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blood-gulch · 3 months

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grace blood-gulch's s14 episode ranking list because i am so special and have lots of thoughts on every episode ever :)

Tier 1 - legitimately good quality content i recommend viewing

Room Zero - as someone who was personally Waiting those multiple years to see that rvb animated episode be finished i was so excited by this one. also i just love the animation + attention to character details in the og one. even though it doesnt really add much to that original base, newer fans should watch it to appreciate the animation cuz its cute. especially fond of every character detail moment like church running backward and using his hand to slide or the earliest iteration of grif being canonically animated as fat. idk i love it a lot and i think its p cute and well worth the watch. it's also the first episodically which is neat. good opener for s14.

The Brick Gulch Chronicles - look its stop motion lego and its cute as fuuuuuuck. the plot being sarges bday is adorable. literally awesome.

Fight the Good Fight - okay i just find it cute and quirky and generally enjoyed watching it quite a bit :) it made me laugh. the [Red] team gag was good. it reminded me of the similar gag from the simpsons in the kamp krusty episode. my dad always makes jokes about that specific gag so ahh. definitely worth the watch but understandable to skip.

Caboose's Guide to Making Friends - its just really fucking cute idfk

Head Cannon - This one's just really funny and also adds on to a scene that already was fun in a good way. Enjoyable. Highly recommended.

Get Bent - I wish sarge was still an old woman but dykenut and church bisexuality balances it out. i also wish we had female tucker. it makes me sad we didnt get female tucker.

Red vs. Blue the Musical - The reds' song is about weapons and the blues' song is about church killing himself. 10/10. no notes. perfect summation of rvb in like 10 minutes.

Mr. Red vs Mr. Blue - genuinely delightful like a distilled everything i like about tucker. he's really fun here. also sister is fun here.

The Triplets & The "Mission" - The triplets own hard. the scene with wash connie and south at the end always makes me smile. ohio girl youre fucking crazy but youre everything. I love you.

Tier 2 - Decent content. You can skip but still somewhat worth ur time.

From Stumbled Beginnings and Why They're Here - Mostly fun. Asterisk mostly. There's an episode between these two that's technically an episode trilogy you should skip. Otherwise is pretty fun.

The #1 Movie in the Galaxy: 3 - This is silly and fun. I enjoyed it. It's also short.

Meta vs Carolina: Dawn of Awesome - look man its a death battle. if you like death battle youll have fun. if you hate death battle you can skip it. shoutout sarge deadbeat dad implications though. i cant even be mad its just not the character id expect them to do that to...

Grey vs Gray - i found it fun :) nothing stand out tho. skippable but not egregiously bad.

Immersion: The Warthog Flip - Look if you Like seeing science stuff yeah its a good watch. if you dont like that you can skip it. I like the math and science though. you don't lose anything in skipping though.

Tier 3 - Meh

Orange is the New Red & Invaders from Another Mother - theyre not bad but aged... poorly. i thought they were funny when i was younger but i watched funhaus actively then. i dont know how this would fare to a non-FH fan. Desert Dance [Spins]

Red vs. Blue vs. Roosterteeth - I KNOWWWWW THERES A LOT OF NOSTALGIA its just .... not very funny. its creators meeting their characters but its also odd in a strange way. you can watch it if youre curious enough. i liked the end voice over of s14 a lot tho so like maybe watch it and if youre bored skip to the end lol

Tier 4 - Drink a lot or watch with friends to experience enjoyment

Club, Call, & Consequences - look man the only way youre enjoying this is if you are a hardcore lolix guy or you are wasted out of your mindddd. im sorry who the fuck is siris. i honest to god thought siris was a bit as a joke on the whole thing of "grif simmons and hammer" from earlier. they never even mention siris again. who the fuck is siris. i felt like i was like lied to or something . sorry siris is so fucking funny. well he didnt have a personality but thats ok. i dont know if he actually exists.

RvB Throwdown - Get Miles Luna out of the booth. never let him rap again.

Tier 5 - Bad. Skip it.

Fifty Shades of Red - Fifty Shades of Red has possibly one of the worst jokes in the series that immediately assassinates Tucker into a pretty fucking awful light and retroactively ruins his character for the preceding 13 seasons. I honestly recommend skipping Fifty Shades of Red to avoid that one tucker joke. its not necessary and contributes nothing. The rest of the episode is fine and on the level of stumbled beginnings & why theyre here. but god that one joke is so bad i can't in good faith recommend it. it just leaves me fuming LOL i could write an essay as it being the origin point of post s13 writers room tucker hate where they start trying to make him an irredeemable asshole & dont understand his whole deal for the rest of the series.

#originals

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satoruvt · 3 years

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fanfic writer tag game <3

helloooo <3 thank u for tagging me @hannie-dul-set this is so cute lol

ummmm! i think i will tag. @leejuyeeon and @seokmingiggles !! and as always anyone else who wants to <33

peum ~

1. what fandoms have you written for (but do not currently)?

omg lets see if i can do this in order. i think the first fandom i ever wrote fanfic for was creepypasta LMAOO and then... fairy tail? then 5 seconds of summer, then maybe it 2017?? voltron legendary defender, detroit become human, monster prom and mystic messenger kind of overlapped, the arcana !!! then my hero academia, haikyuu, a Little bit of demon slayer... i think thats it lol

2. what fandoms are you currently writing for?

seventeen is all for rn, but i’m thinking of also writing for mha again and adding jjk!!

3. how long have you been writing?

oh wow for like... probably around 6 years? maybe 6 and a half

4. on which platforms do you post your stories?

rn just tumblr, i used to post more actively on ao3 but i havent since i started writing for kpop

5. what is your favourite genre to write?

ahhh like !!! comfort fics!!! i think theres something really sweet in those unspoken feelings during moments you think you’ll never forget... the idea of being with someone and you’re just so sure they’re your favorite person, and then warmth that comes with that realization... wahh

6. are you a pantser or a planner?

oh it depends i think. for longer fics i like to plan them out, but i really wing it with like timestamps or shorter ones

7. one shot or multi-chapter?

ONE SHOTS. my god i fucking suck at multi-chapter shit LMAOO ive only done 1 series like that and it was so rough for me lol

8. what is the perfect chapter length in your opinion?

hm how do i explain this... anything that makes sense? however long it takes for it to feel like the chapter/fic is summed up or completed. i used to worry about word counts a lot but now i rarely pay attention to them, both in reading and writing

9. what is your longest published story? is it complete?

if we’re talking about multi-chaptered, then the color of you wins at 17k !! in terms of one shots, it’s for now; forever at 9k!

10. which story did you enjoy working on the most?

oh boy. i think... anything from the last like. 8 months? my svt stuff for sure!! i went a while without writing in between like january-late november 2020, and i was worried that my writing would suffer a lot... it took a sec for me to get back into the groove of things but i’m feeling happier than ever with the stuff i write now. i feel like ive matured about the way i approach my own writing and ideas, and how i do everything, and my fics make me really proud. ive started writing within different aus that i hadnt touched before, or talking about different feelings or ideas, etc... i really feel like ive grown with this most recent burst lol, and i love working on them! i get so hyped up when im in the middle of writing or even planning, im just so excited to share all of it hehe

11. favorite request you've have written and why (if any?)

ah its been so long since ive worked with requests that i cant remember anything LOL

12. are there reoccurring themes in your stories?

yes. it is comfort and content. it is the feeling of love. it is holding hands on a walk in the middle of spring and smelling flowers. it is the sound of leaves when a gust of wind blows past. it is looking into ur lovers eyes and feeling nothing but pure fondness

13. current number of wips?

fuck like somewhere around 20 probably

14. three things you have noticed about your own writing?

i really like repetition (specifically in sentences if that makes sense??), LOTS of unspoken things (even if i picture a fic with an established relationship, i dont say it within the fic; and especially concerning romantic feelings, i love when things go unsaid and are FELT full force), i think a lot of detailed rambling... i really like to try and describe emotions and stuff in the most abstract and obscure ways lol i feel like it makes things a little more palpable and honest

15. a quote you like from a published story

im gonna do a few. Lol. firstly this long one from pretend people can unlearn:

“Are you…” Jeonghan starts, and when you look at him, his eyes are still on the city in front of you. “Are you ever afraid that we’ll fall out of love?”

