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ericbrandonrp · 3 years

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Past: 1. 4. 6. 7. 8. 10. 11.

Present: 4. 5. 7. 8. 10. 11. 12. 14.

Future: 2. 3. 8. 9. 10

( im so sorry that this is a lot, but im super interested to hear what you have to say about Eric for these. Pls feel free to skip/ignore questions if there are too many for you tho <3 )

Past/Present/Future Meme

@youngprofessorx

1 - Briefly describe the way their parents grew up, and how it affected the way they raised them.

// His mother Melinda grew up in Germany in a loving family, without siblings, his (step)father Thomas grew up in Ireland. Though his family wasn’t as loving as his wife’s. Thomas’ mother died when he was a teenager; his father has always been harsh and rather distant (still is) but wanted the best for his son. There is also a brother, “Uncle Paddy”, who was seen as the black sheep of the Brandon family because he never did what he was told and rather caused mischief. It was only to get the attention his father rather gave to his older brother, Thomas. I guess because Thomas’ father was so harsh, he somewhat adopted that behaviour.

4 - What was the most common argument between them and whoever raised them?

// Eric’s (step)father beat him up almost on a daily basis, but there was no visible reason for it at that time – at least for Eric. Thomas often argued with him about school, however, because Eric was known to just not attend classes when he wasn’t in the mood, or talk against his teachers, play pranks… Somewhere deep inside Thomas wanted him to have a good education, despite being furious at Eric for not being his biological son. However, whatever Thomas wanted him to do or not do – Eric did the opposite.

6 - Did the location they grew up in affect them significantly? Do they still go there?

// I guess it has somewhat. Though he isn’t living in the town he’s grown up in, he did move back to Munich eventually now. Germany, to him, represents happiness because life seemed perfect and carefree for him back then.

7 - Who were their friends during childhood? Are they still in touch with them?

// He didn’t actually have any friends for a long time because he was the ‘new kid’ and also from Germany. The other kids made fun of him and bullied him. When he was around sixteen, though, a new boy moved to New Inn with his family - Marty Lennox - and they immediately clicked. Together they caused a lot of mischief and spent a lot of time with each other; the two even moved in together when they were eighteen. However, Eric started dating Marty’s little sister which had him freak out. The boys fought and Marty even threatened him with a metal pipe. They saw each other maybe another two times or so, the last time at Marty’s sister’s funeral. No contact since. They also slept together but that’s another story.

8 - What was their childhood/teenage bedroom like?

// Not very crowded, actually. It was of average size (at least the one in Ireland); the bed on the side, a desk on the other. A bookshelf without books (he’s never been much of a reader) but vinyls on it, a basketball, some goods he stole. A guitar in the corner. The money he pulled out of people’s pockets was hidden under his mattress. Some posters on the walls; random bands and cars. Outside his window was a downspout that he used to climb up and down without having to face his (step)father.

10 - What did they dream of doing when they grew up? How and why did it change, if it did?

// Actually, Eric wanted to become a lawyer. He thought it’s a cool job and earns him a lot of money - and would make his (step)father proud. He even passed a test and would have been accepted to law school, proudly showing Thomas that achievement, but he only made fun of him, told him he would never make it, anyway. Eric tossed the paper away and never talked about it again.

11 - Were there any events in their childhood that led to phobias or other fears?

// So many...where do we start?? The first one was probably the other boys in his class faking friendship (partly why he hardly trusts people); they lured him with them although he should have known better, and tied him to a tree outside of school, blindfolded, and pulled down his pants. Since that day he can’t stand blindfolds and being tied up. Secondly, he flinches whenever someone makes fast movements around him. That is due to his (step)father beating him up out of nowhere. Then, finally, he panics when someone touches his neck with their hands/arms. At the peak of his rage, Thomas once wrapped his fingers around Eric’s throat (he was barely 14) and squeezed. Despite Eric begging for him to let go, his (step)father was so enraged that he didn’t even realise what he was doing. When he did, Eric had nearly passed out. Touch to his throat/neck brings back those memories.

4 - Do they have any enemy factions or groups? Why and how are they opposed, and how do they feel about it?

// Police. For obvious reasons lol He wouldn’t even go to them if someone had done him wrong; Eric will always solve those things himself, his own way.

5 - What kind of people do they usually interact with? Who are their friends, the people they look up to/trust, and who are their “associates”?

// Mostly criminals, seeing that he is a thief. He met many thieves and hitmen in his youth already due to his mentor/dad introducing them to him, setting up a connection and circle. Eric doesn’t actually have friends, he really just calls them ‘associates’. He does look up to his dad, Ian, though. Always has.

7 - Do they have a partner? How did they meet, and what’s their relationship like now?

// No, he doesn’t have a partner. Just a dog named Murphy.

8 - What hobby or pastime of theirs do they consider most important to them and why?

// Eric has a lot of pastime due to his job. What he loves doing is to just chill in front of the tv, watching classic movies, Bond movies, spy movies... That doesn’t mean he’s lazy, however, as he also loves going for a run, going swimming, doing parkour, or just riding his motorcycle. When there’s an interesting car race going on, he can be found there, too. Actually, though, Eric doesn’t really consider any of his hobbies a ‘most important one’. They are all just...hobbies. He doesn’t need a work/life balance because he’s basically a freelancer and doesn’t put any stress and pressure on himself for it.

10 - What do they always carry with them and why?

// Phone, keys, a pack of gum (most often something lemon-y), some spare money. He doesn’t actually always take his wallet with him. Sunglasses are usually somewhere on his clothes, too.

11 - What’s a typical night’s sleep like for them?

// It’s usually riddled with nightmares and he doesn’t really wake up from them and is stuck in them for most of the night, having him thrash and turn. That doesn’t happen every night, however, and he also often wakes up rather refreshed because he’s actually (and that should concern him) used to those nightmares.

12 - If someone mentioned their name to someone else, what would they immediately think of (i.e. defining characteristic, appearance- or personality-wise)?

// Probably something like, “that idiot” haha No but seriously, he is quite well-known in the criminal circles. People know who he is thanks to his discipline and good work he’s been doing so far. The female ones...they will probably be like, “oh right, the one with the gorgeous eyes and--skills” lol

14 - What matters most to them right now?

// To find someone who loves and accepts him the way he is. He knows he isn’t getting younger, so he’s trying to focus on finding someone to spend the rest of his life with now.

2 - Are they content with their future situation? Is there anything they would change?

// He wants a family, and that he doesn’t have that and it doesn’t look like he’s going to have one in the near future, it actually depresses him.

3 - How would their beliefs or morals change in the future, if at all?

// I think they wouldn’t actually change. He has always been a thief, and always will be one. It isn’t like he’s stealing from helpless old ladies or snatching purses from women. He steals mostly from the rich, depending on what job he got. He will, despite everything, still be proud of what he did.

