#I genuinely listened to this about 10 times... at first just to transcribe but then because it's very endearing

[bitcofun]

This is a transcribed excerpt of the "Bitcoin Magazine Podcast," hosted by P and Q. In this episode, they are signed up with by Rafa Cordon to discuss Ibex is constructing Lightning Network payments facilities and what he believes the future holds for bitcoin. Watch This Episode On YouTube Or Rumble Listen To The Episode Here: Apple Spotify Google Libsyn Q: It's constantly fascinating to see and have these discussions around today day utilize cases for bitcoin since there is a level of advantage, specifically Americans, get to have in concerns to cash. You turn around and you leave America and you begin to truly see how and why they require cash in genuine time. In these interactions or in your own individual experience, exist things you wish to see additional industrialized or provided for individuals to be able to utilize their bitcoin? Rafa Cordon: I believe banks getting onboarded onto bitcoin.That's a huge part of our like sales or business effort is not to onboard people or little merchants, however to onboard these huge business that have countless users on their app and simply including bitcoin into an app like these. There's this propensity today of this thing called very apps. An incredibly app is an apps that does whatever, like WeChat in China, KakaoTalk in Korea. There's numerous extremely apps showing up in various nations. Our focus is assisting these very app business incorporate bitcoin within their apps which's one single effort that you require to do to offer direct exposure to bitcoin for like 5 million, 10 million individuals in one store. That's what we're concentrating on and I believe more banks are getting more comfy with bitcoin every day, specifically here in Guatemala, we're beside El Salvador. A great deal of organizations are inquiring about it. That's what requires to occur from a regulative viewpoint. There is no legal meaning for bitcoin in a great deal of nations. I believe just El Salvador is the nation that has a law that states what bitcoin remains in a particular method. It requires more information, however there's like a legal meaning of what bitcoin is. I believe we require to specify what bitcoin is from a legal viewpoint, not always like laws gone by Congress, however things like jurisprudence, like having history of analyses of what bitcoin is. There's like a basic concept from a legal point of view of what bitcoin is. I believe that requires to take place in these nations for more banks to get comfy with it. At the end of the day, it's about the individuals, like how individuals are gon na see bitcoin, how they're gon na utilize it. We're doing some user research study with individuals who squander remittances, and it's been intriguing on how you require to alter a frame of mind. I believe everybody Bitcoiners, we altered that frame of mind. It took us a very long time, however we altered that frame of mind. How can we alter the frame of mind for millions of individuals in one shot? For example, we produced a mock bitcoin wallet and we were revealing it to individuals who heard the squander remittances. They got remittances and transformed it to money and among the very first things that showed up is, the very first pieces of feedback resembled, "Hey, I do not need to produce an account here? Like I do not need to put in my e-mail and password?" That was unexpected. They resembled, "Oh, I'm unsure I wish to utilize it since I do not trust it." Since they're utilized to developing an account similar to a savings account, like a Facebook. P: Oh, wow. That's so fascinating. Wait, so simply repeat that. Cordon: That was unexpected. P: I wan na ensure I comprehend what you're stating. You're stating that since individuals are so utilized to being KYC' ed (following know-your-customer guidelines to provide individual info), which I deem like a criminal offense, the reality that when someone wishes to engage with monetary services, they need to totally dox themselves to whatever services they're utilizing.

You're stating that due to the fact that your users didn't need to do that, they resembled, "I do not understand if I can trust this monetary act. Cordon: Exactly. Precisely. P: Wow! Male, that is screwed up. Cordon: It is. That's what I'm speaking about, like altering a psychological design. Since a great deal of individuals who get remittances most likely didn't get a high school education or college or anything. They're utilized to developing an account. The majority of them have a Facebook account or a Twitter account. "Any brand-new service that I'm gon na utilize, I require to produce a represent." That's the sensible sort of thinking and when you state, "Hey, you can simply utilize it, get bitcoin, you do not need to develop an account," they're like, "Uh, wait a minute, what is this?" That was an intriguing thing, so we're considering how we can inform the user to break those paradigms that bitcoin makes it possible for. Those are the important things. It's more things that need to alter sort of in individuals's mind or mindset or the manner in which they've been utilized to take in internet-based services into how Bitcoin works. Read More

[thebeatleaesthetic]

John: Uh, this is John Lennon talking to you from the heart of the West Side of New York in an interview exclusive — full interview — with brand new New Yorker Sean Ono Lennon, spelled S-E-A-N. Okay? Now tell me Sean, what’s your first impression of New York? Sean: [Baby noises] John: I see. 

An interview John did with his son, Sean, circa 1976. The Lennon family had just gained permanent residency in New York. Sean had been born October of the year prior. I apologize for the background music - I didn’t add that. My favorite quotes/partial transcript:

John: I was wondering if the fiscal crisis of New York had any — 

Sean: [Baby noises]

John: Uh-huh, that’s the one I was talking about, yes.

Sean: [Baby noises]

John: Exactly!

[...]

John: I see you know which subjects to avoid and which not to. Very sensible. Must be running for office, is that what it is?

Sean: [Baby noises]

John: It is exciting, isn’t it? And such a strain on the - on the old ticker. [Laughs]

[...]

John: Oh, he's smiling, folks. 

John: [Very softly] Perhaps you'd like to tell me your favorite color?

Sean: [Baby noises]   

John: That's not good enough, I'm afraid.

Sean: [Baby noises]   

John: [Normal voice] No interesting color.

[...]

John: Will you be doing any concerts while you're staying - while you're here?

Sean: [Baby noises] 

John: Yes, I thought so. You haven't got the group together. I understand completely. 

Sean: [Baby noises] 

John: Uh, I heard you were backstage at the [Bob] Dylan concert, or was that just a rumor?

Sean: [Baby noises] 

John: An outright lie? My goodness.

[...]

John: I was wondering what it’s like being the son of such astoundingly famous, beautiful, and talented parents as John and Yoko? I wonder what it’s like... 

Sean: [Baby noises]

John: Oh, I see. I mean, could you - could you give me — 

Sean: [Slight cry]

John: Ah, mhmm, yes - more full... background into that?

Sean: [Baby noises] 

John: I see you're very fascinated by this - this black box that I'm interviewing you with - this tape recorder. In fact, it seems to inhibit you a little bit. I mean, are you conscious - or self-conscious about the tape recorder?

Sean: [Baby noises] 

John: Well, he’s turned his head away because he got very paranoid [laugh]. It’s alright, you know. Just think of it as a very dark relative.

[...]

John: Elton! What about Elton [John]? He’s your godfather!

Sean: [Fussy baby noises]

John: Do you want to tell me how it is to have such a famous godfather?

Sean: [Begins to cry]

John: Well, I know you haven’t been able to see him yet. That’s because he can’t come into the country until January!

Sean: [Continues to cry]

John: Well, let’s just get him on the phone. Get his ass over here.

Sean: [Fussy baby noises]

John: Well, I think at that point we've left the interviewee because he obviously was getting violent at the thought of not seeing Dean Martin and all those people in their prime, as it were.

#John Lennon #the beatles #beatles #sean ono lennon #1970s #yoko ono #sean lennon #interview #lennon #vintage #babies #families #audio #music aesthetic #music memorabilia #I think he's changing his diaper for the first few questions? Very professional #I genuinely listened to this about 10 times... at first just to transcribe but then because it's very endearing

[9worldstales]

INTERESTING POINTS TO PONDER FROM INTERVIEWS 1

Interviews might not remain forever available or not be easy to find so I’ve decided to link them and transcribe the points I find of some interest so as to preserve them should the interview had to end up removed.

It’s not complete transcriptions, just the bits I think can be relevant but I wholeheartedly recommend reading the whole thing.

And of course I also comment all this because God forbid I’ll keep silent... :P

Title: Tom Hiddleston On Set Interview THOR; Talks About Playing Loki, How He Got Cast, and a Lot More

Author: Steve Weintraub

Published: Dec 10, 2010

BEST BITS FROM THE INTERVIEW

ON LOKI

So could you talk about in the film how it’s being played?

Hiddleston: Yeah. Well we’re starting at the beginning; I think it’s safe to say. I start in the film as Thor’s younger brother and I think in the manner of all younger brothers I have a greater sense of freedom. I’m not the oldest therefore the parental expectations aren’t as heavy, so it’s like a lot of younger children in sibling groups; I think Loki has a bit more freedom. He’s not going to be King. He knows that. And so he’s freer to…he has less responsibility on his shoulders so he’s freer to have a bit more fun. And I think like everybody at Marvel has been very clear and brilliant about coming into this that Loki just has…they’re both enormously gifted. Thor and Loki are a 2-man team and they’re both going to run Asgard when Oden steps down, and Thor has an ability and a physicality and a presence—a physical presence that is…he’s the type of man you follow. You just do. In the same way they used to talk about all the leaders and the captains and the generals that came out of both World Wars that those captains and generals weren’t necessarily elected just in battles. There were certain men who were followed. You know, leaders were born and Thor is that guy. And Loki’s gifts are different in that he is sharper, he’s cleverer, he’s more interested in tactics and strategy. He’s capable of thinking ahead and he enjoys chaos. So he enjoys reacting to chaos and that affects how given that he’s the God of mischief. Mischief is essentially chaos. He likes stoking the fire of chaos and seeing what happens as a result. And so I think that’s where we start in that he’s just physically not as strong, but he has…he’s quicker and sharper and I guess that’s fair to say…

PUBLICIST I’m listening, don’t worry.

Hiddleston: Yeah, quicker, sharper, more playful and then I think over the course of the story and I can’t say the full story, but there is a kind of….a couple of major shocks about Loki and his history and who he is and why he is come to him. He’s made aware of for the very first time in the films. There are certain things that fans of the comics will already know, but hopefully you see Loki learn certain things about himself for the first time. So it’s a journey of self-awareness. He doesn’t, at the beginning of the film, know his own power and I think through the course of the film he comes to learn his true nature and the extent of his power. But with a propensity for mischief I think as soon as he knows how powerful it is that’s when it becomes dangerous.

We got to play with some of those fantastic weapons, how have you learned to wield them?