It never occurred to you that this was love. It’s not like the love you’ve experienced in the past, not even close. But maybe… maybe that’s why you never leave, why you hold yourself back from certain arguments like it might fix everything. Maybe love is the reason why Jeonghan still seems to believe in you. Why he promises he’ll be the best thing for you despite always breaking that promise.

(Is it love, a voice in your head questions, or is it longing?)

It takes you a while to respond. “I don’t know,” you end up saying, because you really don’t. Jeonghan turns his head and looks at you, and you half expect him to start an argument in the middle of night, out on the street like this. It wouldn’t be the first time. “Would that… be okay?”

“I don’t know,” Jeonghan answers, just like you. His voice is soft. You want to reach for his hand just to hold it. “You’re still…”

He pauses, like he’s trying to find the right word. You let him take his time, for once, instead of accusing him of the worst. “I’m still?”

“Everything,” he tells you. He looks so sad and you reach out for him because it’s the only thing you can offer. You think the worst thing about your relationship with Jeonghan is that you will always believe him when he gets like this, just like you’ll believe him when he takes it back in the heat of a fight.

next is from like there isn’t something missing <3

But you’re crying into his chest because it’s not you, and it’s not him. Seungcheol wonders if it was always meant to be like this, if the two of you were always meant to part or if something… if something just went wrong, somewhere. A bump that did a bit more damage than either of you thought.

He tries not to think about it now. Tears fill his own eyes as he presses a kiss to your hair because he loved you. He truly did.

“I was so lucky to love you,” he murmurs, voice a cracked whisper. “I’m so happy I got the chance.”

When Seungcheol wakes up the next morning in an empty bed, he’s not surprised. But the Post-It note that’s dressed in your handwriting…

Well. It’s over.

and this last one from only for you, i will dance !!

“This will always be our own time,” he says. “We’ll meet here.”

You know. He says it every time. It never fails to make your heart soar.

“Our thirteenth month,” you say, just like every time. Chan smiles.

He kisses you so strong you feel yourself falling.

16. a quote from an unpublished story

ahh ok ill do a few here too!!! one is something ive begun writing, the other is one that i’ve just been working on planning out <3

Smoke blows past somebody else’s lips and partially obstructs Wonwoo’s view of you.

He hasn’t been to a party like this in a long time. It’s elegant, more of a gala than anything. He can’t remember who threw it or for what reason. It doesn’t really matter, he supposes, watching you make conversation with the partygoers. They all have old money to throw around, the symbolism stitched into their suit jackets and red-rimmed heels; remnants of it left on tables and in the contents of expensive cigars.

You play them like you are one of them, tell them the right things with a silver tongue. Wonwoo always watches, plays the part of an observer. It’s impressive, the way you float around the room like it’s nothing.

Wonwoo observes; Wonwoo knows things.

and the second one...

"you don't know me," you respond. your voice carries no bite, just a fact, and joshua knows this

"i want to," he says after a second. "if you'll let me."

and he's asking permission to be your friend, to be close to you, something so tender and strangely polite

it makes you feel almost sad

"don't expect too much," you say, a little teasing. joshua only smiles

17. space for you to say something to your readers

wahhh thank you all so much!!! when i first got into writing for kpop it was a lot different mostly because i think... i was writing stuff for different anime before, and i had built up a big following because of that and my works always did like, really exceptional in terms of notes and feedback and such, and getting into kpop... has been rough on that end 💀 but i appreciate your support thus far, even if it’s small... i’m still working towards a standard that i have for myself!!! so please be patient with me, thank you for the support !!

also please find it in yourself to leave lil comments or any sort of feedback... please..... PLEASE... any creator ever understands this struggle please always try to do this!!! for me and for any other creator you follow and enjoy content from <333

#wah these things r so fun. cries #tag games #adi speaks

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og-doubletrouble-kinnie · 5 years

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SPOP Season 4 notes

Spoilers obvi

Gonna be a bit different from my s3 notes, as I’m p much just gonna liveblog stuff here- Since I dont wanna spoil my friends... Rip 😔

Ep 1:

Mom: Icecream cake :-D me, sobbing: Mom I love you

Every time my mom does something I cry. I love and miss her sm

YALL JUST HURTIN PERFUMA LIKE THIS-

WHY CAN THE SWORD BE A MOP-

Ya know I always thought Hordaks red teeth were fuckin weird af

GRANDMA GRANDMA GRANDMA GRANDMA

GO GET MY GIRLFRIEND YOU UGLY KITTY

EMILYYYYYYYYY AWAAAA

They really out here just reusing the princess prom outfits huh?

Really though I swear if Entrapta doesnt come back I’ll scream. You cant just trade in my beautiful amasing gf for me. I know I’m great but I swear.

Rip Auntie Angella.... 😔

I wasn’t even there for the corrination- I kinda feel bad for that but... I was alittle busy... With somethin- Hell if I know what.

HELL YEAH QUEEN GLIMMERRR

Oh hot diggity Catra-

Look I may not like her but I can really respect her tactics....

EP 2:

Okay what does Perfuma have against the crimson wastes- Hopefully its (Rightful) fear!

Oh nooo the gooooo

One does not simply call Adora soft

Aweeee Perfuma and Bow bonding...

Perfuma is cacti-phobic hahahaha

O.O Wheres the ship

Huntara eats sand and theres nothing you can do about it.

OOOO NEW TOWN NEW TOWN NEW TOWN

MEMEMEMEMEMMEMEMEMEMMEMEMEMEMMEMEMEMEME

AH YES MY FIRST WORDS ARE BEING SCORPIA AND FLIRTING WITH CATRA. HOW FITTING.

God im so dramatic I love it

Perfuma Im so proud of you bb

Hot take? Perfuma x Huntara

AWEEE IM SO HAPPYYYYYYYY

Honestly being Catra was always fun

Ep 3:

Pajamas Catra? Catra without her headband? Wild shit. Wild shit.

She cute tho ngl

Oh hecc its time to fuck with the rebels-

I s2g its rly lookin like my tl may just be flip flopped on which side I helped- Idk... its only ep 3 jfkbgf

Wittle moth society... so cute...

Flutterina... Adorable

SHE RA CAKE

The moth town leader is adorable. Precious old lady. I love her. her design is amazing. 10/10 I love her

Wait what-

Ohhhh my god what happened-

Catra if you dont start appreciating Scorpia right this second I swear to god I will appreciate her myself.

Flutterina is so precious. All her fangirling...

Are we gonna explorer the whole.. reaction catra has every time someone mentions the Portal??

MAGICAL SACRED BOND TIME

FLUTTERINA IS A PRECIOUS BABY AND I LOVE HERRR

SCORPIAAAA SIS GET OVER HERE LEMME HUG UUUU

Oh....

O H

OKAY

I AM ON BOARD WITH THIS

Ep.4

Spinerella and nettossa are precious 100%

Okay but I’m right. tiny cute and pink. I didnt even catch it. I done fooled myself.

Am cutie

GRANDMAS BA C K BOIISSSSS

god I love shadow weaver. I miss her sm

B O BB N O

OKAY SPOT ON BO IMPRESSION!

IM SO CUUUTTTEEE

Yaaayyyyy Catras having fun!

WEAVER LIKES DAISIES. PRECIOUS. AWA. GWANDMAAAA

She makes great bait and u know it.

