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bearlytolerant · 3 years

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Fandom: Dragon Age

Pairing: Solavellan (Modern AU)

Ch Rating: T

Ch WC: 2169

AO3

Chapter 7

Another day at the office. Editing, emails and the ever elusive caller that enables equal opportunities for playing phone tag. A game Solas never enjoys participating in. The morning slides by and Varric is at his desk, twirling his keys around his finger.

“Lunch?”

Solas glances up and sighs. “I’m trying to get a hold of Seeker Pentaghast. Sera said she had more info on an agent that might have a lead on Crystal Red.”

“That sounds like a lot of maybes and probablys and a whole lot of I don’t give a fuck. You’re allowed to take a break and get some lunch.”

“What if they call while I’m away?”

“They can leave a message. Now let’s get out of here before we don’t have any time at all for food.”

Solas shoves back his chair and follows Varric. “I did pack a lunch today,” he mentions.

“Save it for tomorrow then. I’m craving some street tacos and there’s a truck just up the road. I’ll buy so you don’t have to worry about it.”

“I am less concerned about finances and more concerned about getting food from a truck.”

“Ah, live a little Chuckles,” Varric says as he gives Solas a whack on the back.

“If living a little, as you say, means spending two days on the toilet. Perhaps I do not wish to live a little.”

“Well come with me and grab something else. I’m sure there’s something you’d find worthy of your tastes nearby.”

A half hour later and Solas is holding a taco that’s worth the regret he’ll experience from his future self. Some chipotle mayo dribbles down his chin and he swipes it away while pulling out his phone.

He checks his messages. One from Sarya and one from Veda. He taps on the one from Veda first.

Connor went home sick. Pick me up after school today?

He checks the time and swears. How did he not realize he took such a late lunch? She needs to be picked up right now. He dials her number as he stuffs his arms into his coat.

“Veda needs to be picked up,” he tells Varric as he shoves the remainder of his taco in his mouth.

“Got you covered,” Varric replies.

He mumbles a garbled, “thanks” then takes off down the street. Solas is just a block away from his car in the parking garage when she picks up.

“Hey papae!”

“Hello. I apologize. I just now saw your text. I will be late.”

“No worries. I can always watch the band practice until you get here.”

“I will be there soon.”

“Okie doke.”

He says he loves her and hangs up. Sprints the rest of the way down the street, half choking and wishing he’d at least drank some water but makes his way to his little car without incident. He hops inside. Starts it and zooms out of the garage. He’s speeding which has him checking his rear view mirror constantly. But of course, the city has a million stop lights and he hits every red one. He gets to her school later than he ever intended.

He parks, shoving his glasses all the way up his nose, and searches for Veda at the stadium. He spots her in the bleachers, chin resting in her hands and her copper braids coming undone in the breeze. He takes the stairs to meet her two at a time.

“I am so sorry to make you wait,” he says as he wraps her in his arms.

“Seriously, papae. It’s not a problem at all.”

“But what if it had rained? Or stormed like yesterday?”

“I would’ve just stayed inside. Besides, that didn’t happen.”

He sighs, berating himself a little internally. Then he walks with her back to the car. Slides in and clicks his seatbelt in place.

“What’s this?” Veda asks.

Solas glances over at her. She has Sarya’s camera in her hands. He hadn’t even noticed it there. He calmly says, “a camera.”

“Pssh, obviously. But I don’t remember you having a camera.”

“It’s a friend’s,” he says. “We went out for lunch and they must’ve left it.”

“Oh,” she says. “How was work today?” She’s still fiddling with the camera.

“It was work,” he says. Thankfully she easily dropped the subject. “Not much was accomplished.”

She gasps. “Your friend is so pretty. You’ve never mentioned her before. New coworker?”

“No. Just a new friend I met.”

“She looks familiar—and she’s a wonderful photographer. Maybe we should have her take some pictures of us. We haven’t updated our family photos since I was ten.”

“That’s a wonderful idea Veda. However, my friend is only visiting for a short while. I’m not sure there would be enough time to squeeze some family photos in.”

“Bummer. You look so happy around her.”

“I don’t always look happy?”

“You look a different kind of happy with her. It’s nice.”

He takes her words and holds them close to her chest. “Anything interesting happen at school today?”

“Yeah,” she says, then she unloads a multitude of stories. How one of her friends got their tooth knocked out by a basketball in gym. How she accidentally used Elvhen in her Tevene class and didn’t notice until the whole class was just staring at her.

“Did you feel embarrassed?” he asks as they pull into the garage.

“A little. But I mostly found it funny. The way the other kids looked so confused.”

