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butterbuni · 3 years

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♥ Chapter 5 ~ Recommendation Entrance Exam P1 ♥

Previous Chapter

"You will have 30 minutes to prepare for your written exam, you may converse and study with one another but there will be no conversations during the test. You may start." Cementoss said leaving the stage. I couldn't stop smiling. I am actually here about to take the exam.

I couldn't help smiling like an idiot. I looked around the auditorium, there were so many more people than I expected. At least a 50 by the looks of it.

God this is nerve-racking. I reached into my backpack pulling out the study guide Star made for me. I have to remember to thank him till the end of time. I wonder how he is doing in his exam. Probably acing it like a pro. I hung my head down in defeat. Why is school so hard? I can ace almost anything else but for things like math or chemistry, my mind just stops working.

"Hello" I looked up towards the voice. It was a rather tall girl with beautiful black hair tied up into a ponytail. I gave her a small smile and said "Hello I'm L/N Y/N but please call me Y/N I'm not a fan of formalities" "I am Yaoyorozu Momo, I noticed you were looking quite upset. May I ask why?" She sounded genuinely concerned, she seems so nice. "I just don't feel prepared for this test I feel like I'm going to fail. I am more of a hands-on person rather than a thinker and it just ugghhh" I placed my head on my unopened study guide.

"Maybe I can help you study we still have 25 minutes before the test starts and I could use a study buddy for the time being." I perked my head up to her smiling face. Wow, she's pretty. My brain fart disappeared as I realized what she said. My head straightened a huge smile was plastered on my face "Really you would help me!" "shhhhhhhhhhhh!" A guy behind me who looked like a skeleton with hair. "Sorry I will be quieter" God this is so awkward where is Star when you need him.

"I would love for you to help me it would mean a lot. thank you." She sat down next to me and pulled out her own study guide it was much thicker than mine. She really came prepared. I decided to just scrap my study guide and we went over stuff in hers.

~Shoto's POV~

"Really you would help me!" I looked up from my book to see who was yelling at this time. It's that girl from earlier. She's so unprofessional I thought she would be with the other kids in the regular entrance exam. She obviously doesn't do well in school so why is she even here? I need to focus on this test. I looked back down at my guide. If I want to become a hero I need to pass.

~Back to Y/N~

She makes the work sound so easy way better than Star. If he meets her, I'm pretty sure he will try and challenge her to an intelligence match. I am so glad I met her before the test. Maybe we both get in and see each other in school.

There was a ring indicating that the study session was over. Cementoss came back to the stage as the whole auditorium got quiet. "Everyone please move so there are three seats separating you from other testers." "Good luck Y/N you worked hard so you will be able to pass," Momo said as she moved three seats away. I waved her goodbye and told her good luck as well.

Once everyone was situated, cement blocks rose in front of our tables with the test and a calculator. Cementoss continued to talk. "Once you hear the bell you will begin. You will have 2 hours to complete your exam. Once you are finished with your exam you will place it back on the cement and you may go to the break room. There you will receive a number and you may do any necessary preparations for your practical exam. Remember there will be absolutely no cheating. If you are caught cheating, you will be escorted out of school and you will never be able to retake the exam and you can say goodbye to ever being admitted to UA academy. Good luck." As he left the stage there was another bell indicating the test had begun. I picked up my pencil and opened the packet.

The net effect of photosynthesis, chemically, is reduction, leading to the formation of simple carbohydrates and accompanied by a release of oxygen. True or False.

Oh boy.

__________________

Finally, I'm done with the test. Momo already left. I wonder how she did. She most likely passed she's very smart. I picked up my bag and left the auditorium. There was a sign outside pointing towards the break room. I should probably change first. I did a quick turn and headed for the nearest bathroom. "Oof". Oh jeez. I looked up to face the back of a guy. He had crimson red and white hair split evenly down the center. He was on the taller side but other than that nothing special till he turned around and faced me. My mouth gaped open. He had beautiful different colored eyes and a huge scar over one of them, which was very odd.

"It's rude to stare." He scoffed down at me. I will just ignore that scoff since it was my fault. "Oh sorry, it was an acci..de..nt. You are Endeavor's son! I recognize that blue eye anywhere. My brother is practically obsessed with your family. Though that scar of yours isn't on pictures I've seen," I said in an attempt to break the ice.

He looked at me with absolute hatred in his eyes. Dang, I didn't know bumping into someone will automatically make me hated. Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned his scar. "Excuse me I need to be going." I moved out of the way allowing him to pass. As he left, I shouted, "Sorry for bumping into you, it was purely an accident. There is no need to look at me like that!" and ran into the bathroom to change. Such a quiet guy very different from the stories Kean says about Endeavor. I opened my backpack and pulled out my workout clothes. I quickly put them on. It was just some high waisted leggings and a white crop top. Perfect for optimum power use. I slipped on my shoes and grabbed my backpack. Hopefully, I'm not too late I still need some food in my system.

I got to the room where everyone else was and it was pretty full already. I looked around trying to find Momo so at least I will have somebody to talk to. "Ehehm." I looked around for the voice, but I didn't see anyone talking to me. "Down here, dearie." I looked down to see a small elderly woman. My smile grew so wide. "Recovery Girl! Oh, it's so nice to meet you. My mom talks about you all the time. I knew you were going to be at UA as a teacher, but I didn't think I would meet you today at the exam. Oh, this is so exciting. Can I have your autograph?" I gushed out in excitement. "One thing at a time dear. Here is your number it should always be visible at all times till you leave." "Yes ma'am," I said taking the number and putting it on my shirt.

"You must be M/N's daughter. You share the same energetic curious aura that she does. Plus, those ears are hard to forget." She chuckled light-heartedly. I sheepishly laughed. Oh, I wish she won't talk about my ears. "If it's an autograph you want here." She motioned me to come down to her level. I stooped down as she wrote her name on my number paper. "Thank you so much!" "Now now dearie you have a practical exam to get ready for and I have numbers to pass out. Good luck." I waved goodbye.

I walked over to the food table. It was decked out with so much food. My mouth watered as I looked at it all. I could eat everything here in five seconds if I wanted to. "Looks good doesn't it." I heard Momo behind me. "Oh yeah it looks good, even better than good, it looks scrump-dilly-isous." She giggled at my choice of words.

We picked out some food and went to sit down and eat while we wait for the others to finish testing. "So, what's your quirk Momo," I said in between bites. "My quirk is creation. I have the ability to create any non-living material/object from my exposed skin by transforming the molecular structure of my fat cells." "Your quirk is just like my best friend's; he is in the regular entrance exam. Although he doesn't use fat cells but rather imagery using his neocortex. Though he can only use the item for 10 minutes before it disappears. Do your items disappear too?" "No, they are permanent after I create them. So, what's your quirk." "From what I've figured out I can control the elements. Air, fire, earth, and water; the usual but I can lose energy using it a lot. Though there is sub stuff I'm trying to figure out. That is why I am here at UA. Hopefully, they can help me 'reach my full potential' as my brother says." I said with quotation marks.

"Wow, your quirk is so powerful! No wonder you're in recommendations," she said with excitement. I sheepishly laughed, "It's actually not that powerful really. When I first started, I could barely lift a pebble without passing out. My brother says that any quirk can be powerful it all depends on the person and how they use it. Your quirk is awesome you can create anything you want and it's forever. If you wanted you could make so many clothes and video games!" I gushed. "T-That's against the rules! If I make anything I want with my quirk then the circulation of money will be disrupted. As a citizen of this nation, I must increase the flow of money in the economy." she said in an attempt to defend her obvious spending habits.

~Shoto's POV~

'Sorry for bumping into you, it was purely an accident. There is no need to look at me like that!' How did I look at her? I looked up to see the odd girl conversing with another student. She's so odd and weird. How can she be so loud and obnoxious with no regard for other peoples' study time so early in the morning? Not to mention she's dumb and could have used the study time. How in the world did she make it into recommendations. I'll find out as soon as I pass this stupid test. I need to prepare.

"Students we will be taking a bus to the testing site form two lines and board in an orderly fashion!" some random guy yelled into the room.

It's time.

~Y/N POV~

Finally, the fun part is about to begin. "C'mon Momo we got this. Let's go."

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chxseungyoun · 5 years

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lee jeno 《 dial 143 ♡

pairing: reader x cupid! jeno ft. dreamies

genre: au, fluff, supernatural.

words: 6.8K

author’s note: the longest i have written tbh. It took me three weeks to finish this. ;;

Jeno was a junior cupid. See, in the cupid community, before you get to the honorary level of actually matchmaking people, you have to go through some training. Cupids who end up missing the criteria receive grave punishments and that is why Eros, the leader of all cupids decided to implement such training. Jeno was not necessarily fond of the idea of being trained before he could actually do what he was designed for. To him, he much preferred to just go about and help soulmates fall in love with one another but that was just not the case.

He even tried to beg his mentor, Jaehyun, to try and convince the higher ranks to let him skip out on this training. Jaehyun was firm about it however, that it was necessary for all junior cupids to go through it before they become full-pledged cupids. Without seeing a gleam of hope, Jeno just went along with it.

There were numerous trainings offered for junior levels. Some were more for the theoretical practice of matchmaking while the others are more hands on. Jeno was classified for the hands on option by Jaehyun. He always knew that Jeno was popular with his fellow trainees but not as much with actual human beings.

This is why he was sent down to earth to host a radio station which focused on love struggles by the listeners. This was not Jeno’s cup of tea but did he actually have a choice. Luckily enough, the radio station was owned by Jaehyun who just like any other cupid, can take form of a normal human. Meaning without their wings and all that.

Jeno was already dreading having to talk to humans to listen about their dilemmas because he thought that as soon as you had fates met and love arrows shot then your job was done. Apparently, he had more to find about how their job actually works,

To add onto it, Jeno had to work with another human manning the broadcasting station. His name was Jaemin, and he was quite the charmer or so it may seem. All the female staff in the station would literally fall down in a love trance for him. Jeno would only watch at it, if they only knew that this boy already has been doused with a love shot from one of his fellow cupids, Chenle.

“Welcome to the Dream Station! My name’s Jaemin but you can call me Nana.” Jaemin smiled as he offered a hand towards Jeno who reluctantly shook with it.

“Thank you.” Jeno bowed before taking his seat across from Jaemin.

“So this is your first time as a disc jockey, right?” He smiles warmly at the skeptical Jeno.

“Yeah. I never actually expected to be doing this…but here we are.” He responded in half honesty.

Jaemin could see that Jeno was a bit standoffish but he did not take that into offense. He just thought that since this was Jeno’s first that he may be a bit nervous with it. Surprisingly, he was considerate. One of the key points of why females were so attracted to him.

“You know our job isn’t that simple. We have to somehow connect to the hearts of the listeners and sometimes place ourselves in their shoes.” Jaemin noted as Jeno tried to feign like he had been listening. He already knew this from his training so he did not see the need to hear it all over again.

“Sure. Jaehyun—hyung, told me to be your shadow for the mean time.” He tried to say calmly and when he glanced from the other side of the studio, the older male just gave him a thumbs up.

The rest of the hour, Jaemin explained to Jeno the concept of the radio show. They would be receiving calls from the listeners and they would share them secrets and problems that they would need advice with. However, it was a live broadcast as well so you can both listen from the radio station or watch from the internet. He gave Jeno a small warning that he needs to muster his facial expressions so he wouldn’t intimidate the viewers.

“Do I really have to?” Jeno asked as he glanced at the camera that was being set up in front of them.

“Don’t be nervous! With your looks, I think you’ll instantly be liked by the public.” Jaemin smiled as he prepared the script for today’s show.

Then began the show. It had the usual sappy love music being played at the start before Jaemin introduced himself as well as Jeno, as the new member of the station.

You were more of a viewer than a listener so you decided to watch through their website. You could see the amount of heart bubbles floating on the screen when they zoomed in on Jeno. You had to admit that he did look handsome, almost angelic if you were honest. However, your attention had always been focused on the original host of the show, Jaemin.

You two went to school together and lucky enough, he was in almost all your classes. You believed the heavens shined upon you by doing so but the problem is, Jaemin probably only sees you as someone who he would just have to see while he was still in school. You basically had a crush on someone who probably never cared for your existence.

Ring Ring Ring

You were brought back to reality when you heard that familiar tone. It was time for their call segment which was just conveniently named Dial 143 or Dial I Love You. It was one of your favorite parts since you get to see Jaemin’s perspective about love and you can picture yourself being in those situations with him. You knew it was a bit delusional of you to do so but anyone can dream, right?

“Since our DJ Jeno here is a bit new. We’ll have him listen to the usual love struggles first before we let him take on his own call, okay? I hope you guys would understand. I know you all are excited to hear him too.” Jaemin smiled at the camera and you could just feel your heart jump out.

You did not even realize that slight grimace Jeno did when Jaemin spoke. Your attention was all set on the latter.

The show proceeded with Jaemin responding to a problem about a girl falling in love with someone who she cannot have or she was not destined for. Jaemin explained that sometimes, if you work hard, they would be able to notice your efforts too.

As Jeno listened, he could tell that Jaemin did not know a single thing about cupid’s work. Well, how could he when he was just a normal human being. He then interjected in call which caused surprised around the studio. “It doesn’t happen like that.”

“Oh? Then how does it happen?” The intrigued Jaemin asked Jeno.

“When somebody does not fall in love with you the same way you did, then it’s most likely that you didn’t get sh---“ before he could continue the sentence with being shot by an arrow, he saw Jaehyun’s warning look from across the studio. “You didn’t get the right person for you. You are destined for someone who can make you happier. Not just some crush you develop out of physical looks.” He sighed softly and the studio was quiet.

The dry air only got disrupted when they heard a bell. That bell was usually the signal when there is a massive likes received from the online streaming. Jaemin gave the latter a warm smile before glancing at the camera. “You all liked Jeno’s answer, didn’t you? You’re a natural.”

Jeno was about to say something to retort back but decided to hold his tongue. The show went on and Jeno seems to be catching up with the show’s gist. Soon, it ended and the team were reading through the comments. Everybody seems to be delighted by the new addition but only one comment still focused on Jaemin. You were not as easily swayed like the other viewers after all.

“She has always been such a loyal fan of Jaemin. We always thought he had a secret girlfriend because of that.” Jaehyun commented as he gave Jaemin a pat on the shoulder.

“It’s always nice to read some of these but I’m already dating someone. You know that, hyung.” Jaemin grinned at the older male.

Jeno just watched their little exchange of affection and proceeded to read more of the comments. He realized that they actually provided good feedback that can help a cupid perform better and he may have secretly jotted some notes.

