#whatsapp is here for when it finally makes it to your grandparents and they send you your own fucking meme

[karajaynetoday]

forever and always | calum hood

I couldn’t find the original credit for this gif but possibly here? It’s a deactivated blog though if anyone has the proper credit please let me know!

I don’t know how or why, but I woke up this morning thinking about this concept and I had to get it written to make my peace with it, in a way. Shout out to @spicycal for reading through the draft for me, and sending love to anyone this resonates with. It’s a very emo Calum one-shot that includes pregnancy loss (if that’s not something you can read, feel free to give this one a miss), but I promise it has a happy ending. 

Word count: 2.8k

Warnings: mentions of pregnancy and pregnancy loss/stillbirth, and references to COVID-19 (the pandemic circumstances i.e. quarantine, not actually having the illness)

(This is a fem reader insert)

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Calum ducked his head down to meet your gaze, brown eyes swimming with concern.

You were sat together on the couch in Ashton’s living room, surrounded by a lighting set up, having a quiet moment while Andy and Ryan were setting up their cameras in front of you. 5SOS were preparing to release their next album, and to reflect on the past ten years’ of the band, they had decided to film a documentary alongside the album process. After much deliberation, KayKay, Sierra and Crystal had agreed to take part, because they were just as much a part of the band’s journey as the boys’ families were, and their support and influence on the music was obvious. For you, though, it was a little different. You and Calum had successfully hidden your relationship from the public eye for the last four years. It was some sort of miracle, honestly, especially given the last little while where you’d gotten careless and slipped up by holding hands and showing affection in public. If any fans or paps noticed, they never said anything, and it gave you and Calum a sense of relief that no one knew your name or true identity when you were spotted with him or the rest of the band family in public.

Relief, but you had to admit that it hurt a little too. You’d seen the hate and vitriol that the other guys’ partners had experienced, and you knew Calum was just trying to protect you from all of that, but every time someone made a joke about him being the only single one in interviews, or asked him what he looked for in a girl, or the fans ran away with relationship rumours whenever he was photographed within breathing distance of a potential love interest,  it made your chest feel tight. At the end of the day, though, Calum always came home to you, and that was what truly mattered.

To say that this was a big moment, publicly announcing your relationship with Calum, and revealing that you’d kept it hidden for years, was an understatement. But you knew it was important to both of you to finally share it with the world. Not just because you loved each other and wanted to show it, but because the events of the past year had broken and rebuilt you all over again. As individuals, as a couple, and even for the band as a whole. You knew that the hope you’d held, and the pain that tore you down, and the healing you’d been through came across in Calum’s contributions to the new album, so it felt right to sit down and use your own voice to convey your feelings about it all.

You broke out of your deep train of thought to nod in response to Calum’s question, and press a quick but reassuring kiss to his lips.

“I’m sure if you’re sure.” You whispered, as Calum threw his arm around your shoulders and squeezed to let you know he was in support of whatever you wanted to do.

“Okay guys, we’re ready if you’re all good to go?” Ryan spoke up from behind the camera, trying not to unsettle you two and the moment you were clearly having. A deep breath and a brief smile from you and Calum let Ryan know he could start recording, and Andy sat down out of frame and pulled his notebook of questions into his lap.

“So, shall we start from the beginning?”

Your heart swelled, as you began to remember.

--

Ashton had full on wingman-ed Calum when you first met them both at a bar downtown. He was dating KayKay at the time, so he’d made it his mission to find Cal a hot date, or a lover, or a lifelong companion (“Any of the above will do, as long as you’re not a shit person”, he’d told you as he tried to pitch Calum to you). The pitch had worked, and you’d joined them for a few drinks and rounds of pool, before exchanging numbers with Calum at the end of the night.

From there, it was coffee dates, and brunches, and then dinners and nights out on the town. Soon it became days or nights at each other’s houses, which became entire weekends, then it was trips away or secret visits to see Calum on tour, and before you knew it, you’d been dating for the better part of the last two years and Cal asked you to move in with him. He knew it was a sacrifice on your part, not only dating someone who was away for months at a time, let alone someone whose hand you couldn’t hold out in public for risk of being photographed, but you also knew that you and Calum loved each other more deeply than you’d ever loved before. You understood he’d be burned in the past with public or semi-public relationships, and seeing his band brothers go through them made him hesitant at best. By moving in together, you’d see each other more, and you’d also get to shower each other with the love and desire that was building more and more within your soul with every passing day.

--

“So that’s the story of how we met. Mate, honestly, I was head over heels from day one.” Calum laughed, kissing your forehead quickly.

“I’ve had the privilege of observing you two and your love for one another for a few years now, and I have to say it’s a beautiful thing. You just seem to know each other inside out, and I love that soulmate aspect of your relationship.” Andy mused, flashing you a warm smile.

“Now, in terms of influence on this upcoming album, I know the past 18 months have been a rollercoaster for us all, but you two especially have been through a lot. Do you feel comfortable talking us through that a little bit?” Andy was careful with his words, not wanting to upset you or make you uncomfortable.

You squeezed Calum’s knee, before swallowing thickly and thinking back to the time period Andy had mentioned.

--

When 2020 began, you held so much hope and excitement for the year ahead. Watching Calum and his brothers play the Firefight Australia concert was incredible, and you were so thrilled for them to be releasing their latest album that truly felt representative of the four individuals who had come together to craft it. But then the pandemic began, and you were ordered into quarantine. Each day felt heavier somehow, with more sad stories on the news, and more frustration building up amongst your loved ones. It broke your heart to see Calum and the boys not able to release the album in the way they’d originally hoped, but Cal himself was both an optimist and a realist, and constantly reiterated that it felt like the right time to release it anyway, because maybe it would bring a bit of joy and serenity to people that needed that in their lives amongst all the chaos.

You’d quickly fallen into the routine of home isolation, waking early to get your work hours done, so you could spend your afternoons with Calum and Duke by the pool, or hiking a nearby trail, or bingeing Netflix on the couch. It was strange to have so much time together, but it was also so warm and comforting that it didn’t take you long to get anxious at the idea of Calum ever leaving again for tour or promo. That was a while away, though, so you tried your best to make the most of the time you had, and take it one day at a time.

You couldn’t remember the first day you woke up feeling nauseous. Sometime in June, you supposed. A few days of vomiting and fatigue that made you feel like you’d been hit by a bus, and you had a telehealth appointment with your doctor to try and figure out what was going on. Given your symptoms, they’d asked you in for tests right away. A week or so later, you were back sitting in the doctor’s office awaiting the results, extra nervous because the COVID-19 restrictions meant that Calum couldn’t come in with you. You’d thought about FaceTiming him into the appointment, but there was something in the back of your mind telling you that you wanted to have a moment to yourself to process the news, whatever it was going to be.

When your doctor looked at you with a smile and told you that you were pregnant, all you could do was gape back at her in shock. It shouldn’t have come entirely as a surprise; you and Calum had spoken a few times about the vision you had for your future, and the uncertainty and restlessness that quarantine had given you made foregoing protection seem right, somehow (lovesick logic, or something like that). But it happening so quickly was unexpected. Your shock was soon replaced with tears of happiness, and you were already bursting at the seams to get home and tell Calum the news.

He was speechless at first, too, but then again Calum always was a man of few words. You’d kept it to yourselves for a little while, only discussing it in quiet whispers, or soft touches onto your non-existent bump, or sending links of cute baby things to one another via WhatsApp message. A few weeks later, you had your first scan, and this time Calum was allowed in the room. You could see his eyes light up when he heard the strong heartbeat on the monitor, and later he’d tell you how he immediately wanted to voicenote it on his phone to listen to while he was away on tour, or even mix it into a song.

Seeing that tiny blob on the screen and hearing the heartbeat honestly made your entire year, and from then on you couldn’t resist sharing your happiness with others. Video calls with yours and Calum’s parents, more happy tears and cheering from the soon-to-be first time grandparents.

The restrictions in California had eased a little, so you invited Ashton, Luke, Michael and their respective partners over for dinner one night. You’d prepared some cute greeting cards, one for each couple, thanking them for all of their support over the years with helping to protect your privacy with Calum, and slipped a copy of the baby scan with “see you in February” written on the back inside the card. Once everyone was settled onto the couches in the living room, waiting for dinner to be ready, you handed them out and sat down in Calum’s lap, taking a sip of your drink to try and hide the excitement on your face.

It was so amusing to observe the reactions that were representative of each couple. Michael and Crystal gasped and cheered, immediately pulling you and Calum into tight hugs. Ashton and KayKay were more reserved, but whispers of love and encouragement and happiness into your ears were so lovely and cherished. The tears in Sierra’s eyes, and the comfort of Luke’s squeeze of his arms around your waist said more than they could ever put into words.

The emotional celebrations soon turned into teasing jibes, and Ashton’s pitch for a new line of 5SOS baby merch. (“Come on guys, a baby-sized bucket hat? Tiny hoodies? Wildflower plush toys? A lullabies album? I’m telling you, there’s a whole WORLD of opportunity for us opening up right now!”), and you couldn’t help but feel both overjoyed and overwhelmed at how much this little baby was going to be surrounded with love and support for every day of their life.

The months carried on, and your once invisible baby bump grew and grew. You and Calum cleared out a spare room for the nursery, and got lost in furniture shopping and paint swatches and reading every parenting book you could get your hands on. There were doctors appointments, and birthing classes; lists of potential baby names on the fridge, and consulting your dog trainer on how best to introduce old man Duke to the idea of a new arrival.

As December approached, and you started getting into the festive spirit, Calum began returning to the studio as he and the guys toyed with some potential new directions for the next album. All of them had studios built into their homes, so they could meet and work together in relative safety, which was reassuring. You were standing over the kitchen sink one day, rinsing out the pan you’d used to make eggs for breakfast, when a searing pain in your abdomen had you groaning in discomfort and gripping onto the kitchen counter for dear life. The pain eased momentarily, and then came back stronger, and you managed to grab your phone from the counter and dial Calum’s number frantically as you gasped for breath.

The next few hours were a blur; Calum raced home to find you curled up in pain on the kitchen floor, Ashton and the paramedics were quick to follow him inside. They put you in an ambulance and took you straight to the hospital; you and Calum were gripping each other’s hand so tightly that your knuckles were white with stress.

The doctors determined you were in pre-term labour, and soon enough you were in a delivery room panting and pushing and crying out to Calum for comfort. It was all so terrifying and overwhelming but he was doing his best to ground you, brushing his fingers through your hair and holding your hand and whispering sweet nothings into your ear. When you finally delivered the baby, a hush fell over the room, and you could tell from the look on the faces of your doctor and nurses that something wasn’t right. 

The silence continued, and your heart broke when you realised that the baby hadn’t started to cry like you’d expected. The nurses had moved the infant over to another station, suctioning their airway and connecting them up to all manner of tubes and wires, but after a few moments your doctor told you the news. It was a baby girl, but her heartbeat wasn’t there. She’d come into the world and gone out again, just like that.

--

“I know a lot of people struggle to talk about stillbirths, and losing children, and it’s such a deeply personal thing so I get it. But it’s also grief, and loss, and emotions that you feel whenever you lose anyone you love. If there’s one thing I wish we could do more, as people in general, it’s discuss how we feel, and normalise having emotions, because it brings you closer and makes you feel less alone.” You spoke softly, blinking away the tears that had started to well in your eyes.

Andy nodded gently at you, before a quiet “Cal?” with an encouraging flick of his head.

Calum cleared his throat and glanced over at you before speaking. 

“I think that’s a huge part of why we wanted to be here today and talk about not only our relationship but losing Matilda in particular. It’s a sensitive topic, I know, especially for men, but holding back and bottling up your emotions isn’t good for anyone. Without her support in getting me to open up, or having the boys to listen to me cry and help me get some of my feelings out, in words and on this album, I don’t think I’d be in as good a place as I am now. It’s dark to think about, but important not to ignore, I think.”

“You’re so right, Cal. And Matilda is always going to be a part of our story, and we’re never going to forget how much we loved her and how much closer together she brought us,” You began, pausing briefly to squeeze Calum’s hand that had settled on your swollen stomach, “And when our little rainbow baby arrives in the next few weeks, I can’t wait to tell them about their sister, and how much she would’ve loved to meet them, but now she’s watching over them instead.”

