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crystal-in-nagasaki · 2 months

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my last few english boards

For the almost three years I've been living in Japan as an English teacher, I've been making monthly English boards at my junior high school for my students. I shared about most of my boards here and here, but I wanted to share the last few remaining boards that I made as I am leaving Japan soon. I put up my very last board this month for July since the students are on summer vacation for most of August, and it was bittersweet. I've been working on the boards for so long and they've evolved so much since I first started. I'm really proud of the work I put into and them and I hope that my students enjoyed them each month.

Without further ado, these are my last few English boards for the months of May, June, and July 2024:

In May we covered the themes of NASCAR, Easter, and pets, giving historical background and fun facts. I also encouraged students to adopt pets instead of buying them from pet shops, since puppy mills are a big problem in Japan. For the sticker poll, I asked the age-old question of whether students prefer dogs or cats, which got pretty even results. For a matching exercise, students matched dogs with their English breed names, which are mostly the same in Japanese so was fairly easy for them. Lastly, for the free white I used an Easter theme of eggs in a basket to ask students about their favorite candy. I was happy to get many responses, but most of them were in Japanese or just pictures they drew. Regardless, I'm glad that they interacted with it at all.

Next, let's move on to June.

For June, we again covered Pride Month, as well as the themes of Midsummer and Flag Day. Again, the text sections mainly gave historical background and facts. I also decided since I was leaving soon to come out to my students publicly, and posted a picture of myself and my girlfriend on the board.

On the spring/Midsummer theme, the sticker poll asked students to vote for their favorite flower, and each flower also included a small bit of text explaining what each person's favorite flower says about their personality, which I thought was fun. For a matching section, I had students match country names to their flags. On the inside of the flaps I also gave hints about what each of the colors and symbols of the flags represent. Lastly, the free write activity asked students to design their own flags using a color key explaining the meaning of colors in flags. I was really excited about this, but worried the students wouldn't interact with it. I was very surprised to find that many kids made flags and it made me so happy!

Lastly, let's talk about my very last English board I made, for the month of July.

For my last board, we did the themes of rednecks and Southern US culture, Shark Week, and of course, a farewell to me since I'm leaving soon.

I decided to talk about rednecks because apparently there's a "redneck day" in July and I thought it was a unique part of American culture to share. But I got a bit concerned while making it, because I couldn't figure out how to approach the term "redneck" which can be viewed in several ways. Many people make fun of rednecks for being gun-wielding, Fox News-watching bigots, while there's another shade of meaning which discriminates against poor rural white people. I tried to approach it with empathy and education, because I think the root of the problem in the worst of "rednecks" is a lack of resources and education. So I didn't want to make fun of them for being poor or uneducated, but didn't want to gloss over the fact that many of them hold bigoted views. In the end, it's a complicated topic, so I just told the students the literal origin of the word and shared some surface-level culture like Southern food, clothes, and music. I'm in a really interesting place to share American culture with my students, so I want to be able to teach them about many different kinds of things, even if they can be complicated.

Anyway, that was a tangent, but I also covered Shark Week, in which I used the board as a platform to correct misconceptions about the danger, or lack thereof, that sharks pose to humans. I tried to pick the cutest, friendliest shark pictures I could and talked about how shark movies give sharks a bad rap, and they aren't actually the evil killing machines that the media makes them out to be. I also told the kids not to eat shark fin soup, because it's responsible for millions of shark deaths every year and doesn't even hold nutritional value or flavor.

I tied the poll in with rednecks by asking students if they prefer the countryside or city, to which I was surprised that most students answered with the countryside. I thought that many rural kids want to escape rural life, but I guess many of them are content here, which is nice to see. I also created a matching activity in which students can match different kinds of sharks to their names. I thought it wouldn't be so difficult, but many of the kids struggled with the names more than I anticipated.

Lastly, for my goodbye section, I wrote a simple letter in English to the kids telling them that teaching them meant a lot to me and telling them what my plans for the future are. I attached some pictures from my time in Japan to show them that I had many great memories here. Under this, I put a large heart for students to write goodbye messages, and for the message cards I used all of my leftover leaflets from previous boards. I'm not sure if the students understand what I was trying to do, but it meant a lot to me to throw back to all my past boards like that. At the bottom, I made a true or false quiz of facts about me for the students to see how well they got to know me. It was fun to make even if they don't know the answers.

Well, that's it. That's the end of my brand, English Boards by Cris-senseiTM. I had a lot of fun and learned some valuable creative skills from making these boards, and I'm really proud of them. I can't necessarily say I'll miss doing them because they were a lot of work and I was often rushing and sometimes even stayed late, but seeing the finished product up after everything always made me feel proud and happy. I hope that even after I leave this school, the English board will live on and the kids can continue to enjoy it.

Thanks for reading!

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lettersfromleslie · 10 months

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GIVING THANX / TAKING TO THE ROAD / SHIFTIN GEAR TO EVERGREEN

Long time no write! I'm reporting from the great Northwest, from Seattle WA, where Ariel and I have a fresh lease going on a big creaky 100-yr-old house high up on a hill with the Cascades loomin on clear days as well as old Mt Rainier, ol snowy Tahoma, off in the distance peekable from the bus I take into town for my daily yodeling. That's right… Not in New York anymore, for the time being. We're over in the other gutter of the great American pinball machine.

America, America… In the spirit of Thanksgiving -- thanky for being here, by the way -- let's write about America, or what's left of her, that great land my luv and I have been pinballing thru all year. Bout time I put in a personal note on the new shape of me life. It's been over a year since I last wrote - there's no need to fill in all blanks… My finger healed over the winter of '22-'23, which I survived thanx to a goofy gig selling Christmas trees in a freezing hut in Long Island City, and the springtime was a hectic whirl of almost daily park busking and running around.

The summer, though…! We had us a long, crazy summer this year driving a great big loop around the whole of the USA in search of, ya know, the land, the story, what goes on. The reason for it was really just a desire on both our parts for change & motion after over 10yrs stuck in the meat marathon of NYC. With the lifeclock ticking, our housing situation held together with bits of string, and a fairly empty calendar (a rare phenomenon in NYC, the always-something-coming vortex calendar being really a sneaky causer of inertia somehow), we figured the time was right to find out what the rest of the land was like, do the classic American road trip, and maybe post up somewhere new for a while at the end of it. So we gave it all up - left our tallboy Molson with friends, sold & gave away most of our belongings, and gave up our timewarp shithole of an apartment in Bed-Stuy, our old 1890s screaming rustpipe waterheater brick roach cigsmoke bar noise timewarp shithole - quintessential shithole - bye bye to 742 Myrtle Ave!

We dumped what was left of our belongings with Ariel's folks in Tupper Lake NY and from there we hit the road: Pennsylvania, West Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, greatly speeding up by this point for the last rip thru Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and old New York.

Picturesque description I gave ya there, eh? Alright, what can I say… We camped all the way in our wee tent, with occasional motel stops when weather, personal hygiene, or exhuastion demanded, and I tried my damnedest to yodel for as much gas money as possible along the way. I had all my busking kit on me… Picture Ariel dumping me in some downtown and me trying to figure out where I was most likely to encounter that rare beast, the Mainland American on Foot. Oh, I don't know - listen, I'm not gonna give you the Jack Kerouac routine right now, maybe someday - a few months ago I tried writing a big long rambling rant about the whole thing and what I thought of it and what it was all like and I couldn't do it. I think maybe that's because it was a personal sort of trip, really a trip between me and the lil lady and the world that we were trying to say hello to in the moment. And now we're somewhere new and really that's what I want to think about, not the hallucinatory effects of watching the land unscroll thru a windshield for 10.000 miles. There's all this other stuff to talk about!

The land is large - let's leave at that. Nature abounds yet, and room to spread out. We saw the moose, the bunny, the eagle, the whale. The very large tree. The tumbleweed, the roadrunner. The Mystery Hole, the Hole N' the Rock. We hung out with all kinds of different people in diners and parkinglots, redneck Trump bars and lefty bookshops, libertarian coffee wagons, Walmarts and farmers markets and sketchy casino pyramid hotels - etc etc - and found everyone a lot easier to get along with than you'd ever know if you receive your worldview from the internet.

I found that busking is a tricky art in most of the USA. Spots are limited and attitudes are ambivalent. Either it's great or it's terrible. Farmers markets are good. Tourist areas are hit and miss. Special shout to Asheville NC tho for the most receptive and generous crowds I've ever found anywhere. Wild Jul 4th weekend it was.