8 - Would they become a mentor figure for anyone?

// No. He doesn’t want to be anyone’s idol or mentor because he doesn’t think he is suited for such a position. Of course he is proud of being a thief, but he would never seriously recommend it to anyone. Eric is well aware of how fucked up his own life is and doesn’t want anyone to take it as any kind of example and follow in his footsteps – not even his own children.

9 - How do they feel about getting older and eventually dying?

// Actually he doesn’t mind getting older, he knows it’s part of life and he accepts it - however, he is also afraid of it because what he wants most in his life is to have a family, a wife who loves and accepts him, children he can see grow up. The older he gets, the less the chances become that he will ever have that.

10 - How do they want to be remembered after they die?

// As a loving family man who had flaws, but wasn’t as bad as his parents wanted to make him out to be.

#youngprofessorx #;about eric #//finally xD #//thanks for all these!!

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silke-doomflare · 4 years

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A fateful encounter

Valentione’s day had always been one of Lareine’s favorite festivals, but this year she was somewhat disappointed. After a long, loud argument from both sides, Varg had let her drop her duties at the manor and travel to Gridania. Lareine had asked Varg to join her, but he had stated most of festivals to be just claptrap and waste of time. Lareine had asked Arsene too, but he had politely declined and also mentioned something about jobs undone.

She had never, ever seen either of them having fun! Did they even, ever? If not, how it was even possible? Lareine was certain if one didn’t party hard time to time, they’d eventually get sick from too much work or go crazy without themselves even noticing. She would definitely need some help in softening them, she thought. It took way too much time to do alone.

It was already getting late, but it didn’t slow down the celebrators. Colorful fireworks dappled the black sky and lanterns were kindled. Some of them were sent flying and some sailing. Every place was full of beautiful colors, delicious food and good music.

Most of Lareine’s money had gone to airship tickets, but she still had a couple of gil left. She ended up buying a stick with cotton candy on it from one of the stalls. Where would she get money from to get back to Ishgard? No point worrying about it now. Time to party! She wouldn’t let some stiff old men ruin her fun.

Lareine was wandering around the faire, watching people come and go. Everyone else had someone with them. People had either come there with their spouses, dates, family or friends. She seemed to be the only one by herself.

Like cherry on the top of her jealousy was the damned love labyrinth. People who entered had to go through the labyrinth without straying too far from each other, while dodging moogle traps. When they got through, their names were announced to the cheering crowd nearby, and they also got cute prizes to take home: heart shaped cakes, cookies, pink ribbons, plushies… Gods damn it, what Lareine wouldn’t have given for a pink mammet toy with a heart shaped tuft on her night desk?

Suddenly Lareine bumped into something - or someone, she thought to herself, when she heard another surprised, high-pitched cry in addition to her own. She was too slow to grab a better hold of her pink cotton candy, and she could almost see the horrendous situation in slow motion, as her precious delicacy fell towards the sandy, partly muddy ground. There was a soft thud, and she noticed strawberry soft ice with marshmallows in it, laying at her feet next to her cotton candy. Shocked, Lareine lifted her gaze from the ground to in front of her, and was staring into huge, turquoise eyes framed by ash black, messy hair and round eyeglasses. The otherwise cute, bookwormish appearance didn’t fit at all with long, black, high-heeled thighboots and detailed, pompous looking robe usually worn by archmages. The female viera didn’t seem many years younger than Lareine was. “How dare you?! Look what you did!” she screamed, pointing at Lareine with a pale, petite hand with long, black claws and pretentious, huge ring in its index finger. “Watch where you’re walking!” Lareine inhaled deeply. “Get a new fockin’ pair o’ glasses, four-eyes, and watch where yer goin’! Tha heck ya doin’ ‘ere alone aniway??” she cried loudly with as unattractive voice as she possibly could whatever happened to pop up into her mind. “Yer boyfriend left ya, because yer a such a clumsy fockin’ shite? Ya lost ‘im into da heckin’ labyrinth, ya blind excuse for a friggin’ ‘little miss moonshine?!” They both fell silent for a moment, during which the viera’s facial expressions shifted very fast. First she looked aghast, then furious, then suddenly, distinctively accidentally jubilant, and finally annoyed for letting herself slip. They both burst into hysterical laughter at the same time. Lareine wasn’t even sure what they were laughing at, but she guessed eventually they were just laughing at each other laughing. Finally the viera managed to gather her self control enough to stop giggling and wiped a tear from her eye. Some passers by were eyeing at them disapprovingly, but she didn’t seem to care. “Oh gods…”, she blurted and briefly examined her clothing, probably making sure there was no ice-cream in it. “You sound like a vulture.” Lareine opened her mouth and was very close to start yelling again, but then the viera added, grinning kindly: “They’re my favorite birds.” Lareine closed her mouth, while the viera took a step closer and offered her hand. “Silke Doomflare”, she introduced herself, trying to sound formal, but her huge, beautiful doe eyes and extravagant make-up watered it down quite effectively. They shook hands. “I’m so, so sorry about my outburst”, Silke started to explain, while shaking Lareine’s hand very rapidly. “You know, I’ve had the absolute, worst day ever… actually the worst week ever and this was my first chance in ages to have some fun, and then…” She shook her head. “But you’re absolutely right. I should’ve watched where I’m going. And I mean, pff, it’s just ice-cream”, she made a dismissive gesture with her other hand. “I can just buy a new one.” Finally Silke noticed she had forgotten they were still holding hands, and she quickly yanked it away like she had just gotten electrocuted. Lareine blinked at the fuzzing viera in front of her. A weird sensation washed over her. Was it the suddenly died outburst? Or the huge, pretty doe eyes behind those round glasses? Or this weird girl holding her hand? Lareine had not felt like this since… “N… No, I should ‘ave watched where I go”, Lareine confessed. “I was lost in mi thoughts. It’s been friggin’ ages since my last visit to any public happenin’. Name’s Ir... Uhh... Lareine, by tha way. Lareine Kira.” The name brought a sour taste on the viera’s tongue, but what could she do? Better safe than sorry.

Would it have been inappropriate to shake hands again? Lareine scolded herself for even thinking about it.