“Exactly. We’re always going to have had Matilda, and then this little one, and however many others we decide to try and bring into the world. But it’s the love that builds you and the loss that breaks you that makes us who we are. Forever and always.” Calum’s voice was emotional, but also firm and calm, as he looked down at you and kissed you intently, his hand never leaving its spot on your bump, where your little rainbow baby was kickly softly at the sound of his voice.

“Forever and always.” You agreed, inhaling deeply and feeling a sense of deep peace and content wash over you.

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#calum hood imagine #calum hood one shot #calum hood blurb #calum hood #calum hood fanfiction #my writing #tw pregnancy #tw miscarriage #tw stillbirth #tw pregnancy loss

[p-jiminaa]

Drifted (Epilogue)

Park Jimin and You.

Summary: The end of the story of Jimin and Y/n. Will they finally able to get back together?

Genre: Mixes of everything!

Attn: Gif is not mine, credit to the owner.

Masterlist

So this is the very final part of drifted and I really hope everybody is fine with the ending as well as the story line because trust me, I’ve lost count on how many time I rewrite this. 

I know it’s long and I don’t want to divide it into two part. I know I promised to post this last week but I’ve been stress with life so yea, but nevertheless I tried my best to write this, so here is the final product of this series.

Best regard,

Naa. 

You

When you heard the news, you didn't know how to react to it. Should you go to him now? Should you comfort him? Should you set aside your feelings and calm him down because you know he's in the mess right now. But then what right you have to comfort him. You're no one. You're only a mother to his child, no more than that.  But then maybe Jimin need everyone support right now, including you.

Just now, you were awoken by a call from Yoongi telling you about Delila. She’s not well and was admitted to the hospital. She was supposed to give birth to the baby next month but the heartbeat of the baby suddenly stop. The doctor could not do anything other than to wait for the baby to come out naturally. It was the doctor recommendation and they could not do a surgery as it would dangers the mother hence they can only wait for the baby to come out naturally. It was like a giving birth naturally. The only different is that the waiting will be greeted with tears of sadness instead of joy.

You get up from the bed leaning your back against the headrest, still contemplating whether you should go visit her or just stay here and wait for any updates from Yoongi. Your eyes falls on Jae Hwan who was sleeping soundly beside you. He was really excited when Jimin told him that he will be a brother in near time. How will he react if the brother that he had been waiting for is not here anymore. You gently stroke his head. How should you broke the news to him.

The phone ringing snapped you from your own thought. Yoongi's name plastered on the screen. You swipe left to answer the call.

"Hey..." He greeted you first.

"Hai..."

"Are you okay?" He asked. There's a hint of worry in his voice.

You hummed in response. "Is he fine?"

"Been crying and has not left her side." He answer you short. Of course he will stay, that the most logical thing to do.

"Should I come?" You asked him.

"Well, if you're fine with it. Bring Jae Hwan along. It'll brighten the atmosphere a little."

"He has to go to school. He just started his class a month ago." 

"I totally forgot about that."

"Hyung... is that Y/n?" You both were interrupted and you knew who's that voice belong to. You don't know what happens but Yoongi ended the call immediately.

Jimin

I was just back from sending Jae Hwan. It was my turn today to fetch him up from school. I didn't see Y/n when I send Jae Hwan. Usually it is her parents that would be at the door. Did she hates me that much that she didn't want to see me anymore. Is she already moving on from me? But it's only been few months. I doubt she'll moved on that easily. This always happens to me. Whenever it is my turn to send Jae Hwan home or took care of him, I always questioned Y/n's feeling to me until I forgot that I have someone waiting for me at home. I couldn't say that I am not happy with Delila. In fact I am very grateful that she still stayed with me even though she knew that it is impossible for me to give my heart to her. Sometimes I do questioned her. Why did she stay with me when I am unable to reciprocate the feelings. She always smile sweetly to me before answering my question. She said that she don't want the child to be born fatherless because she knew the feelings of having no one to depend too. She said it’s fine if she doesn't have my heart as long as our child has it. That always hit me hard but I just can't force my feelings to her. I tried. I really did try but I can't. Every time I try to forget and move on, Y/n's face will be on my mind. It's really hard to let her go though it's been more than three years.

Today, when I reached home I found Delila unconscious on the floor of our room with blood covering her legs. I immediately took her to our car and brought her to the hospital. I could not believe my ears when the doctor said she could not saved our baby. His heartbeat suddenly stop while trying to save her and they could not do anything to save him. Yes it's a him. I was going to have another baby boy but I've lost him even before he's able to see the world.

I went out to from Delila's room when I am sure that she's asleep. She's been crying, shouting and throwing tantrum ever since she knew about the baby. I hug her in order to calm her down however that doesn't enough. She was only calm down after the nurse injected her with something I exited the room and found Yoongi hyung on the corner talking on the phone and I know he's talking with Y/n because among all of us, she's really close to Y/n that sometimes I even think that they might have some sort of relationship since they always calls or texts with each other but then Hyung would simply said that she treat Y/n the same way he treat all of us. In other words, Y/n is just like a younger sister to her.

I saw him ending the call the moment I call his name.

"Is Y/n coming?" I asked him. Yoongi smiles slightly in response. So that mean she's not coming. But then I think that reasonable though. It'll be awkward for her to be here.

"Delila...  is she okay?" I nodded my head.

"Hyung... I think this is all my fault."

"Jimin-ah..." He stroke my back gently, to calm me.

"If... If only I didn't go out. This..." I ran a hand frustratedly to my hair while leaning against the wall. 

"Jimin you went out because it's your turns today to fetch up Jae Hwan. This things that happened is out of our control. We could not predict thing that will happens in future. So it's nobody fault here."

"But Hyung. If only I didn't fetch..."

"Yes Jimin I know. You lost your Baby but then just because you lost one of your child so you're going to put the blame on Jae Hwan?" Yoongi voice sounds serious. 

"I didn't mean it that way Hyung."

"So you mean its Y/n fault here for choosing today for you to fetch him up. Is that it?"

"Hyung No! Why are you making things up." I say while palming my face in frustration.

"I said it because I know you're going to find an excuse to put the blame on someone. Jimin, things that happen, we could not undo it. Its happens for a reason. If something goes wrong in the middle, then it goes wrong for a reason. Maybe it is to teach you to appreciate people surrounding you." Yoongi hyung's words hit me hard. Maybe because I did not treat her the way I should treat her so that why this happens. It is a karma for causing hardship to Delila.

"Jimin, whatever happens now, it is to teach you to be stronger than today. You're a father and also someone's boyfriend. You have a family to take care too. So you need to be much more stronger than this because trust me, there will be more coming to you unexpectedly." Yoongi hyung says as he patted my shoulder and walk towards where the members sat. I watched my members one by one. Their expressions was mostly sad and worried. They too have problem on their own but they are still here with me and I could not be more thankful to them. Yoongi hyung is right. I really need to be strong.

***

I was awoke hearing a voice talking in a very low tone. I took a space on the small couch in Delila's room and did not even realize when did I fall asleep because I remembered after I've done talking with Yoongi hyung , I told the members to go back first and will update anything on the group whatsapp chat. I opened my eyes slightly to see Y/n sitting on the chair facing Delila. She held Delila's hand gently and told her that everything will be just fine. My gazed moved to Delila who was already awake, face full with tears.

I know Y/n will feel that this is all her fault. Honestly it's both of our fault here because we both involved. Three months ago, when Y/n said he wanted me to go back to Delila I did not agree to it. At first, yes I did spent most of my time with Delila but then one day suddenly I feel like I can't force my feeling towards her. So that night, I went to her and co-incidentally Jae hwan was at his grandparent and we did that thing that night. It was all my fault. I was crying when she opened the door for me because I felt empty and misses her so much although I meet her regularly now and she tried to calm me down and suddenly it happened without we even realized about it. When we realized, we were only covered with a blanket. Since then, she avoid me. She avoid my call, avoid seeing me but our agreement still stood because Jae Hwan is both ours.

"Y/n..." Delila called her with weak voice. "Jimin... he stayed because of our baby and now.. he's.." She can't continue as she can’t hold back her tears. But then I can see Y/n was also holding her tears. 

“He’ll stay. He’s yours, with or without the baby.” Y/n assured her. But why did she has to say that. She knew I have no feelings towards Delila. She knew I only want to be with her and I know she also feel the same thing. How can she be so selfless. 

***

Y/n stood up from the chair after she saw Delila is finally sleeping. Slowly and trying to be as silent as possible, she exited the room. I trailed behind her when I saw her closing the door. 

But my step was halted when I was standing between the doorway and there she was, waiting for me outside leaning against the wall across Delila’s room with a small smile painted on her lips. 

“You really thought I would not know that you’re already awake?” She asks me with raised eyebrows while shaking her head slightly. I smiles slightly in response and slowly closing the door.

“Wanna have a drink with me?” She ask me again. But she saw my contemplating expression so she continue. “Ah Jimin, I promise it’s not an alcoholic drink.” She lifted her hand in defence and that when I let out a small chuckles. Why does she looks cute when she’s panic.

But I was still contemplating. What if Delila suddenly woke up and she didn’t see me in the room? It’s really hard for the nurse to calm her down earlier and I didn’t want that to happen again but then I also wanted to talk to Y/n. I owed her an apology about what happened three months ago. 

“Jimin?” Her voice snapped me from my own thought. Reluctantly I shook my head. She was surprised by my response though and she tried so hard to resist a frown appear on her face by letting out a force chuckles.

“Of course. Delila needs you. Why did I forgot about that.” She blurted out.

I was about to say something but then I was cut off when her phone suddenly rung. She took out her phone and smile slightly to me before she walked away from me. My eyes remained on her although she has been walking far away from me. I only entered Delila’s room when I can’t see her anymore.

Three days later, our baby finally born. I was with her all the time. After our baby came out, Delila was brought back to the ward room and few minutes after that our baby was brought by one nurse and gave him to me. There is really no word that can describe my feeling when I held my baby who is lifeless. One word that I can describe about him is that he’s beautiful. I even see Jae Hwan’s face on him. Delila once again, unable to control her feeling when she suddenly throwing things in the room. Seeing this, the nurse took back the baby and I brought him into my body, hugging her while patting her back and did not forget to calm her down with words although I am pretty sure she did not even hear me. But while calming her down, I can’t even hold my tears back too. I think even strong man could not hold back their tears in this situation.

A week after, Delila is discharge from the hospital. It felt strange looking at Delila with no bumpy stomach. I brought her home and never ever left her side because I know, her emotion is not that stable yet. 

However, a month after when we were about to have a breakfast she suddenly said something that made me froze.

“Lets us life our own live now.” She say nonchalantly while eating the toast. Seeing no response from me, she put down her food and let out a smile. “I am fine now Jimin. Plus the reason we stayed together all this time is because of our baby. But he’s no more right now. So you’re free.”

“You’re speaking nonsense.” I replied her while shaking my head.

“No Jimin I am not. It’s really the time for you now with Y/n.” That got my attention. It’s been a month since I last saw and heard from her. Y/n never call or text after our last meeting in the hospital. 

“You remember the reason I asked you to stay with me?” She shot her eyes to me and I slowly nodded my head. Of course I remember, she told me she didn’t want our kid grew up fatherless. To this she smile. “I don’t want Jae Hwan to grow up without his father. Trust me, I know the feelings.” 

“But..” She interrupt me before I am able to finish my sentence. “Please just go back to her. She love you. You love her. It’s really hard for me all this time keep remembering the fact that I am the reason of you both unable to be together.”

“It’s my fault Delila. Not you.”

She chuckles listening to this. “Fine. It’s your fault then.” She playfully say it.

Is she serious? I mean yes I love Y/n. I want to be with her and Jae Hwan. But isn’t that cruel? I mean I leave her a month after our baby died. Seeing me still contemplating, Delila grab my hand. I lifted my eyes to meet her eyes.

“I want this. I am letting you free. You have no obligation towards me anymore. Your only obligation and responsibility now is towards Y/n and your son. I really don’t want you to stay because you felt sorry towards me. That just make me look so pathetic.”