I'll save the details for my novel or whatever. After a good long rest in Tupper Lake NY at the end of the road - and a brief stint in NYC in September - we put our heads together to plan the next move. It can be a downright diabolical thing to be put in a position where you have no real ties - no apartment in Brooklyn anymore, our stuff pared down to the bare minimum, no fixed work - and are called on to make one choice out of millions. We could go back to New York and find a new apartment, of course, but we both had this idea that it was time to try something new. Weeks of fretting led us to reluctantly admit that the Northwest had an incredible pull. Reluctantly on account of the outrageous distance we'd have to drive yet again to get there , this time with whatever worldly possessions we could fit into our car - our trusty lil Atilla the Hyundai - as well as our poor cat, Molson, who would be subjected to five days of driving and cheap motels smelling of the ghosts of a million dogs. And it'd also put us pretty well out of touch with our circles, our friends, our family, our constellations of Guitar Boys (an all-gender and all-instrument category, by the way). But all can be done…

(By the way: I'll still be yodeling in New York! I left my busking rig with a buddy and I'm making plans to travel back and forth!)

The Northwest won out for its artistic history, the seafaring vibes - ( whales !!! giant octopus !!! ) - the poltics & prosperity, and above all the absolutely outrageous nature surrounding it ( mountains !!! ) - we'd spent a downright spiritual five days camping in the Hoh Rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula during our travels, were amazed again driving thru Twin-Peaks-land on our way back eastwards thru the Cascades passes, misty surly mysterious mountains and o so mossy. We didn't expect to be able to afford anything really in Seattle Seattle but figured we'd wind up somewhere in its orbit - maybe Tacoma, Everett, Olympia, Snohomish, Bainbridge Isle. We gave ourselves ten days to find a spot. We were lucky enough to have a trusting relative on deck to help co-sign, on account of our joblessness & general jankiness.

Ten frantic days zooming around town and back to our teeny AirBnB and by now fairly pissed-off cat. Against all odds, and in the nick of time, a sketchy, photo-less Craigslist ad turned out to be the real thing - a big old creaky wooden house right in the middle of the good part of Seattle at a price we could afford. The only catch was its condition - it'd been left vacant for three years and was in many ways crumblin.

Which I enjoy! Cleaning, painting, ripping up old carpets, fixing fridges, replacing faucets, clearing out brambles & blackberries … bringing a wheezy ol house back to life. Be even better if we actually owned the place, but whatever. Big joys in having tangible work to do. The kind where you do it and you can see that what you've done has improved things. Nothing like fixing a stovetop hood extractor fan to get you feelin like a bigboyman.

With the hectic part now more or less behind us, we've been starting on regular life again, for lack of a better phrase… Working at what we do. Ariel's been oscillating somewhat frantically between pottery and sewing and drawing, and I've been at large in old Seattle yodeling hither and thither and seeing what can be made of the music scene out here. That'll be the story next time… What It's Like. Won't be as long of a wait on that one.

In the meantime … in spite of this country's frequent insanity, inanity, and downright insidiousness, in full knowledge of her appalling past and in the pain and destruction she finances, endorses, and covers for in the present … her sheer toxic dickishness, if we're being honest … I find myself thankful for this bloody pinball wreckingball machine USA, and especially the people in it, who have hearts the size of monster trucks. Americans - for what you have, for what hasn't yet been taken away, give thanks, give thanks! Everyone - well, god help us!! Give thanks anyway!!

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gayenerd · 4 years

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This comes from a 2004 interview Billie did with something called Instinct Magazine, a LGBTQ site/magazine, and it is not archived on their site because of course it isn’t.

IDIOT'S SAVANT

Thank You Billie Joe Armstrong & Co. For Speaking Out - And Letting Us Sing Along (To Your Nine-Minute Punk Rock Songs)

We couldn’t be more excited that, this past year, Green Day scored their first number one album with the widely praised and ambitious American Idiot. It quickly became one of our favorites of the year—especially when this country needed a punk-rock-boot kick to the arse. And we tracked down singer/guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong on the tour for the album, catching up with him in Boston just a day after the Red Sox had won the World Series.

INSTINCT: Hey, Billie. Let’s hope that Boston winning, especially over New York, means that Bush is on his way out. Boston was where the Democratic National Convention was, and New York the RNC.

BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG: [Laughs] Yeah, we’re hoping it turns out that way.

On a scale of one to ten, ten being worst, what kind of shit do you think we’ll be in if Bush gets reelected?

Um, I’m gonna have to go with a solid 9.5. [Laughs] It would be a perfect 10 if we got hit by another terrorist attack—or if Bush croaked and Cheney became President. That’s a scary thought.

There are a few times on the new album where you use the word “fag” or “faggot.” Personally, I think you use those words correctly, where you say things like, “Maybe I’m the faggot America,” and “Kill all the fags that don’t agree.” You’re saying that you’d much rather be a “fag” than someone who is ignorant.

Well you know I’m not a redneck. I got called “faggot” in high school and really that word is thrown at people who are different or out of step with what’s popular. Gay people are not the only ones who get called that. But they’ve used it for empowerment, you know, and I do too.

You’re used to censorship of words or phrases from your songs. Did you get pissed that radio and MTV was bleeping out the word “faggot,” even though you were saying it with punk rock pride?

A little bit. I’m more surprised that they didn’t bleep out “redneck” from [the single, “American Idiot”]. It’s just using harsh language to prove a point and give power to those not in power. Except for a few rap songs, I think it might be the first mainstream rock song to ever use that word. Maybe that’s what scared them.

Okay, have you gotten any flack for it?

No. I think people are smart enough to figure out that I’m using it as an empowering word. Anything derogatory that has been used against me, the way I sort of looked at it was, “Yeah, you can call me whatever want.” It just makes me stronger.

Back in 1995, I saw Pansy Division, the biggest queer punk band at the time, open for you guys in your hometown of Oakland. The big difference being, of course, that instead of the Gilman, you were now playing for, like, 10,000 people after the success of Dookie. Since that was your first record for Warner Bros., did they freak out about you choice of an opening act, especially when they had songs like “Fuck Like Bunnies” and “Ring Of Joy”?

[Laughs] No, nobody said anything. For us, we wanted to bring someone out who truly defines what punk rock is and show some sort of diversity. It would have been to obvious to go out with a band like Pennywise. And considering where we came from, we felt like we owed it to the scene and to our original fans. We ended up getting letters from kids saying that Pansy Division opening for us changed their lives.

If you were a gay guy for a week, what would you do differently?

Hmm, I’d probably get laid a lot more, right?

That’s a stereotype and I’m totally offended! Actually, it’s true. But don’t tell anyone.

Yeah, I can only imagine that getting two guys together makes it a little easier. [Laughs]

Speaking of stereotypes, what would you consider your “gayest” traits?

Probably shopping. But in a punk rock, metrosexual kind of way. [Laughs]

What do you consider your least punk rock characteristic?

Shopping. [Laughs] Probably bathing.

What? Your hair looks like it hasn’t been washed in a month.

[Laughs] I know—let me think again. [Pauses] I own a house, and mortgages are not very punk rock. [Laughs] Owning anything is pretty much not punk rock. [Laughs again]

What questions from journalists have been annoying you the most lately?

Probably the ones where they ask me to explain the album, what American Idiot is about. It’s so long-winded, you know, and I’m, like, Just figure it out for yourself and write about it.

Did you guys know, when you were making the record, that it was going to be this successful and have this kind of impact?

We knew we were making something special to us. We’d never had a number-one record, so we didn’t really even entertain that idea. I don’t think that there has ever been a punk rock band that has gone to number one.

The term “punk rock” has obviously morphed. What does it mean to you when you use that phrase?

What I learned from punk rock is to be an individual and to do things your own way. And if you have rules, realize that rules are meant to be broken. You should still grow as a person and I think you do that best when you don’t limit yourself.

Speaking of individuality, how would you describe your dancing style?

[Laughs] My dancing style? Um, I guess Prince meets Pee-Wee Herman.

I can see that, although I thought that was more of your dress style. So you like to slither on the floor?

I do a little bit of slithering, yes, but with platform shoes on. [Laughs]

Okay, what would you really do different if you were a homo for a week?

[Pauses] I’d probably have more female friends. There’s sort of this boundary that comes across with platonic friendships with women.

So is it because of you or them that you don’t have more females as friends? What, do you just keep looking at their breasts?

[Laughs loudly] No, it gets scary out there. It’s more of a trust issue.

What do you think that straight guys need to do to strengthen their relationships with gay men? And you know you need to do this in order to have more relationships with women.

You know, with my gay friends, it was all about just hanging out and getting used to each other’s company. But the burden is definitely more on the straight guy: stop feeling so damn threatened.

#this is an awkward interview bc they treat him like a straight guy who has like never seen a queer person before?#but he also seems to go along with it #shruggie emoji #maybe this will get ppl to shut up about the f-slur #probably not tho #honestly ever since i first read this i've been haunted by #'i'd probably get laid a lot more'#interview #article #articles #billie joe armstrong

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thewalkingfanfictions · 4 years

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A Second Masterlist Cause the First One Was Rushed and I Don’t Like the Way It Looks

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

x Male!reader = Reader uses he/him pronouns ~ x Fem!reader = Reader uses she/her pronouns ~ x Reader = Reader uses they/them pronouns

anything with ** after the title is a potential trigger warning, which will be described more thoroughly in the A/N of the fic itself.

