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justseveralowls · 4 years

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Self-talk: The voice only you can hear

The way we think about or speak to ourselves it’s a key aspect in self exploration and the process of recovery. After all, we are around ourselves twenty four hours a day and three hundred and sixty five days a year. So, with this logic it makes sense that we can be our own worst enemies, but at the same time having a healthy relationship with how you view and discuss yourself can be one of the most powerful tools in anyone’s recovery journey. Self esteem for many in the mental health community, our system included is a huge and exhausting battle, But I am hoping that with this post getting a handle on at least one aspect will be at least a little less daunting. So now it’s self-love o’clock and if you want read along and we’ll figure some stuff out.

How do we talk to ourselves?

Internal monologue

Pay attention to your internal reactions to things like your mistakes, victories, and interactions with other people. Sometime this is obvious other times its more of subconscious things more like a general feeling of guilt shame or lack of self worth.

Examine these thoughts from a third party perspective. I find that these questions can be extremely helpful in this sort of examination.

What is the message in this thought? (What’s it saying)

Would this be something I would say outloud?

Is this something I would say to a stranger? How about a friend? Or even a pet or young child?

2. Taking a closer. Look at the true nature and severity of how you speak to yourself as opposed to how you interact with other is a crucial albeit painful step in shifting your views on yourself.

3. Reflect on what you have noticed I or observed

For example, if you noticed the messages were negative, meant envoke feelings of shame, or something you wouldn’t say to someone else. Think about why you came to those conclusions and what you might say instead, or even stop saying anything about it all.

How do we talk about ourselves?

1. Receiving compliments- pay attention to the way you respond to compliments.

Do you minimize your accomplishments?

Do you make self deprecating remarks in response?

Do genuine compliments make you uncomfortable?

Can you compliment yourself in a genuine way?

2. Humor

Do you make jokes that minimize your talent, worth, value or skills?

Would this be okay to say to someone else?

Why do you say this about yourself? What does it accomplish?

The effects of negative self-talk

In the moment

Minimizes you or what you are describing/ referring to?

Provides negative reinforcement, often without reason.

Implies that it is alright to talk to yourself or others that way.

Starts a pattern or habit (Difficult to stop, trust me)

Overall

Lowers your self esteem and confidence in yourself or in your abilities.

Makes you appear as if you are less competent or worthy (that is not true)

Can make advocating for yourself and setting boundaries much harder, as at some level you can convince yourself the self deprivation and negative thoughts are the truth or you somehow deserve to be treated or spoken to in that way.

How to work on this:

My first reaction when I learned this was something along the line of “well great yet another thing I have to work on”. But after sometime and working towards this goal for a while it really does make a very big difference in your self esteem, ability to make boundaries, and advocate for yourself. As annoying as these things may sound they are worth it, and these techniques overtime really do make a difference.

The ‘Five nice things” technique

This is one that I have my partner help my with and works best when you can have someone prompt or gently remind you to stay on top of this challenge.

Basically the general idea behind this is everytime you say something negative, mean or self deprecating about yourself, you outloud list five nice things about yourself.

Example

Uh I’m the worst parrot groomer ever

I am kind

I am funny

I am good at my job

I am worthy of appreciation

I am strong

The “gentle voice” technique

This is a more self coached way of approaching negative self talk. Effectively you speak to yourself, often out loud at first, they way you would a pet or youn child. (I know this sounds strange, but hopefully the example will help)

Example

Let’s say you forget to do something for your friend and have feelings of guilt and want to say something unkind to yourself Instead of a mean comment approach it as if you are speaking to someone you care about

Instead of “Oh I’m such a fish stick” try “Whoops, I made a mistake, but thats okay, I can bring Steven the muffins later on”

Effectively turn the statement from a harsh judgement on yourself to a more gentle and understanding response, that is encouraging and solution oriented rather than heart full and encouraging of shame.

Basic tips to improve self esteem and the way we talk to or about yourselves:

Try to eliminate self deprecating humor from your vocabulary, instead of these joke you can say something absurd in a none harmful way (Not “I’m so clumsy” but instead “That rug has wronged me”)

Try using gratitude statements instead of constant apologies (Thank you for listening to me, Thank you for waiting etc)

Accept compliments with gratitude instead of silence, minimization or deflection

Compliment yourself/Acknowledge when you have done well

Verbally forgive yourself for mistakes. (“I forgot about the bake sale but thats okay, people make mistakes. I am allowed to make mistakes.)

Surround yourself with positivity whether that be changing up social media, people around you, media consumed and the way you talk to and about yourself (I like putting post its everywhere with happy stuff, having something happy as my lock screen, changing music, and apps like motivate (sends inspirational quotes))

Be patient with yourself, this change wont happen overnight, and thats okay

AFFIRMATIONS ARE FREAKING GREAT (I literally say this every post but still, say it into being lovely humans)

I hope this helps on someone’s journey and that this post finds you all safe, and healing. YOu are strong, you are brave, I am proud of you and as always you are not alone.

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bbnibini · 3 years

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PSISLY: An Obey Me!CYOA -- prologue/zero🔖

With darkness blanketing the starless sky in Devildom, it was hard to keep track of time without the aid of clocks conveniently placed in most parts of RAD. Truthfully speaking, you have been tardy and even missed class in your first days as an exchange student(much to Lucifer's ire). A demon's way of life was starkingly different from a human's-- you recalled the culture shock and the homesickness you felt before. It was hard to believe that almost a year had passed since then.

You've been through a lot, have been dragged to countless shenanigans by the demon brothers and even died in a few timelines or so. How you managed to even stay sane from all of that mess was a miracle. You'd even like to believe you made friends along the way.

True, most of the personalities you encountered weren't the most friendly bunch, but you somehow gained their trust, and now you began to dread ever leaving. It's only one or two months more before your exchange program will be over, so sometimes you couldn't help but wonder if the brothers feel the same way.

"Do they like me?" You had some suspicions, but dismissed them in a self-deprecating fashion. They were powerful demons and you were only human. While your birth origins had an interesting backstory, it didn't really mean much. Lilith was her own person, and so were you. The brothers made it perfectly clear to you that they know how to tell both of you apart, and you were thankful for that. The last thing you'd like is to be a vessel they can pour their grief and their pent-up feelings at. You barely knew Lilith in the first place, so how on earth can you be capable enough to heal their hearts? Nevermind being loved by them? Out of the question!

That was what you thought anyway, but they seemed to think otherwise; for now, you found yourself eating your words when you saw a suspicious looking letter in your locker.

Drawn on the corners of the envelope were pink carnations, while an elegant handwriting was placed on the centermost part of its back. It read:

" With Love, from Your Secret Admirer"

You felt your heart beat out of your chest. Your sweaty palm held the envelope with trembling hands as you looked consciously at your surroundings.

You shook your head and tried to rationalise.

"This is impossible. This must be a prank."

You were wrong, unfortunately. When you opened the letter and read its contents, it was definitely a love confession. The same pink carnations were seen at the corners of the stationery. Three words you thought you'd never hear in your life were peppered all throughout. You get it. Whoever sent this to you clearly meant it.

The question was...who?

You rarely check your locker as you had most of your school supplies and your books kept in a compartment under your desk. The only times you do is when it's time to change your uniform for the appropriate season. Putting school uniforms in a locker shouldn't be common sense--you knew it was unusual, that was why you put it in there in the first place. You don't trust your own memory and your motor skills so you hated to ruin your uniform before you even got to wear them. That was what happened when you placed all your uniforms in your closet before anyway.

...let's just say that whatever you put in that closet will never see the light of day again. Even with Lucifer's stern lectures, you couldn't seem to keep it tidy for even a second. Saying that, keeping your uniforms in a locker was even his bright idea.

...wait a minute.

Could it be? You shook your head.

While it's true that not a lot of people really knew about where your locker was, not to mention how often you open it, Lucifer...really?

He was the last person you'd ever suspect. If he had something to say to you, he wouldn't be so roundabout like this. Not to mention the handwriting in the letter is completely different from his penmanship. How do you know?

Well...ehh...he might have signed a few...documents for you to get you out of trouble...cough. But! That is besides the point!

Did he even have time to send this? He told everyone not to bother him while the student council was preparing for an upcoming school festival. Would someone so preoccupied and had the notoriety of being eternally overworked have the time to write a disgustingly sweet love letter? Some might say that he must have sent it at an earlier time but...

...the letter's stationery still had its scent so it should be written quite recently. Your assumptions of its recency were confirmed once you saw a cookie tin inside your locker. Inside them were cookies (duh) that suspiciously looked and tasted like the ones Barbatos offered you this morning. Still warm too... Wait...

Barbatos?! You felt your cheeks warm. You didn't expect that! True he was always nice and amiable to you, but you always attributed that to his occupation. As a butler, he had to be proper and courteous at all times. That was why it was so weird (at least in your opinion) that he would ever send you a love letter. Your relationship with him never really gave you that impression. It was pleasant, but not romantic. Still, you didn't dismiss the possibility that it could be him, even if that was highly unlikely.

Speaking of highly unlikely, Mammon had been acting suspiciously since yesterday. He...actually smelled a lot like the perfume used on the letter's stationery!.

Nah. Mammon. Really? Could he really write something so embarrassing like this? Not to mention the grammar used in the letter was quite highfalutin. Perhaps if someone was well-read however, writing a letter like this would be a breeze. Maybe Satan?

Okay, this is getting ridiculous. You're starting to suspect everyone.

Maybe, maybe focus on the impossibilities first?

It couldn't be Levi. You were with him all this time! In fact, he's currently waiting for you to get your uniform as we speak! The twins are also out of that list. You're quite sure they don't know about where your locker was located. You didn't mean to keep it a secret! It's just, there was a time when you didn't really trust Belphegor a lot so you were on guard with him. You had to keep your mouth shut in front of Beel too--it was inevitable since the two of them were really close. Saying that, it is not the case anymore! What happened with you and Belphegor is now water under the bridge! In fact, you're contemplating on sharing the cookies with them later.

Asmo couldn't be the sender either. While it's true that the stationery seemed like his style, he is also stuck helping Lucifer for the festival. He also didn't seem to be the type who'd resort his confessions to love letters. He'd always been open about expressing himself after all!

So that narrows it down to four. You opened the notes app on your D.D.D and wrote down the possible senders:

1. Lucifer - The person who suggested to place your uniforms in your locker. Is one of the only people who knows where and when you open the locker.

Contradictions-- The letter is only sent recently (meaning it was most likely sent this afternoon) , as it came with a tin of freshly baked cookies. Lucifer is too busy to send it. Handwriting isn't the same either.

2. Barbatos - The cookies in the tin looked and tasted like the ones he gave you this morning. He has plenty of time to put the letter and the cookies in your locker.

Contradictions-- He doesn't seem to see you in a romantic light. Does he even have time to date anyone when he's so busy serving Diavolo?

3. Mammon-- Has the same scent as the stationery in the letter. Acted weirdly since yesterday.

Contradictions-- The sender's manner of writing didn't resemble Mammon at all. Also, he doesn't strike you as someone who'd write a sappy love letter.

4. Satan-- The vocabulary used in the letter could only be written by a well-read person. The sender's writing style also resembled Satan's.

Contradictions-- Satan is also helping with the festival preparations. He isn't crossed out of the list however because he finished his work early and went to the library once he was done. The library and your locker are on the same path, so he would have enough time to send the letter and the package.

Satisfied with your notes, you exited the app and noticed a notification on your DDD. Someone was calling. You decide to....

💌 [ Answer it quickly ]

💌 [ Answer it after several rings ]

💌 masterlist

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ldcu-12stem1-group5mil · 3 years

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“On Becoming a Medium: Gen Z Individuals as Modern Communicators”

Facebook. Instagram. Twitter. YouTube. Google.

If you are au courant with technology, you may have used these at least once in your life.

The world is changing at a rapid pace. Modifications, transformations, and advancements in all fields are constantly happening around the world. For instance, a few decades ago, the words 'social media' and the 'internet' are still unknown. Nevertheless, these soon played pivotal roles in revolutionizing and modernizing the society that we know of nowadays. People likewise attune and habituate themselves to various changes, hereby adapting to the new and evolved manner of living and communicating with others. The youth in the 21st century is no different. Individuals who were born alongside this expeditious technological and scientific progression are collectively referred to as Gen Z, and they might become the prominent catalysts of change in this modern era.

What year were you born? If you were born after 1997, then you belong to Generation Z (Gen Z).

Generation Z, often shortened as Gen Z or iGeneration, is a demographic cohort for those who were born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, succeeding the Millennials. Despite labeling them to the last letter of the English alphabet, they contrarily have a lot of firsts compared to the previous generations. To name a few, they are considered the pioneering generation of digital natives; they can now reshape the power of technology for the betterment of themselves and others. Moreover, they are also the first generation that was raised in the era of smartphones and the internet. Since Generation Z was born together with the rise of digital technologies, they are more oriented and used to having widely available information anytime anywhere. According to Katie Young of GWI, it has been estimated that Gen Z typically spends around 3 hours and 38 minutes online, 50% higher than an average mobile user. Internet became a fundamental part of today’s society, and it is inherent to Gen Z as well. Their use of the internet on a daily basis has influenced their interactions and patterns of communication with others, both positively and negatively.

Having been accustomed to the technology we have nowadays, it is unquestionable that this generation is considered 'tech-savvy'. Come to think of it, they have not experienced a world without these technologies. They can quickly create documents, presentations, and journals with ease, especially with sufficient internet speed and fine gadgets, like laptops and phones. Additionally, they can share it with their friends, classmates, teachers, or coworkers, making it systematic and efficient. These increase their overall productivity and connectivity with one another, allowing them to multitask on various activities within a short period of time.

More than half of the internet users across the globe are under the age of 24. Additionally, this group of people tends to spend roughly 70 hours a week on their devices (Metafacts, 2018).

Whatever they want to learn, it's readily accessible for them to read and practice. This gears Gen Z towards excellence and discipline, and the earlier these are practiced, the better it is for the maturity and growth of an individual.

