#its a pleasant +10 and sunny i feel so alive

[arnold-layne]

LEATHER JACKET WEATHER LEATHER JACKET WEATHER ❗️❗️❗️

[mibeau]

[Santai] My Go-To Beaches in Adelaide

Disclaimer: I am no expert in Travel & Dining, everything mentioned is solely based on my personal preferences and experience.

Adelaide is a beautiful, petite, laid-back city that I once called home.

Lovely people. Relatively convenient and safe to walk from one suburban to another, even at night. Yes, I have once walked from Mile End to North Terrace, after 10 pm. Cos, I missed the bus and it was too cold to wait.

I lived in a suburban, about 20 minutes away from the CBD, by car. One of my favourite things about Adelaide's beaches is the fact that they’re so accessible for day excursions. You'll discover quaint towns and breathtaking coastal views — Adelaide's sandy shores and ocean waves are practically unavoidable! Once a student, I mostly travelled by bus, trams, and occasionally, trains. Within the hour you can find yourself mingling in Glenelg, honing your swimming skills at Semaphore or simply lounging by sunset in Henley.

Being a typical Malaysian, I usually ever use sunscreens only during sports or bathing in the ocean. But here, please, please. Apply sunscreens whenever you go out! Especially during Spring/Summer. On top of the dry weather, the heat hits differently, so I adopted irreversible freckles. (I even used lip balms all year round as my lips will be chapped).

For this article, the tentative will be directed from Adelaide CBD. To chill & unwind, here are the beaches I visited the most:

1. Semaphore Beach (Postcode: 5019)

Long, wide and bordered by low dunes, Semaphore Beach comes alive as the warm weather arrives.

■ Driving time: About 25 minutes ( ~ 14km)

■ Bus Ride: roughly 1.5 hours (including walks)

Take Bus number 157  [Largs Bay] at Stop T2 Grenfell St - South Side. Hop off at Stop 44 Military Rd - West Side.

■ Best for: 

Adelaide Annual Kite Festival

Vitamin D - Walks, Swims, sunbaths

Gatherings & Picnics

Thrifting

Affordable fresh, scrumptious, big servings of Fish and chips. (And other deep-fried items)

Visitors and locals will set up spots on the sand and explore the grassy foreshore, or perhaps to fish/crab off the pier. The Annual Adelaide International Kite Festival is hosted over the Easter Long Weekend, gives me joy and makes me feel giddy. It is not as big and festive as Pasir Gudang International Kite Festival, still, it is fun and pleasant to attend. The Semaphore Jetty is the best place to see the kites flying.

To me, Semaphore is more than just a beach attraction. Seems quiet, yet it is a whole town with so many “little” things to discover. Do you love food, culture and heritage? You will enjoy your visit here. Although the buses do not stop right next to the beach, the long walk towards the beach is fulfilling. Strolling on the Semaphore road, you will pass by many interesting eateries, random shops and friendly locals. I often do thrifting here: better options and values in comparison to the OPs in other suburbs.

One of Semaphore's major attractions will be its beautifully preserved Art Deco buildings and of course, the Semaphore's 1920s Palais. Originally constructed as a bathing pavilion, many consider this iconic property as the perfect spot for a delightful pub lunch, over the mesmerising sunset.  

My routine was getting food from nearby eateries and sitting on the grass near the Time Ball Tower. Basking under the sunny day and breezy weather, I savour the vinegared barramundi & chicken-salted chips and simply enjoy chatting with friends or bird-watching. (Watch out for the poops!) Many times, I caught on Malaysian families having picnics here. Thanks to the wind-whisperers carrying the tantalizing “scents” of homemade nasi lemak and chicken curry puffs or the tunes of elders converse in Manglish.

Then, I’ll take a walk by the shoreline. I would say the water here is clearer than Henley’s and Glenelg’s. It is common to have neighbourhood houses near the beaches, but, in Semaphore, the houses are literally across the road. I imagined the family community here was tight. I’m easily touched by kindness. As you take the steps off the foreshore, right next to the jetty, I found a net of many tools/toys for anyone to play with and build sand castles. There is a notice reminding us to have fun and be responsible, and return them in fair conditions! (Something along those lines)

2. Glenelg (Postcode: 5045)

If you're looking for the easiest to access, and the closest beach to visit, choose Glenelg Beach.

■ Driving time: About 20 minutes (~ 9km)

■ Tram/Bus Rides: 50 minutes to 1 hour (Including Walks)

Take a Tram ride to Glenelg from Rundle Mall. Hop off at Stop 27 Moseley Square

Take bus number H20[Glenelg] from Stop T1 Grenfell St - South Side. Hop off at Zone B Colley Tce - West Side (3-min walk)

Take bus number 265[Marion] from Stop A3 King William Rd - East Side. Hop off at Zone C Colley Tce - East Side (3-min walk)

Take bus number 168[Glenelg] from Stop B2 Pulteney St - East Side. Hop off at Zone B Colley Tce - West Side (3-min walk)

■ Best for:

Many shop&dining options

Sunsets

Beach Sports

Other seasonal activities such as open cinema and festivals.

At any given time of the day, it is always bustling whenever I go there, all year round.

The tram ride will take you right next to the Moseley Square. You’ll be standing right on the sand within a minute or so! There is also a plentiful supply of picnic areas, playgrounds and other family-friendly activities. There is something for everyone here. Away from the ocean, you’ll find a mix of quality stores: cafés, restaurants, dessert shops, surf and clothing boutiques, and many more ~

I usually go there for desserts, sunsets & movies.

3. Henley Beach (Postcode: 5022)

Getting off the bus, you will witness Henley Beach’s flat sands.

■ Driving time: About 20 minutes (~ 12 km)

■ Bus rides: 40 to 50 minutes (Including walks)

Take Bus number H30[West Lakes] from Stop B1 Pulteney St - East Side. Hop off at Stop 29A Seaview Rd - West Side (6-min walk to the beach)

Take Bus number H33[Henley Beach] from Stop B1 Pulteney St - East Side. Hop -off at Stop 29A Marlborough St - South Side ( 1-min walk to the beach)

Take Bus number 286[Henley Beach] from Stop T1 North Tce - South Side. Hop -off at Stop 27A North St - South Side ( 5-min walk to the beach)

■ Best for: 

Sunsets

Leisure walks, Swims

People-watching - Surfers, Fishers etc

Crabbing

The shoreline stretches as far as the eye can see, with plenty of space for laying out your towel. Perfect summer’s beach scene in mind. If you're seeking a “luxury” experience, the esplanade is surrounded by many upscale shops, cafes and seafood restaurants. These were never up my alley and were never my purpose for going there.

Heading to the esplanade, you will first be greeted by the Henley Surf Life Saving Club. Compared with Moseley Square in Glenelg, personally, in the evening, the lighting here is far more charming and soothing.

I initially went there for some alone time and a quick dip after work. Then, I fell in love with the sunsets. The esplanade walk is also a popular exercise option for cyclists, joggers and walkers. There are so many seats and lounge areas for everyone to sit down comfortably. Hence, it is common for me to travel to Henley Beach just to catch the sunsets!

I enjoy my walks along the jetty and see the catches of the day (by other people). Especially crabs. Oh, it is common to see a fish guideboard on the jetties of Adelaide beaches. So, you can somewhat anticipate what you might catch on!

Stopping by The Halal“Diner” halfway through the bus ride is a must. They specialised in fried chicken, but the visit was the highlight of my trip because they served one of my favourite AB menus! (Second best to Yiros House on Rundle Street) Unfortunately, I forgot both the names of the shop & the suburban. :(

All the beaches mentioned have swim-worthy waters and great jetties for fishing/crabbing.

I’m not a surfer. But, if you are an avid surfer, people usually go to Moana Beach and Aldinga Beach for a solid break almost year-round. Also, for more picturesque views of South Australian beaches, travel a little further and discover the top five Fleurieu Peninsula beaches: Southport Beach, Blowhole Beach, Second Valley, Waitpinga Beach and Port Elliot.

North Terrace campus is in the perfect position to explore many of the city’s best beaches. You’re just an easy tram, train or bus ride away from relaxing by the ocean.

Not sponsored -- Get a world-class education, a supportive environment and amazing facilities. If given the chance, you should consider studying at The University of Adelaide! (recommended for Science courses. For Humanities, maybe can also consider the UniSA?)

Happy Travelling peeps!

[trashyswitch]

Jeremy and the Unusual Reunion

Jeremy ends up being pulled into an animatronic reunion. Literally. But the reunion ends up full of laughs with old companions, laughs with new companions, and an unexpected meet up with an old coworker.

Sequel to 'Jeremy and the Mysterious Robots'.

I feel like I've been on roller coaster ride after roller coaster ride...and some of them have not been very pleasant. But, I'm making the best out of the situation. I hope you enjoy this fanfic! And if you offered up a fanfic, don't worry! I'm working on it!

Jeremy was going for a walk in the street. He was enjoying the sunny day with the nice little breeze that filled his face. Today was really the perfect day to go walking. Cars driving by, the sun shining on your face, the birds flying through the buildings, even younger and older kids biking up and down the street in groups of 4 or 8.

But all the happiness quickly changed when he felt his hand get grabbed. He was about to turn to see who it was, when Jeremy was yanked backwards into an alleyway. Jeremy yelped as he was pulled really quickly past the bricks, and grunted as his body hit a wall. Jeremy had the air knocked out of him as a result, making it extra hard to breathe for a few moments.

A being with what felt like electrical cords for hands, grabbed his upper arms and held them against the wall beside his middle. “Why hello, Michael~” Ennard greeted. “Still alive, I see?”

Jeremy looked up, and immediately started screaming! It was a huge animatronic abomination made primarily of cords and a clown head with a party hat and a big red nose. Oh no...Not the Pizzeria beings again!

Ennard slammed Jeremy’s body into the wall again. “SHUT UP.”

But Jeremy refused to shut up. “LET ME GO! I’M NOT MICHAEL! I DON’T KNOW WHO MICHAEL I-”

Suddenly, a white feminine-looking hand covered up Jeremy’s mouth. “There! Soooo much quieter!” The being talking was a version of Foxy that Jeremy had never seen before. It...looked very feminine and had girly attributes to it. An example: Pink long nails.

Jeremy didn’t know how to feel about this.

“Funny...He was right. This isn’t Michael…” Ennard reacted calmly. “Michael has darker hair...and a similar facial shape…”

Suddenly, a worn down version of Toy Chica walked up to the person and gasped. “Jeremy! Fancy seeing you here!” Chica squawked.

Jeremy widened his eyes. Oh no...Not the toys…

Hey boys! Jeremy’s still here!” Chica reacted.

Toy Freddy, Toy Bonnie and Foxy walked themself to Jeremy and smiled. “

Did someone order an old friend?!" Toy Freddy asked enthusiastically.

Oh no...NOT THESE GUYS AGAIN!

"You won't get tired of my voice... will you?" Toy Chica asked.

To save his butt, Jeremy shook his head no.

“Okay! Good!” Chica replied.

"Is there someone here who needs some extra-special cheering up?" Toy Freddy asked.

Uh oh...That’s not good. Not good at all!

Toy Freddy smiled and turned to the other animatronics. “My friend here is very ticklish! I remember all his ticklish spots too!” Freddy told him.

Oh no...OH GOD NO!

“Oooooh! That tickles me just thinking about it! Do tell!” Funtime Foxy begged.

“Aaaalrighty!” Toy Freddy started pointing to different spots. “His belly is very ticklish! But his armpits are really bad! His hips are a good spot too! And don’t forget those toesies!” Toy Freddy explained.

Jeremy curled his toes, just thinking about it. This cannot be happening...What ever happened to his peaceful walk? Is that just thrown out the window now?

“Alright Jeremy! Time for the tickle tickle tickles!” Freddy decided as he started tickling and poking Jeremy’s belly.

Jeremy jumped and widened his eyes, and quickly covered his mouth. He wasn’t breaking. He wasn’t gonna give them the satisfaction. No way, no how-

Theeen someone went for the armpits…

“aaAAAHAHAHAHA! NOHOHO AHARMPIHIHIHIHITS!” Jeremy shouted.

Well...so much for ‘no breaking’...

“That was quick! Have you been getting more ticklish while I was gone?” Toy Freddy asked curiously.

Hell if he knew! Does anyone get more ticklish over time?! Or is it just him?!

Jeremy squeaked and laughed as his armpits were attacked and played with. This was NOT how he imagined his day to go. But, he had to admit: tickling is better than death.

“OOooooh! He really IS ticklish! Can I try?” Funtime Foxy asked.

“Of course you can! Your nails will work perfectly for what we’re doing!” Toy Freddy replied.

Oh no...NOT THE NAILS!

Funtime Foxy walked to Jeremy’s foot and picked it up. Jeremy immediately grew nervous as he stared at the pink nails. They looked sharp! But they looked SUPER ticklish too…

“Aaaalright! Time to work my magic!” Funtime Foxy started wiggling their fingers eagerly at the toes. Then, they touched down and started skittering all over. “A kitchy kitchy kitchy koo! A kitchy kitchy kitchy kitchy kitchy kitchy koo!”

Jeremy squealed out of surprise and clamped his teeth. His lips began to ripple into a smile as he struggled to handle the ticklish feeling that covered his feet. He soon started humming and giggling a little. “MMmmmmmhmhmhmhmhmhmhm! Hmhmhmhmhmhm-nohohohohohoho!” Jeremy whined. “Stahahap it that ticklhlhlhles!” Jeremy whined a little more.

“Oh really, giggly Jeremy?” Toy Freddy teased. “I couldn’t tell! I thought you found something funny to laugh at!” Toy Freddy teased.

BonBon looked up at Funtime Freddy. “Maybe he was giggling at you!” Bonbon teased to Funtime Freddy.

Funtime Freddy gasped and huffed. “How dare he!” Funtime Freddy looked down at Bonbon and smirked. “Hey Bon-Bon! GO GE-GET HIM!” Funtime Freddy threw Bonbon right at Jeremy. Bonbon smacked Jeremy in the face, but slid down to his belly. Quickly, Bonbon started giggling and wiggling into his shirt.

Jeremy widened his eyes. “Nohohow HOHOHOLD OHOHON! HAHAHAHA THAHAHAT TIHIHIHICKLES! HAHAhahahahAHAHAHAHAha!”

The little version of Bonnie wiggled and shook itself further under the fabric of his shirt, and started tickling with his nubs and blowing robotic raspberries into his belly button.

Jeremy SCREAMED and pretty much tripled his wiggling! He was wiggling so much at this point, that an average human adult would’ve lost grip of his ticklish spots! But NOPE! These were ROBOTS with EXTRA strength on their side. There was NO WAY he was getting out of THIS grip. No way for a long shot!

“HAHAHahahahaAHAHAHAHAHAHA- HEHEHEHEHELP! HEHEHEHELP MEHEHEHEHE!” Jeremy begged to Funtime Freddy’s general direction.

Funtime Freddy just chuckled. “Sorry buddy. But I only have one hand right now! You’re just gonna have to let Bonbon do his tickly thing.” Funtime Freddy replied casually.

If these robots were programmed with any sort of artificial ticklishness, then Jeremy would 100% go for all the spots at once. This was SO unfair! It was 1 against 10-12 animatronics! How was THAT ever fair?! This is like being licked and played with by 12 horses! Though, even horses would offer more empathy to Jeremy than these robots.

Bonbon was giggling along with him as he scurried up Jeremy’s armpit. Almost on cue, Ennard grabbed onto Jeremy’s arm and held it above his head. With the arm open and out of the way, Bonbon wiggled itself to the upper chest and started attacking Jeremy’s armpit with both little nubby hands, AND with the ears! Literally! Even the ears were bending up and down and tickling his armpit! And it felt like being tickled by four nubby hands!