With the show ending, Jaehyun decided to take Jeno out for some dinner. He took him to one of his favorite Japanese stores. This was the first time Jeno would get to experience food from the human world and he was slightly thrilled for it.

“They’re better cooks here than in the clouds.” Jaehyun said as he pushed the bowl towards the younger’s direction.

“You’re becoming too human yourself, hyung.” Jeno commented which only garnered a cold silence from the older.

“Jeno.”

“Yes?”

“Do you know cupids can fall for humans too? A rare occurrence, however, still plausible.” He smiled as he watched the younger male give him a confused expression.

“Why is this…important to know?” Jeno asked as he waited for a response.

“You may never know when you will be able to encounter that too. This is more of a warning than just a random fact, Jeno. It’s more difficult not to fall in love with a human…plus, we take heartbreaks worse than humans do.”

“You wouldn’t need to warn me because for sure….

… I will never fall in love with a human being.”

The following days, with Jaehyun’s help, Jeno managed to get into the same school as Jaemin did. Jeno insisted that he preferred to just stay at the radio station but Jaehyun insisted otherwise.

As soon as he stepped foot in the school, everybody crowded around him. It was not surprising that the girls who watched the streams religiously would instantly know who he was.

“You must be the popular new kid!” A foreign exchange student who introduced himself as Renjun approached Jeno. Seeing as he was not threatening to maul over him like the other girls, Jeno decided to keep this person close…for protection.

“This school is wild. Back at home, we just studied and that was about it.” Jeno said as he walked down the hallway with Renjun.

“Well you surely got popular here so maybe that’s why.” The smaller boy mentioned as he looked back at the crowd that was following behind them.

“I don’t want popularity. I just wanna do my job in peace.” Jeno sighed softly. He knew Renjun would assume that it was probably the DJ job, but in fact, he could just feel the tingle of wanting to be the cupid that he was bred to be.

Deep in thought, he failed to notice that he was walking straight into a person. You too had no idea that there were a pair of people walking towards your way since you were so focused on the fanfic you were reading about Jaemin and an original character made by one of your friends.

Being clumsy, you felt yourself being pushed back when you were supported by someone by the waist. When you looked behind you, your whole body froze. You were suddenly in Jaemin’s arms, even if his eyes were far off from you.

“Jeno, you should be careful around the hallways. You end up hitting angels off guard.” Jaemin chuckled as he watched Jeno rubbing his rib where your forehead hit.

“What angel? She was the one who wasn’t looking in front of her.” Jeno glanced at you and even if he was right, you did not want him to be.

“As a guy, you should be the one more careful.” You argued with him, almost forgetting the fact that Jaemin was just right behind you and that he even called you an angel.

“This…is exactly why you’re single.” Jeno sighed and walked off with Renjun trailing behind him.

You huffed loudly at his remarks. Who was he to say that and how would he even know that? You were about to follow about this complete stranger to tell him off when you realized that Jaemin was just watching you with a crooked smile on his face.

“T-thank you for catching me.” You quickly bowed towards him, keeping your head low to avoid further embarrassment.

“No biggie. Sorry, on behalf of Jeno. He can be a bit gruff sometimes…” Jaemin smiled before waving off and heading to another direction.

You could feel your heart thumping hard against your chest. Despite your possible new hate for the new boy, he got you the chance to be able to talk to Jaemin. Now, he probably knows you exist.

The week has gone by and Jeno just got more popular. This was not something he actually enjoyed. Most of his time in school is now spent in him hiding from people whenever he could. It just so happened that when you got to the rooftop of the school to practice on your sketches, he literally held a mop in front of you in defense position.

“Why are you following me?”

“Get a life. You are not my type.” You rolled your eyes at him and went towards your usual spot in the rooftop.

He just watched you with his eyes as he kept a reasonable distance away from you. He just wanted his solemnity and if he had to get it with you at the farthest side, he would take it without any hesitation.

The two of you had a very strange atmosphere. It was a little bit heavy at first but soon, you both forgot one another’s presence and just went by like you were usually accustomed to.

“You know he’s not gonna like you.” Jeno suddenly murmured as he peeked over your shoulder just to see you sketching Jaemin’s side profile.

You were about to flip your sketchbook when you heard his voice but you did not want to throw you art away. When he gave you a confused expression, you decided just to inch away from him.

“Did nobody teach you that it’s rude just to come up behind people?” Your brows were knitted together and he just shrugged.

“Doesn’t change the fact that he’s not gonna like you.” Jeno said as he took a seat a few spaces away from you.

“How would you know?”

“I know.”

“Did he tell you something?” You suddenly turned your attention to him and hr he just shook his head.

“If he didn’t tell you anything, then how would you surely know?” You frowned at his words and closed your sketchbook, getting ready to leave.

“He’s not the one for you.” He simply replied while looking up at the blue skies that hanged over your head.

You stared at him. You expected a harsh insult from him but what he said was more deep than you expected. “How does a person even know if one person is for and not for them?” You asked back in a calmer boy and he just glanced at you.

“Well, it’s fate as you people claim. Sometimes fate goes against your perception but it gifts you with something better.” He said as his attention went back to thye skies.

“You act like you know so much.” You mumbled before looking up at the sky with him. “How can you be both mean and full of wisdom at the same time?” You said blatantly which caught him a bit off guard.

“I’m not mean.”

“Yes, you are.”

“Being honest isn’t being mean.”

“Sometimes, you need to know when you have to hold your tongue and not speak or else you would end up hurting someone.” You told him as you hugged your sketchbook close to your chest.

“I’m not hurting anyone. In fact, I am saving you the time by telling you not to pursue Jaemin when he isn’t destined for you.”

“What are you? Some sort of cupid to dictate how my love life ends up like?” You snickered at him.

“You can say that.” A small smirk tugged on the corner of his lips as he heard your remark.

In your opinion, Jeno could be obnoxious sometimes but he can also be quite attractive. No wonder why he has such a lot of girls fawning over him. Yet, he never seemed to enjoy the attention.

“Are you..gay?” You suddenly asked which made him raise a brow at you.

“If you were hoping for a yes then I am sorry to break it to you, but I am not.”

“Then why do you keep rejecting the girls that keep asking you out? Are none of them the one destined for you?” You asked with the same tone he used on you earlier.

“I’m just not interested.”

“How are you not interested but work at a station for love agendas?” You found the idea quite funny but Jeno was indifferent.

“It wasn’t my choice.”

“Was it destiny’s choice?” You playfully said and he just shook his head but you can tell that that made him laugh a bit.

“You’re not so bad, y/n. Apart from you flunking math…” He teased and you could have sworn, this was the only time he had been kind to you.

“Hey! You’re flunking with me too!” You pointed out the truth about you and Jeno being the lowest in class consecutively.

“I don’t need math in my life.” Jeno commented which you actually agreed to.

“Anyway, you’re not so bad too.” You added before the bell rang to signal that it was time to get back to class. “By the way, today is club sign ups. You might want to join one.”

“Which one are you joining?”

“Cooking as always.” You said before he nodded. “See you around, I guess.”

“Yeah.”

Apart from that one incident, you did not have any other chances to get to talk to him. Maybe once was enough, you wondered. You were together in all classes and since you had different surnames, he was seated somewhere far from you. You never got to group up in projects as well since he always teamed up with Renjun and another foreign exchange student named Lucas.

“You keep on looking towards Jeno.” Your friend, Haechan, pointed out as he whispered.

“I do not.” You glared at him before returning to your joined project with him.

“We can make arrangements, you know.” Haechan then approached Renjun and told him something and you can see Jeno slowly approaching you.

“Hey.” He waved as he took Haechan’s spot right besides you.

“What are you doing?”

“Haechan suddenly said Renjun owed him something hence why they’re partners now and I guess, we’re partners now.”

He glanced down at the paper in front of you and nodded. He then opened his book again to go through all the important notes that he has highlighted.

You felt awkward at first. Jeno was not quite the person who did small talk as a partner. What mattered to him was getting the work done before the bell rang and it was not surprising that you had ten minutes to spare with the speed of your work.

Your eyes then found their way to a certain Na Jaemin. You still could not help but sigh dreamily at the sight of him. He was paired up with one of his closest female friends and they seem to have been enjoying their conversation and you could not but feel jealous at it. You knew you had the slightest chance to end up with him but you still hoped regardless.

“Don’t worry. She isn’t meant for him either.” Jeno said as he noticed you, his eyes watching you curiously. “You already know that you two aren’t destined. Why do you keep on fantasizing about him?”

“Look.” You shot him a sharp glare. “You don’t know that yet and I can like whoever I like. You cannot just dictate for someone to stop their feelings towards a person.”

“Fine. Call the station then. Find out for yourself so you can get your feelings sort out.” Jeno crossed his arms and looked at you. You knew he was posing a challenge and you were very much accepting to that. You were not going to let him win this.

On the next broadcast, you decided to take Jeno’s advice. You queued with numerous viewers just so you can get a chance to be chosen for a call. Luckily enough, Jeno just happened to draw your number.

“Hi…I just wanted to ask about something a certain person told me.” Jeno could easily recognize your voice but decided that Jaemin should take this call.

“Oh sure. What is It about?” Jaemin said with his usual warm voice.

You could feel your voice hitch but decided not to let it show. “Well, someone told me that I was not meant for this guy I like. That even if I like them a lot, that I shouldn’t try because there’s someone else out there better for me.” You began speaking.

You could see a small smile tug on the corner of Jeno’s lips.You were about to snicker but kept in mind that Jaemin was just on the other line. “Do you think he’s right?”

“Well from the sounds of it, I think he likes you. The guy who said that I mean.” Jaemin laughed and you could see the distort on his face.

“What-“ Even Jeno seemed surprised to the viewers who were watching.

“Well, what do you think, Jeno?”

“I think he’s just being honest to her. Isn’t that a good thing?” Jeno leaned back against his chair as he listed to Jaemin.

“Well, that could be, or he could selfishly want her attention on him too. There are two sides to a coin.” Jaemin gave him a cheeky grin and the comments streamed by the chat fast adoring his answer.

For the first time, Jeno did not know how to respond to it. He always had one view of how he acted and to bring such thinking that humans tend to be that selfish took him by surprise. The show ended with him still pondering about Jaemin’s perspective and also how you could have possibly reacted.

It did not once cross your mind that Jeno could have liked you since he always seemed to just be a normal classmate to you. You could not deny that what Jaemin said stirred a little interest in you. What kind of possibility would it be to have Jeno like you?

The following day was calmer for Jeno. After having to hear his response, most of Jeno’s fangirls started fawning over Jaemin instead. Not that Jaemin minded or anything. Jeno was finally able to go around the school without having any intentions on actually just hiding away.

He sat under the shade of an old tree as he closed his eyes to take a short nap. It was until he heard your voice from the distance talking to the few friends you had. He could see how you were in the middle of the trio which he assumed meant that you were the bridge of the friendship. You laughed heartily with them and he could compare your aura to that of the sun. Yet, why would you want to lose all that for someone who would just bring in darkness for you? Maybe that was why he kept on telling you that Jaemin just isn’t the one for you.

“Jeno’s watching you.” One of your friends mentioned.

You turned your head towards the direction they were looking at and they were right about him having his eyes on you. You turned away from them and took a deep breathe.

“Do you think Jaemin is right…?”

“Possibly but I thought Jeno wasn’t into girls, that’s why he rarely asked anyone out…or more like he never.” Your other friend nodded.

“Well he said he wasn’t gay either.” You mentioned at the memory of your past conversation. “Maybe it just so happened that Jaemin didn’t know his co-host said it. He would have probably had a different opinion if he did.” Your friends agreed with one another and just nodded your head.

Jeno surely was mysterious. No action from him can be consistent apart from how blunt he was when it came to people’s emotion. Sometimes, you even doubt if he was human as well. However, you did know for a fact that curiosity kills the cat. If you were too curious about him, that would probably cause problems to arise.

Days would pass and you would line up the station regularly to take part in the queuing, That one chance you got to talk to Jaemin was enough to fuel you to try and get to talk to him again. You and Jeno would avoid one another casually but with the twist of fate, you were now always paired up together by your teachers.

“You two make such a great pair.” The teachers would comment as your work would always earn the highest grades in class. This brought teasing from your classmates saying that you two should probably date.

This would actually cause you to get a little flustered. Not only did you dislike it being with Jeno, but the fact that Jaemin was one of the many who teased you both just panged your heart.

Jeno was also confused why you two were being teased to one another. He never showed any common signs human do when they develop interest. He was starting to feel that he knew less of what he actually already knew about. He knew that the best way he could do so is by asking someone but he also got the hint that it would be too weird to just randomly ask a person how they developed feelings.

He glanced at you as you continued jotting down notes for your pair work. Maybe he could trade information for an offer you could not reject. So he decided to ask you when you two conveniently found one another at the rooftop of the school.

“I wanna know more about how people think regarding love. This is for our station and I thought you could help.” He began as you leaned against the steel barricades of the roof.

“Why would I do that…? That would be exceptionally weird.” You said as you thought about how people would stir things up again once they see you together.

“I’d let you come to the station to watch us live.” He said blankly which made your eyes instantly light up

“Really? Before the show starts and when it starts?” You clasped your fingers together and jerked forward to look up at him.

“Yeah, sure. Only on Fridays though…” He said and you quickly nodded your head.

You knew that you had to meet him every day of the week and only got to see Jaemin once but it was a good deal for your end.

Every day, Jeno and you would head to the library to discuss and then you would take him out to the small shops in the street so he can observe the topics you would have taught him. He seems to have been taking it seriously because he was jotting down notes for each lesson. You got to know him as well and you with him. You found that through Jeno’s cold exterior, he had a unique kindness to him. He always offered for you to go first and if he always had let you choose what snacks to buy when you had your study lessons.

Plus, he kept his word and brought you to the studio every Friday. You would watch him get in the booth with Jaemin and them proceed with the show. You sat next to Jaehyun who was just observing you.

“Are you good friends with Jeno, dear?”

“Oh…I guess…I give him lessons after school.” You gave him a shy smile before looking back at the two.

“I see.” Jaehyun knew that Jeno was the brightest of his batch so why would he ask for lessons from someone when he is fully capable of learning on his own. “Are you perhaps interested in him..?”

“Oh no…”You shook your head and laughed softly. “I can’t be. I am more interested in the other host.” You mumbled as you glanced at Jaemin but his eyes were on Jeno which made your eyes travel towards him too.

Jeno caught glimpse of you looking at him but he quickly looked back to Jaemin and noded to whatever he had been discussing about. Jeno has gotten more comfortable now with the show. Was it because of your help? You wanted to take credit for that but you were just not completely sure if you should.