The integration of technology into the lives of Generation Z is indeed highly powerful. Before, millennials use SMS and voice calls to connect, and prior to the invention of any telecommunication device, mailing a letter is the only way of communicating with others from afar. Unlike the previous generations, online and digital communication through various social media applications has become the predominant means of communication among Gen Z individuals. It doesn't matter where they are, they are all connected virtually, may it be a virtual conference call or a simple text message. Moreover, as technology made its way to almost everything, collaboration with one another is a crucial aspect that Gen Z individuals would prefer to have. Using popular messaging applications like Messenger and Discord, many of them can keep in touch with one another and easily collaborate on projects, tasks, or any activities.

Over the recent years, communication among people has transformed and changed. Aside from the technological advancements, the way we communicate with others both digitally and personally is now different compared to the previous generations before us. We now commonly see abbreviations and slang in chat messages and comments online. This is often used in casual conversations among friends and family. However, this is also a piece of evidence on how our language adapts and evolves to the changes we create over time.

These are the most common slang and abbreviations used in social media. How many of these have you used?

Despite the rise of messaging apps and virtual calls, face-to-face or personal communication is still the widely preferred form of communication among Gen Z individuals.

With the frequent use of social media and the internet, Gen Z individuals tend to acquire a lot of ideas and information from others. YouTube and TikTok trends are great examples of this. As a result, they become more creative and imaginative when performing or doing something, especially when it strikes their interest. Besides, they can also create content to share with their audience. It may be for entertainment, education, information, and many more.

On top of that, Gen Z is also considered the most diverse generation, as they openly accept and embrace diversity and differences of everyone. No matter where you came from and what you define yourself, you are accepted by this generation. They are generally open-minded to the issues and taboos we commonly avoid to discuss. Moreover, they enthusiastically engage in various activities that support equality and transparency, and actively protest against racism, discrimination, hatred, and corruption which have long plagued our society. These actions, together with the rising influence of social media, may pave the way for the young generation’s voices to resonate around the world, making an impact to the society in the process.

Furthermore, these social media platforms gave them the chance to become more knowledgeable and updated on what is happening locally and internationally. They can be easily informed of any recent events by simply browsing the web or opening any social media app. Social media applications like Facebook and Twitter are the common avenues for this up to date information. However, remember that some of these may be false information, especially if the author or account who posted it is not a verified media outlet. Fact checking and verifying the sources of the articles seen in these platforms are easy and common ways to affirm their legitimacy.

Additionally, these social media applications also allow them to share their thoughts and comments regarding different posts, not to mention that may post something as well, provided that it is credible, verified, and factual. This consequently enriches their vocabulary and skills in writing, speaking, and debating, especially when involved in topics that are deemed controversial. As opposed to the millennials and previous generations, Gen Z is more open to voicing out their opinions, ideas, and thoughts to the world, candidly expressing their freedom of speech to everyone.

They don’t want to continue being a follower, they want to lead. They want to make change.

Twitter and its tagline, "What's happening?", describing the purpose of the social media platform, to connect people and to allow them to share their thoughts with a public audience.

However, it is worth noting that knowing how to navigate the internet and media does not necessarily mean that you are already digitally literate. It is essential that as users of media and spreaders of information, we know what are the proper things to do online. Intently spreading disinformation is just plainly wrong, no matter what the reason is. It does not only cause confusion but also panic and hysteria, especially when that false information is an alarming threat to security and lives. In general, we need to be responsible and disciplined all the time. You may think it is harmless, but it may actually be harmful and damaging to others. Remember, think before you click.

Communication has always been an integral part of being a human. It is the sole reason why we progressed into the civilization that we live in right now. As we reach the digital age of our civilization, the new generation of digital natives, Generation Z, will soon become the contemporary modern communicators of this society. This generation is a vocal and active group that can be a great catalyst for change. Their fervent principles, philosophical beliefs, and prudent judgments may serve importance later on as the world progresses. However, to express these to the world, we need to become a good communicator — an effective and influential communicator. And to do that, we need to be genial, compassionate, and rational to others who wants to become a communicator as well. Let them speak and let them be heard. That way, you too will be heard by others.

Generation Z is a unique generation on its own, and with their power to become a powerful communicator, they can become a medium — a medium with a potential to spark change to the society we live in.

As digital natives and users of social media, we need to be responsible for using the technology given to us. Do not make it a place for false information and hatred. Instead, use it as a platform for various purposes that everyone can benefit, learn, and enjoy.

References:

Seymour, E. (2019). Gen Z: Born to be digital. Retrieved from https://www.voanews.com/a/student-union_gen-z-born-be-digital/6174519.html.

Rapacon, S. (2019). How Gen Z is redefining their world through technology. Retrieved from https://garage.hp.com/us/en/modern-life/generation-z-redefining-the-world.html.

NDMU. (2019). The evolution of communication across generations. Retrieved from https://online.ndm.edu/news/communication/evolution-of-communication/.

Belinne, J. (2019). Gen Z - The communication generation. Retrieved from https://community.naceweb.org/blogs/jamie-belinne/2019/07/23/gen-z-the-communication-generation.

Barcelon, B. (2010). The life of Generation Z. Retrieved from https://teenlife.blogs.pressdemocrat.com/10220/the-life-of-generation-z/.

Image & GIF Sources:

https://www.social-babies.com/post/2017/01/27/5-social-media-platforms-to-explore-in-2017

https://www.thedailybeast.com/generation-z-is-already-bored-by-the-internet

https://uploads0.jovo.to/idea_attachments/840592/homework-dribbble_bigger.gif?1544706789

https://gifer.com/en/gifs/syntax

https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/images/slang-1624575149.gif?crop=1.00xw:1.00xh;0,0&resize=980:*

https://ar.pinterest.com/pin/99994054211311292/?amp_client_id=CLIENT_ID(_)&mweb_unauth_id={{default.session}}&simplified=true

https://cdn.dribbble.com/users/1308476/screenshots/3438418/beboldforchange_dribbbleloop.gif

https://business.twitter.com/content/dam/business-twitter/basics/twitter-basics-2-tweetideas.gif

https://giphy.com/explore/online-safety

#MediaandInformationLiteracy2021

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shipping-receiving · 4 years

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Skeins (pt. 2 of ?)

A draft of a sequel to my Jaime x Brienne colleagues-with-benefits fic Strings. (pt. 1)

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It’s an irony, perhaps, that words might come so unsteadily to two people whose vocations depend entirely upon their linguistic talents. Although, come to think of it, they’ve never had a problem talking about their work, and all the deliberations and debates that come with it. Even in bed, where their vocabulary is slightly more limited, they rarely ever experience a breakdown in communication. But this? Dating? Small talk? Apprehensions, and vulnerabilities? They are so new to putting these things into words. To putting words into these things.

Anything new is usually pretty weird, he’d told Brienne just now.

They’re on the way back to her apartment, their weird brunch a ten-minute walk behind them. The food had been pretty good, as she’d promised; unassuming, and more satisfying because of it. It was a shame that they’d fumbled their way through their conversation. But Jaime had held her hand at least—in broad daylight, no less, even if she’s tucking her hands into her pockets as they stroll down the street now—and besides, there’ll be other opportunities.

Practice makes perfect, right?

He’s nervous about visiting her home for the first time. Probably not as nervous as she is, but he’s nervous nonetheless. It’s absurd. He’s seen her, been with her completely naked—two or more times a week for the past four months—and now he’s nervous about this. Not that he thinks it’ll change anything about anything, but Brienne has kept her home a secret for so long that its mystery seems so much like an unequivocal truth. In a few minutes, they will tear the veil from this truth, and there’s a lump in his throat because of it.

When they finally step through her door, though, it doesn’t feel like any kind of great reveal. In fact, it dawns on him that it’s exactly what he expected her apartment to look like.

“It’s very… Brienne,” he tells her.

She locks the door behind them. “Is that supposed to be a compliment?”

“An observation.” He looks around at the mix of simple and salvaged furniture in this snug one-bedroom apartment. A sturdy wooden dining table, where her laptop sits, fully charged now; three filled bookshelves, each of a different size and design, yet somehow making sense together; a navy blue couch, with one of its seats—Brienne’s favoured, he deduces—more sunken in than the other; her small kitchen, neat, not heavily used, but clearly used enough to keep her going; a modest vase on her coffee table, filled with flowers, a small indulgence that she allows herself. “Very practical,” he elaborates. “But… warm.”

“I should put that on my dating profile,” she quips with a forced laugh.

“Do you have one?” He’d deleted his dating app after three days, even before his second time with Brienne—which was the first time he’d asked her to come over. He hadn’t put much thought into his bio then. Just here because the woman I enjoyed fucking once might not fuck me again, it might as well have said.

“No,” she answers, walking towards the kitchen. “Water?”

“No, thank you. Sex?”

She snorts. “You didn’t even let me give you the tour.”

“Sex is the tour. We can fuck here—” he points at her couch— “or here—” he points at her dining table— “or, I assume, through there.”

He is pointing at a closed door now, one of two.

“That’s the bathroom,” Brienne says, rolling her eyes.

“We can fuck in the bathroom. Why haven’t we fucked in a bathroom? We should fuck in your bathroom.”

“Will you—” She sighs affectionately—he hopes it’s affectionate—and leans against the kitchen counter. “Do you have to be so… crude?”

“Shower sex isn’t—”

“Not that.” She casts her eyes to the floor.

“What?” He thinks back on his words. “Wait—you mean, ‘fucking’?”

She opens a cabinet, and takes out a glass. “Forget it.”

“You say it as much as I do,” he says, pulling out a chair from the dining table and settling in it. “Fuck me, Jaime, and all that.”

“That’s…” Brienne walks over to the fridge, opens the door, and removes a pitcher of water. “That’s in the moment. What else can I say?”

“So what would you prefer that I say?”

“I’m not saying you can’t say it.” She fills her glass halfway. “I just… I don’t know. I wish there was a better word for it.”

“It’s not a bad word. It’s versatile. And does the job in one syllable.”

One sip. “You know—sometimes we… fuck. But sometimes, it feels like something else.”

He runs a finger over the back of the chair. “You mean, like that Sunday…?”

Pink tints her cheeks. “Yeah. Like that Sunday. I suppose I mean—sometimes I’d like to…” she swallows, “to fuck. To fuck you, or, or be fucked by you. But—if we’re—now that we’re—”

“Dating,” he offers.

“Yes. I’d like a—a different word, or phrase for it.” She laughs, a little helplessly. “It’s silly, isn’t it? Is this an occupational hazard?”

Jaime smiles. He likes her this way, this questioning, quivering, shimmering version of her. The woman who asks if they look like they’re on a date, who asks if there’s another way to describe what happens when their bodies come together. Who tears up and tells him she’s all tangled up about him. “All of our options are quite awful, aren’t they?”

“They’re too direct. Or too casual. Or too… euphemistic.”

She isn’t one for euphemisms, he thinks. Probably despises their inauthenticity. “Humour me,” he says, waving her over. “Run me through them.”

She sets her glass down on the counter, and walks over to him. As she approaches, he catches her by the waist. “Let’s play a game,” he says, bringing her between his thighs. “A word game—synonyms. I started us off, so now it’s your turn.”

Hesitantly, she puts her hands on his shoulders. “‘Having sex’, to start. Accurate, but dry. Clinical, almost.”

“‘Sleeping together’. Unwieldy, and not particularly descriptive.” He wraps his arms a little tighter around her. “It does sound cosy, though.”

“‘Sleeping with’?” she modifies. “Still as ambiguous, I guess.”

“I’d even argue that it’s obfuscation. Apart from last night, we haven’t actually done a lot of sleeping with each other.”

“Fair point. ‘Intercourse’?”

Jaime barks out a laugh. “That one’s indefensible. Supremely unsexy.”

“You don’t want to have intercourse with me?” she teases, and lifts a finger towards the dining table. “Not here—” she points behind her at the couch, “or there?”

On her back, his fingers slip beneath her shirt to draw circles on her skin. “It does put a bit of a damper on things.”

“Quite a bit.”

“How about: ‘joining’?”

“Joining?” she repeats incredulously. “That’s vague.”

“It could work. Given the right context.”

“Given a lot of context.”

“Like my cock joining your cunt?”

“Jaime!” She wriggles out of his grip, and heads for her couch. “The point was to be less vulgar, not more!”

“You wanted context!” he laughs. “Your turn.”

She collapses on the seat that’s more sunken in. “‘Fornicating’.”

“Terrible. Banging.”

“Worse than ‘fucking’, yet somehow not as good. ‘Hooking up’.”

“‘Getting laid’.”

“‘Getting some’.”

“‘Getting lucky’.”

“‘Getting it on’,” she giggles. “Getting tired.”

That giggle makes him grin as he says:

“Making love.”

The grin disappears as soon as the phrase is out of his mouth. It’s too soon. It was only yesterday night that they were on the verge of ending things, that he was almost on his knees trying to convince Brienne to give them a chance. Now he’s saying words like that?

Brienne isn’t responding in the way he’d thought she would, though. No wide eyes, no sputtering, no changing the subject. Instead, she’s wrinkling her nose in a sort of… disgust?

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know. I just hate the phrase. I can’t imagine asking you to… do that. To me.”

“Too euphemistic?” he asks, thinking of her comment earlier.

“I guess?” She leans her head back, and gazes up to the ceiling. “It also puts a lot of… pressure on the act. Like it has to live up to something.”

“It didn’t use to mean ‘sex’, you know. Just a few decades ago, all it meant was something like courtship.”

“I know. And that’s a lot of pressure to put on some flowers, or poetry, or whatever.”

Jaime watches as her fingers trace lines across her jeans, then lets his eyes travel to the vase of flowers on her coffee table. “Is that… something you want? Flowers, and poetry?”

“Not really,” she shrugs. “I wouldn’t know what to do with things like that.”

He wonders what gifts he could offer to someone like Brienne—books, maybe, besides any underwear to replace the ones he might destroy in future—then he hears her say:

“It’s interesting. How the meanings, and implications of words can change in such a short time.”

