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#but like i get up early and am energized and breakfast is fun and lunch is fun and dinner is fun and everything in between is fun
nutcase8691 · 1 year
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Hello all!
Work has been killer lately. But this is the last world build promt that is used in my Baby Hood AU. (Still working on it.... and others. Have have so many half done drafts xD.) This is a building block I use in some of my AUs but can also be used as a stand alone promt.
Prompt: once a ghost starts producing a certain level of energy they do not stop. Like they build up to be able to run a marathon without getting tired? Permanent.This is partly why they fight so much.
Ghosts can usually only get energy from ectplasm and emotions. (They can kinda sleep, but it is more like deep meditation).
Danny, as a half ghost, also gets energy from sleep, human food, ectplasm, and emotions.
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This prompt is always fun to use. As all fan logic it is a mix of actual logic and wtf I want cause I made it xD.
Basically as science states :energy can't be destroyed, it changes form.
Danny's human half fuels him as much as his ghost half does. If his human half did not get enough sleep, ghost half gives ectplasm for energy. If his ghost half does not have ectplasm/emotions around to heal itself, well the human half had a big breakfast.
When Danny first starts out he is run ragged. He passes out all the time and can't keep up, but as he keeps going, this goes away. Even when the pressure builds and he is fighting stronger ghosts, he does not often get really tired. but he should.
He does not have a lot of help. Yes, Sam and Tucker are great, but his routes attack at all hours, and they literally get into this living realm via his basement. (Not to mention his parents also tend to catch up after he is done catching the ghost)
He falls asleep in class some times but that was early on in his heroing and honestly school can be so boring.
After a while he finds that even though he didnt sleep last night he doesn't feel anymore tired then he did before the accident. He missed breakfast? There was this really stressful test first period, and he is feeling oddly full?
When he fights big names and has to push way farther then normal (undergrowth, Vortex, etc.) Well the next fight seems really easy after that.
No one really notices this is a thing until later. They just assume he has gotten used to it. Until he is no longer burning that much energy.
Like after he becomes ghost king, he only fights a few ghost instead of a bunch, and he graduated,so he no longer has that stay up untill 5 after ghost fights to finish home work.
He suddenly is never tired?? At all. Like he has not slept in almost a month th and is freaking out.
After talking with frostbite they discover that now that life has settled he needs to make sure he is not getting too much energy instead of not having enough.
If he ate a big breakfast that morning? Yeah, he is so not sleeping tonight.
He got a full 8 hours last night. He makes sure not to eat anything for like the next two days.
He was just in a very stressful situation (for others not him). He's probably gonna skip the next few meals if he wants to sleep.
He had sleep, food and emotions? Ancients bless the poor souls who meet energizer bunny danny. They are never the same.
This can be as subtle or as crazy as you want. (Danny normally chooses to not sleep unless he is super stressed, because no one needs to know he stayed up all hours but people tend to notice if you never eat on any of your breaks/lunch)
I love when it is "I need to not eat or sleep for a bit to pretend I am normal human "danny vs. "Oh my God, he never sleeps and barely eats, i need to help this child before he keels over" non Amity Park person.
Thanks for reading!!! If you write something with this, please tag me!!! I love to read others' takes on this!!!!!! ❤
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nebulousneuroticism · 8 months
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It's been a busy few days.
Friday went pretty smoothly. I woke on time, talked to my mom briefly, finished packing, and left for the airport. My flights were on time and uneventful. When I arrived at my destination, we had some dinner, and then we checked into the hotel to rest.
The next day, we slept in a bit. We had a light breakfast/lunch, and then walked around a park for a while. We visited a grocery store to buy some snacks for a game night, and as we were leaving, a homeless man cornered me to beg for money. I ended up panicking and giving him some, both because he had cornered me and because that cute girl was there and I always worry she finds me miserly. Then after we returned to her house, I spent an hour or so having a panic attack, which involved dissociating, staring into space, and softly crying.
That night, we had a game night with that cute girl's D&D group. We played Cyberpunk Red, which was fine. I didn't find it to be a terribly interesting system, but it was a fun setting and I had a decent time, even though I was playing with strangers. That went pretty late, and we went straight to bed after we got back.
On Sunday, we left pretty early and drove for a few hours to the city. We spent the afternoon visiting a modern art museum, which had a lot of very strange installation and performance art. It was not my favorite art, to be honest, but I enjoyed it all the same. That night, that cute girl treated me to a very nice dinner.
The next morning, that cute girl had a job interview, so I lay in bed while she did that. Then, we visited the beach for a few hours. It was quite pleasant, warm sun and cool water. But then, it was time to say goodbye, and she drove off back to her home.
My parents picked me up shortly afterward, and we went to have another nice dinner--this time, I was the one treating them. It was delicious, but very expensive.
Now, at last, I am home (at my parents' house). I slept well last night, much better than I had been sleeping with that cute girl, and had a pleasant and relaxing day today. In the evening, my parents and I went to a local concert, where a small local band played some passable country music.
I think I'm getting sick, unfortunately. I'm so fatigued, and I have nasal drip irritating my throat. So very exhausted. I would like to stay awake, but I don't think I can, and I have to be energized enough to see a baseball game tomorrow. It's been a lot of activity lately.
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dirt-grub · 3 years
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i love art classes dont get me wrong but a three hour night class was a terrible idea
#its just too long that i cant focus thru it#we take really small five minute breaks but like i think i need a big one in the middle for this to work#also its at a really bad time when it comes to like eating food#my eating habits are slipping aaaaasdaljfsjkf#i didnt notice but i dont eat three square meals anymore fuck!!!#breakfast is good ive kept breakfast in check which is important#lunchtime i just forget i exist so like#and dinner is never certain like right now i have no clue#like nothing sounds good either its a problem#but im hungry and i WANT to eat like ive gotten over the shame factor and most of the time the lack of appetite#but whats going on wit me nothing sounds good#dont like college life too much i want to live in a cabin with many friends where we have communal meals at a really long table#basically the way my schedule is in maine is how i want to live idk how it doesnt translate down here#probably bc i live with people i dont want to live with#but like i get up early and am energized and breakfast is fun and lunch is fun and dinner is fun and everything in between is fun#it might be new york actually nobody here is capable of fun or relaxation#HATE new york standards like the days here feel short and meaningless and then up there even tho we take our time they feel shorter#why the fuck bigots always live in the country thats my goddamn element#gays. gays lets just pick one of those real empty states and take it over#wyoming is ours comrades let us live in a giant log cabin and drink and eat and be merry#connor talks#idk what im doing i just dont want to be in class and i am humgry
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scorpiobitch95 · 3 years
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Summary: You try convince Walter to love your favorite snack throughout your years together. The best dates are shared over cereal, after all.
Pairing: Walter Marshall x Female Reader
Word Count: 4.5k
Warnings: sugary sweet fluff, implied smut — nothing graphic, snarkiness, grumpy Walter to fluffy Walter, cursing, cuteness overload.
Author's Note: I let myself get carried away with this one. I needed grumpy but sweet Walter in my life. I hope you enjoy!
Edited by myself, sorry not sorry for the errors.
Taglist: @justaboringadult @greensleeves888 @cavillsharman @beck07990 @summersong69 @myloveforhenrycavill @kebabgirl67
Taglist for this fic: @lumiousmoon
*No permission is given for reposting my work, copying it, or claiming any ideas or parts as your own.
Please comment and reblog if you enjoyed!
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It started when you and Walter were early dating.
💋
“Mmmm, pause. I need a snack.” Uncurling yourself from Walter’s warm body on the couch, you made your way to the kitchen to find something to cure your hunger. You called behind you, “Want anything, Marsh?”
“Whatever you’re having... I’ll have the same.”
“Cereal it is!” You pulled the ceramic bowls from the cabinet and opened the fridge to grab the milk. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Walter’s face scrunch in confusion. “What?”
“Cereal? Absolutely not,” Walter scoffed. “Would you grab me those spicy crisps?”
“Spicy chips, coming right up.” Vernacular was the subject of an ongoing heated debate with the Brit: the great ‘Names for Snacks Debate’ was especially hostile.
Once settled back under the blanket and snuggled into his side once more, you unpaused the movie. The energy in the room shifted, you could sense that you were being watched, but you refused to look up to look at Walter’s face. The judgment coming from the bear of a man who crunched his chips beside you was glaring.
"Stop it," you told him as you kept your eyes on the movie.
Walter didn’t say a word. His eyes traveled back to the TV but kept finding their way back to you.
“Walt, what is it? Is there something on my face?” You giggled at him lightly, unsure of what was bothering him.
“You really chose that for a snack?” His face was bewildered as if you were eating a bowl of Jeep parts.
“What? Don’t tell me you don’t eat cereal as a snack.” He shook his head curtly, wearing a look of disgust. Your eyebrows crinkled together as you followed by asking, “Not even as a quick dinner?”
“Cereal is meant for one time and one place, and that’s sometimes in the mornings for breakfast. That's why they call it breakfast cereal, love. Not dinner cereal, not snack cereal... Do you also eat cereal for lunch?” He was poking fun at you now.
“No, I’m not a heathen, Walter. Here, try a bite, just trust me. It’s amazing as a movie snack.”
His eyes were wide as a grimace was sent in your direction, “You’re crazy — no one does that.”
“Plenty of people do that,” you stated matter-of-factly.
“I’m really not the biggest fan…” Walter sighed and settled further into the couch, preparing for your exasperation that he knew was soon to follow.
“WHAT. Not the biggest fan of cereal? I’m sorry, you were sheltered as a child, weren’t you? There's cereal out there for everyone, Walt. Come on, try it.” You scooped a spoonful of your sugary Cinnamon Toast Crunch and held it to him. He reluctantly obliged your wishes, eating the bite but keeping a look of pain on his face for the entire time he chewed.
"See? Delicious. Ice-cold, crunchy, sweet, perfect." A sugary grin accompanied your playful tone, and Walter shook his head again, exaggerating his distaste for having to chew such an atrocity.
"Mhm. Definitely delicious." Your goofy bear was simmering under the surface of his scouring demeanor, though he stuck his tongue out in mock disgust.
"You're not the biggest fan," you muttered under your breath and rolled your eyes for dramatic effect. "I'll show you."
💋
Standing in the grocery store, you and Walter were having a battle of wits, arguing on the subject of your sweet tooth.
“I’m just trying to show concern for your dental health since you obviously won’t; all that sugar isn’t good for you.” Walter stood stern with his arms crossed, unmoving and solid like a brick wall.
“I appreciate your worry, Dad, but I’m going to keep eating it because I love it. One day, I bet I’ll convince you and you’ll be eating it with me. Plus, my dental health is immaculate, my dentist said so.”
The expression on Walter's face was unwavering as his eyebrows raised in a non-verbal challenge to your declaration.
“I don’t know how you can stand to eat that crap,” he muttered, thinking you couldn’t hear him.
“Oh no, don’t you dare, you grump! I don’t get on you about your snacks, back off mine. ” Despite his unnecessary grouchiness, you placed a hand on his crossed arms and raised up on your toes to give him a soft kiss on his bearded face. “Balance, babe. It’s all about balance.” You dug your way through his arms to find his hands and you drug him a little further down the cereal aisle.
“Come on, grumbly, pick out a cereal you think you might enjoy, for experiment’s sake.”
💋
“Fuck, babe. I’m going to be late, we just got called out on another accident. I am so sorry… I’m not sure when I’ll be home.” Walter had been working a ton lately, and his irritation with just how much he’d been working was starting to show. The two of you had been together for a few months now and had started to grow accustomed to having the other around consistently. You both became out of sorts when you hadn’t seen each other in a while.
“Don’t even worry about it, Walter. Just be careful, please... You should still come over when you’re finished tonight, but no pressure if you’re exhausted.”
“Of course, still need to kiss you goodnight. I can’t sleep if I haven’t.”
Walter Marshall might be a grump, but that grump could make your heart flutter in ways that you’d never felt before. Maybe it was that his sweetness and his charms were completely reserved for you and you alone. His teddy bear nature only appeared when he was near you.  After putting back the ingredients for dinner to save for another night, you went to change into your sweats.
Walter appeared at your front door at 12:30 that night, nearly asleep but still standing strong. You’d dozed off on the couch after his call, but were immediately energized again when you saw his beautiful form standing in your doorway.
“Hello, I’m here to have a very late night date with an incredibly beautiful woman,” Walter said, the gravel in his voice making you shiver. Despite his exhaustion, Walter managed to smile at you with one of the biggest smiles you’d ever seen him manage.
You smirked, waving him inside. “Get in here, Bear.”
Walter reached his arms out to you, inviting you into his embrace. Your arms wrapped around his thick torso and you ran your hands up and down his sweater-clad back; he melted into you and burrowed his face into your neck. Walter released an exhaustive exhale. It was heavy and forceful, as though he’d been holding it back behind a stone barricade for the entirety of his day. Warmth flooded your body as his words vibrated from his chest, “Mmm... I missed you.”
“I missed you, too. Let’s get you fed. Preferences?”
Still snuggled in your neck, he gave his reply, “Nothing heavy, please. I don’t want to fall asleep at the table. That wouldn’t make for a good date.”
“Oh Walter, we can postpone date night, you need to eat something and get to bed. It’s nearly one,” you observed gently as you leaned your head back to get a better look at his face.
“No. I came here to have a date night. I’ve been looking forward to seeing you all day. I need you.” Walter’s warm lips caressed your forehead, placing soft kisses on you. “You think you’re still up for it?”
Nodding at him sweetly, you untangled from his embrace and went to tumble through the fridge, offering out suggestions for food, but he insisted, yet again, that you don’t go to any trouble.
“Okay… you’re going to hate it, but my last option is cereal. Other than that, it’s gonna be random leftovers.” You continued moving containers around in the fridge, taking stock of what you had left from the week before.
“Actually, I think I can handle some cereal.” You whipped your head around incredulously to look and heckle him, but he gruffly interrupted, pointing a finger at you from where he sat at your kitchen table. "Don't. Don't start. It's been a brutal day, and something cold doesn't sound half bad."
You smirked in silence as you turned back and poured your bowls, dancing your hips lightly side to side. Grabbing the candles you had left out for your dinner date, you lit them and placed them gently on the table between the two of you. It was date night, after all.
“Late night cereal date, it is.” Reaching down to caress his chin, you kissed one bearded cheek before sitting beside him. Walter’s lips held a slight curl, softly smiling at your glee.
💋
“Love, snack break?”
The two of you were engaged in an intense game of Scrabble, one of your favorite date-night-in traditions. Nodding your head in Walter’s direction, you continued to study your letters and the board with pure focus until you heard the twinkling sound of cereal hitting ceramic.
Not wanting to draw too much attention, you peeked up from your letter rack to make sure your ears weren’t deceiving you. Walter was not just making a bowl for you, but he was also making one for himself.
No way.
Walter made his way back to the table with the cereal, and you looked up at him in shock as though you hadn’t already noticed what he’d done.
“What is this? What is this I see? Walter Marshall choosing breakfast cereal as a snack? Why, I just cannot believe it.” Mock-surprise overtook your form as you motioned fake mind-blowing explosions from your head. Walter rolled his eyes.
“I figured If I can learn to like you, I can learn to like cereal.”
“HEY.”
Walter shrugged, retaking his seat at the table.
You squinted your eyes at him as you declared, “You’re going down for that. And I don’t just mean by losing this game.” A wicked grin crossed your face when you played your double score word:
“CHEERIO”
💋
Walter worked a lot of graveyard shifts while you were dating and during your early years of marriage while you worked a normal 8-5. Sometimes the only moments that you could see each other were when he came home from his shift early in the mornings before you started your day or in the evenings when you got home before he left to start his.