“Does anyone treat you differently when you speak Elvhen?”

She shrugs. “There’s a couple of kids who say stupid things but I don’t hang around them.”

“Veda, I’m happy to speak with the administration if your having trouble with other students—“

“While I appreciate that, I can handle a couple of kids who are jerks.”

“Very well but if you ever—“

“I know.” She slings her backpack in her back then kisses his cheek. “Can I go to Varric’s house? I want to see the cats and hang out with Cole for a bit.”

“Yes, so long as you check with—“

“Already did.” She steps out of the car. “Going to drop my stuff off inside then I’ll see you later.”

“Text me when you want to leave. I’ll pick you up.”

“Okay. See you later, papae.”

Solas sighs. He’s glad she still talks to him and he still gets to see her but there’s also this tiny ache in his chest that misses her always being around the house. But he reminds himself that this is a good thing. It’s just new and he pulls out his phone to read his messages from Sarya.

Hey I’m going to try and stop by your work around 3:15 today.

I stopped by your work but you weren’t there. Saw Varric though! He introduced me to everyone and it was fun! I really like Sera. She’s hilarious! And Merrill was so sweet! Anyway, hopefully I’ll see you sometime soon. 😉

—

“I fold,” Sarya says, she takes a drag from her cigarillo. Then throws her cards face up on the table.

“Already?” Han asks. “What a shame.”

“Your mind must be elsewhere, Sarya. I’ve never known you to throw a game,” Vilanti says as she shows her cards.

Han takes the game and lets out a whoop as he gathers them all to shuffle.

“I still can’t believe Dallen just up and left us. Did he say anything to either of you? About his plans.”

Both of them shake their heads.

“It’s really odd.”

“I don’t know why you care. Easier to keep yourself from using him. Easier for him to be happy this way,” Han says.

“Ouch,” Vilanti grimaces, then gestures for all the cards to be handed over. She shuffles.

“I do agree with that actually. It’s just that most who move on from our happy little family tend to give us more of a notice. We didn’t get to give him a proper goodbye.”

“I don’t mean to sound callous here Sarya, but you were the only one who cared about the guy. Makes sense why he moved on.” Vilanti deals.

Sarya picks up her hand and stares straight through the cards. “That’s not true.”

“Basically,” Han argues. He draws a card.

“Sometimes you both are mean.”

“Not mean. Just honest,” Han says.

Vilanti draws. “On another note, I heard Makon made a new friend today.”

“What?” Sarya nearly drops her cards. “Our Makon? Makon—stoic, quiet, unsociable Makon?”

“Yep. Met her at the gas station. She was passing through on her way to Wycome and her motorcycle broke down. He fixed it up for her on the spot and they exchanged numbers I guess.”

“What the fuck?”

“Good for him,” Han says.

Sarya draws a card. “Yeah, seriously. I hope that works out.”

“Our next gig is in Wycome and he plans to see her then.”

“Was it love at first sight or something?” Sarya asks. She folds and picks her cigarillo back up. Her interest in cards declining by the second.

Vilanti shrugs and plays her cards, taking the game. “By the way he keeps talking about her, I’d say yes.”

“What’s her name,” Han asks, gathering all the cards into a pile.

“Athi. Athi Lavellan.”

“Another Lavellan huh?”

“Guess so. Maybe she’s related to you two,” Vilanti says.

“Doubt it. Or if she is, it’s very distant,” Han says.

In the distance they hear yelling and smashing bottles. They all exchange looks.

“Wonder who the hell set Deshanna off—“

“Let’s go see if we can smooth things over,” Han says with a sigh.

“You two can go. I’ll probably make things worse. I don’t think he likes me much.”

“That’s because you push his buttons. Definitely better for you to stay here,” Han tells her.

“Don’t have to tell me twice.” Then she waves at them as they slip out the door and finishes off her cigarillo.

—

It’s dark and quiet and Sarya gazes longingly out the window at a small patch of stars. The only patch not hidden by the clouds. She sighs and startles at the sound of knocking. Straightening herself out, she rubs the redness from her elbows and opens the door.

“Solas,” she says it like she’s expecting him but she’s truly surprised. She steps out with him, shutting the door behind her.

“You forgot your camera,” he tells her, holding it out in his hands.

She takes it from him, hanging it around her neck. “Thank you. I should really start keeping better track of my things or you’re going to start thinking I’m trying to bait you or something.”

“I would bite every time,” he says, his hands clasped behind his back. There’s a certain sparkle in his eye and she can’t read him. But she knows she wants to kiss him. So without another thought, she stretches up on her toes and takes him by surprise. He is frigid and she panics, certain she has misstepped. After all, friends don’t kiss like that.