“Mm.” He stands from his seat, and moves to join her on her couch. “Language can be so… malleable. Definitions can change within a few months. Or even… in one night.”

“One night?” She turns her head to frown at him. Then, her brow relaxes, and she bites down on the corner of her bottom lip. “Oh.”

He stops right in front of her, and leans down to kiss that bite away. “Yeah,” he murmurs. “Oh.”

#jaime x brienne #braime #my fic #strings #these are getting longer and longer and there's no structure to anything #just the simple indulgence of writing soft dumbasses

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ketsuyuki-hibana-typed · 5 years

Text

Shinazugawa Sanemi x Reader (ModernAU Rainy Day)

Heyooo, how many times should I say 'Thank you' to describe how grateful I am in this Tumblr.

It's been two weeks and I've met amazing accounts and anons who supported me, giving me advice on how to use this app and some concerns on my condition and hc!

Here is the promised Sanemi hc! I hope you like it!

And pray for Japan typhoon, I hope the citizens are fine.

200 followers hc!

"It's raining." You looked out from window with worried face. "I'm sorry, Genya. Looks like we can't go to amusement park today."

"It's okay, Nee-san." Genya helped you with folding laundry. "I'm sure Aniki will not bothered with it."

"Ah, I know you really looking forward to it." You placed the last plate on the shelves.

"It can't be helped. Don't worry about it."

You, Sanemi and Genya planned on going to park today, after Sanemi finished attending his colleague's wedding.

"I wonder if Sanemi is fine. That's a great downpour."

You made teas and placed cookies on the plate for you and Genya

Genya finished with the laundry and sat on the sofa. He rolled around his head and facing towards you

"Nee-san, this is probably an awkward question, but... How is it like, being Aniki's girlfriend?"

How... Is it like?

"Mm, he's quite affectionate and he never did anything I hate despite of his temperament trait." You placed the tray on the table. Genya turned around and fold his feet, putting them on sofa.

"I don't really know because I'm usually outside house, but did he ever raise his voice towards you?"

"No." You munched the cookies. "But being scolded is an usual thing and he called me dumbass. That's the profanity he ever threw at me."

"Didn't it make your heart hurt? I heard women are easily heart-broken."

"I don't know. Probably because I love him unconditionally?" You sipped the tea. "He only called me dumbass when I did something wrong, and ended up helping me fix my fault. I'm actually glad because he pointed that out. I don't like a sweet relationship but ended up hiding our true feelings."

Genya blushed a little. He held his mug tightly

"...I'm relieved that Aniki have a kind and patient person like you. He is a lucky guy. What if-"

A rough slamming door was heard. You flinched and walked towards the sound

It's Sanemi

"Sanemi, you're- Oh My God, you're soaked!"

The drips of rain water dropping freely from his silver hair. The only thing that isn't wet is his bag, because he covered it with bag raincoat

"Wait, here. I'll bring the towel." You rushed to the bathroom

"Welcome home, Aniki." Genya greeted him.

"Yeah."

You bring a white towel and put it on his head. He ruffled his hair with the towel.

"Please take a bath, you'll catch a cold soon if you didn't. I've made the water warm. Let me get your bag." He didn't say anything but gave his bag to you.

Sanemi walked straight to bathroom.

"Just left your clothes in the basket. I'll wash it!"

"Mhm."

Why is he so weird? He suddenly out of vocabularies? Is he really mad at the rain? You wondered while putting his clothes in the washing machine

After bath, Sanemi sat on the sofa with a towel hanging on his neck.

He ate cookies with Genya.

"The rain is so annoying. Hell, we can't go like this." He finally back to his usual self

"Of course not." You sat beside him too

"I didn't mind too." said Genya

So you spend the rest of the day inside house, watching TV and ate dinners like usual

At night, the rain changed pace into small rain

After finished with washing plates, Genya went to his room because he wants to discussed about homework project with Tanjirou, Zenitsu and Inosuke thorough vidcall

And since both of you didn't hear his voice anymore, you're assuming he's sleeping.

"How is the wedding?" You asked Sanemi. He lied down on the sofa while reading a book. You did the same too on the other seat.

"Good, nothing bad happened. The bride really look like idiot, smiling like that." He responded.

You put a blanket on top of his body. He pulled the blanket, reaching his shoulder

"Of course, they are happy after all. Is it on shrine or church?"

"Church."

"Huh, I bet it's beautiful and the bridesmaids must be pretty too."

He didn't say anything. And you realized this became awkward

"Huh?? I didn't think anything else! Just wondering, Sanemi!" You sat up.

"What? I didn't say anything." He scoffed. You blushed by yourself.

"You really want to know?" He asked while smirking.

"Huhhhh???? No!!"

He laughed, stood up and walked away, ignoring your panicked rambling.

He opened the curtain, the rain already stopped. The moon is shining now

He turned off the lamp

"Whaaa?? What is going on, why are you turning off the lamp?!"

"Shut up. You're so noisy, you'll wake up Genya from his sleep."

He went back to your seat, grab the blanket and covered you with it, making a veil-like shape on your head.

"Sanemi?"

He suddenly knelt down with one knee as his support. He held your hands and looked at you straight to your eyes.

"You are my other half. You are the one that makes me laugh when I'm sad, makes me consider when I want to be rash, and finds me when I am lost. You are my guide, teacher, and one true love."

"I, Shinazugawa Sanemi, take you, Shinazugawa (y/n), to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part."

There is a moment of silence

You heart throbbed so fast, you didn't know how to react

Until he suddenly laughed.

"Juuust kidding." He ruffled your hair, made you fully covered in the blanket and stood up from his place

Your face reddened, dumbfounded. You removed the blanket and turned your head around as he reached your shared bedroom.

"Sanemi that's unfaaaiiir!!!"

"Hahaha! Let's sleep already. Check the front door lock first."

He opened and closed the door. You grunted as you checked the door and pulled the curtain

Little did you know, he blushed so hard behind the door. He covered his face with his palm and sagged his back on the door

"I don't know. Probably because I love him unconditionally?"

He listened all of your conversation with Genya, especially when his little brother asked you how is it like being with him part. He was already at home and no one heard him because the door slow-slam was muted by rain

Again, he remembered at the wedding hall, when he accidentally caught the flower bouquet with no intention of catching it.

It just landed on his hand. The women on the front shouted and his friend whistled on him

He pulled his bag, tucked his hand inside it and pulled something

A white ring box and a kuarto-sized Marriage Registration Form

"Will you be mine forever? Will you willingly to change your family name into 'Shinazugawa'?" He mumbled quietly.

And it's another story to tell in some time

Bonus:

Genya closed his mouth with his palm

"Genya? What happening? Why are you suddenly became quiet?" Tanjiro asked. thorough his phone

"MY FUCKING SHIP IS FINALLY CANON."

#shinazugawa sanemi #kimetsu no yaiba imagines #kimetsu no yaiba x reader #kimetsu no yaiba sanemi #kimetsu anime #kimetsu no yaiba #kimetsu no yaiba scenarios #shinazugawa sanemi x s/o #sanemi shinazugawa #sanemi shinazugawa x reader #shinazugawa sanemi x reader #sanemi x reader #kny sanemi #demon slayer sanemi #shinazugawa genya #genya shinazugawa #modern au #special followers

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atths--twice · 4 years

Link

Mulder and Scully share memories of how and when they fell in love with one another. Little places along the way, where pieces of their hearts were given and shared.

A Patchwork Heart 3a/8

Chapter One

Moments Lived in Miles Traveled

After their car breaks down, they must use a rental car. As a result, memories of the past begin to rise to the surface.

March 2020

Scully tried not to laugh as she held Faith and watched Mulder struggle to put her car seat into the rental car they were picking up, after his car overheated and they discovered the radiator would need to be replaced.

The steam coming from his car as they were heading home, still miles away, had led to waiting on a tow truck, the warm spring day feeling even warmer as they waited in the non running car. When the man arrived, he had smiled at Faith, who was intrigued with the big truck and flashing lights. Discovering it was not a simple overheating, but a broken radiator, Mulder had sworn and shook his head.

The driver had kindly taken them to the nearby rental agency before heading to the dealership, their warranty still thankfully covering the repair. Scully and Faith had waited outside, petting the big furry cat who had been laying in a patch of sun when they arrived, as Mulder picked out the car.

The cat had pushed at Faith’s hand, purring loudly, wrapping in and out of her legs, and then falling to the ground and rolling onto his back. She had laughed as she bent down and patted his fluffy belly. He had jumped up quickly, pushing his head into her chin, and rubbing against her face.

“Cat,” Faith had said and Scully grinned as a new word was added to her vocabulary.

“Yes, baby girl, it’s a cat.”

Mulder had walked out, scaring the cat and causing it to run across the parking lot. Faith had attempted to chase it, and Scully stopped her, picking her up and kissing her cheeks.

“Cat,” she had said again, pointing toward the cat who was now licking his front paw.

“Whoa… she said cat!” Mulder had grinned and blew a raspberry on Faith’s cheek, causing her to laugh and momentarily forget about the cat.

They had walked to the car and now they stood waiting for him to put the seat in, which was a battle he seemed to be losing.

“I swear to God,” he muttered loudly. “This car doesn’t have the hooks for the buckles. How are we supposed… no wait, I found them. Fucking hell…”

“Hey,” Scully called out to him with a laugh. Glancing down at Faith, she nodded as he looked up.

“As if she can understand me,” he replied, with a roll of his eyes.

“She said cat a few minutes ago and she said S-H-I-T the other day so… you’re wrong,” she countered, raising her eyebrows at him.

“She did not. Stop saying that she did.” He shook his head with a heavy sigh and she shrugged her shoulders.

“Sure sounded like it to me,” she teased and he laughed.

“Maybe you should get your hearing checked. You know, especially as you’ve recently had a birthday. As we age, Scully…”

“Oh, buddy, no. You’re gonna want to stop right there,” she said, putting up a hand and shaking her head. He grinned and she glared at him. “Your daddy is skating on very thin ice, my girl.” She held her stare as she spoke to Faith and he laughed and shook her head again. “Put the car seat in the car so we can get some lunch. Your ladies are getting hungry.”

Turning around with a grin, he finally set the seat in the car securely, and came to grab the backpack and place it in the car. Kissing Faith, Scully handed her to Mulder. He nuzzled her neck, causing her to laugh, before he put her in her car seat and shut the door.

“Let’s get going, old lady,” he teased, looking at her with a grin as he opened the drivers side door.

She cupped a hand around her ear and turned her head to the side. “What was that? I’m having a hard time hearing you.” She closed her hand, leaving only her middle finger up, and he laughed.

“Get your ass in the car,” he said, gesturing with his head to the passenger side.

She smiled and walked over, getting in and taking a deep breath, the scent of rental cars never seeming to change. It was a mixture of faux new car smell, greasy meals, and old cologne and perfumes. An odd combination and others may find it overwhelming or perhaps not even notice, but to her it was a familiar scent and one she found oddly comforting.

He looked at her as he started the car, giving her a wink. Suddenly, she saw him on their first case: younger, no gray hair at his temples, the lines in his face far less prominent. His eager excitement as he continuously cracked open sunflower seeds, something she had found cute and charming, was nearly palpable.

She saw him staring at her and laughing, or rolling his eyes at something she disagreed with, as he tried to prove his point, and the concentration needed that went into reading a huge fold out map, no smart phones with fancy apps available back then to help them find their way.

She smiled as they backed up and pulled out of the parking lot, the wind from the open windows blowing cooling air inside the warm car, as Faith babbled in the backseat. She laughed softly as she looked out the window and shook her head. Her mind drifted through her memories, thinking back on the many miles they had traveled together, learning about each other in cars similar to the one they were now driving down the road.

That first case… so green and without any field experience, she had not known what to expect, but it definitely was not someone like him...

____________

He filled the silence in the car, chatting about everything. It was very different from any other man she had traveled with in the past. Jack usually had a topic planned ahead of time, thus the car ride was spent wisely, as he used to say. Ethan liked listening to classical music and for the short time they were together, she heard more Bach and Beethoven than she ever wanted to hear again.

But Mulder, though not her boyfriend, thus not an entirely accurate comparison, loved to discuss anything and everything. Conspiracy theories, current events, old cases, places they each had been, childhood fears... nothing was off topic. She learned more about him than anyone she had ever known in her life, including her family members.

He was brilliant, his mind absorbing and retaining knowledge in a way she had never seen. He could call up baseball statistics, a case from years ago, addresses, and telephone numbers. He knew her senior thesis by heart, which he rattled off at the strangest of times, never ceasing to amaze her that he knew it so well.

He knew so much, about so much, it led to conversations that sometimes left her head spinning. After a while she learned to simply nod and stop listening to what he had to say, finding it to be the best way to handle the nonstop chatter.

It had, of course, backfired on her as he would bring it up later and, at her blank stare, he would sigh and pout with that big bottom lip sticking out, before explaining it all over again. She enjoyed those times, though it was a repeat of what he had already said, his excitement over a topic evident as he rambled and paced around the motel room.

When he would leave, his mouth finally running out of words to say, she would lie down in bed, wondering if it was normal to go to sleep with the thought of that bottom lip jutting out and those puppy eyes staring at her. He was her partner for God’s sake, and yet his eyes and that lip taunted her.

They would take turns driving of course, neither of them able to stay awake for hours and hours on end; the towns they visited were sometimes far from commercial airports. The first time he commented about her struggle to adjust the seat, his six foot frame needing more space than her smaller one, her angry eyes quickly shut him up. He never mentioned it the same way again but she saw his grin, his smirk, as she pulled the seat forward and adjusted the back.

He got his comeuppance though and it always made her laugh. When he would forget about the fact that she had driven last, he would attempt to sit down in a seat that was far too close. His head would hit the roof of the car, his knees hitting the steering wheel, as a curse fell from his lips. Covering her laugh with a cough, he would curse again as he moved the seat back.

When she was the driver, he was able to read and most often would share the information with her. Sometimes it was about the case, but other times it was about a book he had read, or an article he found interesting in the paper. As he tended to drone on at times, his words tumbling over themselves, his voice becoming louder in his excitement, she would call for the agreed upon ten minutes of silence.

