#because the freaking fall season has officially started in italy

[babaenghumayo-blog]

Wrapping up 2023

It has been a year again with a lot of self-doubts, adventures, self-discoveries, plot twists, falling in love and new potentials discovered.

I started the year promising to myself to cut-off unnecessary people who only cause me pain and self-doubts. All those times I thought I am the problem but to be honest, sometimes people come to our lives only to teach us a lesson and go. That was a hard pill I had to swallow back then.

Back in February, I was able to celebrate my birthday in Hallstatt, Austria. We had a 5 days trip going from Vienna to Hallstatt to Budapest with my colleagues. It was our first trip abroad all together. Even though the cold during that winter time was unbearable, we were able to enjoy it. Hallstatt is such an enchanting place to be.

It was March when I decided to enroll to a swimming class which lasted for 10 to 12 weeks starting on April. It was a fun experience considering I was able to learn proper techniques of swimming and was able to go swim in the ocean, finally. I'm considering to go for another set of lessons this year for intermediate swimmers.

Later that month of March I was also able to meet a guy whom I didn't believe will make a big impact to me now and whom I'll fall in love with.

April, start of Spring. My flatmates and I hiked around Rivera bay and Marsaxlokk. Then on May, for ate Ja's birthday, we went to Venice and Dolomites in Italy. One of the most beautiful places I've been to would definitely be in Dolomites. Sadly, we weren't able to explore and hike all the areas in there since there were still snowy parts in the mountains and still not advisable to go to the top. Nonetheless, it was such a beautiful place.

I remember June as the month when I made it official with Chad. It was also the time when I had the Switzerland trip with Tiffany. Her aunt happily shared their home with us for almost our whole 5 days stay in Schaffhausen, a city an hour away from Zurich. The stories are all true about Switzerland. It has beautiful landscapes, expensive foods, a very good transportation system and has lots of very clean cities. I heard a rumor before going in there that people goes quiet after 10pm and doesn't go for a bath because apparently your neighbors will hear every water that drops in your pipes. The story is true in the sense that some houses in Switzerland have a thin wall where you can hear the other room's small noises especially waterflows and showers.

July and August were peak summer heatwaves here in Malta. I remember going to the beach almost every weekend with Chad and practicing what I learned from my swimming lessons. During these times, I also meet some of his friends and him meeting mine.

It was still warm when we went to Paris last September. It was not so much of a good experience with the busses having a freaking heater in the peak of summer. It was exhausting and lots of places to go in such a small time. However, I very much enjoyed my time in Disneyland Paris. It was so magical. I finally saw the famous Eiffel tower, Louvre and Palace de Versailles among such.

The adventure doesn't stop as we went to Spain on October. We explored the cities of Valencia and Barcelona. Valencia has lots of good food while Barcelona has an amazing set of architectural buildings. As someone who adores designs, it was such an eye-candy. We also went to Montserrat mountain.

November was a pretty hectic month with the tax deadlines at work. I was dreaded almost every workday. I already expected it but this year has been tougher than last year's busy season. On the last week of November, I was finally able to have my eye laser procedure. It was life-changing! Imagine me without glasses after wearing one for almost 17 years. It's surreal! Thanks to technology. I'm so happy that I was able to tick that goal in my list.

December was an exciting month since it's Christmas season and we travelled to different Christmas markets in Germany, France and Belgium. Exhausting as it was but very fun times. We have been abroad for 7 days from 21st of December to 27th. It was also Chad's birthday on the 28th and I returned to Malta to be able to celebrate it with him from 28th to 31st December. It was really fun times that I cherish.

Overall, it has been a great year. So many places I explored and people I met. The best thing about this year was unexpectedly meeting and falling in love with Chad. But I'll tell all of that in another post. I still miss my family from time to time 'cause I wasn't able to go home this year, but I'm lucky I got people who makes me feel less lonely and loved wherever they are.

2024, I'm ready for ya!

[humansofstarshollow]

-Autumn series-

Lorelai Gilmore

#because the freaking fall season has officially started in italy #thunderstorms and chill and god it was already dark at 5pm #so here's some vibes #gilmore girls #gg #gilmore girls aesthetics #aesthetics #gg aesthetics #gilmore girls edits #gg edits #edits #humansofstarshollow #my works #my aesthetics #my moodboards #stars hollow aesthetics #stars hollow #lorelai gilmore #fall #fall aesthetic #autumn #autumn aesthetic #humansofstarshollow autumn serie

[apenapaperandadoofus]

For the wedding hcs could you plz do Jumin x V ✨✨✨👀

Hohoho don’t mind if I do

Jumin x V wedding hcs:

where they get married:

-Pribably somewhere e super fancy, like Greece or Italy, it can’t be in Korea tho :( but they will fly out everyone in the RFA and maybe Jumin’s father!

when they get married ( ie what time of day, what month and season etc. ):

-Porbably during autumn. They get married at the time around sunset, to then have the party at night! They get either married on September or at the beginning of October

what traditions they include ( do they get married under a chuppah and crush a glass, garter toss, ‘something borrowed, something blue,’ etc. )

- (I found so many things about Korean traditions omg.) So since Jumin is a very traditional man, he will do every single Korean tradition lol. I’m talking about presenting a goose (that’s adorable), both grooms wear blue, the wine ceremony where they share a glass of wine, and many more!

what their wedding cake looks like:

-ohh it would be either blue or white. It’d be a super big cake, decorated super fancy and maybe with 2 or 3 (floors? What are those things called?)

….who smashes cake into whose face:

- V, V, V ,V, V lmaooo, he wouldn’t smash the cake in Jumin’s face, but he’d make it so that he has a bit of the cake in his nose of cheek lol

who proposed to who first:

-Jumin proposed to V during a supposed business trip. They were at this super fancy resort and Jumin got down on one knee, asking V to be forever by his side, and V said yes

who walks down the aisle and who waits at the altar ( or neither ):

-I don’t think any of them would walk down the aisle tbh, but if someone were to do it it’d be V (accompanied by you of course )

what their wedding dresses / suits / other look like

-They both wear blue suits. V has a lighter one, and Jumin a darker suit.

what their wedding colour scheme is and what sort of decor they have

-ihhh fhis one was hard. Probably a really light color scheme, like maybe very light turquoise or just white. They would have plenty of pictures that V took, and that are Jumin’s favorite.

what flowers are in the bouquet ( if applicable. bonus: what do the flowers mean? )

-They both have an almond tucked in their suit pockets, it means promise.

what their vows are ( eg poetry, traditional, improvised etc. )

-Jihyun would go for a really cute traditional-ish. “You have always been there for me, my best friend, and now, my love. You don’t know how happy you make me.”

-While Jumin would be super poetic. “I can’t wait to spend the rest of my years with you. You have always been there for me, ever since we met, and you’re the only person who has ever made me feel like this...I promise, that for the rest of my life I will cherish and protect you. I love you.”

if anyone’s late to the wedding:

-Saeyoung, he was trying to steal Elly lmao

who’s in the bridal parties / groomsmen / other:

-Definetly you, along with the RFA (yes, Zen too, Jihyun made Jumin choose him and it was the best thing ever lmao.) also we’re including Saeyoung since Jumin doesn’t want him anywhere near Elly

what their bridal party / groomsmen / other are wearing

-For a fem!MC and Jaehee, a white dress with a blue bow tied around the waist, for a male!MC and the rest of the guys, white suits with blue bowties (Saeyoung did get ahold of one of the dresses though and Zen got catfishes again lmao)

who gives speeches at the reception ( bonus: what do they say? recount a sweet memory or two between them? tell an embarrassing story? )

-Jihyun would tell a story about funny stories/seeet memories with Jumin. Some times when they were playing hide and seek, or times when they’d stay awake during sleepovers and talk for the rest of the night. And of course he’d talk about how they met, and how amazing it has been to have Jumin in his life.

who catches the bouquet( s )

-Do I even need to say? SAEYOUNG OBVIOUSLY PFTTT

what their wedding photos are like ( are they sweet, with the couple holding hands or kissing or ~gazing into each others eyes~? are they silly, with a snapshot of the ‘cake-smash’ moment? or are they artistic, with one of them facing the sunset or holding their bouquets? )

-Theyre photos are the sweetest thing ever. Rui takes them for them, as a wedding gift. The favorite photo of the two of them, is when V and Jumin are looking at each other, holding their hands with big dorky smiles on their face. There’s also one where they’re exchanging rings and V looks so happy he’s about to cry, while Jumin can’t stop smiling. And then of course, the one where V just put a bit of frosting on Jumin’s cheek. They’re both smiling and V now has his nose covered in frost too!

what sort of food they have at the reception

-They have pretty fancy and traditional Korean food, along with some western one too!

who cries first during the ceremony

-ME, I mean, definetly V. He’s way too happy and can’t hold it in.

how wild their reception gets ( who dances the best, who gets drunk first, etc. )

-So Saeyoung and a really really drunk Yoosung get into a dance competition, and when Yoosung is drunk and Saeyoung is feeling chaotic, you know it’s going to be freaking wild

what their rings are like

-Their rings are very simple silver ones, that have a big small diamond on the center and then there’s like two or three smaller ones on the sides. The diamond is blue, and it’s not like super big, but it’s definetly real

what sort of favours they have ( heart shaped sparklers, mini champagne bottles, personalised candy etc. )

