#and during the day job I have to run a summer camp solo with kids from ages 4 to fucking 16
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i do not enjoy my summer job
#THREE people quit without warning so I'm covering all the shifts because *I'm the best person they have*#so I work from 7:30am until 6pm but I need to leave my house at 5:30 to get there on time and I make it home at around 8:30#and then I need to coordinate with a separate group of kids for 1 on 1 tutoring on the weekends#and I was assigned 8 kids from different schools so that basically means I work literally 7 days a week#and during the day job I have to run a summer camp solo with kids from ages 4 to fucking 16#and it has to be educational I can't just put on Netflix all day#but because the intellect gap is so huge I can't just give everyone the same assignment#so i need to make personalized lessons for 30 kids (by myself)#while also preventing the younger more chaotic kids from destroying the building and choking each other's eyes out#bro some lady dropped off her 2 year old son with me and I was like ?????#ma'am...
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Hey guys! I know this isn’t a fanfic but I was working on a timeline of the current manga/anime/movies/school briefs/ova because I need a very detailed timeline with years and dates for a fic that I’m working on. A lot of these exact dates have not been specified but they are roughly accurate to the general timeline.
Bnha manga spoilers up to Chapter 321
June, 2189:
10th: All Might is born
August, 2199
8th: Endeavor is born
August, 2202
Rei Himura is born
February, 2205
Nana Shimura gives All Might One For All.
April, 2205
All Might enters UA.
July, 2207
Nana Shimura is killed by All For One.
March, 2208:
All Might graduates from UA and goes to the United States.
July, 2214:
7th: Present Mic is born
22nd: Tensei Iida is born
November, 2214
8th: Eraserhead is born
April, 2215
Endeavor enters UA
March, 2218
Endeavor graduates from UA
All Might returns to Japan
January, 2222
18th: Touya Todoroki is born six weeks early.
December, 2222
6th: Fuyumi Todoroki is born
28th: Keigo Takami is born
January, 2225
Touya’s quirk emerges. He begins training.
April, 2225
4th: Tenko Shimura is born
November, 2225
Endeavor abruptly stops training Touya. Touya doesn’t understand why and continues training on his own, harming his own body in the process. Endeavor convinces Rei to have more children.
July, 2226
1st: Natsuo Todoroki is born.
July, 2227
15th: Mirio Togata is born
October, 2227
6th: Nejire Hado is born
March, 2228
4th: Tamaki Amajiki is born
April, 2229
20th: Katsuki Bakugou is born
May, 2229
28th: Mashiaro Ojiro is born
30th: Yuga Aoyama is born
June, 2229
10th: All Might’s 40th birthday
16th: Toru Hagakure is born
19th: Rikido Sato is born
29th: Denki Kaminari is born
July, 2229
1st: Hitoshi Shinso is born. Natsuo’s 3rd birthday.
7th: Present Mic’s 15th birthday
15th: Izuku Midoriya is born. Mirio Togata’s 2nd birthday
22nd: Tensei Iida’s 15th birthday
28th: Hanta Sero is born
30th: Mina Ashido is born
August, 2229
1st: Kyoka Jirou is born
8th: Endeavor’s 30th birthday
22nd: Tenya Iida is born
September, 2229
23rd: Momo Yaoyorozu is born
October, 2229
8th: Minoru Mineta is born
16th: Eijirou Kirishima is born. Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu is born
30th: Fumikage Tokoyami is born
November, 2229
Eraserhead’s 15th birthday
December, 2229
27th: Ochako Uraraka is born
January, 2230
11th: Shoto Todoroki is born
18th: Touya’s 8th birthday
February, 2230
1st: Koji Koda is born
12th: Tsuyu Asui is born
15th: Mezo Shoji is born
April, 2230
Present Mic, Eraserhead, Shirakumo, and Tensei Iida start their first year at UA.
20th: Katsuki’s first birthday.
April-December 2231 to January-March 2232
Shirakumo dies.
March 2232
Eraserhead, Present Mic, and Tensei Iida graduate from UA.
4th: Tamaki’s 4th birthday
December, 2235
Touya “dies” at Sekoto Hill
January, 2236
Rei has a psychotic breakdown. Shoto gets his scar. Rei is committed to the hospital.
11th: Shoto’s 6th birthday
March, 2239
All Might vs. All For One. All For One is temporarily defeated. All Might gets his scar and falls out with Sir Nighteye.
4th: Tamaki’s 11th birthday
April, 2245:
April 7th, Izuku meets All Might and saves Katsuki from the Slime Villain
April 9th: Izuku starts training with All Might
April 20th, Katsuki’s 15th Birthday
July, 2245:
1st: Hitoshi’s 15th birthday. Natsuo’s 18th birthday
7th: Present Mic’s 30th birthday
5th: Izuku’s 15th birthday. Mirio’s 17th birthday.
22nd: Tensei’s 30th birthday
28th: Hanta’s 15th birthday
30th: Mina’s 15th birthday
August, 2245:
22nd, Tenya’s 15th Birthday
Eijirou and Mina encounter Gigantomachia.
November, 2245:
Izuku collapses during his training with All Might
February , 2246:
26th: Izuku inherits One For All, and takes the entrance exam. Breaks both his legs and one arm in the attempt. Is awarded 60 rescue points for saving Ochako . Ochako earns 45 rescue points for helping him.
March, 2246:
5th: Izuku gets his entrance exam results
6th: After 7pm, All Might meets him on the beach to discuss his teaching job at UA.
21st: Izuku and Katsuki graduate middle school
April, 2246:
First Day: Friday, April 3rd: Quirk Assessment Test (Friday)
Second Day: Saturday, April 4th, Battle Training (Izuku/Ochako vs Tenya/Katsuki) (Saturday)
Third Day: Monday, April 6th, Press at front gates - Villains break in - Prez/Rep voting
Fifth Day: Wednesday April 8th, USJ Incident
Sixth Day: Thursday April 9th: Temporary close due to USJ incident
Seventh Day: Friday, April 10th, Learn about Tournament (Friday)
Eighth Day: Saturday, April 11th: Declaration of War from Hitoshi Shinsou (Saturday)
April 20th: Katsuki’s 16th Birthday
April 22nd: Rescue Training OVA
Saturday, April 25th: Sports Festival. As well as the day that Tenya’s brother is injured by Stain
Two days off (April 26th, 27th)
April 28th: Hero name selection
Golden Week (No school) April 29th, 30th, May 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th.
May, 2246:
Monday, May 11th: First Day of Internships. Broken Microwave and night solo training
Tuesday, May 12th: Second Day of Internships. 5% Full Cowl is born!
Wednesday, May 13th: Third Day of Internships. Continued training Night: Hosu Incident - Stain and Nomus
Thursday, May 14th: In the hospital / aftermath of Stain
Friday, May 15th: Izuku has to head home because Gran Torino’s license was revoked . Tsuyu takes down drug smugglers with Selkie.
Saturday, May 16th: Everyone else heads home from their internships
Sunday, May 17th: Day off before school
Monday, May 18th: Rescue Training Race
Wednesday, May 20th: Training of the Dead OVA
Saturday, May 23rd: Parent’s Day (School Briefs Manga)
June, 2246:
Final Study Week - June 22nd- 27th
Monday, June 29th: Written Exam Day 1
Tuesday, June 30th: Written Exam 2
July, 2246:
Wednesday: July 1st: Written Exam, Day 3
Thursday, July 2nd: 2v1 First Semester Practical Exam
Friday, July 3rd: Day Off: Trip to the Mall / Run in with Tomura
July 15th, Izuku turns 16. Mirio turns 18.
Thursday, July 24th: Summer Break (Save the World with Love) Training Exercise. All Might invites Izuku to I-Island
Friday, July 25th: All Might, Izuku, and the others arrive on I-Island. Wolfram is defeated by All Might and Izuku.
Monday, July 27th: Everyone returns from I-Island
August, 2246:
Saturday, August 1st: Pool Episode
August 3rd, 4th, and 5th : Summer Camp
August 6th: Villains kidnap Katsuki
August 7th & 8th: In the hospital
August 9th: Planning the Katsuki rescue
August 10th: Momo, Izuku, Eijrou, Tenya and Shouto all go to the Nomu storage. Pros go to the bar hideout. Izuku and his friends rescue Katsuki. All Might’s true form revealed to the world AFO is imprisoned.
August 11th and 12th: Recoup, press, decision to board students.
August 13th-14th: Aizawa and All Might go to each student's house to get approval for boarding. All Might meets Izuku on the beach.
Saturday, August 22nd: Tenya’s 16th Birthday.
August 25th: Students move into dorms
August 26th: Begin training super moves
Sunday, August 30th: Izuku gets his new costume. He saves All Might from falling debris with his new Shoot Style.
Monday, August 31st: Do or Die Survival Training.
September, 2246
Saturday, September 5th: Provisional License Exam. Katsuki and Izuku fight at Ground Beta.
Monday, September 7th: Opening ceremony for semester 2 of year 1
Wednesday, September 9th: Izuku is back from house arrest. Big Three come to talk. Mirio fights Class 1A and talks about internships. League of Villains meets with Overhaul. Magne dies.
Thursday, September 10th: Katsuki returns from house arrest. Reporter interviews Class 1A about dorm life.
Friday, September 11th: Izuku asks to be introduced to Sir Nighteye.
Sunday, September 13th (No classes): Provisional license backup classes for Shoto and Katsuki. Izuku goes to Sir Nighteye’s office.
Monday, September 14th: Izuku’s first day of interning at Sir Nighteye’s agency. Izuku and Mirio meet Eri and Overhaul on patrol. Nighteye mentions a cross-agency mission. Afternoon/evening, Eijrou encounters Trigger. Ejirou and Tamaki encounter short-term Quirk erasing bullets. Izuku fails at rescue training. Tsuyu, Ochako, and Eijirou are at their internships.
Tuesday, September 15th: Toga and Twice infiltrate Overhaul’s organization. All interns meet at Sir Nighteye’s agency to be briefed on the mission.
Wednesday, September 16th: Izuku does climbing exercises at school. He cries in front of Tenya and Shoto at lunch.
Late at night on Friday, September 18th: Mirio, Tamaki, Nejire, Eijirou, Tsuyu, ochako, and Izuku get a text telling them the raid is the next day.
Tuesday, September 22nd: Raid at Overhaul base
7 am: Meeting before raid. Interns change into costumes
8 am: Meet in front of police station
8:30 am: Raid begins
Mirio loses his quirk
9:15 am: Raid ends
Shigaraki decays Overhaul’s arms. Dabi kills Snatch.
Nighteye dies in the hospital.
In the woods, Gran Torina captures Kurogiri
8:00 pm: Eijirou, Izuku, Tsuyu and Ochako return to the dorms.
Sunday, September 20th: Shoto and Katsuki go to the Remedial Provisional License Class with the elementary kids with All Might and Present Mic.
Sunday, September 27th: Nighteye’s funeral. Internships are postponed. Eri wakes up with her quirk not functioning.
October, 2246:
Thursday, October 1st: Izuku answers a question wrong in Ectoplasm’s math class. Aoyama sneaks onto Izuku’s balcony to give him cheese at night.
Friday, October 2nd: Aoyama talks to Izuku about his quirk and they become friends after training in Gyma Gamma.
Monday, October 5th: Class meeting about Culture Festival ideas. After school, the meeting continues in the dorms while Izuku, Ochako, Tsuyu, and Eijirou do extra classes to make up for the work they missed during their work studies. Izuku and Mirio visit Eri after Izuku’s makeup classes.
Tuesday, October 6th: More planning for the Culture Festival after their concert idea gets approved. Katsuki overhears general studies students complaining about the hero course. Work studies students go to their extra classes.
Wednesday, October 7th: Just after 1am, a plan is finalized for the concert. Izuku meets with All Might after school in the teachers lounge and talks about his work study. All Might has him meet him in the forest and has him practice a long distance attack at 20%.
Saturday, October 10th: Students do more work for the Culture Festival. Mirio and Eri visit UA.
Saturday, October 17th: Izuku is fired from the dance team and is put on special effects instead.
Sunday, October 18th: In the early morning, Izuku trains with All Might in the woods, focusing on his Air Force technique.
Friday, October 30th: Tokoyami’s birthday. Students practice until 9pm in Gyma Gamma. Just after 11pm, Izuku notices the rope is frayed and plans to buy a new one the next morning before the festival.
Saturday, October 31st: Culture Festival Day
6:30 am: Mei gives Izuku his Air Force gloves. He practices with it in the woods until 7:49 am.
7:50 am: Izuku leaves UA to buy the rope.
8:30 am: Izuku runs into Gentle Criminal after leaving the hardware store.
8:33 am: Izuku decides to fight Gentle Criminal
9:25 am: Izuku defeats Gentle Criminal and La Brava
9:35 am: Izuku goes back to the hardware store and picks up his groceries
9:50 am: Izuku makes it back to UA and changes into his clothes for the concert
10:00 am: Concert starts
In the evening after the festival, Izuku gives Eri a candy apple
November, 2246: MANGA SPOILERS FOR MY VILLAIN ACADEMIA STOP READING NOW ANIME ONLIES
Monday, November 16th: The League fights the weird church cult. Gigantomachia finds them. Shigaraki and the others get warped to Dr, Ujiko’s lair. The fight against Gigantomachia begins.
ANIME ONLIES MAY READ AGAIN
Thursday, November 26th: Wild Wild Pussycats visit Class 1A.
Saturday, November 28th: Pro Hero Billboard Charts
Sunday, November 29th: Hawks and Endeavor fight the High End Nomu. Hawks meets with Dabi.
Tuesday, November 29th: Endeavor is discharged from the hospital. UA has Class 1A fight the Big 3 for an emergency drill. Endeavor has dinner with his family. Izuku has his dream about One For All.
Wednesday, November 30th: Izuku discusses his dream with All Might. Class 1A vs 1B joint training with Shinso takes place. After school, All Might meets with Katsuki and Izuku to discuss Black Whip. At 7:00 pm, they go to Gym Gamma and train to see if Black Whip will come out.
Sunday, November 29th: Hawks “kills” Jeanist.
December, 2246:
Tuesday, December 1st: Endeavor is discharged from the hospital. UA has Class 1A fight the Big 3 for an emergency drill. Endeavor has dinner with his family. Izuku has his dream about One For All.
Wednesday, December 2nd: Izuku discusses his dream with All Might. Class 1A vs 1B joint training with Shinso takes place. After school, All Might meets with Katsuki and Izuku to discuss Black Whip. At 7:00 pm, they go to Gym Gamma and train to see if Black Whip will come out.
Thursday, December 3rd: Monoma copies Eri’s quirk.
Sunday, December 6th: First snow of the year. Katsuki and Shoto get their provisional licenses and take down the purse stealing villain and his gang.
Monday, December 7th: Hawks “kills” Jeanist. Shoto and Katsuki are interviewed.
MANGA SPOILERS FOR MY VILLAIN ACADEMIA STOP READING IF YOU ARE ANIME ONLY
Saturday, December 12th: League of Villains versus Meta Liberation Army. Shigaraku emerges victorious with his quirk awakened. Deika City is destroyed.
ANIME ONLIES MAY READ AGAIN
Sunday, December 13th: Hero Public Safety Commission approaches UA staff about sending students to Nabu island.
Monday, December 14th: Aizawa tells Class 1A they’re going to Nabu island.
Tuesday, December 15th: Class 1A leaves for Nabu island.
Thursday, December 17th: Katsuma and Mahoro fake a villain attack at night.
Friday, December 18th: Nine and his gang attack the island around 5pm. Izuku and Katsuki are badly injured. Nine retreats due to complications with his quirk. Remaining student heroes round up the civilians into a temporary shelter. Katsuma heals Katsuki and Izuku with his quirk. Class 1A formulates a plan.
Saturday, December 19th: Final showdown against Nine starts in the early morning. Izuku temporarily gives Katsuki One For All to defeat Nine. Heroes arrive to assist the students. Shigaraki kills Nine.
Sunday, December 20th: Mahoro and Katsuma’s dad returns to the island.
Tuesday, December 22nd: Class 1A leaves the island after helping cleanup.
Wednesday, December 23rd: Class 1A gets media training. UA staff discuss work studies for the first year students.
Thursday, December 24th: Students informed of their winter break homework. Students are now on winter break.
Friday, December 25th: Christmas in the dorms. Shoto asks Katsuki and Izuku if they want to do a work study with Endeavor at his agency.
Thursday, December 31st: Students go home for New Year’s Eve.
January, 2247:
Friday, January 1st: Shoto, Katsuki, and Izuku go to Endeavor’s agency for their work study. Hawks visits the Paranormal Liberation Front. Hawks intervenes when fighting Starservant and hands out the Meta Liberation book to Endeavor and his work study students. Endeavor learns about the Paranormal Liberation front from Hawks’ coded message in the book. Shigaraki begins his four month powerup.
Friday, January 8th: Awkward dinner with the Todoroki family. Endeavor, Shoto, Katsuki, and Izuku fight Ending and save Natsuo.
BNHA MANGA SPOILERS AHEAD.
Monday, January 11th: Classes Start again after winter break. Aizawa and Present Mic go to Tartarus to interrogate Kurogiri. They learn Kurogiri is a Nomu of their old friend, Shirakumo. Hawks tutors Twice. All Might gives Katsuki and Izuku information on One For All’s past users.
Tuesday, January 12th: Aizawa begins to train Eri
Movie 3 takes place.
March, 2247
Monday, March 29th: Battle of Jakku City
#bnha#mha timeline#mha#boku no hero academia#my hero academia#bnha manga spoilers#mha manga spoilers#Bnha timeline#timeline
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TROPED: JATP MASTER LIST
And for our encore, the Master List of all 53 (fifty-three!?) fanfics written for our FIRST Julie and the Phantoms TROPED event!! It was such a treat for us to see how a new fandom took on our prompts! We, here at TROPED, love it when our authors push the limits of what a trope can be, and this fandom kept us on our toes, and we loved every word! We hope you enjoy these trope bending, phantastic fics as much as we did!
New rockstar writers joined us for the first time for this event, which is the coolest thing for us! We love getting to see how different fandoms interpret our prompts and how you see these stories through the lens of different characters. We learned a lot about how to run an event this round, with new voices helping us to make TROPED better, which was so exciting. We came out of this event with new ideas, and we’re pumped for what’s next! We hope you’ll join us again soon ;)!
*Some summaries have been edited for length. Tumblr has a max post length. Who knew!