You can find the original masterlist here, though I won’t be updating it like I will be with this one: Masterlist

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Supernatural:

Sam Winchester~

Teddy Bears and Memories -- (Sam Winchester x Male!reader)**

---(Name) and his little sister are partnering with the Winchester brothers on a case. Everything's fine and dandy, they've already killed the creature and are hanging out at the motel for the night, when Maddie ((names) little sister) decides to pull a prank on her brother, resulting in aggressive flashbacks, intense PTSD, and a moose ready to comfort a crying friend. {4382 ish words}

I’m Not Gay -- (Sam Winchester x Male!reader) // Part One // Part Two ** //

---Forced out of his motel room by his sister when she and a stranger burst through the door playing tonsil hockey, (Name) decides to go for walk, where he runs into Sam; tall, handsome, smart, and no, (Name) definitely doesn’t like guys, I don’t know what you’re talking about. {5994 ish words}

Dean Winchester~

Revolving Doors -- (Dean Winchester x Child!reader)

---At sixteen, (name) has finally found the father she had heard so much about, but never met. Finding him in a bar somewhere, (name) decides to confront him. The big question is, though: Will Dean even want her? {2369 ish words}

The Walking Dead:

Daryl Dixon~

Softly, Barely a Whisper -- (Pre Apocalypse Daryl Dixon x Fem!reader) // Part One // Part Two // Part Three // **

---(name) moved in with her uncle, the Sheriff of a little town in Northern Georgia, to escape an abusive household. While living with her uncle, she meets Daryl, a redneck with a heart of gold and a life very similar to hers. Fluff and angst and awkward shy Daryl Dixon ensue. {3242 ish words}

Home -- (Pre Apocalypse Daryl Dixon x Reader) **

---Daryl shows up on the readers doorstep, bloody, hurt, and a wee bit drunk. The reader takes care of him and some cute shit happens {3019 ish words}

Crossbow-Wielding Men and Fireside Feasts -- (Daryl Dixon x Reader)

---Wandering alone through the Blue Ridge Mountains, Daryl Finds the reader fighting a tree to try and keep their fire alive, and has to decide if it's safe to help them, or if they could pose a threat. {1085 ish words}

Criminal Minds:

Dr. Spencer Reid~

Decimal 70.4: The Fawn -- (Dr. Spencer Reid x genderqueer!OC)

---Spencer just wanted to grab a few books from his local library on the way home, instead he found a fawn sitting in his favorite spot, reading his favorite books. {2013 ish words}

Impromptu Cuddles -- (Dr. Spencer Reid x Reader) // Part One // Part Two // Part Three // **

---During a case, Spencer and the reader are forced to share a room with only one bed. Cute fluffy shit happens. {6590 ish words}

Marvel:

Steve Rogers (Captain America)~

Relax -- (Steve Rogers x Reader)

---Steve comes back from a bad mission, and the reader (with powers similar to Jasper from Twilight) has to help him relax. {1942 ish words}

TMNT:

Raphael Hamato~

Anger-Fueled Sympathy -- (Raph x Fem!reader) **

---Raph is out blowing off steam on a usual big-city night, when he comes across something very not-so-nice between a father and a daughter. {2185 ish words}

Harry Potter:

Drarry~

Scarrs and Kisses and Lemon-Scented Skin -- (Draco Malfoy x Harry Potter) **

--- Draco finds Harry hiding in the quidditch locker room and finally decides to act on the feelings he’s been hiding since the two first met. Light lime ensues. {2492 ish words.}

#Supernatural #Sam Winchester #The Walking Dead #Daryl Dixon #Criminal Minds #Dr. Spencer Reid #Marve #steve rogers #Captain America #Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #TMNT #Raphael Hamato #Harry Potter #Drarry #Masterlist

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sunflowerstache · 6 years

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Not So Bad In L.A

A/N: Hi again guys! I’m so sorry it took so long to update, I was having so many technical problems posting, but I finally made it work! I really hope you enjoy this chapter, it was super fun to write! I love hearing from y'all about what you think of the storyline so far or any questions, comments, suggestions you may have so please let me know! I absolutely adore hearing from you guys! Again, thank you so much for the support, I love you all immensely!

Chapter 2: Take The Time To Waste A Moment January 28, 2017

Word Count: 4.8k

Masterlist Fic Masterlist

Previous Chapter Next Chapter

You knew you really had nothing to be complaining about, because in retrospect, you understood your career is relatively laid back compared to many others. But does that stop you from hanging your head and groaning every five minutes? Absolutely not. You and the girls had been in Los Angeles for about a month now, and you all really couldn’t be happier. Bri and Sav were spending every day at their internships at The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM for short) in hopes of being recruited once their six months was finished. Bella, as per Nick’s prediction, had found herself spending many nights with the lucky guys she had deemed worthy of her time. And you? Sure, you’ve gone out and seen some of the beautiful city you moved to, but you had just gotten a new job and were doing everything in your power to make a name for yourself.

“Y/N come on! You’ve been cooped up in your room forever.” Bri walked into your room and flopped down on your bed, “We’ve been in L.A for like a month and you’ve barely left the apartment.”

“IfeellikeImadeamistake.” You mumbled, throwing your head in your hands and she asked, “Huh?”

“I feel like I made a mistake.” Spinning around in your desk chair to face her, you tossed the pile of magazines, that currently lived on your desk, in the trash can, “I thought coming here would help me, ya know, like get into the headspace I need. But I’m just so stuck and I have to submit this by Tuesday. And I can’t be late with it ‘cause it’s my first article and I just got hired and I don’t want them to thin-“

“Hey! Slow down Usain, you’re gonna get hysterical in a minute and you know I can’t handle that.” She smiled, moving to sit up on the bed, “Take a deep breath please.”

Doing as she said, you felt your heart rate slowly being to go down and you rubbed your hands on your jeans. “There ya go. Alright, listen up sister. You’re fucking talented as shit, you got that?” Bri stared at you and waited until you nodded softly, “They wouldn’t have hired you if they didn’t love your work and think you were talented.”

“Yeah but I wasn’t under as much pressure for any of the work in my portfolio. What if I’m just not good anymore? What if I just can’t write when there’s actual things at stake… like paying bills or like buying food!” It had been quite a while since you had had a breakdown over work. While living at home, you didn’t have to worry as much about how well your writing did when you submitted to local magazines. It was something you did more as a hobby during high school, and then during college you started getting paid for it. But now, everything was riding on it. Yes, you had gotten hired by a great company who obviously thought you would succeed, but this is a whole new ball game for you.

“I mean I’m not gonna tell you that you’re wrong, ‘cause it is gonna be a lot different than when you were writing in high school and college. And yeah, the stakes are a bit higher, but Y/N, come on. You know you’re good. You wouldn’t be where you are if you weren’t. You’re such a talented writer and you’re an insane videographer. I mean you have fan accounts for fucks sake.” She laughed, getting up from the bed and walking over to kiss the top of your head

“Thanks B. Always know you can set my head back on right.”

“You know it girlfriend. Also, you better have a great time tonight, it’s the first time you’re actually going out since being here.”

Bri’s comment made your eyes widen, like they were going to pop out of your head, when you realized what day it was, “Shit Bri, I gotta go pick up Nick!” Shooting up from your chair, you ran across your room to throw on your yellow vans and denim jacket to pair with your black leggings and white t shirt. Nick was flying in today and you knew if you were even seconds late, you would never hear the end of it. Mental breakdown forgotten, it was finally time to see your favorite British lad.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Look, I’m still not gonna tell you where we’re going tonight.” You had made it in time to pick up Nick, granted he was an hour late which lead to a conversation about timeliness - even though you were aware he had no control over his flight - and now here you were. Sitting on your couch, surrounded by all four of your best friends.

“Yeah, but we at least have to make sure she looks cute. You never know who you’ll run into.” Bella wagged her eyebrows as she lifter her glass of roséup to her lips

“What’s that supposed to mean? Do you know where we’re going?!” a small gasp slide past your lips as you realized your friends all knew what was happening tonight.

“Well I mean, I had’ta get someone’s opinion.” Nick shrugged, “I just should have assumed that tweedle dee was going to tell tweedle dumb and dumber.”

“Ya know, I just really find it unfair that I’m the one attending whatever the hell is happening tonight and literally everyone but me knows what it is.” You stood up from the couch and pointed in the direction of your bedroom, “But let’s go. Show me what to wear my all-knowing friends.” The five of you made your way out of the living room and towards your bedroom. Your place was quaint. The brightness of it had been what drew the four of you in in the first place. The walls throughout were various shades of white and windows littered the walls, providing much needed natural light. You had the cutest fireplace in your living room, accompanied by your grey couch, gold coffee table, and tons of green plants.

“I’m thinking something super simple but still hot.” Bella walked straight over to your closet and began digging through your items.