“I’m sorry,” she says, a little out of breath. “I don’t know what…”

Her words are caught on the edge of his lips as he captures her mouth again. His kiss is unreserved but not what she’d call passionate. Like the kiss of a long time lover. A kiss of promise. Of commitment. Her mind screams at her to let go while simultaneously wishing and longing for more. His leg is pressed into her inner thigh and despite the chill of the air, she’s certain she is on fire. Her nails are in his shoulder, the camera even hurts just a little as it presses into her chest, and she doesn’t mean to let out a moan but it’s too late for regrets as he pushes her against the side of her trailer. One hand above her and the other in her hair. With each breath she steals between kisses, she studies his face. Memorizes it and stores it for always. Freckles for days and the tiniest scar above his brow. The only sign of his age lies in the lines of crows feet near the edges of his eyes and she tells herself to ask if he has a skincare routine. He certainly seems the type.

She studies his closed eyelids, there’s two freckles on the right and a singular small one on the left and she notices that there’s even some red in his brows and wonders if they’d have red headed babies.

She gasps then. Pulls away. Why in the hell is she thinking of babies?

“Perhaps I should…”

“Kiss me again,” she says to him. She won’t let one ridiculous thought ruin the moment. She knows that she’s falling for him. Too fast, too soon but she’s holding on for another day.

When they break apart she doesn’t want him to go. But it’s too much to ask him to stay. So she waves goodbye then clicks her camera, saving the image of him walking away.

#dragon age #solavellan #modern au #solas x Sarya Lavellan #circus au #free falling #bear writes

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itsmedianapatino · 3 years

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CREATIVE NONFICTION WEEK 3-QUARTER 4

✨MEMOIR✨

Staring at the gentle green leaves of the tree through the window, I can’t help thinking about my high school life. Life, this is such a complex beautiful and delicate thing.. People you meet all your life will come and go but the special people you met will stick with you and stay forever in your life. I’ve known a number of people, but I’ve met a very few unique people. Right now at this age, when I think about the past and recalling the old times, I feel nostalgic, sometimes sad and eventually will become regrets. When I think about how much I’ve grown up and what I’ve done, I can’t help but to be pleased and emotional because I have a soft heart. My childhood memories are only a bits and pieces. The is because ever since I was a kid, making friends has never been once on my strong suits. My happiest and most vivid memories are when I was in my high school, particularly in my junior days. Its been both fun and depressing.

I have this group of friends when I was in junior high school. We were a big group consisting sixteen people, but it was fun. We talk depends on the topic, others talks about a certain group they stan, some were about a game, some about homeworks. And I have a friend who is with me since I was in grade 7, then we become three. Seth has been my close friend, then just in grade 9, there’s this girl named Dallen who become our friend. We were happy, we hang out a lot. But one time, I and Seth discovered that Dallen develop her feelings to one of our friends in the group, and that is also closed to Seth. We pushed them together, hoping that they would end up. And finally, the two has this ‘mutual’ feelings to each other.

In our last year of being a high schooler, the two seems to be close and we support them. We never really involved ourselves to them as we wanted to let them work their relationship, but there’s this time when they just stopped talking to each other, and months passed but they were like that. We never knew why, but Seth since then has been close to Wilfred. We never question that because one of our friends asked Wilfred one time,

“Are you two a thing?”

And he answered, “No, she’s my best friend, got a problem?”

And everyone knew that Wilfred never let someone close to him unless that person is very precious to him. I never questioned Seth and Wilfred because I am also have a quite few guy bestfriends. We were back to normal. The three of us still hang out together, Seth and Dallen is still close as Seth is never been involved to what Dallen and Wilfred has become. We tried to talk to Wilfred but never got a replied about the issue. Seth has been pestering Wilfred about it but never got a decent answer. Then one day, I don’t know what happen but Seth just don’t talk to me and she seems to be distant to Dallen as well. I don’t know what to do because I don’t really know why she distance herself to us.

Everyday I asked why did she left me hanging. I never do something bad to her. Then I asked Dallen if there’s something going on to the both of them, then she said they got to this fight and that’s all. We talked about it, and Dallen said Seth never said sorry to her, and they were teaming up against us. I got really angry so I express it through social media. Voicing out my feelings, calling Seth a plastic and many hurtful words. Everyday we talk about how flirt she is because Wilfred and Seth is a bit touchy and they often tease each other in the classroom. Dallen seems to take it bad as well like Seth is being a flirt to her crush or something. We asked our other friend if where they would team, to us or to Seth and they declined saying they aren’t even involved to our fight. They won’t take sides. Dallen and I feel upset like everybody is in favor to Seth, like she’s getting al the attention while Dallen and I is being outcast to the group.