One early morning during your engagement, Walt showed up unannounced after a hard few nights at the PD. He was worn down but happy to see you, smiling through his exhaustion. This was the longest you’d been apart in a while; you hadn't seen each other in 4 days. You kissed him, lips attacking his while his arms snaked around you and pulled you tightly to his body. He hadn’t even come into the house yet.
Pulling him inside, your hands reached up to hold his scruffy face as you placed a more gentle kiss on his lips. “Babe, have you had dinner? Let’s get you something to eat… what would you like?”
He unfastened his holster, dropping it on the table by the door. Sinking into a chair, Walter bent over to untie his boots as he answered, “Honestly, anything is fine, just some kind of food.”
“I can cook you something! Why don’t you let me —“
“Sweet, don’t go to any trouble. I just want to see you before you go to work.”
He looked at the table where you had just sat down to a bowl of cereal for a quick breakfast before he arrived and pointed lazily to it. “That, I’ll take some,” he said, sleep trying to overtake his form.
Slowly grinning at his statement, you mentioned, "Isn't this technically your dinner time?" Walter wasn’t amused as he tilted his head to look at you as you gasped playfully, “You do realize you're about to eat cereal for dinner, right, Marsh?" Too sleepy to give his verbal rebuttal, he glared at you, the corners of his lips turning up slightly, which was your signal to accept your victory and move on.
Smiling softly back at him, you made your way to pour him a big bowl and made him a cup of piping hot tea to accompany it. Watching his face as he ate, you observed the little creases and purple-gray rings that had formed around his deep ocean-blue eyes. His beard was unkempt and had grown past its normal length just in the few days you’d been apart; you could see this was a new level of exhaustion.
“Tough night?” You asked him, moving your chair closer to him.
He nodded. “Very.” The nights were becoming more strenuous recently. Ever since he had switched to the detective unit, work had been holding him hostage and was taking a toll more than he’d like to admit.
His hand reached over to squeeze the free one lying on your lap. “I’m happy to see you, love.” The hard lines on his face softened as he traced lazy circles on the back of your hand with his calloused thumb. You could see in his eyes that he meant it, that you were his safe space. Walter always was in protection mode, always on alert, even though you tried to keep him at ease when he was with you. He was only really ever at ease once he was home and you were safe in his arms.
The food began to rouse him from sleepiness, and as he gained alertness, Walter’s brow furrowed as he took notice of the cereal box sitting on the dining table. “This is the one we’re eating? I expected you to be eating more of one of those tooth-rotting cereals that you love so much.” He looked over at the box of Honey Bunches of Oats with curiosity and then back at you, lifting what you called his ‘detective eyebrow.’
“This is… surprisingly somewhat better for you? Or at least it acts like it is.”
“Oh come on, I’m not that bad. I only let you believe that I am. It is my breakfast time after all,” you winked at him knowingly.
“Good to know my words are finally starting to sink in. I mean, it’s not that much better for you,” he was reading the box now, “but at least it isn’t borderline fluorescent, like those artificial fruity ones you’re always eating.”
“You know, it’s almost like I expect the hate and just enact my deflection shield every time you walk in the door.” You started giggling, unable to keep a straight face as you threw your arms in front of your face as a shield to his words. “Don’t worry, Walt, my guilty pleasure cereal collection is well-stocked. And quit hating on my Fruity Pebbles.”
💋
Slowly over time, these seemingly random cereal dates became a large foundation for quality time. These dates became like snapshots, each one memorable in its own way.
When you two hadn’t seen each other in days, you caught up over a cold bowl of sugary sweetness. You, telling all the details of your days; him, quietly listening and trying his best to leave his nights behind.
From then on, all it took was knowing you could have a cereal date mixed in the chaos of everyday life. Anytime things got hard or heavy, it was time to have a cereal date. Anytime you had a fight: you both would pause and make a bowl of cereal, sitting across the table from each other so that you could speak your feelings. There weren’t many of the world’s problems, or your own, that couldn’t be solved over sugary cereal and cold milk.
💋
You’d dragged Walter to your shared bed as soon as he’d arrived home, having not seen him for more than a few minutes at a time for the past month. This current case of his was intense and ongoing, but he was finally finished. You knew he was defeated in energy, but you were ovulating and your hormones were raging. Your body craved his touch and the feel of his skin gliding upon your own.
The plan was to go to dinner for a romantic evening since it had been a long while since that had been possible, but as soon as he walked through the door, your feral sexuality washed over you and you jumped into his arms. You clung to him with your face in his neck, taking in his scent and the warmth of his strong arms holding you up. He clung to you just as tightly. There was no complaint from the bear, for he was more than happy to spend the evening spoiling his lover.
Cuddling in the afterglow of your countless orgasms, a storm raged outside as tree limbs slapped at your windows incessantly.
“Wow, it sounds awful out there. I know we were going out, but I think that point is moot now.” You glanced up at Walter, kissing his jaw. “Let’s just cook something easy instead.”
“That sounds great, and we can stay naked.” Walt’s eyebrows danced flirtatiously as he grinned down at you, his hands caressing your warm skin. “I’ll go hunt around so I can keep my woman energized for the night ahead. We are nowhere near done.”
He’d only been gone a minute when a crack of thunder shook the house and the lights went dark. You heard his mumbling coming from the kitchen; he had called in to get a status update from the energy company.
Walking back into the bedroom, Walter, in his naked glory, walked over to where you laid, illuminated only by the candle he held in his hand. Wow, your husband was delicious.
"Power’s out for the whole city. It’ll take hours since this storm doesn’t have an end in sight. Looks like a hot dinner is off the table… and no one will deliver in this weather. I guess we know what’s for dinner." Setting the candle on the nightstand, he crawled back into bed.
Feeling seductive, despite being completely spent from your ravenous love-making mere minutes beforehand, you still hadn’t had your fill of your husband. You bit your lip as you ran your eyes up and down his exquisite body and cheekily replied, “Me, I hope.”
He chuckled lowly, the fangs in his pearly-white smile glinting at you in the candlelight. “You? Yes. I plan to feast on you all night long, kitten. But you’re going to need some sustenance first.” He was hovering over you. You couldn’t help yourself as you reached to run your fingers along his hairy chest and wrapped a leg around his hip, pulling him closer to you.
"Make it a cereal date?" You grinned at him.
“You read my mind.”
💋
“Our child is going to come out looking like the Lucky Charms Leprechaun if you don’t change it up some, love.”
Your cravings were intense. You’d heard several different views from your girlfriends and sisters: some craved random things they never even liked before, and some craved more of the things that they already loved and ate religiously before pregnancy. You fell into the latter. Cereal was your most sought-after snack: a big surprise to no one.
There weren’t many cliche late-night ice cream runs, but there were plenty of cereal and milk runs. Walter was a dutiful dad already, not lecturing you too often on what you wanted; he knew you were doing what you had to for the baby, and you ate healthily enough… aside from the copious amounts of junk cereal.
True to numerous other times in your life, date nights were hard to come by, even still. Sometimes the only dates you and Walter would get were in the wee hours of the morning when you’d wake up with a craving.
Walter was extremely doting, and even though he’d always been a caretaker, he really came into his own when you both learned you were to become parents. He’d crawl from the bed without a word, rummaging in the kitchen to bring you a bowl of your favorite and even bringing a small one for himself. You two would snuggle in the bed and talk. Talk about your baby, about future babies, about the future, about your dreams, all of it. You never knew when you met the grumpy bear that he would become this sweet of a man, always tender with you even when he was rough. Maybe it was the cereal sugar that had sweetened him up, at least you’d like to think so.
💋
Your daughter had been in the world for a little over three weeks, and neither you nor Walter had gotten much sleep since her arrival.
Walter finally got her down to sleep while you watched from the nursery doorway. You hadn’t had a meal together or slept at the same time for more than 10 minutes in weeks.
He was standing over her crib, resting his arms on the side as he watched her sleep. He was infatuated with this tiny human who had completely taken hold of his heart.
“Honey, join me for a date?” Your smile was tired, and as your bear’s exhausted eyes met yours, you wondered if you two shouldn’t just go to bed, but you missed him. You’d barely gotten the chance to praise him for how good of a daddy he was to your little girl.
“Mhm, gladly. Our usual?” He quietly followed you to the living room, where the coffee table had already been set up with the works. Craving the feel of his touch on your skin, you both sat on the couch and you laid your legs across his lap while you enjoyed the serenity of each other’s company.
💋
A chill glided across your skin as you awoke from a dream. You rolled over, reaching your arms out to find your sturdy man, searching for his warmth. Instead, you found cold bedsheets.
Unlike Walter to not be in bed with a furry arm draped over you, you pulled on your robe and went to find him, a slight worry filling your mind.
Surely he would have woken me if he’d had to go in?
As you stepped into the hallway, you heard hushed giggles and whispers coming from the kitchen. You stopped to poke your head into your kids’ rooms. Their beds were empty.
At least it’s Saturday.
Quietly pitter-pattering to your kitchen, you peered your head around the corner to find one of the sweetest sights your eyes had ever seen: your two babes, 8 and 5, were playing a princess board game at the table with your Bear. Cereal by their side, giggles ensued as the sugar hit their systems and they tried their best to keep quiet.
Walter’s deep whisper quietly filled the space. “Shh, girls. We can’t wake Mum, she needs her rest.”
“Can I have more Cap’n Crunch, Daddy?” Your youngest had an insatiable sweet tooth, just like her mama. She was quietly bouncing in her chair and smiling a toothy grin at her daddy.
“You’re just like your mum,” Walter beamed at her, obliging her wishes. “Just a little more, love, then we need to brush our teeth and get back to sleep.”
Not wanting the girls to know that you knew about their secret, you decided to make your way back to bed, but not before catching your husband’s eye as he winked at you and a grin radiated from his face.
Warm tingles filled your body as you silently thanked the universe for Walter and the life that the two of you had built together. Walter was the best dad and husband in the world. How had you gotten so lucky?
💋
“Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Golden Grahams, love?” Walter called to you from the kitchen.
The movie was selected, the kids were away for the evening sleeping at friend’s houses, and you and Walter were having a much-deserved night in.
You called back to him, “I’m thinking I’m going to skip the cereal? I’m not really feeling it tonight. I will, however, eat the spicy chips. Oh, and grab that dip out of the fridge, will ya?”
“For the last time, they are crisps.” Annoyance was evident by his tone.
“They’re chips, Walter. You’ve lived in the states for how long now? Just give it up already.”
“No fucking way. Wait… You don’t want cereal? Are you feeling alright?” Walter’s head popped into the doorway that connected the kitchen to the living room, his face stern with confusion and concern.
“Ehh, not right now. Yes, I’m fine, Marsh,” you giggled. “Just feeling like something different for once.”
“Well, that’s shocking. I’m just wondering if you’re really my wife.” Giggles continued to flow out of you as he wandered back to where you were seated. He handed you your snack, and plopped on the couch next to you, cuddling into you as you tossed a blanket over both of your bodies. Walter started the movie and began to chow down on the bowl of cereal he’d made for himself. You couldn’t control the smirk that spread across your lips as you watched him out of the corner of your eye.
“What?” he asked, his mouth full of the golden and cinnamon squares. His eyes met yours, questioning you.
“I would just like to point out that I knew I could convince you.”
His brow furrowed in confusion, not sure what you meant. “Convince me of what?”
“That cereal is the best movie snack.”
“I don’t know if I’d say it’s the best…”
“Walt, I’m sitting here with your previous favorite movie snack in my hands, and you totally skipped over it and went for cereal. I’m just saying, I told you so. It’s okay, I’ve known I was right all along, you don’t have to admit it.”
“Hmm.” He growled, mouth full again as he ignored your statement.
“Give me a bite!” You pressed closer to him, reaching for his spoon as he angled his body and cereal away from you.
“Oh no, nice try. You tease, you don’t get any.”
“Fine, grumpy, I’ll go make my own. Keep watching, I’ll be back.”
Shuffling to the kitchen, you proceeded to grab a bowl and make your own, but you found both cereal boxes empty on the counter. Quickly turning to check your special cereal cabinet for a backup box, you discovered you were completely out.
“WALTER! Are you fucking kidding me? We just bought those!” Standing with your arms crossed in the doorway, you glared at Walt as he stared back at you unfazed.
“I hate to break up your gloating, but you created this monster, love. And don’t forget about our two other little monsters who take after you.” His grin was cocky; he knew he’d bested you. Laser beams could have been shooting from your eyes for all you knew. You shook your head in disbelief at the audacity of your husband.
That bastard. That beautiful bastard.
Walter smiled softly at you and motioned for you to rejoin him on the couch. Much to your dismay, your anger at him diffused immediately. “Love, I’ll go buy more first thing in the morning. Here, come and share mine. I’ll be nice… it is date night, after all.”
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* I do not own Walter Marshall, Nomis, Night Hunter, or anything related to it.
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youarejesting · 4 years
Text
Quarantine.4
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[Masterlist] Pairing: BTS x reader (i don’t know if this will have ships or just friendship or what I am just letting it run its course) Genres: friendship, drama, romance Rating: All Summary: Your brother works with a few BigHit dance teams and whilst having permission to accompany him at work the city shuts down banning anyone from stepping outside for a whole WEEK while they disinfect the streets. If you step outside you might get arrested, shot or poisoned by the chemicals they are emitting through the city. Words: 2.5k  Announcement: I had so much fun writing this and the next one. Even though it seems sexy at the end don’t be fooled!
[Part 1]  [Part 3] [Part 5] [Tag Yourself Here]
It was late in the morning, you had slept for twelve hours and felt ready to take on anything. Cleaning and sorting the storage room you had made a makeshift coffee table out of the top of a desk and strongboxes full of shredded paper. The room had almost become a little home for you. Deeming it time to venture into the world you decided to get dressed. Starting with the basics you picked out Koya character underwear which after a small discussion with a nameless employee on the third floor. You had figured out whose characters were whose. You had found a box labelled GFriend full of clothes that might actually fit you, dresses and skirts all in bags named. 
Rifling through some bags you found one labelled ‘Summer Rain’. Opening it to find a bunch of beautiful white dresses. Slipping one of them -that looked about your size- over your head. It was adorable. Assuming that it was supposed to be an innocent flowing style. It seemed that your breasts were a little fuller than the person it had been intended for. At least that’s how it appeared in the small bathroom mirror. Not only was the bust fitted, but the skirt also raised slightly due to your hips and bottom, which must have been a little bigger as well. Meaning the dress only reached your mid-thigh. The fabric was made out of a stretchy material and all in all, it didn’t look small but rather perfectly cut for your body. 
Looking undeniably pretty, you found shoe boxes marked with the same name. Briefly hoping the owner didn’t get upset that you were borrowing their clothes. Inside the boxes were matching white heels. Slipping on a pair your first thought was how they were super comfy like standing on tiny pillows. Giving a spin for the mirror you thought something was definitely lacking. An outfit this cute deserved some makeup. Racing to grab the small BT21 makeup you had collected into a pile days previous. You began applying the BT21 makeup trying your best to style your hair with a few pins. At least half of you wanted to look good for the boys but the other half was doing this just for your own self-esteem.
Stepping back to get the full picture, your lips pulled up into a smile. Now you felt good. “You are pretty and you look cute and no one can make you think otherwise. You are special and one of a kind. I love you and that’s the only thing that matters, everything else is a bonus.” You will admit you had adopted this technique from Seokjin who complimented himself in the mirror after every shower. Taking a few Selfies or as the boys had taught you selca’s you got a text. From your brother.
[Are you dead?] [What if I say yes?] [Seriously how long are you going to stay down there?] [I have just finished getting dressed]
One last look in the mirror and you sighed, best not to keep b/n waiting. Running along the basement corridor, you took the elevator and headed up to the cafeteria hoping to catch a late breakfast or an early lunch. They said they would be serving lunch in an hour and handed you an apple apologetically. Thanking them genuinely, you enjoyed the crisp fruit whilst slowly strolling through the floors. That would hold you until then, you were never really big on breakfast anyway. Greeting some familiar faces. Familiar meaning: you had seen them in passing more than four times, yet you still didn’t know any of their names. Perhaps you should take some time for other people. You noticed most people were wearing weird tracksuits while their clothes were being washed. Considering yourself lucky to have a secret stash of clothes. 