“You’ll be on your feet all night, so get cozy.” Nick grinned, leaning back in your desk chair and flipping through one of your magazines, “You in this one?”

“No.” you mumbled, walking to your vanity to grab some hair clips for Sav so she could start your hair. the same time Bri yelled, still picking out your outfit, “She had a breakdown before she picked you up earlier. Doesn’t think she’s good enough to write anymore!”

“Gee thanks B, why don’t you just post about it, so everyone knows.” Dropping down to the floor, you sat criss cross in front of Sav – who was waiting on your bed, so she could start her process

“What d’ya mean you ain’t good enough? You have a degree in this shit Y/N of course you’re good.” Frowning, Nick woke up your computer and began reading the unfinished piece on your desktop, “This is bloody fantastic. They’d be stupid not to love it.”

“I don’t know. Just second guessing myself I guess.” You shrugged

“THIS!” Bella shrieked, running out of the closet holding a black, off the shoulder, long sleeve shirt and black booties, “This is what you’re wearing. With jeans. Super simple but still sexy. Nick what are you doing?”

“None of your business.”

“You know, you’re staying in my home. Maybe I’ll just take all your shit out of the guest room and put it on that couch down on the corner. I’m sure that man would love to have a cuddle buddy tonight.” Sav was easily the wittiest out of the four of us, always coming back with jabs quicker than any of us could think. This is how you imagined your life in Los Angeles. Surrounded by the best people you knew and getting ready to have an amazing night. You just wish you weren’t being kept in the dark. Bella and Bri laid down on your pink duvet, behind Sav, while Nick continued to read some more of your unfinished work on the computer.

“Yeah. Jeans and that shirt are good. Simple is good tonight.” He said, shutting your computer off and standing up from your desk, “Add a cute bag or summat. I’m getting dressed”. The girls helped you finish getting ready, adding “that belt you got from that store in Georgia! Remember that place with the old redneck guy and the weird painting of redneck Elvis!” as per Sav’s request. You let to meet Nick out in your living room and just like your expected, he looked like his usual self. Ripped black skinny jeans, his black and tan striped sweater, and a pair of brown Chelsea boots. “Looking dashing as ever darling.” He peered up from his phone as he heard your heels clicking into the room.

“Don’t butter me up Nicholas. I better have a fan-fucking-tastic time tonight or I’ll take Sav up on her offer.” You threatened, everyone in the room hearing the joking tone behind your empty threat, “Let’s go.”

“No need for the hostility. Just texting my mates to see if we can head over.” The girls, who had perched themselves back on the couch, snickered hearing Nick speak about the friends you would be meeting up with, “Alright, all set. Just gotta take a wee!” He quickly ran back down the hall as Bella grinned, “Have fun tonight.”

“Oh shut up will ya. Shouldn’t you be at what’s his face’s house by now?”

“Ready?” Nick strolled out, placing his hand on your back to lead you towards the door. “Let’s blow this popsicle bar.”

“Stand Nick. It’s popsicle stand.” You chuckled, stepping through the front door and starting your first night out in Los Angeles.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Really? This is our exciting night out?” you proclaimed as Nick nodded, “My first real night out since moving to L.A and your big surprise is to take me to the Forum?”

“Hey! If it wasn’t for me, you’d still be sitting at your desk, probably pulling your hair out and talking shit about yourself. So, you should really be thanking me.” The two of you had gotten dropped off at the side entrance of the building, and were now making your way into the venue, maneuvering up staircases and through the crowds. You always loved going out with Nick and looking to see if anyone recognized him. It happened more often when you were in London, but every once and while, he would get spotted instantly in the U.S. Today, however, you didn’t really see anyone noticing him.

“Wait, who are we even seeing?” you questioned but all he did was shake his head, “You’ll see. Come on, gotta find our seats. Making your way up yet another set of stairs, the sound of your heels clicking being drowned out by the opening act, who was finishing their set. “Wow Nicholas, getting a private box for the show, how very posh of you.” You laughed as you both walked up to the man checking tickets.

“Hush with the 20 questions, would you? Just be a normal person and be grateful I brought you here in the first place.”

“I would be grateful if I knew who we were seeing.” You replied, begrudgingly, as the two of you walked down the small hallway where it finally opened up into the small, private seating area. There was a small group of people standing down by the railing, while some were off to either side, pouring drinks and enjoying the end of the opening act.

“You must be daft. We walked by at least five posters. Go down and enjoy, I gotta say hi to some people and grab us drinks.” Nick responded as he slowly left you standing in the middle of the entryway

“Nick!” you whisper shouted, “I have no idea who any of these people are. You can’t just leave me here!” Due to the loud instrumental of the opening act walking off stage, he didn’t hear your complaining and continued to walk away from you. Sighing, you decided to make your way down the small set of steps and join the small group against the railing. Looking at them, you felt your breath freeze in your lungs as you recognized one of the females to be Kendall Jenner. Like THE Kendall Jenner that you were just watching on TV earlier that day. This was already an interesting night. They glanced your way and gave a small smile when they didn’t recognize you, before turning back to face the stage and continue their conversation. You had to give it to Nick, you were happy to be out of your apartment and finally doing something fun. It wasn’t that you didn’t want to experience Los Angeles, you did! You just wanted to perfect your job before getting to wild and screwing anything up. You turned your head quickly when hearing Nick’s very loud laugh coming from behind you.

“Stupid Nick.” You mumbled, quietly to yourself, “’Let’s go out’ he says. ‘You’re gonna have a great time’ he says. Sure, just leave me here to fend for myself why don’t ya dickhead.”

“I hear talkin’ to yourself means you’re actually a genius.” A voice spoke up from behind you, sounding eerily familiar, yet completely unknown. Turning around, you opened your mouth to lay into whoever had snuck up on you, but it was like your body shut down. Your eyes widen quickly, before you regained composure, and turned back around to face the stage.

“I guess just call me Albert Einstein then.” The man laughed at that and you looked down at your hands resting on the railing, now picking the skin on your pointer finger.

“Well, very nice to meet you Mr. Einstein. Very fond of your work.” He replied, moving to stand right up against the rail next to you

“Oh yeah. E=MC2was a real dozy.” You laughed

It was quiet for a minute, well, as quiet as it could get with thousands of talking fans and music playing throughout the venue. You were still trying to wrap your head around who was standing next to you. Who you were speaking with, and quite frankly, how you were able to form coherent sentences. “’M Harry.”

“I know.” You had a small smile on your face as you gently looked up at him, and when you did he was nodding, like he already assumed you knew him, “Y/N.” He looked down at you after that and when your eyes met, you felt your nerves come pouring out. “I – I mean, I’m-. Y/N’s my name. Not yours. Cleary it’s not yours, you just told me yours. And obviously you know that’s not you – your name. I’m Y/N.” you could feel your cheeks getting warm, as they turned a light hue of pink, at your embarrassing rambles.

“Figured that’s what you meant.” He smiled, “So, you’re friends with Nick.”

“Unfortunately.” You chuckled, but instantly regretted your comment as your remembered Nick and Harry were best friends, “He’s great… when he doesn’t take me out for the night and then ditch me.”

“One time, he took me to dinner with some people from BBC and then proceeded to leave without me, forgetting he brought me with him.” Harry recalled, turning fully so that the two of you now faced each other

“I’ll do ya one better. Like a year ago, he begged me for weeks to come out and visit him. So, finally I agree and tell him when my flight lands. Get into Heathrow and call him to come pick me up, only to find out he went to New York with Rita. So, I ended up spending a week in London by myself.” Talking with Harry was surprisingly easier than your initial thought. The nerves had dissipated and now, for some reason, it was like you were talking with someone who you’ve known for years. Maybe it was the bashing of Nick that made you feel more comfortable, or maybe it was because you had wanted this moment to happen for so long. Either way, you were living your fantasy.

“My two favorite people! What’s going on?” Nick grinned, walking away from the bar and towards you and Harry.

“Just discussing all the times you’ve been flaky.” Throwing his arm around Nick’s shoulder, Harry went in for a hug, “Good t’ see you mate. Been a while.” The two of them stood and spoke for a minute, so you decided to walk over and grab a quick drink. After all, you would be spending the night at an event with one of your long-time celebrity crushes. A rum and coke, or two, would definitely be in your cards tonight. All of a sudden, the lights dimmed, and loud cheers were head echoing through the venue, so you quickly finished pouring your drink and made your way back over to Nick, and subsequently, Harry.

“Okay, you gonna tell me now who’s playing?” you asked returning to your place beside Harry, who whipped his head around to Nick so fast you swore he would have whiplash.

“You didn’t even tell her who was playing tonight? Some friend you are.”

“Oi! I was trying to get her out of her house and help her make some friends. She just moved here for fucks sake!” you could see the smile lines start to creep up in the corner or Nicks eyes, indicating that he knew the two of you were just yanking his chain. Harry turned back to talk to you when the sound of drums filled the air, and chills instantly covered your body.