“I dink I spent mi last gil onto dat friggin’ sweet, but whutever”, she continued. “I’m gettin’ an overdose o’ sugar o’ dese decorations and lovebirds all over da place anyway.” Lareine put her hands behind her back and shifted her weight from one foot to another. “So.. DID ya lose yer boyfriendo into da friggin’ maze?” Silke stared at Lareine in disbelief, blinked her eyes for a few times and then gave an incredulous laugh. “Honey, please”, she said, while making the dismissive gesture with her hand again. “I’m way too busy with my magick studies to waste my precious time on boys. Besides, they mostly just manage to annoy me. You know, most of them I’ve met…”, she lowered her voice into a whisper. “…have their brain down there.” She pointed somewhere towards the ground. “And I really enjoy the old-fashioned, functioning brain more than -” Suddenly she closed her mouth so quickly Lareine could hear a faint snap. “Oh gods, I sound like a zombie!” Lareine could almost see into Silke’s head, how it was cramped full of old, dusty bookshelves. Silke wasn’t quite sure where things were stored, and when she tried to take something from the dangerously swaying pile, a bunch of others also fell out. “I’ve been holding you back for a good while already, Lareine”, Silke noted finally, interrupting Lareine’s thoughts. “Allow me at least to buy a new cotton candy for you before I go.” “N-no need”, Lareine exclaimed, shaking her head and lifting her hands in front of her. “Like I said, I already ‘ad an overdose o’ -” “Then allow me to give you money for something else you’d like -”, Silke was digging something up from her pocket. “N-no, I don’t wanna -”, Lareine tried to deter. “Take the damn money or I’ll throw it into the nearest lake!” Silke hissed, gently grabbed Lareine’s wrist and dropped a bunch of gil on her palm. The coins were so shiny they looked like brand new. The mage bowed politely and was about to turn to leave. “Actually..!” Lareine cried out. “Ya haven’t been ‘olding mi back, Silke. Quite the contrary! Tha main reason I was on such a bad mood was because I ‘ad to come ‘ere all alone. Tha only two I asked to come wid mi are soo fockin’ busy all tha time, damn married with deir works dey are…” Silke blinked again, looking surprised. Then she laughed. “Are you kidding me? I could’ve said that.” Lareine looked at her curiously, while she continued: “I also asked my sister to come with me here, and she, too, declined - surprise, surprise: because of work! So I came alone.”

They stared at each other for a moment. “Well, if ya insist -”, Lareine started and slipped the coins into her pocket. “Well, if I’m not disturbing -”, Silke started at the same time. They both fell silent, waiting for the other one to say their thing first. A stubborn smile tried to creep its way on Silke’s face. “Show me where the damn cotton candy shop is”, she ordered grandiloquently, while pointing randomly somewhere towards the crowd. “We go there first. And then we go to the ice-cream shop. And after that… hmm, do you happen to like games?”

#final fantasy xiv #ffxiv #viera #silke doomflare #iris ymir #stories

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mithranqueersmusings · 4 years

Text

Before This Dance Is Through II

Chapter: 2/16

Rating: T

Summary: Ringo's being going through a dry spell for the last year or so and when he regretfully tells his best friend John, he insists on taking them to an all-male strip club for some "fun". Ringo isn't sure whether it's the alcohol, his desperation or a mixture of the two but he thinks he might be falling in love with a stripper.

Tags: AU - Strippers, Modern Setting, Smut, Slow Burn

Pairings: George Harrison/Ringo Starr, John Lennon/Paul McCartney

AO3 link here / Fic masterlist here

Ringo was just about to get into bed when a notification rang out from his phone, it was charging on the other side of the room because that was the only way he could get himself out of bed in the morning. It was almost 2 o'clock in the morning which meant the text could only be from one person.

you up???

This was far from the first of these texts that Ringo had received from John, they were almost a weekly occurrence by this point but more often than not Ringo had already fallen asleep.

was just about to go to bed. why?

do you have work tomorrow????

not until 12 do you?

fuck off

John was a writer, a poet more than anything, which meant that he was always working which really meant that he was never working. Ringo was a drum teacher, had been for almost 7 years at this point, which wasn't as exciting as it sounded; he mostly worked for rich families who had a child who was trying to do something edgy or was brought into schools for one of those strange activity days. Drumming was Ringo's passion and while he was glad that he was able to earn money doing something he loved, he dearly wished he was able to drum for himself rather than spending several hours a week just trying to get a kid to hold the sticks correctly.

i was about to take a little ride down the helter skelter care to join me ;)

Ringo stared down at his phone for a moment. It had been over a week since John had dragged him out to that strip club, and while he'd like to say that he'd forgotten about the whole thing it was far from the truth. The sight of Spike dancing on that stage had plagued his memory almost every night since, leading to more than one occasion of late-night indulgence. Ringo had felt guilty touching himself thinking about the other man, but he couldn't pinpoint the reason; he supposed it must've been the guilt he'd felt when watching him dance, and the shame that followed from having to run away into the bathroom like a scared, little kid. His thumbs were frozen in place hovering above his phone screen while his mind was racing. The sensible part of his brain told him to just go to bed, if he indulged this desire tonight it would make the last time more than a one-off and he wasn't sure he was prepared to accept that. Yet the deeper part of his mind, the one he often tried to ignore, urged him to go back just for the opportunity to see Spike again - after all, the current wank material he was providing was getting a little stale.

have you fallen asleep you twat

no no im still here

well do you wanna come or not?? i can pick you up

are you sober?

mostly

mostly?

fuck sake ARE YOU COMING OR NOT

fine but ill drive

whatever makes you happy

As much as he wouldn't like to admit it, Ringo spent a ridiculous amount of time - by his standards - choosing what to wear. Even though he knew the club was dangerously dark, and even though what he wore shouldn't really matter, that voice in the back of his mind told him to look nice for him. For the stripper he'd seen for about 5 minutes, the stripper whose real name he didn't even know, who probably didn't even remember Ringo in the slightest. He'd tried his best to not read too far into the obsession his brain seemed to have with Spike - trying to separate himself from his thoughts as though they were two separate beings had been a vital step in this - but as he stood in front of his mirror comparing two near identical jumpers, he supposed he wasn't going to be able to ignore it for much longer. His heart even felt heavy at the thought that Spike might be working tonight; he couldn't tell if it was just a strange fixation that his desperation had conjured up but the only thing he knew for certain was that he wanted to see him again.

Ringo arrived at John's place later than he would've liked but when the front door was opened to revealed a very ruffled, very drunk man, Ringo figured John wouldn't have noticed how long he'd been.

"Mostly sober?" Ringo scoffed at the sight of him, his cheeks rosy and a satisfied smile spread across his lips.

"You're not my mum and you're not the police, so fuck off." John was leaning against the door-frame, Ringo supposed partly for support and partly to look cool.

It was a common occurrence for John to get like this, far more common than Ringo would've liked. John drank a lot, at first Ringo figured it was just something everyone did when they got old enough to drink with almost no consequences, then as it continued he tried to explain it away as just something artists did. Years had passed since Ringo had first noticed it and nothing had really changed, it had gotten worse if anything, but there was nothing he really felt he could do. He debated whether he should cancel the plan altogether, to insist that John stayed home and got some sleep, but things were never really that simple. He was almost certain that if he refused to drive them, John would only find another way. He'd tried multiple things over the years: dragging him along to AA meetings, swearing to give up alcohol alongside him, even refusing to hang out with him if he'd been drinking, but nothing seemed to work. John had been through a lot, still was going through a lot, so Ringo figured the best thing he could do was simply to be there for John, it was both the most and least he could do.