Oh no are the gfs fighting-

Catra legit thought glimmer was me I love this-

CATRA WHY DO YOU KNOW WHAT GLITTER TASTES LIKE-

..... Okay literally as I type thet I get mems of her eating glitter okay cool

Ohhh That was cool-

Hey Catra dont hide your grateful attitude you dick

God I love these girlfriends

LET WEAVER BE GOOD ADORA

This is cute

Ep 5

Kyle you precious little boy

Oh are they finally gonna develop these three?

Ditzy light hope is cute light hope

SHES ALL SMILEYYYY

I love Kyle launie and roheleo... Precious

“I made a crystal :-D”

“I know what will help!” “no dont-”

Kyle I love you

“Oh trust me the information is never gonna load for you.”

Lookit these... three siblings.... Blessed babes

COMPUTER MOM HAS EMOTIONS

AWA

KYLE BABY NOOO

HARD SQUINTING AT LIGHT HOPE

EP 6

Oh boi Scoria episode here we go

God I love that she kept Emily....

Scorpia is too bright and cheery for the hoarde. Redeem her damnit

Hecc I hate that Im being so mean to the best friend squad but oooog its so fun to watch

Emily’s personality is so cuuuteee -w-

Emily scared of Catra.. precious

SCORPIA YOU DESERVE SO MUCH BETTER-

I wanna hug her so bad

Hehehehehehe >:)

Damnit Bo, ruining my work-

CRYING

Scorpias entrapta impression tho

SCORPIA YOU TOUCH THAT GARNET GOD DAMNIT

Im gonna cry, emilys recordings....

GOD I LOVE MY GIRLFRIEND-

..... Whats goin on with the Garnet...

LET GLIMMER BE DARK

THE GREATEST HUGS, SCORPIA. GREATEST HUGS

Emily youre so smart.

SCORPIA FINALLY KNOWIN SHES WORTH BETTER HELL YEAH YOU GO SISTER

Catra rly needs a hug tbh

OHHHH HELL YESSSSSS

God I wanna know more about the scorpion kingdom....

Ep 7

Mermista you are too happy when holding everyone in a room against their will

OH OKAY THAT WOULD EXPLAIN WHY

SPOILERS MERMISTA

Ohhh hohoho I am lovin this story~

Shadow weaver bein an embarassing mom to Adora, adorable

Adora was absolutely suspicious of Weaver in my tl 100% Sure I made her more trusted, but Adora is stubborn

BFDJKGBFJKD ENTRAPTAS HELPERS ARE IN THE CASTLE

Ooooooo This is a great ep...

Ohh Im having fun arent I~

Ohhhhhhh Shiiiiiiiiiiit Rip selenious

Ep8

I hope yallre keepin an eye on me, Or I’ll get out >:-)

Awee depressed baby :-(

SHANTYYYY

OH THIS IS PRECIOUS

Seahawk this is a terrible idea....

This better be a musical episode

BDHJFBD WRONG KIDNAPPERS

I love depressed mermista

Return of the she-mop!

Oooo seahawk past....

Awee Catra misses Scorpia

And is finally realizin shes gone

O u c h poor Seahawk

OW GLIMMER

HELL YEAH MERMISTA

“A SEAGULL TOLD ME!”

Oooo Catra, a natural born killer~

I love bein able to finally see Octavia in action

Low key musical Ep, hell yesssss

I already shipped mermista and seahawk but this ep... Is just makin me ship it more....

SCORPIA HAS MOMS

The fact that it took this long for Catra to finally go to scorpias room and check on her

How the fuck do the boats work

Ep 9

OHHHHH Razz gets the sheras mixed up thats honestly so cute-

Razz... I lov u

I love her refrences to the old charas

Razzzz awe precious.. The first time...

Oooo I love seein Mara

AWEE LIGHT HOPE SOFT FOR MARA

Good I feel bad for Razz tbh??? hoppin back and forth between Sheras

MARAS TRANSFORMATIONNNNN

God she looks so much better than Adora holy fuck

NOOO RAZZ DONT CRYYY

HOLY FUCKING SH I WHAT THE F U CFDHFDJBKJGBSKED

Hot fucking damn I didnt expect this what the sh iiiiiii

I STILL WANNA HUG RAZZ-

Ep 10

DAMN IM SO COLD XD

That fuckin POOF

PLEAAASSEE LET ME AND WEAVER BOND PLZ I WANT MY GRANDMAAAAA

Let Frosta nap 2020

SCORPIAAAA

DONT SNEAK UP BEHIND SCORPIA

Daaaamn Catra... Go take a nap hun, you look terrible

Oh sweetie.....

Glimmer please you didn’t see what they saw.

Aaaannnnd Okay the queenliness is goin to her head cool

SCORPIA BABYYYY

Caaaatttrrraaaaa

LOOPY LOOP BETRAYAL

God I love them learning the ship

FBHJSDBFSJHVFD OH MY GOD FAKE TEARS

SHE DID IT IM SO PROUD OF HERRR

Ep11

Eeeeee I hope they find my blessed gorl.....

Whats swifty hearin..

OH SHIT SHERA DOESNT WORK-

I cant believe the first ones just have a fucking dump

MICHA MICHAM ICHA ITS MY UCLE I KNOW IT

HELL YEAH BAEBEEEEEE

I KNEW HE WAS ALIVE

Sweet my uncles just a lil crazy haha

MICHA I LOV YOU

Awaaaaaa

Glimmer loses one parent and gains the other. Girl only gets one parent at a time. Hahahaha

The world has to nerf her lmao

Hell yeah hes cool!

Okay cool proof that Lighthope just wants to activate the weapon

Guys just tell him she’s a teenager omfg

Hoooooly hecc

NOOOOOOOO aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

SHE RAAAAA

MY WIIIFFFEEEE

AAAAAAAA

YAASSSS

EEEEE

Ohhhh Scorpia is the key.....

Interesting.......

Ep 12

EVEN WEAVER IS CONFUSED

You bet you ass Ive escaped bitches >:)

-cries- I’ve missed my wife

Awaaa she never changes!

Someone hug Catra I s2g

DT nooooooo

SHE SHOWS NO CONNECTION BECAUSE YOU TOOK IT WEAVER-

I adore Weaver in this season- Who am I kidding, I adore Weaver in every season

THe hoarde is led by two kids who just need some tender love and care

God Ive missed her...

SWEETIE WHY ARE YOU SO CHEERY ALL THE TIME- AAA I LOVE YOU

squinty

Uhhhggggg I now hate that I remember having a runestone of my own

Tho I DO wanna know what kinda powers Scorpia will get....

Sweetie no non onononononononononononononoono

BABY NOOO NO NO O NONONONONONONONONONO

IM GONNA CRY SHE BETTER BE OKAY-

YESS BABY

AWAAA ENTRAPTA I LOVE YOUUUU

bdhsvfbjskbfd I can only do her hair bjkvfdbgfkd

OWO IM SO SMART YET SO DUMB

HORDAK TEARS?!

Hehehehehe YES I HELPED GLIMMER

Ep 13

Nobodies followin Catra anymore lmao

Ohhhh shit Catras gonna d i e

Rip in pieces Hordak

Ohhh shiiiiiiii

SEAHAWK LIL HEART EYES

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

I love callin Catra out ohhhh my g o d

OOoooooo Lightning!

I gotta question that rn Glimmer...

Damnit Hordak aint dead...

Ohhh hecc hecc hecc hecc

OH SHIT THE SWORD-

Ya rly just teleport a whole room like that-

I like horde prime-

His eyes are cool and his palette is so much nicer aaaa

Fffffuck

Fave season so far

And not just cause I’m finally in it xD

Expect more posts when the mems really start pouring... Gotta figure out how all this changed in my TL since it DEFINITELY wasn’t just like this-

#DT 👥

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sheeelaazhang · 6 years

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Reflection: the end?

