officials had reached an agreement for the league to provide approximately $90m between now and 2023 for activism endeavors important to African American communities. Clearly, this is the result of Colins one-knee revolution and of the many players and coaches he inspired to join him. That is some serious impact Were my old friend [Ali] still alive, I know he would be proud that Colin is continuing this tradition of being a selfless warrior for social justice.

In my hotel room, Abdul-Jabbar is more specific in linking tragedy and a deepening social conscience. I dont know how anybody could not be moved by some of the things weve seen. Remember the footage of [12-year-old] Tamir Rice getting killed [in Cleveland [in 2014]. The car stops and the cop stands up and executes Tamir Rice. It took two seconds. Its so unbelievably brutal you have to do something about it.

LeBron James and other guys in the NBA all had something to say about such crimes [James and leading players wore I Cant Breathe T-shirts in December 2014 to protest against the police killing of Eric Garner, another black man]. They werent talking as athletes. They were talking as parents because that could have been their kid.

If the NFL appears to have actively ended Kaepernicks career, what does Abdul-Jabbar feel about the NBAs politics? The NBA has been wonderful. I came into the NBA and went to Milwaukee [where he won his first championship before winning five more with the LA Lakers]. Milwaukee had the first black general manager in professional sports [Wayne Embry in 1972]. And the NBAs outreach for coaches, general managers and women has been exemplary. The NBA has been on the edge of change. I was hoping the NFL might do the same because some of the owners were taking the knee. But theyre making an example of Colin. Its not right. Let him go out there and succeed or fail on the field like any other great athlete.

Abdul-Jabbar smiles shyly when I ask him about his first interview with Martin Luther King 53 years ago. As a journalist I started out interviewing Dr King. Whoa! By that point [1964], Dr King was a serious icon and I was thrilled he gave me a really good earnest answer. Moments like that affect your life. But my first real experience of being drawn into the civil rights movement came when I read James Baldwins The Fire Next Time.

Muhammad Ali, then Cassius Clay, with Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, then Lew Alcindor. Photograph: Bettmann/Bettmann Archive

Has he seen I Am Not Your Negro Raoul Pecks 2016 documentary of Baldwin? Its wonderful. I saw it two weeks after the Trump election. It was medicine for my soul. It made me think of how bad things were for James Baldwin. But remember him speaking at Cambridge [University] and the reception he got? Oh man, amazing! I kept telling people: Trump is an asshole but go and see this film. Trump doesnt matter because weve got work to do.

In 2015, after Abdul-Jabbar wrote an opinion piece in the Washington Post, condemning Trumps attempts to bully the press, the future president sent him a scrawled note: Kareem now I know why the press always treated you so badly. They couldnt stand you. The fact is you dont have a clue about life and what has to be done to make America great again.

Abdul-Jabbar smiles when I say that schoolyard taunt is a long way from the oratory of King or Malcolm X. If you judge yourself by your enemies Im doing great. Trumps not going to change. He knows he is where he is because of his appeal to racism and xenophobia. The people that want to divide the country are in his camp. They want to go back to the 18th century.

Trump wants to move us back to 1952 but hes not Eisenhower who was the type of Republican that cared about the whole nation. Even George Bush Sr and George W Bushs idea of fellow citizens did not exclude people of colour. George Ws cabinet looked like America. It had Condoleezza Rice and the Mexican American gentleman who was the attorney general [Alberto Gonzales] and Colin Powell. Women had important positions in his administration. Even though I did not like his policies, he wasnt exclusionary.

Look whats going on with Trump in Alabama [where the president supports Roy Moore in the state senate election despite his favoured candidate being accused of multiple sexual assaults of under-age girls]. You have a guy like him but hes going to vote the way you want politically. Thats more important than what hes accused of? People with that frightening viewpoint are still fighting a civil war. They have to be contained.

Does he fear that Trump might win a second term? I dont think he can, but the rest of us had better organise and vote in 2020. I hope people stop him ruining our nation.

Abdul-Jabbar also worries that college sport remains as exploitative as ever. Its a business and the coaches, the NCAA and universities make a lot of money and the athletes get exploited. They make billions of dollars for the whole system and dont get any. Im not saying they have to be wealthy but I think they should get a share of the incredible amount they generate.

In Coach Wooden and Me, he writes of how, in the 1960s, he was famous at UCLA but dead broke. Yeah. No cash. Its ridiculous. Basketball and football fund everything. College sports do not function on the revenue from water polo or track and field or gymnastics. Its all down to basketball and football. The athletes at Northwestern tried to organise a union and thats how college athletes have to think. They need to unionise. If they can organise they can get a piece of the pie because they are the show.

The legendary Michael Jordan never showed the social conscience of Abdul-Jabbar and other rare NBA activists like Craig Hodges. But Abdul-Jabbar is conciliatory towards Jordan and his commercially-driven contemporaries. I was glad they became interested in being successful businessmen because their financial power makes a difference. I just felt they should leave a little room to help the causes they knew needed their help. But Jordan has come around. He gave some money to the NAACP for legal funds, thank goodness.

President Barack Obama awards the Medal of Freedom to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at the White House in November 2016. Photograph: Alamy Stock Photo

Abdul-Jabbar defines himself as a writer now. As he reflects on his LA Press Club awards he says: To be honoured by other writers is incredible. Im a neophyte. Im a rookie.

He grins when I say hes not doing not too badly for a rookie who has written 13 books, including novels about Mycoft Holmes brother of Sherlock. Yeah, but I still feel new to it and to get that recognition was wonderful. I was very flattered that the BBC came to interview me about Mycroft because the British are very protective of their culture. Arthur Conan Doyle is beyond an icon. So I was like, Wow, maybe I am doing OK. When I was [an NBA] rookie somebody gave me a complete compilation of Doyles stories. I went from there.

People were amazed because I always used to be reading before a game whether it was Sherlock Holmes or Malcolm X, John Le Carr or James Baldwin. But that was one of the luxuries of being a professional athlete. You get lots of time to read. My team-mates did not read to the same extent but Im a historian and some of the guys had big holes in their knowledge of black history. So I was the librarian for the team.

I tell Abdul-Jabbar about my upcoming interview with Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics and how the 21-year-old has the same thirst for reading and knowledge. While enthusiastic about the possibility of meeting Brown when the Celtics next visit LA, Abdul-Jabbar makes a wistful observation of a young sportsmans intellectual curiosity. Hes going to be lonely. Most of the guys are like: Where are we going to party in this town? Where are the babes? So the fact that he has such broader interests is remarkable and wonderful.

Abdul-Jabbar acknowledges that his own bookish nature and self-consciousness about his height, combined with a fierce sense of injustice, made him appear surly and aloof as a player. It also meant he was never offered the head-coach job he desired. They didnt think I could communicate and they didnt take the time to get to know me. But I didnt make it easy for them so some of that falls in my lap absolutely. But its different now. People stop me in the street and want to talk about my articles. Its amazing.

Most of all, in his eighth decade, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar loves to lose myself in my imagination. Its a wonderful place to go when youre old and creaky like me. I see myself working at this pace [writing at least a book a year] but its not like I have the hounds at my heels. Since my career ended Ive been able to have friends and family. My new granddaughter will be three this month. Shes my very first [grandchild]. So my life has expanded in wonderful ways. But, still, we all have so much work to do. The work is a long way from being done.

Main photograph by Austin Hargrave/AUGUST

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/dec/08/kareem-abdul-jabbar-kaepernick-trump-interview