One night when they had been upset, angry, and extremely tired, they agreed that if silence was called for, the other had to adhere to the request for at least ten minutes. Oftentimes, the other person would agree without any problems, but some days he was not so acquiescent.

If he had a topic he was dying to discuss and she had called for silence, he would check his watch, making sure he would know when the allotted time would be up. With him not talking, sometimes the pressing quiet in the car would then become too much. Turning on public radio, she would breathe a sigh of relief, finding it refreshing to have something else to focus on besides the silence or the topic of his choosing.

When the radio was on, they would generally both become engrossed in the story they heard, forgetting why the call for silence had been asked for in the first place. In those occurrences, the ten minute call for silence would have long since passed as the show ended. A lively discussion would then take place over what they had just heard, the miles rumbling beneath them and carrying them forward.

When she became ill, she noticed a change in him. He was quiet, especially when they drove, their lively discussions halted, as if he did not want to disturb her, or cause any undue problems. She felt how he withheld things from her at times, his frustration or his anger, and she hated it. Hated being treated differently because she had a disease inside of her.

She was tired after the treatments, sometimes for just a bit and other times for days after. She fell asleep in the office a couple of times, his hand laid gently on her shoulder waking her up, his eyes sad and concerned. She pushed away from him, away from those sad hazel eyes, walking down the hall to the restroom, where she allowed herself a cry before splashing cold water on her face.

In a meeting, she had dozed off, and he ever so slightly touched her arm and whispered her name, letting her know that she had fallen asleep without any other words spoken. Her cheeks flushed but she was unable to rush out of the room like she had in the office. He kept his eyes straight ahead, but she knew exactly how they would look at her if he turned his head. Broken and scared; exactly how she felt.

After those times, he began to drive more often when they were out of town. No discussion had between them, he simply took over the lion’s share of what they were doing. She tried to stay awake and be the navigator as she always had been, but she failed. He never said a word, instead he turned the radio on low or remained silent, allowing her to sleep, knowing she was exhausted, but would not discuss it.

With a general knowledge of how long it would take for them to get from point A to point B, some days when she was nauseous and had a hard time not vomiting, she would feel the car slowing and the drive taking longer, in order to allow her to be her when she arrived to work on the case.

There were small plastic trash bags in his suitcases which he placed in the glove box of any rental car they used, along with packs of tissues. Just in case, he would say, not meeting her eyes, closing the glove box softly. While a part of her wanted to scream that she could take care of herself, that she did not need his help, she knew that it was not true. Not always.

He carried gum and mints in his pockets, silently handing them to her after she had thrown up either outside the car door or into one of the plastic bags he so thoughtfully packed. He always took one for himself, thus making it seem as though only she needed it. His caring both annoyed and meant the world to her.

On one of the rare nights she did drive, he made a comment about switching places as she looked tired, and she snapped. She did not need his worry, his attempt to hold her back, she would not stop driving or working for that matter, even if he felt she should. He said nothing, letting her yell and release her frustration, something that had been building for a while she realized, as she ran out of steam and finally fell silent.

Turning her head to look at him, she found him staring at her, his eyes hurt and sad. He said nothing, and she knew she had gone too far. He had been nothing but supportive since it had all happened, and while she did not like the feeling of not being in control and at times, less than, she appreciated the little things he did.

Feeling like shit, but unable and unwilling to apologize, she kept her eyes on the road, the motel not far away. When they pulled in, he stopped her from leaving the car with a hand on hers as she unbuckled her seat belt. He stared at her, trying to say words, but failing to articulate them.

“I need to be here, Mulder,” she whispered, squeezing his hand and dropping her eyes. He squeezed back with a nod.

After that moment, she was more accepting, if that was how it could be described, of his help and care. He never said it, but his eyes watching her and the silent things he did, were not unnoticed.

Scully shook her head, tears in her eyes, as she looked out the window. What a different time it had been, and how different they had been. She released her breath, and in the silence of the car, Faith most likely sleeping in her car seat, she thought again of days spent with him in cars similar to the one they were in now…

They sat together in traffic jams, through heated discussions about whatever came to mind. Times when silence was heavy and filled with worry or times when it was light and welcome. There were times when they laughed, both of them overly tired with miles to go before they reach their destination.

Days of worn out bodies, exhausted injury, standing beside the rental attendant explaining the mess in their car. Being yelled at by Skinner, or Kersh, over the complaints from the rental companies.

There were days when the weather was freezing but the heater did not work and his coat was offered to her as she shivered. Then there were days when the heat was unbearable and the air conditioner was on the fritz. His coat was not needed then, nor was her own as she stripped it off and threw it in the backseat along with her dress shirt sometimes, sitting in the car in just a lace camisole, causing him to swallow hard.

There were places where the rain came down so hard, they had to nearly yell to be heard above it. Or decide when to make a run for it as the lack of umbrellas would lead to wet clothes if they were not fast enough. Then the days came when wet clothes were welcome, as it led to stripping and warming each other up.

They traveled many miles together and along those miles and bumpy roads, she fell in love with him. In cafés, diners, interrogation rooms, watching him with children, how he spoke to women, his kindness and care in his voice. All those places, she fell in love with him, but nowhere so much as in those stuffy, and often smelly, rental cars as they drove all over the country.

Back roads, highways, interstates, surface streets, his voice singing along with the radio, droning on about his theories, or softly telling her of his worry for her, simple words that spoke volumes.

Within the confines of the four doors, they learned the give-and-take that became the cornerstone of the partnership. Respect, admiration, and understanding traveled with them, the car their touchstone, their way to re-center when everything around them was chaotic…

“Hey, Scully?” Mulder's voice said, breaking into her thoughts. “What do you want for lunch?”

“Anywhere is fine,” she said, wiping at her eyes discretely, though her tears were happier than before.

“Italian?”

“Anything,” she answered, looking at him with a smile, reaching for his hand and locked their fingers together giving it a squeeze. He turned his head to look at her and gave her a quizzical look.

“What?” he asked and she shook her head.

“Nothing,” she replied with a smile of her own. “Nothing at all.” He smiled, his eyes back on the road and she saw again, the young excitable agent, out to save the world.

Closing her eyes, she saw through the years, all the different versions of him, and she smiled, happy to have known each of them.

Opening her eyes, she looked at him as he was now, the best version of himself; still him, yet older and wiser.

“Still gonna tell me it’s ‘nothing’ with the way you’re staring at me?” he teased, squeezing her hand.

“Yup,” she said, smiling as he looked at her, his eyes happy. He laughed and nodded with a sigh. “Just keep driving.”

“Yes ma’am,” he said, raising her fingers to his lips for a kiss, as he stepped on the gas, going wherever the road took them.

______________________________________________

So this particular story was written for on my really good friend on her birthday. It is also the 100th XF story I wrote and I was bound and determined to have it ready for her. I was so excited to post it for her. Hope you all enjoyed it!

#The X Files #XF Fanfic #Post MSIV #Family Life: The Story Beyond the Series #Humor #Fluff #Family Fluff #Memories #Rental Cars #Learning One Another in Miles Traveled #Love #Caring #Together

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qionow · 4 years

Text

A Brief Introduction As To Why Tinder Sucks: As Told By Russia

i’m not even gonna try to defend myself with this one. you wanna see fem!america making fem!russia’s first tinder account??? you want 3k words about this shit??? let’s go y’all, enjoy some shenanigans

“I do not understand the purpose of this.”

“It’s in the name dude!” America barely glanced up from Russia’s phone, tapping away at the screen with a dexterity that made Russia’s head spin just to watch. “You need me to spell out what a dating app does?”

Russia peered over America’s shoulder as she worked, leaning over from her seat at the desk chair in their hotel room in order to reach the bed. “I thought we were already dating.”

“Yeah, but you’ve never used one of these before, and that’s like a 21st-century sin!” America huffed out. “Seriously, how the hell did you hook up with people?”

“By talking to them.”

America waved her off with a flick of her wrist.

“Whatever. You just gotta catch up with the times!”

She squinted down at the screen for a moment, swiping through what seemed to be a few photos before she nodded to herself and held the phone up. “You like these?”

Russia plucked the phone out of her hands, although she had to admit that she was surprised when she saw her own face looking back at her. “Where did you get these pictures?”

“Saved them from your texts!” America reported cheerfully. “You got some real cute ones there!”

Russia only hummed in acknowledgement, looking over the photos America had selected. They were nothing new, simply a few shots she had taken herself (upon America’s insistence) and a few that America had taken of her on their various outings.

She was sure that there was some kind of determining factor behind them, whether it be the lighting or framing, but Russia chose to avoid going down that rabbit hole for the time being.

“They will do.”

“Sweet!”

America snatched the phone back out of Russia’s hands before she could even get another word out, already back to typing furiously.

“Alright, I’m gonna set you up so you get guys and girls,” she called out.

Russia blinked.

“Huh?”

America glanced up in order to wave the phone around, as if that was an adequate explanation in and of itself. “For when you start weeding people out! You gotta get the full experience if you’re doing this!”

Russia barely understood half of the words coming out of America’s mouth at this point, but she merely chose to smile and nod. That certainly seemed to be the right answer when America beamed at her before she busied herself with the rest of Russia’s profile.

It didn’t take long before Russia’s phone was being handed back to her for her approval of the final product, which admittedly, wasn’t as bad as it could have been. The photos were decent enough, and America at least had the self-restraint to avoid putting any mocking jokes in.

Russia briefly looked over it once before she nodded. “I forgot that you would need my human name for this,” she commented.

America only let out a boisterous laugh at that though, tossing her head back and sending her messy blonde hair flying across her face before she leaned back forward. “Well yeah dude! It’s kinda weird if you’re trying to hit on the whole country of Russia, y’know?”

“You certainly did not have a problem with that.”

“Not about me, shut up!”

Russia giggled when America’s face quickly turned bright red, cheeks flushed before she could manage to wave her off. “I am sure it is not.”

“Whatever!” America reached over to grab the armrest of Russia’s desk chair, yanking her in as she leaned over to see the screen. “Hurry up and start swiping!”

Russia shook her head with a bemused smile, although she did follow America’s instructions and look down in order to judge the profile in front of her.

She had to admit, with the competition sitting next to her, she doubted that any of these candidates would stand a chance.

“America?”

Russia heard the sheets rustling behind her before a familiar weight draped itself over her back, arms looping around her neck as America peeked out from behind her.

“What’s up dude?”

Russia only stared at the screen, fingers hovering over the keyboard without ever typing anything out. “You said you chose both men and women, right?”

America nodded her head, resting her chin on Russia’s shoulder. “Yeah, why?”

Russia didn’t even know how to begin to explain that one. She didn’t even dare to say it out loud, opting instead to hold her phone up so America could see what she was currently dealing with.

“Huh?”

America squinted at the screen, blue eyes narrowing for a brief moment before they blew wide again.

“Oh that’s a dick.” She let out a low whistle. “That’s just a full-on dick.”

Russia quickly lowered the phone as soon as America started to speak, keeping it face down on her lap as she glanced back up at her. “Is this normal?”

“I mean, pretty much,” she answered, returning her cautious stare with a nonchalant shrug. “Why, you just wanna see girls now?”

“Yes please.”

Thankfully, that little incident had yet to repeat itself after America had changed the settings again, leaving Russia to look through the various profiles of other women in the area.

There were some fairly attractive people around, but Russia still found it a little more difficult to choose between pictures presented to her.

“Oh, she’s cute,” America murmured, voice muffled from her insistent use of Russia’s thigh as a pillow.

Russia paused, tilting the screen down so America could get a clear view of the woman in front of her. “Her?”

America nodded, squirming around in order to lay down on her back instead of her stomach. “Yup!”

Russia hummed thoughtfully, studying the image again. The smiling face of Elizabeth Warren looked back at her, offering long brunette hair and pale skin covered up with a warm flannel. She certainly was pretty, but she wasn’t quite Russia’s type.

“Maybe you should do this instead then,” she said, eventually settling on swiping right just for America’s input.

America only snorted, bringing one hand up to wave it lazily in the air.

“Not the point dude!” Her hand quickly dropped to land back on her stomach. “This is a learning experience or whatever!”

“I didn’t know your vocabulary was that big.”

Russia let out a quiet grunt when America smacked her arm, but even that wasn’t enough to stop the grin from spreading across her face.

“Rude.”

Russia shook her head, swatting away the last of America’s hits as she settled back down to focus on the screen. Each woman was attractive in her own way, but Russia just couldn’t really find the appeal in them when she already had America draped across her lap.

Still, she did her best to sort through them, idly swiping away at the numerous profiles without much attention to detail.

At least, until a certain profile forced her attention right back onto it.

“America,” she started, eyes locked on her screen, “you said anyone can use this, right?”

“Yup!” America glanced up at her, tilting her head with curiosity written all over her face.

“You are certain about that?”

“Of course I am!” America shot back. “Why would I be wrong?”

This was something yet again that Russia couldn’t even hope to explain and once more, she relegated herself to showing America her phone so she could see the profile for herself.

At first though, America only stared back at the picture without a single connection being made.

“What’s wrong with her? She’s just-”

Russia could have sworn she saw the moment the gears in America’s head started to turn, face going blank for a moment before her jaw dropped.

“Is that Germany?”

Russia was relieved that America came to the same conclusion she had, although there were relatively few conclusions to be made when faced with a muscular blonde named Monika Beilschmidt on Tinder.

“I think so,” she finally answered with some hesitation. “I do not know who else it could be.”

“Wait, wait, wait, wait.” America quickly reached up to snatch the phone out of her hands, pushing herself up as her eyes darted across the screen. “That can’t be her.”

“It certainly looks like her,” Russia pointed out.

America only waved her off though, focus narrowed solely onto the picture in front of her. “It’s probably a catfish or something.”

“Germany does not hand her name out lightly.” Russia leaned back over in order to get a better look at the profile again. “It is very unlikely that someone would have both her picture and her true name.”

“I mean, yeah, but-” America cut herself off to throw a hand out towards the screen. “That’s Germany! She only uses her phone to like, call her boss!”