Continuing on the journey to the dance practice room wanting to have some fun. The full night sleep gave you so much energy. No one was inside, looking at the schedule on the door. It would be empty for half an hour. Plenty of time. 
The floorboards made a familiar sound as you crossed and seeing yourself in full in the mirror on the walls made you smile throwing up a peace sign. This was all nostalgic and had you reliving long nights in the studio dancing routines over and over. Plugging your phone into the stereo you searched for an old dance playlist, once found you selected a warm-up song. It was one you always used. An old routine you performed your stretches to targeting your arms back and legs. The bridge hit and your body was warm and buzzing ready to start a dance. Quickly switching to something a little more upbeat, you began another familiar routine. Dancing hit after hit until your brother stepped into the room. Pausing you turned to him getting ready to pack up and leave. 
“Keep going, we don’t start for another five minutes” he gestured as he went over to your phone, his students stepped in. Filing in one after the other you stopped dancing feeling that it would be time for you to leave “Hey, you remember the routine to this one?”
B/n played you something that had your muscles moving before you could control it, “Yeah! There you go!” He paused the music “you kids want to see the masters at work?”
“Your old teacher, save it” The kids laughed. It must have been pretty hard being stuck in the building away from their families. “That sounds like a challenge, brother, let’s show these kids how it’s done!” the kids laughed oohing and causing a general commotion from the back of the room. Nodding to your brother who set up a camera hitting record. You did a couple of last-minute stretches as the music started. He joined you for the dance and you watched the kids’ mouths fall open. 
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(I made this Gif from a 1million dance studio video the dance is ‘sorry, not sorry’)
The kids seemed to enjoy it. Each one looked more energized and ready to dance. Grabbing your things and heading out of the room with a wave. You checked the door for the next empty spot but decided to just take a picture of the schedule. Feeling like you were up in the clouds as you were skipping down the hallway. Giddy from your first real dance in a long time, in front of a crowd too. 
Spinning as you went, not noticing Hoseok step out of the elevator until the last minute. Trying to stop, digging your feet into the ground, torso flying forward. Toppling over him, you worried about Hoseok. Slipping your hand behind his head and tilting your knees out to avoid his crotch area seconds before you landed. You didn’t want to be the reason the guy couldn’t have children. But in doing this you were now chest to chest while straddling him. 
“Nice underwear,” Namjoon whistled. Squealing and rolling off of Hoseok you pulled the back of the dress down. Mortified beyond belief you flopped back onto the ground and covered your eyes, feeling someone stepping over you, voice calling from above. “Come on don’t be shy, it’s cute that you are wearing our underwear?”
“You know it’s not by choice” hands pried your arms away from your face. Revealing Namjoon who squatted over you one of his boots either side of your waist. Tilting his head to the side, looking down at your figure before actually helping you up. 
“Miss y/l/n” a soft voice spoke, Namjoon turned, stepping back so you could see around his towering form at a young teenage boy his English was broken but adorable “you left your headphones on the stereo, and um… your dance was amazing”
“Thank you” reaching out to grab the headphones, a hand grabbed them before you. Namjoon thanked the boy rather seriously, his face looked a little much. The boy ran off, turning to the guys curiously, “he must be nervous around big stars like you guys”
“Yeah that was definitely why he ran away” Jin rolled his eyes. Watching Namjoon hand you the headphones with a smile. The boys were so nice to their fans and strangers. It was nice to see celebrities who didn’t let the fame get to their heads.
“Y/n I am bored, can we play a game?” Taehyung wrapped his arms around you, his head resting on your shoulder. With anyone else, you would question what exactly this meant but you knew it didn’t mean anything romantically inclined. The boys were just super friendly and being quarantined in a building together, they didn’t have many people their age who don’t already work for them to make friends with. You had seen the way they were treated it was all business, every time they tried to approach someone their first words were, ‘what do you need?’ ‘how can I help?’ Not that they didn’t hang out with other employees. You were different from the others, a friend, at least you hoped they thought of you as a friend.
“There is a board game in the basement we can bring upstairs. If we look around there might be other games down there as well,” accompanied by Taehyung and Hoseok the two were excited to explore the basement some more. 
You were shuffling through the pile for the board game you had placed there a day or two ago when you heard Hoseok laughing, “Hey Tae look what I found” glancing over your shoulder thinking it might have been another board game, your blood ran cold however when he held up a small box. It was from the bag of things you had requested from the supply centre.
“Ah wait no, those are mine” launching across the room and snatching it from Hoseok.  “Yours, oh... I’m sorry” Hoseok stopped lost in thought, he felt a little upset that you hadn’t told them you were taken. Worried he might think you were someone you were not, you stammered out an explanation. He watched your mouth open and close for a few seconds and he chuckled. He liked when you were flustered, he didn’t know why but it was endearing.
“Well they aren’t all mine” You clarified and his eyebrows pulled together confused, “I asked the supply people to throw them in, in case anyone was getting a little intimate, but I forgot to hand them over” Taehyung snatched the box from behind your back, “it’s open, have you been using them?” He waved the box at you laughing. 
“No, I asked them to mix and match sizes and styles. So we opened some other packets and got a bunch of different sizes and styles and put them back inside that box. The green ones are latex-free, I don’t know what people prefer and it would suck getting intimate and then realizing that you don’t have your size”
“Hey, they have our size in here” Taehyung grinned held up a foil packet and you wished you hadn’t noticed the XL on the blue square because now it haunted you. You knew when night came and you were trying to sleep, all you will be able to think about is their sizes. “Jin, Namjoon and I are the same so that’s good” 
“Cool...” You mumbled confused on what an appropriate response to that statement would be. Had he not realised you were right there? He noticed your odd expression and lent down wiggling his eyebrows.  “You don’t believe me?” 
Clearing your throat and trying to snatch the box back. He was quick, taking a few from the box. Before reaching up to place it on top of the lockers against the wall. “When you need them just ask and we will get them down for you?” He winked. Hoseok was laughing at your expression and the two grinned, distributing condoms between them. 
“Or if you need them a little urgently you can always come to see us directly we will make sure to give the other boys some too,” Hoseok said feigning seriousness. What did this mean? This couldn’t be an invitation. They were celebrities and you were no one. It wasn’t like that, they were just friendly and playful. Reminding yourself once more that you wouldn’t even talk to each other if not for the quarantine and you knew they had been hanging out with a few other employees so you weren’t special. Hoseok smiled holding the board game and Taehyung had found a stack of regular playing cards and you followed the boys out of the room. 
Pouting the whole way down the corridor and following them into the elevator. The journey to the cafeteria felt like it took forever. Over lunch, you started a game of monopoly. People came to watch the game each finding the ordeal very amusing as this was the only source of entertainment lately. Jungkook won causing the other boys to groan. The group started packing up ready to head upstairs. You went to escape, thinking of stealing a ladder from the maintenance room and getting the box down when Jungkook placed his arm around you. Saying you were his trophy and leading you away.
Jungkook walked you straight into their meeting room “what should we play now?” “Poker,” Slipping out from under Jungkook’s arm and racing behind Taehyung. You reached into his back pockets. His eyes went wide, “and we are playing with these” you pulled the foil packets from Taehyung's back pocket and threw them on the coffee table they all stared at them “Hoseok you too?”
He raised his hands in surrender pulling out the rest from his pocket, after sorting them and giving each coloured packet a price the game began. Being good at bluffing the only person who was a challenge was Yoongi who gave nothing away. The game was lengthy and you watched the boys nervously eyeing the packets as they each lost. Everyone was out except Namjoon and yourself. Currently playing all-in, you had a straight and was feeling pretty good though you bit your lip in feigned nervousness trying to bluff Namjoon who was playing numbers and odds in his head.
“Okay, I’m all in,” Namjoon said looking up with a smile. You hated that smile it meant he knew he won the round. The others looked nervous at their leader huddled around his shoulders.  “come on you got to win them back,” Jimin said with a look of desperation that had you curious, who were they planning to sleep with that they needed condoms anyway.
Showing your cards, Namjoon grinned revealing his much better hand taking the collection. They cheered and you hummed “alright you are making me desperate, I will play my secret stash” you reached down the neck of the dress into your bra and between the fabric were the soft cup sat you pulled out a ‘for her’ studded and ribbed condom. Hesitating you stared at the pretty pink foil packaging it was the only one of its kind in this building. “And if you take this from me I am going to be pissed”
You threw it onto the table and Namjoon’s mouth split as they examined the packet, Hoseok read it out loud and they deliberated and nodded placing it on the table. “Alright, love one last game” Namjoon grinned running his thumb under his bottom lip gazing at you amused as Yoongi dealt the cards.
[Part 1]  [Part 3] [Part 5] [Tag Yourself Here]
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@bubbletae7​ @lovemusicandotps​ @taetaeb? (this last tag isn’t a username on Tumblr please I don’t want you to miss out hit me up with a message and I will fix it straight away.)
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eintsein · 5 years
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Stay Energized in the Winter!
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I live in Ithaca now, and at this time of year, the sun’s up for like 8-9 hours a day, and it’s cold and dark, and you often find yourself not wanting to do anything. However, I still need to keep up with my studies, and I’m sure some of you are faced with a similar problem. So, I’ve gathered some of the things I do to help me stay energized throughout a winter day.
Understand your energy levels and work with them
I don’t think it’s reasonable to expect yourself to be able to do as much work or be as energized in the colder months as you do in warmer months.
For example, maybe in the summer/fall, you could survive with 5 hours of sleep and more intense work sessions, but in the winter, you might need more breaks and more sleep, and trying to resist that might result in the further deterioration of your energy levels. If you don’t already, try taking a midday break.
You shouldn’t feel guilty for having to recharge. You’ll be more productive afterwards.
Get enough sunlight
Exposure to sunlight boosts your mood by increasing your body’s serotonin levels - one of the happy hormones. It makes you more alert, energized, and prevents you from getting Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
My advice is to spend as much daylight time doing things so you can do them the most productively. Even if you’re more inclined to do things later in the day, at least push forward some of the things on your daily routine, or rearrange them in such a way that you get as much sunlight possible.
This semester - unfittingly called the ‘spring’ semester - I tried to schedule my classes as early as possible, even though I generally get sluggish in the afternoon and then work better in the evening. This is because I want to have time to do my work - or at least be out - while the sun’s still up.
Exercise where you can
It’s so hard to exercise outdoors in this weather, but I still see people going for jogs around campus, or hitting the gym. Personally, I just do some stretching and light exercise in my room.
Alternatively, if you take the bus, get off a stop early then walk the rest of the way (unless there’s terrible weather like a snowstorm or something where being outside is harmful). The key thing is that you get yourself moving, especially in the morning - you’ll be more productive and happier throughout the day.
Shower
I know the winter’s cold and you don’t feel like you have to take a shower, especially since it can make your skin dry. However, it’s a great energy booster, especially in the morning. Showering in the morning improves your blood flow and alertness, and reduces your stress levels throughout the day. If you don’t have time in the morning, shower in the evening, so you’ll have more energy after the sun goes down..
Make plans or have something to look forward to
Nothing is more draining than knowing that you have nothing to do, nothing to look forward to. You’ll probably just end up in your bed watching Netflix all day, which, let’s face it, might be fun at first but turns out to be a hell of an energy drainer. Go out to eat, study with someone, or at least watch something together.
Indulge yourself
Curl up with a good book. Watch your favorite show. Play some tunes while you sketch your favorite characters or OCs. It’s the winter, you deserve a little break to recover. If you don’t relax every now and then, you won’t be able to work as intensely and focus as hard as you want or need to.
Also, although it’s great to eat healthy, but a cup of hot cocoa or a muffin once in a while is fine and makes you happier in that moment.
Work on an indoor hobby
You’re going to spend a lot of time indoors, might as well use that time usefully (aside from schoolwork or other obligations). I like doing creative things like digital art, journaling, or bullet journaling while listening to a podcast, or reading - these types of activities are the most energizing for me.
You don’t need to do the things I listed - the point is, you should use your time indoors wisely, since during other parts of the year, you’ll probably be out a lot more.
Listen to the right music
I don’t know what y’all listen to but music is an awesome energy booster if you can align it with how you’re feeling. You know how sometimes you listen to a certain type of music and your mind just feels like it’s hovering there, like it’s slightly repelled by the music but you also don’t really hate it, and you just end up feeling unfulfilled afterwards? (That was a trash explanation but I hope you understand what I mean.) Yeah don’t do that.
During the day, listen to music that keeps you awake and energized - it could be hard hitting rock or dance-y pop or maybe even something mellow. Whatever it is, don’t try to counter it. I like to listen to roaring guitars in the morning, and slow jazz in the evening, and that works for me.
Get enough sleep (‘enough’ might be more than you usually get)
During the winter, you can take advantage of the cold and cozy weather to get more sleep. I know it’s tempting to keep working until you finish all your tasks, but if it means sacrificing your sleep, you’ll only end up depriving yourself of your already low levels of energy. Also, make sure you get good quality sleep so that you’ll be as energized as possible the next morning.
However, don’t get too much sleep. This morning, I came into math class, and my friend was like ‘you look really tired today, is something wrong?’ and no, there was nothing wrong. It’s just that this morning, I chose to sleep in until 8 when I usually wake up at 7, meaning I slept more than I should have. Too much sleep just makes you feel groggy once you wake up.
During the day, take a power nap if you have to, but don’t extend it for too long that your sleep inertia kicks in and you can’t get up anymore.
Focus on your food
I think the food we eat - and how we eat it - is a huge factor in maintaining our energy levels during these cold, dark months. So here’s an entire section about food-related strategies to combat the winter blues.
1. Eat well
Winter might tempt you to eat bulky food and sweets, but they’re not that beneficial to your productivity and energy levels. Sugary foods actually cause you to be sleepy during the day and reduce the quality of your sleep at night. Instead, opt to eat foods that contain
Vitamin C - like in fruits and vegetables - to boost your energy levels; and
Vitamin B12 - like fish, milk, and eggs - to reduce fatigue
2. Have good eating habits (don’t skip breakfast!)
In college especially, a lot of people skip breakfast - and sometimes even lunch - only to overeat during dinnertime. However, having a good breakfast - especially one with protein, fiber, and whole grains - will increase your ability to focus and boost your productivity throughout the day. Maybe you’re the type of person who tends to skip breakfast - the winter’s a great time to pick up the habit of having a morning meal. Recently, I’ve been having peanut butter and acai overnight oats - nutritious and convenient.
3. Have caffeine at the right time (if you consume any)
Studies show that the most effective time to have caffeine is between 9:30 to 11:30 am. Even if you have breakfast before that, I recommend waiting a little while before you sip your cup of coffee or whatever source of caffeine you take. You can always bring a cup to class or wherever you’re headed to at that time.
In the evening, I recommend having a cup of tea. Some teas contain enough caffeine to keep you alert but not prevent you from sleeping at night. My favorite is green tea, but other teas like oolong or black tea work just as well.
4. Snack (a little)
But not too much. A single square of chocolate or a couple crackers are great mood boosters, and it even improves cognitive functioning. You could even have a cup of tea along with your snack, which is doubly energizing.
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That’s all I have for you now. Feel free to drop an ask or message me if you have any questions, and I hope the rest of the winter goes great for you!
p.s. wml bc I heard the winters here last till April
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girlgroupwriting · 6 years
Text
All Work & A Lot of Play
Genre: Fluff
Pairing: Rosé x Female Reader
Word Count: 2.5k
Summary:  They don’t say “music brings people together” for nothing.