Hiddleston: It’s been fascinating actually. And one of the first things I did when I came on board was that we started with stunt training.  And we thought like what is…it’ll be boring if Thor was a tank. It’d be boring if Loki was another tank and they were just running into each other. So we thought if Thor is thunder and power and muscle and brawn and he’s got his hammer, Loki should be like…he should be so quick he’s like the wind. So if Thor is heavy, Loki is light. We thought what would be the weapon that Loki would be fighting with? So we thought throwing knives….because I think Loki doesn’t like to get his hands dirty in a fight. He likes to be quick, efficient and lethal. It’s like one blow—slam. So we thought it would be throwing knives. And I thought if there was a way…if Loki could fight in a way that was as impressive as Thor’s, but was completely different so in a way Loki is too quick and Thor can’t catch him, you know? I kind of conceived of Loki as a kind martial artist with these throwing knives. Someone who’s like a dancer. He dances his way out of combat and these knives are his way of keeping his foes at arm's length but it’s lethal. When you get one of those knives in, you’re gone. I had a great time actually, we were shooting on another set shooting a bit battle sequence. And the set was made of this stuff. It looked hard but it was soft. It was foam. And my stunt knives were rubber so they didn’t like take out the grip or the camera operator. But we found like…I’d always throw them and Russell Bobbit, the props master, would always go and retrieve them for me for the next take. And he couldn’t find one of the daggers and we were like looking all over the set for this dagger. And I’m like where the hell did it go? And like about half an hour later we’d thought we lost it somewhere in the green screen. And he said, Tom, and he pointed up and this rubber knife was stuck clean into the set, so I knew I was throwing them with some kind of velocity.

Does it affect your thoughts at all that maybe you could do this performance a 2nd, 3rd, 4th time? Did you bring any bread crumbs or anything like that?

Hiddleston: Yeah, I feel that way certainly. I haven’t started…I can tell you this for free. I don’t start the film with him like immediately gone to the dark side. I think it’s good to see that Loki is genuinely Thor’s brother and there is a complicated relationship there. So that it isn’t just like…he isn’t just an out and out villain. He isn’t all black. He isn’t someone who the audience can immediately say “he’s the bad guy” because I think it’s more interesting if… because no character in real life or in comic books or any play or film or anything, nobody thinks they’re a villain.  You always think there’s a complete logic to what you’re doing and you know what’s best and you know what’s right. And I think it’s really interesting to see Loki’s actions from his perspective and he’s just someone who becomes more and more damaged by, I think, a sense of isolation from his family and a sense of…it’s kind of a deep loneliness. I think when the world makes you feel rejected, you bite back. And I think over the course of the film that’s what you see in Loki. He feels continually cast out by different sets of people and his brother particularly and at a certain point he’s pushed too far and he comes back with a vengeance.

A lot of the actors have been talking about working with Ken, Shakespeare is definitely a touch stone, is that something that’s come up working with Ken? Of any characters you’re sort of…

Hiddleston: I’ve talked to him very much about subtlety because I don’t want to do any eyebrow twitching or moustache twiddling. I don’t want to do sort of like a caricatured villain. I’ve tried very much to make Loki psychologically plausible. Someone who’s damaged and very, very intelligent and is able to sow the seeds of deceit. Like he’s the Oscar winning liar, you know? He’d stand up there and you buy it. You’d buy anything from him. He’s the perfect salesman. Because my background is Shakespeare as well, I’ve done a lot of Shakespeare in London and Iago is kind of a touch stone for me. Edmund in King Lear, if you know that story. But I draw my inspiration from all over the place. I’ve been listening to lots of the Prodigy. Like there was an album they released in the ‘90’s called Music for the Jilted Generation, which has a real rage in it. It has a real kind of like don’t piss me off because I’ll bark at you. And I find myself listening to that sometimes. And there are some great performances. Ken talked a lot about some of Peter O’Toole’s greatest performances and how in “Lawrence of Arabia” or “The Lion in Winter” he is on the edge of darkness. He’s on the edge of sanity. You can see it in his eyes that he’s been pushed to the brink and you’re not sure if you can trust him because there’s a madness in there, you know? A greatness, too and a charisma and a power that you want to get close to and you want to see inside, but it’s a little bit dangerous. And so I’ve been trying to kind of… I drive to work every morning and I try and light some kind of bonfire under myself which is adrenalized and hot and alone. It’s a strange feeling when you’re playing a character that feels so alone.

Are there certain like iconic gestures or poses from the comic book that you’re trying to use, because when I think of Loki I always think of him kind of slouched in the throne and kind of brooding.

Hiddleston: Yeah, that’s definitely like…I recall that Ken talks about the racing mind. He said I want to see…he said every time I put the camera on your face, I want to see your brain going at the speed of light. But I don’t want anyone else in the scene to see it. So this is a very private thing of like someone who’s just thinking 10 steps ahead of the game every time, but not making it so obvious that it’d be like guys, somebody look at Loki because he’s cooking up something. Bad ass, you know? But I do feel like he’s a sort of person who never sleeps. His brain never stops working. And he’s always cooking up something. You’re never quite sure if you can trust him and….what was the question again?

Well, like were there certain…

Hiddleston: Yeah, facial expressions. Certainly there’s this fantastic shot of me on the throne where it’s like straight out of that sort of iconic image where he’s got the staff and he’s slouching in it. He’s like, got a problem with that? You know? But yeah, I guess as an actor I start from the inside out. Like the costume is enormously helpful but I always think like what makes him tick? What is human about this character? I don’t want to play a cipher. I look at someone who is damaged, broken, alone, isolated from his family, doesn’t feel like he belongs, someone who’s been lost, abandoned. And there are physiological tropes for those things, you know? And you see the lost and damaged and abandoned children of our world. It’s no accident that they grow up to be… to fill our prisons, you know? And that’s kind of who Loki is. He’s just really clever, you know? So he’s good at hiding his own intents I think. So I think the process of living through those emotions or feeling so angry with people because they don’t trust him. And feeling angry with Thor because he gets everything. He’s the favourite son. I think just the process of living inside that anger, that rage, that hurt every day creates an intensity on my face which I’m not aware of. So it’s not like I’m creating expressions but absolutely there’s a kind of a raw intensity that Ken said from the word go he said I want to see you every day with a layer of skin peeled away. I want to see that ticker tape machine inside your head like working at 1,000 miles per minute. Yeah, it’s great man!

MY TWO CENTS

I love to read Tom Hiddleston’s interviews because they’re always filled with extra information, which are often based on bits that didn’t make into the final cut but are still part of the canon or give an insight on the characters’ minds.

Like how he says ‘Thor and Loki are a 2-man team and they’re both going to run Asgard when Odin steps down’ because in the old script it was implied that, although Thor would be king, Loki would be his right hand man, giving him consueling.

On the differences between Thor and Loki’s fighting styles and how Loki is still dangerous. People might not get it from the movie, assuming Thor is the one with the fighting ability but here it turns out Loki too has his strenght, although it lays in different things, like speed.

Or how he remarks about Loki’s loneliness and sense of isolation, who feels rejected and that’s why he bites back, someone who’s really smart.

It’s all things that I love to hear about a character and that show a good care in creating him.

Of course through the interview he also say things that are more technical, related to how he got hired or how he found difficult to wear Loki's horns and so on and this too is very intriguing but what always win me are informations about the characters, their mind, their world. And he always share some of them in all his interviews.

#thor #loki odinson #loki #tom hiddleston #interview #mcu thor #9 worlds interview study

[felicia-cat-hardy]

My 'Pretty Little Liars' Obsession Led Me To My Best Friend

“Got a secret, can you keep it?” Well, I’ve got one: Though Pretty Little Liars ended in 2017, the seven-season mystery thriller schemed its way into being an integral part of my life for the long haul, so much so that the opening credits live in my head rent-free. To this day, each time I hear the sinister theme song — “Secret” by The Pierces — I’m brought right back to my childhood comfort show (ahem, obsession). The visuals begin with a swipe of mascara, the smear of red lipstick, and a clasp of a heel onto a porcelain doll, which makes me feel like I’m watching someone get pampered for prom. Until, of course, it cuts to four girls standing in front of a casket. It's a chilling moment, one that, until Season 6B, ended with Aria Montgomery (Lucy Hale) delivering her iconic “shh.” I got cast under the show’s spell the first time I saw it, and I wasn’t the only one: Pretty Little Liars led me to my best friend.

Ironically, plotlines about deceit and betrayal actually helped ignite a long-lasting friendship. In 2011, the only other person I knew to be watching PLL was my now-BFF, Taylor, who’s been by my side for over a decade. We were only about 11 and 12 when it premiered, so shout out to our parents for letting us watch a show that dealt with very adult themes like substance use disorder, assault, and grief. Unlike our classmates, who watched tween-appropriate hits like iCarly and Victorious, we became PLL stans.

As fans know, the show is loosely based on the Sara Shepard YA series of the same name, and the first book was my entry point into the PLL universe. I loved reading about blackmailers and murderers navigating high school, but I thought I was the only one who was into it. (Was this my ~I’m different~ complex showing, or were my peers just naturally more inclined to recap Dance Moms? I’ll never know.) So, Taylor first struck up a conversation with me at school because she spotted the first PLL book on my desk — you know, the one painted with porcelain wax dolls warning to “never trust a pretty girl with an ugly secret” in a Gothic script. She asked if I’d watched the TV adaptation yet and we immediately exchanged phone numbers to text about upcoming episodes. We then fell into the fandom. Fast.

I’d never talked to Taylor before this interaction — we had only been in a few classes together — but I always saw her as approachable and friendly. Universally, the beginning of middle school is a big and terrifying year when kids from different elementary schools unite. Eager to meet new people, I reached for friendship at any chance I could get. Taylor made it easy. Aside from being a genuinely kind person (a rare trait for a middle schooler!), she was fangirling over the same thing as me.

Fast forward over a decade later, and the show still feels timeless, especially in its accurate depictions of how dramatic high school can get. It’s no surprise there’s a PLL HBO Max reboot on the way along with the remakes of other buzzy shows from that era (hello, 2010s nostalgia). Ah. It was a simpler time. Back then, Freeform was still ABC Family and for me, Tuesdays meant one thing: PLL is on. What first started as a solo viewing experience soon became a designated hangout time, a time slot reserved for me and Taylor to gush over how much we loved Ashley Benson. (We still do!)

The series had a vibe similar to Gossip Girl or Bridgerton in that a mysterious, unidentifiable pot-stirrer keeps fans guessing each episode, but it was arguably so much better since “A,” the anonymous villain, is out for, you know, murder. Ultimately, it was the type of whodunit that made me and Taylor (and millions of viewers) go down a couple of Reddit rabbit holes — remember the “Aria is A” suspicion? — and this is where my and Taylor’s experience with fan theories began.

Oh, and let’s not forget the location. PLL takes place in the fictional suburb of Rosewood, Pennsylvania, and for two girls from Bucks Country — aka the Philadelphia ‘burbs — we ate it up. The beloved “Welcome to the Dollhouse” episode was exceptionally creepy not only because the Liars get locked into a life-size replica of their bedrooms, but also because our real neighborhood looks extremely similar to their hometown. It operates like Rosewood, too, in that small-town gossip travels at lightning speed.

The Pennsylvania-based plotline also made it easier for us to identify with the characters, who felt like extensions of ourselves. In many ways, we got to know each other through their personalities. Taylor is studious and high-achieving, obviously a Spencer. And I owned feather earrings because I saw Lucy Hale sport them in Season 1, so obviously an Aria. Asking “Are you more of a Hanna or an Emily?” held as much weight in 2012 as asking someone their rising sign in 2021. While it might not say much, it also tells you everything you need to know about a person.