“KINGS OF LEON?! Nick you’re joking!” you screamed leaning over the railing, and around Harry, to look at Nick

“Told you you’d enjoy yourself.” He laughed, taking a sip of his drink and shrugging.

Kings of Lean had been one of your favorite bands for years and always being your go to drunk karaoke band. You had told Nick one night, during your last visit to London, how much you would die to see them live and how much they meant to you. Not only did he come through and hook you up, but he also brought you to a show accompanied by none other than THE Harry Styles - someone he also knew you adored. The talking was kept to a minimum during the first half of the set, everyone thoroughly enjoying the atmosphere. But none the less, you got to have some great conversations with Harry. He was surprisingly laid back for someone of his notoriety. It was interesting to watch Harry be a part of the crowd instead of on stage. During his time in One Direction, he had been notorious for being quite wild on stage, so seeing him on the opposite side was a sight to see. He swayed to the beats, threw his hands in the air every so often, played the air guitar occasionally, and sang his little heart out. Not to mention stole a few quick glances at you when he thought you weren’t looking. You were. Obviously, you had all lost your shit during “Eyes on You” and “Sex on Fire” – those being some of hypest songs during the first half of the show. The music slowly began to shift from loud and in your face, to quiet and soothing. The band opting for taking a small break from rocking out and providing some acoustic songs.

“So, you just moved here. Where from? If you don’t mind me asking.” Harry asked, noticing your lack of interest in the current song

“Charleston, South Carolina.” You nodded, always loving talking about your home

“Ahh, I love it down there. So beautiful and everyone’s always so kind.”

“Who’ve you been talking to? Definitely only nice to you ‘cause you’re Harry Styles.” You laughed, but then your insecurity came lurching back up and felt horrible for saying that, “Not that there’s anything wrong with you being Harry Styles. ‘Cause there’s not. Ya know, any - anything wrong with that.”

“Cute when yeh ramble.” It sounded so natural coming from his lips, but you could swear your heart rate increased tenfold. Harry Styles just said you were cute. You. “So, why make the move to L.A?”

“Work mostly. My friends also kind of had a hand in the decision, but we’re all just trying to make it in our fields I guess. Just like everyone else.”

“And what field is that?” he scrunched up his nose, “Sorry, ‘M being nosey aren’t I?”

“No, no it’s okay. I adore my job, so I love talking about it. I’m a travel writer for “Travel and Leisure Magazine”. I get to work from home, or wherever I am at the time, and just write about the culture or food or experiences there. And I just submit the work to my boss. Basically, I write to inform the readers about potential vacation spots or locations to move to.” You beamed, loving getting the chance to talk about the one thing that made you the happiest

“That’s amazing. I’ve always loved traveling, one of the greatest parts of my job really. And getting paid to travel and write about it must be thrilling.” He looked so in awe of you and your job that it made your heart tingle.

“It really is. My whole life I was stuck in South Carolina. Grew up there. Went to college there. And I just knew there was so much of the world I wanted to see. So, I declared my major, got a job at a small magazine and was able to start traveling for money. That’s when I met Nick.”

“Good for you. Seriously, that’s fantastic. How’s L.A helping you with all that?”

“It’s good! I’ve been in a bit of a funk lately, just worried I made a mistake coming all the way out here and that – surprise, I’m actually a horrible writer.”

He placed his hand on the small of your back and leaned in closer to speak to you as the music got a bit louder, “I’m sure you’re fantastic. Wouldn’t have made it out here if you weren’t eh?”

“Thanks.” You blushed, “I don’t really think I would have decided to make the move our here if it wasn’t for my friends. Two of them are trying to break out into the fashion world, so they convinced the rest of us to move with them.” “Show me some of their stuff sometime, I’d love to take a look.” You always knew he was the most into fashion out of his band, but you never in a million years thought you would be talking to him about it.

“Sometime huh? Think we’ll be seeing each other again?” you joked, turning back to watch the rest of the show, as the acoustic set had just finished, and the music was picking back up with the song “Find Me”.

“I hope so.” Your cheeks were in a constant state of warmth the rest of the show. Nick had brought the three of you more drinks, enough to the point where you were feeling pretty loose by the last two songs of the night. You were having the time of your life – watching one of your favorite bands, with one of your best friends, and a man you had only hoped of meeting in your dreams. The notes of “Waste a Moment” began to play and you stopped your jumping around to hold onto the railing tightly with one hand, the other placed over your heart. You could feel your blood pumping through your veins and nothing else existed other than the stage and the four men standing on it.

“You alright?” you heard from your left, but you couldn’t form any words

“Song just means a lot to her. It’s her brother’s favorite.” You heard Nick yell over the sound of Caleb Followill’s voice. All too soon, the guitar and drums faded and the band was screaming their “THANK YOU”s to the crowd, while the lights began to get brighter.

“Y/N.” Nick sounded from right behind you, a hand on your elbow, requesting you turn around to face him, “Come on, let’s go.”

“Yeah. Yeah. Sorry,” you breathed out a laugh, “Just really love them.” Looking to say your goodbye’s to Harry before walking out, you saw him putting on his red coat while saying his own goodbye’s to some friends – Kendall included

“Nice to see you again Ken. I’ll see you soon.” You could hear very quietly fall from his lips, before turning back to face you and Nick, “Mind if I walk out with you?” Stunned that he wanted to spend more time with you tonight, you shook your head and held your hand out towards the stairway. This time, on your way down the stairs, you felt all the eyes on your group. Obviously because of who was walking with you, and you knew you’d be seeing his, and possibly your, figure all over the internet tomorrow, leaving the venue.

“You ever get used to all the staring?” it was something you had always wondered

“It’s always a bit weird to have hundreds of people just staring at you. So, I wouldn’t say it gets any less weird, just get more used to it.” He looked a bit sad by the statement, and you couldn’t blame him. Years of being in the spotlight has to be difficult. “Hey, before we go our separate ways, I just wanted to ask you. Uhm-“ he stopped, hearing a fan scream his name from across the parking lot, “My birthday’s next week. And ‘m having a bit of a gathering at a restaurant with some mates. I know Nick’s coming. Why don’t you tag along with him?”

You stopped in the middle of the walkway, forcing Nick, who was holding your hand to make sure you didn’t get lost, stop in his tracks as well. “What’d ya say to her Styles. Swear, I’m never gonna be able to bring any friends around you anymore.” Nick groaned

“Just invited her to my party next week. Piss off.” He glanced down to you, “Of course if you’re not free, don’t worry about it. I know it’s last minute.”

“She’s coming.”

“She’s right here and can speak for herself, thank you Nicholas.” Rolling your eyes, you looked at Harry, “Yeah. Sure. I’d love to come.”

Nodding to himself, he looked very pleased, “Great. I’ll be sure to brush up on my theory of relativity for you Mr. Einstein.” He smiled and then pointed with his thumb behind him, “Well, I gotta go, so I’ll talk to you both later, yeah? It was a pleasure to meet you Y/N.”

“Yeah, you-you too Harry.” Watching Harry get into his car, Nick’s grip on your hand tightened and he spun you around, “What the bloody hell just happened?!”

“I don’t – I don’t even know bro.” you giggled, not even sure yourself what happened tonight

“Did I just unknowingly play match maker?!”

“No Nick! I was a blubbering, stuttering idiot. You did nothing. Except leave me. I’m still pissed by the way. Who does that?”

“I would say sorry, but it looked like you had a great time tonight, what with your pink cheeks and all.” He chuckled, “Let’s go, before your moms have an aneurism because I kept you out past curfew. I really want them to like me, maybe they’ll let me take you out for a second date.”

“Oh, shut up you idiot.” You laughed, pushing him away from you and off the curb into the parking lot cement. Kings of Leon had a special place in your heart. In your entire family’s heart. And now, they held even more of your love. For they had given you a night you had only ever dreamed about. If this was what living in Los Angeles was going to be, then it really wasn’t so bad in L.A.

TagList: @staceystoleyourheart @faith8993 @theasstour @emotionally-imbruised @isitjamiemoriarty @swayingnoodlelove @hes-a-rainbow @harrygivenchy @customhucci @artdecobae @bridge-to-terabethia @pinkflowerharry @carolinaghosts and also tagging @meetyourmouths @meet-me-in-the-kitchen & @pendantstyles because they’re three of the absolute sweetest most genuine humans I know and also three writers i look up to/admire with my whole entire being and heart and hope to do them justice one day

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septiplier-writer · 7 years

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#LifeatKohls

Customer Quote of The Day!

A little bit of a back story, where I live it’s kinda redneck, people are racist where I live and there’s not a day goes by that I don’t run into a racist man or female. So it’s about 1:30 pm around 30 minutes until I get off, finally, it was a long shift even if it was only 5 hours it felt longer, so this elderly gentleman, around maybe 70, MAYBE early 80s comes up, hands me 3 pairs of shorts, proceeds to argue about the price yada yada yada he finally pays. THEN, he asks this..