Russia merely shrugged. “Perhaps she is changing as well.”

America opened her mouth and Russia could already see her argument forming before she snapped it back shut, turning instead to the phone with a new determination. “Oh just you fucking wait.”

Russia furrowed her brow, but that quickly changed into a wide-eyed shock when America swiped right.

“What are you doing?” she hissed, reaching over to snatch her phone back.

America firmly kept herself out of reach though, twisting around to avoid Russia’s hands as she started to type. “I’m gonna prove that this isn’t Germany!”

“America, no!”

Russia’s protests went unheeded though and eventually, there was nothing she could do but watch as America sent the first text.

do you know when the meeting starts tomorrow?

She managed to get her phone back too late, staring at the screen with horror before she glared at America. “Amelia, I am going to-”

“It’s not even her! Chill, dude!” America motioned back towards the screen. “Whoever it is won’t even know how to answer that! Just wait!”

Russia certainly had some thoughts on that little piece of advice, but those quickly went out the window when her phone buzzed in her hand.

9 in the morning, although I expect people to start arriving around 8:45.

Also, I must emphasize that there are other ways to contact me if you have any questions.

“Oh no.”

“What? Ready to accept defeat an-”

America’s words died in her mouth as soon as she caught sight of the screen.

“No way.”

Russia nodded, vaguely wondering if she had entered the first stages of shock as she looked over the message again. “I thought she was with Italy.”

“Maybe they’re not exclusive or something,” America offered, although her voice was still colored with disbelief.

She snapped her head up to look at Russia fast enough that Russia thought she would break her own neck for a minute.

“We gotta figure out what’s going on.”

Russia hesitated. “I do not think that is a good idea. It is none of our business.”

“Yeah, but look at this!” America motioned wildly towards the texts, nearly smacking the phone out of Russia’s hand in the process. “This is like a whole mystery movie waiting to happen!”

“That does not change the fact that this is not a good idea.”

“We’re not gonna follow her around or anything!” America protested. “We’ll just text her and see what’s up!

Now, the very smart and rational part of Russia was telling her to drop the app completely and hope that what little of the professional relationship she had with Germany could be salvaged before she would have to meet her in the morning. Unfortunately, that part was quickly being drowned out by the much more America-influenced portion of her that was rather curious to see how this turned out.

“Do not embarrass me.”

America quickly snatched the phone out of her hands with a broad grin. “You got it dude!”

Russia leaned over to watch as she typed out a response, deleting and retyping phrases in the blink of an eye before she hit send.

i didn’t take you to be the kind of person to use these apps

especially with italy around

“That sounds like you, right?”

“Don’t you think you should have asked before you sent that?”

Any response America could have given was quickly interpreted by the vibration of the phone in her hand, forcing both of their heads down in order to take in the new message.

This is not something that Italy needs to know about.

“Dude.” America looked back up with Russia with a slack-jawed shock that she knew she was mirroring. “Dude.”

Russia couldn’t even come up with any words to say, only able to stare between the phone and America with a hand coming up to uselessly try to explain herself. With America around though, she really didn’t need to.

“Dude!”

America leaped up from the bed in order to pace around the room, staring at the phone in disbelief. “What the fuck is going on?”

“I have no idea,” Russia admitted, leaning forward to rest her arms on her knees. She only watched as America tore around the limited space she had for a few moments before she flopped back onto the bed.

“Ok, ok, hold on.” America quickly typed out another response, eyes fixed on the screen as Russia scooted back onto the bed to join her. “Hold on.”

i thought you and italy were together

is that no longer the case?

As soon as the message was sent, America turned her head to stare back at Russia. “Holy shit.”

Russia didn’t even get the time to nod in agreement before the phone was buzzing away in America’s hands again. She was quick to lean over America’s shoulder to peer at the response though, already eager to see the new development.

Is that an invitation?

The glass window came dangerously close to shattering with the two high-pitched screams that tore through the hotel room.

“Give me my phone back!”

“Wait, I gotta see what she says!”

Prussia ducked as soon as Germany reached for her arm, her eyes never leaving the screen for a second.

“Do it yourself then!” Germany snapped, wrestling Prussia’s hand away in order to make another grab for her phone. “Why did you even use m-”

She was quickly cut off by the sound of her phone going off, Prussia’s hand coming up to shove her away as soon as it did.

“Shut up for a minute!”

Prussia glanced at the screen once, narrowing her eyes to read the message before she burst out into a fit of cackling laughter, tossing her head back with a wide grin cutting at her cheeks.

“What did you do?”

Germany didn’t even want to know the answer to that question, but she still did her best to catch a glimpse of the screen before Julchen pulled her hand away, just barely managing to see Russia’s answer.

what kind of invitation are you looking for?

“We’re in!” Prussia crowed, eyes alight with unhidden joy as she held Germany’s phone up. She quickly started typing up another text, maneuvering around Germany’s attempts to reclaim her phone with a new determination to her steps.

“I’m gonna tell her to come over!”

“No!”

“Germany?”

Both Germany and Prussia stopped at the new addition, looking up to see Italy standing in the doorway, keycard in her hand and looking thoroughly confused.

“Did something happen?”

Before Germany could even think to answer her, Prussia shoved her away again in order to speed right for her, although she managed to tackle her down before she made much progress.

“Italy!” Prussia called out, waving the phone in her hand desperately. “You gotta help me out!”

“No you are not!” Germany snapped her glare up to target Italy instead of her sister. “Get out of here!”

Italy didn’t move though, only tilting her head as she tucked the keycard back into her pocket. “What do you need help with?”

“Nothing-”

“I made Germany a Tinder account just to mess with her and I found Russia!”

Prussia quickly tossed the phone to Italy, who managed to fumble a catch before it hit the ground.

“You gotta keep up my work!” she called out. “Tell her to come over!”

“Italy,” Germany practically snarled, “you better think very carefully about what you’re going to do.”

Italy looked between the two, eyes wide before she looked down at the phone in her hands. She stepped forward and Germany finally let the tension seep from her shoulders as she held an expectant hand out.

However, Italy paused before she fully entered the hotel room, hesitation evident all over her face as she eyed Prussia.

“You put Germany on a dating app?” she asked slowly.

Prussia eagerly nodded from where she was currently being pinned to the ground. “Yeah!”

Germany’s eyes narrowed when Italy shot her an apologetic smile, fingers curling around the phone.

“Italy, I swear-”

“Sorry Germany!”

Just like that, Italy was gone, darting out of the hotel room in a flash with Germany’s phone in tow.

Prussia cackled from her spot on the ground when Germany let out a series of swears fit for a sailor as she scrambled up, tearing after Italy and slamming the door shut behind her as soon as she left.

“Marzia!”

“I just wanted to see what people think about you!”

“You better pray I don’t catch you!”

#rusame #nyo rusame #gerita #nyo gerita #my writing #i started writing this at 1 am and now its 4 #this was supposed to be a drabble #what happened to me

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greatestpursuitofhealthy · 4 years

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The Greatest Pleasure In Life

Very often, the greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do. There are great joy and satisfaction to prove others wrong and build the life you want. And yes, at times, a person must travel many roads to find its true nature. But I dare you to show them that they are wrong about you.

Do you let the negative opinions of others be a roadblock to your dreams and success? Should you agree with anyone who tells you that it is impossible to achieve? Why would you let other people define who you are?

If I have only one suggestion to make, it is never to let anyone tell you what you can do and cannot do. These people who can't do something themselves are just afraid or gave up on their dreams and hopes. All they want is to try to bring you down too by telling you that you can't do it. And it is always the greatest pleasure in life to prove them wrong.

So, blow people's mind and surprise them because it is your life, not theirs. In the end, it is about you and what you can do. Life is also about proving that all things are possible. Showing people, they are wrong is by far one of the best satisfaction. And never let another person's opinion define you.

Life's Greatest Misconception

It is a fact that the greatest pleasure in life is doing what other people say you cannot do. There are and will always be individuals that will come into your life and tell you about the things you cannot do. But the thing is that it is still up to you to whether you listen to them or not. The term "I can't" is one of life's greatest misconceptions.

"Whether you think you can or think you can't - you are right." - Henry Ford

So, not only the word "Can't" is such an ugly term, but you must banish it from your vocabulary. Your mindset and attitude are everything. When you make some adjustments to how you think, you begin removing the negative thoughts you tell yourself. It helps you leave that place ruled by fear. And you then can make significant strides towards your desired dream and end result.

Whatever is Your Greatest Pleasure

If you are like me, you refuse to believe that things are impossible. And it does not matter what your dream is. Whatever it is, you can do it, and that is the greatest pleasure in life. It can be creating a new app, or a different type of project, or launching an existing one into another country, or getting a better job. Know that anything is possible!

"Impossible is a word only found in the dictionary of fools." - Napoleon Bonaparte

Thus, it always seems impossible until done. The word "Can't" is used by people who are scared, and project their fears out into the world. It is employed by people who cannot see past their current limitations. They do not take into account that if given the right mindset, they too, can begin manifesting their dreams and succeed.

Yet, those people prefer to find excuses not to pursue their desires. They even start to damage your greatest pleasure, your work of making your dreams come true. But why do people do such thing?

Fear the Great Enemy

Perhaps, it is the fear of failure, making a mistake, or embarrassment. Maybe people are scared of change. I agree, when embarking into the unknown or taking risks, it is a reasonable and healthy human response to have such feelings. But there is no beauty without struggles in life.

So, you have to recognize that the fear you might have is just a temporary emotion. Realize that it does not have a chain tied to you. You can move, so you can set yourself free. Just remember that you are a miracle of nature and only need a shift in perception to see life's greatest pleasure.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9905303

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conceptsnest · 4 years

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COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY: ADAPTING TO CHANGE AS LEADERS

Now more than ever before, leaders all over the world are facing change and complexity — the coronavirus pandemic has presented us all with new challenges, new circumstances, and new uncertainties. Adaptability is a requirement. Because change is constant and inevitable, leaders must be flexible to succeed. Adaptability is about having ready access to a range of behaviours that enable leaders to shift and experiment as things change.

Successful executives:

1) Adapt to the changing external pressures facing the organization.

2) Adjust their management style to changing situations.

3) Accept changes as positive.

4) Revise plans as necessary.

5) Consider other people’s concerns during change.

Conversely, it may also be argued that inflexible leaders limit the adaptability of others. New initiatives may be halted or stifled. Resistance to change may undermine critical projects or system-wide implementation. Employee enthusiasm, cooperation, morale, and creativity are jeopardized, making it all the more difficult to run the business or organization.

Am I a Flexible Leader?

Consider your personal approach to change. How do you respond when facing change? Do you:

1) Accept the change as positive?

2) See the change as an opportunity?

3) Adapt plans as necessary?

4) Quickly master new technology, vocabulary, operating rules?

5) Lead the change by example?

6) Take into account other people’s concerns?

7) Sort out your strengths and weaknesses fairly accurately?

8) Admit personal mistakes, learn from them, and move on?

9) Remain optimistic?

If few or none of these responses describes you, you’re not alone. Many of us get stuck, have a hard time letting go, or simply don’t know how to proceed in unknown territory.

The 3 Types of Flexibility That Help You Adapt to Change

If you want to improve your responses to change in the future, Calarco says you need to practice the 3 components of adaptability: cognitive flexibility, emotional flexibility and dispositional flexibility.

A) Cognitive flexibility — the ability to use different thinking strategies and mental frameworks:. . . . Leaders who have cognitive flexibility are able to incorporate different thinking strategies and mental frameworks into their planning, decision-making, and management of day-to-day work. They can simultaneously hold multiple scenarios in mind and can see when to shift and inject a change. Cognitive flexibility indicates nimble, divergent thinking, an interest in developing new approaches, the ability to see and leverage new connections, and the propensity to work well across the organization. These leaders readily learn from experience and recognize when old approaches don’t work.

B) Emotional flexibility — the ability to vary one’s approach to dealing with emotions and those of others: . . . . . Leaders with emotional flexibility vary their approach to dealing with their own and others’ emotions — an area that many leaders often fail to consider. An emotionally flexible leader is comfortable with the process of transition, including grieving, complaining, and resistance. Adapting to change requires give and take between the leader and those experiencing the change. A leader without emotional flexibility is dismissive of others’ concerns and emotions and shuts down discussion. At the same time, an emotionally adaptive leader moves the change or agenda forward.

C) Dispositional flexibility — the ability to remain optimistic and, at the same time, realistic: . . . . . Leaders who display dispositional flexibility (or personality-related flexibility) operate from a place of optimism grounded in realism and openness. They will acknowledge a bad situation but simultaneously visualize a better future. They are neither blindly positive nor pessimistic and defeatist. Ambiguity is well-tolerated. Dispositionally flexible leaders see change as an opportunity rather than as a threat or danger. By learning and practicing behaviors that boost your cognitive, emotional, and dispositional flexibility, you can become more adaptable and, in turn, help others to adapt.

Cognitive Flexibility: Meaning & Ways to develop

Cognitive flexibility refers to our ability to disengage from one task and respond to another or think about multiple concepts at the same time. Someone who is cognitively flexible will be able to learn more quickly, solve problems more creatively, and adapt and respond to new situations more effectively, which is why it’s so important in both educational settings and the workplace. Building your cognitive flexibility is a great way to develop professionally and keep up with the ever changing work environment of the future. Some ways in which this can be done are: A) Alter your everyday routine: . . . . . For instance, if you’re accustomed to taking the same route to work each day, look for a different route or consider taking the bus instead of driving yourself. If you usually get your exercise at the gym, change things up by running in the park or going for a bike ride. Even making the smallest of changes like sitting at a new spot at the dinner table or using your left hand to brush your teeth instead of your right can help you build and strengthen new neural pathways. B) Seek out new experiences: . . . . . Each time you experience something out of the ordinary or learn something new, the brain creates new synaptic connections. New and interesting experiences have also been shown to trigger the release of dopamine, which not only increases motivation but also enhances memory and learning. So going out of your way to experience new things or engage in novel activities can go a long way towards helping you develop cognitive flexibility. This might mean travelling to another country or volunteering in a new industry, but it could also take the form of activities like learning a new language or musical instrument, taking a dance class, or even exploring a part of town you’re not familiar with. C) Practice thinking creatively: . . . . . . Another way to build cognitive flexibility is to make an effort to think in unconventional and creative ways or practice divergent thinking. Divergent thinking usually occurs in a spontaneous and free-flowing manner and involves thinking in terms of unlimited possibilities rather than a limited set of choices. D) Don’t always take the easy way: . . . . . . . These days we have technology and apps that make our lives easier in countless ways, from spell check and autocorrect to GPS. But the truth is that making things easier for ourselves isn’t always the best thing for our cognitive flexibility. Research shows that introducing so-called “desirable difficulties” can lead to deeper learning, so by making a point of not always choosing the easiest way of doing things, you can keep your mind sharp and even learn through your everyday experiences.