“NOOOOOHOHOHOHOHOHO! AAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! NAHAHAT THE AHAHAHARMPIHIHIHIHIHIHAHAHAHAHA!” Jeremy screamed.

“You’re so silly!” Bonbon declared rather happily.

“That’s enough…” a raspy voice told them. Bonbon jumped and stopped immediately. He refused to come out of the shirt though...Perhaps it was afraid of the voice.

“Come on Bonbon! It’s just-” Funtime Freddy widened his eyes as he realized who it actually was. Funtime Freddy moved out of the way for the creature and stood to the side. This allowed Jeremy a moment or two to see who was talking.

Jeremy stared at the creature in horror and surprise…

It was a green, completely ruined animatronic in the shape of a bunny!

Jeremy felt intense fear filling his thoughts as he gazed upon the green bunny. He felt the desperate need to get the hell out of there! But these freaking robots wouldn’t let him go without another evil tickle attack on the way!

The bunny hobbled closer and stared at the human. Jeremy grew uncomfortable super quickly. The bunny moved into the light, revealing its human, and animatronic mixed appearance. It was hideous to look at!

Jeremy SHRIEKED and wiggled more as he stared at the huge metal buck teeth. IT WAS GONNA EAT HIM! IT WAS GONNA CHOMP HIM LIKE THE OTHER ANIMATRONIC DID! AAAAAAH!

The green bunny scoffed. “Pathetic…” The green bunny muttered before looking a little closer at him. “Wait a minute...This isn’t him at all…” The green bunny turned to the animatronics with a blank animatronic expression. But his inner face could easily tell you he was pissed. “You useless machines! This is the wrong person!” The bunny yelled.

“We know, sir Afton. But the old ones remember him!” Funtime Freddy told him, pointing to the toy animatronics like a toddler.

“What?!” The bunny asked, turning to the toy animatronics.

“This was the security guard that worked at night!” Toy Freddy declared. “Gerald was his name!” he added.

Jeremy couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “It’s Fitzgerald, Fazbear.” Jeremy clarified.

‘Fitzgerald…’ The bunny thought...

“Wait…” The bunny grabbed onto Jeremy’s head and started looking for something on his head. Jeremy started to freak out at first, but slowly calmed down as the bunny moved his bangs out of the way in a surprisingly gentle manner. “It can’t be…”

The bunny soon took notice of the scar on his face and very softly felt it like a blind person would feel braille dots. Jeremy had calmed down rather quickly, and seemed to have grown more curious rather than concerned.

“It is…” The bunny muttered. “Jeremy Fitzgerald…What a pleasant surprise to see you again.” The bunny spoke.

Jeremy looked super nervous and yet, quite confused. Truth was, he was more focused on how boney and hard the bunny’s fingers were…

The bunny quickly noticed this strange reaction. “I see...I imagine you don’t recognize me at all…” the voice told him.

“I...don't, sadly. Do I know you?” Jeremy asked. “You seem to be the only...humane animatronic so far.”

“Humane is not far off, Fitzgerald…” The bunny showed Jeremy his hand and showed him the skull.

Jeremy widened his eyes. “The animatronics have hu-”

“I was in a workplace accident thirty years ago...I still don’t fully understand why I survived.”

Jeremy felt like all the air had evaporated from his lungs. “M-Mike…”

“Mike? Oh no no no…” The bunny opened its mouth as if to smile. “William...William Afton. Former co-owner of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza...And founder of Fazbear Entertainment.” The bunny cleared up.

Jeremy was 5 seconds away from shrieking. William Afton was also a murderer! And he’s alive after all this time!

Jeremy finally pulled his hands out of Ennard’s grip and pulled Bonbon out of his shirt. “Get away from me! You MONSTER!”

The bunny widened his eyes and narrowed his eyes in anger. “And I treated you quite kindly…”

“YOU MURDERER! HOW COULD YOU?!” Jeremy reached into the suit and grabbed the first thing he could. Whatever it was, it was hard and felt like a vertical puzzle piece. “I’ll- I’ll break whatever’s in my hand!”

The bunny chuckled in its very low voice. “There is a metal spine attached to the suit that holds me together. Even if you broke my spine...I will still be able to kill you.”

Jeremy widened his eyes and finally settled for kicking him in the groin to run. But Jeremy’s entire body froze to a halt as intense, mind-numbing pain filled his foot.

Jeremy SCREAMED and pulled his pulsing foot back. He grabbed his foot and hopped backwards to the wall. “Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow! What are you MADE OF?!” Jeremy shouted as he hissed and rubbed his paining foot.

The bunny bursted out laughing at him. “You thought you could immobilize me? I believe you have forgotten I’m partly made of metal.” The bunny reminded him calmly.

The bunny got closer to Jeremy, and stared into him with his icey eyes. “You should’ve went for spine…”

The bunny backed away from Jeremy and looked over at the animatronics for a moment. Then...he looked back at Jeremy with an evil glare on his face. “Seize him.”

Jeremy shrieked and struggled to get away as a crowd of 12 or 15 animatronics completely surrounded Jeremy.

The bunny opened his mouth more, showing his bucktooth smile. “Have some fun with him.” He told the animatronics.

It didn’t take long for squeaks and laughter to fill the backstreet again. Jeremy squirmed around like a worm, and laughed hysterically as multiple ticklish spots were attacked at once.

“NOHOHOHOHOHO! DOHOHON’T LEHEHEHEHEAVE MEHEHEHEHEHEHE WIHIHIHITH THEHEHEHEHEM!” He begged.

“You don’t want me to help you...I might just kill you.” The bunny joked in a dark manner.

Jeremy just about lost it when he said that. Okay! Screw that! Scratch him off the list of people to be saved by!

But there was no one else to save him! Only the murderer Afton could save him from the tickle attacks! And he was the one that caused them to continue!

“Oh! Hey Funtime Foxy! Go for his sides! They’re really bad too!” Toy Freddy suggested.

“Oooooh! Okay!” Funtime Foxy reached her hand out and started squeezing and skittering her pretty pink nails onto both of Jeremy’s sides. “Kitchy kitchy kitchy kitchy koooooo!”

Freddy chuckled. “Hey, where’s the puppet? We should get him here too!”

OH NO! NOT THE PUPPET!

Jeremy yelped and pulled on his bound arms. “NO! NOT THE PUPPET! NAHAHAT THE PUPPET! PLEASE NO!”

Suddenly, a music box sound went off in the background...and a black and white thin creature slowly rose from the box.

“Hey Puppet! Jeremy’s back! Wanna come help us?” Toy Freddy asked.

The puppet climbed out of the music box and tilted his head.

“Yeah! Look at Jeremy! Hasn’t he changed since we last saw him? He looks old now!” Toy Freddy told the puppet.

“HEY! Shut up, you dinosaur!” Jeremy shot back.

Toy Freddy gasped at the retort. “Excuse me?!”

“Yeah! You heard me! Or did you, old hag?” Jeremy teased.

I recognize you, but I’m not afraid of you. Not anymore.” The puppet said with a giggle.

“Oh...Oh that’s wonderful.” Jeremy muttered.

Toy Freddy grabbed Jeremy’s sides. “CHEER UP TIME!” he shouted before squeezing his sides.

Jeremy bursted out laughing wildly and flopped around. It tickled so much! Oh my goodness! Jeremy was a mess of hysterics, and he was growing to love it! Maybe this wasn’t as bad as he thought...

The bunny sighed and rolled his eyes with a little smile as he thought:

‘What a child…’

[ft-dads-au]

Wildflowers

A collaboration by @mdelpin​ and @oryu404​

Fairy Friendship Week 2020 Prompt: Bonds Pairing(s): Natsu & Igneel, Natsu & Erza, Eileen x Igneel

AO3 | FF.Net

Summary: The Dragneels take advantage of a warm sunny day to enjoy a family picnic in the East Forest.

July 14, 2001

Erza 10, Natsu 7

“Momma, momma, look at me!”

Eileen and Erza looked up from the flowers they’d been admiring, drawn by the sound of Natsu’s excited cries as he ran towards them, or rather tried to. For no sooner had he uttered the words than his sandals got caught on the overly large pants he was wearing, causing him to fall face-first on the soft grass that grew all along the East Forest.

Not one to be easily discouraged, he got right back up, grabbing onto his belt with his left hand and holding the pants up as he continued to hurry towards them. His right arm was swallowed up by the too-long sleeve of the dark jacket he was wearing, while around his neck hung a scarf that Erza immediately recognized, as their father rarely took it off. None of these things diminished Natsu's proud grin in the slightest, and Erza’s heart fluttered at how adorable her little brother looked dressed in their father’s clothes.

“Daddy’s clothes fit me perfectly!” he crowed once he reached them, but rather than standing still so they could admire him, he shifted his weight from foot to foot in an almost gleeful dance.

Erza giggled, “No, they don’t, they’re too big, Natsu.”

Natsu pouted at his sister, but before he had a chance to reply, Eileen had picked him up, hugging him to her chest and kissing his head even as he squirmed in her arms. “You have gotten much bigger, darling,” she agreed and was immediately rewarded by a beaming smile.

“Still shorter than me, though,” Erza teased, standing up straight to demonstrate her height.

Eileen set Natsu down, watching with amusement as he took off after Erza, who continued to taunt him, the chase even more comical as Natsu continued to fall every few feet.

“I am, however, curious as to why you felt the need to take off your clothes,” she mused, her words full of fond exasperation.

The blanket had been spread out under the shade of a large fir tree, the food basket she had so carefully prepared already sitting atop it, along with the clothes Natsu had been wearing. Her husband, Igneel, also sat on it wearing nothing but a pair of black boxers and an impish grin that was identical to their son’s.

“Maybe I just wanted your attention,” Igneel flashed her a roguish grin, patting the space next to him invitingly. Eileen snorted but indulged him, feeling his arms wrap around her middle and pulling her against his chest as they watched their two children play.

Natsu had finally caught up to Erza, but rather than get into a fight with her, he’d wrapped Igneel’s scarf around her neck, and they now walked hand in hand, Erza leading him back to the flowers she’d been looking at and telling him all about them.

“She is so good with him,” Eileen commented as she observed Natsu’s rapt attention at his sister’s words.

“Are you really that surprised?” Igneel placed his head on her shoulder, “She takes after you, after all.”

“While Natsu is just as troublesome as you,” she responded playfully.

“He’s got a lot of spirit, as does Erza. I can’t wait to see what they’ll be like when they’re older.” Eileen could hear the wistfulness in his voice and placed her hands over his.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No, I know how lucky I am. I thought I’d never get to have this again. It’s just I can’t help but wish…” Igneel trailed off.

“I know they’ll get to meet him someday.” Eileen assured him, “But for now, we need to respect Zelda’s wishes.”

“As my Queen commands.” Igneel turned his head, placing a gentle kiss on Eileen’s lips.

“You are ridiculous,” Eileen chuckled, “Think you can manage to get your clothes back from our son before the mosquitoes eat you alive?”

“You’re no fun,” Igneel pretended to pout, but he released her from his embrace and got up, sneaking another kiss before walking over to where Erza and Natsu were playing and calling out, “Natsu, I need my clothes back.”

“You gotta catch me first!” Natsu exclaimed, running off and squealing happily when Igneel gave chase.

Erza sat on the blanket next to her mother, “Are you sure Daddy’s an adult?” she shook her head as she observed her father attempt to tackle Natsu, who somehow managed to evade him and keep running.

Eileen only laughed, “I think you’ll find that the best adults manage to retain a bit of their child selves. Would you like some fruit?”

Erza nodded eagerly, and they opened up the basket, searching through its contents for some grapes.

“Daddy, no!” Natsu’s laughs were loud, and Eileen and Erza couldn’t help but smile at the sound.

“I guess he finally caught him,” Eileen remarked, splitting the contents of the basket onto four plates.

“I give! I give!” Natsu’s laughter became more breathless as Igneel tickled his sides. He got up and stripped off his clothes, handing them back to his father until he was the one standing around in his underwear.

When everything was arranged to her satisfaction, Eileen called out for them to come eat, but they had disappeared. She put her hand up to her forehead, squinting to try to find them within the shadows created by the surrounding trees. It didn’t take her long to sight them. Igneel, now fully dressed and looking as handsome as always, walked back towards the blanket, carrying a wiggling Natsu on his shoulders, and an incredibly pleased smile on his face.

“They’re up to something,” Erza commented.

“Indeed,” Eileen agreed, sounding unconcerned even as she watched them approach, “those two usually are.”

In one swift movement, Natsu dangled upside down in front of her, his legs clamped around Igneel's neck to keep himself in place, while Igneel placed a hand on his chest to make sure he wouldn't fall.

“Here, Momma, I picked these for you!” Natsu looked very pleased with himself as he handed Eileen a messy bouquet of wildflowers.

“Thank you, darling, they’re lovely.” Eileen kissed him on the cheek, which for some reason, amused the dangling Natsu.

“And for my princess,” Igneel announced, presenting Erza with a much more orderly bouquet he’d managed to hide behind his back.

“They’re beautiful. Thank you, Daddy!” Erza leaped to her feet to give her father a hug, examining the flowers as she waited patiently for him to set Natsu down and bid him get dressed so they could eat.

"I'm gonna eat a lot!" Natsu said with his mouth already full, "And then I'll get big and strong just like you, Daddy! I'll fit your clothes for sure!"

Igneel laughed and moved one of the sandwiches from his plate onto Natsu's. "I don't doubt that for a second. Here, have a little extra then. You need it a lot more than I do."

“That’s for sure,” Eileen teased, laughing at Igneel’s outrage when she caught the grape he tossed at her and popped it in her mouth.

Soon they’d eaten all the food, and with the sun warm and pleasant on their backs they spent a lovely afternoon exploring the forest, looking for any animals brave enough to show themselves. It wasn’t long before Natsu started to lag behind, exhausted by all his previous running around.

Igneel picked him up, carrying him in his arms so that Erza and Eileen could spend a little more time in the nature they both loved. Natsu’s warm breaths puffed ever slower against his neck, and with a sleepy, “Love you, Daddy,” he succumbed to sleep.

“I love you too, buddy.”

[goodwordguru]

One Piece MasterList [2016-2019]

Soul Jars [09-15-2016] With trembling hands, he unscrewed the top and lifted the glass until the soul was within its waxy confines. The jar was almost too small to contain it, but it did, and Marco closed it before clutching it to his chest.

Those Damn Brats! [10-18-2016]

Eye Contact [10-20-2016] Ace must've made some kind of noise because the boy looked up. They both froze as their eyes met and the world exploded in color.

Filling The Void [10-28-2016] Sometime after the events of Dressrosa, after parting with his precious little brother, Sabo has a dream where he's faced with Ace – not the Ace who he'd known as a child, but the Ace who had died without knowing that he still had two brothers.

Closed Doors [10-31-2016] Closed Doors: What's behind the door? Why is it closed?

Harrowing Inferno [11-28-2016] He turned, apprehension and excitement boiling together in his mind and bringing a large grin to his face. "Ace!"

