text:
Vitreoretinal Surgery: Vitrectomy
Vitrectomy Surgery for Diabetic Retinopathy
Vitrectomy is a type of eye surgery used to treat disorders of the retina (the light-sensing cells at the back of the eye) and vitreous (the clear gel-like substance inside the eye). It may be used to treat a severe eye injury, diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachments, epiretinal membrane (macular pucker), and macular holes. This procedure is performed in the operating room.
During a vitrectomy operation, the surgeon makes tiny incisions in the sclera (the white part of the eye). Using a microscope to look inside the eye and microsurgical instruments, the surgeon removes the vitreous and repairs the retina through these tiny incisions. Repairs include removing scar tissue or a foreign object if present.
During the procedure, the retina may be treated with a laser to reduce future bleeding or to fix a tear in the retina. An air or gas bubble that slowly disappears on its own may be placed in the eye. This bubble holds the retina in place as it re-attaches to the back of your eye. With time, the bubble disappears and is replaced with your normal eye fluid.
You must keep your head facing downward or turned to a particular side for up to several weeks after surgery so that the bubble will remain in the right position. In some cases the positioning requirements are full-time, and in others it may be part-time. If you lie in the wrong position, such as face-up, pressure may be applied to other parts of the eye, causing further problems like cataract or glaucoma. When the gas bubble is in the eye the vision may be poor but as the gas bubble dissolves, the vision should improve. The final vision after surgery depends on how damaged the retina was before surgery.


In reading about how to make some of these foods I've found a lot of different methodologies for trying to keep the "work-in-progress" a specific temperature and to keep it from drying out. Since I'm essentially growing mold/fungus I figured what would work best is what the experts in the lab use: an incubator.
Of course I don't have the thousands of dollars for a laboratory-grade incubator that is complete overkill anyway. I am lucky in that I have a few items laying around the house that I can easily turn into an incubator, courtesy of some inspiration from Make the Best Tempeh. I ended up spening about $20, but if I had to buy everything new it would have been about $75, which still isn't terrible.
2013.07.17 Edit: You might want to skip ahead to the end for an easier to make incubator
The first thing I did was scrounge for my beginning parts list. The hardest thing to find was a suitable
insulated vessel that I could fit everything into. Using a $200 (used) insulated catering transport box wasn't going to work. Out in the garage I managed to locate an old cooler that has seen better days. I have no idea how it go this dirty, but when I cleaned it up I discovered it was back from my days in the Air Force. The last time I was a "Senior Airman" was 1996 so this thing is at best 17 years old. No problem sacrificing this cooler to the cause. It was big enough to fit my largest glass pan, which is a major plus.
I carted my now clean cooler outside and drilled a 1" hole in the
side above the drain plug. I had taken the heater apart to cut-off part of the fastener that wasn't needed and dry fitted the tube. It was quite snug. After assembling the heater I hot glued it in place, glued the drain plug shut, and then covered the hot glue with aquarium silicone....just to be sure.
Using some small 1/2" PVC tubing I had, I built a small platform inside the cooler. This platform
I should mention that I had to make another small hole in the side for the airline and the temperature probe to fit through. I sealed that hole up with hot glue and silicone as well. Normally you would want some kind of hole for air to be able to come out of since you are pumping air into the cooler. This particular model has a small inset flip lid for getting stuff out of the cooler without having to open the full lid. I just open this up a bit as needed.
It doesn't take long for the water to heat up in my incubator and I
don't have to fiddle with the temperature too much. In the end I have but two small issues. The first is while I'm incubating something it makes and odd gurgling noise as the air collects under the pan and then breaks free all at once. It just doesn't sound....natural. I'll probably use the incubator out in the garage to keep the noise down. The second issue is potentially more severe. This incubator leaks a little bit. The odd thing is that it doesn't leak at all during use. I noticed that after I'm done incubating my tempeh, if I let the cooler sit full with water, a small drip comes out of the heater element. It is very slow, maybe a cup a day, only drips when the unit is off and it isn't actually going through the electronics of the heater. Simply giving the incubator a couple hours to cool down and then emptying it out is sufficient to prevent any mess.
All-said I put about $21 in new supplies into this incubator. It does it's job well and was totally worth
it in order to successfully create tempeh. I also plan on using this to incubate starters for homemade soy sauce as well.
2013.07.13 Edit: I thought it might be a good idea to use some birthday money to have a second go at this incubator after using the old one a few times. It took me a while to realize that the thermometer was constantly running about 3 degree to high so I was always fiddling with the heater.
A newer big cooler was on sale and I went ahead and purchased it along with a submersible heater, another airstone, and a splitter for my air hose. My plan was to use one of those desk plugs, the kind you use to thread computer cables through a desktop, in the lid to act as a pass-through for the various lines and hoses.
It was far easier to just drop everything in, heater one side everything else on the other, before filling it up with water. I usually wanted the lid open a crack, which was more than enough room for the cables. With a submersible heater I just have to set the temp and drop it in. The glass pan displaces enough water to float.
Cleanup is simple and I can use the cooler for other tasks if I want.


text:
The BDN Editorial Board operates independently from the newsroom, and does not set policies or contribute to reporting or editing articles elsewhere in the newspaper or on bangordailynews.com.
Many family members of victims from the September 11 terrorist attacks are calling on President Joe Biden to declassify information related to Saudi Arabia, or skip upcoming memorial events recognizing the 20th anniversary of the attacks. We don’t blame them.
Nineteen of the hijackers in the 9/11 attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people, were from Saudi Arabia. The Saudi government has repeatedly denied being connected to the attacks, but victims’ families have sued the Saudi government alleging it was complicit. They believe the unreleased documents could provide evidence supporting their case.
We won’t pre-judge information that hasn’t been released — except to say that when something is hidden from public view for years, it’s a good guess that someone wants it to be kept secret.
“Twenty years later, there is simply no reason — unmerited claims of ‘national security’ or otherwise — to keep this information secret,” read a statement signed by over 1,700 people directly impacted by 9/11. “But if President Biden reneges on his commitment and sides with the Saudi government, we would be compelled to publicly stand in objection to any participation by his administration in any memorial ceremony of 9/11.”
All presidential administrations from George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump have refused to declassify this information, frequently citing the “states secrets privilege.” On the campaign trail, however, Biden indicated that we would take a different approach.
“I intend to be a President for all Americans, and will hear all of their voices,” then-candidate Biden wrote in a letter. “The 9/11 Families are right to seek full truth and accountability. … I will direct my Attorney General to personally examine the merits of all cases where the invocation of privilege is recommended, and to err on the side of disclosure in cases where, as here, the events in question occurred two decades or longer ago.”
This isn’t the first or only time that federal officials, from both parties, have pledged to move toward more transparency with this classified information. Trump promised to open FBI records, but his Attorney General William Barr later argued in court that even sharing why the documents couldn’t be released would risk national security. More recently, FBI Director Christopher Wray said he would be “happy to take a look with the [Director of National Intelligence] and others to see if there’s more information that can be declassified.” Biden’s Attorney General Merrick Garland, said similar things during his confirmation process, according to the Hill.
But past statements have not turned into action. After 20 years of false starts and over-promising, the 9/11 families are right to link the release of these files with the upcoming anniversary. Federal officials don’t honor the memory of the victims of the terrorist attacks by continuing to sidestep geopolitically difficult information. They can honor them by confronting hard truths.
The news on Monday that the Justice Department said it would review records and work toward providing 9/11 victims’ families with more information is a welcome development. So is Biden emphasizing that his administration is “committed to ensuring the maximum degree of transparency under the law.” However, to quote Brett Eagleson, whose father was killed inside the World Trade Center, “we have heard many empty promises before.”
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators is also pressuring the administration to take action, recently introducing legislation that would require a declassification review of documents related to foreign support of the 9/11 attacks.
“Nothing should get in the way here, no political or diplomatic or geo-military consideration should get in the way of simple justice after something like 9/11,” said Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, one of the bill’s cosponsors.
“Twenty years ago, we witnessed in horror the deadliest attack on U.S. soil since Pearl Harbor,” said Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas. “As the nation continues to heal from the devastation of 9/11, many families who lost loved ones still want answers.”
It shouldn’t take a bill. Biden and his administration should follow through and move to declassify this information without delay. Victims and survivors of 9/11 deserve respect, remembrance and support. It should go without saying that they and their families also deserve access to a fuller picture of the truth, wherever that leads.

domain: news


text:
Conservatory Student Papers of Unknown Class Origin - Freely Available (UMKC)
Items in this collection are the scholarly output of the Conservatory of Music and Dance students, either alone or as co-authors, and which may or may not have been published in an alternate format.
Items in MOspace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated>
(University of Missouri -- Kansas City, 2021)Piano recitals are often associated with listening to beautiful and virtuosic performances. While most of the piano repertoire are absolute music, there are a few programmatic piano pieces that have stories, poems, or other ...