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Gif does not belong to me.
A/N: I’ve been thinking about starting to maybe do drabbles, that way you all don’t have to wait too long for content...so if anyone sees any good drabble posts, tag me in them:)
“This is a really great opportunity Rosé, plus it’s important to keep the public’s attention even in between comeback’s. Keeping the momentum going is what’s going to get people excited for your new music.”
“I understand that, it’s just,” Rosé sighs as she looks at her manager, “am I even ready to collaborate with someone like HER?”
“She asked for you by name Rosé, she obviously thinks you’re ready,” Jennie says as she walks into the room and sits next to Rosé.
Their manager takes a seat next to them as well, “She’s right Rosé, this would be a great experience for you.  I know there’s a lot you two would be able to learn from each other.”
Rosé thinks for a moment, “Well...it would be an honor to say I got to work with her,” she pauses, “okay fine, I’m in.”
Their manager immediately hops out of her seat and claps her hands together while smiling, “Great,” she says, “I’ll go work on all the details and get back to you.  You won’t regret this!”  With that, she exits the room leaving the two girls.
Jennie looks over to Rosé and puts a hand on her shoulder, “It’s gonna be fun Rosie, don’t be so nervous.”
Rosé exhales deeply, “That just makes me more nervous.”
Throughout the rest of the week, their manager acts as the messenger, relaying information to Rosé regarding the details of the collaboration.  The more information she gets and the closer the time comes for the meet up to work on the song, that’s the more her nerves start to act up.  When the day finally arrives, Rosé is a bundle of nerves. She wakes up bright and early to get ready and eat breakfast while her group mates are still asleep.  Right as she’s finishing up, her manager knocks on the door to alert her that it is time for the meet up. Rosé grabs her stuff, takes a deep breath, and heads out.
You had already made it to the studio, your excitement had made it hard for you to sleep in, so you decided you would just wake up and get a head start on everything.  You already had in mind the kind of sound you wanted for this song, which is exactly the reason you had wanted Rosé to sing on it with you. Since even before her debut, you had been intrigued by her voice.  It was different, something rare, and you loved her sound.  Now, with Blackpink’s success at a high, it made proposing the idea of a collab to your agency that much easier.  Immediately they were on board, as were Rosé’s people.  Soon after, you got word that she was on board as well and that’s when things started rolling.  As you’re getting everything together, someone enters.  You turn around to see your manager.
“She’s here,” he says.
You smile and nod, letting him know to let her in. You stand from your seat.  
As she walks into the studio, you can sense her nervousness.  She greets you politely and you do the same.  After a few moments of everyone introducing themselves, your managers allow you both some time alone to get things going.  Once they leave, a silence falls upon the studio.
“I’m really glad you agreed to this,” you say, trying to relieve some of the tension, “I’ve been hoping to get to work with you.”
Her face brightens at your confession and you can see her loosen up a bit.  “Really? Me?” She asks, completely baffled.
You smile at how shocked she looks, “Yeah, I’ve been a fan of your voice for a while.” You chuckle.
She smiles and lowers her gaze as she starts to blush, “Well I have been a fan of you since my trainee days, so that really means a lot.”
You can see she feels more relaxed now.  
“So,” she says, “shall we start?”
“Yeah, absolutely, I hope you don’t mind but I’ve been playing around with different sounds, and I kind of found one that I really like.  I’m hoping we can use it in the song.”
She smiles and walks over to you, “Let me have a listen.”
For the next few hours, you and her experiment with more sounds that you both like.  You tell her some of your ideas for the song and she does the same as well.  You both even freestyle a few potential lyrics. You both are having so much fun that you don’t notice your managers walking into the studio.  They have to shout your names a few times to even get your attention.  Once you and Rosé finally look over, you notice bags of food placed on the table.
“Lunch time already?” You ask.
“It’s 1:30,” your manager says, grinning.
You and Rosé look at each other, “I didn’t even realize how much time had passed,” Rosé giggles.
“Come take a break and recharge, you two,” your manager teases.
You all eat together, your managers asking about the progress of the song and how everything is going.  They both seem overjoyed when they see how well you two are working together.  After about an hour break, you finish up your eating and conversations.  They let you both get back to work, letting you know to call them if you need anything.  You make your way back to where you were working and sit.
“I’m really enjoying this, you know,” Rosé chuckles, “specially to say how I was so nervous before,”
You glance up at her from your seat, “Why were you nervous?”
She rubs the back of her neck and laughs while she takes a seat next to you, “I was just shocked that you wanted to work and write a song with me in the first place.  I don’t have all the experience you have, I didn’t want to let you down I guess.”
You nod understanding, “Well for what it’s worth, you’re doing a fantastic job so far and you know a lot more about this than you think you do.  Don’t sell yourself so short.” You smile at her.
She blushes, biting her bottom lip to suppress a smile.
“Well working with someone as talented as you makes it pretty easy.” She says as her eyes lock with yours.
You both stare at each other in silence before you realize what is happening.  You clear your throat.
“Umm, we should,” you pause, noticing she’s still staring at you, “we should probably get back to work.”
She nods in agreement, but continues to stare until you turn away to grab your laptop.  For the rest of the day and night, you two work on the song like you were doing before, stealing glances at each other from time to time.  When it finally gets late enough, you both decide to call it a night.  Rosé’s manager comes to get her, and you reluctantly exchange goodbye’s, not wanting to separate from each other just yet.  You make plans to meet up again tomorrow, though, to get some more work done.
You and Rosé meet up the next day and the day after that.  Although the song is coming along nicely, a weird tension grows more between you two each day you’re together.  After that first night, you had exchanged numbers, just so you can share ideas with one another whenever they popped into your mind.  That lasted for about a day, then your text messages became more casual with one another.  You would talk about your days and mostly just get to know each other more, then things took a turn to the more flirtatious side.  After that, how you both would act around each other in person started to change.  It was never anything that would raise suspicion, but instead it was little things like resting your head on the others shoulder or lap and running your fingers through each other’s hair while they did that, or cutely clinging to the other while you worked.  The day you two recorded your finished song is when things really changed.
You had both been in the studio for hours, recording your parts and trying to get them done perfectly.  Late in the night is when you finally finished your recordings. You had excused yourself while the producer and Rosé were listening over to the recordings again.  You made your way to the restroom, so you could splash some water onto your face.  You were exhausted, and your throat felt a bit sore after all that singing.  You desperately needed rest.  
“You okay?” A voice startled you.
You turned your head towards the door to see Rosé.
You smiled, suddenly feeling re-energized, “Yeah,” you giggle, “just trying to wake myself up.”
She nodded and walked over to you, she leaned against the sink next to you.
“So, I guess this is it, huh?” She asked.
“What do you mean?” You questioned as you wiped your face.
“Nothing,” she smiles, “I’m just gonna miss us hanging out so much.”
You turn to her, “Are you dumping me or something? Who says we can’t still hang out?” You chuckle, making her laugh too.
Both of your laughter fades out when your eyes meet. After a few moments, Rosé takes a step closer to you, placing her hand on top of yours as it rests on the sink.
“Rosé,” you say softly.
She smiles and almost instantly your lips are on hers. She kisses you gently, her lips warm and soft.  Her taste, a combination of mint from the gum she was chewing earlier and strawberry from her lip balm.  The hand that rests on top of yours pulls you closer, her hands then moving to the small of your back to keep you close to her.  Your hands move to entangle themselves in her hair.  She moans softly when your fingers accidentally tug on it. You pull away smiling, “Sorry,” you say to her, grinning.
She smirks at you and whispers, “Don’t be.”
You shiver.  She kisses your lips again before pulling back.
“They’re going to be wondering where we’re at,” she says.
You smile and lean in, kissing her again.
“Let’s go,” you take her hand and lead her out.
Even though you and her were now finished with the song, you stayed in contact.  Your schedule had started to pick up so there wasn’t much time you could hang out, but not a day would go by without you two talking on the phone or texting.  Because this was all new, you hadn’t mentioned it to anyone yet, not your managers, friends, family, and she hadn’t even told her group mates.  Technically you were both just friends, nothing had been made official.  You were both just having fun getting to know each other.
As you sat in the car after finishing up your schedule today, you were about to text Rosé to ask her if she wanted to hang out at your place.  Before you could do that though, you got a text.
Wendy❣: I think I left my glasses at your house:( Can I come over later and get them?
You couldn’t help but smile at your best friend, who texts you at least once a week to say she’s left something at your house. You text her back.
You: Forgetful, forgetful
Wendy❣: Can I come get them or not:/
You: Yeah, yeah, I just finished my schedule and I’m heading home so drop by whenever.
Wendy❣: Thank you:)
Wendy and you had first met when you had helped write a song for her group about a year ago, out of all the girls, you and her just clicked.  You became friends almost instantly and over the year, you grew closer to the point where now you are almost like sisters.
Suddenly remembering why you had taken your phone out in the first place, you text Rosé to hang out.  She agrees almost instantaneously.  Once you arrive home, you quickly take a shower and change into something more comfortable, then head to the kitchen to gather some snacks for you and her.  A while later, you hear a knock on your door.  Rosé greets you then pulls you into a hug when she’s fully inside.
You try to make your way to the sofa with her still clinging on to you.
You giggle, “Rosé if we fall then it’s on you.”
Her head is buried in your neck causing her voice to come out muffled, “I’m fine with that,” she says.
Once you reach the couch, you fall back onto it, causing her to fall on top of you.  You both break out into laughter.  Once your laughter dies down, you open your eyes to her staring down at you fondly.
“What?” You ask, suspiciously.
She smiles, “I missed you.”  She leans down and kisses your cheek.
You can’t help the smile on your face.  Your hand reaches up to grab the back of her neck, pulling her down.  You lips meet and your entire body shivers from the contact.  Her tongue finds its way into your mouth, causing you to moan. Quickly the kiss grows heated and before you know it, both of your shirts are thrown somewhere in the room. Your hands roam up her back, you go to unhook her bra when--, “OH MY GOODNESS.”
Your eyes shoot open to find your best friend, Wendy, standing at the end of the couch with her mouth agape.
“SORRY, SORRY,” she says covering her eyes, “I DIDN’T SEE ANYTHING!”
Rosé grabs the blanket next to you both and covers herself.
“Wendy what the hell, how did you get in here?!” You ask in frustration.
“You gave me a key, remember?!” She answers, dangling the key so you could see but still covering her eyes.
You sigh then get up to grab you and Rosé’s shirts. You toss her hers then put yours on.
“Please tell me you’re decent now,” Wendy mutters.
She slowly uncovers her eyes then looks to the girl sitting next to you, “Hey Rosé, long time no see.”
Despite her completely blushed face, Rosé laughs, “Nice to see you too.”
Wendy turns to you with a smirk on her face.
“Wendy,” you warn her before she says something she’ll regret.
“Okay, okay, I got what I came here for,” she shows you the glasses in her hand, “I’ll be going now.”
She looks between you two one last time and can’t stop the big grin on her face from forming.  She turns to leave but turns around once more, you hold your breath for whatever she is about to say.
“I don’t know what this is,” her eyes meet yours and she smiles, “but it’s pretty darn cute.”  And with that, she leaves.
You let out the breath you were holding, Rosé turns toward you.
“Sorry about that,” you say.
She grins.
“What are you smiling about?” You ask, grinning back at her.
She takes your hand in hers, “She’s right, you know?”
Your confusion makes her smile bigger.
She leans in to kiss your lips, “We are pretty darn cute.”
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snaggle-chamsae · 6 years
Text
Afraid | Sungwoon
genre: fluff
member: sungwoon
requested: yes! 
summary: sungwoon is the best boyfriend you could ever ask for but you’re afraid that you would drag him down with your problems.
side note: thank you so much @gresthegreat for requesting this 💓 I’m sorry to keep you waiting, I hope this meets your expectations although i think it’s a little messy! do let me know what you think :> 
it feels like it has been a long time since my last update….. :/ school is almost taking over my life x.x
lethargic is probably an understatement to your life right now
you’re not only fulfilling your duty as a student, you’re also fulfilling your duty as a part-time worker
your life probably only revolves around study and work
what’s after school? work 
and what’s after work? school
the urge to quit your work is REAL 
but you know you obviously can’t because of your family’s finance 
your dad’s salary just got cut and your mom recently got fired 
since you’re the oldest child, your parents have high expectations of you and rely a lot on you
they think you’re responsible enough 
that’s why they made you go and work 
and of course, how can you ever say no right 
so you kept everything to yourself, no matter how tiring it is 
but once you see sungwoon, your boyfriend 
everything seemed to be much better
that smile whenever sungwoon sees you, will always make you smile too
your mood would go from 0 to 100 real quick 
his hug is just like an energizer, you feel so much better when you’re in his arms
since he is just as smol as you do, that makes cuddling 100 times better
once you’re in sungwoon’s embrace, it seems as though you can’t be separated from him
“why, why are you sighing again my love?” sungwoon said while he hugs you tighter 
you wish you could tell him the real reason but you decided that it’s selfish of you to share your worries with him and make him worry as well
yes you kept this whole ‘work after school’ as a secret from him 
as much as you wanted to pour your heart out, but no you can’t say anything
and thankfully after so many months, sungwoon is still kept in the dark 
you’re not sure if this is the best solution but
you would still go on dates with him and only on weekends
there are times where he would ask why can’t he see you more often
and you had to lie which you hate the most
you told him that you have to rush to your grandparent’s place to take care of them in another area of Seoul
it definitely hurts to lie to him but….. that’s the best you could do and not be a burden to him 
it’s 6pm and that’s the time where you guys ended school together 
and the time you guys separate 
“see you tomorrow sungwoon, i love you” you stood there and wave goodbye to him 
as you see him getting further and further away, you always hated this sight where you really wanted to run to him and be with him 
but obviously you can’t
usually after you guys part, you have to rush to work
your workplace is about 20 minutes away from your school and the reason why you wanted it to be far away because
you didn’t want your classmates to know because you are very sure that they would laugh at you being poor and you need to work
at the same time, you didn’t want sungwoon to find out 
so you decided that a cafe that is 20 minutes is safe enough to keep everyone in the dark
and when you start work, you would usually lose track of time until your manager says work is over for you
you are in charged of the drinks and you have to also serve 
although it’s kind of fun, but it’s really draining 
because you have to smile constantly and be there whenever someone calls you over
your work would usually end at around 1 am and most of the time, you would just sleep on the whole journey home 
before you know it, you got to get up 5 am to go to school
and that is basically a day for you 
while you’re on your way home, you saw a message from sungwoon 
“hey babe, shall we go on a date tomorrow since it’s the weekend and you don’t have to be at your grandparent’s place?” sungwoon suggested
“sure, why not!” 
without thinking much, you agreed immediately 
when the morning arrives, you got really excited because it has seriously been such a long time that you spend quality time with sungwoon
you woke up early to put on your makeup 
and you spend almost like 1 hour trying to pick your outfit 
deciding if you should wear a dress or just wear something casual 
and when you heard your phone ring, you thought it is sungwoon 
you pick up the call without seeing the caller ID 
“good morning my love- y/n!” a puzzled look appeared on your face and then you realized it is actually your manager that called
“look y/n, i know it’s the weekend and i really shouldn’t be calling you but we have an emergency here. one of them fell sick and couldn’t come today so could you come and replace her?” 
you sighed as a reply and you heard your manager continued going on
“please y/n, you know how busy the cafe can get on weekends right?” 