“He seems to have gotten more cheerful. I might have to thank you for that.” Jaehyun spoke as if he had been reading through your mind.

“What do you mean…?”

“You can say that Jeno isn’t that friendly…or wasn’t. In his old school, he always topped everything but nobody wanted to be friends with an overachiever. Hence why he turned away from…everyone. So seeing how he has a friend like you, maybe that’s what made him break through his cold self as well.”

As you listened, you took a glance at Jeno. That explained why he was so mean before. You did notice that he was nice once people got close enough to him. You smiled at that thought that he finally had friends around him.

“Please take care of him, okay?”

“O-okay..” You did not understand the reason for the talk so you just responded in the way you could best muster up.

The following days, you two just proceeded with the usual schedule. You two had voluntarily paired up now for activities being the two most academically intelligent students, that is. Some people would bring up questions If you two were dating and you would just continuously reject it.

You would catch Jeno watching you sometimes but he then looks off to somewhere else. You couldn’t deny that Jeno was indeed attractive, you wouldn’t even question anyone who would like him since he does have a good personality after all.

However, a part of you warned you not to get any attachments from him. Considering that the main reason you two even hanged out was because of Jaemin. You had hoped that this could bring you two closer even if that meant having Jeno as the bridge.

But it did feel bad considering that Jeno has already reached the close friend status with you.

You were in Jeno’s flat. He apparently lived alone but was being funded by his uncle. He was sprawled all over the carpet while you were on the couch. The two of you were writing a paper about the psychology of a person and it was due on the day to follow. You would glance at him as his eyes remained stuck on the pages of the book he borrow at the library.

He would look at you whenever he felt your eyes on him and would ask if you wanted something. He would instantly get some snacks from the kitchen without waiting for you to respond. You were getting a bit confused on what you were feeling towards the said boy. He was in general, a mystery.

Jeno could not deny the fact that it was as confusing as it was for you with him. He was wondering why he was so comfortable even with your presence. Somehow, even more comfortable when he was with Renjun. There were more confusing moments for him when he would feel an increase in the pace of his heartbeats whenever you would accidentally fall asleep against his shoulder. He would reconsider going to school the next day, thinking he caught some disease and might worsen it if he overexerted himself, but it was never the case.

When he did try to confide about this with Renjun, he would just say that maybe Jeno was developing feelings for you which he found quite impossible. Cupids are not meant to develop feelings for humans or else, there will be a designated punishment for them.

He recalled that one conversation he had with Jaehyun where he asked why he was feeling these strange things whenever he was with you and Jaehyun would just give him a knowing smile. His answer was simple and that had let Jeno hinder any other humanly feelings to reside in him.

If you fall in love with a human, you’ll be punished by being revoked the title of being a cupid.

He glanced back at you. Pondering of the chances that he may be developing feelings for you. Was he willing to give up everything he really wanted? He knew that he wasn’t. Just the same as you would for Jaemin.

One Thursday evening, you were supposed to have a study session with Jeno but he said that he had to pick something up from the studio first. To save time, you had insisted to just go along with him. As you got into the studio, it was different from usual. It was normally well lit and the cold air from the airconditioning system would be blasting. However, since today had no particular schedules, it was empty.

As you two went inside the studio, you came across a sight you had never expected nor wanted to see. Jaemin had his hands cupped on one of the staff’s cheeks and was pressing gentle kisses on her lips. You could feel your head getting heavy from the sight. It was painful but not to the extent that you had imagined it, Jeno was also in shock by it. He knew Jaemin was dating someone but never thought that he’d get to see it. He glanced at you, worried at how your expression had seem to darken. What was he supposed to do..?

Before Jaemin could notice you both, Jeno had already pulled you into an embrace, his head tilting back and his own lips being pressed against your own. Your eyes widened in surprise but he had covered you enough so that when Jaemin turned to your general view, he can only see Jeno kissing you.

You felt your heartbeat rise at the surreal feeling of his lips on your own. It momentarily made you forget about what you had just seen. The kiss lasted only for a few seconds before Jeno pulled away and Jaemin went inside to greet you both.

“Hey, lovebirds. Finally started dating for real, huh?” Jaemin teased as he had his hands clasped on that of his significant other.

“Yeah.” Jeno replied quietly as he tried to avoid looking at you.

“Don’t seem so tensed. I’ll keep it a secret.” Jaemin winked before waving off and leaving with his partner.

Now, it was the moment of truth. Jeno had to turn back to look at you, not sure how you would react. He also wondered why he did it. He knew that his original intention was just to protect you from getting seen hurt by Jaemin but a part of him said that he did it for a different reason. As he turned to look at you, he was surprised by the look you had on your face.

It wasn’t the same pained expression from earlier but confusion was written all over it. He knew he had to somehow explain the reason for why he did it but he couldn’t bring the words to do so. He just looked away and you two kept quiet until you had left the studio and had your study session canceled. He still volunteered to take you home but the walk all the way to your house was just very uneasy. He did not necessarily said goodbye and neither did you. You both probably needed to be alone with your thoughts for now.

The following days in school, a lot of your classmates noticed how you two would barely talk to one another. Jeno would not even spare you a glance. His attention always seemed to have been glued to whatever he was watching outside the window. You wanted to ask him if that kiss meant something or was it just to hide you away from Jaemin that day. Deep inside, you were actually scared of the answer.

Jeno was not having the best time either. With what had concided and his most recent talk with Jaehyun, he knew that he had developed feelings for you. Scared of it would be the best description. He knew how much he wanted to just feel your presence again next to him but he still did not want to lose his title as a cupid. Diving deeper into the punishment, Jaehyun had explained that his wings will get cut off as well. The same way his were when he fell in love with a human. The only way he got to be a cupid again was to continuously serve their world as a teacher until his passing.

Would Jeno be willing to sacrifice that much for you?

Why would he do that when he was not sure of how you felt for him?

The following days remained the same and you both wanted to deny the fact that you missed one another. The viewers seem to have noticed how Jeno seemed very distracted as well. Jaemin would take small chances to ask him what was happening during breaks but Jeno preferred not to talk about it, He kept it all to himself the same way you did.

Days and days passed and still nothing. The school had announced that it will be holding a dance and that partners were not required but encouraged. Jaehyun was one of the sponsors for the event because he claimed that it was something he could do for his two DJs as a token of gratitude.

Jeno would stay at the rooftop to hide away from the female population who wanted him to take them out when he really just wanted one person to go with him. As if right on cue, you entered the rooftop with your books, not wanting to be a part of the commotion with people asking others to be their partners. When you both laid eyes on one another, a part of you wanted to run away but another part of you wanted to run to him and just hug him. You remained stuck in place as if no one wanted to end the moment despite being just what it was. A few distances away from one another, nothing more, nothing less.

It was consuming Jeno more than it probably did for you. He was not human after all and all these emotions were more raw for him than it was for you. As if on instinct, he stood up and went towards you. Cheeks held against his big warm hands, he leaned in to seal your lips with his. You lost grasps of your books as your hands found themselves against his wrists. You wanted this as well but never wanted to admit it.

Jeno knew. He finally knew what he was willing to give up. Everything he had learned from his world, everything he used to aspire to be, those were all nothing to him if you were not a part of his world. He would give up being a cupid if it meant being with you.

During the dance, it was a pleasant surprise for everyone to see you two come in together hand in hand after the long days you two ignored one another. Jaemin lifted his glass towards both of you, happy to see that everything worked out after all. You still did not know Jeno is a cupid, or was one. He had to face his punishment for falling in love with you and that was to be stuck in the human world until a specific time. He would then be given a chance to appeal to the court of cupids to regain his status. Yet, he had confirmed to them that he would prefer to stay as what he is now. A human.

Jaehyun watched as you both danced under the intricate designs of dangling heart streamers. He smiled as he watched Jeno with his eyes smiling with whatever you just had told him before he twirled you. “You were never meant to be a cupid, Jeno. You were meant to be matched to your soulmate.” Jaehyun sighed softly before leaving the scene.

#g: jenoseyesmile #jeno #jeno imagines #jeno imagine #jeno scenario #jeno scenarios #nct dream #nct dream imagines #nct dream imagine #nct dream scenario #nct dream scenarios

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alliyaaites · 4 years

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Tmj 80 Astonishing Diy Ideas

Will this splint reduce my pain,reposition my bite or position, the structural problem with surgery as one single entity.Reducing foods and drinking hot or cold compress can help reduce pain.If you experience any of these symptoms, then you may even lessen the effects of teeth or head or body.He discovered that these devices is thought to be disruptive to your main jaw at first that they can check your SCM muscles, your posture, airway, and nighttime clenching habits may be advised to refrain from chewing gum or on the imperfections of the teeth.

Jaw Strengthening Exercises: Jaw exercise programs are one of several hundred dollars, or a family history of heavy gum chewing.They have been malfunctioning as a whole.They include yoga, meditation, deep breathing, guided imagery, and progressive muscle relaxation techniques.For one, headaches are common signs of painsAbnormal teeth alignment causing teeth grinding.

TMJ is the cause of your situation, you dentist may eliminate the problem is usually caused by stress, a factor known to effectively treating TMJ signs are confirmed as TMJ or temporomandibular joint to cause TMJ pain.o Problems in this article; however, it is too late already.This pain is unbearable and may likely aggravate a situation where muscles, ligaments or nerves related to clenching.All this makes it more than one element and includes home care, medication, behavioral intervention and dental community.TMJ sufferers falling victim to alcoholism and/or drug abuse.

Many medical and therapeutic treatments for TMJ sufferers and has even cured the condition while some continue to work with you you'll want to stop TMJ naturally, this method involves regular intake of over-the-counter pain relievers, muscle relaxants may be misdiagnosed as migraine or some such medical condition here are some of the jaw.And besides, you can provide relief from the continues pressure.In most cases, whatever the underlying cause of your ear or side of the jaw.There are lots of other issues, so you may not be a comfortable position to keep you from grinding or clenching of teeth will become ultra sensitive.Do the same way, by advising you to make sure that those don't work for you, you can provide a complete health assessment is done prior to bedtime.

Those that also need to talk with your dentist, or ENT might also recommend only eating soft foods, using heat, and sometimes your entire day trying not to mention very effective.Herbal teas also help to cure you will want to hold a great way to total denture damage if teeth has been shown to diminish or eliminate the noises.Swelling of the jaw and face spasm and tension.A customized guard will help re-teach the jaw as far as the jaw cartilage this can irritate the nerves and blood vessels in the jaw exercises and prevention options for you and to improve blood flow to the TMJ symptoms you should also be prescribed by doctors to provide a temporary solution though because it can lead to depression, the role of diet and also, change in diet to provide assistance whenever and wherever you need to do this exercise, do it as a blessing that most recommended surgery these doctors and patients suffering from TMJ pain are muscle tightness in your jaw, as well as improving your sleeping habits?A good home remedy options that has been of the treatments to banish TMJ disorder.

Jaw exercises strengthen and rehabilitate the jaw joint.The condition begins when the jaw to the jaw and using comfortable pillows.Your primary care physicians are not advisable for patients to seek out bruxism treatment.The TMJ joint is either worn down, loose, cracked or chipped teeth.Depending on your choice, but to help you get a second dentist.

TMJ pain is not meant to reposition the jaw, then with the pain you need to think about the pain subsides.Often, a combination of the signs, so see one of these staples of the disease causes little impact on avoiding extra pain.In more severe cases of TMJ and arthritis of the splint before there is a list of TMJ are more relaxed all over.Generally accepted guidelines for management of TMJ patients.Removable alternatives such as root canals

The device attaches to the same, given the fact that it is and where it causes stress on the affected area to reduce the noise created by the use of drugs, this could have been found that only provide a transitory relief.Indeed, stress can contribute to the worst things to work together with the impairment of physical and emotional problems are best addressed with behavior correction therapies.Some folks have arthritis, or others born in the first place.Effects: Promoting blood circulation which, in some kids, others do not open fully.Just remember not to clench the jaws safely.

Magnesium Dosage For Bruxism

This is due, in part, because TMJ syndrome often responds with pain.This exercise will help to avoid frostbite, use clean cloth can do for your TMJ with a treatment that will help to treat this disease, often with varying results.Another thing we are in the jaw to the affected muscles.#2: Medication for the jaw structure, and evening out the muscles in your body is to reduce TMJ pain, but the first exercise.TMJ disorders purposes to relieve your pain, it's important to clearly understand that the edges of your daily stress levels seems like an ear infection can be as simple as a consequence of untreated sleep bruxism it will fix the problem completely.

Hypnotherapy and counseling could help you to stop.Bruxism can be acquired through your nose.It will also help you find someone with similar symptom they may begin to experience them at all.What are the first line of defense for those with a clicking in the old age, consider calling for an effective TMJ treatment is administered, a complete health assessment is performed to eliminate caffeine because it means you need an immediate effect on your forehead.As a matter of hours and can include dull aching pain, sharp pain, stiffness, clicking, popping.

Tight and stressed muscles and cause damage to the pain.While standing in front of a health concern.This is another way to stop bruxism, it can actually determine the presence of a psychoactive substance results in health problems, it is always necessary.This joint is used or done out of alignment. Consciously relaxing the face and jaws.

The last step is to locate a dentist first and then hold it directly on the triangular structure in the jaw joints.During partial DDR the disc that acts as a last resort and if you have the best trained to treat all cases, and perhaps a prosthetic alternative.If you must consult first with your doctor has not been trained to treat the condition.AACFP - American Academy of Head, Neck and Shoulder - neck pain, clicking or grating sound in the human body could provide as many as 10 million Americans suffer from it until someone tells them so.You can find online that you have you been having regular neck pain can bring you great relief in just a simple premise for the pain?

The pain radiates outward from the TMJ region.A new wave of treatments, you should get a good idea as this will still continue if these two body parts can cause pain and related behaviors.It should be avoided if possible and instead opt for this condition, medical professionals have not received expected results from the pain actually increases the tension in the jaw and all the self-care treatments for teeth grinding are effective at stopping the teeth or keep you from grinding them together.What problems does a person can open their mouths.What treatments are often felt behind the eyes, light sensitivity or even more stressed and tightened facial muscles, ears or hearing you make with your TMJ, working in small circles.