It is crazy to think back to the beginning of this quarter and see how far we’ve all come as individuals and as a group. I still remember seeing everyone for the first time in front of Tom Bradley. I was four minutes late, and I remember seeing a bunch of faces turn as I sprinted over to join the circle. I was shy, I was overwhelmed by all the amazing individuals that stood before me, and I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Seeing such a large group as well scared me, I started to overthink, how is our group dynamic going to be like, am i going to make friends, will they like me? All these questions ran through my head.

Fast forward to today, right now after finally removing the cream out of my hair, I am in bed typing this at 2 in the morning and I can say that I am truly content. I am so grateful that I have found a family that I feel so comfortable being around. I feel like since coming to UCLA I really struggled with finding a tight-knit group of friends, a lot of the friendships I was making here felt fragile and tentative. After all these weeks of getting to know each and everyone of you, including the actives and the PMs through interviews, I can say with clarity that I am so happy with where I am now.

@tamlynsasaki honestly from the moment we talked in front of tom bradley and then having you by my side in the car during i-night, I knew we would get along. I love you for being so understanding and for being someone that I can always talk to about long distance relationships and problems I am facing.

@micheleshi my JPPPP! I am so happy we got paired together. Your radiant personality literally lights up my day and I always feel super happy and can’t help smiling when I am with you! Thanks for always having my back and for being so patient with my last minuteness. I love you very much!

@han-hannah HANNAH! You are one of the sweetest people ever. You are so genuine and kind and caring and hardworking and honestly just someone I look up to! You put your all into what you do and thank you for taking such detailed notes during monday meetings, we really couldn’t have done it without you. I love you!

@jtran9816 JACKIE! I’m so glad that we’ve gotten to talk more! Your facial expressions are 10/10 and you are so sweet for reading my rants on tumblr and actually privately messaging me about it to see how I am doing. Thank you for reaching out and I appreciate you so much <3 <3 ILY

@tranyconnie CONNAAYYY CONNIFER CONCON tbh I was lowkey intimidated by you at first because you seemed so confident and good and dancing and ahh! I am so glad that I got to joke around with you/drink/talk to you to realize you are super chill and ilysm

@andyaliao andy i literally love you so much! from the moment I first met you I wanted to b your friend because you are so genuine and sweet and easy to talk to! I feel like I can really talk to you about anything and you are so understanding and nice about it! Love you forever <3

@brigittephung22 brigitteeee literally I knew no one when I was rushing so it was nice when we talked because I was like omg yay im making friends! You were so sweet and easy to talk to! I really loved talking to you about relationships during scavenger hunt and i look forward to more talks like that hehehe love you!

(i realized this is a bad idea omg theres 17 other people omg omg ok im going to finish this)

@ryanneis RYANNN! tbh I was so shy in the beginning and your jokes that were LOWKEY RUDE jk actually made me feel like I was more apart of the APPLEGRANDMAZ and it made me more comfortable to be myself and open up! Honestly thank you for that and you will forever be my miming partner so don’t you go miming with anyone else im watching you like a halk

@nguyenevonne omg when you sent me the text apologizing for making jokes that might come across as offensive i was like GIRL NO! literally it made me feel more comfortable actually because I was kinda shy in the beginningggg so thank you!!! I LOVE YOU and honestly everytime I see you and hug you I feel so much better. You also crack me up so much ilysm

@ngkatelyn KATELYNNNNN! Honestly i rmb talking to you during that speed circle rotating thing in front of tom bradley and I was like omg this girl is so social and easy to talk to and cool I want to be friends with her! Lol! You are so easy to talk to ilyy

@heyyyson hayson!! I enjoy reading your tumblr posts a lot! You always have so much to say and a lot on your mind and I love that you are not afraid to share it. I feel like it is so easy to talk to you and you give great advice. Thanks for being there even if it was brief after lock in, I felt so much better <3 LOVE U

@jonathantnguyen JONATHANN! My president! Thank youu for always checking up on me and seeing how I’m doing! You always keep me on track and honestly you are so unfazed by all the sickness/disease/shit that gets thrown onto you and it is really inspiring to see that. one day at a timeee love you!

@leeeaannewooong leeeeaannnneee!! my person-that-stands-next-to-me-every-meeting! ILY! Thank you for always checking to see if im ok after each roast i honestly feel so much better:) You are also so on top of your shit and organized and is definitely someone i look up to! Thank you for being you and ilysmmm

@jackeytang jackeyyyyyy! You are one of the people i rmb during rush because you were super social and always had something to say! ALthough you don’t show affection very much I can see through your actions how much you care about us and how we are doing and ily so much for that. Also love your dark/twisted-ish humorrr :) :)

@gabrielsalazar GABEE the man!!! You crack me up so much omg when you first spelt camaraderie wrong and said it so confidently i squeezed your hand because I couldn’t stop laughing. Everytime you mention public speaking I also laugh sorry:D I love you for being someone I can always have a good time with <3

@heavenhumphreys heavennnn sorry for drawing demon claws on your shirt but i luv u gurlll thanks for always hyping me up even though we both know I can’t dance :D Ily and girl you chugging that tequila you should be the one with tequila in your name not mee :D You’re always so confident and you’re a natural leader that makes sure we actually get shit done so thank you for that <3

@dlam79 DANGGG! LOL my partner for the PAC appreciation eventtt lol we were both so stressed and freaking outt. Thank youu for doing a lot of the work and being so patient and accomodating because of my freaking midterms. You are so on top of your shit, without you i would’ve died lolz also i love your sass and attitude and for putting up with my mess hehe ilysm <3

so uh i think this turned more into an appreciation post than a reflection...but honestly I wouldn’t be who I am now without you guys! even though pledge quarter is almost over we are still going to spend time tgt okkk. I feel like through this quarter the most valuable thing I gained was friendship <3 Apple grandmas for life!!!

Also my title may be misleading but i can say with certainty THIS IS NOT THE END THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING as cheesy as that sounds. Also I lowkey like writing these tumblr posts...im kinda inspired to like keep a daily journal or something. It’s pretty cool to look back and recall what you did :)) OK GOODNIGHT EVERYONE!

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qitwrites · 7 years

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happy birthday dearest @ryugazakkis ♥. here’s a small textfic from your precious oikuro college!au. Hope you have an amazing day ⌒°(❛ᴗ❛)°⌒

Kuroo: we’re out of eggs

Oikawa: and?

Kuroo: buy some

Kuroo: youre out loafing anyway

Oikawa: first of all, fuck u

Oikawa: secondly, im not loafing, im buying our face packs for this weeknd

Kuroo: ok, understandably important business

Kuroo: but Bo is craving my omu rice

Kuroo: and theres no eggs in the fridge

Oikawa: fyn. u both owe me.

Oikawa: i need to walk an extra 468m to reach the grocery place

Kuroo: do i want to knw y u have such an accurate measurement of the distance?

Oikawa: ……

Oikawa: i get bored easily

Kuroo: u need new hobbies

Oikawa: once again, fuc k you

Oikawa: <link attached>

Kuroo: wtf is this

Oikawa: proof

Kuroo: of wat?

Oikawa: the existence of aliens you imbecille

Kuroo: im sorry, but im still not a believer tofu

Oikawa: traitor

Oikawa: y r we frnds?

Kuroo: because u love meeeeee

Oikawa: -.-

Kuroo: tooru

Oikawa: hmm?

Kuroo: i miss home

Oikawa: we get a break in two weeks

Oikawa: hang in there

Oikawa: im out rn

Oikawa: ill bring the ice cream

Kuroo: youre the best

Oikawa: i know

Kuroo: asshole

Oikawa: theres my tetsu-chan

Kuroo: <3

Oikawa: it’s fascinating, really

Kuroo: wat is

Oikawa: the way my face twists when someone says ushiwaka within 100 feet of me

Oikawa: bo snapped a pic

Oikawa: <image>

Kuroo: meme worthy

Kuroo: truly

Oikawa: honestly

Oikawa: the man manages to make beauty lyk mine look stale

Kuroo: that’s to say

Kuroo: u have any beauty at all

Oikawa: pfff

Oikawa: tetsu-chan please

Oikawa: ur a lot of things

Oikawa: and i mean A LOT

Oikawa: but blind is not one of them

Kuroo: ass

Oikawa: i don’t see u disagreeing

Kuroo: …….

