#i went to meeting i sent email i went to concert !!! i went to beach. many other such things

[aropride]

btw where the fuck did september go. did i spend it all lying in bed and developing ptsd again or

[mhdiaries]

Frights, Camera, Action! – Hauntlywood Clawdia Wolf Diary

August 25th

Today I was walking through the streets of Londoom I just wanted to howl and do a little dance because I’m so excited to be here. I didn’t, of course, do the dancing part, since I’m the one with the “clumsy gene” in our family and I didn’t want to fall through an open monster hole cover. It has never bothered me that I’m not as athletic as the rest of the pack, because I think it was pretty apparent even when I was a cub that I was better at writing stories about my brothers’ and sisters’ athletic exploits than participating in them. It’s not that I didn’t try, but my mind and body may have been in concert but they were not playing the same tune. I remember the last organized soccer game I played: the coach put me in the goal partly because I was tall for my age and partly because he thought that perhaps the prospect of a ball being rocketed toward me might keep my attention. It worked for a bit, until the ball stayed at the other end of the pitch for a while, and a butterfly landed on the net. All of a sudden I became a ferocious were-spider who decided to give the butterfly a reprieve. So I climbed up in the net to shoo it away when I heard my dad yell, “Clawdia, turn around!” A ghoul was on a breakaway, and the only thing between her and me was open pitch and the ball. I tried to turn, and my spikes caught in the net, so I just closed my eyes and leaped toward the front of the goal. Somehow the ball ended up in my claws, and I kept the ghoul from scoring. It was my one and only athletic achievement, so I retired with my legacy in check and got a good story out of it, which, I’m sure, will end up in one of my screamplays some day. 

September 8th

I was sitting in the lecture hall today not really paying attention like I should have been, partly because I was working on a not-for-that-class writing assignment and partly, okay, mostly, because symbolism in ghost-modern, neo-realist goblin cinema is only slightly less painful than rolling in flea-infested wolf’s bane. Honestly, I have no idea what a goblin miner wearing a red hat and pushing an empty ore cart says about the state of modern goblin-kobold relations. I’m sure it is profound and important, but well... it doesn’t matter. What did matter, howere, was that the professor asked a question that he wanted all of us to answer, and I didn’t hear the question. I could have asked him to repeat the question, of course, but then I would have had to acknowledge that I had not been paying attention, and since this particular professor hates that, I knew I was going to have to wing it on the answer. Which made me nervous, which made me look for something to chew on, which meant I wasn’t listening to the other answers, which meant I didn’t have a clue when he got to me. So when he said, “Ms. Wolf?” I said I didn’t think I could add anything to the discussion that had not been more profoundly stated in the answers my classmates had already given. This caused the rest of the class to burst out laughing, to which the professor said, “While I appreciate your humility, your answer leaves us no closer to knowing how many siblings you have.” I was mortalfied, but even more so when he said, “Please do try and pay better attention going forward.” Unlive and learn, Clawdia, unlive and learn. 

September 15th

I’ve been using my iCoffin tablet to do some of my writing lately, and I really like it. I mean, I like the tablet. It’s great for doing video chats, and there are some really cool Londoom based apps that have helped me find my way around the city better. As for the writing part, I still prefer my chewed pen and leghoul pad. It may be old-fashioned, but there’s something about a blank sheet of paper that’s less intimidating than a blank scream with a blinking cursor.

October 1st

The only thing that’s coming down faster than the temperature in Londoom right now is the rain. I’m not sure what the real temp is, but you know it’s cold when a werewolf has to put on her fuzzy wool socks... brrr... fortunately, dad did a good job preparing me for this climate by never allowing to turn the thermostat up past the “I can see my breath” mark during the winter. We would say, “Dad, the house is freezing!” to which he would always reply, “You can either have heat or you can eat.” Followed quickly by, “We’re werewolves, for ghoul’s sake, put on a sweater if you’re cold.” Then we’d all look at mom, who would just shrug her soldiers. It was one of the only things she couldn’t change his mind about. So we’d all just sit snuggled together on the couch watching bad TV, complaining about Howleen’s sharp, unclipped paw nails and making promises about what we’d do when we all moved out and got our own places. I distinctly remember saying that I would turn up the heat so high that it would make Gloom Beach seem like a Yeti cave. So the first time it got cold here, I did just that, and it was every bit as amazing as I imagined it would be, until I got my first heating bill. Let’s just say that grocery shopping for the next few weeks gave me a completely different perspective on dad’s old saying. I’m pretty confident that saltines and marmite will never darken the shelves of my cupboard again after having that formerly tasty combination as my only breakfast and lunch option for a fortnight. I’m really missing being able to snuggle up on the couch with my pack of siblings, and I wouldn’t even complain about Howleen’s uncut paw nails... well, maybe not a lot.  

October 6th

I had a great video chat with the fam tonight, and they could not stop talking about Draculaura being chosen as queen of the vampires. They were in complete shock, and I have to admit it was quite a surprise to me as well. The vampires haven’t had a queen since the last chosen one, a young vampire ghoul named Elissabat, disappeared some 400 years ago. What is really curious about this, as if Draculaura being chosen as the new queen right out of the boo wasn’t curious enough, is that Clawdeen told me Draculaura’s choice was confirmed by the Vampire’s Heart. I have actually been doing quite a bit of research on the heart, which is really just a massive jewel with magical properties, for a screamplay I wanted to write about the mystery of the missing queen. There are many scholars that believe the jewel disappeared at the same time the ghoul who would be queen did; so either the scholars are incorrect, or there is more here than meets the eye. I didn’t want to be the one to rain on the funeral though, until I had a little more proof, especially with Clawdeen being so excited about attending the coronation. I did notice that Clawd wasn’t in the room with everyone else, and I’m wondering how he is dealing with this news. 

October 7th

Clawdeen has sent me at least 30 texts and emails since last night detailing the fashions she’s thinking about taking to the coronation. I can see her now running around the room with absolutely every piece of clothing she owns spread out so she can mix and match fashions. She’s probably also been through Draculaura’s closet several times as well. I love her so much and I wish I could be there to make her laugh when she starts getting too serious. She’s so beautiful, though, that whatever she chooses will probably steal the show. I finally got an IM from Clawd asking if we could talk. This wasn’t unusual, since Clawd prefers one-on-one conversation to fighting for face time in a group. When he popped up on the screen he looked terrible, almost like he’d been crying, although it might have just been bad lighting. As usual, Clawd didn’t want to talk about himself and instead wanted to know every little thing I was doing. I finally had to say, “Stop howling around the moon and talk to me, little brother.” So he did. He told me that he didn’t trust the Lord Stoker character that showed up with the Vampire’s Heart claiming it led him to Draculaura. What’s more, neither did Draculaura. They both thought Draculaura would be miserable being queen, but that she would feel honor and duty bound to take the throne. Even so he was trying to be as supportive as possible and went on for a few more minutes about things that were worrying him. When he stopped I said, “You really love her, don’t you?” He looked down for a moment and swallowed hard, “She’s my best friend, sis, and I’m about to lose her forever.” Now it was my turn to swallow hard, and then he made an excuse about having to leave for practice and said a hasty goodbye. I’m going to do some more digging into this, because something doesn’t pass the smell test here, and a Wolf’s nose is always right. 

[1-800-seo]

— 1-800-SEO'𝗌 𖧷 '𝖲𝗈𝗅𝗈 𝖲𝗍𝖺𝗀𝖾' — \ 1 | 2 | /

— 𝗉𝖺𝗂𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀: 𝗃𝗎𝗇𝗀𝗄𝗈𝗈𝗄 𝗑 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋

— 𝗀𝖾𝗇𝗋𝖾: 𝖿𝗅𝗎𝖿𝖿/𝗌𝗅𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝖺𝗇𝗀𝗌𝗍

— 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝖽𝗌: 2655

— 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋: 2

— 𝗌𝗎𝗆𝗆𝖺𝗋𝗒: 𝗂𝗍'𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 90'𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖩𝗎𝗇𝗀𝗄𝗈𝗈𝗄 𝗂𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗁𝗈𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗋𝗂𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗀𝗋𝗎𝗇𝗀𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗋 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝗍𝗂𝖼𝗄𝖾𝗍𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗇𝖾𝗑𝗍 𝗌𝗁𝗈𝗐.

Your joints crack as you sit up in bed, you stare at the poster covered wall as your eyes adjust to the morning light. Taehyung shifts on his mattress on the floor a few metres away. The sun streams into the room through the slats of the blinds, honey glow lighting up the room. Your back aches as you stretch out your worn muscles. Last night’s activities tired out both your brain and your body.

You pad over to the chunky computer over by the window and switch it on before searching the room for your leather jacket. It’s on the floor underneath Tae’s feet, likely because it was discarded in a hurry to get some sleep. You rummage through the pockets until you find a small folded piece of paper, an old receipt, with a phone number and email address written in neat handwriting.

Once the slow computer has booted up, you load up the internet. The familiar ear piercing dial up tone You scramble to turn the volume down but it’s too late. Taehyung had already stirred and you’d jumped out of your skin. It scared you so much you have goose bumps and almost fall off your chair in the process of finding the volume button on the monitor.

Taehyung slowly sits up on the mattress, cradling his pillow like his life depends on it. His hair is ruffled and eyes heavy.

“What are you doing?” He mumbles out, voice croaky and low with sleep. “Sorry TaeTae, I was trying to ring up the internet but forgot that we played games on it on Wednesday night and didn’t turn down the sound.”

Apologetically you squeeze his knee, hoping he’ll be able to go back to sleep. You don’t like an overtired best friend, especially when yours gets extra cranky like a toddler. Luckily he lies back down and pulls his blanket over his head, most likely blocking out the light. You turn back to the computer and boot up the email program.

You input the email written on the paper, hands shaking as you type. You weren’t used to this, the email read ‘jjkook@yahoo.com’, it made you hyper aware that this doesn’t happen every day.