domain: entertainment


- Commercial banks in Ondo North senatorial district of Ondo state were shut to customers on Tuesday, July 10
- This is due to the massive deployment of police personnel in the state to Ekiti
- Over 30,000 police personnel have been deployed to the neighbouring state due to the July 14 governorship election
A report by New Telegraph indicates that commercial banks in the four local governments in Akoko area of the Ondo North senatorial district of Ondo state on Tuesday, July 14, closed operations.
According to the report, the banks took the decision due to the redeployment of policemen guarding their facilities to Ekiti state for All Progressives Congress (APC) political rally.
The banks took the measure as the withdrawal of policemen from Akoko area in 2015 led to bank robbery in Ikare-Akoko in Akoko Northeast local government where policemen at the station were killed.
The policemen from the state were deployed to Ado Ekiti on special duty to provide security for the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari and other national leaders of the ruling APC, who were in Ekiti state, for the political rally in support of the party and its candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
Many of the customers who wanted to transact business with the affected banks were turned back while the banks were under lock and key. Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in the areas were said to have been massively besieged by many customers who were unable to withdraw in the banks.
An official of one of the affected banks, who spoke with reporters, explained that the fear of possible attack of armed robbers informed the decision of the banks not to open for operation.
His words: “The banks did not open because there were no policemen to provide security for them. All of them (policemen) have been sent to Ekiti state to provide security for Mr. President. If you come to Akoko today (yesterday) you will find very few policemen in the towns, all of them are now in Ekiti for a political rally.
“It has happened before in 2014, when policemen were deployed for a political rally. It was on that day that a gang of armed robbers struck at the banks, killing many people and stealing money. So we don’t want such to happen again at our banks.
“I believe, tomorrow (today), if the policemen are back to their duty posts, we will open for customers to transact, but today, it is very risky to open banks in these areas. We don’t want armed robbers to take the advantage of police absence.”
However, the Ondo state police spokesman, Femi Joseph, said the policemen deployed to Ekiti state could not substantially affect the operations of the bank.
According to him, there were policemen in mufti on ground to provide adequate security for the concerned banks.
His words: “I don’t know why the banks did not open. We have policemen on ground for their security. It is true that some of our men were sent to Ekiti state, but not those that were guarding banks. But those policemen on ground were not in uniform, so many people don’t know them.
“We know the importance of the security for banks and we can’t joke with it. So the banks should go on with their business, no cause for alarm.”
Meanwhile, the Deputy Senate leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah, on Tuesday, July 10, said the 30,000 police personnel deployed to Ekiti state for the July 14 governorship election was unacceptable.
Na’Allah, an APC senator from Kebbi state wondered why large number of policemen should be deployed for an election when the authorities could not deploy 10,000 policemen to secure the lives of people in Zamfara state, who have been attacked by bandits in recent times.
The senator, who was speaking while leading the debate on his bill that sought to repeal the Police Act and re-enact the Police Reform, said such action was not part of the APC manifesto.
Is the Nigerian police your friend? - on Legit.ng TV


$1,998.00 Price incl. GST: $2,297.70
The most common residential inverter is the ideal size for an average-sized family home. This single-phase string inverter complements the typical number of rooftop solar panels, allowing home-owners to get the most efficient energy harvesting for the size of the property.
This rugged outdoor inverter has been designed as a completely sealed unit to withstand the harshest environmental conditions. One of the key benefits of this inverter is the dual input section to process two strings with independent MPPT especially useful for rooftop installations with two different orientations (e.g. east and west). The high speed MPPT offers real-time power tracking and improved energy harvesting. The transformerless operation gives the highest efficiency of up to 96.8%. The wide input voltage range makes the inverter suitable to low power installations with reduced string size.


text:
Hey everyone – it’s here! The cover design for Lost to the Shadows has been finalized!
I really appreciate all of the great feedback I received from those of you who subscribed to my newsletter and got a sneak peek at the initial version.
Jeroen ten Berge is the artist behind the cover. He did an amazing job and I honestly can’t recommend him enough. He’s great to work with and created something so much cooler than I could have even imagined.
Unlike most of the other cover designers I spoke with, Jeroen actually wanted to know what the story is about. He had me send him the manuscript, an outline, and a list of the most important chapters so that he could read and find his inspiration for the cover from the text itself. To know that he really cares not just about his artwork, but about the story, too, is a wonderful feeling.
If you ever need a cover done, I highly suggest you talk Jeroen. You can visit his website www.jeroentenberge.com to get in touch with him and view his gallery. He does logos and company branding, too, so if you’re ever in the market for that, he’d be the first person I would talk to.
Let me know what you think about the cover down in the comments! Or, if you have any questions about my experience with Jeroen, feel free to ask away.
If you’d like sneak peeks or a behind the scenes look at any of my book related activities, subscribe to my newsletter!
Stay up to date by subscribing to the newsletter!
Receive my Thriller Skills Guide as well as information on giveaways, updates, access to the interactive game, and more!

domain: literature


text:
Concertina book with pop up elements about a colourful and lively neighbourhood with its residents. During the day they are busy with different activities. When you turn the book around you see what happens behind the windows in each house at night. There is even a burglar to be discovered... have fun :)
The book can be unfolded and stands alone with certain figures popping up.
Unfolded book showing the street during day time.
Unfolded book showing the street during night time.
Early stage dummy

domain: library


text:
The STOK THEATRE was founded by Zbigniew Stok in 1970.
Since 1972 Stok directed and produced in his theatre together with his life’s partner Erica Hänssler. After the death of Zbigniew Stok in 1990, the theatre has been run by Erica Hänssler together with Peter Doppelfeld.
Personality instead of nailing one’s colours to the mast, not being in the right but finding the truth, is the creed of this theatre. The self-willed handwriting of Erica Hänssler’s own productions have given her 40 one-woman-shows a personal stamp.
The wide spectrum of guest performances gives known and not yet known artists a chance to show their abilities. The STOK THEATRE offers space to:
S = Soloists, T = Theatre-addicts, O = Originals and K = Kindred spirits.
It ist possible to rent the theatre for private parties. A special event that one will remember. In summer this vaulted cellar theatre is cool, and is well heated in winter. This historical wine cellar, now a theatre, must be the natural framework for festivities. The STOK THEATRE is situated in the heart of Zürich, and as an insider tip gives your event a special note.
Many thanks ! See you in this Theatre !
Are you interested ? Click, phone or send an e-mail.
(Trad. H. Levy)

domain: artistic


[NAMM] Yamaha AG hybrid mixers
Yamaha introduces today at NAMM 2015 a new series of hybrid mixers and USB audio interfaces for podcaster and mobile musicians.
The new Yamaha AG series features two 3 and 6-channel mixers with built-in USB interface compatible with the iOS devices. It supports an audio resolution of 24-bit / 192kHz and is designed for gamers, web- and podcasting and mobile musicians, for they can be powered via USB, and external battery or an adapter.
One interesting feature on the AG03/AG06 is the To PC switch that allows for choosing which inputs will be sent to the computer or iOS device. The Dry Ch 1-2 allows for recording inputs 1 and 2, Input Mix sends all the inputs to the USB stereo port along with the USB return from the computer, which allows for mixing the mics and instruments to music, add effects from the computer and more.
Both consoles AG03 and AG06 features Yamah D-PRE mic preamps, an aux input to add an audio player and a footswitch input in case you need to manage effects during live performance. A monitoring section includes separate volume controls for the headphone and speaker outputs and DSP effects are also available.
- 3 or 6 analog inputs
- D-PRE preamps with XLR/1/4“ Neutrik combos (1 on the AG03 and 2 on the AG06)
- 2 inputs / 2 outputs USB interface with 24-bit / 192kHz audio resolution
- 48V phantom power switch
- Hi-Z input for guitar and bass
- Compressor, EQ and reverb
- DSP guitar amp simulation on the AG06
- 60mm fader on the AG03
- Loopback feature for podcasting/webcasting
- TO PC section for flexible channel routing
- Aux input
- Headphone and monitor outputs with dedicated level controls
- USB (mini USB 5V), external battery or power supply
- iOS compatible
- Metal chassis
These new mixer will be available in March, no information regarding their price.
Viewers of this article also read...
- [NAMM] Manley Force 4-channel preamp Manley adds three channels to its Core mic tube preamp and introduces the new Force model.
- [NAMM] JoMoX T-Rackonizer Eurorack filter JoMoX will introduce at NAMM the successor of its T-Resonator filter module, the T-Rackonizer in Eurorack format.
- [NAMM] 2 new TC-Helicon products at NAMM TC-Helicon will introduce tomorrow at NAMM 2015 two new products, a looper for microphone in the Ditto Series and the MP-76 dynamic mic.


text:
1830-c.1885 Related Paintings of Alfred wilson cox :. | That cartoon of Experiment Herring | Tate Britain | Bacino di San Marco (St Mark s Basin) | Perseus and Andromeda | The fern gatherer |
Related Artists:Louis Gauffier
Louis Gauffier Gallery
French painter. Following his move to Paris, where he became a pupil of Hugues Taraval and a student at the Academie Royale, in 1784 Gauffier shared the Prix de Rome with Jean-Germain Drouais and Antoine-Denis Chaudet (for sculpture), his own work being Christ and the Woman of Canaan (Paris, Ecole N. Sup. B.-A.). During his time in Rome (1785-9) Gauffier worked hard, but his health was poor and the results variable. On his return to Paris he was accepted (agree) by the Academie as a history painter. Soon after, he returned to Rome in order to escape the worsening situation in Revolutionary Paris, although he continued to send his Neo-classical works to the Salon. In March 1790 he married Pauline Chatillon (d July 1801), a portrait painter whom he and Drouais had taught..Bartolomeo Bettera
Bartolomeo Bettera (Bergame, 28 août 1639 - Milan, apres 1688) est un peintre italien qui a ete actif dans la seconde moitie du XVIIe sie-le dans la peinture de nature morte.Canaletto
Italian Rococo Era Painter, 1697-1768
Italian painter, etcher and draughtsman. He was the most distinguished Italian view painter of the 18th century. Apart from ten years spent in England he lived in Venice, and his fame rests above all on his views (vedute) of that city; some of these are purely topographical, others include festivals or ceremonial events. He also painted imaginary views (capriccios), although the demarcation between the real and the invented is never quite clearcut: his imaginary views often include realistically depicted elements, though in unexpected surroundings, and in a sense even his Venetian vedute are imaginary. He never merely re-created reality. He was highly successful with the English, helped in this by the British connoisseur JOSEPH SMITH, whose own large collection of Canaletto works was sold to King George III in 1762. The British Royal Collection has the largest group of his paintings and drawings.

domain: history


Published May 07 2010
Tweeden alone at mayoral debate
The three other candidates, incumbent Dennis Walaker, Ahmed Haji and Robert Gates, were invited but unable to attend the event hosted by the League of Women Voters of the Red River Valley.
Tweeden said Fargo has outgrown the current five-person commission government and thinks a council would better serve the city to ensure all areas have representation.
“Right now, three people can decide an issue for the entire city of Fargo,” he told The Forum.
Tweeden said Fargo’s biggest challenge is flooding, and he thinks the city should focus more on water retention. Tweeden prefers a Minnesota diversion because it is less expensive and said all of the communities surrounding the Red River should help pay for flood protection.
Another goal Tweeden has as mayor is to follow Moorhead’s lead on a domestic partnership registry, he said.
The election is June 8.