You

It’s been a three months since you last saw him and you wonder how is he? Is he fine? You don’t even know that because you have been distancing yourself from him because you know, he need space. But a month after that you tried to call him and you even went to the company because Jae Hwan had been asking for him but he always not there or he intentionally ignore you text or call which is weird!

You shook your head, trying to forget whatever you’re thinking and continue doing your work on your laptop until someone call your name. When you lifted your head, you were surprised seeing Delila standing in front of your table. You were actually waiting for a client but then she cancelled the meeting when you’re already arrived here in the cafe and since it almost lunch time, so you stayed here. 

“Hai...” You greets her and she sit on the stool across you. She looks happier now. She and Jimin must be living a good life now considering the glow of her face.

“You looks thinner. Did you work so hard?” She asked you with a smile on her face. 

“No. I am still the same. But Oh My God, you looks beautiful.” You replied her.

“I am still the same.” She said as she took a sip on her drink. 

“So how’s life?” You ask her while shutting down your laptop and putting it away so that you’re able to have a conversation with her. Plus its lunch time, so you should take a break instead of working. 

“Good. I got a new job as a teacher at my previous kindergarten school.”

“That’s great.” 

“Well, not so great like you. So how was Jimin? I mean is I told him that you can move in to our apartment since I am moving out but then he insisted of moving out. So I assumed he’s living with you.” 

Your eyebrows furrows listening to that. “What?” You could say you were startled by the new information you just heard. 

“Y/n why are you so surprise.”

“Because I didn’t know about it.”

“We broke up like two months ago. Didn’t he...” She paused and lifted her eyes to meet yours and you shook your head. “I am going to kill him.” She suddenly stood up. 

“Delila I don’t understand.” 

She let out a long breath before sitting again. “We broke up two months ago and I told him to go back to you and I expect him to do so but...”

“That mean he’s not coming back. So you doesn’t have to kill him.” You interrupted her while letting out a forced smile. Well, maybe he didn’t want you anymore. So that why he’s distancing himself. 

“But you both love each other.” To this you shrugged your shoulder.  Well, really if he love you he will come back to you two months ago but you heard nothing from him so you just assume he’s happy with Delila. 

***

“Babe.” You felt your body jolted when you heard the voice. When you turned towards the source, there you find Jimin, sitting on the left side of the bed. You left Jae Hwan at your parents because you promised him to have a sleep over at his grandparents today so you’re home because you’re going to take his and your things. 

“Are you trying to kill me?” You said while shaking your head, still startles by his surprise appearance. How did he even enter the apartment. Ah, you told him the password. 

He let out a small smile before he patted the space in front of him. You rolled your eyes before going to sit beside him. 

“What?” You say as you felt he’s observing you. 

“I miss you.” He says lowly. 

“Yeah right.” You says sarcastically. 

“We broke up.” 

“Yeah. I met Delila today and told me everything. So where were you in these two months?” Well, you were not actually angry because he doesn’t back to you but you were sad when he did not show up to meet Jae Hwan. Like Jae Hwan has been missing him so much and well, you’re kind of understand since he just lost their baby but then when you heard from Delila today that they broke up two months ago, so why didn’t he show up? In the first months, well that is your fault your admit that but then where was he in these two months? If he didn’t want to see you well at least show up for the sake of Jae Hwan.  

“Thinking.” He answer you short.

You let out a breathy chuckle before standing up but he caught your wrist and that stop you. “Jimin did you not realize that you’re being drifted away again? I am fine actually if you’re not seeing me but what about Jae Hwan? Don’t you know that he’s been asking you all these time and whenever I call you ignore it, when I text you did not even care to read it when I come to your apartment and even your company you hide from us! Can you tell me what is your fuck*** problem?” You finally blow up. You said everything that you held up all this time.

He stood up, palming your face. “I am sorry. I.. I didn’t mean to.” He said in crack voice and you can see tears welling up in his eyes. “I.. I wanted to see you. I wanted see both of you because Y/n, believe it or not, I miss both of you so bad!”

You push away his hands. “ Then why are you avoiding us?”

“Because I don’t feel like I can be a father. Not after what happened to Delila.” His tears finally burst out. “Our baby, he look so much like Jae Hwan and every time I wanted to see you and Jae Hwan, its remind me of my baby and that hurt. I miss him Y/n! I know I only see him once but I miss him.” He said with tear flooding his face and this when you can’t hold it anymore. Seeing Jimin like this makes you so vulnerable so you slowly pull him to you and hug him tightly. 

“I am sorry. I.. I didn’t know.” You whisper. Honestly, Jimin would never say something like this in a loud voice. He would always keep it to himself and it’s your fault too for not realizing sooner about it. “Shhh...” Gently, you rub his back, an attempt to calm him down. 

“I wanted you back. I want us to restart our relationship but I feel like I... I can’t do that. Can I be a good father? What if I do something that caused hardship to both of you. I don’t want that happens. I love you both so much!” He said while tightening his arm that wrap yours.

“I know Jimin.” You patted his back gently. When he’s calm enough he pull his body from you and suddenly bending down on one knee while holding one of your hands and eyes directly staring at you. Before you could say something, he cut you out. 

“I know I am not a good choice of husband. I am not perfect. But I think my life will be perfect by you. So babe, do you want to spend the rest of your life with me?”

“I do!” You let out a big smile and when he was about to stand up and took your body into his embrace before your words halted his movement. “But where is the ring?” You says in disbelieve. “And what why is your words so... cringey. Wrong choice of words. You’re lucky I even accept you.” You bit your upper lips, trying to resist a laugh. You were only trying to tease him and yes, you succeed in teasing him when he suddenly rolled his eyes and turn his back. 

“Fine. Reject me then.” He says in sulking voice tone and went out from the room. To this you laugh uncontrollably. 

“Jimin come back here or forever I will...” Before you able to finish your words, he cut you out by placing a kiss on your lips. You don’t even know how he’s able to run to the room fast. You really miss him, everything about him. Your arms wrapped the his neck and he deepen the kiss and well, you know what happens next. 

***

You eyes suddenly wide open and meet with Jimin’s sleeping face. Jae Hwan! You got up immediately but Jimin pull you back on the bed. “Jimin, I forgot about Jae Hwan!” You says in panic. To this he let out a smirk.

“I didn’t know that I have this effect on you. You forgot about everything when you’re with me. That dangerous Y/n-ah.” He says in deep voice while opening his eyes. “I call your parents last night and told them you’re unable to come and they gladly told me not to worry about it and to enjoy our time together.” He says while smiling warmly. Wait you don’t even heard him calling your parents last night. Observing your quizzical looks he suddenly chuckles. “Did I really tire you out last night that you don’t even heard me telling you I am going to call your parents.” You tried your hard to recall about last night because you remember, you went to sleep right away after that. “Wow! I really did tire you out.” He says in teasing tone. 

“Can you like stop saying about last night.” You says in annoyed tone and turn your body from him. You then heard his chuckles again before he turn your body to face him while removing some hairs on your face and observing your face and gently caressing it. 

“I miss doing this to you Babe.” You smiles in response.

“You do know that we have only have few hours before we have to fetch Jae Hwan right?” You asked in raised eyebrows.

“Yeah so... wait did you want us to...” You pinched his cheek before he continue because you definitely able to guess what he’s trying to say.

“No Jimin. I am just reminding you because I really need my beauty sleep right now before trust me when Jae Hwan knew you’re back, I’ll be attending two kids and that will be so tiring.” He furrowed his eyebrows.

“Two?” He asked you back. You nodded your head.

“You and Jae Hwan.” You answer him and he rolled his eyes, annoyed to your statement but nevertheless he pull your body towards him and hug so tightly. 

“God! I miss you so much!” 

“Me too.”

***

Your eyes moved to the clock on the wall. It’s 8PM. Jimin told you today that he’ll be here before dinner and he did know that you usually has a dinner at 7.30PM sharp because Jae Hwan have to go to sleep before 9 as he will be attending his preschool the next day. You eyes moves back towards your son who is still sitting on the chair without touching his food. You told him earlier that he can eat his food while waiting but he insisted that he will only eat only after Jimin is here with him. Jimin has been living with you since that night. It’s been six months and you can say that you are happier now with him by your side. It’s like the missing piece in your life is now fill in by his presence. Jimin brought you and Jae Hwan to see Jinyoung, (yes he name the baby Jinyoung because he wanted all his children has a letter J in the first letter of their name and you were glad you name Jae Hwan with a J in it.) on the third months we were together and he introduced you and Jae Hwan as his mother and brother. Jimin put Jinyoung picture on a small frame and Jimin is right, he really did looks like Jae Hwan. Jae Hwan was confused though when Jimin brought him there. He could not understand everything but Jimin told Jae Hwan that his little brother is happier now.

The bell ringing snapped you from your own thought. That must be him and this is so weird. Usually he would open the door by himself and would surprise you by his appearance. Nevertheless you walks towards the door only to be greeted by an enormous flower bouquet which contains one hundred of red roses. Happily, you took it from him.

“So this is why you late?” 

“No.” Jimin answers you while closing the door. “I am late because of this.” He took out a small box from his bag and open it immediately. Your eyes widened in surprise when you see a ring with a diamond attach to it. “I remember you wanted a ring.” He says while smiling to you.

“Jimin, you know I was only teasing you.” 

“I know but Babe I felt like I didn’t propose you perfectly. Like how stupid I am proposing without a ring.”

“Oh My God, it’s really does not matter to me Jimin. What important is that now we’re back together.”

“Yeah but still, this could be the symbol of our love.” He says while taking out the ring from the box and slide it in to your finger and magically, it fits you perfectly. To this he smile.

“I am right about the size.”

“It is. Thank You.” He nodded his head while pulling you into his and putting a kiss on top of your head.

“I am starving!” You heard Jae Hwan voice from the kitchen and that when you remember, you left him on the dining table alone.

Jimin let out a chuckles listening to this detaching his body from you. “Let’s go to the kitchen before he cry. I don’t know why he get so cranky when he’s starving. I wonder where he got that from.” Jimin says in teasing tone. To this you rolled your eyes because you know he’s referring you. You then put down the flower on the table before walk towards the kitchen followed closely by Jimin.

“Hey Baby!” Jimin says towards Jae Hwan only to be greeted by a pouting Jae Hwan. 

“He stubbornly wanted to wait for you and eat together and now he’s sulking because we took a long time before we came here.” You whispers to Jimin who is standing beside you. Jae Hwan lifted his eyes and shot his eyes to both of you before you both crack into a laugh. How can this child can get sulky so easily.

“Aish Mum! Appa!” He said while crossing his arms in process. Jimin took a sit beside him and you sitt across them. 

“Dad was busy today. I am sorry. I’ll promise to come back early tomorrow.” But Jae Hwan still ignore him. Jimin turn his gaze towards you asking for help but you shrugged in response while scoping a rice for both of them. 

“He can easily get sulky. I wonder where he got that from.” You said that playfully. He gave you an annoyed looks. Like he’s trying to say that he got this from you but you ignored his looks.

“Jae Hwan-ah, how about Appa brought you to the studio tomorrow after you finish your school. Appa and uncles can teach you how to sing and dance.” Listening to this Jae Hwan face finally lit up.

“Really? Thank You Appa!” He says while hugging his Appa. He really love singing and dancing. Guess he got that from Jimin. I do wonder what he wanna do in the future and you have discussed this with Jimin. Well, Jimin said that he support every career that Jae Hwan choose to in the future and you agree to this because it’s really useless forcing something on someone when he’s not that passionate about it.

After dinner, Jae Hwan watched some TV shows with his father on the living room while you wash the dish. But then Jimin’s hand on your lower body startles you. He love to do this actually. Like he always hugged you from behind whenever he has a chance and rested his chin on your shoulder. 

“Let me do it Babe.” He says in low voice.

“It’s fine.”

“But you cooked for us. So it’s the least I can help you.”

“Are you sure?” You felt his head nodded. 

“Okay.” You turn off the tap and he let go your body and continue your work.

“Just wait inside Babe. Jae Hwan is washing his favourite show.” He says without turning his head to you.