Freedom [12-14-2016] (MarcoAce Week 2016)

Hobbies [12-15-2016] "Your wings are your arms, right? Do they still feel like arms, or do they register as wings in your brain when you're like this?” Cue exasperated eye closing and sigh. (MarcoAce Week 2016)

Laugh [12-16-2016] Marco laughed then; it was soft, unlike the delighted laugh he'd shared with the others, but it held an affection for Ace that he hadn't received since he left Luffy. (MarcoAce Week 2016)

Heroic/Cowardly [12-17-2016] After breakfast and chores were done and over with, Usopp gathered the crew to tell a tale of the brave Captain Usopp's grand dream. (Usopp Week 2016)

First Impressions/Beginnings [03-21-2017] Ace was all alone out there on Mount Corvo, and seemed to have been alone for a long time, and Sabo was all alone, despite being surrounded by people back in Grey Terminal. Ace had to be feeling just as lonely as him, even if he refused to show it. So he wouldn't give up. He would be the best soulmate ever! Ace would never have to feel alone again. "Hey! Ace!" he shouted, charging up the mountain in the direction the brunet had gone. "Wait up!" (SaboAce Week 2017)

Idiot/Genius [03-22-2017] “Are you a complete idiot?” (SaboAce Week 2017)

Sailing/Adventure [03-23-2017] Sabo was recovered by the Revolutionaries, like in canon, but he was not permitted to join the Revolutionaries because Dragon did not want to drag a child into such a war against the world/World Government (Koala hasn't joined at this point; she joined after Sabo did in canon). However, Dragon agreed to drop Sabo off at Loguetown so he was as far from Dawn Island as possible without going into the Grandline. At the age of 18, Sabo decided to set sail for the Grandline to have an adventure. (SaboAce Week 2017)

Scars/Tattoos [03-23-2017] Life was going pretty good, considering the hassle it took for Ace to pass High School in the final stretch.  But in Ace's experience, when things began going too well, something bad was bound to happen. (SaboAce Week 2017)

Blush/Innocent [03-25-2017] “Hey, Ace? Where do babies come from?” (SaboAce Week 2017)

Regret/Hallucination [03-26-2017] "Happy birthday, Sabo. I hope you're freer in the stars than you were down on earth." (SaboAce Week 2017)

Only Sparks Remain [03-27-2017] “But I still can't believe that crybaby became so strong... Can you, Ace?” (SaboAce Week 2017)

Say Cheese [05-10-2017] Art was Usopp's passion.

Burning Memories [05-17-2017] "Sabo-kun? Are you alright?" "Huh? Oh, yeah. Just a weird dream..."

Silence [05-29-2017] Peace, Law discovered, was not easy to come upon while on-board the Thousand Sunny. (10 Days of LawLu 2k17)

Terminal [05-29-2017] He felt like maybe he would be alright with being in a relationship with Luffy as opposed to just a friendship. (10 Days of LawLu 2k17)

Recherché [05-30-2019] “I love you, Torao,” he mumbled into Law's dark hair. “Mm... I love you, too, Luffy-ya.” (10 Days of LawLu 2k17)

Achromatic [05-31-2017] He didn't know what he was looking for, though, until he saw him. (10 Days of LawLu 2k17)

Wish [06-01-2017] Whether it was fighting against a Yonko or dealing with the demons of Law's past that tried to drag him down, down, down, Luffy was there with a smile to make everything better, make everything okay. So why wasn't everything okay right now? (10 Days of LawLu 2k17)

The Dreamer [07-14-2017] A lucid dream is a dream during which the dreamer is aware of dreaming. During lucid dreaming, the dreamer may be able to exert some degree of control over the dream characters, narrative, and environment. (ZoLu Week 2017)

Sunshine [07-15-2017] The world was infested by cruel and corrupt souls. As far as Zoro knew, it had always been that way. (ZoLu Week 2017)

Eternity [08-12-2017] I’m sorry, Torao... (10 Days of LawLu 2k17)

Family & Relation(ships) [01-11-2018] Family, friends, nakama and more, a lot of people love Usopp and he loves them, too. (Usopp Week 2016)

Dreams / Ambitions [01-11-2018] "You are going to bounce back from any fight we get into, whether we win or we lose, and I'm not going to doubt myself, right?" (SanLu Week 2016)

Die Traumdeutung [02-06-2018] He found that staying up for most of the night usually left him falling asleep in time to witness more pleasant dreams. His favorite, which showed up the rarest out of all the dreams, was when he found himself submerged in the ocean, surrounded by fish he used to catch in his own village and fish he was skeptical about the existence of but couldn't deny looked amazing (and appetizing).

Dragonheart [02-14-2018] Dark blue scales, tinted maroon from his blood, had pushed their way out of his skin like thorns from a rose stem. Taking a bath in the middle of the night to rid himself of the blood and throwing away the ruined shirt, Sabo spent the rest of the night pursuing answers on his laptop, finding that the appearance of scales was just stage one of a fledgling dragon's shift to adulthood. Sabo felt ill to his stomach.

Rekindled [02-14-2018] WIP He had died saving Luffy, and now he was alive.

5 Times Trafalgar Law Found Himself Involved In Sentimental Situations (And 1 Time When Words Weren't Involved) [03-04-2018] Law wasn't a sentimental person. In fact, he was best known for his cold and almost sadistically cruel personality. While most information about the North Blue captain were just rumors, he never did anything to prove the public wrong. Not where they could see, anyway.

Hugs/Cuddles [03-21-2018] “Okay, I think I'm finished,” the blond finally said. “You think?” Ace repeated, looking vaguely unimpressed as he took a long drag of his cigarette. Sabo ignored him as he dropped the empty spray-paint can into his bag, where seven more equally empty cans rested. The graffiti took him about an hour to create, and it was a pain to hold an illusion over the alley the whole time, but now that he was done, he could trigger the spell and they could finally sleep. (SaboAce Week 2018)

Then/Now [03-22-2018] Sabo never lost his memories and he didn't go with the Revolutionaries. Instead, he returned to his brothers. (SaboAce Week 2018)

Love At First Sight [03-28-2018] “I see you made it,” he said with a small laugh. He extended a hand and Ace shook it, made speechless by how soft it was. (Kidd was smirking at him out of the corner of his eye.) “I'm Outlook Sabo.” “Portgas D. Ace.” (SaboAce Week 2018)

Laughter [05-29-2018] He could hear Luffy snoring behind him, the lanky man's arm and leg thrown lazily over Law's waist. The doctor basked in the warmth of the quasi-embrace before tossing away the stray limbs and sitting up. (10 Days of LawLu 2k18)

Back to Back + Healing/Injured [05-31-2018] “Ow. Ow! Oooooow!” Law really wanted to punch Luffy, but unfortunately, he was wrist-deep in the other's chest cavity. (10 Days of LawLu 2k18)

Love [02-17-2019] “Bonney, it is ass crack o'clock,” Ace all but growled when he answered his phone at five-something in the morning. “What-” “Who even says that?” Bonney interrupted with an ugly snort, sounding much too awake. That didn't bode well for Ace.

Looking For Yourself [06-06-2019] Trafalgar D. Water Law disliked kids, whether they were his age – twelve – or not. He'd just lost his taste for being around anyone after his little sister and parents died and he was placed into the foster system. So when, to his irritation, a little brat who couldn't have been older than six climbed up next to him on a park bench he'd been reading on, he was less than thrilled. Additionally, the pest wouldn't stop running his mouth once he began to speak.

Plans Made (and Ruined?) [06-06-2019] “That's why I'm here,” he said. “What?” Luffy gave him a look as if he was missing something that should've been obvious. “I don't want you to be alone.” “I love being alone,” Law deadpanned, “so you can go now.” Luffy grinned broadly. “Nah. Because then you'd be lonely, and you hate that.” (10 Days of LawLu 2k19)

Clockwork [11-29-2019] Sanji rose with the sun like clockwork.

[zmediaoutlet]

I'm really enjoying reading all your responses, so I'm double dipping, and because there's now precedence I'm sending more than one. I'm limiting myself to artists /I/ own albums of, ahem, "Send me a band/artist" Natalia Kills, Barenaked Ladies, The Monkees, and Maria Mena.

cheaterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr but okay, why not. Just got out of a Zoom meeting and need a palate cleanser -- and I know B.L. and the Monkees, obv, but let’s just do the ‘like I don’t know them’ version anyway --

Natalia Kills

First song Youtube took me to: Problem (Explicit) [!!!! so naughty.]

First Impression: haha, fun intro! This is like--club music in a very Cool and Darkly Lit club in a movie, where the sexy sweaty people are half-lit by neon and grinding avariciously on each other.Do I like it?: haha, I do. It’s got a good beat and I dig the vibe. I’d drink a $12 cocktail to this. It’d be really good to work out to. Her voice is fine, too--it’d be easy for it to slip into annoying, but she keeps it on the right side of that, and I feel like it’s the right amount of effects to keep it fun and clubby but she’s still recognizable.Would I listen to more from them?: checking it out right now, fam--next song is Mirrors. Hm, more electronic-y--lol, I just got the strongest sensation of going to the moon in FF6. ...sigh, and now I have to skip some music video b.s. to get the song to actually start. ...and this one I do like a lot less. It’s more--er, traditionally poppy? Kinda sounds like she’s doing a Lady Gaga impression, just with a less powerful voice. Probably not going to be a go-to, but I wouldn’t mind hearing it in a bar! [I see a bunch of youtube comments about how she ‘ended her career’ though, soo maybe I won’t.]

Rate (from what I heard): 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Barenaked Ladies

First song Youtube took me to: haha, of course it’s One Week.

First Impression: the dream of 1998 is alive on Youtube, is my first impression, haha. How can you hear this song and not be rocketed back to then? lolol--the top youtube comment is:list songs that werent on the shrek soundtrack on any physical level, but were there spiritually-- yes, that’s it exactly.Do I like it?: I never really had an opinion about the Barenaked Ladies. They were always primarily silly poppy cheer, but at the time I was listening to Pearl Jam and Tool and Ben Harper, and I didn’t really have a lot of overlap. They’re perfectly fine, though--my feeling with a lot of stuff I know from younger days, even if I didn’t really like it then, is just pleasant nostalgia. Like Bush. Didn’t love Machinehead then, but listen to it now and I’m like, d’aw. Gavin. Baby.Would I listen to more from them?: Why not, let’s have a lil nostalgia trip. It’s All Been Done Before--well, that’s appropriate. :D  You know, because of this, I’m going to have to go on a little Harvey Danger binge. Stuff that could’ve been on the Clueless soundtrack. omg, what were they called--the Mighty Mighty Bosstones? Yeah, we’re stopping in there too, later.

Rate (from what I heard): 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

The Monkees

First song Youtube took me to: I’m A Believer (of course!!)

First Impression: aww, here it is. Do I like it?: Of course! How can you not? It’s like--cultural backbone music. My parents were never really into the Monkees, though. My dad liked the Beatles, obv, but he went more the psychedelia direction with the 60s, and my mom was a Joan Baez person. It has a cultural touchstone but not a personal nostalgia touchstone, for me. But even with that--it’s just so... nice. Just pleasant as hell. Would I listen to more from them?: kind of a silly question for this one. Of course, of course. Ha, I forgot they had a show. I picked out Pleasant Valley Sunday--you know, I mentioned ‘strummy harmony that all sounds the same’ as one of my playlists; I could also make a ‘pleasant 60s pop that all sounds the same’, and it would just be so... relaxing to listen to. idk what it is about that style of recording, but I miss it. Really backgrounded drums, usually a jangly keyboard, simple guitar, sweet voices. Like a sunny day in a field of flowers.

Rate (from what I heard): 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Maria Mena

First song Youtube took me to: Just Hold Me

First Impression: oh--what an interesting voice! Got that husky slight fry thing happening, but it’s super pleasant. The music feels pretty background here, which I guess makes sense since the name of the band is her name. Do I like it?: yeah, although it feels throwback too, but to a thing that’s just out of my grasp. Like--Alanis Morissette? Hmm, not exactly that, but--prominent girlvoice, secondary music. Designed for women to sing along to while driving, maybe. It’s perfectly pleasant, though, and I really do like her voice. It’s really natural, which I appreciate.Would I listen to more from them?: curious to see if another song has the same feel; I’ve been brought to All This Time (Pick-Me-Up Song). Man. She’s really pretty, isn’t she. And this is sugary and kind--ha, and could almost be a Disney Princess repairing-your-heart montage song. Very cute. idk if I’ll listen to her whole catalogue, but I think she’s very sweet.

Rate (from what I heard): 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

[accio-ambition]

WHO'S READY FOR SOME ACTION AND EMOTIONS?!

Thank you, as always, to you, my reading, ship-obsessed friends, as well as to @shipsxahoy, @queen-icicle-fandom, @sotheylived, and @captainswanbigbang for doing their things for this story. 17/10 would work with them again.

Summary: Bouncing around with her son for the majority of her life, Emma Swan has told herself she’s happy in the city. It’s where the most camera operating jobs are, and that’s how she makes her money. But when an old friend calls her and asks for her help on a new project in small town Maine, Emma finds herself in a place she’s never been with people she doesn’t know filming a profession she knows nothing about. But when the captain of the ship she’s filming begins taking a keen interest in her and her life, she finds herself wondering whether she might just catch something other than fish. Deadliest Catch AU Rating: M Content warning: Character death, some violent situations

FFnet/Ao3/Cover/Snapshots/Gifset/Manip

Chapter Sixteen

With the addition of forced vacation days, summer flies by. Next thing she knows, Emma’s watching Henry walk down the street to the bus stop again, ready to start a new school year in middle school.

Around the same time, Emma finds herself back in the comfort of her closest friends. It’s a rare day where the original Jolly Roger crew is back together. With the fluid change in ship roster these days, it’s only happens a handful of times between the decision being made and mid-September. While all of the Joneses’ employees work like a well-oiled machine when on the water, there’s something special about having the old band of misfits back together. Especially when Mother Nature decides to show her wrath.

This storm sets upon the Jolly Roger with almost no warning. None of Jones’ mutterings about red morning skies or ache in the bones. One moment, the sky is bright and sunny, and the next, dark clouds roll in and thunder claps. They’re coming in from a long day when the storm breaks, a stone’s throw from the entrance to the sound.

“Stay steady, men!” Killian shouts from his place at the captain’s wheel. “Swells are up to 20 feet!”

“The wind, Jones!” Scarlet yells. “We can’t hear you over the wind!”

Of course, Emma can hear him because she’s situated herself at the bottom of the ladder leading up to his roost, but she’s forced to interfere a little bit in reality when Robin and Scarlet shout back.

“He said swells are up to 20 feet!” Emma responds, a wet strand of hair immediately finding her open mouth. Spitting it out, she quickly pushes it back under the hood of her jacket.

“Christ,” she barely hears Robin say.

“Talk to me, Robin!” she shouts. “Tell me about the storm!”

“He bloody well can’t!” Scarlet screams. “We tryin’ to keep ourselves alive!”

Grumbling to herself, Emma sets off toward the underbelly of the ship, trying to find Whale. He’s never pleasant to talk to and probably won’t be nicer considering the circumstances, but she needs someone to explain what’s going on, what needs to be done in this sort of weather.

(In hindsight, she realizes that she could’ve waited until they got to shore. A voiceover would’ve sufficed just as nicely.)

Another wave pounds at the starboard side of the ship, effectively knocking Emma down on her ass with gallons of seawater. It’s then that she finds Whale floundering on the deck, struggling to tie down the remaining cages. So he’s useless for any interview as well.

“Get inside!” Robin yells, pushing her toward the galley. “Captain will want us buckled down.”

But, being the intrepid camerawoman she is, Emma nods to Robin and immediately hazards her way toward the captain’s post. If his crew is settling in to wait out the rest of the storm, the mounted cameras can get that. She needs to get inside the mind of the person all of their lives depend on right now.

She reaches the top of the ladder miraculously unscathed, though the same can’t be said for the door leading into the room. Something about the storm - the wind, a rogue wave, whatever - has broken the bottom hinge, leaving it slightly askew in its place. Edging around it, Emma finds herself confronted with a calm and collected Jones.

She, on the other hand, is trying not to panic.

(Robin was right: she should have followed them downstairs.)

Her job forgotten, the camera still rolling and focused on Jones at the wheel, Emma’s mind goes blank. Before her, a wave rises well above the roof of the captain’s roost, the highest point on the entire ship. By some miracle, it doesn’t immediately crash on top of them. Pulling at levers and pushing at buttons, Killian guides them up the swell.

