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taehyungsbabyygirl · 3 years

Text

Socialità

Chapter 1

Genres: Light fluff, tinge of romance and wholesome(?)

Warning(s): The littlest bit of sexual tension if you squint

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Fortune, fame, beauty.

Those are the things that people had associated you with.

Who does not know Y/F/N Y/L/N? You're basically in every magazine cover, every Youtube thumbnail and news headline. Surpassing Kylie Jenner as quote unquote The World's Richest Young Businesswoman and even beating Ariana Grande as the most followed female influencer on Instagram.

Who really are you? Well, to explain it simply to people who are unaware of you, your businesses and socialite status, you are the owner of a multi-billion dollar brand.

What started with a small online business at 16 which sells nightwear for women with affordable, cheap prices had bloomed into a luxury brand known for their elegant, classy clothing line, ranging from lingerie to formal clothing such as glamorous dresses to charming suits and tuxedos for both men and women.

The brand name? After years of rebranding, it's finally official that the name is, Socialità. Fitting with your brand's target market which were rich socialites from across the globe. Of course there was a reason for that, considering that the materials were high quality, imported ones such as satin and silk from Japan, Egyptian cotton, and French lace, also the designing and productions team who were amongst the best in the art of fashion and exclusivity of everything that was made under the brand, without a doubt would result in a higher cost of production and simultaneously a higher price for the merchandise itself.

And all this success did not come easy, there were countless times when you wanted to hideaway and give up on everything you had invested on. At the age of 28, you finally got to where you are now, thriving with the business that you had built with your own bare hands from the confines of your own bedroom.

But, there was one thing that you were lacking in, the love department. Although you were pretty much well-known by youngsters to elders alike, luck does not seem to be on your side when it comes to romantic relationships. It's not that you weren't romantic or sweet enough, gosh you are a hopeless romantic actually, but you just somehow fall for the wrong person, time and time again.

All the people you had dated once you established a name in the fashion world were either self-centered jerks or gold-digging leeches who were only there for the fame and riches. It's as if you had dated way more men than Taylor Swift ever had, except, you don't call these people out in songs.

Aside from owning a lavish clothing brand and billions to your name, having to work with socialite circles, had granted you the socialite status too. You'd be lying if you say that no rich bachelor had tried to flirt around with you but, your previous horrible experiences with dating as a successful businesswoman made you put your guard up and in the end turning you into the most sought after bachelorette of the 21st century.

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"What??? The Bachelorette?? Gosh guys, that would be a horrible idea." You shook your head, swirling the red wine in your glass before sipping on it.

It was a normal weekend evening for you and your peers aka your personal management team which consisted of Selma, Carrie, Lulu, Trey and Giovanni. Sitting in the dining room of your enormous mansion in Calabasas while drinking cheap wine and munching on Cheeto Puffs.

You just finished ranting about how you are so unlucky in love and that you're almost turning 30, without being cuffed to someone. In your opinion, people in their late 20s had already met that person and having good balance in their work, social and love lives but you're here having a nonexistent love life instead.

Tired of constantly listening to the same rants over and over again, Giovanni proposed that you put yourself in a controversial yet exciting TV show, The Bachelorette.

"Girllll you should give The Bachelorette a try, I mean I know that the show is basically scripted but it seems exciting, no?" Giovanni chirped.

"Oh my god yasssss! I'd have the time of my life if I'm surrounded by a dozen of good-looking hunks!" Carrie joined in and daydreamed.

You snorted and put your glass down on the marble surface of the table.

"Yeah but the men on there are usually insincere and only in it for their 60 seconds of fame and the winner of the show is probably just motivated by money. What difference does it make with me going to a private party or nightclub and getting to know dudes there?" You retorted; brow raising to your two friends.

"Sis, the difference is, these men would have to submit a form regarding their background and audition for the show! If you want, we could even be your reps during the audition. We know who are the best people for you!" Selma answered your rhetorical question while pouring herself another glass of wine. She's your PA and bestie so she knew how to reply with the same energy as yours.

Sighing deeply with your fingers pinching your nose bridge, you thought once, twice, thrice and made your decision. Well, what's the worst that could happen right?

"Fine, fine! I'm in with the idea. But if this thing goes south, I.Am.Out." The dominant businesswoman persona in you presented herself whilst the others, especially Giovanni, cheered upon your agreement with their idea.

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After months of preparations for your big reality TV debut, it was finally the day for the first week of The Bachelorette. Although you're the one being the prize and the one being chased, you felt uneasy and nervous to meet the men who had passed the auditions to become contestants.

"Don't worry! Me and Giovanni made sure that we only let the best ones pass the audition. And when I say the best ones, I meant, socialites, doctors, businessmen and even kinsmen of royalty!"

"Only the best for our QUEEN!"

Those were the words that came out of Selma and Gio's mouths. Thankfully you have these reliable people to help filter through the applicants of the program. If you gave the show's producers 100% control over who comes in and comes out of the show, it'll be a hot mess and they'd probably choose the men based on their looks and bulkiness but not necessarily the brains and skills.

Throughout the audition process, all of the men's background and names were kept a secret from you by Selma and Gio, it'll be a surprise, they said and you trusted them with it.

Sitting at the back of a limousine alone, you started to fidget with the dangling diamond of your earring subconsciously; a habit that you developed whenever you had cold feet.

The vehicle was heading towards the villa where the first meeting would happen between you, the bachelorette and your suitors.

You and the production team had discussed about how the first meeting would be. You thought that the idea of having to stand in front of the villa's front door while the men arrive in limos were quite cringy and not to mention time-consuming and unnatural so you proposed the idea of having the men arrive in a first come first serve basis and sit in numbered rooms in the villa while awaiting you. In that way, you could see who was punctual and who was late. But the catch is, the contestants only have 5 minutes to chat up with you and leave a good first impression.

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Alas, you finally reached the villa and stepped out of the automobile. Your dress was a satin, rosé coloured one with a modified A-line, basque waist and halter neckline; glamorous yet not over the top, suitable for a socialite like you.

Not wasting any time, once the cameras started rolling, you entered the ginormous villa and headed upstairs to the rooms, knocking the door gently before entering the space.

The first man you met was Kim Namjoon, he introduced himself as an engineer, a sound engineer. He was confident from the get go and eloquent too.

"Hmm an engineer ay?" You propped your head with the palm of your hand; leaning against the couch's back pillows.

"Yeah.. My family insisted I do that. I wanted to be a musician at first, and that's why I took up sound engineering now." He gave out a dimple smile which you couldn't help but grin at. They're adorable.

You liked his presence and how outspoken he was but sadly the 5 minutes were before you knew it.

Next, you met up with a gentleman named Im Jaebum. A winery owner. He gave you a warm hug from the first time you entered the room.

"I heard that you're a wine conoisseur yourself Y/N? I'd love to take you to Napa Valley where my winery is. I'm sure we'll have a blast there." He smiled and acted a bit smug.

"That sounds like a plan.. I'm not a person who would say no to wine." You replied with a light wink, returning the smugness to him.

Continuing on, after Jaebum, you entered a room which looked bigger than the previous two you'd been in.

By the big window, there was a man with broad shoulders who introduced himself as Kim Seokjin, as he turned around, he greeted you and pecked your hand.

"Nice to meet you I'm Kim Seokjin, just call me Jin." He smiled softly, inviting you to sit down next to him.

"Nice to meet you too Jin.. So what do you do?" You asked carefully; quite intrigued by how good-looking he is with the slicked back hairstyle he has.

"Well I'm a professor of English and Korean Literature. Probably one of the most uninteresting jobs among the other guys." He timidly admitted; being quite humble.

You immediately disagreed with his statement, telling him that literature components are fascinating and that educating people about it is a magnificent job.

Afterwards you conversed with a man named Park Jinyoung. He was also extremely dashing and he's a car dealer. But not just any car, the ones he sells are top brands such a Lamborghini, Maserati, Tesla and Ferrari.