PLL got its start right before live-tweeting shows became popularized, so when we weren’t together, I used to text Taylor on my slide-out keyboard phone (only Zillennials will remember) to compare notes without stumbling upon many spoilers. They read something like this: “Caleb and Hanna are soul mates, TBH.” Like every other fan, we theorized about why A had to be Ian… and Melissa… and Jenna… and Mona… and, you get the point. When our elaborate speculations ran cold, we’d pause DVR’d episodes to gather more clues, like glimpses of Red Coat’s face in her second season introduction, or inspections of those eerie-gloved hands assembling dolls and sharpening knives at the end of each episode.

This game of Clue made room for conversations about all the things. We were in high school during the show’s peak, so it felt like the Liars had laid the groundwork for how to operate our school’s halls. Rosewood High was not traditional — uh, multiple students came back from the dead (*cough* Mona and Alison) — but it did prepare us for the stressors of college applications and first romantic relationships. In fact, Benson’s Hanna Marin would be proud of my matchmaking skills because back then, I introduced Taylor to the boyfriend she’s still with today.

As we both grew up with the show, our friendship got even deeper. The Liars weren’t the only ones to share secrets, and I found it incredibly easy to confide in Taylor. She’s trustworthy, level-headed, compassionate, and an excellent listener. She’s someone I know will always pick up on the second ring and is the type of friend to be there with advice, reassurance, and a quick-witted one-liner. She once joked about never needing a diary because we’ve transcribed the past 10 years of our lives via text.

Our bond has remained strong, especially because the most outrageous PLL-esque plotlines of our lives are ones we’ve experienced together. I love Taylor because I don’t have to provide background for my stories. I’m even so familiar with the cast of characters in her life that when someone re-enters after a long period, I like to say they Alison DiLaurentis’ed her.

And on the off-chance she’s not there to witness something meaningful happen to me IRL, she’s always ready to decipher what went down over texts or dinner and drinks — just like we did when we were teens trying to figure out who A was (minus the wine, of course).

The way she can reconstruct my way of thinking and offer up a perspective I hadn’t seen before is almost paranormal. Whether these are Taylor’s naturally given talents or traits learned from peeling back all the layers of the series, I’m not sure. But she’s always there to decode situations with me — whether they relate to a TV show or during moments when I feel lost.

I couldn’t be more thankful that Taylor entered my life and that PLL played a role in our friendship. I feel so incredibly lucky to know someone like her. Plus, now I have someone who is obligated to watch the reboot with me. Ali was right: Friends do share secrets. And she’s ~quite literally~ the reason Taylor’s got all of mine. Spencer and Aria, you’ve got some competition.

Get Relationship Advice Here

[hockeytrashgoblin]

Ice Cold ~Part 9

A/N: Hi yall soooooI really messed up the timeline and hand to go through back to this point to fix it. I have it all right now I think. If I’ve fucked up somewhere lemme know and I’ll fix it! But now prepared to be bombarded because I have many parts ready to go right now lol Enjoy!

It was around 5pm when I got out of the uber at the end of the really long driveway to Morgan's. I had called Amy earlier and told her most of what happened last night. I left out the part about Auston sucking blood and I didn't tell her it was him but everything else I did. She agreed to let me stay home and do it herself as long as I wrote the transcripts for Peter's interview from yesterday. I told her I would and was on my way.

About halfway up the big hill there was a woman waiting there. She was striking. She had beautiful pale skin, blue eyes and dark curly hair. I recognized her immediately from the pictures in Morgan's office as well as her being a figure skater I admired as a kid.

"You must be (y/n)."

"Um yes."

"Morgan told me to expect you. I'm Tessa."

"I know I used to watch you skate when I was younger. It's really nice to meet you."

"That's sweet. Would you like to come inside?"

"Yes please." We started the rest of the way to the house. "So if Morgan told you did he tell everyone else?"

"No of course not. Morgan doesn't like metaling with the future. No one will know until you don't show up at the arena and by then it will be too late for them to stop you. They're going to Ottawa right from the arena tonight except poor, sick Auston so they really couldn't stop you if they wanted to."

"Okay good. None of them want me here. Mitch yelled at me this morning after reading my mind so it pissed off Kappy and Will too. I just need to fix this, ya know?"

"What if you can't?" She wasn't asking to be mean. I could tell she was genuinely curious.

"Tessa I have to. These boys all love each other. They're family. I can't keep ripping them apart. I'm going to talk to Auston while I'm safe and he can't get me."

"He is very weak. Morgan injected him with vervain before he left so that you'd be as safe as possible." I nodded as she told me.

"As long as I don't die I'm good."

"You absolutely will not die. I can promise you that." She said opening the front door for me. She lead the way down into the basement as she sing-songed, "Visitor Auston."

"I don't want her here."

"That's nice. Anyway (y/n), I'll be upstairs. I'm making some food so just come get some when you're ready."

"Thanks." I smiled at her as she started walking away.

The basement was dirt floored but I didn't particularly care. I put my backpack down and sat beside it with my back against the wall facing Auston.

"Uh oh, the princess is going to get her clothes dirty."

"I'm not a dainty little princess Auston."

"Yeah sure whatever."

"Listen Auston I'll eat a cricket right fucking now. I was in scouting for years, you think I give a rats ass about having dirt on my jeans?"

"Guess not." We were quiet for a little while before he spoke up again. "Why are you here?"

"I want us to get along. Or at least tolerate each other."

"Did the boys put you up to this?" I snorted at that.

"As if. They all yelled at me for even thinking about coming to talk to you."

"Then why are you here?"

"They're not the boss of me and they're travelling tonight so they can't stop me."

"That's brave, I'll give you that. So what were you so desperate to talk to me about?"

"Well first of all you have to teach me how to hide my thoughts from Mitch but more importantly what the actual fuck was that last night?"

"I don't want to talk about that."

"Fine then. Let me know when you do."

I pulled my phone out of my bag and saw a message from William.

W: You really are a brat you know.

Me: yes.

W: are you at least being careful?

Me: baby relax. I'm completely okay. Tessa is here, Auston is locked up. I have to do this. Please trust me.

There was a lot of typing and erasing but finally he sent another message.

W: I do trust you. I just want you safe. I understand what you're trying to accomplish, I just don't know if it's going to work. I have to go now but I will be checking in on you often. I love you.

Me: love you too. Have a good game!

I closed out of text messages and opened the audio file Amy sent. I started transcribing and Auston just sat there looking grumpy. Once I was done I looked back up at him.

"You look fucking miserable."

"I am fucking miserable no thanks to you."

"It's not my fault you're in there. You broke rules I've been told."

"Damn they're really fucking telling you everything."

"I'm going to be one of you some day. Morgan thinks it's important that I know."

"God an eternity with you?" He asked frustrated.

"Look Auston you don't know a fucking thing about me. I don't know how you'd know exactly how bad an eternity with me around would be. You're the only one with a fucking problem."

"That's what's pissing me off! No one else has any fucking problems about sharing all our secrets with someone who works for the media!"

"Auston I have known for three days now. I've been around journalists two out of three of them. Don't you think if I wanted everyone in the world to know about it I'd have told by now? I'll never tell a secret that isn't mine to share. Unless I get specific permission from the person whose secret it is, I'm not saying a word."

"Mhm sure."

"What happened to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Morgan said you and Kappy had some bad experiences but he wouldn't tell me because they're your stories."

"That's the worst thing that ever happened to me. Why would I tell you?"

"We could trade. I'll tell you the worst thing that ever happened to me?" He was quiet for a really long time and I thought that was going to be the end of the conversation. I was playing on my phone when he spoke up again.

"Fine. Let's trade the worst stories of our lives. You're going first though."

"Why me?"

"So that I know you're not tricking me."

"And what if you're tricking me?"

"I won't."

"I don't believe you but what I do know is that I've got a few days and the 10 hour version of the gummy bear song ready to go. I'll get you talking."

"Whatever, just start."

"Alright fine. 2 years ago I was in a really bad relationship-"

"Fucking that's it? Your worst moment is a relationship?" He asked in disgust.

"No. Let me tell my fucking story." I snapped. He stayed quiet so I continued. "He was a drunk, drug addict. Very abusive. Hit me all the time. One time he threw me down a flight of stairs because I refused to snort coke a random person offered. He broke my wrist and ribs that night."

"That sounds bad."

"It was. But that's the tame part of the story."

"Cocaine and broken bones is the tame part?"

"Absolutely."

"What happened next?" He asked trying to be nonchalant about it. It didn't reach his eyes though,  they showed a bit of concern.

"I broke up with him. I couldn't handle it anymore. I wasn't allowed to watch hockey anymore and even worse, baseball! Dude took away my favourite thing because I was 'looking at other men'. It was lame. I couldn't talk to my dad for the same reason."

"But he's your father?"

"Yes but he was a man. Anyone with a dick this dude saw as a threat. Even strangers on TV and family."

"That's messed up."

"You think that's messed up? Just wait." I resituated myself and cleared my throat. "So I dump him. He leaves to my complete surprise. I stopped leaving my house because he was always outside. About a week later I wake up to my door being busted open. In he comes to my bedroom. Without going into too much detail, he raped me just to prove he could. I was his and always would be. I kept screaming so he started strangling me. I completely blacked out. When I came to, he was gone."

"(Y/n) I'm sorry that's really awful." He said softly. 

"To be honest with you that's the only reason the boys knew about what happened last night. I was in shock. You brought me right back to the absolute helpless, gut wrenching feeling that I was going to be strangled to death and I would never be able to stop it from happening. But worse this time because literally nothing I could do to you would've stopped you." I wiped a tear from my cheek and laughed. "Sorry I'm being a weak little bitch right now."

"You're not. You're not weak. I'm so sorry I made you feel like that. It wasn't my intention."

"It's whatever Auston. Tell me your story now."

"Mine seems kind of mild now.."

"I don't care, tell me."

"Fine." He grumbled looking at the floor. "When I was first turned it was by this really beautiful girl. Prettiest I'd ever seen. I was 17 and fell in love with her fast. It was a different time back then and we got married."

"What was her name?" He gave me a hard stare but told me anyway.

"Lillian. I called her Lily. She had the prettiest long black curls and the greenest eyes you've ever seen."

"She sounds lovely."

"She was. She didn't feel the same for me though. I was just something for fun, for her to waste a few years on. She did care about me on some level but it wasn't to the extent of my feelings for her. After a while she told me what she was. She'd feed off me all the time. Just a little here and there usually. She had given me some of her blood too every so often."

"Why would she do that?"

"Our blood can fix injuries in humans almost instantly. Don't get any ideas."

"I promise you on William's life I wasn't."

"Anyways one night she was drinking and went too far. I died. But because her blood was in my system from an injury earlier that day I came back as what you see now."

"So that's how it works? Dying with blood in the system?"