“Okay.” Then you exited the kitchen and walked towards the living room and sit with Jae Hwan on the couch and you don’t even know how, you fall asleep on the couch. You only realize this after Jimin took you up in bridal style.

“It’s okay Babe, I got you.” He says in low voice and took you towards the bedroom and gently put you down on the bed.

Jimin

When Jae Hwan concentration fully on the TV, I stood up and walked towards the kitchen. There I see my wife washing the dishes. I slowly approach her and wrapped my arm to her body and she did not even surprise to this because she knew I kind of love to do this to her. 

I told her to stop and I will be doing the dishes for her because I know how hard it is for her. She’’s been working from 9 till 5 and she has to woke up early to prepare a breakfast and did all the cleaning and laundry in the morning. So by helping her doing this, I feel like I am lessening her burden. Don’t get me wrong but I tried to talk to her about getting a helper but she said she don’t want anybody to do the housework when she’s capable to do it and also she didn’t want Jae Hwan to be attach to other person. So whenever I am free, I will be the one that do the work for her. 

My heart turned soft when I meet my wife and son sleeping together on the couch with the TV still on. No wonder I did not heard any talking few minutes ago. 

Gently I took Jae Hwan and brought him to the bedroom. I put Jae Hwan on his bed and tuck the comforter on him. Jae Hwan and us still share the room but he has his own bed. I told Y/n about putting Jae Hwan on the separate room but she said that Jae Hwan is still a baby when in fact she really unable to sleep if she didn’t see Jae Hwan in front her. 

She suddenly awake when I took her up form the couch and told her to continue sleep and gently put her down on the bed. I took the empty space beside her when I  am finish changing into a fresh attire and to my surprise she was wide awake and staring at me softly.

“Did I woke you up?” I says in whisper, scared that it would disturb Jae Hwan. She shook her head.

“I submitted my resignation letter today. I have to work only in the next three months.”

“Babe, you don’t have to.” We actually discussed about this. I told her that she should not work anymore considering I am more than capable to give shelter, foods and everything to both of them. But she didn’t want that as she didn’t want to be too dependant on me and she loves her job so I just agreed to it. 

“But you loves your job.”

“I love my family more than my job.” She answers me promptly.

“Than you. Thank you for making me the happiest person on the planet Babe.” I says while planting a kiss on his forehead.

“No Jimin. Thank you. Thank you for coming back and making  me and Jae Hwan the happiest persons on earth right now.” To this I pull her body towards mine. I can’t ask more than this. I feel complete now with Y/n and Jae Hwan and I will never let myself to be drifted again by anything. That what I promised to her parents on the night we make our relationship official. 

#bts #park jimin #bts jimin #bangtan #bangtan imagine #bangtan scenarios #bts park jimin #bts park chimchim #jimin x reader #jimin x you #jimin x y/n #jimin imagine #jimin scenario #jimin series #bts au #bts army #bts armies

[ginasneesby]

Things got shitty

This is my first update for quite a few months as some big things happened that I didn’t really want to put in a blog post as it’s not the kind of thing I’ll forget, but it also has had a big impact on my time here; so should probably be included.

I finished my play every performance went really well, I love doing it, the group of people were great fun, and I was really going to miss them. I was getting ready for some major post-show blues, and I had decided that I would finish at the blind foundation at the end of the month because I managed to get my blood test done and the results came back pretty quick. It was my best friends 30th birthday back at home and all of my friends were getting together for a weekend away at some amazing house in the country somewhere with a pool and murder mystery, and I wasn’t going to be there. We had agreed that I would Skype in in the morning and even though it would be 10 AM I bought some gin so I could be included in the festivities. I got my haircut, I spent the night before doing nothing important, watching some crappy film and set my alarm to get up in good time so I could speak to my friends.

My phone rang at 7 AM and through bleary eyes I noticed it was my dad, now this wasn’t completely unprecedented as he had rung me at the wrong time before so I thought nothing of it; however, this wasn’t a social call. My grandma had died. Not sure what time, but they found her at home around midday their time so for me she had been gone probably 12 hours before I knew, they didn’t want to keep me awake when there was nothing I could do. This makes all the sense in the world except all I could think about was around midday UK time I was watching one of the most awful films I’ve seen at my friends house! I haven’t spoken to her directly for a few months as we found out that I was being charged to receive texts and phone calls as well as send them, and I wasn’t about to throw WhatsApp at a 92-year-old woman. She’s got her head around texting, email and almost recording digital TV but I thought this would’ve been one thing too many. I have however sent her postcards from all the places I visited, and I have recently sent her one from my new home in Devonport, which I’m told she had received the day before.

It’s a very strange feeling to be told someone you love so dearly has died when you are so far away and can do nothing. They told me the ins and outs of the day finding her and calling for help etc, and I spoke to my brother and sister later that morning about how they were processing their feelings. My sister was going back home the next day, which made me realise of course that I wouldn’t have been in Salisbury either way when I happened; but I might not of been a 30 hour flight away.

The time came for me to Skype in with my friends, I wasn’t sure if I was ready for this so I texted my friend whose birthday it was to tell her what had happened, but it was literally then that they called me. I thought I’d go with it as it was lovely to speak to everybody and having not seen them for six months I was a bit teary anyway, I cracked out some gin and settled down to hear the second half of the murder mystery dinner they were having.

I remember talking to most people for a short time, and the birthday girl in particular, I also spoke to my friend who has recently lost a grandparent. I’m sure this was all very helpful, however the next thing I remember was waking up on the floor a few hours later having drunk most of the gin and feeling horrible. I basically remained on the sofa for the next few days not wanting to see anybody, but also feeling weird just for watching TV and especially laughing at it. The next few weeks sort of went back to normal I was going to be finishing work earlier than I planned, but I was always going to finish so my days with fairly normal. I turned up for work, I went home at the end of the day and even managed to be social occasionally. I was just in a weird sort of limbo as I had booked my flights home for the funeral but it wasn’t for a few weeks, it’s not like I could plan anything after that time as I didn’t know what I’d be doing, how I’d be feeling or anything like that.

The funeral was at the end of June so I flew home, went straight back to Salisbury and tried to get used to what it was like without her there. My aunt was already down from Edinburgh and my brother and sister arrived over the next few days, I ended up having to wear one of my mum’s dresses as I didn’t really own anything suitable for a funeral. I decided to sing at the ceremony as although I was feeling sad and it was probably gonna be awful it was probably the best way for me to express how I was feeling. I decided on ‘For Good’ from Wicked and spent the morning rehearsing/ warming up a bit.

It’s a strange experience to come outside your house and see a hearse, a coffin, and some stylish but super one use only town cars. I was sat in the front of the front one just behind the hearse, so spent the journey across town watching the coffin; it wasn’t weird though till they brought it out of the car.

My dad, my brother and my cousins carried her in to the crematorium while Memory from Cats played, she loved Cats, it’s the first cassette I remember listening to on repeat in her car! My dad gave a great eulogy and then it was my turn, whilst rehearsing I had managed to hold myself together until pretty much the last bit, in reality somewhere around line number three is where it hit. But I managed to get the words out, and be understood and had some semblance of tune. It felt pretty cathartic to finally just cry and so it wasn’t really for anyone else there, it was for me and my grandma. I got some compliments after (although I’m sure they were just doing what you do after someone performs).

We had a short but nice wake at the golf club near by, and then headed back home before a big boozy family dinner that evening. Somehow, we had managed to really mourn earlier in the day, and moved on to celebrating her life. We were a table of 13/14 and my brother alone got about 6 bottles of wine, so we were pretty loud. We ate, we drank, we stole cigarettes of the barman, and upon returning home, we drank some more; Baileys. My brother and I sat up till 3 and finished the bottle before heading to bed.

I was back in the UK for only two weeks, I stayed in Salisbury for a bit longer and then headed to London to stay with My sister and catch up with as many people as possible. I think I managed to see a lot of people, and enjoyed watching the football, when England played well, at a normal time as opposed to 4 AM which is what the matches have been over here; not that I would ever get up to watch a football game at 4 AM.

And then suddenly it was time for me to come back again, however this time it would be slightly different as my grandma, being the very generous person that she always was, gave me some money to come back with.

It well may be

That we will never meet again

In this lifetime

So, let me say before we part

So much of me

Is made of what I learned from you

You'll be with me

Like a handprint on my heart

[happyweddingblogs]

How to Tell Guests You’re Postponing Your Wedding

Source: Happy Wedding App

Whether you’re postponing your wedding because of the coronavirus pandemic or any other reason, you’ll have to keep your guests informed about it. All your guests deserve to know about the status of your wedding, as they are one of the most important parts of it.

Many couples have already postponed their weddings because of the pandemic. Of course, postponing a wedding is an uneventful event. It is a heartbreaking thing to do for any couple. Each couple waits for their wedding day, they put a lot of effort and time into wedding planning. Already wedding planning is a stressful journey, and postponing a wedding is even more stressful. However, in some emergency situations like, the coronavirus pandemic – postponing a wedding is the right thing that any couple could do. So, don’t worry you are doing the right thing and you do not have to lose heart as you can get wed-locked the way you have planned once the virus subsides completely.

Since you have already made the difficult decision of postponing your wedding, it’s time to inform your guests about the latest updates regarding your wedding. Especially your out of town guests, they might have done a lot of planning, like booking travel tickets, accommodation, etc. So, it is imperative that you inform them about the latest updates as soon as you can. Here in this post we are sharing with you some ways to tell your wedding guests about the postponement of your wedding.

Here is How to Tell Guests Your Wedding Is Postponed:

1. Speak to your family

When you have already decided to postpone the wedding, the first thing that you have to do is – speak to your families and the wedding party as soon as you can. Start with those who are footing the bill for some or all of the wedding functions. It is important to inform them about the postponement of your wedding. So that they can take timely actions.

2. Inform your guests via email

Seeing the present situations, your guests would already have the idea about the postponements of your wedding. However, ideas don’t work well, you have to inform them formally about it. And the easiest and fastest way to do is – send them all an email. You can send them all a personal email. It may look a task at first, but it is important to do. Of course, it is too early to have a new wedding date; however, right now inform them that the current date has been postponed.

Also, it is important that you use the right wordings and correct reason for postponing your wedding in your email. It’s worth mentioning the background and explaining them how hard it has been for you to make this decision.

Here is an example:

“Ever since the coronavirus outbreak things have changed tremendously, so, we have also decided to postpone our wedding. At the moment the health of our loved ones is more important to us. So, we have decided to wait until the coronavirus subsides and the situation becomes safe for all of us.

Our wedding will now happen at a later date, when the situation is safe for all of us. We will inform you the new wedding dates as soon as we have them. We want to have all our loved ones to celebrate our BIG day with us on the future date. Until then, stay safe and healthy and know that we are always thinking of you in these difficult times.”

3. Call them personally

Some of your guests, like your grandparents, and other elderly relatives won’t be using emails. In such a situation, it is imperative that you make them all a personal call and inform them about the postponement of your wedding. Know that it is going to be a long conversation with each guest. So, you will need to set aside some spare time for making calls. If you have too many elderly guests to call, then better split between you and your partner. Of course, when you call them for giving information about your wedding being postponed, they will feel bad about it. It can be emotionally draining for you, so be prepared for that and stay positive during the conversation. Tell them that the wedding will take place on a later date and you are desperate to celebrate the BIG day with them. Also, don’t forget to mention that you love them and their health and safety is priority right now.

4. Update Your Website

If you have made a wedding website already, then it is important that you keep it up-to-date. You can even use your wedding website to keep your guests informed. All you have to do is just add a note on the homepage about the postponement of your wedding. Make sure you mention the reason for the postponement of your wedding. Your guests would have a lot of queries regarding their travel and accommodation details and refunds. You can consider putting up additional FAQs on your website to help your guests with their queries.

5. Send them wedding postponement card

Fortunately, we are in the era of technology and the same can be used in case of wedding postponement. Just like wedding invites, you can also send your guests wedding postponement cards. You can create a wedding postponement card for making postponement announcements. There are so many apps available to make wedding postponement cards. You can send the card as a text, email, or WhatsApp message.