ROUND 1: ANGST FICS
The Tropes:
Character discovers they’re not human
Coffee Shop AU
Poorly Timed Confession
Character A catches Character B crying
————
the sky was gray and white and (cloudy) (Rated T) [Alex x Willie] by @screamin-amuseum
Summary: “I’ve got you,” Willie’s whispering over and over, panic creeping into his voice. “Alex, I’ve got you, okay? Come on, baby, come on, it’s okay, I’ve got you, you’re gonna be okay, I love you–”
Alex spits out what feels like a clot of blood and gives Willie a tired grin, probably looking completely insane.
“That’s pretty gay of you,” he says, just as his vision clouds over and he passes out.
Honey, You’re Familiar (Like My Mirror Years Ago) (Rated T) [Julie x Luke] by nik_knows_nothing
Summary: Luke works at a coffee shop, which is normal, quietly pines after his coworker, which is normal, and also occasionally steals people’s faces without really meaning to.
It’s probably that last part that moves him pretty solidly out of the “normal” territory.
But that’s fine, that’s totally cool.
He’s handling it super well.
You Can’t Value People Less Than a Good, Hot Cup of Bean Juice (It Just Seems Rude) (Rated T) [Julie x Luke] by nik_knows_nothing
Summary: Julie gets a job at a coffee stand in the middle of nowhere.
It’ll help to pass the time, if nothing else.
And if there’s a cute guy who works the shift after her and sometimes leaves her ridiculously endearing messages on an ancient tape recorder?
Well, that’s just a bonus.
honest to god I’ll break your heart, tear you to pieces and rip you apart (Rated T) [Julie x Luke] by @tonightthestarsalign
Summary: the siren!Julie AU no one asked for
new instincts (Rated T) [Luke x Reggie] by @comeonpeters
Summary: Reggie is fine with being the only human member of his band, Julie and the Phantoms (tell your friends!), just like he’s fine with being the only single member. It doesn’t make him feel lonely, and he’s only picking up more shifts at the coffee shop because he needs more money, not because he’s avoiding being alone. And picking up more shifts at the coffee shop is making the work easier! He’s only a little confused by the fact that he can now touch the espresso machine mid shift without burning himself… must be all of the experience.
you look like you’ve just seen a monster (is that what i look like to you?) (Rated T) [Bobby x Alex x Luke x Reggie] by @aroacethetic-shitpost
Summary: it’s angsty tiefling bobby time, folks!
We Are Monsters, We Are Proud (Rated G) [Flynn x Carrie, Julie x Luke] by @americanhoney913
Summary: Carrie finds herself at a college like no other in search of her dad and some answers. Julie’s not feeling good and maybe staring at roses wasn’t the best idea.
Monster College/Coffeeshop AU
sending forth their beautiful voice, and my heart was fain to listen (Rated G) [Julie x Carrie] by @madeline-kahn
Summary: Months after the death of her mom, Julie prepares to sing again and makes an upsetting discovery.
rise from the ashes (Rated M) [Alex x Willie] by @willexxmercer
Summary: At a time when everything was going wrong for Alex, the one bright spot in his life was the charming barista at the coffee shop he frequented. At least, it was the bright spot until everything went up in flames. All he could do was hope that they could rise from the ashes and figure things out together.
Siren’s Song (Rated T) [Ray x Rose] by hufflebibin
Summary: The Scopuli was never meant to be a permanent arrangement. Rose had taken the job straight out of school just looking to make a little extra money before the tour kicked off.
That was four years ago.
After a string of bad luck befalls Rose and the Petal Pushers, she can’t help but wonder if she is the problem. Or is there something more sinister at play?
Yellow (Rated T) [Julie & Reggie] by @tmp-jatp
Summary: Reggie just wanted to get some new guitar strings. A shapeshifter!Reggie au
Angels Like You (Rated T) [Luke x Reggie] by @sunsetcurveofficial
Summary: Reggie is having a bit of a weird day. It gets worse when he figures out that it’s because he died in his sleep and has somehow been walking around as a ghost without realising it. Meeting Luke helps. Luke says he’s a fellow ghost, and there is something about him that Reggie just feels drawn to. Falling for him is the easiest thing Reggie has ever done, but Luke is a little more than he lets on, and it turns out that their story actually started long before Reggie thought it did.
look into my eyes (it’s where my demons hide) (Rated T) [Flynn x Carrie] by @fanfics-she-wrote
Summary: Hiding out from demons was never a desirable nightmare. Of course, Carrie would much prefer a run-for-my-life nightmare than actually running for her life. Having Flynn around is a very welcome soothing balm, though.
Bring All The Monsters Out To Play, Let All The Red Erase The Grey (Rated T) [Bobby & Reggie] by @kennysbirthday
Summary: Mythologicals, Reggie realised, were kind of like queer people. Sometimes your Token Human friend turns around one day and admits that actually, there was something they were suppressing all along, and they hadn’t realised.
–
Reggie’s final exam has been pushed forward at the most inconvenient time. Bobby is sick, Alex is missing, and now he needs to help a selkie get their ‘Happily-Ever-After’ in order to scrape a passing grade. Oh, and if his boss catches him handing out more free coffee, he’s gonna get fired.
————
ROUND 2: FLUFF FICS
The Tropes:
Exes
Time Loop AU
Camp Counselors
Prank Wars
————
Okay, Campers, Rise and Shine! (Rated T) [Julie x Luke] by nik_knows_nothing
Summary: The Groundhog Day meets Gravity Falls meets Summer Camp meets The Author’s Own Distaste For Prank Wars AU that no one asked for. Ever. At all.
Starting To Forget (Just What Summer Ever Meant To You) (Not Rated) [Flynn x Carrie] by bi_magic
Summary: Last summer didn’t end on a positive note for Carrie Wilson - she and her girlfriend broke up on the last night of camp, and she’s been miserable since. But it seems that the universe is intent on having her fix that this summer. Even if that means she has to live through the same day over and over and over again until she does.
Creative B.S. Was No More, Was No Less (Look Around, You’re Gonna Miss What You Found) (Rated T) [Alex x Luke, Flynn x Reggie] by @americanhoney913
Summary: Alex and Luke go undercover on a mission to a summer camp in order to find a talisman that could endanger the camp and all the kids. While there, they bond with the kids and make peace with the fact that they broke up.
While Alex and Luke are away, Flynn accidentally fucks with time.
bitch but like romantically (Rated T) [Flynn x Carrie] by @screamin-amuseum
Summary: or: flynn gets stuck in a time loop. {for troped jatp round 2}
down by the bay (Rated T) [Alex x Willie] by @sunsetcurbed
Summary: Over time, Camp Phantom has simply become known as a selective summer camp: one that took only the kids that Caleb saw promise in. And Caleb wasn’t exactly lying. He really did take only the ones he saw promise in, he simply looked for different traits than others might.
For example, say, hypothetically, a boy who could see the future. Or, hypothetically, a girl who could interact with ghosts. Or, hypothetically, a boy who could summon objects to him with a simple thought. Or, and this is completely hypothetical mind you, a boy who could manipulate time.
Those might be some traits that Caleb saw promise in. Just, like, as examples.
Time will tell (But only if you do it right) (Rated T) [Flynn x Carrie] by @malecacidd
Summary: Carrie had been acting a little off for a week or so, but Flynn was pretty much known for seeing something in nothing, and that was probably what they were doing then. If something was going on, Carrie would tell her eventually.
OR
Who knew all it took was a little bit of miscommunication to mess up time itself?
and so it begins (Rated T) [Bobby x Reggie] by @comeonpeters
Summary: It’s the first day of their second week at Camp Carolling (they’re spending an entire month, and they’re getting paid to be there!) when Reggie gets a little lost in the woods. During this misadventure into the woods, he finds an egg shaped rock, an inhabited cabin that may or may not be riddled with signs, and something that might be magic. He probably doesn’t get paid enough to discover magic.
or, when they were thirteen years old, four boys met at camp carolling and eventually became a band that almost became something legendary. now, all four boys are coming back as counselors, three boys in one band and one boy in his own solo act.
so begins the reunion, though it doesn’t go how any of them imagine.
Porcupine Day (Rated T) [Bobby x Ray x Rose] by @wr0temyway0ut
Summary: It’s been fifteen years since Trevor broke up with Ray and Rose and they’re… not fine, but managing. But when Trevor to adds insult to injury and buys the camp across the lake from the one they once owned together, the two camps become locked in a bitter rivalry. With neither side willing to set aside their pride and work out their issues, the universe decides to settle their fates itself.
Day After Day (After Day After Day) (Rated T) [Alex x Willie] by hufflebibin
Summary: When Alex met Willie just after their senior year of high school, they spent a wonderful three months dating before their relationship ended in a blaze of glory. Now, four years later, they meet again as counselors at a summer camp. The only problem? Alex keeps reliving their first day together. The day that Luke had declared “Prank Day.”
This is not how Alex pictured his summer going.
clocks move faster (it’s all we’re after) (Rated G) [Julie x Luke] by @willexxmercer
Summary: Julie likes it when her friends are happy, so when she realizes she’s stuck in a time loop, she uses her knowledge to make sure everything works out for everyone… except she conveniently forgets to factor herself (and Luke) into the mix.
Touch of Magic (Not Rated) [Alex x Luke] by @williexmercer
Summary: When everything stands in Luke and Alex’s way of getting to be with the people they love, they have to repeat the day over and over until they can get the happily ever after that they want.
the play’s the thing (that goes wrong) (Rated T) [Alex x Willie] by @madeline-kahn
Summary: Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow creeps in this petty pace from day to day for Macbeth, but not so for Alex and the production of Hamlet that he is directing and starring in. And while he’s stuck repeating the day of the performance over and over, mishaps of all kinds befall the cast.
anything, anything (for another run with you) (Rated T) [Alex x Willie] by @aroacethetic-shitpost
Summary: the camp counselor/exes/prank war/time loop fic of your dreams (unless you read all of the other troped round 2 fics lmao)
there’s a glorious sunrise, dappled with the flickers of light (Rated T) [Julie x Luke] by @tonightthestarsalign
Summary: ex-best friends Luke and Julie, working as camp counselors at rivaling camps, find themselves stuck in a time loop
the daughter of apollo (Rated T) [Julie x Luke] by @the-most-beautiful-broom
Summary: the JATP x Camp Half Blood AU that nobody asked for
maybe the world isn’t ending (maybe it’s been postponed) (Rated G) [Julie x Luke] by @tmp-jatp
Summary: It’s the last day of camp and Julie has one more prank planned for Luke. He just doesn’t know what it is.
Here We Go Again (Rated T) [Julie x Luke] by @kybee1497
Summary: Julie blinked as she stared at the place Euterpe had disappeared. What did that even mean? What journey? Old places and lost faces? What was she talking about? But before she could dwell on the questions swirling around in her mind, the sky full of stars began to move, shifting in place and descending until they were all around her. Julie felt her feet leave the ground as she rose up and up. One star in particular was burning brighter than the others, growing bigger in front of her.
It grew and grew, until the light was blinding and Julie had to throw a hand up against the harsh light. She closed her eyes as the light surrounded her and then she was falling. Falling down, down, down.
————
ROUND 3: CANONVERSE FICS
The Tropes:
Secret Places
Neighbors
First Kiss
Time Jump
————
Just say you won’t let go (Rated G) [Julie/Luke] by @fanfics-she-wrote
Summary: Hey, Julie
You're the heart and soul 'round here, it's plain to see
in which Julie has a second chance with her boys, and then a third
we will fight to shine together (bright forever) (Rated G) [Bright Lighting Guy/Rob from the Orpheum] by @screamin-amuseum
Summary: the rob/bright lighting guy fic literally nobody asked for but i wrote anyways. enjoy gays, bring ur tissues
what happened when (Rated G) [Alex/Luke] by @janaikam
Summary: Before Julie and the Phantoms, before the guys became ghosts, before Sunset Curve – they were Luke and Alex. Not 5 feet apart cause they’re totally gay.
who cares if one more light goes out? (in a sky of a million stars) (Rated T) [Ray/Rose] by @tonightthestarsalign
Summary: The first and the last time Ray ever kissed Rose.
we can forget the world (just you and me) (Rated T) [Alex/Willie] by @sunsetcurbed
Summary: “This was the first place I ever came out to someone,” Alex says, spinning around and taking in the tree house.
together we can take on the world (Rated G) [Alex/Reggie] by @comeonpeters
Summary: Alex Mercer meets Reggie Peters on October 8, 1983, which means that two days have passed since Reggie’s sixth birthday, because Reggie is a Libra according to the magazines that his mom reads when she gets Reggie to paint her toenails. He’s also just moved to Los Angeles, California from his hometown of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, a small town in the mountains, and he’s told Alex Mercer about all of this in the three minutes that they’ve known each other, and he might be the loudest, most obnoxious boy that Alex has ever met, and he absolutely has to be Alex’s new best friend.
The Peters family moves in down the street from the Mercers in 1983, and so begins the rest of their lives.
Long Live (Can I start another life with you?) (Rated T) [Julie/Luke] by @smolfangirl
Summary: It’s all too much for one day: first a muffin, then more heartbeats. Julie just needs some time to think. If Luke runs after her to sit by her side so she doesn’t lose it, she won’t complain.
Except afterwards, he starts acting weird. Very weird. And months later, she’s tired of letting him keep his distance.
She can’t do this. Not right now. Not today.
She jumps back on her feet.
The excited grin falls from Luke’s face. She doesn’t try to catch it.
“I – I think this is too much. I need some time. Alone. Sorry.”
Then she runs. She runs past the calloused fingers reaching out to her. Past Reggie and the door, past carved pumpkins on porches and Cornelia Street.
She just runs.
Roses (Rated G) [Emily & Luke, Alex/Luke] by @americanhoney913
Summary: It becomes a sacred place she shares with her son. Mitch is usually off at work from dawn until six o’clock, but Emily’s working from home for now. She works as a florist’s shop right outside the neighborhood. So she brings home seeds and little flowers and other cuts from the store; she and Luke will spend hours out in the dirt, planting seeds and making mud pies and Luke will babble about whatever happened in daycare and make up stories about the different flowers.
Somewhere Only We Know (Rated T) [Nick/Carrie] by hufflebibin
Summary: A journey through Nick Danforth-Evan’s life as experienced in the safety of his backyard hide away.
The Itty Bitty Details (Rated T) [Alex/Willie] by @williexmercer & @futurearchaeologyprof
Summary: 5 times Willie knew Alex and one where Alex knew Willie
you’re the only one who makes me (my wildflower) (Rated T) [Bobby/Reggie] by @willexxmercer
Summary: The tree was Reggie’s safe space, and Bobby was his safe person. He could escape all his troubles there, except for one nagging thought - did he have feelings for his best friend?
Dying complicated things.
because i’ve known you so long, i know every cadence and what they mean (Rated G) [Alex & Julie, Julie/Luke] by @tmp-jatp
Summary: the Juke 5+1 fic from Alex’s POV.
Someday (I’ll See You Again) (Rated T) [Alex/Willie] by @kybee1497
Summary: They’re wrong. Alex, you are not a failure. You’re incredible. You’re smart. You’re funny, and the best friend I could ask for. You’re a wicked talented drummer and you have a beautiful voice. And more important than all of that, is that you’re you, Alex. And the you you are is wonderful, and lovable and perfect. If your parents can’t see that, that’s their own fault. But I swear, Alex. If you’re afraid of them, I need you to tell me. You have to be safe.” Willie’s voice had gone desperate by the end. Alex deserved to know how freaking amazing he was and the fact that his parents didn’t bother to tell him, and actively worked to tear him down instead, was infuriating.
But Willie also worried about him. He’d worried about Alex since the first time he heard Mr. Mercer shouting through the window, a worry that never really went away. Not with the way Alex automatically straightened up when his parents were mentioned, as if he could hear his dad lecturing him about appearances from miles away. Not with the way Alex looked when he was with them, perfectly pieced together and falling apart at the seams, eyes distant and shoulders tense. Willie was pretty sure he had worrying about Alex etched in his bones by this point.
The Energy Never Dies (Rated T) [Gen Fic] by @americanhoney913
Summary: Four moments across time in the loft of the Molina’s garage.
————
ROUND 4: FINAL!
Theme: Author’s Choice
Tropes:
Royalty AU
Soulmate AU
“Long Story Short…”
Author’s Choice
———
Look, Steal From the Rich. Do It. (Rated T) [Julie/Luke] by nik_knows_nothing
Summary: A Julie and the Phantoms Star Wars AU that kind of looks into the ramifications of soul marks in a turbulent society, but mostly just focuses on the gang infiltrating a fancy Core World party.
take my heart (and take my hand) (Rated T) [Alex/Willie] by @sunsetcurbed
Summary: The stranger smiles. “I’m Willie,” he greets.
“Alex,” Alex nods back.
“Sir,” Willie says pointedly, and smirks up at him as he bows exaggeratedly.
“The word sir is coming out of your mouth directed at me, but I don’t feel like you just addressed me as a sir at all. And please, call me Alex.”
“My apologies,” Willie hums, straightening back up. And then, pointedly, he lowers himself back into the same bow and makes deliberate eye contact with Alex. “Sir.”
Alex blinks. “You’re not going to call me Alex, are you?”
“Absolutely not, Sir.”
the princess and the lord (Rated T) [Julie/Luke] by @the-most-beautiful-broom
Summary: a JATP x Princess Diaries 2 AU
Diamond in the Rough (Rated G) [Julie/Luke] by @tmp-jatp
Summary: The JATP Aladdin AU
Okay, So You’re Interrupting the Political Guy Again, So Think About That (Rated T) [Julie/Luke] by nik_knows_nothing
Summary: Julie and the Phantoms meets The Goblin Emperor meets a soulmate AU meets the author’s stunning lack of what I assume is basic knowledge on how monarchies work.
i had the time of my life, fighting dragons with you (Rated T) [Julie/Luke] by @tonightthestarsalign
Summary: luke gets hired by some noble to bring back the princess that was kidnapped by a dragon
born to be yours (Rated G) [Alex/Willie] by @willexxmercer
Summary: “Hello. It feels strange, resorting to notes like this, but I couldn’t think of any other way. I know you’re here, somewhere. At the ball. I’ve tried to find you for the past few nights. My parents always told me never to believe in looped days and soulmates, but I think this just proves that they were wrong.
My name is Willie. I don’t know how to find you, but sometimes I feel like I’m drawn to you. Like I can just sense you nearby. I don’t know if you’ll find this, but if you do, I’ll try to wait for you on the balcony.