-They have tons of stuff, Jumin has some cat candy (he couldn’t help himself ok) and there’s a really tiny bottle with a flower inside of it

where they go for their honeymoon

-they go to a lot of places, Italy, singapore, and to Jumin’s little island

something memorable that happens during the party / ceremony ( do they run out of ice and someone goes to get it in full formal wear on foot, does anyone fall asleep in the middle of the party, etc. )

-At one point Yoosung slipped and fell dancing and then he started crying because he lost the dance battle lol. Also Zen actually congratulated Jumin while being all blushy about it, but he was really happy for him! Saeyoung also managed to get 2 feet near Elly until he was taken away by the security guards

who officiates the ceremony

-they would probably get married by a priest, since they’re both catholic

what song their first dance is to:

-ohh this one was hard! But I think this one fits them pretty well:

The way it starts slow but then slowly builds up, and V and Jumin hold each other close, saying how much they love each other. Everyone stares in awe as the couple dances, Jumin teasingly whispering into Jihyuns ear as the dance goes on, and they get more skippy and more happy, since they can’t believe that they’re finally together, and they start dancing faster and faster, unable to stop smiling. They’re filled almost with a childish happiness at being with each other, they’re so excited, and you can tell by how they both move and smile. Until they slow down, and Jumin leans his forehead against V’s, whispering words filled witr love.

who gives who away as they walk down the aisle

-I have a really angsty hc that Jihyun’s dad is the one that’s like nope, so I feel like V would probably ask you, or just walk down the aisle with Jumin? You know?

#mystic messenger #jumin han #saeyoung choi #mysme #saeran choi #yoosung kim #jaehee kang #jihyun mysme #choi bois #jumin x v

[bunnywrites]

AHHH OMG WHAT A CUTE ASK MEME I'M ALREADY SCREAMING💍 - adrian x dove 💍 sophie x milo 💍 liam x grace 💍 madison x wyatt

don't feel like you have to answer everything for all of them but ah!!! ILY

ILYSM ur the real mvp for always sending these <3

💍 adrian x dove

where they get married: 

they’re totally having a beach wedding, for sure!!

when they get married ( ie what time of day, what month and season etc. ):

Ok, hear me out. A summer wedding on the beach at sunset. Maybe in June/July 

what their wedding cake looks like:

they def wouldn’t have like a hug wedding cake, i feel like they would keep it pretty simply tbh!! maybe they even decorate it themselves (with the help of baby annie too!!)

….who smashes cake into whose face:

adrian totally would and dove would smash her piece of cake into his smug face right after and they would probably let annie smash cake in both of their faces too

who proposed to who first:

i think adrian !!!

who walks down the aisle and who waits at the altar

baby annie walks down as a flower girl and then waits next to her dad who’s at the altar and then comes dove look like a rl angel 

what their wedding dresses / suits / other look like

since it’s a beach wedding, i imagine them in v casual clothing?? like nothing super fancy at all.

what their vows are ( eg poetry, traditional, improvised etc. )

i’m crying just thinking about them sharing their vows wow. i imagine since dove kinda write out her feelings in her journals that she maybe wrote a poem about him in there somewhere and she would share with him during their ceremony. and then probably just go into more depth over how much she adores him and AAAH my heart 

who cries first during the ceremony

oof, this one is a hard one!! but i think maybe adrian?? when he sees dove walking down the aisle?? and then she sees him crying and it causes her to start tearing up lmao 

where they go for their honeymoon

IF i remember correctly i think adrian asked her where she wanted to go once and she said italy and so i feel like he would totally make that happen for their honeymoon !!

who gives who away as they walk down the aisle

since her mom will have passed away already dove would probably be given away by her aunt !

💍 sophie x milo

where they get married:

i totally see these two lovebird randomly deciding to get married right in the moment. they would totally be the kind to go to vegas and get married!

what their wedding cake looks like:

honestly since it’s all last minute they would probably have ice cream cake that they bought from a local grocery store or something LOL 

….who smashes cake into whose face:

since it’s ice cream cake i don’t think they would smash it into each other’s face, but they would probably slide it down each other’s backs or something lmao 

who proposed to who first:

oof man ok i think tbh at one point milo will be the one to say “fuck our family who cares what they think lets get married rn” cause he would probably be so sick of trying to continuously prove to them that he’s right for their daughter when he knows he is!! 

who walks down the aisle and who waits at the altar:

milo totally waits at the alter with his new best bro liam by his side and grace walks down the aisle too before getting on the bride’s side of the alter and then GORGEOUS BABY SOPHIE COMES DOWN 

what their wedding dresses / suits / other look like:

so painfully casual it hurts. honestly i could see milo getting married in an mf tuxedo shirt LOLOL 

what their vows are:

super improvised for sure but completely from the heart!! 

who’s in the bridal parties / groomsmen / other:

their new besties!! grace is soph’s maid of honor probs and liam would totally be milo’s best man 

who gives speeches at the reception:

i feel like liam would def give a speech if he was drunk enough lmao and it would be very sweet and funny tbh. milo would def give a speech about how much he loves soph and he would probably try to make it super funny but then he becomes a total sap at the end!

what their wedding photos are like:

the silliest ever! a bunch of selfies on their phones and polaroids. i imagine grace filming all of it too on a camera and editing the footage to make milo and soph their very own wedding video! 

what sort of food they have at the reception:

they would literally all just go out for burgers probably lmao

how wild their reception gets ( who dances the best, who gets drunk first, etc. ):

they would probably go out to some club to celebrate afterwards! milo is def dancing all kinds of weird from how wasted he is, but he’s having the time of his life. sophie is living for it, of course, and is even getting pretty rowdy herself, which we love to see. i feel like liam would be the one to keep buying drinks and making everybody take shots with him, especially milo lmao. grace would probably be sitting at the bar with her drink and smoking a joint before liam pulls her to the dance floor and forces her to dance with him

what their rings are like:

they would probably get the cheapest rings they could for the moment, but milo would def surprise with a diamond ring after he saves up enough money. 

where they go for their honeymoon:

i feel like since they got married in vegas they would just honeymoon there too!! 

who officiates the ceremony:

an elvis impersonator DUH 

💍 liam x grace

where they get married:

ok so!! i totally see liam wanting to make this one of the most special days ever for grace cause that’s just the kinda guy he is. and so maybe one of her favorite movie theaters is going out of business or something. so, before they demolish it, he rents the entire thing out and decorates it with twinkle lights and makes it all beautiful to have their ceremony there. 

when they get married:

CHRISTMAS TIME since their first interaction was at a christmas party

what their wedding cake looks like:

i see them having just a bunch of cupcakes made to look like a cake as a wedding cake, that way anyone can just grab one as a snack before they go watch their movie 

….who smashes cake into whose face:

grace would totally smash her cupcake in liam’s face and laugh so hard while doing it and i totally see liam just stuff his in her mouth to shut her up lmfaoo 

who proposed to who first: 

oh god i totally see liam proposing one day!! and just v casually too!! no big gesture or anything just like “i think i wanna marry you” lmao idk he seems like the type

who walks down the aisle and who waits at the altar:

liam totally waits for her and grace walks down to her favorite romantic film score 

what their wedding dresses / suits / other look like:

i think they def would dress up! but still nothing majorly fancy!! i can see liam in a casual suit and tie while grace wears a really simple white dress and maybe a flower crown to accessorize!

what their wedding colour scheme is and what sort of decor they have:

i feel like they would have a black and white color scheme tbh!! 

what their vows are ( eg poetry, traditional, improvised etc. ):

grace would probably have a movie already set up that she would play on the big screen and it would be all about their relationship and new life that they started together and basically it’s just a collection of moments that made her fall in love with him !!

what sort of food they have at the reception:

all the movie snacks you can choose from, plus some take out that they would probably order in lmaooo 

who officiates the ceremony:

i feel like milo would totally offer to officiate their wedding and be so excited over it too lmao 

what song their first dance is to:

def the first song that liam ever wrote about grace !! maybe he starts off by performing it and then someone takes over so they can dance together i crY

💍 madison x wyatt

where they get married:

i def see their wedding to be more classic/traditional. i dont think they would get married in a church, but they would probably go to a beautiful garden or something. after everything wyatt put this girl thru he is going to make sure she has the wedding of her dreams lmao 

when they get married:

probably during the spring!! it’s a metaphor!! it’s a fresh start !! a new beginning!! 

what their wedding cake looks like:

probs v big and fancy with a cute little wedding topper on the top ofc 

who proposed to who first:

dude i feel like maddie would be too scared to even consider proposing LOLOL after all the pain he caused her!!! so i def think wyatt would be the one 

who walks down the aisle and who waits at the altar:

wyatt waits at the alter with madison’s brother by his side and maddie walks down the aisle arm-in-arm with her father and it is the most beautiful thing EVER

what their wedding dresses / suits / other look like:

we FANCY!!!!! this is probably the best wyatt is ever going to dress tbh 

what flowers are in the bouquet:

probably some white roses to match her pretty white dress 

what their vows are ( eg poetry, traditional, improvised etc. ):

i think v traditional. wyatt would def have to write them down because he would not be able to formulate words since he will be dumbfounded by madison’s beauty!! 

if anyone’s late to the wedding:

maybe wyatt’s running late because of SOMETHING (we can plan later heheheh) and that causes madison to start freaking out and thinking that he’s leaving her at the alter but in reality he’s doing all he can to get there on time! 

who gives speeches at the reception:

maddie’s brother most def! and maybe her dad!! his will probably be nice, short and wholesome tho 

what their wedding photos are like:

i feel like they would have a mix of everything! they’d have an actual photographer taking pictures and then a photobooth set up to take random/silly pictures with props and ofc they will probably be taking all kinds of pictures on their phones 

who cries first during the ceremony:

tbh wyatt would have to look away from madison at first when she’s walking down the aisle cause he starts getting teary-eyed 

where they go for their honeymoon:

wyatt would probably take her to the place she find most romantic, a part of me wants to say paris but i also dont know if thats just because of emily in paris lmaooo 

who gives who away as they walk down the aisle:

madison’s dad gives her away and he probably looks so happy and full of nothing but love for his daughter !