6. Set a new date

Once you have told everybody, including your guests and wedding vendors about the postponement. It’s time to decide the new wedding date. You can consult your family, bridesmaids, and ushers etc. and see if they can help you find a new wedding date. Make sure you choose a date for the next year. Also, speak to your wedding vendors for the new available future dates. It is important that you choose a new date as soon as possible so that you can make your arrangements accordingly. Know that you may have to compromise at this stage, may be on your favorite wedding photographer or on your favorite venue.

6. Embrace the change

Instead of struggling the chaos, embrace the change! There is no point thinking negative about the future. Instead of struggling to retain the status quo, it is better to embrace the chaos. There are several other things that you can indulge yourself in, like reading, learning cooking, etc. Develop opportunity mindset. There is no dearth of opportunities for people with positive mindset.

7. Stay positive

Last but not least, postponement of wedding is uneventful and disheartening; however, you do not have to lose heart. Just relax and stay positive. Remember that thinking negative about the situation won’t help you anyways. And the truth is your wedding is just postponed, which is not a problem. Instead of getting upset about the situation or struggling about the present state of affairs, it’s better to embrace the whole situation. You don’t need to worry about something which is not in your control, instead focus on things which you can control. Spend time on more positive things, like practicing meditation, doing yoga and exercise, listening to music, following the beauty regime, updating your wedding website, making pinterest boards for your wedding inspiration, etc.

There is so much you can do during these days, instead of getting upset about the situation. Getting upset is not worth it. At the moment, the most important thing is your health and safety, so focus on that. Rest everything will fall in place for sure!

AND FINALLY……

Do not wait to inform your guests, inform them and tell them that your wedding without them will be an incomplete experience for you. That’s the reason you decided to postpone it for later dates. Saying so will make them feel important and a little better. Of course, they will be equally disappointed to know about the postponement of your wedding. So, help them feel good and better. Also, keep yourself happy, motivated, and positive! Know that the decision of postponing your wedding is the best thing at the moment.

#wedding #postpone wedding #marriage #postpone marriage #Wedding Dates #marriage dates #Postponing Wedding

[buzzafter-blog]

5 success stories will change your look on life

There are many success stories and examples of people who failed at the beginning of their lives and then achieved success that no one expected, and there are many of these people were able to change the world for the better and give hope to many people about their stories that will provide you with great enthusiasm, and we mean failure here barrier that prevented them from continuing Whatever this obstacle, these people have proven their ability to overcome difficulties whatever the obstacles, and in this article we offer you 5 motivational stories of people who were able to overcome their obstacles amazingly.

5 - Young Terry

Terry is a young Canadian who did not exceed twenty years suffered bone cancer in his right knee, which led doctors to amputate his right foot full, Terry was opposed to the idea of ​​amputation and inquired from the doctors why they stick to amputation of the foot, was the answer that their condition is unable to medicine and there is no option for them Only amputated his foot. The doctors concluded that research on the development of this type of cancer would cost approximately $ 10 million, an amount that was not available from the Canadian government, Terry imposed the idea of ​​amputation of his foot and passed it for 14 continuous months, then told his parents that he decided to walk from East Canada for the West In a charity campaign to raise the $ 10 million, the idea spread across Canada and was called the Marathon of Hope. Terry was walking about 26 kilometers a day and after learning his story, donations collapsed until he collected the money but died before he completed the distance, leaving a wonderful example of not losing hope and offering goodness to others and the beautiful lesson.

4- Jan Kum, founder of WhatsApp

Jean was born in Ukraine in a semi-poor family and very difficult living conditions. Below zero. At the age of 16, he immigrated to the United States with his family, where his mother worked as a nanny while working as a cleaner in a small grocery store. Jan went to school there but could not cope with the students there because of their different lifestyle, and because of this, he was always alone. During this time he began to learn self-programming on his computer and online, and shortly afterward he joined a hacker team. He developed the situation until he worked in information security in some major companies such as Yahoo, and then applied for the same job on Facebook at the time was rejected by the company. Start WhatsApp application Jean, with Fishman, thought about the idea of ​​the program as a result of the circumstances he lived in the past because of the lack of security and privacy in phone calls. Jean bought an iPhone and subscribed to Father Store just nine months after it was established. Large. In the world in 2009 was launched the application "WhatsApp" and was then an application based on sending messages in a freeway based on the phone number and this was not present at the time only in the phones "BlackBerry" was founded WhatsApp company until the number of users to 800 million users around the world, It evolved until Facebook was able to buy it in a deal valued at $ 19 billion.

3 - Michael Dell

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SEPTEMBER 25: Dell CEO Michael Dell delivers a keynote address during the 2013 Oracle Open World conference on September 25, 2013 in San Francisco, California. The week-long Oracle Open World conference runs through September 26. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Michael began working at the age of 13, taking his parents' home as a headquarters for his stamp collecting business, in which he raised $ 2,000 in profit. On newly married couples and collecting nearly $ 18 thousand, he could not buy the first BMW at the age of 18. Michael started his own business through the amount of money received from his grandparents. Michael initially targeted university friends who dream of owning a computer commensurate with their financial potential. Michael was the owner of the principle that direct selling is beneficial to the seller, because he knows the market and customer requirements and in 1985 his company was able to launch the first special computer With its name Turbo PC was Intel processor speed of 8 MB and focused advertising on technical magazines and direct selling and distinguish this product from other flexibility by grouping devices according to customer demands by more than one option, which led to save a lot of money to become cheaper devices Existing in His time was the first company to succeed in this type of sale. In 1987, the company's revenue was $ 6 million, and in 1988 Michael changed the name of the company to Dell known to us now. In 1992, Fortune magazine put Dell company in the top 500 computer companies, and in 1996 opened the e-store and sell online. 1999 Dell surpassed its traditional rival Compaq in sales and global rankings. In 2003, Dell's shareholders agreed to change the name to enter other areas of computers, and in 2004 Dell began entering flat panel computers, computers, cameras, and music players. Michael Dell, a member of the Jewish community and one of the largest financier of George W. Bush in his election campaign came in the ranking of Michael as the fourth richest man in America, making his ranking in the 18th in the world men. More than 170 countries and the amount of sales of the company 300 million dollars a day and the most famous statements of Michael Dell and now we can say failures, where asked about all he should do that was Apple's manager in the face of the big problems he faced in 1997, said if you were the place of Steve Jobs The company and investors prepared their money and Steve Jobs did not forget the saying until 2 006 When Apple plans to sell Dell sales, he said in a mail to Michael Dell now must swallow his words and withdraw them, and after two years of failure for Dell returned again Michael to run his company again.

Joan Rowling-Murray, author of Harry Potter

British author Joan Rolling-Mori traveled to Portugal for a job as a language teacher. Joan saw herself unsuccessful, with a failed marriage and seven years after graduation without work and counting a child and do not find the money for it, medically Joan was depressed and thought of suicide. She was living on the government support for her, but it is not satisfied because this money was not enough for the electricity bills, so she tended to write it is her only hobby. She continued to write and submitted her writing to more than one publishing house, which they all rejected not once or two but 12 times until she took us to the famous series "Harry Potter" to become from 2004 the first writer wealth of up to one billion dollars is the owner of the largest book series sold in history.

Marla Ranian

Marla was born on January 4, 1969, and is a famous name in the world of sports. Although she was completely blind at the age of nine, she managed to reach the most famous sports competitions as a runner. In 2000 she participated in the Sydney Olympics and reached the final stage with a distance of 1500 Followed by a distance of 5000 meters in 2004. She has entered the world of fame ever since. She is the first female athlete to participate in the Olympics. Thirteen months after she gave birth to her daughter Anne Lee, she took part in a marathon and won first place. She has written a book about her experience called "No Finish Line" Read the full article

[dipulb3]

What you need to know about coronavirus on Thursday, June 25 | Appradab

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-coronavirus-on-thursday-june-25-appradab/

What you need to know about coronavirus on Thursday, June 25 | Appradab

“This isn’t a well mannered suggestion,” New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy stated. The journey advisory applies to anybody coming from a state with a transmission fee above 10 per 100,000 folks on a seven-day rolling common, or 10% of the entire inhabitants testing constructive in the identical interval. Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, Utah and Texas have been all in that class as of Wednesday.

However as the general public well being catastrophe unravels, (and as dozens of Secret Service agents have to enter quarantine after the President’s rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma), Donald Trump has little to supply.

As Stephen Collinson notes, Trump is not only in denial, but additionally detached to the unfolding American tragedy.

YOU ASKED. WE ANSWERED

Q: How protected are public restrooms?

A: “If you do not have to make use of the general public restroom, do not,” stated microbiologist Ali Nouri, president of the Federation of American Scientists. However he acknowledged that is not at all times attainable: “Generally whenever you gotta go, you gotta go.”

Shut contact with others is essentially the most vital danger in a public restroom, Nouri stated. So if there is a single-person rest room out there that does not have a number of stalls, utilizing that is perhaps greatest. Should you do use a multi-stall public restroom, Nouri affords the next suggestions:

Use paper towels to dry your arms, not the hand dryer.

Use a paper towel to show off the water and open the lavatory door. Throw away the paper towel instantly afterward.

Put on a face masks.

If the restroom appears crowded, wait till it clears out, for those who can.

Send your questions here. Are you a well being care employee combating Covid-19? Message us on WhatsApp in regards to the challenges you are dealing with: [phone].

WHAT’S IMPORTANT TODAY

Pandemic nonetheless to peak in “many international locations within the Americas”

The variety of Covid-19 circumstances in Latin America has tripled previously month, surpassing 2 million infections, the Pan American Well being Group stated yesterday. Brazil alone accounts for greater than 1 million of these circumstances, the one nation apart from the US that has surpassed that mark.

But the worst might be nonetheless to come back. The World Well being Group (WHO) warned the pandemic has but to peak in lots of international locations within the area. It expects the world to achieve 10 million circumstances within the subsequent week, with many new circumstances coming from the Americas.

Globally, the variety of infections is rising by about 1 million each week and the WHO is apprehensive the surge might result in a scarcity of oxygen with many international locations struggling to get oxygen-making machines.

China’s newest disaster is nearly over

The coronavirus outbreak linked to a wholesale meals market within the Chinese language capital Beijing has “basically been contained,” the municipal authorities stated. Town reported solely 13 new circumstances yesterday.

Beijing was pressured to introduce a partial lockdown final week when a brand new outbreak emerged after 55 days with out domestically transmitted circumstances. It has sealed off whole neighborhoods, closed faculties and barred a whole bunch of hundreds of individuals susceptible to contracting the virus from leaving town. In its huge testing center, related numbers of individuals have been examined in only a few days.

Please, put on a masks

“Going out in public with no masks is like driving drunk,” said Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a heart specialist and professor of drugs at George Washington College. “If you do not get damage, you would possibly kill anyone else.”

Extra American cities and states are urging, and even ordering, folks to put on masks in public. It has been confirmed face coverings might help to cease the illness spreading. The newest incentive to put on one got here from the College of Washington’s Institute for Well being Metrics and Analysis. It projected 179,106 could have died of Covid-19 by October 1 if nothing adjustments. However that quantity would drop to 146,000 if 95% of People wore masks in public. An unlikely change, we all know.

Coronavirus waste reveals up within the sea

Seashores on the French Côte d’Azur like these at Cannes or St. Tropez are among the many most coveted trip spots worldwide, however now the coronavirus pandemic has left an abundance of pollution within the water: Discarded masks and gloves.

The nonprofit Operation Clear Sea has been sounding the alarm about discovering discarded PPE and hand sanitizer bottles of their marine cleanup operations. Laurent Lombard, its founder, warned that “quickly there could also be extra masks than jellyfish” within the Mediterranean.

ON OUR RADAR

Disney is delaying the reopening of its flagship theme parks in California. In Florida, greater than 7,000 people are urging Disney and authorities officers to delay opening Disney World subsequent month as coronavirus circumstances surge within the state.

Pride during a pandemic: Why LGBTQ visibility and connection nonetheless matter.

The newborn triplets who examined constructive for Covid-19 are in steady situation and “evolving favorably, Mexican well being officers stated. The mother and father of the infants each examined unfavorable.