She’s practically laying against the back wall, looking at the gray sky and the gray sky alone through the front window. There’s no way that this little boat can make it back to shore in these conditions. The wood is creaking too frequently, the tubs behind her splashing around too violent, the fish cages clanging together too loudly.

As cliché as it sounds, Emma swears her life flashes before her eyes as raindrops lash at the window before her eyes. The chances of her – an inexperienced civilian wearing easily half of her weight in camera equipment – surviving if this ship goes down are slim to none.

Emma thinks of Henry, naturally. He’s with Ruby right now, if she remembers correctly, probably worrying himself sick. In confidence, Ruby told her that her son will sit at the bay window in the hallway above the diner and watch for the Jolly Roger to come in whenever she’s working. Emma doesn’t want to even want to think about what happens on the day where the ship doesn’t float in.

But then they crest over that wave and immediately start the climb up another one.

“Emma,” Killian says, his voice untroubled. “Emma, I need you to look out the side window and tell me if anything is coming. I need you to tell me if any waves are going to break on us.”

Gulping at the knot in her throat, she nods. “How do I know if they’re going to break on us?” she asks, feeling like a complete moron.

Almost breaking the tension, Jones chuckles. Emma glances over long enough to see him shake his head. “If it’s coming toward us, that’s your first hint. Then if you beginning to see the white foam toward the top, that’s when you should yell as loud as your lovely self can.”

Nodding again, Emma turns her attention to the window. In the corner of the windowpane, she spots something dark, darker than the ocean and the rest of the waves.

“Um, Killian,” she hesitates quietly. “What about if I see something that looks like a jetty?”

Killian’s “What?!” is overpowered by the radio, issuing a loud “Jolly Roger, turn south, beware the outpost.”

“Fuck!” Jerking the wheel to the right, Killian is forced to brace himself with his one foot against the wall while Emma grasps at the counter in front of her. Once they straighten out a bit, she hears him mumble, “Lads won’t let me hear the last of that.”

“What the fuck was that?” she asks exasperatedly.

“You see how far the sightline is, love,” he responds quickly, still focused on the waves rising and falling before him. “Despite my godlike looks, I am merely a human, and that species is known to make mistakes.”

The ship crests another wave and off in the distance, Emma spots town. With the jetty to her side, she realizes they must be in the sound, one of the notoriously dangerous parts of coming into harbor. Something about the cold water from the ocean mixing with warm water of the sound makes the waves raucous and balance-bending.

But, the seasoned professional that he is, Jones guides his ship and its crew up and over wave after wave, the only hint that he’s under pressure and nervous the tip of his tongue sticking out between his lips. Running on autopilot, Emma zooms in on his profile from her position, making sure to catch the tongue.

It’s a tense twenty or so minutes where everything is silent, save for the smacking of the water against the hull, and then -

“Jolly Roger, you’re safe,” the Coast Guard crackles over the radio. “Good job, captain.”

Grabbing the walkie with his right hand and steering the ship back toward its dockings, Killian says, “Thanks very much, mate. Jolly Roger to dock, over.”

Emma remains silent, relishing in the way the ship now calmly battles the waves, until Jones makes it through the harbor, pulls up to the wooden dock, and shouts down to the rest of the crew, hidden in the belly of the boat. He sighs.

“Well, that was exciting, wasn’t it, love?” he asks, a relieved smile growing on his face.

Speechless, she pushes the camera as far out of the way as possible and rushes to Killian. She presses her face into his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. With little hesitation, he responds much the same. His arms cross over her shoulders and he pulls her as close as he can with the camera strapped to her body.

“Thank you, Killian,” she whispers into his collarbone. “Thank you for getting us home safe.”

She feels the tip of his nose bury into her hair. “Worry not, Swan,” he assures her. “I promised your boy I’d bring you home. I’ve no intention of breaking my word.”

A sob gets choked in her throat and Emma squeezes Jones harder. Her emotions are so out of whack right now, probably from the receding flood of adrenaline in her veins. She manages to calm down, though, because of the soothing stroke of Jones’ thumb across her shoulder. He shushes her gently, easing her through whatever’s happening right now.

“Everything’s fine, Emma.” She barely notices that he uses her first name. Though she’s grown accustomed to saying his given name, Emma realizes he doesn’t often call her anything but Swan and love. Something about the perilousness they’ve just experienced must’ve flipped a switch in him. But she likes it, the way his lips wrap around the M’s in her name. It’s comforting, made even more so by his next words.

“You’re safe now. We’re home.”

Nodding into his chest, Emma stifles a final, weak sob and pulls back. She wipes at her eyes, pretending for her own sake that she’s fixing her makeup. When she’s finished cleaning herself up, she’s met with Killian’s deep eyes. His brow is cocked with an unspoken question: Are you okay?

“I’m fine,” she murmurs, sniffing again. When he tilts his head to the side, Emma can’t help but let out a watery chuckle. “Really. I’m fine. I just want to get on steady land and see Henry.”

“Then let’s go do that.” Killian leans forward and presses his lips to her forehead, the first time he’s openly displayed affection toward her publically and sober. Her entire body warms, a blush spreading from where his lips touch her down to her cheeks and further. “Come now. I’ve got to get a scolding from my crew.”

Emma laughs a little harder, a little more normally, and let’s Jones usher her down the ladder first.

“Oi, what the fuck was that, mate?” Scarlet bellows as her foot hits the main deck, unstrapping herself from the camera getup. He’s leading the way, Robin and Whale storming behind him from below decks. “A little more warning woulda been peachy.”

Sighing, Killian opens his arms wide. “I’ll let you have at me properly, but I think we ought to let the lady get on land so she can check on her son,” he suggests.

Scarlet fumes, obviously wanting to tell his captain exactly what he thinks of his decisions right now, but Robin grips him on the shoulder.

“C’mon, Will,” he pleads. “I’m angry with the git too, but Emma’s probably dying to see Henry.” He glances over at her as she sets the camera configuration on the deck. “Isn’t that right, Emma?”

“Yeah,” she agrees weakly. “I mean, I want to ream him too, but I just want to hug my son right now.”

After Scarlet nods sternly, they start the process of docking, finishing it in record time. The ropes are barely tied to their moors when Emma hears pounding footsteps on the dock and Henry appears, Ruby jogging behind him.

“Mom!”

“Oh god, Henry!” She practically jumps off the boat, wincing at the twinge in her knees and ankle when she lands. But then Henry’s wrapped up in her arms and everything that’s happened in the last hour seems distant. She lifts him up and swings him from side to side in pure joy. “Oh god, kid, am I happy to see you.”

“The storm came in and Ruby told me you guys hadn’t come in yet,” he mumbles into her shoulder. His grip is strong for a kid his age and it makes Emma feel all the more happy she’s back. “I was so scared.”

She kisses the top of his head, getting a mouthful of hair, before crouching down in front of him. Her baby boy’s getting so tall – now when she does that, he looks down at her instead of straight into her eyes. “I know, Henry, but I’m okay.”

“Are you sure?” he asks timidly.

Laughing, Emma nods. “Yeah. A little shaken up, but okay.”

He jumps and hugs her again, causing her to fall back on the damp wood. She feels the wetness begin to soak through the seat of her pants, but she can’t find herself to care. Ruby catches her eye, smiling gently at the mother-son scene unfolding before her.

“He was in the window the entire time,” she says. “I thought the storm might blow him away.”

“No, that wouldn’t happen, would it, kid?”

“Nope.” Pulling back from their embrace, Henry stares at her, hands on her shoulders. “Is everyone else okay?”

“Fit as a fiddle, lad,” Killian announces, clunking down the gangplank. Henry’s head turns faster than Emma ever thought it could as if to confirm Jones’ words himself. “The rest of the crew is a bit rattled and feisty, but we’re all alive, too.”

“Thank goodness,” Emma hears Ruby mumble. From the corner of her eye, she catches her friend standing on her tiptoes, attempting to peer over the edge of the ship.

(It seems that the wolf inside her friend has finally found a mate of sorts.)

Surprising all three adults, Henry releases his grip on her to wrap his arms around Killian’s waist. He stumbles backward a bit, his arms up in surrender and his gaze down at the boy. Finally, he returns the action, his arms curling around Henry’s shoulders.

“I promised I’d keep your mum safe,” he reminds him gently. “I don’t intend on breaking my promise.”

Still sitting on the damp wooden dock, Emma bites at her lip to keep tears at bay. She’s been struck by this feeling before - the all-encompassing warmth that surrounds her when she sees a man totally taken by her son - but seeing Henry returning it in a moment of adrenaline and high emotions solidifies what Emma already knew: Killian Jones, whether he likes it or not, is now a part of their life.

[whimsically-ominously-auspice]

$5 on it

Can you tell which photo he's relaxed and content with life?

The answer is both.

Study the photographs for 5 minutes, set a timer and you'll get $5 in your DNA4U account.

One photograph "I miss you"

The other "I been with you all day as much as i can, I couldn't be happier"

You may think the color makes a difference but it doesn't. An extra $5 to change the colors to see.

Now one face...

"What all is going on? Oh i miss you, too" we met for breakfast. My job 6 days a week. They say a way into a man's heart is food. Idk what y'all think but its the way into a Goddess, too. "Baby Mamacita i missed you so much shorty, but don't worry so much I got it all. Its gonna be good as long as i don't die"

The other "oh you think life is so good and true huh? Let's see If you could kiss me!"

Match the correct caption and you'll get $5 on it.

Y'all studying Resting Bitch Face.

It can help you in extraordinary and tremendous ways.

Every one has photos in their DNA4U.

These two i posted are in sequence first at breakfast then after food (5:45. Breakfast was ar 6. He got there at 2:45. He had "dinner" then supper with me then breakfast with me then about 2 we went and he slept usually naked in my bed while I did normal things. Like cooking him some lunch and reading a book or day dreaming)

and the second photo, after a morning of basketball. About 10 am when i knew he would be ready to go eat again. And i would ask him where he would be taking me. Every time.

He woke at like 1 am. Then did work. Then usually he got to breakfast at 5:50. Not so early unless I had worked the day before and we hadn't had breakfast together for one morning. 6 days a week we didn't have breakfast m but he would bring me coffee at work. -- oh that box in the movie -- he sent it and i was telling Harriet the story on the phone. Again you onlu got part. And take me eat right after work in the city some fancier place than at home.

But he said he couldn't ever sleep until he had breakfast with me. During my breakfast time.

"Well, i get to see her first thing in the morning tomorrow..." So he would be too excited to sleep! He was so silly. It kept the Reaper away...

So 1 am then his day Then a nap at 7 pm till 10 pm then a snack to feed him. Then back to sleep around 1045 till 12:30. Am. If i didn't wake him Because he was too much asleep he slept till 3 am. He would got out of bed at 4. His customers weren't as important. And usually the weather was bad.

Sometimes i slept through 6am usually for windy or it was Saturday all perfect and sunny. So he would wait till 615 then order breakfast to go and deliver it to my bed. And wake me up.

That's how i got pregnant. On a Saturday. It was a beautiful clear morning then,an,angry hateful storm for 3 solid days.

So photos will take you places you think you've never been gone before.

Yesterday they asked a question 74% actually agreed... When you look at the beauty of your soulmate you think you don't deserve them. They make you feel lucky to be alive.

22% said they didn't understand at all. They deserved the gift of life and a lover.

4% were mixed.

But over all y'all accept or can or want to but most of all, y'all can recognize love. I thank y'all for that. It will keep us safe and more.

Now study the resting bitch face. Marc Antony is a really good example.

The more intense. "Angry" face is a focus warning face. Boy is on a mission to eat dinner with his bitch. Don't fuck with that. He will kill you. Otherwise the world is perfect and he can be in a conversation or what not then leave when i arrive.

The more pleasant face is that he can be asked for a sale or what not and have a sweet transaction "yeah buddy. Have a good day, etc" where as before "man you ain't supposed to come in here. Yeah i got it. Yeah see you later"

So it does affect his attitude. But hes overprotective. It doesn't affect his actions.

A lot of us abused ones can have fear struck into us by an intense focused look. It can be terrifying.

So study and realize why we shouldn't have fear.

Had i treated him like he was abusive and had a fight back attitude instead of give love.

"What the fuck is your problem you look like an ass hole"

"I'm here. I didn't run I'm just outta breath i been,practicing to walk fast. Hwy are you ok? You look mad"

Now he would fake the fuck outta a mad face because I'd be crawling all over him, what's wrong baby? And he liked it. I slapped him 382 times for doing it. And just made him laugh. I'd hit him hard, but he loved it... Just a weird way he liked fairness. And he would tease and play about it. Or tell,me,something he been noticing that Didjt bother him but pulled his eyes.

Sometimes it would be "`snap out of it!!: and i would,shake him or slap,him, he was always testing on me

Autism is a disease that is curable. It takes time and the right atmosphere and people. Any of his friens did that I would go tell Marc "there's something wrong with your friend. I ain't dealing with it."

So i would watch him...

So one time he was faking an OD and Marc said "you have to save him"

So,i just,walked over and slapped the shit outta him! And jumped back coffee table between us.

"Ow what was that for i was asleep. Shortie. Oh God dang you almost knocked the head off of me"

"No you weren't. You snore and you were looking at me with tiny slits in your eyes. Your eye balls were clearly followin me and not in rapid eye movement. You did look,paralyzed tho"

[thebiasedlens]

Half Year Movie Report 2017 (Indian)

It's July. Half the year has come and gone, hence it's time for my half-year movie report. 

So like every year, there will be two lists, one for my favorite Indian movies, and then another for my favorite Hollywood movies so far. 

Lets start with Indian movies first!

Top 10 Indian Movies: 

1. Trapped - 4/5 

Trapped was a survival tale like no other. Movies like Cast Away and 127 Hours were set-up in unpopulated areas, but Trapped on the other hand was set-up in the center of Mumbai city. A city that is filled with people, but can at the same time make you feel like the loneliest person on earth.

I thoroughly enjoyed this experience. 

2. A Death In The Gunj - 4/5 

I managed to see this movie just few days back thanks to Amazon Prime. 

What a movie. Every frame was oozing poetry. 

This is renowned actress Konkona Sen Sharma’s first outing as a director, but it feels like she has been doing this for a while. She has a firm grip on humans, and human emotions, that transpires through the screen.

Cant wait to see what she has to offer next.

3. Baahubali 2 - 4/5 

Baahubali 2 was a huge achievement for Indian cinema. It was not just entertaining, but also one of the most technically sound movie to come out of India.

It was a visual treat. Yes, it had flaws, but one must remember, this was a $200 million ambition movie, made with the budget of not even $50 million.

And that itself is a big achievement. 

4. Mostly Sunny - 4/5 

I saw this documentary at the New York Indian Film Festival. Going in I was a bit skeptical as to what to expect from this movie. 

But boy was I surprised. This documentary gives you an honest and unbiased narration of Sunny Leone, the Canadian-born, American-bred adult film star who is pursuing her dreams of Bollywood stardom.

5. Sachin -  A Billion Dreams - 4/5 

Unlike Mostly Sunny, Sachin’s documentary shared verry little that we as cricket fans don’t already know. Yet, despite that, this documentary works as a nostalgic trip down memory lane. 

If you are a cricket fan, this movie is a must watch.

6. Poorna - 3.5/5

Poorna is another movie I managed to see recently thanks to Amazon Prime.

It is a true story of a young 13 year old girl, who against all odds of poverty, patriarchy, and red tape, manages to become the youngest girl in history to climb Mount Everest. 

Directed by Rahul Bose, Poorna is a sweet and honest movie. 

Bose manages to tell an underdog story, that perhaps we have heard many a times in many different forms, yet Poorna is a pleasant watch that never fells dull for a moment.

7. Hindi Medium - 3.5/5 

Hindi Medium, a movie about the Indian education system, and what we are putting children through, was a brave movie.

I just wish the director and producer would have made it without the pressure of Box Office, and removed the unnecessary songs from the movie.