#dove x adrian #milo x sophie #grace x liam #wyatt x madison

[sunflowerpostsposts]

happy valentines!

Surprise! I’m your valentine @lovinmullen! Happy Valentines Day and I hope you enjoy these little headcanons!💖

thank you so much to @swingsetboys for organizing this and generally being amazing!

-After Andi got grounded for the high school party her phone was taken away for a bit. Amber freaked out at first thinking that Andi was mad till Cyrus (lord bless his peace making soul) filled her in on the situation. A letter arrived two days later in Andi’s mailbox, guess who it was from? Amber. It was an explanation to her parents and a was signed with “Sorry if I got you in trouble! Heres my address and keep exploring the world Bambi! There are many more things like that pool in Italy” (Andi has that note in a scrapbook)Thus begins a pen pal relationship, full of not so unrequited crushes, scribbled hearts, holding of hands and eventually after stealing a flannel from each other...a kiss. 

•Cyrus saw it coming from a mile away. No one just decides to go to the Spoon on every single day Amber is working and sit there with hearts popping from her eyes. 

 Andi will call Buffy or Cyrus and gush about a moment that happened. Little does she know that theres group call happening between the Kippen siblings, Marty and TJ are about to knock Amber out “Oh my god Amber if we hear about Andi’s eyes one more time!”. It becomes a cycle of calling. They even drew a diagram of how it would go. 

Andi calls Buffy calls Cyrus in groupcall, then afterwards Cyrus calls TJ who calls Marty who calls Amber to confirm that feelings are present who calls Andi to talk about her annoying brothers. Then everything repeats.

This can repeat for hours but hey it works.

-Ambi becomes official and everyone e x p l o d e s. It was expected but WOAH IT FINALLY HAPPENED? The pining is finally over thank schnitzel

-To celebrate one month Andi made a bracelet for Amber, she was hesitant at first and said “Are you okay with a girlfriendy thing?”. Amber acts chill about it but internally is screaming.

-(They worked out Amber somehow getting Jonahs bracelet a while ago). Andi gets her phone back soon and they are the couple who uses 22 emojis per text but its adorable! 

-In the end when they do the lanterns again Amber doesn’t put anything in hers. When Walker asks why she glances at Andi and shrugs “I already have everything I could wish for”

Bonus: Their first kiss was in a canoe! It flipped over causing them both to get soaking wet. On shore Amber lifted up their towel to block anyone watching right as Andi leaned forward to kiss her her again.

-Marty learned that Buffy moved away and that was the first time he messaged her since their fight, he apologized and said he hoped that she would have a good life in Arizona. 

-She kept him waiting for a few days because she’s still trying to figure out her feelings, friendship or crush?

- “Marty, thanks for apologizing. Can we talk when I visit?” He immediately says yes! 

-Once she comes back they talk. Its has a few embarrassing moments, some sad as well but in the end they both leave, hearts pounding and thoughts occupied with how even if they were friends how it could be different someday. 

Bonus: Marty comes out to Buffy as trans and Buffy comes out to him as bi. They go to parades together and will wear their respective flags with pride! Marty is the one to paint the flags on their cheeks. 

Bonus bonus: Its been almost 5 months since they talked about the crush situation and the FaceTime calls keep getting longer 

Bonus Basketball: Buffy and him play during the off season of basketball, soon Marty joins the guys basketball team. They still play against each other every Saturday morning.

Heres some Hogwarts shenanigans! 

Gryffindor: TJ, Buffy and Leo the Locker Boy

Slytherin: Amber, Reed and Natalie

Hufflepuff: Cyrus, Marty and Iris

Ravenclaw: Jonah and Andi!

The GHC became friends in 1st year, interhouse friendships for the win!

Marty joins the group 3rd year after the Yule Ball, he and Buffy dance so the group adopts him 

Buffy and TJ’s rivalry starts in 2nd year after a fight with who got the Quidditch field, then he insulted her and her skills. Not even a rap apology was going to be enough for him to be admitted into the group. He is Quidditch-Player-Who-Must-Not-Be-Name

TJ lashed out at her because he wanted to be Quidditch Captain but she was the one who got the position

They make up after Cyrus has a Charms class with TJ, the reason? Both agree that Cyrus is a very soft kid and we will protect him at all costs. 

(Buffy suspects more but doesn’t push at the reason why TJ does that little smile when Cyrus figures out a spell)

He writes an apology, near the end of the letter it says “You were right. You are the best Quidditch captain Hogwarts has seen” After this their rivalry is more of a friendship.

Andi finds the Room of Requirement and decides its going to be a LGBT+ club (she gets permission), the next time she walks in a pan flag appears above her head.

Cyrus helps her set up a network of kids who might want to attend 

Amber, Iris and TJ are more of the popular group so when Amber and Iris walk into the Room on a meeting day you can imagine the surprise. 

“Are you sure that this is the meeting Iris? They won’t stop staring” 

Andi is shooketh because holy heck my crush is coming to the meeting be chill Andi, b r e a t h

She greets them and after some snacks from the house elves everyone feels comfortable talking to each other and introducing themselves

Amber and Iris say they’ll be regulars.

Andi had to lie down after that meeting. 

Cyrus has Potions with TJ during 4th year. Mrs. Deborah, the teacher, sat them by each other to make a potion and it exploded first try. TJ got frustrated because he mixed up some numbers but Cyrus just laughs “Its okay! We can try again” 

Thus begins Smitten Kippen 

Don’t get him started on when they made Amortenia, they were supposed to share with the class and Cyrus declined. 

TJ in that moment: Oh my god what did he smell

Cyrus to Buffy and Andi later: I don’t see what the big deal about Amortenia is? It just smelled the same as when TJ sits by me like he does in Poti-wait                                                                                            Buffy and Andi: Are you okay??

TJ and Cyrus are the disaster gays of Hogwarts. 

They’ve tried to ask each other out almost 30 times now. But it always gets interrupted by something, a troll, a werewolf turning etc. 

Cyrus has almost given up until 5th year where at a Quidditch game he gets TJ’s scarf.

It was like the meme where someone says their cold and the other person piles warm clothing on them. 

He only needed the scarf because the blush was real in that moment, nothing could cool him down. He hugged TJ said a very rushed thank you then ran to the stands. 

After that game he gave TJ a sign that said “I’m not Kippen when I say I like you” 

It becomes almost a game to see who can out flirt who

Special blueberry macadamia muffin was delivered to the Gryffindor common room. Book about lizards sent to Hufflepuff with a note in the cover. Plenty of notes sent to each other during classes.

The one who makes a move is Cyrus, TJ writes him a small poem and he marches up to TJ after dinner to say “TJ Kippen will you go out with me?”

Nothing interrupted him and TJ said yes so fast it was like something possessed him

They have a cute Hogsmeade date <3

Buffy and Marty are the most competive friends anyone has seen. Mention Quidditch? They jump for the chance to see who gets the Snitch. Spells? Get under cover this is going to be a BATTLE

Due to these competitions they get sent to the hospital wing many, many times. 

They ate too many Weasley sweets and didn’t realize they both ate a vomiting one. 

Madam Pomfrey banned Weasley treats after that, said that students were too irresponsible (a healthy black market trade arose)

Once they got out and realized they both had actual physical harm happen because of a competition Marty proposed something

Marty: Look Buffy I love our competitions...but could we stick to banter for now?                                                                                                    Buffy: You know what would be convenient? Lets go on dates, easier way to banter with each other                                                                        Marty: *screams* 

He agrees after falling down a staircase they were walking down. 

(back to the hospital wing Marty) 

By the next day it was back to regular banter! With the occasional hand holding and kiss if one of them said something a little too silly

This is the one year Jonah and Walker are beaten in the Best Couple Competition. 

Speaking of Best Couple Competitions...the year Cyrus and TJ become public is the year they almost beat Wonah (the nickname for the pairing) 

Cyrus kisses him on the cheek, his hand and on tiptoes he’ll kiss his nose but never the lips. 

TJ is totally okay with this but wonders about it sometimes. 

Skip ahead to the final Quidditch match, they’ve been dating a few months. 

TJ (about to get on this broom): Hey how about a kiss for good luck? Its the last game it might work                                                                  Cyrus (rolling his eyes): Okay you dork

Cyrus pulled him down by his collar and gave him a brief kiss

TJS FACE WAS BRIGHT RED and Slytherin was crushed by Gryffindor in a record amount of points.

Amber and Andi are a background couple most of the time, content with sitting in the library by a window. You can find them if you know where to look, the tree by the lake or near the kitchens where they sneak into for a snack. Amber is always wearing a headband from Andi and Andi will be wearing a charmed ring from Amber.