The United Nations Financial Fee for Africa has joined forces with a gaggle of telecoms corporations to achieve greater than 600 million mobile subscribers with coronavirus well being recommendation.

The US Democratic Nationwide Conference Committee will scale back this summer’s convention, and is advising state delegates to not plan to journey to Milwaukee, the place presidential candidate Joe Biden will settle for the social gathering’s nomination and ship his acceptance speech.

A bar close to the College of Central Florida in Orlando has had its liquor license quickly suspended after well being officers linked it to more than 150 coronavirus cases.

The pandemic hit the style trade exhausting, however Paris Fashion Week goes forward in September.

Two of the world’s biggest marathons, New York Metropolis and Berlin, have been cancelled yesterday.

The Eiffel Tower has reopened today — however just for guests keen to climb the steps. The elevators stay out of motion.

Qantas is cutting 6,000 jobs in an effort to outlive. Aviation has been one of many largest financial victims of the pandemic. Qantas’ important native competitor, Virgin Australia, can be combating for its life, whereas Germany’s Lufthansa seems set to obtain a $10 billion bailout from the German authorities.

TOP TIPS

What to do about ‘maskne’

It is not simply you. Many individuals who’ve by no means had a breakout are actually discovering their face appears like that of a young person. “We’re seeing numerous flares of pimples, particularly a sort referred to as perioral dermatitis, which tends to occur sometimes across the mouth and within the areas across the nostril,” stated Dr. Seemal Desai, an assistant professor on the College of Texas Southwestern Medical Middle.

Here’s what to do when a masks causes pores and skin issues:

Wash the masks after each use

Use mild skincare merchandise

Do not swap to a brand new skincare routine

Do not use petroleum safety

TODAY’S PODCAST

“We focus a lot on the chance of Covid that we overlook that there is additionally a social emotional wellbeing piece for the grandparents and the children, and that loneliness, social isolation should not good, notably for older adults.” — Dr. Preeti Malani, infectious illness and geriatrics specialist

One of many high considerations we hear from listeners is whether or not it’s protected for grandparents to go to their grandchildren in particular person. Appradab’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta asks that query to infectious illness and geriatrics specialist Dr. Preeti Malani. Listen Now.

[brajeshupadhyay]

Pakistani man's back-to-roots trip to India went off script during COVID-19 lockdown; here's what happened next

When a Pakistani man came looking for his ancestral home in India, he had not intended for it to be a long stay. Things had lined up just right for Ehsan Ahmad. The visa — hard as it is to get between traditional adversaries — has been received months in advance.

The timing was tight — with just a week to account for the trip but what started out as an inspirational back-to-roots script, found some unexpected plot twists. Almost fancifully, however, it turned out to be a memorable and charming experience for Ahmad.

“I reached on 12 March via the Attari-Wagah border. I am from Sargodha division in Pakistan. My ammi and abbu live in Pakistan while I work as a marketing manager with a private firm in Washington DC,” Ehsan told Firstpost over the phone. He has been living and working in the US for the past eight years.

Ehsan is one of 41 Pakistani nationals, stranded in India for weeks due to the coronavirus lockdown, who were repatriated to their country on 17 April via the Attari-Wagah border crossing.

Planning a trip to India since last November, Ehsan said the plan came to fruition only in March. “There was a lot of tension on the border so I could not travel. My visa had been issued too. But we heard scary stories related to violence over the Citizenship law and NRC, which is why my trip kept getting cancelled. My visa had arrived in November, but I decided to make the trip now as only a week was left for the visa to expire,” he added.

Ehsan Ahmad with residents of his grandfather's village of Bhangwan. Image procured by author

A single child of a retired marketing manager and a retired teacher, Ehsan had heard many fascinating stories from his ammi about India. Unfortunately, his mother never got the chance to visit her ancestral home.

“She was born in Pakistan, but they never went back, not even to visit. My maternal grandparents came to Pakistan from Bhangwan after the Partition,” said Ehsan. His grandfather, Mohammad Iqbal, was a soldier in the British Army when Partition occurred.

Sargodha, where Ehsan’s parents live, is nearly 200 kilometres from Lahore, and falls in the Punjab region of Pakistan. “In our Punjab, it is a big deal to have known and lived in your ancestral home. I wanted to do that for my mother. But no one could predict that I will be stranded amid the COVID-19 lockdown,” he said with a slight chuckle.

Ehsan reached Gurdaspur on 12 March. His visa was valid for just one week, which meant that he would have to return to Pakistan by or before 19 March. “The day I reached India, I went to Gurdaspur. My mother’s village was in a place called Bhangwan,” says Ehsan. A small village near Amritsar, Bhangwan is not more than an hour and 15 minutes from Gurdaspur on a two-wheeler. Ehsan was living at an Ahmadiyya community guest house in Gurdaspur.

“I had already made friends there. Sab azeez hain aur sabne khub madad ki (Everyone has become dear to me, and all of them helped me a lot.”

Ehsan Ahmad's grandfather, Mohammad Iqbal, a soldier in the British Army when the Partition occurred, with his eldest daughter. Image procured by author

Clueless as to where to start his search, Ehsan’s local friends started by speaking to neighbours. Ehsan said the neighbourhood in Bhangwan is made up of mostly Sikh families. “They were so warm and kind. I told them about my grandfather’s family. Most of them didn’t know my grandparents because they lived there a long time ago, but they served the best gud ki chai,” says Ehsan. After interacting with several other families and visiting a quaint maqbara of a famous peer (saint), Ehsan met a family which had been living there for more than two decades.

“They recognised the name Ghulam Mohammad. He was my grandfather’s elder brother. When I told them that he was my ammi’s father, they were pleasantly surprised. They welcomed us in and showed us photos of where the house stood once. They also gave us interesting trivia about the village. Apparently, it was part of Pakistan for almost a week before it was again marked inside the borders of India,” Ehsan added.

By 15 March, Ehsan had found what he had come for. He saw the soil where his maternal home once stood and was also happy to meet people who knew his grandfather. “I had four more days left before I left for Pakistan,” he said. Meanwhile, on 15 March, the Union health ministry said that India had reported 110 confirmed COVID-19 cases.

According to Ehsan, there was no talk about a lockdown till then. On 19 March, when Ehsan reached the Attari-Wagah border, authorities told him that the border has been shut for two weeks in India. “I was worried. My visa was expiring that very day and I did not know anyone in India. My only hope was to get an extension on the visa,” said Ehsan.

He headed to the Foreigner Regional Registration Offices in Amritsar. The Foreigner Registration Office is the primary agency to regulate the registration, movement, stay, departure, and also recommend the extension of stay in India.

Officials at the FRRO told Ehsan that due to the lockdown, extension of his visa could take a while. Also, the Amritsar FRRO did not have the authority to issue FRRO for Pakistani citizens. Ehsan either had to write to the Ministry of External Affairs or had to apply for it online. He picked the latter. “I realised I would have to stay in Gurdaspur for the next two weeks,” said Ehsan.

In two weeks, Ehsan made friends, got chummy with the locals and enjoyed “unmatched” hospitality. Describing the trip as something that was “meant to be”, He was planning the trip for a long time.

On 21 March, India announced the janta curfew and three days later (24 March) Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a nationwide lockdown for 14 days. The guest house that Ehsan lived in also housed citizens from other nationalities. “There were German and Mauritian nationals. We were quarantined, but we were astonished at how everyone helped each other,” he said.

Everyone at the guest house was tested by government healthcare staff and were quarantined for two weeks. Ehsan said that they had no trouble with food and lodging, as the guest house arranged for everything.

“Initially, it was a big scare. Two weeks is a long time to stay inside a room without talking to anybody. But there were a few hours in the day when the curfew was relaxed for us to buy essentials. I befriended so many people in the market area. They would later come by the guest house and we would chat by my window. Locals would send me homemade food. I felt like one of them. I used to look forward to Modi’s speeches as excitedly as any other Indian,” said Ehsan, quite amused with himself.

Sitting in his guest house room, Ehsan got in touch with many across the country who were from Pakistan and were stranded in India because of the lockdown. Using social media and WhatsApp, Ehsan said he got in touch with over 200 Pakistanis living in India.

“I emailed the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi on 28 March. I called them, too. They asked me to send over the details and I passed on that information to everyone else,” said Ehsan. The mission first told the group that they will try and repatriate the citizens by 4 April, 2020, ten days before the lockdown was scheduled to officially end.

Ehsan then found an unusual ally to help him. “I have been following Justice Markandey Katju and I have seen his work, and I thought he could help,” said Ehsan. Justice Katju told Firstpost that he still doesn’t know how Ehsan got in touch with him.

“I got an email from Ehsan. I don’t differentiate between people based on their nationality or religion, I think that’s why people reach out to me. I do whatever I can. In this case, I contacted my old friend Prabhu Dayal, a retired Indian Foreign Services officer who in turn got in touch with the Pakistan High Commission,” said Justice Katju.

"The High Commission closely followed-up and coordinated with the Indian side as well as the relevant stakeholders in Islamabad for early repatriation of the Pakistanis,” an official with the Pakistan High Commission said.

Deputy secretary of Public Relations in the Ministry of External Affairs, Mahesh Kumar, told Firstpost that the groundwork is mainly done by missions. “It is the case in every country. The citizens first get in touch with the mission and the foreign ministry facilitates at the final stage.”

On 16 April, when the Pakistan High Commission told Ehsan and the rest that they will be going back to their homes, Ehsan wrote another email to Justice Katju.

“I just want to offer my deepest gratitude to both of you (Dayal and Justice Katju) for highlighting the case of stranded Pakistanis and with your efforts, 41 of them were repatriated through special permission via the Attari Border. I can not express my words for the love and support you have shown to a stranger like me and wrote on my behalf to MEA. Despite the lockdown and the bleak situation in India, it was a memorable trip that will remain forever etched in my memory.”

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Conversational Marketing: How a Messaging Strategy Will Grow Your Business

How did your grandparents, parents, and younger siblings grow up gossiping about the latest party? I bet they’d all have different answers.

Don’t believe me? Let’s take a trip back in time.

First, we sent letters. If you think handwriting a card took a long time, think about the time it took to receive a response by plane, train … or pony.

The 1800s brought many new technologies, including the telegraph. It may sound cool, but think about how long it took to translate details into morse code. I’ll give you a hint: .. - / - --- --- -.- / .- / .-.. --- -. --. / - .. -- ..-.-.-

Years later, the fax machine allowed us to send messages and images over telephone lines. Unfortunately, the earliest machines cost tens of thousands of dollars, and you still had to create a hard copy of your message.

Then came “leave a message after the beep” … voicemail. We've all put off listening to that 3-minute long message. It’s easy to ignore or it can be the start of an endless game of phone “tag”.

After voicemail came "you've got mail." While revolutionary, inboxes quickly became overwhelmed. Your thoughtful email lay forgotten under a pile of spam and promotional messages.

Then the people who brought us email rolled out AIM or instant messenger. As the name implies, this was the first instant messaging service. Except your friends weren’t always online. Sometimes their away message was set to Outkast lyrics. Shake it like a Polaroid picture, anyone?

Around the same time, SMS texts hit mobile phones everywhere. You can now text your friend all of the essential party details and 🎉🎉🎉emojis.

Finally, we arrived at live chat. Live chat allows for instantaneous responses. You write a quick message and see those three little dots signaling a reply. The days of waiting for weeks to hear from someone are over – conversations are always happening.

With each new iteration of technology, our accepted response time has changed — friends make plans faster, families stay closer, and businesses provide answers instantly. In the age of live chat, customers expect conversations to happen how, when, and where they want.

Sounds intimidating, right? Don't worry; it's not as complicated as you think. While the technology we use to communicate has changed, the core elements of communication have stayed the same. People always have and always will expect conversations to be helpful, personal, and empathetic. The only difference now is we have the technology to have those conversations at scale. That’s the power of conversational marketing.

Let’s talk about conversational marketing and its benefits, how it will help your business grow, and what you need to build a successful conversational marketing strategy.

For example, many startups have created user groups on Slack. These groups allow customers and prospects to ask questions and get advice on a channel they're already using to communicate throughout the workday … but wait, weren't we talking about conversational marketing? How did we get started talking about customer support?