"My job is amazing. Good money, good image, but there was something missing and I think we both could relate to that, we both are looking for love." He half-bragged which didn't really impress you but you agreed nonetheless.

As you politely excused yourself to move on to the next room, where the man was leaning back and scrolling through his phone. Fair skin and contrasting ebony coloured hair.

This guy gave off a cold vibe to you but that made you even more intrigued to get to know him.

"Hi..." You sat on the couch with him and he gave a small smile as he put his phone the side.

"Min Yoongi.. Nice to meet you." He extended his hand out to shake yours. A pretty formal greeting despite the consequences you two were in at the moment.

You two kept the conversation going by talking about your jobs and background. Everything you asked, he answered in all honestly and you liked that. The push-and-pull game was a fun one to play but with Yoongi, the small talk you had was chill and relaxed, the most natural one you had the whole night.

Up next was a kind looking male, taller than Yoongi who seem to be nervous about meeting you for the first time.

"Hello!" You greeted him with a bright smile to ease his anxiousness.

"Hi, hi.. I'm Mark Tuan. I'm an artist.." He abruptly greeted you back.

"Ooh! Like musically or..?" You tilted your head.

"Visually.. I draw and paint."

You led the conversation with the man since he looked very hesitant and awkward the whole time.

The next room had a bubbly and energetic man who was basically radiating good vibes as you entered the room. His name was Jung Hoseok. As you peeked into the room, he immediately walked towards you and gave you tight bear hug with a huge smile plastered on his face.

"Well besides my job as a paediatric specialist, I also enjoy dancing. Do you like to dance?" He jumped off the seat and proceeded to pull you up with him to playfully salsa. His actions made you laugh happily.

"You're so spontaneous!" You hit his chest lightly, still laughing at you guys' actions.

After the exciting interaction between you and Hoseok, you had to calm down and lower your expectations again after it skyrocketed because of the doctor earlier.

That's when you met a muscular man, if Hoseok earlier had radiated good boy vibes, this one radiated bad boy vibes.

He was Jackson Wang, a well-known socialite who is the heir of Wang Co. Ltd. A company which sells electronics such as smartphones, tablets and computers.

"Hello.." You said softly, slightly intimidated by the man's comparably bigger size to you.

"Hello, pretty lady." He took your hand in his and kissed it just like Jin had but his way of executing it was different. The male kissed each of your knuckle and it got you culture shocked.

"Oh wow.. Okay.." You laughed awkwardly as you looked at the man kiss your hand.

The conversation went well with him despite you noticing that he was practically staring at your with those deep brown eyes while you spoke about yourself to him.

The sexual tension was there and you were hoping, praying that the next man would tone down a bit and let you relax, thankfully custom jeweler, Park Jimin did.

"I'm a jeweler.. And can I just say, I adore these diamonds. You have remarkable taste." He proceeded to run his hand gently through the diamond earring you were wearing.

"Thank you! And I absolutely adore this choker you have on.." You reciprocated his action which made him smile softly.

Next up was the room of a private jet pilot named Choi Youngjae.

"Nice to meet you Y/N! I hope we could create good memories here. I'd love to bring you on a helicopter and show you the aerial view of California." He mused but you're not entirely impressed but acted as if you were in order to not hurt his feelings.

"Aww I'd like that. The view must be amazing!" You cringed at your own words but smart enough to mask it.

Hmm, you foresee someone who's potentially going to go home first in this show. His words lacked personality and character and not well thought.

Come on, you obviously had rode a helicopter and saw the aerial view of California. You ride it to work whenever the traffic is congested. He could at least thought of another country or state but instead he settled with Cali, the state where you are based in.

Disappointed, you moved on to the next room, surprisingly, the atmosphere was different, the area was dimly lit and the man sitting on the chair had his legs spread.

"Hi.." He spoke with a deep, low voice that caused you to bite your lip.

"Hello.." You smiled amidst the tense situation, making your way towards him.

"Kim Taehyung.. Fashion designer and owner of TH Couture." He answered without you asking.

The male was quite blunt but his demeanor was alluring. There was a mysterious aura circling him, totally someone to keep an eye on. The conversation was as intense as Jackson's but the two of you had the same interest which was fashion so you didn't feel as awkward as when you were with Jackson.

After Taehyung, it is down to three more people, you were already losing momentum and excitement as you already had spoken to 11 men that night. Before entering the next room, you took a deep breathe and loosen up your shoulders.

In the room was a man, he looked the most different, he had a lengthy name, a Thai one.

"Kunpimook Bhuwakul, but just call me Bam Bam.. I know my name's quite long and I'm also more comfy with Bam Bam.." He bowed to you like a gentleman and smiled handsomely at you.

"That's an adorable name! Bam Bam huh?" You sat down and grinned at the latter.

"You think so? You're adorable-er" He winked at you and caught you off-guard.

As the five minutes of jokes and flirty pickup lines ended, you bid farewell to the Thai man, little did you know that the person you just talked to was related to the Thai royal family.

Entering the 2nd last room, there was a tall man, looking around the well-furnished room but as soon as you came in, his attention diverted to you.

He greeted you with enthusiasm, introducing himself as Kim Yugyeom, an app developer and gaming streamer.

"Gosh you're pretty." He said straight-forwardly while smiling brightly and hugging you snugly.

"And GOSH you're tall!" You replied with those words and the same smile as what he had on his face. At this rate, reciprocation is really your best friend when you don't know how to react or reply to a certain remark from the suitors.

You talked about the apps Yugyeom had developed and the variations amazed you. He had created tons of apps such as games, workout apps, e-commerce platforms, online stores and sorts. But when he started talking about games, you began to lose interest in the chatter. Games weren't your strongest suit but you were happy that he is passionate about them and sharing it with you.

Finally! The last room! Which meant that this person is the last person to arrive to the villa. You wonder who this latecomer is and when you got into the area, your eyes widened.

Jeon Jungkook? He was somebody you had worked with and still actively working with. He is the person in charge of the photography and videography for Socialità and seeing him on The Bachelorette is a huge surprise.

"Wait.. JK?" You didn't know how to react.

"Hey! There's my girl!" He walked towards you with his bunny smile and gave you a hug. You couldn't believe that this was happening, Selma and Gio must've put him in to pull a prank on you.

"One question. Why?" You laughed in disbelief.

"Can't a man try?" He questioned back cheekily.

You two continued the conversation casually without any awkwardness as the two of you had known each other already. That was when you got to know that he had taken a liking on you ever since you two started working together. Everything he told you had sounded sincere so far.

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After the first meetings were over, all the men were put in the lounge to get to know each other's competition while you were interviewed by the crew regarding your first impressions of all of your suitors.

"Well everyone was pleasant. But there were a few who didn't pass my vibe check. I guess we just gotta see how it goes." You gave an ambiguous answer to the camera.

"Who do you think caught your eyes the most?" Henry, the producer asked.

"Hmm.. I don't want to seem bias, I mean this is the 1st episode after all but... Hoseok was fun to be around.. Jackson came off very strong. And well Jungkook too of course!"

"You seem to know him.." The producer stated.

"Yes yes.. We actually work together.. I didn't know that he'd want to participate in this show too." You shrugged and flashed a pearly white smile.

"Do you see anyone who might be going home soon?"

"Oof.. That's a dangerous question. That'd probably be ..."

To be continued (3 March, 12 AM, KST)

Author's note: Sorry for the delay guys! I underestimated the length of this chapter but I hope you guys like it! Don't forget to like and reblog this to show support! Also follow so you don't miss out on updates! This chapter is more of an introductory chapter so we'll be seeing more action and interaction between Y/N and de boyzzz.

Who do you think would be eliminated first?