Oikawa: (✿´ ꒳ ` )

Kuroo: wat do u wanna watch 2night

Oikawa: well

Oikawa: im kinda in the mood for horror

Kuroo: i was thinking the sameee

Kuroo: saw 2?

Oikawa: yaaasss

Kuroo: also pizza

Kuroo: hawaiian or pepperoni

Oikawa: pepperoni pleasee

Kuroo: done done

Oikawa: thanks :*

Kuroo: oikawa

Kuroo: oikawa come on

Kuroo: tooru

Oikawa: i don’t wanna talk rn

Kuroo: i know it sucks to be fighting with iwa

Kuroo: bt just calm down and think abt it from his perspective

Kuroo: and dnt ever forget

Kuroo: he loves u

Oikawa: ……

Oikawa: i know

Oikawa: i just need time

Kuroo: i know

Oikawa: dnt forget

Oikawa: we’re running tomorrow @ 5:30

Kuroo: i hate u

Kuroo: every single cell in my body

Kuroo: prays fr your untimely demise

Kuroo: is the sun even up that early

Oikawa: .______.

Oikawa: tat’s the point u idiot

Kuroo: i hate u

Oikawa: im aware

Oikawa: ill knock on ur door til u wake up

Oikawa: just saying

Kuroo: ur existence is sevearly regretted @ the moment

Oikawa: dnt be late darling

Oikawa: u can thank me later

Kuroo: go to hell

Kuroo: preferably before 5:30 in the morning

Oikawa: KUROO-MOTHERFUCKING-TETSUROU

Kuroo: yes dear?

Oikawa: will u

Oikawa: fr the love of all that is good and pure

Oikawa: stop changing my bg’s

Oikawa: to posivitely atrocious selfies of urself????

Oikawa: i had to show my prof something on my cell

Oikawa: and that picture just blares up at us

Oikawa: and ive never felt so horrifyingly embarrassed

Oikawa: his eyes Kuroo

Oikawa: he looked so betrayed

Oikawa: his hatred for me in that moment

Oikawa: could prob burn a hole through wood

Kuroo: brb

Kuroo: crying so har d rn

Kuroo: ur prof saw?

Kuroo: omggg

Kuroo: ◝( ′ㅂ`)و ̑̑

Oikawa: rot in the depths of tartarus

Kuroo: just as long as u wont be there

Oikawa: 🖕

Oikawa: kuroo

Kuroo: yeah

Oikawa: correct me if im wrong

Oikawa: bt did u just walk into class in your kitty pajama bottoms?

Kuroo: yeah

Oikawa: wit ur hair unbrushed

Kuroo: yeah

Oikawa: without shaving or even remotely grooming

Kuroo: yeah

Oikawa: zombie mode activated?

Kuroo: yeah

Oikawa: alrighty the n

Oikawa: ill get u coffee wen your class is done

Kuroo: blessed

Oikawa: monosyllabic bastard

Kuroo: u doing anything for the upcoming long weeknd?

Oikawa: i wanted to go home

Oikawa: bt my parents already planned a trip

Oikawa: so no

Kuroo: ok then youre coming

Oikawa: where

Kuroo: bo and i have planned a road trip

Kuroo: call iwa too

Oikawa: that sounds like fuuuun

Oikawa: o(≧∇≦o)

Kuroo: i know

Kuroo: ρ(￣ﾍ￣ﾒ)

Oikawa: iwa says yessss

Kuroo: awesome!

Kuroo: don’t forget sunscreen this time

Oikawa: it happened ONE TIME TETSU

Oikawa: let it go

Kuroo: u were pink for a week and half

Kuroo: im neve r letting that go

Oikawa: go fuck a trumpet

Kuroo: tempting

Kuroo: bt no thanks

Oikawa: y haven’t I blocked u yet jezuz

Kuroo: u keep asking urself that

Kuroo: <voice note>

Oikawa: from all that screaming and yelping

Oikawa: im assuming bo wants curry?

Kuroo: yas

Kuroo: me 2 actually

Oikawa: do we have any ingredients/

Kuroo: uhhh

Kuroo: i think a moth just flew outta the cupboard

Oikawa: ……

Kuroo: yeah ill go shopping

Oikawa: good idea

Oikawa: and take that hyper active eternally hungry puppy wid u

Kuroo: his name is bo

Oikawa: just goo

Oikawa: shooo

Kuroo: going going

Kuroo: sometimes i wish

Kuroo: the aliens had taken u

Kuroo: wen we offered u to them

Oikawa: same kuroo

Oikawa: same

Oikawa: (｡•́︿•̀｡)

Kuroo: wanna try again ?? ???

Oikawa: we’re too sober

Kuroo: not if i can help it

Oikawa: ill bring the tequila

Kuroo: i approve

Kuroo: Tooru

Kuroo: it’s not your fault

Kuroo: no matter what you or anyone else says or thinks

Kuroo: it’s not your fault

Oikawa: i am weak

Oikawa: so pathetically weak

Oikawa: coach should fucking bench me

Kuroo: open the door

Kuroo: I have wine, chocolates and bubblewrap

Oikawa: …..

Oikawa: I love you.

Kuroo: I love you too.

Kuroo: youre good enough

Kuroo: dont doubt that

Kuroo: daisho’s resemblance to reptiles

Kuroo: makes me truly believe in the existent of mutants

Oikawa: well, he’s certainly

Oikawa: whats the wor d

Oikawa: slimy

Kuroo: bo wants to strangle him for touching kei-chan

Oikawa: ill join him

Oikawa: my poor iwa-chan is suffering wid him 2

Kuroo: ugh

Kuroo: i hate him

Oikawa: i know

Kuroo: bleh

Oikawa: Netflix and cuddle?

Kuroo: Netflix and cuddle

Kuroo: <missed call>

Oikawa: wt actua l FUCK

Oikawa: its 3 AM

Oikawa: y u do this

Kuroo: i want tacos

Oikawa: ok just to put this in context

Oikawa: u have woken me at ass oclock in the morning

Oikawa: 2 get fucking tacos

Oikawa: hve i forgotten anything?

Kuroo: and churros!!!

Kuroo: im craving something sweeeet

Oikawa: im gonna kill u

Kuroo: yeah yeah no prob

Kuroo: see u in 5

Oikawa: …….

Oikawa: i want chocolate filled ones

Kuroo: attaboy

Oikawa: i think the four extra months ive spent on this planet

Oikawa: has given me this undeniably invaluable insight of the world

Oikawa: im sorry u cant ever experience this kurooo

Kuroo: that’s alright

Kuroo: i see things in a way diff from u

Oikawa: how so????

Kuroo: i mean

Kuroo: i am 3.4 entire cms taller

Kuroo: the view is simply breathtaking

Oikawa: ……

Oikawa: fuck u

Kuroo: ✧٩(•́⌄•́๑)

Oikawa: hey

Oikawa: wen u free?

Kuroo: i got tomorrow evening off

Kuroo: what’s up?

Oikawa: i wanna work on that spike wid u

Oikawa: also blocking practice with bo

Kuroo: im game

Oikawa: good

Oikawa: we need cooler hand signs too

Kuroo: tots agree

Kuroo: we’ll brainstorm alright?

Oikawa: sounds like a plan

Oikawa: ೕ(•̀ᴗ•́)

Kuroo: code ET

Kuroo: i repeat

Kuroo: CODE ET

Kuroo: which means i am VERY sad

Oikawa: got it got it

Oikawa: ill meet u at the regular spot in 10

Oikawa: and ill bring bo

Kuroo: and my hoodie

Oikawa: and your hoodie

Kuroo: cookies and cream?