Bonus: After they both graduate, TJ is hired on a Defense of the Dark Arts teacher and Cyrus is the Arithmancy teacher. TJ goes on to be the headmaster! He makes new policies that allow students to be more comfortable with their sexuality and genders/

Bonus Bonus\: TJ and Cyrus go to Andi’s GSA weekly meeting and thats how they come out to each other. They walked in and both went “Shit”. That was the quietest they have ever been together. They walk out together and separate after throwing each other a quick smile.

#happy valentines! #andi mack valentine exchange #<3

[thewackywriter]

Get To Know Me!!

Tagged by the lovely @galaxyrose10

Rules: Answer 20 questions and then tag 20 people you want to get to know better! (Only tagged 9 but oh well haha)

Nickname: Alyssa

Height: 5’

Orientation: Straight

Where I live: South Carolina, U.S.A

Favorite season: Fall, it’s the perfect balance between hot and cool

Favorite fruit: Watermelon

Favorite flower: Sweet Pea (not just because of the character haha, easily one of the most beautiful flowers)

Favorite animal: Monkeys! They’re always so goofy and playful and adorable!

Favorite instrument: Drums (I’m a pro at drum solos in my car haha)

Coffee, Tea, or Hot Chocolate: Hot Chocolate, especially from Dunkin or McDonalds! The smell of coffee grosses me out and tea doesn’t have enough flavor!

Average hours of sleep: Oh gosh, anywhere between 5 and 9, but with school starting next week it’s gonna probably be a solid 5

Cat or Dog Person: Definitely dogs, cats freak me out haha

Favorite fictional character: Probably the Weasley Twins from Harry Potter, they’re so funny and just enjoy life all the time!

# of Blankets I sleep with: 2, the sheet and the comforter

Blog created: Officially on May 13th, 2014 but actually started getting into it and writing on July 7th, 2018

Followers: 333!!

Random fact: My brother and I have the same birthday, but are two years apart! My aunt also has the same birthday too!

Favorite scent: Vanilla!

Dream Trip: Italy!

Tag List: @jackbarakatismybitch @sweetsharksportsskeleton @themadhatter1996 @redholland1 @sotthestyles @m-a-t-91 @justyourfriendlygirlnextdoor @frickinntrash @biggestslutforcalum @essence-of-dittany

[tabloidtoc]

National Enquirer, June 8

Cover: Chinese COVID-19 Cover-up -- defecting diplomat murdered in Israel 

Page 2: Former Jenny Craig weight-loss spokesperson Valerie Bertinelli is packing on the pounds again and said she doesn’t care anymore 

Page 3: Disgraced former Today host Matt Lauer has come out guns blazing in his own defense claiming the rape charges against him were not only false but widely embraced by the #MeToo movement without proper verification 

Page 4: Ryan Seacrest shocked audiences with his slurred speech and shriveled eye on the finale of American Idol prompting fears he could go blind, busybody Jennifer Aniston and cagey ex-husband Justin Theroux are playing cat-and-mouse with each other about their love lives -- while Justin’s been living the single life since their 2017 split Jen is doing everything she can to get the details about his dates 

Page 5: Celebrity Cov-Idiot of the Week -- Maurice Fayne has been arrested for taking millions in emergency money from the government and spending it on over-the-top blind like a Rolex watch, a diamond bracelet and a 5.73 carat diamond ring plus leasing a Rolls-Royce Wraith and paying $40,000 in back child support from money loaned his company under the Paycheck Protection Program which is supposed to be used to prop up small companies during the COVID-19 crisis 

Page 6: The tragic overdose death of Melissa Etheridge’s son Beckett Cypher has insiders fearing for the well-being of his sperm-donating dad rock legend David Crosby -- David had an active role in the boy’s life and with his long list of health woes his friends are afraid he won’t be able to stand the strain of a loss like this 

Page 7: Wannabe actor Prince Harry is so desperate to make it big in Tinseltown that he’s subjecting himself to a grueling Hollywood boot camp and has signed up for a string of special classes and training sessions to follow in the footsteps of his actress wife Meghan Markle, Chip Gaines is going to trial in a million-dollar lawsuit against former partners who accused him of swindling them out of a fortune 

Page 8: Last year doctors concluded that Dolly Parton’s face had been partially paralyzed by Bell’s palsy and she may never sing again -- two videos last month showed her barely able to move her lips and struggling to get her words out and medical experts have warned she also may have suffered a ministroke, Brian Austin Green finally admitted his marriage to Megan Fox is finished

Page 9: Phyllis George was hailed as a TV pioneer when she broke up the boys’ club as the first female anchor of The NFL Today but faced humiliation after being shredded by horrific reviews as an anchor on CBS Morning News -- Phyllis died brokenhearted at 70 following a long illness 30 years after being run out of network television 

Page 10: Hot Shots -- Kristin Chenoweth and her dog Thunder, Chris Sullivan on a bike ride in Brentwood, Pierce Brosnan goes snorkeling in Hawaii, Dean McDermott and son Beau 

Page 11: Tom Cruise is keeping his romance with Sofia Boutella secret and is even donning disguises to avoid detection when he sneaks out to see his co-star from The Mummy, Zooey Deschanel’s pals think her hot romance with Property Brothers star Jonathan Scott will be a flash in the pan because she’s only interested in him for booty calls and raising her profile 

Page 12: Straight Shuter -- comedian Michael Showalter with shopping bags and coffee (picture), in a 2008 interview with Beyonce on the Tyra Banks Show all the questions were cleared in advance with Beyonce, friends and fans are worried about Adele’s recently unveiled massive weight loss because this is a cry for help from someone who’s always claimed she was very comfortable being her size and would never go all Hollywood skinny, now that Bruce Willis and Demi Moore have spent time together in lockdown the former couple are looking to make it permanent with Demi moving in with Bruce and his wife Emma and Emma is the driving force behind the idea -- she loves Demi and wants to get a place where they can all live together, super-healthy Gwyneth Paltrow didn’t always live on a strict diet but as a struggling actress she seemed to survive on cigarettes alone

Page 13: Kristin Cavallari’s diva behavior was behind the demise of her reality show as ratings for E!’s Very Cavallari plummeted in the third season and many of the crew say it was because she’s a royal pain, blowhard Alec Baldwin has been browbeating his pregnant wife in lockdown after Hilaria offered to cut his hair and he replied I don’t think she knows what she’s doing -- Hilaria and Alec hoped her latest pregnancy would boost their sagging union but his behavior may be a sign that the glow of the pregnancy has worn off, Jonah Hill doesn’t go anywhere without his dog Carmela but his pals said the dog stinks

Page 14: True Crime 

Page 15: Internet hackers who stole a trove of celebrities’ information from law firm Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks are getting desperate as the FBI closes in on their $42 million extortion scheme, devastated Mary-Kate Olsen is begging sister Ashley Olsen for help navigating her ugly divorce from Olivier Sarkozy and the twins are working up a game plan to protect the $500 million fortune they built together from the French banker 

Page 18: Real Life 

Page 19: George Clooney has resurrected his decades-long feud with romance-novel cover icon Fabio Lanzoni which was so bad the two had to be separated during a vicious confrontation in a Beverly Hill restaurant -- now that George moved back to L.A. after spending years at his homes in England and Italy their rivalry has reared its ugly head again because they run in a few of the same circles and word has gotten back to Fabio that George thinks he’s some type of big shot who deserves special treatment, Ruby Rose landed the role of a lifetime as the title superheroine in Batwoman but after the dark drama turned into a disaster she flew the coop -- Ruby was the face of the show and she got the blame when the writers didn’t do as good as job as they could have plus there was also a lot of fighting behind the scenes among writers and producers

Page 21: How to teach your kids 

Page 22: Health Watch, Ask the Vet 

Page 24: Sarah Palin and her husband Todd are no officially divorced 

Page 26: Cover Story -- Doomed Du Wei was China’s ambassador to Israel and he knew too much about his country’s involvement in the COVID-19 pandemic and its evil expansion plans and he paid with his life 

Page 30: Scott Disick has been hit with a second wave of heartbreak after girlfriend Sofia Richie ditched him after he checked into rehab to treat past traumas caused by the death of his parents and Sofia has already been hanging out with a new mystery man, Hollywood Hookups -- Rooney Mara and Joaquin Phoenix are expecting, Dan Soder and Katie Nolan dating, Katie Maloney-Schwartz and Tom Schwartz are ready to start a family 

Page 32: Kanye West’s ridiculous rules and drastic demands have earned him the title of the worst boss in Hollywood and the bad rap has wife Kim Kardashian at her wit’s end, they’re liberal laugh legends but Bill Maher and Stephen Colbert can’t stand each other and they don’t need a camera running to batter each other with punch lines -- Stephen thinks Bill is pompous and Bill thinks Stephen is a smart-ass 

Page 34: Jennifer Lawrence admitted on Amy Schumer’s new cooking show that she can’t even wait for darkness to fall before drinking alcohol and getting her private house party going -- she said she tries to wait until 6 so she has a preemptive beer at 5, Charlize Theron hates ex Sean Penn so much she pretends he doesn’t even exist -- she dated Sean for a year and a half before calling it quits in 2015 but in 2019 she insisted she’d been single for a decade 

Page 36: Nicole Kidman shattered her ankle in a freak accident while running through their Nashville neighborhood and now her husband Keith Urban and concerned pals fear the effects may cripple her career 

Page 42: Red Carpet Stars & Stumbles -- designer Atelier Versace -- Lupita Nyong’o, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Alba 

Page 45: Spot the Differences -- Nancy Lenehan and Liza Snyder in Man with a Plan 

Page 47: Odd List 

#tabloid #tabloid toc #grain of salt #du wei #du wei death #valerie bertinelli #matt lauer #ryan seacrest #jennifer aniston #justin theroux #maurice fayne #david crosby #prince harry #chip gaines #dolly parton #megan fox #brian austin green #phyllis george #tom cruise #sofia boutella #zooey deschanel #jonathan scott #Kristin Cavallari #alec baldwin #jonah hill #mary-kate olsen #george clooney #fabio lanzoni #sofia richie #scott disick

[theseventhmarch]

Reflection as a figure skating fan on 2017

This year has been an amazing year for me. At the end of 2016, Tumblr has introduced to me YOI, which has been a joy on its own. It has also brought me some friends on Tumblr, @boredjodyc and @pigfarts23. I would like to thank the unclear explanation of quad jumps in YOI, which prompted me to look up “quad Salchow” on YouTube - this led me to Miki Ando and Yuzuru Hanyu.