Tagging @aretha170

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mayasdeluca · 2 years

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The budget for Station 19 was higher on season 1-2 (3 maybe) but apparently they were spending too much money and that’s also why they changed all the writing room and other stuff in the production, you can tell cause many storylines were “forgotten” lol

You think ABC would invest in a show that was supposed to eventually replace Greys or at least compete with it…

You can tell that they had less and less guests and location in the last 2 season.

Mostly everything is done in studio that’s why the production feels so “small” and claustrophobic, because it is, simply put; it’s cheap (not even considering COVID)

Greys costs nothing to do the set have been there for almost 20 years and they are already in syndication, people leave and new cheaper actors are brought in, but more you go on, the less interesting they become, even Greys ain’t doing much on location as it used to…

S19 is #2 show for ABC but not even close to greys!

“The Rookie”has even lower rating than S19 but you can clearly see they nvest more and I don’t understand why, prob to make NF happy, he’s know to be a bit of a drama Queen and he’s the golden goose of ABC (not for long tho).

ABC doesn’t invest much $$$ on S19 there’s barely any advertisements I think they thought it could just gain popularity on the wake of Greys but alas it didn’t happen, there was never a full investment mainly because it’s on another league of Greys to be honest…

Also, no offense to her but the star power of Jaina is not even in the same universe of Ellen when she started the show, it’s actually funny to me how Danielle and Barrett (in sense of female lead) have more charisma and talent than the main lead, you could say the same about Sandra and Katherine obviously, but the triangle of Mer/Derek/Addison was what most people loved at the beginning, the supporting cast was what gave energy to Greys.

This didn’t really happen immediately on S19 and you could easily say that the most interesting relationships on S19 are/were Andy/Maya/Vic, Vic/Travis, Vic/Dean and the show gained a bit more popularly with Maya/Carina but as you can see there’s barely any of these on screen atm, Okieriete made a great move on leaving the show, cause it’s losing its momentum, also prob other problem bts, he knew…

It’s difficult, so late on the show to gain more viewer but it’s easy to lose them, and this season ain’t helping at all.

The story feel forced and all the character disconnected, it’s repetitive and they are trying to push the “season issues” down your throat (let’s be honest they are clearly writers room issues) it’s frustrating to watch as a fan and as a person, it’s like we cannot understand what’s going on unless they point it directly at us in an overly annoying and boring way.

You would think that the “COVID season”would have been the one suffering the most but actually it was one of the best especially for character development and relationships something that imo Grays failed to do the same season.

I think you can tell that:

-there are problem bts

-budget changes

-lack of idea and lack of continuity (It’s like the writers of arch episodes don’t take into consideration what was written in the other episode)

-Station 23 was a horrible choice, unappealing characters, boring storyline, lack of chemistry.

Mostly these shows, rely on the “we are family” kind of idea, and this was destroyed on S19, the main couples (not just romantic but also friendship) aren’t interacting with one another, and to create other compelling relationships takes time to do, especially if they don’t make any sense and they are forced, it’s time that was taken away from the main cast and stories that we loved.

Let’s be honest few actors will have a great career after S19, and this slow pace and shorty writing aim helping their case, you will see more actors/actress leave the show if (big if) last more seasons…

It could have been great but alas they fucked it up and they are keep doing it…

These are some great points and it makes a lot of sense. Though it's interesting that they would have a budget to have another full on Station in the show but wouldn't use that to I don't know...expand the variety for the one station you already have that is the main point of the show. I get they were using it as a plot point for Andy to be "in charge" of a station or whatever but yeah, it didn't work.

I'll never understand why ABC never really let Station 19 stand on its own or really gave it the chance and put the work into it because honestly...it has pretty decent ratings when you look at it compared to the other shows on the network so if they actually put effort into it, it could probably be even better.

There definitely has to be some sort of writing change, it does seem they've switched up directors which isn't that big of a deal I guess but yeah, there's a lot of mix matching and that could be a reason for a lot of the inconsistencies we're seeing. I do agree Season 4 was actually pretty good considering it was a COVID season and they did it better than Greys did for sure. I don't really know what's going on this season but I do think BTS is playing a bigger part than people may realize, especially since the cast is trying to pretend everything is all fine and dandy. For a show that's such an ensemble, family type of show...it's pretty obvious when that's not the case in certain scenes/dynamics.

And yes, the comparisons in leads is definitely different and without trying to bash anyone...I think there's some animosity because of how the audience reacts to certain actresses in comparison but it's also much easier to connect to certain actresses/characters that have a lot of charisma and can really make pretty much any scene they do come off the page and make you really connect to them. And there's only a few actors on this show that can do that. And honestly Greys doesn't even have those kind of actors anymore which is why that show has gotten really boring too.

Overall I have always said this show has so much potential because they have a handful of actors who are so good in any scene they have and there's several dynamics that are great (like the ones you mentioned) but those don't get prioritized and they try to do too much and force things instead of focusing on what they're good at. I don't know if the writing will ever get it right or we're just gonna have to rely on the actresses/actors to make the most out of what they can but it's a sad situation either way.

#asks #anon

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thewritingamateur · 4 years

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Playing the Game

Just an introduction to a story I have planned out. Hopefully this would suffice as a prologue to what I have in store!

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It was at this time she realized her naivety of the situation.

All her life, she sought to tear the blank smile off his red lips. She sought for his beautiful eyes to show terror than delight. All that was taken from her was from the soft command of his voice. Nothing would please her more than seeing his perfect white teeth smashed into his throat.

But alas, she was the one tied up to the wooden chair in the dark, damp room. The only noise heard was the wall clock ticking above her head, a quarter to noon. In roughly fifteen minutes, the assembly would begin. All her hopes flushed down the drain.

The rope tied to her legs began to cut her skin, the numbness moved up into her nerves. Despite her knowledge in knots, her abilities were rendered useless with her hands tied close to the heater, radiating mere inches from her fingertips.

Eyes became blurry, but nothing fell. Determination was still set squarely in her heart. There will be a way out of this. She will stop him at any cost.

Sorely, she turned her head to look at the small window a couple of feet to her right. It was snowing, with the howling winds intensifying the pressure of the fall onto the glass. Sweat fell from her brow as she looked at the clock once more. Only ten minutes left before it all begins.

The creaking of wood interrupted her mindless wondering. The pounding of her heart became loud in her ears as anticipation grew for a fond face to reveal itself and set her free.

Rather, it was the heinous sight of a familiar henchman with his receding hairline and gold front tooth shining from his sneer. In his hands were a newspaper and a wooden chair. His heaving body plopped onto the wobbling chair directly across from her. Cold eyes looked straight at her dark ones as his hand pushed the newspaper in her direction.

"Read it and weep."

Not wanting to heed to his command, she held onto his gaze a few moments longer. As her eyes moved down, the hardness in them soon melted into anxiousness seeing the front news headline:

Italian Prime Minister Arturo Gasparini Acquitted From ALL Charges With the Head of Prosecution and Ex-Co-Star Nisha Enys Missing

Tremors spread throughout her body as the tension released. Despite the heat being so close to her body, she felt cold as ice. The hairs of her skin stood straight.

Ho-How could this be? All the time and effort she put into the trial. The evidence she built up from the last decade. Even the sacrifices for her family. Her long waited revenge against him, it was all gone with the snap of his fingers.

The creaking of wood pricked her ears, looking up once more to see the brass doorknob turning slowly.

Her body felt chills as the door opened wide, the frame filled with shoulders hitting from side to side.

"Ahh, ciccino! I hope your stay has not been too terrible. I would hate for anything bad to happen to you both." Her eyes fled away from his, looking down at her forming bump. The leather loafers came to view as she felt the presence of his warmth covering her.

"Fredrico, leave us." A grunt was heard as the chair squeaked in relief.

Alone together, the fear from before came back. Here she was with her mortal enemy, the man who was the root to all her demise, at his mercy in the attic of his lavish Florence mansion. Here he was, pulling the silk scarf away from her dry lips. As she saw his fingers reaching to her face it was out of instinct that she pulled back. Memories from years before came to the surface to remind her of past interactions with his soft gaze.