Until we meet.”
our best days are yet unknown (Rated T) [Alex/Reggie/Willie] by @aroacethetic-shitpost
Summary: When Prince Alexander of Sacuria meets his fiance, Prince William of Coterra, he’s astonished to discover that he recognizes his daemon. He recognizes it as one of the other shapes that his own daemon is able to take… as his soulmate. The only problem? Alex already has a soulmate: Reggie Peters, his childhood best friend. What should he do about finally meeting his second soulmate?
Panic and run away? Yeah, sure.
Little does he know he’s about to have a bigger problem than that…
————
Please take the time to read of all these incredible fics! Leave the authors some kudos/comments! They worked so hard this whole event. Thanks so much!
Just as a reminder, our non-anon collection is always open and we are always so excited to receive any submissions! The TROPED: JATP official collection has been CLOSED but if any of our prompts inspire you, please share your fics with us in our non-anon collection! Simple put ‘TROPED_Non_Anonymous’ where it asks for the collection name, and be sure to put what round you are writing for in your notes so we can be sure to tag it appropriately when we share! Also, just as a note, fics submitted to the non-anon collection do not have to follow the word limit and do not require the same strict adherence to the tropes, though we do ask that you comply with our other rules regarding no rape, incest, negativity, and things like that! Happy writing!
TROPED JATP AO3 Collection: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/TROPED_JATP_1
TROPED Non-Anon AO3 Collection: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/TROPED_Non_Anonymous
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Clear The Area - Chapter Eighteen
Previous Chapter Here
Notes: So sorry this took me an age to get out. Thanks for sticking with me. We’re in the end game now...
Warnings: Heavy language. Angst.
Tags: @jennmurawski13 @kelbabyblue
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Sarah was trying her hardest to get out of Lisa’s birthday weekend. Really trying. She couldn’t remember the last time she had put this much effort into something that wasn’t related to work or getting to a finish line she’d imposed upon herself while out on a run.
She wasn’t a very creative person either. Not when it counted. She spent three days pathetically dropping hints that she was coming down with something. Scott dismissed it at first, insisting the fresh air would do her some good. She went as far as to suggest she was feeling quite nauseous so perhaps a five-hour-plus car journey might not be the best idea. Only she had downplayed it to such an extent, she inadvertently removed the problem from the table.
She also tried the whole “it should be a family event” thing, but Shanna told her she was family and that she should stop mithering and start packing.
Things got a little desperate. She wasn’t proud of herself but when Audrey had told her about a falling-out she’d had with Michael, well, it would be stupid to lose that golden opportunity. So, she told Shanna she was thinking of offering to stay and support her dear, dear friend and colleague but, with a glint in her eye, Audrey insisted it wasn’t that big of a problem. She was definitely off Sarah’s Christmas card list now.
Truth be told, she didn’t have a legitimate reason to avoid the break. She couldn’t deny the prospect of having the entire apartment to herself for four days was enticing, though. She could enjoy some rare peace and quiet. She could read a book in a long, hot bubble bath without Shanna perching by the side and regaling her with the latest issues in her romantic life. She could cook and eat seafood without worrying about giving her best friend an allergic reaction. She could also lounge around in her pyjamas all day, or maybe even naked.
No, not naked. She was never one for that idea.
Carly had been filling the family WhatsApp with game ideas; some solo, some in teams. All kid-friendly, which was a speciality of the Evans’ clan. Lisa had planned a long hike for the Sunday morning followed by what sounded like an extravagant picnic with champagne, quiche and foot-long subs. She also sent a picture of three humongous bags of marshmallows, the size of small children, and suggested they could sit round a camp fire on the evening they arrive. That was assigned to Chris as his first job.
There was also the small issue of a massive hot tub. Thanks to a new reliance on fast food during her late shifts, Sarah wasn’t much a fan of her body at the present time. That was another thing she’d have to contend with. She loved the family but forced fun in bathing suits was not really her “thing”.
“If we get there early, we can bagsy the attic room.” Shanna suggested, nose in a gossip magazine. Sarah nodded in agreement while keeping her eyes on the television. “I’ll be damned if Scott gets it all to himself again.”
“Sure thing.” Sarah replied, acting nonchalant and biding her time once more before she could raise again the possibility of her not going with them.
“Don’t get anything out for dinner tonight. We’re heading to mom’s in a couple of hours. I hope that’s OK.”
“Sure. Wait, what?” Sarah did a double take at Shanna, her face now fully hidden by her magazine.
“Sorry!” She peaked out over the top of the page. “I forgot to say earlier but Mom wanted to have dinner at hers tonight so we can go through the itinerary in full. Make sure everyone knows what they’re bringing. I said it’d be cool ‘cos you weren’t working.” Her tone was apologetic. “You’re not doing anything, are you?”
No, she wasn’t doing anything. And she couldn’t think of anything either. There was literally no thoughts running through her mind at that time. None that offered her any help whatsoever. Blank. Stupid, fucking, dumbass.
“Yeh, no, of course. Makes sense.” She responded after a second had passed. She silently blew out a long breath and sank further into the couch.
*
When Shanna had said they were having dinner, Sarah figured it would be one of Lisa’s massive pot pies followed by the biggest tub of Neapolitan ice cream she could find. Something easy and comfortable that wouldn’t get in the way of the more pressing matters at hand, namely finalising plans for her birthday weekend. She was most certainly not expecting candles and a table runner, the fancy anniversary cutlery and four or five bottles of expensive red wine. Lisa had even added some fresh flowers as a centrepiece.
Sarah looked down at her ripped black jeans and grey t-shirt and felt woefully under-dressed. She scolded Shanna with an annoyed look that didn’t go unnoticed.
“I didn’t know she was planning some fancy thing, did I?!” Shanna whispered as they hung up their jackets in the hallway. “You know what she’s like.”
Sarah did know what she was like so, really, she should have known better.
Shanna nudged her out of the way to walk into the kitchen and give her mother a hug, leaving Sarah standing in the doorway feeling like a potato and not sure how to make use of herself. She could hear Scott get beaten loudly by Carly’s husband on a computer game. She glanced her head inside the living room and waved at them, watching as they offered muffled sounds as acknowledgement of her greeting. Chris didn’t seem to be anywhere around yet which gave her some mild comfort at least. In fact, nearly a whole hour went by before he arrived. A light, summer shower had started outside and his arrival was announced to all by Lisa’s shrill tone instructing him to take his shoes off before walking on her newly shampooed carpet.
“Yeh, ma, I got it. Gimme a break…”
“Did you bring that picnic blanket I asked you to find? The one you brought last year? The large, tartan one?”
Chris gave his mother a confused look before she audibly sighed. “I asked you about it yesterday? I texted you earlier to remind you? Jesus….”
He shrugged off his sport jacket, placing it on top of Sarah’s, and toed his boots off before ambling into the dining room to join the others.
“She’s on one again.” Scott whispered to him as Chris took a seat beside him, across from Sarah and Shanna. “She called me three times this morning alone to remind me to pick up plastic cups and plates. Like I’m gonna forget something she’s messaged me about, like, a hundred times.”
“That’s nothing. You should see the list of jobs she’s given to Miles and Ethan.” Michael joined in.
“But they’re only kids.” Scott questioned him, half surprised and half...not so surprised. His memory suddenly recalled all kinds of jobs he was forced to do as a young boy, raking lawns and cleaning the family car. Michael just shrugged back at him, rolling his eyes knowingly. Scott looked between Shanna and Sarah, worrying for what she’ll impose upon them all next.
“She hasn’t given me any jobs yet.” Shanna said. She almost sounded offended at being left out of the menial work. The room fell silent as everyone else slyly eyed each other. “Oh, right. Thanks guys.”
“Hey, your job is to read the maps so we get there in one piece.” Scott finally broke the awkward silence.
“And Sarah? What’s Sarah’s job? I don’t think she’s been asked to do anything either.”
“Her job is to make sure you’re reading the map the right way around.” Chris interrupted and the room descended into fits of laughter. Shanna merely leaned back in her chair, folded her arms and cast a mental curse on her older brother. Sarah tried hard to mask a smirk that didn’t go unseen by Chris.
Pointedly ignoring his sister, Chris reached for the open bottle of wine closest to him. He leaned his arm across the table and offered Sarah a glass. “Want a top-up?”
They made eye contact for the first time in what felt like ages and he smiled at her, a slight crease appearing in the corners of his eyes so she knew it was genuine. “No, I’m OK. Better pace myself.”
They hadn’t seen each other, hadn’t messaged each other, in over a week. She was grateful for the break. He looked good, though. Lean and sculpted to a point that was inhuman or, at the very least, unfair to an average human being. A couple of weeks of working out and his body seemed to ping back to what it once was. It was like watching elastic snap into place. Sarah suddenly felt every single extra pound clinging to her thighs. Whenever she gained weight, it always seemed to land there. It was annoying and proved nearly impossible to remove no matter how often she ran.
“The hell is this?” Chris asked. He finally noticed the smooth table runner stretching out in front of him. “Are we expecting someone official?”
“Just keep quiet and let her do her thing.” Scott pleaded with him quietly before connecting eyes with Shanna and Sarah, everyone seemingly thinking the same thing. “Let’s try to get out of here in one piece, yeh?”
“What took you so long to get here, Chris?” Lisa asked as she walked back into the dining room carrying a large tray of what looked like bread rolls. She placed it down in the centre before moving to the side table to gather the salt and pepper grinders.
“Oh, it was just a work call.” He shrugged, confident enough in his manner that the conversation didn’t go any further. Scott elbowed him seemingly without anyone else noticing but Chris brushed him off with a shake of his head. He rested his chin on his hand as he took stock of what was in front of him, Sarah included.
His beard was thicker and apparently untended to, Sarah noticed, now that things had quietened down. He glanced at her through his lashes as things grew quiet and Lisa started dishing out vegetables to everyone. Lisa had a particular way of handling large family dinners – lessons learned from cooking for many kids over the years. You knew to wait until everyone had something on their plate before making moves for any more. It all smelled delicious. As unnerved as Sarah felt with the formality laid out in front of her, she had to admit she was looking forward to some proper home-cooked food.
Chris kept looking at Sarah, hands folded in her lap, polite as always, waiting for everyone else to go in front of her. He saw Michael help himself to three bread rolls before passing the plate back round to Lisa. Michael was a tall, hefty man whose appetite never seemed to be affected by anything. Even when he had horrendous flu that left him in bed for a fortnight, he still managed to put a lot away. He had never once experienced food poisoning.
“If you’re waiting for everyone else, there’ll be nothing left.” Chris spoke as he leaned in towards her so she could hear him over the sounds of cutlery and enjoyment. “Just go for it.”
She smiled shyly back at him and thanked Lisa for cooking what appeared to be a mini-feast.
“Can you pass the butter, please?” Shanna asked as she reached her arm over Sarah’s plate, forcing Sarah to lean back in her chair. She stretched her other arm out for the gravy that Scott was currently pouring over his plate.
“You’re always so polite.” Chris chuckled. “Shan, can you stop getting in the way and let the poor girl eat.”
“Huh?” Shanna questioned, unaware of what was going on.
“You’re getting in her way.”
“No, she’s fine. It’s fine.” Sarah quickly interrupted as she sensed him bristle with frustration.
He looked at her for another second before shaking his head. Shanna threw her brother a look of puzzlement but Scott appeared just as confused by his sudden tone.
“Bet this beats McDonald’s, eh Sarah?” Carly said, before giggling to herself.
“You’re telling me. I can’t remember the last time I ate something green and fresh.”
“Michael is so jealous.”
Michael’s ears perked up as he turned to his wife and Sarah. “Damn straight. Being only able to eat burgers and fries is, like, the dream scenario.”
“Why have you been on so many night shifts lately anyway?” Chris asked, a mouth full of chicken, placing the spotlight firmly on her.
She tried to shrug it off, act casually. “Audrey needed some extra support and I figured it would do me good to work in a few more nights. I always seem to manage to get out of them.”
She was fast hoping Lisa would start discussing the impending trip to distract everyone but no such luck.
This felt like it was going to be a long night.
“It gave you time off for this weekend so swings and roundabouts, eh?” Shanna added. “Speaking of which, is there anything you need us to do for the trip, Mom? I noticed everyone else has jobs and lists except for us.” Shanna inquired, not quite able to hide the mild accusatorial tone creeping into her words.
“Um, no, I don’t think so, honey. Just trying to keep it as casual as possible.”
Scott nearly choked out a chunk of potato. Chris, side-eyeing Michael’s increasingly red face, tried his hardest not to bark out in laughter. It was tough. Lisa noticed it, too. Choosing to ignore it, she turned back to her daughter.
“I meant that things are under control now so there’s no need to add to the pile. As long as you get there on time, that’s all I’ll ask for.”
Shanna wasn’t feeling convinced and the smug grin now on Chris’ face wasn’t helping to reassure her either. She turned to Sarah to see if she was thinking the same thing as her but Sarah just kept her eyes on the plate of food in front her, hoping that if she continued eating and finished as quickly as possible, she could get home again.
“I can do something, Mom.” She protested. “I could bring that lawn bowling game again?”
“Actually, Michael has one of those. It’s a bit newer and the skittles are heavier so the wind won’t keep knocking them over.” Carly spoke up before glancing apologetically at her sister. “He just got it from a friend at work, so… No biggie.”
“What about wine and drinks? We could stop off on the way up?”
“I put an order in for all of that.” Lisa responded with a casual wave of her hand. “It’ll be here the day before so I’ll pack it up here before we set off. Speaking of which, anyone for more wine?”
Shanna remained quiet as the family conversed about nothing in particular. Carly was talking about some game the kids at school had taught her that might be fun for the weekend but nothing could remove the unease surrounding her sister. Sure, Shanna wasn’t the most reliable when it came to shopping lists and sticking to plans but it was unlike Lisa not to call upon her for something, no matter how small and inconsequential it might be.
Attention turned from one brother to the next as discussions about carpooling took over. Chris really wanted to use the trip as an excuse to take his new Audi for a drive but with all the gear he and Scott had to bring, there wasn’t much room for anything or anyone else.
“Except maybe Sarah?” Chris posed the question, keeping it casual. “You could tag along with us and then Shanna could go with mom, I guess.”
“I was thinking of hiring a car myself actually.” Chris looked surprised at Sarah’s sudden offer. She hated driving. “We could take some of the load off everyone else then. Lisa? We could pack up some of your stuff?”
Sarah had loosely discussed this with Shanna some time ago but they had ultimately decided against it because, well, she really hated driving. Now, however, sensing her friend’s growing despondency, she figured it might help her feel more useful. Plus, it would give Sarah some control over when they could head back home again.
Shanna looked at her friend and smiled gratefully.
“That’s very kind of you, Sarah. I supposed you both could go on ahead and get the keys from Maggie and we could meet you there soon after? I said we would be getting there some time around the early afternoon if that’s alright with you both?” Lisa requested, opening another bottle of wine. Shanna nodded, a smile wide on her face now and she felt a sense of relief.
Sarah mentally calculated backwards from “early afternoon” and reasoned they would need to be up and out of the apartment by 7am at the latest. Suddenly, her role in proceedings made more sense where Shanna was concerned. She gladly accepted a new glass of wine and made a mental note to contact the car rental in the morning.
“You know who you should ask about renting cars?” Scott asked. “Greg, of course! I bet he knows a guy who knows a guy who is the son of the guy that started Mercedes. Or something. Either that or he probably has shares in Hertz.”
Sarah rolled her eyes at him, laughing. He probably wasn’t wrong.
“OK there, brother. You need to ease up on the wine” Chris pushed Scott’s glass further away and patted him on the back. “There you go, little sis. Looks like you have a job after all.”
A clear sign of Chris’ irritation was when he chose to be patronising. Shanna was taken aback by his tone and Sarah felt her friend sink back into her chair, irritated. Sarah raised her eyebrow at him but all he did was shrug, playing innocent. Not his strong point.
The room stayed silent for a little while as people finished up their meals. As much as she originally wanted to pace herself, Sarah didn’t object when Scott filled her glass up yet again. He turned in his chair to place the empty bottle on the side table alongside the others. It was then that Sarah noticed all of the other empties. Had they really drunk that much? In little more than an hour? She clocked the time and there still seemed to be plenty of food left. They would be travelling much of it home as afters at this rate. Chris left the room briefly and returned with a couple of beers for him and Michael.
“What are you gonna do with all this left-over food, ma?” Chris asked as he sat back down indicating a second tray of roast potatoes that had so far gone untouched.
“Please don’t let us take any.” Sarah joked, holding her hands up in playful protest.
“What?” Scott asked before laughing. He looked at his sister before smiling broadly at Sarah as he watched her cheeks blush red.
“Oh, she’s feeling self-conscious about her weight.” Shanna answered, nudging her under the table. That was helpful of her, thought Sarah. She could feel herself heating up as they all looked at her, waiting for her to speak up again. Chris took a swig of beer from his bottle and leaned his forearm on the table.
“No way in hell are you fat, Sarah. That’s ridiculous.” Scott combatted. “You’re really trim, being on your feet all day. I’d love to give you my fit-bit some time. I’d probably gain a few thousand steps.”
Sarah laughed out loud. “Thank you, Scott. Can we please change the subject?”
“So, you’ll be wearing a two-piece, yeh?” Chris asked. She turned to look at him suddenly before chuckling nervously.
“Um, I have no idea yet. Are we even going to use the hot tub?”
“I won’t be.” Lisa laughed.
“Oh, we all definitely will! It’s the height of summer and that thing can fit a dozen people. Ample room for comfort!” Scott enthused. He should be a salesman.
“And it’d be a real shame if you didn’t join in, Bernette.”
She felt her skin heat up under Chris’ gaze as he attempted to hide the fact he was looking at her by taking another long swig from his beer bottle. “I’m not apologising for that by the way. As a man and your friend, I can say that and you can’t get mad at me.”
“What?” Scott asked. It was a valid question in the circumstances. “What a…weird thing to say.” Scott laughed a little uncomfortably but Chris didn’t break eye contact with Sarah.
“So,” Michael attempted to add some humour back into the room. “Bet it’s nice sleeping during the daytime now you’re on lates? I used to love lazing around the house when I did them.”
Scott nodded enthusiastically in agreement, slapping his hand on the table. “I remember night shoots on this one TV drama I did a few years ago and honestly, the sleep I got the next day was the best ever. I don’t know why but I always tend to sleep better in the daytime.”