text: For further processing only. Others CHAPSO CHAPSO 126.96.36.199.13.1 zwitterionic detergent, crystalline powder CHAPSO custom fill CustomBiotech product. Please contact your local representative. Will be supplied as "CHAPSO". Unit of measure is "g". CHAPSO 11112392103 Not Available Reagents, kits en Use CHAPSO to reduce protein-protein interactions. CHAPSO can be easily removed by dialysis. en Zwitterionic detergent for diagnostic tests. en Appearance: White crystalline powder CHAPSO (from C): ≥95% C (elementary analysis): ≥57.6% Water (K. Fischer): ≤4% HPTLC: Chromatographically homogeneous Stability: At +2 to +8°C within specification range for 36 months.

domain: chemistry


text:
New Cross Inn presents an evening of hard and heavy rock with Glasgow's Megalomatic.
£5 ADV / £6 OTD
Powerful, progressive, face melting riffs packed full of passion and controlled emotion.
While Megalomatic can play it dark, fast and heavy, their songs have surprising breaks and shifts that catch the listener off guard and beg for repeat listens. Their varied musical tastes that range from Mastodon to Everything Everything, demonstrate that this is a band that draws inspiration from the least likely of places.
«These guys have taken rock right back to its barest bones here, & I just love it!… Totally unpretentious & very thought provoking!»
Way Out Radio, UK.
With support from:
Skull Above The Cannon
An alternative metal trio currently based in London.
The band came together in Sicily in 2014 after a musical retreat in Castelmola, a small village overlooking the Ionian Sea and that thereafter became the band's unchanging artistic cradle.
In 2015 the band released their EP of the same name and performed as the support band for Brazilian frontman, Edu Falaschi (Angra, Alamah) at some of his Italian concerts. This first release offers audiences and critics a sound that reintroduces the origins of prog-metal, punk and 90s stoner rock (Tool, Uzeda, Melvins).
The UK's one and only «Thrash Cabaret» band combining the sounds of Rock, Metal, Punk and Prog with the image and influence of Drag, Cabaret and Glam Rock, The Fascinators are a treat for all the senses of those who dare to sample them
And one TBD