"I see you still have some spark left in you. Not to worry, though, as with everything else, your energy will be wasted."

Her throat was dry from the lack of liquid to soothe her, the pitch of her voice was lower and guttural. "You got what you wanted, Gasparini. Now let me go. People are looking for me."

A hearty laugh escaped his million-dollar smile as it was his turn to take a seat in the weak chair.

"Call me Arturo, please. We've known one another for years, Nisha. Let's not pretend otherwise." Even with his perfect English, his accent was still thick, huskiness emitting from his soft voice.

Her left temple began to tick, ignoring his friendly words. "I'm serious. You're free from all the charges. I won't be a problem for you anymore."

"That's not how this works. You wasted a lot of my time and effort with this farce you had going for yourself these past couple of years. Not only my time but the taxpayers' money. Imagine how they must feel that you've disappeared a mere two days before the end of the trial."

The mirth in his eyes brought bile up her throat.

"Just let me go."She tried to twist her body, but it brought more discomfort feeling the ropes tighten around her goose-bumped skin.

"No."

The simple word brought her over the edge. It was his finality in knowing he was getting his way that irked her. With what little strength she had, her chair tipped forward, and she shoved herself forward.

It was a short-lived attack. He quickly got up and allowed her to be pulled back by the rope connected to the heater, tightening its hold onto her wrist with a burning sensation.

"Gahh!" Her parched voice cried out at her inevitable defeat.

Her body was on the floor in an uncomfortable position with the weight of the chair now on top of her.

Heaving in exhaustion, she knew he was standing above her. She could see it now, his hands limply in his pockets, a snide smirk at her loss.

After a few moments of silence, the chair's weight lifted a bit as Gasparini pulled her back up.

"You're lucky I'm enough of a gentleman to not want to see a lady on the floor." He pulled her chair back, a bit too close to the furnace for her liking.

"While I can't see a lady on the floor, it doesn't mean I could stand for any deed against me to go unpunished. You compromised my position and many of my men. You compromised the people of my land with this game you decided to play. For that, you'll have to pay the price."

Her cognac eyes widened by the various possibilities he could mean.

"Please, not my family! It wasn't their fault. It's all mine."

He paced in the small room, slowly padding heel to toe on the creaking wood. She knew he was only doing this to irritate her, going around the bush until he would feel the joy of revealing the truth.

"Although it would be great to retaliate against that paraplegic husband of yours, I think he'll be spared for now. He only helped you out because he's scared you'll leave him...I wouldn't blame him."

She knew he wanted her to fight, but her mouth clamped tight. Nisha refused to give him the power of irritating her more than he already had.

"I see I hit a nerve." Her arched eyebrow rose as the sweat on her face rolled down her neck, plunging into the neckline of her blouse to hide. She watched his gaze following the path, no doubt undressing her with the momentary stillness of his form. Seeming to remember the situation, he cleared his throat, turning to the window with a satisfied look.

"It's alright. I think, for now, I'll take my fun and see how long this newfound silence will last. Oh, but I will miss the sound of your voice."

His loafers threaded back to her minuscule figure. Her neck craned up to see his Adam's apple move ever so slightly. He stood there for what seemed to be a long time but could've been mere minutes. His eyes stared directly into her's. All her walls were firmly in place, knowing his plan. Gasparini always thought he could get to her with his soft words and expressive eyes. For some time, he was capable of having that effect on her. Now she was older, and circumstances changed with intent.

Those eyes she used to admire, the ones that brought cornflowers to her mind and days of happier times, now they looked towards her in cruel amusement.

"We could've had something, you and me. I meant my words to you, even now. All you have to do is say the magic word, and all this will vanish. Your troubles and pain will be put behind us."

A blank blink came from her as a response. Nothing that he could do to her would make her mind change. Her dark eyes watched the scoff form on his full lips, eyes quickly averting, knowing her silent response to his request.

"So you want it the hard way then. You never were one to take the easy route, Nisha. I must admit I admire that about you the most."

Her guards were down. She had to admit it. In mere moments of her just staring at his eyes, lost in a time before for just a moment. It didn't register how fast he was moving until she felt the pull of her wrist. The movement was too fast for her to react.

The sizzling of skin was heard in the darkroom. Lips were bitten until blood seeped out. Another tug and her hands were molded right around the heater, pushed into grasping it as the heat burnt her skin.

It didn't take long before a wail escaped her lips.

She knew he wanted her to grovel and apologize for what she did, but Nisha couldn't. If anything, she would bawl in pain, but he could drag her through a bed of nails, and she still wouldn't apologize for doing what was right.

Her fingers were taken off the heater for a few moments. She could feel the pulsing of her fingers and smell the skin that was once hers.

"It's sad, after all the time we spent together, one would think you would heed and admit your wrong to me. It's alright. I have the rest of the night to take it out of you."

Her hand was forced on the heater once more, and the scream could be heard beyond the small room. Instead of focusing on the immediate pain, her mind wandered off to her husband and child back home, their safety, and worrying about her. She thought about her loss that started the chain reaction of her bring in this position.

Gasparini's eyes were almost dead as he watched her pain erupt on her face. She knew he was capable of worse. She saw it first hand as a young girl. Despite his warped display of mercy, Nisha's fury was still at bay. He was able to get away this time, but he has yet to face the real damage she had in store for him.

He may have won this battle, but she still had the war.

Sounds of screaming echoed beyond the small room and throughout the Romanesque mansion.

By the end of round one of torture, her hands were swollen behind the chair, the burning sensation emitting as tears rolled down her tired face. He untied her hands for the time being. They were rendered useless, so she couldn't attack him even if she tried.

A cigar was lit before puffs were taken. "Would you like to have one?" Unable to speak, she simply shook her head. Hair was sticking to her face, oily and flat against her scalp.

"I think you want a puff." Without warning, he lifted her head and shoved the fat cigar into her mouth. Surprised, she coughed and sputtered out smoke. "I can't do d-do that. I am pregnant."

Gasparini gave a thoughtful look to the empty ceiling while taking another puff from the same cigar. "Ahh yes, I seem to have forgotten. Don't worry though. A few puffs wouldn't harm the child." He then repeated the process of forcing her to take a puff and then one himself. A sick form of intimacy to satisfy his cravings.

For hours this continued until the snow stopped and the wind ceased. For some time, Gasparini just sat across from Nisha and watched her haggard body trembling in shock as her hands doubled in size from the burn. He was on his fourth cigar now but wanted to have this one to himself.

"Don't worry. It isn't over yet. I have so much in store for our reunion, Nisha darling." His large hand went to touch her face. In weakness, she couldn't stop him from pulling her face mere inches from his.

His placid face became a sneer, his face turning monstrous. "By the end of this, I'll burn the heart out of you." The butt of his cigar was still hot, very hot by the scream given as it made contact with her collarbone.

It was going to be a long night.

#possible prologue #new story #mafia #historical #sometime in the 20th century #torture #oneshot #don't mess with the mafia #italy #chapters #story #crime fiction #submission

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positivlyfocused · 5 years

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^^Photo: Matt Collamer on Unsplash

Every Person Deserves To Be Rich If They Want That

It's a common belief, especially among Americans, that people who don't work, deserve to be broke. People on government subsistence programs are especially judged.

Usually American conservatives are judging. They say such people are "lazy drains on society".

In a sense, they are right. Such people aren't paying attention to the belief constellations they're building around themselves, which creates the reality they have.

But there's another reason too. One the rest of us can do something about.

One reason such programs are necessary is because civilization makes such programs necessary. A civilization is possible where such programs aren't necessary. Such a civilization could enrich everyone, no matter what they're doing. And, said enrichment doesn't have to cost anyone anything.