“Funny, that’s what your teachers used to say.” Chris joked, swigging his beer. Lisa giggled and fondly touched her son’s elbow.
“Oh ha ha ha. You’re so funny. I swear if you’re this amusing this weekend, I might not survive my sides splitting open.” Scott rolled his eyes. “Which reminds me, we should figure out rooms now so there’s no fighting on the day. No way am I sharing with this idiot.”
“You only wanna do that ‘cos you know we’ll be there first and we will be bagsying the attic this time.” Shanna thumbed the space between her and Sarah.
“You don’t deserve the attic.” Chris pointed. “You’ll be half-cut the entire weekend, like last time. You won’t enjoy the space or the views.”
“Excuse me? What do you care?” Shanna retorted.
“You spent a whole day in bed with a hangover last time. If you’re gonna be sharing with Sarah, it’s not fair on her to have to look after you. Again. It’ll spoil her weekend as well.” He explained. “She deserves a break just as much as you do.”
Shanna looked aghast at her friend before regarding her brother again. She shook her head in disbelief. “I can handle my drink, OK? I was just gonna say that it wouldn’t be fair if Scott got that room all to himself. Especially if he’s on his own again.”
“Thanks sis.”
“Sorry, Scott. But…y’know. If anything, Mom should have it.” She suggested, looking towards her mother in hopes that she might appreciate the offer.
“Thanks sweetie but I’ll be staying in the guest house this time. With Carly, Mikey and the kids.”
“Since when?” Chris asked, surprised.
“We just figured it would be easier this time around. Plus, I can help with the kids and you guys can sort breakfast for us all. Get your pancake apron out again, hun.” She winked at him, sipping her wine.
“Chris is a great tosser.” Shanna said under her breath.
“Shanna….” Lisa nudged her.
“Wait, so does this mean we get a room each then?” Scott interrupted. He wasn’t even sure of what he was saying as the wine haze gradually descended over him. “Sarah?”
“I have absolutely no idea.”
“I’ve lost track of what’s going on now.” Scott said.
“That doesn’t answer the question of who gets the attic, though?” Shanna asked, a little whinier than she had intended.
“If Sarah and I take the downstairs rooms, we can figure out breakfast in the mornings.” Chris suggested. “And you can have your precious attic. That makes it easier, right? Does that make you happy, Shanna? Good.”
“What’s crawled up your ass and died this evening?” Shanna asked, irritated.
“Oh my god, Shanna, it’s a fucking bedroom.” He practically spitted. “You keep dragging everything out and making everything into a bigger deal than it needs to be.”
“No, I’m not!”
“Yes, you are! I’m just making the decisions so we can all move the fuck on.”
“Chris!” Lisa reprimanded her son and regretted over-ordering on the wine.
“It’s alright now.” Sarah attempted to calm things down. “I think we’ve pretty much figured it out so it’ll be fine.” Carly nodded and nudged Michael to offer something by way of support but he looked just as baffled by the tension as she did.
Chris landed his bottle on the table hard. “Sarah, you don’t need to keep standing up for her. She’s a big girl. She should be able to figure it out now without you babysitting her all the goddamn time.”
“What?!” Shanna also slammed her glass down on the table and looked to Scott and Carly for some back-up but they both seemed frozen to their respective spots. “I don’t need babysitting.”
“OK, guys. Dessert? I have pecan pie and or ice cream?” Lisa offered, standing up from her seat and making a shade more noise than necessary in the hope it might snap the kids out of whatever funk they were in.
Chris glared at his sister a beat too long and she returned the favour before turning away with a look of disgust. “You’re gonna be heaps of fun this weekend, I can tell.” Shanna shrugged. “Clearly, I’m not the one we need to be concerned with. Maybe it’s you that needs babysitting?”
“Fuck you!” Chris stressed, just low enough to miss his mother’s ears.
Carly’s eyes grew wide in shock and for a second, Chris looked like he might apologise. Sarah reached a hand under the table to gently tap Shanna on her leg. Shanna felt it but didn’t acknowledge it. Instead, she leant on her elbow and rubbed her earlobe between her thumb and forefinger, a sure sign she was feeling upset and possibly trying to stop tears forming. Sarah tried to get Chris’ gaze back on her but he continued eying his sister, no apology yet materialising. He was a loose cannon when he was in this mood and she didn’t much want to stick around and find out what might happen if he downed another beer.
“We should probably think about heading home, Shan. I’ll check for an Uber.” Sarah stated.
“Don’t do that, I’ll give you a lift, hun. It won’t take long. We can have some pie and then go if you like.” Carly offered with a wink and for the first time that evening, Sarah noticed she hadn’t been drinking.
“Always looking out for you, aren’t we?” Chris said, lowly.
“Do you wanna calm down?” Shanna asked.
“I am calm.” Chris replied. “I’m just having a nice time, right? That’s what we’re all doing here, yeh? Sarah?”
“Sorry?”
“Are you having a good time?” He pressed.
She was sure he was leading her into a trap.
“I am OK. Sure.” She spoke each syllable carefully, trying to warn him off from whatever his motive was.
“I don’t believe you.”
She couldn’t bring herself to look at him, or anyone. She held her hands in her lap and paid attention to the air she was now breathing in deeply.
“Oh Jesus Christ!” Shanna called out. She was growing more and more frustrated with her brother by the second.
“Shanna!” intercepted Lisa.
“No! He’s being a dick and I wanna know why!” She turned back to Chris. “What the hell have I done to piss you off?!”
He stayed quiet, blocking her voice out. He focussed as much of his energy as he could at Sarah sitting across from him, willing her to look back at him, to let him know it was going to be OK. He swung between feeling regret and feeling practically and absurdly confident. It was the beer obviously. It really felt like a now-or-never moment. Fuck it.
“I’m sorry, Sarah.”
Sarah finally looked up at him, tears appearing in the corners of her eyes. Her feet felt like they were weighed down with concrete to the spot underneath. She tried to feel them, to grab at the carpet between her toes. She was pretty sure she could no longer hear what was going on around her as she felt her heart beat inside her ears.
“Why are you apologising to her? I’m the one that’s upset!” countered Shanna, jabbing her finger at him, aggressively.
He shook his head before looking back at his sister. “I’m sorry, Shanna. I wish there was a better way of saying this but I guess not. I’m just…”
He paused as he tried to find the words. Sarah felt her heart sink. What felt like goosebumps suddenly appeared up and down her arms. Chris looked at her again. Scott looked at her, too, picking up on something for the first time but what, he couldn’t work out. Damn that second bottle.
“I’m just tired.” Chris offered. Carly looked to Michael but he knew nothing of what was happening. “Of this.”
“Is it work again?” Lisa enquired. “Maybe you could work in some time off this time around, so you’re not away from home for as long.”
“No, it’s not work, ma. I’m just tired in general. Of a lot of things. People.” He pronounced each syllable as clearly as he possibly could. “And I know it sounds pathetic and you’re probably thinking I’m being selfish but I really don’t fucking care.”
“I…I don’t understand, honey.”
“Yeh, what are you talking about?” Shanna turned to her friend but her stare wasn’t quite matched by Sarah who looked like she was waiting for the ground to swallow her whole. “Does anyone know what the hell he’s talking about? Or why I am in the firing line for it all of a sudden?”
“Shan, I don’t think-” Scott started but the glare from his sister stopped him in his tracks. Scott looked at Sarah and things started falling into place. For some reason, of all the memories to have at that moment in time, his mind flashed back to standing out on his brother’s terrace on the evening of his birthday party. Chris had been distracted and checking his phone, even more than usual so Scott was certain it had something to do with a girl. Normally, he’d feel a sense of pride at being right but it didn’t feel altogether appropriate in the current circumstances.
“What the hell is going on?” Shanna pressed. She looked to Scott who had his gaze fixed firmly on his brother. “Do you know, Scott?”
Scott looked to his brother and when Chris met his gaze, he knew. He knew Scott knew, too. Call it brotherly intuition but something had connected for him and Chris was all the more grateful for it.
“Do you ever feel tired or dictating everyone else’s happiness?” Chris asked, breaking the silence.
Shanna dropped her hands on her lap in frustration. “What the hell is that supposed to mean? When have I ever dictated your happiness?”
“Do you even realise what people do for you? Do you ever take notice of everyone around you, going out of their way to make you feel better even if it makes them feel worse? Take tonight for example. Sarah doesn’t even wanna drive this weekend. She fuckin’ hates it, you know this, but she’s doing it anyway so that you can feel useful. It’s pathetic.”
“What? You heard her, she just offered.”
“Because you’ve been moaning about not having anything to do! If you’d just moved on, shut up, she probably wouldn’t have needed to.”
“That’s not true. You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Shanna dismissed him.
“Why don’t I get the car running and you guys can meet me outside in 5?” Carly proposed, indicating to Sarah that she should try and gather her things, Shanna included.
Chris completely ignored Carly. “And you’ve asked her what she wants, right?”
“Chris, please…” It was pathetic. Sarah knew that.
“I just don’t get it, Sarah.” He turned to her with a half-hearted shrug. “I’ve thought about it all week but I just don’t understand what you are getting out of this. Surely, I give you more than this?”
“OK.” Lisa got up from the table and moved round to where Shanna was sitting, rubbing a hand across the back of her shoulders as though it was in preparation of something, but Shanna abruptly pushed her hand away.
“Sarah and I have been seeing each other. For a little while. A few months maybe, I lost track of time.”
Shanna’s jaw dropped. Scott should have felt something but after glancing at his mother stood in front of him on the other side of the table, and recognising the same look in her eyes, he stayed quiet. He saw Sarah close her eyes and figured someone should try and comfort her, too, but it was hard to know where to stand.
Shanna found some strength to open her mouth a few times but no sound came out, until… “What?”
“You don’t need to worry, though. It’s over now.” He placed his bottle of beer on the table and leaned back. He placed his fingers on the edge, running them up and down the smooth, varnished wood. “She ended it by the way. Because she knew you wouldn’t be happy.”
Shanna’s mouth hung open, dry. “Is that true?” She turned to Sarah. “Were you with him?”
“I just said so, didn’t I?”
“I wasn’t asking you!”
Chris wasn’t sure what he was hoping for in that moment. He looked at Sarah and felt sadness. Sadness at the pain evidently coursing through her body in that moment. She looked small and deflated somehow. He felt astonishingly sober, more’s the pity. He wished he could go to her and hold her but he knew it was the last thing she wanted. Probably what anyone would have wanted. It wouldn’t have helped matters and he wasn’t sure anything he could say now would do that job either.
Sarah took in an audible breath and looked at her friend. She blinked back the few tears that had gathered but it only seemed to make things worse. “I’m…sorry. I don’t know what to say.”
“I think I’ll just…” Michael pointed to the door and left the table as quickly as he could manage, no doubt to fill Carly in.
“Oh my God.” Shanna replied. She put her face in her hands and didn’t move. “I don’t believe this.”
Sarah looked beyond Shanna to Lisa who offered her a surprisingly reassuring smile that she was definitely not expecting. Did she feel grateful for it? She had zero clue. “I’m so sorry.”
“We don’t have anything to be sorry for, Sarah.” It was the gentlest tone Chris had spoken in all night. “Shan, I know it’s a lot to take in right now but you should know that this wasn’t just some fling or something utterly stupid. There’s a real thing here.” He looked to Sarah for reassurance. “Right?”
Sarah couldn’t look him in the eye.
“OK, I know I haven’t handled this in the best way-”
“-That’s an understatement.” Scott finally found his voice.
“-I accept that and for that, I am really sorry, I promise you. But you have to see things from my perspective here.”
“Chris, I don’t think that’s what needs to be said right now, OK? Your sister is very upset and I think you should maybe head home to sleep this off. Scott, can you...?”
Scott nodded in agreement and left the room to grab both their jackets.
“Mom, this isn’t-”
“-I know.” She held her hand up to stop him. The less he said now, the better. At least until a few hours had been put between them. Chris, resigned, agreed.
He looked at Sarah again hoping for something, anything, that might make him think things were going to be alright. Lisa noticed the plea in his eyes, practically begging her to look at him.
“Sarah, sweetheart, you both can stay here tonight. I think we should probably be together for a bit, yeh?”
Sarah was flummoxed by the offer but grateful at the same time. She knew Shanna wouldn’t say anything to her if they just went home again, if she would even come back to their apartment at all. She’d shut her bedroom door and not emerge for some time and that would have driven her mad. She wanted to get out of there as fast as she could but…this was perhaps better. Safer.
It was going to be a long night.
*
#chris evans#chris evans fic#fan fiction#Sarah Bernette#clear the area#evans fic#chris fic#chris evans x original female character
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CHOOSE YOUR THREE FREE COMICS!
The following titles will be available at Comix Connection on May 4th (while supplies last!). Everybody gets to pick three! For every food donation* you bring in for the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank you may select an additional free comic book!
*food donations must be at least two months in date to allow for food bank processing time! expired or soon-to-expire items will not be accepted. please check your labels!
We know the line for the FCBD comics can get long (if you want to come in and shop first, you can skip the line and head straight inside!) so in an effort to both entertain you while you’re in that long line and to help it go a little faster by giving you a preview of the various titles so you can decide ahead of time what looks good, the Comix Connection Counter Monkeys have read and reviewed all of the available FCBD books! Take a peek!
CHOOSE YOUR FREE COMICS:
This preview of the Under the Moon: A Catwoman Tale graphic novel introduces us to a young, pre-Catwoman Selina Kyle and the difficult adolescence that led her to become everyone’s favorite feline fatale. Plus, get a sneak-peek at the upcoming Teen Titans: Raven graphic novel coming from DC Ink later this summer for $16.99. Want more? Pre-order Raven now or grab a copy of Under the Moon off the shelves today!
CONTENT NOTE: while this sample has been rated ALL AGES it does deal with some heavy subjects, including animal death, and the books themselves are intended for TEEN READERS.