Two years has passed and I still question what really happen during that time. I feel something off and I don’t like the feeling. So I tried to asked Dallen about it many times but everytime I do, she would tell the same story once again. I tried reaching Seth out, even though I don’t really know what happen between us but she seems distant. Saying “We’re okay” but I still feel guilty and bad about the things I did. I tried many times but I am shy and I don’t know how would I talk to someone I used to hate? Then my debut came and I am so happy that Seth is there. Dallen is a bit shocked but I never really care about her the whole day because I am so happy to be able to see Seth in my important day. She said, the mistakes can be turn into a lesson, wishing me a happy birthday. But I never got the chance to talk to her about things because I am busy entertaining my guest.

Then we met again in our friends birthday party, I took the chance to talk to her but when I called her name, I cried. It was too much feelings that I don’t know what to do. She comfort me saying, “its okay” when I keep telling her that I am sorry. She’s laughing because I said I wanted to talk but I am crying to her arms.

She said, “Forget about it, its been two years.”

But I answered back, “I just feel guilty about it. I don’t know, I feel like you still hold grudges.”

Then she smiled, telling me that she never did. She’s angry about it but she never hold grudges nor hate to us. I asked her what happen then she tells me that she and Dallen got a fight once day. Dallen throw things at her, a bag, envelop even the books we used in school. She didn’t left me, she just let me talk and hang out to Dallen because everytime they fight, Dallen would say that she has nothing even a friend. So Seth let me be a friend to Dallen but she never expect me to post something about her like being a plastic, a whore, and many things. I cried again, realizing that we just have this misunderstanding. That I did bad things to her, hurt her like that. I don’t know what to feel and Seth still, keeps her smile at me like it was a small mistake.

She said that Wilfred and her is still friends, there’s really nothing going on to the both of them because they’re bestfriends, and nothing more. I really feel bad about the things I did. I realized that since then, all my friends has been in contact to each other and I was left alone. Kenshin said, “Imagine, you choose to believe only in once side then you already lost a lot of us.” And I said sorry to them, that I was immature and they said, it was okay. And they were glad that the misunderstanding two years ago is now okay. Seth smiled the whole time to me and I am happy. She said that if its okay, never tell Dallen about what we talked about because we might fight and it will cause another damage. She said it was okay that we fixed our friendship but she don’t know if she and Dallen can still be friends. Our friends told me that when the fight between the three of us, she cried a lot. They even tell me that even if Wilfred would buy her food, she won’t eat it. And if Dallen and I saw Wilfred and Seth teasing each other, that is Wilfred’s way to cheer her up because she would constantly think about what happen to the three of us. I feel really bad that time because I hated her for being happy while Dallen and I were suffering, but turns out that I really need to see both sides of the story.

What I’ve learned to that day is that all we experience, both good and bad, is co-created by us. We are the creators of what is happening to us, we are completely responsible for any case, action, and situation in our lives. I’ve learned that no discomfort or pain is ever lost unless you want to miss a lesson. Taking responsibility and admitting that it was your mistake would make you feel better, specially if that person is ready to forgive you. I’ve also learned that no one can harm you repeatedly unless you allow it to happen. I’ve learn to my experience that I have to let go of the pain and sorrow I’ve felt when I was in junior high school, and now I appreciate and compassion for the lessons I’ve learned. I’ve learned that things can be easily fixed if both of the individual is ready to listen. Now, I have a better relationship to my friends.

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darklingichor · 3 years

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Foundations by Mercedes Lackey

I have read these books a lot. They are some of my favorites of Mercedes Lackey, on par with The Last Herald Mage. This series has the added benefit on not ripping your still beating heart from your chest and playing hacky sack with it.

The Heralds of Valdemar is a sweeping set of books, when someone talks about world building in a fantasy setting, this is what I think of. It is so detailed that I am not going to go into it too much. Just know: Valdemar is a diverse and accepting country in general, the motto is “No One, True Way”. The Heralds of Valdemar are peace keepers, and fighters, their duty is to Valdemar and its people. They are set apart from regular citizens by their gifts (what is termed mind magic, telepathy, telekinesis, fire staring, etc.) and by being “Chosen” by the Companions of Valdemar. The Companions take the shape of white horses with silver hooves, but are either reincarnated Heralds or avatars of a deity (as far as I have read, this is not common knowledge to Heralds it is just known that Companions are just like Heralds, except horse shaped and with knowledge and powers that are mysterious). All Heralds must be trained in the use of their gifts, and in all the ways they will need to serve Valdemar This is done in Haven, Valdemar’s capitol city. Bards and Healers are also taught in Haven.