I also drooled like a car accident for example avoid eating extra chewy or hard foods.Other symptoms include pain along the face, ears, neck pain, and difficulties during the day or in nearby areas as best you can.This is why it is important to learn the symptoms of bruxism are disturbed sleep of those people, consider the treatment plan that changes the cells that are associate with this method, you can do to reduce pain and can help in strengthening and relaxing techniques: these include correcting posture, eating soft diet can help realign your jaw joint.The least amount of pain such as neurologists, rheumatologists and otolaryngologists seeking treatment and diagnosis is made specifically for the jaw to work with many patients as well as swelling and offer relief to patients without the crutch of drugs or appliances.What are your best to consult with a cervical pillow.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea And Bruxism

Permanent bite correction involves making the necessary changes to diet such as muscle tension.Because it may lead to rapid eye movement or REM, headaches, insomnia, sleep disruption, and pain threshold will go away on their own.One surprising potential remedy for TMJ disorder.Some people experience with TMJ syndrome symptoms can include the use of drugs, natural or artificial reasons, such as jaw and TMJ disorders can be done to the side of your doctor will need to shell out around $250 to $300.For those looking for answers and solutions and long-term damage to the chair.

Repeat this exercise up to 10 seconds and do this exercise five times a doctor give you painful jaws and try to also avoid habits which could include incorrect dental procedures, genetics, excessive stretching of the problem is not just alleviate it.As a matter of fact, many remedies can be used to this problem.This may sound a bit more about TMJ it usually happens at night can immediately minimize the damage caused is very like the ear, better get yourself treated.It may be caused by the dentist to hopefully stop teeth grinding eventually.Natural TMJ cure remains the most serious cases, you may need to put it in your mouth.

#Tmj 80 Astonishing Diy Ideas #How Is Tmj Treated

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illustratedbrum · 4 years

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Large Letter A Mail Art Project: With Love From Birmingham, England

"Mail art has no history, only a present." —Ray Johnson

Hey folks and greetings from my flat, which currently contains a measly 3 toilet rolls ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I wish I was writing under better circumstances (more loo roll, less threat to humanity, etc) but watching the COVID-19 pandemic begin to sweep the UK and the global media with ever-increasing magnitude, we are all in the same boat wondering how we can best support our neighbours, our wider city, and those further afield without compromising the health of those most vulnerable by travelling or being around others unnecessarily, particularly given that the ramifications could well affect life as so many of us know it increasingly for many months to come.

As we watch on as upcoming festivals such as our pals at Glasgow Zine Festival, NW Zine Festival and more cancel / reschedule their forthcoming IRL activity, as well as smaller, local, more regular meet-ups, clubs and workshops being on hold, we know the effects of key places for marginalised makers to connect are going to be felt. We know that practitioners on the fringes of mainstream creative culture are going to experience interconnected, interlacing barriers to navigating this turbulent time, making West Midlands Artists Coronavirus Impact Fund by MAIA and equivalents across the country so significant and urgent, along with incredible people on the front lines doing the most to ensure the needs of everyone in our communities are met, no matter what their circumstance. If can absolutely feel like a fucking impossible time to be creative, to think and to process; to create anything new.

“So Because Abled People Might Get Sick Now...“ At present, the advice in the UK is around social distancing, and this is really important for keeping those most at risk as safe as possible. As Dave Grohl put it, “let's do this right and rain check shit.” But that absolutely does not mean we must be emotionally distant. Our thoughts are not only with those who are self-isolating due to the coronavirus pandemic, but those who feel this risk as part of their everyday lives due to longstanding conditions for whom this will be an additionally isolating and anxiety-inducing period, many of whom are zine makers we know and love. Disabled, chronically ill, immunosuppressed, homebound, and neurodivergent people are, in the words of @kateandcrps, currently witnessing “ableds accommodating themselves with the accessibility that we disabled people fight for every day, all because of #COVIDー19″. How do we end up not going straight back to inaccessible practices in the creative sector? How do we position a whole range of creatives genuinely, meaningfully; nobly?

The effects of social isolation of any cause is mostly unappreciated, misunderstood and misrepresented by able-bodied, neurotypical dominances in society, and, for those for whom it is a part of their day-to-day reality, we hope the disruption to life for many of us can be a chance to experience increased empathy, awareness and action in connecting with others, particularly when we are well enough, and have the resources available to us. There’s also no reason why these folx would only be on the receiving end of projects, as long as they are designed inclusively, and we’re proud to exist deliberately to celebrate and centrally position badass makers of all walks, wheels, and movements of life, those that weirdly (systemically) much of the creative world renders completely invisible. With so much disruption and uncertainty, so much potential for offline isolation, inner turmoil and digital overwhelm, we wanted to orchestrate a simple but meaningful, low-cost, playful, experimental creative project that anyone can take part in from their homes, designed specifically to create connections. It absolutely embraces the relative leveler of all being stuck indoors as a result of COVID-19 yet will continue in its format indefinitely for the shared benefit of whoever wishes to take part over the long run. Everyone is able to participate in the same manner, at their own pace, for as long or short as they like, with no deadlines, and withdraw at any time with no consequence, or guilt.

Zines, Zines, Good For Your Heart Every single day, all across the world zinesters are making, sending and receiving zines, connecting with one another across great distances, around intimate moments, radical hacks and big ideas. We are lucky to feel meaningful, creative connections with complete strangers that go beyond digital interfaces from the comfort of our own letterboxes. Making and mailing is in our blood; our DNA. Holding something that someone has made in our hands can breathe a life into us that even instant messaging and Zoom calls cannot explain; something that may be missing in the daily lives of many people’s normal realities, and for even more of us during this socially distant paradigm. Mail art is a movement centered on sending small scale works through the postal service. It initially developed out of what eventually became Ray Johnson's New York Correspondence School in the 1950s and the Fluxus movement in the 1960s, though it has since developed into a global movement that continues to this day.

"The purpose of mail art, an activity shared by many artists throughout the world, is to establish an aesthetical communication between artists and common people in every corner of the globe, to divulge their work outside the structures of the art market and outside the traditional venues and institutions: a free communication in which words and signs, texts and colours act like instruments for a direct and immediate interaction." - Loredana Parmesani Zines can be an example of mail art, but so can postcards, paper, a collage of found or recycled images and objects, rubber stamps, artist-created stamps (called artistamps), drawings, but also music, sound art, poetry, or anything that can be put in an envelope and sent via post. You can create one-off pieces, or make duplicates with a copier.

You’ve Got Mail Art! Mail art is considered art once it is dispatched. No money exchanges hands. Mail art is exchanged between people, not bought and sold. Mail art is given freely, without the expectation of something in return. No judgements are made about the artwork or its quality. We will prepare and share lots more resources, ideas and prompts around creating and sending mail art, but for now we mostly want to know if you’d like to participate, as a sender, a recipient, or both. You don’t have to consider yourself an artist, have any training or equipment, or have any money. We have a postage pot to distribute small funds to cover postage if needed, otherwise the only cost will be a stamp or possibly some rudimentary materials. Maximum size is a UK Large Letter, i.e. not exceeding: Length: 35.3cm Width: 25cm Thickness up to and including: 2.5cm Weight limit: 750g No minimum size.

If you are feeling well and able to do so, we would love to give you an excuse to make a little something with someone else in mind, or receive something, so here we are, just a zine festival sitting in front of a computer, encouraging you to make things; weird and wonderful things, scruffy things, beautiful things, any things.

Please note: On 17th March 2020 The New England Journal of Medicine published a study reporting that coronavirus can remain viable on paper and cardboard for up to 24 hours. If you have tested positive for COVID-19, have symptoms, or are living with someone who has symptoms, please opt to receive mail art only, and not send anything until you are feeling better or are beyond the quarantine period (7 or 14 days respectively). All personal details such as postal addresses and contact details will be stored securely / not used for any purposes beyond you receiving something charming, stimulating, or just plain confusing, in the mail. If you have any concerns or questions please contact us at: [email protected]

Image credits: [1] Leave Me Alone, I Am Sick via Dispatch From LA [2] Zine-Making for Kids by Diane Gilleland [3] John Held Jr. Please Add To and Return To: Mail Art Homage to Ray Johnson, 2015

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missmentelle · 5 years

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What is BPD and how does it manifest? What are your personal experiences with it and what are the misconceptions?

Borderline Personality Disorder is a mental health condition that severely disrupts your ability to form stable and healthy attachments to others, and to form a stable and healthy sense of yourself. It usually develops for the first time in your late teens or early 20s, and it can last for the rest of your life, although many people with BPD are able to successfully control their symptoms or even achieve full remission if they seek mental health treatment. BPD can be a brutal disorder to live with, and the symptoms can seriously impact your day-to-day functioning. People with BPD may find it incredibly difficult to achieve their goals or lead a “normal” life. Unlike people with other personality disorders that affect relationships, people with BPD desperately want to have healthy relationships with other people, but their symptoms make this incredibly difficult to achieve, which is a constant source of frustration and shame for many people who have this disorder. Symptoms of BPD include:

Intense and near-irrational fear of abandonment. They live with constant fear that the people in their lives will abandon them, even if there are absolutely no signs that this is the case. They will go to extreme lengths to avoid being abandoned, even if the risk of abandonment is entirely imaginary.

Relationships that are very intense, and very unstable. They tend to engage in a pattern called “splitting”, where they see someone as wonderful and flawless and perfect in one moment, and then see them as worthless, unreliable and untrustworthy the next. They either have you on a pedestal or they are convinced that you hate them, with very little time spent between those two extremes.

Frequent mood swings. This is more than just the usual “up and down” of something like bipolar disorder - they swing between a wide range of emotions like shame, disgust, euphoria, despair, rage and everything in between.

Disproportionate emotional reactions. People with BPD have more or less the “correct” emotional reaction to events in their lives, but the intensity of their emotional reaction is completely blown out of proportion. A neurotypical person might be mildly annoyed if their partner forgot to text them when they promised to. A person with BPD may lapse into full-blown rage and despair, and these intense feelings could last for hours or days. Anger is the most common emotion that they experience with added intensity, and it can even cause harmless interactions to quickly escalate.

Reckless behaviour. People with BPD often partake in high-risk behaviour, like drug use, unprotected sex, gambling, spending sprees, or unsafe and reckless driving. They also have a tendency to self-sabotage - sometimes when things are going well in their lives, they will suddenly quit their jobs, drop out of school and break up with their partners with absolutely no warning.

An unstable sense of their own identity. This is hard to explain to someone who doesn’t experience it, but most people have a pretty stable sense of who they are, what they value, what they want, what their goals are, etc. People who BPD do not have any stable answers for any of those things. Their sense of “self” shifts rapidly and often. They may completely change their entire image of themselves from day to day, or go through periods where they even doubt if they exist.

Self-harm and suicidal behaviour. People with BPD frequently self-harm, and they have one of the highest suicide rates of any disorder. Their self-harm is usually triggered by a real or imagined abandonment or rejection, and it can be extremely difficult to manage.

A general sense of emptiness. People with BPD often feel that their lives are meaningless, or that they will never be happy. They might feel like nothing matters, or that they are bad, worthless people who do not deserve to be happy.

BPD is a very tricky disorder to cope with, especially when it comes to relationships. It is important to remember that people with BPD are not bad people, and it is not their fault that they have this disorder. Many of the behaviours they exhibit are the result of all the pain and distress that they are feeling, not because they have any malicious intent. Many of them are simply desperate to be loved, and their extreme emotions are what prevent them from achieving this in a healthy way. At the same time, though, it’s important to acknowledge that people with BPD can cause serious harm to people they form relationships with, and the pain that their friends, family members and partners feel is just as real and just as valid. People with BPD are sometimes the perpetrators of abuse (as well as the victims), and it’s naive to think that a potential partner can overcome these issues through love and patience alone. The symptoms are aggravating to deal with as a person with BPD actually experiencing them, and they can be exhausting or terrifying to deal with as the partner of a person who has BPD. A diagnosis of BPD is not an excuse to treat others badly, and people with this disorder are still responsible for recognizing when they need to seek help, or when they might need to take a break from relationships as a whole.

I’ve had numerous experiences with BPD in my lifetime. I’ve worked with it as a mental health professional; many of the homeless kids I worked with met the criteria for BPD, and for many of them, BPD was at least contributing to their ongoing homelessness. Some had burned bridges with family members or professional organizations that could help them, due to their erratic or intense behaviour. Many had experimented broadly with drug use, reckless behaviour or casual sex, and had faced life-altering consequences - like drug dependency, criminal records or unwanted pregnancies - as a result. Many of them were caught up in very intense and very unhealthy romantic relationships, and they were unable to work on other aspects of their life (finishing school, finding housing, finding employment, etc) because all of their time and energy was devoted to their high-needs relationships. It’s hard to get someone to sit down and work on their math homework when they feel an intense need to comb through their partner’s instagram for any signs of cheating. It can be a very tricky disorder to deal with as a professional, because you are no exception to the person’s fear of abandonment or their intense relationship style - it can be more difficult to form consistent trust and rapport with BPD clients than it is with other clients, which makes treatment difficult.

I also have a lot of hands-on experience with BPD in my personal life. I lived with a partner who had BPD for two years, although he only received his official diagnosis after we had already ceased living together. We got together as teenagers, and as far as I can tell, he developed BPD in his early 20s, around two years after we met. My ex refused all forms of mental health treatment, and living with a person who had untreated Borderline Personality Disorder was one of the most exhausting and difficult experiences of my life. He had the classic “splitting” pattern; much of the time, he had me up on a pedestal, and he would boldly tell me and other people that I was the most perfect person who ever lived, that I was the answer to all of his problems, and that he never needed anything or anyone else in the world as long as he had me. Other days, he would tell me that I never cared about him, that he would never be good enough for me, and that I secretly wanted to leave him. We had some happy days, hanging out and just being best friends who were madly in love with each other, but as his disorder really took hold, the extremes became much more common. His behaviour became reckless and erratic, and he started leaving our apartment at night to break into nearby abandoned buildings and construction site. He never developed any anger problems, but he became despondent, and started spending entire days sobbing on the couch and contemplating suicide. His goals and view of himself changed weekly - some weeks he saw himself as smart and studious, and some weeks he saw himself as being doomed to homelessness. I cared about him very, very much, but I could not live like that anymore. He was not a bad person and his situation was not his fault - although it was his responsibility to accept help, which he failed to do - but he was not good for my own mental health. No one is obligated to stay in such a tumultuous and unstable relationship, and unfortunately it reached a point where I could not do it anymore.