Edited: 1 January 2018 - minor grammatical errors; additional paragraphs in bold.

It took me about 4 or 5 months before I can confidently distinguish different types of jumps (I was stuck on the difference between the Flip jump and the Lutz jump in the last 2 months of that). Thanks to @pigfarts23 and their Rabbit watch-parties, I found myself falling in love with Yuzuru’s skating, and I “met” @boredjodyc , who is my partner-in-crime for all things Yuzuru then. I couldn’t stream his Four Continents short program live, but I managed to stream his free skate! That was my first introduction to Yuzuru’s emergency layouts. (I'M STILL NOT OVER TRIPLE AXEL AS THE LAST JUMP - AND THIS IS ACTUALLY THE PLANNED LAYOUT THIS SEASON.)

Early March, a few days after my birthday, I created a fandom Twitter account.

Jody was in London late-March and I suggested to meet up! We had afternoon tea (in my opinion it was disappointing) - we talked for 4 hours, if I remember correctly! This was my first time meeting an online friend, and I'm so glad I did it!

World Championships came - I pondered if I should go to Helsinki, but the Men’s Free Skate tickets were sold out on the official site (later I learnt I should have asked around on forums/twitter/tumblr) - and I died over Yuzuru’s knee down on his quad Salchow. Two days later, on April 1st, he broke another record, and it was definitely not a joke.

I jumped and screamed when he landed that quad Sal-triple Toe combo that he struggled with the whole season.

Then, World Team Trophy happened, and the men were popping their jumps left and right. LOL at Yuzuru getting that positive (+0.09) GOE for that single Axel. But it is ok, since it was a joke competition anyway.

I met up with Jody again mid-May at a pub, after she was done gallivanting around Europe, before she was headed back home. (I MISS YOU!)

Off-season, there were many ice shows. Perhaps the most important reveal of these ice shows was that Yuzuru would be repeating his Chopin short program, with a quad Loop and a back-loaded combo: quad Toe-triple Toe. After his reveal (I remember it was during my last exam and I found out about it on my way home), Jody and I frantically calculated all the possible jump layout and base values for his free skate (after staring at the jump layout rules for a while), whatever it may be. We had two different situations on our hands - with or without the quad Lutz. I don't know about Jody, I could tell that the quad Lutz was likely, looking at the base values (and the other competitors). I would realise much later (around December) that the (sad) reason for the inclusion of 4Lz was really unfair score inflation with the other competitors…

Twitter freaked out about some things that happened during the shows, including cat ears and Pooh headbands. The Twitter friends that I was beginning to make indulged in memes, and I tried my best to brush up on my knowledge of figure skating.

In August we heard about the return of Seimei for Yuzuru. Fans and observers had been going crazy with attempting to predict his programs, and what I gained from this was that I could distinguish the fans who were able to predict correctly - which meant, in my mind, that these are the fans who have been following Yuzuru’s journey (and interviews) and who could truly understand Yuzuru’s thought process.

He also told journalists that his jump layout was without 4Lz, that there will be one more quad and one less 3A. I think even a newbie fan like me treated that news with distrust - less 3A??? Are you sure the one who said it was Yuzuru Hanyu, the king of Axels???

Seeing Jody attend a figure skating competition in Hong Kong made me feel like doing the same, so very soon, at the end of August, I decided to go to Italy to watch Lombardia Trophy in mid-September. I decided on this particular competition, not because Yuzuru was there, but because it was the only competition that I could attend throughout. So I spent €€€ and 4 days freezing my butt off in a rink.

I did not regret it - I saw Wakaba skate her new free skate to Skyfall. At her opening pose in the practice run-through, it was love at first sight. Other notable skaters for me: Carolina had a queenly presence both on and off-ice, and Shoma had great speed but his free skate costume was too sparkly (but it looked great on photos).

After coming back from Italy, I decided that I wanted to attend another competition as soon as possible - preferably a competition which would allow me to see more high-level skaters compared to the small competition in Italy. So I picked the Grand Prix event in France - even though it had no Yuzuru or Wakaba in it.

A week after Lombardia, it was Autumn Classic International, the ‘B’ competition that will start off Yuzuru’s season. He (or his team) then revealed he was not going to do the 4Lz because of knee pain - which meant that, yes, the quad Lutz was there all along, he just didn’t want to tell us in August. (A few months later, with the reveal of more footage, I saw some people speculating that during the media day at the Cricket Club, the media likely saw the actual layout with a 4Lz and two 3As.) Because of the same knee pain he wasn’t going to do 4Lo either... And in his short program, with a downgraded layout by substituting 4Lo with 4S, he broke another record. Wow. The emotion I felt was just - joy tinged with disbelief.

I made a decision for some time already that I was not going to go to Moscow, because of the extra complication in trying to get the visa as well as the much higher cost of travel. But Rostelecom Cup - where both Yuzuru and Wakaba were competing - was The Competition that both of my absolute favourites were competing at, so I live-streamed as many as possible during school. Yuzuru’s first GP was always terrible compared to the rest of the season (even if it wasn’t Skate *Chanada*), but he scored the highest among previous seasons’ first GP personal scores! MOST IMPORTANTLY, HE LANDED THE QUAD LUTZ - HIS LEGS FOUGHT SO HARD TO SAVE THAT LANDING, AND IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL JUMP NEVERTHELESS.

Jody went to Cup of China and saw some skaters I would have LOVED to see - Wakaba (again, obviously), Mai, and pairs Sui/Han. Wakaba was PERFECT at the Cup of China - not that she wasn’t perfect at Lombardia - she settled into her new programs much more compared to 1.5 months before.

Then came NHK Trophy. Yuzuru injured his right ankle on an awkward fall from a 4Lz attempt. He tried so hard to compete but he wasn’t able to. So, no NHK Trophy for him, no Grand Prix Final for him. As a fan, I feel really sad that we wouldn’t be able to see his wonderful skating during this period, but MORE IMPORTANTLY, this is the Olympics season and injuries are NOT GOOD AT ALL.

With that disheartened mood, I went to GP France (its name keeps changing in recent years, so everyone kind of gave up on giving it a new acronym) in mid-November, only attending the free skates and exhibition (Saturday and Sunday). I met a fellow Wakaba fan (recent Twitter mutual), Verit, there. Unexpected podium placements in the Ladies led to the two of us agonising over Wakaba’s chances of getting into the Grand Prix Final. I loved Misha’s skating, even though he wasn’t the fastest skater, or a quad jumper. Papadakis/Cizeron was sublime too.

Then, Skate America, the last Grand Prix event before the Final, came. Ashley withdrew due to foot injury (it sounded like an injury easy to recover from, compared to ligament/whatever), and Polina was underscored, and Satoko skated her way to the top of the podium. With that, Wakaba’s in the Final. (Later, Evgenia, who is Wakaba’s best friend, withdrew due to an injury that left her in a cast, and Satoko was in the Final as well.)

At the Final, Wakaba performed… poorly, compared to the other Ladies. Her short program was fine, but her free skate faltered - she popped two triple jumps into doubles. And that’s how it is in the Ladies field now - you need to be perfect to be on the podium.

Then came a bit of rest, when there were no important competitions, before the Two Most Important National Championships That Are Almost Always Held During Christmas Weekends.

My Christmas was bad (I don’t really celebrate it but I treat it as an excuse for food and wine and partying and playing). First, Yuzuru did The Thing where he announced one week before that he just started skating and there was still a bit of pain - the knowledgeable fans could tell straight-away that it was a really long, drawn-out announcement that he would be withdrawing from the Japanese Nationals. Fine, so he officially announced his withdrawal the Monday/Tuesday of the week of the Nationals. His fans (including me) got worried about him not having a competition at all before Pyeongchang - even though there is Four Continents, the time (last week of January, basically 2-3 weeks before the actual competition dates at Pyeongchang) and place (Taiwan) of the competition was not ideal, compared to his current location of training (Toronto: far, and a very different timezone).

Wakaba skated in pain at Nationals - it turned out that she got injured shortly before her short program (but I don’t know how much before, whether the pain was there at GPF), and she ended up in 4th place. The JSF decided to send Satoko and Kaori to Pyeongchang instead, and Wakaba might have tweeted incredibly brave words about aiming for Beijing 2022, but she was crying after the exhibition on Monday.