text:
“It was lunch at a local cafe, Harry,” you say, shaking your head and ignoring his irrationality. “Kari and I decided to go have some lunch together today to get out of the office for a while. It was nothing.”
“How is it nothing when photos are circulating of you again?” he asks, irritated.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” you say, sarcastically. “I guess I didn’t get the memo that I was no longer allowed to walk three blocks away from my work to have lunch with my best friend.”
“How will I ever make you understand?!” he growls, tugging at his hair in frustration.
“Why is it my fault that some person took my photo while I was at a local cafe?” you ask, looking at him confused. “I did nothing wrong, and I don’t recall doing anything that would have embarrassed you, so why are you so upset?”
“I don’t like photos of you being plastered all over social media!” he roars.
You look at him frustratingly. “So you are saying you want me to stay at home unless I’m at work, and while I’m at work I’m not allowed to leave, and I have to go straight to and from each.”
“No,” he groans. “That’s not what I’m saying, love.”
“Harry,” you say as you look directly at him and sigh. “You worry too much. I can’t be kept inside like a caged animal. You wouldn’t like that either. I know sometimes you’ve had to do that because of who you are. But, I’m nobody. I know people still associate me with you, even though we’ve kept our life together secret, for the most part. What circulates in social media and such, it’s all speculative. Your fans and the media, they have their theories, but that’s all they have right now.”
“I don’t like God-knows-who having access to you,” he insists. “It makes me nervous.”
You look at him questioningly, knowing there has to be more to this than he is saying.
“Why?” you look at him. “What do you know that I don’t?”
He stutters slightly. “Nothing. Sweetheart, please understand how unsettling it is for me to go onto my social media and find I’ve been tagged in thousands of copies of photos of you out somewhere, with no protection, no security to keep you safe.”
“Harry, nobody wants me except you,” you grin at him slightly. “They want you, not me. Is that what this is about?” He looks at you with furrowed brow. “You know how the paps and fans are with you, and you don’t want them to be that way with me?”
“Well,” he frowns, “Yes, I suppose, partly.”
“They aren’t that way with me,” you insist. “I swear. We walked the three blocks to the cafe, had lunch and a nice visit, and walked back, without one person stopping us, talking to us, asking us questions, and the only person who apparently took photos, we were oblivious to. They didn’t approach us. It was completely safe.”
“Until it’s not,” he says, whining. “You don’t use social media anymore so you don’t see the horrible comments people make about you. Babe, some of them are really terrible, and it makes me worry more for you.”
You inhale and exhale audibly. “Harry,” you walk to him and hold his hands. “I love that you worry about me. And I hate that you worry about me. I worry about you, too, like, all the time. You are in a much bigger spotlight than I am. And until we are made public, that spotlight on me shouldn’t grow. The only time I’ve ever had problems, I’ve told you about, and it’s usually when there has been some new kind of false rumor circulate, and the second the rumor is squashed, the cockroaches scatter again and nobody bothers me. And as far as the comments, I would have to care about their opinion for it to bother me. I’m sorry they bother you so much.”
He pulls you against him and kisses your lips softly. “I just worry about you. I never want anything to happen to you. In my perfect, ideal world, I would have you with me all the time…work, traveling, everything. You would quit your job so you could be wherever I am. And I know that isn’t realistic, at least not yet.”
“I love that you want me with you. But I think you’re right. It isn’t really realistic at this point, and it would definitely out us to the world,” you say, leaning your head against his chest.
“I know. I’m sorry,” he apologizes, tightening his hug around you.
You look at him, trying to assure him. “I promise you, I am always careful. I stopped taking the tube for you, using a cab or driver like you requested. I don’t go for runs anymore because you are worried for my safety. And where I used to go shopping in the little shops in town all the time, I rarely do anymore, because it makes you nervous.”
“I sound like a tyrant, don’t I?” he sulks, frowning while rubbing his hands up and down your back.
You nod teasingly, crinkling your nose at him. “Yes.” You smile as he chuckles. “I understand why you feel the way you do. But I need my freedom to go and do when I want to sometimes, too. You understand that, don’t you?” you ask calmly.
He hugs you tightly again, kissing your head. “I do. I just need you safe.”
“And I am safe,” you reply, squeezing his middle tightly.
You were excited for a girl’s night! It had been a long time since you and Kari had had an evening of girl time together, and Harry being out of town made it the perfect time for a sleepover. You were thankful that your best friend and your boyfriend liked each other. Kari had never been to the home you shared with Harry, so it would be fun.
At the sound of the security gate buzzer, you let the private car through. Harry had insisted you use one of his drivers, making Kari scream with excitement when you told her. As you see it stop at the end of the walkway, you open the door and quickly run out to greet her. Squealing like school girls, you share a hug, thank the driver, and return to the house to give Kari a tour.
“Never thought I’d experience this kind of life. This is amazing!” she exclaims, still looking around. “A girl could get used to this!”
“It’s a nice home, yeah,” you say, smiling. “I’d love Harry even if he didn’t have a nickel to his name, but it’s a nice perk.”
“Your nice perk is my wet dream, love,” she sighs. “But I’ll happily enjoy your nice perk anytime you’d like some company.”
Hearing a video call sound on your opened laptop, you run to it happily to talk to Harry. Having texted that he would be calling, you prepared ahead. In only a moment, you see Harry’s face light up your screen.
“There’s my beautiful love!” Harry smiled, blowing you a kiss. “How are you, baby?”
“I’m fine! How are you? Missing me yet?” you smile and giggle.
“I am, yes, and I’m fine, only missing you as well!” he replies. “Has Kari arrived yet?”
“I’m here!” Kari chimes in, jumping in front of the computer screen. “Just enjoying the facilities. What a home you have here, love!”
“Like it?” he smiles. “I’m glad you beauties are getting some proper girl time while I’m away.”
“How is your work?” you ask him. “Everything going okay?”
“Yeah, it’s fine,” he says, nodding. “Should be home in a few days. Everything good there?”
“Everything’s fine here,” you smile. “Just missing you.”
He puts his hand over his heart and closes his eyes, grinning. “Missing you terribly, sweetheart. Now I’ll let you girls get back to your evening. I just wanted to call and see your face.”
“So sweet to me,” you swoon. “Going to be a night of wine, fingernail polish, and swapping sex stories.” You smile as his eyes get huge.
“You what now?” he asks, his dimples denting in deeply as he smiles and chuckles.
“Nothing!” you laugh. “Thank you for calling me.”
“Of course, love,” he says, blowing you a kiss. “I’ll call you again tomorrow. Enjoy your evening, babe. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” you say as you blow a kiss in return.
“I love you, too!” Kari yells as you both laugh.
You disconnect the call, closing the laptop and work on dinner.
“Think you’ve found a right good one in him, lovey. He’s definitely a keeper,” she smiles at you. “Not just because he’s well-off and hotter than shit on a shingle. But you can tell he really loves you. And I’ve never seen you so in love.”
You smile. “I agree, but in all honesty, the only other man you have ever seen me with was Alex.”
“Uuunnhhh!!!” she groans loudly. “He who must not be named! Evil!”
You giggle and nod your head. “Can’t say I don’t agree with that, either.”
“Have you seen him since the day he hit you?” she questioned.
“No, and I hope I never do again,” you say bluntly. “Bastard.”
“Like to punch him myself,” Kari says, balling up her fist. “Was lucky enough to have you, then to do what he did. Not a lick o’ smart in that boy, I’d say.”
“Unfortunately, he is smart,” you say. “But at least he’s left me alone since that day. Besides, if he hadn’t done what he did, and things hadn’t happened as they did, maybe I wouldn’t be with Harry now, and that kind of makes me sad to think about. So I have no regrets.”
The two of you have a great evening, watching chick flicks, doing each others hair and makeup and nails, and talking about things you only talk about with your best girlfriend. When you wake up the next morning, you rub your slightly sore head and your blurry eyes, and hear snoring from the other side of the bed. You didn’t think you drank that much wine the night before, but your head was telling you differently.
You look over at Kari and giggle, one of her legs topping your own as the rest of her is stretched out across the bed, mouth open wide and a prominent noise escaping her face with each inhalation. You let her sleep as you get up and slip into a bikini and go out for a morning swim. The water feels amazing as you float and propel your body mindlessly. You love the silence that early in the morning. Besides an occasional bird singing, it was usually quiet for your morning swims.
After a bit longer in the pool, you decide you should make sure Kari is awake and ready when her driver arrives. You climb out of the pool, grabbing your towel and drying, then jumping as you hear a voice behind you.
“Hot babe!” Kari yells followed by a wolf whistle. “You are one sexy bitch!”
You look at her, shaking your head and smiling. “Scared the shit out of me, Kar!”
“Completely jealous of Harry, love,” she admits. “I’d kill to have your body. I’m more straight up and down short of my tits being nice. But you, damn. Curves in all the right places. Harry’s one lucky man!”
“Stop it!” you laugh. As you finish drying, you look at Kari and see her looking toward the security gate with a concerned look.
“I swear someone was just looking in through the gate!” she yelled.
You look more intensely then grab her hand and walk back toward the door into the house. “Come on.” You go inside, locking the door behind you and going to make sure the security system is set. You check the surveillance looking around the gate area but don’t see anyone. “Well, if there was someone, they aren’t there now.”
“That’s scary, love,” she says, the look of fear in her eyes. “Loads of people who would love to get in here and nick somethin’, I’m sure. Or hope to get to Harry.”
You shake your head. “His security system is incredible, and all I have to do is push that red button and apparently what will seem like an entire SWAT team will suddenly descend from the heavens or something. I feel safe here.”
The security gate buzzes loudly, causing you both to jump and scream, then look at each other and laugh nervously. You look into the screen and see the driver is there to pick up your friend.
“Shit, haven’t packed yet,” she says. “Tell him I’ll just be a moment, love?”
You nod as she runs around collecting all of her things as you let the driver in. Soon your friend has left and you are once again alone in the big house. You shower and dress, do a few things around the house, and search for something else to pass the time, when you hear the buzzer again. You don’t recognize the vehicle, pushing the button to speak into the microphone.
“May I help you?” you ask.
“Yes, miss,” the driver replies. “Floral delivery for this address.” You aren’t sure what to do, not knowing how to handle such situations. It was rare that someone would arrive at the house who wasn’t expected.
“Um…” you hesitate. “Do you have identification so I know what business you are from, please?”
“Yes,” the driver says, pulling out a name badge and holding it up to the monitor. “My name is Collins. Feel free to call the flower shop and verify if you would like. I understand.”
You start to but realize it seems legitimate. He wouldn’t tell you to call if it wasn’t, right? You push the button, allowing the car inside, and quickly pull a t-shirt from the laundry over your swimsuit, walking out to meet the car. The driver gets out of the delivery van, opening a door and closing again, walking toward you with a large, beautiful floral arrangement.
“It’s very beautiful!” the driver says to you.
“It sure is!” you say, awestruck from the flowers. You can’t wait to go inside and text Harry a big thank you, knowing he is the only one who ever sends you flowers. You pass the driver a tip, thank him, and watch as he pulls back out of the driveway, resetting the security as you close the door behind you. You set the flowers on the island and grab your phone, texting Harry.
The flowers are GORGEOUS!!! Thank you, sweetheart! I love you!
You set your phone down again and move the flowers to the center of the table and take a photo of them. You hear your phone ring, seeing it’s Harry, and answer it.
“Hi! They are beautiful, Harry! Thank you so much!” you praise.
“Love,” he starts but you interrupt.
“Wait, I’ll send you a photo of them,” you say.
“Sweetheart? Listen to me,” he says.
“Okay?” you giggle, still looking at your flowers.
“I didn’t send you any flowers,” he says. Your smile slowly disappears as you process it. “Hello?”
“Yeah,” you say. “I’m here. If you didn’t send them, who did?”
“Is there a card?” he asks. You can hear the seriousness in his voice. “Look.”
You look through the arrangement but see nothing. “No,” you answer. “I don’t see a card.”
You hear him clear his voice. “Okay,” he instructs. “Who delivered them? What shop?”
You think a moment then answer. “Over In The Garden Floral Shop. The delivery person said his name was Collins. The shop name was on the side of the car, Harry, and I asked to see his ID in the monitor before I opened the gate.”
“Alright,” he says. “Alright. I’m going to call them and see if I can find out who ordered and paid for them.”
“Maybe…,” you offer. “Maybe someone sent them to you. He just said it was for this address, not a specific person.”
“I’ll see what I can find out,” he answers. “Babe, I don’t want you letting anyone else through the gate. And if you need to go somewhere, tell me and I’ll have a bodyguard stay with you.”
“Harry…” you begin to protest.
“Just indulge me here, love,” he begs. “I’m 10 hours away by air from where you are and fighting my urge to jump on a plane. I’ll call you after I talk to the floral shop.”
“Okay,” you give in.
“I love you, babe,” Harry tells you, his voice tender and sweet.
“I love you, too.”
After talking to Harry a short time later, you found he was unable to find out who sent the flowers, that the purchase was made online and paid for using an untraceable method. You assured Harry that you were fine and the only plan you had for leaving was to go to work on Monday. You were unnerved a bit by the incident, but you felt safe, so you weren’t terribly concerned. But your thoughts changed slightly as a noise woke you from your sleep Sunday night.
You lay in the bed before sitting straight up out of your sleep. You tried to determine if you actually heard something or dreamed it, but when you heard it again, your heart began to race. You listen carefully, grabbing your phone from its charger and quietly but quickly making your way to the washroom and locking the door. You listen quietly and soon hear footsteps in the bedroom. Your shaking hands stumble on your phone as you begin to call the police, but hear a familiar voice.
“Baby?” you hear Harry say. The door handle rattles above your head as you try to get to your feet and open the door. “It’s me, sweetheart. Open the door.”
You open the door and quickly rap your arms around Harry’s shoulders. He feels you trembling and breathing rapidly in his ear.
“I’m sorry I frightened you, love,” Harry said into your ear, holding you tightly. “Couldn’t wait any longer to be home with you. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” you say, relieved but not letting him go. “I’m just happy you’re home!”
You hold onto him for a long moment until he finally finds your mouth, kissing you deeply. You breathe him in, the realization of how much you missed him setting in.
“Mmm,” you heard Harry moan lightly as he kissed you, not wanting to leave you to work for the day. He had insisted on dropping you at work ‘just for the extra bit of time with you’. “If I’m going to be late tonight, I’ll have a driver waiting for you at 5.” You nod as he kisses you again, holding your face to his.
You both jump as you hear someone tapping loudly at your car window. You see it’s Kari, making a face at you and Harry laughs. You open the door, kiss Harry again quickly, then step out onto the sidewalk.
“How are you this morning, Kari?” Harry asks her.
“Rather be sleeping, if I’m honest, but doing well,” she smiles. “How was your trip, love?”
“Fine, but happy to be back,” Harry says, looking at you.
Kari nods. “What’d you find out on those flowers? Have anything to do with the guy at the gate?”
Harry’s smile turns down quickly as he looks at you then back at Kari. “What guy at the gate?” You don’t answer quickly enough for him. “Babe, what guy at the gate?”
“I went out for a swim Saturday morning while Kari was sleeping, and when she came out, she thought she saw a man standing at the gate, looking in,” you say, shaking you head.
“Thought?” Kari asked, sounding offended but not. “I’ll have you know, I know what I saw. Bloke in black standing at the gate, peering through like a right creeper.”
Harry looked at you, irritated you hadn’t mentioned it.
“Don’t look at me like that,” you defend yourself. “I didn’t see him myself, and when I checked the surveillance there was nobody there. I honestly didn’t think about it again.”
You could see the pensive and unhappy look on Harry’s face as he reached for your hand.
“I’ll pick you up at 5,” he said, changing his mind. “If you want lunch out, call and I’ll come get you girls.”
“Harry, I’ll be fine…” you begin.
“Please, don’t,” he says. “Indulge me, remember?”
You nod, leaning in for one more kiss, then close the door and walk with Kari to the building, looking back and returning the wave Harry is sending you.
“Sorry, love,” Kari said, once you were through the front doors. “Didn’t realize mentioning it would turn him into a guard dog. Was just curious.”
“No worries,” you say, forcing a smile. “I honestly did forget about it, but not sure I would have mentioned to him anyway. As much as I love his need to protect me, I don’t want him to become obsessive with it. He’s a busy man. Doesn’t need to be worrying about me, too.”
“That’s his job as your boyfriend, babe,” she reminds you. “Let him obsess if he wants to! You’re a precious commodity to him. Don’t take that away from him.” You shake your head, irritated that your best friend is siding with your boyfriend over you. “Don’t be that way, lovey. Men need to be that way with their woman. Let him!”
You think about what Kari says and realize maybe it is what Harry needs, to know he can keep you safe. You’re just not yet used to having someone take care of you. You have been independent and on your own for a lot of years, and to let someone else have control of that…you would do your best to not complain and to let him do things his way. You were still kind of a stranger to this new way of living…more in the public eye, needing security, being linked to a celebrity. You trusted Harry to know what was best, you just hoped your independent spirit and personality would follow along.
At 5 o’clock you made your way down to the front of the building and saw Harry sitting across the road, a grin on his face and hand waving to you. You smiled and waved in return, kissing your friends cheek and saying goodbye, then quickly crossing the road to get inside the car. You closed your door and turned to Harry, seeing him leaning to you with his lips in an exaggerated pucker, waiting to be kissed. You giggle and kiss him sweetly.
“How was your day?” you ask him.
“Fine…better now,” he flirts. “Yours?”
“Typical day, really,” you return. “Missed you.” He leans in and kisses you again, then you blink as you both hear the sound of a camera clicking, flashing through the windscreen of the car, a pap taking photo after photo of the two of you.
“Shit,” Harry says, irritated, putting the car into drive and immediately taking off down the street. He looks at you and the shock on your face. “Guess we’ve been discovered this time, haven’t we?”
“Looks that way,” you say, trying to read how he feels about that. The look on his face seemed to be a bit timid and nervous until you were well on the road back to the house. You feel his hand grab yours and squeeze, looking at him and seeing a forced smile. “Get ready. Things are going to change now.”
The second you are in the house, Harry goes to his office and makes phone calls, warning his PR team and management about what happened. You left him to it, knowing he wasn’t happy but that the two of you really had nobody to blame but yourselves this time. After a bit Harry walked into the room as you sat on a barstool, looking online. You quickly turn off your screen and set it down, grinning at him. Harry kisses you lightly, holding your hand and sitting on the stool next to yours.
“Already online, aren’t they?” he asks, hesitantly. You just grin slightly at him but he knows. “Fuck, I’m sorry, love. I hate that your privacy is going to be virtually gone now. I know what’s going to happen and…”
“Hey,” you interrupt. “No more, alright? It happened, nobody’s fault besides the stupid pap that should have minded his own business and gotten a better job.” You smile at him and he tries to smile but he knows you have no real concept of the changes that will happen now. “We should be lucky that it didn’t happen sooner. We’ve been together quite some time now, you know.”
“Yeah,” he grins, holding your hands in his. “Still, we need to discuss how things will need to be different now. I’m afraid life as you knew it before is gone now.”
You take a deep breath and exhale. “Well, as apocalyptic as that sounds, I’m a strong woman, I think. Pretty sure I can handle it.” You smile as he returns the smile and kisses you lovingly.
Harry’s warnings about how life would change for you now were highly understated. Paps were in abundance and Harry’s fans took photos of you everywhere you were seen. You were pretty good at ignoring unless they were right in your face. Now that you had been outed to the public, the positive side was that Harry was okay now with the two of you being seen in public to an extent. ‘It’s out there now, might as well go with it a bit’, he stated to you one night. Although he wasn’t really able to take you to and from work now, as fans would wait for him to show up, you did occasionally go somewhere together…a little shop one of you had wanted to visit, or you tagged along with him on certain occasions of his work. A photo of Harry holding your hand as you walk down a sidewalk, or his hand at your waist and laughing with you as you walk into a building, that was gold for paps and fans. You were excited to finally be able to attend his concerts and appearances when possible, although Harry, still being incredibly overprotective, requested that you not be out among the people.
As the popularity of your relationship with Harry grew in the media realm, you found it more and more difficult to do simple things. As you went to a local market one day, only a few blocks from where you lived to get a couple of things needed for dinner, you walked out to cameras flashing and paps in your face asking you questions. It was only a few blocks from home so you hadn’t bothered with bringing a driver or security, but the paps were like vultures and followed you nearly the entire way, unable to cross at a certain point or endure legal action. Within 10 minutes, you were listening to Harry argue into your ear over the phone the importance of having security at all times.
“Are you listening to me, love? This is important!” he nearly yells.
“Yes, Harry!” you reply. “I always listen to you. It was a few blocks for a handful of items. I honestly didn’t think anyone would even notice. I’m sorry!”
“Sweetheart,” he insists. “Somebody will always notice! We’ve been over and over this! Please, just…use your head.”
You weren’t sure if it was the words or the tone of his voice that made it hurt your feelings a bit, but it shut you up.
“Are you still there?” he asks after you’ve said nothing.
“Yes,” you simply reply.
“I love you, babe. I’ll be home in a bit,” he says sweetly but sternly.
“Bye,” you reply, not realizing you hadn’t told him you loved him back. You stood in the kitchen for a long moment, just leaning back against the counter, listening to the stillness of the house with only appliances humming and your heart beating lightly in your ears. The quiet was soothing to you, meditative even.
You put the food away for the time being and decide to take a swim. It always relaxes you and helps clear your mind. You like the rhythmic sounds of the water in and out of your ears, how your body glides through the ripples and small waves your movements make. Your mind becomes transfixed on shutting out the world for a while, until your eyes catch a glimpse of something and you stop, seeing a person standing in front of you. You nearly swallow water as you are caught off guard, wiping the pool water from your eyes, then seeing Harry standing in front of you and kneeling down at the edge of the pool.
“Hello, love,” he says with a smile. “Having a nice swim?”
You see the loving look on his face and smile gently, nodding at him. “Yeah.” Harry holds his hand to you to help you climb up out of the pool. You stand next to him, looking at him, still a bit irritated, but knowing he probably didn’t mean it the way it sounded. “I didn’t realize you would be home this early. I’ve not started dinner.”
“It’s fine,” he smiles. “Managed to get away a bit early. I’ll help with dinner.”
You nod and start to turn and walk away, but he pulls you into his arms and holds you.
“Harry, you’re going to get all wet,” you admonish.
“I don’t care,” he says. “Waited all day to hold you. If it gets me a little wet, then so be it.” You hear him chuckle a bit. “Besides, you kind of like me wet, don’t you?” You look at his face and see a smirk then giggle.
“Yeah, I kind of do,” you agree. Just as Harry lets go of you, you quickly push him into the pool. He erupts from the surface with a look of surprise on his face. “You’re right. Kind of like you wet.”
“You’re going to pay for that one,” he laughs.
“Sorry,” you say, smirking. “Must have not have been using my head again.”
You grab your towel and start drying a bit as he pulls himself out of the water and walks to you with an apologetic look on his face.
“I’m sorry, baby,” he says, placing a gentle kiss on your lips. “I didn’t mean for it to sound so…mean. I know you use your head, it’s just…”
“It’s okay,” you say, shaking your head, then kissing his cheek. “Not a big deal. I’m over it.” You start to turn again but he doesn’t let you walk away, putting his arm around your waist. “Really. It’s alright…”
You can’t finish your words before Harry’s mouth is on yours, kissing you passionately, holding you closely. You melt into him quickly, tasting the lips and tongue you have come to love kissing so much. You feel Harry’s hands pulling your hips against him and feel him getting hard against your stomach. A slight lick to your lips and nibble to your jaw has you moaning lightly as Harry speaks softly into your ear.
“Come with me.”
He takes your hand, leading you into the house, walking to the sofa and stripping off his wet clothes. As he lowers his pants to the floor, he sits, pushing his wet hair out of his face. He pulls you in front of him, pulling your bikini bottoms down without hesitation. Without warning he kisses your little clit, causing you to catch your breath, sucking it into his mouth swiftly. He moans at the taste of you, as if you were his favorite dessert he hadn’t had in ages. You weren’t sure what had suddenly gotten into him, but you were loving it. He massages your hips, pulling you down onto his lap and hastily removing your bikini top. He had a look of desperation on his face which you found almost exciting. Feeling him pull and nip at each breast had your pussy tingling. He moaned as he devoured your nipples, kissing and licking around them then inhaling them into his mouth, sucking them as if he was nursing.
You feel Harry’s hand between your legs, stroking your lips. “So wet already, baby. Beautiful.” You lean down and kiss him with a powerful lust. You and Harry had an amazing sex life, so how was it that he continued to turn you on so madly and so quickly? You thought it is because he makes you feel desired, which you don’t remember ever feeling with a man before. You feel his fingers dip inside of you and you groan into his mouth. He pulls away slightly and looks to the side of the sofa, moving the two of you to the corner and lowering himself down, resting his head in the crevice.
“Up here now, baby,” he says as he taps his hands on the arm and top of the sofa on either side of his head. Dear God…he wanted you to ride his face. You moved one shin to the arm of the sofa and the other to the sofa top, just next to where his head was resting, and sat yourself in front of his face. You whimpered loudly, grabbing on to the back of the sofa, as you immediately felt Harry’s mouth sucking your lips, pulling them lightly into his mouth, then dipping his tongue as deeply inside of you as it would reach. He fucked the muscle in and out of you mercilessly, before teasing your asshole with the tip of it.
“Oh my god!” you whine loudly. You felt him pulling your pussy into his face, his hands on your ass, as his mouth explored you. Little flicks of his tongue over and over against your clit made you nearly sob. You looked down at him and saw his eyes focus on you, then closing again to concentrate on pleasuring you. You felt the thick, lazy swipe of his tongue along the length of your slit, sucking in your clit as he reached it and popping it out again, then beginning the ritual again. You bounce your ass gently toward his face, pulling his hair with one hand while holding your balance with the other. You feel his loud moan vibrate against you as you grind lightly against his face, hearing the smacking of his mouth on you as he mutters to himself.
“How do you….” he starts, consuming you again, “…fuckin’ taste so fuckin’ good?”
You weren’t sure how much longer you could hold that position, seeing stars as you rock your body lightly into his face, constantly catching yourself holding your breath for nearly too long between gasps. You knew your legs would hold out, but you were nearly feeling faint from the level of enjoyment he was giving you.
“Har-ry…” you manage between a deep exhale and quick inhale. He heard your throat stutter, knowing you were close.
“Come sit on me, love,” he ordered. “Get on me.” He helped you move your legs down as you lean down and kiss his damp face, tasting your juices on him, but he is hungry for you. He holds his hard cock, pumping it slightly. You see the pre-cum seep out of his little slit and quickly move your body to lick your tongue across it. You hear Harry groan gutturally, then pull your face back to his, kissing you forcefully. “Get on me,” he repeats.
You straddle his cock as he holds it between your legs, rubbing it back and forth along your hot wetness. As you sit slowly down on him, allowing him to feel every inch as you sink onto him, you hear him breathe in deeply, his eyes closed tightly, jaw clinched. You pepper his face with your soft lips until he is pulling you into another deep, forceful kiss. You pull away and look at him, his gaze burning a hole through you.
“I love you,” he says, through ragged breaths.
“I love you,” you say back to him. You lace your hands into his hair and kiss his temple, whispering into his ear. “I love you so much.”
You begin to grind against him, feeling he is not going to take long, his stiff cock rubbing inside you just right, causing your muscles to contract slightly. His hands work up and down your back and hips, kneading and twisting into your skin as his breathing becomes almost unbearable to listen to. His hands cling firmly onto your ass and begin roughly lifting and pulling you down onto him as deeply as you will go, his hips thrusting upward to meet you. Your mouth rests against his cheek as your own breathing becomes staggered into prolonged inhales and quick exhales before sucking in again. Harry slams up into you, your bodies making loud, wet slapping noises as they collide. You feel yourself begin to clamp onto his dick as you moan and quake. Harry thrusts roughly as all the air he had stored in his lungs escapes loudly, his pumping dick spurting streams of cum deeply inside of you as he moans loudly against you with the release. His hands and arms still cling to you tightly as his body begins to relax. You feel his lips on your neck, kissing your collarbone then moving steadily up to find your jaw. He pulls your lips to his and kisses you intensely, tasting you, leaving little kisses around your face, then another sweet one on your lips. He looks at you and smiles, dimples popping again as he hugs you against his chest.
As soon as you finish work, you rejoice that it is the weekend. Harry had already said that he would be working late in the studio that night, so a couple of drinks with the best friend was in order. After realizing he wasn’t going to talk you out of going to a bar, and knowing you needed time with your friend and time away from home and work, he deserted his request for you to invite Kari to the house, if you agreed to having a driver and bodyguard nearby.
‘I promise you won’t even know he’s there unless he needs to be’, he said, so you sighed and agreed.
As the two of you walked outside of your office building, you and Kari got into the private car Harry had sent, and drove to a nearby pub that was the perfect ‘hiding place’ away from paparazzi. There were a few around the entrance of the building all the time, as some A-listers dropped in fairly regularly, but they didn’t bother you much after seeing the guard with you. You had to admit, you were thankful for Harry’s insistence. Getting around anymore had become barely worth the trouble. And your guard was nice, and enormous, so you weren’t too concerned about being harassed.
“So, darlin’,” Kari says as the two of you find a private table in the back, far away from the large front windows of the small pub. “What’s happenin’ with you? Seems we never have as much time together anymore outside of work, with my new girl and your rocker boy toy.”
“Yes! How is the new girlfriend? And when do I meet her?” you ask, excitedly.
“She’s not in London at the moment,” Kari smiles, “but she’ll be back next week and she’s stoppin’ by the office one day to take me to lunch, so I’ll introduce you then. Just don’t be too jealous that someone else is gettin’ what you didn’t want.” She looks at you with a turned up nose. “Oh, who am I kiddin’? I’d give it to you anytime you wanted it anyway, whether I was with someone or not. You’re my girl!”
You hug her and thank the bar maid for your drinks, then take a drink. Kari will always be good for your ego, and she’s the best friend you could ever ask for.
“You didn’t answer m’ question,” she reminds.
“Oh, what’s happening with me?” you repeat back to her from earlier, and she nods. “Honestly, not much. Harry’s been in the studio a lot lately, so haven’t really seen him as much. And he stays nervous about my safety, which I understand but I don’t,…doesn’t matter. But that explains why I have Hoke and Magic Mike now,” you say, pointing toward the security guard, referencing him and your driver.
“Yes, he’s huge, isn’t he?” Kari observes, looking the guard up and down from where he is standing. “Nice ass for a guy.” She looks twice. “Shit, nice ass for a girl!”
You giggle and the two of you enjoy your time, knocking back drink after drink as you catch up. After polishing off the last of the beer sitting on the table, you start to stand before abruptly losing your balance and landing back in the seat of your chair. Your guard catches your arm as you and Kari both laugh. You were going to be feeling the alcohol by morning in a much less fun way than you were at the moment. As you try standing again, the guard once again grabs your arm and you look at him strangely.
“I’m alright, Beefcake,” you say with a smile. “Stand down. I’ll make it.”
The guard grins at you, shaking his head, staying close by just in case. You walk haphazardly to the car as the driver opens the door and you and Kari fall inside, laughing. In that moment, in the floor of the car with your best friend laughing on top of you, you couldn’t deny you were unequivocally drunk. The two of you laugh uncontrollably, gasping for air, as Magic Mike helps you both up into the seat of the car.
You love your best friend. You laugh and talk together as the car drops Kari off at her apartment, then drives the distance to return you back home. As you sit in the car, you think of how much fun you have with her and giggle, leaning your head back and closing your eyes.
“Love?” Harry leans into the car, shaking you after the car stops in the drive awhile later. Harry looks at the driver when you don’t respond, sound asleep lying in the seat of the car.
The guard smiles. “They had a lot to drink, but they had a good time.”
Harry smiles, leaning in again and caressing your face. “Babe?”
You don’t so much as twitch before Harry pulls you toward him and gathers you up into his arms, thanking the driver and guard, and carrying you into the house. He looks into the unconscious bliss on your face, smiles, and kisses your forehead. Walking up the stairs with you in his arms, he lays you on the foot of the bed, looking at you again and smiling. As he pulls back the covers on your side, he sees you moving around.
“So you are alive?” he giggles. “Glad to see that.”
You look around, trying to figure out where the voice is coming from then your eyes rest on Harry’s face.
“You’re so cute,” you say, slurring your words slightly, your eyes only slits between your lashes. “I thought you were working late.”
“It is late, baby,” he says, walking back around to where you lay. “You were just later than I was.”
“Mmm,” you say as your eyes begin to close again.
“Let’s get you undressed so you can sleep comfortably, love,” he says, grabbing each of your hands and pulling you up so that you are sitting on the edge of the bed. “Up with your arms now.” Confusion fills your face as you look at him. “Lift your arms up, sweetheart,” Harry laughs. Harry has always found you lovely, but he has a soft, special place for you when you’re drunk. He loves taking care of you.
You feel him lift your arms above your head, pulling the dress you are wearing up and off of your body, as you quickly slide to the floor between his feet. You hear him laughing as you look up at him surprised. He bends down in front of you, still laughing, and kisses you sweetly.
“My angel,” he says endearingly. “I surely do love you, even drunk off your ass.”
You look at him. “Who’s drunk?”
He laughs again, then puts his arms under your pits, lifting you back up onto the bed. “Babe, you are no doubt going to feel this in the morning, but you are adorable right now.”
“I’m always fuckin’ adorable,” you say, blinking slowly as he chuckles at you again.
“You are, yes,” he unhooks and removes your bra and turns you to lay on your pillow, covering you with the sheet and blanket. You feel one of his hands rest on your hip while the other pushes hair from your face and caresses you, kissing soft, sweet kisses to your lips. “Sleep well, kitten.”
“Mmm,” you manage before your eyes fall shut.
Someone must have bashed your head in with a crowbar. Possibly even ran over your head with a car. Nothing else could possibly be causing this horrible, monstrous pain that was gnashing away at your brain. The thundering that had taken over your hearing was like being at the loudest metal concert, your seat being directly in front of one of the house-sized speakers. You rubbed your head, then your senses switched, as you smelled something coming from the kitchen. Your thoughts couldn’t focus enough to know what it was, but the growling of your stomach from no food since yesterday’s lunch overpowered your desire to stay in bed for the rest of your life.
You looked to your side and saw Harry was already awake somewhere, and slowly sat up, waiting for the room to stop spinning. You were fortunate that drinking didn’t often make you vomit, but sometimes you wished it did, because surely you would feel better then.
You walk into the bathroom, not well but you manage, and relieve your bladder, feeling about 10 pounds lighter after. You slowly but eventually make your way through the doorway of the bedroom and look down from the top of the stairs. As you clutch the railing in your hand, you are amazed your feet find each step without problem. About halfway down you can see into the kitchen. Harry is standing at the island, his hair in utter disarray, tattoos displayed beautifully in only his unders, and singing lightly to music playing. He begins to cut into the fresh fruit again but looks toward the steps seeing you appear. He smiles and quickly walks to the steps, taking your hand until you reach the floor.
“Good morning, my love,” he says, as you clutch your head.
“Good morning,” you say quietly.
“Head hurt?” he purposely asks too loudly as you retreat like a scared animal away from him, giving him a ‘go to hell’ look that makes him laugh. You feel his arms wrap around you from behind, a sweet kiss landing on your cheek as he holds you closely. “That was mean, I’m sorry.”
“Payback’s a bitch, handsome,” you say, leaning back against him, enjoying the feel of him holding you. For a long moment he holds you, freckling light pecks from his lips on your skin.
“I made us something to eat,” he finally says, his arm around your waist, leading you to sit at the island. “Your stomach okay after last night?”
“Yeah, I’m starving actually,” you say, rubbing your face with your hands. “Kari and I never did eat last night so I’ve had no food since lunch yesterday.”
“Well, that would explain why the liquor hit you harder, I suppose,” he grins, grabbing a small cup and passing it to you. “Here, babe, drink this.”
Without thinking, assuming it was a bit of fruit juice maybe, you swallowed the cold liquid in like a shot and gulped, sputtering and choking in its wake. “What the hell?” you gagged as he smirked at you.
“Dill pickle juice,” he said. “Good for a hangover.” He hands you another drink and you look at it skeptically, making him chuckle. “Just juice, babe. Here’s some pain killers for your head.” He hands them to you and you take them, welcoming some relief from your pain.
Later after you both eat, Harry tells you to get your shower while he cleans up the mess. When you come back downstairs, feeling some better, you hear him shouting from his office. You can tell he’s speaking with someone on his phone. You stop on the bottom step and can’t help but hear what he’s saying.
“I don’t care! It’s nobody’s business!” you hear him yell into the phone. “If she wants to go to a pub and get drunk with her best friend, it’s her right to do it! I’m not going to tell her she can’t!” Realizing he is upset about something because of your night out with Kari makes you sad. “Clean it up! That’s your job, isn’t it?” you hear him say. You feel terrible that once again you feel like you’re letting him down, doing things that reflect badly on him. “Nothing we can do about that, now is there! We’ll deal with it like we deal with anything else, and in time, it will be forgotten.”
You hear him say something more softly that you can’t hear, then close your eyes, frustrated at yourself. You’ve never been the type of person to put on airs. You are who you are, no apologies, but things are different now. You have someone else to think of. What you do is a reflection on him.
You see him walk out of his office and look at you, standing on the bottom step with a sad look covering your face. He grins slightly and walks to you. The step off the ground makes you almost eye-to-eye with him.
“What did I do now?” you say sorrowfully.
“Nothing,” he says, grinning at you and pulling you against him. “You’ve done nothing wrong. Just nosey people making others lives more difficult. Nothing for you to worry about.”
“I’m sorry,” you say, frowning. “I feel like I can’t do anything without it getting you in trouble with someone.”
He sees the honest sadness in your eyes.
“You haven’t gotten me into trouble with anyone, sweetheart. I promise,” he says, smiling then kissing your lips. “It’s just a little hiccup, happens too often in my world, but I’m used to it, so I don’t want you to worry or feel bad about it, okay?” You look at him unwaveringly. “I mean it. I don’t want you sad about this. It’s nothing.”
He holds you a moment longer then insists the two of you have a swim to try and relax. It helps, but you can’t seem to shake this time how it affected you, putting lots of thoughts into your mind you hadn’t considered before. But, not wanting Harry to worry that you are so upset about it, you seem to cover well enough, you think.
The following day Harry asked you if you would like to run some errands with him, but not really being in the mood, you decided to stay home. Reluctantly he left, but within half an hour, he returned, looking concerned and timid.
“Hey,” you say as he walks in. “Did you forget something?”
“No,” he simply says, setting his keys down and walking to the window, looking out over the front of the property.
“Something wrong?” you ask, apprehensively.
“I don’t know yet,” he answers honestly, looking back at you. “I got a phone call not long after I left, from the same floral shop as before, saying they had a large delivery and wanted to make sure someone was here to receive it. I had given them my number in case they found out anything from last time.”
“Maybe it’s nothing, Harry,” you say. “Maybe just from someone you work with or do business with.”
“Maybe,” he says, sighing. “But I want to be here for the delivery.”
After a few more minutes, you see him walk to the security system on the wall, opening the gate, then promptly walking out to meet the delivery van. You watch from the house as he talks to the man, asking him questions, then walking to opened doors and looking inside for several minutes. You couldn’t hear what they were saying, but you could see from the look on Harry’s face, and how he kept running his fingers through his hair, that he wasn’t happy. In another moment you saw him shake the man’s hand, then turn to walk inside the house. You notice the little flower shop van driving back out of the driveway as Harry walks in the door and look at Harry questionably. He closes the door behind him and walks to where you are.
“So?” you ask.
“No cards, no names, privately ordered and paid for,” he states, his jaw tightening.
“So again, no idea who they were from or who they are for,” you reply with him nodding. “Why would someone send an arrangement of flowers and not mention who it’s for and who it’s from? That makes no sense.”
“Oh, it wasn’t just an arrangement, love,” he answers boldly. “There were over a dozen. All with no information. I asked the delivery man to take them all to the children’s hospital for the patients.”
You exhale sharply, completely confused as to why it was happening.
“I need to go make a phone call, okay?” he says, kissing you gently then walking back into his office and closing the door.
You sit on the sofa, thinking about the situation, but can’t wrap your head around it. You assume it may be an obsessive fan, afraid to leave their information, and leave it at that.
The following week was a long one. Harry asked his legal team to look into the situation to see if they could find out anything he couldn’t, plus he still had work keeping him busy, so you weren’t getting much time with him, but you understood. You were proud of him and his work so you would never complain about him spending a lot of time at it.
As you finished your work day, you walked to Kari’s desk but didn’t see her anywhere. You looked at the cubicle next to hers and talked to the person sitting there.
“Excuse me?” you say, as she looks at you. “Rachel, is it? Do you now if Kari is still here?”
She smiles at you. “I’m sorry, Kari went home early. Something about her girlfriend coming back today, I think.”
You nod and grin. “Completely forgot about that. Thanks anyway. Have a good evening!”
You take the lift down and walk through the front doors. You feel a chill in the air and realize that time of year is coming again soon. You walk to a car parked at the curb with a driver smiling at you.
“Hello,” you greet the man, seeing it is a different car and driver. “Are you here for me?”
“Yes, miss,” he says, opening the door. “I was asked to pick you up tonight. Your regular car and driver were unavailable.”
“Oh,” you smile, “Okay, thank you.”
He opens the door for you as you get inside. You breathe loudly through your mouth, blubbering your lips, tired and ready to relax. You hoped Harry wouldn’t work too late. You would love to sit and snuggle with him until you sleep.
As he turns his keys in the lock, Harry walks into the house. It’s quiet so Harry doesn’t call for you, assuming you have already gone to bed. Setting his keys on the table next to the door, he walks into the kitchen for a bottle of water. He looks in the fridge to see if anything sounds good to eat before going to sleep, then decides he is too tired and closes the door. As he begins to walk up the stairs, his eyes happen to glance to the spot where you always set your briefcase for work. He notices it isn’t there and looks around, but doesn’t see it. Maybe you had some work to do before bed, he thought.
Harry walked to the bedroom door, opening it quietly in case you are sleeping, then closing it just as quietly behind him. He glances to the bed as his grin quickly became a frown. It was still untouched from when you made it this morning.
“Love?” he called out to you then quietly stopped to listen. “Sweetheart, where are you?” He walked to the bathroom door and looked into the dark room, flipping on the light and seeing no sign of you having been there since morning. He quickly opened the bedroom door again and ran through, shouting your name as he looked around the large house. “Baby, answer me! Where are you?”
His heart began to race, knowing you would be home by now, or would have texted him to let him know differently. His mind raced nervously as he thought what he should do. He grabbed his phone and tried calling your number with no answer.
“Baby, I just got home and you’re not here. I’m worried. Please call me as soon as you get this and I’ll come get you. I love you!” Harry disconnected from your voicemail and looked at his phone, nerves shaking him to the core. He tried another number.
“Yes, is this Henry?” Harry asked the driver he had hired to get you. “Hi, it’s Harry. What time did you pick her up tonight? I can’t….what?” Harry swallows hard. “No, I didn’t have someone call you, cancelling. Someone called you and said I cancelled her ride?” Harry listened to the man and closed his eyes in disbelief. “Thank you.” He disconnected the call, his hands shaking as he listened to the quiet of the house. He looked at his phone again, trying your number but hearing it go to voicemail again. He disconnected the call, making a different one. With a wavering voice, Harry spoke into his phone with a tightened throat.
“I need you to come to the house. Something’s happened.”
Chapter six in the books! I hope you all like it. Not sure how many chapters will be in this story. It kind of plays out as I write it, so when it sounds like a good place to end it, I will, unless you seem to become bored with it before then. I have issues with stories becoming too unrealistic. I like them to be as believable as possible, including the conflict. But I also know, as a writer, that this can be boring to the reader. So I will continue doing my best to keep you interested!
My continued writing completely depends on all of you! As long as it seems you are enjoying my stories, via your likes, reblogs, and comments, I will keep writing and posting them for you. So please, if you like them, let me know and feel free to share them and my Masterlist!
Thank you to all of you who have said nice things and continue to encourage my efforts. You are loved!
It’s five o’clock in the morning. Louis has a lecture at half eight. He could be using this time to study or to do his readings or to go to the gym, but - well. He doesn’t have any exams coming up, he’s not going to his seminar today anyway and he hates the gym.
Instead he’s using this time to fuck with Harry Styles’ poor little brain.
Louis jogs across the street and jabs the key into the car door. It opens easily, not that he was expecting anything else. He copied the key for a reason, after all.
He’s got Harry’s schedule memorized, more because the guy keeps following him around than anything, so he doesn’t bother looking around before climbing behind the wheel and setting his bag on the passenger seat. It’s a Monday, which means that Harry doesn’t even get out of bed before noon unless he’s planning on harassing Louis.
I finally was able to sit down and read the latest chapter of Sansûkh by determamfidd (my eyes still hurt from crying btw) and I totally fell in love with Merilin, an OC who seems super rad so far. She’s a really cool trans elf, who’s an archer, and Second in Command to Legolas’ brother, Laerophen. We haven’t seen a whole lot of her yet, but I couldn’t resist the urge to draw her before going to bed. :)
Some women choose to follow men, and some women choose to follow their dreams. If you’re wondering which way to go, remember that your career will never wake up and tell you that it doesn’t love you anymore.