Still this movie works for the message it is trying to give, all thanks to the now and only Irrfan Khan. Yet again he manages to mesmerize you, every time he is onscreen. 

8. Rangoon - 3.5/5 

Rangoon was a frustrating watch for me. Not because it was a bad movie, but because there were parts of this movie that were so well done, and then there were parts that were just outright stupid. This is a movie that could have been excellent, but ends up being good. And that’s a shame because director Vishal Bhardwaj has in the past delivered masterpieces like Omkara with Saif Ali Khan and Haider with Shahid Kapoor. And my expectation from this movie was to get a similar result.

But despite all this, Rangoon was a marvelous movie. It was an ambitious attempt, and for that I give points to Bharadwaj. The production design and set design were of grand scale.But what made Rangoon worth a watch were the performances by its lead actors. They pour their hearts and souls into these characters, and fleshed out layers that were just astounding.

9. Jolly LLLB 2 - 3.5/5 

I had my apprehensions regarding this movie. 

I really liked the first movie with Arshad Warsi, mostly for its small budget feel and the honesty that comes with it. So when I heard that the producers have replaced him with Akshay Kumar to make it “more appealing” I was worried that they will mess things up.

I was half right and half wrong. 

Like Hindi Medium, the issue in this movie was also the unnecessary songs, constantly interrupting the narrative. But Akshay Kumar ensures that he puts his heart to this role, and keeps the core drama alive. 

10. Raees - 3/5 

Raees was a throwback to the 70’s masala movies, and had an inherent Salim-Javed kind of storytelling to it. And Shah Rukh Khan’s role was very reminiscent of The Original Angry Young Man roles portrayed by Mr. Amitabh Bachchan in movies like Deewar, Hum, and Agneepath, where the protagonist is on the wrong side of the law, but on the right side of humanity.

The interactions between SRK and Nawazuddin were the lifelines of the movie. To watch these two actors play off each other and deliver the dialogue-baazi was a sheer pleasure. It was evident that both SRK and Nawazuddin refused to let SRK’s superstardom come in the way of their performances. And that was a big win for Raees.

[wildflower8281]

Bike Life Deep Dive

Recap

I’ve been living the bike life now for almost a year and a half here in downtown Phoenix. After a small fender that busted up my beloved Max (Ford Taurus, very old, no AC, leaking roof, but helpful!) I decided to let him go, and with him, all the trappings of car ownership. For a trial run. I said I would try out the #bikelife for 3-6 months and see how I like it, see how or if I could adjust my lifestyle to it, and whether or not the bike life was overall something of true value for me, both internally and financially.

In my initial #bikelife post last year (Adventures in Not Owning A Car,) I enumerate the various financial benefits and reasons why the bike life was, for me personally, economically savvy. It has still most definitely proven so and I’ve adjusted even more to the lifestyle, having since made further changes and routines that create an easier flow for me. I continue to confess that I know that living this lifestyle is a privilege! I deliberately chose a home close to where I work and I have zero dependents, and my Aunt Barb has lent me her bike indefinitely as long as I live in Arizona (Thanks, Aunt Barb!) Also, for what it’s worth, I am very much an introverted homebody, so I’m not someone who is or constantly needs to be out and about. Thus, relying on Lyft for occasional trips is very within my budget. Also, since most of my social plans are with family or friends and happen relatively close to me, I gratefully take up their offers on rides and happily return the favor with coffee or drinks or gas money. Thus, this entire situation it’s not a life circumstance that most people are in and I know that. I am grateful for this season in my life when I can live this way and in this post, I want to explore and reflect beyond just the financial benefits, because the #bikelife has in many ways enriched my entire experience of the world.

The Nature Connect

The bike life connects me to the natural world. I used to think that Phoenix had pleasant weather pretty much year ‘round….until I began biking in it!!! While Phoenix may not “have weather” frequently, when it does, this place doesn’t mess around! If it’s not pleasant and sunny (which, honestly, it is like 80% of the year,) then it’s either extremely hot and dry reaching temps over 100 for weeks at a time, pouring monsoon-like storms or we are having the coldest winter since 2013! Phoenix doesn’t mess and when it actually allows weather into the Valley, it is always something extreme. But this is actually a positive point here! I have grown to love biking in the all the weathers! I am actually really proud to say that I bike to work in all the seasons here! I bike to work in the Arizona summers, and I bike on the mornings when it’s under 40! If you would have told me two years ago, that I would be biking to my job in under 40 degree weather, and enjoying it, I would not have believed you. But, I actually do enjoy it. Even for this girl who despises being cold generally, the Aliveness I feel each day I get to go outside, feel the weather and experience the Elements on my skin far outweighs any uncomfortable moments of cold hands in January or radiating heat on my neck during July. Biking brings me into the natural world each day, kind of whether I like it or not, and that daily dose of weather, even when it is extreme, is good medicine for my entire being! Its my few minutes of feeling the sun on my face or the rush of the cold. Many times it is the only 30 minutes I am outside on any given day. On some days when I’m just tired of packing my bag, putting on my helmet and going thru the routine, ultimately it’s the connect with nature in Her seasons that pull me through and never really let me down. I arrive to work refreshed and in a better mood, pretty much never fail! (Yes, I have my limits too: for monsoons and over 115 degrees, I use Lyft or call a neighbor, but that is literally under 10x a year!)

(Photo: Me in my usual bike get-up on a cold day, going home. Cred: Mirinda, also seen in reflection, encouraging as always!)

Less Stress

Biking also kind of just simplifies the commute. I have 2 choices each day: bike or walk. Both are relatively simple and low maintenance transportation styles. This season, I *may have* chuckled as I rode by various folks standing by their cars, waiting for them to heat up and melt the frost on their windshield.... 

In the summer, I ride by parked cars that are humming, as they build up their AC inside, so the owner doesn’t suffocate at 125 degrees upon entrance. In the 10 minutes it takes them to cool down their car, then sit in traffic, I’m having a peaceful bike ride, enjoying nature and arriving at the same time! It’s pretty fantastic most days! I ride by folks with flat tires, fenders, and cars that seem like they probably shouldn’t be cars anymore! I also know the awesome feeling of driving a car without AC here in the desert summer, as well as one that has an ironically leaking roof. In the desert, where one would not think much about rain problems or that a leaky roof would be an issue, it totally sucks during monsoon season! I feel the human with car troubles, believe me! I’ve had them too! However, these are all situations I have left behind and can very simply pedal by and be grateful that I don’t have to deal with or worry about them. Not owning a car just makes the daily commute a lot simpler!

(Photo: Unsplash)

Moving Meditation

I’ve learned I prefer the slower pace of biking and walking to work much more than driving. When I bike or walk to work, once I’m out of my neighborhood, I’m on some major streets where cars are whizzing by in their AC or heated seats, with radio blasting, trying to make it thru the ‘orange’ light! That was me for most of my former driving life, so no judgement here. I was a car owner from age 17-35, so I love a good car dance and I will never turn down heated seats! However, biking and walking are organically a much slower pace. They cause me to notice the plants, the trees, the flowers I pass by daily, and watch them transform through the seasons. Biking and walking allows me to enjoy the songs of the birds and say hello to all the neighborhood pups and kittens. I’m not being sappy here, these are things that truly make me happy. I’ve even noticed how the sun rises and sets at different angles in the sky, as the seasons change, which in some deep way makes me feel more connected to All That Is. On the way home, I get to revel in some of the best views of our Arizona sunsets, as I can linger wherever I want, stop and gaze at the sky and allow myself to be mesmerized by the palette of magenta pinks and fiery oranges. Not to mention inhale the yummy wafts of dinner that swirl through the evening air in Coronado (my eclectic neighborhood!) - Italian garlic and Indian curries are the usual fare! YUM! It’s delightful! These little nuances are imperceptible to the whizzing car with blasting music. The slower pace allows me to tune into the subtler moments, cycles and patterns of life, as well as engage my senses much more, all which for me, enhance my entire experience of the day, and consequently of the seasons in my own life. It is quite literally a moving meditation.

Gratitude

So, how is the bike life going, do I still like it, is it worth it?! Yes, for many reasons! Financially, it definitely is an amazing option that I have in my present situation. But, of even more value, are the daily, small ways that this lifestyle pulls me into the present, allows me to feel Nature into my bones and tunes me into the frequency of the Elements. For me, these consequences are gifts that I did not intend and for which I am daily grateful.

(Photo: Sunset taken on a ride home from work.)

[popat0012]

Image: iStock

It’s a bright, new sunny morning. Waking up to birds chirping is really pleasant. But, the chirping accompanied by a lovey-dovey good morning message from your significant other can probably make your day and charge you up like a cup of coffee!

Love is not a universal need. It is rather an emotion that drives mankind! And there are numerous ways to expressing this love. Sending warm and loving good morning messages is just one of them.

So, if you want to sparkle your wife’s day, MomJunction has 55 fabulous good morning messages for her. So, let’s get in the mood for love, and we bet your wife will be swept off her feet.

Romantic Good Morning Quotes For Wife

Image: Shutterstock

A romantic good morning message to your wife might not just lift her spirits, but also make your bond stronger. So, take a plunge into our mushy and romantic messages and bring a smile on your wife’s lips. Reach straight to her heart through these quotes.

1. “I don’t care whether my morning coffee is a cappuccino, latte, or a mocha. My favorite coffee is the one that I share with you. Good morning, my love.”

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2. “Our marriage is the best proof that TRUE LOVE exists, and you are the best proof that PERFECT WIFE is not a myth. Good morning.”

3. “There may be many beautiful girls but not as you, the day you entered my life my whole world was filled with happiness. You always stood by my side and now I promise you that I will shower you with all my love and time.”

4. “The sun doesn’t rise in the east, it rises right next to me in my bed. Good morning, sunshine.”

5. “Every day I wake up and choose to be happy, because you give me a reason to. Good morning, my love!”

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6. “I always wanted you as my wife, just like how my heart always needed you as its life. Good morning, dear!”

7. “Our marriage gives me a reason to succeed, a reason to work harder, a reason to face challenges, a reason to smile, and a reason to be alive. Good morning, sweetheart!”

8. “The only hashtag trending in my life, right now and forever, is #YOU. Good morning!”

9. “Life is never perfect. It is full of twists and turns which throw up challenges and problems. But it is all worth because the first thing I see when I wake up are your beautiful eyes. Good morning!”

10. “Every morning I am reminded of my life’s best decision – marrying the most beautiful woman in the world. Good morning, sweetheart!”

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11. “Every morning I wake up to the thought of having a beautiful wife and a loving family. I feel thankful for getting more than I could have asked for. I don’t mind if time pauses right now for eternity. Good morning.”

12. “Every morning I feel thankful for two beautiful things – my life and my wife. Good morning.”

13. “My love is not blind, but I am blinded by your sheer beauty. Good morning, baby.”

14. “I may not be a knight in shining armor, but I will always be there to do the best I can. Good morning, my pretty princess!”

15. “We’re supposed to wake up and count our blessings each day. I’ve got it really easy… I just roll over and look at your sweet face.”

16. “Although we are rushed in the morning, I want to take a moment to tell you how much it means to me to see your face when I open my eyes.”

17. “Good morning, honey. Thanks for helping me get out of the house on time, even though I didn’t want to leave you. You’re the best!”

18. “My dear wife, you are my happiness which gives me peace, you are my life which gives me comfort. You are the key to my success. Good morning, my cute wife.

19. “I love you so much, sweetheart, I just don’t know where to start. Maybe because my love for you is like the sunrise, every day it is a new prize. Good morning.”

20. “Every morning I wake up to realize that my life is not ordinary, because I have a wife who is extraordinary. Good morning”.

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21. “I always thought that our wedding would be the most beautiful memory of my life but I was wrong. Every day of our marriage is becoming a more beautiful memory.”

22. “Life is never perfect. It is full of twists and turns, and challenges and problems. But it is all worth it because the first thing I see when I wake up is the romantic look in your beautiful eyes. Good morning.”

23. “As the cool morning breeze blows and you open your beautiful eyes, let my unblemished love put a soothing smile on your pretty face. Good morning, darling.”

24. “It takes only a second for me to think of you every morning, but the soothing smile you put on my face lasts through the day. Your smile is my inspiration. Your voice is my motivation. Your love is my happiness. I love you, dear. Good morning!”

25. “Amidst the suffocation caused by life’s problems, your love comes as a breath of fresh air. Love you, my darling!”

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26. “Your smile is the only sunshine I need. Good morning!”

27. “Every morning I wake up to my life’s biggest truth – my love for you. Good morning, my love!”

28. “I don’t care whether it’s day or night, as long as I have my beautiful wife in my sight. Good morning!”

29. “Your smile is the only inspiration I need. Your voice is the only motivation I need. Your love is the only happiness I need. Good morning!”

30. “Sweetheart I am right behind you, I support you and I want all your dreams to come true. Good morning. I love you.”

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31. “I love gazing at my wife in the morning. Because I know that her eyes hold the key to my future. Good morning.”

32. “Got your coffee and newspaper? Then all that’s missing is my kiss. Good morning!”

33. “I wish I could always be beside you and look into your cute eyes. I would brush my fingers through your hair, as you smile looking at me. Good morning!”

34. “Good morning babe. Just letting you know that no matter what happens, I will love you more than anything else in the world.”

35. “If life is a book and every day a new page, let the first words for today be ‘I love you’ from me to you.”

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36. “A million things get me down every day, but every morning I need only one reason to go through it all again – you. Good morning!”

37. “Can’t believe you are not here next to me, but thank God for mobile phones, eh! Good morning, sweetheart!”

38. “I am sending you lots of hugs and kisses wrapped in the warmth of love to say “good morning”. Have a wonderful day!”

39. “I feel like the luckiest person alive knowing that I have someone as amazing as you in my life. Good morning, my love!”

Good Morning Poems For Wife

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“You asked me what you mean to me, my darling? You are my poetry.” – Nikita Gill

You don’t have to be a poet to write poetry. Simple and honest words straight from the heart can just be the ingredients for romantic poetry. So, here they go – words straight from the heart.

40. “Do you know how good it feels to wake up every day And know that you are mine And I am yours? Good Morning and Love You.”

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41. “A smile to start your day, A prayer to bless your way. A song to lighten your burden A message to wish you good day Good Morning!

42. “With a sweet smile on your face, And, a cup of coffee in your hand, All that remains is a good morning message from me. Have a great morning!”

43. “Wake up, sweetheart! It’s time to embrace the new day. Welcome happiness and success, Good morning!”

44. “My beautiful wife, Have I ever confessed That you look so pretty in the morning That I cannot stop looking at you, Good morning!”

45. “You are the light of my world, The music for my heart and The first thought of my day. Good Morning, my dear.”

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46. “My heart knew that we are meant to be And my mind is filled with joyThe day you came in my life You made it complete in every way And, I just want to say That you are the reason I am alive! A very good morning to you!”

47. “There is a reason why I love you so much There is a reason why I want your touch A reason why I love your company A reason why I want you to see That I cannot live without you That I truly love you, my love Wishing you a good morning!”

48. “You look so pretty early in the day Your smile gives me a reason That makes me say Good morning, my pretty wife You are my life!”

49. “Mornings will come Then they will go But I will always be there I hope you know

50. “The sun will rise It will go down too But I will always Be there for you Good Morning.”

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51. “Nothing makes me sad anymore Nothing puts me down Nothing makes me upset Nothing makes me frown To make me feel low Nothing has the power For I wake up every morning Thinking of our life together.”

52. “Everyday brings so much more, To look forward to flying high, Every moment brings so much delight, Just being with you makes everything feel right.”

53. “You and I, Welcome the new day with smile. We embrace the joy and happiness And, enjoy our day to the fullest! Have a great day! Good morning!”

54. “The beauty of your eyes grows more with the radiance of the morning sun. So let us wait for the light to shine As I see my bright future in your sparkling eyes. Good morning, darling!”