I spent my Christmas crying, if you can’t tell already. Wakaba’s programs for this season ARE SUPERB, and they won’t be seeing the Olympics… (I’m going to cry again typing this.)

The JSF decided to send her to the World Championships in March though, where she would be fighting alongside Satoko to earn Japanese ladies 3 spots again to the next World Championships (which will be in Japan!). They would have to earn a combined placement of 13 or less, and I’m worried about burnout for Satoko and underscoring for Wakaba. I already got tickets to Milan to see the Ladies FS (as well as Men FS, and exhibition), so I’m glad JSF at least decided to send her to a competition I already decided to attend.

For the Russian Nationals, Evgenia withdrew - from what I hear on Twitter, she was so headstrong about competing at Nationals that the Federation had to send 3 men to persuade her to stay and recover and not to go. They are sending her to European Championships, which will be held in Moscow (so, good for her). The Russian team for Pyeongchang will be decided officially after Europeans. She hasn’t lost a competition in two years so her chances are good.

Yuzuru’s next competition will most likely be the team event in Pyeongchang, which will be 9th February for SP or 12th for FS (Korean time, which is a day ahead for the most of us). Hopefully he will be able to calibrate his training based on his performance in the team event, and perform satisfactorily in the actual Moment. I am hoping he will do the FS while Shoma the SP for team event. Wakaba’s next international competition will be in Milan late March, but I don’t know if she will be going to any regional competitions within Japan (likely not). Hopefully she will be able to recover quickly and prove herself to JSF.

For the new year, I am hoping for The Gold for Yuzuru. I celebrate the Lunar New Year (but it isn’t a work/school holiday in this part of the world), and I will be spending it on watching the Men’s individual competition in unholy hours of the day (damn the US for that time schedule even if the competition is in Korea).

Of course, I wish for the most important thing - good health for Yuzuru. If I’m allowed to be greedy, also: that he will choose to compete for at least another season, and land the quad Axel.

#personal #theseventhmarch #figure skating #reflection

[liliannorman]

How to deal as COVID-19 imposes social distancing

Caleigh Stanier won’t be going to the Mock Trial State Championship that her team qualified for. This 17-year-old junior at Iowa City High School also won’t appear in her school musical in April. Her situation probably sounds familiar. The coronavirus pandemic has prompted schools across the world to close, sports to shut down and extra-curricular activities to cease. 

People are being asked to maintain more than a cough’s distance from each other. This so-called social distancing is meant to slow the spread of COVID-19. But it’s also changing how kids can interact — and greatly curtailing their activities. 

The COVID-19 pandemic sidelined Caleigh Stanier from a school musical and more this spring. This has left the Iowa City High School junior both disappointed and worried.C. Stanier

“I think I’m probably the most worried out of all my friends,” Caleigh says. “I think mostly it’s just disappointment — all the things we’ve worked for, with national and state champs now canceled. But that’s just what has to happen.” 

News about the pandemic seems to have taken over every website, social media app and television station. Kids understandably have a lot of questions about all of this. Sometimes, those questions turn into deeper concerns, worries or even anxiety. 

Keep in mind, that’s totally normal, psychologists say. And it’s mostly a good thing.

Also, you’re not alone. Science News for Students talked to lots of kids around the country. Many share the same concerns. Topping their list? Missing out on trips and activities, and fear of grandparents falling ill. 

“Anxiety is normal and helpful,” says Amy Lee. She’s a psychologist at the Center for Pediatric Behavioral Health at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. COVID-19 is a novel disease that’s causing novel changes to how society is beginning to interact (or not). As such, she says, “It’s OK to feel more anxious about this. It’s something we should be more alert about, more aware, more careful and more thoughtful.” In fact, she says, “Letting ourselves stay a little uncomfortable can be a positive way to cope with uncertainty.” 

Explainer: What is anxiety?

Third-grader Elizabeth Bullock, 8, who goes to PS 163 in New York City, is doing a good job of that. “Nobody is really scared or worried. We’re just talking about it a lot,” she says. “And you should try not to touch things that people could have touched. And wash your hands a lot.” 

The vibe in high school is similar, says Helen Branson, a 16-year-old sophomore at Los Altos High School in California. “A lot of the adults are really freaked out about it. We are less worried because we aren’t worried about getting sick ourselves, but we are definitely more worried than we were” before her school shut down.

Helen Branson playing water polo for her high school team in California before COVID-19 canceled the season. Compared to adults’ concerns about the pandemic, she says of teens: ”We are less worried because we aren’t worried about getting sick ourselves.”Ken Branson

Concerns and anxiety can sometimes tip into the unhelpful range, however, when your mind exaggerates a threat, explains Lee, the psychologist. 

Signs that your worry may be the unhelpful sort include not being able to “turn the worries off,” says Stephen Whiteside. He’s a psychologist who specializes in treating childhood anxiety at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. When someone tells a story about the coronavirus, it’s normal to feel nervous. But it’s not healthy if you can’t stop thinking about it while FaceTiming a friend or if you can’t enjoy the conversation. When you find this happening, tell a trusted adult — such as a parent, grandparent or teacher — how you’re feeling. 

You can also use these tips from psychologists to prevent too much anxiety: 

Allow yourself to smile

“Humor is a coping mechanism for all of us — kids and adults,” says Whiteside. But, he adds, “Like most things, humor is healthy in moderation … And there are also times when it’s not appropriate. And there are jokes that cross the line.”

Every kid we talked to said there is plenty of joking going on with friends and on social media. As ninth-grader Anna (who asked not to give her last name) from Wayne, Penn., says, “We’re kind of nervous, but we’re making jokes.” Corona-style elbow bump, anyone? 

Focus on the positive

This recommendation may be a bit more challenging, but you can think of it as choosing what to focus on. “Being flexible in what we think about is important,” Lee says. “Focus on friends, activities and family that make you feel positive and connected. Notice what else is positive in your life. Take time with friends and family.” 

Maintain a routine

“We all benefit from routine, doing things we normally do,” Whiteside points out. If your school has closed, make a daily schedule similar to what you do at school — and don’t forget to budget time for recess and lunch! 

Limit media

“It’s important to get news from a trusted source regularly,” says Whiteside. “But it’s also not helpful to read every single story you can.” Phones and other screens are tempting, but overdoing it can be like overindulging in junk food. 

So make a pact with your friends to put your screens away during certain times of the day, Lee suggests. Or put your device in a different room. Caleigh Stanier, from Iowa City, turned off Twitter notifications, for instance, when she realized the tweets were leaving her anxious.

Enjoy your friends, just virtually

As government officials advise sheltering in place, you might start to go stir-crazy. But you don’t have to give up chatting or playing games with friends. Just do it from the disinfected confines of your home. You still have phones to carry on true audible conversations and can use apps to see your friends and family as you connect through the internet or Wi-Fi.

Exercise remains important, even during periods of social distancing. Here, Elizabeth Bullock shows how that’s done in her New York City neighborhood. Gregory Bullock

Get active

There are lots of safe ways you can be active and enjoy physical activity. You don’t have to be in a gym or ball court. If it’s safe to be outside, ask your parents about going for a hike or bike ride. If you’re looking for indoor activities, think about streaming a yoga class or finding a jump rope. You can even run up and down your stairs (time yourself to compete against a family member). I live in Minnesota, and my kids plan to jump into a nearby lake as soon as the ice melts! 

Reinforce good hygiene with family members

By now, everyone should know what they are “supposed” to do. The next step is to make sure you wash your hands every time you come indoors or touch mail or packages delivered to the door. This may not become a habit right away. So when you see someone else forgetting to clean the door handles, cough into an elbow or wipe down the remote, gently remind them what they should do — and help get the materials they need. And don’t take offense if they catch you slipping up now and again. Knowing we’re all in this together makes it easier.

Top 10 tips to stay safe during an epidemic

The good news? As a kid, the information you need to protect yourself and your family is pretty simple: Stay healthy and keep your hands clean, Lee says. If a kid does test positive for the novel coronavirus, adults (including doctors, parents and teachers) will make sure they’re safe, and that other adults are safe. It’s good to keep that advice in mind even if the coronavirus starts interfering with your daily life. 

And such super-cautious hygiene works. People who go into anxiety-provoking settings for a living have learned how to remain calm in such situations. Take science and medical journalist Laurie Garrett. She interviewed people infected with SARS in China and Hong Kong earlier this century. But she says she didn’t worry about getting sick, because she knew what steps she needed to protect herself. 

Accept that conditions may change rapidly

Sixteen-year-old Clara Chaplin recently took a school trip to Italy. While traveling, she didn’t know that the coronavirus outbreak was spreading rapidly throughout that nation. 

Explains Clara, “Most of the time we were there, I really hadn’t even thought about the possibility of there being coronavirus. I saw people wearing masks in the airports and thought it was a little ridiculous, honestly.” 

She was surprised when officials took every passenger’s temperature upon arriving at the Florence airport.“It wasn’t until the end of the trip when there was first news about cases in Milan. And we hadn’t been anywhere near Milan. So still no one was really worried.”

Back at Bethlehem Central High School in New York, other students and teachers made jokes about coronavirus to the returning students. Still, Clara recalls, “No one was really taking it seriously.” This was all before there were any confirmed cases in New York.

But as the cases in her state started mounting, she suddenly thought: “What if we’re the ones who brought this virus into New York?” 

It’s now about three weeks since they returned home, and Clara says, “It seems like coronavirus is everywhere. All week there has been nonstop talk about it at school, and now school has been canceled.” 