Oikawa: ye s plis

Oikawa: bo will have mint choco

Kuroo: got it

Kuroo: come fastly

Oikawa: almost there

Oikawa: just for 10 mins

Oikawa: ill only practice serves

Oikawa: i swea r

Kuroo: for the last time

Kuroo: NO

Kuroo: you are going to rest your knee till its better

Kuroo: even bo is mad this time

Kuroo: he wont let u on this court either

Oikawa: can i watch?

Kuroo: nope

Kuroo: focus on healin g

Kuroo: idiot

Oikawa: ……

Oikawa: im sorry

Kuroo: don’t be

Kuroo: we miss u too

Oikawa: i may not say this all the time

Oikawa: but your existence is appreciated Kuroo

Oikawa: thank u for coming into my life all those many years ago

Oikawa: and dealing with my stream of bullshit

Kuroo: likewise

Kuroo: <voice note>

Oikawa: pfff

Oikawa: tell bo I love him too

Kuroo: will do

Kuroo: oh bt w

Kuroo: Tooru?

Oikawa: yeah ?

Kuroo: i still don’t believe in aliens

Oikawa: F UCK YOU

Kuroo: I love you too

Kuroo: ♥♥

#haikyuu!!#oikuro #oikawa tooru #kuroo tetsurou #mentions of bo #college!au #canon compliant i gues???#platonic oikuro but youre free to interpret it the way u like #HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALY #LOVE YOU <3 #i hope u like this!#its so silly xD #text fic

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themoneybuff-blog · 5 years

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A Loan Won't Solve Your Money Woes If You Don't Fix These 10 Issues First

Sometimes even the best-prepared households get knocked sideways, financially speaking. Illness, unemployment, divorce, a car accident that triggers a lawsuit these and other situations can quickly put a hurt on the budget. In such times a personal loan or one of several types of home equity loans can provide a little breathing room until you rebuild your finances. As noted, money woes are sometimes the result of plain old bad luck (illness, job loss). However, sometimes were our own worst enemies: We buy too much, we save too little, we plan not at all. You cant get ahead that way. And you cant keep borrowing your way out of trouble. A loan wont help you unless you fix the following issues. 1. Not having a budget The simplest way to wind up in debt is to spend without thinking. Stop, then, and think for a moment about what you would like to have happen five years from now: buying a home, starting a business, getting married, traveling? When you create a budget, youre not just allocating your dollars youre enabling your dreams. An easy way to do it is the 50/30/20 budget: Spend no more than 50% of your take-home pay on essentials, 30% on wants, and 20% on saving (including retirement planning and an emergency fund). Plenty of budgeting apps exist as well (some are even free). 2. Not tracking spending You cant plug budget leaks unless you know where they are. Track your spending for a month, using pen and paper or a budgeting app. The cumulative effect could be eye-opening. For example, a relatives ex-husband was shocked shocked! to realize that spending $8 a day on fast food added up to $240 a month. His wife had made more money than he did, and their commingled finances made it easy for him to swipe a card and think no more of it. Heres hoping that your own habits arent quite that clueless. But even those of us who think were doing pretty well could be surprised by the cumulative impact of certain habits: beef jerky and a soda every time we pay for gasoline, daily iTunes downloads, $20 a week on scratch tickets. Add up the opportunity cost of those non-essentials, and ask yourself if you could do better. (Spoiler alert: You probably can.) 3. Keeping up with the Joneses Just because next-door neighbor bought the priciest riding mower on the market doesnt mean you have to ditch your trusty Snapper. When your coworker talks about all the activities her kid participates in, you dont have to sign your own tots up for horseback riding and soccer camp. You should not let other people determine your clothing, dcor, automobile, or anything else. Its no ones business that you bought a fixer-upper, that you drive your car until the wheels fall off, that your idea of nightlife is to read a new library book once the kids are in bed. Remember: The Joneses may be up to their hairlines in debt. They might be focused on keeping up, too with the minimum payments, that is. 4. Wanting your kids to have things you didnt Theres nothing wrong with this! Except when there is. Obviously you want your children to be well-fed, reasonably well-dressed, and housed comfortably. You might also want to give them treats and opportunities you never had, such as vacation trips, a big allowance, loads of extracurricular activities, and fully funded education plans. But dont let this noble impulse bust your budget. Just because your kid wants snowboarding lessons, a new smartphone every year, and a car of their own at age 16 doesnt mean you have to give these things. Staying out of debt and funding your retirement should take precedence over granting every whim. At the very least they should have some skin in the game: doing additional chores to help save up for a big-ticket item, say, or mowing lawns or babysitting for extra pocket money. Besides, we arent doing our kids any favors when we give them everything they want. Setting the bar too high now could mean setting them up for problems later on. Specifically, when they move out on their own theyll want to keep living in the style to which we have accustomed them and if their salaries dont allow for that, theyll wind up in debt. 5. Automatic upgrades Whats wrong with your old smartphone or car or whatever? If you bought it relatively recently and it still works, whats with the rush to replace? If you get the newest phone as soon as it comes out, or trade in your vehicle every few years, or replace anything else before it really needs replacing, ask yourself why. Because your co-workers do? Because some commercial made you want a new car? Because you dont know why, but you really, really want to anyway? Think about the opportunity cost of that cash. Then think about the way you want to live, and whether or not you want other people making decisions about your money. 6. Shopping mindlessly If you dont need anything, stay out of the mall. Going shopping with friends puts you in a position to find something you suddenly cant live without, or something that looks so cute on you or would be so cool in your house or so useful in the garage. Except that you were doing just fine without that item until you saw it. Ditto online shopping: Dont cruise your favorite retailers websites unless you have a specific reason to do so. Better yet, undo the one-click function and remove stored credit card info from all sites where youve shopped in the past. Bonus frugal points if you change your online passwords to something that has personal significance, such as WeDDingDAy8192020, or 19YEarsLEftonMORTgage, or EARLYretire2028 these little reminders of where your dollars could be going instead might help you from overbuying. 7. Always buying retail Why automatically pay full price? Instead of heading straight to the shopping center when you need (or want) something, consider these options instead: Thrift shops: Some are junky, but others are great. Its like a treasure hunt. (Pro tip: Find out if there are senior discounts or other special deals. For example, a secondhand store my daughter likes offers 50 percent off every Monday.)Consignment stores: Like thrift shops, except theyre more discriminating about whats accepted.Flash sales: While online shopping should be approached with caution, sometimes a sale really is too good to pass up. Hold yourself to limits, though: Just because those slacks are a great deal doesnt mean you need to buy a pair in every color.OfferUp, LetGo, Craigslist: Sometimes people want (or need) to get rid of furniture, tools, bikes or automobiles without the hassle of a yard sale. Caution is required, but you can get some darned good deals this way.Newspaper classified ads: Yes, really. A guy I know recently bought a pickup truck (necessary for his job) from a newspaper ad, spending many thousands less than he would have paid at a dealership.Freecyle: You might be surprised at whats being given away, no strings attached. Ive seen beautiful furniture, clothing, bicycles, toys, books, and other useful stuff offered up.Yard sales: Another treasure hunt. Ive seen items still in the shrink-wrap at these sales. Its a great place to buy baby stuff, including newborn-sized clothing that seems never to have been worn.Buy Nothing Facebook groups: Last month my partner and I just picked up an almost-new Weber grill. Some of the other things Ive seen lately: baby stuff, solid wood table, sewing machine, board games, computer desk, cookware, and tons of childrens clothes. All of it is free.8. Overdoing it on special occasions Are holidays and birthdays completely over the top? Maybe its time to tone it down. When they become extravaganzas of gift-giving, we cheapen the meaning and also set the bar higher and higher. A kid who gets tons of presents is unlikely to appreciate each one fully and more to the point, he develops a sense of entitlement. As for birthday parties, when did they start resembling mini-coronations? Even one-year-olds are having party rooms reserved, decorations put up, and gift registries established. Really? Think of all the money thats spent and quickly forgotten. Now think what those dollars could have done for a childs education fund or your own retirement. Celebrate joyously, but celebrate sensibly. 9. Overbuying for grandchildren While waiting in line at a crafts store, I met a woman who developed the bad habit of having small gifts waiting for her granddaughters whenever they visited and they visited a lot. The woman was fretting visibly as she looked over the items in the stores dollar section. What do you buy for someone who already has everything? she asked me. After hearing her story, I felt very sad not just for her but also for the kids. A visit to grandmas house had become an exercise in acquisition. The first thing they do upon crossing the threshold is to ask what theyre getting. (Does anyone else find that quite sad?) Expectations are made, not born. If youve gotten into the habit of treats and more treats, scale back. Replace them with activities and gifts of time. The kids who are used to getting stuff will gradually become used to not getting stuff and when occasionally you do treat them, it will mean a lot more. Again, the money you save could go toward their education funds or toward shoring up your own budget. You cant finance retirement. 10. Giving more than you can afford Charity is a noble impulse. But giving to the American Red Cross or the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals should be done after youve taken care of business. Specifically, after youve built an emergency fund, started saving for retirement, and taken care of any consumer debt. Put on your own oxygen mask first, financially speaking. Award-winning journalist and veteran personal finance writerDonna Freedmanis the author of Your Playbook for Tough Times: Living Large on Small Change, for the Short Term or the Long Haul and Your Playbook for Tough Times, Vol. 2: Needs AND Wants Edition. Read more: https://www.thesimpledollar.com/loans/blog/a-loan-wont-solve-your-money-woes-if-you-dont-fix-these-10-financial-issues-first/