“alright, I’ll be there as soon as I could” 
that immediately ruin your whole morning 
to be exact, the whole day
and you hated how you ACTUALLY HAVE TO CANCEL YOUR DATE BECAUSE OF WORK 
“good morning sungwoon” you called him 
“what’s up, can’t wait to see me later?” his morning voice is one of your weakness but you still have to break the bubble
“sungwoon, I’m really sorry but I might have to cancel our date today…” 
“I have to go over to my grandparent’s place today even though i told them i have a date today” 
“awww it’s alright babe, we can meet another day! in this case, i will hang out with my friends then”
“i’m really sorry sungwoon, i will make up to you soon” you wanted to stab yourself for backing out 
“it’s okay, we can see each other again” with that, you hang up and prepare to head to work 
out of all days, the staff had to be sick today 
geez man
and you know how crazy it is during the weekends, 
as you entered the cafe at 10 am, people are already there having their breakfast
thus, you had no choice but to start working 
without you knowing, you have already work past lunch time and looking at the number of customers you have today, you immediately thought of skipping lunch
which isn’t a good idea because you already skipped breakfast
so you pressed on 
but your stomach doesn’t seem to be working with you today
your gastric is acting up and you know it would gradually get worse 
just when you wanted to take a seat, another customer called you
oh wells no break i guess 
time skip until dinner time 
your stomach is still having that stinging feeling but you can still bear with it
“are you okay, y/n?” one of the staff asked 
“yeah i guess? just a little gastric but i’ll be fine!” you forced a smile 
hours passed and it is soon 11 pm
you’re so glad that the day is gonna be over 
you can’t wait to get back to your bed honestly 
just when you thought customers would stop coming in, you heard the door opening again
“welcome-” you became speechless because you have never expected sungwoon and his friends to dine in here 
how did he even find this cafe? 
the both of you literally just stared at one another without saying a word
“ya sungwoon, isn’t that your girlfriend? what is she doing here?” you heard one of your friends whispered 
you have absolutely no idea how to react now 
before you know it, sungwoon grabbed your wrist and forced you out of the cafe 
the moment he shake your wrist off angrily, you know this is going the wrong way 
“sungwoon i can explain- i guess this is where your grandparents live huh” he pointed out sarcastically 
“why are you even working in the first place? how long has this been?” 
“sungwoon, look… i have my reasons for not telling you” 
“what is it that you can’t tell me? you know i can help you!”
in the midst of all these explanations, your gastric isn’t helping
and out of all moments, it just gets worse and worse 
“i just can’t tell you, please understand me sungwoon” you plead
“fine, continue lying then. i’m done” he gave you one last look and walked off
“no no no sungwoon come back” 
as you run after him, you could feel yourself losing strength and before you know it, you collapsed 
time skipppp 
you woke up all of a sudden, thinking that you’re still at work 
you panted while recognizing that you’re not at your house 
“you’re awake” sungwoon entered the room 
memories of what happened earlier on replayed in your mind and a feeling of guilt ran through your body 
“sungwoon, I’m sorry- talk later, eat this” from the label of the medicine, you know it’s for your stomach
“you should at least eat your meals if you want to work” sungwoon said while he leans against the wall, looking at you swallow those pills 
you nodded 
your mind is just filled with so much thoughts that you don’t even know how to start explaining 
“now would you care to explain why you couldn’t tell me anything?” 
guilt is practically eating you up 
now that sungwoon knows everything, you had no choice
“fine… the reason why i kept this whole thing as a secret because my family is having financial issues and i didn’t want to burden you by telling you all my problems”
“i know you’re probably tired and if i continue telling you all the problems i have, that would be so selfish of me…” 
you slurred your words because you have no idea how is sungwoon gonna react
and different scenarios started appearing in your mind
what if he leaves me?
what if he laughs at me?
you could feel your eyes start brimming with tears 
“you’re such a silly person, how could you keep everything to yourself and pretend you’re a burden to me?” sungwoon brought you into his arms
it’s has been such a long time when you heard such words 
“i’m always afraid that i would drag you down” you confessed
“don’t ever say that, you know that i love you and you will never be a burden to me” he pulls you close 
listening to his words made you relieve all those stress you have been facing silently 
you snuggled close to him 
“i don’t know if i should be happy that i found out this way… but please y/n, you know i love you and don’t you ever say you’re a burden to me” you felt a kiss on your forehead 
you finally smiled after a long time
“now, shall we continue with our date?”
feel free to leave comments in my ask or drop any random messages :>
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shytiff · 3 years
Text
May Small Wins
1 - lazed, went to racheel’s place and put my motorbike there, went to slipi jaya with silvi devi reza to watch seobok (it was fun!!), had iftar at the yumz green sedayu. It was raining when we get back. prayed maghrib and isya in some random mosque. went back and arrived at like 8 past sumn. showered, slept like a babyy
2 - lazed, slept and woke up at like 11, went to nila’s house, practiced doing eyeliner by borrowing nila's (focallure brand), iftar at green sedayu foodcourt (originally intended to go to the yumz but it enforces actual distancing) with angkot ppl minus tik will. Arrived home at about 9-ish.
3 - magang as usual. Went to rm. Took mrt to lebak bulus. My inaco salary finally came. My head kinda hurts after tarawih. Ended up skimming over bj alex lmaooo. Did not shower today lol,,,,
4 - added dr dafsah's revision to the excel database otw to rsf. Pak nardi took a while to arrive. Left rsf early to go to the bank. I (((finally))) activated m-banking lmaooo wow the features are neat wow im not jahiliah anymore. Found this method of just let it sweat anyway during tarawih lmaoo. Preferably with long sleeves bcs somehow you feel less of the sweaty feel compared to tshirt.
5 - sampling - data entry - RM as usual. Theres no new RM. Read a goood dramione fic by bex chan even if its not complete, its okay. Im okay :"))). Iftar was soup, salad, chicken katsu and french fries. Its been 2 days that i practiced sleeping-to-rain-sound. The first night was spent as a dreamless quick sleep (its over before you knew it), but tonight i dreamed abt almira's wedding lmaoo.
6 - no sampling today!! Still went to rsf tooo go to the mall w regen lmao. Did some data entry. Went to PP by mrt. Went back by going to halte gbk and thankfully the kalideres one arrived after only waiting for 5 mins. Its surprisingly quick, compared to lebak bulus - pesakih trip. Took abt 20 mins to jelambar.
7 - no sampling today too. Dr vera gave us lebaran cookies! Did gcp for bu suryati a5. Went to rm, finally finished the available rm. Went home early. Can finally relax since its the weekend.
8 - literally laid in bed til my body hurts. Rly want to read sumn but dunno what. Finally decided to read momoiro heaven. And rere hello. And after iftar i read lack of love. And just like tht, my saturday was gone. Cant bring myself to do things
9 - its another day of lazying (or self sabotaging, cant tell). Read spy family and its effin hilarious. Wasted my sunday. Cant bring myself to even move and i just laid in bed all day.
10 - last day of work in the weeekend lmao. Felt better than being in AR, but still not that much productivity. Went to RM. Phone call w fianti along the way to plan food in almira's bridal shower. Went back at 12-ish. Picked up my dress from risma busana. Walked to and fro halte kebon jeruk. Prayed zuhur close to ashar in kfc's mushola. Felt better after ~8k steps. Had homelab's green tea mixed with vsoy. It honestly made me feel better. Matcha, or caffeine, sure is amazing. At least i had a sense of normalcy before losing all the will to self-care
11 - consumed internet entertainment u til i was sick and tired of it. Watched a lot of cut videos. Granny came and stayed over. So i slept upstairs
12 - same as 11 but upstairs. More relatives came near iftar time so i excused myself to shower. Slept in mom n dads room at like 12-ish. Watched hp goblet of fire since keisha and karins newest obsession was draco. We squealed together over liking enemies to lovers trope haha,,,,
13 - Somehow all of dad's jakarta relatives came for lebaran. the last time i checked, there were some bridges being burned. prayed eid at home. watched perempuan tanah jahanam (which was surprisingly not scary). ate. napped. talked about personal things w keisha and karin. i cant believe the time has finally come where we talk about this kinda stuff. watched you’re next (it barely has any plot, just gore). they went back at about 8 pm and i just sleptttt yall lmao i didnt shower today. disgusting, i know
14 - cam barely get out of bed. Managed to shower at zuhur time. Watched dalbang and laughed like crazy bcs its just that funny. Read fanfics. Tiktok. Ate once and had greenfield yogurt at the evening. Fell asleep. Woke up at 1 and snacked on 1 pack of oat krunch
15 - run bts. Originally planned to go to flavola but it was still closed, so i went to dm's dunkin. Ordered orange juice and oeanut choco donut but somehow the price wasnt package price hhh. Turns out my clires account was somehow banned. So i contacted the admin. Instead of doing dr dafsah's excel i ended up taking off the makara sticker from my laptop. Bought some stuff for almira's bridal shower. Bought arirang at hari2 (its funny bcs yesterday i was seeing online marketplace, planning to buy it, but turns out hari2 the magical place had buy 2 get +1 deal for arirang.
16 - run bts. Managed to move my body a bit. Did 20 squats (ill elaborate on this later). That improved my mood. Tidied up some of my stuff. Saw the paper bag of random memorabilias by friends.
17 - went to rsf by tj. left kalideres 06:45 and arrived at RSF 8:15. sampling. went to RM (still no new ones). picked up by mom. went to salemba for almira’s bridal shower. originally planned to get padang at citra minang behind BK but it was closed. so we drove around looking for open ones. ended up buying it in a small (but crowded) padang place near a big padang restaurant lmao. was the first one to arrive at acacia. checked in, pulled the bed near the wall. showered. its hilarious sometimes with a bit more serious discussion anjayy. went home w febby who drove and clara
18 - went to mcd to get lunch (since everyone’s fasting) and tried to muster the will to do something. i didnt manage to do anything except shopping online (brought dusty pink hijab at hijup). got spicy chicken and iced coffee. (spoiler alert: tomorrow i got mencret2 lmaooo). read my suha and beyond the skidipapap its actually rly good
19 - went to RSF (with mom as usual. quickly snapped RM pictures while mom was waiting. went with her to mami’s house bcs she and uwak will fly to banjar. finally got to meet haekal, he’s such a smiley babyy its basically free therapy. planned outing with nisa lmao. from soekarno hatta we went to vintage vibes lmao since we’re already out. vintage vibes is more crowded now. and there’s less good findings now. went back emptyhanded. ate chicken arirang since there’s no food. fell asleep at like 06:30 until early morning lmaooo
20 - woke up at 2-ish am, played my phone, fell asleep at like 9?, woke up again at 11 lmaooo. went to sbux. had matcha latte. did some inaco work. todays the most productive ive been this week.
21 - went to gi with febby to also meet up with fi, bought falsies and glue (later proved to be of a horrible quality), siraman and pengajian almira (first time seeing an actual siraman), went to blok m w nes ren ara gen. Tried naruto takoyaki at little tokyo, went to daitokyo (i didnt eat anything), and got matcha cake, sakura and mango raspberry gelato at kebun ide. Picked up by mom. Renata gifted me bts 2021 winter package photocard 🥺🥺
22 - iluni internship webinar by dr naldo. Grabbed fried chicken master. Stupid time management etcetc made my start makeup at 12 (febby went out at 13:30). My falsies and hijabdo was done by herrr thank god for the help. Went to swissbel. Didnt take a pic w almira bcs time. Almiras wedding at damai indah golf pik. My skin was TERRIBLE at the wedding. The make up didnt stick prolly bcs of vitacid. Thank god for masks,,, went back home w febbyy. Made tiktok lmao
23 - lazed. Went to flavola. Its finally daytime caffeine again w kopsuscok. Did dr triya's translation work and finished it at home. She transferred the fee at like 11pm
24 - off to RSF with mom. no new medical records. wrote fuad’s name on the medrec borrowing form. continued to nisa’s place w mom. lazed, played w haekal, put some patient’s phone number on the inaco excel. Off to GBK with nisa and sarah. parked at abc field (shouldve parked near GBK’s H gate). saw moja museum 2.0, took lots of pics. mo paint (moral lesson: draw the background first!! not the foreground). finished at 16:30. ashar at masjid al-bina. nisa dropped me off at gbk tj station. prayed maghrib on the bus since the traffic was so ughh. met atikah in lippo puri. decided to eat seirockya so we walked to puri. talked about a certain someone along the way. we rly talked about it while walking until we arrived at seirockya. atikah treated me uyeyy since she and racheel will stay in depok for 2 weeks starting tomorrow. got the shoyu ramen and gyoza. took the taxi to atikah’s place. mom’s waiting there lmaoo i was like “noo dont wait at jco, just wait at atikah’s”. still felt energized that night in my bed. no sleepy2. like 100% awake. 
25 - woke up at like 9:30. i basically did nothing today. didnt even shower lmao (i showered last night). read the good teacher in one go. zoom meeting w dr eva. i rly need some structure in life, goshhh
26 - showered and went to mcd. got nasi uduk, breakfast wrap and milo for 26k (thanks mcd app promo and mcd duta garden’s menu machine, i dont have to interact with another human). planning to do dr dafsah’s excel after all the data is complete, and still no new inaco data, so i ended up.... online shopping at bobobobo....... (bought outer and white culotte). tidied up the writings on my stickies (plenty of words has accumulated). ordered onejai for emir juan (expensive!!! 79k no promo lolll but free delivery. i was baited by gojek’s 1k 2 week subscription and felt like hmmm i should get something since we live in the middle of nowhere and free deliveries felt significant at that particular time when im holding my phone lmao). fell asleep after drinking vsoy + matcha lol its soft caffeine no longer works i guess
27 - woke up late as usual, went to sbux at 1 pm. tried white peach matcha frapp. the peach overpowers and u can barely taste the matcha. tried to read something useful (in medicine) but skimmed 2 ppt and then i saw solid’s bitly for isip. finished reading banana fish. couldnt bawl my eyes out because im outside.
28 - checked out rsf. Still no new ones. Immediately went back. Lazed and wasted my time
29 - iluni webinar. Here comes the impending life crisis. Ate nasi uduk and mie goreng telor today. Tried vsoy golden grain with matcha. It has almond aftertaste. Line call with kris for almost 4 hrs until 11 past sumn pm.
30 - more iluni webinar. Dr Eric, SpPD, PhD was rly cool. Tried daily box (butter soy chicken). Quite tasty. Mkg w regen. Videocalled in the mall w silvi racil bcs its ale and nadaa's wedding today. Bought gooma 500ml matcha w gofood pickup discount. Ate sushi go (the shoyu has mirin btw). 50k+ you get 6 piece of sushi (2 salmon) and matcha cake and ocha. Quite a nice deal. Talked abt cryptocurrency lmao. Went back and forth w TJ. All hail tj
31 - planned to do at least some productive stuff at home. turns out nila is outside and had some time to spare. so we went out. i met her in citra 6. we went to pik’s white beach. its scorching hot since its 2 pm. spent like 15 mins there. we had wanted to stop by monsieur spoon but THERES A QUEUEEE even if its a hot afternoon. so we ate tom sushi at green sedayu. talked a bit afterwards in nila’s place and then i was picked up by emir. tried gooma’s matcha. its not sweet like sbux. approved by mom (who doesnt like sweets). but its more expensive than sbux’s 2L 100k promo lol. (45k after gopay pickup promo for 500 ml). reread bj alex lmaooooo found new tidbits
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leightonshea · 3 years
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My Elimination Diet Journey
When that thick grey cloud of brain fog floated into my mind, daily, around 1 or 2, it stayed until around 8pm. And I could and would work against the fog, forcing myself to be present, energized, and attentive. But the fog was there, nonetheless. I was aware of this, that it was not my birthright, to say. As a mama this brain fog can be debilitating because all I want is to be present with my babe. To play with them, teach and learn with them. Presence and energy is ‘primordial’ in motherhood.