You begin writing your email to him, as you did so thoughts of gratitude and sentiment welled up inside. You u had to thank him for his kindness, after all, he spared you from a concussion.

The email read: Dear Jeon Jungkook/JJK,

Thanks for everything last night, it’s greatly appreciated. Your show was radical, and I’m sorry I bummed so much of your time. Hope we can meet again soon.

Sincerely, a loyal fan of yours, ~ ________~

You finished typing up your message and read it and re-read it for any mistakes. You wanted it to be chatty and casual but not overly casual so as to look like you don’t care. You left it at that and hit send. The paper airplane emoticon bounced in the digital wind as your email was sent though code to Jungkook himself. You got back in bed and hoped for your heart to stop fluttering.

By the time you received an email in your inbox that wasn’t from a school friend or an advertisement, it was the following Wednesday. You were having your usual hang out with Taehyung when the computer pinged in the background of your chatter. You just ignored it since a ping on your computer is usually just your school friends gossiping about how they want you to set them up with Tae, and went back to your sewing session.

By sewing, you and Tae weren’t exactly doing cross stitch, you were sewing on patches to his back pack and your denim jacket. After you had finished that, that was when you checked your ivory coloured, cube shaped computer monitor and spotted the sender’s name: Jeon Jungkook/JJK.

Tae almost had a heart attack when he saw it with his own eyes. To double check he brushed his fringe out of them. He grabbed you by the shoulder, and shook you back and forth. “Don’t tell me that’s the JJK! Are you serious?!” He exclaimed as he rocked your brain in your skull.

“I mean I think so, I emailed him on Saturday morning.” You scanned your brain for any reason why it wouldn’t be the real him, maybe a scam?

“Open it quick!” Taehyung jumped on the computer, spamming the enter button repeatedly. The email took its time opening, the loading bar going up bit by bit. Too slow for Taehyung’s liking. A few “come on, come on!”’s later and it popped on the screen in all its anticipated glory.

It read: dear ______, im glad to hear that youre ok. dont worry about ‘wasting my time’, you made a normal day exciting, and i cant thank you enough for that, doll. hopefully we can meet up some time? id like to invite you and your friend to my next scheduled show, don’t stress about travel, ill sort it, it’d just be nice to see you again and catch a bite to eat before the show. i want to see your pretty face again, angel. let me know asap.

yours truly - jjk.

As soon as you read the email, you shook with excitement and screamed. Taehyung had wide eyes and his mouth agape. “No. Freaking. Way.” He gasped, completely in shock.

“How did this happen to me? This is a dream, right?” You shake your head as to clear a non existent sleepy fog that could be making you hallucinate.

You look back at the monitor; the email is still there. “This can’t be real?!” You exclaim, turning to Taehyung on your swizzle chair, wide eyed.

“It has to be? This is a real email, it has his email address right there!” He pokes the screen at the point of mention. “It all seems legitimate?” You ponder, searching the screen any tell tale signs of a scam.

“I hope it’s not too good to be true... I want to be your future children’s godfather.” Taehyung said with a giggle, covering his bashful smile.

“You have to be kidding me, as much as I’d like to have his children, we’ve only met once!” You blush, cheeks going warm.

After all the fangirling, you decide to sort out the arrangements of your next meet-up, and exchange more heart fluttering emails as you smooth out the plans. A few emails later and the plans end up being that you’ll start the evening with catching something to eat on the boardwalk and then you’ll go to the venue for his next concert, meet Taehyung there, chill out in the green room, and then watch the show from front row seats.

The whole plan was unreal to you, unrealistic at its simplest, but you were excited nonetheless. The day came around sooner than expected and soon enough you were picking out the perfect date outfit with your best friend, as well as wondering whether to do pre-game shots to steady your nerves.

“Are you sure you’re ok with this plan, TaeTae?” You ask hesitantly, staring into the mirror and meeting eyes with him across the room.

“Of course I am, I’m just happy I get to see my favourite artist again in concert; never mind be wingman for my favourite girl. It’s extra special when those two events align though.”

Boxy grin on his face, he looks at the ground. “You’re the best, honey bear.” You say and pull him into a befitting bear hug.

“I’ve not heard that name in a while.” He chuckles under his breath and places a firm kiss on the top of your head.

“I know your mum used to call you that when we were little so I thought it fit you; my big honey bear, intimidating to others but so sweet to me.”

You release him from the hug and share a look that holds the bond of a years long friendship. “Right, what’re you going to wear then?” “Shall we coordinate outfits?” Tae asked picking out a camouflage bandana. “You could wear your camo print pants, and I’ll wear this?” He wraps the bandana round his head and fluffs his long dark wavy hair. His change of conversation kickstarts you back into the present reality. After that, you pick out a black sleeveless crop top to go with his advised pants, layered necklaces/chokers, and boots and put them on after you’ve adorned your pants with metallic dangling chains. Once you’re in your grunge get up, you shove your across the shoulder bum bag with any essential item you might need, such as lipstick, tampons, money, etc. and sling it over your back like a quiver. If you need it you’ll have to turn it round but it’s for the aesthetic so you ignore the inconvenience it creates.

A few hours later and you’re driving down the Cali roads in Taehyung’s 60’s Triumph TR6 with the wind in your hair and nirvana blasting on tape. Miles and miles of beach zoom by until you reach the board walk and you don’t stop until you reach the high end sea restaurants built to feed tourists.

Taehyung pulls up by the entrance and lets you out. He looks stunning in the golden sunlight, dark hair glowing amber in the rays. “Don’t have too much fun.” He lifts up his sun glasses before sending you a wink, saluting you goodbye, and driving away.

“See you at 8pm!” You shout over the roaring exhaust. He never turns around but raises a hand in a wave of acknowledgement as he drives away.

You step in to the restaurant to be met with the smell of sea salt and braised steaks. You scan the tables for a familiar face until you see a hand waving over the sides of a booth in the corner.

“Didn’t expect to be seeing you here.” You say coyly, sliding into the booth opposite him.

“Well, you know, I was just waiting for a beautiful girl, but I think I’ve found one who’s more to die for than the desserts here.” He pushes a lock of hair out of his eyes, it has a slight curl to it, even more prominent now that it isn’t as sweaty as when it’s most commonly seen.

“Oh, and who might that be?” You fold your legs and place your hands underneath your chin, looking into his eyes with a smile.

“I believe it’s you, babycakes.” A flush forms on your cheeks and he winks at you.

“So what do you fancy eating tonight? I think I have my eye on something...” He fully takes in your outfit, but you’re not sure his eyes are only on your outfit, maybe this croptop was a good idea after all.

“I don’t know, can you recommend anything? I like things that are creamy.” You reply, batting your eyelashes, feigning innocence.

“I’m sure I’ll be able to whip up something delicious for you, darling.” A waiter comes and starts their opening spiel, this sends fits of giggles through you both.

A date full of getting to know each other, flirty comments, and general adoration for each other later, your cheeks were hurting because of how much smiling you had been doing. JK was so charismatic it hurt.

Soon dinner was over and it was time to make your way over to the venue. Hand in hand you stroll across the board walk to get there. The way the sunlight hits the waves is enchanting and you find yourself stopping to gaze into the bay.

“What’re you thinking about?” He asks whilst resting his hand on the boardwalk railings.

“Everything, nothing... I just keep thinking about how surreal this is, I feel like I’m in a dream. Partially because I’m in the presence of a super gorgeous singer and partially because said singer asked to spend time with me and now I’m on a date with them. If that doesn’t sound like a dream, I don’t know what does.”

You laugh and cover your face. Suddenly you feel two warm hands on yours, peeling them back from your face. When you open your eyes you are met with Jungkook’s emoting doe eyes looking back at you.

“I completely understand, I have felt the same before, like reality isn’t the same, or like I’m dreaming; but we’re here now, we’re present, you’re here with me and it’s real.”

He pulls you into a hug, his arms enveloping your body. Most people would feel uncomfortable, especially since you just met Jungkook, however here with him on the boardwalk, in the setting sun, you feel safe. You feel like you are where you’re supposed to be. You stand there hugging him on the boardwalk for what feels like a long time, and then you pull away and grab his hand, continuing the journey once more.

“Thank you Jungkook, that was so comforting, I can’t imagine you’ve been in a similar situation but I really am grateful for being here in your company. Can I ask, when have you felt like this?” You feel his thumb rub small circles into your skin, such a soothing notion.

“I don’t know, from time to time... I guess it’s just the perils of the job. Don’t get me wrong, I love this, it’s what I’ve always wanted to do, but their is just some days where I really do feel disconnected. Show after show, blurring face after face, I’m on a high when I’m on stage but when I come down, I come down, if you know what I mean?” You notice his gaze is on the cracked sun bleached wood of the boardwalk.

“I get that. It must be hard every night to go from having the time of your life, to go back to normalcy once your feet touch backstage. I get that you’re just a normal guy who feels like a normal guy, but when people treat you like a god, it can’t sit right, can it?”

“Yeah, it’s like when I’m up there I’m deified but when I’m at home I’m the farthest thing from likeable.” He’s looking up, eyes turned towards the sky now, you wonder whether he’s doing this to stave off the tears.

“Jungkook, I know I haven’t known you long, but I can guarantee that when the lights are off and you’re home in your pyjamas, you’re just as likeable as the guy with the heavenly voice on the stage. I’m not saying this as a fan, I’m saying this as someone who wants to get to know you better, to see you when you’re not on stage, when you think you’re unlikeable, and to be able to tell you all the reasons why you’re so so likeable and worth so much more than you realise. No one is worthy of being deified, but you are certainly worthy of feeling loved.” You squeeze his hand tight in your palm to reassure him.

“Would you be the one to love me?” He turns to you and looks you in your shocked eyes. His are softened and tear filled. “I am not adverse to that... however could I maybe get to know you a little better first?” you say back, as lovely as this boy is, and no matter how much you wanted to love him, you couldn’t really say that yet.