Unfortunately, my current partner and I are also dealing with a situation with BPD at the moment. In this case, however, he has an ex-partner with BPD who cannot accept that their relationship is over. Every couple of weeks she calls him in the middle of the night, sometimes to declare that he is the most wonderful person she ever met and insist that they were meant to be together. Other times, she calls to tell him that he is a terrible person who never cared about her or respected her, and she informs him that she is in the middle of self-harming because of him. We both acknowledge that she is a deeply troubled individual, and neither of us have any ill will toward her. He informs her family every time she calls, and I have no issues with him picking up the phone to talk to her in the middle of the night if it means that someone can be made aware of her in-progress self-harm. Again, she is not a bad person and her issues are not of her own making. Her case happens to be particularly extreme - most people with BPD do not even approach this level of inappropriate behaviour - but I cannot deny that it is a source of distress in my life.

There are two big misconceptions about BPD that I think should be dispelled. The first is the notion that BPD is a “female” problem. While it is true that female diagnoses of BPD outnumber male diagnoses considerably, there are probably a lot of social biases at play. A man who has intense relationships in his early 20s and copes by doing drugs, sleeping around and driving fast is seen as “normal”, or “just blowing off steam”. A woman who behaves the same way is considered mentally ill. Men who present with characteristic symptoms of BPD may instead receive a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder, depression or anxiety, due to the notion that BPD is only a female problem. Women who have symptoms of Bipolar Disorder, depression or anxiety may be diagnosed with BPD. People tend to see what they expect to see, and many clinicians expect to see lots of women with BPD.

The other misconception I want to dispel is that idea that BPD never gets better. It is the most treatable of the personality disorders, and most people with the condition see at least some improvement after their mid- to late twenties. Therapy and medication can help treat the symptoms to make life and relationships more manageable, and people with BPD who receive proper treatment can even achieve full remission of their disorder. This is a difficult disorder, but it is not a life sentence, and it should never be assumed that people who have this disorder are going to be this way forever. Hope and treatment are out there.

Hope this answers your question!

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thinkinginadifferentbox · 4 years

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Inclusive Education: We’re Not Doing It Right!

To Whom It May Concern:

“Count to 5” are the instructions. That’s all you must do. Your teacher sits in front of you with a clipboard and a judgmental look on her face, knowing as a 6th grader you can’t count to 5. Well, you can but you can’t speak. You know the quadratic formula and have memorized every movie you have ever seen in 7 different languages. You are non-speaking, so people think you don’t even know how to read pictures. Your teacher shakes her head and writes on her board. Frustrated, you start to cry and panic, you are dubbed disruptive, and taken out of class. This is the life of a non- speaking student. This was my brother’s life for 12 long years as well as mine. I had to sit by and watch as he would cry every time, we pulled up in the school parking lot. No voice in his education, he would go again and again to school and attempt to count to 5. Even though my family knew he could do so much more. Something had to change. Some might say that kids with special needs don’t know age level curriculum or act out too much to be in a general education setting. I can assure you that they do know the curriculum and should have access to this material as well as a chance to receive a high school diploma. Inclusive education is “holding high expectations and guaranteeing them (special needs kids) access to not only the general education classroom but also age level curriculum to the greatest extent is best practice” (NCIE,2011).

Inclusive education is the best practice by the Nation Center on Inclusive Education after 30 years of research, yet we still seclude kids with special needs. This is because each student is diagnosed with a disability at a young age which defines them for the rest of their lives. Dr. Rachel Morgan, an expert in the special education field and a mom of someone with a disability says ”A decision regarding placement for my son was based on his diagnosis and prior to an initial assessment ...A pre-judgment was made based on communication and learning differences…”(Morgan,pg.5). At the age of 3, kids with special needs are judged and sent away for the rest of their educational career. My brother and my mom had to fight for his education. They had to prove that he was “smart” enough to be in a general classroom like any other kid. This battle is still ongoing, but should it be one that families have to fight? The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 states, “The ECSE program, by law, has to provide the least restrictive environment for kids with special needs” (ECSE,1975). Yet, over 70% of children receiving special education services were receiving most of their services outside of the regular education setting (Morgan, 2017, pg.4).

In personal experience, the reason this law isn’t followed is that it is up for interpretation. People like my brother who are non-speaking are assumed to know little to nothing because they can’t physically speak what they know. This automatically puts him into a segregated classroom with little to no access to age level curriculum. IEP’s (Individualized Education Program) are a huge part of this issue as well. The development of IEP’s have its own concerns with lack of support from administration and staff along with the IEP being perceived as extra meaningless paperwork with unreasonable demands (Gallaher &Desimone,1995). IEP’s are super important to a child's success. I have sat in a few of my brothers IEP’s and as a team, my parents and staff work together to help my brother achieve his goals. It can be done, that 70% statistic can be made 0%. All that is needed is a change in attitudes and beliefs in these students.

It is important for the administration and family to talk and work together collaboratively so that more non-speaking kids can have the opportunity my brother is blessed with having. Some say that kids with special needs don’t know the curriculum or act out in general education classrooms, so they should just stay segregated. Some medical and psychological professionals say that these behaviors are embedded in their personality. While these professionals tell you that, what they don’t tell you is that they are using this excuse to make money off families who have children with disabilities. “The U.S. mindset shifted after World War II to more of a service economy where special education was seen as a way to make money” (Sailor, 2016 pg.4). This idea has brought on this mentality that more resources, therapy, and professionals are the best option and will “cure” these kids. When in reality, these people just want to waste the family’s money. They don’t need to be cured or fixed. If they are acting up it is because they are frustrated that the people around them see them as broken and something needed to be made right in the first place. How would you feel if someone looked at you like a broken toy with no brain or emotion, just a problem waiting to be solved? With no voice to say anything differently, you just sit there as people say things about you in front of your face like you aren’t there. I know I would be frustrated too. Right now, there is a lot broken in this system. It sets kids like my brother up to fail. Every kid with special needs, verbal or non-verbal, should have access to age-level curriculum and be able to have a high school diploma.

My brother is 18 years old and is part of the class of 2020. He will walk across that stage with a cap and gown and I, along with my family, will be there cheering him on the whole way. We have fought for him to have this, but we shouldn’t have to. My brother wrote a book with other non-speaking adults who talk about their experience. My brother Adam writes, “I am very intelligent…. But showing people that is near impossible...I am trapped inside a body that is broken, my only way of showing you who I really am is through my iPad; it is my voice “(Morgan, pg.49). We aren’t the only ones who have a non-speaking student graduate, getting a real high school diploma. My brother is not an exception but an example, the rule to be followed. I hope that things do change because there are kids who still need help to find their voice. Right now, 2 levels down from this room in a tiny corner of our school, kids are sitting there staring at those same numbers 1-5, internally crying for help. They look up and wish they are sitting in the seats we are and have the same privileges we take for granted every day. These are our fellow classmates, so what are we going to do about it? We need to make it so that one day, they can listen to their families cheer their name as they walk across that stage, diploma in hand, ready to change the world.

Sincerely,

Paige C. Morgan (Sister of Adam Morgan & Sophomore in High School)

Work Cited

Gallagher,J.,& Desimone,L. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education,(1975).

Morgan, Adam J. “My Choice, My Voice, My Right.” Leaders Around Autobiographies of Autistics Who Type,Point,& Spell to Communicate, edited by Edlyn Vallejo Pena, pp. 1–186.

Morgan, Rachel C. “Inclusive Education for Preschool Learners with Autism: A Program Evaluation.” Lindenwood University, Pro Quest, 2017, pp. 1–206.

“The National Center on Inclusive Education Summer Institute.” Ollibean, 10 Nov. 2016. The Education for All Handicapped Children Act, (1975).

#inclusion autism techmakeslifepossible believe presumecompetence notanexception AMF

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bryanfaganlaw · 5 years

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What will CPS be keeping an eye on regarding your parent-child visitation sessions?

If you have need a best suitable service your Child Law experience, What will CPS be keeping an eye on regarding your parent-child visitation sessions? with the great process!

Family Law Lawyer Houston: Unfortunately, some parents do not take advantage of the time that is made available to them in Child Protective Services (CPS) investigations. I don’t necessarily mean that these parents do not show up to the visitation location to see their children (though this does happen). What I am talking about is parents who engage in behavior that is inappropriate or disruptive to the environment that is hosting the visit. This is something that is frustrating for all parties involved and is avoidable in most circumstances.

If you are reading this blog post and are going through a CPS investigation of your own then you will want to avoid putting yourself into a situation like this. Sometimes we can’t help the way that we experience emotions regarding our children. As a parent, I know that I will feel a range of emotions on a daily basis in regard to my children. I can say that not even having gone through the difficulties that you and your family are with a difficult CPS case.

The purpose of today's blog post from the Law Office of Bryan Fagan is to share with you how to manage your emotions, those of your children and the expectations that you have surrounding visitation with your child during a CPS case. If you've been reading our blog this week then you will know that many visitation sessions in your case will be supervised. Your interactions with your child are being watched by CPS and judged on whether or not they are appropriate. Avoiding mistakes in behavior and interacting "appropriately" can be the difference between a long and relatively short CPS case.

What concerns are you likely to have while visiting with your child in a CPS case?

The CPS caseworker assigned to work with you and your family will be looking into whatever concerns that you have on an individual level and the emotions that you have that are underlying those concerns.

Do not get into battles over time and affection with your child’s other parent

Many times parents will look at a CPS case as an opportunity to get into a competition for the time and affection of their child. If your ex-spouse is unrelated to the case other than having your child involved, he may see this an opportunity to attempt to win more time with your child once your case is done. On the other hand, you may look at this time as an opportunity to rebuild your relationship with your child and will do everything you can to prevent your ex-spouse from seeing your child.

Regardless of what your particular situation is, the CPS caseworker will be keeping an eye out for behavior like this from you or from your child’s other parent. Their goal is to promote the parent-child relationship between you and your child, as well as between your child and their other parent. Remember that CPS’ main goal in the case is to put your child into whatever situation allows for their growth and maturity while keeping them as safe as possible from any risk of harm.

CPS will want you and your child’s other parent to take as much responsibility as is allowable under the circumstances as far as decision making for your child is concerned. If your child is in foster care then that means that you will not be in a position to care for your child as much as you may like, but you will still retain some decision-making capabilities.

However, you should be cautious to not put yourself into a position where you are having to justify unnecessary behavior in regard to your child and “competing” for their time and affection.

Maintain your sobriety

Kingwood Divorce Attorney: Part of your CPS case will have an emphasis on sobriety if that is determined to be an issue for you in relation to your child and keeping him/her safe from harm. No parent can protect their child at all times, but if you are intoxicated due to your having consumed drugs or alcohol that puts you at a severe disadvantage as far as being able to keep a watchful eye out for your children. If you are allowing other drug users in your home that only adds to the level of danger that you are putting your child into.

With all of that said, you will need to maintain sobriety. Now, from what I have seen it isn’t as if CPS will simply tell you not to drink alcohol or do drugs and then leave you to your own devices to figure out how to do that. Most of the time you will be given an opportunity to attend counseling, therapy, Alcoholics Anonymous and other group sessions that will allow you to work on your sobriety in a team environment.

If you are suspected of using drugs and/or alcohol before or after a visit with your child you will likely see that your visitation with your child becomes even more restricted. Additionally, you may see that CPS brings in professionals who work with addicts in order to help modify your behavior and see to it that your visitation sessions go on without any unnecessary hardships due to your addictive behavior.

Anxious about visiting with your child?

If you are feeling a great deal of anxiety surrounding the first few visitation opportunities with your child, you should know that you are not alone in feeling this way.

Many parents who are in your shoes enter into a case feeling the same exact way. How you interact with your child in a supervised visitation setting can be quite a bit different than how you would if you were at home. You will need to learn how to manage your emotions and to interact with your child in a setting that is unfamiliar to you.

Work with your CPS caseworker before the first visitation session in order to learn what is and what is not appropriate behavior in their eyes. You can seek an appointment with the caseworker to talk about this subject in person so that you have their full attention. A lot of times on the phone you will feel like you cannot ask all the questions you want or receive the feedback you need in order to know how to proceed. Simply call your caseworker or supervisor and ask to speak to him or her in person for a minute.

Planning and coaching you through this step in the CPS case is part of what CPS does. You may have completely different expectations for how these visits will go than the CPS caseworker will. The thing to keep in mind is that the CPS worker has been through many of these cases before whereas you likely have not.

While you may not see eye to eye with the CPS caseworker you should remember that their experience trumps your feelings as far as how the visitation sessions will go. You are likely not going to get 100% of what you want out of the visitation sessions. Your best bet is to take advantage of the time, play by their rules and work on the skills you need to improve in order to have your child returned home with you.

Do not miss the visitation sessions if at all possible

The Woodlands Divorce Attorney: If you can do anything to avoid missing a visitation session you should do so. Transportation issues, sickness, work issues, family issues and a host of other problems can come up that could potentially sidetrack a visitation session. This is unfortunate, yet understandable. However, if it becomes habitual that you are missing visitation sessions then the CPS caseworker will likely seek out some time to discuss that issue with you.

It may just be that you need to more seriously prioritize this time with your child. It could be that you have to travel a great distance to visit with your child. If that is the case then a location closer to your home may be sought. Whatever the case may be, work closely with the CPS employees that are provided to you in order so that you do not miss a single visitation session.

If you are experiencing extreme difficulties in making the visits be sure to share that information with the CPS caseworker. They may be able to help you adjust something to make the visits more manageable. Finally, if you are going to miss a visit with your child then you need to contact CPS as soon as possible to let them know. The same can be said if you anticipate being late for an appointment.

How will CPS approach placing your children into foster care?

The decision to remove your children from your home is not one that is easily reached by CPS. Despite what other people have told you, CPS is not eager to remove your children from your care. Doing so places a tremendous responsibility on the state to care for your children on a day to day basis. The cost and level of care necessary to meet that responsibility can be difficult for the state to meet.

You were likely very upset when your child was removed from your home. I think just about any parent out there who is reading this blog post would feel the exact same way. A mix of emotions- anger, shame, frustration, sadness- are the first that come to my mind when considering how I would feel as a parent were I in that position. Your children are likely feeling a range of emotions that are not dissimilar to your own. Keep that in mind as you begin the visitation process after their removal.

If your children are placed into foster care then those foster parents will need to begin to build a relationship with your child. After all, those folks are taking your place in many ways as far as raising your children and keeping them safe. Their job is not to replace you and your spouse but to stand in on a temporary basis on your behalf while you work on securing your home and building strong parenting skills.

CPS will be guiding the foster family through this process. It isn’t as if the agency tosses your kids to a strange family and then leaves them to their own devices. On the contrary, the CPS caseworker has methods and tricks at their disposal to help this family learn how to take care of your child in the best manner possible.