Before they headed out Ringo at least managed to convince John to eat some leftover Chinese food he had in the fridge in an attempt to soak up the alcohol somewhat - and to ensure he'd had at least one semi-decent meal that day. They then slid into Ringo's car, it was a little beaten up but it served its purpose, and drove off to the place Ringo was almost certain would be the death of him. It was a Saturday so unsurprisingly the club was a great deal busier than it had been last time, there were several small groups of people smoking outside, some of them clearly workers and how they weren't risking getting frostbite Ringo didn't know. Any hopes of John sobering up a little on the journey there were dashed when he immediately hurried over to the bar as soon as they walked in the door. Ringo tried to stick to his side as best he could, his nervousness from the first time felt like it had tripled with how busy the place was now, so he aimed to keep in John's gravitational pull as much as possible. The music seemed louder but Ringo was certain that was just his imagination. They had to elbow their way to the front of the bar just to get noticed, luckily John had no qualms doing it, which resulted in a few glares from the other customers.

With their drinks in hand they couldn't sit - or hide as Ringo saw it - at the bar like they had done last time, instead they moved further into the club in search for a place to sit. There was a booth near the bathroom that was empty, for obvious reasons, which Ringo pulled them towards desperately. Maybe this was a bad idea. What was he really expecting after all? At most he'd catch another glimpse of Spike, almost have a heart-attack then have to run home less than ten minutes later. Anxiety began nibbling away at his mind, it had a nasty habit of doing that, and the claustrophobic atmosphere wasn't helping. John seemed right at home, as he did almost anywhere, craning his neck between people in search for someone.

"Looking for your Paulie?" Ringo asked in an eager attempt to calm his nerves.

"He's hardly mine." John chuckled, not turning to look at Ringo but continuing his search "Might not even be working tonight."

"Don't you have like his schedule or something?" Ringo sipped his drink.

"That'd be making things a little too official. Not really my style." John sat back in his seat with a small huff, clearly he didn't find what he was looking for.

From where they were sitting they had a fairly obstructed view of the stage but from what little Ringo could gather he wasn't too interested: a muscular man dressed as a policeman was gradually getting undressed while making crude use of a prop baton.

"Any sign of your guy?" John shouted to be heard over the music and it made Ringo jump.

Ringo paused for a moment looking into John's eyes, he considered playing dumb but decided there was no use "Afraid not. Maybe he's not working tonight either."

"That'd be some rotten luck." John clicked his tongue in his mouth "Let's check the back."

"The back?" Ringo raised an eyebrow "That sounds unbelievably dodgy."

"It's not! Well..." John broke his sentence with a laugh "It's just where they do the more 'alternative' stuff, you know?"

"No I don't know, but I suppose I'm gonna find out." Ringo chuckled rather weakly.

John raised his glass in the air a little and Ringo clinked his own against it, they downed the remainder of their drinks and slammed the glasses down on the table unnecessarily hard. John then led them around the edge of the stage, they managed to get another drink at the second bar before they headed down a suspiciously narrow set of stairs which led to an even darker corridor. They then passed through a squeaky door into a small room, barely lit excluding a spotlight focused on a stage at the other end. There were several people scattered across the limited space, a few resting against a makeshift bar which consisted of planks of wood connected to the walls and the rest sat to face the stage.

And there he was. Spike was sat on a stool onstage with an acoustic guitar in his lap and absolutely nothing else. It wasn't a sight Ringo had been prepared for, as much as the erotic gyrating and tear-away clothing had been a shock to his system this was completely different.

Ringo stopped in his tracks when he computed the sight: his pale, lean body curled up around the guitar that he was playing beautifully. His hair wasn't coiffed this time, rather it fell down across his sharp face in waves with faint curls. John turned around when he'd noticed Ringo's absence beside him, a sly grin curled on his face as he grabbed Ringo's arm and pulled him down to the front where they sat.

"What did I tell you?" John whispered "Sexy art."

Spike didn't seem to notice them despite how close they were, he seemed completely immersed in the music he was playing. Ringo hadn't recognised the song at first, perhaps he'd been to busy focusing on other things, but now he could tell it was 'Heaven' by Talking Heads; he made a happy note in his mind that it seemed like the two of them had a somewhat similar music taste, although he couldn't really admit that such a thing shouldn't matter. Looking around at the other customers, it looked like they were mostly taking refuge from the chaos of the main room, many of them resting their heads against the bar for some comfort and the others bordering on unconscious.

Somehow this occasion made Ringo feel even more nervous, even though their previous encounter had been extremely closer and inherently sexual, it was more personal therefore way more uncomfortable. He could hear his voice now, another piece of the puzzle he was shamefully building in his mind, and it was beautiful. It was a little husky but still gentle, an accent poking through in places. Ringo could get a better look at his face now: the dark eyelashes, the hints of hair between his two eyebrows and sharp canine teeth protruding from his open mouth. His eyes focused on the slender fingers playing the guitar strings, veins showing underneath the skin. Ringo felt like he was watching something very private, as if Spike was completely unaware of everyone's presence and could see nothing but his guitar. A quick way to Ringo's heart was through music and it was looking like Spike had bought a first-class ticket.

Ringo hadn't even noticed that the song had ended at first, not until John began clapping and cheering loudly in his ear. Spike seemed similarly out of it, the sudden sound of John snapping his attention away from the music and he gave a small smile in response. They seemed like completely different people: the strutting, confident man from a week ago and the soft, vulnerable one in front of them now. Sparse claps followed shortly after John's, the lack of energy caused by alcohol wearing off was very evident.

"You're pretty good." John almost shouted, Ringo wasn't sure if it was because he was drunk or he still hadn't adjusted from the other room.

"Thanks." Spike replied, his fingers still wrapped around the neck of the guitar "Any requests?"

Ringo had thought his singing voice was beautiful, but the way he spoke somehow had even more of an effect on him. The accent was thicker now and judging by how such a small amount of words could excite him so much, Ringo knew he was in trouble.

"I dunno... What do you think Ringo?" John nudged his friend beside him, embarrassingly emphasising his name which just about managed to shake Ringo from the daze he was falling into.

"Oh, er-" Ringo stammered for a second, Spike looking right at him wasn't helping his nerves in the slightest "Know any Bob Dylan?"

Spike laughed at this and for a moment Ringo cursed himself but before he could chastise himself too harshly, Spike smiled again and spoke "He's one of my favourites."