“Oh my gosh! I’m so stupid, sorry for that, why would I ask that on the first date? What the hell? But also yes yes that’d be amazing. I’m so sorry though.” His cheeks flush and you can tell a mile off that he’s flustered, he’s still cute though. You giggle in return, “You’re too cute.”

And so you continue along the board walk, hands clasped together, you both make your way to his next show.

𖣔 𝖳𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗄 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗌𝗈 𝗆𝗎𝖼𝗁 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀! 𖣔

𝖫𝖾𝗍 𝗆𝖾 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗂𝖿 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖾𝗇𝗃𝗈𝗒𝖾𝖽 𝗂𝗍 𝖺𝗇𝖽

𝖽𝗋𝗈𝗉 𝖺 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝗈𝗋 𝗋𝖾𝖻𝗅𝗈𝗀, 𝗂𝗍'𝗌 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒 𝗆𝗎𝖼𝗁 𝖺𝗉𝗉𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗂𝖺𝗍𝖾𝖽!

[gracia-suficiente]

Despite doing a year recap post for 8 years now, I contemplated not doing a post this year. 2020 has been one of the worst years of my life, from the very start of it. There’s a lot from this year that I don’t want to remember, that I want to get away from as soon as I can. But, I have also learned a lot from these hard times. And I hope one day to re-read this post and think, “Gosh, I had it bad, but I made it.” So here’s my 2020:

Like I mentioned, January 2020 started off rough. My family and I almost lost my sister. I won’t go into detail but getting that call was one of the worst days of my life. It didn’t feel real. It felt like I was living a nightmare and it was so hard to see my parents go through the fallout of it all. The only good thing I can remember from that month was meeting my now good friend, Evan. To be honest, I’ve always been kinda attracted to him. I’d see him around the office and thought he was handsome and nice. We were on the same audit and he actually invited me to lunch one day (1/15 to be exact, I may or may not still have the email he sent me) and we clicked instantly! We became fast friends and even started to hang out outside of work soon after.

February was still stressful because of everything that happened with my sister in January. She was back home and it was hard to see her recover slowly. But, February was probably my favorite month of the year. Evan and I hung out quite a bit. On the first, he took me to this arcade in town and that’s when I was sure I had a crush on this man. It was so much fun! For the first time in forever, I didn’t spend Valentine’s Day alone either. I think this day was one of my favorites of the year. It was a Friday and a slow day at work so Evan stopped by my desk and asked if I wanted to go for a walk around the Capitol. This was something we had started doing frequently; he would stop by my desk or I would go by his desk to ask for a walk around to chat. We walked around the Capitol and then he asked if I had plans for the evening. He then asked if I wanted to have a happy hour with him and I said yes. We went to this small bar near the Capitol right after work and we had drinks and talked and talked and laughed and laughed. Before we knew it, THREE hours had passed. It didn’t even feel like we were there that long! We decided to head out, since it had gotten so late and neither of us had eaten anything. We walked back to the office in the night and he hugged me goodbye. On the way home, I listened to a playlist of songs I had made that reminded me of him and I was the happiest girl in Austin that night. Evan also invited me to a food tasting event that weekend on 2/19 and the waitress thought we were on a date and we didn’t correct her. February was also great workwise; I planned my first Wellness event as Coordinator and it was a success! The audit that I was working on was also picking up (I like to be busy). A group of work friends and I started monthly game nights too. It was so nice and fun to finally have a solid friend group. Lastly, I saw The Jungle Giants (2/16) and Beach Bunny (2/28) which ended up being my only two concerts of the year because…

The coronavirus hit in March. Well, that’s when the first shutdown/quarantine happened. I remember hearing about the virus in China but really didn’t pay much attention to it (I was obviously very distracted at the beginning of the year lolol). But Friday the 13th, I packed up some things from my desk and had to telecommute indefinitely. I don’t really remember feeling scared or even too worried. I thought it would all blow over relatively quickly. Boy, was I wrong. My parents came to visit for spring break, along with my brother and sister. It was so nice to see them but also hard to see my sister, who was still recovering. We didn’t get to do much either because soon after they got to Austin, the city shut down. It was really hard to go from having a busy life to not leaving my apartment at all. Another bad thing was that I had taken part of the CPA exam this month and found out I had failed. It sucked but if I’m being honest, I didn’t study as much as I should have. But one good thing was Evan. Wow he really was an anchor during this hard year. Despite the stay at home regulations, we kept hanging out. I know it wasn’t the most responsible thing to do, but we always hung out at home or outside and I really needed to see another person after spending my work week completely alone. He plays guitar and suggested that we learn to play a song together (since I play piano) so we started learning to play The Scientist by Coldplay.

April was another difficult month. Spending Holy Week completely alone was rough. The thing I wanted and needed most (the Eucharist) was unavailable to me because the churches were closed. Things were getting really bad in Europe and New York. I cried so much during Holy Week. Work was getting stressful too. But again, Evan was a constant. By this point, we were texting nearly every day and hanging out almost every weekend. I really enjoyed spending time with him. Not sure if this happened in April but one Saturday, we went geocaching and we found an Office themed geocache where we had to use a laser-pointer to find trees that eventually led to a box of trinkets. That was such a fun day.

Work was insane in May. I had never felt so busy before! One good thing about working from home is that when you’re extremely stressed, you can cry and no one will know. Things slowly started to open up again and I was able to go to reconciliation for the first time in 2.5 months. That was a blessing. Porter Robinson held his Secret Sky Fest, a virtual festival of EDM artists that was so much fun to jam out to alone in my apartment. I really missed live music and even though it wasn’t the same, it was still a good time. Evan and I kept hanging out and practicing our song. We even recorded a video of us playing together and it’s the cutest thing ever. Also, there was one Saturday in particular that sticks out to me: May 23. But we spent nearly all day together, playing music, drinking on his porch, getting dinner, sharing intimate details about our lives, and then playing board games with his brother when he got home from work. That day was another one of my favorites of the year.

June was a bittersweet month. I went home for my brother’s high school graduation. I had never seen the airport so empty in my life. My sister and I actually weren’t able to go to the ceremony and we had to watch it at home on the TV. But it was fun to celebrate with him and my family afterward. I worked from my hometown for a while and it was so nice to get to see my best friend and grandpas again. I really didn’t do too much with them as we were all being cautious. But this was the month that Evan told me that he started online dating again. I was crushed. I knew we were just friends but I liked him and thought he might have liked me too, considering how often he was texting me and asking to hangout. I was so confused because it felt like we had just gotten so much closer recently and I thought it might be leading to something more than friendship. But I was wrong.

I went back home in July again for my brother’s birthday. My parents had a small birthday/graduation party for him and it was nice to be back home again. The summer blues were really hitting me hard this month and you’d think that Taylor Swift releasing a surprise album would be a huge plus. But it gave me depression lolol It’s a sad album and her song “August” described exactly how I felt about Evan and his new girlfriend. I spent many summer nights, crying and drinking wine listening to this album. I don’t like summer and the things that make summer bearable (cool movie theaters and pools and air-conditioned museums) were taken away from me. Work was incredibly stressful too.

I don’t remember much of August to be honest. I was depressed and lonely and the summer heat was killing me. Work was continuing to be stressful and I wanted the audit to be over with. I was also upset because I didn’t get to hang out with Evan as much. He had been seeing this one girl seriously and I didn’t feel right hanging out with him one on one. There were a couple of highlights: I got to see one of my good friends/coworkers, Alana, for the first time since everything shut down. She is such a light and I really enjoy her friendship, even though we aren’t super close. Also, I got promoted on the 21st! It came as a complete surprise to me, considering that I had just gotten promoted the year before. Although a lot of managers had told me that I was already working at a higher level, I didn’t really feel like I was ready for a promotion so I was SO shocked when my manager called to let me know.

September was another weird month. By then, I was eagerly awaiting the holidays and the end of an already too long year. My depression was subsiding but I didn’t feel like my old self either. I celebrated my birthday with my cousin, who moved to my city in July. I am so thankful for her and her love; I probably would’ve spent my day alone if it wasn’t for her. We didn’t get to do all that we planned to do (there was a flash flood) but we did get to go to dinner! A few days later, Evan treated me to ramen and wine and we had dinner at my place and we talked for the first time in a while. It was such a sweet gesture from him and I felt bad that I didn’t do anything for his birthday.

October started off well with a few virtual concerts (Future Islands and Hippo Campus) and then my mom came to town halfway through the month because I had FINALLY scheduled my wisdom tooth removal. The surgery had to be postponed for a week (my dentist’s thermometer said I had a fever, but I ended up being fine and even tested negative for COVID. Idk what happened with that but it was annoying) so my mom stayed a little while longer. Then, on October 27, my dad called my mom to tell her that my grandpa had passed away. It was such a shock and completely unexpected. That day is one of the worst of my life and that’s when 2020 took a turn for the worst. Instead of getting my surgery later that week, I packed my bags and drove back home with my mom.

November was grief and exhaustion. I worked from my parent’s home and the audit wasn’t particularly stressful, thankfully. I was upset that I didn’t really get to say goodbye to my Austin friends (*cough* Evan *cough cough*) but I was also glad to not be alone anymore, after spending a good majority of 2020 alone in my apartment. The COVID cases in my hometown were at an all-time high though so I didn’t get to see any of my friends or even much of my family. It was heartbreaking going to my grandparents’ house, now completely empty, and see that everything was just as my grandpa had left it. Thanksgiving was sad and small.