That last part is important. I'll revisit that later. In short, our beliefs create our reality. Everything is possible. But not if you don't believe everything is possible. And a lot of us don't believe everything is possible. But it is.

I get to talk with many conservatives. I've learned a lot. Their criticism against such ideas as "we can have a civilization where everyone is rich, no matter what they do" feels valid to them. They call such beliefs "unrealistic progressive utopian fantasies”. They call their believers “socialists”, “libtards” or worse. I've found there are a couple reasons for this.

One, they worry such ideas could wreck what we currently have. It's a "don't break what's working" mentality. Or, a "move slow so you don't break what's working" mindset.

That's legit. Throwing out what's working isn't smart. Don't quit your day job, right? Especially if you believe a day job is the only way to consistent income. It's not the only way. But it is the only way if you believe that.

The "unknown unknowns", as Donald Rumsfeld once called them, that conservatives worry about keep them from entertaining ideas progressives believe are needed. Given unforeseeable negative future consequences, these new ideas aren’t worth considering, they say.

Looking at some alternatives offered, I get that concern. But they're not all bad.

But there's a bigger reason conservatives push back against progressive ideas. Whether it's my idea or Alexandria Ocasio Cortez's Green New Deal, conservatives believe they're unnecessary. And so not worth paying for. Especially (and this is critical) if they have to do the paying.

^^Mitch McConnell. He’s not evil. He just doesn’t think America needs progressive improvement. And, he doesn't want to pay for it if it does. (Photo: U.S. Government)

So their legit concerns over practical matters spills over into a distorted selfishness. Their caution becomes an argument for keeping things the same. And their wallets full.

It's not these people's fault. Their belief constellations say the world's working for everyone. Those it's not working for? That's their fault. Why change it? Meanwhile others say it's not working. These folks want to change it.

Who's right?

Both are. The world is working for everyone. And, the world can always be improved.

For sure, it's unfair to say all conservatives feel the world is fine. It IS fair to say though that some progressives believe the world is fine. Particularly rich ones. And some conservatives believe that too.

Beliefs Determine Our Civilization

I know human civilization reflects our collective belief constellations. Our collective belief constellations create what we call society. Which is why I know changing infrastructures and institutionsoften compounds problems rather than fixing them.

Infrastructure - government, laws, etc., I've learned are ideas made manifest. Ideas are beliefs prepared to be shared. I can't change a physical structure in my personal life and expect real change while ignoring beliefs I have underlying said structure.

For example, if I'm trying to change my financial status through action, I may become monetarily successful. But if my beliefs about finances and money still reflect lack, then it's likely whatever success and money I have realized will go away. Real change happens at the ideological level, i.e. one's beliefs.

Our collective mindset is humanity's biggest impediment. It shapes our civilization, which in turn, reinforces everyone's opinion. That's because humans like looking at the world as it is, then form an opinion of what they see. That opinion collects about it similar opinions, becoming a constellation of opinions or beliefs. Eventually that collection of beliefs is reflected into the world they're looking at.

^^An excerpt from an email I received from Presidential Candidate Andrew Yang emphasizing what you just read.

They could form an opinion first, then watch as civilization shapes to that. That is what visionaries do. It's what everyone who changes the world does.

Everyone else constrains their opinion to what they see. The more what they see negatively effects their wallet, the more intense their opinion. Their opposition too.

Which is why some conservatives, but not all, express crazy-sounding views about their fellow humans. They are crazy views. Unless you agree with them.

For example, a conservative I was talking with recently compared certain people to drone bees. He said, like drones, people on subsistence programs, or otherwise not "pulling their weight" are worthless drains on productive people. Productive people meaning, like himself:

“Drones, whether bees or other creatures, produce nothing of value. Well, that’s not entirely true - one male bee may get lucky and impregnate the queen of the next new colony. But even that contribution to production is indirect; the male doesn’t produce honey, the females do”.

Distortions fill this opinion/belief. It also shows how such distortions become people's truths. Even though they're distortions.

It is inaccurate, for example, to suppose drones “produce nothing of value”. Or even limited value. If that were the case, drones wouldn’t exist.

^^A beautiful drone brimming with value (By Epgui - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, File:Drone bee (32-image macro stack).jpg)

Drones do exist. Which means they have intrinsic value. Nothing that exists is value-less. If it were, it wouldn't exist. After all, every thing is All That Is. Would All That Is waste its energy creating something of no value?

Of course not.

People sometimes look to science for understanding. But science is mostly wrong about what it knows. I'm not a science denier. I understand science. Possibly more than most lay people.

Science has some things right. But what it gets right is minuscule compared to total knowledge. It’s also small compared to what it thinks it knows as right. In other words, some things science thinks it knows right aren't. And a lot of what it could know, that could be helpful, is not interesting to science:

^^Most of what science knows (blue circle + yellow circle) is wrong. Only a small part of what it knows (yellow circle) is accurate. Critical information about the Universe is uninteresting to science. That’s why much of what it thinks it knows is right is wrong.

Science has proven this over and over. It's amazing to me people get angry when I say this, when it's so obvious.

For example, science at one time "proved" blacks were inferior to whites. It "proved" homosexuals were mentally ill*. It claimed many different species as extinct that aren't. Finally, science largely does not understand the role drone bees play. At least in this case science admits what it doesn't know.

I'm not saying science is worthless. It has value. It exists :-). But let's not let it alone dictate opinion. For it is often wrong. More often than it is right.

Life’s plenty looks wasteful/valueless. So many drone bees. All those seeds a single tree produces with only a few becoming trees. All those leaves falling to the ground each fall. Leaves humans have to rake up.

…But every seed, every tree, every leaf is purposeful and valuable INTRINSICALLY.

Humans are too.

Human Beings Are “Value” Made Material

Here's what that means, dear reader. Even though you or science may not yet believe it. That human you’re looking at, then claiming has no value, is value in and of itself. It doesn’t “have” value. It “IS” value.

If it wasn’t, the human wouldn’t be.

Which brings us to this post's headline.

As with drone bees, leaves or any other physical reality, humans you believe are worthless are immense value. You just don’t recognize, understand or want to acknowledge it. That’s ok. You don’t have to.

Your beliefs are your truth. They aren't The Truth. And, you can change what you believe.

We also can change civilization. So everyone gets what they want, without it costing you anything.

That last part's worth repeating. That person you think is worthless, whether progressive, conservative, lazy or not, can get everything they want. They can enjoy wealth. Without doing what you think they must to get it.

That can't happen in today's society. That's because it's based on beliefs that aren't true. Well they are, but only in our current version of civilization.

Outside that they're completely and utterly false.

The only thing slowing down progress is this: people's persistent belief that this civilization is the only one worth having.

You may think that. But there are far more people who believe different.

And those people are winning. Which is why you see so much churn today. We can have less churn as we progress. But alas, humans love drama.

Progress is going to happen whether you want it to or not. The question is, how will you relate to it? Will you go kicking and screaming, reviling your fellow human along the way?

Or are you going to enjoy the process? Maybe even get positively focused?

Your beliefs shape your response. Another question: do you realize that?

And if you do, what are you going to do about it?

*For those who argue psychology is not a science

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alishbakhanus · 3 years

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Wedding Décor: 7 fundamental mistakes brides make

Décor – how much in this word! A lot of beauty, inspiration and … mistakes. On the one hand, the Internet is full of angry reviews from brides like “Decorators ruined my wedding!” On the other hand, with a huge number of examples of banal, tasteless design that looks cheap and inappropriate. The brides step on the same rake over and over again, walk in the same circle, which they so want to break! This article contains intimate knowledge that will help you really DECORATE your wedding, make the decoration stylish, without spending huge money. You just have to read – and act!