55. “No matter how gloomy the night is, the best morning always bring my princess’ sweetest kiss. Sharing this cup of coffee with you was the dream of my dreams coming true. Good morning, baby!”

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Love can be expressed in many ways and poems and quotes are just some ways. We hope you have enjoyed our collection of romantic morning messages for your wife.

If you have any more quotes or poems, then you can leave them in the comments section.

[ahmerjohnny-blog]

Encouraging Quotes

https://latestquoteswala.com/encouraging-quotes/

Encouraging Quotes

We all need words of encouragement. However, here you will discover phrases that provide help and comfort in an effort to encourage and give you self-assurance and optimism. Let these phrases be ones that come up with thoughts of support and reflection. However, share them with others who ought to use a few encouraging quotes!

Encouraging Quotes

Encouraging Quotes For Women

When you lose everything, you get depressed if you don’t step back and start appreciating what you do have. Paul and Tracey McManus

Nothing in this world is impossible to a willing heart. Abraham Lincoln

“We do learn something about ourselves when we are up against the wall, and we do most certainly come out stronger.” Tina Sloan, Changing Shoes (Encouraging Quotes For Women)

Each time we make a difference in someone else’s life, no matter how small, it will encourage them to do the same for others. And each time that happens, we all become a stronger force for good. Thomas E. Pierce, The Last Rose

Read: Sad Quotes About Life Best Collection For You

Words need to be sown like seeds. No matter how tiny a seed may be when it lands in the right sort of ground it unfolds its strength and from being minute expands and grows to a massive size.

Associate with people who are likely to improve you. Seneca

When you listen actively your aim is to understand what is being said; the words and the feelings. Active listening aims to understand the message of the speaker, as they originally intended it to be understood. C Orbison, Active Listening – The Forgotten Skill: Active Listening Skills (Encouraging Quotes For Women)

Encouraging Quotes For Women

From a motivational point of view, if we deliberately seek encouragement (motivation) on a daily basis, however, it will become a habit and enable us to get ahead and stay ahead in life. Zig Ziglar, Over the Top: Moving from Survival to Stability, from Stability to Success, from Success to Significance

In my experience, one of the key impediments to reaching our potential in isolation. We all have blind spots. Sooner or later, we all need to reach out for help and reveal some degree of our vulnerability. (Encouraging Quotes For Women)

Encouraging Quotes For Kids

Be a positive influence in someone’s life. Catherine Pulsifer Never doubt the influence you have to encourage and help others. Be a positive influence in someone’s life. Catherine Pulsifer

The reason for this entire expedition was to provide some sort of hope and inspiration. To encourage people to believe in themselves, to follow their own dreams, and to go after their own goals, whatever they may be. I was hoping to encourage people to become active members of life. Sean Swarner (Encouraging Quotes For Kids)

I believe that when things are a mess, we need others to know what we are thinking, feeling, or doing. We must share our feelings with people who will not reprimand us for our thoughts. We need to share these feelings with someone who will encourage us to move forward. David DeNotaris

Everybody has problems, but everybody also has blessings in life. Robert W. Bly, Count Your Blessings: 63 Things to Be Grateful for in Everyday Life . . . and How to Appreciate Them

Check: Funny Friend Quotes Beautiful Collection

Follow your dreams, remember you can achieve All that you dream, whatever your mind can conceive. Catherine Pulsifer, Another Year (Encouraging Quotes For Kids)

Mother Teresa believed that love was of central importance to all life and happiness. She believed that love only needs a little encouragement to fuel great positive changes throughout the world. This is something all of us can do with simple actions such as smiling. Scarlett Johnson, Mother Teresa: 40 Inspirational Life Lessons And Timeless Wisdom From The Life Of Mother Teresa

Encouraging Quotes For Kids

Too many people are disheartened by the thought that their business is too small to be taken seriously by the general public. However, Ray Kroc took one such business and turned it into a blazing success. Richard J. Bowerman, Ray Kroc: 10 Leadership Lessons from Ray Kroc’s Life (Encouraging Quotes For Kids)

Encouraging Quotes For Friends

“I want the world to see Me in you. I want you to stop and love the one. Who is the one? The one who needs a word of encouragement. The one who needs a helping hand.” Nathan D. Pietsch, Pleasant Fruits (Encouraging Quotes For Friends)

Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life. Galatians 6:4–5 MSG

Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud. Maya Angelou, Letter to My Daughter

You are the only one who can make it happen for you. However, others can support and encourage you, but you have to find the energy within in order to step into the center of your own life and take charge. Lynda Field (Encouraging Quotes For Friends)

Nevertheless, when there is no one around you to give you the encouragement, motivation, and support you need, God’s Word is always there. Ruben Barreto, You Have What It Takes God

Read: Kevin Gates Quotes Huge Collection

Helping others, encouraging others, are often acts of being kind that have more meaning that you may realize. Catherine Pulsifer

Success is failure turned inside out The silver tint of the clouds of doubt And you never can tell how close you are, It may be near when it seems so far Edgar A. Guest, Don’t Quit

Choose well your words. However, they will go marching down the years in the lives you touch. Wilfred Peterson

It isn’t the money you’re making, it isn’t the clothes you wear, And it isn’t the skill of your good right hand which makes folks really care. (Encouraging Quotes For Friends) It’s the smile on your face and the light of your eye and the burdens that you bear. Edgar A Guest, What Counts

Encouraging Quotes For Friends

You have a greater potential than anyone who has ever lived before you! But you’ll never “make it” by sitting on your duff and telling the world how great you’re going to be, starting tomorrow. Og Mandino, The Choice: A Surprising New Message of Hope

Encouraging Quotes For Work

No act of kindness, no matter how small is ever wasted. Aesop

Don’t hang on to small annoyances. So many marriages have slowly deteriorated over the smallest, silliest things. Lisa Jacobson, 100 Ways to Love Your Husband (Encouraging Quotes For Work)

Everyone has a story. Put another way, everyone’s life is a story. Dan B. Allender, To Be Told: Know Your Story, Shape Your Future

Always do what is right. It will gratify half of mankind and astound the other. Mark Twain

Check: Baby Boy Quotes Awesome Collection For Mommy And Daddy

Do what you have to do until you can do what you want to do. Oprah Winfrey (Encouraging Quotes For Work)

No matter how tall the mountain is, it cannot block the sun. Chinese Proverb

Inspiration, from whatever the source, arouses feelings within us that rekindle hope, ambition, and determination. However, it is a momentary whisper of encouragement and reassurance that causes us to become aware of our potential. Jim Rohn, The Five Major Pieces to the Life Puzzle

Encouraging Quotes For Work

My Grandmother was always encouraging me to set goals and work hard to achieve them. She would tell me not to be a follower and not to set limits on what I could achieve. She truly believed that there were no limits that you could achieve whatever you wanted. Catherine Pulsifer, Do Not Limit Yourself

It is also important to realize that adding a positive phrase in words that encourage your daily routine can only help not hinder. Byron Pulsifer (Encouraging Quotes For Work)

Encouraging Quotes For Teachers

Be strong enough to face the world each day. Be weak enough to know you cannot do everything alone. Author Unknown, Always Be (Encouraging Quotes For Teachers)

When the story is said and done, our little bit may be invisible, but if we help encourage, push, and nudge things along if we can just help, that would be fine. Tom Prichard

Every individual from his own estimate of himself and that basic estimate goes far toward determining what he becomes. However, you can do no more than you believe you can. However, you can be no more than you believe you are. Belief stimulates power within yourself. Have faith in faith. Don’t be afraid to trust faith. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, Stay Alive All Your Life (Encouraging Quotes For Teachers)

Remember to encourage effective communication within your team, it will build trust and encourage teamwork. David Miller, Young Boss: A Millennial’s Guide To Leadership

Read: I Love You So Much Quotes Best Collection For True Lovers

I believe that as women, it is time to show love towards our fellow sisters and to encourage and build up one another and not tear each other down. We should never look down upon each other. Stephanie Williams, Daily Meditation Of Scripture To Bring Faith, Hope, Love, Peace, Forgiveness, and Encouragement

Encouraging Quotes For Teachers

A sunny disposition is worth more than fortune. Young people should know that it can be cultivated; that the mind like the body can be moved from the shade into sunshine. Andrew Carnegie

Be a rock to others in need, be a rock of support to those who are facing critical issues, be a rock full of caring, but be a rock who recognizes that you also will experience times when you need to seek your own rock. Byron Pulsifer (Encouraging Quotes For Teachers)

Encouraging Quotes For Students

We work all our lives so we can retire – so we can do what we want with our time – and the way we define or spend our time defines who we are and what we value. Bruce Linton, Fatherhood: The Journey from Man to Dad (Encouraging Quotes For Students)

Winning is coming in fourth, exhausted and encouraged – because last time you came in fifth. Denis Waitley

Your destiny is the story of your life, and you get to tell the story your way. Of course, life is full of many variables beyond our control, but at the end of the day, you determine the actions that influence your path. Scott Allan, Drive Your Destiny: Create a Vision for Your Life, Build Better Habits for Wealth and Health, and Unlock Your Inner Greatness (Encouraging Quotes For Students)

Some people sit on the sidelines, and some play to win. How do you play? Tony Robbins, MONEY Master the Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom

Check: I Miss You Quotes For Him Updated Collection

Don’t allow anyone to denigrate or inhibit your lofty aspirations. However, your dreams can take you much higher and much farther than anyone ever thought possible! Buzz Aldrin, No Dream Is Too High: Life Lessons From a Man Who Walked on the Moon

Keeping consistent in God’s word will lift you up and encourage you! Andrew Farland (Encouraging Quotes For Students) Keeping consistent in God’s word will lift you up and encourage you! Andrew Farland, Change Your Perspective Change Your Life!

Encouraging Quotes For Students

Giving someone encouraging words can sometimes mean more than a material gift. However, those encouraging words can be just the influence the person may have needed to continue. And by receiving encouragement, they may go on to discover bigger things than they are currently working on. However, we don’t realize the impact of encouraging words. And we may not think of them as gifts. Catherine Pulsifer

Encouraging Quotes For Homeless

Your mind is like a magnet – it attracts into your life whatever you think about most. Paul and Tracey McManus, The 7 Great Prayers

But it is better to follow even the shadow of the best than to remain content with the worst. Henry van Dyke

I believe my life has no limits. However, I want you to feel the same way about your life, no matter what your challenges may be. Nick Vujicic, Limitless: Devotions for a Ridiculously Good Life

Read: Sad Quotes About Love That Make You Cry

Likewise, family caregivers can go a long way toward helping parents or other loved ones stay in their own homes, but only if they understand the challenges of caregiving and know how to get help and support. Denise Logeland, 10 Things Every Family Should Know Family (Encouraging Quotes For Homeless)

Each of us has the power to inspire or depress, to lift others or to push them down. We should look well to our words. Wilfred Peterson

People want to be heard and want to be loved. However, that attitude of acceptance and support inspires them to be the best they can be. Bobby Genovese (Encouraging Quotes For Homeless)

For any problem, no matter how big or complex it may be, however, there is a solution. Earl Nightingale For any problem, no matter how big or complex it may be, there is a solution. Earl Nightingale, Business Life – 2 Amazing Ways to Solve Your Problems (Encouraging Quotes For Homeless)

Encouraging Quotes For Homeless

Enthusiasm for life, an encouraging spirit, a heartfelt concern for the concerns of others, a way to show that someone cares is all part and parcel of a life dedicated to warmth and passion. However, you have it in you. Don’t keep your zest for life inside; let it out in the service to others in need no matter when or where or to whom. Byron Pulsifer

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#Cards #Card #Sports #Jersey #Deals #city #relax #boy #night #streetstyle #light #findhappy #sadness #luckyme #partyhard #longway #admin #meme #quote #quotes

[worldremark4]

Top 3 Most Beautiful Countries in Europe

Top 3 Most Beautiful Countries in Europe. : Wherever we go, we are looking for a beautiful place, where we can relax and enjoy the natural atmosphere, there are many places and countries also in Europe, about which we are going to talk about this article. So let us talk about the beautiful countries of Europe. There is no other place like Europe where the beauty of Europe is like the world. Kaleidoscope is found in European forests and cultures in Europe. Which are not visible in other countries.Let's start Top 3 Most Beautiful Countries in Europe article.

Top 3 Most Beautiful Countries in Europe.

3. Norway.

'Top 3 Most Beautiful Countries in Europe' Third Number Countries is Norway. Norway is one of the most unique incredible rugged countries in the whole world I'm home in New York making this article about my favorite place in the Norway and it starts raining the rain is actually very fitting for making a video on Norway because Norway is one of the wettest countries in the whole world I'm Eric Conover and this is a video Journal of my travels in life here in New York recently I just got back from a week-long trip to Norway with Paul and sharp they're an Italian quilting company and I was filming a campaign testing out their 777 jacket over 7 days and 7 activities in Norway in this article. I made a list of the most incredible locations in Norway that I saw while testing out this jacket before I get started into this video if you liked it make sure to give it a thumbs up share this article with your travel friends and if you're new to the channel make sure to subscribe and turn on post notifications so you can be notified whenever I shared who travel content on my channel without further ado these are the most incredible places in Norway you have to see to believe you the first location is the knee guards breeding glacier this glacier lives about 19 miles north of the village guap the knee guards Green glacier is actually an arm of the largest glacier in continental Europe called the jaw style Verena glacier to get to the glacier a small boats will transport you to the face with you across the palest most turquoise blue glacier water you have ever seen in your whole life from the forests to the base of the glacier you have about a 30 minute hike once you get to the base of the glacier you're kitted out with crampons and ice pick and a harness. It is impossible to climb ice without crampons and they actually come with the guide and I'll have all that information down below once you start climbing it's about eight hours in total from the top to the bottom of this glacier hike was one of if not the most defining travel experience I've had in my whole life it's one thing to see it but to actually hear the pieces of ice the size of buildings moving and breaking and it felt like a living of things its massive massive living things if. you want to climb this glacier you have to act fast because in a matter of a few short years this glacier won't even be here where was it before how much farther out 2001 that all the way to the angular bitches like how much longer will this be here for 20 years 20 years yeah you heard that 20 years at the fact that these aren't gonna be around in 20 years you know when I'm a middle-aged guy this might not be here if you want to ever climb a glacier do it don't wait get out here climb the glacier we're halfway up now and be at the top the next location is the land false and follows which translates to long at waterfall this waterfall is less of an activity and more of just an attraction I mean you're driving down the highway out of nowhere you hear this noise this rumbling noise then you see the mist you turn the corner and you see the largest most menacing waterfall on earth this waterfall is over 2,000 feet high the world waterfall database declared this waterfall to be one of the best in the world that's got to tell you something. I drove past this waterfall on my ways - boss swear I did some whitewater river kayaking Laing folson is the perfect place if you're on a long road trip in Norway - just pull over to the side of the road have some food enjoy the beauty and just kind of take it in because it is quite good sight the next location pause the video try to pronounce this word yeah there's very very long the region word translates to Atlantic Ocean Road now it is known as the world's most dangerous road just because during the wintertime there's very strong storms that go through this area when I did this drive was actually a beautiful sunny day. so I think it to experience it in the storm and the craziness but still I could imagine it can be pretty menacing in the storm it is eight total bridges long and eight thousand two hundred and seventy-four meters and this is the biggest tip of this video if you are going to Norway you make videos and you make photos invest in the drone the drone is not one way to really really see this country which brings us to our next location deep in the mountains of western Norway life strolled stiva road trophy diem  translates directly to trolls latter troll spigen is a visual Beast I have never seen a place that was so won a major stomach drop about to break down that steep its bite course in the whole world this is one of those life moments where you feel so alive but at the same time you're like should I be doing this like that just because of how steep the road is if you're going down that road on a bike in you're at the edge and you make a wrong turn you're going over the edge and you're falling thousands of feet down to the ground it is a straight cliff drop down to the valley this road.