Work was busier in December but thankfully it never got to an overwhelming place. My family was FINALLY able to lay my grandpa to rest on December 10. With all the COVID restrictions and the increase in deaths, it took forever for my grandpa’s funeral to be arranged. It was a small ceremony with maybe 15 people and I cried throughout the entire thing. We didn’t get to do a proper military burial for him (because of restrictions) but he did get a flag presentation. I helped my family clean out my grandparents’ house and I actually got to keep a few of my grandmother’s clothing and jewelry pieces! It was nice to have some of her things to cherish. Also, Taylor surprised us AGAIN with another glorious album. It was as if she knew that I needed something on the 10th to make me feel better after the funeral.  I was able to take off a couple of weeks from work and I cherished those days off. It was nice getting to spare some carefree time with my family, sister who had come back from NYC, and cousin. I also finally saw my best friend and even got to meet her new boyfriend. It made me so happy to see how happy she was with him. The holidays were still bittersweet because I missed my grandparents and our Christmas celebration was much smaller than usual. But I did get to help my dad make tamales and we got to go to mass for the first time since Thanksgiving! The year ended on a bit of a sour note for me because I awkwardly confessed my feelings for Evan and even though he reciprocated them, he said he didn’t want to date me. I was really hoping to end the year on a high note. I was really hoping that I could have one good thing and that things could work out with us. It was sad to hear him say that he was seeing someone else and as much as he liked me (and he REALLY liked me), it wasn’t enough to break up with this other girl and try things with me.

And that was my 2020, not including all the horrific things that happened in America and the world that just added to my stress and anxiety. I’m not sure how I feel about 2021. I didn’t even make New Year’s resolutions this year because they feel pointless to me. I’m trying to be hopeful but honestly, it’s been hard to do. I still miss my grandparents so so so much and even the thought of them brings tears to my eyes. Evan is still dating this girl and tells me about her and I have to pretend like it doesn’t hurt because we agreed to be friends. I don’t have any audits lined up after my current assignment. I’m staying home and trying not to see my friends as often because COVID is creeping up again but it makes me feel isolated and bad that I can’t see them. I miss Austin but also don’t want to go back to being completely alone again. I’m finding it hard to get on a good prayer schedule. So please pray for me and my family and the repose of the soul of my grandparents. I can’t wait for the day when I can read this and hurt for my past self, but also know that I’ve made it to somewhere better.

[jackofftao]

Minhyuk Coffee Shop Au!

I don't think I've typed out an actual story in pro’s since like ,,,, a long ass ride time ago

I’m becoming addicted to the bulleted things

help

anyway I’m still shook from the monsta x concert in Atlanta 

koko bop also has me kokodead 

I ment to write something for monsta x because,,, concert

so here it is

order a coffin and lets get started 

So you work at this cute little coffee shop where can I find me one to work at tbh

and you have one of the busiest shifts

basically first thing in the morning

when eVERYONE wants their coffee and they want it NOW

the stress was high ngl 

“hi yes I want 15 coffees in 5 minutes for a meeting I have thanks”

there is only two people on that shift too? 

the manager swears he is looking to hire someone to help you two out

but everyone knows he's sleeping lmao 

so its just you and another girl rushing to make 15 expressos in 5 minutes while taking 20 other orders 

its a rush but you love it

for now 

eventually school work started to pile up and the stress you felt all morning and then sitting in class for the rest of the afternoon left you d r a i n e d by night time

motivation to do the readings? home work? non existent

so you talked to the manager and he's like “well today is your lucky day! I just hired some one for the morning position so I could move you to the night position and move someone from the night position to the morning to take your place?”

“bleSS Please”

he just gives you a thumbs up and goes back to watching youtube

no one really knows how on earth he manages to run this place but he's so laid back and chill that no one is complaining 

your stress level has been reduced soooooo much after this change

but

the night shift has like 0 customers save for the old grandpa who comes in every day and gets the same order, sits in the same spot at the same time

he once brought in a picture frame and sat it across from him

he said that today was his and his wife's 56th anniversary 

this is so sad and cute I'm crying

other than talking to this old man and doing homework there really isn't anything to do 

looking around there is this chalkboard

and you never noticed it but?? its there lol

and there is this really good drawing of a coffee cup on it

you wonder who drew it

the next day there was another really good drawing but it was of a cat this time??

the next day it was a dog??

then a mango and various fruits 

this kept on happening for a while

so you asked your old co worker from the morning shift if she knew who was drawing them 

and she was like “Hunty no one in the morning shift has time for that”

and you are the only one who has the night shift next to some other person but they do their homework and sleep so it’s not them

that only leaves the afternoon shift 

so you go to the manager and ask him 

“There is only two people who work the afternoon shift and I don't think I know either of their names because thats the time of my afternoon nap but one of them is always annoying me because he either spilled hot water on him self or broke something”

he sounds like a mess,,,,, ngl

so has got to be the other person

that Friday your professor sent an email and was like “I accidentally drove my car into a pool because there was a duck but good news I now have a pet duck to take care of so you are free for the day” 

at least you have two hours with nothing to do

might as well go to the café

its odd walking into your workplace as a customer and not an employee? ??

there is a few people there

so you walk up to the counter and order 

the guy who took your order was really tall and looked hella sleepy

tbh he looked like a model

“Hey this is going to sound weird...” you looked at his name tag, “Hyungwon, but I work the night shift and there are these drawings on the chalkboard that are really really good,,,, do you know who is drawing them?”

“Yeah, my coworker over there. His name is Minhyuk you should tell him that you like his drawings”

and he just hands you your order 

“Ah,,,thank you”

when did he even make it lmao

you swear you didn't see him move

he keeps a stash of popular orders under the counter 

so you sit down in a chair near this ‘Minhyuk’ and observe him drawing

he looked really concentrated and you didn't want to disturb him 

so you were drinking your coffee and it was a little,,,,,, cold

but it still tasted really good 

Minhyuk was drawing a really pretty beach land scape

it matched his sky blue hair 

when you finished your drink you threw it away but went back and tapped him on the shoulder

he JUMPED

and squealed

so you screamed a bit too

then he just stopped and smiled 

i’m melting just thinking about his smile my bias is showing

“Is there something I can help with?”

“Actually I work the night shift and I keep seeing these really good drawings on the chalkboard but I could never figure out who was drawing them.”

“you,,,,think,,,,,my drawings are ,,,g o o d?”

“Of course! I love this one the most so far! It matches your hair”

“ah-h yes thank you,,,,,whats your name?”

“Y/n, Yours?”

“Minhyuk”

you both just kind of smile and look at his drawing of the beach

it had so much detail

but you look at your watch and WHOOPS you're about to be late for your next lecture 

“well Minhyuk, It was really nice meeting you but I'm about to be late for my lecture! see you when I can!”

when you came for your shift you looked at the chalkboard 

next to the picture of the beach there was a drawing of a couple of books

then there was some words below it

“good luck with school Y/n!  What’s your major?”

so you wrote your major in the spot he provided 

and now you two have conversations on the chalkboard

one day

he asked for your number

it looked like he put a lot more work into his hand writing

you could also tell that he had erased and rewritten the sentence a whole bunch of times

what a cutie

you gave him your number ofc

so now you two talk and call each other a lot

he has morning classes 

one day it was a particularly long ass ride day

i need to stop making that joke

and on the chalkboard was a Extremely good drawing of you with “y/n will you...” written below it

will you what ? 

no one knew

so you were talking to the old man about Minhyuk and how you were hopelessly in deep liking (lol) with Minhyuk 

“If there is one thing I learned in my whole life sweetheart, it’s don't waste time”

“are you telling me to ask him out?”

the old man just sweetly smiled and looked out the window

“I’m not telling you to do anything. The opportunity is right there on the chalkboard and its your decision if you do anything with it. The door is open, walk inside”

the bell above the door rang signaling that someone had walked through the door 

“Y/n”

looking at who entered it was,,,,, Minhyuk?!?!”

“Minhyuk what are you doing here??”

“I never finished the sentence on the chalkboard”

his hands were shaky as he wrote the the last couple of words

“...be mine?”

he took a shaky breath and stood up next to the chalkboard 

you read it once

twice

three times

four ti-

“Ah its okay,,, just,,, forget I asked or said anything”

“No”

“what”

“I said no, I don't want to forget you asked.”

“Look you don't have to feel ba-”

tbh you straight up kissed this idiot

he's left completely shook 

but then he starts jumping up and down screaming a little 

“Y/n LIKES ME Y/N LIKES ME OH MY G OOOOOO DDDDDD”

hes a kid i swear

so now he visits you on your shift 

and you cuddle in a booth in the corner 

where can I find me a Minhyuk

now that I'm dead we should end this here

The end~ 

unless you want a part 2 “Dealing with an idiot boyfriend while trying to do your job” lmao

[surveysonfleek]

109.

About You & Your Background Do you know where you were conceived?:: no idea. australia i’m assuming How old were your parents when they had you?:: my mum was 25, dad 32. Were your parents married?:: yes. What is the meaning of your name?:: the goddess of wine. Did your parents have any other names picked out?:: yeah. the only one i know of is erica.

Do you share a birthday with anyone?:: bek and my mum’s friend, jane. Do you look more like your mom or dad?:: i’m a perfect mix of both tbh. What is your heritage(s)?:: filipino. Can you speak any of those languages?:: i can fully understand. i’m a bit rusty when i speak it, but it’s possible. Do you consider yourself “normal”?:: normal enough. How do people usually spell your name?:: wrong. especially since my name is spelt differently to the usual way. Have you always lived where you live now?:: no. since ‘99. Do you wish you were taller, shorter, or the height you are?:: a little taller. Do you have a religion?:: i do, but i don’t practice it much. Were you raised as a certain religion?:: catholic. Do you have any relatives of other races?:: hmmm i gues. Do you have any step-relatives?:: nope. Do you have any pets?:: a dog. Do you go to school?:: not anymore. Have you ever considered dropping out of school?:: nope. Do you ever talk to yourself?:: only in my head. If you were an animal, which would you be?:: a panda. Do you have siblings?:: one sister. How old are they?:: 19. Are any married / have kids?:: nope. Where do you like to hang out?:: home, mall, friend’s houses etc. Who do you hang out with the most?:: my boyfriend. What do you like to do in your free time?:: sleep, eat, cook, shop.