17-year-old Florida rapper Lil Pump, who has quickly become a hot commodity in hip-hop thanks to catchy singles like “Gucci Gang” and “iShyne,” became a target of 33-year-old hip-hop veteran J. Cole when his 2017 throwaway joke track “F*ck J. Cole” reached the older rapper’s ears. The offhand diss sent Cole to the studio for “1985 (Intro To ‘The Fall Off’)” from his new album, K.O.D., wherein he responds by predicting that Pump will end up on Love & Hip-Hop the final repository for washed-up rappers clinging to their last thread of relevance.
Of course, Lil Pump, being a Generation Z rapper born and bred in the era of the internet troll, has already responded. Rather than hunting down a mic and a beat to unleash a lyrical lashing on his elder, he did what all the kids do these days: Hit the ‘Gram, posting a short video to his Instagram story (captured by Worldstar Hip-Hop, naturally) with the entirety of his response, which was little more than a shrug of the shoulders.
“Wow, you get so much props. You dissed a 17-year-old. Lame ass ‘jit,'” Pump exclaimed sarcastically, before signing off without ceremony.
It’s not the battle rap of yesteryear that many older heads would have preferred, but is his derisive response entirely wrong? By baiting J. Cole into responding to his poorly-constructed troll (seriously, “F*ck J. Cole” is all of 45 seconds worth of lyrics, with over half its runtime being comprised of the title phrase repeated ad nauseam), Pump receives added attention for essentially doing nothing, while Cole finds himself stuck in a Catch-22.
His fellow Millennial rap fans give him to almighty side-eye for letting himself be “disrespected” by the young up-and-comer, but if he responds further, it does kind of make him the bully in the situation, since he’s twice Pump’s age and won’t really earn any points for punching down. It’d be like LeBron James dunking on Bronny: Unimpressive, excessive, and ultimately a waste of energy on his part. Despite the purported rap rules of engagement for such situations, it may be that the best course of action for the vet would be to heed the first rule of the internet instead: Don’t feed the trolls.