John nudged Ringo again but he wasn't paying enough attention to him to get embarrassed. He was far too focused on how Spike's fingers began to play the guitar once more, the way his lips moved over his teeth and how his bare feet tapped against the footrest of the stool as he began singing 'Just Like a Woman'. Once again he seemed to disappear into the music which Ringo was very grateful for, for if his eyes began to wander and met his unfaltering gaze he was certain he wouldn't be able to take it. For the majority of the song Ringo had completely forgotten his surroundings, the faint pulse of the loud music from upstairs or the drooling men strewn about the room, he'd even forgotten that Spike was naked while he played. John seemed similarly impressed, although he was considerably more inebriated than Ringo was, and he could see John passing him a few sideways glances during the song.

When the song ended John enthusiastically applauded once more, Ringo followed suit with a slight delay as he found his mind shutting off everything around him. Spike looked down at the two of them with a smile, shuffled in the stool then stood up.

"Well that's all from me." He spoke "Thanks for listening." The words were directed purely at John and Ringo, while there were others who appeared to be barely listening in the back nobody else seemed to be paying much attention.

"Wait!" John called out, startling both Spike and Ringo "Are you done for the night?"

Spike chuckled softly "No, they're gonna close this room in a little bit though, so you might wanna clear out."

"Will you give my friend a private dance?" John asked and now it was Ringo's turn to nudge him.

"Not dressed like this I can't." Spike gestured with his free hand to his nakedness, his guitar was the only thing upholding his modesty.

Ringo was glaring at John now, who only gave him a quick glance before returning his attention back to Spike "How about we come find you upstairs in a few minutes?"

"Fine by me." Spike replied and turned his gaze to Ringo "But your friend doesn't seem too keen."

He didn't give either of them time to protest, which was probably for the best because Ringo was having trouble articulating any coherent thoughts, as he turned his back and walked off the stage. Ringo fought the urge to not look at his arse as he left, and failed entirely. John giggled at the sight which broke Ringo's absentmindedness. The nudge evolved into a harder shove which only intensified John's laughter.

"I hate you." Ringo hissed but he couldn't stop the laughter from breaking through.

"What did I do?" John held his hands up helplessly and Ringo gave him another shove which rocked the chair sideways.

A bouncer walked into the room at the moment, calling for everyone to head back upstairs; Ringo envied the unconscious drunkards that were unable to return to the main room. John's laughter didn't subside the entire time they made their way up the stairs, only being silenced when he took a sip of his newly ordered drink. The room had thinned out a little, Ringo supposed the closing of downstairs only signalled that most people were going to start heading home now, but there were clearly many people who were aiming to stay as long as they possibly could. They managed to get two seats at the bar which allowed Ringo to look amongst the crowd nervously for any sight of Spike.

"What are you so worried about?" John asked, leaning his elbow on the counter.

"Honestly I don't know." Ringo chuckled "It's a bit pathetic, huh?"

"You said it, not me." John grinned "No, no it's just strange. I know you're not the world's biggest slut but you're no prude either."

"I don't think it's a prude thing." Ringo suggested.

"Then what?" John pried, he ran his finger around the rim of his glass.

"It's just him." Ringo lowered his voice a little.

"Well shit. Ringo's in love with a stripper." John matched Ringo's volume but enunciated the words enough that he may as well have been shouting.

"Shut up." Ringo shook his head "You're one to talk."

"Don't bring Paulie into this, that's a strictly professional relationship." John pointed his finger in Ringo's face which made him laugh. "This isn't about me anyway, it's about you. I'm not leaving here until you get that dance."

"You might be waiting a while then." Ringo said a little sadly.

"Nope, I refuse. You'll thank me later, I swear to it." John had moved his hand to Ringo's shoulder now.

"I'm just scared." Ringo mumbled.

"Of what? Ringo, these people have put up with the weirdest, creepiest fucks you can imagine. He'll probably be over the moon that you don't look like you belong on a register." John shook Ringo lightly, forcing him to look up at him.

Ringo let out a huff "Fine, if it'll shut you up."

"Sure if that's the line you wanna go with." John chuckled "You want it Ringo, stop denying yourself the pleasure. Be more like me."

"I dunno if I wanna take it that far." Ringo looked out amongst the room again and caught sight of a familiar face.

John followed Ringo's line of sight and beamed when he spotted Spike "Come on then, time to pop your cherry."

"Please don't put it like that." Ringo rolled his eyes as John pulled him up from his seat.

It wasn't really nervousness he was feeling, it was difficult to pinpoint exactly what it was. Ringo knew that he if he didn't want to this then he didn't have to, it would've been as simple as that, but he did want to. It was probably exactly how much he wanted it that scared him. Like the feeling that happens right before getting up on stage or before revealing good news to a loved one: excitement so intense it can turn into sickness. And Ringo was excited; he was very, very excited.

#the beatles #beatles #beatles fanfic #the beatles fanfic #beatles fanfiction #george harrison/ringo starr #ringo starr/george harrison #ringo starrxgeorge harrison #george harrisonxringo starr #starrison

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metalchick19-blog · 5 years

Text

The Bowers Gang: Ship #7 - Victor Criss

Request: Congratulations on 200 followers!😁👏🏼💜 can I have a ship? I have light green eyes I have dirty blonde hair I have braces I also wear glasses😂 im 5”6 I’m a kind person and I’m kinda shy I like listening to music and getting high😂 I usually would wear jeans with my black hoodie and my converse and usually some rings with it thank you so much❤️❤️

Victor finally has a braces buddy, and he’s loving it

Way more attracted to you than any of his previous girlfriends, because you’re just killing the nerd aesthetic

Legit, girl. You’re the cutest person he’s ever seen - from your silky blonde hair to your adorably bespectacled eyes

...Seriously, dude - no joke. Victor Criss likes your face

You get to see a much geekier side of him than most other people see, because he feels you can relate to the parts of himself he’s insecure about (i.e. le brace-face)

Which basically means you get to know more of his real personality than anyone else

Gushes to you about his favorite books and movies, because he knows you won’t judge him for living the fandom life (Criss is a beast for good content)

Also open-mouthed smiles in front you, even though he typically avoids it like the plague with everyone else (huge deal for him)

Asks you to help him whenever he gets his braces caught in/on something

... Which happens at least once a day, because he’s never been able to put a shirt on without some of the fibers getting lodged in his brackets

Also picks things out of his braces in front of you, sometimes in very innovative ways (using a pencil, using a twisted up paperclip, etc.)