Relationships & Friends

Do you have a boyfriend / girlfriend?:: yes. What is their name?::   dwayne. What is their age?:: 26. Where did you meet them?:: through friends. When did you start dating?:: back in 2009 lol. Do you have any mutual friends?:: yes. plenty. How do your parents feel about him / her?:: they like him. How do your friends feel about him / her?:: they like him too. How do YOU feel about him / her?:: i love him. just going through a bit of a rough patch. Do your friends have a lot of influence on who you date?:: no. How many exes do you have?:: wouldn’t really count any. Are you friends with any of them?:: - What was your longest relationship?:: my one now. nearly eight years. Why did it end?:: it hasn’t. Which friends can you tell almost anything to?:: probably irene. Do you have friends that you just can’t talk about certain things with?:: yes, definitely. i’ve learnt my lessons. Are your friends virgins?:: tbh i can’t think of anyone who is. Do your friends drink or do drugs?:: all my friends drink. some have/do drugs but nothing serious. Would you say you have a lot of acquaintances or a few very close friends?:: few close friends. Do you consider your parents your friends?:: no lol. Do you have any furry friends?:: like a pet? haha.

Sex

Are you a virgin?:: no. Do you believe in waiting until marriage?:: in this day and age, not really. i feel like you should know each other in and out before committing.  Have you / would you ever have casual sex?:: never have. not sure if i would. Do you need to love someone to have sex?:: for me, yes. What do you feel is the appropriate age to have sex?:: whenever the person is ready i guess. Have you ever had a pregnancy scare?:: i have. Do you think you make the right choices when it comes to sex?:: yes. Have you ever “sexted” someone?:: i have, years ago. i don’t do that shit anymore. Have you had sex under the age of 18?:: yes. Do you feel awkward buying condoms?:: i would but there’s no reason to. Are you on the birth control pill?:: yes. Is having sex against your religion?:: before marriage, yes. Does the amount of sexual partners someone has had, matter?:: to a certain extent only for like disease purposes.  Have you ever been tested for STD’s?:: no. Do you ever lie about how many people you’ve been with?:: no. Do you have any sexual fetishes that you’d like to share?:: i don’t think i even have any. Foreplay: Yay or Nay?:: yay. Drugs & Alcohol Have you ever drank alcohol?:: yes. Have you drank to the point of being drunk?:: yes. Have you / do you smoke cigarettes?:: yes. Have you done any inhalants? (Pot, cocaine, meth, other inhalants):: yes. pot and coke. Have you done any intravenous drugs? (Heroin, morphine, other opiates):: nope. Have you / do you do drugs regularly?:: no. Have you drank more than 3 shots in a row?:: three was my limit lol. Do you feel that some drugs are more dangerous than others?:: definitely. Should any drugs be legal?:: idk. Why do you feel that way?:: haven’t given it much thought.  Have you ever sold drugs?:: no. Have you ever bought drugs?:: yes. Ever watered down your parents’ alcohol so you could drink it?:: no. Are you straight edge?:: no. Are drugs more helpful or hurtful in your opinion?:: hurtful. except weed. Did your parents used to drink or do drugs?:: tbh my parents weren’t drinkers and never did drugs after they had me. they were smokers though. Does that affect your choice in doing / not doing them?:: no. Have you ever tripped on acid?:: no, don’t think i’d ever try acid. Do you take prescription drugs when you don’t need them?:: no. Do you take OTC drugs when you don’t need them?:: no.

Politics, Religion, & Philosophy Do you have a political affiliation?:: no. Are you more liberal or conservative?:: liberal. Does the government have too much power?:: obviously. Is America too intrusive in other countries?:: i don’t know much about this shit seeing as i’m not american, but seeing shit on the news makes me think yes. Is the Iraq War a war on terrorism?:: to some extent. Do you support the troops?:: well yeah. How would you feel if the draft was reinstated?: i’d feel pretty sad for the men around me. Should ANY country be allowed to have WMD’s?:: sorry to say, idk what that stands for. How do you feel about biological warfare?::   pretty fucked up tbh. Is war necessary to solve conflicts?:: at this rate i don’t think it’ll ever solve any conflicts. Have you / would you consider joining the military?:: no. Do you think gay people should be allowed to join the military?:: of course. Should gay marriage be legal?:: yes. Are you pro-life or pro-choice?:: pro choice ultimately. If a woman is raped, should she be forced to have the child anyways?:: no. Should there be an age limit on birth control?:: no. but obviously a 9yo shouldn’t be taking it. Should schools give out condoms?:: yeah but knowing the idiots in my high school there would’ve been a shitload of condom balloons flying around everywhere. Should creationism and evolution be taught side by side in schools?:: well both were taught in my school. Should there be harsher laws for drunk drivers?:: yes. Should all people have access to medical marijuana?:: if it’s needed. Is there such a thing as “God-given” rights?:: i guess. Is marriage an outdated concept in today’s society?:: yes and no. Is statutory rape really rape?:: this is a bit of a grey area. if one is 16 and the other is 17 i don’t think it’s much of a difference. in cases where the minor was clearly taken advantage of, then yeah i’d consider it stat rape. Do you agree with age of consent laws?:: yeah i guess. Do you believe there is a meaning to life?:: hopefully! Do you believe there is an after-life?::   we’ll all end up finding out someday. Do you believe in karma?:: sorta. Do you believe in any forms of magic / witchcraft?:: nah. What religion BEST fits your beliefs?:: i don’t really know. i was raised catholic and believe certain values but i don’t really practice it. Is the bible complete bullshit?:: i don’t think so. Are some things simply unexplainable?:: yes. Do you believe in the supernatural? (ghosts, etc.):: shit creeps me out but nah. Should the drinking age be raised, lowered, or kept the same?: in australia it’s 18. i think that’s fair. Does the government have the right to intervene gangs and cults?:: yes. Should health care be universal?:: yes. Could peace on Earth ever be achievable?:: haha not while i’m alive. Do you believe there is life on other planets?:: maybe not in our solar system but probably in the universe. Does astrology hold some truth to it or is it just nonsense?:: haha i don’t get astrology. Can someone really be psychic?:: i don’t think so.

Have You Ever…. kissed on the first date?:: hallucinated?:: baked a cake?:: dated someone 5 or more years older than you?:: dated someone 5 or more years younger than you?:: seriously considered marriage?:: seriously been engaged?:: witnessed a crime?:: fallen asleep in a pool?:: found an error on a receipt?:: been on a cruise?:: been to Disneyworld or Disneyland?:: ate squid?:: played strip poker?:: sent someone a naughty photo?:: talked to a celebrity?:: lied about your age?:: been to a bar?:: been bought a drink?:: been recognized from online?:: had sex with the window shades open?:: had sex in a place other than a bed?:: made out for more than 1 hour?:: failed a midterm or final exam?:: flirted with a teacher?:: wore your boyfriend / girlfriend’s clothing?:: talked your way out of something?::

The Last Time You… ate a snack?:: today. met someone new?:: a couple days ago. talked on the phone?:: today. went to a store?:: today. went to school?:: years ago. kissed someone?:: two days ago. crossed a street?:: yesterday. had sex?:: a week ago. watched a movie?:: right now. ate a popsicle?:: hmm maybe a month ago. went to the beach?:: start of the year. went to a concert?:: april. went for a walk?:: today. held someone’s hand?:: i forgot. aced a test?:: years ago. updated your facebook status?:: years ago lol. smoked a cigarette?:: a couple hours ago. saw your boyfriend / girlfriend?:: two days ago. went out to dinner?:: last night. checked your email?:: today.

[lagroupie]

Interview : Vacations

Vacations on the lakeside in Nyon through my Olympus Trip, right before going to the restaurant.

A few weeks ago, I went to Nyon to meet an Australian band called Vacations. I was very happy to be there to witness the band’s first concert in Switzerland, and as usual I took my Olympus camera with me. Many people had come out to watch them play, and they sounded great. After the concert, we ended up going to Nyon’s old town, climbing a pointy fence - even I ended up doing it, although with zero coordination - and going to our local “beach”, which made the band laugh a lot. I mean, Léman lake doesn’t really have any waves!

Besides their music, what I liked about Vacations was their honesty and their accent full of Australian sunshine - which was more than welcome, as we had had a pretty cold week. I like to think that they brought the warm weather with them, because it was gone as soon as they left!

Before the concert, I had a little conversation with Campbell about the band’s new album Changes, his life in Newcastle and the local scene, and his newly-found celebrity. Many thanks to Vacations, Ben and Joren for their kindness!

To get to know you better, I wanted to know what your life was like in Newcastle when you’re not touring.

Campbell Burns: Hmm… when I’m not touring, I try to take it very easy and just relax – no pun intended to the song! (laughs) Because I don’t actually have a job outside of Vacations and my other band Fritz, I’m solely just a musician, I just write and record. So if I’m not touring, I’ll be doing that. Or I’ll be hanging out with friends, and I’ll be helping manage my collective No-Fi back home, who put on events. It’s a group of artists and musicians who work together and boost each other up.

Yeah, I was going to ask you about it too! And for some reason I thought No-Fi was also a label?

Yeah, we started out as a record label and then we tried to put out music consistently. And it worked out for a little bit, but we started when most of us were… 18, 19. Because we just wanted to help each other out. But then it got to a point where it’s like, “we’re not really a record label, we don’t know what we’re doing. So let’s just put on really big parties and events instead, and try and boost the profiles of ourselves, the musicians of Newcastle, and also nationally by trying to bring in other bands and musicians to Newcastle. Trying to foster the creative scene in Newcastle. Because it’s a small coastal city. A lot of bands will just… pass over it you know. They will play Sidney and they will go to Wollongong, but they won’t come to Newcastle. It’s like- what about Newcastle, what about this city? So through what all the musicians and the artists do independently, and also together as a collective, we try to put on these really big events and try to get people to recognize Newcastle as a city of cultural significance.