Customer: How do you pronounce your name? Twilla (Long ‘L’ sounds like twill but with a ‘a’ at the end) or Twila (the way it’s pronounced Twy-la)?

Me: Twila, sir.

Customer: Ha! That’s a black name!

Me: *swallows the lump in my throat trying my damnedest not to blow up* You saved a total of 40 dollars and 68 cents today, sir. There is a survey on the bottom and I hope you have a wonderful day!

He leaves and I have been stewing on this since, It’s now almost 4 pm my time and I just can’t seem to kick it. I’m used to people, customers and co-workers alike to mispronounce my name but I’ve never, EVER had a grown man, look me in the eyes and say that to me.

Long story short, when I was younger I had my 9 years old pre teen crush during wreak league football/cheer teams, the quarterback was going to be made to walk me at THE homecoming game, that was before my mom found out he told the whole team including the pee-wee, JV and varsity teams that he wasn’t going to be walking with no n*gger. My mom was pissed and I got to walk with the sweetest colored boy who I actually almost dated before his dad got transferred to another base in Texas.

After that, my name has been a touchy subject. I usually don’t mind stuff like this, it hurt, it still does hurt, I just don’t know why..

#retail #kohls #customer quote of the day #twila rants

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mustinvestigate · 8 years

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stream of consciousness headcanon…ish…thing…

...which owes entire countries’ national debts to @niceteeth-nastysmile‘s health & food canon post and @adistraughtthought‘s on MacCready’s teeth and why Lucy was just beyond brilliant.

And this is all fic-related ponderings of general standards of personal upkeep in post-apocalyptia and their divergence from vault or pre-war sensibilities and how exactly romance could surmount this, which doesn’t really earn “above the fold” status, so…

So it’s generally held in fandom lore that folk are too busy surviving to truck much with hygiene, a thought which derails the sexiness of many T+ fics before they start. Like, “We’ve been trekking across the desert nurturing a deadly two-person epidemic of UST and, oops, convenient cave-in, we’re trapped together…carrying several days’ worth of sweat and battle muck in non-breathable armor we seemingly never change, without water to drink or freshen up with, and, y’know, let’s just sit in opposite cave chambers and breathe through our mouths until rescue comes, ok?”

And a vault dweller or pre-war person would live in suspended state of horror at the miasma of human funk and yellowed snaggleteeth when they have any at all, unable to hold a civil conversation no matter how high their charisma stat. As for romancing, well…nope. Nope nope nope.

Except, in settlements at least, with more pooled resources and storage space and security to allow people to spend time on less essential tasks like making tallow soap and extra under-clothing to change regularly and water to wash clothing and bodies, they’d totally raise standards to at least those of a modern week-long camping trip, right? Being clean and in fresh clothing is one of those small achievable luxuries, on the level of toys and games or cards for communal entertainment, that makes a huuuuge difference in feeling like you’re living, not just surviving. And with teeth, well, humans have been cleaning their teeth (albeit sometimes in ways that could not have been kind to gums or enamel) since we’ve been human. Morning breath and stuck-in food bits have apparently always been pretty high on the short list of activities worth spending limited energy on fixing.

Also often found in human settlements? Doctors, or at least some form of medical-type professionals to push for improved sanitation and enough cleanliness to minimise the spread of disease, not to mention heal injuries or perform simple dentistry or help prevent/treat substance abuse and all sorts of other ailments that lead to one being unable to maintain a comfortable-ish body.

(Aside for ghouls: although they’re described in-game as smelling like rotting flesh, I call bullshit. The smell of rot comes from decay, and by definition, things which are decaying are in the process of existing increasingly…uh…less so. [I don’t know, I can’t word good today, ok? Ahem.] And since ghouls are canonically unplagued by senescence [see? Fancy words!], there’s no decay beyond a certain level of damage that would produce that particular offensive smell. And further still since the skin damage would probably render most of their sweat glands gone or non-functional anyway, they’d possibly even lack the traditional human eau du ew at the end of a hard day’s farming. Y’all just decided they smell bad because you don’t like how they look – real nice, post-apocalyptic humans. Real. Nice.)

People living outside of settlements, though…they might be a different story. Like, raiders? Forget it. You’d smell ‘em coming a mile away, where they may be gasping their last due to catastrophic bacterial infection from what started as a wee molar cavity. They’re not expending energy on small personal-upkeep luxuries, or value stealing them from those who do.

Non-sociopathic nomadic types, like traders or mercenaries or people who don’t have useful skills or can’t afford to buy into a settlement (however it works when there’s no pre-war savior throwing away land for free), where carrying space is very limited and they likely don’t have much time or energy for non-essential luxuries…yeah, they might be closer to what we picture as a standard post-apocalyptic citizen. Like…in today’s terms…your stereotypical European gap-year backpacker. You’d certainly bathe and wash clothes when the opportunity and supplies came to hand, but wouldn’t go out of your way unless your red and orange Maslows were all in the black, and if your yellow, green, and blue were already in the pink, why bother?

(Is that a coherent joke? Probably not. Requires googling. But we strike on!)

Hence, in a slightly roundabout way, we come to MacCready’s teeth, and, further, the impact therein on writing a romance with a pre-war character. Or, really, any of the romanceable companion options, but fanon, and Bethesda going out of their way to make him the only one with bad teeth, seem to hold that MacCready’s a special case. He grew up LARPing Lord of The Flies, defiantly proud that there were no adults to make them clean anything they didn’t want to, and he married a girl (brilliant doctor or not) who was part of the same culture and tolerant of near-toxic personal hygiene or at the very least, since they seemed to be on the road when she tragically died, was biding her time until they settled down to enforce better standards.

(And, seriously, Bethesda, just admit it’s the same character as the Lucy he was best buddies with instead of someone who just happened to have the same name…except that does mean that sweet girl died terribly…and now I no longer know what I want to believe. Huh.)

And a pre-war professional lady, one who’d’ve had to maintain a polished image as a non-negotiable element of her career, she’d get past this…how?

Actually…even writing this out, it still doesn’t seem insurmountable. For years, I shared a very small office with a large, manly fellow who didn’t wear deodorant, worked out before work, and ate a lot of fish-heavy lunches. It’s amazing how quickly the human nose shrugs and moves the goal-posts, particularly for lovely people you get on with, or when everyone around you’s more or less at the same level of smell, or when you’re also working out and coming in kinda sweaty and, you know, we’re all human here, right, why are we so dang picky?

And my version of Nora, for all she prefers pretty dresses and parties, isn’t averse to dirty fingernails. She was in the military, had all her hair shaved off and slogged through muddy obstacle courses and dug latrines and everything; she went hunting with her father and helped out in his plumbing shop, getting elbow-deep in animal viscera and worse. A filthy soldier-type would definitely be on her experience spectrum with probably no more judgement than welp, try to stay upwind when possible, even that forgotten after she’s been in the same outfit herself for a couple of weeks.

But the teeth, man, there’s something moreish about bad teeth, right? There’s not just the aesthetics of non-white, non-straight teeth (trust me…having moved to a country [unfairly] famous for poor-quality dentistry, I can report that uniformly white, straight chompers quickly become the weird-looking alternative) but the visceral reaction to class comma lack of, to an indicator not just of “poor” but “poor and not trying to do better.”

Like, I grew up what’s politely called white working class (in a family that mostly passes leisure time with drinking, Fox News, and stockpiling weapons of dubious origins, so, y’know, shruggy-emoticon), and you bet all of us cousins had braces. We were going to get good grades and have office jobs. Our parents were real touchy about terms like “redneck” or “okie” and wouldn’t admit to liking country music. There was something different about the kids who lived in the same area but didn’t get braces. We weren’t encouraged to make friends of them, and as for dating…well…the bad teeth on a significant other brought home would carefully, one could say pointedly, not be mentioned, but every other possible flaw would be.

In college, I dated a mysterious guy I met on Match.com, who wasn’t white and who had the worst teeth I’d ever seen in real life. They were somewhere between ferengi and pirate and I’m sad to say they were the first thing anyone would notice about him. We ended up dating for two bloody years, even talked about marriage, and the funny thing? I never found out what the deal was with those awful, awful teeth.

At first, I didn’t bring it up because, well…how bad did his childhood have to be, that no one made him brush, no one took out a loan to get him in braces? Like, bad teeth were so intrinsically linked with lower-class deprivation in my mind that I just could not even broach the topic with someone of a different ethnic background. And, anyway, he turned out to be solidly middle-class from birth, held two degrees and a software engineering cubicle job that required a tie, even on Fridays. And by that point, well…if the teeth were the first thing you noticed, the second was that he was bubbly and goofy and sweet, and when months later someone looked at a photo of us and asked, “Oh dear, what happened to that poor boy’s teeth?”, it genuinely took me a minute to figure out what she was talking about.