See all our coverage of the new coronovirus outbreak

She and her friends have a lot of mixed feelings about it. “Some of my friends who had just begun their spring sports seasons are upset because now [their sports] are postponed for at least a month,” she says, “and might be canceled altogether.” Most of her friends admit “that this whole situation doesn’t even feel real. It’s like the whole world is shutting down.” In many ways, it is. 

“It’s weird to think that we’re living through such a crisis,” she says, “something that our kids might learn about in their history class. It was kind of just a joke for a while. But now that it really is close to us, and there are confirmed cases in nearby schools, it’s definitely kicked in that this is serious. And I’m glad that we’re taking a lot of precautions.”

So is Caleigh Stanier, from Iowa City. She says the fast-brewing pandemic has prompted her to do some deep thinking about the future and the way we live. The world has become very interconnected, she notes. And humanity just keeps “expanding into areas that were once wilderness and interacting with new pathogens.” This could continue to happen, opening us up to a succession of new, potentially lethal diseases. What’s more, she says, “It shows everything that is weak in our global healthcare system. And I really hope that people can learn from this.”

Voices from Hong Kong

While U.S. schools have just begun closing over coronavirus fears, classrooms half a world away, in Hong Kong, have already been shuttered for two months. Science News for Students asked some middle schoolers there this question: Do you have any fears about the epidemic? Here’s how they answered.

“If I get sick, I worry that my family will not be able to afford the cost of hospital expenses.” 

“I worry about how long it takes to get over the virus.”

“I worry that, if I get the virus, I may not know until after I infect my friends and family.” 

“They are currently doing autopsies on the victims of coronavirus. So far, they have reported that the lungs are filled with sticky mucus. I worry that, because I have asthma, this makes me more susceptible to develop a serious case of coronavirus.” 

“Some reports are saying that within a year, 75 percent of the population will be infected. Will this weaken our immune system to the point where we won’t be able to fight anything?”

How to deal as COVID-19 imposes social distancing published first on https://triviaqaweb.tumblr.com/

[nordicsymphony]

Extol the virtues of Yuri!!! on Ice.

Honey, you’re going to be in for a long ride…

Also there be spoilers, but I’ll try my best.

1. The plot of this sports anime isn’t like any other out there. Most sports anime always have ‘kid in his 1st year of Japanese High School discovers a sport and aims to be the very best’. Not this one. Instead we get ‘professional athlete who has had his time is considering retirement after a string of failures’. This show is basically showing us a sport from another side. And you’d think that Yuri Plisetsky, who has the personality of a typical sports anime protagonist would be one or else the main rival - nope, it’s Yuri Katsuki, whose personality would fit in another genre altogether and has anxiety, making him stand out from the other sports anime protagonists. And the show’s focus is not on the rivalry between the 2 Yuris (it’s something else, but I’ll get to it later), and they do not always face off against each other - their 1st Grand Prix Final qualifying competitions are held in different countries, while they share their 2nd, and on Plisetsky’s home turf no less. Sayo Yamamoto, who is the director for the show, had to fight her way in production to ensure that Yuri Katsuki became the protagonist she envisioned him to be. Also, the show is 100% Despair-and-Suffering-free, but bring tissues just in case.

2. Instead of an all-Japanese cast like most sports anime, we get an international cast with diverse backgrounds, and some do not even fit their national stereotypes. We have a tanned brother-sister duo from Italy taking part in separate divisions (and the brother has sister-complex), a narcissistic Canadian, an American who is half-Mexican as opposed to how they’re normally portrayed in anime, a South Korean who we hardly see smiling, etc… Some minor countries also get representation - there’s a Czech skater who’s happy-go-lucky and looks like PewDiePie, a Thai ball of sunshine who is a social-media addict, A badass manly Kazakh… While we do have anime with a diverse cast, it’s not something you see in the sports genre. Also, some of them might be inspired by real-life figure skaters - Yuri Katsuki is a mish-mash of Tatsuki Machida’s career, Daisuke Takahashi’s skating style and Yuzuru Hanyu’s appearance, Viktor Nikiforov is Evgeni Plushenko with John Cameron Mitchell’s appearance (and to an extent Stephane Lambiel’s level of extra), Yuri Plisetsky is Yulia Litpinskaya genderflipped, Leo de la Iglesia is a dead-ringer for Jason Brown, Phichit Chulanont is a Thai Michael Christian Martinez, Otabek Altin is basically Denis Ten as an anime character. And some of them have noticed.

3. The sport itself. So far I have heard of only 3 series aside from YOI that focus on figure skating. And it’s hardly touched upon in mainstream media - we only pay attention to it once every 4 years during the Olympics. And by golly did the crew do their research. Every single routine is choreographed by former ice dancer Kenji Miyamoto, who also choreographed for Evgeni Plushenko and Yuzuru Hanyu among others. The show also collaborated with Chacott (Japanese company that does makeup and costumes for dancers) to produce the costumes shown in the anime. Some of the chibi segments also teach us stuff like how a normal figure skating competition season is like, how the Grand Prix final works, how are the scores for the competing skaters calculated, etc… It helps that Sayo Yamamoto and Mitsurou Kubo (character designer) are both figure skating fans, and they’ve also managed to get everyone involved in production and the fandom interested in the actual sport, bless them. 

4. The music. This show is tied with Puella Magi Madoka Magica as the best OST in anime if I’m to be believed. So far there’s 1 for the songs used by the skaters in the show and another for the BGM (if there’s a download link for the BGM soundtrack, pls link me). While both are pleasant to listen to, the Skate Song soundtrack is the one that stands out the most. Each song captures the emotions and thoughts of the skaters dancing to the piece, and some are strong enough to make you have feels (no joke - Yuri K’s free skate and exhibition piece are the worst offenders). And they’re both easily accessible too - you can find them on iTunes and Spotify, something I haven’t seen with other shows’ OSTs (at least you can find the Steven Universe OST on Soundcloud via their composers). You cannot make me choose only 1 favourite track, but I’ve listened to In Regards to Love - Eros the most. As for the OP and ED, once you start listening to them, good luck getting them out of your head. History Maker is completely in English (a rarity) and has motivational lyrics. The ED is literally called YOLO (You Only Live Once) and is about living in the moment, because time is shot, ya know?

5. The animation. Lest some people come after me because of an incident with Crunchyroll that I’m not going into full detail about, the animation is really good. Not one of the best, but stands out all the same. They have 5 more key animators than Flip Flappers, which is well known for having a similar animation style as a Studio Trigger production for a good reason. It is very difficult to animate a figure skater. It takes so many frames to animate something like a Triple Axel. Even though the broadcast version is sometimes inconsistent, the animation during Viktor’s ‘Stammi Vicino, non te ne Andare’ is damn beautiful. THIS is what drew people to the show in the first place. The art is beautiful. The characters are drawn realistically. Basically, a work of art from start to end.

6. Excellent Character Development. A good show can have a good plot but if the characters are not developed well then the show is overall average or mediocre. This show can take a previously unlikable character and somehow make people like them to the point where they’re someone’s favourite. Don’t like Jean-Jacques Leroy (JJ) in the Rostelecom Cup for his narcissism? Episode 11 has him undergo an anxiety attack and shows that even kings can fall. Never had a good impression on Michele Crispino because the only thing on his mind aside from skating is his sister? Episode 9 shows that he can do just as well, if not better without her (though the later episodes still has him being overprotective of her, though played down). You think JJ’s girlfriend Isabella Yang doesn’t deserve to be there? In the same episode as JJ’s anxiety attack, she redeems herself by leading the audience in cheering for him even though his emotions are at his lowest, showing us that she loves him no matter what.  Christophe Giacometti’s too sexual for you? Episode 10 reveals that there’s a damn good reason why he greeted Yuri like that in Episode 6. And then there’s the biggest one - We all know that Yurio’s sometimes an ass to Yuri (and to a lesser extent, Viktor) and isn’t that much of a nice guy. Well, slightly towards the end of Episode 9, Yurio is shown being actually nice to Yuri, Episode 10 has him earning his 1st and best friend in Otabek, and Episode 12 reveals that all along he idolises Yuri, and wants to compete against him when both are at their best. And then, we have Yuri who goes from his lowest point to the badass Japan’s Ace skater he actually is and Viktor who we think is playing with him but is actually lovesick for him the whole damn time. They will do anything to make you love everyone at the end. Their personalities aren’t over the top either - there will be someone who will make you think you’re looking at yourself in the mirror, ranging from Yuri’s anxiety and constant downplaying of himself, Viktor’s tendency to fill his life with only one thing and nothing else, Phichit’s need to fill his Instagram account… there’s someone for everyone. And they do not slouch on the minor characters either. You WILL find fics focusing on Yuri’s family, Yurio’s grandpa, Yakov and Lilia, Celestino (Yuri and JJ’s old coach and Phichit’s current coach), the Nishigori Family (Yuko and Takeshi are Yuri’s childhood friends and if it weren’t for their mischievous triplets, majority of the show wouldn’t have happened), Yuri’s old ballet teacher Minako… almost everyone will make sure they stick forever. 