Shiver your way into a galaxy far, far away in this spooky one-shot starring Han Solo and Chewbacca on a galactic treasure hunt during their pre-Rebellion scoundrel days! Want more? Discover the whole era-spanning adventure in the Tales from Vader’s Castle graphic novel, on the shelves now! [ALL AGES]
Marjorie is not excited to go visit her grandmother in the country for Mother’s Day, even though her best friend is coming along for the ride -- secretly of course, because Wendell is a ghost! This down-to-earth haunting pits Majorie against the pressures of growing-up and finding herself, but it’s Wendell who gets the star make-over in this issue! As in the graphic novel, this one-shot deals with the topics of grief and loss in a way that is both approachable and touching for all ages. Want more? Pick up the Sheets graphic novel where the two friends first met, on the shelves now! [ALL AGES]
This two-for-one issues gives you the first ever comic book venture for the beloved video game Minecraft, a teaser for the upcoming graphic novel. in the first story, a cheerful “Griefer” gets some grief of her own when real life consequences collide with her digital destruction. Plus, everyone’s favorite super-siblings decide to give mom and dad the gift of a “Date Night” that gives them more than they bargained for in a short story set after Incredibles 2. Want more? Pre-order the $9.99 Minecraft graphic novel now, or picks up the latest issue of Incredible: Secret Identities on the racks now! [ALL AGES]
A hilarious, lighthearted romp through the world of the Justice League as the world’s greatest heroes answer their fans’ most pressing questions -- such as Superman’s biggest mistakes and Hawkgirl’s dietary preferences. This two chapter preview of the upcoming graphic novel, Dear Justice League exposes the funny side of ordinary super life. Want more? Have us pre-order your copy of the $9.99 graphic novel out later this summer! [ALL AGES]
In this special preview of the upcoming graphic novel Ghost Hog, new ghost Truff the hog gets some lessons in how to haunt -- and the dangers when things go wrong! -- from her friends. Plus, catch a preview of Pilu of the Woods, a sweet graphic novel about family and woodlore as a lost little girl meets a lost little dryad and both have to fight their own dark sides to find their way home. Want more? Have us set aside the first Ghost Hog book for you at $12.99 when it comes in next week, or grab a copy of Pilu of the Woods off the shelves now! [ALL AGES]
It can be hard being a Villain Kid in Auradon and even harder when you’re coming from the Isle of the Lost. Dizzy Tremaine is worried about her first day of school so she seeks out some fortune telling from Celia Facilier, but can she trust what the cards tell her...or Celia? Sneak a peek at this preview of the upcoming Disney Descendants: Dizzy’s New Fortune graphic novel coming out later this month. Pre-order your copy now for $12.99 or grab a previous Descendants story off the shelf now! [ALL AGES]
Discover the beginning of Ash Katchum’s partnership with Pikachu in this preview of the Pokémon The Movie: I Choose You graphic novel -- and if you think it was all smooth sailing for these two famous pair, you’re in for a rough surprise...just like Pikachu! Then, follow Red as he captures his first Pokémon and begins his journey to being a great trainer in the preview of Pokémon Adventures Volume One. Want more? Order the full story of each volume today! [ALL AGES]
A long, long, long time ago -- 40,000 years in fact -- neanderthal siblings Lucy and Andy founded an Adventure Club with their human neighbors to explore their prehistoric world. When they go chasing a meteorite that fell from the sky, they might have found more than they bargained for! But don’t worry: every Lucy & Andy story comes with a back-up feature where modern scientists fill-in the details that Lucy and Andy haven’t figured out yet! Find out more in this one-shot adventure, and then check out their ongoing hi-jinks in the collection of Lucy & Andy Neanderthal graphic novels. Grab one off the shelf or order yourself a copy today! [ALL AGES]
The Lumberjanes are a sensation of adventurous scouts who best magical monsters through the power of friendship, and this issue spotlights two of their stories: first, get a preview of the first part of the upcoming Lumberjanes: Shape of Friendship original graphic novel when a visit to the boys’ camp gets a little knottier than expected and second, enjoy a short story of one time Ripley had to use her wits to save Jen from certain doom! Want more? Pre-order the Shape of Friendship OGN today, or pick up a previous volume of the intrepid scouts’ many adventures from the shelves today! [ALL AGES]
In this collection of short, spooky tales, Casper the Friendly Ghost struggles to stop his friends from pulling mean pranks on one another and goes out of his way (and out of orbit...sort of) to make new friends. Enjoy a haunting from the world’s kindest ghost while you alternate groans and giggles over the antics of his less-than-kindly friends and neighbors. Want more? Grab a Casper issue off the racks today! [ALL AGES]
This underwater one-shot introduces us to Alex the Parrotfish, who is eager to head to the big city of Coralton and find a job! Unfortunately for Alex, his quest runs into a few hiccoughs (some with big, pointy teeth!) that threaten to leave his plans high-and-dry, not least of which is that on the reef everybody has a very specific role in the ecosystem...which you can learn more about in the backup Guide to the Bahamas which identifies all the different fish Alex met along the way, and more! [ALL AGES]
Meet Gillbert, a small sea creature, and his underwater friends. Gillbert is the son of the king and queen of all the oceans, but today he just wants to sleep in! Too bad for Gillbert that today is Everything Day, when you can do Anything...except sleep, at least if you have friends like his! Read the first chapter of Gillbert’s newest adventure by Art Baltazar, creator of Tiny Titans and one of the greatest cartoonists of kids’ comics working today! Want more? Check out the first volume of Gillbert’s adventures, Gillbert the Little Merman vol 1, on shelves now, or grab some of Art Baltazar’s earlier work and see where all that AW, YEAH! got started! [ALL AGES]
One of the classics of comic book history, in this FCBD special Little Lulu is as bold, troublesome, and adventurous as ever! Despite being created in the 1930s, Lulu remains an empowering little girl: assertive, independent, and imbued with expert comedic timing, Lulu was a defining comic of post-war America today this protofeminist icon is ready to bring her gags and giggles to a new audience with a collection of reprints starting later this year. Get in on this not-so-lost treasure early. Want more? Sign-up for the upcoming first volume now, or begin with the John Stanley: Giving His Life to Little Lulu HC and learn about her seminal creator and the history he and Lulu influenced. [ALL AGES]
In this one-shot issue, the Thirteenth Doctor and her friends find themselves in an interstellar amusement park for some rest and recreation (and don’t forget the snacks!) until a rigged game of chance exposes a darker underside to all the shiny, happy fun. Can Yaz, Ryan, Graham, and the newest incarnation of the BBC’s famous Time Lord save the day? Find out here! Want more? Grab an issue of the new Thirteenth Doctor series off the rack, or explore the exploits of the previous twelve incarnations in some of our collected adventures off the shelf or by special order! [ALL AGES]
Written, drawn, and colored by legally blind (no, really!) New Zealander Richard Fairgray, Blastosaurus is the story of the titular mutant triceratops with fists of fury and a heart of gold and the two young kids who become his best friends. Overcoming his beastly nature, good ol' Blasto fights monsters, vampires, and mad scientists who use farts as a weapon. The result is a fun comic with a goofy sense of humor where anything is possible. Think Hellboy running through a MAD Magazine, with a little bit of the bizarreness of Creepy or Eerie thrown in. If you like dinosaurs, punching evil, and think flatulence is funny, this is the book for you (and your kids)! Want more? Grab a collection, or dig into the recent back issue bins for some single issues! [ALL AGES]
This treasury of British comics stacks-up a monstrous plethora of humorous hi-jinks, from sharks to soccer to super heroes and back again! In the grand tradition of classic comic strip funnies, this packed-to-the-brim collection of short tales is ready to tickle your funny bone from dawn to dusk to full moon! [ALL AGES]
Co-created by football star (or “soccer” for we uncultured Americans) Cristiano Ronaldo, this new secret super team stars a fictional version of the famed kicker turning his sports skills toward world-protecting. It’s bright, silly, and kids-centric, fleshed-out with sidekicks like the super-baseball bat-weilding Sita Shaolin and the hammerhead shark-headed hockey stick-swinging Kaiju King, but the key of the team is the power-borrowing sphere that Ronaldo has to deliver to the bad guys via his super soccer kicking skills! Think Teen Titans Go, but with football (soccer). Want more? Keep your eyes peeled for more Striker Force 7 comics in the near future! [ALL AGES]
Brought to you by the producers and animators of the hit TV show and features all your favorite characters; Bob, Linda, Tina, Gene & Louise, this issue reprints three impossible Bob’s Burgers stories: one featuring a carnival ride that does a lot more than just spin, one that involves a magic wish melting with regret, and one of Tina’s fanfiction extravaganzas! Want more? Order one of the earlier Bob’s Burgers collections and relive watching the show all over again! [ALL AGES]
The world of Marvel’s movies might have reached an end point for the moment, but things for the comic book Avengers are dicier than ever! Preview upcoming adventures for two series in this issue. First, Tony Stark finds himself facing eerily familiar faces in a time he never wanted to see, while Namor and the Squadron Supreme heat up the oceans and Captain America and Captain Marvel lead a team of heroes deep into Shi’ar space! Then, read the first chapter of the new Savage Avengers series staring such “classic” Avengers characters as Wolverine, Elektra, Punisher, Venom, Blade, and...Conan!? There’s no slowing these heroes down, True Believers! Want more? Grab the first issue of Savage Avengers off the shelves today, or dive into the ongoing Avengers title for adventures both near and far! [TEEN]
Read the full first issue of Hope, a brand-new ongoing superhero comic. The “Ultras” first showed up five years ago, changing the world with their powers. Some people love them, some people fear them, but for unassuming mom Julie Lavelle they were a carefully-guarded secret...until the car accident that changed everything. Where will the ultra named Hope go from here, and with so much loss will she be able to find her namesake within herself ever again? Find out here, than come back later this summer for Issue #2 where things, somehow, get worse! [TEEN]
Two of television’s most beloved series (one long-running and one far, far too short) return to comics! First, preview the new Firefly series set before the tragic events of the Serenity movie that reveals some ugly skeletons from Mal and Zoe’s wartime closets and strains the crew’s bonds like never before. Then, go back to Sunnydale where everything old is new again with a modern reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Buffy is back in high school again for the first time, surrounded by familiar faces...but how different will things be when she’s slaying in 2019 instead of 1997? Enjoy a modern twist with a classic taste (of blood!) and grab your stakes...and browncoats! Want more? Find the first issues of either series on the shelf today, or delve into the classic collections of the previous Dark Horse stories. [TEEN]
This two-for-one issue explores both the darker and lighter sides of the Spider-Man mythos! In the first story, prepare yourself for danger as Eddie Brock introduces us to the brutal beginning of Absolute Carnage, a Venom-event starting this August. Then enjoy the lighter side of super-heroics as Miles Morales and Peter Parker face-off over an epic conflict of their own...who really has the best pizza in NYC? Want more? Check out the latest issues of Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Miles Morales Spider-Man, Venom, or Amazing Spider-Man on the shelves today -- or read-up on previous events in our extensive collection of various spider-rific comics! [TEEN]
What if experiencing a school shooting was so traumatic that it, and other natural and human-produced horrors of the 21st century, actually triggered superpowers to manifest in the survivors? That is the brainstorm behind Humanoid’s first ongoing comics initiative, H1. This FCBD “Ignition” preview gives us a story about these brand-new superheroes (and villains!) trying to find their place in the world...and they aren’t content to stand by and watch the status quo! Also take a behind-the-scenes peek into the creative process and characters of this blisteringly topical political premise: Spearheaded by comic book legend Mark Waid, Humanoids looks ready to break into the superhero market with a set of relevant and wholly original stories. Want more? Sign-up for the first issue next month’s debut of Ignited now. [TEEN]
It’s School Picture Day in Riverdale, and that of course means drama -- but there might be more at work today than Cheryl Blossom’s demands for more flattering lighting! When nasty notes turn up anonymously dropped in the yearbook suggestion box, will our small town friends be able to stick together and solve the case, or will someone do something that everyone will regret? The new Riverdale: Season Three comic series features adventures set between the episodes of the hit show, and as always in the town of Riverdale the moment you start digging for answers the more secrets you expose! Also enjoy some behind-the-scenes sneak peeks as well as an excerpt from the prequel novel Riverdale: The Day Before. Want more? Grab the latest issue of the new Riverdale series off the rack, or explore our variety of collected editions from the traditional Archie Digests to the modern re-vamp of the Archie and Sabrina series and, of course, the show-inspired Riverdale comic itself! [TEEN]
Canada's perennial titular superhero has seen sporadic publication since its creation in 1975, but has been appearing more consistently since 2015 as part of Chapterhouse Comics. This preview of the newest Captain Canuck series starts with a "top secret" dossier to catch you up on recent in-world history, as well as background on some of his allies and enemies. We also receive a small hint of the action to come as the Captain and his French Canadian partner, Kebec, fly into an underground lair for some robot-bashing action! [TEEN]
The beloved Robotech series continues with a revolutionary new revisioning! Jump on board for the next big event right here with this mind-blowing first chapter of Robotech: Event Horizon, beginning this summer with Issue #21! Plus a Curtain Call backup featuring...Minmei!? Check it all out here, then grab a collected edition of the previous issues or sign-up for the start of Event Horizon this summer! [TEEN]
Time-displaced warrior-queen Malika struggles under the burden of the Dragon’s Doom in this preview of her newest adventure, Malika: Fire & Frost. An enchanted sleep sent Malika 500 years into the future but ancient curses do not give up their hold that easily...and neither do her adversaries! The quest for the Dragon Stones is a dangerous one, but what happens when someone new gets caught-up in the fight? Read the first chapter here, then check out the previous two volumes in her epic chronicles: Malika: Warrior Queen on shelves now! [TEEN]
What if one day, all the animals all over the world woke up and started talking? That is the story of Animosity, an epic adventure following human girl Jesse and dog Sandor across the resulting cataclysm. But Jesse and Sandor are not the only ones with a story to tell. In this one-shot, bio major Meredith and Neon, the beta fish who loves her, have to face the terror of life outside the tank. Want more? Grab the first volume of Animosity off the shelves today! [TEEN]
Mel has a secret: she thinks she’s dying. She’s also a clandestine superhero tasked with protecting all of mankind. A chance meeting in a cemetery between the bleeding woman and a kid hiding-out with her sketchbook changes everything...except the fact that being a superhero isn’t easy. Is Jessie up for the challenge? Find out in this FCBD reprint of the first issue of Punchline, the new super-powered super-star from Antarctic Press! Want more? Order the first volume of the sold-out series, Punchline: Blood Sisters, today! [TEEN]
In this adorably meta story, witness the epic throw-down between Sakura and Karin -- both in and out of the game! Can Sakura’s hard-earned skills perfected through after-hours practice at the arcade where she works compete with Karin’s meticulous, expensive training? Who will be the world champion of Super Chibi Puzzle Gem Fighter Ultra Turbo Arcade Edition? Fine out here! Want more? Raid the back issue bins for previous issues of Street Fighter, or grab a collected edition today! [TEEN]
This manga-style two-for-one issue features a story from the world of My Hero Academia and one from The Promised Neverland. In the first, enter a world where 80% of all people are born with “quirks” that give them super-powers! It’s an exciting, hyper-active world full of heroes and villains...but what about the 20% of people who aren’t born “super”? Jump straight into the action with a fight scene that’s more than meets the eye, and find out! Then in the second story, visit the orphanage where eleven-year-old Emma lives with her thirty-seven beloved siblings, enjoying an ordinary life of family, games, and companionship...along with the strange Daily Test, numbers tattooed on their necks, and a fence to keep them from ever going outside! Want more? There are multiple volumes of both manga available now, so grab one today! [TEEN]
Worlds collide in this special FCBD one-shot! When Tala and Eddie, estranged father-daughter duo on the run from good guys and bad guys alike, finally get their hands on an “escape hatch” to another world it seems like all their troubles are solved -- but the world where the Goon lives is never trouble free! When one pair contains a man trapped in the body of a pug and the other contains a newly-minted dogcatcher with a love of violence, is there any way things can end well? Plus, a back-up featuring Eric Powell’s appalachian horror comic, Hillbilly! Want more? Collections of all three series are available now, or grab the first issue of the new Goon today! [TEEN]
Red 5 Comics brings out a two-for-one sampler of high-concept post-apocalyptic stories. In The Dark Age, a mysterious mist destroys all the metal on Earth, immediately plunging society back into a medieval kingdom of wood, brick, and glass. In Afterburn, the world is scorched by a super-powerful solar flare and the story follows a group of thieves and mercenaries breaking into the most dangerous areas of the old world, attempting to recover lost artifacts for the remaining aristocracy. For readers looking for dark, mature stories of a dismal future, this comic is a perfect choice! [TEEN]
In this two-parter from Dark Horse, enjoy a one-shot set in the aftermath of Stranger Things where Nancy struggles to reconnect to her brother and find a way for both of them to return to normal life. Then preview the new series Black Hammer ‘45: Tales From the World of Black Hammer with a foray to the werewolf-riddled battlefields of World War II and a glimpse of the future of the ghostly Jack Sabbath. Want more? Pick up the first volume of Black Hammer, a series that takes the traditional tropes of the super hero world and twists them into new, marvelous, and weird new shapes, or grab the first volume of the Stranger Things tie-in comic exploring Will’s time in the Upside Down off the shelves. You can also sign up for the prequel series, Stranger Things: Six due out later this month! [TEEN]
In the sci-fi/horror world of Midnight Sky, things are always dark. But things are not always what they seem. In this unexpected dystopian tale, we enter a world where light reveals the people who have been replaced...but by what, and why? And how far will one mother go to protect her children when one of them is no longer human, and the other has a strange power that might save -- or doom -- them all? Plus, a preview of Long Live Pro Wrestling, when a fed-up announcer gets a little too honest for his boss and becomes a social media sensation, a short haunting by Gutt Ghost, and previews of several upcoming titles from Scout Comics! Want more? Sign-up for your favorites today! [TEEN]
Discover the strange, steampunk world of Lady Mechanika in this special issue which reprints her original 2010 debut one-shot as well as excerpts from two of her neweer adventures: The Clockwork Assassin and La Belle Dame Sans Merci. The mysterious mechanical woman stalks the streets in search of answers to her own origins -- but could she be a murderer herself? And how will she protect her friend Mr. Lewis from the dangers posed by an even more mysterious woman than herself? Gawk at the breadth of Lady Mechanika’s world, then grab a collection of her adventures off the shelves today! [TEEN]
In 1992, Todd McFarlane’s Spawn burst onto the comics scene. Today you can relive that moment with this reprint of that very first issue, complete with an exclusive new cover by Francesco Mattina. Enjoy a look back at the moment that started it all...or if you’ve never read Spawn before, now is the perfect time to jump on board before the movie! Want more? There are almost 300 issues of Spawn out there today, available in back issue singles and collections! Grab some today! [TEEN]
This two-part issue from Valiant Universe begins the newest saga in the life of nanite-infused ultimate soldier, Bloodshot, as well as setting the stage for the events of the Fallen World event due later this year which will pit the aforementioned Bloodshot against Rai, a haunted cyber-samurai. First witness Bloodshot at his most unstoppable as he seeks to save a doctor from those who would use her talents to make more beings like him; then explore the strain between truth and faith when “heaven” falls out of the sky in the opening salvo of Fallen World. Want more? Pick up a collection of Bloodshot or Rai or sign-up today for their new adventures in either the solo series or the Fallen World mini-series! [TEEN]
Return to the classics with this excerpt from Zagor: The Alien Saga. Originally created in 1961, the story of Zagor combines science fiction, horror, and westerns in one adventurous whole. Here, discover how the titular Zagor and his friend Chico first encountered beings from another world...and the darker, more familiar face beside them! Want more? Order a collection of this classic comic book today. [TEEN]
The main story of this one-shot features Dragonfly and Dragonflyman -- the same hero, but in two different worlds: one colorful and campy, the other gritty and dark! Juxtapose the biff, bam, pow! aesthetics of old school heroism with the grimdark hyper-violence of the nineties and today, and see how familiar faces can turn strange. But what will happen when cheerful Dragonflyman and grizzled Dragonfly change places in The Wrong Earth? Lay the groundwork of their worlds here, and then check out the back-up features introducing Captain Ginger, the feline captain of a ship full of interstellar cats, and a quick trip through the unfriendly world of Edgar Allen Poe’s A Snifter of Terror. Want more? All three series have collections available now! [TEEN]
When humanity left planet Earth behind, fleeing a dying world for a new start in the stars, they nuked it behind them in an attempt to wipe-out the vampires left behind. Unfortunately, in the shadow of that nuclear winter, those vampires evolved. Now with the bloodsucks on the brink of achieving space flight and coming after their wayward food source, humanity has one last chance to save itself: the Interceptor program. One surgically-modified, heavily-trained, even more heavily-armed warrior to wipe-out the vampire threat for good. But when she gets to Earth, she finds something she never expected... This kinetic, fast-paced, tongue-in-cheek comic sets up a battle for Earth the likes of which you’ve never seen! Want more? Pre-order the $17.99 graphic novel due out later this summer that reprints the original series, or jump straight to the sequel with the new four-issue Reactor mini-series, available now! [TEEN]
This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the first appearance of the Vampirella character in Vampirella #1, a Warren Publishing horror magazine and sister publication to the company's Creepy and Eerie magazines. As is befitting such an anniversary, Dynamite Comics is bringing out a new series with a new creative team to craft stories for the wry badgirl vampire. In this preview, we see our favorite scantily-clad bloodsucker endure assaults on social media, determined to discover her whereabouts and her secrets. The real treat in this FCBD exclusive is a bonus story, originally published in 1993, written and illustrated by comic book legends Kurt Busiek and Arthur Adams. Want more? Sign-up now for the new ongoing Vampirella series beginning later this summer! [TEEN+]
Jump in mid-action to the latest adventure of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as they race through the city to save their friend and survive multiple ambushes! Then, discover the history of the saga back to the very beginning a long, long time ago in the back-up feature. Want more? Check out the reading order in the back of this issue for where to get started and then grab one of the TMNT’s collected editions off the shelf, or just keep going from here with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turltes #94, out later this month! [MATURE READERS!]
Jump feet first into the frenetic world of Deadly Class, ongoing comic and hit television show! What do kids going to assassin school do to blow off steam? Hit a concert, of course...but sometimes the work comes with them. Does making art actually change the world? What about revenge? And can you hold onto who you are when the world is trying to shape you into something else? If all that can be packed into just one issue, imagine how much goes on in the entire series...or stop imagining it, and pick up the first volume today! [MATURE READERS!]
In 2017, Emil Ferris published her first graphic novel, the unprecedented and brilliant My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, an exploration of everything from the trauma of a lonely childhood, the Holocaust, and totally awesome horror comics, all drawn with ballpoint pen and a perspective never seen before in comics. This only came about after Ferris experienced severe brain damage from a severe case of West Nile Virus and used drawing with a ballpoint pen as a form of physical therapy. This FCBD-exclusive provides an inside look into how My Favorite Thing Is Monsters emerged from that tragedy and includes Ferris's own guide to drawing monsters. Want more? Find the original graphic novel on our shelves today! [MATURE READERS!]