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yolandadsims · 6 years

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WELLNESS ESCAPE TO BORDEAUX WITH CAUDALIE

Les Sources de Caudalie is one of those rare hotels to enjoy the mysterious ‘Palace’ designation – a hyper-prestigious mark of distinction bestowed upon just 24 hotels, all of which are in France. Unclear as to what it officially means, to me it represents an endorsement that an operation has proven itself a practitioner of the finest haut hospitalité that the French call their Art de Vivre. Whilst the hotel itself is really quite special, there were two other major components to the site which rendered my stay here totally memorable and unique; the world-class ‘Grand Cru appellation’ vineyard on site, and the shrine to the French beauty house Caudalie, itself stemming from the vines. When choosing a place to stay, one must select the appropriate property for the geography; Les Sources de Caudalie masterfully bottles the essence of this region into one exceptional package. For a wellness escape to Bordeaux, it is a sublime choice, and this post reveals the magical experience I found there!

You might be a bit confused at this point? Perhaps you’ve encountered the beauty brand, Caudalie and noticed it featuring prominently in the name of this hotel? Caudalie beauty’s existence is entwined in a sort of symbiotic triumvirate of the vineyard, the hotel and the beauty brand. The family who own Château Smith Haut Lafitte (the reputed Bordeaux institution decorated with 100 points by Robert Parker for their 2009 opus major vintage – wine buffs will know this to be a big deal) started Caudalie beauty some 20 years ago, as a corollary of scientific research into the very grapes which bestow life-preserving properties to their wines. The findings postulated that the chemical substances called ‘polyphenols’ contained within the grapes’ pips were rich in specific amino acids and antioxidants, which are known to have beneficial applications in skincare.

Blessed with hundreds of hectares of vineyards occupying the favourable south side of the Garonne river, an ultra fertile clay/limestone soil, an aspect benefitting from lashings of sunshine, gentle winds and cool nights, plus plenty of natural irrigation, the Château has a surplus of polyphenols (i.e. grapes) some of which following the harvest, will never make it into their finest bottles. They have other uses of these premium products of natural origin (no pesticides or additives are permitted by the domaine, so everything is organic); hence the birth of the beauty products!

From this natural background, the hotel has sprung up, partly as a way to further commercialise the activities of the vineyard, but also to encourage and cater for the truly fascinating category of wine tourism (we’ll touch upon that a bit later!) and to provide a shrine, by way of a spa, at which to exhibit Caudalie’s essence. Unsurprisingly, those are the products you find in your room, along with a bottle of Les Hauts de Smith to welcome you.

My preference is always to approach a trip from a wellness perspective and this Bordeaux excursion was indeed no different. So, straight in then…

THE SPA!

As mentioned, the Caudalie brand was created at family owned Château Smith Haut Lafitte, from the discovery of a method by which to use active polyphenol components found in grape pips.

Their spa harnasses the naturally warm spring water which comes from 540 meters down, and is rich in minerals and oligo-elements. You can either take a swim in the indoor or outdoor pool, rest in the traditional hot tub, or sweat it out in the hamam. A cycle of all 3 is favourable!

Stepping into the 1,500 square meter spa you’ll be greeted by an airy space, high vaulted ceilings decorated by restored old wooden beams. It’s a wonderfully restorative yet energising atmosphere. With windows on every wall you’ll always have a view looking out onto either the endless vineyards, the outdoor pool, the organic farm or Chateau Smith Haut Lafite. It’s incredible looking out onto the vineyards knowing that the products you’re using in the spa contain natural ingredients which come directly from those fields.

Treatments-wise, there’s a generous menu from which to choose. I opted for the signature Honey & Wine Wrap and the signature facial, using only Caudalie products. The Caudalie products use grape, red wine and essential oil extracts in their treatments, and these ingredients are said to help reduce tissue swelling by draining and boost circulation.

I’d never had a simultaneous ‘scrub and massage’ before and I absolutely loved it. The therapists used the Crushed Cabernet scrub, which included all natural ingredients such as olive oil, sugar and grapes. After scrubbing both the front and the back of the body for a good 10 minutes you’re wrapped up in a cocoon for five minutes in order for the oils to really soak into your body. Once that’s done you jump into a quick shower (no soap allowed) and are laid back down for a massage. I can’t tell you how incredibly soft, supple and hydrated my skin was afterwards; it was quite remarkable. I would highly recommend this treatment and scrub if you get the chance to visit.

Product-wise, Cauadalie say ‘no’ to parabens and stay committed to using the highest proportion of natural ingredients as possible, which is a preference I respect and associate with. The brand is environmentally conscious too, as they’re part of the ‘1% for the planet’, movement which donates 1% of its global sales to NPOs that work to protect the environment. So by 2020 6 million trees will be planted around the world

ORGANIC VEGETABLE GARDEN & FARM

The vegetable garden was one of my favourite parts of Les Sources de Caudalie. You’ll find most things you’d expect in a vegetable shop – lettuce, artichokes, spinach, herbs, edible flowers – all used on a daily basis in the kitchens of the property. There are also fifteen hens producing eggs that you may have for breakfast the following morning. Theres also an adorable dwarf goat family who help protect the hens from foxes. Not to mention the rich ecosystem of bird families that call this sanctuary their home too. Nature and an appreciation of the natural world is so closely intertwined with respectful wine production that it is an integral component of this hotel too, which I loved.

FITNESS

There’s a small but high-spec gym on site with a set of dumbbells a couple of Technogym Personal-line machines and treadmills and of course you can always go for a few laps in any of the pools, indoors or outdoors. There are also personal trainers on site. If you let the staff know they’ll make sure to book one in for you. The gym is small but enough for an indoor workout when you need to lift something heavy

There’s also a tennis court to burn off any extra wine-based caloric energy you may have consumed…

BICYCLE, OR GO FOR A RUN

If you don’t fancy going for a swim or running on the treadmill, the hotel has an array of bikes along with routes through the beautiful forests and vineyards for you to venture on. I went cycling and running on a few of the routes and they provide some serious fitness motivation, as well as some stunning scenes and scents. The spring air of an awakening forest is quite intoxicating, and hugely invigorating.