"Or by the venom. Apparently the venom hurts but the blood drinking is gross. The best way depends on the person and circumstances."

"Okay. What happened next?"

"Well she panicked. She had never wanted me to become like her. I was naive and thought it was perfect because we could be together forever. She didn't see it that way. We spent a few years together but she was drawing too much attention to herself. She was getting sloppy leaving bodies around, sleeping with other men. My parents questioned me about it and I told them everything like the dumb 20 year old kid I was. They told me they'd handle everything. Boy did they ever." He scoffed.

"What did they do?"

"They told everyone in town about us. About the monsters living among them. Everyone in town was furious at her. Coming into town and turning one of the beloved children into a monster. They burned the only woman I ever loved in front of me."

"Oh my God. I'm so sorry Auston."

"It's alright. I'm over her death. I have been for a while. It was the betrayal from my parents and family afterwards that lingers."

"What do you mean?"

"The only reason they let me live was because they all helped raise me. It was a small village. I hadn't caused anyone harm so they kicked me out. Said if I disappeared, I didn't have to die the fiery death she did. So I left. My self preservation instincts are incredibly high so I managed on my own until I found Morgan."

"That's so awful. I'm so sorry Auston. You were alone that whole time?"

"I found companions but I always left after a couple years."

"Did you ever tell anyone else?"

"After all that shit? Absolutely not. I swore to myself that I'd never tell anyone again and I haven't."

"Wow..yeah I guess I can't blame you. That sounds so terrible. I can't even imagine."

"Can you see now why I'm not very trusting?"

"Yes. I get it now. Especially if your survival instincts are so heightened. It makes sense."

"It's nothing personal, I just don't fucking trust anybody that isn't one of us and I don't think I ever will again."

"That's fair. I think you know deep down that I'm not going to say anything though. With both Morgan's word and Mitchy's. I don't care if you'll admit that out loud or not." I got up and brushed off my pants.

"Were are you going?"

"I'm going to get some food. But I'll be back. Don't think you're rid of me yet Matthews." I pointed to him as I walked away making him snort.

"I didn't figure your stubborn ass would give up that easy."

I went up and grabbed some food. I went to the table and called William since I knew he'd be out of the arena by this point. It had been hours since I got here. It rang once before William answered.

"I'm very upset with you."

"I know you are. If it makes you feel any better I think we've made a little bit of progress?"

"Love, I think it's so sweet that you want to try and fix this for everyone but I'm really worried about you being there."

"Tessa is here. Besides I don't want to be at my house alone when no one is here just in case. One weak vampire is still tougher than one Tommy. Even with just Tessa I'd feel safer."

"Baby I'm sorry you don't feel safe. We're going to have a talk about then when I come back okay?"

"Alright that sounds good."

"What have you guys talked about?"

"We traded worse moment in our lives stories. I understand a lot better now why he's so untrusting and nervous about me but I also think he knows deep down that I won't ever put you guys in danger." 

"Yes I'm sure he knows that too."

"What are you doing right now?"

"I'm on the bus. We left a little while ago so we should be in Ottawa by 3-ish, maybe 4."

"That's good. How was the game?"

"We won 5-3."

"Yay good job baby! Proud of you."

"Thank you (y/n)." I could hear him smile before he yawned. "Darling I think I'm going to go. I need to get some sleep and I'm keeping Mitch awake. Good luck with talking to Auston about what happened last night."

"Oh I'll do it. I have a 10 hour version of the gummy bear song if he doesn't want to talk."

"Auston's gonna wish we actually killed him after that." I heard Mitch say. "Pure torture. She's a genius."

"Apparently you're a genius babe."

"I am yes. Thank you for noticing Mitchy. I'll let you guys go. I love you."

"I love you."

"See you soon."

"Bye darling."

I hung up and looked at the time. It was almost midnight. I decided to go down to the basement and see if I could get him to talk again.

"I thought I'd gotten lucky and you forgot about me." He said sarcastically.

"Not likely Auston. You ready to talk about what the fuck happened last night?"

"Nope."

"Alright." I shrugged at him and turned on the gummy bear song on my bluetooth speaker. I put it super far out of Auston's reach and cranked it.

"I've been tortured before. This isn't going to break me so you might as well just stop."

"Goodnight Auston." I went upstairs to William's room. I hoped he wouldn't mind me sleeping there then I realized how dumb that sounded and just got into bed. I fell asleep pretty quickly with the knowledge that Auston would be completely driven insane by the music in the morning.

#nhl imagine #nhl story #hockey #hockey story #hockey imagines #maple leafs #maple leaf imagine #leafs #william nylander #william nylander x reader #mitch marner #kasperi kapanen #auston matthews #morgan rielly #halloween #vampire

[purplesurveys]

972

survey by karla-babyy

Do you know any Asians with American names? In my nationality’s case, nearly all of them. It’s a more common trend than this question makes it out to be. Spanish and Italian names are also common. Filipino names died out for a very long time with only much-older people having them, but it’s slowly seeing another surge over the last few years. Still mostly rare to find, though. Have you ever cut your own hair? I’ve trimmed my bangs with my mom’s help, but not my whole hair. What is something you're avoiding right now? Trying to cry. It was either getting distracted by this survey or staying in bed breaking into tears, so if this survey ends up getting posted it means I made the right choice for myself. What was the reason for your last detention? We don’t have that. I never got in trouble except in Grade 4 when I was caught snickering loudly at the back of the classroom with a friend. Do you eat your vegetables? Yeah, I’m not 5.

Have you ever taken Flintstone's Gummy Vitamins? I’m not sure we have those here, so I doubt I’ve tried that in particular. But I’ve taken plenty of gummy vitamins throughout my childhood and teenage years. Do you get side-tracked easily? Personal shit can sometimes affect my pace and my focus while at work, but I’m always able to shake it off in the end and choose to be more professional. But it does happen, and it can get really hard to like, fix a spreadsheet or do a Powerpoint or write up a cheery email while thinking about my trauma and continually swallowing lumps in my throat lol. When was the last time someone laughed at you, and for what? Cooper was being feisty in my arms last night and my dad laughed at how silly we looked. Do you know anyone who can play the violin? Yes, Ate Alyanna and JM’s sister. JM has also been taking up lessons, but I don’t know of his progress anymore. I haven’t talked to him in months. What's a word you do NOT like, one bit? Faggot/fag sounds so dirty to me. Are you taking or did you take any foreign language classes in high school? I didn’t. I think they offer them now but during my time they didn’t, so it wasn’t like I had the option to take them. As for college, foreign language electives also weren’t required for journalism students so I never took any. When was the last time you took a nap? Last Saturday. Does it piss you off when your parents treat you like a baby? They can be pretty overbearing, like the time they forced me to wear an extremely, painfully corporate look for an interview with a PR agency whose dress code was anything but. That grinded my gears quite a bit. But otherwise, I really do prefer them looking after me. Have you ever swallowed something you shouldn't have, like a quarter, etc? Some weird oil leaking from a battery. Do you know any Russian people? I don’t think so. What was the worst comeback you have ever received? I don’t know. It’s hard to be put on the spot and answer superlatives like this. Do you like Ed Hardy clothes? I don’t know how they look, but I’m guessing that I don’t. What shampoo did you use the last time you washed your hair? Dove. What was the last story you told someone? Dealing with a clumsy co-intern at work. I got tasked to transcribe a 30-minute audio file - which would’ve been no problem to do on my own, since taking up journalism made me transcribe a shit-ton of interviews - but I was doing other tasks for other superiors as well which meant that I had to use a lifeline and tap a co-intern for help. I split the file up and told her I would transcribe the first 20 minutes, while she can take care of the last 10 minutes. I breezed through mine and finished in 45 minutes while multi-tasking, while I never got updates on her end. I kept waiting, and after an hour I asked for her progress and she said she was only 4 minutes in. At that point I was pretty annoyed at myself for giving away a task I thought I was too busy to finish on my own. A little later she messaged me and said she couldn’t understand what was said at the “7:25 minute mark” I was aghast. I was like, “Do you mean 27:25? I said I was going to take care of the first 20 minutes,” and it turns out she never even read my message of me splitting up our parts. I was pissssed as fuck, because she took so fucking long transcribing and it wasn’t even the right part I assigned her to, and because she committed my pet peeve of people not reading directions. Knowing full well how slow she is with transcribing at that point, I just offered to do the rest of the file. Do you like surprises? And no, I dont mean presents. Just surprises. Pleasant ones, yeah. I don’t like surprises meant to scare me. Do you use mascara on your bottom eyelashes? Nope. I can’t remember the last time I used mascara. Do you pick at your fingernails when you're bored? Sure, if they’ve gotten kind of long. When was the last time you played a board game? Sometime last year would be a safe guess. I’m pretty sure I haven’t this year. Do you know anyone named Paul? Yeah, an alumnus from my org who comes around every once in a while. Who was the last person you touched? Not sure, I haven’t had any physical contact with another person in a while... maybe my sister, idk. Name someone who is younger than you. Laurice, Jo, Kate, and Blanch are all younger by a year. Who was the last person you kissed? Gabie. Does your best friend have her/his ears pierced? Yes. When was the last time you received something in the mail other than bills? A few weeks ago when one of my dad’s orders got delivered, and we had to receive it for him. Listen. What do you hear? There’s a new house being constructed in front of ours so there’s a lot of construction noises that we have to hear every day. The workers are nice though and they like seeing my dog and they haven’t cat-called me, so there’s little to whine about. Do you enjoy prank-calling? No. Who was the last person to annoy you? Gabie. Can you recite the alphabet backwards? Nope. I had it memorized at one point, but I guess my brain didn’t find it significant enough to want to remember. Do you own more than 10 pairs of earrings? No. I do want lots of earrings, though. I’d love to buy a few pairs once I’ve gotten my allowance, heh. Is the room you are currently in messy? No, it’s very organized now after my mom and I cleaned it up and redesigned it a bit during the weekend. Do you like correcting people when they say something wrong? If they’re being an asshole about their argument that turns out to have some errors, yes. Otherwise I don’t correct people every single time. Who was the last person to kiss your cheek? Not sure. A good guess would be Gabie though. Do you call people "babygirl"? I’ll use this to refer to my close friends sometimes. What was the last yucky thing you smelled? Cooper’s business. Is the time on your computer clock wrong? No. It has always been accurate from the time I started setting my laptop up when it was new. What should you be doing right now? I’m not required to start working until 9, so I’m good taking this survey for now.   Does it bother you when girls talk about tampons in front of boys? It will only bother me if said boys start to feel genuinely uncomfortable for some reason. But if they’re just boys that are being childishly whiny about periods, then those girls can talk their ears off about tampons as much as they want. Is in front one word, or two? Two. How many syllables are in the word "Koala"? Three.

#survey #surveys

[yogpetshame]

In the latest Triforce podcast, they complain about politically correctness, about the left-wing, and Lewis defends *notorious transphobe who spends all his time harassing trans people* Graham Linehan. It's fucking awful.