I’ve written about books later in this series before, Eye Spy and Spy, Spy Again. Foundations is where the story of Herald Mags begins. Fittingly, supplying the foundations for the character himself and the foundations for changes happening in Haven.

Mags is a 13-year-old slave in a jewel mine. This is the only life he’s known, having been given to Master Pieters as a baby after being found in a camp that had been raided. He’s grown up being told that he is “bad blood”, that his parents were bandits and were killed in the raid. He’s very smart and observant, in fact that is where his name came from. After showing skill in finding small chips of jewels in the separation process, he was called Magpie.

Master Pieters and his family are cruel and are knowingly breaking the law, as slavery is illegal in Valdemar. He’s flown under the radar by taking unwanted kids from the local priests and “providing for them”. He gives them the bare minimum of food, clothing and education, only providing more once a year when the priests made their visit.

Then one day, there are rumblings all around the mine. The Pieters' are afraid, whispers of a demon trying to get through the gates. Mags knows it has come for him, that his bad blood has finally caught up with him.

He was right, only what was coming for him was a Companion. Mags is Chosen by Companion Dallen, and is taken to a guard post by Herald Jakyr where he is given medical attention and food, as well as instruction from Dallen. Mags’s gift is Mind-Speech and he needs the basics taught to him, having been treated like less than cattle his whole life, he also needs… Well, person lessons.

After he is deemed well enough to travel, Herald Jakyr takes him to Haven, where things are changing. Until recently Haven gotten only a handful of trainees a year, however, Chosen have been coming thick and fast, meaning that the old way of apprenticeship training, was not working. They are now being taught in the way of the Bards and Healers.

Some Heralds are not happy about this.

I don’t want to go too far into spoilers. I know I said I would do a series all together, but this one has 11 books in it, so that wouldn’t be practical!

I will say this, I can’t think of one character in this book that I don’t like that isn’t a villain. I don’t even get annoyed with any of them. As much as I love Vanyel and his story, there were times I sort of wanted to shake him until his teeth rattled and some sense was jarred loose.

Mags is very likeable, and the sort of fish out of water element of his story is very well done. He is matched well with the friends he makes, a Bard Trainee, Lena, who is living in the shadow of her famous father, and Healer Trainee who comes from a family of well-known healers, who have no faith in his abilities.

There are other friends as well, but I feel like I might give away somethings if I go into that part of the story.

You can’t write about a Herald without writing about the companion they are paired with. Dallen is one of my favorites. Good humored, patient, and just vain enough to be charming, I love the dynamic between he and Mags.

This is a great start to a great series!

#Book #books #mercedes lackey #Foundations #revisit 13 #Book blogging 2021 #revisit

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kelsiestelting · 4 years

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Billionaire Romance Stories for the Young at Heart

Whether your an actual YA or love reliving all the excitement of being a teen, there are PLENTY of amazing billionaire romance books for the young at heart to choose from. Billionaire romance splashed onto the scene when E.L. James’s 50 Shades of Grey took off. That trend bled over into clean & wholesome romance, as well as teen & young adult, giving us all the awesome reads we can find today!

What makes up the BEST YA Billionaire Romance?

The Grand Gesture.

Guys. If he’s rich, we want to see it! Say hello to helicopter rides over the city, luxurious dates, and plenty of red roses.

The Heart of Gold.

Even if he’s rich, no one wants to date a snob. He needs to be a gentleman in every sense of the word to truly win our hearts!

I gathered some of my FAVORITE YA billionaire romance books and shared them below. I hope you read and enjoy every single one!

Anne-Marie Meyer

USA Today bestselling author has penned many books, even some adult billionaire books you can get here. However, her YA romance, Misunderstanding the Billionaire’s Heir has topped the Teen & Young Adult Romance charts for months. It’s also the first book in the Sweet Water High multi-author series, which includes my book Road Trip with the Enemy. Here’s a little more about Meyer’s story!

About the Story

He wasn't supposed to be nice. This changes everything. I’m just trying to survive. Mom’s dead. Dad’s gone crazy. And I’m alone. Senior year is about to start and I can’t imagine my life getting any worse. Enter Lucas. The rich, snobby kid who’s been banished here by his parents to, I don’t know, learn how the poor slum it or something. He’s everywhere. Infiltrating my safe places and causing my emotions to spin out of control. If only I can figure out what his angle is, I might actually survive. And then, things change. I begin to realize there’s more depth to him than he’s letting on. I didn’t expect this. What am I going to do? My heart’s already so broken and I’m not sure I can take the chance that I so desperately want to. Losing someone I loved already crushed me once. What if Lucas leaves me too?