For instance, if you’re driving to an area you’re not familiar with, try to navigate your way using a map and asking for directions rather than using your GPS, or instead of reaching for your phone the minute you need to make a calculation, grab a pen and paper, and do it the old-fashioned way. E) Go out of your way to meet new people: . . . . . Meeting people from different cultures and walks of life whose perspectives and viewpoints are likely to differ from your own can help you to be less rigid in your way of thinking and accept that there may be more than one “right” way of looking at things. Research shows that people who are exposed to situations that challenge their ideas about what’s right and wrong tend to have greater cognitive flexibility. So make an effort to meet people outside of your normal social circles, whether that means travelling abroad, volunteering, teaching, or connecting with people through social media. F) Transfer your learning: . . . . . Learning to transfer what you’ve learned in one context into a new context can be a great exercise in cognitive flexibility, because it forces you to form new connections between previously unconnected networks of knowledge and think more creatively. Without the ability to transfer skills and knowledge to new contexts, your learning won’t have as great an impact. If you want to develop your ability to transfer knowledge, research shows that explaining a new concept in your own words not only helps you identify any incorrect assumptions, but also helps you to generalise a concept for future application. Once you’re sure you understand the concept, you can look for ways to apply it in real-world situations. G) Challenge your morals: . . . . . . Seeking out experiences that test your morals and expose you to a variety of beliefs, values, and expectations can give you a better understanding of culturally different perspectives and help you become more flexible in your thinking. Even if you don’t necessarily agree with someone’s point of view or belief system, being cognitively flexible means you’ll be able to think about why they might see things that way and understand their point of view. This ability will make it easier for you to communicate with people, resolve conflicts, and adapt your thinking to various situations. Of course, travel is one way to challenge your way of thinking, but even just reading about moral dilemmas and thinking about them critically can help you develop in this area.

Tips for Flexible Leaders

1) Be curious. Ask lots of questions. Wonder, explore, and consider before you judge and decide.

2) Don’t get too attached to a single plan or strategy. Have Plan B (and C) at the ready.

3) Create support systems. Don’t go it alone. Look to mentors, friends, coaches, trusted peers, professional colleagues, family members, and others to serve as your support system in times of change. Encourage employees to do the same.

4) Understand your own reaction to change. You have to be clear about your own emotions and thoughts about changes, so you can be straightforward with others.

5) Immerse yourself in new environments and situations. Do this when you are confronted by change — but get practice by joining activities, meeting new people, and trying new things on a regular basis.

Content Curated By: Dr Shoury Kuttappa

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2studentsoforeignlanguages · 4 years

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TEXT TALK NOVELS

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION

A Text Talk Novel or Cell phone Novels (Japanese: 携帯小説) it is a literary work written, as you can infer, on a cellular phone via text messaging.

This phenomenon emerged almost 20 years ago and arrived in the English language world in 2008. It that way it began a new literary movement among thousands of young writers and readers all over the globe, first on Textnovel.com and now also on Wattpad.

We can say that this "not that new" literacy movement is a remarkably unique new form of writing, it is in fact, a fusing serialized online storytelling with a simple haiku-like poetic technique (a type of short-form poetry originally from Japan) and with prose narrative.

When it comes to the structure of these cell phone novels, each page or chapter is usually averaging around 50-100 words, implementing white space, fragments, deeply personal thoughts or ideas, or emotions. However, there are no restrictions on genres, form, style, or content.

THE ORIGINS

A young man named Yoshi, who originated from Japan, started writing a novel in his mobile phone including short chapters that could fit in an email message. He sent it to his closest friends and then forwarded, suddenly, this novel became worldwide known.

It is important to highlight that the different technological devices in Japan were more advanced than the Western counterparts back then. These tools were capable of 3G internet networks and email messaging and did not have SMS text limitations.

Since Yoshi’s “Deep Love” was known, more and more publishers and writers decided to embrace this new trend and as a consequence many Apps, as well as websites, were created in order to allow Japanese people not only to read them but also to publish their own stories online pen names and secret identities.

Inspiring a new generation of amateurs writers, the majority of them were high school students expressing very personal, emotional, existential, and controversial topics that may be considered taboo in the Japanese culture, topics such as bullying, rape, abortion, friendship using a colloquial vocabulary.

These books have then accumulated millions of reads and readership, published into print form and made into films, TV drama, anime and manga, and so on. The top five bestselling books each year in Japan are often cell phone novels. Some famous examples are: “Koizora” (Love Sky), “Akai Ito” (Red String of Fate), “Kimi No Sei” (It’s Your Fault), “Moshimo Kimi Ga” (If You) and more: http://hakaiya.com/20101204/movie-12945

THE WRITING STYLE

The concept set off the combination of narration and poetry, creating short chapters using white space, line breaks, fragments, poetic devices, and focusing on sensory, emotional, or dialogue content, you will find many cliffhangers. Each chapter is less than 200 words and averages around 50-100.

This type of style opens doors to creativity and imagination; it encourages young writers to reflect deeply about choosing the most accurate diction and layout and to think outside the box and at the same time to deliver the maximum potency in between the lines. In addition, it motives a haiku-style sentimental art form.

It actually allows writers to sound more sophisticated and literary beyond their age just by using their sensitivity and perception of their tiny moments in life. On the other hand, Text Talk Novels inspire to return to literature and poetry, even though its content is related to pop and youth culture in general.

What is amazing about this literary written work it's the fact that by using and bringing apps and social platforms it is widespread easily and everyone could have access. Due to social media writing or reading small chapters could be done between classes, during commutes, or even when you are lying in bed.

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE MOVEMENT

Steve, K.T., or Takatsu, in 2008 introduced the English cell phone novel. After some research and reading, he realized that there was no such thing as English cell phone novels, and seeing the potential of this literary form, he came across Textnovel.com (the first site in North America to recognize cell phone novels).Since there were not actual cell phone stories on the website, some Japanese cell phone novels were translated.

Takatsu felt so inspired that he starts to experiment with his own original cell phone novel called “Secondhand Memories”. This novel became the very first English language cell phone novel in the West and in the world.

After publishing “Secondhand Memories” a lot of writers of all ages from all over the globe began to get involved in the community. After many years of work and leadership, these writers have been exploring and evolving the different possibilities and styles as well. Becoming more philosophical, artistic, and poetic or start to incorporate visual elements like changing fonts and sizes of fonts.

In 2015, the community also expanded as the Wattpad Cell Phone Novel Network.

“The goodness of inspiration and connecting from art to heart, one heart to another, one life to another, is epitomized in the cell phone novel form, its deeply personal subculture and spirit, and its globalization.”-Takatsu.

CELL PHONE NOVEL SAMPLES

Here are some samples from cell phone novels over the years.

Chapter 1, Secondhand Memories (2008) by Takatsu

It was July. She looked at me with a smile on her face. I smiled back. It was summer. School was off. I was in complete bliss. There was nothing better than this. With her beside me, nothing could go wrong. “Let’s go.” I heard myself say. She nodded.

Chapter 307, Secondhand Memories (2008) by TAKATSU

As we stood there, still in an embrace, all the color slowly returned to the world. The dark grey clouds above were scattering, golden sunlight released from Heaven’s gates above. Like honey, the grassy field in front of us turned colden, lit ablaze with vibrant color. The grass began to sway back and forth counting to a beat, dancing with the wind. I stood there, wide-eyed like a child in awe. Spring. Spring has come. Life. Life has returned.

Chizuru by EllieCue

Birds with the same feathers, flock together – I never knew what this adage means before. I mean, why do people group themselves according to “who” they are? Why can’t everyone just get along with each other? Like… …friends?

I hope you have enjoyed a lot reading about this literary movement!

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rigelmejo · 4 years

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Lets discuss Clozemaster:

It’s a free app. At least, I’ve only ever used the free version, and it’s perfectly usable AND useful to use free. The only noticable limitation is that when you click a sentence trying to copy/paste, you need to click copy and then paste into a dictionary of your choice outside of Clozemaster. Sometimes clicking a word for a definition is needed, since each ‘cloze’ is based on a sentence with one new word you’re ‘learning’. The translations given for each sentence once you give your cloze answer/guess, are not translated literally. So it’s necessary to copy/paste the word and look up the exact definition sometimes, to figure out what SPECIFIC word/meaning in the sentence, your new learned cloze-word really was. This is just something that happens when learning this way. It’s fine, and the app is still usable. It’s just I DO think with the paid version, if you click your sentence after answering/guessing the cloze word, the app gives you an exact definition of the cloze-word. So the paid version might be a second or two more convenient.

It has one drawback that is not something that changes whether its the free version or paid, and it’s understandable WHY the app has the feature. The positives the app gets from it, make up for the negatives the app gets from it in my opinion. I remember hearing, a long while back, that Clozemaster picked its sentences from Forvo.com, a website with a huge amount of native speaker submitted sentences with their language/other language translations and pronunciations in their language. Forvo itself is a WONDERFUL resource for hearing the pronunciation of words. It’s also a pretty useful site for people who want to make flashcards and try to learn using a kind of comprehensible input i+1 flashcard learning method.

The good thing about Clozemaster using Forvo as it’s source for it’s sentences: a huge amount of the Clozemaster sentences are natural language, sentences a real person would/has used, and Clozemaster for the most part orders the sequence of sentences it gives you based on most common words first. Then over time you cover less and less common words. With Chinese, it also goes by HSK level - so you only encounter sentences with simple grammar first, and HSK1 words, then each gets a bit more complicated as you progress to the HSK 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 etc sets. So, you can realistically use Clozemaster as a sentence mining resource, that will somewhat be in line with the method of trying to learn from comprehensible input where there’s only a little new challenging information over time. It is a really great thing. It makes Clozemaster super useful, for any language you’re learning, and if you like studying based on utilizing comprehensible and almost-comprehensible input, it’s designed great for this. The sentences are also generally real sentences people have used, when they’re from Forvo. So you rarely run into sentences that have the kind of errors in the vein of “teacher does not actually understand the language they teach, and is teaching you unnatural language/incorrect grammar.”

The main negative of Clozemaster stems from this same good thing about it: Forvo doesn’t define sentences literally. Forvo defines sentences as a whole - so something that literally means ‘leave now’ might be translated as ‘lets go’ in translated-version of the sentence, because the whole-sentence translation is meant to get the whole gist of the entire sentence translated. The translations for Forvo sentences is more about translating the full sentence chunk’s meaning/equivalent, rather than any word-for-word translation that might be less natural sounding. Since Clozemaster gets the content for it’s sentences from Forvo, it can cause the following issue. Clozemaster will give you a sentence, and when you answer regardless of if you were right or wrong, it will provide you the english translation. Sometimes, the english translation does NOT actually include specifically the translation of the CLOZE-WORD. A simple example might be a chinese sentence, saying in chinese “Wo xian zou” - lets say Clozemaster gives the sentence “Wo ___ zou” and asks you to answer what the cloze-word is. Once you answer, it tells you if you’re right or wrong. Then it shows you ‘xian’ was the correct word, and it shows you the english translation “I’m leaving.”

How big of a problem this is, will depend on how much it bothers you. If you study enough sentences, the other ways ‘xian’ is used will become clear in context, and it will be fine. If you copy the chinese word at this point, open it in a dictionary app, then you will get the literal definition and be able to compare it to how it gets used in this sentence. Xian means ‘first’ or ‘before’, so the more literal translation would be “I’ll leave first,” only in a slightly different word order. But the more natural sounding definition is probably... “I’m leaving.” That IS the translation a chinese drama show would probably pick, and the meaning of “I’m leaving” for an english speaker is about the same as how chinese speakers mean it when they say “Wo xian zou.” So as a full sentence overall translation, the clozemaster sentences are fine. But sometimes the lack of the actual-cloze-word being literally-defined in the english translation, makes learning from some sentences a little confusing. This would be an issue that would crop up if you use Forvo, or any whole-sentences to study from as your primary resource, unless you’re specifically translating literally for yourself. Now, there’s good things about learning this way too - learning as full sentences/phrases of meaning, might actually be more useful in some ways. There’s a great Chinese grammar book that’s all about how a lot of things literally NEED to be worded differently to ‘mean’ the equivalent thing as the english. Different ways of wording nationality, different ways of saying ‘i’m fine’ etc. So Clozemaster sentences as a whole are still useful. It’s just best to treat them as phrase-learning sentences sometimes, if you can’t figure out specifically what the definition of the new word was. That word will come up again in new contexts later, that will further help you understand the word.