See, here's the thing with live chat, it's an incredibly powerful communication channel that has a strange way of breaking down the walls between support, sales, and marketing.

Sure, conversational marketing is the topic of the day, but we believe it is just one small piece of the puzzle. Conversations should take place across your entire business. In the future, businesses will need to develop a comprehensive conversational growth strategy to deliver a better customer experience throughout the entire customer journey. Conversational sales will play a huge role in helping reps connect with prospects in a more helpful, organic way. And customer success teams have already seen significant benefits using chat as one of their many support tools. While you’re developing your conversational marketing strategy, consider how it can impact every part of your business.

The Key Elements of Conversational Marketing

OK, you may be thinking, "conversational marketing sounds a lot like my current marketing strategy. I'm on multiple channels. I'm having conversations with my audience." If you're a customer-focused marketer, chances are you're almost there. Here are the four key components of conversational marketing and how to best refine your strategy.

Conversations Happen in Customer-Time

Conversational marketing is an asynchronous relationship. Meaning conversations should occur whenever the customer prefers — whether that's in real-time, after finishing their meeting, or later that night when they have a spare moment. While it's important for businesses to be able to chat in real-time, it's just as important for them to be able to finish a conversation at whatever pace the customer wants. Sometimes that means starting a conversation at 7 a.m. over their first cup of coffee and finishing at 9 p.m. after they've put their kids to bed.

HubSpot Co-Founder Dharmesh Shah says, "Customers should be able to pick up things right where they left off whenever it is convenient for them to continue. The key is to remember that conversational marketing should be designed around the needs of the customer — not the needs of the business."

Conversations are Scalable

Because conversations happen on customer-time, all conversations need to be scalable. A customer doesn’t care if you’re talking with 50, 500, or 5,000 other people — they only care about the issue they need to be solved. Businesses, especially SMBs, shouldn’t get left behind due to a lack of resources or manpower. This is where chatbots come in. Bots make 24/7 support possible by providing answers to common questions based on data that already exists. Business shouldn't sacrifice human interaction for scale. Rather, bots offer quick access to information or a human.

Conversations Have Context

Conversations can’t exist in a vacuum; they need context and should get smarter as you collect more information. This is important for two reasons. First, it’s what customers expect. Think about it: If you called a company yesterday to report a defect in something you ordered, and then you chat them the next day about needing return instructions, you'd expect the person you're talking with to have access to previous interactions and know which product you’re sending back.

Second, context is what makes messaging convenient. Without it, bots or a support rep would need to ask people the same qualifying questions every time they interacted with them — wasting their time and testing their patience. If you’ve ever called customer support, you know how frustrating it is to repeat your account number time after time as you’re passed around to different departments.

People want to get the answer to their question as quickly as possible and with the smallest amount of effort. This is why it’s so important to make a CRM part of your conversational marketing strategy. Context means gathering, storing, and making accessible customer data — from recent orders to visits to pricing pages to their job title. The more you know about the customer and the more you can demonstrate that in the conversation, the more helpful you’ll be.

Conversations Meet Customers Where They Are

Inbound Marketing is about providing value to your audience and meeting them where they are. Conversational marketing is just a part of that now — thanks to the mass adoption of messaging and new tools and technology.

And that means conversations should happen on the channel that best suits your customer — that might be over the phone or on Facebook Messenger, with a human or a bot. People don’t want to be forced to call a 1-800 number if they could easily send a quick chat message and grab a link to a knowledge base article. HubSpot’s bot expert Brian Bagdasarian smartly states, 

“Businesses should strive to deliver the right message, at the right time, to the right person, with the right information, on the right channel, every single time.”

Conversational Marketing Is More Than Just Live Chat

Some people equate conversational marketing with live chat — something that’s been around for a while. But it’s much more than that. Conversational marketing isn’t about a single tool. While Facebook Messenger, Slack, SMS, email, and others allow conversations to happen, this is about the changing communication preferences of consumers that in turn, should change how you view one-to-one conversations.

For example, social media giant Facebook is drastically changing the way its users engage with businesses. There are over 65 million business pages on Facebook, and over 2 billion messages are exchanged with these businesses each month on Facebook Messenger. That's a lot of conversations happening. Consumers are using Facebook Messenger and other popular messaging platforms to get content delivered, shop and buy, and access support.

With access to new technology, businesses can use these emerging platforms to easily meet consumers where they are already spending their time. Still not convinced? 85% of consumers spend their time in five popular apps, including WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. And according to Facebook’s February earnings, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger had 1.5 billion and 1.3 billion monthly active users, respectively.

But remember, businesses should not only be communicating on a variety of channels, but they should also be prepared to continue those conversations across all channels without missing a beat.

The Benefits of Conversational Marketing

Conversational marketing isn’t new — we have conversations every day, and as you saw from the timeline above, it’s been that way for a while. So why wouldn’t we use tools that optimize conversations for business? Let’s talk about a few of the key benefits.

First, conversational marketing is a more delightful way for customers to get answers.

People are increasingly turning to mobile to shop and make purchases. As a result, more people are interacting with content that is more mobile friendly. Consumers that use their phone as their primary internet device have grown to prefer video content, social content, and messaging-based interactions.

Think about how many times you pick up your phone during the day. According to TechCrunch, consumers spend 5 hours per day on their phones. It makes sense. I’m guessing it’s your first line of defense when looking up an answer to a quick question. Conversational marketing channels like messaging apps and email are innately mobile friendly. It’s a lot easier to chat with a rep or even a bot to get an answer than spend time scrolling and clicking through a company’s website. Messaging apps allow customers to provide information specific to their problem so business can give quick, personalized support.

HubSpot recently experimented with delivering content offers via Facebook Messenger and saw some incredible results – the test saw a 2.5X increase in open rates and 6X the number of clicks when compared to email. This improved performance is due in part to the channel's push notifications, but it also aligns with how people want to shop, buy, and engage with companies today.

And conversational marketing doesn’t just present an opportunity in the U.S. In fact, in many regions, messaging apps like WeChat and WhatsApp are the primary channel for both personal and professional communication.

Source: HubSpot Research

Source: HubSpot Research

Second, conversational marketing is a great way to gain new, valuable insights about your customers.

Think about it, when else do your customers tell you in their own words what they want to do, learn, or change? You don’t get that candor with a website or an advertisement.

HubSpot's Conversational Marketing Manager Connor Cirillo states, 

“Your conversational marketing audience is much more insightful than your other channels. They'll tell you in their own words how they want to interact with your business. There's no inferring or guessing, like with web traffic.”

And with conversational marketing, you can gather that data at scale. This especially holds true for messaging channels. Chat interfaces can record data that can then be used to optimize for better customer interactions, product improvements, more helpful content, and more.

For example, Sephora used Kik messenger to learn more about their target market by asking them if they wanted to participate in a quick, social-like quiz about their beauty habits. Once users accepted, they answered questions about their age, makeup preferences, and favorite products. From there, the app was able to deliver relevant content such as how-to videos and product reviews based on the individual’s answers. A chatbot makes it easier for customers to find and purchase products they like and frees up human employees for other tasks.

Source: Forbes

CNN also uses a bot to provide their audience with tailored content based on keywords. Users simply send the bot a message with a topic they’re interested in, and it will send back related news stories. Not only is it a quick, easy way for readers to get the news they care about most, CNN is collecting valuable consumer data with every chat.

Once businesses collect consumer data, they can use it to define trends and make more informed decisions. For example, imagine that your company redesigned its website or provided a discount on merchandise. If a prospect or customer has a difficult time navigating the new website or applying the coupon, they can live chat with a representative to receive instructions on how to best navigate the issue. Not only does live chat help solve the immediate customer’s concerns and keep them on the site, the information from that chat can help you determine if you need to fix a part of your website’s UX or send out more detailed instructions on how to apply the discount. Being able to determine common customer pain points as they occur can save a business thousands of dollars.

And not only is conversational marketing data helpful for recognizing tech issues and common customer pain points, it also can identify opportunities for cross-sell and up-sell. If a customer is chatting with a rep about a product they are considering buying, the rep could take that opportunity to point out other items customers frequently bought based on previous interactions.

Third, conversational marketing is a great way to build relationships.

With messaging apps and social media, we’ve found a way to talk with more friends, more frequently. Conversational marketing can drive lead generation by reaching new audiences on different channels or by giving people a more convenient way to get in touch with support.  

According to Harvard Business Review, messaging apps “provide a continuous thread between customers and brands.” This thread allows for continuous communication which makes conversations more natural and “opportunities to cross-sell, encourage sharing, solicit input, and flow seamlessly between commerce and support” more frequent.

According to TopBots’ Adelyn Zhou, 

“Questions that are awkward or annoying coming from a brand are socially acceptable and even welcome in chatbot interactions."

Bots allow companies to collect a lot of information in a natural way. Instead of coming face-to-face with a long form, customers can share a little information over the course of multiple conversations. HubSpot was able to attract 20% more qualified leads by merely adding live chat as a communication channel. What would a 20% increase in qualified leads look like for your business?

And not only is conversational marketing more convenient for customers, it’s also a great way to show off your brand’s personality. Through copywriting, images, emojis, and videos, you can give your messaging conversations a personality — one that reinforces your brand. Customers and prospects are likely to keep engaging with your brand if you make it enjoyable and easy to do so!

For example, HubSpot allowed people to register for its Four Days of Facebook Campaign through multiple channels, including Facebook Messenger. Users loved the conversational UI and were quick to encourage their friends and coworkers to sign up as well.

  And success wasn’t just about getting people to register for the live event. Facebook Messenger was the highest converting source of new product users to HubSpot Marketing Free via the campaign.   

Conversational Marketing and Inbound Marketing

At this point, you've probably noticed the similarities between the core ideas behind conversational marketing and inbound marketing. That’s because conversational marketing is a piece of inbound marketing, just like email marketing or blogging. Inbound Marketing is all about creating value where your target customer is spending their time — that could mean writing a blog, interacting on social media, or sharing a video on YouTube. Now that technology has made conversational marketing a possibility, it’s a key part of inbound marketing.

HubSpot Co-Founder Dharmesh Shah states, 

"Conversation marketing is not new. Not only have we long been having conversations with customers — even the term itself has been around for at least a decade. The reason for the renewed interest in conversational marketing is that because of advances in technology and shifts in consumer behavior, conversational marketing can now happen at scale. We can have direct, one-to-one conversations with individual customers on their timeline — not ours."

Although conversations are nothing new, our ability to have 1:1 conversations at this scale and across multiple channels is. With inbound marketing, you can first attract potential customers to your brand. You can then use conversational marketing to allow people to initiate conversations when they want, where they want, and how they want – giving your audience the control.

How do conversations fit into the inbound methodology? Well, we see conversations taking place throughout the entire customer lifecycle, though there’s not a strong case to be made for it in the attract stage as the discovery of brands on messaging platforms is still immature. Facebook Messenger’s Discover tab, which launched mid-2017, is one attempt at solving this. But conversations can be used in place of forms to attract and capture leads, by sales teams to convert those leads into customers, and by customer success teams to delight customers with quick and convenient support. For example, using live chat during the sales process could help convert more leads because it allows prospects to interact in a way they already prefer to buy.

How Conversational Marketing Will Grow Your Business

Okay, we know conversational marketing is all about improving 1:1 relationships, but how can businesses actually start to build out a strategy for success? Cirillo recommends starting with one goal and then working backward. 

“Know what you want to get out of the conversation and what data you need to make that happen. Every conversation should add value to your business,” he said.

Analyze your answers and work to create the best possible experience for your customers. While there are many things you can do to help optimize your conversations, here are a few essentials:

Your CRM and Conversational Marketing

When you have a conversation with a friend, you don't expect to have to remind them of things like your name or where you live — the same holds true when customers have conversations with a business. That's why using a CRM is so important. A CRM is like a digital memory that allows you to have conversations with customers like you know them.

A successful conversational marketing strategy is dependent on fast and reliable access to a shared knowledge base that includes data such as communication history and necessary customer information. Companies who want to do conversational marketing will need a way to store and organize that data in order to have more seamless interactions with customers. With the help of a CRM, you can organically promote events and products, distribute content, and provide support all through chat.