Mistake # 1:

Paying too much attention to decor

In the last couple of years, weddings have become more and more beautiful, and there is a fashion for stylish celebration. Moreover, the style of the wedding is associated primarily with the decor: an unusual arch for registration, designer printing, cute little things, a sweet table … For many brides, an excellent wedding = original, beautiful decor. Therefore, the girls immediately begin to dream of some non-standard palette for the celebration, rack their brains in search of a theme, rummage through tons of pictures on the Internet, and then find fault with every detail, every flower and are VERY very upset when it is not possible to realize something of the decorating ideas … In general, design is given almost the first place in preparing for the wedding.

Dear daughters-in-law, for a holiday to be excellent, it must, first of all, be perfectly organized… And only then – perfectly decorated. First of all, make sure that you and your guests at the wedding feel comfortable, fun, so that everyone feels “at ease” – then the celebration will go off with a bang and without any special originality in the decor. But if there is constant turmoil and confusion at the wedding, the decor, alas, will not smooth it out.

Mistake # 2:

Thinking that decor doesn’t matter at all

So far, it is much more common than the previous extreme. And extremes, as you know, do not lead to good. Of course, if you don’t care what your wedding will be (and there are, unfortunately, enough brides like this), it doesn’t matter what the decor or anything else matters. But if you still strive to make your celebration stylish and unusual, you cannot do without a thoughtful design. And we are talking not only about accessories like a bridal bouquet and pillows for rings. It is very important how the banquet hall will be decorated: whether it will create the right mood, whether it will give the impression of a truly solemn atmosphere. After all, a wedding is a big celebration, and not just another feast.

Mistake # 3:

Trying to fit the wedding style / palette into the wrong interior

A very common problem for brides is to fall in love with a certain palette or style of a wedding, and then find out that there are no suitable halls in the city, or they are too expensive, or not suitable for the number of guests, or are already occupied. At the same time, the brides do not intend to give up: they select a site that suits their capabilities, and then go to the forums with the question “what-to-do-help-how-to-decorate-an inappropriate-hall?’ Naturally, there are immediately comforters and well-wishers who declare that a rustic wedding will very much fit into a baroque interior with columns, you just need to add more canvas.

As for the hall in unsuitable tones, the issue is solved even easier: they “forget” about it. The decoration is done in the colors that the bride needs, and the walls / floor / curtains of a radically different shade are nothing more than an annoying trifle.

So, dear daughters-in-law – THIS DOESN’T WORK. You may adore Rustic, but if your banquet floor is a sample of pure classicism, no Rustic will work there. Or you have to completely re-equip the room – imagine how much it will cost. The same applies to the desire to arrange a wedding in soft lilac colors, having a burgundy hall. Do not waste time and energy fighting with an unsuitable interior – rather, spend it looking for an establishment that will be decorated in the style and / or colors you need. This will save you unnecessary headaches, and most importantly, save a lot of money on decor. Summer brides always have an option to transfer the celebration to nature: in a tent, on an open veranda. These venues tend to be lacking in pronounced décor and are suitable for most wedding styles. Is there no suitable hall? Love whatwhat is: find the pros in the existing interior, discuss with an experienced decorator what you can do here. Surely there is a compromise solution that suits you and at the same time does not disfigure the hall.

Mistake # 4:

Get inspired by luxury examples without having enough funds

Don’t think that I am expressing disdain for brides on a budget. It’s about something else. It just so happens that the most outstanding examples of decor are also the most expensive. That is why such designs “catch” – they are created by super professionals, using very expensive materials in large quantities.

And so the bride, having typed a bunch of such pictures on the Internet, goes with them to a decorator / florist. And he honestly gives her an estimate of how much IT will cost. Naturally, the bride’s eyes fall on her forehead, and she runs away in horror … in search of a specialist who will promise her to do what is in the pictures – but several times cheaper. The problem is that “the same thing” can NOT be done cheaply. And the brides end up with scammers or novice specialists who are ready to do anything to get a client. The result is the extreme disappointment of the bride: she was promised a luxurious decor, but it turned out to be squalor. And all that remains for the poor bride is to write bad reviews.

Dear bridesmaids, so that this does not happen to you, take off your rose-colored glasses and understand that what is expensive cannot be done cheaply. You can dodge and do something similar at an average price. But never cheap! A good specialist will definitely explain this to you, and suggest acceptable options for your budget. So, if 2-3 reliable companies told you about the same prices for your beautiful pictures, and these prices do not suit you, it is better to discuss with experts what you can really afford, and do not hope to find a “genius for a penny”. Perhaps you should abandon some of the details from the pictures, and replace some with more affordable ones – and you will get a very beautiful decor for a reasonable price for you. So pictures are pictures, but the most important thing is to find a really good professional who can make your dreams come true.

Mistake # 5:

Hope for cheap materials

A huge number of brides are still convinced that the best materials for decorating a wedding are balls and fabric. After all, they can decorate the hall literally “for ten”! In the last couple of years, paper has also joined here: a new trend taken from foreign weddings.

I do not argue: balls, fabric, and paper in wedding decor have a place to be. BUT only in a modern reading and as part of the decor, and not the main component! Good examples:

Pay attention to the differences between this decors:

– The design creates a lot (there are a LOT of balls and paper flowers, they are striking);

– Balls and paper are only one of the components of the decor, which does not exclude the presence of flowers and other details;

– Balls and paper are used with imagination, they are bright, colorful and look cheerful, giving the decor a zest.

All this means that the design was done by a very competent specialist, and it is not at all cheap – i.e. you cannot get the savings you want on such a decor.

Those who save money will get this paper and balloon decoration:

I think the difference is obvious.

Mistake # 6:

Give up floristry

Yes, fabric and balls are cheap, but fresh flowers are expensive. But in terms of beauty, quality and style, floral decor has no equal! The presence of fresh flowers, even in small quantities, will decorate your holiday at times with a ray than tons of balls and kilometers of fabric! And, by the way, about the cost: modest compositions for guests ‘tables cost from 1200 Rupees, good high ones – about 2500-3000, decorating the newlyweds’ table with flowers – about 5000-6000 Rupees. Even if your decor budget is only 10,000 Rupees, you can afford flowers! How? Just don’t make the next mistake.

Mistake # 7:

“Smear” the decor into several zones with a modest budget

So, we have 25,000 Rupees for the decor of the hall for 50 people. The amount is more than modest, but the bride needs everything at once: to decorate the newlyweds’ area, guest tables, chairs, plus a sweet table for complete happiness. What kind of decoration can you count on with such appetites? Naturally, again on fabric, balls, paper. At best – a modest floral arrangement for the newlyweds’ table.

The estimate will look something like this:

• Table decor for newlyweds (fabric drapery) – 1500 Rupees.

• Backdrop at the newlyweds’ table – 5,000 Rupees.

• Flower arrangement for the newlyweds’ table – 3,000 Rupees.

• Decoration of chairs (covers with bows) 50 pcs. – 5,000 Rupees.

• Runners for guest tables – 1,000 Rupees.

• Decoration of the sweet table (cloth, paper) – 1,500 Rupees.

• Decorators’ work – 10,000 Rupees.

The total budget of the decoration is 27,000 Rupees, and the decor we get is the most ordinary and simple.

Lovely brides! If you are the owner of a modest budget for decor, moderate your appetites and do not try to decorate everything at once! Understand that your money is simply not enough for this, and it does not matter who will do the decor – the question is in the cost of consumables. Go to the nearest flower stall, haberdashery store, see how much flowers and one meter of fabric cost. So – your designers buy materials for their work not much cheaper! And the only way to cut costs is to understate the price of decorators’ work, which is only done by beginners or outright bunglers who will ruin your wedding. If you want decent, truly beautiful decor for little money, just focus on one or two decorating zones without trying to decorate EVERYTHING. First of all, take care of decorating the newlyweds’ table, since it is to him that all eyes will be riveted during the evening. A decent decor for this zone (floristry plus details – candles, figurines) will cost you about 10,000 Rupees.