You know, I got kind of a different impression and I figured I might as well labor through explaining why, since we’re dealing with a really long piece of media that’s hard to “digest” the way you would normally be inclined to. 

The part where it starts, where they’re talking about Curb Your Enthusiasm, is so-so. It feels like listening to a guy talk just a little too passionately about how they relate to Rick Sanchez, or Bojack Horseman, or Walter White. The core of Curb is not, as Sips says, to “comment on cancel culture.”

Anyway, the salient bit comes way later in the podcast. I flick through the YouTube auto-generated transcript in moments like this and think, goddammit, this technology needs to hurry up. So before you go “Holy shit, YPS transcribed all that?!” …No I didn’t, which is why it’s going to read like fucking shit. I’m just going to correct it when the words are wrong but I’m not doing any not-strictly-necessary punctuation. Nooo thank you.

Lewis: Something like I think that okay a good example is like JK Rowling and you know actually for example someone tweeted me this week saying you should unfollow Graham Linehan who wrote like father Ted I think when I signed up to Twitter about 10 years ago I automatically followed a lot of people who I was a fan of 

Sips: or thought you were because you don’t know these people 

Lewis: Bill Bailey-

Sips: writes a funny show that you like 

Lewis: cuz I want to see funny tweets on Twitter from them you know I like father Ted I want to see his funny tweets you know and someone tweeted me and said you should unfollow him because he’s done a load of anti-trans stuff and commentary and I I was like you know what I don’t think I’ve- I will. I think I’m just gonna unfollow him. I don’t think it’s worth trouble wise I don’t I don’t think that this guy particularly is obviously like I but it’s a little bit in my head though I’m a little bit like Oh father Ted’s now a bit tainted like Harry Potter’s a little bit tainted by 

Sips: the thing is okay fine you’ve unfollowed him you’ve unfollowed him after suggestion of somebody but you haven’t you haven’t unfollowed him for like the pure reason right you’ve just done followed him because it’s like off 

Lewis: in my head 

Sips: he’s pressuring me and I don’t want to be seen as somebody who agrees with what this guy might have said 

Pyrion: so that’s what cancel cultures is about

Sips: exactly 

Pyrion: I still think the main thing the  main thing to do is if I mean first of all I don’t want to know Graham linehan I don’t care what his opinions are, I want to see Father Ted

Sips: no i want to see the funny stuff  is it something on Twitter that’s even remotely funny and related to father Ted great that’s why I followed him in the first place because the father Ted you know what I mean like 

Lewis: yeah 

Pyrion: well so Twitter is real easy to be as puritanical as you like about whatever it is you believe in but I guarantee you even people you know really well there’ll be something of opinion that they hold that you think what that’s fucking bizarre like I can’t get my head around this weird that you you what are you gonna stop seeing that person because there’s something you disagree with them about I don’t know I mean I know lots of people whose politics are wildly different from mine or their opinions about all kinds of stuff are wildly different from mine it doesn’t change the fact that they’re they’re essentially a decent enough person that I could be friends with them 

Lewis: no absolutely

Pyrion: I just think it’s it’s not worth analyzing with a micro microscope every single aspect of a person’s personality because no one is clean no one is gonna come out of it and you’re gonna be okay with everything they said 

Lewis: I don’t think they’re evil if they have flaws like that or beliefs necessarily either I think it’s that they’re a product of their their cultural like like teachings been informed of over the years via media and Hollywood and books and people and friends of family and surroundings and locales…

So at worst, to me, this reads like Lewis is willing to concede that some people do not deserve your attention because of their words and deeds. Mostly, it’s like not wanting to be bothered about it and cause an argument outweighs his attachment to old media by a good deal. And he even will admit that separating the art from the artist is futile. I don’t really have an issue with it.

Pyrion comes in with the dog-tired “I don’t care who made it, I live in a Solipsistic world where the only things that matter are the things I observe.” Stupid, but inoffensive.

But you can see Sips starting some shit which he follows through on almost as soon as he gets a chance to.

Lewis: so what I’m saying is don’t be too hard on yourselves if you find that your your beliefs are challenged you know 

Sips: I don’t hold a strong belief on that though like you know like like I if if if that offends somebody to laugh at that and they’re around me or whatever I  would apologize I would say oh sorry 

Pyrion: you know like it’s not worth clinging to that kind of 

Sips: I’m a reasonable person I’m not I’m not gonna fight for my right to laugh at prison rape jokes I just don’t care enough but I could but equally 

I’m not I’m not going to to to falsely support like like trans rights and stuff as well by unfollowing somebody on Twitter because as much as I support somebody’s right to be who they are or who they want to be and and freedom and stuff like that these are things that don’t really affect me 

I’m not gonna be as passionate about them as somebody who is who is affected by it you know or or living that life or whatever you know what I mean I think there’s I think there’s a lot of like almost like false support for movements nowadays just to appear sort of like politically correct or popular or something like that and I don’t agree with that either I you know I think people that are coming out and and being like overly  sort of supportive about something that they have nothing to do with or whatever is is is it’s not it’s not a genuine thing it’s it’s it’s a lie

Pyrion: you see that in Hollywood a lot 

Sips: of course you do 

Pyrion: cos they cast something and it’s like the cast is like you can tell they’ve they’ve fucking they brainstormed the shit out of how to get the perfect cast for essentially for to avoid bad reviews on on Twitter and in the media 

Sips: sure 

Pyrion: it feels disingenuous 

Sips: yeah no 

Pyrion: it’s not from the heart no they haven’t changed they just going with the trends 

Sips: it is it’s it’s it’s some sort of formula for like popularity or for money or sales or something like that and it doesn’t feel nice it doesn’t feel good like like 

Lewis: yeah we should be on top of that stuff 

Sips: I think you need somebody to support me with with with just about anything really but like you know what I mean like it’s I don’t know like III think I think just I think it’s important to just be yourself and not get caught up in that in the hype of everything you know what I mean like just yeah like and don’t be an asshole yeah

It’s like Sips thinks that by burying it 55 minutes into an hour long podcast he’s going to get away with saying he doesn’t have sympathy for anyone who isn’t straight and white. Like I understand the way he’s trying to couch it, by saying that it’s slacktivism or it’s not a genuine demonstration of support, or that he’s not required to demonstrate his support in any way. But when you find yourself following someone who actually represents something you really believe is hateful, how can you not care, just because well, he’s funny, and he doesn’t happen to hate you? I don’t think it’s fair to make a snap judgement about a person based on who they choose to follow on Twitter… rather, I think it’s very fair to make a judgement about how they rationalize continuing to follow that person. “He doesn’t hate me so it’s not my problem” is bullshit.

Sips pauses for a minute and comes back in a few minutes later, as though he realizes what he just blurted out:

Sips: I feel like this podcast would be way better if I could actually articulate my thoughts like in an intelligent manner or not just like being a dope

Lewis: this is what this is though I said at the very start the podcast it’s that words are not enough like we we I think we need speeches

Pyrion: ‘More than words,’ that’s this week’s theme is the song ‘More than Words’ by Extreme.

Lewis: prepared speeches that are finely honed and crafted to not-not-not cuz but a lot of time people to get the wrong end of the stick from this podcast they’re gonna think Lewis said this sentence and people are gonna take out of context and it’ll and it’ll mean so which is the opposite of what I meant

Interlude… that’s why I bothered to pull the transcripts out in the first place. Hard to argue I was fucking around with context when I’m cutting out fat chunks like this.

Sips: I meant yeah yeah I know 

Lewis: it’s a very complex topic

Sips: alright I do my best I think I’m a reasonable person I don’t think I’m overly offensive to any one person or a group of people III don’t have hate in my heart for anything other than people who are sweaty at overwatch oh you know what I mean like I know I’m not going out of my way to like spread hate or to spread misery or whatever I think I’m like a pretty easygoing you know happy-go-lucky sort of sort of person.

Unfortunately nobody is handing out medals for bullshit, so your rambling appeal for sympathy was for naught, Sips.

#Anonymous #yps forsyth #yps lovasz #yps brindley

[ediblenapkin-moved]

That's the Thing About Dreams- Chapter 5

A/N: CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 2-

So hey! I’m back, and it’s time for cHAPTER MOTHERFIPPITY 2-

Anyways. This is gonna be either fun, or a complete and utter pain in the neck to write (my bet’s on the latter…). Who knows, though? (Future me. that’s who. future me what’s your status) (future iteration 1- i am not doing well. i am having small difficulties. oh my i did not spell that right what is wrong with me what time is it) (translation: it is 10:26 PM, i am covered in mosquito bites and this story is a pain.) (future iteration 2- i took a break. it’s a whole new day… and I’m ending the chapter. why? because me, that’s why. chapter 2’s gonna be in at least 3 separate pieces… and chapter 3???? hahahaha yeah that’s gonna be in at least 3 too. at least. i’m not even gonna try for ch4. not yet.)

Edit: I thought this chapter was gone today. So far, I’ve been writing all these little shits offline, google docs, you know? Well, today I got online- and when it went to sync my offline changes… three of eight documents I’d created/edited offline had vanished. Ofc, this scared me to no end- these things weren’t fun to figure out, in terms of all the little pieces and bits- and I was flipping out. I thought I was going to have to rewrite at least three different stories.

Thankfully, I waited a little bit and they reappeared. Which is good. But that was terrifying…

But now I'm on mobile. I just gotta mess with the formatting every damn time I go to post... I don't know if it's better or worse this way.

Enjoy.

lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

The first thing Joey was aware of was that his head was pounding.

“What hit me…?” He groaned, slowly pushing himself up. Once he was standing, he put a hand to his head. The throbbing was going away, but not fast enough.

He shut his eyes, waiting for it to go away. It didn’t, but it became manageable.

He finally reopened his eyes, looking around the small room- and quickly stepping out of the pentagram. It hurt to look at for some reason- the pulse in his head got worse even thinking about it.

He found himself picking up the axe, which, oddly enough, was now leaning against one of the coffins… and he knew he hadn’t left it there as he’d passed out. Which meant someone had been here and they moved his axe… but was that all they did?

Joey sighed. It wasn’t helping anyone to ask all these questions that- at the moment at least- had no answers. With that in mind, he looked towards the closed door in front of him.

Guess I’ve got no choice now… I’ve got to keep moving. Keep moving forward…

He chopped the boards off the next door and started walking.

Another stairwell. This one proudly displayed a little sign that read UTILITY SHAFT 9. As he walked down, a board collapsed and fell from the ceiling- nearly causing Joey to slip and fall down the stairs. Thankfully, he caught himself.

As soon as he reached the bottom step, he looked up- and another line greeted him- HE WILL SET US FREE- scrawled next to a smaller version of the cutouts that were everywhere. The little shelf was filled with candles, and cans of bacon soup, some closed, some open and poured in bowls. A banjo was leaning next to the shelf, slightly dusty.