Billionaire Academy

Mount Rainier Legacy Academy is a school for children of the rich and famous. It’s even been called “Billionaire Academy” since so many have gone to school there! In this multi-author series, you’ll find teens navigating parental pressure, rigorous academics, and of course, first loves. One of my best author friends, Sally Henson, wrote Don’t Kiss the Class Clown and I absolutely loved getting to know Ally and Ryan in her story! This whole series sounds adorable and is sure to give you all the feels!

Kelsie Stelting

What kind of blogger would I be if I didn’t tell you about my own billionaire Romance? Curvy Girls Can’t Date Billionaires is a stand-alone romance in The Curvy Girl Club, a sweet YA romance series featuring five plus-size heroines. In this story, Jordan, a poor girl attending Emerson Academy on scholarship is forbidden to date the son of the billionaire she and her mom are cleaning house for. Of course, some rules are meant to be broken. ;)

High School Billionaires

Say hello to high school billionaires. Maggie Dallen’s sweet YA romance series is full nerdy hunks, fun heroine’s, and, of course, billionaires! The three books make for great light reading or an entire weekend of binge reading fun!

Some Honorable Mentions…

Okay, so maybe these books aren’t “billionaires” but if you love romance with the rich and famous, you have to check them out.

R.H. Tucker

The Kings of Karmichael series by R.H. Tucker features some hot, talented, and rich rock stars. With four books out and available, there is plenty of material to binge and fall in love with!

Judy Corry

Judy Corry is known for her unputdownable YA romance! Several of her books have totally swoonworthy heroes with deep pockets and huge hearts! You can’t go wrong with any of these stories!

Victoria Anders

Being a teen is hard—especially when your best friend moves away and your dating life is nonexistent. But things don’t stay that way in My Life as Marlee. This is a picture-perfect coming of age novel that will make you wish you had your own billionaire boyfriend!

About the Story

Everyone has demons. Some bigger than others. Will love heal the scars caused by her demons?

I’m officially an insane hermit, thanks to my best friend moving 1,000 miles away. Starting my junior year as a total loner was not in my plans. I spend days eating lunch in the library and nights trapped in a nightmare.

When my secret crush asks me out, my entire world changes. Living in Noah’s rich world is so far out of my league, but he eases my rough nights, and I settle in with a new crew of friends.

But it seems things are too good to be true.

As my dating life explodes, my home life heads toward the opposite end of the spectrum, like total implosion with each little detonation taking it deeper and deeper, causing the nightmare to spiral.

Demons like to come back and haunt. Am I strong enough to fight them?

Find great new books to read.

If you struggle finding great YA books to read, let me help take out some of the guesswork! I have several articles to help readers find awesome books in ebook, paperback, and audio! See some of these posts below…

Enemies to Lovers Romance!

Curvy Girl Romance!

Christmas Romance!

Pen Pal Romance!

Football Romance!

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mikemortgage · 5 years

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Socialist Maduro seeks to raise dollars with appeal to greed

CARACAS, Venezuela — When Jose Humberto Vivas needs to trade dollars for Venezuelan bolivars, he usually flouts the nation’s rigid exchange controls by turning to illegal currency traders.

But last week, Vivas put a few hundred dollars in his wallet and headed to an exchange house regulated by Venezuela’s socialist government, lured by the seemingly improbable prospect of an official rate that is more inviting than the black market rate.

“I haven’t been here in years,” Vivas said as he stood in line outside Italcambio, a normally lifeless exchange house in downtown Caracas protected by tinted windows and an armed security guard who inspects customers’ IDs.

“There’s a long wait here . and it takes days to get the money transferred to your account, but it might be worth it,” said Vivas, who makes a living from selling dairy products.

Little noticed amid the turmoil unleashed by the opposition’s renewed push to oust President Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela’s central bank devalued the country’s currency on Jan. 28 by 50 per cent, eclipsing the parallel black market rate.

The government now buys $1 for 3,303 bolivars, while the informal market buys them at 3,120 bolivars, according to the website DolarToday. It is the first time the official exchange rate has been higher than that of the black market since currency controls were put in place more than a decade ago, analysts said.

The controls were implemented in 2003 by Hugo Chavez, the late president who initiated Venezuela’s socialist system, and have frequently made the simple task of exchanging money into a stressful ordeal that involves searching for illegal currency dealers, logging into websites banned by the government, and sending wire transfers to foreign banks.