Zone for decoration number two – guests’ tables, and the best decor option is tall floristic compositions. When seated at two long tables, 4 such compositions will be enough for you – 2 for each table. If seating is planned at separate round tables, you will need 5 compositions. Consult with a florist which flowers will cost you less – and keep within 10-12,000 Rupees. Total – you spent only 20-22,000 Rupees on the decor, and you even have money left! And the decoration with flowers looks expensive and stylish. Figurines) will cost you about 10,000 Rupees. Zone for decoration number two – guests’ tables, and the best decor option is tall floristic compositions. When seated at two long tables, 4 such compositions will be enough for you – 2 for each table. If seating is planned at separate round tables, you will need 5 compositions. Consult with a florist which flowers will cost you less – and keep within 10-12,000 Rupees. Total – you spent only 20-22,000 Rupees on the decor, and you even have money left! And the decoration with flowers looks expensive and stylish. If seating is planned at separate round tables, you will need 5 compositions. Consult with a florist which flowers will cost you less – and keep within 10-12,000 Rupees. Total – you spent only 20-22,000 Rupees on the decor, and you even have money left! And the decoration with flowers looks expensive and stylish. If seating is planned at separate round tables, you will need 5 compositions. Consult with a florist which flowers will cost you less – and keep within 10-12,000 Rupees. Total – you spent only 20-22,000 Rupees on the decor, and you even have money left! And the decoration with flowers looks expensive and stylish.

I sincerely wish you, dear bridesmaids, good decorators and florists, good inspiration, and most importantly, the desire to make your wedding special. And, of course, a reasonable approach to decor – and not only.

Courtesy: best marriage halls in Lahore

#event wedding weddingplanning weddingdress complex SEO WednesdayWisdom weddingvibes eventtroop CoronaVirusUpdates

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omgworkoutaddictblr · 4 years

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Can I lose weight quickly?

Modern men and women suffer from obesity, which raises a simple question: is it possible to lose weight quickly? In fact, it is almost impossible to give a single answer, because the word "FAST" is associated with all people with a different time interval. Someone needs to lose "Winter" kilograms, someone-to prepare for the summer season, no matter how everyone wants to lose weight, and what you need to do for this, only units know. Well, today we will try to understand the process of losing weight and give a clear answer to the question that interests us.

First of all, several myths and stereotypes must be destroyed. Forget about the various exercises for losing weight. It is believed that workouts in a fitness center help to get rid of fat. In addition, some amateurs believe that exercises for the press burn fat. Remember once and for all: local fat burning in a certain place does not exist. Fat does not burn directly in one area, it breaks down throughout the body, enters the bloodstream and gives energy, that is – if a person loses weight, it happens everywhere. However, there is a small caveat here. The female body, due to the features of the structure of the hormonal system, tries to lose weight from top to bottom. This means that the first noticeable changes will occur on the face, pass to the chest, then to the abdomen, and only after that – to the legs. Yes, yes, you understood correctly, the breast will also experience weight loss. But this is not as scary as it seems at first glance, because the lack of excess fat will visually emphasize your bust, even slightly lost weight.

You need to know one unfortunate fact - any workout with weights to some extent is aimed at improving muscle tissue. The male body forces the muscles to increase in volume, and women to acquire a sports form. Anyway, these processes can be characterized as anabolism – the construction and creation of cells, in our case-muscular. At the same time, fat burning is the opposite process, called catabolism. Few people know that the body can not move in two directions at once, this is equivalent to the fact that the car will simultaneously go back and forth. The total is standing. So, if you signed up for a fitness center-this does not mean that now you will lose weight. It is important to make the right diet and use the exercise only as part of a specialized program. It would seem that in order to lose weight, you just need to give up strength movements in simulators and with dumbbells. However, not everything is so simple!

Biochemistry is a dark forest for women in fitness. Girls, as a rule, do not want to go further into this dark grove, but in vain, because without understanding the basic processes of the body it is impossible to achieve quick results. We will try to talk about the main principles of biochemistry of weight loss with the help of simple and simple explanations.

That you do not do this in a fitness center: cardio, strength training, CrossFit, etc., all this will result in a zero result in fat burning if you do not have a specialized diet. It is necessary to realize that 25-30 minutes of aerobic exercise at a moderate pace burn about 300-400 calories. Many girls such a result looks simply wonderful. Alas, this is not entirely true. After drinking a glass of milk and eating a small slice of bread, you will almost completely bar the aerobics for half an hour. We say this for one purpose-you need to understand that it is very easy to get calories with food, while burning them is quite difficult.

The main principle of fat burning is a small lack of calories. Let's explain everything on a clear example: imagine that you have accumulated a decent amount of money. In doing so, you continue to receive a salary every month. However, your costs are relatively small, therefore, it is not possible to spend the accumulated money, because the salary simply covers your expenses. As a result, the piggy bank is replenished. And now equate the word piggy bank with the word excess fat. If you spend fewer calories than you buy, then there is no question of reducing the piggy bank (excessive fat mass).

Do you want to lose weight? Then focus on reducing incoming calories rather than having to exercise more. Training is only a tool that in itself can not do anything. Losing weight is a diet.

Calories and metabolism

So, you know that in order to lose excess fat, you need to spend more calories than consume. The difference in figures fluctuates by five hundred. That is, if you need 3000 kcal to maintain life, then in order to lose weight, you do not have to eat more than 2500 units. But what are the calories and how to calculate the daily rate? It's simple: multiply your weight by 0.9, this way you will get the number of calories consumed by your body at rest in one hour of time. Multiplying the number by 24, you get the daily requirement. However, it is necessary to remember this or that activity, which is calculated individually and added to the final figure. In the case of fitness and other sports, the waste of calories for an hour of this activity is calculated by a simple formula – multiply the body weight by the factor 6.3.

All of the above will allow you to know the number of necessary daily calories. If you take from this figure 500-600 units, you will get a figure on which your diet should rely. But all this will be useless if your metabolism (metabolism) remains low.

Remember the school biology course. The more often you eat, the faster the metabolism. Of course, we are talking about small portions of food. Many girls do not understand why they need to accelerate metabolism. Let's explain: this term indicates the speed of various processes, including fat burning. That is, the slower the metabolism, the worse the lipolysis (fat burning).

In general, try to adhere to all of the above rules. It is important to eat fractionally-in small portions and as often as possible, with a break from half an hour to an hour. In fact, the topic of fat burning can not be fully revealed in the course of several articles. This is a fundamental process with a thousand nuances, but the most basic principles we have yet called.

Answering the initial question "" is it possible to lose weight quickly?". we will say: yes, certainly possible. Everything depends not on your will, but on the banal possession of information. It is enough to understand what weight loss is based on and how it occurs. As they say, informed-armed.

#sport #health #workout #fitness

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jodiwatson · 6 years

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New Post has been published on https://svlodos.com/2018/09/02/answering-questions-about-turkey-part-1/

Answering Questions About Turkey - Part 1

We get a lot of questions about Turkey – I’ll use this post to answer some of them. Better yet, come visit sometime and experience it for yourself!

Turkish Flag

How did you decide on Turkey? Answered in an earlier, separate post here 🙂

Are you allowed to buy property in Turkey? Yes, we can and we have. It’s not very common to finance property purchases. Most people buy their homes with cash. We hired a Turkish lawyer, named Cihat (pronounced Jihad – same meaning!) who helped us navigate the legalities and questions of property ownership. Unfortunately, we can only stay for 90 days at a time on a tourist visa for a total of 180 days/year (90 days in, at least 90 days out). So far, this works great for us as we dodge the hurricane season in Mexico. It’s quite onerous to get a residence permit to live in Turkey full-time. Like in the US, if you are foreign-born, there are many hurdles and requirements for us to stay longer. Also, similarly to the US, you can buy property, but it doesn’t qualify you to stay longer. Also, like in the US, we could come and stay “illegally” (beyond our 90 days), but when we left and tried to return, we would likely get hassled and maybe not allowed back in the country (not a chance we want to take). Although we can buy a house here, you are not allowed to buy a car unless you have a residence permit, so we rent a car (for about $8/day) while we are here.