2. Spain.

"Top 3 Most Beautiful Countries in Europe" Second Number Countries is Spain. Spain is the most beautiful country in the world, the area of ​​adventure from the heart of the country is not the area which is the capital of the country's only magnificent home but the vast area that will surprise you with the food of nature, the boundary of it is unique culture and history within its culture. Destination and Madrid Let your heart stay with your world with cities World Heritage Status Waiting for your search to hide the comprehension of the compass between the places that witness a grand past in their walls. Let the musician have the chance to join the Nature in the abundance of the pine forest in the wonder of wonder. Our surroundings attacks the attack of a magical city in the city of Madrid, open receptions, everyone very specially finds himself in Madrid for a night in a city that makes his life The expression on the street finds that you can taste it in a delicious terrorism, has taken place in the classroom, spreading itself in a pleasant place, sophisticated and cosmopolitan for globalization A city whose artistic soul is captured, its amazing collection does not have world-renowned museum galleries, and there are also a large number of sports fans playing near the city, who are passionately passionate about you. Join in the sleeping seating room What is drinking? A way of life located on a dream is the city's Costendale Sol, in the hottest mallaga of the city's decoration, Europe has a rich history of the prevailing environment, it is one of the oldest cities in the world, which is proud for 3000 years. Pablo Picasso's rich cultural heritage is a rich monument to the city, and the city offers a wide range of 29 museums. These museums also offer visitors a wide range of tourism, their wealth of activities, leisure options, its beautiful coastline and a lifestyle that is the most common cause of pain in the Mulkani region. Negative communications network meeting conferences are exhibits and business incentives and it is an economic and technical capital known as Smart City Fostering and its own Egg Management and encouraging entrepreneurial attitude is one of the cities that are more than the experience of cities, The Mediterranean Sea is Sierra Blanca and Marlila. Her beauty is a luxuriously respected cosmopolitan property, known for its outstanding paralysis and air due to the attractions of Mumbai city with attractive picnic options for everyone, this city is the capital of this region. Beach sports can take advantage of the world, while high-end shopkeepers take advantage of the world. Class design shops and boutiques are enjoying the city's favorite favorites that discover surprising local aromas and come to Marbella. Your desires are true in Spain. Blanca Benedict Hostel is a holiday destination that offers fun and relaxation in one area. A natural beauty to hide visitors of all ages creates a stunning backdrop for the city's impressive skyline and it has five award-winning beaches. Five amusement parks in the waterbox are a vibrant holiday in the world's famous nightlife and spectacular Visastas year, Benidorm is a living holiday that will surprise everyone at all. If you do not forget about a place like any other experience, then the Spanish economy is at the fourth place in the fourth place. Big economy Spain, the Eurozone and the world's top 13 most populous country, is the seventh largest share of foreign investment, trust investor trusts, current skills and excellence infrastructure opportunities in new business opportunities on offer. The quality of place for the country's top 10 countries is the world's second largest public sector high speed rail network and the most advanced and advanced advanced European train fleet Spain is also headed for the renovation and cutting-board. As technology and world leaders we have built renewable and green energy competitive employees, it has rich training history and most international and durable companies have lease to Spain or business telecommunications. The Spanish engineering company is providing design and specialty production trains as well as worldwide maintenance services, the number one player in the Spanish market. Global context has resulted in high-speed technology and its global expansion strategy. Acclaimed products Delgo Tango is one of the main success factors to become a true international company.

1. Italy.

Overall "Top 3 Most Beautiful Countries in Europe" First Number Countries is Italy. The long Mediterranean coast is a European country, Italy is a beautiful country on cuisine and culture. Its capital, Vatican, Rome is home to ancient and landmark art. It is the fourth most populous EU member state with nearly 61 million inhabitants. Due to its shape, it is called low streetwell in Italy.  Italy covers 301,338 km2 area and is mostly temperate and seasonal and has a Mediterranean climate. The heritage of the Roman Empire is widespread and it can be seen in the global distribution of civil law, Republican governments, Christian and Latin scripts. Which included attrition and celts, which lived in the middle and northeastern Italy, and spread to various Italian Italian tribes and Italian people in the Italian peninsula and insular Italy.  In classical times, the ancient Phoenician, Carathagnin and Greeks have established settlements in the south of Italy; Italian tribes named Latino created the Roman Empire, which ultimately became a republic, victory, and other near cultures. The world's largest victory and the dominant cultural center of Western culture has become, eventually the Roman Empire has emerged as a powerful force in the Mediterranean, which has become a political and religious center.

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1-99 :D

Juxtaposition!1: 6 of the songs you listen to most?

Story 2 by Clippng, The Crown by The Cat Empire, Burning Down The House by Talking Heads, Scenes From An Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel,  History Maker by Dean Fujioka, No Problem by Chance the Rapper

2: If you could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be?

Michelle Obama

3: Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 23, give me line 17.

“He was a pleasant looking boy, neither handsome nor plain, rather shy and in  no way remarkable.”

4: What do you think about most?

GRADUATION !!!

5: What does your latest text message from someone else say?

“I’m finally watching sinbad and crying because of how much I miss Magi”

6: Do you sleep with or without clothes on?

It’s a mix, I wear a shirt but I rarely wear pants.

7: What’s your strangest talent?

I can touch my tongue to my nose

8: Girls… (finish the sentence); Boys… (finish the sentence)

Girls are powerful and amazing. Boys are just as powerful and amazing. I love everyone so much.

9: Ever had a poem or song written about you?

Not that I am aware of

10: When is the last time you played the air guitar?

oh boy, im not sure!

11: Do you have any strange phobias?

butterflies

12: Ever stuck a foreign object up your nose?

When I was 5 I put gum in my nose and it got stuck

13: What’s your religion?

Lutheran 

14: If you are outside, what are you most likely doing?

watching birds!

15: Do you prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it?

behind

16: Simple but extremely complex. Favorite band?

ahhhhh I seriously have no clue!! Maybe the Lumineers? Their music always makes me happy

17: What was the last lie you told?

I told my dad I hadn’t had lunch yet so he would get me sushi

18: Do you believe in karma?

I do, kinda

19: What does your URL mean?

I was eating a fruit snack and thought about a snake eating them and it made me happy

20: What is your greatest weakness; your greatest strength?

I’m a shit person, sometimes I’m funny

21: Who is your celebrity crush?

Chance the Rapper

22: Have you ever gone skinny dipping?

Yes

23: How do you vent your anger?

cry

24: Do you have a collection of anything?

Masquerade masks

25: Do you prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online?

i prefer neither, im a super uncomfortable person talking on either

26: Are you happy with the person you’ve become?

For the most part

27: What’s a sound you hate; sound you love?

the sound of my dog cleaning himself, the sound of rain

28: What’s your biggest “what if”?

What is I don’t graduate?

29: Do you believe in ghosts? How about aliens?

yes to both!

30: Stick your right arm out; what do you touch first? Do the same with your left arm.

A pillow, also a pillow

31: Smell the air. What do you smell?

sushi, I just ate lunch

32: What’s the worst place you have ever been to?

Canal side when the giant duck was in town

33: Choose: East Coast or West Coast?

EAST COAST!!!

34: Most attractive singer of your opposite gender?

Chance the Rapper :’))))

35: To you, what is the meaning of life?

finading happiness

36: Define Art.

what makes you feel things 

37: Do you believe in luck?

I do

38: What’s the weather like right now?

Its sunny but also snowing

39: What time is it?

3:17 pm

40: Do you drive? If so, have you ever crashed?

I don’t drive

41: What was the last book you read?

Sharp Objects

42: Do you like the smell of gasoline?

I do!

43: Do you have any nicknames?

Nope :(

44: What was the last film you saw?

The Shining

45: What’s the worst injury you’ve ever had?

I cracked my head open 

46: Have you ever caught a butterfly?

NOOOOOOOOO

47: Do you have any obsessions right now?

shitty reverse harem anime, its my guilty pleasure rn

48: What’s your sexual orientation?

Pansexual

49: Ever had a rumour spread about you?

yep! people thought I killed myself in the 8th grade

50: Do you believe in magic?

i am hopeful 

51: Do you tend to hold grudges against people who have done you wrong?

I do

52: What is your astrological sign?

Libra

53: Do you save money or spend it?

spend it lol

54: What’s the last thing you purchased?

stickers from redbubble

55: Love or lust?

both are important to me 

56: In a relationship?

i fucking wish

57: How many relationships have you had?

one

58: Can you touch your nose with your tongue?

yes

59: Where were you yesterday?

at home the whole day

60: Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you?

my underwear

61: Are you wearing socks right now?

yes

62: What’s your favourite animal?

dogs

63: What is your secret weapon to get someone to like you?

I’m stilling trying to figure that out

64: Where is your best friend?

probably at their house

65: Give me your top 5 favourite blogs on Tumblr.

fruitsnake, fruitsnake, fruitsnake, fruitsnake, fruitsnake

66: What is your heritage?

all I know is im really super white

67: What were you doing last night at 12AM?

blogging

68: What do you think is Satan’s last name?

trump

69: Be honest. Ever gotten yourself off?

like masturbation?? hell yeah boi 

70: Are you the kind of friend you would want to have as a friend?

i am,  I think im a pretty good friend

71: You are walking down the street on your way to work. There is a dog drowning in the canal on the side of the street. Your boss has told you if you are late one more time you get fired. What do you do?

save the fucking dogs obvi

72: You are at the doctor’s office and she has just informed you that you have approximately one month to live. a) Do you tell anyone/everyone you are going to die? b) What do you do with your remaining days? c) Would you be afraid?

a) yes b) have sex, I am not dying a virgin c) yes

73: You can only have one of these things; trust or love.

trust

74: What’s a song that always makes you happy when you hear it?

Carnival de Barrio from In the Heights

75: What are the last four digits in your cell phone number?

7707

76: In your opinion, what makes a great relationship?

trust

77: How can I win your heart?

be nice to me

78: Can insanity bring on more creativity?

i suppose

79: What is the single best decision you have made in your life so far?

getting my eyebrow pierced 

80: What size shoes do you wear?

I have no idea i think maybe a nine?

81: What would you want to be written on your tombstone?

baddest bitch

82: What is your favourite word?

Juxtaposition!

83: Give me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word; heart.

nipple

84: What is a saying you say a lot?

yes henny

85: What’s the last song you listened to?

Freedom by Beyonce

86: Basic question; what’s your favourite colour/colours?

dark purple

87: What is your current desktop picture?

Its Dazai from bungou stray dogs

88: If you could press a button and make anyone in the world instantaneously explode, who would it be?

no one i would feel too bad

89: What would be a question you’d be afraid to tell the truth on?

none anymore

90: One night you wake up because you heard a noise. You turn on the light to find that you are surrounded by MUMMIES. The mummies aren’t really doing anything, they’re just standing around your bed. What do you do?

scream and cry

91: You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What is that power?

flying

92: You can re-live any point of time in your life. The time-span can only be a half-hour, though. What half-hour of your past would you like to experience again?

chirstmas when my grandparents were still alive

93: You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?

ahhhhhhhhh

94: You have the opportunity to sleep with the music-celebrity of your choice. Who would it be?

Chance the Rapper

95: You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go?

Japan!!

96: Do you have any relatives in jail?

Nope!

97: Have you ever thrown up in the car?

yes lol

98: Ever been on a plane?

yes!

99: If the whole world were listening to you right now, what would you say?

probably something dumb. 

Thanks dude!!

[genruns]

VMM 2016 - A Mountain Marathon to Remember

Hanoi and Sapa, 21-27 September 2016.

Like most runners who never learn, the memories of pain and suffering from past races somehow give way to stronger cravings for new goals and adventures. Despite the hiatus I promised myself after the UTA in May, I found myself signing up for the Vietnam Mountain Marathon (VMM) in September. This was a 42km event in the mountains of North Vietnam, a beautiful place called Sapa. 

I signed up for this with Danny and Vince. This would be Vince's first trail race, and he had only started seriously running barely a year ago. His last marathon was 10 years ago. I admired his bravado and secretly thought him mad. We were joined by Eus, who signed up for the 70km, having done the marathon event the year before. Andre signed up for the 100km race to obtain the remaining points he needed to qualify for a ballot in his dream event, the 170km Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) in 2017. In comparison, my running aspirations are considerably meeker. I am content with taking part in and completing 50km races and marathons. For the foreseeable future I do not see myself going beyond this milestone until I feel that I could clock a reasonable timing for such distances. 

Hanoi   

Visiting the city of Hanoi was an event in its own right. When I first set foot there, so much about the city offended my sensibilities as an urban planner, and derailed my senses as a Singaporean. This was a city governed by basal human instinct and a ruthless desire for making a beeline for one’s destination. Elements of civilisation such as sidewalks, traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, one-way lanes, double yellow line markings are but mere physical presences that mean nothing to the locals. The sidewalks are, if not rendered completely inaccessible by multitudes of parked motorbikes, plied by multitudes of speeding motorbikes. One can never tell if a lane is meant to be single or multi-directional, because motorbikes are going left, right, diagonal - you name it. It is easy to tell which pedestrians are local, and those who aren't, from the way they cross the road. Locals tread the tarmac with an instinctive feel for the speed of oncoming cars and motorbikes, expertly weaving through the confounding mess of vehicles and incessant honking. Foreigners take a brave step out onto the street, falter and freeze as five motorbikes nonchalantly hurl their way, fall back onto the safety of the path, mumble a quick prayer, and nervously start afresh. By the second day, becoming more familiar with how things work here, I felt that I would never have a problem jaywalking at home again. I learnt that the moving vehicles were already primed for pedestrians who blazed through the traffic adopting a fuck-all attitude, and that in order to survive this concrete jungle I had to, similarly, appear 'fuck-all'. 

Traffic and a blatant disregard for rules and possibly human life aside, Hanoi holds a third-world charm that is perceptible from its architecture and vibrant street life. In the French quarter, remnants of its colonial past can be seen from its buildings. Views from some of the wider streets even bear vague resemblances to Paris's tree-lined boulevards. Women donned in traditional Vietnamese dresses and straw hats heaving up loads of street food and other wares on sticks walk the streets. And it is amusing how us Singaporeans often rave about al-fresco dining being a strictly western luxury ("It is just too humid here!"), when all over Hanoi, roadside stalls spill out onto the sidewalks where masses of people sit on puny little plastic chairs and eat at just as puny tables. Some lay back on their chairs, enjoying cigarettes as they watch the maniac traffic scene before them. Can it get more al-fresco than that? Here we have it, the established western principles of what is considered to be good urban planning: density, vibrancy, street life, diversity. 

Of course, one has not been to Hanoi if one has not sampled their street food. To be honest, Vietnamese cuisine had never inspired me much - Pho felt to me rather bland and comfort food during a cold at best, and bahn-mi - my limited experience of them was from the little restaurant next to my apartment when I was living in London, i.e. expensive salad-filled baguettes proclaiming their authenticity just because they added sour chilli sauce and some rice noodles. Boy, was I wrong. In Hanoi, we had the most mind-blowing pho in an unassuming little restaurant. The broth tasted like it had been steeped in spices for a long time. One mouthful was all it took to dissolve in the burst of flavours, herbs and spices (beef, coriander, basil, spring onion, lime...ahh). On this trip, I learnt what proper street ban-mi was meant to taste like. Pate, with a heap of spices and herbs and delectably seasoned meat, sandwiched within toasted fresh baguettes, made all the difference. And yes, we had to go the bun-cha restaurant made famous by Obama's visit. 