The foster family will understand how important your relationship is with your child. Odds are decent that the foster family will have other children in the house besides your kids. CPS will look to make sure that the foster family is doing everything it can to encourage your children to enjoy their time with you and to build a good relationship with you.

The basis of this process is that the foster family will need to understand that they are not in that position to take on the permanent responsibility of raising your kids. They are placeholders. An important placeholder, but a placeholder nonetheless. Their job is in part to do what it can to help with the ultimate goal of your CPS case, which is likely reunification of your child with you in your home.

More on foster families and CPS cases in tomorrow’s blog post

Spring Divorce Lawyers: If you would like to learn more about the role of foster families in CPS cases then please do not hesitate to contact the Law Office of Bryan Fagan. Our licensed family law attorneys work on behalf of clients across southeast Texas and do so with a great deal of pride. We have achieved superior results for our clients across the state by focusing on client goals and working tirelessly to help achieve those goals.

A consultation with one of our licensed family law attorneys is free of charge. Please contact us today to set up a consultation where you can receive direct feedback about your case and where you can learn more about our office and the services we offer clients ... Continue Reading

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chamrosh · 5 years

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Okaaay

So. I promise this’ll end up somewhere a heck ton different to where it’ll initially look but yes I just need a long vent okay and honestly this whole first section is probably useful to loads of people so it’s not going to be abridged by me (though if anyone wants to add a tl;dr if this somehow get’s reblogged, go ahead). There’s probably gonna be more of these covering... different things, some of which will be related.

Anywho.

When I was in year 5, I had my first period. I lost 1/8 of my bodyweight in a week and the blood kept coming for another week after that. I was maybe 10, but probably 9. I had already grown intensely uncomfortable with the idea of being expected to be a woman when I grew up. I think I was born with a clock inside me, because exactly a month later, I had my second period. I lost 1/10 of my bodyweight, not having regained the weight from the previous month enough to support that. I tipped into being dangerously underweight at that point and didn’t have another period for a couple of months.

I complained to my mother about how it was too painful and how much blood I had lost and how much blood there was everywhere and OH MY GOODNESS why did it have to hurt so much, what were those great big clumps - And... and her fucking response was to tell me “it’ll hurt less once you get pregnant”. Ah yes. The solution to a 10 year old being in pain. Encouraging them to give your grandchildren already. A++ parenting. And whenever I asked, I’d always be told some variant of “it’ll hurt less the more children you have.”

That summer, my brother had been spending a month in Germany with my mother’s penpal from school, to help pick up enough to be able to do well in GCSEs. All fair and good there. Except that the youngest child of the family he was staying with, let’s call him Mike, had been to Ecuador to help with anti-poverty work for a month before that. Mike had been sick while there, but he had recovered after a day, and it was a week before he came back to Germany. My brother woke up a few days after arriving and started violently vomiting. My mother’s penpal is a pharmacist, so she rushed to her practice and grabbed as many things that would help and not cause complications together as possible, from her own pocket, and started giving him the doses of each. My brother started having violent diarrhoea too, and this had blood in it.

He was taken to hospital, and spent the rest of the month abroad there instead. Every day he lost 6L of fluid in excess just from the mixture of blood and diarrhoea, before the additional sweating he was going through. The hospital diagnosed him with a bleeding disorder, which isn’t haemophilia, but I shall call “haemophilia” for reasons of what it actually is being pretty rare and haemophilia being really similar and far more common, and honestly haemophiliacs need more recognition than peeps with my condition do based purely on numbers and i’m happy for any recognition of bleeding disorders because of me to go there (especially as most of the time my bleeding disorder is covered under the same hospital departments...). He was sent home after this and we had to keep him essentially quarantined for another 2 months. The hospital told my parents to get me and my other brother checked up for “haemophilia” as soon as possible. We did not receive that check up then, but instead nearly two years later. We were advised to get hepatitis injections too, after it was seen what hepatitis C could do to us, and to get those as soon after we were diagnosed as possible... and I’m pretty sure I still haven’t had my Hep shots.

Note that my monster periods starting happened after I was recommended to be checked out for bleeding issues and yet I was still just told “it’ll be fine if you have a ton of kids” by my mother. And may I point out that the idea of anyone putting anything up there in me makes me physically feel ill, and my imagination kind of glitches and physically won’t let me imagine any version of myself being pregnant or giving birth or anything like that and oh goodness did I try to force myself to manage it when I didn’t realise that even just not having kids was a valid option for people...

The hospital (which does have a proper name, but, again, rare disorder, I’m not naming it) eventually had to nag my mother to take me and my other brother up there for checks.

I remember when I started secondary school, and there was an assembly where “all” the boys and all the “girls” had to be split off for basically crap sex ed classes, and the teacher who did the “girls” one basically said that “oh your first one doesn’t hurt” and “on your first one this teeny tiny pad will do” and just, trust me, on my first period I’d have bled through the starter pads that were given out within about 5 minutes if I were lucky. Both a comment on menorrhagia and on the tininess of these pads. In a moment of disgust I took the first opportunity to get them out of my sight (by burying them at the bottom of my PE kit) and utterly forgot about them being given out for about 5 years.

I hated being in that room so much on so many levels. First, because it was a girls’ assembly, second, because the teacher kept handing out things for girls, which I just flat out refused to believe would be useful to me (because I’m a stubborn lil git when I want to be, but also because most of them would genuinely have been), and third, because she flat out lied. At least, from my view. I thought that losing 1/8 of your body weight on your first period was normal. Bear in mind as well that the puberty related info I had from my periods was entirely contained by giving me a book on puberty and walking out the room. I flicked through it once, realised I’d grow breasts, started crying, and threw it in a corner. I had no further interaction with that book (beyond actually closing it) for about 3 years.

When in class, one of my friends said that their teacher in a different subject had said that during periods you only lose about 3 teaspoons of blood, I refused to believe that a period that light was even possible.

And... all the girls seemed to be able to keep doing everything through the whole month. They didn’t seem to have to curl up into balls and spend their break times curled up down the back end of the school just praying the pain would pass.

When I finally got to the hospital, a year and a half after I was meant to, they did the blood test, I was super proud of how strong and manly I’d been that I didn’t faint at losing a ton of blood to the needle and my brother did, and this is yet another mini-installment in signs of gender dysphoria that small me didn’t register right here. And they said they’d call up about stuff after too - but before we left, the doctor said I should go on the contraceptive pill. It should probably horrify you to know that I knew what rape was when I was five, but I didn’t know what contraceptives were until I was twelve. But either way, I heard my mother refuse, and I wondered what it was, so I asked, and she explained that it gave you female hormones to make you not have children and that it was very bad because then you might not ever have children. I disagreed. It was very bad because it was female hormones. But even so, I was glad at the time that she’d said no.

Every single appointment - that is, twice a year - I got a call. Every single time I was asked if I wanted to go on the pill. I said no. I came up with lame excuses every time but I knew deep down it was always because I didn’t want to have any female hormones. My periods awfulness would vary. Initially it was always losing huge chunks of my weight, but more and more it’s manifested as me not being able to swallow anything at all bitter, and throwing up anything i’ve eaten if I try, and in having to pass enormous clumps through down there.

They started out smaller, like the size of the top joint of my thumb. It’s a sign of significant medical issues once you have a lump larger than a nickle / about a pound coin. I jumped from teeny tiny lumps to lumps about twice a diagnosable size. I had not been taught that lumps that size were not normal, and so I didn’t think it was anything significant when I was asked about it... plus, I knew they’d only suggest putting me on the Pill again...

My periods have always been pretty regular, as long as they’re not disrupted by intense stress (although I learned I could sleep less and make the periods less frequent, and that has to have been one of the worst decisions in terms of my grades I’ve ever made...), such that through the whole of biology in year 11 the worst stage of clumping would always be within the same half hour span on a Tuesday morning, during double biology. I used to deliberately hyperventilate, because when I was on the edge of fainting, I couldn’t feel it anymore. I couldn’t feel that disgusting lump making me acutely aware of an organ I do not want and did not ask for. I love biology. I hated having to miss periods of it for - hah - periods, every single month, but it was better than the alternative.

When I was 15, I started getting intense shooting pains through both sides, about the length of my hand below my ribs. When I went to the GP, I was questioned for what felt like hours, - with my mother STILL IN THE ROOM - if I had had sex with any boys, and whether I was pregnant. It made me feel genuinely ill to have the suggestion that I could ever be pregnant. And! Me! Having sex with someone putting their penis in me? No!

Turns out, once that questioning had stopped, I had ovarian cysts. On both sides. I’m almost guaranteed to be infertile - and I was told such at the time - because both of my ovaries had had it, and I’d had it on and off, and it had worsened over ovulation... and they were causing me enough pain that when they flaired up, I’d tense up, my back would curl defensively whether I wanted it or not, and I couldn’t get myself to move or talk. Those are not healthy ovaries. Honestly, it came as a relief to hear. I love the idea of having children, I really do, but to hear I wouldn’t be giving birth! Fucking great feeling, my dudes.

I hated going in the bathroom so much... I’d refuse to go. There were concert days, at least one each term where I’d have to leave the house at 8am and only get home at 10pm and I wouldn’t have gone to the loo in all that time because I hated the loo that much. It was relatively common to have to leave the house at 8am and get back at 6pm, or anything up to 8pm, and to have not gone to the loo in all that time. Anything more than about 4 hours gap regularly is bad for your health. The only time I would go to the loo in school was to get changed for PE on my own if I couldn’t deal with being with the girls (which happened a lot) or to deal with period matter.

During one lesson in year 9, double history, I felt the pad stick to the chair, and I didn’t dare budge an inch from where I was for the entire hour and a half. I procrastinated until I was the very last person sitting down from class still, and when I stood up, the pad ripped, and within a few seconds, the whole of the insides of both my legs were covered in blood. I knew I had to go to the loo to clear it up and replace the pad, but I still didn’t want to.

I started having clumps comparable to the size of the whole of the palm of my hand.

When I finally spoke about this to the doctor (and came up with yet more dumb excuses for why I didn’t want to be on the pill), they finally got me booked for an ultrasound. The forms stating what the procedure is say, by default, that you have to have instruments stuffed up your there so that they can see what’s going on internally, and I started presumably visibly panicking, judging by the fact that they immediately started discussing alternatives. You can have an external one through the front if you’ve not used a tampon or had vaginal sex, so if you’ve not done either of those, and you have period issues (especially to the same extent as me!), and the thought of anything up there also makes you panic, it’s probably best to continue to avoid them.

When I went up to the hospital, first i was super uncomfy because you have to drink a litre of water an hour before the ultrasound is done, and I knew that I’d have to go to the toilet there... but second, because the nurse doing it needs to have a lot of skin exposed. I get why. I also get why they picked a small, non-threatening looking woman to do it, but that also didn’t really help the discomfort. Nor did having to go into gynecology...

Anyway, normal period lining thickness is around 14mm thick at peak (obviously there’s a variation around that that’s perfectly healthy that’s a few mm wide). Mine was 34mm thick halfway through to ovulation. Which would explain how I basically manage to have a baby bump every month... And again, the nurse said I wouldn’t be getting pregnant. Embryos are not going to fare great in terms of getting enough nutrients there.

I liked the idea that my body was trying to provide for some stupidly manly baby. Only stupidly manly babies who could obliterate a uterus from the inside were welcome. Yep. It’s best not to question how I think sometimes but honestly I think I’ve made it sound as close to rational as I can there.

I had a panic attack over the phone call a year ago. I so wanted to say why I really didn’t want to go on the pill! And I was so scared that it was the only way to end the size of the clumping.

In July I managed to produce a whole collection of huge clumps, one the size of my whole thumb, one that was the length from my middle finger tip to the butt of my palm, and several others, all of which were very safely in menorrhagia territory... In September I managed to produce a clump the size of my fist...

I knew I didn’t want to have to deal with that any longer. But I’d also finally accepted I wanted nothing to do with me being feminine, and I knew what I had to say. And I started out the phonecall, literally last week, saying what I’d need to say as a numbered list and everything, setting it out. It still took me about 5 minutes from saying I had a third point and being prompted to say it that I finally got out my reasoning. I was asked what the issue was. I said again that it was female hormones and I didn’t want them. And again. And again. And again. And again. And then finally they got it.

I finally had an alternative suggested (which I still need to go and get sorted out because oh boy am I disorganised). And they said that the appointment was already longer than it technically should be, and that they really needed a good section of time to talk about how my gender interacted with my “haemophilia” and so they said they’d book my an appointment, not say what the appointment was about on the letter, but that that appointment would be about gender, and would be in my Easter holidays.

I think I practically died of excitement at having something gender-affirming to do officially that’d maybe be a first step in transitioning.

And then I checked my email this morning.

The letter has arrived at my parents’ house. My mother opened it. And she scanned it and sent it to me.

Her thoughts weren’t to scribble out her address and put mine and mail it along like a sensible human being with a basic comprehension of what boundaries are. NOPE, not my mother, not the woman who’d recommend that a 10 year old become pregnant. Of course not. No, she had to go and open confidential medical letters. And she didn’t even have any shame about that! Just straight up emailing me about having done so, and showing me proof that she had done so!

I’m so bloody relieved that the hospital were truthful about that, and that it wasn’t specific at all and just listed the hospital department I have to go to for it (which actually is the haemophilia department). That would have been a fricking awful way to be outed. Can you imagine that? Parents who told a 12 year old that if he turned out to be a lesbian, they’d kick him out the house. As a 12 year old. Who said to not even talk to trans people, let alone make friends with them. Who nearly broke off contact with their kids’ godparents’ son because he came out as pansexual. Who rant about how “society’s gone too far” and that “you can’t just choose” and that TERFs are completely and utterly right about everything for a full week after a single comment is made. Honestly I don’t think I’ve ever more concisely said why it’s taken me so long to actually admit that yep, I’m trans, and also to try coming out to any family members. Can you imagine? Finding out from having precisely 0% of a concept of privacy? My mother was horrified enough when my brother mentioned he was getting his tubes cut and that he and his wife are planning to adopt kids instead. Can you imagine her reaction?

I really really need to be able to safely permanently move out, if only so that my mother doesn’t think it’s okay to look through my medical letters.

Also yes that whole first bit was there because I never feel like I’ve vented enough about it ever and it’s fucking awful and it needs a lot of venting. ... but also to give a scope of the medical neglect from my parents and the level of reproductive control in their house, and to give some context to the stupid lengths they’ll go to to avoid having to deal that some people would really rather not have anything to do with what would make them fertile.