Thus sparked my interest even more in food sensitivities, and an elimination diet. I have felt a steady improvement in my physical health since switching to ancestral foods (which I referenced in my previous blog post). I no longer suffer from blood sugar drops, the constant need to snack, skin issues, infertility, etc. I am heal[ing]. Now the next mountain to cross is called ‘Brain Fog’. And the ascent begins in the stomach, and the gut. To first figure out which foods are not being digested properly, which proteins aren’t breaking down and ultimately entering into my intestine un-digested, causing irritation and finally, and an immune response. I won’t go into details on this process. I will just say that my personal intention upon embarking on this journey was to learn which foods my body, as unique as it is, is not fully digesting and are causing systemic and local inflammation.
I developed my investigative plan is four phases. How fun?
Phase 1, eliminate problematic suspects for 28 days: dairy, sugar, gluten, soy.
Phase 2, reintroduce foods, one-at-a-time, with two days for each reintroduction. Starting with fermented dairy, then moving to unfermented dairy, soy, and gluten. I generally avoid sugar already so I will not reintroduce sugar formally. If the food causes some sort of reaction, I will not consume more of it.
Phase 3, repair. In this phase (which I will continue for about 3 months formally) entails lots of gut healing bone broths, homemade ferments, extra grass-fed gelatin elixirs, and some good thoughts and lovin’ towards my gut.
Phase 4, try the irritating food once again, but only in their whole-unprocessed forms. This is to see if I have been able to heal my gut to the extent in which I could consume these foods again.
I am currently in Phase 3 of the Elimination Diet journey. I feel loads better mentally, and have even lost 5 cm of inflammation from my waistline. My experience has been many things, but a positive gift of self-love more than anything. And that is thought I most kept present with me throughout the journey: this is an act of self-love. Oftentimes diets are born out of dislike for our bodies or self. In the conspiracy of this Elimination Diet, I was sure to plant the seed deeply within self-love. A desire to feel better because I deserve it. Not because I was castigating myself. Because of love.
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February 1st.
Day One of Elimination diet. I feel motivated, and energized. I slept relatively well (for a baby mama) last night, and awoke early with the sun, although I would have like to sleep longer and deeper. I ate left over garbanzos with garden vegetables for breakfast, however I still felt hungry afterwards. So I made a little smoothie of banana, coconut, kale, maca, and water. Now I feel good and satisfied. I measured my waist today, to take some measurements, and it was 81cm. This is my first day of a 30 day Elimination Diet: no dairy, gluten, corn, soy, or sugar. Later in the day I had some very strong cravings for dairy. I ate nuts to fill the hole, which didn’t feel totally great. In the evening I had strong sugar cravings. I also ate a plethora of legumes, which mixed with the nuts was an ‘irritating’ experience for my tummy.
February 7th.
I eat eggs for breakfast. And I know how complete and delicious that food is, but my body is asking for a creamy, honey sweetened thing. Withdrawal baby. I sort of love it because this feels like the first mountain of this elimination. The rest of the day was good, I ate very well. And my sugar and bread cravings were strong, to say the least. But I resisted and that is empowering! For dinner I had eggs with kale and brown rice.
February 8th.
Today I ate eggs with swiss chard and tomatoes for breakfast. I feel like I want sugar, or just sort of sleepy in general. And the feeling I have inside is empowerment. It’s rewarding how difficult it is, its climbing a mountain. Yesterday we got together with friends and made focaccia. I could not eat it, but I prepared it in good company, and that was enough of an enjoyment to me. As well, usually upon preparing and eating focaccia with friends, I would feel lousy afterwards. So the ´gusto´ was actually greater in abstaining from eating it. I am on a positive road towards change. Towards lasting, duradero, change. In the evening time, I went to Ibañez to water my greenhouse and harvest fruit. And fruit we did harvest. A colorful juicy bounty of apples, pears, and apricots. Ilio and I enjoyed filling our bellies with this delicious summertime harvest, and I couldn’t help but think that THESE are the moments to indulge. To drink in. The fresh fruits of summer on a hot sunny evening. We came home and I made a little tea-time meal for the family and our neighbor who joined us. I ate sautéed cabbage from my garden, drank a little glass of white wine, and to bed.
February 9th.
It is 8:30. I am awake before the babe. I am sitting on my front porch with my mama cat, and the sun is just peeking out its bright golden rays onto my legs. Grateful. I am drinking mate, and I hear the stream, and birds. Yesterday I was studying a little more about hypothyroidism. The theme has returned to me again and again through my personal health journey, and through my professional research. I have heard of Hashimoto’s, and various other forms of thyroid dysfunction, and I have also heard from many friends that they are taking hormone replacement pills for their hypothyroidism. It has been a subject on my list of things to research, to say the least. And now, in my own quest to help (which truly has been ongoing for years), the theme returns, flashing its feathers. Hypothyroidism is actually a very common disorder. Our society relies so much on sugar to function (in many forms, from excess candy to bread and pasta consumption). The body truly only needs 1-2 teaspoons per day. We are biologically evolved to consume MUCH less, and even from time to time change our fuel source from glucose, to ketones, a process called Ketogenesis. But with all of the food technology that has befalls us since the dawn of agriculture, sugar consumption has skyrocketed and seldom if ever do we enter into this fat-burning mechanism of ketogenesis. SO much sugar consumption causes our hormones to fire tirelessly—but over time they tire, oh yes they do. And in comes thyroid dysfunction, adrenal fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, leaky gut etc. etc. The diagnosis have become the background music of our generation. Present, quietly accepting, not fully noticed, normal. The background music. That has been my epiphany. I am not sick, I am a generally healthy woman. Active, healthy weight, muscular in places, curved in others. A mother. I function “well”, I would say. However, I still feel like it is my birthright enjoy a better health. Mental and physical. My symptoms of intense fatigue, irritability, occasional anxiousness, apathy,  brain fog, super thin nails, hair that easily breaks, have all bed accepted as mild enough, as normal. But, could these all be symptoms of food sensitivities I never knew of? Or symptoms of thyroid dysfunction, caused by toxins and sugar consumption? These are all questions we ALL need to ask ourselves. Because I am learning that it’s not just about eating healthy, it’s about getting to know our bodies with a deep and intimate understanding. Experimenting. Taking foods our, putting others in. Eating simply, taking notes, and being patient. My health journey right now is this elimination diet, which I have now decided that I will follow with a sugar detox and even more gut healing foods. And this is my grand gift to myself. For lunch I ate a garbanzo bean salad with farm fresh vegetables and olive oil. Then I ate some fresh fruit, hard boiled eggs for a snack, and sausage with kale and broccoli for dinner. Delicious, colorful, and satisfying.
February 10th.
A 7am wake up, to red water colored hills and a milky blue sky. My tummy feels good, and very un-bloated. Late last night, it was around 11:30 pm and my little Ilio still wouldn’t sleep. And he was just screaming. Sometimes it´s just a self-expression scream… but ear piercing none the less. And terribly painful and tiring. In this moment, I imagined some food that I would love to eat, as if it would be a sweet sanctuary. I imagined cream with dulce de leche, quince scones, chocolate cookies… delicious foods that I know exist. And in this late night moment of stress, I just thought about how I wanted these foods, then slowly deconstructed the craving. I really only crave food in moments of stress, when I feel that I cannot control the situation. Sweetness for taste buds is the sweet escape from the roughness of the moment.  And due to this promise to myself and gift to myself, I let these craving be thoughts. Exist because they needed to exist, and float away. I ate odd things for breakfast, cucumbers with hummus, and a pear. I couldn’t poop in the morning, which never happens. And as a highly sensitive person, who appreciates a good poop (who doesn’t), I fasted until around 11 and then snacked on these things until lunch time. For lunch I made a roast of carrots, beets, cherry tomatoes, and some horse meat (all of our own production). Satisfying, but my body is still getting used to significantly less carbs, and bread. Then I snacked on some sunflower seeds and pears. Dinner was a seaweed-cabbage frittata. Nourished. I made myself a bedtime tea of lemon balm, Saint Johns wort, with gelatin and a little stevia, and this treat made all the difference. A reward. I have been programmed to reward myself with food, but upon listening to my body, I learn what is truly the gift my body craves.
February 11th.
This elimination diet has been coupled with intense research, and I feel so personally identified with hypothyroidism, not quite Hashimoto’s, but in that ballpark. Putting a name to a slew of symptoms that have made me feel less than great for such a long time is liberating. The wave function collapses. There is a “cure” (according to who you ask, but YES, there is). It’s an early morning, 6:45. I feel energized, my tummy feels flat and un-bloated. The sunrise is red, and the air is warm. I drink mate with my love outside as the kids (Ilio and his brother) play in their dreams. I feel empowered and energized by the change in diet, and my personal diagnosis. Turns out hypothyroidism can also be a result of pregnancy, elevated estrogen, and stress. All realities for me and my body. For breakfast, I ate the seaweed frittata leftovers, and a pear. Lunch was yellow split-pea soup cooked with garden herbs and tomatoes and a bit of sheep lard. My husband cooked up some little steaks to accompany the soup, and I made a fresh kale salad. I felt very satisfied after lunch but a few hours after those sugar cravings came back, so I ate some raisins. I think I could have better resisted, but context always changes ones strength. My baby was holding out for his second nap and really just needed all of my energy, and abracadabra … that stress transformed into me looking for some sweet release. Interesting how that works. We went down to town in the afternoon, and I harvested vegetable to deliver. It was a hot, windy day in Patagonia. Upon returning home I cooked up some fresh sausage with the seaweed leftovers. I served that with the same soup from lunch and enjoyed it all wrapped up in a cabbage leaf. Delish.
February 12th.
Day twelve of elimination diet. I don’t know if it’s the early morning sun peaking between the mountains in my bedroom window, or this change in eating, but I just feel so good in the morning. I feel like I have digested all of my food from the day before, I feel energized, inspired.
February 15th.
I awake energized, early, and mentally in a good place. I eat mackerel croquettes for breakfast with my sundried tomatoes and sauerkraut. Lunch was made by my saucy lover who in his previous life, before he was a rugged horse trainer, was a chef. He cooked up zucchini, carrots, potatoes (all from the garden), with sausage and sesame. Everything was cut in long strips and was esthetically VERY pleasing. Also delicious. After lunch I went to the stream with the kids, played in the sun, and went for a long run. I haven’t run in a while, but that felt so so good. I got past the first mountain of tiredness, then I felt good. Light on my feet. It was nearly golden hour, and I was alone with the forest and mountains. Aloneness feels extremely delightful and potent at this time in my life. I came home and cooked up lentils with lots of fresh tomatoes in bone broth, and made some mutton steaks. We all ate a late dinner together in the fleeting light of dusk. Nourishing, delicious. A day of activity, sun, and lots of yummy food.
February 16th.
Finally a good day of pooping. Perhaps it was that gelatin rich bone broth with lentils last night that my body DEEPLY enjoyed. It was one of those existential pleasure foods. Now I feel reset. I awoke at about 6:45 today. Every day it seems that I get up a little bit earlier, and I feel more energy throughout the day. Early morning I prepared maca with gelatin and a little stevia. It was a calm morning, the boys playing outside while I got my studying done.  Breakfast was a small bowl of dinner leftovers with sauerkraut. Lunch was homemade tomato soup, made with a bine broth base, accompanied by some garlic sautéed swiss chard. In the afternoon we made some toasted sunflower seed butter to eat with pears and apples. Super delicious and Vicente and Ilio LOVED this one. I always put some flaxseeds in with the seeds while I process it. After that, we took a short nap, did the evening chores (fetch the sheep, feed the animals, and water the garden). I still felt satisfied from the snack, so dinner was just the same as lunch, and I felt satisfied. Most days I prepare different foods for my husband and the kids. Mostly because Vicente, my step-son, has a super different diet when he is isn’t with us, so I like to accommodate his diet a bit in my home. I am only commenting in this journal the food that are for the elimination diet, in another entry I will post a full on food diary/family meal plan.
February 17th.
I was up to a sweet pink sunrise. Sleeping babes, mate, a short stretch session. Simple delicious delights. I love not feeling bloated or heavy in the morning. I love this energized feeling I have. This morning is chilly and the Patagonia Autumn is whispering to me that she is on her way. The romance of our wood stove is oh-so-lovely on mornings like these. I feel grateful. A few notes on symptoms. My skin is generally blemish free. In my younger youth I struggled quite a bit with acne, but that was a past chapter of my life. In these past few days I have gotten a few blemishes. I feel as if my body is in the detoxifying process. I would like to sweat more to speed up this detoxification, and perhaps drink some herbs to support this process. For lunch I prepared some soaked brown rice and bean, cooked in both broth. Served with a swiss chard salad and roasted tomatoes. A really nourishing meal, however I felt extremely fatigued after and intense brain fog. In the evening time I made some whole-wheat ginger bread for my family, which obviously I am choosing to not enjoy right now. So I roasted some sunflower seeds, and processed them with cacao and a tiny bit of honey to make a DELICIOUS nut butter treat. I served myself quite a bit of this delicacy with fruit, perhaps more than my body needed. I felt a little too full, however I didn’t not feel that post-meal fatigue.
February 22nd.
Yesterday I didn’t follow this daily routine I have been carving out for myself, and that made me feel quite out of balance. I struggle to keep my certain healthy habits for me and my son when we have visitors. I was listening to a podcast from Mark Sisson, founder of the PrimalBluePrint. He talked about flexibility, in all sense of the word. I feel strongly that my body requires more healing before I can reach that point of flexibility in my schedule and diet. Right now I thrive off of routine, with intermittent adventures. Yesterday I woke up suuuuper late, like 10:30. We ate breakfast at noon (mutton chopped up super-fine with garlic and cabbage leaves). Lunch was at 4:00. It was a stew of mutton with fava beans, green beans, and squash. Served with raw carrot and cucumber salad. Dinner was a sort of tea time snack at 10:00pm. I made some 100% oat flour cookies (oats, flax, banana, honey, butter, baking soda). Not technically a gluten-containing food, but if I am honest with myself, it is. The rest of the family and visitors had homemade bread with cheese. Now it is the morning time, I woke up at 7am, didn’t sleep too well. I had quite a bit stomach pain and bloating in the morning, most definitely a product of the oat consumption. However, my mind is clear. What I really want to cure is the brain fog, forgetfulness, mood swings, etc. I want to feel good in my BRAIN. Breakfast was leftover cazuela. Lunch was the same followed by like three maca-cacao-honey drinks. Some sort of a nervous-ish thing. Dinner was Tripe curry with carrot salad and pickles. That felt great and all of the cravings stopped with this nutritious meal.
February 23rd.
Today I awoke around 7:50. Alone. I still had some stomach-colon issues like yesterday, but it was much better. As of now I feel good. But this is always the hour when I feel the best. Today I am back on the train. I would say thus far in my journey, I feel MUCH better and happier. Today my waist measurement was 76.5 cm. In my notes I can see that on January 1st, my waist size was 81cm. So I have lowered 4.5 cm. Breakfast was two eggs, cooked in sheep lard, with garlic, oregano, and swiss chard. Then I ate a small pear. Lunch was sautéed zucchini, mackerel, and garlic. All wrapped up in a lettuce leaf. Then I drank two cacao-maca-honey drinks (sugar cravings began). Dinner was leftover tripe curry. Then I all of the sudden had strong desires for sugar again. I made cassava flour crepes with honey. I think that was a mental craving more so than a physical one.
February 24th.
I was thinking last night how it really has been difficult preparing foods that I cannot eat. Sometimes it feels empowering, other times it’s debilitating. I think I would like to prepare Elimination-diet-approved foods for Roman as well. Vicente leaves today with his mama, which I think will be a big help in terms of food preparation. My honest beliefs are that gluten, sweeteners, and many grains are NOT good for us, so why do I feed them to my family? That’s my primary thought for today.