But as Maduro’s government runs out of hard currency amid an onslaught of international pressure and economic sanctions, it is tacking in a markedly capitalist direction, encouraging Venezuelans to sell their greenbacks to the local financial system.

In a statement issued Jan. 29, the Central Bank described the devaluation as an economic stabilization measure aimed at controlling hyperinflation by undermining the black market.

Analysts called it a desperate gambit to raise hard cash in a country now beset by severe U.S. oil sanctions that could cost the government up to $11 billion in revenue over the next 12 months. Without one of its most important sources of income, Venezuela will be hard-pressed to purchase food and other imports, potentially worsening shortages and deepening its economic collapse.

Russ Dallen, CEO at Caracas Capital Markets, said dollars could now come into Venezuela’s empty state coffers through state-regulated wire transfers from the estimated 3 million Venezuelan migrants who have fled the country’s instability. Up until now, they have mostly used black market traders to an estimated $1 billion a year to loved ones, but could be enticed into the official system if the official exchange rate stays favourable.

“They are going for the diaspora dollars,” Dallen said of Maduro’s administration.

The government is also attempting to gain more dollars from rich Venezuelans and a few straggling tourists who use their foreign credit cards at the official exchange rate, something that would have been unfeasible a few weeks ago.

But the strategy is controversial.

Maduro’s opponents argue that selling dollars to the government is tantamount to funding repression. Others say the move will not eliminate the longstanding spread between the two rates, which has often allowed richer Venezuelans to take advantage of the distortion and pocket juicy profits.

Asdrubal Oliveros, an economic consultant based in Caracas, predicts the amount of money the Venezuelan government can raise through currency markets will fall short of what it needs to remedy its financial woes. Strict requirements mandated by U.S. sanctions could also force some foreign banks to stop funding credit card transactions in Venezuela altogether, as Bank of America recently announced.

The government and its state-owned entities currently owe around $150 billion to creditors around the world, while the country’s foreign currency reserves have fallen to just $8 billion.

Forced to meet interest payments on the few remaining loans and bonds the government hasn’t yet defaulted on, the Maduro administration must finance its huge budget deficit by printing even more bolivars, further accelerating prices.

Last year, inflation in the South American country hit 1 million per cent.

“Hyperinflation is a fiscal problem,” Oliveros said. “If you don’t control your expenditures and reduce deficits, you will not be able to tackle it.”

Meanwhile, other obstacles could limit the central bank’s efforts to raise dollars.

Currently, it takes four days — an eternity in today’s Venezuela — for the bolivars purchased at state-regulated exchange houses to be deposited into a person’s account. Cash exchanges have been impossible for months due to shortages of bolivar bills.

“Reliability, speed and convenience carry a lot of weight in currency exchanges,” Oliveros said.

Last week, dozens of people trying to sell small amounts of dollars and euros at the official rate were turned away from exchange houses after trading was suspended due to a glitch with the central bank’s currency platform.

“It’s so frustrating,” said Adolfo Estanford, a lawyer who had hoped to get $20 worth of bolivars. He said he needed the money for food and transport.

“Everything here is so improvised,” he said. “I feel like I’ve been made a fool of.”

——

Manuel Rueda on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ruedareport

from Financial Post http://bit.ly/2tcU8Zo via IFTTT Blogger Mortgage Tumblr Mortgage Evernote Mortgage Wordpress Mortgage href="https://www.diigo.com/user/gelsi11">Diigo Mortgage

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newstfionline · 6 years

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How to save the world: Schedule some awe in your summer vacation

Holly Lebowitz Rossi, Religion News Service, June 25, 2018

When she was 12, Anjali Mitter Duva spent a year living in India with her Indian father and Jewish American mother. During a school vacation, the family traveled to Rajasthan, a desert region in the northwestern part of the country. After a long, uncomfortable train ride, they reached the medieval city of Jaisalmer, where a young teenager’s angsty frustration with family travel was quickly transformed into what she describes as pure awe.

“It’s completely gorgeous, with a stunningly blue sky and everything else in shades of orange, yellow, ochre and sandstone,” said Duva, who lives in Arlington, Mass. “Everything is super-saturated.”

In that stunning environment, Duva was particularly captivated by a local girl performing a sacred dance called kathak.

“I had been plucked out of my life for this year,” she recalls. “And here was my counterpart, this other 12-year-old girl. I remember this feeling of what made me be me, what made her be her, and how we were both there at the same place at the same time.”

That awe stayed with Duva. Nearly two decades after her trip, she published her first novel, “Faint Promise of Rain” (She Writes Press, 2014), set in the desert of Rajasthan and featuring as its protagonist a young Hindu dancer.