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT SUPPLIES ARE LIMITED AND ALL FCBD TITLES ARE FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED! WE SUGGEST YOU HAVE IDEAS IN MIND FOR BACK-UP BOOKS IN CASE YOUR FIRST CHOICE IS GONE!
Many of these books tie-in with comic series or graphic novels currently available in our stores, while others are previews for books that are soon to be released! If you enjoyed your free comics, or if you saw an interesting one in the list that you didn’t have the chance to grab that you’d like to read, ask one of your friendly neighborhood Comix Connection Counter Monkeys for help! We’ll be glad to give you more information -- or even order you some goodies!
#fcbd#fcbd 2019#central pennsylvania food bank#free comic book day#food drive#free comic book day 2019#comixmech#comixyork#comixsale#comixevent
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‘My pants didn’t fit’: Travelers checking in at fitness resorts to drop pandemic pounds – CNN
(CNN) — If the “baking elf” hadn’t spent the pandemic whipping up sweet confections, Frances Hohl might not have gained 25 pounds.
But the magical pastry chef — aka Hohl’s 19-year-old daughter, Casmere, who was doing college remotely — calmed her Covid anxiety by baking fabulous creations almost every night: Strawberry shortcakes and chocolate chip cookies and French macarons and lemon meringue pies. She once even made a wedding cake. Never mind that no marriage was taking place.
Hohl couldn’t ignore her daughter’s efforts. Nor did she want to. “Wedding cake is my favorite,” says Hohl, 56, a writer in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
And that is how, 11 months into lockdown, Hohl found herself at Movara, a fitness resort in Ivins, Utah, trekking through rust-colored canyons with sand so thick she was practically wading in it. Her calves ached. Her shoulders throbbed. Blisters erupted between her toes. Still, in the afternoons she did strength or cardio classes, along with massages and other body treatments — all in an effort to take off the pounds she had amassed.
“I just felt so uncomfortable in my body,” says Hohl.
Many people felt similarly after a year spent ordering takeout, bingeing Netflix and working from home — often facing enormous stress, anxiety and depression. According to a March research letter published in JAMA Network Open, Americans gained more than half a pound every ten days of lockdown.
Movara Fitness Resort in Ivins, Utah, was recently sold out 18 weeks in a row.
Courtesy Movara Fitness Resort
And the urge to drop pandemic pounds extends beyond the United States.
Slimmeria, a weight loss, detox and fitness retreat operator in the United Kingdom, has been sold out since May. “I think due to the Covid situation people are taking their health very seriously and started practicing self help,” says Slimmeria owner Galia Grainger.
Caroline Sylger Jones, the founder of retreat guide and review site Queen of Retreats, is seeing the same thing.
“Most of our UK and European retreats that have been able to run have sold out this summer, although everyone says bookings are last minute,” she says. “Definitely people are looking to lose their lockdown weight and get fitter.”
Now that the world is opening up, weight loss and fitness resorts are reaping the benefits of those goals.
Looking to lose the ‘Covid 19’
Hilton Head Health, in South Carolina, has seen a 30% increase in new inquiries since mid-February, with a six- to eight-week waiting list. Due to customer demand, The Ranch in Malibu, California, recently launched The Ranch 9.0, a nine-day experience that adds two days to its signature week-long program. And We Care, in Desert Hot Springs, California, is so busy that they’re considering opening a branch on the East Coast.
Movara in Utah was recently sold out 18 weeks in a row.
“And there’s no sign of it slowing down,” says Elaine Hartrick, Movara’s general manager. “Guests arrive each week talking about how they’ve gained the ‘Covid 19’ or the ‘Covid 25’ or ‘Covid 30’. People recognized obesity as a risk factor for complications from Covid, and they wanted to change their lifestyle so they wouldn’t become another statistic. It was a wake-up call for so many people.”
Caren Kabot, the founder of Solo Escapes, a travel company that focuses on spa and wellness, says people are also looking to rest and reset after a year of confinement.
“They’re like, where do I start? What do I need to do? I say, plan at least one week where you can focus on creating balance in your life while shedding a few extra pounds.”
Fit Farm offers fitness and weight loss programs in Tennessee.
Courtesy Fit Farm
‘It was so calming’
Tiffany Benjamin, 41, took that further and booked a month-long stay at Fit Farm, in Castalian Springs, Tennessee.
“We e-learned three kids and stayed inside for a year and several months, and I just ate and drank and gained about 60 pounds,” says Benjamin, who runs a foundation for a company in Indianapolis. “I wasn’t feeling great, my pants didn’t fit. I hadn’t lifted anything other than a donut box. I thought, just to go someplace to not have to pick up anybody’s socks and to be given a schedule of what to do sounds great.”
Each morning she woke up at 6 a.m. for a pre-breakfast workout, along with eight to 10 other guests. The remainder of the day consisted of five to six hours of workouts and workshops on everything from nutrition to the 5 Love Languages, along with three healthy meals and two snacks. Think adult summer camp, but with cooking classes, interval training and unsweetened bug juice.
The camaraderie was as important as the physical fitness. At all of these resorts guests eat meals together, and work out as a group.
“Everybody was sort of on the same mission, no matter where they were in terms of health and weight,” says Benjamin. “We were there to be kind to ourselves and each other. I watched the sunrise over the horizon. I petted a horse. I went hiking. It was so calming and I didn’t have to make a lot of decisions.”
Fit Farm retreats take place at Rock Springs Retreat Center in Castalian Springs, Tennessee.
Courtesy Fit Farm
Pandemic stress takes a toll
Stress and anxiety are two of the biggest reasons why many people gain weight in general, and specifically during lockdown, says Katie Rickel, a licensed clinical psychologist and the chief executive of Structure House, in Durham, North Carolina.
“Stress, habit and boredom, and that describes the pandemic,” says Rickel, adding that Structure House is booked solid three months out. “All the reasons people went to food was accentuated. Covid also sensitized people to just how delicate our health is and helped people reprioritize just how controllable health behaviors are.”
Jacob Norry, 25, went to Structure House for five weeks in November. A graduate student in marine biology in Fort Lauderdale, Norry has struggled with binge eating for years. Last August he broke his ankle and his weight shot up to 280 pounds. He fell into a deep depression.
“Covid didn’t help,” he says. “I live alone and not having people come over was hell.”
A family friend suggested Structure House, which offers treatment for compulsive overeating, and Norry decided to go. He lost 20 pounds, most of which he has kept off.
“They really help rebuild your relationship with food,” he says. “When I went into Structure House my goal was, ‘I want to get back to 175.’ Now my goal is, ‘I want to be healthy.'”
Participants exercise during a Fit Farm retreat.
Courtesy Fit Farm at Rock Springs Retreat Center
‘We needed something different’
Getting healthy is what brought Laura and Danielle Prioleau to Movara. The mother-daughter duo from Twentynine Palms, California, spent nine weeks there.
“Before the pandemic I had lost nearly 60 pounds and was doing really well,” says the twenty-something Danielle, who is completing her graduate studies in marriage and family therapy.
“But during the pandemic I gained weight and wasn’t really getting out. I wanted to support my mom and make this a joint effort. We both wanted a lifestyle change and were tired of the dieting rigamarole. Nothing was sticking. We needed something different.”
She was able to work remotely; her mother, a comptroller for a non-profit organization, took time off from work to go to Movara. “Being at home, with three kids who came home from college — I was just cooking and playing board games,” says Laura Prioleau.
Laura has lost almost 35 pounds and Danielle has dropped about 30 pounds.
These vacations don’t come cheap. Rates for a new participant at Structure House start at $3,050 for a one-week visit, and about $2,500 a week in a shared one-bedroom apartment if you stay four weeks. The Ranch runs $8,600 for seven days and $10,800 for nine. At Fit Farm, a double starts at $2,399 for one week. Movara begins at $1,995 per person in a shared room ($2,569 in a single) for a week.
But many people who can afford this kind of retreat feel they’re worth the investment — though there are no guarantees they’ll keep the weight off.
Because though most resorts offer some kind of return-to-the-real world program, let’s face it: It’s easy to eat healthfully when someone is cooking for you, leading you on hikes, and removing temptation. The challenge comes when the fairy dust settles and the real world kicks in.
But some people prevail. Hohl lost nine pounds during her month at Movara, and her body fat percentage went from 43.7 to 39.6.
When she returned to Colorado she did the Movara Home program and lost another 11 pounds. (It also helped that the “baking elf” got a full-time job, which cut down on her kitchen time.)
Hohl hopes to return to Movara next February for a reset. “I’ve gotten so many comments from family who last saw me before I went away,” says Hohl. “They could tell I was just much happier and obviously smaller.”
source https://wealthch.com/my-pants-didnt-fit-travelers-checking-in-at-fitness-resorts-to-drop-pandemic-pounds-cnn/
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From Beed to Tokyo, Sable’s long, hard run
“Bas, zid thi (I was just stubborn)!”Stubborn sums up Avinash Sable.Zid, of single-handedly plucking his family out of poverty. Zid, of making his way into the Indian Army. Zid, of discovering his love for running, and in less than five years after becoming an athlete, smashing through a national record that has stood for decades—bettering it three more times in the space of a year—and becoming the first Indian man to make the final of the 3000m steeplechase race at the 2019 World Athletics Championship and qualify for the 2020 Olympics.Travel to Mandava, where Sable was born and raised, and it’s not hard to see the source of his deep-set tenacity.Eight kilometres inland from the highway that runs from Mumbai to Beed, Mandava is a village with roughly 2,500 people and little land. The road that leads to the village is rocky and cracked during the long dry months, and muddy and non-existent when it rains. In November, when this correspondent visited, the village’s farmlands lay mostly barren—barring a few patches of wheat, and a few groves of lemon trees.It is here that Sable first started running, more out of compulsion than as a sport.Sable’s parents—father Mukund and mother Vaishali—own a small parcel of land, but like almost every family in the village, struggled to make ends meet with farming. Instead, Mukund and Vaishali started taking up daily wage jobs—as labourers to construct and repair roads near Lonavala and Pune, or as workers at a brick kiln near the village.
“We would leave at 3am for work after waking up at 2am to prepare the day’s food for Avinash and Yogesh (Avinash’s younger brother). And we would return only late in the evening after we got our day’s money,” Mukund, sitting on a charpoy outside his house, recalls.For a young Sable, these years of struggle left a deep impression. “Working hard is in my blood,” Sable says. “Whatever memories I have of my childhood, most of it is seeing my parents’ struggles to feed me and my brother every night.”And thus, despite not having the luxury of a cycle like some other boys, Sable says he never thought twice about the difficulties of reaching his school, 6km from his house, on foot. On the contrary, Sable, as early as when he was eight years old, began to find a solitary joy in running those 12km to and from his school every day.Swinging a plastic bag filled with his books, Sable would run on. “Woh kehte hai na, God’s gift,” Sable says. “I have that with running. Whenever I used to run, people would say, ‘This boy never gets tired of running’.”His primary school teacher, Babasaheb Taware, was one of the people who noticed.When he was in the 4th standard, Sadashiv took Sable to a school athletic meet for a 1000m race. Sable came first.“He had the talent and discipline but more importantly, he had guts,” Taware says. “That’s when I knew he was not an ordinary boy.”Taware knew he had to look after the boy carefully; when Sable’s father told him that he was thinking of taking the boy along daily to the brick kiln since there was no one home to take care of him, Taware intervened. He offered to take Sable home with him instead after school, and Mukund could pick him up on his way back from the kiln.“If he had gone with his father at that time, he wouldn’t have become a runner,” the 47-year-old Taware says.When he was 11 years old, conditions at home forced Sable’s parents to send him to live in a hostel for economically backwards children. Here, his running talent was spotted again. This time, he was sent to the Aurangabad Krida Prabodhini centre (Krida Prabodhini is an ambitious state-run programme which runs residential sports schools across the state to groom potential athletes).Ironically, it backfired. In the four years that Sable spent at the Krida Prabodhini, from standards 7 through to 10, his running career all but stopped.“I was very short as a kid, so no one there thought that I could do well in long-distance running. I didn’t perform well in any race that I participated in during those years,” Sable says.Sable thought that his sporting career was over. After finishing school, he returned home and enrolled in a college, hoping to pick up odd jobs after class to help his family—for a six-hour workday at a construction site, he earned ~100, he says.For all the change in his life, one old habit returned. Still without any form of transport, Sable began running again—house to college, and back—16km every day.And just like in school, another teacher saw Sable’s potential—the college’s physical education coach, Zameer Sayyed, took Sable under his wings, helping him train before and after classes. On Sundays, when there was no college, Sable would do a 10k run to a sugar factory down the highway; the teenage athlete’s workload was monstrous.Between 2010 and 2012, Sayyed paid from his own pockets to take Sable to taluk, district, division and state level 5000m races. Sable was, literally, far ahead of the competition.“Those races were of 12.5 rounds (around a 400m track), and by the time Sable finished, his competitors would be in the ninth or 10th round,” Sayyed, sitting in the college sports room with a basketball in hand, says. “While the others would get tired after seven-eight rounds, this guy would increase his speed. His stamina was something else.”The zid was back.“Deep down my heart, that’s when I felt that I could do something in running,” Sable says.Sayyed recalls how for a felicitation ceremony organised by the college after Sable won one of the state races, he advised the principal to hand the boy a cash price of ~2,000 so that he could buy running shoes.“He needed money, and he needed to run. I was trying to help with both,” Sayyed says.But for all his passion for running, it was still not a viable way of making money, and Sable desperately needed to earn. At 17, Sable made his way to an open trial held by the army in Osmanabad. He passed the physical and was summoned for a written test in Pune. Without money for a hotel, Sable spent the night sleeping at the gates of the Army Institute.On December 2012, Sable joined the Mahar Regiment of the Indian Army. His first posting, in the winter of 2013, was Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield. For a man who had never seen snow before, Sable found himself in a place where it seemed to never stop snowing. He spent two years there, with no thought of running. Then he was posted to the desert town of Lalgarh Jattan, near the Pakistan border in Rajasthan, where summer temperatures hover near 50 degrees. Sable distinctly remembers one evening in the soaring heat, when he and his fellow jawans were talking of running.“We were sitting in the mess, and some boys told me, ‘You run well, but cross country is not easy. You won’t be able to do it’,” Sable says. “That was my turning point. I wanted to prove them wrong. Bas, zid thi.”Even as his colleagues would begin their training at 6am, Sable woke up at 4 to run alone. The solo act would continue for an hour in the evening too, when everyone else would relax after the hard day’s toil.Sable ran his first inter-army cross country race in 2016, and immediately came under the notice of Amrish Kumar, the army’s long-distance running coach. Kumar picked up Sable to be a part of the army’s camp for the top 22 long-distance runners held in January 2017 in Hyderabad, where his running pathway took a dramatic detour.Kumar, a steeplechase runner back in his younger days, knew that ‘Shivaji Maharaj’—as he teasingly called Sable—was not meant to rule the cross country circuit. So, one evening during the camp when his steeplechase athletes were crossing hurdles while training, Kumar summoned Sable for a conversation.“I told him, ‘Come, I’ll show you a new game today’,” Kumar recalls. “He asked me, ‘How do I cross the hurdle?’I asked a 12-year-old girl to jump and show, which she did. Avinash laughed seeing that.“I said, ‘Shivaji Maharaj, do you think of yourself as a Maratha’? He said, ‘Yes sir, I do’. I said, ‘If you’re a true Maratha, you will cross this hurdle easily’.”Sable was convinced.“He came to me and said, ‘Okay sir, I’ll do it (steeplechase)’,” Kumar says. “I said, ‘You won’t just do it, you will break records in six months’.“I told him, ‘You come from an area (Beed district) which is so challenging that it can break the best. But it didn’t break you. So you can do this.” Kumar recalls.So sure was Kumar about Sable that for the Open Nationals in Chennai in September that same year, he called up other coaches in advance and told them that he was bringing a boy who will leave everyone else behind. True to his coach’s words, Sable won gold with a timing of 8:39.81s.What gave him that confidence in a rookie who, till a few months ago, had no idea about steeplechase?“His muscles and body physics,” explains Kumar. “His height is not that much, but if you look at the world’s top steeplechase runners, they’re not that tall. Sable’s muscles were long and strong, like a horse.”“Pehle se hi ghoda tha woh (He was a horse from before),” Taware, the primary teacher, says. “In school, when he played kho-kho, no one could catch him for four-five minutes; he would keep running in circles without getting tired. That’s how his muscles became so strong.”It doesn’t come as a surprise to either Taware or Kumar—who is still Sable’s coach—that the Beed man has made such giant strides in the last 18 months. Sable set a new steeplechase national record at the 2018 Open Nationals in Bhubaneswar in September with a timing of 8:29.80s, erasing Gopal Saini’s 1981 mark. He has since re-written that record three more times; it now stands at 8:21.37s, which he ran in the final of the Doha World Championships in October to book his ticket to Tokyo.That final was watched by children in Sable’s school once it was up on YouTube. The school now has a smart TV installed in the principal’s cabin, and the village sarpanch has already decided that the people of Mandava will watch Sable’s Olympics race together on that TV.Since he joined the army, Sable rarely finds time to visit home; but things have changed there. His parents do not have to do daily wage labour anymore; Sable has ensured a steady source of money. Instead, they cultivate lemons on their two acres of land. From the earthen house Sable grew up in, his parents have shifted to a brick-and-cement home with one room and a separate kitchen.“We never dreamt of this,” Mukund says. “We were daily wage earners with no money. But destiny favoured Avinash and made his life.”For Sable, the next few months will be lived the way he likes it—with the single-minded pursuit of a goal.“Ever since I qualified for the Olympics, I’ve set my mind on giving my life to it,” Sable says. “I want to put on a show that will create history for India.“Bas, zid hai.”
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11 Adventurous Moms Worth Following on Instagram
I had a serious adventurous streak as a kid. I was interested in fencing, horseback riding, and solo travel—none of which made sense for our family’s budget—so I channeled my energy into writing instead.
Then, in my early 20s, I finally had my chance. I signed up for my first skydiving course, and it changed my life. People skydive for different reasons. Eight years and 600 skydives later, I realized that I skydive because jumping out of airplanes makes me feel incredibly alive. It’s also a reminder that despite being an adult with real responsibilities, I still need to make time for play, imagination, sense of discovery, and sense of wonder.