So there you have a bit of my overly-personal Elimination Diet journey. I have chosen to just be 100% honest in sharing my experience, because I feel as if that is the gift I can share with you. I believe that a lot of us neglect to say some things due to shame, when that very things could deeply connect us! So there you have it. It is now March 10th, I feel as if I went from a 6 to an 8.5 since I began this Elimination Diet Journey. Now I am eating lots of broths (so beautifully coinciding with the fall time), homemade head-cheese (an amazing anti-inflammatory gut healer), more organ meats, homemade ferments (kefir included), and herbs to lower inflammation and soothe the gut. Perhaps cooling my Pitta, but a fall-time version. Cheers to self-love, delicious food, and the healing journey.
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kathiestudies · 7 years
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how to prepare for school
hi! i’m back with another masterpost. this one will be relevant to more people. i posted a youtube video that has all of these tips, so please check it out! it would mean the world to me if you liked, commented, and/or subscribed. ♥
anyway enough self-promo! welcome to -
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there are ten tips! k let’s get started ->
start waking up earlier! set an alarm an hour or two before the time you have to wake up during school. for example, if i have to wake up at 6am during the school year, then in the week before school starts, i’ll make sure to start waking up at 7am or 8am every day! this way you’ll get used to waking up earlier, and when school actually starts, you won’t miss your alarm or be overcome with lassitude.
start to study a bit! this is pretty self-explanatory but it only takes a little bit of studying to remember a lot of what you learned last year. for example, soon i will be downloading duolingo on my phone to study spanish! during the summer i basically forgot nearly everything i learned in spanish i, so i need to relearn that stuff pretty quickly in order to be prepared for spanish ii.
look at your school’s clubs and activities! decide what extracurriculars you want to join this year. for example, i’m planning to join gymnastics, girls’ tennis, green team, and maybe key club, table tennis club, and/or math club (yea i’m interested in everything). this way you won’t go to school on the first day and have no idea what you’re going to be doing lol
pretend to be excited about school! this seems kinda stupid but it actually works. try thinking, “oh, i haven’t seen my friends in so long and i’m so bored and unproductive and lazy during the summer i can’t wait for school to start so i can hang out with my friends every day and be productive and not lazy and i’ll feel so much better during the school year i can’t wait for school to start!!” yea… (and also “i can’t wait to take pretty notes and post pictures of them on my studyblr!!“ bc yes)
read more! it’s fun and gets you prepared for school, because obviously you have to read a lot in school. i’d recommend reading historical books like sarah’s key, between shades of gray, and the book thief. i really liked sarah’s key, loved bsog, and am currently enjoying the book thief immensely!!
plan out a schedule! tbh you probably won’t end up actually following it to the minute, but they’re fun to make (for me at least), gets your mindset ready, and at least you have some foundation to your daily school routine!
organize your life! tidy your desk, room, closet, whatever. it makes you feel good, your house look good, and you start school ready and fresh!
set goals! what grades do you want? how long are you going to study every day to achieve that? etc etc. and they don’t have to be academic—they can be sports as well. maybe you want to get six minutes on the mile. they could also be studyblr/gram related! for example, in my ten goals post, i set a goal to reach 500 followers on my studygram before school starts (september sixth). maybe for the school year i could set a goal to reach 1000 followers before 2018! who knows? set whatever goals you want and make sure you work to achieve that.
eat breakfast! if you already eat breakfast every day during the summer, this doesn’t apply to you, sorry! k so during the summer, i wake up really late (like 12pm late), and it’s really bad. since i wake up so late, i usually skip breakfast and just eat lunch as my first meal. however, during school, you need those fiber and carbs to keep you energized and awake during class, so make sure you start eating breakfast every day a week or two before school starts so that once school does start and you have to eat breakfast you won’t vomit!!! yay
familiarize yourself with your schedule if you receive it early! this ensures that you won’t be a confused wreck on the first day of school:) good luck and best wishes this school year everyone!
thank you so much for reading this! ily
previous masterpost: how to get better grades in online school
x kathie
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08.20.17
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halli-in-thailand · 6 years
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Daily Life as of right now
Its week 7! Is anyone else totally blown away by this or is it just me? I feel like I’ve experienced so much, but this is still only the beginning.
I’ll try to just explain this from my perspective. PST is like this weird little world where I am experiencing so many new things all at once, and then there are deadlines and expectations, and I’m supposed to reflect on and rate my personality and my mental health awareness and self-care and things I wish all my other professional experiences up until this point had genuinely cared about. Meanwhile I am adjusting to a new culture and the Thai people are giving me constant nonverbal feedback about my actions and decisions, and Peace Corps staff members are giving me verbal feedback about how I’m doing at all of these things and I’m learning formally and informally daily and speaking Thai at home and parts of the work day and still people look at me so often and say, “You look tired. Are you sleeping okay?” Actually, yes I’m getting more sleep regularly than ever in my life, can you imagine any other reason I might look tired?
With that said, my soul is wide awake. I am filled with spirit and love for all of these parts of the process, even though my body and mind are tired.
The days here have become pretty routine. I wake up in the morning, get dressed, and pack my backpack. I leave my room, wai (a sort-of bow, general greeting in Thailand) my Mee, and she usually has coffee and breakfast already set up for me. (She is such a gem and there will be a blog post just for her in a little while.) After breakfast, I brush my teeth, get going on my bike, say bye to Mee and wai the neighbors. Although the training schedule varies slightly from day to day, most days I study Thai at a local school in the morning where we get lots of hugs and get to speak English with the students a bit. I always get lunch with other volunteers somewhere nearby, sometimes the school is kind enough to feed us. Then, we bike to the local government office for afternoon technical sessions. Sometimes I have tutoring in the afternoons, sometimes I hang around or grab grilled cheese(yesss we found grilled cheese here) at the little cafe down the road, and then I bike home. When I get home, Mee greets me with a giant smile and asks, “Wanee nuuai mai luuk” (Literally, “Today, are you tired, daughter”). She always pours me a cold pepsi. My moments with her are always highlights of my day. We hang around the house for a while. I usually read or do homework. She usually feeds me endless fruit and snacks until I tell her I will be too full for dinner if I eat another bite. Then we eat dinner at home or at the neighbors’ house. We watch TV and lay around some more before I shower and retreat to my room for some more HW or Netflix or picture editing or reading or letter writing before going to sleep early. The weekends vary quite a bit and some weeknights there are random surprises, but this is pretty regular at this point.
Although the days look similar, my interior world changes drastically from day to day and even within days. It has been explained to us as a rollercoaster over time, but every day has its own hills. Its not all fun and games here. Some days are better than others. Even on the hardest days, I have these beautiful moments where my consciousness is taken over by this great appreciation for where I am and what I am doing. A beautiful sight catches my attention and all of a sudden I am limitlessly grateful and joyful, even for a fleeting moment, but that keeps me pushing those pedals on my bike and sitting at the neighbors’ trying to speak with them even though I can only understand 5-10% of what is going on.
I am doing a ton of inner work and trying to set intentions for all of this energy that is within me, created by my surroundings. I feel like my soul has already started opening. I am learning about myself and this world and other people in it. How lucky am I that I have been given this opportunity, and I was able to embrace it with open arms and an open heart.
Today I feel amazing. I feel energized by my peers and my surroundings and myself. What will tomorrow bring? Only one way to find out.
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guitarpanda8 · 5 years
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A Week of Eating with Haile Thomas, the Teen Vegan Sensation and Founder of HAPPY
Meet Haile Thomas, the 18-year-old health activist, vegan food & lifestyle influencer, and the founder/CEO of the nonprofit HAPPY (aka, Healthy Active Positive Purposeful Youth). Michelle Obama has said that “Haile is an example for all of you, what your little powerful voices can do to change the world.”
Read on to see what the teen vegan powerhouse eats in a typical week. 
MONDAY
Starting Monday off on the right foot is always my #1 priority, because we all know how easy it is to fall into the “I miss the weekend!!” trap. In the morning, I’ll usually have some kind of warm drink since it’s typically pretty chilly (I’m talking 30 degrees or lower) during this time of year. I like to alternate between the biggest hug, a mug of super rich and creamy coconut matcha, golden milk, and lemon ginger or peppermint tea.
During my teatime, I really enjoy being away from my phone and doing some gratitude/intention journaling or just gazing out the window indulging in my obsession with clouds! That always starts my day on such a peaceful and positive note, and I can move onto emails or project planning with a clear and ready mind. Mondays are often my day just to catch up and get back into the groove of anything I was working on the week before. I almost never schedule meetings on this day because I want to ensure I can be fully dedicated to getting back into work mode.
Monday lunches are all about replenishing the energy I’ve used up in the morning and continuing the momentum. And because I’m an entrepreneur who works from home, I have the absolute joy of just getting up and heading over to my kitchen to make anything I’d like! Lunchtime also provides a much-needed mental break from any of the work I was focused on, which is so great. My go-to is a quick lively bowl with some greens, roasted veggies, quinoa, and either a tahini- or cashew-based dressing. These kinds of lunches leave me dancing, happy and rejuvenated! I’ll usually photograph what I eat to post on Instagram later in the week.
TUESDAY
Tuesdays are normally the start of meetings, interviews or recipe testing for the week. When I’m really busy and have video shoots, or I’m working on content for some of the awesome brands I get to work with, I try to make my meals ridiculously easy. I start the morning off with some homemade granola (Golden Milk Granola is my fave!), a little bit of oat milk and fresh fruit. It takes me like 5 seconds to put everything together in a bowl and head to my desk to start working for the day.
On busy days like this, I tend to rely on snacks more than anything as I don’t want to interrupt my concentration or schedule too much — sunflower seed pesto with fresh veggies, or avocado toast loaded with mushrooms, pickled onions and some tangy artisan vegan cheese are definitely go-tos.
My mom, sister and I tend to alternate the responsibility of cooking dinner throughout the week. If I’m still working around 4:30/5pm, my mom will start making one of her classics, like Jamaican Escovitch Tofu or Oyster Mushroom Curry with coconut rice. There’s literally nothing better than the sizzle of a skillet and the smell of rich, cultural spices wafting through the air. And when it’s time to eat? Her food is literally the definition of comfort, filling up my belly and spirit. Any day my mom cooks is my favorite day.
WEDNESDAY
When it’s super cold out or snowing and you live in a small town in upstate New York, heading to a yoga class or the gym isn’t really an option. Instead, I love using apps to get some movement in at home. I try to do this at least four times a week, because when I do, I can really feel the difference in my energy and mood! Getting my heart pumping always leaves me feeling physically, but even more so, mentally refreshed.
I have a bit more pep in my step as I start the day. My refuel varies from veggie tofu scrambles with lots of cheesy nutritional yeast to really fun and creative oats. Both are super customizable so it is never really the same experience each time I eat them. For the tofu scramble, I like adding shiitake mushrooms, colorful heirloom cherry tomatoes, onions and parsley, with my one true love, avocado, on top! For my oats, I really go wild with the combos because I believe oatmeal should never be boring…so you can catch pumpkin, sweet potato, almond butter, berries, candied pecans, orange zest, and more in my oatmeal.
Because it’s the middle of the week, I love spicing up my schedule to re-energize.  If I’m not already traveling or working on a cool project, I like to go on cute mini adventures during lunch. Some of my favorite things to do include: visiting a u-pick farm or a new vegan restaurant for inspiration, going for a stroll and taking photos at an art park like Storm King, or heading to open skate at our local rink. It just adds a nice break in the part of my work that can be heavily screen based.
THURSDAY
If you can’t tell by now, diversity within my week is super important to me…or else I’ll go a little crazy! It keeps me inspired and energized. Thursdays start with some reading. I’m doing a 50-book challenge this year and aim to get in an hour or two of reading before I start the day! It’s so peaceful and fun for me to dive into a whole other world or a really interesting topic for a few hours before I dive into mine.
A little later, I start filming some videos for a course I’m working on for my nonprofit, HAPPY. This takes up most of my time during the day because there’s limited daylight, but it’s a lot of fun working on planning and production and then finally putting everything together when I shoot!
Dinner is a lovely, spicy, incredibly flavorful vindaloo using Beyond Meat’s sausage as a protein. With its incredible texture and flavor, this sausage is one of my favorite vegan products to experiment with from time to time.
FRIDAY
Fridays are my day for planning content for the week ahead. I make a list of all the recipes I’d like to share and photos I want to take for my Instagram. Then I double check my fridge and pantry for ingredients and map out what I’ll need to do for lifestyle shots. And because I am currently working on a book (!!!), I majorly prioritize writing at the end of the week and usually split my time pretty evenly between both activities. I like Friday to be just a really chill and reflective day, so I don’t usually schedule any meetings either. As I’m in the zone planning and writing, I love having something hearty to power me through — like roasted purple potato wedges with mashed avocado to dip in!
In the evening, I wind down work a little early and watch a documentary (I’m also doing a 100-documentary challenge this year!) or read some more with the fireplace crackling, some lo-fi music playing softly in the background, and my whole body wrapped like a burrito in the coziest fluffy blanket. This is the best time for hot cocoa and coconut whip!
SATURDAY
Saturday breakfasts are always kind of fancy — and I love it. My family and I go all out, making crepes, pancakes, tofu Benedict, or whatever we’re really craving at the moment. It’s so much fun spending time with each other in the kitchen, laughing, talking about anything, and combining our creative powers to make the best breakfast. We’ll set the table, bust out the apple juice from our local farm, and dig in — all smiles style.
The rest of the day is mainly spent working on the content I planned on Friday, so most of our weekend lunches and dinners end up being Instagram recipes!
Saturday nights are my favorite. This is when I really get to indulge in some self-care. I’ll throw on a face mask, deep condition my hair, take a magnesium soak, and binge watch Nailed It! or Worst Cooks in America. It’s honestly the best.
SUNDAY
Sundays are my day for more R&R but also for preparing for the week ahead. I’ll start the day off by setting intentions and goals for the new week. When Monday comes around, I’m more focused and work with a clearer sense of purpose. Then it’s time to head to the farmers’ market! Whenever I’m in town, I try my best to make it there. Then I can shop locally for everything I need for the next few days or any special recipes I’m developing.
The farmers’ market is always an adventure. Often I’ll find really amazing ingredients, such as Hen of the Woods mushrooms, sea beans or watermelon radishes, that aren’t normally available at my regular grocery store. There’s a lovely Indian food vendor who makes the best chickpea yellow curry with idli, so I always grab a container of their food for lunch before heading back home with my veggies and other fun stuff from the market!
The rest of the day I spend with family. We watch movies, do DIY projects, and have a pretty fun and sometimes pretty intense game night at our house that I always look forward to. It’s these moments that make the weekend so sweet.
Source: https://blog.williams-sonoma.com/a-week-of-eating-with-haile-thomas-the-teen-vegan-sensation-and-founder-of-happy/
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hiddensummitgp · 5 years
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Fresh Start
New Day. Fresh Start. Those words can mean a lot depending on how you look at them. A new day means that you have a fresh 24 hours to accomplish what ever it is that you want. You have a fresh start so to speak and you have one every single day. So what do you want? What needs to get done? Well, that is up to you.
What are your priorities? What does your day look like? Let’s make a list, shall we? I am going to make a huge generalization here, so just work with me...
Wake up
Eat
Go to work
Complete work related tasks
Eat lunch
Finish work for day
Run errands
Eat dinner....have a drink
Go to bed
How’s that look? Besides running errands, I would guess that most people do all of those things everyday. Probably base your whole day around most of those things. There is even a chance that some of those things are all you look forward to throughout your day. Whoof. If thats true, maybe we should try to turn your focus toward some other stuff. yea, obviously there are other random things that happen, but those are the big ones. Do you enjoy that list? I mean after all it is your life, so you might as well enjoy it.
Lets talk...