Travel, psychologists say, can change lives, especially when it’s to destinations that elicit awe and wonder. The feelings that take us out of ourselves foster positive social relationships, lower stress levels and cultivate overall well-being.

Awe has two phases, says Daniel Stancato, a researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, who studies the impact of awe on emotional health. Awe arises when a person perceives something “so strikingly vast that it transcends one’s current frame of reference,” he said. Next, awe forces someone to change his or her beliefs or worldview in order to make sense of the experience.

“To put it succinctly, one’s mind is … blown in a state of awe,” said Stancato.

Travelers needn’t go to the ends of the earth to experience awe. Nearly 331 million people visited a U.S. national park in 2017, where, according to the National Park Service’s mission statement, “inspiration” is listed next to “education” and “enjoyment.”

But according to the 2018 “State of the American Traveler” report from the U.S. Travel Association, more than half of American employees leave some earned vacation time unused each year. This translates to 705 million unused vacation days per year.

“Missed vacation time is detrimental for many reasons, but missed opportunities to experience awe in nature is one of them,” said Stancato.

The costs aren’t only to the overworked employee. Stancato is the coauthor of a 2015 paper that associated awe-inspiring experiences with positive social emotions, including generosity, selflessness and ethical decision-making.

Stancato’s research was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology as five separate studies. Its major finding was that experiencing awe “can increase ‘prosociality,’ or inclinations to care for, share with and assist other people,” said Stancato.

Study participants experienced awe in different ways--for example, watching a moving video, looking at a tall grove of eucalyptus trees or recalling and writing about a time they experienced awe in the past. The positive social emotions were evident no matter which awe-inspiring stimulus was used.

New studies are building on these findings, including research on whether awe can break down barriers between social groups, including between people with differing political views. Early findings, Stancato said, suggest that experiencing awe can “lead liberals to be more tolerant of conservative views, and vice versa.”

Especially in an era when people report feeling divided along political lines, the research suggests that more awe could translate to better social cohesion.

“These outcomes are noteworthy, as several decades’ worth of research has shown that acting in ways that benefit others and help to build social bonds can have profound benefits for one’s health and well-being,” said Stancato.

Paul Kipnes, rabbi at Congregation Or Ami in Calabasas, Calif., takes his congregants outdoors for services around a campfire in the nearby town of Agoura or on a Shabbat hike in Malibu Creek State Park.

“We live lives where we think everything revolves around us,” said Kipnes. “Once we push ourselves outside, we realize that we who thought ourselves so big are really so small. You see a mountain range or look down into the Grand Canyon or at the ocean, and you realize immediately that you are part of something bigger, longer-lasting and amazing.”

Travel, journeying and wandering are “a common thread through most religions,” said Dallen Timothy, a scholar at Arizona State University who studies religious tourism.

Some of the most important moments in religious history occurred in natural settings. Moses received the Torah on Mount Sinai. Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness.

Timothy, whose book “Contemporary Christian Travel: Pilgrimage, Practice, and Place” (Channel View Publications, 2018) will be published in October, notes that religious travelers connect with these stories through trips to sacred sites, but they also can access awe and wonder simply by spending time in nature.

“There are probably as many ways to interpret ‘awe’ as there are religions and denominations within religions,” said Timothy. “Some faith traditions would understand awe as being spiritually moved by experiencing firsthand the localities where sacred events occurred or where religious figures ministered. Others might interpret awe as being inspired by the grandeur of God’s immense generosity.”

Mark Anderson, president and CEO of Journey Quest, based in Canyon City, Colo., leads groups of Christians on tours of canyons, rivers and mountains, pairing an outdoors experience with what he calls an opportunity “to share the love of God and experience his creation.”

Like many evangelical wilderness trips, Anderson’s rafting trips down the Arkansas River weave creationism--the belief that God created the world in seven literal days--into his tours. The grandeur of Royal Gorge, which rises 1,000 feet on either side of the river, inspires awe in his customers. Some, he said, have “accepted the Lord” or converted to Christianity during the trips.

In the presence of such grandeur, “You get a sense of who God is in your life and how minute and infinitesimal we are in the big picture,” said Anderson.

But there are no rules for where and how travelers can experience awe, said Judith Fein, a travel journalist and author of “Life Is a Trip: The Transformative Magic of Travel” (Pudie, 2012). Whether you are visiting a nearby town or an international locale, Fein advises journeyers to let travel “pull you into the present.”

“Travel is a mindset, awe is a mindset, and it’s not geographically determined,” she said, “All you have to do is be curious.”

#awe #travel and awe

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krissysbookshelf · 7 years

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