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MANILA - House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco allayed concerns over possible pork insertions in the proposed P4.5-trillion national budget for 2021.
The House of Representatives allowed its members to submit individual amendments to the General Appropriations Bill until October 19th, even after passing it on third and final reading Friday.
“We made sure it is a constitutional budget based on the decision of the Supreme Court,” Velasco told reporters Friday.
“We are making sure there is no pork in the said budget,” he added.
Velsco said they are studying how to address the “inequitable” infrastructure budget allocations for districts.
“Kung hindi namin magawa ‘yan ngayon, meron pa naman next year. Pero as much as possible, we will do everything we can so that we can equitably, fairly distribute,” he said.
Some lawmakers complained of supposedly higher infra funds in districts of congressmen who were known allies of former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.
Cayetano has denied this.
Will the proposed 2021 infra allocation for Cayetano’s district in Taguig and his close ally Rep. LRay Villafuerte’s district in Camarines Sur be affected?
“I'm still looking at it,” Velasco said.
He denied Villafuerte’s claim that former Rep. Rolando Andaya had a hand in the proposed 2021 national budget.
“I haven’t seen congressman Andaya actively participating behind the scenes,” Velasco said.
“I can’t still understand why he (Villafuerte) doesn’t want to stop. Ever since nung umpisa pa lang ng laban e talak na nang talak, hanggang ngayon eh talak pa rin nang talak. I just don’t try to listen to that anymore,” he added.
The third reading approval came minutes after the House passed the national budget on the second reading, marking the second consecutive year that the budget bill breezed through its second and third readings on the same day.
The agencies which received the biggest allocations were: Department of Education, P754.4 billion; Department of Public Works and Highways, P667.3 billion; Department of the Interior and Local Government, P246.1 billion; Department of National Defense, P209.1 billion; Department of Health (DOH), P203.1 billion; Department of Social Welfare and Development, P171.2 billion; Department of Transportation, P143.6 billion; Department of Agriculture, P66.4 billion; the Judiciary, P43.5 billion; and Department of Labor and Employment, P27.5 billion.
The DOH budget includes an initial P2.5 billion for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines next year.