So you wake up. What time do you wake up? Do you have an alarm set to start your day at a decent hour? Do you have a routine to follow once you do? Is there any time set aside for you during that routine? Here is some advice: If you want to get the most out of your day and truly be your best self, it has to start in the beginning. First thing in the morning as soon as you wake. I mean, why wait for your day to get good when it can be great from the very start? Set an alarm to wake up at a decent hour. If you have to go to a job, make sure it is set early enough so you don’t have to rush to get ready and run out the door. Start building a morning routine that works for you. Routines are something we make. We get to choose them. Yea, they involve some getting used to and may not always seem great at first, but that is why you must build one that is great for you. Just like any other skill, you will learn to master your routine and from it you shall reap the rewards. 
Your routine should start with you. Just like David Bach says when it comes to your finances, “pay yourself first”.  It is no different when it comes to your mentality and your happiness. Start your day off by focusing on you. Get your mind set in the right place. Prep yourself for the new day. Do something for you that makes you feel good, and most importantly, do it first. When it comes to your life, it is ok to be a bit selfish, because if you’re no good for you, you’re going to be no good for anyone else. Just like that whole oxygen thing when your plane is crashing. Put your own damn air on first so you can save all the babies and be a hero... So now that you’re good to go, you can get your day going with a positive attitude and get ready to crush whatever comes your way.
Now let’s talk about eating. What are you eating? Do you care what you’re eating? Do you want to be eating better? Are you trying to eat better? All questions worth asking I think, but I guess first you need to ask yourself if you even care what you eat, because if not then this section doesn’t really mean shit, does it? Honestly, then most of my writings don’t apply to you, because they are all about bettering yourself, and your diet is a huge factor in that. I am not talking about having washboard abs or being on the cover of Women’s Health Magazine. I am simply talking about not shoving shit down your face. What you eat throughout the day matters. It effects your brain function, your joint and muscle function, your blood flow, your skin, your energy levels, your sleep, your focus, your memory, all of it. Eating healthy is not just for models and athletes. It is for anyone who is trying to make the most out of their lives. It is for you. So start giving a shit about what you eat.
So you go to work. What do you do for a living? Do you like it? Do you look forward to it most days? Do you come home with a smile? While you are at work do you feel energized from the tasks and to-dos? Is there room to grow? Listen, we all need to work because we all have bill and we all need money to survive. And yes, some jobs pay better than others. And no, not all jobs can be fun. But, your job can be...
[Side note: If you are happy with what you do, then please keep doing it. Being able to enjoy your work is one the things that you should cherish and appreciate more than most. Take pride in it. It seems to be a rare commodity these days] 
As for the rest of you, if you are not enjoying what you do, maybe you should start trying to. I am not suggesting that I know your job better than you and know some different way to enjoy your work that you have somehow overlooked since the time you have started working there. No. I am saying that you should start looking for work that does excite you. Something that does give you energy. Something you do look forward to every day. Something that feeds your passion and your drive. Will you find it in the Yellow pages or on Linkedin? Probably not. Sorry pal. 
You will probably have to make it yourself from scratch, but that is something to look forward to everyday. A reason to come home with a smile. A reason to wake up early and prep yourself for the day. A reason to eat healthy and feel great and full of energy. It will not happen over night and it will not be easy, but it will be worth it. You will have to do it on your free time. Please don’t just up and quit your job. You will have to be patient. You will have to work late. You will also have to enjoy the great success that comes from it, because you will succeed.
So yea, now you have some errands to run after work and you will have dinner and you will eventually go to bed, but at least now dinner will be healthy and feel good. Your errands will include items to help grow your dream. Your time before bed will be spent working with passion and desire. Your sleep will be sound and peaceful. You will wake up and prioritize yourself first. You will get your head right. You will be ready to conquer the day. Your breakfast will be something you are proud of and you will go to work with a new energy because you know that you now have a driving purpose each and every day. 
Fresh start. You get one every single day. How about you take tomorrow’s and do something good with it. Become better. Hidden Summit.
www.hiddensummit.co/
@hiddensummit_
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tbhstudying1 · 5 years
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from for the dreams i want to catch https://ift.tt/2uvprPu via See More
Stay Energized in the Winter!
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I live in Ithaca now, and at this time of year, the sun’s up for like 8-9 hours a day, and it’s cold and dark, and you often find yourself not wanting to do anything. However, I still need to keep up with my studies, and I’m sure some of you are faced with a similar problem. So, I’ve gathered some of the things I do to help me stay energized throughout a winter day.
Understand your energy levels and work with them
I don’t think it’s reasonable to expect yourself to be able to do as much work or be as energized in the colder months as you do in warmer months.
For example, maybe in the summer/fall, you could survive with 5 hours of sleep and more intense work sessions, but in the winter, you might need more breaks and more sleep, and trying to resist that might result in the further deterioration of your energy levels. If you don’t already, try taking a midday break.
You shouldn’t feel guilty for having to recharge. You’ll be more productive afterwards.
Get enough sunlight
Exposure to sunlight boosts your mood by increasing your body’s serotonin levels - one of the happy hormones. It makes you more alert, energized, and prevents you from getting Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
My advice is to spend as much daylight time doing things so you can do them the most productively. Even if you’re more inclined to do things later in the day, at least push forward some of the things on your daily routine, or rearrange them in such a way that you get as much sunlight possible.
This semester - unfittingly called the ‘spring’ semester - I tried to schedule my classes as early as possible, even though I generally get sluggish in the afternoon and then work better in the evening. This is because I want to have time to do my work - or at least be out - while the sun’s still up.
Exercise where you can
It’s so hard to exercise outdoors in this weather, but I still see people going for jogs around campus, or hitting the gym. Personally, I just do some stretching and light exercise in my room.
Alternatively, if you take the bus, get off a stop early then walk the rest of the way (unless there’s terrible weather like a snowstorm or something where being outside is harmful). The key thing is that you get yourself moving, especially in the morning - you’ll be more productive and happier throughout the day.
Shower
I know the winter’s cold and you don’t feel like you have to take a shower, especially since it can make your skin dry. However, it’s a great energy booster, especially in the morning. Showering in the morning improves your blood flow and alertness, and reduces your stress levels throughout the day. If you don’t have time in the morning, shower in the evening, so you’ll have more energy after the sun goes down..
Make plans or have something to look forward to
Nothing is more draining than knowing that you have nothing to do, nothing to look forward to. You’ll probably just end up in your bed watching Netflix all day, which, let’s face it, might be fun at first but turns out to be a hell of an energy drainer. Go out to eat, study with someone, or at least watch something together.
Indulge yourself
Curl up with a good book. Watch your favorite show. Play some tunes while you sketch your favorite characters or OCs. It’s the winter, you deserve a little break to recover. If you don’t relax every now and then, you won’t be able to work as intensely and focus as hard as you want or need to.
Also, although it’s great to eat healthy, but a cup of hot cocoa or a muffin once in a while is fine and makes you happier in that moment.
Work on an indoor hobby
You’re going to spend a lot of time indoors, might as well use that time usefully (aside from schoolwork or other obligations). I like doing creative things like digital art, journaling, or bullet journaling while listening to a podcast, or reading - these types of activities are the most energizing for me.
You don’t need to do the things I listed - the point is, you should use your time indoors wisely, since during other parts of the year, you’ll probably be out a lot more.
Listen to the right music
I don’t know what y’all listen to but music is an awesome energy booster if you can align it with how you’re feeling. You know how sometimes you listen to a certain type of music and your mind just feels like it’s hovering there, like it’s slightly repelled by the music but you also don’t really hate it, and you just end up feeling unfulfilled afterwards? (That was a trash explanation but I hope you understand what I mean.) Yeah don’t do that.
During the day, listen to music that keeps you awake and energized - it could be hard hitting rock or dance-y pop or maybe even something mellow. Whatever it is, don’t try to counter it. I like to listen to roaring guitars in the morning, and slow jazz in the evening, and that works for me.
Get enough sleep (‘enough’ might be more than you usually get)
During the winter, you can take advantage of the cold and cozy weather to get more sleep. I know it’s tempting to keep working until you finish all your tasks, but if it means sacrificing your sleep, you’ll only end up depriving yourself of your already low levels of energy. Also, make sure you get good quality sleep so that you’ll be as energized as possible the next morning.
However, don’t get too much sleep. This morning, I came into math class, and my friend was like ‘you look really tired today, is something wrong?’ and no, there was nothing wrong. It’s just that this morning, I chose to sleep in until 8 when I usually wake up at 7, meaning I slept more than I should have. Too much sleep just makes you feel groggy once you wake up.
During the day, take a power nap if you have to, but don’t extend it for too long that your sleep inertia kicks in and you can’t get up anymore.
Focus on your food
I think the food we eat - and how we eat it - is a huge factor in maintaining our energy levels during these cold, dark months. So here’s an entire section about food-related strategies to combat the winter blues.
1. Eat well
Winter might tempt you to eat bulky food and sweets, but they’re not that beneficial to your productivity and energy levels. Sugary foods actually cause you to be sleepy during the day and reduce the quality of your sleep at night. Instead, opt to eat foods that contain
Vitamin C - like in fruits and vegetables - to boost your energy levels; and
Vitamin B12 - like fish, milk, and eggs - to reduce fatigue
2. Have good eating habits (don’t skip breakfast!)
In college especially, a lot of people skip breakfast - and sometimes even lunch - only to overeat during dinnertime. However, having a good breakfast - especially one with protein, fiber, and whole grains - will increase your ability to focus and boost your productivity throughout the day. Maybe you’re the type of person who tends to skip breakfast - the winter’s a great time to pick up the habit of having a morning meal. Recently, I’ve been having peanut butter and acai overnight oats - nutritious and convenient.
3. Have caffeine at the right time (if you consume any)
Studies show that the most effective time to have caffeine is between 9:30 to 11:30 am. Even if you have breakfast before that, I recommend waiting a little while before you sip your cup of coffee or whatever source of caffeine you take. You can always bring a cup to class or wherever you’re headed to at that time.
In the evening, I recommend having a cup of tea. Some teas contain enough caffeine to keep you alert but not prevent you from sleeping at night. My favorite is green tea, but other teas like oolong or black tea work just as well.
4. Snack (a little)
But not too much. A single square of chocolate or a couple crackers are great mood boosters, and it even improves cognitive functioning. You could even have a cup of tea along with your snack, which is doubly energizing.
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That’s all I have for you now. Feel free to drop an ask or message me if you have any questions, and I hope the rest of the winter goes great for you!
p.s. wml bc I heard the winters here last till April
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ananyakachru · 5 years
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WOW-- Day 6 and Day 7
Two incredible days... I am just so thankful! 
Day 6: 
On our sixth day here in Kigali, we woke up REALLY early. And, I mean around 7:30AM! After getting ready, we stopped by Java House for a quick breakfast and then took a taxi to Kepler. We got there around 8:45AM, in the middle of a speech by the Kepler Vice Chancellor to a large audience in the Great Room. A couple videographers were there too, which meant this had to be the SNHU Board visit to Kepler. Ashley mentioned this to us the night before at dinner. It was wonderful to see so many Kepler employees speak about their work with the organization before the Souther New Hampshire University President stood up to speak about his university’s Global Education Movement. I am inspired by SNHU’s commitment to tertiary education and increasing accessibility. Near the end of the program, Ashley introduced a group of Kepler students to stage. These students performed a traditional dance for us all!!! Such talent. 
After the assembly, Zodi, Willow, and I split up to join in smaller group discussions about refugee education and careers/ academics dept. at Kepler. 
The SNHU Board seemed so impressed by Kepler and everyone was so smiley. It was honestly pretty wonderful to see so many happy, excited, energized people in one place. 
Willow, Zodi, and I worked on the third floor for a couple hours after the SNHU visit and used Jumia to order mediterranean food for lunch. I was pleased with my falafels and pita-- what wonderful cuisine. Sylvia, our current supervisor, met with us for an hour in the mid-afternoon to speak with us about planning our deliverable timeline and resources we can utilize throughout our work. Folks-- I. Am. So. Excited. About. Our. Project. Yay. Very excited to get into more of it soon!!! 
We left work at 2:45PM with the majority of Kepler staff because it was Kepler Happy Hour (no, not what it sounds like). One of our coworkers, Ella, kindly explained to us that Happy Hour is where Kepler staff goes to be “happy for hours.” Wow. How lovely. 
We took a bus over to the Grand Legacy Hotel and split into activity groups. I went to the gym for about an hour before we regrouped for some speeches, dinner, and icebreaker games! So fun!!! 
Zodi and I went to Salsa at the Radisson Blu after dinner, because we were really excited about their ~free salsa~ lessons. We stayed until about 10:30 which was really fun!!! People in Rwanda are so kind and sweet-- we had a lot of fun. 
Day 7:  AH! Today, I felt so much more at peace and so much happier. 
I woke up around 11:30AM and went to Brioche for brunch with Zodi. Willow had left earlier, so we planned on meeting up with her in the afternoon. Brioche is this beautiful French cafe that put a smile on our faces so quickly. The food was incredible. The cafe decor was incredible. The ambiance was incredible. MY CHOC BANANA PANCAKES WERE LEGENDARY. We took some cute photos there too, which are now on my Instagram. 
We left this cafe to go to ANOTHER CAFE. Willow and Ella, one of our amazing coworkers, were at Inzora Cafe in Kacyiru. Inzora is pretty famous in Rwanda, so we had been wanting to go. Walking in, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of books in this restaurant/ cafe/ bookstore. There were some interesting books there-- both in English and French. I ended up picking one about women empowerment and one about the Rwandan Genocide. I was overwhelmed, once again, when walking upstairs to the rooftop cafe. In the least cliche way, it took my breath away. The sky and our view seemed endless. I actually teared up just a bit. I joined Willow and Ella on a lounge mat and we talked for a while, sharing some stories-- both painful and funny. Ella, so quickly, has become a friend and role model to me. She works on ITEME at Kepler, and is very passionate about refugee education. Hearing about her personal and professional experiences was captivating. She had some thoughtful advice for Willow and myself. I was especially appreciative about her perspectives on navigating emotion-- acknowledging we are human and have emotions in reaction to situations but also managing our emotions to get concrete work done. 
I read a bit and did some work later, before ordering Hibiscus Tea. Tea here is just so delicious. I love it. 
Zodi left to go on a walk and the three of us chatted a bit more while he was gone (we missed you Zodi!). Later, we walked over to Inema Art Center (yet again) where we met up with Innocent and Zodi. Willow, Ella, and I worked together on a large canvas to let our inner artists takeover. And, Zodi and Innocent chatted and played some awesome music from the patio. 
After some fun laughs and a good time painting, Ella, Zodi, Willow, and I all took a taxi to KHANA KHAZANA. I love that place so much, my goodness. It actually shocks me how calm and at home I feel there, for some reason. I ordered food for the 4 of us and Audrine (another incredible coworker who joined us) and we spent a couple hours just having a good time and sharing more stories. We also witnessed TWO BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS AND A MARRIAGE PROPOSAL while at the restaurant. The proposal actually felt magical. ‘Perfect’ by Ed Sheeran was playing and the whole restaurant’s lights were off while the proposal happened. Willow and I were so excited, especially, and I was honestly a bit teary too. It was beautiful. 
After dinner, we came back home and Willow, Zodi, and I chatted for a while. I even showed Zodi how to do a pageant walk. Between you and me, I think he was fantastic.  
I think the past couple days have made me feel so much more happy and at peace here in Kigali. I was rather restless my first couple days here and anxious, too. Now that we have made some reliable friends and seen more of Kigali, I am falling more and more in love with this place and its people. Kigali has been wonderful so far, and I look forward to our future adventures here. 
I realize that it’s okay for this to feel hard and challenging at times. That’s what we are here for. And, I am really lucky to be navigating this experience with Willow and Zodi. 
I also miss home quite a bit. And, I mean home as both my actual home with my family and my Yale home with my Yale family. Thinking about the lovely people who I used to see every single day, and missing them a lot today. I find that talking about my friends from home and school, speaking about my family, and discussing my heritage/ being South Asian has made me feel quite a bit less homesick lately. 
<3 
Ananya 
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