Which is mostly gross, but denotes the fact that he feels extremely comfortable with you

If you don’t feel honored by these genuine Victor moments, you will be slain

All the guys go through a major stoner phase when you first start hanging out with them

Wreaking havoc/fucking with other kids legit just turns into hot-boxing the Trans-Am and driving into town to get munchies together for the entire first month of your relationship

...Which makes it all the more surprising for you when the guys first open up a can of whoop-ass on someone with you in the vicinity

Totally throws you for a loop, because you had gotten the impression that they were relatively chill dudes by nature (stoner Bowers Gang is much more peaceful than regular Bowers Gang)

... They fix that incorrect perception for you over the course of the next few weeks though

Chilling side-note: Patrick wants you bad (at least for a night), because he can’t stop thinking about how your braces would tear his tongue to shreds every time he tongue-kissed you

Just revels in the fantasy of all that blood and spit (he’s a terrible human being - we know this)

Whenever you and the guys smoke together, 8 times out of 10, Patrick just holds the smoke in his mouth for a few seconds, then blows it out

Entirely because he wants to be the only one who’s sober, and none of you would allow that knowingly

Amps up his efforts to get you alone by 10,000 when everyone is high, because he knows your guard will be down, and the guys won’t be as vigilant about watching him

Victor is on it, though - even when he’s intoxicated

Either puts an arm around your waist/shoulders, or puts one of his hands in the back of your pants’ pocket, and will not move it from the second he gets high, to the second he comes back down

You will be next to him for the duration of the high; no separation whatsoever

Criss will not let his girlfriend be snaked by Hockstetter - every single guard is up

* Chilling side-note ended *

Cute side-note: You and Henry grow somewhat close through your love of the halfling’s leaf

He didn’t smoke much before meeting you, but started coming to your house to smoke and chill after especially bad encounters with his Dad (half to calm down, half to relieve the pain... *tears*)

Which means at least once a week, ya’ll are just chilling in your bedroom watching MTV and sharing your super woke high person thoughts with each other

Usually ends up staying the night, because he just passes out on the floor at some point

Is very respectful of your relationship though (Henry actually considers Victor his best friend) - never says or does anything that could be considered out of bounds

You really just become, and remain, very good friends

* Cute side-note ended *

Major bonus: Unlike Henry, Victor smoked on a regular basis even before meeting you, and rolls the neatest, tightest joints you’ve ever seen

Seriously - he has a gift; the nimbleness of his fingers knows no bounds

It’s seriously sexy to watch him do it, too - he focuses entirely on the task at hand, and tends to tilt his head in a way that sheds the perfect amount of light on his jawline

One word for it: Daddy

Victor puts his hands in the front pocket of your hoodie (facing you) whenever he gets cold

Partly because it actually helps, but primarily because he likes how hard you blush in response to his closeness

Many late-night walks where you guys just roam the streets listening to each other’s music (one headphone in your ear, one in his)

He makes a different playlist for almost every walk you take, because he wants to create an ambiance, and it’s adorable

You also trade each other a different song to listen to every day at school, because you’re both just hopeless romantics like that

Soooo many blonde jokes directed toward both you and Victor

Honestly, it can’t be helped

Whenever one of you says or does something even slightly air-headed, the guys take it as a chance to joke-insult both of you hard

... Which is awkward, considering both of you know you’re actually the smartest people in the group

Basically just the price to be paid for having the hair color that you have - sorry, friend

Henry and Patrick take your glasses at every given opportunity; you knew this would happen

Victor always gets them back for you...

... but will sometimes pretend to hand them back, then suddenly hold them over your head for a couple seconds, because he thinks your tiny rage is adorable (you’re so special that you bring out sexy bully Victor)

Always barrages your face with little butterfly kisses when he actually gives them back though, so you have absolutely no opportunity to stay mad

You lead a very happy, open, stoner life together, and honestly, more power to you

... Always make sure Patrick actually gets high when you smoke in group settings, though

Otherwise, some form of Hockstetter turmoil is very likely to catch up with you down the line

#henry bowers #patrick hockstetter #belch huggins #victor criss #The Bowers Gang #the bowers gang headcanons #it

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adreamingsongbird · 7 years

Text

fic self rec meme

i was tagged by the lovely and ever-talented @kanafinwhy!!!! thank you so much daniela <3 lets see what i can come up with here across the fandoms, haha!!

i’m tagging @pitviperofdoom, @weepycat, @sohmamomiji, and @gaymowgli if you’d like to!!!

this post got kind of long so the rest is under the cut:

Homestuck:

Drifting Between Stars (11.4k)

Or, "that one mission that goes really, really wrong, and how the crew tries to fix it". Star Trek AU written as a Christmas present for my good friend apollo-gramarye. Lots of friendships, mentions of Arasol, Karezi, and DaveJade. Also features acting captain Rose, science officer Roxy, engineer Dirk, and medical officer Jane, as well as others!

this one is p old but i still kinda like it haha!! back in the day meg and i were both really into our “uss skaia” au.

Darkness And Dreams (250k)

The Batterwitch rules the star system with an iron claw. Four young men and women are determined to set the world to rights by igniting the spark of revolution, but they are few and have little training in either their magical abilities or running a rebellion. And is that prophecy ever going to come true? (Full summary inside! Starring the kids; not ship-driven.)

d&d is on this list automatically because at over 250,000 words, it’s the longest story i’ve written ever (though that’s going to change soon, i think). even though i really don’t like rereading it bc i’m so critical of 2014 me’s writing, i’m super proud of having done it!!! (it was also my first homestuck fanfic and my first multichap fic and i think the 3rd fic i wrote ever? proving once again that i have no chill tbh)

Stormlight Archive:

Come Morning Light (4k)

"I guess you’ve never really had to worry about a little brother getting in over his head, huh,” Adolin mutters.

Kaladin actually laughs out loud.

this fic is important to me because i just really need kaladin to have love and support from people around him but also i’m not over tien’s death holy fuck

Fullmetal Alchemist:

In The Drift (10.5k)

Edward and his brother Alphonse are the proud pilots of the jaeger Fullmetal. One blustery autumn, a kaiju manages to take them down - what follows are several weeks of fretting, healing and disillusionment at being stuck on the ground. And also, possibly, Edward sorting out his awkward crush on their mechanic and childhood best friend, Winry. It should be an adventure...

written as a secret santa present for a rly good friend of mine, this fic was so much fun holy shit. to date it remains one of my fave aus tbh

As Dreamers Do (5k)

It's okay to be vulnerable sometimes, even if you are a seven-foot-tall suit of impenetrable armor. Riza only wishes Alphonse would stop being so stubborn when it comes to admitting that.