Now, onto Clozemaster’s difficulty curve: even the most simple sentences, full of super common words, are still going to be difficult if you are an absolute beginner. If you want to learn using ‘comprehensible’ input, I’d really recommend either... realizing the first several times you’ll use clozemaster will be brutal on you, until you learn the most common words and can then rely on them to understand ‘most’ of the sentences introducing new words... or looking yourself up SOME other resource with at LEAST 100-500 common words, and drilling it before you start using Clozemaster. Whether that means reading an intro textbook, reading a wordlist, doing a memrise deck, anki deck, whatever. Just... Clozemaster is much more useful for learning new words in the context of sentences, if you’ve got a decent understanding of some super common words that tend to be in most sentences FIRST. Otherwise you’re learning ALL the words in a new sentence on Clozemaster at once, instead of ONLY the new cloze-word it’s supposed to be teaching you. In addition, if grammar is confusing the ever daylights out of you, even in the simple sentences in Clozemaster’s start, you might want to look up “X-language grammar guide” on google, find yourself a free one, and skim through it. Just so you have some idea of what grammar features to look out for - if word order is usually different than english, if verbs usually have Y kind of conjugations, etc. This will help make the clozemaster sentences easier for you to learn from if you were struggling - because it will give you more comprehensible details to look for (if you’ve seen a grammar guide, and can identify the nouns/verbs/adjectives, and guess at word order, then you’ll have a better idea of if the new word you are learning is a noun/verb/adjective and how it is related to the words in that sentence that you DO know). This will make it easier for you to learn from the context of the sentence in Clozemaster, with less need for any other tools. For me, I found that Clozemaster is MOST useful to me for rapidly picking up more vocabulary, especially in the stage where you CAN understand example sentences in your study materials like textbooks or example sentences for common words in a wordlist, but CANNOT actually read native materials yet. Clozemaster also progresses to less common words over time, so its a bit like reading a graded reader - except in sentence chunks instead of paragraphs/pages/books. If a graded reader is too difficult, it may be a little easier to use Clozemaster. If some graded readers are too easy, Clozemaster may have some challenging sentences to work up your vocabulary until you’ll feel ready to read a more difficult book. It’s super useful for late-beginner to intermediate skill level learners.

Lets talk about languages not very much like english in Clozemaster - Japanese and Chinese. I’ve tried both of them. For me, they were both brutally difficult even in the beginning, until I learned a lot of basics. Knowing grammar at least at a basic level was vital for me, in helping me figure out how the japanese or chinese sentence was structured compared to the english translations. Also, its very noticable in these languages that some sentences are NOT translated literally. They’re probably not translated literally, because the way an idea in some sentence might be expressed using entirely different words in english versus chinese etc. Now, I DO find these languages on Clozemaster still immensely useful. I’d just say the difficulty curve mentioned above, is going to be even more apparent than in say a romance language. So if you find Clozemaster unusable as a total beginner, consider doing the tips above, then coming back to clozemaster later to help you acquire vocab in context once you... have more of a basis to draw context from. Also, if you find kanji, hiragana, katakana, hanzi incompensible to the point you cannot even distinguish differences BETWEEN different characters? You may need to study one or multiple of those writing systems a bit more before using clozemaster. For me, I could not really learn new kanji words from Clozemaster until I AT LEAST knew some 100 kanji already and had a good idea of how radicals combine to build kanji, so that I could look at new kanji and tell myself “this new word X, pronounced Y in the sentence, matching this english definition, has radicals Z making it up” to help myself remember the new word specifically. And if I didn’t know katakana or hiragana I don’t think I would have been able to even TRY to interpret the sentences. The case was similar with chinese - I had to learn some commonly used hanzi for grammatical information, and recognize the radicals, before I could dive into trying to use Clozemaster sentences to learn new words. However, I will say, Clozemaster’s organization of sentences by HSK level is SUPER useful. As I’ve been steadily learning with my other learning materials, I’ve noticed that for the HSK levels I’ve ‘surpassed,’ the corresponding HSK level sentences in Clozemaster have become completely comprehensible to me (and are now just something I use to review grammar structure instead of learn new words). In Clozemaster, I can pick the next HSK level up to practice learning the new words at the level of HSK I am studying, along with grammar, and use it to learn with sentences for context in a wonderful sentence-mining kind of structure perfect for my learning level. If I DO want to challenge myself, I can pick ‘sentences at random’ and get sentences that are super easy all the way to intensely confusing (for me) complex sentences with a lot of new vocabulary. The way clozemaster is structured for Chinese is incredibly useful if you’re using clozemaster alongside a textbook or any other learning material that is progressing from most common words/basics to more complex.

#clozemaster #language learning apps

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kiwisimie · 5 years

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𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐌𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐠 !!

RULES: Post a pic of your simself with your traits and answer the questions!

TRAITS: loner, music lover, clumsy

tagged by: the great @honeybeqr

✩ QUESTIONS 1. WHAT IS YOUR FULL NAME? um just esther is fine 2. WHAT IS YOUR NICKNAME? mum, wife, goldfish, and esti 3. BIRTHDAY? 3rd july 4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK SERIES? um I don’t really read series but princess diaries and dork diaries are pretty fun 5. DO YOU BELIEVE IN ALIENS OR GHOSTS? honestly idk like I believe in the after life and there kinda has to something out there 6. WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE AUTHOR? rainbow rowell 7. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RADIO STATION? I always force my dad to play capital when i’m in his car sooooo I guess its capital (?) 8. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FLAVOR OF ANYTHING? vanilla and chocolate ( cant go wrong with the classics ) 9. WHAT WORD OR PHRASE WOULD YOU USE OFTEN TO DESCRIBE SOMETHING GREAT OR WONDERFUL? cool, good, um great as you can see my vocabulary isn’t that advanced 10. WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT FAVORITE SONG? japanese denim - Daniel Caesar, closely followed by broke - samm hemshaw 11. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WORD? pueblo, it means village/town in spanish 12. WHAT WAS THE LAST SONG YOU LISTENED TO? i’m listening to the schuyler sisters as I write this 13. WHAT TV SHOW WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR EVERYBODY TO WATCH? modern family and the simspons 14. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE TO WATCH WHEN YOU’RE FEELING DOWN? the princess and the frog, it has good songs 15. DO YOU PLAY VIDEO GAMES? not really i’m more of a lets play watcher 16. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR? disappointing people and death 17. WHAT IS YOUR BEST QUALITY, IN YOUR OPINION? i’m very empathetic/sympathetic, I try to see things from the person’s perspective 18. WHAT IS YOUR WORST QUALITY, IN YOUR OPINION? I tend to shut down a lot and just hide away suddenly 19. DO YOU LIKE CATS OR DOGS BETTER? I guess dogs but i’m not really an animal person 20. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SEASON? summer for sure 21. ARE YOU IN A RELATIONSHIP? with stress? yes 22. WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU MISS FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD? being able to fluently speak french 23. WHO IS YOUR BEST FRIEND? um next 24. WHAT IS YOUR EYE COLOR? dark brown 25. WHAT IS YOUR HAIR COLOR? its really dark brown so it just looks black 26. WHO IS SOMEONE YOU LOVE? my family 27. WHO IS SOMEONE YOU TRUST? once again me family 28. WHO IS SOMEONE YOU THINK ABOUT OFTEN? my friends 29. ARE YOU CURRENTLY EXCITED ABOUT/FOR SOMETHING? the half term 30. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST OBSESSION? fanfics, kpop, bullet journals and stationary ( an odd combo of things I know ) 31. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW AS A CHILD? totally spies, les zinzins de l'espace, and ratz 32. WHO OF THE OPPOSITE GENDER CAN YOU TELL ANYTHING TO, IF ANYONE? my brother, he’s a real g 33. ARE YOU SUPERSTITIOUS? not really 34. DO YOU HAVE ANY UNUSUAL PHOBIAS? I cant with butterflies I panic a bit when they fly near me 35. DO YOU PREFER TO BE IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA OR BEHIND IT? I like having the memories when i’m in front of it but I do like being behind it 36. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOBBY? playing instruments, reading and making sims 37. WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? fangirl by rainbow rowell thoroughly enjoyed it 38. WHAT WAS THE LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? the greatest showman I think 39. WHAT MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS DO YOU PLAY, IF ANY? piano, some chords on ukulele and guitar, i’ve been taking violin lessons, and I have a clarinet from school that I have yet to play seriously 40. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ANIMAL? any baby animal is my favourite animal 41. WHAT ARE YOUR TOP 5 FAVORITE TUMBLR BLOGS THAT YOU FOLLOW? anyone that posts is amazing 42. WHAT SUPERPOWER DO YOU WISH YOU HAD? teleportation because i’m a lazy bugger 43. WHEN AND WHERE DO YOU FEEL MOST AT PEACE? in bed listening to music or reading 44. WHAT MAKES YOU SMILE? memes that my friends send me and being with people 45. WHAT SPORTS DO YOU PLAY, IF ANY? I play for my school’s football and netball team and we do loads of different sports during lessons 46. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DRINK? orange juice 47. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WROTE A HAND-WRITTEN LETTER OR NOTE TO SOMEBODY? I wrote little messages in all the Christmas cards I gave out last year 48. ARE YOU AFRAID OF HEIGHTS? I don’t think so, ooo do I love the feeling when you’re in a plane and your stomach does that thing when it goes down a bit ( I probably sound crazy ) 49. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST PET PEEVE? ermmm slow walkers and being late for no reason 50. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO A CONCERT? no :( I really wanted to go to love yourself tour but I couldn’t get a ticket 51. ARE YOU VEGAN/VEGETARIAN? I don’t think I could ever 52. WHEN YOU WERE LITTLE, WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? an Olympian, still lowkey want to be one 53. WHAT FICTIONAL WORLD WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE IN? all of them 54. WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU WORRY ABOUT? exams and nearing everything I say and do ( I am a very anxious child ) 55. ARE YOU SCARED OF THE DARK? kinda 56. DO YOU LIKE TO SING? yes but i’m definitely not talented so you’re not hearing that any time soon 57. HAVE YOU EVER SKIPPED SCHOOL? not without informing the school because i’m a good child 58. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE ON THE PLANET? good question 59. WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE? in a city that’s maybe in another country 60. DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS? no and i’ve never had one 61. ARE YOU MORE OF AN EARLY BIRD OR A NIGHT OWL? a bit of both I think 62. DO YOU LIKE SUNRISES OR SUNSETS BETTER? sunrise, gotta love golden hour 63. DO YOU KNOW HOW TO DRIVE? no as I am underaged 64. DO YOU PREFER EARBUDS OR HEADPHONES? depends on where I am and what i’m doing 65. HAVE YOU EVER HAD BRACES? no but like all of my friends have 66. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GENRE OF MUSIC? there is a wide variety 67. WHO IS YOUR HERO? mi madre 68. DO YOU READ COMIC BOOKS? do webtoons and mangas count? 69. WHAT MAKES YOU THE MOST ANGRY? how ignorant someone people are 70. DO YOU PREFER TO READ ON AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE OR WITH A REAL BOOK? definitely real books, I have brought a couple 71. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SUBJECT IN SCHOOL? music and maths 72. DO YOU HAVE ANY SIBLINGS? yeah I have an older sister, two older brothers and a little sister 73. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU BOUGHT? tipp-ex, a clip-on light and a new moisturiser 74. HOW TALL ARE YOU? 169cm whatever that is in inches 75. CAN YOU COOK? only like the basic things 76. WHAT ARE THREE THINGS THAT YOU LOVE? family, friends and clothes 77. WHAT ARE THREE THINGS THAT YOU HATE? CUCUMBERS and AVOCADOS 78. DO YOU HAVE MORE FEMALE FRIENDS OR MORE MALE FRIENDS? my closer friends are basically all female 79. WHAT IS YOUR SEXUAL ORIENTATION? i’m your everyday heterosexual 80. WHERE DO YOU CURRENTLY LIVE? in the east of england 81. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TEXTED? my mum 82. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? a few days when I went to went to watch the curious incident of the dog in the night-time ( that show was a lot to handle ) 83. WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE YOUTUBER? bestdressed I love her personality and her sense of style 84. DO YOU LIKE TO TAKE SELFIES? occasionally 85. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE APP? tumblr, youtube, google keep and huji 86. WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR PARENT(S) LIKE? we are get along nicely 87. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOREIGN ACCENT? I don’t really have a favourite I find them all pretty entertaining 88. WHAT IS A PLACE THAT YOU’VE NEVER BEEN TO, BUT YOU WANT TO VISIT? italy 89. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE NUMBER? 6 and 3 90. CAN YOU JUGGLE? unfortunately I am not that talented 91. ARE YOU RELIGIOUS? yes 92. DO YOU FIND OUTER SPACE OF THE DEEP OCEAN TO BE MORE INTERESTING? we always watch documentaries about the deep ocean in science lessons and that’s always interesting 93. DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF TO BE A DAREDEVIL? hecc no 94. ARE YOU ALLERGIC TO ANYTHING? i’m like 99% i’m not 95. CAN YOU CURL YOUR TONGUE? yes 96. CAN YOU WIGGLE YOUR EARS? when I raise my eyebrows they move 97. HOW OFTEN DO YOU ADMIT THAT YOU WERE WRONG ABOUT SOMETHING? more often then I would like 98. DO YOU PREFER THE FOREST OR THE BEACH? forests 99. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PIECE OF ADVICE THAT ANYONE HAS EVER GIVEN YOU? ‘if you mess up no one’s going to notice unless you allow them to notice it’ my music teachers always say that for performances 100. ARE YOU A GOOD LIAR? I think I can be pretty convincing 101. WHAT IS YOUR HOGWARTS HOUSE? Hufflepuff! 102. DO YOU TALK TO YOURSELF? all the time, it helps me sort out my thoughts and explain things to myself 103. ARE YOU AN INTROVERT OR AN EXTROVERT? I am an introvert ( big surprise there ) and my personality type is isfj 104. DO YOU KEEP A JOURNAL/DIARY? yes but i’ve always been inconsistent with it 105. DO YOU BELIEVE IN SECOND CHANCES? yes 106. IF YOU FOUND A WALLET FULL OF MONEY ON THE GROUND, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? give it to some sort of authority ( like a teacher or the police ) 107. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE ARE CAPABLE OF CHANGE? sure 108. ARE YOU TICKLISH? very 109. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON A PLANE? yes and I love them 110. DO YOU HAVE ANY PIERCINGS? just my ears 111. WHAT FICTIONAL CHARACTER DO YOU WISH WAS REAL? baz and simon ( that’s two I know ) 112. DO YOU HAVE ANY TATTOOS? no 113. WHAT IS THE BEST DECISION THAT YOU’VE MADE IN YOUR LIFE SO FAR? applying for literally everything 114. DO YOU BELIEVE IN KARMA? not really 115. DO YOU WEAR GLASSES OR CONTACTS? I have glasses and I want contacts for when I do sports 116. DO YOU WANT CHILDREN? at some point in my life, yes 117. WHO IS THE SMARTEST PERSON YOU KNOW? I know a lot of people that are smart in different areas of life 118. WHAT IS YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING MEMORY? don’t really want that on the internet 119. HAVE YOU EVER PULLED AN ALL-NIGHTER? I always end up falling asleep 120. WHAT COLOR ARE MOST OF YOUR CLOTHES? white, black, a lot of yellow, and red ( I have a lot more colour then I used to ) 121. DO YOU LIKE ADVENTURES? yes 122. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON TV? no but my school has been 123. HOW OLD ARE YOU? 14 124. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE? ’ good-night, helen’ the only part of jane eyre I liked 125. DO YOU PREFER SWEET OR SAVORY FOODS? depends on my mood I encourage anyone how wants to do this to go for it :)