He walked further in, noting that most of the shelves were in a similar state to the first- except one had another cassette tape. He clicked play.

“He appears from the shadows to rain his sweet blessings upon me. The figure of ink that shines in the darkness. I see you, my savior. I pray that you hear me. Those old songs, I still sing them. For I know you are coming to save me. And I will be swept into your final loving embrace. But, love requires sacrifice. Can I get an amen?”

The tape clicked off, and Joey frowned. He made to step back-

“I said, can I get an amen?”

He spun around- and stopped.

Sammy Lawrence- his voice- it had just been here, right behind him. Joey was sure of it- he was here. Somewhere.

After a minute of silence, Joey took a deep breath and kept going. He’d never in his life heard the songwriter like that- and it was genuinely creepy. It was wrong, it was too calm, it was too… off.

By nature, he tended to be loud, impatient, and was easily distracted at times. He was also an amazing composer- the studio’s only composer. With him around, there was no need for another. Sammy worked best alone, but made an exception for the lyricist- who, at first, he’d shown no mercy to. But eventually something had happened- and they were able to be in the same room and actually talk to each other.

Joey reached the next hallway- and stopped. It was flooded with ink. Knee high at least, and it looked positively repulsive. After taking a moment to sigh- his shoes and socks had finally been dry when he’d woken up- he stepped in and began wading to the other side.

And then, halfway down the hall, he heard muttering. Whispering- and then a dark figure clad in white overalls appeared, walking past the doorway- carrying a Bendy cutout under its arm.

The voice, while quiet- was unmistakable.

“Lawrence? Lawrence! What the hell-” He pulled himself through the rest of the hall as fast as he could, nearly jumping out of the ink to turn the corner the songwriter had vanished around-

Only to see a dead end… and the Bendy cutout sitting in front of a pentagram scratched on the wall.

Joey looked around, noting the trail of ink- but where the hell had he gone?

The voice in his head whispered, It’s got something to do with this ink. It’s everywhere, and that’s unnatural… ‘Who needs that much ink anyways?’ Something is really off with all this.

It’s not right…

He turned around, noticing a closed metal gate- much like the ones that had penned him in upstairs- and a panel next to it, featuring three blinking lights.

Seems like the gate needed power.

He found himself searching for the three different switches- two of them were back down the flooded hall, and after coming back through it for the third time he sat down, took off his shoes, then wrung out his socks. It was a pointless move- there was ink everywhere, and it was more than likely he was gonna be covered in it at some point, and more than just knee high or waist high- probably neck high or above head.

He slipped his slightly less soaked socks back on, then his shoes. He stood and walked over to the switchboard- all three lights were on. He threw the switch.

With a rumble and a lot of groaning, the metal gate slowly lifted- and just as it clicked into place, a low moan sounded- followed by the sound of a light flicking on.

Joey walked closer to the boarded up doorway- seriously, what was up with all these boarded up areas- and listened, but there was nothing else. Quickly, he hacked his way through the wood, and walked in.

The music department kind of looked like shit at the moment.

Ink puddles scattered everywhere, only a few candles- god it was dark- and most of the lights were off. Looking around, Joey sighed before noticing the tape next to the sign- in the dark, it was hard to see, but this tape was labelled- Lawrence. He turned it on.

“So first this Ink Machine is installed over our heads. Then it begins to leak. Three times last month we couldn’t even get out of our department because the ink kept flooding the stairwell. The solution? An ink pump to drain it periodically. Now I have this ugly pump switch right in my office. People in and out all day. Just what I needed. More distractions. These stupid cartoon songs don’t write themselves, you know.”

Now that sounded like Sammy…. the stairwell, right. Turning around, Joey walked to the stairs- and what do you know? It was flooded. The main power switch sat on the wall to the right, though- thankfully. He threw the switch, hearing the clicking of lights turning on- then wincing as the room suddenly filled with harsh light.

And then, the sound of ink dripping filled the room.

He turned, and walked back into the main room-

And a glob of ink dropped from the ceiling, forming into a humanoid shape.

Almost instantly, it swiped at Joey, who raised the axe and swung back.

Only one of them made their mark.

The body- he assumed- melted, and returned to a regular puddle of ink.

And then there were more.

Before he got time to think, he was fighting the inky creatures as best he could- he wasn’t a perfect aim with the axe- but eventually the last one took a hit and vanished, leaving Joey, panting, alone in the room as music began to play- and as a metal gate began to open.

And, finally, he got a chance to think, and a chill ran down his back.

Those things… weren’t right.

lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

A/N: jesus fuckin shit this is gonna be hard

i just rewatched someone play through it… fuck. I THOUGHT I WAS DONE SHORTCUTTING CRAP-

Nope. Apparently not. Sorry, suckers, but we’re shortcutting the hell out of this chapter… and Chapter 3. Saying it now so you don’t wonder, because no way in hell am I writing out that entire fucking annoying ass errand list. The Angel can go suck a lemon.

(Am I reading too many fics these days…? I’m actually not swearing as much as I usually do. wow. thanks for the influence, fics.)

I can already tell this fic, if it gets finished porplery, (porperly????? pfft), will be about 8 chapters minimum. so yeah. probably around 12 or 14…. excluding bullshit…

Is it crazy that I’m already looking forward to transcribing Chapter 3? Yes? No? Maybe, so? (hahahahhahahahahahahahahahahaahahah sorry)

next up: cutouts. why.

#that's the thing about dreams chapter #that's the thing about dreams #batim #fanfiction #animator reversal au #my writing #writing tag

[keagskins]

In Which Morgan Proposes

(( Ft. Male! Morgan and Mika. Wrote ages ago aroud 1am and never edited ))

Everything had to go smoothly-

It just had to. There was no way around it. He’d taken a lot of time and put a lot of thought into this whole fiasco and he’d be damned if it went haywire.

Preparations had been taken. The night prior, a mass email had been sent out saying that there was a mandatory meeting in the Lobby at precisely 10:05 AM. What was so unusual about this email, was that there was no humor. No pranks or hidden files or messages left. It was just an email, written with formal grammar and proper punctuation, and simply signed as “Morgan Yu.” And that alone was unusual for a number of reasons. Reasons like the simple fact that Morgan never signed his last name in emails- he thought it redundant because it very clearly said “Sent by: Morgan Yu” at the top of every one of his emails, like it or not. He also never signed his whole first name, usually it was left as “M.” He said it made him seem mysterious, if you ignored the fact that his name was displayed at the top of every single email.

The oddity of the email did its job and caught everyone’s attention. As planned, everyone was left standing around in the lobby, all cluttered as close to the frontal window as they could get. Gossip floated over their heads- what was going on? Was Morgan okay? Was this even Morgan? Maybe it was an elaborate prank? But soon enough their murmurs hushed as Alex stepped off of the elevator, looking just as bewildered as the rest of the staff. A couple tried to ask him- see if he knew what his sibling was up to, but they were only met with the same answer everyone else had. They didn’t know. No one knew, and Morgan wasn’t here yet.

And then he appeared. Quietly he jogged down the stairs that lead from the first floor of the lobby to his office- very acutely aware of the eyes locked on his form. “Morgan?” “Mr. Yu?” “Dr. Yu?” “What the hell, Morgan.” The crowd of staff started- a cacophony of voices. Morgan simply pursed his lips, and pulled his TranScribe from his pocket. He checked the time, then looked to the crowd. “You’ll know in two minutes.” And that was all the insight he gave. His sibling tried- persistently- to get the information out of him. But Morgan brushed him off.

Something was defiantly off with him.

He perched himself near the railing that kept people from getting too close to the glass, and impulsively checked the time several more times. He seemed simultaneously more anxious and less jittery than usual- which was weird.

And then it happened. At exactly 10:05 AM, The elevator descended into view once again. This time with only one passenger- who looked exponentially more confused than the rest of the staff. She stepped off of the elevator- eyebrows furrowed and lips drawn tight. She tried to ask- people simply raised their eyebrows; “Didn’t you get Morgan’s email?” Which, for the record, only served to confuse her more. She hadn’t gotten any email, and certainly not one from Morgan.

She spotted him- feet instantly deciding to lead her over. “Morgan? Morgan what’s going on?” He picked himself up- having been supporting his weight with the aid of the railing and his right arm- and shrugs. “Beats me.” “Morgan don’t do that. I’ve heard you sent out an email?” He purses his lips, giving a slight nod. “Oh. That. Yeah i know what that is-” Everyone’s eyes were on him. It was 10:08 AM and he still hadn’t done whatever it was he was going to do.

Behind him, visible splashes of the Milky Way were coming into view. The stars seemed more vibrant- glowing, radiating with the same energy that flowed between the buzzing scientists and engineers that lived aboard the station. There was the briefest pause- the loudest beat of silence- as Morgan reached into his pocket once more. This time, his hand exited the pocket with a small, glittering ring in his fingers.

And suddenly it was quiet for a whole different reason- jaws fell open and people looked between each other. Mikhalia looked somewhere between horrified and shocked-

And Morgan Yu, a god among men, fell to one knee.

Mikhalia’s hands flew to her mouth- eyes wide and suddenly wet and glistening in the warm light of Talos’ red and gold interior and the cold light of the stars behind her.

She says yes, sobbing as she takes the ring gingerly- for there wasn’t really a way to wear it with her gloves on.

Well, That what he wants to happen anyways.

“Morgan,” She tries again, more firm as she stares at him.

Morgan Yu feels like he’s going to pass out. Sweat drips down his temple and his fingers are numb. Oh god-- Okay, Okay, this is fine, he just needs to do what he did in his day dream- it was going to be fine.

Except it’s not, because the moment he lifts his arm from the railing, he stumbles- wheezing as he’s suddenly too lightheaded to even hold himself up. Mika catches him- “Morgan- are you alright?” He wheezes pitifully- mouth too dry and throat too tight. Oh god-- he’s an idiot-- he should have known he’d be too anxious to pull this off in front of three thousand people. He nods- movements too jerky to ever be played off as cool. He holds onto her forearms and closes his eyes- He’s so very aware of the eyes on him-- of Alex moving closer, worried.

When he opens his eyes, he sees Mika. Her brows are furrowed- teeth just barely visible past her teeth. He sees the genuine concern in her dark chocolate eyes- the creases in her face. He sees the way parts of her hair curl more than others- the way one particular, thin curl, wraps around her earlobe and just barely touches her cheek. He wanted this- and goddamn it he’s going to go through with it if it kills him.

With new found confidence- He raises to his full, but not very intimidating height- and pulls back his shoulders. He hopes he looks cool- but he knows that’s not happening. He’s sure he’s pale as a sheet and sweaty because he can feel strands of hair getting stuck to his forehead. “Mikhalia,” He mumbles, voice not nearly as confident as he wants it to be but. But it’s fine. Really it is because he feels his heart throb- overflowing with pure love and admiration for the woman standing beside him- He sees the stars in her eyes- quite literally- and knows that if he wants this to go even slightly like his dream did, he needs to act now. While the stars are at his back and the center of his universe is in his reach-

He squeezes her arms- a crooked smile stretching on his lips as he shakes his head- a shaken chuckle leaving him. He doesn’t need to look cool for her. She loves his anxiousness the same way she loves the rest of him.