So what data should marketers collect? You don't need to know everything about them, but you should know the basics and details of past conversations. Cirillo encourages marketers to think first about why they're using chat.

"Success with conversational marketing will look different depending on the use case. There's not an overarching metric for this world. Track the 'time to solution' or conversion rate if you're solving for utility. If your experience is less about a particular action, then retention might make more sense,” he said.

Start with what you want your customers to be able to accomplish via chat and then build out processes for acquiring the necessary information.

In addition, you can’t implement a conversational marketing strategy without a process for tracking performance, moments of confusion or drop-off, and new questions. You should always be gathering data and optimizing the experience.  

Adding Automation with Chatbots

Once your CRM is set up, it's time to think to think about how you can scale your conversations. This is where chatbots can help.

Business isn’t just happening in one city, in one state, or in one timezone — it’s happening all around the world, every minute of every day. As I mentioned earlier, adding automation with chatbots is crucial in keeping up with a volume of conversations and to have a fighting chance at 24/7 support. Bots allow SMBs to compete with enterprise-sized businesses. Customers expect to be able to connect with businesses whenever they need to. According to research from Aspect Software, 65% of consumers feel good about themselves and the company when they can handle an issue without talking to a live person, and 61% think that chatbots allow for faster answers.

Here are few ways chatbots can help:

Answer FAQs or customer specific questions where data is already available

Qualify Leads

Promote events, products, and content

Schedule meetings

Get feedback from customers and prospects

Keep in mind that while chatbots can do many things, they should never be used as a barrier between customers and a human. 86% of consumers want the option to transfer to a representative if their request is too complicated for a bot to handle. Bots can't replace human talent, but they can help augment teams during off-hours or when conversation volume is too much for a small group to handle.

An Inbound Approach to Conversations 

  Developing a conversational marketing strategy can take time – it's not easy to think about  process   when you're trying to keep up with the day-to-day demands of running a business. That's why HubSpot's Brian Bagdasarian created some tips for building a conversational marketing strategy. Conversational marketing isn't something you can set and forget, you have to continuously optimize your strategy to see the best results, but there are five things you should keep in mind: Personalize, Contextualize, standardize, empathize, and optimize

Personalize

When speaking with a customer or prospect, conversations should be personalized with relevant shared knowledge. Shared knowledge is the foundation of good conversations. Think about it: If you’ve already given a business you’re phone number, do you really want to waste time reciting it every time you have a simple question? Personalized details make the conversation feel more natural and help you to get to the root of the issue as quickly as possible.

Contextualize

Conversations that have context not only improve the end-user experience, they also help minimize misunderstandings and get straight to the heart of the issue. Because you don’t have to waste time collecting information you already have access to, you’re able to provide immediate value. Context is necessary to help answer the right question, at the right time, in the best way possible. Conversations that aim to answer the most important question first will provide the best user experience. Even though it's a conversation, this isn't like a conversation with friends. When customers interact with your business, chances are they don't want to spend time talking about cat videos or their weekend plans. They want to solve their most immediate need in the fastest and easiest way possible. Spend time analyzing your interactions to determine what data will help improve your customer relationships.

Standardize

However, it's important not to get too caught up in personalizing your messages. While personalization and contextualization are important, standardizing elements of conversations helps bring a level of professionalism and consistency to your business. Conversations should be repeatable and predictable. Figure out your customer's most frequently asked questions and draft approved answers for bots and marketers to use. Repeating conversations will help automate, optimize, and improve future interactions. Predictable conversations help to users have a natural dialog with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Standardization is crucial to delivering clear, consistent answers, across conversations and users.

Empathize

When involved in a conversation, we often have to deliver the right answer before correcting the problem. For example: Let’s say you receive an email with a coupon code from one of your favorite stores. You spend a half hour scrolling through their products trying to decide what to buy, but when you finally enter the code to make your purchase, it doesn’t work. You’re understandably annoyed that you wasted all that time when you weren’t even planning on buying something without that code. The business should emphasize with your issue and assure you that they understand the problem before the can move forward with providing a solution. Emphasizing helps customers feel valued and heard.

Optimize

Finally, it's crucial to optimize. Learn from your past conversations so you can improve them in the future. Optimize for the strengths of the channel and for the answer – aim to provide answers that people would receive in a real, one-to-one conversation. For example, live chat or phone might be better for providing support, while Facebook Messenger could be a better choice for content delivery. Listen to your customers and observe their behavior as you build out your strategy and make changes where needed. Conversational marketing is an iterative process — what you thought might work may not always provide the best experience. Take time to ask your customers for feedback. Their advice will help you delight your next customer. Remember, every conversation should be impactful and help add value to your business.

Moving Forward: Why Conversations Are the Future

Phew, you made it to the end. Good convo guys.

We've come a long way from letters and telegrams. For the first time, people are having meaningful conversations with businesses on a massive scale thanks to automation with bots, a CRM, and new channels. Conversational marketing is changing the way companies talk with their customers by making interactions seamless and faster than ever before. Your customers are having conversations. Why not join in? The most important things to focus on are the channel, the conversation, and how the strategy fits in with your overall inbound marketing strategy. Channels should be simple for businesses and consumers to use, conversations should follow a clear process and serve a purpose, and your inbound marketing strategy should inform your conversational marketing strategy.

Remember, humans have been having conversations since the beginning of time. Technology is only making it easier and more productive for businesses and their customers to connect.  While the days of communicating by the Pony Express may be over, thoughtful, friendly conversations (and gossip) will continue to stand the test of time and technology.

[dipulb3]

What you need to know about coronavirus on Thursday, June 25 | Appradab

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What you need to know about coronavirus on Thursday, June 25 | Appradab

“This isn’t a well mannered suggestion,” New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy stated. The journey advisory applies to anybody coming from a state with a transmission fee above 10 per 100,000 folks on a seven-day rolling common, or 10% of the entire inhabitants testing constructive in the identical interval. Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, Utah and Texas have been all in that class as of Wednesday.

However as the general public well being catastrophe unravels, (and as dozens of Secret Service agents have to enter quarantine after the President’s rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma), Donald Trump has little to supply.

As Stephen Collinson notes, Trump is not only in denial, but additionally detached to the unfolding American tragedy.

YOU ASKED. WE ANSWERED

Q: How protected are public restrooms?

A: “If you do not have to make use of the general public restroom, do not,” stated microbiologist Ali Nouri, president of the Federation of American Scientists. However he acknowledged that is not at all times attainable: “Generally whenever you gotta go, you gotta go.”

Shut contact with others is essentially the most vital danger in a public restroom, Nouri stated. So if there is a single-person rest room out there that does not have a number of stalls, utilizing that is perhaps greatest. Should you do use a multi-stall public restroom, Nouri affords the next suggestions:

Use paper towels to dry your arms, not the hand dryer.

Use a paper towel to show off the water and open the lavatory door. Throw away the paper towel instantly afterward.

Put on a face masks.

If the restroom appears crowded, wait till it clears out, for those who can.

Send your questions here. Are you a well being care employee combating Covid-19? Message us on WhatsApp in regards to the challenges you are dealing with: [phone].

WHAT’S IMPORTANT TODAY

Pandemic nonetheless to peak in “many international locations within the Americas”

The variety of Covid-19 circumstances in Latin America has tripled previously month, surpassing 2 million infections, the Pan American Well being Group stated yesterday. Brazil alone accounts for greater than 1 million of these circumstances, the one nation apart from the US that has surpassed that mark.

But the worst might be nonetheless to come back. The World Well being Group (WHO) warned the pandemic has but to peak in lots of international locations within the area. It expects the world to achieve 10 million circumstances within the subsequent week, with many new circumstances coming from the Americas.

Globally, the variety of infections is rising by about 1 million each week and the WHO is apprehensive the surge might result in a scarcity of oxygen with many international locations struggling to get oxygen-making machines.

China’s newest disaster is nearly over

The coronavirus outbreak linked to a wholesale meals market within the Chinese language capital Beijing has “basically been contained,” the municipal authorities stated. Town reported solely 13 new circumstances yesterday.

Beijing was pressured to introduce a partial lockdown final week when a brand new outbreak emerged after 55 days with out domestically transmitted circumstances. It has sealed off whole neighborhoods, closed faculties and barred a whole bunch of hundreds of individuals susceptible to contracting the virus from leaving town. In its huge testing center, related numbers of individuals have been examined in only a few days.

Please, put on a masks

“Going out in public with no masks is like driving drunk,” said Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a heart specialist and professor of drugs at George Washington College. “If you do not get damage, you would possibly kill anyone else.”

Extra American cities and states are urging, and even ordering, folks to put on masks in public. It has been confirmed face coverings might help to cease the illness spreading. The newest incentive to put on one got here from the College of Washington’s Institute for Well being Metrics and Analysis. It projected 179,106 could have died of Covid-19 by October 1 if nothing adjustments. However that quantity would drop to 146,000 if 95% of People wore masks in public. An unlikely change, we all know.

Coronavirus waste reveals up within the sea

Seashores on the French Côte d’Azur like these at Cannes or St. Tropez are among the many most coveted trip spots worldwide, however now the coronavirus pandemic has left an abundance of pollution within the water: Discarded masks and gloves.

The nonprofit Operation Clear Sea has been sounding the alarm about discovering discarded PPE and hand sanitizer bottles of their marine cleanup operations. Laurent Lombard, its founder, warned that “quickly there could also be extra masks than jellyfish” within the Mediterranean.

ON OUR RADAR

Disney is delaying the reopening of its flagship theme parks in California. In Florida, greater than 7,000 people are urging Disney and authorities officers to delay opening Disney World subsequent month as coronavirus circumstances surge within the state.

Pride during a pandemic: Why LGBTQ visibility and connection nonetheless matter.

The newborn triplets who examined constructive for Covid-19 are in steady situation and “evolving favorably, Mexican well being officers stated. The mother and father of the infants each examined unfavorable.

The United Nations Financial Fee for Africa has joined forces with a gaggle of telecoms corporations to achieve greater than 600 million mobile subscribers with coronavirus well being recommendation.

The US Democratic Nationwide Conference Committee will scale back this summer’s convention, and is advising state delegates to not plan to journey to Milwaukee, the place presidential candidate Joe Biden will settle for the social gathering’s nomination and ship his acceptance speech.

A bar close to the College of Central Florida in Orlando has had its liquor license quickly suspended after well being officers linked it to more than 150 coronavirus cases.

The pandemic hit the style trade exhausting, however Paris Fashion Week goes forward in September.

Two of the world’s biggest marathons, New York Metropolis and Berlin, have been cancelled yesterday.

The Eiffel Tower has reopened today — however just for guests keen to climb the steps. The elevators stay out of motion.

Qantas is cutting 6,000 jobs in an effort to outlive. Aviation has been one of many largest financial victims of the pandemic. Qantas’ important native competitor, Virgin Australia, can be combating for its life, whereas Germany’s Lufthansa seems set to obtain a $10 billion bailout from the German authorities.

TOP TIPS

What to do about ‘maskne’

It is not simply you. Many individuals who’ve by no means had a breakout are actually discovering their face appears like that of a young person. “We’re seeing numerous flares of pimples, particularly a sort referred to as perioral dermatitis, which tends to occur sometimes across the mouth and within the areas across the nostril,” stated Dr. Seemal Desai, an assistant professor on the College of Texas Southwestern Medical Middle.

Here’s what to do when a masks causes pores and skin issues:

Wash the masks after each use

Use mild skincare merchandise

Do not swap to a brand new skincare routine

Do not use petroleum safety

TODAY’S PODCAST

“We focus a lot on the chance of Covid that we overlook that there is additionally a social emotional wellbeing piece for the grandparents and the children, and that loneliness, social isolation should not good, notably for older adults.” — Dr. Preeti Malani, infectious illness and geriatrics specialist

One of many high considerations we hear from listeners is whether or not it’s protected for grandparents to go to their grandchildren in particular person. Appradab’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta asks that query to infectious illness and geriatrics specialist Dr. Preeti Malani. Listen Now.