So, my conclusion: even when one’s brought up to see poor hygiene and bad teeth as viscerally, mockably horrifying…as romantic obstacles, they’re quite surmountable. Like, there’d be some half-hearted stocking up of new brushes and mouthwash, nagging to go see the dentist no I don’t care that your childhood dentist looked like Ted Bundy, and probably a collateral raising of their bathing frequency through shared living routines, and it’d be fine, you guys. Totally fine.

Anyway.

This is what happens after a few months without drinking, y’all. These are the brain cells that’d usually get culled off by the friendly gin hammer.

#headcanon #fallout 4 #MacCready’s teeth #mmmmmm gin #storytelling #mustinvestigate rambles #man I really want to brush my teeth now

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billybennight · 5 years

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Living in LA has its advantages and this week here’s my accounting of cool things that happened. I’m a big fan of being active during the week because it offers smaller crowds, eliminates amateurs and offers greater intimacy with new acquaintances and friends alike. The larger the event the less promising the possibilities has been my experience. This will be a regular occurring write up in my Extravagant Behavior blog.

Monday found me at the Residence of Belgium for drinks and bites mixed with a cultural and history lesson from the Consul General of Belgium, Henri Vantieghem, sponsored by The Los Angeles Press Club. The dress recommended for the evening was “Smart Casual” and I found myself in Hancock Park outside the residence with a smart look around 5 pm. Henri welcomed all of us in a formal and cordial way. He started to inform us of the interesting history that precipitated the state of Belgium and offered highlights on what makes his country unique in European history.

After his enlightening talk, we were all invited to the garden and pool area of the residence for beautifully presented light bits and beverages that reflect Belgian culture and tastes. From the bar, I chose the Chimay presented in a Chimay branded glass. The was a cauliflower soup presented in a shot glass, baked mussels with herbs and tasty brazed steak cubes. I had a number of interesting discussions where I moved from porch to pool. On my second visit to the bar, I happened to run into Mario-Max Prinz Zu Schaumburg-Lippe as I was about to order my beer. It’s been a while. We engaged in pleasantries and our mutual interest in red carpet events. Of course, Prince Mario-Max is often on the other side and the subject of the red carpet step and repeat activities. After that, I returned to my poolside table to continue my talk about men with women. There are secrets and opinions women will share with a sympathetic male that most men will never hear because they are too busy being “men” being controlled by the penises. Penises never negotiate subtle and nuanced conversations well and rarely take other’s feelings or thoughts into consideration. It was a satisfying end in this phase of my evening.

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My next move was to the private media parté at HATCH Yakitori + Bar at The Bloc in DTLA for some progressive Japanese cuisine. I arrived in my Lyft to the side of the main entrance of The Bloc. There’s this staircase you can slip through and descend via an escalator that ovoids prying eyes for a discreet entrance and exodus from the establishment. I arrived in a quiet seductive manner and the festivities were in full swing when checked in. Inside it was crowded, buzzy and energized with foodie frivolities with bites and beverages, cameras and phones mounted to capture moments of food ecstasy and cocktail provocations. Over at the end of the bar was Executive Chef Daniel Shemtob, under amber heat lamps, with torch in hand searing the special A5 Nigiri Wagyu Beef on a bed of sticky rice. Chef Daniel set ablaze those tasty morsels of expensive Japanese beef for everyone who made it to this grand performance of culinary ecstasy in DTLA. Fire, food, and libations dominated the rest of my evening that included: Hamachi, Avo Tuna Toast, Agedashi Tofu, Black Karaage Chicken, Chicken Meatball with Egg Yolk Stick, Thigh and Green Onion Stick, Mushroom Party Stick, Pee Wee Potato Stick, and Pork Belly Stick. These delicious bites were paired off with a curated Sake List, selected premium Japanese Whisky, and various Japanese Beers. Of all of these goodies, I had the Chicken Meatball with Egg Yolk Stick, Mushroom Party Stick, Pork Belly Stick, and A5 Nigiri Wagyu Beef. These bites were interspersed cocktail moments with the Matcha Highball, Mangorita with 2 shot of Saki: one was unfiltered in a pearl-ish white and the other clear. Both were not aged and delicious. The Chicken Meatball with Egg Yolk Stick was pure Japanese ecstasy and A5 Nigiri Wagyu Beef “TDF”! the Toward Chef Daniel shared his thoughts and aspirations for HATCH Yakitori and the experience he wanted to have people enjoy.

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More After the Break

The party reignited Thursday with a special grand opening rooftop party at the Santa Fe Lofts. I arrived at dusk with the party already a couple of hours old with DJs spinning people swinging in the midst of cocktails and bites. I just can’t say no to a festive gathering that synergistically pulls together food, drink, music, and the arts. James Peter Henry transformed the Santa Fe Lofts’ rooftop with lively murals created by him. There was a fun deck that offered a place for the DJ and a delightful 280 view of Los Angeles, a place with sofas and fire to warm yourself in the evening air and rooms where James Peter Henry canvases could be viewed in a gallery fashion adjacent to a small kitchen where the bites were being prepared. It was a comfortable embracing atmosphere designed space where you could dance, explore or find a place to rest. It so happened with all of these good things swirling around I ran into some of my compadres Art critic Shana Nys Dambrot and clothing designer Victor Wilde. It’s always good to see friendly faces to exchange funny quips and giggles in the golden hour’s air atop the city.

Saturday was the beginning of the Memorial Day weekend and happily a night of Art and exploration. I’ve been fascinated by the Bendix Building for well over a year with that grand neon sign spire jutting up into the DTLA night sky glowing red over the city. I regarded it as rather inaccessible until I saw artist Osceola Rentoff‘s post about his exploits there about a month ago. Of course, I was intrigued at the prospect assailing the venerable structure to discover its secrets and explore its ancient halls. Osceola was showing one of his photographs from “High and Dry” on the second floor at the Von Lintel Gallery for the “Does Not Reproduce” show. I took that in and then decided to hop on the elevator to find more and explore further. On my assent huddled in with a group of art lovers a young gentleman, artist Mark Acetelli of 1717 Collective, suggested anyone who wanted to see the roof and his art should join him on the 10th floor. That was the cue! I continued with him not wanting to miss this opportunity. I love the LA Skyline. As a photographer I keenly interested in seeing the LA skyline from different vantage points. Mark was kind enough to open the window to allow me access to the roof just under the iconic Bendix sign as the sun was setting. The skyline is most magical at dusk. It was marvelously revelatory taking in the view of LA from east, north, and west in the glowing orange light of the fading sun. I joined Mark in his studio where he spent time explaining his latest work, a series of ghostly apprehensions he’s painting on canvas. He referred to them as guardian but it’s a detailed and complicated concept I won’t detail here.

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I descended to the 10th floor to find Track 16 Gallery. The first thing in sight welcoming me was this odd organically inspired ceramic piece glazed in muted tones. I really didn’t know what to expect from the initial viewing of the art. Once inside I drifted towards the back in a circuitous manner seeing more of these organic ceramic forms by artist Galia Linn for the “Evidence of Care” show. To my surprise, Heidi, Victor, and Shana appeared while I was nesting in the back nursing a Tecate beer while digesting the people and the art they had come to see. A chit chat ensued and they soon introduced me to Paige Wery of The Good Luck Gallery. It wasn’t long till we a caravaned to the lower levels together. For a while, we took in the different galleries and artist’s work passing from level to level. There is always a joy being surrounded by sharp-witted folks with a gifted vocabulary that can add insight and an unexpected twist to a thought or observations while strolling the halls of an ancient building regaled with art and creative ideas actualized. But with all good things, I was pulled away by other interest landing me in the Durden and Ray Gallery where I ran into Paul Redmond. I hadn’t seen Paul in a while given he left Getty Images for a career as a realtor selling high-end properties. We caught up a bit and talked about some of the art in the “Repeating Fragments.” show. It was a bright concoction of paintings and geometrically inspired installations. From there on out the fade was gaining its own momentum and I called it a night. If you’d like to have a full rundown on the galleries and artist showing in the Bendix Building I highly recommend Shana’s overview in the LA Weekly.

Monday was Bob Rickett’s annual Memorial Day offering with notable people within the LA underground music and art scenes. Bob hosting the shindig with a for Memorial Day with a combination of solemnity and celebration. For those of you not in the know, Bob is a driving force in both Groovy Rednecks and Talking Teason. He’s an aficionado of American music that includes the knowledge and application of this fine tradition of Americana. The musicians I’m familiar with who were in attendance were: Tex Troester, Taquila Mockingbird (LA Beat Art Editor), Jeff Boynton, Ken Huntington, and Pat Hoed. This is by no means a complete list because there were many more talented folks there than I can shake a stick at. I was joined by Lisa and it was nice to see Cake, Dave, Peter, Steve, Josefina, Rose Mary, Dirty Ed, Merry, Mona Jean, Bob, KXLU Stella, Senja and Margaret. All luminaries in their own right added to the joyful reunion and festivities. Food was plentiful and outrageously delicious. There were great beers and divine whiskeys to inebriate and lubricate.