Skydiving taught me that saying yes to adventure and trying new things outside of my comfort zone is incredibly empowering. But it also allowed me to meet so many strong, adventurous women, reminding me that there is a place for all of us in adventure sports. Even though the barriers each of us faces may be different, I believe that outdoor activities like skydiving, climbing, and hiking are for everyone.
One of the groups that often don’t get recognized in this space is moms. The women below are pitching tents, lacing up hiking boots, jumping out of airplanes, and posting about all of the badass things they do. They’re inspiring, honest, and totally relatable, and scrolling their profiles may even push you to finally start planning that big, exciting trip you’ve been dreaming of. Most important, they’ll remind you to get out there, play, and discover what makes you feel alive, too.
Kellie Torio and her partner live in Los Angeles with their two-year-old daughter. She and her husband both grew up snowboarding with their families. “That turned into rock climbing and backpacking and a lot of dirt in our hair, and it has stuck with us,” the 26-year-old mom explains. She enjoys climbing as well as canyoneering in the San Gabriel Mountains, which Kellie describes as a “free water park for people who know how to use ropes, harnesses, and belay devices.”
Her love of the outdoors and passion for working with her hands is what led to her current position with Sierra Madre Search and Rescue. When she first applied, she was attending a fashion institute and studying design. Kellie laughs when she retells the story; “I was like, ‘There’s no way. Nothing in my background says I would be a good fit for this.’ ” But she was wrong. She enjoys training on everything from rappelling to snow anchors to swift water rescue. Check out Kellie’s account for exciting photos of her search and rescue training and heartwarming photos of her daughter.
Photo by Pouyan Niknejad
Janelle Hill grew up spending time in the outdoors. Her dad worked three jobs and took the family camping often—it was a practical, thrifty alternative to family vacations. Today, Hill and her partner are raising two outdoorsy kids in Ventura, California. “We were camping and hiking before kids came into the picture,” she explains, “so we just kept doing what we were doing. We haven’t stopped.” They took their oldest son camping when he was five months old; they took their youngest when he was just five weeks old.
Having kids has made Hill feel more grounded and confident, and the healthiest and most active she’s ever been. Hill and her partner also practice micro-farming on their small family plot, and she loves that her children can find joy and gratitude in gardening. Her sons “fight every morning over who gets to take out the compost,” and that’s OK with her. Her account is full of beautiful photos of national parks that will have you itching to plan your next trip.
Photo courtesy of Mohamed Youssef
Bisan Sader is a skydiver who has done over 700 jumps. Learning to skydive was her gift to herself after overcoming barriers earlier in life. Sader married at 14 and dropped out of middle school. She completed her GED at age 16 and had her first child by the time she was 17. She then taught herself to drive, enrolled in college online, and completed an associate degree. By 19, she was a divorced single mom working three jobs to support her son. Sader eventually built a successful career with a Fortune 500 company before she remarried and had a baby girl. She and her partner of six years are both professional skydivers.
Sader and her husband recently spent two summers working together at a drop-zone in California. On the weekends, he worked as a tandem instructor and she filmed his tandem students in free-fall. Three weeks after her youngest was born, she was back in the air, breastfeeding and changing diapers between plane loads to the delight and astonishment of her customers. This proud mama loves helping people overcome their fears and find joy in the sky. Bisan’s feed is a mix of adrenaline-pumping skydives and relaxing weekends spent hiking around northern California with her family.
Nyesha and Samantha Davis-Williams are the married couple behind the children’s book Umi & Uma: The Story of Two Mommies and a Baby. They wrote the book in 2018 for their daughter and also to help normalize queer black families. “I personally was tired of seeing books with white families only,” Nyesha explains. “The options were very limited for queer families.” The two women met in 2009 while working together at a summer camp in Fishtail, New York. “Samantha taught me how to make my first fire and put up my first tent,” Nyesha explains. They started dating in 2010 and got married four years later. These days they are busy working and co-parenting their 14-month-old daughter. They enjoy spending time together in green spaces, which includes trips upstate, picnics in the park, walking to farmers markets, and adventure travel. Their daughter has already been to six states as well as to Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.
Photo courtesy of Nate Hughes
Lieutenant Christine “Angel” Hughes is part of the Fab Five who comprise the only black female pilots in the entire history of the Coast Guard. All five women were stationed in Pensacola, Florida, when Hughes went through military flight school. The daughter of Haitian immigrants, she first flew solo at age 16 and earned her private pilot’s license at age 17. By the time she arrived in Pensacola, she was already a civilian flight instructor with a degree in aviation. Graduation from naval flight school was one of the highlights of her life. She became the second black female fixed wing aviator in the Coast Guard to be pinned with the wings of gold, the badge that all naval flight school graduates wear—and another member of the Fab Five was there to do the honors. Today, the wife and mother of two is a founding member of Sisters of the Skies, a nonprofit aimed at increasing the number of women of color in aviation. Hughes loves flying with her daughter at her local flight club in Alabama.
Jeri Villarreal completed 22 triathlons in the last four years. Growing up, there was always someone telling her how funny she ran or how slow she was, so she stopped running. Villarreal didn’t start again until she turned 36. That year she ran two miles, then four miles, then eight miles. Eventually it was 21 miles, and she hasn’t looked back since. Later she found a swimming coach and began cycling, all while co-parenting three kids (a 14-year-old daughter, an 11-year-old son, and a 9-year-old daughter) with her husband.
Her favorite part of competing is “the community and the feeling that everyone is in it together.” Even though African-Americans make up less than 1 percent of the sport, her experience as a hijab-wearing, Muslim woman has been overwhelmingly positive and sometimes, she says, pretty funny. During a recent triathlon, a woman ran past her yelling cheerfully, “I love your dedication to sun protection!” Check out Villarreal’s feed for workout tips, beautiful racing suits, and personal motivation.
Cahn is a fly-fishing guide who grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains. After working in the rafting industry for 15 years, she taught herself to cast by watching YouTube videos. In 2016, just six months after getting married, Cahn was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma. It was a terrifying experience that included two surgeries and bouts of depression, and it radically changed her life. Cahn started living according to the mantra, “tomorrow is not promised but today I am alive.” She quit her job as an educator and became a fly-fishing guide. (She also learned how to metalsmith and began practicing yoga.)
Today, Cahn lives with her husband and infant daughter in upstate South Carolina. Life can be full of uncertainty, but living intentionally has helped immensely, she says. Throughout it all, fly-fishing continues to be a way of life for her. She enjoys guiding, even on the days when she has to find time to pump breast milk in between sessions. In her free time, she ventures alone high into the mountains to fish for native brook trout. Cahn’s Instagram is full of beautiful outdoor photos of her daughter, handmade jewelry, and gorgeous fly-fishing shots from the Chattooga River.
Justine Nobbe is the cofounder and executive director of Adventure Mamas, which began in 2015 as a meet-up group for mothers of young children. It has since grown into a national organization with 13 regional chapters. Nobbe’s mission is to “give women space to pursue their passions wholeheartedly, not because it makes us better caregivers but because we all deserve to be happy,” she says. “Whatever it is that sets your soul on fire, that’s what you should be doing.” Prior to the birth of her son (now three), Nobbe enjoyed rock climbing, biking, and solo travel. She also worked for eight years as an adventure therapy guide, helping young women dealing with substance abuse, self harm, and confidence issues to develop resilience and positive coping skills via outdoor adventures.
Even now, making sure they have ample time to get outdoors (together as well as alone) is a priority for her family. Nobbe believes in “modeling joy and pursuing our passions” while empowering other mothers to do the same. Justine is the Instagram big sis you didn’t know you needed, reminding you to take time for yourself and prioritize your own happiness. Come for the cute kid and stay for the awesome sunset beer swigging, cliff rappelling, and mountain climbing.
Photo courtesy of Tsalani Lassiter
Rae Wynn-Grant is a large-carnivore ecologist and conservation biologist. She studies grizzly bears in eastern Montana, black bears in Nevada, and primates in the Congo. Wynn-Grant is also a National Geographic Fellow as well as the mom to a three-year-old daughter. Growing up, she didn’t spend a lot of time in nature. She didn’t go on her first hike until she was 20. (By comparison, her daughter went on her first hike when she was two.) So when Wynn-Grant found herself as the only black woman in her environmental studies classes at Emory University, she felt like “the only one starting from scratch.” It wasn’t until she signed up for a scientific study abroad program that Wynn-Grant found her calling: studying the behavior of large carnivores in the wild. She went on to complete an M.S. at Yale, a Ph.D. at Columbia University, and a postdoctoral fellowship at the American Museum of Natural History.
Wynn-Grant wants others to know that you can start late, take a nontraditional path, and still achieve your goals. She conducts fieldwork in far-off locations and occasionally brings her daughter along, thanks to generous grants from the National Geographic Society. They also enjoy spending time at home in their community garden. My favorite photos on Wynn-Grant’s feed are the ones of her snuggling black bear cubs (yes, way).
Shanti Hodges is the founder of Hike It Baby, a nonprofit empowering parents to get outside with their children. She lives in LaVerkin, Utah, where she and her husband are raising a five-year-old son. Prior to having kids, she spent a lot of time in the outdoors hiking, surfing, snowboarding, mountain biking, and even paragliding. When her son was born, she was living in Portland, Oregon, and didn’t have very many friends with infants. So she asked a few acquaintances to join her for a hike. That week, five women showed up, followed by 10 women the next week, then 15, and so on.
Hike It Baby currently has 300 chapters across the U.S. and a training program for grassroots leaders, and they facilitate 30,000 hikes annually. Hodges’s vision is for the nonprofit to continue to grow and enable families to enjoy nature, regardless of their “experience level or ability.” Hodges is also the author of Hike It Baby: 100 Awesome Outdoor Adventures with Babies and Toddlers. Check out her Instagram to follow her outdoor adventures in southern Utah.
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Source: https://www.self.com/story/adventurous-moms-instagram
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Kendra Wilkinson and Hank Baskett officially split: A look at their ups and downs
Happier times: Hank Baskett and Kendra Wilkinson in May 2013. (Photo: Jerod Harris/WireImage)
After eight years of marriage, Kendra Wilkinson and Hank Baskett have announced their separation. On Friday, the former Girls Next Door star confirmed the news in an emotional Instagram post.
“I will forever love Hank and be open but for now we have chosen to go our own ways,” Wilkinson, 32, shared. “I’m beyond sad and heartbroken because i did believe in forever, that’s why i said yes but unfortunately too much fear has gotten in the way.” The reality star went on to say there’s “no hate” and that she and Baskett will continue to spend time together with their two children: son Hank Baskett IV, 8, and daughter Alijah Mary Baskett, 3.
According to TMZ, Wilkinson filed legal documents for a divorce Friday afternoon. She reportedly listed January 1, 2018 as the date of separation and cited the reason as irreconcilable differences.
It’s been a bumpy journey for the pair over their decade-long relationship. Take a look back at their ups and downs.
2008 to 2009
The pair had a whirlwind romance after meeting in March 2008. Wilkinson was ready to move on from being Hugh Hefner’s girlfriend and a member of E!’s Girls Next Door … even though she wanted to start the next chapter of her life at the Playboy Mansion. That’s where the couple tied the knot in the summer of 2009.
Months later they endured their first obstacle as Baskett, then a wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles, was released. However, he quickly found a home in Indianapolis, signing with the Colts. Personally, things seemed to be going great, as the couple welcomed their first child together, son Hank IV, in December.
2010
Baskett’s NFL career took a tumble … or rather, fumble. He had a costly mistake in the 2010 Super Bowl, fumbling an onside kick that helped lead the Saints to victory over the Colts. Wilkinson was visibly upset following the game, leaving the stadium in tears. Baskett was released by Indianapolis, but the Eagles picked him up for the 2010-11 season, only to cut him (again) after two games. He was picked up by the Minnesota Vikings, but Wilkinson did not move there with him.
“It’s actually a blessing in disguise,” she explained on the Today show, clarifying they weren’t separated. “We get a chance to know each other all over again and communicate.”
Ultimately, Baskett’s football career ended in Minnesota when his option wasn’t picked up at the end of the season.
The couple was also hit with a personal scandal. Wilkinson’s sex tape with a former high school boyfriend was released, which she called the “hardest time of our lives.”
“It broke my heart because how can you do that when I have a baby?” she said on her solo E! show, Kendra. “I have a kid. I have a husband. It just sucks.”
She added, “It’s hard on [Hank] because it involves another guy, of course, and it’s hard on him because of our son and everything. … He’s like, ‘Kendra, we just have to hold our heads high because, yeah, we’re going to get attacked, but we can’t run. We have to hold hands and walk through this and face this fact.’ It’s going to be really hard. It’s going to probably be the hardest time of our lives.”
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case, as a harder time was around the corner.
2011
In an interview with In Touch, Wilkinson revealed she suffered with postpartum depression after giving birth, which she believed was partly triggered by their move to Indiana.
“I felt devastated, helpless — like I was in a black hole,” she said. “I even thought of harming myself. I just threatened [suicide] a lot.” She also admitted it led to marital problems. “Hank deserved better than me,” she believed, adding, “Hank and I slept in separate bedrooms.”
“There were times when I knew I was about to snap. I’d be like, ‘Hank, go! Go away!’ I didn’t feel right. Hank would take the baby and leave the room,” she recalled, fearing their marriage was over. “I was just mean,” she exclaimed, saying she would blame Baskett for “their unstable home life,” threatening to leave him with Baby Hank if he didn’t find a steady job.
2014
In May, Wilkinson gave birth to their second child, daughter Alijah. However, their baby bliss didn’t last for long. Shortly after welcoming their little girl, the pair’s marriage was rocked by reports that Baskett had an affair with a transgender model while Wilkinson was eight months’ pregnant.
After discovering the headlines to be true, Wilkinson threw their wedding photos in the pool and flushed her wedding ring down the toilet. On an episode of her show Kendra on Top, she even admitted to suicidal thoughts.
“I was at a real low,” she told the camera. “I even questioned my life. If it wasn’t for breastfeeding Alijah, the bond I had with her, I feel like I would have probably ended my life. I felt like I’m not even supposed to be here.”
Wilkinson took her husband back in an attempt to save their marriage.
Kendra Wilkinson steps out without her wedding ring in October 2014. (Photo: D Dipasupil/Getty Images for Extra)
2015
A year after the allegation, Baskett acknowledged the incident, saying he made a mistake. “I messed up,” a teary-eyed Baskett told People in 2015. “And everything through me brought pain upon this family.”
Baskett claimed he was “fondled” through his basketball shorts against his will by the woman after putting himself “in a bad situation,” but that he didn’t participate in a sexual act. “I was this big former football player,” he told the magazine. “I was the alpha male. I could do anything to protect my family, but I couldn’t protect myself.”
Wilkinson added, “Hank was very naive and gullible. He thinks everybody is his friend. That led him to the hell that we’ve lived. … I don’t say the word ‘cheat.’ I can say he was not loyal to me. I don’t care about the act. I care about how he reacted to it and how I was told by the media what happened. That scarred me.”
In the same sit-down, Baskett told People he was depressed after his NFL career ended. “The stress and depression was eating away at me,” he exclaimed, saying one of his lowest points came near the end of 2013. “I fell into what happens to a lot of professional athletes who change careers. It hit me, and it hit hard. … My biggest insecurity was looking like a failure. I made it to the NFL, I was a smart kid, I was the A student.”
“I was pregnant during his most depressing time in his life,” Wilkinson added. “Anytime he said, ‘Kendra, I’m not feeling too good,’ I would say, ‘Shut up, I’m pregnant!’ I never gave him the opportunity to come to me with his feelings. … Before football, he was alive. After, he’d walk around in a daze. I’d be like, ‘This is not the same guy I knew.’”
It was when he was trying to buy weed that Baskett claimed the incident with the transgender model occurred. “I put myself in a bad situation,” Baskett says, “whether I was battling depression or not.”
The pair documented their relationship struggles on the third season of the reality show Kendra on Top, as well as on Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars.
Hank Baskett and Kendra Wilkinson arrive at the WE TV celebration of the premieres of Kendra on Top and Driven to Love in March 2016. (Photo: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)
2017
All is forgiven?
In March, the pair publicly celebrated the anniversary of when they first met with sweet Instagram posts. (Wilkinson’s has since been deleted.) “9 years ago I met the person who would take me all the way to the top and hold me there even during the weakest times. We met that day out on the golf course and knew he was mine,” she wrote alongside a photo of the two. “Even with little bumps in the road, nothing or nobody can be greater or make me feel more successful than [Hank]. Imperfection is where great change and growth happens with us. We are true best friends who f*** good, fight good, golf good, BBQ and drink beer good… Thank you for being there on the golf course that day and being that shy guy. Thank u for my happiness and our children… here’s to eternity.”
Baskett posted a similar photo — which has also been deleted — writing, “In life you’re told to go with your gut. Well, 9 years ago I did just that… Instead of just a day of golf I found a lifetime of love! Things happen for a reason and I’m eternally grateful they did that day! I love you bayba!!”
2018
While they looked like a happy family on social media, Wilkinson revealed things weren’t rosy behind closed doors. In February, she took to Instagram to address a tabloid report that claimed they were faking marriage problems for TV. The since-deleted post read:
“1. How do u fake marital problems? Makes absolutely no sense. 2. Yes we are having issues. 3. My job has been reality TV for 13 years 4. My show was a comedy and light hearted til sad times happened then we had to change my show from comedy to drama. Not what I wanted but was a part of my journey and story. 5. These issues Hank n I are having in our home which we are trying to hard to over come, everyone knows about, including producers and network, friends and family. 6. My job is reality TV and I love my job unfortunately these issues at home are affecting my decisions cuz the last thing I want to do is hurt Hank 7. I hope to get back to the fun Kendra you all know. That’s all I want n aim for. I hate drama!”
Kendra breaks down on Instagram. (Photo: Kendra Wilkinson via Instagram)
Things didn’t turn around in March when Wilkinson shared emotional Instagram Stories about her fragile state. Multiple reports soon surfaced that she was preparing to finally pull the plug on their nearly nine-year marriage.
“They’ve been having a really tough time especially over the last three to six months,” a source close to the Girls Next Door alum revealed to People. “She’s always been someone who wanted to be fully committed, married forever, and was definitely an ‘I’ll never get a divorce’ kind of girl, but she really lost trust in her marriage and she’s realized there’s no turning back.”
On April 6, Wilkinson confirmed their marriage was over, but that there is no ill will.