7. For an anime focusing on sports, social media plays an equally important role in the development of the show. Part of the ED sequence is someone’s Instagram feed, Episode 10 looks into the photo album of 3 of the character’s phones, Viktor wouldn’t have packed his bags and left for Hasetsu if the Nishigori triplets didn’t upload that viral video of Yuri skating his award-winning Free Skate on Youtube… Aside from Instagram (thanks to people like Phichit) we also get to see someone’s Twitter homepage in Episode 10 filled with news of Otabek rescuing Yurio from rabid fangirls and Leo has something like LINE on his phone. Alcohol also plays a part in the show’s story but that’s something else altogether. There is a reason why there are that many social media fics for the YOI fandom.

8. The. Freaking. Romance. In. This. Show. For YEARS the LGBTQAAP+ anime community have waited for someone to portray them as happy and loving instead of angst and death in mainstream media. Some shows do have loving LGBT couples but they aren’t that much known (should I start watching No. 6?). And the sports genre is infamous for queerbaiting, meaning that we get 2 guys/2 girls doing suggestive actions, but they’re only just friends in the end. Enter Viktor Nikiforov and Yuri Katsuki. We get some MAJOR Ship Tease in the first few episodes, starting with how Yuri came to idolise Viktor and then using his short program to seduce him (Episode 6 SP, enough said.) to Viktor himself being a tad too close for Yuri’s comfort (stroking his arm, hugging him from behind, putting his finger at Yuri’s lips…). And then Episode 7 made them the Canon Official Couple via Big Damn Kiss. On the lips. You should have seen the Internet when it first aired, it was GLORIOUS. And then there’s Episode 10 which was even more shook than Episode 7, and now you know why Episode 12 caused the Internet to crash. It’s not everyday we get a couple in anime who are sweet, consensual, happy and head over heels in love with each other to the point of #RelationshipGoals without typical BL cliches and tropes. And to boot, both of them are from countries who in real life are not known for being LGBTQAAP+ friendly. And instead of the typical dream relationship, their love is portrayed in a realistic way. They argue, fight, be absolutely sappy, but overall they love each other oh so very much and  A number of people who weren’t interested in the first place jumped on board the bandwagon because of the realistically portrayed relationship between the two. All that’s left for them to become the ultimate OTP is for their wedding to happen. 

9. In Asia, mental illnesses and disorders are something that isn’t mentioned so publicly, much less portrayed realistically. Here, we have Yuri Katsuki, who has anxiety. He shows traits of people suffering from anxiety in a way that isn’t mockery. JJ also has symptoms of anxiety as seen in episode 11 (unrealistic portrayals of other people for one), and Viktor might have depression from before the show’s start - he mentions in Episode 10 that he’s been neglecting in life and love for about 20 years in order to focus on his career. Mental issues are no laughing matter, and it shows here.

10. (I’ll make this my final point or this will get too long) The effin’ impact this show has in real life. When this show says that they were born to make history, you better believe it. Their motto is to ‘Go Big and Wild or Go Home’. It’s not like you know any other anime that trends every damn week on Tumblr on the days that the show airs and whenever they make a major announcement. Most are even lucky to trend once in their airtime. And then there’s the Episode 12 crash - they crashed Tumblr, Crunchyroll and various anime streaming websites the day it aired before settling in as the no. 1 trending topic. No other anime has done the same thing. And how many sports anime can count athletes from their sport being fans of the show? Yes, professional figure skaters love Yuri!!! on Ice. To the point where Evgenia Medvedeva got art made for her, Nobunari Oda and Stephane Lambiel (this guy also has a YOI phone case) made cameos in the last 2 episodes, etc. When Johnny Weir told the internet that he’s watching the show, Kubo and Yamamoto were ecstatic. Weir even did routines to Agape and Eros, and has some YOI merch. And this year a Japanese pair skate duo have chosen Yuri’s free skate song (Yuri on ICE) as their short program for this year’s season. No really. The show also has won many awards, and in various polls have left all the other 2016 anime in the dust. The show is also the 4th best selling anime this millennium (5th all time once you bring in the older ones), and it hasn’t been a year since the anime first aired! Besides that, it’s also the 2nd best-selling franchise of the first half of this year. (right behind One Piece, and they did this with OSTs and Blu-Ray/DVDs alone). 

Overall, unique storytelling, lovable and relatable characters, perfect romance, amazing art (and also decently controlled fanservice) and has made one of the largest impact in real life. 10/10 will recommend. 

#Nanami Says #Yuri!!! on Ice #Ask Nanami #romanoffblitzer #I apologize if this is too long to read #but this show literally lit up my life and stood out from all the others #1st time a show beat the Suffering Trifecta in my Favourite Anime List #but you may not be able to watch another sports or romance anime ever again... #but please watch this show for all its goodness and purity #feel free to add more

[deeperforme]

I'm Marrying Khatsha: Thoughts While Watching the Inflight Entertainment System

Her Love Boils Bathwater - Title of Japanese film in the seatback entertainment system

I'm flying back from Switzerland, after proposing to @khatsha (with a broadsword). Although I won't watch this Japanese film, because xXx: The Return of Xander Cage is there, the title grabs me. It makes me think of khatsha - ok, everything does at this point, but it makes me think about her passion, and how irresistible that is.

She came to see me on the train in Italy in August, 2015, and we had a mindblowing few days of sex and hypnosis. But I started to fall for her when I read her writing about it. I always fall for writers - people who can make me feel their powerful, specific emotions, and draw me into their world. khatsha is a writer. She has that thing. And also has the kind of wild, poetic flow that I envy. She has a talent for surrender: to the flow of words, to her unconscious, to her senses, to trance, to new pleasures, to passion. To me.

From that writing to her most recent, how could I not be seduced by those words? And by how I'm magic for her? This is not a metaphor: I'm magic, as close to literally as you can get without breaking the laws of physics. Because of post-hypnotic suggestions I can snap my fingers, or say a word, and something really, truly happens to her. And no one does compliments like an enthralled hypnotic pleasure slave.

But it's not just about her passion for me, it's her passion for her ideals; for hypnosis; for community; for open source software. What she loves, she loves so hard, and the same with what she despises. Some of it is for comedic exaggeration, but only a little. Being around her, colours are brighter, contrasts are deeper.

“At the end of the day, it comes down to the same question I've been asking my wife every Friday night for the last 20 years: Do you want some of this??” - Samuel L. Jackson as Augustus Gibbons in xXx: The Return of Xander Cage

I know this level of excitement won't last. These feelings are partly about the joy of finding someone with such compatible interests and fetishes, the hunger from forced separation, the spice of different cultural backgrounds, the thrill of travelling all over Europe together, and, last but not least, hypnoamory, the tendency of people to fall in love with their hypnotists and vice versa. There's something tremendously naive about what we're planning to do.

But I feel lucky that we're both in our 30s and have a tiny bit of life under our belts. Enough to know that there's more to this. Even when we're sexually spent (well me anyway) there's so much to talk about. Everything from design to politics to fictional tropes to deep learning to french translations of Poe. I remember looking at her across fancy high tea in London in March 2016 and realizing, I want to keep this conversation going, pretty much for the rest of my life. That’s when I told her I wanted to do what it takes so we can be together.

I have high hopes for our sex life, and the touching weekly ritual of Samuel L. Jackson and his unseen wife are an inspiration. Khatsha is bodacious and a super pervert, and with hypnosis in the mix the weird stuff is just endless. But it's the conversation that makes me most confident.

"We are officially living together."  "The experiment begins." - Sheldon and Amy in The Big Bang Theory, Season 10 ep 4.

I've never lived with a girlfriend before. Now I'm having khatsha move thousands of kilometres to make a home with me in a Jamaica Plain apartment. The most consecutive nights we've slept in the same bed is about 14. There's going to be so much stuff to figure out, from what sides of the bed we sleep on to how the sink gets cleaned.

Hopefully living together goes way, way better than it does for Sheldon and Amy. I'm a much better roommate, and unlike Sheldon, I like sex! But I have my Sheldonish side, being used to having things in my living space just so (including the messes), so there will be a lot to get over.

But as we've been telling each other for a while now: there will be happiness, and there will be freakouts. All we can hope and plan for is that we'll freak out at alternating times, which still leaves at least one person to do the reassuring.

"I live for this shit." - Xander Cage in xXx: The Return of Xander Cage

Nearly all the time I'm cautious and prudent in my decisions, not to mention physically and socially timid. Then once in a while I get a voice in my head that scares the shit out of me because it tells me it's time to do something big (also because it sounds like Riddick). When I switched colleges to move thousands of miles from my home town, when I walked into my first kink event, when I decided to move to Italy for two years in my mid 30s, when I proposed to khatsha. All sparked by something saying, you need to bust out into a bigger, more exciting world. My life would be so narrow without these decisions!

Khatsha, also a nervous computer scientist, has that thing too, except it's much more consistent and warrior-like. Since we saw Mad Max she is often heard to say, "What a lovely day!!" (we’ve had some discussion of spraying our mouths with silver paint just before our wedding ceremony) That's something I really love about her.

I've spent so much of my life, maybe more than most people, immersed in fictional stories. Sometimes they seemed very important, but other times they were undeniably a kind of in-flight entertainment system for my life, just getting me through the ride with as little discomfort as possible.

But when the real inflight entertainment shuts off as the plane lands in Boston, I'm still in the story. It's real. Two nerdy hypnofetishists moving to America together for love, fortune, kink, adventure, and community.

I'm marrying khatsha, sooner than I will finish this box of Raisin Bran. And things will never be the same.

#schmoop #y'all ain't ready

[superkrispypeanutstudentstu-blog]

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