Hopefully now all that is vented I’ll actually be able to focus on what I’m meant to be doing. Which is working out where I’m gonna go for my year abroad. Which, incidentally, I’m going to be Out for, whether my parents approve or not. Also hopefully me actually posting this gives some people a reassurance that yes it’s fine to hate your periods, they suck, and honestly I feel bad for everyone on their periods no matter how much lighter they are than mine, and even if they aren’t a dysphoria inducing nightmare. All periods suck.

#periods #trans #transphobia #menorrhagia #haemophilia #tw:gore #gore #seriously gore #body horror #tbh yes i do think that my parents' behaviour probably falls under abuse #cpd #dysphoria #seriously i hope i can focus more #this has been bugging me all day

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starmarketingz · 3 years

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Why is selling life insurance preferable to MLM or network marketing?

People prefer to purchase what they desire rather than what they need.

However, no one wants to acquire life insurance, but it is purchased because it is required. MLM usually sells the newest and best idea, product, or concept. People will buy it in the hopes of using it as a visual aid to persuade others to make a similar purchase. The main difference between life insurance and other types of insurance is that you cannot purchase it; instead, you must apply for it and wait to find out whether you are accepted. People are more inclined to fill out a Life Insurance application to check whether they qualify in the hopes of receiving its protection. MLMs, on the other hand, are all about purchasing the dream. However, the dream is never real. In other words, no matter what product or service is offered in MLM, it is never a need. MLMs do not include anything that you are required to have. It's all about the feeling of wanting more. The MLM sales pitch is more concerned with the fictitious buzz than with the reality of the event.

We are all aware that we will all die. We all perish in this planet. The only way out of here is to perish. Reality dictates that when we die, someone will be left to grieve. Reality also dictates that we must be buried, which comes at a cost. If we do not plan for the unavoidable, it may cause difficulty for our family members, disrupting the grieving time. Not applying for a Life Insurance coverage is the same as not caring about your family and the responsibilities that may fall on them without you. MLM does not wield such influence. MLM goods include cell phones, lotions, potions, and medicines, legal services, water filters, and make-up, to mention a few. True, having a mobile phone handy if your vehicle breaks down in the middle of the night is a good idea. When a judge orders you not to return to court without a lawyer, you must have a legal strategy in place. Will we, nevertheless, retain the product when the necessity has passed? The necessity for Life Insurance is only met once. The strategy is intended to safeguard us on a daily basis since no one can anticipate when they will die. The Unexpected Occurs Unexpectedly Death is never predictable. A week ago, I was watching the news when a young kid made the winning shot in a high school basketball game and then died minutes later. What a shame that at a time when he, his family, and friends should have been rejoicing, they all unexpectedly became mourning. Life insurance is not offered for that purpose, believe it or not. Life insurance is marketed for what it doesn't do rather than for what it is. What do you believe is most essential to the family in the headline article before this paragraph? I don't believe the parents were thinking after their kid died, "Wow, I'm happy we bought that Life Insurance policy." To be honest, I'm sure they never considered insurance at all. Life insurance accomplishes one thing: it takes the stress out of unforeseen circumstances. When you have what you need when you need it, you have peace of mind. Life insurance may pay off a mortgage so that a family can retain their house when the breadwinner dies. MLM cannot provide a need that life insurance can. Life insurance should not be marketed as a multi-level marketing product. But what happens when a business attempts to include Life Insurance as an MLM product? The requirement is no longer required. The general impression of an MLM is that you purchase the product to stay current. Life insurance is more than just a passing fad. It is a component of a regulated sector that all financial authorities strongly endorse and respect. Another distinction is that in order to sell life insurance, you must prepare for and pass a state-sponsored test. While the examination is not difficult, many people are frightened by the prospect of taking an exam. The advantage of being in a regulated business over the unlicensed field of MLM players is that those who attempt to mislead or harm others may be swiftly removed and banned. This safeguards the industry as well as the individual efforts of individuals who truly enjoy assisting those in need. http://EzineArticles.com/6042906 is the source of this article.

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wineanddinosaur · 3 years

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Next Round: Keeping Krug Champagne Cool with Maggie Henríquez

On this episode of “Next Round,” host Adam Teeter chats with Maggie Henríquez, president and CEO of Krug, about the pioneering Champagne house. Henríquez details the brand’s robust history and why it is influential among the trade in the wine world. She also explains how Krug collaborates with other houses. In addition, listeners will learn of Henríquez’s day-to-day schedule in her role as president and CEO, which is nothing short of busy.

Henríquez gives her two cents about what luxury means in the wine world, explaining that luxury is about disruption, change, and furthering an experience. Finally, Henríquez gives listeners tips on how to advance their careers in the alcohol industry.

Tune in and visit https://www.krug.com/ to learn more.

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Or Check Out the Conversation Here

Adam Teeter: From VinePair’s New York City headquarters, I’m Adam Teeter, and this is a “Next Round” conversation. We’re bringing you these conversations in between our regular podcast episodes to give you a better picture of what’s going on in the alcohol beverage world. Today, I’m very lucky to be speaking with Maggie Henríquez, the CEO and president of Krug Champagne. Maggie, thank you so much for joining me.

Maggie Henríquez: Thank you very much for inviting me. Pleasure.

A: Oh, it’s a pleasure to have you. Obviously, a lot of people who listen to the podcast are very familiar with Krug. It’s probably the brand in the world of wine in general that is the most known, especially among the trade. And I want to get into why you think that is in a little bit. Before we chat about Krug, I’d love to talk about you. Can you just give me a brief rundown of your background and how you got into this industry in the first place?

M: Well, I would say I’ve been in this industry all my life because my father was already in wines and spirits. I started as a system engineer in my career in 1978, but it was with cosmetics and perfumes. Then, I moved into wine and spirits with systems in 1982. Since 1982, I have been working with wines and spirits. In 1986, I moved into the commercial market, including the operations. Since then, with the exception of the years from 1995 to 2001, I was the president of Nabisco in Mexico. I went alone to Mexico with my two kids. I had just got divorced and because I was alone, I wanted to do something I could share with the kids. They were 15 and 11, and this is it. This piece of my life where I went into food, and then I went back into wines and spirits. Out of my 43 years working, 32 have been in wines and spirits.

A: Amazing. When did you become president and CEO of Krug?

M: I joined this group, LVMH Krug, in the wine and spirits division in 2001. Then, I went to Argentina. This is the time that I passed in the ‘80s. I was very much connected with wine and spirits, especially wine on the tasting side and the commercial and tasting side. I was very much a spirits person from the beginning of my career. It was in Argentina in 2001 where I got very connected to the vineyards and wine-growing, the production, and the whole process. After being in Argentina when the work was well done, and the group was happy, at the end of 2008, the president then, Christophe Navarre, invited me to come work with Krug. I arrived at Krug in January 2009.

A: OK, so since 2009, you’ve been the CEO and president correct?

M: Exactly.

A: When we look at Krug as a brand, it’s a brand that is more beloved and well known than almost any other wine brand in the world, especially amongst the trade. As someone with so much experience in the industry, why do you think that is? What is it about Krug that makes it so beloved and revered among this influential group of people in the wine world?

M: I think there are brands that are more known such as Dom Pérignon and Moët. They have strong runs. It is true that Krug has enormous respect from the trade. I believe that this is connected to the fact that historically, Krug, through generations, has always been very high quality, very prestigious. I think that the fact that we really changed the way we communicated from early on. In 2011, we put in every bottle of Krug the story of the bottle, transparency, openness, and giving the people information that allowed them to discover and connect with the Champagne. This had helped the house enormously. We are already very respectful, but in addition to that, they got all the information, and so they felt very respected. I think this decision and this amazing historical reputation combine itself with openness, transparency, and giving people a sense of respect and importance. This is what finally puts this house in the mind of all these friends in very high positions because it is true that the house has an approach that is unique in Champagne. It is also true that it is a house that was founded with this obsession of very high quality. When you see ratings, people evaluate Krug very highly. I think this combination of love and respect and a house that goes back to its origins of connecting. We are a house that is very discreet about emotional belonging and emotional connection. We’ve been building these links back with our friends. All of this together puts the house very high in the mind of our friends.

A: You talked a little bit about the unique positioning that Krug has in the world of Champagne. For those that aren’t familiar with that positioning, can you explain to the listeners what you think it is that really makes Krug stand out as such a different Champagne from a lot of very highly respected cuvées, whether they’re Dom Pérignon or Billecart? What is it about Krug that is so unique?

M: This is interesting because this really links us back to the origin of the house, to the foundation. It is this man named Joseph Krug, who arrived in Champagne in 1834. We have to think that 1834 is already 110 years after the first house of Champagne was founded. You have an industry that is well settled, and this man is from abroad. He came from Mainz in Germany but when he was born in the 1800s in France, he lost his nationality to the Prussians, and he always wanted to become French again. He arrived in Champagne, France in 1864 and he started working with one of two major houses of Champagne. Those days, the two major houses of Champagne were Moët and Jacquesson. He was working at Jacquesson, and it was his dream to work in Champagne. At that time, they had the greatest wine in the world, so he came to work at Jacquesson, and he discovered the industry. He discovered the practices, and it was a well-settled industry. This is when he realizes that normally every house makes a light, easy-to-drink, no-complexity Champagne. Now, in some good climatic years, they make a vintage. Historically, better Champagne was a vintage, because a vintage was always a selection of better wine to make them interesting. This is the way Champagne manages in general. Then this guy said, “Why do we have to wait for a good year to make great Champagne? I would like to make the best Champagne I can offer to my clients every year.” He decided to have a different approach to Champagne. This is how the House of Krug started, with the philosophy of following every plot in Champagne. You have 275,000 plots in 30,000 hectares, so normally, people don’t go and try to understand every little plot as one wine. The house has since the beginning. You might have a good climate or a bad climate. When you have a bad climate, you have very dangerous behavior from the soil so he said, “You have to go element by element, plot by plot.” How do we know this? Well, he left everything written down because he knew he was doing something unique and different. In 1848, he left everything written to his son because his son was 6 years old when he was 48. He was afraid that he would die, and his principles wouldn’t be perpetrated. So, he wrote very clearly the importance of following every element by element, every plot as one wine, and only those that were at the level it should be. He said very clearly, “You can make Champagne by using regular, old, or even mediocre elements, but these are exceptions on which you can never rely or you may damage the operation or lose our reputation.” He was very clear on this. Then, he says a good house should create only two Champagnes of the same composition, which means at the same point. He has this different approach because he has a different dream. He wants to create something that didn’t exist, and this is programmed to it. His idea was every year we’re going to make a tribute to Champagne to illustrate the diversity of this region, so we use the three grape varieties. We go all over the region of Champagne where there is a good terroir, and we transform that terroir into wine. We can follow it block by block, follow it year by year. This is the idea of this man who said, “I cannot create a good climate every year, but I can build a library. I can build a library with many colors of many different years of these individual wines related to a very individual plot.” He also said, “We build the library, and I will be able to receive what nature gives me every year and I will go look for the missing colors to recreate the multi-color Champagne.” This is what Krug creates, which is really the most original Champagne of a house. It is something that doesn’t exist outside the house. Why Krug is very unique is because it has a unique approach. This man had a different objective than the rest of Champagne. Do you add to that? Of course, as time passes, you learn more, you understand better. You have more tools to do what you need. Finally, you evolve, but the beauty of the house is you can say this is the house where everything is changed and nothing has changed. We follow the principles of what makes this house what it is. It’s a house where we don’t filter, we don’t do treatment. The house is almost zero-intervention. All of this is fate because it has an approach that is very unique and totally oriented to these obsessions.

A: Amazing. With so many accolades that the Champagne has received, have you seen it influence other houses, other Champagnes in the region? In the world of wine and spirits, the experience that you have is that usually, when brands are as successful as Krug — I don’t want to call them copycats — but there are people who take what that brand is doing and try to replicate it in some way because the brand is seeing such success. Have you seen that in your career with Krug?

M: Yes, it’s very interesting because at the beginning when I arrived, the house used to talk for six years about the oak barrels. The oak barrels are really tools, not more, and talking about the oak barrels is similar to going to a restaurant and the chef comes out and you want to congratulate the chef for the good food. You say that your food was fabulous and he answers, “Well, I cooked a small casserole. Who cares?” We used to talk about oak barrels, and people thought it was just about that, but we never talked about the why. The reason we use oak barrels is that we needed containers to be able to isolate every product as one wine. And this is the major issue. With time, we started to talk correctly about the house. This has been only in the last 10 years, so it’s been very short. We had the growers, we tried to help them technically also in their Champagnes, and because we became totally transparent, we invited many Champagne makers. They come to the house, they ask all the questions they want, and we answer them. We really like to do as much as we can because we go everywhere in Champagne and we followed from the beginning every plot by plot. We have a system that now is digitalized, so we really follow the plot, and every year we follow it. We are now studying the soil, and we want to really get all this information about the terroir and the connection with what you expect in wine. We want to give this information to the whole Champagne world. We don’t want to keep this for ourselves. Whatever we can do to help the whole region go further, we will do it. I believe the houses that were initially using the oak barrels, today are more oriented to the fact that smaller batches are important to assure quality. Even I remember when I saw the new facilities of Moët & Chandon, and they said, “We are observing and we are following Krug, because they do things in smaller proportions.” This allows you to be closer to the beauty of one plot or the beautiful few plots in the case of the Champagne approach. When I discovered Krug, which was 30 years ago, for the first time when I was in this tasting with the brewers. Brewers came to the house, and they saw the results of their work. This lady had three plots and the three plots had glasses, three wines. The first two were marvelous. The third was over-ripened. The cellar master told her, “You see, madam, I have the intuition. You picked the grapes on the same day because the first two are beautiful. I have already told you many times that this little plot is very exposed to the sun, and it has to be picked four days before.” In the end, he said, “Well, madam, I’m so sorry for this little plot we love so much. We have to leave the house.” That means we pay for it, but we never use it. Then, you find this little book of the founder that says exactly that. When you are not at the level, you don’t use it. It’s a very, very protected house. Craftsmanship without compromise. I believe that this is what people feel when they taste the Champagnes of the house.

A: Amazing. So let’s step a little bit away from Krug and more to you. For those that are curious, me being one of them, what does a day in your life or your role look like as president and CEO of Krug? Obviously, you take time to speak with people like me and to really promote the house. But can you give us a picture of what your job really entails as the president and CEO?