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Being in a relationship brings about all those butterfly feelings at first, and over time, it creates a sense of security and belonging. But, while being with someone can be fulfilling and beautiful, relationships can become something to obsess over when you’re a serial monogamist. Here is what it’s like to be in love with relationships and go from one serious one to the next.
- A serial monogamist can’t be alone. No one really wants to be alone, and we all need a support system. But, there’s something to be said for being able to be by yourself and feel totally happy. People who don’t mind being single, or even love being single, often learn to date themselves and love who they are outside of their connection with another person. It’s challenging when you realize that you go from one relationship to the next because being alone is scary. While not everyone who dates a lot can’t be alone, it’s a common problem for the serial monogamist.
- You only feel confident with a partner. Self-confidence is key, but it’s easy to rely on another person to give you a boost and make you feel loved. While we all need to hear that people around us care about us, being able to feel great about yourself completely as a single person is an admirable trait. A serial monogamist has the tendency to only feel they’re worthy of love when they’re dating, and this can impact self-confidence over time.
- It can be a negative thing for other relationships. One downside many people don’t realize about loving romantic relationships is that you tend to push other kinds of relationships to the side. Some people are better at painting a balance, but it’s easy to prioritize the romantic partnership over all else. Then, when the relationship ends, instead of finding support from friends and family members, it’s easy to turn around and find a new romantic relationship to get lost in. The ups and downs of being a serial monogamist can push other people away, which makes you feel a bit lonely.
- You love the idea of love. Many people have heard the phrase that someone is in love with the idea of love or of being in love, but while it might be a cliche, this is often true for serial monogamists. There’s something so romantic about the concept of love and all that comes with it. The flowers and hearts. Getting to know someone. They wake up in the morning and watch their face as they sleep. But, while being a romantic isn’t a bad thing, it can be when you’re more in love with love than with the person you’re with.
- It’s easy to see people as placeholders. When you’ve dated a lot of people seriously, you forget what being single is like and sometimes aren’t sure if you really even like being with someone all the time. But, it’s easy to just see each person as filling a role as you start to feel like you need a relationship and a partner to be happy.
More struggles of being a serial monogamist
- You aren’t sure what you really like. When you’re dating someone, you develop your interests and what you like to do as a couple. Sometimes you do like a lot of the same things, but other times you have to compromise. It’s a challenge to know what your true likes and dislikes are when you start picking up things from each relationship. So, while being in a relationship is comforting, it’s easy to feel consumed by the other person when you’re a serial monogamist.
- Sometimes, no relationship measures up to the ideal in our heads. Movies and television set up a high standard of romance, especially for women who grew up watching iconic rom coms. When you go from one relationship to the next, you often love love, but it’s easy to feel disappointed when things aren’t like the fairytale in your head.
- You’re intense but your relationships may lack depth. Because you’re always seeking the next big thing as a serial monogamist, you have a tendency to go in full force even though there’s no real emotion behind it. “Although they may be very seductive, sensual, and intimate, it goes no further than the temporary romance,” relationship therapist Harriet Pappenheim, LCSW, BCD, says of the serial monogamist. Psychologist Vivian Diller, Ph.D., adds: “They bring an intensity to current relationships that are enjoyable while it lasts, but it is often unsustainable, so they move on.”
- There’s always an adventure partner. While there are some downsides to being a serial monogamist, there are some positives too. When you’re dating someone, you have a person you can call on to experience life with you. Having a partner to do things with doesn’t mean you have to go on huge adventures to new cities or go on extensive hiking in the wilderness. It just means you have someone to keep you company for even the small things like running errands or even getting ready for the day.
- You get a lot of dating experience. It’s not necessarily right or wrong to date a lot or to date a little. Some people have many opportunities to date while others don’t or don’t even want to. But, when you’ve been a serial monogamist, you get a ton of experience in love and romance. You start to learn more about what you want out of a relationship and what actually makes you happy.
A few things to consider if you’re a serial monogamist
- It may be masking a deeper fear. While you might convince yourself that because you’re only with one person at a time, you have a healthy grasp on relationships, but that may not be the case. “Remember, not that long ago, a commitment to marriage meant a relationship had to last about 20 to 30 years. Now, as life expectancy has extended, that commitment is twice as long. That scares people,” says psychologist Vivian Diller, Ph.D. In other words, you could have a string of relationships because the idea of only having one for the rest of your life is kind of terrifying.
- You’re keeping yourself from finding real love. “Serial monogamy is a half-assed way to find love. If you wind up with a new boyfriend, girlfriend, or partner every few months, that isn’t good,” sexologist Gigi Engle writes for mbg. “It means you have poor taste. It means you’re looking to find someone to complete you, when what you need is to complete yourself. You’re looking for a missing piece that you will never find because the missing piece cannot be set in place by another human.” When you’re a serial monogamist, you need to focus on quality rather than quantity.
- Ultimately, being a serial monogamist is a pattern you should try to break. Engle advises: “I get it—you might be so great that people just want to date you all the time, but that isn’t an excuse. You don’t have to date every single person who wants to date you. You shouldn’t need that kind of validation. We think if someone shows interest in us, we should say yes and we should be so grateful to have secured that attention. Learn how to say no and wait for something that is truly worth your time.”