He pulls back, hands sliding down her forearms and pausing to squeeze her hands before he lets go and his hand slips into his pocket. The ring is revealed, and held close to his chest. He looks at it, sees the diamond he’d picked- the design he’d created. This was the ring he’d made for the love of his life- and it was beautiful. He really wants to see it on her hand. Somewhere, he’s aware that she’s frozen. Everyone is. But he’s not looking at them.

Sluggishly, he forces his tightly-wound muscles to flex and relax in a way that makes him sink to one knee.

This was where he first met Mikhalia. And this is where he wants her to become his fiance. He runs his fingers over the ring, faintly feeling the edges of the stone through his thick gloves. His tongue drags over his lips and he prays to whatever god that’s listening that his voice sounds more confident this time around.

Looking up from the ring, he lands on Mika. She has her hands clasped over her mouth, just like in his fantasy, and her eyes shimmer with tears that haven’t yet fallen. His crooked, slightly nervous smile, slides back onto his face and he shyly offers the ring. “Mikhalia.. I know people say a lot of stuff about me. That i sleep around and can’t take anything seriously- that i’m a joke. And i can’t say it’s not true. It is. But you make me think i’m okay- and i’d give you the world. I want.. I want you to stay with me. For as long as you’ll tolerate me.” Somewhere, he knows that that isn’t the speech he had prepared. It’s.. Not the best either. You aren’t supposed to beat yourself up when you’re proposing. But.. She laughed. He catches sight of a tear slipping past her lashes- and it’s like watching the first snow fall or seeing a falling star. His Star.. “Mikhalia Ilyushin, Will you marry me?”

She nods- it’s frantic and she’s laughing. Her face is red- the blush having started at the tip of her nose and ears then spread outwards to her cheeks. She sniffs- offering her hand. She can’t put the ring on now, but Morgan makes a big deal out of gently setting it in her palm. She closes her fist and holds it to her heart- a soft, breathless “Yes” falling from her lips.

Morgan grins. His muscles snap like a stretched spring- and he’s back to his feet in nanoseconds- hands reaching for her- But she slaps them away with her free hand and suddenly there's an anger in her eyes that makes his grin stretch- “You almost fainted-- you just had to do it in front of everyone?” He laughs- distinctly aware that he’s crying more than she is- and his hands come to rest on her. One palm falling over her neck, fingers digging into the hairs at the nape of her neck, as the other squeezes her bicep and draws her close. Their noses bump- and he’s laughing whilst sobbing. The stress that had been building since three days ago spilling out of him in the form of tears and broken laughs.

It’s not three minutes later when he feels a hard slap on his shoulder- he spins to see Alex, who’s crying and angry “You didn’t even tell me you were going to propose and then you do it like this?”

#my writing #morgan yu #mikhalia ilyushin #prey #prey 2017 #prey game #writing #im gay #i might post it later on a03

[hoynovoy]

My 'Pretty Little Liars' Obsession Led Me To My Best Friend

“Got a secret, can you keep it?” Well, I’ve got one: Though Pretty Little Liars ended in 2017, the seven-season mystery thriller schemed its way into being an integral part of my life for the long haul, so much so that the opening credits live in my head rent-free. To this day, each time I hear the sinister theme song — “Secret” by The Pierces — I’m brought right back to my childhood comfort show (ahem, obsession). The visuals begin with a swipe of mascara, the smear of red lipstick, and a clasp of a heel onto a porcelain doll, which makes me feel like I’m watching someone get pampered for prom. Until, of course, it cuts to four girls standing in front of a casket. It's a chilling moment, one that, until Season 6B, ended with Aria Montgomery (Lucy Hale) delivering her iconic “shh.” I got cast under the show’s spell the first time I saw it, and I wasn’t the only one: Pretty Little Liars led me to my best friend.

Ironically, plotlines about deceit and betrayal actually helped ignite a long-lasting friendship. In 2011, the only other person I knew to be watching PLL was my now-BFF, Taylor, who’s been by my side for over a decade. We were only about 11 and 12 when it premiered, so shout out to our parents for letting us watch a show that dealt with very adult themes like substance use disorder, assault, and grief. Unlike our classmates, who watched tween-appropriate hits like iCarly and Victorious, we became PLL stans.

As fans know, the show is loosely based on the Sara Shepard YA series of the same name, and the first book was my entry point into the PLL universe. I loved reading about blackmailers and murderers navigating high school, but I thought I was the only one who was into it. (Was this my ~I’m different~ complex showing, or were my peers just naturally more inclined to recap Dance Moms? I’ll never know.) So, Taylor first struck up a conversation with me at school because she spotted the first PLL book on my desk — you know, the one painted with porcelain wax dolls warning to “never trust a pretty girl with an ugly secret” in a Gothic script. She asked if I’d watched the TV adaptation yet and we immediately exchanged phone numbers to text about upcoming episodes. We then fell into the fandom. Fast.

I’d never talked to Taylor before this interaction — we had only been in a few classes together — but I always saw her as approachable and friendly. Universally, the beginning of middle school is a big and terrifying year when kids from different elementary schools unite. Eager to meet new people, I reached for friendship at any chance I could get. Taylor made it easy. Aside from being a genuinely kind person (a rare trait for a middle schooler!), she was fangirling over the same thing as me.

Fast forward over a decade later, and the show still feels timeless, especially in its accurate depictions of how dramatic high school can get. It’s no surprise there’s a PLL HBO Max reboot on the way along with the remakes of other buzzy shows from that era (hello, 2010s nostalgia). Ah. It was a simpler time. Back then, Freeform was still ABC Family and for me, Tuesdays meant one thing: PLL is on. What first started as a solo viewing experience soon became a designated hangout time, a time slot reserved for me and Taylor to gush over how much we loved Ashley Benson. (We still do!)

The series had a vibe similar to Gossip Girl or Bridgerton in that a mysterious, unidentifiable pot-stirrer keeps fans guessing each episode, but it was arguably so much better since “A,” the anonymous villain, is out for, you know, murder. Ultimately, it was the type of whodunit that made me and Taylor (and millions of viewers) go down a couple of Reddit rabbit holes — remember the “Aria is A” suspicion? — and this is where my and Taylor’s experience with fan theories began.

Oh, and let’s not forget the location. PLL takes place in the fictional suburb of Rosewood, Pennsylvania, and for two girls from Bucks Country — aka the Philadelphia ‘burbs — we ate it up. The beloved “Welcome to the Dollhouse” episode was exceptionally creepy not only because the Liars get locked into a life-size replica of their bedrooms, but also because our real neighborhood looks extremely similar to their hometown. It operates like Rosewood, too, in that small-town gossip travels at lightning speed.

The Pennsylvania-based plotline also made it easier for us to identify with the characters, who felt like extensions of ourselves. In many ways, we got to know each other through their personalities. Taylor is studious and high-achieving, obviously a Spencer. And I owned feather earrings because I saw Lucy Hale sport them in Season 1, so obviously an Aria. Asking “Are you more of a Hanna or an Emily?” held as much weight in 2012 as asking someone their rising sign in 2021. While it might not say much, it also tells you everything you need to know about a person.

PLL got its start right before live-tweeting shows became popularized, so when we weren’t together, I used to text Taylor on my slide-out keyboard phone (only Zillennials will remember) to compare notes without stumbling upon many spoilers. They read something like this: “Caleb and Hanna are soul mates, TBH.” Like every other fan, we theorized about why A had to be Ian… and Melissa… and Jenna… and Mona… and, you get the point. When our elaborate speculations ran cold, we’d pause DVR’d episodes to gather more clues, like glimpses of Red Coat’s face in her second season introduction, or inspections of those eerie-gloved hands assembling dolls and sharpening knives at the end of each episode.

This game of Clue made room for conversations about all the things. We were in high school during the show’s peak, so it felt like the Liars had laid the groundwork for how to operate our school’s halls. Rosewood High was not traditional — uh, multiple students came back from the dead (*cough* Mona and Alison) — but it did prepare us for the stressors of college applications and first romantic relationships. In fact, Benson’s Hanna Marin would be proud of my matchmaking skills because back then, I introduced Taylor to the boyfriend she’s still with today.

As we both grew up with the show, our friendship got even deeper. The Liars weren’t the only ones to share secrets, and I found it incredibly easy to confide in Taylor. She’s trustworthy, level-headed, compassionate, and an excellent listener. She’s someone I know will always pick up on the second ring and is the type of friend to be there with advice, reassurance, and a quick-witted one-liner. She once joked about never needing a diary because we’ve transcribed the past 10 years of our lives via text.

Our bond has remained strong, especially because the most outrageous PLL-esque plotlines of our lives are ones we’ve experienced together. I love Taylor because I don’t have to provide background for my stories. I’m even so familiar with the cast of characters in her life that when someone re-enters after a long period, I like to say they Alison DiLaurentis’ed her.

And on the off-chance she’s not there to witness something meaningful happen to me IRL, she’s always ready to decipher what went down over texts or dinner and drinks — just like we did when we were teens trying to figure out who A was (minus the wine, of course).

The way she can reconstruct my way of thinking and offer up a perspective I hadn’t seen before is almost paranormal. Whether these are Taylor’s naturally given talents or traits learned from peeling back all the layers of the series, I’m not sure. But she’s always there to decode situations with me — whether they relate to a TV show or during moments when I feel lost.

I couldn’t be more thankful that Taylor entered my life and that PLL played a role in our friendship. I feel so incredibly lucky to know someone like her. Plus, now I have someone who is obligated to watch the reboot with me. Ali was right: Friends do share secrets. And she’s ~quite literally~ the reason Taylor’s got all of mine. Spencer and Aria, you’ve got some competition.

Get More Dating Advice Here

[anneedmonds]

My Current Skincare Routine: Winter 2020

I’ve made some quite significant changes to my skincare routine since Christmas and so I thought it might be time for an update. This wasn’t the easiest update video to film, mostly because the issue of the hero product’s price-tag was hanging over me like a spectre the entire time I was talking about it!

But I have had really quite brilliant results from this particular wonder cream and so I managed to get over my fear of being pelted by rotten eggs – or whatever the online equivalent is – over the price. I like my skincare routine updates to be genuine and accurate recordings of the products I’m using and what they seem to be doing to my skin and so it would actually be quite weird for me to not mention a high-performing product just because it’s out of the usual budgetary range…

I’m going to let you watch the video to find out what I’ve been using (strong strong retinol and less of the other types of active ingredient) but before you tune out, thinking, “I don’t want to listen to a video”, hear this: I’ve actually got proper, professional closed captions on this video. I’m trying it out to see whether people find them useful and actually turn them on – Youtube do caption their videos automatically, I think, but the transcriptions can be very hit and miss and are often woefully inaccurate.