That’s great! We should try and do the same here. We have a small scene, and people try to lift each other up, but perhaps we’re missing a collective like yours. We just… do things, I guess? (laughs)

When you’re starting out, it can seem really daunting. When I was 18 or 19, putting out EPs I would ask myself “wow, where do I play? Who do I talk to? What about backline? Who do I get for support?”. But you talk and mingle with other musicians of the area, and they’re all in the same position as well. And it’s like “hey, why don’t we all just work together and try and put these things forward?” Because everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, and that’s something we recognize with No-Fi. So by banding together, we can take those steps forward a lot more easier. And make the process more possible.

Campbell in Nyon

From what I’ve understood, it’s your first time in Europe right?

Yes! First time in Europe as a band. I’m having a great time. It’s a huge tour- the biggest tour I’ve ever done. I got hit up by Joren from The Lullabye Factory. He sent me an email and came through with a few offers. He said he’d heard the EPs Vibes and Days on YouTube, and he wanted to book a European tour. I was initially a bit sketchy on it, I thought it might have been spam or something! (laughs) But he came with a few really good offers, and then started to book more and more shows. I thought “ok, this is a very legit thing”. I told the band “guys, we can go to Europe. There’s guarantees, we should be okay and able to make this work out.” And here we are! It’s been a lot of fun so far. This is four shows in to our tour, and I think we have another 20 dates or so. It’s really hard to keep track, we’re in a different country every single day.

Haha! I guess you must be like “wait, where am I? What language do they speak here?”

Yeah, the language barrier has been kind of interesting as well. I know just a tiny bit of French, like “Bonjour” or “merci”! Just basic phrases. I’m just trying to incorporate it into our banter. Because we get up on stage and we’re like “what do we say?” (laughs) We don’t really know if they’re going to understand what we’re saying. So we’ve been speaking a bit of French the past couple of shows, and it’s been well received!

I also wanted to talk about Changes. I’ve read in a few interviews that the lyrics were inspired by your personal experiences…

Definitely. It’s kind of an introspective record, and I wanted to be very blunt with the title as well. I didn’t want to give it some fancy word. I wanted it to be like “ok, this album is about changes; you know what you’re getting into”. It documents the last year or so in my life, and all the movements that I went through- with songs like Moving Out, that’s about myself, Jake and my old housemate and good friend John. Moving out of home for the first time, and the experience that came with that. Another song, Club Social, is dealing with the online reception that Vibes got and how that affected us personally. Just getting messages every single day from fans saying “come to this country!”, “this song affected my life, you’ve helped me get through this moment” or “can I have the tabs to this?”. It’s really crazy receiving that, because that only came out last year or something. So much has happened so quickly, and it’s been a lot to take in.

Vacations at La Parenthèse

…So, when you write lyrics, would you say that you mostly get inspired from your own life?

Yeah. Some singers-songwriters can craft stories- they can make up that sort of thing. But I can’t- I could do that, but I don’t find it as interesting. I like to write based off my personal experiences, or experiences that I’ve lived vicariously through friends. If someone is going through a hard time, or if they had something cool happen to them, I might try and base something off that.

That’s interesting! I interviewed Stu from King Gizzard a while ago-

Wow King Gizzard? Huge!

Yeah, I still don’t know how it happened, they’re so nice! (laughs) So, I was asking him about that song he wrote that’s inspired from that book, The Day of The Triffids (ndlr: Cold Cadaver). He basically said: how come when someone writes a book, nobody automatically thinks that it’s about the author’s personal experiences, whereas it’s the opposite in music. We tend to think the songs’ lyrics are talking about what the singer is going through.

Which I find interesting.

Sorry, I don’t know why I said that!

No, it’s true! I do feel that a lot of the audience will always hear a song by a musician or an artist, and think “it obviously must be about them”. And that’s not always the case- in my own case it is about myself, but I recognize other singers-songwriters try and craft stories, like King Gizzard- where they’ve got a whole universe of songs supposedly! But… yeah! (laughs)

I also wanted to talk about my favorite song from the album, Be There. I really like the lyrics and the rhythm-

Yeah, the 6/8 drumming pattern! That’s a fun song. That’s actually a song me and Nate wrote together. It’s the only song on the album that got re-done, it was on an old EP called Friends, which came out a year or two ago. We were looking at the album and at the tracklisting and thinking, “this needs to change up, all the songs are in 4/4. We need some funky, dancy song”. It was always part of our live set, and always got received really well. So we looked at that song and thought about how we could make it a little bit better, and how we could revisit it and make it sound a bit more fresh. So we took that, re-recorded it and added some extra parts to it. I added a lot more vocal harmonies to it as well. I think it’s a lot nicer, it flows really well.

Finally, if you had to drink one thing for the rest of your life, what would you choose between tomato juice and red wine?

Hmm… Honestly I think I would die if I just drank red wine every day! But I probably say red wine anyway. It sounds really nice! (laughs) Tomato juice just doesn’t sound pleasant. I think I’d be very healthy with tomato juice, but red wine sounds a bit more fun!

Ndlr: A group of young girls passes by. They recognize Campbell.

Please join us! (laughs) That’s so great! You have a lot of fans!

That’s weird- imagine having fans in all these countries, it’s just bizarre! Like, when we were playing in Paris at Olympic Café, third song in, a guy in the background yells “Moving Out!” and we were like “oh my God that’s the next song that we’re gonna play!” and then that guy is singing all the lyrics and dancing around! And I’m like “this is wild, I’m on the other side of the world and people are just into it!” That’s crazy, it feels like a dream. But it’s real. It’s really sweet.

https://www.facebook.com/vacationsfanclub/

[krissysbookshelf]

Enjoy An Exclusive Sneek Peek of: Summer Indiscretions by Tamara Mataya!

Free-spirited beach-dweller looking to Switch lives with outgoing urbanite.  Sense of adventure mandatory.  Clothing optional. One email away from a total meltdown, I'm desperate to escape New York. Using Switch—a website designed to help strangers swap homes for the summer—I slip out of my stilettos and into a string bikini. But of all the beaches in all the world, Blake Wilde just had to show up on mine. He's hot. Scorching hot. And he's been strictly off-limits for as long as I can remember.  To hell with that. New life? New rules. I know something this good can't be made to last. But for three sizzling weeks, I can pretend there won't be consequences, recriminations, or regret... And that somehow our growing connection can be more than just a summer fling.

Order your copy here:

Amazon | B&N | iBooks

  Chapter 1

Melanie

“Excuse me, do you know the way to the nude beach?”

“Uh, sorry?” Before I can answer the smiling stranger, my phone rings, buzzing against my leg and making me jump. I fumble to answer it, clumsy in my confusion.

It’s the office. I’m on vacation. I shouldn’t answer—but what if it’s an emergency? And—

Hold on a second. Nude beach?

My phone rings again before I can gather my scattered thoughts enough to ask. Too late—the stranger’s already walking away. I want to chase after him, but…I stare down at my phone. What if it really is an emergency? Mentally shoving my thoughts into order, I start walking as I accept the call. Resentfully.

“Melanie Walker speaking.”

“Miss Walker, I need you to set up a meeting between me and Nick in Editorial. He’s been up to something. What exactly are we paying him for?” Thaddeus Mitchell III’s voice slides up my spine and lodges behind my eyes—a migraine in the making.

“I’m not in the office, Thaddeus.”

“Really? I hadn’t noticed.” The implication being that I do nothing at work. “There’s a lightbulb burned out in the stairwell that you need to see to.”

Thaddeus Mitchell III was hired at the online women’s magazine H2T (Head 2 Toe) as a sales consultant one month ago and has been a raging pain in my ass for each of those thirty-one days. I’d say twentysomething, allowing for weekends, but he basically went Miranda Priestly and has been contacting me outside of work hours as well. Much like he’s doing now.

“Thaddeus, contact Maintenance about the light. Their number is in the company directory. I’m HR. If you want to set up a meeting with Nick”—who’s doing nothing wrong—“you’ll have to talk to Valerie directly or wait until I get back. I’m on vacation right now.”

“You have your cell phone—a marvel of technology, will wonders never cease? Send an email. Let’s get this show on the road.”

This sarcastic, condescending asshole was hired directly by my boss, and what rankles the most isn’t that he’s woefully unqualified, or that he doesn’t need the paycheck—and has bragged about it to anyone who will listen.

No. It’s the way he treats me when no one’s looking. More than that, it’s the way I let him get to me instead of brushing him off the way I can everyone else. I dig my nails into my palm, annoyed as hell that stomping out my frustration is proving impossible because I’m wearing flip-flops on sand.

“No.” I’m tired of him turning the place I love to work into a hell I dread entering. He’s the main reason I needed to get out of New York for a break.

“Excuse me?”

I think I’ve finally gotten his attention. “Talk to Valerie, or send an email and wait until I get back. Do not call me again at this number.”

“You’re going to regret this lack of professionalism.”

“Have a nice day,” I grit out through clenched teeth and end the call.

I’d like to lose a high heel in his ass, but that would be unprofessional. He’s lucky I haven’t complained to my boss—not that he’s committed a fireable offense—but I refuse to let him invade my vacation.

I glare at my phone, hitch my beach bag higher on my shoulder, and walk faster, loathing Thaddeus’s intrusion. I focus on my feet and concentrate on taking slow breaths. Even twelve hundred miles away, I’m not free from him.

You’d be free of him if you moved over to Editorial.

The thing is, I’m great at my job, and it’s what I know. Then again, maybe I know HR a little too well and the luster’s worn off. And that’s part of the problem that’s been steadily nagging at me with every new idea for an article I have—that I’ve worked my ass off to get to the wrong place in life and am fighting for a career that doesn’t fit anymore.