How does the current economy and Lira free fall impact you? The currency here is called the Lira. Currently, the lira falling is a good thing for us. We have a local, Turkish bank account, but mostly we transact in dollars, so it’s actually better for us. When we arrived, the lira was about 3.5 lira: 1 dollar and now it’s almost 7. We try to keep dollars as long as possible and exchange when we need them. Interestingly, even though Turkey takes MasterCard and Visa, many businesses reject our US cards as their chip readers won’t accept our cards. It’s extremely frustrating, and it prevents us from leveraging the exchange rate but also requires us to use our Turkish account or liras. Also, most places, unless you’re in a posh hotel, won’t take American Express, and many stores don’t even know what it is. In the long run, a stable Turkish economy will be better for us as we own a home here and want to see the community thrive and appreciate in value. We use TransferWise to move money from our US account to our Turkish account. The transfer fees are reasonable, and it’s fast and easy with an app on our phones.

Turkish Lira

What about the politics and president of Turkey? It’s best not to discuss them.

What’s the language and are you learning it? The language is Turkish – it’s a beautiful language that has more in common with romance languages, like French, and none of the harsh or guttural sounds of Arabic. My Turkish is very rusty; I understand a lot of it, and I can shop and get along pretty well at a high level, but I still can’t speak conversationally. I can follow along, but I lack the ability to say too much in response, which is frustrating! It’s definitely improved with time here. Many people here don’t speak English, so we blunder along, try as we can, and use Google Translate when we get stuck! I think for our trip next year, we’ll spend time using Babbel or taking an intensive language course to jumpstart our learning. There is nothing more humbling and makes you more empathetic to people living or traveling in the USA, trying to speak English, than when the shoe is on the other foot!

Panoramic of our neighbors – as seen from our back balcony

What’s your neighborhood like? Our total community is ~30 buildings with ~70 separate homes built as townhouses. Most people own 1 building, but we split ours with our friend who lives next door. The busiest we have ever seen it was during a national holiday a couple of weeks ago, but even still, our neighborhood was only about 30% full. We are in a separate little area with only 7 homes, and we call it the G7 as we are a fairly international group. All but one house was full during the holiday – it was great fun hanging out with everyone, sharing meals, and working together to make improvements.

Who are your neighbors? Most everyone is Turkish, but they either live abroad or work abroad. Two of our neighbors are Americans (living in Turkey & in the UK), one family lives in Brussels (an engineer & an anesthesiologist), one family lives in Ankara (retired ministry of tourism & a librarian), one family lives in Istanbul (a gynecologist & an engineer), one family lives in Istanbul (professor & Turkish think tank)…all professionals, and all of them speak *some* English. (They are very patient with us!) There are quite few kids here, too, which is really fun to see the energy and diversity of our community; watching them grow up year after year will be really fun. We have a beautiful swimming pool, and the beach is about a 2 minute walk away – complete with electricity (when it works), lounge chairs, a fresh water shower and palapas.

Who takes care of everything there? There is a guy, Mustafa, who lives here full-time, in a little house with a bunch of chickens. He is our on site guardian, does odd jobs, keeps the pool clean and does general maintenance. We also have a building site manager, who is accountable to a board of directors and who is supposed to run the bigger systems like solar and water (which don’t work great….). But, we are really on our own for repairs and landscaping. Part of this is because we are still a new development that hasn’t received all the rights of a city property – this will likely come in time.

Can you find everything in Turkey, like in the US? Yes and no. Generally, there are specific stores for each category of goods. If you need electric, you have to visit the electric store. If you need plumbing, you have to visit the plumbing store….and so on. There are big chain stores ala Home Depot and IKEA in larger cities but not near where we live. There are two grocery chains here (Migros & Carrefour) that are starting to carry more than just food, but in general, when running errands, we have to plan all day for a minimum of 6 stops!

Pharmacies – are prescriptions hard to refill? Pharmacies are plentiful here, but limited to generic drugs or alternatives. For example, we can’t find Benadryl here, but they have an antihistamine equivalent, and my branded contact lens solution is readily available. I take a migraine pill that costs me about $20/pill in the USA with insurance, but here, I pay the equivalent of $1/pill – no prescription required! Natural treatments like Arnica are easy to find, and tampons are nearly impossible to find. It is related to a holdover custom from the muslim culture of revering virgins (seriously). I remember this being the case when I lived here 30 years ago, but I expected it would have changed by now (it hasn’t).

Are you in a safe area? Despite what you read on the news, which is largely sensational and focused on small areas, most of Turkey is very safe, and yes, we are also in a safe area. There is and has been violence in Turkey, but we stay vigilant and try to blend in and not put ourselves in uber-tourist places with a lot of people. We have a full-time caretaker who lives here year round, and he watches the place. There are also a few dogs that live here, and they are quite protective of the neighborhood and people roaming around at night. The only thing we have to watch out for are scorpions and wild boar! 🙂 There are immigration patrols that we meet on the highway from time to time, and recently, we have seen military helicopters flying over our beach, presumably looking for refugees since we are so close to Greece (the closest entry point to the EU). The immigration road blockades generally wave us through once they see we are foreigners or Americans. For this reason, you must always carry your passport when traveling around the country.

What’s your 3-6 month plan? We will be in Turkey for just under 90 days until the first of October when our visa expires, and then we will island hop around the Greek islands for a few weeks, landing back in the states in time for the midterm elections in early November. We plan to be back in Mexico at the end of November, visiting the Copper Canyon with friends. We’ll spend December seeing family and friends (Arizona, Sun Valley, Portland) and then back to Mexico where our sailing season will start again in earnest. We’re tentatively planning to sail south to La Paz or Puerto Vallarta from January thru early March to avoid the heavy “Northers” before sailing back up into the Sea of Cortez for a few months before the next hurricane season. We both are likely to travel back and forth to the US during this time for work, and Jodi may come back to Turkey for a month in Spring to check on the house and do some weeding and spring planting.

When will you be back in the US? Sometime in late October/early November, 2018. We hope to come back to Turkey for another extended visit in 2019 – again, during hurricane season in Mexico.

What’s the food like in Turkey? In a word, amazing. Some of the best cuisine in the world. Not heavy like Greek food but fresh, whole foods grown in volcanic soil and rich in color and nutrients. Lots of fresh fruit (melons, peaches, nectarines, plums, figs, apricots) and vegetables (tomatoes – okay, a fruit, squash, beans, cucumbers, lettuces), 100s of varieties of olives and cheese (I counted more than 40 types of “white cheese” at the grocery store the other day), legumes (chickpeas, lentils, white beans) meat and fish/seafood (although we don’t really eat these anymore), and the government subsidized recipe for white bread is divine (and costs no more than about 50 cents). My favorite is breakfast, which is generally cheese, tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, honey, bread, and jam. Alcohol is easier to buy than it used to be (albeit very expensive for out of country brands – a small bottle of Absolut Vodka is $20), and Turkey’s wine industry is growing fast (high-end bottles costing between $5-15). Efes Beer is Turkey’s national pilsner; it’s cheap & delicious ($2/bottle).

Which do you prefer – the Aegean or Mediterranean? Turkey is one of only three countries in the world that straddles more than one continent (Russia and Azerbaijan are the others). Turkey is on the European and Asian continents. We live on the Aegean, but both seas are beautiful. If you look on Google Earth, you can see that the Aegean is a bit more green and mountainous than the Med, but both have crystal clear blue waters, and most of the beaches are small pebbles vs. sand. We are closer to a few Greek islands than we are to mainland Turkey.

What’s your typical day like? See next post – Part 2! 🙂

#aegean #datca #living abroad #mediterranean #tinyhouse #turkey #turkey expatriate #turkiye

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