domain: psychology


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Have a strong interest in biology, microbiology or chemistry? Want to work in the health services field? If so, you should pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences at the University of North Texas.
Medical laboratory scientists perform tests on blood, tissue and body fluids to properly treat illnesses and diseases. Their technical skills may also be used to operate and repair laboratory instruments and monitor quality control programs.
Medical laboratory scientists work in:
Some medical laboratory scientists work for the armed forces, Peace Corps, Red Cross, U.S. Public Health Service or Veterans Affairs hospitals. Others provide educational programs, work in quality control or pursue product development or sales jobs for laboratory equipment and supply manufacturers.
You'll combine classroom instruction with laboratory and practical experiences. The curriculum has been developed in cooperation with some of the state's top hospitals and medical centers. Our affiliations include:
Our laboratory facilities in the Chemistry Building and the Life Sciences Complex feature state-of-the-art equipment that allows you to research cell structure and microorganisms. Faculty members in the biological sciences and chemistry departments are dedicated to high-quality teaching and have earned recognition for their work.
We support several scholarships, including the Gladys Crawford Award, to help you pursue your degree. You can become a member of Lambda Alpha Beta, a pre-professional society for Medical Laboratory Sciences majors.
As a Medical Laboratory Sciences major, you'll study:
You may also study animal parasites, genetics and techniques used by laboratory professionals to examine cells and body fluids. You'll also take general courses in management, technical writing and statistics.
Another requirement is enrolling in a clinical training program at a hospital or university laboratory approved by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (5600 N. River Road, Suite 720; Rosemont, Ill. 60018-5119; telephone 847-939-3597). These hospitals and labs typically require full-time training for 12 to 15 consecutive months.
Our Career Center, Learning Center and professional academic advisors are among the many valuable resources available to you at UNT. The Career Center can provide advice about internships, future employment opportunities and getting hands-on experience in your major. The Learning Center offers workshops on speed reading, study skills and time management. Academic advisors will help you plan your class schedule each semester.
We encourage you to fulfill the graduation requirements for the distinguished level of achievement under the Texas Foundation, Recommended or Distinguished Achievement high school program or the equivalent.
In your junior year, take the SAT or ACT and have your scores sent to UNT.
In your senior year, apply for admission at ApplyTexas.org by March 1 and request that your high school transcript be sent to the UNT admissions office.
Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses can count toward college credit at UNT.
If you're attending a Texas community college, you should consult our online transfer guides, the UNT Undergraduate Catalog and an academic counselor or advisor to review your degree plan. Proper planning will allow you to receive the maximum amount of transfer credits.
Our Transfer Center will help you make a successful transition to college life at UNT by connecting you with a peer mentor and other campus resources. Each year, 3,800 students transfer to UNT.

domain: health