Plus, in another department, I wouldn’t have to deal with the petty crap people like Thaddeus dump on me every day.

I want to throw my phone when it dings in my hand, but this time, it’s a text from my best friend, Bailey, who works as a features editor at H2T.

Bailey: What’s your Switch partner like?

I text back as I walk down the beach.

Me: We won’t meet in person until after the Switch, but if the photographs tacked to the corkboard in her bedroom are anything to go by, Shelby Kellerman’s life is a cross between an imported beer commercial and an Abercrombie & Fitch ad.

Bailey: What?

Me: Effortlessly beautiful people having a great time no matter what they’re doing. Drinking at the bar, smiling at a concert, running on the beach—each picture made me want to jump inside and spend time there.

Bailey: What did she look like?

Me: Leggy, blond, taller than I thought, freckles across the bridge of her nose that give her an air of innocence despite a body that wouldn’t look out of place on the cover of Sports Illustrated or Victoria’s Secret. Light-brown eyes, and her hair has natural highlights from the sun.

Not that I had been obsessing over those pictures or anything.

Bailey: I don’t know if I should have a crush on her or hate her viciously. lol

Me: I know how you feel!

If I’d grown up here instead of New York, would I be like that? Shelby radiates happiness and serenity. Why would she want to Switch her breezy life for mine, even temporarily?

Bailey: How’s the house?

Me: Disgustingly big. What’s she going to think of my cramped apartment, stuffed with books and with stark-white walls I’ve never gotten around to painting? Every room in her place is a different color.

Bailey: It’s all part of the authentic Brooklyn experience. lol

Me: I guess. But she gets a freaking sea breeze, Bails. The nicest thing the wind blows into my apartment is a sickly spiciness from the Thai place a few doors down.

Bailey: She didn’t sign up to Switch apartments with you for three weeks to be in a place exactly like hers. It’s about experiencing something new, same reason you did it, right?

Me: That’s for sure. I had to flee the oppressive spaciousness and head to the beach.

Bailey: Awesome! Get some sun for me! You’re OK, though?

Not even my best friend knows everything about my sudden need to escape my life.

Me: I’m fine. Adjusting to all the sunshine and personal space.

Bailey: I don’t want to beach block you. Call me later! Remember—you’re there for a fun time. Seize it by the short and curlies!

Me: I will.

Bailey’s right. Fuck Thaddeus. Fuck the day from hell that sent me here. I spread my towel and settle on it, digging in my bag for the bottle of water I packed.

The breeze rolling off the ocean hits me, counteracting the heat with a deliciously salty tang, and I put my cell away, determined to be fully present in this moment. If vitamin D is the feel-good vitamin, I’m going to soak up as much as I can. I need to feel good right about now. I’m doing the most adventurous thing I’ve ever done, and no one can take that away from me.

Walking up King’s Point Drive to the beach felt like an adventure in a foreign land. People are friendlier and wear less clothing in Miami—clothing in a dazzling rainbow of colors—and a lot of women seem to wear bikini tops instead of real shirts or tank tops. Is this why they seem happier in Florida, or is it all the space? Maybe it’s just because it’s so close to the beach.

Without the tall buildings reaching high above like back home, the sky is nearly oppressively open, and I squint up at it for a moment before my eyelids pinch shut against the brightness of the sun. Shelby’s condo is on a little almost-island surrounded by water, with the Oleta River State Park on the west and the ocean a couple blocks to the east. I’m in Miami, but somehow I feel like I’m in an oasis away from it all.

I absorb the sultry thickness, blind to anything but that ocean scent, so unfamiliar and pleasant. I lie back on my elbows, relishing the pure sizzle of the sun on my skin…for about three minutes because, damn, it’s hot. How do sun worshippers do this every day without feeling the need to hire someone to baste them every half hour? Either that or hire a cabana boy to fan them and hand-feed them peeled fruits. Screw grapes—I’d like someone to peel the white crap off my oranges for me.

I grin and look around for a hypothetical candidate.

Sweat beads on my upper lip and tickles my back. Maybe I should mosey to that little stand where they’re renting oversize umbrellas to people who didn’t bring one—like me.

The stand where a woman in her late seventies waits in line, completely naked.

Blinking hard doesn’t make clothes appear on her body; her nudity isn’t a mirage. But what the hell is she doing? Is she a vagrant or someone senile who wandered away from her family? Did the ocean knock her bathing suit off? Was it eaten by a shark?

I blindly grope—grab—for my bottle of water because maybe this is a vision or hallucination brought on by the heat. Why isn’t anyone freaking out about Naked Grandma? Is it like staring at the sun? No one wants to see that, so a glance burns your eyes and you don’t try again or tell anyone you did it because it’s universally not done? Is everyone pretending they didn’t notice so they don’t have to make eye contact with her and tell her to put some clothes on?

She’s just naked and loitering like she’s waiting to check out at the grocery store.

Any minute now, someone’s going to approach her and say, “There you are, Mildred! Let’s get you tucked back into this caftan so you can parade around the beach with dignity and style.”

Swallowing a mouthful of water, I screw the cap back on the bottle and finally take a proper look at the people on the beach. There are some bathing suits, but…

Oh my God. No wonder no one’s saying anything to Mildred. My toes curl with embarrassment, even though I’m fully clothed with a long T-shirt over my tankini, because I’m somehow feeling exposed while covered up. Apparently, embarrassment through osmosis is a thing. I’ve never seen this much flesh in my entire life.

A topless thirtysomething woman applies sunscreen to her legs, her breasts jiggling with every motion.

Stop staring at her.

A naked man runs up the beach with a surfboard, flaccid penis bouncing around like one of those wacky, waving, inflatable, arm-flailing tube men.

Stop staring, Melanie!

An extremely muscular man jogs by, and my gaze zooms to his crotch with startling accuracy, like I’ve had years of checking out naked packages.

STOP.

The thing is, I’ve never really seen a flaccid penis before. In my experience, by the time I’m in close proximity, they’re…ready for business, and who really pays attention after sex? You either get dressed or you’re snuggling with the guy under the covers, not staring at his spent member. My longest relationship was seven months, but we never lived together, so I haven’t experienced a naked, unaroused man casually strolling around my personal space.

A few more men stroll by, and I can’t—look—away.

I didn’t know thighs could be so hairy.

Old guys, young guys, burly guys, and skinny guys strolling around in the bright, bright sunlight, unafraid of getting burned in vital places. I mean, they have to put sunscreen on, but how can they apply it without being inappropriate? Talk about indecent overexposure!

Sprays, maybe?

Huh. Penises are so much sadder when they’re soft, sort of shrunken in on themselves like they’re embarrassed. It’s fascinating, and I absolutely cannot look at them without gawking. But the women are in the buff as well, letting it all hang out for everyone to see. Muscles ripple, booties jiggle, and I’m freaking mesmerized at how nonchalant everyone is about this.

Wow, that man’s legs are hairy. It’s like he’s wearing fuzzy leg warmers.

Some people are wearing clothes, to be fair, but their suits might as well be invisibility cloaks. I’m blinded by flesh.

This has to be how teenage boys feel during a hormone storm.

A lady’s ice-cream cone drips onto her. Oh my gosh, that can’t be sanitary. And is everyone fine with getting sand everywhere? The lady with the cone sees me staring and slides her sunglasses down her nose, peering at me over them and giving a friendly grin.

Oh my God, I need to get out of here.

I stand and stuff my things back into my bag, hightailing it out. I stop short, nearly grabbing a woman’s boobs when I aim my hands for her shoulders. “Sorry!” Dodging around her, I keep my eyes down, but that makes my brain wonder feverishly if the toes belong to someone who’s naked—and if their feet match what I think the bodies should look like, based on flip-flops and nail polish…or toe hair.

Preoccupied with a huge pair of men’s feet and trying very hard not to look up, I collide with a fortysomething man wearing nothing but flip-flops and a gold necklace—and sprawl face-first on the sand.

“Whoops!” He squats down just as I turn my head to spit out some sand, and this is not his most flattering angle. He’s slick with oil, and when he helps me to my feet, he leaves shiny patches on my hands and forearms. “You OK?”

“I’m fine.” My voice comes out an octave too high, and I ooze out an embarrassed “Thanks” and scurry away, still smelling like his coconut suntan oil.

Was that rude? Should I have stayed and chatted with him? How the hell do you chat with a shiny, naked guy? Flustered, I rush back the way I originally came, stopping when I find what I’m looking for.

This is where the stranger asked about the nude beach before. Now that I’m here again, I see the signs pointing to Sunny Isles Beach—where I was trying to go instead of Haulover Beach. Thaddeus’s call must have distracted me.

I can’t believe it, but the sign for Haulover confirms what the boldly bared genitals have already shown me.

I found the nude beach.

  Original post: http://ift.tt/2kRyIhz

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[infinitehouseofbooks]

AUTHOR INTERVIEW - Maria Thompson Corley

  DISCLAIMER: This content has been provided to INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS by the author. No compensation was received. This information required by the Federal Trade Commission.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Even though she lives hundreds of miles away, when Langston, who dreams of being a chef, meets Cecile, a Juilliard-trained pianist, he is sure that his history of being a sidekick, instead of a love interest, is finally over. Their connection is real and full of potential for a deeper bond, but the obstacles between them turn out to be greater than distance. Can these busy, complicated people be ready for each other at the same time? Does it even matter? Before they can answer these questions, each must do battle with the ultimate demon—fear.

  Told in a witty combination of standard prose, letters, emails, and diary entries, LETTING GO, in the tradition of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s AMERICANAH, is a long-distance love story that also examines race, religion, and the difficult choices we make following our passions. From the Great White North to the streets of New York City to the beaches of Bermuda, LETTING GO is a journey of longing, betrayal, self-discovery and hope you will never forget.

  INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR

  What initially got you interested in writing?