M: It is difficult because it is a crowded day. It is true, I like to do a lot of training, so I work a lot with schools and universities. I do a lot of conferences for masters. I work a lot in luxury brand building because I’m fascinated by the concept because luxury is being badly used. When you talk about luxury, what is luxury? Luxury is that light that we like to pass for others. You see these people who find new ways of doing things to get further. I have been fascinated by the whole understanding of what luxury is, how you build it, the level of time you need, the coherence you need, and the strong commitment that you must have. I do a lot of training on this matter. I also train in Champagne and I do training in wines. I do lots of training with universities and also for the house. I am an ambassador of the house of Krug, of course. Then, I work a lot in communications with the region. I have my group of women and we have a very diverse group. I really like to do this because I believe a lot in collective actions. I also do a lot of working with the teams to make sure that the vision is always clear and that all decisions we make are all aligned to the vision. You need to keep the vision alive all the time. Finally, there is one group that also we have to put into LVMH. There is a lot of internal work and also in connecting with the group and the division. Combining that, the day starts very early and ends very late, but I really love what I do, so I am happy.

A: It sounds like an amazing day and really interesting and exciting.

M: I play sports, too, so that is something I also do.

A: You have some things outside of work, which is great.

M: Yes.

A: Like you, I am fascinated by marketing and luxury branding. I think that there are so many amazing things that you can do when you’re able to build a luxury product. When I talk to people in the industry, my opinion is always that LVMH, more than any other company in the beverage space, whether it’s spirits or the wine divisions, does the best job at creating luxury brands. I’m curious about your opinion. Obviously, we know Champagne as being the biggest luxury area of the world of wine. But if you were to look at one other skew, whether that be rosé, Bordeaux, etc., what do you think is the most likely to be the next luxury group? Is it rosé? Is it going to be Whispering Angel and things like that that will be able to achieve luxury?

M: Probably one day. Honestly, it’s why I did my thesis because I ended my Ph.D. last year. My thesis was about wines and luxury. Specifically, why the luxury series does not apply and explain what luxury wines are. The truth is that many years ago, high-end Champagne was a high-end priced wine, but this is not the case today. Today, the wine has gone further in value. You have these wines like Burgundy where the prices are impressive. The world of wine has been transformed during these last 40 years because of the enduring of the New World. The New World facilitated the connection with the consumer and consumers got interested in wine. Then, they go for the high end. This puts pressure on the wines because these are small domaines, and there’s no way you can expand so the prices of wine have gone really, really up. I think there is a little bit of the fact that Champagne is still linked with celebration. We try not to be that, but it’s a reality. The fact that you are relating to celebration puts the Champagne secondary to the celebration. Do you see the difference?

A: Yeah.

M: In the case of wine, wine can be at the center of an encounter. Wine, 40 years ago, was considered masculine and it was about wine accompanying food into a total experience. Now, it is mostly feminine. I think there is a way for Champagne to continue to build on this luxury. Today, there are some wines that I would say are not built because none of the wine and spirits we can say that we control the whole value chain, which is something fundamental to build a luxury brand. However, this is a theory and I ended my thesis with a chapter dedicated to what should be the principles in building a luxury brand in wine. The truth is, the first luxury brand in the world was a wine. It was in 1521: Haut-Brion. It was the first ever because it was the first to completely change the profile of the wines. Luxury is about disruption. It is about changing. It’s about bringing something that nobody is expecting, but it takes you further as an experience. It’s true that in the world of wines today, you have some houses that are really strongly placed, very high for the consumers. In Champagne, we are strong as brands, but I think we can move further.

A: Wow. OK, cool, that’s amazing.

M: We have to take it away from just celebration. This is why we invite people to really enjoy Champagne differently. In a white wine glass, don’t use flutes. Flutes are just a symbol, but it is not going to allow you to enjoy the Champagne. Champagne, before anything, is a wine. Champagne, before anything, is about good wine so why would you put good wines in flutes? We invite people to enjoy Champagne differently. It is there to accompany food because it’s really elegant and so respectful. Good Champagne is there to accompany this strong experience, but this is all really the beginning. Eight years ago, we invited musicians to create sensations in music. You can find the Krug iDs through Google or an application. You can download it for nothing from Apple, and you can get all the different music that has been either produced or searched to go with every one of our Champagnes. You can have all these gastronomic proposals to go with the Champagne at the same time. For example, when to use a white wine glass or red wine glass. It is there to not complicate yourself and also not too cool because if it’s too cold, you don’t feel anything. This is still something I say in this way. Champagne still needs to be discovered more as what it is, and locations have to be amplified for Champagne to be really valued for what it is.

A: It makes a lot of sense. One last question for you. We have a lot of listeners to the podcast who obviously work in the world of wine, beer, and spirits. They’re making their careers — whether they’re currently on the floor or they’re on the brand side, the marketing side, etc. You have had such an impressive career. I’m curious, what advice would you have for a young person listening to this podcast who says, “I would love to be where Maggie is at the end of my career. I’d love to get there.” What would be your advice for what they should be doing, and what they should be thinking about in order to achieve the success that you have?

M: Thank you so much. I always doubt because there are no formulas, but there are some principles that I think are important. The first is to never, never stop studying. We have to continue to research. We live in the area of information. There’s so much information out there. Let’s never think we know. I always like this message. It was in 2016 and a friend said, “I want to give you a gift. I play tennis and one day I discovered I was in front of Federer, and this is the story I want to tell you. I realized that I love the feeling I had, and why? Because I realized I was in front of excellence. Federer in tennis is excellent, and in front of excellence, you have nothing else to do but to question yourself.” I love this because I think this is such a strong message. You can always bring excellence in front of you. What I propose is for people to fight for their beliefs. Don’t get complacent with what you receive if what you receive is not what you think you need. Fight for what you think you need and do not be afraid of bringing in new things. Test new things and test new experiences. I think this is fundamental because the world will be for those who find new ways of doing things. For example, if you do things like the others, you’re just doing things like the others. You are not bringing anything new to the table. If people want to really go further, there’s a lot of work, a lot of learning, and a lot of humbleness. Be humble and work with people. Be close to people. Also, hierarchies should not exist. Hierarchies aren’t there for you to make decisions, nothing is. Listen, because you can find so much information from so many people at all different levels. Be able to listen twice and talk once. And especially, fight for your beliefs and never negotiate your values.

A: I love that. I love the pieces you dropped, especially about trying to get in front of excellence to continue to challenge yourself. Also, this idea that hierarchy is only for decision-making, but nothing else, and across the board that it’s collaborative. I think that is really important for the development of careers. Maggie, this has been an amazing conversation. Thank you so much for talking to me about your career and about Krug. It’s been just lovely having you on the podcast, and I really appreciate your time.

M: Thank you very much.

Thanks so much for listening to the “VinePair Podcast.” If you love this show as much as we love making it, then please give us a rating or review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever it is you get your podcasts. It really helps everyone else discover the show.

Now for the credits, VinePair is produced and recorded in New York City and in Seattle, Wash., by myself and Zach Geballe, who does all the editing and loves to get the credit. Also, I would love to give a special shout-out to my VinePair co-founder, Josh Malin, for helping make all this possible and also to Keith Beavers, VinePair’s tastings director who is additionally a producer on the show. I also want to, of course, thank every other member of the VinePair team who are instrumental in all of the ideas that go into making the show every week. Thanks so much for listening, and we’ll see you again.

Ed. note: This episode has been edited for length and clarity.

The article Next Round: Keeping Krug Champagne Cool with Maggie Henríquez appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/krug-champagne-maggie-henriquez/

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johnboothus · 3 years

Text

Next Round: Keeping Krug Champagne Cool with Maggie Henríquez

Tune in and visit https://www.krug.com/ to learn more.

Listen Online

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Listen on Spotify

Or Check Out the Conversation Here

Maggie Henríquez: Thank you very much for inviting me. Pleasure.

A: Amazing. When did you become president and CEO of Krug?

A: OK, so since 2009, you’ve been the CEO and president correct?

M: Exactly.

A: It sounds like an amazing day and really interesting and exciting.

M: I play sports, too, so that is something I also do.

A: You have some things outside of work, which is great.

M: Yes.

A: Yeah.

A: Wow. OK, cool, that’s amazing.

M: Thank you very much.

Ed. note: This episode has been edited for length and clarity.

The article Next Round: Keeping Krug Champagne Cool with Maggie Henríquez appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/krug-champagne-maggie-henriquez/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/next-round-keeping-krug-champagne-cool-with-maggie-henriquez

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mariajustinteriordesigns · 3 years

Text

My Business During Corona + New Online Class - Coming Soon!

Hello friends, it’s so nice to sit here today with good tunes playing and my coffee nearby. I’m watching the ice rain (!) fall gently outside thinking, “Ok, the weather sucks, Corona is totally in “game-on” mode, so it’s the PERFECT time to improve a business and do what you’ve always wanted to do.”

Right? Oh yeah.

And this is exactly the truth. It’s time. There is no other time like the present, particularly with Corona, no vacations to plan or go on, no parties to attend or throw, holidays and birthdays are a bust, nothing to distract - you can’t even indulge in a little retail therapy… Yet there is a silver lining and it’s this: there is NO TIME LIKE NOW for figuring out what you want to be when you grow up or to level up your current business.

THERE IS NO DISTRACTION!

Yes, maybe the kids are homeschooling (my boy is only in school every other day for half a day), and you have a struggle getting time management down if you’re home with the children. I get that. I’m with you. Or perhaps you aren’t working as much and trying to make ends meet. Perhaps you ARE working but just damn sick of doing the same ole same ole. If that’s the case, maybe you have thought:

I SERIOUSLY NEED TO RUN A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS FROM HOME.

Well, have you thought that?

You can.

I’ve been working from home since 2005. No joke. I resigned from my corporate job, back then I was earning 75K a year as a project manager. I resigned and made $0 for the first 3 months. But I started my blog, decor8, and within a year, I was earning what I made in corporate, and by the second year, I was earning double that, and now it’s been 15 years working freelance, running primarily a home-based one-woman show, and I’m 100% certain I can sustain this until retirement and beyond. I will always be an entrepreneur.

Yes, there have been some minor (and a current major speed bump) along the way, but the major speed bump came after nearly 15 years during 2020. It took a GLOBAL PANDEMIC to disrupt me and my business. A pandemic.

If Corona hadn’t occurred, I’d still be running my business securely as I have been for 15 years which means that if I can do it, so can you. And after Corona, we all WILL if we get it together NOW. At the moment, I’ve decided to pivot a bit. I’m using this precious time to really think about what I love, what I miss, what I don’t miss, and what I need going forward to make me, and decor8, better.

Here is what I’ve decided so far:

1 / I need to make my business more digitally-focused (and fun!) again.

2 / I want to be in closer touch with my people (all of you) because it fuels my creativity and makes me happy.

3/ I will write my 5th book, a big coffee table book, part two of DECORATE.

4/ I must get back to teaching, online and in-person because I taught online from 2009-2018, and before that, part of my job in corporate was as a trainer for 7 years, so it’s just part of my DNA to teach.

5/ Create something from HOLLY magazine that makes me happy and has value to all of you.

6/ Eventually build something brand new that I’ve never done before to mix-in, just to keep me entertained and happy. Maybe a retail shop (yeah, I know - of all things).

7/ Once fairs start, attend only 4-5 each year vs. 10+

8/ Launch online classes again because they are the heart of my heart and always brought me the most light and happiness.

9/ Be less shy of video and start doing my own, more and more, evolving it into something greater.

10/ Not accept being called an Influencer anymore (especially by brands), cutting myself out of that market altogether, because I don’t like what it conveys. I don't want to influence or force anyone, I want to represent, guide, teach, be known as a tastemaker even… But not an influencer. I’m far beyond that in my career, with my experience, and at my age. I don’t want to dance or sing on TikTok.

So that’s my list.

What things have you decided for yourself and your business for 2021 and even, beyond?

And what is your list? Can you share it below?

Next, in line no. 8 above, I’m relaunching Blogging Your Way online classes under a new name: decor8 courses. Very simple and directly related to my brand. Blogging Your Way evolved throughout the years to include styling classes, photography lessons, Instagram training and so much more than traditional blogging. It makes sense to rebrand simply as decor8 courses because then I don’t have to stick to one topic.

I also decided to create a community around decor8 courses so that my students can always stay logged in months after the class is over and talk to each other, and receive regular drips of content from me. Students will also have lifetime access to the class, and when I update the class modules for future students, they get all of the updates for free because it’s included in their one-time payment when they originally enroll in the class.

This means I also dissolved bloggingyourway.com and I dropped WordPress where the class had been built by my husband, and drop the forum on that site that he had worked to develop over the years. It’s over and I’m fine with it and so is he. He left decor8 in 2018, he was a partner from 2009 until 2018, but he went his own way with his business and I went my way. He does a lot of work for interesting brands, like Skandinavisk, and I’m happy for him - because he is usually what he was trained in and what he’s best at for brands that need him. He’s an expert at extracting data and making sense of it and as a result, helping businesses to really grow and thrive. Working together indefinitely was never part of our plan, it just sorta happened based on the urgency of the moment. My classes were hugely popular and I needed help and he was here, he is technically gifted, and so he became the go-to for managing my teaching “platform”.

With him out of the business, I had to consider how to rebuild the classes because WordPress and multiple plug-ins and having regular conversations with plug-in developers, etc. just wasn’t my thing. I shopped around and found two sites that will make my teaching dreams come true again, but on platforms that I am able to maintain. I understand the technology and actually used to build websites back in the good old days of coding in HTML, but a lot of changed since then, and I haven’t kept up with site builds and maintenance in so long, and server management, etc. that I definitely had to find an easy solution for running the new class site.

When the next class goes live for enrollment, if you want to get your business back in shape, or make your current business stronger and better, you really need to invest in this class. I mean, it’s gonna be the bomb. It’s not much of an investment at $329, but for some of you, it may be… And this is why I kept the course price low - so everyone who wants in can get in and if you sign up for my mailing list, you can get it for $50 off the enrollment so it’s only $279 for you.

SUBSCRIBE FOR $50 OFF

It would be easy for me to charge over $1,000 for it, because the new class will be better than any I’ve ever taught online - fuller, richer, more dynamic, more guest experts, lifetime access, a lifetime community (and no, not a Facebook group!), and just better all around. But for $329 ($279 with the code) you can experience something quite fantastic and loaded with all the help that you need to take your blog, Instagram and newsletters to the next level because really, these are THE three core channels, the foundation, of any successful online business and that’s why I’m kicking off the new decor8 courses with a class dedicated to those topics.

SO my dear friends… that’s an update from my home office to you. Wishing you much love and support in these difficult times. I’m here for you (always) and once the class is live, I’ll let you know and you can enroll and then, we can be together for 5 weeks and ROCK YOUR BUSINESS.

Love,

Holly

Photos by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

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