Sapa

We spent a day in Hanoi before the 5-hour journey to Sapa. I learnt on the way that Sapa is dominated by the Hoàng Liên Son range of mountains, which forms the eastern end of the Himalayan range. i had no idea that I was going to be running in the Himalayan range! That thought got me really excited. Arriving in Sapa town that evening at about 9pm, we were in for a pleasant surprise. All except Eus who had been there the year before (for the 42km event), we had been expecting a mellow mountain town. Instead, we found ourselves in a bustling lively town with neon lights and street life. It was an interesting blend of tourists and Hmong tribespeople adorned in their traditional headwear and clothes, selling their wares on the streets. The streets were alive with bustling roadside food stalls with all sorts of meats and seafood grilling on coal barbecues, and there were touristy bars crowded with people. Many persistent tribes children were touting their handmade crafts to tourists, following us closely as we walked. 

The next morning, we had breakfast in the hotel and were presented with a spectacular view of the mountains. It was exciting though a little nerve-wrecking to think that in less than 24 hours, we would be running up those staggering slopes. We boarded our van for a jerky one-hour ride from Sapa Town to the Sapa Eco-Lodge, where the finish line would be. It was extremely beautiful scenery with perfectly sculpted rice terraces sloping down from the Lodge, and it gave us an idea of how exhilarating the finish would be. However, I wasn’t having a spectacular time as for some reason (probably due to the street food from the past 2 days), I was having the runs. We did not linger there too long, and travelled back to town immediately for some rest before the race. That evening, I sent Andre off for his 100km race. 

The Race

I suppose it was the adrenaline but on the morning of, I felt pretty good despite having about 4 hours of sleep. Breakfast at the hotel was meagre, with a plain baguette and some butter and jam. It was a blessing in disguise that the chronically late Vince forgot to switch his clock one hour back. He had been up an hour too early, and met Danny and me out on the street just on time. After a 45-minute bus ride, we arrived at the race start. As usual I was too charged with adrenaline to be able to snooze. The race start was a track road flanked by hills. Many of us took off to empty our bowels in watermelon farm which everyone mistook to be a designated dumping ground thanks to a misleading “WC” sign (which we eventually realised pointed to proper sanitary facilities about 500m down a curved road).   

Not long after, the race started with only a 5-minute delay (that is pretty punctual from experience). It started with a 2-3km hike upslope. We turned past a rubbish dump, and straight for a 3km downhill stretch. This stretch was strewn with huge and slippery rocks, and the runners were reduced to a single long trail, each and everyone single-mindedly focused on the task of not slipping on our bottoms. We had lost Danny by this point. The guy was too far ahead to be seen, which really impressed us as he had not trained in the months leading up to the race due to a foot injury. When I stopped to use retrieve my trekking poles (an amazing carbon fibre light-weight pair - a gift from Andre - that I soon realised were key to my survival in this race) from my hydration bag, I lost Vince as well. Having trained largely in a country where ‘off-road’ meant paved nature trails, I was really not used to this terrain. However, images of runners from the past year struggling here knee-deep in mud and terrorised by heavy rain did make me feel grateful for the wonderful sunny conditions under which we navigated this narrow trail.   

Exiting this horrendous labyrinth, we found ourselves embarking upon more beautiful mountain scenery, where we confronted numerous switchbacks, hills adorned with wild herbs and flowers. When I was about 9 or 10km in, I ran into Danny and from there we kept a close distance to each other. However, I was feeling weak during the whole time - possibly due to the tiny breakfast (I am very much fuelled by what I eat), and the runs from the day before. To make matters worse, I could not stop sniffing. My nose was running like hell; I had not fully recovered from a bad cold I’d caught a week ago, and I felt awful. Nevertheless, I persevered on, distracting myself with thoughts of an early pre-20km race withdrawal, and a self-dignifiying image of myself attaining enlightenment on what was important in life - good health and a strong state of mind, not a mindless rat race to the end! This did not happen of course, but the thoughts did serve its purpose to distract me from my despair. 12km in, I remembered I had tailwind on me. God. How could I forget.. I took a swig; the miracle formula enriched me and I inched on towards the first checkpoint at the 14km mark.   

There, I was happy to find Vince waiting. Danny caught up soon after. The villagers sold refreshments - soft drinks, bananas and sweets. I ran into some of the guys doing the 70km run here - runners from higher race categories never fail to impress upon me as a different breed of humans. They ran the bumpy terrain like I pounded the pavement from the MRT station to work, spurred on by my impending lateness at a meeting. After filling up my hydration pack, the 3 of us were off. 

Whilst the feeling of lethargy had not left, I was feeling much more motivated having hit the first checkpoint. This next section was an interesting one where we followed an undulating road track which led to a beautiful karstic landscape. Here, the ground was awash with naturally sculpted white-grey limestone, spaced between little narrow streams that flowed within fissures widened from years and years of erosion. Here, it was extremely slippery and tricky. Runners would call this terrain “technical” (which basically means it’s not very runnable - people like to throw in some jargon now and then for the heck of it). Several people slipped and fell here and I remember this fellow racer who did, laughing, “Yeah, I get it now!” It was funny at that time because the landscape, though beautiful, did indeed feel punishing. 

The trail then brought us running along the thin edges of the terraced paddy fields, where we had to keep our balance to prevent ourselves from falling headfirst into the flooded fields. This was fun and extremely scenic, but I found it extremely difficult to keep up due to my overpronation issue. A probable result of bad walking posture that accumulated over the years since my childhood, it has been difficult to correct the tendency of my feet to land, with more force than is efficient or safe, on the inner soles. This makes it difficult to keep my balance and run efficiently on bumpy and soft ground, and I felt like tipping over many times here. It definitely slowed me down, and I was overtaken by several runners at this point. After ungracefully pounding through the rice fields, I finally reached the road where we were drawn through several hills before we hit the second checkpoint at 20.5km. 

Here and again, I met Vince who was lounging on a plastic chair and eating a banana. Apparently he had been there 10 minutes before me. The race volunteers were serving instant noodles, which I happily downed for all its warmth, salts and (some) carbs. We spent a bit too much time here chatting and filling up our hydration bags, and it was 15 minutes before we left the checkpoint. The road after was a 6km-long continuous uphill with >300m elevation gain. I actually felt really good from here on. Maybe it was the noodles and the MSG (hey, it’s not always a bad thing), but damn I felt on a roll. It took me 20.5km before I finally felt right again, and I definitely wasn’t about to quit now. 

Even though it was all uphill, I really enjoyed myself at this stage. The months of training were paying off, as I scaled the mountains with a sense at last that I might prevail. I overtook several runners and luxuriously took in the breathtaking scenery, even snapping pics at one time on my iPhone (i never ever do that during races). Apart from several short downhills, it was just uphill all the way. I felt marvellous and while in pain, I was in control of that and could manage it. As compared to the weak tingling feeling I experienced earlier, this was a real boost. Vince (that guy overtook me again) was almost always within sight, while Danny was close behind me. It was a little over an hour by the time we got to the third checkpoint at 27km. I was thanking God at this stage for having brought me this far. This time, we were efficient with the checkpoint - we always learn this too late in the race! - spending just five quick minutes on a brief rest and filling up the hydration bag.   

We were now led to a steep and continuous 7km of downhill route (total elevation loss of 400m). We broke into a run here. Though my ankles and legs were tired, I felt liberated from the non-stop uphill trudging and gave into speed. I probably overdid on the hard running at this stage, and promptly sprained my ankle on soft soil. This happened in the middle of a forest path, where there was a construction tractor digging up the soil (don’t ask me why). The two workers standing close by grimaced as I sprained my ankle, and kindly sat me down at a soft spot. Though it really hurt, I knew this wasn’t going to last for very long. My ankle had been weak since I sprained it years ago in school (during a soccer game). Spraining it during races seems to be a mainstay (it happened two years ago in Rinjani as well). Still, the two workers looked concerned, as did a group of Singaporean runners whom I’d overtook not long ago. I assured them I was fine, and would take a rest before going any further. After about 5 minutes of stretching, I felt fine again, bid my thanks and goodbye to the workers, and carefully continued my way to the next checkpoint. This period of stopping, resting and slow-walking after spraining my ankle slowed me down a lot, and probably affected my final timing quiet a bit. By the time I got to the fourth checkpoint, Vince was nowhere in sight. Nevertheless, I did not feel demoralised as I knew my aim was not to finish with an impressive race time, but to end in one piece within the cut-off time. 

Crossing the final checkpoint at 34km, I arrived at a steep uphill forest track. This was at least a 40-degree incline. I wryly imagined congratulating the race organiser on a job well done for leaving the worst bit to the last, as I ascended the trail slowly with aching calves and crying quads. This was a punishing 300m ascent for 3 kilometres, with no break or downhill in between. I made a Vietnamese friend along this trail, who was also attempting this race for the first time. We continued together, and chatting about the race and why we were doing it lifted my spirits and egged me on harder. It felt like ages before we arrived at a pseudo, non-official checkpoint at 37km. I wasted no time here, and taking just the amount of water I needed, went straight to finish the remaining 5km. 

From here on, it was a beautiful downhill run to the end. Just like UTA, the last 5k never feels like 5k. Winding down and around the never-ending switchbacks, I gave it my all - pounding the tarmac racing downhill even though my legs felt incapable of any further stress. I passed several on this final stretch. Though hills and villages on the other side were visible from the track, I simply could not make out where the finishing point, Sapa Eco-Lodge was. I gave up and focused single-mindedly on the objective to end the race. I was really proud of myself for persevering even though my legs felt like stinging lead - I had no clue where this energy and determination to push my battered body came from, but man I felt in control! During the very last few hundred metres, I crossed paths with finishers wearing medals around their necks, and knew I could not be too far off. A finisher warned me that a slight uphill lay ahead, but at that time I could not be arsed to worry about anything. I was so close to the end. Finally, the route took a slightly steep turn to the left, and lo and behold, I was confronted with a familiar row of manicured trees and country flags flanking both sides of the path. We were just here the day before checking out Eco-Lodge. This was exactly the last 100 metres or so of the race. I was feeling amazing - while completely battered - as I sprinted the final few metres past the finish line. 9:59 was my timing - Damn, just one minute to 10 hours. I know that I could have done better without the cold, and had I not felt hungry and weak at the start of the race. Still, I gave it my best shot given the circumstances and that was what mattered. 

The first face I saw was Winnie’s, Danny’s wife, who cheered me into the stands. The sun seemed to be a few minutes from setting then, and was I glad to not have run into the night! Winnie told me Andre was not done yet, and we were still waiting for Danny. Vince was already there with his wife Charlene and 6-year-old daughter Sarah. I ran over to hug and congratulate him on finishing his first mountain race, and also pretty much out of this new-found sense of camaraderie of having suffered together, and seeing each other at our worst. (Though, yes, to be fair, he was mainly the one witnessing me ungraciously blowing my snot into my wrist buff throughout the race. I still claim that was done out of pure ethical reason - I could not and would not blow my snot onto the ground!) Sarah whispered conspiratorially to me, “I’m not supposed to tell you this but I got you flowers.” I didn’t think much about what she was talking about and simply chuckled in response because she looked so cute when she whispered. 

Ten minutes after I crossed the finishing line, Andre did. There were tons of cheering and applause from the crowd as apparently - and I would find this out later - my boyfriend came in 6th place in the 100k category (18:46)! Rushing to meet him at the finish line, the familiar feeling of relief overwhelmed me. (Even though this was his 3rd 100km race, I still could not help but worry about his safety en-race.) We hugged briefly. I'd expected a longer and more affectionate embrace and then a beeline for hot food - as it usually turned out. However, he seemed fixated on one thing - getting a photo taken at a good spot before sundown. Puzzled but too tired to clarify, I followed his lead. 

How I Got Engaged

By the time we found a scenic spot for photo-taking (which seemed the priority of the evening really), Danny had completed his race - turned out we all did within ten minutes of each other. Andre steered me to stand next to him, while our friends just stood on the other side taking pictures of us. Besides feeling completely exhausted and sweaty, I was really puzzled as to why we were the centre of attention. I thought we were supposed to take a group photo. I was also beginning to feel a little shy and self-conscious, even a little selfish as to be ‘grabbing’ all the good light before the sun set.   

In the middle of all this photo-taking, Andre turned to me and said, “Thanks”. “For what?” Well, okay.. not quite sure what I did in the last 10 hours except suffer entirely for my own benefit. 

“For everything.” Huh? Strange time to be so emotional. 

Friends still snapping pics away on their phones, Andre suddenly did the completely unprecedented. 

He got down on one knee, and holy moly it is happening. NOW? I feel so unprepared. I don’t even smell right. I am so effing tired. 

All those thoughts completely arrested my response and when he said, “Will you marry me?” I stood there, stunned. Completely unprepared for this. I knew the proposal would take place at some point in time, but I just never thought it would be September 2016, Vietnam. This was a quick local race we would get into 2016 to obtain the remaining points each of us needed for our targeted races the following year. Of course, that was why he had been so anxious to get a “good spot for photos” right after completing a gruelling race. I just thought he would have proposed at some spectacularly romantic moment on my birthday that December, or perhaps even during the trip to New Zealand we would soon go at the end of the year with his family. I would be dressed up, looking worthy enough to promise a lifetime of marital bliss. Not covered in sweat, mud and not to mention, my snot (all ten hours’ worth). Then again, this is so typical Andre. Making me work and run 42km before I may manage to get engaged. 

I realised I had been quiet far too long thinking these thoughts, when he nervously piped, “Uh, so will you?" 

Feeling simultaneously unrehearsed and guilty for making him wait so long, I replied, “Of course!” The answer was always a yes, yes and a yes. Yet, the usually effusive person that I was had stumbled for a reply to this simple question, managing to fudge it up with such a fickle-sounding response, and even giving him the wrong hand to put the ring on (it is so unintuitive to reach your left hand out as a gesture of acceptance!). Even when the immensity of what had just happened - truly a life milestone - dawned upon me and triggered a twitch in my tear glands, no real tears could come to my eyes as I was truly dehydrated from 10 hours of racing. To hell with the picture-perfect proposal scenes you see on movies. This is real life! 

Still, it was a truly beautiful scene. Where we stood, the mountains were serenely shrouded in blue mist behind us. Next to us were beautiful straw cottages. What a perfect setting for us both. And it was a quiet spot, with no one apart from our friends and ourselves. Our friends cheered and clapped as I accepted his proposal and ring. Sarah came up to me and gave me a lovely bouquet of flowers. Apparently some wits and charm had been deployed to acquiring those - she had gotten the rose from a restaurant manager by sweetly asking for it, while Charlene cleverly matched it with a bunch of small yellow wild flowers she’d retrieved from some bushes near her hotel. I later learnt that Winnie had safe-kept the ring from near the start of our time in Sapa - Andre had inconspicuously handed this to her through our adjacent balconies! - and nervously transported it from the hotel to the race finish point. I also later learnt from Andre that prior to asking my hand in marriage, he had tried to make a little speech (“Gen, you’re the one...”) - to which I had callously waved him off, saying “Can we leave that for later please?” (I recall looking very much forward to a shower at that time.) 

That evening, heading back to our hotel on a very bumpy ride in the van, we joked about how both Andre and I nearly came close to giving up during the race, and how he would have then to come up with a Plan B. At the same time, I had so much to think about and to thank God for. For seeing me through the race in one piece, and for emerging victorious at the finish line not only with a finisher’s medal, but also with a new status as Andre’s fiancée. I felt proud, and marvelled at the determination of Andre and my friends who all did so well during the race. At the same time, a certain pride extended more deeply within, knowing I was now engaged to this beautiful, wonderful man. I guess I had never fully appreciated the weight of the terms “engagement” and “marriage” - having always viewed it as a rite of passage, some kind of mandatory process of social labelling - till that very evening, when I truly felt the simple significance of the little piece of metal (and very nice rock) secured to my finger. 

In more ways than one, Vietnam 2016 will always be a sweet memory - of a race well run, and a very important engagement well made.