  I’m an introvert, and writing was an easier way to express myself than speaking. I’m fine with speaking now—sometimes, I’m sure people wish I hadn’t become so comfortable with it!—but I think I still delve deeper in writing.

  How did you decide to make the move into being a published author?

  My first novel was published about 20 years ago. I wrote it on a whim while I was working on my Masters degree, having made the somewhat arrogant assessment that I could write as well as a lot of the authors I was reading. I sent a manuscript off to Ballantine and got a handwritten response from an editor who said her list was full, but that I might consider submitting to my eventual publisher, Kensington, because they were starting a line of books aimed at African American women. I wasn’t trying to write genre, but I was told that a few more spicy scenes would qualify my book as a romance, so I went for it.

  My next novel had an important supporting character who was a gay man involved in a relationship, a no-no at the time. I didn’t want to cut him out of the story, and since my major was music anyway (I have a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance from Juilliard), I chose to focus on being a pianist, and then, a mother.

  I decided to try my hand at freelance writing in 2008, as a way to earn some extra money. Soon afterward, my mother gave me an idea for the novel that became my latest release, Letting Go. The rest is a long story, so I’ll cut to the chase and say that I decided to self-publish, having had a few close calls with both agents and publishers, to make my book available for sale at a concert (the theme was pieces that are mentioned in my novel). Since then, I’ve recorded the recital (Music from Letting Go), which included my solo piano performances and my readings of the parts of the novel that preface the musical tracks (I’m also a professional voice actor).

What do you want readers to take away from reading your works?

  I want them to feel that they’ve been on an emotional journey, one that hopefully makes them think about themselves and others differently, or at least with a sense of familiarity. I also hope they’ll laugh.

  What do you find most rewarding about writing?

  It’s fun to create imaginary people whose every move is up to me. That said, sometimes my characters do things that I didn’t plan originally. I should also add that I feel deeply for them, even though I tend to put them through a lot.

  What do you find most challenging about writing?

  Finding time, first and foremost. After that, finding the right words. I’m a compulsive self-editor, so it’s very hard to step away and say something’s finished. For example, my responses have been edited at least three times, and I’m forcing myself to let it go at that.

  What advice would you give to people want to enter the field?

  First, keep striving to be the best writer possible. I advise reading a lot, hopefully with an analytical approach: I like that, but why? I don’t like that, but why not? There are many books on the craft, and I think writers should start there. Next, get discerning people to read your stuff and advise you. Listen to some advice, disregard some advice, and over time (hopefully) you’ll find your own voice.

  After that, it’s all marketing, and I wish I were better at that aspect. There are lots of resources, however, especially now. The trick is finding time to absorb and distill the information. Ah…time. If only I had it in a bottle!

  What ways can readers connect with you?

  twitter: @MariaCorley

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mariathompsoncorleywriter/

website: www.mariacorley.com

          AUTHOR INTERVIEW – Maria Thompson Corley was originally published on the Wordpress version of SHANNON MUIR'S INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS.

[mhdiaries]

Diary of Clawdia Wolf

I’ll make you a villain if you read my diary.

August 25th

Today I was walking through the streets of Londoom I just wanted to howl and do a little dance because I’m so excited to be here. I didn’t, of course, do the dancing part, since I’m the one with the “clumsy gene” in our family and I didn’t want to fall through an open monster hole cover. It has never bothered me that I’m not as athletic as the rest of the pack, because I think it was pretty apparent even when I was a cub that I was better at writing stories about my brothers’ and sisters’ athletic exploits than participating in them. It’s not that I didn’t try, but my mind and body may have been in concert but they were not playing the same tune. I remember the last organized soccer game I played: the coach put me in the goal partly because I was tall for my age and partly because he thought that perhaps the prospect of a ball being rocketed toward me might keep my attention. It worked for a bit, until the ball stayed at the other end of the pitch for a while, and a butterfly landed on the net. All of a sudden I became a ferocious were-spider who decided to give the butterfly a reprieve. So I climbed up in the net to shoo it away when I heard my dad yell, “Clawdia, turn around!” A ghoul was on a breakaway, and the only thing between her and me was open pitch and the ball. I tried to turn, and my spikes caught in the net, so I just closed my eyes and leaped toward the front of the goal. Somehow the ball ended up in my claws, and I kept the ghoul from scoring. It was my one and only athletic achievement, so I retired with my legacy in check and got a good story out of it, which, I’m sure, will end up in one of my screamplays some day.

September 8th

I was sitting in the lecture hall today not really paying attention like I should have been, partly because I was working on a not-for-that-class writing assignment and partly, okay, mostly, because symbolism in ghost-modern, neo-realist goblin cinema is only slightly less painful than rolling in flea-infested wolf’s bane. Honestly, I have no idea what a goblin miner wearing a red hat and pushing an empty ore cart says about the state of modern goblin-kobold relations. I’m sure it is profound and important, but well... it doesn’t matter. What did matter, howere, was that the professor asked a question that he wanted all of us to answer, and I didn’t hear the question. I could have asked him to repeat the question, of course, but then I would have had to acknowledge that I had not been paying attention, and since this particular professor hates that, I knew I was going to have to wing it on the answer. Which made me nervous, which made me look for something to chew on, which meant I wasn’t listening to the other answers, which meant I didn’t have a clue when he got to me. So when he said, “Ms. Wolf?” I said I didn’t think I could add anything to the discussion that had not been more profoundly stated in the answers my classmates had already given. This caused the rest of the class to burst out laughing, to which the professor said, “While I appreciate your humility, your answer leaves us no closer to knowing how many siblings you have.” I was mortalfied, but even more so when he said, “Please do try and pay better attention going forward.” Unlive and learn, Clawdia, unlive and learn.

September 15th

I’ve been using my iCoffin tablet to do some of my writing lately, and I really like it. I mean, I like the tablet. It’s great for doing video chats, and there are some really cool Londoom based apps that have helped me find my way around the city better. As for the writing part, I still prefer my chewed pen and leghoul pad. It may be old-fashioned, but there’s something about a blank sheet of paper that’s less intimidating than a blank scream with a blinking cursor.

October 1st

The only thing that’s coming down faster than the temperature in Londoom right now is the rain. I’m not sure what the real temp is, but you know it’s cold when a werewolf has to put on her fuzzy wool socks... brrr... fortunately, dad did a good job preparing me for this climate by never allowing to turn the thermostat up past the “I can see my breath” mark during the winter. We would say, “Dad, the house is freezing!” to which he would always reply, “You can either have heat or you can eat.” Followed quickly by, “We’re werewolves, for ghoul’s sake, put on a sweater if you’re cold.” Then we’d all look at mom, who would just shrug her soldiers. It was one of the only things she couldn’t change his mind about. So we’d all just sit snuggled together on the couch watching bad TV, complaining about Howleen’s sharp, unclipped paw nails and making promises about what we’d do when we all moved out and got our own places. I distinctly remember saying that I would turn up the heat so high that it would make Gloom Beach seem like a Yeti cave. So the first time it got cold here, I did just that, and it was every bit as amazing as I imagined it would be, until I got my first heating bill. Let’s just say that grocery shopping for the next few weeks gave me a completely different perspective on dad’s old saying. I’m pretty confident that saltines and marmite will never darken the shelves of my cupboard again after having that formerly tasty combination as my only breakfast and lunch option for a fortnight. I’m really missing being able to snuggle up on the couch with my pack of siblings, and I wouldn’t even complain about Howleen’s uncut paw nails... well, maybe not a lot.  

October 6th

I had a great video chat with the fam tonight, and they could not stop talking about Draculaura being chosen as queen of the vampires. They were in complete shock, and I have to admit it was quite a surprise to me as well. The vampires haven’t had a queen since the last chosen one, a young vampire ghoul named Elissabat, disappeared some 400 years ago. What is really curious about this, as if Draculaura being chosen as the new queen right out of the boo wasn’t curious enough, is that Clawdeen told me Draculaura’s choice was confirmed by the Vampire’s Heart. I have actually been doing quite a bit of research on the heart, which is really just a massive jewel with magical properties, for a screamplay I wanted to write about the mystery of the missing queen. There are many scholars that believe the jewel disappeared at the same time the ghoul who would be queen did; so either the scholars are incorrect, or there is more here than meets the eye. I didn’t want to be the one to rain on the funeral though, until I had a little more proof, especially with Clawdeen being so excited about attending the coronation. I did notice that Clawd wasn’t in the room with everyone else, and I’m wondering how he is dealing with this news.

October 7th

Clawdeen has sent me at least 30 texts and emails since last night detailing the fashions she’s thinking about taking to the coronation. I can see her now running around the room with absolutely every piece of clothing she owns spread out so she can mix and match fashions. She’s probably also been through Draculaura’s closet several times as well. I love her so much and I wish I could be there to make her laugh when she starts getting too serious. She’s so beautiful, though, that whatever she chooses will probably steal the show. I finally got an IM from Clawd asking if we could talk. This wasn’t unusual, since Clawd prefers one-on-one conversation to fighting for face time in a group. When he popped up on the screen he looked terrible, almost like he’d been crying, although it might have just been bad lighting. As usual, Clawd didn’t want to talk about himself and instead wanted to know every little thing I was doing. I finally had to say, “Stop howling around the moon and talk to me, little brother.” So he did. He told me that he didn’t trust the Lord Stoker character that showed up with the Vampire’s Heart claiming it led him to Draculaura. What’s more, neither did Draculaura. They both thought Draculaura would be miserable being queen, but that she would feel honor and duty bound to take the throne. Even so he was trying to be as supportive as possible and went on for a few more minutes about things that were worrying him. When he stopped I said, “You really love her, don’t you?” He looked down for a moment and swallowed hard, “She’s my best friend, sis, and I’m about to lose her forever.” Now it was my turn to swallow hard, and then he made an excuse about having to leave for practice and said a hasty goodbye. I’m going to do some more digging into this, because something doesn’t pass the smell test here, and a Wolf’s nose is always right.