*BANGS FISTS ON TABLE* GIVE ME MORE MAMA HAWK AND HER ARMORED SUNSHINE SON anyway i feel like im one of the only people on board this (10000% platonic, parental) ship but i will keep sailing on. riza&al is just as beautiful as ed&roy (which i love but which has so much more content than riza&al :((((( )

My Hero Academia:

catch your breath in the quiet (3k)

The sun has already set by the time the dust settles on the battlefield. Creatie and Earphone Jack return home. It's all in a day's work, really.

i love momojirou a lot and there’s barely any content for them and thats a damn shame. i should write them more tbh. anyway established relationship lesbian superhero power couple = my aes

(nothing really gay about it) (14k)

If anyone had asked him what he thought he’d be doing at three that morning, Kirishima probably would have said “playing angry birds” or “making popcorn” or something. Definitely not playing wingman-slash-relationship-counselor to a hopelessly confused Todoroki Shouto.

And yet...

DORM SHENANIGANS AND FRIENDSHIP AND FLUFF look this is all i want from the UA kids living in the dorms. naturally as a kid who attended a boarding school, i had to jump on board the dorm shenans train. this fic was a looot of fun to write and i giggled my way through it.

Yuri On Ice

The Rules For Lovers (142k)

Prince Yuuri Katsuki has a duty to his country, above all else (his desires, his dreams, and his happiness included), and he knows this alliance will help to ensure the safety of his people. That’s the only reason he accepts Prince Nikiforov’s hand in marriage. The pleasant surprise, of course, is the part where they fall in love along the way. The unpleasant one, well…

That’s a long story.

okay honestly is there any question as to why i’d put this one on this list. this fic is so much time and work and i love it so much, it’s actually somewhat adhering to the vision of it i had in my head and despite being able to nitpick and find a lot of flaws in it as is (what i wouldn’t give to be able to write a second draft and publish that instead haha) i really love it a lot!!!!! plus, if current projections hold true, it’s gonna knock d&d off the #1 spot in terms of word count. B)

non te ne andare (6.6k)

“I’m fine,” Yuuri insists, one last time. He’s not fine. He’s not fine.

Viktor sinks to sit next to him, nothing but concern written all over his face. “Yuuri, I can’t help you if you won’t talk to me,” he says, reaching for Yuuri’s hands, and—oh.

Recovery is not linear. For all that he tells himself he has no reason to be sad, Yuuri is not having a good day.

a deeply personal fic, this is one i wrote during a really bad depressive slump earlier this year. it was partly vent-fic and partly cope-fic and partly spite-fic because the number of times ive seen self-harm represented falsely in fic angers me greatly, but overall, this is one piece of writing that i think is a window to my soul. it’s meaningful to me and i honestly really like how it turned out.

#bffs4lyfe (10.5k)

Detroit holds a special place in Phichit Chulanont's heart, mostly because that's where he met the boy who would become his lifelong best friend. Wait, no, scratch that - Detroit doesn't hold a special place in Phichit's heart. Yuuri Katsuki does.

this was both an exercise in writing phichit’s pov and also a response to my own need for some Good, High Quality Friendship™ such as phichuuri. they love each other very much and the concept of friends loving and supporting each other was something i was longing for (i was at school and really missed my best friend haha), so... this happened. i really love these two and i still enjoy rereading this one, tbh!

#tag meme #....if this is about... reccing... urself....#i guess....#fic rec #HERES A BUNCH OF VARIOUS FICS IVE WRITTEN THAT I LIKE LOL

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fishbians · 4 years

Text

learning to actually enjoy food again is a process but!

ig im making this post partly for archival reasons, and partly because i think it might help other people in similar (?) situations to me

fall 2018 - may 2019 was an extremely hard time for me. my girlfriend of 1.5 years broke up with me, i was in college about to go to an international conference with what felt like nothing to present, and i realized i had few if any friends there. actually, all of my friends within my major were studying abroad, and i was completely alone. i was 6 hours away from home, and became so depressed i lost 15 pounds 2 months after the breakup. gaining weight is difficult for me, so a 15 lbs drop put me in dangerous territory if i were to get sick.

since then i’ve recovered some of that weight, about 5 to 8 lbs of it depending. mentally and emotionally, i am in a much better place. but one issue still lingered from that time: i have lost interest in food. before fall 2018 i already had a somewhat built in disinterest in food; if i was busy, i wouldnt eat simply because i’d forget to. spectrum brain sometimes gets Super Engrossed in a task, and then 6 hours have gone by and i haven’t eaten anything. so this made it a lot worse.

since i’ve been home, i’ve been working part-time in retail, and if we know anything about retail it’s that you get about one break a shift (a possible 15 if i have a short shift, and a mandatory unpaid 30 if i have a longer shift). this has made it even harder for me to get back on a consistent eating schedule. i can feel the toll it’s begun to take on my body, and so like i said, im posting this partly for my own archival purposes, and partly for anyone else who might find it useful.

my main dilemma that i noticed since i’ve been back home is that i’m just not excited when i eat food. when i have to eat lunch, it’s not, “aw fuck yeah, i’m gonna eat some mf PASTA” it’s, “ah, fuck, i have to go give my body sustenance.” if im busy, i get irritated because my task is being interrupted (a spectrum brain thing i think). if im not busy, i notice its just that im not excited about the flavor or event of Food. and so i asked myself, why the Fuck is this happening? this isnt, like, a normal thing that people usually experience. usually everyone around me is so excited about food.

i thought it was probably some sort of leftover symptom from a combination of things: 1) repetitive on-the-go on-campus food for the past 3 years, and 2) depression and lack of eating from the past year. actually, if we go farther back, this has been happening probably since high school, though on a subtler level, since i was so overwhelmed with schoolwork i rarely had consistent meals.

there are a few things that are consistent here:

stress

pace of my environment

lack of meal variety

those second and third ones especially are really notable to me, i think, because i notice im a really fucking fast eater. especially if i want to get back to something i was doing earlier. sometimes it’s required but a lot of times it’s not. the other thing, lack of meal variety, is something ive been trying to tackle too. i think that lack of enrichment with different flavors and textures makes food dull. the problem is, spectrum brain is a little bitch and HATES certain textures. it is one PICKY motherfucker. we like tomatoes and bell peppers - ONLY IF the they are diced very finely, and put in a carb (like pasta, rice...etc). so it makes it really hard for me to have meal variety when the taste might be fine but the texture is something my brain rejects. one issue at a time, i guess.

what i did this weekend was really good, though. Really Good. i pulled some resources from my nutritionist i had on campus (i can send those to anyone upon request) and made two things:

a shopping list

a meal list

the thing about me and grocery shopping is this: when i have to grocery shop, i have to ask myself, what do i wanna eat over the next week or two? and my brain goes, who the fuck knows, kid! and so i end up buying some of the things i like, but not having enough variety to keep me Enriched. a lot of the food goes to waste, or i forget about the options i have, etc. furthermore, now that i work, i can’t keep buying food from my store, its not economical or healthy. so i needed to really buckle down and do meal prep, and do it well, because my job is demanding.