#about two weeks later here we are #and oh look its a new edit style #what a surprise #im sorry for all the grammatical errors I wrote both on my phone and my laptop #why is this so blurry oof #simself #get to know me

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gringoslur · 6 years

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Hey I’m an American Latina (sorry I don’t know if that’s the correct wording) and I don’t speak Spanish fluently. My mom does but doesn’t speak English at all so communicating is a trouble. I wanna learn but for some reason I’m having trouble. I took spanish class but i had the worst teachers. Was wondering if you had any tips

Hey! I don’t know the terms used in USA, but “american latina” it’s a little bit confusing for us (we call ourselves “latin americans” to point out that hey! america is not just usa). Maybe just use latina from usa to avoid confusion? And yes, i understand that, my english teachers weren’t….the best. Before starting this, know that i’m argentinan so a lot of the examples or sources that i’m giving you are from here. Ok so here are my tips:

First of all, like i talked before, i feel like the first decision that you have to make comes from the reason that you are learning the language. If you are learning to get close to your roots, then you need to consume the kind of spanish. For example, if your family it’s from El Salvador, it would be cool to find sources and people from there and focus your spanish in the way that they speak. If you are looking for academic purposes you need to search for the “neutral spanish” (that would be called “proper spanish”, don’t confuse it with “spanish from spain” i already talked about this here) if you want to know more about this kind of spanish here’s a post. If you want both options, then do both things.

Do it daily. Make spanish part of your life. If you study for a while you are gonna end up forgetting it, its gonna be harder for you. This post might help you more in that aspect, how to achieve that.

Listening or reading? For me, it was always more easy to read in english and THEN i started to understand more when i listened. I’ve met people that understand more when they are listening than reading. Check what it’s best for you, this information might help you to find the easiest way to learn something new or what kind of things you need to work on.

Listening (& pronunciation): music, radio, movies, tv shows. If you have a country that your family comes from, you like the accent or it’s more easy for you to understand, it would be cool to search for music from there (know the genres that are easier for you, for example reggeaton is not always the first choice for people that want to learn because sometimes not even native speakers know what they are saying). Search for a radio station web and spend some time of your day listening people talk or just music. This is the radio that i usually listen from my country (and sometimes they have radio stations in a lot of latin countries, like right now in the argentinian web i’m hearing “the global show” that they do sometimes, so i’m listening the colombian radio station actually) There’s some songs in english, but it’s mostly spanish. I’ve talked about movies in the post about neutral spanish and my advices for it. And tv shows, you can find a lot of episodes of novelas, or even daily tv shows or tv news on the internet (there’s a lot in youtube) (for example, this novela). Even if you don’t understand completly or anything at all, it’s good because you get used to words, accents, pronunciation and contexts and that will help you a lot in the future. If you like one song, for example, there’s apps that will help you to find it if you let it listen to it for like 15 seconds (Shazam is one of them) and then you can find the lyrics online to know the context, or youtube videos to listen to it while you read it.

Reading (& writing): books, movies, comunication, lyrics. Like i said, searching the lyrics of a song helps you with the pronunciation AND how you write it. At some point of my life i became obsessed with having to know what every english song was saying so i used to do this all the time. Make it a daily thing for you too. Books, that’s harder and it might be more frustrated, i think that this is a step that you will take once you are more comfortable with the language. Look for books that are easy to read in spanish. For example, the first book that i read in english was “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” because the words used werent very complex. You have to get used to the structure of the phrases of that language, that’s the harderst thing at first. Movies, you can search for your favorite movie but with english subtitles, they are very easy to find (or even in Netflix, if you can do that).I’ve already talked about movies in the neutral spanish post. Communication it’s a scary step because it involves other people, but i promise you that once you get used to it, it’s so much easier. Ask a person that you know that it’s a spanish speaker here to have a chat in spanish, the same things that you would talk in english. Ask them to correct you if you make a mistake (this point it’s very important for me at least, i don’t feel good correcting people if i don’t have their okay) and then with that, reading and writing it’s gonna become more easy with the time. Remember that you might have a perfect reading, but you need to make your brain get used to write those letters combined. You might vaguely remember a word and their definition, but writing it down sometimes it’s really hard because if you don’t remember it, then your brain stars screaming ”no! this is wrong!”. I’m always checking out words, and its an usual thing for me to forget about letters or confuse two words. Also, this point it’s great because you get friends!

Vocabulary: first mistake to learn a language it’s having the expectation of knowing all the words of that language. Which is….impossible. I’m a spanish speaker and i don’t know every single word or how tf you write them. Have this in your mind if you feel frustrated, your vocabulary gets richer everyday even in your mother language. A tip it’s to pay attention with the words that are difficult to you. For example, most of the spanish speakers when we learn english our mayor difficulty it’s “where the fuck i put the H in this word?” (god, don’t talk to me about “three” i hate it). Notice your weak points. There’s also words that are gonna make you mad. I can’t pronunce “comfortable” and that’s a fact that i just….accepted lmao. I always confuse “in/on” or “its/is”. Know yourself and have patience with yourself, be gentle with your brain and just try to enjoy learning. Some people like to make lists and even put lebels on things to make it easier.

Youtube videos: this might help too! Hearing experiences of people that are learning or that know the dificulties that this language has:

How to sound like a NATIVE SPANISH SPEAKER

My best Spanish language learning tips & apps

Learning Spanish? 3 IMPORTANT TIPS

Becoming Bilingual in the USA / 5 TIPS

The R’s thing

Improve Listening Skills

HOW TO SPEAK SPANISH CONFIDENTLY | BEST 3 TIPS

A Spanish lesson nobody else will give you

You are embarrased to said something wrong? Don’t worry, we all are! And we all know that you can’t escape that! Spanish has so many dialects that if you are talking with someone that doesn’t speak your dialect….it’s gonna get uncomfortable. Here is a post that explains this. And this is a video of it. And this is a song for it. So don’t be afraid, laugh about yourself because….this is gonna happen. It’s your destiny if you want to learn spanish. You sign up for this language and you have to suffer like everyone else, mi dude.

Some things might work for you, some things might not: some advices of this list or other tips won’t work for you or might not be your favorite and that’s ok! Everyone it’s different and you need to find an easy route that it’s personal for you. For example, people say that you need to “think in english” when you barely know it. Like….that shit didn’t work for me in the beginning, not until i was pretty comfortable with it. Don’t force yourself just to end up frustrated. Give yourself time! Especially fi you are latine, i feel like some of you might take this as an “obligation”…make friends that are having the same experiences that you and talk about it, but please don’t feel bad about this. For me, you are an english speaking person trying to learn spanish and that’s so refreshing. Don’t let people pull you don’t or make you feel bad about yourself. I cried because i couldn’t understand english, i wasn’t very good at it in school and i even had to take the class again because the “teacher needed to know that i was in the same level as others” (i changed schools, from a public to a private…i was doing well in the other english class, but not with this women. it was so frustrating). I started to “learn” more just by myself and i ended up being one of the best in english at the end of high school. Give yourself time and make this a good experience for you!

Sorry if i had any mistakes, i’m pretty tired rn. But if anyone has some other advice, please comment! If i can think of something else i will add it to this post.

#nonies #sebas responde #español #101

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whatismeta-blog · 5 years

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To the Anon, who Asked the Asks

1) what was your first delusion

Honestly, I think I might still be working through it. But like it might not be, so like...

Welcome welocome, the answers get better I swear

2) have you ever had your choice taken away by the psychiatric system

: Not really, I never really spent to much time in any systems due to paranoia of the system, probably because of the stigma around it and pop culture fueling a strong sense of danger in it, and just my lack of any real wealth in my past and present

3) how do you cope with your hallucinations

: Painfully ignoring them in almost everyway I can, which, has often lead to me ignoring something happening around me, or directed at me cause I thought It wasn't real. Other than that I find physical grounding, and specifically martial arts helps make my overall disorder more positive in tone

4) are you professionally diagnosed with a psychotic disorder

: I was professionally diagnosed back when's was about 14 or 15, after a few sessions the doctor said I probably had schizophrenia and prescribed me some anti psychotics

5) how often do you shower

: About once (1) or twice (2) a week honestly, I need to take more. But I've been getting better

6) to what extent are you "out" as psychotic

: I'm about half way, most of my old friends and family have no knowledge, but my current living people all know, my boyfriend knows, and a couple people the I've had some long nights with know, and my entire blog

7) have you ever had a funny or cute hallucination

8) how old were you when you were first diagnosed (or figured it out yourself)

:when my sister went to North star when I was in like 3rd grade, and my mum tried to explain it to me why my sister was inpatient, I specifically remember that imentioned i thought something might be wrong with me too, but since I was outwardly disruptive, just "quiet" my mum found no need

9) how old were you when you first started having symptoms

So issues with Speech is a commonly overlooked symptom of schizophrenia, as a in my case I feel more cognitive issue, and I think that my early childhood and that I had a speech therapist cause of my young selective autism, and just inability to speak right might've been my first symptoms

10) do you reclaim any words associated with your disorder

: I honestly don't really think I do, I want to though -> Paranoid, I use a lot though, caus like Fuck am.I paranoid, and psychotic, but I use that more clinically,

11) do you feel emotions intensely or hardly at all

: Harldy at all, I just, I may only be 22, but I'm just really tired and old, but if an emotion can start shining through strongly it kind of starts to engulf me, especially at night

12) do you have a hard time making yourself understood

: so much, it's lessened some over the years, but so many times after trying to get words out, (I tend to speak fast and with a sometimes interesting vocabulary) and I'm just still really bad at using English to express specifically emptions, which only makes me feel worse cause wow have I fucked things up trying to say something and someoneisunderstanding me

13) which symptoms of your disorder impair you the most

: negative symptoms, that cause me to just be very distant as a person mentally and presently, and I think overall paranoia, or even sometimes like, meta-paranoid <-

14) do you usually have some insight when you're actively psychotic

:When I'm hallucinating, I'd say I generally do, but when I am delusional, I usually don't, but I kinda always think that there is a chance I'm being psychotic so I try and stay on my toes. If ya know what's mean

15) is there a situation you can laugh at which was a scary time

16) do you think your psychosis is related to trauma

: it possibly could be, but I don't believe that if I didn't have trauma that I wouldn't still be psychotic

17) do you have any co-morbid disorders

:probably, I try not to worry to much about what's all wrong. I just try and make it all work together

18) what is you're exact diagnosis if you have one

Do to the people who diagnosed me as schizophrenic loosing their thing. Due to.insurance purposes, I have no diagnosis on file. Last time I went in a couple years back to a new doctor they said I should get evaluated, but like, I could barely afford what I had already been there for

19) when did you start think you might be psychotic

Before I can remember

20) is there a history of psychosis in your family

:I've don't know to much of my family or their histories, but my mum is paranoid and has anxiety. And my older sister is autism spectrum, and so mental health is in the family

21) do you have inappropriate emotions or reactions

Less inappropriate as in lewd, but more of, absent, or like, when I first was told someone close to me (human) died, I didn't ever cry once for them, I don't think I have to this day, not to say I wouldn't cry for everybody close to me, but like yeah, and like when answering personal questions I think I react a lot more deflectively. Or like, hell, my partner told me they loved me for the first time, and though I honestly wanted to say it back, I just didn't, I honestly don't remember what I said. And Tbh still kinda feel shitty about that interaction..

22)do you relate to any characters bc they might have a psychotic disorder

Fucking,

River tam from firefly, (like yeah, she has like actual powers and shit, but Damn, it kinda affects her similarly)

23) do you have a song you listen to when.you need to calm down

Lullaby for a stormy night, ever-changing by rise against

24) do you have a song you relate to psychosis

:first one I could think of is "World in a bottle" by Anavae

25) what traits do you want to see in a canonically psychotic character

Negative symptoms, dissociation, And a few happy Fucking stories for us please

26) do you have a recurring delusion or hallucination

:oh boy do I, I'm honestly still coming to terms with a long time life held delusion, and that's a fun thing to do without therapy let me tell you, here do come Nov. 17

27) would you get rid of your psychotic disorder if you.could)

: if, it could be a little more manageable that would be nice, but, honestly, not being psychotic ever again.. now that sounds kinda scary too

28) do you take anti-psychotic, why?

:no prescription grade, but I do my best to self medicate, if you can, don't follow my example

29) how is your memory

:well I've been going back and forth writing the numbers and questions now, and I read the ask, switched form my photos to the tumble app, and then forgot, so. Bonus fact, this is the first ask i answered in this line

30) what how through your head when you hear "cute but psycho"

Honestly I see hear the Word psycho and almost every time I get upset, but like unless they're psychotic, and okay with you referring to them as such. It just makes me upset

31) do you experience time distortion

According to general laws of physics time dilates, so yeah I do what of it?

Serious answer though, yeah,

Like say my first 4 month into being in my current city, I had a mental fall back, and went back home for a 2 maybe three months,

That first fronts in this city, was actually 4 days, and part of my waking routine is checking the date and time to make sure that I am in the know on what year and day it's supposed to be

#anon #ask

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