Today is the last day of my marriage to this beautiful man. I will forever love Hank and be open but for now we have chosen to go our own ways. I’m beyond sad and heartbroken because i did believe in forever, that’s why i said yes but unfortunately too much fear has gotten in the way. We are both amazing parents and our kids will be happy n never know the difference other than seeing mama smile. Sometimes love looks funny. We are told to make sacrifices in life if it’s true love well in this case it’s me. I want to see happy Hank again… i miss that. Marriage was just a piece of paper and a piece of jewelry but our hearts will always be real. U will prob see us together a lot but it’s because there’s no hate. Love wins in this case it’s just looks a little funny. Thank you Hank for a beautiful 8 years of marriage and 2 beautiful kids. I feel so thankful and blessed.
A post shared by Kendra Wilkinson Baskett (@kendra_wilkinson_baskett) on Apr 6, 2018 at 10:18am PDT
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New Post has been published on http://www.lifehacker.guru/5-ways-not-to-hate-your-husband-after-kids/
5 Ways Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids
Since I got married, my “love language” has become the love language of picking your shit up off the floor—because nothing kills romance or libido faster than cleaning up after someone like a 1950’s housewife. And yet this is the norm for many heterosexual new parents: that the woman, whether she works or not, will do most of the labor (much of it unseen) around child-rearing and housekeeping. We may have had egalitarian relationships pre-kids; we may anticipate that we’ll enjoy a pristinely fair division of labor post-kids, but when the actual baby arrives—well, it can be like a bomb going off in your marriage.
For one, the sheer volume of work is not really comprehensible in advance. The Sisyphusian labor of dishes, laundry, housekeeping, admin, and childcare is just…brutal and inexorable, like being caught in a years-long, slow-moving mudslide. Most people have a hard time feebly mumbling, “I don’t think you understand how hard I work around here” whilst scooping mud out of their face.
But the second major problem is more insidious. It lies in our understanding of gender roles, and not in broad “only men should work and only women should stay home” strokes, which I think we’ve (mostly) moved past. It’s more that a million little pieces of information are passed to women via a social pipeline—information that is generally not passed to men. A girl’s first job is often babysitting, and in adulthood she will attend baby showers in which (whether she wants it or not) she gets an earful about the best straightjacket sleep-sack and best infant containment system; by talking to older mothers, she perhaps has already formed an opinion on cry-it-out versus co-sleeping or attachment parenting versus arming children with machetes or whatnot.
This information puts mothers, even on day one of parenthood, way ahead of fathers in terms of know-how and expertise. And unless she’s willing to instruct (and he’s willing to be instructed, and the instruction is more worthwhile than just doing it herself) it’s easy to slip into an arrangement in which moms shoulder the bulk of the childcare and housework. This is slowly changing—men attend baby showers now, and daddy blogs are a real thing—but women are, generally speaking, still running the domestic show.
Which brings me to resentment. Which brings me to Jancee Dunn’s new book How Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids, which she wrote after a crisis in her own marriage involving division of labor, anger, vicious fights, and finally, the realization that if things didn’t change, divorce was inevitable. Her meticulously researched book pulls together the social science behind domestic labor and gender roles (news to me: Men are more likely to be awakened by “strong wind” than a crying baby, whereas women will levitate awake and sprint into a child’s room—running through the air à la Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon—at the merest infant sniff) with first-person interviews and her own marital experiments in couples counseling. She even sought help from an FBI crisis negotiator.
A note: Her how-to is primarily for heterosexual couples—there is a larger body of research on heterosexual couples than there is for same-sex couples, and hetero couples have all the aforementioned gender-role programming to deal with—but the book is pretty helpful for anyone at all who’s ever resented their partner after having a baby.
I spoke with Dunn to get her top five tips for not hating your partner after kids.
1. Let him screw up.
A friend of mine recently said, about her husband and new baby girl, “He would take a bullet for this kid, but he might forget to put a hat on her.” Remember that social pipeline of information? He doesn’t have it, and if you don’t let him learn, you’re engaging in “maternal gatekeeping,” or keeping him from participating in the nitty-gritty of childcare.
He has to bond with his kids too, and you have to let him make mistakes. That means not hovering and not signaling, overtly or subtly, that you know better. Total immersion is the only way, says Dunn. “Leave the house. Get a coffee, or go away for the weekend. His way is not the wrong way.” (I have recently learned that it doesn’t actually help my sweating husband, when he’s struggling to get the kids out the door, to raise my eyebrows and say “classic mistake—always put your own coat on last.”) If you don’t have both partners fully taking ownership, then you’ll stay stuck in the employer/sullen teenage employee dynamic.
But what, you ask, if your husband doesn’t want to do any domestic labor? What if he’s content to let you be the maker of the grocery lists and the keeper of the pediatrician appointments, summer camps, play dates and special laundry instructions? Then, Dunn, says, you are going to have to learn to …
2. Stay on your own side.
You need to advocate for what you need, or stay on your own side. Now, this advocating can mean losing your temper and screaming that he needs to get off his ass and fold a load of laundry, or no it’s not okay to take a long nap after a long hot shower after taking a long solo run all morning, or you can have a civil conversation and divide up the chores. And keep having that civil conversation, weekly or monthly, as new responsibilities crop up and others fade away. (Goodbye diapers, hello baseball camp.)
Dunn suggests dividing housework based on who likes or loathes what chores—her own husband hates the grocery store (“the crowds, the florescent lighting, whereas I like seeing the new products and thinking about what I’m going to cook”) so food shopping has become her responsibility. He’s compulsively punctual, so he’s in charge of all things time-sensitive, like bill-paying and taking his daughter to her classes.
Not staying on your own side means stewing in silent fury as you do the dishes, bathe the kids, pack lunches and fold laundry—while your spouse reads a magazine in bed. It means presenting things as a choice: “Do you want to do baths or dishes?” and then, after that, “Do you want to fold laundry or pack lunches?”
This doesn’t necessarily mean that you get to dictate exactly how the chores get done—my husband prefers to pack lunches and do dishes in the morning, so unless I want to do these things myself…they’re waiting until tomorrow.
3. Insist on your half-day.
Dunn tells me that “weekends should not be a forced march” of childcare and chores. “You need to negotiate weekend time, and ask each other ‘what are we doing this weekend that meets everyone’s needs?’” She calls it the “everyone sort of wins” strategy.
My husband and I long ago agreed that we would each get a half-day off, every weekend, in which we could sleep in and had no childcare or housekeeping responsibilities. Even if we’re all home, one parent is off duty. When my kids inevitably ask me if they can have a snack/watch TV/set fire to something, I say “Daddy’s in charge till lunchtime,” and they take their requests to him. (Answers: yes, yes, and depends on what it is.) I read in bed or go for a run or meet a friend for coffee, with no comment from him. He watches the Braves lose five games in a row, with only a few comments from me (“This is how you relax?”). It’s blissful.
4. Have sex during Tae Kwon Do.
Who has energy for sex when you’re caught in a mudslide? Many new mothers feel like sex is just another demand on their time and bodies, and it’s often easier to say “not tonight, dear, I have a long Netflix queue.” Dunn cites research that claims the marital “sweet spot” for sex frequency is once a week, and that the ideal length of time for intercourse is seven-13 minutes (insert standard note here that intercourse is of course not the only way to have sex). That’s really not a lot of time—and if you, as Dunn did, ask your husband to take some of the evening routine off your plate by putting the kids to bed a tad early, it won’t cut into your precious, precious, sleep time.
For others, scheduling sex is the only way to make sure it actually happens. Dunn tells me about a friend who has a standing sex date with her husband while their twins are at Saturday morning Tae Kwon Do (a drop-off class, I presume). My own husband, at one point defeated by the relentless demands of a baby and a preschooler, said desperately, “We’re going to have to start paying for sex.” When I asked him to, uh, clarify, he said, “We need to hire a sitter to take them out of the house for a few hours or we’ll never have sex again.” Nothing like paying for a babysitter to make you use your time productively!
And having good sex means you’ll want to have more sex, so getting over that first hurdle, so to speak, will make you more eager to do it again. (Disclaimer that no one should be having sex unwillingly—these are just tips for finding time and getting in the mood.)
5. Learn to fight fair.
“Know that your baby is affected [by your fighting],” Dunn says. “If you’re fighting over her head, making a few choice gestures, she’s getting those stress responses. We were in a pattern called ‘Demand-Withdrawal,’” in which one partner tries to get the other to do something, or to engage and communicate, and the other one just shuts down. The relationship gurus John and Julie Gottman call this stonewalling, and it’s one of the big predictors of divorce. (Um, maybe because it’s enraging.)
Dunn and her husband went to couples therapy—and even consulted with an FBI crisis negotiator—to learn to fight fair, and to fight away from their daughter. They learned techniques such as “mirroring,” when the person echoes what the other person just said, and paraphrasing the gist of their complaint. She said, “And sometimes you have to laugh because the paraphrasing is wildly off—‘You’re angry because I stepped around you while you were emptying the dishwasher’—‘No, I’m angry because you stood there jingling your keys and saying let’s go instead of offering to help.’”
For her part, Dunn had to learn to control her temper, which a therapist told her was verbally abusive, and to ask directly for help, rather than spiraling into a rage cycle when her husband couldn’t read her mind.
How To Not Hate Your Husband After Kids is extremely helpful, and even comforting, if for no other reason than you realize that many couples are confronting the same programming and conflicts you are—and have managed to fight their way clear.
“We’re only a generation or two away from the homemaker/breadwinner model,” she says. Every couple has to reinvent what’s right for them—a strict feminist model calls for a precise 50-50 split, but Dunn argues for what “feels equitable” to each couple.
And Dunn notes, while we’re talking, that her book isn’t necessarily going to help a marriage that’s really far gone. All of her research-backed advice is predicated on the belief that both parties are good people who want everyone to be happy—it’s not, obviously, for people in abusive relationships or even for women married to partners who are just fine with watching football all weekend while their wives clean, cook, and chauffeur.
“A lot of people have come up to me [since the book was published] and say ‘too late! I already hate my husband!’” she says. Her stock answer has become: “‘Therapy, both couples and individual, really helped me—and maybe it can help you.’” To me, she continues, “and maybe it will help that person get out of their marriage—to ask themselves, ‘why am I letting myself be treated like this?’” Towards the end of her book she cites a comment from sociologist Scott Coltrane: “One of the biggest shifts in recent years is that many women will simply not put up with partners who don’t contribute at home.”
We can’t necessarily do anything about the mudslide. We can’t necessarily do anything about the gender-role programming we received in childhood (and continue to receive). But we can stop and have a conversation about who takes the kids to hockey and who goes through the bills. We can have sex during Tae Kwon Do. We can make sure that everyone sort of wins. And that’s how not to hate your husband after kids.
But What If You Still Hate Your Partner?
Everything I Learned About Relationships by Sucking at Dating
Five Communication Mistakes Almost Every Couple Makes
What You Can Do Right Now to Safeguard Your Relationship Against a Bloody, Messy Death
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(CNN) — If the “baking elf” hadn’t spent the pandemic whipping up sweet confections, Frances Hohl might not have gained 25 pounds.
But the magical pastry chef — aka Hohl’s 19-year-old daughter, Casmere, who was doing college remotely — calmed her Covid anxiety by baking fabulous creations almost every night: Strawberry shortcakes and chocolate chip cookies and French macarons and lemon meringue pies. She once even made a wedding cake. Never mind that no marriage was taking place.
Hohl couldn’t ignore her daughter’s efforts. Nor did she want to. “Wedding cake is my favorite,” says Hohl, 56, a writer in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
And that is how, 11 months into lockdown, Hohl found herself at Movara, a fitness resort in Ivins, Utah, trekking through rust-colored canyons with sand so thick she was practically wading in it. Her calves ached. Her shoulders throbbed. Blisters erupted between her toes. Still, in the afternoons she did strength or cardio classes, along with massages and other body treatments — all in an effort to take off the pounds she had amassed.
“I just felt so uncomfortable in my body,” says Hohl.
Many people felt similarly after a year spent ordering takeout, bingeing Netflix and working from home — often facing enormous stress, anxiety and depression. According to a March research letter published in JAMA Network Open, Americans gained more than half a pound every ten days of lockdown.
Movara Fitness Resort in Ivins, Utah, was recently sold out 18 weeks in a row.
Courtesy Movara Fitness Resort
And the urge to drop pandemic pounds extends beyond the United States.
Slimmeria, a weight loss, detox and fitness retreat operator in the United Kingdom, has been sold out since May. “I think due to the Covid situation people are taking their health very seriously and started practicing self help,” says Slimmeria owner Galia Grainger.
Caroline Sylger Jones, the founder of retreat guide and review site Queen of Retreats, is seeing the same thing.
“Most of our UK and European retreats that have been able to run have sold out this summer, although everyone says bookings are last minute,” she says. “Definitely people are looking to lose their lockdown weight and get fitter.”
Now that the world is opening up, weight loss and fitness resorts are reaping the benefits of those goals.
Looking to lose the ‘Covid 19’
Hilton Head Health, in South Carolina, has seen a 30% increase in new inquiries since mid-February, with a six- to eight-week waiting list. Due to customer demand, The Ranch in Malibu, California, recently launched The Ranch 9.0, a nine-day experience that adds two days to its signature week-long program. And We Care, in Desert Hot Springs, California, is so busy that they’re considering opening a branch on the East Coast.
Movara in Utah was recently sold out 18 weeks in a row.
“And there’s no sign of it slowing down,” says Elaine Hartrick, Movara’s general manager. “Guests arrive each week talking about how they’ve gained the ‘Covid 19’ or the ‘Covid 25’ or ‘Covid 30’. People recognized obesity as a risk factor for complications from Covid, and they wanted to change their lifestyle so they wouldn’t become another statistic. It was a wake-up call for so many people.”
Caren Kabot, the founder of Solo Escapes, a travel company that focuses on spa and wellness, says people are also looking to rest and reset after a year of confinement.
“They’re like, where do I start? What do I need to do? I say, plan at least one week where you can focus on creating balance in your life while shedding a few extra pounds.”
Fit Farm offers fitness and weight loss programs in Tennessee.
Courtesy Fit Farm
‘It was so calming’
Tiffany Benjamin, 41, took that further and booked a month-long stay at Fit Farm, in Castalian Springs, Tennessee.
“We e-learned three kids and stayed inside for a year and several months, and I just ate and drank and gained about 60 pounds,” says Benjamin, who runs a foundation for a company in Indianapolis. “I wasn’t feeling great, my pants didn’t fit. I hadn’t lifted anything other than a donut box. I thought, just to go someplace to not have to pick up anybody’s socks and to be given a schedule of what to do sounds great.”
Each morning she woke up at 6 a.m. for a pre-breakfast workout, along with eight to 10 other guests. The remainder of the day consisted of five to six hours of workouts and workshops on everything from nutrition to the 5 Love Languages, along with three healthy meals and two snacks. Think adult summer camp, but with cooking classes, interval training and unsweetened bug juice.
The camaraderie was as important as the physical fitness. At all of these resorts guests eat meals together, and work out as a group.
“Everybody was sort of on the same mission, no matter where they were in terms of health and weight,” says Benjamin. “We were there to be kind to ourselves and each other. I watched the sunrise over the horizon. I petted a horse. I went hiking. It was so calming and I didn’t have to make a lot of decisions.”
Fit Farm retreats take place at Rock Springs Retreat Center in Castalian Springs, Tennessee.
Courtesy Fit Farm
Pandemic stress takes a toll
Stress and anxiety are two of the biggest reasons why many people gain weight in general, and specifically during lockdown, says Katie Rickel, a licensed clinical psychologist and the chief executive of Structure House, in Durham, North Carolina.
“Stress, habit and boredom, and that describes the pandemic,” says Rickel, adding that Structure House is booked solid three months out. “All the reasons people went to food was accentuated. Covid also sensitized people to just how delicate our health is and helped people reprioritize just how controllable health behaviors are.”
Jacob Norry, 25, went to Structure House for five weeks in November. A graduate student in marine biology in Fort Lauderdale, Norry has struggled with binge eating for years. Last August he broke his ankle and his weight shot up to 280 pounds. He fell into a deep depression.
“Covid didn’t help,” he says. “I live alone and not having people come over was hell.”
A family friend suggested Structure House, which offers treatment for compulsive overeating, and Norry decided to go. He lost 20 pounds, most of which he has kept off.
“They really help rebuild your relationship with food,” he says. “When I went into Structure House my goal was, ‘I want to get back to 175.’ Now my goal is, ‘I want to be healthy.'”
Participants exercise during a Fit Farm retreat.
Courtesy Fit Farm at Rock Springs Retreat Center
‘We needed something different’
Getting healthy is what brought Laura and Danielle Prioleau to Movara. The mother-daughter duo from Twentynine Palms, California, spent nine weeks there.
“Before the pandemic I had lost nearly 60 pounds and was doing really well,” says the twenty-something Danielle, who is completing her graduate studies in marriage and family therapy.
“But during the pandemic I gained weight and wasn’t really getting out. I wanted to support my mom and make this a joint effort. We both wanted a lifestyle change and were tired of the dieting rigamarole. Nothing was sticking. We needed something different.”
She was able to work remotely; her mother, a comptroller for a non-profit organization, took time off from work to go to Movara. “Being at home, with three kids who came home from college — I was just cooking and playing board games,” says Laura Prioleau.
Laura has lost almost 35 pounds and Danielle has dropped about 30 pounds.
These vacations don’t come cheap. Rates for a new participant at Structure House start at $3,050 for a one-week visit, and about $2,500 a week in a shared one-bedroom apartment if you stay four weeks. The Ranch runs $8,600 for seven days and $10,800 for nine. At Fit Farm, a double starts at $2,399 for one week. Movara begins at $1,995 per person in a shared room ($2,569 in a single) for a week.
But many people who can afford this kind of retreat feel they’re worth the investment — though there are no guarantees they’ll keep the weight off.
Because though most resorts offer some kind of return-to-the-real world program, let’s face it: It’s easy to eat healthfully when someone is cooking for you, leading you on hikes, and removing temptation. The challenge comes when the fairy dust settles and the real world kicks in.
But some people prevail. Hohl lost nine pounds during her month at Movara, and her body fat percentage went from 43.7 to 39.6.
When she returned to Colorado she did the Movara Home program and lost another 11 pounds. (It also helped that the “baking elf” got a full-time job, which cut down on her kitchen time.)
Hohl hopes to return to Movara next February for a reset. “I’ve gotten so many comments from family who last saw me before I went away,” says Hohl. “They could tell I was just much happier and obviously smaller.”
via Wealth Health
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