So, if you’re in the office/feeding a baby/pretending to be on the toilet and can’t listen aloud, just set the video running with your sound off and click the little CC symbol on the bottom of the screen. That’ll bring up my painstakingly transcribed captions. (Full disclosure: paid someone else to do it, I barely have time to edit the videos let alone caption them. It takes bloody ages.)

Anyway, let me know whether it’s useful – or, should I say, more useful than the standard captioning – if you regularly make use of the subtitle functions. You can find a (spoiler alert) list of the products I’ve been using if you scroll down past the video screen, but please do take a moment to watch, because that’s where the magic happens!

I’ll be back with a full, standalone review of the Medik8 retinol product because the results warrant it and the pricing is sure to be a talking point…

My Current Skincare Routine 

Morning – Cleanse, Hydrating Serum, Moisturiser

Cleanse Products I’m Using:

Skinceuticals Cream Cleanser, £31 here*: http://bit.ly/2H6Vw6L

Bioderma Micellar Water, £19.50 here*: http://tidd.ly/e9f2529

Murad Pre-Biotic Cleanser, £38 here*: http://bit.ly/3bo2hPj

Serums I’m Using: 

Alpha-H Skincare Hyaluronic 8 Serum, £38 here*: http://bit.ly/2vjOJnK

La Roche-Posay Hyalu-B Serum, £38 here*: http://tidd.ly/16cfb4b1

The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid, £5.99 here*: https://amzn.to/3boRJiY

Inkey List Collagen, £8.99 here*: https://amzn.to/3boRHrm

Moisturisers I’m Using:

The Body Shop Carrot Day Cream, £14 here*: http://bit.ly/2Hje7Nb

Dr Sam Bunting Flawless Moisturiser, £25 here: https://drsambunting.com/products/flawless-moisturiser

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Fluid, £16.50 here*: http://tidd.ly/facc95e1

SPF I’m Using: 

Elizabeth Arden Great 8 SPF35, RRP £36 but is currently £24 on Amazon here*: https://amzn.to/3bmfd8z

PM – Cleanse, Hydrating Serum, Moisturise

As above but no SPF and a proper balm cleanser, I’ve been using:

Emma Hardie Moringa Light Gel, £34 here*: http://tidd.ly/99e8c9bc

Pestle and Mortar Renew Gel, £38 here*: http://tidd.ly/1c6393b6

PM Treat

Every three or four nights (I’m working my way up to every other night!) I use the R-Retinoate below. Sometimes I follow with a bit of moisturiser, often I just use it alone! 

Medik8 R-Retinoate Intense, £210 here: https://www.medik8.com/r-retinoate-intense.html

Medik8 also do the Crystal Retinal in different strengths, the 10 is MEGA! I used the 6 without any fallout (as in my face falling off) whatsoever and thought it was brilliant – it’s £59 here: https://www.medik8.com/crystal-retinal.html

For an incredibly strong retinol (1%!) without the humungous pricetag then do look at PaulasChoiceUK here*: http://bit.ly/2ScPYhn It’s £12 for the smallest bottle or £53 for the 30ml size and it’s really bloody potent.

With all of these, please start off slowly and with a moisturiser first if you’re being extra cautious – the moisturiser acts as a sort of buffer. I use the retinol products above straight onto clean skin, but only once every three nights. Once I want to increase the effect I will use every other night but with a hyaluronic acid serum beforehand or even a moisturiser beforehand! 

The post My Current Skincare Routine: Winter 2020 appeared first on A Model Recommends.

©2020 " My Current Skincare Routine: Winter 2020 published first on https://medium.com/@SkinAlley

[tencowsinc-blog]

How I Achieved Little Success From Working With The Best

Note: This article was originally posted on Medium.com as “Little Success From Working With The Best?”

For the past 4 years as a student at BYU Hawaii I’ve been working on different products and have really struggled to be profitable with them.

The frustrating part is that I’ve had really successful people who have been my mentors during all of this. Frustrating, because I have learned so many amazing things from them; they’re incredible people & entrepreneurs.

I figured if anyone would have a chance at succeeding in entrepreneurship it should be me! Their support and willingness to help me has been more than I could ever ask for.

Last night I was searching for answers as I usually do in trying to figure out this entrepreneurship thing. Again I was feeling so down and frustrated because I feel like I can’t get it together.

After many searches my last search query was “I’m a crappy marketer”. I’ve been coming to the conclusion for the last while that the lack of success I’ve been having must be attributed to my crappy marketing skills & wanted to see what I could find to help.

I found two articles in particular that were just what I was looking for. I learned so much from these articles and felt like it addressed exactly what I’ve been struggling with.

YOUR PRODUCT ISN’T GOOD ENOUGH The first article is called “You aren’t bad at marketing your product, Your product isn’t good enough!” Ionut Neagu in this article talks about how people had been approaching him to get advice on how to build their business/sell their products and were complaining that they haven’t been able to figure out the marketing for their products. They believed the reason they aren’t finding success is because they lack the money and/or marketing skills to promote it. He talks about how the lack of money or skills is not the problem but that the problem is with the quality of the product. He touches on 4 products that he has been successful with and how did it with little marketing. He says:

1.TRANSPARENCY REPORTS — WHY THEY WORKED “To be completely honest with you, I haven’t spent more than a couple of hours promoting our transparency reports. Usually, I’m just submitting them to ManageWP.org, and sometimes asking a few people on Twitter to take a look. Yet they still get mentioned at WordCamps, people talk about them on blogs, podcasts, and they have a really wide reach in the niche. Why? Certainly marketing isn’t the reason. I have spent waaay more hours/money trying to promote our other articles… The answer is the content quality on its own… unique insights that can’t be found elsewhere and that actually help people with ‘something’ will always work, and will always come on top of other content that might not be so revealing. 2. ZERIF LITE — OUR MOST POPULAR FREE WORDPRESS THEME — WHAT HAS MADE IT Before releasing Zerif Lite we already had 10+ themes launched, and I spent good money and time promoting all of those themes. However, when Zerif Lite landed, right from day 1 it generated 1,000% more sales and downloads than all of the previous themes combined! At that point, it wasn’t that hard. I reached out to some popular blogs, insisted they listened, and at that moment I wasn’t afraid to pay for their attention and for having Zerif listed everywhere I could. The theme was already way better than all the other free themes out there, so the promotion worked right away too. People started to write about it, it was much easier to promote it, and it felt a lot less like I was pushing it onto everybody. It all felt natural. 3. REVIVE OLD POST — WHAT MADE IT A MUST-HAVE PLUGIN Revive Old Post is our top social media plugin. It takes your content and shares it automatically to your various social media channels. It has been in the WordPress.org repo for 4–5 years, and we only acquired it around 2 years ago. The funny thing is that nobody does any marketing around it, yet EACH week (just Google it) there are blogs mentioning it, there are loads of people naming it their favorite plugin, and there are even videos on YouTube talking about it. Let me emphasize on this again; we aren’t doing anything to promote this plugin directly at the time of writing this, it seems to promote itself. Just like with the transparency reports, the idea and the way of approaching it is unique. It was the first plugin of its kind, it helps people, and it does it all for FREE. Building a product that is unique and helpful, or that’s 10x better than anything else on the market isn’t easy, certainly. However, if you don’t consider yourself a genius marketer then this is what you should absolutely do! 4. WHAT MAKES BLOG POSTS VIRAL THESE DAYS On the one hand, there’s so much noise that it’s really hard to surface with a new product/thing. But at the same time, if you build something that people consider amazing, almost no marketing is required, or the marketing work will become super easy. If a guy who hasn’t written more than 20 articles in his lifetime can get his post viewed by 100,000+ people and with 0 marketing, then probably you can do it too. Just focus on producing something awesome. And do it before you devote endless nights to promoting the thing… There indeed are people out there who are marketing geniuses, or who have loads of resources that they are willing to invest even if the return isn’t coming for a while. But if you aren’t one of them, your best chance is to focus on your product first.

HOW TERRIBLE COPYWRITING SKILLS MADE ME A SOUGHT AFTER MARKETER The 2nd and the last article I’ll mention here is from Bhavani Esapathi and is called “How my terrible copywriting skills made me a sought after Marketer” She says: “Growing up, I hated the word marketing I began to slowly warm up to the idea of marketing as I got older and that’s not only because I needed money for food, shelter(etc.)…. With the rise of…social media I saw another world of marketing, one that wasn’t…reliant upon shoving stuff upon people who probably didn’t care that much. In fact, to me social media marketing is the very opposite of shoving stuff onto those who don’t need it, it’s about carefully weeding out the ones who don’t need it and the ones who do I ventured into the fancy world of arts marketing…and as an entitled millennial, what do you mean I need an MBA to prove I know how to attract an audience? Doesn’t being raised by a technology qualify me somewhat as a birth right? I soon realized how wrong I was, not only was I a bad marketer but a terrible one in the best of my days. What kept me going was this streak of brilliance between extravagant moments of failure, something I couldn’t quiet put my finger on. After a good few years of being a miserable arts marketer who could deliver results with just as much odds as a kid in an arcade machine. I took it upon myself to find what bridges most of my successes. There must be a pattern that determines if one of my brilliant campaign or strategic ideas will take off or slowly disintegrate… I realized that most of the copy I wrote were evidently very fake and unreal thereby proposing mistrust than anything. Note to self: do not try to sell something that you don’t genuinely believe in… If you don’t resonate for the company/product you’re working with then you’re not going to be able to portray genuine likeness which often comes from being true to your audiences so being real and comfortable was a big part of the things that I succeeded at…you’re better off finding someone who’s not only interested in you but unusually excited which makes them perfect to market your products and services. …most industry-standard agency work demands strategic writing that can strip you of genuine emotions in an attempt to embed addictive ones. Because I’m a writer attuned to my sensibilities, because I know what I like… I need to find the right thing to write about otherwise I might as well be pretending to transcribe Ancient Greek…. I consciously acknowledge the things I could never promote or blog about so if you think you’re a bad writer or a not-so-great marketer, you probably just haven’t found the thing that makes you a good one yet. So the next time you’re stuck contemplating how to ‘market’ your work better ask yourself ‘why isn’t this work inspiring me enough to show off?’”

CONCLUSION: Both of these articles have taught me a lot and am still letting it sink in. For now, what stands out is to do what inspires you! Consciously acknowledge the things you could never promote or blog about or anything wouldn’t like doing, be honest with your self. I’ve learned that when you are true to what inspires you, the quality in your products, blogs or whatever your goal might be will come through. I’ve learned to start with being true to the light that inspires you and then the marketing/selling part will come much easier. I think with having this in mind, i’ll start on the right foot & have better success moving forward.

#entrepreneur #startup