so! i pulled some meal ideas and snack ideas from my nutritionist’s handouts, and made a shopping list. then i made a meal list, which breaks down meals that i know i like for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and then snacks. i have to be eating about 5 times a day consistently to gain weight. 3 meals and 2 snacks minimum. then, in a separate column, i indicated if it was a “work-ready” meal, so i knew how many i could pack as lunches or snacks.

now i have that list to look at if i dont know what to eat! because as stupid as it sounds, i have a really hard time synthesizing the groceries i’ve bought and the options i have, especially when it’s mixed in with my parents’ food in the fridge and pantry. that list of meals i can reference will hopefully help me 1) not waste food and 2) feel like i have some variety.

my other thing that ive been doing to help me get excited about food, and to also slow the FUCK down when i eat (to help me savor flavors) is being social when i eat. especially since a lot of my friends are still in college right now or work, when i can, i take my meals out and sit with my parents. it not only forces me to slow down eating by talking, but also makes me feel less lonely, which was a really bad issue i had in college. i took almost every meal alone. and humans are social! and the social part is helping a lot.

so if youre even reading this, thanks for reading. like i said, this was mostly for archival purposes, but for people with similar issues as me, i hope this helped in some way too.

#fishbians.foodjournal #fishbians.txt #a lot abt learning to love food again under the read more tag #really just for archival purposes but if u wanna read go ahead

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ultralifehackerguru-blog · 7 years

Photo

New Post has been published on http://www.lifehacker.guru/im-emmanuel-schalit-ceo-of-dashlane-and-this-is-how-i-work/

I'm Emmanuel Schalit, CEO of Dashlane, and This Is How I Work

There seems to be a new hack, leak, or security exploit discovered every day, and only one piece of advice really remains consistent on how to protect yourself: Use a password manager. The most secure password is one that you don’t know yourself.

Dashlane has been protecting and managing passwords since 2012, led by Emmanuel Schalit. Back then he promised his staff that he’d get a tattoo—his first—when they reached a million users. Sure enough, he sat down in a tattoo parlor chair about a year later for his commemorative tat, a simple “1m”. He’s also worked for CBS, Vivendi Universal Games (now called Activision Blizzard), and has a background in computer science. We caught up with Schalit to learn a little about how he works.

Location: New York City, Flatiron District Current Gig: Dashlane CEO One word that best describes how you work: Fast Current mobile device: iPhone 7 Plus Current computer: Microsoft Surface Book, best laptop ever built

First of all, tell me a little about your background and how you got to where you are today.

By chance.

I started my career with a PhD in computer science that focused on navigation algorithms for Mars exploration rovers. I spent a few years as a software engineer and then found my way into management of larger and larger teams, until one day at the age of 37 I found myself running a 10,000-person division in a large media conglomerate. There I realized I preferred smaller companies where I could be closer to the other members of the team, the customers and the product. All of this happened because I was fortunate to cross paths with the right people at the right time in my life so yes, mostly by chance.

What apps, software, or tools can’t you live without?

Beyond the obvious ones everybody uses today (Twitter, Dashlane, LinkedIn, Uber, Slack…):

Way of Life: The path to self-discipline.

Lenka: A gorgeous B&W photo App.

TrainingPeaks: To track training progress and avoid overtraining.

Robin: Best meeting room management software for your office.

What’s your workspace setup like? Coffee shop with laptop and headphones? Home office with a standing desk?

A standing desk from ErgoDesktop, that moves up and down manually, with a dual monitor setup. Cheaper alternative than full electric motion standup desks. And a Philips goLITE blue light that I turn on in the morning to compensate for daylight deficit, very important if you want to sleep well at night.

What’s your best time-saving shortcut or life hack?

Automation today is still very disappointing. The best receipt to save time remains the simplest one: decide what you are not going to do.

What’s your favorite to-do list manager?

Believe it or not I built my own task management framework (for me and my EA) in Jira using a Kanban board with a flow that somewhat replicates the flow of Asana. I like the notion of New, Later, Upcoming, and Today that came from Asana when I think about a simple prioritization framework. And using Jira makes it interoperable with the many things at Dashlane that are done using Atlassian’s tools (like Confluence).

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can’t you live without and why?

Cameras. I am a photography enthusiast, I often carry one or more cameras with me at all times. With something like the new Sony RX100 V you have a camera that is small enough to fit in a small pocket and yet has the speed and the image quality of a good DSLR from not that long ago.

What everyday thing are you better at than everyone else? What’s your secret?

Trying new things, living a fuller life.

What do you listen to while you work?

KCRW Eclectic 24… or Glen Gould Playing Bach (Goldberg Variations, English Suites, Toccatas, French Suites…). Any music can be sublime.

What are you currently reading? Or what might you recommend?

Dereliction of Duty by General H. R. Mc McMaster. McMaster was just appointed as the as National Security Adviser by the current U.S. president, with bipartisan support, and he is sometimes referred to as “one of the adults in the room.” This history book is his PhD dissertation which talks about how the chain of command broke down between the White House and the military commanders during the Vietnam War so you can understand why one would be curious to know what the new National Security Advisor thinks about how that chain of command should work, given the troubled times we are going through right now.

How do you recharge? What do you do when you want to forget about work?

Two things: Exercise, exercise, and exercise more. I was into running a lot (easy near Central Park) but my knees could not take it any more so I moved to cycling. Now I can even cycle during the winter using an indoor trainer with programs like Zwift and TrainerRoad, so you can see me on my bike at 5AM in the morning recharging for the day.

Family. My wife and I are fortunate to have two young children (our son is 7 and our daughter is 2 months old). They are both a constant source of surprise and energy and they will not allow us to get old or get bored.

What’s your sleep routine like? Are you a night owl or early-riser?

I have learnt from a great sleep researcher called Dan Pardi that sleep deficit accumulates day after day and has been linked to things like likelihood of cancer or neurodegenerative disease. And since I wake up at 5AM to exercise on most days, I do not really have a choice and I go to bed early and try to fall asleep around 10pm. And by the way, having kids is great for sleep discipline because they will not allow staying in bed in the morning no matter what!

To wake up, I use the silent alarm on my Fitbit so I do not wake up my wife, son or daughter. But in an ideal world, with good sleep discipline, you do not need an alarm clock.

Fill in the blank: I’d love to see _______ answer these same questions.

Barack Obama. Probably has some free time now.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Take any advice you receive with a grain of salt. Every situation is different. So any advice you receive is only partly applicable. And it is your ability to recognize patterns as well as differences that allows you to listen to advice with an open but critical ear.

Is there anything else you’d like to add that might be interesting to readers and fans?

Hack your life ‘cause you only got one and you’d better make the most of it.

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity. The How I Work series asks heroes, experts, and flat-out productive people to share their shortcuts, workspaces, routines, and more. Have someone you want to see featured, or questions you think we should ask? Email Andy.