THEIR VINEYARDS

There are hundreds of acres of vines, in their seasonal infancy at my time of visiting and which are constantly ploughed, tilled and cultivated by donkeys and ground staff alike. These eventually bear a fruit which will go on to constitute the 2018 vintage of Château Smith Haut Lafitte. Just 100m away from the hotel, the vineyard runs tours, which I only too happily joined for an immersion into the world of great growths. The impression I took away is one of dedicated and skilled craftsmanship, and significant hidden toil that goes into bringing superior bottles to the tables of oenophiles the world over. You tour the cooperage where 6-year aged French Oak is hewn and tied into the barrels which will eventually age their grapes, visit the fermentation vats, the harvest zones, the deep underground production facilities and barrel storage hanger (an obscenely serene and cavernous underground space where I felt quite at peace), the vines, and a tasting extravaganza of some of the reputed vintages.

THE GASTRONOMIC RESTAURANT

La Grand’Vigne is the hotel’s gastronomic destination of some considerable repute, having earned two coveted Michelin Stars – a rating which deems it to have excellent cooking that is ‘worth a detour’. They note that “in this 18C orangery, the dishes have the taste and the colours of nature: they are the work of an inspired chef, Nicolas Masse, a master in the art of associating flavours and textures with remarkable precision to appeal to the senses.” As the days passed, I observed that many of the ingredients are sourced fresh from the multiple gardens that the kitchen staff cultivate around the vineyard (along with a hen house and beehives), rendering the produce unusually fresh, and benefitting from the same terroir that gives life to some of the worlds finest vines. This is a light, gentle journey of a meal which eschews the heavy, butter-dependent grandstanding of many ‘gourmet’ destinations. It is about freshness and nature, from ocean to vine, and therefore mirrors the region itself, given its economic interdependence with the lands. N.B, the lemon tart is quite exceptional in its inventive re-imagination!

I would add that the hotel’s non-gourmet restaurant, La Table du Lavoir, is supreme, being bathed in golden light which streams in through the french windows, and enjoying a homely, cottage-like feel. Once an 18th Century washroom, there is still a huge period fireplace and a stunning vaulted old ceiling wrought from reclaimed Medoc timber. Oak barrels, once used for ageing wine, make for storage tables, and the wall of noise is punctuated by the chirping of birdsong with sparrows dancing about in the eaves above you (this is never threatening, and they are quite house-trained!). You have the feeling of being in someone’s country kitchen, and a peaceful, authentic tranquility. It might perhaps sound somewhat of a gimmick but it’s not; this is a gem of authentic Bordeaux history!

ROOMS

Depending on where you stay within the property, the rooms are housed as cottages, scattered around the hotel complex; I was in the Fisherman’s Village, which is a collection of 12 suites, though there are a further 9 suites and 40 rooms. They’re appointed in country-chic fashion, and of a quality commensurate with the Palace rating,. There’s vine detailing on the wallpaper and you find a bottle of their ‘Les Hats de Smith’ awaiting you on the table. The cosmetics are all, unsurprisingly, Caudalie, and the space homely, comforting, and a good, secluded space into which to withdraw at the end of each day. I found no trouble switching off and sleeping deeply and uninterruptedly here.

OTHER EPIC THINGS TO DO?

Go Visit Cognac! The region lies just north of Bordeaux, and is world-renowned for the production of superior brandy, known under the controlled appellation of ‘Cognac’. I had booked a tour at the historic Château of Remy Martin, where I undertook the remarkable Louis XIII tour over 3 hours. My exceptional guide led me through several hundreds of years of history, from the origins of the Baccarat crystal decanter to the distilling chambers, and culminating at the 200-year-old barrels housing thousands of eaux-de-vie, which I sampled with awe (I couldn’t photograph that room, the air is filled with explosive alcohol vapour!). This was an educational and cultural indulgence, and I loved every minute of it.

Visit the Wine Museum! In Bordeaux, there exists the most well-invested, high-tech exhibition space I’ve ever encountered, called La Cite du Vin. The sole topic for this vast multi-storey shrine, is wine; it’s history, it’s significance in culture and civilisations both ancient and current, its development, its regional differences, its cultivation, its future and its economic significance. Simply fascinating. I spent 3 hours here, but could have easily managed double that, were I to have planned the time in accordingly. That may sound crazy, but this is an exceptional space, with so much depth if you’ve a curious mind!

Dessert! As an advocate of balance and occasional indulgence, there is a permanent place in my heart for dessert. Dessert wine, too, has a place. In the Sauternes classification (and in fact, beyond), there is no peer to Château D’Yquem. Now owned by LVMH, I visited their historic castle grounds and walked through the production process, inspected the vines and storage vaults, learned some detail about the Noble Rot rendering their precious semillion grape sweet and mould-gnarled, and of course, imbibed some of the heavenly nectar itself; pure mead.

THE CONCLUSION…

Upon returning to London I felt a real calm, one I think you only get from having spent time in the countryside, with less frenetic ‘city’ energy weighing down your consciousness, and therefore able to truly ‘switch off’. But what rendered Les Sources de Caudalie unique, I believe, came from a most remarkable mixture of the cuisine, the wellness, the fresh air, the stillness and what you could legitimately call ‘joie de vivre’, which makes it the perfect place to reset, feel inspired, and return home more motivated than before, having experienced some of the most idiosyncratically French culture that the country can expouse. I absolutely loved it and would recommend it with vigor!

Ran into my friend, the beautiful @Studio4Lara

The post WELLNESS ESCAPE TO BORDEAUX WITH CAUDALIE appeared first on Fitness on Toast.

from Health And Fitness Updates http://fitnessontoast.com/2018/05/21/wellness-escape-bordeaux-caudalie-travel/

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rebeccaflaneus · 6 years

Text

WELLNESS ESCAPE TO BORDEAUX WITH CAUDALIE

My preference is always to approach a trip from a wellness perspective and this Bordeaux excursion was indeed no different. So, straight in then…

THE SPA!

As mentioned, the Caudalie brand was created at family owned Château Smith Haut Lafitte, from the discovery of a method by which to use active polyphenol components found in grape pips.

ORGANIC VEGETABLE GARDEN & FARM

FITNESS

There’s also a tennis court to burn off any extra wine-based caloric energy you may have consumed…

BICYCLE, OR GO FOR A RUN

THEIR VINEYARDS

THE GASTRONOMIC RESTAURANT

ROOMS

OTHER EPIC THINGS TO DO?

THE CONCLUSION…

Ran into my friend, the beautiful @Studio4Lara

The post WELLNESS ESCAPE TO BORDEAUX WITH CAUDALIE appeared first on Fitness on Toast.

from Donald Fitness Tips http://fitnessontoast.com/2018/05/21/wellness-escape-bordeaux-caudalie-travel/

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muscledemandsrespect · 6 years

Text

WELLNESS ESCAPE TO BORDEAUX WITH CAUDALIE

My preference is always to approach a trip from a wellness perspective and this Bordeaux excursion was indeed no different. So, straight in then…

THE SPA!

As mentioned, the Caudalie brand was created at family owned Château Smith Haut Lafitte, from the discovery of a method by which to use active polyphenol components found in grape pips.

ORGANIC VEGETABLE GARDEN & FARM

FITNESS

There’s also a tennis court to burn off any extra wine-based caloric energy you may have consumed…

BICYCLE, OR GO FOR A RUN

THEIR VINEYARDS

THE GASTRONOMIC RESTAURANT

ROOMS

OTHER EPIC THINGS TO DO?

THE CONCLUSION…

Ran into my friend, the beautiful @Studio4Lara

The post WELLNESS ESCAPE TO BORDEAUX WITH CAUDALIE appeared first on Fitness on Toast.

from Fitness on Toast https://ift.tt/2x0tRCl via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Fitness on Toast

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themoneybuff-blog · 5 years

Text

A Loan Won't Solve Your Money Woes If You Don't Fix These 10 Issues First

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