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Peter and Denice discused LA’s music scene of the 80’s from an A&R and publicity perspective as Atlantic Records and William Morris Endeavor point of view. There were name dropping and intricate details were exposed in the table talk episode setting in the kitchen. It was an enjoyable flashback to the thriving LA music scene of the ’80s.

The music and the alcohol took over and the sun was setting in Plams in West LA. Bob and a cluster of fine musicians gather in his back yard and they unwound some of the best folk and country songs of the 20th century in a way that sparked memories of my own growing up in Blythe. My folks with other family and close friends would gather often in my youth to sing and play the songs the loved. They’d jam song after song till the very wee hours of the night. My brother and I along with my cousins would fall asleep to similar tunes Bob and his cohort of musical friends were playing in the backyard at his place rounding Memorial Day. It’s comfort music and like comfort food, it’s filling and satisfying in ways other entertainment can’t ever touch. When Lisa and I departed I left being fulling satisfied and comforted by something that goes deeper than a clever joke or a chummy conversation. It drills into my consciousness and reaches into me in ways few things can. It’s like being bathed in warmth and love on a cold winters night. It’s community and safety that affirms human dignity beyond the constructs of words.

Socially LA has its advantages and here's my accounting of things that happened. Party Party Party is a fun overview of things I cover mixed with a fine gathering of friends. This will be a regular occurring write up in my Extravagant Behavior blog. Living in LA has its advantages and this week here's my accounting of cool things that happened.

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thewalkingfanfictions · 4 years

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Masterlist

Teddy Bears and Memories (Sam Winchester x Male!reader)

Drarry Lime Thing (Draco Malfoy x Harry Potter)

--- Draco finds Harry hiding in the quidditch locker room and finally decides to act on the feelings he’s been hiding since the two first met. Light lime ensues. {2492 ish words.}

Softly, Barely a Whisper (Daryl Dixon x Fem!reader) // part one // part two // part three//

Home (Daryl Dixon x Reader)

---Daryl shows up on the readers doorstep, bloody, hurt, and a wee bit drunk. The reader takes care of him and some cute shit happens {3019 ish words}

Anger-Fueled Sympathy (TMNT Raph x Fem!Reader)

---Raph is out blowing off steam on a usual big-city night, when he comes across something very not-so-nice between a father and a daughter. {2185 ish words}

Decimal 70.4 The Fawn (Dr. Spencer Reid x Genderqueer!OC)

---Spencer just wanted to grab a few books from his local library on the way home, instead he found a fawn sitting in his favorite spot, reading his favorite books. {2013 ish words}

Impromptu Cuddles (Dr. Spencer Reid x non gender specific!Reader) // Part One // Part Two // Part Three//

---During a case, Spencer and the reader are forced to share a room with only one bed. Cute fluffy shit happens. {6590 ish words}

Relax (Steve Rogers x Non gender specific!Reader)

---Steve comes back from a bad mission, and the reader (with powers similar to Jasper from Twilight) has to help him relax. {1942 ish words}

@oneweirdbean here ya go, I finally made it.

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roseknows20-blog · 8 years

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Day 20 Making it Back to Civilization-Anne Hut to DOC Campsite Boyle Village

January 29th, 2017 After our longest and most challenging day on the South Island so far, we slept in a little extra and let our bodies rejuvenate. Most mornings, our alarms are set for 7am, but today was special, and we allowed ourselves a whole extra hour to sleep in! Wahoo! When the 8am menacing alarm clock rang in my ear, I lethargically got out of bed and started my morning routine. While we indulged in breakfast, Hamish, Dylan, and I enjoyed flipping through the hut's hunting magazines, admiring the strange racist advertisements and redneck hunters. Dyl also used the hut radio to contact the Arthur's pass DOC center to "find out" about the upcoming forecast. It was kind of unnecessary because we were going to hike out no matter what, but Dyl put on a silly southern accent and we all had a good laugh. The jokes didn't last long though, as it was another big day for us. Our plan was to trek the remaining 30ish kms out of the bush to Boyle Village. Around 930am, I was the first one to set off on our next expedition- frolicking amongst tranquil meadows, while diverting high swampy grass and minor stream crossings. The track markers were a bit hard to locate at times. As a safety measure, I always double check the GPS on my phone if I feel like I've gone off trail. As I followed the Anne river from the hut, and then a creek mostly the whole way to the saddle, tramping was relatively effortless with not much elevation change. Once again, the scenery along the trail never seizes to amaze me! The massive mountains on either side of the valley seemed so overbearing and powerful. I took a good fifteen minute break just to gaze at their astonishing beauty- while simultaneously paying extra close attention to the wide open fields filled with yellow dainty wild flowers. Flowers are obviously my fave :)! After about 7kms of my pleasant solo trek, I noticed a sign for Anne Saddle (1136m). The gradual climb from the sign to the top of the saddle was a lot easier then I thought it would be. Since arriving first, I patiently waited for Dyl and Hamish at the top, while hydrating and having a quick nourishing snack break. Once the boys caught up, we headed back down hill to the river valley, letting gravity take a hold as we ran, avoiding rocks and tree roots in the way. A good run always helps relieve hidden stress and anxiety, and reminds me how priviledged I am to have two fully functioning legs! A few kms later, we stopped by Rokeby Hut, just to check it out. As the trail notes mention, it's a basic, older bivvy with only three canvas bunks, and no water or toilet. We had originally discussed having lunch there, but it felt crammed and musty inside, so, we kept on tramping until the next hut! Listening to podcasts and music helped the kms go by faster, and about 4kms later, we saw a sign for Boyle Flat Hut. We then crossed the sweet swing bridge to access the hut. Unlike the Rokeby hut, Boyle Flat was surprisingly modern, cozy, and spacious. Dyl, Hamish, and I then devoured our dank tuna lunches, and heated up some hot water for a hit of caffeinated tea. I really don't think I could get sick of these delectable tuna packets! The tuna has such a good mix of flavors, and a variety of types. You gots to try some! Everyone on the TA knows what's goodie wit da tuners! Cheyah. From Anne Hut to Boyle Flat Hut it was 16.5 kms, and from Boyle Flat hut to Boyle Village it was about 12 kms. Thus, we had already walked over half way for the day! The trail notes are noticeably incorrect about kms FYI. Dyl and I always count the kms using the topo maps, just so we really know what's going on! Leaving the hut back over the swing bridge, we sidled along the river on the "true" left, as the trail notes exclaim, then continued across mundane fields of over grown grass. As we entered the bush, there were the usual slippery mud sections and obstructive roots we had to jump over, that I always make a fun game out of! The track itself was straightforward as we meandered along the "beaten" path. Our feet stayed wet most of the day- splashing through small streams and creeks galore. There were also a few picturesque swing bridges the trail passed over, the last one bringing you over the Boyle River, and only a few kms away from Boyle Village. As I launched myself off of a rock, I heard a solid crack, and ended up breaking off the tip of my trekking pole! I was NAHT a happy camper, and it kinda put a damper on the rest of the tramp. It was my own fault though, and I felt foolish for being so aggressive with my poles! Granted, they were only $20 from Cosco, but they work sooo great doeee! Shout out to our sponsor Symula for giving Dyl and I the bestest trekking poles, otherwise we would be too broke to afford any haha. Anyway, when I finally arrived at the Boyle Outdoor Education Center, Dylan and Rowan were waiting for me! We were both overjoyed to see Rowan's cheery face again! By the way, the Boyle "village" wasn't actually a village, and the only thing there is the education center. Dyl and I were hoping that there would at least be a small store in the "village" that sold the quintessential meat pies- feeling unruly disappointed when we found out otherwise! That being said, I thought the word village was a bit misleading, however, its convenient that you can send a box to the education center and they'll hold your parcel for just $10. Rowan, Dyl, and I retrieved our resupply boxes, and sorted out our food a wee bit. We decided to camp at the DOC Campsite adjacent to the education center and right at the end of the trail. This way, if any of our fellow amigos made it out of the bush, they'll see our tents all setup! Hamish eventually showed up, and we all had dinner under the shelter next to the education center. We probably weren't supposed to be occupying this area, oops! The rain continued to trickle down, yet we didn't let that stop us from having fun, and made a fire in the stone hearth. It was enjoyable catching up with Rowan, as we all conversed and joked around by the obnoxiously big fire. Luzie ended up escaping the bush and telling us that her and Adam got lost again. They ended up walking 12 extra kms in the wrong direction, and then getting to the wrong hut! Oh boy! After socializing with the gang a bit, we all climbed into our individual tents, and did some reading before passing out. Although it felt weird sleeping in a tent after not doing so for so long, I slept well knowing it was another day we absolutely crushed! Throw it in the bag! (28.5km)

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